Gun Control Policy a Review of the Literature Essay Example

Gun Control Policy: a Review of the Literature Essay Gun Control and Policy: A Review of the Literature Abstract â€Å"A Well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. † Amendment II, Bill of Rights Constitution of the U. S The Second Amendment has been a major issue in American politics since 1876. The nations powerful gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, holds that it means the right to keep and bear arms any arms. One day an innocent kid walking home from school gets shot in a drive by shooting is he just a victim of circumstance or could this of been easily prevented. There are lobbyist for the private ownership of guns and lobbyist for legislation to ban personal possession of guns for good. In this paper I hope that just maybe I can persuade you to think differently on a topic that’s stirring up the nation. The lobbyist give credibility to this statement by adding that criminal violence continues to increase in cities like New York and Washington DC, even though gun control statutes were put into effect. According to the NRA, anti-crime measures are the way to conquer urban violence, not anti-gun measures. The hope of most members in the association is to educate people about guns. The association is willing to reveal proper usage of guns to non-gun owners. Introduction The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights gives people the right to keep and bear arms. (Lubanski, 2006) The ideas of setting strict laws that allow only hunting rifle use, and laws that allow more freedom have been argued over for many years. The best argument protecting the Second Amendment is that people have more security when possessing a gun. Although this is possibly true, gun control provides much more than comfort for the people. We will write a custom essay sample on Gun Control Policy: a Review of the Literature specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Gun Control Policy: a Review of the Literature specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Gun Control Policy: a Review of the Literature specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The second amendment has some benefits, but many dangers also come with having the right to own a gun. One of these dangers includes violence and death with our youth. If Gun Control laws are put into action, they will help prevent deaths of innocent people who carry guns. Gun Control will also help prevent terrorism against us or anyone else with the terrorists using guns from our own country. Gun control will also help prevent robberies and other treacherous hostage situations. U. S. gun control policy, past to present The United States Constitution was written over two hundred years ago by a group of societies finest. These men shaped the United States as we live in a world of democracy. These well mannered men controlled most of the land, harbors, and agriculture within the United States. Living in the new world law and order needed to be formed. To defend and gather men to fight against the enemy a law had to be passed. Citizens would use arms to defeat the enemy and protect the ones valuables. According to Lee (2009), The Constitution did not adequately define â€Å"arms†. When it was adopted, â€Å"arms† included muzzle loaded muskets and pistols, swords, knives, bow with arrows, and spears. However, a common law definition would be â€Å"light infantry weapons which can be carried and used, together with ammunition, by a single militiaman, functionally equivalent to those commonly used by infantrymen in land warfare†. â€Å"The advantage of being armed Americans possess over the people of all other nations. Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several Kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms. † (Lubanski, 2006) The use of guns is often the American technique of choice for all kinds of conflict resolution. Our famous Constitution, about which many of us are generally so proud, enshrines along with the right to freedom of speech, press, religion and assembles the right to own guns. Not all of us are so proud and triumphant about the gun guarantee clause. (Press, 2008) The right to free speech, press, religion and assembly and so on seem to be working well, but the gun part not so much. According to Lee (2009), James Madison is the role in the creation of the American bill of right from 1787 to 1791. He worked tirelessly including Constitutional convention, the Virginia ratifying convention, and to see the Bills of Right of approved. Without Madison, those ten amendments, this became the foundation of liberty and might not have come part of constitution. The Second amendments provide â€Å"A will regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of Free states, the right of people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. † (Lee, 2009) According to Joibu (2001) the present research draws on two strands of empirical investigation to derive the hypothesis that the less confidence people have in the federal government, the more likely they are to own guns. Some gun owners have manifested a distrust of the federal government in light of gun control legislation. Any discourse about gun polices that focuses exclusively on the positive and negative consequences of gun ownership for the individual, community, and society may be valuable but will miss an essential point: specifically for many people think gun is an icon for evil and violence, but for others the same gun is an icon for democracy and personal empowerment. Teenage students and children misguided use of gun According to the Associated Press (2008), some misguided people will focus on the fact that the twenty three years old student who killed his classmates and other at Virginia Tech was ethnically Korean; this is one of those observations that are 99. 