The Teaching Profession Essay Example for Free

The Teaching Profession Essay When news of K-12 curriculum spread 2 years ago, the common knee jerk reaction of Filipinos was of contemptK-12 curriculum has just been prejudged as an ill-timed unnecessary additional expense. They can’t be blamed. The sound economic fundamentals were not really being cascaded to the grassroots level. Maybe a part of me even had that knee jerk reaction. But findings will tell us that K-12 is not ill timed; neither is it unnecessary. The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries in the world (the other two being Djoubuti and Angola of Africa) with a ten-year pre-university program. Our curriculum has to be responsive to the global standards. Upon reading the news item in the official gazette of the Philippine government with link www.gov.ph/k-12, I became cognizant of the salient features of the K-12 curriculum. Universal Kindergarten is a salient feature that will prepare the kids the children from informal to formal education as they advance to the primary level. It is aligned with familiarization with essential concepts. Contextualization and Enhancement makes lessons more interesting as the topics are related to things that are already familiar to the learner. As the page illustrates, the triangle is compared with the vinta, Mount Mayon and bandiritas. It communicates to the learner that the things being learned in school are things which are already around themin their physical, social and cultural environment. Using Bloom’s taxonomy, they are not just involved in recall and comprehension, but they are able to apply and synthesize the learning experience with the immediate environment. The mother-tongue based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) feature of the K-12 is also interesting since ALL subjects from K to 3 will be taught in the mother tongue. It is advantageous for students since the language at home and community is also the language in school. This means the child’s adjustment, as far as language is concerned, won’t be difficult. Moreover, it’s easier for students to grasp the concepts as they learn in their mother tongue. As I read this part of the article, what came to my mind was an English and Filipino class where mother tongue is translated to English and Filipino. Example, kayu in Ilocano is puno in Filipino. Then kayu in Ilocano is tree in English., and so forth and so on. Hence, mastery of the mother tongue will be the tool to learn Filipino and English. And once they learned Filipino and English, these will be the languages of instruction beginning grade 4found to be effective in the global community, and now a beginning field of educational research in the Filipino context. Furthermore, the Spiral Progression in learning Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math is consistent with the basic to advanced approach in a gradual manner since the topics will be spread across the grades. This lessens the so-called â€Å"trauma† that students associate with the fast paced approach in learning each of these subjects in a yearone year for biology, one year for chemistry, and another year for physics. Eventually, the senior high school may prepare the students for further academic studies, employment or entrepreneurship since there are three tracks: academic, technical-vocational-livelihood, sports and arts. This means that teachers have to prepare themselves well, since teachers will be the foundation of the successful implementation of this programhaving direct contact with the students. Teachers should engage in multi-tasked, multi-disciplined, and multi-skilled activities. Looking at the said scenario, the K-12 will have tremendous benefits for the  studentsas research have shown in various countries. The K-12 curriculum will have a great impact at home, school, community, and country. As a teacher, I have hopesand trustin this endeavor. As the article stated, the K-12 graduate will be equipped with (1)information, media and technology skills, (2)learning and innovation skills, (3)effective communication skills, and above all, (4)life and career skills. These are exciting times. The implementation of the K-12 curriculum in the Philippines is not of ill timing; it is long overdue.

