Reflection # 20

The Puritans left England because they committed a crime of treason trying to reform the church of England. According to the passage, the Puritans looked to the New World to escape from both political and religious problems in England. Puritans believed in religion and politics joined together as one. The Puritans believed that schools would be good for the religious community to teach people how to read so that they could understand the Bible and battle against the devil with scriptures. During the early seventeenth century Thomas Jefferson wanted to go beyond educating small religious groups. So now white people regarding their state of wealth or them being poor they were granted the right to be educated at any public school. Girls were usually educated in Dame schools. Dame schools were schools that were taught by women in their own house. Boys were taught in Latin Grammar schools.

A new secondary school replaced the Latin Grammar schools, they were called Academy. Academy schools were free from any religious influence. These schools offered a variety of subjects such as math, astronomy, athletics, navigation, drama and bookkeeping. Franklin Academy was the first Academy established it was free yet still the most important secondary school in all of America. Francklin's Academy offered education for both boys and girls.
Horace Mann established the first common school or as we know it today the first elementary public school.

The democracy in schools was the thought that not everyone was in favor of free schools. The idea that there would be free schools available to anyone brought up the thought that America may become over educated.

Massachusetts was the first state with a secondary school or as we know it to today, a public high school. The school was established in Boston in 1821. This school enrolled 176 students all boys. In 1852 Boston then established another secondary school for girls. High schools in the nineteenth century seemed very similar to private schools. They were not free educational institutions. The push that forced the creation of free public high schools was the resistance to paying school tax. In 1874 the courts verdict was that taxes could be used to support the funding for free secondary schools.

Teacher Interview

For my teacher interview I decided to interview the teacher that I did my field experience project with, Mrs. Valarezo. Mrs. Valarezo is a second grade teacher t Charles David Wyche Elementary. She has been teaching for about nine years. We began the interview by discussing her career goals prior to her becoming a teacher. Her response was that she never really wanted to be a teacher. When she arrived here to America from El Salvador she wanted to work in an environment that would allow her to be with and near her children.

My first question for Mrs. Valarezo was, "What abilities and characteristics are needed to be a teacher? She provided great knowledge of some communication skills of which this career demands, and they are as follows: A projective voice, stable eye contact, understanding, willing to be co-cultured, assertive when necessary, and willing to listen. One other skill that Mrs. Valarezo advised of is patience. This is one that I actually knew of, but never actually valued its importance. She actually lectured me on this skill for a while but the main point was that everyone takes understanding, interpretation, and learning to their own levels. Therefore teaching isn't as easy to do as it is pronounced.

After she discussed with me the importance of patience in this field, I asked her a few questions on her thoughts on requirements and duties this job entailed. Her comeback was to be patient, understanding, flexible, and having an open mind. I didn't quite understand what she meant by flexibility but she explained that it is always better to stay in school and get higher degrees that way your availability is not so limited because of the different areas you can work. Also the more knowledge you have the more you are able to provide for your students.

Another question was of her own knowledge what are her duties and responsibilities as a teacher. Her response was to help students from one place to another, helping in any area that her students needed help in, not just subject matter. Another responsibility she takes upon herself is to expose students to what is in the real world.

The next question I asked Mrs. Valarezo was what did she like most about her job. Her response was that class is never the same as yesterday, it's never redundant. Sometimes it's a loud day, talkative, or goofy day, but when it's too quiet she suspects something odd.

The interview lasted for about 45 minutes, but I couldn't leave until I asked her my last question. The question was how would you advise someone coming into this career or preparing for this job? Her response was " You must be willing to learn as much as you are willing to teach, you must set boundaries, know how to manage and not control, be willing to be co-cultured and available, and last but not least be prepared to change or be the stepping stone to someone else's future.

Reflection # 19

Dame schools in Colonial times were schools for women. The teacher of a Dame school was also a woman and the schools would take place in the teachers house. The schools were called Dame schools because during colonial times the women were called dames. So if you translated the word dame then the schools would be called women schools Dame Schools were like primary or head start schools. Women that wished to be educated at least the basics such as learning their alphabets, and how to read would most likely attend a dame school. Dame schools were usually opened to women who were not allowed an eduction in a Latin Grammar Schools. Dame schools were important facilities for education they were the main schools for women and they were used extensively for the first century of colonial development.

In Dame schools the women used a sort of textbook called a hornbook. Hornbooks were paddle handle boards that had imprinted on them the letters of the alphabets in both capital letters and lower case letters. The hornbooks also contained the Lord's prayer or scripture. I was also decorated by the wealthy with jewels and leather.

Education in each colony was instructed and enforced differently. In the New England Colonies the Puritans made sure that everyone had a satisfactory education. The Puritans in the New England Colonies constructed their societies education basically upon the Bible. It was important for all Puritans to know how to read so that they could read the Bible. There belief was that illiteracy was from Satan and this curse would stop them from reading biblical scriptures.
In New England Colonies the little boys and girls attended Dame Schools to learn their basics of how to read and write. At least two-thirds of man and one third of women knew how to sign their signature.

