Barnes and Noble Book Haul (4)

I recently ordered some books online from Barnes and Noble and received the package a few days ago. I wanted the first two books in particular and got the last two mentioned below for free shipping with a $25 purchase. The four books I got were: (click the titles for more info. and to purchase)

Reclaim Your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed

Many Poetic Voices, One Faith by Islamic Writers Alliance

Treasure Island - Special Student Edition by Robert Louis Stevenson

Sisters Grimm: Books 1 and 2 by Michael Buckley
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sisters-grimm-michael-buckley/1112044040?ean=9781435144873

I am currently reading Reclaim Your Heart, and when I am done with it, I plan to write a review for it so check back soon ;)

Cultural Study on Ray Bradbury's "The Beggar on O'Connell Bridge"

Paper I wrote for my Methods of Literary Analysis class.

Literature like cartoons, TV shows, music, etc. can be analyzed through cultural studies. Culture is defined as a particular society's beliefs, habits, values, etc. that distinguishes them from one group of people to another. This study includes any cultural phenomena such as body piercing and tattooing (Lynn, 145). While there is no set way to write a cultural studies paper, the main idea is to show that the "products of a culture are shaped by underlying assumptions and values; and a variety of strategies from psychoanalysis to feminist criticism" can be used to explain this criticism (Lynn, 158). Thus, cultural studies has "brought attention to neglected and suppressed writers, providing a richer understanding of the cultural contributions of minorities, the excluded and oppressed" (Lynn, 146).     

The culture of the homeless is something to take note of in Ray Bradbury's "The Beggar on O'Connell Bridge". In this story, a middle class couple was constantly in contact with the homeless. The first homeless man lied to get money and even took advantage of the character's "kindness" by repeatedly asking for more and more money. The story begins with the main character calling himself a fool because he believed a man asking for money for train fare, food, to bring his wife, and to stay at a hotel, all in the name of getting a job (Bradbury, 59). It all turned out to be a lie as the man saw the same guy outside his hotel window in Dublin. His wife confirmed that the same man asked her for money for train fare to Galway, but unlike her husband, she didn't give any. In the end, the little homeless man managed to get five pounds and ran off!

In addition to lying, some homeless people tell stories to gain sympathy and put pressure on people, which in turn will get them some sort of donation. While on his way to show his wife the beggar on the bridge, his wife showed him how to overlook the beggars without feeling pressured to give money. But a woman with a bundled baby also managed to get some money from the same man. Not totally convinced if the baby was real or a prop, he calls himself a coward for giving in yet again (62). Another woman came up to the couple and even though the man didn't mention that he thought it was the same woman who just stashed the baby somewhere and put on a green instead of gray shawl, she came minutes later asking for money, claiming her sister had cancer. Split between the decision to give some money or overpaying, the woman got into his pocket and ran off with his money (Bradbury, 63-64). The actions of the woman shows that some homeless people stalk others for money and even steal if they are desperate.

Reaching the beggar on O'Connell bridge with no hat, the man and his wife found him playing the concertina and he soon began to sing. To their surprise, he sang really well like "he could be on the stage…. too good to be standing here" (Bradbury, 67). Some homeless people find ways to make money by providing services, in this case music. While the man usually gave money to other beggars, for some reason when his wife opened her purse to give money, he took her elbow and led her down the bridge. Coming back a few days later to see the singing beggar and give him a cap, the man found an old man and woman instead. They too were playing music, or at least attempted to, "cranking a great piano box which racheted and coughed like a coffee grinder eating glass and stone, giving forth no melody but a grand and melancholy sort of iron indigestion" (Bradbury, 69). While the old couple didn’t say anything, there pale face and red eyes seemed to be begging for money from anyone who would listen to their "music".      

Unfortunately, the beggar on the bridge would sing for people but didn’t get any money, especially from the man and his wife. Tired of living his life this way, the beggar "ended" his misery by jumping over into the River Liffey (Bradbury, 71). While this may seem extreme, some homeless people feel they have no choice and rather than live at the mercy of others, hoping to get some sort of donation, they too may end their life in a similar way. After finding out from the manager, the man felt bad that he never gave him even a penny. It seems that people thought the beggar was "overdoing" it, using his bare head to trick people into feeling sorry for him. In other words, sometimes it is hard to tell the honest, legitimate needy from the cons, the ones who have been homeless for a long time vs. the new homeless.

At the end of the story, the man went outside in the snowy night coatless, in his shirtsleeves. To make himself feel better, he gave the cap he had bought for his "capless singing friend" to the first man who came by, soon giving away all the money in his pocket too. He looked up at the high hotel windows, just like the beggars did in the beginning, thinking to himself "What's it like up there? Are fires lit? Is it warm as breath? Are they happy? Do they even know I'm here?" (Bradbury, 73). The man puts himself in the situation of the homeless, finally understanding what it feels like to be out in the cold, wondering if people notice them or even care. Bradbury's "The Beggar on O'Connell Bridge" give readers a glimpse of the life of the homeless, where lying, telling stories, stalking, stealing, entertaining the public, and even ending their life, may be the norm.

Works Cited

Bradbury, Ray. "The Beggar on O'Connell Bridge." Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most           Celebrated Tales. 1st ed. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. 59-73. Print.

Lynn, Steven. "Connecting the Text: Varieties of Historical Criticism." Texts and Contexts: Writing About Literature with Critical Theory. 6th ed. Glenview: Pearson, 2011. 139+. Print.

Goodreads.com

Have you ever wanted to keep track of all the books you’ve read or want to read? Goodreads.com is the place for you! I’ve been loving this site since a friend told me about it back in 2011. You can keep track of as many books you’ve read from as far back or as current as you want. Users can also add books to their to-read list and update what they are currently-reading. In addition, you can rate, review, and recommend books as well as receive recommendations depending on the type of books you read and your shelves. You can enter giveaways or host your own, share you writing, take quizzes, challenge yourself to read a number of books in a year, make friends, and a lot more! If you are a bookworm, give goodreads.com a try ;) If you do, check me out @ http://www.goodreads.com/sabrinafatima (I would love a site like goodreads for movies!)

