by Herman Bailey | Jul 4, 2023 | Essays |
1. What factors contributed to your decision to apply to Parish?
We choose Parish for its personalized, creative, and faith-based approach to academics. Majority of the schools focus on academics and ignore the spiritual wellbeing of children. Parish allows our son to receive personalized teaching and instruction which will cater to his specific strengths and weaknesses.
Parish has a low student-teacher ratio and all-grade access to the Parish STEM Program. This will allow our son to grow exponentially in academics and socially. It will also allow the teacher to track his progress in various aspects and advice us on the same. The small class will also allow Stanton to participate and grow in confidence within the class. We, the parents and the teacher have the advantage of teaming up to help Stanton overcome any weaknesses and become more confident in academics, physical activities, social and spiritual wellbeing. Therefore allowing for the development of a well rounded, complete child.
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The lower school cooking lab is a bonus Stanton would be particularly excited to find himself in the lower school cooking lab. Many grade schools within the area have not understood the importance of an out of the class experience for young children. The lower school cooking lab will bring forth his creativity while at the same time challenging him to explore new areas. Of course, the cooking lab will likely make school more exciting and exhilarating for Stanton unlike his peers in other settings. The Parish setting will position Stanton to thrive in a dynamic world.
The school’s personalized; the hands-on approach is optimal for developing independent thinking and sound judgment. In this setting, Stanton’s involvement would be reality-anchored and focused. By exercising productive thought, he will learn to manage various settings including those involving change. The school’s curriculum would permit him to stretch his mind and thrive in the rich diversity of his classmates. The addition of Spanish, art, music, library time, daily P.E. and chapel fit with our core values.
After-school learning and in particular, the various EXTEND programs, are unique. We foresee Stanton quite keen for:
- Lego Discover
- Karate
- Indoor Soccer
- Spanish
- Art
Parental Recommendations
“It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.”
-Sherlock Holmes
We began inquiring about Parish one year ago as we were looking ahead to first grade. We spoke to many families to learn about their experiences at the school. Key findings include the school’s spectacular student discipline and safety as a priority. One family asserted Parish is a “home away from home” and offers a warm, supportive environment for both students and parents. Another family confirmed the school’s technology-emphasis for productive learning, and the schools “outside the box” approach to education. A mother expressed that the school takes into account families active schedules when assigning after school homework and duties.
Whereas the school brochure and advertising promised a fulfilling environment for our child. It is through the testimony of other parents that we got a complete feel of the school atmosphere. Observing children who have attended Parish, I noted that they had exemplary manners and admired their eloquence in Spanish and English. Immediately I knew that Parish would explore the strengths of our child and become a fulfilling learning environment for him.
As Aristotle claimed humans are capable of the highest good when they live and learn in their ideal environment. Parish will inspire Stanton to learn with confidence. Later, he likely will adhere to Aristotle and return the benefits conveyed to him.
2. What are your child’s greatest strengths?
Stanton’s greatest strengths are preparation, pride, and agility.
Preparedness
As Louis Pasteur asserted “Chance favours the prepared mind.” Stanton succeeds because inquisitiveness is one of his greatest strengths. He likes to ask questions and is a master of the 5-W’s + 1-H:
- Who?
- What?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?
- How?
Whenever we are going to the store, for example, the young man will prepare with the heat of a battle. He often gets upset when not forewarned of a simple trip to the shop. He would like to know exactly what his role will be, and therefore how he will accomplish the task. He often quizzes me on exactly what we are going to purchase and the amount of money we have carried for said purchases. This preparedness goes into all aspects of his little life, from playdates to colouring exercises. All things must be laid out properly and then the task can be accomplished.
Pride
As parents in this generation where children are often suffering from low self-esteem at an early age, we are happy that Stanton seems to be a proud and confident child. He has no qualms about defending his word and will not be quavered easily, even by his parents. He enjoys making his own choices from what to wear to where to play and with whom. Often when quizzed about his choices, he has reasons behind the choices. The reasons may be flimsy and childish but he has the confidence to defend his choices.
