The Alternative Fuel Race Which One Will Go the Distance Free Essays

Since the discovery of fire a million years ago, man has gone a long way in developing sources of energy to support his way of living. Of the world’s current energy sources, about 95% come from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum. (Cunningham Saigo, 1997). We will write a custom essay sample on The Alternative Fuel Race: Which One Will Go the Distance? or any similar topic only for you Order Now With issues such as pollution, global warming, and energy conservation, alternative fuel sources emerged, with the competitive vision of erasing the need for fossil fuels in cars. Implementing an alternative for petroleum in vehicles entails many concerns, such as availability, cost of production, energy output, and level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Farrell et al. , 2006; Hill et al. , 2006). At present, ethanol, battery power, and hybrids are available as alternative fuel sources for passenger vehicles. The question now is: which of these three has what it takes to replace fossil fuels? This research paper aims to give an overview of three alternative fuel options for passenger vehicles existing today: ethanol, battery power, and hybrid cars. The data and issues presented in this paper should provide information to the general public about the pros and cons of each, and hopefully will aid in the decision as to which alternative fuel is the best option for possibly replacing fossil fuels in passenger cars. To examine each alternative fuel option, the researcher uses information gathered from peer-reviewed journals and news articles published within the past decade. Each of the three topics for investigation is first defined before data is presented and interpreted. The data covers a brief explanation of each fuel option, including statistics and results from studies conducted on them. Also included in this report are economic and environmental pros and cons of the three presented options for passenger cars. This paper does not give mention to the implications of ethanol, battery power, and hybrids on industries other than passenger vehicles. Furthermore, this research does not cover political and cultural issues affecting the implementation of alternative fuels. How to cite The Alternative Fuel Race: Which One Will Go the Distance?, Papers

Eminem paper review Essay Example For Students

Eminem paper review Essay In like Eminem says, why all the fuss? featured in The Age journalist Shaun Carney defends Eminem and his lyrics. Carny stresses that Eminem winning the category should not be so controversial when Mathers is clearly depicting a role. His contention through out the article is to convince the reader to refrain from reaching to eminem, as a parody. Carny effectively seeks the neutral role during the story. He leans neither way. Carny signifies specific word choice and language devices to shock his audience and to create an underlying sense of non-prejudice, realistic view on society perhaps to open up the views of a small-minded prejudice race. Carnys headline is very striking it creates tension and almost gives a sense of obligation to the audience to read on. Carneys headline is used as a device to capture the readers immediate attention. This foreshadows the final remark made by Carny, so much for scandal, now leaving the reader with a question , a parallel between start and finish tightly constructing the article. This clever technique leaves the reader open handed and open-minded to think about the actual topic of the article. Though Carnys contention through-out the article is to suggest Eminem is Just Joking, he is not all, scared of presenting Marshall as not so nice explaining him as a 28 year old production of a peripatetic white-trash upbrining. Then contradicting himself saying Mathers all wounded and victimised by his sole-parent upbrining . Is this not a slight use of sarcasm? putting himself in the biased head of an out reaged parent. Carney conveys his opinion in a very structured way. He uses Eminem song ly rics to show that he is a role player and only joking, Im just playin ladies. You know I love you. Carney uses other examples to reassure people say the situations he raps about are just clownin. Although readers may not realise, Carney these more realistic, human-like comments as a source of evidence to back up his contention that eminem are not real, Marshall Mathers is an actor playing a role, ultimately just doing his job. Carneys clever style of writing indicates a strong point of view defending Eminem , but his style of writing has allowed the reader to make their own decision, giving a fair balance between good and bad. Eminem deals in some very sick stuff, no doubt about it, but again goes on to say, Eminem is a skillfull storyteller and role player. He also emphises that Slim Shady aka Eminem and the real person Marshall Mathers are two different people, he is the fictional character Slim Shady. Throughout the article Carney was subjected to use his own unique style of writing and word choice. The stress and harshness of some of his phrases and bitter sarcastic sentences, violent, homophobic, and misogynistic, and, his work is long, aggressive, revenge fantasy, although its not direct repition it sounds somewhat similar sounding. He shocks the audience with You dont want to f____ with shady or he will f____ you. The reader considers the songs thought provoking a decision and taking into consideration the harshness. He doesnt use language devices because its not a funny article. The tone and word choice gives us the impression that it is serious, no jokes here. Perhaps Carney relates to Eminem on a more personal level. There is modern exposure, and wide experience, he is a young writer, he is almost similar to them, he understands Eminem. This story is a collum of opinion not an editorial. Carnys use of irony makes his readers really think about Eminem and his lyrics, ..or another tune, cousin Dupree: about a man propositioning his young cousin, wins the album of the year grammy. Carney informs his audience that Eminems lyrics are not the only ones containing violent actions and language anyway Damn, how much damage can you do with a pen? Carney suggests that Eminem and his critics may be alike, Youll find the rapper, his critics and peers have a lot in common, its just that they despise him because of the way he sings is. Carney highlights that most of the music these days is the same anyway. Bibliography:

Aint No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell free essay sample

Just a few decades ago, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell recorded a song titled â€Å"Ain’t No Mountain High Enough†, that caught radio stations by storm. The upbeat and soulful style of music, along with sweet lyrics that would make any girl swoon, was a craze of 1967 that has continued ever since. Most would recognize this song as one added to the Grammy Hall of Fame, a piece written by Nikolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, or as the famous melody that made it as a top twenty hit. However it’s to be known, this magical duet between â€Å"The Prince of Motown† and his elegant partner has the strongest of identities. Opening with the vocals of Marvin Gaye and a jazzy background, â€Å"Ain’t No Mountain High Enough† is capable of captivating any audience. Following the lovely introduction, Tammi Terrell’s voice is brought into the upbeat music and a fun love story transpires. We will write a custom essay sample on Aint No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page From beginning to end, these two artists sing of a hopeful, never-ending love. With lyrics such as, â€Å"Remember the day, I set you free/ I told you you could always count on me, darling† and â€Å"I’ll be there when you want me†, anyone who hears this song gets wrapped up in the passion. Whether listeners have been through a circumstance similar to the one portrayed in the lyrics, or just became pleasantly lost in the daydream that they too would have another love them as much, they feel a deeper connection. It’s a perfect love story, filled with dire devotion that is entirely relatable. This song is a fantastic classic. From the start filled with excitement, the enticing middle, and a terrific fade to a close, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell brought many great attributes to what would become an extremely memorable song. Truly embodying the title of the greatest song ever created, â€Å"Ain’t No Mountain High Enough† will top the charts for ages!

Power Definitions and Examples in Sociology

Power Definitions and Examples in Sociology Definition: Power is a key sociological concept with several different meanings and considerable disagreement surrounding them. The most common definition comes from Max Weber, who defined it as the ability to control others, events, or resources; to make happen what one wants to happen in spite of obstacles, resistance, or opposition. Power is a thing that is held, coveted, seized, taken away, lost, or stolen, and it is used in what are essentially adversarial relationships involving conflict between those with power and those without. In contrast, Karl Marx used the concept of power in relation to social classes and social systems rather than individuals. He argued that power rests in a social class’s position in the relations of production. Power does not lie in the relationship between individuals, but in domination and subordination of social classes based on the relations of production. A third definition comes from Talcott Parsons who argued that power is not a matter of social coercion and domination, but instead flows from a social system’s potential to coordinate human activity and resources in order to accomplish goals.

