A Taste of Honey Play Analysis Essay

A Taste of Honey is a play written by Shelagh Delaney. Shelagh Delaney was born on the 5th of November, 1939 in Salford, Lancashire. At eleven years old she failed to pass the examination that would allow her to enter a grammar school, and she went to a secondary school named Broughton. She was accepted into the grammar school at a later stage as she has proved herself to be intelligent. She was seen to be a ‘late developer but by this time she had lost interest in her academic progress and so therefore did not continue on to higher education. Her first play was A Taste of Honey, which she wrote when she was 18, was accepted by a Joan Littlewood for production by Theatre Workshop Company. The first opening of the play was on the 27th of May at the Theatre Royal in East London. A Taste of Honey was transferred to West London on the 10the of February. For this play she received the Foyle’s New Play Award and an Arts Council Bursary. In the 1950’s England was felling the effects of World War II, so when Shelagh Delaney wrote the play she had experienced World War II. Also because of the World War only lower/ middle class groups would watch the play. Another factor that has caused the play, A Taste of Honey, to be a great success is that it contained issues that were never openly discussed and were consider to be illegal. For example: homosexuality- this was never discussed openly and was considered very bad, racism- Black people or people that were coloured were also considered lower class. The mood, tension and suspense had been built up during the play. In Act 1 Scene 2 Jo meets with her boyfriend and during a conversation he asks her to marry him and she accepts his proposal even though he will be away on his ship for six months and so she will have to wait before he can marry him. She is given a ring by her fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½e which she wears around her neck instead of on her finger. This is because she doesn’t want her mother to see the ring. Back in the apartment Helen tells Jo that she is going to marry Peter. Peter enters and Jo starts to shout at both Helen and Peter, while Helen is defending and attacking both Peter and Jo. Peter, however, is ignoring or criticising Jo and flattering Helen. Helen and Peter leave and Jo’s boyfriend arrives and keeps her company. On Helen’s wedding day Jo is feeling sick and cannot attend her mothers wedding. Helen then see’s the ring around Jo’s neck and starts scolding Jo violently for think of marrying this young. Jo then asks about her father and Helen explains, and then runs off to her wedding. There is a lot that happens in this scene both Helen and Jo plan on getting married. And this has built up a lot of tension. But there moods with each other getting married are not positive. Helen is not happy with Jo considering marriage at such a young age. Jo is also not happy that Helen is marrying Peter but is unable to do anything about it. The timing of this happening is also coincidental as Helen and Jo both were planning to marry at the same time this cause the audience to build up suspense. The scene is ended with Helen leaving Jo behind this will leave the audience thinking of what is going to happen. The scene is ended with suspense so that the audience is egger for the next scene. Act 2 scene 1 begins and Jo’s pregnancy is quite obvious and her boyfriend has not returned. Jo and Geof, a boy she met in a fairground, return to Jo’s apartment. The scene beginning with Jo being obviously pregnant cause’s drama for the audience also Jo’s black boyfriend has not returned from his sale this make the audience think that the boyfriend will never return. Jo is currently living alone and is working in a shoe shop in the day and working at a bar in the evenings to pay the rent. This has set the mood of Jo’s environment to be busy and Jo seems to be very tired. As when she returns from the fair she falls onto her sofa as she is tired, she as says that she has to be up before half past seven. This makes us think that going to work is very necessary for her and she is finding it difficult. Geof, an art student, who had been thrown out of his lodgings, says that the reason he was thrown out was because he was behind on the rent. Jo challenges him and keeps on persisting that he is lying as she knows he is homosexual. She even states that ‘I always wanted to know about people like you’ she offends Geof with her insensitive mocking and curiosity. She finally says that Geof should tell her why he was thrown out (even though she knows why she wants to hear it from Geof) or get out Geof heads for the door to leave and is stopped by Jo begging for him to stay, ‘Geof Don’t go. Don’t go. Geof! I’m sorry. Please stay.’ I think that this shows that Jo wants some company as she is alone and finding it difficult to pay for the apartment. Jo is not threatened by Geof staying in her apartment as he is homosexual and is therefore not physically attracted to her she also says, ‘That’s why I’m letting you stay here. You won’t start anything.’ When Geof is with Jo the mood is peaceful and is not chaotic. Also, Jo’s character is different she is not as aggressive as before. The audience are interested in Geof as they want to know facts about him because of his homosexual personality. It might be that Geof was thrown out because he was homosexual and he doesn’t want to admit that he is gay, also in that period of time homosexuality was wrong. After Jo apologises they start talking and tell each other that they like each other and they are becoming closer and their relationship develops. There mood has changed and they are now talking about each other and asking questions about there past. Geof brings up the subject of the baby and Jo’s mother, he thinks that Jo should tell her mother about her pregnancy. Jo replied ‘Why?’ this shows that she still doesn’t think that her mother should have nothing to do with Jo’s baby. Geof then goes on to ask what kind of woman is she and Jo replies by saying ‘†¦she’s rich†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Geof says that she should be interested in her mother’s money as she will be needing it later for the baby, as the baby will be costing Jo more money then she can afford. When Geof says that she will need baby clothes a cot and a pram, Jo replies by saying, ‘I’m not planning big plans for this baby or dreaming big dreams.’ This shows that Jo has thought that she will look after the baby with the barest amount of money. Jo’s character is strange in comparison to other mothers. Most mothers will be hoping for the best for their children. Jo, however, is not interested; she has no idea to look after a child as she has never been looked after by her mother very well. I found it strange when Geof says, ‘You’re feeling a bit depressed, Jo.’ He was telling Joe how she felt and this shows that Geof is already having feelings for Jo. When Geof offers Jo a cigarette she declines it, she said she only smoked to annoy her mother. I think that this shows that Jo did things to annoy her mother to get revenge. Jo’s character to towards her mother does not change through out the play. Geof asks Jo about her black boyfriend when Jo answers the questions she is giving false answers. I think that she has forgotten about the boy and has moved on with her life. Geof sings two nursery rhymes; this lightens the mood and shows that Geof is still childish and young in heart. When Geoffrey and Jo go to bed Jo says, ‘You’re just like a big sister to me.’ This shows that Jo has no sexual attractions towards Geof and sees him more like a friendly sister who looks after her. Jo comments on the children’s appearance, ‘†¦look at those filthy children.’ I think this is because as she is pregnant she is thinking about children and looking at other children on the streets. She then says that is there parents fault, but then says, ‘His mother ought not to be allowed.’ Jo is referring to her own mother in a way as Jo was treated badly and sometimes thinks that her mother should not of had her. Geof is homosexual but still tries to kiss Jo and even asks to marry her. Jo declines, is it shown that Jo likes Geoffrey but she is not sexually attracted to him. I think that the reason Geof asked Jo to marry him is because he want to be normal or a least be treated normal. So if he gets married people won’t think that he is homosexual and as Jo has a baby it will save him the trouble. Geof knows that if he stays with Jo his life is heading nowhere, but he wants to stay with Jo, ‘I’d sooner be dead than away from you.’ Geoffrey has grown a strong feeling for Jo and visa-versa, however, Jo likes him as a big sister. Helen enters the room and the mood has changed, that tension between Jo and Helen is now strong. Helen is not surprised that Jo is in bed, she thinks that Jo should still be going to work in her condition. Helen’s character is still expecting much of Jo even when Helen is sick she would ask Jo to do the work. Jo doesn’t even welcome her mother politely, ‘What blew you in?’ Helen assumes that Geoffrey is Jo’s boyfriend. While Helen and Jo argue Geof enters defending Jo but is shut up by both the ladies. Even with Jo in pregnancy Helen is still as violent she is throwing threats at Jo, ‘I’ll give you such a bloody good hiding in a minute†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Then Helen knows that she was right and told Jo not to get married at such an early age but gets into a mess none the less. Helen then says that she didn’t come to argue but actually came to give money but Jo doesn’t want it even when she needs it not from her mother anyway. Helen does care about her daughter but doesn’t show it although she does show it more then Jo, ‘Look at your arms. They’re like a couple of stalks!’ she doesn’t want her daughter to be unhealthy. When Peter enters, the mood changes everyone is concentrating on him and want him out of the room. It is obvious that Peter is not in love with Helen and it maybe that she is not in love with Peter it might be that she only married him for his money. When Drunken Peter enters he insults the other three, when he sees that Helen is giving his money away he is angry with Helen, ‘Giving my money away again?’ Peter then takes his money back from Helen and therefore contradicting Helens offer of a home to Jo. When Peter leaves he calls Helen to com with her but she says no. Helen is unsure of her choice so asks Jo if she should stay with her and Jo replies no. I can see that Helen was unsure to make her decision and when she ask Jo and she said no she yelled out yes to Peter. When Peter asked Helen if she’s coming she replied no, however, Peter still insists that Helen come with her. I think that even when he has lost interest in Helen he doesn’t want to let her go, this is just like him and his money. Helen’s last act of affection is shown, she tells Geof to make sure that she goes to the clinic regularly. As soon as Helen leaves the mood has changed, it is back to that ‘jokey’ mood with Jo and Geof. This is shown when Geof says that at least Helen left her some money but Jo says that Peter took it back but she has a cigarette for him. Geof replies, ‘Oh, smashing†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ I have noted that their moods change and they are back to their original state. This scene is one of the most relevant scenes in the whole play; it shows the relationship between Jo and Geof from when it first started to when they have a strong bond. It also is the first scene with homosexuality init so this is very appealing to the audience. It also is the scene when Helen finds out that Jo is pregnant and is therefore quite dramatic. This scene is very significant to the play as without this the scene it would not be as effective.

