Abstract This paper presents a discussion about school prayer. The author of this paper believes that prayer in school is a direct violation of the constitutional mandate that church and state remain separated, and discusses the intent of the founding fathers when implementing such a separation.
From the Paper "For many years now, the issue of school prayer has made the forefront to the news. We hear that students defy direct orders from school officials and stand to recite the Lord's Prayer at graduation. We hear about principals being hauled into court by the ACLU for allowing students to pray on campus. It is a volatile issue that remains close to the heart on both sides of the argument. The bottom line, however, is that America proudly waves its diversity banner to the rest of the world. We brag about the fact that we welcome and encourage diversity and we are founded on the premise that freedom of religion should be a right of every person."
Abstract The paper begins with a definition and history of affirmative action in the U.S. The controversy surrounding this practice is then explored. Statistics are cited and the University of Michigan is used to illustrate the controversy. Advantages and disadvantages of the practice of affirmative action are discussed.
From the Paper "Much of the debate over affirmative action focuses on the notion that affirmative action gives preference to minorities at the expense of whites. For example, California's Proposition 209 ended local and state affirmative action programs in public employment, public education, and public contracting. Advocates of proposition 209 claim that affirmative action is unconstitutional since it gives preferential treatment to certain groups."
From the Paper "Cognitive Development: Contrasting the Theories of Piaget and Vygotsky
Introduction
This research contrasts the cognitive development theories of Jean Piaget and L. S Vygotsky. The implications of these theories for the teaching of young children are also addressed.
Comparing the Theories
The origins of social learning theory lie in attempts to combine psychoanalytic and stimulus.response theory into a comprehensive explanation of human behavior (Grusec, 1992, pp. 776.786). Various theories of human development often tend to view people as either active or passive in interactions with their environments (Cohen, 1987, p. 22). A passive concept of human..."
Abstract This paper begins with an overview of some of the major ideas of human development. The overview includes a discussion of Eric Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory, and Jean Piaget's four major stages of cognitive development. The paper suggests that teachers who understand these theories have a better chance of applying them in the classroom and boosting their students? self-esteem. Finally, a soft and relaxing classroom environment, emotionally responsive teachers, effective discipline strategies and multi-cultural classrooms are discussed as ways of putting the development theories into practice.
From the Paper "They also want to do many things that adults do and in the process, and if they overstep their bounds a little, they might feel a little guilty. One example of this is when a 3 year old wanted to make breakfast for her parents one Sunday morning. She got out all of the condiments, milk, and eggs from the refrigerator, and set them on the floor. She was about to start "cooking" when her mom got up. The child was in trouble, because she tried to do "adult" things, but was developmentally unable to complete her "mission". Her parents were worried about her safety, but she didn?t see it that way and felt bad about what happened."
An examination of the roots of Black American English ("Ebonics") and the current attempt to integrate it into educational system in the United States.
1,210 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 7 sources, 2000, $ 41.95
From the Paper "The controversy over Ebonics is a very serious one indeed. Many factors are considered in the battle over this dialect which is growing in controversy and popularity. Teachers and educators alike must consider the effects of the use of Ebonics in education and mainstream culture. The battle over Ebonics is very clear. The opposition speaks out strongly against Ebonics and its effects in mainstream education. Supporters of Ebonics, like the Oakland Board of Education, argue that more stable and well-rounded students will emerge from the acknowledgement and study of Ebonics as a separate language."
Tags: ebonics, education, african, american, black, english
Abstract A short analysis of arguments about the possibility that television causes violence in children, focusing on studies that have examined this issue.
From the Paper "What is playing on the television or radio? Chances are high that children are around and that there is something on the television or radio directly or indirectly associated with violence. Images of violence have simply become apart of today's culture."
A look at college athletes and controversial issues about their payment. The paper deals with college athletes that are not collecting the money promised them. The author investigates how college athletes are often denied payment as a result of their free
1,280 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 6 sources, 2001, $ 43.95
Abstract The paper deals with college athletes that are not collecting the money promised them. The author investigates how college athletes are often denied payment as a result of their free education and examines reasons for this.
From the Paper "College athletes are being deprived of money they deserve and they should be compensated for their efforts. Athletes across the nation practice hours each day, with the hopes of representing their institution to the best of their ability. Billions of dollars accumulate each year, but the athletes that are responsible for this revenue have yet to profit from it. Their time is primarily dedicated to the team and their trials in the classroom, yet these athletes are still expected to support themselves and maintain the standards set for the average student."
Abstract This paper talks about the causes and effects of the increase in high school violence in the last few years. An argument for emphasis on younger education. The author includes examples and statistics of school violence studies and a few proposed solutions to school violence.
From the Paper "Since the April 20,1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, school violence has been getting a substantial amount of attention, especially compared to ten years ago. The number of extremely violent crimes committed by students has been increasing in the last few years. These incidents are not only increasing in number, but in the amount of bloodshed in each occurrence. Some experts seek to analyze the effects of this violence, while others attempt to pinpoint the causes, figuring them to be everything from parental violence to "shoot to kill" video games. There are many solutions that must be put together in order to help solve this urgent problem."
Abstract This paper defines and compares the theories of learning from the behaviorist perspective and the cognitive point of view. The author discusses the contribution of psychologists in theses respective fields and concludes that a more detailed theory including situational characteristics is necessary.
From the Paper "Behaviorism is a theory of animal and human learning that focuses on objectively observable behaviors; behavior theorists define learning as nothing more than the acquisition of new behavior through a process of conditioning. Classic conditioning occurs when a natural reflex responds to a stimulus; a certain stimulus will produce a biological response. The most popular example is Pavlov's observation that dogs salivate when they eat or even see food."
