The Hands Roar with Dignity

As I come to the promise land my light and joy fulfill every thought and fiber of a being elated through
Look further on is every considered thought that close and open the doors of negative to positive
Hearts afire with chalice drawn do we chatise
For a life of stand endeavors the collection of faith, grace and mercy granted by God’s voice
Hearing the mighty flourishing sound looks alark to sing for his grace we will fulfill and pray forever
Considering eyes looks at all for we are not unheard but see a sword that lingers for the righteous to reflect a vengeance that laughs with mocking layers of sheer unadulterated fun
For the Hands Roar with Dignity

By

Felicia McCaw

WELLNESS

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME TO BE WELL

Wellness, when I say this...I feel that one should be simultaneously at ease in mind as well as in spirit. One should be in an acceptable physical shape, which means that I think that a person would be in this cycle when they are satisfied with their present condition...a state of being happy, healthy, and has a feeling of prosperity...a feeling that they are achieving something. It is a time when a person feels that they are in control and content with their own power...and well adjusted to their environments. I feel that one needs to be a well-balanced person to achieve this goal and that a feeling of happiness should flow from that person. There should be a physical harmony between mind and body.

This is what I feel wellness is.

By

Felicia McCaw

RELAXATION

How I Relax

I am interested in always finding ways to relax, to unwind, to sit down and enjoy life. One of the first things I do before I proceed to relax, is to find a quiet corner to sit in. I have trained myself in an informal way of how to release the tension that builds up very quickly.

First of all, I sit down in my corner, close my eyes, repeating the special word to myself over and over until I feel the tension leaving my body, breathing deeply all the time, as I proceed, I can feel my whole body relaxing until I feel that I am floating on air. I do this whenever I feel under strain or pressure. I have did this for quite some time and it has worked all the times I have used this method of relaxation.

By Felicia McCaw

WEBTEXT FOR PHIL 210

WEBTEXT FOR PHILOSOPHY 210

PHIL210 CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT 2 - PROBLEM SOLVING

Topic – Problem Solving
Felicia McCaw
Professor Muhammad Mustafa Sohna, Ph.D.





Problem Solving
Strayer University
Felicia McCaw
Professor Muhammad Mustafa Sohna, Ph.D.
PHIL 210
Online Summer 2017
September 2, 2017

Problem Solving
2

In scenario two the requirement of teaching students the ability to work independently, efficiently and be attentive to details by including all requested information is the goal. The problem that is prevalent is that my child is working on the project but has missing aspects and still the need is there to stress how important it is to be attentive and be precise in including all required details.

A factor that affects the project and process of using contemplative thought and analysis is to look at the project as needed to be expanded. Next, breaking it down to determine how each segment can be processed and done by starting with the easiest part of the project and then compiling it systematically because it has a beginning pattern with alternatives to work backwards by completing the project from the rear.

In relation to the problem with assembling the project is the correlating issue of how to assist a child in developing responsibility for his or her own expansion by allowing the exploring of ways to assist and grow from the base to an upper level of thinking process. Further learning how to change routes and approach the problem and work on the most difficult part and then the most simple or vice versa. The task of teaching how to expand would be the next step in preparation to assist in the creating and compiling of the project as the project is assembled. Therefore, the learning theory is enacted by evolving from the step of discovery of the problem and the ability to break it down and process it further to ensure the project is completed with all possibilities explored.

Some of the hindrances that might cause a lack of fluidity is the inability of the child to grasp the full concept of what needs to be done. As such the problem and lack of understanding has to be approached and minutely clarified to help resolve. Another hindrance that might affect

Problem Solving
3

the project is the inability to obtain correct and valid information to assist the child to allow expansion. Also, in connection memories of being assisted with all projects is a carryover and factor that has to be addressed and realized that a chance is enabled to start an avenue of
independence by teaching individual thought and planning to complete a project without assistance.

In relation to the child’s inability to grasp the intention of the project the next step would be to ascertain how much the child knows and is able to do individually. After finding the lack, the next step would be to proceed step by step to ensure understanding and build exploratory knowledge to assist in building and completing the project. If the information is found to be too complicated the ultimate step would be to work as an assistant with the child to help compile the project and fulfill the state of completion.