Reader Response on Ray Bradbury's "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone"

Paper I wrote for my Methods of Literary Analysis class.

Reader Response criticism is exactly as it sounds. Each individual reader has their own interpretation of a text and therefore, when it comes time to write or discuss, each response will be different from others. The reader's thoughts in this specific criticism is especially important. Since everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and analysis, no one can be wrong in their opinions. A text can influence readers by appealing to ethos, or how we perceive the person speaking; logos, readers using logic; or pathos, our emotions (Lynn, 70). A reader response paper can be done in two ways, either subjectively or receptively. Readers can connect with a text on a personal level and even use "I" or write in general terms i.e. try to think how other readers will respond. Whichever of the two approaches is used, readers need to read actively, making notes and asking questions; "focus on details and ask how your response would change if the details were changed; and finally, decide on your purpose: a subjective or receptive response" (Lynn, 99). Reader response criticism is very flexible and provides writers with a lot of freedom.

Ray Bradbury's story "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone" begins with rumors of Dudley Stone's "death" 20 years ago. Arguments of whether the famous writer is alive or not leads Mr. Douglass to travel 300 miles to ask Stone why he hasn't written a book in 25 years.  Surprised to find him alive, Stone invites Douglass inside his home and they soon begin to talk about the "murder" of Stone. The story didn't interest me until this point where Stone tells Douglass about almost being murdered by his "friend" John Oatis Kendall. Both were writers, but as it turned out, Stone was better and famous unlike Kendall.

Kendallcan only be described as a jealous individual. This part in the story reminded me of a real-life incident I heard where someone actually ended up killing their "friend" right before graduation out of jealousy! Shouldn't real friends want the best for each other? Instead, Kendallthought the only way to become famous and be put in the headlines is to "be known for a lifetime and beyond as the man who killed Dudley Stone! (Bradbury, 656). Given a moment before being shot at, Stone made a deal with Kendall. Stone promised to never write again in return for Kendallto spare his life, which explained his absence from his writing career for 25 years! Stone even put fire to one of his books he was working on just to prove he was serious to Kendallwhile giving him the other copy of his book for Kendallto do whatever he wants with it. Not only did Stone get a chance to live longer, he justified it to himself by thinking that others will be happy with him, including his friend Kendall and his wife Lena(Bradbury, 658). At the end, Stone got to live, while Kendallbelieved that Stone would not write anymore. Like a true friend, Stone did keep his promise.

A passage that struck me as interesting and realistic was when Stone explained to Douglass that by having his life spared, Kendallhad actually broadened Stone's horizons. "I [Stone] was grateful. Do you really understand that word? Grateful he had let me live when he had it in his hand to annihilate me forever" (Bradbury, 659). Stone continues on to say that before this encounter with Kendall, he had just been writing about living, but now he himself wanted to live and do things instead of just writing about them. It wasn’t until his near death experience, that Stone realized there is more to life than just his (writing) career. Stone learned to live more than before. He ran for the board of education, mayor, sheriff, etc. and won; climbed hills and painted pictures, traveled around the world three times, had a son, and finally got a telescope (Bradbury, 659). Stone apparently didn't regret his decision to stop writing in return for living life as much as possible.

I found this story true to life, especially for people today who are so busy accumulating wealth, status, fame, power, etc. yet fail to enjoy the simple things in life and being grateful for what they have. I have realized that people, including myself, don't truly value something until we lose it, or in the case of Stone, come close to losing it. I had seen a video called "Life is Like a Cup of Coffee" which is about a group of alumni, highly established in their careers, visiting an old professor. They started to complain about stress in life and work until their professor offered coffee to the group. He came back with a pot of coffee and different cups. Everyone picked their cups and the professor commented that all the nice looking and expensive cups were taken, leaving the plain, cheap cups behind.

While it is normal for everyone to want the best for themselves, we compare what we have to others. This, he said, is the source of all their problems. "Life is the coffee; the jobs, money, and position in society are the cups. Sometimes by concentrating only on the cups, we fail to enjoy the coffee. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything. So live simply…" (Life). Stone's realization to live life fully and be grateful reminded me of this story were we should all learn to not focus so much on "the cups" but on "the coffee".

Works Cited

Bradbury, Ray. "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone." Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales. 1st ed. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. 651-61. Print.

Life Is Like A Cup of Coffee. YouTube. Spiritual-Short-Stories.com, 6 Feb. 2009. Web. 15 Jan.        2012. PLC46EAACE90513B89&index=48&feature=plpp_video>.

Lynn, Steven. "Creating the Text: Reader-Response Criticism." Texts and Contexts: Writing   About Literature with Critical Theory. 6th ed. Glenview: Pearson, 2011. 70+. Print.

Future Posts Ideas

Before I forget some ideas I just came up with, I thought I would share what I am thinking about posting for the next couple of weeks/months. I try to post every Sunday on this blog and for my previous posts, I alternated between my past writings that I wanted to share (poems, articles, memoirs, etc.) and writing terms from a creative writing book I have.

Since I finished the writing terms, I started with journal posts which I want to continue. But since I haven't written anything "fun/interesting" recently, I am thinking to post essays and such from my English classes that I think are worth sharing. If you have read my "About Me and My World" then you know I am an English major at uni. So, I thought this would be a good way to share some of my work for uni. with others here on my blog. What type of Eng. uni. work can you expect in the upcoming weeks? Some essays on Ray Bradbury's short stories (don't judge just yet), a project on one of my favorite Disney movie, and anything I may do in future English classes. I will still try to do some of my own longer writings, like articles and poems, and will post those whenever I finish each one.

I just put up my last "quote" post (directly below, My Fav. Tumblr Quote Graphics), and I am thinking about posting random (current) journal entries. This will range from my upcoming Winter Break to-do list, New Years Resolution, I Am Thankful for... (Islam, being a Muslim, my body, my mom, etc.) and many more. One of my New Years Resolution is to journal everyday (check back for that post :)) so starting January, I will try to make my Sunday blog posts be the same as my Sunday journal writing (to make things easier to keep track of) In my intro. about me and my world, I did mention some things to look for in the future on my blog like book reviews and memoirs with pictures. I still plan to eventually do those as well, but they may be surprise posts scattered throughout other posts.

