O.M.G.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jphrbDNScek&feature=player_embedded

Do these angelic voices sound familiar to any of you?? Just saw it on tv and died lol!

Next book club book?

Get Together?

Hi everyone!

First off have you heard the great news?! Kate Middleton is pregnant!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2242350/Kate-Middleton-pregnant-Duke-Duchess-Cambridge-having-baby.html


Anyways, I'm posting because I wanted to mention a possible get together. This month seems to be hectic for me, as I'm sure it is for all of you with the holidays approaching. But I was looking at my calendar and Saturday, December 29th would be a perfect day for you guys to come to Boston! Let me know if this day works, and if not we can change it around for sometime after the new year. Hope you are all doing well!


Chrissy

I finally met our baby!!

Check out my blog for the post on Catharine, Catherine? Im not sure yet but I do know its not Katherine.. haha

http://ayearinlusaka.blogspot.com/2012/11/catharine.html

Love and miss you all!

Carly

Just wanted to say Hi!

Hi Everyone,

Hope you're all doing well. I just wanted to say, and to say only 4 weeks left until winter break! You can do it! Ha. Keep truckin' everyone! :)

Jill

Thought you guys would enjoy.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6846855/gay-men-will-marry-your-girlfriends

You all are the BEST!!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who made it to my going away party. It really meant a lot to have you guys there. I hope everyone had fun celebrating Ashleys birthday in Hartford. Sorry I couldn't go, I actually have been in bed sick all day!! I'm not even done packing and I leave tomorrow night! But I guess thats just me, the procrastinator!! haha

Also I may have mentioned to some of you that I asked some professors for help with materials, articles, and texts that might be useful while in Zambia. I will also extend that to you guys. I may ask for help throughout the next few months as materials are limited over there. In fact Tom suggested that I bring over my understanding by design book, however I cant find it. Would any of you be willing to let me borrow it? If you are using it, its not a big deal I may just have my parents buy it. But my parents are coming to visit in January so as I have a better understanding of what I need, I will ask them to bring supplies for me.

And for those of you who would like to read my blog, the link is:   http://ayearinlusaka.blogspot.com

Love you all!!

Carly

Class Trip

Miss Stockmon and some of her students on a hayride!! :)

All Day, All Night, WTF!!! ... but seriously.

So today as I was checking my e-mail I came across one from the Ministry of Education in Spain offering me a position to teach in Madrid for THIS year. As in start ASAP. I died a little inside and almost threw up and then just started crying. This is the same program that I applied to when we were still at UConn, the same one I had given up on because my application number was so high...I never thought in a million years they would accept me now. Unfortunately I have commitments in the good ol USA for the year (a job and an apartment) and I realized a long time ago I would have to wait until next year, but never thought I'd have to decline a placement. Why couldn't they just reject me!! Tara, I guess the psychic was right when she said I'd get in but I wouldn't go. I know everything happens for a reason and it will all work out as it should but it is going to hurt like a bitch to send them an e-mail back saying I can't accept. AHHH and the irony is I have Spanish class in a few hours...but things could be worse, like what if I had never gotten into the London program and never met all of you! Right now I wish we were squished around Flat 14's raggedy old couches drinking hot chocolate with EXTRA Bailey's and deciding whether or not we liked Christine's class tonight. Ok I'm done being sad just wanted to share this news. Love love loveee you alllll

Chrissy

Blimey!

I just went through all my pictures from London, and now I'm sad, ha. I miss you guys!

Greetings from the SOUTH BRONX!

Hey friends!

Woof.  I feel like I finally have a minute to slow down and process my life, and share with all of you!  So I'm working at this AMAZING school.  It's a charter, which, if you know me, I never thought I'd ever find myself working at a charter school.  But I'm so happy I got over my stereotypes and generalizations of charter schools and applied.  So my school is basically designed around the fact that students in the welfare and preventative services system underperform their counterparts in school.  It's like Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs...They're too busy worrying about where their next meal is going to come from or where they're going to sleep to concentrate on memorizing multiplication facts. 

Anyway so we have this cool model of intergrating Academics, and Social-Emotional needs as part of their curriculum.  There's actually a Social-Emotional curriculum taught by the social workers and behavior interventionalist...It's all whole-child focused and SWPBS and responsive classroom and love and logic.  SO MUCH LOVE AND LOGIC.

I have a co-teacher which I was really concerned about because I tend to think I suck as a teacher and knowing someone was going to be in my classroom ALL THE TIME watching scared the crap out of me.  Her name is Jenny and she is an amazing genius.  She went to Montessouri school and did 4 years of Pre-Med and a year of Med school ay Brown, decided she didn't want to be a doctor and decided to be a teacher instead.  And that usually would make me grrrr people turn to teaching when there's no other choice, but in this case it totally worked.  She's so committed to the kids, and to my growth as an educator...I totally lucked out.  My whole staff is pretty awesome..young...but they're all married/engaged/pregnant...and I'm the youngest one...and sometimes it's awkward because they'll be talking about like engagement parties or afterbirth waters breaking..and i'm just like blech.

My kids...are amazing...difficult..and such strong little people. 3rd grade is apparently the toughest cohort...and I believe it. Students are being moved in and out of homes, evicted, reunited then seperated from birth parents, just SO MUCH going on with them that I can't imagine going through as a 22 year old.  But because of all those things going, on a lot of them are wicked stubborn and I feel like I'm going through this phase of having to earn their trust...They're like not used to people sticking around and so why should they accept me...They are testing their little hearts out...but I can tell that I love them because even when they are awful to me..I'm still thinking good thoughts and miss them on the weekends...I didn't have that with my student teaching group so it's such a nice new feeling to have.  And they are so smart.  Most of them.  That doesn't always translate to their test scores...but they are wise. 

My biggest issue so far is that I'm still really having a difficult time having the kids see me as their teacher too...They had Jenny last year and here I am...new teacher in the school, and I spent the first two weeks kind of sitting back observing seeing how things ran...In that time the students also observed who was boss...I'm still trying to gain that authority and respect. I'm also not a yeller and I don't want to be, and don't think I will have to be...but it's been a challenge reversing that Ms. H is the teacher and Ms. B is the assistant thing that I obviously have going on. Hopefully this will get better as I continue building relationships with the kiddos.

This was a novel but I really haven't talked to anyone in so long so yeah.  I miss you all like mad so you should come visit.  Seriously, my principal loves it when the teachers have their kids meet special people in their lives and you all are SPECIAL TO ME!

