Statement of Philosophy and Goals Essay -- Philosophy of Education Tea

Statement of Philosophy and Goals As a child playing school with the neighborhood children, I had always dreamed of becoming a teacher. Since the first day of kindergarten, watching the teacher teach us how to do basic things like counting, writing, and reading is what interested me in teaching. Throughout my elementary and secondary education I became even more interested in the teaching field. I thought that being a teacher would be the best thing in the world because a teacher has an immense amount of knowledge. Now I am in college where I am currently studying to be a secondary mathematics teacher. There are several reasons why I want to become a teacher, but the two most important reasons are to make a difference and to enrich the learning process. Everyone has to have some reason of why he or she decides to pursue his or her particular career choice. I want to become a teacher so that I can make a difference in a young person’s life. My high school calculus teacher, who was also my role model, made a difference in my life. It was her class that made me decide that I wanted to become a secondary mathematics teacher. I had a first hand experience at what it is like being a teacher during my senior year of high school by being my calculus teacher’s teacher assistant. While being her teacher assistant I experienced several things that a teacher does on a daily basis: making copies, grading papers, constructing lesson plans, and teaching/ tutoring students. I hope that when I become a teacher that I will be capable of inspiring a young person, just the same as my high school calculus teacher did for me. Another important reason why I want to become a teacher is that a teacher is constantly learning new things... ...e level I would like to teach is at the high school level. While pursuing my career as a teacher I plan on continuing my education by going on to graduate school. I am currently enrolled in college to learn how to become a teacher. A teacher must learn a variety of teaching methods and how to manage a classroom. There are six philosophies of education, and I agree with certain arguments in each one, but the three that are most important to me are essentialism, progressivism, and behaviorism. The most important of the three is essentialism; the back-to-basics approach which was enforced after the launching of Sputnik. My goals as a teacher are to make a difference and to become a role model. A teacher is continuously learning new things, and I plan on continuing my education. By going to college I am fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a teacher.

