Category: Writing

Thinking Like a Mountain by Aldo Leopold – wolves and deforestation
A deep chesty bawl echoes from rimrock to rimrock, rolls down the mountain, and fades into the far blackness of the night. It is an outburst of wild defiant sorrow and of contempt for all the adversities of the world. Every living thing (and perhaps many a dead one as well) pays heed to that call. To the deer, it is a reminder of the way of all flesh; to the pine, a forecast of midnight scuffles and of blood upon the snow; to the coyote, a promise of gleanings to come; to the cowman, a threat of red ink at the bank; to the hunter, a challenge of fang against bullet. Yet behind these obvious and immediate hopes and fears, there lies a deeper meaning, known only to the mountain itself. Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf. Those unable to decipher the hidden meaning know nevertheless that it is there, for it is felt in all wolf country, and distinguishes that country from all other land. It tingles in the spine of all who hear wolves by night, or who scan their tracks by day. Even without sight or sound of wolf, it is implicit in a hundred small events: the midnight whinny of a pack horse, the rattle of rolling rocks, the bound of a fleeing deer, the way shadows lie under the spruces. Only the ineducable tyro can fail to sense the presence or absence of wolves or the fact that mountains have a secret opinion about them.
My own conviction on this score dates from the day I saw a wolf die. We were eating lunch on a high rimrock, at the foot of which a turbulent river elbowed its way. We saw what we thought was a doe fording the torrent, her breast awash in white water. When she climbed the bank toward us and shook out her tail, we realized our error: it was a wolf. A half-dozen others, evidently grown pups, sprang from the willows and all joined in a welcoming melee of wagging tails and playful maulings. What was literally a pile of wolves writhed and tumbled in the center of an open flat at the foot of our rimrock. In those days we had never heard of passing up a chance to kill a wolf. In a second we were pumping lead into the pack, but with more excitement than accuracy: how to aim a steep downhill shot is always confusing. When our rifles were empty, the old wolf was down, and a pup was dragging a leg into impassable slide-rocks. We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes – something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger-itch: I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters’ success.

The character of Smiley in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing (1989) walks around the neighborhood, having issues with speech and trying to sell pictures of Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.  What does Smiley represent to Spike Lee in the film?  Dr. King and Malcolm X were considered to be great orators and leaders of the African-American community in the 1960s. With both leaders being deceased for over twenty years by the time the film was made, why does Spike have an almost mute character carry their spirit with him throughout the film?

Please use this link to watch a video. Then type a two page,  double-space summary reflection over the video. Be sure to highlight key points about the lesson with Mrs. Elliot’s students and the lessons learned by the adults.  Also discuss what you thought about as you watched the video, what you learned, and what you will do moving forward as you prepare to work with diverse students

1 Which part of emotional intelligence is most closely identified with persistence?
self-regulation
motivation
empathy
skill in leaderships
2-Which trait associated with emotional intelligence is most closely connected with leadership?
self-regulation
empathy
motivation
skill in leaderships
3-What is true of conflict resolution?
All conflict must be resolved in order to maintain a relationship.
When conflict is resolved, there will be a clear winner and loser.
Conflict will only be heightened if an objective party is brought into the middle of it.
Conflict resolution should look to the future, not the past.
4- Replacing “I” messages with “you” messages promote the most empathetic type of communication.
True
False
5- If you hear a racist joke before a class, and you want to do something about it, what is the most effective plan?
Pretend to laugh, then tell the instructor.
Stare at the person until they realize they are not funny.
Write a social media post about it.
Communicate how you feel in the moment.
6- What is good advice when communicating with instructors?
Don’t waste time trying to get through to boring instructors.
Communication will be most effective if you bond with your instructor.
Research what your instructors are interested in.
Only speak to an instructor after you have enrolled in their course.
7- Which strategy is most effective in the later stages of resolving a conflict, regardless of its cause?
backing up to common ground
stating all points of view
stating the problem
evaluating the effectiveness of a solution
8- Which strategy is most effective in the process of identifying the content of a conflict?
committing to a relationship
slowing down communication
communicating in writing
backing up to common ground
backing up to common groundbacking up to common groundbacking up to common ground
9- What are the three elements of emotion?
physical sensations, thoughts, and urges to take action.
physical sensation, thoughts, and actions
thoughts, urges to take action, and actions.
physical sensations, urges to take action, and actions.
10-Which of the following is part of an effective “I” message?
an observation of indisputable facts
an honest report of your own feelings
a direct question
a reflection of the other person’s feelings