The Most Critical Talents a Teacher Must Possess :: Patience Creativity Adaptability Teaching Essays

The Most Critical Talents a Teacher Must Possess A.) In my opinion, the three most critical talents a teacher must possess are patience, creativity, and adaptability. Through the years I have grown to understand the saying, â€Å"Patience is a virtue.† I feel it is a gift to have the patience to work with a large group of children, whose needs and abilities range at different levels. Everyone becomes frustrated during his/her profession, but a teacher must have the ability to hide those frustrations so the happiness of every child will be ensured. Most people associate creativity directly to artists and musicians because of their natural born talent. Not all teachers can draw or sing, however their minds are creative. Teachers are given a curriculum full of skills and concepts that their students must master by years end. Therefore, it is the responsibility of an educator to engage the children in as many exciting and fun learning experiences as their imaginations can foster. Adaptability, the power to change easily to fit different conditions, is a critical talent that a teacher must possess in the classroom. If a lesson is unsuccessful and the students are confused on the skill that is being stressed, a teacher must adapt to the learning situation. By changing his/her approach to the material, students become enabled to better comprehend what is being taught. As a first year teacher, I feel I possess all three of these critical talents. B.) Though my experiences in the classroom are limited to my first year teaching and student teaching, I have always contemplated how I would use technology as a source of learning. My plan is to incorporate the use of technology through learning centers, since they will be a vital part of my classroom. A computer station will provide students exposure to programs that are age appropriate. These programs will focus on areas of mathematics and reading, both of which are crucial to a child’s education. Some programs I have implemented are Reader Rabbit’s Kindergarten, Dr. Seuss Kindergarten, and Math Circus. A listening center adds a real-life dimension to the stories because they make the books come alive for children. During my kindergarten practicum I incorporated a listening area that contained a listening post with headphones, a tape recorder, and sometimes a compact disc player. The area also contained tapes of books and the actual stories to which the students listened.

Vietnams economy :: essays research papers

The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Independence was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH, who took control of the North. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South. Despite the return of peace, for over two decades the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies. Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities have committed to economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese settlers and religious persecution. Vietnam is a densely-populated, developing country that in the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally planned economy. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low level of development and significantly reducing poverty. Growth averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy and temporarily allowed opponents of reform to slow progress towards a market oriented economy. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth then rose to 7% in 2000-04 even against the background of global recession. Since 2001, however, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic liberalization and international integration. They have moved to implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more comp etitive, export-driven industries. However, equitization of state-owned enterprises and reduction in the proportion of non-performing loans has fallen behind schedule. Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade in December 2001 have led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade and economic regime.

The Religious Dimension of Daniel Defoes Robinson Crusoe Essay

The Religious Dimension of Robinson Crusoe  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Robinson Crusoe’s discovery of the work ethic on the small island goes hand in hand with a spiritual awakening.   Robinson Crusoe is not a very profound religious thinker, although religion is part of his education and transformation.   He claims he reads the Bible, and he is prepared to quote it from time to time.   But he doesn’t puzzle over it or even get involved in the narrative or character attractions of the stories.   The Bible for him appears to be something like a Dale Carnegie handbook of maxims to keep the work on schedule and to stifle any possible complaints or longings for a different situation.   Still, the religious dimension is central to Robinson Crusoe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Robinson Crusoe’s interpretation of his life links the financial success directly and repeatedly with his growth in religious awareness.   This is not an intellectual conversion but, simply put, an awareness that he has, in some ways, received God’s grace and is under His care.   The growing profitability of his efforts is proof of such a spiritual reward.   This awareness fills him with a sense of guilt for his former life and a great desire to be relieved of that guilt.   The desire to be relieved from that feeling of guilt, in fact, is much stronger than Robinson Crusoe’s desire to be delivered from the island. Now I looked back upon my past life with such horror, and my sins appeared so dreadful, that my soul sought nothing of God but deliverance from the load of guilt that bore down all my comfort.   As for my solitary life; it was nothing; I did not so much as pray to be delivered from it or think of it; it was all of no considerations in comparison to this; and I added this part here to ... ... The inhabitants of the New World were there to be ignored, like Friday’s father, used as servants, like Friday, or killed, like the cannibals.   The important part of the Puritan encounter with the New World was what Robinson Crusoe shows us, the spiritual testing of the solitary Protestant spirit, a life-long ordeal in which he achieved success (or the closest thing to a manifestation of success) by stamping his will on the new land, staking out territory as his property through backbreaking toil, without any concessions to anyone or anything, least of all to the land or to its original inhabitants.   That was the Puritan’s calling; that was the reason God has placed us on this earth: to put to our personal uses the material and people available, to ignore what does not fit in with such projects, and to remove quickly and ruthlessly anything that stands in our way.

