nbatbxteacher

Begging for Change

2008-04-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

Begging for Change/Posting #1
Sharon Blake
Pages 1- 20

I really enjoy reading Begging for Change by Sharon Blake. I have already read The Skin I'm In, and she follows the same pattern of writing style in this story. The main character Rasberry has a lot of issues to deal with at such an early age, which really saddens me. Although she tries to act tough and strong, she is still a child who wants to be accepted and loved by her family and friends. The setting of the story is also very realistic, because she lives in a community similar to the neighborhood that I teach in. The challenges that she faces are also very ... realistic. Many times, people in the community are afraid to exercise their rights, because they are afraid of retaliation and aggression from others.
Sadly, this sentiment is reflected in the story when Rasberry's mother is attacked by a teenage girl who thinks that she is a trouble maker. In my opinion, She is the trouble maker, and needs to be properly reprimanded for her violent actions toward Rasberry's mother. Unfortunately, until this happens, Rasberry and her family are subjected to harassment and taunts by the social deviants in the community. There is always a bright side to every story though, at least her mom is alive and slowly getting better. I can't wait to read chapter 6 today!

The Grammy Awards/ Author's Purpose

2008-02-11T04:35:00.000-08:00

http://www.pagesix.com/

Another Grammy Show goes down in history. The 2008 Grammy Show was held at the Staple Center in CA. Hundreds of musicians and onlooking fans shared in some very mentionable moments. From a fashion perspective, most of the celebrities looked stunning, while others walked a very thin line with the fashion police.
Thankfully, these moments cannot and will never be forgotten, because of archives that can be easily accessed online for a nostalgic moment or a quick laugh. Nonetheless, the performances were great. Well... at least most of them were. Alica Keys was outstanding! She proves continually that she is a true artist. Not only is she talented vocally, lyrically, and instrumentally; she is just naturally a beautiful person. I really enjoyed Amy Winehouse's performance via satellite. It was very heart felt, and it's good to see her coming along well. Who could ask for more than Tina Turner and Beyonce performing on stage together? Now, that's history. Personally, I think Fergie's performance with John Legend needed a little spice, as it was rather mundane and predictable.

Author's Purpose

1. The author's purpose on page 6 is to entertain and perform
2.The author also wants to recap the night's event, and analyze the memorable/ forgettable moments during the show. Oh, and of the obvious, critique their outfits :)

I was engulfed in the awards show. Usually, I quickly become disinterested, but last night I watched very last moment. The producers did a great job of compiling and integrating 5o yrs of music history. Both young and old musicians did an immaculate job of performing, and creating anticipation about their upcoming projects.

Congrats on Blogging

2008-02-08T05:43:00.000-08:00

I wanted to commend my classes for continuing to stay focus and taking on the challenge this past week of blogging. Some of you blogged before we made it a school wide initiative, but for many of you, like myself it was new and challenging. You are doing so well, and your posts are excellently written, insightful, and very funny! Good job guys.

Election 2008/ Compare and Contrast

2008-02-06T07:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/05/super.issues/index.html

It's not over until the fat lady sings! After reading multiple articles about the
results from Super Tuesday, I once again felt proud to be an American. It's wonderful to see people from all walks of life excercising their "right" to vote, and let their voices be heard. As a country, we wait four years to elect someone who represents and stands up for our needs. The race is not for the swift, but for those who can endure. Let's continue classes 801 and 802 to see who will avail. Remember, some of you will be able to vote the next time around.

You Can't Stop Me From Eating Here !/ Questioning the text

2008-02-05T04:46:00.000-08:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22997073/wid/11915773?gt1=10914

It's one thing to raise awareness, but it also another thing to discriminate against others while shedding light on a particular matter. This is what is presently happening in Mississippi. A local law maker who is not a "Twiggy" proposed a bill that targets people who are overweight. Now, I am all for being healthy and living well, but in a state such as Miss. where nearly 30% of the population is obese, I believe that there are more effective ways to target this population, as well as other intervention methods. Are restaurants the only place where people eat and become unhealthy? I think not! While eating at restaurants is commonly practiced by many American families, it would be better in my opinion to teach people how to make sound decisions when selecting food. Banning someone from any establishment because of the way they look and their size is overt discrimination, and should be throughly considered by the Mississippi law makers before passing the bill. Like I said, there are other methods that can help obese people lead healthier lives i.e. workshops, handouts, community workout initiatives.

Organic May Be the Way to Go!

2008-02-04T04:48:00.000-08:00

It seems as though even babies need to go green these days. After reading the article
" Baby Shampoo Raises Chemical Concerns", it raised both my eyebrows. Can you image, not even the babe is safe these days? If I were a mom, after reading this article, I would investigate some of the products that I intend to use when taking care of my child. While the verdict is not completely out on hazardous material such as
phthalates, from the conducted research, it is safe to say that it is not 100 % safe, and that's enough for me to stick to regular soap and water, or take a trip to the local Mrs. Green or Trader Joe supermarket. California has restricted the use of the chemical, surely that indicates that it has the potential to be dangerous. If I can live a healthier life knowingly, why not? My grandmother always use to say, " Prevention is better than the cure." This time, I'll take her advice.

Technology Lesson Plans

2007-08-30T08:57:00.000-07:00