Analysis of an Angel Island poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis of an Angel Island poem - Essay Example It is apparent the carvings and writings are remaining evidence demonstrating the experiences of Chinese immigrants and occurrences at Angel station in San Francisco. The poems discovered at the station are the most dramatic discoveries in American literature. Today, at least scholars are translating and interpreting poems across the world (Lai, Lim, and Yung 12). Carved on wooden buildings by Chinese immigrants who never became laborers in America following Exclusion Act, the poems expose the unusual detention of immigrants for weeks and months on the island awaiting clearance by American immigration officials (Lai, Lim, and Yung 20). In addition, these poems exposed the labor conditions and economic conditions in California in the 20th century. By providing a detailed account of the plight of Chinese immigrants in San Francisco, the collection of poems questioned American ideologies of unlimited and equal opportunity floated in the 20th century. It is apparent the poems expose various themes not limited to immigration, alienation, race, and labor in America. An immigrant from Heungshan wrote a prominent poem that fuses the experiences and occur rences in San Francisco to demonstrate several themes. The poem was translated into English by Lai, Lim and Yung (1991) and organized into prose. According to the poem, Angel Island Immigration Station was a place of suffering and sadness. The Chinese immigrants were seeking labor opportunities in order to earn a living in America. The Exclusion Act in late 20th century that prohibited increased Chinese migration led to sufferings and problems. Many immigrants stayed in unhygienic and deplorable conditions awaiting clearance from immigration officials, and the carvings and writings demonstrate the bitterness and resentment among immigrants. However, many Chinese immigrants endured and withstood conditions at Angel Island Immigration

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Philosophy - Essay Example Plato’s apology presents to us a speech delivered by Socrates in his own defense at his trial. Apology here is not a statement of regret requesting pardon, but it is a formal statement of justification or defense.The charges leveled against Socrates was that â€Å"he was failing to acknowledge the city’s Gods, introducing new divinities and corrupting its youth â€Å" (Plato: The last days of Socrates. 2003. p.33). These were serious charges but Socrates did not make efforts to defend himself. It is said that he had bred insubordination and utter contempt for authority. It seemed evident that Socrates could do nothing for his own defense without compromising his principles, he is held out as a person whose â€Å" high moral principles is confronted step by step with a situation from where there is no escape† (Plato: The last days of Socrates. 2003. p.38). Socrates views on death are clear. He believed that once a person has taken a stand, based on the call of h is conscience on what he felt was best to him morally, then he is constrained to hold his post and face the situation, irrespective â€Å"of death or anything else before dishonour† (Plato: The last days of Socrates. 2003. p.54). Socrates having been condemned to death, still believes that a good man can suffer no evil. His philosophy was that no man knowingly does wrong and that men did evil only out of ignorance. But his opponents believed that men did wrong despite knowing what was morally correct, which is not very difficult to believe. Socrates has himself said that he is not a processor of knowledge that others lacked and everyone knows what is morally correct and what is not yet crimes are committed. So here it seems that Socrates is contradicting himself. Before his conviction he claimed that people should look to death with confidence. If the contrary is true, they will be considered unwise, as

Improving Math and Science Scores in Middle School Essay Example for Free

Improving Math and Science Scores in Middle School Essay Math and Science are two subjects which most students at any level approach with trepidation and intense dislike, however, both subjects are integral to cognitive thinking. Not only will these subjects provide skills that will help students think more clearly, but students will be academically successful throughout their school career, enjoy wider career choices and earn more money after graduation. Therefore, establishing a strong foundation in these subjects is integral to future academic and career success. However, studying these subjects in middle school is even more difficult. Studies have shown that the transition for a student from elementary school to middle school is academically and psychologically difficult. According to Maurice Elias in an article entitled, â€Å"Middle School Transition: It’s Harder Than You Think†, many former elementary school students are not well prepared for the demands of middle school. They need explicit instruction, coaching, and support with regard to organizing time and resources for homework; responding to work that is more challenging and requires more effort; understanding and addressing the varying expectations of teachers in different subject areas; and accomplishing such basic tasks as taking notes and taking tests (Elias, 2001). Unfortunately, this same sentiment resonates today with the New York City Public School system, specifically, middle schools located in low income areas. The New York City Public School System is struggling with mathematics achievement in the grades beyond elementary school. Over 30% of the city’s elementary and middle school students score at the lowest level of the state mathematics test and only 34% of all students pass that test. The mathematics â€Å"problem† seems connected to the third major trend in the data, the low performance of middle and junior high schools in the city. In both Mathematics and English Language Arts, the city’s middle and junior high schools seem to be the weakest link in the system (Domanico, 2002). Recently, the math state scores were released further underscoring the middle school â€Å"math problem† that exists. Results showed that while 75. 3% of students at the elementary level passed successfully only 38. 