Donald Johanson                                                                                            Page 1

Eng. 101: Dr. Begert

3/15/2013, Final paper

         K-12 EDUCATION AND ITS RE-INVENTION

     Since the turn of the century, educational institutions were built to give children the tools intellectually to become productive functional adults and to prepare some to advance to institutions of higher learning. Curriculum was chosen, and three divisions of age based groupings were formed based on cognitive abilities as well as mental and physical development. The elementary, middle, and high school levels we have today are the result. The one size fit’s all curriculum formed essentially some fifty years ago is finally starting to reveal its failure to todays children in the form of high drop out rates, and below average scores in standardized testing on an  international level.  

     The factors I feel that have contributed to the down fall of America’s youth are many, and with many variables that obstruct locating a pinpoint reason. Without an exact identifiable cause or a trend that can be specifically identified by school administrators, the blame then gets placed to any and all weak spots in the system. In general, I feel the system and the players involved, from the kindergarten student to the President of the U.S  have good intentions to learn and lead us into the future, but the system needs help. Our inability to manipulate the learning environment to facilitate the individual students strengths in learning is what I’m proposing to address, while retaining education and academic proficiency on a large scale, such as our K-12 student body.

     While keeping curriculum as required by law, I would like to introduce a pilot program where as the student becomes a teacher to a class below them. A portion of the school day would be set aside to incorporate this program. In my paper I will propose the plan for the program, as well as research to reinforce the concept. Although there are schools with similar programs, I intend to take it another level by combining courses as well.

      The initial layout of the program consists of say a senior grade 12 class of forty to be broken down into four groups of ten. Those groups would then be assigned to four  eleventh grade classes of forty students. Math, English, science, geography for instance. The ratio of student teacher to the underclass student would be one to four. With the supervision and guidance of the  actual school instructor, the student teacher would be given the course material and time frame to complete it.

      The time frame for the class would be two hours. The first hour would be in the classroom, the second half of the class would be incorporated into an elective of their choice, as long as the elective could be used as a learning tool to expand on the first hours classwork.

       For instance math and physical education, science and physical education, or even geography and physical education. In each one of these combined courses, the student teacher and their group would find exercises that incorporate that coursework. More examples would be to combine geography with library science, or science with a home economics class. Science could easily be put to practice in a cooking class where subjects such as mixing ingredients and various reactions that occur with mixing, or the effects of boiling or freezing something. The geography class could have a number of different exercises in home-ec, such as cutting out pieces of fabric in the shape of different states or countries, and sewing them together to make a shirt or a quilt. The combinations of required course work when combined with an elective are endless. By doing these combined type programs the student teacher and the student are more involved and get a hands on experience of how and why their education is used and the many relationships between the courses. To have a volleyball game, and have the science class identify the main muscle groups involved in that sport would be fun and educational, and I would suspect the student to have a better grade in that science class.

       Several programs of the student becoming the teacher have been put to practice and documented such as “ The Best and Worst of High School Teaching, by GR Galluzzo,” 1991

        When the high school student becomes a teacher it generally builds on their confidence and self esteem as well. By the time the student finishes their block of instruction in the cross grade fashion, they are well versed in the subject, show a new sense of self worth and empowerment, and take that with them into their future endeavors.

        Due to the current trend in the U.S. public school system in regards to the student low scores in international testing, it’s imperative that any and all options be looked at to stimulate the students academic improvement. A few other key findings with regards to student success must study, or  The International Mathematics and Science study, and revealed some interesting facts that need to be addressed in addition to my proposal. With regards to school management the study revealed the best practices in deciding whether facets of education should be centralized or autonomized. The study indicated that the school budget and texts should be centralized. The hiring and salaries of teachers with autonomy, as well as recruitment and compensation. Senate President of Education Don Gaetz, stated “ Just as parents have the choice of where to send their students to school, teachers should also have a choice of where to work.