Love and Logic,
Ashley

Calling All Global Citizens!

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all doing fabulously, and I miss you all terribly! I am coming to you with a favor - I have created a "Global Consultants" activity group at my school and we begin our Activity Day this Wednesday (10/3). Essentially, I created the "Global Consultants" as a way to continue my interest in travel, culture, and this notion of global citizenship and cultural awareness that we studied so intently while in London. I am very interested, and determined, in trying to expand the views of the students at my school and to get them to gain a "cultural lens" to help them be exposed to new perspectives. With this said - the goal of GC is to help students study and learn more about different cultures, and hopefully develop some sort of electronic pen-pal/Skype buddy system with sister schools elsewhere in this world. Now I'm coming to you...do any of you know of some international schools that do something like this, or something similar? Carly and Jon - would either of you be interested in joining in on this? The club will only meet six times this fall, and (I'm hoping) again for another six times in the spring. It's tough, because I have a lot to crunch in all at once, but let me know if anyone is interested and/or has any ideas they'd like to share.

Thanks! Miss you all - if you're ever wondering what to do on a random day, please come visit me in Danbury! I'd love to see you all :)

Jill

Hi Everyone!

I feel like I finally have a minute to breathe, and obviously the first thing I want to do was write to you all. I've been meaning to for so long.

Life is so crazy out here, in the day-to-day and the big picture. But when I take a step-back moment I truly love what I am doing. Some days I'm building gardens with classes, sometimes we're harvesting and making meals, sometimes I'm planning community gatherings/meals, sometimes I'm at community health and policy meetings, sometimes I'm working with kitchen staff on breakfast and lunch menus, sometimes I'm farming, sometimes I'm meeting with local farmers, sometimes I'm working on writing grants, sometimes I'm buying turtles from Victor who sells them out of his van on the side of route 66. Oh, and sometimes I'm baking bread and selling it at the farmer's market (actually thats every week.) All in all, I feel like I've found the job that incorporates everything I want to be a part of: farming, community organizing, health initiatives, policy change, etc.

The only problem...and I mean elephant in the room bothers me out of mind problem, is that I'm working to better the food system in Gallup, NM and no one seems to address the fundamentally HUGE issue here. Gallup has a really horrible history (and present) of racial discrimination. So, the injustices in the food system are deeply rooted in all kinds of problems with racial/economic oppression.   The perception and treatment of the native people is pretty awful. (and not just between white and native, but also between native and native...people keep saying things like "a population that only knows oppression only knows to oppress") Having access to healthy food is a huge issue, as well having rights to water, obtaining electricity, and of course alcoholism, diabetes, and obesity. I know you guys would love to discuss some of the current and historical things going on here. (Jason never once mentioned Native Indians populations!)

Gallup is a traditional South Western, Route 66 type town. Lots of trading posts, strips, and fast food. It's the strangest juxtaposition of wild west and modern consumerism. And surrounding Gallup is the Navajo reservation which is a huge, vast, and seemingly barren land. It's spooky and invigorating to look out on. It's an interesting sensation, loving the land for it's immensity but hating it for everything it's lacking. Most of the people who live on the reservation don't have access to electricity or running water. (Another thing I would love to discuss with you guys.)

So that is what I am up to. I have some awesome, completely melt your heart photos of kids in gardens. I'll show you soon! Last night we had a build your own pizza night with the kids and families at one of the schools. The kids had been prepping all week, making dough, chopping veggies, etc. We made 77 pizzas! It was a madhouse. And today I built 8 raised beds at a charter school. Kids with power tools, incredible. I'm delirious now and need to sleeeeep.

The only thing I'm missing out here is FRIENDS! I wish you guys could transfer your lives to New Mexico. It's awesome here...just saying.

Okay, that's enough babble. Sorry. I hope most of you did not get this far in reading this.

I love you. I miss you. I can't wait to see you.

love,
melissa

HELP! Please, pretty please

Hey ladies,

So I'm having a classroom issue and I was hoping to pick your brains and see if y'all have any suggestions.  I'd really appreciate it.

My boys and girls hate each other... But seriously, we are having a lot of gender issues in our classroom.  My kids are 8 or 9 and they are transitioning from that phase where it's all childhood innocence, into the beginnings of puberty.  And with that comes a whole host of issues.

It all boils down to respect.  Some of my girls are bossing all the other students around as if they are in charge, and some of my boys constantly make fun of each other, but especially make fun of the girls.  There is constant taunting and stealing of pencils, or little scraps of paper.  They don't want to play together, and so on and so forth.  They are excluding the opposite gender from everything, even group discussions.

My kids can tell me what the problem is and they can say they will start respecting each other, but I don't see it.  Today one boy told me that he can't be friends with girls until he is 18 because the minute he talks to a girl all the other students start teasing him saying "he's got a girlfriend"

It's gotten to the point where I've had multiple kids cry over it, in class and in recess.  And I can't get through a single lesson without someone having a major breakdown.

Here's what I've done to address it so far.

1) The Purple Peace Tree
- We discussed peace and I made a tree in our room (I ran out of brown paper, so it's purple.  Plus I like the alliteration.  I feel like Ericca would enjoy the fact that it's purple) and then the kids made leaves which say what peace means to them.  I taught my kids how to use I-statements ( I feel ____ when ___ because ____.) And they can go to the tree to resolve their own issues.

2) Class discussions on what respect means

3) Everyone close their eyes and raise your hand if...
-raise your hand if you have felt disrespected by another member of the 4th grade
-raise your hand if you have been sad or angry because of something another 4th grader said/did to you.
-raise your hand if you have been mean to another 4th grader

4) On a piece of paper write down everything that has been done to you, said to you, or happened that made you feel sad, angry, disrespected, or annoyed.  They all wrote for a while, then put them in a box, which I threw away and then we talked about how we are throwing away the injustices of the past.

5) On a new sheet of paper draw or write how you will act towards your classmates moving forward. Share them with the class and then add them to the peace tree

I'm about out of ideas and there isn't a whole lot of good stuff on the internet (or I haven't found it) But it hasn't seemed to change their behaviour.  Anyone have any ideas or strategies.  Sorry this turned out so long.  Miss you all and would love to hear how the beginning of your years are going.  My midterm grades are due tomorrow.  I feel like the year is moving really fast already!