99 percent irrelevant. What are we to make of the fact that he is Korean? Just disregard all the hoopla about the race of student responsible for the slayings. These students were not killed by a Korean; they were killed by a nine millimeter handgun and a point twenty two caliber handgun. Which it was legal for him to obtain? Storing a personal fire arm on college campus is prohibited by law. So when this Virginia Tech student completed his rampage, did anyone notice that he purchased a lot of ammo and showed signs of abnormal behaviors? We can only speculate what caused his former peers. How many people’s think guns are necessary to protect their self? Is anyone feeling the same way that how often guns kill children? According to Phelps (2009), magazines and media usually tell people how beautiful and powerful guns are and never mention how many children get hurt by guns every day. In fact that guns are a weapons of violence, they take more lives away every year, and they make people blind to the fact they killing their own children. The gun control laws would help cut back on the store robberies, bank robberies, gang shootings etc. Gun laws that restrict the sale of handguns would help keep hand guns out of criminals’ hands. I understand the beliefs of some who feel that by banning guns the streets on communities would be a much a safer place. (Phelps, 2009) According to Weil (1997), Prof. John Lott of the University of Chicago recent studies show that owning guns reduces crime. Criminals usually attack those that appear vulnerable. Thus having a gun will ward of criminals, showed that by adopting shall issue concealed carry handgun laws, thirty one states have reduced murders, on average, by seven percent, rapes by five percents, aggravated assaults by seven percent and robbery by three percent. Children aged five to fourteen living in one of the five high gun states were twice as likely to commit suicide or to be murdered, three times as likely to die from firearm homicide, seven times as likely to die from firearm suicide, and sixteen times as likely to die from a firearm related accident. Humphries, 2002) According to Humphries (2002) study suggests the higher death rates are largely related to gun availability and are not due to difference in levels of poverty, education or urbanization in these states. According to the American Students Association (2009) Gun use in America is associated with a number of medical problems for primary care physicians, in cluding traumatic injury, homicide, suicide and domestic violence. All patients are susceptible to firearm violence: children playing with loaded weapons, teenagers walking unsafe streets, women in abusive relationships and adults defending their homes. Firearm-related injury and death occurs with surprising frequency. One child in America dies from a gunshot wound every ninety minutes, and thirty children and adolescents under age of nineteen a school classroom die every two days as a result of firearms. The number of violent events is growing; the incidence of firearm-related homicides has increased sharply over the past decade, peaking at 38,500 deaths in 1994, very nearly the same as the number of people died in a motor vehicle accident in 1994 and even though the use of motor vehicles is more widespread. Although physicians recognize the gravity of this epidemic of violence, very few promote gun safety in clinical encounters or publicly advocate control of gun violence. District of Columbria’s gun control policy According to Pratt (2008), over forty million Americans own a gun. Between 55,000 and 120,000 times a year, an American uses his gun in self-defense. Dick Heller, a special police officer in District of Columbia, was licensed to carry handgun during his shift at the Federal Judicial Center. He challenged D. C. s gun control Laws on Second Amendment grounds and sought to have them enjoined as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court addressed the scope of the Second Amendments right to bear arms in striking down D. C. laws that strictly regulated handguns and other firearms. The Court unanimously held that the Second Amendment confers an individual right, and a bare majority of the Court held that this right includes possessing weapons in the home for self-defense. Eighteen months after Congress established home rule for the District of Columbia Council votes 12 to 1 in favor of a bill restricting city residents from acquiring handguns. Pratt, 2008) According to Heller (2008) the law exempts guards, police officers and owners who had registered their handguns before it took effect. Under the bill, all firearms (including rifles and shotguns, which were not restricted by the