Pope’s Palm Sunday Mass
‘Letters To God’
Scientists Solve a Murder Mummy Mystery
by Laura Leigh Davidson
Mar. 8, 2010
What killed King Tut? Historians and scientists have long believed that ancient Egypt’s most famous king was probably murdered.
But a recent scientific study claims to have found a different solution to this more than 3,300-year-old mystery.
A team of researchers now say that King Tut, the boy ruler, died of complications from a broken leg and as a result of foul play.
The team released their findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in February.
A Boy King
Tut’s full name was Tutankhamen (too-tahng-KAH-mun). He was just 9 years old when he became pharaoh, or ruler, of Egypt in 1348 B.C. His treasure-packed tomb was revealed to the world almost a century ago.
It made him one of the best-known Egyptian kings of all time. Tut’s burial chamber was filled with royal riches, including a solid-gold coffin, a gold mask, and piles of jewelry.
But Tut did not have much time to enjoy his vast wealth. His reign was cut short at the age of 19.
Many experts have thought that Tut was killed by one of his advisers, named Ay, who wanted the throne for himself.
But thanks to a major modern science project, it seems Ay is off the hook.
Science Solves History Mystery
Researchers set out to solve the mystery of King Tut’s death by using the tools of science. They began their investigation of Tut’s well-preserved mummy by conducting an autopsy, which is an in-depth medical examination to determine how someone died.
The king’s autopsy included DNA tests and electronic scans of his remains.
Scientist Carsten Pusch conducted the tests on Tut for the new study. He thinks a broken leg contributed to the young king’s death.
A scan of Tut’s mummy showed an unhealed fracture in his thigh bone. This confirms that the Egyptian leader broke his leg sometime close to his death.
The DNA also indicates that the pharaoh had an illness that causes bones to become frail and brittle.
More than 100 walking sticks were found in King Tut’s tomb. This supports the autopsy findings. Many of the sticks were well-worn, showing regular use.
“It is very likely that a bone [disease] required King Tut to use canes,” Pusch told Discovery News. “Maybe he just fell and broke his leg.”
But how could a person die from a simple broken leg?
Pusch also found DNA evidence in Tut’s remains that indicates he had malaria (muh-LAIR-ee-uh), a disease carried by mosquitoes. Malaria severely weakens the immune system.
Pusch and his fellow researchers believe the malaria and the bone disease together caused the king’s fracture to become life-threatening. Ultimately, the young pharaoh was just too weak to heal.
So the effects of disease combined with the bad luck of a broken bone—not a jealous adviser—are likely the real culprits in King Tut’s death.
Mummies Tell Us More
Dr. Howard Markel, a medical historian at the University of Michigan, says the study does more than solve a history mystery.
The information gained by studying these mummies could give us valuable insight into the diseases they had.
“This is very exciting that we can take modern technology and learn more about Egyptian history,” Markel told CNN. “Mummies are very powerful tools. We can learn a lot from the dead, [like] how illnesses evolve.”
TELL ME WHY
Read Mummy Murder Mystery Solved? and use what you learn in this cause and effect activity.
Source: Scholastic News
Editor’s Note: The feet of King Tut’s mummy are shown here in a photo taken during an examination of Tut’s remains in his underground tomb in Luxor, Egypt, on November 4, 2007. (Photo: Ben Curtis/AP Images).
The gold covered-coffin of ancient Egyptian King Tutankhamen is seen in this undated photo released by the Museum Of Antiquities, Basel, Switzerland. (Photo: Andreas F. Voegelin/Museum Of Antiquities Basel/AP Images).
We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com
Fall of the Berlin Wall 20 Years Later: Remembered by Florida High School
By A.J. Plourde
YC/Staff
Mar. 5, 2010
Berlin, after World War II was separated into two Germany’s, West Berlin, and East Berlin. A wall was erected as a border between the two that came to be known as the Berlin Wall. 20 years ago this wall came down and East and West were now once again just Berlin, and all the citizens were just Germans.
In a small town in Florida, called Osprey, High School students at Pine Mountain school decided to take a real lesson in history. They erected a wall on their campus that simulated the Berlin Wall and half of the students were taught on side while the rest were taught on the other side.
The ones on the side simulating East Germany, were taught just like they were in Communist territory, with teachers playing the parts of the educators of East Berlin.
