School Ties - The Code Of Honor Essays - Codes Of Conduct

School Ties - The Code Of Honor The Code of Honor Honesty, respect, accountability, these are all words the honor code stands by, it's a foundation on which academic integrity abides, and a line drawn between what's right and wrong. The honor code in the movie School Ties meant more than just a signature one signed, it was a living entity, a guideline the school swore by, and those that broke the code met with the consequences. ?It is the students responsibility, not the teachers, to uphold St. Matthews honor code,? said the headmaster as he addressed the students gathered in the chapel for mass at St. Matthews. The headmaster understood the relevance of the code, and that the power was vested in the students to make it work for the entire student body. Another example of the honor code was when the history teacher addressed the class by asking the students to discuss among themselves who cheated on the recent test. He went on to strongly urged the class that overlooking the incident would be robbing them of the honor code. At the end of the movie the main character, David Green, takes the fall for Charles Dillon, the student who cheated. However, the headmaster finds out the truth from the prefect, Rip, and Dillon is expelled from school. As David leaves the headmasters office, the teacher reminds him, ?The honor code is a living thing, it can't live in a vacuum.? St. Matthew's knew how to fill the vacuum, but it was the students that lived it. A life not set by rules or regulations, but an internal drumbeat, marching to the beat of its own, honesty. I have sincere doubts about the usefulness and the meaningfulness of the honor code, because addressing cheating requires more than just the honor code alone. Cheating is a problem in part because of the enormous pressure put on students by a school's high-strung atmosphere to achieve. I think students feel that in order to survive, they must take advantage of the gray areas of being honest, often stretching the limits as to cheating and using someone else's work. Therefore, any honor code implemented in such an environment will result in students changing cheating techniques to work around the code. I feel the best way to deal with this problem is to make students fully aware that cheating is unprofitable and nothing good come of it. Ultimately, the honor code works because it is fully enforced by the students themselves. As Mencken once said, For every complex problem there is a simple solution -- and it is wrong. Solving the issue of dishonesty requires far more than just an honor code alone.

