U.S. Department of Education Takes Action

it would be important to revisit why President Carter instituted the U.S. Department of Education:

Primary responsibility for education should rest with those States, localities, and private institutions that have made our Nation’s educational system the best in the world, but the Federal Government has for too long failed to play its own supporting role in education as effectively as it could. Instead of assisting school officials at the local level, it has too often added to their burden. Instead of setting a strong administrative model, the Federal structure has contributed to bureaucratic buck passing. Instead of simulating needed debate of educational issues, the Federal Government has confused its role of junior partner in American education with that of silent partner.

ACICS a national accreditor has been given notice by the federal government they would no longer be under recognition by the Department of Education. This dilemma for schools and colleges has been in the path for several years. Some of these schools have stayed with ACICS, some schools have closed, and others sought other accreditation opportunities. For the ones who are left with ACICS, the ugly hat has rose again. Is this a time when they fold their tent and move on to survive or close the doors and leave? The recent comments have been by authorities it won’t affect that many schools. “No Big Deal”, By not taking sides on these issues. I beg to differ with that comment. When schools close the financial dominoes begin to fall. No matter how many schools there are the affects to teachers, students, employers, and communities can be devastating. We should never look at the diminishing of any school with a myopic view with a statement like it won’t affect that many schools. The auspices should be on how you perpetuate the longevity of good schools to have them continue their good practices. Guilty by association doesn’t work with all the members of a club or organization. When researching many of these schools they have never had any intent of nothing-else but serving students. I applaud their dedication, commitment and fortitude for how they courageously always placed their students first.

What ever the outcomes for these schools caught in the dilemma that means they will have to expend more funds away from their students for new accreditation means a heavy burden for some of the smaller community schools. The dependence on these schools in small communities for skilled workers could be overwhelming. I represent in my teaching days that you never punish the entire class for the wrong doing of a few students. This application applies to tis situation. What has been more genuine and precious than a good school.

gcarlson-inc.com

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The Whole Truth Nothing But the Truth So Help Me God

So much has been discussed, cussed, and evaluated regarding our school and college existence in the United States. Schools at all levels are often measured on student success without the variables that may affect success as it will be measured from a silo perception. Article after article is presented with philosophies of bias and conjecture about what is the best and what is the worst opportunities for students in America. As an educator and feeling the brunt of the articles produced I find that some go on without the true appreciation of teachers and without regard to what school or institution they are providing education. My perspective comes from over fifty years of commitment and dedication to respecting instruction in America. During this journey, it has been a pleasure to take part in all aspects of the delivery systems available to our population. These experiences span from public schools, secondary education, special education, career schools, advanced placement, poverty area schools, higher education, private, nonprofit, and for-profit. The fortune of this life experience is the opportunity to meet great teachers in all of these systems.

Our school year is starting for all these school organizations and there now is an outbreak of a shortage of teachers throughout the country. Deficits are existing in our delivery systems of education at all levels.  This phenomenon has happened over the last several decades. The decay has been influenced by extraneous factors where schools received punitive restraints and demise on operations that had no relevance to what the teachers were accomplishing but only on school leadership practices of potential fraud, integrity, politics, and fear.

When you review negative press regarding the institutions making the news you find the majority of the dropping of the gauntlet on them was not a result of bad education or unqualified teachers. What happened was a vigilante approach that had effects on teachers and students. I am sure we would agree it would be appropriate to attack any lack of integrity concerning honesty, harmful treatment, fraud, or illegal practices. The old cliche is we don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. The condemnation of our schools has done just that.

Any organization or school operation operates with risk factors. The participants attending any school can determine what these risk factors may be. You cannot have a blind eye to the fact that institutions that cherry-pick their students by recruitment or by geographical location can either increase the chances of potential positive outcomes or decreases them by the willingness to embrace the high risk. Treatment of an education platform with human capital and finances will always have to be approached considering the bedrock of need. From this basis of the fundamental principles, we can begin to measure growth in outcomes from a baseline.

When politics become involved with the need for the patronage of the voting community while providing the opportunity to acclaim guidance through fear and scapegoating to the innocent constitutes provides harm to students in America.

This is not a point where “we should have or could have”, but is a time we can learn why we are in a desperate situation in need to provide best practices to the students young and old in America. Historically when it came to business or American commerce there was a consideration for the common good of the country. In the case of the American education system, the common good is overlooked. Thousands of jobs, students, employers, and families have been negatively affected by the abrupt closing of many schools in America. Please note that there were very few if any charges of how bad of education these students were getting. The focus was on high student loan interest, the integrity of leadership, and questionable business practices.

The heart of the school’s success rests with leadership and great teachers. Sadly there has been the closure of some great schools and the loss of teachers and leaders. Where did the students go who had hope of education that would change their lives? What happened to the great teacher leaving the profession in large numbers?

 

Here are a few comments from teachers from the National Education Association “NEA News”

“Survey: Alarming Number of Educators May Soon Leave the Profession”

That is it. This is making us tired and fed up. The destructive behaviors and disrespect will not be addressed. Every child deserves a safe place to learn and teachers a safe place to work, and that is not the case in our schools right now.

I agree. The disrespect is unprecedented and most parents are of little help. When students are sent to the office, administrators just give them warning after warning. The students know there are never any REAL consequences.

it’s almost like they want the system to fail. Here in Vegas, the big fights are almost daily occurrences and no one says anything productive.

