Aristarchus of Samos Biography

Aristarchus of Samos Biography Much of what we know about the science of astronomy and celestial observations is based on observations and theories first proposed by ancient observers in Greece and what is now the Middle East. These astronomers were also accomplished mathematicians and observers. One of them was a deep thinker named Aristarchus of Samos.   He lived from about 310 B.C.E. through approximately 250 B.C.E. and his work is still honored today. Although Aristarchus was occasionally written about by early scientists and philosophers, especially Archimedes (who was a mathematician, engineer, and astronomer), very little is known about his life. He was a student of Strato of Lampsacus, head of Aristotles Lyceum. The Lyceum was a place of learning built before Aristotles time but is most often connected to his teachings. It existed in both Athens and Alexandria. Aristotles studies apparently did not take place in Athens, but rather during the time when Strato was head of the Lyceum at Alexandria. This was probably shortly after he took over in 287 B.C.E. Aristarchus came along as a young man to study under the best minds of his time. What Aristarchus Achieved Aristarchus is best known for two things: his belief that Earth orbits (revolves) around the Sun and his work attempting to determine the sizes and distances of the Sun and Moon relative to each other.   He was one of the first to consider the Sun as a central fire just as the other stars were, and was an early proponent of the idea that stars were other suns.   Although Aristarchus wrote many volumes of commentary and analyses, his only surviving work, On the Dimensions and Distances of the Sun and Moon, does not provide any further insight into his heliocentric view of the universe. While the method he describes in it for obtaining the sizes and distances of the Sun and Moon is basically correct, his final estimates were wrong. This was moore due to a lack of accurate instruments and an inadequate knowledge of mathematics than to the method he used to come up with his numbers. Aristarchuss interest wasnt limited to our own planet. He suspected that, beyond the solar system, the stars were similar to the Sun. This idea, along with his work on the heliocentric model putting the Earth in rotation around the Sun, held for many centuries. Eventually, the ideas of later astronomer Claudius Ptolemy - that the cosmos essentially orbits Earth (also known as geocentrism) - came into vogue, and held sway until Nicolaus Copernicus brought back the heliocentric theory in his writings centuries later.   It is said that Nicolaus Copernicus  credited Aristarchus in his treatise, De revolutionibus caelestibus.  In it he wrote, Philolaus believed in the mobility of the earth, and some even say that Aristarchus of Samos was of that opinion. This line was crossed out prior to its publication, for reasons that are unknown. But clearly, Copernicus recognized that someone else had correctly deduced the correct position of the Sun and Earth in the cosmos. He felt it was important enough to put into his work. Whether he crossed it out or someone else did is open to debate. Aristarchus vs. Aristotle and Ptolemy There is some evidence that Aristarchuss ideas were not respected by other philosophers of his time. Some advocated that he be tried before a set of judges for putting forth ideas against the natural order of things as they were understood at the time. Many of his ideas were directly in contradiction with the accepted wisdom of the philosopher   Aristotle and the Greek-Egyptian nobleman and astronomer Claudius Ptolemy. Those two philosophers held that Earth was the center of the universe, an idea we now know is wrong.   Nothing in the surviving records of his life suggest that Aristarchus was censured for his contrary visions of how the cosmos worked. However, so very little of his work exists today that historians are left with fragments of knowledge about him. Still, he was one of the first to try and mathematically determine distances in space.   As with his birth and life, little is known of Aristarchuss death. A crater on the moon is named for him, in its center is a peak which is the brightest formation on the Moon. The crater itself is located on the edge of the Aristarchus Plateau, which is a volcanic region on the lunar surface. The crater was named in Aristarchuss honor by the 17th-century astronomer Giovanni Riccioli.   Edited and expanded by Carolyn Collins Petersen

