Comments for Wanderer on the Weblog http://fplwow.wordpress.com Just another WordPress.com weblog Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:02:33 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Are your parents trying to be your “friend”? by Shay http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/06/09/are-your-parents-trying-to-be-your-friend/#comment-78 Shay Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:02:33 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=48#comment-78 If Mom and Dad feel a need to 'friend' their kids and their kids' friends on Facebook, haven't they already missed the mark of having/building a solid interpersonal relationship with them? What became of parents talking to their kids F2F? Even if they don't live at the same residence, parents should be able to come up with ways to communicate with their children without invading every personal space their child has. If Mom and Dad feel a need to ‘friend’ their kids and their kids’ friends on Facebook, haven’t they already missed the mark of having/building a solid interpersonal relationship with them? What became of parents talking to their kids F2F? Even if they don’t live at the same residence, parents should be able to come up with ways to communicate with their children without invading every personal space their child has.

]]> Comment on Are your parents trying to be your “friend”? by Justin http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/06/09/are-your-parents-trying-to-be-your-friend/#comment-75 Justin Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:23:38 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=48#comment-75 I just want to say that this is hilarious. It gave me a good laugh. Thanks, Alyson. For the record, a coworker that I told about this found it as outrageous as Mike Yeamans, but frankly, I've said it before and I'll say it again--if you put yourself out there in a public, online environment, whatever you do or say is fair game to anybody who chooses to seek you out. If it feels like an intrusion upon your privacy--and I understand that kids need their space, so I can condtionally concede to that--then that's something that people need to work out individually with their parents. Because to be honest, if your parents are spying on you, it may indicate that you're too dense/naive/susceptible to bad influences (maybe you <em>are</em> the bad influence!) to make good decisions on your own. <em>Or</em> it may simply indicate that your parents are control freaks, but again, if either of those is the case, you've got worse problems than your parents being on Facebook. There's a larger trust issue that needs to be worked out. I just want to say that this is hilarious. It gave me a good laugh. Thanks, Alyson.

For the record, a coworker that I told about this found it as outrageous as Mike Yeamans, but frankly, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–if you put yourself out there in a public, online environment, whatever you do or say is fair game to anybody who chooses to seek you out.

If it feels like an intrusion upon your privacy–and I understand that kids need their space, so I can condtionally concede to that–then that’s something that people need to work out individually with their parents. Because to be honest, if your parents are spying on you, it may indicate that you’re too dense/naive/susceptible to bad influences (maybe you are the bad influence!) to make good decisions on your own. Or it may simply indicate that your parents are control freaks, but again, if either of those is the case, you’ve got worse problems than your parents being on Facebook. There’s a larger trust issue that needs to be worked out.

]]> Comment on Politics for the people by mahira10 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/politics-for-the-people/#comment-67 mahira10 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:48:02 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=43#comment-67 i've always been interested in politics, and I think Hillary Clinton should win. She has experience, she knows what to do. All Obama says is change, which may be needed, but he never says what and how stuffis going to change. Clinton even knows the white house inside out. She has battle plans and all. I heard she helped bill clinton when he was president. if the country was given to someone like Mccain we would be in a big war. Obama doesn't even have much of a plan, so Clinton should be the next person to live in the white house. i’ve always been interested in politics, and I think Hillary Clinton should win. She has experience, she knows what to do. All Obama says is change, which may be needed, but he never says what and how stuffis going to change. Clinton even knows the white house inside out. She has battle plans and all. I heard she helped bill clinton when he was president. if the country was given to someone like Mccain we would be in a big war. Obama doesn’t even have much of a plan, so Clinton should be the next person to live in the white house.

]]> Comment on Ultimate Juvenile/YA Collection by Aidan http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/ultimate-juvenileya-collection/#comment-64 Aidan Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:41:22 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=29#comment-64 There is nothing funnier than the "Captain Underpants" collection by Dav Pilkey. www.davpilkey.com There is nothing funnier than the “Captain Underpants” collection by Dav Pilkey. http://www.davpilkey.com

]]> Comment on Fayetteville High School: renovate or relocate? by Alyson http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/fayetteville-high-school-renovate-or-relocate/#comment-63 Alyson Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:11:15 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=34#comment-63 Two high schools would definitely be the ideal. As a teacher in Bentonville, I saw firsthand the frustrations that come with a student population that has outgrown a building and its faculty. The halls are too crowded, stressing out the students as they make their way through a melee of elbows and backpacks, trying to avoid tardy slips. The cafeteria is too crowded, threatening students with indigestion from shoveling in food they've finally managed to get after standing in line for all but the last five minutes of the lunch period. Most importantly, the classrooms are too crowded; there aren't enough minutes in a period to allow the teachers to devote a proper amount of individual instruction to the students ... a ratio of 30 kids to 90 minutes, or even worse - 30 kids to 50-55 minutes!? I don't think so. Two high schools would definitely be the ideal. As a teacher in Bentonville, I saw firsthand the frustrations that come with a student population that has outgrown a building and its faculty. The halls are too crowded, stressing out the students as they make their way through a melee of elbows and backpacks, trying to avoid tardy slips. The cafeteria is too crowded, threatening students with indigestion from shoveling in food they’ve finally managed to get after standing in line for all but the last five minutes of the lunch period. Most importantly, the classrooms are too crowded; there aren’t enough minutes in a period to allow the teachers to devote a proper amount of individual instruction to the students … a ratio of 30 kids to 90 minutes, or even worse – 30 kids to 50-55 minutes!? I don’t think so.

