Friday, May 16, 2008

3 sources work cited

"School Shootings." CNN. 25 Mar. 1998. 15 May 2008 http://www.cnn.com/US/9803/25/school.violence.statistics/index.html.

"A Time Line of Recent Worldwide School Shootings." InfoPlease. 15 May 2008 http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html.

"Attacks on Students and Staff." CBS News in Depth. 15 May 2008 .

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

School Shootings final draft

School Shootings

Life is too precious to be gambling with just because you want to make yourself feel better at the moment. School shootings are something that can be prevented by something as little as a kind word or two. Our society is way too sensitive to be messing around with when it comes to school shootings.


You might think that bullying is fun when it is not happening to yourself, but when it turns tables it can be deadly. From 1999 to 2008, there has been a reported 260 deaths due to school shootings from shootings, fights, stabbings, suicides, and murders. On Tuesday,
April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, Eric Harris and Dylan Kelbold embarked on a shooting rampage that killed 12 students, a teacher, and wounded 23 others. This was the fourth deadliest school shooting on record. All of this could have been prevented with less bullying and more attention on their needs as teens. Teens just want to be accepted for who they are and to be loved. Eric and Dylan were probably not receiving any of these basic needs.
I think that public schools should be paying a lot more attention to students that are acting depressed and down on themselves all the time. They should set up a program that will help them cope with any problems that they have and it should also be confidential. The school districts should also watch for bullying problems which only fuel the raging fire of violence. The school is very capable of protecting their students from violence and bullying. We deserve the secure feeling everyday we walk into that school building.


Something you say to someone may seem minute at the time but it could grow to be something very big quickly. Do un to others as you want them to do un to you. Just remember what it felt like the first time you were outcaste, made fun of, or intimidated. You probably do not want to ever be in that situation again. Nothing good can possibly come out of making someone feel bad about themselves. When you bully somebody, you are only trying to make that person sink lower so that you can think higher about yourself. So watch what you say and do to others. It may come back to bite you.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Cause and Effect

Eating disorders are one of the biggest problems that occur in high school today. People are constantly pushed to be beautiful and strong. Peer pressure is one of the biggest factors that cause eating disorders.

Everyone knows what they want to look like. Whether it is the "buff" football player or the beautiful cheerleader. The media constantly portrays people as perfect human beings. You rarly see a person on television that is fat and ugly. If one person says someone is fat or ugly that person could develop a eating disorder just because of that comment. People who say that others are fat or ugly are just trying to make themselves feel better.

Eating disorders are one of the biggest problems that occur in high school today. So watch what you say to or about someone. Telling other people that they are fat or ugly can ruin that persons life. Or maybe even end it.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a very important part of life that will help make our decisions much easier. Without critical thinking life would be a lot more complicated and making decisions would take longer.

I plan on going to college this coming up fall and I had to decide which college would be the best for me. When thinking about this I take cost, majors, and housing into effect. If one of these elements do not agree with what I am looking for, then I will have to reanalyze my decisions. But when all of the elements come into line, then that will be a good match for myself. You will have to find the best match that fits all of your needs and wants.

Critical thinking is a very important part of life that will help make you decisions much easier. I use critical thinking in every aspect of my life to find the best answer to my problem. Critical thinking is the basis for evalutating information in this world.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

On Thinking

"Thinking...is a solitart but a lonely business; solitude is that human situation in which I keep myself company. Loneliness comes about when I am alone without...being able to keep myself company...[In thinking] I am both the one who asks and the one who answers."

I believe that thinking is a very lonely thing at times and a very public thing at times. Because when you think, only you can know what you are thinking unless you speak what you are thinking. Only you know the correct answer to what you are thinking and not anyone else.

Thinking can be a very open thing or it can be a very confidential thing. When I think it usually is a little of both. For example, during a test I am thinking to myself so I don't get in trouble by the teacher for trouble. But when I think a friend of mine is being dumb, I straight up tell them that they are being dumb and usually they change how they are acting. When I am thinking by myself, my mind wonders from one thing to another very quickly. This helps me come up with ideas for a paper or project if needed.

