Yesterday in my Geography of Utah class I had a very interesting experience.
Our teacher is a lady that is a geologist, has tons of experience in the profession, and basically knows her stuff. She has a long list of credentials to back her up.
Since this class is full of elementary education majors, our teacher likes to use a teaching style that you would find in an elementary school class. It makes sense right? She brings ideas that any teacher could use for a class to help the kids learn in a fun way.
Yesterday we started to get some of our assignments handed back to us, and one girl FLIPPED! She was so mad that there were some points taken off and started complaining about how awful the teacher was. Right to the teachers face and in front of the whole class. It was very awkward and the girl just kept on griping about the lectures and how they don't help us at all with the homework...blah blah blah. It was pretty bad especially when other students, like myself, came to the rescue and reinforced that the teacher had given us everything we needed.
The teacher summed things up well when she said, "I am not going to give you all the answers. I will give you the resources, but you then have to go outside of class, look, research, and learn some of these things on your own."
Too often students are looking to be hand fed all the answers. They don't want to have to put any work into anything. The girl in my class fits right into that category, and I feel awful for all the future students that will have to put up with her if she ever starts teaching.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Man
Just a follow up on the tattoo story...(people have been giving me a hard time about it - in a fun way)
I remember having everything ready for my 'awesome' tattoo, but was starting to have second thoughts. Knowing that my mom would kill me should have changed my mind, but I am kind of a slow learner. I was walking home from my 'high paying, high profile' security job at Crossroads, and stopped by the chapel because it was priesthood session. I already felt uncomfortable because I was under dressed, and then the Prophet talked about tattoos. It didn't take long for me to throw away that great tattoo design that had my initials intricately placed in it. Soon after I was so glad I did, I mean, what was I thinking?? It couldn't have made me any cooler than I already was.
This morning as I drove past President Hinckley's apartment I remembered that talk, and was so grateful for his words that day.
On the street in front of his apartment a pile of flowers had been started by people who had been touched just like me. I am not going to lie, I had to choke back some of those Logan emotions. We lost a great man, but it is comforting knowing that we won't be left long without the leadership of a prophet.
I am so happy that he is now with his wife and free of mortality. In his book "Stand a Little Taller" he says:
"What a wonderful thing is death, really, when all is said and done. It is the great reliever. It is a majestic, quiet passing on from this life to another life, a better life. We go to a place where we will not suffer as we have suffered here, but where we will continue to grow, accumulating knowledge and developing and being useful under the plan of the Almighty made possible through the Atonement of the Son of God."
-Gordon B. Hinckley
I remember having everything ready for my 'awesome' tattoo, but was starting to have second thoughts. Knowing that my mom would kill me should have changed my mind, but I am kind of a slow learner. I was walking home from my 'high paying, high profile' security job at Crossroads, and stopped by the chapel because it was priesthood session. I already felt uncomfortable because I was under dressed, and then the Prophet talked about tattoos. It didn't take long for me to throw away that great tattoo design that had my initials intricately placed in it. Soon after I was so glad I did, I mean, what was I thinking?? It couldn't have made me any cooler than I already was.
This morning as I drove past President Hinckley's apartment I remembered that talk, and was so grateful for his words that day.
On the street in front of his apartment a pile of flowers had been started by people who had been touched just like me. I am not going to lie, I had to choke back some of those Logan emotions. We lost a great man, but it is comforting knowing that we won't be left long without the leadership of a prophet.
I am so happy that he is now with his wife and free of mortality. In his book "Stand a Little Taller" he says:
"What a wonderful thing is death, really, when all is said and done. It is the great reliever. It is a majestic, quiet passing on from this life to another life, a better life. We go to a place where we will not suffer as we have suffered here, but where we will continue to grow, accumulating knowledge and developing and being useful under the plan of the Almighty made possible through the Atonement of the Son of God."
-Gordon B. Hinckley
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Tagged
I was tagged by Meghan
A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B: Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
10 Years Ago:
I was a sophomore in High School still trying to convince my mom to let me get my drivers license. It didn't work. I was a senior by the time I got it, and my friends were so sick of picking me up that whenever I called for a ride their cars mysteriously stopped working. Fortunately my buddy Chris was always there for me.
5 Things on my to-do list today:
-Homework
-Eat
-Homework
-Maybe go to the mall (probably just more homework)
-More Homework
I enjoy:
-Being with Janelle
-Playing Soccer (two goals in my last game!)
