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.