PLN 15-Schools Would Be Great If It Weren't For The Kids

I read "Schools Would Be Great If It Weren't For The Kids" by Alfie Kohn. In this article, the author states that it is not the teachers fault for the students failing. It's the students fault. I believe this is entirely true because teachers are teaching us everything that is crucial to know to get good grades and understand the material. It's the student's that are not doing their part and completing the homework, participating in class procedures and things like that. This matters to me because I am one of the students that needs to step up their game and pay more attention.  I know I have the ability to get good grades, I just don't try hard enough. My parents tell me my grades are pretty dismal, but they know I am capable of much more.  This matters to education because kids need to take responsibility once high school starts and work harder to get good grades. This matters to the world because students have to pay attention and get good grades to make the future a better place in the future.

pln13

In Jonathan Rosenberg’s "Our Googley Advice To Students" is talking about how we need to be creative thinkers to strive in the world these days. Because technology is so advanced, we have competition already set so we have high expectations. This means we need to think harder, and have a better imagination. This matters to me because I have to apply this to my daily life so in the future I will be able to think of cool things on the spot! This matters to education because students in twenty years will have higher expectations that the students in my generation already have. This matters to the world because everyone has to set very high expectations if they want to make millions and have a super hot wife in the future.

PLN 11

After reading Carl Fisch's 2020 vision, it made me think a little bit about Americas future. Mr. Fisch already is noticing that Google is buying out many companies Making Google huge. He views that by the year 2020 Google will have bought out even more and will soon be bigger than bill gates. I really like how he is writing this as if he is in the future. This matters to me because as a student, i need to get a general understanding on what our future will be like so i can learn the things i need to learn to have a successful life. This matters to education because all the teachers need to know what to teach us for us to be able to survive in the future. And this matters to the world because this is a view on what it will be like in the near future. All we can do is wait and see! But for now, we need to pay close attention to these posts.

PLN 10

After reading Christina Dickinson's "Three California Beaches Closed After Deadly Shark Attack" I was a little scared to go surfing now because a 19 year old student with the name of Lucas Ransom was body boarding on the california coast and was taken  under by a great white shark. The shark tore up his leg, bleeding emensily. The student that was with him, Mathew didnt know what to do. When Lucas came up from the water, he seemed to be struggling alot. Lucas had a severe wound to his left leg and because of blood loss. He died just hours later. This effects me because now i am more causious about where to go surfing, and to pay attention to see if sharks are around. This matters to edjucation because if schools student's keep getting attacked by sharks the teachers wont have anyone to teach. This matters to the world because so many people are dieing because of sharks, people should watch where there surfing! Obviously, shark attacks are becoming a huge problum and it needs to stop now!

PLN 9- Rigor Redifined

Why don't schools operate the same way as they used to? A question I asked myself before reading "Rigor Redefined" by Tony Wagner. For kids to strive in life teachers need to educate them on this that will apply to them in the future. And with technology, and how rapidly its improving jobs are starting to run different then before. In the new "global economy" people can use technology to do conference calls, web casts and net meetings. This saves a great amount of time so businesses can focus more on what matters rather than driving to have a conference.
            After Tony traveled to several hundreds and schools and institutions asking teachers what there teaching their students, too see if it’s the right material so students succeed. But what exactly do students need to know to be successful? Tony realized you need seven critical survival skills so they can survive in the new world of technology
            First and foremost is critical thinking and problem solving. We have to learn to live in the NOW. Companies need to improve there product rapidly, always thinking of something new. A senior executive at Dell said “Yesterdays answers won’t solve today’s problems.” Collaboration and leadership is always important to use in your life not only in the future, but now! Businesses can use web cams to have internet meetings to talk about problems there having, what they need to make next and basic things like that. This is very useful and saves a lot of time. Agility and adaptability matter because you always need to be able to accept change and be flexible with ideas of others. This is important because you often work with people in life, so compromising is good for creating better product due to the fact with more people you will have a grander variety of ideas. Affective and oral written communication is the next one, most people are shy, scared of large clouds and mumble/studded while talking. This isn’t what people look for in a leader, a leader is someone who is outgoing, fun and able to talk people into buying there product. This is why communicating is so important in life, so when you grow up you don’t have a social problem. In the new business world you have to be able to remember information. People now have crazy amounts of information traveling throughout there brain daily. This is why teachers want to you think, analyze and observe because it will come in handy in the future. Of course I saved the best for last, curiosity and imagination. You have to be willing to think of new things all the time and have a wide selection of ideas. A good way of mastering this skill is asking questions. You will be guaranteed a whole new variety of ideas.
            This matters to me because I have to apply these seven survival skills to my life and master them before I leave high school. So that I can succeed in life and not work at McDonald’s. This matters to education because teachers have to know these skills so they know exactly what to teach their kids to strive later in life. And this matters to the world because the ideas and decisions students make now will very much so affect the future of the United States.

PLN 8 - Government Agencies Make Plans To Reduce Carbon Footprint In The Next Decade

The Washington Post article, "Government Agencies Make Plans to Reduce Federal Carbon Footprint in Next Decade" by Lisa Rein talks about the different ways government agencies are working to reduce emissions in our air. 
"It's not the entire economy, but bringing the federal government into better harmony with nature is a huge step," said Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, a nonprofit environmental watchdog.  President Obama has pledged a promise that he will reduce the amount of emissions produced by government agencies by 28 percent.  The governments goal of reducing emissions matters to be because I will be living in a much healthier environment.  President Obama's plans matters to education because students in high schools and colleges around the country will help to come up with ways to reduce the carbon footprint.  A reduction in the overall carbon footprint matters to the world, because if the United States can be successful we will be a good example to other countries in the world and also this will create a cleaner environment for everyone to live in.