-Reading
-Playing with my nieces and nephews (my family has put together great families)
What would you do if you were suddenly a billionaire?
Buy myself a house. Buy my parents a house next door. Invest a ton of money into whatever I want. Get more sports memorabilia. NEVER work for the man again!!!
3 of my bad habits:
-Ebay and sports stuff (jerseys, autographs, cards)
-Having a different definition of clean than anyone else in the world (my definition is a little more relaxed)
-Driving like I am the only one on the road that knows how (even though it's true)
5 places I have lived:
-Portugal
-South Salt Lake City
-Just North of 300 North on 200 West - Salt Lake (with my parents)
-Just East of 200 West on 300 North - Salt Lake (with my roommate)
-Just South of 300 North and barely east of 200 West - Salt Lake (with my wife)
(note: all three areas are within a one block radius - what can I say? I love it here)
5 jobs I have had:
-Paper Route (Longest continuous job - 8 years I think)
-Security at the now demolished Crossroads Mall
-Robinson Armament selling guns
-Selling pizza books door to door
-Real Salt Lake soccer team
5 Things people don't know about me:
-I had a tattoo designed specially for me, but at the last second thought better of it
-Until recently my only broken bone was my little finger. I broke it sleeping. Twice. Don't ask me how.
-I get emotional when; I watch my sports teams win, I see people being kind to each other, I see anything patriotic.
-I don't know the birthdays of everyone in my family (it's embarrassing)
-I have a weird obsession with sports memorabilia
Since everyone I know has already been tagged the game ends with me.
I hope you like it.
A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B: Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
10 Years Ago:
I was a sophomore in High School still trying to convince my mom to let me get my drivers license. It didn't work. I was a senior by the time I got it, and my friends were so sick of picking me up that whenever I called for a ride their cars mysteriously stopped working. Fortunately my buddy Chris was always there for me.
5 Things on my to-do list today:
-Homework
-Eat
-Homework
-Maybe go to the mall (probably just more homework)
-More Homework
I enjoy:
-Being with Janelle
-Playing Soccer (two goals in my last game!)
-Reading
-Playing with my nieces and nephews (my family has put together great families)
What would you do if you were suddenly a billionaire?
Buy myself a house. Buy my parents a house next door. Invest a ton of money into whatever I want. Get more sports memorabilia. NEVER work for the man again!!!
3 of my bad habits:
-Ebay and sports stuff (jerseys, autographs, cards)
-Having a different definition of clean than anyone else in the world (my definition is a little more relaxed)
-Driving like I am the only one on the road that knows how (even though it's true)
5 places I have lived:
-Portugal
-South Salt Lake City
-Just North of 300 North on 200 West - Salt Lake (with my parents)
-Just East of 200 West on 300 North - Salt Lake (with my roommate)
-Just South of 300 North and barely east of 200 West - Salt Lake (with my wife)
(note: all three areas are within a one block radius - what can I say? I love it here)
5 jobs I have had:
-Paper Route (Longest continuous job - 8 years I think)
-Security at the now demolished Crossroads Mall
-Robinson Armament selling guns
-Selling pizza books door to door
-Real Salt Lake soccer team
5 Things people don't know about me:
-I had a tattoo designed specially for me, but at the last second thought better of it
-Until recently my only broken bone was my little finger. I broke it sleeping. Twice. Don't ask me how.
-I get emotional when; I watch my sports teams win, I see people being kind to each other, I see anything patriotic.
-I don't know the birthdays of everyone in my family (it's embarrassing)
-I have a weird obsession with sports memorabilia
Since everyone I know has already been tagged the game ends with me.
I hope you like it.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
No Writing Skills
Not only is this a place where I can put together my thoughts about school, it is also a good place for me to practice my writing skills.
I will be the first to admit that I am not a very good writer. The sub par score that I got on my first paper confirms it. My writing is always choppy and I try to sound smarter than I really am by using big words that I think sound cool. I am going to use this blog to work on simplifying my writing and become more polished.
I am always up for suggestions and help.
I will be the first to admit that I am not a very good writer. The sub par score that I got on my first paper confirms it. My writing is always choppy and I try to sound smarter than I really am by using big words that I think sound cool. I am going to use this blog to work on simplifying my writing and become more polished.
I am always up for suggestions and help.
Don't worry, I am not ALWAYS negative
It kind of took me by surprise when some people asked if my blog was always going to be so negative. I am not a negative person, I promise, I just need a forum where I can talk about some of the things that really tend to bother me.
