School's Almost Over

I have just one more final in educational psychology then I can focus on my final project for my master's in journalism. I'm excited to have the time to devote to this project. Lately I've had a major break mental break through and the concept for this project is finally solidifying.

With help from some friends pointing me in the right direction I've have found lots of evidence that supported my intuition regarding Local Education News (LENs). This could seriously revolutionize the organization of news.

I've been neglecting this blog only but I've been working on this project nearly non-stop. This past semester I've not only take the ed. psych. class but also a "social foundations of education" class. Both sadly have made me realize why I didn't enjoy high school.

I hate to generalize teachers into one group or another. In fact many of my close friends are teachers and I have a lot of respect for them and their work. But most of the undergraduates that are studying to be teachers fail to earn my respect.

Many of the students who want to teach are reluctant to learn themselves. They didn't buy the textbook, they didn't like to read or study. They had limited experience of the world outside their limited existence. Most settled for teaching because it was "easy." Many were dogmatic in their thinking.

In my educational law class, all who are currently teachers or administrators talked during class. Ironic. The ed. psych class only lasted half of the alloted time. As if to say learning is not that important, just teach. All of these classes were a series of pep talks lavishing praise for the student who wanted to be teachers. Ahh, the noble profession.

While blasting teacher's is an easy target we should wonder what is it about the profession that other more intellectually inclined avoid it. In other words, what social conditions lead people who dislike education itself to teach?

Granted there are other problems than simply the poor qualities of teachers but it was truly eye opening to see the sad state of the teaching profession. I thought journalist were taught poorly.

I've also done a few classroom observations and plan to do many more. But that recently requires an $40 F.B.I. background check. Previously it was just a state police and a child abuse clearance. Oh the simple days. One day I guess I'll be able to write that off on my taxes. But first I need an income.

I wish some one else would run with this project and take the risks. I've got a daughter to raise and this risk is truly scary. I'd rather work a menial job and get paid sometimes. Sometime.

Tired of Hot Air

A press release from the Pittsburgh Public School Board just came out. I have to find some way to link it to this blog but if you contact me I can email it to you.

However, you didn't miss anything. The press release rattles off rhetoric with little substance. Aren't we all tired off this. Just another political speech that lacks any specifics on issues and plans. There's never any mention of money. Absolutely no transparency.

I would like to get to the bottom of this and interview the policy makers. Find hard data and let us discuss it.

I want to be involved but who can sort through all the BS. We need to form a community decipher the school boards actions and a make them accountable to the public.

Assignment Zero

It appeared promising. Hundreds of people working on a project to get the most in-depth and widest scope of information on a relevant topic. But right now there just seems to be cacophony of voices. There is no moderator or organizer, just hundreds of people talking at once.

Hopefully, they will sort through all the information and make it in to something worth reading.

My personal experience with Assignment Zero is less than satisfying. Mostly it's an argument with some random guy. We debate the concept of "experts". This rather childish debate is typical of the Assignment Zero. Most of the site is childish. It's just one giant play pen for newsies and media junkies. Granted, I one of them but I have a purpose.

The project will go one for a while but my prediction is that it will fail. But perhaps this cold is making me cynical.

I hope some one will check out this site and tell me what they think.

Assignment Zero - Critique

Everyone's a critic and everyone entitled to their opinion.

Assignment Zero - An experiment in pro-am journalism. This new and interesting experiment. One word comes to mind after perusing most of the site - envy.

The site obviously took a lot of time and money, that's what I envy.

A team of people working on the site and yet I'm still not sure what the experiment is all about. Where are the stories? What exactly are the stories? What's the focus? 700+ members, I'm one of them, doing what exactly? Assignment Zero grandiose goals and resources attempts to cover everything. A mile wide and an inch deep, so the saying goes.

Not to be arrogant but the concept of Local Education News could bring information with laser like focus and with community structure something woefully lacking in Assignment Zero. Thus making it relevant.

I have spent five to six hours invested in Assignment Zero. I'll write more about this experiment because I think it will shed some light on what my project is about. But off I go to class to discuss the merits and problems with the No Child Left Behind Act.

Personal Update

It's been a while since my last post and I feel compelled to explain.

I have not neglected this project but I have so many fires to tend. I'm currently taking two education classes. It's kind of an ethnography of the teacher's culture, as well as learning about pedagogical methods.

These classes also require classroom observations. Thus far I've attended a suburban elementary school and a urban charter high school. These have have been very informative and I plan to observe as many classrooms as possible. There's nothing like seeing the rubber hit the pavement to understand the mechanics of a complex organization.

Business plan research is also taking much of my time. I have a dilemma between for-profit and non-profit objectives. While this is not a true stumbling block for progress, I have probably dedicated to much time considering the options.

Also my roof has been leaking since November and litigation continues with the contractor. Also I killed my car while on vacation and had to blow the remaining student loan money just to get back home and replace the car. In other words, I've been really stressed so I took a break where I could.

I truly believe in this project. The elements that keep me coming back are truth and justice.
We can collectively discover the truth about our schools. With that truth we can wield justice. Then that justice will lead every one to freedom.

Forgive my rhetoric but there is a depth of logic that I will explain later.

Community Building - A poor metaphor

Building a community brings to mind a frontier mentality. Few couragous people setting up a homestead. Soon other will see the beauty of their work and decide to move there.

Not only is this idealistic but it is also inaccuarate. We live in the midst of humanity. People surround us at any given moment. We are far from alone. Yet we do not have a community to speak of.

We are supersaturated with people. So my metaphor borrows from science of crystal formation. This project aims to be the seed crystal. Community Crystalizing.

I believe public schools to be the natural place for this form to take place. A place where there are thousands of students, teachers and parents. A place where the potential for real community has already gathered but has no solid form as of yet.

The seed crystal is what it will take for for the larger crystal to form around. If this project can develop a single molecular structure perhaps that will be enough to create a gem of a community.

Domain Name Bought

I bought the domain name "localeducationnews.com"

Sadly, "ourschools.com" was already taken. Just thought that had more zing and marketability. Yet, I don't despair. The other name is much more serious and accurate, right?

This one step further makes me realize the emormity of the project. The role I truly want is a editor/moderator/writer role in this project. I want content that informs and enlightens people on educational issues.

Now I feel like a founder of company worried about marketing, logos, web design and hosting, non-profit or for-profit status and worst of all money. It's a business whether it's a non-profit business or not. All I see right now is the huge cost this project could entail.

Many people might think how this project of getting ordinary citizens to write for free and posting it on the web could cost a lot of money. Sure that part is relatively cheap. But If any one is going to read it then that might cost a few hundred thousand. And it's not about advertising.

Just to get some understanding of the cost. I have spent over $5,000 on classes for teachers just to understand their perspective and insight. Really, I have no intention of becoming a teacher. This is part of my Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication degree.

To host a website and design one that will actually have quality information this project will need a database manager to aggregate test score, census information, government documents, and etc.

The web design and hosting can be expensive as well. There are a lot of bells and whistles to make this project truely work. For example running a chat room will use up much more broadband than simple posting text. Not to mention possible podcasting and video.

Now I see why "Youtube" sold for a billion. It wasn't just the name.

There is much I think I can bring to the table as far as journalistic principles and democratic philosophy. However, all of this money stuff will take more time to process. I still will attempt to work on it.