If you think that times are bad, think again. Read “Nobody Knew” by Win Straube, available at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Nobody-Knew-Win-Straube/dp/0761842764/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226975122&sr=1-4
and find out that far worse times existed fairly recently, the sky didn’t fall after all, how survival breeds success.
Living through a country’s economic malaise can be a valuable lesson in ongoing education for dealing with the issues of the day. “Interesting times” and being “interested” are the price to pay for advancing in a continually changing, competitive world.
Enjoy and learn from “Nobody Knew”!
Hamilton Books, Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
Monday, November 17, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Raising the Bar In Higher Education
Higher education in the United States is in trouble. Despite a high number of college students, Americans still lag behind many other high-income countries in adult literacy. America’s colleges are graduating fewer engineers and computer scientists than some economic competitors — almost twice as many bachelor’s degrees in physics were awarded in 1956, the last class before Sputnik, than in 2004.
Condensed version reprinted from U.S.1 Newspaper by Scott Morgan
Kurt Landgraf, president and CEO of Educational Testing Services on Rosedale Road, made these points two years ago. In the statement, which coincided with the release of an ETS report entitled “A Culture of Evidence,” Landgraf pointed out that though we have tangible facts about certain aspects of higher education in the United States — how much it costs to attend college, which majors are popular, the number of Ph.D.s on the faculty — we do not know whether students really are learning.
Two years later concerns over what is being learned and how it is affecting the emerging workforce linger. “When it comes to higher education, we have a measure for almost everything but what matters most: actual learning outcomes at our nation’s colleges and universities,” Landgraf says. “Whether the United States remains competitive will depend in large part on the ability of our postsecondary institutions to prepare learned, high-performing graduates equipped for the global workplace.”
No one in charge. Higher learning, says Landgraf, is not adequately measured. Unlike K-12 schooling, which is kept under tight watch by No Child Left Behind standards, colleges have no overseer demanding accountability.
According to “A Culture of Evidence,” attention is paid to test scores, number of degrees granted by an institution, and where graduates are working, but not much is paid to the learning process itself. The report suggests a national system of accountability that measures workplace readiness, domain-specific knowledge and skills, “soft” skills such as creativity and teamwork, and the level with which students are engaged in their studies.
Such measures, says Landgraf, are still needed. And while America’s colleges are the world standard in higher education, the sheen is quickly dulling. Europeans, says Landgraf, are far ahead of American colleges in articulating what a person at various educational levels should know or be able to do. ETS is considering creating an “ETS Credentials Service” that would allow students to gather credentials, such as test scores, that employers could use.
Money. A major problem with attending college in America, says Landgraf, is that it is terribly expensive. “Rising costs putting college education out of reach of more Americans.” But while costs are rising, state and federal support for students and institutions is falling, Landgraf says. Turmoil in the banking and lending industries have forced several would-be lenders out of the college loan business and an increasing number of default loans are not helping. Where once lenders jumped at the chance to help, they now are backing away and leaving students with fewer ways to pay for college.
Price of a college education a major concern for Americans, Landgraf says. “The public is right to be concerned. The United States cannot afford to slip further.”
High school revisited. The academic quality of high school graduates is as much part of the problem as it is the result of their education, Landgraf says. A 2006 ETS study entitled “America Speaks” found that American students are entering college deficient in math and science education, as well as in basic business skills. The National Governors Association estimates deficits in basic skills cost high school graduates, colleges, and businesses $16 billion a year.
Schools, therefore, need to improve teacher-training programs and support professional development — particularly in math, science, world languages, and special education.
“The value of postsecondary education is undeniable,” Landgraf says. “America’s colleges and universities are among the finest in world and in history of human thought. But the U.S. is falling short of its own standards, and falling behind other countries. We need to recognize the urgency of situation or we will pay the price — and bear the burden.”
Condensed version reprinted from U.S.1 Newspaper by Scott Morgan
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Add Money Preparedness to Scout Motto!
In order to reach Eagle rank, Boy Scouts must learn financial smarts
(Condensed Version)
By Candice Choi
The Asociated Press
NEW YORK -- Whether it's backpacking, canoeing or picking stocks, good Boy Scouts approach all tasks with the same motto: Be prepared.
Perhaps because of their outdoorsy image, few realize that money management is a part of Scouting. To earn what's called the personal management badge, boys must know the difference between simple and compound interest and how mutual funds differ from CDs.
Last year, nearly 50,000 Scouts between the ages of 12 and 17 earned the badge, which is required to obtain the elite Eagle rank.
"I thought (money) was just about trying to save more than you spend," said John Yurgil, a 16-year-old in Livonia, Mich., who earned the badge last month.
Now he knows there are myriad ways to invest -- such as stocks, CDs and mutual funds -- and that each carries its own risks and rewards. The high school junior also tracked his budget over 13 weeks and mapped out a hypothetical blueprint for making a major family purchase, in his case a washing machine.
About five years ago, the badge's focus was expanded beyond savings to include material on investing and project management.
Requirements now include discussing how emotions influence spending and understanding the significance of a stock's 52-week price range and the importance of good credit.