That is exactly why I want to leave. I am so over it. I am a special education teacher and have been teaching for 36 years. I have decided to retire at the end of this school year. The last 2 years have been the hardest years for my teaching. We do not have enough tutors for my students to be able to adequately function in a classroom. I have had to be a tutor and teacher to my students at the same time this year. The stress this school year has been more than I have experienced during my entire career. I am sad to end my teaching career because I love teaching but the excess work and stress have broken me this year. I know many teachers I work with who have a lot less teaching experience than me and who are thinking of leaving the profession even teachers with 2-5 years of experience.

We cannot deny or endorse all of these comments but we must know that these impressions are not diminishing but growing across the board of our education community. I have to admit that when I joined the profession over fifty years ago my aspirations were positive and intentional to make a difference. What are the reasons why teachers today stay in the profession or want to go into the profession? Very simply it is not about constructing more rules but it is directly affiliated with support, pay, and development. The first to see this trend become a tragic dilemma will be our public neighborhood schools. Teachers will discover the best places to enjoy appreciation and support or leave the profession completely. Our schools are a national treasure. It is the responsibility to see through the distractions of sensational journalism that provides only fear and anger without solutions. The preservation of a society depends on education alternatives.

Gary R Carlson

https://gcarlson-inc.com

 

From the Blog Post on Pride or Prejudice

How Were Families Meant to Be

(Days are long and Life is short)

The meaning of family: Any group of people closely related by blood or marriage, such as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins. (From dictionary.com)

The traditional family is the formation of interlocking circles of influence. Actual intentions for the family unit have each circle with determined roles. Family relationships provide resources that can help an individual cope with stress, engage in healthier behaviors, and enhance self-esteem, leading to higher well-being. Taking a closer look at society and what has happened over many years has been the degradation of the family’s intended purpose of providing a healthier lifestyle. Children feel secure and loved when they have strong and positive family relationships. Positive family relationships help families resolve conflict, work as a team, and enjoy each other’s company. Positive family relationships are built on quality time, communication, teamwork, and appreciation of each other. Societies resemble the success of family unit applications by fulfilling the intended roles each member play. These are the building blocks of society. Families play a compelling role in social development. Parenthood bears the primary obligation to introduce a philosophy of education and socialization as well as instill values of citizenship and belonging to a society. A parent can help you deal with stress by giving you a sense of peace, purpose, and forgiveness. It often becomes more important in times of emotional stress or illness.

These expectations when they are gone unheeded create the demise of civilization and society. A family can improve our confidence and make us feel loved. This becomes the foundation of strength that never falter but instead keeps us strong in becoming better people.

A family composes the learning of values of love, respect, faith, hope, caring, cultures, traditions, and everything else that concerns us through our families. The publication “Inner Change”, who has coined the saying “Raise Standards, Heal Families”, Outlined its position on family roles:

Common Family Roles

The following are several roles that can exist within a family:

• Hero: This is the “good” and “responsible” child. This person is a high achiever, carries the pride of the family, and he/she overcompensates to avoid looking or feeling inadequate. He/she is often a good leader and organizer and is goal-oriented and self-disciplined. Sometimes the hero lacks the ability to play, relax, follow others, or allow others to be right.
• Rescuer: The rescuer takes care of others’ needs and emotions and problem-solves for others in the family. The rescuer might have difficulty with conflict. He/she takes on the role of rescuer in the name of helping others, though it is often to meet his/her own needs, such as relieving anxiety. This person doesn’t realize that sometimes helping hurts. He/she also lives with a lot of guilt and finds it challenging to focus on him/herself.
• Mediator: The mediator can be a rescuer-type although he/she works to keep peace in the family system. This person does the emotional work of the family to avoid conflict. He/she acts as a buffer, and does it in the name of helping others, although it may be for his/her needs. This can be a healthy role depending on how the person mediates.
• Scapegoat/Black sheep: This is the person the other family members feel needs the most help. Usually, this is the family member in need of treatment or in treatment. This person often shows the obvious symptoms of the family being unable to work through problems. The person may have strengths such as a sense of humor, a greater level of honesty, and the willingness to be close to his/her feelings. Yet there can also be an inappropriate expression of feelings, and the person may experience social or emotional problems.
• Switchboard: This person is the central information center in the family. He/she keeps track of what’s going on by being aware of who is doing what and when. This person has strength in being the central person to go to and understanding how the family is doing. However, this person focuses on everyone else’s issues rather than his/her own.
• The power broker: This person works at maintaining a hierarchy in the family with him/herself at the top. His/her safety and security in life depend on feeling in control of the environment around him/her.
• Lost child: The lost child is the subservient good child. He/she is obedient, passive, and hidden in the family trauma. He/she stays hidden to avoid being a problem. Generally, this person is flexible and easygoing. However, he/she lacks direction, is fearful in making decisions, and follows without questioning.

Clown: The clown uses humor to offset the family conflict and to create a sense that things are okay. This person has a talent to readily lighten the moment, but he/she hides his/her true feelings.

Cheerleader: The cheerleader provides support and encouragement to others. There is usually balance in taking care of his/her own needs while providing a positive influence on those around him/her.

Nurturer: This person provides emotional support, creates safety, is available to others, and can be a mediator. He/she focuses on having and meeting emotional needs, usually in a balanced manner.