About half of the middle colony knew how to sign their names. School in the middle colonies
were not so much enforced as it was in the New England colonies. It was really up to the families if the children would go to school or not. In the Southern Colonies, they believed mostly in moral values. They thought that the child should be trained first in his or her home. They thought if the families couldn't teach their children, then how can strangers teach them anything.

Reflection # 12

A little over 50 years ago Soviet Russia launched the first rocket on October 4, 1957, Sputnik. The launch of Sputnik traveled 7,000 miles into space. No one knew yet but the launch of Sputnik would change the America and the world forever. It was the worlds first satellite. It traveled around the entire world in about 96 minutes. Sputnik was the first man made equipment that ever flew into outer space.


America was astonished and devastated at the same time that one of their enemies were coming up with tremendous inventions such as this. What made America feel even more embarrassed is that Russia a country thought to be so outdated not only invented the first space flying object but it was successful. This embarrassment changed Americas views in schools to teach more about outer space.

Due to the launching of Sputnik, congress passed the National Defense Education Act on September 2, 1958. This act allowed the United States to provide funding to all United States School institutions at all levels. America was no always considerate to the subject of science. Because of the take off of Sputnik Americas interest in engineering and science based on Space was not very important.

When the National Defense Education Act came into effect, funding were given to institutions to higher their standards and capability too do and be just as good in space science as the Soviet Union. The National Defense Education Act also sponsored trainings for teachers and loans and scholarships to students in college that will ensure the nation's future.

Reflection # 18

I do agree that from the very beginning America's view about school was always to improve our society today. When the English came from across the world to populate America their schools were organized by their communties. The communities made sure that the children were educated in a certain way. Establishing an Educated society was important because it was necessary that everyone knew how to write and read. Although there were times when the female students were not valued enough to have equal education with a boy, they were still educated to be good house keepers and to take care of their families. In colonial times the schools had some form of religious education. I believe that religion was important to their society because it allowed the students to acknowledge their being a higher power. It also helped them to stay pure by doing the right thing with thought that along with sin comes death.
Also in Colonial America times teachers were not as educated as they should have been. In fact anyone could could be a school educator. At some point indentured servants were forced to be teachers until a certain amount of years. the fact that someone who knows nothing about teaching would teach what they know not about is crazy. As time went by schools were being established to better prepare the teachers for subject matters. When the profession of teachers did expand throughout the nation, there were high demands for better qualified teachers. Therefore this demand required better education for better teachers. another example of how America's view of schools is always to better society is because of all the different techniques we have and workshops teachers go to. There are a variety of programs on computers just to better education such as ticket to read and success reader for elementary students. In college the majority of books purchased for classes come with a CD-ROM package that includes different subjuect lessons, and practices.

A Perfect Love

This post reminded me of gods love for his children. How even our righteousness are still but filthy rags. We as humans are never good enough to please him and never suffucient enough to repay him for all that he has done is doing and will continue to do for us. But as much as we are imperfect and him being beyond perfect and faithful he will always love you no matter what. An unconditional Love.

consider a bedraggled obatala

I was trying to figure out how can the addiction of alcohol shape the body or image of a child in a mothers womb. Then i thought about the many addictions and iniquities we all have and never thought to stop them because it wouldn't catch up to us. Little did we know that not all curses skip a generation and that we may just have carried these curses off to the generation inside of us. It doesn't look so bad when you have to look at your own flaws thinking no one else knows about it. But when you have to look at your flaws inside and outside your childs life and body and watch them cry out "why am I like this" It hurts deeply to know that it's your fault and you could have prevented before it affected another victim within you.

Hooked

Okay he is just addicted to the sex that they are having. He can't stop thinking about her.

& i lost u

Love is so mysterious that even when you think you understand it somethang else comes around to tease your mind. The closer you get to understand it the more confusion comes to mind.

Those Treacherous Tender Traps

This girl is not in love she is Obsessed. The guy may or may not be in a relationship with her anymore but she is still sharing on ewith him mentally based on memories. Although he acts as if he doesn't want her anymore she can't help but want him, she can't see herself with another man. All the pain and hurt he put her through isn't worth leaving him.

The Coupling of Sun & Soil

When I read this it reminded me of God being the son and his divine love for his children. he is always there during the exciting and joyous parts of our life but although life gets dark and scary sometimes he is still with you.

a very strange distress

When I read this I though of someone describing the memories of when they were either in love or felt loved. The thoughts and patterns that the author of this blog described are so familiar. The thought that I found most interesting was the waking up in the middle of the night and all you can think about is your lover whether there near or far but especially when they are near.

when a boy falls in love ...