"It's a part of walking into life well prepared," said Russ Hunsaker, a Scout leader in Salt Lake City who chaired the committee that rewrote the requirements for the badge.
Boys don't need to pass a test to get the badge, but they must demonstrate an understanding of the materials to their merit badge counselor, typically a volunteer from the financial services industry.
For about three months, Scouts meet weekly with their counselor one-on-one or in a group setting, depending on the local council. Few badges require such a long time commitment; many can be earned in just a day.
The badge is one of 21 boys must earn to become an Eagle -- a rank only about 5 percent of the 900,000 eligible Boy Scouts last year obtained. Because of the difficulty of earning the badge, it's often one of the last boys pursue, Hunsaker said.
That was the case for his son, Ellis, 17, who knew as little as most teenagers about managing money before earning the badge.
"I learned how to budget and save my own money, instead of just splurging. I learned about the stock market and different kinds of investments," said the younger Hunsaker, whose interest in the topic has since led him to enroll in a two-year business program at his high school.
Many adults today could have benefited from such early exposure to finance, said Ellen Siegel, a certified financial planner and president of Ellen R. Siegel & Associates in Miami.
"If people already knew how to think along the lines of planning and budgeting and comparison shopping, they wouldn't be caught off guard by what's happening today," she said.
Among those who do not pay their balance in full every month, for instance, the average credit card debt is $17,000, according to the Consumer Federation of America.
As Ellis Hunsaker heads off to college next fall, for instance, his father points out the teen will no doubt be inundated with credit card applications.
"They need to understand what the consequences are of opening one," Hunsaker said.
Now, his son is likely prepared to make wiser choices than many of his peers.
(Condensed Version)
By Candice Choi
The Asociated Press
NEW YORK -- Whether it's backpacking, canoeing or picking stocks, good Boy Scouts approach all tasks with the same motto: Be prepared.
Perhaps because of their outdoorsy image, few realize that money management is a part of Scouting. To earn what's called the personal management badge, boys must know the difference between simple and compound interest and how mutual funds differ from CDs.
Last year, nearly 50,000 Scouts between the ages of 12 and 17 earned the badge, which is required to obtain the elite Eagle rank.
"I thought (money) was just about trying to save more than you spend," said John Yurgil, a 16-year-old in Livonia, Mich., who earned the badge last month.
Now he knows there are myriad ways to invest -- such as stocks, CDs and mutual funds -- and that each carries its own risks and rewards. The high school junior also tracked his budget over 13 weeks and mapped out a hypothetical blueprint for making a major family purchase, in his case a washing machine.
About five years ago, the badge's focus was expanded beyond savings to include material on investing and project management.
Requirements now include discussing how emotions influence spending and understanding the significance of a stock's 52-week price range and the importance of good credit.
"It's a part of walking into life well prepared," said Russ Hunsaker, a Scout leader in Salt Lake City who chaired the committee that rewrote the requirements for the badge.
Boys don't need to pass a test to get the badge, but they must demonstrate an understanding of the materials to their merit badge counselor, typically a volunteer from the financial services industry.
For about three months, Scouts meet weekly with their counselor one-on-one or in a group setting, depending on the local council. Few badges require such a long time commitment; many can be earned in just a day.
The badge is one of 21 boys must earn to become an Eagle -- a rank only about 5 percent of the 900,000 eligible Boy Scouts last year obtained. Because of the difficulty of earning the badge, it's often one of the last boys pursue, Hunsaker said.
That was the case for his son, Ellis, 17, who knew as little as most teenagers about managing money before earning the badge.
"I learned how to budget and save my own money, instead of just splurging. I learned about the stock market and different kinds of investments," said the younger Hunsaker, whose interest in the topic has since led him to enroll in a two-year business program at his high school.
Many adults today could have benefited from such early exposure to finance, said Ellen Siegel, a certified financial planner and president of Ellen R. Siegel & Associates in Miami.
"If people already knew how to think along the lines of planning and budgeting and comparison shopping, they wouldn't be caught off guard by what's happening today," she said.
Among those who do not pay their balance in full every month, for instance, the average credit card debt is $17,000, according to the Consumer Federation of America.
As Ellis Hunsaker heads off to college next fall, for instance, his father points out the teen will no doubt be inundated with credit card applications.
"They need to understand what the consequences are of opening one," Hunsaker said.
Now, his son is likely prepared to make wiser choices than many of his peers.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Summary of Some Random Thoughts on Culture - By Tony Pellegrino
(Condensed from Saipan Tribune)
We are at a turning point in our culture. As we are pushed and pulled into the larger arena of ties with the United States, it is vital we approach the concept of “culture” with an unbiased and open mind. Many fear that our “culture” will be lost. Many claim we have already lost it and have replaced it with a hybrid. It is time to define exactly what our culture. Is it helping or hindering us in our time of need?
Living in Saipan, we are bombarded by various cultures brought here by various peoples who come to work and live. However no one has defined the culture we fear losing. So let’s discuss it a bit in the hope that it will open up a dialogue for better understanding.
