Response #5: Restructuring Our Education

In my past response I touched on an RSA Animation of Ken Robinson’s speech on “Changing Education Paradigms”. After this we were told to read this next article, and plug it into play with what we have already talked about.

Education and the Structural Crisis of Capital

I have already mentioned how industrial the education system is in America and how important standardized testing is to this system. Standardized testing can be imagined as the make or break factor for education. The scores students and a school makes on standardized testing determine how much money a school will receive in the next year, and together ranks county’s against other counties, and then on up from state to state.  Students also are individually pressured by these tests. The format is not unlike the ACT or SAT tests. They are barely rewarded for doing well, as a good score only tells the student what is next for them in this outdated system.

Response #4: Animating Our Education System

In class we watched an 11 minute clip about “Changing the Paradigms of Education” by RSA animate, which I’ve included in this post. I for one can get bored quickly during lectures so to me this is a great idea. To summarize what it is, it’s an animation for Ken Robinson’s speech and it helps give visual aide to what is discussed during the speech. The animation is spot on and synched perfectly with his words, making it very understandable. I actually had to watch it a few times and I’m sure there is still much I have missed, it covers quite a bit of ground in a few short minutes.

Response #3: Someplace to Respond

This is a response on the introduction of Someplace Like America: Tales From the New Great Depression by Dale Maharidge with photographs by Michael S. Williamson, which also includes a forward by Bruce Springsteen. You can find out more about the book here.

I was interested in this piece from the start just because I have recently (in the past two years) been “won over” by Bruce Springsteen. I grew up with my dad playing his songs, and although I don’t quite dig them myself, I can respect his talent and career easily. He is a good voice for America. Two years ago, or it might have been three, I saw a little bit of his performance at Bonnaroo, a music festival in Tennessee.  He knew how to talk to the crowd and I was impressed with his stage presence, he’s a very likable guy. 

The introduction was gripping from the start, talking about the death of a homeless person in Santa Barbara and how warnings were posted around the area threatening other homeless people. That sounds awful. I can’t imagine wanting to hurt people that are already enduring such hard lives, just let them be. It turns out this was a local resident who posted these fliers and was unrelated to the actual murder. It’s sad what people will do in certain situations for their own (opinionated) beliefs.  

Response #2: Reality TV Doesn't Reflect Me (But I Still Watch it)

Here's the link to the original article this is a response too.

I selected this article because I am both a cynic and a hypocrite when it comes to "reality" television. I love The Jersey Shore, not because I believe the people on it are real, but simply because it comes off to me as pure comedic entertainment. It's funny to see people so stuck in their own little worlds, and now I watch it just for the big egos these people have. The cast has so much money now, obviously, yet still let MTV shut them into a house with no sort of media (computer, cell phones, TV, etc.) and are forced to sleep on twin beds, some three to a room. I know they don't realize it but because they are forced to spend so much time with each other it's obvious that fights or drama will ensue. I am also a cynic since most reality shows come off to me as complete garbage. I have a friend who is really into Keeping Up with the Kardashians and they just appear to me as such attention seeking morons that I have to leave the room, it gives me that big of a headache.