Tag Archives: Bryce Romig

Teachers take initiative to enhance teaching methods

By Blake Dykes and Bryce Romig

Editor’s Note: To read a related story on this topic check out senior Meghan Poff’s story on academic strategies in Friday’s print Bagpiper.

With many education reforms and debates about the most effective teaching methods, opinions vary on which are most effective. These various teaching techniques are used throughout FC as a way to engage students and increase their learning and long-term memory on the subject.

According to AP psychology teacher Chad Clunie, direct instruction, power points, and visual interaction are effective because they allow the teacher to cover a lot of information in a short period of time. Project-based activities are best for kinesthetic learners and encourage long term learning. The downfall is that it takes longer, and unless the teacher points the student in the right direction he may not grasp the information.

Earth space teacher Tim Korte shared his experience with hands-on learning activities.

Junior Brandon Albin presents his project on World War II in William Russell's U.S. history class. Photo by Bryce Romig.
Junior Brandon Albin presents his project on World War II in William Russell’s U.S. history class. Photo by Bryce Romig.

“I would love hands-on learning, but the majority of the students would not get the material on their own. I think most of our student population is good. For as boring as lecture can be, most students take it in and comprehend as I lecture.”

However, other teachers put a bigger emphasis on group projects and activities that engage students.

“I think you have to have both (lecture and projects). It’s hard to introduce a topic without a lecture. But after 10 minutes it’s hard to keep their attention,” said Latin teacher Tim Harbison.

Harbison also shared that he has an advantage when communicating with his students and teaching them.

“I think kids tend to pay attention when they have a better relationship with the teacher. I have an advantage because I have some of the same kids years in a row. I don’t think it’s as much as how I teach besides just having a good relationship with the kids.”

Some students feel that combining the methods is the most efficient way.

“It depends on the class and what you’re learning. For me, projects help when they’re applicable. Lectures are better where intellectual concepts are concerned, like psychology for example.” said senior Andrew Sung.

While some like a mixture, others strictly prefer one method over the other.

“I prefer lecture better because I feel the teacher’s explains it better than if we are left on our own to understand. With projects I am often left confused,” said sophomore Emily Harbeson.

Harbeson added that she disliked when the teacher goes around the room calling on every person for a different answer because she does not absorb the information.

Although students all learn differently, most agree that they learn best when the teacher puts extra effort into applying examples to real life.

“I think one where the teacher interacts with the class is most effective because it gets the student interested in the topic,” said freshman Morgan Paul.

Teachers are taking action to help enhance their teaching by collaborating and following the new education plan distributed by the administration.

Assistant principal Rob Willman shared the new learning guide that was given to each teacher. The guide is divided into four squares: higher and lower relevance, higher rigor and higher relevance, lower rigor and lower relevance, and lower rigor and higher relevance. Willman explained that it is important for each teacher to spend a little time in each quadrant, but most often than not he wants teachers to focus on higher rigor and higher relevance.

He continued to explain the importance of this quadrant.

“I saw a poster the other day of these people asking others when they learned the most. And the people said elementary school. Then they were asked what that looked like, and they said, ‘Groups of people in a circle reading. High school looked like desks and rows’.”

“In the real world you have a group of people sitting around a table and sharing ideas. Group learning is important,” said Willman.

Beyond just the learning aspect of education, the testing of that knowledge is an important role in students’ everyday lives.

For teachers, tests are a way for them to assess their students overall understanding of a topic, for students it can sometimes be more of a pain and mostly memorization.

“Testing is not as helpful as most would think because everyone cares more about the grade than learning. But it is the best way that we know to test knowledge for now,” said Sung.

Clunie shared that sometimes how well a student performs on a test could really just depend on the day.

“Yes they are effective, and no. Testing allows us (teachers) to compare students. It’s just one test on one day. You can have a really good day or a really bad day. Some students perform better under pressure. There are far better ways to measure if a student learned something, but the problem is how do we compare that to other students. Overall, they are just a small picture of what students know or don’t know.”

