Modern Irony Essay Example for Free

Modern Irony Essay Since the beginning of time, man has attempted to unravel the seemingly infinite mysteries of life. The English playwright Tom Stoppard has written plays that address the existence of fate (or a predestined outcome for every human being) and controlling ones own destiny. His plays also deal with the many other uncertainties that arise during a normal persons life; such as sex, how we know things, etc. (Tom Stoppard) Stoppards utilization of satire and drawn parallels mirror the image of lifes faults and intricacies. His plays serve to show people the humor and irony that life presents. During the time that Stoppard wrote his first play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstein, society was experiencing a social upheaval. The late sixties was a time of experimentation and existentialism. People were asking questions about their very existence in a way never before seen. In this climate, Stoppard saw the opportunity to begin writing plays that dealt with the issues of the time (Overview of Tom Stoppard). He took a whimsical spin though, on the method in which he delivered it. He embarked on the continuing journey of a great literary tradition, but diverged from its path by ridiculing it. His desire to write plays was not a spontaneous venture; during this era, many people wanted to express their thoughts and feelings, and plays were a common medium. Stoppard observed this and pondered if success and knowledge could be his as well. The general question being asked around this time was Why are we here? Man has always sought an answer to this question, but now more than ever was it expressed in literature and plays. Stoppards craft shows a propensity for humor, which offers a more light-hearted viewpoint of this previously serious and mundane subject. Stoppard asks the question of not only Why are we here? but also How are we here? as well. He explores the intricacies of life in an attempt to derive a meaning. His comical touch alleviates the heavy association of philosophy though. Whether or not his question is answered is secondary to the method in which we view it. In Stoppards eyes, it is more important to live rather than to comprehend why we live. This approach brought fanfare to Stoppard, as society saw his style as fresh; and a tangible device to which they could relate. Literary history has had a heavy impact on Stoppards method and conceptual presentation. He admits to being swooned by such masterpieces as Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufock by T. S. Elliot. The ideas that he extracted from these artists and their works helped him divulge his own style to which he could further literature. A parallel may be drawn between Waiting for Godot and Stoppards Rosencrantz and Guildenstein are Dead. Both works feature two men, and their journey in existentialism. Becketts version has them waiting for a surreal character (Godot) that, in the end, never appears. The characters are portrayed as confused, and the play takes on an air of severe depression. The play is very much an appeal to the audience, as they too are overcome by this depression. The characters slowly fade away, emotionless and unexcitable. Stoppards version though has his characters embark on a journey; a fruitless journey, but a goal to meet none the less. Beckett disarms his audience, while Stoppard embraces them into his play; making the audience feel at home and comfortable. Stoppard diffuses the rather heavy atmosphere belied by Beckett with satire and a whimsical wit. For example, In Rosencrantz and Guildenstein are Dead, Stoppard portrays the idea of death as a game. He does this in an attempt to show the audience that it is not to be feared. He achieves this by his satirical depiction of the internal play within Hamlet by Shakespeare. The characters in the play perish, and then the actual characters die in the exact same manner. The audience can identify with death, as all humans are concerned with their own demise. They take away though, a much less serious approach in viewing it. The other author, Elliot, often depicted his characters as stumbling and indecisive. One of his most famous works, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, deals with a man who is enamored with the variables and uncertainties of approaching a woman that he admires. In the poem, Prufrock realizes that only he cares about his decision, and whether he chooses to pursue her or not, will not matter. He sees himself as part of his own world; in which he is the sole occupant. He, sadly, is only coherent enough in his world though to realize how much he is potentially missing by not being completely immersed in it. He cannot solve this problem though, and continues wandering and pondering till the end of time. Stoppard took away from Elliot a similar stance to character development. He portrays his characters as aware, but not completely in tune with their surroundings. The effect is one of dismay, but comical as well. Stoppards portrayal is more humorous in nature, displaying them as bungling and unresponsive. This is exemplified in his play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstein are Dead. His characters attempt to divulge the plan and their purpose as designated by the King (Claudius), but are unable to fully grasp its meaning. These literary greats do not contribute the fabulous humor that Stoppard has developed though. His humorous elements can best be equated to his passion for the Theatre of the Absurd. This type of theater came into popularity during the 1950s and 1960s; and was applied to plays that portrayed the human situation without purpose and with absurd plot elements. This form was a reemergence of an attempt towards awareness of mans purpose in life; the sense of wonder that man has always had concerning how things work and why. In some respect, it was anti-theater, as it went against the basic premise of regular theater. It was illogical and usually had very little or no plot (Culik). Stoppards fascination with this art form had a profound impact on his own personal style. Sigmund Freud, a proponent of the Absurd, said, In trying to burst the bounds of logic and language, the absurd theater is trying to shatter the enclosing walls of the human condition itself. (Culik) This confirms the spatial concepts that the theater was attempting to portray, and Stoppards comedic element is based upon this illogical and removed nature. The play Rosencrantz and Guildenstein are Dead is a satirical look upon the much more staunch play Hamlet. It delves into the lives of two supporting characters named Rosencrantz and Guildenstein. The characters unimportance is exemplified in the play by their lack of understanding and baffling thought patterns. This play shows Stoppards portrayal of artificiality of theater. The performance is not about the actual play, but the context of the play; the idea of attending the performance. The characters appeal