law) must be kept unloaded and disassembled, except those in business establishments. The D. C. Council and Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) approved municipal legislation after the Supreme Court ruling that allows ownership of han dguns in the city, but with restrictions. According to Heller (2008), as of April 2008, District of Columbia can purchase, possess and carry firearms. All rifles and shot guns must be registered with the metropolitan police and to obtain the registration must be 21 years old and above or over 18 years old must have liability signed by guardian. No hand gun will be possessed in metropolitan areas unless it is registered. Carrying hand guns in the District prohibited but all firearms must be kept at one’s home or place of business. Non-residents are prohibited to carry or possess hand guns while traveling in the District. National Rifle Association-Institute for Legislative in Action According to The National Rifle Association created the Institute for Legislative in Action (2009) established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association of America.. Their mission statement entails preserving and protecting the Second Amendment, which guarantees the ability of law-abiding citizens to own and use firearms for legal and acceptable purposes. The Institute is not directly associated with any specific ammunition or gun makers. It receives financial support from member dues and other contributions for the Institutes legislative activity. The National Rifle Association has headquarters in Fairfax, VA, Washington DC, and Sacramento, CA. The Institute is able to employ seven full-time lobbyists on Capitol Hill and over 70 other employees elsewhere. The National Rifle Association has more than 2. 8 million members nationwide. This number has doubled since 1978. The main reason that the NRA is able to fight restrictions on gun control is due to the fact that their membership is so large. Whenever a bill or other form of legislation is proposed, the NRA supporters begin to write and contact their representatives. According to The National Rifle Association created the Institute for Legislative in Action (2009) the institute also educates the public by distributing brochures and articles on ownership, self-defense, and safety of firearms. Additionally, the institute informs the public on the constitutionality of firearm ownership and other means of crime fighting measures. The NRA puts its trust on what they believe is a simple and important truth: when provided with facts, the nations elected officials will recognize that gun control schemes are a proven failure in fighting crime and an infringement on the 2nd Amendment. This belief is undoubtedly deeply embedded into many people in our country. Proof is found in the success and development of the National Rifle Association. According to Billeaud (2009) Senator John McCain and former presidential candidate spoke at NRA nation 138th annual meeting about Mexico drug war should not use an excuse try to limit United States gun right. In Mexico drug organizations are fighting each other for the most profitable drug and immigration smuggling route to United States. The federal agents in United States were saying most guns recovered at killing in Mexico were exported from United States. According to Dionne (2009) there are hundreds or thousands of guns, including assault weapons, were pouring across the Mexican border into Arizona, New Mexico and Southern California, arming criminal gangs who were killing American law enforcement officials and other U. S. citizens. American Gun Lobby is too big and more powerful than Obama and him to push a rational and limited gun regulation through the congress. The Mexican gangs are able to use gun purchased in U. S. because of our loophole gun show and insanely permissive gun regulation. According to Jonsson (2009) The 47,000 gun-loving Americans who attended the 138th NRA Convention bore the hopes of many disgruntled, mostly white Americans who seek to check what they see as Washingtons liberal trajectory. Currently, NRA memberships are growing, guns registrations are sky rocking and ammunition store are back ordered. NRA is proposing cut down on gun-show loopholes that allow paperless gun sales will face major hurdles. Conclusion As a result of the many school shootings that have taken place in the last few years, there has been a huge push for stricter gun control laws. Many people dont feel safe in todays society. There are some people who are opposed to stricter gun control laws. Many gun enthusiasts dont believe that gun control laws really work because only the law abiding citizens would follow them and they arent the ones creating the problem. These people do present some good arguments for getting rid of gun control. Many people think that gun control is right because they think keeping people away from guns will reduce the amount of deaths each year. They also think that guns cause many of the deaths that had been committed each year. Also when ever people hear the word gun, the thoughts are of violence and negativity. Many people, I included think gun control is wrong because we know that it is not necessary, since we know that guns were not involved in many of the deaths caused each year.

