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Portfolio: Why I Decided to Return to School, 2008.
A narrative essay examining the reasons why, despite many professional accomplishments, the writer decided to return to school at the age of forty four.
1,868 words (approx. 7.5 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 59.95
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Abstract
This paper is a narrative essay that discusses why the writer decided to return to school at the age of forty four and how the choice not to finish school in the past has made her what she is today. It discusses the catalyst to the writer's decision and describes the writer's professional life since finishing high school. The paper also discusses why, despite her many accomplishments, she decided to study further.
From the Paper
"I hope my decision to return to school at the age of 44, will inspire others who are in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond to follow their dreams no matter what age they may be. As long as a body is living and breathing on this earth, goals and desires can be achieved with hard work and initiative. As I stated, this was not an easy decision for me, but it should not be for anyone, as pursuing a university degree is a serious endeavor and should not be taken lightly. My son has taken his education as seriously as I have and soon both of us will be educational equals. I have always strived to be a role model for him, but in the end, even with my financial success and career flight up the corporate ladder, in a strange twist of fate, he became that role model for me, and I will always be indebted to him for that."
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Multicultural Education as an Academic Discipline, 2008.
An analysis of the inherent conflict always present between democracy and diversity and the need for multicultural education in schools.
723 words (approx. 2.9 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the importance of teaching multicultural education as an academic discipline. The paper discusses the inherent conflict always present between democracy and diversity and how this is present in the United States. It suggests that American students are not aware of the problems and that multicultural education therefore must be taught from a young age.
From the Paper
"An example might be an activity like that described by Callazos, Guerrero and Pino in Knowledge Construction Awareness. In the activity students must work cooperatively to find their way out of a labyrinth. (Collazos, et. al.) Knowledge Construction Awareness Success is based on developing blind trust and working cooperatively. In this convergent activity students must trust. The common experience of playing the game together can lead to trust - as a first step toward accepting diversity.
"This activity is also an example of Progressive and Constructionist pedagogy. Curricular 'Constructionists' seek to have students construct their own knowledge based on experience, rather than by 'telling' students what they should know or believe."
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Multicultural Teaching, 2008.
This paper discusses the debate about the precise role of multicultural educational programs for teachers.
815 words (approx. 3.3 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 29.95
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Abstract
The paper looks at an argument that urban schools, which tend to be the most culturally diverse, tend to be more economically disadvantaged than suburban schools. The paper also discusses the assertions that teachers can find themselves with a hierarchically-imposed curriculum and student testing standards that conflicts with a training where innovation, active participation and broader social contexts are taken into consideration. The paper concludes that teachers should see the concept of multicultural education as an integral foundation for their teaching.
From the Paper
"The role of multicultural education in terms of teacher training is one that has certainly evolved over the years. From starting out as a simple acknowledgement that teachers throughout the school system should have some basic familiarity with the diverse backgrounds of their students, it has grown into a more complex and more comprehensive series of philosophies, concepts and pedagogical methodologies to enable teachers to much more effectively reach students from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. This growth is welcome as the numbers and proportion of children from minority and/or multicultural backgrounds has continued to increase in school districts across the country, instilling more urgency and immediacy into the task of multicultural teacher training, especially given the downward trending of student achievement scores in some areas (Duarte.) As might be expected, this phenomenon has also created some points of disagreement about the precise role of multicultural educational programs for teachers."
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Psychological Theories of Human Development, 2008.
An analysis of the psychoanalytic, learning, humanistic, cognitive and ethological theories of human development.
1,853 words (approx. 7.4 pages), 12 sources, APA, $ 59.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses some of the main theories of human development that focus on cognitive development, environmental influences and a combination of the two. It looks at theories that include psychoanalytic, learning, humanistic, cognitive and ethological. The paper focuses on the theory that best aligns with the writer's own approach to teaching - Albert Bandura's theory of learning and social cognition.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Psychoanalytic Theory
Learning Theory
Humanistic Theory
Cognitive Theory
Ethological Theory
Theorist who's Beliefs Align with My Approach to Teaching
How this Theory Directly Applies and Relates to the Classroom
Conclusion
From the Paper
"The work of Albert Bandura has emphasized the role of environmental influences in shaping behavior patterns so much so that he has laid the responsibility for creating positive environments for child development directly at the feet of parents, teachers, and other caregivers. The principles of social learning through modeling and reinforcement have also made adults, especially teachers, very aware of the role they play in modeling behaviors for children. During the school year, school age children spend more hours at school than at home, therefore, the behavior of their teachers is extremely important in relation to social learning and behavior modeling. Additionally, Bandura's view that individuals have partial control over the environment around them by their reaction to it has great implications for the classroom. It can be surmised that when children feel comfortable and at ease in the classroom they will excel. Especially if these children do not feel powerless, but instead feel as though they have some control, however minor, over the environment."
