Balanced Literacy Quotes

Television’s greatest appeal is that it is engaging without being at all demanding. One can rest while undergoing stimulation. Receive without giving. It’s the same in all low art that has as goal continued attention and patronage: it’s appealing precisely because it’s at once fun and easy. And the entrenchment of a culture built on Appeal helps explain a dark and curious thing: at a time when there are more decent and good and very good serious fiction writers at work in America than ever before, an American public enjoying unprecedented literacy and disposable income spends the vast bulk of its reading time and book dollar on fiction that is, by any fair standard, trash. Trash fiction is, by design and appeal, most like televised narrative: engaging without being demanding. But trash, in terms of both quality and popularity, is a much more sinister phenomenon. For while television has from its beginnings been openly motivated by — has been about—considerations of mass appeal and L.C.D. and profit, our own history is chock-full of evidence that readers and societies may properly expect important, lasting contributions from a narrative art that understands itself as being about considerations more important than popularity and balance sheets. Entertainers can divert and engage and maybe even console; only artists can transfigure. Today’s trash writers are entertainers working artists’ turf. This in itself is nothing new. But television aesthetics, and television-like economics, have clearly made their unprecedented popularity and reward possible. And there seems to me to be a real danger that not only the forms but the norms of televised art will begin to supplant the standards of all narrative art. This would be a disaster. [...] Even the snottiest young artiste, of course, probably isn’t going to bear personal ill will toward writers of trash; just as, while everybody agrees that prostitution is a bad thing for everyone involved, few are apt to blame prostitutes themselves, or wish them harm. If this seems like a non sequitur, I’m going to claim the analogy is all too apt. A prostitute is someone who, in exchange for money, affords someone else the form and sensation of sexual intimacy without any of the complex emotions or responsibilities that make intimacy between two people a valuable or meaningful human enterprise. The prostitute “gives,” but — demanding nothing of comparable value in return — perverts the giving, helps render what is supposed to be a revelation a transaction. The writer of trash fiction, often with admirable craft, affords his customer a narrative structure and movement, and content that engages the reader — titillates, repulses, excites, transports him — without demanding of him any of the intellectual or spiritual or artistic responses that render verbal intercourse between writer and reader an important or even real activity." - from "Fictional Futures and the Conspicuously Young

Emotional literacy is the ability to translate our emotions into words so that our feelings and thoughts can be held out in the intellectual space between two people, shared and reflected on, so that we can think about what we’re feeling. It is a natural outgrowth of sound emotional development. To attain and maintain emotional sobriety, we need to learn to tolerate our strong feelings and translate those feelings into words.

The fact that Costa Rica comes top of the HPI is both surprising and interesting. The data tells us just how well they are doing. Average life expectancy is 78.5 years; this is higher than the US, where it is only 77.9 years. Its ecological footprint is only 2.3 gHa, less than half that of the UK and a quarter that of the US, and only just over its global fair share which would be 2.1gHa. Meanwhile, largely unnoticed, Costa Ricans actually have the highest life satisfaction score globally, according to the 2008 Gallup World Poll, at 8.5 out of 10.0. What are they doing right in Costa Rica? Why are they so satisfied with life? A full answer is worth a book of its own, but here some clues: – They have one of the most developed welfare systems outside of Scandinavia, with clean water and adult literacy almost universal. – The army was abolished in 1949 and the monies freed up are spent on social programs. – There is a strong “core economy” of social networks of family, friends, and neighborhoods made possible by a sensible work/life balance and equal treatment of women. – It is a beautiful country with rich, protected, natural capital. There is clearly much we can learn from Costa Rica, and that is before we consider its environmental credentials: 99% of electricity is from renewable resources (mainly hydro); there is a carbon tax on emissions; and deforestation has been dramatically reversed in the last 20 years.

The American experiment was based on the emergence in the second half of the eighteenth century of a fresh new possibility in human affairs: that the rule of reason could be sovereign. You could say that the age of print begat the Age of Reason which begat the age of democracy. The eighteenth century witnessed more and more ordinary citizens able to use knowledge as a source of power to mediate between wealth and privilege. The democratic logic inherent in these new trends was blunted and forestalled by the legacy structures of power in Europe. But the intrepid migrants who ventured across the Atlantic -- many of them motivated by a desire to escape the constraints of class and creed -- carried the potent seeds of the Enlightenment and planted them in the fertile soil of the New World. Our Founders understood this better than any others; they realized that a "well-informed citizenry" could govern itself and secure liberty for individuals by substituting reason for brute force. They decisively rejected the three-thousand-year-old superstitious belief in the divine right of kings to rule absolutely and arbitrarily. They reawakened the ancient Greek and Roman traditions of debating the wisest courses of action by exchanging information and opinions in new ways. Whether it is called a public forum or a public sphere or a marketplace of ideas, the reality of open and free public discussion and debate was considered central to the operation of our democracy in America's earliest decades. Our first self-expression as a nation -- "We the People" -- made it clear where the ultimate source of authority lay. It was universally understood that the ultimate check and balance for American government was its accountability to the people. And the public forum was the place where the people held the government accountable. That is why it was so important the marketplace for ideas operated independent from and beyond the authority of government. The three most important characteristics of this marketplace of ideas were the following: 1. It was open to every individual, with no barriers to entry save the necessity of literacy. This access, it is crucial to add, applied not only to the receipt of information but also the ability to contribute information directly into the flow of ideas that was available to all. 2. The fate of ideas contributed by individuals depended, for the most part, on an emergent meritocracy of ideas. Those judged by the market to be good rose to the top, regardless of the wealth or class of the individual responsible for them. 3. The accepted rules of discourse presumed that the participants were all governed by an unspoken duty to search for general agreement. That is what a "conversation of democracy" is all about.