Thinking can be both open and closed. Life is full of changes the keep you thinking confidential and open at different times.

Excellence Essay

Excellence

“The secret of joy in work is contained in one work – excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.”(Buck page 1) This quote is saying that you will only do something well if you enjoy it. I believe that this is very true in my life. I will be telling you of the word that can never be surpassed in this world, excellence.
I have achieved excellence in my life in many ways. I was in Tae Kwon Do for three years and my goal was to become a junior black belt. I had to train hard and concentrate on my main goal. The first time I broke a board at my white belt test, I felt like I was on top of the world. I ran over to my mom, gave her a big hug, and had a huge smile on my face. From then on, I fully committed myself to achieving my goal. I attended many tournaments where you have to do a pattern and sparing. A pattern consists of showing the judges a pattern of moves that are put together by your instructor. In addition, sparing is when you fight another person. I never lost in sparing over my 10 tournaments I attended. During my junior black belt test, I failed to break my first board. I went over to my instructor and he told me that I have been an excellent student, that I have trained hard enough, and that I have the skills to make this break. I walked back out to the board, did my spinning back kick and broke the boards. This is what I call excellence. I enjoyed what I did and worked very hard to achieve my final goal.
To cheat on tests also is not automatically to cheat oneself as a learner (Puka, 2005). There is a lot of pressure in this world to achieve excellence. Parents put a lot of pressure on there kids to do well in school so that they can have a good job and be wealthy some day. If the child is struggling in a class and one of his/her friends is good at the class, the child might just copy the friends’ homework. This is a result of pressure from the parents. I admit that I have cheated in school before mostly because my parents are very strict when it comes to getting good grades. I know I could have probably done a good job on my own but I decided to take the easy way out and cheat.
Excellence may be achieved in many different ways in this world. Whether it is becoming a junior black belt or becoming a rocket scientist. Life is full of opportunities to achieve excellence. I hope that one day you all will have the chance to achieve excellence.


References
Buck, P. S. “The secret of joy in work is contained in one word – excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.”
Puka, B. (2005). Student cheating.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Education Essay

Education is what makes life worthwhile. It is the key to life. Without education in our lives, this society would be worthless and we would have nothing to be proud of. You may think that school is worthless, but it makes your life a whole lot easier and happier.

Your parents can give you the best education that a person can receive. My parents have taught me the differences between right and wrong. I have learned many valuable lessons throughout my life from them. In the essay Two Ways of Seeing the River by Mark Twain, he paints a picture in my mind when he talks about the solitary log floating down the river. To me this meant that life is like a log floating down a river having to overcome many obstacles and keep flowing. This river will be your life, a continuous struggle to continue and reach the end.

I was involved with many different friends when I was younger. They taught me many things whether they were wise or not. I have learned from my mistakes as well as theirs. They gave me a priceless education that I will have for the rest of my life. I will always be applying these lessons to my everyday life and will keep flowing in the right direction.

In the essay The Hidden Teacher by Loren Eiseley, she talks about a “hidden” teacher that you do not always see. For myself, my hidden teacher is my job. It is not a great school teacher or a rocket scientist, but it is the experience, which is more precious. I have worked at the Marshall Golf Course for five years now and I have been taught many important lessons. My group of co-workers is like a giant machine. We all have different roles that need to be fulfilled on a daily basis. If someone is not functioning properly than the whole team has to fall back. This experience has been one of the most educating parts of my life.

What is your view on education? Is it just a big joke or is it the most valuable aspect of your life? Education does not just come from school. Start recognizing the experiences that have made you what you are today. So what is your key to life?

Eiseley, Loren. "The Hidden Teacher."
Twain, Mark. "Two Ways of Seeing the River."