Reflection Paper 19

Dame schools were quite different from public schools of today. They didn’t have many of the luxuries as public schools such as books, chalkboards, desks, or even a pad of paper to write on. Instead they had hornbooks, which was only a paddle with some nails hammered into it to hold paper, and were taught in one room in the teacher’s home; which for dame schools was a woman’s home. It was extremely important for girls, however basic the teaching might have been, because that was the main education they received. They weren’t supposed to go to school any further than that and receive a decent education like they boys did. They had to know just enough to be able to take care of the house and nothing else. They were taught by illiterate women how to read, to recite the alphabet, etc. instead of the schooling being free as public school is today, and parents of the students had to pay a fee to the teacher as it was an early form of private schooling. While the teacher was going about and doing her household chores she would teach the children and would teach the girls how to do things such as knitting, cooking, sewing, etc. Girls were never encouraged to learn more in education, they were basically told that basics were enough and that they shouldn’t want to know more and that knowledge was only for boys like most of the things in colonial times. Now, in public schools, girls are allowed to learn the same things as boys and are encouraged to want to know and to aspire whatever career they want instead of being a housewife. There is no longer a barrier between what boys can learn and what girls can learn, they are both treated equally without a second thought. Even boys can learn knitting and sewing if they choose not just the girls, subjects are being offered for both sexes and not monopolizing one or the other. I personally think that if back then, in colonial times, if the women stood up and said I would like to learn what the boys are learning that they would have had a bigger impact instead of waiting decades to achieve equality. I think that if you have a group large enough to go against something then you would win. As they always say, the more people you have willing to fight for a cause, the more chances you have at achieving what you desire.

the ruler is...

I think that the poem the ruler of… somewhat bashes the things that people do. For example in the paragraph which talks about the Christmas tree it is mocking how Christians destroy nature to worship something they think exists but do not know for sure. Also about the divining line and how we think that things will be tainted is that line is ever crossed and that it will be destroyed and how there is always the line between right and wrong. We always want things without having to give back; it has been defined as our nature. When we receive things we seem to be grateful but we do not appreciate then especially the little things like the weather of winter. Even though it is scorching hot in Miami when winter finally comes along we complain about how it is too cold. We can never make up our minds and be happy with what we are given. There is always some kind of complaint that we have as human beings, we are never satisfied. We basically suffer in our own misery, we always want things now and then never having the patience to wait and receive. I think that we are a demanding race of high maintenance and anything different we reject, again never being happy with what we are given and always wanting more. This makes us weak but also makes us stronger in the way of wanting to achieve more and making things better.

Reflection Paper 18

I agree that in America education has always been viewed as a vehicle for improving society at large. Even decades ago education had played an important role. For example back when farming was the main source of employment they had to know how much livestock, crops, etc they had so they would know if they were short in anything or were shorted with trading or buying. They would have to measure the amount of grain or whatever product they were selling or receiving to get the proper amount so that the farmers didn’t lose profits. I think that the people who aren’t educated enough as to be able to read and write and are only able to sign their names are a danger to themselves. If a person only knows how to sign their name then they are threatening themselves as well as their family because if they can’t read then they would not be able to know what they are signing. For example if an important document is given to them about their private information and they sign it without knowing what is on it then they could be signing their lives away as well as their assets to strangers thus putting their family in danger. A historical example would be the story of Helen Keller. She was born both visually impaired and hearing impaired and yet with the persistence of education she was able to learn sign language, became the first visually/hearing impaired person to obtain a bachelor of arts degree, and became an author and speaker known throughout the world. If Helen was not educated then she would have never been able to achieve any of the things she did and would have not been such an inspiration to many people. A current example would be our very own president Barak Obama. If education wasn’t such a major role in his life then he would never have been able to become America’s first African American president. As we all know you can’t just wake up and decide one day that you want to be president. There is an abundance of things that have to be known and you have to be very well educated. Without President Obama’s education je would not have even been able to be considered eligible to come near to be a candidate. Education is how we are able to function in the world. Knowledge is essential to success without it I don’t think we would be able to discern right from wrong.