Breaking Down the Pros and Cons of Grade Retention

Breaking Down the Pros and Cons of Grade Retention Grade retention is a process in which a teacher believes that it would benefit a student to keep them in the same grade for two consecutive years. Retaining a student is not an easy decision and should not be taken lightly. Parents often find the decision agonizing, and it can be difficult for some parents to climb entirely on board. It is necessary to note that any retention decision should be made after much evidence is collected and after several meetings with parents. It is essential that you do not spring it on them at the final parent/teacher conference of the year. If grade retention is a possibility, it should be brought up early in the school year. However, intervention and frequent updates should be the focal point for most of the year. What Are Some Reasons to Retain a Student? There are many reasons that a teacher may feel that retention is necessary for a particular student. The biggest reason is typically the development level of a child. Students enter school at around the same chronological age but with ​varying developmental levels. If a teacher believes that a student is behind developmentally compared to the majority of students in their class, then they may wish to retain the student to give them â€Å"the grace of time† to mature and catch up developmentally. Teachers may also choose to retain a student because they simply struggle academically when compared to students at the same grade level. While this is a traditional reason for retention, it is necessary to note that unless you figure out why the student is struggling, it is likely that the retention will do more harm than good. Another reason teachers often retain a student is due to the student’s lack of motivation to learn. Retention is often ineffective in this case as well. Student behavior can be another reason that a teacher chooses to retain a student. This is especially prevalent in lower grades. Poor behavior is often tied to the developmental level of the child. What Are Some Possible Positive Effects? The biggest positive effect of grade retention is that it provides students who are truly behind developmentally a chance to catch up. Those type of students will begin to thrive once they are developmentally on grade level. Being in the same grade two years in a row can also provide a student with some stability and familiarity, especially when it comes to the teacher and the room. Retention is most beneficial when the child that is retained receives intensive intervention specific to the areas in which they struggle throughout the retention year. What Are Some Possible Negative Effects? There are many adverse effects of retention. One of the biggest negative effects is that students who are retained are more likely to drop out of school eventually. It is also not an exact science. Research says that students are more negatively impacted by grade retention than they are positively affected by it. Grade retention can also have a profound impact on a student’s socialization. This becomes especially true for older students who have been with the same group of students for several years. A student who has been separated from their friends could become depressed and develop poor self-esteem. Students who are retained are likely physically bigger than their classmates because they are a year older. This often causes that child to be self-conscious. Students who are retained sometimes develop serious behavior issues, especially as they age. What Grade(s) Should You Retain a Student? The rule of thumb for retention is the younger, the better. Once students reach fourth grade, it becomes virtually impossible for retention to be a positive thing. There are always exceptions but, overall, retention should be primarily limited to early elementary school. There are so many factors that teachers need to look at in a retention decision. It is not an easy decision. Seek advice from other teachers and look at each student on a case-by-case basis. You could have two students who are remarkably similar developmentally but due to external factors, retention would only be appropriate for one and not the other. What Is the Process for a Student to be Retained? Each school district typically has its own retention policy. Some districts may oppose retention altogether. For districts that do not oppose retention, teachers need to make themselves familiar with their district’s policy. Regardless of that policy, there are several things a teacher needs to do to make the retention process much easier throughout the year. Identify struggling students within the first few weeks of school.Create an individualized intervention plan to meet that students individual learning needs.Meet with the parent within a month of initiating that plan. Be straightforward with them, provide them with strategies to implement at home, and be sure you let them know that retention is a possibility if significant improvements aren’t made over the course of the year.Adapt and change the plan if you are not seeing growth after a few months.Continuously update the parents on their child’s progress.Document everything, including meetings, strategies used, results, etc.If you do decide to retain, then follow all school policies and procedures dealing with retention. Be sure to monitor and comply with dates concerning retention as well. What Are Some Alternatives to Grade Retention? Grade retention is not the best remedy for every struggling student. Sometimes it may be as simple as providing a student with some counseling to get them going in the right direction. Other times it is won’t be that easy. Older students, in particular, need to be given some options when it comes to grade retention. Many schools provide summer school opportunities for students to attend and make improvements in the areas in which they struggle. Another alternative would be to place a ​student on a plan of study. A plan of study puts the ball in the student’s court sort of speak. A plan of study provides students with specific objectives that they must meet over the course of the year. It also provides assistance and increased accountability for the student. Finally, a plan of study details specific consequences for not meeting their specific objectives, including grade retention.

Child Sleep Training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Child Sleep Training - Essay Example And if the baby just goes along with the flow and does not cry as much, this baby is regarded as a good baby, as he is very compliant. Though parents absolutely love a baby that does not give them trouble and sleeps through the night, sleep training is detrimental to the emotional and physical development of an infant. When a baby is sleep trained, he is kept to a very regimented schedule with very few deviations. He is to sleep and eat at certain times of the day, as everything is governed by a clock. When a clock says a certain time, the baby has to do the task that is to be done at that time, and this includes sleeping, as everything goes hand in hand with the sleep training process. An excerpt from Fleiss' book titled, "Mistaken Approaches to Night Waking," describes the sleep training process in great detail. The article states that babies must be put to bed at the same time for naps and at night, and the parent is not to go in and comfort the baby if he should cry. The baby is to be conditioned to learn to self sooth. He will cry himself to sleep until he realizes that bedtime is bedtime and that the parents will not be coming back into the room. Despite how loud and frantic the baby's cries become, they are to be ignored. Eventually, the baby will stop crying and will give up and go to slee p. If the baby wakes in the night, its cries are to be handled the same way. Parents can make a brief visit to the baby's room to see that he is okay and comfort him verbally if they'd like, but there is to be no eye contact or cuddling. Then, they leave the baby's room, even if the baby is still crying. They can come back five minutes later and then leave again. They can repeat this process again at ten minutes, fifteen, and twenty: however, under no circumstances are they to pick up the baby. Eventually the baby will give up crying and fall asleep, as severe fatigue and exhaustion has overcome him (Fleiss, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P.). There is no doubt that this type of conditioning has detrimental psychological effects on the baby. For instance, let's say that he woke in the middle of the night due to having a bad dream. Despite needing his parents comfort, it is not given to him, as comforting and cuddling the child, despite the reason for needing it, would interfere with the child' s training. The article goes on to say that eventually, the baby becomes so trained that he is reluctant to call or cry out to his parents for help in the middle of the night, even if the help is badly needed. No matter how scared the child is, he will remain silent, forced to deal with his trauma all on his own because h has been taught that bothering his parents is a cardinal sin. He does not receive the reassurance that he so badly needs. While some children are resilient and can do fine when they grow up, sleep training has caused numerous adults to grow up feeling insecure. This is because they were never responded to when they were infants (Fleiss, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P.). In the first stage of human development, Eric Erickson states that the infant is learning how to distinguish trust versus mistrust. The infant develops trust when he realizes that his carers will supply all his needs and keep him safe. One article that discusses the stages of development in detail states that during the first stage of development, it is critical that a parent or carer meets a baby's every need and responds quickly. When the baby is responded to quickly and all of his needs

