p3 - Teacher Evaluations

This article brings up an interesting point. It seems logical to base part of a teacher’s evaluation on their students test scores. However, this depends on what group of students is in the schools that these teachers are teaching at. In this case, the area focused on is New York City. This could create a problem for many teachers in that area subject to these evaluations. It’s just a fact that many schools have low attendance and graduation rates in New York City, just like any other large city across America. This could mean that many teachers will be wrongly evaluated and thus punished for things that are basically out of their control. They can’t control how often students come to class and how much they study for tests outside of school. The article talks about how teachers these days are doing the most they can interactively in class (with mostly younger students) to increase the amount of learning that goes on. At this point in time, I can’t really say whether or not I agree with the proposed evaluations on teachers. It’s so hard to say yes or no when you have a situation like this that is somewhat unfair for the teachers.

p2 - It's been fun...

Way back in September, Mr. Currin assigned us a blog in which we were asked to lay out some of the accomplishments we wanted to get done in the 2011-2012 school year. I hadn’t re-read my blog until this week, and I actually did pretty well on keeping up with my own personal goals for my last year of high school. Looking back, my first and foremost goal for the school year was to be as successful as possible in the college credit classes that I signed up to take. In an effort to prepare myself as much as possible for a future in the Paralegal Studies field, I am doing well in both Street Law and Law in Society. As far as my other college courses, I am pleased to say that I have maintained a self-fulfilling grade in AP English as well. It has taken some hard work, but definitely rewarding in the end to know that I am improving my knowledge of the English language and bettering myself overall for my future. However, there are some things I didn’t get to “check off my high school bucket list”. I wrote earlier in the year that I would have liked to take part in a winter or spring sport since I had never done one before. Sadly, I didn’t take on that adventure in these past few months. I did though play on an indoor soccer team once again this winter. Looking back on it now, this past school year as flown by. It’s true when people tell you that high school will be over before you know it. Even though I didn’t accomplish everything that I had hoped to in the beginning of the year, I still think I did a pretty stellar job.

p1 - The Telly

The only time I really watch TV is at night. When I get ready for bed at night, I usually lay in bed on my laptop, but I keep the TV on for background noise. But, occasionally, I will watch a couple shows if they interest me enough. The only shows that I really ever watch are Man vs. Food (my favorite! Except it makes me really hungry which I hate), Ghost Hunters (my brother and I watch it simultaneously in different rooms and text each other when exciting things happen. Cool, I know), and basically anything on the Bravo network. No exception, The “Real Housewives” series is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine I guess. I don’t even know why but I just find it really entertaining. I can partially blame it on my best friend, because she first introduced it to me by constantly making me watch it at her house.  There is the rare occasion where I have nothing to do at like six o’clock on a random week night, and I’ll decide to sit in the living room and watch TV. In this case, my show of choice is always either Cupcake Wars on The Food Network, or Property Virgins on HGTV. Even though I don’t watch that much TV, it seems like everyone else in my family does. They can all be easily captivated by a television for a couple hours. We have a TV in every room of the house minus the kitchen, plus a TV in our furnished basement. That means six TVs. Superfluous? Maybe. But people these days don’t even think twice about it. That number might even be on the low end for some families.

o2 - Going to College Pays Off

For me, college has never not been an option. I was taught at a very young age by my parents that it would help me significantly in the future. This article simply reaffirms my beliefs and vindicates my plan to attend college for four years. I’m going to college so I will be able to get a steady, good paying job in the work force and make enough money to support my future family. Just like the article said, there are always college critics. The people who say that college is just a scam for money and that it doesn’t really pay off in the end. I think the statistics in the article we read for this blog disproves all of those with the hard facts. A college graduate with an associate’s degree makes more money than a person invested in stocks. In my eyes, college seems like the most logical and lucrative option for my future after high school. People who say college is a waste or a scam and try to “save money” by not going to college end up with the short end of the stick anyway because they will not get as high of a paying job, and the article that accompanied this blog proves it. As for myself, I will be attending Hilbert College in the fall, and I will be majoring in Paralegal Studies. Hilbert has the best Paralegal Studies program in Western New York. I am also considering working on a degree in Court Stenography while still studying Paralegal. This would open up more job opportunities for me, especially more opportunities for “real world” work while I’m still in college. I know that a college education will pay off for me, especially because the Paralegal field has one of the highest numbers of job openings for new college graduates with decent salaries.

o4 - Daddy

My father is… in all honesty, one of my best friends. My dad and I get along so well because we have basically the same personality. I’ve always looked up to my dad (or Fash as I call him) for so many reasons; Mostly because he’s always inspired me. From a young age, my dad exposed me to so much music that he liked. This was possibly the greatest thing that he could have ever done. Now, because of that, he and I are able to bond over things like that. Sometimes we just sit in the living room listening to his IPod play through the speakers and discuss our favorite Tragically Hip songs or what drum beats he wants to try and imitate or learn. Speaking of playing the drums, I’ve always admired the talent and passion that my dad puts into his own music. I grew up being able to watch my dad and his band in the studio and just enjoy himself. Before a gig, I always say to him “let’s rock, let’s rock today” from the movie School Of Rock because we both love that movie. Music has always bonded us, and that’s why I feel so close with my dad sometimes. I admire my dad because he is never ever afraid to be himself. And it’s kind of ironic because when my friends first meet him, they’re terrified. He has a somewhat intimidating and scary look to him because of the deep voice and tattoos and stuff, but he is the total opposite. When I got a kitten a few years ago, he was so against it but he has softened right up and now he cuddles with my cat on the couch all the time. He doesn’t try and “fit in” with anything. He is who he is, and he doesn’t let anything ever come between that. It’s great talking to my dad about things because we almost always feel the same way about various topics. My dad and I both love the lyric “We’re forced to bed, but we’re free to dream” from a Tragically Hip song, and we sometimes just bring it up in conversation when it fits the topic. So bottom line, I basically love my dad with all of my heart, and this blog doesn’t even come close to covering it all.

o1 - I'm Glad You Came

The United States is in the midst of another British invasion. Well, not technically, because it’s only one band. But this band is capable of so much greatness. This band that I speak of is The Wanted, and they are the English and Irish lads taking the US music charts by storm. Formed in 2009, The Wanted have had three number one hits in the UK and are now breaking all sorts of records in America with their single “Glad You Came”. The most recent article featured on BBC about the British boy band talks about how The Wanted are essentially the most successful boy band from the UK in US history. They have the highest climbing single on the US music charts, and Glad You Came recently went platinum in America as well. The article stated that Glad You Came has been played on over one hundred and sixty stations across the country. Having been a fan since early December 2011, before Glad You Came became popular among the majority of the country, I truly feel like a “proud mother” watching The Wanted grow and gain so much success. They have recently ended their first US tour with plans to come back in the summer. The Wanted have also appeared on Ellen, The Tonight Show, and Chelsea Lately. Also, Glad You Came was featured in a recent episode of Glee and they have performed for MTV’s Spring Break in Florida. Finally, the boys are scheduled to perform on the April 5^th episode of American Idol. The Wanted are releasing an album in the US which will be a compilation of their first two UK albums, and will also feature two new previously unreleased songs. Also featured in the article I read, band member Max George compares their success to football (or as we Americans call it, soccer). He states “It feels like City have just reached the final of the FA Cup. Now we just need to win it." I couldn’t be more proud or ecstatic about the success of The Wanted in America! 

source:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17229469