9% of grade eight students passed (Andreatta, 2006, 11). As such, the intent of this study, based on the aforementioned information, is to evaluate and make recommendations with regard to middle school students in a particular school who have been struggling with both subjects. This study will focus on a middle school, IS 166- George Gershwin School—located in East New York. The decision to choose IS 166 was dependent on a few factors among which included the fact that the district within which it is located is considered a â€Å"virtual educational dead zone† by a Civic Report drafted by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (Domanico, 2002). Additionally, after reviewing the New York City Department of Education’s website—which provides an overwhelming amount of information on every public school in the city as well as their progress over recent years in the core subjects—it was found that of the schools within the 19th School District—primarily East New York, IS 166 is one of the worst performing schools. The school’s poor academic performance is further exacerbated by the outstanding grades displayed by another school in the 19th School District such as IS 409—East New York Family Academy and outside of the district another school MS 114, located in District 2 (Manhattan), whose grades superseded the city’s level as well as the state’s level. The graphs below illustrate how IS 166 performed poorly in the last 2 years on the state Math and Science exams comparatively to other schools, specifically IS 409 in the same district as well other schools in other districts. The last two graphs will show the difference with a higher performing school such as IS 409 and therefore will confirm why this study is going to be conducted. IS 166- George Gershwin School Math and Science Grades Source: New York Department of Education (Division of Assessment and Accountability—School Report Cards 2005). Definition of the Levels on which the scores for both subjects are based: Level 4—These students exceed the standards and are moving toward high performance on the Regents examination. Level 3—These students meet the standards and, with continued steady growth, should pass the Regents examination. Level 2—These students need extra help to meet the standards and pass the Regents examination. Level 1—These students have serious academic deficiencies. Source: New York Department of Education (Division of Assessment and Accountability—School Report Cards 2005). The aforementioned graphs showed how poorly IS 166 has performed in the last two years in both Math and Science. In Math, the number of students performing at Levels 3 and 4 has decreased from 22. 2% in 2004 and 17. 5% in 2005. The number of students tested for Level 3 was only 60 and for Level 4 only 3 of 361 total students. The remaining students, as displayed on the right hand side of the graph, are still at a Level 1 which as noted by the above definition means that they are in grave need of assistance. Therefore, for the purposes of the study, the target population will be defined as â€Å"in need† students. Although there has been a slight increase in Science, the results are still less than desirable when compared with other schools in the district and the City. As seen in the graph, only 14% of the students passed at Levels 3 and 4 in 2004 and by 2005, only 18% were able to pass at the same levels. Therefore, if IS 166 continues on this trajectory, it will continue to be labeled an underperforming school that graduates below average students incapable of performing the basic tasks in both subjects. The goal of the evaluation study is to thoroughly review the problems that exist and hopefully get the school to achieve grades similar to IS 409-East New York Family Academy sometime in the near future as is reflected in the following graphs. IS 409- East New York Family Academy Math and Science Grades Source: New York Department of Education (Division of Assessment and Accountability—School Report Cards 2005). As noted in the above graphs, IS 409 is performing extremely well at Levels 3 and 4 and has outperformed schools in both math and science in the district (which is truly exceptional given the neighborhood and its history) as well as other City schools. Very few students if any are far below the standard in both subjects. Moreover, as noted before, other schools such as MS 114 and IS 289 located in District 2 have maintained exceptional scores over the two year period. For 2004 and 2005, MS 114 scored 88% and 81% consecutively in Math and 97% and 91% in Science. IS 289 also scored high grades-for both years in Math, the school displayed 83% and 73% when compared to other schools in the district and city and in Science, they scored 87% and 82%. Other schools in other districts from Queens and Staten Island have also demonstrated solid scores. This makes designing a program even more of a priority in light of the above referenced comparisons. The study will not focus on the students at all levels in the middle schools but specifically, the eighth grade students destined for high school who have yet to grasp the necessary skills needed to succeed and have been the center of test score analysis over the years. These eighth grade students will be approximately 14 years old but depending on factors such as repeating a grade or special needs, the age may vary from 14-16 years old. As noted before, they will be identified as â€Å"in need† students and the study will attempt to identify the worst performing students by looking not only at grades but possibly contributing factors such as income, special needs, and possible crime involvement. The improvement of Math and Science scores is a gargantuan task which requires a major overall of the school at all levels, however, to begin the following services are needed and they are but not limited to: ?Offering training sessions for the math and science teachers. The difference between not only IS 409 and other schools in District 2 is that the teachers have more experience, education, and are less likely to be absent more than average. The training sessions will be implemented on weekends or after-school whichever is more convenient for the teachers and will be done prior to establishing an after-school program for the students. The training sessions will allow teachers from higher performing schools an opportunity to impart their techniques for achieving higher grades. ?Offering a separate informative session for the Principal, Maria Ortega, so that she is more knowledgeable on what is needed to succeed in both areas. In most cases, the principal of a school has a general idea of what is needed in most subject areas, however, if the principal is more involved, informed, and fully comprehends the nuances of the subject matter, then she will be able to make better choices in hiring and understanding the teaching of the curriculum. This is an idea which originated out of reading the case of MS 114 in District 2 which showcases a principal that has not only taught but has written Math books for children. Also, in IS 289, the principal knows each student individually and is fully acquainted with their needs. ?Offering additional services for children that may range from an after-school program to extending class hours to offering classes on the weekend. One of the schools in District 2 actually has classes that last at least 50 minutes giving students a better opportunity to absorb the material thereby performing better in exams. ?Offering programs that will incorporate the parents as well. Perhaps this will be in conjunction with the after-school program. As noted, most of the students in this district are from low income families and perhaps some of the parents are in low paying jobs or living on welfare. The parents can take advantage of the program by refreshing themselves with the basic concepts of each subject so that they may assist their children and perhaps help themselves. PROGRAM THEORY In order to address the dire academic situation at IS 166-George Gershwin School, and before implementing an after-school program, it is important to address the issue at the higher levels which means analyzing teaching techniques and more importantly, principal participation. At