Abortion and Unborn Child Essay

For many years when you heard the word abortion people would have plenty to say. Everyone has an opinion when it comes to abortions and how they affect women and men. Mitt Romney who is one of our former presidential candidates has very interesting views about abortion. Many people will agree with how Mitt Romney wanted to handle abortion if he won office. Romney was brought up in a Mormon house hold and in this religion abortion is a forbidden word. Abortion should be illegal and should be frown upon like murder in America. Abortion is a medical procedure that requires a licensed professional to perform under doctor and nursing care. This procedure is abuse to the mother and the unborn child it consisted of salt poisoning, a partial birth, dilation and evacuation of embryo. According to (Romney2011) he made several comments in his campaign about how he is a big supporter of the reversal of Roe vs Wade. The Roe vs Wade was a controversial case this was history in the making. Before 1973 abortions were illegal. Abortions are looked at as killing a life that did not have a choice. Romney is an advocate and big supporter of the unborn child protection act. He opposes abortion except in rape, incest, and if the mother’s life is in danger. See more:  The Story of an Hour Literary Analysis Essay Some people have used the word genocide to describe abortion in the early 1900’s which means killing off a species of any decent. Abortions should be out lawed in the U. S. and should have strict punishment for anyone who chooses to break this law. Women are seeking for affordable ways to receive an abortion procedure and run into all kinds of problems which may cause you can bleed to death. According to Guttmacher Institute about 41 million legal abortions take place worldwide each year and about 48% of those abortions are illegal. In 1988 the abortion pill was introduced to France. Both types of abortions surgical or medical can have physical side effects such as nausea, stomach cramps, bleeding, and some mental or emotional problems. Health problems can occur even with a license doctor there are still many things that can go wrong. There are reports of women who had a legal abortion procedure and died. Some women have had the procedure and never been able to get pregnant or carry a baby to full term due to problems caused from having an abortion. This is a big concern for America when women are dying on the table after having an out- patient surgery performed. Abortions affect everybody not just the women who carry’s the child. Men play a role in the conception but are not asked what their opinion is on what will happen. Men should have a choice too, they have feelings but we often don’t take them into consideration. The women may want to have an abortion due to money problems or not stable enough to handle a child at the moment. The men should be allowed to have some right to where if they are stable enough they will have a choice to raise the child. We have single mother’s and father’s in our country in all different races and religion. I have seen men turn their life around due to having children some men will say having a child saved their life. Some people believe that a unborn child has the right to live weather the life they choose will be a good life or not. People will say that the fetus right to live comes before the mother’s right to choose. One view that made really good sense was if the government keep giving the women an option or a way out then extinction and poverty will be sure to come. If we make abortions illegal then America will think before they act. Women and men won’t be so quick to have unprotected sex which can result in a child being conceived. Women will resort to other ways to protect themselves like using condoms or birth control options to ensure they don’t have a pregnancy. The use of birth control lowers the likelihood of abortions by 85%. We can educate people better about the other options they may choose instead of abortion. Adoption is a good idea with adoption your child can be born an given a fair chance at life to a family that may not be able to have children. Abortions should be illegal due to the lack of facts about is the fetus really a life or a mother’s choice. Congress need to come together and make a law about the abortions in our country. Being a activist can be a good way to spread the message about pro-life choices. An activist sometimes carry a bad rep because in the past some activist routinely threatened clinic workers and some even stalked the families or damaged their property and pets. Many pro-lifers will use the bible as a tool to get the message across about abortions being wrong. The bible do state that to do away with a life in anyway is a sin. (â€Å" We need to protect our future generations and legal abortion is the unlimited right to the private use of lethal force against innocent human beings. †) Boyle,M 1997. The late-term abortions are just too horrible to imagine this consist of the fetus being in second or third trimester or and having a live birth then killing off fetus when it is extracted from the mother. This is murder to many people when you are stopping a life from becoming a human being. A website that will give you a good view on what abortions really are is called Nuremberg Files. This website aims to make us visualize the criminal nature of abortion it makes the pro-life activist point out how the fetus is the victims. By allowing abortions to be legal make us question other laws like self defense law or the right to bear arms. Some laws are put in place to help protect or regulate a law that is already put in place. Abortion is another word for murder we can’t expect the world to be a better place if we allow such decisions to be made by a woman who want to terminate a fetus just because of her own selfish reasons. Men should have the same rights to a fetus they played a part in creating. A woman should have the right to choose to be safe and protect herself from harm but we cannot give her the right to abort a unborn child that did not ask to be here children, fetus, and embryos should have the right to live.

Homer Adolph Plessy v Ferguson

In 1890, the State of Louisiana passed Act 111 that required separate accommodations for African Americans and Whites on railroads, including separate railway cars, though it specified that the accommodations must be kept â€Å"equal†. On any other day in 1892, Plessy with his pale skin color could have ridden in the car restricted to white passengers without notice. He was classified â€Å"7/8 white† or octoroon according to the language of the time. Although it is often interpreted as Plessy had only one great grandmother of African descent, both of his parents are identified as free persons of color on his birth certificate. The racial categorization is based on appearance rather than genealogy. Hoping to strike down segregation laws, the Citizens' Committee of New Orleans (Comite des Citoyens) recruited Plessy to violate Louisiana's 1890 separate-car law. To pose a clear test, the Citizens' Committee gave advance notice of Plessy's intent to the railroad, which had opposed the law because it required adding more cars to its trains. On June 7, 1892, Plessy bought a first-class ticket for the commuter train that ran to Covington, sat down in the car for white riders only and the conductor asked whether he was a colored man. The committee also hired a private detective with arrest powers to take Plessy off the train at Press and Royal streets, to ensure that he was charged with violating the state's separate-car law. In his case, Homer Adolph Plessy v. The State of Louisiana, Plessy argued that the state law which required East Louisiana Railroad to segregate trains had denied him his rights under the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. However, the judge presiding over his case, John Howard Ferguson, ruled that Louisiana had the right to regulate railroad companies as long as they operated within state boundaries. Plessy sought a writ of prohibition. The Committee of Citizens took Plessy's appeal to the Supreme Court of Louisiana, where he again found an unreceptive ear, as the state Supreme Court upheld Judge Ferguson's ruling. Undaunted, the Committee appealed to the United States Supreme Court in 1896. Two legal briefs were submitted on Plessy's behalf. One was signed by Albion W. Tourgee and James C. Walker and the other by Samuel F. Phillips and his legal partner F. D. McKenney. Oral arguments were held before the Supreme Court on April 13, 1896. Tourgee and Phillips appeared in the courtroom to speak on behalf of Plessy. It would become one of the most famous decisions in American history because, for the first time, it established that state-mandated racial segregation was protected by federal law. Arrested, tried and convicted of a violation of one of Louisiana's racial segregation laws, he appealed through Louisiana state courts to the U. S. Supreme Court, and lost. The resulting â€Å"separate-but-equal† decision against him had wide consequences for civil rights in the United States. The decision legalized state-mandated segregation anywhere in the United States, as long as the facilities provided for both blacks and whites were putatively â€Å"equal†. In a 7 to 1 decision handed down on May 18, 1896, (Justice David Josiah Brewer did not participate) the Court rejected Plessy's arguments based on the Fourteenth Amendment, seeing no way in which the Louisiana statute violated it. In addition, the majority of the Court rejected the view that the Louisiana law implied any inferiority of blacks, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. Instead, it contended that the law separated the two races as a matter of public policy.

Prodigal Summer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prodigal Summer - Essay Example Since, there is no clear answer to love many would wonder why one would choose estrangement over love, and empathy. Many psychologists, sociologists, and psychiatrists think that love, and empathy are two different things. Many psychologists, sociologist, and psychiatrists think that love developed from empathy (Allot, 1). Because love developed from empathy many think that empathy developed from the mother, and child bond. When there is no empathy as an infant, and young child as the child grows older than the child will develop an estrangement to love (Allot, 1). When one develops an estrangement in life as an adult it is not necessarily then because there was no empathy at all between mother, and child. However, the mother may have developed problems in the mother’s own life. The mother may have developed a drug, or alcohol addiction (Allot, 1). Oftentimes when a mother tries to love the child, and the child is in an environment and there is a drug, or alcohol addiction the child may begin to resist the love from the mother. The child may begin to grow old, and begin to do follow-up a false sense of what love is. When children grow up and develop a false sense of what love is the child may become addicted to drugs, alcohol, or even sex. Since, children learn love from the mother, the father, and other important figures in the child’s life than estrangement, cannot be it a choice. When estrangement is not necessarily a choice the child, who grew into an adult and became estranged from life should it receive empathy from those around. However, someone like this who has an estrangement from life would not necessarily receive empathy from those around. When the child grows into young adulthood and develops a estrangement from life the child may develop in addiction of alcohol, drugs, or sex. Many young adults, and adults who have an estrangement will develop an addiction to alcohol, drug, or sex addiction because the addiction is a replacement for the empathy, and love this is child has never received. The young adult who develops an addiction to sex is sometimes associates sex as a form of love, instead of associating sex as part of a loving, and meaningful relationship. Studies have found that love can be very positive for a person. When a person finds love a person will develop a deeper understanding of those around the person. Developing a deeper understanding of those around is part of a deeper understanding of empathy. When a person has no empathy, and love in life the person cannot understand the emotions of anyone else. Many psychologists, sociologists, and psychiatrists in the past want to know about love and if love is just something that merely happens. Many who study love want to know if love is just a mistake, and if those who do find love were nearly in the right place, at the right time. However, after studying animals in the wild, and seeing how animals react to their own young has given psychologists, sociolo gists, and psychiatrists a deeper understanding of why some people find love, and others do not. Animals in the wild give their young empathy. So in conclusion of studying animals many psychiatrists, sociologist, and psychologists have come to the conclusion that love is not something that just happens. Love is not just something that happens because love is something one learns. Love is taught in infancy. Just like the animals with their young who the young animals

Enterprise and Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Enterprise and Innovation - Essay Example We can categorize age structure as per preferences of the population in a particular age group. Thus we can have the various sub-groups as – 15 to 19, 20 to 29, 30 to 49 and 50 and above. We can safely assume that people falling in these sub-categories of age groups will have more or less similar preferences and hence we can target our products as per these 5 segments. An important point to note is that the population in the segments 15 to 19 and 50 and above will have more leisure time as compared to the other two which fall in working age group. These segments will have more time during the week-ends. Looking at the timings of the games, we have 3 week-ends between 27th July and 12th August 2012 (the period scheduled for the games). Thus, we can introduce products as per following plan: Based on the tastes of the various age group segments different flavors have been introduced. People in the age group of 15 to 19 would prefer the flavors mentioned above. People above 50 years tend to get digestive problems and hence the products mentioned for their category will appeal to them. 20 to 29 years age people are more experimental and nor very money conscious. Hence, new flavors not introduced so far will appeal to them. And finally people in the age group of 30 to 49 are generally more health conscious and hence would prefer fruit based drinks which do not have the ills of carbonated drinks and at the same time will also be healthy. The Price elasticity of Demand (PeD) determines how sensitive the demand for a product is to changes in prices. We will look at the general factors impacting all products as well as factors that are specifically impacting Coca-Cola at Olympics. 1. Substitute availability: Coca-Cola has direct competition with its substitute – Pepsi. Both are similar in taste and thus have very high PeD. Moreover in UK Coke has a direct rival Robins. This

Inflation returns to Euro zone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Inflation returns to Euro zone - Essay Example One of the main indicators of the inflation pressure is the producer prices. The reason is that unless these prices are absorbed by retailers using profit margins which then translate to consumer prices. Thus, other the bond buying program that had been introduced by European Central Bank in March, other measures undertaken to boost the economy of Euro zone is cutting down main interest rate and the deposit rate. However, it is still too early to stay in the comfort zone about this issue. It is still early to indicate the trajectory of the future policy since inflation will continue depending on the prices of oil. This is considering the weak euro area growth. Firstly, the dynamics of the oil prices continue to drive much of the inflation in 2015 mostly in the short term. In addition, despite the rise in May’s core inflation, more of the general momentum of inflation is likely to remain muted against an overall of still domestic demand of the euro area together with the capac ity in the labor market. Considering that most of the policy maker (Morris 1) spent most of 2014 fearing the worsening of deflation, then the worry is that if the prices are entrenched, then the consumers and other businesses are likely to delay their purchases. Thus, there are unlikely dips into the level of deflation with oil prices diluting the risks of deflation. The overall weakness of the euro and the improved economic activity of the euro zone are other important factors in diluting the risk of deflation.

