When people leave me

People leave throughout my whole lifetime
They leave like I meant nothing
The years I spent with them
Are all just in my memory

When people leave
It leaves me to wonder
Did I ever mean anything to them?
If those times,
The times I consider my best times
Were even just a thought left in their brain

When people leave
It has me thinking about everyone I'm surrounded by
Will they leave as we'll?

When people leave
It leaves me scared I will go through that pain once more
It has me re think everything
Everyone
Every situation
Every good time

When people leave
I question my own strength
I know I'm strong
No one will ever understand
When people leave me

Book Review

 Michael Laser's book, "6-321" amazes me and makes me wonder what our life would be like if something like what happened to them when they were in 6th grade, happened to us. This book is a very good book, it makes me wonder about the past and question the future.

  One of the main characters in my book is Marc Chaikins. He is just a normal 6th grade student, going through anything another 6th grade student would be going through, drama, heartbreak, and bad grades. One day, just as any other ordinary day Marc decides to tell Lilly Wu how he feels about her. He has to compete with this other guy who also likes Lilly Wu as well as him, he has to overcome many struggles with not just that, but also his family problems he's going through. His parents are going through a divorce, and he has to cope with that and go to school and see the girl he's in love with be with another guy. "Go ahead mom, if you aren't happy leave Dad, I would rather see you smile every day than cry." This is is showing how Marc is being considerate of his mothers feelings and showing how he is a strong young man, and puts others before himself. I like the style this book was written because it always has me wondering whats going to happen next, will she say forget you to the other guy and be with Marc? Or is she going to play with both of their heads and lead them on? This book has a little humor in it as well as sacrifice. The main setting is located at his school, specifically in his classroom 6-321. The setting of this book effected the characters because they were inside of a school, so therefor, they didn't have the opportunity to do things that they would OUTSIDE of a school.

  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to take a time travel back to their past, and feel the feelings inside that Marc himself is going through. I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars, just because at the end of my book it's like the plot didn't change at all. So I was stuck with the same plot twist as I have been reading from the beginning.

Current Connection 3.2

    Many believe that men are more able to work for the FBI agency and get the tasks done than women. Why? Because the tasks that you have to accomplish and get done are harder than normal jobs that you would see such as being a cop, or a parole officer, etc. According to the "Federal Bureau Of Investigation" the FBI have jobs such as protecting the US from terrorist attacks, protecting Civil rights, and protect the United States against cyber-based attacks and high tech crimes. 

   Being in the FBI field you have to travel, A LOT. Women are more than likely not willing to travel, either because they have a family they don't want to leave, or they feel safer being in one spot known as 'home'. Men don't have a problem traveling because they know it has to be done. Someone's got to do it, being a man you're dominate. You don't have a problem with doing things, even when people tell you that you cant. 



More men than women enter this field knowing this is going to be their permanent job. Their feeling of achievement and knowing that they have helped our country, and our fellow citizens in some way. 


  Relating all this back to Gender Roles, and how it plays a part in all this, serving our country, yes anyone can do it. Male or female, but when it comes to these tasks such as fighting terrorists, do we really think its for women? Do we think that women are just putting their selves in harms way? Like I said before, women need to stick to Nursing and taking care of people like their good at, and men need to stick to the harder things, such as protecting our country, and taking all the bad guys out. I'm saying this about women in the FBI field, not women in the Army.

Links 

 http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/quick-facts

  https://www.fbijobs.gov/ 

Current Connection 3.1

                                                            FBI AGENTS

 Being in the Criminal Justice field is more for men than women, breaking it down more specifically to the FBI field will show us how it's dangerous and requires more power of men than women. The FBI has more job openings for men, and has a bigger impact on men than women because we as men, love the feeling of power and knowing that we have successfully saved a life, or protected others from danger. Why? Because men have more of a role and a natural doing of protecting the ones they care about, or anyone in their community.

  Men have more of a better chance at getting the jobs in the criminal field, according to the article "FBI Careers", you may work on dangerous cases, such as kidnapping, terrorism, extortion, cyber crime etc. Women are more to not go into these jobs because of their ability of what they do. Most of women look at their selves as 'needed' so their not going to get themselves into a dangerous situation. Men accept the fact that they have to be 'The Man' in most cases and suck it up and do what they have to do. Take the war for an example, back when it first started men were the ONLY gender to enter. Why? because the women jobs were to stay at home, take care of the cooking, cleaning, and children. Men have the stronger ability physically & mentally.

  However, not all the women look at themselves this way. According to the same article "FBI Careers" some women go into this field as Police Officers, or Lawyers, or Judges. (Things that are as harsh) The qualifications to be a FBI agent is a bit much. You must be at least 23 years of age, but younger than 37. You need to have at least 3 years of professional work in the field of Criminal Justice. It's a long, tiring process. The article says you get sent to one of the toughest camps in Virginia to undergo training. So, back to my hypothesis; most women wouldn't do that, its hard work, long process, and requires alot of hard physical work.