directly to the audience, instead of becoming immersed in its story and plot. The effect is comical, as the play begins with them merely spinning coins and making bizarre implications towards the audience. Rosencrantz has spun the coin and received heads nearly 85 times. His humorous portrayal of the law of averages is his justification for his luck. This is the plays first look into why things happen. The characters are unable to come to a proper conclusion though; and the path that Rosencrantz begins upon (the law of averages) cannot be farther removed from the truth. The play continues with these hilarious situations, finally having the pair receive their mission from Claudius the King. The pair ponders why they have received the mission, and why they must complete it. Stoppard constantly asserts that a play is being read. ; instead of allowing the reader to delve into a story. He makes the reader think of Hamlet, and its tragic implications; and applies a humorous tone to it. In the end of the play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstein are supposedly murdered (the English king is instructed to execute them, but their actual deaths are not witnessed), but instead of a grand exit, they merely fade away. Stoppard shows through this that the characters had served only a menial and insignificant purpose. The reader is unable to sympathize with the characters demise, as the play is portrayed with a comical tone. This disservice to death with satire is both eye widening and thought provoking. A person is assaulted with the moral implications of death, instead of offering a deaf sympathy to the characters grief. Stoppards ability to allow the playgoers to analyze what they feel is his greatest achievement in the work; not the story itself. Stoppards play Arcadia is another intelligent play that provokes the reader to appraise mans life long debacles. In the play, the characters attempt to grasp the mysteries of sex, and a path towards knowledge that leads to an understanding of the future. The latter is portrayed as an equation developed by Thomasina, in an attempt to control her own destiny. Her professor, Septimus, also contributes to the equation by way of a lesson to his student, Thomasina. He explains to her that the loss of knowledge isnt the end of the world; as it is rediscovered eventually in the future. This subject is an explanation of humanitys technological progression and our knowledge. The play attempts to allow the reader to grasp the many unknown or misunderstood concepts in life. Mysteries such as sex can only be acquired through practice and progression of time. Stoppard appeals to the general public that things cannot be instantly understood; they must be studied and experimented with to fully grasp the full meaning. These mysteries will eventually be solved, but it shall take time and patience; nothing is instantaneous in life. Stoppards inclusion of Thomasinas equation is both humorous and practical in its implication. Thomasinas goal was to create an equation that could more or less tell the future. It is humorous to surmise that a simple equation can predict the future with numbers. The limitless variables and uncertainties in life will forever impede such an advancement. Stoppard attempts to explain that life itself is intangible; it can neither be predicted nor reduced to a simple equation. Stoppards plays contain many useful outlooks on how a person should view their life on earth. People are always concerned with the future and their own death (and when it will occur). Stoppard believes that man shouldnt view life with such a critical eye; and instead should accept certain facts to be true. Man is powerless concerning the ability to control life. There are many uncertainties in life that are both humorous and infinitely escapable to the human mind. His plays show inept characters driven into the ground by their consumption of the study of life. Stoppard suggests through his characters comical adventures that life is for living, and the consequence of a life spent longing and pondering equates to a life disenfranchised of pulp and meaning. The meaning which man longs for cannot be quantified; it must be experienced to break the surface of significance. Works Cited Stoppard, Tom. Arcadia. Stoppard, Tom. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Tom Stoppard. DISCovering Biography. Online Edition. Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center. Thomson Gale. 17 January 2005Â  http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SRC

French Literature in the Age of Reason :: European Europe History

French Literature in the Age of Reason The Age of Reason, or the Enlightenment, was a period in France during the 1700's following the classical age. Within this time, philosophers placed the emphasis on reason as the best method for learning. It explored issues in education, law philosophy, and politics. It attacked tyranny, social injustice, superstition, and ignorance. This time produced advances in such areas as anatomy, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. These were the ideals taken up for both the American and French revolutions. A significant amount of the literature produced was philosophical, and written by important thinkers such as Voltaire, Denis Diderot, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. Of the above, Voltaire was the most well-known literary figure of the time. He fought against intolerance and bigotry, and worked to promote rationalism through his literary skills. His most famous work is the novel Candide (1759). As well, Voltaire wrote tragedies influenced by the works of William Shakespeare. Through his many works on European and world history, he helped develop the principles of historical writing for modern times. Denis Diderot is most famously known for editing one of the great intellectual achievements of the Enlightenment, the French Encylopà ©die (1751-1772). The Encylopà ©die is a collection of articles written by many writers in several fields. The purpose of the book was to try and rationally explain recent scientific discoveries while attacking religous authority, economic inequality, and abuses of justice. In his novel The New Heloise (1761), Jean Jacques Rousseau suggested changes in French society, and in Emile (1762) put forward the idea of change in education. The autobiography Confessions (published in 1782 and 1789 after his death) helped to create the modern works that provoke self-analysis. Rousseau, with his sensitivity to nature, brought a more lyrical and meditative sensation back to French literature. An example of this can be found in Reveries of the Solitary Stroller (1782). There are several other major writers and works that helped contribute to the literary expression during the Age of Reason. There was Montesquieu, who wrote wittingly about social critisism in Persian Letters (1721). The well-known satirical novel Gil Blas (1715-1735) written by Alain Renà © Lesage.

