All photos: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gSMg02UK65Op0Ltlb2V6Gqb5nRO2zau33i0zmtntDo8/edit?usp=sharing

Bennett, Andy, and Richard A. Peterson. Music Scenes: Local, Translocal and Virtual. Vanderbilt University Press, 2004.

This book indicates several ways in which music is shared with communities. A large part of this book revolved around the subject of technology’s effect of music industry and platforms. I found that the discussion on contrast between individual music scenes helped me gather more information about how these communities develop.

Briggs, Mark, and Jennifer Preston. Journalism a Practical Guide to Digital Reporting and Publishing. Sage, 2016.

Reading Journalism a Practical Guide to Digital Reporting was a helpful way to understand the methods used within photojournalism. Previously I’ve never taken many candid shots, but for this project I knew there would be a lot of movement. Instead of trying to give the illusion that these shots weren’t posed, I decided to take photos while the bands were actively playing their music. The movement helps tells a story, one of the key factors of photojournalism.

Becker, Howard S. “Photography and Sociology: Studies in Visual Communication.” Contemporary Sociology, vol. 31, no. 2, Oct. 2002, p. 250.

This source is a journal from a scientific study on visual communication through photography. It gave helpful insight into studies about the development and structure of human society. Answering important questions about why visual communication like photography intertwines with sociology.

Hevner, K. “Expression in Music: a Discussion of Experimental Studies and Theories.” Psychological Review, vol. 42, no. 2, Feb. 1935, pp. 186–204.

I used this article to learn about how music has evolved to become a form of expression. It’s a thorough description of the results within experimental studies regarding expression through music. Several theories have emerged over the years from the data that has been collected. It was useful to see the affect writing music has on people’s mental state.

Schäfer, Thomas, et al. “The Psychological Functions of Music Listening.” Frontiers in Psychology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 Dec. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3741536/.

This source is somewhat similar to the prior scientific journal. Instead referencing research about how listening to music affects a person. There’s evidence that listening to music is often used to achieve self-awareness, regulate emotions, and as an expression of social connection.

A majority of modern cultures have not evolutionized from the consistent assignment of daily homework given to students throughout the school year. Although homework is often misconstrued as a helpful tool for students’ learning development there is an absence of information to support  this common belief. In fact, scientific studies have prevailed this common assumption. With modernized knowledge we now know that homework is no longer a benefiting factor in a student’s attainment of information. It has been proven in several studies that homework does not improve a student's academic strengths, therefore students should no longer have to use this method. Regardless a majority of countries have continued to make students uphold/ partake in this old traditional method of teaching.

In a quote from Independent Co a news organization an article written by researcher and journalists Gerald K Letendre, he informs the public of the serious physical strain large quantities of homework can inflict on students. “Empirical studies have linked excessive homework to sleep disruption, indicating a negative relationship between the amount of homework, stress and physical health.” What starts as a well intentioned attempt to help students through their endeavors can end up becoming a hindrance for a child’s learning development. Lack of sleep causes people to become prone to obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Not to mention the mental strain that sleep deprivation puts on a person. Sleep strengthens your memory, and productivity. Two essential components for a student to fully retain lessons efficiently. Stress has proven to weaken a person's immune system making them more susceptible to illness. It also encourages factors such as fatigue, depression, and anxiety. When a person experiences prolonged stress, the adrenal hormone, epinephrine is released.  Excessive adrenaline is dangerous for a person's heart commonly causing heart disease.

In many countries homework has been re-evaluated invalid in their student curriculum. For example Finland has followed through with a no homework policy. They also hass the highest test scores and graduation rates in the world. Finland supports one on one teacher interaction, showing how learning can be positively affected by community involvement. “In Canada, the high school graduation rate is around 78 per cent and in America it comes in at around 75 per cent. Now, consider the fact that the graduation rate for students in Finland comes in at 93 per cent – showing a massive comparison between the countries. Finland also happens to have the highest rate in Europe for students going to college (two out of three).” This piece of data shows the correlation between teaching styles and resulting graduation rates. The absence of homework and over testing creates a different atmosphere of learning that allows exploration of community teamwork and involvement.

As an argument many may say that homework proves to be good practice for obtaining responsibility. Especially when these students come of age and are expected to be dependable working citizens as well as helpful members of their communities.In this quote from a scientific study by the George Lucas Foundation, the negatives outweigh the benefits of doing monotonous assignments. “Finally, there isn't a shred of evidence to support the folk wisdom that homework provides nonacademic benefits at any age -- for example, that it builds character, promotes self-discipline, or teaches good work habits. We're all familiar with the downside of homework: the frustration and exhaustion, the family conflict, time lost for other activities, and possible diminution of children's interest in learning. But the stubborn belief that all of this must be worth it, that the gain must outweigh the pain, relies on faith rather than evidence.” Luckily there are many other ways a teacher can test and strengthen a student’s ability to follow through with tasks.Lesson plans can be altered to test students capabilities. For example group activities, projects and in class assignments can all cover the basis to the same extent.

In conclusion the additional stress of homework has no purpose in our learning system. It worsens students experience in a learning environment and creates a negative connotation with learning. Homework overwhelms students that are struggling with concepts and bores academically advanced students. New methods should be set in place to push the boundaries of modern education so society as a whole can further our knowledge in the structure of learning.