If the project needs information that is not obtainable the next step would be is to decide if a substitution can be done. If a substitution can be done the contents of it would have to be analyzed and determined if it is conclusive and relational to the project then it can be used. Further, if the student can absorb it and use it and if it can also be definable as appropriate then the process of assimilating and merging would be the next step. Another concern would be to consider if there are barriers that inhabit the ability to proceed with the project and if so what would be the problem.

As with any project the consideration of whether there are biases in relation to the associated problem becomes a prominent thought. As such the exploration of how affective the bias is in connection with the project would determine whether an inherent problem exists or is just associated with this one. One way to weigh how extensively a bias that may be connected

Problem Solving
4

would be to look at the project and comparatively weigh the pros and cons in doing the project in differing ways and determine if the pros are more beneficial or if the cons are.
With the pros and cons considered the next step would be to implement the ideas to change the overall presentation if either is more suited to upgrading the project. Further it is also a possibility that by using the pros and cons the child’s confidence and ability can be encouraged so that a level of independence can be obtained. Rescaling and evaluating the entire process can lead to a new viewing and possible alteration to the problem and a renewal of looking at the issue to ensure that it is changed and altered.

Since the purpose is to use the queries to define the options to be utilized as solutions to a problem or a variation to reroute and change a direction in thought and procedure to follow. The studying of an outside source can lead to changing the queries and lead the options in a different way and conclusively expand and evolve the approach towards the problem and help solve it quicker and more efficiently. Therefore, the best option for solving the problem would be to use the best of the expanded options when used in a comparison against each other. Consequently, it allows a clear vision in choosing the best of the options that have been gathered together to use and solve the problem.

As with all problems the thought is always uppermost to expand the problem and look at it in perspective and clarity to define it, highlight it, dissect it, and look at it segment by segment, generate options by reversing the problem and considering each option individually. After this is done, the process of elimination and retainership becomes easier and the choice is determined quicker. Therefore, the option would be to incorporate the child’s efforts and gather the missing information that the child probably does not understand and merge your ideas to upgrade

Problem Solving
5

the project and oversee and examine any problems and teach the child in order to upgrade the entire process.

With the decision made the next step is the implementation and reflection on the steps used to compile the project and whether or not it is a possibility and if the solution is measurable and complete. This combination of using these options is the most effective because it allows the compilation of the project and gives a new way to introduce options and a theory how to process and change the approach by contemplating queries on the options that can be used to culminately obtain the objective of getting the project done. Further with upgrades, teaching the child and expanding him with the learning theory and changing and developing a plan to make it all possible.

PHIL210 CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT 1.2 CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS part II

CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS ESSAY
ASSIGNMENT 1.2



Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part II
Strayer University
Felicia McCaw
Professor Muhammad Mustafa Sohna, Ph.D.
PHIL 210
Online Summer 2017
July 28, 2017

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part II
2

Is the use of Standardized Tests Improving Education in America? One of the concerns of evaluative testing is its true purpose and what aspect does it truly fulfill. In a nation of cumulative scrutiny and evaluation the purpose of testing is first to measure a student’s progress and assimilation of given material and as well as ability to evolve. As tests are prepared to reflect an analysis of overall progress of students area by area so does the need to ensure fairness, equality and equivancy with a look of guidance to ensure a viewpoint to measure the mental acuity of each student. But in effect standardized tests cannot measure the curriculum but it more or less serves as a guideline to ensure that the basic skills are being assimilated. Therefore, actively standardized tests are limited in its ability to gauge what is needed to generate whether it can state that fairness exists in these tests.

Affective bias is a level that all standardized test have because of cultural differences, levels of supportive family education, interactive ability, social consensus, peer association and pressure, English level of English spoken and read, mental acuity and awareness, level of understanding and ability to process and other factors.

Therefore, in effect the scorage is not a true representation but is rendered in progressive bias when comparisons are done between races due to a lack of communication equivalency and a lack of educational ability to progress due to a lack of exposure and narrowed unexpanded life. Unfortunately, when a rendering of a decision of ability, talent and mental acuity the depressed segments of the populace reflect inability, not capable of assimilation and looked as dismal people incapable of absorbing any type of knowledge but the basic of the basic.