Baby Katherine

So I sent an e-mail out to all of you like weeks ago and the only return I got was telling me that I have the wrong e-mail for Tom Levine. Needless to say it didnt make me feel very loved! hahah

I have booked my ticket for Zambia on November 12th.  I will be in Peru from Oct 12th - Nov 6th so I will not have very much time to organize things, but if anyone wants to send something to Katherine I would be happy to bring it. We could talk about putting together some gifts, or people could send things on their own. But I just thought it would be nice if she had something from us so she could get to know who we are as a group. Also I know that some of you wanted to do something with your classes. So now that you have been there for about a month, maybe you may want to think about that. I know you are all busy and I am sure everything still feels new, so no worries if it is too soon to get your class involved.

Also I will be sending out a FB invite soon to those of you still on the Facebook, but I am having a going away party on November 10th. All are welcome and wanted!! and everyone can slumber if they wish.. also the casino is close so that could finally happen as well!

Well thats all! Except that I miss everyone so much!! xoxo

Cystic Fibrosis Climb

Hiii Everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful fall weather! In about a month I will be doing a climb in Boston to raise money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. CF is a genetic disease that affects the digestive system and lungs and the little boy I nanny for unfortunately has it. He is very happy and for the most part healthy but he takes a lot of medicine and I also have to do physical therapy with him. There is no cure for CF but the average lifespan has gone from elementary age to age 37 thanks to all of the research that the CF foundation has done! I'm asking for your help in supporting me - every penny counts and no amount is too little!!

Here is the link to my page:

http://www.cff.org/LWC/dsp_DonationPage.cfm?idEvent=20803&idUser=596730

Donate because you love this face..

And if you find yourself saying wow I really don't love that face...do it for this little guy!!

Love love love you all <3 <3 <3

Teachers, YEAH!

I feel like I want to print this out and hand it to anyone who is like "Oh ill just go into teaching as a fall back" or people who treat us like our job is "So easy." I just thought I would share this article with you all. :) Enjoy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-miller/teaching-profession-_b_1888145.html?utm_hp_ref=education

White Student Union..

Have you guys seen this?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/09/10/matthew-heimbach-towson-white-student-union_n_1870496.html

The video makes it seem like it is highly unlikely to actually be recognized by the university but just wanted to share..how ridiculous!

Hey, Everyone!
So I just received an email from the NERA Program Chairs saying that we are scheduled for Wednesday, October 17th from 3-4:15. Anyone interested in going will need to register on the NERA website (David recommended registering as a student) (http://www.nera-education.org/). Text me with any questions... I'll respond faster.

Kerri :)

An update from Rebecca L. Brooks

Hellllooooo my London Loves.

You all seriously amaze me with all of the fantastic things you are all doing around the state, country, and world.  I'm so proud of all of us and the steps we've taken towards our future! Seriously....we're so cool.

SOOO here is my update.  I recently took a job with a new literacy initiative funded by our beloved UConn (you may have all gotten the email a few weeks ago about it from Neag...).  With Governor Malloy's reform bill (guhhhhh leadership class...) lots of changes were made to education in CT, and with lots of changes came lots and lots of grant $$$$$.  One grant fronted by UConn is the Connecticut K-3 Literacy Initiative which is working with 5 schools in urban centers throughout CT each which failed to meet annual yearly progress especially in literacy.  We will be going into the schools and helping students using SRBI methods while also working with teachers to help the schools create self-sustaining intervention programs.  The job includes all SORTS of professional development and tons of connections with educational game changers throughout the state (ie the State Dept. of Ed., UConn, superintendents, literacy coaches, etc.), gives me the opportunity to hang out at UConn a bunch, and not to mention is paying me QUITE nicely :)

So as sad and kind of defeated I was after not landing a classroom job this year, I am now back into believing that all things happen for a reason because this is an incredible opportunity that I am SO excited to be a part of. I'll keep you all updated on the progress of the initiative and will definitely share some of the things that I learn/use so you can try them in your classrooms!

Oh, and you all need to come visit Kate and I in Hartford...we need friends. Well, Kate doesn't, but I do.

LOVE YOU ALL and am so proud of everything that you're all doing!

Why do Americans get scared when they hear the word "bomb"?

So I taught probably the most interesting lesson since I've been here yesterday.  As you all know it was 9/11 and I had struggled with whether or not to teach anything about it in class.  I talked to some of the other teachers and got mixed reviews, so I decided to go ahead and teach it, using it as a springboard for future lessons on culture and the creation of more GLOBAL CITIZENS. 

My kids were incredible though! We started with discussing what is terrorism and its root word terror.  Then went on to discussing what kind of people commit acts of terror.  They made some incredible literary and historical connections to the story we are reading in read aloud and also to everything from Bloody Mary to the Muslim exodus of Spain.  It was crazy.  Then we went on to discuss why people commit acts of terror.  They cited jealousy, and not liking the other group of people as the primary reasons.  From there we went to religion and I asked them to name the 6 major world religions.  They got the big three easy, then struggled with Buddhism and Hinduism.  (Those ones that people in India do with the many arms....) And I didn't think they got Sikhism but once I added it, three kids claimed to have said it.  Nonetheless I was pretty impressed with their knowledge.  We talked about religion as a source of conflict and how if Christians and Muslims would get to know each other then they would probably get along.  It was really cool to be a part of.  One of my boys asked why Americans panic when they hear the word "bomb" and I said I thought it was likely because it has been over a hundred years since conflict on American soil so we got used to feeling safe, whereas in other parts of the world there isn't this safety and security.  So Americans aren't accustomed to fear, and they don't know how to react. 

Anyways I was wishing you all could have been here to partake in my groups discussion on culture, religion, coexisting and terrorism.  Discussing the events of 9/11 in an American school in a Muslim country was definitely one of the most interesting/challenging/terrifying/rewarding experiences of the year thus far.

Miss you all and our chats tons! Hope you are doing well in all your endeavors

London was in the air...

Hello all!!

The air smelled like London this morning on my walk to the train station :/ even being in NYC I still really miss London a lot.. Probably too much. And I miss all of you even more!

Since everyone else was giving their updates I figured I'd give mine as well. As I said, I'm living in MYC. I live with one of my best friends from Rochester and its been really fun being back together after the 5 years in college. There are so many cute pubs and cafes and parks around me but itd still be better if I had you all to go with me to them!! Nonetheless, I'm loving NY and being back in the city way of life.

