Gun Control Persuasive Paper Essay Example for Free

Gun Control Persuasive Paper Essay A gun control law is any law that restricts the use, purchase, or possession of any firearms (Conservapedia). These laws are implemented to reduce the use of firearms to authorized members of a state’s government. Each state in America has its own laws regarding gun control; however, among all, California has the strongest laws, scoring 81 out of a 100 (O’Mara). Gun control laws are necessary in a state because they decrease violence, increase government’s protection in the state, and decrease the lethalness of other crimes. Gun control laws can reduce violence and crime. In the United States, 67% of crimes in 2010 were committed with firearms (Rogers, 2007). This means that majority of crimes committed in America had guns and other firearms involved. If firearms are prohibited in the state, then in theory, crime rates will go down by 67%. Guns have the ability to take someone’s life. Having that said, disallowing the use of guns can not only decrease crime rates, but lower causalities as well. Ozanne-Smith et al (2004) arrived at a similar conclusion in a study conducted in Victoria, Australia after examining the trend in the firearm-related deaths in the context of strong legislative reform. They found the following: â€Å"Significant and dramatic declines in rates of firearm related deaths occurred in Victoria and Australia after periods of strong legislative reform. Statistically significant reductions in firearm related suicides were observed after legislative reforms. In 2000, rates of firearm related deaths were less than two per 100 000 population for Victoria and Australia compared with 10.4 per 100 000 population for the United States. In Victoria, reductions in the numbers of registered firearms of 25% and of licensed shooters of 15% were seen over the four years between 1997–98 and 2000–01† (Ozanne-Smith, 2004). Prohibiting civilians from using guns can increase the effectiveness of the police in one’s state. When a person owns a gun, in theory he can protect himself and therefore does not need protection from the police. Thus, he becomes independent. However, if a person is not allowed to own a gun, he becomes more dependent upon the government for his safety and the police and the government now becomes more aware of the importance of their task in protecting their state. Lastly, the restriction of firearms can decrease the lethalness of crimes other than murder and homicide. Often times, minor criminals like thieves and robbers commit their crimes with a firearm, when in reality; the commission of their crime does not require it. They simply use the guns for self-defense. As a result, they are more likely to kill their victims rather than just stealing from them. Therefore, they not only steal, but they kill as well. The prohibition of firearms can lessen a criminal’s ability from committing another crime by decreasing the probability of murder and homicide. However, firearms have its benefits as well. But if the aforementioned is not used in the right way, it will lead to serious consequences: including death. That’s why gun control laws are implied in a state: to regulate and prevent the misuse of such firearms.

Characters with The Miserable Life in Les Miserable Essay examples --

Les Miserable Have you ever known a person whose life was very miserable? Maybe you have. In the novel Les Miserable many of the characters show a miserable life due to circumstances that happened in their past. These characters are like put into a ring of fire in which every event that happens in Les Miserable. These characters are Eponine, Jean Valjean, Cossette, Gavrouche, Marius,and Fantine. other characters such as Thernardier are characters who are the antagonist of the story who do robbery and many other bad deeds throughout the whole story. These characters have exemplified a miserable life due to circumstances that had happened in their past lives. Courage, bravery, and patience are what many of the characters show throughout the story. One character that explefied a miserable life was Eponine. Eponine was born in an evil family called the Thernardiers'. She had to work very hard and was fed very little food. It was cold and her parents led her to the wrong road in life. As she grew up she involved with her parents in robbing and thievery. She was in the wrong path to destruction. When Marius came into her life everything changed. Through Marius’s love and redemption she had changed, but when she found out that Marius loved Cossette the miserable life came back again to her. She helped Marius find Cossette. She loved Marius a lot but ... ...ity, but they also take every opportunity to make her circumstances even more desperate. Fantine was a women who was a honest and hard working women. Many people such as Thernardier deceived because she was not smart and was to easy to take advantage of. She suffered a lot and in the end died of shock and depression. Many of these characters such as Fantine and those others talked about in Les Miserable are all portrayed as miserable people. This does not mean that these characters have misery in their life, it means that their life has problems due to circumstances such as Fantine who was being deceived by people which caused problems in her life. One important message that Les Miserable displays is that love is one of the most precious items that Is given to another person.

