two worries led to one

the thing that worries me most is the drought. Not many things worry me about the world, I'm almost selfish in that aspect. But nevertheless the drought does actually worry me. After this assignment was assigned my professor told me what he thought it was going to be like in the next 50 years, and it sounded mostly good but the big questions were will there enough food? Will there be enough energy? Will there be enough water? Water being the most important of course, last but by no means least. This was said to me today, a Wednesday. I already felt some type of way about water before but now it's a legitimate worry for our future. I can see how it's scarce, I can see the world over populating. I can literally see pollution down the street. Our water sources will go dry one day. Another thing too that it's going to suck I believe that when I get older water bills are going to be jacked out the wazoo and I'm to have to pay for that damn thing. I cant really imagine what they could do the help the situation which is the biggest thing that worries me. But I believe by the time the worst case scenario will happen I will most towards the end of my life, and that worst case scenario is literally no more water. Which brings me to the movie the Book of Eli. They called the end of the civilization the "big flash," and that showed the world as a dry desert. Which leads to my second worry, atomic wars. I feel that that world in the Book of Eli was destroyed by nuclear war which caused the civilization to end and made all the water to decimate. With that being said it leads me to think man can take away and screw things up so much quicker than mother nature would. If it wasn't for humans this planet would last for billions of years, and unfortunately I doubt that. My astronomy spoke of what he thought the world would be like 5,000 years from now, he said there would probably be no more people, just robots, smart, like people. Then to think that was all created by people, humans. If anything, explaining this causes me to think I'm worried about the people of this world in the future. I can't imagine the world making it 5,000 years from now, and that scares me some how.

East St Louis

As the review said on the the back, I was not ready for the horrors of this book or chapter. I was nearly brought to tears about three times. The first was when the children were talking about their sister that had gotten beaten to death, and that is for obvious reasons. The way I imagined it was as if they were immune to talking about it, which is something no child should be exposed to. Along with not knowing how to tell time, not knowing their little sister's real name, the pollution in the air slowly crippling the children almost leaving them hopeless and that saddened me. The second was when the football coach said, "The days of the tight money have arrived, and it don't look like Moses is coming." Had me in awe, the main quote that had me all choked up is, "This is my life. It isn't all I dreamed of and I tell myself sometimes that I might have accomplished more. But growing up in poverty rules out some avenues. You do the best you can." It had me think that people that live there are damn near hopeless, with no help, and can do nothing but accept the poverty. To think that's what a child grown into a man lives up to hurts my soul. Lastly, was when Kozol was talking to the principal, he explained what he would do if the money was granted to renovate the school, he then looks into his hands, laughs, and states "If I'm dreaming, why not dream the big dreams for our children." At this point my eyes watering up. He then receives a call from his wife about his house being robbed, but still remians composed, disciplined, and calm, as if it happened before. Although Kozol sees his body language as tense and sees the principal gripping his desk tightly, but still refraining himself from getting emotional. Tears subsided as I thought of a man holding composer in such troubling times. He is a man of means, one that young kids and adults look to and one that people critique as the cause for such a school but he can only do so much with so little. Simply to just imagine such pain, and hardship as a man I cannot imagine the pain on one's mentality of trying to hold it all together. I am so sorry good sir. 

 

The way East St. Louis was described it reminded me of Flint, Michigan. A land of promised jobs and history, East St. Louis being the city with the most railroads in the country at the time while Flint had General Motors being nearly all the income for the citizens and just gets up and leaves, leaving the city unemployed, and led into poverty. Jobs were promised in East St. Louis but were never produced. Power plants could be the primary source of jobs but the people of E.S.L. are not equipped with the proper education or have no education at all. Parents realize the education in ESL, and try to send them to the schools across the bridge but are not allowed due to "out of jurisdiction,"which also killed me to think for the parents that actually care about their kids know that their children's education is nearly being tarnished and that they are being literally taught how to work at a Mc Donalds or Taco Bell. Lastly, regardless of the schools being renovated, cared for and etc. The city is still forty million dollars in debt, along with the air, and soil being absolutely contaminated... The city is left for dead. I am so sorry, East St. Louis.