Over the past years we have invited foreigners to visit us as tourists. This type of activity doesn’t affect our “culture” very much because we know that in a few days they will leave. We try to be polite extending our hospitality and show them our “culture” in the hope they will be impressed.
Also over the past years we have invited foreigners to work for us. This type of activity has affected our culture very much because they tend to remain for long periods. In fact, they have remained and even intermarried with our citizens thereby fostering their culture on our own. In addition, we also invite foreigners to invest in our islands and to reap economic benefits at our expense. This group of foreigners also has a lasting impact on our culture.
But the most serious impact continues to come from the United States. We requested becoming citizens and continue to accept huge sums of money from it. Yet we worry about the U.S.’s impact on us. But the irony of all this worry is that we scramble to send our children to schools in the U.S. Some of us even buy homes and go to either work or retire there. We eagerly buy products from the U.S. But at the same time we wish to reject its values and culture.
In a book by Thomas Sowell entitled Race and Culture, he explains that “real culture” such as “music and art” comes only after prosperity and leisure time sets in. But it is another facet of culture that we sometimes overlook which make a major impact on any country. To quote: “the focus here will be primarily on those aspects of culture which provide the material requirements of life itself—the specific skill, general work habits, saving propensities, and attitudes towards education and entrepreneurship—in short what economists call “human capital.” This one point—human capital—when fully understood determines how and when the CNMI will become economically strong again.
How does our “human capital culture” influence the economy? Have we defined it into writing thereby showing our specific skills, our general work habits, our saving of money and resource habits, and our attitudes towards education and entrepreneurship? How do we compare to other peoples?
Some people believe that technology is the sole determinant of economic progress. One only has to look at all the rusting machinery and decaying Western factories given to third world countries along with massive international aid programs. Mr. Sowell explains: “They are a monument to the fallacy of believing that technology transfer is simple a matter of access, rather than a cultural receptivity as well….Differences of work habits, savings propensities, organizational skills, personal hygiene, attitudes, and self-discipline all influence end results, both economic and social.”
We have a commonality with Malaysia, Fiji and India and many African countries in that most of their college graduates aspire to work for the government. This seems the same in the CNMI in that most people want to work for the government. Mr. Sowell explains: “Government employment remains a prime objective and a prime source of inter-group conflict in underdeveloped countries around the world….Formal education, especially among peoples for whom it is rare or recent, often creates feelings of entitlement to rewards and exemption from many kinds of work.”
We see every day how some foreigners come to our islands and begin at a lower socioeconomic level than many of us and eventually rise above us due to their skills, work habits, or other economic performance differences. Thus since foreigners can succeed, so can we locals.
Almost daily I hear about our young educated minds leaving the islands because they cannot find a job. My question is why are we allowing this to happen? Why aren’t we making an effort to retain them? The few that remain are forced to seek employment in government. What is wrong with our system or worse with our thinking to let this happen?
Could one of the reasons that these young people are leaving or refusing to come back is that our islands have little to offer them after spending four years in a modern college in or near an exciting city with many attractions? Could it be that they do not wish to continue the customs as practiced by their ancestors? Could it be that they sense a feeling of sterility here with little hope for advancement?
We continue to believe that this is our land and outsiders are destroying our culture. But what we forget is that daily we must work to maintain our position and that can only be done through cultivating our “human capital.” However we have been lulled into the belief that because “this is our land,” we should have entitlement rights.
Mr. Sowell writes a stinging commentary that I feel fits us so well and has caused us most of the dilemma that we find ourselves in. “Indigenous political leaders, well aware of such counterproductive economic consequences of their pressures against middlemen, nevertheless have every incentive to push such policies, which reap immediate political gains, whatever their long-run economic damage to the community or the nation.” For “middlemen” I substitute the word “local workforce.” In other words we have been duped into accepting low wage workers at the expense of motivating and training our local people into developing our “human capital culture.”
By no means am I trying to suggest what our culture beliefs should be. Nor am I trying to suggest that our culture is not as good as others. But I am suggesting that no matter what we think of ourselves and loudly proclaim ourselves to be, we will never become economically strong until we fully develop our “human capital culture.” When we have almost 22,000 guest workers and thousands of local people out of work, have we really developed our “human capital?”
We will always remain dominated by someone else as we have been since the Spaniards landed here. For years we have been passed around from country to country. But for once, with the help of the United States, we can become almost self-sufficient and proud again. As the Bible tells us: “With all thy Wisdom, get understanding.” When will we?
We are at a turning point in our culture. As we are pushed and pulled into the larger arena of ties with the United States, it is vital we approach the concept of “culture” with an unbiased and open mind. Many fear that our “culture” will be lost. Many claim we have already lost it and have replaced it with a hybrid. It is time to define exactly what our culture. Is it helping or hindering us in our time of need?
Living in Saipan, we are bombarded by various cultures brought here by various peoples who come to work and live. However no one has defined the culture we fear losing. So let’s discuss it a bit in the hope that it will open up a dialogue for better understanding.
Over the past years we have invited foreigners to visit us as tourists. This type of activity doesn’t affect our “culture” very much because we know that in a few days they will leave. We try to be polite extending our hospitality and show them our “culture” in the hope they will be impressed.