Enough said. I think this is a good idea of what is in store for my blog. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do and will visit my blog again ;)

My Favorite Tumblr ;) Graphic Quotes

Stop Smoking for Good

My research paper for my (1st) college English class.

As you're walking to your next class on campus, you pass by some students standing in the front of a building smoking. You silently hold your breath as you pass them by. Not wanting to breathe in the awful smell lingering in the air, you fan the air in front of your face. If only the image of their damaged lungs could be seen on the outside! What a sight that would be, you think to yourself. Walking into the building, you hear one of the smokers cough up phlegm and spit it out. You cringe at the sound and hurry inside.    

It's a Friday night as you get ready for the party at your friend's house. You hear a honk from a car outside your house and race through the front door to meet your friends who are picking you up. As you get into the backseat of the car, you notice your two friends in the front with cigarettes in their mouths. The smoke is everywhere and you gag from the smell. You open the window on your side and wonder when your friends started to smoke. Since the first day of class when the three of you met, you never saw them smoking. They had even said they tried it before but hated it.

These are just two of the everyday situations people go through with regards to smokers. We've all heard that smoking is bad for a person's health and body and we know the consequences of smoking, especially heavily and over a long period of time. While the choice of whether to smoke or not is a personal one, it becomes even more serious when it affects others, such as in secondhand smoking. Children as well as other family members, friends, neighbors, and even strangers can be negatively affected by an individual's decision to smoke. Convinced that smokers know that their decision isn't only affecting them, it is selfish of them to still smoke while non-smokers are around or will be in the same surroundings while the smell is still in the air. If a person wants to hurt themself that's their business, but they shouldn’t be harming others too. To prevent the negative consequences of hurting one's body and others, smoking should be stopped for good!       

Even though people know the risks of smoking, this is not enough for some people to never try it or stop completely. What might be a surprise for many is the substances that cigarettes contain. Did you know there are more than 4,000 ingredients in a cigarette other than tobacco? Some of the many ingredients are fungicides and pesticides (causes many types of cancers and birth defects, cadmium (used in batteries and linked to lung and prostate cancer), and benzene (linked to leukemia).

If this isn't enough to convince a smoker to quit, how about these ingredients: ammonia(a household cleaner), arsenic (used in rat poisons), butane (gas used in lighter fluid), carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas), cyanide(a deadly poison), DDT (a banned insecticide), lead (poisonous in high doses), formaldehyde (used to preserve dead specimens), naphthalene(ingredient in mothballs), and polonium (cancer-causing radioactive element) (Kleinman). After knowing these dangerous and deadly substances are in cigarettes, is it smart to try or continue smoking? And tobacco industries could care less for its consumer's health, so its up to a person to make wise decisions for their own good! Afterall, as the tobacco industry's saying goes, "An addicted customer is a customer for life, no matter how short that life is" (Kleinman).

So, how exactly does smoking harm a person's body and health? No matter how much a smoker may deny it, the fact is that "smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and causes many diseases and reduces the health of smokers in general" (Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking). Compared to a non-smoker, "smoking is estimated to increase the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 2 to 4 times, men developing lung cancer by 23 times and women developing lung cancer by 13 times, and of course, dying from chronic obstructive lung diseases (such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema) by 12 to 13 times" (Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking). Would you believe that "more deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined" (Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking). Even if a smoker manages to live a long life, is it worth living with cancers and diseases? What a waste of a life!

Most importantly is how smoking puts non-smokers in danger. As previously mentioned, a person's choice to smoke shouldn’t put other lives in danger. Do smokers consider how their choice affects the people around them? Exposure from secondhand smoke is most common in homes and workplaces, but also in public restaurants, bars, and casinos and in private vehicles. Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers. This smoke alone contains more than 7000 chemicals, hundreds of which are toxic and about 70 can cause cancer. "Secondhand smoke causes an estimated 3,400 lung cancer deaths among U.S.adult non-smokers each year" (Secondhand Smoke (SHS) Facts). Many of the victims of secondhand smoke are children who have to suffer (because of adults). In 2007-2008, 53.6% of young children (aged 3–11 years) were exposed to secondhand smoke. In children, secondhand smoke causes ear infections, asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms (ex. coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath), respiratory infections (i.e. bronchitis, pneumonia) and a greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). "In children aged 18 months or younger, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for approximately 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States" (Secondhand Smoke Facts). Why are babies put to risk by adult decisions, especially by their parents?

Back in May of 2010, the sight of a two year old smoking was unbeliebvable and disturbing for many people. Outraged by how someone as young as two could get their hands on cigarettes and not be stopped, was a discussion amongst child advocates. According to Seto Mulyadi, chairman of Indonesia's child protection commission, he blames the increase on aggressive advertising and parents who are smokers. In addition he said a law to protect children and passive smokers should be introduced immediately in their country. "A health law passed in 2009 formally recognizes that smoking is addictive, and an anti-smoking coalition is pushing for tighter restrictions on smoking in public places, advertising bans and bigger health warnings on cigarette packages" (Too).    

All in all, anyone can see how bad the problem is with smoking. Smoking doesn’t just affect one person, but many others too, whether it is a child, spouse, relative, neighbor, friend, classmate, or a stranger! With so many negative consequences not just to an individual but also to the people around a smoker, banning smoking should be a priority for everyones benefit.   

Works Cited

"CDC - Fact Sheet - Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/.

"CDC - Fact Sheet - Secondhand Smoke Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.         National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Web. 01 Dec. 2011.             http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/general_fact         s/index.htm.

Kleinman, Lowell, and Deborah M. Kleinman. "Have You Ever Wondered What's In a             Cigarette?" Quit Smoking Help and Quit Smoking Information at QuitSmokingSupport.com. QuitSmokingSupport.com. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/whatsinit.htm.

