Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Learning Development Essay

Critical thinking and problem solving are skills required to increase the growth in children’s learning and development, especially if our goal is to prepare a community of effective life-long learners. Researchers find that the definitions of each of these skills vary among the education community, but the necessity of student acquisition of these skills is demanded in the learning process. Critical thinking and problem solving offer an extensive, fundamental skill to the educating of children. This skill set is necessary for student understanding, development, and learning. It has been found that the internalization and automatic use of these skills would greatly increase student opportunity as future learners provide insight of understanding of concepts and provide an alternative way of thinking to a demanding world of self-monitoring, reflecting, and knowing. If these skills are necessary, we ask, why is it that all students don’t have them? In my paper, I will define critical thinking and problem solving. Then I will elaborate on the necessity of teachers teaching students critical thinking and problem solving. I will conclude with the importance of these skills as it pertains to the development of student learning and effectiveness of student performance. Provided are the three working definitions of critical thinking and problem solving. In 2008, Sezer’s research defined critical thinking as, â€Å"the evaluation and reflecting of what you know to be true† (p. 349). Later McCollister and Sayler (2010) defined it as, â€Å"carefully analyzing the way we think, with the purpose of improving it† (p. 41). The definition for problem solving will stand alone and is simply stated by Martinez (2006) as â€Å"problem solving is what y... ... K., & Sayler, M.. (2010, January). Lift the Ceiling: Increase Rigor With Critical Thinking Skills. Gifted Child Today, 33(1), 41-47. Retrieved 23 Nov. 2015, from Education Periodicals. (Document ID: 1950190601). Sezer, R. (2008). Integration Of Critical Thinking Skills Into Elementary School Teacher Education Courses In Mathematics. Education, 128(3), 349-362. Retrieved 21 Nov. 2015, from Education Periodicals. (Document ID: 1460776461). Shure. M. (2006, April). Helping Children Solve Problems. Scholastic Early Childhood Today, 20(6), 10-11. Retrieved 23 Nov. 2015, from Education Periodicals. (Document ID: 1013090421). Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (2005). Best Practice Todays's Standards for Teaching & Learning in America's Schools Third Edition. In H. D. Steven Zemelman, The Principles of Best Practice Learning (p.7-22). Portsmouth: Heinemann.

Motif Affairs: The Great Gatsby

Throughout the novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the motif of affairs to show development in Daisy Buchanan's character. As a reader slowly pieces together what is the love puzzle of this novel, it becomes clear to them Daisy's true self. Starting off the novel Fitzgerald uses Tom's affairs with Daisy(his wife) and Myrtle(his mistress) to show how Tom treats Daisy. He is very sexist towards not only Daisy but also myrtle. â€Å"Daisy loved me when she married me and she loves me now,†(131) this is said by Tom, giving the reader an example of just how controlling he is of his wife.It is evident to the reader, through the lens of feminism, that Tom objectifies women, treating them like objects rather than people, Daisy especially, making him feel it is acceptable to have more than one woman. This gives the reader a sense of sympathy for Daisy, because of the way her husband treats her. It upsets the reader that although Daisy is aware of her husband's affair with Myrtle, s he ‘accepts' it and feels she deserves it because she is a woman and that's simply what women get.As the novel goes on, it is made clear to the reader Daisy's obsession with money. â€Å"Her voice is full of money†¦ That was it. I‘d never understood before. It was full of money – that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals‘ song of it†¦ High in a white palace the king‘s daughter, the golden girl†¦ â€Å"(120) We learn of an affair in Daisy's past that she had with Gatsby, and that the only reason she married Tom rather than Gatsby was because of Tom's wealth.When this is brought up it refuels old feelings between the two of them, leading to an affair between Daisy and Gatsby. Readers go from feeling bad for Daisy to almost having sympathy for Tom. After accusing Tom of objectifying Daisy and not being loyal to her, it is made clear that daisy is not loyal to Tom. She is not in love with him, but rather his money. Through these recurring affairs and the lens of feminism Daisy's true character is exposed to the reader.

