Culture, Race, and Gender in Sports Essay -- Sociology Essays Research

Culture, Race, and Gender in Sports When a person of a specific gender enters a non-traditional sport for their gender/sex, many social and moral issues will arise challenging that person involved in that particular sport. The intentions of the individual will be questioned as well as their personal interest in the sport. Before any of these questions are asked, there must be a redefinition of gender roles, femininity, and masculinity. In order for a person to enter a non-traditional sport for their gender/sex without being criticize about gender morality, society must set flexible definitions for femininity and masculinity. Society must begin to accept the variety of sports both men and women can compete in regardless of the traditional gender specific sports notions of the past. Women should be allowed to participate in traditional "male" sports like hockey, bodybuilding, and boxing without being stereotyped as lesbians. Men should be allowed to participate in traditional "female" sports like synchronized swimming and field hockey without losing their "masculinity". A perso...

Acceptance: Chinese & American Born Perspectives in Poetry

Kelvin Yee 10/21/12 Skyline College English 110 Paper #2 Acceptance: Chinese & American Born Chinese Perspectives in Poetry The United States is a place where people can have diverging views on how to describe the diverse nation. The country in fact does not have an official language because of the myriad of distinct ethnicities residing within the country. With all this diversity it is only natural for people to struggle with which cultural norm to follow. Of the many immigrants that have journeyed to the U. S. or a better life, Chinese immigrants perhaps have been discriminated against the most because at one point they were considered an alien incapable of assimilating which lead to laws preventing their immigration and naturalization during our nation’s not too distant history. From a Chinese perspective, appearance is everything and by default that means acceptance as well. Chinese immigrants often will develop opposing personas since the United States is predominantly an individualistic society whereas Chinese society is predominantly a collectivist culture.This imbalance in values has caused some Asian-Americans to become baffled over how to discover their true identity. While achieving acceptance while balancing multiple identities is not an easy feat to accomplish, authors Kitty Tsui and Laureen Mar have used poetry in similar and dissimilar ways to support people who are endeavoring to navigate through diverse and conflicting identities, through their poems: A Chinese Banquet and My Mother; Who Came From China, Where She Never Saw Snow. Both authors are activists that use poetry as well as other literary mediums to reach a broader audience.Tsui was born in Hong Kong and she is a lesbian with a loving partner so she is very familiar with longing for acceptance since she is a minority within a minority. Mar is of Chinese descent born in the United States at a time when discrimination against Chinese and Asians in general was still vastly prevalen t throughout the nation. The two authors use their intellect to enlighten as many people as they are able to reach with their literary works. The protagonist in Tsui’s poem is arguably modeled after her where she is striving to be accepted for being gay by her family.The protagonist attempts to come out to her mother â€Å"but she will not listen, she shakes her head. † (Tsui 613) This avoidance can become very problematic due to the conflicting societal teachings and will only perpetuate the alienation. When there is disapproval in Chinese families often a distance will start to build as children and parents start alienating one another. This largely stems from Chinese children being taught not to question authority while Western society is teaching almost the exact opposite.The main character in Mar’s poem is a Chinese immigrant mother that succumbs to a cycle of monotonous despair without even realizing it. The mother appears to be content doing the same job day in and day out for relatively low wages as she has been sewing sleeves onto ski jackets over and over again for twenty four years. She must work to support her family and because â€Å"she earns money by each piece, on a good day, thirty dollars† (Mar 533), thirty dollars that could easily be ten if she slows the pace.Being an immigrant with limited knowledge of the English language, she is not left with many options in terms of rising above her socioeconomic class but she cannot afford to slow down to take English lessons. Like many immigrants the mother gets caught in a catch 22 and over time loses sight of the goal of providing a better future for her and her family after all, she could have stayed in China to do this job. Both poems emphasize the struggles that someone goes through while both being and feeling like an outsider which only illustrates how important it is to bring conflicting viewpoints into equilibrium.Tsui’s poem illustrates the narrator grappli ng with her own persona as well as the persona her family would like her to portray. In contrast the struggle in Mar’s poem is about the inner workings of the intricate interactions between society and the immigrant population in America. These issues are deeply philosophical as there are many cultural dimensions rooted within them. These two distinguished poets have gone to great lengths to not only alert us to mounting issues in our society but they give us a map to navigate these turbulent waters as well.The struggles presented in the poems are not merely that of being an outsider because they have a fervent underlying clash of cultures that exists within them. Take Tsui’s poem for example, she asserts that you should allow your individuality to shine through but at the same time be respectful of the differing societal views. The first evidence of this notion is established early on in her poem where the reader discovers the narrator’s individuality flourishi ng in the form of fashion because the reader is specifically informed that the narrator is dressed differently from the rest of the female attendees of the family function.The narrator could have easily chosen to cause a raucous or simply refuse to attend the family function because her partner was not welcome at the event. Instead of pursuing either of these two scenarios she attends and â€Å"[sucks] on shrimp and squab† (Tsui 613) minding her own business while daydreaming of acceptance. This decision is very significant because the narrator demonstrates that she is still able to be respectful of the traditions of her family and culture while still allowing her