In an article from a May 2001 issue of Education Week, Freda Schwartz, a high school English and journalism teacher, explained the importance of literacy and teaching journalism in American schools. Schwartz begins the article, titled Reading, ‘Riting, Reacting, the same way she begins her classes, with a thought provoking quote. “These give rise to discussion that take my students beyond the apparent horizons of literature we explore,” Schwartz said. The quote she cited for the article, and continues to use in discussion with her students is one written by Adolph Hitler in Mein Kampf: “How fortunate for those in power that the people don’t think.”
Schwartz explains that when she attended school, the categories of media were easy to identify, as there were typically only three: print, broadcast and film media. Print media, at the time, dominated the field, thus, literacy was an ‘absolute necessity.’ Today, however; there seems to be a decline in the public school curriculum regarding the ‘priority status of literacy’ (Schwartz 41). Ironic, Schwartz explains, while in today’s age, the need for literacy is much more important with the new and continuing change in media is so prevalent. Not only are there typically only three categories of media, but now, there are too many to count, it has become a ‘lightning-fast delivery of a vastly broader and broader based body of text.’ (41) “If anything,” Schwartz said, “our students need to be more literate than before, m ore proficient at deciphering, digesting, and interpreting text, and more proficient at creating it.”
In many schools, journalism is not a fully funded elective course (41), yet as Schwartz points out, the ‘skills taught in a journalism course involving the actual production of a publication are far too valuable to marginalize; just the necessity to learn editing skills makes such programming worth any funds allocated for it.’ (41) Also as pointed out in the article, students should not only be taught the skills of literacy in the class room, which in turn create thought provoked writing, but should also be taught integrity and the difference between fact and opinion. “If the pen is mightier than the sword,” Schwartz said, “why have we abandoned our obligation to teach our youths to appreciate that might?”
Schwartz explains that when she attended school, the categories of media were easy to identify, as there were typically only three: print, broadcast and film media. Print media, at the time, dominated the field, thus, literacy was an ‘absolute necessity.’ Today, however; there seems to be a decline in the public school curriculum regarding the ‘priority status of literacy’ (Schwartz 41). Ironic, Schwartz explains, while in today’s age, the need for literacy is much more important with the new and continuing change in media is so prevalent. Not only are there typically only three categories of media, but now, there are too many to count, it has become a ‘lightning-fast delivery of a vastly broader and broader based body of text.’ (41) “If anything,” Schwartz said, “our students need to be more literate than before, m ore proficient at deciphering, digesting, and interpreting text, and more proficient at creating it.”
In many schools, journalism is not a fully funded elective course (41), yet as Schwartz points out, the ‘skills taught in a journalism course involving the actual production of a publication are far too valuable to marginalize; just the necessity to learn editing skills makes such programming worth any funds allocated for it.’ (41) Also as pointed out in the article, students should not only be taught the skills of literacy in the class room, which in turn create thought provoked writing, but should also be taught integrity and the difference between fact and opinion. “If the pen is mightier than the sword,” Schwartz said, “why have we abandoned our obligation to teach our youths to appreciate that might?”
You know, life can change so fast... one second it's one way and the next everything has changed. This isn't quite a new concept, but sometimes that change hits us slowly and sometimes it hits us in a matter of seconds. Your heart hurts, your face feels hot, you don't know what to think much less how to think. But life... is what you make it, I suppose. I have been given life, a life that I'm not sure how I deserve it. Father has restored the time of hurt, yet many times I continue to try to learn lessons from a lesson or experience that is over and done with. I haven't learned the lesson of 'moving on.' but I feel this past week and this past weekend have been some significant steps forward in the right direction.
There are still hurts in my life, hurts that I'm not who I feel others need or want me to be, and then it hurts because I find that I'm trying to live for men rather than for Father. The lesson of simply living for Christ is one I'll learn constantly, I think... so that means, I must DAILY shed myself of my fears, of my selfsishness, of my desires, and walk through the gates and focus fully on Father. It's hard sometimes.. Life gets busy, I feel tired, sick, stressed and frustrated, effort to read the word or dwell in the things I need to is hard, especially when I feel I should be studying for a class... so how do I make my priorties a priority? How do I learn to live this semi-adult life while keeping Father first?