Reflection Paper 17

Compared to the current United States colonial New England had very different views on things such as religion, teacher training, the length of expected school attendance, and discrimination. Religion in colonial times was their main principle of living. They lived by the Bible and God was always in front of their thoughts. Their beliefs were held above everything else to them, they controlled their actions. They always had to watch what they did for fear that it might not be what God wanted so they constantly controlled themselves. Religion in colonial times was what made a community and made their bonds strong. Those who went against their beliefs were exiled from the community. In today’s world we are not that strict anymore, we are more accepting to other religions and there are hardly any cases of being ostracized because of religious beliefs especially since there are so many different forms of religion in the United States today. For schools in colonial times children, form ages eight to fourteen, had to go to school. They went to school, out of the entire year, for 12 weeks. Unlike colonial times children are in school for many years starting from about age three to early or late twenties and are in school for about 175 days to 186 days. Teacher training in colonial times was entirely different from teacher training in the America today. The only requirements for teachers were that they only had to have minimal educational background and had to be willing to take the low-paying job as a teacher. In America people aspiring to become teachers have to have a certification of a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a doctorate. Discrimination was widely found throughout colonial times in many forms such as discrimination towards religion which was definitely more common since colonialism revolved around religion. There was discrimination against social classes, races, etc and there was no punishment for it. In the world today discrimination still happens but there are repercussions for it such as lawsuits. It is a big deal in America and is not tolerated because it goes against the law. No one is allowed to get away with it anymore as they were able to in colonial times.

Reflection Paper 16

Rhetoric is when someone is trying to persuade an audience. Its relationship to Roman Education is in many ways. One way being that it was used in legal cases as seen in “The Apology” where Socrates uses the rhetoric method in his trial. Teachers would encourage their students to argue in debates it provided critical thinking in certain situations if a scenario was created. Legal cases today involve the use of rhetoric as well as things such as debates as well as presidential debates. It also gave a new style to literature. It majorly influenced storytelling and reciting by giving it a twist which the adults loved. Look at poems and plays performed, before there wasn’t much to them to be honest. Once rhetoric was used conflicts were created and made the stories, poems, etc more dramatic and exciting to watch. It left the audience stunned and entertained. Even the emperor enjoyed the conflict filled dramas, it was an entirely new style introduced and the Romans loved it. If you were to take William Shakespeare’s work you would see that it is filled with nothing but drama. If there was no drama in his plays then they wouldn’t be as popular then as they are in today’s world. I doubt we would be required to study his plays in school if they didn’t involve rhetoric. Even we wouldn’t have our wonderful dramas as we do now without it. We wouldn’t have much of a selection to choose from if conflicts weren’t involved in what we enjoy. I think that rhetoric was introduced because perhaps the Romans grew tired of the same old method that they were used to and wanted something different for a change. They were able to entertain themselves by using the rhetoric form in their writings and performances. We wouldn’t have many of the things we do today without it. Court cases would be as effective if they didn’t have rhetoric and I don’t think that their writing wouldn’t have been as strong or as influential to be remembered in our world today. Rhetoric has influenced the Roman Education in things such as law and entertainment for example but those are only a few.