Summarily, standardized tests are limited evaluations but serve as tested, accumulated data to reflect that in the impoverished communities a similar curriculum is not being taught and that the terminology, written cases are like a foreign language and cause extreme difficulty due
to ignorance and not mental acuity. Without exposure to widen the horizons with more written

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part II
3

details this in itself causes an inability to progress or accumulate a more logical approach and ableness to become more competitive on tests as more knowledge is gained and absorbed.

Therefore, the testing of students will always have an inherency of unfairness, bias and flaw in the ability to test and make a true summation that basic skills are being taught properly, as well as that it reveals a seemingly hidden mockery of the education system when the reflections or consequences found are known that Black students are not being taught the same as White students. Further, the systematic oppression is buried in the form and presentation of education and the standardized test is proof needed that these tests are based upon willing oppression and regulatory position in a country of suppression.

The cumulative ability of these students are hindered and hampered and that the stereotypes are reinforced by the scorage on test and reflective reception. As such the change has to be done to change the act and presentation of education to an equal level to ensure exposure to terminology, language development, reading comprehension, math, and sciences are done to be used as a focal point in daily life. By doing this all will be able to have better scores and avenues of success.
Once again the question is posed does the use of Standardized Tests Improve Education in America? In the evaluating of this question are three pros and one con: Pro 2 - Standardized tests are reliable and objective measures of student achievement, Pro 4 - Standardized tests are inclusive and non-discriminatory because they ensure content is equivalent for all, Pro 7 - Standardized tests are narrowing the curriculum, rather they are focusing it on important basic skills all students need to master, Con 8 - Standardized tests are not objective.

In the evaluating of Pro 2, although used as a reliable source with objective measures to evaluate progress and student’s achievement. The cumulative pool of statistical data is biased,
racist with deliberate acts to reflect incapability and a huge gap in the assimilation

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part II
4

capability between the Black race, Caucasian race, Latino, Hispanic, Chinese and any other minority race. But as a reflective and evaluative tool it is not a fair estimation or an equal measure of mental acuity. Further bias is reflective because of cultural differences and it cannot reflect that supportive family education is a factor in a student’s ability or that a need for interactive content is necessary in the process of assisting assimilation. Also, the cultural differences reflect norms in speaking, terminology with logical sequence to assist in the process of mental processing and analysis.

Although a multiple-choice test these tests are geared and compiled with not the Black students whose cultural inherency is absent of formulated English which makes a consensus of inability to gauge ability, aptitude and level of reasoning ability. Because a huge disparity exist between the scorages this reflects a severe underestimation of reasoning knowledge, mental acuity and possible logistics. These affective states of severe differences reflects an inherency of deliberate unfairness and systematic oppression and racism buried in the form and presentation of education and standardized tests to retain oppression and a regulatory position in a country of suppression.

In the evaluating of Pro 4, in relation to the position held by Michelle Rhee, former Washington, DC, school chancellor, that alternate tests for minorities or exempting children with disabilities would be unfair. A test that has deliberate racism associated with it is not fidelitous to any methodology or purpose to estimate a consistent pattern of education is being relayed. What it will do is gain a position of estimation that approximates whether Black people are being deliberately hampered to sneer at and keep them in a position in this country to be viewed as superlative illiterate.

Further this is not a civil rights issue it is a criminal act against a populace of the Black people deliberately short changed by hatred, meaness and willingness to use and exploit a race

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part II
5

with no home to call their own. A system of inequality is a blasé attempt to spread a blinder to the world that attempts were made to teach but receptiveness is not enabled but a violent and animalistic mannerism that repels all “civilized people”.

In the evaluating of Pro 7, the curriculum as given is reposit in that it is an insufficient challenge that focus on the bare bones of the basic bones of education with that in mind any impact is near mute because the concept becomes a serious, hilarious amusement. But with expanded exploratory educational ventures it becomes a more intensified testing to raise internal pride, as well as develop expanded student achievement.

In the evaluating of Con 8, in the case of standardized test not being objective the analysis as conclusive clearly reflects a racist approach and cause a flag to raise because it can be considered a civil matter and therefore a supportive in a case of intentional suppression, hate and oppression and intentional servitude. Further the testing proves that students whether Black or minority have not been exposed to certain reading comprehension, math of a higher level, sciences that exceed the basic because knowledge is known of the inability because of the lack in structuralized learning to absorb and assimilate the material.