the Center for Civic Innovation Luncheon featuring Chancellor Joel Klein held on Thursday, October 5th at the Harvard Club, Chancellor Klein began his speech with an analogy of the leaky roof and the squeaky floor. He stated that there was a school located in uptown Harlem that had a leaky roof and a squeaky floor. One day a repair man came to repair the floor and the custodian stated that the floor cannot be fixed prior to the roof being fixed to which the repairman replied â€Å"That’s not my concern, I am just here for the floor†. The Chancellor began his speech with that story to underscore the problems with the NYC Education system. He believes that everyone wants to fix the underlying problems without addressing the issues at the surface. The Chancellor’s story may be applied to the case of IS 166 and any other school in need of improvement. Many observers and parents are often led to believe that their children are primarily the problem in achieving higher scores and possibly that their children lack the intellect to truly analyze or process the information given to them. However, it is just as important for the heads of the respective schools to be cognizant of what is needed to improve these scores and the principal is just the person to ensure this. Therefore, before implementing a program, we have recommended that Principal Maria Ortega participate in a briefing session lasting approximately one month in the summer—right after the end of the school year and before the hiring season begins—for at least 4 hours a day, three days a week. According to reports of comprehensive school reforms in Chicago and Louisiana, the schools’ academic success was primarily attributed to the principals in charge and the contributions they made throughout the reforms. In one report, it stated that â€Å"highly effective schools communicated expectations for teachers. The principal was active in working to improve teacher skills; ineffective teachers were let go. † Moreover, the principals played an important role in four areas a) selection and replacement of teachers; b) classroom monitoring and feedback; c) support for improvement of individual teachers; and d) allocating and protecting academic time (Good et al, 2005, 2207). Therefore, implementing a program or briefing session solely for Principal Ortega would help her improve in all these areas. Principals, under Chancellor Klein’s tenure, have been given more empowerment opportunities and have more responsibilities to ensure the success of their schools. IS 166 has been categorized as a Title I School In Need of Improvement (SINI) under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and as such, Principal Ortega has to work harder than ever to improve the english, math, and science scores—subjects that are integral to a student’s academic success. The program we have suggested will illustrate to Principal Ortega that math, in particular, cannot be taught in the traditional manner, that is, using rote. In fact, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) advocates the development of an inquiry-based mathematics tradition. Students taught using this tradition are encouraged to explore, develop conjectures, prove, and problem solve (Manswell Butty, 2001, 20). Students are best able to absorb the material in not only math and science but other subjects if the teachers are able to present it in an interesting manner that entails connections to the outside world. Principal Ortega should also be familiarized with the requirements for the exams and then know exactly how the staff should approach student preparation. She should also ensure that with respect to math, she adheres to the recommendations Lyle V. Jones reiterated in his article entitled â€Å"Achievement Trends in Math and Science† in which it was stated: ? Only teachers who like mathematics should teach mathematics ? The chief objective of school mathematics should be to instill confidence ? Mathematics teaching must be based on both contemporary mathematics and modern pedagogy (Jones, 1988, 333). After completion of this program, and hopefully with a better understanding of what is needed to improve the scores at IS 166, the next step would be to address the teaching staff. As noted, the methodology used is integral to ensuring that the students comprehend, absorb, and analyze the information being disseminated. If they fail to process the information then they will ultimately perform poorly in the state exams and possibly continue to do so throughout high school. We recommend prior to the beginning of the academic year, and the implementation of the after-school program, that teachers, specifically, the math teachers enroll in a summer institute similar to one reported in an article entitled, â€Å"Toward a Constructivist Perspective: The Impact of a Math Teacher InService Program on Students†. The reason being is that the teaching of math more so than science requires certain techniques that are far from the traditional methods that most teachers employ. The summer institute in the report offered participating teachers intensive two-week summer institutes and weekly classroom follow-up during one academic year. Moreover, they received an opportunity to reexamine their ideas about the teaching and learning of mathematics. During the summer institutes, these teachers experienced mathematics classes in which they were encouraged to construct solutions and ideas and to communicate them to a group. They analyzed student understandings as revealed in interviews and they planned lessons which reflected their evolving ideas about mathematics learning and teaching (Simon and Schifter, 1993, 331). Teachers need to plan their lessons in such a manner as to engage the students so that they may effectively communicate their thoughts or problems with a particular issue. In fact, after completion of the summer institute, and after the teachers began using their newfound techniques, the results were noteworthy and ranged from students stating that â€Å"it’s fun to work math problems† to â€Å"I’d rather do math than any other kind of homework† to â€Å"I like to explain how I solved a problem†(Simon and Schifter, 1993, 333). Therefore, using the above referenced example, the summer institute that we propose for the math teachers will last approximately three weeks in the summer and it would begin approximately mid-August prior to the beginning of the academic year. This program would be mandated by the principal and would include veteran staff members as well new ones brought on board. Another factor that teachers have to take into consideration is the population they cater to during the academic year. IS 166 consists of predominantly black and Hispanic students residing in East New York and its surrounding environs, thereby, making them not only an â€Å"in need† group in terms of grades but an â€Å"at risk† group in terms of their backgrounds and predisposition to engage in illicit activities. Many believe teaching techniques are generic and if they are employed in one school then they may be applicable in another. However, studies have shown that minority children in low income neighborhoods require a different set of techniques employed. According to Manswell Butty, African-American children have further been