Reflection # 11

Socrates was born in Athens, the idea of Socratic Elenchus is figuring out what his audience moral beliefs were. While their being confused on what their beliefs are, Socrates can qualify it as having no positive beliefs. Although some believe it can also have a positive effect. Gregory Vlastos is one who believes that Elenchus have a positive effect in figuring out moral truths. He also stated that if Socratic Elenchus can be used to figure out positive moral beliefs, it could also point out the untruthfulness side of it as well.
Furthermore, when we feel that we truly reached happiness we automatically think that it involves money, sex, and or exercising right to achieve the look you always longed for. We consider happiness as how our lives are pictured, but Socrates believe it's just another objective in life. Socrates considered happiness to be found within your own soul, while having honor, integrity, and wealth. Socrates believes that good and evil had a great deal to do with morality. He defined a bad person as someone who committed dirty deeds without even being revealed towards it. He believed that in doing what is right and having morality's with respect during life determined if you went to a better place in the afterlife; a place called heaven.
In addition, Socrates believed he was on earth to establish wisdom from the great god Apollo himself. He believed he was wise because he never pretended like he knew something when in reality he didn't.
When he was accused for not believing in gods and influencing the youth, to his defense he said the youth followed him on their own will. Like he said, "A bad man cannot harm a better person."

Reflection # 10

"The teacher is the gate keeper" means the teacher is what keeps a classroom together. Without the missing puzzle, being the teacher, a classroom would not be able to function right. Teachers hold a special kind of power that overrules students in a classroom. They're ones who tell students, when to speak, when to stop speaking, or what assignments to do next. Students are the ones who wait for the teacher to call on them for questions, and wait for the teacher to give them a certain response.
Picture putting about 30 kids with no teacher being in charge. It's like having a fun full day at the zoo; it would be total chaos. Teachers are what keep the classroom together. Without a leader being present how would students learn, be disciplined, or develop memory of their education.

Teachers are the rock in a student's education. They set the ground for what comes next, or what holds off. Students take most of their time listening to the lecturing a teacher is giving, two-thirds of their time is taken up by a teacher speaking. Teachers literally ask about 348 questions a day. Students are the one who depend on a teacher. They are the dominate ones who encourage a student's curiosity in knowledge.

Philip Jackson was the creator of this quote. He also said, teachers exchange more than a thousand words with their students each day.

They play the difference in weather a child learns or not. Like a sports team, you always need that one person who can take control of their own team. It takes tremendous amount of time and hard work to overcome these obstacles, teachers even include their own personal life's into this profession.

Reflection # 9

Comparing teachers from Ancient Egyptian to teachers now in day's I'd have to say there is a huge difference between both. In Ancient Egypt going to school was a huge privilege. Not everybody had the same opportunities others had. Mostly wealthy kids went to school, but children with less fortunate families couldn't even attend, because they didn't have the time or money to do so. Teachers were literally paid out of tuition from their won students. On the other hand, now in days I believe students have a bigger opportunity in receiving a formal education. We've build much more school's now than they ever had in Ancient Egypt. Also, our teachers get paid a respectable amount of money from the government, maybe not as much as they should, but it's a lot better than receiving money from your own students.

Furthermore, first schools also had this rule that teachers would discipline their students with whips if they were to misbehave. I believe if teachers were to do that now they would be on a search for a very good lawyer. Now we have laws that prevent teachers from using violent actions towards students.

Moreover, education in Ancient Egypt had no time length for an education. People finished before others, others would just start working in their parent's profession, and some would just get bumped up from experience. Education didn't have a strong ground set, like we have today. Teachers now in days have more respect and have a stronger impact in student's life, unlike Ancient Egypt. Parents played a bigger role during those times. They would decide and plan their future up for them, teach those morals, religion, and discipline.

Therefore, throughout time teachers have gained their respect by caring and putting more hard work and effort into their profession. Now teachers are one of the influences that guide you into the inner future. And prepares you for what you're going to deal with in college and so on. Teachers have come a long way, their basically consider the rock of your education learning.

Reflection # 8

In 1983, The Imperative for Educational Reform was released, demanding higher scores in subjects like, math, English or social science. It also required high standards in qualifying to be a teacher. Some people thought it would do much more harm than good to them, and others questioned if this reform was going to be in any way of an effect to them. There were many waves in this reform but the first one, which began in 1982, was meant to raise the bar in test scores from students. Students were having a difficult time in areas like Science and Math mostly. But not only did they want test scores to increase; they also wanted teacher's performances in classrooms to improve as well.

