Topic: School

First of all…yesturday’s quote was said by John F. Kennedy.  I discovered it while reading about “The 20th century” on wikipedia.  My politics are still forming, as I learn more about history, politics, and issues, but at the end of the day, most people vote with their emotions, and emotions are swayed by language.  My mom was telling me how there was a buzz in the air when JFK was president, because of his use of language and tone, such as the quote from yesturday. 

“Our problems are man-made, therefor they can be solved by man.”  Acknowledging problems, acknowledging our humanity…”For in the final analysis…we are all mortal.”  Words that even teenagers can relate to.

On the train today…I was watching two girls working on math problems in a giant soft-bound book of math problems.  Two things crossed my mind, both the magnitude of importance and the sheer irrelevancy of math as taught in school.  As an “emerging adult,” it’s clear that of the many years of math I took, maybe 1-5% of it is relevant in my life today.  ADDING.  That’s probably the most important.  Adding numbers on a deposit slip, adding the hours in the day.  Most math related things are actaully more related to things like money and the prices of the various things we by, finance and investing, time, dates, cooking, etc.  After that, algebra, geometry, calculus, I can honestly say play 0 role in my daily life, except in more practical and complex ways that I probably don’t think about (like architecture maybe). 

So…why do I simultaneously believe that math is of utmost importance?  Because it’s ingrained into our society and our schools.  For millions of students, math is a reality of educational progress.  They may not like it because it’s sometimes boring, and parents and teachers may not like it because it’s not very relevant to real life as an adult, but, it is relevant for a child for the only reason that it is a fixed part of our society (for most traditional schools).

With that as a given, the best we can do is to embrace math.  Embrace the obscure, sine, cosine, tangent, hypotenus, A squared + B squared =   For the majority of America and I think it’s fair to say most of the world, this kind of math is the reality of school, and we are best served by doing 2 things. 

1) Acknowledge to kids that this isn’t important in the real world except for the fact that it’s a hoop they need to jump through to graduate hs and get into college (where they may find more hoops).  In that respect, it’s good training in hoop jumping, and learning how to play the system.  While you may not like the system, playing the system gives you all kinds of benefits (scholarships, general knowledge of the system, general knowledge of facts that may or may not prove useful in life, if not just making good conversation).

2) Make it managable and fun.  There’s a great Family Guy episode where one of the characters (either the father Peter, or the son Chris who is a pretty slow kid), are asking for directions.  The response, “You’re gonna go down this road that runs alongside this other road.  When they cross at a perpendicular angle, you’re going to keep going on this road parallel to the first road.  Then…SOLVE FOR X!”

So…we can certainly laugh at the hilarity of math, but we can also find ways to make it interesting for students.  Make it fun.  Make it relevant in some ways by tying it into real world adult-type situations. 

Just as technology is progressing from landlines, to cell phones, to wireless technology, some schools are progressing.  There are schools that teach “problems and projects,” rather than addressing isolated subjects. 

Moving on from math, and began thinking about all the subjects from school.  Fellow emergin adults out there, “How do you read?” or rather, “Do you read?”  My sisters read in book clubs, I read on the train or before I go to bed.  Usually, we read books that are popular best sellers, or certain classics, or informative non-fiction books.  We read for pleasure mostly, maybe to escape into fantasy, maybe to be armchair travelers, maybe to become intellectuals or simply to better understand this complex world. 

Since college, I’ve never been asked to write a paper about anything I’ve read.  Never been called on to answer a question about a book.  Never had to take a test about one either.  Never had to be present in a room with my peers and one older adult who could talk for hours about the book, while we mostly sit and listen.  Instead, I’ve sat informally with people and shared the book I was reading, while learning about a book someone else is reading.  That’s basically the role that reading has had in my life as an emerging adult. 

Most importantly…I’ve never been assigned a book to read.  I can’t stress the importance of this enough.  I’ve chosen books that appeal to me, based on my curiosity or the recommendations of others.  That way…I’ve never been stuck reading a book that I wasn’t interested in.

