Submitted by jamesmmm (not verified) on Tue, 01/18/2011 - 22:50.

Hi guys--reading writing and all! I had some contact with Bob Kerry (President New School NYC) years ago while he was working with the National Writing Commission ( www.host-collegeboard.com/advocacy/writing ) but I think much of the material I presented him with either ended up forgotten and/or ignored...I have my own DIY that can be presented with two main points--try as much as possible to have it coincide with pleasant language and put the pen/pencils to paper as ofter as possible! Here's a section of a letter I've been sending out to people or groups who seem to care:

June 2003 (revised November 2010)
To All those who care to help to solve the educational dilemma in the US:
Please excuse the length of this letter: it began in June 2003 as a long one-page cover letter in which we were encouraging potential employers to consider the information posted below, especially if they choose not to hire us. More than seven years and almost 23,000 words later we are continuing to insist that hiring us will immediately bring a greater sense of this mentality to your organization. And since it would be in 'the best interest of the school system' we are certain that NYC School Chancellor Black will approve a waiver, if applicable. (If you happen to have contact with Ms. Black, please be sure to inform her that we will be reaching out to her and proposing this solution.)
The only way to improve the programs is to incorporate more thinking requirements into the everyday activities and simultaneously emphasizing the importance of pleasant and proper language. By following a teaching style which does that, a great majority of the students will learn to think more intensely and to eventually come to realize the whole truth, and they will know that they have a duty to become part of the solution. If thinking is geared towards positive things, the result will be beneficial for all! (And since for the most part we think as we speak and we speak as we think, the natural first step to begin this transformation is a greater emphasis on pure, pleasant and proper language! If we can make advances in the way people speak to each other, very significant and very long lasting progress will be possible! If children become convinced of this at an early age, which can be done very easily, this will also initiate other positive changes, and we can begin to reap the harvest of total integration and truly idyllic harmony among all the people! Now, since truly idyllic harmony can actually start with you, try this for yourself: start speaking to people more politely and using proper language and intonation with a pleasant expression on your face at all times. If you are in a supervisory position, compassion and mercy might also be inferred if your subordinates make mistakes. The result is sure to be greater and greater understanding among all the people as well as good will towards all men! The following italicized section began as 2-3 paragraphs that we were handing out to our students several years ago to encourage the students to speak and act more gently:

Speaking gently and using pleasant words will lead to a more cohesive and harmonious classroom and society. Doing so is a great way to begin to save the world, and we can’t do it alone. (Actually, maybe we can save the world alone but we’d much rather have multiple assistants and associates!) If the pleasant words are combined with action of the same kind, things may begin to improve at an astonishing pace!

Therefore, encourage everyone you know to use proper language and to avoid wherever possible the negative words: kill, death, hate, war, lethal, ugly, weapons etc. and every curse word. It is especially important if you have contact with young children: we must stop allowing the children to be entangled in the arena of annihilation. The children, in addition to undergoing mostly input of this kind are also subjected to very loud noise and incessant clamor, which we have convinced ourselves, is ‘normal.’ SIRENS LOUD AND CONTINUOUS and mostly unnecessary ?

Also, if you encounter people using negative/foul language or music, cover your ears to show you want no part of that kind of communication and encourage children to do the same!