individuality to thrive as much as possible given the circumstances.Through all of this she is still very conscious of not only her perceived image but her family’s image as well. In contrast Mar’s poem proclaims that you should not go against tradition in the slightest bit, but instead encourages peop le to follow tradition with one key factor to keep in mind; do not overwork yourself until you lose sight of why you are working so hard in the first place. Chinese society places great value in a strong work ethic but the mother keeps working without questioning authority, also something Chinese society teaches, which can be viewed as either a positive or negative Chinese trait to have.The mother ends up being overworked with a seemingly low prospect of climbing to a higher socioeconomic class without even realizing the disparity in the working conditions compared to the typical working conditions of native born Americans. Mar points out that many immigrants get taken advantage of because they are unfamiliar with what is proper and what is downright unscrupulous in hopes of Chinese immigrants realizing that virtues that are prized in Chinese culture may become a point of exploitation in cultures with dissimilar values.Not only have these renowned poets given us instruments to aid u s as we traverse challenging obstacles in multicultural lives, but they have done it in such manner that a reader of the poem can’t help but marvel at how they have used certain literary tools to reiterate their point without creating a feeling of alienation. Throughout both poems, both poets have given us subtle clues that are not immediately apparent but after careful reflection provide the reader with a revelation about the society that we live in.Tsui’s use of repetition is meant to have the reader believe that the family function is fairly casual despite initial evidence to the contrary. Very early on the speaker in the poem uses an oxymoron stating that â€Å"it was not a very formal affair but all the women over twelve wore long gowns and a corsage, except for me. † (Tsui 612) Clearly the event itself was a formal affair; otherwise the women over twelve would not have been in long gowns with a corsage. They could have simply been in a casual dress or pant s for that matter. It was not a very formal affair† is repeated several times during the course of the poem in an attempt to create a feeling of casualness. This casualness is a key concept that is further developed by the lack of punctuation in the entirety of the poem. Making the poem have a casual atmosphere is yet another way to show respect while still inserting individuality because she is able to soothe a stressful topic. For traditional Chinese families having a gay child is a very serious matter.In general Chinese society value sons more than daughters because the sons will continue the family name and it is assumed that sons will care for the parents in their old age. Since multiple cultures are working against Tsui it is only natural that she would endeavor to frame the issue in a softened manner. She points this out as not only a remedy for coming out but also as a guide to manage any tense situation in which there is are significant disadvantages. Mar utilizes a l iterary device known as enjambment to aid in emphasizing the irony in her poem.By having her thoughts flow in a continuous manner the reader does not have an opportunity to immediately pick up on the irony since there is no break between her thoughts. This writing style allows suspense of the poet’s point to build up, creating an epiphany upon reflection of the poem at the end. This style of writing allows the author to blend thoughts together that individually would not be very substantial but when combined, form a very profound and thought provoking literary work.Had Mar chosen to use an alternate style of writing she would have likely had to delve much deeper in her selection of words in order to convey her point with such an impact. Most rational people regardless of their cultural background would choose to portray their mother in a positive light. The narrator of Mar’s poem describes her mother as having hair as â€Å"coarse and wiry, [and] black as burnt scrub. † (Mar 532) No one would intentionally depict their mother in such a horrible fashion unless there was something amiss however; the little details like this are not immediately processed with the enjambment.Further analysis reveals additional evidence to suggest something is irrational. All the Chinese dialects are tonal languages like most Asian languages. Due to the pronouncing of certain tones in many Chinese dialects, many Westerners have viewed some of the dialects as being harsh and abrasive when in fact from the perspective of a native speaker, the dialogue is nothing more than a normal conversation. Mar specifically choses to have the narrator, a native speaker, describe Toisan Wah, a Chinese dialect, as being harsh.Obviously this suggests that there is some dissatisfaction of the current situation just as the fact that the mother has immigrated to America for twenty four years, but the speaker in the poem specifically points out that English is the mother’s se cond language suggests additional discontent. After twenty four years it shouldn’t be necessary to explicitly communicate this detail despite being a fact. On the surface of these two poems a reader can get wealth of information to guide through balancing multiple diverging identities but it is perhaps after careful analysis that you can appreciate the true implications of the poems.Both Tsui and Mar are activists but being that they come from a Chinese cultural background, though slightly differing views, they know how to express their opinions without being overbearing. Chinese culture is a high-context society meaning that there is a lot of emphasis put on the meanings of not what is said but rather what is implied whether it is in the form of writing style or nonverbal cues during physical interactions. A considerable wealth of knowledge can be lost without delving deeper to read in between the lines of our intricately elaborate network of intertwined cultures.With global ization and acculturation happening at an increasingly unwavering rate, these two poets have prompted us to take heed not to lose sight of our culture, the very essence of our identities, in a robust but diplomatic approach to gain acceptance. Works Cited Mar, Laureen. â€Å"My Mother; Who Came from China, Where She Never Saw Snow. † Barnet, Sylvan, William Burto and William E. Cain. A Little Literature. New York: Longman, 2007. 532-533. Poem. Tsui, Kitty. â€Å"A Chinese Banquet. † Barnet, Sylvan, William Burto and William E. Cain. A Little Literature. New York: Longman, 2007. 612-614. Poem.

