Equality And Diversity Essay

Discuss issues of equality and diversity and ways to promote inclusion with your learners. Review other points of referral available to meet the potential needs of learners. Acknowledging the student’s needs and goals whilst respecting each individual student, giving them the appropriate help and support when needed without favouritism or prejudice, will allow the student to achieve entitlement, equality, inclusivity, diversity and differentiation in a classroom. Equality and Diversity; From this, the students will be able to understand the value of themselves and others as equal individuals. It will ensure that each individual is treated fairly without prejudice and that it is their right to have access to the course. The course should therefore be open to all, regardless of their gender, race, age, religion, sexual orientation or mental or physical ability. Identifying a student’s personal needs will help them succeed within their chosen subject. This support can come from; The tutor/lecturer Supportive friends and/or family Having access to literature and the internet Some prior knowledge of the subject being taught The students needs should be identified when making initial contact with the college. This will enable potential problems to be identified and if necessary, other departments informed so that specialist advise can be given. Needs that should be identified include; Physical access or difficulties Unsupported friends/family Financial problems

How was Islam founded? Essay

Islam was founded in the 17th century when the angel Gabriel revealed to the prophet Muhammad the revelations of God. What is the difference between a Shi’ite Muslim and a Sunni Muslim? The Sunni believes that the legitimate leaders to be recognized by the Muslims are Mohammad’s successors – the four caliphs. On the other hand, the Shi’ites believe that only the heirs of the fourth caliphs should succeed as a religious leader. Why was the site of the Great Mosque of Cordoba so appropriate? The Great Mosque is appropriate because it was originally built as a church and later became a mosque for the Muslims, which expanded and became the second-largest mosque. What events led to the end of the Muslim world in 1492? The main event that marked the end of the Muslim world in Iberia was the conquest of Granada. On the second day of January 1492, the Muslim leader of Granada gave up his kingdom to the Catholic Monarchs. This became the end of the reconquistas when all of the peninsulas were recaptured by the Catholics. How was the Ottoman Empire formed? The formal Ottoman Empire rose during the year 1299-1453, which is associated with the fall of the Roman Empire. Under this government, the religious and ethnic minorities had freedom from the central control with regards to their internal issues or concerns. How does the life of Galla Placida bring the fall of the Roman Empire to life? During the animosities between the Goths and the Emperor, Placidia was captured and later on married Athaulf after the fall of Rome and they settled in Southern France. How did the Norse use animal style in their art? With the use of seminaturalistic lions and bird motifs, the Norse used animal style in their art to create pieces that will represent the 9th to 12th century. Why were manuscript covers often reused or stolen?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Manuscript covers were often reused or stolen because it is made of silver and gold. What beautiful artistic elements characterize the Book of Kells? The manuscripts were made interesting by the use of vibrant colors and intricate knotwork of human and animal figures. The decorations were filled with Christian symbolism that illuminates the major theme of the illustrations. What was the fate of most Ottonian architecture and why? It is a pre-Romanesque style of architecture and also known as the Ottonian Renaissance. Architecture was influenced by Carolingian tradition. Of the vast number of Churches built, only a few are well-reserved, most have disappeared.

