Canas,+Sandra

Hi it's me! Module #1 Write a brief - 2- page (500 word+ or -) report describing the influences you observed and discussed. Put you first reflection on your individual wiki page.

** Can Nurturing a Bad Seed make it a Good One? **  It is evident throughout the movie, //American History X,// that nurturing someone, whether it involves positive nurturing or negative nurturing (if that can be said without one contradicting oneself), definitely have a huge impact on how a human being will be molded and how they will behave later on in their lives. It was also clear in the movie that the role of institutes such as a schools, teachers and or mentors also have a significant impact on the decisions, choices and behaviours that human beings will make. There are many factors and influences that determine how you will behave later on in life such as external and environmental ones, predisposition to act in a certain manner, and how and by whom we are nurtured. This is where the idea and the role of nature vs. nurture also factor in, yet it is unclear about which predominates over the other. One would believe that both of these ideas play an equal role in determining the kind of people we will become when it comes to human nature, yet there is still much debate on this topic in showing that the focus will rely more on one idea over the other. Do we behave the way we do entirely because it is in our “genes” and because we are physically dispositioned to? or is it because of the countless experiences that we live through that shape and mold us into becoming who we are? Did Derek resolve the initial conflict in the movie of someone breaking into his car in the extremely violent manner in which he did because he was genetically predisposed to or because that is how he was brought up, exposed to and taught at school?? I believe that he was shaped and molded into the person he became because of a combination of the two ideas. I think that people’s behaviours and development arise from both our life experiences (nurture) and our inborn characteristics (nature). In the movie, we get a very small glimpse of the nature aspect and are flooded with the nurturing aspect for various characters. The only time I was able to detect the ‘nature’ element of Derek´s development was when he had the flashback of the conversation with his father at the dinner table. Here we get a glimpse of his father’s mentality and beliefs about a ‘black’ man, not to mention and ‘educated black man’ with 2 Ph.D’s. Had the battle of nature vs. nurture already exist with in him this whole time? Was it in his nature already to hate like his father and not be so accepting of other races or was he nurtured into believing what he was being fed? Derek was beginning to admire and look up to his professor Sweeney, he thought he was brilliant and respected him for his thoughts and impressive educational status until his father made him question and doubt what he was starting to believe and who he was starting to look up to. Derek was beginning to be nurtured in a very healthy and positive manner by a well-educated, kind and giving person that for Derek´s benefit, was beginning to accept as a positive role model in his life as a student. Professor Sweeney was a prominent example in the movie of how a teacher/mentor can have a positive influence on a student. All throughout the movie, Derek showed his respect for Sweeney and even tried to instill that idea on to his brother Danny. When Danny got in trouble for writing the Mein Kampf essay and was upset with Sweeney for the work he had to complete for him, Derek tried to guide him and once again reassure him that Sweeney was a good guy and that he should listen to him. In the movie, Sweeney represented to the positive mentor, he exhibited qualities of a positive role model for the boys. When Derek was in prison, he visited him and when Danny was in his office he didn’t give up on him like the other teacher did. He showed persistence and believed that a learned behavior could be unlearned. This positive nurturing must have collided at some point with the negative one that he was receiving from his father and his protegé, Cameron Alexander. Derek´s acceptance of Cameron’s ideas came at a time when he was very vulnerable because of the loss of his father. Isn’t it human nature to want to seek revenge or be angry at the people who killed your loved one? Here again, is where I ask myself if it was already within Derek to loath (nature) or whether he was solely nurtured to be a white supremacist and hate everything and everyone that did not follow their beliefs. It was easy for Cameron to manipulate Derek because he was preying on someone who needed guidance and something to believe in, even if it was a negative and ugly belief; to hate, to seek revenge and to at all costs show who the better race was. He is the character in the movie that represents a negative nurturer. He later became Derek´s mentor and Danny’s as well but this was the complete opposite of what Sweeney represented. Cameron polluted their minds and hearts, he was the true example of how one can be nurtured in a negative manner as well. Derek then started to follow in his footsteps and prey upon weaker people to believe their ideals, sadly his younger brother Danny was starting to buy them as well. I think that the nature will meet up with the nurturing aspect of people’s lives. These two roads or ideas must cross at some point but that is when the idea of whether you have been nurtured positively or negatively, will affect how and what choices are made, this is human nature. Your life experiences and environmental influences will meet face to face with your inborn characteristics. That is why it is very important that we have positive role models/mentors, and teachers in our lives at home and at schools, so that when we are faced with these tough decisions, we are able to act in a positive manner and not in a negative one. Like they end off with in the movie “hate is baggage, life is too short to be pissed off all the time.”

