PLN 1

Dear Mr. Fisch,
I read your "CSAP is dead" blog and it intrigued me because of the fact that it addresses which was that the name is changing. Personally I disagree with the standardized testing methods such as CSAP (Colorado Student Assessment Program) and MAPS (Measures of Academic Progress) because they are designed to show what a student has learned over the school year but the students stress about it and the test officially becomes busy work. I was in third grade when CSAP started and even then it was an insanely stressful situation. Now I’m in high school and I’ve done it so many times that it feels like busy work. I don’t feel that the standardized testing helps me at school much at all. The fact that they’re changing the name doesn’t change that most students don’t try very hard on the test because it doesn’t affect our grade. I know that what I just said was that we as students don’t try hard unless the grades are at risk, but it’s completely true. The Standardized testing doesn’t affect a student academically; therefore it doesn’t affect the mindset of an average student. (Average being the typical “my grades kind of matter, but I still won’t do my homework). The point is that the name can change but the process is still the same and it will have the same affect on students as TCAP as it did on CSAP. Unless provided a motivation that isn’t completely school related, the test is dead anyway and the students grade on the test will gradually decline.

PLN 23

The world of education has changed rapidly in the last several years. The funds have slowly disappeared causing programs to be cut and teachers to be fired. i recently attended a Littleton Public Schools board of education meeting and in the meeting they went over what we have spent and what we were given for the budget as apposed to what we have left. Apparently, the federal government gives the state a certain percent of money to be given toward education. Then the school district can use the money as needed. But the state of Colorado is given that money and then takes a percent of it and puts it toward the state deficit. That means that the school districts in Colorado get a percent of a percent of the funds we need. Thats why we have to cut programs and fire teachers. I think that if I have to go to school, I need the programs that make my years enjoyable available to me and the teachers available to make sure that I never leave that building without learning something that can change my life, possibly, hopefully for the better.

PLN 22

The snow is back, and winter is just around the corner. It's time to go out in the garage and dust off those ski's and hit the ski resort. In the article "Ski resorts enjoy a snow start to the season" by the Denver Post, it explains how the ski resorts are enjoying the start to the 2010-2011 ski season due to all the fresh powder that has fallen. I am not a skier or snowboarder myself but I bet it has to be extremely exciting to have such a big start to the ski season this year. The vast majority of Colorado has skiers or snowboarders and there can't be a better way to start winter than heading up to Breckenridge or Copper Mountain and having a grand old time skiing. Steamboat springs resort has already received a record 90 inches of snow by the end of November and they are looking forward to more.

PLN 21

Education is constantly changing, with no sign of a pattern or reappearance. But I think that it is for more of an economic problem than a cultural problem. The economy has cut down the amount of teachers we have or the programs that the schools offer. I recently attended a Littleton Public School Board of Education meeting. The meeting discussed the budget and what we have spent so far in 2010. Apparently the federal government is giving us a sum of federal money. Then the state government that received it is supposed to give all that money to the school districts. But if nobody has noticed, we are in a recession. So using Colorado for an example, the federal government has given the state a total sum of money to give to school districts. But the state has taken some of that money to try to end state deficit or at least make it look like Colorado is as broke as the rest of the nation. So therefore the schools get a percent of a percent of the money we are supposed to get and that is why we cut programs and fire teachers. My Elementary school was closed almost two years ago for that reason, but also because of a lack of students signing up to attend that school. Lewis Ames was a great example of a cultural problem. The lack of students in classes made the government wonder why they should fund a school with no students. Therefore the culture around Ames forced the government to close the school. I think we should get the money we rightfully deserve so that no more schools close, no more teachers get fired, and no more programs get cut. I think that if I have to attend school for another 4 to 8 years, I should have the programs needed to enjoy my time in high school and college.  

PLN 20

As a student in high school, middle school, or even college, do you ever find yourself asking yourself "Why do I have to learn this subject" or "Do I have to study this because it has absolutely nothing to do with my chosen profession?" The all boys’ English class I attend 5 days a week asked this question and then made their opinion quite clear that they didn't need any of the core subjects that we are required to take. In case you’re wondering by now, for PLN 20, I read "Why do I have to study [fill in the blank]?" by Mrs. Smith. Period one, English 9, all boys had a discussion on whether what we learn in school is totally relevant to our future. So I had to dig down inside and find my own answers to understand how other peoples answers affected me. I want to be a storm Chaser [Meteorologist] when I grow up. So then I had to dissect this profession to figure out the technical aspects of the job. To do this job, I need to major in Math and Science Courses during college so that I can add data and do graphs and know what is happening scientificly. History is important so that I can find patterns in the weather over certain periods of time. English [reading and writing] is important because I have to be able to do research by reading books to know about weather and patterns in the weather, and I'll need to be able to write because I'll have to document everything that I have expirenced on the road. So this led me to think, if I need all of that just for my job, why wouldn't you need all of it to cook, or be an asturnaut, or a biologist!? You always need all the core subject to be able to read, write, measure, add, subtract, multiply, graph ect. Every subject has it's own way of helping you mold your future into what it will be. But it's your job to figure out how they can help. Don't take the easy road. Do what I did and disect your chosen job so you can see what exaxtly you have to learn. So this begs the question, do you still believe that the core subjects required in middle school, high school, and college are a waste of time, or will you take advantage of them while you have the chance?!

PLN 19

Did you know that boys get bored quicker than girls most of the time? For girls it's easy. You can sit around and discuss what your wearing or discuss your feelings with other girls Boys don't want to talk about clothes and would almost rather die than discuss their feeling with anybody. We know we should tell someone how we feel, but why do that when I can just go home, turn on the TV and watch "Sports Center". In the Article "Boys and Boredom" it discusses the feeling of boredom. To me the feeling of boredom is just that feeling that their is nothing to do or when I've done something over and over again. It's never fun to be bored especially for boys. But when there is truly nothing to do, We can always fall back on ESPN or Sports Center. But if there is no TV then boys are definitely in trouble. Girls can just sit around and talk all the time. But boys preferably don't like to do that. Boys don't like being bored. That's why I think boys get in trouble more than girls. When boys are bored, we generally don't think straight. That's why we make bad decisions and get in trouble. Is there ever an actual cure of boredom? Probably not but we will keep looking, that's for sure.

PLN 17

Students today believe that a pen is the way to make their permanent mark on history. But what they don't know is that a pen is the only way to permanently show your mistakes to the world. A pen is full of ink and cannot be erased. In "What If?" I learned that today students are to dependent on paper and ink and have forgotten how to simply use chalk and a piece of slate. Chalk is easily erased unlike pen. Back in the 17 and 1800's people used a pen that was made out of a feather and an old piece of parchment paper. Now we are to dependent on fine point pens and lined paper. We have become so technologically advanced as a culture that we don't remember how easy a pencil or chalk is. The only class I'm required to use a pencil in is math because that's the subject that typically has the most mistakes in it. But a writer wants his/her writing to be remembered for many years to come. A pen is easier to preserve. But the problem with that is that it is easier to preserve mistakes. I believe a piece of chalk and slate would make writing easier.