What sort of things might constitute an agenda for further professional improvement? Beyond the sharing of the good, bad and the ugly in conversations in staff meetings and at professional development sessions, new vistas are opened up when we read about considered practice. Books such as Ron Berger’s Ethic of Excellence, Graham Nuthall’s The Hidden Lives of Learners, Shaun Allison and Andy Tharby’s Making Every Lesson Count, David Didau’s The Secret of Literacy, Gordon Stobart’s The Expert Learner, Willingham’s Why Don’t Students Like School, Shirley Clarke’s Outstanding Formative Assessment and Dylan Wiliam’s Embedded Formative Assessment. For starters. Then there are the educational blogs which provide quick insights into new thinking.

Whether it is called a public forum or a public sphere or a marketplace of ideas, the reality of open and free public discussion and debate was considered central to the operation of our democracy in America’s earliest decades. Our first self-expression as a nation—“We the People”—made it clear where the ultimate source of authority lay. It was universally understood that the ultimate check and balance for American government was its accountability to the people. And the public forum was the place where the people held the government accountable. That is why it was so important that the marketplace of ideas operated independent from and beyond the authority of government. The three most important characteristics of this marketplace of ideas were the following: It was open to every individual, with no barriers to entry save the necessity of literacy. This access, it is crucial to add, applied not only to the receipt of information but also to the ability to contribute information directly into the flow of ideas that was available to all. The fate of ideas contributed by individuals depended, for the most part, on an emergent meritocracy of ideas. Those judged by the market to be good rose to the top, regardless of the wealth or class of the individual responsible for them. The accepted rules of discourse presumed that the participants were all governed by an unspoken duty to search for general agreement. That is what a “conversation of democracy” is all about.

Ikeda:  Freedom of expression is the basis of liberty and democracy. Though the extent to which nations and communities allow for freedom of expression varies with cultural conditions, restrictions on it should be minimized. Maintaining a balance between freedom of expression and limiting expressions of violence, hatred and discrimination requires a holistic and positive approach, including both the legal system, self-regulation and education. Education is fundamental because it elevates the standards of both those who transmit and those who receive media information. In more concrete terms, media literacy – the ability to discriminate, evaluate, and apply media information – must be thoroughly improved. Education that achieves these ends in the home, the school and the community endows the general public with the autonomy to use and criticize the media independently. This is the best way to improve the media. Education should encourage people to regard the media in the spirit of critical, independent dialogue, thus preparing the ground for a culture of tolerance and peace.

Access is wealth. Literacy is wealth. Information is wealth, too. All can be used as medicine.

