Wernher Von Braun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wernher Von Braun - Essay Example Working as an assistant to a German scientist known as Hermann Oberth, Von Braun was fascinated by the experiments they carried out on liquid-fueled rockets. He pursued his ambition and dream and propelled aviation and the world beyond the humble, early stages of rocketry to the planets and the moon. He had a vision to widen mankind’s knowledge by exploring space and opening the terrestrial world to mankind. His efforts and contributions had, and continue to have, great impacts on the aviation industry and the world at large. As the leader of the team that developed Germany’s rocket program, he even drew criticism for contributing to the negativities during the second world war. This essay will address the way his work has affected and contributed to aviation and the world. Von Braun’s achievements make him the most prominent, even if not the first, spaceflight advocate and rocket engineer of the 20th century. To date, his research, dedication and hard work are s till considered the blueprint of peaceful space exploration and moon landings (Neufeld 7). His presence in the aviation industry began with the German army, and his association with the Peenemunde Rocket Center put him in the limelight of the world’s primary rocket program. At the rocket center, Von Braun and his team received more facilities than their predecessors in aviation who had designed aircraft for military purposes. After his successful launch of what was initially called the A-4 missile, the Nazi took special interest in him and started mass production, where he led the team that designed combat rockets for the army (Ward 14). The design of the rocket, later renamed V-2, was created and developed by Von Braun as the technical director of the space center. It featured a missile that carried its own oxidant as well as fuel, a key aspect in modern day aviation technology as it became the immediate model used by present day Russia and the United States in space explora tions (Neufeld 16). The downside of this development, though, was that critics have faulted him for developing weapons of mass destruction that unleashed vengeance on civilian populations (Petersen 21). However, apart from that single angle of criticism, the rest of his contributions affected aviation and the world positively, because he never intended his developments to be used against humans, as he was a staunch Christian as well. The V-2 rocket became Von Braun’s most significant contribution to the development of rocket technology (Nelson 29). It pioneered operational, guided missiles in the world under his direction, setting in motion the development of the present day space travel and ballistic missiles. Through his projects, he influenced his team to great understanding of rocket propulsion, guidance systems and aerodynamics, and his concepts are still in use to date. His work influenced the contemporary space launch vehicle and the missile expertise in the United Sta tes, China, Russia, Britain and France (Nelson 35). To mankind and the world, he contributed towards alleviating the disastrous effects of the bombings of the second world war. He was against the use of his developments to attack humanity. He voiced his opposition against war policies in Germany and led his team of scientists and their families in fleeing to the United States. The significance of the fleeing was that the mass production of the V-2 rockets in Germany could not progress much without his input, effectively cutting down the assault on civilians. This was achieved by surrendering themselves to American forces, where they were granted permission to carry on with their rocket research programs under the watch of the United States government (Petersen 19). The German space

Energy Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Energy Policy - Essay Example This discussion will also help to draw a conclusion about whether it is beneficial to go ahead and promote these sources of energy. Renewable energy sources are beneficial in that they release less carbon dioxide (CO2) than fossil fuels. For example, wind releases 0.02-0.04 pounds of CO2 per kilowatt hour (kWh) and solar energy releases 0.07-0.2 pounds of CO2/kWh: compared to coal, which produces 1.4-3.6 pounds of CO2/kWh (Hester, & Harrison, 2010). These statistics indicate that fossil fuels emit a lot of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This gas causes global warming that makes the earth to be unbearable to the life of animals, human beings, and plants. This data also indicates that although renewable sources of energy are beneficial, they still pollute the environment with carbon dioxide. This means that these sources of power are not a perfect solution to the problem of emission of carbon to the atmosphere. Sources of energy such as wind, natural gas, and the sun promote health to the society compared to non-renewable sources of power such as coal (In Develi, & In Kaynak, 2012). Coal produces air that leads to health problems such as cancer, neurological damage, heart attacks, and respiratory difficulties. These problems are eliminated when the public uses natural gas, water, the sun, and geothermal. However, wind power remains to be a problem because it releases strong turbulent air that kills birds in the atmosphere (Haugen, & Musser, 2012). This means that the lives of birds especially the endangered species are risked when the public uses wind power. Therefore, not all renewable sources of energy are beneficial to the lives of living things. Renewable sources of energy are also inexhaustible and they create jobs more jobs for the public than fossil fuels. For example, wind uses more manpower than machines to produce heat and light (Jakab, 2010). This creates more

Originality in Postmodern Art