Why this is my best possible 2fer:

In the past many of my 2-fer’s have been incredibly wordy and ridden with run on sentences. I think this essay may be one of my shortest and most concise pieces of writing. I focused on getting to the point with the information that supported my thesis rather than rambling and getting off topic. I also followed through with explaining quotes briefly before introducing them to my paragraph. This made the information simpler to understand and easier to convey.

Bibliography

LeTendre, Gerald K. "Does Homework Help Children?" The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 03 Sept. 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Ashton, Danny. "There Is No Homework In Finland [Infographic]." NeoMam Studios. NeoMam Studios Limited, 10 June 2016. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Bibliography

LeTendre, Gerald K. "Does Homework Help Children?" The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 03 Sept. 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Ashton, Danny. "There Is No Homework In Finland [Infographic]." NeoMam Studios. NeoMam Studios Limited, 10 June 2016. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Work Cited:

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

Moonstruck by Norman Jewison

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is a complex story with many interpretations and subjective meanings. Showing the reality of a grim situation, Lord of Flies captures the essence of fear in the unknown and the importance of power to humans. What these stranded boys decide to do with their individual power shows the harsh mentality of nature and the selfishness humans are capable of.  Instead of helping each other using their different strengths they attacked those who were physically weaker. Do people with power have any responsibility to help people with less power than them? In the case of this novel, the answer is no. These kids care about themselves more than others. Their behavior towards having power can be somewhat blamed on the environment they were in. Alone with no authority, but this type of behavior can be seen in real world examples like bullying.

Much like children in a school, these boys bully each other out of lack of knowledge of what is morally right and morally wrong. The only difference is on a small desolate island they have no consequences to their actions. There are no adults to punish and lecture them about what is morally correct. From the very beginning of the book, Piggy was often teased for his weight. He trusted Ralph, and told what that the kids at school used to call him. From that point on we never learn his real name, everyone calls him Piggy.  ”They use to call me ‘Piggy’. Ralph shrieked with laughter. Piggy!Piggy! Ralph-please! Piggy! Piggy! I said I didn’t want to be-Piggy! Piggy! ” (11) This quote from the text hints at what life on the island will be like already.  The boys have quickly picked out the weaker lengths and put them in their place, a choice they derived off of age and physical appeal. Although they try to follow Ralph’s rules, which were all very orderly and constructive, the group split because most of them appreciated the destructive nature of killing. It is not uncommon for bullies to create what is known as bully packs, where a group of people bother the same people over and over again. The children on this island did not care about helping others, maybe a trait they adapted from the society they lived in before they crashed on this island.

Another example from, Lord of the Flies, is when Simon is attacked after all the boys mistake Simon for the non-existent beast they created. They circle him, stabbing and screaming. Simon is completely vulnerable. “ Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Simon was crying out- The beast was on it’s knees in the center, it’s arms folded over it’s face. It was crying out against the abominable noise. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt onto the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws.” (153) None of the boys were sure what came over them, but when they realized they were killing Simon, not a beast, they continued. Simon, similar to Piggy, was very intelligent, but like the rest of them he was going insane. Simon found the dead body at the top of the mountain, he knew the beast wasn’t real. In a way he was their defense between reality and the crazed universe they have built to conceal it. Even Piggy and Ralph, the most peaceful of the group, gave in to the relentless peer pressure and aiding in the killing of Simon. Simon could do nothing, his strength was not enough to defend himself against an entire group of boys, similar to the case of school bullies. Bullies often round up people who share a similar thirst for control. In this case Jack and Roger taught the boys to enjoy the thrill of killing and everyone joined in, no one could deny the feeling.  These boys did not worry about helping those with less power than them. They only basked in the feeling of being powerful and moved on to their next victim.

Piggy, a character from Lord of the Flies, falls victim to verbal and physical abuse throughout the story. The others proclaim him weak because of his physical appearance and anxiety prone personality, he is seen target. Immediately he is teased and ignored despite his undeniable intelligence.

“I got the couch- Then the monstrous red thing bounded across the neck and Ralph flung himself flat while the tribe shrieked. The Rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee. Piggy saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt. ” (181) This is how Piggy died on the trapped island. Trying the bring everyone together, he screamed about the importance of working as a team and staying away from violence, holding the symbol that once held them together. Instead of listening Roger rolled a giant rock off the cliff above them and killed Piggy. The kids on the island continuously ignore reality and the truth about how wrong violence is, they refuse to work together for a good cause.

Throughout the book the reader accompanies these children to a place of complete isolation and when their personalities clash, those who are considered weak are hunted. Murder becomes something to do, a fun game for the boys and it all started with the slaughtering of animals for food. Something that seemed like a survival skill suddenly became an obsession. The weaklings were disposed of, without a thought. This aspect of bullying goes further than just shredding a person’s self image. It goes further than beating each other up, but the way the boys treat each other has many connections to modern day bullying. In many cases of school bullying, bullies actions go too far, when people start to sustain serious injuries and end up hospitalized. On this island there wasn’t anyone to stop them, but if their was none of those boys would be dead.

Work Cited:

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Perigee, 2006.