Take Control of Your Culture - American Studies - Blog

The Seventh Son

In American Studies class i am reading a novel called "The Seventh Son".It is about a young boy by the name of Alvin Jr growing up. One of the questions that we were asked is What is more important on the frontier – the individual or the community? My response to this is that the community is more important than the individual.

During this novel, the people in the town basically depend on each other. For example, when they went to get the millstone. The all contributed to moving the logs down so the millstone could just roll down without being stopped.

Another example is when Alvin Jr stopped the millstone from rolling down with his leg. He knew that it would be painful but he did it anyways just to help out his family memebers. He messed up his leg, breaking bones. He sacrificed his well being for a millstone. He is demonstrating that his family is more important than his well being.

In conclusion that is why i think community is more important than the idividual itself.

 

 

Religon Is War.

Religion is a huge part of what America is and what we as a nation stand for. We have the right to practice any religion we want, other countries don't have this amazing attribute. Religion also makes many people very upset because they don't believe in what certain religions practice. What would happen if every country with different practices tried to change other countries into what they believe. An argument between all of the countries would be first, then one would get tired of arguing and go to war with that group of country. The reason this topic is being brought up is because in class someone stated that war and religon are soon to be hand and hand. I brought up that's a good point because the movie The Book of Eliwas based in the future after a nuclear war wiped out the majority of the population and leaving people left to have to survive on their own and rebuild what was once theirs. The reason for the war was because people wanted to delete religion from the way of life. People and governments started to destroy the bible and hide it's messages from people. This is why the war was started, I believe religion it's self causes many problems in the way people think and what they do. It is also the most touchy conversation for people because not everyone believes in the same way.

If I Were Sperintendent of Oak Park and River Forest High School

If I was the superintendent of Oak Park and River Forest High School I would gather a group of people who could make the school more aware of drugs. We already have people that inform teens that attend our school about drugs and what they could do to the body, but it is only limited to a few classes at a time. I believe that there should be assemblies, posters, t-shirts, books, and past drug users here to in front of the whole school at once to influence the kids not to get high, how to flee from peer presure, and even if they have already became dependent on a drug the atmospher would be more open for them so that they could feel comphortable about getting help.

What Safety Creates At OPRF

If I was the superintendent of OPRFHS then I would change the tardy policy because if students want to be late then that's on them. I don't think that the tardy policy creates safety at the school it just creates more hassle. An example of this is that when your originally late, you have to walk around to find a security guard or unless they sweep the hallways for you and then you have to get a machine made pass printed from the computer and sometimes that might take long depending on the circumstance. Students don't feel safe all because of a policy of being punctual. There is still more concerns with the school safety. The I.D. policy thing makes students feel safe because it creates a identity for everyone to insure that any non-OPRFHS student will be on school grounds.

New Rules on Deck Students!

Attention, Attention.  There are new rules that will be taking effect immediately.

No, not really.

But if I were the superintendent of OPRFHS I would definitely have to change this tardy policy. Truly, there is no positive side to it.  We as a school are wasting hundreds of dollars that could be used on improving our outdated textbooks or new additions on to the school.  These parents pay good money with their taxes and this isn't a way to spend it.  We just need to go back to the old system by which the teacher marks the student tardy.  Either way, it’s the students’ fault that he or she is late.  It’s the teachers’ responsibility to mark them tardy.  It’s going to interrupt class even more if the teacher has to answer the door and get the pass from the student.

Secondly, admins. try to say that being late risk the student's education.  But having the student go around the school and have to find a security guard with a faulty machine waste more time of his/her education.  Plus, the lines are too long.  The few seconds it takes for a teacher to mark absent students is much more reasonable than a child wasting up to 10-25 minutes of their class period.  It is time to take down this horrendous policy and do something better with our time.

Power To The Students

If I were the superintendent, I would create a student council where a group of students would express their views and opinons of OPRFHS students. Members of the council would be elected every quarter or so and would basically be the the voice of the students. If someone wanted the superintedent to here their opinion on a subject like the tardy policy or the new ID's, they can share their views with the SC, whom would discuss it with the superindent or other staff members. By creating this system, many chaotic situations would be avoided like the insident last year were a group of students protested the tardy policy. Students would also feel like the school is more democratic and fair instead of being some kind of a totalitarian autocracy where the OPRF supintendent rules the school with an iron fist.

OPRFHS Tardies and Policy

If i was the superintendent of the OPRFHS the changes that would be made would be a change in minutes we have to get to class. The change would be from 5 minutes to 7 minutes to get to class on time. Another change i would have would be that its necessary to have an ID but it is not mandatory to wear them throughout the day. With the tardy policy instead of it being for ever 4 tardies regardless on if they are different classes, you get a detention. I think that a student should get separate detentions for separate classes. Another change that i would have would have thinner P.E. uniforms and you should be able to pick the sports that you are interested in playing throughout the year. There also should be more lunch periods available throughout the day. 