Originality in Postmodern Art A number of postmodern theorists and artists have questioned whether there is such thing as originality in art. Discuss this issue with reference to examples of the work of one or more recent artists who have questioned the notion of originality in their work. Postmodernism rejects the modern idea of originality as the new, and substitutes it with a combination of elements from the past. One of the main characteristics of Postmodernism was its tearing down of borders between styles and various cultural elements and the advance towards seeking something new and original was discarded and substituted with an amalgamation of elements from past and existing cultures. (Perina 2006) Postmodernism distances the subject, to declare the death of individualism. It leads to the reprocessing of objects and images from the past to create a more real and personal experience. There is too much information for us to process and make sense of and we are trapped in a world of second-hand experiences, dependent upon media representation of the world rather than our first-hand experience.(Crouch 1999) Originality as observed by contemporary artists, borrows heavily from postmodernist discourse. This essay will look at the works of several postmodern artists who participate in a critique and deconstruction of the myth of traditional originality whilst simultaneously seeking new ways to take their art in new and unexpected directions. It further inquires into the views of well known art writers and critics who acknowledge the way in which the placement of an artwork in a different context, or the re-working of an original image or images from the past can bestow it an entire new understanding, therefore granting an element of originality. Sherrie Levine, Andy Warhol and their many followers questioned and re-positioned issues around authorship and the original in artistic practice. This legacy is important to explore as the appropriated image and the pastiched image is so central in todays art and commercial practice especially since the growth of digital imaging. (Hammerstingl 1998 ) Sherrie Levine (b. 1947) is a primary example of a postmodern artist who confronts the issues surrounding postmodernist appropriation. Her critique of authorship and aura are central to Sherrie Levines audacious and influential deconstruction of the modernist myths of originality in many of her re-appropriations of eminent works by male artists. (Delacour 2009) Since the early 1980s, Levine has made a career out of re-using or appropriating renowned works of art, often by making new versions of them and placing them in different contexts. (Walker Art Center 2007) Her works have been understood as a commentary on the death of Modernism and its ideals, notions of artistic originality, the authenticity and autonomy of the art object and its status as a commodity. (Museum of Modern Art 2010) Levines Fountain (After Marcel Duchamp: A.P.) (1991), (Fig. 1) is an unmistakeable reference to Marcel Duchamps famous 1917 piece Fountain (Fig. 2). Cast in bronze to a highly polished finish, it transforms an everyday object into a beautiful and ostentatious piece which is presented on a narrow pedestal that closely resembles the display of Duchamps Fountain. Levine strove for total historical accuracy by locating a urinal from the identical manufacturer and year that Duchamp used, although she was unable to find the exact model. (Buskirk 2003) When compared to Duchamps sculpture, it is evident that Levines Fountain is not an exact replica. Most notably, Duchamps piece was an actual urinal which was turned upside-down and remained unchanged apart from his signature. In contrast, Levines urinal is more contemporary and has been cast in bronze, the traditional metal of sculptors. (Walker Art Center 2007) This use of bronze in such a way makes reference to another artist, Constantine Brancusi, who was notorious for producing sculptures in highly polished bronze (Buskirk 2003). When polished to a brilliant shine Levines urinal no longer remains a common, store-bought item. Instead it has been transformed by the artist into a unique object. (walkerart) Author and critic Martha Buskirk comments that despite the blatantly obvious reference to Duchamps readymade, Levines urinal has been transformed into a distinctive piece as a result of this choice to have it cast from highly polished bronze. (Buskirk 2003) Due to the recasting of the fountain in bronze, she raises the question of is the sculpture any longer a readymade? Due to the material characteristics of it being altered. By recasting the urinal, Levine challenges the function of the readymade as coming straight from the modes of production of society. Her object is no longer inextricably tied to its presence in everyday society. (Buskirk 2003) Buskirk states that in one sense, Levines Fountain is not a copy at all because she did not require the original Duchamp fountain to create a replica. Instead she attended the same source as Duchamp, which was the realm of mass production. Her piece triggers a history of references to past readymades and replicas of the everyday object. (Buskirk 2003) Sherrie Levines most blatant assault on originality came with her 1981 series After Walker Evans (Fig. 4), a series of twenty-two images which she directly photographed from an exhibition catalogue of famous photographer Walker Evans (b. 1903) work. (Fig. 3) Each one of these black and white photographs represents Depression-era documentation of either a figure, a group of figures, architecture or a barren landscape in a rural, economically-distressed area. (Mandiberg 2010) In writer and artist Linda Weintraubs essay Unoriginality, in Art on the Edge and Over (1996), Weintraub states that Levine makes no attempt to recompose or reinterpret, dismissing any creative or original act with the intention that the images remain true to their reproductive sources. (Weintraub 1996) These works articulate Levines fascination with the photographic process and its reproduction, while raising post-structuralist discourses on authorship, originality and history, from which they partly originate. (Museum of Modern Art 2010) Her appropriation of these fine art images deals with between photography, which is an unlimitedly reproducible medium, and fine art, which is regard as an inimitable object. Often art photographers limit the size of their editions to give their pieces the aura or a unique object. This aura is then diminished when the works are reproduced in magazines and books. Although the photographs Levine takes originate from the media, she restores them to the arena of fine art in her framing and presenting them as singular works which is where and how the original photographer, Walker Evans, aimed them to be seen. (Weintraub 1996) Linda Weintraub affirms that regardless of the association between the originals and her copies, Sherrie Levines photographs assume originality because they embody a new and possibly more profound artistic concept, which has never been so boldly explored. (Weintraub 1996) In the perceived wake of Modernism, the heroic potential of autonomous artists or autonomous works of art was challenged as artists such as Levine sought to demonstrate the importance of these ideas in the wake of the massive increase in social image consumption due to technological reproduction. (Mandiberg 2010) She writes, The world is filled to suffocating.