A story from James O

“I got my first piercing! My eyebrow now has a piece of metal through it, which is a little creepy to think about, but I really like it. This is a piercing that I’ve been considering since I was 15, but didn’t get until a week before my 19th birthday. I was always a little bit nervous… What if it became infected? What if I didn’t like how it looked? What if it hurt too much? I was plenty nervous walking into the piercing studio (Yankee Tattoo in Burlington VT) but I managed to calm the butterflies in my stomach and push through the fear.
     My sister recommended the place, and I’m glad that she did. It was very clean and professional, and the piercer was very gentle and kind, despite the dozen or so pieces of metal on his face and ears. He explained the procedure very carefully to me, and I didn’t even have to see the needle, which was a huge relief. There was a moment, while I was lying back on the chair waiting for him to prepare his needle, that I thought I wouldn’t be able to go through with it. I almost walked right out! But I overcame my fear. The needle hurt, yes, and my eyebrow was so bruised that I looked like I was wearing mascara for about a week, but it was worth it! I think it looks great.
     I really like how the piercing looks, but besides the visual aspect, I like the significance of the piercing. I was terrified to get the piercing done, but managed to conquer my fears. Every time I see it in the morning, I feel proud of myself, and when I feel discouraged or helpless, I can remember that pain and fear are only temporary obstacles to success that you can overcome.”

pic by bradhallart 

If there every were financial institutions that deserved some positive sentiment it is the Community Banks and Credit Unions in the thousand communities throughout the United States.  These past few years have only reinforced their importance and underscored that their mission of a financial institution serving their community is the right one. 

It would seem to imply that financial reform should make large financial institutions accountable to those communities in which they reside. 

It would seem to show government that not having loose underwriting standards does not prevent home ownership.  It is really about knowing your customer and the community in which they live.  A computer or person acting like a robot processing paper is not the means to serve a community and build a strong financial institution.

So I congratulate the Community Bank and Credit Unions for not only providing its members with sound financial products but for providing better financial information as well. 

 Pic by shorrbrad

Any time there is a prohibition against a government entity from entering into a business sector it reminds me of self dealing.  This prohibition is not like those patents that provide for so many years without competition to allow for a business to cover their costs of bringing to market the product. 

A fundamental right for communities to have access to affordable electricity, cable, Internet, and phone should automatically require the abolishing nationwide of any law that prevents local governments or cooperatives  from building an infrastructure when the private sector will not. 

If Congress is serious about creating opportunities for growth then it will take the hand cuffs off any entity that can create that opportunity. 

pic by robin hutton

All in the Interpretation!  When it comes to deciding how to support education it is easy to notice that school materials are in a short supply or restricted for students in the public education system.  Nonprofits can make access to school materials a problem of the past if the local school district is willing to work with the nonprofit community.  Each District school should just make sure it sets the standard for what it needs.  Otherwise, the school will get the interpretation of what others call quality and quantity. 

pic by Robin Hutton

Stop thinking so hard on how to have a philanthropy inititive in tune with your business.  There is a great example. 

Stop thinking so hard on how as a nonprofit your organization can participate in education.  There is a great example.

Check out the Simon Youth Foundation as an educational alternative solution for Districts whom do not want the Charter school choice.

It is just one way for nonprofits and businesses to learn how to change their design and focus to join the education effort. 

Pic by Robin Hutton

Passing laws for the purpose of educational reform will not result in an improved educational system.  It takes change by individuals in Public Education schools to bring about dramatic improvement in students that are not achieving.  Lowering standards to allow students to graduate does no one any good if the result is a student whom is ill prepared for the work force or college. 

Educating students is not suppose to be easy under the current time limits.   It is easy to sit still and have time pass without the student participating.  It is easy to blame someone else for the failure of the education system.  It is easy to talk about change but takes time and energy to produce successful outcomes. 

So stop sitting back and get involved in changing education. the tools are there but it needs your effort to implement the change in your community.

pic by robin hutton

It is time to bring technology to the forefront in education to provide students the skills to be prepared for participating in the 21st century.  Nonprofits should help bring the Ebook solution to education and to its employees.  Taking advantage of these learning tools are effective for staff training and are sensitive to time constraints. 

Educators are supposed to know better about how to deliver education to the students.  However, there so many students failing or dropping out that it is creating a crisis.

One of the largest growing segments of the education system is home schooling due to the lost confidence in public education. 

Charter schools are the one means to keep families engaged in public education because it allows a level of parent involvement that does not exist at district schools.

Students respond to a confused system of priorities with the means they know best to communicate, emulating the education system’s means of communication. 

Maybe it is time we let students tell the educators how they wish to be prepared for the 21st century and achieve their best!

pic from PBS HAWAII.ORG

Students have the right to demand equal access to a good education even if it means the need to remote into the right course online.  The web needs to become a utility that all citizens have the right to access.  It is during periods of budget cuts that the education system shows its commitment to underachieving students to be weak.  While the district schools that state it is not their fault that students fail, they also fail to admit the fundamental problem that one approach does not fit all students.  The use of technology, especially the web, has been shown to bring access to learning. 

The public library is a critical source of such access and the Internet has opened this resource, where distance and time prevented access previously.  The public library system should be incorporated into all public schools as their library resource to equalize access.  This will further increase library access to neighborhoods and be safe havens for learning. 

pic from PBS HAWAII.ORG

What is 21st century learning? 

• Outcome based
• What students know, can do and are like after facts learned
• Learning by analysis and evaluation
• Research driven
• Active participation
• Global classroom approach through classmates and others around the world
• Student-centered
• Co-learners
• Integrated and interdisciplinary curriculum
• Grades based on what was learned
• A lot of student freedom
• Self, peer and others assess work
• Curriculum connected to students’ interest and real world
• Project based opportunities are used for learning and assessment
• Curriculum and instruction address student diversity
• Literacy goes beyond traditional 3 R’s of reading writing and math aligned to living and working globally
• Global model based upon a high tech society
• Education not driven by NCLB and standardized testing
• High expectation