Crime and Punishment Essay

The themes of sacrifices and egoism are usual in his works. He believes that egoism became that reason that destroyed earlier civilizations and made a threat to contemporary societies. Despite the fact that he saw nothing wrong in the wish to self-perfection, he blamed those, who tried to oppose their â€Å"I† to the rest of the world and considered only their own needs and desires. Raskolnikov, the protagonist of Crime and Punishment is severely punished for his extreme egoism and daring to take the decision about human lives. For example in The Brothers Karamazov Zosima worries about moral responsibility for all actions, committed by the person. Ivan doubts his views and states that responsibility is nothing but abstract notion and without God it becomes impossible to talk about any limits to the behavior of an individual. In the poem Ivan declaims to his brother in the cafe he expresses his view on the free will. The Inquisitor blames Jesus for giving people free will, which has become a hard burden and the reason of misery. The feeling of guilt becomes Ivan’s price for an attempt to express his free will. Dostoevsky does not agree or disagree with any opinion discussed but he constructs the plot of the story in such a way that the readers get an opportunity to get the proofs of ideas, expressed by Zosima. (Dostoevsky) The characters of Dostoesky are haunted by their past. In many his stories people cross the limit and take excessive responsibility to make the decision for other people and get severe punishment for it. In contrast to Borges, whose characters exist in present, and to Tolstoy, who regarded human history as a reason for all the events, which happen to us, Dostoevsky made the past the reason of suffering and misery. His characters are haunted by the ghosts from the past and can not find their place in present. For Dostoevsky the conflicts between free will and determination, and between egoism and responsibility become driving force and a source for creativity. All three authors use literature not only as means to bring their messages for the readers, but also as a way to resolve their inner conflicts. Art is always a personal experience for both – creator and those, who perceive it, and Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Borges make their art serve one ultimate purpose – a quest for the meaning of life. Sources Dostoevsky, Feodor (1992). Crime and Punishment. Pevear, R. and Volokhonsky, L. transl. New York: Alfred Knopf. Dostoevsky, Feodor (1992). The Brothers Karamazov. , Pevear, R. and Volokhonsky, L. transl. New York: Alfred Knopf. Dostoevsky, Fyodor translation by Pevear, Richard and Volokhonsky, Larissa (1990). The Brothers Karamazov. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Tolstoy, Leo (1969). War and Peace , transl. Rosemary Edmonds, Penguin. Borges, Jorge Luis (1998). Collected Fictions(translated by Andrew Hurley), Viking Penguin

Free Essays on Criminal

Deep within the word, â€Å"American† is its association with Race. To identify someone as Hispanic is to say very little, we need the adjective â€Å"white† or â€Å"Latino† or â€Å"colored† to make our meaning clear. In this country it’s the reverse. American means white and that’s it, and Latinos struggle to make the term applicable to themselves hyphen after hyphen and so on. Because American means white, those who are not white are presumed to be recent arrivals and often told to â€Å"go back to where they came from.† Thus we appear to operate within the dichotomized racial categories of American/non-American; these are racial categories, because they effectively mean white/nonwhite (17). This is the reason why I believe race in the United States has indeed been socially constructed is through stereotypes and lack of knowledge. The comparison between â€Å"whites† and â€Å"Latinos† are very different and how each of the group is perceived is very different. A "stereotype" is a generalization about a person or group of persons. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. In the absence of the "total picture," stereotypes in many cases allow us to "fill in the blanks."... Free Essays on Criminal Free Essays on Criminal Deep within the word, â€Å"American† is its association with Race. To identify someone as Hispanic is to say very little, we need the adjective â€Å"white† or â€Å"Latino† or â€Å"colored† to make our meaning clear. In this country it’s the reverse. American means white and that’s it, and Latinos struggle to make the term applicable to themselves hyphen after hyphen and so on. Because American means white, those who are not white are presumed to be recent arrivals and often told to â€Å"go back to where they came from.† Thus we appear to operate within the dichotomized racial categories of American/non-American; these are racial categories, because they effectively mean white/nonwhite (17). This is the reason why I believe race in the United States has indeed been socially constructed is through stereotypes and lack of knowledge. The comparison between â€Å"whites† and â€Å"Latinos† are very different and how each of the group is perceived is very different. A "stereotype" is a generalization about a person or group of persons. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. In the absence of the "total picture," stereotypes in many cases allow us to "fill in the blanks."...