The Great Gatsby Film Essay -- omnipotent feelings, classic novel

Class distinctions often determine actions. People who believe themselves as better than others will strive to garner, or even just associate themselves with, wealth in order to feel omnipotent. Through the classic novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, film Washington Square, based off the novel by Henry James and cover of the October 12th, 2009 issue of The New Yorker, the authors show that money will result in perversion. Because some people have delusions of superiority, they are more likely to be corrupted by money as its power appeals to them. It is only those who are humble and do not desire the power money bestows who can remain uncorrupted. Tom Buchanan, Doctor Sloper, and the woman from the cartoon all boast their â€Å"superiority† over others. Tom, a man of â€Å"old money† (family wealth), owns a home that indicates his status to all who pass by. Described as a â€Å"Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay† (11), the home is located in East Egg, the more â€Å"fashionable† place where â€Å"White Palaces... glittered along the water† (10). Nick even mentions that Tom is one of the few men of his generation who was rich enough to own â€Å"a string of polo ponies† (10). Tom, along with being ostentatious, uses force to assert his power over those who are not wealthy like him. This is foreshadowed from the beginning of the novel when he asks Nick if he read The Rise of the Coloured Empires. The title alone indicates that it is a novel that only a power-hungry and egotistical man would read. Even his wife refers to his as a â€Å"brute of a man† (16). However the r eader does not get a true feel for his barbarity until the great fight in his apartment. The small New York City loft located on 158th street serves as a meeting place for Tom and... ...iman goes to formals with the family, dresses in extravagant dresses, and interferes with Catherine’s life. When Catherine is away, Mrs. Penniman tries to transform Mr. Townsend into her perfect man, rather than Catherine’s. As a result, she corrupts him with money by helping him find a high-paid job and letting him live the high life while the Slopers are in Europe. When Catherine confronts her, she replies, â€Å"I thought of him as my own†¦ my own son† (1:29:40). Work Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2013. Print.

Sargon of Akkad

Sargon of Akkad And the Dawn of an Empire Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great, was an Akkadian emperor who is famously known for his victories and rule over the city-states of Sumer in the 24th and 23rd centuries. He is referred to as one of the greatest rulers of Mesopotamia and he is accredited for the creation of the world’s first major empire (Time-Life 17). He is also referred to as the founder of Mesopotamian military tradition. The story of his birth is what some refer to as a legend. The story of his birth is somewhat like the story of Moses in the book of Exodus. The baby Sargon was put in a reed basket by his mother covered with bitumen to protect him and sent down the Euphrates. Later the baby was adopted by Aqqi, the water drawer, and raised him as his own. His father remained unknown but some have reason to believe through surviving fragments that his father’s name was La’ibum. After Aqqi raises him as his son the story becomes a little unclear, other than the one story of Sargon and Ur-Zababa. Ur-Zababa, king of Kish, awakens after a dream, the contents of which are not revealed on the left over portion of the tablet. For unknown reasons, Ur-Zababa appoints Sargon as his cupbearer. Soon after this, Ur-Zababa Marth invites Sargon to his chambers to discuss a dream of Sargon's, involving the favor of the goddess Inanna and the drowning of Ur-Zababa by the goddess. Obviously scared, Ur-Zababa orders Sargon murdered by the hands of Belis-tikal, the chief smith, but Inanna prevents it, demanding that Sargon stop at the gates because of his being â€Å"polluted with blood. When Sargon returns to Ur-Zababa, the king becomes frightened again, and decides to send Sargon to king Lugal-zage-si of Uruk with a message on a clay tablet asking him to slay Sargon. This where the legend more less cuts off but I am guessing it leads the story of him becoming king (Cooper 67-82). This leads us to the start of one of the greatest empires ever created. The Akkadians were a Semitic people livi ng on the Arabic peninsula during the