Also over the past years we have invited foreigners to work for us. This type of activity has affected our culture very much because they tend to remain for long periods. In fact, they have remained and even intermarried with our citizens thereby fostering their culture on our own. In addition, we also invite foreigners to invest in our islands and to reap economic benefits at our expense. This group of foreigners also has a lasting impact on our culture.
But the most serious impact continues to come from the United States. We requested becoming citizens and continue to accept huge sums of money from it. Yet we worry about the U.S.’s impact on us. But the irony of all this worry is that we scramble to send our children to schools in the U.S. Some of us even buy homes and go to either work or retire there. We eagerly buy products from the U.S. But at the same time we wish to reject its values and culture.
In a book by Thomas Sowell entitled Race and Culture, he explains that “real culture” such as “music and art” comes only after prosperity and leisure time sets in. But it is another facet of culture that we sometimes overlook which make a major impact on any country. To quote: “the focus here will be primarily on those aspects of culture which provide the material requirements of life itself—the specific skill, general work habits, saving propensities, and attitudes towards education and entrepreneurship—in short what economists call “human capital.” This one point—human capital—when fully understood determines how and when the CNMI will become economically strong again.
How does our “human capital culture” influence the economy? Have we defined it into writing thereby showing our specific skills, our general work habits, our saving of money and resource habits, and our attitudes towards education and entrepreneurship? How do we compare to other peoples?
Some people believe that technology is the sole determinant of economic progress. One only has to look at all the rusting machinery and decaying Western factories given to third world countries along with massive international aid programs. Mr. Sowell explains: “They are a monument to the fallacy of believing that technology transfer is simple a matter of access, rather than a cultural receptivity as well….Differences of work habits, savings propensities, organizational skills, personal hygiene, attitudes, and self-discipline all influence end results, both economic and social.”
We have a commonality with Malaysia, Fiji and India and many African countries in that most of their college graduates aspire to work for the government. This seems the same in the CNMI in that most people want to work for the government. Mr. Sowell explains: “Government employment remains a prime objective and a prime source of inter-group conflict in underdeveloped countries around the world….Formal education, especially among peoples for whom it is rare or recent, often creates feelings of entitlement to rewards and exemption from many kinds of work.”
We see every day how some foreigners come to our islands and begin at a lower socioeconomic level than many of us and eventually rise above us due to their skills, work habits, or other economic performance differences. Thus since foreigners can succeed, so can we locals.
Almost daily I hear about our young educated minds leaving the islands because they cannot find a job. My question is why are we allowing this to happen? Why aren’t we making an effort to retain them? The few that remain are forced to seek employment in government. What is wrong with our system or worse with our thinking to let this happen?
Could one of the reasons that these young people are leaving or refusing to come back is that our islands have little to offer them after spending four years in a modern college in or near an exciting city with many attractions? Could it be that they do not wish to continue the customs as practiced by their ancestors? Could it be that they sense a feeling of sterility here with little hope for advancement?
We continue to believe that this is our land and outsiders are destroying our culture. But what we forget is that daily we must work to maintain our position and that can only be done through cultivating our “human capital.” However we have been lulled into the belief that because “this is our land,” we should have entitlement rights.
Mr. Sowell writes a stinging commentary that I feel fits us so well and has caused us most of the dilemma that we find ourselves in. “Indigenous political leaders, well aware of such counterproductive economic consequences of their pressures against middlemen, nevertheless have every incentive to push such policies, which reap immediate political gains, whatever their long-run economic damage to the community or the nation.” For “middlemen” I substitute the word “local workforce.” In other words we have been duped into accepting low wage workers at the expense of motivating and training our local people into developing our “human capital culture.”
By no means am I trying to suggest what our culture beliefs should be. Nor am I trying to suggest that our culture is not as good as others. But I am suggesting that no matter what we think of ourselves and loudly proclaim ourselves to be, we will never become economically strong until we fully develop our “human capital culture.” When we have almost 22,000 guest workers and thousands of local people out of work, have we really developed our “human capital?”
We will always remain dominated by someone else as we have been since the Spaniards landed here. For years we have been passed around from country to country. But for once, with the help of the United States, we can become almost self-sufficient and proud again. As the Bible tells us: “With all thy Wisdom, get understanding.” When will we?
Monday, September 29, 2008
We have Failed in Educating Our Youth! - By Tony Pellegrino
Saipan Tribune
September 22, 2008
We have failed to educate our youth for many years and as a result we are now feeling the results of that failure. This is a matter which we cannot blame on the government or outside influence. We are to blame solely. The lack of a good education in our youth is our failure because of the low standards we set for ourselves. Now we are paying the price for it.
Look at what we have produced. Many adults can barely read and write. Many never read books or magazines to keep abreast of changes in the world. Many have never learned skills or training in any job. Over 75% of our youth have no desire to improve themselves. They are imprisoned in their minds to a small island forgetting that the CNMI has become a part of the world of nations. Is it any wonder that we are in the situation we are in now? Take a look at the facts below and let’s ask ourselves when are we going to wise up?