        In 2001, the U.S. ranked 24th of 46 countries tested by the independent Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or the O.E.C.D. , using the T.I.M.M.S. Further study results indicate the teacher should have control of the curriculum, as well as specific text books for their course, the students scored 12 points higher than other countries in the TIMMS study. When teachers acting collectively as a union related to their curriculum, the students scored over thirty points less than other countries. According the Harvard University economist

Carolyn Hoxby, “ Teachers unionization helps explain why schools can perform worse when given more resources.” She further labels it as “The ratio of student performance to spending.”

       Other key results show that the teachers age, and level of education were key factors showing that a teacher with a Doctorate resulted in thirty two point increase in test scores from a teacher with minimal post-secondary education.

        Lastly the research recommends to centralize exams that gives the whole educational chain of command more transparency. By doing such, parents, administrators, and government can look at the results and better determine where the weaknesses and strengths are located.

        When students and teachers are given choices where they would like to teach or learn, they as well had markedly higher test scores, as well as teacher involvement with the student.

         A final area of study was in comparing public to private education. Public school teachers as a whole had a 20% higher pay than their counterpart, however job satisfaction leaned toward the private sector teacher. Student performance and and student test scores on average were much higher in the private sector, especially with public funding.

        If only a few of the issues I have addressed could be satisfied, along with implementing the student teacher program or a similar venture in a public or private setting, student success would improve as well as our international ranking academically. In Gatto’s view, “Urge them to take on serious material,the grown up material, in history,literature, philosophy, music, art, economics, and theology.” “If David Farragut could take command of a British warship as a pre-teen, if Thomas Edison could publish a broadsheet at the age of twelve, if Ben Franklin could apprentice himself to a printer at the same age ( then put himself through a course of study that would choke a Yale senior), there’s no telling what your own kids could do.” So true are those statements and the reality that our nation’s K-12 potential is there, we just need to explore ways to bring it to life. Every student has a slightly different way in which they excel and retain educational material. By cross grade student teacher programs, and the utilization or the vast array of internet and other technical advances at our fingertips, the U.S. student should have the opportunity to climb to the top internationally in every facet of education.

                                          chalk

         A mocumentary on education. The challenges of teaching. A comical look at education through the eyes of a teacher. A group of inner city teachers and administrators experience the growing pains of teaching and the day to day challenges they face. Not only trying to teach a broad variety of students with their own issues inside and outside the class , but their own as well. Each teacher in the film experiences their own unique struggle with trying to connect with the students and fellow faculty members as well. The very character and personality of the teacher is challenged daily, and through the film those hard times are dealt with and the teacher readjustments  to those issues. It really pointed out the relationship between teaching and the teachers ability to handle adversity and regaining the control in the classroom, and just how vulnerable they are to loosing the students attention and respect. Its interesting in that we all have the ability to loose, regain, and loose again that interpersonal relationship with each other, but are fortunate for the most part that we have the ability to improve, forgive, understand , adjust, and care for one another, allowing for solution
       With regards to my 3rd paper, this film gave me a little bit more insight in regards writing about our struggling educational system, but reminded me of the ever changing human factor involved, and the variables associated with trying to create a successful educational thats effective for the masses. From one town to another, teacher to another, student to another and social economics of the family and community to another, create a challenge in my mind where there isn't and never will be a cut and dried solution to student success.
      The teacher or first line members to the child's success, as well as the parent set the groundwork for the learning environment of the child. Every aspect of a child's daily routine  must be tailored to provide the best conditions to learning. The cost to feed, clothe, transport, and teach the child is very expensive, compiled with living conditions, family dynamics and continuity, and the geographical location are but a few of the pieces to a puzzle. The problems with puzzles, is that time to time inevitably a piece will get misplaced or lost, and there is no safeguard against that happening. this can often ruin a chance to complete the puzzle, or the childs success. As parent, teachers and students, a group effort is required and a little luck to complete that puzzle.
         