Innovative Practices in Education Essay

Introduction The word ‘innovation’ is derived from Latin word ‘innovare’, which means â€Å"to change something to new†. In other words, we may say that ‘innovation’ means changing the regular way of doing things and involves doing the regular things in a novel way. The role of a teacher in present context has remarkably changed because of the various factors such as social, cultural, economic and technology developments across the globe. â€Å"Teachers in today’s era must be innovative, imaginative, and resourceful and have thorough knowledge of the subject and adopt new techniques to teach innovatively.† J. Krishnamurthy1 Teaching, in the KRISHNAMURTHI FOUNDATION INDIA (KFI) schools as opposed to other regular schools was said to be â€Å"different† and hence the researcher picked up these schools to study what and how â€Å"innovatively† the students are taught. KFI schools come under the genre of â€Å"alternative schools.† â€Å"An alternative school is an educational setting designed to accommodate educational, behavioral, and/or medical needs of children and adolescents that cannot be adequately addressed in a traditional school environment.†2 Its unique features are as follows: †¢Alternative schools have a small number of students, maximum 200 in the entire school . †¢Not more than 15-25 kids in a class †¢Children are allowed to learn the basic skills of reading and writing at their own pace. †¢There is little or no internal hierarchy in alternative schools. †¢Excellent teacher pupil relationship . †¢Family atmosphere †¢There is an inherent spirit of cooperation with self discipline. †¢Uniqueness of each child is nurtured. †¢The ambience is essentially fluid and informal. †¢There is no uniform. â€Å"KFI schools are not just about transference of ideas or facts in books, but is also about feeling the earth, watching the sunset, listening to the birds, seeing the colours of the leaves change in the different seasons and observing nature in its many colours, forms and shapes, in reality and this has shaped the entire structure of the school based on the ideology of Jiddu Krishnamurthy.†3 Methodology of the Study †¢Normative survey along with participant observation was used in the present research as it was a qualitative research . †¢Qualitative research seeks out the ‘why’, not the ‘how’ of the topic.3( Yang.W.E, 1997) Data Collection Tools Actual visit to the school and interaction with the teacher, students and principals through interview and questionnaire techniques and actual participation in school activities. The tools used were: †¢Interview †¢Participant Observation †¢Document analysis Learning the KFI way†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ a few insights Classes are not only about completing the content but also about understanding the content; with this core understanding every teacher at the school determines to use innovative teaching practices in classroom teaching. The term â€Å"innovative† is used to describe the combination of the three teaching practices in these schools †¢Student centered pedagogy †¢ Taking the learning beyond the classroom †¢Giving importance to personal relationships apart from the academic subject matter. These learning environments strive to cultivate a sense of community and belonging, and qualities of safety, respect, caring, and even love amongst the students .The term â€Å"innovative† in the context of this research describes combining these practices with technology i.e use of ICT( information communication technology ) in class room teaching. Student-centered pedagogy includes practices of teaching and learning that are project-based, collaborative, foster knowledge-building, require self-regulation and assessment, and are both personalized (allowing for student choice and relevance to the individual student) as well as individualized (allowing students to work at their own pace) and according to their particular learning needs. Each of these elements has a strong base of prior research, linking them to positive outcomes in terms of developing skills among students.4 Hence these a re techniques in which they learn to think for themselves, and develop the ability to make clear logical arguments, and deal with complex ethical issues.Students enjoy total intellectual freedom, and unfettered interaction with other students and adults. 1. Autonomous learning is a unique innovative technique which is actively implemented in the academic transaction process. It implies gradual switch from traditional teacher-centered studies to a self-learning process, when students are placed in such conditions where they are to employ their critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills in addition to the problem-solving skills that will make them experts on a subject studied through project- work, group work etc. For Example- A project on garbage disposal in class V was given to make them learn about environment and sustainability. 2. Cooperative learning directed towards focusing on students’ team work while doing their project assignments. 3. Task-based approach to learning, which requires using learning situations and tasks that do not make students merely reproduce the knowledge acquired, but also stimulate their creativity in order to find new original answers to unconventional tasks. For example- growing flowers in the school compound to teach students of class VII, about seasonal flowers, types of soil and usage of organic fertilisers. Another e.g- Selling organic compost and making money running a small business annually for class X th students to teach them about selling and profit in economics. 4. Moving outside the class – This teaching practice refers to learning activities that include learning in nature and beyond the traditional boundaries of the classroom, and also by providing opportunities for 24/7 learning (for example, research outside the classroom), fostering cross-subject connections, and promoting global awareness and cultural understanding. For example – seeing the actual working of a venus-fly trap plant grown in the campus to teach about carnivorous plants. 5. Story- based learning – This method, called ‘story-based learning,’ aims to encourage students to study various core subjects and be curious enough to find the answers by themselves. ‘One reason behind this learning design is to help students to comprehend the variety and interconnectedness of real life and equip them with the right mindset and solutions.’ 5 For example- The high-school students learnt a story about spices and ships, which would bring students into studying the history, agriculture, business, politics, culture and international trade of the East India Company in class VIII. 6. Workshops including interactive lectures, presentations, individual assignments, puppet making, independent and self-learning activities during practical classes and seminars, role plays and simulations, case-studies, individual and team projects, holding master-classes and workshops. 7. Extensive use of tape recorder, e-book, graphics, pictures, charts in daily 8. Blogs : A Classroom outside the classroom! Blog is derived from weblog. It is a diary or regular opinion columns posted on the internet. In blog, the writer posts diary entry which others can read and comments on it. Web-blogging is used in two main ways in teaching. Firstly, students are encouraged to write and post their blogs. If students are learning to write journals or engaged in other form of extensive writing in the classroom, is the right place to check their ability of writing. Secondly, the teacher writes the main blog entries, which students can then comment on. They send assignments or projects to students on the taught topics, by which students can complete the work and send it back to teachers. So the blog encourages teaching outside the classroom. 