“We never know how high we are
Til we are called to rise
And then, if we are true to plan
Our statures touch the skies.”
Emily Dickinson
PLEASE CHOOSE AN ESSAY TO READ FROM THE ARCHIVE ON THE RIGHT.
These essays were written in Spring 2011 in an Intermediate Writing course at SUNY Potsdam. Writers come from a a range of majors, including English, Communication, Education, Business Economics, and Environmental Studies. Each writer investigated a question at length for four weeks and then presented the complex answers they found.
Please do not copy or reproduce this work without permission from me or the author. Individual authors own implied copyright on each piece you see here. Do not borrow or steal, but you may beg for permission to use part or all of a piece, as long as you agree to acknowledge the original author. Google can enforce violations of copyright if a reader takes work from this blog without permission and claims it as their own.
Enjoy and comment.
Dr. Jennifer Mitchell, instructor
Friday, May 13, 2011
The Stigma of Society: Hurting Our Children
Is society creating a stigma that is hurting our children? These essays examine three different stigmas relating to the care and education of our children. We have challenged the old stigmas and made a call for action against these old social norms in order to help our new generation develop and thrive in the changing times of this new millennium.
Rhonda Noftsier: “The Diagnosis Regime: Is Mental Illness Rising among Our Children?”
Is the new regime of our society creating manic like symptoms in our children or are they truly in need of diagnosis and medicine?
Lauren Lalonde: “Sex Ed in the High Schools: The Debate Rages On”
The debate continues over Sex Education versus Abstinence only programs in our high schools. Is the comprehensive approach better than no sex ed at all? Read and then you decide.
Candace Senior: “Mr. Mom: Who Wears the Pants in the Family?”
Do the age old stereotypes of family roles need to be changed? With the increase of women in the work force, some men choose to embrace a new role as a caregiver
Rhonda Noftsier: “The Diagnosis Regime: Is Mental Illness Rising among Our Children?”
Is the new regime of our society creating manic like symptoms in our children or are they truly in need of diagnosis and medicine?
Lauren Lalonde: “Sex Ed in the High Schools: The Debate Rages On”
The debate continues over Sex Education versus Abstinence only programs in our high schools. Is the comprehensive approach better than no sex ed at all? Read and then you decide.
Candace Senior: “Mr. Mom: Who Wears the Pants in the Family?”
Do the age old stereotypes of family roles need to be changed? With the increase of women in the work force, some men choose to embrace a new role as a caregiver
Student Athletics: the known and unknown dangers
Injuries are part of all high school and college athletics. From
concussions to broken bones. Some injuries are unknown such as heart
injuries or injuries to the brain that are undetectable. All of these
injuries can cause permanent damage or even death. Closer attention
should be paid to concussions and heart injuries in our high school and
college athletics.
Jacob Gyder: The prevention of concussions and the quality of treatment for student
athletes with concussions is a hot topic in the sports world today.
Ashley Scott: Heart scans and high school athletics, and unlikely combination. Heart
scans should be a mandatory part of physicals for high school athletes.
Steven Tupper: The long term effects of concussions can be more dangerous that you may think.
concussions to broken bones. Some injuries are unknown such as heart
injuries or injuries to the brain that are undetectable. All of these
injuries can cause permanent damage or even death. Closer attention
should be paid to concussions and heart injuries in our high school and
college athletics.
Jacob Gyder: The prevention of concussions and the quality of treatment for student
athletes with concussions is a hot topic in the sports world today.
Ashley Scott: Heart scans and high school athletics, and unlikely combination. Heart
scans should be a mandatory part of physicals for high school athletes.
Steven Tupper: The long term effects of concussions can be more dangerous that you may think.
Creative Teaching in Tough Budget Times
How can we incorporate creative teaching with budget cuts? These
essays provide information on the importance of how technology and music
in the classroom will benefit students.
Andrea Miller, "Incorporating Music in the Classroom": Of course music in the classroom benefits students, but in which ways?
Katie Briggs, "Technology in the classroom": The high price of educational technology: Are our children worth it?
essays provide information on the importance of how technology and music
in the classroom will benefit students.
Andrea Miller, "Incorporating Music in the Classroom": Of course music in the classroom benefits students, but in which ways?
Katie Briggs, "Technology in the classroom": The high price of educational technology: Are our children worth it?
Going Too Far: Crossing the Line Between Violence and Crime
Is it nature or nurture that leads someone to become a criminal? Do video games play a role in building aggression and leading to violence? And what happens when things do go too far and a criminal is faced with the penalty of losing his life for the crimes he has committed? The three following essays will discuss and examine these questions in depth.
Jamie Cartin: Nature vs. Nurture and Crime. The nature versus nurture debate has raged on for ages. But when it comes to figuring out what leads to crime, is there ever really a clear cut answer?