Module #2 V iolence - Prediction, Prevention and Intervention - Myth vs Reality - Write 5 Sentences about your reaction to the statistical data showing the trend below. (Remember your initial estimate on violence in the last 30 Years.) crimeStats.tiff 1. I was very happy to know that violence and crime rates are decreasing. I was hopeful when drawing the prediction line so I was not as far off as most with the steepness of the line I drew. 2. I found it very interesting to know that society is resolving conflicts better and therefore reducing violence. 3. Education plays a fundamental role in the development of a persons ability to resolve conflict 4. I liked the introductory information about the different categories of violent crimes (homicide, robbery, aggravated assault and rape). It helped with my overall understanding of what the graph was showing. 5. I was relieved and hopeful to know that society is changing for the better and that the generations that follow us will be able to resolve conflict even better than we do.

Module #3 Hearts and Minds Describe three things you plan to do in your teaching practice to reduce stress and win the Hearts and Minds of your students and co workers. 1. 2. 3. 1. Tell more jokes (hahahaha..) I'm not even kidding! 2. Allow students to get to know me better outside of the classroom, like the article said "to act like a human being" and have them not see me as their TEACHER only 3. Getting to know them more!! I loved the idea of the autobiographies and learning about their families as much as I can.

Module #4 Do the Personality Prototype test with another person. Discuss what the results mean. When you Teach you learn. Tell us on this site what you learned by sharing PP Results with another person. I completed the Personality Prototype Test on my bestfriend/boyfriend and the results of his test were: 19PP, 32LE, 22 CP and 27PM. I pretty much had him pegged right on for scoring highest in the learned expert category however I did expect him to score higher in the People Person Category because I have always thought that he is really good when it comes to dealing with people. Reflecting on this a bit, I realized that he seems very good at it because on the exterior, he is great at mingling with people but when it comes to one on one, he has a hard time expressing his true feelings and giving positive reassurance or compliments. I was glad to know that he scored pretty high in the Pratical Manager type as well because that was my highest ( along with people person). After discussing the results with him, he actually said that he predicted that he would have a lower score on the PP but we did agree that we were good PM and that we do work well together and are both very good at getting tasks done. We will delegate positively, have fun while completing the tasks and have positive outcomes (cooking together in the kitchen is a great test for this one!)