On the other side of the wall the students were free to move about freely, but had no contact with the other side without permission to cross just as it was in Berlin at the wall.
This one day history lesson gave the students an opportunity to see what life was really like in the divided Germany’s. Everyone in this experiment found it useful to learn from and to remind them that this should never happen again where families, friends, and relatives are not allowed to see each other because of where they lived in a city.
This was a one day exercise and it will be remembered by all who participated.
This type of reality teaching is good because it allows the students to really feel the part of history they are studying.
For more on this see the following:
To learn more about the Berlin Wall go here:
Source: Americans Beware
Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com
New Program by USO Helps Military Families
By Henry Dunkelberger
Mar. 4. 2010
Military families sacrifice a lot when a loved one is overseas fighting for his or her country. The USO (United Service Organization) wants to show appreciation to those families, says Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden. Biden joined a group of volunteers to pack and ship 3,000 care packages to families with loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan.
“I have seen firsthand just how much a small act of kindness can mean to a service member,” Biden said. Biden’s son Beau is a member of the Delaware Army National Guard and has served in Iraq.
The event at the National Armory in Washington, D.C., kicked off the Military Family Care Package program. The first packages are destined for families of 3,000 Florida National Guard Soldiers who will deploy in the coming weeks.
“The items in these packages will make life just a little bit easier for them,” said Biden. “Whether it’s a disposable camera, a grocery-store gift card, or a pre-paid phone card, for the service members serving abroad and missing their loved ones, these packages will bring some comfort, knowing that their families have not been forgotten.”
Other items in the packages include a journal to record events and memories they can share once the service member gets home, Hallmark greeting cards, and gift certificates.
Two colorful inflatable characters known as Hoops and YoYo joined in at the care package event. Designed by Hallmark, the whimsical, colorful blow-ups are highlighted on cards included in the packages.
Hoops and YoYo are aimed at bringing smiles to the faces of kids missing a loved one.
Kids can also help show appreciation to these families, Biden told the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.
“You can find out who are the military and the National Guard families in your neighborhood so you could maybe take over a movie one night and popcorn,” she said. “Or you can help your mom bake cookies and take them over to the family.”
The USO is a bridge between the American public and the U.S. military, both in times of peace and war. Currently the USO can be found in more than 130 locations around the world, including Kuwait and Afghanistan. For more information about the organization and how you can help, check out the USO website.
Source: Scholastic News Online
Editor’s Note: Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden stuffs care packages at the USO Military Family Care Package event on February 24, 2010 at the DC National Guard Armory. (Photo: USO Photo by Mike Theiler)
We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com
Should You Be Allowed to Discipline Other People’s Kids?
By Logan Ward
Mar. 2, 2010
When it comes to disciplining someone else’s child you don’t want to offend the kid’s parents, but if his behavior is dangerous or harmful you can’t simply ignore it either.
“It’s not intruding on another parent’s turf when you’re protecting your own child,” says Michele Borba, EdD, a Parents advisor and author of No More Misbehaving’: 38 Difficult Behaviors and How to Stop Them. Still, the right response depends on the circumstances — we’ll tell you how to respond here.
Playground Bully
Your 3-year-old is drawing with sidewalk chalk when two 5-year-old boys ask to borrow some. You give them a few pieces, but then they return asking for more. Your son says “No,” but they pull the chalk away from him.
What you’re tempted to do: “You want to say, ‘Hey, stop that — don’t you kids know better?'” says family therapist Hal Runkel, author of Scream Free Parenting: the Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool. But if you lash out, Runkel cautions, you’ll only scare the children and put their parents on the defensive.
What you should do: “Your first step is simply to make your presence known,” says Dr. Borba. “Often, that’s enough to stop aggressive behavior.” If it isn’t, address the boys calmly but sternly:
“We don’t grab things from other people. Somebody might get hurt.” Let them know your son is happy to share his things, but they need to share too — and to stop grabbing. If their behavior continues, put the chalk away and head for another area of the park.
When Ellen Morris’s 5-year-old son, William, was being pushed around by an older child at a playground near their Louisville, Kentucky, home, she felt she had to intervene.
“I said, ‘Fighting is not okay,’ then asked the boy nicely to play in another area, which he did,” says Morris.
Bad Play date
Your 4-year-old daughter’s friend bosses her around during dress-up, hogs all the toys, and then refuses to help clean up the mess she made.