The Great Gatsby Quotations

Figurative Language: Foreshadowing is used in this. When Jordan says this it foreshadows on the accident Of Daisy hitting Myrtle. 3) â€Å"Some time toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs.. Wilson stood face to face in impassioned voices whether Mrs.. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy name. â€Å"Daisy! Daisy! Daisy! † shouted Mrs.. Wilson. â€Å"I'll say it whenever want to! Daisy! Dad-† Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand. Importance: The importance of this quote is showing how the richer class people think that being snobs makes them â€Å"fancy†.It shows how the era this book was set in was a time much different hen ours. Symbolism: This shows how Tom is unworthy of Daisy and her love, no matter what his social status. It is also showing the darker side of the jazz era. Seeming Nick did not respond to Tom hitting myrtle this shows you his non-judgmental side to him. Figurative Language: Personification is used here w hen â€Å"Impassioned voices† is said, as well as â€Å"a short deft movement. † 4) â€Å"l believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited. People were not invited-?they went there. Importance: The importance Of this quote is that it is showing how society used Gatsby, they didn't know him or particularly like him, but they felt more then happy, and welcome to party at his house. Even though he would throw a party for all of New York the East egger wouldn't accept him. This also shows the general corruption of the roaring ass's. It also helps show that people wanted to escape from their empty lives. Symbolism: This quote helps show that for some reason Gatsby wanted to meet Nick, he wanted to make sure that Nick showed up. Which then helps you realize that Nick has a connection to someone or something that Gatsby wants.Which would be Daisy. Figurative Language: Foreshadowing is used. Because the fact th at Gatsby invited Nick, and no one else shows that he wants to see him badly for some reason. Which is then explained later on in the book. 5) â€Å"A stout, middle-aged man, with enormous owl-eyed spectacles, was sitting somewhat drunk on the edge of a great table, staring with unsteady concentration at the shelves of books. As we entered he wheeled excitedly around and examined Jordan from head to foot. â€Å"What do you think? † he demanded impetuously. â€Å"About what? † He waved his hand towards the bookshelves â€Å"About that.As a matter of fact you needn't bother to ascertain. I ascertained they re real. â€Å"The books? † He nodded. â€Å"Absolutely read-they have pages and everything. I thought theft be a nice durable cardboard. Matter of fact they're absolutely real. Pages and-Here! Lemma show you. † Importance: This quote is important to the plays pot because it helps describe how real of a man Gatsby is compared to the rest of the people i n society. It shows how Gatsby is genuine, and isn't just an illusion like everybody else in society in the ass's was. Symbolism: The constant bringing up of â€Å"owl eyes† in the book is symbolizing wisdom.It symbolizes that Gatsby is a wise man. It also symbolizes for how Gatsby is blinded by assays beauty and for his love for her. Figurative Language: Owl eyes is used as a symbol in this quote, they come up often in the book. They symbolize for how Gatsby has a difficult time separating the ideal from the real. 6) â€Å"l hope she'll be a fool-?that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool†¦ You see, I think everything terrible anyhow†¦ And I know. I've been everywhere and seen everything and done everything. Importance: Daisy says this to Nick and Jordan, talking about how she hopes her daughter will turn out.Importance of this is that it shows that she lives in a time when Oman are not expected to be quite intelligent, she hopes t hat her daughter can be a â€Å"beautiful fool†. Woman in this era were expected to be docile. Importance to Character: This shows how she refers to the social values of her era, but does not challenge them. Instead Daisy describes her own boredom with life, and believes that a girl can have more fun in her time when she is beautiful and simplistic. Daisy conforms to the social standard of American femininity in the 1 dad's to avoid tension issues as her undying love for Gatsby.Figurative Language: This foreshadows on Tom having a mistress because Daisy is a fool. She has no idea that Tom has a mistress, so she herself is a â€Å"beautiful† fool. 7) ‘There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams-not through her own fault but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion†¦ † Importance: The importance of this quo te is that it explains how Gatsby expected more out of Daisy then what she could give.He expected her to be the same Daisy that he had fallen in love with before the war, and he expected her to love only Gatsby and not Gatsby and Tom. Symbolism: This shows that Gatsby is that Daisy is the golden girl. A symbolic validation that his love for her makes him a real man, while to Daisy, Gatsby is symbolic of freedom