But have you ever come into contact with a young child speaking sweetly, softly and using perfect language? Now imagine that the child is speaking of LOVE, PEACE, and JUSTICE! Further, envision dozens of young children singing the praises of the Most High God with LOVE (TRUTH, JUSTICE and EQUALITY for all the people are the naturally contagious results of the spirit produced by this language!)
It is especially important if you have children: begin to speak and act more gently, and demonstrate to your children that you want them to speak and act more gently and properly. The results of a change in the language will create goodwill among all the people and will turn the tide on the culture of negativity and immorality that we live in. (And Teddy Roosevelt may have hit upon something extremely applicable when he tied education to morality by stating: to educate without moral instruction is to raise a menace to society!) (Meanwhile, please continue speaking softly but carry no stick at all! Please?)
(Although actions most definitely speak louder than words, they are usually preceded by words! As a contrarian example, take the case of war: while wars often end with a big bang or two, militaristic hostilities rarely begin unless they are preceded by all sorts of unpleasant exchanges and diplomacies! Now ,since there is ample evidence in the account to show that one thing leads to another and that one reaps what one sows, prudence dictates real caution here! Besides, if one considers that diplomatic language is frequently associated with double-speak and lies (politics?), and that the concept of hatred is almost always present in war to a very large extent, the consequences of dealing in activities such as these are beyond comprehension! (Please also make note of the fact that the civilian population of the USA (and probably elsewhere) was practically embedded in the hostilities leading up to the wars currently being waged in Afghanistan and Iraq: in addition to having endured skyscrapers falling, several times a day, the horror of guided missiles crashing into the WTC was projected into the living rooms.)
The other related situation which is often bypassed is usage of profane language, because so many people consider it to be harmless. Although the terms used by Imus in April 2007 were not exactly profane, it has been determined that off the air, Imus has a terribly disgusting speech and it is natural for him to use all sorts of disgusting language and he would most likely be called a serial user of profanity. Indeed, Imus was undoubtedly ‘shaped’ by the language he used and that guided him (as language tends to guide all of us!) into an environment where he thought his infamous expression would be accepted. Though he apologized profusely, remember that for him to even think in those terms indicates where he comes from! And to reconfigure the age old expression you are what you eat permit the author(s) to say with greater certainty that you are what you speak. Clearly the language emanating from his mouth has been cause for concern for years and let us suggest that in private, Imus uses profanity with greater malice more often and that if he goes onto the satellite circuit, the true Imus will eventually be displayed, though it seems now that he will return to regular programming which does not seem to be budging about their need to adhere to higher standards! Thank God on that one!)
(By the way, Imus is not (repeat: NOT!) the only serial user of profanity: Isaih Thomas, Mel Gibson, OJ Simpson and almost all rap and hip-hop artists maintain above average levels of cursing and swearing and use the nastiest tones and body language while they sing or speak that could possibly be imagined! We expect most observers of this phenomenon to use it to point up the fact that these serial users of profanity may also achieve success. To this we say that the matter is sufficiently complicated by looking at what is considered ‘success’ in this day and age! (And the author(s) right now will turn logic on it’s tail by suggesting that these types will go even further by cleaning up their acts?))
(Besides, as has been pointed out above and which will become crystal clearer below, NO CHANGE IN THE PEOPLE WILL EVER OCCUR while profanity in speech abounds so profoundly: in fact, the deterioration of society has been accelerating and will continue to accelerate along with the reduction of purity in language ! And please do not forget that most wars begin because of irrational dialogue! Furthermore, a stunning example of how abusive language can adversely affect an entire generation was on open display in April 2007 when a major media figure made a disparaging remark about a local female college basketball team!)
At this point, we can also make another direct linkage between truth and love: ultimate truth involves telling same to others. When we declare that God loves everyone and that his most sincere wish is to have a relationship and dialogue communication with US, this is also the major truth. The relationship just referred to involves inner obedience and caring for others, which necessitates reduction of governmental force(s), because the people love one another they need not be told what to do since they are already doing what needs to be done! In point of fact, people become more willing than ever to give it all away, but not to the government!
The only good government is one that is weak, So the people can twist it and turn it and tweak,
So that cyclone of calamity will see earthly fear, And the people will see that the benefits are clear,
Of providing for the cleansing of this most despicable being, Look in the mirror for a glimpse of US seeing,
Ourselves, in a bind-hoping for salvation, And that God will not consider US a-bom-i-nation!
When we say the truth is actually love, Well what would be the opposite saying of?
Since truth is love, then lies is hate, Albany, Trenton DC a-bom-i-nate!
So we say, “SHALOM” and LOVE as the true revolution, We’re proposing this final and solitary solution,
Inner obedience, and caring for others, Always giving to sisters and brothers!
Being so commendably humble, it is difficult for us to wait so long to boast, but imagine our excitement and delight when less than one week after we applied (without the appropriate certification) to be a Pedagogue in the NYC DOE a commentary in the Post specifically pointed out that charter schools do NOT require teacher certification and they are doing better than average! (NY Post Maggie Gallagher: UNCERTIFIABLE? JULY, 2003.) Then just a week or two later, more significant commentary fully supporting our position that continued resistance to exceptional standards of purity in the English language will eventually prove disastrous where it has not already done so. (Rich Lowry, NY Post AUG 2003) Then (SEPT, 2003), a front page NY Times article specifically referred to a small faith-based school in Brooklyn which is doing much better than average without the use of computers! (Also indicative of at least a degree of clairvoyance on the part of the author(s): in 1999 we began to zero in on the educational dilemma, and in addition to supposing that the problems were mostly associated with literacy deficiencies, we also emphasized the importance of writing in every aspect of learning and in life and over gigantic time frames. So it was also with great excitement and delight that we experienced enormous confirmation from The National Commission on Writing. In a series of ongoing reports, the Commission has been specifying very similar points. (Logging onto www.writingcommission.org puts you onto a web page from which you can examine all the press releases . By examining the press releases, you will become aware of the problems and some of the partial solutions. Much more information is available about this in the actual reports, which can also be requested or downloaded. Also, another author has pointed out that writing will be a very large piece of the puzzle if we ever actually seek to make all things new. Be sure to examine the work entitled, The Right to Write by Julia Cameron )

If this material is not understandable (there's footnotes that go with the material above) I will either send you the entire document or I'll abridge the document and send you that version.

Let me know

James Mansfield
setapart10102700@yahoo.com

Submitted by music video (not verified) on Sat, 09/24/2011 - 13:32.

Makers presents a perfect opportunity for cross-curricular work......

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/20/2011 - 16:38.

Absolutely agree with O.P.
:)
ju, @ packshot 360