This poem is expressing all the personalities traits and behaviors that are shadowing the expression of love. For example someone who shows tough love would express an emotion of superiority towards someone that they care for that they must see them with the best and nothing but the best. This person would not express their inner thoughts, feelings or emotions but rather show an expression that is more masculant than soft herated.

what is it that u see in him

This poem reminds me of a girl that is in a situation where she has two guys in her life, one that she is in love with and the other that sh cant get rid of. she is head over heals in love for the one she shouldn't have he will do no good for her but the one she doesn't want is pretty jelouse nad just doesn't see how she could even think to compare him with the one that she does want.

loving spirit

This poem reinds of someone sensitive. Their thoughts of a happy spiritis to love and care for others. Their spirit is overwhelming most when she is both aware and unaware but even better when she is healthy and happy.

amour mortelle

She killed him because she rather him and her be together in hell than to watch him be happy with someonelse. She was addicted to the sex he was giving her.

Reflection # 17

Emigrations in the US first began in the early 1600s. It started out with just a few hundreds and expanded to millions of others coming in to the new world. People migrated to America for all different kinds of reasons such as economical problems, political oppression, poverty, wars and religious freedom. the englisg were the first set of settlers to migrate to the new world. During the early sixteen hundreds, England was going through their financial down falls and many were out of work. Ships were docking in from almost every colony of the new world. America's land was nothing but trees and forests which were occupied by the Indians as their homes. In fact the Indians and the English settlers were constantly fighting over land. As for religion the Puritans were a set of religious people who believed that the bible was the Law of God. When the people of England were creating man-made doctrines and their own beliefs of Christianity the Puritans of England sought after reforming the Church of England and establishing new laws of faith and basically trying to run the church the way they felt it should be conducted. Because of these acts of trying to reform the church many Puritans left England escaping persecution from the church leaders and King of England. When the English colonists settled in their land they would send for their families that they left behind. Soon after, other people from other countries around the world were settling in the New World and adapting the English language. In Colonial America basic education such as numbers and literacy were available mainly for whites in the northern colonies and the middle colonies. In towns where there were more than 50 families they had to support elementary schools and in towns where there were more than 100 families they had to support a grammar school. In Colonial America both boys and girls attended elementary schools sometimes at different times and seasons. In these schools they learned how to read and write. All of the college institutions were only for men. Community schools in the south were a bit impossible being that the spacial areas for farms and plantations were so far apart from each other. Some neighbors joined together with one another and hired tutors for their children and others sent their children back to England for schooling.

Reflection #16

Rhetoric discipline is to persuade someone through a speech or writing. According to the overview of rhetoric discipline, Plato reveals to us that through rhetoric we can persuade someone away from the truth. According to Aristotle, there are three methods that follow behind or are proofs of a rhetoric speech or writing and they are logos which is logic's, pathos which is emotions and ethos which is the characteristics of the speaker. According to the article for a period of time in Greece, the teachings and studies of rhetoric's had not been used. To me I find this hard to believe that rhetoric's could stop being used in the USA. The reason why I believe this is because our life is built around being persuasive until it almost feels innate to be rhetoric about life itself. For example, when we are seeking a job it is our job to create a portfolio to persuade our potential employers that we are well fit for a certain position. There are even certain careers and fields in which being persuasive is much important to as much as keeping the job. For example lawyers, Lawyers use rhetoric discipline in order to persuade a jury that the suspect is either innocent or guilty, even if it means driving the jury away from the truth by means of defending their client. I believe Rhetoric discipline and it's relationship in Ancient Roman education has a lot to do with the fact that around the time of 735 BC because of the rudimentary form of education parents were educating their own children. During this time the lessons that were being taught by parents basically in order to survive, the children needed to learn how to grow their own crops, fight for their land or country, and be good citizens to their land and country. Could it be that because the parents educated their children so they too were also educated by their parents. Therefore what was taught was based on a form of tradition passed down from generations before. So these matters of survival may as well been important but not the most important when it came to educating a child. If we were to categorize this depiction of how rhetoric correlates with the Roman education we would see that it was logic for the parents to teach their children that they needed to learn how to grow their own food to eat, and how to protect themselves and their land. It was emotional for the educating to be done by the parents of the children, the most valuable person to a child's belief. Last it was a very persuasive characteristic because if the children did not obey or retain the information they would be disciplined physically, even worst by their own parents.

