How is Australia's Education System?

I have observed that many schools have consultants called Aussie. They serve as both literacy and math coaches. I became very curious about this. I wondered why we have consultants from Australia working in so many New York City schools. Although I learned that they are not all from Australia, the agency was originated there. I want to focus specifically on their reading and writing approach.

As a result of working with several consultants from Australia, I was under the impression that their literacy instruction was stellar. Unfortunately, I just learned that their literacy instruction has been put under fire because they are not giving students the right amount of time to read in class. There is an article on

http://www.smh.com.au/national/schools-lag-in-study-allocation-says-report-20090908-fg38.html, it explains further how learning time is allocated in Australia. Thus, that leads me to some questions like, how is Australia’s approach to reading and writing different from the one of the United States? Do they have a whole language approach? Do they follow a balanced literacy program that includes the workshop model? How did Aussie initiate?

At this stage I have noticed there is not a lot of information through blogs. The bit of information that I have found has led me think that there are some things we have in common with Australia. They follow standards as we do and many blogs focus on integrating more technologies in the classroom. This blog provides more information on Australia’s English curriculum http://www.acara.edu.au/default.asp click on publications.

I haven’t been able to find a lot of information on their approach but I will need to keep looking in the blogs. I found a blog which I need to continue exploring http://australianedubloggers.pbworks.com/ it’s got links to many other blogs but I have to keep looking through all of them. I’m starting to feel like our systems are not so different after all. I guess Aussie is just another company trying to succeed.

The Domino Sugar Factory

Three years ago my husband and I made the move from Manhattan to Brooklyn, a change I had anticipated since I began my life in New York City. We were able to quickly find an apartment in the residential neighborhood of Greenpoint, adjacent to the ever popular art hub, Williamsburg. As with anything else in life that is new and exciting, we began to explore the neighborhood, noting how quickly the area changes from beautiful old houses to uber- modern condos, and in other parts factories. At first these factories seemed to blend together into one long gray blob that detracted from the lively people-filled streets surrounding them, and for the most part I avoided them at all costs, paying little attention to their existence.

I successfully avoided giving much thought to these old factory buildings until one night as I was walking across the Williamsburg Bridge red neon lights coming from the Brooklyn waterfront caught my attention.

The sign, "Save Domino" was illuminated on the side of the old sugar refinery building that I had passed millions of times without giving it any thought at all. What did it mean, 'save Domino'? From what? I had asked myself. For a while I found solace in a few rumors I had heard from friends of mine about how the factory was going to be knocked down and people were upset about it etc. etc.

Recently, I was struck again by this factory's unknown fate as I was pouring some sugar into my tea. I thought about the refinery and began again to wonder why it had yet to be demolished and what they were saving the building for? And, why had it been shut down in the first place when I still see Domino Sugar sold all over the neighborhood, not to mention the world? Who was affected by this? Did the neighborhood change drastically?

My questions brought me back to the site of the old factory where I took note of the encroaching condos being built all around the property, as well as a park. I couldn't understand why the condos stopped short of the Domino Factory, what stopped the contractors?

It seems that what stopped the contractors was a move to landmark the old structure as stated in the post on Gowanus Lounge From September 26th, 2007. According to the article, the residents of Brooklyn wanted the building to be saved from demolition that would allow for a huge housing project to begin. This housing project would "double the population of the neighborhood within a 1/4 mile radius", changing the neighborhood of Williamsburg in more ways than simply knocking down a building. What's interesting is that since the article was written, I have seen an increase in the amount of condo dwellers in the area, though none in relation to the old factory. So what are some of the plans for the factory now?

The most recent article I could find was posted on the Atlantic Yards blog and discussed a "community supported" movement of developers to use the building's space to create affordable housing for the area. Debate continues to surround the idea of what exactly 'affordable' means in Brooklyn nowadays. Further, what community is supporting this? In speaking with friends and neighbors it seems that no one is overly enthusiastic about the new condos being built on Kent Avenue, many of which remain empty as people are not buying condos in the current market.

Why are the condos being built? Who will actually be able to afford them? And, what is the ultimate fate of the Domino Sugar Factory?

Nicole Salvitti

Where and When Did Scrapbooking Originate?

Where and When Did Scrapbooking Originate?

