History of education Essay Example for Free

History of education Essay John Gatto is a New York City seventh grade teacher with remarkable accolades. Because of his impressive accolades as a teacher and citizen, his words are not taken lightly. As a result of his spotlight, he has come up with a list of seven lessons that no syllabus will ever include, but Gatto insists that they form the core of our educational curriculum today. While he does not agree with the lessons himself, they are being taught nationwide and he insists â€Å"that schools have traded their educational function for one of social coordination†(Gatto 1). First, Mr. Gatto explains that he teaches confusion. That is, he teaches the idea of un-relating everything and making disconnections or teaching too much all at one time. He states â€Å"educators persist in the idea that it is better to leave school with a tool kit of superficial jargon derived from economics, sociology, math, sociology, and natural science, rather than one genuine enthusiasm†(Gatto 2). Rather than studying one or two genuine passions, students are trained to attempt to learn them all even if they don’t care for the subject. Next, Mr. Gatto teaches the lesson of class position. Rather than attempting to move up or down to an easier or harder class, the student must learn that they are in that class for a reason and they must like that position. Gatto explains that, â€Å"[his] job is to make students like being locked together with children who bear numbers like their own†(1). He claims that he never lies to students outright, but has come to learn that truth and teaching are incompatible. The third lesson taught is indifference. Instead of caring about anything too much, Gatto emphasizes that â€Å"nothing important is ever finished in my class†(Gatto 2). Students are taught that nothing really matters. Students in his class must drop everything they are doing once the bell rings, no matter the importance. Pupils live life on the installment plan and must learn to turn on and off like switches. The fourth and fifth lessons taught are emotional and intellectual dependency. Instead of thinking and acting on their own, students are drilled to believe that what they think and do is up to the teacher. The one in charge must first OK simple tasks like going to the bathroom or speaking in class. In addition, they learn that good people let experts tell them what to do. The sixth lesson is provisional self-esteem or the idea that people â€Å"must be told what they are worth†(2). If not, they will rebel against the system and cause utter chaos. Finally, it is taught that you cannot hide. He asserts that â€Å"students are encouraged to tattle on each other† (Gatto 3). Wherever you go there is a big brother watching you and you are never completely alone. Without it, children would learn unauthorized ways. These seven lessons are being taught to the majority of students across The United States of America. While some teachers, such as John Gatto, do acknowledge the fact that the system is flawed, the vast majority do not. Gatto argues that this national curriculum â€Å"produces physical, moral, and intellectual paralysis† (Gatto 4). Instead of instructing how to use your brain to it’s full potential and think critically, our system ensure that children will never grow up fully human. This system is certainly flawed and may seem impossible to recreate, but with enough backing and support a change can be made to restore the educational system. Works Cited Gatto, John T. A Few Lessons They Wont Forget. The Sun May 1991: 1-5. Print.

Teaching as a Profession Essay -- essays papers

Teaching as a Profession Winston Churchill once said â€Å"Kites rise highest against the wind (1942).† Teachers must find enough determination to overcome the adversity, stress, and other factors that might be sending them the message to leave their job, and stick with it. A teaching profession has some positive benefits, but the negative aspects are enough to push people away from a career in this field. Looking in from the outside, a job as a teacher seems ideal. In what other profession do you have every weekend, holiday, and the whole summer off? This is enough to draw a lot of people to the job, but it is not glamorous enough to keep these new teachers around for long and this creates a shortage. There are many reasons causing this shortage of teachers. Among others, stress, lack of respect, and salary are what a lot of the fleeing teachers point to for their early departure from the field. This paper will describe what is going on now in the profession and what the future will bring for the fi eld of teaching. In 1685, St. John Baptist de la Salle originated the training of teachers in France (Columbia Encyclopedia). Teaching has kept growing ever since this time, spreading all across the world. In the colonial period in America, the only requirements for teaching in the lower schools were a modicum of learning and a willingness to work in what was then an ill-paid, low-prestige occupation (Columbia Encyclopedia). The teaching profession is still somewhat looked down on, but it keeps improving with the ever-changing technology. Why teachers are on their way out Teacher retention rates have been on a â€Å"see-saw† for a few years now. According to a survey conducted by National University, reductions in class size, ... ... 2003 from http://www.new-teacher.com/salary.html Potter, Patricia E., Swenk, Dr. Jean, Schrup, Dr. Marie, Smith, Hoyt, and Weekly, Sarah. (2001). The National University Teacher Retention and Attrition Survey. Retrieved March 6,2003, from http://www.nu.edu/newevent/teacher-retention-survey/pdf/teacher.pdf Bajunid, Ibrahim Ahmad. (2003, February 16). Redefining the Teaching Profession. New Straits Times-Management Times. Barry, Paul. (2003, January 16). Trainees Prepare to Take the Heat. Coventry Evening Telegraph. Education Week. (2003, February 21). Teaching as a Profession. American Education’s Online Newspaper. Retrieved April 28, 2003 from http://edweek.org The Associated Press. (2003, January 29). Report: Teacher Retention Biggest School Woe. Retrieved March 10,2003, from http://www.cnn.com/2003/education/01/029/teacher.shortage.ap