The Culture of Overtesting in Americas Public Schools

The Culture of Overtesting in Americas Public Schools Over the past several years, many parents and students have begun to launch movements against overtesting and the high stakes testing movement. They have begun to realize that their children are being stripped of an authentic educational experience that instead hinges on how they perform on a series of test over a period of a few days. Many states have passed laws that tie student test performance to grade promotion, the ability to obtain a driver’s license, and even the earning of a diploma. This has created a culture of tension and anxiety among administrators, teachers, parents, and students. High Stakes and Standardized Testing I spend quite a bit of my time thinking about and researching the topics of high stakes and standardized testing. I have written several articles on those subjects. This includes one where I consider my philosophical shift from not worrying about my student’s standardized test scores to deciding that I need to play the high stakes testing game and focus on preparing my students for their standardized tests. Since I made that philosophical shift, my students perform significantly better when compared to my students before I shifted my focus to teaching towards the test. In fact over the last several years I have had a near perfect proficiency rate for all of my students. While I am proud of this fact, it is also extremely disheartening because it has come at a cost. This has created a continuous internal battle. I no longer feel like my classes are fun and creative. I do not feel as if I can take the time to explore the teachable moments that I would have jumped on a few years ago. Time is at a premium, and nearly everything I do is with the one singular goal of preparing my students for testing. The focus of my instruction has been narrowed to the point that I feel as if I am trapped. I know that I am not alone. Most teachers are fed up with the current overtesting, high stakes culture. This has led many excellent, effective teachers to retire early or to leave the field to pursue another career path. Many of the remaining teachers have made the same philosophical shift I chose to make because they love working with kids. They sacrifice conforming to something which they do not believe in to keep doing the job they love. Few administrators or teachers see the high stakes testing era as something positive. Many opponents would argue that a single test on a single day is not indicative of what a child truly has learned over the course of a year. Proponents say that it holds school districts, administrators, teachers, students, and parents accountable. Both groups are right to some extent. The best solution to standardized testing would be a middle ground approach. Instead, the Common Core State Standard era has in some degree ushered in increased pressure and continued over-emphasis on standardized testing. Common Core States Standards The Common Core States Standards (CCSS) have had a significant impact on ensuring this culture is here to stay. Forty-two states currently utilize the Common Core State Standards. These states utilize a shared set of English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics educational standards. However, the controversial Common Core has lost some of its luster due in part to several states parting ways with them after initially planning to adopt them,  Even still there is rigorous testing intended to assess student understanding of the Common Core State Standards. There are two consortiums charged with building these assessments: Partnership for Assessment and Readiness of College and Careers (PARCC) SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). Originally, PARCC assessments were given to students over the course of 8-9 testing sessions in grades 3-8. That number has since been reduced to 6-7 testing sessions, which still seems excessive. The driving force behind the high stakes testing movement is two fold. It is both politically and financially motivated. These motivations are interlocked. The testing industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry. Testing companies win political support by pumping thousands of dollars into political lobbying campaigns to ensure that candidates who support testing are voted into office. The political world essentially holds school districts hostage by tying both federal and state money to standardized tests performance. This, in large part, is why district administrators put pressure on their teachers to do more to increase test performance. It is also why many teachers bow to the pressure and teach directly to the test. Their job is tied to the funding and their family understandably trumps their internal convictions. Overtesting Era The overtesting era is still strong, but hope arises for opponents of high stakes testing. Educators, parents, and students are beginning to awaken to the fact that something needs to be done to reduce the amount of and overemphasis of standardized testing in America’s public schools. This movement has gained much steam within the past few years as many states have suddenly reduced the amount of testing they required and repealed legislation that tied test scores to areas such as teacher evaluations and student promotion. Even still there is more work do be done. Many parents have continued to lead an opt-out movement in the hope that it will eventually rid or drastically reduce the public school standardized testing requirements. There are several websites and Facebook pages dedicated to this movement.   Educators like me appreciate the parental support on this issue. As I mentioned above, many teachers feel trapped. We either quit what we love to do or conform to how we are mandated to teach. This does not mean that we cannot voice our displeasure when given the opportunity. For those who believe that there is too much emphasis placed on standardized testing and that students are being overtested, I encourage you to figure out a way to make your voice heard. It may not make a difference today, but eventually, it could be loud enough to put an end to this insatiable practice.

Coaching process Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Coaching process - Literature review Example However, natural skill or talent will not be enough for an individual to optimally perform in any sport. With so much at stake in sports events including country’s honour, professional life of the sportspersons, fan expectations, etc, etc, individual or the individuals (team) involved in any sport need specialized tuning up or if aptly said coaching to elevate their skill to the expected levels of the competition. So, sports teams are using the services of experienced, equipped and talented individuals or experts to coach their under-skilled or underperforming members as well as further tuning the performing players. This role of coach will discussed as part of the literature review, with focus also on different coaching styles for different situations and the differentiation that exists within sports coaching. The term â€Å"coaching† is used when one individual teaches or trains another individual or group of individuals in certain aspects, in which they are failing short, by contributing physically, mentally, technically and also emotionally. The international coaching accrediting body the International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as, â€Å" an ongoing partnership that helps [people] produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives and†¦deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life†. So, coaching is mainly given as part of acquiring the lacking aspects, as demonstrated from its origins in sport. That is, term coaching came into popular parlance, when sports teams all over the world had a â€Å"head person†, who observed how the players in the team played the game and corrected any weaker aspects. â€Å"By late 1800, in the US, most college sports team employed coaches as well as managers and by the 20th Century, non-sporting coaches were emerging, those who were not specifically experts in the skills of their clients but who