Module #5 Moral Dilemma - Develop a MD for use in your teaching practice. Outline it here. Once a week, I ask my fifth grade calss to meet on the carpet so that we could have a social chat about our class. During this time I try to get the kids to open up and share their feelings certain issues that have taken place throughout the week that need clarification. We go over the school´s Tribe Agreements such as Mutual Respect, Attentivle Listening, Appreciations, No Put Downs etc. and they have a chance to reflect whether they have been following them or not. At this time, they are able to clear up any unresolved issues with students that were made to feel bad because of things that were said or done and I act as a mediator for them. So I plan to use this time to introduce them to a Moral Dilemma which I think is important that they are exposed to since I had recently heard of an incident involving stealing in Middle School and since they will be going to Middle School next year, I want to address it with them so that they are prepared for when they face these kinds of pressures. Since the Grade 5 classes had been working on a Unit about Choices and Consequences, I would first review the vocabulary that was presented in the unit like...Analyze, Dilemma, Choice, Consequences etc. so that they were clear on the use of the terminology. I would then present them with the Scenario which is outlined below. Once they had a chance to listen to the scenario and reflect on it, as a class, we would agree upon what the Moral Dilemma is and write it on the board. Then, students will have some time to come up with all of the possible choices of what the person being pressured, should do. I would write down all of the choices on different pieces of chart paper and hang them up in different parts of the classroom. Students will be given the opportunity to sstand under the choice they think they would make and within the group, come up with possible consequences that may occur as a result of that choice. They will then explain to the rest of the class why they would make that choice and defend their stance. After listening to all of the consequences and arguements, students will have the opportunity to change their minds and join a different choice group if the arguments from other groups allowed them to see things from a different perspective that they had not. __**Scenario:**__ You are in the Columbus School Bookstore with 2 other friends looking at all of the new merchandise that has just come in. You are there to buy some materials that you need for art class but your best friend spots a really, really cool Scientific Calculator. Your BF has always wanted one like this because their Math teacher is always raving about how cool they are and about all of the amazing things you could do with it. Your other friend is busy paying the cashier for a Bristol Board they need for their project so the cashier is busy with them. Your BF is aware of this, so they tell you to stand in front of them so that you could cover them up while they put the calculator in their pants. You give your BF a very puzzled and confused look but he/she tells you that they really need it for Math class and can't afford to buy one. Your BF pleads with you that all you have to do is just stand in front of them and cover them up while they steal it. What do you do? __**Moral Dilemma:**__ Should you do what your best friend is asking you to do or not?
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Module #6 Post 2 eye messages - (positive) comment on the reactions. Post 1 "I" Message (negative or corrective) Danny, when you open up to me, you give me clarity and answer my questions and I feel validated. Marcus, when you don't give me a definite answer about playing squash, I make other plans and I feel unimportant. Miguel, when you talk in class while I am giving instructions, other students get distracted and I feel like what I am saying is not important.

Module #7 1. Open a copy of the book IN STEPP. Read the Chapter on Time Management. Including Ben's Story. 2. Go to this Web Site. [|Values and Stuff] Explore the links that you find on the page. 3. In the upper left of the page, under the heading of tools look for the Mission Statement builder. Click on the link. 4. Then when the MSB page opens click on the link on the far right of the page (Your Values) and build a mission statement. 5. Post a copy of your mission Statement on your wiki page.

Be true to others but above all, always to yourself! If life brings you down, get back up on the saddle and push ahead. Enjoy and share in the creativity of others but be unique yourself. Love and support the people that have known you all your life, do not take them for granted! A sacrifice for the ones you love are not viewed as sacrifices but rather as just another good deed for the day. We were made of skin and bones for a reason, to be strong yet flexible, to change our minds and hearts for any decision to be made. Being a good parent means not having a book of rules to live by but rather breaking and bending rules that your child will need in order to live life in an honest and positive way. Treat others as you wish to be treated. Always air on the side of compassion. I would like to be half the woman my mom is, strong, compassionate, tolerant, loving and full of energy!!

