Lisa Orchard's Blog - Posts Tagged "espionage"
A great review for "The Super Spies and the High School Bomber"!
This is a review from Paperbacks and Frosting! Check it out! It made my day! :)
My review: After reading the first novel in the series I couldn’t wait for more! This book definitely didn’t disappoint. The action kicked in right away and had me on on the edge of my seat through the entire thing. There’s something about the way these books are written that has me biting my nails and feeling nervous for these girls in every situation they get themselves into. I just love the characters in these novels. They have this incredible way of finding their way into extremely dangerous situations, but they do it in such a way that is completely believable. They also each have distinct personalities that I really enjoy reading about. The storyline is very original and it is different from a lot of the books I read and I think that’s part of what made me enjoy this book and the previous one. They’re books that will keep you turning the pages and escaping reality for a couple hours. I read this novel in basically one sitting, I was that hooked! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for action and adventure! I would recommend this to young adults or adults wishing to relive their childhood a little bit while embarking on a literary adventure! I do think the writing has improved from the previous novel and that the action was even greater. This novel is definitely worth the read and I hope so see much more in the future!
My review: After reading the first novel in the series I couldn’t wait for more! This book definitely didn’t disappoint. The action kicked in right away and had me on on the edge of my seat through the entire thing. There’s something about the way these books are written that has me biting my nails and feeling nervous for these girls in every situation they get themselves into. I just love the characters in these novels. They have this incredible way of finding their way into extremely dangerous situations, but they do it in such a way that is completely believable. They also each have distinct personalities that I really enjoy reading about. The storyline is very original and it is different from a lot of the books I read and I think that’s part of what made me enjoy this book and the previous one. They’re books that will keep you turning the pages and escaping reality for a couple hours. I read this novel in basically one sitting, I was that hooked! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for action and adventure! I would recommend this to young adults or adults wishing to relive their childhood a little bit while embarking on a literary adventure! I do think the writing has improved from the previous novel and that the action was even greater. This novel is definitely worth the read and I hope so see much more in the future!
Cheating an Epidemic in our Schools
Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’m back after a two week Halloween Party. It was a blast! And I want to take just a minute and thank all the wonderful authors and contestants who participated in our event. I hope you had a great time and we’ll try and brew up some new and exciting events in the months to come. So stay tuned!
The topic that I want to discuss today is cheating. I posted this on my blog yesterday and I thought I should share it will all of you today. :)
From my research, I’m finding that cheating is a way of life in our schools today. At first, I was surprised by this but then I looked back on my own high school days, and realized that cheating was prevalent back then too.
Back in my day, (not so long ago, wink) I remember a certain football player who wanted to copy my answers on a test in health class. The teacher had left the room and there was a debate between all the students. Half of them wanted me to let him copy my answers and the other half didn’t. What a dilemma I was in, because I liked him and considered him a friend, but I didn’t want to get caught cheating.
Luckily, the teacher returned, and the class settled down. I didn’t have to make that decision. But what about kids who do? From what I’ve learned, it’s becoming easier and easier to cheat. It’s almost the norm nowadays. There is tremendous pressure on teens to get good grades and many are taking the quickest route to success.
And it’s hard for parents to caution against the perils of cheating when kids get away with it and are rewarded with good grades. And isn’t that the goal? Good grades?
What makes the process even more difficult is that these students see adults cheating as well. In fact, what do you do when your own school does it? In this article, http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/07/06/i...
Authorities found that educators in Atlanta were changing test answers on students’ tests in order to get a better score. Officials suspect this is a widespread problem brought on by the initiative “No child left behind” where teachers can suffer salary cuts and lose their job if their class doesn’t meet the requirements specified by this initiative.
So what’s the answer to the cheating epidemic that seems to be a problem not only among students but teachers as well?
In my opinion, the problem is that we’ve become a results oriented society. Our society is sending this message and our kids are smart…they’re picking it up loud and clear, and that message is…we don’t care how you get the best score…it only matters that you get it.
How very sad. We’re not doing our children any favors by sending this message. We need to shift that focus from results to the learning process. That’s right. :) We need our kids to be graded on how much they’ve learned or improved and let’s make learning fun again! I mean when they were babies those kids were curious they wanted to learn. Now, that curiosity has been snuffed out because society says you’ve got to learn these specific things and you’ve got to achieve this result. I don’t know about you, but for me that takes all the fun out of it!
I know what you’re thinking, how in the world are we going to do that? That is a good question and I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve got some ideas. :) In my opinion, as parents we need to focus on the strengths of each of our children. And we need to work in conjunction with educators in developing those strengths. I believe that our kids will grow up with healthier self-esteem and more confidence because they were able to develop these strengths.
There’s a great book available written by Jenifer Fox, M. Ed., titled “Your Child’s Strengths” and it’s a great resource for parents and teachers. We need to start there and create an educational environment that allows each child to develop their strengths. By doing this, we’ll eliminate the cheating problem we have in our schools today.
You can find the book in many book stores or on Amazon. Here’s the link.
http://www.amazon.com/Your-Childs-Str...
I know what you’re thinking…that’s going to be hard to do. You’re right it is…we’d have to revamp the whole educational system…but aren’t our kids worth it?
I’d love to hear any other ideas or thoughts on the topic. Feel free to leave a comment and thanks for stopping by!