great flourishing period of the Sumerian city-states. Although we don't know much about early Akkadian history and culture, we do know that as the Akkadians migrated north, they came in increasing conflict with the Sumerian city-states, and in 2340 BC, the great Akkadian military leader, Sargon, conquered Sumer and built an Akkadian empire stretching over most of the Sumerian city-states and extending as far away as Lebanon. Sargon based his empire in the city of Agade, or Akkad as it is referred to, which became the basis of the name of his people. What is believed to have started the rage for rule by Sargon is a man named Lugalzagesi, ruler of Umma, who referred to his self as â€Å"Ruler of Sumer† and would use force with the neighboring city-states. He conquered Kish and killed Ur-Zababa, and then went on to conquer the neighboring city-states. Sargon’s motivation for what happened afterward may have been revenge, but either way, he raised an army and launched a surprise attack against the city-state of Erech, occupied by Lugalzagesi’s forces. He managed to defeat the garrison, as well as a force led by fifty kings loyal to Lugalzagesi. When Lugalzagesi returned and found Sargon had taken Erech, he immediately took to the field, and was defeated. Sargon proved to be a brilliant military tactician. After the battle, Sargon paraded the former king through the streets of Nippur, where the people spat on him in disgust. Sargon then went south, taking the city-states of Ur, Lagash, and Umma – Lugalzagesi’s former city, consolidating his hold on southern Sumer. Afterwards, he proceeded west, then slowly moved north, gaining more and more territory until he created an empire that spanned from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. There is a story of how Sargon washed his sword in the waters of the Persian Gulf to prove how he ruled from one coast to the other(Oppenheim 276). Also, there is evidence that Sargon may have sent armies even further, to places like Egypt, Ethiopia, and India in order to expand his empire even more. After he finished his campaign, he positioned garrisons at strategic locations throughout his possessions to stop any uprisings. It is important to note that many did not like having a Semite as their leader, especially one that had conquered them by force, so resentment ran high. In addition, Sargon appointed fellow Semites to positions of authority in order to ensure loyalty. His home, Akkad, became the greatest city-state in the coming years (Kramer 66). Sargon made inscriptions inside the temples in his conquered cities that detailed his exploits, and they were more accurate than the over exaggerated stories that where told after the events. You can see all the recorded events on the map in the back with every star showing you where a battle was won. It will also give you a sense of the amazing size of the Akkadian empire. It is remarkable that an empire of this size actually had the army to hold it down and an advanced mail system that would send messengers from one end to the other. The man was a true military tactician planning out every battle and naming people he knew he could trust to maintain his city-states. They were not lying when they refer to him as Sargon the Great. Unfortunately greatness does not last forever. Sargon of Akkad died Sargon died, according to the short chronology, around 2215 BC. His empire immediately revolted upon hearing of the king's death. Most of the revolts were put down by his son and successor Rimush, who reigned for nine years and was followed by another of Sargon's sons, Manishtushu who reigned for 15 years. Sargon is the first individual in recorded history to create a multiethnic, centrally ruled empire, and his dynasty controlled Mesopotamia for around a century and a half. This is an insane accomplishment. This man and his empire have and will keep being referred to as one of the greatest empires of not only Mesopotamia, but the entire world. I am lucky to have researched him and I’m sure many others will in the future. Works Cited Cooper, Jerrold S. and Wolfgang Heimpel. â€Å"The Sumerian Sargon Legend. † Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 103, No. 1, (Jan. -Mar. 1983). Kramer, Samuel Noah. The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1963. Print. Mesopotamia: the Mighty Kings. Alexandria, Va. : Time-Life, 1995. Print. Oppenheim, A. Leo, and Erica Reiner. Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1977. Print.