All FBI Special Agents kick off their career at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia for 20 weeks of intensive training at one of the World’s greatest law enforcement training facilities. Throughout their time at the FBI Academy, trainees reside on-campus and take part in a variety of training activities. Classroom time is spent studying a wide variety of scholastic and investigative subjects. The FBI Academy program also includes demanding training in physical fitness, defensive tactics, practical application exercises, and the use of firearms.


  However, with all this coming to a conclusion; Gender Roles have a huge impact on this situation. Men are going to end up going into the field that other men are in, or have gone into, while women do the same. It's going to take one person to make a change, and that person may just in-fact be me. No one wants to be judged their whole life in their work place, but you have to think...Is it worth being MISERABLE the rest of you're life at the workplace you work at just because you were scared of what 'Others whose opinions are INVALID' had to say? Nope, not at all!

Current Connection 2.1

In an article called "Have Your Children Had Their Anti-Smoking Shots?"  According to social psychologist William McGuire  "People wont change their  minds about things people have always taken for granted, because people have little, if any practice resisting attacks on attitudes that no one ever questions."

Taking this a little farther he decided to do an experiment and see if he could get people to resist arguing on topics they could easily refute. He used two different views of resistance; one being resistance to disease and psychological and resistance to persuasion. People's bodies produce other anti-bodies that make them immuned to whatever the attacking agent is. So for example, if there is a mother who is pregnant and she's out here partying, living it up, drinking, smoking, doing drugs...chances are the babies going to come out very un-healthy (addicted to drugs, more chances of becoming an alcholic, druggy, etc.) if the baby makes it out alive then like I said before the baby will be addicted to drugs and whatever else the mother was doing while carrying the child inside of her stomach.

   Since these two different views of resistance, they decided to see if attitude inoculation could be used to help parents, teachers, and social service agents deal with a pressing social problem, CIGARETTE SMOKING. According to a study, it seems that children age 10 or 12 always seem to be reporting how they don't like cigarettes. While other kids, from about middle school to adolescence start smoking from being peer pressured or thinking its "cool". It seems that these young adolescence change their attitudes about smoking because they tend to try it and like it. A young teenager who knows nothing about anything yet, as myself, may try a cigarette and LOVE it, BUT an older person say whose in their 20's or 30's, such as an older sibling of mine, would try it and throw up. We all have our different opinions and taste of different things. As you can see, every one has their own addiction, should parents start making their children get the vaccination for the anti-smoking? Would you? If it were me, I probably would just because I would know that in the future my child has the higher/better risk at being one of those kids who doesn't give in and smoke a cigarette, or fall for that "coolness" whatever the case may be. But you also have to ask yourselves; Whats in the vaccination? What are the side effects (if any)? Always make sure you know what you're getting into youreself, also applies for you're child or whoever it may be.

Linked Picture
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=0lOrSf2LV6bSNM&tbnid=-_fAT2x7MqdkZM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsociety%2Fpoll%2F2012%2Fjun%2F29%2Fsmoking-ban-england-five-years&ei=Bad9UreJJsnckQeWgYHwAg&bvm=bv.56146854,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNH9EfMwnXitDzUh_REP6sijhXB26Q&ust=1384052798492952

Worked Cited 
Botvin, G. J., Schinke, S., Orlandi, M. A. (1995). School-based health promotion: Substance abuse and sexual behavior. Applied & Preventive Psychology, Vol. 4, pp. 167-184.

Ellickson, P. L., & Bell, R. M. (1990). Drug prevention in junior high: A multi-site longitudinal test. Science, 247 (4948), 1299-1305.

Hirschman, R. S., & Leventhal, H. (1989). Preventing smoking behavior in school children: An initial test of a cognitive-developmental program. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 19, pp. 559-583.

McGuire, W. J. (1961). Resistance to persuasion conferred by active and passive prior refutation of the same and alternative counterarguments. Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology, Vol. 63, pp. 326-332.

Myers, D. G. (2002). Social Psychology (7th edition). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Perry, C. L., Killen, J., Slinkard, L. A., & McAlister, A. L. (1980). Peer teaching and smoking prevention among junior high students. Adolescence, Vol. 15, pp. 277-281.

Watts, W. A., & McGuire, W. J. (1964). Persistence of induced opinion change and retention of the inducing message contents.Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology, Vol. 68, pp. 233-241.

Current Connection 1.2

Default Rates Continue to Rise For Federal Student Loans

      According to The U.S Department Of Education http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/default-rates-

continue-rise-federal-student-loans. The federal government burrowing of student loans and not paying them 

back is rising tremendously. The national two year cohort default rate rose from 13.4% for FY 2009 to 

14.7% for FY 2010.The Department is replacing its CDR calculations from two-year to three-year 

calculations as required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. Congress included this 

provision in the law because more borrowers default after the two-year monitoring period; thus, the 

three-year CDR better reflects the percentage of borrowers who ultimately default on their federal 

student loans.

