Service Learning

I forgot to post about a service learning project I could work on. Next semester I am taking English 102 with Katie Zanto on the subject of Educational Issues. She is also offering a 1 unit course to supplement it where I will take what I am learning in 102 and apply it by going to elementary schools and doing activities to teach the kids about a topic I feel is important and relevant to me. I'm excited to do this and am not entirely sure on the full logistics of it. I was also thinking it would be cool to get more community events happening in Incline Village. I'd like to work with IVGID to build a little stage somewhere and make it possible to have little concerts in the park, farmer's markets, etc. where more of the community can be involved with one another.

Crunch Time

The last couple of weeks we had a different professor. Jillian was a lot of fun to have in class. Her passion for the subject and topics she brought to the table was clear and obvious. No matter the topic and comments made, she could spew information for days it seemed. Her energy was uplifting, motivating, and great. Jillian helped me consider new ways to approach writing my essay, which has really helped. While it was fun having a new face, it was great to have our professor back. I enjoyed hearing about his adventures, work, and new projects in Alaska as well as where we are at with our research. It seems like we're all around the same stages of research; finishing up and consolidating. It helped to talk about my topic out loud, I felt a little less behind, but am still feeling a little anxious about what is to come. Finals are next week and that is a week or so too soon. Yet I find myself in a time paradox of wanting summer to be here and school to be over, but I need so much more time to get all of my essays and projects finished while finding time to study and maintain my sanity. I guess it’s part of the student gig and will pass soon. It was fun to have our scattered class discussions back. What I assume was supposed to take 45 minutes or so turned into an entire class period because of our bouncing banter. I love it.

Economic Justice

Last week the class focussed on defining economic justice. Jillian asked us about what it meant to us, and later provided a definition. We watched "From First to Worst" highlighting California's public schools, listened to Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations", and learned about Jillian's case study of english learners.

What really stood out for me was the school systems. I have been in public school since the fourth grade and suddenly feel very fortunate. Both the Michigan and Idaho districts I belonged to provided me and my peers with plenty of tools to succeed. Disturbed by the 6 or 8 thousand dollar budget per student in California, I was moved to see what was spent on me during my time in primary schools. In Gaylord Michigan, $7,988 per student is what is spent. In the Wood River Valley the price is $14,406 per student. That is a drastic difference from the California system. I feel that my high school education was incredible and see how important that funding truly is now. In class I brought up the lack of spending now creates are larger price tag later in the sense that we become semi responsible for the uneducated, homeless and poor through tax funded programs. This was also confirmed in the statistic of state funding in prisons spending $27,000 per prisoner vs. $6,000 per student in the public school system.

Bettsy Betts

Bett's presentation was really helpful. At first I was searching without checking the "full text" box and could not access many of the articles and academic journals I needed. She pointed out specific data basis that will be helpful to me in the future, as my topic is more of a social topic rather than sustainable.

I have narrowed my topic to maternal health. I think I will start broad, addressing the issue on a global scale and then bringing it back to the United States as I go. I am excited to really dive into my research.

Danel, Isabella, Wendy J. Graham, and Ties Boerma. "Maternal death surveillance and response." Bulletin of the World Health Organization Nov. 2011. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Mar. 2012

Hill, Nancy. "Somali Immigrant Women's Health Care Experiences and Beliefs Regarding Pregnancy and Birth in the United States". College of Nursing and Health. OCLC First Search. Web. 29 Mar. 2012.

Kabakchieva, Velika. "Maternal Morbidity And Maternal Mortality In The United States." Journal Of Children and Poverty. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Mar. 2012.

Lu, Michael C. "We Can Do Better: Improving Perinatal Health In America." Journal Of Women's Health. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Mar. 2012.

"Percentage Of Births That Were Home Births, By Maternal Race/Ethnicity - United States, 1990-2009." MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 61.3 (2012): 58. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Apr. 2012.

I will also have "Half the Sky" as a reference soon.