HELLO TO ALL,
I HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU THAT WORK HAS BEEN INSANE, WELL I HAD TO WORK TODAY. NOT SO BAD, I MADE A LOT OF MONEY. BUT I WOULD RATHER HAVE BEEN HERE WITH MY FAMILY.
I JUST WANTED TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. HOPE THIS FINDS ALL OF YOU HEALTHY AND HAPPY.
HO HO HO
TVI
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
WHAT HAVE WE DONE?
HELLO TO ALL,
A FRIEND OF MINE POSTED AN ARTICLE THE OTHER DAY ABOUT HOW OUR CHILDREN IN THE U.S. ARE SCORING LOWER IN TESTING THAN OTHER COUNTRIES, AND IT MAKES ME ANGRY.
WE HAVE ALLOWED OUR GOVERNMENT TO DICTATE TO US WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN, AND THE MORE THEY DICTATE THE WORSE IT GETS. STANDARDIZED TESTING DOES NOT WORK, MATH MODULES DO NOT WORK, ALLOWING CHILDREN TO MAKE UP TESTS THAT THEY FAIL DOES NOT WORK, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
I'M NOT GOING TO STAND HERE(OR SIT) AND TELL YOU IT IS ALL THE GOVERNMENT'S FAULT. WE HAVE STOOD IDLY BY AND LET THIS HAPPEN, WE HAVE VOTED IN PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THEY KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR US AND OUR CHILDREN. WE HAVE DECIDED TO LET THE SCHOOLS CHANGE POLICY YEAR AFTER YEAR IN ORDER TO MEET STANDARDIZED TESTING SCORES THAT PAY THE SCHOOLS BASED ON THOSE SCORES. WE HAVE ALLOWED BAD TEACHERS TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN(THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM KNOWS AND WILL DO NOTHING!).
WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL WE LEARNED THE "NEW" MATH. HUH? WHEN I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL 2 + 2 STILL EQUALED 4. I ASKED MY SEVENTH GRADE SON THE OTHER DAY(HE'S GETTING MATH IN MODULES) IF 2 + 2 STILL EQUALS 4 AND HE TOLD ME IT DID. SO HOW IS IT THAT MATH IS SO HARD? HOW IS IT THAT IN THIS COUNTRY 70 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS ARE FAILING MATH? ISN'T MATH AN ABSOLUTE? ISN'T THE ONLY THING ABOUT MATH YOU NEED TO KNOW ARE THE FORMULAS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS? IS THE "NEW MATH" OR THE "MODULES" CHANGING THE FORMULAS, SO THAT NOW THERE IS A DIFFERENT ANSWER?
HOW ABOUT READING? MY SON IS A VORACIOUS READER. (MUCH THE SAME AS HIS OLD MAN I MIGHT ADD!) YET WHEN HIS FRIENDS COME OVER TO PLAY OR WHATEVER, THEY CAN'T BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF BOOKS IN OUR HOUSE. THEY SAY THEY NEVER READ. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? HOW IS IT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE? HOW DO YOU PLAN TO GET THROUGH LIFE WITH THIS SO CALLED EDUCATION YOU ARE RECEIVING FROM OUR ILLUSTRIOUS LEARNING INSTITUTIONS? NOT ONLY DO THEY NOT CARE APPARENTLY THEIR PARENTS DON'T EITHER.
WE ARE AT A POINT IN OUR HISTORY THAT WE HAVE MORE WAYS TO COMMUNICATE THEN EVER. TELEPHONES, TEXTS, BLOGS, E-MAIL, CELL PHONES, ETC., ETC., AND YET WE DON'T TALK. REALLY TALK, AND COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. WE MOVE ABOUT EACH DAY, ALL INTO OUR OWN LIVES, AND WE ARE PAYING A TERRIBLE PRICE. OUR CHILDREN CANNOT LEARN THE THINGS THEY NEED TO LEARN TO MOVE INTO THE LIFE STREAM. WE ARE ALLOWING THEM TO BECOME MINDLESS CONSUMERS OF DRIVEL.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION WITH A CHILD? A SCHOOL AGE CHILD? THEY HAVE A HARD TIME COMMUNICATING WITH YOU. IT WOULD PROBABLY BE EASIER IF THEY COULD JUST TEXT YOU. I HAD A FEW OF MY SON'S FRIENDS OVER LAST SATURDAY AND I LET THEM RUN THROUGH THE WOODS ALL DAY MAKING A PAINTBALL FIELD. SOME OF THOSE KIDS HAD NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO BE CREATIVE, TO USE THEIR HANDS TO DO PHYSICAL LABOR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHAT IS MISSING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING, THE SHOP CLASSES AND ART PROGRAMS AND MUSIC PROGRAMS ARE BEING LOST AT OUR SCHOOLS. THESE ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A GREAT EDUCATION. THEY ALLOW YOU TO ENGAGE YOUR HANDS AND MIND AT THE SAME TIME, TO CREATE, TO THINK, TO PROBLEM SOLVE. IF WE ALLOW OUR CHILDREN TO THINK AND CREATE AND PROBLEM SOLVE FOR THEMSELVES, WE GIVE A VALUABLE TOOL TO CARRY WITH THEM THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THE ABILITY TO THINK. NOT JUST TO SCORE HIGH ON A TEST(AN ADDED BONUS I MUST ADMIT), BUT THE ABILITY TO MOVE ON IN LIFE.
PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE YOUNGER CHILDREN, OR EVEN GRAND CHILDREN, ENGAGE THEM IN CREATIVITY, ENGAGE THEM IN CONVERSATION, ENGAGE THEM IN READING, ENGAGE THEM IN ANYTHING THAT BRINGS THE HANDS AND MIND TOGETHER. ALLOW THEM TO FIGURE IT OUT, ALMOST DEMAND THAT THEY THINK THE PROBLEMS THAT ARISE THROUGH AND COME UP WITH THEIR OWN ANSWERS. ALLOW THEM TO FLOURISH, AT THEIR OWN PACE.
WELL I'VE RAMBLED ON ENOUGH FOR NOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY ASLEEP.
TALK TO YOU SOON,
TVI
A FRIEND OF MINE POSTED AN ARTICLE THE OTHER DAY ABOUT HOW OUR CHILDREN IN THE U.S. ARE SCORING LOWER IN TESTING THAN OTHER COUNTRIES, AND IT MAKES ME ANGRY.
WE HAVE ALLOWED OUR GOVERNMENT TO DICTATE TO US WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN, AND THE MORE THEY DICTATE THE WORSE IT GETS. STANDARDIZED TESTING DOES NOT WORK, MATH MODULES DO NOT WORK, ALLOWING CHILDREN TO MAKE UP TESTS THAT THEY FAIL DOES NOT WORK, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
I'M NOT GOING TO STAND HERE(OR SIT) AND TELL YOU IT IS ALL THE GOVERNMENT'S FAULT. WE HAVE STOOD IDLY BY AND LET THIS HAPPEN, WE HAVE VOTED IN PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THEY KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR US AND OUR CHILDREN. WE HAVE DECIDED TO LET THE SCHOOLS CHANGE POLICY YEAR AFTER YEAR IN ORDER TO MEET STANDARDIZED TESTING SCORES THAT PAY THE SCHOOLS BASED ON THOSE SCORES. WE HAVE ALLOWED BAD TEACHERS TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN(THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM KNOWS AND WILL DO NOTHING!).
WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL WE LEARNED THE "NEW" MATH. HUH? WHEN I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL 2 + 2 STILL EQUALED 4. I ASKED MY SEVENTH GRADE SON THE OTHER DAY(HE'S GETTING MATH IN MODULES) IF 2 + 2 STILL EQUALS 4 AND HE TOLD ME IT DID. SO HOW IS IT THAT MATH IS SO HARD? HOW IS IT THAT IN THIS COUNTRY 70 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS ARE FAILING MATH? ISN'T MATH AN ABSOLUTE? ISN'T THE ONLY THING ABOUT MATH YOU NEED TO KNOW ARE THE FORMULAS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS? IS THE "NEW MATH" OR THE "MODULES" CHANGING THE FORMULAS, SO THAT NOW THERE IS A DIFFERENT ANSWER?
HOW ABOUT READING? MY SON IS A VORACIOUS READER. (MUCH THE SAME AS HIS OLD MAN I MIGHT ADD!) YET WHEN HIS FRIENDS COME OVER TO PLAY OR WHATEVER, THEY CAN'T BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF BOOKS IN OUR HOUSE. THEY SAY THEY NEVER READ. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? HOW IS IT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE? HOW DO YOU PLAN TO GET THROUGH LIFE WITH THIS SO CALLED EDUCATION YOU ARE RECEIVING FROM OUR ILLUSTRIOUS LEARNING INSTITUTIONS? NOT ONLY DO THEY NOT CARE APPARENTLY THEIR PARENTS DON'T EITHER.