Laptop Instead of Books

If I were the superintendent of Oak Park and River Forest High School I would instead of books and all the papers that go to waste I would have all the kids using laptops.  This would cut down on the price we pay for all the books that not every classes uses them.  It is just a waste of money to have all the books.

It would also cut down on the amount of paper we waste.  With all the handouts and miscellaneous papers floating around in students backpacks and on the ground.  It would just be the more "Green" of us to switch to laptops.

This change would be expensive in the beginning but in the long run it would save money because we would cut down on the recycling bills and the price of all the books that just sit on the selves half the time.  This is also a good thing for the students with just caring the laptop it would be less weight on their backs.

I.D. and Tardies

If I had the power to change rules affecting the safety of this school, I'd change this new I.D. policy. Instead of having to wear them around our necks, which nobody does and most staff do not enforce, the students would have random checks to see if they have their I.D.'s. This would happen weekly, in a class period.

A security guard would come around to each class and ask all students to pull out their I.D.'s. This would be recorded on the PlastoTrack system. It would be accumulative, like the tardy policy. The students would get 3 warnings before they would receive a detention. The teachers would be informed at the beginning of the week what day and what period a secrity guard would be coming to their class room to teach around without it disrupting class.

If I were superintendent would extend the passing periods from 5 to 6 minutes. As a student, you get side tracked easily by friends or what have you. We need the extra minute to get to class, and to go to our lockers, if needed. But the main reason that the time would be extended is for the students going from the Field House, all the way on the far south side of the school, to the fourth floor.

 There are only 2 staircases in the school that go to the fourth floor. The main stair case, which is always busy no matter what time of day or what period, an the white stairs, which are on the opposite end of the school, which would take 3 or 4 minutes just to get to frim the Field House. And then add 2 minutes to get up the congested stairs and you will be late. Then add in 5-10 minutes to get your tardy pass and you might have missed alot of class, so you would be behind in thewhole class trying to catch up.

New Rules On Deck

Lets see now if i were to be a Superintendent in OPRF i would change plenty of rules. But as i am limited to this job of mine then the one rule that i would destroy is the policy stating no ipods during school or any class. Now music can be very helpful for many students in this environment. Especially students who have a passion for music. It is a way that can motivate you to finish your homework.

The music should be at a decent volume so you can listen but at the same time be able to hear your music. That is something that will make alot of the students happy and feel more safe and confortable in the school environment.

A Change To OPRFHS

If I was Superintendent of OPRFHS I would take away the I.D. policy of having to wear your I.D. at all times and having to find a sercurity guard when you are late to class so you can get into class. Also, I wouldn’t allow the teachers to lock their doors when the bell rings. Instead I would just lock all door to the school besides the main entrance so that people can see who is coming in the school and random people wouldn’t be walking to school during the lunch periods when the doors are open. My reasoning for this is if you are late for class going and trying to find a security guard takes up time and takes away from class time.

cell phone restrictions in school

If I was a  superintendent of OPRFHS I would change the cell phone policy I dont think that Cell Phones are really hurting people or bullying in anyway so I really dont understand why we can have Cell Phones. I mean the only people that Cell Phones would create a problem for is teachers but I mean the studnets are already texting in class so there is nothing staff can do to stop that and if that student misses out on a leason because of texting then thats their problem but i think most students no how to multitask by that I mean learing and texting. Plus what if a studnet get a text message about a family member being hurt then their really going to check that message and reply to it, some teachers dont even let the studnets use the phones to make quick calls to parents. I would really want to change the Cell Phone policy.

Me in the future

My subject would only browden the interational groups in america. Music is a universal thing and the certain music I choose is rap. Rap isnt just about how much monet you have and what kinda car your drive. It is a poem a beat, that expresses your real thoughts about what you see around you. You dont have to be black to rap there are so many diffrent kinds of rap and thats what makes it all special. You can go from what we would say regular american rap to jewish rap to italian rap. Its all universal and in the end its just the same way of expressing yourself.

Future Brodcasting Exam

Hello My name is William Holloway coming from the 2050 Utopia and welcome to channel 2,568. Throughout this broadcast we will discuss one of the biggest controversies in America today and that is What stopped America from fighting wars? This big question has been rooming through the holograms today and everyone is wondering. Well today is the day that the big question will be answered. Today is the day that the big secret will finally be revealed. As you know, in the past years America has been known for defending its country and the citizens living in its country.

Moment of Silence

As we have discussed in class, the state of Illinois has passed a law saying that schools must have a moment of silence in the morning announcements. Although there are so many statements about how this wont cause controversy because it is strictly a chance to reflect, many will take this a a religious act. I think that overall it is a good idea but only if it works how they planned on it to. Many kids cant hear the announcements in the morning so it isn't relevant but for those teachers that enforce it, i wonder how things will work. What do you think will come of this?