Journal 4: Katie Wagoner

Part One:
In reading the blog links, I found the links about the protest in North Dakota the most interesting. I have never heard of this issue. The fact that there are instances of the pipelines contaminating the water, and yet companies are still trying to put in motion more pipelines, is baffling. And like Mike Lohre mentioned in class tonight, I'm surprised the news does not advertise this type of information more.

An activism issue that I recently have been thinking more about is education. I have been attending college for about 4 years now and have been studying for my bachelors degree in social work. Well, recently I got hired for my first job ever. This job is in the social work field. When I signed up/ applied for this job I thought, 'I got this. I've been in college for FOUR long years studying on this subject; I will be fine.' I was completely wrong. I have a very small basic understanding about the job. I am currently in training to learn everything for the job; its like taking another long, intensive college course! I spoke about this with my boyfriend the other night and he stated feeling the same way as me. He is in the tech field. He went to school at MyComputerCareer for about 6 months and got all the certifications that was needed to have this career. He also thought that with all his certifications, that he would know what to do in his job, at least know the majority of what to do. He was proven wrong also. I don't understand why we pay some much money and time towards going to college if when we get a job we know nothing and have to learn everything anyway. I much rather spend the two months learning how to do the job, then to go to college for four years to know nothing about the job. I think college is important and I good thing, but I think something needs to change about education. I thought some more about this topic. I realized that after all my education years from kindergarten to college graduation, I was never taught about how taxes work, what work benefits are, how insurance works, and just basic things about life and becoming an adult. Now, sure some people's parents taught them these things, but not everyone. If the government or the U.S believes so much in educating, preparing our future population to be successful in life, and to become the inventors of tomorrow, then why aren't we teach them about basic living skills.

It should be the parent's responsibility, but what are we going to do about the kids who don't have parents that "do their job"? What if a parent doesn't know themselves how to prepare their children? Can schools help?

I feel like these things aren't taught enough. Cooking, cleaning, paying taxes, voting, insurance, benefits, and so much more that I can't even think to type them all out, are things we should be teaching. If parents aren't willing or able, then maybe school should stand up. What if there was a way to create a class for each stage of education (K-12), where in each class they learn new living skills that are understandable and usable for them at that age? Now I have heard of some schools trying to incorporate a few classes like this. I would like to hear more about it and see it being used more, even used in secondary education. Like I mentioned, I gained this interest though my own experience, but I found other education activism approaches that sort of go along with what I believe. One resource states, "Together, these organizations help students develop the skills needed for the competitive job market while making their educational experience relevant to the world they will experience as adults." (http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/issues/papers/School_to_Work.html). I want to see more thinking like this; where we are concerned with making students successful in the competitive job market. However if we did change education would it have a negative effect or reaction like Common Care education does? Another resource states "And rather than backing off in the face of these unhappy consequences, the nation’s policy makers were ratcheting up the stress levels on students, teachers and families by imposing an untested, poorly formulated set of Common Core Standards on school districts throughout the nation with breakneck speed." (https://www.laprogressive.com/education-activism/). I still feel there is more research to be done on this.

I have never read this text but I found the name of the title prefect. "Overloaded and Underprepared", that is actually how I feel now between college and my first time job. 

Part Two:

The Holding On profile that stuck out the most for me was the story of Dugout Dick Zimmerman. I found myself wanting to highlight practically every word that was said in that profile. I really enjoyed hearing about his sense of connection with nature. The fact that he is comfortable with living in a cave is amazing. I would love to try this myself. I love that turning his man made caves into homes just seemed to come naturally to him, like it was a normal thing to do. When Dick stated, on page 139, "I only charge two dollars a night for a room", that baffled me. I would stay there a night for two dollars! This could even be a great place for those homeless in Idaho to stay at. To go on, I also liked the imagery that Isay gave in this profile. It brought the cave homes to life. "Each has a wood-burning stove made from a trash can, and a box spring and mattress. The more deluxe rooms have an old school-bus seat for a couch, and an empty icebox in which to hang clothes."(page 139). I really want to see these homes.