I loved Halloween as a kid for several reasons. For one, it was the only time my parents let me eat candy. But I also loved the theatrical aspect of creating costumes and going trick-or-treating.
When I was young, there were a lot fewer options when it came to costumes and Halloween decorations. Now it is a big business, but back then we really had to use our imaginations to come up with scary and impressive costumes.
I wonder if kids today miss out on some of that creativity when they can go into any store or on-line and buy a ready-made costume of just about anything.
If you want to read a great Halloween story, check out The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury.
Happy Halloween!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
An interesting video
Well, I thought this was interesting. I don't know how much Star Wars is still a part of today's pop culture, but the original movie certainly impacted my world.
Star Wars Blooper Reel
Who Am I?
It is hard for me NOT to look and everything through the lens of teaching. Every issue and topic, every life decision, I wonder how it will impact me as a teacher, and what message it will deliver to my students, past, present and future.
I've played in bands for most of my life. I've been playing bass since I was 10 years old. The rock and roll lifestyle, the counter-culture of the '60's, the excess of the '70's, the rebellion of the punk-rock 80's, these things shaped my childhood, teen and college years. My heroes were never sports figures or movie stars. They were Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend (look 'em up), and... my dad.
See, I had good parents. A stay-at-home mom and a dad who read to me. So when I grew up, it was pretty easy for me to see that a life of sex and drugs and rock and roll was really just stupid. The media, TV, movies and popular music can paint any picture they want, but a loving family, a good education and people who supported me were what really mattered.
As a teacher, I encounter students whose lives are daily struggles because of all the deficits of our society - a crumbling economy, racial prejudice, widespread ignorance, greed, and a shocking lack of appreciation for the value of honesty, education and hard work. So every decision I make, from who to vote for in a presidential election to what I eat for lunch, is based on how it will impact that on-going battle.
I've played in bands for most of my life. I've been playing bass since I was 10 years old. The rock and roll lifestyle, the counter-culture of the '60's, the excess of the '70's, the rebellion of the punk-rock 80's, these things shaped my childhood, teen and college years. My heroes were never sports figures or movie stars. They were Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend (look 'em up), and... my dad.
See, I had good parents. A stay-at-home mom and a dad who read to me. So when I grew up, it was pretty easy for me to see that a life of sex and drugs and rock and roll was really just stupid. The media, TV, movies and popular music can paint any picture they want, but a loving family, a good education and people who supported me were what really mattered.
As a teacher, I encounter students whose lives are daily struggles because of all the deficits of our society - a crumbling economy, racial prejudice, widespread ignorance, greed, and a shocking lack of appreciation for the value of honesty, education and hard work. So every decision I make, from who to vote for in a presidential election to what I eat for lunch, is based on how it will impact that on-going battle.
Why Journalism is Important
Without journalism, people would have no idea what to believe about the world around them. All journalism is tainted by the biases and prejudices of those who report it, but at its core, journalism is still a search for the truth. Weather it is a search for the truth about the integrity of the people who run our country, or the truth about which local restaurant serves the best barbecue, journalism is about finding and presenting that truth so that others may know.
"...so that others may know." I like that phrase. It highlights how journalism is a service. A service to the general public, to humanity. In some cases people have given their lives in this service.
Truly, people cannot be free without truth. Lies, falsehoods, rumors - all these imprison the mind. Journalists are freedom fighters. And when the last journalist lays down his Reporter's Notebook and gives up the search, freedom will be lost. We will still be alive, but we will have lost our ability to be human, to be truly free.
"...so that others may know." I like that phrase. It highlights how journalism is a service. A service to the general public, to humanity. In some cases people have given their lives in this service.
Truly, people cannot be free without truth. Lies, falsehoods, rumors - all these imprison the mind. Journalists are freedom fighters. And when the last journalist lays down his Reporter's Notebook and gives up the search, freedom will be lost. We will still be alive, but we will have lost our ability to be human, to be truly free.
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