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Educational Leadership and Ethics, 2008.
A review of the importance of ethical principles for a school teacher and a professional educational administration organization.
1,116 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 4 sources, APA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper briefly discusses a personal and professional structure of professional values and beliefs that are important for being a successful school leader. It looks at the tradition or ethical school from which those values and beliefs spring and discusses the ethical principles of a professional educational administration organization. The paper also discusses how the principles of that organization are comparable to the writer's own values. The paper contains appended original sources.
From the Paper
"It is often asked of prospective young teachers - or those who wish to school administrators - what their professional values and beliefs are. In my own case, I feel that one's personal and professional values should be one and the same. In other words, a teacher and/or administrator who strives to be honest and compassionate in the classroom and in the school environment should also strive to be honest and compassionate in his or her personal life, as well. With that in mind, I feel the following values and/or beliefs are integral to a person being a good citizen and a good teaching professional: honesty, empathy and conscientiousness, a willingness to consider new ideas and perspectives, a sense of duty, selflessness, and a commitment to excellence. If a member of the professional school community has all of these qualities, he or she will be both a strong person and a professional able to shape primary and secondary school students in positive ways. As a school leader, I want to make my school just the sort of place where the qualities enumerated above can flourish."
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The American Education System, 2008.
An examination of the tension between liberalism and democracy in the American education system.
1,548 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
This paper argues that the U.S. education system has dealt with the the tension between liberalism and democracy in the American education system by creating a public school system that embraces as many different cultures as possible via a policy of accommodation. In short, the paper looks at how the American education system earnestly seeks to give private individuals and their families some semblance of choice while pursuing an agenda that satisfies the socialization goals of liberal democracies. The paper then discusses and defines the uneasy relationship between the liberal dimension of political liberalism and the liberal democratic demands of political liberalism and briefly looks at how America has dealt with this schism in general. The paper concludes by exploring the modern-day education system's efforts to privilege tolerance for others in a way that still permits individuals to exercise some autonomy - even if the traditional role of parent has increasingly fallen into the hands of the public school.
From the Paper
"The relationship between liberalism and democracy is undeniably tense in modern American life and this is especially evident in the United States education system. Meira Levinson writes that the "liberal" dimension of political liberalism seeks to keep as much of the individual citizen's life in the private domain as possible; in short, the objective is to shield people from state interference. Conversely, the aforementioned political liberalism also has a democratic dimension wherein the maintenance of liberal democratic institutions is considered of the utmost importance. Consequently, there is a countervailing insistence that citizens identify with the political community and demonstrate the public virtues of critical reflection, mutual respect, and tolerance (Levinson, 333-334)."
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Boys' Education and Feminism, 2008.
A critical examination of the debate over masculinity and the underperformance of boys in public education.
1,660 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 53.95
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Abstract
The paper refers to Michael Kimmel's analysis of the debate over gender stereotyping and its relationship with boys' underachievement in academic studies today. The paper provides a critical examination of this debate and reveals that this problem actually pre-dates the modern feminist movement, thus proving that the greater access and performance of girls in the education system is actually not related to underperformance of boys. The paper contends that this critique of feminism can be seen as an agenda-driven effort by conservative forces to both undermine the gains of the feminist movement and also obscure the reality of the negative impact of gender stereotyping upon boys' academic performance.
Outline:
Introduction
Background in the Debate
Backlash Politics and the Issue of Masculinity
Conclusion
From the Paper
"In "What About the Boys?" Michael Kimmel explores a number of facets of the complex debate over gender stereotyping and the contemporary education system. Proceeding from an initial focus upon the current concern over the apparent decline in academic performance of boys in recent years, Kimmel develops a wide-ranging interrogation of not only issues and agendas in the current debate, but also of broader social gender conditioning and stereotyping in our culture and how this is negatively impacting generations of males."