An Evaluation of Academic Performance of Grade Essay Example for Free

An Evaluation of Academic Performance of Grade Essay Introduction â€Å"Bright minds make bright future! † Preparatory children nowadays are far  Ã‚  better than before they are more advanced in teaching and more capable of absorbing the methods of learning that used with them. Modern teaching accompanied with modules and analytical measures develop the  preschooler’s memory retention that serves as the foundation of their education. Kids today  are more willing and not afraid to  try to discover new ways and methods of learning. The value of preschool is a  hot topic these days. A small but growing number of  studies link enrolment in preschool or child care  centers (which typically include a  preschool curriculum) to higher cognitive and language scores on kindergarten-entry tests The early childhood stage is a  permanent learning stage. Whatever they learn now, they will take home. This preschool education is the provision of education for  children  before the commencement of statutory education, usually between the ages of three and five, dependent on the jurisdiction. The institutional arrangements for preschool education vary widely around the world, as do the names  applied to the institutions. Effective preschool education can help make all children ready to learn the day they start school and, more importantly, help close the  enormous gap facing children in  poverty. Preschool gives our kids the strong  foundation they need to be  successful in school and in life. Children who attend pre-kindergarten programs have bigger  vocabularies and increased math  skills, know more letters and more letter-sound associations, and are more familiar with words and book concepts, according to a number  of studies (Patson P. Opido 2010). The child is the ultimate concern in all educational processes. He is the beginning at the end of all educational efforts. The goal of education is to help every child grow up well-rounded; physically well-developed, mentally healthy, intelligently alert, emotionally secure and socially well adjusted. These can be truly achieved by giving attention to the child’s foundation. The first day of the children in school is a unique experience. It may be their first contact with big group of children. The difference among first grade pupils in their level of preparedness to grade one work may vary. The grade I teacher should be aware of the differences in the children’s readiness; some readiness is the springboard to do actions. Knowing pupil’s differences will guide the teacher on what to do to develop them to the fullest ( Lindberg and Swedo, 1995). A child born of a healthy, responsible and emotionally mature parents has a good foundation. His parents, especially the mother, guide him through the proper habits of eating, sleeping and cleanliness. An individual’s attitude toward himself and others, his behaviour either at work or at play, and his emotional roots in his early childhood experiences. What he learns at home constitutes the basis for future learning and adjustment. As the child develops social awareness, he needs to experience association with a larger group outside his home. Parents send their children to school simply because they want them to develop basic health habits and self sufficiency. Furthermore, this also includes the ability to use language patterns for simple and correct social attitudes in relation to the company of people around him, whether adults or other children and the appreciation of the aesthetic attributes of his immediate surroundings. Modern teaching accompanied with modules and analytical measures develop the preschooler’s memory retention serving as the foundation of their education. Kids today are more willing and not afraid to try to discover new ways and methods of learning. The value of preschool is a hot topic these days. A small but growing number of studies link enrolment in preschool or child care centers (which typically include a preschool curriculum) to higher cognitive and language scores on kindergarten-entry tests. The early childhood stage is a permanent learning stage. Whatever they learn now, they will take home. This preschool education is the provision of education for children before the commencement of statutory education, usually between the ages of three and five, dependent on the jurisdiction. Parents on the other hand, play a vital role in educating their children because they are their first teachers, which is the greatest contribution before a child ever begins his formal education in school. When a child enters the formal school, he carries out with him the acquired values from his parents. Just like the teacher’s task, if parents fail to perform their responsibilities, it may bring misbehaviour on their children which may directly or indirectly affect the child’s academic performance. In the Philippine public elementary schools today, inner tensions have been continuously affecting the learners going to grade one level, especially those who had never gone to any kind of schooling before. These learners entering grade one have many apprehensions. Most of them have no experiences in going to school. Parents are not capable of sending them to school especially those in remote and slum areas. Instead of giving their children a chance to study in Day Care Centers and Kindergarten in some public elementary schools, they ended up waiting for their to be accepted in Grade One. With these scenarios the pupils encounter difficulties in catching up with different skills like numeracy and literacy which are now the basic skills necessary in the first grade level of formal schooling. These children also suffer in relating themselves to their new environment, the school. In order to have a smooth transition from home to school and to prepare them socially and psychologically, the curriculum on the Early Childhood Experiences was recommended for adoption in all public elementary schools as included in Every Child A Reader Program ( ECARP). It aims to developing the reading readiness and developmental reading in Grade one as launched by the Department of Education. One of the major goals of the 2015 Education for All (EFA) is the expansion of the coverage and improvement of the quality of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) programs in the country. The present government administration in its Ten-Point Agenda has declared a policy calling for the standardization of preschool and day care