Reflections #15

According to the passage about Early Roman Education, the most accurate form of education for children around the time of 735 BC was rudimentary education. Rudimentary education in Rome consisted of the teachings of agriculture, military skills, and moral and civil responsibilities upon Roman citizenry. These lessons were taught by the children's parents. Free public schools did not exist in Ancient Rome at this time. At about half way through the third century, an ex- slave by the name of Spurius Carvilius formed the first fee paying school called Ludus in Ancient Rome. Ludus in English means play. Of course this type of schooling most likely benefited the wealthy children as appose to the poor children who could not afford to pay school fees. Although the poor still had basic training in reading and writing, schools in Ancient Rome were only for boys. The Roman children would carry over their shoulders their school bags with their school supplies and their school fee payments. Roman children attended school at a very early age. The Roman instructors, also known as the Quintilian felt that children memories are very retentive at a young age. I totally agree with this Quintilian when he says that children retain information better when they are taught at a young age, it's just like saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks. It's easier to train them when they are still puppies. Ancient Athenians focused on literacy music and physical education. Athenians considered these methods of teaching much more than the Romans. In Athens, school was also only for the boys but the girls did have a form of education, it just was not formal education as so did the boys. Many of the Athenian girls did learn how to read and write by their parents Education in Athens was affordable for everyone, even the poor. Education in Rome was very strict as to where the child would be beaten if they did not retain the information given by their instructors as to where education in Athens was not so strict.

Reflection # 14

Aristotle's Writings about the nature of life which included the four causes the nature of different species and or beings and the unmoved mover creates an urge to understand not only mans and other species purpose but everything that involves creation. In Aristotle's Great Chain of beings, he describes different species from lowest to highest the lowest being worms and the highest being God. From what I understand Aristotle's thought behind which species should be considered lower than the other or higher than the other is based upon the soul and mind. He also states that in some species cases the one may be greater than the other, although it is considered lower in the great chain of being. For example cats and dogs, some people would consider a cat to be a greater being than a dog and vice versa. The Great Chain of Beings is also known as the ladder of creation. When you think of a Ladder, you can go up or down but it is not called a ladder of creation for this reason. In the ladder there are two levels of which one can be placed and that it is high or low. So no, an insect can not trade places with a human or an animal cannot trade levels with an angle and most certainly no being can take the place of God. In Aristotle's theory of The Unmoved mover he claims this to be the mover of all things but this mover moves without anything causing it to move. He states that the first heaven is the mover of all things. All other things that are moved move by being moved by some other force that is being moved. The unmoved mover is moved by the emotion of love. In Aristotle's 4 causes he speaks about the causes of materials an example of this is what happens when you mix the color blue with yellow it causes the color to change into green. The second type of cause is a formal cause. an example of this cause is if you have four wooden legs and top t makes a table. The third cause is efficient cause. An example of this cause is, efficient cause of the butterfly is the caterpillar. The last cause is the Final cause. An example of this cause is exercising will make you healthy.

Reflection #13

Based upon my readings about the Philosopher Plato, his theory of idealism is that ideas are based on absolute truth and not materialism. Plato believed that in all things there is some form of truth and that people should search for truth. I don't really agree with this because from what I can interpret from the statement Plato made of there being truth in all things this literally means that lies don't exist. One may say that maybe he is trying to say that even in a lie there is some form of truth. Okay lets say this is exactly what he is stating. According to the Wikipedia Encyclopedia, a lie is a type of deception in the form untruthful statement especially with the intenton to decieve others. When someone lies they are called a liar therfore there is no such thing as a lie being in the truth. If lies don't exist then there would be no evilness but then that wouldmake the word of God a lie. Many can say that they only believe in some of the Bible but I can tell you right now that if you don't believe in all of it then you dont believe in any of it and you may as well call Jesus a liar but I don't reccomend that. We bassically only listen to what we want to hear but thats anything but the truth. So I disagree, I don't believe there is truth in all things. Plato also brought up the argument that we were all born with a spirit of ignorancy. He belives that because of our ignorant ways we close ourselves up from knowledge. He states that knowledge is something that we were all born with but when we enter the world we got caught up into materialism and we no longer have that knowledge. Therefore he believes knowledge is to be rediscovered so he believes that it lies within us. I kinda believe this but I don't believe we were born with anything God didn't give us as far as knowledge goes, I believe that God gives knowledge to those who seek it dilgent and earnestly. So I believe that all knowledge of everything and wisdom comes from God. He refered to Adam and Eve when he described us as being born with ignorancy because of what they did in the garden. He didn't state what the relation was between that or what he was trying to impose. Although if I had to guess it was because God created them without sin therefore all they had to do was obey God and not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But because of the fall of men we must now discover kowledge and as we grow older through experience.