While some teachers think that it depends on the student, Harbison thinks that it depends on the test itself.

“If a test is constructed correctly where they have to apply things and not just puke things back up, then I think it is effective.”

Overall, there is not just one right way to teach or just one right way to assess knowledge; however, teachers and faculty are trying to find what methods are more effective than others.

Willman shared the staffs’ goals and standards for the future.

“Our biggest initiative we talk about with the faculty, is how are we going to get better? Does your grade measure what it’s supposed to measure?”

On-line Connection: Waverly Hills offers frightful experiences

By Rachel Nguyen

Waverly Hills Sanatarium is located on 4400 Paralee Lane in Louisville, Kentucky. At first sight, it appears to be an old abandoned building, but its walls hold a much more gruesome history.

In the 1900s, Waverly Hills had the highest Tuberculosis death rate in the country, almost 63,000. One of the most infamous features of the sanatorium was the “Body Chute,” which was built to store the bodies of deceased patients. The chute originally stretched a frightening 525 feet underground, a death tunnel where bodies would be transported on carts to the bottom of the chute, and family members could get the patient’s body or have it cremated.

Sophomore Hunter Hampton has visited Waverly Hills Sanatorium and strongly believes some of the deceased patients are still lurking the dark corridors.

Hampton not only visited Waverly Hills; he spent the night there.

“All night I swear I heard children whispering. I’d hear kids’ laughter. I took pictures throughout the night, and a lot of them had those white orbs in the pictures. If everyone would visit some of these places, they would probably change their mind,” said Hampton.

In 1910, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was built in Louisville, Kentucky as a Tuberculosis hospital and recovery center. Though Waverly was intended for good measures, there were rumors that hinted otherwise.

“I am convinced Waverly Hills is haunted,” said Paige McKinley, a woman who recently toured the building.

Unknown figure caught by  Paige Mckinley, a guest on the Waverly Hills tour. Photo by Paige Mckinley.
Unknown figure caught by Paige Mckinley, a guest on the Waverly Hills tour. Photo by Paige Mckinley.

It was said that the reason for keeping this method of disposal so inconspicuous was for the patients’ sakes; they did not want the patients to lose hope due to the large number of hearses driving up or the piles of bodies accumulating.

When I took the tour, it was a warm summer night around dusk. It seemed as the sun dipped lower in the sky and the tour progressed, the many once laughable ghost stories became more and more realistic. We had the opportunity to venture down into the depths of the ominous body chute, which was just as bleak and morbid as it had been described. I trekked down the tunnel, water seeping from the walls and the air becoming stale and humid. The idea that thousands of corpses had been in this very spot was disturbing, and the silence was unsettling. I wanted to learn more about the patients and their life at Waverly.

The tour guides had expressed that the methods of treatment were not only obsolete, but were sometimes brutal, painful operations that often resulted in death.

One of the typical treatments at the time was shock therapy, where the patients would be strapped down, and the doctors would “shock” the sickness out of them. The actual room used for the shock therapies and other archaic and experimental operations are visited in the tour.

When further research about Waverly was conducted, negative aspects shared on the tour seemed to be somewhat sugarcoated. There were reports of patient abuse, staff suicides, and child seclusion.

The children had to sleep and play in a specific sector of the building; on the top floor, a room with windows that was adjacent to the room for the mentally handicapped. There are many reports about hearing children’s voices and laughter in this sector. Another strange encounter is that on occasion, if a ball is rolled to one end of a hallway, it will roll back to where you are.

There is a room in Waverly Hills that is known for it’s dark story and stands as a twisted legend; Room 502. It is on the top floor, a room simply used for staff maintenance and storage, but it holds a deadly past of its own.

 Waverly had to be quarantined, so it was like a small town of its own, gossip and all. A nurse supposedly got pregnant out of wedlock, and soon enough the whole town knew about it. She later hanged herself in room 502. Then, even more surprisingly,  a nurse who worked in room 502 committed suicide by jumping from the top of the building, right outside of the room. The reasons still remain unknown. Coincidence. . .or not?

