Nov. 14 Chapter 9 and 9

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I found the terminology and idea of Social Frontiers, boundary spanners, border crossers, and advocates particularly valuable. I think this philosophy creates a clear understanding of the leadership role, in a variety of situations, not limited to diversity and social justice. I like the way boundaries were described, not as divisions, but as ”ambiguous middle ground where something is held in common”. I think this kind of thinking, will decrease the instances of having to do “border crossing” which can create a negative, or hostile position to operate from. I believe the more you can turn a border into a boundary will increase better chances for success in creating change. It made me think of situations which might require a personal border adjustment from me, and how can I determine the difference should an occasion arise.

The Scanlan and Johnson state that “school administrators–particularly building-level principals–ar uniquely positioned to engage with others–such as neighborhood residents, community activists, and colleagues in local businesses, government, and faith communities–to find and build common ground and pursue shared goals.”  I see parents/principals coming forward to make these types of connections with the school and community in more affluent neighborhoods. Unfortunately, I do not see the same thing going on in lower socio-economic communities where the resources require a little more diligence to ascertain, or the families are reticent to involve themselves because they feel like they do not have valued assets to contribute. I also see a doublespeak in schools where administration decries a lack of parental involvement, yet daily praxis discourages it. Underlying this is what the book mentions about many educators wanting ‘limited’ participation from parents or community, but are not offering agency or voice to them. At the beginning of the school year I was very disturbed by something that happened. A beginning of the year packet was sent to all students. Among the various documents and emergency forms was a bright purple letter inviting parents to participate in the school. There were several items the parents could check mark to volunteer: clerical office help, clerical help at home, cafeteria help, classroom help, etc. I collected paperwork form all my students and set aside the purple papers that parents offered classroom help. The rest of the papers (3-4) had check marks for cafeteria, home, or office help and I took them to our office secretary. She told me to keep them. I explained that I had kept those pertaining to me, and that these were volunteers for other areas of the school. She took them from me and dropped them into the trash can as I walked away. When I question her action I learned that this is their routine procedure! How devaluing to these parents! How disrespectful! I addressed this issue with a new assistant principal, and we discussed a change for the future. I will be following up on this for next year. I rarely see a principal who meets with families outside of school in community spaces as suggested in the reading, however I worked for one principal who made a point to attend various community events which students or parents invited her to. I feel this added to her effectiveness as a principal in many ways.

Chapter 9 from Theoharis was, in my opinion, the most valuable of the book. My big take away is this quote, ” Many of the strategies outlined in the previous chapters will not emerge naturally, nor will they be sustained without effort. Diversity efforts (indeed any deep changes) require intentionality. As an educational leader, more than personal example is required. “Discerning how the new with both invigorate and preserve the traditional”, while effecting necessary change requires “enough diversity around the table to make those judgements and develop those processes.” Skills in building connections, spanning boundaries, crossing borders, advocacy, communication, logic, rationality, invention, empathy and understanding are essential to develop in preparation for the challenges ahead. For change to arise bottom-up, there must be effective leadership top-down as well.

The discussion about affirmative action  and surrounding attitudes was interesting. I agree with the authors point here. Affirmative action may have been a positive change for it’s time, but it wasn’t good enough as reflected in minimal change. There is some reframing to be done! I believe we are ready for better answers…Answers that will come through  the increased diversity we are currently working with. I believe there is more ‘diversity around the table’ and more awareness than in the past and it will be reflected in new ideas moving forward. I believe whole-heartedly that there is more good and positive in the world than bad and negative, and that the social justice story will continue to become more positive with time and continued resolve. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke

Is Pop culture Promoting Drugs and Alcohol

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Thinking of this problem before reading Sternheimer’s pontiff view I would have said that all media and pop culture promotes drinking and drugs but I would’ve been wrong. Studies showing that drinking among teens was a bigger problem in the 60s and 70s and has slowed down in the recent years. Children are also more likely to drink alcohol if they see a parent or guardian drinking and we thought it was pop culture. I found it very interesting that 40 percent of television shows are showing alcohol and drug consumption and the media keeps it going. A study following high school students showed that “video games and television shows with people consuming alcohol, including teens,is not the main problem, but the music videos is where the problem lies”Pediatrics(230). That is a part of pop culture though and with all these new videos popping up how do children stand a chance? It is way more effective to have the hot new artist drinking or splashing in champagne rather than our favorite fruit juices. Maybe it is a way for the different parts of the media to blame each other then nobody hasty where to turn.  With all the new information out and ads for everything in our faces for hours of the day it is easier forbids to get the things they want weather its a beer or some pills. With the declining numbers of substance users since the 70s and 80s a new problem has climbed the ladder and that is prescription pills. “In 2009 marathon 1 million emergency room visits were the result of prescription drug use”(238). I found this crazy but I believe it and the text also stated “Oxycodone was 3 to 1 and Hydrocodone was 4 to 1″(238). This was a 98 percent increase form 2004 and that means that parents and schools have even more responsibility to communicate and counsel their kids and students.

Scott Lang

Four Common Coding Interview Mistakes

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http://blog.generalassemb.ly/4-common-coding-interview-mistakes/?utm_content=buffer4e6b4&utm_medium=owner|social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=me%3Dglobal|po%3Dga

Association for Unarmed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Channel Islands Symposium

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On Friday October 23rd was the 2nd annual Symposium for Unmanned Systems. The program began in the Petite Salon on the CSUCI campus, where several panels gave presentations on their individual disciplines. Between panels, the group recessed outside where there were several display booths. President Rush was the opening keynote speaker, and gave several insights toward the university’s commitment to using Remotely Piloted Systems (RPS) for both education, and research. Furthermore he stressed the importance of STEM education, and stated the intent of the university to start an engineering school, working in conjunction with the current efforts in robotics. There were multiple talks about environmental, agricultural and emergency responses uses of unmanned vehicles, through a number of distinguished organizations such as: AeroVironment, the Naval Post-graduate School, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. Our own professor Sean Anderson spoke on behalf of the research that he and CSUCI students have been conducting. Anderson talked about the marine ecology and coral bio-fluorescence research using ROVs, and the aerial mapping of natural resources in the Cook Islands, the oil spill in Santa Barbra, and the other projects that PIRate lab carries out. The central point of view was that RPS are useful tools in better understanding and researching the environment, and can be used to help save people’s lives, especially in the event of disaster.

The outside demonstrations were mainly comprised of the Ventura County Sherriff’s: search and rescue and bomb squad, and our team’s UAV and ROV demonstrations.

Our UAVs next to the Sherriff's Department's
Our UAVs next to the Sherriff’s Department’s
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The Sherriff’s Department Search and Rescue quadcopter, made by AeroVironment
AUVSI built us a cage to fly in.
AUVSI built exhibitors a cage to fly in.
Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue and Bomb Squad
Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue and Bomb Squad
Inside the Sheriff's command vehicle
Inside the Sheriff’s command vehicle

