Marvin Hugley Jr Essays (2448 words) - Christianity,

Marvin Hugley Jr Tim Welch English 102 March 14, 2017 Canon In The New Testament The process of determining New Testament canon is the study of how the twenty-seven books that are currently part of the New Testament came to be. From the many early Christian writings, only twenty-seven were placed into ecclesiastical canon. The process of researching New Testament canon is the study of how the select list of twenty-seven was formulated. The canonized books of the New Testament are considered sacred scripture, and have been determined to be canon throughout a very controversial history. The word canon comes from the Greek word ?kanon,? which means ?reed,? a tool for measurement or alignment. In the craftsmanship field, a reed was known to be a standard, or a ruler in which to judge other things by. Finally, the word came to be recognized as a formal list, or table. Throughout the first three centuries of the Christian era, the term ?kanon? was designated to set aside ethical and doctrinal content of the Christian faith. The first use of canon as applied to Christian writings occurred in 350 A.D. when Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, in his decrees of the Council of Nicea, used the term canon to refer to authentic New Testament works. In the decree the bishop describes the document known as The ?Shepherd of Hermas,? as not part of New Testament canon. In 367, in the bishop's famous Easter Letter, he gives a list of authoritative early Christian writings, and refers to them being ?canonical.? At about the same time in history, the Council of Laodicea refers to two di fferent lists of New Testament writings, both ones that are ?canonical? and those that are ?uncanonical.? Canon is referred to today as being the closed set of Christian writings that formulate the New Testament. The word ?kanon? first appeared in early Christian writings when Paul wrote to Galatia. ?Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this kanon (Gal. 6.16). Paul is suggesting that people, who live by the canon, or law, will have peace and mercy come upon them. Paul established canon as a measuring stick, which to live by. Christianity did not begin as a religion based upon scripture, as the Jewish religion. Christianity was based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The knowledge that was passed down about the life of Jesus was done orally. From the beginning of Christianity, people had been quoting Old Testament scripture that supported the Christian message. Nowhere in early Christianity was the idea that the new religion would be based upon a series of books. At some point people realized that the oral traditions must be put down on paper, so not to lose them. Christians feared the use of scriptural patterns because they wanted to separate themselves from the scriptural religion of Judaism. Early Christian leaders did not think about forming a canon, because the Old Testament canon had not even been definitely set. The New Testament canon process was spread out over many years and was fiercely debated throughout the process. Because the early church left behind no evidence to why they decided on certain books instead of others, the only way to determine why certain books were included is to piece together what little fragmentary evidence is still left. Also, much of the theory must be left up to speculation. Basically three types of evidence exist in determining the canonization process. One of the ways of investigating the origin of New Testament canon is to examine the early Christian writings from the third through the fifth centuries. In counting the number and frequency of citations of early Christian writings, one can determine how much emphasis was placed on the very first Christian writings, and the reasons why the works made it into canon. The second way to determine why a certain work is in canon is to compile the discussions and ecclesiastical councils about documents that have been either accepted or rejected as New Testament canon. The arguments that were made for certain documents could lead to a possible understanding about why they were included in New Testament canon. Also the arguments against a certain document could help explain why the work

Policy Program for Mt. Rossmoor Community College

Policy Program for Mt. Rossmoor Community College Successful development should not only encompass the growth of productivity, but should also ensure that the adopted pattern of growth is broad-based. This way, the management ends up with a variety of policy options that can be evaluated to select the best development strategy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Policy Program for Mt. Rossmoor Community College specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The selected strategy must tailor those policies to the objectives of growth and development (Kind, 2013). However, since the world is rapidly changing, the long-term development needs of institutions are often overlooked. Instead, prompt and drastic measures are taken so that the institution remains competitive and relevant to stakeholders (Borman Hewes, 2002). In the long run, organizations find themselves in complex situations that sometimes call for an entire system overhaul. However, it is important to point out that at tim es, the complex situations in which organizations find themselves result from external factors. Mt. Rossmoor Community College’s case is a typical example an externally instigated complexity. Unfortunately, the college’s management has to bear the burden of navigating it out of the delicate circumstance. This paper examines MRCC’s condition and outlines policy options that can be explored to move it forward. For Mt. Rossmoor Community College (MRCC) to be the fifth among the fastest growing community colleges in the nation, the management must have implemented some prudent policies. Therefore, the 24% growth is not only due to the housing boom as claimed, but also as a result of proper strategy formulation and implementation. Unfortunately, MRCC did not escape the tide of the national economic crisis that prompted the government to reduce its budgetary allocation to public institutions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consequently, MRCC’s faces a 15% reduction in the financial support it gets from the government reduced by 15%. This adjustment is likely to affect the well being of all the stakeholders of the college. As such, the management must act swiftly