Day of Silence

Today many students will observe the Day of Silence. Their decision to help make everyone aware of anti-GLBT violence is commendable and courageous.

Every day young people are harassed and physically attacked because the attacker perceives them as different. Every day young people suffer the repeated violence of laws, language and culture that tells them they are less valuable, less valid members of society.

Statistics:

Of the 4,167 students surveyed, 3.8 percent identified themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or unsure of their sexual orientation. Researchers found these students were 3.41 times as likely to report a suicide attempt within the previous year as were heterosexual students. The number rose significantly when only young men were considered. In the overall population, boys tend to commit suicide more often than girls, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. (source: soulforce)

Every one of you is full of beauty and love. This is why I come to see you every day.

Printing

The printer in 153 is on loan from Coach Fidelman. He has asked for it back.

This means that soon it will go away.

If you need to print something, don’t wait until the last minute. We may not have a printer to finish out the year.

Plan ahead.

Extra Credit Opportunity

If you take a look at this, and think you want to try, I will accept one piece per person for extra credit.

The product must be as detailed as the example. It must be a polished, finished project.

You will also need to describe what you did and how in a Word document.

Opportunity for Girls

Girlstart is looking for 15 high school girls who are currently juniors/rising seniors to join our nationally recognized National Science Foundation supported program – Project IT Girl. IT Girls are using technology to become leaders, stand out, and create social change. In Project IT Girl, high school girls will learn how to solve problems, serve their community, and prepare for life after high school.

In Project IT Girl participants will:
Earn volunteer hours
Gain leadership experience
Receive a summer internship
Prepare for college
Attend week-long camp this summer

They are currently accepting applications for the Summer of 2008 and the 2008-09 school year. Talk to Mr. Bjerke for the application. Ideal candidates are current juniors who are interested in math, science and/or technology, want to attend college, and wish to make a positive impact in their community. Applications due by May 30.

They would also like to extend an invitation to you and interested juniors at your school to the Take IT Global Computer Game Showcase this Saturday, April 26th from 11am to 12:30pm at Silicon Labs downtown. For more information about the showcase, check out the invitation below. This is great opportunity to see what the IT Girls are doing and to get a feel for the program. You’re invited to the High School Girls for Social Change “Take IT Global” Computer Game Showcase! For more info click here.

You can earn extra credit by applying for this camp.

Cutting a Break

Yesterday, I cut some people a break. I guess that was a mistake. I got emails that demanded and insisted that students should pass who did not complete the six weeks exam.

I even got an email with “f***ing project” attached.

Were it only one, or even two, I wouldn’t feel that I made a mistake by allowing some people to turn in late work, and going to the trouble of trying to fix grades after they were due to administration.

If any student thinks that I am obligated to take attitude, much less rudeness and vulgarity, that student is mistaken.

No one will receive the final exam early, as I had intended. No one will receive a grade change without a serious, humble and appropriate request accompanied by significant and careful work. I will certainly not give out any further assignments early.

You may have used the bridge to sneak across at the last minute, but your classmates have set the bridge on fire, and it has burned.

Oh, My Gosh! Are You Serious? Why Does it Matter?

Not accepted because there weren’t names?

Not the right file format?

An assignment from a month ago?

Why does it matter if you send the right file, with your groups names? How can I be expected to remember an assignment from a month ago?

Here’s the scoop: If  you are working (like at a job, where they pay you) you can’t just send your client or your boss any old file format. If it is supposed to be a “jpg” then you have to send a “jpg” so that your boss or client can open it. If you send an email with no subject or without your names and contact information, chances are your client or boss will delete it as spam.

All of you are using Gmail or Yahoo Mail. Both of these have calendar functions you can use. If you need to put in due dates when you get them, and give yourself reminders, then do it. You have to keep track of your assignments, when they are due, and whether you did them. And you have to follow the instructions. That’s why they are given to you in writing in a place where they are always available.

Very soon, in the real world, you will have to turn in assignments on time, with your name and in the right format. If you don’t do this, they don’t give you a “failing” grade, they write you up, and after a few times, they fire you. Like no job. Worse than a 50, huh?

When I get an email with no subject, no names and in the wrong format or with files missing, what I see is someone who didn’t bother to look at the instructions and try to do it right.

Busy May 2nd?

From Mr. Fuentes:

We are going to have the game Friday May 2nd after TAKS.  We will be on pep-rally schedule.  At the end of 7th period the bell will ring.  Anyone who has purchased a ticket will go to the game. The students that did not buy a ticket have to stay in your class until 4:15.  Please encourage your students to buy a ticket if you have a 7th period class.  Tickets are $2.00 and we will start selling them next Monday in front of the office( morning and lunch). This is a fundraiser for the boys teams.  This is also an invitation for anyone in the faculty who would like to participate in the game.

Why did I fail the Fifth Six Weeks?!?

Only 11 students turned in the Fifth Six Weeks Exam.

You cannot pass if you do not take the exam.

Turning in the exam late, the highest grade you can receive is a 50.

Not accepted.

If your assignment was “Not accepted,” you probably failed to do one of these things:

1. Did not have both names (first and last) on the email and Word document.

2. Picture was wrong format – see the Project Outline.

3. Insufficient or incorrect information was given.

4. Part was missing – Word documents should accompany every image.

Independence

Right now, few of you are truly independent, because you rely on your parents/guardians for the basics – food, shelter, medical care, transportation. It isn’t age that makes you independent, it’s the ability to function in the real world with little or no help. Some people aren’t independent even as adults because they depend on people to cook, balance the checkbook and wash their socks.

Part of “Career and Technology Education,” which is the department that this class falls under, is to teach you skills that will help you get, hold and keep a job. When you are working at a job in the real world, you need to complete your work to the instructions ALL OF THE TIME! If you are cooking burgers, you can’t cook eight of ten the right way, but not the other two. You will be fired the first day. If you are a brain surgeon, you can’t do part of the operation the right way, but then stop and leave a tool inside someone’s head.

You are required to complete all assignments and pay attention to the details: names on everything, properly completed emails, work submitted on time.

When you get an email reply that says you need to do something else or read the information about the assignment, you don’t need to be defensive and explain what you did, just fix it, and resubmit if required. You want to fix any problems even if the assignment is accepted so that it is correct when you place the assignment in your portfolio.

You have many resources available to you. For this project, you have a Project Outline that describes every part of the project, and you have this blog where certain parts are clarified or explained. You need to use these and all of your resources to do your work. This helps you learn to problem solve and use your resources so you can be independent some day.