Current Connectioin 2.1

In an article entitled "What You Need to Consider Before Having Kids" posted by Margarita Tartakovsky, an associate at physccentral.com, an award-winning mental health website, informs us that everyone should take a few questions into consideration before having a child.

Children are not toys; they are not property. According to Tartakovsky, "all the experts stressed the significance of both partners figuring out their motivation to have kids." Most people do not realize the selflessness that is necessary for raising a child. Feeling depressed at the thought of giving up random vacations and eating out all the time, parents should realize that they are not ready for a baby.

Babies cost quite a bit of money; therefore, the source of income needs to be rock solid instead of an unsteady slippery slope. "A baby brings new financial responsibilities and stressors," states Marter. Parents, feeling somewhat strapped for cash and barely making ends meet, will make a huge difference in financial stability for the future. Odds are, if ends are barely meeting, more stress will be added to an already stressed endeavor.

Marter also believes that we should achieve the "foundation of your educational, career or social goals as a childless adult." Being happy with accomplishing something professionally or creatively   may help the feeling of stress subside during the early years of parenthood. Once a baby is brought onto this earth, the resources of the parents will be limited.

Having a family, relating to unplanned pregnancy, makes this a text-to-self connection. I have witnessed the struggle of not being able to support a child financially and not being ready to bring a child into this world, and it is not easy. Individuals planning to become parents should plan out when  to have a baby because babies are not easy to raise or cheap to feed. One should ask his/her family to help, but once he/she asks too often the family may not continue further support. Just know that when the time comes to think about a baby be sure to cover every aspect needed for successful parenthood.

Parenthood is a huge step to take in life. If you've got most of these ducks in a row, chances are good that you will be well suited to take that leap.

 

 

Tartakovsky, Margarita. "What You Need to Consider Before Having Kids | Psych Central - Part 2." Psych Central.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013.

Current Connection: 1.2

A recent article entitled, "U.S. lags most countries in literacy, math, and computer skills," submitted by Lyndsey Layton, a writer for the Washington Post, informs us that U.S. adults are below average when it comes to skills required for success.

"Policymakers and politicians who wring their hands about the mediocre performance of U.S. students on international math and reading tests have another worry: The nations grownups aren't doing much better," says Layton. The first study ever conducted on adults in the United States and other countries, such as Australia and Sweden, proved that the average American adult is below standard when tested on skills required to survive in the global economy. With an education system that strives for perfection, one would expect that the adults in the United States would have proficient skills in each focus of this study.

"...our education system hasn't done enough to help Americans compete...in a global economy that demands increasingly higher skills," says Arne Duncan, Education Secretary. Many of the adults in this study appear to be individuals who were overlooked and under served in our education system. The test takers showed a large gap in their scores between the white adults and the black and Hispanic adults, and this is a problem in the U.S. public education system.

Jack Buckley, Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, said, "...Americans are decidedly weaker in numeracy and problem-solving skills than in literacy..." The most educated test takers scored higher than average in literacy and lower than in math and digital skills. The test takers who either only completed high school or got their GED achieved very low basic scores; although, most had jobs or were working.

In essence, adults who have trouble in reading, math, solving problems, and using technology will have trouble finding financially stable employment. This problem effects the economical success of our country. What affect does a struggling U.S. economy have on the global economy? U.S. adults must be challenged so that their skills can be improved.

Current Connection 1.1

In a recent article submitted by Education in America entitled "Oregon Works to Improve Rural Schools," Education in America informs us that students going to rural schools in Oregon are being impacted by the scarcity of resources in three ways: 1) educational programs 2) student learning and 3) student opportunities.

Educational programs are lacking because the schools in rural areas are "long distances from school services offices.. schools do not have the access to the support they need in order to effectively provide for students." When the students are lacking in education materials, they are not being taught to the fullest potential. As I am in a public school, in a small county, we normally do not have trouble getting text books and the supplies needed for all of the students.

According to statistics provided by Education in America, "13.2 percent of the population of those rural areas had not completed high school." During this time, approximately 2 months ago, the poverty rate was very high. 18.9 percent of poverty in rural areas compared to 16.8 percent in urban areas, is a big difference. Due to such a high poverty rate, students may have had to drop out of school just to help their parents get by. With all of these students not finishing high school, it effected the student learning.

Rural parts of Oregon have unique obstacles. "Mill jobs in these regions, once readily available and relatively high paying, have dwindled in recent decades," states the text. Seeing how Oregon used to have an ample supply of forest and lumber, it is hard to believe the economy has crippled. With jobs lacking, student opportunities are beginning to dissipate.

When I sit down to watch the new at night, a common theme seems to be that America has a high unemployment rate and limited opportunities for those with little to no educational background.

