Five Paragraph Essays - Essay Example

Five Paragraph Essays Running Head: FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAYS Five Paragraph Essays in APA Style Name of University Prompt 1 Surprisingly, some high-school counselors believe that participation in extracurricular activities is more important than academic achievement as preparation for future occupational success. Some believe that books and classrooms are important but not as effective as hands-on practical learning. Most school staff and counselors, post a list of extracurricular activities that are related to the particular group they advise. Extracurricular activities such as volunteering, apprenticeship, photography, etc. can provide experience which can provide more readiness for future employment gains than simply learning via classroom and textbooks. Some counselors support Twain's quote, "Don't let your education get in the way of your learning," as they believe academic achievement (education) is different than extracurricular activities (learning). Education is a program of instruction. It is considered as formal teaching that includes books and a curriculum with students listening to what teachers have to say. Learning is doing and, by experience, one gains more readiness as researchers report that people remember 90 percent of what they do, 75 percent of what they say, and 10 percent of what they hear. Education is not as effective as learning in preparing for future occupations because it allows students to listen and this is proven not to be as effective as students' doing. Learning academically is passive learning. Passive learning means that the students are not participants rather listeners and followers of instructions. Studies have shown that people learn more by being involved and by doing a certain activity or project. Reading, listening, and using the brain is one thing. However, incorporating the body and heart and soul will complement the mental learning. Extracurricular activity will complement academic learning as it engages all levels of a person and this is complete learning. Extracurricular activities are usually considered to be sports activities. Although the extracurricular activities of sports can enhance and balance academics, extracurricular activities include many others. Projects that fall under the category of extracurricular activities include photography, volunteerism, assisting the needy, newspaper staff, etc. These activities are actual skills that will be used in jobs and in real life. They provide the life skills participation that is necessary for future jobs. Extracurricular activities include a broad range of activities which provide skills that will be used in real life and future jobs. Extracurricular activities allow hands-on experience which better prepares for future work success than academic achievement. Listening and being tested is not as effective as participating. Doing is more effective as it engages mind, body, and spirit. All-level participation insures better preparation. Extracurricular activities provide problem solving and facing rewards and consequences of real life situations which in turn better prepares for future occupational success. Prompt 2 It is apparent that parents' work life affects a child as childcare impacts his/her development. The National Development Institute of Child Health and Human Development found a direct relationship between the time with a childcare provider and the negative actions of a child. Studies have shown that non-maternal care leads to stress. Stress causes behavioral problems. Children who spend most of their time in childcare are three times more likely to behave negatively. A child experiences stress the longer he/she is under childcare which could lead the young to aggression and disobedience. (The Negative Effects of Childcare, 2003). The amount of time under childcare can result in negative behavior. Studies reveal that the quality of childcare does not matter regarding a child's behavior. What matters is the time away from maternal care. The person providing childcare can be the best babysitter possible yet time away from parents is the most important factor in the way a child behaves. Separation from parents produces stress, which leads to behavioral problems. Regardless of the quality of childcare, non-maternal care increases a child's stress and behavioral problems as a child is highly sensitive to his/her mother. The economy affects family life. There is a relationship between the economy and family life. Working parents have no choice but to put their child in childcare. This produces stress for both the parents and child. Parents face pressures such as guilt, the cost of childcare, and the quality of childcare. The parents also long to be with the child. The relationship between the economy and family life is often seen most obviously in the working lives of parents Parents' careers affect the development of a child. We are learning that it is not mainly the quality of childcare that produces stress and behavioral problems but the amount of time away from maternal care. Daycare and childcare cannot be blamed for the stress. It is the separation of the child from his/her parents. Children are sensitive to their parents and need a good amount of time with their parents, particularly the mother. Time away from maternal care can lead to separation anxiety, feelings of neglect and abandonment, and behavioral problems as the child waits for his/her parents. Nothing can replace the security of maternal care and children who spend most of their time in childcare, regardless of its quality, are affected by stress which will impact their development. No one can raise a child the way his/her parents can. Loving parents provide unmatched love, care, and attention that a child needs. This is only natural and how it is meant to be. The parents, especially the mother, have a special bond for the child as it is their child. No childcare provider, no matter how wonderful, will be able to replace this special bond. Children need the special love, learning, and care that only their loving parents can naturally provide as they belong to their parents. Prompt 3 Community service should be a part of high school graduation requirements. Volunteering and working on environmental projects provides hands-on, real life learning and giving. This type of learning, which involves that act of doing, provides the balance that is needed. Academics mainly involves passive learning through classroom work and listening to a teacher and does not involve all three levels (mind, body, and spirit) of a student. Academics need to be balanced with active participation, which involves learning mentally, physically, and spiritually. Adding community service to high school graduation requirements will provide the hands-on experience that delivers the balance that is needed to enhance academic learning and will touch the students and the receiver of the community service on all levels. Community service is usually considered to be bad. Community service is usually considered to be a punishment but it should be looked at in a different light. It is usually looked down upon as something that you have to do as a consequence of a negative action. However, it should be viewed as a "plus" not a minus. When it is viewed as a learning opportunity and a chance to help others, students will be open to the benefits. Community service should be viewed truthfully, as a blessing and not a curse as it benefits the student (giver) and the receiver. Community service can be fun. There are many activities that fall under this category. It is