The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark by Carmen Agra Deedy

As a teacher, I have to try something before I can assign it to my kids.  So, there, I did it!  YES!

This is where I need to put my writing.

Okay, Post your POST

See if you can get your Personal Essay and Personal Narrative posted before Thanksgiving Break.  You may need to ask someone for help.  But, don't be afraid!  It's okay to not know something and have to figure it out.

Mr. Elms

Social Issues During Spring Break

As I was traveling through Myanmar, I kept thinking about different social issues that I was seeing on the ground.  The country was gearing up for their first democratic elections in many years.  Imagine, a country waiting for the moment when they get to vote and hope that their votes will lead to a new chance for their country.  Could they finally have freedom of speech? Religion?  Economic freedom?  So much will hinge on the current government letting the country move forward.  However, that is a big if!

Everywhere I went I was confronted by people wanting me to ride in a horse cart, buy a sand painting, or take me to the most important/highest/biggest temple in Bagan.  All of these people had good hearts, but they also wanted my money.  After awhile, I became a bit jaded and leery of anyone who wanted to "help" me.  I was struck by the number of children working on the streets to sell simple drawing that they had made, working in lacquerware shops, or even selling bananas on the side of the roads.

As I traveled down bumpy roads, dirt roads, rocky roads, and even a few no existent roads, I came to really appreciate all of the sleek and smooth roads of Singapore.  Not only that, I lived off bottled water and hoped that the water was not tampered with or contaminated.  Every vegetable that I ate was boiled and cooked within an inch of its life for fear of water born disease.  Fortunately, I survived the roads, water, and vegetables. Yum!

But the most interesting thing to me was the temples.  They were not as spectacular on the inside as the tombs I have seen in Egypt or even temples in Cambodia.  Yet, the temples of Bagan, when you look at all of them spread out over the vast plains, you are struck by the beauty of the moment.  It is truly an impressive site to see such fantastic temples in a place of such extreme poverty.  I wonder if temples, like those of Batan, will be able to bring the people of the area a chance at economic freedom. 

When I was Young

When I was young, my parents didn't ever really think about our reputations. They were too busy working everyday to put food on the table.  Yet, sometimes I heard them say, “Don’t do that” or “what were you thinking when you did that? Don't you ever think about your reputation?” Really, I hadn’t given it much thought to it at the time. I guess I didn’t really understand what having a bad or good reputation meant. Your reputation is how the public views you and as a result treats you in a certain way. Therefore, a person’s reputation is incredibly important. Here’s a video clip from Commoncraft explaining protecting one’s reputation online.

What do you think?  Are online reputations important?  Does it even matter?

Techno Youth

I have been thinking about technology a lot lately.  The library is going to be starting a new, Connections center,  I spend hours online each day researching history, and I have all of these cool Macs in my classroom.  The pace in which it has entered my life, and the effects this has had on me over the last year has been profound. You are children of the cyber age, meaning that you are children born in an age where computer technology and electronics run your life. In other words, you are plugged into some electronic device 24/7. But are you aware or have you thought about the effects that it has on you and the surrounding world in which we live in? Do you know the rapid speed in which these new technologies have grown? Or are you immune to it because you are able to acquire the new skills needed to use these new advanced technologies.
    Personally, I find myself sitting at my computer more and more, but I am also not in touch with every latest gadget. I want to be able to do it all, but I also want time to enjoy life and be outdoors away from the computer. I want to hang out with my family and friends.
    At any rate, I think you will enjoy and learn a bit by watching this youtube video entitled Did You Know.  It is very interesting stuff. What do you think?

Hello

Again I'm starting my second blog and leaving behind my wiki.