When Kids Get Life

In the Frontline video â€Å"When Kids Get Life† we were introduced to 5 cases in the state of Colorado where teenage boys had been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. After watching the video I found myself struggling to have an objective opinion on the issue presented, mostly because of personal experiences being a victim of childhood abuse and also having a family member (my brother) murdered. I felt the video to be very one sided but I do find myself agreeing with the point the producers were trying to make.I feel that teenagers should have more opportunities at rehabilitation from crimes committed before the age of 21 then those criminals that are convicted after the age of 21. I also feel strongly that when it comes to teenagers and violent crimes that great emphasis needs to be placed on the motive for the crime, for example if there was long term abuse or neglect as well as any substance abuse involved, and what kind of support if any the child has ever had in their lives.In my opinion the age at which a person should be given life imprisonment is 21. I developed this opinion for three reasons. The first being my personal experience, there were two men involved in my brother’s murder one man was 26 at the time and the other was just barely 18, neither man was sentenced to any long term prison time but of the two the 18 year old has shown greater signs of rehabilitation.I have also had a lot of exposure to the darker side of society and I have seen more improvement come from the younger ‘criminals’ then I have from the older ones. My second reason is the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence regarding brain development and mental processes. According to the Time magazine article ‘What Makes Teens Tick’ Dr. Jay Giedd states that â€Å"The very last part of the brain to be pruned or shaped to its adult dimensions is the prefrontal cortex, home of the executive functions. This area of the brain is the part that allows adults to weigh the consequences of their actions.A teenager may understand the principles of right and wrong but lack the ability to realize the ramifications of any wrong they might do. In another article by Lee Bowman of the Scripps Howard News Service Deborah Yurgelun-Todd of Harvard Medical School and McClean Hospital says that â€Å"[When] shown a set of people’s faces contorted in fear, adults named the right emotion, but teens seldom did, often saying the person was angry. Yurgelun-Todd and her team performed this test using the fMRI and discovered an amazing difference in the parts of the brain being used. The adults used both the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala to process what they saw and younger teens relied entirely on the amygdala while older teens (oldest being 17) showed a progressive shift toward using the frontal cortex My third reason is the hormone factor according to an article published by the American Bar Association.One of the hor mones which has the most dramatic effect on the body in adolescence is testosterone. Testosterone is closely associated with aggression; it increases tenfold in adolescent boy. Considering all of this information I feel that 21 would be a better age to consider legal culpability of a person. I do not feel that teenage offenders of violent crime should go unpunished but life in prison seems to be an excessive punishment for a teenager incapable of comprehending the consequences of his actions.My last issue to address is the circumstances by which an offender should receive life imprisonment. I feel that when it comes to cases of long term abuse of any kind when a teenager is feeling pushed into a corner and the only way out is to ‘kill or be killed’ there will undoubtedly be a negative outcome. There is a long list of possible effects and none of them are positive anything from drug and alcohol abuse, to self harm, to suicide, to homicide. One researcher Phyllis L.Crocke r of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law wrote that â€Å"the nexus between poverty, childhood abuse and neglect, social and emotional dysfunction, alcohol, and drug abuse and crime is so tight in the lives of many capital defendants as to form a kind of social historical profile†. According to Dr. Chris Mallett, Public Policy Director at Bellefaire Jewish Children’s Bureau in Ohio more that 30% of death row juvenile offenders had experienced six or more distinct areas of childhood trauma with an overall average of four such experiences per offender.Mallett also found that such mitigating evidence was presented to juries in fewer than half of the offenders’ trials . That fact I find astonishing I feel passionately that the motivation behind a teenager’s violent act should play a very hefty role in the prosecution of any said act. The cases highlighted in the video ‘When Kids Get Life† were very disturbing to me because several of the cases invol ved long term sexual and psychological abuse and it appeared that no one took that into consideration at the time of trial.In conclusion I feel that no violent crime should be excused however life imprisonment should be reserved for those over the age of 21, or for the truly psychotic individuals out there in society. Any teenager that is convicted of a violent crime should be given prison time but then after a determined amount of time re-evaluate the person psychologically and determine level of rehabilitation. I believe that people (even criminals) can change in both directions good and bad, and teenagers have an even greater capacity to change for the better if guided in the right direction.