to formulate new strategies and come up with a lean mode of operation. MRCC needs a new budget that will guide its new mode of operation. The new budget should outline how much the program will cost, give a forecast of its sustainability, and align the program’s implementation costs with MRCC’s fiscal strength. The stakeholders that are likely to be affected directly by such drastic measures would include the local community, the management, students, employees, the government, and suppliers. Students expect value in the form of proper service delivery since they pay fees. They gauge the level of service delivered based on the quality of accommodat ion facilities, catering services, and most importantly, academic services. The management for its part expects the college to run smoothly while the community expects transformed individuals who can successfully take up societal roles after training. For employees, the most important concern is that their jobs should be satisfying and rewarding. The jobs should avail opportunities for career growth and advancement. Suppliers, like all other stakeholders, also have their expectations. They expect their merchandise to be ordered and paid for in time. Finally, the government, despite reducing its financial support, expects the college to produce responsible and productive workers. To meet all these expectations in the face of financial scarcity, MRCC has to take some drastic measures to reduce its expenditure.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Policy Program for Mt. Rossmoor Community College specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Konzelmann (2012), austerity measures become handy when there is little money to spend. In other words, they are measures associated with cutting costs. MRCC will employ some austerity measures to help it go through the tough financial situation that it is in. Therefore, it will reduce spending on stationery, staff development activities, property maintenance, and student welfare. These measures are drastic and will undermine the interests of students, suppliers, and the staff, but for the sustainability of the college, they are necessary. The saved funds will facilitate the construction of new tuition blocks for new students besides cushioning the college from the adverse effects of the 15% reduction in the government’s financial support. Arguably, money in its own respect cannot improve the situation of an institution. This assertion is inspired by the idea that in the presence of abundant financial resources, poor planning and misappropriation of funds c an still result in poor school quality. Nonetheless, evidence suggests that sufficient financial resources are a necessary prerequisite for providing quality education (Baker, 2012). In view of this assertion, a small fee increment will be plausible. This increment will be factored in after lengthy deliberations with the concerned stakeholders because many students stand the risk of being locked out of the system if rush decisions are made concerning this issue. As a policy option, fee increment is considered plausible because it will bring in significant amounts of additional income for MRCC.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Cascio (2010), an organization that decides to eliminate redundant workers can do so using four strategies viz. attrition, voluntary termination, early retirement incentives, and compulsory termination. These four options are also at the disposal of MRCC if the above options prove inadequate. Attrition, in which firms do not replace the people who leave, is the most alluring since it does not directly interfere with the interests of the remaining workers. However, the management usually has limited control over the process. Therefore, it is not a viable option for MRCC because there is need for prompt budget reduction. Voluntary termination is another option that has the advantage of allowing the staff to opt out or stay. However, this approach may also be inappropriate for MRCC since no one may be willing to leave voluntarily. Early retirement in which an organization offers a generous retirement package to an employee who chooses to leave, is the third policy option f or downsizing the MRCC workforce. Its attractiveness is, however, reduced by the considerable amounts of money will be lost in the form of send-off packages. Compulsory termination, therefore, becomes the most appropriate policy option for MRCC because it gives the management direct control over the downsizing process. The management will objectively audit the needs of MRCC to ensure that only redundant workers are laid off. Weinstein (2008) notes that such audits are necessary to ensure that managers stay focused on the objectives of downsizing instead of personal preferences. This policy option will have an effect on the economic circumstances of the affected employees and the economic strength of the local community, but it is justifiable since it will protect the interests of MRCC. The challenge of navigating MRCC through this financial tide seems insurmountable. However, running the institution on a lean budget under the auspices of the proposed policy options can see it throug h the difficult time. Human dignity will be taken into consideration during downsizing because there will be proper communication with the affected individuals before the exercise is executed. Criticism and resistance are factors to consider during the implementation of the policies. Nonetheless, proper communication between the management and the stakeholders will ensure that a consensus is reached. The support of all stakeholders is crucial to the success of the whole process. As such, it is important that all the stakeholders reach a consensus before the proposed policies are implemented. References Baker, B. (2012). Revisiting the age-old question: Does money matter in education? Washington, DC: The Albert Shanker Institute. Borman, G., Hewes, G. (2002). The long term effects and cost-effectiveness of success for all. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 24 (4), 243-266. Cascio, F. (2010). Employment downsizing and its alternatives. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Pr ess. Kind, P. (2013). Disruptive challenges: Financial implications and strategic responses. Washington, DC: Edison Electric Institute. Konzelmann, S. (2012). The economics of austerity (Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge Working Paper No. 434). Web. Weinstein, B. (2008). Downsizing 101. Web.