One of my favorite professors (who i need to get back in touch w/) taugh a class called “Argumentation Writing.”  One of the most memorable things that happened in that class, was when our prof. asked us as a class to choose what book we wanted to read.  We chose a book called, “Class” by Paul Fussell, and it might be the only book in college I actually read.  Sad…but true.  Compare this to my freshman EComp class when we were assigned Pride and Prejudice, and I watched the movie and still pulled off a B on a paper (a paper titled Pride, Prejudice, and a Fortune Cookie…as I was also taking a class on Chinese thought and I attempted to put confucious quotes in every paper I wrote, even if it meant making one up like ‘confuscious say…man who is pride, will also fall victime of prejudice.)  I loved being creative and stupid like that at the same time!

Anyways…what a gift it was for this one prof. to give us the choice.  Especially since most assigned books appeal to such a narrow audience like Jane Austin’s book Pride and Prejudice.  But…having addressed the problems w/ math, I also think the way to enhance English instruction is to treat students like adults, to give them the choice to choose what books they want to read (even if it’s a book that some schools want to ban from the eyes of children, such as the wonderful book The Perks of Being a Wallflower which is an extremely realistic and eye-opening look into the world of high school students).

So…math. Check.  English. Check.  What about history?

Describe the importance of the Algerian war against France?

BORING!!!

Where’s Algeria anyways?  I wasn’t even alive back in 1962.  All I know is that’s when the Mets first entered the leage.

Now…what is you started off by watching CNN for an hour, showing the riots in France.  “Holy shit…that’s crazy stuff going on there.”  1000′s of burned cars.  Teens just like us taking to the streets.  Why?  What’s it all about?  Then…cue in the fact that many of the rioters are poor French citizens who have been marginilized into poverty and also happen to be of North African descent.  So what does France and N. Africa have in common?  Well…France colonized Algeria, that’s why Algerians speak French.  That’s why some French people are distrustful of Algerians living there, because they lost control over Algeria.  etc. etc.

So…from current events, from something relevant, from something that adults do (read and watch the news), we can then get young people interested in history.

And I’m spent

-dan

Topic: Who said it?

“What kind of peace do we seek? I am talking about a genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living. Not merely peace in our time, but peace in all time. Our problems are man-made, therefore they can be solved by man. For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children’s future, and we are all mortal.”

Topic: Sinatra

In an effort to better know my parents and their generation, and to discover what all the hype is about, I went to the library and got some Sinatra cd’s…and let me say, they’re pretty damn good.  I think I’d kind of like to have a big band at my wedding, and by then I’ll have learned to sing a few of Old Blue Eyes’ favorite tunes.

While at the library, I ran into the mother of a girl I went to school with.  I’d last seen her when I was a kid, and I don’t think I ever spoke to her in my life, but she knew all about me from my mom, and I knew that my mom had run into her.  We chatted a bit, her daughter is a bit altruistic like me, and is strugglign to figure out what to do with that altruism w/out having to live out of a dumpster (which I basically did for some time…sleeping in car washes and such).  She’s now at law school…feeling the pressure there, the same pressure she probably felt at Dartmouth and competing for grades in h.s.  Sigh

So…riots continue in France for a 2nd full week now, for those who haven’t read or saw.  Two Arabs were  killed outside of Paris while fleeing police, which has lead to thousands of frustrated and impovershed French Arabs all over the country, to burn cars and cause all sorts of trouble for the police there.

I’ve been thinking a bit about how we talk to younger people about the world.  How we help create cliches like “I want to help create world peace.”  I was tutoring a young 7-yr. old to read on Mon, and I asked her, “What do you want to do when you grow up…” hoping that maybe she’d have some advice for me!  Her response was, “What job makes a lot of money!”  I paused…not wanting to be falsely idealistic and tell her money isn’t important, because, she’s exactly right to want to be comfortably wealthy as she ages, especially growing up in what I believe was Section 8 subsideized housing.  I end up saying, “Why don’t you become President,” and quickly realized how stupid that was.  Why set unrealistic expectations for a child, especially knowing what I know now about politics.