Concussion Paper Essay Example

Concussion Paper Essay Example Concussion Paper Essay Concussion Paper Essay The brain is a very delicate and complex organ It is located inside the head and controls everything we do from movement our five senses emotions thoughts memory breathing our heartbeat digesting food and our speech The brain is made of a gelatin like substance and is protected by cerebrations fluid and the skull So imagine what would happen to our brain if it would get damaged Anything that our brain controls could be altered either temporarily or permanently Brain injury kills more individuals under the age of twenty than any other cause combined Brain injury caused by head trauma is the greatest killer under the age of fort five and the greatest cause of disability in people under froufrou . Ithaca College) This head trauma is called a Concussion When a person suffers a concussion the brain suddenly shifts or shakes inside the skull and can hit against the skulls bony surface A hard hit to the body can result in an accelerationdeceleration injury when the brain brushes against pro truding pa arts of the inner skull There are also other forces that can cause a rotational injury where the brain twists , potentially shearing of the brains nerve fibers In either case neural pathways in the brain can come damaged and cause neurological disturbances On impact the brain bumps into the interior of the skull where it is hit as well as on the opposite side resulting in damaging bruises at two different sites in the brain called coup and the contractor . Concussions involve more than just the primary injuries . They have secondary injuries that appear several hours or days after the trauma . These injuries quite often cause significant longer effects, include brain damage cognitive defects psychosocial/behavioral/emotional changes and bodily damage It is currently unknown what exactly happens to the brain cells but t appears that there is a change in the chemical function . This puts the cells in a very vulnerable State Notes the actual structure of the brain tissue but how the brain is working . During this time period the brain is not functioning normally and is more susceptible to a second he d injury Concussions are a result of a collision with another object This collision can be either direct or an indirect hit to the head or body Sometimes a blow to the head can lead to bleeding in or around the brain causing prolonged drowsiness and confusion that can develop right away or take a few days to appear Bleeding can be very fatal and will require monitoring in the hours afterward and emergency care if symptoms worsen There are many risk factors that can lead to a concussion . Contact sports like football hockey soccer rugby and boxing Volleyball baseball tennis and softball all include the opportunity for a ball to hit an athlete in the head which can result in a head In the United States there are approximately three hundred thousand concussions suffered by at helmets a year and thirteen percent of them happen in practice . (Ithaca College, Concussion Facts) Why are sport s the leading cause of concussions? Well to help put this into perspective a bit; the NFG has claimed that the average player will receive an estimated nine hundred to fit en hundred blows to the head per season A tackle from a stationary player is twenty miles per hour . The impact speed of a hit from a professional boxer is twentieth miles per hour . A header in soccer is approximately seventy miles per hour (Concussion F-acts) Others that may be more prone to the risk may include vehicle collisions pedestrian or bicycle accidents soldiers involved in combat victims of physical abuse and those who have had a previous concussion . It is also very Common for young children or older adults to become concussed after a bad fall . Nearly half a million emergency room visits are children ages zero to fourteen with traumatic brain injuries Symptoms can vary from person to person. They can be subtle and not mime dilated apparent or they can show right away No two concussions are the same so signs and symptoms can be a little different Symptoms can last for days weeks or even longer More immediate symptoms involve headache or a feeling of pressure in the head temporary loss Of consciousness confusion or feeling as if youre in a fog amnesia surrounding the event dizziness or seeing stars or black spots ringing in the ears nausea vomiting slurred speech delayed response to questions appearing dazed and fatigue Symptoms that are most likely to be delayed are concentration and memory complaints irritability and other personality changes sensitivity to light and noise sleep disturbances psychological adjustment problems and depression and disorders of taste and smell Sometimes it can be hard to determine if a young child has a concussion or n to . Some of the common concussed children symptoms are similar to the symptoms of tee thing . If there is ever any doubt monitor them closely and take them to a doctor Children may experience Listlessness and tiring easily irritability and crankiness dazed appearance, loss of balance and unsteady walking excessive crying, change in eating and/or sleeping patterns and a lack of interest in their favorite toys Seeking emergency care as soon as severe symptoms occur can be the differed once between prolonged symptoms and permanent brain injury If the individual is experiencing repeated a loss of consciousness lasting longer than thirty seconds , a headache that gets worse over time major changes in behavior hanged in physical coordination such as stumbling or clumsiness confusion or disorientation with recognizing people or places , slurred speech or other changes in the speaking patter seizures vision or eye disturbances like dilated pupils or unequal size lasting or recurring dizziness obvious difficulty with mental function or physical coordination symptoms that worsen over t ime and any large head bumps or bruises in areas other than on the forehead which is especially important in infants under towel eve months . It is extremely important for parents coaches and athletic trainers to keep an eye on their athletes Approximately sixty percent of teens who suffered a concussion did not fee el that it was serious enough to tell an adult It is assumed that if you