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The Oxford Observer

Marathon Mania

4/13/2014

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Caroline, my godfather's wife, was running in the London Marathon today (we went to register for it the other day) so we went into the city to see her torturing herself! Mobilizing the group was tough but we managed to get out on time (even with the dog in tow).

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After we came into London on the train, we headed out to Greenwich with the intent of standing near the Cutty Sark. We did find a spot very close to the 7 mile marker, further down the marathon's route from the famous ship. Caroline and her friend Annie did know we would be in the vicinity, but to make it easier for them to spot us, we used a "Big Red" from The Citadel! There were some great costumes as well, ranging from the obvious (Superman, Spiderman, etc.) to the absurd (bananas, rhinos, men dressed as brides, the list goes on and on).

Thanks to the flag (which Caroline later said stood out like a sore thumb), the pair found us and the first stage of our mission was a success. From Greenwich, we took the DLR (Docklands Light Railway, similar to a monorail) to Mudchute, the best name for a station since Shepherd's Bush (how good does a piece of shrubbery need to be for them to name a station after it?). Right behind the 17 mile marker we had some lunch and met up with friends whose runner (Jimmy from Long Island, NY oddly enough) was raising money for the same cause as Caroline and Annie. First Jimmy ran by, then Caroline, then Annie.
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I should mention, the reason we knew when to look for them was thanks to the "Track a Runner" function on my phone. This would track them every 5 kilometers and publish the time on their individual page. Only one problem: they didn't have kilometers posted anywhere, only mile-markers. This meant that the process included converting kilometers to miles, then estimating the time they would arrive around that kilometer mark based on their previous pace. I hadn't done this much mental math in a LONG time, but I was accurate to within 2 or 3 minutes, so I consider that a success.
After Mudchute, we got back on the DLR and headed to Westferry, only a few stops away and somewhere between the 20 and 21 mile marks. Our spot here was not right up against the rail (like our others were), nor was it one of our planned locations at which Caroline knew to look for us. As a result, I went farther up the course to act as a scout and to try and spot Annie or Caroline and let the others know one of them was coming. Somehow I did manage to see them and we were able to say hello! I also got to see a celebrity at this stop, but he's in a fairly obscure (but hilarious) British show and while I recognized him, I couldn't quite place where I knew him from until I was well past him on the stairs. Since we were in a rush, I didn't have time to get his autograph (although the show he's in) but I did snap a quick picture of him from afar.
After taking the train back into Central London, we headed to Caroline's sponsor organization's room where we met up with Caroline and the other runners. All-in-all it was a great day out and we all had a lot of fun!
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Fantastic "Phys Ed"

2/3/2014

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I was reading one of my sources for a tutorial paper on social class and its effect on British education in the first half of the 20th century, and came across a great tidbit about Physical Education.
"The key to the teacher's work, it argued, was knowledge of the child's body. Physical education, so well catered for in the independent schools to which politicians send their own sons, was still woefully neglected in public elementary schools.
- Richard Aldrich, A Century of Education (2002), pg. 14-15
Now here's my annoyance:

In the 1900s, they KNEW physical education for children was "woefully neglected in public elementary schools" and IT STILL IS! Camps like the ones below (run by UK Elite) are great for kids, but they are only in the summer! We need to have more physical education and time for kids to expel energy in our schools, like I've mentioned they have at St. John's, Leatherhead.
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The Sports Stumper

1/25/2014

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On February 28, 2012, I had the privilege to be on the Mendham High School Fencing Team when we beat Columbia High School (with a record of 49-0 over three years) for the title of State Champions in the State Finals. Joining the fencing team my freshman year was definitely a leap (or a lunge) of faith, but not only did I make lifelong friends, I got into great shape and was able to help represent my school in the state finals. Granted, I was running the cheering section with my sister Lea Fuscaldo, but I was helping nonetheless!

I am 100% in favor of school athletic programs. In fact, in my last post, I commented on how little physical activity kids get in a day at school! I will continue to champion the right of children to go run around and exercise, I will never prevent them from doing so.
Mrs. Obama is focusing her efforts on eating healthy, which is important, but kids don't want to eat healthy! More of them prefer to expel their energies running around and doing things they consider to be fun. The NFL's Play 60 is much more effective, I think, at combating childhood obesity. It even SOUNDS more fun: it has the word "play" in it!

But anyway, that's besides the point.

Picturehttp://deadspin.com/infographic-is-your-states-highest-paid-employee-a-co-489635228
Sports, as much as it may kill some people to say it, are NOT the focus of schools. Yes, many high school athletes get recruited on full scholarships to play in colleges, but even this admirable goal is becoming increasingly problematic. When the highest paid public employees in most states is a sports coach, it's clear we spend too much on sports, and not enough on education (see right).

With America in the midst of a fiscal crisis, we should be cutting down on spending our money on entertainment and putting the crucial funds towards education!

NEWSFLASH: Education is more important than sport teams!

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Stretched School Days?

1/23/2014

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New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, in his "State of the State" speech in mid-January, touted longer school days and a longer school year. I think he has a good point!

Here's the key issue I'm going to dispel: longer school days are not worse, as long as they increase the length of the right activities.

For example, two of my cousins in the UK go to a school in Surrey called St. John's School, Leatherhead. They get to school around 8:30 in the morning, and get picked up from school at 5:15pm.
St. John's School, Leatherhead
The length of their school day is not adversely affecting their education, in fact I would contend they easily learn more than most American students do in one day. Their day is not filled with more lesson times, in fact their lessons blocks are all 40 minutes long, shorter than many American schools. What they have more of is exercise!

Although I will delve more deeply into St. John's School later, but here's a quote from a current pupil, my cousin Joe:
On Tuesdays and Thursdays after lunch at 2pm, we have a session of games until 3.30. On Tuesdays after games, we have activites which are usually sport, like badminton, squash, fives [A game like squash, plaayed with the hands]. Then on Thursdays after games we have CCF (Combined Cadet Force). Then on Friday, we have another sports session after lessons.
The point is, if you asked an American student how much physical activity they get during school, they might mention 15 minutes at lunch for "recess" and maybe 40 minutes of gym every other day. Kids, especially boys, need to get out and run around every day, lest they completely lose their focus and ability to concentrate.

In high school, I got the privilege of helping out at "Back to School Night" where parents go to schools and meet their teachers, progressing through a mock version of their student's day. Each teacher's presentation was shortened to approximately 10 minutes. Boy was I shocked at how many parents had more difficulty sitting still than their children!

No one can sit around for hours and listen to oftentimes boring lessons without being able to get up and exercise. The fact that we force children to is absurd!

My main point: I'm all for longer school days, just with more exercise rather than longer lessons.
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2012 Sports Illustrated SportsKids of the Year

1/20/2014

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Just got shared to me on Facebook and I felt like I had to post it! Make sure you have your tissues ready...

To connect it in some way to "education":
This is a great example of how integrating children with disabilities into mainstream schools affects both sets of children! I am all for getting these kids together because they can all learn from each other, many times without any prompting at all. Kids naturally want to play with other kids, they have the ability to look past physical defects and see "what's on the inside". And you know what? Conner is a pretty cool kid, and so is his brother Cayden.
See more US News from ABC | World News
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/boy-cerebral-palsy-competes-triathlon-16909373
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