His pride is often the topic of discussion in our family with his grandma saying that sometimes the pride and confidence he exhibits carry a sort of charm because you will find yourself relenting. This does not mean that he is perfect, there are times his confidence can border on arrogance. However, when I carefully outline the disadvantages and mistakes he has made, he is often quick to say sorry and adjust.
Agility
Stanton is quite adaptable to his environment for example in a single day one can observe:
1. Barbie Dolls with the girls
- Engage in Lego Hero Factory with the boys
- Respect for older kids and relentless inquisition about the journey ahead
Stanton can study the environment and within seconds judge what he needs to be to succeed. His agility goes as far as simple tasks in the house. unlike many children who enjoy specific tasks, my son can today clean his room, tomorrow he will want to wash the laundry and next day put away the dishes. He adapts to each new environment with the agility of a chameleon, even new environments that he has not experienced before.
3. What are your child’s greatest areas of need, and what steps have been taken to address these concerns?
Although Stanton is confident in familiar settings, he can be cautious when the opposite is true. In a new environment, he tends to be shy often clinging to people he knows. One may imagine that he is not a social child, whereas in essence it just takes him time to adjust and become confident in the new environment. To address this concern, we keep Stanton active. His response has been positive and has helped him recognize the tremendous value of self-trust. Some of the uncommon achievements that he boasts to his friends include:
- Conquering a 675-foot zip line at Rough Creek Lodge, TX
- Riding his bicycle with no training wheels numerous times 9.5 miles around White Rock Lake
- If-Dallas simulated sky diving sessions
- 5-hour dog sledging adventure in Kananaskis located outside Calgary, Albert Canada
- Plummeted 16 stories (~155 ft) through the air at 80 mph on Dive Bomber Alley, Six Flags Over Texas
- Snow tubing solo in Banff Nation Park
With these activities, we have begun laying a foundation for Stanton where new is no longer scary and impossible but rather an exciting challenge to be conquered. We have seen changes when it comes to the introduction of new environments and we are confident that the school programs will allow him to embrace change, so that fear is no longer overwhelming.
4. What are your child’s special interests?
Stanton demonstrates superb capability, coping, and social interaction skills.
His strong learning capability is also present outside the classroom. His participation in many playgroups and extra-curricular activities illustrates his energetic spirit and capacity. He exhibits happiness from his achievements by decorating his home with certificates, medals and trophies.
His industrial capability is also noteworthy. He builds and constructs Legos designed for kids much older than him. He helps his mother sew and complete creative projects. He yearns to expose his ambitious drive in any setting by competing with his father. He is an early riser and quite independent in the morning. We find him drawing at the dinner table, constructing Lego castles and engaging in self-dialogue. This week he drew a scarecrow with tears in the eyes. When we asked him why the scarecrow was sad he said, “Because he didn’t want to be stuck to that pole.”
Well, that’s Stanton. He would never want to be stuck to a pole or want anyone else to be stuck that way either. Parish is our first choice of a school for our son because we feel it is a place that will encourage Stanton to grow and learn without getting stuck while reminding him others have the right to do the same.
Independence is another one of Stanton’s strong characteristics. He likes to dress in the morning to match every primary colour, all at once. He shows excellent hygiene in his desire to brush his teeth and match his father’s morning deodorant application. He is a master storyteller and always asks many questions. He seems to recover well from challenges and is firm when challenged by his playgroup friends.
In a familiar social setting, he is quick to take part. In the presence of friends and new acquaintances, he is quite trusting with his toys, and willing to share. He is popular with kids and teachers because he always remembers their birthdays. His signature touch includes delivering hand-made cards, creations, and sometimes cookies. He is affectionate towards younger kids and quite helpful in finishing small household chores.
At Parish, we envision Stanton will further branch out and innovate. While building confidence from new special interests, he will become more adaptable, versatile, and able to think on his feet.
5. Describe your child’s relationship with his/her peers.
We believe peer relationships are important to the quality of Stanton’s life as well as his future development. This is why we have created countless social options for Stanton since infancy. He gains great satisfaction from interacting with his peers. Stanton is self-confident and just as eager to socialize with an unfamiliar face at the park, as with a classmate or special friend. His ability to compromise, accept, and communicate has helped him foster relationships with children of varying ages and backgrounds.