are knocked unconscious your concussion is worse than if you are not Only ten percent Of all concussions involve a loss Of (11 facts) In fact some athletes have been knocked unconscious and didnt have any lasting problems My sister was playing basketball at the gym She went for a lay-up but got her legs took from under her and landed on her head . The guys that were with her said she was knocked unconscious She missed the last three months of school due to headaches but since then as not had any problems There are about seven major complications that can occur with a head injury . The first is Epilepsy people who have had a concussion double their risk Of developing epilepsy w tit the first five years after the injury The second is the cumulative effects of multiple brain injuries . Individuals who have had multiple concussive brain injuries over the course o f their lives may acquire lasting even progressive impairment that limits their ability to function Thirdly some people begin having postcolonial syndrome which involves headaches , dizziness and thinking faculties a few days after a concussion The symptoms can continue for weeks or even months after the concussion The fourth complication would be postgraduates headaches . Some people experience headaches within a week to a few months after their injury . Individuals can also experience postgraduates vertigo up to months after a concussion which is a s ensue of dizziness or spinning Number six on the list is the second impact syndrome . Some people may experience a second concussion before signs and symptoms of a first concussion have re solved . This can result in rapid and usually fatal brain swelling Often times with brain swelling the individual will feel a sense of pressure in their head and even some cerebrations fluid I sneaking out of their ears and/or nose And lastly on the list of major complications would be the levels of the brain chemicals They are usually altered after a concussion and it can take about a week for t hem to stabilize again Going to see a licensed health professional about a concussion is usually a go odd idea not matter how serious the brain injury is The doctor will perform a series of simple tests . First they will do a neurological examination This will involve testing vision hearing strength and sensation balance coordination and then reflexes A cognitive exam will be next and test the ability to recall information concentration and memory After these two exams are done the doctor may ask for imaging tests A cranial computerized tomography (CT) scan uses a series of grays to read the jurisdictional images of your skull and brain .

Abortion and Infanticide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Abortion and Infanticide - Essay Example Potentiality principle described by the writer explains about the importance of possession of some property which makes some one eligible to have a serious right to life. For any organism to have this right the property should be there on continuous basis instead of that property is gained during the course of life. The author explains this issue of possession of some property to a further step by discussing the continuous ability of an organism having that property. He takes adult human as a model who has got that property but the human fetus still has not attained that level to be provided with that property so the fetus does not have the right to life based on the potentiality principle. This differentiation he makes by dividing the ability at two levels: physiological and psychological. He states that the physiological properties are same at the fetal level if compared across the species but this property based on physiological characteristics does not allow some organism to enjo y the right life. Once some one reaches a level to attain the psychological characteristics sufficient enough to be recognized as possessing that property with serious right to life. In fact, he tries to defend the idea that the serious right to life is not granted right at the beginning of some organism’s life at the zygote level, for example, in humans but there is some cut off point after which an organism belonging to some species may become eligible to serious right to life.

Occupational health nursing Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Occupational health nursing - Personal Statement Example This exposure renewed my interest in this field and since then I have never looked back. In the realm of nursing, I have contributed significantly to the development of health in acute settings. I am patriotic, and I have been in the forefront to help the government realise equitable health for all. I have a whopping seven years of experience in this field. My director is very pleased with my work and wants me to further my education in the same field so that by the time he will be leaving I will be fully equipped to take over. Putting this challenge aside, nursing is something that I loved and had plans to study this same course to the end. Due to this desire, I have chosen to go for my masters in the University of Pennsylvania. Owing to its good reputation and best world rankings in health nursing, I want to get the best quality of education for a career that is so dear to me. In addition to the mentioned reasons, here is why the University of Pennsylvania looked attractive to me. It has the best lecturers in the world with world-renowned health specialists and facilities, has the best library with thousands and thousands of updated learning materials for my utilisation, Lastly the university has the best laboratories in the world with all kinds of recent technology you can imagine in the medical field. The university has also contributed much in research and development in nursing and the medical field, in general, such as the Smell Identification Test (Doty et al., 1984). I chose to study a master in nursing because being a field that I love and with the relevant experience along these lines; I felt it was more relevant. In addition to this, I have loved to be a nurse since high school, and nothing will ever change this. I intend to graduate in two years and later do my Ph.D. in the same field. After graduation, I believe that this master will help me be promoted at work as well as update me as far as my profession is concerned.