Thinker: The thinker provides the objective, reasoning focus. His/her strength is being able to see situations in a logical, objective manner. However, he/she may find it difficult to connect emotionally with others.

Truthteller: This person reflects the system as it is. At times the challenge is how that information is relayed. Other members in the family might be offended or avoid the truthteller because of the power of the truth he/she holds. Strength occurs when this person is coupled with another positive role, such as a nurturer or cheerleader.

After reading these roles, ask yourself which ones you identify with and what ones would you like to see more of in your family. After being a mentor, coach, and teacher for many years I have come to complete confidence that the family contains the capability of shaping society. Historically, our neighborhoods that were inbred resembled the values and cultures that existed at the time. From your point of view, what are the variables that have most affected the circumvention of the roles of the family today? What plan would you foresee to educate the natural roles of a family dynamic?

Share this point of view and have your discussion of ideas to ponder.

Until another day, “Peace”

Gary R. Carlson

https://gcarlson-inc.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Narcissism and Entitlement

(inordinate fascination with oneself)

Narcissism. 

(Inordinate fascination with oneself)

The word narcissism comes from a German psychiatrist close to 200 years ago. Over this time the flavor of the word is used primarily with negative connotations. Over the past 20 years, researchers have reported the increase of narcissism has grown by 30%. A behavior that over the years was used by the psychiatric and psychology community.

 Each day what seems to affect you most on how you think, behave, act, or opinion. How should we reach conclusions by translating the communications we are receiving verbally, through social media, in news media or in written journalism? Where do most of these influences come from and how can you trust them? When we draw conclusions, it comes from the mediums mentioned but how do we weigh the validity? Is it because they are friends, family, knowledgeable people, faith-based people, teachers, or unknowns? The discoveries on this blog are not to pass judgment but are only to present facts that are backed by research or factual proof. There will not be a focus on one entity but will be only on the day-to-day discovery that might be of interest to you. 

It is our hope you will be comfortable with the truth and use your inalienable freedom to change and contradict the untruths with the truth. A society that exists on knowledge and truth can make a future of hope, joy, love, and eternal wisdom. So, I invite you to join us on our journey of articles to make you think and hopefully gain enough knowledgeable information to reach your informed conclusions.

Societal conditions are a result of years of how we weigh the value-added result of how you spend time on new information. If there is no immediate gratification or reward, when we experience a community with a lack of interest in collaborating with the challenges in front of us creates a danger zone of entitlement.

You will be interested in how Narcissism, may cause the behavior of problems that it creates in our society today.  Narcissism has grown over the last twenty years by 30 percent. Narcissists portray themselves as vulnerable woe is me, they think they are misunderstood and a need for them to be seen as how smart I really am. They have this idea they are very special. It is a figment of their imagination. They tend to downplay the accomplishments of other people. They see these people as threats. Because of the delusional threats they put other people down. If you have a friend who has these traits, you will see a lack of empathy for those who threaten them with their accomplishments. If you have a narcissistic friend, you may feel like they are in competition with you. The narcissist will receive cues from friends that discount their behavior as harmful, but they just don’t care. You will see they continue to behave in the same manner repeatedly. They are legends in their own mind. They have a habit of not accepting accountability. It takes a professional to diagnose narcissism. But the researchers have shown that the characteristics of this trait have been snowballing in America.

Dr. Jean M. Twenge and Dr. Keith Campbell, have written a book on “The Narcissism Epidemic”, which has given us new insight into entitlements. How does narcissism affect our social lives? People can care about the common good but are extremely selfish. The cost of social narcissism in America is corporate leaders who take big risks and destroy companies, white-collar crime with a lack of integrity, spouses who are unfaithful, parents who use their children as props to make themselves look good, and you must always look better than your friends. Narcissism is like the flu where everyone around you gets the flu, and you feel good about yourself.

Does narcissism exist in our political leaders today? Just considering presidents narcissism has increased each election going back sixty years. Grandstanding on issues will get me some kudos so I will get re-elected. The media has had much to do with the opportunity to exploit narcissism. Media has become channelized, so people seek the confidence exposed to narcissistic behavior. These people usually are hypersensitive to criticism. These behaviors can be harmful when you go to work, and you want your employees to suck up to you and you want everyone to do a high five with you because of how great you are. You may get away with this but then when you expect your friends and acquaintances to do the same thing plus, your family they begin to draw the line. Most of the time we think of narcissism as something bad. Grandiose narcissists are very good at starting new relationships, they are confident and charismatic, but later they may be more likely to cheat, a little manipulative, and more likely to be controlling. These people become leaders and the tell-tale issue with these leaders is that they may be narcissistic and take big risks, do things to get attention, and may have ethical challenges that may bring them down. One area where narcissism may show up as its greatest benefit is social media. People who are narcissistic tend to have more friends on social media, they are more active, they take more selfies, and we think of social media without narcissism it would be worthless. Today you can get on your phone and film yourself and put it in front of the world.

All of this has led teachers, coaches, and mentors not to allow themselves to not be shallow in their relationships but to exist for the betterment of the common good. The goal is how to focus your reputation on how to be a good person. What have we learned on how not to allow our ego to take control of our life?

