Well, summer is almost over and the time for me to introduce myself to the Fredonia School District is nearing. I have spent the past few days putting the finishing touches on my classroom and getting more focused on curriculum for the upcoming year. I'm really excited to be in Fredonia and can't wait to get started.
As of July 28th, my Master's Degree is complete. It's been a long two years but I'm finally done and now I can get back to my passion of reading books that are not part of anybody's curriculum. I've even gone so far as to quit making excuses and start writing a story I've been quietly thinking about for five years now.
Anyway, look to this blog to be posted on a LOT more often, mostly because I'm going to begin torturing my students with it (insert maniacal laughter and hand-wringing). I'm thinking once a week I will post a link to a TrackStar assignment or have them respond to a post or something.
We'll see.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Mr. Atcheson Has Moved!
Hey all (or no one)!,
My wife Ellie and I have left the sunny shores of Osage City for the bustling metropolis of Independence, KS. That also means that the focus of the blog has shifted a little as well. I have been granted the opportunity to work in the Fredonia Public School District for the upcoming year! This may be better for the sake of the blog because Fredonia is so cutting edge that they have the "1 to 1 Initiative" in which EVERY last student in the high school has an apple laptop and internet access. This means I will likely weave Mr. Atcheson's History Blog into the required curriculum! This will expand my readership from maybe just me to possibly dozens. Huzzah.
I am also nearing the end of this marathon Master's Degree Program. By opening day of football season it will all just be a blurry, expensive nightmare. Oh, and I'll have my Master's Degree in Education (which is pretty cool if you ask me...).
More on this as the school year nears...
My wife Ellie and I have left the sunny shores of Osage City for the bustling metropolis of Independence, KS. That also means that the focus of the blog has shifted a little as well. I have been granted the opportunity to work in the Fredonia Public School District for the upcoming year! This may be better for the sake of the blog because Fredonia is so cutting edge that they have the "1 to 1 Initiative" in which EVERY last student in the high school has an apple laptop and internet access. This means I will likely weave Mr. Atcheson's History Blog into the required curriculum! This will expand my readership from maybe just me to possibly dozens. Huzzah.
I am also nearing the end of this marathon Master's Degree Program. By opening day of football season it will all just be a blurry, expensive nightmare. Oh, and I'll have my Master's Degree in Education (which is pretty cool if you ask me...).
More on this as the school year nears...
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Times They Are A Changin'...
Life has certainly taken some turns for me lately! Since my last post (February), my wife and I have decided to move south to be closer to her family. This means new house, new jobs, new city (or town in a few possible cases...). Topsy-turvy doesn't begin to explain it. Ellie has landed a job in Independence, but my job hunt is in full swing. I think (hopefully) I am close to nailing something down, but you never really know when it comes to interviews. The school you think you had a real bond with may never call again, or a five minute conversation at a job fair could turn into your new home. Life is a stinker at times. Anyway, thinks could look a lot different in the next few weeks. I will however continue to blog for and about my history classes, wherever they may be...
Monday, February 11, 2008
Mr. A, Why Haven't You Posted?
I am perfectly aware that I may be the only person on the planet who reads this blog or even knows it exists. I make all of my students aware--I've got it posted on my bulletin board--but I am reminded on a daily basis of some of their abysmally small attention spans.
Anyway.
I haven't blogged in a while because for the last year or so, I have been involved in this Graduate course from Baker University. It barely leaves me a free second, especially for reading or writing anything non course-related. I haven't read a book for fun in over a year now and the pace of some of these classes has me reading sometimes up to 6 textbooks or novels a month. Needless to say, this has been on the back burner.
That doesn't mean that I haven't wanted to blog, though. My passing interest in politics has blossomed into a full-blown passion to learn the latest political news, particularly our upcoming presidential election in November. I just keep getting this intense feeling that the heavy hand of history is carving something remarkable about this current race. The history-nerd part of me desperately not only wants to be able to say I was there, but that I was a part of it. I just keep getting the sense that everything I hear will be noted and show up in textbooks, posters, and novels for the rest of time. I feel like I'm witnessing some amazing stuff.
Like most things I'm really passionate about, I want to somehow climb inside it and wear it like a skin, to be recognized synonymously with the event or person. I realize I'm just a normal guy. Short of doing a sort of "stalker/assassin" over-the-top sort of act, the closest I'll get is seeing history made at arm's length like everyone else. Oh well.
Anyway, just because I haven't posted, doesn't mean I've forgotten. I hope to become more regular with these as these classes taper down (August). We'll see.
--Mr. Atcheson
Anyway.
I haven't blogged in a while because for the last year or so, I have been involved in this Graduate course from Baker University. It barely leaves me a free second, especially for reading or writing anything non course-related. I haven't read a book for fun in over a year now and the pace of some of these classes has me reading sometimes up to 6 textbooks or novels a month. Needless to say, this has been on the back burner.
That doesn't mean that I haven't wanted to blog, though. My passing interest in politics has blossomed into a full-blown passion to learn the latest political news, particularly our upcoming presidential election in November. I just keep getting this intense feeling that the heavy hand of history is carving something remarkable about this current race. The history-nerd part of me desperately not only wants to be able to say I was there, but that I was a part of it. I just keep getting the sense that everything I hear will be noted and show up in textbooks, posters, and novels for the rest of time. I feel like I'm witnessing some amazing stuff.
