ggml 1 / - Dec 31, 2012 #1I am out of high school 31 years and a bit rusty! Heading back to college and hoping to CLEP Comp! Thank you"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." Howard ZinnEssay:What "Patriotism" means to an individual can vary widely. While some say that devotion and service are the way to show one's patriotism, others adhere to the expression of dissent as being patriotic. I think a healthy patriotism includes both of these.Serving one's country is important for many reasons and it can take on many forms."He loves his country best who tries to make it best." (Robert Ingersoll) Taking pride in the image put forth by your country, helps you to desire to make that image a positive one. Whether serving soup at a homeless shelter or acting as a member of the armed services, helping others does show a sense of patriotism.However, I don't think that citizens should blindly follow every move a government makes. A certain vigilance against the taking away of rights should always be maintained. As Howard Zinn states, "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." One should never feel he cannot question the direction his country is taking.In my eyes, Patriotism is taking pride in serving my country while insuring the rights provided to be by my country are upheld for future generations.Prompt #2 The old saying "Experience is the best teacher" suggests that people will benefit more from learning on the job or in the world than from formal education in the academic setting of the classroom. Write an essay in which you discuss the relative importance of academic and experiential learning. Support your discussion with examples from your reading, observations or personal experience.Essay:As the old saying "Experience is the best teacher" suggests, some say the best way to learn is by living life. Others believe the only true education is a formal education. I believe that a combination of these methods makes for the best education.An academic setting provides a structure for learning. A uniform curriculum insures all have a basic understanding of Math, Language and Science. This is essential for almost everyone to get by in life. It also provides a foundation for further academic progression into an area of study that the student finds interesting.One might be able to learn a new language or find out about a scientific discovery from another part of the world. But some things can't be grasped merely from a textbook or a second hand account.The Five senses provide valuable learning through experience. For example, being able to feel the rough bark of a pine tree and smell it's scent in the woods can't be fully matched by words in a textbook. Image the roadways filled with drivers who have never sat behind the wheel of a car before! Knowledge gained through experience is also very valuable.I think that both ways of learning are needed for a whole education. Whatever you may learn through formal education, kit takes experiences in life to truly bring meaning to that learning. Each day we face new circumstances that challenge us to find new solutions. We use both learned knowledge and previous experiences to develop these solutions. That is why I know both ways of learning are needed and valuable! Things learned in the classroom are perfected and brought to usefulness through hands on experience, deepening our knowledge every day.( These looked way longer on my hand written pages!!)
