As a girl born and raised in a neighborhood I commonly refer to as "the ghetto," I am used to seeing drug dealers, men with their pants hanging so low you can see their undergarments, and many other distasteful things. I live in Pine Hills. As a child, I attended Ridgewood Park Elementary, and later as an upcoming teacher doing service learning in my old school, I heard many stories of unruly/dangerous children.
I attribute these problems greatly to the "hip-hop culture" that is glorified in the entertainment industry. "People" (using the term loosely like I did in my previous post) like "50 cent," "Snoop Dog," Mike Tyson, "Eminem," and countless others are terrible examples for young people. And yet, parents (for whatever reason) do not shelter their children from the garbage these "entertainers" spew, so the children emulate them and their lifestyles.
I'm sorry, but someone living the gang-life, doing and selling drugs, committing crimes of all sorts, and making fatherless babies does not make for a good role model. I don't know why people find it appealing instead of appalling. A few times when I'm flipping through radio stations on the way to school in the mornings, I have stopped to listen momentarily to stations like Power 95.3 or 102 Jams, just to see what they are saying in their morning 'dialogues.' (It's not a good way to start the day because it makes me mad, but hey.) What I notice is that not only does their English totally stink, but 98% of the time they are laughing about the fact that yet another rapper has been jailed for doing some illegal activity. How is that funny? I really would like to know!
Why are violence, promiscuity, and drugs accepted and tolerated? Well-educated, decent people in the community should stand up against this ridiculous problem facing young people today. Where are the voices of reason to overshadow the foul-mouthed crap that is featured in "ghetto" entertainment? It's infuriating!
September 11th
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Before I begin my blog, I just want to respond to Olyvia's question about me doing poetry. No, really I'm not into reading or writing poetry. Poetry for small children can be cute, but it's just not my favorite form of writing. In spite of that, I will still encourage students to experiment with poetry because it might be something they will really enjoy. I'm glad you enjoyed my poem though--either that or you're just being polite. ;)
As for my response to Krystina's recent comment on my fashion blog...Christmas sweaters?! Yikes! lol No--I know what you mean. I'm sure you will be able to make it stylish in some way. :)
Ok---now for tonight's blog topic: September 11th...
Today marks the day six years ago, when terrorists managed to kill thousands of innocent people, bring down two towers, destroy a section of the Pentagon, and crash into a field--all with the use of four planes carrying innocent civilians-turned-heroes. Despite their efforts, however, they did NOT manage to bring down the American spirit. One thing that amazes me is that a lot of good came out of something so horrid--it brought Americans together.
Back then, we as a nation banded together in support of our great country and in support of those who lost so much that day. Six years later, some of that has faded. Many have moved on with their lives. In some respects, that fact is saddening, but on the other hand, moving on is a way of healing. Although I can sympathize with the victims' families and friends, I cannot truly comprehend the sadness because I did not lose anyone, but I still get teary hearing their stories and watching footage of that fateful day even now.
To this day, I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard the news of the attack. I was in tenth grade--in Mr. Wilson's English class. My class was in the library for some reason, instead of our usual classroom. The principal's voice came over the loudspeaker, and he said that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I had never heard of the World Trade Center before this occurred, but I could tell by the name it was an important place. At first, I thought the plane crash might have been just a terrible accident, but once I heard of the second plane, I knew something was terribly wrong--it was no accident. The rest of the day at school, people were somber, and teachers kept their televisions on for news coverage.
I couldn't comprehend why 'people' (using the term loosely) would be filled with so much hate that they would kill themselves for the sake of killing others. And now to know that there are thousands more just like them who would do the same in the name of extremism is beyond me. It doesn't make sense that people fall for this "religion" and/or cults (like the KKK and Black Panthers). Why is violence so appealing to those who have no support system? Terrorists (and cults and gangs) prey on people--especially young people--who lack hope and a promising future. These people are brainwashed in order to be recruited. If Osama Bin Laden was not such a coward, why did he need others to do his dirty work? Do you notice how the majority of 'people' (using the term loosely again) like Osama Bin Laden (i.e., Hitler, Ahmedinejad of Iran, Stalin, etc.) force mostly uneducated, hopeless, and often times poor people to do their unmentionable deeds for false rewards? It is past time for Muslims to stand up against the radicals in their religion. Earth to terrorists: There is no reward for blowing people up!
