Animal abusers seek the skirt tail of the Government to protect them

What if the foods that come to our table through inhuman practices are what is causing the rise in incurable diseases? What if these diseases like Cancer, Lupus, Ms and the rest are lessons for us to learn and when we turn a deaf ear they come at us with more strength and destruction. When will we learn that we can all co-exist and the purpose of life is not to accumulate more and more wealth, bigger and bigger stuff that could be passed down from generations to come, our job is to take what we need for ourselves and leave the rest for other.

I believe if farmers do the right thing they will not have to fear investigators. In fact they might even stand to gain by getting more people interested in what they are offering.

What if the government refuse to choose between the farmers and the animal protectors and let the chips fall where they maY?

What else is possible for us? What are the choices that we are refusing to consider that could open new doors of possibilities in the farming industry?

http://www.alternet.org/big-agribusiness-trying-muzzle-animal-rights-activists-who-infiltrate-their-factory-farms?akid=11256.35630.zinCgf&rd=1&src=newsletter934989&t=5

Slowly the playing field is being levelled

The internet may have its down side but it’s upside is so bright I would not want it any other way. Through the internet, children all over the world could be educated and take their rightful places in society. Children in developing work may even have an advantage over children in developed world because their life could become the lab.  Whatever they learn they can apply to their everyday life. Developing countries have greater need for new technology and  graduates will get a chance to practice new knowledge much quicker and tasked with greater responsibilities in their fields.

I am very excited about the future of the world, a world where ideas and innovation  are only limited by one’s imagination.

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/empowering-poor-students-knowledge/

For the Religious and Business People

Was Jesus Christ had great leadership skills. It is true all we hear about Jesus from the Church are his birth, when he kicked hagglers out of the church, when he healed sick and did miracles and when he died on the cross or was murdered on the cross but here is another take about Jesus’ life from a scholar. It is quite interesting. I have read of stuff I had never heard of before. I hope you find something new and interesting in this article too. What are your thoughts?

Was Jesus an Effective Leader? Insights from Reza Aslan’s ‘Zealot’

America don’t be fooled thinking that Rich Americans care about you

Rich people who can afford to pay for their health care needs are attempting to derail the Obamacare because they want to remain rich and the poor grovel for their droppings. Those who have health have wealth and if you, ordinary Americans want to maintain a modicum of wealth in your health you would stick with the Obamacare and send those rich hound dogs flying to some place where the sun don’t shine.

Read this article below and think about what you are supporting or who you are supporting.

http://admin.alternet.org/personal-health/obamacare-such-serious-threat-right-wing-project-theyve-shut-down-govt-try-stop-it?page=0%2C1&akid=10994.35630.RAbeiE&rd=1&src=newsletter904149&t=11

Are schools turning our children into drones?

Check out this article and see how schools have changed from one decade to the next. I think today’s schooling is all about what is good and comfortable for teachers and not a lot of thought about what’s good for our children. The brightest children are those with the brightest imagination, those who can break through the moulding process that goes on in schools. Have you read a fairy tale to your child today?
http://www.alternet.org/education/how-schools-have-become-dead-zones-imagination?akid=10821.35630.CZt1E0&rd=1&src=newsletter884304&t=5

Diversity paradigm from Cascard Archer

global eyes magazine

Letter to the Editor re free education

Letters

An Elite College Education, Online?

Published: May 7, 2012

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Andy Rash

 For Op-Ed, follow @nytopinion and to hear from the editorial page editor, Andrew Rosenthal, follow @andyrNYT.

Re “The Campus Tsunami,” by David Brooks (column, May 4):

The increase in online courses offered by prominent universities like Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will offer easier access to higher education, but online classes take away from the overall class experience.

As a college student, I feel that at times class can be dreadful and monotonous, but the benefits of actually being in class are evident in my understanding of the material. The teacher-student relationship formed in class allows for open discussion, giving the classroom a friendly and engaging ambience.

Online classes would not provide this. They can be great to meet a requirement, or to get the main idea about a topic, but it would be difficult for them to deepen a student’s understanding and interest in the field of study.

TARA McLAUGHLIN
Fairfield, Conn., May 4, 2012

The writer is a sophomore at Fairfield University.