The Yellow Wallpaper - Managing the Madness-Mental Illness Research Proposal

The Yellow Wallpaper - Managing the Madness-Mental Illness - Research Proposal Example ory, an exaggerated account of an event from Gilman’s own life, stands as a statement against the male oppression of women experienced throughout much of history, but particularly as it was still experienced in the late 19th century when this story was written. Although many advances have been made on the part of women to explore their own goals and psyches, ‘the problem that has no name’ discussed by Friedan and illustrated by Gilman remains an issue as women continue to find many of the same objectification issues they have faced for centuries. In the story, John and the protagonist take up residence in an upper room of the house, thought to have once been a nursery, with bars on the windows and old faded yellow wallpaper attached to the walls. This wallpaper plays a large role in the progression of the woman’s illness as she begins to see women creeping around inside it, trying to escape the oppression they, too, have experienced. The woman is instructed to stay within the room, doing nothing, thinking nothing and engaged in absolutely no household chore, until she is well. While the diagnosis is to rest, with absolutely no burdens placed upon her, this treatment does not seem the wise course to the woman. â€Å"Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do?† However, her opinion doesn’t matter in the slightest as she is told to hush and stop being so contrary. In the end, the woman is completely insane, creeping around the walls herself after peeling the wallpaper off as high as she can reach, even creeping over her husband, who has fainted against the wall, in order to continue her progress unimpeded. One of the biggest impacts on women throughout history has been a general socially oriented tendency to objectify the gender rather than consider females as fully viable members of a society. According to Diana Kendall (2004),

Assess security risks to Georgia (Republic of) Essay

Assess security risks to Georgia (Republic of) - Essay Example Georgia was not important to them because it does not serve their national interests. International groups like the League of Nations and Second Socialist International, that are supportive of Georgia’s goal to create a social democracy and are responsible for promoting and preserving peace all over the world, were not strong enough to stop the plans of the Soviet Union to break the independence of Georgia through force (He & Feng, 2012). This essay analyses security risks of Georgia. The politics in Caucasus was not good and harmful to Georgia. The military of Georgia, who were not united, not trained, and have very few resources, were always involved in battles, like border fights and civil wars. These battles showed the problems of Georgia’s national security. And these national security problems were worsened by lack of economic help from other countries, lack of revenues, unskilled public servants, bad communication and transportation, and very hard economic problems (MacFarlane, 2012). Georgia is still in a very difficult situation in terms of security because it has to give information or warnings about security risks without stopping or badly affecting the economy. Creating a strong economy and democracy in a weak or risky country is a main problem for Georgia. While Georgia tries to build democracy, the risk of regional conflict or problem affects all over Georgia and could be made happen by some happenings. This could be one more Russian military attack because of preventing a possible Georgian attack on the occupied South Ossetia and Abkhazia, helping Russian minority groups, giving supplies to Russian military headquarters in Armenia, or fighting terrorism (CSIS, 2006). Russia is being ready to get involved its military in the South Caucasus if fighting occurred in facilities with nuclear weapons from Iran. The reason

Why Do Nations Engage In Trade?

