Testing Ourselves And The World Around Us - 1089 Words

From the time we are very small, we are assessors. We are constantly testing ourselves and the world around us, looking for information that will help us keep moving forward, keep learning and keep growing. Little by little, we begin to make sense of our environment by experimenting with what we can do and what we can’t†¦yet; what effect the objects and substances and creatures we encounter may have on us; what those things are. Does that yellow crayon taste as good as it looks? Can I let go and do it myself, or will I fall down again? Does the doggy feel nice to touch? Always testing, sometimes falling short, sometimes reaching new heights, and figuring out when to keep trying and when to let well enough alone. We are continuously testing, and continuously learning, and occasionally amazing ourselves. How, then, does testing suddenly become intimidating and stressful and make us question our worth until we can no longer enjoy the process of learning for fear of failure? When did testing stop being an exciting experiment and become a judgment? How do we turn testing and assessment back into tools for exploration and learning? Mere numbers don’t give us those answers. Phyllis Tashlik, director of the Center for Inquiry in Teaching and Learning, New York Performance Standards Consortium states that â€Å"From Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to state commissioners, chancellors, mayors, and the press, the language of quantitative measures has dominated the â€Å"conversation.†Show MoreRelatedGenetic Testing And Prenatal Testing965 Words   |  4 Pagesgenetic testing focused on the topic of prenatal testing to determine disabilities. We have come a long way in discovering a lot about ourselves related to anthropology, but also to help us learn about ourselves in the future. We are able to do some extraordinary things with technology to take preventative measures with diseases, cancers, disabilities and possibly even structure a human one day. 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This quote explains that if we as individuals do not evaluate ourselves, then we stop living as human beings.This quote can present what is truly at stake when dealing with critical thinking. Critical thinking allows human beings to question the status quo naturally with no effect. Critical thinking is an important practice and technique one shouldRead MoreThe On The Key Of Freedom1469 Words   |  6 Pagesof the world we can learn to change for the better and improve the future of tomorrow. Knowledge can come from new experiences and what learn from around us, whether it through social interactions or reading books written decades, centuries before us. In my opinion the acquisition of knowledge can be achieved through the philosophy of Cognitivism because this philosophy calls us to interact with one another in order to gain knowledge of ourselves and others which can ultimately make us more awareRead MoreDantes Response To Dante : The Character Of Dante732 Words   |  3 Pagesin which we might see ourselves while also building this character into an unexpected â€Å"hero.† When Dante first encounters trouble, he too is quite troubled. Though reading something like the inscription â€Å"abandon all hope ye who enter here† (18) wouldn’t exactly bring joy into your life. Much like in life, when it has no direction, we find ourselves spinning in metaphorical circles. With so the constant need for things such as food, water, and comfort, we still pride ourselves in being self-sufficientRead MoreCreativity Is Essential For Success1118 Words   |  5 Pagesperceptions of the world and keeps life fulfilling and interesting to us. The root meaning of the word ‘creativity’ is ‘to grow’. When someone is being actively creative they tend to feel the world more and take a bigger interest in life itself. You could say creativity is what makes us human, even our closest relatives, the chimpanzees’ can reach a high level of intelligence but lack the skills to come even slightly close to what humans can achieve, and this could be due to creativity within us. LiteratureRead MoreEssay about Animal Testing is Unethical1385 Words   |  6 Pages There will come a day when such men as myself will view slaughter of innocent creatures as horrible a crime as the murder of his fellow man- Our task must be to free ourselves- by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature and its beauty. -Albert Einstein (1879-1955). Picture this: Youre locked living inside a closet without control over any aspect of your life. You cant choose when you eat or what you eat, how you will spend your