What Got To Me Today? Education around the world--no chances for kids

So per usual, I was listening to a story on NPR this morning, talking about education in other countries.  I only caught the end of the story, but it was enough to rile me up a bit.

The story was about the school system in Jamaica. They are a billion or so shy of what they need for all of the kids to be properly educated.  This leaves them with two high schools in particular areas.  One school is well funded and is full of resources, a terrific institution where kids can learn and reach higher achievement, college and great paying, professional jobs.  The other is a high school with no money, no resources, where the kids barely get by, and wind up in a trade or not getting work at all if and when they graduate.

So, the question is, how do they decide which kids go where?  And this blew me away... when students are in 6th grade (so like, age 12ish?) they are tested on academics.  Those with higher scores go to the resourceful school, those with lower scores go to the underfunded school.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  At age 12, kids are destined to be successful or not for the rest of their lives?  At age 12, kids give up their dreams of being teachers or doctors or businessmen and women because they blew a test?  Do you know how many tests I have flubbed?  Do you know I graduated with a 3.8 but scored abominably on my ACT and SAT?  Not all people, despite their intelligence, score highly on tests.

Later in the day, after discussing this story with others, I learned Jamaica isn't the only country to predetermine a person's (a young person's!) life profession by testing.  Jordan does it.  Many countries do it. 

Then, of course, I'd be remiss to not mention countries like Afghanistan, where in some areas girls aren't allowed an education at all.  If they do attend, it is secretive and illegal, and if they are caught the consequences severe.

We may be having a tough time with our educational system in this country, for sure here in Michigan.  The budgets are super tight, and painful cuts are being made.  But after hearing stories about the young kids in Jamaica and around the world, I have to tell you, I've never been more grateful for our schools, even the ones with leaky roofs and crumbling bathroom tiles. At least we have a system in place, though imperfect, where kids can dream of their futures, and find the resources to get them there.

What Got To Me Today? Deliciously smelly books!

In honor of March is Reading Month, I profess to you my love of books. I love reading them and writing them, seeing them, smelling them....yes, smelling them.  It's the smell of a brimming bookstore where the glue is still fresh.  It's the stuffy, musty smell of used bookstores where there is a story behind every story.  It's the combination of books, carpet and heated up computer monitors in the library. Books are delicious!

I like the feel of the pages...even more, the sound a page makes when you turn it.  Or the "whoomp" of a hard cover when you slam it closed after reading the final page. I like the way they stack on my shelf, bedside floor, or are strewn across my son's room.

Speaking of kids titles, there is always that one story that was a favorite of my childhood, The little House by Virginia Lee Burton.  My dad used to read it to me every dental visit, or a new favorite I share with my child like Kiss Goodnight Sam by Amy Hest.  I still have saved, in my top drawer, each of my boys favorite chunky little board books, complete with teeth marks (and my boys are now 7 and 14!).  And speaking of teens, I love it when my teenage son and I read the same mega books, and then break them down into detailed discussions.

I like the anticipation of a new book by a favorite author, so much so its been pre-ordered and you can't wait for the release date.  One like that for me is The Swan Theives by Elizabeth Kostova.  I so, so, so, loved her historical fiction novel The Historian, that I'm just beside myself that I haven't read Swan yet!

I even love cookbooks, with chocolate stains on the pages, or cookies recipes where the pages are a little stuck together from floured and brown sugared fingers.

And with my love of books, comes an appreciation for the electronic type of books like the Kindle.  I don't have one yet, but if ever my career keeps me traveling (it's going to happen!), it would be nice to be able to have several of my favorite titles with me...without having to lug them, knowing my precious, smelly, paper, hard copies are waiting for me at home.

And what about audio books?  I, for one, have a hard time reading in the car...makes my eyes all dizzy.  A good audio book takes the "long" part out of "long ride", and there are a ton of books the entire family would like, especially mysteries.

So...do you get me?  I love books.  Paper versions are my favorite, but any version will do in a pinch. I know there are others who feel as I do about books.  I also know there are many who don't get it at all, who read only newspapers and web reports.  That's good too, especially for informational purposes, I just mourn for the adventures you are missing.

If you've got any faves out there you'd like to share, please leave a comment below. I'm always looking for recommendations of books people think are worth reading.  But really, in some way , to someone, aren't they all worth reading?

Guest Blog!

Hi eveyone!  This column was forwarded to me...and it's right up my alley.  POSITIVE. POSITIVE. POSITIVE.  Enjoy!  It's by Jeffrey Livermore of Walsh College.

           

                Almost every morning on my drive to work, I see one of my neighbors walking his dog. Rain or shine these two are out every morning touring the subdivision.

