Hosting a Successful Open House

Hosting a Successful Open House Your best chance to make a positive first impression Your students' parents are powerful allies and can make your job much more manageable. Learn some tips on how to foster a positive relationship with parents and host a successful open house. New teachers will find this resource particularly valuable. Looking for more Back to School resources? We have hundreds of them in our Back to School Headquarters. Updated on: February 1, 2007 Hosting a Successful Open HouseThe Universal After-School Question Expert Opinion Here's a nifty idea I always share with parents: invite parents to change the typical question they ask their children every day. Instead of asking their children, “What did you learn in school today?” they should inquire, “What questions did you ask in school today?” By making this slight change, parents will be able to have more stimulating conversations with their youngsters instead of a series of painfully brief responses (“Nothing!”; “I dunno!”). By this point you may be thinking, “Hey, there seems to be a lot of stuff to juggle and manage as a teacher.” Well, that's true. But here's a tip on how you can make that juggling a little easier and double your influence as a teacher: enlist parents as partners in your classroom instructional program. But first, a story: in 1944, the nuclear physicist Isidor Isaac Rabi won the Nobel Prize for his work on atomic nuclei. After his acc eptance speech, he was asked about some of the major influences in his life. He told the story about how he grew up in Brooklyn. When his friends all came home from school, their parents always asked them, “What did you learn in school today?” However, when Isidor came home from school each day, his mother always asked him, “Izzy, did you ask a good question today?” He told how that single question from his mother every day helped him develop the inquisitive mind necessary for academic success and his eventual scientific discoveries. Most teachers have discovered that parents can be very powerful allies in any child's educationâ€"from preschool up through twelfth grade. Keeping parents informed and inviting them to become part of the educational process can significantly influence any youngster's scholastic success. Teachers who take advantage of “parent power” are those who significantly multiply their teaching effectiveness. Putting Out the Welcome Mat Secondary Thoug hts Parent involvement is not just for elementary students. The success of students at the middle school or high school level is highly dependent upon the engagement parents as educational partners. Former high school teacher Phil Monteith says, “You better be in touch with parents, or you are missing a tremendous public relations opportunity. When middle school and high school teachers start a conversation with parents, then positive opinions about teachers in the community escalate.” Open housesâ€"and their close cousins, the back-to-school night and the meet-the-teacher nightâ€"are one of the annual rites of passage for every classroom teacher. Whether you are teaching elementary school or high school, you will undoubtedly be part of this event every year. Open houses occur sometime during the first few weeks of the school year and are an opportunity for parents to get to know you and their child's academic program. Open houses, back-to-school night, and meet-the-teacher nig ht provide parents with an “inside look” into the daily activities and occurrences of your classroom. It's also a wonderful opportunity for you to actively recruit parents as partners in the education of their children. Here are some tips and ideas that can help you make this annual event successful and purposeful: Send out personal invitations beforehand. You may want to invite your students to construct the invitations using art materials. Instead of asking students to take them home (where they may wind up in the washing machine), consider mailing the invitations. On the invitation, include the following information: name and address of the school, date and time of the event, your room number (and how to find the room), your name, and a brief outline of the evening's schedule. Plan your presentation and what you will be saying to parents beforehand. Be sure you share something about yourself (where you grew up, your education, your family, your educational philosophy) as well as some of your goals for the year. Your presentation should be no longer than 10 to 11 minutes tops! If your presentation is longer than 11 minutes, it will definitely fall on deaf ears (take it from meâ€"this is an inviolable rule!). Here are some topics you might want to cover: Elementary School Middle School/High School Daily schedule Discipline policy Homework Homework Grading Grading Classroom rules Field trips Remedial help Report cards Special programs Fund-raisers Reading curriculum Extracurricular activities It's Elementary A friend of mine shares this very important piece of advice: When setting up your room for back-to-school night or open house, be sure to have plenty of adult chairs available. My first year of teaching first grade, I forgot this rule. As a result, I had many very large adults trying to sit in many very small chairs. It was quite embarrassing to watch people trying to stand up at the end of my presentation. Secondary Thoughts For open houses at the m iddle school and high school levels, parents typically follow a much-abbreviated schedule of classes that their child participates in each day. It's important that you keep your presentation short and snappy because parents will need to move to several additional rooms throughout the evening. Dress professionallyâ€"remember, first impressions are often lasting impressions. Men should wear a coat and tie or at least a dress shirt and tie along with pressed slacks. Women should wear a pantsuit, blouse and skirt, or dress. Incidentally, go “light” on the perfume and aftershave. Prepare your room appropriately. Hang a “Welcome” sign outside the door, and be sure your name and the room number are prominently displayed. Have a sign-in sheet for parents as well as a handout listing the activities and presentations for the evening. Freshen up your bulletin boards, and print a daily schedule on the chalkboard. Set out sample textbooks, and be sure all desks and tables are clean. Be s ure each child's desk has a folder with samples of the student's work. Post additional student work (be sure to have at least three samples for each student) on bulletin boards. Post photographs of students and activities throughout the room. Keep in mind that some parents may not have fond memories about their school experiences, so here's a great opportunity for you to win them over! Greet each and every parent at the door with a handshake and a smile. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to put your best foot forward. Be sure every parent has a name tag (remember that the last name of a student and the last name of her or his parents may be differentâ€"always, always check beforehand). Provide a tray of refreshments (ask for contributions, particularly if different cultures are represented in your classroom) and appropriate drinks. As parents arrive, direct them to a table on which you have a stack of index cards, pencils/pens, and an empty shoebox. Invite parents to write a q uestion or two on a card and place it in the box. At the end of your presentation, quickly shuffle through the cards and respond to general questions or those most frequently asked (“How much homework do you give?” “How is reading taught?”). Inform parents that you will contact them personally to respond to more specific questions or ones that focus exclusively on their child's work or progress (“Why did Angela miss recess the other day?” “When will Peter be able to see the reading specialist?”). Keep your presentation brief (remember K.I.S.S.â€"Keep It Short and Sweet!). Afterward, invite parents to stay and look at their child's work. Circulate around the room, try to meet all the parents again with another handshake and smile, and offer at least one positive remark about their child. This is not the time for personal conferences (“I'd really like to talk with you, Mrs. Smith. May I call you to set up a personal meeting at another time?”).

