What Not to Tell Your Teacher

What Not to Tell Your Teacher:

• I didn’t do your work because I didn’t have time.
• I didn’t do your work because I went shopping.
• I’m going to read my work that I did for you but it isn’t very good.
• I didn’t do your work because i was doing work for another teacher.
• I’m going to steal your dog.
• Thanks! I did it on the bus.
• I looked it up, was I supposed to read it?
• I left my work at home.
• I didn’t read it but I saw the movie.
• Oops!
• I wrote about Xbox.
• Yeah, I just started writing fifteen minutes ago.
• I’m bored.
• I got kicked out of the movie theater.
• I didn’t write anything because I didn’t think anything was important.
• Yeah, I looked at it.
• I thought about it, but I didn’t study.
• I don’t feel like reading.
• Really? That’s so much effort!
• I need to use the bathroom because I have to pee.
• I don’t like the library because I’m afraid I’m going to lose the book.
• I didn’t feel like it.
• I like Geometry better.
• My eyes hurt.
• I’m on a break.

Compiled by Rebecca Neale for Ms. Vandeventer’s 4th Core class.

Art- Sara Platek

How Has Art Changed the World?

By Sara Platek

Since the beginning of mankind humans have felt the need to create visual images such as paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Art. Why? It gives us a chance to express ourselves and communicate in a unique way other than just simply writing or talking. It inspires our creative side and provides us with an opportunity to show our true feelings in an original way that comes only from the creator. Even the earliest human beings carved and painted illustrations of events that happened in their daily lives onto cave walls. Ancient Egyptians created stunning pottery and lavish architecture that has revealed secrets of their life style in the past. These antique pieces of art have been beautiful clues to the lives of old civilizations that we wouldn’t have known much of otherwise.

Besides giving us information about unfamiliar cultures, art has provided everyone with inspiration to show their true feelings about anything without actually having to write it down or say it, since sometimes a thought or idea can be so overwhelming it simply cannot be put into words.  It has activated important movements and revolutions like the Renaissance and war protests in the 60’s. It can spark a flame of passion inside the observer. Art brings splendor and excitement into the public eye, or maybe just to the person who created the piece. It has given us a chance to feel emotions that we couldn’t experience from merely listening to a speech or reading a book. It’s created to move the viewer to feel the utmost joy, deep sorrow, or simply just to make them consider different perspectives and reflect. Art gives illiterate people a voice without words or writing and provides them with a visual translation for stories, words, and other parts of life. It puts a splash of color in the world when its dark. Art has changed the world for the better.

Justice- Matt Price

What is Justice and how should we achieve Justice?

Matthew Price

Justice is giving what a criminal or wrongdoer deserves. Justice is what needs to be done, and not what is wanted to be done. Many times in the past we have done what should not have been done instead of giving justice. Like killing a person instead of giving them a fair trial, which should have been done. Or even harboring a criminal and not doing anything at all to punish them.

Justice should always be given to all people accused of crime no matter who they are. At almost all times, we should give justice through fair trial. Hurting or even killing should be only when absolutely necessary. Justice is fair and should be given fairly to all.

Standardized Testing- Samantha Sidell

Does standardized testing truly test a child’s knowledge?

By: Samantha Sidell

At the end of every school year children are given standardized tests so that schools can get a look at what they have learned this year. But to me, those tests do not get a good look at the true knowledge of the child. The multiple choice tests are just methods of elimination to get the right answer, and that does not show good thinking strategy. Honestly, most children will just pick an answer that looks good to them, without even thinking.

Standardized testing is also not great, because it's just trying to get the little bit of information from that year out, and not other knowledge. Children need to remember things from past years, but if they know it'll only be used for that one test, then most do not even try to remember it. I think that there is a newer, better way of testing, and that should be used at the end of each school year for testing!

Competition- Mr. Cuthrell

Which does competition bring out more in people, the good or bad?

By Mr. Cuthrell

I guess I would say that would truly depend on the type of person involved in the competition. This is really a case of what type of character the person has that is involved in the competition. I have seen people involved in competitions that rise to a higher level of achievement because of the competitive spirit. However, there are people out there who are so competitive that they adopt a policy of win by all means necessary. I believe that competition is a healthy way of getting oneself ready for the real world. The only problem with competition in this modern day is that too many people are worried about how losing competitions affects the psyche of young people. The simple fact is that in competition there are winners and those who do not win. Some people take the route of trying to avoid competition because of the outcomes that might occur. Everything one does in life is in some form related to competition- the question is, are you the type of person that will win at the cost of your integrity?