Oregon's statewide initiative seeks to remedy limited educational programs, student learning, and student opportunity for employment. By improved communication through a network of educational stakeholders and representatives from across the state, they hope to increase student success in these areas.

Reading Bucket List

1. Fifty Shades Darker, E.L. James
    I read the first book, Fifty Shades of Gray, so now I have started reading this book. So far this series is a very good one. You should not listen to what everyone says about this book because everyone has their own opinions! It has a great story line and it keeps you interested the whole way through. I know I never want to put the book down!

2. Fifty Shades Freed, E.L. James
    It is the third and final book of the "Fifty Shades" series. It is a #1 Newyork Times Bestseller and I am sure it will be great just like the first two! I am not exactly sure how this one is supposed to go, but I cannot wait to find out! I started this series about a month and a half ago and I am already almost finished!

3. Columbine, Dave Cullen
    I have talked to people about this book and it seems that most of their reactions are along the lines of "It was a great book! I never wanted to put the book down!" I have heard it has excellent reserach about the school shooting and everyone loves it! I cannot wait to read it!

4. Delirium, Lauren Oliver
    From what I hear it is a really good book. I have read some other books by the author and she is a great writer. I do not really like stories that start out slow, but most people say that this book had them hooked within the first fifty pages!

5. Perfect Chemistry Series, Simone Elkeles
    I have had a few friends read this book and they really fell in love with it! I looked it up and started to read a little bit about it and it seems to me that I may enjoy it quite a bit. I love to read series, so that part made the books sound even better.

6. Heaven is For Real, Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent
    Many many many people have said that this boook really opens your eyes. A little boy that goes to heaven, watches his parents, and then lives to tell about it, that is pretty awesome. I love to read books or hear stories about things like this because it really lets me know and remember how great God is.

7. House of Night Series, P.C. Cast
    I started reading this series when I was not really into books, so I did not pay that much attention to the story and I just stopped reading them. What I can remember about these books, it seems that I really liked it. I have decided to give them another shot!

8. Girls in Trucks, Katie Crouch
    My grandma read this book, she said she really enjoyed reading it. She gave it to me in hopes that I would read and enjoy the book. I have not started it yet, but it seems like something I would be interested in reading.

9. Once Was Lost, Sara Zarr
    I was looking for a few books to read and I happened to come across this one. This book is very different than all the other books I have read. This book is about a girl and her dad is a preacher so she was raised to have faith in God and amazing grace, but lately she is losing her faith.

10. Story of a Girl, Sara Zarr
      As I was looking for books, I came across this book also. It is about all the things that teenage girls have to go through and how this girl, in particulary, deals with it. She gets caught with her older brothers best friend and she has to deal with all the crap that people seem to be giving her.

Sinking Ship

On the Tiatnic, many people were in the wrong, some of the people I would be able to forgive, like the officers. They were just as scared as everyone else and they really weren't expecting to hit an ice berg. They tried to the best of their ability, at the moment, to get all the people they could onto life boats. I would not be able to forgive the captain. As a captain it is your duty to protect all the people on the ship, and to pay attention to what you're doing. It says that he wasn't paying attention to the ice warning and he was going way too fast, he did not slow down for the ice berg, even though he knew he was about to hit one. He had to take all the blame for killing those people because they were his responsibility. 

Pity

No, this man does not deserve pity from anyone! He did this to himself, he made the decisions he made knowing what he was doing. He was in his right mind the whole time, he knew he was killing innocent people for no reason, at all. Now that he is on his death bed, suffering just like the people he killed, he wants forgiveness. All those Jews he killed probably wanted forgiveness too, but for what? They did nothing wrong in the first place, but nobody would ever listen to them. Nobody gave them a reason as to why they were being killed. This man is now realizing how wrong it was to do what he did because he is suffering, not even half as bad he made other people suffer. I guess they say karma is a "B" word for a reason, and now what's gone around is coming around for him. In the text he states, "When I was still a boy I believed with my mind and soul in God and in the commandments of the Church. Then everything was easier. If I still had that faith I am sure death would not be so hard." Now that he is realizing that he has lost God, he is saying that he could make it through death okay if he had not have lost him. He basically said that if he were still close to God, I wouldn't be asking you for forgiveness of what I have done.

The Forgiveness of Crack

"An unmarried woman continues to use crack cocaine during her pregnancy even after learning it could cause birth defects in her unborn child."  This woman should not be forgiven.  She is an irresponsible, self centered lunatic who is possibly causing her child to have a deformity.  She has the knowledge that her child could be harmed by the actions she has chosen and she still keeps doing them.  I know a woman who had a child out of wedlock that was using crack cocaine and many other drugs, and her child is now 28 years old with the mind of a 4 year old.  She still uses drugs and pays no attention to her son.  He has been through many years of being made fun of, but he doesn't know it.  His mother has made him suffer his whole life because of HER actions, and it is not fair.