Response

I believe the free education is for those who cannot afford a university education or those who are too bored to get out of bed to throttle off to university to hear discussions that have no meaning for them.  There will always be those who want to be part of a class, to participate in frat parties and do crazy stuff but for others this is not appealing.

I think more universities should offer online alternative. It will save money and  valuable time.

Diminishing excuse to remain uneducated

All you need is a computer and there are many nonprofit organizations that provide free computers to the under privileged. In some cases one can borrow computers as they do library books – do what you have to do to take advantage of free online education from some of the top universities in the USA. You can do it

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/education/harvard-and-mit-team-up-to-offer-free-online-courses.html?src=me&ref=general

Hip Hop gains recognition at University Level

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HIP-HOP EDUCATION CENTER PARTNERS WITH COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S INSTITUTE FOR URBAN AND MINORITY EDUCATION AT TEACHERS COLLEGE

(NEW YORK, May 1, 2012) – In 2010, New York University’s Metropolitan Center for Urban Education (Metro Center) in collaboration with the Hip-Hop Association helped launch the Hip-Hop Education Center (HHEC). Founded and directed by community organizer, educator and social entrepreneur Martha Diaz, HHEC was developed as a social enterprise solution’s model to cultivate and develop Hip-Hop scholars, teaching artists, cultural workers, activists and social entrepreneurs to professionalize the field of Hip-Hop Education.

NYU’s Metro Center and HHEC collaborated on the first national research project identifying Hip-Hop-based education courses and programs in middle schools, high schools, after-school programs and institutions of higher learning. As a result, Re-Imagining Teaching and Learning: A Snapshot of Hip-Hop Education Report and The World IS Yours: A Brief History of Hip-Hop Education companion narrative were published in November 2011.

“The Metro Center has been committed to advancing education reform through research and innovative teaching methods. Working with HHEC and Ms. Diaz has been an organic process which continues to connect us to particular work in the classroom and the community.” Pedro Noguera, Director, Metro Center

The HHEC is pleased to announce a second partnership with an institution of higher learning, Columbia University’s Institute for Urban and Minority Education (IUME). The IUME partnership will support and build upon HHEC’s research and think tank initiatives. One of the main goals of the collaboration is to develop a teaching certificate for teaching artists, in-service teachers, and students of education using Hip-Hop in the classroom and extended-day programs. In addition, HHEC and Columbia’s IUME will incubate two Scholars-in-Residence and the Hip-Hop history archival project.

“At a time when schools are disengaging so many of our youth the HHEC provides a unique opportunity to make connections between a vibrant youth cultural practice and transformative models of education. We are excited to partner with HHEC and Ms. Diaz, a dynamic educator, scholar, and advocate, to bring Hip-Hop education to New York City Schools and, eventually, to schools and programs across the nation.” Ernest Morrell, Director, IUME

The partnership with IUME is a natural progression as more institutions of higher learning see the value of Hip-Hop culture as part of American history, knowledge (re)production, and a tool for innovation and social change. We’re elated to work with Dr. Ernest Morrell and his team. For nearly twenty years Dr. Morrell’s research has focused on drawing upon youth’s interest in popular culture and participatory media technologies to increase motivation and to promote academic literacy development, civic engagement and college access.” Martha Diaz, Director, HHEC

 

For Immediate Release

October 28, 2011

Hip-Hop Education Reaches Youth in Low-Income, Marginalized, and Chronically Violent Communities, According to NYU Steinhardt Metro Center Report

New York, NY – A new report reveals an emerging pattern of success among marginalized students participating in Hip-Hop education, leading to higher attendance and graduation rates

Re-Imagining Teaching and Learning: A Snapshot of Hip-Hop Education, a groundbreaking report and national scan of Hip-Hop educational programs by the Hip-Hop Education Center (H2ED Center) at the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education (Metro Center) at the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, is being released today.

“Hip-Hop–based education is empowering thousands of youth and adults in the U.S. and around the world to develop their identity, voice, and leadership in society,” said Martha Diaz, Co-Principal Investigator and Founding Director of the H2ED Center at the Metro Center. “We are pleased to present our findings and use this report as an opportunity to analyze, dialog, and harness Hip-Hop to catapult students and teachers to higher levels of success within both elementary and higher education.”

