Philosophy of Education for Foundations of Education Essay

Introduction Education is an ongoing process based upon experience. The old adage you learn something new everyday is very true, and nothing fascinates me more than simply talking to other people; you can learn so much from them. Education is the foundation of our American society, and the children of today are the future of our country, but educating them is not enough; we must be good role models and present a system of morals and values in our classrooms. Our objective in education is directly related to the social sciences in that the classroom is a microcosm of our society. As teachers we try to prepare our students for real-world situations. Interacting socially, communicating effectively and understanding other peoples’ emotions, feelings and points of view will help our students blossom into productive and understanding adults. Howard Gardner wrote about multiple intelligences, which I think is a huge step in improving the classroom environment and lesson plans to include ways that everyone can learn (Tomlinson, 2002). He identified eight different ways to be â€Å"smart† that traditional IQ tests would not show. This model allows students to excel in these categories through different types of instruction, such as verbal ability, referred to as the linguistic intelligence, or the ability to play an instrument, referred to as the musical intelligence (Johnson et al. , 2005). My classroom will be entertaining, first and foremost. I understand the material I am teaching elementary school children, but delivering that material effectively depends on how they feel about school. Motivating children and getting them excited about learning is not always easy, but it is a key ingredient to a successful classroom. As a male entering the elementary education field I understand my role as a possible father figure (Kindlon and Thompson, 1999) and recognize the importance. I want to make a difference in the world, and I see no better way than through the efforts of education. Definition of Philosophy From the perspective of a future educator, I see myself identifying with the qualities of existentialism the most. This theory can be hard to explain at times because it relies so heavily on the meaning we impose on our lives through education, an idea that cannot be expressed in a limited amount of words and one that differs from individual to individual. Existentialism is routed in the fact that our lives are meaningless; we live in a meaningless world and a meaningless period of time no different than any other. In essence, the quest to find meaning in our lives defines our life. A large part of this view is the idea that we are all free, an idea embraced in America but not typically recognized throughout the world or throughout history. Given this, our freedom allows us to make choices and these choices define us. The goal of the teacher through this philosophy is not to teach freedom, but to embrace it. Tracking, measurement and standardization homogenize the classroom, whereas our goal as teachers is to individualize the classroom and foster a healthy student-teacher relationship. The students’ feelings are important and we should not compare ourselves to an ideal self but who we actually are, and education is the tool that fills the gaps of understanding this. Because I have yet to become a teacher, I am not quite sure how and in what ways measurement and standardization negatively impact the classroom, but I am aware of the separation and animosity created my tracking. Getting the students to think positively about themselves will foster healthy learning and create a positive self-esteem that will drive them to learn both in the classroom and through questioning on their own. Sparking that fire is the idea behind existentialism, and in a world where we are essentially meaningless, it is up to us as teachers to inspire our students to grasp the freedom they have, bring meaning into their life, and use that excitement to find meaning in all that they do. Also, in sparking critical thinking, students will engage in a thoughtful and reflective process similar to Bloom’s taxonomy where a number of levels of learning are happening, dependent on how information in the classroom affects them and their existence as well as essence. Another important tool we can use to define our philosophy as a teacher is the Ways of Knowing. I feel like I identify most with the Eastern Way of Knowing, particularly the Chinese thought because of the emphasis on moral development. Understanding facts and theories is important in education, but sometimes it is hard to distinguish what is actually necessary from what is trivial. Preaching morals allows us to respect others, particularly elders, and gain from their knowledge, something that cannot always be taught in the classroom. Also, it will foster a more productive and peaceful society, one that is the best to learn in. Confucianism and Taoism play a large role in this type of knowing as well, and the reliance on harmony can be compared to the need for smooth transitions in the field of education. Although Confucius implemented the need for rules and standards, contradictory to my belief in existentialism, he has influenced society and education in particular for thousands of years. These rules help keep life orderly and efficient, and the success of Chinese government, business and family life can be attributed to this as well as the harmony between the three. Taoism affects the Chinese thought by suggesting that we should leave things alone and not force personal desires onto the way things will naturally occur. This eliminates the need for competition and is more consistent with the existentialist view. Competition can be good in many ways, but when comparing students we must be careful and considerate. There is no place in the classroom for making anyone feel inferior, and I feel more strongly about that than any other aspect of teaching right now. In relation to morals and respect, I will never allow a student to think they are better than any other student, and hopefully using this method will prepare them for life in the â€Å"real world,† where manners and morals can actually take you pretty far. Even if it’s not for achievement, preaching this will promote self-improvement and a genuine compassion for other students, which is what I strive for in the classroom. Based on the work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and rooted in existentialism, humanism is the educational approach that I fell closest too. Humanism makes the assumption that we are essentially born good and that children enter the world not as a blank slate, but with innate qualities and dispositions. Consistent and nearly identical to existentialism, humanism stresses the role of individualism in the classroom and says that society turns people evil. Group-oriented education is rejected because it weakens the student-teacher relationship, limits self-actualization (based on the student’s feelings), and measures students as objects, effectively doing away with the individual self. Teachers involving humanism in the classroom look for student interests as guidelines for instruction and assessment and even go as far as letting the students pick the material and activities. Students discover their own opinions through divergent thinking and should not be influenced by the teachers’ views. Eastern influences on Humanism are also prevalent, as people should be looked at as valuable individuals that deserve respect, not as objects to be manipulated, described by the I-Thou and I-It example, respectively. I am an optimist; the glass is always half full. Therefore, I strongly believe that people are created equally, good and free. Society can have a negative impact on individuals, but it can also have a positive impact. Our goal as teachers is to become that positive force and to let every student know that we care about them as individuals. The book cites how a college classroom can consist of more than one-hundred students, leaving know room for a personal relationship with the professor. One of the main reasons I came to W and J was for that small school feel where I could have a personal relationship with my professors: I feel like I do better in my classes and that I also learn more and feel more confident about my abilities. If we can achieve this goal, rather than making our students just a number, we will truly succeed as educators. References Johnson, J. A. , Musial, D. , Hall, G. E. , Gollnick, D. M. , & Dupuis, V. L. (2005). Introduction to the foundations of American education (pp. 448). Boston: Allyn& Bacon. Kindlon, D. , & Thompson M. (1999). Raising Cain: Protecting the emotional life of boys (pp. 333). New York: Ballentine. Tomlinson, C. A. (2002). Different learners, different lessons. Scholastic Instructor, 9, 21, 24-26, 91.