Waiting for superman

                                      waiting for superman

     Education, educators and students

A documentary made in 1999 looks at the public educational system and the risks of the quality of that education that can often start by a lottery type drawing for the placement of their future. The documentary looks at the personal lives of several children and their family situations and their experience in the failing educational system.. It points out the skyrocketing spending for education and all the Presidents claim to making education their number one focus. Spending has gone up, grades have gone down. It appears the social economics of the inner city family's student plays a major role in the child's success.

Starting with president Bush, the "No student left behind' doctrine was initiated. Testing was taken across the nation and pointed to a disturbing pattern of falling grades as students progress to the high school level. In fact there has been a astounding dropout rate and was found to be the fault of the schools rather than the student. Many of the students who dropped out wind up in jail to further damage the financial burden on the economy. Locking up a teenager costs the public three times as much sending the child to a private school. Academic sinkholes in the big cities would suddenly be turned upside down by a 37 y/o teacher named Michelle Reed, who planned to change the system of entangled "GOLIATH" or "BLOB", that has formed in the public educational system that has taken effective education away from the students. The beurocratic overlapping and entanglement of the government has harmed the success of the student. 

Furthermore focus on the teachers ability is looked at, and how 'tenure" or the law protecting teachers employment, has harmed the students quality of education. Teachers unions further protected the failing teachers job security. It appears that that very union actually harms the recognition and rewarding of the good quality teachers. "The dance of the lemons", was put into play in which the failing teachers would be passed of to another school and so on.. "The rubber room", which is a $100 million a year cost to New York city to deal with the crappy teacher.

Charter schools were formed and ran on a lottery system that initiated in the Harlem community took students from a broad social economic community that was to be ran by non union teachers. Michelle Reed the schools superintendant fires several principles in her crusade to further weed out the ineffective failing schools. At the same time the effectiveness of charter schools is being observed, but only very few children will be enrolled. Another factor called tracking has further harmed the students sucess and the economy as a whole. It has been known that math science and engineering is the driving force behind the world economy, but the U.S ranks 23rd in the world.

A new and radically successful education program called Kipp has given new hope to inner city schools. By extending the school day and making the student and teacher accountable. 

What it all boils down to seems to be the adult. The teacher, the parent, and the commitment to the child. Not all students will get into charter schools, so remains is a huge problem in the school system, and really without a solution readily available. The budget for education is up why isn't there an increase in the academic success of the student. Is it the community, the teacher, or the students lack of motivation? Every student should somehow be selected in the lottery, or should the seed schools replace the current institutions?

Mona Lisa's Smile

Catherine Watson's introduction to Wellesley U., was anything but smiles. She soon discovered that the all women university was an elite prepschool for wifehood, and not likely to accept change or new ideas, she hoped to give. She soon discovers quite the opposite, and is appolled at what the schools overall mission was. The perfect wife.
       Like a piece of chicken thrown into a pirranha tank, Catherine soon had to resort to survival skills in dealing with her all lady class of intellectuals. The first day of class was a wakeup call,that forced her to change her art history syllabus in order to get the upper hand on her class that seemed to know more than her on the subject matter. Catherine soon discovers that not only are her students well educated, but the institutions overall goal of making these ladies into the perfect housewifes, and the boards policy of staying to the syllabus, sending her, the students, and faculty on a collision course of discontent
      As the film progressed, student and staff's personal lives come to surface, with a student getting married, another having a relationship with a profeesor and her very own single status was challenged by an out of town boyfriend of sorts that proposed to her. Saying no the proposal,in some way seemed a statement and a self image decision, that partly, I think was a msg. to her students that there is plenty of time for marriage, and that law school or continuing their education a better choice. Reprimands would soon come, for the dean didn't approve of her direction of teaching.
      Soon, all comes to a boil as Catherine lashes out with rage and discontent in a final attempt to tell the students and staff how wrong they were. Finally realizing, she's not going to change the system, especially after reviewing the next years syllabus, she decides to move on to another school to continue her teaching role.
       The students escort her departure on bycycle, waving and quite emotional, so it seems she had some affect on the girls lives, but most likely not changing their future as the perfect American wife.
      