Reflection Paper 15

There are numerous differences between the educations in Ancient Rome and Ancient Athenian. In Ancient Rome school was for boys only and the wealthier children had a private tutor. The less fortunate were still able to receive an education but it was less formal but they were still able to write and read. They did not have individual places for schools. Roman schools were an extension of shops and had only a curtain between them and the public eye. Whereas in Ancient Athenian, education was private, they had individual places for education and even girls were allowed to learn but only until a certain age. In Ancient Rome boys had a tough education. If they had a wrong answer they were beaten for it and for the least wrongdoing. They never questioned why something was right, the just went with it because they were glad that they didn’t receive a beating they only accepted the answer. Boys in Ancient Rome had little subjects to choose from compared to Ancient Athenian where boys learned how to read, write, quote literature, sing, play a musical instrument, and were trained as athletes for the military. In Ancient Rome there were two different schools, one for boys aged up to 11 or 12 where they learned reading, math, and writing, and the other for the older boys who studied writings of ancient Rome by great people and learned public speaking. In Ancient Athenian boys had three types of teaching at age 7 which were kitharistes, grammatistes, and paedotribae. They went to the home of the teacher and were taught writing, math, reading, singing, and playing the flute and lyre. The wealthier boys were taken care of by a household slave while attending private lessons. At the age of 12 boys were doing more athletic things such as throwing a discus and javelin, running, and wrestling. Some of the older boys were even learning subjects like science, arts, and music. Once they reached 18 they were finished with school and sent for two years in military training. There are numerous differences from the education in Ancient Rome and Ancient Athenian, these are only a few.

Reflection Paper 14

Aristotle has also been a great influence on the modern western education because of his ideas of the great chain of being, four causes, etc. His idea of the great chain of being is basically our version of the “food chain.” The lower organisms are on the bottom and the higher organisms on the top. It not only is for food but can also be used for social class as well. Aristotle even gave us the concept of species and stated that “every link is occupied, and none are occupied twice.” Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace might not have theorized their ideas on evolution is Aristotle had not have thought of the great chain of being. He stated that two species have to be of different standards. That is similar to our low, middle, and high class. We have to have that balance between the classes, as unfair as it might seem. If we all had the same social class then I don’t think anyone would be able to prosper. Money has to come from somewhere and that somewhere is from the upper class, it is how we function. Aristotle’s four causes is basically the primitive version of our classification system. He asked questions about the species and based on his answers he was able to classify them by their functions. Thanks to him students are able to learn an abundance of animal classifications. Aristotle gave us a raw version of Newton’s laws of motion with his unmoved mover theory. He says that something always has to be moving in order for another thing to move, and that motion never stops. This is one of the first principles that is learned in physics and influences quite a bit. Without this principle I don’t think that we would have discovered other areas in physics such as the law of inertia or kinetic movement. Even though his ideas of things that constantly move are related to physics, he also relates it to religion. He says that the movement involves an eternal mover and he relates that mover to God. Although that part of his theory is not taught in school we still however have his theory of motion. Even if it is called Newton’s laws of motion it is still Aristotle who was the originator of the inspiration.

Reflection Paper 13

Plato has impacted modern western education substantially. With his concept of idealism it has influenced us to strive for the truth and embrace new ideas. In striving to find the truth it has lead us to so many amazing discoveries. If we didn’t seek to find truth then we would never have known that we are not the only galaxy out there and that there are other planets besides Earth. Searching for the truth gives us new meaning and increases the chance of more people becoming open-minded. With truth brings understanding. We are able to gain knowledge when we look to seek the truth. When we find the truth we understand what is right and can discern that previous ideas or beliefs were incorrect. Knowing what is incorrect can lead to correcting the problem. Knowledge and information is forever changing because the truth is always reached giving us facts. It is done through being open- minded and not always having the idea that you have to win. We have struggled with the idea of being open-minded for quite some time and especially now with issues such as gay marriage. Even still we have come very far from a few decades ago when things like that were simply unheard of. Plato taught that people would become less materialistic and would embrace new ideas. Again some have taken to this idea and others have not. I think that others have evolved their thinking to at least consider an idea instead of completely rejecting it. For example in schools the theory of evolution is being taught regularly in public schools. Teachers don’t tell their students that it is entirely correct, they tell their students that it is a theory and they can choose whether or not to believe in it. Students aren’t forced to accept that idea but, however, are at least exposed to the theory and can make their own judgments and are expected to be open-minded at the theory. Plato has helped to open up many ways of teaching areas of study and how to interpret them. Learning is no longer based primarily on religion and how religion is the only way of explaining things. It is about truth, the acceptance of ideas, etc.