Theories of motivation in competitive sport Research Paper

Theories of motivation in competitive sport - Research Paper Example Psychology has different take on motivation. According to Sage (1977), motivation is defined as â€Å"direction and intensity of one’s effort† (Weinberg & Gould 52). For example, a person can be said to be motivated when he seeks out or approaches those resources which help him to improve his skills to perform a particular activity (Weinberg & Gould 52). His effort to seek different methods of improvement shows that he is ‘directing’ his effort with certain aim in mind. The intensity of effort refers to the amount of hard work and sincerity a person puts in his effort to achieve a particular goal or to perform a particular action (Weinberg & Gould 52). The intensity with which a person makes efforts to achieve a certain goal shows his level of motivation to achieve a particular skill or reach a particular goal. Hence, the direction and the intensity of human being’s effort show how much he is motivated to do a particular action. Similarly, the performance of a player in competitive sports depends on his motivation level. According to researchers Ryan and Deci ( 2000), all the aspects of human activity and intents like energy, direction, intensity and persistence are driven by motivation (Walker et al. 5). Without motivation, it is highly impossible for a sportsperson to perform in a competitive sport. Participating in a competitive sport needs a player to have high level of physical energy, discipline, determination, consistency, stamina etc. Without motivation, no human being can put in such an intense effort in performance. All the â€Å"biological, cognitive and social† regulations that an athlete follows are driven by his motivation to succeed in competitive sport (Walker et al. 5). Hence, motivation is considered the most important aspect of performance in competitive sports. In most of the activities, the reward for the performance is very obvious.

Economic and Political Situation in a Developing Country (India) Essay

Economic and Political Situation in a Developing Country (India) - Essay Example The research paper Economic and Political Situation in India discusses the Foreign Trade Policy of the country and Indian economy’s resiliency. India's economic growth and foreign trade has taken new dimensions in recent years and it has expanded considerably. Looking at the huge population base of India, this is indeed a good sign for the country and the world economy. For last several years, India’s GDP is growing at the average rate of more than 7 percent; however in order to maintain high economic growth rate and a recognition in the International arena, India needs to continue with high-powered performance in foreign trade. India's major policy initiatives began in July 1991, which catapulted the country in the high growth rate trajectory. The reforms undertaken were responsible for high export growth rates in the last few years. International trade is likely to become a major stronghold of the Indian economy if the country continues with more reforms in years to c ome. An independent monetary system is essential for a country to manage macroeconomic factors and for the smooth economic growth of the country. In this perspective, it is pertinent to study the monetary system of India. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the central bank, has money management policy in the form of regulating base interest rates and making changes in Cash Reserve Ratio. Objective is to contain inflation rate and liquidity in the market to stabilize macro economy of the country. Besides, RBI also announces a credit policy every quarter.

What are the two principle demands for artefact in Italy between 1300 Essay

What are the two principle demands for artefact in Italy between 1300 and 1600 - Essay Example Between 1300-1600 years, Italy was influenced by economic and social changes which had a great impact on social values and traditions, tastes and preferences. The demand for art was caused by different factors including wealth accumulation and the role of religion in everyday life. The principle demands for artifacts in Italy were increasing role of religion and church in life of citizens and new consumption patterns caused by accumulation of wealth and financial prosperity.The demand for a religious art was caused by increasing role of church and religion in life of the state. The supreme task of church art was to serve the liturgy. Hence church art was determined by a particular purpose. The building and furnishing of the House of God were subordinate to that purpose. This subordination was the very reverse of a restriction or hampering of creative power. It was not so much a matter of subordination as of integration into the great reality of God's dealings with man. Images in chur ch were meant to be at the service of the preaching of the faith. This immensely high task required the artist to submit his creative action to the judgment of the word of God. His uncontrolled subjectivity and creative fantasy had to be disciplined by faith. Since he was being called to be a witness to the truth through his work, he did not regard it as a restriction of his freedom when the Church exercised her pastoral office and refused to have images inside the church which contradicted truths of faith. This ordinance was not concerned with aesthetic questions of style and form. In these, so long as no offense was offered to the dignity and holiness of the faith, the artist was free. The Church's preaching, whose task was to declare and explain it, had to conform to this same order. Hence it had to be the measure of the making of images. No indifference could attach to the question of what was displayed in a church, nor to that of where the emphasis was placed in the choice of t hemes (Nanert, 2006). In Italy, literary texts were essential for understanding the devotional trends, and the art of the era was likewise a rich source of information. This was particularly true of panel painting, in which the artist was free to incorporate a wide variety of primary and secondary motifs. The painting of the fifteenth century, for example, was well known for its elaborate symbolism: not only conventional details such as saints' attributes but also specific vestments worn by angels could hold symbolic value (Nanert, 2006). The painter of an annunciation scene, for example, could draw upon several kinds of symbolic and expressive vocabulary: nuances of emotion might be conveyed in the Virgin's facial expression and posture; the painter might suggest linkage between the Old and New Testaments by showing Mary with a Bible open to a prophetic text; an anachronistic portrait of Jesus might hang on the wall behind his mother-to-be; Trinitarian theology could be expressed by showing the Father ho vering above the scene, while the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove winged its way from the Father to the Virgin along a beam of celestial light; and the artist might use flowers, candles, and other objects for their established symbolic value. "Liturgical utensils, accessories, and furnishings constituted a distinct category of these goods that satisfied a steady demand generated by religious needs, and Italian products enjoyed great success in markets abroad" (Goldthwaite 1995,p. 9). Panel painting was increasingly used to represent narrative scenes as well as static portraits (or icons): scenes from the life of Christ, the legend of the Virgin, and legends of the saints were favorite narrative motifs. The accumulation of symbolic, iconic, and narrative elements reached its fullest development as individual

Improve nursing leadership project Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Improve nursing leadership project - Article Example The work that they do will have to benefit the user and from that, they will gain respect. To achieve this vision, a sole responsibility of leadership that follows policies, philosophy, priorities, and power relationship of the health centers has to be practiced effectively. All leadership at the varying levels will be utilized in the process. Being a leader in the nursing field means your primary drive is the process of change to your staff. The nurses will experience new changes, and the changes need to be absorbed by the skilled staff as they are implemented within a time frame of 5 weeks. From this move, a challenge will arise because some members are not programmed to change and will take place 2 hours daily and three days of the working week. Because of this rigidness, the new employees will have a mentality that the skills got from school will be directed to the workplace, and their performance will reduce. Those who begin and adopt the change will be rewarded to encourage the

Amazon.coms Business Model Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Amazon.coms Business Model - Research Paper Example As a result of stiff competition in business, the company has devised a new mechanism that aims at cushioning itself from the current inflation and economic recession by engaging in other business such as selling electronic devices, toys, food and music. The company also offers shipping transport to other airlines thus maximizing its profits from all the sectors. The success and economic growth of Amazon Company are grounded on the following principles that are customer oriented: convenience, pricing and selection. From the Swot analysis approach, it has been established that combining these three factors improves the company’s image by developing loyalty, trust and commitment to customers. This is one of the strategies that have been used by Amazon Company to lay off most of its competitors as it enhances high productivity and efficiency in the Company. Part 1.A: Pros of Amazon.com The prosperity and economic growth of Amazon organization is grounded on the following advantag es: Leverage of economies of scale: The company has greatly utilised the availability of fixed assets that are related to distribution and storage of goods by offering shipping services. Through the interaction of many customers the company markets its products thus expanding its market share to other regions of the world. Expansion of the market share: For any company to prosper in the business arena, it should develop strategy plans that aim at distributing its goods and services at the lowest cost. With the advancement of science and technology coupled with the easy access to internet, the company has in the recent time launched a new website. In this website the company has managed to display more goods and services that its offers to consumers thus increasing its sales volume. Localization of goods and services: From the past experiences, the company has realized that most consumers lacked some of the related goods that the company availed in their shelves, hence compelling cus tomers to shop them elsewhere. In order to counteract such effect, Amazon Company has increased the brands of goods by ensuring that there is one-stop shopping centre. Customers are now in a position to buy all their goods from one main location. Provision of availing other related goods: This idea aims at taking into account the needs and preferences of all the customers on the purchased goods. For instance, if a consumer has bought a book and he has eyesight problems, the company should be in a position to sell reading glasses to that customer rather than sending him to other shops. This idea has also improved the company’s image globally in the sense that it consumers are allowed to make orders based on their personal interests and preference. Implementation of effective marketing strategy: Marketing is a crucial facet in an organizational operation because it allows the company to realize the efforts made from the production system. It connects the organizational goals an d objectives with the needs of the customers as stipulated in the market domain. Amazon Company adopted the strategy of market segmentation which allows flexibility in product distribution. Based on the demand and population density, the company produces goods that are specifically meant for a certain portion of the population hence satisfying the needs of consumers. Part 1.B: Cons faced by Amazon Company The journey to the Company’s success has not been smooth without the challenges and drawback as highlighted below. Stiff competition from other companies: The world of business can be compared to a battle field where the mighty survive while the weaklings perish. Consequently, well established organizations have a high chance of