centers. The Department of Education (DepEd) in support of this thrust will administer School Readiness Assessment Test to All Grade One Entrants, effective SY 2005-2006. The School Readiness Assessment (SRA) is a tool to determine the readiness of Grade One entrants in tackling formal Grade One work. The School Readiness Assessment Tool will be administered by Grade One teachers assisted by the Grade Two and Three teachers one week before opening of classes. The assessment shall not be treated as an entrance test or examination. No child shall be refused entry to Grade 1 based on the results neither of this assessment nor without preschool experience. To continuously determine the school readiness of all Grade One Entrants, the School Readiness Assessment (SReA) was administered. One of the objectives of SReA is to assess pupils’ readiness across the different developmental domains – gross and fine motor, receptive/ expressive language, cognitive domain and socio- economic domain. The result obtained was the basis for grouping the Grade One entrants. It was also used to guide Grade One teachers in providing appropriate instruction and assistance to address specific needs of the pupils. The result of the School Readiness Test in May 2011 identified that there were at least forty two point ninety eight percent of the school population of Grade One entrants were not ready. Children with No Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) has low average in pupils’ readiness across the different developmental domains – gross and fine motor, receptive/ expressive language, cognitive domain and socio- economic domain. Background of the Study The researcher is motivated by the above mentioned situation and this led to the conceptualization of this study. As an educator, the researcher is faced with the fact that there is an imperative need to strengthen and streamline the internal management of educational arrangements in order to achieve efficiency and responsiveness to trends and challenges of the next millennium. It is therefore the aim of this study to empower parents and positively influence them on affirmative effects of pre-school education in the holistic development of their children particularly on the advancement of their academic performance. The value of preschool is a  hot topic these days. A small but growing number of  studies link enrolment in preschool or child care  centers (which typically include a  preschool curriculum) to higher cognitive and language scores on kindergarten-entry tests. The early childhood stage is a  permanent learning stage. Whatever they learn now, they will take home. This preschool education is the provision of education for  children  before the commencement of statutory education, usually between the ages of three and five, dependent on the jurisdiction. The institutional arrangements for preschool education vary widely around the world, as do the names  applied to the institutions ( Bustos Alicia and Espiritu 1985). The Early Childhood Experiences Curriculum, hence all Grade One teachers are expected to implement it. Teachers are also encouraged to make use of local songs, games, dances and indigenous materials to enrich the curriculum. It is hoped that the Early Childhood Experience for Grade One will greatly benefit the children and strengthen efforts to make the schools child-friendly. Theoretical Framework This study is anchored on Edward Thorndike’s, Jerome Bruner’s, and B. F. Skinner’s Theories of Learning. These theories enabled the researcher in the conceptualization of this work. The Law of Readiness as advocated by Thorndike is associated with mind set. It states that when an organism is prepared to respond to a stimulus, allowing doing so would be satisfying while preventing him would be annoying. This law works well in this study because the children is mentally ready to learn. The Law of Exercise states that the constant repetition of response strengthens its connection with the stimulus, while disuse of response weakens it. The exercises given to the children using a modifiable connection like instructional materials enables them to acquire the learning easier and faster because the responses will be utilized, the stronger the connection to be developed. Thus, when a modifiable between a stimulus and a response has been made, it is strengthened if its results in satisfaction as the Law of effect proves. Jerome Bruner’s (1915) theory of Instrumental conceptualization is also applied as it involves (3) three simultaneous processes as: Acquisition, Transformation and Evaluation. This theory of learning believes that the acquisition of whatever form of knowledge acquisition, who selects structures, retains and transforms information. Teaching without the use of proper strategic plans will result to failure. Through School Readiness Assessment Test (SReA), pupils will acquire knowledge through different techniques used by the researchers. Hence, learning to read is facilitated by Skinner’s Theory. Conceptual Framework This study focused on the evaluation of academic performance of Grade One pupils with and without Early Childhood Experience of Sto. Nino Elementary School. The independent variable consist of School Readiness Assessment Test (SReA) for children with and without Early Childhood Experience while the dependent variable is the academic performance of the respondents in terms of the following: Sensory Discrimination, Concept Formation, Numeracy, Reading Readiness and Construction and Visual Motor Integration. Research Paradigm Independent Variable Dependent Variable Figure 1 The above figure shows the relationship of independent variables to dependent variables of the study. Statement of the Problem This study intended to evaluate the academic performance of Grade One pupils with and without Early Childhood Experience (ECE) at Sto. Nino Elementary School, Division of San Pablo City. Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions: 1. What are the mean pre-test scores of the two groups of pupils in terms of the following: a) Sensory, b) Concept Formation, c) Numeracy, d) Reading Readiness and e) Construction and Visual- Motor Integration? 2. What are the mean post-test scores of the two groups of pupils in terms of the following: a) Sensory Discrimination, b) Concept Formation, c) Numeracy, d) Reading Readiness and e) Construction and Visual Motor- Integration? 