Howard Gardners Theory Of Multiple Intelligences Education Essay

Howard Gardners Theory Of Multiple Intelligences Education Essay Walk into a class of typical second grade students and you will quickly learn that there is nothing typical about any group of students.   It would be expected that some of the students would excel in reading, and some would excel in math.   According to traditional academic standards, these students would be considered intelligent and their intelligence would not be questioned. But look beyond the surface of academic achievement, and you would find that some of the students in this class can express themselves through beautiful poetry, some are graceful dancers, some are superior basketball players, some play instruments with such ease that it looks effortless, some can create exquisite artwork, and some are peacemakers.   Are these children intelligent, or are they simply talented? Howard Gardner would say that their abilities stem from intelligence, not just talent. Howard Gardner introduced his theory of multiple intelligences in 1983 and in doing so challenged the way people regarded intelligence (Ferguson, 2009).   In the 1920s Spearman proposed that there is only one type of intelligence, called general intelligence or g. The notion that there could be only one type of intelligence was questioned by other psychometric theorists, such as Cattell and Thurstone.   But even these theorists proposed that intelligence is limited to cognitive functions that can be measured.   Traditionally, intelligence is measured using IQ tests such as the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. IQ tests focus on assessing verbal skills, perceptual and spatial reasoning, working memory and processing speed (Berk, 2013). Gardners theory offers an opposing view to the psychometric theory. His theory proposes that intelligence is broader than what can be measured on an intelligence test. Gardners theory suggests that there are eight intelligences and each person possesses each one to a certain degree.   The intelligence types are linguistic, logico-mathmatical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, naturalist, interpersonal, intrapersonal (Berk, 2013).   A person who possesses linguistic intelligence has the ability to understand and manipulate language.   A person who possesses logico-mathematical intelligence has logical reasoning ability and can understand and manipulate numbers. A person who possesses musical intelligence has the ability to understand and manipulate sound.   A person who possesses spatial intelligence has the ability to understand and manipulate visual or spatial images. A person who possesses bodily-kinesthetic intelligence has the ability to move his or her body with skill.   A person who possesses naturalistic intelligence has the ability to understand and question the natural world.   A person who possesses interpersonal intellige nce has the ability to understand and respond to the emotions and needs of other people.   Finally, a person who possesses intrapersonal intelligence has the ability to understand and respond to their own emotions and needs (Christodoulou, 2009). Gardner has proposed a ninth type of intelligence called existential intelligence (Christodoulu, 2009).   In Howard Gardners 2005 paper Multiple Lenses on the Mind he explains that when people ask questions regarding the how and why of life, they are exhibiting this intelligence. However, Gardner explains that he is not sure if this phenomenon should be declared an intelligence, My hesitation in declaring a full blown existential intelligence stems from my uncertainty about whether certain regions of the brain are dedicated to the contemplation of issues that are too vastà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to be perceived (Gardner, 2005, p. 9). This statement reveals that the heart of Gardners intelligence theory is intelligence, not talent. Gardner reminds his readers that in order for something to be classified as a type of intelligence it must be something that the brain is capable of doing. In this case, Gardiner has reservations about including this type of intelligence in his theory because the human brain may not be able to fully ponder existential questions. From an educators point of view, Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences makes sense. Go back to the second grade classroom and take a look at the students sitting in the seats. Every child in that class learns differently. Every child in that class observes and understands the world in his or her own way. I was the teacher in that classroom and I drew on Gardners theory to reach my students. I learned about the theory of multiple intelligences as an undergraduate education student. When I was first hired as a teacher I researched ways to integrate this theory as a way to promote learning in my classroom. I found many educational books, websites, and journal articles that provided real world application of multiple intelligence theory. My students clapped and sang their spelling words, which appealed to those with strengths in the musical or bodily-kinesthetic intelligences. My students drew pictures to illustrate main ideas, which appealed to those with strength in spatial intelligence. Our class took a field trip to the Mississippi River, which appealed to those with strength in naturalistic intelligence. In implementing these teaching methods I was doing more than reaching out to the different way my students learned. I identified their intellectual strengths and gave them opportunities which allowed their strengths to grow and flourish. This understanding and belief in educating the whole child extends beyond self-contained, grade level classrooms. I taught in a school that valued education of the whole child. The students attended weekly classes in Spanish, art, music, physical education, library, and