In relation, these tests range in ability to be used for child and adolescent evaluations that cover not only assimilated educational information but also establish guidelines to analysis of possible autism, mental thinking incapacity, intellectual ability, developmental, adaptive
behavior, achievement levels, language fluency and knowledge, social capacity, neuro-psychological functioning, parallel behavioral and emotional functioning. As such these tests hope to give a measure of validity, efficacy and predictive power. Because these tests are more or less heavily relied upon and affect the curriculum taught these summarizations of scorage is
effective in denying the need for accountability because they are geared to teach to the test which enables ability to pass the test but does not guarantee conductive learning or ability to

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part II
6

comprehensively evolve further due to a lack of critical thinking skills that are absent as well as logistics.

Further the tests are reflective of three things as follows: What is learned in school, outside of school and innate intellectual ability. Therefore, the scorage is reflective only of what is learned in schools due to controlled and structured curriculum. If the curriculum is narrowed then also is the accountability which also reflects a huge disparity that will continue to grow until the marginalized groups are reduced to incapacity and subsequent view of incapability in achievement disparity.

Consequently, the standardized tests are supposed to work in complement to increase a student’s growth and achievement not use it to narrow the curriculum. Also, as a tool it can be used to ascertain what is needed to allow growth, how to retain and assimilate learning and obtain the approximate content knowledge to increase students’ achievement on these tests. Without effort these standardized tests although controversial are “high-stakes” for students because the American education system is still a failing entity for mostly the impoverish students which is seen as normal but not necessarily so for students of middle class and the upper classes.
Further, “… the Great Recession wreaked havoc among working-class families’ employment. This has led to greater residential segregation and homogenously poor neighborhoods, leading to a higher concentration of poor students in certain schools” (Neuman,2013, p.18). Because this also affects the taught curriculum due to overcrowding with a resulting factor of questionable scores on standardized testing that are clearly not a credible source. A reduced curriculum also results in inability to participate with full coherency and as such “Correlational studies show a strong relationship between high poverty and poor academic performance (Sirin, 2005; White, 1988; White et al., 1993). As such a “one-size fits all” curriculum is counterintuitive and counterproductive in a society that values individualization,

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part II
7

differentiation, and customization and that it may place too much emphasis on standardized testing while discouraging teacher autonomy (Stancill, 2013; Westervelt, 2014; Tienken & Zhao, 2010).

Because of this in theory the costs are high to all involved in the educational process because poverty equates to failure and in its own state oppression and suppression. Therefore, the bias are conclusive of a hidden agenda to keep a regulated people suppressed, unknown and looked at as discard. In its own purpose standardized tests does achieves some of its goals but it is written and geared to continue oppression for without thought mankind is nothing but pure animal instinct.
Lastly, enculturation or group identification as with the theory of intentional suppression and oppression allows clarity and vision of what the missing link is? The missing link is equated to fairness, equality in regard to freedom and educational rights to challenge the stereotype and best it and build a bridge for all to evolve to higher thought with all critical purpose, logistics and educated refined thought.







REFERENCES

FairTest. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fairtest.org/standardized-testing-and-students-
disabilities

Standardization - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2017,
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/standardized

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.procon.org/sourcefiles/believinggame.pdf

Is the Use of Standardized Tests Improving Education in America? - Standardized Tests - ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2017, from http://standardizedtests.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001747

Mitra, D. B. (2016, March 07). Opting Out: Parents Creating Contested Spaces to Challenge Standardized Tests. Retrieved July 27, 2017, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1100171

Hoskins Lloyd, M. (2016). Achievement and Growth on Standardized Tests: Commonalities Among Exemplary Teachers’ Practices. Literacy Practice & Research, 41(3), 17-22.