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Teaching Literacy Abstract, 2008.
A review of the article "Researchers and Teachers Working Together to Adapt Instruction for Diverse Learners" by D. Fuchs and L.S. Fuchs.
862 words (approx. 3.4 pages), 1 source, APA, $ 30.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how D. Fuchs and L.S. Fuchs' aricle, "Researchers and Teachers Working Together to Adapt Instruction for Diverse Learners", discusses the disconnect between educational research and educational practice that the authors, themselves researchers, contend is widespread in education today. The paper specifically looks at how the authors begin with a literature review, citing numerous studies that not only support this contention but present a range of hypotheses as to why it is occurring and how it may be remedied. The paper also examines how, although the authors reject the criticisms of some that empirical research in education is without value, they note the validity of some of the criticism and illustrate these issues in terms of their own research.
Outline:
Article
Summary
Quotations
Salient Points
Reflections
Application
From the Paper
"While the authors cite a number of strategies in their methodology that are interesting, their idea in regard to "scaling up" of research as the final stage of their process is a very important point (Fuchs and Fuchs 132-33). While a teaching practice has been proven successful in a number of cases, implementing it in a wide range of classroom settings requires considerable effort. For this reason, the authors find that teachers who "self-select" themselves to implement innovations are often the best candidates for this process. Again, this point reinforces the overall sense of "realism" and practicality that defines the authors' methodology."
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Wind Band Repertoire, 2008.
Looks at the planning of the repertoire for a classical wind band.
1,210 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses a number of considerations when planning a program for wind band concerts and when expanding a band's repertoire. The author examines various articles, which focus on the challenge of finding new music, selecting it, and its appropriateness for a given level of skill in any particular band, especially in educational institutions.
From the Paper
"Reynish, following Frederick Fennell, feels that Vaughan Williams and Holst should rightly be considered "the basis for the whole development of 20th century wind literature", but also adds that new works have figured in his work at the Royal Northern College of Music significantly recently, with Sir Richard Rodney Bennett having "contributed three major works to the wind ensemble repertoire." Reynish writes that other major 20th century composers to consider include Gregson, Bedford, Woolfendon, Wilby, Ellerby, Gorb and Buxton Ozz."
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Gifted Children in the Classroom, 2008.
This paper examines two articles "Giftedness and the Gifted: What's It All About?" by anonymous and "Creative Strategies for Teaching Language Arts to Gifted Students" by Joan Franklin Smutny.
1,039 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 2 sources, APA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
The paper addresses the topic of giftedness by referring to two articles "Giftedness and the Gifted: What's It All About?" by anonymous and "Creative Strategies for Teaching Language Arts to Gifted Students" by Joan Franklin Smutny. The paper summarizes both articles and provides a quotation from them. The paper also highlights the most salient point of the articles and relates the author's personal reflections on both articles.
Outline:
Summary
Quotations
Salient Points
Reflections
Application
From the Paper
"Gifted children are often talked about in educational circles - but how do we actually define gifted children? The article "Giftedness and the gifted: What's it all about?" offers a range of answers to that question. While the sheer breadth of the range may initially seem a little daunting, it is possible to discern sufficient commonalities that the varying definitions seem to hang together, casting light one upon the other. In addition, the checklist of general characteristics offers a quick reference for the busy teacher to identify gifted children in the classroom. This is a pragmatic article and a pragmatic approach, recommending for example that teachers do not become bogged down in the concept of intelligence. Finally, there is a useful section on the use of words that are sometimes associated with giftedness. This article shows that some of these are useful, and some are not. All in all, this is a useful article for both teachers and parents."
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Testing in the ESL Classroom, 2008.
This paper analyzes the impact of testing on teaching and learning in the ESL classroom.
1,068 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 8 sources, APA, $ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the negative and positive impact of testing upon teaching and upon learning in the ESL classroom. Specifically, the paper explores how heavy-handed evaluation methods that emphasize student failure can assure even larger failure while a strong testing methodology can, on the other hand, build trust between student and teacher. Not to be overlooked, the paper also examines the manner in which testing can either lead teachers to test the wrong things or, conversely, can lead them to a higher level of professional development. The paper concludes taht, in the end, testing in and of itself is not the problem - the problem is teachers who use it clumsily.
