Icon or Symbol: A Teacher's Moral Dilemma
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It all happened so quickly. One moment I was at my blackboard, the next moment I was between two juvenile males who were trying to prove a "pride point" with their fists. I had, without a conscious thought about it, drawn a crown on the board. Next I heard chairs hitting the floor and screams of profanity. I was called a not-so-nice name by one of my students, followed by his strange comment: "We know who your favorites in this class are." Another student from across the room overturned his chair and, breath coming fast, managed to get out the words "Don't get on her, man. And don't you never mess with the crown! Don't mess with my blood, man!" Then they were at each other's throats and I was between them, not knowing what had happened.
I work at a juvenile prison for all male offenders. Quite honestly, I feel as if my students and I speak different languages sometimes. After talking to students and counselors after this incident, I discovered that the crown I had drawn to represent Prince Hamlet of Denmark was interpreted as a gang symbol by the members of my class. By drawing the crown, I had somehow affiliated myself with the Ghetto Boys of Indianapolis. This angered my students who consider themselves members of a rival gang. What would Shakespeare think of such a situation?
I guess the real question is what do I think about such a situation and how do I define my role in the classroom? Peirce's theory of signs and his classification from the point of view of the object of the sign (representant) is helpful in understanding this classroom incident. Peirce defined a sign as "anything which is so determined by something else, called its object, and so determines an effect upon a person, which effect I call its interpretant" (Houser 257). In this view, educators use signs all of the time, to interact with students. In fact, in his article "Toward a Peircean Theory," Nathan Houser relates Peirce's belief that "signs are the matter, or the substance of thought" (257). Peirce goes even further to say that life itself "is a train of thought" (Houser 256). In other words, life and signs are "fundamentally related" and unseparable for all humans (Houser 257). As a teacher, I present my students with signs (representants) in hopes of helping them to understand information.
In 1865 the beginning of the end of the Civil War was in effect called “Reconstruction”. The purpose of Reconstruction was to make the United States a unified nation once again. Reconstruction was a success in the sense of the southern states ratified the constitution and chose not to secede. The southern states also agreed to pledge loyalty to the union and ratify the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth amendments. On the other hand, with the election of Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, by pulling the troops out of the South white slave owners regained power and the south slowly went back to the ways of the “old south”. The end of Reconstruction was influenced by specific causes such as: the northerners exhaustion with fighting the south and trying to punish the Klu Klux Klan, Radical Republicans being struck down by the Supreme Court, and white unionists, carpetbaggers, and scalawags being pushed out of the South by the Klu Klux Klan (Reconstruction (1865-1877)).
The human genome is a remarkable system composed of over 3 billion DNA base pairs that encode for the characteristics that makes people distinctly human and unique themselves. Without the genome’s nearly flawless ability to self-replicate the human species would cease to exist. As incredible as this replication methodology is, it is not without its faults. Genetic mutations, though rare and typically harmless, can strike at any time and in various ways. Still, when they do cause harm the effects can be profound and impossible to ignore. Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is an instance where the mutation of just one nucleotide has devastating results. The Mayo Clinic defines progeria as a progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly, beginning in their first two years of life. This study defines the disease of progeria by outlining symptoms and identifying causes that lead to its diagnosis. In addition, treatment methods and extensive research that give those affected by the disease hope for a brighter future are highlighted.
As Charles Dixon walked in his office he was thinking about what other fun things he should do to punish the students at good ole Merced High. As you could see Mr. Dixon is the commander, leader, or just as we call it today, a principal. After the war that happen between the students and the staff there as been a lot more strictness to the school rules. Ever since I left this school its basically been more like a public military school. Your probably wondering why I’m not at Merced High School well, I got kicked out. I was walking with my disc man to my class and all electronics must be off when the bells ring infuriately there happen to be a sniper on the west wing of the campus and has soon as the clock struck 8:20, they shot me! Right on my ear. I only didn’t go to the hospital I got kicked out for being tardy and I lost 30% percent of my hearing on my left ear!
...slowly filed the Chain of Being with Twelfth Night to show that a social hierarchy is not something that should be conformed too. Shakespeare thinks there are many individuals who do not belong in their society-appointed notch in the chain. This is true in modern day society. Some world leaders, CEOs, and other people in positions of power often make very foolish decisions regarding the important things under their jurisdiction. But on the flip-side, many normal people with no power can see clearly their mistakes before they make them and can also see the solution, just like Feste. If the world had more people like Feste the Fool, people who were not content with their social standing and willing to attempt the climb up the ladder, the world would have less homeless people, a more productive and innovative workforce, and a much lower crime rate. So be a Fool.
P.E was my last class of the day. I ignored the snickers around me, as I grabbed my clothes and changed in one of the bathroom stalls where no one can make fun of me. Everyone was in their own cliques, gossiping with one another. But all of them glared at me in disgust when I came to the field I was beginning to get used to all of the hateful stares, so I just stood in my numbered spot.
It was my first year at the most venerable institution in the world, and my high-school dreams had been achieved. Yet, that fall, I was feeling empty inside. As I drowned my sorrows in a latte at Au Bon Pain near the "T" entrance, I noticed a large crowd gathering outside. I later learned that a short time before, an undergraduate running to the co-op had carelessly knocked a homeless man to the ground. As I looked up from my latte, I saw a homeless man crawling around the sidewalk, yelling something about being
I walked in and my stomach made a flip-flop like riding “The Scream” at Six Flags. Everyone was staring at me! With their curios eyes and anxious to know who I was. I froze like ice and felt the heat rise through my face. My parents talked to my teacher, Ms.Piansky. Then my mom whispered “It’s ti...