Beyond Books: Managing Your Money with PayPal WhatsApp:‪+1(272)4173584‬ Telegram:@Seo2Smm0 In the ever-shifting landscape of financial technology, one platform has consistently redefined how individuals handle, store, and transfer money—PayPal. Once regarded merely as a convenient way to pay for e-commerce purchases, it has evolved into a full-fledged ecosystem of financial services. Today, it is more than a transaction medium; it is a tool for empowerment, convenience, and strategic money management. This transformation makes Beyond Books: Managing Your Money with PayPal a narrative worth exploring deeply. The Rise of Digital Wallets The early 2000s marked the beginning of a new era. The days of scribbling checks and fumbling with coins were giving way to virtual payments. PayPal, in particular, became the symbol of this transition. At its inception, it served as a safe passage for online transactions—a kind of mediator between the buyer’s bank account and the merchant. Over time, it became synonymous with digital trust. But the platform did not rest there. It expanded. Its offerings grew from simple peer-to-peer transactions to a complex network that could manage savings, investments, international payments, and even credit. The narrative of Beyond Books: Managing Your Money with PayPal is essentially the chronicle of how a humble payments processor turned into a financial powerhouse. Simplicity Meets Security At the heart of PayPal’s appeal lies a paradox—simplicity married to complexity. The interface is intuitive, requiring minimal technological literacy. Yet beneath that smooth surface lies a labyrinth of security protocols: encryption systems, fraud monitoring, and AI-driven anomaly detection. Every transaction tells a story. For the user, it is a click and confirmation. For the system, it is an intricate ballet of identity verification, cross-border compliance checks, and fraud mitigation strategies. This delicate balance reassures everyday users that their funds are secure. Beyond Books: Managing Your Money with PayPal underscores how trust is the currency that sustains digital finance. PayPal as a Money Management Tool Managing money is not merely about transactions. It is about perspective, foresight, and adaptability. PayPal has woven itself into this fabric with tools that go beyond payments. Consider its budgeting features, transaction histories, and integration with external applications. Together, these allow users to monitor inflows and outflows, track expenses, and build a narrative of financial behavior. For freelancers and small business owners, the platform doubles as an accounting assistant. Invoices can be generated, payments tracked, and statements exported. What was once the domain of expensive software is now accessible at the touch of a button. This democratization of financial management makes the concept of Beyond Books: Managing Your Money with PayPal more than aspirational—it is practical. Global Connectivity Borders often hinder traditional finance. But PayPal erases those boundaries. Whether one is sending money to family abroad, purchasing goods from an overseas merchant, or receiving payments from international clients, the platform bridges gaps that banks struggle to fill. The ability to transact in multiple currencies without drowning in paperwork is a modern marvel. What once required wire transfers, days of waiting, and hefty fees can now be accomplished instantly. Here lies another facet of Beyond Books: Managing Your Money with PayPal: the fusion of global accessibility with local convenience. The Subtleties of Hidden Fees However, no financial tool is without its shadows. While PayPal advertises simplicity, it conceals a complex fee structure beneath its polished surface. Transaction fees, conversion charges, and withdrawal costs often surprise new users. These hidden costs remind us that convenience comes at a price.

The Art of Secure Transactions: Lessons from PayPal WhatsApp:‪+1(272)4173584‬ Telegram:@Seo2Smm0 Security has always been the unseen architecture of finance. Whether in the form of locks on a merchant’s chest in medieval marketplaces or today’s layers of digital encryption, protection of value is central to human commerce. Few companies embody this principle as vividly as PayPal. Its trajectory from a fledgling online payment facilitator to a global financial stronghold is, in many ways, a masterclass in trust engineering. To understand digital security in practice is to engage with The Art of Secure Transactions: Lessons from PayPal. The Genesis of Trust in the Digital Realm When online shopping began to take shape in the late 1990s, hesitation loomed large. Shoppers were reluctant to type credit card numbers into a web browser. What if someone intercepted them? What if the website was fraudulent? Against this backdrop, PayPal emerged not simply as a payment processor, but as a guardian of trust. It introduced a new paradigm: the user no longer had to hand sensitive information to every merchant. Instead, PayPal acted as a shield, standing between the buyer and the seller. This innovation transformed the psychology of online commerce. The Art of Secure Transactions: Lessons from PayPal begins here—with the recognition that security is as much about perception as it is about protocols. Layers of Protection: More Than Passwords The strength of PayPal lies in its layered approach. Security is never a single wall; it is a fortress built with multiple barriers. Encryption transforms financial details into unreadable codes. Firewalls separate internal systems from external threats. Machine learning algorithms track unusual behavior, flagging anomalies in real time. Beyond the technical, PayPal emphasizes user control: two-factor authentication, device recognition, and instant transaction notifications. Each layer complements the other, creating a holistic environment. In examining The Art of Secure Transactions: Lessons from PayPal, it becomes clear that the lesson is not in one tool, but in the interplay of many. Buyer and Seller Protection: Codifying Fairness One of PayPal’s most significant innovations is its dispute resolution system. Buyers hesitant to trust unknown sellers suddenly had a recourse. Sellers facing fraudulent claims also had protections. This two-sided commitment created balance in an ecosystem notorious for asymmetry. The very existence of buyer and seller protection expanded the frontier of online commerce. Small merchants could now sell with confidence, and customers dared to purchase from unfamiliar marketplaces. The system, while not flawless, codified fairness into the digital transaction process. In The Art of Secure Transactions: Lessons from PayPal, this becomes a cornerstone: true security must safeguard both sides of the exchange. Lessons in User Education No system, however robust, can succeed if users are careless. Phishing scams, fake websites, and social engineering remain potent threats. PayPal recognized this early and invested heavily in user education—guides, alerts, and reminders that vigilance is a shared responsibility. This is one of the quieter, often overlooked lessons. Security is not merely technical; it is behavioral. A careless click on a fraudulent link can undermine the most sophisticated encryption. Thus, The Art of Secure Transactions: Lessons from PayPal is also an education in digital literacy. The Psychology of Safety Security extends beyond code. It resides in how users feel when they transact. PayPal’s success lies partly in its ability to make users comfortable. Simple interfaces, clear confirmation messages, and visible reassurances all contribute to a sense of safety.

The richest investor is the one who no longer checks his balance.