            The dog looks like any other dog taking a morning walk, except that this dog only has three legs.

            At first this dog and its owner caught my eye, but then I got used to their morning walks and they blended in to the scenery.  I didn’t give the three-legged creature a second thought until one day it hit me that we could all learn some valuable business lessons from this dog.

            The three-legged dog did not need constant rewards to get out and go for a walk.  So many of us have been conditioned to expect constant praise and rewards for everything that we do that we are disappointed when we don’t receive them.  Between helicopter parents and video games that hook players by constantly rewarding them with virtual prizes and elevations of game rank, we have raised a generation of young people that expects their employers to constantly praise and reward.

            Some workers expect a constant stream of promotions and rewards or they will jump to an employer that they feel will properly recognize their contributions. This is not realistic in most work environments.  We need to be like the three-legged dog and walk because it is good for us and beats lying around on the floor waiting for someone to pet us.

            The dog seems to love walking through the snow and slush that we have received so much of in the last month.  The dog doesn’t appear to complain or balk at walking early in the morning. He maintains a good pace and walks for the sheer enjoyment of it.  Many workers only see the dark side of their job and complain constantly. Rather than complain, we should all be more like the three-legged dog and just be happy in our jobs.  In today’s economy, people with jobs should be grateful that they simply have a job.

            I have a dog of my own that has four feet that I have often compared her to the three-legged dog.  With four healthy legs, my dog does not like to go outside in the snow.  The three-legged dog doesn’t use her lack of a fourth leg to stop doing what she enjoys. Rather than make excuses not to do something, this dog finds a way to make it happen.  The husky has learned to use the tools he has to get the job done.  Many of us ignore opportunities because we feel that we need more resources to attempt to grab the brass ring.  Instead of jumping in and chasing it, we turn ourselves into spectators.

            Please don’t conclude that I am asking a three-legged dog to be my life coach.  I am simply turning to learn from others and find inspiration to improve my life. Inspiration is all around us.  There are people succeeding in business and their chosen professions all around us. We need to learn from others and see what they are doing to achieve their success.  If we learn good habits, skills, and attitudes from others while losing the things that are holding us back, we can all achieve great things.

            The trying economy means that new and different opportunities are out there. If we maintain a positive attitude and don’t let anything hold us back, we might all be in a better position.  

          

What Got To Me Today (last night)? COMCAST Interrupting Olympics

I've just about had it with Comcast.  Last night during the Olympic coverage, after we've waited all night for our U.S. Gold Medal contender Evan Lycocek to perform, just as he's about to do the most difficult jump of his program...Comcast breaks in for an Emergency Broadcasting Test.  Yep, at 11:15 pm.

Why at 11:15?  Why during Olympic coverage?  Even if Olympics weren't on it would have been in the middle of Breaking News during the nightly newscast.  Why not 3:15 am or 4:45 am? 

I don't get it.  I have worked in radio.  I know all about EBT's.  What I don't know is who is making the flipping decision as to when to run them?  Whoever it is needs a wake up call...a very early, inconvenient, interrupting, loud, buzzing, obnoxious wake up call.

What Got To Me Today: Arrogant food bank donors

Okay, look out people because I am fired up over this one!  A recent blog post on the Action Institutes' Powerblog, written by Jordon J. Ballor discussed the best ways to donate food to food banks, in order to maintain the health and dignity of those in need.  Any of you who follow me know that I am passionate about supporting local foodbanks, especially now in Michigan with so many families in need. So at the bottom of the insightful article from Powerblog, among the comments was this one:

"While I agree with your points about giving, I’m surprised that really poor people are so picky. I compare them with the poor I knew in Africa who would never turn down any gift and would be grateful for any food of any kind. If you can afford to be picky, are you really poor?"

Now I left this person's name off of my blog because I'm about to blast him, and wouldn't want to be completely unfair because he is not here to defend himself, and those of you who are really interested are going to go to the link anyway and see who it is for yourselves.

Now for my reply?       #@!**%%#!!!  REALLY?????

Isn't it bad enough that when most people are asked to give a donation of food, they pull the one can of whatever, that hasn't been even looked at for months, out of the back of their cupboards?  It's true, they are still giving, so some points given there.  But if your family was just laid off, your house foreclosed on, and for the first time in your life you have to buck up, somehow hold your head up and walk into a food bank to feed your family...do you imagine you are going to feel any better when the only nutrition you can offer your children are some canned cranberry sauce from somebody's last Thanksgiving shopping list that never got used because Uncle Ralph didn't make the trip for the holiday and we all know how Uncle Ralph loves his cranberry sauce?