Similarities Between Socrates And Machiavelli - 1197 Words

Socrates and Machiavelli both grew up in times of political instability which formed and shaped their political beliefs. Machiavelli primarily discussed his view of how a leader should behave in the book: The Prince. A prince is an individual who is the leader of a state or group of people. Machiavelli’s version of a prince is very accurate but, Socrates would not support Machiavelli’s version of a prince. Machiavelli believed a prince must be domineering and aggressive, while Socrates viewed the government/leader’s in a compassionate role. Socrates valued education and a non-corrupted government. On the other hand, Machiavelli has no qualms with princes who must get their hands dirty to succeed. Getting one’s hands dirty could†¦show more content†¦Machiavelli would see this as a threat to the prince’s power by having citizens questioning the prince’s or government’s actions. A quote demonstrating support of this is: à ¢â‚¬Å"So a prince must not worry if he incurs reproach for his cruelty so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal. By making an example or two he will prove more compassionate than those who, being too compassionate, allows disorder which lead to murder and rapine.† (The Prince, Pg. 53). This shows how Machiavelli views compassion as a pathway leading towards anarchy for the prince and thus he wants to avoid this scenario completely. Socrates believed in teaching the youth to learn or question; he believed in educating the people, and that people are important to the state. Machiavelli believed that the people were mostly uneducated and that it was easier to rule that way. As long as the people were content with their prince, there were no threats to their power. However, Socrates wanted to keep the people enlightened/educated. These two ideas are contradictory to each other and thus demonstrate why Socrates would disagree with Machiavelli’s version of a prince. For example, during Socrates’ trial, he makes this remark to a fellow scholar: â€Å"if your sons had been colts or calves, we should have no difficulty in finding and engaging a trainer to make them excel in the appropriate qualities; and this trainer wouldShow MoreRelatedSimilarities Between Socrates And Machiavelli1905 Words   |  8 PagesEssay 1 While Socrates and Machiavelli lived over 1900 years apart, the dilemmas their societies faced draw many parallels. In Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince†, he demonstrates a wide-ranging set of rules and principles to be followed by a leader to ensure the steady maintenance of authority and stability in a state or principality. Not only would Socrates be opposed to many of the espoused views in â€Å"The Prince† on what creates a successful ruler, thereby society, but had he lived in Machiavelli’s â€Å"ideal†Read MoreSimilarities Between Socrates And Machiavelli1084 Words   |  5 Pagesamong them were Socrates and Machiavelli, whose ideas regarding violence and its ideal usage to us inspired countless other prominent figures after their respective times. Socrates believed humans are imperfect and fallible, and should therefore avoid using violence. Machiavelli on the on the other hand considered violence a useful tool in achieving one’s goals . Considering both thinkers’ impacts on history, a question arises: whose concept of violence is more corrupting, Socrates’ or Machiavelli’sRead MoreSimilarities Between Machiavelli And Socrates1534 Words   |  7 PagesGovernment 241: Political Philosophy Professor Ives October 13, 2017 The morality which guided Socrates were an end all, be all for him. He did not wish to live without his search for truth. Socrates would see a Machiavellian Prince as self-centered, and void of morals. A Machiavellian prince would not appreciate the way Socrates carried himself and would see him as a challenge to his authority. Socrates would not support a Machiavellian society because most likely he would not be free to philosophizeRead MoreSimilarities Between Machiavelli And Socrates1250 Words   |  5 PagesMachiavelli and Socrates are two of the most influential figures in modern day political philosophy. These two individuals established the bases for our interpretation of the world and human political interaction. While they were separated by centuries and a significant geographic distance, it is fascinating nonetheless to ponder what they would think of each other. Sadly it is impossible to ask themselves and so we must instead turn to their writings in order to glean an ide a of what their opinionsRead MoreSimilarities Between Socrates And Machiavelli1649 Words   |  7 PagesSocrates and Machiavelli both existed during times of political unrest. Both men sought different means of political leadership, and could be seen as activists of their times. During times of war and unrest, it was a bold choice that both men made to stand up for their beliefs and speak out against the system. However, Socrates wouldn’t have agreed with Machiavelli’s means and concepts of the Prince and his ideas for how a political establishment should function. Machiavelli’s means may have beenRead MoreSimilarities Between Machiavelli And Socrates1544 Words   |  7 PagesMachiavelli and Socrates agree on very little. While an initial reading of the two may elicit some comparisons, the goals of their respective philosophies rely on different foundations, and would therefore culminate in very different political results for society. Socrates would likely see in the Prince a selfish ruler, while Machiavelli would see in Socrates a dangerous idealist whose ideas would lead to instability and the death of the state in which these ideas were implemented. Machiavelli’sRead MoreSimilarities Between Socrates And Machiavelli1803 Words   |  8 PagesMachiavelli and Socrates were beings of their time. The world around them shaped their views, and their views have in turn shaped ours. While both lived through turbulent times, they do not share the same ideology. Socrates would dislike Machiavelli’s description of the ideal princ e, regardless of how the prince actually ruled. Socrates would oppose both how the prince got to power and keeps it, as well as the society over which he rules. Socrates assigned certain responsibilities to both the rulerRead MoreSimilarities Of Socrates And Machiavelli1669 Words   |  7 PagesBoth Socrates and Machiavelli emerged as renowned thinkers of their time because of their approaches to government that moved away from idealism and towards a rational and real approach. To understand why Socrates would be critical of Machiavelli’s concept of a Prince we must understand the similarities and differences between the two philosophers, and then analyze if Socrates would find his ruling system to be efficient. Socrates and Machiavelli value the qualities of a strong and fair ruler, howeverRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates1579 Words   |  7 PagesMachiavelli and Socrates Niccolo Machiavelli and Socrates both lived during turbulent, political times. Machiavelli in Florence, Italy and Socrates in Athens. Machiavelli’s The Prince outlines the necessary features and traits of a sovereign, primarily, a Prince. It served as a handbook to effective rulership in the 16th century. By analyzing Machiavelli’s belief that a prince should be strategically feared, the role of free will , and the role of the people , I will argue that Machiavelli hasRead MoreThe Ideas Of Machiavelli And Socrates1988 Words   |  8 PagesThe ideas of Machiavelli and Socrates have influenced the leadership styles and approaches of leaders around the world. From Stalin to the founding fathers of the United States, Machiavellian influenced motives and ideals can be seen throughout modern history. Socrates is often referred to as the founder of Western philosophy, and his teachings have been passed on to leaders over the centuries. This paper will state both the Machiavel li’s concept of a ‘Prince’, and present Socrates’ perspective on