ÂÂ   Man has placed his token on every stone.ÂÂ   Every word, every image, is leased and mortgaged.ÂÂ   We know that a picture is but a space in which a variety of images, none of them original, bend and clash. (Levine 1981) It is impossible to remove the art historical aspect to Sherrie Levines art. She works within the space of art historical discourse and dialogue, in attempts to add new perspectives on art by actually appropriating and reproducing them in novel ways. So much of the importance of her works derives from the fact that these works are recognizable within the general American public, but more importantly in the art historical canon. (Zimmerman 2008) (reword) It is perhaps Andy Warhols (b. 1928) use of photo silkscreens that offered the most rigorous challenge to traditional definitions of originality. Warhol explored intrinsic multiplicity in the repetitive use of screens in his silkscreen paintings that he began to produce in 1962. He produced a series of works containing ongoing repetition of an image within single works. Often his technique of blotting would result in the ink lines in his drawings appearing as though they were a personal touch. The method he used also lent itself to replicating deviations of the image via a process of repeated tracing that he would often get his assistants to accomplish. Warhol frequently employed his mother to replicate his signature for him. Consequently, Warhols fame as a fine artist rests on the manner in which he expunged any trace of his hand from his work and any evidence of what would be considered individuality. (Buskirk 2003) (need this?) This brief time in which Warhol began to develop his silkscreen paintings, was a phase in which Warhol was producing amazing output. It was during this time that he produced his infamous celebrity and name-brand product images. One of his most renowned examples is his Marilyn Diptych (1962) (Fig. 5) which was based on a publicity photograph from the 1953 film Niagra. The paintings of this time are excellent examples of multiple copies without an original. His method allowed for variations within the prints so that no two works were identical. Although Warhol employed assistants to produce works created by mechanical means to transfer images that he often didnt even select himself, his works are nonetheless recognised as Warhols due to his certain form of authorship. It can be argued that his original contribution included the regular removal of evident participation. (Buskirk 2003) One of Warhols most renowned works was Brillo Soap Pads Boxes (1964) (Fig. 6). To make his replicas he used wooden boxed and silkscreened over them to directly resemble the cartons that they were reproducing. This work is an example of one form of mechanical reproduction being employed to duplicate another form of printed surface, although the change of materials added a slight change to the more dramatic transformation that resulted from their recontextualisation. (Buskirk 2003) It could be argued that Brillo Soap Pads Boxes, and much of Andy Warhols work, is absent of any kind of originality due to its almost undistinguishable resemblance to the original product in which he had no participation in the creation of, however he makes a striking contribution via his insightful critique of the enticing nature of commodity in a culture driven by mass media. He achieves this through his use of repetition. The anonymous author who designed or photographed the products adopted by Warhol for use within his work becomes replaced by the artist who comments on the products cultural familiarity, an act of recontextualizing. (Buskirk 2003) In Warhols Flowers (1965) (Fig. 7), he appropriated an image of flowers that he found in a 1964 issue of Modern Photography magazine. When the photographer of the photo, Patricia Caufield discovered that Warhol had appropriated her image she filed a lawsuit against him for infringing on copyright as she was able to claim legal authorship. The case was settled out of court, with Warhol offering to give Caufield two of his Flower paintings. When analysed, it is evident that there exists several differences between Caufields image and Warhols appropriation. First of all he cropped the photograph so that it focussed on four flowers; the image has been flattened by the removal of detail and the adding of solid blocks of colour within the flowers. His changes in medium, scale and colour helped to transform the image considerably. (Buskirk 2003) Although the original photographs that Warhol sourced to base many of his artworks on were neither taken by or owned by him, his works become original by the manner in which he re-works them and exhibits them. It is very hard to confuse authorship as Warhol upholds a style that is distinctively his own. He takes ordinary images and through his alterations of them makes them extraordinary. (Buskirk 2003) In each of the cases presented, the artists have exercised an act of recontextualisation by taking a recognisable object or image and transforming it by altering how it is made or where it is found. Through this process each of the artists has achieved the act of both recognising and acknowledging the original author whilst claiming authorship for themselves via the process of this recontextualisation?. (Buskirk 2003) The diverse ways that artists have adopted and transformed these familiar images and objects furthermore articulate a complex layering of quotation and reference that exemplifies contemporary art. (Buskirk 2003) In addition, the artistic product desires a measure of creativity on the audiences part. The viewer contributes to the creation of works via their interpretations and evaluations of them. (Leddy 1994) French literary theorist and critic Roland Barthes attributes authorship to the reader who shapes meaning and understanding. Barthes created writings that directly suggested the idea of Death of the Author as a central post-modern concept. (Hammerstingl 1998) He states To give a text an Author and assign a single, corresponding interpretation to it is to impose a limit on that text. Roland Barthes asserts that each piece of writing or artwork contains multiple layers and meanings. In a well-known quotation, Barthes draws an analogy between text and textiles, declaring that a text is a tissue [or fabric] of quotations, drawn from innumerable centers of culture, rather than from one, individual experience. The essential meaning of a work depends on the impressions of the reader, rather th an the passions or tastes of the writer; a texts unity lies not in its origins, or its creator, but in its destination, or its audience. (New World Encyclopedia 2008) To summarise, Barthes attributes authorship to the reader who forms meaning and understanding. To reiterate, it is not the value and function that an object relies on to communicate with its audience, but its veiled references and codes from the past that permit a more individual perception. The originality and authenticity of the primary source ceases to be imperative in postmodernist art. Instead it is the recycled message which is constructed upon the unconscious memories and perceptions from the past that gives command to new perceptions and new perspectives of originality. The amalgamation of non-referring styles united together helps to create a new original, assembled from well identified originals of the past. Equally the postmodernist concept of deconstruction utilises the intercommunication amid the influence and continual process of referring. (Perina 2006)

