G.I. G.O. I always say. Garbage In Garbage Out is as true for what we read, watch and even eat. And anyone who has ever taught a class load of pubescent thirteen year olds who have just gorged themselves on the latest of sugar-laden snacks and caffeinated sodas for lunch can attest to this. Get rid of the garbage sold in the school caseta/cafeteria.
At EIS in
Honduras, our situation is unique. The operator of the caseta is contracted out each year -- though always to the same group. They serve all their food on non-recyclable Styrofoam, paper and plastic. Hygiene is questionable at best. And by far the most popular foods, beside the Honduran balliada, are sucrose infused caffeine-encrusted junk food. We might as well sell the kids crack or speed.
Add to the mix ADD and hyperactive students and wonder why little work gets done. Students need to eat healthy food in order to process information more effectively. They actually will eat healthy food if the alternatives are taken away from them. And they will stop complaining about the lack of choices too, once they are used to it.
But wait, is this not some sort of fascist food police? No, as we have not taken away the student's ability to bring in food they want. But given the Honduran heat, warm sodas and melted sugar bombs will not be that popular. And good thing -- unless you want to teach those hyperactive sugar junkies some Friday after lunch.
...with your fellow journalism students. Check out their blogs. They are all connected on Mr. Schult's 'super' blog.
Click here and look at the column on the left under 'Journalism'. Comment on each other's blog articles and mine too.
Learning from the March 01, 2005 edition
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The young editors discuss the next day's stories.
OLIVIER HENSGEN
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| | All the news that's kid friendly
At this Paris newspaper, 10-year-olds take part in the editorial meetings - and choose the stories.
By Emilie Boyer King | Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
PARIS – It's early morning in the Paris headquarters of leading French newspaper Mon Quotidien, and the news team is busy discussing a story on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. "Do you know where Mecca is?" asks an editor to the news team. | |
"I've never heard of it," replies Kajetan, the "editor in chief." "Neither have I," add two other editors.
That might sound surprising, but you can't blame Kajetan for his apparent lack of knowledge. He is only 10 years old, and along with two other primary school kids, Juliette and François, he has been invited to be editor in chief for the day at one of the world's only daily newspapers for children.
Aimed at 10- to 14-year-old readers, Mon Quotidien marks its 10th anniversary this month and it has a lot to celebrate. In 10 years readership has steadily grown. The newspaper is so successful, it now has three sister publications for ages ranging from 5- to 18-year-olds, edited by Play Bac Presse.
Those who thought children didn't like reading newspapers can think again.
"Children love the newspaper, but so do parents and teachers," says the founder and editor in chief, François Dufour. "Children like to read it because it's written for them. Parents like their kids to read, and teachers are happy because anything that encourages pupils to read is good. It's what I call a virtuous triangle."
The Defiant Students Vs. The Angry Teacher
It all started when a student refused to stand for the National Anthem in Stuart Mantel's class at Brick Township High School, New Jersey. Things rapidly went downhill from there:
Students at Brick Township High School secretly recorded a video in their third period electronics class. The teacher, Stuart Mantel, was yelling at the students to stop fooling around during the nation anthem. But Mantel's angry tirade didn't end there. When one student refused to stand up for the national anthem, Mantel yanks the chair out from under him.
The story and the video can be seen here. A slideshow can be viewed here.Corey Zappo, seen mugging for the camera, was suspended for 15 days following the taping. It was his camera, hidden in a sweater, that captured the outburst that Corey then posted on his personal website.
And what did Superintendent Dr. Thomas Seidenberger of the Brick Township School District have to say about the incident?Brick's Superintendent says the student was well within his first amendment rights to stay seated during the national anthem, but it was the covert videotaping that really bothered him.
I find the Superintendent's comment interesting, because here in my own California school district students are expected to stand-up for for the flag pledge and other patriotic activities. Even though they can exempt themselves from saying the actual pledge and/or singing, they still must be on their feet.Dr. Seidenberger also made this remark that could be interpreted in a variety of ways:"You hope that kind of stuff doesn't happen in the classroom. It's certainly something that we don't advocate."
Duh. But isn't this an interesting outcome from this whole affair?In response to this incident, Brick school officials are reconsidering total ban on cell phones in the school and they plan to restrict the use of all cameras inside as well.
It remains unknown what, if any, disciplinary action will be imposed on Mr. Mantel for his (what we consider unprofessional) outburst. He isn't talking, and the District isn't saying.
http://educationwonk.blogspot.com/2005/03/defiant-students-vs-angry-teacher.html
How To Blog
If you are in my journalism class, this is for you. First, find the link in the top right that says, "
GET YOUR OWN BLOG" and click on it. Second, sign up for your own blog on www.blogger.com. After you have signed up, email me the address for your blog to dschult@seishn.com. I will subscribe to your blog through another blog called Bloglines. Then every time you add something to your blog, I will be notified that your blog has changed. Then I can look at it and make comments.
So you think you have what it takes to become a journalist? How about an editor? Take this quick
little test and see how well you do.