Debating Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Debating Globalisation - Essay Example Stiglitz, in his 2002 book â€Å"Globalization and its Discontents,† argues that globalisation can be a â€Å"force of good,† but it has to be â€Å"radically rethought† (Stiglitz, 2002: ix-x), particularly after being mismanaged by three global institutions, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the WB, and the IMF, that made globalization a deceitful tool for the advancement of developed countries. This paper critically assesses his views on globalization. It argues that Stiglitz provides compelling evidence that globalization has failed, because the main international institutions that were supposed to manage it failed as well; however, he neglects social, cultural and religious factors that are important in making globalization work and his suggestions are not entirely workable. For the WTO, WB, and IMF, globalisation works, because it has economically integrated countries and enabled the â€Å"free flow† of goods, services, information, and capital all over the world. On the one hand, Stiglitz agrees, because he provides an economic perspective when he defines globalisation as â€Å"the removal of barriers to free trade and the closer integration of national economies† (2002: ix). ... He provides the examples of East Asian countries, which before the interventions from the IMF, were making globalisation work for them (Stiglitz, 2004: 203). They did this by exporting to other countries, closing the technological gap, and then ensuring that the fruits of globalisation were equitably distributed among their citizens (Stiglitz, 2004: 203). East Asian governments took an active role in managing the economy, which was far from the tenets of rapid liberalisation, privatisation, and deregulation of the IMF and WTO (Stiglitz, 2002, 2007). These governments managed the slow transition to deregulation and protected key industries. At the same time, they also provide safety nets for those who will be disadvantaged by free trade (Stiglitz, 2002, 2007). On the other hand, Stiglitz’s positive understanding of globalisation changed after serving the WB and the IMF. In an interview led by Stern (2006), Stiglitz remembers asserting to the WB that he will represent the intere sts of the developing countries and not the WB: â€Å"When I accepted the job, I said that I would do it only if I could be a spokesperson for the developing countries, not for the World Bank.† He believes that he took the job, because he would be free to express himself as an economist, and not as an advocate and public relations personnel of the WB. He underlines that his â€Å"effectiveness as a chief economist depended on people believing it was my analysis† (Stern, 2006). Within the organisation, however, Stiglitz gathers evidence that prove the contrary to the belief that the world is flat and that globalisation works. His analysis showed that

Representation of women in Morrison's Song of Solomon and Butler's Essay

Representation of women in Morrison's Song of Solomon and Butler's Parable of the Sower - Essay Example The clear impression here is that women are fiercely dependent on men and have little to do once the men are at work and the children are at school. It is this setting that accentuates the individuality of the lead female protagonist once it becomes clear that she is anything but submissive. Although Song of Solomon is set in the 1950s through the 1960’s and Parable of the Sower is set somewhere into the future, women’s dependence on men is similarly exploited by Butler. Lauren Olamina who is only fifteen at the start of Butler’s novel observes the plight of three widowed women who live near her: Although Lauren goes on to note that the three women are now employed she adds that â€Å"they don’t earn much.† (Butler, p. 19) Clearly without their husbands the women are struggling to make ends meet. More importantly, Butler’s message is also one of feminie strength in the face of adversity. These women who were previously dependent on men for surival have found a way to survive that loss. Similarly, in Morrison’s Song of Solomon, Guitar’s grandmother finds a way to survive following her husband’s death. Like the three widows in Butler’s novel, Guitar’s grandmother is able to support her grandchildren. These women are different from Morrison’s Ryna, the male protagonist’s great grandmother who lost her mind after her husband left her with several children. There is no escaping the conclusion that women have a double burden in Morrison’s Song of Solomon. They are forced to endure the consequences of racism and at the same time are prisoners of the male quest for freedom and the resulting abandonment. Yet they are judged differently than men. In the example given where Ryna is abandoned by her husband, Ryna is marked as weak for suffering her breakdown and her husband is hailed as a hero despite abandoning his family. Pilate Dead is Morrison’s femlae protagonist whose remarkable

Lewinsky Scandal Essay Example for Free

Lewinsky Scandal Essay The Lewinsky scandal was a political sex scandal emerging in 1998, from a sexual relationship between United States President Bill Clinton and a 22-year-old White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. The news of this extra-marital affair and the resulting investigation eventually led to the impeachment of President Clinton in 1998 by the U. S. House of Representatives and his subsequent acquittal on all impeachment charges of perjury and obstruction of justice in a 21-day Senate trial * In 1995, Monica Lewinsky, a graduate of Lewis amp; Clark College, was hired to work as an intern at the White House during Clintons first term and began a personal relationship with him, the details of which she later confided to her friend and Defense department co-worker Linda Tripp, who secretly recorded their telephone conversations. When Tripp discovered in January 1998 that Lewinsky had signed an affidavit in the Paula Jones case denying a relationship with Clinton, she delivered the tapes