This past June 2008, 800 seniors graduated from high school. Out of 800, only about 200 decided to go to an institution of higher learning whether it is NMC or a college somewhere else. This represents only 25% of the young minds. The mainland average for students going to college is 63%.
What will happen to the other 600 students or 75% at the age of 17 to 18 years of age? Do they have any skills to find good jobs? Or will they just drift and become a burden on society? What will their children be like?
Consider the previous year 2007, another 800 graduated and only 200 went to college. But 600 youths are still walking the streets with no direction and little education. Then in 2006, another 800 graduated and again only 200 went to college. Where are the previous 1200 plus this year’s 600 for a total of 1800 barely educated students? Are they working? Are they on food stamps because they have no skills to offer? What are they doing to earn a living? Are these young people an asset or a liability to the community?
Let’s add up the total number of 200 X 3 years equals 600 students in the process of getting an advanced education or 25% of graduates. But 600 X 3 years equals 1800 students who are barely educated or 75% who did not go to college. They remain mostly unemployed young people with little guidance or direction in their lives
If we keep going back several more years, the number of uneducated citizens rises. We can only conclude that the majority of our citizens are poorly educated and unskilled. I haven’t counted in hundreds of students who have dropped out of school before graduation.
What does this say about the future of the CNMI? What does it say about our school system? What does it say about parents and the responsibility in guiding their children? What does it say about our community? Why has this sad situation been happening? Instead of pointing fingers at who is responsible for the low level of education and unskilled workers, let us seek solutions to improve the situation and motivate young people to want to learn.
It has been shown that a child from the age of five to 18 years old spends at least 92% of his awakened time outside school. Therefore most of a child’s education, 92%, begins and continues in the home and environment. Parents are the most influential teachers on a child’s development. The child copies the type of relationship he sees between his father and mother and assumes that is the correct way for a married couple to live and raise children. We parents must examine the way we influence our children because they become carbon copies of our lives.
Let me relate an incident that happened recently in one of my companies. A newly young hired employee, 23 years old, was caught stealing company funds. Upon apprehension, he admitted it. When asked about his family life, he admitted he had no relationship with his father and little with his mother. At 17 years old he had dropped out of high school and had never worked a day in his life. This was his first real job in six years since dropping out of school! He is living with a young girl and has fathered three children. The youngest one is two weeks old and the oldest is four years old. What happened here? Who failed this young man? What future does he have? How many more are out there like him? Why can’t we help them? They are us when we were young!
Please parents and community, wake up! What we sow so shall we reap. We owe it to our children to give our time and love. But we also must guide them to goals in life. We must invest in them and motivate them to want to want to succeed. We must insist that they do better than us.
Another area that should be carefully examined is our public school system. After spending millions of dollars yearly, are we really producing fairly well educated youth? What justification does the school system have for not producing better educated youth? Shouldn’t the school system really take a closer look at the techniques it is using and accept changes in education. Basically it is still teaching as it did over 80 years ago. Think about why we can’t educate our youth better? Is it the students fault? Is it our fault? Is it the usual excuse --lack of money? What is it that prevents us? Could it be that we really don’t care?
We are the community and must demand better results from the school system. We must find ways to teach our slower children better. Any child who desires to drop out of school should be strongly discouraged from doing so and highly motivated to continue his schooling. Extra facilities must be created to accommodate the slower students. Lack of money must not be the cop-out.
In the Northern Marianas Trades Institute recently started, I discovered that 17 students out of 36 do not have a high school diploma. It is gratifying to see these students seeking a second chance to learn. With the proper guidance they will become skillful and educated members of our community.
Repeatedly I have mentioned that a nation is only as successful as its educated and trained citizens. We have great potential manpower but we are not developing it. When will we wake up? We must realize that it is our personal problem. When will we realize that an uneducated population is a drain on the nation? When will we start to make the necessary changes? We must seek solutions. If we do not implement changes to improve, how can we perpetuate our culture and increase our chances for prosperity? How low will we descend until we wake up and find ourselves aliens and poor in our own land?
It is not too late. Improvement begins with a first step coupled with clear goals supported by a strong desire to change. Let’s begin correcting one of our most crucial problems. We must better educate our youth and ourselves. We must guide them in wanting to seek a higher education and to learn a skill. Stop the abuse of our young people’s future. A wasted mind is a sin. Only education will make us free! Only education will make us whole again!
September 22, 2008
We have failed to educate our youth for many years and as a result we are now feeling the results of that failure. This is a matter which we cannot blame on the government or outside influence. We are to blame solely. The lack of a good education in our youth is our failure because of the low standards we set for ourselves. Now we are paying the price for it.
Look at what we have produced. Many adults can barely read and write. Many never read books or magazines to keep abreast of changes in the world. Many have never learned skills or training in any job. Over 75% of our youth have no desire to improve themselves. They are imprisoned in their minds to a small island forgetting that the CNMI has become a part of the world of nations. Is it any wonder that we are in the situation we are in now? Take a look at the facts below and let’s ask ourselves when are we going to wise up?