Thinking further, I decided a good response would be, “be a writer,” especially since we were teaching kids to read.  That would probably encourage them to read more, and writing is certainly a life long skill.  As far as professions go, growing up with the desire to be a writer, and lead to many professions, from an author, journalist, politcal speech writer, teacher, editor, legal writer, grant writer.  It’s something even a 7-yr. old can dream about and begin to pursue, while dreams of being a politician, firefighter, etc. while attainable, are very limited in scope.  How’s that for parental advice!

But back to the issue of “achieving world peace,” I think we promote naiivity in people.  OK…so you want world peace, let me ask, “where is there currently conflict?”  Peace is not an abstract idea, it’s the end of pain and suffering.  But pain and suffering and conflict are almost infinite on this planet…the best we can do is try to calm the pain of major sources of pain and suffering.  Promoting diplomacy over war.  Raising the standard of living for the poor.  Trying to rid the world of unecessary causes of death, such as malaria, AIDS, hunger, lack of clean drinking water, etc. 

The riots in France have been said to be caused by a failure of the French gov’t to adequately integrate the Muslim community into the country.  To allow a culture of racism to evolve.  This is not a problem for a Ms. America to tackle. 

I’ve been thinking a bit also about what I view as political and social issues that are somewhat complex and difficult to understand, but are made cloudier because of their apparent irrelevance to avg. people.  I’ll never forget my skepticism of all things academic.  Free trade, colonialism, cold war, watergae, Valerie Plame.  Just words.  Boring words.  Irrelevant words.  1929…1941…1948…just numbers.  Old numbers, meaningless, outdated.   BORING!!!

So…in the next few months I hope to accomplish two things.  To continue to educate myself further about local, national, and global history, as well as following local, national, and global current events.  While doing that, I hope to find ways to show how these issues are in some way interesting and relevant, and how they might be explained to someone as young as 7 years old.  Because I believe that 7-yr. old is old enough to read about, understand, and try to grapple w/ what is happening in France today.

In other news…Giants, 6-2!!!

I hope many of you recognize these people…Tony Micelli, Angela Bower, Mona, Jonathan Bower, Samantha Micelli…the cast of Whose The Boss!

I was watching the show on UPN this morning while doing my morning eliptical machine thingy…and I remembered how sweet 80′s television is.  Sam wanted to go on a ski trip, but couldn’t afford it. Tony, feeling guilty because the salary of a housekeeper isn’t all that high, decides to sell his autographed 1962 Mets baseball to raise the money…now that takes guts.

One thought that struck me like a ton of feathers (because a ton of anything is going to hurt!), is…man, I’m almost old enough to go out w/ a woman like Angela Bower.  Yeah…she has kids and is in her late 30′s, probably early 40′s, but if she were to look for a younger guy, that younger guy could be me (not that I’m interested in a woman in her 30′s).  But…it’s just strange that all those tv parents I grew up watching, are now people I could sit down and have an adult conversation with, and all those teens like me who I grew up watching, some dreaming about

are now teens I could be leading on a summer trip, or advising them about school and personal issues.  Although the real people have grown up, it’s nice to know that in those shows, we’ll have preseved forever an 80′s teen, and an 80′s parent.  Just as Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Glenn Miller will always be able to share w/ me a good early to mid-20th century tune.

It’s like reliving my childhood, and the childhood of my parents.  Next up…

Topic: update

On Fri. I took a day off from work to drive down w/ my parents and one of my sisters to Virginin, for my cousin’s bar mitzvah.  This is a side of the family I don’t see very often because of the distance, but it was a great weekend.  Not only a fun family road trip, but very enlightening about my roots.

The Bar Mitzvah is the Jewish coming of age ceremony, in which a boy (a bat mitzvah is for girls) reads a portion of the Torah, which is a scroll containing the 5 books of the Old Testament.  After reading the Hebrew, they then give a brief explanation about the portion.

This portion was about Noah and the Ark, followed by the story of the Tower of Babble.  My cousin, in his speech about the Tower of B., explained, “The reason we have so many different languages today, is because God was angered by the desendants of Noah who were trying to build a tower into the sky to dethrone God.  He turned their one language into many, so they couldn’t understand each other, hence, the Tower of Babble.”