I pray for the those who lost loved ones, and I pray for our country's and its people's safety. I also pray that the terrorists' efforts will be thwarted every time, so that we will not have to witness another attack. God bless America!
As for my response to Krystina's recent comment on my fashion blog...Christmas sweaters?! Yikes! lol No--I know what you mean. I'm sure you will be able to make it stylish in some way. :)
Ok---now for tonight's blog topic: September 11th...
Today marks the day six years ago, when terrorists managed to kill thousands of innocent people, bring down two towers, destroy a section of the Pentagon, and crash into a field--all with the use of four planes carrying innocent civilians-turned-heroes. Despite their efforts, however, they did NOT manage to bring down the American spirit. One thing that amazes me is that a lot of good came out of something so horrid--it brought Americans together.
Back then, we as a nation banded together in support of our great country and in support of those who lost so much that day. Six years later, some of that has faded. Many have moved on with their lives. In some respects, that fact is saddening, but on the other hand, moving on is a way of healing. Although I can sympathize with the victims' families and friends, I cannot truly comprehend the sadness because I did not lose anyone, but I still get teary hearing their stories and watching footage of that fateful day even now.
To this day, I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard the news of the attack. I was in tenth grade--in Mr. Wilson's English class. My class was in the library for some reason, instead of our usual classroom. The principal's voice came over the loudspeaker, and he said that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I had never heard of the World Trade Center before this occurred, but I could tell by the name it was an important place. At first, I thought the plane crash might have been just a terrible accident, but once I heard of the second plane, I knew something was terribly wrong--it was no accident. The rest of the day at school, people were somber, and teachers kept their televisions on for news coverage.
I couldn't comprehend why 'people' (using the term loosely) would be filled with so much hate that they would kill themselves for the sake of killing others. And now to know that there are thousands more just like them who would do the same in the name of extremism is beyond me. It doesn't make sense that people fall for this "religion" and/or cults (like the KKK and Black Panthers). Why is violence so appealing to those who have no support system? Terrorists (and cults and gangs) prey on people--especially young people--who lack hope and a promising future. These people are brainwashed in order to be recruited. If Osama Bin Laden was not such a coward, why did he need others to do his dirty work? Do you notice how the majority of 'people' (using the term loosely again) like Osama Bin Laden (i.e., Hitler, Ahmedinejad of Iran, Stalin, etc.) force mostly uneducated, hopeless, and often times poor people to do their unmentionable deeds for false rewards? It is past time for Muslims to stand up against the radicals in their religion. Earth to terrorists: There is no reward for blowing people up!
I pray for the those who lost loved ones, and I pray for our country's and its people's safety. I also pray that the terrorists' efforts will be thwarted every time, so that we will not have to witness another attack. God bless America!
Boredom Is A Horrible Thing
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Kristy Zabel's Blog
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I am extremely bored right now, even though I have things I could be doing--I don't feel like doing them right this moment. So, I'm getting a head start on my blog for the week. What to write, what to write? I'm kind of at a loss for words, so I think I'll copy Olyvia's good idea by making some kind of random poem out of my name. Here goes nothing...!
K ids are fun to teach.
R eading, writing and arithmetic are...
I nteresting subjects
S o many things to teach in 180 days--so little...
T ime--but we have to use our time wisely.
Y oung people are the future, so we must teach them well.
Z 's can be difficult to find a word for, so I'll skip it, since I'm drawing a blank. :)
A nyone can learn if they try.