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - Questions

'The Invention of Wings' by Sue Monk Kidd - Questions The Invention of Wings is Sue Monk Kidds third novel. Her first, The Secret Life of Bees, was a book club favorite that gave groups a chance to discuss race issues in the South in the 1960s. In The Invention of Wings, Kidd returns to issues of race and a Southern setting, this time tackling slavery in the early nineteenth century. Kidds novel is fiction, but historical fiction where one of the main characters is based on a true historical figure Sarah Grimke. These questions seek to get at the heart of the novel and help book clubs discuss the many facets of The Invention of Wings. Spoiler Warning: These questions contain details from throughout the novel, including the end. Finish the book before reading on. The novel is presented as a story about two characters, Sarah and Handful. Do you think their relationship with each other is central to how they developed? Or was the chance to read two perspectives more important than the actual relationship?This is also a novel about family relationships and history, particularly as seen through the women in the story. Discuss Sarahs relationship with her mother and sisters and Handfuls with her mother and sister. In what ways did these other women define who Sarah and Handful became?Charlottes story quilt is her greatest treasure. Why do you think that is? How does the ability to tell ones own story shape ones identity?Sarahs familys story relies on slavery. Why was it necessary for Sarah to leave all the things dear to her mother and family Charleston society, beautiful ornamentation, reputation and even place in order to live with her personal convictions? What was the hardest for her to break with?Religion is important throughout the novel, and Kidd gives readers the chance to see many sides of the early nineteenth century church: the white high church in the South, which defended slavery; the black church in the South with its liberation theology; and the Quaker church, with its progressive ideas about women and slaves along with its denial of beautiful clothes and celebrations. Slavery is one of the keys to understanding the complex history of the church in America. Discuss how the novel brings that to light? What did the book make you think about the role of the church? Were you surprised to learn that even among abolitionists the idea of racial equality was radical?Were you surprised by the reactions in the North to the Grimke sisters speaking tour? Were you aware of how strongly women were limited?Even the Grimkes allies suggested they hold back on their feminist views because they thought it would hurt the cause of abolition. Indeed, it did split the movement. Do you think this compromise was justified? Did you think the sisters were justified in not making it?Were you surprised to hear about any of the punishments that were common for slaves, such as the Work House or the one legged punishment? Were any other parts of the history of slavery new to you, such as the information about Denmark Vessey and the planned revolt? Did this novel give you any new perspectives on slavery?If you have read Sue Monk Kidds previous novels, how did this one compare? Rate The Invention of Wings on a scale of 1 to 5. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd was published in January 2014It was chosen for Oprahs Book Club before publicationPublisher: Viking Adult384 pages