I am often curious of how things really started one might never truly know because not all information is documented. When I was a teenager my mom got me hooked on scrapbooking when she offered to pay me to help her create scrapbooks for my brother's to display at his graduation party. Scrapbooking has been a hobby of mine for quite some time it can be a very relaxing and fun hobby. If you have a very large amount of pictures to document then the process can be overwhelming at first. A few weeks ago I was scrapbooking pictures and other mementos from my wedding day and the events that led up to it. Whenever I am dong work that does not require much thought my brain goes wild. Sometimes I feel like I belong on a Seinfeld episode because I come up with such strange and random questions. Shortly thereafter I began thinking about when the craft of scrapbooking actually began and where? I can't imagine that it started too long ago but rather than taking the time to research the topic then I forgot about it and began thinking about something else. Thus, in class when we are asked to discuss something that we are curious about the question popped back into my head.

While looking for blogs to follow through the delicious website I stumbled across a site called scrapbook.com which had a large amount of followers. Thus, I decided to survey the thousands of followers by posting questions about the origin of scrapbooking. There are many followers that range from those who are just starting out to those who occassionally scrapbook to those who work for scrapbooking companies and what I would consider to be an expert. I created a post on Monday that asked readers if they had any information on the origin of scrapbooking.






The first reader confirmed my thought that the idea of scrapbooking originated around the same time that paper was created. People would document their memories and mementos in journals. However, she was told by the company she works for that the actual archival quality of scrapbooking was developed in 1996 by Creative Memories. When I checked the website to see if her statement was true I found that she was not completely correct. As cited on their website according to their story the process was shared with a group of women in January of 1987 by a Rhonda Anderson in Montana. A few months later she connected with an album manufacturer and they combined their vision to create the company called Creative Memories.


By the following day I received many more comments by the following afternoon. Many of the comments were very similar. Two of the readers even posted links on information they found:

The History of Scrapbooking
Where and When Did Scrapbooking Start?

There are also to books written on the history of scrapbooking that another reader recommended. I have not read these books yet because of time constraints but I will be reading
these books in order to further research the topic.
















Thus, I found that through these responses and researching the validity of these statements. According to the website Scrapbooker's Paradise, they also could not find an exact origin of scrapbooking but they believe that it began around the 18th Century and the name of scrapbooking came from the word scrap which was any type of paper, such as greeting cards and other discarded paper (Taylor).


According to Answer.com and the article called Where and When Did Scrapbooking Start?, found that contrary to the claims of Maureen Taylor, scrapbooking began in the 17th Century and Mark Twain worked on his scrapbooks every Sunday (Where and when did scrapbooking start, 2009). Thus, we are left to believe that it began around this time but becausethere is no proof of who or when scrapbooking was created we are left with a time frame. However, according to this website and what many scrapbooking experts have heard, scrapbooking did not start up again until Creative Memories started up their company in January of 1987.

Since I found several indirect answers while conducting my inquiry project I will have to continue to contact more experts and research until I find more direct answers. My next step is to find copies of the two books listed above that are about the history of scrapbooking in order to find more information on a more specific time frame of when scrapbooking began and where it originated.

Buying a house in New York City: Is it even a possibility?

My husband and I both seek to own property in our lives. Growing up, both of our parents owned houses, and when we start a family, we would like to own property to raise our children. While we don’t necessarily envision a white picket fence with a huge yard and a pool, ideally we both would like a three bedroom house, with a yard, that rests on a street that has trees where our kids can ride their bikes on the sidewalk in front of our house. I know that’s sickly idealistic to some people, but generally, we envision raising our kids similar to the way that we were raised. Ideally, we’d like to start our family within the next 3 or 4 years.

This vision is problematic in New York City. It seems very difficult to get the amount of property we desire in New York City for a price that is affordable. Currently we pay 900 a month for our apartment in Marine Park, Brooklyn. This neighborhood meets some of the criteria: we have a back yard and a sidewalk, but it is only a one bedroom apartment, and we are renting it, not owning. Further, this apartment is not close to either of our jobs now. It’s a nice neighborhood, but the commute for me is very harsh. We can park our car easily, but it’s not close to any train line. Ultimately, the next time we move we want to move into our first house. Is it possible for us to afford our dream house in NYC? What costs would be involved to buy a house in this area?

In the initial part of my research, I want to focus on a few key neighborhoods in NYC where I would consider living because they have houses. Because of space constrictions, and the fact that it doesn’t fit into our ideal situation, I want to eliminate housing in apartments and co-op buildings. In this search, I primarily am going to focus on parts of Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and New Jersey, as neighborhoods in these boroughs and states have housing available. I also may compare housing prices in Brooklyn to the place where I grew up, Buffalo, New York.