computer. For three years I was a specialty teacher in the school and I used multiple intelligence theory to guide my lesson planning. I taught computer for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. As the computer teacher, I designed curriculum based projects where students used technology to create original works that had a direct classroom application. For example, elementary school students used Kerpoof, a web application, to make stories illustrating their understanding of beginning, middle, and end. Middle school students used a program called ComicLife to create comics about everything from the Revolutionary War to famous scientists. The eighth grade student read The Giver in their literature class and the n used a web application called Weebly to create a website for their own, imaginary, utopian society. All grade levels had the opportunity to use Garage Band to write music to accompany their PowerPoint presentations. Not every project appealed to every intelligence type. Some of these projects were required group projects while others were individual. Some relied more on verbal intelligence abilities, while others required more visual intelligence. But, every project relied on more than one intelligence type. And every project lead to the creation of work that the students were happy to share with their classmates and the school community. Reconciling the theory of multiple intelligences with the traditional psychometric theory of intelligence is difficult, if not impossible, to do. The debate that started nearly thirty years ago when Gardner introduced his theory continues to this day. In the article Not Every Child is Secretly a Genius, Christopher Ferguson criticizes Gardners theory for being an all encompassing theory that allows for everyone to be smart (Ferguson, 2009). Joanna Christodoulou takes the opposing view in the article Applying multiple intelligence. She explains that we need to stop thinking in terms of how smart people are. Instead, we should be asking, In which ways is she smart, and how can that profile be marshaled for meaningful goals? (Christodoulou, 2009, para. 22). The theory of multiple intelligences is not a data driven theory. There is little empirical evidence to support it (Ferguson, 2009). It will not yield an IQ score. It will not lead to a diagnosis of learning disability, intellectual disability, or gifted. If a teacher is interested in tracking a student Gardners theory will be of little help because this is not the purpose of Gardners theory (Christodoulou, 2009). The purpose of Gardners theory is to understand the intellectual capabilities of the whole child. It tells us that everyone is capable of intelligent thought or intelligent action on some level. It is a hopeful theory. It is a theory that highlights that intelligence is not fixed, but rather a dynamic capacity amenable to change via good teaching, high motivation, and adequate resources (Christodoulou, 2009, para. 24). Finally, it is a useful theory with many practical implications for the classroom. The purpose of the psychometric theory is to give an IQ score and, possibly, a diagnosis. But, the purpose of Gardners theory is to give educators a plan for reaching all students regardless of their score on a test or diagnosis on a psychoeducational evaluation.

Futurism :: essays research papers

During the first decade of the twentieth century, a group of young Italian painters united together, under the influence of poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. Before creating their new style, these painters embraced the ideas of Marinetti’s The Foundation and Manisfesto of Futurism which appeared in the newspaper Le Figaro on February 20, 1909 (Tisdall 7). His manifesto of futurism was primarily concerned with peotry, but artists such as Boccioni, Balla, and Severini used his ideas and applied them to painting and sculpture. The Museum of Modern Art holds Umberto Boccioni’s Dynamism of a Soccer Player, 1913, a fine example of the Futurist vision. In his Futurist Painting: A Technical Manifesto, Boccioni tells us that the â€Å"growing need of truth is no longer satisfied with Form and Colour as they have been understood hitherto. The gesture which we would reproduce on canvas shall no longer be a fixed moment in universal dynamism. It shall be the â€Å"dynamic sensation itself† (Apollonio 27). This goal of creating the dynamic sensation itself, rather than simply a fixed moment within a dynamic action is exemplified, among other ideas of the Futurist movement in Boccioni’s Dynamism of a Soccer Player. Before going further however, it is necessary to discuss some of the principles of Futurism as created by Marinetti. Marinetti’s The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism is a work which begins like a work of poetry, and deals with the celebration with the technology, the future, and the machine, while rejecting the natural world and the past. Marinetti despises the sounds created by canals â€Å"muttering feeble prayers†, and â€Å"the creaking bones of sickly palaces,† while he embraces the â€Å"famished roar of automobiles† (Apollonio 19-20). He orders us to â€Å"shake the gates of life†, and instead, â€Å"test the bolts and hinges† (Apollonio 20). To Marinetti, technology and the machine, such as the automobiles, are to be embraced and celebrated for its speed and beauty. No longer is a natural landscape beautiful, rather â€Å"the world’s magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed. A racing car whose hood is adorned with great pipes, like serpents of explosive breath – a roaring car that seems to ride on grapesho t† is seen as more beautiful than any romantic painting (Apollonio 21). In addition to celebrating the machine, the Futurist movement represents a striding towards the future. This is accomplished by rejecting all of the past, even going as far as saying that it is harmful.

