construct criticisms which effectively undermine, through the use of appropriate counter-examples, some premise of that argument. 

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Reflection Paper Topics with Grading Rubric

You will write a 1000-1500 word response to your chosen paper topic from the list below. See Course Outline for the due date. 

This assignment is worth 300 points, or 30% of your grade. 

DO NOT USE ANY SOURCES OTHER THAN THE DALRYMPLE ARTICLE AND YOUR TEXTBOOK.

YOU WILL ATTACH A FILE IN THE BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

Learning Objectives:

Students will demonstrate their ability to construct arguments about issues of both personal and universal significance. Their writing should demonstrate that they can construct cogent, concise, and logically coherent arguments.

Assessment:

Students should demonstrate that they can distinguish the relevant points that form a logically coherent argument. They should also be able to construct criticisms which effectively undermine, through the use of appropriate counter-examples, some premise of that argument.

Your assignment is to read any ONE of the following four articles located in the final chapter of the textbook:

The Frivolity of Evil

How and How Not to Love Mankind

What We Have to Lose

Roads to Serfdom

Then, FOR THE ARTICLE YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE ON, you will type a 1000-1500 word response in which you address EACH of the following points IN YOUR OWN WORDS: 1) What is the author’s main argument? 2) How does he support his main argument (evidence, ancillary arguments, etc.)? 3) Do you agree or disagree with him? 4) Why or why not? 5) Apply the insights of at least two of the readings we have studied in this course (in chapters 1-9) to your analysis. Make sure to give a substantive explanation of how the philosophers’ insights are relevant to the topic you are discussing.

A WORD OF WARNING: These articles are rather long and complex. The author likes to make extensive use of his rather copious vocabulary, so I strongly urge you to have dictionary.com handy as you work your way through your chosen article. The purpose of this essay assignment is for you to demonstrate your ability to discuss, analyze, and evaluate complex philosophic arguments. I am confident that the reading assignments, tests, and discussion boards will have prepared you for this final, and no doubt challenging, essay assignment.

Note: I only allow one attempt on this assignment. Students who do not fully address all of the components of the assignment as stated in the instructions as well as the grading rubric below will have to be content with the grade they earned. 

Please use MLA format.

Your paper will be graded according to the following rubric:

Grading Rubric:

The following standards are numbered in order of importance for grading.

1.Essay demonstrates an understanding of the material: The student has correctly grasped a philosophical problem or question, has explained it accurately, and on the basis of a substantially correct interpretation of any texts involved. Key terms are used correctly. The essay shows evidence of the student’s independent thought, and is written in his or her distinctive voice. Short (one sentence) quotations are used (comprising no more than 10% of the body of the paper), when appropriate, to support the writer’s analysis, and an explanation is offered for each quotation. The use of block quotations will result in a severe point deduction.

95 points

2.Essay has clear and coherent argument: There is a clearly stated thesis, and support for this thesis in the body of the paper. Each paragraph contributes to this argument, and follows logically from the paragraph before it. The argument presented is persuasive. The insights of two other philosophers are incorporated into the analysis.

95 points

3.Essay fulfills assigned task: The essay addresses the entire assigned question or topic, elaborating on important ideas in satisfactory depth, but without bringing in anything extraneous or irrelevant. The introduction of the essay focuses and provides clarity for the paper. Important terms are clearly and accurately defined. Each paragraph conveys a coherent, organized thought. Short (one sentence) quotations are occasionally used, when appropriate, to support the writer’s analysis, and an explanation is offered for each quotation. No more than 10% of paper is made up of direct quotes. No block quotations.

40 points

4.Essay obeys standards for good persuasive writing: the writer shows that he or she is comfortable using philosophical language, and the prose is clear, not awkward. The structure of the sentences reflects the relationships between/among the ideas discussed.

40 points

5.Essay is technically correct: The essay has been carefully and thoughtfully proofread. The argument is written in complete sentences, with punctuation that does not mislead the reader. There are no mistakes in spelling, grammar, word choice, and punctuation.

Identify the specific domain related theory concept that supports the use of this activity.

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Prior to beginning work on this assignment, review Chapters 5, 7, 8, 11, and 12, which are the primary chapters in the textbook and provide you with the theoretical foundations for this project. Also review the Exploring Borderlands–American Passages: A Literary Survey video. Many of the other resources in the previous weeks may also be helpful.

Remember that you have already created nine of the required 15 activities for this assignment in Weeks 2, 3, and 4. You received feedback from your instructor and from the Writing Center on those activity papers. You are expected to incorporate that feedback into the nine activities already created. During this last week, you will place those activities in the appropriate room in your proposal and create the remaining six activities.