Reflection Paper 12

The revolution in curriculum that took place after Sputnik was that students were made to focus on thinking like scientists and mathematicians. It affected U.S education because it caused schools to focus more on areas like science, foreign language, and math instead of the other subjects as well. When Sputnik was launched American institutions seemed to be geared more towards making future scientists and math majors than in what students really wanted to do with their lives. They U.S government passed the National Defense Education Act to support that basic idea by offering college students scholarships and loans. The NDEA even “went after” the upcoming youth when it was passed by developing their teaching skills, mental resources, and enhance security. I think that this whole movement after Sputnik was launched was not to benefit the students but to benefit themselves. The United States wanted to be the first to launch their shuttle into space they basically wanted to be the first to do everything. So the U.S decided to pass the NDEA not for the benefit the education of students but to create future scientists and mathematicians to work for the government to beat the other nations. I think it was only a competition to them and that all they cared about was getting ahead and being better than everyone else. They called it a race to space for a reason, to see who could be the first to launch a rocket into the unknowns of space. When the NDEA was passed it was basically a bribe for students to major in math and science since they offered loans and scholarships geared for those wanting to major in science and math. One good thing about the revolution in curriculum was that they didn’t focus as much on memorizing and mad students think it out. When you have to memorize something I don’t think you will be able to remember it as well as you would when you have to think like scientists or mathematicians. When you think about a problem like that its more interactive and not just plain memorization. The information doesn’t remain as well when you don’t have anything to relate it to or have a feel for. I think that was the only positive effect of the revolution in curriculum. Students shouldn’t be forced or bribed in order to become something. They should figure out what they would like to be on their own especially if it was for a reason like wanting to be ahead of other countries.

Reflection Paper 11

The impact of the ideas Socrates had on modern Western education was a huge leap in education. Socrates was a man of knowledge and reasoning who thought outside of the box which led to his great impact on education. With modern education today in Western societies we now have things such as the law of logic, science, technology, math, etc. Instead of relying solely on religion to explain the happenings around us we are now able to think logically of what actually occurs instead of saying through God we were able to build cars and buildings. We know that it was the usage of mathematics and science that we were able to build thing such as buildings and cars. With Socrates’ elenchus we were able to see that what we believed was morally correct in fact was not and that it needed to be altered. The elenchus lead us to discover the truth of things instead of constantly claiming religious reasons. Socrates gave us the basic form of our laws and the methods used in criminal justice with the use of the elenchus (“cross- examination”). With Socrates’ influence we have such an array of different areas to learn in education. Instead of religion being the main subject it is now, in public schools, an option or in some cases not offered at all. He basically theorized that knowledge is power; we just have to use it the right way. He influenced us to have the courage to want to know. Socrates influenced us to not be afraid of wanting to find out the unknown and to question the world. We might not always get an answer we want or an answer at all but it is still worth wanting to know. When we ask questions we gain knowledge and that is how we learn. Without Socrates’ influence in our society today I don’t think we would be as knowledgeable as we are. If we didn’t have the courage to ask and to want to know then I don’t believe we would be as advanced as we are. We would still have religion set as our basic form of education and we wouldn’t have the sense of justice. Our laws might not have even been as they are in today’s world without his imprint on our society.

