...how they get it is almost like a race. Many people; not all, have a different mindset than others but that does not necessarily mean one is better than the other. Human nature is based on three things; competitiveness, selfishness, and aggression. The basis of human nature is people not caring about their consequences because they are too focused on getting ahead. It's no secret that when people want something, they'll get it, the only problem with that is the matter of how they got it. People might brand this society as competitive, and that represents it almost perfectly. This quote shows us how self-worth is something everybody lacks and how people judge others on where they're at in life, “Your value is defined by what you’ve done.”(Kohn) Competition means that one person can succeed, but only if others fail. Something that should be learned throughout the years is to always put yourself first but not to hurt others while doing it, and somehow that concept is long gone in society. Many studies have shown that the way people view themselves is based upon other people's opinions. Society doesn't care if people are left behind, as long as they're ahead then that's all that matters. ”This competitive drive built into us has caused humans to go to war with one another—killing each other in the process. In the modern era, competition has been significantly tempered in its lethality.”(Kovis) For example, let's say two people are applying for a job, but they only need one person...
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...We are in an era where human rights have become centre stage politically and ethnically and real deal of energy is geared towards refining our world and constructing it into a better place, however the concepts used in achieving these goals do not fundamentally challenge the logic behind the dominant state actions. The world we live in today has change; it has evolved into a system whereby the rights of private property and the profits are more important to other forms of human rights. It’s therefore important that the human right rights which includes ‘’the right to the cities and why it is imperative for the voice of the people to be heard in the process of wealth distribution in the cities. In the course of this essay urban space will represent spaces that are open for public use such as national stadium, parks, and streets. Spaces such as this have been great tools for activist and protesters to generate awareness on issues that are affecting the total well-being of the people. such space doesn’t serve as a generative tool of displace, it also create awareness an avenue for the expression of rights and when effort is placed on the pending issues the authority are drawn to creating solution. This is why space is important. The video watched in class is an example of how people in the past have fought tirelessly for the right to be heard and a fair treatment among workers. Workers were brought into a different work environment they were exploited because they were not aware...
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...FDENG 201 Analysis 11/24/2013 What’s Wrong with the Grading System? In “From Degrading to De-grading” by Alfie Kohn, he introduces the idea that the traditional grading system is detrimental to how kids learn. In his article, Kohn gives many different reasons of how the grading system negatively impacts students. Kohn believes that the grading system encourages students to care more about their grades than what they are actually learning. Students get caught up thinking “is this going to be on a test” instead of thinking “how can this be applied in the real world.” Kohn also believes that students will choose easier assignments over harder ones, if given the choice, keeping their grade in mind. This causes students to not challenge themselves, or think as deeply as they could. Kohn’s article is effective because he provides many reasons to switch from the traditional grading system, he cites many studies that support his ideas, and he gives ways of how we can make the transition from grade oriented education to learning oriented education. Many Reasons His three main reasons for switching from the traditional grading system are that grades tend to reduce students’ interest in learning, grades tend to reduce students’ preferences for challenging tasks, and grades tend to reduce the quality of students’ thinking. As if these three reasons are not enough, Kohn gives six more reasons: grades are not reliable, grades distort the curriculum, grades waste a lot of time, grades...
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...example to substantiate his hypothesis. Encountering Alisa at the very beginning of the essay was indeed a refreshing way to initiate thought into a subject not often considered. Today not everyone ponders the real relevance behind education nor does anyone contemplate just how much of education is needed to be considered well-educated. Alisa has a doctorate in anthropology and is an excellent physician yet her lack of knowledge in basic math and English leads her husband to question the implications behind what true education is all about (Kohn, 2003, pars. 1-4). My first response to this startling line of thought was that something like this had never occurred to me before. One is either educated or not. But where does one cross over from educated into well-educated and what does the latter term encompass? These were interesting premises that galvanized me into Kohn’s text, rapidly seeking a resolution for my questions. The first question that Kohn tackles involves the purpose of education. Is education meant to create better individuals or introduce better professionals? (2003, par. 7) Although difficult to decide between the two I still felt at this point of my reading that education must create a good combination of the two. Successful education would indeed cause a person to evolve into a better-natured, more productive individual. Kohn’s next question on whether education or learning held more relevance set me thinking on a completely...
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...THE EFFECTS OF CAMPUS STRESS On campuses across this country, college students are under an abundance of pressure. From parental stress to, academic stress, to social stress, students are pulled in a never-ending maze pursuing their education to do whatever is necessary in order to graduate from college. Generations of today-- teenagers, young adults, and senior citizens alike, face challenges that are dramatically different from the past. Today we have sophisticated technology equipment, interactive strategies and the World Wide Web, just to name a few. For instance, now you have application tablets such as iPads, e-readers, Kindles and Nooks. Students find themselves constantly worrying about trying to keep up with every new device that is put on the market for sale. There is the stress of not having the money or being able to afford all these devices. Additionally, students are faced with the hassle if their gadget is stolen or worse if a hacker breaks into their system. For college students, the anxiety of it all comes from a multitude of different directions. There is constant pressure to pass this class, participate in that forum, excel in this sport, ace this exam or give the presentation of your life. With all of these mounting demands, the hustling, frustrations and academic decisions, the result to this chaos is stress. One important reason why college students are stressed is the weight of expectations being placed upon them from their parents. Sam...
