For those of you who don't know I live in New Orleans, Louisisana. Do I need to tell you the schools are bad there? Probably not, you have probably heard it somewhere a news story or possibly it's just one of those known fact/rumors that are mentioned in random school discussions throughout the country.
Fact, New Orleans public schools (and a fair share of the private ones) are bad, bad as in children do not learn to read and to math let alone anything else useful while in the New Orleans Public School System. Using a rating system where 100 is most children are working at grade level there is a school in New Orleans with a 12 many more in the 20's and 30's*. I ask you exactly what is it that a 12 school is teaching their kids if 100 is just grade level? Does a 12 school teach them how to beg for change on the street corner because I have a hard time envisioning a better future for those kids with that kind of education.
As you can see I was very eager to read Public Schools Are Archaic
Teaching students through doing, not lecturing or testing or writing it out 100 times but actually DOING. How brilliant! Think back in time when instead of learning a basis in everything we learned the details in one or two things we would go out in the field with our parents, get our hands dirty mending fences and plowing the earth, DOING. Or maybe we would apprentice with the cobbler or seamstress cutting fabric, molding leather DOING until we had absorbed the skills to make the trade our own, For hundreds and thousands of years people have learned by doing so why is it that we have an education system that has evolved into grading us on sitting and memorizing.
Why don't we give credit (real honest credit that "counts") for Drama, Football, Spanish Club, Service Clubs and all the rest? We encourage our children to participate in these extra-curriculars why? Because they enrich their lives, they teach skills and they get them ready for the real world why then do they not count for credit toward graduation? Using the system put forth in Public Schools are Archaic all of these real life DOING activities would count. That simple step would make so much difference combine that with getting rid of standardized tests (also in the book) and you have a recipe for success.
I hope with all my might that Mr Ussery's system or one like it does make its way into the public education system, these changes can only be for the better. It is a daunting task but a whole system overhaul is needed and the ideas laidout in Public Schools are Archaic just might be able to pull it off.
* this info comes from the booklet that the New Orleans school system puts out each year to inform parents of the schools in the area.
Book Review - Public Schools are Archaic by M.R. Ussery EdD and S.R. Pargman
Book Review - What About the Children? by Dianne Nelson
I received What About The Children?: What's the Strategy to Prevent These Tragedies?
What About the Children? explores the case of one single child in the foster care system and how that system simply doesn't care for her at all. Along with so many other "systems" in this country it just doesn't work. This child is so obviously mistreated by her first foster care family but no one does a single thing about it, in fact the system sides with the foster family when the little girl says she is being abused and molested they don't even have her examined they just leave her there and continue to pay these people money to care for her. Hell the system does worse to biological parents if there is an accusation made of that magnitude.
It's just awful what happens to children in these kinds of situations and this little book does a wonderful job highlighting some of the issues with the system that supposed to protect them. I am so glad Dianne and her daughter made it through the hard times to come out better people with more knowledge and understanding on the other side.
Book Review - Talk to me Like I'm Someone you Love by Nancy Dreyfus
I received Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love: Relationship Repair in a Flash
I was excited to read it but again it took me a while to get to it, not sure why... anyway. My husband and I communicate very well so I thought this book was going to be a breeze which it was for the most part but there were a few surprises. I think the biggest thing I learned from this book is you can never stop trying to improve your relationship. Just like life in general the moment you become complacent is the moment you or your relationship begins to deteriorate. In life it's your memory, your reaction time or your flexibility in a relationship it's trust, loving physical touch and meaningful communication. Either way it is each of our job's to seek out new and better ways to live, to get out there learn new skills and create experiences that keep our minds, bodies and spirits engaged. If anyone expects to have what can be considered a good and lasting relationship you must stay engaged in that relationship.
With that said it is naive to ever think that you don't need to read relationship books because "my relationship is fine." Talk to me Like I'm Someone you Love is basically a book of flash cards. One liners, if you will to keep the lines of communication open between you and your partner, Each card helps to put into words the feelings you want to convey but for some reason just can't get across to your partner. Each card is accompanied by a page or so of explanation as to when and why each card might be used. As it turns out I didn't find a lot that my husband and I need to work on but I this book did give me a whole list of new phrases to work into conversation that will help to get my point across without making my husband feel belittled or that I don't love him. Even though while in the heat of an argument it may feel like your partner doesn't love you the truth is that they do and it is important to let them know that without having to forfeit your opinions. this book gives a lot of great ideas on how to do just that.
Product Description
A groundbreaking, interactive relationship tool that literally places in the hands of couples the power to transform chronically frustrating relationship dynamics.
We've all been there. A conversation with a loved one escalates into conflict. Voices rise to a fever pitch and angry, accusative words fly through the air. At times like these, it seems impossible to find the magic words that will lead to healing. Enter Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love.
