Editorials

11/22/15

Digital Age Kills Textbooks

In our ever growing technological age, I understand the value of keeping up with technology and know its invaluable place in education. As a high school teacher, I enjoy using tablets and cell phones in the classroom for engaging, interactive learning, and I appreciate learning about new applications from research and from my peers. By teaching students with current technology, we will prepare them for their college years and future careers. In fact, the most successful people are ideas people, and by cultivating meaningful, problem-based learning through technological projects that promote thoughtful inquiry, we can lead students towards that path.

In an effort to stay current in this digital age, many schools are having a 1:1 model, meaning all students have a tablet or ipad that essentially replaces their textbooks. I believe as a teacher, it is my responsibility to adapt to new teaching strategies and learning initiatives, but I do not think that means I have to support abolishing text books. Can these values be mutually exclusive?

11/20/15

Why You Shouldn’t Avoid Controversy

Ask dinner party guests the biggest cliche of topics to steer clear of, and of course they will answer religion, politics, or money. Ask teachers why they shy away from controversial topics in the class, and they’ll answer that conversations can get too heated, unpredictable, and uncontrollable. Some bloggers and writers even make it their personal mission to avoid these topics so they don’t offend any current or potential readers. I’ve been thinking about this, and I adamantly disagree with the notion that we should avoid controversy. Instead, I think we SHOULD discuss controversial topics because the more we talk about it, the more we learn how to have productive conversations instead of stubborn showdowns.

We need to learn the tools to participate in these conversations; we need to push ourselves to be educated on these topics instead of clinging onto unfounded, obstinate opinions; we need to learn to open our minds and hearts to hearing other points of views, practice thoughtful consideration, and tactful responses to disagreements.

11/12/15

Why It’s Time to Get Rid of Basic B****

Do you like:

• Starbucks?
• Pumpkin?
• Pumpkin spice?
• Pumpkin spice Starbucks?
• Uggs?
• Leggings?
• Leggings and Uggs?
• iPhones?
• Forever 21?
• Instagramming food?
• Buzzfeed?
• Greek yogurt?
• Brunch?
• Yoga or barre?
• Lauren Conrad (and you loved her since she was LC)?
• Rooftop get togethers?
• Ryan Gosling?
• A good top knot or messy bun?

If you answered yes to these, and especially if you are a white female in your late teens and early twenties, I’m sorry to tell you, but you are what many in pop culture consider “basic.”