identified as favoring four learning styles a) person-centered, b) affective, c) expressive, and movement oriented (Butty, 2001, 23). Therefore, teachers need to use laboratory or group exercises, discussion sessions, or instructional uses of music and the visual and dramatic arts, especially when those pedagogical techniques promote Black students’ greater academic involvement, interest, and performances (Butty, 2001, 23). However, this is not a generalization implying that all minority children respond to this technique but most will probably respond positively. Therefore, teachers must be made aware of the group of children that they are dealing with and ensure that they employ the above referenced techniques to garner success. In fact, there are Learning through Teaching in an After-School Pedagogical Laboratories (L-TAPL) in California and New Jersey, which not only offer a program for elementary students but also serves as a practice-rich professional development for urban teachers. The program aims to improve the achievement of urban students and the competence of their teachers (Foster et al, 2005, 28). According to the Foster article, numerous studies, policies, and programs have addressed the persistent problem of underachievement among poor urban students and its array of possible causes. The NCLB links teacher quality to improved student achievement, especially among low-income urban children of color. Consequently, improving teacher quality has become one of the hallmarks of current reform efforts (Foster et al, 2005, 28). These laboratories groom future urban teachers to deal with students similar to the target population at IS 166. And as such, as an alternative to our summer institute, the teachers are free to enroll in the program offered by this lab in New Jersey. Therefore, taking into account the above referenced studies, improving teacher quality is of utmost importance when taking into consideration the improvement of math and science scores. All of the above has brought us to the most important element of the study establishing an after-school program. Establishing an After-school Program-Resources Funding Under the NCLB Act, Title I schools, such as IS 166 that are listed as Schools In Need of Improvement, have failed to reach student achievement targets that have been set for every school. This means the school has failed to meet state proficiency level for all students in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and/or high schools graduation rate. Schools falling in the above referenced category may be eligible for Supplemental Educational Services (SES). SES include free after-school/weekend remedial help or tutoring services. The SES provision offers providers an opportunity to offer low-income children, who may be struggling in school, extra academic help and individual instruction. Through SES, innovative leaders and educators can start a new tutoring program or expand an existing one to serve more students (New York City Department of Education). However, instead of using an SES provider—which in some cases the DOE will offer contracts of over a million dollars to provide services to various schools—we will request additional funding that would have been used to acquire an SES provider to establish the after-school program by ourselves with the assistance of The After-school Corporation (TASC). TASC is renowned for establishing successful after-school programs and have no contract with the DOE and thus, are not labeled SES Providers. In addition to wanting to establish a program using solely school staff, it is important to note, that there have been several complaints about SES providers and most are being investigated either by the Special Commissioner of Investigation for the New York City School District or the Office of Special Investigation and in the best interest of the target population, we have decided to forego those providers. Therefore, the funding used from SES will be used to offer per session rates for the teachers participating in the program as well as pay for the consultant from TASC. The funding will also be used to acquire additional supplies such as the KidzMath program which is highly popular and is used around the country to get students interested in math and to improve scores. Funding will also be used to secure additional bus transportation from the Office of Pupil Transportation as well as food and refreshments for the children. Staffing and Facilities The program will be housed in the school recreation room and so there will be no need to rent a facility to do so. The program will be supervised by the TASC consultant who will preferably be someone from the community who is familiar with the target population and can easily relate to their situation. The principal and assistant principal will take turns observing the classes and ensuring that the teachers and participants are abiding by the rules. The teachers will be eighth grade math and science teachers who deal with the target population on a daily basis and who are familiar with the problems they are experiencing. Additionally, the teachers will be assisted by high school students who are well versed in the subject areas, who have been recruited from neighboring high schools and would like to add an after-school tutoring activity to their resume. Therefore, these students will not be paid but will use the after-school program as a learning experience. Participants The students participating in the program will be chosen based on their past academic performance in grades six and seven and failure to show any signs of improvement. To reiterate, this program is geared specifically for eighth grade students, ages 14-16 years old, and will begin a month into the beginning of the academic year towards the end of September early October after the students and teachers have settled in the new semester. Letters will be sent to the parents at the beginning of the academic year notifying them of their child’s progress and advising them that the program is mandatory if they are to improve and move on to high school (the letters will be followed up by phone calls). While the school has no recourse if a student fails to attend even though it has been marked mandatory, offering a voluntary program usually encourages those that are really not in need of it to participate and those that do need it usually don’t. The parents will be informed of the structure of the program and the fact that transportation will be provided so that their children will be taken home safely after the program. In fact, parents who may not be working full time or at all will be encouraged to observe or participate in another session that will help them to understand what their child needs to improve. The session, which will last as long as the tutoring session, will more than likely be conducted by the assistant principal or a math/science staff member and will give the parent an opportunity to be truly acquainted with the activities being conducted. This program may also be helpful to them as well as some of these parents lack the basic educational skills that are necessary to obtain a job. Activities and Schedule Based on successful programs in Arkansas, the after-school program we will establish will mirror these successful