Module #8 Chapter Two - All You Need to Know About Stress This was a very interesting and intriguing Chapter, I especially enjoyed reading the section of how are ancestors because they had to carry out predator/prey behaviours that produced the same hormones that we still produce today but due to the nature of the physical activity that was done (the fight or flight ) response, were able to reduce these stress levels unlike humans today that still continue to produce the same hormones and produces the same responses in the body but because we don't need exert ourselves physically, then it takes us a lot longer to get rid of these stressing effects and this is what lingers and causes all sorts of negative health responses in the body. I really found this part fascinating, so thank you for writing about it. While reading Laurie's case study, I started thinking about all of the times my students had been sick especially about the ones that were continually sick and started wondering and almost feeling paranoid like if any of my assignment caused their sicknesses (OMG…this is stressing me out! My heart is pacing, my veins are throbbing…just kidding) Anyhow, after reading through this chapter, I thought it would be important that my kids were able to recognize the manifestations of stress so that they could maybe identify when they were feeling stressed out so I plan on using Activity Sheet #2 – Stress, Who Me?, so that they are aware and informed about what happens in the body (they love this kind of stuff) and because I am curious to know what kinds of symptoms they feel when they are stressed. I think if they are able to recognize these manifestations in themselves and in others, this will help with reducing conflict because hopefully they will be able to tell when not to bother others and when to leave them alone or give them the time they need to diffuse from their stress. I think I would also like for them to learn some techniques for how to handle stress once they recognize that they are STRESSED OUT!! I would like them to at least have an idea of strategies they could use to calm down and relax after a stressful experience, so I would definitely also use The Stress Busters to the Rescue Activity Sheet. Many of them could really benefit from the focus on breathing part and this would also help in avoiding conflict with others. Lastly, as a class I would like to try the Belly Busters Activity with them because I think it could be a laugh (LOL), and like the chapter mentions, it also works the abs and the Walk and Talk. If I don’t get a chance to do it with them, I will definitely at least try to incorporate it into my own life as a strategy for when I need to talk to a significant other about a potentially stressful conversation. I really liked the simple concept behind it; to use physical activity to improve the opportunity, the quality, and the intimacy of verbal communication so that one is able to have an uninterrupted opportunity to share thoughts and feelings. This is a must try. Module # 9 It looks like an animated film, with chalk that talks and a worrisome worm. But it's the latest educational tool -- a video game used by teachers to show children how to handle conflict.The creators of Cool School say it's a skill best learned at a young age."We can still catch them when they're receptive to this," said Kathy Hanson of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, which has developed the game as part of its initiative to combat youth violence.With a click of a mouse, kids choose a place in the school where trouble is brewing, such as a student cutting in line at the library. Students are given four choices to solve the problem, and then they are shown the consequences of their pick."I solved the problem by clicking the first one," said a 6-year-old at an elementary school in Urbana, Md. "Because if you talk it all out, you don't have to tellthe teacher. You can figure it out and get friends again."
 * My first resource is a must read and a must see because it is a video game that teaches kids conflict resolution. It is the latest educational tool called //Cool School Where Peace// //Rules// and it is being used by teachers in the classroom to show kids how to handle conflict. Here is an article from ABC news written about this topic. Read it and then check out the link..**
 * Video Game Teaches Kids Conflict Resolution** - June 19, 2005
 * Reaching Kids Early**Studies show one in three elementary school children complain they are repeatedly teased, bullied, even hit. Educators say it is important to stop the aggression at this level before it escalates.To try to reduce violence in schools, Congress turned to the agency with the most experience at handling conflict -- the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, which usually settles labor disputes. It determined a video game was the answer."Children these days, probably the best way to reach them is through technology," Hanson said.At the elementary school where the program is being tested, the principal said that the more kids can solve their own problems, the more time teachers can spend teaching."Certainly, it creates a more positive learning experience in the classroom," said Connie Banes. It "allows the teacher to focus on instruction, as well as not having to deal with conflicts and discipline."And it's a hit with the kids, who raved about it during a recent visit.While Cool School is just a prototype, the federal government is now looking for private funding to get it into every classroom in the country.//ABC News' Laura Marquez reported this story for World News Tonight.//@http://peterhbrown.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/cool-school-where-peace-rules-free-downloadable-pc-video-game-teaches-kids-conflict-resolution-skills/

My **second resource** is a video on Healthy Conflict Resolution by a psychologist named Gwen Randall-Young. In her promotional video on Conflict Resolution she emphasizes once again the importance of giving I messages instead of making it all about the other person because then the discussion becomes about the other person. She talks about how blaming the other person will lead to nowhere and the conflict will not get resolved. She is very clear when she speaks and has added good pictoral scenarios. Stop the video at minute 2:49 since the rest is about her promoting her other videos. I like the fact that she ends with saying that listening to one another and making adjustments is very important in any relationships.[]