My job is going really well too! I'm working at a Behavioral Health Center teaching kids who has behavioral and psychiatric disorders. I have my own classroom and I teach lessons for 4 hours a day. The other 4 hours I am making phone calls, doing paperwork and other admin tasks, which is good for me since I see myself going down the admin path in the future. I work with a nice group of young teachers and am learning a lot! The kids are pretty great too!!

As for this weekend, I MIGHT be able to come Ericca. I'm running my first half marathon on Saturday in CT so we shall see how I'm feeling after that! And then Sunday my roommate and I are going to see Rock of Ages!

Well, hopefully I will see you all soon and if anyone is ever in the city I need to know and I will meet up with you in a heartbeat.

Love you all!!

Ps: do we have any updates on the NERA conference?

Party time!

Hello friends :)
I miss you all berry berry much, but I hope to see you soon! A short update on my life... I am still working at prudential in a corporate learning division, which is providing me with lots of opportunity to learn!! It's pretty fun, but I miss the kiddos. So for now my plan is to stay here and look for a long term sub job starting the beginning of next year. Hopefully that will set me up for a full time teaching position next year! So if you hear of any long term sub openings let me know!!
On another note, I moved into a new house in Fairfield with Carl and Eric and we would like for you l to join us for a celebration on Saturday the 14th! We can throw a stone from our front door to the Fairfield metro station so get here any way you can!! We will hopefully have live music, bonfire, and snacks! There is plenty of room if you want to stay over, and we have tents to pitch outside.

1610 Kings Hwy
Fairfield, CT 06824
Saturday, September 14, 2012

I love the updates, keep me comin! Love and miss you all tons and tons!! Hopefully I'll see some of you this weekend :)

Ciao

I'm Officially A Mass-Hole!! ;)

Hi Everyone!!

How are you all doing?! I just wanted to send an update - I am officially living in Boston!! I moved in on Saturday and so far I am loving it. My apartment is basically on the BU campus so I get to pretend like I'm still in college :) and I walk to work every day! For those of you who I haven't told, I am nannying for a 5 month old and a 3 year old. Work has been great! I was afraid I would be bored but the two of them keep me VERY busy. They are sooo cute too, I'll post pictures of them on here soon. I am hoping to nanny for a year (possibly 2? who knowS!) and then re-apply to the Spain program so I can go next fall. So for now I am saving up some money and practicing my Spanish with Rosetta Stone and I am also signing up for classes. I decided to move to Boston kind of late in the game which basically meant I wouldn't be able teach because I didn't take my MTELs, it was a tough choice but I think it was the right one. Teaching happens in the most unexpected ways both inside and outside of classrooms and even though I'm not a "teacher" I think I am still teaching! Anyways, all of you are always welcome to come and visit me whenever you'd like. I want to have a get together sometime next month - maybe a Halloween theme? I will keep you posted! I miss you guys and I honestly miss school and all of our conversations, I never thought I'd be missing Friday mornings in Gentry with crazy Tom Levine! I LOVE you all and keep sending updates about your new adventures :)

Chrissy

Global Citizens

 Hey guys,

Check this out. The founder of Chikumbuso just posted this on Facebook so I obviously watched it. I thought you all might be interested as well.

 

http://www.globalcitizen.org/Content/Content.aspx?id=e7a1bf8c-f2b9-44bf-95f8-5f5ac4c21aec

I MISS YOU ALL DEARLY

I just wanted to let you all know that miss you all so much! I have been having a really stressful week. ALL of my friends left the island this week so now I am here all by myself :( I am working 18 hour days, 6 days a week and then I go home and have no way to talk to you all and see what is happening in your lives.

BUT today I took a few minutes to check our blog and it really made my day. I LOVE hearing about your lives and being reminded of all the wonderful memories we shared together.

Thank you all for being in my life! I am so happy to have you as my friends. This blog was such a great idea!!

I LOVE YOU ALL XOXO

Carly

One Whole Year?

Not to make everyone cry, but I'm thinking that it was a year ago either today or yesterday that we got on the plane (some of us a little tipsy) and started this whole adventure.  So here are two videos to look back on our excellent adventures.

سلام وعليكم

Bonjour! Salam Walakum! Hello!

Greetings from Morocco! I've now been in Casablanca for just about a month.  School starts on Wednesday and I am teaching 4th grade.  I'm starting to get to the point where it doesn't just feel like a vacation and its settling in that I actually live here.  My French and Arabic are coming along slowly, although I did give a taxi driver directions entirely in French and we didn't get lost the other day.  It was a major victory for me.

I'm excited to continue learning about the culture but here are some initial observations for you all to enjoy.

1.  Relationships are very important.  Moroccans are incredibly hospitable and always want to offer you more food or drink.  (I'm beginning to worry that my pants wont fit by christmas...) But it is considered very rude to snub someone you know on the street or in the hallway.  So imagine if you stopped and had a five minute conversation with everyone you meet on your way to the copier, it takes a while.

2.  Honor is everything.  And it is crucial to Moroccans that they preserve their honor. 

3.  Casablanca is quite the metropolitan city.  It's almost like it can't decide if it wants to embrace modern dress and habits or not.  So you will walk down the street and see a few people in traditional dress, the jellabah, then the next person you meet will be decked out all in Gucci.  It certainly makes for an interesting city dynamic

But all in all I'm loving it, although I miss all my friends from home.  Hope you all are doing well and excited about what this next chapter in our lives has to bring!

Colour Your World

hi guys!!!
i hope all is well with everyone!! i'm finishing up my 2nd week at work right now and i love it!!! i miss you all and hope to see you soon - sorry i've been out of touch so much... its just been crazy with moving and everything. you all need to come visit me ASAP though :) :)

i was just wondering-- does anyone have a blank copy of the "Colour your World" survey hanging around? If so, could you please email it to me? I want to do it with my students!

thanks! have a great weekend and good luck with the first day of school approaching!

New Adventures.

Hola mis amores,

I just wanted to send a quick message saying good luck in this upcoming week. I know a lot of us have already started on our new, big adventures and I bet we're all killin' it! For all of you who are starting in schools this week I am so happy for you and completely commend you. You're all A*-mazing. You will all be in my thoughts.

Love from New Mexico,
Melissa

This is funny

NERA News

Hey, Everyone!
I hope this post finds you all doing well! I have great news - the NERA proposal has been accepted. The following is all the information they have sent me thus far... if I get more info about dates, things we need to do, etc. I'll be sure to pass it along. Oh also four of our names were missing, but I already emailed them to let them know. Good luck in the final weeks before school starts!