Jacqueline Jones, Labor of Love, Labor of Sorrow Black Women, Work, and the Family, from Slavery to the Present Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Labour Of Love, Labour Of Sorrow LABOUR OF LOVE, LABOUR OF SORROW The book presents the widely explored history of the double livingup to expectations universes of black American women–at home and in the workforce–from servitude to present. The book highlights the routes in which the exceptional social history of subjugation and being liable to both sexism and bias has affected black American ladies lives. To understand and compare slavery today and in the past, you need to understand what Jones, (2009) what trying to imply in her book. The patterns of slavery as depicted by Jones (2009) in respect to black women reflects on both the gains and losses across America. The historian from the Unoversity of Texas, argues that laziness was used as a tool to demonize black women as other challenges of racism and sexism made it difficult for them to achieve any meaningful equal treatment in the society. Family, historically variously defined, constituted both the first basic human social orders and protype, basic building square and purposeful for all, resulting more intricate human social aggregation (Jones, 2009). We will write a custom essay sample on Jacqueline Jones, Labor of Love, Labor of Sorrow: Black Women, Work, and the Family, from Slavery to the Present or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

The Black Death Free Essays

string(26) " divided into five parts\." â€Å"The Black Death: Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe† by Robert S. Gottfried is known as â€Å"A fascinating work of detective history, The Black Death traces the causes and far-reaching consequences of this infamous outbreak of plague that spread across the continent of Europe from 1347 to 1351. Drawing on sources as diverse as monastic manuscripts and dendrochronological studies (which measure growth rings in trees), historian Robert S. We will write a custom essay sample on The Black Death or any similar topic only for you Order Now Gottfried demonstrates how a bacillus transmitted by rat fleas brought on an ecological reign of terror — killing one European in three, wiping out entire villages and towns, and rocking the foundation of medieval society and civilization. † The Black Death was an epidemic which spread across almost all of Europe in the years 1346 –1353; the plague killed over a third of the entire population. It has been described as the worst natural disaster in European history. The Black Death discusses the causes and results of the plague that devastated medieval Europe. It focuses on the many effects it had on the culture of medieval Europe and the possibility that it expedited cultural change. Robert S. Gottfried argued that rodent and insect life cycles, as well as the changing of weather systems affect plague. He claimed that the devastation plague causes is partly due to its perpetual recurrences. Plague ravaged Europe in cycles, devastated the people when they were recuperating. As can be later discovered in the book, the cycles of plague consumed the European population. A second thesis, which he described in greater detail, was that the plagues expedited the process of cultural change. The plagues killed a large percentage of each generation, leaving room for change. Why the name, Black Death? â€Å"The traditional belief is that it was so called because the putrefying flesh of the victims blackened in the final hours before death supervened. The trouble about this otherwise plausible theory is that no such phenomenon occurred. It is true that, in cases of septicemic plague, small black or purple blotches formed on the bodies of the sick and this symptom must have made a vivid impression on beholders† (Ziegler) Coming out of the East, the Black Death reached the shores of Italy in the spring of 1348 unleashing a rampage of death across Europe unprecedented in recorded history. By the time the epidemic played itself out three years later, anywhere between 25% and 50% of Europe’s population had fallen victim to the pestilence. The plague presented itself in three interrelated forms. The symptoms were not the same as in the East, where a gush of blood from the nose was the plain sign of inevitable death; but it began both in men and women with certain swellings in the groin or under the armpit. They grew to the size of a small apple or an egg, more or less, and were vulgarly called tumors. In a short space of time these tumors spread from the two parts named all over the body. Soon after this the symptoms changed and black or purple spots appeared on the arms or thighs or any other part of the body, sometimes a few large ones, sometimes many little ones. These spots were a certain sign of death, just as the original tumors had been and still remained. The bubonic variant (the most common) derives its name from the swellings or buboes that appeared on a victim’s neck, armpits or groin. These tumors could range in size from that of an egg to that of an apple. Although some survived the painful ordeal, the manifestation of these lesions usually signaled the victim had a life expectancy of up to a week. Infected fleas that attached themselves to rats and then to humans spread this bubonic type of the plague. A second variation, pneumonic plague, attacked the respiratory system and was spread by merely breathing the exhaled air of a victim. It was much more virulent than its bubonic cousin – life expectancy was measured in one or two days. Finally, the septicemic version of the disease attacked the blood system. Having no defense and no understanding of the cause of the pestilence, the men, women and children caught in its onslaught were bewildered, panicked, and finally devastated. The Black Death covers the affects that numerous plagues had on the culture. There appear to have been several separate introductions into Europe. It reached Sicily in October 1347 carried by twelve Genoese galleys where it rapidly spread all over the island. Galleys from Caffa reached Genoa and Venice in January 1348 but it was the outbreak in Pisa a few weeks later that was the entry point to northern Italy. Towards the end of January one of the galleys expelled from Italy arrived in Marseilles. From Italy the disease spread northwest across Europe, striking France, Spain, Portugal and England by June 1348, then turned and spread east through Germany and Scandinavia from 1348 to 1350. It was introduced in Norway in 1349 when a ship landed at Askoy, then proceeded to spread to Bjorgvin but never reached Iceland. Finally it spread to north-western Russia in 1351; however, the plague largely spared some parts of Europe, including the Kingdom of Poland