Anthony O'Dierno: Violence and Video Games. Do video games teach beneficial skills or encourage adverse behavior?
Klarysa Paige: The Death Penalty: Is it Moral? : Is it ever really right to take someone’s life, even if that person is a criminal?
Jamie Cartin: Nature vs. Nurture and Crime. The nature versus nurture debate has raged on for ages. But when it comes to figuring out what leads to crime, is there ever really a clear cut answer?
Anthony O'Dierno: Violence and Video Games. Do video games teach beneficial skills or encourage adverse behavior?
Klarysa Paige: The Death Penalty: Is it Moral? : Is it ever really right to take someone’s life, even if that person is a criminal?
Economics for Dummies
With our recent recession came a widespread interest in the field of economics. The only problem with that is that we find many claims that economic in nature coming from people who have no background in studying economics. For this reason, a lot of debates that are becoming our most heated are not being argued based upon theory and research but based upon political talking points and passionate bantering. Included here are two essays that involve one of those before mentioned highly debated economic issues in the contemporary United States- Free trade. These essays include some of the history of Free Trade and discuss some of our current issues that revolve around Free Trade. If you would like to meaningfully argue for or against Free Trade, readings such as these provide you with a stable framework for developing opinions. You don’t have to accept the conclusions below, but you should consider the arguments.
Roland Poirier: The essay entitled Fair Trade Regulation the Practice of the Future? discusses international trade in a comprehensive manner. It begins with a brief history of International trade policies and the theories that were the foundation for those policies. Then the essay proposes an alternative for future trade regulation with fairness in trade rather than freedom in trade as the goal to keep in mind.
Desirae Mayo: The second essay, The Effects of NAFTA on U.S. Employment, takes the reader into the deception of the promoters of NAFTA, and the outcomes of their broken promises.
Melissa Bannon:
Roland Poirier: The essay entitled Fair Trade Regulation the Practice of the Future? discusses international trade in a comprehensive manner. It begins with a brief history of International trade policies and the theories that were the foundation for those policies. Then the essay proposes an alternative for future trade regulation with fairness in trade rather than freedom in trade as the goal to keep in mind.
Desirae Mayo: The second essay, The Effects of NAFTA on U.S. Employment, takes the reader into the deception of the promoters of NAFTA, and the outcomes of their broken promises.
Melissa Bannon:
Stupid No More: Environmental Awareness
Imagine 40 years from now, humans have degraded the environment to the point of no return. This situation is similar to the environmental movie “The Age of Stupid.” The human habit for consumption trains us to think we need things we do not. Instead, we need to take action and change our habits and conserve resources instead of consuming or degrading the environment.
• Haley Kipp: Alternative Energy Sources. Americans are in the lead for consuming oil and oil is running out. In order for every day Americans to limit the dependence on oil, it is important to gain knowledge of other energy sources. This essay will give you a taste of three other energy sources while explaining costs and benefits for shifting over to wind power, solar power, and hydro power
• Jessica Nicolosi Take Action against the Poisonous Effects of Road Salt. Road salt has a major effect on ecosystems. For instance it contaminates bodies of water, soil, stunts plant growth, and negatively effects amphibian’s reproductive systems. The inherent value of ecosystems is important and we need to take action to help save them. Even the smallest things such as changing the type of road deicer can have a huge effect.
• Mike Bicknell: Act Now to Protect Coral Reefs. The vast expanse of the ocean leads many people to think that they cannot be affected by our impacts, but coral reefs tell us otherwise. Coral reefs are a biological hotspot rivaled only by rain-forests. However, coral reefs are be bombarded by threats directly caused by humans. As a society we need to recognize these threats and take action before it’s too late.
• Haley Kipp: Alternative Energy Sources. Americans are in the lead for consuming oil and oil is running out. In order for every day Americans to limit the dependence on oil, it is important to gain knowledge of other energy sources. This essay will give you a taste of three other energy sources while explaining costs and benefits for shifting over to wind power, solar power, and hydro power
• Jessica Nicolosi Take Action against the Poisonous Effects of Road Salt. Road salt has a major effect on ecosystems. For instance it contaminates bodies of water, soil, stunts plant growth, and negatively effects amphibian’s reproductive systems. The inherent value of ecosystems is important and we need to take action to help save them. Even the smallest things such as changing the type of road deicer can have a huge effect.
• Mike Bicknell: Act Now to Protect Coral Reefs. The vast expanse of the ocean leads many people to think that they cannot be affected by our impacts, but coral reefs tell us otherwise. Coral reefs are a biological hotspot rivaled only by rain-forests. However, coral reefs are be bombarded by threats directly caused by humans. As a society we need to recognize these threats and take action before it’s too late.
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