Kerri :)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <neraprogramchairs@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 1:14 PM
Subject: NERA 2012 Conference Proposal
To: kerri.fenton@gmail.com


Dear Kerri Fenton:

Thank you for submitting the proposal entitled Education for Global Citizenship: Exploring Teacher and Student Experiences for the upcoming NERA Conference. We are delighted to inform you that the work has been accepted into a NERA 2012 Individual Paper session. Congratulations! We look forward to the contribution this work will make to the conference.

In some cases, the accepted session format differs from the session format selected during submission. Decisions about session format were made after consideration of scheduling constraints, reviewer feedback, and the overall conference program content. Please let us know if you have concerns.

As contact author for this proposal, we ask that you forward this email to any co-authors on the proposal. Information about the date and time of the session will be sent to you at this email address as soon as it is available. In the meantime, we are urging all presenters to do the following:

1. VERIFY THE PROPOSAL INFORMATION. Please examine the proposal title and author information below. If any of this information is incorrect, please email us immediately with corrections.

2. READ REVIEWER FEEDBACK: Each proposal was reviewed by 2-3 NERA members. Below you will find the anonymous reviewers� ratings for this proposal on each of the five criteria that are used to evaluate proposals. Reviewers were also given the option of providing open-ended comments to the authors; if reviewers provided comments they are also reproduced below.

3. REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE:  We have accepted your proposal under the expectation that one or more of the authors on the proposal will personally present at the conference. Please affirm this expectation by registering for the conference promptly. You will receive a separate email that will contain instructions on how to register for the NERA conference using the newly developed online system.

4. BEGIN PREPARING FOR YOUR SESSION: What you will prepare will depend on your session type (i.e., papers for paper sessions, symposia, and posters; summaries for paper discussions). We will follow up with more details about this when we send your session date and time.

5. MAKE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS: Reduced hotel room rates at the Sheraton Hartford South Hotel are offered up until  September 28th for NERA conference attendees. As long as rooms are available, reservations may be made online by going to the NERA website (www.nera-education.org) or by calling 1-888-627-8263 and requesting a room in the NERA block.

Please let us know if we can be of assistance to you as you complete any of these tasks.
Gilbert Andrada, Tia Sukin, and Craig Wells,
2012 NERA Program Co-Chairs

**************************************
PROPOSAL TITLE:
Education for Global Citizenship: Exploring Teacher and Student Experiences


PROPSAL AUTHOR INFORMATION:
Ashley Baffour - Addo University of Connecticut Julia Ballek University of Connecticut Rebecca Brooks University of Connecticut Emalie Berke University of Connecticut Natalie Curran University of Connecticut Kate Grayeb University of Connecticut Melissa Levenstein University of Connecticut Christina Rheaume University of Connecticut Jonathan Simmons University of Connecticut Tara Stockmon University of Connecticut
REVIEWER 1 RATINGS:

Educational or Scholarly Significance
        3
Perspective or Theoretical Framework
        2
Methodology
        3
Clarity of Expression
        3
Appeal to NERA Membership
        3

REVIEWER 1 COMMENTS:

This is a very interesting proposal. The authors did a very good job overall. I only have a few comments and recommendations, which I have listed below:

I would have liked to see a better established purpose for the study. That is, why is the study so important? Has no one else studied global education before?

In addition, I found the language unclear at times. There were quite a few undefined terms (e.g., key stages), some grammatical errors (e.g., "data" is plural and requires a plural verb form), and some confusing sentences (e.g., the sentence starting with "Conclusions from the teacher survey show...").

Finally, the implications described in the last paragraph seemed rather vague and not necessarily related to the results. Aligning the points made in this section with the purpose, the analyses, and the results of the study would strengthen the paper as a whole.
REVIEWER 2 RATINGS:

Educational or Scholarly Significance
        3
Perspective or Theoretical Framework
        1
Methodology
        3
Clarity of Expression
        3
Appeal to NERA Membership
        3

REVIEWER 2 COMMENTS:

This is an important investigation with a solid, though smaller scale design than the authors seem to claim.  The triangulated design has good potential and the clarity of the proposal is strong.  i found the implications section interesting and promising; it formed the basis for my belief in the proposal/study as having solid educational importance.  I do think the authors would be advised to develop a stronger theoretical framework in the final paper.  We need to understand not only a review of the literature on global education but the particular theoretical framework on global ed they are using to evaluate the teachers, the students, and the national curriculum.  Judgments are made about the results so far but, as a reader, it is not clear how these judgments are being made.  A stronger theoretical framework used for analysis in this paper would strengthen it.  Second, more specific language needs to be used.  For example, they talk about students being "exposed" to global education.  I don't know what that would mean by what is offered here.  I suspect that level of specificity will improve in a final paper; some of this lack of specificity may be due to the nature of the proposal.  Still sharper language should be used when discussing results.

Miss Ballek's Team of Olympians

My first bulletin board :)

Pictures from Melissa's!

Hey guys! for all you non facebook peeps

Becca grew a mustache and beard this summer!!

Tara being lovely!!!! =) (sorry rommie LOVE YOU)!

Miss Ya'll dearly!!

 Good luck to everyone with whatever you're doing!!

Why not one last shibang?!

Hello, hello.

So, as many of you have heard, Becca and I will be sharing a wonderful apartment in the quaint city of Hartford starting this August. We would like to invite everyone for an "apartment warming" party on Friday, August 24th as one last get together before we all get busy doin' what we do. Becca and I will gather some alcoholic beverages to share, but for the most part it'll just be byob. We'll also have h'orderves/snacks for when you get the munchies. Now we will be on the 21st floor (party floor) of Park Place Towers, so as for the parking situation, you can park in the building's garage overnight for $5. Therefore, try to carpool if you can! You are welcome to stay over and you are also welcome to just join us for the evening. I'm going to throw out 6pm, but you can really come whenever you want. Keep in mind, Lion King will be showing promptly at 9pm.

24 Park Place Apt. 21B
Hartford CT 06106

Just give one of us a call before or as you arrive to come down and get you!

Stay cool and stay in school,
Kate

P.S. As an incentive, the day before is the day God gave you all me, so you should come and give thanks...just saying.

Will the new London group shock Christine and know all 5 of the most common religions in the world?