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...Versus: Competition is a Child’s Best Competitor Life is not fair. One of the most overused phrases still to this day. That phrase is overused for a reason. Life really is not fair. During early adolescence we are taught to share your things, be fair, and that everyone is equal. How nice this American society would be if those virtues of being equal were true, but sadly it is not. As someone’s cognitive abilities develop and they start to assess their abilities, they automatically compare them to others, sometimes not even on purpose. As we grow up we learn that this society is a “dog-eat-dog” world, and if people do not possess the necessary skills and characteristics that one needs to get ahead or be on top, other people who are equipped with those essential skills will not even think twice about surpassing those who are lacking. By the time some people realize that America is dog-eat-dog society, they haven’t been prepared to handle competition correctly. The mere thought of a little competition scares the hell out of most people. That first loss that is handed to them during adolescence where their winning classmate throws up the “L” shape on their forehead and yells out “loser!” is almost unbearable. They completely bomb that group interview and are outshined by others in the same room where they have to openly compete for a spot in a company. Almost your entire life you have to compete either with yourself or others. Competition is very beneficial for adolescents and...
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...Book Review The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn University of Montevallo EDF561: Evaluations in Education Susan Scott Alfie Kohn’s (2006) book, The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing, gave me food for thought. Kohn opposes homework of any kind in any form for any grade level. He explores each commonly given, pro-homework argument in an attempt to persuade his readers, both parents and teachers, of the uselessness and possibly detrimental effects of the long-standing educational tradition. The first claim Kohn (2006) makes is that our children are “missing out on their childhoods” (p. 3). His opinion is that children spend seven hours in school everyday; that should be enough. He argues that kids need more time to be kids. Such time would include family time, friend time, time spent in extracurricular activities such as sports, music and art lessons, and play groups for younger kids. I agree. Kids do need time to enjoy their childhood. It is the most carefree time of their lives, relatively speaking. Does that mean they should have no homework at all? I am not yet ready to agree completely with that attitude. “Does homework improve learning?” Kohn (2006, p. 25) asks. The most significant issue he raises, in an attempt to answer that question, is regarding the kind of homework about which we are talking. Assignments can range from useless, fill-in-the-blank worksheets to extended projects that...
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...What Does It Mean To Be Well-Educated? Greg Bonner Abstract To be well-educated mean more than the quality of the schools and colleges I attend. My education began with the sovereignty of God, the Creator. At birth my training and education began with my parents and care-givers. Throughout my life I was taught by those whom God had predestined for me as stewards, mentors and teachers. God created me in His image in every way. Divine wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are gifts inclusive of His image. I was and am increased in His knowledge through the nurturing and discipline of the Holy Spirit, our parents, teachers, and professors. To be well-educated expands further than the class rooms and curriculum of studies. My God given knowledge is released in “precept upon precept, and line upon line” in all that I do personally, academically, and otherwise (Isaiah 28:9-10 ESV). The best schools do not merit one to be well-educated. To be well-educated is forever learning, never ceasing to learn the knowledge of God in one’s self and others. What Does It Mean To Be Well-Educated? Reading Alfie Kohn’s article, “What Does it Mean to Be Well-Educated?” compelled me to answer the question. His article caused me to reflect and assess my own meaning of one being well-educated. My initial thought was that of academic and scholastic achievement. Being well-educated entails greater experiences than academic success. Life lessons, discipline, and...
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...response to reading 'Design Juries on Trial, The Renaissance of the Design Studio, (1999) by Katherine H. Anthony. I am firstly sharing my best design experience at Harvard University School of Design, in a class 'Presentation Skills, and Getting Published', taught by Eugene Kohn, KPF Architects. When attending the presentation skills class, we were broken into small groups and given projects to attend to. When we pursued gathering information for this topic, we were guided by an attorney working for KPF who introduced us to a procedure called 'throwing the long ball'. Mr. Kohn's attorney shared several pages of a method where 3 students could sequentially gather a very large amount of information about a client, and that client's needs. When presenting our project, he used video cameras to record our body language, as we were practicing, like a mock jury, to package our best practiced presentation to our client. Eugene Kohn. ( property of Harvard University) Edward Larrabee Barnes would pull out a piece of paper with a doodle on it from a jacket pocket, then another sketch from another pocket, and so on. And he'd get the job. (Note from E. Kohn) My worst jury, being hesitantly upfront, dealt with chemical dependency. In my efforts to do well in design, I was up many evenings without sleep. To to get ahead, I foolishly indulged in Cocaine use. I thought nothing of using another student's work as being my own, ANC...