Marijuana Should Not Be Outlawed Essay

Human laws are based on moral and ethical principles. This applies to almost all existing laws aside from the drug laws. Because of this aspect of the drug laws, much clamor is present as many groups are calling for the legalization of drugs like marijuana. Marijuana and other illegal drugs are not evil but it has gained a negative connotation because of numerous misinterpretations. The prohibition of drugs has also brought about negative effects instead of positive effects. In analysis, legalization may even prove to have more benefits. According to Benson Roe, the professor emeritus and chairman of the Cardiothoracic surgery at the University of California, there is no reason why marijuana, cocaine and heroine would be called poison as these substances have not been proven to have any ill effects on the health of a person. Roe narrated an incident when he was removing destroyed heart valves from a drug user and he got curious and consulted the San Francisco coroner to what extent do illegal drugs cause death. Roe was surprised to find out that the only causes of death coming from drugs come from the very rare cases of overdose and the use of infected intravenous injections. According to the coroner, â€Å"clean, reasonable dosages of heroin, cocaine and marijuana are pathologically harmless† (Roe). It is argued that marijuana causes psychological damage but the truth is no scientific evidence has traced mental illness or psychological damage to the use of marijuana. Marijuana users have been found to exhibit psychological distress after intake of the drug. However, it has been proven that these effects are temporary and will pass away after some time. It has also been argued that the harms brought about by marijuana have been scientifically proven but the Lancet, a British Medical Journal, concluded that based on 30 years worth of research, smoking marijuana is not harmful to health even if it is used in the long-term. Likewise, marijuana use has also been related to brain damage. This was thought to be proven in an earlier study when rhesus monkeys were exposed to marijuana smoke, however, a more reliable study wherein monkeys who were forced to inhale a significant amount of marijuana smoke manifested no brain damage. Anti-drug advocates also argue that marijuana has addictive properties even as evidence points to the direction that marijuana is not addictive. Less than one percent of marijuana smokers smoke marijuana on a daily basis. Majority of the people who smoke marijuana only smoke it occasionally. Some people who wish to stop smoking marijuana have no trouble breaking the habit. Even if a person experiences symptoms from marijuana withdrawal, these are usually mild symptoms (Drug Policy). There is also no reason to classify marijuana as illegal when other substances that have proven to be more addictive and harmful to the health, such as tobacco and alcohol, remain legal. In 2005, the number of deaths that has been associated with marijuana in England and in Wales only totals 19 while tobacco has been associated with 86,500 deaths and alcohol with 6,627 deaths. The number of deaths caused by alcohol and tobacco do not compare to the number of deaths caused by marijuana. Even other drugs which have more notoriety still fall short as heroine and morphine account for only 842 deaths, while cocaine (including crack cocaine) is associated with only 176 deaths (Transform). The use of drugs like marijuana does not affect other people aside from the person ingesting the drug. Technically, a person who uses drugs does not violate the rights of any other person. If a person under the influence of drugs violates the rights of another person or commits a crime, this is the time when he/she should be prosecuted by law. Alcohol remains legal even as drunk people commit heinous and even brutal crimes. The substance is not an excuse for committing a crime and drinking alcohol is not a crime in itself but when a person commits a crime under the influence of alcohol, this is when he/she is prosecuted. The same should apply for the use of drugs (Cussen & Block, p. 532). Drugs are not evil per se but it has gained a negative image because of negative propaganda. The media always make use of the phrase â€Å"drug-related† in the presence of a drug in a crime even as the drug has not been indicated as a direct cause of the crime. Usually, the crime is not motivated by the drug. It is usually motivated by another external factor. The media has inadvertently played a role in giving drugs a negative image. This practice has been so common that no one even looks to identify if a crime really is related to drugs (Jackson). The anti-drug lobby also makes use of vague and emotive statements to persuade the people to support their cause (Russell). Even politicians make use of these statements and call for tougher drug laws simply to forward their political careers (Jackson). People interpret these vague and emotive statements differently and this may be identified as a basic element of a black propaganda. In a book entitled Hugs not Drugs: A Drug Abuse Prevention Manual published in the Philippines, the author starts by narrating a story of a studious young girl who got mixed with the wrong set of friends who influenced her to use marijuana. As a result, the young girl dropped out from school and had relationships with men that took advantage of her low self-esteem. After realizing what had happened to her, she decided to undergo rehabilitation. And after a tearful reunion with her parents, she vowed to stay away from drugs. This story is very common and immediately suggests that marijuana caused all the negative things failing to look at other factors which might have caused the girl to behave the way that she did. Additionally, the book indicated that drug use has been directly related with juvenile and even violent crime. However, the book does not cite where the information was taken or what study linked drugs with crime. The book also does not have a clear reference page evidencing that it is not a reliable source. Many critics of drug also make use of violent and obscene images in an attempt to prove that drugs are harmful. Drug prohibition results in too many expenses for the government as the drug laws leads to the incarceration of many non-violent offenders. In 2002, it is estimated that prohibition expenses amounted to $18. 22 billion indicating that â€Å"incarceration is an expensive policy option† (Taylor, Trace & Stevens, p. 3-4). Prohibition is not good, in fact, it is even the greatest ally of the drug dealers as drugs are priced very high because they are illegal and not regulated (Jackson, 1998). Legalization will even benefit the general public. Marijuana has been related to crime rate by anti-drug groups but all unbiased studies have pointed to the direction that marijuana does not cause people to do criminal acts. The only crime that marijuana users commit is that they possess the drug (Drug Policy). Additionally, legalization will come with regulation which will eliminate the already minimal number of deaths as a result of drug use. Also, crime rate will decrease because drug prices will be regulated and people would no longer need to resort to crime to be able to buy the drugs. It will also be another source of income for the government as the drug trade will be taxed and the costs of prohibition would be avoided (Roe). No scientific evidence has proven that marijuana is harmful to the health and it also has not been identified as a cause of crime. Because of this information, there is no reason to outlaw marijuana. Legalizing marijuana may even be the better option as it will be a source of income for the government, all the while avoiding the high costs of prohibition. It will also reduce crime rate as well as prevent the incarceration of people that are merely caught possessing drugs. The negative image that drugs have gained is mainly because of negative propaganda.

