Romeo and Juliet

We started watching Romeo and Juliet today in class (not the newest one, the one from 1968) and I must say, those are some awesome pants. With those pants, why wouldn't you have Juliet all over you? I need to some day get me a pair of those pants. It's funny to see that and notice how much we "stole" and used in our production of "Robeo and Julietech". But we only stole the famous lines, I think Shakespeare would be proud to see his wonderful creation turned into a story about robots. Or maybe he would hate it. Probably.

So I found this setting where I can schedule the post to be posted at a certain time. Which means I'm writing this at around 11:01, and not posting it until 12:03! Isn't that exciting? I think it is.

More of the pediatrist

If you read my last blog, you'd know that I'm in the process of correcting my pigeon toed-ness. I'm going back today to get fitted for an orthopedic insert, then it will be another 5-6 weeks before the lab makes the insert. After that I'll have to go back again to get the insert, and then maybe my feet will slowly start to become less pigeon toed. I've also had to wear shoes running shoes because they have more support. This is possibly the first time in years that I've had to tie my shoes.

So I'll be leaving school soon so that people can measure my feet. Doesn't that sound like great fun? No. It doesn't. But maybe it'll correct my awful walking patterns and prevent hip problems. Or maybe not. And lots of money will be wasted. But hey! Be positive! Yeah! Wøøt Wøøt!


Goodbye.

Back from the pediatrist

If you didn't know already, I have a walking problem. As in I walk in-toed, like a pigeon. After my mother suffered many years of frustration with my walking, I finally got to see a specialist. They told me that I will need to get orthopedic shoes and that I should become more athletic. More athletic as in roller-skating and running. I figure I can use this disability as inspiration for my new music. Concept album? The Pigeon Toed Roller-Skater and His Search for Straight Feet or PTRSHSSF if you want to be cool.
First song: Boy realizes that his feet are messed up.
Second song: Boy goes to pediatrist. Boy realizes he needs to fix his feet. He gets friends to help him do this.
Third song: Boy get shoes. Starts Roller-Skating. He realizes he sucks and get sad. His followers comfort him.
Fourth song: His followers leave him.
Fifth song: Instrumental. Expresses much sadness.
Sixth song: Boy sits in sadness. He tries to roller-skate. He succeeds.
Seventh song: He finds happiness. He sees his followers and they're very not happy. He offers to help them.
Eighth song: His followers come back. They're all happy.
Ninth song: Reprise of song #3
Tenth song: Instrumental version of track 7.

That sounds like a plan. Now I have to write it...

Opening night tomorrow?

I may not have mentioned this but I'm in the Springfield Little Theaters production of Pinocchio. We've been rehearsing every night these past few weeks and it has been tiring but we open tomorrow. I'm a boy who then turns into donkey, though I don't actually get to turn into a donkey on stage. That was a bit of a disappointment. My costume is basically a british school boy's outfit. I've thought about stealing it from the theatre and wearing it to some of my shows. Or maybe just making one like it. 
The play is finally coming together, compared to where we started at with it. Hopefully dress rehearsal is perfect tonight and opening night is great. But every performance I've been in, something goes wrong opening night. That's the beauty of theatre. Hopefully it's nothing too severe... 
So if you live in the area, come to the Landers Theatre either this weekend or next. You can stop by the box office and buy tickets or you can go online to springfieldlittletheatre.org. 

My thoughts on private/independent schooling versus public schools

I wrote this as part of writing class so it sounds a little forced... Oh well. Here it is.
        Students can go to either the public schools paid for and sponsored by the government to provide a bare minimum education, or they can pay to go to a private school owned by local organizations and often affiliated with churches of the area. After seven long years of living through a collection of various public schools, I recently made the switch to a private school (or more specifically an independent school) of the area and my opinion of public schools will forever be changed because of it.

        While in public schools I was unaware of the many opportunities available to me. I was used to not asking questions, working at the speed of others, and going by the curriculum provided by “the man.” In other words, “the man”, was always holding the students back from achieving more. This was all so that they could work with the students that were having difficulties. Everything was dumbed down so that students of all brain capacity would be able to learn fast enough, and to complete every task listed in the curriculum. Learning was a chore and seemed unbearable for me. If I ever felt that I wasn't understanding something, I was ignored. As long as I was passing their class, they didn't care if I was understanding or not. I wasn't aware of the flaw until I had reached middle school age and by then it was too late. 

      When I made the switch this past year to a private school, I was shocked at the flexibility in classes (not to mention the small sizes), shocked by the patience and willingness to work by the teachers. It was the school I had dreamed of during those painful hours of waiting in public schools. We, as students, were treated less like slaves and more like a son/daughter. In the seventh grade there were only 5 students, and in some grades even less. We took all the same classes that public school students normally take but, we were doing work that was normally two years ahead of what they were doing. If we had a problem we were all treated equally and most likely, we all had the same question because we all all thought so similarly.

        With only 20 kids in the upper school (6^th -10^th grade) the classes were able to be held in different locations. We weren't restricted to just 4 walls, pencil, paper, and a prominent figure instructing students similarly to a dictator. There was no strict curriculum for the teachers, and they were able to teach things in ways that the students enjoyed and learned well in. It was my perfect learning environment (and still is) and it was for many others. The options and flexibility made learning enjoyable for students and for the most part teachers too. What all of the public schools lacked, it made this school enjoyable.

        I would recommend and encourage any student/family wanting to switch from public schools to go to a private or independent school. There aren't as many problems socially amongst students, teachers can adjust classes to fit needs of students, there are very few things limiting the school from doing things educationally fit, and the overall learning environment is better. These have been my opinions on private schools from the perspective of a long time member of public schools recently making the switch to private schools.