Project Vs. Text book assignments

For the past 3 years I have been tested by a project based learning school. Back when I was a 8th grader I first heard of tech high. I already was in a program were we based our learning on more outdoors projects and amazing field trips so I was used to doing something different. I enrolled into technology high school and learned more than I ever would have at a normal high school. Here is why...
In a normal high school you do more paper work, I know cause Ive talked to my old friends that decided to go a different way. Here at tech high we try to base it around projects. The reason why projects work better than normal paper work is because you actually have to get into the work to come up with something amazing to put on poster or a presentation for the class to see. Now with paper work you can cheat, copy, or if you so could, skim threw a book really fast just reading the part were you get the answers. To do the projects we are assigned you have to research all the knowledge first, understand it, and process what you are learning. I don't remember what was on any paper assignment I had to do, but I can clearly remember most of my projects.
Most schools should try and adopted this idea of learning, I personally think it would be better for a all around education. Some students may like the paper work for different reasons but over all the project based learning would be more beneficially to anyone.

Paper Vs. Machine

All around us things are changing and one of the big topic's is based around how much we use the compter for these days. Things are becoming more and more digital and compterized everyday. For example, we are now using less and less of paper materials in my class. The tasks asked of us and the way we need to turn them in are now being put on the compter. But are we picking up the same amount of information as we would if we put it down on paper? Are we learning in the same way? Over the past few weeks Ive thrown this idea in my head.
As a first thought I just came up with the teacher wants to less their work load. To lessen the papers they have to grade, but then I knew there had to be more to it. My teacher wouldn't just lessen paper work for no reason and I have come up with my own reasons. I think he is trying to prepare us for the new world where everything is becoming more digtal than what we are used to doing. We learn more by everyone getting to tell their side of the question not just the people raising their hands. Maybe the ones to shy to will finally get to express themselfs.
I gave my teacher a lot of crap in front of him and behind him saying how its a bad idea, but now I see it was better to step outside of the box and try new things which is never a easy thing to do, at least for me. I would love to see more classes turn out like this. Not only is it good for the students it is also good for conserving paper which is a whole other topic.

Prop 2

Prop 2 will show up on the November 2008 ballet and if it passes it will prohibit farm animals to be confined in cages that they cannot lay down, stand up, turn around freely or extend their limbs out. Prop 2 covers the opinion that animals shouldn't be confined in the cages where they are placed in farms. Cages where they can't even move their own limbs around. So tight they cant lay down nor stretch. These cages are barely bigger than the animals own body. People think just cause they are raised to become a food they shouldn't be treated with care and it wont matter for long. With the process of making veal, the calves are tied up by their necks in crates to tight to even move or lay down.
Just because the animal is being raised for food they don't need to be treated horribly. They are locked up in tight, small cages for their whole life. We shouldn't force misery and suffrage among the farm animals. They deserve a better live than that. At least space to move, they deserve humane treatment.


http://www.yesonprop2.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100&Itemid=103

There is the site for prop 2. It explains every subject into great detail.

The ways of bloggin'

The Idea of blogging is good. Going over a chain of events on a forum that many people can put their thoughts and idea's down for the people to see. Its always a good idea to see another person's thoughts on a topic and blogging is a easy way to do that. But everyone picks to blog about their idea's and the others either don't care to do it or are afriad to post their opinions. Making students do this in class over actually work on the projects at hand to talk about subjects of their choosing isn't such a great idea.
I personally don't want to have my views on a topic out for the world to see and debate over. It's not what I would want to do. I'd rather talk about the topic to people around me, not argue over the internet. That doesn't do much. Now having to do blogging as an assignment? It's not worth the time. We could and should be doing our work that is going to further educate us in the topic we were and are covering in class. It is not worth the time to find a random topic, express your opinion to people on the web and chat about it. Yes the topic may be big and important, but what we would get out of it wouldn't be.
I don't know about you, but I'd rather be doing something school related that is actually going to help me in someway. Now my teacher is amazing and his Idea's are second to none, but making us students do this is, in my opinion, a waste of his and my time during his class. I'd like to see blogging brought back to a choice effort, not forced to do it.