So I'm sure most of you have heard about the shooting that occured yesterday in Wisconsin at a Sikh Temple. If not, here is a link to an article explaining what happened:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/07/us/army-veteran-identified-as-suspect-in-wisconsin-shooting.html?pagewanted=all

It scares me that it's happened right after the Colorado Theater shooting..maybe this is the reason why Americans are stereotyped as gun lovers. Anyway, since hearing about the shooting last night I've noticed Sikhism has been in the news - I heard about it twice this morning on the radio and have seen a few articles online, and just recently I found this one and wanted to share it with you all:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/sikhs-in-america_n_1748125.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

It is so unfortunate that people were killed for no reason while in a place of worship, but after seeing all of the articles I think that many Americans will have a better understanding of what Sikhism is - or at least finally know it exists, because I know before Christine's class I had never even heard of it! Reading about it made me think of you all and also made me wonder if the new Londoners will be able to name all 5 of the most practiced religions in the world. So I guess in short it sickens me that someone would commit such a horrible hate crime, but the silver lining is that many Americans will hopefully learn about and come to understand Sikhism. Ok I'm done rambling love you all!!!

I'm an idiot

Hey guys..resident stupid head here...five minutes ago I decided it'd be a good idea for me to literally delete every number from my phone. FML.

Can you guys send me a text with your name so I have your number again...so when I'm loving love I can let you know?

Mine is 5166431539...I should probably not leave this up here forever in case our blog gets famous and randos find it and start sending me nudey texts...okay love you!!!

It's A Beautiful Night...

Our Fav Song :)

Heard this while running crazy errands for work today. I stopped a sec, turned it up to full blast, and belted my heart out thinking of you all. It put an INSTANT smile on my face, ha.

I miss you all, terribly, and hope you're doing amazing things (but I'm sure you are!).
Love you guys!

The party approacheth...

We ordered the kegs today! And my mom and I just finished making ice cream! (strawberry and blueberry. YUM.)

I am getting SO excited for Saturday. I hope that everyone is still planning on coming.

My address is:
39 Grove Rd. 
Gaylordsville, CT 06755


My house number is:
860-354-7008

If you have any questions call my house! There's no cell service here, so that is how you can get a hold of me if you need anything the day of.

Let me know if there are any special requests for sleeping (perhaps you would prefer to sleep indoors rather than outdoors, or vice versa.) Also, if you have a tent, bring it!

We have beer and sangria on the menu, so if you would like anything else feel free to bring it.

We have gluten free, vegetarian, and meat dishes to meet the dietary needs of all guests! But if you are craving something: a slim jim, popsicle, zucchini, candy necklace, we may not have it so I suggest bringing it. Food will probably begin to be served around 4:30(?)

Also, if you have a partner or a friend you would like to bring that is great too! The more the merrier.

Anything I am forgetting? Have I used too many exclamation points? 


I can't wait!!!!!

Write down my phone number!




BYE!!!

The Inbetweeners

Hi! So I just saw a commercial on MTV for The Inbetweeners!! Apparently they are remaking the UK version into an American one (just like the office, skins, shameless..etc) I'm not sure if any of you watched it but I know Christine mentioned it to us before so I just wanted to share this :)


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/mtvs-inbetweeners-american-remake-debuts-349610

A Party?!

HI GUYS!

I wanted to extend an invitation to attend a glorious and festive occasion at my charming abode. It will be a marvelous opportunity for us to celebrate our achievements (employment or lack-there-of we're all still winners) and have one last hurrah before we part ways into our "futures". (EEK!)

Who: You! In all your glory.
Where: The quaint village of Gaylordsville (I know it's a hike, but you can stay! And where else is more worthy of giving summer a proper send-off?)
When: August 4, 2012. 4PM


Let me know if you feel like coming. You don't have to commit at all, I just want to gauge the proper level of excitement I should begin to feel. (As well as organize sleeping areas)

I love you all and hope you are having a grand, relatively stress-free, summer.

Love,
Melissa

P.S. There will be margaritas, and depending on how many commit to coming, A KEG!!! So if you are planning on being here and want beer, you better convince everyone to come!

P.P.S. I almost forgot! LOTS of food. Mostly fresh sweet corn, tomatoes, and eggplants. Also authentic, (questionable) dishes from the American Southwest.

Bye again!!

X's and O's

Miss you guys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzrGFQysfYU

It's been a while since we really dug into somethin :)

... miss you all and our GROUP discussions!!

Check out this commencement speech:

Texas A&M Commencement Address - The students gave a standing ovation; the faculty were deathly silent!

 

 

 

Neal Boortz is a Texan, a lawyer, a Texas Aggie (Texas A&M) graduate, and now a nationally syndicated talk show host from Atlanta . His commencement address to the graduates of a recent Texas A&M class is far different from what either the students or the faculty expected. Whether you agree or disagree, his views are certainly thought provoking.

 

"I am honored by the invitation to address you on this august occasion. It's about time. Be warned, however, that I am not here to impress you; you'll have enough smoke blown up your bloomers today. And you can bet your tassels I'm not here to impress the faculty and administration. You may not like much of what I have to say, and that's fine. You will remember it though. Especially after about 10 years out there in the real world. This, it goes without saying, does not apply to those of you who will seek your careers and your fortunes as government employees.

 

This gowned gaggle behind me is your faculty. You've heard the old saying that those who can - do. Those who can't - teach. That sounds deliciously insensitive. But there is often raw truth in insensitivity, just as you often find feel-good falsehoods and lies in compassion. Say good-bye to your faculty because now you are getting ready to go out there and do. These folks behind me are going to stay right here and teach.

 

By the way, just because you are leaving this place with a diploma doesn't mean the learning is over. When an FAA flight examiner handed me my private pilot's license many years ago, he said, "Here, this is your ticket to learn." The same can be said for your diploma. Believe me, the learning has just begun.

 

Now, I realize that most of you consider yourselves Liberals. In fact, you are probably very proud of your liberal views. You care so much. You feel so much. You want to help so much. After all, you're a compassionate and caring person, aren't you now? Well, isn't that just so extraordinarily special. Now, at this age, is as good a time as any to be a liberal; as good a time as any to know absolutely everything. You have plenty of time, starting tomorrow, for the truth to set in.

 

Over the next few years, as you begin to feel the cold breath of reality down your neck, things are going to start changing pretty fast... Including your own assessment of just how much you really know.