Why Do Nations Engage In Trade? Regional Economic Integration: Why is it happening? Why do nations engage in trade? Provide examples of the levels of economic integration. The reason why the Regional Economic Integration is happening because nowadays we have the open market in which every countries or state can have the free trade to others countries. This integration results from regional economic integration blocs in which member countries agree to eliminate tariffs and other restrictions on the cross-national flow of products, services, capital and in more advanced stages labor within the bloc (3). One of the most important things that lead to this integration is the globalization. It affects no on many types of life including the economy. So that, this is a significance to have the Economic integration in order to have the better economy in which the globalization is making its effects on. Nations engage in economic integration because each country cannot produce all the goods and services it needs. Therefore, countries produce what they are good at and have abundant supply of raw materials, and then they trade another country in exchange for something that they need. Some countries trade with other nations for particular goods and services because they either lack the technology to produce the goods themselves or the other countries can do it cheaper. One country may have the advance at producing high quality cabinets and entertainment stands for large screen televisions. Another country may have the resources for producing goods but they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have the technology. It would benefit both countries to trade with one another for their different but complementary goods and services. There are several levels of the regional economic integration which are the Free Trade Area, The Custom Union, The Common Market, and The Economic Union. The Free Trade Area is the least restrictive form of economic integration among countries. In a free trade area, all barriers to trade among member countries are removed. (1) Therefore, goods and services are freely traded among member countries in much the same way that they flow freely between, for example, Southeast Asia and America. There are no discriminatory taxes, quotas tariffs, or other trade barriers are allowed. Sometimes a free trade area is formed only for certain classes of goods and services. The most notable feature of a free trade area is that each member country is free to set any tariffs, quotas, or other restriction that it chooses for trade with countries outside the free trade area. European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are one of the biggest free trade areas in the world. The customs union is one step further along the spectrum of economic integration. Like a free trade area, it eliminates trade barriers between member countries and adopts a common external trade policy (2) in goods and services among themselves. One of the biggest customs unions is the Andean Pact. It has Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru as its members. In addition, however, the customs union establishes a common trade policy with respect to nonmembers. Typically, this takes the form of a common external tariff, whereby imports from nonmembers are subject to the same tariff when sold to any member country. Tariff revenues are then shared among members according to a perspective formula. The common market has no barriers to trade among members and has a common external trade policy like the customs union. Additionally, the common market removes restrictions on the movement of the factors of production (labor, capital, and technology) across borders. (2) Thus, restrictions on immigration, emigration, and cross-border investment are abolished. When factors of production are freely mobile, then capital, labor, and technology may be employed in their most productive uses. An economic union has the free flow of products and factors of production between members, a common external trade policy, a common currency, a harmonized tax rate, and a common monetary and fiscal policy.(2) EU is the most important economic in the world in which almost European countries are the members. It has the great effect to the world economy. The creation of a true economic union requires integration of economic policies in addition to the free movement of goods, services, and factors of production across borders. Under an economic union, members would harmonize monetary policies, taxation, and government spending. In addition, a common currency would be used by all members. This could be accomplished by membersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ countries agreeing to a common currency or in effect, by a system of fixed exchange rates. Clearly, the formation of an economic union requires nations to surrender a large measure of their formation of an economic union requires nations to surrende r a large measure of their national sovereignty. Needless to say, the barriers to full economic union are quite strong. Our global political system is built on the autonomy and supreme power of the nation-state, and attempts to undermine the authority of the state will undoubtedly always encounter opposition. As a result, no true economic unions are in effect today. Montessori Education: Principles, Philosophy And Practice Montessori Education: Principles, Philosophy And Practice The Montessori Method developed initially at the first Casa dei Bambini that Montessori established in 1906 in San Lorenzo in Rome. As with modern Montessori education, the basic principles were straightforward. First, Montessori believed that children were innate knowledge seekers and that they taught themselves. As she expressed it, young learners were self-creating. Second, Montessori believed that, at each stage of development, education should include and evolve within prepared environments, environments that enabled children to take on accountability for their own learning as they engaged the processes relevant to becoming able and actu alized adults and citizens. More specifically, according to the American Montessori Society (AMS), Montessoris pedagogy stressed the following critical and structuring notions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The aim of Montessori education is to foster competent, responsible, adaptive citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning occurs in an inquiring, cooperative, nurturing atmosphere. Students increase their own knowledge through both self- and teacher-initiated experiences; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning takes place through the senses. Students learn by manipulating materials and interacting with others. These meaningful experiences are precursors to the abstract understanding of ideas; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The individual is considered as a whole. The physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, spiritual, and cognitive needs and interests are inseparable and equally important; [and] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Respect and caring attitudes for oneself, others, the environment, and all life are necessary. 