Process Work Essay

Module 1: Contexts: Unit 1: Purposes of the school curriculum |Unit 1 Activity 1: Changing curriculum principles | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |Unit 1 Activity 2: The hidden curriculum | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | | Unit 1 Activity 3: Ivan Illich | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |Unit 1 Activity 4: What should the education system aim to achieve? | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |To what extent do you agree that ‘schools should be inculcating knowledge relevant to modern society such as the ability to live | |healthily, to manage money and to find fulfilment’ (Bloom, 2008: para 2). In the space below, write a piece for your tutor, in no more | |than 500 words, as a response to this question. | |A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students (or â€Å"pupils†) under the direction of teachers. Curriculum which is the | |frame work of the school has been broadly def ined as all the experiences learners have under the guidance of the school, and all planned | |learning for which the school is responsible Marsh C.J and Willis (http/coefaculty.aldosta.edu/grubbs/ definitions).Curriculum is | |structured to be flexible, and always reflect goals of the nation. | |( It is important to be clear about the correct meaning of terms but these definitions do not focus the reader immediately on the | |required subject.) | |Prof. John white ( White) a professor in the Institute of Education University of London is of ( the) opinion that schools should be | |inculcating knowledge relevant to modern day societal needs like ability to live healthy, manage money and find fulfilment ( new | |sentence?) in his published work â€Å"What schools are for and Why† White(2007).He is also of opinion that the existing curriculum with its | |emphasis on discrete subjects is a relic of the 19th century attitudes to school and he argues that such values no longer apply to the | |21st century. This writing is aimed at showing my extent of agreement with his opinion. | |Health is defined as feeling sound, well, vigorous and physically able to do things that most people ordinarily can do.J.Mirowsky and | |Ross (2003). Research shows that healthy eating can improve childrens’ concentration and help them do better in school says paediatric | |behavioural nutritionist Janice Baronowski from Baylor University in Houston.http://www.livestrong.com/article/192724. It was also | |observed in China that exercise which is part of the daily activities in schools kept the pupils mind and body alert, and helped their | |performance. Since the well-being of an individual including his emotional balance cannot be separated from his ability to succeed in the| |pursuit of his individual and societal interest at large, I agree that schools inculcate knowledge of the ability to live healthily. This| |will include regular exercise and healthy eating. However, some physical exercises done to keep fit could pose a threat to the health of | |some children. | |John white in his published work is also of opinion that money managing skills be taught children. Trilling and hood ( Hood) (2001) | |suggest that we are moving from the industrial age to the knowledge age where knowledge becomes manpower. As the world is growing and | |economic policies changing, I agree that children be taught how to spend and save but any attitude attached to spending is somewhat | |related to the level of income and needs of the individual which is very dynamic. On the other hand, a general principle on spending can | |be taught to guide children as they grow to fit into a larger society. Inculcating values like kindness, trust is also relevant as this | |are values that promote integrity and efficiency in the  way things are done in the society. | |Personal fulfilment however is a broader term to consider. It is encouraged that children learn to discover and live their dreams, but to| |what extent can we measure one’s fulfilment, and how relevant is an individual’s fulfilment ( fulfilment?) to the needs of the society? | |The school curriculum is a reflection of the needs of the society, therefore knowledge to be inculcated in schools should be aimed at | |achieving societal goals, not just individuals finding fufillment in what they do. | |( You are beginning to develop some interesting arguments here. I was interested , especially, in how you related health to effective | |learning and identified the possible contradiction between individual fulfilment and societal needs. You have the potential here to | |take a more critical , and questioning, view of White’s theory although this is not developed. | |You weaken your argument by not keeping a clear focus on the required task as well as through having unnecessary errors in writing. To | |present work at Masters level requires more careful proof reading. ) | |Unit 1 Activity 5: Overall curriculum aims | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have watched and listened to the feedback provided at the end of the activity |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light of this feedback |√ | |Unit 1 Activity 6: The purposes of one curriculum subject | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have posted a contribution to the discussion board |√ | |Please paste the text of your initial discussion board entry below: | |Language study is as important as the essence of language itself which is basically communication.Communication is a necessary tool | |required for human  beings to co-exist, and language is a dominant means of communication.Language is all emcompassing,it ( It) is the | |identity of any tribe and nation at large, ( ?) it is the medium for interaction between teachers and pupils for all subjects,and also | |necessary for internationa l relations. | |English and French are two languages widely spoken in countries all over the world.English is the Lingua Franca of most British colonized| |nations,Nigeria inclusive,among over 250 languages spoken in the country.It is also important to be competent in the use of English as | |the Lingua franca of the nation.Asides effective communication,competence builds confidence which is a necessary quality children should | |imbibe.In Nigeria English is taught as a core subject from nursery to secondary school level,and in the University it is compulsorily | |studied as a general course. | | | |( You present a reasoned case. Again, watch sentence structure and the use of capital letters) | |Unit 1 Activity 7: Education and the knowledge age | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have read the feedback provided at the end of the activity |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light of this feedback |√ | PGCE International – Process work record form Module 1: Contexts: Unit 2: Understanding educational systems |Unit 2 Activity 1: Crossing cultures | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have watched and listened to the feedback provided at the end of the activity  |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light of this feedback |√ | |Unit 2 Activity 2: Key issues in your own educational system | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |What might your tutor need to understand about your own educational