     

     The FY 2010 three-year cohort default rate is the second that the Department has issued, following 

the release of last year’s FY 2009 three-year cohort default rate. Under the law, only three-year rates 

will be calculated starting next year. At that time, THREE 3-year rates will have been calculated (FY 

2009 published in 2012, FY 2010 published in 2013, and FY 2011 published in 2014).

   

      “The growing number of students who have defaulted on their federal student loans is troubling,” 

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “The Department will continue to work with institutions 

and borrowers to ensure that student debt is affordable. We remain committed to building a shared 

partnership with states, local governments, institutions, and students—as well as the business, labor, 

and philanthropic leaders—to improve college affordability for millions of students and families.” I think 

that if you KNOW you cannot pay back the student loan when you first go and talk to you're financial 

aid person about how much you will be getting back in student loans, and they offer something that 

you know is way out of you're range to pay back then SAY SOMETHING TO THEM. It's pointless to me 

that our government is sending these people money to pay for their college when they aren't paying 

them back for it. That's one of the reason were probably in trillions of dollars in debt. 

     To ensure that students are aware of the flexible income-driven loan repayment options available 

through Federal Student Aid (FSA), this fall the Department will expand its outreach efforts to 

struggling borrowers to inform them about the different plans. The Department has also released new 

loan counseling tools to help students and families make more informed decisions about planning for 

college.

     I agree with the above statement. I think we do need to be able to pay back our loans, not just for 

our beneficial profits but also for our countries. Having a department that will work with the families 

struggling to pay back their student loans is a awesome thing too have. You do need to always plan, 

plan, plan before entering college and figuring out how you're going to pay for it. 

Are High-schools failing their Students?

Are High-schools failing their Students?

In a recent article on the web, “Are High-schools failing their students” they question does getting a high-school diploma guarantee you’re ready for work or college? Are the teachers at our school preparing us correctly and in all the right areas? They should be.

“Employers expect more, the students must be able to communicate effectively, think critically, analyze and interpret data and evaluate a variety of materials.” I agree with this statement, the educational system that the young adults are learning at, should prepare us to enter the real world. It should have us set to be independent and only count on ourselves. Do they do it? To me, in all honesty, I see them trying. The subjects that we get taught aren’t easy, their about hard as they come. It’s up to the teachers to get into the lesson plan, and get inside our brains, and hold our attention the whole class period to get us educated and informed.

“ According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), at least 28 percent of students entering four-year public colleges in the fall of 2000 were required to take remedial courses when they started, especially in mathematics and language arts, as did 42 percent of those enrolled in two-year public colleges (NCES, 2004).” Does this tell us something? 28% of all students entering college for their four-year degrees have to go to remedial classes when they started. Seems to me as the educators that are suppose to be educating us aren’t doing a very good job at it. We have all heard the teachers say “My job is to teach you all you need too know, and have you college/career ready.” Well, with that being said it doesn’t seem  that they are following that statement very well.

According to some critics, “ETS found that 84% of highly paid professionals had taken algebra 2 or higher level of mathematic courses as where only 30% of low-to-moderately skilled and low-paid workers had done so.” So, with this being said, I guess you could say there is a pretty big difference in ‘College Prep’ and ‘Smart Core’. But for a well-educated, handsome, intelligent, young man, like myself. I think that I will do fine with only taking ‘Smart Core’ I took my full 4 years of mathematics in High-school to get my diploma. Yes, Math is one of my weak spot, BUT that does not mean that I won’t get a good paying job and make something of myself.

My connection I have to this article is really a connection with my school. Our school is a very good school when it comes up education and the way our educators do things. Do I think they could do better? Of course! You can always do better at what you’re doing when you put you’re mind to it. I can connect this to myself, and my school because I’m not taking any math classes this year, I’ve decided to wait and take college algebra whenever I start college, and take a break from mathematics for my senior year. As I said earlier, mathematics isn’t my best subject, in-fact it’s my weakest. I have to keep my head in the game, and stay focused on making good grades to get accepted to college. But our educators do a good job at pushing us by I guess you could say “scaring” us and saying things to make us want to get our head out of our bottoms and DO WORK. All education systems are different because all the teachers who are teaching are different. If you’re a teacher and you don’t absolutely love you’re job….chances are you’re students aren’t going to love that subject you’re teaching them.

As you can see, I have my personal opinions on my educators and how they do their jobs. But just like everyone else in this world, I’m not the only one. You see, it’s all up to you as an educator (teacher) to actually make that student “College and Career ready” when they receive that diploma and step out into the real world. You can either love you’re job and make class fun, not only for you but for you’re students as well…OR you can not love you’re job and just be there because you HAVE to be in order to make money for yourself and the student not love the subject either. In my opinion, If you don’t love being a teacher and you are… GO FIND A NEW JOB. The teachers attitude towards the students have A LOT to do with what kind of grades the students make, and what they’ll learn when they leave the school.