and escape, everything that Daisy wants 8) â€Å"She was appalled by West Egg†¦ By its raw vigor that chafed†¦ And by the too obtrusive fate that herded it's inhabitants along a short-cut from nothing to nothing.She saw something awful in the very simplicity she failed to understand† Importance: This quote shows how Daisy is a judgmental character and does not understand what it is like to not have much money to upend. Daisy doesn't understand the amusement of new wealth partying crowd. Daisy grew up knowing that there must be a concrete difference between po or and rich. Daisy and Tom like the old traditional way of wealth, the status and reputation. They like the â€Å"classy' way of life, so when there is woman there asking to daisy to have a cold shower, she is disgusted that a woman would let herself get that drunk.Symbolism: This quote shows how Daisy loves Gatsby. Even though this party disgusted her and Tom, she still tries to defend Gatsby when Tom says something nasty about the party. She rises to explain that a lot of people who weren't invited must have came, and those were the people that are acting not appropriately. 9) â€Å"You ought to go away:' I said. â€Å"It's pretty certain thefts trace your car† â€Å"Go away now, old sport? â€Å"Go to Atlantic city for a week, or up to Montreal† He wouldn't consider it. He couldn't possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do.He was clutching at some last hope and couldn't bear to shake him free. † Importance: This quote shows that Gatsby is too hung up on Daisy that he can't leave without her. He believes himself to be so in love with her that e can't leave. Gatsby doesn't know that his life is at risk because Mr.. Wilson is running around the countryside trying to find the owner of the yellow car. Symbolism: This quote shows how Gatsby lives Off Of hope. It shows how hope is the only thing that is keeping him from loneliness, and from just giving up. 0) minis is a valley of ashes-?a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. Occasionally a line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations form your sight. Importance: The val ley of ashes is a dividing point between West egg and East egg, It is a division between two totally different life styles, West egg is a place full of people who are happy and searching for what to be, while East egg is full of people who are wealthy and spend money on whatever they like, while in the middle, is the valley of ashes. A place that is burnt down, nothing but grey from ashes, where it is filthy and dusty, and people are just getting by. Symbolism: The Valley of Ashes symbolizes for a place of death, of something dark.It symbolizes that dreams are left there, and that there is no hope there. The Valley of Ashes is a place where god sees everything, because of the large billboard with the dry in the large glasses on it. 1 1) â€Å"It makes me sad because Eve never seen such- beautiful shirts before† Importance: This quote shows you how Daisy is very materialistic. After seeing Gatsby mansion, and finally seeing his bedroom and the mount of money/things he ash, she becomes overwhelmed. Symbolism: The shirts symbolize for something of the bigger picture. They symbolize a rainbow, especially because it is raining outside.The shirts show her how Gatsby become wealthy for her to love him because he knows that she is materialistic, she starts sobbing because she knows she can never return the ardent love for him. 12) ‘They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together and let other people clean up the sees they had made† Importance: Tom is careless because he goes out and cheats on Daisy with myrtle, while Daisy is careless because she lets Tom go out and snoop.It makes you wonder how Gatsby received his endless amounts of money he seems to have. 4) â€Å"If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay†¦ You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of yo ur dock. † Importance: This quote shows how Gatsby is so in love with Daisy that he bought a house right across the bay from her, just so he could see the green light at the end of her dock. It's not quite enough for him, but its just enough to keep that hope their in Gatsby mind.Symbolism: The green light is a symbolic representation of Daisy, Which is everything that Gatsby desires. It shows how much he truly loves her. 15) ‘With every word she was drawing further and further into herself, so he eve that up, and only the dean dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away, trying to touch what was no longer tangible, struggling unhappily, UN- despairingly, toward the lost voice across the room† Importance: This quote shows how when Gatsby is speaking to Daisy, he realizes that she will never be his, the way that she was before.He realizes that he had lost her for good, and that she was never coming back again. Symbolism: This quote shows an illusion. It shows how Daisy was all a made up illusion in his mind, and he made her to be greater then what she actually was. Just like the American Dream, his hopes were crushed.