STAND AND DELIVER BY MR.ESCALANTE
A INNER CITY COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHER MEETS THE CHALLENGES OF INNER CITY EDUCATION
       
1) NO  computers, no order in the class, but he finds a way to get into the students heads by creative techniques, while also dealing with gang members.
2) The teacher finds a way to get the students to listen and learn by challenging the individual students using examples the students can relate to. He starts to gain control in the class
3) Mr. Escalante, also challenges the school board with his optomistic attitude that his class can succeed in the face of adversity. Every day he makes contact individually with the troubled students. building positive relationships that bring the students to a higher level of learning. The teachers unwavering attention to the students as a whole and one on one begins to make a difference
4)The film further exposes the students life outside the classroom, exposing their day to day challenges, and how they quite possibly affect  their ability to learn in the classroom. The teacher shows an extraordinary ability to work with the students, that in time changes the lives of nearly every student leading many to succeed.
5) Mr. Escalante soon challenges the school staff by requesting a calculus program for his class but backfires causing a staff member to quit her position. He continues to challenge the troubled inner city kids by adding tougher programs and more class time, turning his class into a very successful educated group.
6) Individually and as a whole, the students begin to shine with aspirations of their future of a better life but not without a struggle. Mr.Escalante’s students one by one show their personal struggle and the teacher shows the ability to handle them individually, but eventually at the price of his own health. suffering from what appears to be a heart attack.
7) Meanwhile as mr. escalante recovers the class improvises by teaching each other, mainly through the effort of the talented students. Soon the teacher is back to see the class take the big exam, and astonishing the faculty with their success, setting new standards of inner city education and the students lives as individuals.

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le blogspot   CUBING EXERCISE ON MY PAPER

   1) Describe it:  A description of my paper is well a condensed, but extended story of my experience over the last 30 years, and the education I received, and how it was applied to my medical experience as a nurse in  the war against Iraq. I wanted the reader to get a feel for my experiences before during and after the  deployment experience. The paper was intende to skim over the experience, and highlite key moments that reulted in the experience as a whole. My goal of the paper was to convey a chain of events , that was a huge learning experience, but also a traumatic potentially life threatening experience of going to a war zone. The reason I was deployed and the job i was assigned was a direct result of choices, the military elistment choice and its outcome.
2) Arguement:  To argue about my paper could be presented from a anti-war activist point of view, and a argument could be presented quite easily. I  woulnt of gone to the middle east if we didnt want to protect Kuwait from Iraq. The fact that we were deployed was the need for a general hospital near the front lines, that saved many lives, and increased a severely wounded soldieds chance of survival 10 fold. The staffing by american medical personnel, surgeons, dental staff, and various other professions gave the troops the benefit of being patched up quicker, reducing the chance of infection and/or increased complications due to a delay of the wounded having to be flown to europe for instance. Saving one life, made it worth it/
3) Associate; In short where theres a major conflict, you must have a general hospital to support it. PERIOD.  To rely on foreign medical staff, the language issues, the quality of healthcare, and the cost to our govenment would be unacceptable, detrimental to our troop survival and security. There will always be a hospital equipped from our counntry with our staff, when a major conflict breaks out anywhere in the world. To do otherwise would be to desert our troops
 4) Analyze: my paper could definetly be broken down into phases of the exoerience as a whole. And each of those phases could be broken down and itemised even  or defined even further.
       a) highschool/ pre-service life
       b) entry to the military
       c) assignments ie germany, tacoma,

Educational experiance

             ­­       “ extended educational experience”

                                                      

                                                        

                     I looked over at my buddy, as he and three other soldiers crouched down next to a marble and brick wall in our barracks in preparation for another scud missile heading in our direction. Perspiration ran everywhere, and the lens of my gas mask fogged over, as we huddle in our full chemical protection gear. The time was around midnight, and nearly 90 degrees outside, and all lights were off, to better hide our location from the enemy. Like the scud missile, we had no idea where the enemy was or which direction they might come from.