Re-Imagining Teaching and Learning: A Snapshot of Hip-Hop Education underscores how the culturally rich and indigenous art form of Hip-Hop encompasses key elements and skill-building activities including English language arts, entrepreneurship, leadership and team building, career development, identity formation, media literacy, storytelling, writing, oral debate, negotiating, and problem solving.

Pedro Noguera, Executive Director of Metro Center explains, “Given the importance and presence of Hip-Hop in the lives of youth, Hip-Hop has great potential to positively impact their educational experiences.”

The report was made possible through generous support from the Nathan Cummings Foundation.  Maurine D. Knighton, Director of the Arts & Culture Program at the Nathan Cummings Foundationexplains, “the emergence of Hip Hop pedagogy is an exciting development that promises to extend the power of the art form to the classroom and beyond. It will engage young people and elevate their voices in ways that could transform lives and change the world.  We are pleased to support the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education’s initial survey of the field and look forward to its dissemination.”

“Hip-Hop’s elements provide significant life and career building skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, self-awareness, time management, and teamwork,” said Edward Fergus, Ph.D., Deputy Director at the Metro Center.

An overwhelming 76% of the nearly 300 Hip-Hop participants, courses, and programs indexed in Re-Imagining Teaching and Learning: A Snapshot of Hip-Hop Education integrate what Afrika Bambaataa, the “Godfather” of Hip-Hop culture calls the “fifth element”, or knowledge of self and community.  The report also finds that in many instances, the history and development of Hip-Hop culture is used to engage students and teach about community development, organizing, and social justice.

Other key findings from Re-Imagining Teaching and Learning: A Snapshot of Hip-Hop Education include:

• Programs indicated that students had higher attendance and graduation rates.
• 94.6% Parents support the courses and programs, either by contributing financially, volunteering their time, and/or enrolling their children in a program.
• Government agencies, foundations, institutions of higher learning, NGOs, internal staff, and students evaluated 100 out of the 212 Hip-Hop education programs.

A decade after No Child Left Behind, the United States is still being left behind with regards to academic performance. Out of 34 countries, the United States ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math. With 70% of eighth graders in the U.S. lacking proficiency in reading, it is time to reassess teaching methods and pedagogy. The glaring crisis of dropouts indicates there is an urgency to re-engage students with learning.  According to Diaz, this is where Hip-Hop Education comes in.

As the report’s finding show, in communities around the nation youth are learning to organize and build community, collaborate on music, publish books, and start businesses through Hip-Hop. It is critical that we harness Hip-Hop’s impact and potential to transform the education field.  Diaz explains, “The investigation of Hip-Hop education’s potential has only just begun. Research must continue to help define and understand the terms posited by Hip-Hop education, including Hip-Hop culture, Hip-Hop aesthetics, Hip-Hop theater, Hip-Hop activism, Hip-Hop social entrepreneurship, and Hip-Hop philanthropy.”

The report highlights challenges and issues expressed in the report about the negative stigma associated with Hip-Hop and the confusion about Hip-Hop culture/history, in addition to capacity building, infrastructure, and professional development of the field of Hip-Hop Education. Obtaining buy-in and administrative support and the loss or lack of funding were also major challenges. Throughout this economic downturn, arts funding has suffered severe cuts and Hip-Hop education is disproportionately affected.

Available on the H2ED Center website, (http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/metrocenter/hiphopeducation/Research), the findings of Re-Imagining Teaching and Learning: A Snapshot of Hip-Hop Education will be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Hip-Hop Education Center Think Tank, “Rolling Deep, Moving Forward: Professionalizing Hip-Hop Education”, at New York University, November 11, 2011. Practitioners, teaching artists, community leaders, administrators, business professionals, and business professionals, including Diana Mulligan (Rap Cool Health – Denver, CO), Mazi Mutafa (Word Beats Life – Washington, DC), Dr. Raymond Codrington (The Aspen Institute – New York, NY), TC Ellis (High School of the Recording Arts – St. Paul, Minnesota), Toni Blackman (U.S. State Department’s Hip Hop Cultural Envoy), Carlos 139 Mare Rodriguez (H2ED Center Scholar in Residence), along with Hip-Hop academicians and researchers from New York University, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Columbia University, Syracuse University, University of Chicago, Brooklyn College, and George Mason University will gather to discuss the scan and the future of Hip-Hop education.