What you’re tempted to do: Put her in a time-out or send her home.
What you should do: Your house, your consequences. Right? Well, yes, but restrain yourself — maybe your little guest is just having a bad day.
Reiterate the rules (“In our house we take turns, and everyone cleans up her own mess”), then offer a reward (“When you’re done cleaning up, we’ll have cookies and lemonade”).
If she still won’t play nicely, you might try having the kids play separately for a while and see whether that helps. Steer clear of time-outs unless you’ve gotten the mom’s permission to give one.
Even then, save it for more egregious behavior, such as when a child is throwing toys or being defiant. If necessary, ask if she’d like you to call her mother to see whether she has any suggestions (the mere threat might change her tune). Be up-front about the problems at pickup: “We were having a little trouble with getting along and sharing today.”
In most cases, a visiting child will want to win your approval. Christy Majors, of Waynesboro, Virginia, hosts play dates all the time for her kids, Tess, 6, and Max, 3.
“When someone misbehaves, I talk to them at eye level and treat them with respect,” she adds. “Kids know when they’re being dealt with fairly, and they’ll usually cooperate in return.”
Biting
Your son comes home from class with a bite mark on his arm from another child.
What you’re tempted to do: Confront the child’s parents, and shoot off an angry e-mail to the teacher.
What you should do: Preschools exist in part to help children learn which social behaviors are acceptable and which aren’t. Hitting and biting are common at this age.
Although that doesn’t make them acceptable, your son’s teacher is the right person to handle the problem.
Feel free to set up a conference where you can express your concern: “Would you please keep an eye out when our son plays with Max, so this doesn’t happen again?” Also, make sure the teacher has spoken to the boy’s parents.
There’s no reason for you to contact them directly, though, unless you’re friendly with them and feel that not mentioning the incident would be awkward.
Bad Table Manners
While having dinner with your family, your daughter’s 5-year-old friend eats her Mac ‘n’ cheese with her fingers.
What you’re tempted to do: Tell her to use a fork — she’s old enough to know better.
What you should do: Hold your tongue. “Give kids a little leeway with certain kinds of manners,” says Daniel Buccino, a clinical social worker at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, in Baltimore.
The child’s bad table habits might be the result of her cultural background, or she could have a manual dexterity problem. By overlooking the poor manners, you’re teaching your children to be gracious hosts.
But if the sloppy dining leads to truly bad behavior, like throwing food or belching intentionally, it’s fine to (gently) correct the child. Later, praise your own kids for using their utensils and eating properly, so they’re not confused by the apparent double standard.
Dirty Words
Your 8-year-old nephew starts teaching your kindergartner dirty words, and your brother doesn’t notice (or pretends not to).
What you’re tempted to do: Cover your child’s ears, and scold your potty-mouthed nephew.
What you should do: Calmly ask the boy to clean up his act. Say, “You’re older, and it’s not appropriate to use these words in front of Matthew.” This will make the child and his dad aware of the problem without offending anyone.
When they leave, talk to your child about the naughty words: “We don’t use that language in our family. Those words can upset people, and they’re inappropriate.”
Passive Parent
Your friend’s daughter constantly interrupts your conversation, but your friend ignores this impolite behavior.
What you’re tempted to do: Tell the child she’s being rude, and then suggest your friend teach her some manners.
What you should do: Address your friend, not her kid. “Ask, ‘Do you need to go help Lauren? Because I’d be happy to continue this conversation in a few minutes,” says Peggy Post, coauthor of Emily Post’s The Gift of Good Manners: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Respectful, Kind, And Considerate Children.
This is a subtle but clear way to send the message that you’re frustrated by the behavior and feel she should correct her child.
When You Lose Your Cool
The playmate is out of control. Kids are spilling drinks, throwing toys, and fighting. Finally, when one child leads your son up the outside of the stair railing, you yell at them to get down — now. And when they don’t, you send them to separate rooms.
An overreaction? Probably. But what’s your damage-control strategy? “My advice is the same as it is for wayward politicians,” says social worker Daniel Buccino. “Disclose all, and do it early.” Call the child’s parent right away and give your side of the story:
“Kyle and Joey were climbing the stairs on the outside, and I was scared they might fall and get hurt. I spoke sharply to them and gave them time-outs. I realize I lost my cool, and I just wanted you to know.” Fess up, and chances are you’ll get sympathy on the other end of the line.