The steady high pitched howl of the air raid siren seemed to scream for eternity, further adding to the stress of not being able hear anything either. Almost suffocating, as I clutched my loaded M-16 rifle, with hands sweating profusely in my thick black rubber gloves, was something we trained for since basic. The fifteen vaccinations prior to deployment, and the little decontamination kits we had at hand was our defense, against Iraq’s possible use  of chemical or biological weapons.

 Nearly a full forty five minutes had passed, and suddenly silence filled the air. We finally got the all clear signal from command that the scud was downed, and no chemical or biological agents were detected in our area. By that time, my charcoal lined chemical suit was saturated with sweat, as were my fellow soldier’s suits. The suits would have failed in protecting us due to the breakdown of the charcoal that lined the chemical suit because of our perspiration. Five dead soldiers would have resulted in minutes, from one drop of nerve agent, mustard or biological type gas.

         We trained over and over for this day. Did I ever imagine experiencing this in person? Not a chance. For the next three weeks solid, we would wear our chemical gear at various times both day and night, in immediate response to the air raid siren. The siren was our first line of defense due to its sophisticated sensors that could detect microscopic particles of nearly any chemical weapon, and their various types of delivery systems. The issue with the alarm system, was that it was also activated by the nearby radar and air traffic control people, for the many other vehicles entering our airspace, that were not a chemical threat. Regardless, it was mandated by higher command to wear the complete chemical protective gear at the moment the siren sounded.

         The nearby airport from our barracks served also as the C-141, refueling tanker jet’s base of operations. A jet basically the size of a Boeing 727, would take off and land every few minutes, 24/7, in their support of NATO aircraft and mid-air refueling requirements. The thrust required to lift those jets into the air was full throttle with afterburners. With that being said, you could only imagine the amount of sleep that we didn’t get.

         These stories and many more were experienced by our unit, and it all started from a single phone call at my civilian job back home.

          In the fall of 1991, while checking the blood pressure of a heart patient, on the Coronary care unit, at Madigan hospital in Tacoma, I got a phone call. The head nurse said, “Don, you need to call your unit rite away.”

         That’s odd, it was midweek, and we’re not to train for another week and a half.

          When I talked to my first Sargent, his first words were. “It’s not a drill, report to H.Q. at 0600 hrs.”

         I was aware of the Kuwait invasion by Iraq, but never expected the 50^th General Hospital, my unit, to get the call. In fact, for the next two weeks, we were not briefed, for security reasons, on where we were going. Fellow soldiers, family and friends, and our civilian employers were told “we’re on special orders, and that’s that”. Pack your duffle bags, hug your loved ones, and tell your boss to hire a temporary employee while you’re gone. Next get your personal finance, will, and any other legal matters, such as guardianship issues, in order, for we’re to be confined to Ft. Lewis, the next two weeks, for pre-deployment preparation.

          From Private to full bird Colonel, our unit commander, who was a civilian doctor, and all the different health care workers in our unit, all were in a daze of sorts. It’s hard to describe all the different concerns, the fear of not knowing added to this major family crisis that came about over night to all of us.

          One thing I particularly recalled was the decision that many of my fellow soldiers had to make, who had children, because both parents were soldiers in our unit. And by law, only one parent is allowed to deploy, and the same rule applies to any siblings in our unit. The law protects the family, and was enacted after all three sons of a family were killed in combat during World War two, leaving no child to carry on the family name. It was tough even for us single guys giving that last hug and kiss to our loved ones. I look at those emotional times now and realize that millions have endured this process over the years from the many wars of countries all over the world.

        Knowing a little history about Saddam Hussein, his use of chemical weapons, and knowing the money Saddam had to purchase weapons of mass destruction, gave me moments of deep anxiety. I realized that serious injury or death would soon be around me, or quite possibly include me.

 Then I remembered, I was the senior enlisted, “Ward master” of the intensive care unit with the rank of Staff Sargent, which I was quite proud of, and I had soldiers to lead. From that reality check point on, I led fourteen lower enlisted nurses and corpsman in the theatre of operations, to run the Intensive care unit of a general hospital, in the Middle East.