WE ARE AT A POINT IN OUR HISTORY THAT WE HAVE MORE WAYS TO COMMUNICATE THEN EVER. TELEPHONES, TEXTS, BLOGS, E-MAIL, CELL PHONES, ETC., ETC., AND YET WE DON'T TALK. REALLY TALK, AND COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. WE MOVE ABOUT EACH DAY, ALL INTO OUR OWN LIVES, AND WE ARE PAYING A TERRIBLE PRICE. OUR CHILDREN CANNOT LEARN THE THINGS THEY NEED TO LEARN TO MOVE INTO THE LIFE STREAM. WE ARE ALLOWING THEM TO BECOME MINDLESS CONSUMERS OF DRIVEL.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION WITH A CHILD? A SCHOOL AGE CHILD? THEY HAVE A HARD TIME COMMUNICATING WITH YOU. IT WOULD PROBABLY BE EASIER IF THEY COULD JUST TEXT YOU. I HAD A FEW OF MY SON'S FRIENDS OVER LAST SATURDAY AND I LET THEM RUN THROUGH THE WOODS ALL DAY MAKING A PAINTBALL FIELD. SOME OF THOSE KIDS HAD NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO BE CREATIVE, TO USE THEIR HANDS TO DO PHYSICAL LABOR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHAT IS MISSING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING, THE SHOP CLASSES AND ART PROGRAMS AND MUSIC PROGRAMS ARE BEING LOST AT OUR SCHOOLS. THESE ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A GREAT EDUCATION. THEY ALLOW YOU TO ENGAGE YOUR HANDS AND MIND AT THE SAME TIME, TO CREATE, TO THINK, TO PROBLEM SOLVE. IF WE ALLOW OUR CHILDREN TO THINK AND CREATE AND PROBLEM SOLVE FOR THEMSELVES, WE GIVE A VALUABLE TOOL TO CARRY WITH THEM THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THE ABILITY TO THINK. NOT JUST TO SCORE HIGH ON A TEST(AN ADDED BONUS I MUST ADMIT), BUT THE ABILITY TO MOVE ON IN LIFE.
PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE YOUNGER CHILDREN, OR EVEN GRAND CHILDREN, ENGAGE THEM IN CREATIVITY, ENGAGE THEM IN CONVERSATION, ENGAGE THEM IN READING, ENGAGE THEM IN ANYTHING THAT BRINGS THE HANDS AND MIND TOGETHER. ALLOW THEM TO FIGURE IT OUT, ALMOST DEMAND THAT THEY THINK THE PROBLEMS THAT ARISE THROUGH AND COME UP WITH THEIR OWN ANSWERS. ALLOW THEM TO FLOURISH, AT THEIR OWN PACE.
WELL I'VE RAMBLED ON ENOUGH FOR NOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY ASLEEP.
TALK TO YOU SOON,
TVI
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
SLOW PROGRESS
HELLO TO ALL,
WELL PROGRESS IS SLOW, I HAVEN'T GOT THE CRACKS IN THE FRAME WELDED YET, BUT "SHOP TEACHER BOB", STOPPED BY THE HOUSE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TO PLAY POKER AND INSPECTED THEM AND HE SAID HE THOUGHT THEY COULD BE REPAIRED.
I DISCOVERED THAT I HAVE THE WRONG PISTONS IN THE MOTOR, AND I STARTED DISASSEMBLING IT, I'M GOING TO USE THE EMPTY CASES TO FIT THE FRAME, SO IT WILL BE LIGHTER TO LUG AROUND.
WORK IS GETTING CRAZIER EVERY WEEK, WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE HIRED THREE FIELD MECHANICS THIS YEAR. I'M NOT COMPLAINING, I FEEL VERY BLESSED.
I HOPE EVERY ONE HAD A GOOD THANKSGIVING, AND IF I DON'T WRITE BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GOOD ONE THERE TOO.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, I'LL TRY TO KEEP POSTING.
TALK TO YOU SOON,
TVI
WELL PROGRESS IS SLOW, I HAVEN'T GOT THE CRACKS IN THE FRAME WELDED YET, BUT "SHOP TEACHER BOB", STOPPED BY THE HOUSE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TO PLAY POKER AND INSPECTED THEM AND HE SAID HE THOUGHT THEY COULD BE REPAIRED.
I DISCOVERED THAT I HAVE THE WRONG PISTONS IN THE MOTOR, AND I STARTED DISASSEMBLING IT, I'M GOING TO USE THE EMPTY CASES TO FIT THE FRAME, SO IT WILL BE LIGHTER TO LUG AROUND.
WORK IS GETTING CRAZIER EVERY WEEK, WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE HIRED THREE FIELD MECHANICS THIS YEAR. I'M NOT COMPLAINING, I FEEL VERY BLESSED.
I HOPE EVERY ONE HAD A GOOD THANKSGIVING, AND IF I DON'T WRITE BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GOOD ONE THERE TOO.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, I'LL TRY TO KEEP POSTING.
TALK TO YOU SOON,
TVI
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