Many Athletes are willing to do whatever it takes to become a professional. One of the easiest ways to enhance natural ability is through performance-enhancing drugs or, PEDs. PEDs are substances used by athletes to increase their performance. The use of PEDs in athletic competition can date back to ancient Greece. Athletes use PEDs to run faster, jump higher and recover at an increased pace. Many athletes are pressured into using PEDs by coaches or managers and are not thoroughly educated the harmful health issues that can come along with taking performance-enhancing drugs. A rising issue is if performance-enhancing drugs should be allowed in professional sports. I believe that in any professional sport, the use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes should continue to be banned because this rule will help to keep athletes from abusing these harmful drugs.
In all professional sports in the United States, the use of PEDs are prohibited. However, there is only one acceptation to that rule. If an athlete is injured, prescriptions to certain drugs which are used in recover are allowed. These drugs may consist of certain chemicals that enhance muscle grow. Some athletes have used this to their advantage and have got prescriptions to these drugs for their own personal benefits, will other athletes are using it for recreational purposes. This, however, is not the only way to obtain PEDs; there are also other ways such as buying them from an underground market. Athletes with the intention to cheat will take the risk of using PEDs, since if they are successful they will achieve fame and money.
Hundreds of millions of animals die every year from animal testing in the United States. Innocent animals are used everyday in laboratories for biology advancements, medical training, curiosity-driven experimentation, and chemical, drug, food, and cosmetic testing. They are used to provide information to make better products that are safe for human use. Although animal experimentation has some benefits, the negatives outweigh the positives. Animal testing is killing off innocent beings for the possible human benefit, and with modern technology, there are alternative ways to test products that leave animals unharmed.
It was my first week of my freshman year in college. Normally, you want to survive the first week by going to school events and meeting new people. Being the first Saturday night of the school year my new friend and I decided to go to a party in another dorm on campus. Both of us didn’t know what to expect at a college party, so we dressed up and tried to look our best. As I put my black mascara on I knew that this would be a fun night. My friend Jessica knew one of the guys that would be at this gathering because he lived in the same town that she was from. Finally, we leave our dorms and head out to our first college party. We arrived at the party and started to play cards. As the night progressed, poker was getting a little boring and staying in that dorm room wasn’t too much fun either. Abruptly, one of the guys said we should go to a freshman dorm. Everyone grabbed their belongings and headed to central campus. As we walked to central campus many of the boys were whispering about how they were going to cause a ruckus. No one was a resident of this hall, so we had to ask someone who was outside to let us in.
Teacher Ethics “Ethics are defined as a set of principles of right conduct; the rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession” (Dictionary of the Human Language, 2000). Teachers are often put in situations that require more than just knowing the basic school rules. It is within these situations, that the ethical dilemmas occur. There is not always a right way to deal with the many daily problems that face educators, but there are ways to handle situations that are better than others. Teachers should follow and refer to a code of ethics to help teach in the most appropriate and ethical way as well as a guide to help deal with dilemmas.
Looking at his ridiculous, surprised face, I grew even angrier. Ironically, to defend a teacher who didn't hit students, I resorted to violence to deal with Chang-Min. Suddenly, I kicked him in the stomach, and we started fighting. Phil-bong, the vice-principal, caught us and brought us to the student life center for punishment. Phil-bong didn't even ask us why we fought; he simply asked who hit first. Admitting that I did, Phil-bong proceeded to beat my hands until they were swollen and reddish. Watching me getting hit by Phil-bong angered Mr. Zang, and afterwards he asked me why I hit Chang-Min. Mr. Zang convinced Phil-bong to forgive me, and I started to blame my classmate for my sore hands, and I asked Mr.
Animals are used in research to develop new medicines and for scientists to test the safety of the medicines. This animal testing is called vivisection. Research is being carried out at universities, medical schools and even in primary and elementary schools as well as in commercial facilities which provide animal experiments to industry. (UK Parliament) In addition, animals are also used in cosmetic testing, toxicology tests, “defense research” and “xenotransplantation”. All around the world, a huge amount of animals are sentenced to life in a laboratory cage and they are obliged to feel loneliness and pain. In addition scientists causing pain, most drugs that pas successfully in animals fail in humans. It is qualified as a bad science. Above all, animals have rights not to be harmed even though the Animal Welfare Act does not provide them even with minimal protection. The law does not find it necessary to use current alternatives to animals, even if they are obtainable. Animal testing should be banned due to animal rights, ethical issues, alternative ways and the unreliability of test results in humans.
I turn around and look at the school and my heart started pounding really fast. I felt like a little bug inside a mansion, the school was enormous. I took a deep breath and walked into the entrance of the school. I pulled out my schedule and headed to my first class. As I was looking for my first class I got lost and couldn’t find it so I stopped by a random teacher’s room and asked her to direct me. She looked mean and smelt like cigarettes. She got up and said with a deep voice “you’re in the junior hall, go to the other side of the school you will find the freshmen hall” I looked at her confused and walked away. I still struggled but I made it to my first class late and embarrassed. I did not know anybody in the school because I was new to the area so I had no friends. I chose a small desk in the very back and watched all the students chatter. The teacher suddenly stands up and says “Hello I’m Mr. Kennedy, Good morning” all the students reply energetically “Good morning”. The teacher insisted we introduced our self so I stood up and said “hello my name is Osama, I’m 14 and love baseball”. After the whole class went the teacher handed us a thick booklet to read and be signed by our parents. When the class was settled another student walked up to me and said “Is your name really Osama? Like Osama Bin Laden?” I quickly got up and shoved him into another desk and