November 16 Ch 9 Blog

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I agree with the fact that most adults are smokers, drinkers and addicts as compared to teens. Its also interesting to me that the study that was done in teens smoking didn’t release that fact and only what they wanted. unless a person knows how to read articles and what too look for its easy to be satisfies the  info they release to society. The influence that media has is still the same however, there’s way more education on all 3 topics and awareness campaigns. When I was in elementary in the 90’s all we had was the D.A.R.E program on drugs. it was only a 4 page little comic book and red string that read Drug Free on are fence that’s it!! Today’s youth see’s meth, heroin, smoking and drinking real life examples and stories which I do believe help them. Because a lot of teens are fixated on looks and their image and losing your teeth to meth is not the business nor is them turning yellow. I know not all but, in my experience the cycle starts at home within the family. Family doesn’t have to be addicts to produce addicts alcoholism is big  in families and that can lead a teen to drugs so when a family  says no one does drugs well do they drink or take pills maybe even over eat? As for movies yeah it has influence HELLO Star Wars fans, Harry Potter, Lord Of   the Rings. Anything can spark a phenomenon. but I have yet to see 20,000 teens showing up to Smoking Con or dressed as a butt. ( Get it) LOL! I believe that poverty has something to do with people smoking because their stressed or don’t give a shit about their health they got other problems. Now the drinking well once again your environment has a lot to do with you chances of drinking. Parents can have a liquor cabinet and well dang it some of their stash may get drank it’s life. When kids see their family do it they cant wait till their 21 to join especially if drinking is a part of birthdays, holidays, promotions, bar b q’s let’s face it how many teens have seen that person get wasted at the wedding and everyone laughs like nothing was wrong. Hell  my friend I’m always with in class  was breakdancing at her sisters wedding not to long ago. LOL! The authors should go to AA meetings and ask open addicts and alcoholics about their experience and record that!  It’s the same for drug use but the pill takeover I don’t know I got addicted after my weight loss surgery last June  and am coming up on 9 months clean from them it just happened so fast. So I feel for teens because it seems harmless taking a pill especially if their prescribed. But let’s face it teens get it from their parents or grandparents medicine cabinets. I trukt believe if family’s locked up their medicine cabinets it would make a change. Or throw your old bottle of Vicadin away shit go to the doctors if you need more but a lot of people like having a few just in case so they don’t have to make an appointment or go to the E.R maybe they don’t have insurance either way  how has that worked for them?

November 16

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Well first I would like to say that I had never Ron English and of all the artist we were introduced too and saw their work his stood out to me more. As we all know billboards have a huge Impact on delivering messages to our society. I like the way he contradicts Mc Donald’s those  are my favorite because many Americans eat their every morning including myself. The only issue I have is that because their done illegally that gives a lot of people the room to say oh he’s a rebel he puts up those ads on billboards companies rent. my fear of this issue is because many are ignorant and although their teens or children might see the billboard and start to digest the message. parents can be quick to point out the fact that he does it illegally therefore is dismisses a enough of his credibility to were some might dismiss his message altogether because we teach are kids to do things the right way. This is just my opinion and something I’ve seen done in my life. However, looking past that issue I  see artist like Ron as fearless heroes because they have no fear of going to jail to spread a message that others may fear to make them un popular. The TRUTH tobacco ads worked so I know that billboards have an enormous impact on todays youth.

Blog Session 12

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After reading the online reserves I had an Interesting thought. Art is extremely powerful form of propaganda. I was thinking that if someone is watching the news, or a television show or other types of media the use words it is easier to influence how they think. However when someone views a pience of art, with no words it allows them to try and interpret the meaning on their own. In this class we have been told that in order to be media literate you need to think for yourself and not just believe everything you hear. I believe art allows people to do that. I understand that propaganda can obviously influence people, however Ron English was my favorite artist of all. Although all these artists are rebels and controversial, I enjoyed his political ads. English did many ads going against the biggest corporations like apple, camel cigarettes, and coke. I think his art will let allow people who may not be media literate to understand the deeper message in his art. Ron English controversial posters are easy to interpret and allow people to instantly recognize the deeper meaning which I enjoy. The second reserve i enjoyed was “Dismaland” by Banksy . As I started to watch the video I noticed right away that only white people were in the entire film. The only time there were people of other race was when it looked like he was making fun of the It’s a small world ride when it looked like black slaves were crammed in a boat. His purpose of this film did not hit me until I finished watching when i understood his message. Until today i never realized that all disney characters are white.  I can not think of one Disney princess of another race. When I tried to think of any colored disney character it was either an animal or a villain, like Ursula from little mermaid. I am surprised that even after being in this class all year i never realized how practically all Disney characters are white.

The other artist I enjoyed was Shepard Fairey who is the artist for the Obey brand. I actually have a shirt by him and wore it without even realizing the deeper message. I appreciate his controversial art as well. However I feel his art is so beautiful and dynamic that it takes away from the message. Ron English’s political and controversial art is so simple that you can not ignore it. It is right in your face for even a person who is not media literate could see. This is why I personally preferred English. However Fairey art is more complex with much more details. Altough his messages in his art may not be as obvious I appreciate his how he discusses political controversies and other important news in his works.