B elieving in one's self is key.
E very child needs to know he/she is special and that he/she can learn anything if he/she tries.
L earning can be fun and should be made fun.
Wow--that really stinks, but hey, I suppose it's better than nothing. I'm no poet, and I know it! (That rhymes.) :)
I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! Oh! I just remembered! I got an email today from school saying I won a ticket to the UCF football game on Septeember 15th. Is anyone else going? I don't want to go by myself--that would stink, so I'm seeing if anyone I know is going. Just thought I'd ask. Well, have a good week! :-D
K ids are fun to teach.
R eading, writing and arithmetic are...
I nteresting subjects
S o many things to teach in 180 days--so little...
T ime--but we have to use our time wisely.
Y oung people are the future, so we must teach them well.
Z 's can be difficult to find a word for, so I'll skip it, since I'm drawing a blank. :)
A nyone can learn if they try.
B elieving in one's self is key.
E very child needs to know he/she is special and that he/she can learn anything if he/she tries.
L earning can be fun and should be made fun.
Wow--that really stinks, but hey, I suppose it's better than nothing. I'm no poet, and I know it! (That rhymes.) :)
I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! Oh! I just remembered! I got an email today from school saying I won a ticket to the UCF football game on Septeember 15th. Is anyone else going? I don't want to go by myself--that would stink, so I'm seeing if anyone I know is going. Just thought I'd ask. Well, have a good week! :-D
What Not to Wear
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Kristy Zabel's Blog
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Well, I put this off until I couldn't any longer. Here I am--blogging at one o'clock in the morning. Sheesh! I had a heck of a time trying to think of something to write about, and then my sister suggested going off on a fashion tangent. So, here I go.... :)
Teachers are known for a lot of things, whether they apply to all teachers or not--professionalism, well- (or at least decently) educated, low pay, and working overtime. Another thing they're sometimes known for--bad fashion. Too many times I've seen teachers wearing flip-flops, long floral, shapeless dresses ("old maid" dresses), and sometimes, yes, even MOM JEANS! Why can't teachers respect themselves, their profession, their students, and their superiors enough to dress like they care what they look like? It's not like it takes any more time to wear something that fits well and is from this century than it does to put on a Hawaiian shirt with "dress pants" from the Granny Department in a store.
I like watching the show What Not to Wear on TLC, and yes, sometimes Clinton and Stacy (the hosts of the show) say that expensive clothing is better. In reality, though, you can get some nice things for a great price! Have you ever heard of Target, people? Maybe teachers should be given an allowance for clothing like news anchors get. I think that part of the problem could possibly be that many teachers don't like spending money on themselves. The same goes for mothers. But I say, why not spend some money on yourself? It doesn't make sense to spend it on others but totally forget yourself and let your own fashion fall by the wayside.
Looking decent in the classroom not only helps you feel good about yourself, but the administration and even the students notice when teachers make an effort to look professionally decent. Just because we're working with children doesn't mean we have to look like we just rolled out of bed. If we look frumpy, unkempt, and out of style, that shows that we lack self-respect and gives the impression that we don't care, which could be a reflection of how we teach. We should care about the impression we give to others.
And so, I request that all of my colleagues take my petition to heart. No mom jeans, no flip-flops, no tapered pants, no Hawaiian shirts, no 80s suits---none of that awful stuff! I don't even know why they still sell that! It's AWFUL!!!!! Please wear nice clothing that is from this time period. If you need advice, watch What Not to Wear or see what people are wearing in ads, but whatever you do, don't dress like you don't care!
Teachers are known for a lot of things, whether they apply to all teachers or not--professionalism, well- (or at least decently) educated, low pay, and working overtime. Another thing they're sometimes known for--bad fashion. Too many times I've seen teachers wearing flip-flops, long floral, shapeless dresses ("old maid" dresses), and sometimes, yes, even MOM JEANS! Why can't teachers respect themselves, their profession, their students, and their superiors enough to dress like they care what they look like? It's not like it takes any more time to wear something that fits well and is from this century than it does to put on a Hawaiian shirt with "dress pants" from the Granny Department in a store.