Mentors of Bethany in America a nonprofit organization has created a blueprint for putting egos aside to serve those people who operate on the side of humanity who primarily may have had low self-esteem. Men, women, and youth across the community coming from all walks of life have welcomed the challenge of communicating the personable philosophy of love, hope, joy, and faith to enjoy their lives in family, community, and relationships. These mentors have given of themselves not expecting anything in return. Their vision is the restoration of family and a positive lifestyle for their participants. Their leadership by coaching has little expectations of self-gratification. What may be a distraction to the achievements of these types of successes is the enticement of narcissism with the measures of personal gratification appearance, control, self-entitlement, and the seclusion of not recognizing the culprit of habit that is fueled by our own narcissism. It is narcissism that may be the ingredient that causes us to succeed in our lives but when it becomes the essential factor in our lives for existence it is then when it becomes harmful. Mentors don’t live a life of “it is all about me”. A narcissist has issues with empathy. To break the cycle of homelessness, poverty, absentee fathers, addiction, alcoholism, and crime, society needs to adjust their thinking to share the talents they possess by financially supporting programs that encourage people to regain their self-esteem, family unit, fatherhood, motherhood, work-ethic, integrity, and spirituality. This country started with these values and now it is time to regain this philosophy for those who have been lost in the progress of a nation. In your lifetime have you experienced those individuals who continually share their blessings and rewards of life by avoiding the trap of entitlement? When society transcends into a journey that isn’t as encumbered by the balance of justice or writing another law or creating punitive measures to change lives produces an environment of healthy change. Great teachers, mentors, and coaches are all formally committed to developing the individuals they are creating a relationship to succeed.

The culture of an aspect of not only instructing society but listening to the society and narrowing down the “why” of negative conditions and how cognizance of sensible change would create long-term success. All of us must understand that societies establish themselves over many years of economics, politics, family, education, governance, integrity, faith, jurisprudence, and learned biases. A good plan to address each of the societal ills is to formulate a sensitivity to how and why we are where we are in life and prioritize the steps of creating a better social norm for our citizens in our world. Avoid narcissistic individualism but cast a vision of humility for all of humanity.

Many great programs are making a difference in building a better life. There are current programs that are addressing and successfully making a difference in our communities. Mentors of Bethany in America is just one of the organizations that have shown great progress with people in need. (Contact https://mentorsofbethany.org) (100 Black Men of Omaha Inc., https://facebook.com/100BMO) ( Achieving Balanced Well-Being, https://thepacificinstitute.com) Please make contact with any of these programs for your community. The only change that works is by the trust people have in you. Spread the word! The best variable of positive change comes from the people who are willing to embrace their family, neighbors, citizens, and life with care.

Dr. Gary R Carlson

Email: gary@gcarlson-inc.com

https://gcarlson-inc.com

Zach

by Dr. Gary R. Carlson

When looking back on our journey in life some things make us smile, cry, be angry, motivated, depressed, and sometimes just plain happy to be alive. During the years I have expressed the value of Mentors of Bethany in America and the volunteers and staff who devote time, money, and energy to fill the gaps some of our society has missed out on in their life journey. A small group of people had the idea of originating a nonprofit organization to approach societal challenges that had been haunting communities for decades. The numbers of people with addictions, incarcerations, homelessness, alcoholism, deadbeat fathers, dysfunctional families, poverty, high school dropouts, and a lack of faith. So many of the current tactics to meet the needs of these societal diseases were by enabling other poor behaviors or implementing punitive measures on the afflicted. It was evident and apparent our approaches were not working. Budgets for welfare and imprisonment were growing each year. Recidivism for people labeled into these categories would be taken out of the roles with success but only to return after a period when facing life skills challenges. As the originator of the nonprofit and the executive director, I am stepping down to focus on mentoring high school dropouts and will be turning over the operations and board relationships to the people in charge of the future of Mentors of Bethany in America. Over the past five years, the approach and coaching techniques used by the mentors have provided some astounding success which some would call miracles. Before I continue one step further you need to know the methodology, content, and relationships do not constitute punitive measures or empty handouts that only require participants to ask for more so they become relying on material items from the stipends given by the old systems.

The programs are implemented and thriving in open-door missions, jails, street schools, neighborhoods, and partners in serving these participants. Without question, this approach has found true longevity success even with some of the most hardcore participants. Each year more and more volunteers join the ranks to be a mentor. The target focus is to continue to offer enough mentors to curb the societal ills that have been so prevalent. Secondarily, it is with the donations coming from the public to organize, support, and expand the reach of Mentors of Bethany in America to others in our society. After reading just one of many testimonies experienced by our mentors I would hope you could find the means to donate to this change agent that is less costly than the jails, welfare, and justice system requirements of social work, visiting nurses, and probation officers, and court systems. By no means are we advocating the elimination of these roles but do understand the caseloads of these people are so high that cases become paperwork on someone’s desk. Mentorship is based on relationships that are sustained through a lifetime and has payback potential from the participant’s success in the future.https//mentorsofbethany.org

What you are about to read is a story of a young man who came to our program in 2019. We will just refer to him as Zach. Zach showed up on our doorstep from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Without too much detail, Zach was a troubled young man addicted to alcohol and drugs. By his addictions, he was an angry person. The mentor program discovered immediately how much potential this person had to offer. Here was a twenty-three-year-old who by all rights probably could have been induced into crime and the criminal court system. Not only has Zach thrived, but he still is in constant touch with his mentor. This relationship will be one for a lifetime. Please read Zach’s testimony to me in an email sent recently. After reading Zach’s testimony there will be a summary of his steps to peace and freedom in his life.

