Everything to Everything

I am starting to really enjoy the title to my blog. My twitter account holds the same title but for character limitations it is EverythingtoEve. Interesting huh? I am falling for this name! It is kind of fortuitous or coincidental considering how my feminist nature and side of me is growing. Everything to Eve. My title is to cover my back since I have an opinion on just about everything...hence everything to everything... but I am tempted to adjust for the accidental brilliance of my twitter handle.
Hmm choices and possibilities....

So What is Going On?

      I saw this on Huffington Post and wasn't all that surprised since every news channel says the same thing over and over again without really giving any real information.

Learn More From Colbert Than Actual "News"

Also, Arne Duncan the Secretary of Education for our United States tweeted:
  "Great teaching rather than test prep will always help our students be most successful. Challenge the status quo if necessary." @ARNEDUNCAN

       Interesting coming from a supporter of Common Core implementation in schools. Feel free to look of up the standards of Common Core and what it means but it has increased standardized testing. Also, if students don't do as well as they are supposed to on the tests then the schools won't get funding or will get a bad "grade" and the school suffers. Not just because of Common Core but also the No Child Left Behind Act.
This is my logic:

• Teachers need to focus more on standardized test to make sure students pass.
• Teachers don't have as much time to help students gain skills to become learners instead of mesmerizers.
• What do students really get out of school? Do the tests really represent a prepared student for college?
• Teachers spend the time the students need on the subjects and material that will aid students to become learners and understand material.
• Students might not get the scores "desired" on standardized tests that are required.
• School doesn't look like it is successful.
• School could get a bad "grade".
• Teachers get fired and school is reorganized.
• New teachers and faculty put in till the school's grade does better.
• Will the constant change be good for students?
• Are the priorities really in the right place for students?
• Who really gets shafted in this situation?
• Teachers and students!

    Honestly, new teachers that have been coming into schools want to improve the classroom and be a good influence on the kids they teach. There are schools that are having trouble and students who get the brunt of being on the "wrong-side" of the tracks. But, it is up to the states to decide such things. Sadly, the Federal Government has been encroaching on the states powers. They could oversee and help support states in their initiative to help their schools be better but not put forth their own legislation. But I encourage whoever reads this to make up their own mind and take action.

Frustrated Parent on Common Core

I don't know if apathy drives conformity or just trust in the government but we as a people are allowed to speak up and direct government to do the right thing. I honestly want to trust the government but alas sometimes things get off balance.

What Can I Say?

I really don't know what to say or how to say it. How does one feel heard in this media connected world where there is so much noise? How does anyone make a difference? I could list off the things that I am not such as a celebrity or a person who has money to spare to get my voice heard but I won't. I can read and write and speak and walk. Even at this hour at night/in the morning I wrote to both political party sites to express my concern with the complete separation there seems to be between what the government officials do and what the people want. I also added that the parties have become way too big. As an entity, they have too much power. The power belongs with the people and we decide who we want in office and how we want to be governed without feeling the majority gets to make all the decisions. Hence political parties. Political parties aren't a part of the being fabric of our country and government. The founding fathers did talk about parties in the system as a way of preventing ruling factions. Ruling factions were a big problem even after the constitution was ratified by the states. Anyways, beyond the history there is the present and the future. 

I am more thoughts about how to at least feel like I am trying to make a difference for good. It is completely overwhelming and self defeating to keep reminding myself of how my efforts probably won't matter or get through to top people. Or how there are too many causes/problems to be able to fix them all! (yes I feel the need to have things in control) So it calms me down to know that I can make a difference on a smaller level. Town meetings can be very informative and it is a place you will be heard in. People are more liable to listen and stay listening when I have sought out and became informed about the issues. I am still working on that. But that is a post for another day at a random time like this one. Starting a petition and going door to door works surprisingly well. Odds are people don't know what bills have been passed or what is going on! For instance, Common Core is program of sorts that most states are passing...One I don't remember voting. Two, why are we trying to mainstream information we teach kids in schools. I want to be a teacher and I want to be able to teach and have a point to my future job. This defeats the purpose of seeking learning and innovation, creativity, enhancement and everything else for students and schools. Yes there is some good intentions behind this federal government implementation. Yes the federal government that has no constitution power for education. Basically, if it isn't specifically said to be a federal government responsibility it is automatically a state's. 

Well, what can I say? It is a tough world out there to stand out and be heard and respected for them. It is okay to be respectful to those who disagree and to be respectful when disagreeing. It is easy to tell whether or not a person really wants something to work but how they respond to opposition. Not as easy as it sounds!!!! Hint is to wait before really deciding on the responses given. I hope to have some sort of response to share from my first attempts at getting my concerns out there.