buy custom ARC essay

buy custom ARC essay The American Red Cross (ARC), headquartered in Washington D.C, is a volunteer-run humanitarian organization that offers emergency aid, education, and disaster relief within the United States (Miller et al., 2009). ARC is a selected United States associate of the International Federation of Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies, and currently, besides offering domestic disaster relief, the organization also provides services like communication services, community services, educational programs on health, preparedness, and safety, the collection, processing, and circulation of blood, the development and global relief programs (Miller et al., 2009). The American Red Cross is administered by volunteers and sustained through numerous donations from the community and income from safety, health products, and training (Miller et al., 2009). One of the strategic issues of the American Red Cross is the precarious financial position of the organization (Henderson, 2012). ARC having been assistin g over $40,000 to $60,000 evacuees with a yearly budget of around $47,000 persons, which means that it is facing financial problems. A five-part strategy development process will be applicable to this strategic issue. The strategy development process will start with the identification of visions and alternatives deemed right for addressing the strategic issue (Bryson, 2004). After the identification, the group will then enumerate the barriers for attaining the visions. It is apparent that doing this will help the company deal with the issues strategically. Thirdly, the organization should prepare the main proposals that will enhance the attainment of the alternatives or the visions (Henderson, 2009). Afterward, the organization will need to determine the actions that it will need to implement the proposal in the next two to three years. Lastly, the organization will need to have a detailed work programme that takes into consideration the implementation actions of the next 6 to 12 months (Bryson, 2004). During this strategy formulation, the most helpful process guidelines include the identification of the visions and alternatives deemed right for addressing the strategic issue and for the preparation of proposals, which will greatly assist in the attainment of the same (American Red Cross, 2011). Buy custom ARC essay

How to Spell Exclamations of Laughter

How to Spell Exclamations of Laughter How to Spell Exclamations of Laughter How to Spell Exclamations of Laughter By Mark Nichol How does one spell the sound of an eruption of laughter? It depends on the species of mirth, and the list below offers suggestions based on such subtleties. Whether one seeks to indicate a character’s laughter in the manuscript of a novel or short story or to indicate actual or conjectural laughter in nonfiction, consider these guidelines. The basic expression of laughter is ha, though this onomatopoeic word can also express derision, especially when followed by an exclamation point, so writers should take care to provide context to clarify whether the word indicates amusement or ridicule. The former is more likely to be expressed with ha-ha (also styled â€Å"ha ha† or haha, though, as with many reduplicative terms, hyphenation is recommended). Greater dedication to expressing amusement is demonstrated by ha-ha-ha and so forth, though eventually, with enough reduplication, derangement is implied. Meanwhile, heh, or heh-heh, suggests pointedly mild amusement, or a suggestion of mischievous or smirking, sniggering, or lascivious amusement, so, again, context is helpful. He-he-he, or tee-hee (or tee-hee-hee) also imply mischief, though the implication is that the laughter is high pitched, and the humor is juvenile. Bwah-hah-hah, or mwah-hah-hah, is imitative of a comic book villain’s triumphant eruption of malicious laughter when overcoming the hero and is generally used facetiously to imply that one’s evil machinations have borne fruit. Ho-ho-ho, the form of expression employed by Santa Claus to express Christmas cheer in popular culture, suggests a full-bodied mirth, while hoo-hoo is indicative of obnoxious delight at, for example, being found to be right about something or having caught someone in a lie or transgression. Yuk-yuk-yuk (or, imitative of Curly of the Three Stooges, nyuk-nyuk-nyuk) suggests impish delight, though using the word yuks to refer to laughter suggests sarcasm or at best a comment on how something is not really that amusing. Derived from the Internet-speak acronym for â€Å"laugh out loud,† lol (or LOL) is rarely used as an expression in dialogue or within a quotation, though it may be uttered in conjunction with derisive eye-rolling. (The variations lolz and lulz may express scorn as well.) Many of these terms are ambiguous, so, as stated above, aid the reader with contextual clues to, for example, clarify whether the expression of humor is sincere or sarcastic. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureEnglish Grammar 101: Verb Mood10 Humorous, Derisive, or Slang Synonyms for â€Å"Leader† or â€Å"Official†