Keep quiet, and you risk having Kyle complain about Joey’s mean ol’ mom when he gets home.
6 Discipline Strategies for Other Kids
Follow these guidelines when you’re in charge of someone else’s kid.
- Tread lightly. Don’t ever spank or yell, even if the child does something dangerous or destructive. Your goal is to correct his behavior, not to punish him.
- Plan ahead. Discuss the rules with the child’s parent (for example, how much TV she can watch and what she can eat for a snack) and agree on consequences in advance.
- Explain your expectations. A child isn’t likely to obey boundaries unless you set them. Take a few minutes to go over the house rules: “No running or playing ball indoors, everyone must share, and toys go away when you’re done playing with them.”
- Let the little things go. If a child knocks down a block tower or doesn’t say thank you for the homemade cookies and lemonade you made, don’t correct him. Remember: Every parent has a different set of expectations about acceptable behavior.
- Don’t embarrass her. Never discipline a child in front of her friends. Address her as part of a group: “I can see everyone’s tired of playing this game. Let’s all take a break and sit down for a snack.”
- Accentuate the positive. When you have to remind another child to share, clean up, or stop throwing things, make a point of praising your child (in private) for being good.
What’s your take on disciplining other kids?
Source: Parents
Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com
Poem for Claire
March 1, 2010 by Dan
Filed under One Person's View
by Dr. Laura
Mar. 1, 2010
I get many letters, I would like to share this one from Barry and I welcome ones from you.
Dear Dr. Laura:
I was a participant in an unwanted, unnecessary divorce…because my wife wasn’t ‘happy.’ I have 3 minor children who, despite my tremendous efforts to the contrary…only get to see me 7-10 days a month.
I do everything I can to remain in their lives so I might display to them the importance and value of good character, good values/morals, and integrity….
For Valentine’s Day, I wrote my 5 year old daughter a poem. I’m not a poet by any means. I’m your basic manly man.
These words simply came to me in the half-hour it took to write them down. In it are references to many things we do as a family….I thought you might like to read it:
A Poem for Claire
A poem for Claire is what I will try.
I hope it turns out – ya see, I’m only a guy.
There are jobs that I have-
One is being your Dad.
Out of all of the jobs
That one makes me most glad.
We do things we like
And some we don’t mind.
I’m pleased that you’re nice
And so warm and so kind.
I tell you I’m serious
But you know that I’m not
We’re both very silly
And we smile a LOT!
We sit out in back
And look at the clouds
You see shapes I don’t see
You make me so proud.
Walking to school
Is always so fun.
It’s been so cold lately
We can’t wait for the sun!
You fiddle with your homework.
Maybe a snack instead?
But each night we read
Just before time for bed.
I love when we play
You’re so very special
We dance and we laugh
Now it’s time to WRESTLE!
We cuddle on the sofa
Watch TV at night.
But we don’t watch a show
That might give you a fright.
We make up games to play
Sometimes go for a hike.
But what you like most
Is riding your bike!
You play Dan-Ball and Rock Band
And sometimes the Wii.
”Daddy, come look!
Come here! Come see!”
I’m busy in the kitchen
Moving fast there to here.
You’re the first and the loudest
During our dinnertime cheer.
I miss you dearly
When we’re far apart,
But I’ll always remind you
I’m in your head and your heart.
The message is clear
In this poem you hear.
Your Dad loves you greatly
And I will always be near.
I want you to know
You’re my best Valentine.
I will ALWAYS be yours
If you will be mine.
I love you.
Dad
You’ve made me a better man, Dr. Laura. I thank you.
Source: Dr. Laura
Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com
LOVE is Patient and Kind
March 1, 2010 by Dan
Filed under Encouragement
By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
Mar. 1, 2010
Do you know what “Joylogy” means? It is the study of caring, sharing, and listening and Sacrifice.
This was written by Mr. Jeineke in 1975
We would like to know what you think: dan@youngchronicle.com
What is a Joyologist? A joyologist then would be one who studies joy logy. Frankly our world could use a great many joyologists whose mission in life is to actively research the effects of discussing and sharing joy.
The research could branch out into how joy affects our careers, family lives, and friendships. The very act of doing the active research should spread jubilation throughout the world and bring about positive results. What a fun job!