Freedom- Austin McGee and Ms. Creef

How much freedom did your generation have as a child?

 

 

By Austin McGee

 

My generation gets many things thrown at them. From schoolwork, spare time, and the vast world of the Internet, I, as a teen, am trusted to manage all of these things, and not take advantage of them. I was given the freedom, at a very early age, to control most aspects of my life. I have the online community at my disposal every day. I can say anything, to anyone, at any time. I can access things that are all the way across the world with just the press of a button. There are pictures, videos, and websites of almost any topic you can think of. I can learn very interesting and important things just from going online. Chat rooms and video calls give my generation the ability to see and hear anyone. Texting allows me to get together with friends quicker and easier. Most teens are even granted a smartphone, which allows all of this at our disposal on the go.

With all of these things, there came a price. At school, the nation expects so much from my friends and I. Especially since I am placed in an advanced class. With the freedom to access any information online, my generation is expected to work like a machine, making no errors and constantly producing flawless, in depth work. My generation is constantly getting information slammed into our heads, with no stop to take a breather. But, outside of school, we are free to do whatever we want, when we want.

My generation can do anything but fly. We can know anything we want, see anything we want to see, and virtually go anywhere we want to go. Our parents just stand back and watch the magic happen. With the freedom to know anything, and do anything, we are expected to be superhuman, and be able to turn anything into gold. So we definitely have lots of freedom. Maybe even too much to handle.

 

 

By Ms. Creef

 

In many aspects, my generation had a lot of freedom as children. In the afternoons or the weekends, we would play outside until the sun went down. That was the rule, be home before it gets dark. We would play in the park, woods, neighborhood, or someone’s house. It was not unusual to see children walking or riding down the street alone. We were free to explore, create, play, and roam. That is not something we would be able to do now. Communities were safer. Communities were an extension of the family. I knew I was being watched by my parents, and everyone in the neighborhood. If I needed something, I knew I could go anyone’s house and get help. If I did something wrong, I knew any of my neighbors or friend’s parents would give me a consequence and tell my parents. This sense of community allowed us to have more freedom. We were safe because we were cared for everywhere we went.

 

With all of the freedom I was given outside, I was given very little freedom with technology in the home. Technology was something new to our generation. I was in the third grade when we get our first VCR. I was not allowed to watch it alone and only for short amounts of time unless we were watching a family movie. Nickelodeon, VH1 and MTV were new to television. I was not allowed to watch any of the programs on those channels. When we got our first answering machine, I was not allowed to use it. We did not have call waiting, so calls had to be limited to no longer than fifteen minutes at a time. My first ‘digital’ phone (digital meant it was a push button phone, not a dial), was in my room but I could not answer it. When we purchased our first computer, I was in middle school. I was not allowed to use the computer without a parent. I was given no freedom with technology and all the freedom you could imagine outside.

 

My generation was given more freedom outside than in our homes with technology. Our outside environment was safer because we lived in a community. Everyone looked out for each other. Technology was new and unsafe. There was freedom in numbers, no freedom in the fast and ever changing technology world.

Appearance- Luke Skertich and Dr. Richmond

Are kids too worried about their appearance?

 

 

Luke Skertich

 

While I think it is important to look presentable, there is no need worry about how you look every five seconds. Kids are so worried about how others look at them and how others judge them just by what they look like. Kids are afraid that if they don’t look perfect every minute of every day, they are going to be shunned. Kids get so caught up on what they are wearing and where they got it. It gives them a mentality that if it’s not popular, it’s not cool.

 

It’s actions like those that make kids forget that everybody is unique. If every person looked the same or wore the same exact jacket, the world would be a very boring place. There is no need for kids to create this image of a perfect person that they have to be like every day. Everybody’s unique features are what make everybody who they are and it makes the world a more interesting place.