The topic that I want to discuss today is cheating. I posted this on my blog yesterday and I thought I should share it will all of you today. :)
From my research, I’m finding that cheating is a way of life in our schools today. At first, I was surprised by this but then I looked back on my own high school days, and realized that cheating was prevalent back then too.
Back in my day, (not so long ago, wink) I remember a certain football player who wanted to copy my answers on a test in health class. The teacher had left the room and there was a debate between all the students. Half of them wanted me to let him copy my answers and the other half didn’t. What a dilemma I was in, because I liked him and considered him a friend, but I didn’t want to get caught cheating.
Luckily, the teacher returned, and the class settled down. I didn’t have to make that decision. But what about kids who do? From what I’ve learned, it’s becoming easier and easier to cheat. It’s almost the norm nowadays. There is tremendous pressure on teens to get good grades and many are taking the quickest route to success.
And it’s hard for parents to caution against the perils of cheating when kids get away with it and are rewarded with good grades. And isn’t that the goal? Good grades?
What makes the process even more difficult is that these students see adults cheating as well. In fact, what do you do when your own school does it? In this article, http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/07/06/i...
Authorities found that educators in Atlanta were changing test answers on students’ tests in order to get a better score. Officials suspect this is a widespread problem brought on by the initiative “No child left behind” where teachers can suffer salary cuts and lose their job if their class doesn’t meet the requirements specified by this initiative.
So what’s the answer to the cheating epidemic that seems to be a problem not only among students but teachers as well?
In my opinion, the problem is that we’ve become a results oriented society. Our society is sending this message and our kids are smart…they’re picking it up loud and clear, and that message is…we don’t care how you get the best score…it only matters that you get it.
How very sad. We’re not doing our children any favors by sending this message. We need to shift that focus from results to the learning process. That’s right. :) We need our kids to be graded on how much they’ve learned or improved and let’s make learning fun again! I mean when they were babies those kids were curious they wanted to learn. Now, that curiosity has been snuffed out because society says you’ve got to learn these specific things and you’ve got to achieve this result. I don’t know about you, but for me that takes all the fun out of it!
I know what you’re thinking, how in the world are we going to do that? That is a good question and I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve got some ideas. :) In my opinion, as parents we need to focus on the strengths of each of our children. And we need to work in conjunction with educators in developing those strengths. I believe that our kids will grow up with healthier self-esteem and more confidence because they were able to develop these strengths.
There’s a great book available written by Jenifer Fox, M. Ed., titled “Your Child’s Strengths” and it’s a great resource for parents and teachers. We need to start there and create an educational environment that allows each child to develop their strengths. By doing this, we’ll eliminate the cheating problem we have in our schools today.
You can find the book in many book stores or on Amazon. Here’s the link.
http://www.amazon.com/Your-Childs-Str...
I know what you’re thinking…that’s going to be hard to do. You’re right it is…we’d have to revamp the whole educational system…but aren’t our kids worth it?
I’d love to hear any other ideas or thoughts on the topic. Feel free to leave a comment and thanks for stopping by!
I'm going to be on a Radio Show! Whoo Hoo!
Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m going to be on the radio tomorrow at 5:00 PM EST! I’m really excited about this! You can call in and ask me any question you want! Here’s the link! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/webbweav...
I’ll be talking about “The Super Spies” series!
So call in and chat with me! I'd love to hear from you! Below is the cover of the first book in the series!
The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer
I’ll be talking about “The Super Spies” series!
So call in and chat with me! I'd love to hear from you! Below is the cover of the first book in the series!
The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer
A Yummy New Dessert for the Holidays! It has chocolate! :)
Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I've got a new dessert that is a family favorite for the holidays. I thought I'd share it with you! :) So, check it out and let me know what you think! I'd love to hear from you!
LORNA DOONE DESSERT
1 package Lorna Doone Cookies (or any shortbread cookies will do)
Add melted butter to cookies (approximately ¼ to ½ cup)
1 7 oz package of chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons of Sugar
2 ½ Tablespoons of water
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg whites
Crush the Lorna Doone cookies and add melted butter to the crust. Put crust in 10” baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until crust starts to brown. Remove from heat and cool.
Combine chocolate chips, sugar, and water in double boiler until blended. Remove from heat and add egg yolks, beat after each one. Add vanilla and chill slightly. (I usually stick it in the refrigerator until the pan feels cool approximately 10 to 15 minutes.)
Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into chocolate mixture. Spread over cookie crust and top with whip cream.
I usually double this and put it in a 9x13 dish.
LORNA DOONE DESSERT
1 package Lorna Doone Cookies (or any shortbread cookies will do)
Add melted butter to cookies (approximately ¼ to ½ cup)
1 7 oz package of chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons of Sugar
2 ½ Tablespoons of water
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg whites
Crush the Lorna Doone cookies and add melted butter to the crust. Put crust in 10” baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until crust starts to brown. Remove from heat and cool.
Combine chocolate chips, sugar, and water in double boiler until blended. Remove from heat and add egg yolks, beat after each one. Add vanilla and chill slightly. (I usually stick it in the refrigerator until the pan feels cool approximately 10 to 15 minutes.)
Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into chocolate mixture. Spread over cookie crust and top with whip cream.
I usually double this and put it in a 9x13 dish.