5 Pedagogically, perhaps the most important, and most famous, emphases are Montessoris conceptualizations of the prepared environment and the developmental plane. According to the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI, founded by Montessori herself in 1929), the prepared environment of the Montessori classroom is one where children are free to respond to their natural tendency to work [and where their] innate passion[s] for learning [are] encouraged by giving them opportunities to engage in spontaneous, purposeful activities with the guidance of a trained adult. [Here, and t]hrough their work, the children develop concentration and joyful self-discipline.] Within a framework of order, [they] progress at their own pace and rhythm, according to their individual capabilities. 6 These are environments that allow [children] to take responsibility for their own education, giving them the opportunity to become human beings able to function independently and hence interdependently. 7 From this view, the prepared environment is one that can be designed to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration by the child, one in which there is a variety of activity as well as a great deal of movement. In this situation, according to the Montessori approach, this necessary preparedness enables children [to] work on activities of their own choice at their own pace. Further, [t]hey [children] experience a blend of freedom and self-discipline in a place especially designed to meet their developmental needs. 8 The notion of prepared environment is related, moreover, to the manipulation of learning materials and to the understanding of normalization. From the Montessorian view, materials are to be accessible (e.g., placed on appropriately high or low shelves) and available for individual student choice, interest, and use. They are, to a large extent, fully the responsibility of students-regardless of age (e.g., students obtain, return, and maintain them). More pedagogically precise, these materials aim at inducing activity, isolating a particular learning quality (e.g., comparison and contrast, size, color, shape, etc.), and inducing self-correctivity (i.e., students can perceive errors relative to their learning via the materials and correct them without [or with minimal] adult intervention) and interrelationality (i.e., that the various materials [should] build one upon the others). 9 Normalization, for Montessori, meant not its typical (or normal) definition of conformity and what is normal but, instead, a developmental process, one inextricably tied to the appropriate preparation of the pedagogical environment. Montessori obs erved that children do best in schools (and education more broadly) given maximal freedom in an environment designed to meet their unique growth and personal and social needs. Through continued work with materials that held their interest, selected independently from within the prepared environment, Montessori noted that children eventually acquired an increased sense of satisfaction, self, and inner fulfillment. The course through which this evolution occurred defined for her the nature and significance of normalization. As she wrote in The Absorbent Mind: Only normalized children, aided by their environment, show in their subsequent development those wonderful powers that we describe: spontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social sentiments of help and sympathy for others à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ An interesting piece of work, freely chosen, which has the virtue of inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the childs energies and mental capacities, and leads him [or her] to self-mastery à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ One is tempted to say that the children are performing spiritual exercises, having found the path of self-perfectionment and of ascent to the inner heights of the soul. 10 As E. M. Standing, in Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, defined the characteristics of normalization, they are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of order à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of work à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spontaneous concentration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Attachment to reality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of silence and of working alone à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sublimation of the possessive instinct à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [The p]ower to act from real choice à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Obedience à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Independence and initiative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spontaneous self-discipline à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Joy As the North American Montessori Teachers Association (NAMTA) says, Montessori believed that these are the truly normal characteristics of childhood, which emerge when childrens developmental needs are met. 11 The idea of developmental plane designates the transitions that occur during the birth through adulthood evolution of human beings. According to AMI, the specific planes are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Birth to age six: children are sensorial explorers, constructing their intellects by absorbing every aspect of their environment, their language[,] and their culture; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age six to age twelve: children become conceptual explorers[; they] develop their powers of abstraction and imagination, and apply their knowledge to discover and expand their worlds further; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age twelve to age eighteen: children become humanistic explorers, seeking to understand their place in society and their opportunity to contribute to it; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age eighteen to age twenty-four: as young adults, [individuals] become specialized explorers, seeking a niche from which to contribute to universal dialogue. 