3. Is there a significant difference in the mean scores between the pupils with and without Early Childhood Experience (ECE) and their performance? Hypothesis The hypothesis stated below was tested in this study. There is no significant difference in the mean scores between the pupils with Early Childhood Experience (ECE) and those without Early Childhood Experience (ECE) and their performance in terms of the following: i. Sensory Discrimination, ii. Concept Formation, iii. Numeracy, iv. Reading Readiness and a. Construction and Visual- Motor Integration? Significance of the Study This study is of importance to the pupils, teachers, principals, parents and other researcher for the following reasons: Pupils are primary group which the study would benefit. They are the central point to be given much consideration because they are the recipients of this study. They will be assessed and it would be a big help for them to improve their academic performance. Teachers are the facilitators of learning. They may be able to undertake possible teaching alternatives that may be facilitate, enhance and improve their teaching skills to cater the needs of the pupils with and without Early Childhood Experience in order to improve their academic performance. They will specifically take cognizance of their status at present in terms of the problem arising in their own classroom. Likewise, they could assess definitely where the problem lie and thus, make remediation to solve them. Therefore the learners’ needs would be taken into considerations. The results of this investigation will also help other teacher in the field since the problems raised here may have also help them to improve the academic performance of their pupils. Principals are the ones who initiate support for every change that happens in the school. Good management and supervision of the school and the teachers, respectively, are the responsibility of the principals. Results which this study reveal may enable the school heads to plan out better and more effective ways to evaluate the academic performance of Grade One pupils with and without Early Childhood Experience. It is very important to take in consideration the needs of Grade One pupils because it is the foundation year for them. In that case the principal ought to have a plan to cater the individual needs of the learner to improve their academic performance to elevate the quality of education in the country. Parents are stakeholders of the school. The findings of this study are important to parents because they need to be informed about the performance of their school children in school. Through this, they will know the importance of Early Childhood Experience (ECE) for their children. For this reason, they will send them in preschool. So that their children will not be shocked with their new environment. The parents will work hand and hand with the teacher in facilitating strategies to evaluate the academic performance of the learners. They may also help influencing their children to have a good study habits. Their support to their children and school is important so that the goals will be attained. Other researchers who would be interested with this problem may gain further insights in developing their own research work. The data that will be revealed by this study may be used by other researcher to enhance their own studies. They may also use it as related study or augment data that they have to come up with a more comprehensive knowledge about the problem presented here into. Scope and Limitation of the Study The focus of the study to be conducted is An Evaluation of Academic Performance of Sto. Nino Elementary School, Dapdapan, District, Division of San Pablo City. It limits its coverage on the result of School Readiness Assessment (SReA) which includes the following areas – Sensory Discrimination, Concept Formation, Numeracy, Reading Readiness, and Construction and Visual Integration; the Pre test and Post test of School Readiness Assessment (SReA) and the instructional module being devised to answer the needs of Grade One pupils. The respondents of the study will be eighty (80) pupils of Sto. Nino Elementary School, forty (40) pupils with Early Childhood Experience (ECE) and forty (40) pupils without Early Childhood Experience (ECE). Definition of Terms For the interpretation of the study, the terms used are defined in order to avoid vagueness or ambiguousness meaning. Therefore, provide the reader a common point of reference. Public Elementary SchoolsThese are school managed, operated and maintained by the national government. It offers curricular programs for Grade One to Six children. Sensory Discrimination These refer to exercises in discriminating simplest form of mental operation that was clearly intellective. It includes exercises on identifying same and different shapes. Concept FormationThese refer to exercises that requires the learner to construct the properties of the object from the definition. It includes exercises on completing statements showing simple analogy. Numeracy The term refers the ability to learn the specific tasks in Mathematics like counting, arranging, sequencing sets of objects. The numeracy skills are designed to help with the more advanced levels of mathematics that pupils will encounter during the school lives and also into their adulthood. It includes exercises pointing out which has more or less sets. In this study, it pertains to the level of achievement of the Grade One pupils in different learning skills in Mathematics as perceived by their Grade One teachers. Construction and Visual-Motor Integration These skills refer to the smooth coordination of the eyes and hands working together. Sto. Nino Elementary School Public Elementary school situated in Brgy. Sto. Nino, San Pablo City where the present study is being conducted. Grade One Pupils. Refer to children entering the formal school in the primary grades as prescribed by the Department of Education, whose ages ranges from six (6) years old and above. Chapter II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES This chapter presents literature and studies which are related to the problem. The materials found in local and foreign books, educational journals and magazines, documents, guidelines and reports by Department of Education provided references. Related Literature Philosophy and Goals of Elementary Education. Philosophy of pre-school education as stated in DECS Memo no. 107 s. 1989 considers the child, the school and the teacher with the support of the family in the maximizing the child’s potential. Pre-school education is based on the knowledge that each child is unique individual