Module # 10 offers an alternative of two assignments. You can do either A or B. I decided to watch October Sky to compare and contrast it with American History X. Overall, there is a huge difference in how the two movies unfold with regards to the exposure to violence vs. no violence. American History X displays many violent actions where on the other hand, October Sky actually depicts a very close community that does not tolerate violence or abuse. We see this clearly when Homer´s father stands up against his friend´s step father that is slapping him around because they had been arrested for supposedly starting the forest fire with one of their rockets. These two movies were good examples of how the role of nurturing by family members plays a pretty big role in how a child will be shaped later on in life. Derrick and Homer, although very different characters, were nurtured in very different ways, you could almost say in opposing ways, yet what is certain is that the nurturing they received shaped them into the kind of people they became later on. Homer´s father played a huge role in his life. His father never really approved of what he was doing and put him down continually even to the point of calling him a menace, a thief and told him that he was ashamed of him. The only time he verbalized that he was proud of him was when he had started working at the mine and that he had forgotten all of that rocket non-sense. This negative attitude from his father still didn´t discourage Homer, he was saddened by it but all he really ever wanted was his father's approval which he got when his father pretty much came to his rescue by negotiating with the strikers so that his Science Project could be saved. His father finally came to his last launching and had the honor of pushing the blast off button, this was Homer's ultimate reassurance that he had his father's approval and that his father finally understood what he had been working on so hard for so long. Later on in life, this probably gave him the drive to continue on in that career path and become a Space Engineer. In //American History X//, we don´t really get a good glimpse of Derrick´s upbringing with his father other than the flashback of them at the dinner table when his dad was telling him not to believe everything Mr. Sweeney was dishing out. We do however see more of the effect that Derrick´s father´s death had on his behaviour. He has lost his father and was angry at the reason for it and therefore welcomed and allowed himself to be guided by Cameron who unfortunately at the time overbears Sweeney´s positive role modeling. His mother doesn´t really play a valuable role in his life because she is a very passive woman who needs to be cared for because of her sickness. Derrick actually becomes the one that his family listens to and his mother takes a step down and instead of being the one that guides, she ends up being intimidated by Derrick. Homer´s mother on the hand is very different than Derrick´s mother. She supports Homer and allows him to follow his dreams. She stands up to her husband and fights for Homer so that he could finally react and do something to help his son. She is bold enough to tell him the truth about how everyone in the community has helped except for him. Luckily, his father listens because he respects how his wife stood up for what she believed in and helps Homer. The roles of the two principals in these movies and of the two teachers directly involved were reversed. In //American History X//, Derrick is completely supported by his principal Sweeney but not by his teacher Murray yet in //October Sky,// Homer is completely supported by his teacher Miss Riley but not by his principal. Derrick didn´t respect Murray at all, he put him down for being Jewish which did not make Murray an advocator of his. He did not believe in him at all unlike Ms. Riley with Homer. She was completely supportive, she always believed in him and encouraged him to continue with his rocket building idea so that he could enter and win the science fair. She gave Homer a present that meant a lot to him and drove the boys to the launching site but perhaps the biggest demonstration of her belief in Homer is when she stands up to the principal in front of the entire class and allows him to prove to the principal that they did not cause the forest fire. In //October Sky//, the principal does not encourage Homer at all. He thinks Miss Riley is giving Homer false hope and is very quick to call the police and allows them to be arrested in the school so that everyone could witness it. He is also very eager to have Homer sign his release papers from school and mine coal instead of encouraging him not to quit school. It wasn’t until Homer shows him up in the class that his rocket landed exactly where his advanced math skills proved it was based upon his equation. In //American History X// however, Principal Sweeney supported Derrick the whole time and tried to instill good values in him. He educated him in a positive manner and supported him in his worst moments. The community that surrounded these two protagonists also played an important role in their lives. For Derrick, he is empowered by his followers to continue leading them with Cameron´s white supremacist ideas. It was negative nurturing and encouragement on thier behalf becuase it actually caused a larger separation and more hate to brew between them and other racial groups. In //October Sky//, Homer is surrounded at first by a non- supportive community. Early on, they laugh at Homer for his ridiculous ideas and he has to endure the comments and name calling whenever he walks around the town but later on as the Rocket Boy’s rockets actually start taking flight, his community turns around and begins supporting him. They begin admiring him for his perseverance and support him during his launchings. In the end, they all pool together to save his Science Fair project and they all succeed.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 1. SELF AWARE 2. EMPATHY 3. MANGE RELATIONSHIPS 4. SELF MOTIVATION 5. MODD SELF-MANAGEMENT