and isolated parts of Belgium and the Netherlands. The cycle of the plagues struck each generation. After a plague ravaged Europe from 599-699, plague killed in 608, 618, 628, 640, 654, 684-686, 694-700, 718, and 740-750. In the early stages of the above series, intervals are apparent. These intervals demonstrate the cycles of the rodent and insect life. Robert S. Gottfried also argues, rightfully so, that plague may have hastened cultural change. Along with plagues came the need for a cure. Plague destroyed the existing medical systems, and was replaced by a modern heir. Previous to the plague, scientists based their knowledge on early scientists such as Hippocrates and Galen. Scientists knew little about what they were doing. The medical community was divided into five parts. You read "The Black Death" in category "Papers" These divisions were physicians, surgeons, barber-surgeons, apothecaries, and unlicensed practitioners. These divisions were adequate when Europe was without plague, but were obviously not prepared for plague. Doctors responded with a series of changes are to thank for the development of modern science. Although the government had medical workers try to prevent the plague, the plague persisted. Most medical workers quit and journeyed away because they feared getting the plague themselves. There were methods that did work. Cities were hardest hit and tried to take measures to control an epidemic no one understood. In Milan, to take one of the most successful examples, city officials immediately walled up houses found to have the plague, isolating the healthy in them along with the sick. Venice took sophisticated and stringent quarantine and health measures, including isolating all incoming ships on a separate island. But people died anyway, though fewer in Milan and Venice than in cities that took no such measures. Pope Clement VI, living at Avignon, sat between two large fires to breath pure air. The plague bacillus actually is destroyed by heat, so this was one of the few truly effective measures taken. Gottfried succeeded in convincing me that his thesis was truth. The opening chapters gave me a solid background of plague, explaining why he believes it had such an impact on medieval population and culture. Next, it delves into the affect that changing weather had on the plagues, explaining the European environment during 1050-1347; the time of plagues greatest destruction. That complete, Gottfried describes the consequences immediately following the plague. It is said that the disease killed 25% to 40% of Eurasia and part of Africa. By this point, it is more than obvious hat plague had a tragic affect on Medieval Europe, The Consequences and effects of the Black Death plague were prices and wages rose, greater value was placed on labor, farming land was given over to pasturing, which was much less labor-intensive, this change in farming led to a boost in the cloth and woolen industry, peasants moved from the country to the towns, the Black Death was therefore also responsible for t he decline of the Feudal system, people became disillusioned with the church and its power and influence went into decline, this resulted in the English reformation. After giving a full background on plague and European culture and environment, Gottfried gives solid details to support his theses. According to Gottfried, the Medical structure of Medieval Europe, adopted from that of the Romans, was nearly eliminated in the search for ways to cure plague. The spread of plague, successfully stated by Gottfried, directly depends on climate. Plague can only spread under certain climate conditions. In order for Y. Pestis, a series of complex bacterial strains, to survive, it mustn’t be too hot nor too cold. Too cold can kill the bacteria, and too hot can slow its progress. During the plague’s most devastating times, the temperature was perfect for the spread of Y. Pestis. Gottfried also describes that spread of plague can also depend on the strength of animals. Humans are merely secondary hosts to the fleas carrying Y. Pestis. The fleas afflict their host with the plague when they regurgitate the bacteria. These fleas prefer an animal host, not humans. When their animal host dies, they move on to a secondary host, possibly humans, but not necessarily. When the generation of bacteria-carrying fleas dies, or the temperatures prevent the plague from spreading, the cycle continues until all the variables once again allow for the plague to spread. Gottfried successfully conveys his point. Robert S. Gottfried achieved in getting his two theses across. His methods were to educate the reader on the topic, giving only the facts necessary to convey his point. After giving the reader information on plague and Medieval Europe, he argued his thesis, making frequent references to points he had made earlier in the book. Gottfried also made it obvious that others supported his theories. At the end of each important point, he marked it with a number corresponding to the reference in the back of the book. â€Å"Neither physicians nor medicines were effective. Whether because these illnesses were previously unknown or because physicians had not previously studied them, there seemed to be no cure. There was such a fear that no one seemed to know what to do. When it took hold in a house it often happened that no one remained who had not died. And it was not just that men and women died, but even sentient animals died. Dogs, cats, chickens, oxen, donkeys sheep showed the same symptoms and died of the same disease. And almost none, or very few, who showed these symptoms, were cured. The symptoms were the following: a bubo in the groin, where the thigh meets the trunk; or a small swelling under the armpit; sudden fever; spitting blood and saliva (and no one who spit blood survived it). It was such a frightful thing that when it got into a house, as was said, no one remained. Frightened people abandoned the house and fled to another. -Marchione di Coppo Stefani In conclusion, The Black Death successfully proves that a great deal of tragedy in the 13th century had much to do with animals in the environment. Death was a habitual visitor to fourteenth century Europe. Never before had humanity seen such widespread dying. Famines, wars, and a host of deadly diseases all took millions of lives during the 1300s. But the worst single calamity to wrack this troubled century was the Black Death—a plague that killed anywhere from 24-25 million Europeans between 1347 and 1351. As Frederick F. Cartwright and Michael D. Biddis, authors of Disease and History, observe, â€Å"The Black Death was not just another incident in the long list of epidemics which have smitten the world. It was probably the greatest European catastrophe in history. † Anywhere from 25 to 40 percent of the total population of Europe died from this plague. Similar death rates took place in Asia, the Mideast, the Mediterranean, Africa, and as far away as Greenland and Iceland, thus making the Black Death the greatest ecological calamity in human history. It also conveyed that plague accelerated the progress of culture, bringing the need for modern medicine. Gottfried makes it apparent that man did not understand enough about the environment to prevent plague, maybe a message to the world today. Dense population, as Gottfried suggested, breeds plague. Early plague has educated us, and we should focus on this, plague seems to be inevitable with certain circumstances and lack of knowledge. Not only did Gottfried educate us on the past, but may have prepared us for the future. Works Citied â€Å"Efforts to Stop the Plague. † Insecta Inspecta World. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. http://www. insecta-inspecta. com/fleas/bdeath/Stop. html. Gottfried, Robert Steven. The Black Death: Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe. New York: Free, 1983. Print. â€Å"The Black Death, 1348. † EyeWitness to History – History through the Eyes of Those Who Lived It. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. http://www. eyewitnesstohistory. com/plague. htm. How to cite The Black Death, Papers The Black Death Free Essays Black Death refers to a bubonic and pneumonic plague believed to have come from rats and which spread throughout Western Europe during the 14th century resulting to the death of millions, drastically decreasing the overall population of Europe, and changing the economic and cultural landscape of the region. It came in periodic epidemics from 1300s to the 1700s in the various places where it struck. The plague is said to have originated in Central Asia when the Mongol army, in an attempt to take siege of the Caffa in the Crimea during the early 1300s, catapulted plague-infested corpses into the city. We will write a custom essay sample on The Black Death or any similar topic only for you Order Now The fleeing traders carried the disease with them to Sicily. From Italy, it immediately spread into peopled towns and cities around neighboring France, Spain, Portugal, England, and other parts of Europe. It caused the total disappearance of villages as about one-third of the entire population of Europe died in the epidemic which ensued. It was most virulent in England where it claimed about half of its population. It spread quickly because doctors did not have enough knowledge then on how to cure the disease and any purpose of finding a cure was defeated by the fact that the plague claimed its victim within a week. Poor hygiene and sanitation practices among the crowded European cities also contributed to the outbreak. Aside from the dramatic decrease in Europe’s population, the Black Death stopped on-going wars and caused a slump in trade. It decreased available labor in the farmlands. It even affected the Catholic Church as people turned to superstition to explain the cause of the plague when their faith could not do anything to cure it. There was mass slaughter and burning of Jews who were accused of spreading the plague. A good effect of the epidemic, however, is that the shortage of workers resulted to better remuneration for the peasants as farm owners tried to outdo each other in luring the peasantry to work for them. These resulted to social mobility which would eventually lessen the power of the nobility and clergy in succeeding centuries. The Black Death experience illustrates how disease could change the history of humankind especially if it affects multitudes of populations around the world. With the advanced technology in the field of medicine today however, and the presence of international organizations like the World Health Organization, it has become easier to contain epidemics before they could become as widespread as the Black Death experience. How to cite The Black Death, Papers

My Unsung Hero free essay sample

Hero. What we think when we hear that word? People who sacrifices their lives with blood, sweat and tears to defend the nation? Thats right. But I thinks hero is not always the revolutionary, a hero can be anything. Many people think of their stuff as the Hero, or a singer or an actress, even plants and animals can be the heroes for people. I think Hero Is someone that can make our life different than before, better and more useful than yesterday. The greatest hero of all to me She is my mother.She is an extra ordinary woman in the world who takes is -? are of me from I cant do anything, until I can do a lot of things like now. My mother, she has given me a birth, raises me and takes care of me. She always gives me attention as long as Im still breathing in this world. We will write a custom essay sample on My Unsung Hero or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I downtown what Im going to be without her from the time even before I was born, she had already loved me by giving me everything I need in her belly, for nine months. She held a very big load of me with no complains at all. On the day I was born, did she stop loving me when she knew and realized that all babies do Just make hurtled.They urinate and poop overtime they want, crying all the time, eating with messy, throw up her clothes? No, she TLD! Shuttles loves me no matter what happens. Why? Because she loves me. Sometimes we forget about her kindness, dont care whether she Is healthy or need something. Does she ever forget me like I sometimes forget her? I dont think so. She still remembered when the first time I called her Mum. It was the first word I can say and she couldnt stop crying because she was so happy to hear it, as she did the first time I gave her a birthday present.My mum is very special to me because she gave me lots of love and care. No one has ever done that to me before. And that will always be In my heart forever. My mum can be the best mum in the world! An example why she is caring would me after the school; she would calm and check If Im alright. She buys me vitamins, fruits and vegetables and every time I get sick, she would stay up whole night to take good care of me. She gives me medicine and she will try her best to make me feel better. My mum taught me two very important things. She taught me responsibility and aspect.I leaned to always respect others and never yell theme especially to the adults. And I also learned to never make fun of other peoples culture and always respect them. Last but not the least, I learned always to do my homework on time, study, do what I am supposed to do toadstool, and never get lazy when it comes to chores. And thats what I learned from my amazing mum. My mum Is a real hero because shes always Glenn me good advice. Also, because she Is very supportive. My mum gives me good advice by telling me to watch who I nag with and be careful who I trust.She Is overpopulates because sharpest my decisions and tells me shell always be here for me. Another, good trait my mum has has no problem with voicing her opinion. Also, because she is loyal. You can depend on her and she wont let you down. Last but not least, she is a good hearted because she is always kind to others. One time there was a woman who was homeless and was hungry, so my mum gave her some food. I think my mum is a great model because she is a leader, she is nice, caring, respectful and responsible. I always make mistakes but my mum always forgives me.She always says everyone makes mistakes dear. My mum is my hero because she was and always be there for me. I learned that a hero doesnt have to be rich or famous. They could someone who is close to you or makes a difference in your life. I also learned that it shouldnt matter if others like you. Like my hero said, No, I dont care what others think of me. As longs like myself. If I was famous, I would television how wonderful my mum is. She will always be my hero and always will be in my heart. I love you, Mum!