All one needs to start with is to share the words joyism, joy logy, and joyologis with others. Use the words daily and make them a part of the world’s vocabulary.
The upcoming year is going to challenge us all. Here is something we need to think, this is from an unknown reader. It is called: God Teaches LOVE is Patient and Kind
By Katherine Kehler
Love never gives up. Love cares for others more than for self” (1Corinthians 13:1).
Someone shared this story with me and it reminded me of how often we make judgments about situations or people without knowing all the facts. How wrong we can be:
A man was travelling home by bus, when the bus stopped to pick someone up, a father with several children got on. The children were very unruly. They wouldn’t sit still.
They kept changing seats and were fighting. They were doing all the annoying things that children do when parents don’t control them.
The father had taken the seat beside the first man, who by now was getting more annoyed by the minute, thinking, why doesn’t he say something to control his children?”
Finally, he could take it no longer. He turned to the father and blurted, your children are out of control. Why don’t you do something?”
“Yes,” The father replied, “I suppose you are right. But you see, we have just come from the hospital. Their mother died this morning. They don’t know how to handle it and neither do I.”
Wow! Talk about blowing it.
So often our judgments are based on outward appearances. We make them on hearsay or base them on our limited knowledge and experience.
God looks at people’s hearts. Isaiah 11:3 has this to say about Christ:
He will not judge by the way things look. He will not judge by what people say.
The more we allow Christ to take control of our lives, the less likely we will be to make quick judgments about people or believe rumors. As we ask Him to put His love in our hearts we will become more like Him.
Lord Jesus, Your love is perfect. Thank You for being so patient and kind with us. When you judge and discipline us, it is because you have all the facts and it is for our good.
Love always rules everything you do. We, on the other hand, are so often harsh and self-righteous when analyzing the actions of others. Today, we confess our critical and unkind attitudes to you and ask Your Spirit to enable us to be patient and kind. Amen.
Source: Joyology
You Were Warned
March 1, 2010 by Dan
Filed under Parent's Advice
By Lynn Stuter
Mar. 1, 2010
There has been a growing controversy — in Rhode Island and across the nation — about the firing of the teachers at Central Falls High School.
Teachers are in an uproar, the union is “outraged,” the parents are “outraged,” the students are surely “going to be traumatized” (But then, that seems easy to accomplish these days.
To listen to the talking heads, one definitely comes to the conclusion that children are just not as resilient as they used to be when adults had common sense.)
To understand why these teachers were fired, one needs to understand the system.
Back in 1994, Goals 2000, the educate America Act was passed by Congress. This was under the Clinton Administration but Goals 2000 was the end product of America 2000 which went back to the George Herbert Walker Bush Administration.
Prior to America 2000, there were all the meetings of head honchos across the country, like the National Governors’ Association (NGA) meeting, called by Bush in September 1989 that brought about America 2000.
The meeting occurred at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and resulted in the establishment of the Governors’ Task Force on Education with Governor Booth Gardner of Washington state, head of the NGA, appointing himself, Governor Roy Romer of Colorado (appointed chair of the Task Force), Governor Carroll Campbell of South Carolina, Governor Evan Bayh of Indiana, Governor Terry Branstead of Iowa, and Governor John Ashcroft of Missouri to the committee.
And before that, there were the Schools for the 21st Century pilot project in states across the nation, including Washington State that commenced ca 1988-1989.
These schools were the precursor to education transformation nation-wide; they were the foundation of Goals 2000.
The pilot project in Washington State never met the requirements of the laws governing it, yet it was heralded as a roaring success by those running the program, not based on quantifiable evidence but rather on anecdotal “evidence.”
The whole sham that was the Schools for the 21st Century pilot project in Washington State was finally brought before the Senate Education Committee, through the hard work of many people, me included, in February 1998.
One would think that the Washington State Legislature would not want to subject children to a failed education system. One would think that the Washington State Legislature would not want to waste taxpayer dollars on a colossal failure.
The reaction of the Washington State Legislature? For the most part, legislators boycotted the hearing.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction tried to disrupt the hearing.
The Democrat co-chair of the Senate Education Committee tried to disrupt and sidetrack the hearing.