Gary,

I apologize for the delay in getting back to you! I hope you had a great time in Arizona. I hope all is well with you, your family, and the rest of the men. 

A little update on how life is going: I am currently living in Jacksonville, Florida for the summer. I am doing a three-month internship with a general contractor called Archer Western. I am on a heavy civil interstate/bridge project that is right above 200 million. The company was voted 2nd best heavy civil company in a popular engineering poll in 2021. In the middle of August, I will be heading back to Phoenix to start classes back up at ASU. I’m currently sitting with a 3.95 GPA. I ended up getting a high B in an online stats class last semester, I was extremely close to getting an A… I don’t think I will ever forgive myself for that one. I have 2 years left until I graduate from ASU with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management and Technology. I just got the news that I received two 4,000-dollar academic scholarships from ASU for my grades that I can use this year and next year. So, 4,000 each year. I am extremely grateful for that because college is not cheap as you all know! I am attending a church called “Living Word Bible Church” back in Mesa, it’s a great church! I actually really enjoy going there every Sunday. If you get the chance, look them up on YouTube. The two brothers that are the pastors have a daily bible study on YouTube that is supposed to be the number one on YouTube in the world. I am not certain where I want to go next after I graduate, it all depends on the opportunities that God presents in my way at that point in my life. All I know is that they will be great, and I will feel blessed. My family is doing well. My Dad asks every now and again if I still keep in touch with you. Other than that, life is going very well! Make sure you tell Eric I say hello and that I hope everything is well with him and his business! Also, tell all the men I say hello and that I hope all is well on their end! I can’t thank you guys enough for the mentoring and the time you’ve put into me and the rest of the men out there. I know it has helped shaped my life tremendously. I am very grateful for everything you’ve done. Nothing but love to you all! 

Zach 

It is with great pride we congratulate Zach on his journey. While Zach was in Omaha he met with the CEO of a construction company arranged by a mentor and spent some quality time with him to make his decision on construction management. Zach’s reference to Eric was a person who has become an additional mentor for him. This article could be much longer if we were to add other testimonies. Today Mentors of Bethany in America organization is serving men, women, and youth ages 14 to 18. It is with the power of our faith in God that we all profess by Luke:10 27.

Do You Hear Me Now?

How much time do people spend listening? People spend between 70 and 80% of their day engaged in some form of communication, and about 55% of their time is devoted to listening.

 Related: Cheap TV Service What’s the average speaking rate? Some people are chattier than others but on average, the typical person utters anywhere from 125 to 175 words per minute. How many words do we listen to per minute? Your ears work a little faster than your mouth. The average number of words you’re able to listen to per minute is around 450.

 How much of what we hear is absorbed? Even though your ears are capable of picking up on so many words, your brain doesn’t necessarily process all of them. Most people usually only remember about 17 to 25% of the things they listen to. 

Are men or women better listeners? Research shows that men only use half their brains to listen while women engage both lobes. If you constantly feel like your partner or significant other is tuning you out, that may be why. How important are the words we say? You might be surprised to learn that your words only convey about 7% of what you’re trying to say. The other 93% is communicated through facial expressions and the tone of your voice. Is there more than one way to listen? There are four distinct listening styles that you can employ, and about 40% of people are using two or more at any given time. LISTENING AND YOUR HEALTH An extensive body of research exists concerning how the things we listen to can affect our mental, physical, and emotional state. We found that listening can correlate to better (or worse) health in several ways.

 Is listening to complaining bad for you? Listening to nagging or complaining for about 30 minutes or more can cause damage to the part of your brain that handles problem-solving skills. That’s something to keep in mind the next time you’re stuck talking to a Negative Nancy. Can listening to music make you smarter? Putting on some tunes while you study can potentially improve your grades. Studies show that listening to classical music while hitting the books has been linked to a 12% increase in math test scores. Will it reduce stress? Several studies have attempted to link listening to music to a more stress-free environment. Listening to music before surgery has been shown to lower cortisol levels and result in less anxiety compared to patients who were given drugs instead. Or help you lose weight? Researchers have shown that listening to relaxing music while eating out at a restaurant resulted in diners consuming 175 fewer calories. If you’re having trouble sticking to your diet, a side of smooth jazz with your dinner may be the answer. Does listening to music increase accident risk? When teens are behind the wheel, 98% of them are likely to commit a driving error while listening to their favorite music. That figure drops to 78% when they listen to something relaxing, like soft rock. (Source: CreditDonkey)

How many people listen to the radio? Even though the face of radio has changed, its popularity hasn’t. Approximately 92% of Americans aged 12 and older listen to the radio at least once a week. How long do adults listen for? Throughout the course of a day, adults listen to just over four hours of audio communications. 