to Kenneth Starr, the Independent Counsel who was investigating Clinton on other matters, including the Whitewater scandal, the White House FBI files controversy, and the White House travel office controversy. During the grand jury testimony Clintons responses were carefully worded, and he argued, It depends on what the meaning of the word is is, in regards to the truthfulness of his statement that there is not a sexual relationship, an improper sexual relationship or any other kind of improper relationship. * The wide reporting of the scandal led to criticism of the press for over-coverage. The scandal is sometimes referred to as Monicagate, Lewinskygate, Tailgate, Sexgate and Zippergate, following the -gate nickname construction that has been popular since the Watergate scandal. Lewinsky claimed to have had sexual encounters with Bill Clinton on nine occasions from November 1995 to March 1997. According to her published schedule, First Lady Hillary Clinton was at the White House for at least some portion of seven of those days. * Lewinsky confided in a coworker named Linda Tripp about her relationship with Clinton. Tripp convinced Lewinsky to save the gifts that Clinton had given her, a nd not to dry clean what would later be known as the infamous blue dress. Tripp reported these conversations to literary agent Lucianne Goldberg, who advised her to secretly record them, which Tripp began doing in September 1997. Goldberg also urged Tripp to take the tapes to Kenneth Starr and bring them to the attention of people working on the Paula Jones case. In the fall of 1997, Goldberg began speaking to reporters about the tapes * In January 1998, after Lewinsky had submitted an affidavit in the Paula Jones case denying any physical relationship with Clinton, she attempted to persuade Tripp to lie under oath in the Jones case. Instead, Tripp gave the tapes to Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr who was investigating the Whitewater controversy and other matters. Now armed with evidence of Lewinskys admission of a physical relationship with Clinton, he broadened the investigation to include Lewinsky and her possible perjury in the Jones case. * News of the scandal first broke on January 17, 1998, on the Drudge Report, which reported that Newsweek editors were sitting on a story by investigative reporter Michael Isikoff exposing the affair. The story broke in the mainstream press on January 21 in The Washington Post. The story swirled for several days and, despite swift denials from Clinton, the clamor for answers from the White House grew louder. On January 26, President Clinton, standing with his wife, spoke at a White House press conference, and issued a forceful denial, which contained what would later become one of the best-known sound bites of his presidency: â€Å"Now, I have to go back to work on my State of the Union speech. And I worked on it until pretty late last night. But I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. Im going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time; never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the American people. Thank you! † * Hillary Clinton stood by her husband throughout the scandal. On January 27, in an appearance on NBCs Today she famously said: The great story here for anybody willing to find it and write about it and explain it is this vast right-wing conspiracy that has been conspiring against my husband since the day he announced for president. * For the next several months and through the summer, the media debated whether or not an affair had occurred and whether or not Clinton had lied or obstructed justice, but nothing could be definitively established beyond the taped recordings because Lewinsky was unwilling to discuss the affair or testify about it. On July 28, 1998, a substantial delay after the public break of the scandal, Lewinsky received t ransactional immunity in exchange for grand jury testimony concerning her relationship with Clinton. She also turned over a semen-stained blue dress (which Linda Tripp had encouraged her to save without dry cleaning) to the Starr investigators, thereby providing unambiguous DNA evidence that could prove the relationship despite Clintons official denials. * Clinton admitted in taped grand jury testimony on August 17, 1998, that he had had an improper physical relationship with Lewinsky. That evening he gave a nationally televised statement admitting his relationship with Lewinsky which was not appropriate. Perjury charges and Impeachment * In his deposition for the Jones lawsuit, Clinton denied having sexual relations with Lewinsky. Based on the evidence provided by Tripp, a blue dress with Clintons semen, Starr concluded that this sworn testimony was false and perjurious. * During the deposition, Clinton was asked Have you ever had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, as that term is defined in Deposition Exhibit 1? The judge ordered that Clinton be given an opportunity to review the agreed definition. Afterwards, based on the definition created by the Independent Counsels Office, Clinton answered I have never had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. Clinton later stated, I thought the definition included any activity by [me], where [I] was the actor and came in contact with those parts of the bodies which had been explicitly listed (and with an intent to gratify or arouse the sexual desire of any person). * Two months after the Senate failed to convict him, President Clinton was held in civil contempt of court by Judge Susan D. Webber Wright. His license to practice law was suspended in Arkansas for five years and later by the United States Supreme Court. He was also fined $90,000 for giving false testimony. * In December 1998, Clintons political party, the Democratic Party, was in the minority in both chambers of Congress. Some Democratic members of Congress, and most in the opposition Republican Party, believed that Clintons giving false testimony and allegedly influencing Lewinskys testimony were crimes of obstruction of justice and