Workplace Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Workplace Issues - Essay Example One of the more typical elements that lead to gender workforce diversity problems is the manner in which the company or firm views the independent skills and abilities of their workers, or the existence of bias and stereotyping in other people's behavior. For example, in corporate governance issues, the manner in which the company or firm views the responsibilities of males and females can inhibit or deny workers to particular occupations (Riccucci, 2002). The traits and attitudes of both males and females are also not the same from each other and can be identified as a major cause of gendered workplace problems. According to Smith (2003), males in the workplace are normally identified by dominant traits, which are the reasons why they are not lacking in self-belief, brute force, coercion, freedom, the will to win and the motivation to succeed. These traits of males enable them to utilize an aggressive managerial mechanism, which is helpful in persuading other people and enhancing the special capabilities of the workers. Meanwhile, females in the workplace possess serene traits that stand for love, respect, compassion and understanding. Females with serene traits normally talk with hesitation, manage a simple lifestyle and provide help to her co-workers (Lieberman, 2003). As these traits are not really significant components as to the manner that managers and presidents of organizations are typically viewed, females are not the immedi ate preferences for top level jobs in the firm. Males meanwhile assume their top positions as company managers and CEOs. d. What personality traits are beneficial and/or detrimental in your workplace In my workplace, males and females perform most of the time of acts as the foundation concerning how other individuals perceive them as potential CEOs of organizations. The interactive capacities for instance, which is an integral element of an excellent manager, are not the same among males and females in my workplace. As the interactive mechanisms of males are seen to be perfect for leadership positions, men in my workplace normally are always on the top candidates for highly coveted leadership jobs. e. Who is responsible for fostering motivation in the workplace Despite the various dilemmas concerning cultural workforce diversity, research studies prove that this is an essential factor of an excellent firm as well as gives positive points. According to Arredondo (1996), the hiring of an extremely diverse workforce with regards to race and ethnicity can be very helpful as it gives the company a greater roster of highly qualified individuals. This also improves the chances of the company to recruit workers that are capable enough for particular organizational deficits and necessities. In most organizational functions, workforce diversity can also support in providing a variety of helpful concepts that are critical in making informed choices. Therefore gendered workforce diversity widens the organization's views and improves its choices for establishing selections.

