Curating resources & sharing stories to empower teacher & student ownership, wonder, and daring.
When schools are running out of money and need to cut funding, the first place they generally go is the Arts. The reason is probably because administrators generally see the practical applications of arts programs to be less useful than traditional topics, but what are the consequences of cutting arts programs?
“Not fair” is a cry most teachers and parents hear regularly. What is “fair,” do you even have to be fair–and if so, how can you be? Below are some suggestions on the concept of fairness:
American schools are notorious for not educating students properly on geography. Some seem to think this is because of ethnocentric tendencies that come from being a world power. Below are some interesting ideas for why geography is so important, and how teachers can help educate their students on the world:
Increasing Worldviews: This is what opens doors for students to realize that there are unlimited options for the “right” ways to live your life. Learning about other cultures (and where they’re located) is a huge step in increasing tolerance of all different lifestyles. It shows the differences, which we all expect to see, but can also shed light on unchanging factions of human nature that we all share.
Creating Contributing Citizens: Knowing about geography, the resources located in each country, and the effect those have on the economy can educate students on the reasons for certain current events. Learning about the governments in each country can also contribute to growth in other areas involving world events.
It’s Impressive: Not that we should learn solely to impress others, but there is something to be said for a person who can talk about Azerbaijan and Andorra. Plus, if you ever want to work for the CIA or be the next Lara Croft or James Bond, knowing your geography is a must! Haven’t you ever noticed how all the really awesome adventure stars in movies randomly know all sorts of things about the most random places? Geography.
Featured Image: Deathtothestockphoto
Now that we know why we should read, we have our next question: What should we read? Below is a list of 6 books to help cement life skills and take a 20-something-year-old on a few adventures to boot:
The Book:
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
The Lesson:
The book is two short stories. The “Franny” side shows how Franny Glass changes throughout her college education. It’s easy to connect to her character, as we’ve all probably experienced similar feelings.
The “Zooey” side tells the answers to Franny’s questions and is the “disaffected” young man that most 20-somethings experience at some point during our education.
The Book:
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
The Lesson:
Anyone can grow into something beautiful. This book follows an orphan child who has nothing, but her penchant for flowers. As she struggles to overcome her past, she is able to help others with the gifts she has.
The Book:
Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
The Lesson:
Change the way you think about success and chasing your dreams. A non-fiction approach that leaves you inspired to go and grab your future.
The Book:
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
The Lesson:
Don’t forget to savor your youth while your fighting to be an independent adult. The book is nostalgic and reminiscent of childhood, even if you didn’t share the same experiences. Told as a children’s story for adults.
The Book:
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
The Lesson:
It focuses on the value of friendship, humility, self-forgiveness and human kindness over the span of lifelong commitments.
The Book:
All My Friends Are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman
The Lesson:
A brief book on a non-traditional love story that will maybe not teach any profound lessons, but is a joy to read!
If you read or have read any of these books, feel free to share your comments down below!
Featured Image: Ginny
Prezi.com has the best presentations. Keep clicking to see HGU’s presentation on the premier presenting program on the Internet.
Pro-Tip:
Easily one of the most difficult things to get used to in school is getting organized. The top ten apps for productivity and general usefulness are listed below, available for both iOS and Android. Click the images for the app store!
iPlanner is an app made to help organize all your scheduling and assignments in one area. It’s available on iOS. The Android equivalent would be myHomework, a great app that has the same basic features and ideas.
Algeo is the perfect graphing calculator app, available at the Play Store for Android. Apple phones also have a good free graphing calculator app. This is much easier and better than taking around a bulky calculator.
Better than Google, finding articles with sources for every paper or presentation right at your fingertips. The photo link is to the Apple Store. Here is the link to the Android store version.
A perfect place for keeping all your documents in one place. Also, if you are using anything but Gmail for your emailing, you are behind the times and missing out on a great userface. Simple, easy to use, and aesthetically pleasing. The link is to the Android. Click here for the Apple Store.
This is the premier flashcard app that makes studying easy and convenient no matter where you are. Click here for the Android version.
The one-stop banking app that keeps all your finances in one place, helps you to set budgets and tracks your saving progress. A must-have for anyone who has multiple banking accounts or loans. Click here for Apple version.
Evernote is the perfect app for keeping track of basically anything you want to remember. You can also search with keywords and find everything you’ve ever written from anywhere. The Android version is here.
DuoLingo helps you learn a language on the go! It’s perfect for practicing the language you’re taking for your Bachelors in Arts, or for helping to expand your cultural knowledge by learning on your own. You can never know too much! Bonne chance! (iOS version here)
TED talks (iOS / Android), great to listen to while you eat lunch to keep you involved in the innovations and top minds of today.
Al Jazeera (iOS / Android), one of the least biased news sites. Stream the audio while you drive, or watch first thing in the morning. Perfect for knowing what’s going on in the world and staying up-to-date with current events.
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Featured Image: Matt Cornock
From the beginning of education, children are assigned reading materials to complete over the summer in preparation for the next term’s classes. Most children find that doing summer reading in elementary school isn’t difficult, but as they get older, a social stigma develops and it becomes less convenient to read over the summer. In college, it is almost unheard of for students to purchase text books early and begin reading the material for the classes. Teachers at upper levels don’t require summer reading, because with age come more responsibilities that leave little time for reading.
Most sources agree that the biggest benefit that comes from reading is a higher intelligence and greater general knowledge than those who don’t read regularly. Fellow blogger Glen Stansberry at LifeDev.net had this to say about the wealth of knowledge open to anyone with a library card:
Continue reading “Why Summer Reading Is Important In Our YouTube Age”