programs and therefore, the program will entail classes of one and a half hours each day, Monday through Thursday between the hours of 3pm and 4:30pm. Mondays and Wednesdays will be dedicated to math and Tuesdays and Thursdays will be dedicated to science. The sessions will be divided into 40 minute periods during which the first period will be dedicated to the teacher illustrating the subject material and the second period will be dedicated to the students participating in groups and working together to complete the work presented in the first period. The students will get a ten-minute break during which they will receive refreshments. In the Camden School District in Arkansas, school officials credited the success of the after-school programs to the schools being released from the â€Å"Adequate Yearly Progress† (AYP) status under the NCLB Act (Arkansas Advocates for Children Families, 2006). Throughout the course of the program, teachers will be encouraged not to utilize the same material or techniques used on a daily basis. The teachers will be reminded that the program is geared towards individuals who have a negative attitude toward the subjects which may be as a result of not only failure to comprehend the material but also the teacher’s emphasis on traditional methods. Therefore, the program will forego any emphasis on memorization, computation, and equation and will focus on modeling and real world problem solving. Engaging in group work, especially in math, has proven to be successful and will be the focus of the program. According to Jones, group work differs from cooperative learning in its lesser emphasis on the teacher as instructor and its greater dependence on students teaching other students. Moreover, cooperative learning procedures as dependent first on instruction by the teacher, then on practice engaged in actively by members of an established student team (often of four team members), has evidence that supports the efficacy of the approach to elevate not only achievement but also self-esteem, interpersonal effectiveness and interracial harmony (Jones, 1988, 328). Therefore, the students will work together in groups over the period of the academic year and will be exposed to hands-on experiences, games, and projects. KidzMath should really be a good stimulant and with the assistance of the teachers, the students should be motivated. Teachers will also be encouraged to maintain a weekly progress report which will ultimately be used to assess the program’s progress. Another aspect of the program would entail having the Principal establishing stronger ties with the community and getting more community leaders involved by dropping by the after-school program to give advice and encouragement to the students. Students are not only stimulated by various activities that are outside of the norm of the regular classroom but are also stimulated by role models or individuals they deem to be successful from their part of the neighborhood. According to a report done on the Chicago School Reform, the schools that experienced major changes and improvements were led by principals who were strong veteran leaders with good relationships with their local school councils and the community (Hess, Jr. , 1999, 79). Additionally, incentives can also be offered for the students in the program which will encourage their continued participation and potential success and can range from visits to museums or amusement parks if they have showed slight improvements. While these children who performed poorly are from low income families, and a reduction in poverty rates might have a salutary effect on measured school achievement, according to Lyle V. Jones, the influence of poverty on educational achievement may be ameliorated by introducing school-parent programs to improve academic conditions in the home. After reviewing nearly 3,000 investigations of productive factors in learning concludes that such programs have an outstanding record of success in promoting achievement (Jones, 1988, 327). Explanation of Logic Model. Inputs: consist of the fundamental resources—human and capital—that the program needs in order for it to achieve its goals. These resources consist of funding for per session rates for the teachers, payment for the TASC Consultant, supplies such as KidzMath, transportation, and refreshments. The most important resources needed are the children to whom the program is directed. Activities: Once the fundamental resources are in place, the schedule has been established and the techniques for teaching have been agreed upon, then the after-school program will proceed as planned throughout the academic year. The sessions will be conducted four days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, for math and Tuesdays and Thursdays for science lasting 1. 5 hrs each period. The sessions will entail a great deal of group work and collaboration along with potential visits from community leaders and role models. Outputs: Upon implementation of the program, it is important to ascertain if the program is reaching its target population, if the services provided are being done in the manner discussed and if the population are benefiting or if they have any concerns those will be noted throughout the assessment. This will be done by conducting site visits, performing observations and conducting surveys. Outcomes: If the program is successful in achieving its goals, then the immediate goals will see the students passing their in-class tests and ultimately the state exams—which has been the focal issue with the school and the reason for the Title I status under the NCLB Act. The long-term goals include the participants of the program actually going on to high school and possibly even college. From that point onward, if students succeed in college, they may even pursue challenging careers thereby improving their socio-economic status. The reason the logic diagram is done in a cyclical manner is to demonstrate that if the program is successful and the students do improve significantly, then the school may be eligible for the same amount or a higher amount of funding which they can use to increase their resources for the input phase for the upcoming academic year. PROGRAM PROCESS Once the program has been implemented, it is important to ascertain if the services are in fact being delivered as planned and if the participants are learning with the teachers employing the new techniques as discussed. In order to do this, we will conduct an observational study as fashioned from the TASC’s site visit procedures in addition to teacher and parental surveys to see if they have noted any differences in the children participating in the program. This assessment will be done halfway throughout the semester at approximately the end of January which will also coincide with the first set of state exams (students also take these exams towards the end of the academic year-approximately June). The assessment will begin with a two-person team (my colleague and I) visiting the after-school’s program for two days a week, for a total of two weeks—one day for math and the other for science. The visit will include an interview with the principal and assistant principal (who, as noted before, would have taken turns monitoring the program).