contexts (both teaching and learning)? In the space below, write an | |analysis, in no more than 500 words, of the main issues which she or he will need to take into consideration when responding to your work| |on this course: | | KEY EDUCATIONAL ISSUES IN MY COUNTRY | |In discussing major issues in the Nigerian Education system where I practice,it is important to note that there is no uniformity of | |standard and practice.While Government schools run with a standard and curriculum,the private schools adopt standards and curriculum in | |line with the vision of their owners so we have the British,Turkish,Lebanese,American and even a blend of more than one curriculum in | |practice by different schools.This disuniformity ( I do not think this is a correct word, though I understand what you are saying. You | |would need to state â€Å"This lack of uniformity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) in standard in itsself ( itself?) is a major issue.For this reason the dominant issues | |in the public schools like poor infrastructure,fewer learning and teaching aids, might not be very ( ?) present in the private | |schools. This is as a result of fund mismanagement and poor maintenance of existing facilities in public schools. ( Are you arguing that | |it is the lack of Government standard and curriculum that leads to better facilities and learning in private schools? I am not clear of | |your argument.) | |Poor power supply affects the use of electronic teaching and learning aids such as the interactive white board,computers,etc. and | |facilities that enhance a comfortable learning environment like the air conditioners and fans.Though this is a challenge faced by both | |the public and private schools at large,it is largely overcome by the private schools that use alternative power  supply.This | |however,means extra cost to these schools and is shared by the children as they have to pay higher school fees thus making very good | |quality education expensive and hardly affordable for those below average class. | |Teachers’ welfare in the past was very poor as they were not well renumerated an d in most schools both public and private,they are | |still poorly paid and priced.This has led to a negative approach towards the profession and demotivated people from going into practice.A| |high turnover of teachers also exists in schools as existing teachers leave the profession for more â€Å"promising professions†.Some teachers| |are not motivated enough to give their best to the profession and are most times absent from the classroom as a result of this poor | |treatment especially in government schools. The country is however in the process of improving teachers welfare. | |Educational policies for some time, have not been relatively stable so we have a policy implemented today and discarded tomorrow, for | |instance the 6-3-3-4 system of six years in primary school,three years in a vocational training school for those who can not go further | |to secondary education,three years in senior secondary school and four years in university was changed to a 9-3-4 education system which | |was kicked against by many technocrats in the field.shortly ( start a sentence with a capital letter) after it was changed back to the | |6-3-3-4 system.This instability has greatly challenged the Nigerian Educational system,considering the cost of training teachers to | |reflect policy aims,and cost of adopting and implementing the policies. | |The Multi ethnicity of the country has an effect on the country’s education policies.What may be acceptable as a practice in one state or| |culture might n ot be in another.For instance, in the Northern part of Nigeria, culture places more restriction on the females unlike | |other parts of the country, thereby making it difficult for some policies to be implemented.This is especially as regards curriculum and | |professional practice. | | | |( You raise many interesting issues in this response. You still need to proof read with  greater care and check the clarity of every | |argument.) | | | | | | | |Unit 2 Activity 3: Exploring Teachers TV | |I have watched at least three of the Teachers TV videos and made appropriate notes | |in my commonplace book |√ | |Unit 2 Activity 4: Comparing approaches | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |Unit 2 Activity 5: Improving approaches | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have listened to the feedback provided at the end of the activity |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light of this feedback |√ | |I have posted a contribution to the discussion board |√ | |Please paste the text of your initial discussion board contribution below: | |I agree that some elements of the practices in the educational system of other countries have been adopted into the Nigerian educational | |system and will like to add that failure of the 6-3-3-4 system is not in its inability to produce competent graduates who can fit into | |the larger society, but in the fact that its aim of six years compulsory primary education accompanied with three years vocational | |training in vocational schools was not fully achieved.This is seen in the existence of fewer vocational schools for science,wood, | |furniture and textile making in the country. | |On mathematics I suppose the difference between the practice in Hungary and  Nigeria lies more in the method employed in teaching the | |subject. Maths teaching in Nigeria is more abstract and most teachers,especially in government schools, use less attractive manipulatives | |in teaching concepts compared to the Hungarian practice.In Nigeria focus seems to be on the cognitive with less emphasis on process which| |i ( I) believe amounts to the reason why at age 8 children can recite multiplication tables to 12. I also observed that students | |performance in the subject in Nigeria seems to be poorer compared to their counterparts in Hungary.In the external examination conducted | |in my secondary school which is owned by the Federal Government in 2005, over 50% failure in maths was recorded. | |Although there is current record of improvement in the subject,I believe if we adopt the Hungarian method of teaching the subject | |practically with more attractive manipulatives especially in early education stage, and organize periodic seminars for teachers | |irrespective of the sector which they belong to on improved strategies for teaching the subject, there will be improved performance in | |mathematics among students in Nigeria. | |( You demonstrate that you have engaged with the materials   on the course and are relating them to your own experience in Nigerian | |schools.) | |Unit 2 Activity 6: Exploring links | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |Unit 2 Activity 7: British Council Schools Online | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | PGCE International – Process work record form Module 1: Contexts: Unit 3: Understanding the classroom |Unit 3 Activity 1: The value of observation | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have listened to the feedback provided at the end of the activity |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light of this feedback |√ | |Unit 3 Activity 2: The ethics of classroom observation | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have