"Too Unfit to Run: Two-year-old Who Smokes 40 Cigarettes a Day Puffs Away on a Toy        Truck." Mail Online. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-          1281538/Smoking-year-old-Ardi-Rizal-40-cigarettes-day.html.

My Favorite Video Quotes

Islam: Learn it, Live it, Love it

My "I Believe" essay for First Year Seminar.

If there is one thing my life revolves around, it is Islam. Some may call it a religion, faith, or a complete way of life. For me, Islam is all of these and much more! Many of the things I have come to realize and believe involves Islam in one way or another. As a Muslim, I do believe in the six basic pillars of belief (belief in the One, True God (Allah in Arabic), His angels, revealed scriptures, messengers, the Day of Judgment, and divine predestination) and the five pillars of Islam (declaration of faith, establishing prayer, fasting in the month of Ramadan, giving a portion of wealth in charity, and pilgrimage to Makah, Saudi Arabia. These are what I believe.

On my vacation to Bangladesh and England back in the summer of 2007, I learned the true value of having a loving family and appreciating them. Unlike many other people I know, I don’t have many family members here in America. Taking a family vacation was a great way to meet with and catch up with relative who live elsewhere in the world. Although many of us, especially young people, are closer to friends, family is just as important. After all, who knows us better than the ones we have known since the day we were born! But of course, having friends is definitely beneficial and welcoming.

While in England, I saw my cousin spend time online chatting on a forum dedicated to female Muslims. At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but after coming back to America and several months passed, I decided to join the online community, and I’m really glad I did! It is a place to ask questions, get advice and recommendations, learn about Islam and life in general, and talk to other female Muslims (Muslimahs). I can honestly say that after being on the forum for almost four years, it has helped me a lot! Not only have I learned countless things, I even made an Ethiopian friend who lives in Oregon and have been friends with since 2008.

Spending my free time on Islam Way Sisters forum, I was surprised by what Islam really teaches and what it means to be a Muslim. Being a female Muslim, I really wanted to learn about the position of women in Islam, so I read numerous books. My favorite book is Women in Islam: The Myth and the Reality by Dr. Sherif Abdel Azeem. I also listened to lectures on the topic of Muslim women. Even though many people are born into Muslim families, that doesn’t mean they are practicing Muslims who represent Islam correctly. As much as women have been subjugated around the world throughout history, women are just as important as men. They are daughters, students, friends, wives, mothers, colleagues, etc. Females may be a weakness for males, but they can also be a source of strength for them too! Unfortunately, there are Muslim women who are disrespected or degraded (just as non-Muslim women are), but this is due to culture and traditions, not Islam. There is definitely a difference between Islam and the culture of Muslims, especially in terms of cultural/traditional practices that actually go against the teaching of Islam!

Although I started to wear a hijab in the beginning of sixth grade, it wasn’t until high school that I gained an understanding of what properly wearing a head scarf (hijab in Arabic) truly signifies. Contrary to what many people may think, hijab, or even a full body covering and face veil, isn’t oppressing nor does it make women inferior. Having experience wearing all three, I realized a saves a lot of problems and makes people appreciate you for who you really are on the inside instead of judging you solely on how you look on the outside. Before making assumptions, people should learn the truth for themselves instead of being “spoon fed” information on what to believe. In this case, why not ask a female Muslim who wears hijab properly how she feels about it. During my first year or two in high school when I was rediscovering Islam and my position as a female Muslim, I started to blog about Islam and what I was learning at the time. I later decided to share what I learned about Muslim women by writing about them for my research paper.

Today I continue to learn nit just by attending university, but also about Islam at home. I also started a new blog http://satisfiedwithislam.blogspot.com/ which includes some of my favorite motivational videos. Some reasons why I have come to love Islam includes that there is no racism and sexism in Islam, the diverse family of followers, true brother/sisterhood, and simply for the fact that Islam truly is a complete way of life with answers to everything, thus there is always something to learn! In addition, there are great role models in Islamic history such as Prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadijah. Finally, living Islam provides a life that is beneficial to all and has the best interest for everyone, as seen through hijab and personal development i.e. good character building. By continuing my quest for knowledge, both worldly and spiritually, I have learned that education is extremely important from a young age and gaining wisdom never stops in life! This belief is one of the reasons why I am choosing to become a teacher in the future. These are what I believe.

My Favorite Teacher and Random Quotes

Here is another batch of my favorite quotes for your enjoyment ;) I have more ideas on ways to share more quotes (like videos and graphics) in the near future inshAllah, so please check back.  

Teacher quotes:
~ "Teach the children so that it will not be necessary to teach the adults." - Abraham Lincoln
~ "A teacher affects eternity; [they] can never tell where [their] influence stops." - Henry Adams
~ "A teacher teaches all other professions." - Author unknown

Random quotes:
~ "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." - Jimi Hendrix
~ "If you tell the truth, then you don't have to remember what you said." - similar to Mark Twain
~ "Where there's a will there's a way." - English proverb
~ "Everything happens for a reason."
~ "Treat others the way you want to be treated."

A Teacher Worth Remembering

A poem I wrote before I graduated dedicated to my high school teachers.

Here is a little something
From me to you
For a very special teacher
I believe this is all true

You have taught me so much
I learned new things from you
Your dedication and hard work
Clearly shines through

Thank you for all you have done for me
I enjoyed the times spent with you
Teachers really do make a difference
I will always remember what they do!

NEW!!- My Journal Writings: Favorite Islamic Quotes

Since I finished posting all the writing terms from the book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing" (2nd edition) by Laurie E. Rozakis two weeks ago, I thought I would start something new for the next few weeks. Like the title says, these will be my journal writings. They won't be too personal, but worth sharing in my opinion nonetheless. So the first batch will be a few of my favorite Islamic quotes. I have more planned so I hope you enjoy :)

Muslim Women in Islamic History

An essay I wrote for my Journalism class's "mini magazine" project.