Field Hockey Essay

I’ve never been known to be athletic. Most of my friends are quite the athletes and many of them are at D1 schools playing what they’re good at. Typically, athletes begin at a very young age and become skilled at their sport. Unfortunately, I was not raised to be an athlete; my parents never enforced it and at the time I never asked. It bothers me that they never thought of letting me try soccer, basketball, swimming, or gymnastics. However, I took matters into my own hands and tried out for Field Hockey. Picking up a sport at a young age is probably easier than picking it up your sophomore year in high school. I was influenced by many of my friends who I met my freshman year to try out. They had been playing field hockey since they were in the sixth grade. I decided to give it a shot since my friends said they were willing to help me out and teach me. Also because my childhood best friend, Caitlyn, was also trying out. My friend, Emily Cole, is a field hockey goddess to everyone who knows the sport. She is one of the best in the nation and knowing she would be there to help me get the hang of it was comforting. Once pre-season rolled around, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I don’t think I have ever been that sore in my life but once we started the season I was playing at the Junior Varsity level. I felt out of place because my friends were on Varsity. At one point during the season Caitlyn was a swinger playing both Varsity and Junior Varsity. It was a wakeup call, I could not believe she was playing with the Varsity team when both she and I had just started playing this sport together, I felt envious. It made me realize that nothing will ever get handed to you and that if you want something you have to go after it. My whole sophomore year, I worked on my stick work and learned the rules. I promised myself that I would be on the varsity team the upcoming season. Summer 2010, I would go running every day and work on everything I needed improvement on. I would remind myself about what it felt like not being on the Varsity team. During pre-season I proved to the Varsity coach that I did have what it took to be on the team. My original mile time was ten minutes my sophomore year. That year it was under seven minutes. Coach A was never the one to show any type of emotion but I knew she was proud. After a week of pre-season, we had to have practice indoors because it was raining and it was also the day Coach A had the uniforms out. She told us to stretch out and that meant practice was over. We all sat and stretched out and she said, â€Å"Returning varsity from last year, grab your uniform† and once every one had grabbed their uniform she said, â€Å"Gabby, you can go pick your number† I had never been so content! It felt amazing knowing that I finally had a spot on a team and even though I’ve never been much of an athlete, I did it. Once the season began, I was ready to play at the varsity level. My JV coach would always try to coach me because he knew that I had potential to be better than what I was demonstrating. I played left forward and playing left forward as a righty wasn’t easy. In order to be good at that position, you had to know where to place your stick at the right time to get a deflection into the goal. Field hockey is a sport in where you have to be aggressive which was what I lacked. The few times that Coach A gave me the opportunity to show her what I was about didn’t work out to my favor. I would miss balls that my nine year old brother could stop. That year I did not start and despite how much fun it was bonding with the older girls it wasn’t sitting on the bench. Our 2010 Field hockey team went undefeated and won a State Championship title. We did receive rings that year but it never felt right wearing that ring because as much as I was on the team I felt like I never did anything to deserve it. That year made me question why I even bothered in the first place. The rest of the school year, I put a lot of thought into whether or not I should try out for the team next year. I never once thought positive about the upcoming year, I felt used and not needed on the team. Most of my friends on the Varsity team were graduating and the only one left was Emily, the all-star. Therefore I could not settle to play like an average plater, I was expected to step up. It was my senior year, why go through all that trouble and quit? I wasn’t sure returning the upcoming season was the best idea but I did it anyway. I could not allow myself to quit knowing I had made it that far. Every day after practice, I would ask Emily to stay and help me whether it was with conditioning or stick work. I had no other option but to step up and help my team. There were finally spots which I could fill in for; the only problem was they were big shoes to fill in. I knew that if I wanted to start this year, I would have to put aside all of my fears and work harder than ever before. In the beginning of the season I did not start. At that point, I was on the verge of just quitting because it was clear that everything I was doing was not working. It wasn’t that my coach didn’t believe in me, it was obvious I didn’t believe in myself. My team and I entered post season undefeated. Our coach always said that depending on how your warm up goes that’s how you will play. My warm up went fairly well that day and my coach decided to put me in. I knew that this game was important and I had to leave all of my emotions on the bench. We were down by two and Emily had got a hold of the ball in the circle, I ran to where I was supposed to be on the right post at the right time with the right angle and it deflected into the goal so perfectly. It was one of the best feelings I had ever felt. I remember my team jumping on top of me and my coach yelling, â€Å"I knew you could do it!’ I felt so much more confident and a sense of relief. It made me realize why I was playing and why I didn’t quit. As the season went on I was so glad that I had made the right decision, I became one of the leading top scorers and became part of the starting lineup for the rest of the season. We kept our title by winning another State Championship. This time around I was proud to wear the ring that was given to us. Every year after our season ends we have a banquet where our coach gives us all a little gift and talks about each one of us. I remember Coach A saying she was so proud of who I had become on the field and knew all along I had it in me. All I could say to her was thank you for being the coach that she was and believing in me. This experience taught me that nothing comes easy. There are things that you will go after but never fully grasp. It taught me that in life not everything goes your way. You will get pushed to the ground but it is up to you if you get up and keep fighting. Even though Field hockey was never on my list of sports that I wish I had played, I’m so grateful for the friends I met who pushed me into playing this sport. It just goes to show that you can really do anything you set your mind to. It just depends on your attitude and how you go about the things that are thrown at you. Many people take the easy way out and just quit but holding on even though the road is rocky for most of the way is true ambition. It all depends on the kind of person you are or want to become. My coach always said, â€Å"Quitters never win and winners never quit.†