About 52% of that is spent listening to broadcast radio and the rest is divvied between Internet radio, audiobooks, and satellite radio. What do adults listen to most? Country music is the most popular choice among adults, taking up a 14% share of the market. In second place are the news and talk radio, with a 12% slice of the audience pie. How often do teens tune in? Kids consume about 8 to 10 hours of media a day, and 2.5 of those hours are spent listening to music. How do teens access their music? The way kids listen to music varies but on average, they spend 41 minutes on their iPods or MP3 players each day. Another 64 minutes is divided between listening to a standard radio and Internet radio through their computers. What’s the most listened-to song of all time? If you’re wondering what the most listened-to song in history is, forget the Top 40. It’s Disney’s “It’s a Small World,” which has been played roughly 50 million times since its 1964 release. LISTENING AND HEARING LOSS For some people, their ability to listen is hindered by things beyond their control. When hearing loss is a factor, it can have lasting effects on how well people are able to listen and communicate in general. How many people have listening difficulties? An estimated 38 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. That’s about 12% of the total population. What’s the number one cause of hearing trouble? While aging plays a part, exposure to loud noises is behind 15% of hearing loss in adults aged 20 to 69. Even 15 minutes of listening to loud noise each day can cause permanent hearing damage. Who is most likely to lose their hearing? 

Men are more likely than women to experience hearing loss. There’s a 25% chance of having a severe hearing deficiency by the time you reach age 65. That number jumps to 50% among the 75 and up the crowd. How many children have hearing loss? Approximately 3 million children in the U.S. have some type of hearing loss and just over a third of them are under age 3. About 5 in every 1,000 newborns will be affected. How does it impact their education? Even a mild hearing loss can cause kids to fall behind in school. Studies show that they may miss out on as much as 50% of what’s being said in the classroom. (Source: CreditDonkey)

Now that, you have read this article how much of it would you remember if you only heard it? Americans are still listening every day. So what is your choice on how to become a better listener? What would the results be with our students in the classroom if they had had listening skills improvement?

Father and Absentee Father Conflicts

June 5, 2022

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How Often are you all Ears?

June 5, 2022

How much time do people spend listening? People spend between 70 and 80% of their day engaged in some form of communication, and about 55% of their time is devoted to listening.

 Related: Cheap TV Service What’s the average speaking rate? Some people are chattier than others but on average, the typical person utters anywhere from 125 to 175 words per minute. How many words do we listen to per minute? Your ears work a little faster than your mouth. The average number of words you’re able to listen to per minute is around 450.

 How much of what we hear is absorbed? Even though your ears are capable of picking up on so many words, your brain doesn’t necessarily process all of them. Most people usually only remember about 17 to 25% of the things they listen to.

Are men or women better listeners? Research shows that men only use half their brain to listen while women engage both lobes. If you constantly feel like your spouse or significant other is tuning you out, that may be why. How important are the words we say? You might be surprised to learn that your words only convey about 7% of what you’re trying to say. The other 93% is communicated through facial expressions and the tone of your voice. Is there more than one way to listen? There are four distinct listening styles that you can employ, and about 40% of people are using two or more at any given time. LISTENING AND YOUR HEALTH An extensive body of research exists concerning how the things we listen to can affect our mental, physical, and emotional state. What we found is that listening can correlate to better (or worse) health in several different ways.

 Is listening to complaining bad for you? Listening to nagging or complaining for 30 minutes or more can cause damage to the part of your brain that handles problem-solving skills. That’s something to keep in mind the next time you’re stuck talking to a Negative Nancy. Can listening to music make you smarter? Putting on some tunes while you study can potentially improve your grades. Studies show that listening to classical music while hitting the books has been linked to a 12% increase in math test scores. Will it reduce stress? Several studies have attempted to link listening to music to a more stress-free environment. Listening to music before surgery has been shown to lower cortisol levels and result in less anxiety compared to patients who were given drugs instead. Or help you lose weight? Researchers have shown that listening to relaxing music while eating out at a restaurant resulted in diners consuming 175 fewer calories. If you’re having trouble sticking to your diet, a side of smooth jazz with your dinner may be the answer. Does listening to music increase accident risk? When teens are behind the wheel, 98% of them are likely to commit a driving error while listening to their favorite music. That figure drops to 78% when they listen to something relaxing, like soft rock. (Source: CreditDonkey)

How many people listen to the radio? Even though the face of radio has changed, its popularity hasn’t. Approximately 92% of Americans aged 12 and older listen to the radio at least once a week. How long do adults listen for? Throughout the course of a day, adults listen to just over four hours of audio communications.

About 52% of that is spent listening to broadcast radio and the rest is divvied up between Internet radio, audiobooks, and satellite radio. What do adults listen to most? Country music is the most popular choice among adults, taking up a 14% share of the market. In second place is news and talk radio, with a 12% slice of the audience pie. How often do teens tune in? Kids consume about 8 to 10 hours of media a day, and 2.5 of those hours are spent listening to music. How do teens access their music? The way kids listen to music varies but on average, they spend 41 minutes on their iPods or MP3 players each day. Another 64 minutes is divided between listening to a standard radio and Internet radio through their computers. What’s the most listened to song of all time? If you’re wondering what the most listened to song in history is, forget the Top 40. It’s Disney’s “It’s a Small World,” which has been played roughly 50 million times since its 1964 release. LISTENING AND HEARING LOSS For some people, their ability to listen is hindered by things beyond their control. When hearing loss is a factor, it can have lasting effects on how well people are able to listen and communicate in general. How many people have listening difficulties? An estimated 38 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. That’s about 12% of the total population. What’s the number one cause of hearing trouble? While aging plays a part, exposure to loud noises is behind 15% of hearing loss in adults aged 20 to 69. Even 15 minutes of listening to loud noise each day can cause permanent hearing damage. Who is most likely to lose their hearing?