According to the Top 10 List’s site, Angelina Jolie tops off the list as number one, followed by Oprah Whinfrey, Beyoncé Knowles, and seven other females chosen to be on the list of the Top 10 Most Influential Female Celebrities. They were “not only chosen for their good looks or fortunes, but also because of their involvement with charity work and their contributions to society.”

While the above women are looked up to by many females, especially teenagers, little, if any thought is given to Muslim women in history. What part did they play in the early years of Islam? Were they looked down upon as many people assume Muslim women are? Is Islam, a religion and complete way of life, responsible for “oppressing” women? I’m sure you will be surprised after you learn about Muslim women in the history of Islam.

Muhmood A. Ghadanfar writes in his book, "Great Women of Islam Who Were Given the Good News of Paradise", “The women companions (Sahabiyat) of Prophet Muhammad were as active in religion as in politics, as courageous in war as in the peaceful and persuasive propagation of the teachings of Islam. These noble selfless women could be found in the battlefields, in the political arena, in the field of education, in the courts of Islamic jurisprudence, in the interpretation of Shariah (the collective laws revealed by Allah), in trade and commerce, in agriculture, in medicine and in nursing. In short there was no sphere that did not benefit from their intellect, their wisdom, and their gentle yet firm strength and character.”

Additionally, it is reported with an authentic chain of narration that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The best women of mankind are four: Maryam (Mary, the mother of Jesus), Aasiyah (the wife of Pharaoh), Khadijah (the wife of Prophet Muhammad), and Fatimah (the daughter of Prophet Muhammad)” [Bukhari and Muslim]. While there were numerous Muslim women in the past who contributed in all spheres of life, below are four of the most well-known women in Islamic history.

Maryam bint Imran, the daughter of Imran, is an honorable and respected woman in Islam. She is free from any false claims associated to her with regards to the birth of Jesus (Esa) and has a whole chapter (#19) in the Quran (the Muslim holy book and the last revelation sent to mankind by Allah) dedicated to her! The reason why Maryam is considered the best of all women is stated in the Qur’an. “Behold! The angels said, “O Maryam! Allah (the One True God of monotheism in the Arabic language) has chosen you and purified you and preferred you above the women of all nations” [al- `Imran 3:42].

Aasiyah bint Muzahim, the daughter of Muzahim and the wife of Fir’awn (Pharaoh), went through harsh trials due to her tyrannical husband. She disbelieved in his false claims of divinity which brought about his anger, thus he would torture her. Due to her strong faith in Allah and rejecting Pharaoh as God, Pharaoh ordered for a big stone to be thrown over her, which caused her death. Her sacrifice for her firm belief brought about her high status compared to other women. Narrated Abu Musa: Allah’s messenger said, “Many amongst men reached (the level of) perfection but none amongst the women reached this level except Aasiyah (Pharaoh’s wife), and Maryam (the daughter of ‘Imran)… [Bukhari].

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the daughter of Khuwaylid, was a very successful business women and the wife of Prophet Muhammad. She was also the first person to accept Islam (believe in Allah as the Lord and Creator of the universe and everything in it, and that Muhammad is the last Prophet and Messenger of Allah sent to mankind). She provided support, strength, assurance, and wisdom to her husband through many difficulties and was honored by Prophet Muhammad even after her death.

Fatimah bint Muhammad was the fourth and youngest daughter of Muhammad. She resembled her father the most from her siblings and was the dearest to him. It is reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Fatimah is a part of me, and what hurts her hurts me” [Muslim]. Before her father’s death, Fatimah was told by him that she would be the first among his family members to join him in Heaven!

Does it make sense to think that after all that Muslim women have done in history, that Islam is the one to blame when people who claim to be Muslims, don’t practice the true teachings of Islam, but rather their culture, tribal and family practices, many times conflicting with Islam? There are reverts to Islam every year especially after September 11, most of them being women! Would it make sense that many women willingly choose to become a Muslim if there was no truth in Islam and benefit? Learn the truth for yourself from reliable sources before you judge!

Check out http://www.islamswomen.com/ for information on Muslim women, and also my blog at http://learnislam2day.blogspot.com/ for information about Islam and Mus­lims. I also recommend reading "Women in Islam: The Myth and the Reality" by Dr. Sherif Abdel Azeem.

T, V, and W Words

This is the last group of writing terms that I will post from the book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing" (2nd edition) by Laurie E. Rozakis.

1. theme- a literary work's main idea, a general statement about life. The theme can be stated outright in the work, or readers will have to infer it from details about plot, characters, and setting.

2. tone- the writer's attitude toward his/her subject matter. For example, the tone can be angry, bitter, sad, or frightening.   
3. transitions- words and phrases that give writing coherence.
4. turning point- see climax.
5. verse- a stanza in a poem.
6. voice- the author's personality expressed through his/her writing.
7. writing- a way of communicating a message to a reader for a purpose.

God in Christianity and Islam

A research paper I wrote for my English class back in my senior year in high school.

Does God really exist? Do Christians and Muslim really believe in One God? What is the concept of the trinity in Christianity? Do Muslims believe in Jesus like Christians do? Is it fair for a righteous person to die for other people’s sins?

Aisha scans through the list of questions that the audience came up with to ask the guest speaker at the university’s Muslim Student Association event. As she hands the paper over to the speaker, she looks at the audience. An auditorium full of people who are curious to know about Islam and what makes it the fastest growing religion in America, even after September 11, 2001. Former Christian preacher Yusuf Estes looks at the audience and smiles. Two of the world’s largest religions and ways of life, Christianity and Islam, are known to many as monotheistic religions, but the former religion contains a contradiction to the Oneness of God that was introduced not by Jesus, but by a man name Paul.

Since the primary aspect of any religion is connected to God, the belief of God’s existence is crucial.

Two fundamental aspects that any rational minded person would agree on is 1. the fact that the universe and world and everything in it is real ex. humans, air, sun, etc. and the way we understand our world and ourselves is through observation and using our mind to think and reason and 2. using common sense, we can all agree that part of something is less than the whole of the thing and we don’t find something coming from nothing (“Reasoning the Existence of God.” Peace TV).