Reflection # 11

I am actually familiar with a lot of Socrates ideas and beliefs about life and its even now existing morals. Socrates never left an account of his works much less his beliefs because he believed that knowledge was something was that one must experience on their on and not attained by what someone else recorded. Some of his morals were quite intriguing. One of his morals that i believe totally is the value of the soul and the body. Socrates according to Plato's writings believed that if the soul will out live the body then death to the soul is greater than death to the body. Socrates stated it is much worse to have a rotting soul than to have a rotting body. This must have been the greatest knowledge Socrates had ever had when it comes to death. Socrates didn't just say the death of any soul but the death of an evil soul. He stated that he rather have an honorable soul than to have an groveling soul. He is right, if you think about this statement your body is only temporary. Once you die your soul departs from your body there for your body cannot feel anything. Now your soul lives on for eternity and if you don't believe in a a hell much less that it exists and that's your justification for doing evil then I wouldn't worry about your body i would worry more about the soul that live forever. Socrates theory of elenchus was the idea to question some one's morals, and values until they were contradicting themselves. When I first read about this theory it reminded me of a court system. In a court case the suspect is either guilty until proven innocent or innocent until proven guilty. The suspect or even the victim is interrogated with all types of questions to be proven guilty or innocent no matter who is innocent or guilty we still have innocent people locked up and the guilty ones roaming the streets and influencing our future. One of Socrates views of happiness is a conversation we all like to discuss and that's the conflict of good verses evil. Is it okay to lie or steal when it will benefit good? An example of this theory would be if you had a baby and no money to buy baby food or milk would it be a good reason to steal from someone else's business or store. I know most peoples defense would be yes its okay because if you don't do it the baby will starve to death or some other excuse. Truth be told this is wrong regardless of any way you decide to go about this whether it involves a baby or not. If it were your business and your way of making ends meet was the income of your business you would see it wrong. So just because it benefits the thief doesn't mean it will benefit the victim. There is nothing right or even acceptable of lieing or stealing even if it were to benefit someone else's life. Someone that steals big or small is a thief, someone who tells a lie good or bad is a liar, someone who does wrong is wrong, and someone who does right is only right. There is no way you can be both your either or.

Reflection #10

When I read the statement the teacher is the gatekeeper, I thought of the possible responsibilities that a gatekeeper would be responsible for. I also went through a couple of definitions that a gatekeeper could be defined as. Some of the definitions I found are the process through which ideas and information are filtered for publication. Someone who controls access to something. Open and shut the doors they have keys. One that is in charge of passage through a gate. Monitors or oversees the action of others. Besides these basic definitions my own thought about the gatekeeper is someone who holds the keys or controls of entrance to another level or place. Maybe a gatekeeper could be so professional that they know every route from left to right, how to get in and out, and how to get to and from a certain area. They can direct you when you get lost and even warn you before you get lost.When I compared my thoughts of a gatekeeper to a teacher it was pretty similar. Teachers are those great gatekeepers that can guide you for a certain time or season and when that time is over its up to you to take it as far as you would like to take it. Like a gatekeeper can give directions so a teacher can inspire and give knowledge, it will be up to the driver to follow directions as well as it will be up to the student to bare fruit with this knowledge. From the time we are able to understand language we become students. What we are influenced by or who we are influenced by determines whether we will gain knowledge or not. Teachers set the trails and paths that students will follow. The good ones have that type of impact were you never forget those lessons that make you successful. The interesting similarity I found between a teacher and a gatekeeper is that when we get lost we feel confident that if we can locate the gatekeeper or the teacher we will get back on the right track.

Reflection # 9

According to the Article The first Schools, the Sumerians were the first scribes to teach formal schools at about 3000 B.C. The Sumerians invented the form of writing called the cuneiform. The cuneiform of writing consists of pictographs on clay tablets. These tablets consisted of more than a thousand small pictograph. There were also lists of words found they were used for studying and practicing. During the times of the first Sumerian schools, there were different scribes. There were Junior, High, highly specialized, temple scribes and more. Such scribes became leaders in the Government. Most Sumerians that went to school came from wealthy families. The poor families could barely afford to send their kids to school. Teachers were paid from student tuition's. The head of the Sumerian school was called the untmia, translated as the expert, professor or the school father.

In Ancient Egypt children learned by imitating their elders. More than often children grew up learning the trade in which their parents worked in. For instance, as the children grew older they were worked the fields, farms, vineyards, and any other work areas that they had bee trained to work in. So in other words they continued the family trade. Parents, in Ancient Egyptian times were their children's teachers they taught them mostly everything. Moral values such as what they should believe in and the way they should view their life and lifestyles and even their behaviors and attitudes were taught by parents. Especially their thoughts and attitudes towards religion and their deities. Teaching you children the family business was very important to the Ancient Egyptians. If the parents had no children and they wished to adopt, then they had to teach them the family business. The young men did not choose their own career, but instead they followed the family profession and with the blessings of the King they could even become workers for the royalty. The girls in the family were trained how to become wives basically. They were trained to manage households, sing, dance and play musical instruments.

There are so much more new techniques in our time. Students today go through out the first thirteen years of their lives in school that they don't even have to pay for. Technology today even allows students today to go to school online. We have computers in school that students have access to, and programs on computers to help students achieve higher standards in different subjects.

