Wednesday, November 18, 2015

FORUM WEEK 8

Topic #1

It seems to be a common occurrence to just cover the eyes of children from seeing the real world. Parents don’t want their children to be seeing or reading about the school subjects that are “inappropriate”, but what they consider to be inappropriate, is reality.

We cannot continue to sugar coat our nation’s history of brutality and greed. We need to share that ugly truth with our youth to emphasize that history should not repeat itself.

We also cannot ban all books that obtain explicit matter. Sex, drugs, death, nudity, profanity, and all that other fun stuff is EVERYWHERE. We cannot shelter the younger generations from reality.

A few of the books that stood out to me on the ALA list were:

·         Perks of Being a Wall Flower (read in high school)
·         Gossip Girl (read in middle school)
·         To Kill a Mockingbird (read in English class in high school)
·         Fifty Shade of Grey (read in college)
·         Captain Underpants (read in elementary


Yes, a few of these are not historical or educational in any way, but To Kill a Mocking Bird? Come one, people. Classic!


There was talk about banning this a few years ago due to the use of the “N word.” But if people looked beyond the simple text, they could see that this story has a true depiction of what our nation’s history was truly like. It is relevant, and we can relate on a modern level as well. 

It has become more and more limited and authorized as to what public school libraries are allowed to put on their shelves.

My book shelf at home has a variation of genres. From, horror, fantasy, mystery, romance, religious and so on…

A variation in exposure is what expands our horizons.

 My parents were never those parents that monitored everything that I watched on TV. Of course, there were times they would cover my ears, kick me out of the room, or make me change the channel, but they were also aware that if I didn’t see it at home, kids at school would talk about it.

Just because a cookie is front of you doesn’t mean you have to eat it. Sex, racism, and profanity are all around us. Just because it is there doesn’t mean we have to participate.

But… one’s education should not be compromised in the process. 





Topic #2

Just going to start out by saying... Jeff Jarvis is sassy and intelligent, and I feel like we could be best friends.

He states in his chapter “Google U” that education should not be forced. The youth should be able to explore the world, backpack through Asia, or join the Peace Corps if they have the resources to do so.


“But how will we know students’ capabilities unless we put them in the position to try?” he said.
School should be a creative outlet. A combination of ideologies and theories. A place to be pushed and challenged creatively and academically.

Jarvis suggests that students, like Google engineers, take one day a week, a course a term or, even a whole year in college to create something. Anything. A book, a song, a sculpture… Anything.

Jarvis also talks about a man named Will Richardson who wrote a public letter to his children. A letter that I believe should be read across the globe to people of all ages.

Richardson’s letter stated that a piece of paper on a wall cannot reflect the adventures you will seek if you choose a path other college. A degree can get you a job and make money, but there are other ways, more meaningful avenues to venture down to reach the destination of success.

A degree is just a piece of paper.

Someone very close to me told me over this last summer, “You don’t have to know what you want to be your forever when you’re 20, Marina. It’s okay to change your mind.”

Education should be an exploration of our own minds. A discovery of our very own secret ambitions and talents. The education systems should encourage these mental and emotional explorations. Promoting study abroad programs, creative internships, and providing students with classes that allow them to challenge their mind and create something beautiful. 

It is okay to take a break. It is okay to travel the world, to backpack Asia. It is okay to go to college, to get a degree.

Jeff Jarvis displays so simply that we all develop and create differently. Forcing higher education upon the youth is not going to just produce successful generations. The power of choice, and the freedom to enjoy education is what is going to motivate and advance each generation.


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