To post, or not to post...should have been the question!

"Disobedient, lazy, noisy, crazy, loafers" are just a few of the things Natalie Munroe, a high school English teacher in Philadelphia called her students.  I can sympathize; my students run the gamut in terms of ability, level of motivation, parental support, command of the English language, you name it.  Sometimes, it's hard to be their teacher.  The problem is Natalie vented her frustrations in a blog which her students read, and then reported, to her school's administration.  The result?  Natalie has been suspended and the media furor has created divided camps:  Natalie supporters (see them on Facebook) and Natalie critics.  Discussions regarding how, or if, a teacher's online behavior should be monitored have erupted.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with much of the substance of her frustrations; too many of our students are unwilling to work hard, to go beyond what is expected of them and to do it willingly and wholeheartedly.  Too many of our students are used to just getting by and are not being held accountable for their actions.  As a result, they have poor work habits, poor critical thinking skills and questionable work ethics.  Getting an A means far more to them than the knowledge they should acquire in order to achieve it.

It is a sad snapshot of our current society.  Today's kids, my own included, have been spoiled by the technological advances of our time.  Here's a prime example:  When I was in high school, having to write a research paper meant making time to go to the library; it meant looking up resources in a card catalog, locating the book in the stacks, checking it out and reading through the book while I took notes.  Then I typed the paper, making sure I adjusted the bottom margin accordingly for footnotes, manually rolling the typewriter platen up each time.  Heaven help you if you miscalculated the amount of space you needed for those darned things!

For today's students, instant information is at their fingertips 24/7; they've lost the need and capacity to prioritize and plan.  There are no long hours at the library, no scheduling around the library's hours or book return dates; sometimes there is very little writing, too--a clever student knows how to utilize cut and paste along with some judicious editing and appropriate use of APA citations. Grammar and spelling?  There's no need to know that either when you use a program with spelling and grammar check.

So, while I agree with Natalie's frustrations, decision to post her remarks on a public blog was foolish and unprofessional.  There is a time and place for comments such as these and an internet site that anyone can access is not one of them. Her venting may cost her her job and most certainly has cost her some of her credibility--especially in the area of "appropriate use of technology!"

Post-script:  I am well aware that some of my readers will be amused and/or critical of the fact that in publicly questioning Natalie's decision, I am emulating it.  I have a basic golden rule about what I decide to post:  I never post anything I would be ashamed to have my mother read.  Nope.  Not ashamed at all.

Still Lordly After All These Years

I spent all of Sunday watching "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.  Lest you think I did nothing but sit on the couch for approximately 8 hours, let it be known that I was embroidering a bunch of burp rags for a friend's soon-to-be-born baby at the same time.  Hey, I can multi-task!

I have been a fan of the books since college and though I am not a fanatic, I admit I was skeptical when the first installment, "Fellowship of the Ring" came out; the task of creating a cohesive, entertaining and true-to-Tolkien film (not to mention 3) was a phenomenal task.  Well, A and I enjoyed "Fellowship" so much, we went back to see it about 12 times!  Never before, or since, have I spent that much time and money on a single film.  The magic of Middle Earth never waned for us; the costuming, the music, the characters and Peter Jackson's serious efforts to maintain the heart of the story kept us coming back for more.  In A's case, Orlando Bloom as Legolas certainly didn't hurt either!

Our enthusiasm saw us through the releases of the next 2 films as well as both the regular DVD releases and the Director's cut DVD for all 3 movies.  It was sad to realize that our three-year movie event had finally come to an end.

Still, I admit there were certain favorite lines and scenes that I waited in vain for:  Gimli requesting a lock of Galadriel's hair or Eowyn facing down the Witch King of Angmar with the powerful, "But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund’s daughter. You stand between me and my lord and king. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him."  In the movie she takes off her helm and says, "I am no man."  Okay, same meaning, but still...I was also doubtful regarding the casting of Liv Tyler as Arwen--my main memory of her is in "Armageddon"--not exactly a part you can sink your teeth into.  The coronation scene in "The Return of the King" forever erased any doubts; who didn't sigh in admiration when Arwen shyly peeped out at Aragorn around the standard she carried?


I thoroughly enjoyed my personal movie marathon; I had not watched the films for several years and not only have they kept their magic, I appreciate the effort that went into their production and the "little" details, even more now than I did before.  Notably:  Andy Serkis's CGI-assisted personification of Gollum which puts him on a par with any of the other principal actors; Boromir's death scene in which he expresses remorse and loyalty to Aragorn; the single tear of regret that trickles down Wormtongue's cheek when he realizes Saruman is plotting the total extinction of man; and Faramir's heart-rending, "If I should return, think better of me, Father."

Cinema gold!