Queens:

Multi-Family Home, which I think means we could rent out part of the home out to supplement our income. Cost: $429,000

http://www.trulia.com/property/photos/1080845714-97-34-78th-St-Queens-NY-11416

According to the Mortgage Calculator on the website, with a $100,000 deposit, the monthly mortgage would be around $1900 a month, a $1000 a month raise in our costs. This property does not exactly fit our ideals: it does not have a backyard, but it does have a small front yard, a tree-lined street, and a parking garage for our cars. It would be convenient for my husband to get to work, assuming he would continue to work in the same park, and I would be able to get on the A train. This property seems to be average in comparison to property in the area.

Bronx:

Multi-Family Home, which I think means we could rent out part of the home out to supplement our income. Cost: $375,000.

http://www.trulia.com/property/1085405416-2652-Bainbridge-Ave-Bronx-NY-10458

According to the Mortgage Calculator on the website, with a $75,000 deposit, the monthly mortgage would be around $1600 a month, about a $700 a month raise in our costs. Again, although this is a house with a lot of space, it does not have a backyard or a parking garage for our car. It is convenient to where I work, but not where my husband currently works. This property seems about average price for the area.

Single Family Home, which means we would get it all to ourselves. Cost: $275,000

http://www.trulia.com/property/1086647149-1865-Hobart-Ave-Bronx-NY-10461

According the Mortgage Calculator on the website with about a $60,000 deposit, the month mortgage would be about $1100 a month. This house is kind of small, only 1,218 square feet, but it does have a backyard. It does not have any parking.

New Jersey

Single Family Home, Teaneck, New Jersey. We would get it all to ourselves. Cost: $349,000

http://www.trulia.com/property/1042049530-20-Beveridge-St-Teaneck-NJ-07666

According the Mortgage Calculator on the website with about $75,000 deposit, we would pay around $1,600 a month. Although the listing does not describe the square footage, the house fits all my criteria: backyard, multiple bedrooms (I think), driveway, sidewalks, and even a park near by. Out of all the previous properties, this one is the most ideal. Public Transportation from this part of New Jersey goes to NYC on a regular basis.

Single Family Home, Leonia, New Jersey. Single Family Home… we would get it all to ourselves. Cost $375,000.

http://www.trulia.com/property/1086266390-103-Van-Orden-Ave-Leonia-NJ-07605

According to the Mortgage Calculator on the website with about a $75,000 deposit, we would pay around $1,650 a month. Although this house does not have a picture available on the website, based on the description it would fit my criteria for a house.

Buffalo

Single Family Home. We would get it all to ourselves. Cost: $98,000.

http://www.trulia.com/property/mortgage/1085965899-234-Villa-Ave-Buffalo-NY-14216

According to the Mortgage Calculator on the website, with a $20,000 deposit, we would have to pay around $450 dollars a month, about $350 dollars a month less than what we pay a month now to own a home that meets all of our criteria: Backyard, sidewalks, driveway, bedrooms… everything.

It’s hard not to notice to have the same ideal home that we grew up with, it will cost a lot more to get a home with less space and similar amenities to the place where we grew up. In my initial gatherings, it seems a place in the Bronx would be the most cost-effective place to go.

As I continue my research, it’s important that I talk to some people that I know who own their houses. I can think of two people in my school who I could talk to that own property: apartments. Two teachers at my school that I know of also own houses in New Jersey. They might act as good resources to learn more about the process of buying a house in the city.

Also, I might be interested in looking at different savings programs. I remember when I became a teacher there were incentive programs through HSBC to start a savings fund where the bank would match your deposits to put as a down payment on a home. The UFT has some information about teachers looking to buy a house. According the UFT criteria, the only thing keeping me back from buying a house in the area is feeling secure that I have enough money. A different part of the website gives resources of lenders that have programs to help teachers buy a house.

Overall, this whole process of buying a home in the NYC is very discouraging when I look at housing prices in Buffalo. It’s hard not to compare the difference. I really wonder how many people who grew up in Western New York and move to NYC actually buy property here. I suppose I might want to expand my search for different property available in Long Island. I’m afraid that the continuation of this project will only result in my dismay, but I will continue to push forward.

I am curious to find out if girls are smarter than boys. This is not intended to put our male species down. There's such a disparity among boys learning to read and being labeled as struggling readers. Boys also out number girls in the special education classes. I am interested in finding out what is the cause of this. Is it because girls are smarter INQUIRING MIND WANTS TO KNOW.