How Bernard Malamuds, The Natural, uses Style to potray Historical events in his era :: essays research papers

Each writer is influenced in many different ways, but, in general, most of their inspiration comes from those events occurring within the era they are living in. They also use various different techniques or styles to portray those events in their writings. Bernard Malamud wrote a novel, published in 1952, called The Natural. This novel used numerous different stylistics elements to reveal the impact sports had in the late 1940s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One central stylistic element used, in The Natural, to show the impact of sports, in the late 1940s, was structure. The sequencing of the novel is immensely different from the majority of novels. It begins with Roy Hobbs (the main character), at nineteen years of age, when he is aspiring to become a famous baseball player. Almost everyone thinks that he is too young to become a ball player except for one man, Sam Simpson. He became Roy Hobbs’s manager and was taking him too tryout for the Chicago cubs. Ever since he seen him play in high school he believed he had what it took to make it. The ones that didn’t believe in Roy Hobbs Sam Simpson would tell them, â€Å" Well, like I said, he’s young, but he certainly mowed them down in the Northwest High School league last year† (Malamud 14). But, Sam Simpson is killed later on in that chapter, on the way to Roy Hobbs's tryout. No one else is willing to give him a change due to his age, despi te his great high school record for through the most no hitters in high school baseball history. Then, in the next chapter, Batter Up! Part I, it skips to fifteen years later when he gets his first chance to become a baseball player. In the beginning Pop Fisher, manager of the New York knights, did not want to sign him due to his age. Fisher is heard telling him, â€Å" Thirty-four --Holy Jupiter, mister, you belong in an old man’s home, not baseball† (42). But this did not matter because Judge, the owner, had already signed him for a four year contract with the knights. Fisher wanted to contest the contract, yet had no one else to put in his place. So he decided to give him a chance. Finally, the novel reaches the ending of his career, when the Knights are at their peek. Roy Hobbs gets horribly ill and is incapable of playing.

Help Improve Own and Team Practice in Schools Essay

Outcome 1.1 How you take note of children and young people’s responses to your own practice It is extremely important to take note of children and young people’s responses to your own practices as by doing this you – †¢Can ensure learning activities are effective in the pupils learning †¢Can recognise the pupils abilities and identify strengths and weaknesses †¢Can reflect on how effective the delivery methods were †¢Can identify if anything needs to be altered for next time Things I monitor during lessons or learning activities – †¢Children who are putting their hands up to answer questions †¢Children who are not contributing much to the lesson (not putting hands up/if working in a group not offering suggestions) †¢Children who seem to be lacking concentration/not showing much interest/not staying on task †¢Children who are behaving differently (maybe because they do not understand the work or are finding it too easy) †¢Children who do not seem to understand the work as much as others or are finding the work particularly difficult (I find this out by checking over their work/answers and by asking them questions about the work/task) I personally always take notes during lessons and activities and always give feedback to the teacher either formally or informally. Read more:  Essays About Team Work in Schools Below are some of the other ways we review learning activities – †¢Letting children feedback (asking them to traffic light their work) †¢Group/pupil reflection †¢Parents evening †¢Pupil’s learning journal – literacy, numeracy, targets †¢Previous progress – read reports, reviews †¢Ask pupil to explain how they achieved the learning objective †¢Writing comments on lesson plan, report card, reading diary †¢Termly assessments †¢Marking work and writing comments †¢Homework Outcome 2.2 The importance of continuing professional development There are many things you can do to continually develop professionally, these include: †¢Do your research to ensure you are kept up to date on new teaching methods, resources and legislation †¢Work based training †¢Participate in further training/courses such as first aid, ICT and SEN training †¢Regularly observe your peers †¢Ask others for help and advice Continual professional development is extremely important for the following reasons – †¢It helps you to understand your role more effectively †¢To apply new policies and procedures †¢To upgrade and enhance your knowledge †¢To enable you to become confident in your job role †¢It enhances and promotes good team work †¢To keep up to date with any changes in legislation †¢To improve the quality of the teaching environment, pupil learning and achievement †¢To ensure you are working to the best of your ability †¢To share good practice relating to different teaching methods †¢To ensure there is a good standard of work in the workplace and standards are kept high and do not slip †¢To ensure that as individuals we have personal goals and also the skills that need updating for our job Outcome 3.1 Why teamwork is important in schools T – Together E – Everyone A – Achieves M – More The ability to work together with others as part of a team is a vital skill used in all areas of life. Teamwork requires people to work cooperatively with others towards a shared purpose or goal. For a team to work together effectively, it takes all members of