This past June 2008, 800 seniors graduated from high school. Out of 800, only about 200 decided to go to an institution of higher learning whether it is NMC or a college somewhere else. This represents only 25% of the young minds. The mainland average for students going to college is 63%.
What will happen to the other 600 students or 75% at the age of 17 to 18 years of age? Do they have any skills to find good jobs? Or will they just drift and become a burden on society? What will their children be like?
Consider the previous year 2007, another 800 graduated and only 200 went to college. But 600 youths are still walking the streets with no direction and little education. Then in 2006, another 800 graduated and again only 200 went to college. Where are the previous 1200 plus this year’s 600 for a total of 1800 barely educated students? Are they working? Are they on food stamps because they have no skills to offer? What are they doing to earn a living? Are these young people an asset or a liability to the community?
Let’s add up the total number of 200 X 3 years equals 600 students in the process of getting an advanced education or 25% of graduates. But 600 X 3 years equals 1800 students who are barely educated or 75% who did not go to college. They remain mostly unemployed young people with little guidance or direction in their lives
If we keep going back several more years, the number of uneducated citizens rises. We can only conclude that the majority of our citizens are poorly educated and unskilled. I haven’t counted in hundreds of students who have dropped out of school before graduation.
What does this say about the future of the CNMI? What does it say about our school system? What does it say about parents and the responsibility in guiding their children? What does it say about our community? Why has this sad situation been happening? Instead of pointing fingers at who is responsible for the low level of education and unskilled workers, let us seek solutions to improve the situation and motivate young people to want to learn.
It has been shown that a child from the age of five to 18 years old spends at least 92% of his awakened time outside school. Therefore most of a child’s education, 92%, begins and continues in the home and environment. Parents are the most influential teachers on a child’s development. The child copies the type of relationship he sees between his father and mother and assumes that is the correct way for a married couple to live and raise children. We parents must examine the way we influence our children because they become carbon copies of our lives.
Let me relate an incident that happened recently in one of my companies. A newly young hired employee, 23 years old, was caught stealing company funds. Upon apprehension, he admitted it. When asked about his family life, he admitted he had no relationship with his father and little with his mother. At 17 years old he had dropped out of high school and had never worked a day in his life. This was his first real job in six years since dropping out of school! He is living with a young girl and has fathered three children. The youngest one is two weeks old and the oldest is four years old. What happened here? Who failed this young man? What future does he have? How many more are out there like him? Why can’t we help them? They are us when we were young!
Please parents and community, wake up! What we sow so shall we reap. We owe it to our children to give our time and love. But we also must guide them to goals in life. We must invest in them and motivate them to want to want to succeed. We must insist that they do better than us.
Another area that should be carefully examined is our public school system. After spending millions of dollars yearly, are we really producing fairly well educated youth? What justification does the school system have for not producing better educated youth? Shouldn’t the school system really take a closer look at the techniques it is using and accept changes in education. Basically it is still teaching as it did over 80 years ago. Think about why we can’t educate our youth better? Is it the students fault? Is it our fault? Is it the usual excuse --lack of money? What is it that prevents us? Could it be that we really don’t care?
We are the community and must demand better results from the school system. We must find ways to teach our slower children better. Any child who desires to drop out of school should be strongly discouraged from doing so and highly motivated to continue his schooling. Extra facilities must be created to accommodate the slower students. Lack of money must not be the cop-out.
In the Northern Marianas Trades Institute recently started, I discovered that 17 students out of 36 do not have a high school diploma. It is gratifying to see these students seeking a second chance to learn. With the proper guidance they will become skillful and educated members of our community.
Repeatedly I have mentioned that a nation is only as successful as its educated and trained citizens. We have great potential manpower but we are not developing it. When will we wake up? We must realize that it is our personal problem. When will we realize that an uneducated population is a drain on the nation? When will we start to make the necessary changes? We must seek solutions. If we do not implement changes to improve, how can we perpetuate our culture and increase our chances for prosperity? How low will we descend until we wake up and find ourselves aliens and poor in our own land?
It is not too late. Improvement begins with a first step coupled with clear goals supported by a strong desire to change. Let’s begin correcting one of our most crucial problems. We must better educate our youth and ourselves. We must guide them in wanting to seek a higher education and to learn a skill. Stop the abuse of our young people’s future. A wasted mind is a sin. Only education will make us free! Only education will make us whole again!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Remediating in College- Submitted by Sue Ferrara
I am teaching a college-based remedial writing class this semester. The will to learn is there, but the lack of student skills finds me teaching the basics: nouns, verbs, homonyms, possessives. All these parts of speech should have been taught across the K-12 curriculum. And how do these students earn H.S. diplomas? Gosh, if American schools can start teaching sex education in Kindergarten, can't the curriculum support the teaching of English? Or may the last statement should read: Instead of starting sex education in Kindergarten, schools should focus on teaching students to read, write and do math?