]]> Comment on Fayetteville High School: renovate or relocate? by mahira10 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/fayetteville-high-school-renovate-or-relocate/#comment-62 mahira10 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:59:12 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=34#comment-62 I sooo want a new high school. My older brother went to FHS. That was when I was about 4 or 5. I thought that place needed an extreme makeover even better, a new one. I sooo want a new high school. My older brother went to FHS. That was when I was about 4 or 5. I thought that place needed an extreme makeover even better, a new one.

]]> Comment on Ultimate Juvenile/YA Collection by emilyfpl http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/ultimate-juvenileya-collection/#comment-61 emilyfpl Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:40:30 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=29#comment-61 I'm a reader that always wants to pick up the latest book just to check it out. I have a few favorite authors but the list fluctuates over the years as my tastes change. Therefore, I'm a terrible "Top Ten" listmaker. I would suggest any teen interested in good reads check out this website: http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/bestbooksyoung.cfm It's the Young Adult Library Services Association list, where YA librarians talk with teens from all over the country to cull the best of the best. Three of my personal favorites on the 2007 best of list are: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party. by M.T. Anderson American Born Chinese. by Gene LuenYang (this is a Graphic Novel) The Book Thief. by Markus Zusak As far as Picture books go: I'm also a neverending fan of Maurice Sendak, Chris Raschka, Emily Gravett and Mo Willems. I’m a reader that always wants to pick up the latest book just to check it out. I have a few favorite authors but the list fluctuates over the years as my tastes change. Therefore, I’m a terrible “Top Ten” listmaker.

I would suggest any teen interested in good reads check out this website:

http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/bestbooksyoung.cfm

It’s the Young Adult Library Services Association list, where YA librarians talk with teens from all over the country to cull the best of the best.

Three of my personal favorites on the 2007 best of list are:

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party. by M.T. Anderson

American Born Chinese. by Gene LuenYang (this is a Graphic Novel)

The Book Thief. by Markus Zusak

As far as Picture books go: I’m also a neverending fan of Maurice Sendak, Chris Raschka, Emily Gravett and Mo Willems.

]]> Comment on Fayetteville High School: renovate or relocate? by emilyfpl http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/fayetteville-high-school-renovate-or-relocate/#comment-60 emilyfpl Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:28:55 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=34#comment-60 I'm rather out of the loop in this matter but as an alum of FHS and as a current adult resident of Fayetteville, I'd prefer ANOTHER high school to be built. We don't need to move, we need to expand. The school system should keep their current building and build another in the proposed location (or even in another location possibly more centrally located?). Springdale and Ft. Smith both have successful dual high schools and I think it's time Fayetteville realize its status and accept the increase in the young adult population as permanent and necessary to the future of our town. I’m rather out of the loop in this matter but as an alum of FHS and as a current adult resident of Fayetteville, I’d prefer ANOTHER high school to be built. We don’t need to move, we need to expand. The school system should keep their current building and build another in the proposed location (or even in another location possibly more centrally located?). Springdale and Ft. Smith both have successful dual high schools and I think it’s time Fayetteville realize its status and accept the increase in the young adult population as permanent and necessary to the future of our town.

]]> Comment on Ultimate Juvenile/YA Collection by mahira10 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/ultimate-juvenileya-collection/#comment-53 mahira10 Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:08:20 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=29#comment-53 Hmmm..... thats a hard question. I guess it might be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows which I've read AT LEAST 10 times., but then I enjoyed the Mysterious Benedist Society. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the best books Ive read though and The Lord of the Rings is really good. Did I mention The Golden Compass, the Subtle Knife, and the Heidi, The entire Harry Potter series,The Hobbit,Bridge to Teribithia, Animorphs,Peter pan, Oliver Twist, Inkheart, I'd tell you I love you but then I'd have to kill you, Fire girl,School Story,Fantastic beasts and where to find them .... I guess I like every book I've read but I'm writing my own book and that is my #1 Favorite. Hmmm….. thats a hard question. I guess it might be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows which I’ve read AT LEAST 10 times., but then I enjoyed the Mysterious Benedist Society. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the best books Ive read though and The Lord of the Rings is really good. Did I mention The Golden Compass, the Subtle Knife, and the Heidi, The entire Harry Potter series,The Hobbit,Bridge to Teribithia, Animorphs,Peter pan, Oliver Twist, Inkheart, I’d tell you I love you but then I’d have to kill you, Fire girl,School Story,Fantastic beasts and where to find them …. I guess I like every book I’ve read but I’m writing my own book and that is my #1 Favorite.

]]> Comment on Blog Monitoring by Schools? by Alyson http://fplwow.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/blog-monitoring-by-schools/#comment-52 Alyson Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:22:17 +0000 http://fplwow.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-52 Well, let me backtrack just a bit... I wasn't suggesting that teachers have overstepped their boundaries as stewards of children. It's that they've been FORCED to take on an unreasonable range of responsibilities that really belong to parents because some moms and dads simply won't step up to the plate as they should. (Richard Peck recently referenced this in a powerful opinion piece, noting that there was a time when parents were afraid to get calls from schools, but now, it's the schools who fear calls from parents.) When a threatening comment is made by a student on his/her blog that directly references the school setting, then yes, teachers and administrators have the right to get involved. But if the comments are otherwise framed, then the parent MUST be the primary agent in addressing the situation. Well, let me backtrack just a bit… I wasn’t suggesting that teachers have overstepped their boundaries as stewards of children. It’s that they’ve been FORCED to take on an unreasonable range of responsibilities that really belong to parents because some moms and dads simply won’t step up to the plate as they should. (Richard Peck recently referenced this in a powerful opinion piece, noting that there was a time when parents were afraid to get calls from schools, but now, it’s the schools who fear calls from parents.) When a threatening comment is made by a student on his/her blog that directly references the school setting, then yes, teachers and administrators have the right to get involved. But if the comments are otherwise framed, then the parent MUST be the primary agent in addressing the situation.

]]>