I like watching the show What Not to Wear on TLC, and yes, sometimes Clinton and Stacy (the hosts of the show) say that expensive clothing is better. In reality, though, you can get some nice things for a great price! Have you ever heard of Target, people? Maybe teachers should be given an allowance for clothing like news anchors get. I think that part of the problem could possibly be that many teachers don't like spending money on themselves. The same goes for mothers. But I say, why not spend some money on yourself? It doesn't make sense to spend it on others but totally forget yourself and let your own fashion fall by the wayside.
Looking decent in the classroom not only helps you feel good about yourself, but the administration and even the students notice when teachers make an effort to look professionally decent. Just because we're working with children doesn't mean we have to look like we just rolled out of bed. If we look frumpy, unkempt, and out of style, that shows that we lack self-respect and gives the impression that we don't care, which could be a reflection of how we teach. We should care about the impression we give to others.
And so, I request that all of my colleagues take my petition to heart. No mom jeans, no flip-flops, no tapered pants, no Hawaiian shirts, no 80s suits---none of that awful stuff! I don't even know why they still sell that! It's AWFUL!!!!! Please wear nice clothing that is from this time period. If you need advice, watch What Not to Wear or see what people are wearing in ads, but whatever you do, don't dress like you don't care!
Rules for Writing
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Kristy Zabel's Blog
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I just got through catching up on reading everyone's blogs. I have successfully added everyone, and you all have successfully invited me, so that's great! We're all set now! Isn't it interesting to see the different writing styles we each have? I think it's pretty neat to see the differences, and it makes me realize and/or reminds me that those differences don't make one writer better than the other necessarily; it just makes reading the blogs more fun!
I saw the comment Christie wrote on Krystina's wall, which I thought was very thoughtful. It was about punctuation and/or subject/verb agreement. First of all, if I can improve my writing, I would appreciate helpful tips/comments like Christie wrote for Krystina because I am interested in bettering myself whenever possible. One more thing before I go more into that---Wow! We have a Christie, a Krystina, and a Kristy (me)! Olyvia, by any chance is your middle name Krystal or something? :) I don't remember if I told you all, but my internship supervising teacher's name is Kristin Abel, and mine is Kristy Zabel, so with all of these similar names, I'm bound to answer to anything even remotely close to my name! Hehe :-D
Anyway....back to the topic at hand---punctuation. Also, I'd like to branch out and include some of the other basic rules of writing--capitalization and subject/verb agreement. Ever since I learned the rules for those things, I have been a stickler for them in my writing and in whose writing I read. Even when I'm IMing or emailing or doing any kind of casual writing, I just can't live without my subject/verb agreement, punctuation, and capitalization being correct. :) Once in a great while I'll let it slide, but it bothers me when I do, so I avoid it unless I'm in a huge hurry. Is anyone else like that? When people don't capitalize or use punctuation in instant messages and such, it annoys me. Maybe I should join Writing Rule Sticklers Anonymous or something. :-P :)
Although writing well is important, I have come to the realization that maybe sometimes it is more important for students to be writing in the first place than it is for EVERYTHING to be perfectly written--especially when students know the rules but choose not to use them for convenience's sake or what have you. I grasped that this past summer, when my music teacher said that sometimes you should just appreciate the fact that a student is reading a Nickelodeon Magazine instead of not reading at all. Reading and writing is so important, and I think we should praise any little effort that students make when they are engaging in literacy on their own apart from assignments.