Reflection Paper 10

The teacher being the gatekeeper refers to the teacher controlling the time spent during class. A teacher could be considered as “Father Time” of the class room. Everything that goes on during a class period is controlled by the teacher; the amount of time teaching, asking and answering questions, activities etc. It is an extremely important role for the teacher to have and also very critical. For example, after the lesson a teacher usually asks are there any questions? A number of hands fly into the air waiting to be called upon. The instructor knows that sometimes not all of the questions the students have could be answered within the time limit. In that case some of the students might feel hurt or neglected which could cause the said students to feel less inclined to participate or have a negative outlook for the next class. Time management is very important but so are the students, if that were to happen the teacher could simply say write down your question and ask it in the next session to make sure the students who weren’t called on don’t feel like they are being ignored. The “gatekeeper” also controls the amount of time each student has for speaking and who does the speaking. A teacher shouldn’t cut the speaker off too soon or let them continue on for too long but those, as gatekeepers, control that time. I think the gatekeeper should manage time to what is important but also to the students. Some teachers spend most of the class time talking and don’t have enough time to listen to their students or they chose not to. In some classes teachers expect the students to sit and listen not to participate or ask any questions. I believe that is wrong. The gatekeeper manages time for a reason and that is to cater to the lesson but also the students as well. Time should be made for asking and answering questions if possible because not all pupils are able to comprehend right away and might need clarification. The cause of not managing time properly as the gatekeeper could result in poor performance, backlash, etc. It is important that there is communication in both directions between teachers and student, to make learning more efficient and to benefit as well as satisfy both parties.

Reflection Paper 9

There are a few similarities to the two articles, First Schools and Education in Ancient Egypt. First there is the similarity that students had to be of wealthy inheritance to be able to go to school at all. Their fathers had to be of a high job position to allow their child to attend school. The second similarity is that in both articles it mentioned that students were required to recite their studies all from memory. They also had to write down and copy other texts besides just enumerating them from memory. My thoughts on teacher effectiveness today in comparison are that like how it is today in the article “The First Schools” students then went to school for many years, from the time they were young to when they became adults. They also encourage their students with their learning and help them with their “faults and inadequacies” like teachers do today. Teachers in today’s world are very similar to those in ancient times. Their motifs for teaching are still the same as they were back then, they want to see their students excel and achieve. So while they praise them for their hard work they also point out what they’re doing wrong and encourage their students to try better so that they can be successful. The parallels between teaching in ancient times and now are extraordinary in how little the main principles have changed. What has changed though is the hours the students are in school. In ancient times students went to school from morning to night where as in today’s society students go from morning to mid afternoon. Despite that difference, students in ancient times also enjoyed breaks from school that students so cherish today. They were able to take time off from school to enjoy life like students do today. I don’t think that the teaching effectiveness has changed so much from then to the world of today. The motivation, the teacher’s strive for students to succeed, the criticism, etc, is all still relevant today. The only difference is that we have an abundance of facilities geared towards the sole purpose of learning and that parents aren’t the only means of educating their children anymore. As well as the fact that only wealthy children with fathers with high statuses are allowed to learn. Every one whether they’re rich or poor has the ability to gain an education that is the biggest difference.

Reflection Paper 8

The first wave of reform was the requirement of teachers and students to have more texting and courses on their performances. The second wave of reform was when teachers were given more power and control over their school. Finally, the third wave of reform was when the schools were required to offer services such as healthcare, transportation, social services, etc, to students to ensure that they be taught in a proper teaching environment. I think that the third wave of reform is so dominant because of all the benefits students receive whether or not they are wealthy or struggling. It is so well liked because it gives parents the peace of mind that their child will be well cared for since they’re not present with their child. It is especially comforting to the parents who are having financial problems and might not be able to pay for the services if payment was required. It is one less thing parents have to worry about; their safety is provided for as soon as the child is entered into the school. Parents aren’t as concerned with their child being tested as they are with the health and wellbeing of their child. I think that a safe and secure environment is what parents look for when choosing what school they want their child to attend. If a school doesn’t offer protection or any benefits at all I doubt that parents would even consider sending their child to that school. I also think that the requirements for parents choosing a school are the same as when you choose a job. The main thing you are looking for when choosing a job is the benefits you will receive from that position. Whether or not those benefits are what you’re looking for is what determines if you plan on taking the job. Those decisions apply the same way when choosing the school for your child to attend. A safe environment is also a key face in the decision and even if the school is not in the safest neighborhood parents have the satisfaction of knowing that the school is protected in some way whether it be police officers or guards. That is why I think the third wave of reform is the most dominant wave of the three.