Like most things I'm really passionate about, I want to somehow climb inside it and wear it like a skin, to be recognized synonymously with the event or person. I realize I'm just a normal guy. Short of doing a sort of "stalker/assassin" over-the-top sort of act, the closest I'll get is seeing history made at arm's length like everyone else. Oh well.
Anyway, just because I haven't posted, doesn't mean I've forgotten. I hope to become more regular with these as these classes taper down (August). We'll see.
--Mr. Atcheson
Monday, August 20, 2007
Back to School
Well, it's that time again. Today was the first full day back at school. From the looks of it, I'm going to have some pretty good classes this year. I'm looking forward to meeting the new sophomores and seeing my Juniors mature from last year. I've got some new stuff around my room and this will also be the first year I have this blog for my classes. Hopefully, students will look at it every once in a while and maybe even post replies. We'll see...
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Chapter 6--Computer and Network Security
Chapter six had a lot to do with the nature of worms, viruses and other threats to network security. It seems that most of the folks who created worms and viruses did so in order to exploit the weak spots in a network's system. I wonder why these weak spots weren't "patched" prior to implementing the system? I guess what I'm asking is why can hackers find these weak spots before the software systems do? Does it have to do with the pressure to get certain products to market, warts and all? Case in point: the new iPhone. This has been the buzz of the phone industry for better part of a year and right away there is nothing but problems with it, and people are already finding ways to get internet acces without activating the phone through AT&T. Tell me that's not a major loophole. So why didn't the folks at apple see this coming? Maybe they knew it had these weaknesses, but couldn't do anything in time for the anticipated release. Similar stuff happened with the Xbox 360 and the PS3 when they were released. Hackers simply make these and other products better by showing the manufacturers where the weaknesses are. It's sort of a never-ending arms race which leads to better and better products and systems that are harder for average people to mess with. All in all, I think that's a good thing. I know that a lot of innocent people have their computers pretty messed up because of some viruses, but the general populace benefits from finding solutions to these problems. Just like they mentioned in the text about how viruses and diseases will kill a lot of people, the survivors are safeguarded against the virus in the future and are stronger for it.
Ethics for the Information Age--Chapter 5
This chapter was pretty lengthy and filled with legal history surrounding a citizen's rights to privacy. I found it interesting that the United States government always attempts to seize more surveillence authority during times of crisis. I understand that this is crucial to the goal of defeating whatever enemy, but historically, this has been abused. Governments can create a crisis situation for the sole purpose of garnering more authority over its citizens. I think many people are good natured and do not understand why the government would want to spy on them, but this chapter helped to re-inform me that the benefits of knowing far outweigh the deficits of not knowing.
After reading this chapter, I am more inclined to live "off the grid" (leaving no electronic footprints, paying in cash, not existing in any sort of database). Having all of one's crucial info linked to databases which can now be accessed without warrants means that the government now has the power to get rid of anyone they deem to be an "enemy combatant". Last December, President Bush signed an executive order into law which formed a tribunal. This tribunal is of his choosing. The purpose of this tribunal is to deem people "enemy combatants", thus making them subject to unwarranted searches and seizures under the new patriot act. What this means is that PRESIDENT BUSH CAN DO ANYTHING HE WANTS TO ANYBODY. He appoints the people who decide this. Once you are slapped with this label, they can do anything they want to you. You have no rights to a trial, no civil rights, and will be subject to torture, provided it is done in Cuba.
I understand the original purpose for the government needing these powers and authorities, but this sort of power was originally balanced between different bodies for a distinct reason; it is far too tempting for one person to not use these powers to corrupt ends.
This is how Rome switched from a republic to an Empire. In all the movies and books about revolutions, this is exactly how it starts. This is even how it happened in Star Wars. It is easy to spot when the story is condensed into 2 hours, but in real life we inch toward this daily, so many people do not seem to notice. But the fact remains, we are on our way to a society in which our rights to things like privacy are whittled away to nothing.
After reading this chapter, I am more inclined to live "off the grid" (leaving no electronic footprints, paying in cash, not existing in any sort of database). Having all of one's crucial info linked to databases which can now be accessed without warrants means that the government now has the power to get rid of anyone they deem to be an "enemy combatant". Last December, President Bush signed an executive order into law which formed a tribunal. This tribunal is of his choosing. The purpose of this tribunal is to deem people "enemy combatants", thus making them subject to unwarranted searches and seizures under the new patriot act. What this means is that PRESIDENT BUSH CAN DO ANYTHING HE WANTS TO ANYBODY. He appoints the people who decide this. Once you are slapped with this label, they can do anything they want to you. You have no rights to a trial, no civil rights, and will be subject to torture, provided it is done in Cuba.
I understand the original purpose for the government needing these powers and authorities, but this sort of power was originally balanced between different bodies for a distinct reason; it is far too tempting for one person to not use these powers to corrupt ends.
This is how Rome switched from a republic to an Empire. In all the movies and books about revolutions, this is exactly how it starts. This is even how it happened in Star Wars. It is easy to spot when the story is condensed into 2 hours, but in real life we inch toward this daily, so many people do not seem to notice. But the fact remains, we are on our way to a society in which our rights to things like privacy are whittled away to nothing.
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