Induction of Employees Essay

Starting a new job is stressful for most employees because of the initial feeling of being out of place and under pressure to make a positive impression to fellow co-workers and managers. It is therefore important that all new employees are made to feel welcome and valued and are also made aware of what is expected of them during their employment (Macdonald 2004, p. 104). Induction is regarded as the final stage of recruitment and selection but the first phase in the training and development of new employees. Induction is the process of familiarizing new employees to the company and their jobs with the aim of giving the employees a proper understanding of how things are done. Induction also known as orientation serves the purpose of providing a transition for the employee from college to work life. Since most employees start their work with a desire to succeed, induction programs offer the opportunity for them to achieve this (Compton and Nankervis 2009). Ideally an induction program involves a tour of the building showing the fire exit points, toilets, meeting and break rooms, important offices like the CEO’s office, supplies office and the Human Resources Department. The induction program will be determined by the type of job, cultural practices and structure of the organization. Induction for smaller companies might even involve a conversation with the Human Resources Manager while that for large organizations might involve several weeks of training and supervision (Compton and Nankervis, 2009). During the recruiting process, new recruits always have high expectations about their new jobs and the company. They might also have unrealistic expectations which might not be met leading the recruits to have feelings of dissatisfaction and anxiety. In general, unmet expectations lead to employee dissatisfaction which in turn leads to high employee turnover (Werner and DeSimone 2009). Some companies do not view the orientation of employees into an organization as important. Some take it as a waste of time and they therefore conduct the programs in a haphazard way. Others might not have the programs at all which will result in the employee going straight into the job without any idea on what to do. The induction of employees has benefits such as reduced employee turnover, lower recruitment and selection costs, increase in employee morale. It also reduces the anxiety levels of employees. Overly anxious employees might increase costs in the area of education and development, turnover and absenteeism (Compton and Nankervis 2009). In today’s competitive working environment, orientation programs are not meeting the goals they were designed for. The reason these programs fall short is due to lack of planning, lack of expectations and the feeling of disillusionment by most employees. Attracting qualified workers includes offering higher salaries, better benefits and career advancement opportunities. With such increased costs, retention of employees becomes the main focus of a company instead of production (Squidoo 2010). Mistakes that are made during the induction process include activities such as bombarding new recruits with a lot of information on the first day and expecting them to memorize it, showing boring or outdated orientation videos, giving lengthy lectures about irrelevant information and failing to provide the new worker with a work station that has necessary facilities such as a computer, phone, printer and internet connection. Some employers also fail to give out any work leading the recruits to sit idle for most of the day (Squidoo 2010). The most frequent complaints about employee orientation programs is that they are overwhelming to the new employee thereby not providing the smooth transition that is needed to begin working. It becomes overwhelming especially if there is a test or quiz at the end of the program which requires the new recruits to remember all the information they have just been presented with. This adds on more pressure to the already anxious worker. Most Human Resource Managers involve a lot of paperwork on the first day especially if the information required has a deadline. They might require the employee to fill in forms with regards to their pay, compensation and benefits. There might also be contractual paperwork which the employee has to go through and sign. This process might take a lot of time and there might be some issues which the employee does not understand and there is no one around to clarify (Werner and DeSimone 2006). Other shortfalls of induction programs are the fact that there is a lot of one way communication instead of two way communication. The program coordinator usually fails to involve the recruits in the exercise which explains why it ends up being boring. Encouraging participation will ensure the program is lively and runs smoothly. The programs also fail to evaluate the recruits properly. Most induction coordinators use tests or quizzes as methods of evaluating the employees which are not the best. This puts on more pressure and anxiety to the employee who is already too anxious. Induction programs also lack follow-up in some companies meaning once they are done the employees are all on their own. This is especially the case if the program runs for only one day. Assigning mentors ensures that they have someone to turn to in the event they face a problem while carrying out their jobs (Werner and DeSimone 2006). Swinton (2005) provides examples of induction plans that fail in their intended purpose. Such an example is the pitiful induction plan where there is basically no induction program that has been prepared. According to her the new recruit will be lucky to have his own workspace or have co-workers introduce themselves to him or her. Since there is no effort for orientation, the recruit finds it hard to put in effort in their work especially when they do not know what to do and how to do it. Another example of a failed plan is the mediocre induction plan where the coordinator uses past orientation material that is outdated and irrelevant to conduct the program. This plan also uses very detailed information which proves to be overwhelming, cumbersome and boring to the new recruits. Some also use financial reports, health records and company reports as a way of informing the employees about the new company (Swinton 2005). Having other workers conduct the orientation program has its benefits as well as disadvantages. While the worker gets the actual feel of how the job is done, they are more prone to bad influence from the workers inducting them. Bad influence comes in the form of misuse of office supplies, taking extended breaks, coming late to work and leaving early before the recommended time. Those employees who do not undergo proper induction learn by observing what their fellow co-workers do. This might be to their detriment as they are more likely to pick up bad habits from co-workers who come to work late and spent a small amount of time in a day doing actual work. Induction programs that are not conducted properly end up being a waste of time and resources for both the employer and the employee. The quality of the staff induction program says a lot about a company and how important it views its employees. Employees will work harder for a company that shows it values them by providing quality induction programs. Companies should put in the same effort they do to induction programs when they create programs for attracting and retaining customers.

Getting stuff and spending money

The way we absorbed ourselves into the world, we put our powers of mind and soul In getting stuff and spending money. These powers are not satisfying – It Is just a waste. Nature is not Just a bunch of trees and water, but nature is the wilderness and the places where a human can go and replenish but we think nature Is not ours and find ourselves not in touch with It. Our hearts, the center of our emotional life, we have given away instead of holding, treasuring and being connected with nature.We should not be giving away our hearts as It Is not good Idea. The sea Is personified as a woman as she opens her chest to the moon, showing the relationship between the two of them. The winds have been gathered to somewhere and they are sleeping like flowers lay out. We are mammals the beauty of nature, the delights of the sea and the winds with Its up gathered flowers. The nature, the sea and the wind don't touch us. I'd rather be a non-charlatans and raised as a child In a religion t hat is worn out.If I were from one of those religions, I might look out and have glimpses of something that will make me less sad, that would give me some joy. I imagine that if I were born in those religions of the past, I would see the ocean as divine, a place where I might encounter God and as a piece of God. I would look out to the sea and it would not just be a bunch of water lying there, I would also see God and other gods. It is not only the ocean that would be sacred, meaningful and important but also the nature around us.