 

So here are the first assignments for your initial class in reality: Pay attention to the news, read newspapers, and listen to the words and phrases that proud Liberals use to promote their causes. Then, compare the words of the left to the words and phrases you hear from those evil, heartless, greedy conservatives. From the Left you will hear "I feel." From the Right you will hear "I think." From the Liberals you will hear references to groups -- The Blacks, the Poor, the Rich, the Disadvantaged, the Less Fortunate. From the Right you will hear references to individuals. On the Left you hear talk of group rights; on the Right, individual rights.

 

That about sums it up, really: Liberals feel. Liberals care. They are pack animals whose identity is tied up in group dynamics. Conservatives think -- and, setting aside the theocracy crowd, their identity is centered on the individual.

 

Liberals feel that their favored groups have enforceable rights to the property and services of productive individuals. Conservatives, I among them I might add, think that individuals have the right to protect their lives and their property from the plunder of the masses.

 

In college you developed a group mentality, but if you look closely at your diplomas you will see that they have your individual names on them. Not the name of your school mascot, or of your fraternity or sorority, but your name. Your group identity is going away. Your recognition and appreciation of your individual identity starts now.

 

If, by the time you reach the age of 30, you do not consider yourself to be a conservative, rush right back here as quickly as you can and apply for a faculty position. These people will welcome you with open arms. They will welcome you, that is, so long as you haven't developed an individual identity. Once again you will have to be willing to sign on to the group mentality you embraced during the past four years.

 

Something is going to happen soon that is going to really open your eyes. You're going to actually get a full time job!

 

You're also going to get a lifelong work partner. This partner isn't going to help you do your job. This partner is just going to sit back and wait for payday. This partner doesn't want to share in your effort, but in your earnings.

 

Your new lifelong partner is actually an agent; an agent representing a strange and diverse group of people; an agent for every teenager with an illegitimate child; an agent for a research scientist who wanted to make some cash answering the age-old question of why monkeys grind their teeth. An agent for some poor demented hippie who considers herself to be a meaningful and talented artist, but who just can't manage to sell any of her artwork on the open market.

 

Your new partner is an agent for every person with limited, if any, job skills, but who wanted a job at City Hall. An agent for tin-horn dictators in fancy military uniforms grasping for American foreign aid. An agent for multi-million dollar companies who want someone else to pay for their overseas advertising. An agent for everybody who wants to use the unimaginable power of this agent's for their personal enrichment and benefit.

That agent is our wonderful, caring, compassionate, oppressive government. Believe me, you will be awed by the unimaginable power this agent has. Power that you do not have. A power that no individual has, or will have. This agent has the legal power to use force, deadly force to accomplish its goals.

 

You have no choice here. Your new friend is just going to walk up to you, introduce itself rather gruffly, hand you a few forms to fill out, and move right on in. Say hello to your own personal one ton gorilla. It will sleep anywhere it wants to.

 

Now, let me tell you, this agent is not cheap. As you become successful it will seize about 40% of everything you earn. And no, I'm sorry, there just isn't any way you can fire this agent of plunder, and you can't decrease its share of your income. That power rests with him, not you.

 

So, here I am saying negative things to you about government. Well, be clear on this: It is not wrong to distrust government. It is not wrong to fear government. In certain cases it is not even wrong to despise government for government is inherently evil. Yes, a necessary evil, but dangerous nonetheless, somewhat like a drug. Just as a drug that in the proper dosage can save your life, an overdose of government can be fatal.

 

Now let's address a few things that have been crammed into your minds at this university. There are some ideas you need to expunge as soon as possible. These ideas may work well in academic environment, but they fail miserably out there in the real world.

First is that favorite buzz word of the media and academia: Diversity! You have been taught that the real value of any group of people - be it a social group, an employee group, a management group, whatever - is based on diversity. This is a favored liberal ideal because diversity is based not on an individuals abilities or character, but on a person's identity and status as a member of a group. Yes, it's that liberal group identity thing again.

 

Within the great diversity movement group identification - be it racial, gender based, or some other minority status - means more than the individuals integrity, character or other qualifications.

 

Brace yourself. You are about to move from this academic atmosphere where diversity rules, to a workplace and a culture where individual achievement and excellence actually count. No matter what your professors have taught you over the last four years, you are about to learn that diversity is absolutely no replacement for excellence, ability, and individual hard work. From this day on every single time you hear the word "diversity" you can rest assured that there is someone close by who is determined to rob you of every vestige of individuality you possess.

 

We also need to address this thing you seem to have about "rights." We have witnessed an obscene explosion of so-called "rights" in the last few decades, usually emanating from college campuses.

 

You know the mantra: You have the right to a job. The right to a place to live. The right to a living wage. The right to health care. The right to an education. You probably even have your own pet right - the right to a Beemer for instance, or the right to have someone else provide for that child you plan on downloading in a year or so.

 

Forget it. Forget those rights! I'll tell you what your rights are. You have a right to live free, and to the results of 60% -75% of your labor. I'll also tell you have no right to any portion of the life or labor of another.

 

You may, for instance, think that you have a right to health care. After all, President Obama said so, didn't he? But you cannot receive health-care unless some doctor or health practitioner surrenders some of his time - his life - to you. He may be willing to do this for compensation, but that's his choice. You have no "right" to his time or property. You have no right to his or any other person's life or to any portion thereof.

 

You may also think you have some "right" to a job; a job with a living wage, whatever that is. Do you mean to tell me that you have a right to force your services on another person, and then the right to demand that this person compensate you with their money? Sorry, forget it. I am sure you would scream if some urban outdoors men (that would be "homeless person" for those of you who don't want to give these less fortunate people a romantic and adventurous title) came to you and demanded his job and your money.

 

The people who have been telling you about all the rights you have are simply exercising one of theirs - the right to be imbeciles. Their being imbeciles didn't cost anyone else either property or time. It's their right, and they exercise it brilliantly.

 

By the way, did you catch my use of the phrase "less fortunate" a bit ago when I was talking about the urban outdoors men? That phrase is a favorite of the Left. Think about it, and you'll understand why.

 

To imply that one person is homeless, destitute, dirty, drunk, spaced out on drugs, unemployable, and generally miserable because he is "less fortunate" is to imply that a successful person - one with a job, a home and a future - is in that position because he or she was "fortunate." The dictionary says that fortunate means "having derived good from an unexpected place." There is nothing unexpected about deriving good from hard work. There is also nothing unexpected about deriving misery from choosing drugs, alcohol, and the street.