The Saint Patricks Battalion (Los San Patricios)

The St. Patricks Battalion—known in Spanish as el Batallà ³n de los San Patricios—was a Mexican army unit comprised primarily of Irish Catholics who had defected from the invading US army during the Mexican-American War. The St. Patricks Battalion was an elite artillery unit which inflicted great damage on the Americans during the battles of Buena Vista and Churubusco. The unit was led by Irish defector John Riley. After the Battle of Churubusco, most members of the battalion were killed or captured: most of those taken prisoner were hanged and the majority of the others were branded and whipped. After the war, the unit lasted for a short time before being disbanded. The Mexican-American War By 1846, tensions between the USA and Mexico had reached a critical point. Mexico was enraged by the American annexation of Texas, and the USA had its eye on Mexicos sparsely populated western holdings, such as California, New Mexico, and Utah. Armies were sent to the border and it didnt take long for a series of skirmishes to flare into an all-out war. The Americans took the offensive, invading first from the north and later from the east after capturing the port of Veracruz. In September of 1847, the Americans would capture Mexico City, forcing Mexico to surrender. Irish Catholics in the USA Many Irish were immigrating to America at about the same time as the war, due to harsh conditions and famine in Ireland. Thousands of them joined the US army in cities like New York and Boston, hoping for some pay and US citizenship. Most of them were Catholic. The US army (and US society in general) was at that time very intolerant towards both Irish and Catholics. Irish were seen as lazy and ignorant, while Catholics were considered fools who were easily distracted by pageantry and led by a faraway pope. These prejudices made life very difficult for Irish in American society at large and particularly in the army. In the army, the Irish were considered inferior soldiers and given dirty jobs. Chances of promotion were virtually nil, and at the beginning of the war, there was no opportunity for them to attend Catholic services (by the end of the war, there were two Catholic priests serving in the army). Instead, they were forced to attend Protestant services during which Catholicism was often vilified. Punishments for infractions such as drinking or negligence of duty were often severe. Conditions were harsh for most of the soldiers, even the non-Irish, and thousands would desert during the course of the war. Mexican Enticements The prospect of fighting for Mexico instead of the USA had a certain attraction for some of the men. Mexican generals learned of the plight of the Irish soldiers and actively encouraged defections. The Mexicans offered land and money for anyone who deserted and joined them and sent over fliers exhorting Irish Catholics to join them. In Mexico, Irish defectors were treated as heroes and given the opportunity for promotion denied them in the American army. Many of them felt a greater connection to Mexico: like Ireland, it was a poor Catholic nation. The allure of the church bells announcing mass must have been great for these soldiers far from home. The St. Patricks Battalion Some of the men, including Riley, defected before the actual declaration of war. These men were quickly integrated into the Mexican army, where they were assigned to the legion of foreigners. After the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, they were organized into the St. Patricks Battalion. The unit was made up of primarily Irish Catholics, with a fair number of German Catholics as well, plus a handful of other nationalities, including some foreigners who had been living in Mexico before war broke out. They made a banner for themselves: a bright green standard with an Irish harp, under which was Erin go Bragh and the Mexican coat of arms with the words Libertad por la Republica Mexicana. On the flip side of the banner was an image of St. Patrick and the words San Patricio. The St. Patricks first saw action as a unit at the Siege of Monterrey. Many of the defectors had artillery experience, so they were assigned as an elite artillery unit. At Monterrey, they were stationed in the Citadel, a massive fort blocking the entrance to the city. American General Zachary Taylor wisely sent his forces around the massive fortress and attacked the city from either side. Although the defenders of the fort did fire on American troops, the citadel was largely irrelevant to the defense of the city. On February 23, 1847, Mexican General Santa Anna, hoping to wipe out Taylors Army of Occupation, attacked the entrenched Americans at the Battle of Buena Vista south of Saltillo. The San Patricios played a prominent part in the battle. They were stationed on a plateau where the main Mexican attack took place. They fought with distinction, supporting an infantry advance and pouring cannon fire into the American ranks. They were instrumental in capturing some American cannons: one of the few pieces of good news for the Mexicans in this battle. After Buena Vista, the Americans and Mexicans turned their attention to eastern Mexico, where General Winfield Scott had landed his troops and taken Veracruz. Scott marched on Mexico City: Mexican General Santa Anna raced out to meet him. The armies met at the Battle of Cerro Gordo. Many records have been lost about this battle, but the San Patricios were likely in one of the forward batteries which were tied up by a diversionary attack while the Americans circled around to attack the