Comparison of Lao Tzu and Machiavelli Essay

It is obvious to most people the differences between black and white, light and darkness, or Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Many people have different preferences for each of these things, as well as different views about them. While one person may argue that Pepsi is the ultimate cola beverage, another person may claim that Coca-Cola is the best by far. This is such the case with many different people in this world, on many different topics. A prime example of contrasting views on many issues is Niccolio Machiavelli and Lao Tzu. Among the issues that they address include war and violence and the qualities of an ideal ruler. The issue with the most differences is obviously that of war and violence. In his work â€Å"The Qualities of a Prince† Machiavelli claimed that a good ruler must always be prepared for war. Even when their country is not at war, the ruler must be constantly considering combat. They must take the time to look at the land in which any battle will be fought, whether that is in their kingdom or that of their enemies. â€Å"He must, therefore, never raise his thought from this exercise of warm and in peacetime he must train himself more than in time of war; this can be done in two ways, one by action, the other by the mind. And as far as action is concerned, besides keeping his soldiers well disciplined and  trained, he must always be out hunting, and must accustom his body to hardships in this manner; and he must also learn the nature of the terrain, and know how the mountains slope, how the valleys open, how the plains lie, and understand the nature of rivers and swamps†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (38). Lao Tzu’s â€Å"Thoughts from the Tao-Te-Ching† took a more pacifistic approach. He believes that no man had the right to defeat enemies by using violence and  weapons. When violence is used against somebody, it will eventually rebound and come back upon the person who inflicted it. â€Å"Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men doesn’t try to force issues or defeat enemies by force of arms. For every force there is a counterforce. Violence, even well intentioned, Always rebounds upon oneself.† (24). The contrast in Machiavelli’s ideal ruler and that of Lao Tzu is drastic. Machiavelli thinks that the ideal ruler should be careful when it comes to being generous. He believes that if a ruler is too generous, the people he governs will become unappreciative of their good fortune. A prince should be feared by his people, but they should not despise him because of it. â€Å"A prince must nevertheless make himself feared in such a manner that he will avoid hatred, even if he does not acquire love; since to be feared and not to be hated can very well be combined; and this will always be so when he keeps his hands off the property and the women of his citizens and his subjects. † (44). Lao Tzu has many views that are in great opposition to those of Machiavelli. He believes that the best ruler is one that the people don’t even realize is there. A leader should be loved, and not feared or hated. He acts upon things, and when he is a success, the people of his kingdom get the full credit for his work. â€Å"When the master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists. Next best is the leader who is loved. Next is the one who is feared. The worst is the one who is despised†¦ The Master doesn’t talk, he acts. When his work is done, The people say â€Å"Amazing, We did it, all by ourselves!†Ã¢â‚¬  (22-23). A ruler should also not have the desire to leave his country. If you are restless and feel the urge to move on, then you will lose touch with who you truly are. â€Å"The heavy is the root of the light, The unmoved is the source of all movement. Thus the master travels all day Without leaving home. However splendid the views, She stays serenely in herself. Why should the lord of the country Flit about like a fool? If you let yourself be blown to and fro, You lose touch with your root. If you let the restless move you, You lose touch with who you are.† (23-24). Clearly these men believed in two entirely different sets of values. This can be shown in their interest and opinions on many subjects, among them violence and war, and the traits of an ideal ruler. One is full of optimism, while the other brings out the pessimism is the most jubilant people.