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...experienced this in my life as well. In my younger years, when my friends and I spent the majority of our days and nights playing Call of Duty, we dreamed of becoming pro gamers. However, such a reality is not realistic. Maybe, if we dedicated enough time, eventually one of us could make it, but not all of us. It is just not reasonable. In life, the person best suited for a position is the one who outperforms the rest. We are driven by competition, and therefore, it is irresponsible and unjust for society to paint an unrealistic perception of reality. There are many critics who propose directions our education system can go in to better serve students and society as a whole. One such commentator is the well known author and lecturer, Alfie Kohn. Kohn argues grades are counterproductive to the academic development of students. He claims grades tend to reduce students’ interest in the learning itself, and states “One of the most well-researched findings in the field of motivational psychology is that the more people are rewarded for doing something, the more they tend to lose interest in whatever they had to do to get the reward” (1). He suggests getting rid of grades all together and placing a focus moreso on the learning. Interestingly, I find many instances in my life in which a lack of grades would have made me a better learner. One such example is the way I took Spanish quizzes. I would memorize the required material the day before, so it would be fresh on my mind; however, after...
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...In “Do Our Kids Get Off Too Easy?” Alfie Kohn argues that now the reward comes too easily, lead to the children lost the sense of competition. He thinks the Children to take part in the game that the children don't care the result good or bad. Their parents are encouraged to them. Making them think confident and they always think that they are the best one, but they don't know the cruelty of reality. If they encounter failure, or something hurt self-esteem. They will not solve the problem, or maybe harm to their mental health. Also, he thinks the children should know cruelty of reality in the life. The authors suggest that the first, the child can't get rewarded without effort. Second, children need to know that only a few students can get...
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... BY REV. JOSEPH T. WHITAKER, III LU23755920 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY LYNCHBURG, VA JULY 6, 2015 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………2 2 Introduction The question of what does it mean to be well-educated is addressed by author Alfie Kohn. Mr. Kohn expresses, “It’s not enough to memorize facts or score well on tests but a good education is hard to define.” The author shares some personal reflections about his wife Alisa, as an illustration in building a foundation to help provide the answer to the question, what does it mean to be well-educated. Mr. Kohn outlines his wife’s educational background, her current employment, and certain perceived deficiencies in her education. The author’s conclusions are markedly different than my own, inasmuch as I am convinced that to be well educated means to possess a balanced education that exhibits orthodox academic achievement, and practical knowledge that contributes to the fulfillment and enjoyment of daily life. The author shares: When I met Alisa, she was at Harvard, putting the finishing touches on her doctoral dissertation in anthropology. A year later, having spent her entire...
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...Classroom Management Theorists and Theories/Burrhus Frederic Skinner < Classroom Management Theorists and Theories Contents 1 Overview of Skinner's Theories of Classroom Management 2 Implementation of Skinner's Theories 3 Critique of Skinner's Theories 4 Questions for Consideration 5 References Overview of Skinner's Theories of Classroom Management[edit] The Theory Skinner believed that the goal of psychology should be practical (Lieberman, 2000). As it relates to education, Skinner believed the goal of psychology should be to find ways to make education enjoyable and effective for all students. His learning theory relied on the assumption that the best way to modify behavior was to modify the environment. Skinner was a proponent for many instructional strategies that modern day “progressive” educational reformers advocate for: scaffold instruction, small units, repetition and review of instructions, and immediate feedback. Skinner did not approve of the use of punishments in school, or as a behavioral modification technique in general, and based these opinions on his own empirical research that found punishments to be ineffective (Lieberman, 2000). Skinner himself advocated for the frequent use of reinforcement (i.e. rewards) to modify and influence student behavior. Skinner’s primary contribution to behavioral management philosophy has been from his research on operant conditioning and reinforcement schedules. An operant is a behavior that acts on the surrounding...
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...Morgan and assist with coordination of appropriate and related medical care, and identify needs to facilitate recovery. INTERVIEW SETTING On 717/17 I met Mr. Morgan at the office of Dr. Kohn. Mr. Morgan arrived alone. He is willing to provide prior and current medical history and work with a nurse case manager. MEDICAL FACTORS Mr. Morgan reports that while working he was throwing a tailgate into the dumpster the left arm was hit in the bicep when it bounced back. He had immediate deformity to the arm. He was seen at an urgent care clinic and sent to orthopedic Dr. Kohn for repair of a torn bicep tendon. The...
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...really teaching when the student is not learning?”. Growing up within the American educational system, I always asked that question to myself and wondered in what ways was the system challenging us? Both Alfie Kohn and John Taylor Gatto agree that there are many flaws within the structure, school is tedious and students aren't really learning, therefore holding us back from our true potential. I am more in favor of Kohn because schools are significant to society and if we fix a few mistakes then and there, we might make learning exciting once again. Gatto quoted a saying by H.L. Mencken that read “the aim of public education is not to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence… Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim… is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry” (303). So basically, all that schools doing is turning you into civilized, unimaginative citizens. This is one of the reason why creativity and originality is diminishing in our world. Kohn on the other hand believes that because of the grading system placed by the administration, students are too busy focusing on their scores rather than thinking deeply and stimulating their creative side. Kohn states that because of the grading policy “the more pressure to get an A, the less inclination to truly challenge oneself” (287) and that leads to students taking the easy route instead of pushing their minds...
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