Poverty is a Culture?

     Salutations fellow people of the planet Earth. This week I am going to discuss the culture of poverty. Many of you are probably wondering "what, poverty is a type of culture?". Well yes in a sense those who are in poverty all share similar characteristics. These similar characteristics, over time, have developed into what some consider a culture.
    This statement was first coined in 1961 by Oscar Lewis. In his studies of small Mexican communities he discovered that these poor communities all share similar characteristics. The characteristics they shared included: neglect of planning for the future, frequent violence, and a lack of a sense of history. All of Lewis's studies created the paradigm that people in poverty share a consistent and observable "culture". Much of what Lewis discovered about the culture of poverty remains the same today.
    Today those individuals who are in poverty usually pass the unfortunate state onto future generations. It is possible but very hard for poverty stricken people to move up in class. There are many rags to riches stories in the united states but very few are seen in other countries. If you are born poor in a poor and developing country, your chances are very slim at rising to the top. America is one of the few countries that makes social mobility possible. That is why so many people migrate to the United States. These people come to escape the culture of poverty that has taken over their lives'.

Pop Culture!

Hola everyone!! Guess what? Its spring break!! Well it is for some of us in South Florida. Spring break is a great time to have fun, relax, and keep up with the latest trends and fads of today. For instance wearing the newest styles of clothing or listening to the most popular music.
What is popular culture? Well from the Marxist perspective popular culture is seen as a way to divide classes. The upper classes wear the newest styles and they can afford the latest apple products. The lower classes still strive to keep up with the newest trends but are still divided from the upper classes in many ways. The popular trends of the upper classes can also differ from those of the lower classes. Every class adopts their own popular culture that that makes them feel more connected. Over the years this gap in popular trends between classes has diminished greatly. The middle class has become more and more similar to the upper class because the mass production of popular products are now being made so that lower classes can afford them. Now many upper and middle class families have similar clothes and cars due to these company's efforts to reach out to a larger group of customers. Popular culture is a way to divide classes but also to bring the people within each class closer together.

The Theory of Symbolic Interactionism

     Hey everyone!! I hope you all had an awesome week. This week I shall discuss the idea of symbolic interactionism. Most people out there are probably asking themselves "what in the world is symbolic interactionism?"
     So what is symbolic interactionism? Well it is the theoretical approach and sociological perspective that emphasizes motives and meaning for individuals. It focuses on the importance of symbols for people, particularly language, as the core elements of all human interaction. The founder of this approach is George Herbert Mead. Many see symbolic interaction as more of a psychological theory while it is essentially a theory of socialization. The process of becoming a human is much more complex than merely being born. This process is achieved through the interactions that are between a child and his or her elders that surround him or her. The first step in an individuals journey to becoming a human being is finding his or her own social self. This is where an individual realizes that he or she is no longer a part of his or her mother, as in the womb, but that he or she is a unique and completely separate individual. After this is achieved the individual then goes onto the stage where he or she becomes a generalized other. This is where individuals learn how to operate as  a member of a wider group (society).
    Symbolic interactionism is clearly a sociological theory due to the complex and social process of becoming a human being.

We each have a function.

       Hello fellow people of the world! Society as we know it is changing,  but one thing remains the same. The theory of functionalism is the best and will remain the best way to explain how the machine known as society works. Functionalism is where every individual has his or her own function or duty which contributes to the society as a whole. 
       Some individuals may be teachers others stay at home to take care of their children. The point is, is that every human being has something uniquely different that they contribute to the functioning society. Even if the roles of individuals change the idea that each person is valuable to society stays in tack. For example society needs doctors to save lives, garbage men to keep the planet clean, entertainers to bring joy to depressing situations, and Olympians to push others to achieve their highest goals. Sure their has always been a class struggle between the wealthy and the poor,  but that may end in  the future. The idea of a functioning society will always remain because everyone will always be doing something that contributes to society, whether in a negative or positive way, and is needed for it's survival.

Online classes?

     Hello students of the world! Do you enjoy online classes or do
you despise them? Do you find them helpful or a waste of time? I would
say that online class have the best of both worlds.

     I enjoy how online classes allow me to reciece credits for classes that cannot take in school. Virtual classes also give you the opportunity to receive grade forgiveness. This means that if a student receives an "F" or a "D" for a class taken at school, he or she has the opportunity to take that class online and receive a better grade that will replace the "F" or "D" permanently off his or her record. Online classes also allow students to take classes over the summer which is good for students who are low on high school credits. Online classes also have their downfalls. One is that they are very self motivated classes and if a student has hard time learning on his or her own then online classes my be a bad choice for that student. I also don't like how the online classes are extremely strict about finishing your course on time. I rather have it where you can work on the course on your own pace. I don't think that a student should take like two years to finish a particular class but I do think that if a student is already at school all day then he or she should be allowed to only do about one or two assignments a week instead of three or four. So I conclude that online classes are amazing yet terrible at the same time.

THE PRIMARY.

        Hey fellow Americans!  Just last week an event took place right here in the state of Florida.  This event only takes place in America every four years. Yes, that's right, it was the Republican Primary Election.  The major runners for the Republican side this year are Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum.  The candidate Mitt Romney won for the Florida Primary just last week.
       So where were all of these candidates on the day of the election?  Let us find out.  We shall start out with the candidate Rick Santorum.  Rick was actually in the state of Nevada the day of the Florida Republican Primary.  Nevada was the next state to hold the Primary.  So the little "sneak", Rick Santorum, was already looking ahead to the next state that was going to vote.  His tactics didn't work because Mitt Romney also won the Nevada Primary as well.
        The candidate Mitt Romney, who won the Florida Primary, was actually located in Tampa, Florida while the election took place.  He must of been campaigning hard core, since he won for Florida.  Newt Gingrich was also in Florida during the Primary.  He was in Orlando during the voting.  Even though he did not win for the state of Florida, Newt came in a close second place.  It makes sense that the two candidates who were in Florida, the day of the election, had the most votes out of all the candidates.
        The last major Republican candidate is Ron Paul who was located in the states of Nevada and Maine the day of the Florida Primary.  Nevada and Maine were the next two states to hold Primaries this year.  Ron Paul's sneaky planning did not benefit him in Nevada because in the end Mitt Romney triumphed in that state.  The Maine Primary has not taken place yet so we shall see how that turns out soon.
   

technology+school=unlimited possibilities

      Hey everyone!  What kinds of things pop into your head when you think about technology?  Some may think about beating their high score in temple run or typing up an essay for their English class.  Technology is used all around the world for entertainment, hard work, and communication.  Today more and more schools are implementing the use of technology in every single class they offer.
      The use of technology in school can lead to a more organized and efficient work environment.  Technology could be better utilized at my school through the use of more computer lab access or personal electronic distribution, online classes, and through the use of Google groups.  If my school allowed more students to use computers during class then students would be able to get a head start on homework or to start research for a particular project.  If students were given their own personal Ipads or laptops then the excuse of i don't have a computer would be eliminated.  If students had their own personal computers that they could carry around with them throughout their classes they could utilize them for notes, online textbooks, and much more.  As being a part of the Step Up program at my school I have the privilege of having my own personal Ipad for the year.  This is very useful for my education because now I can have my notes with me at all times and keep them very organized.  One more implementation of technology that would benefit the students at my school would be for every teacher to make a Google group for the student that are in his or her class.  A Google group is excellent way for a teachers and students to communicate with each other.  Basically the teacher and students all make email accounts through Google and then create group that allow to only communicate to everyone who is in the group.
      Technology is a powerful and helpful tool for students everywhere.  Like they all say, technology opens the doors to a brighter future.