read the feedback provided at the end of the activity |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light of this feedback |√ | |Unit 3 Activity 3: Observing two pupils | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |Unit 3 Activity 4: Three further influential factors | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have read the feedback provided at the end of the activity |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light of this feedback |√ | |Unit 3 Activity 5: Creating a positive classroom ethos | |I have made ap propriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |Unit 3 Activity 6: Social and emotional aspects of learning | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have read the feedback provided at the end of the activity |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light  of this feedback |√ | |Unit 3 Activity 7: Pupil grouping and the learning environment | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have posted a contribution to the discussion board |√ | |Please paste the text of your initial discussion board contribution below: | |I will prefer grouping pupils based on mixed ability. This is to enhance exchange of not only ideas, but also to encourage character and | |learning strategy influence between the high and low ability. If learning is to be child centred, then I believe children should be given| |a chance to learn from each other, not only from their teachers. However grouping based on ability will be encouraged in core subjects | |like Mathematics to help those struggling in the subject recieve ( receive) more attention from teachers in their areas of challenge, but| |learning would not be restricted to this setting alone, ( New sentence?) grouping will vary based on topic taught and needs of the | |learner. | |Language classes will be more beneficial if there is mixed ability grouping because Language theorist ( Are you referring to someone | |specific? If so state this.) have proven that Language is better learnt through association especially between the more competent and the| |less competent ones. | |( You present some good arguments here. Do writers like Kutnick raise any other issues that you think are important? Are there | |circumstances in the classroom when you would not use mixed ability grouping but , instead, base grouping on other factors?) | |Unit 3 Activity 8: Multimodal semiotic analysis | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |I have watched/listened to the feedback provided at the end of the activity |√ | |I have added to/amended my commonplace book entries in the light of this feedback  |√ | |Unit 3 Activity 9: Classroom observation | |I have made appropriate entries in my commonplace book |√ | |In the light of your classroo m observation, think about any new understandings which you feel that this approach has provided for you. | |Have you been surprised by any of the ways in which meanings can be constructed in classrooms? Write a critical account of multimodal | |semiotic analysis as a methodology. What are its strengths and limitations? | |In the space below, write a summary of your responses to these questions (in no more than 500 words) for your tutor: | |Multimodal semiotics is deriving meaning from different modes employed by the teacher in the classroom. Semiotics refers to meaning of | |all kinds, with sign as its central focus that is meaning derived not only from words spoken, but in other symbols. Modes refer to the | |many means by which meaning is made. Kress et al (2005). Modes described by Kress et al include classroom layout, voice quality, visual | |display, gesture, gaze, movement of teacher. Multi means various or different kinds. Multimodal semiotics as a concept looks at meaning | |not derived from only one mode in the classroom, but from an interaction between different modes, just as how much is said, written and | |read. | |In observing an English lesson on traditional tale for year 2 pupils, I took note of the modes employed by the teacher during the lesson | |which includes voice quality, movement and seating arrangement of the pupils, in the cassroom ( classroom).The teacher started on a calm | |low pitched yet confident tone.This tone created a rather friendly and relaxed environment for the children. As the lesson progressed, | |her tone also rose in a clear progression,without loosing its calmness,or sounding too loud.The key words in the | |lesson;tale,traditional,story,villain,happyending,etc. were stressed as she pronounced them. She was also very audible and spoke with | |such clarity that showed great confidence and captivated the attention of the children. I observed that this tone of confidence, | |influenced the behaviour of the children.She did not have to deal so much with inappropraite  behaviour in the classroom, her voice tone | |simply gave an atmosphere of discipline. | |The pupils all sat in twos on tables arranged in traditional setting of three rows, facing the teacher who was majorly( mainly?) standing| |before them, with her table at the side in front of the classroom. Her table position was such that she could monitor the children from | |all angles without necessarily seating in front of them. Seating arrangement was changed to group seating when a task was given. The | |pupils were asked to use WOW words to describe a picture on the interactive white board and were placed in groups of four on each table, | |facing each other which I observed encouraged participation between all the children in the classroom. After performing the task, the | |pupils went back to their former positions. For another task, pupils sat in twos on different tables to form mnemonics to remember | |spellings of different words. Her movement was however restricted as she scarcely moved around to see what the pupils were doing, but | |only gave instructions vocally. Sh e had someone from each table stand and read out what was on a worksheet. This made the lesson look | |teacher centered. | |The teacher’s restricted movement did not really reflect a participatory class environment but a teacher centred one, contrary to the | |seating arrangement. The tone of the teacher however influenced the lesson style; it was very confident, quite firm and created a | |friendly environment. The rising and falling tone captivated the pupils’ interest and I observed that this made the lesson interesting. | |( You show good understanding of this theory of communication in the classroom and how it can be used to support deeper observation of | |what is taking place. You show good observation and identify many interesting aspects of the lesson. I also found interesting how the | |teacher proved more effective in different parts of the lesson. Well answered.) | | |

Waste Management individual coursework The WritePass Journal