This blog won't always be full of downers. The last thing I want to do is add to all of the negative things that exist in the world.
It was good feedback and really made me think. This whole blog thing is kind of interesting.
This blog won't always be full of downers. The last thing I want to do is add to all of the negative things that exist in the world.
It was good feedback and really made me think. This whole blog thing is kind of interesting.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Student Taught by Students??
Some would argue that the UofU is a more accredited college than the local Community College (SLCC) because of its tenure and programs. Although I think there is some validity to that statement I also feel like I have been cheated by the grandeur of going to a big University. After starting this, my last semester, I feel like I might have been better instructed at SLCC than here at the U. At least the night classes were taught by professors with experience in that particular field.
Of the seven classes here at the University, only two of my teachers can actually be considered professors or have any kind of credibility. The others are students that are my age working on their PhD's.
My Criminology class is the worst. I am actually being taught by a guy that used to hang out with Napoleon Dynamite. He literally used to practice bow staff skills with John Heder (Napoleon) outside of their church while waiting for scouts to start. (He bragged about it on the first day of class after he asked if any of us knew someone famous. 'way to set yourself up dude.' thought Logan)
The guy graduated from BYU and is now working on his masters at the U. He has NEVER had any experience in the field of criminology, but feels like he is legit because he helped with some research projects at BYU and has studied the subject a lot (his words). Whoopity Doo!
This guys whole quest is that he is going to show us how awful our Criminal Justice System is and that we shouldn't trust it at all. I doubt the guy has ever had a speeding ticket let alone been involved in the process. It just frustrates me so bad. I could get more by doing ride alongs with my cop buddy and getting tours of the court house. I guess I will just have to continue to read the chapters and listen to him stutter and stumble through his lessons. It is so easy to see that he has not clue what he is talking about. Not a good faker.
So as you can see I am pretty discouraged that I pay thousands of dollars and I am being taught by my peers that have a few more classes under their belts and have written a few more papers.
I want a refund.
Of the seven classes here at the University, only two of my teachers can actually be considered professors or have any kind of credibility. The others are students that are my age working on their PhD's.
My Criminology class is the worst. I am actually being taught by a guy that used to hang out with Napoleon Dynamite. He literally used to practice bow staff skills with John Heder (Napoleon) outside of their church while waiting for scouts to start. (He bragged about it on the first day of class after he asked if any of us knew someone famous. 'way to set yourself up dude.' thought Logan)
The guy graduated from BYU and is now working on his masters at the U. He has NEVER had any experience in the field of criminology, but feels like he is legit because he helped with some research projects at BYU and has studied the subject a lot (his words). Whoopity Doo!
This guys whole quest is that he is going to show us how awful our Criminal Justice System is and that we shouldn't trust it at all. I doubt the guy has ever had a speeding ticket let alone been involved in the process. It just frustrates me so bad. I could get more by doing ride alongs with my cop buddy and getting tours of the court house. I guess I will just have to continue to read the chapters and listen to him stutter and stumble through his lessons. It is so easy to see that he has not clue what he is talking about. Not a good faker.
So as you can see I am pretty discouraged that I pay thousands of dollars and I am being taught by my peers that have a few more classes under their belts and have written a few more papers.
I want a refund.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Who's gonna read this anyway?
This is my first entry and I have sat here for the past half hour writing and re-writing what I think I should say. This stuff is harder than it looks. I also have big shoes to fill considering that a number of members of my family are already established bloggers and do a pretty good job. Maybe I should have just stuck with blog surfing and leaving the occasional wise crack comment.
Even though it might be hard to believe there is a reason for this blog (even if no one reads it).
My family has given me great words of encouragement by telling me that no matter how hard something is you can do it for at least four months. It sounds great, but that was before my final semester of college started. It is a semester in which I am taking 22 credits hoping that I won't completely shut down before the May 2nd graduation. Four months seems like forever.
This blog is dedicated to my adventures as I go along. I love learning, but I hate school.
Even though it might be hard to believe there is a reason for this blog (even if no one reads it).
My family has given me great words of encouragement by telling me that no matter how hard something is you can do it for at least four months. It sounds great, but that was before my final semester of college started. It is a semester in which I am taking 22 credits hoping that I won't completely shut down before the May 2nd graduation. Four months seems like forever.
This blog is dedicated to my adventures as I go along. I love learning, but I hate school.
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