Now moving on to the second wave, established in 1986, called again for a more prominent encouragement from teachers. This also involved covering less subject matters but increasing studying habits much more. Even the Principal had to put its effort in and try to do a much better job in running his/her own school.

In addition, the third wave of reform, in which it began in 1988, asked for more support to students who were having financial problems in their household. They realized that students were not at fault for their families not having the right amount of time or money to offer them a full developed education. This wave allowed them to give support to those in needs. In areas like transportation, food, counseling, health care, even parent teaching.

In my opinion, wave one remains to be the most dominant one because critics remain to test out and figure out ways to improve students test scores, teachers performances, and schools performances in general. Til this day were still going through this on going problem. Students are having a difficult time passing the FCAT, whether it's reading, writing or math. This will forever remain an issue to the school district. Weather or not the schools are doing what their suppose to be doing. Some even believe that only the American industry has no one to blame but itself, said by Educator Clinton Boutwell.

Reflection # 7

Education in Egypt was very peculiar. It was like the kids were imitating their parents and followed the same footsteps of their own. It wasn't like they had much of a choice though, many of the young boys future was already set out on the table for them. They weren't allowed to choose their own career; many of the times they had to follow their family's profession. Young girls on the other hand, had to learn the traditional household chores. But they also were required to learn how to entertain if they wanted to work inside the Temple. This involved dancing, playing instruments, and singing. Unfortunately, children who belonged to less fortunate families, like farmers, had less chance of an education. They had to learn how to make nets to catch fish, sow, and learn how to tend cattle or poultry.

Furthermore, in Ancient Egypt parents educated their own kids by setting their ideas on morals and principles out to them. They also educated them about their religion, beliefs, and correct manner behaviors. Home-schooling also consisted of vocational training. The King on the other hand, did not educate his children himself; they had their own tutors.

To prepare children for adult hood they would also assist them with what is called Apprenticeship. This described a field as an On the Job Training, which we still use today. It allowed parents to transfer their knowledge in the work field onto their children. A mistake that may occur allows you to learn how to do it the right way. Men would take their sons out to work with them in order to learn the required skills and family business, with high hope and expectations that in the inner future his son will one day take his place.

In addition, Egyptian Temples were used for meetings between supernatural forces and humans. It was the place people went for consultant of their people and land. But the language Cuneiform was so difficult to master children often went to temple school. They used clay tablets as their writing format, whatever mistakes they would make all they had to do was smooth it out and continue to write over it. The Mesopotamian Temple on the other hand was known to be very high up. It was planted with trees in relation with mountains, so that the Gods would visit the Earth Planet and Priest would climb high up to worship it.

Reflection # 6

About 30,000 years ago writing was first considered to be different symbols. It represented symbols like woman, sun, hand, feet and so on. Later on Sumeria began to evolve these symbols into sound, creating somewhat of an alphabet. Then pre-writing was created by small clay tablets called Cuneiform. They were used for describing farmer supplies or records of land.

In addition, true writing has been discovered in the Sumeria Cuneiform after 3000BC. Writing then began to evolve to people in Southwest Asia including Egyptians, Elamites, and the Cretans. But Chinese writing is yet to be debated. It is believed that Chinese writing came out after the Sumeria; they created their own writing system independently. Til this day Chinese syllables are written how it sounds.
Writing allowed us to remember and look back throughout our history. It allowed famous writers to express themselves in ways that could not be easily spoken. Some people say they can express themselves through writing better than to be face to face in front of a person. It helps you express and represent yourself how you want to be portrayed as person. Writing can go from love letters, famous plays, friendship letters, break ups, or even a long term relationship. Writing also allows artist now in days to express and re leave feelings they feel and contain within; it's a feeling of liberty that allows you to think outside the box and go beyond from what is called normal. Writing gives us imagination without no limit.
In addition, most important of all writing made history become alive. It showed us facts we couldn't be able to see or live. It described different type of cultures, marked history on important dates, even allowed us to believe what we want to believe. From different type of religion, to crucial ceremony's and described how things went down back in the days. Writing allowed us to expand our minds and knowledge from the ordinary.

Reflection # 5

As humans we create our own path by choosing our own culture, beliefs, and theory's. Rite of passage allows us to learn threw a learning cycle. Back in the day's people us to go through rituals in order to become from nothing to something, from one role to another higher position, even to become from a little boy to a man. Some of the things they had to do in order to reach their goal were just too crucial for my taste. Like the reading "The Sambia" said, little boys went through a stage of initiation having to be homosexual with other older males. This ritual was set so that they can prove and learn to become strong males and produce lots of semen, for the purpose to create his own family and have his own wife in the inner future.