perjury and thus impeachable offenses. The House of Representatives voted to issue Articles of Impeachment against him which was followed by a 21-day trial in the Senate. * All of the Democrats in the Senate voted for acquittal on both the perjury and the obstruction of justice charges. Ten Republicans voted for acquittal for perjury and five Republicans voted for acquittal for obstruction of justice. * President Clinton was thereby acquitted of all charges and remained in office. There were attempts to censure the President by the House of Representatives, but those attempts failed. Effect on 2000 presidential election The scandal arguably affected the 2000 U. S. Presidential election in two contradicting ways. Democratic Party candidate and sitting Vice President Al Gore claimed that Clintons scandal had been a drag that deflated the enthusiasm of their partys base, effectively suppressing Democratic votes. Clinton claimed that the scandal had made Gores campaign too cautious, and that if Clinton had been allowed to campaign for Gore in Arkansas and New Hampshire, either state would have delivered Gores needed electoral votes regardless of what happened in Florida. Political analysts have supported both views. Before and after the 2000 election, John Cochran of ABC News connected the Lewinsky scandal with a voter phenomenon he called Clinton fatigue. Polling showed that the scandal continued to affect Clintons low personal approval ratings through the election and analysts such as Vanderbilt Universitys John G. Geer later concluded Clinton fatigue or a kind of moral retrospective voting had a significant impact on Gores chances. Other analysts sided with Clintons argument, and argued that Gores refusal to have Clinton campaign with him damaged his appeal. Collateral scandals * During the scandal, supporters of President Clinton alleged that the matter was private and they claimed hypocrisy by at least some of those who advocated for his removal. For example, during the House investigation it was revealed that Henry Hyde, Republican chair of the House Judiciary Committee and lead House manager, also had an affair while in office, as a state legislator. Hyde, aged 70 during the Lewinsky hearings, dismissed it as a youthful indiscretion when he was 41. * A highly publicized investigation campaign actively sought information which might embarrass politicians who supported impeachment. According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Larry Flynt the publisher of Hustler magazine, offered a $1 million reward Flynt was a sworn enemy of the Republican party and sought to dig up dirt on the Republican members of Congress who were leading the impeachment campaign against President Clinton. Although] Flynt claimed at the time to have the goods on up to a dozen prominent Republicans, the ad campaign helped to bring down only one. Robert Livingston – a congressman from Louisiana abruptly retired after learning that Mr Flynt was about to reveal that he had also had an affair. * Republican congressman Bob Livingston had been widely expected to become Speaker of the United States House of Representatives in the next Congressional session, then just weeks away, until Flynt revealed the affair. Livingston resigned and challenged Clinton to do the same. Flynts investigation also claimed that Congressman Bob Barr, another Republican House manager, had an affair while married; Barr had been the first lawmaker in either chamber to call for Clintons resignation due to the Lewinsky affair. Barr lost a primary challenge less than three years after the impeachment proceedings. * Dan Burton, Republican Representative from Indiana, had stated No one, regardless of what party they serve, no one, regardless of what branch of government they serve, should be allowed to get away with these alleged sexual improprieties . In 1998, Burton admitted that he himself had an affair in 1983 that produced a child. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Representative from Georgia and leader of the Republican Revolution of 1994, admitted in 1998 to having had an affair with a House intern while he was married to his second wife, at the same time as he was leading the impeachment of Bill Clinton for perjury regarding an affair with intern Monica Lewinsky. * Republican Helen Chenoweth-Hage from Idaho aggressively called for the resignation of Bill Clinton, and admitted to her own six-year affair with a married rancher during the 1980s Personal cceptance * Historian Taylor Branch implied that Clinton had requested changes to Branchs 2009 Clinton biography, The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with the President, regarding Clintons revelation that the Lewinsky affair began because I cracked; I just cracked. Branch writes that Clinton had felt beleaguered, unappreciated and open to a liaison with Lewinsky following the Democrats loss of Congress in the November 1994 elections, the death of his mother the previous January, and the ongoing Whitewater investigation. Publicly, Clinton had previously blamed the affair on a terrible moral error and on anger at Republicans, stating, if people have unresolved anger, it makes them do non-rational, destructive things. * The Lewinsky affair aroused deep divisions and total disagreement among Americans, to the point that no issue in memory prompted such thorough and passionate incomprehension of the other sides position. In response, Middle Easterners view the wildly diverse views with utter amazement and more than a bit of amusement. It is possible to find certain broad, though not consistent, threads in their arguments. * Middle Easterners looked at the presidents problems as they would in their own societies—as personal problems in Israel, as moral ones in the Muslim world. This goes far to explain the near-consensus, even among those Iranian commentators otherwise critical of the United States: that Republicans had blown the controversy way out of proportion. Middle Eastern commentaries virtually ignored the legal issues—lying under oath, obstruction of justice.

