SCR PROJECT - A.C. Rescue Mission

Name of Resource :  Atlantic City Rescue Mission
Location of Resource : 2009 Bacharach Blvd., PO Box 5358 Atlantic City, New Jersey 08404
Detailed description of services provided : 

WHO DO THEY HELP?

• Poor and homeless men, women, and families in southern New Jersey
• Deinstitutionalized mentally ill with no support
• Individuals addicted to alcohol, drugs, and gambling
• Elderly or disabled with no family and little income

HOW DO WE HELP?

• Meals in our dining hall
• Safe shelter for men, women, and single mothers with children
• 18-month residential homeless recovery (Overcomers Program)
• 120-day Work Readiness Program
• Individual and group counseling
• Two chapel services each day
• Daily Bible studies
• Job placement program, in partnership with local businesses
• Assistance in finding permanent housing
• Classes for our residents in life skills, parenting, GED/Literacy
• Transitional housing

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HELP?

• Serving 700 meals per day
• Housing 192 men, 60 women, and 9 families each night
• Provide an average of 280 emergency food baskets each month to local families in crisis

The Atlantic City Rescue Mission is a wonderful community-based resource that provides people with an avenue to re-establish their foothold in society.  The individuals in the mission are from all walks of life and have fallen on hard times.  The mission provides people with a second chance and helps then along every step of the way.  They provide many resources that a school-based community would provide along with a number of community-based resources.  As a future social studies teacher, I feel that it is imperative that we teach our students the life skills necessary to survive in the world.  Volunteering in the community should be a part of all school curriculum.  We have a great resource in our community and everyone should experience the Atlantic City Rescue mission. 

TED TALK TOPIC 3 - PELLE ATTACKS

HOW SPAGHETTI SAUCE RUINED THE WORLD

In the world of Malcolm Gladwell, the world became inherently better when we were given variety.  We were given 40 spaghetti sauces because 2 didn't meet the needs of consumers.  We now have 40 mediocre spaghetti sauces and as a result, no one can cook, we're all obese, and guess what?  We now have 40 spaghetti sauces that suck instead of just 2.  Imagine the best spaghetti sauce that you've ever eaten.  Did it come in a can? Did you buy it in the supermarket?  If you answered yes to either of these questions, please come to dinner with me.  The best spaghetti sauce that I ever had was my Grandmother's sauce.  Luckily, she passed the recipe on to me.  I can't give you the recipe but, I'll give you a clue.  It didn't come from the sauce aisle in the supermarket. 

At what point did we sacrifice substance for variety?  When did we choose convenience over content and culture.  In Florida, there is a fast food Italian restaurant called Fazoli with a drive-thru because we can't wait 8 minutes for that spaghetti to cook!  How hungry do you have to be to eat drive-thru lasagna?  It used to be a matter of pride that you cooked your own food and it equated to a family connection.  I want to bring the old school back. 

We spend so much time trying to think outside of the box that we have failed to realize that the box may be broken.  We lost alot of ourselves in the pursuit of so-called progress.  I want to add to the quality of life. I don't want things that water down our society.  I want you to spend time in the supermarket and observe the choices.  Check out the ice cream aisle.  Baskin and Robbins would have stopped at three flavors if they knew it would lead to this mess!  The supermarket used to be 8 aisles now it's 25.  I want you to imagine the best meal that you've ever eaten.  I want you to leave class starving for it.  I bet for a large number of you that your meal was something your Mother, Father, Grandmother, or Grandfather made at one time or another. Variety killed that meal!  You spend your life eating food that pales in comparison to that meal.  I hate it and this is why you should hate this too! 

This has been the ramblings of a hungry person and now I'm going to eat something out of a box or bag that's horrible for me but, I've been conditioned to think that somehow this behavior is normal.  In an insane world, a sane man must appear insane. 

BLOG 3 - LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME

As a History major, I may be a bit defensive in this argument but, I don’t agree with author on many of his points. The author wants to dazzle us with statistics and first hand accounts from students about how people aren’t interested in History. Statistics don’t lie but, statisticians do. I’m here to tell you that everyone in interested in History whether they know it or not.
First, no matter what line of work you pursue in the future, you will serve an apprenticeship where you will study the history of the career that you wish to attain. If you’re reading this blog, your probably studying to eventually become a teacher. Your reading about teaching techniques and putting them into place to become a master teacher. You may not realize this but, you are reading a history book. Every line of work uses history as a frame of reference.

Second, the argument about books is dated. History is all around us. We have a television channel dedicated to it. The internet has put everything at your finger tips. The author use a statistic that 5/6 of all people never take a history course after high school. Oh my God, that is horrible! The horrible part is that the author would use a completely false statistic to make his point. How is this statistic even arrived at? I’m calling shenanigans!

Third, We are all living history. We all have a distinct history from our family to our culture to our religion. We sit around and talk to our family about our own history all the time. We sit around the dinner table and eat foods that are distinct to our culture. The luxury of living in the United States is that we have the opportunity to enjoy a multitude of restaurants and festivals from other culture as well. We practice our religion as well as being able to learn about religious alternatives. According to the author, 5/6 of us don’t go to church after high school. Aren’t the Bible, the Koran, and the Torah considered history books? The shenanigans continue.

Finally, We need to stop apologizing for the textbooks and find ways to overcome this mindset. Teachers need to challenge themselves. Malcolm Gladwell writes about stars and systems. Most organizations that rely on stars fail while those that have a solid system in place tend to produce at a much higher level. I propose that you need both because no system works at 100 percent efficiency and neither do stars but, with a combination of both we can maximize our fullest potential. Teachers need to take on the star roles while being part of a system in search of the ultimate solution which is their students’ success. Textbooks don’t hold students back, bad teachers do.