Struggeling Forward

Normally, I would write about the things that I am learning in class. I mean, that was the point of this entire blog. I wanted the world to get an idea of ways that school can be fun through the eyes of a student. I felt that it would be better that way. Many teachers have done this, but all you are getting is their ideas and views. I wanted to present the feelings of a student that is going through it, experience the new changes that are taking place across school.

But, why can't I take my blog a step further? Why can't I express more then the education I am going through? I want to start sharing the norms of a teenagers live. Maybe that way more people can see why they are doing the things that they do. Maybe then teens wont be as misunderstood.

As a teen myself, one that has gone through many of the difficulties, I know what it's like out there. High school, even middle and elementary school, is nothing but one giant ocean filled to the brim with sharks. Life gets crazy, and many have no clue how to handle things on their own. And it isn't from lack of trying. Many have tried all they could, but when they reached out their hands, they are left to fend for themselves. Too many people are focused solely on their own problems to help another. And when a teen has to endure that pain and hurt, they shut themselves off for them world, and turn to things that they should never have even seen.

One of the biggest things that is going through the school systems is bullying. I know it seems like I'm beating a dead horse with this one, but it is something that is seen everyday. In the past week, I have witnessed about five fights. What can cause all of this pent up anger?

All it takes is for one person that is different, someone that doesn't fit the norm, and the ball begins to roll. At first little more then words are shared, but as that ball picks up speed, the real problems begin to take form. Things escalate to shouting and, with enough force driving it, things turn physical. And the attacks can be brutal. I have seen more blood shed by fists then was ever needed. I personally can't see the satisfaction in hitting another human being.

Many adults say that teens are ruthless, that they don't care. But when you ask them where they are getting it all form, the parents have no idea where to point the finger. Sadly, more often then not, they should point the finger at themselves. They often are the ones that instill the core values into their children. But, that isn't true all the time. There are MANY parents out there that have a wonderful home life and have nothing but love for their kids. And still, some don't come out so well. So where is it coming from then? Well, society. Outside, the world is cut throat. Every election year, we see the politics going at each other, trying to make one another look bad. And the youth is seeing this. They are thinking that because the people running the country act like this, it is fine and dandy. It's time that the real world sees this and fixes it.

I'm the type of person that will talk straight to your face and sort things out. And, if in the end, should things not get resolved, I wipe my hands clean and leave you to yourself. I don't allow myself to dwell on the past, because you miss what's to come. So, with my head held high, I can rest knowing that I have done the things needed to try to fix the problem. And I can rest easy with that.

I wish I could instill this into more people. I have come to find that sharing love and hope with others is the best way to reach them. Being the writer that I am, I cranked out a 3 page, 2 column poem. The poem is me telling the world that I have gone through things, but I haven't let them defeat me. So, with the wind on my back, I have opened my arms to the world, inviting it to take hold of me, to feel the love and hope that I have to offer. My only request in the end is that, should I help them, that they in turn turn to the world and open their arms. I want them to stand next to me and love without question, without thinking, without caring what the person has done, without discrimination.


I hope my words will one day impact every generation, both older and younger. I want the world to love one another, to truly live as on community. The fighting needs to stop. War needs to end. Hate needs to be stomped out. And for that to happen, we need people to stand up and take control. Start with the teens and the children, for we are the ones that will decide where the world to go. Maybe with your help, we WILL see a better tomorrow!

From Start to Finish: The Journey Through A Project

I have recently blogged about our FedEx Day project, a project that is completely student based.  It is up to the students to get their ideas for the project, complete it in the time allowed, and present it to the class.  There are very few rules that go along with the project, and it is an adventure that is worth taking.

This sort of project really allows for students such as myself to look into the world and see things in a new way.  We aren't just being spoon fed the information.  This allows for the discoveries to stick much better.  With little help from the teacher, each student is truly in charge of their own learning, something that they in turn will be able to extend that knowledge to the rest of their class, and even their teacher(s).

Mr. Stumpenhorst, a teacher from Chicago, IL, took to his 6th grade class rooms with the same concept. With the rest of the teachers in his wing of the building, Mr. Stump took a step out of the normal ritual of preaching. And the end result? Nothing but positive and exciting feedback. His students truly enjoyed the experience, most of the time going above and beyond that anyone thought they would be doing. The administration from his building even swung by, along with other teachers from around the building, to see, help, and learn about the different things that the students were doing. Very rarely do you see such and interest from a lot of people like. It isn't very often that a teacher will willingly give up their few moments of free time to go to see what else is going. That may have just been the start of an endless tradition. We will just have to continue to watch.