Keep in mind, if you will, as you read my blogs that I am not writing as I would for an essay to turn in to a professor. I write my blog as I would speak in a conversation with you. So, if you get lost with the blabbing on and on, let me know, and I will try to help you decipher it. Even though I take a more casual approach in keeping with true blogging form, I still try to punctuate correctly and so forth. But again, please feel free to add helpful comments! Thanks! :)
I saw the comment Christie wrote on Krystina's wall, which I thought was very thoughtful. It was about punctuation and/or subject/verb agreement. First of all, if I can improve my writing, I would appreciate helpful tips/comments like Christie wrote for Krystina because I am interested in bettering myself whenever possible. One more thing before I go more into that---Wow! We have a Christie, a Krystina, and a Kristy (me)! Olyvia, by any chance is your middle name Krystal or something? :) I don't remember if I told you all, but my internship supervising teacher's name is Kristin Abel, and mine is Kristy Zabel, so with all of these similar names, I'm bound to answer to anything even remotely close to my name! Hehe :-D
Anyway....back to the topic at hand---punctuation. Also, I'd like to branch out and include some of the other basic rules of writing--capitalization and subject/verb agreement. Ever since I learned the rules for those things, I have been a stickler for them in my writing and in whose writing I read. Even when I'm IMing or emailing or doing any kind of casual writing, I just can't live without my subject/verb agreement, punctuation, and capitalization being correct. :) Once in a great while I'll let it slide, but it bothers me when I do, so I avoid it unless I'm in a huge hurry. Is anyone else like that? When people don't capitalize or use punctuation in instant messages and such, it annoys me. Maybe I should join Writing Rule Sticklers Anonymous or something. :-P :)
Although writing well is important, I have come to the realization that maybe sometimes it is more important for students to be writing in the first place than it is for EVERYTHING to be perfectly written--especially when students know the rules but choose not to use them for convenience's sake or what have you. I grasped that this past summer, when my music teacher said that sometimes you should just appreciate the fact that a student is reading a Nickelodeon Magazine instead of not reading at all. Reading and writing is so important, and I think we should praise any little effort that students make when they are engaging in literacy on their own apart from assignments.
Keep in mind, if you will, as you read my blogs that I am not writing as I would for an essay to turn in to a professor. I write my blog as I would speak in a conversation with you. So, if you get lost with the blabbing on and on, let me know, and I will try to help you decipher it. Even though I take a more casual approach in keeping with true blogging form, I still try to punctuate correctly and so forth. But again, please feel free to add helpful comments! Thanks! :)
Labor Day Weekend
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Hi, everyone! I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend! I did! Friday evening I picked up my younger sister Brittany from her apartment in Gainesville. (She goes to the University of Florida.) She wanted to come home for the weekend, and we (the family) wanted her to come, so she came! :) We didn't really do anything Saturday afternoon, but that evening, we went to my favorite Italian restaurant (The Sicilian --on 436) for my birthday dinner. Since my birthday was last Tuesday, we decided to celebrate on the weekend, since my sister would be in town and just because weekends are more fun than weekdays. ;) :)
On Sunday, we went to church as usual in the morning, and everyone was surprised and happy to see Brittany. Then my family and I went to lunch with friends of the family, and that was fun. After that, my long weekend was uneventful. :-P I did, however, manage to sleep in each day during the short break though----that was great! I needed it. I need to get a better sleep schedule going though! Here I am right now at 12:39 A.M. writing my blog, when I should be asleep! Sheesh! When will I ever learn?
I hope I haven't bored you too much with this blog--or at least no more than usual. lol Anywho, I did have a nice weekend, but I could use a couple more days!
Tuesday is internship day again, and I'm looking forward to that. I would take internship days over 3-hour college classes any day! It's a lot of fun being in the classroom. I guess that's why I'm going to become a teacher though-- because I enjoy it so much, you think? hehehe :)
Oh! I forgot to mention that I talked to my older sister Jill Monday night. I hadn't talked to her in over a week because she went on a vacation with her fiance Daniel to Costa Rica and Guatemala. Jill was excited because it was her first time going to Spanish-speaking countries. She speaks Spanish fluently after years of taking it in school, so she was happy to finally be able to use Spanish somewhere besides America. I saw some of her pictures, and it looks like she did some pretty cool things. It was nice to finally talk to her on the phone. She was gone ten days, but it seemed like a month! (I'm used to talking to --or instant messaging-- her quite often.) She's planning to tell me the stories behind the pictures once she gets all of her pictures uploaded to the internet. I'm sure she has a lot to share; she said she took over 1,400 pictures!!! That will take a while to look through.