the team to respect each other’s abilities and opinions. Teamwork is a highly social activity and involves much interaction and exchanging of ideas and actions. Below are some examples of why team work is so important in schools- †¢Effective communication is a key element needed to meet the needs of children †¢By communicating with each other and working in a team you can ensure that you do not miss any vital information †¢It creates a positive and safe environment for both pupils and staff †¢It sets an excellent example to pupils †¢It creates a good working environment and community for staff and pupil †¢It helps ensure that all goals and objectives are being met †¢It helps raise moral and create a positive atmosphere †¢It ensures that the schools aims, values and mission statement are carried out †¢It promotes consistency throughout the school †¢It helps build confidence †¢Enables you to share good practices and ideas †¢It helps ensure that the work load is being shared and completed effectively †¢It ensures children are getting the most out of their learning experience †¢It helps create a conflict free environment †¢It means that constant support and advice is available Outcome 3.2 The purpose and objectives of the team in which they work Princethorpe Junior Schools mission statement – â€Å"Our vision for the school is to create a successful, caring school in which everyone can achieve to the best of their ability.† It is important that every school demonstrates and upholds their aims and values. Princethorpe Junior School have a set of aims for all staff and pupils to follow that support their mission statement. General Aims – †¢At Princethorpe Junior School we aim to provide a safe, secure and happy environment in which all our children can develop and learn. †¢We aim to create a bright and stimulating environment in the classrooms and around the school. †¢We aim to help all our children to achieve their full academic, artistic and physical potential. †¢We aim to enable all our children to have access to all aspects of school life. †¢We aim to promote harmony and understanding of each individual in an environment where all the children are encouraged to flourish whatever their race, gender or ability. †¢We aim to develop a partnership with parents and the community and encourage all parents to share in the education of their children and to feel welcome in the school. Academic – †¢We aim to provide for all the children a broad and balanced curriculum with a strong emphasis on the development of numeracy and literacy †¢We aim to develop our own policies and schemes of work in line with the National Curriculum and the Religious Education agreed syllabus, through a wide range of learning activities. †¢We aim to equip our children with the necessary ICT skills to support their learning across the curriculum. †¢We aim to  provide opportunities for additional activities, which enrich the curriculum e.g. educational visits, clubs and visitors to school. †¢We aim to equip our children with the knowledge, skills and understanding required for the next phase of their education. Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural – †¢Through our Collective Acts of Worship we aim to equip all our children with an understanding of differing faiths with the greatest emphasis on Christianity. †¢Through Religious Education and the curriculum we aim to foster a sense of awe and wonder. †¢We aim to value everyone by developing each person’s self-esteem and sense of individual worth. †¢We aim to teach our children to know the difference between right and wrong, to be honest and to have respect for adults, each other and the environment. †¢We aim to develop the children’s awareness of their responsibility to and for their school and the local community. †¢We aim to help the children to take their part as responsible citizens. †¢We aim to enable our pupils to co-operate, to work together, to take turns and to share. †¢We aim to develop the children’s ability to think about others as well as themselves. †¢Through our curriculum and school life we aim to develop knowledge and understanding of other cultures and traditions. †¢We aim through music, art, literature and creative work, to contribute to the cultural development of the children. Behaviour – †¢We aim to equip our children with the skills to be responsible for their own actions and to develop a strong sense of self-discipline. †¢We aim to provide positive attitudes throughout the school for work and behaviour. †¢We aim to provide a positive system of rewards and sanctions. †¢We aim to work in partnership with parents to maintain the behaviour policy of the school. Below are examples of how Princethorpe Junior School uphold these aims and therefore support the mission statement – â€Å"We aim to value everyone by developing each person’s self-esteem and sense of individual worth† †¢All staff members ensure to always offer praise and rewards whenever a child participates in an activity or really tries hard at the work. †¢Every child is acknowledged, the Head Teacher makes a conscience effort to learn every new child’s name at the start of the year and also stands at the front door every morning greeting each child with a ‘Good Morning’ †¢All children are encouraged to have confidence in themselves, the TAs are on hand to ensure this is the case in every lesson with giving the children constant reminders to â€Å"have confidence in yourself† †¢Children are issued certificates and awards for certain achievements for example spellings, reading, writing, attendance and good behaviour â€Å"We aim to develop a partnership with parents and the community and encourage all parents to share in the education of their children and to feel welcome in the school.