Open the windows... It's time to vent

Okay, so I got an e-mail this morning from my teacher, telling me that we need to take down a video that I worked EXTREMELY hard on off of our website, and stop showing it to people because it is offending the regular classroom teachers at my school. I'm not mad at my teacher, or the admins that told me to do it... but the teachers that (and I quote) "be hatin on us".

The program I am in right now is considered to be a technology academy, it was started by my district at the middle school level to test this theory of Small Learning Communities, Project Based Assessments, and Technology in Everyday Life.

So, they started it for incoming 7th graders, they looked at WASL scores, Test scores and other things... and they were considerablly high. They said "Okay let's keep this going" and opened it for 8th graders... Two levels of this program were getting amazing WASL scores and test scores. So the second semester of the second year of the program... they used the mother school that hosted this program... and gave every student a laptop, and transformed the school into a larger version of the program; guess what?! IT WORKED!

So they said "well, if it works here... then it must work everywhere" so now, in 2009 every 7th grader has a laptop and they're demonstrating it... and even though I do not agree with it... It's still the implementation that the District believed in our program... so they used it!

I've said it in past blogs... but I'll reitterate. The classroom enviroment is changing. Teachers don't sit up in front and just sit there... Students teach themselves many new things every day.

So back to what I was venting about in the first place.

The person who (I have no idea, nor do I care) complained about this video had no right to complain to the school district administrators. Most of the reason why I am mad at them is becuase they had to go out of their way to complain about it. The Admins and my teachers only complied with what they had to for their jobs.

I dont know what makes them think that we think we are elitists. I mean, we were test subjects that passed the test.

I really am going to miss that video; I put bytes of my blood, sweat, and tears in there...

However, I love the challange of making the next one.

Talkity Talk Talk

One thing I haven't done in awhile is talk about... anything personal. I've realized in the past months that I always say that I'll never "push what I believe onto others" which I've done a really good job of; I just state I'm Atheist, nothing more really.

But I really want to talk about it; which is only natural I beieve.

So, here we go!
*note, this is to prove my logic, not to infringe on yours... unless you hate atheism... then may the most logic win"

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
then is he impotent.
Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? then whence cometh evil?"
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him god."

-Epicurus.

That is my favorite atheist quote of all I've read. Because it's somewhat impecible logic. Some try to justify his exsistance with things that cannot be proved by science... well, science didn't find out who killed the Black Dahlia... did god do that? Was god behind all of the "cold case" crimes? They're unsolved... and science can't put any conclusion to them... Science is using evidence to come to conclusions.

Today

So today I was talking with people, and what it essentially came down to was, that there is a group that is going to make a film for public television, the people in our group our all very qualified, and can be percieved as intellegant, and the person that wasn't in the group said "why am I not in the group? am I not smart enough?" She was obviously joking... I hope.

Anyways, one thing that she said that kind of got me thinking was... "I just put up a stupid front, but I'm really actualy smart." That kind of struck me oddly.

Why would anyone want to act stupid?
Knowledge to me is the most important thing. As one of my favorite quotes "Knowledge isn't knowing the answers, but knowing how to find them."

Then I said "If you're smart, act smart... don't pretend to be stupid" however, I was quickly corrected, "you don't need to act smart or anything, just be yourself". I took those to heart pretty quick.

It's not like I try to talk smart all the time. If asked my opinion on John Locke's social contract; you will have my full attention, and I won't hold back. But I don't try to be superior everyone. Over the past week, I've been kind of getting that vibe.

So, the thing I want people to take from this is...

Don't try to be anything other than yourself; if you want to be "better" and more successful, change for yourself, not for anyone else.

*very cliche I know, but it's something people really need to pay attention to"

Question of the Week: What's success mean?

What does success mean?

To some success may be what they are working for, everyday.

However, can you live on the streets and still be successful?

Princeton defines success as : "an event that accomplishes its intended purpose"

I choose to believe this version of the definition. Accomplishing an intended puprose is to be successful. It doesn't how much money you've got, how many people you know, or how many people like you. Success is accomplishing, or overcoming a goal you've set.

So, over this upcoming spring break. I'm going to forget everything at school; and essentially "float down the river by myself" No worries in the world, just being successful.

I believe that success is a mind set, if you tell yourself "I'm successful, eventually you will be. There isn't a trick to being successful, other than completing and achieveing goals. That's it.