Communication letter of advise for a couple Research Paper

Communication letter of advise for a couple - Research Paper Example such as divorce that are mostly attributed to failure on the part of the couple to communicate openly, with an estimate of 60% divorce among married couple in the United State (Gulley & Almonte, 2009). Marriage is a special thing shared between two people that truly love each and are ready to spend the rest of their lives with the person. I write this letter, hoping that you are fully aware of what is awaiting both you. Marriage is meant to last forever and in order for that to happen, you need to commit to each other and dedicate fully as well as be ready to face challenges ahead. My aim of writing the letter is to give you some good advice about communication in your relationship. Â   Am a student, just finished an interpersonal communication course, that will be my referring point throughout this letter. It is my hope that you take the advice and use it every day in your relationship. Love is sweet and exciting but without effective communication, it is bound to fail (Miller, 2011). For the survival of any relationship, there exist several guides to help facilitate and in the same way, illustrate on what to do and what to avoid in certain situations. Good communication that e ncourages free and open communication is very important, as couples are able to share information with easy in a friendly manner, in return enabling partners to get along well (Gulley & Almonte, 2009). At any given time, the first rule of good communication in relationship is communication is a two-sided coin that requires both effective talking and excellent listening. According to Taibbi (2012), the author of lasting marriage demonstrates that great communication makes great marriage. Understanding your partner properly as well as yourself, help in daily interactions that build the relationship. Learn the principles of interpersonal communication because it is informative as it guides and offer skills to deal with problems in the relationship. During communication especially when

Contracts, Trademarks, and European E-Commerce Law Case Study

Contracts, Trademarks, and European E-Commerce Law - Case Study Example Alfred uses written standard terms of business which include the term â€Å"All soft Ltd is not liable for the results of using this software†. The software costs Ј50, with a postage and packing charge of Ј5 if sent via DVD. Brian lives in another EU country (not the UK). He goes to Alfred’s website with the intention of downloading a copy of Alfred’s latest computer program for use in his own small business. He clicks on a â€Å"Download Now† button, inputs his address and credit card details, and is presented with Alfred’s contract terms as a ‘Click Wrap agreement. Brian scrolls down through the agreement without reading it, clicks an ‘I accept button at the bottom of the screen, and downloads the software. He then begins using it. assy lives in the UK. She goes to Alfred’s website with the intention of buying a copy of Alfred’s latest computer program on DVD, for her own personal use. She clicks on an â€Å"Order Now† button, inputs her address and credit card details, clicks a button that says Submit, and places her order. When the software arrives on DVD five days later, Cassy puts the DVD into her computer and is presented with Alfred’s contract terms as a ‘Click Wrap agreement. Cassy scrolls down through the agreement and notices the term â€Å"To the extent allowed by law, All soft Ltd is not liable for the results of using this software†. Cassy clicks an ‘I accept button at the bottom of the screen, and is then able to begin using the software. Alfred’s software is vulnerable to a new computer virus which infects Brian’s and Cassy’s computers and causes them to crash repeatedly. In consequence, Brian suffers an economic loss of Ј10, 000 due to the interruption in his business. Cassy suffers an economic loss of Ј100, which is the cost of taking her computer to a local servicer to get the virus removed and Alfred’s software uninstalled. Both Brian and Cassy contact Alfred, demanding to be compensated for the losses they have incurred.

Safety Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Safety Management - Research Paper Example This research paper discusses the functions of management, such as planning, organizing, directing, controlling and staffing. The researcher focuses on the pllanning under management, that is a function that determines what has to be done and in which way it has to be carried out. Simply, it is the process through which the management decides the objectives of the business and charting out the methods to be applied in attaining the same objectives. The researcher also describes the avantages and disadvantages of Safety Incentives, that are mostly designed in companies to ensure a safe working environment in the company. There are several advantages and disadvantages that are attached to these incentive programs. The advantages of these programs are that: the programs make the workplace safer, there are rewards that are offered to staff members who portray the highest degree of abiding with these incentives and staff. However, Goodrum and Gagwar elaborate the disadvantages of these pr ograms to be: many accidents and the loss of incentives that results are in most cases are beyond the control of the staff, the safety incentives programs might result to reduced production and consumption of too much time by the employees as they concentrate on enhancing these programs. In conclusion, the researcher sums up his study and presents McClelland’s theory of leadership, in which he discusses the power of needs, achievement needs and the affiliation needs, that are relevant to the business management today.