A psychotherapist with decades of experience in counseling couples, Nancy Dreyfus hit upon the revolutionary practice outlined in this book during a couples-therapy session in which a wife's unrelenting criticism of her husband was causing him to become emotionally withdrawn. In the midst of this, Dreyfus found herself scribbling on a scrap of paper, "Talk to me like I'm someone you love" and gestured to the husband that he should hold it up. He did and within seconds the familiar power differential between the two shifted, and a gentler, more genuine connection emerged. Dreyfus was startled, then intrigued, and then motivated to create a tool that could help others.
This elegantly packaged spiral-bound book features more than one hundred of Dreyfus's "flash cards for real life"-written statements that express what we wish we could communicate to the person we love, but either can't find the right words or the right tone in which to say it. The statements include:
*Taking responsibility: "I realize I'm overreacting. Can you give me a minute to get sane again?"
*Apologizing: "I know I've really hurt you. What can I do to help you trust me again?"
*Loving: "You are precious, and I get that I haven't been treating you like you are."
A one-of-a-kind, practical relationship tool, Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love will help couples to stop arguing and begin healing.
About the Author
Nancy Dreyfus, Psy.D., is a psychotherapist and couples therapist with more than two decades of experience. She holds a doctorate degree from Hahnemann University Medical School. She lives near Philadelphia.Book Review - More Information Than You Require by John Hodgman
I downloaded More Information Than You Require
Anyway back to More Information than you Require, having never picked up the paper copy the first thing that comes to mind is DON'T. There are things in the audio edition that you simply could not get in the paper edition. Like Paul Rudd, he's there seemingly through the entire recording sleeping in the corner because after all he was originally tapped to read the audio book then John moved some things around and was able to read it himself. Alas Paul needs the paycheck and so there he is. Also Jonathan Coulton, I just discovered Mr. Coulton and I like him very much. To top off these voices as well as quite a few more I didn't even mention here, there are two wonderful addition to the end of the audio book.
The first is John Hodgman and Ricky Gervais mostly just talking though they start off reading the blurbs from the back of More Information Than You Require. The second addition that you simply could not fully grasp in the traditional paper edition of the book is John Hodgman on stage reading 700 Moleman names along with their occupations accompanied by Jonathan Coulton on guitar. They take over an hour to read and make me wish I was in the live audience to really be part of what must have been a truly magical experience.
If you enjoy humor then you should listen to More Information Than You Require. If you don't enjoy humor, then you should lighten up. Life is short, listen to John Hodgman and laugh.
Begin your new lighter life by watching this video of John Hodgman discussing his book on BoingBoingTV.
Book Review - A Weekend to Change Your Life by Joan Anderson
I recently picked up A Weekend to Change Your Life: Find Your Authentic Self After a Lifetime of Being All Things to All People
Most of the people the author talks about, including herself are in more of midlife, they have already raised their kids or are almost ready to have the fly the coop. I wonder if by being interested in these types of books so early in life am I ahead of the game or am I over reacting to the life I have. I don't think I will know that until years in the future and I am looking back this way.
Copied from Amazon in turn from Publishers Weekly:
In her popular A Year by the Sea, Anderson wrote about a time she chose to live apart from her husband on Cape Cod in order to better understand herself. Anderson has turned her private retreat into a program, Weekend by the Sea Retreats, to help women learn how to have a full life apart from the needs and demands of spouses, children, aging parents and careers. Here, Anderson shares the exercises and activities she has developed to encourage change and growth. She draws on Erik Erikson's eight stages of life from infancy to old age and suggests listing the gains and losses from each phase in order to identify one's personal strengths. Another technique is the beach walk, which allows women to get in touch with their bodies and emotions as they trek alone on the shore, collecting shells, rocks and driftwood, swimming, or drawing pictures in the sand. Anderson's warm, inviting tone will appeal to women who feel, as she did, that they need time and space to reinvent themselves. (Apr. 4)
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Non-Fiction Reading Challenge
Ok it's true I have joined way too many reading challenges but this one is with a serious purpose. Yesterday I discovered that I am far behind in my reading on books about women and equality and the struggle of women around the world. What kind of woman am I if I don't stay in touch with my sisters and their plight around the globe? Well, I was ashamed and so went to find a reading challenge that could help me shape up. That is when I stumbled on Trish's Reading Nook and her non-fiction reading challenge. I am excited to get started on this one but since the challenge doesn't officially start till May I will use that time to knock out as many books from all the other reading challenges I have signed up for so I have a clean(er) slate to get started with this one.
The rules to this one are pretty easy:
1. Read 5 non-fiction books during the months of May - September, 2010
2. Read at least one non-fiction book that is different from your other choices (i.e.: 4 memoirs and 1 self-help)
I plan to read all 5 of my non-fiction books with women as my theme, maybe current affairs maybe biographies, maybe sociology, whatever looks good at the time as long as it's about women and women's issues.