Sue Ferrara
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/colleges_spend_billions_to_tea.html
Colleges spend billions to teach freshmen basic skills
by The Associated Press
Monday September 15, 2008, 1:00 AM
It's a tough lesson for millions of students just now arriving on campus: even if you have a high school diploma, you may not be ready for college. In fact, a new study calculates, one-third of American college students have to enroll in remedial classes. The bill to colleges and taxpayers for trying to bring them up to speed on material they were supposed to learn in high school comes to between $2.3 billion and $2.9 billion annually.
'That is a very large cost, but there is an additional cost and that's the cost to the students,' said former Colorado governor Roy Romer, chair of the group Strong American Schools (http://www.edin08.com),which is issuing the report 'Diploma to Nowhere' on Monday. 'These students come out of high school really misled. They think they're prepared. They got a 3.0 and got through the curriculum they needed to get admitted, but they find what they learned wasn't adequate.
'Christina Jeronimo was an 'A' student in high school English,but was placed in a remedial course when she arrived at Long Beach Community College in California. The course was valuable in some ways but frustrating and time-consuming. Now in her third year of community college, she'd hoped to transfer to UCLA by now.
Like many college students, she wishes she'd been worked a little harder in high school. 'There's a gap,' said Jeronimo, who hopes to study psychology. 'The demands of the high school teachers aren't as great as the demands for college. Sometimes they just baby us.
'The problem of colleges devoting huge amounts of time and money to remediation isn't new, though its scale and cost has been difficult to measure. The latest report gives somewhat larger estimates than some previous studies, though it is not out of line with trends suggested in others, said Hunter Boylan, an expert at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, who was not connected with the report.
Analyzing federal data, the report estimates 43 percent of community college students require remediation, as do 29 percent of students at public four-year universities, with higher numbers in some places. For instance, four in five Oklahoma community college students need remedial coursework, and three in five in the giant California State university system need help in English, math or both. The cost per student runs to as much as $2,000 per student in community colleges and $2,500 in four-year universities.
Sue Ferrara
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/colleges_spend_billions_to_tea.html
Colleges spend billions to teach freshmen basic skills
by The Associated Press
Monday September 15, 2008, 1:00 AM
It's a tough lesson for millions of students just now arriving on campus: even if you have a high school diploma, you may not be ready for college. In fact, a new study calculates, one-third of American college students have to enroll in remedial classes. The bill to colleges and taxpayers for trying to bring them up to speed on material they were supposed to learn in high school comes to between $2.3 billion and $2.9 billion annually.
'That is a very large cost, but there is an additional cost and that's the cost to the students,' said former Colorado governor Roy Romer, chair of the group Strong American Schools (http://www.edin08.com),which is issuing the report 'Diploma to Nowhere' on Monday. 'These students come out of high school really misled. They think they're prepared. They got a 3.0 and got through the curriculum they needed to get admitted, but they find what they learned wasn't adequate.
'Christina Jeronimo was an 'A' student in high school English,but was placed in a remedial course when she arrived at Long Beach Community College in California. The course was valuable in some ways but frustrating and time-consuming. Now in her third year of community college, she'd hoped to transfer to UCLA by now.
Like many college students, she wishes she'd been worked a little harder in high school. 'There's a gap,' said Jeronimo, who hopes to study psychology. 'The demands of the high school teachers aren't as great as the demands for college. Sometimes they just baby us.
'The problem of colleges devoting huge amounts of time and money to remediation isn't new, though its scale and cost has been difficult to measure. The latest report gives somewhat larger estimates than some previous studies, though it is not out of line with trends suggested in others, said Hunter Boylan, an expert at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, who was not connected with the report.
Analyzing federal data, the report estimates 43 percent of community college students require remediation, as do 29 percent of students at public four-year universities, with higher numbers in some places. For instance, four in five Oklahoma community college students need remedial coursework, and three in five in the giant California State university system need help in English, math or both. The cost per student runs to as much as $2,000 per student in community colleges and $2,500 in four-year universities.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
PDELA - Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School
The Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School (PDELA), is a statewide distance learning, non-sectarian public charter school for grades K-12 that operates in a home-based learning environment. PDELA exists through the legal authority of Pennsylvania charter school laws, and answers directly to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. It combines teacher designed education with parent involvement and uses computer and distance-learning technologies. As a public school, PDELA is tuition-free. The programs are designed to provide each student with an individualized, home-based education in grades K-12. Students reside all across Pennsylvania.
PDELA operates under the direction of The Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School, a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, headed by an independent Board of Directors comprised of community leaders who are dedicated to the expansion of parental choice in education throughout Pennsylvania. PDELA, through its independent Board of Directors, is dedicated to furnishing an individualized distance learning program for children in grades K-12.
Everything that a PDELA student needs for his or her education is provided for. PDELA provides:
• A tuition-free education that students complete from the comfort and safety of home.
• A complete computer system, including desktop computer and a color printer/fax/scanner
• An award-winning curriculum
• Teachers who are dedicated to supporting each parent educator and student
• Live, interactive, online class sessions
• Access to progress, grades and curriculum 24 hours a day
• Access to online tutoring and homework help
• Online resources such as LexisNexis, World Book and a video library with over 10,000 educational videos
• Scholarships so that families may obtain a high-speed internet connection
• Field trips
• Technical support
• Reimbursements for supplemental educational activities
STAFF
Dedicated PDELA faculty and staff are available to help support parents and students through email, phone, fax, and postal mail communications. Teachers also lead live interactive classes for students to attend on a regular basis.