Informative Paper Essay Example for Free

Informative Paper Essay Introduction I. Attention-Grabbing introduction: Staple center, Los Angeles, California. Friday November, 4th 2013 1:24PM The Championship match. After a weekend full of ups and downs, twist and turns it all comes to this. 1 week earlier, the previous Friday thousands have flown down to the heart of it all. Crowded around the event hall doors, people everywhere, spectators itching to get the best seats. Players going over in game builds, timings, and strategies just one more time until the doors finally open. 8 teams of 5 players to a team were seated into the week long tournament and now only two remain. Royal Club and SK Telecom are season veterans of League of Legends and now they sit on opposite ends on top of the world championship main stage. Ready to compete head to head for the grand prize of 1 million dollars in front of 1000s right there in Los Angeles and millions watching from all around the world. II. Topic: These millions from around the world have emitted their love for gaming into a hugely popular phenomena known as Electronic sports or better known as of E-Sports. Viewership has seen explosive growth in 2013 and is still growing with no sign of deterrence. Now with the integration of technology into our culture a new type of athlete has risen. One that doesn’t achieve victory heavily based on the bronze that is armed but with the critical thinking and reflex of the mind. An outsider might find this such a concept laughable but these pro gamers are far from any negative stereotypes you may have. III. Ethos Audience Adaptation: My name is Jonathon Allen and I have been a fan and member of the E-Sports community for nearly a decade. I have had opportunities to play professionally at the MLG North American Regionals in Columbus and New York  in 2012 which I have placed 2nd and 3rd in out of 30 teams. Over the years I have also conducting extensive research on E-Sports ranging from players and teams to the technology side of running and mending events in the industry. E-Sports can be a lot to digest for someone looking in for the first time so I’ll explain exactly what and how big E-Sports really is including the potential E-Sports has to expand and grow. Before we go any further I’d like to present this video to visually show you exactly what E-Sports is and most importantly what it feels like. Visual Aid! Body I.This is E-Sports, competition at its finest. Players competing for cash prizes ranging from thousands to millions. Top players make 6 figure incomes and are even sponsored by big corporations such as Monster, Intel, Redbull, Asus, and Kingston. Pro gamers are locked into head to head combat in games like League of Legends. A DOTA-MMO style game that’s played as a team of 5 people VS 5 people. The object of the game is strategizing on how to win by taking the enemies base while leveling up and generating gold. Most games usually last around 40 minutes. II.You may ask; why would someone watch someone else play a video game? That’s simple; the excitement from watching others play video games stands as the same excitement we get from watching other athletes perform at sports such as football. T.J. Heffer from PC gamer Magazine states â€Å"What makes any competition interesting is watching very skilled individuals struggle for victory in a setting where the outcome is uncertain and the moment to moment back and forth keeps you on your toes.† Heffer continuous â€Å"Rather or not you want to call them sports they showcase people with amazing critical thinking, planning, and decision making skills and frankly inhuman reflexes as well. The level of professional level in a game lie League of Legends is mind boggling.† Professional gamers put their heart and soul into the game. They have drive, passion, hard work and dedication just like any professional athlete you can think of. III.As I’m assuming E-Sports may be alien to many of you but in nations like South Korea games such as StarCraft have already become something of a national sport. Paul Tassi of Forbs Magazine said â€Å"Overseas, top players are treated like professional Athletes.† Though South Korea has become atoned to the notion of playing games professionally North America believe it or not is where the biggest interest for pro gaming lies. In North American E-Sports, leagues and organizations have risen and grown in the past 3 years. In of these leagues the biggest E-Sports organization is Major League Gaming or MLG. Founded in 2002 Major League Gaming features numerous tournaments in a year where various gamers fly out to major cities across the US like Columbus to compete. In MLG’s Annual Viewership Report for the 2013 season they reported 15 million unique viewers tuned into watch online during the 2013 season. As those 15 million viewers tuned in last year it’s clear that E-Sports has already landed a very stable footing into the hearts of Americans across the United States. But perhaps even more thrilling and exciting is the growth that E-Sports has already shown. Between 2010 – 2013 MLG has seen a 733% growth in viewership from 1.8 million to 15 Million. Comparing that to the NFLS record growth of 18% in the past 3 years that’s 715% more than the NFL. Let’s not down play the viewership of the NFL which has recorded a record of 28.1 Million viewers for their 2013 – 2014 season. But you start to understand thus to how much potential E-Sports has when MLG a company that’s only been around for 11 years has acquired a viewership of 15 million. Just a little above half of the NFLS record viewer count 28.1 an organization that has been around for nearly a 100 years. Conclusion With these statistics of expansion and with how overseas treats E-Sports like a national sport and with pro gamers possessing the same set of virtues that any professional athlete has along the millions around the globe that  already are a part of the community only drives E-Sports. It’s not really a question of is it, it’s really a question of when! When asked about where he sees E-Sports going and what to expect of the industry. MLG Co-Founder Sundance DiGiovanni in a position that puts him at the hell of the entire E-Sports industry told Forbs Magazine in 2012 â€Å"that in 5 years he expects E-Sports to be a globally recognized phenomena. A truly established global sport.†

Learning in mathematics and science

Learning in mathematics and science Rationale A cross curricular resource box designed to develop childrens understanding of scientific and mathematical concepts, through The Rainbow Fish theme has been produced. The box contains activities for Reception children exploring counting in Mathematics and material and properties in Science. This rationale explains how activities based from the rainbow fish provide conceptual learning in Maths and Science. Counting is important in providing a foundation for Mathematics. Children will always experience situations where counting skills are vital. The National Curriculum states, counting helps develop skills applicable in everyday life and context. Using the Primary Numeracy Strategy (2006, online) using mathematical methods and ideas to solve practical problems and identifying numbers that are one more or less than a given number are mentioned in EYFS (2007,online) and developed throughout childrens schooling experience (5B,4B,2B,1E) Anghileri (2001, p.6) says counting is learnt suddenly. Children may spontaneously learn counting because they should be experiencing counting in different contexts: cross curricular, play etc. Anghileri (2001) assumes the above occurs because children are making links through context. Yet this is a generalisation, children are different and may need reinforcement or interaction, to firstly understand how they are learning, which then allows making links. Both Askew and Wiliam (1995, p.5) declare learning to count as mechanical. Askew and Wiliams proposition lacks clarity as to how and why counting is mechanical and what the implications are towards childrens learning. One cannot say children feel and experience this. From experience, I applied Anghileris theory. Counting was placed into contexts: songs and games etc, allowing activities to be seen informal. Childrens understanding of counting developed because principles and understanding came naturally. Science creates opportunities for children to understand the world through play and exploration, using their senses. Although it is classified as Knowledge and Understanding of the World, skills (questions, describing, predicting, sorting, investigating) and attitudes develop (Ward 2005, p.9). Identifying and understanding properties of different materials encourages children to question and become aware of their surroundings. Through EYFS requirements Investigate materials through use of appropriate senses, materials encourages children to develop a simple KS1 level of understanding SC1 2a,b,e,f,g,i,j,   SC3: 1a,b,c, 2a (QCA 1999, online). An implication of scientific learning is that of misconceptions, such as distinguishing between materials, to the object made from the material. Guest (2003,pp.2-6) argues that children may develop Paigets (2005) constructivist approach towards scientific learning (Smith 2005, p.459). Children may construct their own understanding through their own experiences. Henceforth there are no set principles towards teaching material, other than creating strategies to elicit childrens understanding and misconceptions to then extend. Below explains how the box could be used (see appendix too). Activity one allows mixed ability pairs of children to play a board game, using a 1-6 dice. Instructions should be read with children. Children add or remove scales(Extension: +/-3) from their fish, depending on the position landed on the board. The child with the most scales left at the end of the game wins. This develops their counting skills to ten. Number scales and plastic fish can be used as an aid for counting Activity two involves children using a fishing rod to catch fish, therefore developing their hand eye co-ordination. The fish contain single numbers from 1-10. Children keep the fish if they correctly answer questions from the teacher: What is one more than 6, one less than 3etc? If incorrect, the answer is modelled, and the fish go back into the pond. Teachers can change the questions around for children who need extension such as, What is 3 more or less than 5?  Ã‚   Activity three helps children identify and describe properties of material (plastic, paper, wood, velvet, playdough and wool). Children independently group these using sorting rings. Questions can be asked: Why have you put velvet and plastic here..Children then group the materials into five properties. I chose transparency, stretchiness, squishiness, softness and hardness. Explain and allow children to test out materials and their properties before grouping. Can we see through plastic? As an investigative game with the teacher, in turn children (mixed ability groups4) are to feel fish in a feely box, made from material used in the previous activity. A child feels a fish(using sight and touch senses) and responds to questions other children ask(based on first- hand experience activity) to conclude what material the fish are made from- The material is soft As an aid to investigate what material the fishes are made from, raw material would be displayed for visualisation and for children to test when they receive responses to their questions. Principles must be considered when teaching and learning about counting and materials. For Maths, in more or less counting, consideration has to be given to one-one, where children need to understand that each items has a name and is counted once. Then stable order, where children need to understand that the order of numbers must stay consistent when counting, followed by the third principle, cardinal where children state the total number of items. The fourth principle is, abstraction where children need to understand that all items are counted despite their different properties. The fifth principle, order irrelevance demonstrates that items can be counted in any order (Thompson, 1997, p.35-37). Teaching the concepts for counting and materials can now be used. Relating counting (one more or less) to addition and subtraction, and materials and their properties to scientific inquiry, may reflect EYFS principles. The activities provide children the opportunity to make connections through using practical apparatus (e.g. material fish/fish with numbers). HMI emphasise that learning depends on ones ability to recognise relationships between concepts (Koshy 1999, p.17). As activity one should allow children to make connections independently, as it is student led. Yet it is difficult to say whether children could make links between concepts as there is no guidance or questioning to stimulate thinking and association. William reports (2008) in child led activities, children need time and space to discover mathematical ideas and concepts. If time and independent exploration is provided, links may eventually be made (Williams 2008, p.60). In activity two and first part of three, Harlen (1993) concludes, questions should enable response and inquiry from children, How can we work out what two more than eight is? Why have you grouped the wood with plastic? Such responses may enable misconceptions to surface, which should structure initial starting points to build concepts, (1993, p.83) as interaction and formative assessment are demonstrated (Black and Wiliam2001, pp.2-14).   