Using SAP in Electronic Government Research Paper

Using SAP in Electronic Government - Research Paper Example and Europe and will address the various challenges at "The Impact of E-Government in Europe" conference next month in Helsinki, said Ian Swann, vice president of SAP's public sector unit. Last year, SAP joined a program headed by the Center for Technology in Government at Albany State University in New York to help address the challenge of calculating return on investment for public sector IT initiatives. The center has conducted five case studies of organizations that have sought to assess the impact of the IT investments and has drafted a document offering a methodology for measuring ROI. Swann will present the findings of the five case studies and the ROI white paper. SAP is also participating in the European Union's E-Government Action Plan, aimed at helping Europe's sprawling public sector improve the efficiency of its internal operations and external services to citizens. The company is a contributor to the E.U.-funded Picture Project, a Web-based system that lets government officials measure the impact of information and communication technologies on organizational processes, enabling informed choices for long-term technology investments. While pointing to SAP's software expertise in areas such as accounting, human resources and logistics, Swann acknowledged an eagerness on the part of many governments, such as Germany and France, to create applications on "open architectures.†... ing, human resources and logistics, Swann acknowledged an eagerness on the part of many governments, such as Germany and France, to create applications on "open architectures.† Public-sector organizations will use "open source where it is appropriate and where it works," Swann said. But Swann was quick to use the word "open" in the context of SAP's new service-oriented architecture platform. The platform, he said, "opens up the delivery of services" and opportunities to work with independent software vendors. "All of this is about building more agile applications and creating more value out of existing investments," he said. Currently, sales to the public sector account for roughly 10 percent of SAP's total revenue and are growing, according to Swann. But selling to governments, which "are and will remain under severe financial constraints," will continue to be a challenge, he said: â€Å"That’s why we have to deliver value to what they're doing." E- Government complian ce We've seen the news reports with carloads of FBI agents, windbreakers and all, rushing into a business to seize paper records and servers. The evidence is analyzed later to prove a crime using computer forensics. However, the more likely use of computer forensics will be requirements around lawsuits: accounting records, emails, transaction data, and so on, all used to tell a story that will benefit either the plaintiff or the defense. The problem comes when we move data to the public clouds. How do we deal with legal issues, such as lawsuits and law enforcement? For the most part, organizations moving to the cloud have not even considered this issue. Indeed, according to Network World, "Any business that anticipates using cloud-based services should be asking the question: What can my cloud provider

Mothers' Health Conscious Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mothers' Health Conscious - Essay Example This essay talks about the survey analyses regarding mothers food decisions for their families. 1,000 American mothers were included in the survey. Many respondents felt that major brands were not able to address their individual needs, which meant that changes in the food and beverage marketing have to be implemented so as to appeal to moms. This article by Ben Meridith was published in a website which advocates healthy living. By using distributions from a survey, it was able to support its claim that more people are awakening to the need for a healthy lifestyle. At the end of the article Meridith said, â€Å"while food corporations are not known for their healthy messages, we can hope that they will approach marketing with a refreshing honesty† which in a sense meant that there is business in providing healthy food. Hence, in total, the article was able to support the website’s advocacy – that a healthy lifestyle is the new trend. While the writer for this article was successful in supporting his claims, one cannot say whether his interpretation of the distribution was correct or not. This is because he stated only the percentage distribution and not the actual frequency distribution of the survey. Moreover, there is no way for this researcher to check on the actual questions posted to the respondents and determine whether or not questions statements might have affected responses. Aside from this, only the averages were reported and there was no way of computing other characteristics of the distribution.

Jeep Patriot Sports Car Advertisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jeep Patriot Sports Car Advertisement - Essay Example Adverts employ a tool of art called semiotics that involves the application of signs and symbols in conveying messages. This advert has different categories of the message to the buyer. These categories consist of both the words and images. There is a whole range of captions in the advert that portray a denoted message targeted at the buyer. In addition, Michael’s wife, surprises him, by declaring that she bought a jeep in a conversation. The captions and labels, it becomes clear to the buyer that she bought a jeep patriot sport car. The word ‘jeep’ in the advert represents a connoted meaning. The term communicates a deeper meaning to the buyer because it has a long history of use in the market. Just by its mention in the advert, it conveys a certain message. A jeep is a car that belongs to specific classes of people in the society because of its features. The unique feature is the quarter-ton that defines a jeep. In addition, there is a connoted message in the de claration of the wife that she bought the jeep. It confirms to the audience that she ‘could not hold back ‘. This adds sense to the persuasion at the end urging the audience not to ‘hold back’ from buying the jeep. In addition, the advert contains a symbolic message. The pictured movement of the jeep patriot car signifies its capability on the road and emphasizes on the value of the four-wheel drive system. In addition, the woman in the advert implies that the car is suitable for the feminine gender. She is a symbol for the suitability of the car to women. This is a crucial aspect of the advert because different cars suit male and female. There is an evident gender preference of some car models and any advert should highlight this fact. Moreover, the advert has literal message that the audience can conceive easily. A real couple indulging in a usual conversation gets the buyer’s attention. The two are getting ready to leave the house. The wife brings up the idea that she bought a jeep. This fact mesmerizes the husband, as it is evident from his facial reactions. The advert then features a real image of the ‘jeep patriot sport car’. From this real image, the features of the car become evident to the audience. The car looks compact but being a jeep, has an economic engine. The couple rides in the car portraying its suitability as a family car. The car has unique features for families that prefer to own a car with multiple capabilities. This jeep has sufficient room to accommodate both the heads and legs. This offers sufficient space for rear passengers. In addition, the car has a high capacity boot that provides a family sufficient space to carry luggage. The family setting highlighted in the advert persuades families to consider the jeep patriot as a favorable choice. Through a combination of the different messages, the advert provides the audience with details about the car. In addition, there is a denoted message t hat informs the audience of the price of the jeep. With a glance, potential buyers gain awareness of the product price. The advert utilizes different efficient aspects of visual art to communicate with the audience. The advert targets families and emphasizes on the suitability of the car to women as well. The concept of commodity fetishism comes out clearly in the advert.  