Waste Management individual coursework Brief overview Waste Management individual coursework , p. 71). The management of waste through proper disposal or recycling is important in protecting the environment. Engineering has a great role in ensuring sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection. Mechanical engineers are actively engaged with how the society uses natural resources. It discovers, designs, maintains, improves and repairs machineries like cars, airplanes and industrial equipment which human beings depend on for their daily lives (Wang Koh 2010, p. 49). In the future, mechanical engineering will deliver solutions that will sustain and protect the existence of man on the planet. There are two major ways in which engineering can help in mitigating the problem of waste management which are preventing waste in engineering and management of waste. The next section will look at the two methods, their advantages, disadvantages and cases where they have been used successfully. Waste prevention (Designing out waste in mechanical engineering) Green manufacturing is an emerging concept in engineering that aims to achieve sustainable development in the manufacturing industry. Dornfeld (2010, p. 56) defines green manufacturing as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that conserve energy and natural resources, are non-polluting and are economically safe and sound for users. There is an increasing need for mechanical engineers and engineering in general to innovate new ways of creating products that minimise waste of resources. Rynn (2010, p. 87) asserts that for mechanical engineering to be able to design products that are friendly to the environment, issues of sustainability should be part of all the decision making processes in engineering. This covers all the steps from product design to its end life and after that the needed efforts in regaining its value rather than disposal. The main objective for green manufacturing is to produce products that can be remanufactured, recycled or reused. As such green manufacturing process reduces the environmental impact of a manufacturing process than it was in the past. Green manufacturing systems include measures to reduce the volume of hazardous waste produced, change the energy mix to include the use of more renewable resources and cut down the volume of coolant consumed in the manufacturing process. The other measure that reduces waste of resources is lean manufacturing which has been successfully used by Toyota in its manufacturing plants. The lean manufacturing system as used by Toyota managed to reduce seven types of wastes in the company’s manufacturing process. Toyota reduced overproduction, inventory, transportation, motion, over processing, defects and waiting times (International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing Li 2010, p. 77). Most of these wastes are related to the des ire to minimise the environmental impacts of the manufacturing process. For instance, a reduction in the waiting times saved company resources like lighting and air conditioning. Many machines used in the production process consume a lot of energy even when not processing any products. As such the idle time used for allowing the smooth flow of products wastes a lot of energy. The lean manufacturing processes, initiatives, strategies and techniques are advantageous in terms of reducing operational costs and also aim at boosting, restoring and significantly improving organisational competitiveness. Lean manufacturing reduces the manufacturing time by eliminating the wastes in the manufacturing process. A reduction in manufacturing time leads to a subsequent reduction in operational costs in the form of labour, energy and other utilities. In so doing, it helps organisations in retaining, maintaining and significantly increasing their revenues, widening their margins and generation of savings from lowering costs. Lean manufacturing helps companies in saving space which raises the levels of efficiency and savings. According to Davim (2013, p.64), lean manufacturing has a potential of increasing the productivity of a company by approximately 75% to 125%. This is because the elimination of wastes and any other unnecessary practices at the workplace assists the e mployees to work without distractions and in so doing maximise output. The elimination and reduction of waste in the production process helps the companies in increasing earnings and profits by reducing wasteful use of resources. In addition to this, the elimination of unnecessary tasks and job positions helps companies in reducing labour expenses and in return increase their earnings (Skrabec 2013, p. 33). Despite the aforementioned benefits that come with lean manufacturing, there are various barriers that prevent organisations from fully implementing it in their manufacturing processes. The capital cost requirements of emission control and waste management are extremely high with long payback period (Worrell Vesilind, 2012, p. 88). This makes it very difficult for most companies as this translates into higher product prices which would drive away potential customers. In other instances the capital input exceeds the direct economic gains thus frustrating the successful implementation of green manufacturing. The other barrier is that the manufacturing industry relies on certain technologies and processes that may cause undesirable effects but cannot be ignored like the volatile organic compound used in automotive manufacturing. Waste management (use of recycling and reuse) Waste management entails reducing the amount of waste that the manufacturing industry disposes on the environment (Kühnle 2010, p. 96). In reusing and recycling of waste products, the manufacturing industry reuses old or waste products to produce new products. Waste management reduces environmental pollution, energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and consumption of fresh raw materials by reducing the reliance on conventional waste disposal (Hesselbach Herrmann 2011, p. 54). The manufacturing firms should therefore aim at reducing waste at each and every phase of the production process. The first step is to identify the areas where waste is high in the manufacturing process and then find out what needs to be recycled using cost benefit analysis. Nikon has successfully managed to do this and is recycling its wastes to produce new products. Recycling of old products is important because it helps in environmental conservation. Reusing of resources relaxes the strain placed on natural resources which are increasingly getting depleted. The other advantage of recycling old products is that it reduces energy consumption (Shina 2008, p. 65). The manufacturing process uses large amounts of energy in processing the raw materials into finished products. Recycling helps the manufacturing companies in minimising energy consumption which is important for massive production like refining and mining. In addition to this, it also makes the production process effective in terms of cost which raises the margins for the manufacturers (Association for Manufacturing Excellence 2008, p. 162). Although product recycling is very beneficial to the manufacturers, there are some barriers that hamper the successful implementation of recycling old products in the manufacturing process. The first barrier is that the recycling process is not always cost effective because at times companies are forced to open up new factories thus raising their operational costs (Wang et al 2011, p. 22). A new factory by itself may even cause more pollution in terms of transportation, cleaning and storage. Other than operational challenges, the other major limitation of recycling is that the recycled products are not always as durable