         My years of training, education, and civilian job caring for critically ill and wounded people gave me the confidence to do the job as well as training those assigned to me. Before I take you back to the theater of operations, I want to go back another ten years, and touch on how my health care, medical career began.

          In the fall of 1981, a few months after graduating high school, I had pulled myself out of bed around noon. Not because I wanted to get up, it was an extreme thirst, combined with nausea, and a serious headache. It would seem I had the flu, but I, as well as my father knew, that most likely my illness was due to a keg party the night before. It wasn’t the first brown bag flu for me, but for my dad, he wanted it to be the last.

        That day, was get ready to flap your wings, day, because it’s time to leave the family nest. I knew it was coming, but was hoping to take flight the following summer. The youngest and last of seven kids, I thought I had more time, being the rest flew the coop by the previous year.

        The other huge part of my life as a child and for about a year after I left home was my mother. She was bed ridden for a couple years dying slowly but surely from emphysema. When Dad told me to join the service or the homeless, I chose the Army, and specifically the medical field to study and find a cure.

         The following year, while stationed in Germany, as a combat field medic at the rank of private first class, I got the call to go home. I didn’t find a cure yet, but mom understood. I got to be with her for a few days, but soon she as well as my proud dad, brother and sisters, wanted me to get back to my unit. What an awesome family I have and had for all those year

         Mom passed away a couple weeks later, and Dad, moms partner for nearly forty years, who missed her terribly would join her three years after that from a sudden heart attack. I miss them, as well as my brother and one sister who also passed on from different illnesses.

           Today, I’m very fortunate to return once again to further my education. School is not coming without challenge, and I’m thankful for my family once again to be there in support and encouragement, as I forge ahead. I couldn’t do it without them, and the warm home they welcomed me into. I know there will come a time to discuss the nest again, for sure before too many feathers fall from my wings.

          Now, I would like to take you back to around 1992, to my deployment in support of Operation Desert Storm with my reserve unit, to support and treat the war wounded, both friend and foe, as we attempt to push Saddam Hussein and his troops from Kuwait.

           The 50^th General Hospital’s plane attempts to land in Bahrain, a small suburb near Raihyad Saudi Arabia, on a runway not equipped with navigation equipment that can basically land the plane. Our fully loaded Pan Am 747, with every seat filled, to include two duffle bags per soldier began to descend on an airstrip shrouded in fog. Slowly we dropped down and it was obvious the pilots were flying by dead reckoning, or needing a direct visual, because even the position of the runway is not known. I will never forget the gasps and oh my god’s as this mammoth jet’s pilot went full throttle to barely avoid hitting the desert at a two o’clock position related to the runway. The pilot saved everyone by his ginger approach, and having room to keep the plane in the air. We circled around and touched down to everybody’s relief. Roughly twenty three hours on the plane and two refueling stops took us nearly half way around the world.

             As we disembarked the plane, the heavy fog was actually a light rain. The local bus drivers that greeted us at the airport informed us that it was the first time in over three years that it had rained there.     

           Off we went from the airport via Greyhound type busses to our barracks. When we got to the barracks quite early in the morning, we met up with a buddy of mine and three other soldiers who had a long night, with an air raid and scud missile attack. By the time everybody was unpacked, we ate some breakfast and headed to the hospital to set up, and take over operations. It’s almost like I had a dream about an air raid attack.

            Later that morning we all loaded back into the Greyhound busses with two armed guards who volunteered from within our ranks, for a half hour bus ride to Rayadh, where King Fahd hospital is located. The modern facility, comparable to say Tacoma General hospital in size, was also laid out in a similar configuration. Our unit divided into our preset groups and proceeded to our assigned work stations. Our ICU staff consisted of our charge nurse, Col. Jackson an executive officer Maj. Delaney, and four captains, and four junior officers, making up the registered nursing staff. Fourteen lower enlisted Practical nurses, CNA’s, and corpsman, rounded off the staff required to run the unit’s two twelve hour shifts.