Organic Learning

            

In the first opening lines of the film was that education has so competitive that they have almost had forgotten about learning and that they were just simply trying to gain a grade. Up until I had watched this video I never thought of our education system like that, but now I can totally agree. Knowing myself, I am a competitive kind of guy; being in sports all my life I can understand how I can feel that way about my grades. Although it does sound like a bad thing but in sense I see the good of it, it brings out the best in me, I want to win! Nevertheless the bad is not entirely learning the subject, just striving for the “A” doesn’t mean a fulfillment of the learning process, and it almost means you just followed the guidelines precisely and efficiently. Not fully grasping the concept. Following the guidelines and being fed information might be the way to receive a good grade but that may never and will never be my cup of tea, in terms of learning.

The way school has been traditionally teaching throughout time is slowly being put to rest, due to technology and also because people are now beginning to realize that that the traditional way is nearly oppressive, and nearly (I might be overstating) savage or cutthroat, weeding out the strong from the weak, who can think for themselves? The strong, and who cannot, the weak. Along with being so practical it leads graduates of high school blind to the world due to not being tested or taught to use our critical thinking skills in times of problem solving, or even simply to speak one’s idea because they are just unsociable, which is one I thing think people should learn in grade school. Not saying everyone needs to be extroverted but to understand that being sociable is necessary in life at times.  Which leads to the “Organic Learning” theory, in which I believe is entirely helpful on all aspects of education and also building as a productive human being.

Organic learning in the classroom is interaction amongst students and also the teacher. I believe it builds one character because it engages one to hear other people’s perspective and applying that perspective to your own. Along with being able to speak your mind and allowing that thought to be brought and put out of one’s head and into words or on paper. Taking an idea out of my head is still hard to do for me even though I am still who I like to believe to be is an extroverted person. I know this by being nervous to speak my idea in class when I know everybody else doesn’t want to also by my hands beginning to sweat and my feet clinch as I speak my idea having the feeling or insecurity of being wrong or sounding dumb. But I knew and know that speaking at the times when you don’t want to, is a productive thing to do in a classroom. Even when I am wrong I feel the organic learning process takes into affect; another student heard my wrong answer and spun it into something class can take off into. Yes, Mrs. Williams your class embraces the organic learning method. That was the first thing that came to mind. Which made me think of my other classes, and all the ones that were at least somewhat along the lines of the organic learning method I received an “A,” made friends and enjoyed the class. Lastly one thing I love about the Organic learning method or theory, is that really does create a sense of community amongst the classroom. The classes that were not like the theory when it could have been, most of the students were very stand offish, unsociable, un-helpful, and nearly un-productive. In other words I am a true fan and advocate of organic learning, I will tell my friends and try to embrace the method as much as possible.

Function of education

The passage "The Function of Education," asks if we (the readers) know what the function of education is. There can be numerous answers but it asks if education just for a good job? To learn to be obedient and conform? The passage also speaks of what consists of life and that the pain, suffering, and day-to-day experiences are beautiful and that that's part of what educates us. The author has a negative tone towards the education system today, but negative towards the practical side of education, by learning obedience, and conforming to the way your parents, teachers, and the system almost wants you to. In which I could agree with Jiddu that education is the tool to help one understand the process of life, but can mean nothing if one is not doing what they love. Not only a person can learn and be educated in a class room but also out in the world, seeing and discovering, finding out what's "real" by yourself not by a teacher, guide, or philosopher. I can see where the author is coming from, people that stay in confounds of their comfort zones, traditions, and routines are the ones victims of fear and cannot be intelligent due to a person not seeing something new and learning. Intelligence needs to be in an atmosphere of freedom says Jiddu, with freedom one can do and think anything and see the world they want to understand it, not through a one dimension text book. If one can interpret something the way they wanted to that is true freedom, which then leads to intelligence. With freedom and intelligence in a world of conformity one is in constant revolt says Jiddu, and that if everyone were victims of freedom and intelligence everyone would be in revolt but in the best way possible, simply by creating a new and improved society. I believe that the true function of education is to weed out the weak from the strong, or to weed out the the ones in fear and to keep them in order and for the intelligent break away and make their society prosper.

Goals and I

My name is Jacob Alcazar, I'm a mass communication major trying to get into the fields of radio and television. But at this point I'm just trying to pass my classes as best as I can, finish Chabot, and transfer out of here. I like to learn, I hate to read, but I like to challenge myself... Lets have fun. :)