Anyway, lets take it home for a second. To my smallish classroom in North Eastern/Central Pennsylvania, where the coal mines cover the land. There are some many things that we as a small community have not seen. So many things that we don't know about the world. There is a lot of information out there that, because of our small town ways, seems to by pass us. So many people around these parts seems oblivious to the world around us. But one woman, Ms. Suzie Nestico (my 5th period Principles of Democracy and 8th period 21st Century Global Studies teacher), has managed to break through that barrier that surrounds us and is bringing the cows back home.

She is the woman that has brought this concept to us. And if I may, I would like to thank her now. This project is allowing everyone to truly spread their wings and find the right winds that fit them. I personally have chosen to look into the meat industry, a topic that has haunted me for many years, and am in the process of filming, editing, and presenting a documentary on it. Now, it isn't one of those videos that you'll find that are against easting meat, although I personally don't. I am shooting from an angle that I hope will encourage people to step up and demand higher standards and laws when it comes to the meat industry.

Through the course of the work, we will see how much each student learns. Through the power of being in charge, more and more students are going to be interested, wanting to work harder, learning more. I hope that everyone else in my class will enjoy this project as much as I am.

I will be sharing a few of the projects that others are doing in the future, and hopefully I can get a few comments from them about their journey through it. Good luck guys!

Student Centered Learning

As a senior through high school, I have learned a lot. Well, maybe not a lot. I know I memorized more then I learned. From vocab words to mathematical formulas, I forced the information in and held onto it long enough to spew it out just in time for a test. I would be lying if I said that it was a good way to learn things. After not using it, everything seems to slip away like a cat in the night.

This is a trend that seems to be growing more and more everyday in high school. Not very many people are interested in the classes they're taking because it just doesn't interest them. They do the work to get the grade, nothing more. So how do we get more students such as myself interested? How do we get them to LEARN something, not just memorize it?

Student based learning. But isn't all learning based on the students? Well, yes and no. The things we learn in our classes are based on the things that we are looking to learn, things that are going to later help us in the future with our job options. But it is also based on the things that the teachers feel they should learn, a curriculum that is usually set so strictly that most teachers never really think about straying far from them.

Student based learning, in my opinion, is a fabulous thing. And, I am very excited to see how it is going to work. This is a new technique that my 8th period class (21st Century Global Studies) is taking on, a new challenge for us to work through. But what is it?

To put it into simple terms, you have the students ask a question. Normal right? Students ask questions all the time. The catch is, the student has to pick their own question. There are no guidelines to the questions that they can ask. As long as they are interested in it, they can use it. The goal is to have them go out and, with their question in mind, find a way to answer or solve it. In the end, we are going to create a project of any form (something that, once again, the student is in charge of developing) to present it to our class mates. The goal isn't to completely solve anything, just form an idea that could assist in the progression of a solution.

Over the next few days, I am going to be talking to class mates, getting their feed back, and sharing it with the world. Maybe this is an idea that you would want to use. Take a shot, steer away from your comfort zone, and allow the students to take over for a while. You just may be surprised at what you find they can come up with.

Learning Through Asking?

There are many different ways of teaching. From the traditional class room setting where a teacher lectures students through out class to a more innovative process that allows students to be given a topic upon which they are responsible to look into and eventually draw their own conclusions. But through both processes, the teacher is there to help guide students in the direction that they should be aiming.

Author Kenneth C Davis

But what happens when there is a topic that the teacher themselves have a hard time explaining? What tools are available for students then? The simplest way to fix this is to turn to the internet. But let's take it one step further. Let's use the internet, but not at the same time. Take a tool, Skype, that allows you to call someone with a web cam on your computer. What? Call someone to talk to you online? Yes! Through the power of video conferencing, you can now find someone that is an expert in the area that you need help with.

And that is exactly what we got to do in my 5th period Principles of Democracy class. While learning about the election progress, people always have the same question about the same topic. What is the Electoral College and what do they do? So, when we got to this question, we turned to an expert. And who was that expert? Well, this man has made it to the New York Best Sellers list, and held his position at the top for 35 consecutive weeks. With his unbiased looks into many different topics, he allows readers to see things in a new light. He makes things easy to understand while keeping it interesting.

Click to preview Don't Know Much About History

 Author Kenneth C Davis was kind enough to join our class and explain the topic to us. But he did it in a way that isn't a norm in most classrooms. He didn't simply preach to us. He briefly explained it to us, but then allowed us to ask him questions about the topic that we personally felt were important to our understanding of the topic. Personally, I felt like this was EXTREMELY helpful. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against my teachers teaching in their own styles and concepts. The Don't Know Much About... books that Mr. David wrote hold a lot of insight and hold covers a wind variety of topics. And like I said, he spells it out in a way that is easy for beginners to understand. I would suggest this to anyone that is looking for the things that aren't covered in the textbooks.

If you would like to know more about Mr. Davis, or simple have a question for him, you can follow him on Twitter. A brilliant man that clearly knows where his passions lie, he can advise you and walk you through just about any questions that you may have.