Healthy DIE-T

Maripat McGlynn

A Healthy DIEt

Over the past century, people have been more informed than ever on their health and how to prevent diseases. It seems as though almost every disease or condition has a coalition that is fighting for a cure and give ways on how to prevent a person from getting the disease. We are also all aware that nutrition and exercise are two of the most important factors in preventing disease. But then why is it that our main issue in America is directly related to food?  Obesity has risen immensely over the past 20 years. There is not one state in the United States that has an obesity level below 20%. Thirty years ago not one state in the United States had an obesity level above 15%. Half were below 10%. What is the cause of this phenomenon? Advertising agencies and big corporations would like to say people are demanding more food. In reality I believe people are just being bombarded with more food.  They are manipulated into eating, smelling and thinking about food 24/7. It’s an obsession. But it is so common and "normal" to be surrounded with food billboards and restaurants everywhere that we do not see the problems with it.

 In urban neighborhoods where a lot of lower income families live, fast food is a staple. There is a fast food restaurant on almost every corner. It is no coincidence that these cheap, unhealthy restaurants are located in the poorer neighborhoods. They are put there on purpose because the people “need” cheap, fast food. We all have been informed of how bad fast food really is for people. We see the affects everywhere. But when an overweight person dies from a heart attack because they were too heavy and were eating tens of thousands of calories a day in McDonalds, we don’t feel too bad for them. We tend to think to ourselves, "Well they should have just stopped eating all that junk. They know it’s bad for them." But could it be that this food is addictive? That maybe this food was created to be addictive and unfullfilling? I'd say the answer is yes. At the same time that obesity is rising, other serious eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are afflicting more and more people. Our country has become image obsessed. The diet industry is profiting from feeding us junk and then taking the pounds off. What we don’t realize is that how are they going to keep getting that money if we don’t keep cycling. Therefore people are struggling with food, and body issues more than ever before. It is mind boggling as to how people are profiting off of others illnesses but they are. The only way to stop it is to inform, make people aware and to realize that our bodies deserve respect. Diet, junk and unrealistic goals are cycling. Balance is the key.

Equal Education: Fact or Fiction

                               
 By Joshua Lynch
                                       Equal Education: Fact or Fiction?

    The lesser more detached minds would argue that "the level of education that a child receives is solely their responsibility." As ridiculous as that statement is in and of itself, they would justify this argument with an all too familiar defense, "it's all about equal opportunity, not equal results. Well, there are many things clearly wrong with these two arguments. One being that how could we expect a child to grasp the responsibility of its future, when their brains aren't even mentally developed enough to do all of their times tables! The second rebuttal requires a more in-depth look, "Is education really equal?  " The answer to that is "NO".

There are many factors that a little too conveniently cause some children to receive a lesser quality education. One of the biggest factors are that we rely on property tax to fund our schools. Well, if property tax varies from location to location, and property tax funds school(which means funding varies), well how exactly can educations be equal? It can't, because the amount of funding a school receives directly determines the amount of resources available to these children. so if a school can't afford up to date books and students are required to learn from books that are no longer relevant, which ultimately means that that the sum of their knowledge is not relevant. Thus increasing the gap between them and their competition. One of the major and most important resources that these inner city, low funded schools often lack is access to good teachers. The job of a teacher requires that they enjoy their job. Because if a teacher is interested in these children and their education then that allows the kids to feel a sense of worth. And if a teacher isn't being paid enough,and is struggling to make ends meet, then how on earth can they enjoy their job. And if they can't provide that caring intimacy between teacher and student, then that deprives the child of feeling self worth. And I know from personal experience, that when a teacher shows that they care, it can push even the most lost child to do better for themselves. So not only does a lack of money effect the material resources of a child, but it also deprives them of important emotional resources that are a major part of the educational process.

Another factor that comes into play when having the conversation of equal education is a child's home environment. It's hard for a child to go to school and concentrate if he hasn't eaten a meal last night, or the morning of. Also looking at the system of values that often come with living in an impoverished inner city neighborhood. Due to the lack of return from a poor education, people often cling to the material. Because that is more immediate, it can be touched, so it's hard for a kid who is being picked with to worry about school when his peers are telling him he just needs to be fly. This can cause a young, pressured mind to stop school and resort to other means to make money.