The Public Obligations of Intellectuals Summary Article

The Public Obligations of Intellectuals Summary - Article Example He had to work hard in order to save money for college. Dysons father, hard work and religion inspired him to study in order to help other people and protect them. Intellectuals should never exist separately from their community; they need to serve other people and use their knowledge to â€Å"combat half-truths† which surround people in their daily life. Understanding the complexity of race, intellectuals add clarity to the issue and give people an opportunity to understand each other. Dyson recollect the failure of Malcom X to struggle for racial liberation and suggests that healthy debate can be more effective to cope with this issue. Searching for the truth and arguments, intellectuals should never be â€Å"lazy† because in this way they will be ineffective for their community. In summary, Dyson comes to the conclusion that intellectuals need to use their knowledge to help other people, promote their freedoms and rights and serve their community effectively. Sentenac, Hannah. â€Å"GMO salmon may soon hit food stores, but will anyone buy it?†. Fox News. March 11, 2014. Web. May 26, 2014.

The Killer Angels Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Killer Angels - Research Paper Example It will then provide an analysis of the events. The story begins with an account of events that took place on 29 June 1863. Here. a spy by the name Harrison comes at night from his spying base to inform General Longstreet that he has seen the Union troops moving towards the confederate’s camp. The information takes General Longstreet by surprise since according to him, General Stuart is supposed to be keeping an eye on the movements of the Union troops. As a result, General Longstreet decides that the confederates should act immediately by moving to the southeast of Gettysburg for them to be able to intercept the Union troops (Shaara 4). Shaara (6) notes that far down south, the Union troop’s commander general Chamberlain wakes up to a surprise finding that his Twentieth Maine troops have increased in number by more than a hundred when mutineers from Second main joined them. Chamberlain advises them to join the troops so that they can continue with the fight. However, only six concede and joins the Twentieth Maine headed by General Chamberlain. When general Buford of the Union arrives in the town of Gettysburg with his troops, they find that the confederates had camped nearby. He notices that war is looming and decides to position his troops of about two thousand men along the sloppy hills in the area. His decision to go to the hill is based on the fact that General Buford believes that the key to winning the war is position themselves on a higher ground as it would be easier for them to fight from above. Within the Confederate camp, the commander general Longstreet meets with General Pickett and others to strategies for the battle (Shaara 13). On July 1, very early in the morning, General Lee wakes up and is annoyed on realizing that Stuart is not available. He believes that the strength of the Union troops is dependent on the availability of General Stuart. As a result, he meets Longstreet who is intending to move to the