8. Role playing- For example, while teaching accounts the role of accountant can be explained by role playing technique. Invoice and bills can be given to students and asked them to assume the role of accountant. Here the real entries pertaining to transactions are made by the student and this is more practical approach to teaching where theory is supplemented by proper practical knowledge. 9.Wiki- A wiki is a web based platform for collaborative writing. It is used within a private domain as well as public domain for writing together. The important feature of wikis is particularly used for language learning which is record of all drafts. Students and teachers work on it collaboratively. An example of a private wiki used for language learning was used in KFI school-based project to produce a school newsletter for parents within the public domain. Students can be asked to be collaborative as class to produce a Wikipedia entry because such projects help to promote team-spirit and increase motivation, empower students to construct knowledge, and enable them to learn new things in an interesting, stress-free way. To keep up with the educational expectations of today’s youth, we’re called on to use innovative teaching techniques. Where resources and training programs aren’t available to keep pace with our growing technological expansion, methods must be developed and used that involve active learning without depending on high technology. Simulations, games, and role playing are viable alternatives for learning about and experiencing real-life situations. 10. Innovative evaluation- the 360 0 approach- Teacher’s report- Students’ progress is assessed systematically and continuously. Evaluation is comprehensive, non-comparative and points to possibilities for growth are given to each and every student. Parents receive reports twice a year. Parent’s report- However, in the month of September parents send a report to school on their children based on the observation made at home. How he/she behaves at home, his/her eating habits, behaviour with siblings etc †¦anything extra that the parent wants to tell is also welcomed. This report facilitates a joint awareness and understanding of the child by the school and home. Students take formal examinations from class VIII onwards and all the teachers seem to support it completely because they feel students have to take the public examinations at the end of Tenth and Twelfth standard. 11. Meditation & assemblies- Every morning there are separate assemblies for the Junior and Senior sections, apart from this every school has â€Å"me time† in which the children and the staff sit all by themselves being â€Å"in silence† and think about the day ahead. It is easier said than done to sit in silence for 15 minutes because as Krishnamurthi says, â€Å"Only a mind in silence and stability is a mind that can learn anything†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.or even teach anything† 4 Hence this meditation time is important for both the kids and the teachers and there is no fixed way of meditation. The only requirement is that one should sit in silence. Sometimes in the evenings guided meditations are also held for the senior students who want to come. It is a voluntary thing and no one is forced to do so. It is an important innovative technique in teaching â€Å"self- inquiry† and introspection to the students. There is no punishment system, only talking, counselling and understanding that takes place if someone makes a mistake. Conclusions †¢This holistic education is usually characterized by several core qualities. First, it encourages experiential learning. †¢Secondly there is more discussion, questioning, experimentation, and active engagement in a holistic learning environment. †¢Thirdly, personal relationships are considered to be as important as academic subject matter. These learning environments strive to cultivate a sense of community and belonging, and qualities of safety, respect, caring, and even love. †¢These innovative techniques are practiced in diverse ways in alternative schools like KFI that provide a carefully designed, multiage â€Å"prepared environment† that encourages children to explore ,experiment and learn according to their own pace and interests. †¢It is possible, however, that these certain universal features of the KFI schools can easily be shared with, and developed by, other schools like the non-formal working environment and child-based, student-centric project aided learning which doesn’t require too much training or infrastructure , just a willingness to experiment and innovate on the part of the teacher. †¢ In many respects it is like a traditional school; children take board exams, have a curriculum and timetable etc. But what makes them special and effective are the teachers and their passion for teaching, their innovative methods of teaching, the fearless and joyful interaction among teachers and students. †¢The board results of such schools were better than the regular schools in their area but the stress experienced by the students, teachers and parents was comparatively much less, as what came out from the interviews and observation of the students and data analysis. Recommendations From the insights gained in innovative teaching and its impact on the teaching learning process, the researcher would like to make certain recommendations for other schools as well. a.Schools therefore need to emphasize on those aspects of learning which would help children to self-observe and reflect; find ways to search for knowledge instead of memorizing only. b.The project approach in teaching is inter-disciplinary, integrates arts, music, dance, yoga, meditation in the curriculum and leads to collateral learning. c.This is accomplished through evolutionary syllabi that emerge out of the needs of students and can be easily made by the subject teacher and head of the institution. d.The students are independent, responsible and confident of their learning. e.In line with J.Krishnamurthy’s philosophy, teachers lay emphasis on collaborative learning and team work. f.The teacher’s role is that of a facilitator, a generalist. g.The teaching style is informal, participativ e, democratic and illuminative. h.The teacher is a learner too. i.Meditation and yoga has definite positive outcomes on the behavior of students and also their ability to learn. Hence it should be encouraged by all schools. j.This holistic and innovative education in KFI schools is usually characterized by experiential learning. k.Secondly there is more discussion, questioning, experimentation, and active engagement in a holistic learning environment leading to overall personality development. l.Thirdly, personal relationships are considered to be as important as academic subject matter. These learning environments strive to cultivate a sense of community and belonging, and qualities of safety, respect, caring, and even love amongst students and teachers. References : 1. Bax,S.(2003). The end of old age teaching: A New Approach to Education and Laerning. ELT journal, 57, 278-287. 2. Alternative School, http://www.healthofchildren.com/A/Alternative-School.html#ixzz2BQfZSoIf 3. Martin, Donald W. (1975) â€Å"An Analysis of Selected Works of Jiddu Krishnamurti: Implications for Higher Education† University of Cincinnati, Ohio (U.S.A.), research paper. 4. Gefter, A., â€Å"Living online: This is your space,† New Scientist 2569 (2006): 46-48. 5. Gupta Deepti, 2005. ELT in India: A Brief and Current overview, Asian EFL Journal Volume 7. Issue 1, Article 12. Bibliography 1. Nunan David (1991) Communicative tasks and the language curriculum. TESOL, Quarterly 25(2), 279-295. 2. O’Grady, William, Michael Dabrovolsky, and Mark Aronoff. 1993. Contemporary linguistics: An Introduction. New York: St.Martin’s Press. 3. Pahuja N.P. Teaching of English, Anmol Publications Pvt.Ltd, New Delhi 1995. 4. Prensky, M., â€Å" Digital nayives, digital immigrants,† On the Horizon 9.5 (2001). 5. Thelwall, M., â€Å"MySpace, Facebook, Bebo: Social networking students,† Association of Learning Technology Online Newsletter 11 (2008). 6. Vyas A. Manish and Patel L. yogesh â€Å"Teaching innovatively – A new Pedagogy for a New Century.† PHI Learning Pvt Ltd. New Delhi (200