Comparing Narrative in Fiction and Nonfiction (Literature) Essay

Comparing Narrative in Fiction and Nonfiction (Literature) - Essay Example In contrast, the nonfiction account is typically focused on conveying information and establishing itself as a serious or truthful account. This can be seen when one compares three short pieces such as the fictional stories â€Å"A Delicate Balance† (Armas) and â€Å"In Service† (Alcott) and the nonfiction â€Å"Pablo Picasso: Living in His Own Shadow† (Goodman), all of which deal with the theme of finding transcendent value in the process of work. In â€Å"A Delicate Balance† (Armas), the narrative voice establishes a means of showing the reader Romero’s example of transcendent value in work because it observes at the same time that it tells. Romero Estrada is introduced as a somewhat strange man who spends his mornings in a perfect and inexplicable routine of sweeping the sidewalks up and cleaning up the trash for the various businesses up and down his street and then spending the afternoons hanging out at the various businesses as appropriate. He obviously enjoys this life because â€Å"he took great care to sweep cleanly, between the cracks and even between the sides of the buildings †¦ The work took him the whole morning if he did it the way he wanted† (Armas 17). However, the narrative voice that tells the reader these things is not identified in any way and is therefore allowed to transfer from one mind to another with impunity. It is a disembodied voice that seems capable of hovering over the scene below and observing intimate details without having any effect on the events occurring. While it is capable of telling the reader how Romero works when he does it ‘like he wanted,’ the narrator is also aware of private conversations between Barelas and his son Seferino and the thoughts of these men as they talk. It tells us â€Å"Barelas knew his son was putting something over on him, but he didn’t know how to answer† while â€Å"Seferino watched with pride as Romero went about his job† (Armas 19). This ability to show the story through

A Time To Learn by George H. Wood ph.d Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Time To Learn by George H. Wood ph.d - Essay Example iter on the very first page where he states that, â€Å"This book is about the work it will take to reinvent our high schools, moving them from institutions to communities (Wood, 1999, Pg. 1)†. The author’s own experiences as an educator in the college as well as high school environment certainly add to the value of the book since the readers understand that the writer has been an active participant in the education process rather than an outsider looking in to act as a researcher or consultant. That is not to say that Wood’s work does not include any research since he worked for more than a decade as a professor of education which certainly entails its own requirements for research and experimentation. The combination of research and the experiential knowledge gained by Dr. Wood makes it possible for readers to understand clearly why most reform initiatives in schools today fail to meet their mark. Reforms which are half baked, non intuitive and do not take into account the needs of the students are hardly useful or even appreciated by those who are most involved in the process. As recommended in the book, teachers as well as students have to be made interested in the changes which are taking place in a school before the changes can lead to meaningful output. At the same time, participation from other stakeholders is also an important factor for the successful implementation of the reforms and these stakeholders include everyone from the parents who send their children to the school to administrative boards who have to maintain the legal guidelines and mandatory guidelines coming from the local, state or federal bodies for the governance of the American education system. Even the community at large can participate in how schools are run at a given location since they too can be affected by the operation and systems used at a school. A typical student spends more than five thousand hours of his/her life in high school and that is a significant portion of time