Publish Post

Coincidentally, as I was writing this blog I got a call from my mom.  She told me about a girl who was forced by circumstance to go to a foodbank to get food for her children.  Happily, this girl accepted four boxes full of non-perishables.  Once home, she realized all but two items were way past their expiration date.  Now I ask you, when you go grocery shopping, and you are selecting items for your kids, would you buy expired food?   I know some will say those dates are "sell by" and not "consume by" dates, and maybe a couple of weeks expired would be tolerable.  But what about months or years expired?  Would you risk your child's health? 

I'm guessing the answer is "no", you wouldn't.  So why should those less fortunate be forced to risk the health of their families just because they've caught a bad break? IF YOU ARE GOING TO DONATE FOOD TO A BANK, PLEASE DONATE SOMETHING USEFUL, HEALTHY, OR EVEN FUN.  Something other than powdered milk and old pumpkin pie filling.

For example, each week at our church, during the offering, children are encouraged to bring up a food item to be donated to the local food banks.  We've gotten into the practice of letting our youngest pick something to give away, something he would want another child to have.  Sometimes its Cocoa Puffs, sometimes its Pop Tarts.  Sometimes its Sponge Bob Mac n Cheese.  Are we hitting the super high nutrition meter?  No.  Are we giving a parent something special and edible to surprise their kids with?  Something to maybe help make their kids feel like "every other kid"?  Yup. (Don't worry, we often couple it with something more nutritious).

My point being, people who go to food banks are just like you and me.  A lot of them live and work in our neighborhoods and we don't even realize it.  It's hard enough for them to take the courageous step of walking through a food bank door.  At least let them walk out, feeling a little better than when they went in.

Sports For Chicks: VaVaVaVancouver!

What is the best way to get over the end of the NFL Season blues?  The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver Cananda...that's what!

Tonight kicks off the opening ceremonies--and I can't wait to see what they are going to do, who is going to perform, will they out do China's Opening Ceremonies two years ago?  For those not in the know, Opening Ceremonies have no sports at all (the way some, believe it or not, like it!).

It is a grand production of music and spectacle years in the making.  It's kind of a cross between the Rose Bowl Parade, Circque de Soleil,  and a U2 concert.  It's loud, emotional, and will undoubtedly have some kind of fireworks.  Then of course, we get about two hours of athlete introductions as each country marches in wearing their colors, soaring their flags. 

Then, the final question of the night is how will they light the torch? We've seen switches flicked, flaming arrows arched, our heroes with torch in hand.  What will they do tonight?  Can't wait.

One other thing we will surely witness tonight...a moment of silence for the luger from the country of Georgia,
Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died during a training-run crash, before the Olympics even began.  Our hearts weep for his family, his teammates, his country.  We can only imagine how the pursuit of a dream, four years in the making, and it's tragic ending would effect us in the U.S.  I don't know about you, but there will be times when I'll be rooting for Georgia over athe next two weeks, as well as our own.

Sports For Chicks: Nostalgia, Romance, Drama at today's Big Bowl

...and I'm not talkin' cereal.  I don't know whether to be so excited that the Super Bowl is upon us, or a kind of pre-depressed because after today, the football season is officially over. 

I didn't get my Lions anywhere near the playoffs--but thats okay because they are still improving.  I didn't get my Brett Favre in the Super Bowl--but thats okay because he proved this season how awesome he still is as a player and team leader at the succulant age of 40-something.  I did have to get over the Vikings losing to the Saints in order to root for them today.

For all of you ladies that dig drama, romance or nostalgia...you should be watching the Super Bowl today, whether you dig football or not.  the Saints are the underdog team, haven't seen a bowl game in like, forever.  They are the comeback team after Hurricane Katrina.  The pictures we have from inside that Super Dome during the hurricane are nothing short of a nightmare, and the symbolism of the Saints bringing home a National Championship from Miami, to their home field, is jarring to say the least.

And now for the drama of today's game... Imagine how some of the longtime Saints' fans feel knowing their team is up against Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts...in case this isn't connecting...the Mannings are from New Orleans!  Not only are Peyton and Eli (NY Giants) beloved sons of Louisiana, their dad was a favorite player for the ---you guessed it---SAINTS, back in the day!   The Mannings even have to be torn with nostalgia vs. Peyton today!  You can guess the camera is going to take at least one shot of the Manning family up in the stands while they nailbite through today's game.

I do think its going to be a nailbiter.  I think thrity-something to thirty-something.  That's my call. 

So, enjoy the game everyone, if the Saints pull it off its going to be an emotional win for New Orleans.  If you are a lover of romance and nostalgia...have your tissues ready.