with his own biological make up, interest, capacities, and ways of viewing the world. He has a tremendous capacity for learning. He is active and understands the world differently from adult. His language has developed with acquisition of wide vocabulary making him capable of communicating his ideas and feelings. A pre-school child is always on the process of becoming, and therefore if properly developed can become a critical thinker and a socially sensitive, directed, creative, responsible and caring individual. Pre-school education must aim to develop children in all aspects physical, social, emotional and cognitive so that they will be better prepared to adjust and cope with life situations and the demands of formal schooling. By doing so, learning gaps and dropouts may be reduced or avoided to the maximum. Objectives of Pre-School education is founded on the following objectives; (Inc.DECS Memo No. 45 1995). They are as follows: To develop the child in all aspects ( physical, social, emotional and cognitive) so that they may be better prepared to adjust and cope with the life situations within the context of his experience. To maximize the child’s potential through a variety of carefully selected and meaningful experiences considering his interests and capabilities, and; To develop the child in all aspects so that he becomes a self- propelling, thinking and contributing individual able to make decisions which all prepare him more complex demands for future life. DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2004 is the legal basis in the implementation of the Enhanced Eight-Week Early Experiences for Grade One. Its main thrust is development of academic skills among learners. It is because most Grade One entrants have not gone through pre-school experiences. Hence, the Early Childhood Experience has been enriched and aligned with the BEC making it’s integral part of the Grade 1 Curriculum. In 1995, Early Childhood Experiences for Grade One was institutionalized at the same time as the official age for entry into the primary school was dropped to six years of age. All Grade One teachers were requested to implement the Eight-Week Curriculum and gradually move to the regular Grade One curriculum. Pursuant to DepEd Order No. 15, s. 2005, which calls for the administration of School Readiness Assessment for All Grade One Entrants, all incoming Grade 1 shall undergo a school readiness assessment using the revised tool. The School Readiness Assessment (SRA) will be administered by Grade 1 teachers to be assisted by Grade II, III and master teachers of their respective schools. This assessment shall be administered twice. The first assessment given on May. The second shall be administered after the children have undergone 8-week curriculum, focusing on the competencies not manifested by the child during the first assessment. The SRA will determine the level of progress of Grade 1 entrants across different developmental domains that are critical in tracking Grade 1 learning competencies. The result shall be the basis for grouping the Grade 1 entrants. It will be also used to guide Grade 1 teachers in providing appropriate instruction and assistance to address specific needs of the pupils through the utilization of the 8-week curriculum. The assessment shall not be treated as an entrance test or examination as children may be anxious about passing or failing. No child shall be refused entry to Grade 1 based on the results of this assessment. â€Å" Educating our children at an early stage will give more chance for young Filipinos in the future to compete for jobs and opportunities in the new world order in which better educated and highly skilled persons have become the most valued resources. † Giving access to free quality early childhood education will bridge the gap between the rich and the poor that will give our less privileged countrymen a strong foundation for the challenges in the next millennium. (Eduardo J. Angara, 1997) The Early Childhood Care and Development ( ECCD ) Law, enacted in 2000, recognizes the importance of early childhood and its special needs, affirms parents as primary caregivers and the child’s first teachers, and establishes parent effectiveness, seminars and nutrition counselling for pregnant and lactating mothers. The law requires the establishment of a National Coordinating Council for the Welfare of Children which: (a) establishes guidelines, standards, and culturally relevant practices for ECCD programs; (b) develops a national system for the recruitment, training, and accrediting of caregivers; (c) monitors the delivery of ECCD services and the impact of beneficiaries; (d) provides additional resources to poor and disadvantaged communities in order to increase the supply of ECCD programs; (e) encourages the development of private sector initiatives the Republic Act 6972 known as â€Å" Barangay (village) Level Total Protection of Childen Act† has a provision that requires all local government units to establish a day-care centre in every village ; the law institutionalized the features of day-care programme that provide for young children’s learning needs aside from their health and psychosocial needs. The universalization of early childhood education and standardization of preschool and day care centers was established though the Executive Order No. 658 of 2008 (Expanding the Pre-School Coverage to Include Children Enrolled in Day Care Centers). (PTFE 2008). According to Clark (2002), in her article First Grade Readiness, there are signs one can look for, to know if a child is a ready for first grade. In the physical realm, the first grade child’s limbs are now proportion with the body and head . There is a loss of baby far and greater definition in the face. In the emotional realm, the young child who once expressed strong emotions through sudden outburst now has a feelings that begin to deepen. A child will talk of â€Å"hurt feelings† and being sad. Socially, the first grade ready child begins to form friendships which go deeper than before. The child feels loyalty for friends and often expresses the desire to be with them. In the mental realm, there is the birth of free memory. This is different than the memory of a four year old. The younger child’s memory must be triggered by a sight, smell, or rhythmic verse when the memory and recall it will. Kagan (2000) stated that the concept of school readiness has been defined and redefined over the years resulting in differing viewpoints. Several theories of child development