It's the age-old question, and I definitely don't have the answer... but I know that Father is calling me to him... and I must follow, and be obedient. Here's the thing.. is that in the midst of 'not knowing the answer' I know all the right answers, yet how to step out and act on those answers, that's the hard part.
I long to be humbled, to be broken, to see with Father's eyes, love with his heart, hear with his ears. And I long to not just say that and have it sound ideal, but I want that... in what is reality. How ironic that bible gateway's verse of the day is James 4:10, humble yourselves before the Lord...
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Also, Seth and I were talking yesterday on the way home from church about how it is really somewhat impossible to share the gospel soley through actions.... because the story of Christ requires more than actions, it requires words... Actions can lead to conversation, sure, but it is the conversation.. that leads to the telling of the gospel.
So.. are we sharing the gospel?
-Lara Nichole
There are still hurts in my life, hurts that I'm not who I feel others need or want me to be, and then it hurts because I find that I'm trying to live for men rather than for Father. The lesson of simply living for Christ is one I'll learn constantly, I think... so that means, I must DAILY shed myself of my fears, of my selfsishness, of my desires, and walk through the gates and focus fully on Father. It's hard sometimes.. Life gets busy, I feel tired, sick, stressed and frustrated, effort to read the word or dwell in the things I need to is hard, especially when I feel I should be studying for a class... so how do I make my priorties a priority? How do I learn to live this semi-adult life while keeping Father first?
It's the age-old question, and I definitely don't have the answer... but I know that Father is calling me to him... and I must follow, and be obedient. Here's the thing.. is that in the midst of 'not knowing the answer' I know all the right answers, yet how to step out and act on those answers, that's the hard part.
I long to be humbled, to be broken, to see with Father's eyes, love with his heart, hear with his ears. And I long to not just say that and have it sound ideal, but I want that... in what is reality. How ironic that bible gateway's verse of the day is James 4:10, humble yourselves before the Lord...
__________________
Also, Seth and I were talking yesterday on the way home from church about how it is really somewhat impossible to share the gospel soley through actions.... because the story of Christ requires more than actions, it requires words... Actions can lead to conversation, sure, but it is the conversation.. that leads to the telling of the gospel.
So.. are we sharing the gospel?
-Lara Nichole
"Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones you have broken my rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners shall be converted to You." Psalm 51:7-13
I resolve to be me, to be the person who I was created to be... to live in now, to not live in the past, to not live in the future... to worship my father with my mind, heart, soul and body....and i truly mean it..
- I serve the God who hears, I worship the God who sees me... all of us.He inclines his ear to hear.
- i like film cameras.
- i dislike that film is so difficult to find now... and that the boy at target doesn't know what film IS... what?!
- I like the words to "The more I seek You." I may have Laura sing that at my hypothetical wedding. Also Maurice is going to be a bridesmaid. He and I discussed it today. okay it's not a bridesmaid but we're going to figure it out.
- today I went to the dentist. tomorrow I am going to david's bridal, wednesday I'm going to the eye doctor. thursday i go.. HOME.
I like Bethany Dillon's version of Everlasting God.
I feel like Christ is silencing me. In more than one way. I lost my voice and have been given a temporary voice... a voice that is not my own... (i am sick..) but I very much feel like John's father Zachariah. Perhaps... father is teaching me obedience... we'll see...
life feels like it's changing a lot. I have no clue what tomorrow holds, but in ways it's exciting.
I feel like Christ is silencing me. In more than one way. I lost my voice and have been given a temporary voice... a voice that is not my own... (i am sick..) but I very much feel like John's father Zachariah. Perhaps... father is teaching me obedience... we'll see...
life feels like it's changing a lot. I have no clue what tomorrow holds, but in ways it's exciting.
it's 2009.
Dare I say it, but I'm very glad 2008 is over. It was probably the strangest (but needed) year of my life. I don't really want to relive it.
Dare I say it, but I'm very glad 2008 is over. It was probably the strangest (but needed) year of my life. I don't really want to relive it.