Reflection Paper 7

In ancient Egypt the young children growing up would be taught by their elders. Their parents were the ones who gave them their basic idea of the world, how it works and how to act in society. A father would take his son and teach him about his job so that he would be able to take over in the future and carry on his own work. If a man were unfortunate enough to not bear any son, he would adopt one to inherit all that he owned. The girls were basically trained as housewives with being able to dance, sing, and play musical instruments. In the temple they had to behave accordingly and offer words for the departed. The temple was seen as an elite school which one could only be fortunate enough to get into. In Mesopotamia, their education system was mostly aimed towards producing priests and scribes. It involved oral reiteration, memorizing, and copying. They were also taught things such as medicine, religion, higher law, etc. for their apprenticeship they were seen as sons to their mentors and taught them his ways. With only a clay tablet to write on, students would copy thousands of groups of wedges. Eventually they had to copy a book word for word, perhaps as a final project to “graduate” from their class. In ancient China, students were taught verbally. Schools were separated from high class to lower class and the girls were also separated and taught to how to be feminine and take care of the household. The virtue they honored most was respecting their elders. The Chinese did not have any temples as the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians had. In ancient India, their education was based on religion. An odd thing was that the young boys would do, as the other cultures call, women’s work. They would leave home and learn how to do housework, protect the home, and keep the fire going. Girls were able to learn but they had to be taught at home. They were taught correct elocution, rituals, law, etc. As the ancient Indians were deeply into their religion their temples were decorated with sculptures, architectural elements, etc that were unique to the rest of the world.

Reflection Paper 6

The invention of writing was so essential to the establishment of the world’s great ancient civilizations because we were able to decode some of the ancient languages of the past and their meanings. Without writing I don’t think we would be able to function, we need it for so many different reasons. We wouldn’t be able to record remarkable events, take an inventory of stock, etc. Ancient civilizations used writing for those exact same reasons. Their writing may not look the same as ours does now with letters but they still wrote regardless to be able to record their history. With writing the ancient civilizations were able to match sounds to symbols. They used physical things such as a drawing of an eye or water for symbols to match what they sounded like. With their symbols they were able to tell stories and record data such as the amount of livestock one had. With the invention of writing, ancient civilizations had a whole new way of communicating to each other. They were able to get the calendar from being able to write. Writing gave them a whole new meaning and I think that they were leaving their mark in the world long after they died by carving them into stone tablets, clay, etc. I think it was a way that they thought they could be remembered forever. I feel that being able to write was seen as some sort of power to certain civilizations since not every one was able to write. For example in some ancient civilizations they had a recorder or historian, as it would be called today, that would write down the events that occurred of that time and only the recorder knew how to write. Writing changed the world; it allowed a whole new way of living. Without it we wouldn’t know what we do today about the past or our own future. I think they felt the same way. They wanted to be remembered in some way or another and writing was their way of doing it. It helped us to unlock many secrets and the language of thousands of cultures. It is the greatest invention man could have given the world. Without it we wouldn’t have been able to identify the remains of lost cultures or tombs, such as King Tut.

Reflection Paper 5

Initiation rites and the rites of passage have to do with teaching and learning because they are both comparatively similar. Initiation rites and the rites of passage are what young children have to go through in order to become adults. As they go through the trials they have a learning experience that they will take with them throughout their lives. It is something that is mandatory that they do to take the next step in life; if not then they would be looked down upon by the entire village. Teaching and learning are basically the same initiative. In order to succeed in life you have to have an education in which the teacher provides. Teachers guide their students down the road of life to help them become outstanding adults. With initiation rites and the rites of passage the adults and parents of the child help to guide them in what is needed from them in order to pass their initiation. Teachers do the exact same thing; they give their guidance to their students and give them knowledge of what is to come and what is expected of them in the adult world. There are always challenges and difficulties ahead in life that has to be overcome. Initiation rites and the rites of passage are faster ways into adulthood but are still built on the same idea of teaching and learning. There are the ones who guide the children and the children are the ones who take in the knowledge of their elders. Through every experience the child takes knowledge away from that situation whether it is survival skills or life’s knowledge, it is the same idea. Initiation rites and the rites of passage are the early forms of teaching and learning, there wasn’t always a school to learn in so parents became the teachers of their children. They showed them what was right and what was wrong and how to survive. Parents still do that but now they have extra help and guidance from teachers who are able to help them in areas parents might not be able to. Both help to shape children into strong, mentally and physically, well rounded adults. Teaching and learning is the current initiation rites and rites of passage, graduating is the last step in becoming an adult just like passing the initiation is the last step in becoming an adult.