Analysis William Blake Poem London

Analysis William Blake Poem London William Blakes poem, London, was written in 1792 and is a description of a society in which the individuals are trapped, exploited and infected. Blake starts the poem by describing the economic system and moves to its consequences of the selling of people within a locked system of exploitation. One technique that is used is the repetition of a specific word to help accent its meaning to the fullest extent. Blake uses the word charterd (1-2) in the first stanza to describe the street and river of Thames. The word gives the river and street a very legalistic feel as though they are protected by laws and are privately owned. Blake moves on to explain how the people have visible marks (3-4) of weakness and woe which are like visible brands of sorrow and distress. In the second stanza Blake stresses the word every (5-7) five times. This word gives us the sense of commonality to everyone suffering. It says that no one in London is immune to the exploitation and disease. This idea is driven home with the words mind-forgd manacles (8) which symbolize a society in chains; imprisoned by ideology and status quo. It is possible to assume that there is no deviance from the status quo as the stanza itself has no deviation from its strict iambic tetrameter meter and A-B rhyme scheme. The strict adherence to poetic meter in this stanza strongly contrast the irregular meter of the third stanza. In the third stanza Blake lists out several social positions that are affected by the turmoil; the Chimney-sweep, Church, and the Soldier. The job titles listed in the stanza are capitalized making them pronouns and personified. The chimney-sweeper is a figure of pity and industrialization because due to the ever increasing amount of dirty chimneys blackening the entire city with soot. The Church is blackning (10), its reputation is becoming more tarnished as it is trying to ignore or glaze over the brutal smoke belching economy that Blake is describing. The metaphor of the Soldiers blood on the Palace Walls demonstrate not only a mistreatment of soldiers but also a poor leader of the country creating a disjointed society. Evidence of this disjointness can be found in the structure of the third stanza as it no longer adheres to a strict iambic tetrameter meter. We see this disjointedness in poetic meter continues into the final stanza where Blake uses the technique of enjambment to a ccent the Harlots curse(14) and Infants tear (15). It is now dark and the youthful Harlot does not have a chance to lover her baby because it is a result of commerce and not love. She passes her own misery onto the child who will likely continue passing it onto future generations. She also passes on her disease to cheating husbands which lead us to the potent phrase the Marriage hearse. (16) The marriage hearse is an oxymoron for the notion of a happy marriage being undermined by death and disease and causing the marriage to become a funeral procession for love and freedom. Blakes poem is designed to imply that vision is needed to lift London out of despair and away from its economy driven exploitation. Allen Ginsbergs poem A Supermarket in California is a protest poem aimed towards postwar American society and focuses most on the consumerist aspects of society and the lack of connection between the modern world and nature. A Supermarket in California is written in prose form and does not adhere to any sort of traditional meter or rhyme scheme making it a shocking and offbeat poem that is sure to stand out which is what a protester would want. Ginsberg is quick to kick off the theme of consumerism by going shopping for images (2). In this case the images are not real as he is longing for society to return back to the state it was in pre-war during Whitmans time. The supermarket in this line also introduces the idea of capitalist America where fruit is mass produced to be the same and is not necessarily produced in the wild. The next few lines describe how families are now shopping at night rather than during the daytime. It can be implied that these families are perfect nuclear fami lies and anyone who does not fit into the family structure stands out as being separate from society and considered unnatural . These individuals in this poem are Gracia Lorca, Walt Whitman, and the speaker himself Allen Ginsberg all of whom are homosexual and have lost their place in society. In this time era, the homosexual community is never spoken about and is not accepted by the norms of society as it may have been in Whitmans time. Ginsberg notes Whitman as a homosexual because he is described as childless, lonely, old grubber (4) and not as a husband. It is possible that Whitman is brought into the poem as a way of juxtaposing what Whitman described America to be in his poetry, and what America has become in Ginsbergs poetry. The lines who killed the pork chops? What price bananas? (5) pose questions of economics. In Whitmans day a consumer would know where the food came from, who killed it, and how it got its price. It is implied that Whitmans questions could not be answere d by the the store employees. Ginsberg is saying that due to consumerism, we no longer know exactly what we are buying and are therefore no longer connected to nature through the produce available at a supermarket. Ginsberg also uses Whitmans tasting spree through the store as a way of showing that in Whitmans day there was no capitalism that forced you to always pay for your pleasures. There is a suggestion here that paying for ones pleasures is not natural. The line the doors close in an hour (8) shows that Ginsberg is beginning to acknowledge that his vision of Whitmans vision of the natural world will not last as it cannot stand up to the modern economy were you can buy everything at a price. Their quest through solitary streets (10) past symbols that represent the lost America (11), which Whitman described in his poetry, will only lead them to the absolute darkness and loneliness in the current society. Ginsberg closes the poem by comparing the lost America (11) to Hades. Charo n was the guardian of Hades who would ferry souls across the river Styx. Charon stopped short and let Whitman out on the smoking bank (12) of Lethe. The river Lethe, according to Greed mythology, would cause forgetfulness to those who drank from it. One can surmise that Ginsberg is referring to modern society and how it forgets its past and the difference between what is natural and what is a product of humans. This is what ties Ginsbergs protest against modern America together. The peach, the porkchops, the bananas in the supermarket no longer create a relationship between the consumer and the natural world from which the fruit originated. Allen Ginsbergs and William Blakes poems are both examples poetry designed to make a statement about how society has changed for the worse and that a better alternative needs to be found. Even though these pieces were written over sixty years ago, we can still find a way to relate to them today. The idea of society losing touch with nature as it is expressed in Grinsbergs poem A supermarket in Califoria, is still a concern with todays processed food, indoor fruit factories, and now even larger supermarkets. Unfortunately the impact of William Blakes poem has lost quite a bit of its shock value on todays society but we can still relate to the idea of mechanization with the encroaching robotic arms spread of incurable diseases. If we can feel the impact of the poetry now in 2011, imagine how much impact and shock value the pieces would have had on their audiences when they were first written.