and learning have been used to explain the term. In fact, there appears to be two types of readiness: readiness to learn, which involves a level of development at which the child has the capacity to learn specific materials, and readiness for school and readiness for school which involve specific set of cognitive, linguistic, social and motor skills that enable a child to assimilate the school’s curriculum. According to Quinto (2001) the lowering of entrance to six years old for grade one pupils in the Philippines public elementary schools have created inner tensions, especially to those who had never gone to any kind of school before. So, in order to have a smooth transition from home to school and to prepare them socially, psychologically, the curriculum on the Early Childhood Experiences was recommended for adoption in all public elementary schools. Studies show that child’s mind is almost full developed before he reaches the age of five. This presents a need for an organized early childhood education. Pre-elementary or preschool education is one of the latest trends in childhood education which gives equal opportunities to all children at the lowest step of educational ladder. Preschool education holds a prominent place, being that level in the school system wherein children are trained to be better prepared for grade one. For the development of the child, the curriculum focuses on these areas of development: physical ( gross and fine motor coordination through play and manipulated activities like games, simple work); cognitive ( communication skills, sensory-perceptual concepts, numeracy skills); personal social (health habits and independence in dressing, eating, sleeping, toileting; relating with teachers, peers and other people through group play and interaction; follow rules and routine. Groark (2006) stresses that the school and district administrators, as well as policymakers are increasingly recognizing that early education and intervention services for young children have a direct and positive impact on later school performance and quality. Soliven (1999) stated that an authority on child development, underscores the significance of pre-primary education to the mental development of children citing the results of research which showed that pre-primary education is important to the child, she pointed out the intellectual capacity of the child is most susceptible to reaches a substantially higher rate of intellectual development of Early Childhood especially in a favourable environment. It is apparent that intelligence is best developed in the first six years of life, if the child is exposed to a favourable environment for development during this formative period. Vittetow (1994) former Education Expert of International Cooperation Administration (ICA) in his Educational Series Bulletin for the Bureau of Public Schools gave growth characteristics of Pre-school Filipino children, which are true to all children at this level of growth and development. Said development and growth includes: 1) Physical Characteristics, 2) Mental Characteristics, 3) Social Characteristics, 4) Emotional Characteristics, 5) Spiritual and Moral Characteristics and 6) Aesthetic Characteristics. According to Kats (2001) what the children learn, how they learn, and how much they learn depend on many factors. Among the most important factor’s are the child’s physical well-being, and his emotional and cognitive relationships with those who care for him. The school readiness goal reflects two concerns about the education of young children. The first is that the increasing numbers of young children in poverty, in single-parent households have limited proficiency in English are affected by the drug abuse of their parents have poor nutrition, and receive inadequate health care. The second area of concern involves such matters as the high rates of retention in kindergarten and primary grades, delayed school entry in some districts, segregated transition in classes in others and the increasing use of standardized tests to determine children’s readiness to enter school. Standardized tests used to deny children entrance to school or place them in special classes are inappropriate for children younger than six. These trends are due largely to the fact that an academic curriculum and direct instruction teaching practices that are appropriate for the upper grades have gradually been moved down to the kindergarten and first grade. These two areas of concern suggest that reaching the school readiness goal will require a twofold strategy: one part focused on supporting families in their efforts to help their children get ready for school, and the second on helping the schools to be responsive to the wide range of development levels, backgrounds, experiences, and needs of children to bring them in school. Watson (1985) pointed out that groups of children of higher economic status have higher level of intelligence than those favored economic status, the higher their average IQ’s on Standford – Binet or similar verbal test. The mismatch between the schools and children from low income working class families had led to concerted attempts to involve parents from these families in the schools. When the school can involve low-income parents, their children’s school attendance increases, the children are less disruptive in class and less aggressive on the playground, their classwork improves, and they are more likely to complete their homework. If they are raised in emotionally secured homes they tend to be emotionally secured children. If they are raised in homes which lack happiness and have little emotionally security they may in time tend to be unhappy and insecure. However, these differences between higher and lower socio-economic groups may be due to non-intellectual factors. Some of these factors serving to depress intelligence test scores among the lower socio-economic groups could be greater resistance to taking test, the effect of nutritional deficiencies, different attitudes towards education, suspicion, lack of support and the like. Although any or all of these factors seem reasonable, there are no definite research to establish the answer conclusively. It has been observed that most elementary teachers do not have the necessary educational background to teach visual arts. University of Hawaii’s Professor, Dr. Stephanie Feeny (1986); stresses the importance of the arts in the development of the thinking process in children. An Evaluation of Academic Performance of Grade. (2016, Oct 06).