According to Abdur Raheem Green, when you look at the universe and the world in which you live in and at yourself, you will find things working according to laws, systems, and patterns that are amazing in their intricacy and details. For example, imagine the earth rotating very slowly where a day would be equal to years instead of rotating on its axis every twenty-four hours. One part of the earth’s surface would be in constant sunlight and the other side would be in darkness resulting in one half being super hot and the other being extremely cold. Life would be impossible!

Another example that Green gives is, “If there was not an ozone layer protecting us from the harmful radiations of the sun, life on earth would not exist! This perfect combination of gases and movement cannot be a product of some random event, of chance and coincidence. There is nothing in human experience that tells us that you can get precise order from a random event. When something is working according to orders, laws, or patterns, we know someone or something is behind it and is making it work.”

With regards to the idea of something coming from nothing, an occurrence of a random event, a product of chance and coincidence, Green uses the example of a cell phone. Cell phones are made of silicon (sand) and plastic (oil). Imagine a cell phone was “said” to be found in the dessert of Saudi Arabia where there is a lot of sand and oil. How about the human mind and all the organs? They are more complex than cell phones and computers. Would any rational minded person believe that these were a product of complete chance and coincidence, a random event? No! It’s ridiculous!

Reasoning the facts that the universe didn’t come from nothing, we didn’t come from nothing, the universe didn’t create itself, and we didn’t create the universe or ourselves, all proves that there is something different outside and separate from this universe that created, organized, and sustains this universe in which we live (“Reasoning the Existence of God.” Peace TV). The only one who is capable of such a great task is God, the Creator of all!

The Creator must be different and separate from His creation. After all, creation, such as humans, are temporary, in need of a sustainer, prone to making mistakes, do not have the knowledge or answers to everything, etc. If both Creator and creation were of the same nature, than “the Creator would need a creator who would need a creator and so on. Creators would be creating creators forever! If this was to have occurred infinitely, then nothing would have been created. But creation does exist, thus there has to be one creator who is different from creation. The Creator therefore is Eternal, Infinite, Self-sufficient, Powerful, Wise, etc.” (“Reasoning the Existence of God.” Peace TV).

The original principle of God in Christianity and Islam was to acknowledge His existence, Him being the One True God with no partners, remembering Him alone through acts of worship, and obeying His commands in what is permissible and what is forbidden.

In the red letter edition of the Bible, where the actual words of Jesus are printed in red ink, Jesus was asked by a scribe what the first commandment was. Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is, “Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is One Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (12:29-31: Bible (New)). Likewise, Jesus was acknowledged as “Good Master” and was asked what good thing shall one do to have an eternal life.

And he [Jesus] said unto him, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but One, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, which? Jesus said, “Thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honor thy father and thy mother: and, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (19:17-19: Bible (New)).

While Jesus clearly pointed out that there is One God (which can be seen in the above verses and many more in the red letter Bible) he never explicitly said, “I am God, worship me,” or “I am part of God.” Yet Christians are told to believe in the trinity, that God is three different and separate divine beings. According to the doctrine of trinity, Jesus is one of the three persons of the Trinitarian God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost). The only verse in the Bible that is used as evidence for this claim is, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7: Bible (New)). “Biblical scholars of today however, have admitted that the [above] verse is definitely a “later addition” to the Biblical text, and it is not found in any of today’s versions of the Bible” (Brown).

Furthermore, the trinity doctrine was never taught by Jesus (or his disciples), as mentioned in the previous verses from the red letter Bible where Jesus himself spoke of One God. Instead, Paul of Tarsus was the individual who deviated from Jesus’ pure monotheistic teachings, to worship One and only God. “Paul was the first person to make up the trinity doctrine and say to believe in it. Paul never saw Jesus or talked with Jesus. Paul claimed that he had a vision on the way to Damascus where he was actually going to persecute Christians. Paul was the first person to come up with the title of Christian, trinity, and the Godship of Jesus” (Top 10 Reasons). Paul could be considered as the true founder of Christianity, as he did come up with many of Christianity’s doctrines (such as original sin and atonement). Paul led the way for the trinity with his idea of Jesus being a “divine son” and it was the church people who later put the idea together (Brown).

When controversy over the matter of the trinity blew up in 318 between two church men from Alexandria, Emperor Constantine stepped into the fray… after the first gathering at Nicea in 325, the doctrine of the trinity was hammered out. The God of the Christians was now seen as having three natures in the form of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It wasn’t until 451 at the council of Chalcedon that with the approval of the Pope, the Nicene/Constantinople creed was set as authoritative. Debate on the matter was no longer tolerated; to speak out against the trinity was blasphemy… (Brown).

As explained earlier, God is naturly Self-sufficient; He does not need to eat, sleep, or pray. But, Jesus would pray when he had an issue. It is written in the Bible that Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder” (Matthew 26:36: Bible (New)). Reading further on is a verse about Jesus prostrating in prayer with his face on the ground (just as Muslims do in prayer) and saying, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39: Bible (New)). The act of prayer done by anyone shows that one is in need of something greater than oneself. Jesus praying shows that he needs someone greater than himself. If Jesus was God, he wouldn’t need to pray. Instead, he would have told people to pray to him (Top 10 Reasons).

Furthermore, Jesus was asked about the hour (Day of Judgment), and he replied that God’s knowledge was greater than his own. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36: Bible (New)). If Jesus was God, or part of God as in the trinity, he would have known this information, since God is Wise and knows all. If God knows the hour, Jesus and the holy spirit should know the hour too if they are the same person (Top 10 Reasons).

While it may be hard for some people to believe, the trinity does not follow the principle of believing and worshipping One God as Jesus taught. After all, “there is nothing on earth that can be described like the concept of three things in one that are physically separate things. Moreover, the word trinity is not even in the Bible” (Does the Trinity). According to Suzanne Haneef, "God is not like a pie or an apple which can be divided into three-thirds which form one whole; if God is three persons or possess three parts, He is assuredly not the Single, Unique, Indivisible Being which God is and which Christianity professes to believe in" (Brown). If Jesus was really the son of God and should be worshipped, he would have made it clear, not hint at it, especially if the belief in the trinity is linked to salvation in Christianity (Does the Trinity).