† †¢Princethorpe Junior School tries to involve parents in their child’s school life as much as possible for example – Parents are daily invited to join their children at breakfast club Parents are regularly given opportunities to volunteer on school trips All parents are invited to a ‘celebration assembly’ every Friday where children receive certificates and awards for various achievements †¢The School holds regular curriculum meetings and workshops for parents, both during and after school, to consult, inform and discuss curricular issues. †¢Each year group organises family workshops during the year so that parents can work alongside their children in class. Various courses are also organised for parents. †¢Termly parent’s evenings are held so parents and carers can be updated on their children’s progress. †¢Parents are always welcome to chat to a member of school staff, without an appointment, about any worries or concerns they may have before or after school. The Head Teacher operates an ‘open door’ policy to enable parents to come and speak to her anytime she is free †¢A school newsletter is sent home with children every Friday updating parents on the week’s activities, reminder of term dates and weekly attendance and behavioural reports †¢Parents are made aware of any behavioural issues their child may be having and together with the parents either the Head Teacher, Teacher, Teaching  Assistant and/or Pastoral Care Worker can then work together to resolve these issues. â€Å"Through our curriculum and school life we aim to develop knowledge and understanding of other cultures and traditions† †¢Children are taught about different cultures and religions by termly topics being held on different countries, cultures and religions †¢There are regular assemblies about different countries, cultures and religions †¢A variety of different festivals and events are acknowledged and celebrated in school †¢Alternative food options are always available during breakfast club tuck and lunch such as halal meat and vegetarian and vegan options to ensure all children are made to feel included and welcome â€Å"We aim to equip our children with the necessary ICT skills to support their learning across the curriculum† †¢Each room is equipped with an interactive whiteboard which is used during most lessons †¢Every child has a personal computer login that enables them to logon to a school computer to access its programs and any saved work †¢Princethorpe Junior School have an ‘ICT suite’ where there are enough computers for a class of 32, classes are on a rota to use this room and every class will use this rooms and its facilities at least once a week †¢The school also has 35 laptops which are again shared out on a rota based system †¢Princethrope Junior School has invested in EducationCity.com’ an internet based program that creates new ways of delivering curriculum content. Children are set homework on this site which they have the option of accessing at home or at school. â€Å"We aim to equip our children with the skills to be responsible for their own actions and to develop a strong sense of self-discipline† †¢Children are taught the difference between right and wrong †¢All children are constantly made aware that they are responsible for their own actions and that their actions will have consequences – either with a sanction or  reward. For example if a child does not complete their homework on time they will receive a detention, whereas all the children who do hand their homework in on time will receive a sticker †¢Children are given opportunities to work independently and make their own decisions â€Å"We aim to enable our pupils to co-operate, to work together, to take turns and to share† †¢Certain lessons and activities require the children to work in pairs or groups with the teacher and TA ensuring the same children are not always working together †¢Playground toys and games that require children to share and play together such as building blocks, skipping ropes, footballs and bat and balls are provided for children during break times. †¢The school offers many different after school activities such as after school clubs, sports matches and the choir which gives children from different classes and year groups chance to work and play together †¢Teachers and pupil support staff are always on hand to monitor the children and to help children work out any friendship issues they may be having Outcome 3.3 Own role and responsibilities and those in the team Working in a primary school as a Teaching Assistant I work alongside a class teacher during guiding reading, maths, literacy, art, ICT and listen and respond lessons. The role of the Primary school teacher is to work with children between the ages of 4 and 11 years. They are responsible for teaching either a number of, or every, area of the National Curriculum, this will most likely mean covering Key Stage 1 (5 – 7 years) and Key Stage 2 (7 – 11 years). Key responsibilities as a primary teacher – †¢Ensuring the optimal development of children, both socially and academically. †¢Preparation and delivery of lessons that cater to the wide ranging abilities of the class. †¢Instill interest to learn, through  enthusiastic and motivating presentation of lessons. †¢Recording and monitoring student progression. †¢Meeting with carers/parents giving feedback regarding child’s performance. †¢Organising activities, classroom displays and class trips †¢Ensuring the curriculum is covered and up to date. †¢Prepare pupils for secondary education and examinations. As part of my role as a Teaching Assistant I am required to support the class teacher with the planning, delivery and evaluation of all learning activities. Whether the learning activity is for an individual pupil, group of pupils or the whole class, all activities must be properly planned, delivered and evaluated in order to work effectively. Planning is usually the first step when organizing a learning activity. Planning is important for the following reasons – †¢To understand learning objectives and what needs to be achieved by the end of the lesson †¢To identify children’s individual needs †¢To identify different teaching methods †¢To review feedback from previous lesson †¢To ensure health and safety is met – Complete risk assessments †¢To ensure you are organised and can allocate enough time for each task Every teacher completes the class planning for the week before school starts on a Monday morning. The teacher will then give a copy of the planning to the class TA. The planning will include the expectations and learning objectives of each lesson, resources needed, if any children need any extra support and how they require the TA to support during each lesson. After I have this information I then have my own planning responsibilities as a Teaching Assistant, these involve the following – †¢Look over previous observations †¢Ensure all learning resources are ready for use – photocopying, workbooks, stationary, laptops, etc. †¢Find out children’s individual needs and prepare different resources to aid them – white boards, enlarged worksheets, etc. †¢Organise seating plans – are there any children that may need to be moved – disruptive, easily distracted, hearing or sight difficulties †¢Prepare extra work for any children who may finish early †¢Think of key questions to ask to support the children during the lesson †¢Feedback to teacher on what you think of the planning, is there anything you could add or change Whether it is myself delivering the learning activity or a teacher I am supporting, it