Teaching to the Test

Standardized tests have by no means improved student achievement. After NCLB passed in 2002, the US slipped from 18th in the world in math to 31st place in 2009, with a similar drop in science and no change in reading. Standardized tests are an unreliable measure of student performance; they measure only a small portion of what makes education meaningful. "Teaching to the test" is replacing good teaching practices with "drill n' kill" rote learning; instruction time is being consumed by monotonous test preparation. Some schools allocate more than a quarter of the year's instruction to test prep when they should be focused on developing the education of the students. The excessive testing teaches students to be good at taking tests, but does not prepare them for productive adult lives. Standardized tests not only hurt the education of the students, but they also are an imprecise measure of teacher performance, yet they are used to reward and punish teachers. 20. Open-ended questions on standardized tests are often graded by under-paid temporary workers with no educational training. Scorers make $11-$13 per hour and need only a bachelor’s degree, not necessarily related to education. Because the government treats the tests like a joke, not caring who grades them, so do the students. It’s not uncommon to see a pattern or design made out of the many fill-in-bubbles. Standardized testing needs to be gotten rid of, it is nothing but a hindrance in education. 
       

Those Breeds

Should certain breeds of dogs, like pitbulls, be banned?

Yes, pitbulls, as well as many other dogs, have a reputation for not being the nicest of dogs, but I believe that it is a combination of the treatment they receive from their owners as well as the reputation they have that makes most dogs mean or unfavorable. I believe that with a good home and a little love, a dog, no matter its breed, will grow up to be a respectable pet. Instead of banning breeds, I think we should have a closer evaluation of the people inquiring about ownership. I think people that want to own a dog should have to go through a process where they are required to prove themselves capable of ownership. There are many people that think they are ready for a dog, but in reality aren’t. Sometimes, people are not aware of the commitment that comes with a dog, and others may have the wrong intentions for their pets, such as “dog fights.” “Dog fights” are when many people bring their dogs together to fight, sometimes to the death, untill there is a winner. It is stupid actions like these, as well as a lack of understanding (whether its with the dog or about the dog) that bring me to believe that it is almost never the fault of the dog, but always the fault of the owner.     

TV Trance

No, like cell phones, they won't cause cancer, but there are many good reasons to avoid them.

 

The Idiot Box, the Telly, the Boob Tube; it doesn't matter what you call it, it is one of the many reasons I think citizens of the United States are becoming fat and lazy. Hundreds, sometimes even thousands of captivating shows for your entertainment at your fingertips can keep the most proactive people from finishing what they started. I, myself, get caught by the bait of the "coach potato trap." Watching TV takes little to no thought; the moving pictures are placed before you, already with a plot and storyline. I think that it effects the younger generations the most. Instead of enjoying and exploring the outdoors, reading a book, or doing their homework they spend time watching their favorite TV characters. I remember when our imagination was the best play toy we could have; we could be super heroes, doctors, grown-ups, or wild animals. It still is the best toy; it just doesn’t get used as much with all of the new and easy to understand technology, like the television. Kids need to snap out of the TV trance and get outside and play. We all need to snap out of the TV trance.     

Cell Phones

I’ve heard lately that there are people that believe that cellular devices can actually cause tumors to form in the brain if used for too long. The studies, apparently, show that the radiation from the phone has the potential to cause the tumors. I would just like to say that this is a crock full of crap. Cell phone radiation, like radio, TV, and visible light radiation, is non-ionizing and cannot cause cancer. Cell phone radiation levels are tested and certified by the manufacturer to meet safe levels which have been established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In fact, there are some studies that suggest that the use of a cell phone actually decreases the risk of developing the brain tumors glioma and meningioma. If cell phones were actually causing cancer, which they’re not, we would expect a rise in the rate of brain and other related cancers; according to the National Cancer Institute, there has been no increase in the incidence of brain or other nervous system cancers despite the large increase in cell phone usage. Cell phones are not at all to blame for cancer or tumors; the radiation in a cell phone is less harmful then the visible rays of light outside. So, if you are worried about getting cancer from cell phone usage, don’t go outside.  

Hunger Games Series v. Harry Potter Series

 

These two fantasy series are some of the best books I've ever read; to choose one series over the other seems nearly impossible. Because I read the Harry Potter series first, and it was the book series that got me interested in reading, I’d have to say that the Harry Potter series is the slightest bit better. The HP series is much longer, four books longer to be exact. Some would say that because it’s longer it is time consuming and therefore not as good as the Hunger Games, but it is because it is so long that it is amazing. The HP series is able to hold your attention through a series of seven books. The HP series also fits the bill well in terms of fantasy; the Hunger Games does as well, but there is still the creepy feeling that it may one day actually happen. In the HP series, a boy is surprised to find out that he is a wizard; in the HG series, a girl is surprised to find that her younger sister is chosen for the “games.” Both are fantastic series. I suggest both series to anyone who has been living under a rock and hasn’t yet got to reading them.

Violence in Video Games

We see it all the time, teenagers and children playing violent video games where the point is to kill as many people or break as many laws as possible (if either of these can be considered a point). Some say that violent video games are a gateway to real violence, but others argue that the games are for pure enjoyment or letting off steam. I can understand how someone may think that a violent video game could cause someone to act violent towards society sooner or later, but I don;t believe that it is video games alone that would cause someone to follow the route to violence. I know from experience that video games with violence are helpful in letting go of some of the daily pressures people have put on them; I think that it is possible that killing a blob of pixels can keep the most stressed out person from wanting to kill another person. Video games aren't ever the only reason someone resorts to actual violence; I believe that many other things are built up, for examples, abuse and harrassment. 

Although I see video games as nothing put fun and stress relief, I would have to agree that age limitations should be placed on the more inappropriate/violent games. Tens year olds should by no means be playing Grand Theft Auto. I wish that all parents were a little more strict about giving their children only the games that are apropriate for their age.

Gay Marriage

This is just another classic example of people acting completely primitive. It’s the same fight being fought over and over again, “Marriage traditions need to be upheld,” or “The very sanctity of marriage is at risk!” These are the same fighting words we’ve seen for centuries. It started as a reason for why interracial marriages shouldn’t be allowed, but now it has made its way back into the mind of folks again for one of the few reasons gay marriage shouldn’t be legalized. Marriage is the process by which two people who love each other make their relationship public, official, and permanent; why should two men or women who love each other be deprived of the same experience that a man and woman can have? There is not a single reason that I’ve heard that makes sense as to why two people who love each other can’t be married. So what if it’s “not traditional,” if they pay taxes to the states/country, they should be able to have the same benefits, regardless of their sexual orientation. Finally, many states have started to legalize the marriage between two men or women, or even just recognize a civil union with the same benefits.  There are also many new communities and groups forming, like LGBTQ, which stands for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, and now also questioning.  They deserve to love whomever they want, man or woman.

LGBTQ nation