            Soon after a unit briefing, our hospital administrator in charge of logistics and casualty flow, informed us we had severely wounded troops and POW casualties in route to our unit. The criteria for admission to our unit was the patient’s need for continuous monitoring of vital signs, via sophisticated equipment, and extensive assessment skills and procedures that only a critical care nurse or MD, are qualified and trained for. The average patient had a massive head wound, single or multiple amputation, or other soft tissue wounds, that put the patient at high risk for cardiac arrest, shock, kidney and other vital organ failure, and even exsanguination internally or at the wound site. Exsanguinate is to loose blood rapidly culminating in cardiac arrest and death.

                 The   responsibility placed on me, through years of training, experience and knowledge, was evaluated, documented, and approved by senior staff, the state nursing board of nursing, and many in house hospital training programs. The qualifications allowed me to train my staff on every facet of patient care. Dressing changes, starting an IV, evaluating blood work, monitoring fluid intake and output, heart and lung assessment by stethoscope and machine, were just a few items, I was well versed at and able to teach others.

               Equipment Required in the ICU, such as the ECG, or electrocardiogram, the ventilator and CPAP, being the positive pressure airway device, ICP, or the intracranial pressure monitor, were again just a few of the tools we use regularly with confidence on very unstable patients All the supplies, equipment, and inventory required on the ward was again my responsibility to get fixed, reordered, or acquired through the hospital logistics and supply management system.

                 In one example I noticed the ward had no ABG, or the arterial blood gas machine, which is crucial in analyzing the oxygen level of a critical patient. The hospital biomedical equipment facility could not locate one, so I contacted a hospital administrator who had financial access credentials, and drove downtown to a medical supply store and bought one. A very rewarding part of my job was the ability to get things done, and the latitude to seek out a solution. With a life at stake, this sort of action must be allowed in the standard operating procedures guidelines. In a twelve hour period on any ICU, that has a full patient load, there is zero time to relax, and decision time is minimal.

           The other half of my job was taking care of my lower enlisted troops. A nineteen years old Private new to the Army with very little experience, is just an example of a member of our unit, but just as important as any other soldier. I remember those times, and knew how critical it was to lead by example. My uniform and appearance, punctuality, and attention to detail had to be at its best in order for that private to be his best. It was absolutely imperative, and a responsibility that I took with pride, in leading any soldier to a point where they can lead the next generation of soldiers.

                 At times I felt like a baby sitter, but it had to be done. The scheduling to staff the ward, monitoring for conflict between the staff, and ensuring proper patient care by the staff, was a responsibility that I enjoyed. Proper education, and training, combined with years of hands on experience and mentoring helped the deployment go smoothly, with very few complications.

                   About three and a half months later, with Saddam’s troops out of Iraq, our unit was deactivated, and sent back to Ft. Lewis. Our unit fulfilled its mission with flying colors. I personally performed my job as I was trained, and my performance, it seems, was noticed by command to the level of awarding me two Bronze Stars, for my service, which I’m quite proud to have received.

               The educational experience as a whole is a life long journey that really never ends. For myself, it’s starting over again after twenty years, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity, but increasingly aware of the challenges. The all out infusion of the internet and computer into the classroom was inevitable, and practical, as we move into the 21st century. Not only the classroom, but healthcare and nearly every business in our world depends on the internet, with no sign of slowing down. In fact information technology seems to be accelerating in all directions to the level that should maybe slow down to allow humans to have a backup plan in place. We are treading on thin ice from what I have read as to what would happen with a major power grid failure or internet attack. There are many gray areas to address when major failure occurs, as to who will be responsible. It’s been said that some type of solar flare could potentially shut .down major portions of our power grid, and for many years to repair. That’s scary stuff.

                 This class is the best example, and a wakeup call for me is a   understatement. On a positive note, I see improvement in the last week regarding my own abilities, with my computer, and will keep improving in the classroom, no matter what the challenges are. The basic principle of education I feel is to learn new things and improve on those areas ones familiar with. And obviously, areas that are challenging require a response to minimize the challenge by allotting more time and resources, and in a timely manner.