Ethical and moral grounds Essay

From a moral point of view, the truth of the above statement seems so convincing that it would be very difficult to make an argument against it. Victor Frankenstein’s creation of the monster and subsequent rejection of him is questionable on both ethical and moral grounds so we feel that surely he is responsible for his creation’s crimes – and it is the issue of responsibility that goes to the heart of the question of who is the ‘true’ murderer. However, over the course of the book, we see the monster evolve from a child-like creature without any understanding or language into one who becomes sensitive, eloquent, cruel and violent. Consequently it could be argued that with this change came moral awareness and therefore the true responsibility for the murders. By examining the events that lead to the deaths of William, Justine, Clerval and Elizabeth, this essay aims to establish who bears the ‘true’ responsibility for the murders rather than just whose hands committed the crime. The death of Frankenstein’s younger brother William is perhaps the most appalling, as William is only a child, and the monster’s excitement at what he has done shocks the reader even more: ‘I gazed on my victim, and my heart swelled with exultation and hellish triumph'(p117). This reaction to the death of a child seems unbelievably evil – yet the monster’s joy is not really in William’s death – it is actually in the realisation that he can hurt and therefore revenge himself on Victor: ‘I, too, can create desolation; my enemy is not impregnable’ (p117). Also, although the reader would expect to feel no sympathy whatsoever for the assailant of such a crime, Shelley uses it to show the extent of prejudice even in society’s youngest members which has the effect of catching the reader off guard. Desperate for human company, the monster incorrectly reasons that the ‘little creature was unprejudiced, and had lived too short a time to have imbibed a horror of deformity’ (p117). This has the unexpected effect of making the reader feel sorry for the monster as well as the victim, because by now Shelley has developed him into a thinking, sensitive being who has still been completely rejected by all – even a child. Although the reader is horrified by the murder, the monster’s intention to abduct William ‘to educate him as [his] companion and friend’ is at least as pathetic as it is wrong, and therefore somehow also human and mitigating. Nevertheless, William’s murder was not portrayed as being premeditated but it was definitely a deliberate and reasoned act of vengeance: ‘Frankenstein! You belong then to my enemy†¦ you shall be my first victim’ (p117) and so it seems to make holding Victor solely responsible for it extremely difficult. The death of Justine however is not only the most damning for Victor, because he withholds information about her supposed crime for the most selfish of reasons, but for the monster as well. Under the pretext of fearing he will be dismissed as a madman, Victor remains silent about the monster. Yet since he is already thought to be ‘mad’ this is hardly a convincing reason. Nearer the truth is his fear of being abhorred by mankind for creating the monster, and it is for this weakness that Shelley ensures we feel less sympathy for Victor. The monster too is at his most despicable and calculating as he deliberately plants the incriminating evidence of murder on the innocent Justine and we feel that there is little to choose between him and Victor. However, it is significant that Victor himself sees Justine’s trial as some kind of judgement on his arrogance in creating the monster in the first place and even acknowledges that the true responsibility for both William’s death and Justine’s eventual execution should be his: ‘It was to be decided whether the result of my curiosity and lawless  devices would cause the death of two of my fellow-beings: one a smiling babe, full of innocence and joy; the other far more dreadfully murdered†¦ ‘ (p61). In failing to save Justine from execution, Shelley is drawing attention to Victor’s failure to resolve the moral dilemma he is in, which conveniently protects him as well as the monster. Also, she is drawing attention to the corruption of the courts and the church in accepting a confession from Justine extracted under the threat of withholding her last rites. The murder of Clerval reveals how sophisticated the monster has become in psychological torture. Although William’s murder happened after a chance meeting, Clerval’s, and later Elizabeth’s, is part of the monster’s premeditated plan to revenge himself on Victor and he knows that the best way to destroy him is by attacking those he loves. Unlike the unplanned murder of William that left the monster feeling exhilarated and powerful, he describes the ‘anguish’ he felt and how his ‘heart was poisoned with remorse ‘ (p. 188) after Clerval’s death. These painful recriminations show that the monster is capable of remorse and compassion as well as cunning, and yet condemn him all the more. This is not the picture of an ignorant or backward monster who could not help himself, but one of someone who could perhaps have chosen differently. Even more incriminating is Elizabeth’s death, where the monster’s threat to Victor that he will be