For the Strength of our Nation

    Both sides too often consider that they have the corner on the for good ideas. They don't see their own holes in their arguments and plans and when they get the opportunity they try to cram weak, foolish, and near tyrannical legislation. Is this the way that things should be?

    The answer to the above question is a resounding no! Yet who is to blame for so low a state that we are in? The answer us the American people we are the ones to blame for so poor a job we have done in governing ourselves. For too long we have been content with what was. We became complacent and we failed to examine out lives and ourselves. We took material goods as a sign that we are a favored people. However once those goods were taken from us we became a straw man.

   It is time for the American people to wake up and ask the big questions on government. They should ask what they can do for this country not what this country can do for them.

    America rise up and shake of the chains that bind you. Today my readers look back on the history of America. Look back to our patriots and remember there sacrifice. Consecrate this day to that sacrifice. Dedicate your lives today to changing the political sphere in your community and your nation. It is only through active and engaged citizenry that a nation can be changed. Today is our time middle of the road Americans. Today is the only time we have for tomorrow is as yet unknown and yesterday has passed us by. The coming storm can be abated if we act united in our purpose.

    We are the nation!

The Importance of History

    You know there are a lot of people around that believe that history is a useless subject and should be given less and less time in the classroom. What kind of stupidity is that? Those history detractors state that memorizing dates and battles are unimportant in getting a job, and in that respect they are right. Memorizing dates is completely useless. That however is not the primary function of a good history class. No from my experience history teaches a student to take a bunch of different accounts from numerous perspectives and discover the truth from various agreed upon and established facts. Tell me detractors how is this not useful in any job you take or in life in general?

    There is though another and even more important reason to study history. That is we can start to see patterns in human behavior and history. Let's look at an interesting and recent phenomena. This to be more specific is the Nazi's rise to power in Germany. The Nazi's rise to power centered around violent rhetoric and action all the while they had a scapegoat. For the Nazi party's message to get through though they had to have one uncontrollable element in their favor. That element was fear. Through the deft manipulation of fear and the use of violence the Nazis rose to power by blaming all their problems on a single minority group the Jews. The Nazis spread false stories about how it was the Jews who ruined their economy and how the Jews lost the war for the Germans. Does this sound familiar to a certain party centering around a hot beverage?

    There are certainly elements that are very similar with the Tea Partiers and what the Nazis were saying. Am I saying that the Tea Party are cold blooded killers bent on the Mexicans death. No, well at least not yet. What I am saying though is that we are starting down the same path that the Germany did so many years ago. This can be stopped if we allow it to. If we know the patterns, which fortunately most of us do.

    What of the next generations if their history education is cut. Will they be able to recognize patterns that they would not know existed. Would they be able to understand the issues they are facing have connections to their ancestors problems?  Of course not how can someone know something without being taught.

    Humanity's essence is habits and patterns that is the way we are. Our history is our future.

The Quagmire that is Science Education

 

    I have been reading recently a lot of lamentations from science educators that their programs are insufficient in properly instructing students in their respective fields. I have also read that there is a certain deficiency in students learning math as well. To continue on with this general feeling of woe and despair it has been noted that unless we get more math and science in our students brains that our national security will be at risk. What is the solution...more SCIENCE! Yes since forcing something down a students throat has worked so well in the past (that was sarcasm BTW). That approach in my estimation is part of the reason why students are avoiding math and science like the plague because it is forced down their throats constantly. In fact in my experience I have found that all the science education I received was...useless. I was inundated with facts and figures yet what did I truly learn? Nothing! It wasn't until far later in life that I realized what should have been taught and that I had a natural gift for. That is critical thinking and reasoning. That is all science is observing the world around you and drawing conclusions. If educators would focus on teaching these skills through science then there would be more success in these fields.

    I think that it would be safe to say that students know when something is practical in the "real world," or the world in which most students will work with IE not science land. This "real world" tends to mean working at desk jobs where knowing how Saturn got its rings is...irrelevant. For some it will mean hammering in a nail. Knowing what gas is noble is useless. For a lawyer arguing a personal injury case knowing what phylum a certain insect is in is useless. Do you see where I am going with this? Most facts that are taught in science are useless outside of a science class for the majority of the population. However the skills that science requires are necessary for most people to be successful. The most important skill is deductive reasoning. If science classes were designed to develop a students skills in deductive reasoning and showed its application in everyday life then the student would be more likely to engage in the learning process.

    Sure some might say well that still doesn't solve our problems. I would disagree now instead of turning students away from science we are opening their eyes to the wonders of the world around them. Is this not science? With wonder will come discovery which could turn students to a career where there lives are filled with both the awe of wonder and the thrill of discovery.
   
    What is needed is not more classes in science simply a different and better way of relaying the skills that science needs that will be applicable to everyday life. Change in education is needed so why not change here?