He continued: “I think communication is very important.  In fact, I think it would be cool if all the people in the world spoke only one language, so we could all communciate together, and so I wouldn’t have to take a foregin language in school.  But then again, we wouldn’t have so many different accents, and translators wouldn’t have jobs.  So I guess it’s ok.”

Bloody brilliant!!!!!

Topic: School

On Thur. I went to go see a speaker on the topic of progressive education.  The speaker was Alfie Kohn, who is considered the leading critic of standardized testing in America, and has written and spoken extensively on topics such as testing, parenting, developmental psych, and several realted topics.

The talk took place at the Calhoun School, located around 83rd st. and the West End.  It was my first time inside a Manhattan NYC school, and the building was beautiful.  The school considers itself to be progressive, which comes from its policy of written evaluations and no grades, as well as a general philosophy and practice of class collaboration vs. individual competition, and learning about topics in an interdisciplanary manner, rather than isolated and unmemorable subjects.

Speaking to just a few parents re-ignited my passion for the subject, as these parents, in their mid-to-late 30′s, we overjoyed w/ how their children were thriving in this school setting.  I’m fortunate to have found out about this event through a friend who I was fortunate to have met at a conference for an AERO (Alternative Education Resource Org) meeting this summer, which was supposed to be the last time I thought about progressive education or the things I had written about the topic, because I had just become so burned out and frustrated by it.  But…one person, Roger, who read my book, fell in love w/ it, and he happens to have several good connections in the NY area. 

For starters, my book is now being used at Ithica College, a course about academic writing.  One section of my book in particular, which highlights the book Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, discusses what college would be like w/ no grades and no degree. “BUT THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE!”  Wrong.

Roger is also working on a project to faciliate exchanges between mostly wealthy white students who attend private schools, and their counterparts in the public school system.  He has students from the different schools write essays and exchange them to learn how things are different for people in a different situation to their own, but living and attending school almost right next door.  Really interesting project, and there is talk about running an elective at the Fieldston School, an “elite” private school in Da Bronx (Riverdale), about all issues education and college…such as rankings, prestige, gap years, majors, etc.

If you do a goodle search on “College Daze” what you’ll find is a link to Suze Orman’s website YOUNG, FABULOUS, AND BROKE (known as YF&Bers).  Until recently, I didn’t even find her show relevant to me.  But personal finances is an enormous part of life, not meaning you need to be rich, but meaning your ignorance of knowledge of the subject can have a great affect on whether or not you can live the lifestyle you want to live. 

She has a whole blog which, like myself, argues that college is failing to prepare students for the real world.  And in her case, it’s in a very practical way.  Colleges are not ensuring that its paying students are graduating w/ a working knowledge of personal finance.  Recognizing this, some states are adding personal finance to hs curriculums.

Some of the posts people left on her site are interesting.  They talk about the need to learn something useful like personal finance, “instead of something like geography.”  Well…since I’m interested in geography, I’d say, let’s teach both, since they’re both relevant.  When you invest in a home, what’s the #1 lesson? Location, location, location.  Everything can be shown to be relevant in our lives.

On another note…further reading of Thomas Friedman’s book, “The World Is Flat,” has made me more interested in technology than ever before.  In the next few weeks, I will make efforts to read those who are concerned by the effects of globalization, but I think Thomas Friedman does a good job reporting what is going on, and pointing out pros and cons of varoius things.

For example, in discussing the proliferation of technology, he makes note of how it can negatively affect individuals and communities.  People can spend all day on a computer playing games, just as easy as they can spend it soaking up knowledge on wikipedia.  People can spend all day having “lol” conversations with friends, just as easily as then can exchange ideas w/ caring people on Xanga.  People can become isolated and computer dependant, as well as they can strengthen relationships w/ friends abroad through skype, a program that allows you to make phone calls through the internet for free.

And, the reality is, this is the direction things are heading.  So…while I want to be informed about the negative effects of globalization, I don’t want to be a ludite, criticizing technology or waxing nostalgically about “a better time,” when we didn’t have all these gadgets and gizmos.  Instead, I’ll embrace technology, and use it to bring nostagia back into our lives, burning cd’s of old music, reading the history of my roots, etc. 