with him on his wedding night again makes it difficult to hold Victor solely responsible, even though he left her alone and open to attack. This murder is not just to punish Victor for abandoning him, but is the monster’s revenge for cruelly destroying the female companion he so desperately needed. Thus we can see that although the monster may literally do the killing and is therefore clearly culpable, he is not solely and directly responsible for the murders. For this very reason it could be argued that neither is it completely satisfactory to say that Victor is the true murderer because he did not literally commit them: ‘I, not in deed, but in effect, was the true murderer’ (p72). It is impossible to address the question of who the ‘true’ murderer is in a literal way. For instance, Victor could never be held legally responsible for the murders because he did not physically commit them. The only way the question of responsibility can be answered is on ethical and moral grounds, but the problem with assigning blame and responsibility based on these considerations is that they are almost meaningless without a social context. In other words, it could also be argued that the ‘true’ responsibility for the murders goes beyond either Victor or the monster to society as a whole because once people start rejecting and alienating an individual they create outsiders. And once social rules and responsibilities cease to apply to an individual they are free to behave as monstrously as they like. However, if we believe that as members of society we are responsible for our actions, then we have to believe that Victor was ultimately responsible for all the deaths. If he had not been so arrogant as to obsessively pursue the mastery of nature and life over death, the monster would never have come into being. This was definitely a flaw rather than a strength in Victor’s character because Shelley shows him being punished by remorse and regret almost as soon as the monster is created, ‘I had gazed on him while unfinished: he was ugly then: but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived’. This description of ugliness is extreme, and at the same time prevents us from sympathising with Victor because we do not understand why he continued with his experiment knowing others would certainly feel as repelled – if not more so. We wonder why an intelligent man didn’t anticipate society’s reactions to a creation as ugly and unnatural as he was making – or even his own reactions to such a creature, and realise that if he, its creator, could not love it then why would anyone else? The only logical answer is the morally questionable one of supreme arrogance and self-indulgence at the expense of all others: Society, family, and colleagues. Victor was totally repelled by the ugliness of the monster – and so was everyone else that set eyes on him, which resulted in his alienation and isolation. Yet it is more accurate to say that Victor didn’t actually create the monster by ‘making’ him, but by rejecting him. Only after being constantly rejected and driven out by everybody was he ‘wrenched by misery to vice and hatred’ (p188). It was neglect and the basic need of companionship that he craved that drove him to being a monster. Shelley does show the monster developing awareness of right and wrong, but also of mankind’s prejudice and intolerance of those who are different. She seems to be saying that being educated, from however noble a source, is not a substitute for being nurtured by a parent or society and that those who fail to give this nurture, like Victor, are the real monsters. In other words, Victor is the true murderer because he is the true monster.

Interpersonal Communication Reflective Paper on the Movie Crash Essay

The motion picture Crash is an extremely thought provoking movie about the underlying racial tensions in our society, with the representation of black, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern ethnicities and the stereotypes associated with each. The movie Crash is unique because instead of showing characters at their best, like most popular movies do, the characters are instead stressed out and pushed to their own emotional limits. In the movie, crashing comes from beliefs in stereotypes, pre-conceived judgments, and racial discrimination. These negative elements run rampant throughout the movie in attempt to show a typical day in the life for the people of Los Angeles. No matter how hard some of the characters try to negate their own racial stereotype, in some way or form it becomes inevitable that they must live out the stereotype to exist in the society they live in. The character I will be analyzing throughout this paper is Officer John Ryan who was played by Matt Dillon. Ryan is a middle-a ged police officer in Los Angeles, California who has been with the force for seventeen years, with a knack for being exceedingly racist in his multiple encounters with African Americans. Although Officer Ryan is an incredibly verbal person, his use of nonverbal communication speaks even louder. From the beginning of the movie, Ryan displays character of a man that’s full arrogance and superiority. He seems to have a â€Å"better than thou† attitude. This is prevalent in the way he way he carries himself; shoulders back, chest out, and