Differences in Cultural Conceptions of Intelligence

There are many definitions of intelligence according to both formal and informal theories. Under formal theories, intelligence is associated to adaptation to the environment and the capability to learn. According to experts, there is an intelligence factor, referred to as g, which dictates all adaptive behaviors such as mental, verbal, creative and mechanical abilities. On the other hand, informal theories define intelligence using verbal, practical and social abilities. Conventional measurements of intelligence involve IQ (intelligence quotient) tests.However, different cultures define and measure intelligence differently. Western and Eastern cultures see intelligence in varying perspective according to important factors in each of these two societies (Sternberg et al, 2005). Western culture, such in the United States and most parts of Europe, traditionally defines intelligence as the mental capacity for analytical and reasoning as evidenced by strong performance in practical proble m solving, verbal and social skills.Accordingly, several tests in the United States are used to gauge a person’s intelligence. Examples are the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, the Wechsler Intelligence Scales, Cognitive Abilities Test, and School and College Abilities Tests (Sternberg, 2007). Eastern cultures have an entirely different conventional view of intelligence. In China, for example, intelligence covers righteousness, benevolence, humility, self-knowledge and character as some of the traits that are associated when describing intelligence in addition to cognitive abilities.Furthermore, in Taiwanese Chinese, there are five conceptions regarding intelligence. These are cognitive, interpersonal, intrapersonal, intellectual self-assertion, and self-effacement. With the above differences in the perception of intelligence in two representative cultures such as the Chinese (Eastern) and American (Western), comes equivalent parameters that should be remembered to measure abilities. Each has its own methods for testing linguistic, spatial and interpersonal skills (Sternberg, 2007).For testing linguistic capabilities, it is important to take into account the use of appropriate language medium. The two cultures agree on using their native tongues for assessing intelligence of members of the said cultures. The English language is prevalently used in American schools; on the other hand, Chinese characters are common in schools in China. The use of figures and characters in the latter language gives advantage to Chinese students in their spatial abilities whereas abstract thinking and imagination is inspired in American setting.Therefore, a glaring contrast in tests given to American and Chinese students lies in the presence or degree of creativity and spatial skills tests, respectively. As mentioned above, there is great advantage among Chinese with regards to spatial thinking skills which can be attributed to the use of characters and physical represent ations in their language. On the other hand, emphasis is given on the use of alphanumeric characters in Western culture which partly results in abstract reasoning. This is why there are more tests dealing with creative thinking in Western than in Chinese culture.With regards to interpersonal skills, teamwork and collaboration is highlighted in the Western culture while in Eastern culture, the importance of excelling and being independent in order to provide or be an example to other people takes precedence. In other words the difference lies in the Eastern focus on the self as exemplified in the Taoist tradition unlike the Western’s emphasis on unity. Therefore, Eastern culture test for how best to surpass one’s successes while Western culture evaluate a person’s ability to be productive within a group (Sternberg, 2007).