Reflection # 7

According to the articles, education in ancient civilization seems quite similar to the modern today's first experience with learning. Children in Ancient Egypt imitated adult behavior just as we did when were innocent without experience. Children in ancient Egypt observed the way their parents worked, handled different responsibilities and problems, and along with skills the children learned moral attitudes, beliefs, and views of life. The boys or young men of ancient Egypt often followed in their family profession. The young girls of the family were taught how to manage their households, how to sing, dance, and play music. Girls were taught to stay more on the delicate side, while boys were trained to become men by riding horses, guiding a chariot the use of weapons, arts of war and physical education. The more wealthy families tutored their children, the only person who did not tutor their own children were the kings. As we have a certain amount of years to attend preliminary, secondary and high schooled, Ancient Egypt had no set amount of years to attend school. Ancient Egyptian temples were not a place of worship. Only the priests were worthy of having access to the inner sanctuaries. Each temple had a specific function and none was greater than the other. The priesthood education was highly authoritative with superiority of any other fields in which one could work. This is a quality of education in which Egypt shared with Mesopotamia. According to the articles formal education in Mesopotamia were mainly to train scribes and priests. I find that not hard to believe because scribes would be trained to document history and priests would lead a world of either true or false beliefs. The apprenticeship of Ancient civilization was traced back to Babylon. When a society of new inventions came about with handicrafts, families adopted sons to train them on how to rebuild or construct the same crafts in the right way because everyone has their own way of conducting and crafting different appliances.

Reflection #8

In 1983, America was received a report about their schools with a declining shift in testing scores. Comparing the scores of the United States with other countries or Nations, America was embarrassingly sinking low. One of the initiatives America took to better this situation was the demand for schools to add more schools courses to their curriculum. These extra courses would be a requirement for students to graduate. The courses also required not only students, but teachers as well to study for more tests than they were already required to take. I think i actually experienced this situation in high school. When I was in high school for my first year the students had six classes a day and dismissal was at 2:20. During my second year of high school up to my twelfth grade year in high school the day grew one hour longer and two extra classes during the day. So we went from six periods a day to eight periods a day. The only thing I didn't understand about these extra classes given was that they were classes that I thought how can these classes help us to get a better score on tests. They were classes like gardening, and cleaning the school. The second wave the No Child Left Behind act which became a law. Because of this new law schools would now be focused better on the child's needs to start life after high school. Children would now be prepared for whatever field they wish to be apart of after high school. At this point most graduates were not attending college. Because of this wave, it is now necessary for even teachers to be hired unless they go to college and get higher degrees. In this way even teachers are more educated in order to help and teach the students more accurately. The third wave came about during the late 1980s. This wave would better the learning environment that students were being taught in. The schools were sinking low with old buildings, Oh remember these days, nasty cafeterias, rat infested cafeterias, ceilings, auditorium, and classrooms. I can remember when the high school about ten blocks away from my high school was on the news because a possum not a rat a possum fell out from the ceiling in the middle of a classroom while class was being held. Some equipments used to learn were even in bad conditions. Because of these major problems in the learning environment Bill Gates and Melinda Gates created a foundation to help out the schools to help and not only better the environment where students learn but where teachers teach.

Reflection #6

When I think about the word writing and its impact that it has on mans life I reflect back on history. Writing has come a long way since the time of hominid species. I can recall reading about one of the hominids that recorded there life though drawings on walls and caves. These drawings told a story, of things that were going on in their times, how they went through these times and their beliefs. Writing was used for communication, a language I think could be considered above all languages.Writing is and was a language on its own. In the early Egyptians age scribe were literally worshiped for their works of writing. Writing was everything then and is everything now. Writing is what connects to our ancestors our past history and future, our generation before and generation to come. Writing is a legacy and all things were reveled as existence through writing. Writing was so important during Ancient Egypt because everything needed to be recorded as is. Cuneiform writing is the earliest known writings it derived from ancient Sumeria these were writings on clay. The Ancient Egyptians did their writings on plants called papyrus. Although language existed long before writing did there still would be no proof of existence of our ancestors if writing had not exist. Even during slavery time writing was essential to these acts of history. There were maps needed to be drawn for different routes to travel through different continents for trades. When inventions were made they needed to be documented for the benefit of generations to come. Before the ABC's people used pictures as stated above to represent words and nature. Writing was also important for Religion. Manuscripts of relgious books had to be written such as the Koran, the Torah, the Bible and many more important relious books to come.