Abstract This paper looks at the many things that must be taken into consideration before technology can be brought into the classroom successfully.
From the Paper "Whether technology should be used in schools is no longer the issue in education. Instead, the current emphasis is ensuring that technology is used effectively to create new opportunities for learning and to promote student achievement. Educational technology is not, and never will be, transformative on its own, however. It requires the assistance of educators who integrate technology into the curriculum, align it with student learning goals, and use it for engaged learning projects."
Abstract A discussion on the history of prayer in American schools. This paper presents arguments for and against the issue and also examines legal implications of these arguments. Current legal battles are discussed and legislative conclusions are presented. This paper also addresses the issue of church vs. state in America as a whole and schools in particular.
From the Paper "Prayer in schools is one of the most debated topics in U.S. history. Debate didn?t begin in the 1960s as some people believe. Debate began more than 100 years ago when Italian and Irish Catholic immigrants were forced to read the King James Bible and pray in schools. At that time, during the 1830s, the first prayer in school conflicts erupted. Riots, fires at convents and school expulsions were commonplace in the name of the school prayer debate. In 1962, as the United States became a more diverse nation, the court ruled against school prayer in the case of Engel v. Vitale (Grunberg and Crane: This History par 1)."
Abstract Bilingual education programs set up to provide support to non-English-speaking children allow immigrant children to keep up with studies in other academic subjects while they work on their English skills. The paper shows that the controversy over the effectiveness of bilingual education programs continues to rage in the community as educators attempt to find ways to accommodate the needs of the increasing numbers of immigrant children. Thus far, there is no conclusive evidence that bilingual education programs or other strategies provide the best education for immigrant children. The paper discusses how past experiences have shown that immigrant children from different parts of the world perform differently in response to particular strategies. Socio-economic backgrounds of the immigrant children may also be a decisive factor in determining the outcome of the children's success. The paper concludes that it is ultimately up to the parents and educators to collaborate in order to provide an education that caters to the individualized needs of their children.
From the Paper "However, critics of bilingual education point out that bilingual education programs have been an utter failure in enabling immigrant children to succeed in schools. Even after thirty years of implementation, there is still no indication that bilingual education programs work in helping non-English-speaking students succeed. They argue that immigrant children are still dropping out of schools in droves and few immigrant children transition to full English instruction classes (Rothstein, 1998, p. 672). According to these critics, the premise of bilingual education classes is a divisive concept that slows down the assimilation process of these immigrant children. By keeping children straddled between two worlds, bilingual education advocates are sabotaging the immigrant children's chances of learning a sufficient level of English to allow them to survive in the workplace (Rothstein, 1998, p. 672). Immigrant children who are immersed in their native language at school and at home will not feel the incentive to tackle the difficult challenge of learning another language (Rothstein, 1998, p. 679)."
Abstract On January 8th, 2001, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 into law. This law is a summation of Bush's reform of education platform and contains some of the most sweeping of all changes and modifications to the Elementary and Secondary Education Acct (ESEA) since it was put into law in 1965. The paper shows that this act has resulted in a great deal of controversy on all sides of the issue. The paper examines the nature of the NCLB, its impact and the controversy over the issue.
From the Paper "The new requirements for accountability include documentation of the program's effectiveness in supporting technology integration into curriculum and instruction and the intervention's influence on instructional practice. Research is showing that technology can effectively capture information about change in teachers' use of technology. For example, the California Department of Education developed the California Technology Assistance Project/Technology Assessment Profile, a tool for teachers to self-assess their competency in integrating technology into instruction. Typically, teachers complete CTA online before and after staff development. Results are graphically reported online as well. The state recommends that school districts use CTA as part of the overall assessment strategy and to assess the effects of the NCLB-EETT requirement that 25% of the technology funding be used for staff development (Cradler and Cradler, 2002)."
From the Paper ""To Sir, With Love" by E.R. Braithwaite is a novel about a black teacher in England who gets a class of misfits that have no interest in learning. In the novel's beginning, "Sir"s? initial reaction in his new job is that of fear and uncertainty, because of the complex and unstructured nature of his job and his students. As the novel progresses, "Sir" must find out that to get the students to learn from him, he must learn from them in terms of their lifestyle. "Sir" wins his students? hearts and minds towards the novel's end, when they become respectful, responsible members of society. The novel is a testament of the undying devotion of the human spirit, in which "Sir" wins his students? respect by showing them what they learn is useful outside of the classroom, giving them more self-respect and confidence."
Abstract This paper is about religion in public schools. It looks at this issue in relation to the regulations of the First Amendment. A case is given where a child was not allowed to read a bible story in class for fear it may influence other children. The paper questions how far schools should go in enforcing the First Amendment.
From the Paper "The debate about the expression of religion in our nation's public schools is a very prevalent issue. There have been numerous lawsuits against public schools, and the debate about including religion in the curriculum of state-run schools is a central issue in Congress, the Supreme Court and even the Presidential Election. The first amendment guarantees the right to freedom of expression, and expressing one's own religion is key to the meaning of the first amendment. The first amendment guarantees that someone can freely practice their religion, but a conflict arises between the doctrines of the separation church and state and this freedom to express religion. Many questions arise when examining the middle ground between these two points. The consideration of allowing prayer in public schools is one of the most obvious places where this debate is currently an important issue."
Tags: censorship, clause, establishment, religious