 Waverly Hills Sanatorium arguably remains one of the most questioned and distinctively haunted places to visit; however, New Albany has its fair share of paranormal activity as well.

Teachers and students share even more paranormal beliefs

By Bryce Romig

The Old Central Hotel, now known as Habana Blues, is widely known for its ghostly encounters. Many customers and guests complain of seeing a small girl running around the building, mainly the third floor.  The young girl was said to have killed by a car accident right outside of the hotel. Many suicides, murders, and crimes have happened on the third floor, according to local historian Gregg Seidl.

Orbs can be seen on the top left and right of the photo which was taken on the third floor of the Habana Blues restaurant.
Orbs can be seen on the top left and right of the photo which was taken on the third floor of the Habana Blues restaurant. Photo by Bryce Romig.

Paranormal activity also impacts the lives of FC students.

 Junior Emily Shumate shared her experience with a paranormal entity.

“My mom and I will hear a kid crying when there are no kids in my house. I’ll see things go past me when I’m home alone. Sometimes when I’m in bed, I can feel something sitting at the end of it. I consider a ghost to be a spirit who was not ready to pass on,” said Shumate.

Not everyone has always been a firm believer of spiritual existence.

 “I was a skeptic for years, until I actually saw a ghost. That made me a strong believer,” said senior Gavin Sodders.

Sodders went on to tell a story that switched his views.

“My friend’s house is haunted and one day, we literally saw a ghost. I walked out of his basement I saw it turn and walk around to the other side of the wall and out the garage door. When I looked a few seconds later, it was gone. Most of my friends have either heard it or seen something in that house. We’ve seen some unexplainable things.”

Instructional aide Amy Preston has experienced paranormal encounters of her own.

“I have had a personal experience. I believe in my case they are loved ones whose spirits remain to guide me and look over me in this life. I also believe that there are other spirits which are trapped here due to the violent or untimely nature of their deaths.”

Chemistry teacher Jennifer Gohmann is another believer of paranormal activity.

“I believe that there is a great deal of energy in the universe and that this energy could be the cause of spirits or abnormal occurrences.”

Gohman also decided to share some of her eerie experiences.

“Some people would consider my experiences creepy, I just think that they are annoying. From my research I have experienced a type of dream that continues when you are almost awake. In these instances I wake up thinking that there is a person standing at the foot of my bed or in the hall outside my room. On several occasions it seems to be a man in a hooded sweatshirt, one time it appeared to be a female soldier standing outside of my son’s room.”

Insidious: Chapter 2 fails to capture the nerve-wracking plot of the original

By Christian Dimartino and Bryce Romig

There is a vicious cycle when it comes to scary movies. The original is released, it becomes an instant classic with a large fanbase; however, most of the time, the filmmakers do not leave the original alone. Instead, the director brings along a new form of terror: a sequel. About 99.99 percent of the time, the sequel never lives up to the original. So, going into James Wan’s Insidious: Chapter 2, the burning question on the viewers’ mind is this: Can it top the original?

Insidious, Wan’s 2011 movie that slowly gathered a cult like following, was one of the more effective scary movies in recent history. Wan hit another slam-dunk back in July with The Conjuring, an even better movie (and very successful and even critically acclaimed) which is among the year’s best.  So, there is a lot of hype to live up to. But did he do it?

The sequel takes place directly after the events of the original. The Lambert family is trying to move on with their lives and recover from the events they had previously been through. But of course, since this is a sequel to a scary movie, the recovering doesn’t last very long. The wife Renai (the always terrific Rose Bryne) starts to notice strange occurrences again, including the behavior of her husband Josh (Patrick Wilson, the most overlooked actor in Hollywood), who she doesn’t reallytrust, due to events of the previous film.

Warning: Do not see this movie without seeing the original. It is not worth it. For confusion sake, just sit down and watch the original. The sequel will not be completely confusing, but either way the original is worth seeing. The original has a solid plot that is crucial to the second.