Conservative Perspective on Health Care Reform

Conservative Perspective on Health Care Reform Contrary to popular opinion, conservatives do indeed believe there is a need for health care reform. If there is one thing upon which Republicans, Democrats, liberals, and conservatives can agree, it is that the health care system in America is broken.The issue, then, is what exactly is broken about it. Liberals generally believe the only way to fix the system is for the government to operate it, the way Canada and the United Kingdom run their systems via universal health care. Conservatives, on the other hand, disagree with this notion and contend that the American government is wholly unequipped to take on such a huge endeavor, and even if it were, the resulting bureaucracy would be terribly inefficient like most government programs.Conservatives arent just naysayers, however. Their plan is more optimistic in tone because they believe the current system can be fixed with reform measures such as promoting competition between health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, reforming the Medicare payment system, establishing clear standards of care and ending the lottery court system by capping damage awards ordered by activist judges. Latest Developments Democrats on Capitol Hill have been floating the concept of a single-payer health care system similar to the ones currently in practice in Canada and the United Kingdom.Conservatives staunchly oppose this idea on the grounds that regardless of what filmmaker Michael Moore says government-run health care systems are notoriously slow, inefficient and costly.Before he was elected in 2008, President Barack Obama promised to save the typical American family $2,500 annually by reforming the insurance market and creating a National Health Insurance Exchange. In his press releases, the president claims the Obama/Biden plan will Make Health Insurance Work for People and Businesses Not Just Insurance and Drug Companies.The National Health Insurance Exchange is ostensibly modeled after the Congressional health benefits plan. The plan would allow employers to reduce their premiums by switching most of their employees over to the government program (of course non-unionized workers would have n o say in the matter at all). The new nationalized health care plan would then absorb these new individual health care costs, bloating an already overburdened federal government even further. Background Costs surrounding the health care industry are inflated by three very particular elements, two of which involve the insurance industry. Because of (in many cases) preposterous court settlements that create a veritable lottery for plaintiffs seeking damages, liability insurance for health care providers is out of control. If doctors and other medical professionals want to continue to operate and generate a profit, they often have no choice but to charge exorbitant fees for their services, which are then passed along to the consumers insurance company. Insurance companies, in turn, raise premiums on the consumers. Physician and consumer insurance plans constitute two of the culprits in the high cost of health care, but both are related directly what is happening in American courtrooms.When consumer insurance companies receive the bills for these high-cost services, it is in their best interest to find reasons not to pay or reimburse the insured. In many cases, these companies are unabl e to successfully avoid payment (because in most cases the services are medically necessary), so not only the consumer but the insured consumers employer experiences a rise in health care insurance premiums, as well. Bottom line: activist judges, seeking to drive home a point or make an example of a particular physician, combine to drive up the costs of liability insurance, which in turn drives up the costs of health care insurance.Unfortunately, these problems with the health care system are compounded by an out-of-control pharmaceutical industry.When a pharmaceutical manufacturer makes an important discovery and successfully introduces a new medication into the health care market, the immediate demand for that medication creates a disproportionate rise in cost. Its not enough for these manufacturers to make a profit, these manufacturers must make a killing (literally, when certain consumers are unable to afford the medication they need).There are pills that cost upwards of $100 each in the retail market, yet cost less than $10 per pill to manufacture. When the insurance companies receive the bill for these very expensive medications, it is in their nature to attempt to find a way to avoid absor bing those costs. Between exorbitant physician fees, exorbitant pharmaceutical fees and exorbitant health insurance fees, consumers often cannot afford the health care they need. The Need for Tort Reform The main culprit in the battle over health care costs is the extensive damage awards doled out by activist judges every day across the country. Thanks to these inflated awards, defendants hoping to avoid a court appearance are left with no other option than inflated settlements.Conservatives realize, of course, that in many cases there are reasonable complaints against providers who misdiagnose, mismanage or neglect a consumers proper treatment. Weve all heard the horror stories about doctors who confuse patients, leave utensils inside surgery patients, or make an egregious misdiagnosis.One way to ensure plaintiffs receive justice, while keeping health care costs from becoming artificially inflated is to develop clear standards of care to which all physicians must abide, and assign clear penalties in the form of reasonable financial damages for breaches of those standards and other transgressions.This may sound eerily like the concept of mandatory minimum sentencing, but it is not. Instead, it sets maximum civil penalties, which judges may impose, with the maximum penalties being awarded for circumstances resulting in wrongful-deaths. For more than one transgression, more than one penalty would apply. Such guidelines could also urge jurists to be creative; requiring providers to perform specific community service or, in the case of physicians, pro-bono work for a specific segment of society.Presently, legal lobbyists have made imposing caps on damages virtually impossible. Lawyers have a vested interest in procuring the maximum penalty possible, since their fees are often a percentage of the settlement or award. Reasonable legal fees should also be built into any system placing caps on penalties to ensure settlements or awards actually go to intended parties. Extravagant lawyer fees and frivolous lawsuits do as much to drive up the high costs of health care as the scandalous damages awarded by activist judges. The Need for Competition Many conservatives believe families, individuals and businesses should be able to purchase health insurance nationwide to heighten competition for their business and provide a variety of choices.Further, individuals should be permitted to obtain insurance privately or through organizations of their choice: employers, churches, professional associations or others. Such policies would automatically bridge the gap between retirement and Medicare eligibility and cover multiple years.More choices in coverage is just one aspect of a free-market health care system. Another is allowing consumers to shop for treatment options. This would promote competition between conventional and alternative providers and make patients the center of care. Permitting providers to practice nationwide also would build genuine national markets and give consumers greater responsibility in their own health care decisions.Competition ensures the public is better educated about preventative health care and treatmen t options. It forces providers to be more transparent regarding medical outcomes, quality of care and the costs of treatment. It also means more competitive pricing. Lesser quality providers get weeded out, because like elsewhere in the free-market economy they get priced out of malpractice insurance and have no way to raise their prices. Developing national standards of care to measure and record treatments and outcomes ensures only top-quality providers remain in business.Dramatic reforms in Medicare would have to supplement a free-market health care system. Under this scenario, the Medicare payment system, which compensates providers for prevention, diagnosis and care, would have to be overhauled into a tiered system, with providers not being paid for preventable medical errors or mismanagement.Competition in the pharmaceutical market would force down drug prices and expand cheaper generic drug alternatives. Safety protocols permitting the re-importation of drugs would keep competition in the drug industry vigorous, as well. In all cases of health care competition, the consumer would be protected through enforcement of federal protections against collusion, unfair business actions and deceptive consumer practices. Where It Stands Democrats in the US House and Senate are preparing legislation that would include government-subsidized insurance plan and would require individuals and businesses to be covered or face financial penalties.Obamas vision of a National Health Insurance Exchange is a step closer to reality, while the nation is a step closer to universal health care.The governments entrance into the health insurance market could spell disaster for private insurers, which would be unable to compete. Adding further complications for the private health insurance industry are new mandates included in the bill that would prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals based on their medical history.In other words, Democrats want to create a public health insurance program that competes with private companies, and at the same time, make it harder for private companies to stay in business.Conservatives, meanwhile, fear that the legislation could lead to an entire takeover of the health care ind ustry, thus implementing a model of European socialism in America.

