The eNotes Blog One Teachers Most Important Lesson How to Save aLife

One Teachers Most Important Lesson How to Save aLife In a common core world where teaching is sometimes more concerned with evaluating pupils aptitudes for test-taking than with evaluating their well-being, one teacher has developed an ingenious method of tracking her childrens thoughts and feelings, and possibly saving lives in the process. On Glennon Doyle Mertons Momastery blog, she writes of her sons math teacher, an unnamed, unsung hero. What makes her so? One afternoon, Merton dropped by her sons fifth-grade classroom for help on how to better guide him with his homework, and she and his teacher got to talking. After some time they moved on from methods of long division to philosophies of teaching, both agreeing that subjects like math and reading are the least important things that are learned in a classroom, that we owe it to students to instill in them kindness, compassion, and bravery above all. And thats when this teacher shared a secret method with Merton. Every Friday without fail she asks students to write on a piece of paper the people theyd like to sit with for the following week. She also asks each one to nominate one individual to be recognized as the exceptional classroom citizen of that week. This may sound pretty ordinary, until you realize what shes actually doing with these nominations. You see, once the children have left the building, this fifth-grade math teacher and former NASA employee scours her students nominations for patterns. Who is not getting requested by anyone else? Who doesn’t even know who to request? Who never gets noticed enough to be nominated? Who had a million friends last week and none this week? Chase’s teacher is not looking for a new seating chart or â€Å"exceptional citizens.† Chase’s teacher is looking for lonely children. She’s looking for children who are struggling to connect with other children. She’s identifying the little ones who are falling through the cracks of the class’s social life. She is discovering whose gifts are going unnoticed by their peers. And she’s pinning down –  right away –  who’s being bullied and who is doing the bullying. Amazed, Merton asked how long shed been doing this for, to which the teacher replied, Ever since Columbine. Every single afternoon since Columbine. Wow. That means that before Sandy Hook, before Newtown, before any of the other 22 school shootings that have taken place since April 20th, 1999, this teacher knew that the source of outward violence is inner loneliness. She knew of a way to spot the students suffering a disconnection and she knew how to fix it. And what this mathematician has learned while using this system is something she really already knew: that everything – even love, even belonging – has a pattern to it. And she finds those patterns through those lists – she breaks the codes of disconnection. After a long career of working to ensure childrens safety and mental well-being, this inspirational teacher retires this year. Its a good thing there are so many out there to carry the torch  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ we only need to spread the word to teach them how. How do you or teachers you know inspire compassion in your students? What methods can you share that diminish a childs isolation before it becomes a lasting problem? Wed love to hear your thoughts in a comment.

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry This play starts with the younger family waiting for the arrival of the check. The check is on life insurance and is to be given to Lena due to the death of her husband. The family lives in an extremely tiny room where this play takes place. Children of Lena are Walter Lee and Beneatha.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Walter is married to Ruth while Beneatha thinks of studying and become a doctor in the future. On the other hand, Walter Lee works as a chauffeur. Every member of the family does not want to work with the money. Walter is working together with men from a low social level. However, he is seriously obsessed with money and feels that life is tremendously unfair especially for his wife and children. Therefore, he decides to start a business with two men. This is a clear indication that he wants to get money very fast. In colleg e, Beneatha is courted by two men, George and Joseph. George is a person who is rich and is concerned with the materialist things. On the other hand, Joseph is an African who admires Beneatha’s intelligence and spirituality. This younger family likes George just because he is rich. Afterward, when the check reaches, Lena realizes that the amount of insurance is to take part of her husband. The family advises her to do what she wishes with the money. Walter tells his mother to give him the money arguing that his wife, Ruth is pregnant. Mama makes her mind to pay part of the money for a good house in Clybourne to act as life security for Wilter’s son in future. He pleads with his mother to give him the rest of the money. The whole family is deeply hurt by the fact he misused the money instead of paying his sister’s school fees. Afterwards, Joseph Asagai comes in and helps the family in packing. He finds Beneatha terribly