Focus of the Final Project:

Your community is planning to open a brand-new child development community center. Now that you are an expert in the field, you have been chosen to create a proposal for interactive, fun, and educational programming activities that will be provided for children and adolescents in this center. The chosen activities must be developmentally appropriate and based in theory. You will present your ideas to the city council with a written proposal describing the programming in detail. You have been asked to propose programming for the following five different age groups in the child development community center:

  • Infant (0-1 year)
  • Toddler (1-3 years)
  • Early Childhood (3-6 years)
  • Middle to Late Childhood (7-12 years)
  • Adolescence (13-18 years)

Use this Community Child Development Center Proposal Template to organize your proposal. Enter the requested information on the title page where indicated. Where you find the text, “In this section you will describe the activity …” within the proposal template, please remove that and enter your own content. The headings in bold should not be altered. The final content for each “room” will consist of three paragraphs that will address three distinct activities that address physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development for that age group. Table 5.1 in your textbook will be very useful in identifying the major milestones in physical development.

In your Community Child Proposal,

  • Describe the activity in some detail (provide more than just the name of the activity).
  • Identify the specific domain related theory concept that supports the use of this activity.
  • Identify how the activity enhances physical, cognitive, or psychosocial development.

Special Notes:

A good way to brainstorm different age appropriate activities is using Google’s search tool before researching. Please review What Is CRAAP? A Guide to Evaluating Web Sources. For example, enter “activities to support cognitive development in toddlers” and numerous sites with suggested activities will be displayed. Remember that your activities may be simple (especially with newborns), but they must also be specific and age appropriate, and you are to connect them to developmental theory within the proposal. You must also cite the sources in your proposal.

While much of the theoretical support for your proposal will come from the textbook, you must include information somewhere in the proposal from three credible or scholarly sources. If you included a source in your Weeks 2, 3, and 4 papers, then you have already met this requirement. Just transfer the source to the final proposal. Remember to cite all your sources (including the textbook) according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

The Community Center Proposal

  • Must be eight double-spaced pages in length (not including the title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Style
  • Must include a separate title page with the following:
    • Title of project
    • Student’s name
    • Course name and number
    • Instructor’s name
    • Date submitted

For further assistance with the formatting and the title page, refer to APA Formatting for Word 2013.

  • Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice resource for additional guidance.
  • Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
    • For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions as well as Writing a Thesis Statement, refer to the Ashford Writing Center resources.
  • Must use at least three scholarly or credible sources in addition to the text book. Be sure to integrate your sources rather than simply inserting them.
    • The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
  • Must document any information used form sources in APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s Citing Within Your Paper
  • Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the Formatting Your References List resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

In 100‐200 words, summarize the psychological report. Include specific data and observation information that will help guide Scott’s educational goals.

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Read “Writing a Comprehensive Report in Special Education,” located on the National Association of Special Education Teachers website.

URL:http://www.naset.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Power%20Point/Writing_a_comprehensive_report_in_special_education_01.ppt

After formal assessments for determining eligibility under IDEA’s 13 disability categories are completed, school‐based specialists are charged with summarizing the results to aid team decision making. In turn, specific recommendations are made to ensure school staff and family members fully understand how programming and supports should be implemented to address documented student needs. It is vital that teachers understand how to review assessment results and be an active team member in collaborating with families around the specific recommendations to be implemented. Teachers must be able to advocate for necessary programming and supports while still addressing the questions/needs of family members.

Review the “Report of Psychological Assessment: Scott Smith” to inform the assignment.

As the special education teacher, you have been tasked with summarizing Scott’s psychological report and creating a plan to help him improve his social skills and make better behavior choices in the general education setting.

Using the “Scott Smith Assessment and Recommendations Template” create a plan for Scott.

Include the following:

  • Summary: In 100‐200 words, summarize the psychological report. Include specific data and observation information that will help guide Scott’s educational goals.
  • Goals: Write one behavioral goal related to classroom behavior and one social/emotional goal related to peer interaction. Goals must be measurable and include how to address the target behaviors with a replacement behavior.
  • Assessments: In 150‐250 words, identify one informal or formal assessment method for measuring Scott’s progress with his behavioral and social/emotional goals. Briefly explain why the assessment is appropriate for progress monitoring, including how bias is minimized.
  • Recommendations: Based on information and assessment results in the study, in 100‐250 words, include 3‐4 total, specific recommendations to manage Scott’s behavior for the school, teachers, and parent, keeping information about Scott and his best interest in mind and in guiding educational decisions.
  • Rationale: In 150‐250 words, justify your choices as an advocate for Scott. Make sure to explain how your summary, goals, assessment methods, and recommendations minimize bias and advocate for Scott’s needs. Support your choices with 2‐3 scholarly resources.
  • Parents Collaboration and Conference Plan: Compose a 250‐500 word plan explaining the Summary, Goals, Assessments, and Recommendations sections to Scott’s parents in easy‐to‐understand language. Support your explanations with data analyses, sharing how assessment information led to educational decisions with colleagues, and collaborating with his parents to promote student success. In addition, anticipate possible concerns his parents may have, addressing each with applicable strategies. Conclude your plan with recommendations to meet again with his parents to assess and discuss Scott’s progress.
  • Take Home Activity: In addition, create a 125‐250 word take home activity for Scott’s parents, consistent with your recommendations. Using encouraging, supportive language, outline a minimum of two engaging at‐home strategies for student behavior and social/emotional improvement, considering historical and family backgrounds.