head cocked. He has looks of the â€Å"typical† All American male; tall, dark, and seemingly handsome with a loud and stately voice. I depict Ryan as a white supremacist. Not only is he racial, but also sees himself as being above those of color. He seems to think that he is entitled to the power that comes from his ethnicity. He believes that because he is a white male living in North  America, he is somewhat at the â€Å"top of the food chain†. Throughout the film, there are consecutive occurrences when Officer Ryan uses nonverbal and interpersonal communication to assert his authority and social supremacy. The first instance being when Officer Ryan pulled over Cameron and Christine, a classy black couple, for p resumably taking part in oral sex whilst maneuvering a vehicle. Ryan had so much underlying hatred towards blacks; he used his power to exercise inappropriate behavior towards an innocent couple of color. After asking Christine to put her hands on the car, he then began to feel her up and touch her body in an unacceptable manner right in front of her husband, the whole time acting as though he was â€Å"checking for weapons†. And after witnessing the conflict between Officer Ryan and Cameron, Hansen suggests that Officer Ryan be removed from the LAPD. He was soon shocked to find that the LAPD does not share workplace values or norms that are expected of law enforcement officers. Ryan’s actions are noted by his superior, however, because he has such a strong network density (how connected each network member is to other members) the superior officer refuses to dismiss Ryan, but transfers Hansen to another car. hen he shook hands with Hansen, he held on and squeezed extremely tight, assuring him that after years of doing this, he will become a different person; implying that after some time of working in the force, he, too, will become racist. Again, he was using this hand gesture to exert authority over one of his colleagues. In our society, particularly the South, there are many people with mindsets alike Officer Ryan. Although there are many people who would instantly recognize the racial injustices of his behavior, there are also many people who would justify it because of the general stereotype of blacks. The media somewhat perpetuates the stereotype of blacks simply by showing their gang activity, criminal accounts, and poverty levels. However, I think that officers Ryan’s hatred toward blacks stems from bad personal experiences of his own, particularly one with his father. As a result, every offense a black person commits reinforces his misinterpretation of the black population as a whole. Instead of seeing a person who commits a crime as a sinful human being who has made wrong decisions in life, he assumes the reason they commit such crimes is merely because they are black. As we continue lookin at Ryan, there were two very significant emotional moments for Ryan’s father with health coverage, Ryan  experienced the primary emotion of anger. He interpreted this event in an extremely negative way: because Shaniqua was black and made him angry, he believed that all black people were against him. While it is debatable whether or not he always had a negative mood towards African-Americans, there is certainly no denying a change in feelings. The result of this emotion was neuroticism on Ryan’s part, focusing only on the negatives, and subsequently venting on Cameron and Christine Thayer which violated socially acceptable display rules. The second emotional event for Ryan was when he eventually saves Christine Thayer from a car crash. He must save Christine by communicating with her, but the fear and anger she has towards Ryan because of his abuse hinders his ability to do so. It is in that moment that Ryan realizes what his actions and mismanagement of emotions had caused. Only through supportive communication, sharing messages that express emotional support and offer personal assistance, is John able to save Christine. There is a sense of reappraisal in Ryan’s second emotional encounter. The crash made him rethink about his previous actions toward African-Americans, and thus caused a change in how they impacted him emotionally. Conclusively, I see Officer Ryan as a very intriguing character. At the beginning of the movie, I thought he was just a racist jerk who didn’t care about anyone except for himself. The way he treated Cameron and Christine made it very apparent that he didn’t feel any shame in completely humiliating and taking advantage of two innocent people. However, as the movie progressed, you see him living with his dad and waking up in the middle of the night to take care of him and his health problem. Then you see him seeking out extreme measures to try and receive some alternate health care for his hurting father. And finally at the climax scene of the movie you see him risk his own life to save a black woman. At the end of the movie, I saw Ryan not as a selfish uncaring person but as a man who has let certain individuals change his perception on an entire race of people. Because he is a cop, he deals with all of the black people who DO live up to their stereotype and hardly ever comes in contact with the black people who are good and responsible citizens. He let his bitterness consume him.

Is Affirmative Action Effective?