is always important to remember and follow the below every time – †¢Explain to the pupils the expectations and what they need to do †¢Ask questions and observe their reactions, ensure they understand, if they are struggling to understand find other ways to explain/demonstrate/simplify/step by step instructions/adapt lesson plan to child’s needs ensuring it still meets the lessons outcome †¢Give praise and encouragement †¢Rewards – follow schools procedure with giving rewards; let pupils know what rewards they will receive †¢Give one to one support where needed †¢Ensure you are using appropriate body language and eye contact †¢Give good balance of support and letting pupil work on their own †¢Encourage independence †¢Using sanctions when needed – moving children if necessary †¢Using the right teaching methods with the different ability children †¢Keep pupils interested and motivated †¢Re-enforce timing to children e.g. with projects and learning objectives †¢Take notes on children’s understanding, what is working well, what isn’t, etc. It is always important to review every learning activity as this will help plan for the next time. Whether it be having a formal review of a learning activity or an informal chat it is important as a Teaching Assistant to  discuss the following with the Teacher – †¢How the teacher felt with your support? †¢Did the children achieve the learning objective in the given time? †¢Were there any learning needs you picked up (who struggled? who finished early? who asked questions?) †¢Were the resources useful? †¢The overall enjoyment of the lesson †¢Did resources suit learning activity? †¢Is there anything you would have changed or can improve next time? †¢Did anything work particular well? †¢Were there any issue that you need to report to SDP/SENCO? Outcome 3.4 The importance of respecting the skills and expertise of other practitioners It is important to always respect the skills and expertise of other practitioners for the following reasons – †¢It can help us to develop as professionals because we can learn from others †¢Their expertise can provide career aspirations to others †¢To ensure the pupils wellbeing is promoted and we have the knowledge and understanding to provide them with the best education †¢By not respecting other practitioners you are effectively undermining them which will result in having a negative effect on the pupils and overall will not be promoting good team work †¢Those practitioners are there for a reason; they have the skills, knowledge and know the strategies that work †¢It means the work load is shared effectively and fairly resulting in everyone’s job being made easier †¢It ensures consistency in practice †¢It promotes good working relationships †¢It creates a positive working environment †¢It helps children reach their full potential Outcome 4.6 How you respond to differences of opinion and conflict constructively When working in a professional role as a Teaching Assistant, it is important to consider how you can improve your own practice effectively to meet the needs of the children or young people you support and the team you work with. You will be responsible for meeting your own continuing professional development needs. Continuing professional development (CPD) or Continuing professional education (CPE) is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives. CPD will affect you as a member of the team in your workplace for the following reasons- †¢You and your team will be confident with personal job roles, skills and abilities. †¢As a team you will be able to help each other with your own CPD as constant support and advice is on hand from other team members †¢It ensures everyone is working to the best of their ability and therefore creates a stronger team As a TA at least once a year you will have a ‘Performance Management Review’, this may be with the Head Teacher or your team leader. This review offers you the following- †¢An opportunity to reflect and to review your progress and development †¢An opportunity to ask yourself and your team leader ‘How am I doing?’ †¢An opportunity to consider and celebrate your role in raising standards and in meeting the targets in the departmental action plan †¢An opportunity to consider where you are going in your career †¢A discussion about any areas for development †¢An opportunity to set targets †¢An opportunity to identify any training needs †¢A forum to provide information for management †¢An opportunity to look back at your previous review and decide if targets have been met †¢An opportunity to set new targets and goals for the following year There will be times when there is conflict in the workplace, when this happens it is important to recognise why conflict may arise and how you should resolve issues. Below are some examples of conflict in the workplace – †¢Not listening to what the other person has to say †¢Not sharing the work load fairly †¢Taking advantage of the good nature of others †¢Not working to the best of your ability †¢Not working to high standards †¢Not offering the necessary support and advice to others †¢Not being thoughtful and considerate to other’s ideas, opinions and beliefs †¢Not asking for help when needed Scenario: You were asked to plan and prepare an activity for the phonics group that you support. The activity you came up with was fun, eye-catching and included the whole group. When you came to use it with the group, the activity worked really well and, at the end of the lesson, you felt the children had worked hard, even though they became very excited and got quite loud. However, a Teaching Assistant who was supporting another group has since told you that you were not in control and should have training in how to assert yourself. Was the other TA correct to tell you this? Yes, I believe they were but I believe that they should have gone about it in a different way. When working with children it is important that the staff work as a team and offer each other help and advice when necessary but it is also important to be tactful in doing so. Who should you discuss this with and will you ask for help, knowing that you do struggle to gain control? I would let the TA know that I do appreciate their feedback and agree that I did struggle at times to keep my group under control, however overall I was pleased with the activity and felt the children achieved the learning objective of the task. I would also ask if they have any techniques they use to help keep children quiet and calm during activities. I would also speak to the teacher to find out how they felt the activity went and if they had any advice on what I could do differently next time.