Who were Hitlers willing executioners Essay Example

Who were Hitlers willing executioners Essay When Hitlers men first mobilized through Poland on their way to conquer Russia in operation Barbarossa, a soldier witnessed German officers beating a Jewish man and mocking him by saying how many Germans did you steal from today. But what this soldier really witnessed was the beginning of the Genocide of the entire Jewish race, which today is known as the holocaust. During the holocaust the Germans extinguished the lives of six million Jews and, had Germany not been defeated, would have annihilated millions more. Whats more shocking than the actual event itself is the fact that an event of such nature was even possible, that German societies anti Semitic attitude was the perfect breeding ground for extermination.With Hitler injecting all sorts of propaganda to convince Germans that Jews are the cause of all Germanys problems and adding to peoples anti Semitic attitude, he was able to finally see his life long dream which was the elimination of European Jewry. The extermination of t he Jewish race would not have been possible if it were not for the ordinary Germans in particular the police force battalions who were carrying out the executions. Although the final solution to the Jewish question was engineered by Nazi leadership, it was the willing executioners/perpetrators who abided by this evil genocide and made the holocaust possible. Mass executions by the police force were carried out in an attempt to extinguish the Jewish race, however this process was taking too long and Heinrich Himmler appointed the police forces to begin the transport of Jewish people to concentration camps where gas chambers would end their suffering at extremely large numbers and thus, increase the rate of extermination.In order to completely understand the deeds of the perpetrators of the holocaust, the origins and the reasons for the Nazis and Germans passionately hating the Jews must be closely examined. However some sources claim that the perpetrators of the holocaust were coerce d it is still important that the origins and reasons of this hate is examined.Germany did not invent anti Semitism, they just took care of it. Anti Jewish policies and actions did not begin in Germany in 1933 when Hitler announced that the Jews were to be exterminated. Jews had been victims of destructive action for many centuries and this began in the fourth century in Rome after Christ. The Jews were forced to convert to Christianity but the Jews refused because they saw that Christ was elevated to Godhood in Christianity and the Jews believed in One God who is indivisible. Conversion was the first anti Jewish policy and if it was unsuccessful then the second anti- Jewish policy would be implemented, which was expulsion and exclusion. This was the adopted policy by Nazis and remained the goal of all anti-Jewish policy until 1941.(The Holocaust: Origins, Implementation, Aftermath pg 23-24 Omar Bartov, 2000)However that year was a turning point in anti-Jewish history. The Nazis found themselves in the midst of a total war with several million Jews incarcerated in ghettos. Emigrating these Jews was impossible and a last minute project to ship the Jews to Madagascar had fallen through. The Nazis then found that the final solution to the Jewish problem was to eliminate all European Jewry. This was the third anti Jewish policy in History and it was created by Hitler and the Nazi party.(The Holocaust: Origins, Implementation, Aftermath pg 25- Omar Bartov, 2000)Simply, the main reason behind Hitlers anti-Semitism is that he believed the Jews are to blame for Germanys loss in 1918 and the Depression. Evidence that the Nazis blamed the Jews for the war is in source 1 which is a poster showing a hand pointing down at a Jew aided by large bold words stating he bears the guilt for the war. This was the event that turned Hitlers anti-Semitism into a central obsession. To Hitler the Jews were the universal enemy which had relentlessly led the external and internal war against Germany. He believed in international Jewry as an actually existing political subject with vast power that was hostile to Germany. He also believed that a Jewish international conspiracy was intent on exterminating Germany and the Germans.Therefore Hitler portrayed the Holocaust as a defensive act, a necessary move to destroy the Jews before they destroyed Germany. Source 2 provides evidence that Nazi propaganda believed in a Jewish conspiracy. The primary source contains a stereotypical Jewish face with arrows pointing to Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin showing a conspiracy theory with the Jews and the allied leaders. Beside this diagram is a list claiming that all people in high places under the allied leaders are somehow Jewish or connected to Jews. This source is useful as it shows historians that the Nazis ultimately believed in a Jewish conspiracy and that they used it to justify the need for the extermination of Jews to condition the public to believe the same.(The J ewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda During WWII And The Holocaust pg 1-4,166-Jeffry Herf, 2006)The Nazi party propagandists used all sorts of propaganda to increase peoples hatred and anti-Semitism. It is no wonder why the Holocaust was made possible and many institutions of killing such as the police force were willing to execute the Jews as Nazi propaganda presented all sorts of conspiracies which made people fear the presence of Jews in Germany. For example source 3 presents a poster with the image of an American Jew Nathan Kaufman and below the image is a caption stating He demands the complete extermination of the German people. This image is useful as it shows historians how the Nazi propagandists use the Jewish conspiracy to justify their reasons for the extermination of European Jewry as self defence as this poster is a call to eliminate Germans. The use of propaganda to submit the Jews as part of a conspiracy theory at the time would have positioned the executioners to believe tha t what they were doing was right as they were protecting themselves from the Jews.(The Jewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda During WWII And The Holocaust pg 166-Jeffry Herf, 2006)The police battalions during World War II were known as the agents of genocide. The Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) was as integral to the commission of the holocaust as the Einsatzgruppen and the SS were. It was composed of the Uniformed Police (Schutzpolizei), under which police battalions operated, and the Rural Police (Gendarmerie). Police battalions were the branch of the Order Police most intimately involved in the Genocide. Unlike other parts of the Order Police, their mobility made them a flexible general instrument for implementing genocidal policies. A large percentage of the Germans who were members of the police battalions were ordinary Germans, they were not selected according to military or ideological fitness.In fact, the police battalion would take anyone it could get and its men were usually consid ered unfit for military service, after all, their main objective was to exterminate Jews and this required no military experience. The men of police battalions operated both alone and frequently in conjunction with other forces from other institutions including the German army, SS Security Service and camp personnel. The activities the police battalion force participated in ranged widely. They undertook ordinary police duties, engaged in anti-partisan warfare, some even fought beside the army on the front. But their most valued activity by the Nazis at the time was their deportation of people to concentration camps either to be killed or provide labour for Germany, and regularly hunting and killing Jews in large masses in German occupied territory. It was due to these activities undertaken by the police battalion force that the holocaust was made possible.