Reflection 4

From reading the articles I learned in the article Hominids that some of the hominids were around the same amount of years of each other in terms of evolving. Some were from within 300,000 to 700,000 years old. With some species there wasn’t much of a large change but in others there were differences such as cranial forms or different shapes in the mandible. I have also learned that during the evolution stage there wasn’t just one version that was formed. There were many “trial versions” during that process. I also learned that the reason some of the hominids began walking upright may have been caused due to the fact that the woods were diminishing. My beliefs aren’t really affected because I hold no strong religious values and I believe in reason. If there is evidence that we may have evolved from apes then I’m not going to turn a blind eye to those facts and deny all reasoning. I believe that we could have evolved from apes for the simple fact that there is so much likeness between apes and man there is nothing to contradict that. If there was, perhaps, a mutation in an ape which made it able for it to walk upright then we would have a basic example of what we looked like during our evolving process. If an ape stood erect, it would be the basic structure of a skeleton of a human being’s. There are only a few differences between man and ape and the articles point out those minor distinctions. In the religious point of view there are so many theories and beliefs of how we came to be but not much evidence to fall on, we only have the words passed down from one generation to another to produce. With the scientific theory of man evolving from apes there is given proof to justify those claims. Science can explain just about every reason to show that we came from apes. Our pelvic bones are somewhat similar, our hands and feet are the most alike, etc. If there is evidence to support a claim then I will most likely believe that claim. I do believe that we evolved from apes and that we all originated from Africa; there is so much evidence to support the fact that we did its hard to reject it.

Reflection Paper 3

My elementary and secondary education was multicultural to the extent of having different races in the classroom. We were all mixed together as one large group not as whether we were White, Black, Asian, etc. Our education, however, was not as multicultural. We were taught under the additive approach, only learning about certain cultures or races if there was a holiday or month dedicated to the culture, sometimes not even. We never learned anything about Cinco de Mayo; we didn’t even know it existed. The teachers at my elementary only taught us about American culture as their main objective. If Thanksgiving were approaching we would learn about how friendly the White people were to the Native Americans and how everything worked out between. They never told us that we killed them and took over their lands forcing them to leave; we were told that it was a happy ending for both Native Americans and the White people. During Christmas we learned only about how the Christians celebrated. We were never told that some people didn’t celebrate it or celebrated something different such as Hanukah. Even with Black History Month we weren’t taught to the full extent, we were taught that Martin Luther King Jr gave his “I Have a Dream” speech and after that segregation was over. Out of the entire month, only a week was spent on learning about what happened back then and it was nothing like what I know now. If I could go back to my elementary and secondary school I would want my teachers to take the transformation approach. I think that learning from all different points of view is extremely important because instead of getting to know only one side you can have many sides and make a decision from there. If we’re only hearing one side of a story then there isn’t much of a decision we can make based on what we know and nothing would change. With multiple views we can see how it was like for those who experienced different things and we can take a stance on what side we think is right and from there make a difference. I think that in elementary and secondary school it is important to know all of the facts, that way you can choose a side knowingly instead of blindly.