Workers? Compensation Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Workers’ compensation is meant to protect employees from loss of income and to cover extra expenses associated with job-related injuries or illness. Accidents in which the employee does not lose time from work, accidents in which the employee loses time from work, temporary partial disability, permanent partial or total disability, death, occupational diseases, noncrippling physical impairments, such as deafness, impairments suffered at employer-sanctioned events, such as social events or during travel to organization business, and injuries or disabilities attributable to an employer’s gross negligence are the types of injuries and illnesses most frequently covered by workers’ compensation laws. Since 1955, several states have allowed workers’ compensation payments for job-related cases of anxiety, depression, and certain mental disorders. Although some form of workers’ compensation is available in all 50 states, specific require ments, payments, and procedures vary among states.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Certain features are common to virtually all programs: The laws generally provide for replacement of lost income, medical expense payments, rehabilitation of some sort, death benefits to survivors, and lump-sum disability payments. The employee does not have to sue the employer to get compensation. The compensation is normally paid through an insurance program financed through premiums paid by employers. Workers’ compensation insurance pr...

Education Reflection papers Essay

Reflection Students Can Improve by Studying their Learning Processes Before I started my student-teaching at the UBHS, I listed down some of my observations with the Grade 8 students like their strengths and weaknesses. This is why I formulated my goals and objectives that I need to achieve in order to address these concerns when I will be teaching them. Most of the students are actively participating but there are times that they are too active to handle. When they get bored during the discussion, they start talking creating nuisance and distraction on the teacher’s part. On the other hand, most of them also are expressive into sharing their feelings and experiences to the class. When I ask them what they felt unto a certain experience, they can describe this in details. But when I tell them to write it as an essay or in few paragraphs, they are unable to do so. Moreover, I also observed that students keep making the same error during Science classes especially in the problem -solving activities. The worst part is that they don’t really mind if they fail maybe, because most of them are doing it. I can foresee that this is becoming a habit and when they are promoted to the next level, it would be the same problem all over again unless they decide to change this cycle. It’s a good thing that I read this article when I was preparing my orientation with the class before I would be their teacher. At the very first day that I entered the room as their teacher, I introduced my rules on behavior, attitude and classroom management. Along with attitude, I told them that in my class, â€Å"Science is not only about intellect but it also includes perseverance, determination and other virtues they should keep in mind.† I shared to them what I read in this article, that they should know their learning processes in order to improve not only their grades but also their learning strategies. â€Å"According to the principles of learning, Learning is an active process whic h is activated by the learner himself†. On the other hand, â€Å"Learning is a painful process but it is non-sense if you got hurt and learned nothing. So, get up, face your mistakes and make it right this time.† These are my words to them which got their attention and until now, they keep on reflecting on them and finding out what this means to them. Every time I got the chance, it may annoy them but I keep on reminding them these principles. Whenever they got low scores during quizzes, â€Å"I ask them, so what should you do about it?† I pause and  say, â€Å"That’ right, find out where you went wrong and next time don’t make the same error again. In that way, you will make-up for the lost points while gaining up confidence for your achievement. Don’t give up with just few failures; instead use these failures to motivate you to learn a lot more.† Sometimes, I think I’m not teaching Science anymore or I’m teaching Science less. My objectives in my lesson are to define terms, derive formulas, demonstrate the concept, etc. but it seems at the end of the lesson, I wasn’t able to achieve them ‘cause I discussed more on how to improve their study habits, attitude, behavior. After teaching with them in almost three weeks, I noticed that with the self-regulated assessment, most had improved with this experimental method. I think it’s a slow, long process like the evolution but with patience, perseverance and other necessary characteristics, I will be able to achieve this goal. I hope that during my stay with them, I will be able to help the students not only to survive but also to excel. Source: Glenn, D.The Education Digest.September 2010. p.13-20 Reflection 3 Using Humor in the Classroom It’s a trend for the students to have a misconception and pre-conviction that Science is a stone-cold, serious and boring subject. This is why few are interested to listen during Science classes and which is also why it makes our job as Science teachers a lot more difficult. According to this article and the principles of teaching, using humor is effective for the students to like the teacher. At first, I don’t really care if the students like me or not just as long as they listen to me. But at the students’ age and level of maturity, it’s a pre-requisite for them to like me so they will listen to me. So, I started adding the enough sense of humor during my Science classes. And, it works, at least most of the time. Just like what the article says, â€Å"the benefits of humor is that it can help capture and retain students’ attention, reduce stress and anxiety, increase student motivation and participation, promote a sense of acceptance in class tha t allows students to think in creative and divergent ways and others.