Reflection #5

According to the articles, these children are basically taught by traditions. This is the way their ancestors were taught and parents so therefore it seems like they live in a little bubble because this is the only way of life they know. The rites of passage in different cultures or tribes that I've read about is similar to teaching and learning because it's an act of trying to reach a higher and more successful level. In African tribes that I have read about in the articles, the tribes teach the children how to become a woman if they are girl, and boys how to become a man. Some tribes would perform ceremonial acts such as circumcision for woman called clitoridectomy in order for the girl to become a woman. A rite of passage for the boys, which to me seemed not to be a ceremonial act but more like a ritual, in the Sambia tribe the younger boys would perform fellatio on the older boys and drink their semen in order to become stronger men. A way of learning which is common in all cultures maybe from even the time of the first child, is Nurturance. Nurturance is the cycle by which children grow up in, to watch their parents way of life and so they may grow up in the same way. I call this a cycle because as a newborn baby we cling onto our parents especially our mothers because we think they know best. This is exactly what happens in cultures and perhaps may have been happening since the beginning of time. The difference between the cultures in the different tribes of Africa and maybe even in different countries in contrast to the cultures in America even as immigrants is that after some children reach a certain age they most likely will choose there own paths. The common rights of passage for most children growing up in America is to go to school and excel in different fields in order to survive in the real world. Although they've been trained to live speak, act, respond, and solve problems in such a way as their elders would, some actually choose to start a new trend or traditions to live by. A reason why most of the children in these tribes of South Africa don't go their separate ways after a certain age is because maybe they are actually brainwashed with the thought that the way they grew up is the only right way to grow up. There's also the fact that they are not really exposed to any other way of living. Something else the article stated is that if any member chooses to dishonor their tribe, they will no longer be acknowledged as not only a member of the tribe but also as a member of their own family. I America most families get over it.

Biography

Hi my name is Loanie E. Webster. I was born on March 26 in Bluefields, Nicaragua. I was raised in Miami Florida. I have 13 brothers and sisters, I know wow! I have about 23 nieces and nephews. I am an elementary education major, and I attend Miami Dade College North Campus. I enjoy reading books about life, and inspirational books but my favorite book is the Bible. It's also the greatest book ever written. On my spare time, I also like to listen to easy music it can also be inspirational such as Gospel or music that tells someon else's story about their life and experiences that they may have learned or overcame. One thing i learned from music is not only that it is someone else's story but it is proof that life is a cycle. That no ones situation is greater than another because at some point in life we have all shared a life experience. I love to read the Bible because it is the word of our creator. It guides me and comforts me, teaches me more about the creator Jesus and cannot be compared to any other source of who he is, what he did for me and you, what he will do and how much loves us. I am an observer I like to study the ways of humans. I love children, since I was growing I've been around kids all my life. I love to learn as much as i love to teach as well. The reason why I decided to be a teacher is because i would love to make an impact on some one else's life. I would love to be a part of another persons help towards success even if it means just mentoring them. What I really want to do in the sense of taking my career to another level is not only becoming a teacher but a teacher that may teach the living word of God. I want to live for him and by me teaching in a school that can preach about the bible to the students I can accomplish this while encouraging our future leaders to do the same and live for the lord.

Reflection #4

To be Honest I have heard a lot bout the Big Bang theory, but I really never had any interest to actually research the theories and the evidential facts behind it. During my readings I learned about the different species of which many humans believe they derived from. It all seems very convincing that humans evolved from an animal such as an ape. The theories thereof to this belief sounds convincing to me as well. Considering the fact that an animal such as an ape has so much in common to the nature of Homo Sapiens or humans, their physical abstracts, their ways of life and survival, who wouldn't believe in the big bang theory. According to the articles, scientists analyze the shapes and structure of the Homo species skulls in comparison to a Homo Sapiens skull and find hat they are similar. In fact one good example of similarity beteen two Homo Species are the Homo Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens. Scientists found the two species to be so similar that in 1964 they declared that they are not even seperate species but sub species, Homo Sapien Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens Sapiens. Homo Sapiens Neanderthals were the first group of homo species to resemble the actual human fossil form. They are also the first species to demonstrate the act of a burial for the deceased. The articles state that Homo Erectus were one of the more advanced homo species in hunting for food, and making stone tools such things in which we as Homo Sapiens are well advanced in also. So there are many other relative aspects of human nature in comparison to homo species, but it's not that convincing for me to believe that we evolved from animals. I have a strong and firm substance in Jesus, the creator of all things. In the article, it states that this theory of human evolving from apes does not contardict religions or religious beliefs, but it does. By reading this article, one may simply imply or come up with the conclusion that we as humans were created in the image of an ape, and that contradicts what i believe. However, i found it very interesting that most of the homo species derived from the continent of Africa.