It’s always nice to see good acting in a scary movie. Like in the original, Wilson and Byrne nail it. The statement about Wilson being the most overlooked actor in Hollywood is true. This guy is great in Hard Candy, Little Children, Lakeview Terrace, among others, and he is still not a household name. Neither is the gorgeous Byrne, who is known for FX’s Damages and Bridesmaids. These two are in top form here. Everyone’s acting is solid, and it is nice to have almost everyone from the original (even Lin Shaye’s deceased character Elise).

At the end of the day, Insidious: Chapter 2 is not quite as captivating as the original. For Wan, this is a step down from the original Insidious and The Conjuring. Jumping out of your skin is guaranteed, yet the movie needed something more chilling. It needed more of Tiny Tim’s “Tiptoe through the Tulips” or the freaky demon that had a close resemblance to Darth Maul.

It is a good movie, but some of it is uneven. Not quite all of it adds up. Also, the twist, while good, is out there, even for this movie. Insidious: Chapter 2, though flawed, is a consistently entertaining movie that is worth seeing. It works, just not as well as the original. But Insidious: Chapter 3, if it happens, is pushing it.

Regardless of a hard to follow plot and somewhat confusing storyline, Insidious: Chapter 2 is definitely going to leave you paranoid at night.

Rating: 7.5/10

Long term tanning leads to harmful consequences

By Bryce Romig

Ever since Coco Chanel accidentally became tan on a yacht in the Mediterranean, people around the world have adopted it as one of the many signs of beauty and health.

Everywhere you go across the United States, you are almost guaranteed to find a tanning salon. The tanning salon industry has been booming since the nineties, and the industry continues to grow each year. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the tanning industry brings in a surprising revenue of over 2.6 billion dollars. With tanning popularity on the rise, many dermatologists are trying to get to the root of the problem; teenagers.

“I feel more comfortable tan. It gives me a confidence boost,” said freshman Alexus Potts.

Coco Chanel made the tan a popular trademark of beauty and health. The irony of that statement is evident, tanning destroys health. When skin is exposed to UVA and UVB rays, the light penetrates the skin and stimulates melanocytes to produce melanin. Your skin absorbs these rays to protect them from penetrating deeper and doing further damage. Melanin is a dark brown color, and it acts as a wall so more UVA and UVB rays cannot pass through. This is what develops the dark color.

“Tanning is really relaxing and a good stress reliever. I can’t stand being pale.” said senior Margo Becht.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, tanning raises your chances of getting skin cancer by 75 percent. When you expose your skin repeatedly to ultraviolet light without protection, your body develops moles due to the excess melanin. These moles, can be cancerous.

“I do plan on stopping soon. I don’t want my chances of getting cancer to go up. I don’t want to age prematurely either,” said sophomore Kortney Graham.

Tanning can also have numerous effects on your appearance as well. While your tan may look fantastic now, down the long road you could develop wrinkles and sun spots faster than the average human. According to the FDA Promote Health website, the UV rays break down the collagen in your skin. Collagen is responsible for keeping your skin from sagging. When collagen is depleted, wrinkles form.

“According to doctors, it’s really harmful to your skin. Tanning too much can cause your skin to look and feel leathery,” said FC nurse aide Earlene King.

Dermatologists strongly recommend buying a sunscreen with an SPF of fifteen or higher. It should be used year round according to dermatologists at the American Melanoma Foundation.

“I think people go overboard with tanning. I think not enough people are informed with the risks they are taking to achieve what society perceives as beautiful,” said sophomore Kaydi Marler.

If you want to achieve a nice glow without the harmful effects, try getting a spray tan or using a self tanning lotion. While most people believe they will have pumpkin orange palms, self tanning has come a long way since then and updated and improved their formulas.

“If you are confident in you as a person, your skin color shouldn’t affect your confidence. If you want to be tan, be tan. Just don’t forget to remember the harmful effects that come along with the tan. If you are truly confident with yourself as a person, you will realize skin doesn’t matter,” said Marler.