There are so many socio-economic factors that come into play when talking about educational inequality. The argument equal opportunity not equal results is complete nonsense and is just the lazy way out of dealing with our problems as a nation. The problem is that we as a nation are so fixated on race that we see education as a competition. We see it as a means of affirming which race is more intelligent the the next. But, the sad thing is that as we deprive others, in the end we deprive ourselves because we're a nation first. Our country is like a centipede, we're all legs, if one fails, then the others have to pick up the slack. So it's mutually beneficial if we made an effort to educate EVERYONE. If we continue down the path that we're headed, then we will continue to fall behind as a nation globally

Can You Spell 'Education'?

Written by: Samantha Mesa     

    Sometimes people don’t understand what it’s like to have a great teacher that makes you fall in love with a certain subject, or topic. Fortunately, I’ve had many experiences with great teachers that have made me enjoy coming to school every day. Other times, one may question a teacher’s reason for choosing the profession in the first place. My sophomore year of high school, I had a geometry teacher who made me love math, more than I ever had in my life. In the beginning of the school year, I found out that I was going to have geometry first thing in the morning at 8 am, which was completely insane, in my opinion. Words couldn’t explain how fearful I was because I thought I was going to fail everything I did in that class. Thankfully, the moment I got there, my mind was changed. My teacher had been able to get my attention and made me understand everything I was learning. Then, that same year, I had a social studies teacher named Mr. Boyle, and I was convinced the only reason he became a teacher was to ruin everyone’s life. He gave us papers and work to do and never went over anything in class. That teacher had been working at my high school for about 20 years, and was said to have ‘given up’ on everything. While in class, he sat at his desk, attempted to teach, and when he felt the students weren’t listening, he gave up and let them run the class. This teacher has tenure, which according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is, “the right to remain permanently in a job.” This professor is under a contract that allows him to keep his job, regardless of his performance as a teacher. Waiting for Superman, a documentary by Davis Guggenheim, shows this situation perfectly. In the film, Guggenheim follows 5 students and shows their struggles for a better education. Throughout the movie, the students are shown trying to get picked to enter some of the best schools in their areas and examines why schools and the education system, as a whole, is failing. He also presents copious amounts of statistics that back up his claims of teachers not doing an adequate job. By the end of the film, he presents the harsh realities that a lot of children that go to school are not being taught the necessary amount of things for the child to succeed. The film Waiting for Superman, by Davis Guggenheim, details a growing problem of inadequate teacher performance in the public school system, citing tenure abuse and lowered standards of educational expectations as a source of declining student proficiency.
    Public schools around the United Sates have declined in their abilities to educate students. Throughout the US, most, if not all, states are completely below their goals for student proficiency amongst 8th graders for math and reading. According to statistics in Waiting for Superman, only 14% of 8th grade students in Mississippi are proficient in math and in Pennsylvania only 26% of students are proficient in reading by the 8th grade (qtd. in Waiting). Also, it has been found that when students have high performing teachers, they’re likely to advance three times as fast than those with a bad performing teacher. This shows exactly why it’s important to have a good teacher. Even with the differences in teaching abilities, these teachers are being paid the same as those performing worse. On top of the fact that these teachers are getting paid the same, a low performing teacher is likely to only cover 50% of the material required each year, whereas a high performing teacher can cover 150% (qtd. in Waiting). Some of the unlucky students are then left without a proper education and would probably fall behind a grade level or two because they got stuck with a teacher who wasn’t doing their job, and a child could be deprived of an education they deserve. It is clear that a student cannot be blamed for poor teaching, therefore, one must understand why poor teaching is tolerated in the public school system.
    One of the main problems detailed in, Waiting for Superman, is the ongoing issue of tenure and tenure abuse. Tenure is usually given to teachers that have been working at their schools for more than 3-5 years. Some teachers in public schools are granted tenure by law, after they’ve gone through a trial period, and may not be dismissed without first going through a year-long process and a public hearing in which charges of incompetence or misconduct must be proven. Also, in America, many children do not meet the criteria for grade-level advancement in schools due to insufficient teaching, leaving them unprepared for future challenges both in school and in their careers. Few have seen the astonishing statistics showing student proficiency in math and reading throughout the United States, but it’s also not really a surprise to some that students aren’t doing so well. In conclusion, more work must be done in this country in order to eliminate bad teachers and raise the standard at which teachers are held accountable so as to allow good teachers to thrive. The future of America rests on the back of education reform, but if the current problem should persist for too long, there may not be enough people left to bring about improvement if they don't even know how to spell it.