Godin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Godin - Essay Example A product which is out of the ordinary would grab the attention of the buyer. This has a direct correlation with the second conclusion. Being ordinary without introducing or representing anything new will bring the demise of a venture because being safe is the most damaging attribute a product can have. Godin’s conception of the definition of remarkable elucidates what retail should adopt. Remarkable means something that is worthy of remark. These are â€Å"ideas that spread† through what he calls idea diffusion. A new product should elicit remark which would compel others to talk about it. This means that the popularity of a product is no longer based on massive advertising where companies need to spend millions by availing of the conventional media such as television or radio. In this regard, Godin points out a Japanese word ‘otaku’ which refer to some kind of constituency who care about a product. These people spread the word without compensation simply because they are willing to listen and they become enthusiastic with a particular item. Choices are important to people but the presence of too many choices could render them desensitized that the best way to go is to make a conscious effort to be

Interaction Design Coursework on a Check it Out system Essay

Interaction Design Coursework on a Check it Out system - Essay Example Participant observation is an ethnographic method which consists of observing user environment from the user perspective. It’s a natural starting point for a user-centred design process. Initial observation of a Home Hardware superstore indicated that the advantage of the superstores is also its weakness; the size of the store make product location difficult and physically demanding exercise especially for those customers with trolleys laden with others products. Product use or compatibility is not easy to understand for the inexperienced DIY customer, uninitiated in the jargon on the product packages. More shop floor staff would easily remedy the situation but they are few and far between and overworked. The check-out lines are and time consuming either because they are long or some customers buy products in bulk that require measuring different lengths, sizes and weights. After observations, the researcher decided to conduct an ethnographic study of stratified but randomly selected customers of the Home Hardware superstore. The research instrument selected was the questionnaire which combined quantitative and qualitative methods of research i.e. closed ended and open- ended questions. The two methods complement each other (Neuman, 1997), in that it improves the objectivity of the findings and improves the analysis. The initial participant observations established that they are three parameters necessary in designing user-centred solutions to the problems observed. There are three questionnaires each is divided into two parts; scaled closed-ended questions and opened-ended questions. The first questionnaire was to investigate the in-store experience of customers before and during check out. The objective was to elicit perceptions on how store size affects ease of navigation, speed of product location, and advisability of the product. Focus was on floor

Recycling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Recycling - Research Paper Example An all inclusive definition of the term recycling is that recycling essentially refers to a closed-loop stem designed with the sole purpose of attempting to try and optimize the utilization of various resources while greatly minimizing the production of waste for the benefit of humankind. This definition of recycling casts it as being a systematic alternative to the usual syndrome of Produce-Consume-Dispose that is seen to greatly govern the flow of various materials in the modern day society. Aquino (1995 p.1-10) equates the practice of recycling whereby materials are processed for reuse to the Middle Ages practice where alchemists used to try and turn various base metals into gold. Recycling is not a new concept and evidence of its practice can be traced back to the Romans who by pulling down stones form their Coliseum so as to reuse these stones in the paving of roads, are seen to be pioneers in the field of construction and demolition recycling. Throughout history, black smiths have constantly been engaged in recycling as they have always smelted down broken items such as hoes and swords an reforged new ones from the molten metal. Industrialization is seen to have greatly spurred the demand for cheaper goods and scrap metals were used in the production of numerous products as they were generally cheaper as compared to products produced from virgin ore. Traditional industries such as the American steel industry and the rail road bought large quantities of scrap metal t o be used in the creation of steel products and the building the railway respectively. Recycling efforts in the country were seen to increase during the World War II as due to widespread material shortages and crippling financial constraints nearly all recyclable items were collected for recycling and subsequent use in the war effort. In the twenty first century, the only

Capital Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Capital Punishment - Essay Example One of the biggest flaws that can be found in the way that the survey was conducted is the fact that opinions were reached based on what a person was, as opposed to what they actually felt and believed in regards to the capital punishment. Religious and political preferences were looked at during the statistical portion of the research, though those bits of information can hardly scrape the surface of what people think. It was assumed that due to these standings, specific beliefs were automatically held. The survey was more focused on groups, organizations, and cultural beliefs, than those of individuals were. What was good about the survey was that it did consider varying groups of people and did not limit itself to just one specific section. However, what were not made clear were the reasons that these people had for being for or against capital punishment. Very little was spoken of the methodology actually involved in capital punishment, so it was unclear about what citizens were agreeing or disagreeing to, and why. Whether capital punishment is a good path to take with criminals or not is entirely up to individuals, including those that have the power to do something about keeping capital punishment around or ridding of it entirely. It has already been stated that it is considered unconstitutional, yet very little seems to be done about defending or agreeing with that given claim. It should also be considered that, in further studies, individual opinion be noted, and not just what is based on the religious or political reference.