12 More specifically, Montessori classrooms are divided into three-year groups, the purpose of which, according to Montessoris theories and observations, is to facilitate precisely and appropriately the continuum of growth and learning via human interaction and personal development and exploration, here both in terms of the individual and the social. 13 The multi-age divisions of the Montessori program are (1) parent-infant (ages 0-3), preschool (ages 3-6), lower and upper elementary (ages 6-9 and 9-12), and middle school (ages 12-14). Again, each presents its own precise purposes, materials, and activities and methodologies. 14 And yet Montessorian curriculum and instruction can be both complex and multiple, formal as well as unpredictable and less than rigid. Consider the following applied example. At the elementary level, the expectations of the learner and the appropriate pedagogical principles include: 1. Lesson repetition among students individually, that is after the initial presentation by the teacher, in order to concretize abstract concepts; 2. Cross-curriculum webbing; 3. The view that ability is individual-adults and children work to the potential of each person, not to the average; 4. Ever-deepening interest on the part of the learner; 5. The perspective that respect, freedom, and responsibility are interdependent. Our question, of course, is what these might mean in practice. Lesson repetition implies recurrence and redundancy-not in a negative way but as individually developed experiences in an effort to habitualize, routinize, and conceptualize key (especially unfamiliar) ideas, such as, perhaps, counting and various other mathematical notions. Webbing suggests that each new idea leads to-and connects with-others, whether presented earlier or presented later. The individual nature of ability, as opposed to the average level of students, indicates focusing on children moving forward according to their own singular lesson paces without unwarranted stigmatizations and without undue pressure to track. The idea of ever-increasing interest insinuates learners follow their own natural curiosities and inclinations (a la Kilpatrick?), particularly vis-à  -vis engaging the essential question of why? Lastly, regarding the case of the interconnectedness of ideas, such as respect, freedom, and responsibility, Montessori understandings suggest a relationship among values, culture, growth, success, and maturity, settings important, ultimately, to both liberal and conservative critics of contemporary American public schooling. DEFENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MONTESSORI EDUCATION According to NAMTA, well over 200 U.S. public schools are now Montessori-oriented, a number that continues to grow. 15 When viewed within the context of other contemporary public (though, granted, sometimes private as well) school reform trends (e.g., Waldorf education, charter schools, vouchers, public school choice), the commitment to Montessori public education seems to support at least two significant points. First, it represents, to some extent, the present dissatisfaction with traditional public schooling (or at least dominant images of it). Second, it supports the notion that another way-Montessori, Waldorf, and so on-might provide and prove to be a better way (especially within the contexts of the No Child Left Behind Act and standards-based educational reform). Fundamentally, Montessori education offers but one alternative to the criticisms leveled at public schools from critics both of the political and pedagogical left and the political and pedagogical right. The standard right-wing critique centers on the beliefs that schools today are failing because they (1) have standards that are too low, (2) replicate the worthless theories and perspectives of the liberal educational establishment, (3) maintain a monopoly, (4) focus on self-esteem (and the like) over content, (5) rely on progressive methods at the expense of direct instruction, (6) have privileged cultural relativism over traditional values and character, (7) have usurped the power and position of parents, and (8) misguidedly throw more money at schools even though this is neither (from this view) a solution to educational problems nor the answer to educational improvement. 16 The standard left-wing critique is that schools fail students because they (1) stifle freedom and creativity in favor of conformity and discipline, (2) are dominated by noneducators (e.g., corporations, politicians, managers, test companies), (3) are too centrally controlled, (4) focus too much on fact- based, standardized content, (5) are too traditional in terms of assessment and instructional methods, (6) hyperemphasize homogeneity at the expense of diversity and difference, (7) neglect neighborhoods and local communities, and (8) are underfunded. 