(Hitlers Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans And The Holocaust pg181 David Jonah Goldhagen, 1996)Police Battalion 101 was an institution that engaged wholeheartedly in the German extermination of European Jewry. The battalion consisted of lower middle class and lower class Germans which is evident in Source 4 (Class and occupational subgroups of those in the Battalion) and this was due mainly to the units shortage. This battalion served its pre-genocidal life in Poland in September 1939 and operated there until December 1939 where it secured conquered areas and guarded POWs and military installations. In February 1943 the battalion became fully engaged in its Genocidal acts against the Jews undertaking numerous killing operations, sometimes shooting the Jews by the thousands themselves, or deporting them by the thousands to the gas chambers. It is evident in Source 5 and 6 that Police Battalion 101underttok large scale slaughtering of Jews in the thousands and also the deportation of Jews to death camps. These two sources are useful and important to historians because they provide the location, date, numb er of victims and the method of killing which took place in the genocide of the Polish Jews by Police battalion 101.(Hitlers Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans And The Holocaust pg 203 -207 David Jonah Goldhagen, 1996)A major communal extermination in Lomazy was entered in police battalion 101s ledger shortly after a communal slaying in Jozefow. Unlike in Jozefow, where the entire battalion participated in the Genocidal slaughter, in Lomazy the killing was left to the Second Company to perform on its own. The Jews were concentrated in their own section of the city. It took the men of The Second Company two hours to round up their victims and bring them to the designated assembly point which was the athletic area near the towns school. This is evident in Source 7 as it shows men of Police Battalion 101 guarding Jews on the athletic field before executing them. The round up proceeded without pity and those who could not make it to the assembly area were killed on the spot. Source 8 is a court judgement which summarises the dedication of the men to their task. The Germans shot the old, the infirm, and the young on the streets and in their homes and beds. At the athletic area the Germans separated the men from the women and lead a group of about sixty Jews to a wooded area where they were forced to dig a mass grave for the execution.This is evident in Source 9 as it shows Jewish men digging a large grave using shovels. The inscription on the back of the photograph identifies the scene for execution. It says Jews constructing a mass grave/Lomartczy 18 Aug 1942/1600. After a while the overdue Hiwis (those who were to carry out the executions) arrived and sat down for breakfast. They feasted in front of their victims and the German commander of the Hiwis began to drink vodka. The Jews were strongly suspicious of what awaited them. They began to walk the Jews to the execution site and the Germans shot any Jew who strayed or fell behind. This caused panic and Jews at the back began to surge forward knocking down their brethrens down and trampling over them. When they got to the execution site the Jews were separated according to gender and their clothing was removed.The Jews would have to lay down and would receive one bullet to the head. Then the next set of Jews would have to lay above those previously shot with their skull bursted predecessors. Since the Hiwis were drinking a lot they soon got drunk and found it hard to aim straight at the head. So in some cases the bullet would not kill the victim, but the German commander of the Hiwis clearly said that no mercy shots would be issued on this day so those would stay in pain and would die a slow painful death. Soon the Hiwis got so drunk it was impossible to continue and they were replaced by the commanders lieutenants. This was one of many events were entire Jewish communities were slaughtered in the thousands and it these events are the agents that made the holocaust possible.(Hitlers Wi lling Executioners: Ordinary Germans And The Holocaust pg223 -229 David Jonah Goldhagen, 1996)Some historians claim that the police force battalion members were coerced by the Nazis to take part in the genocidal slaughter of the Jewish race. This meant that the members of the battalion had no choice but to take part in the executions. However, in police battalion force 101 this was not the case. Before a mass killing would take place those in charge of their squads would tell their men that those who do not wish to kill are excused. One squad leader Sergeant Ernst Hegert, reported that in his platoon five men asked to be exempted from the killing after these men had already begun with the executions because they found it to burdensome to shoot women and children. The men were excused and were assigned to other duties such as transporting Jews to the scene for the duration of the killings. Two other sergeants Bentheim and Arthur Kammer also excused a few men under their commands. A third sergeant, Heinrich Steinmetz explicitly told his men before the executions that they do not have to kill. I would like also to mention that before the beginning of the execution, Sergeant Steinmentz said to the platoon that those who did not feel up to the upcoming task could come forward. There was an understanding between the battalion that the men who did not want to kill should not be forced to do so. Since sergeants and battalion commanders were exercising the acceptance of one opting out of killing, it means that those who slaughtered Jews did so voluntarily.(Hitlers Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans And The Holocaust pg 220-222 David Jonah Goldhagen, 1996)In conclusion the holocaust would not have been possible if it were not due to the willingness of ordinary Germans in the police battalion force to slaughter Jews in extremely large numbers. The reason that many men participated in these killing institutions was due to them being positioned by Nazi propagandists into believing that the Jews were part of a conspiracy theory and that if they did not exterminate them first, then they (the Germans) would be exterminated by the Jews. The men who carried out the executions were not forced as they were allowed to not take part in the killings, rather the men who carried out the executions done so voluntarily.