not limited just to picking up trash or going into nursing homes. These activities may not be viewed as fun but as work. However, community service can include going shopping for someone (shopping while using someone else's money!) or learning a new skill (such as the roles of a firefighter or business owner). Playing with younger children, creating art, putting on musical performances, etc. can all be part of community service. Many view community service activities as grudging work or punishment that they do no want to participate in but this is not true. Students learn more by engaging all levels. By engaging all levels (mind, body, and spirit) through community service, self focus is removed and true learning occurs. Helping others touches the core and rewards of giving can have a tremendous effect. Humans can be very self-focused. Focusing too much on self creates issues which limits true learning. Requiring community service in order to meet graduation requirements will balance academics and as students engage in activities of giving, true learning happens as they involve all levels (mind, body, and spirit). Required community service will enhance academic learning. Academics engage part of a student's being (the mental) and neglects the physical and spiritual learning. Academics can be enhanced with community service which will engage all levels of a person's being. Engaging all levels of a person's being can deliver true learning. Participating in activities of giving will take the focus off self and delivers lifelong learning and rewards. Adding community service to graduation requirements will provide practical, real life learning, and balance that only the rewards of giving to another can offer. Five Paragraph Essays 4 My Darling Daughter, I know that it is hard for you to understand why I do what I do. We parents can be hard to understand sometimes. My parents were too busy with their own problems and did not pay much attention to us. I want to give you what I did not have in growing up. That is why I have rules that seem very strict to you but it is hard for you to comprehend because I give you my full attention. Unless you grew up in the home that I did, you will not be able to fully understand the limits and attention that I give to you. I also do not believe that you should start dating so early. My parents did not mind my dating at a younger age. They believed the sooner we moved on, the better. I believe that in today's society, kids are trying to grow up too fast. Everything from the media to hormones encourages teens to grow up quickly. It is my job as your parent to slow this down and bring balance to your life. I am going against what my parents and modern society teaches in order to discourage you from growing up too quickly and dating too soon. You may think I am too strict. You may think that I am too conservative especially compared to the society we live in. Everywhere you go, you are encouraged to grow up and be independent. You are pushed to be your own person and do what you want to do right now. From billboards to music to movies, you are encouraged to go against what is conservative and old fashioned. Everything speaks of modern society and not of the society of yesteryear. Today's society, especially the media, pressures kids to grow up too fast and to go against conservative values but we do not have to fall for it. You may not be able to understand until you have your own children. Even so, you may never fully understand why I choose to raise you the way I do as your upbringing is very different from mine. The society you live in is not the same society I grew up. The parenting you have had is opposite of what I had. I strive to give you what I did not have; therefore, the differences. Even if you become a parent some day, you will not fully understand my views on parenting as our backgrounds and societies are very different but I want to give you what I did not have growing up. You may not see this as caring. You may view my "strict" parenting as being controlling and not as caring. If you had to grow up differently, it would be easier for you to understand. It is hard to comprehend that this is caring as you have not had to do without. You have not had to do without parents who are attentive to your needs. You have not had to do without parents. You have had the guidance, provisions, and protection of loving parents. Caring to you may seem like our being too strict and controlling as you will never know a life without this and you will especially never know a life where your parents weren't even there physically. Prompt 5 Animals should be used in medical research. Human life has greater intrinsic value than animal life so animal testing is not morally incorrect. Using animals in medical research leads to medical advances for humans. Legislation prevents cruelty and mistreatment of lab animals. Pain and suffering is eliminated or minimized so that animals do not have to suffer. Animals are killed for food all the time and to use them for medical research, according to the government legislation, to prevent human death is a greater cause as humans are of more intrinsic value than animals. Animal testing plays a role in matters of life or death. Medical research using animals contributes to the greater cause of human health and life. Animal testing has helped to develop vaccines against major diseases like measles, polio, and mumps. Antibiotics, HIV drugs, insulin and cancer treatments also rely on the use of animals. Scientists claim there are no differences in lab animals and humans so medical research contributes greatly. Animal testing contributes to human life and health which is more important as humans are of greater value. There are different types of values. Intrinsic value is different than extrinsic value. Extrinsic value is values placed on external things; things that are not as important. These include looks, money, and power. Intrinsic value is not value for its own sake but value for the sake of something else. Intrinsic value is opposite of extrinsic value as its focus is the very core or heart of something or someone and does not seek self gain. Humans are more valuable than animals. Human life is more valuable than animal life as we are higher beings. Humans are not the same as animals. We have feelings and emotions. We have intelligence and are capable of so much more. Humans are at the top of the list of all things created. Human life is more precious than animal life as we are higher beings with more intelligence, emotions, feelings, capabilities, and so much more. Medical research would not be possible without the use of animals. Testing of animals contribute to the improvement of health and life for humans and does not contribute to the suffering and cruelty to lab animals. It is necessary to prevent and reduce deadly diseases and is regulated by government legislation. Humans are of greater intrinsic value and have greater minds so we insure that the animals are not mistreated in the contribution of a greater cause. Scientists have to adhere to strict standards in using animals for research in order to develop medicines, vaccines, and solutions to advance the human race. It is not morally incorrect or cruel to us animal testing for the gains of medical research in order to improve and contribute to matters of human life or death as humans are of more intrinsic value than animals. References The Negative Effects of Childcare (2003). The Early Show Parenting. CBS News. Retrieved May 23, 2006, from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/16/earlyshow/living/parenting/main563639.shtml Read More