† Humor has really helped me a lot into refraining my students sleep during my classes. However, I have to admit that sometimes I go too far and make inappropriate jokes. Just like everything, there is a need of balance. Too much of  anything is not good so just like what this article say, there should only be small doses of humor just enough to maintain the students’ attention which is also appropriate for their age and status. There are also times that students can hardly connect at the essence of my jokes. I think it’s because my jokes are sometimes outdated or too complicated for them to deduct. So, I associate my jokes with the current trends along with my lesson. I also use the terms they use with their peers like â€Å"boom-panes†, â€Å"ice-bucket challenge† and other trendy words at the moment. In choosing an instructional materials and preparing activies, I see to it that it is fun, funny and explorative but at the same time informative and educational. For example, when I had my lesson on Work as defined in Physics, I made them perform a role-playing activity. In order for the students to be attentive, I asked them to re-enact the work done by a ballot vendor, â€Å"bote-landok† buyer and seller, a beauty queen and a secretary. I chose those attention-seekers in the class to do the activity and I was impressed how they were able to give a very energetic performance. I enjoyed it personally and so does the audiences which are the other students. In this way, the students laughed and learned a lot in relation to our topic. Just like what the article says, there are positive and negative effects of humor. When used properly, it enhances learning in many ways but when it is misused, it can hurt the students’ as well as the teacher’s feelings. Therefore, in using humor, proceed with caution and use it wisely. Source: Ivy, L. The Education Digest. October 2013. p.54-57 Reflection 1 Creativity: A Cure for the Common Curriculum Students love it when I compare them to the process of metamorphosis. I tell them that they are just caterpillars for now and soon, they will become beautiful and colorful butterflies. In order to achieve metamorphosis in the world of Education, Creativity is not only a miscellaneous but rather a need in the students’ learning process. However, in this day and age, few students realize the importance of enhancing their own innate creative being. In the classes that I taught, I observed that there are hesitations which hinder them into letting out their creative self. They are afraid to make mistakes or try then fail. They think they are doomed if they fail once  or twice. This is why I always assure them that in my class, there are no wrong answers but instead there are trials, lots of trials in order to arrive at the correct answer. Whenever they answer and their answer does not directly address my question, I ask them supplemental questions until we arrive at the main poin t. In this way, they hone their convergent and divergent thinking ability which are requirements of Creativity. In the traditional curriculum, students are trained to follow patterns and do things by the textbook. Yes, this is essential for the students should be oriented of the basics and disciplines. However, they must also learn how to do things their own way, create new things and innovate from what they know, from what they learned. This is why in my Science class, I require my students to create and design things. Just like when we had the lesson on the law of motions, I required my students to make a paper-balloon car which is functional, durable and presentable. When they submitted their outputs, I can see that they have the potentials and that they can do more. So I appreciated their effort and recognized their ingenuity and innovativeness. I also gave recommendations for them to improve. On the contrary, it’s hard to measure the creativity presented in their product. So I learned that in process and product-assessment activities, there should really be a reliable and valid rubric to be prepared so that the students will have a guide into creating things. According to the article, â€Å"Creative tasks are, by nature, ambiguous with no clear right or wrong answers. Such tasks require taking intellectual risks, trying, evaluating and discarding ideas, and making connections.† In reality, there are lot of difficulties in infusing creativity in my lesson and curriculum as a teacher. I’m realizing it now that creativity is not taught in few settings but rather it is honed and developed through time. It’s a holistic process which involves all the learning areas and dimensions. It is not only the brain (cognitive domain) involved in this process but also the heart (affective domain) and body (psychomotor domain) as well. However, I am still hoping that with more experience and practice, I’ll be able achieve this creative goal of mine. Source: Berret, D.The Education Digest.October 2013. p.13-20 Reflection 4 Classroom Control In the traditional classroom setting, teachers can literally spank those students who are misbehaving. It seemed effective back then like the friars in the Spanish period but it only instilled fear and forced obedience among the students. With the principles of teaching-learning and also with my personal experience, I strongly oppose this as a method of controlling the class. This is neither effective nor complement the students’ learning process. During my teachings at the UB-High School, first on my list of difficulties is how to manage the class. Most of the Grade 8 students are highly