Class ethos may develop, as assessment for learning is undertaken directly with children, allowing more time for interaction and observation rather than typical assessment requirements, e.g. collecting work. Though appealing, Harlen (1993 p.83) and Westwood (2000,p.51) suggest language used in questions could affect childrens understanding. Language may produce open/closed questions, which creates false observation and assessment, because the way questions are constructed determines whether children are asked how can we find two more than eight..?, or we solve it by As there is a strong relationship between the importance of language in learning, one could portray Harlen and Westwoods view as an opinion, as neither provide statistics and further evidence to prove how language use in questions demotes learning. From experience, my questions helped children reflect and achieve objectives, but I didnt consider whether the language I used in my questions easily allowed children to achieve objectives, as I may have given them the answer through my questions to figure this out, we need to add Drawing upon Harlen and Westwoods principles, a reflective and evaluative approach to questioning should be adopted. Practioneer can identify and evaluate how their language is used within questions, and consider improvements needed to allow children to think through an approach, highlighting Brunels (1976) child led approach towards constructive thinking and learning (Smith 2003, p.405). Williams and Vygotsky (1962,p.405) deem discussion as encouragement towards childrens   conceptual learning. Activity one allows children to work together as they are in charge of the situation. Exploratory talk develops childrens teambuilding and communication skills as children rephrase and correct each other. Positive relationships form and children learn together. A point to consider is that Williams and Vygotsky may be biased, they are using words (rephrase/correct) that favour children working together. Children are unique some may be shy or do not like helping each other, therefore wont rephrase or correct each other. The gap in this evidence could make us question the reliability of Williams and Vygotsky view, as one could question what is happening to children who are not getting help from peers. Barnes (1976,pp.31) believes in activity one, children working independently may not do the activity due to lack of authority figures. Not all children get off task, thus a balance of when to leave and when to refocus children on the game must be considered, here children not receiving help, would. Williams states learning should be developed through childrens experiences of games and play (Williams 2008, p.36). An aspect of teaching in foundation settings is to encourage childrens learning through exploratory play. The second part of activity three should stimulate and promote understanding as children are clarifying, extending and reinforcing ideas (Oliver 2006,p.144). If she can stretch thisit will not be wood Olivers (2006) view is achieved through children conversing, especially to those in need of encouragement. Both Williams and Olivers view overcome inclusion barriers, as all children are involved in the game and are helping one another reach learning outcomes, allowing Vygotskys ZPD (2003, p.497) where peer-scaffolding can develop childrens ability to do a task. Children experience Froebels (1906,p.229) theory of successful learning because learning is influenced through play than rote learning approaches. As a result, supporting Waite (2006,p.12), play may allow children to fit into class and may explain the importance of personal and social learning (Wood 2001,p.12) rather than support towards self-actualisation (Maslow 1987,p.12). Far from just learning, activity three allows children to have fun and embrace ECM (2009,online) enjoy and achieve through games and EYFS build concepts and skills through play outcomes (2007,online). Scotts (1985) physics games study reflects Williams and Olivers argument, as games provided opportunities for discussion and negotiation amongst girls and boys (Bentley 1989, p.127). One could query whether this condition took into consideration the communication amongst diverse children and the barriers to communication. Regarding secondary physics, questions could surface as to whether the results would apply for primary children, as from experience, secondary students like working co-operatively and many primary children like working independently. Investigations are used throughout the activities. Investigations in activity two and second part of three relate to problem solving, in that they are focused by a problem which requires childrens questions and explanations. Both VESP (1992,p.48) and Aksis (1998,pp.4-6) evaluate thinking and responding allows children to engage themselves within the activity and acquire interpreting, questioning, predicting and hypothesising skills to propose explanations and solutions. Yet VESP and Aksis falsely assume that all children acquire these skills. Both researchers views can be convincing if investigations create open learning situations rather than common didactic teaching methods (Bentley1989, p.82). However ASE (1998 p.6) attack the views of both researchers, as skills to be acquired through open learning situations are ignored, because emphasis is on planning and carrying out an investigations rather than evaluating the investigative process how did we come to our conclusion This could be due to difficulties in achieving timely involvement for pupils. ASE concluded Primary schools ask only half the class to carry out investigations. One could argue that we maybe going against ECM and EYFS principles of equal opportunities and participation for children. From experience, supporting ASE, children not involved in investigations have their inherent capabilities disregarded. Activity two and three is not didactic, allows all children to participate regardless to class timing as every child has the right to learn. If not, we are removing childrens potential learning style and forcing them to do work which they may struggle with, but would not if they did the investigation. The activities may produce errors like, counting same spaces twice on the board, difficulty identifying random numbers and counting to/from a number. However Hansen (2005) and Smith (1997) state, these are common errors children make when learning to count. In future, reinforcement must be given to counting principles (Bruce 2005, pp.25). To conclude, I have given explanations to how and why these activities can be carried out, with consideration to issues one should be aware too. Stating how these issues maybe overcome are potential starters. I have realised that interaction and discussion are key to childrens learning, and must be in daily lessons. Children will engage in the activities as they are fun, motivating and creative. Children would share and take turns in throwing the dice and catching fish, as well as talk and share with each other what material the fish are made from. By interaction and observation with children, one can identify childrens understanding of material and counting. As Vygotsky states, children think and learn socially through experience, interaction and support (Smith et al, 2003, p.493). The activities enable children to experiment, make decisions, errors and correct themselves (Bruce 2005, p.64). References Anghileri, J. (2001) Principles and Practices in Arithmetic Teaching: Innovative approaches for the primary classroom. Buckingham: Open Press University Askew, M., William, D. (1995) Recent research in Mathematics education. London: HMSO Barnes, D. (1976) From Communication to Curriculum. Harmondsworth: Penguin Bentley, D., Watts, M. (1989) Learning and Teaching in school Science. Milton Keynes: Open Press University Black, P., Wiliam, D. (2001) Inside the black box. Raising standards through classroom assesment. London: Kings college London school of education Bruce, T. (2005) Early childhood education. 3rd edition. London:Hodder Arnold DfES. (2007) The Early Years Foundation Stage.[Online]. Available: http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs/taxonomy/33655/33694/0/46384 [12th October 2009] DfES (2009) Every Child Matters [Online]. Available: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ [6th October 2009] Evans,B. (2007) The rainbow fish maths game. [Online]. Available: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=3005392 [12 November 2009]. Froebel, F. (1906) The Education of Man. New York: Appleton Guest, G. (2003) Alternative frameworks for Primary Science.[Online]. Available: www.scitutors.org.uk//p4.1_6.0b_misconceptions_primary_science.doc [8th October 2009] Harlen, W. (1993) Teaching and Learning Primary Science.2nd Edition. London: Paul Chapman Koshy, V. Effective Teaching of Numeracy. For the National Mathematics Framework. London: Hodder and Stoughton Maslow (1987) Motivation and Personality, Cambridge, Harper and Row Oliver, A. (2006) Creative teaching science. In the early years and primary classroom. USA and Canada: David Fulton Primary National Strategy (2006) Primary framework for Mathematics: Learning objectives. [Online]. Available: http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/strands/34759/34265/110211 [6th November 2009] QCA (1999) National Curriculum Science KS1. [Online]. Available: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/science/keystage1/index.aspx?return=/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/index.aspx [26th October 2009] Smith, P., Cowie, H., Blades, M. (2003) Understanding Childrens Development. 4th Edition. England: Blackwell Publishing Sparklebox (2003) Numberlines. [Online]. Available: http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/md/counting/lines.html [6th November 2009] Thompson, I. 1997. Teaching and learning early number. Buckingham : Open University Press Vermont Elementary Science Project (1992) On the run reference guide to the nature of elementary science for the student. Vermont: Burlington Vygotsky, L. (1962) Thought and Language. Cambridge: MIT press Watson, R., Goldaworthy, A.,Robinson, V. (1998) ASE/Kings College Science Investigations in Schools [AKSIS] Project. QCA : London Waite, S., Carrington, V. And Passy, R. (2005) Final report: Evaluation of Excellence and Enjoyment: Learning and teaching in the primary years continuing professional development materials, report for Primary National Strategy Westwood, P. (2000) Numeracy and Learning difficulties. Approaches to teaching and assessment. Camberwell: Australian council for educational research