Of course…I do appreciate time w/out technology.  Winding down the day, I like at least an hour, alone, with a book, and dim lighting.  I like getting together w/ friends and having good conversation.  Just today…while crammed like sardines on the Long Island Railroad, I was treated to an entire conversation between two men in their late 40′s, talking about their old neighborhoods in Da Bronx and Brooklyn, talking about the architecture and design of their homes, talking about local schools.  Simply because the way we do things has changed, does not mean we’ve become any more or less human than in the past.

The people of Argentina are ready to welcome President Bush

Moving to another Spanish speaking country, CNN did an interesting report on Spain, post-Madrid bombings.  They’ve taken an approach to terrorism opporiste that of the U.S.  First,  they pulled troops out of Iraq, which some criticized as “being soft on terrorism,” although I see that viewpoint true only if you believe going to war in Iraq was the “best,” “right” or “one true way” to combat terrorism.  The belief that it takes real cajones and the will to fight a war in order to combat terrorism.

Perhaps Spain doesn’t have the cajones.  Perhaps they are soft.  Perhaps they don’t want to have headlines reading, “2,000th Spanish soldier killed.”  Perhaps they see the clash between radical Islam and the rest of the world not simply as a clash of civilizations, a clash of good vs. evil, but of a clash of a different sort.

I need to explore that further…but, the second approach to terrorism that Spain has taken may reveal a bit of what I think is at the heart of the different responses to terrorism between Spain and the U.S.  They have loosened their borders.  They have welcomed the Arab world, at least, they have made a point to show their country is not anti-Arab, not anti-Islam.  This is a bit of a generality and I need to read more on the issue, but, clearly, the US has embraced “a tone” in which we choose not to understand the Arab / Muslim world.  Our national leaders have not made it clear to us Americans that what we are at war w/ is radical Islam, not Islam itself.  Our national leaders have made us think, “if a country is in the Middle East and the leader is in many ways evil, we should oust them because they might be terrorists.”  They have done nothing to make it clear that we are not simply anti-Arab, and not simply using the tragedy of 9/11 as an excuse to go after oil and settle old political rivalries.

This is important…because Sadam Hussein should have been dealt with.  It’s important because the Pres. of Iran who has made an anacrhonistic (what a word…) call to wipe Israel off the map needs to be dealt with.  But…we need to make it clear that we’re not simply anti-Muslim and anti-Arab.  We need to deal with Mugabe in Zimbabwe and other political leaders who are a threat to their own people and to the security of the world.  We need to make it clear that we’re not just in it to stick our finger in the Middle East for oil.  But…oil talks.  Soon…we might learn that our military presence in the Middle East. is in fact all about oil, as Bush’s facade about the reasons for war slowly gets chipped away at.  Barbara Boxer, Sen. from Cal. was on the Daily Show, and made a point that she was the only senator to oppose the war.  

Now that took cajones…to oppose the war!  That was being strong on terrorism, in the face of 99 Senators and the President.   

Now…almost 3 years later, we’re starting to see the rest of D.C. getting a bit roused that they should have never let this thing start in the first place.

In other news…my office has brought in a new employee, who is a Republican.  I haven’t really spoken to him yet all that much, but he’s certainly intelligent and friendly.  From what I gather…his republicanism comes from a support of right-of-center economic views, or libertarianism.  Which…as I’m learning, I do have some support for.  I think capitalism drives innovation, and despite our country’s flaws, there is much to be said for the strength of our country in creating ideas and technology that are not flourishing in countries that have kept business under state-control.  As my company deals w/ U.S. companies bringing in foreign works for training purposes, there is a reason this is happening in such large numbers.  Foreign countries want to learn how to do business as efficient and productive as it is done in America.  Or…as my co-worker put it, “There’s a reason the lightbulb was invented in New Jersey,” or something to that extent.  But…as many people may already know, we don’t live in a truly capitalistic country of world, and there lies many of the problems.

Also…as I read more about personal finance and retirement, I can sympathize with people not wanting .30cents or more of every dollar being taken away, and given to gov’t programs, both good (public schooling) and bad (military build-up).  I don’t know a single person who looks forward to having money taken out of their paycheck in quite the same way they will feel good about giving money to charity (although most people give to charity with the knowledge that doing so will allow them to keep more of their paycheck from being taxed!) 