disheartened and asks her get married to hi m. Afterwards, Walter is transformed to a very mature man. The whole family is truly happy; they live the, old, tiny, house and go to live in Clybourne Park (Sussman, Linda, Hansberry, Friedland, and Rikki Kessler). Dreams of Walter, Beneatha, Ruth, and Mama Walter loves money and, therefore, his dream is to continue satisfying his family’s needs. His love for money and his hard work with the street men and his plan to do business with two men are a clear indication of his dream. Wilter asks for the insurance money in order for him to work with it and raise his family’s standards of living. In the play, Beneatha has a dream to study and become a doctor in the future. Mama has a dream of raising her family from poverty to a higher standard of living. Ruth’s dream is to see that her husband owns his own business and offers her the best basic needs. Mama is the most admirable character since she provides her children with unconditional love in a low social economic environment.Advertising Looking for book review on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This play indicates that there is the celebration of materialism as the younger family favors George who is rich. On consumerism, the family of Lena Younger celebrates the insurance money through paying medical school fees for Beneatha and giving a down payment for a good house where they finally move to live. This play does not promote the idea that blacks should want to be like whites. This is because Joseph, who is one of the boys that Beneatha was courting in college, did not lose his identity as an African man to marry her. He did not have to seize his African characters or culture for Beneatha to marry him. There are some conflicts in the play, whether internal or external. Wilter has internal conflict since he is not getting money to provide for his family. This goes on until the time he is seeking for two men to start his own business. This is a conflict that is not solved at any time. This is because he did not save the money his mother has given him for his family. On the hand, there is a conflict that is solved when Wilter is converted to manhood. Also, the conflict between Ruth and her husband does not end since she wants to abort. Wilter is trying to borrow money from his mother to solve this conflict problem but he ends up with no money. Gender issues in the play This is first presented by lack of peace in the family of Wilter Lee and Ruth. Her pregnancy is the one that is bringing this issue of lack of peace in the family. When Wilter uses his sister’s school fees to start his own business, he brings out a gender issue in the play. â€Å"A raisin in the sun† is a quote that has a great meaning in the play. It means that all characters in the play have dreams. First, one of the characters wants to move the family to larger home in, the future, the other oneâ€℠¢s dreams to become a doctor, while the one wants to improve his family’s living conditions. Sussman, Linda, Lorraine Hansberry, Joyce Friedland, and Rikki Kessler. Raisin in the sun [by] Lorraine Hansberry: a study guide. New Hyde Park, N.Y.: Learning Links, 1996. Print.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Iran's Societal Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Iran's Societal Assessment - Essay Example Iran was a conglomerate of sundry semi-autonomous regions, tribes and classes which were weakly maintained together by the dynasty who depended upon tribal allegiances as well as military power to continue and uphold their rule. In the 20th century, collective denominators have been arranged and supported by the state in an endeavor at creating a modern national Iranian identity for all inhabitants, notwithstanding language, religion or culture. This was to be founded on a secular nation-state, a centralized national government governing over a well-designed territory, pride and honor in Iran’s pre-historic history, its culture and Farsi (Persian) enacted by the state as the official language are some of the unifying tools that the state of Iran is using to control its masses and which this paper will cover. Iran has predominantly used Islam as an instrument to create, foster and maintain national cohesion. More specifically, the Islam religion has been sanctified by the state and enshrined in the constitution. This has been safeguarded and any criticism is suppressed (Hiro, 2001, pg. 243). Islam has provided an extremely ‘inclusive’ identity which has overflowed its national boundaries into the broad concept of the ummat, the community of Islam beyond Iran, a sort of religio-imperialism which has united Iranians. A common culture, rather than any strong feeling of national unity binds the Iranians together. It is the culture that lends unity and the apex of its expression is found in poetry. The architectural beauty and fame of the blue-domed mosques, the workmanship, design and color of Persian carpets- all these are considered important expressions of a common and glorious heritage and have cemented the unity of Iran as it gives them a sense of common history. In light of this, the state has recognized the importance of culture to its citizenry and consequently promoted it to encourage national cohesion and