U.s. Government s Government - 1202 Words

Throughout history, the united states government had a good reputation with their people, but lately it has been fading away. The united states government has not live up to their reputation and trust with their citizens due to recent events. Now, the government feels like it has become more corrupt, and unfair towards their citizens. Many American citizens do not trust their government because of what the government stands for. For many of us, the government is all about power and money, so it s hard for the common man to see the government s point of view. In addition, due to recent and past events, is nearly impossible for the American government to restore their trust with the people. The critical analysis question that it†¦show more content†¦Even tough Obamacare hurt mainly the middle class, everyone was affected by it. the shutdown of 2013 was enough proof for the people to show the reality of why the government does not work together. the government has to do whats best for the country and not what is best for them. what is the point of the government if they are not helping their citizens. what s the point of having a government many might asked. The point of a government is â€Å"government seeks to protect its citizens, it faces the challenge of doing so in ways that are true to the key American political values of liberty, equality, and democracy† We all know that the government has to be neutral towards their people , but they seem like they only care what s best for the government than for the nation. Also, many believe that the government is just playing games with the nation’s future and that s no fair for the people. The public trust in government has declined over the years, and now the people think they can do little to influence the government actions. According to the book We the people by Benjamin Ginsberg, in 2013 only 19 percent of americans reported trusting the government with their decisions in Washington. On the contrary, compare to 1960s and 1970s americans had a lot of more respect and trust for the american government due to the fact that the government did what was best for the people. But now, the trust that his great nation once had has been declining in a