active in making noises rather than in participating during the discussion of the lesson and other activities. What really annoys me is that they are unaware that they are distracting me even if their chatter is louder than my voice. They think they’re innocent of such fault. After reading this article, I started to draw my plans in implementing classroom management strategies. It†™s a good thing that at the first day of my teaching with them, I oriented them of my expectations into behaving into class. Every now and then, I keep reminding them of the house rules that we established following Ivan Pavlov’s conditioning technique. Just like what the article suggested, I pause for a while whenever most of the students are noisy and I make a strong direct gaze at the offenders until they get the message to stop their noise. If it doesn’t work, I sit instead and let their classmates call the attention of those misbehaving. I also try the numbers game. I tell the class that I would give them at least two minutes to settle down before we can proceed. If it is break time, I tell them that I would not dismiss them until they are all well-behaved or I dismiss the behaved ones on time but I let the offenders stay in the classroom a little bit longer so I can have a talk with them. As much as possible, I refrain from embarrassing the students who are misbehaving. So I tell the class to stop teasing the student whom I called his/her attention. There are times that I go near the st udents who are being noisy instead of calling out their names. I would stare at them while I would still be discussing the lesson to avoid interruptions. I thought my grooming would be irrelevant with the lesson discussion but students are actually bothered if I didn’t groom neatly and properly. There are times that instead of asking something related to the topic, they would ask if I wore my uniform properly comparing me to the other student-teachers. They also care about my hair and make-up, shoes,  nail polish and accessories. They made me conscious then of what I’m supposed to wear because I realized that I will earn their respect somehow by dressing professionally. Not all students are misbehaving so I also give praises and encouragement to those who are behaving properly so that they can be the role-models of the class. I give credits to them so they will continue their good behavior and not be discouraged if all the attention goes to the noisy ones. There are really difficulties when it comes to managing the class especially that we are student-teachers and most students don’t abide with us because of this. We still have to earn their respect through time and exposure. We have established routines, disciplinary measures and other strategies to manage t he class. Therefore, patience and endurance are the key values needed. Source: Andrew Ilagan. The Educator. March-April 2013 Reflection 2 Hands-On Science To many students, Science might be a unicorn or a leprechaun at the end of the rainbow. They do not appreciate the reality of the lessons being discussed in Science. In the traditional lesson proper of the Science subjects, students are asked to read and memorize definitions and terms with just theoretical explanations. Sometimes, it’s like telling a fairy tale like the unicorn and leprechaun that I mentioned. With the new K-12 curriculum today, students are made to explore in order to deepen their understanding with the concepts. How? Through having experiential learning activities such as laboratory activities and varied approaches and instructional materials in teaching Science, students are able to transfer or convert the theoretical knowledge into a concrete experience. And with my teaching experience and the principles of teaching-learning backing me up, these are more effective methods for the teaching-learning process. According to the article, resourcefulness is one o f the most important qualities of a science teacher. Conducting laboratory activities and presenting real objects for the lesson could be a challenge especially if the resources are scarce at the teacher’s location. This is why as a Science teacher, I should be able to substitute, improvise and customize as suggested in this article. At the UB- High School, the Science Department’s  projector is not functional. So instead of presenting video clips and animations which I find very helpful, I demonstrate or I let the students demonstrate the concept with the real objects to explore. I also give the students varied activities like role-playing, designing, composing jingles/songs and other group-works so they will actively participate with the lesson proper instead of me just talking in front. However, in conducting these activities, the class should be oriented of the rules and guidelines which must be observed before, during and after each activity. Organization is essential so the task will be carried out in accordance to the objectives to be accomplished. Instructions should also be given clearly and carefully. Curiosity among the students should also be developed. In my classes, I always encourage my students to be asking questions if they didn’t understand the lesson and they shouldn’t hesitate into asking questions especially if it’s a â€Å"what if?†. As a Science teacher, I also promote creativity and innovation. At their young minds, I believe they can create and design peculiar things which can be productive. I gave my students a task on designing a balloon car and some of them surprised me. It is fulfilling on my part as a teacher that they submitted more than what I expected them to. For those who were not able to excel, I encourage them to do better next time and don’t give up trying. In general, many say that Science is a difficult subject but I say, sometimes it depends on the teacher. No task is that hard to a person who is dedicated to her work. Source: Reyett Paunan. The Educator. March-April 2013