Pages 23-28

     I thought this section was as interesting, if not more so, than chapter 1. I still find it interesting that back in ancient Greece, schools were more about thinking and knowledge than just learning plain facts like it is today. As Mary said in the comments on my first post, the value place on knowledge has shifted, but where did it shift? Was there one event or a series of events that caused it to shift?

     Another thing that I thought was cool was the difference between definitions and explanations. I like how a definition is more of a confined answer, like a fact. An explanation is much broader, kind of like a definition that expands into more discussion, like a sort of conversation starter about the meaning of something. I think both are necessary, because definitions are nice to have, as they provide a quick answer to something, while explanations expand our thinking more about the subject.

Thoughts on the State of the Union Address

     Earlier this week I watched The President's State of the Union Address. I thought it was interesting and well-presented. I like how President Obama uses language that is familiar to the average person, and not more technical terms that not everyone may understand.

     I think, overall, it was pretty good. I think President Obama has the right ideas to improve the country, but he might run into trouble finding support to help him implement them since he only has two years left in office.

     One thing I don't really understand is why it's 2015, and we still don't have widespread renewable energy, equal pay for men and women, and higher minimum wages. I would think that people would come to realize that these are all things we need if we want to grow and develop as a nation and succeed in the world.

     This was the first year that I watched the State of the Union Address, and I think it helped me see where we are as a nation, which isn't something I think about every day. It sounds like there is great hope for the future, and I look forward to seeing it come.

Chapter 1

     I'm not really sure what I thought of chapter 1. Some of it was confusing, some of it was slightly boring, and some of was inspirational. I guess that's what makes up a school textbook.

     I find it interesting that so much of what we do today (and how we do it) seems to have started along the Mediterranean Sea around the year 1, give or take a few hundred years. Back then, it seems that there were schools everywhere and learning was a main focus. Now it seems that learning is, in general, something young students dread school. What changed?