Is Affirmative Action Effective? The Declaration of Independence states â€Å"all men are created equal† (Declaration of Independence) and have certain unalienable rights that among these are â€Å"Life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness† (Declaration of Independence). Judging Americans by different standards does not honor this truth. In efforts to remedy the ills of segregation through Affirmative Action, the unintended consequences of this action have created another injustice. If men are created equal then they should be judged equally.Affirmative action is outdated and unconstitutional and it is time for a level playing field. Giving people opportunities based solely on race without the qualifications to succeed in a competitive environment is a major problem in today’s society. The SAT, the Standard Aptitude Test, â€Å"†¦merely measures differences in academic preparation†¦ [The] affirmative action policies [that they] seek to remedy are prima rily produced by â€Å"continuing disparities† in pre-collegiate academic achievements of blacks and white students.On those measures of merit that selective colleges use to decide who gets in, not all groups perform equally† (D’souza 266). Standardized tests are excellent predictors of academic capability, but, even with comparable test scores, evidence shows there simply may be natural differences between the races, similar to the assumption that whites naturally are not as athletic as blacks. America cannot deny opportunities to the people who are the most qualified and give them to someone who is less qualified but of the â€Å"right† skin color.This practice diminishes not only the achievement of the individual, but makes this country less productive than it could be. America is slowing down its’ competitiveness in the world and dumbing down the country. D’souza states that â€Å"†¦ admitting Hispanic and African American students with grade point averages of 3. 2 and SAT scores of 1100, while turning away White and Asian American applicants with GPAs of 4. 0 and SAT scores of 1300† (D’souza 265). In the NBA, more than three fourths of the league is African American. Many believe as stated previously that blacks are more athletic than whites.Demanding that the NBA draft more whites to achieve racial equality, even if they are much less athletic, is effectively the same as demanding that businesses hire less qualified workers based solely on race rather than their academic performance. Rewarding people based on race instead of hard work and intelligence encourages an entitlement mentality and creates a false sense of achievement. Granting people opportunities that they may not deserve creates a sense of entitlement and perpetuates stereotypes and the cycle of racism. Equal opportunity is essential to a healthy society.Everyone should be held to the same standard regardless of individual characteri stics that have nothing to do with intelligence, hard work, or creativity. The person most qualified deserves the opportunity. The original justification for affirmative action was to correct historical discrimination against blacks in the south. This justification has been exaggerated and expanded to apply to many classes of people who were never intended to be included. This wide application of affirmative action creates a form of reverse discrimination.The original purpose was to provide government intervention where blatant racism was present. As presently applied, each class has a different standard and set of remedies based on what ever injustice they believe they suffered. According to a 1991 commentary by Patrick Hall, an African American librarian, â€Å"the irony in all of this is that affirmative action and equal opportunity originally intended people to be judged on their qualifications as individuals without regard to race, sex, or age† ( Hall 311). Affirmative a ction now takes away from the key to success which is motivation.Hall suggests that â€Å"motivation, individual initiative, and perseverance can overcome the most the most abhorrent situations† (Hall 312). Instead of creating that motivation, affirmative action has discouraged the majority races that face the same adversity and has caused a tension between races because people who deserve an opportunity are being overlooked because they are white just to create a sense of diversity. Rather than a targeted corrective strategy, a case can be made that affirmative action has diminished some minorities’ drive to achieve prosperity in their lives.The key to successful affirmative action is to create individual initiative regardless of their race. Without this motivation, affirmative action is unfair and can become as destructive as the evil it was intended to correct. The biggest example of affirmative action’s place in the world today is its effect and role in coll ege admissions. These days, the main focus of universities and other educational institutions is to be or become as racially diverse as possible. However, with that being said â€Å"†¦ dequate racial diversity can’t be achieved without rejecting a certain number of more academically qualified white applicants in favor of preferred minority applicants† (Parks 146). In trying to create more equality in opportunity for minorities, the white population’s opportunities are then diminished. Instead of race, the privileges or assistance that comes along with affirmative action should be given to people based on factors that would actually affect their admissions. The policy