Men are more likely than women to experience hearing loss. There’s a 25% chance of having a severe hearing deficiency by the time you reach age 65. That number jumps to 50% among the 75 and up crowd. How many children have hearing loss? Approximately 3 million children in the U.S. have some type of hearing loss and just over a third of them are under age 3. About 5 in every 1,000 newborns will be affected. How does it impact their education? Even a mild hearing loss can cause kids to fall behind in school. Studies show that they may miss out on as much as 50% of what’s being said in the classroom. (Source: CreditDonkey)

Now with that you have read this article how much of it would you remember if you only heard it? Americans are still listening every day. So what is your choice on how to become a better listener. What would the results be with our students in the classroom if they had had listening skills improvement?

Why Should We Look at Changing Our Business Model for Career Schools

Historically schools and colleges have moved on with a scale of very little change. Society changes, economy changes, politics changes, and now we have experienced technology change. Looking at anyone of these attributes we can see these changes are so great they don’t even to appear to be the same company they were years ago. When something works well then why do we change? When looking at American companies from when they started how do they look today. Below is a list of companies who have a long history of existence. What has been their secret or grand plan to remain viable and healthy.

1. IBM 1911, scales and punchcard machines and later large mainframes (today: business intelligence, software, hardware)
2. Xerox 1906, photographic paper (today toner, ink, software, printers, copy machines)
3. Nokia 1865, paper mills, rubber works and cables (today phones and games)
4. Monsanto 1901, Saccharin (today roundup, genetically engineered seed)
5. GE 1892, Light bulb (today gas engines, hybrid locomotives, HD CT scanners, sound devices, chemical sensors)
6. Fortune Brands 1969, who were previously know as American Brands, Tobacco (today hardware, home furnishings, golf clubs, cabinets)
7. Du Pont 1802,Gun powder ( today adhesives, insecticides, fire extinguishers, weatherization systems)
8. Corning 1851, glass, (today optical fiber, cell phone covers, telescopic mirrors, television screens)
9. Apple 1976, personal computer kit, (today ipad, ipod, online music, iphones)
10. 3M 1902, Sandpaper (today scotch tape, duct tape, post it notes, cleaning products)

Why would we look to these companies when talking about schools and colleges? Success stories like these are the blueprint to remaining a vibrant and purposeful organization to the society they serve. Their side track they took in the services had to remain relevant. Leadership even when distracted by negative influences are still on track with doing what they do best.

There are lessons to be learned from the leadership of these companies. As anyone can see they ventured into new territory and became successful by not allowing any negative influences forget what they did best. Each re-engineered company never allowed one source of income to be the life line of their mission. Career schools before selling their heart and soul to government control were successful in providing the graduates with certificates, diplomas and later associate degrees to an ever growing need for early entry employees with skills. Some of these schools boasted how companies had hired entire program graduates from their schools. The career school environment was healthy and respected. As each year went by and schools became more dependent on government funding the destiny of any school was being subjected to rules and regulations with rule makers in Washington D.C. The prospect of states determined the fate of their schools was quickly vanishing. The legacy of government today has built a brazen path that has placed schools into being a political football. Placing students, teachers and parents into the vicious contemptuous rhetoric of supporting schools by tearing them down. It is easy to be a critic when the only solution is to eliminate the education body you are so vehemently against. American history has shown the ills of taking anything we don’t like, trust or targeted by annihilation results in later remorse.

Our societal survivors never lost faith in what they believed were principles of high integrity of what they were and symbolized. This is why I contend our school leadership should look at what brought them to the added value they once were so proud in providing. While escaping the fear we should turn this around into pride and show the communities we serve, that we can still stand tall.

Gary R Carlson

Consultant

Drugs & Alcohol

A story of a temptation, peer pressure, depression, celebration, love, deceit, mistrust, anger, hate, decisions, health, family, brain abuse and recovery.

While looking at each of these attributes it must not be forgotten what this does to everyone that is in touch with each of these afflictions.

Excessive alcohol use leads to 95,000 deaths each year and 37 million Americans binge drink at least once a week. (National Drug and Alcohol Facts, March 22-28 2021)

Time to Relax

Once upon a time a family who had been successful financially planned a wonderful trip to a resort in Talum, Mexico. January 2022, was the outbreak of the new COVID. (Omicron) Some of the family members who had looked forward to joining the family were afflicted with Omicron, one family member died from the COVID virus and another was bed stricken from a sports vehicle accident. What seemed to be a great idea one year ago was falling apart. Even with the downfalls the remainder family members boarded their flights, passed the COVID check points and headed off for Talum. Five days of relaxation and fun. Even with the rocks in the road the destination trip was going on even with the obstacles confronting them. This article is with a title of Drugs and Alcohol, so what does this have to do with the title?

One of the travelers who was twenty-four years old and a recent college graduate with a degree in finance was with his family. Because of the recent disruption in crime and drugs in Talum the family agreed to stay on the resort and not go to town. The plan was in place and they all would be safe on the resort for five days and nights.

It almost sounds like a fairy tale. All intentions were wholesome and pleasant. Little did anyone no one of them would not live up to the safety precautions the family had agreed upon. The young man at age twenty-four had been abusing alcohol and marijuana for who knows how long.