Reflection Paper 2

The article suggests that there is both a positive and negative view
on how man’s inventions have changed the way he thinks, learns, and sees the world. In the positive view examples are mentioned of how we have evolved in doing what we do in out daily lives. In the negative view it is mentioned how these inventions have come at a detrimental cost. I agree with these views, both the positive and negative. I think it is amazing what we have accomplished throughout the decades. We started out with rocks and digging sticks, now we have shovels and automated machines to dig massive holes. We have come from a time where there was no other way, to a time where there are many options and infinite choices. With our advances in technology we would never have known that there were other planets let alone that we are only a microscopic speck in this universe without the Hubble Telescope. Man’s inventions have brought us unimaginable possibilities that help make our lives easier. These inventions do come at a disadvantage and that brings up the negative view point. Everything that we create has its pros and cons, some have more cons than pros. We have built some of the greatest weapons the world has ever known. In the right hands they are used to protect us as citizens, in the wrong hands, they are used to kill and destroy lives. The internet may seem like nothing could be harmful about it but the internet harbors an enormous source of information. There is so much stored on the World Wide Web and anyone can access and source of information, such as chemicals used to make a bomb. Even our appliances which we use daily can be harmful to us. The electromagnetic waves in our microwaves, cell phones, etc, could cause harm to our bodies over time without us even knowing it. Even if we ourselves don’t intend to use them for ulterior motives someone else will Man’s inventions are a gift yet a curse at the same time with both positive and negative outcomes.

Reflection Paper 1

Teacher preparation programs have evolved from colonial times to the
present day because in colonial times all that you basically needed to teach were the basics such as reading, writing, and a little math. Not all teachers were as educated as they are today; some scarcely even knew how to read. Teachers in the world of today are required to know all major subjects thoroughly as well as other things such as classroom management, social skills, etc. Nearly 70 years ago the number of teachers that had a degree was less than half. In today’s society, teachers must have at least a college bachelor’s degree or even higher to be even considered obtaining a job as a teaching instructor. Things have advanced so much that what was required in the early years would never be accepted in today’s world. Now, we have to go through many years of schooling as well as having the proper training needed to fulfill what is required. With the 1980’s reform effort and the controversial role of teach for America in the preparation of teachers, I would have to disagree with the statement that undergraduate programs make teachers with limited capability. I think that undergraduate programs are a perfect way to gain experience to become a great teacher in the future. To be in an environment where you’ll be in the future will help one to understand the responsibilities of a teacher and learn the basics to manage a class room. They will be able to experience what being a teacher is really like and will be able to see if it is what they are really interested in pursuing. If there weren’t any undergraduate programs I don’t think that we would be able to get a true grasp of what being a teacher is all about. I think that it is always good to have an example or be apart for something you want to do in the future. At least then you have a better understanding of what to expect when the time comes for you to be in that position later on.

Hillary Pilon's Bio

My name is Hillary Pilon, I am of European decent but I was born in Miami, Florida. I graduated from Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores and I am 18 years old. I love to play all types of sports, I love all types of animals, and I consider myself very good with technology. I first became interested in teaching when I realized how beneficial and outstanding teachers are. They mold and shape our minds with knowledge that we will carry on throughout our lives. I want to major in Art Education because I think a person's creative ability makes them who they are and I want to bring out that ability in the upcoming youth. Schools mainly focus on the basic classes such as English, Math, and Science but Art is where the student’s personality emerges and you get to see exactly what type of person they are. With art there is no right or wrong, no essays or equations to solve its simply just being yourself. To be able to make something with your own two hands gives oneself a sense of accomplishment and joy. You can create whatever it is you choose and it can never be considered wrong or unsightly. It also is a way to relieve stress; it gives you the chance to lose yourself in your artwork and escape reality. What they create is that of their own and something they can be proud of. Even if the student believes that he or she had no artistic ability at all I would help them to break down that barrier and find something that they are exceptional at whether it is photography, painting, sculpting, etc. Becoming a teacher would give me this phenomenal opportunity to reach out to the students and bring out their inner artist.