My 20 minutes of blogging are up, so I will say good night now. I better shuffle off to bed. Have a good week! I'll see you all Thursday in class. :)
On Sunday, we went to church as usual in the morning, and everyone was surprised and happy to see Brittany. Then my family and I went to lunch with friends of the family, and that was fun. After that, my long weekend was uneventful. :-P I did, however, manage to sleep in each day during the short break though----that was great! I needed it. I need to get a better sleep schedule going though! Here I am right now at 12:39 A.M. writing my blog, when I should be asleep! Sheesh! When will I ever learn?
I hope I haven't bored you too much with this blog--or at least no more than usual. lol Anywho, I did have a nice weekend, but I could use a couple more days!
Tuesday is internship day again, and I'm looking forward to that. I would take internship days over 3-hour college classes any day! It's a lot of fun being in the classroom. I guess that's why I'm going to become a teacher though-- because I enjoy it so much, you think? hehehe :)
Oh! I forgot to mention that I talked to my older sister Jill Monday night. I hadn't talked to her in over a week because she went on a vacation with her fiance Daniel to Costa Rica and Guatemala. Jill was excited because it was her first time going to Spanish-speaking countries. She speaks Spanish fluently after years of taking it in school, so she was happy to finally be able to use Spanish somewhere besides America. I saw some of her pictures, and it looks like she did some pretty cool things. It was nice to finally talk to her on the phone. She was gone ten days, but it seemed like a month! (I'm used to talking to --or instant messaging-- her quite often.) She's planning to tell me the stories behind the pictures once she gets all of her pictures uploaded to the internet. I'm sure she has a lot to share; she said she took over 1,400 pictures!!! That will take a while to look through.
My 20 minutes of blogging are up, so I will say good night now. I better shuffle off to bed. Have a good week! I'll see you all Thursday in class. :)
My 21st Birthday!
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Well, like I said in my previous blog, Tuesday was my 21st birthday! It was kind of uneventful like most birthdays---especially those that fall on weekdays. It was nice though. I had to get up early because I had internship again. The interning part of my day went well. I handed back the notes the students had written to me along with my response to what they wrote. Even this first correspondence with the kids has gotten them more familiar with me. I think this is going to be a busy (and hectic) but fun semester.
When I got home after internship, I was totally pooped, so I took a nap for a couple of hours. (Am I boring you yet?) Then, I opened presents and had some cake. That's about it! I got some nice gifts though---and useful ones too! I got a hair straightener, which I was excited about because my younger sister took hers with her to college, so I could no longer borrow it. I got some colored pencils and pens, candy, a huge birthday balloon, stamps of my signature, money, and some other things. I was pleased--and thankful!!!
I was just fooling around on the computer and remembered I needed to write a blog, so here I am! I thought I'd share my birthday experience with you. My family is planning to take me out to dinner on Saturday night. And...since there is no school Monday, my younger sister is coming down from Gainesville (University of Florida) to celebrate my birthday during the weekend, so I'm looking forward to that---even though I saw her last Saturday for her birthday! :)
Also on Monday, my older sister and her fiance will return to Washington, D.C. after vacationing for ten days in Costa Rica and Guatemala. I can't wait to see their hundreds of pictures! They went through rainforests, over volcanoes, and much more, so I'm sure the pictures are going to be really cool.
I guess I'll sign off now, since I'm just jabbering, and it's been about 20-25 minutes! I hope you all are having a good week so far! Take care.
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