Lend A Hand

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, our only hope for the future is education. The education of young people and the further information gathering of ourselves. However many school can’t or won’t teach politics and government as in depth as they need to be taught. Therefore it falls on our shoulders as their responsible parents. Luckily there are a few exceptional sites online to help you and your children learn more about the political environment they are growing up in.

1. Ben’s Guide To U.S. Government For Kids: This site gets a 4 out of 4 stars rating. Not only are the graphics amusing and kid-friendly, the information is remarkably in depth. Grades K-12 are covered and since it focuses on government  the education is specific, and even better, constant.
2. Education World: A 3 of 4 stars site, Education World was created mostly for teachers and homeschoolers but is just as good for parents. The site provides lesson plans but does not limit its education to government, politics and history.
3. ABC Teach: Scoring another 3 out 4, ABC Teach provides more than just activities and lesson plans. You’ll find resources to more information, worksheets that you and your children can work on, and activities that will get students interested in U.S. History and government.
4. Teachnology: I give this site only 2 out of 4 stars because they are intended primarily for teachers. You may find it difficult to navigate the site to find something useful for you and your kids. Also they offer a membership option for $39.99 a year which may be worth the investment. On the good side when you do find something that meets your needs, the resources are quite thorough and professional.

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It is no secret that our public school system is crumbling to pieces. No longer is it the great “equalizer” it was set up to be. Sadly more and more people are considering home schooling, private schooling and supplemental schooling in the form of tutoring or programs like Sylvan Schools because they do not trust the local public schools to teach their kids what they need to be successful.

Having dealt with the public school system in my city for the last 20 years, I have seen first hand the tragic failing of a system built on good intentions. So where does the blame lie? Do the schools need more money? equipment? teachers? regulations? what? Most importantly, how do we fix this?

Fixing it isn’t going to be easy and it isn’t going to be quick – two things most people in the field already know. The first thing we have to do is realize that the old way of doing things isn’t going to work anymore. Today we are asking our teachers to teach more and more information in the same amount of time using the same tools. While the introduction of the computer has helped teachers are still overworked and students are still being rushed through their education.

Everyone notices the increase in children with ADHD and children with learning disabilities and behavioral problems and the rise of obesity but has anyone stopped to look at the lives of these poor children nowadays? It seems like they are being  rushed around and overstimulated from day one. TV shows and videos for infants? Special DVD players for toddlers? Video games for preschoolers? Structural activities from only months old and day care at as young as 6 weeks.

Some seven-year-olds have group activities as many as four or five times a week. Where is the downtime? Oh right, in school these kids who are constantly bombarded with movement and noise everywhere are expected to sit still and listen to someone talk for 50 minutes while writing notes on blank paper. Confusing much? I think so.

So we need to realize the problem in front of us. We need to reevaluate what students need to know and what is the best way to teach them. Parents need to get involved and teachers and administrators need to respect parents and students. We all need to work together, we need to band together and we need to be willing to put in long, hard frustrating hours to turn this around. All across the board we need to realize that what is best for our children is not necessary what is best for our pockets or pocketbooks. Can we do this? We most certainly can.

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A new President, a new Congress, a new mayor or governor are all very exciting. Elections bring a sense of hope, a hope that things will get better. New leadership brings with it a sense of anticipation of what is to come. Boy do I love that feeling. This November 5th was a great day for me. I walked around with a feeling of lightness and hope that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Finally I felt that our country finally had a chance. Not because the newly elected politicians are going to kiss America’s boo-boo and make it all better but because I truly believe Barack Obama will listen to the people and be willing to follow our lead.

You see, the real hope for our fine nation is us. The truth is that we have to be willing to pull up our bootstraps, batten down our hatches, tighten our belts and any other cliches that would fit this situation. No matter how good our leadership is, no matter how much money they try to throw at the problem, no matter what helpful legislature they try to pass, it isn’t going to be enough.

We need to start turning back the clock. Tighter communities, knowing your local authorities personally, fraternizing with your neighbors. Neighborhoods need to mean something again.

We need to start pooling our resources and helping one another however we can. Babysitting, shopping for people who find it difficult to get around, doing yard work for elderly or busy neighbors. The days when it took a village to raise a child need to make a comeback and the days when children and teenagers were treated with respect, shown the merits of charity and hard work and allowed to accept responsibility and accountability for their actions needs to begin to be cornerstones of parenting once more.

With serious sacrifice, a good deal of hard work and community involvement, we the people can get the once great country back on the road to excellence.

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Watching the coverage on election night was the most political excitement I’ve felt in a while. It is no secret that I supported Obama and was flooded with a sense of both relief and hope when he was announced President – Elect.

That said, even the amazing Barack Obama is going to have a tough time straightening out this country. This is the time to be practical and reasonable and by that I mean all of us, not just the government.

Our President-Elect has a lot of big plans and has made quite a few assurances to the American Public. But what are the real priorities? What needs to be done right here, right now ASAI (As soon as Inauguration)?

• Put an end to blind Bailouts. I’m not in favor of bailouts at all but if it is necessary for the economy then Congress should demand strategies or plans from the companies BEFORE giving any money. Make them sell there private jets and end annual conventions in exotic places. Slash CEOs and other high executives salaries and incentive packages.
• Demand that education becomes a priority, The priority. All of the problems we have today could be solved with enough highly education individuals. Better education is the key to future success for our nation. Unfortunately the public school system is so broken it needs an almost total reconstruction.
• Provide affordable Health Care to every citizen in America. Health Care isn’t only a problem for those whose don’t have health insurance, it’s also an issue for those who have bad, expensive insurance that drains their income and usually falls into the cracks when people address the health care problem.
• Job Growth – Somehow, Obama has to find a way to get companies to bring jobs back into the country and provide higher education to these people who could fill badly needed job positions but can’t afford the education. Trends suggest more and more people will be working from home and starting their own business. These little solo companies if nurtured can eventually build up into an organization dedicated to the community as opposed to Big Corporations who exist on Federal tax breaks while outsourcing every job they can and handing out exorberant bonuses to their higher ups.

There is a lot more work to be done, decades worth. But this is a good place to start. I know that if anyone can get it done, Obama can and we can.

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