Under No Circumstances

My first email today touched on the idea that the first order of business after graduating from high school is to understand: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should a high school graduate borrow money if formal education is an immediate pursuit.

There is a lot going on in post K12 public education and it is 100 per-cent driven by politics.  For Benjamin graduating this year and my other 13 grandkids, please do the following, no exceptions.

1. Get a job.
2. Start focusing on a second language – learn it well.
3. Travel – move away, do not stay at home; leave the State of Minnesota.

Get Your Act Together

All of my writing in this section of Word Press is directed to everyone but especially my 14 fabulous grandchildren.  Life is difficult but I have found it gets easier if I Have My Act Together!

I have the freedom to decide what I do, when I do it, where I do it and why I do it.  Easier said than done.  I think the end of high school years is the best time to start your lifelong journey as to what, when, where and why and it does take a life-time.

As a Grandparent it is why I say to stop or delay your formal education at the 12th grade and concentrate on three things:

1. Get a job.
2. Learn a second language and learn it well.
3. Travel, get out of your home country.

Technology

In last few days  I finally realized what Microsoft is up to.  The Company is huge and they are powerful; I love their products, now in the form of Office 365.  Back in 2005 they toyed with the idea of going after the wireless phone business but Apple and others beat them to the business of phones.  They did a little marketing with mobile phones but it was minimal compared to the huge volume of the iPhone.  Phone success had to do with the watered down version of an operating system called Android.  Microsoft made their reputation writing software, some very good software; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.  But no way were they going to abandon their flagship system, Windows and chase the Android crowd.

But they were also not going to ignore the wireless business of phones but their core success is about software not hardware.  We will see more about this in the weeks and months to come.

Dick

The Market Will Decide

I had an interesting experience this morning when I went to my bank, Wells Fargo.  A young bank employee handling customers with questions told me the following about his own experience in getting a job with WF.  I asked him what school he went to and how much debt did he have to carry to get his degree.  He said he was not a college graduate and had been working for the bank for about 2 years.

My Thesis is being proven.  In many cases young people should opt-out of immediately going to a post-secondary education institution and instead, get a job.  The $40,000 per year they would spend to get a bachelors’ degree is not worth the money!

Dick

New Insight – Every Day

Since I began my focus on the conspiracy between the government (State and Federal) and public education, more and more stories are coming forward to prove my point.

My Thesis is built around the fact that the 2 largest spenders of tax dollars, the government itself and public education do not care about the individual public school student but rather their own self aggrandizement in search of their own welfare.

Years ago I had a parent tell me she loved public education (K12) and I asked why?  She answered, “Because it’s free!”

Dick

 

Choices From High School

I had a conversation this afternoon with a young lady (24 years old) that I have to pass along to my readers.

From high school she wanted to pursue cosmetology.  Her parents paid for this private education ($12,000) but after a few years she decided it was not for her.  She is now working as a bartender.

To be fare, I talked to two more ladies one of whom acquired $40,000 in debt to get her degree.  She is now working for Target Stores and for her the debt was worth it.

I am implying a number of things as I relate these stories.  I will address the implications as I develop my Thesis.

Dick

 

The Velner Plan Thesis

My thesis for writing now and in the future revolves around a conspiracy between the government, both state and federal, and the public school institutions.  When I started teaching at the age of 50, 2-3 years of experience told me something was terribly wrong.  My 14 grandchildren are now at the age where post-secondary education is becoming a reality and they must understand their options.

The government is into everything and it rests as does everything political – with money, power, control and ego.

A metaphor for my conspiracy is like two giant elephants trying to mate and produce a delicate butterfly.  It can’t be done.

Dick

 

The Velner Project

Over the next few days, weeks and months I will be writing about the Velner Project.  As a retired high-school mathematics teacher and especially the Grandparent of 14 fantastic grandkids, my subjects will cover many areas when it comes to post-secondary education.

Benjamin is the oldest of theses kids and is starting his senior year at Edina High School.  This project will cover many decision points; the what, when, where and how of planning and executing a post-high school education plan or process.

Tomorrow, my subject will be – The Velner Plan Thesis.  This is the fundamental basis of my thinking and I intend to make this Thesis the bed-rock of everything I write about.

I hope you will read, I hope you will enjoy.

Dick Velner (see my profile)

History and Geography

As technology and the internet continue to blossom, I think about the many ways I could write my daily curriculum to take advantage of my love for teaching.  Are teachers really necessary?  Are classrooms needed?  Certainly not on a daily basis.

I graduated from high school in 1957.  Thinking about what I have learned since that time, I can only marvel at what I have learned through experience and what came from the classroom.  My grandkids now have the monumental task of history plus their own experience.

History and Geography.  My hope for student learning is for them to know how to learn.

All Writing Can Start with an Image

Writing, like most anything worth doing, is difficult.  I have found if I have an image in mind, the task becomes easier.  My family is the most important part of my life.  Here I show two pictures; Lucy Velner, daughter of Timothy Velner (fourth from the left).  A number of ideas come to mind and I can now go in many directions to make a point.  A starting point has been established.