Reflections #3

As far as I can remember my elementary days, there are still some fresh incidents that I can remember today as if they occurred yesterday. I guess after they happened I may have gotten offended by the incidents so they remain in my long term memory. So when topics like this arouse they become afresh. I believe incidents like this can only get a child so far in life, especially if they're sensitive. They are the most memorable events because it's natural for us humans to reminisce on the bad memories more than we do on the good. For example, I remember when I was in kindergarten, my teacher was Spanish but she spoke English very well. In class she would only speak Spanish and if you didn't understand she would transfer you to another class. The offending part of this story was that she transferred me not knowing that I am Spanish. She didn't even test me, she just assumed that I didn't speak the language because of the color of my skin. Although segregation happened to what feels like centuries ago, it still seems as recent as yesterday. The elementary school I attended was located in a Spanish neighborhood, and I would base my experience with most of the teachers at my elementary school to be somewhat a contribution approach. The teachers acknowledged certain culture deeply on certain levels, for example different holidays. The month of October is most certainly devoted unto Spanish speaking countries because of Christopher Columbus. In the month of February we celebrate the contributions to America of Black legends such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Madam C.J. Walker, and many more black heroes. If I could go back to elementary I would prefer my teachers to consider the transformation and social action approach simply because I think everyone should be acknowledged with the potential to become a great leader regarding race, culture, gender or ethnicity. All cultures should be acknowledged everyday not just a month or a couple of weeks in one year. America is known as the melting pot because we are a people made up of different beliefs, and ways of life, who travel from far to settle in a foreign land but together we make up one nation. That's what makes us unique, so why not acknowledge each other as one. This case is more sensitive for teachers, because although parents train the child as they grow older, we as teachers set an example for what and who they may and will become.

Coyote
The picture makes this poem seem very demonic. The shadow seems like a shadow of darkness that follow to create dark paths of evilness.It seems to be very scheemful and sneeky.

Bats
The picture in the poem looks like an evil butterfly, if butterflies could ever be harmful this picture would be a great illustration of one. This poem seems to be some what similar to human nature. What i thought about when reading this poem was the human nature of lust. How devouring.

Two gnomes dance the celebratory hopaky
This picture looks like two men standing behind a pelvick. I think it resembles manhood. It looks like they are celebrating something. The picture seems to be celebrating itself.

Reflections #2

According to the article a paradigm is a representation or well put together point of view that is convincible enough to be considered a fact. As long as the subject or theory contains enough proof or evidence as to why this theory is considered to be what it seems, it is then it is closer to being stated as a fact. One of the examples in the article that I comprehend well is the example of religion. The example is of the traditional beliefs of a Christian or of a Roman Catholic. The example is based on things that we were taught to believe in according to faith, from our younger years and it becomes a traditional belief. The diagram lists on the left side, things of a human nature such as why we as humans sin, why women go through pain during child birth, and even why men are suppose to have the upper hand in a marriage. On the right side of the diagram, lists possible explanations as to why these incidents have become a norm to our human nature. Explanations such as Adam and Eve‘s punishment for disobeying God is why woman go through pain during childbirth and men having the upper hand is a woman’s punishment, the idea that man must labor the ground all the days of his life is there punishment and the fact that we are descendants of Adam is the reason why sin is innate from birth. Because these are not just possible explanations but also things in which we are trained to believe by relatives, it becomes traditional for us to teach the next generation the same as we were taught to believe. Paradigm Shift is the result of a better explanation or theory of why certain things happen and why they appear to happen the way that they do. It is a transformation of thoughts from one belief or behavior because of a more reasonable or valid explanation. One example that I can think of for paradigm shift is when men thought that the sun revolved around planet earth because it rose to the east in the morning and it set to the west by night. For almost all of history this was believed to be a fact because of well produced information. Until Galileo Galilei came up with a better explanation.

Reflections #1

In Colonial times, being a teacher was not considered a career. It was rather considered a temporary job. Therefore, there were no requirements such as a certificate, degree or even the experience for one to pursue the job of a teacher. In fact with those that had a little experience it was only because they were perhaps apprentices to mastering teachers. With this being said, one may imply that the job of a teacher was not taken very serious, considering the fact that anyone could become a teacher during colonial times and there were no preparations needed. Other teachers that had some sort of experience were indentured servants, paying for there journey to America by teaching for a certain amount of years. It was not until 1823 when Reverend Samuel Hall founded a normal school for elementary school graduates, when teachers were gaining some kind of education for there job as a teacher. This school would train teachers to become professional teachers. In 1839, Horace Mann initiated the first state supported school that offered a two-year training program for teachers. As the years went on through the 1900s, being a teacher became the occupation of mainly women. Given this fact it can be assumed that teachers were still greatly unrecognized. Because the profession of teachers did expand throughout the nation, there were high demands for better qualified teachers. Therefore this demand required better education for teachers, education that would allow teachers to enhance there skills and knowledge as to what it means to be a teacher. And so colleges and universities were initiating different programs for teachers education such as three and four year programs. It wasn't until the 1980s when teachers were being identified as professionals with the necessity to earn a bachelor or masters degree in education in order to become a teacher. In modern today there are many different training programs one may take part in. According to the book, there are two types of teacher education approaches and they are traditional and alternative education. The traditional education for teachers is when students to be teachers and the subject they desire to teach. The alternative education for teachers is when students learn to teach through an internship or on-the-job-training.