Lloyd Jones’ Mister Pip: An Analysis

Lloyd Jones’ Mister Pip: An Analysis The Role of Imagination in Lloyd Jones’  Mister Pip  and Its Analysis In Terms Of Reader-Oriented Criticism The imaginative and creative aspects of literature are essentials components of the word literature itself. Literature is the product of human being’s imagination and intellect so through literature we can live more than one life. Imagination can be expressed as a mental faculty which all people have and as an important principle in literary theory. Only imagination provides the possibility to take us to times, places and realities that we have not lived before.  Lloyd Jones’  Mister Pip  won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Best Book Award in 2007 and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Jones shows us that literature provides an escape from real life through imagination and it also allows entrance to another world escaping from oppressive political regimes in his novel  Mister Pip. In this essay,  Mister Pip  will be analyzed in terms of the role of imagination and reader – oriented criticism. The novel  Mister Pip  by Lloyd Jones is set in the early 1990s on Bougainville Island in the Ocean, in the middle of a civil war. There is a blockade around the island, and the majority of natives and non-natives have gone. The last white man on the island, Mr Watts, has stayed behind with his native wife and he decides to teach the children. The only thing he knows, is Charles Dickens’s  Great Expectations. He reads the novel to them and the children are greatly affected by it. When the children carry on the story to their parents, and soldiers and rebels invade the village, a misunderstanding due to the novel results in the destruction of the village. In  Mister Pip, we can realize that thanks to imagination an author and reader are able to deal with, judge, and enjoy literature. Literary works give the possibility of manifold inner experiences, because imagination enables the author to create and the reader to follow literary realities on different levels. According to Albert Einstein, â€Å"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.† In  Mister Pip, although Mr. Watts has the only textbook which is Dicken’s Great Expectations, he gives his students more than knowledge by showing the true way to reach their imagination. Besides, if we have looked at the Dictionary of Psychology, we actually understand what imagination is. It is â€Å"the reorganization of data derived from past experiences, with new relations, into present ideational experience.† In other words it’s the ability to take old datas with some new datas mixed in and make a picture in your mind. We can divide imagination into three basic types: Imitative imagination, creative imagination and literary imagination. Imitative imagination is apparently the mind’s reconstruction of the past. People use their brains to conceptualize something they have experienced and recreate it. In  Mister Pip, we can illustrate this imitative imagination that when the copy of  Great Expectations  which the only thing that the children have is stolen, the children are invited to recreate the text from the fragments they can remember. On the other hand, creative imagination involves mental imagery, which is based on past images or experiences to construct feelings or conditions that we have never experienced before. The island children discover the Great Expectations by means of Mr. Watts and for them the novel provides an imaginative escape route from their daily realities to a new friend for their adventures and confidences. Moreover, at the end of the novel, Matilda, the protagonist, comments on her life with these following sentences : People sometimes ask me â€Å"Why Dickens?† which I always take to be a gentle rebuke. I point to the one book that supplied me with another world at a time when it was desperately needed. It gave me a friend in Pip. It taught me you can slip under the skin of another just as easily as your own, even when that skin is white and belongs to a boy alive in Dickens’ England. Now if that isn’t an act of magic I don’t know what is. (Jones 199) She reveals her success in becoming a scholar and a Dickens expert and concludes her narrative by emphasizing the power of literature to offer escape and solace in the worst of times.  Great Expectations  has a long-lasting influence on her, and considering the novel as a whole, it is Dickens’ novel that prompts her to look back and write her life story. She also learns that â€Å"escape† can be achieved imaginatively, that one can furnish an alternative world in one’s own mind. Imagination also enables Matilda to learn that things could change and even a person can change into something because literature has a transformative power. Literature of significance says to us, â€Å"Change your life†. An intelligent voice appeals to our way of thinking and feeling and proposes a challenge. How does this affect the possibilities in your life? Steiner (142) remarks on the indiscretion of serious art; it invades our last privacies and exposes our unknown motives and belief. [] When we are emotionally engaged, our minds are more attentive and our opportunity for learning is heightened. Emotions code the information we are receiving and it enters more deeply into our awareness. When we are moved by what we read, we respond, either in thinking, discussions with others, or sometimes in writing our own stories. Our interpretation is a moral act. We find that our response to what is on the page is immediate, no matter how long ago the author laid down her words. With time and experience in reading, we form an intensity of sight, what we might call a literary intelligence.(Susan Barber, 2005) Based on the quotation above, we can grasp this idea that any author and reader can see the literary or possible world in reference to their personal realities by appealing to the imagination. Whether literature works best as an agent for social change or whether it is just entertainment, art is still able to delight us through contact with the author’s creativity and imagination. In addition, Lloyd Jones said in an interview that he chose to introduce it, rather than any other classic novel, because it would be â€Å"the perfect book [†¦] to position in a society that was broken down and [†¦] pulled apart by eternal strife and war. Here is [†¦] the role model, here is the possibil ity for you to think about your own life. You can reinvent yourselves† (Lloyd Jones Podcast) . In  Mister Pip, Matilda realizes that the characters of  Great Expectations  teach her to enter the soul of another, ultimately to imagine and the novel invites her to imagine another life and also Mr. Watts gives his students a friend: Pip and their imagination. At the beginning of the novel, Mr Watts promises that the children get acquainted with Mr Dickens, at the same time he opens up the classroom as a space of ambiguity, a place where he acknowledges differing opinions and the subjectivity of interpretation. He wants to show them that it is possible to change their lives because Pip did it and Mr. Watts did it, too. He intends to give the village children an alternative world to the one they live in: an imaginary world where everything is new and different, as opposed to their own world of constant fear. The children perceive  Great Expectations  with fascination and are open to the idea of the imagination. When the soldiers invade the island and are told that this new world is fictitious, they refuse to believe it because they are far away from this new world. The rebels, all of them teenagers, do not get to listen to  Great Expectations  but Mr. Watts tells them a made-up story about his life acting like Pip, a character of  Great Expectations  although it is fiction, they believe it to be a true story and are fascinated, reacting just like the village children initially reacted to  Great Expectations. All of them perceive it each in their own way. The world depicted in Mister Pip is one of Lloyd Jones’ imagination, because he has never been in Bougainville during the conflict. Moreover, Matilda’s imagination is so powerful that she believes her island will be saved and her life will change like Pip who is her childhood friend, however, when Matilda is a t the university, she reads  Great Expectations  once more but she interprets it quite differently.   Matilda temporarily reinvents herself, by starting a new life in Australia after leaving the island, but at the end of the novel she decides to return home. Her confronting the previous traumas will also be the subject matter of this article. Mr. Watts is somewhat similar to Pip, because he manages to move away from a situation he was unhappy in, and reinvent himself, just like Pip. However, his past continues to haunt him till his death. The novel affects people both positively and negatively. When the redskins have burnt down the village, Mr. Watts tries to comfort the children and himself by telling them that â€Å" we have all lost our possessions and many of us our homes, but these losses, severe though they may be, remind us of what no person can take, and that is our minds and our imaginations’’ (Jones 106). From this it is clear that fiction and the imagination work together to reinvent ourselves. In  Mister Pip,  Mr. Watts reads  Great Expectations  to his pupils in a different way and the characters in the novel understand it in a different way. A literary work can have more than one interpretation and each reader does not interpret in the same way. This is called reader-oriented criticism. According to the nineteenth-century essayist, novelist and literary critic Henry James, â€Å"this house represents the literary form-a story, a novel,a poem,or an essay-with each window being an individual reader’s distinct impression of that literary work†. Each person reads the same text but all will obtain different impression. Reader response criticism declares that the reader is just as much a producer of meaning as the text itself. Reader-response criticism began in the 1960s and 70s, particularly in America and Germany, in works byRoland Barthes, Norman Holland,Wolfgang Iser,Hans-Robert Jauss,Stanley Fish. Wolfang Iser, a German literary scholar, builds a reader oriented theory around the concepts of narrative. According to Iser’s gap theory and Rosenblatts’ transactional theory, no text can exist until either the reader or an interpretive community creates it and gaps mean the absent details and connections within a narrative that a reader must fill in or make up his or her own experiences. Iser also claims that â€Å"the reader is an active, essential player in the text’s interpretation, writing part of the text as the story is read and concretized and, indispensably, becoming its coauthor†. For Rosenblatts, â€Å"the text acts as a stimulus for eliciting various past experiences, thoughts and ideas from the reader, those found in both our everyday existence and in past reading e xperiences. Simultaneously, the text shapes the readers’ experiences by functioning as a blueprint, selecting, limiting and ordering those ideas that best conform to the text†. In this case,  Mister Pip  is an example novel which shows that a reader interprets the text in ways that reveal his or her identity and different readers produce different interpretations and even different texts. With this following quotation, we can openly comprehend that each reader should fill the gaps with his or her interpretation or imagination. Gist. This needed explaining. Mr. Watts put it this way.† If I say tree, I will think English oak, you will think palm tree. They are both trees. A palm and an oak both successfully describe what a tree is but they are different trees.† So this is what gist meant. We could fill in the gaps with our own worlds.(Jones 113) Based on the quotation above, we can realize that Mr. Watts teach to the children how to see and analyze something with their own eyes. An other important literary theorist, Norman Holland points out that the reader makes sense of the text by creating a meaningful unity out of its element. He also claims that if the facts of a text have satisfied the reader’s ego, the reader readily projects her or his fears and wishes onto it. For him, the text frees the reader to reexperience his or her self-defining fantasies and to hold their importance. For example, if we have deeply looked at the novel, we see that through its plot, characters, technical and stylistic preferences, it makes the reader reconsider roles of literature. In The Fictive and the Imaginary (1993), Iser argues that literature has lost the quality to lead and improve the reader because media and schools have imposed established beliefs and fixed thoughts so Iser suggests that fiction and imaginary provides breaking the boundaries and overcoming these fixed ideas. In this following quotation, we can see how fiction and imagination provide a psychological escape from thoughts of daily life in a novel. Mr Watts had given us kids another piece of world. I found I could go back to it as often as I liked. What’s more, I could pick up any moment in the story. No. I was hearing someone give an account of themselves and all that had happened. I was still discovering my favourite bits. Pip in the graveyard surrounded by the headstones of his dead parents and five dead brothers ranked high. We knew about death-we had seen all those babies burried up on the hillside. Me and Pip had something else in common ; I was eleven when my father left,so neither of us really knew our fathers.(25) Dickens’ novel changes the way Matilda perceives her life and her surroundings, lets her to draw parallels between Pip and herself, and provides her with another world to which she can escape. Additionally, literature has the potential to open up our minds, not only to what is but to what could be. Like Iser, Stanley Fish, a contemporary reader oriented critic, argues that meaning inheres in the reader, not the text and the text is tabula rasa and the reader determines the form and content of the text. His theory is radical and controversial. He states that In the procedures I would urge, the readers activities are at the center of attention, where they are regarded not as leading to meaning but as having meaning.† He defends this idea because he believes that there is no stable basis for meaning. There is no correct interpretation that will always be true. Meaning does not exist in the text. It exists, rather, within the reader. From this following quotation, we can co mprehend that Matilda interprets her experiences in the light of reader-response criticism. By now I understood the importance of the forge in the book. The forge was home: it embraced all those things that give a life its shape. For me, it meant the bush tracks, the mountains that stood over us, the sea that sometimes ran away from us, it was the ripe smell of blood I could not get out of my nostrils since I saw Black with its belly ripped open. It was the hot sun. It was the fruits we ate, the fish, the nuts. The noises we heard at night. It was the earthy smell of the makeshift latrines. And the tall trees, which like the sea, sometimes looked eager to get away from us. It was the jungle and its constant reminder of how small you were, and how unimportant, compared to the giant trees and their canopy’s greed for sunlight. [] It was fear, and it was loss. (Jones 46) Based on the quotation above, Jones shows us that Reader-oriented criticism opens a new window to the readers and shows that the subjective experiences and imagination affect readers’ interpretations. We can comprehend from these lines that interpretations of each work change from person to person.   In conclusion,  Mister Pip  is a novel that shows how literature and imagination can change our lives for the better or for the worse. Matilda also shows the reader that it is possible to get lost in a fiction and by means of imagination we can start a new life. In the novel, Lloyd Jones gives us the fact that there is always hope in spite of our bad memories. Through reading we can imagine ourselves into someone else’s life and empathize with them and we start feeling as them, to see the world as they see it. So this essay will be helpful to understand that considering Reader-oriented criticism, everybody has a different interpretation about literary works and also through imagination each work can be invaluable for the reader to guide him/her in the way of life.    Works Cited Barber, Susan. The Importance of Developing the Feeling Function: How  Literature Can Help.  Sfu Ca. Apr 2005. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. Bressler,Charles E..  Literary Criticism.New Jersey:Pearson,2007.Print Daly, Sathyabhama. and Stephen Torre.â€Å"Ecosublimity in Lloyd Jones’s Mister Pip†.  Townswille: James Cook UP,2011.Print. Dickens, Charles.  Great Expectations. New York: Collins Classics,2010. Print.  Jones, Lloyd.  Mister Pip.New Zealand:Penguin,2006.Print. . â€Å"Lloyd Jones Podcast.†Ã‚  Mister Pip – Random House Official Website. Web. 14  Sept. 2010. Audio. 13 Mar. 2014. Klein, Jà ¼rgen. Vera Damm and Angelika Giebeler. â€Å"An Outline of a Theory of Imagination.†Ã‚  Journal for General Philosophy of Science  14,1 (1983): 15-23.JSTOR. Web.10  November 2013. Mazzoni, Giuliana. and Amina Memon. â€Å"Imagination Can Create False Autobiographical  Memories.†Journal of Psychological Science,  14.2 (2003):186-188.  JSTOR. Web.10  November 2013. Quincey, Thomas De.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Literature of Knowledge and the Literature of Power.†Ã‚  Essays of  Yesterday and Today. L.Tinker, Harold. London: Macmillan,1934. 617-626. Print Robertson, Ian.  Opening the Mind’s Eye: How Images and Language Teach us How  to See. New York: St. Martin.2002.Print Taylor, Beverly . â€Å"Discovering New Pasts: Victorian Legacies in the Postcolonial Worlds of  Jack Maggs  and  Mister Pip. †Victorian Studies ,52,1,(2009):95-105.JSTOR.Web.11  November 2013. Tompkins, Jane P..Reader Response Criticism:From Formalism To Poststructuralism.  Baltimore:The Johns Hopkins UP, 1980.Print

Recycling:The Technology of Conserving :: Environmental Environment

Recycling:The Technology of Conserving I. America Thinks Trash Over the past two decades, the U.S. Public has embraced a remarkable hobby: recycling. The awareness of threatening environmental issues and recycling programs have been growing parallel to each other. Despite vast and compelling evidence against recycling, the American public has continued to practice daily rituals of sorting out items from their own trash. After reading the arguments posed by the anti-recyclers, making sure to acknowledge the truth and disregard over generalizations and flaws, a prevailing question arises: Is recycling necessary with our technological advances? II. The History of Garbage â€Å"Population when unchecked increases in a geometrical ration. Subsistence increases only in an arithmetical ratio.† -Thomas Roberto Malthus (1798) The world has inevitable had its share of â€Å"sighting† into the future. An energy crisis in the middle of the 19th century was caused by the dwindling supply of whales. In 1905, President Roosevelt announced a â€Å"timber famine†. In 1929, the United States was proclaimed to have a mere seven year supply of petroleum left. It was also predicted by several ecologists, including Paul Ehrlich, one of the world’s better-known scientists and author of â€Å"The Population Bomb†, that in the 1970’s or 80’s the world would undergo a terrible famine and eventually starve to death. Not only did the widely fear popular â€Å"sightings† not occur, but â€Å"things were actually getting less scarce as population grew.† [8] Did we get lucky? Yes and No. Yes because the scarcity forced prices to increase and forced creative and ingenious minds to â€Å"create† new resources. No because new uses for resources existed, we just had not discovered them. Furthermore, luck did not take care of the problem, hard work towards solutions did. Are we running out? â€Å"Fossil fuels and most minerals are more abundant than in the past--that is, they are more readily available and cheaper than they used to be. Most resources are so plentiful that they will last for centuries† (6). Resources are abundantly available, but like anything else in this world, if we abuse, we will have unfortunate consequences. Maybe not complete extinction or mass starvation, but definitely unwanted problems which could have been prevented. So, we might not run out of oil and one sighs with content. However, it is not necessarily a good thing. More oil means more pollution. III. Two-Faced Trash Humanity’s destiny is debated by two opposing views in the recycling world. The ecologist and the economist.