In Islam, God is referred to with the unique Arabic name “Allah.” Unlike the word “God” which can be changed to Gods (plural) or Goddess (female God), Allah is singular and has no gender. There is no such thing as a male or female Allah (Naik 29). Unlike English, the Arabic language has words that are classified as being masculine or feminine. The Arabic word "huwa" is masculine and can be translated to "it" and "he" while "hiya" is feminine and can be translated to "it" and "she". In the Quran, the pronoun "huwa" is used to refer to Allah, so when translated to English, "He" is used instead of "It" out of respect to Allah (Estes).

Additionally, (the Arabic word) Tawheed, is the basic foundation of Islam. It is usually translated as monotheism but it is literally known as asserting Oneness to Allah (in His Lordship, His Names and Attributes, and in His Worship/Obedience). Asserting Oneness to His Lordship means to affirm that Allah is One without any partners (ex. wife, son, helper, etc.). "This category is based on the fundamental concept that Allah alone caused all things to exist when there was nothing. Allah alone is the sole Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe and everything in it, without any need from it or for it" (Naik 38).

Furthermore, maintaining Allah's 99 names and attributes, such as the: Creator, Protector, Provider, Transcendent, Eternal, All-Knower; the most: Powerful, Forgiving, Just, Wise, Loving, etc., involves describing Allah as He and His Prophet described Himself. In addition, Allah is only to be referred to without giving Him any new names or attributes including those of His creation. For instance, in the Bible (Exodus 32:14: Bible (Old)), Allah is mentioned as one who repented for His bad thoughts; similar to what humans do when they realize their errors. This is completely against the principle of Tawheed. Allah does not repent nor does He make mistakes (Naik 39). Allah's creation should also not be given His attributes. The name Rahman is permissible for a person while Ar-Rahman (the Most Compassionate and Merciful) is not, since Allah is the only one who is the Most Compassionate and Merciful.

Finally, upholding the unity of servitude, worship, and obedience should only be done to Allah. Worship involves performing good deeds and abstaining from committing sins (Naik 40), the worst being associating partners to Allah such as the claim of Allah having a son (an attribute of His creation) or worshipping idols. Other examples of worship include the five "pillars" of Islam; the declaration of faith (Shahadah), five daily prayers during its proper time (Salat), fasting during the month of Ramadan (Saum), pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia (Hajj), and distributing about 2.5% of one's extra wealth (ex. money, gold, business profits, etc.) to people such as the poor and orphans (Zakat).

In the English translation of the Quran, Allah says, “Say (O, Muhammad): "He is Allâh, the One. Allâh, the Self-Sufficient Master, whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him” (114:1-4: Interpretation of the Meanings of the Noble Quran (in the English Language)). Here, Allah describes Himself as independent unlike His creation, He does not need to eat or drink to survive, He does not give birth nor was He given birth to, and He is completely different and incomparable.

Moreover, the Muslim declaration of faith (testimony or Shahadah in Arabic), which is the first of five “pillars” of Islam, is to testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah (He is One, Alone, He has no partners) and Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) is Allah’s servant and final Messenger. The belief in Allah and Prophet Muhammad are also two of the six “pillars of belief” (belief in Allah, His angels, His books/scriptures, His messengers (Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad being the most important ones), the last day, (Day of Judgment), and in divine predestination).

As we can see, the Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah is part of both Islam and the original teachings of Jesus, but as time passed, people started to change and attribute false claims to Jesus and his teachings. While Muslims don’t believe that Jesus was God or part of God in any way, Muslims do believe in Jesus as one of the mightiest prophet and messenger of God’s who was sent to the children of Israel and one cannot be a Muslim without belief in Jesus. In fact, Islam is the only other religion where it is a tenant of faith to believe in Jesus and everything he did. With God’s permission, Jesus was able to perform miracles such as healing the sick and blind and giving life to the dead (Top 10 Reasons). Moreover, while Jesus followed and preached the Ten Commandments, so did the other prophets of God, such as Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). They were all sent with the same message of worshipping One God without partners, but Muhammad, God’s final messenger, was sent as a mercy to all of mankind, instead of just to a particular group of people like Jesus (Does the Trinity).

Therefore, God’s existence can be proven by reflecting on His creation of the earth (which humans have destroyed from its natural form) and even oneself, and Christianity and Islam both believe in His existence. But, the two ways of life differ on who God is exactly and whether Jesus had anything to do with being God or part of Him. While Christianity claims conviction in One God, in Islam, the idea that God is physically manifested into His creation, such as in the trinity, is an invalid belief. To really come to a sound conclusion, one must investigate Christianity and Islam based on their religious scriptures, the Bible and the Quran, and authentic information.

Work Cited

Brown, Aisha. Who Invented The Trinity? Chicago: Institute of Islamic Information and Education. Print.

Does the Trinity Make Any Sense? Perf. Kamal El-Mekki. The Deen Show. 18 Mar. 2010. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJvhVDTAIbk>.

Estes, Yusuf. Concept of God in Islam. YouTube. 14 Mar. 2008. Web. 3 May 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDKgSrk1TfI>.

Exodus. King James Version of the Bible. Web. 30 Apr. 2011. <http://kjvbible.net/cgi-bin/search.cgi>.

Interpretation of the Meanings of the Noble Quran (in the English Language). Trans. Dr. Muhammad M. Khan and Dr. Muhammad T. Hilali. Print.

1 John. King James Version of the Bible. Web. 4 May 2011. <http://kjvbible.net/cgi-bin/search.cgi>.

Mark. New Testament (Red Letter Edition) King James Version. Web. 23 Apr. 2011. <http://wn.elib.com/Library/Religious/KJV/NR/NewTrl_mark.html>.