Schneider, J., Feldman, J., & French, D. (2016). The best of both worlds. Phi Delta Kappan, 98(3), 60-67. doi:10.1177/0031721716677264

Dotson, L. & Foley, V. (2016). Middle Grades Student Achievement and Poverty Levels: Implications for Teacher Preparation. Journal Of Learning in Higher Education, 12(2), 33-44

Wasserberg, M. w. (2017). High-Achieving African American Elementary Students’ Perspecives on Standardized Testing and Stereotypes. Journal Of Negro Education, 86(1), 40-51. doi:10.7709/jnegroeducation.86.1.0040

PHIL210 CRITICAL THINKING -ASSIGNMENT 1.1 CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS ESSAY

CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS ESSAY
ASSIGNMENT 1.1



Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part 1
Strayer University
Felicia McCaw
Professor Muhammad Mustafa Sohna, Ph.D.
PHIL 210
Online Summer 2017
July 14, 2017

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part 1
2

Is the use of Standardized Tests Improving Education in America? In the evaluating of this question are three pros and one con: Pro 2 - Standardized tests are reliable and objective measures of student achievement, Pro 4 - Standardized tests are inclusive and non-discriminatory because they ensure content is equivalent for all, Pro 7 - Standardized tests are narrowing the curriculum, rather they are focusing it on important basic skills all students need to master, Pro 8 - Standardized tests are not objective.

In the evaluating of Pro 2, although used as a reliable source with objective measures to evaluate progress and student’s achievement. The cumulative pool of statistical data is biased, racist with deliberate acts to reflect incapability and a huge gap in the assimilation capability between the Black race, Caucasian race, Latino, Hispanic, Chinese and any other minority race. But as a reflective and evaluative tool it is not a fair estimation or an equal measure of mental acuity. Further bias is reflective because of cultural differences and it cannot reflect that supportive family education is a factor in a student’s ability or that a need for interactive content is necessary in the process of assisting assimilation. Also, the cultural differences reflect norms in speaking, terminology with logical sequence to assist in the process of mental processing and analysis.

Although a multiple-choice test these tests are geared and compiled with not the Black students whose cultural inherency is absent of formulated English which makes a consensus of inability to gauge ability, aptitude and level of reasoning ability. Because a huge disparity of exist between the scorages this reflects a severe underestimation of reasoning knowledge, mental acuity and possible logistics. These affective states of severe differences reflects an inherency of deliberate unfairness and systematic oppression and racism buried in the form and presentation

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part 1
3

of education and standardized tests to retain oppression and a regulatory position in a country of suppression.

In the evaluating of Pro 4, in relation to the position held by Michelle Rhee, former Washington, DC school chancellor, that alternate tests for minorities or exempting children with disabilities would be unfair. A test that has deliberate racism associated with it is not fidelitous to any methodology or purpose to estimate a consistent pattern of education is being relayed. What it will do is gain a position of estimation that approximates whether Black people are being deliberately hampered to sneer at and keep them in a position in this country to be viewed as superlative illiterate.

Further this is not a civil rights issue it is a criminal act against a populace of the Black people deliberately short changed by hatred, meaness and willingness to use and exploit a race with no home to call their own. A system of inequality is a blasé attempt to spread a blinder to the world that attempts were made to teach but receptiveness is not enabled but a violent and animalistic mannerism that repels all “civilized people”.

In the evaluating of Pro 7, the curriculum as given is reposit in that it is an insufficient challenge that focus on the bare bones of the basic bones of education with that in mind any impact is near mute because the concept becomes a serious, hilarious amusement. But with expanded exploratory educational ventures it becomes a more intensified testing to raise internal pride, as well as develop expanded student achievement.

In the evaluating of Con 8, in the case of standardized test not being objective the analysis as conclusive clearly reflects a racist approach and cause a flag to raise because it can be considered a civil matter and therefore a supportive in a case of intentional suppression, hate and

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part 1
4

oppression and intentional servitude. Further the testing proves that students whether Black or minority have not been exposed to certain reading comprehension, math of a higher level, sciences that exceed the basic because knowledge is known of the inability because of the lack in structuralized learning to absorb and assimilate the material.






















REFERENCES

FairTest. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fairtest.org/standardized-testing-and-students-
disabilities

Standardization - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2017,
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/standardized

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.procon.org/sourcefiles/believinggame.pdf

Is the Use of Standardized Tests Improving Education in America? - Standardized Tests - ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2017, from http://standardizedtests.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001747