On the other hand, for girls ripping off their clitoris was a sign of childhood to adulthood. The young girl must not show any signs of fear while preparing her for this special ceremony. That's just insane to me; I think I would be crying my eyes out from beginning to end. They even had a special dance and song called, Mambura.

Therefore, men and woman from birth were born with a purpose, which was developed through these kinds of ceremonies. Ceremonies to them were the high light in their life where they are placed in a stage of higher learning and understanding.

For us now in days, our high school graduation was the high peek we tried reaching all of our lives; what led us to the real world and prepared us for what is to come. Also, it could even be the celebration of a Bar Mizpha, what makes a boy transform into a young man. Even the celebration of Quincianera, which in Spanish means 15's. In my culture it's the celebration of a little girl transforming into a young lady. These rituals are what prepare us mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Cultural is the center piece of all rite passage, like I said in the beginning, it's what we believe in and follow.

Reflection # 4

What I have learned on Early Human Phylogeny is how amazing we have come to evolve from time to time. The earliest humans to be found were the Homo Habilis, because of the tools that were made by them. But one of the first human fossils ever to be found along side Europe were named the Homo Erectus; which had a thick cranial wall and its skull was shaped very long. Then you have the Homo Ergaster, unlike the Homo Erectus their bones were much thinner in the skull. Also, the group in which we belong to would have to be the Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens were discovered in France, they were named to be tool makers, hunters, and very talented artists. To show for their talent, caves have been filled with their art skills in places like Altamira.

Furthermore, what I have found most remarkable would have to be the story of small little Lucy. She was discovered in 1974, being only three feet and eight inches tall. She belongs to the group called Australopithicus Afarensis, which were considered closer to apes. But what was so peculiar about Lucy was the way her pelvis and hip joint were, it showed that she walked straight just like a human would. Although her head, height, and brain size described a chimp. Headlines grew and made remarkable little Lucy a popular historical figure.

Now moving on to another historical figure has to be the story of African Eve. It is said to be that all humans were evolved from one Homo Sapien in Africa. DNA Mitochondria Eve was chosen for this study because only females carried Mitochondria from their fertilized eggs, which transmitted a new baby being born. As a result, you can trace back all their ancestors. But it is said to be by scientist, results can be different depending on the way the information was entered on the computer program. So as you can see we still have much to learn and have a whole lot of information to uncover.

As a conclusion, this information has not affected the way I believe or see things. I was raised in a Catholic church so I will always stand by that. Has it raised questions in my head? Yes of-course. It's always good to learn and see things from a different angle. Til this day eyebrows are being raised in different cases, questions yet are to be answered. I believe we never have the full answers to every single thing in life. We just have to continue to live and learn.

Reflection # 3

If I could go back to elementary and secondary school again, the approach I would like my teachers to make would have to be The Social Action Approach. This approach means that students can make big decisions based on important artifacts, which may cause an effect and also make a difference. It allows you to expand your mind and really think outside the box. Students have the chance to really learn about true live issues and give them the opportunity to do something about it. So not only would they begin learning important facts from such an early age. But they would also begin to interact with their other peers. This allows them to get a chance to get to learn different cultures and race about each other; the chance to socialize and acknowledge something they're not use to hearing in their everyday life. Maybe people wouldn't be as oblivious or close minded to other options or obstacles put in-front of them.

I remember back in elementary and secondary school my classes use to be very multicultural. We had all type of race in our classes, blacks, whites, and most of all Hispanics. I guess you can say we had all kind of animals in this crazy jungle. But of course, those who did not speak English had to be divided into another classroom which in my day was called ESOL. I was one of those students whose first language was Spanish and now I was required to learn English. My classes were very easy, and being put in a place where other students were in my shoes, made me feel comfortable. By the time I reached first grade I was put into regular classes with all the others. I can remember always having different holiday celebrations, Hispanic Heritage Week, Martin Luther King Week, the list just goes on. Any holiday always got a full week celebration.

I would honestly consider my experience in elementary and secondary school being much of The Contribution Approach. We always had essays based on Heroes and celebrated much of anything. I wouldn't exactly think of my Elementary and Secondary school experience being such a bad thing, there's always room for improvement. But for the most part I am satisfied with the work and teaching our teachers gave us. They were very much involved in anything and everything. And always gave that extra push to get to know one another before judging.