Matthew. New Testament (Red Letter Edition) King James Version. Web. 23 Apr. 2011. <http://wn.elib.com/Library/Religious/KJV/NR/NewTrl_mark.html>.

Naik, Zakir. Concept of God in Major Religions. New Delhi: Adam Publishers and Distributors, 2008. Print.

"Reasoning the Existence of God." Modern Challenges, Islamic Solutions. Peace TV. 14 Jan. 2010. http://www.peacetv.tv/. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz1gbBJ59JY> .

Top 10 Reasons Why Jesus Is Not God. Perf. Joshua Evans. The Deen Show. 10 Sept. 2008. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW99U4JWNEc>.

S Words

I will be posting writing terms every other week from the book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing" (2nd edition) by Laurie E. Rozakis.

1. scene- a part of a play. Each scene in a play takes place during a set time and in one place.
2. science fiction- (or sci-fi) is fantasy writing that tells about make believe events that include science or technology.
  3. sensory language- words that appeal to the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell. Sensory language is used to create images and imagery.
4. setting- the time and place where the events of a story take place.
5. short story- a form of narrative prose fiction that is shorter than a novel; it focuses on a single character and a single event. Most short stories can be read in one sitting and convey a single overall impression.
6. simile- a figure of speech that compares two unlike things. Similes use the words "like" or "as" to make a comparison. "A dream put off dries off like a raisin in the sun" is an example of a simile.
7. sonnet- a lyric poem of 14 lines written in iambic pentameter.
8. speaker- the personality the writer assumes when telling a story. For example, the writer can tell the story as a young girl, an old man, or a figure from history.
9. stage directions- instructions to the actors, producer, and director telling how to perform a play. Stage directions are included in the text of a play, written in parenthesis or italics. They describe how actors should speak, what they should wear, and what scenery should be used, among other things. 10. stanza- a group of lines in a poem, like a paragraph in prose. Each stanza presents one complete idea.
11. style- an author's distinctive way of writing. Style is made up of elements such as word choice, sentence length and structure, figure of speech, and tone. A writer may change his or her style for different kinds of writing to suit different audiences. In poetry, for example, a writer might use more imagery than he or she would use in prose.
12. surprise ending- a conclusion that differs from what the reader expected. In most stories, the ending follows logically from the arrangement of events in the plot. In a surprise ending, however, final events take an unexpected twist.
13. suspense- the feeling of tension or anticipation a writer creates in a work. Writers create suspense by including unexpected plot twists. This keeps readers interested in the story and makes them want to read on to find out what will happen.
14. symbol- a person, place, or object that represents an abstract idea. For example, a dove may symbolize peace or a rose may symbolize love.

Teacher Pay vs. Student Performance

An article I wrote for my high school newspaper and won 1st place for in opinion writing in the A division.

“Only in the teaching profession do you get paid the same whether you are great or an abject failure,” said Chris Christie. A lot of nationwide attention has been given to the Governor of New Jersey due to his strong belief in merit pay for teachers.

Higher pay for quality work does sound attractive in any career, but “behind the scenes” it is more unpleasant.

Enticing teachers with money for better student performance gives the image that teachers are only in it for the money. If a teacher only cares about getting more money, it is possible they will do whatever it takes to get it, for example, helping their students cheat.

One of the jobs of a teacher is to provide a better understanding of a subject that will benefit them in life, whatever the pay may be.

Thus, if one’s goal is to be wealthy, teaching isn’t the career to pursue.

In addition, merit pay is unfair for the teachers who try their best to teach but have to deal with students who are lazy and don’t care about their education or future. This careless behavior of some students will greatly affect teachers.

Another fact to consider is: what about the teachers who have a high number of special education or bilingual students? The lower test scores of these pupils shouldn’t jeopardize a teacher’s pay.

Teachers are also not in control of the student’s home environment, health and nutrition, among many other factors that influences a student’s learning and schoolwork.

An Associated Press Stanford University Poll on education found that 68% of adults believe parents deserve heavy blame for what’s wrong with the U.S. education system, more than teachers, school administrators, the government, or teachers unions.

Furthermore, what about the feelings of the teachers? If merit pay were to take place, competition amongst teachers would be inevitable, instead of cooperation.

It would also be embarrassing for teachers, who will be thought of as “less qualified” by students, parents, and their colleagues, when in fact the teachers obviously put in a lot of time, effort, and money getting into college and receiving a teaching degree.

An experiment conducted by Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn., proved that the incentive of extra pay doesn’t work.

About half of the 300 middle school math teachers who volunteered for the project were given bonuses of up to $15,000 each for raising student scores above usual levels. The other half didn’t get any bonuses. After three years, there were no significant differences between the two group’s results.
One would think that after spending so much money thinking that a student’s test scores are based on the teacher’s efforts alone would be successful. But it wasn’t!

Rather the students should realize that they have to help themselves for their own good. This means students must be responsible, follow directions, do their work, and not depend on others. When students give teachers the respect and attention they deserve, the teachers in return will help the students who make it known that they do care about learning.

For those who do support merit pay, what evaluation system would be used to determine quality teachers? Test scores alone didn’t work. Besides, standardized tests aren’t the only measure of success. After all, what about the students who do well in class, but are not good test takers?

A student’s grades aren’t any different because a student’s work and effort determines their grades, whether good or bad.

Overall, merit pay is not a good idea. The cons in this situation outweigh the pros.

Currently, some criterias teachers are evaluated on include: planning and knowledge of subject, applying additional materials and information for students to better understand, variety of teaching methods, motivating interest and holding onto the student’s attention, neatness and organization, classroom management, cooperation with staff members and administrators, communication and relating to students and parents, etc. These should be some of the things a teacher should be judged on, not on student’s test scores.

Instead of intimidating and humiliating teachers, evaluations should be used to improve, assist, and enhance a teacher’s performance. When the teacher enjoys their job and subject, this will be passed on to some students, which would positively impact the student’s behavior and performance.

As a student who is considering a teaching career, I would like to be judged on my efforts as a teacher, not heavily by the student’s performance which is impacted by many factors beyond my control!