should almost be used as bonus points for â€Å"†¦ ruly deserving students whose lower grade point average and SAT scores, correlate to overcoming poverty, a single-parent household, lack of English-language background, enrollment at an underperforming high school, a physical handicap or undiagnosed or untreated learning disability† (Parks 149). Growing up in or with a condition that is out of their control, affirmative action should be award to those who have problems that directly affect their education. Within the last century, African Americans have fought harsh battles for their civil rights.Back during Jim Crow law days, segregated schools allowed for differences in educational standards. The few schools that were provided helped some, but for the most part did little for the majority of blacks. This oppression â€Å"†¦ left a large gap in amount of wealth, educational attainment, and social status†¦ † (Young 14). The more the gap in attainment increased, the greater the gap in economic opportunity. Some African Americans view affirmative action policies as a form of pity. Because of past struggles and their assumed continuance â€Å"†¦ ffirmative action programs give blacks and other disadvantaged groups extra consideration when a pplying for admissions† (Young 14). Whites now feel â€Å"bad† about their past wrongdoings and are trying to make up for it by giving education as a handout. These policies anger many blacks because they want the same opportunity to show how far they have come and prove they are capable of being successful on their own without any special assistance. Even though most educational institutions are trying to increase their racially diverse appeal, most still favor whites over other minority races. With that being said â€Å"†¦ hites, whatever their status, can view themselves as entitled to privileges and priorities over blacks† (Bell 77). This in turn causes more tension between races because of the factor of competition. If schools based admissions solely on the information they are presented with, race and ethnicity aside, they could fairly base their rejection or acceptance and have it be justified. This would also help the competition tension because admi ssions would be based on their effort and achievements instead of something that is beyond their control. There are many different standards of education around the world.In order to make sure every student has the same chance of success, every school needs to if not at the same level, at least offer the same or similar courses. Many â€Å"†¦ recommend that courts should concentrate on enforcing genuine equality in education by requiring schools to conform to uniform standards â€Å"(Bell 76). This way every student has the access to these resources if need be. So students are judged on what they bring to the table, not on race or unchangeable characteristics. Most races are hurt by some of the practices or effects of affirmative action policies.Getting rid of race-based pickings, would help increase educational equality across the board and also increase economic opportunity. Unfair cruelty and underestimation is also presented upon Hispanics. The stereotypical view that man y Americans have on Hispanics is that their lack of education means that they have no worth to this country and that they should be given a job with just as poor worth as their stereotype gives the individual. â€Å"The preponderance of recent immigrants in unskilled and low-paying jobs as de facto proof that Americans refuse to do what is traditionally considered menial labor.As an result, some of the business community, supported by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, clamor for a liberal guest-worker program based upon the assumption that without one, America will face a long-term labor shortage and economic ruin† (Haugen 24). This shows how Americans actually refuse to do these types of jobs because they are viewed as unfavorable low-paying jobs. With the assumption that they are jobs well suited for these immigrants who do not have a proper educated background, when really, these are some of the most important and beneficial jobs to the country.This menial labor may not be th e ideal job, but without these jobs, or the Hispanics that occupy them, America would face a tremendous labor and economic downfall. Americans have not only underestimated the importance and power of menial labor, but also of Hispanics. Although these people may be unskilled and uneducated, they have been put in tougher situations where they must work harder than other Americans in order to survive. The severity of discrimination has been taken to a whole different level. â€Å"The prejudice, intimidation, and hatred of the†¦ riots were directed at Hispanics who had done nothing wrong† (Haugen 27).Hispanics have taken the role of America’s scapegoats and the reason for their problems when they have done nothing but come into the country looking for a better life for themselves. This view that Hispanics are worthless and incapable of succeeding in anything in spite of their race is unfair and insensible. Affirmative action was created to be a positive and beneficia l way of improving and enhancing the employment and educational opportunities of members in a minority, but quickly turned into an ongoing controversy filled with detriments from all point of views. This action has gone from helping the minorities, to denying races.There have been cases where students have been denied from colleges merely because