Reflection on Food Waste

Reflection on Food Waste As a part time employee in a grocery store during my early high school days, I witnessed on a regular basis that at the end of each day a large quantity of baked goods and perishable food items which had reached their shelf life were carted to the garbage compactor. At the same time at the stores front entrance there were a couple of aged and homeless people begging for alms in order to buy their daily meal. I wondered at the time as to why the discarded food could not instead be distributed to those in dire need of it waiting just outside. As I continued with my studies in university I realized that the same scenario was and is still being played out on a global scale where food does not reach the people who need it the most; but for different reasons. While in the case of the hungry outside the grocery store, the action may have been necessary to prevent pandemonium and inconvenience for the staff. However globally, human hunger and starvation is caused by food shortages resulting from environmental degradation, rapid population growth, questionable technology and current economic models. Through the Holy Bible, the basis of my faith, I know that God has given all human beings dominion over the earth and all its creatures but for our own selfish purpose we tend to interpret the facility granted to us as permission to unbridled mastery over nature. We ought to remember that being given dominion over the earth merely makes us custodians of His creation. Gerald Barney, a scientist aptly stated that, for the first time in the history of Creation, the life support systems of the planet earth are being destroyed by human activities. Throughout history humans have caused locally significant damage to the environment, but never before have human numbers and actions combined to threaten the integrity of the entire planet.[1] In light of this shocking reality there is an ever increasing need for the implementation of a just and sustainable global food system to prevent humanity from crises, for hunger and malnutrition are responsible for more deaths today than any known disease . Each and every human being must be responsible participants in the reduction of global climate change which has caused major environmental disasters. Floods and droughts are known to be the main causes of worldwide food shortages and famines. Since my childhood I was always taught not to waste food and not to eat as if there was no tomorrow. I realize the wisdom in that teaching as there is not only an environmental cost of getting food on the table but it also leaves a detrimental footprint on nature in the form of global warming, pollution, destruction of the eco system, degradation of arable land and fresh water supply. Unlike the aboriginal peoples of our land who treated the earth and nature as sacred using it strictly for basic living needs, in our society as a whole we conceive of the land in terms of ownership and use. It is a lifeless medium of exchange.[2] How do we cultivate a way of life that does not violate the integrity of creation? Will we use the knowledge, be ready to use every effort and continue in our perseverance to prevent further damage to the environment and replenish the arable lands that now lie wasted? The answer is in the hands of each and every human being. Just as each member of a family is responsible for the maintenance and protection of their home, we as a global family must adopt the same attitude caring for our planetary home, we call Earth. While environmental degradation may be the indirect result of our actions, we humans are directly in control of the size of our families and the global population at large, however controversial the methods employed may be. Can the rate of the worlds staple crop production keep feeding the hungry on this earth? Both my parents came from large families in India and with the modest incomes both sets of grandparents earned; they were able to nourish their children. Basic fruits and vegetables were home grown and staple grain was locally produced or easily available. Hunger and malnutrition, I was told was minimal in those times. Presently, in the land of my ancestors, having large families is still considered a blessing from God in spite of widespread poverty, malnutrition and hunger; a human crises that is rising exponentially. They were fruitful and prolific; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so the land was filled with them.[3] The land is said to be full when the food sup ply is inadequate and the environment is deteriorating. It is also known that a full environment is a dynamic concept depending on the application of human wisdom and knowledge.[4] The same Creator who declares children are a reward is also displeased when overpopulation causes destruction of His handiwork. Do we have the wisdom and the knowledge to offer proper advice for human reproduction? If so, will we be able to ensure the present global population and guarantee future generations an abundance of what creation has to offer? If we fail to find positive answers to the issue of overpopulation, the global food shortage will create chaos in poor nations further causing these failed states to export diseases and refugees. The earth does not contain resources to feed the hungry indefinitely for this will cause global grain shortage which in turn would raise prices and put food out of reach of even more people. In our quest for the growing demand of food worldwide, we must do all within our power to make agriculture as productive as possible. As a student of commerce and economics I am aware that less land is required for farming if production is maximized per acre leaving more land to be left in its wild and natural state. Biotechnology through genetic engineering of seeds has been a boom to agriculture by increasing the yield of crops, using less water and pesticides, creating less stress on our fragile land and producing grain of a higher nutritional value. However the use of biotechnology is a sharply divided issue because it also gives humans the right to claim a patent on life form which is an ethical concern. Are we trying to play God? Needless to say the very success of natural science has bred an attitude which has allowed for the exploitation and domination of the natural world in complete disregard to the social and ecological consequences.[5] Firms try to maximize profits where the marginal cost of production equals the marginal benefit derived from the produce. However, this current economic model, in my opinion, is flawed as it does not include the implicit cost of environmental degradation caused through the use of pesticides or improper crop rotation that is incurred in the production of food. Essentially, companies in the food biotech industry only seem to care about maximizing their profits regardless of how it affects the environment or humans that depend on food for survival. It is very disturbing to hear that food biotech companies purchase some of the crops from third world countries in order to genetically modify the seed only to sell it back at prices that are at a very high premium.A biotech company in the U.S. bought coffee beans from Brazil in order to genetically modify them so that they would be more weather-resistant to climate changes in Brazil that threatened future crops. However, when it came time to selling these genetically modifi ed beans back to Brazil, this same biotech firm marked up the price to the extent that Brazil was unable to afford it. Developing countries should not be subjected to this unethical practice carried out by such firms. Therefore, in my opinion, in order to build a sustainable future for people, a new earth economic model needs to be developed, one that aligns the economy with ethics and the environment. Will future life and production be controlled through biotechnology and selfish economic considerations? To counter any advancement that technology has made to benefit human food security, staple grains are now being grown to produce bio-fuels. According to the teachings of my faith, do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to make others fall by what you eat.[6] It would prick my conscience to realize that in order to drive my car across Canada it would require an acre of corn if not more; grain that could have been used to feed so many hungry and malnourished people in this world. The need for the development of alternate fuels is no doubt an urgent issue but it should not be at the cost of seeing our very own species placed in dire straits; an ethical irresponsibility. The last third of the twentieth century witnessed an unprecedented shift in the Human-Earth relationship; the Third Mediation as Thomas Berry termed it. Human impact now threatens Earths capacity to regenerate life as we know it and love it. Despite our basic dependence for survival on this planet, we continue to damage it through environmental degradation, overpopulation, massive use of technology and economic greed. If we are to achieve a globally just and sustainable food system, we have to learn to live in a way that does not outstrip natures capacity to regenerate itself on its own time cycles and terms. Further we should avoid forcing changes in natural systems themselves, changes that are at times even difficult for adaptable species to accept. Endnotes Rasmussen, Larry. Toward an Earth Charter. Religion Online. The Christian Century Foundation, 23 Oct. 1991. Web. 14 May 2010. . N. Scott Momaday, A First American Views His Land, National Geographic Magazine (July 1976), 18. Meeks, Wayne A. Exodus. HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version (with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books). Student ed. SanFrancisco: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1994. 79. Print. Fick, Gary W. Ecology in the Bible. Food, Farming, and Faith (S U N Y Series on Religion and the Environment). Albany, New York: State University Of New York Press, 2008. 37. Print. Gorringe, Timothy. Playing God. Harvest: Food, Farming and the Churches. London: SPCK, 2006. 117. Print. Meeks, Wayne A. Romans. HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version (with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books). Student ed. SanFrancisco: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1994. 2135. Print.

