It’s our education; it’s our problem!
Almost two weeks, and only one comment, albeit a very encouraging one. This is supposed to be a people's movement. I know you all are reading. I know many of you agree. Unfortunately, it does not end there. We are in this together. Still, hope is not overcome by frustration. This quote, I feel, relates to the situation:
"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." - Jack London, American author (1876 - 1916)
The gears of the political machine will move regardless of words and text. They will move regardless of general dissatisfaction. Action is the only way to put a wrench in the gears. We understand the situation, we understand the reality, but until we make this known, the gears will not relent. I can not do this alone, however.
Political action comes in various forms. The question of how to become politically active is an open-ended one. I can give you the standard answer: write your legislators. It sounds run-of the-mill, but it is truly the easiest action to take.
[ RI Senators ]
Jack Reed (e-mail) / Sheldon Whitehouse
If you are passionate about this issue, let it be known. Your Congressmen are in power to represent you, your rights, and your desires. It is their duty to listen to your concerns and uphold them to the best of their ability. The only way this can happen is if they come to understand the reality of the situation as well as we, the students, do.
Phase one is commencing. Take action, however small it may seem. It can and will make a difference. And it will make even more of a difference if you spread the seed. Incite action in others who share similar views. Remember there is strength in unity, so unite, and be heard.
Spread the seed. Spread the change.
3 comments:
Kudos on the blog T.J. I must admit, I never knew you were quite so eloquent. I hope this movement goes somewhere. Well, I'm off to email our representatives and senators, good luck!
Although it seems distant graduation is constantly moving closer. For many students this is a doomsday. With multitudes of meaningless PBGR's the ability to graduate will be revoked for many students. It is vital that we make our voices heard. We should not be led those unaffected by our curriculum. Students need to speak up. And hopefully everyone who reads your blog realizes this and does something about it.
Let’s face it. In international terms, America is sorely lagging behind many industrialized countries. The Republican majority in 2001 pushed through the now infamous No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), to combat this. The intended purpose is to galvanize American students to work harder. In Washington, the lawmakers seem sorely out of touch with the educational system in America. The simple fact is, you can’t legislate success (Some of my fellow APUS students may recognize that quote). You cannot force someone to do something he or she doesn’t want to.
So what is the point of these God-forsaken PBGRs? We have been told that it makes out diploma more “valuable.” What about grades? Credits? Oh yes, lets not forget the SATs, the Senior Project, extra curricular activities, and the honors classes many students opt to take. Take one look at the alphabet soup of tests and forms we need to pass or fill out just to graduate, and just see if you don’t get the same visceral reaction I did. Go on to a college website and see what they require. Odds are, its going to be a lot.
Consider the entire concept of PBGRs. Teachers grade work by the student and assign it a number, 1-4. TEACHERS grade work by the student. Am I missing something? How can it be standardized if it relies on the whims of the teachers? Most of what we are graded on are essays. In an essay, there is no yes-or-no answer. It is entirely based on opinion. In this case, what one teacher considers a 4, another may consider a 3 or even a 2. How than, is this standardized? The NCLB act places more and more restrictions on teachers. I am quite sure my chemistry teacher knows more about her subject than the federal government (And most everything else, if you take a look at their track record. That’s a rant for another day, however).
This leads us to the countless flaws in the system itself. We are expected to fill out 48 rubrics before graduation. I, unfortunately, have none loaded. This is because I have never had the opportunity to upload anything. In fact, my homeroom has yet to see these machines of such high engineering quality that they crash almost every time someone tries to use them. The teachers themselves have yet to figure out how to work this equipment. In fact, the only positive aspect of the PBGRs that I can see is that they teach us how to better cope with stress without hurling ourselves out a window.
One final comment, this directed at RI congressman. Most of us will be voting come next election. If you want to have a whisper of a chance, repeal this awful act.
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