of their race. â€Å"The court has ruled that a system of strict racial quotas, like denying someone because of their race, is unconstitutional, but that schools are allowed to use race as one of several factors when determining an applicant’s acceptance† (â€Å"Expanding Access to College for Disadvantaged Students† paragraph 3). Colleges aim for those certain percentages of each race in their school, but that does not mean that they should be able to turn hard working and deserving students away because of the color of their skin.Colleges have lost the true meaning of affirmative action, which is to give a boost to th e minorities, not push them away. Members of both majorities and minorities see this action as an unfair advantage. Many Whites view affirmative action â€Å"as giving an unfair advantage to racial minorities†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Expanding Access to College for Disadvantaged Students† paragraph 4) and many Blacks view the affirmative boosts as a gesture of pity towards them and take it offensively because they feel like they can pave a way for themselves without Whites doing it for them.On the other hand, many Hispanics see affirmative action as one more racial barrier that puts, yet, another stereotype on them that they are incapable of being a real benefit to a college, or the country in general (Marcovitz 27). Affirmative action needs to make its way back to its original purpose which is to give Hispanics a helping hand because of their lack of a proper education. Over the years, more and more people have witnessed affirmative action’s misfortunes and have worked t owards a resolution to this controversy.Instead of viewing Hispanic immigrants as a burden to public welfare, Americans need to desire a growing workforce and welcome them with the belief that America is a beacon for all diversities of races (Haugen 21). Many have come to the conclusion that Hispanics are just another group of people who are here to overpopulate and do not bring anything to the table to benefit our country, but the truth is, they benefit this country a great amount.By helping these immigrants have a better and new life in America, they can achieve great things for our country and introduce America into many new cultural aspects which can raise the nation to a whole new level. Throughout the revision process of affirmative action, critics have hypothesized new ways that will make more of a beneficial impact. â€Å"Critics also say they doubt that racial or economic diversity will really benefit colleges. Ideological differences are more helpful in achieving that goa l than differences in race or income†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Critics See Problems† paragraph 5).It has been predicted that ideological differences would be far more helpful in achieving the action's goals rather than segregating by race. Diversity by race in colleges will do nothing but cause more controversies in this issue, which is already a heated topic. By seeking out the differences of ideology rather than race, it will give colleges a background look at the persons’ political and economic beliefs and ideas instead of their race. Being able to see these ideological beliefs would be much more beneficial not only for the colleges, but for the country.Affirmative action violates the natural rights that have been given to Americans since the beginning of this great country. Judging students based off skin color takes away from the pursuit of happiness and creates an idea of inequality among races. Instead of just focusing on the person's race, but on the qualities and k nowledge a person actually attains, this country will move ahead faster socially, but economically as well. Works Cited â€Å"Affirmative Action. † Issues and Controversies on File: n. pag.Issues and Controversies. Facts on File News Services, 1 Sept. 1995. Web. 9 Feb. 2013. Bell, Derrick A. â€Å"Equality in Education is More Important than Integration. † Issues on Trial: Racial Discrimination. Ed. Mitchell Young. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomas Gale, 2007. 77. Print. D’souza, Dinesh. â€Å"A World Without Racial Preferences. † Taking sides: Clashing views on Controversial Issues in Race and Ethnicity. Ed. Raymond D’angelo and Herbert Douglas. Dubuque, Iowa: The McGraw- Hill Companies, Inc,2005. 265-270. Print.Hall, Patrick A. â€Å"Against our Best Interests: An Ambivalent View of Affirmative Action. † Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Race and Ethnicity. Ed. Raymond D’angelo and Herbert Douglas. Dubuque, Iowa: Th e McGraw- Hill Companies, Inc, 2005. 311-316. Print. Haugen, David. â€Å"How Does Illegal Immigration Impact America? † Illegal Immigration: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Davis Haugen and Susan Musser. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Print. Marcovitz, Hal. â€Å"Lancing the Boil of Racism. Race Relations: Gallup Major Trends and Events: The Pulse of Our Nation 1900 to the Present. Broomall, PA: Mason Crest Publishers, 2007. Print. Parks Jr. , A. Lee. â€Å"Race-Based College Admissions Violate Individual Rights. † Issues on Trial: Racial Discrimination. Ed. Mitchell Young. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomas Gale, 2006. 145-152. Print. 17 USC. Sec. 304. 2000. Print. Young, Mitchell. â€Å"New Challenges in a Diverse Society. † Issues on Trial: Racial Discrimination. Ed. Mitchell Young. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomas Gale, 2006. 14-15. Print.