He especially enjoys playgroup and is often awake and ready hours before the playgroup starts. In the past month, we have noticed that he enjoys making the newer children more comfortable, including them in his games and circle of friends. He is so compassionate that he is often willing to compromise and sacrifice for the comfort of another. I have often had to purchase an extra sweet or chocolate because he is probably going to give his away to a child he just met whose name he does not know or care to know. All he knows is that said child “looked” like he wanted chocolate.
6. Describe your child’s relationship with his/her family.
There are two lasting gifts that you can give to your children – one is roots–the other is wings.
Stanton’s mother and father live happily under one roof, but each has a unique relationship with him. His mom spends much of the time with him, engaging him in play and simple tasks in the house. This prepares him for bigger and more responsibilities. Also, she gives him the ideal roots upon which he bases his confidence. Much of the time, one will find him in the kitchen attempting to help his mum prepare dinner. To Stanton, Mummy and he are a team and must suffer together while at the same time enjoying all rewards together.
Stanton’s mom is a powerful influence in Stanton’s daily routine. She encourages critical thinking, strong values, morals, etiquette, and acceptance. Stanton and his mom connect through household chores. Sorting laundry, cooking, sewing a “broken” teddy bear arm, writing thank-you cards, and gardening. Creativity is important to Stanton’s mom. She encourages and facilitates craft projects, painting, building, and experiments. Strong extended family relationships are strengthened with mom organizing weekly visits to Stanton’s grandparents’ house.
Stanton and his dad connect through adventurous activities and competition. Each party plays a critical role in helping the other become the best that they can be. They ride bikes, race, and practice sports like baseball, football, and soccer. Stanton also likes to accompany his dad with HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) in our home gym. They often finish the day a friendly Nerf gun competition, and books before bed. Stanton’s dad believes sports are instrumental in teaching Stanton determination, discipline, and persistence. They build character, confidence and resilience – things that don’t show up in test results but matter in life. Although Stanton’s father has a demanding professional life, he rarely misses his competitive pursuits. He is a champion of Stanton and a meaningful mentor that will never give up on him.
Stanton also has strong relationships with his grandma and aunts. Whenever they visit or we visit them, they are quick to heap praises on his achievements. This has built his confidence and given him the desire to try out new things if only to tell grandma about it.
7. Does your child receive any tutoring or academic enrichment outside of the classroom? If so, please explain.
Stanton is an active participant in many extra-curricular activities:
- YMCA Soccer
- YMCA Flag Football
- Tennis Lessons
- Spanish Lessons
- Weekly Play Group
- Piano Lessons
- Martial Arts
8. If you feel it would be helpful, please elaborate on any of the above items.
Stanton has found a way to pick the best of the family gene pool. He is an exciting child, quite energetic and inquisitive. However, this does not mean that he is perfect; he also has his weakness. A common one that we have to deal with is his stubbornness. Often he will insist on a particular path, and I have to take some few minutes to debate and convince him to change direction. Parish will build a much more wholesome child with the potential of becoming an influential member of the community.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 4, 2023 | Essays |
The article analyses the necessity of the death penalty from the author’s perspective. The author suggests that many of the American Citizens support the death penalty. All states in America were previously in support of the death penalty when the nation was founded. The main disadvantage associated with the imposition of the death penalty is that statistics have shown that an innocent person is likely to be convicted of the offence they are not responsible for. The sentence cannot distinguish the guilty from the innocent (Turrow 1).
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Since the founding of the American nation, the states allowed the imposition of the death penalty. However, several questions were asked as to whether it was humane for states to impose the punishment and whether such actions were in favour of democracy. President Jefferson was one of the persons who viewed the death penalty as inhuman and restricted it. Similarly, in 1846 Michigan became the first American state to outlaw capital punishment with several exceptions. Several countries followed suit with imposed limitations on the application of capital punishment (Turrow 1).