Impeachment essays

Impeachment essays Impeachment: A long process It is the ultimate punishment for a president: impeachment. But it is a long and complicated route to removing a political official from office and never in more than 200 years of U.S. history has it happened to a president for "treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors,'' as spelled out in the U.S. Constitution as reasons for impeachment. Article II, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution specifies the procedures to be used to remove the president, vice president or other officials from office. The rarely used procedure is complex, reflecting 18th-century formalities. The process opens in various ways through the House. In one process, the House votes on an inquiry of impeachment which would direct the Judiciary Committee to investigate the charges against the president. If a member of Congress takes the more serious step of introducing a resolution of impeachment, all other work must stop until a decision is reached. Either the president is cleared of the charges through an investigation, or the committee votes to send articles of impeachment to the full House. If the House approves articles of impeachment, a trial is conducted in the Senate, presided over by the chief justice of the Supreme Court. At the conclusion, the Senate may vote to simply remove the official from office, or to remove him or her from office and bar from holding any other federal office. Removal requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, respected by both parties as a thoughtful lawmaker, said on CNN that impeachment could follow if Clinton were found to have urged a former White House intern to lie under oath. "If he (independent counsel Kenneth Starr) verifies the authenticity of these charges, impeachment might very well be an option,'' the Illinois Republican said. ...

Why Noon is no longer the Ninth Hour

Why Noon is no longer the Ninth Hour Why â€Å"Noon† is no longer the â€Å"Ninth Hour† Why â€Å"Noon† is no longer the â€Å"Ninth Hour† By Maeve Maddox In current usage, the English word noon refers to midday, the time when the sun reaches the meridian. Look into the etymology of the word noon, and you will find that it comes from the Latin word for the number nine. So why does our word for the time when both hands of the clock are on the twelve come from a word for nine? Like the word noon itself, the original time-related meaning goes back to the Romans. They counted the hours of the day from sunrise. The â€Å"ninth hour† (nona hora) was about 3 p.m. our time. Christians adopted Jewish customs of praying at certain hours. When Christian monastic orders were formed, a daily timetable was drawn up centered on hours for prayer. According to the earliest schedules, the monks were required to pray at three-hour intervals: 6-9 p.m., 9 p.m.-midnight, midnight-3 a.m., and 3 a.m.-6 a.m. The prayers to be said at specified times during the day are known as the Divine Office and the times at which they are to be recited are the canonical hours: Vigils: night Matins: dawn Lauds: dawn Prime: 6 a.m. â€Å"first hour† Terce: 9 a.m. â€Å"third hour† Sext: noon â€Å"sixth hour† None: 3 p.m. â€Å"ninth hour† Vespers: sunset Compline: before bed Vigils was also known as the â€Å"Night Office.† Matins and Lauds originally referred to the prayers sung at dawn. In time, the Night Office came to be called Matins. The shift in the meaning of noon from â€Å"3 p.m.† to 12 noon† began in the 12th century when the prayers said at the â€Å"ninth hour† were set back to the â€Å"sixth hour.† By the year 1140, the Old English word non had taken on the meaning of â€Å"midday† or â€Å"midday meal.† Like our words September, October, November, and December, noon is a fossil word that embeds customs of former ages. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund Phrases8 Proofreading Tips And TechniquesSupervise vs. Monitor

The Effects of Good Lie in Plato's Republic Essay

The Effects of Good Lie in Plato's Republic - Essay Example The effects of a good lie as demonstrated by Plato were useful to Citizens generally if they did not conflict with the morals and the teaching of gods. In situations where the lies were used by the leaders to protect the citizens from the enemies had a positive impact on the citizens. This lead to the creation of strong relations between the leaders and the people due to the great faith the people had on the leadership. This founded strong ties and great kingdoms. However, bad lies too had implications on the leadership and the whole state. Lost hopes manifested themselves in the county that always prioritized on bad lies. Thus the effects were exhibited depending on the kind of a lie used ( Grube, pg. 56). Political lies are necessary at times if they are constructive and beneficial. A good example by Plato is when the ruler of Athens used a lie to influence the citizens to build a new fleet because he lied that the Island of Aegina was a threat. This fleet was later used for defense against the  Persians.