Shame Is Worth a Try

Dan M. Kahan argues in his article â€Å"Shame Is Worth a Try† that people who understand the potential of shaming know that it is â€Å"cheap, efficient, and an appropriate alternative to short jail sentences† (571). Any crime that is committed must have a punishment linked to it to avoid a repeat of the offense. Serious crimes, for example, those that involve a murder obviously need the jail sentence that comes along with them. Nonviolent crimes, such as theft or littering could receive cheap and personal punishments with the implementation of shaming. Those against shaming are mostly those that view it as a worse and demeaning punishment compared to imprisonment. They would typically support a punishment that would seem more discrete to those the offender knows but shaming is a more personal punishment. Instead of a short sentence in custody, the offender would be required to announce their crime to the public in some manner. Shaming in some cases â€Å"doesn’t seem to hurt as much as imprisonment† (573); imprisonment not only makes the offender feel the shame of the crime they committed, but it also takes away their ability to continue supporting their family. Living in a prison cell won’t allow the offender to continue on in their life. With a jail sentence, a criminal must change their entire life. They must find someone willing to pay their bills, and take care of their children while they are locked up. This not only hurts the offender but it makes it very difficult to continue their life afterwards. Shaming, like any other punishment, is just as susceptible to overuse in some cases. Using shaming in a way that is outrageous as in public flogging or putting an offender in stocks does not help the offender at all. This only hurts the individual and does not provide any shame for the crime. Also, using shaming alongside a jail sentence is not only more harmful to the offender but it also decreases the cost efficiency of the punishment. In â€Å"Shame Is Worth a Try†, Dan M. Kahan provides well executed examples of how using shame instead of a short prison sentence is cheaper and just as efficient but not the views of the opposition. Kahan first shows how shaming is currently used in the American judiciary system. Kahan’s first example is from Wisconsin, where a person caught stealing from their employer will be required to wear a sign around them stating their offense (571). Another example Kahan uses is the fact that drunk drivers in both Texas and Florida and required to place a bumper stick on their car, for a period of time, stating their DUI to the public (571). And finally Kahan states, â€Å"Refusing to pay child-support in Virginia will get you a boot on your car, pink for an abandoned girl and blue for a boy† (572). The examples show just how shaming is picking up in some states in America. Kahan also addresses the violent crimes and their punishments. He reassures the reader that all violent crimes will continue with the same long term imprisonment as they do now. Kahan, along with the examples of shaming, provides statistics that support his cause. Studies performed at the University of Oklahoma state that shaming provides a greater pressure for the general public to comply with the law (573). The threat that one’s neighbors would find out of his or hers offense will keep most offenders from committing the act they planned to do. On the negative side, Kahan seems to be fairly one sided with his examples in this article. He only provides the fact that shaming can be overdone if used alongside imprisonment. I also believe that he could have shown more examples of the â€Å"pointlessly degrading† tactics that could have been used as a shaming device (573). Even though Kahan’s article is very one sided, I would still recommend this article to other college students. I wouldn’t recommend it as a source for alternatives to imprisonment but I might offer it as an example of how to prove one’s point with limited examples. This article is a prime model of how an author can use examples to prove one’s point and persuade their reader. Again, it lacks the full view of the opposition but it is still very convincing.