Despite these restrictions, murder is still a prevalent offence in America from the news reports. More people are questioning how best to deal-to-deal with the capital offence since the set measures do not seem to work. The public is leaning towards retribution and forgiveness. Several arguments are put forth in support or against the death penalty. First, is that the system is a deterrence mechanism. Illinois is a state that has the death penalty, at the same time it reports a higher number of crimes than Michigan a state with no death penalty. Statistics indicate that states with the death penalty report higher numbers of murder crimes than those with no death penalty. Therefore, it is clear that the death penalty does not reduce crime.
Secondly, the death penalty is favoured because it is said to save money. For instance, instead of locking up the criminals who need food and other basic needs they are simply killed and eradicated from the community. However, this argument does not hold water since the average period between conviction and execution is 12 years; this period is coupled with state-funded litigation (Turrow 1).
Thirdly, capital punishment is argued to be the best alternative for families and victims. Public hearings from survivors and victims’ revealed that death by conviction did not, however, grant them relief. Most of the victims said that a sentence without parole was enough to guarantee that the defendant will not repeat the offence. They added execution posted an emotional burden on them. Most victims and survivors seek justice in the form of restitution and not retribution (Turrow 1).
In my opinion, the eradication of capital punishment is the appropriate measure. The justice system is not built on retribution mechanism, rather restoring the society and community to its initial peaceful state. The wrongdoer is supposed to know the impact of their actions and execution will not make them realize that. It is also possible to execute an innocent person, our justice system has from time to time been wrong about something; therefore, the chances of executing an innocent person are very high. Though it is painful to lose a loved one due to the criminal actions of another, executing the offender does not bring back a loved one. Therefore, the ultimate solution is a life sentence with no option of parole.
In conclusion, the issue of the death penalty is a complex and contentious one. While some argue for its necessity as a deterrent and means of justice, others highlight the potential for wrongful convictions and question its effectiveness in reducing crime. The evolution of attitudes towards capital punishment in the United States reflects the ongoing debate on its morality and compatibility with democratic principles. Ultimately, my perspective aligns with those advocating for the abolition of the death penalty. The justice system should focus on restoration rather than retribution, seeking to rehabilitate offenders and promote a peaceful society. Furthermore, the risk of executing an innocent person is too high to justify its continued use. Instead, a life sentence without parole provides a suitable alternative that ensures public safety while upholding the principles of fairness and humanity.
Work Cited
Turrow, Scott. “To kill or not to kill”. The New Yorker, January 6 2003.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 4, 2023 | Essays |
Use of Figurative Language by Shakespeare
At the begging of the play, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare commences with a statement in which the character Orsino equates music with food. Orsino says,
“If Music be food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die (1.1.1-3).”
He makes these comments at his castle while listening to songs played by his musicians. Orsino Duke of Illyria is hurt by Olivia’s failure to reciprocate his love thus wishes for anything that would get rid of that feeling after getting satisfying it. Therefore, he dreams that if music would feed his emotional desires so he would like excess of it so that in the long run he would be disgusted, and his infatuation for Olivia would go away as a result. The metaphor compares love to the human body and music to food that nourishes love enhancing its growth and development. The comparison of music to food communicates the characters’ foolish fantasies concerning the emotional desire of love, their longing to fulfill that feeling as well as the lines they are willing to cross in their quest to achieve satisfaction in relation to the feeling of love. The metaphor further illustrates the author’s ideas regarding misguided infatuations that blind characters to the reality of experiencing love that is the major idea in the plot of the play.
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The association of music with food that nourishes love suggests that the character, Orsino, is hungry for love. He is further portrayed to be desperately in need of fulfilling his emotional desires other than being loved back as he appears to appreciate the notion of being in love more compared to the lady Orsino thinks he loves. Therefore, the metaphor communicates his ignorance and naivety concerning the subject of love. Orsino’s drive to experience love and extinguish the pain associated with it makes him delusional as he entertains impossible, crazy imagination concerning factors that foster the growth of love. For instance, he thinks listening to excess music would fill his appetite- emotional desires for Olivia- and eventually let him off the hook as implied by Shakespeare (1. 1. 1-3).