Mexicans from the rear: again the Mexican Army was forced to retreat. The Battle of Churubusco The Battle of Churubusco was the St. Patricks greatest and final battle. The San Patricios were divided and sent to defend one of the approaches to Mexico City: Some were stationed at a defensive works at one end of a causeway into Mexico City: the others were in a fortified convent. When the Americans attacked on August 20, 1847, the San Patricios fought like demons. In the convent, Mexican soldiers three times tried to raise a white flag, and each time the San Patricios ripped it down. They only surrendered when they ran out of ammunition. Most of the San Patricios were either killed or captured in this battle: some escaped into Mexico City, but not enough to form a cohesive army unit. John Riley was among those captured. Less than a month later, Mexico City was taken by the Americans and the war was over. Trials, Executions, and Aftermath Eighty-five San Patricios were taken prisoner in all. Seventy-two of them were tried for desertion (presumably, the others had never joined the US army and therefore could not desert). These were divided into two groups and all of them were court-martialed: some at Tacubaya on August 23 and the rest at San Angel on August 26. When offered a chance to present a defense, many chose drunkenness: this was likely a ploy, as it was often a successful defense for deserters. It didnt work this time, however: all of the men were convicted. Several of the men were pardoned by General Scott for a variety of reasons, including age (one was 15) and for refusing to fight for the Mexicans. Fifty were hanged and one was shot (he had convinced the officers that he had not actually fought for the Mexican army). Some of the men, including Riley, had defected before the official declaration of war between the two nations: this was, by definition, a much less serious offense and they could not be executed for it. These men received lashes and were branded with a D (for deserter) on their faces or hips. Riley was branded twice on the face after the first brand was accidentally applied upside-down. Sixteen were hanged at San Angel on September 10, 1847. Four more were hanged the following day at Mixcoac. Thirty were hanged on September 13 in Mixcoac, within sight of the fortress of Chapultepec, where the Americans and Mexicans were battling for control of the castle. Around 9:30 a.m., as the American flag was raised over the fortress, the prisoners were hanged: it was meant to be the last thing they ever saw. One of the men hanged that day, Francis OConnor, had both his legs amputated the day before due to his battle wounds. When the surgeon told Colonel William Harney, the officer in charge, Harney said Bring the damned son of a bitch out! My order was to hang 30 and by God, Ill do it! Those San Patricios who had not been hanged were thrown in dark dungeons for the duration of the war, after which they were freed. They re-formed and existed as a unit of the Mexican army for about a year. Many of them remained in Mexico and started families: a handful of Mexicans today can trace their lineage to one of the San Patricios. Those who remained were rewarded by the Mexican government with pensions and the land that had been offered to entice them to defect. Some returned to Ireland. Most, including Riley, vanished into Mexican obscurity. Today, the San Patricios are still a bit of a hot topic between the two nations. To Americans, they were traitors, deserters, and turncoats who defected out of laziness and then fought out of fear. They were certainly loathed in their day: in his excellent book on the subject, Michael Hogan points out that out of thousands of deserters during the war, only the San Patricios were ever punished for it (of course, they were also the only ones to take up arms against their former comrades) and that their punishment was quite harsh and cruel. Mexicans, however, see them in a vastly different light. To Mexicans, the San Patricios were great heroes who defected because they could not stand to see the Americans bullying a smaller, weaker Catholic nation. They fought not out of fear but out of a sense of righteousness and justice. Every year, St. Patricks Day is celebrated in Mexico, particularly in the places where the soldiers were hanged. They have received many honors from the Mexican government, including streets named after them, plaques, postage stamps issued in their honor, etc. Whats the truth? Somewhere in between, certainly. Thousands of Irish Catholics fought for America during the war: they fought well and were loyal to their adopted nation. Many of those men deserted (men of all walks of life did during that harsh conflict) but only a fraction of those deserters joined the enemy army. This lends credence to the notion that the San Patricios did so out of a sense of justice or outrage as Catholics. Some may simply have done so for recognition: they proved that they were very skilled soldiers -arguably Mexicos best unit during the war - but promotions for Irish Catholics were few and far between in America. Riley, for example, made Colonel in the Mexican army. In 1999, a major Hollywood movie called One Mans Hero was made about the St. Patricks Battalion. Sources Eisenhower, John S.D. So Far from God: the U.S. War with Mexico, 1846-1848. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1989Hogan, Michael. The Irish Soldiers of Mexico. Createspace, 2011.Wheelan, Joseph. Invading Mexico: Americas Continental Dream and the Mexican War, 1846-1848. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2007.