Archive for category Education Articles
Tiki Masks – What They Mean to Polynesian and American Culture
Tiki Masks are hand carved wood, however once carved the wood takes on the spirit or god, the Tiki Mask then is transferred into a personification of Polynesian power and knowledge. Unlike African and other cultures that worshiped deities, the mask was not worn, but instead displayed and was always present.
The word Tiki is sometimes thought of a faux culture. The examples are the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tiki Bars, tropical drinks and other items created as a result of commercialization. Polynesia is a significant part of the Pacific Ocean; therefore most definitions on the web could not explain a Tiki Mask by using a broad term such as Polynesian. The Polynesian Culture refers to thousands of indigenous people, on hundreds of islands, that worshiped hundreds of different gods, with different belief systems, and which a few worshiped idols called Tikis since 1000 A.D. (Which includes Easter Island, Tonga, Fiji, and Hawaii).
Self-Discipline and the Mexican-American Culture
Are we teaching our children to exercise self-discipline or are we fomenting instant gratification? Are we, ourselves, good role-models for children, whether our own or as teachers? Is our nation beginning to feel the pinch in finding highly qualified workers or is immigration the solution?
As a teacher of high school students, I receive the result of eight years (10 if you count kindergarten) of a great variety of teachers and learning experiences. One factor stands out however above all the others that contribute to effective or ineffective learning: Self-discipline. It is a very rare case indeed to see a student who is organized and willing to learn and work hard.
Early American Murders – Famous Killers and Victims
Murder. It’s one act that seems to both horrify and fascinate almost universally. While reactions to the crime will vary, it inevitably piques the interest of people whether they knew the victim or murderer or neither. This fact hasn’t changed over time; in fact, it seems that as the years pass, interest in learning all the gory details hasn’t lessened, due in large part to the media and their efforts to “get the scoop” and “break the story.” Of course, new technology has also made this more possible for the news outlets. However, today’s coverage of murders does share one common feature with the coverage of long ago – there was plenty of it. Following are three famous murders in American history, and thanks to detailed news stories, the facts remain clear…..but mysterious questions are still unanswered.
Lizzie Borden – She’s a cold-blooded axe murderer to some and an innocent spinster framed for the crime to others. Whichever best describes Lizzie Borden, there’s no doubt that she was involved in one of the most notorious unsolved murders in American history. But the story begins long before that infamous day in 1892 when the murders occurred. Lizzie, born in 1860, and her sister, Emma, lived with their father Andrew Borden and stepmother Abby Borden in a modest home in Fall River, Massachusetts. The girls’ mother had died years before, and their relationship with their father had grown distant and unpleasant after his marriage to Abby Borden. Andrew Borden was known as being a sort of dour man, frugal with his money and not very sociable, although he was respected throughout the community.