CERTIFIED TEACHERS
All PDELA teachers are certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Students are assigned a highly qualified teacher for each class in which they are enrolled.
ACADEMIC ADVISORS
Students in grades 7-12 are assigned an Academic Advisor. Academic Advisors monitor attendance and academic progress, establish goals with the parent educator, and assist with post-graduation planning.
INTERVENTION SPECIALISTS
Special Education students and their families have the support of an Intervention Specialist. The IS works with students and parent-educators to ensure that the goals, objectives, and accommodations of Individual Education Plans (IEP) are met and appropriate course selections are made.
COMPUTER SUPPORT PERSONNEL
PDELA provides a Technical Support hotline to solve computer-related issues effectively over the phone. The Technical Support team will work with families to answer hardware, software, and Internet connectivity questions.
ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT
In order to make sure that each family has a smooth transition into the program, a full Admissions Department is provided for students to aid in the process. Admissions Counselors have the answers to help parents and students understand the steps needed to become part of the PDELA family.
PSEA
To ensure that parents have additional resources to support student learning, a Parent Supplemental Education Account (PSEA) is established for each student. After the first year of enrollment, funds will accumulate for each student, based on the number of years enrolled at PDELA. PSEA reimbursements can help students enjoy museum and zoo memberships or purchase additional educational items to guide their academic success.
FIELD TRIPS
PDELA field trips bring curriculum to life! Students of all ages utilize these opportunities to engage their minds and enhance their learning experience. PDELA student field trips are designed for students of all ages. These historical and cultural activities have included the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, Gettysburg National Park, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg Science Centers, and Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field and Historical Center.
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
PDELA provides a special education program in accordance with current federal and state regulations and guidelines. This program is individualized to the unique needs of each child who has been diagnosed as needing Special Education services. PDELA provides a multi-faceted educational evaluation as needed for each student with a disability.
For further information regarding PDELA, visit www.PDELA.com
PDELA operates under the direction of The Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School, a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, headed by an independent Board of Directors comprised of community leaders who are dedicated to the expansion of parental choice in education throughout Pennsylvania. PDELA, through its independent Board of Directors, is dedicated to furnishing an individualized distance learning program for children in grades K-12.
Everything that a PDELA student needs for his or her education is provided for. PDELA provides:
• A tuition-free education that students complete from the comfort and safety of home.
• A complete computer system, including desktop computer and a color printer/fax/scanner
• An award-winning curriculum
• Teachers who are dedicated to supporting each parent educator and student
• Live, interactive, online class sessions
• Access to progress, grades and curriculum 24 hours a day
• Access to online tutoring and homework help
• Online resources such as LexisNexis, World Book and a video library with over 10,000 educational videos
• Scholarships so that families may obtain a high-speed internet connection
• Field trips
• Technical support
• Reimbursements for supplemental educational activities
STAFF
Dedicated PDELA faculty and staff are available to help support parents and students through email, phone, fax, and postal mail communications. Teachers also lead live interactive classes for students to attend on a regular basis.
CERTIFIED TEACHERS
All PDELA teachers are certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Students are assigned a highly qualified teacher for each class in which they are enrolled.
ACADEMIC ADVISORS
Students in grades 7-12 are assigned an Academic Advisor. Academic Advisors monitor attendance and academic progress, establish goals with the parent educator, and assist with post-graduation planning.
INTERVENTION SPECIALISTS
Special Education students and their families have the support of an Intervention Specialist. The IS works with students and parent-educators to ensure that the goals, objectives, and accommodations of Individual Education Plans (IEP) are met and appropriate course selections are made.
COMPUTER SUPPORT PERSONNEL
PDELA provides a Technical Support hotline to solve computer-related issues effectively over the phone. The Technical Support team will work with families to answer hardware, software, and Internet connectivity questions.
ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT
In order to make sure that each family has a smooth transition into the program, a full Admissions Department is provided for students to aid in the process. Admissions Counselors have the answers to help parents and students understand the steps needed to become part of the PDELA family.
PSEA
To ensure that parents have additional resources to support student learning, a Parent Supplemental Education Account (PSEA) is established for each student. After the first year of enrollment, funds will accumulate for each student, based on the number of years enrolled at PDELA. PSEA reimbursements can help students enjoy museum and zoo memberships or purchase additional educational items to guide their academic success.
FIELD TRIPS
PDELA field trips bring curriculum to life! Students of all ages utilize these opportunities to engage their minds and enhance their learning experience. PDELA student field trips are designed for students of all ages. These historical and cultural activities have included the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, Gettysburg National Park, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg Science Centers, and Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field and Historical Center.
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
PDELA provides a special education program in accordance with current federal and state regulations and guidelines. This program is individualized to the unique needs of each child who has been diagnosed as needing Special Education services. PDELA provides a multi-faceted educational evaluation as needed for each student with a disability.
For further information regarding PDELA, visit www.PDELA.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