Active Shooter, National Security Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Active Shooter, National Security - Term Paper Example An analysis of the situation shows that the University of Northern Florida (UNF) sits on more than 1400 acres of land and has a student population of approximately 60,000. The UNF has multiple campuses. There is a campus police unit located within the University who patrol the university grounds at regular intervals, though they are unarmed. There is an ongoing basketball game at the 9500 seat university arena with the campus police providing security. Shooting erupts at the spectator section in the arena during which approximately 15 individuals suffer gunshot wounds and several other individuals are critically wounded. The shooter escapes from the arena in the melee. Prior to the game, a note was found in the men’s restroom that intimated at a possible attack within the UNF compound. A security meeting, held after the note had been found but prior to the basketball game commencement determined that the university security measures were adequate to handle any potential securi ty threats. The first safety action would be to secure the incident area, in this case the university arena in which a basketball game had been proceeding when the shooting occurred. Firstly, the area is secured by locking and barricading all entrance and exit points into the arena. In this case all available materials can be used to block the entrances, for instance bleachers, tables, and other furniture. This action is conducted to ensure that the shooter(s) do not get access to the incident area, or if they are in the incident area then they are contained. Secondly, all persons in the incident area are to be moved away from clear lines of sight and positioned behind barricades and solid objects. This removes them from the shooter(s) possible line of sight and shields from bullets. Thirdly, the entrances are barricaded if the assailant enters or leaves the incident area. Finally, the persons in the incident area can seek a safer refuge if they