                        

Education is an expensive future

by: Loren Hall

Education is the key to creating a future. American citizens who earn a college degree make a much more considerable amount of money than those who don’t have one. There was once a time where people could get by with a sixth grade education. Those times have LONG passed. Then there was the era where simply having a high school diploma would suffice, but those days are gone as well. In today’s society, it is almost impossible to find a job to live and thrive off of without already possessing a degree. However, for us African Americans, it’s not that simple.

We are stuck in a viscous cycle that is keeping us down. We want to go to college to get an education and get ahead in the world, but we can’t advance because of one simple problem. We can’t get into the colleges. In general, White Americans have a better education than we do because they can get into the prestigious schools, like Yale, Harvard and Princeton. African Americans make less money, live in poorer neighborhoods, and live in conditions that do not allow them to make the money necessary to achieve. I can use myself as an example. Straight out of high school, I was accepted to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida. I went there for one semester, and was already in debt. Coming from a low income family, we didn’t have the money to pay for the school. People on the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum would argue that FAFSA is there to help us,. In my situation, they gave me as much aid as they were willing to give us and there was still a $5000 balance left that my family was unable to pay.

Because of the pressure put on society, we were unable to get any loans to pay it off so I had to leave. I am now at Community College of Philadelphia, the one place I did not want to end up. Community colleges are designed to be much cheaper, with a perceived poorer education than one of the high end schools, and there for the majority of minorities end up at these schools. Hundreds of African Americans are in the same predicament as I am. At Community College of Philadelphia, 73% of its population is non-white. However, at Temple, a more prestigious Philadelphia school, 60% of its population is white in contrast to its only 14% African American population.

We don’t have money because we don’t have education, and we don’t have education because we don’t have money. It’s an impregnable cycle that needs to be addressed.

Education Plays a Major Role in Today Society

By Jennifer V

Education,future

         Education is highly important in today society. Education is a formal process of learning in which some people consciously teach while others adopt the social role of learner. Education plays a major role in everyone life without education a person will not get far in life. Education prepares a person to adapt to new skills and value that will be very essential in today society.

  

     In the pictures above it represent a diploma, money, and inspiring word that also motivate people to continue with their education. Having an education also means having money a better future and having all the knowledge that a person needs in order to be successful in everyday life. By having an education can also mean happiness because when having an education a person can feel proud of their self that they accomplish a goal in their life, and are able to get a job in the future. Having a high school diploma is still better than having no degree at all, but it won’t get a person a good job in the future. Going beyond high school and getting a college degree is a smart choice because the higher the education the better opportunities a person can get. Just by going to school and getting an education can help people learns new skills and learn the value of an education.

      Many children go to school and gain plenty of skills. Families with all the right resources have their children enrolled in preschool education. To help their children learn and adapt to new skills. Sometime the people from the low income families are denied the opportunity for preschool education because they do not have the right resources and don’t have enough money. I consider that all children should have the rights to have preschool education whether you’re a low income family or not. Being denied preschool education will not allow a child to be advanced for when they go to kindergarten and it will not allow them to learn new skills such as, holding a crayon, pencil, or identifying shapes and colors. This is all very important and all children should know how to do these things when they are young.  Education help people learn how to read, write, and do math also they learn other languages. Learning to do all these things helps children prepare for the future. Everyone needs to learn how to write for whenever a person gets a job or for filling out forms and etc. Also, reading is very essential because there’s important signs everywhere, there words and books everywhere, even on the Internet. Reading is a good way to gain a lot of knowledge. Math is also an important thing that everyone should know. Math allows a person to count money so a person won’t get gaged at the store or mall. Everyone use math a lot in today society because numbers are everywhere. Learning a new language can be very beneficial because it allows a person to be bilingual and knowing more than one language can be very essential when maintaing a job or just in life.

       Many people value their education. By having an education opens up plenty of opportunities. The higher the education the more money and better employment a person will have. In today society many people are starting to value education more because According to the U. S Department of Labor and Census Bureau seventy five percent of future jobs are likely to want at least a license or certification so many people are trying to get the education they need to go to college and try to have a bright future. Just by having a college education and degree get a person to have more option to open employment than opposed to a high school diploma or a dropout person. Valuing your education is worth much more in today society than it was in the past.

      Having an education is very essential and everyone should take advantage of their education. An education will help a person be prepared for the “real world”. Education allows people to have lots of skill and knowledge and it’s always good to learn new things each day because the skill you learn in school you use outside of school. Having a preschool education and having a high school diploma is really good, because it can help a person be successful especially if a person goes beyond high school. Having a college degree is more beneficial in today society, because it’s good to have a high school diploma because you can go to college, but more jobs now in days prefer a person to have some type of certification or at least an associate’s degree. I consider everyone should know the value of an education and know that having an education is just for a person own good.