The linking of music to food associated with enhancing growth and development of love communicates the unhealthy over yearning of deep emotional desires that drive the parties involved crazy to the point of deviating from their daily activities. Orsino seems to have lost interest in indulging in activities he used to take pleasure in participating in since he declines an invitation to go hunting (Shakespeare (1.1. 20-24); instead driven by the powerful force of love, Orsino shifts his focus to thoughts that would fill his desire excessively and spare him the pain of being rejected by Olivia. Thus the metaphor implies the decline of Orsino to foolishness by the unfamiliar feeling of love as he seems to focus a lot on his obsession since later in the scene he ends up in bed nursing his infatuation with love fantasies.
The author’s association of music with food of love at the begging of the play aids in communicating the theme of love depicted throughout the play and highlights the plot. The metaphor further hints on the characters’ fallacies concerning the notion of being in love that drives them into foolish acts that they are barely conscious of or aware. For instance, Malvolio ends up being isolated by Olivia, who considers him insane after being misled into attempting to declare his love for her as implied by Shakespeare (3.4. 25-29). It also touches on the uncontrollable pain associated with the feeling of love since Osirino’s desire to quench his hunger for love with music seems to be triggered by Olivia’s disinterest in him.
Moreover, it hints on the impulsive measures the characters undertake to experience the feeling of love and stay close to their loved ones. For instance, Viola tugs along with her ridiculous ploy to stay close to her love, Orsino, as indicated by Shakespeare (1.4.7) while fully aware of his interest in Olivia. In a nutshell, the association of music with food of love exposes the characters’ misconception concerning idea of falling in love and exploits the possibility of finding closure as they finally come to terms with the reality when they find love they had been desperately searching for.
Some characters nurse the idea of satisfying their yearning for passion asserted by their tendency to cling to misplaced beliefs that gives them the hope of being loved or experiencing love. For instances, Olivia seems to be have fallen in love with by Viola’s (Cesario) words other than her personality as she could not tell the difference between Viola and Sebastian. Olivia appears to cling to the appealing sound of Viola’s (Cesario) words probably because they helped nourish her emotional desires thus echoes the metaphor.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, W. Twelfth night, or What you will. New Haven: Yale UP, 1954. Print.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 4, 2023 | Essays |
1. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka portrays the contention for acceptance of individuals in a time of need. From the start, Gregor, who is the central character of the story works very hard to provide for his family financially, but he receives remarkably little recognition for his work. Gregor goals are to see his family getting the best out of all and is desperate to be loved by them. One morning he wakes up and finds himself transformed into a human-size insect; however, he does not show to be so much concerned about the sudden change. His transformation into an insect proves to be more profound than the transformation of his character. While in the insect state, instead of his family appreciating him, they abuse him. However, Gregor does not lose hope of connecting with them.
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2. Clearly, in The Metamorphosis, Gregor’s physical transformation does not change his feeling like a human being. (clear up this sentence, phrase it differently keeping its meaning)
Gregor’s entire life is centred around his job as a travelling salesman. He follows the same schedule every day and put his best effort at work. Nevertheless, his primary intention and motivation is to ensure he settles his parent’s debts and sends his sister, Grete to a conservatory where she could improve her skills as a violin player. His family depends on his job so much that they are entirely invested in his capability to work and provide. Furthermore, when he finds out that his physical body has changed, he reacts so indifferently. He thinks it was a dream and attempt to find a comfortable position to sleep because his insect body does not permit him, but his feelings are still attached to his job and he regrets his inability to do his duties. He cried to God of the nature of the job he had chosen (Kafka, 4). It is clear that Gregor is not surprised by his insect body, rather than the fact that he is late for work, meaning that his new body does not change his feelings about his job.