By Dr. Richmond

In my opinion middle school students do care about their appearance. They are extremely self-conscious and often think everyone is looking at them. They do not like to be different. They are over sensitive about their body image, their skin, their size, clothing, and hair. I personally think that the media has a lot to do with young people being so conscious of their looks., particularly girls. Every time you watch a television show or pick up a magazine there is an image of a rail thin teen with perfect hair and a perfect smile. This is not reality. I wish young people could just be happy with themselves and not worry about what others think!

Beauty

Face to Face: What is considered beautiful? What is it that makes a person beautiful?

 

 

Maia Orfanedes

As the saying goes, true beauty comes from within. People often notice external beauty before seeing the content of someone’s character, but a person’s personality says a lot about who they are. Of course, everyone considers good looks or a pretty face, but that isn’t what determines whether or not someone is beautiful. A kind heart and a good sense of humor are both traits that help make up a person’s inner beauty.

 

Everything and everyone has something beautiful about them. Flowers are beautiful, because they blossom and bloom in the spring. Birds are beautiful because they chirp and sing happy songs. Everything is beautiful when you look at what is on the inside and not what is on the outside. Sometimes the things you can’t see are prettier than the things you can. A person’s beauty is deeper than what you can see, it comes from within.

By Ms. Vandeventer

Being beautiful in the most meaningful sense is something that springs from beneath the surface of the skin. While it is true that physical features can be beautiful, most will discover through the passage of time that looks fade. What the passage of years can not touch, however, is the continuous action of BEING beautiful. Physical beauty pales in comparison to lives lived for others, the gentle touch of a mother’s hand, a young person’s zeal for life, honesty, integrity, or generosity. Being beautiful involves choices that are made each day. These choices over time become the fabric of a person’s character, and it is a person’s character that makes him either beautiful or ugly. When values and morals are allowed to guide as choices are made, beauty is created for others, and inner beauty radiates from within . Without this inner illumination, physical beauty is shallow and meaningless.

Truly beautiful human beings are not perfect human beings. There is no such thing. They are genuine and true to their beliefs, and they do good things for the right reasons, not for their own vanity. Their hands do not hold mirrors for admiration of themselves, but instead are often extended to those around them. They smile not because that looks best in photographs, but because they delight in the happiness of others…and when other people are BEING beautiful, too.

Dream Careers- Chrisna Men and Ms. Lay

With the struggling economy we have today would you suggest students to still work towards their dream career or look towards a more practical path?

 

By Chrisna Men

I think that the teacher’s opinions or thoughts on what career field the student should be in shouldn’t have a huge influence on the student’s final choice. Instead, they should think about their interests and allow themselves to learn more about what it takes to achieve their dream job. During this process, students are able to see the struggles, hard work, and education they have to go through in order to succeed in their future goals. However, they also see a path in their life in which they can finally work in an environment where they can feel comfortable and bring out their talents. For a lot of students, school is probably one of the very few places that they can reveal their talents and interests, and not feel pressured to go into something they dislike. Teachers are able to help students by guiding them through the learning process until the student can finally make their own decision. Most likely, it will be a long journey, but seeing their students accomplish their goals and succeed in life shows hard work doesn’t go to waste.
 

By Mrs. Jennifer Lay

 

I urge you all to go with your heart and follow your dreams. Money is important to live, but you can’t take it with you when you die and you will always wonder what could have been. I believe that if you go into a job for the money, you can’t buy happiness and you’ll eventually quit. Talent and dreams exist because each person has been given a gift that not only makes them happy, but is a contribution to society. When you have faith that you are doing what you were meant to do, all the money you need will be there.

Childhood- Anna Spencer and Mr. Gunter

Who Had An Easier Childhood?

Today’s Children or Today’s Adults?

 

 

By Anna Spencer

While it is true that today’s children have it better in the sense of material things, children

of the past had a much simpler and easier way of living. In the past, children could go outside for

hours without their parents having a clue where they were. Parents didn’t have to worry. Today,

kids can’t leave the driveway without telling a parent exactly where they’re going and when

they’ll be back. Many kids don’t even want to walk anywhere because they have an awful fear of

being kidnapped.

In the past, teenagers could live life and not even think about their future. Today, teens

are forced to choose a career right when they go into high school. Teens are pressured to do

extremely well in school nowadays because it is so hard to get into college. Then, when they get

out of college, they have to worry about getting a job. Twenty years ago, you could walk outside

and get a job easily. Today, there are also many irresponsible parents in the world. Their lack of

responsibility forces many children to grow up too fast. Childhoods have definitely changed over

the years.