While tax laws may be written up in a way that are skewed to favor rich vs. poor, personal finance in general is somewhat politically neutral.  You do what you have to do given the rules in place, to make your money work for you and grow.  Trying to hold onto your money and become rich, I believe is a good thing (especially since many wealthy people will in turn use that money to help the poor and to come up w/ new ways to improve society).  Not sure how this paragraph fits into my bigger picture about pro vs. anti conservative economics…but moving on…

…I do recognize that gov’t programs such as public schooling, socialized health care for the poor and elderly, and other programs designed to maintain some amount of serenity in the face of an economic system that does not always produce calm in our society, are necessary and good.  I believe the gov’t must tax and should tax more as people earn more in order to guarantee those programs that we as a society deem necessary to raise the quality of life for all.  There’s obviously many specific and complicated issues at play here that I am not prepared to discuss at the moment, but right now I just wanted to tackle the general ones.

In other news…saw Movin’ Out last night…phenomenally entertaining.  Ballet never looked so cool.

3-0 to the Gunners!!!

Topic: just want to write

I don’t have anything particular to write about, no specirfic commentary to make, but I just am in the mood to write.  Kind of like going to the gym, or going for a walk, or watching tv, it’s just a comforting way for me to kill a bit of time, and to let words just flow through my fingertips…which usually leads to all kinds of topics.

Saw the Colbert Report last night…the guy is hysterical and incredibly friendly.  Very easy to get tix, just go to their website and e-mail…they film at the Daily Show’s old studio “where you can still smell the irony” as Colbert put it. 

Tonight i’m going to see Movin’ Out, which is a Broadway Show putting the tunes of Billy Joel into a story…although I hear it’s a lot of ballet and will I’m not sure the tunes will be exactly as Billy used to sing ‘em, but still, an experience to be had.

Tom. might see Alfie Kohn speak again at the Calhoun School, a private school on the upper west side of Manhattan.  Never been inside a city school, so that should put a picture to the many things I’ve read about.

Arsenal play Prague today…a chance to go 4-0 in Champions League play and secure themselves a spot in the final 16.

If the weather stays nice…my kayaking season might be revived for a day, this Sun.  What a treat that would be.

Been reading up on retirement accounts, which has just been good learning, but also good to make life a bit more real and exciting.  I will likely open a Roth IRA soon, which is best for tax purposes, and I can’t touch the money till I’m 59 1/2, 35yrs. from now, 2040.  What the hell will the world look like when I’m finally able to draw on my retirement funds?  Will we still be dealing w/ Islamic extremists?  Will we have made any progress on 3rd world poverty and disease?  Will my teams, the Mets, Rangers, Knicks, and Giants, have won several titles? 

There was a question on an “investment calcluator” that asked you to approximate how many years you plan to live.  Creepy!!!  But real…god willing (I’m not religious, but I guess there’s no athiests in foxholes, unless you can come up w/ a better expression), I’ll live into tripple digits, and still be physically and mentally strong.  But…all we get are years, really.  X # of years…no matter how smart, strong, famous, idealistic, good, and friendly you are (or…how much of a trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, curtious, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent Boy Scout you are).

But…while depressing, it’s not something worth dwelling on for very long.  It’s worth reflecting occassionally on the short period of time we have, but only in order to help us maximize that time, to live our lives so that we don’t need to fear death (read Tuesday’s With Morrie by Mitch Albom for a short well-written book on the subject).

In one day…you can make an incredible bond w/ a stranger.  A few weeks or months can change a relationship between people.  In under a year you can find your life completely change directions, to a new major, school, location, job, friends, etc.  A short period of time can produce new and healthy habits, eating smarter, being physically active, taking care of your body to increase the potential for long and healthy living.

New Year’s resolutions start today…with the making of lists, long and short-term goals.  General and specific goals.  General life goals, spiritual / existential goals, lifestyle goals, and personal achievement goals. 

Well…i guess my writing has led me down the usual route of optimistic and youthful energy, along with big-picture seriousness.  Need something lighter…

OK…I’ll end with this…click on the link, pretty cool.

-dan