Cause and Effect Essay - The True Cause of School Shootings

Most of us learned when we were very young that we should not judge by appearances. But, in the aftermath of massacres in schools everywhere, a sane person has to take seriously what the material world shows - and pass judgment. After all, a lack of judgment and subsequent action may lead to further youth violence. This event has been thoroughly dissected by a whole herd of politicians and pundits over a period of some months. But they have, unfortunately, failed to reach the heart of the matter. For the heart of the matter is theological, a category that does not often appear in American public discourse. Instead, we hear talk about psychology, community, exclusion - the narrow, modern litany of cause and effect. David Mandel, a psychologist who has studied the Goth subculture - one of the causes being invoked - wrote last year, "It is not sinister, but tongue in cheek." And he continued: "People who are really into it use it to construct meaning in their lives. . . . They really find beauty in the dark things much the way others find beauty in bright, happy things" (Mandel...

Real education outside the class Essay

â€Å"Learning cannot be simply equated to a mark, grad, degree or job. It is a life-long process.† Getting a good education and qualification is just a key to enter society, and it does not ensure success in one’s life. To be successful, one must experience the real world outside the boundaries of a school environment, as one’s schooling day are just a small chapter in one’s life. I believe that one can learn more in the real world and society, than in the comforts of a school. However, it is essential that everyone in the world attends at least a few years of formal education in schools. Being literate is important to both the individual and society —– as it ensures that the individual is well prepared to face challenges in their future, particularly in their careers. Education for its citizens also makes industrialisation and growth possible for a country. In schools, teachers help to impact knowledge and skills to students, ensuring that they have foundation in languages, and basic skills in mathematics and science. Teachers also emphasize life values, like honesty and respect, which are valued to be important for one to be successful in the future. Moreover, people will only learn the realities of life when they join the workforce in society. This is because schools are sheltered environments, as students are repeatedly given a second chance when they commit an offence like theft in school. Furthermore, students are given opportunities in schools to experiment in various examinations and projects. However, this is not the case in a real working environment; most employers do not give their employees a second chance when they commit a minor error in their work. In schools, people are taught life values, whilst in a working environment, people have to practice these values in their daily lives in order to survive in the world today. The world outside the school environment is much bigger and more diverse than the school environment. Reading history books and travel guides on various countries worldwide is insufficient to learn more about different cultures and religions. One will certainly learn more about the history and cultures of different people around the world if he is given an opportunity to travel and experience li fe in another country and culture. Furthermore, he could even learn to appreciate and respect others’ lifestyles, and hopefully, also learn to respect and feel proud of his own culture and history. He can also be motivated to gain more knowledge and be more proactive when he sees a more developed city than his own, and learn to  help the less fortunate and not to take things for granted when he visits a country suffering from poverty. People can gain more valuable lessons from challenges in the unpredictable world. In a classroom scenario, tasks and events are usually based on routine and hence are more predictable. Students are hence spared from changes, particularly from world events and problems faced by many working adults. Students can readily read about such problems from various mass media like newspapers and the Internet. However, most students do not understand the extent of such problems faced by their parents or around the world, even though they are well aware of it. This is because they have not experience these problems in their lives. One example is the worrying trend in the world that many youths today are spending money excessively. These youths will only learn to appreciate the efforts of their parents more when they start their careers and realise the hardships of work and society. Learning is a life-long process, and things learnt in schools are just a small part of what we learn in our entire lives. For one to be successful and be able to survive in the harsh world today, one has to be proactive to learn new skills and gain new knowledge through experiences in every single day we lead. Knowledge and skills learnt in schools usually get outdated within a few years, due to the nature of today’s world —– which is fast-paced, competitive and ever-changing. By continuing to learn throughout one’s life, he will be more matured, independent and more confident in handling future changes and challenges. Schools are the places where people begin their learning journeys and these journeys will only end at the last day of our lives. Schools are just a microcosm of the real world, as the real world is bigger and more diverse. Matthew Swift Watching a sporting event on television can be enjoyable, but actually seeing it live, surrounded by cheering fans, provides a much more encompassing experience. While the television provides the viewer a visual play-by-play of what each team or athlete is doing, actually sitting in the stands gives the fan the real experience that images can’t replicate. On many levels, the same can be said for learning. A student can read about the Italian Renaissance or watch a video about the ocean, but it does not have the same impact as seeing the sculptures and paintings in Italy or enjoying the marvels at an aquarium. This can hold especially true when it comes to  learning and experiencing science. Most schools don’t have the equipment or means available to show students what can be accomplished using science. And, in recent years, interest has waned in the topic as more students decide to pursue careers in other fields. Therefore, field trips might help spark an interest in science and possibly inspire students to pursue a deeper knowledge of the subject. â€Å"I think that before students start laboratory-based learning in science, they are greatly excited by it. However, this excitement all too often pales. Students complain that the classroom science lessons lack ‘relevance’,† says Michael Reiss, a science education professor at the Institute of Education at the University of London. â€Å"I feel this criticism should be taken seriously. Out-of-school activities can be very motivating for students.† In 2004, Reiss and Martin Braund, an honorary fellow at the University of York and an adjunct professor in Cape Town, South Africa, published a book about the importance of out-of-school learning called Learning Outside the Classroom. Research from the book was later published in the International Journal of Science in 2006, which highlights several arguments on why science classes should go on meaningful field trips. â€Å"One of the things we’re trying to do is to promote field work as a way of getting [students] interested,† says Braund, who notes that students are generally more interested in animal li fe than plant life. He suggests taking students to a botanical garden where they can be exposed to unique plant life and engage with the various scientists who work in this field. â€Å"It’s not just a question of knowing what it is they are interested in†¦ as science teachers, we also want them to know all the other things. It’s promoting an interest in these things and using the outdoor environment. That is important to us.† The research Braund and Reiss conducted concludes that it is highly important to take students on field trips and promote informal learning, out-of-classroom work, and learning at home, in order for students to fully grasp what is happening in modern science. The pair looked at research from around the world to draw these conclusions. They recommend taking students to botanical gardens, science museums, zoos, and places where they can get hands-on experience and see how science interacts with many other fields that students might have an interest in. â€Å"Field trips are remembered by students for a very long time,† said Reiss. â€Å"They can provide instances of learning and be motivating in  ways th at school-based learning rarely can.† â€Å"Science education really seems to be rooted in the 19th century version of science, which is more concerned with lab work and work in the classroom,† Braund says. â€Å"We wanted to promote field work as an example†¦ that there are more opportunities for mathematics, science, and technology to come together.† In the United Kingdom, field trips and out-of-the-classroom work has been embraced and the Manifesto for Learning Outside Classroom partnership is widely supported. The partnership and its website offer ideas, resources, and research to educators to help make these trips safe and educational for students. If the trips are organized properly, then the partnership says students can â€Å"improve academic achievement, develop skills and independence in a widening range of environments, and nurture creativity,† among other benefits. This partnership is just one of many organizations, educators, and government officials that push for field trips and other similar activities. â€Å"I am glad to say that in the U.K. the last four years have seen a real effort by the national government to see more learning outside the classroom,† said Reiss. â€Å"It is too early to be sure how sustainable this is but such an attitude is to be welcomed.† â€Å"There’s been a rea l push to try and increase the amount of field work,† Braund says of recent progress. â€Å"Not just in science subjects, but outdoor learning related to history, geography, mathematics, English, all subjects in the curriculum.† While there is substantial support for outside learning experiences, Braund and Reiss are still waiting to see the results. They feel that despite the push, some schools are not taking advantage of field work. Braund said the manifesto was created to encourage schools to go out more, but the economy, safety issues, and classroom constraints have hampered this. â€Å"When you take a class out on a biology field trip, that class is probably not just missing the biology time, it’s missing geography, math, or something else,† offered Braund as an example. â€Å"Those other teachers then begin to say, ‘Hey, wait a minute. It’s all very well you’re taking your pupils out to these situations, but they’re actually missing essential learning time in my subjects and that’s going to affect my exam results, on which I am judged’.† â€Å"For one thing, there is increasing pressure on schools to maximize student attainment in examinati ons. Yet such examinations often do not reward learning in out-of-school settings,† added Reiss. â€Å"A second reason is that there is a perception—and often it is a  perception rather than a reality—that today’s stricter health and safety considerations mean that it’s all too bureaucratic taking students out of the classroom.† Many educators instead take their students on â€Å"virtual† field trips, which may include using interactive technology, watching videos, or using computer programs as a means to take students out of the classroom. These have their benefits, but Reiss and Braund agree that they cannot take the place of the real thing. â€Å"Virtual field trips can be a great preparation for and follow up to a field trip, for example for learning about the organisms that might be seen, were seen (or were not!), but they can’t replace a real field trip,† says Reiss. â€Å"I always think [virtual field trips] are the second best,† says Braund. He adds that sometimes the only way schools have access is through a virtual trip, which can prove very educational for students. â€Å"It’s better to do the real thing, but we realize some schools can’t’. †¦ I just think there are lots of things that happen on field work, almost incidentally, that you can never replicate on a virtual trip, website, DVD, whatever it might be.† Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) is the use of places other than the classroom for teaching and learning. It is about getting children and young people out and about, providing them with challenging, exciting and different experiences to help them learn. Learning outside the classroom can happen at almost any time and almost anywhere The ‘places’ where learning happens can have a significant effect on how a young person engages with a subject or an idea. Learning outside the classroom can happen at almost any time and almost anywhere – outdoors or indoors: in the school grounds, on the high street, in the local park, in museums and art galleries, on mountain tops and rivers, in Britain’s remote places, or elsewhere in the world. As an essential way of learning it should not be restricted to the summer or as an ‘add-on’ after examinations. Learning outside the classroom should be built into planning forall learners, every week and all year round. It is a powerful tool that is proven to raise attainment, bolster social, emotional and personal development and contributes to the health and well being of children and young people. What comes to mind when you think of education? School buildings? Lib raries? Textbooks? Curricula? Teachers? Most of us probably  associate education with at least one of these things, and surely many more could be added. But does education take place outside of such formal settings? Can curricula be found beyond that of the normal course of study? And can teachers be found who are teaching outside of the classroom? If we simply consider the amount of time students spend outside of class the answer to these questions would surely be a resounding â€Å"Yes!