By Mr. Gunter

I believe that kids today have it mentally tougher than we did back in the day. They seem to be bombarded with information constantly from the cell phone, computer, or television. These kids are receiving thousands of text messages a month, put their whole life story for everyone to read on Facebook, and watching an unbelievable amount of TV along with playing video games. This technology seems to have affected the way they are able to process information and has hindered today’s kids from being able to think for themselves. Everything for today’s generation of kids has to be instant. If they can’t get it right away, most of today’s kids will move on to something else without analyzing the information they have received.

Caring- Jazmine Boloor and Ms. Holt

Do people ever really stop caring about what others think? When?

 

 

By Jazmine Boloor

I believe that it is very possible to stop caring what others think, but to come to that stage in life, you have to have a clear mindset of your goals, self-worth, and life in general. There's almost a stigma in society that if you don't care what people think, then you don't care about yourself. However, this statement is completely false and opposite, as they go hand in hand with each other. Spending time worried about what others think is just a wasted emotion. However, society today has placed people in the frame of mind where they seem to care more now than they ever did before.

Society today puts a lot of pressure on our youth to look and dress a certain way, so much so that pressure trickling up to our older generations, who are now starting to do the same thing. Today, we see people in their 70s looking and dressing like their 40, instead of being content with being the older generation that our younger people could look up to. I feel that today we face a greater number of problems in the world than ever before. If people took the same amount of energy they spend worrying about what others think about them, and put that energy into solving the worlds problems, we would all be in a much better place. 

 

 

by Ms. Holt

People don’t really ever stop caring about what others think about them. Throughout a person’s life, they have many social groups they interact with (school, family, work, friends, being out in the public, etc.), and you want the people in those social groups to think well of you. As you get older, though, you find that it’s more important to surround yourself with people who accept you for who you are. Then, you can be yourself and worry less about what others think about you.

The Rainbows- Macyn Key and Mr. McSween

What does the rainbow mean to you?

 

 

Macyn Key

 

Rainbows can have many different meanings to many people. To me, a rainbow represents hope. It shows that, even after trouble, things can always get better. Rainbows cannot be made without the rain falling first. This symbolizes how, even in nature, beauty is always seen better after a storm.

 

By Mr. McSween

Many things; first, a literal representation would be of light and therefore the sense of sight. On a personal level, it represents a good excuse to stop whatever is going on in my house, and get my 4-year-old totally pumped to see a cool and somewhat rare natural phenomenon, and gain an appreciation for science and the beauty of the earth. Finally, on a social level, the rainbow represents the LBGTQ community and the most pressing civil rights issues in our country today. It makes me hopeful that my students’ generation will be more accepting than my parents and marriage rights, as well as all rights, will be available to all Americans.

Adults and Teens- William Crump and Ms. Reynolds

When should adults listen to teenagers, and when should teenagers listen to adults?

 

By William Crump

 

Teenagers should listen to adults when it’s about topics they are well researched in, such as politics, previous experiences that have to do with the matter, and about education. They should listen to these subjects because they don’t have many life experiences, they don’t have a complete education, and they don’t take detailed interest in politics except, perhaps, who occupies the current presidential seat.

Adults, on the other hand, should listen to teenagers when the conversation is about video games, horror movies, the best phone to have, and good jokes/pranks. Most teens spend most of their time on playing video games, watching movies, using their phones, and joking or pulling a prank on their friends. So of course they would be able to hold a conversation about most of the topics I mentioned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Donna Reynolds

 Teenagers today have more opportunities to make bad decisions than they did in years past .As parents/teachers, we should always be willing to listen to our teenagers and resist the urge to judge or advice; sometimes just being heard helps. Even though they're often reluctant to admit it, they seek approval, love, and a "soft place to fall". Listening is the key to finding out how they really feel. Adults should really listen ( stop whatever they are doing, make eye contact, don’t interrupt) anytime a teenager is talking to them…whether they are giving the details of their school day, explaining the plot of a movie they just saw, or opening up about something that is bothering them . The old adage of “Children being seen and not heard” certainly does not apply to teenagers!