as the original products. Products made from trashed waste are cheap and less durable and may not generate sustainable revenue for organisations like other products. Key lessons learnt and how these can be used to improve the future Both lean manufacturing and waste reuse are important in reducing wastes that emanate from the manufacturing processes. Lean manufacturing should be used in eliminating wastages in the production process in order to ensure that organisations minimise operational costs. However, the findings reveal that both methods should be implemented in the manufacturing process in order to improve the waste management in mechanical engineering. Key conclusions and recommendations Waste management should be included in all the stages of the manufacturing process in order to ensure sustainability in engineering. Owing to the fact that the quality of recycled products is often lower than the other original products, it is recommendable to embrace lean manufacturing in order to ensure that wastages are eliminated in the production process. References Association for Manufacturing Excellence (U.S.) (2008). Green manufacturing: Case studies in lean and sustainability. New York: Productivity Press. Davim, J. P. (2013). Green manufacturing processes and systems. Heidelberg: Springer. Dornfeld, D. (2010). Green Manufacturing: Fundamentals and Applications. Berlin: Springer US. Hesselbach, J., Herrmann, C. (2011). Glocalized Solutions for Sustainability in Manufacturing: Proceedings of the 18th CIRP International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany, May 2nd 4th, 2011. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing, Li, S. (2010). Mechanical engineering and green manufacturing: Selected, peer reviewed papers from the International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing (MEGM) 2010, November 19-22, 2010, in Xiangtan, China. Stafa-Zurich: TTP, Trans Tech Publications. Kühnle, H. (2010). Distributed manufacturing: Paradigm, concepts, solutions and examples. London: Springer. Rynn, J. (2010). Manufacturing green prosperity: The power to rebuild the American middle class. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger. Shina, S. G. (2008). Green electronics design and manufacturing: Implementing lead-free and RoHS-compliant global products. New York: McGraw-Hill. Skrabec, Q. R. (2013). The green vision of Henry Ford and George Washington Carver: Two collaborators in the cause of clean industry. New York: Productivity Press. Wang, L., Koh, S. C. L. (2010). Enterprise networks and logistics for agile manufacturing. London: Springer. Wang, L., Ng, A. H. C., Deb, K., SpringerLink (2011). Multi-objective evolutionary optimisation for product design and manufacturing. London: Springer. Worrell, W. A., Vesilind, P. A. (2012). Solid waste engineering. Australia: Cengage Learning.

Workplace Discrimination Prohibited by Title VII Laws

Workplace Discrimination Prohibited by Title VII Laws Title VII is the portion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which protects an individual from employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Specifically, Title VII prohibits employers from hiring, refusing to hire, firing, or laying off an individual due to those factors. It also makes illegal any attempt to segregate, classify, or limit the opportunities of any employees for reasons related to any of the above. This includes promotion, compensation, job training, or any other aspect of employment. Title VIIs Significance to Working Women With regard to gender, workplace discrimination is illegal. This includes discriminatory practices that are deliberate and intentional, or those that take on a less obvious form such as neutral job policies which disproportionately exclude individuals on the basis of sex and that are not job related. Also illegal are any employment decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions regarding the abilities, traits, or the performance of an individual on the basis of sex. Sexual Harassment and Pregnancy Covered Title VII also offers protection to individuals who encounter sex-based discrimination that takes the form of sexual harassment including direct requests for sexual favors to workplace conditions that create a hostile environment for persons of either gender, including same sex harassment. Pregnancy is also protected. Amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Title VII prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions. Protection for Working Mothers According to the Georgetown University Law Center: Courts have ruled that Title VII prohibits employer decisions and policies based purely on an employer’s stereotyped impression that motherhood...are incompatible with serious work. Courts have found, for example, that the following conduct violates Title VII: having one policy for hiring men with preschool aged children, and another for hiring women with preschool aged children; failing to promote an employee on the assumption that her childcare duties would keep her from being a reliable manager; providing service credits to employees on disability leave, but not to those on pregnancy-related leave; and requiring men, but not women, to demonstrate disability in order to qualify for childrearing leave. LGBT Individuals Not Covered Although Title VII is wide-ranging and covers many workplace issues faced by women and men, it is important to note that sexual orientation is not covered by Title VII. Thus lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender individuals are not protected by this law if discriminatory practices by an employer occur that are related to perceived sexual preferences. Compliance Requirements Title VII applies to any employer with 15 or more employees in both the public and private sector including federal, state and local governments, employment agencies, labor unions, and training programs.

Behaviorally based expectations for responsible student behavior Essay

Behaviorally based expectations for responsible student behavior outside the classroom, directly supervised by a teacher - Essay Example 1.) Use of learning centers/or computer stations a.) Students will follow instructions. – Students will be able to use the learning center/computer station effectively, in orderly manner. b.) Students will leave my place clean. – This will help students maintain the computer stations/learning center. c.) Students will ask assistance when needed. – This will allow students use the learning center/computer station with ease. Implementation of A: A note of instruction and proper use of the leaning center/computer stations is visibly posted in the room. 2.) Student attention/participation during teacher led activities a.) Students will be resilient. – Student will develop the sense of flexibility in every situation in the activities. b.) Students will be respectful. – Being courteous, students will gain respect in return from their peers. c.) Students will know how and when to assert oneself. – This will allow an organized activity, without disorder. Implementation of C: Students are required to raise their hands and wait for teacher’s selection. 3.) Playground time and /or recess a.) Students will be an active participant. – This gives an opportunity for students to show their abilities.