By: Ashleigh Niemiec

Home schooling - Pros & Cons

Home schooling is also known as home education usually taught by the parents. This forms of education has been growing in the past few years from seven to 15 percent. It was common before in the past when schools were far away and children were taught at home. But home schooling has many pros and cons that effects both the students and the parents. The success of the students lies with the proper instruction, the student themselves being motivated when it comes to studies and the parents who is teaching the courses.

The pros for homeschooling would include educational freedom meaning learning at their own pace, no peer pressure or bullying to disrupt the learning process. Many believe home schooling allows both the students and parents religious freedom. It is easier to take the students to museum and other cultural events that would support and stimulate the learning process. But the most important accepts are closer family relationships and more one on one learning. The students do not have to deal with other disrupted kids that takes time away from the learning process. Students are not subjected to drugs, alcohol or other bad behaviors. Less time is lost each and everyday commuting to and from school.

Home schooling also have many cons to the education process. Many students miss out on the socialization process that they would get if they were in a school. Another worry among parents that wish to home school their kids if their own ability to teach correctly. Many home school students are shocked when they graduate and move onto college and have to deal with the large amount of students in the school and in each classroom. They are used to a one on one learning in a quiet setting.

If you weight the pros and cons of home schooling, you will find that home schooling is a good choice for both the students and parents if they have the time, energy and motivation. Some students even take home school courses online.  Every parents must weight the pros and cons for their own children to see if it the best situation for everyone. Statistics shows that home schooled students are at least 4 grade levels ahead from the 8th grade on over the students who go to a regular school.

     

Urban VS. Suburban School Districts

By: Tai Virgil

"The better the educational system, the higher advantage and opportunity at success you will have." Many would argue against, but I myself would agree.
As children, our developmental years of education are some of the most important as they shape, mold and teach us the keys to success. At a young age, although we may rarely realize it we are taught the importance of life lessons such as etiquette/behaivor, dealing with the opposite sex in an appropriate manner, following directions, and punctuality (just to name a few). What we take from these lessons normally prepare and prep us for the "real world", a world full of people with drive, ambition and most of all competition.

Unfortunately, not every child will receive the same quality of education, one of the main reasons being location. With statistics showing that students attending suburban school districts graduate at a much higher rate than those who don't, it raises the question if the quality of education that you receive determines your success. Being as though, school districts are funded by taxpayers throughout the city/town, the more money that it cost to live within an area the more money it is that goes towards the educational system of that area. In most cases, rural areas pay higher taxes than urban areas, leaving the educational system with an advantage funds wise.

Regrettably, children do not have the ability to chose where they live meaning that the educational system provided to each child is a gamble. Those who are fortunate enough to live in an area in which may offer a better educational system are provided with a higher advantage of success just through the tools offered to them. These tools include better books, more up to date technology, and sometimes even what may be considered as better “certified teachers” by society’s standards just through the use of funding.

Studies show that students who live in urban environments often change schools more frequently than those living in suburban environments in hopes of seeking for better education. In reality, it's the parents seeking brighter opportunities for their children. But, unfortunately the constant mobility of moving from school to school impairs a child's aptitude, causing them to become below grade level in the subjects of reading and math.

Because urban environments are labeled as violent and belligerent just through the showcase of media, many teachers are afraid to make the decision to work there. Causing not only staff to be scarce, but also breeding a sense of precaution when working with students. This causes a disconnect between the teachers and students, causing the educational connection from teacher to student to become less than heartfelt. It then becomes to the teacher "just a job".

It's important that we get our school districts all on one accord. Each child has an equal amount of potential when starting their first years of schooling, but in order to exercise this potential we must provide the necessary tools. This means that we must understand that students from different environments will go through different issues and problems so teachers must assess and assert themselves differently to get through to students. Suburban kids will not go through the same issues as urban kids. What they may see while walking to school in the morning, will not be the same as what one will see riding the bus. We must encourage teachers to become a louder voice and larger advocate for these issues. Budgeting must be made in the correct manner, while prioritizing the necessities of schools in each area. This means, we must make sure people that are in positions to do such jobs are qualified and motivated to take on such a large job.


This is a video of teachers a from New York City school district who speak about the issues of urban education.