Either women's rights or body image Research Paper

Either women's rights or body image - Research Paper Example 74)†; some children seem to simply live with the television on, whether as entertainment or for background noise. The question that does exist is in regard to just how harmful all of this television viewing is to children and there are a few ways in which this question can be considered, all of which point to the damage that too much television can cause, and they are physically, mentally, and emotionally. Physically, it has been proven that too much television viewing is harmful to children’s eyesight, regardless of how close a child actually sits to the television screen (Comstock, pg. 38). Even though television has proven to not have lasting negative effects on the eyes, there are some implications that can cause temporary blindness or spots before the eyes, or longer lasting issues that need medical correction such as vision distortion or near or farsightedness. Most children tend to watch television in the dark, which causes the eyes to strain, which then often causes eye fatigue. This can be easily fixed by cutting down viewing times, by not watching television as often in the dark, and by sitting a safe distance away from the screen, but over time children can develop issues with their eyesight that might need fixing with glasses or else cause problems as they get older (Comstock, pg. 42). Another physical consequence of too much television viewing is the possibility of obesity. When children spend more time in front of the television, they are spending less time playing and getting exercise. Zimmerman et al (pg. 338) stated that â€Å"eating is a common activity in front of the television; the more that a child watches television, the more they eat, and the more they risk developing obesity†. They do not spend enough time exercising and ridding themselves of the fat that they take in while they are watching television. The fat builds up, causing obesity. When children watch television, they become more concerned with their entertainment

Asbestos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Asbestos - Essay Example An estimated 1.3 million employees in the construction and general industry are at risk. No doubt, we are exposed to a certain level of asbestos material all the time. Asbestos, in the finished form, does not pose any health hazard. Remodelling, repair, maintenance, demolition, sale and transport combined with rough handling all can release these deadly fibres into water or air2. Inhalation of these fibres for a continuous period could be extremely dangerous. . Chrysotile, a fibrous mineral which neither burns nor rots, flexible with maximum tensile strength, extremely useful, lightweight, can create a formidable surface mixed with cementing materials, could be used as high temperature seals and gaskets, known over 2000 years, first mined in Russia, Italy and Canada. Old products, unlike today's improved technological ones, crumbled easily under pressure and released more harmful fibres. All these fibres are non-inflammable Asbestos is a highly emotive topic with two shrill schools of thought, one saying that asbestos should be banned; another arguing that asbestos of today would not be a killer. European Union (EU)3 and the United Kingdom (UK)4 both argue that asbestos is carcinogenic and targets multiple organs of the dust inhaler. According to their rules all types of asbestos are harmful and there is no safe level of exposure and the weight of evidence to support this is incontrovertible and historical. It is impossible to control the exposure to asbestos in workplace and hence, alternative products must be used. Asbestos should be discarded as a harmful object and should be banned, to protect public health. This risk-based approach depends on the fact that there is no identified lower exposure limit to which workers can be safely exposed.5 In spite of the overwhelming medical reports, there is little scientific research evidence to back this viewpoint and the entire exercise seems to be more of a public emotional grandstand. Asbestos is heat resistant and is used in a wide variety of industrial and domestic appliances and this makes it particularly difficult to avoid it completely. It is a mineral fibre used in a variety of building construction materials for insulation and it is also a fire-retardant. The necessity of completely stopping the usage too is questioned by many scientists. The Canadian Chrysotile Institute