† And if we add the strong probability that many of the hours spent outside the class are consumed by various media, for example, we can see another strong reason to answer in the affirmative. Students are virtually suffocated with ideas when they leave the confines of the school building. For many their education has just begun when the last bell rings each day. In fact, many students use whatever mental energy they have to learn only those things that interest them outside of school. Educational Sources: Parents What are some of the sources from which students learn? Let’s begin with parents. After years of ministry among youth I am convinced that students want to learn from their parents. In fact, some are desperate for their parents’ wisdom. Thankfully, I have seen the wonderful effects of respect between parents and children. The children are taught the most important truths of life in the home and those truths are accepted because there is a large measure of respect for the parents. Such an atmosphere is patiently developed through the parents’ concentrated, time-consuming dedication to their children. And I hasten to add that I have observed this in single parent as well as blended families. The result is that children who are raised in such a home will usually compare what they are taught outside the home with what they are taught in the home. And the lessons they learn from parents outweigh other lessons. Unfortunately, though, this situation is much too rare. Man y students, including those raised in Christian homes, are left alone to discover what they can without the guidance of parents. When we realize that â€Å"true, meaningful communication between parent and child †¦ occupies only about two minutes each day†(1) there should be reason for concern. That amounts to slightly more that 12 hours per year. If that is compared to the amount of time spent in school, for example, what the parents teach in that brief time can be overwhelmed with contrary ideas. Students spend much more time learning at school per week than they do with  parents per year! This situation should be seriously considered by Christians when evaluating the current educational climate. If Christian parents are not willing to educate their children there may not be much room for complaining about what is learned outside the home. Children have always needed parental guidance and they always will. One of the most important directives for the ancient Jews applies to parental responsibility for the education of their children. Deuteronomy 6:4-7, the revered Shema, states that â€Å"(5) You shall love the LORD your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; (7) and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.† This strategic passage was reemphasized by the Lord Jesus (Mark 12:28-30). What a student learns outside of class should begin at home. Educational Sources: What is Heard, Read, and Seen Where and by whom is a student educated outside the school and home? Actually the question should use both past and present tenses. Since we are concentrating on education outside the classroom, it’s important to realize that students are constantly being educated, whether they are aware of it or not. Education does not just apply to some type of formal education; it is very much a part of daily life. The Christian student who is attempting to think God’s thoughts after Him is profoundly aware of this. He lives in a world of ideas, and ideas have consequences. Those ideas are so much a part of life that it’s as if they’re a portion of the air we breathe. Students should be conscious of this, but the same is true for all of us. All of us are students. So where do we find the teachers? There are at least three other sources: what is heard, what is read, and what is seen. First, what is heard? One morning as I went to the front yard to get the newspaper I hea rd a loud, repetitive noise that sounded as if it were a woodpecker hammering on metal. When I located the source I realized to my amazement that indeed it was a woodpecker pecking on a metal light covering near our house. My curiosity was aroused so I pursued an answer to my crazy woodpecker question. It turns out that the bird could have heard his prey inside the covering, but couldn’t distinguish for the moment the difference between  wood and metal. The point of this illustration is that the wondrous nature of nature had provided a teachable moment. God’s creation abounds with such opportunities to observe the variety He has given us. And such moments are part of our daily lives. But most students hear from more obvious sources: peers, radio, television, movies, music, etc. These sources provide a profusion of ideas. They are teachers. And just as in the formal classroom, the student should be listening carefully to see if the lessons should be considered, discarded, or believed. The second source focuses on what is read. Some studies indicate that people are not reading any longer. This is curious in light of the growth of enormous bookstores filled with many obscure and weighty titles. Be that as it may, the printed word still has an impact. Most students give some attention to reading. Words still have meaning, in spite of the efforts of those who would use words to say that words are meaningless. This is especially true for the Christian student. If he doesn’t revere the Bible to the point of reading and understanding it as the foundation of his education, he is like a ship without a rudder. The ship is afloat but it’s at the mercy of the sea and its currents. The last of our sources concerns what we see. Since a large percentage of students spend an enormous amount of time viewing television, movies, magazines, and other media, this is a major educational element. Images abound in their lives. This challenges the Christian student to be especially alert to the multitude of ideas that come through her eyes and into her mind. Educators beyond the classroom are continually vying for the minds of students. Let’s do what we can to lead our studen ts through this maze of ideas. The Curriculum One of the major elements of a formal education is the curriculum. This curriculum is usually set for students in the primary grades, it contains some flexibility in middle school, more flexibility in high school, and significant flexibility in college. Regardless of the educational level a student attains, his formal education includes variety. The same is true outside the classroom. The education he receives there includes a varied curriculum. And that curriculum can be found in varied places, from conversations with those with whom he works, to his magazine subscriptions, to the movies he rents. Let’s consider several ideas that generally are  found in the educational curriculum outside the classroom. Man is the Measure of All Things First, man is the measure of all things. That is, man is the focus of what is taught. This course is called naturalism. God either doesn’t exist, or He may as well not exist because He has nothing to say to us that has meaning. Thus man is left alone to create meaning, value, morality, religion, government, education, and all other aspects of life. This is probably the most influential way of thinking in this country. Think, for example, of the television programs you may have seen lately. Now consider whether or not those programs included the presence and guidance of a deity, whether the God of the Bible or not. With rare exceptions, the education one receives through such sources doesn’t include any concept of God. Instead, man deals with all problems in his own way, through his own ingenuity. Of course the student usually isn’t able to see the long term results of such decisions. As wonderful as the resolution may appear at the end of a program, the ultimate consequences may be disastrous. Pleasure is the Highest Good The second portion of the curriculum is based upon the idea that pleasure is the highest good. This course is called hedonism. Perhaps one of the more obvious places to find this is in your local grocery store. The â€Å"textbooks† that are found in the magazine rack near the checkout island contain this message in abundance. The articles, advertisements, and pictures emphasize the supremacy of pleasure above virtues such as self-control and sacrifice. Take a moment sometime just to scan the articles and emphases that are highlighted on the front covers of these magazines. For example, the contents of a recent teen-oriented publication for girls include: â€Å"Look Hot Tonight,† â€Å"Stud Shopping Tips,† â€Å"Love Stories: Secrets of Girls Who Snagged Their Crush,† â€Å"Hunky Holidays: Meet the 50 Most Beautiful Guys in the World,† and â€Å"The Ultimate Party Guide.† All these titles revolve around the idea that pleasure is the highest go od. True Spirituality Has Many Sources Third, true spirituality has many sources. This course is called syncretism. Current spiritual emphases have led many students to believe that it doesn’t matter what path you take as long as you are on a path. A trip to a large  book store will demonstrate this. For example, you can find many books that contain many ideas about angels, but most of them have nothing to do with biblical doctrine. Or you can find a section dedicated to an assortment of metaphysical teachings, none of which align with biblical teaching. When confronted with such variety the student can be tempted to believe that true spirituality can be found in many places. The Christian student must realize this isn’t possible if his allegiance is to Christ as Lord of all. What Works is Good The fourth idea is that what works is good. This course is called pragmatism. This is a particularly attractive part of the curriculum for Americans. And this certainly includes the American Christian student. But it’s a deceptively attractive course. It may lead to results, but at what cost? I think of a revealing scene in the disturbing Academy Award- winning movie A Clockwork Orange. A young British hoodlum in a futuristic England is programmed to abhor the violence that he continually practiced with his gang. This abhorrence is brought about by forcing him to watch scenes of horrible violence while his eyes are forced open. When he is brought before an audience to demonstrate the change, his programmer tempts him with several opportunities to do violence while the audience watches. He resists the temptations. After the demonstration a clergyman protests by saying that the â€Å"boy has no moral choice.† He was manipulated. The programmer scoffs at this claim and states that the result of the experiment is good because â€Å"the point is that it works.† â€Å"It has relieved the ghastly congestion in our prisons.† These first four parts of the curriculum are naively optimistic. They describe either present or future existence positively because of supreme confidence in man and his abilities. Other portions of the curriculum are not so optimistic. In fact, they can be frighteningly pessimistic at times. There is No Meaning A fifth aspect of the curriculum denies meaning. This course is called existentialism, and sometimes nihilism. The â€Å"big† questions of life are asked, but no answers are found. Then the response is either total denial of hope, which should logically lead to suicide, or living by simply acting in the face of absurdity. These perspectives can be found, for example, in some  contemporary music and movies. The songs of Nine Inch Nails, the moniker for a musician named Trent Reznor, sometimes contain ideas that are indicative of this. The movies of Woody Allen often contain characters and scenes that depict a search for meaning with no conclusions other than individual acts. There is No Truth The last portion of the curriculum is closely connected to what we have just discussed. This course can be called postmodernism. We are living in a culture that increasingly denies an encompassing paradigm for truth. This can be demonstrated by considering what Francis Schaeffer meant by the phrase â€Å"true truth.† That is, there is no â€Å"big picture† to be seen and understood. We only have individuals and communities who have their own â€Å"little truths.† And nothing connects those truths to something bigger than themselves and more lasting than what might work at the moment. This can be heard, seen, and read incessantly. There are too few teachers in the culture’s curriculum who are sharing ideas that are connected to or guided by â€Å"true truth.† The ultimate outcome of such thinking can be devastating. Chaos can reign. Then a sense of desperation can prompt us to accept the â€Å"truth† of whoever may claim to be able to lead us out of the confusion. Germany experienced this under the reign of Hitler. We should not be so smug as to think it could not happen to us. Responding to the Curriculum Man is the measure of all things! Pleasure is the highest good! True spirituality has many sources! What works is good! There is no meaning! There is no truth! These are the ideas that permeate the education a student receives outside the classroom. How can a Christian deal with such a curriculum? Some suggestions are in order. First, the student should be encouraged to understand that God is the measure of all things, not man. God is an eternal being who is the guide for our lives, both temporal and eternal. Thus we don’t first ask what man thinks, we ask what God thinks. So this means that the student must decide on his primary textbook. Is it the Bible, or some other text? Second, the student should be led to realize that God’s will is the highest good, not pleasure. This is very important for the contemporary Christian to understand in light of the sensuous nature of our culture. A student easily can get the idea that God is a â€Å"kill joy† because  it ma y seem that everyone is having a good time, but he can’t because of God’s restrictions. If he can understand that God’s ideas lead to true freedom and joy, the student can more readily deal with this part of the curriculum. Third, the student should be challenged to realize that true spirituality is found only through a relationship with the risen Jesus. Jesus lives in us through the indwelling of His Spirit. And this indwelling is only true for the reborn Christian. Yes, there are many spiritual concepts alive in this culture. Many people are searching for something that will give meaning beyond man’s ideas. There is a spiritual hunger. But if we try to relieve that hunger through ideas that come from man’s perceptions of spirituality, we are back where we started: man is the measure of all things. Fourth, the student should be taught that what works is not always good. Satan can make evil work for a time, but he is the father of lies, and lies lead to spiritual and moral decay. Fifth, the student should be led to believe that life has meaning. The Christian can see the world around him with the eye of hope because God is in control. As chaotic as things may appear, there is a purpose, there is a plan. People have meaning, past events have meaning, present events have meaning, and future events will have meaning. Christ has died to give us salvation, and He has risen from the dead to give us hope for the present and the future. A student whose mind is infused with meaning will be able to handle the despair around him, and he can share his secure hope in the midst of such despair. Sixth, the student should be guided to think in terms of the big picture. Imagine a puzzle with thousands of pieces. Now think of attempting to assemble the puzzle without having seen the picture on the box top. That would surely be a frustrating experience. You would have individual pieces but no guide to fit the pieces together. Many attempt to live this way. But the Christian student has the box top. He can begin to put the puzzle of life together with God’s picture in mind. So, does education take place beyond the classroom? C ertainly! May God guide us to help students learn the proper lessons. Notes 1. J. Kerby Anderson, Signs of Warning, Signs of Hope (Chicago: Moody, 1994), p. 136.  © 1996 Probe Ministries International