As a classroom teacher and Mom I would often tell my students/children that they were given two ears and one mouth for a purpose…so they could do twice as much listening as they did talking. No- adults aren't always right, and Yes- you do have the option of RESPECTFULLY questioning us , but we have so many more life experiences to draw upon and are hoping to save you from learning lessons the hard way. You have probably heard the saying that “hindsight is 20-20” ; when we offer advice, suggestions, or even ultimatums it is because of the “hindsight” we have gleaned through our own experiences. While it might seem “uncool” to listen to your parents (teachers, other adults that care about your well-being) you should always listen and then draw your own conclusions and make your own choices..realizing that if you act like a responsible adult you will more than likely be treated as one.

Having Fun- Quinn Tjin-A-Soe and Ms. Stephens

Having fun: what is it like for you?

 

 

Quinn Tjin-A-Soe

To me, fun is another time in my schedule; I could have fun almost anywhere at almost anytime of day, whether it’s with my friends or by myself. Fun is not something to do just during spare time; I could have fun doing the dishes, laundry, or sleeping. Like taking a test, I divide it into portions; when doing chores, I have moments when I burst out in song. There are moments when my friends and I have gotten disinterested in the same activities, but that doesn’t stop our productive minds from working. At moments of desperation we would take a very long walk to the mall or movies, and other times we would walk into the woods until we got lost. I also enjoy making others laugh, like this brief entry; I tried to be a tad humorous. I’ll always try to enjoy everyday until the end of my days.

By: Liz Stephens

Fun is much more than a three letter word. To me, fun is a number of things: Sitting on the beach with the wind in your hair…reading a good book you can’t put down…sleeping in on the weekends…drinking an ice cold Cheerwine at any time of the day…laughing so hard your cheeks hurt…watching as much reality TV as I can…tubing down the Dan River…having dinner with my family…shopping at TJMaxx/Ross/Marshalls…finding an amazing deal at any of the aforementioned establishments…working a math problem that takes an entire page…riding around in the back of a pick-up, really going nowhere, with all the other kids in the neighborhood…kickball in the cul-de-sac…watching NFL football all Sunday long, and winning my fantasy league…playing Duck Hunt on the original Nintendo…sitting around the fire making s ’mores…people watching at the airport, or anywhere for that matter…bagging groceries…using the leaf blower…going on vacation and only packing a bathing suit and pajamas…turning my phone off and hanging out with my girlfriends…putting together a hard puzzle…driving with the windows down and blasting the radio so loud that I can’t hear myself singing.

This Generation- Nick Romano and Ms. Bishop

What impact will this generation have on the world?

 

 

By Nick Romano

 

My generation relies on technology for almost everything, from texting a friend to researching for a school project. I believe that relying on technology for everything can have a bad effect and a good one. For example, with recent advances in medical technology, learning how to use it can be very useful for the future. While, on the other hand, it can be very distracting from school work and other things. However, I do think that using technology and learning with it will be very useful for the future, and will have a great impact in the world.

 

However, kids have become more exposed to bad things such as drugs, violence, and gangs. This will ultimately destroy a child’s life if they become involved in any of it. With more kids being exposed to bad things like this, it can influence them to do bad things such as dropping out of schoo, and going to jail. If this continues to happen, it can only have a very bad effect on the world.

A large amount of people today live in poverty. While this is not always a bad thing, it can be. Living in poverty sometimes makes kids more susceptible to gangs and drugs. As I stated earlier, nothing good can come from getting involved with those things.

Overall, I think that being exposed to technology will help our generation and will make the world a better place. I do believe that technology will continue to advance which will only help my generation succeed.

 

 

By Kim Bishop

I think that this generation will have a large technological and environmental impact on the world. This generation is very attune to the issues at hand concerning our green future. Whether they have made up their minds as to the validity of global warming is yet to be seen, but they are all fully cognizant of the problems we are facing due to negative environmental impacts. This, I feel, will be a contributing factor into solving some of the problems we will face in the future. These issues in conjunction with the technology they have, and will have, available to them should allow this generation to excel in the information age. I don’t think we can yet comprehend some of the uses and improvements to technology the upcoming generations will have access to. When I think of some of the possibilities, it sounds like a science fiction novel. The future generations are always promising in the fact that we hope it will clean up the world’s messes left by prior generations. I am just as hopeful for the upcoming generation and I expect great things.