Kennedys True Initiative in Times of Crisis: The Cuban Missile Crisis :: essays research papers

Introduction:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚    ¡Ã‚ ¥Khrushchev must not be certain that, where its vital interests are threatened, the US will never strike first. As Kennedy says,  ¡Ã‚ §In some circumstances we might have to take the initiative. ¡Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¡Ã‚ ¦ These words, readily published in 1962, became the verification to both Khrushchev and Kennedy that the Soviet Union and the United States would be preparing for a nuclear war. One could simply take Kennedy ¡Ã‚ ¦s threat at face value. The United States in 1962 was a growing empire whose military credentials outmanoeuvred that of the Soviet Union by a decade. Here, outlined, are two factors which prove that President Kennedy was technically able to initiate a nuclear war while, also discussed, are two factors that would prove to be a likely source of negativity towards such an initiative. Thus, proving that regardless of the military advantage that the United States had over the Soviet Union, President Kennedy did not wish to initiate a nuclear war. Strong-Point/Introductory, Key Argument #1:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Militaristically, the U.S. was in a significantly advantageous situation over Russia. If he wished to, Kennedy would have been capable of striking the Soviet Union with nuclear missiles. „ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1962, the U.S. had an estimated 5 100 nuclear weapons while the Soviet Union had only approximately 300. „ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Soviet ¡Ã‚ ¦s Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM ¡Ã‚ ¦s) were 10 years behind what the Americans were producing. „ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Americans had stealth spy capabilities far greater than the Soviets o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  U.S spy satellites were focused on the Soviet. „X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1962, Daniel Ellsberg, part of the Rand Corporation and later publishing the Pentagon Papers on Vietnam, commented that to show the Russians the U.S. supremacy,  ¡Ã‚ §it would be simpler to send Khrushchev the precise geographical coordinates of the Soviet ICBM bases at plesetsk, or even copies of the photographs taken by US satellites. ¡Ã‚ ¨ o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  U-2 spy flights were constantly monitoring the progress of the Soviets in order to ensure accurate US Strategic Military planning. „ «Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The U.S. had posted military bases surrounding the Soviet Union where until utilising Cuba, the Russian ¡Ã‚ ¦s were isolated to posting bases only in the Soviet Union. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1963, there were approximately one million US servicemen stationed in 203 bases in the United States and in 1 040 bases overseas. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Due to the NATO alliance and US foreign assistance programmes, there were another 3.5 million troops bordering the Soviet Union. Body, Key Argument #2:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To eliminate the possibility that Kennedy may have wanted to initiate a nuclear war, and was influenced not to, Kennedy ¡Ã‚ ¦s personal advisors (his closest being finance and military) were pressuring him to initiate a nuclear war.