17 Conceivably, of course, one could make a case in favor of the truth or utility of either or both of these critiques (although, indeed, we are more sympathetic to contemporary left-based criticisms). And, most likely, Montessori educators and other interested stakeholders probably possess and espouse a range of viewpoints relative to the overall effectiveness of traditional public schooling. Yet, what the Montessori approach does is co nnect with the concerns many (though not necessarily most) parents have (rightly or wrongly) that, at least broadly speaking, American public schools are failing or at least not up to snuff. While our own position is that this is not inevitably the case, 18 even so, Montessori education provides one appropriate and legitimate response to dominant modes of public schooling that can be consistent with a multitude of philosophical, pedagogical, political, and sociocultural goals. In fact, arguably, Montessorianism takes seriously the apprehensions of the entire spectrum of educational criticism (relative to official schooling). It emphasizes, for example, freedom, mastery, diversity, scientific research and methodologies, formal curriculum, individuality, fairness, planning, and hard work (among others)-each of which to some extent can meet the demands of both conservatives and liberals (if not others). That is not to say, of course, that the Montessori system is perfect-obviously, it is not. Yet, it does favorably compare with many aspects of more established modes of public education. According to NAMTA, the quintessential (and implicitly negative) characteristics of contemporary public school classrooms are their propensities toward: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Textbooks, pencil and paper, worksheets and dittos à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Working and learning without emphasis on social development à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Narrow, unit-driven curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individual subjects à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Block time, period lessons à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Single-graded classrooms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who are] passive, quiet, in desks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who] fit [the] mold of [their] school[s] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who] leave for special help à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Product-focused report cards 19 Although, to some, this version of traditional education might seem to describe perfectly only the conservative agenda, increasingly it can be seen to characterize what we have previously called the liberal-conservative consensus and to indicate the current will-to-standardize or the standardization imperative of both the liberal and conservative race to the middle of the road. 20 In contrast, NAMTA characterizes the Montessori approach as favoring: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Prepared kinesthetic materials with incorporated control of error [and] specially developed reference materials à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Working and learning matched to the social development of the child à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unified, internationally developed curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Integrated subjects and learning based on developmental psychology à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Uninterrupted work cycles à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Multi-age classrooms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which students are] active [and] talking, with periods of spontaneous quiet [and] freedom to move à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which] school[s] meet the needs of students à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which special] help comes to students à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Process-focused assessment, skills checklists, [and] mastery benchmarks 21 In effect, Montessori education provides parents and students an alternative option within the standard frameworks of public schooling. For those (generally liberal) critics who believe that traditional public education stifles freedom, individuality, and creativity, Montessori instruction offers spontaneity, choice, and creative student-centeredness. For those (generally conservative) critics who believe that public education has been dumbed down, is anti-knowledge, and is too touchy-feely, Montessori instruction offers hard work, discipline (in the most positive sense), and an emphasis on fundamental skills. CONCLUSIONS Montessori education in the public schools raises a number of questions, yet it implies, as well, a number of productive and pedagogically sound principles and practices. Some of the difficulties with the historical criticisms of the Montessori approach include such concerns as immutability versus evolution (i.e., the extent to which Montessori education changes or the extent to which it should or must change), truth or universality (i.e., the degree to which it implies a structure that can, or does, meet the needs of all individual students), and teacher education (i.e., the potential conflict between individual interpretation, creativity, and independence and individual teacher conformity and disciplinarity). At the extremes, these issues (rightly or wrongly, for good or bad) weigh heavily on the capacity of the Montessori approach to meet its educational agendas and its stated purposes. On the other hand, Montessori education represents a little known alternative to more traditional modes of public schooling; most members of the citizenry have no idea that such a state of affairs even exists. When most people think of public schools-their own, their childrens-they think of a homogeneous setting of traditionalism or of progressivism-either way, the same setup for everyone. Yet Montessori education demonstrates the diversity-often little understood, even unknown-that characterizes contemporary teaching and learning. This is most often, we think, quite a good thing. In any event, it presents the condition of effective methods regardless of ones political or pedagogical orientation-that is, whether one is conservative, liberal, reactionary, or radical. There is more going on, that is, than most people perceive. And, most profoundly, the Montessori effort-the movement-is on the ascendancy. In the end, with respect to public education, the Montessori philosophy and its attendant methodologies imply something new, ironically new given the long and successful history of Maria Montessoris efforts and influences. If nothing else, it remains, after all this time, an option worth exploring and taking seriously. It is a viewpoint that should be reconsidered, reckoned with, and continuously and rigorously pursued. It is, that is, not the same old thing.