TVW, the organization that videos hearings held by Senate and House committees, suddenly decided they couldn’t video the hearing. Although slated to do so, they cancelled at the last minute, obviously the game plan being that the last-minute cancellation would ensure that there would not be enough time to bring in and set up video equipment of the type needed to provide quality video of the hearing.
TVW’s excuse for canceling was that the Superintendent of Public Instruction wasn’t invited to be center stage at the hearing.
For his role in setting up the hearing, the Republican co-chair of the Senate Education Committee was castigated by his own party. When he ran for Governor, his own party undermined his campaign.
The message was clear: the Washington State Legislature, Democrats and Republicans alike, did not want hear that the program they had implemented in the schools in the state, under Goals 2000, was a colossal failure if educating children for intelligence was the goal.
Systems education, what was implemented in every school nation-wide under Goals 2000, is a system intended specifically to coalesce the sustainable global environment agenda.
Under systems education, “education” becomes life-role or life-related with knowledge only incorporated as it is used and applied in teaching unit themes or thematic units centered around four main issues: world economy, world ecology, world security, and world population growth, in no particular order.
This is why parents are finding their children exposed, in schools, to the rabid, extremist environmental propaganda intended to end private ownership of land “in the interests of saving mother earth.” This is why parents are finding their children exposed, in schools, to “life-role” situations far beyond their ability, experience-wise and maturity-wise, to comprehend the ramifications of.
This is why parents are finding that their children have been exposed, in schools, to books like The Giver and asked to decide who should be thrown out of the overloaded lifeboat of passengers from a sinking ship. More recently, parents in California discovered their children had been given a survey, in schools, asking them to disclose when they lost their virginity.
And parents in Pennsylvania discovered their children had been given laptops with cameras that could be used by school administrators to watch children on and off school campus; the continual assessment of the child by observation being a focus of systems education which depends on the accumulation and analysis of information obtained from behavioral assessment.
While school administrators denied such was their purpose, how the cameras were discovered was when school administrators decided that the conduct of a student, while off campus, needed addressed.
The dearth of knowledge, imparted to students under systems education, insures that which is stated in a well-known publication entitled America’s Choice: high skills or low wages! put out in June 1990 by the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) subcommittee, Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce (CSAW),
“But in a broad survey of employment needs across America, we found little evidence of a far-reaching desire for a more educated workforce.” (Page 25)
In other documents, it is made very clear that America is to become a “service economy.” With manufacturing jobs being outsourced to foreign countries left and right, the majority of the jobs remaining would be in the service sector, such as cleaning toilets, scrubbing floors, changing beds, washing laundry, flipping burgers, repairing cars, stocking shelves, running a cash register, repairing appliances and equipment.
Under such a system, innovation is not an imperative, nor is the goal of education, in public schools, to discipline the mind of the child such that the child has a vast knowledge base on which to draw in articulating a reasoned conclusion as an individual (classical education).
Under systems education, it is no longer important that children be able to think and reason; only that they respond appropriately to the given behaviorally oriented prompt or trigger—the Skinnerian operant conditioning technique of punishment and reward used to train animals.
Children are expected to demonstrate mastery of behaviorally-oriented exit outcomes (known in some states as essential academic learning requirements), established at the state level, that coalesce, and are benchmarked to, the eight goals of Goals 2000.
Goals 2000, in turn, directly reflects the National Skills Standards Board competencies as written by the Secretaries Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) established under Elizabeth Dole, Secretary of Labor under GHW Bush.
The SCANS competencies, in turn, were the direct result of the work of the NCEE CSAW publication America’s Choice: high skills or low wages!; many of the people sitting on CSAW also sitting on the SCANS commission.
As made very clear by the Schools for the 21st Century pilot program in Washington Stated, under systems education …
• content is defined as excellence in terms of the change agenda;
• process is the product; the destination; what learning is about;
• emotionality and affectivity are the means by which content and process will be achieved;
• feelings are paramount (Washington State Board of Education, 1995).
The measure of whether the child is demonstrating mastery of the behaviorally-oriented exit outcomes is the assessment. An assessment is not an objective measure of knowledge, it is not a test, nor is it a standardized test; an assessment is a subjective measure of behavior based on a rubric that gives points depending on the level of behavior demonstrated.
Usually using a scale of four points possible, the more points given, the more closely the child is said to demonstrate the wanted behavior. This is why getting the right answer on an assessment is not a priority. The assessment is looking to see if the child is demonstrating the wanted behaviors.