3. At first, when his family discovers about Gregor’s transformation, it appears they sympathize with him. His sister Grete leaves him food so that he can eat while his mother creates accommodations to help him adjust to his new body such as shifting the furniture around the house so that he can move around freely. Also, his family maintains the door of his room open so that he can see and hear what the family is doing. Nevertheless, as time went on with the new body, his family started feeling the effect of Gregor being jobless. His father had to look for a job, and the family had to find a way to help in paying the rent. As a result, Gregor felt detached from the family because they became less concerned about his wellbeing. Gregor grew to become a nuisance and no longer needed in his family because he was not productive and desperately sought to connect with his family although his attempt was not welcomed. Neither his sister appreciated him nor his parents. Gregor feels that his family is not as kind and considerate as it should be. Indeed, his family loses their capacity for mercy and justice for him despite the fact that he had been working hard to provide for them.(please after reading this paragraph, try to focus on how Gregor reacts to the attitude of his family, how his feelings are perceived.. find evidence in the text and cite.)
4. For instance, there was a moment in the story when Gregor is deeply moved after hearing his sister Grete playing the violin, but Grete is not moved by Gregor appreciation of her music. This is shocking to Gregor because he still had the human feeling of compassion despite being in an insect body. Gregor got deeply moved by his family for not showing appreciation and compassion to him. He is shocked because he still has the human feelings of compassion despite being in an insect body. (please, add more to this paragraph and cite from the text, always make sure that what is written supports the thesis statement)
5. Apart from Gregor’s family turning a blind eye to him, they also mistreated him in a myriad of ways. Even though they heavily depended on him during the earlier sessions of the story, it is evident that they gave him tiny support when his body transformed into a gigantic insect. Despite Gregor acquiring the new body, he still had compassion and human feelings towards his family. Therefore, Gregor’s metamorphosis did not affect his reasoning and sensitive aspects of his human nature. (refine the conclusion, and add more if necessary)
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With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 4, 2023 | Essays |
Toole explains that big data is that data from information that people post on their social media pages, which is later, used to predict the future and making choices. Gary and Davis in their article titled, “Eight (No, Nine!) Problems with Big Data”. From the perspective of Lohr, big data is the numerous amount of information that is used to develop more advanced technologies. Based on these data, technological companies can make decisions to determine what their consumers want. He adds that big data is not constant it keeps on expanding and through analyses the data is used to make future decisions.
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The presence of big data creates a number of opportunities. The primary one being that it is possible to analyze a large amount of data at the same time. For example, scientists have the opportunity to analyze data and create new treatment regimens for their patients. Technology is an evolving one so is big data, it is possible to tell the future through the use of big data. Gary and Davis quote, Patrick Tuckers article titled, “the naked Future “who says big data will provide us with an opportunity to predict certain areas of the future with a high degree of accuracy. In short big data provide statisticians with an opportunity for data correlation.
Big data also provides job opportunities for both Information Technology and statistics experts, to showcase their skills. For instance, Ms Zhou, who works for IBM, helps businesses to use big data, obtained from social media comments to make decisions based on the reducing the cost of production, and maximizing profits. Ms Zhou explains that her love for numbers has helped her maximize her skills. Lohr also adds that it is predicted that the United States needs over 190,000 people to work in the big data analyses.
Yes, big data has and is still living up to the hype. Big data is the production of a huge amount of data that is shared by billions and billions of people on the internet. It is possible to make decisions without even conducting research. Companies that have similar market share can share similar data analyses. We have a large amount of data in the internet big data will only have lived up to the hype if we know how to put this data into proper use.
As Toole noted in his talk, big data is likely to cause a number of privacy issues especially if we place information on the Internet where everyone can access it. The advent of big data means that the data is used and reused. Some people will opt to use anonymous identity; however since big data has past records, it is possible to the identity of the individual to be identified in the small patches of data is placed together. In 2014, President Obama recognized that big data will not only affect the privacy of individuals but that of the intelligence service too. He suggested an amendment to the Patriot Act that may affect the way Americans live and work.
The first ethical consideration is that of privacy. Although people want to be technologically advanced, they still want to maintain their privacy. It is very easy to get someone address by the click of a button. The second ethical issue is with regards to the quality of data produced. It is possible to make wrong choices because of a faulty big data prediction. Big data is important for the topic since it is still focused on the subject statistics as evidence. The main aim of this topic is to understand the various ways of using statistics as evidence.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