A Scenario of Precautions

Each night when family members called it a night and returned to their rooms the 24-year-old would leave the resort and go to the local bars and by weed on the street. For the sake of personalizing this story we will call the 24-year-old Ben. Ben did a great job of concealing his habits and was always back in the morning when the family gathered together. Family reflecting back on these days did have some feelings of Ben’s attitude of I am an adult and I can do what I want and didn’t really mingle in the day with family members.

Packing for the Trip Home

Preparation to Travel Home

Saturday night and last night. Everyone needs to pack and get ready to leave in the morning. All are accounted for and reported they are ready.

Morning comes and the rides are there to pick everyone up to go to the airport. Ok, lets count heads to make sure everyone is here. After the count they are missing one. Where is Ben? Quick trip up to his room and they find all his bags packed and ready to go but no Ben. Panick begins to set in for everyone. Where could he be. Everyone but two family members go to the airport to catch their flight home.

Search Party Begins

The search party becomes an aunt and uncle. They rent a car and start combing the beaches and showing locals his picture. Ben was seen out in front of a 7/11 store. The search goes all day and into the night. His credit card was attempted to be used but was declined. Phone calls came back to home in the U.S. to tell everyone they have not found him. Ben’s parents have now chartered a flight to Mexico. Just before they leave the U.S. he is found. Ben is in a Mexican jail. It was such a relief for the family to find him alive. Now, comes the negotiation by his uncle with the Mexican authorities to get him out of jail and on to home. Ben’s uncle negotiates a 250-dollar fine and they get him out. Ben seems not remorseful or finds it pretty funny. He doesn’t understand why they just didn’t leave him and he could have got out on his own. Everyone is going to spend another night in Mexico and leave on the chartered flight the next morning.

The Trip Home

How Lucke Can Ben be?

On the way home Ben drinks and vapes on the jet. Still no remorse or Thank Yous’ to aunt, uncle or mom and dad. Ben drinks his way home while Dad is exhausted and Mom is relieved. Ben’s aunt and uncle are furious because of his inappropriate behavior.

Up to 40,000 feet and 450 mph heading to home airport. No flight changes just one plane and destination to home.

After Arriving Home

Ben is taken to his parents’ house and is told he will stay there. After observing his erratic behavior Ben was entered into a hospital on the mental health floor.

Ben needs help and so does Mom and Dad

Ben doesn’t know why he is there. His plans are to get out the next day. His family knows he has some mental health issues. The test continues for a week. Ben is having trouble sleeping and shows deep seeded anger at times. His parents are looking for answers to do the right thing with Ben. Many parents go through this quandary about mental health issues that exist with a child, young man or woman. If you have ever looked for help in this situation you will find yourself often lost. After one week Ben was released and told he will have four days a week of therapy as an outpatient. During this time Ben has confrontations with his mom, dad, aunt and uncle. His behavior is becoming so erratic that other family members don’t want to engage with Ben until he gets help. His parents are reaching out to those who have experience in their lives like Ben’s. The picture they have received is clear that most of these people seem to bottom out before they begin to improve. This situation has great risk in that some of these people like Ben may make a mistake that would harm themselves or others. It may happen they may end up in a psychiatric ward or incarcerated. It is essential when they hit bottom that they find people who care enough and will show them love, faith, hope, grace and peace in their life to begin to fill the gaps of life. Finding the appropriate program will stop the spiraling into a crash and burn scenario to a successful outcome.

Do I Need to Hit Rock Bottom?

A program of building blocks to create a new life experience will provide a new birth in facing life challenges. A comprehensive program looks and the sequence of events which would include the essential key development characteristics of decency. The approach provides the necessity to understand the triune of mental, physical and soft skill balance to provide the foundation of potential improved mental health.

1- Manhood Realities
-2- Create and Cultivate
-3- Manhood Definition
-4- King/Warrior
-5- Lover/Friend
-6- Seasons

Many young men and women since the baby boom era have grown up without some of the common best practices of mental health growth exercises proclaimed by living with a family that subscribed to life skills of truth and intimacy. Family cognizance gives anyone of us while maturing in life lessons where others in later generations may have missed.

-1- Looking Back
-2- Dad
-3- Mom
-4- Healing
-5- All-Alone
-6- Heart

Addiction is such a strong influence that it overcomes any good advice by the ones who love them. It is interesting to see parents, friends and fellow workers seem to ask themselves if they were part of the problem. At my vantage point it seems as if it could be predictable but in many cases it becomes a complete surprise. While working with the addiction problem for the last eight years our program has seen from sever and mild conditions. Our MOBIA mentors have experienced miracles with some very difficult issues. It is not hard to see the methods and material content they are using has been successful. The answer is in the process of filling in the gaps that has existed in these peoples lives. I would encourage any of you to visit the website and hear it from the people who have been in the program. https://mentorsofbethany.org

Read the testimonies from people from all walks of life. Men and women have benefited from a system that develops rather than maintains.

For the story of Ben is yet to come. Ben has had the luxury of having finances that have given him the ability to run from his problems and travel around the United States. There is one they for sure is that everything runs out and when times get tough is usually when they seek out the answer. Do you know the answer?

Author: Gary R Carlson

Executive Director for “Mentors of Bethany in America”