For the Sternheimer reading on Chapter 9 I feel that media, pop culture have a huge influence over the youth when it comes to drinking and smoking.  When I was a little girl i always looked up to Britney Spears, Mandy Moore and other celebrities. I used to try and copy their outfits and do anything  I could to be like them. Nowadays young kids have the media tools to follow their idols daily on instagram and twitter. Miley Cyrus is constantly posting pictures half naked, smoking weed and other outrageous acts. Although i personally like her I understand how she can have a negative influence over young girls especially. In this chapter they discuss how smoking cigarettes in becoming less popular, however I think that smoking marijuana has probably skyrocketed even since the 60’s. I believe that media has a large influence over children. Therefor  movies such as “Pineapple Express” or TV show like Weeds may encourage teens and young adults to smoke. I feel that because marijuana is becoming much more socially accepted TV shows and Movies use it to their advantage for profit. Since more characters are “stoners” on television it allows more and more viewers to be influenced, or at least want to try it.

In conclusion, it again is clear that media has the power to influence. Some want to have a positive influence like the controversial artists, and some use media and propaganda just for money and profit.

Pop Culture

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In this weeks chapter of Sternheimer she discusses the issue of drugs and alcohol being promoted through media. Unlike the previous topics we have talked about I do think that media shines a positive light on drugs and alcohol. Before I ever drank I would watch teens drinking on television and it made it seem so fun and consequence free, but now drinking as an adult I do not think that drinking is accurately depicted in the media. Sternhiemer states in the beginning of the chapter “As we will see in this chapter, we tend to associate substance use with teens, despite the fact that adults are more likely to smoke, drink and use illegal substances.” I agree with her in the sense that teens rarely smoke as much as they use to and I know far more adults who get wasted every week than I did as a teen but that doesn’t change the fact that the teens that are being portrayed in media are those of whom are partying and having no consequences of them drinking.

I have always really liked Banksy, I actually have a couple of his pieces of art in my room. I think that all of his work shows a great meaning behind it and I do think that a lot of it has to do with media. I believe that Banksy blames media for a lot of our problems socially, so I do think that his art work would be helpful in media education. However I think that the purpose of media education is to inform children that media can be beneficial if used in the correct manner, so Banksy would be able to show the negative effects of media and allow children to help change those effects.

Reflecting on nursing school

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Reflecting on nursing school

 

The first semester feels like it is a life time ago. I remember my first clinical experience. The patient just had a hip replacement. I was with the patient from check in, then surgery, then PACU and then I was looking after her on the floor. I helped with assessment and pre –op check list, I gave her an extra blanket on the way to the surgery room. After the surgery I constantly monitored her vitals, alertness and comfort. Back in the room I brought her, her first drink of water and I could see how thankful she was. When my shift was over she took my hand and said, “thank you for your help, your presence made me less scared and it was nice to see a familiar face when I woke up”. And this again and again hammered home why I want to be a Nurse. I want to help and alleviate suffering in all its forms. There were times when I doubted if I could do it and in those times there was always someone extending a hand to help me up.

I feel competent with the education I received from CSU to work as a nurse. There is still a lot I need to learn but I feel prepared to enter the field. I look forward to the Leadership class in our last semester. I have realized the important role nurses have in facilitating change for the better. Nurses are first and foremost patient advocates. And the best advocating we can do is, changing policies and procedures. I look forward to learning how to a more effective leader and a team member who positively contributes rather than criticize.

As to what my concerns are. I would have to say the NCLEX exam. So much rides on the exam and it is so heavily weighed and it scares me that all my hard work comes down to a test. What have I learned? I have gained an extensive knowledge on Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Nursing clinical practice, Patient education and implementing evidence base research in practice. But most of all I learned to think before I act. Take a second and go over my actions before I start doing things. This is the starting point of critical thinking and good patient care. I have also learned nurses make a big difference in the health care system and I want to be a part of that. I want to make a difference

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