Points are then added together and a pass/fail line is determined. The pass/fail line can be changed, year to year, to augment a political agenda or political climate.
For instance, if the legislature says “no more money until results are shown”, the pass/fail bar can be lowered so more children are considered to pass. Beyond the behavioral aspect, this is why assessments are not considered to be a reliable instrument or valid measurement.
What happens if the child doesn’t demonstrate the wanted behaviors? In all cases, the child is remediating. If enough children in a classroom are not demonstrating the wanted behaviors, benchmarked to grade level, the teacher is also remediate.
This can come in several forms, including mentoring, further education, decrease in salary, and probation. If enough children in the school are not demonstrating the wanted behaviors, the teachers and/or administrators are also remediate or fired.
In Rhode Island, it was the teachers. In Longview, Washington, it was the principal.
When parents in Washington State tried to tell teachers and administrators this would happen, parents were scoffed at, ridiculed, called names, made the subject of derision — the teacher unions would never allow that to happen!
But it was very apparent that the teacher unions were very much involved in promoting systems education, nation-wide. Maybe the teachers didn’t know what was coming, but can the same be said for teacher unions?
Teachers were warned but they were so enamored with systems education holding children accountable for the demonstration of the wanted subjective behaviors that they refused to listen. So, is it really anyone’s fault but their own when children fail to demonstrate the wanted behaviors?
Is it anyone’s fault but their own that they jumped on the education transformation (a.k.a., systems education) band-wagon when they had no clue what it was really all about beyond what they were told to believe, and did believe?
When people ask me about sending their children to public (i.e., government) schools, I tell them two things,
1. do not put your child in harm’s way; no child is capable of withstanding the brainwashing going on in government schools under systems education; either home school your child or put your child in a private school that does not accept public money;
2. Get involved because all really does mean all, and the government fully intends that all children be subjected to systems education; thus the advent of charter schools and public schools in homes (like K-12™) to suck parents into the system.
Systems education has cost the taxpayers billions (if not trillions) of dollars to implement and sustain. In the top-heavy school administrations, full of counselors, psychologists, play-ground monitors, and aides, all seeking to pry into the minds of children, billions more are being wasted.
States are now in financial trouble. When Washington State legislators were asked what they intended to do when systems education became a financial burden on the taxpayers, as it was bound to do, not one legislator had an answer.
And not one of them, beyond the Republican Senator who was castigated by his own party for letting the truth be told, has had the courage to do anything to avoid the inevitable.
Parents who tried to tell teachers, administrators and legislators certainly have the right to say “we told you so” but that does not change the bottom-line fact that children are paying the ultimate price, as is our nation and our society as a whole, for the failure to properly educate children for intelligence.
Editor’s Note: Activist and researcher, Stuter has spent the last fifteen years researching systems theory and systems philosophy with a particular emphasis on education as it pertains to achieving the sustainable global environment.
She home schooled two daughters. She has worked with legislators, both state and federal, on issues pertaining to systems governance, the sustainable global environment and education reform.
She networks nationwide with other researchers and a growing body of citizens concerned about the transformation of our nation from a Constitutional Republic to a participatory democracy. She has traveled the United States and lived overseas. You can contact her at lmstuter@learn-usa.com
We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com
Each Day is God’s Gift
February 27, 2010 by Dan
Filed under Encouragement
By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
Feb. 27, 2010
Do you know what “Joylogy” means? It is the study of caring, sharing, and listening and Sacrifice.
This was written by Mr. Jeineke in 1975
We would like to know what you think: dan@youngchronicle.com
What is a Joyologist? A joyologist then would be one who studies joy logy. Frankly our world could use a great many joyologists whose mission in life is to actively research the effects of discussing and sharing joy.
The research could branch out into how joy affects our careers, family lives, and friendships. The very act of doing the active research should spread jubilation throughout the world and bring about positive results. What a fun job!
All one needs to start with is to share the words joyism, joy logy, and joyologis with others. Use the words daily and make them a part of the world’s vocabulary.
The upcoming year is going to challenge us all. Here is something we need to think, this is from an unknown reader. It is called: Each Day is God’s Gift
By Unknown
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.
As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room …. just wait.”
“That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away, just for this time in my life.”
She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you’ve put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.”
And with a smile, she said, “Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.”
Source: Joyology