Peter Tosh A man of the past, living in the present, walking in the future :: essays papers

Peter Tosh A man of the past, living in the present, walking in the future Peter Tosh. With the name comes a certain stigma and uneasiness in Reggae circles. Peter Tosh was a crusader and warrior in a musical forum more known for it’s mellow and passive resistance. As former college and producer Lee Jaffe simply put it "A lot of people were afraid of Peter, they did not know how to deal with him."(Stepping Razor, Red X: the Peter Tosh story, Bush Doctor Films). He traveled the globe for roughly thirty years preaching his message of equality and justice for every man. He was preaching against powerful forces and societal brainwashing and misinformation. The so called downpressorman or Babylon. He fought against these forces, with bravado, undaunting passion, and an arrogant open style that many people did not know how to deal with. He had a strong conviction of what he viewed as right and wrong. When he saw something as unjustified watch out. He attacked his viewed oppressors with the veracity of an attack dog. As reggae artist of international supers tar status, this was a dangerous thing, because he reached the masses. The way that Tosh fights these oppressors, is with Word, Sound, and Power not physical violence, as one Rasta elder asserts this the Traditional Rastafarian way, "Word, Sound, and Power, is a symbol of man. Seen? That is what we use amongst Babylon. We don’t use a stick, nor a stone, nor a gun" (Stepping Razor, Red X: the Peter Tosh story, Bush Doctor Films). He sings songs witch he believes to be divine. The message of Jah channeled through him. He gains inspiration from the sacrament, the sweet gift of Jah, Herb. Tosh does not try and make the messages sweet and trite, about love affairs and such. He makes sure each and every song is meaningful and to the point. Then like a musical architect as he describes it, he decorates the message with the musical intricacies of his trade. The blunt message is delivered in angelic harmony, surrounded by a heavy hitting bass, the ever-present drums, and the exultant trademark lead guitar that influenced a generation of reggae guitarists to come. The intent was to draw a listener in with the music, so that he or she then had to pay attention to the words. Tosh’s music was a call to arms against Babylon and a vehicle to unit the downtrodden of the world.