Happy Stakeholders in Special Education

Happy Stakeholders in Special Education Stakeholders in special education are the people who have something at stake. First, there are the parents and the child, who have much more than success on standardized tests at stake. Parents are concerned about their children gaining the skills they need to reach independence. Students are the ones in school. Their stake includes both the things they are currently aware of, like Am I happy? and things which will only be evident when they reach maturity: Will I have the skills to go to college or find a job? The Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL 42-142) established rights for children with handicaps. Because of the failure of public institutions to provide adequate services for children with handicaps, they gained new rights to these services. Now educational institutions, states, communities, and general education teachers have stakes in the successful delivery of services to children with disabilities. We as special educators find ourselves in the middle. Students First, of course, are the students. Keeping them happy in the present moment may make our lives easy, but denies them the challenges they need to do their best and acquire the skills they need to live independently. For a special educator the Rigor that we need to create is to align our instruction as much as possible to the standards: in most states today they are the Common Core State Standards. By following standards, we guarantee that we are laying down a foundation for future success in the curriculum, even though we may only be approximating the general education curriculum. Parents Next, of course, are parents. Parents have delegated the responsibility to act in the best interest of their children, though in some cases legal guardians or agencies may act on the childs behalf. If they believe that the Individual Education Plan (IEP) does not meet their childs needs, they have legal remedies, from asking for a due process hearing to taking the school district to court. Special educators who make the mistake of ignoring or discounting parents may be in for a rude awakening. Some parents are difficult (see Difficult Parents,) but even they usually are concerned about their childrens success. On the very, very rare occasion you will get a parent who suffers from Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome, but mostly parents seeking to get the right kind of help for their children dont know how to go about it, or they have been treated so dismissively that they will never trust a special educator. Keeping communication open with parents is the best way to have them as allies when you and their child face a really big behavioral challenge together. General Educators When the Education for All Handicapped Children was written, it established a couple of legal standards against which all programs are measured: FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education) and LRE (Least Restrictive Environment.) The law was based on the outcome of the PARC Vs. Pennsylvania lawsuit, which, when settled in the interest of the plaintiffs by the U.S. Supreme Court, established them as rights on the basis of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Initially, children were included in the General Education program under a concept called mainstreaming which basically placed children with disabilities in general education classes and they had to sink or swim. When that proved to be unsuccessful, the inclusion model was developed. In it, a general educator will either work with the special educator in a co-teaching model, or the special educator will come into the classroom a couple times a week and provide the differentiation the students with disabilities need. When done well, it benefits both special education and general education students. When done badly it makes all stakeholders unhappy. Working with general educators in inclusive settings is generally very challenging and requires developing relationships of trust and collaboration. (see General Educators.) Administrators Generally, there are two levels of supervision. The first is the special education facilitator, coordinator, or whatever you district calls the person in this chair. Usually, they are just teachers on special assignment, and they have no real authority of the special educator. That doesnt mean they cant make your life miserable, especially if the principal is dependent on that person to see that documents are completed properly and the program is in compliance. The second level is the supervising principal. Sometimes this responsibility is delegated, but in most cases, the assistant principal defers on important matters to the principal. Either the special education coordinator or the supervising principal should serve as the LEA (Legal Education Authority) at students IEP meetings. Your principals responsibility is broader than just being sure that IEPs are written and programs are compliant. With the NCLB emphasis on testing and progress, special education students may first be viewed as a demographic rather than individuals with challenges. Your challenge is to help your students while at the same time convincing your administrator that you are making a contribution to the success of the whole school. Your Community Often we miss the fact that our final stakeholder is the community in which we live. The success of children impacts our whole community. Often the cost of educating students, especially in smaller communities like those in New England, a few children with significant disabilities can create huge expense which can challenge fragile budgets. Private residential programs can be extraordinarily expensive, and when a district so fails a child that he or she ends up in a program that can cost a quarter million dollars a year, it has a serious negative impact on a community. On the other hand, when you as an educator succeed in helping a student become independent, develop communication or in any way become more independent, you are potentially saving your community millions of dollars.