 

If the Liberal Left can create the common perception that success and failure are simple matters of "fortune" or "luck," then it is easy to promote and justify their various income redistribution schemes. After all, we are just evening out the odds a little bit. This "success equals luck" idea the liberals like to push is seen everywhere. Former Democratic presidential candidate Richard Gephardt refers to high-achievers as "people who have won life's lottery." He wants you to believe they are making the big bucks because they are lucky. It's not luck, my friends. It's choice. One of the greatest lessons I ever learned was in a book by Og Mandino, entitled, "The Greatest Secret in the World." The lesson? Very simple: "Use wisely your power of choice."

 

That bum sitting on a heating grate, smelling like a wharf rat? He's there by choice. He is there because of the sum total of the choices he has made in his life. This truism is absolutely the hardest thing for some people to accept, especially those who consider themselves to be victims of something or other - victims of discrimination, bad luck, the system, capitalism, whatever. After all, nobody really wants to accept the blame for his or her position in life. Not when it is so much easier to point and say, "Look! He did this to me!" than it is to look into a mirror and say, "You S. O. B.! You did this to me!"

 

The key to accepting responsibility for your life is to accept the fact that your choices, every one of them, are leading you inexorably to either success or failure, however you define those terms.

 

Some of the choices are obvious: Whether or not to stay in school. Whether or not to get pregnant. Whether or not to hit the bottle. Whether or not to keep this job you hate until you get another better-paying job. Whether or not to save some of your money, or saddle yourself with huge payments for that new car.

 

Some of the choices are seemingly insignificant: Whom to go to the movies with. Whose car to ride home in. Whether to watch the tube tonight, or read a book on investing. But, and you can be sure of this, each choice counts. Each choice is a building block - some large, some small. But each one is a part of the structure of your life. If you make the right choices, or if you make more right choices than wrong ones, something absolutely terrible may happen to you. Something unthinkable. You, my friend, could become one of the hated, the evil, the ugly, the feared, the filthy, the successful, the rich.

 

The rich basically serve two purposes in this country. First, they provide the investments, the investment capital, and the brains for the formation of new businesses. Businesses that hire people. Businesses that send millions of paychecks home each week to the un-rich.

 

Second, the rich are a wonderful object of ridicule, distrust, and hatred. Few things are more valuable to a politician than the envy most Americans feel for the evil rich.

 

Envy is a powerful emotion. Even more powerful than the emotional minefield that surrounded Bill Clinton when he reviewed his last batch of White House interns. Politicians use envy to get votes and power. And they keep that power by promising the envious that the envied will be punished: "The rich will pay their fair share of taxes if I have anything to do with it." The truth is that the top 10% of income earners in this country pays almost 50% of all income taxes collected. I shudder to think what these job producers would be paying if our tax system were any more "fair."

 

You have heard, no doubt, that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Interestingly enough, our government's own numbers show that many of the poor actually get richer, and that quite a few of the rich actually get poorer. But for the rich who do actually get richer, and the poor who remain poor .. there's an explanation -- a reason. The rich, you see, keep doing the things that make them rich; while the poor keep doing the things that make them poor.

 

Speaking of the poor, during your adult life you are going to hear an endless string of politicians bemoaning the plight of the poor. So, you need to know that under our government's definition of "poor" you can have a $5 million net worth, a $300,000 home and a new $90,000 Mercedes, all completely paid for. You can also have a maid, cook, and valet, and a million in your checking account, and you can still be officially defined by our government as "living in poverty." Now there's something you haven't seen on the evening news.

 

How does the government pull this one off? Very simple, really. To determine whether or not some poor soul is "living in poverty," the government measures one thing -- just one thing. Income.

 

It doesn't matter one bit how much you have, how much you own, how many cars you drive or how big they are, whether or not your pool is heated, whether you winter in Aspen and spend the summers in the Bahamas, or how much is in your savings account. It only matters how much income you claim in that particular year. This means that if you take a one-year leave of absence from your high-paying job and decide to live off the money in your savings and checking accounts while you write the next great American novel, the government says you are living in poverty."

 

This isn't exactly what you had in mind when you heard these gloomy statistics, is it? Do you need more convincing? Try this. The government's own statistics show that people who are said to be "living in poverty" spend more than $1.50 for each dollar of income they claim. Something is a bit fishy here. Just remember all this the next time Charles Gibson tells you about some hideous new poverty statistics.

 

Why has the government concocted this phony poverty scam? Because the government needs an excuse to grow and to expand its social welfare programs, which translates into an expansion of its power. If the government can convince you, in all your compassion, that the number of "poor" is increasing, it will have all the excuse it needs to sway an electorate suffering from the advanced stages of Obsessive-Compulsive Compassion Disorder.

 

I'm about to be stoned by the faculty here. They've already changed their minds about that honorary degree I was going to get. That's OK, though. I still have my PhD. in Insensitivity from the Neal Boortz Institute for Insensitivity Training. I learned that, in short, sensitivity sucks. It's a trap. Think about it - the truth knows no sensitivity. Life can be insensitive. Wallow too much in sensitivity and you'll be unable to deal with life, or the truth, so get over it.

 

Now, before the dean has me shackled and hauled off, I have a few random thoughts.

 

* You need to register to vote, unless you are on welfare. If you are living off the efforts of others, please do us the favor of sitting down and shutting up until you are on your own again.

 

* When you do vote, your votes for the House and the Senate are more important than your vote for President. The House controls the purse strings, so concentrate your awareness there.

 

* Liars cannot be trusted, even when the liar is the President of the country. If someone can't deal honestly with you, send them packing.

 

* Don't bow to the temptation to use the government as an instrument of plunder. If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it -- to take their money by force for your own needs -- then it is certainly just as wrong for you to demand that the government step forward and do this dirty work for you.

 

* Don't look in other people's pockets. You have no business there. What they earn is theirs. What you earn is yours. Keep it that way. Nobody owes you anything, except to respect your privacy and your rights, and leave you the hell alone.

 

* Speaking of earning, the revered 40-hour workweek is for losers. Forty hours should be considered the minimum, not the maximum. You don't see highly successful people clocking out of the office every afternoon at five. The losers are the ones caught up in that afternoon rush hour. The winners drive home in the dark.

 

* Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection.

 

* Finally (and aren't you glad to hear that word), as Og Mandino wrote,

1. Proclaim your rarity. Each of you is a rare and unique human being.

2. Use wisely your power of choice.

3. Go the extra mile, drive home in the dark.

 

Oh, and put off buying a television set as long as you can. Now, if you have any idea at all what's good for you, you will get out of here and never come back. Class dismissed"