Peoples behavior Essay

Whenever I encounter any person from another culture, I am often struck by how much that person represents and is different from the idea I have of that culture. Particularly if the idea I have of that culture’s person is seen from his perspective. A recent conversation with a student of Japanese ancestry highlighted to me this realization. When I first saw him, I assumed that he would speak English with an accent or with some difficulty. To my surprise, it turned out that he was a native English speaker having been born in the United States. Sharing the experience with a friend, she related to me that one of her acquaintances who was born in Hong Kong who had difficulty with being understood in English because of a difference in accent despite having English as a first language. These incidents are prime examples of how cultural stereotypes. Considering the number of foreign students alone, many universities and other social institutions should be developing the competencies to accommodate their communication and cultural assimilation needs. Like in the article written by Brink Lindsey in 2007 titled The Culture Gap for the Cato Institute, culture, statistically and in practice, is an issue that is asserting itself significantly. Without these measures, many people are liable to have negative experiences associated with cultural difference which can motivate them to be ashamed or defensive about their heritage. Having had my own positive and negative experience in being associated with my culture, I know first hand the need to understand culture on an individual level. It has been very helful too that my recent experience with other cultures has been positive and has allowed me to constructively learn from the experience. Had it been otehrwiese, I can easily see myself to develop negative concepts regarding Japanese or Chinese cultures since I believe in positive reinforcement. More than anything else, communication ad technology is creating new dimensions to cultural exposure and exchange. Many of the stereotypes we have of cultures is being challenged not so much because of changes in these cultures itself. Even more importantly, I realize that my culture influences what I see in other in the same way that other peoples cultural backgrounds influence what they see in me.

mitchell 50 alternatives to the book re Essay

mitchell 50 alternatives to the book re Essay mitchell 50 alternatives to the book re Essay Jan-feat.qxd 12/9/97 11:24 AM Page 92 Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report Diana Mitchell Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it. It is hoped that this diverse group of suggestions will whet the interest of students in exploring new directions and in responding with greater depth to the books they read. 1. Character astrology signs. After reading brief descriptions of the astrology or sun signs, figure out which signs you think three of the main characters from your book were born under. Write an explanation of why you think they fit the sign, drawing on their actions, attitudes, and thoughts from the book. 2. Heroes and superheroes. Select two or three people your character would think of as a hero or superhero. Describe the characteristics of the hero and why those characteristics would be important to your character. Also describe which characteristics your character would most want for himself/herself that the hero or superhero possesses. 3. Create a childhood for a character. If your main character is an adult, try to figure out what he or she would have been like as a child. Write the story of his or her childhood in such a way that shows why he or she is the way he or she is in the novel. 4. Critique from the point of view of a specific organization. Select an organization that might have a lot to say about the actions or portrayals of characters in the novel you TEACHING IDEAS read, and write a critique of the book from its point of view. For example the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals might have a lot to say about Lennie’s treatment of animals in Of Mice and Men, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the portrayal of Crooks, and the National Organization of Women on the portrayal of Curley’s wife and the fact that she was never given a name. 5. Social worker’s report. If the events in the novel merit it, write up a report as a social worker would on the conditions in the home and whether or not it’s a good environment for a child. For example, if a social worker went to the McNabs’ house in Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (1990, Little, Brown) how would she describe the home and parenting style of Mr. McNab? What would her recommendations be? 6. College application. Create the application that a character you have just read about could write and submit to a college. Use all the information you know about the character and infer and create the rest of it. On the application include Name, Academic Rank in Class, High School Courses Taken and Grades, Extracurricular Activities and Personal Activi- ties, and Work Experience. Choose one of the following questions to answer in a two-page essay from the character’s point of view: what experience, event, or person has had a significant impact on your life? Discuss a situation where you have made a difference. Describe your areas of interest, your personality, and how they relate to why you would like to attend this college. 7. School counselor’s recommendation letter. Write a summary appraisal from the school counselor’s point of view that assesses the character’s academic and personal qualities and promise for study in college. The college is particularly interested in evidence about character, relative maturity, integrity, independence, values, special interest, and any noteworthy talents or qualities. Why do you feel this student would be well-suited to attend college? 8. Talk show invitation. Select a character, think about his or her involvements and experiences, then figure out which talk show would most want your character on as a guest. What would they want the character to talk about? Who else would they invite on the show to address the issues the character is involved in? Write up the correspondence between the talk show host and the character in which the host explains what the character should focus on while on