From the Paper
"There can scarcely be any doubt that one of the most significant roles any teacher will perform is the difficult role of evaluator. Finding the tools and methodologies needed to appropriately assess where a classroom of students is headed is one thing, but another consideration is finding out a testing style and approach that will not cow students or dampen their enthusiasm for the course material. In an interesting study, Kaplan Bass (1993) found that it is the anticipation of having their work evaluated by a teacher that sparks anxiety among developmental or ESL students - and anxiety is one of the chief reasons why some students fall short of reaching their full potential as writers."
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American Libraries and Spanish-Speaking Americans, 2008.
An analysis of the treatment of Spanish-speaking Americans by American public libraries and how the situation can be improved.
2,810 words (approx. 11.2 pages), 15 sources, MLA, $ 83.95
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Abstract
This paper briefly looks at the historical treatment of Spanish-speaking patrons by the American public libraries. It discusses the implications of properly treating Spanish-speaking Americans for the library profession. It then explores the many options and solutions being considered and implemented by professional librarians seeking to formulate some kind of a rapprochement with the Spanish-speaking community. Next, the paper looks at how one major stakeholder (private business) has responded to the ongoing problem about how the library system of the United States can best serve the needs of Spanish-Americans. Finally, the paper provides an analysis of some of the solutions that appear to be available and which one of all of these appears most promising.
From the Paper
"There can scarcely be any doubt that American public libraries have historically done a poor job of meeting the needs of Spanish-speaking Hispanic Americans. Part of the reason for this unhappy state of affairs is that Hispanic Americans, until quite recently, did not constitute a large proportion of the American population. In addition, however, there is a general sense (at least in some quarters) that public libraries overlooked the language needs of Hispanic Americans because of a perception that America was an "English-speaking" nation and thus had no pressing obligation to provide for those who spoke another language. This perception has been challenged in recent years - at least in part because libraries are coming to the conclusion that one of the two groups (the other group is Chinese) that is really beginning to assert itself with regards to the use of the latest information technology is Spanish-speaking peoples. For this reason, the ability of American public libraries to accommodate this growing group of patrons is now of undeniable importance."
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Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington, 2008.
An analysis of the obstacles that Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington faced in receiving an education and a comparison of their approaches.
1,904 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the views on literacy and education of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. In particular, the paper discusses how each man got his education through tremendous effort and self-sacrifice as both were born in slavery. The paper also describes the early lives of Douglass and Washington and explains how they came to achieve their education despite the odds against them. In addition, the paper compares the approach of both men.
From the Paper
"At the time, 1872, when college level institutions which were willing to admit blacks were almost non-existent, this attitude was probably essential. Accommodation to racism and white supremacist attitudes in the deep South during this period was doubtlessly essential. Alabama was willing to allow Tuskegee Institute in large part because Washington and others associated with that school during that time were willing to accept the burdens and conditions that a white supremacist society would impose on blacks as the price for allowing them any college at all."
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The Student Loan Industry and Discrimination, 2008.
An analysis of the practice of redlining in the student loans industry and the private loan corporations' denial of any wrongdoing.
1,746 words (approx. 7.0 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 56.95
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Abstract
This paper argues that, despite the adamant denials of student loan companies, the practice of redlining is alive and well in America. The paper then looks at the most pertinent laws and pieces of legislation safeguarding students rights in the area of loans. The paper also looks at some of the evidence recently brought to light which makes it clear that students are penalized unjustly by private loaners. Finally, the paper considers the arguments of private loan corporations that they are being unfairly targeted and it rebuts those claims.
From the Paper
"Still, while the student loan companies (some of them, at any rate) may be sincere in their conviction that they are merely trying to protect themselves from harm in a tough industry, the fact remains that it is minority students who are being disproportionately affected by all of this. Beyond that, the plaintive cry of the aforementioned companies that they are simply trying to make an honest "buck" falls upon deaf ears when it is considered how eager the corporations have been historically to exploit loopholes in federal legislation allowing them to collect massive subsidies from the government (Fitzgerald, A09). As well, there is mounting evidence that student loan companies have been altogether too eager to foster illicit ties with school officials - something that is borne out when examining a recent Springfield News-Leader article."
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