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

College of Education (COE) program competencies assessed:

  • COE 4.2: Select and use technically sound formal and informal assessments that minimize bias. [CEC 4.1, ICSI.4.K1, ICSI.4.K2, ICSI.4.K4. ICSI.4.S1, ICSI.4.S5, ICSI.4.S2, ICSI.4.S8, IGC.4.K1, IGC.4.K3, IGC.4.S1, IGC.4.S2, IGC.4.S3, IGC.4.S4; InTASC 6(a), 6(b), 6(h), 6(j), 6(k); GCU Mission Critical 2, 3, 5]
  • COE 4.3: Use knowledge of measurement principles and practices to interpret assessment results and guide educational decisions for individuals with exceptionalities. [CEC 4.2, ICSI.4.K1, ICSI.4.K2, ICSI.4.K3, ICSI.4.K4, ICSI.4.S1, ICSI.4.S5, ICSI.4.S6, ICSI.4.S8, IGC.4.K1; InTASC 6(c), 6(k), 7(l), 7(q); GCU Mission Critical 2 and 5]
  • COE 4.4: In collaboration with colleagues and families, use multiple types of assessment information in making decisions about individuals with exceptionalities. [CEC 4.3, ICSI.4.K1, ICSI.4.K2, ICSI.4.S4, ICSI.4.S1, ICSI.4.S6, ICSI.6.K4, ICSI.7.K2, ICSI.7.K3, ICSI.7.K4, ICSI.7.S2, ICSI.7.S3, ICSI.7.S4, ICSI.7.S5, ICSI.7.S3, ICSI.7.S10, IGC.4.K1, IGC.4.K2, IGC.4.K3, IGC.7.K2, IGC.7.S2; InTASC 6(g), 6(i), 6(o), 6(t), 6(v), 9(c), 9(l) 10(a); GCU Mission Critical 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  • COE 5.6: Advance the profession by engaging in activities such as advocacy and mentoring. [CEC 6.5, ICSI.6.K2, IGC.6.K4, ICSI.6.K6, ICSI.6.S1, ICSI.6.S2, ICSI.6.S4, ICSI.6.S5, ICSI.6.S6, IGC.6.K5, IGC.6.S2; InTASC 10(j); GCU Mission Critical 1, 3, 4]

 Do you see themes emerging? In your response to the two learners below, comment on how their postings fit in with any themes you are noticing. Please ask an open ended question in connection to your response.

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Do you see themes emerging? In your response to the two learners below, comment on how their postings fit in with any themes you are noticing. Please ask an open ended question in connection to your response.

Alison post

While conducting my interview and reviewing reading I learned that there are a few evaluation methods for school psychologists to use to identify students that have exceptional needs. While the IQ test was used for many years, parents and school staff have become more in favor of the RTI method of evaluation. This form of evaluation involves gathering data from multiple sources regarding the child’s behavior in various situations, as well as direct observations and interactions.

Concern to identify a child with exceptional needs is important to due quickly. For some, children missing milestones such as conversation, walking, and eating solid foods can raise red flags. While it is great to be concerned and to discuss these issues with your doctor, they do not equal a child being exceptional. When children enter school and begin to interact with their peers, then concerns and exceptionality become more apparent. Missing milestones in early education is defiantly time to be concerned and begin discussion about an evaluation.

During my interview, the mother was extremely resistant to her child being tested until she entered the first grade. Her struggles with testing her daughter early was the perceptions schools would have upon admitting her daughter. While schools are inclusive environments for exceptional children, are there better ways for them to appear more inclusive to those not yet involved in the school?

Nicole post

By speaking with the school psychologist, I learned a lot about identifying exceptional students. Our psychologist is very accommodating for both the teachers and students and always provides us with such valuable information. When discussing with her about identifying students who may have exceptional needs, she said that I should be concerned when the child seems withdrawn from the tasks as well as their peers, are throwing fits over small things, can’t regulate their emotions, act out in class, and often talk over the teacher or talk while she is talking. She said that not all students are going to exhibit the same behaviors but she said that any of these on their own could be concerning.

Once the teacher sees some of these signs and realizes through their own observations that the student does not seem to be making the same progress as their peers (either socially or academically), then they can refer the student to the “Educational Support Team (EST)” that we have at our school. Once the student is referred and the paperwork is filled out explaining the concerns, the EST will meet together and discuss what we can do to help the students. Often times, testing is required. Many students are picked up for IEP’s or services through this process. If no services are required, the team will come up with some accommodations for the student and the team will continue to meet every couple of months to discuss progress and to see if they can support the student in any other ways