Human Growth Hormone Essay -- Drugs Health Science Essays

Human Growth Hormone Human growth hormone, a substance produced in the human body, is now being sold over the Internet. Companies are marketing the product as an anti-aging product. At the web-site, http://www.awakenhgh.com, the company claims that there is a possibility that one can "stop the aging process." On the home page, they claim that the product can reduce fat and cellulite, increase energy and muscle tone, elevate mood, improve sexual performance and sleep, remove wrinkles, balance cholesterol, re-grow and re-color hair, and more. The product is a dietary oral spray that they claim contains a product that is "identical to the growth hormone manufactured in the human body" and is designed for oral consumption. They also provide a brief history of human growth hormone and how medical professionals have used it to treat children with growing deficiencies to promote a normal pattern of development. Human growth hormone used to be available through cadavers only, so they claim an inexpensive, synthe tic form is a real breakthrough for the public. The company claims that the product burns fat by increasing one’s metabolism, and that it is the "most effective anti-obesity agent ever discovered." It also "selectively" reduces the waist, hips and thighs while increasing muscle mass. Most of the improvement claims that are made do not explain how the product will do what it is purported to do. The creators claim that the HGH product is produced in an FDA approved lab, but there is a disclaimer in small print at that says that the Food & Drug Administration has not evaluated the statements that "Awaken" makes about the products. They also claim that there have been no significant side effects in children and adults with g... ...effects on the body and the mind, and without the additional cost of an unapproved supplement. Many more studies on HGH need to be done in order to learn more about the side effects and whether or not additional hormone had any positive effects on healthy individuals. The claims that are made on the internet are enticing and may possibly have medical research to back them up in some cases, but there has not been enough research done to sell this product to healthy individuals without unbiased scientific information. Works Cited Anti-aging Hormones. Harvard Womens Health Watch, 6 (8), 2-3. 1999. Inzucchi, S. (1997). Growth Hormone in Adults: Indications and Implications. Hospital Practice, 32 (1), 79-86, 90-91, 95-96. Morley, J. (1999). Growth Hormone: Fountain of Youth or Death Hormone? Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 47 (12), 1475-76. Human Growth Hormone Essay -- Drugs Health Science Essays Human Growth Hormone Human growth hormone, a substance produced in the human body, is now being sold over the Internet. Companies are marketing the product as an anti-aging product. At the web-site, http://www.awakenhgh.com, the company claims that there is a possibility that one can "stop the aging process." On the home page, they claim that the product can reduce fat and cellulite, increase energy and muscle tone, elevate mood, improve sexual performance and sleep, remove wrinkles, balance cholesterol, re-grow and re-color hair, and more. The product is a dietary oral spray that they claim contains a product that is "identical to the growth hormone manufactured in the human body" and is designed for oral consumption. They also provide a brief history of human growth hormone and how medical professionals have used it to treat children with growing deficiencies to promote a normal pattern of development. Human growth hormone used to be available through cadavers only, so they claim an inexpensive, synthe tic form is a real breakthrough for the public. The company claims that the product burns fat by increasing one’s metabolism, and that it is the "most effective anti-obesity agent ever discovered." It also "selectively" reduces the waist, hips and thighs while increasing muscle mass. Most of the improvement claims that are made do not explain how the product will do what it is purported to do. The creators claim that the HGH product is produced in an FDA approved lab, but there is a disclaimer in small print at that says that the Food & Drug Administration has not evaluated the statements that "Awaken" makes about the products. They also claim that there have been no significant side effects in children and adults with g... ...effects on the body and the mind, and without the additional cost of an unapproved supplement. Many more studies on HGH need to be done in order to learn more about the side effects and whether or not additional hormone had any positive effects on healthy individuals. The claims that are made on the internet are enticing and may possibly have medical research to back them up in some cases, but there has not been enough research done to sell this product to healthy individuals without unbiased scientific information. Works Cited Anti-aging Hormones. Harvard Womens Health Watch, 6 (8), 2-3. 1999. Inzucchi, S. (1997). Growth Hormone in Adults: Indications and Implications. Hospital Practice, 32 (1), 79-86, 90-91, 95-96. Morley, J. (1999). Growth Hormone: Fountain of Youth or Death Hormone? Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 47 (12), 1475-76.

Joy Luck Club: Malignant Gate

What lesson or moral is taught by the parable at the beginning of Part II? The lesson taught in the parable is that one should listen to their parents' words as they are usually correct and wise. 2. In what way does this parable help to Illustrate the following theme from this level? The generation gap, Including age and heritage, between mothers and daughters makes communication between them difficult? A child, who grew up only knowing America, will definitely struggle in communicating with a mother who was fully Immersed In Chinese culture back when she lived in China.Although age does make it difficult, these cultural differences will hinder their communication even more than age as they have different perspectives, ideologies and thoughts because of their different upbringing. 3. What might the book, The Twenty-six Malignant Gates represent In this story? The Twenty-six Malignant Gates might represent the experience, the culture and the wisdom of a mother. The mother says the chi ld will not understand as it is written in Chinese, but beyond that, it definitely is related to Chinese tradition and culture, and the wisdom of China; a child who only knows America will definitely not understand It.Rules of the Game: Wavered Gong (Daughter) Lind Gong (Mother) 1. What Is the â€Å"art of Invisible strength† Wavered learns from her mother? The art of invisible strength is the ability/strategy for winning arguments and respect from others. 2. Find two incidents in this chapter where Lind demonstrates her fierce Chinese pride. In page 91, she says that Chinese people are more motivated compared to lazy Americans. In page 99, Lind would announce to anyone who sees her that Wavered is her daughter in a very prideful and happy attitude. She's extremely proud that Wavers skill was developed thanks to undoes teaching, which makes her more proud. State a generalization about life Lind is trying to teach Wavered in the following passage from this chapter. -She's tell ing Wavered that If one wants to survive, one must know. -Learn more about the society you live In. 4. In what way does the wind mentioned in the story in the following selection from the story relate back to the wind mentioned In the story about the red candle? The wind is the metaphor for the invisible strength that Lind taught Wavered about in the beginning of the book. Lind used the invisible strength to escape marriage, when she used trickery and deception.