Present the case against the anthropogenic causes of global warming Essay

Present the case against the anthropogenic causes of global warming - Essay Example This phenomenon is termed as global warming. There can be many negative consequences of global warming including growing risk of human survival on this planet (Maslin, 2007, p.9). One impact of global warming is melting of ice in the north and south poles which includes glaciers and ice sheets over West Antarctica and Greenland. There is also the risk of rising of the sea level that will result in inundation of the low-lying areas. Many species of the earth like penguins and polar bears are rapidly decreasing in number due to the melting of ice caps. Due to increased precipitation, there has also been an increase in rain and snowfall around the world. There is also damage of coral reefs because of warming of sea water; almost one third of coral reefs have already been severely damaged (Effects of global warming, n.d.). The concept of man’s impact on global warming has currently become a controversial issue because of the various difficulties faced by scientists while studying climate change. This paper argues against the anthropogenic factors of global warming and presents the natural and scientific factors responsible for this phenomenon. Greenhouse effect Greenhouse effect is the phenomenon of increased temperature of the earth’s surface and lower level of atmosphere due to emissions of various gases. Similar to a glass house where heat enters but some of it is retained and is prevented from going out, the earth’s surface too absorbs two-thirds of the sun’s radiation and expels one-third of the heat. In order to maintain balance of the solar heat the earth has to give back equal amount of heat to the atmosphere. Since the earth is colder than the sun, it reflects back heat in longer wavelengths than the sun’s radiation. A large part of this thermal energy emitted by land and water bodies is absorbed by the atmosphere and also by clouds that result in rainfall and cooling of the earth’s surface. This entire phenomenon is known as the greenhouse effect (What is the greenhouse effect? 2007, p.1). The most important greenhouse gas is water vapour followed by carbon dioxide which is the second most important greenhouse gas. Some of the other greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere are methane, ozone and nitrous oxide (Montzka, et al, 2011, p.43). If there would been no greenhouse effect then the surface of the earth would have been colder than the present temperature. The estimation is that without greenhouse effect the temperature of the earth’s surface would have been 330 C, and the earth would not have been appropriate for living beings to survive. The concern among scientists is that human activities may increase greenhouse gases to a high level which will lead to increase in temperature by 50 C within the middle of this century. However, the extent to which human life will be affected is still under controversy as it is still a matter of speculation how much the temperature change will affect the normal patterns of rainfall, drought, seasons and sea level (Schneider, 1990[1], p.13). The amount of thermal energy reflected back to space by the earth’s surface depends upon the temperature of the surface. A hot surface will radiate more thermal energy than a cold surface. The amount of radiation is also

Design Research - Article Critique Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Design Research - Critique - Article Example The authors employ purposive sampling to find and select illustrative cases of the firms that had initiated brand-building process. The authors also selected three Swedish firms with strong brand image making their results to be of note. The article also employed personal interviews as their main data collection which offers further credibility to their findings. Pre-testing of the data collection tools also offers strength to the findings and article (Aggarwal 2008, p.123). A weakness in the research article is that its study sample size of three firms appears limited and small. The article’s findings are of use considering the fragmented literature available on brand building from an internal perspective. Further, this article can be of use to managers who are interested in developing strong brands by providing indicators to how a firm can respond to scandals, geographical expansion, and or brand repositioning. The article’s findings are relevant to current practices in corporate branding. It further highlights emergent trends that should provide base for future research in regard to the implementation phase of corporate branding (Glynn & Woodside 2009, p.63). The article has a good structure as it provides an abstract first, then a literature review, followed by methodology, then the results and a conclusion. It makes it easy for the reader to follow and understand its contents. In their article ‘innovation, growth, and getting to where you want to go’, Ryan Jacoby and Diego Rodriguez seek to give advice to their readers on how to thoughtfully structure the innovation process (Jacoby & Rodriguez 2007, p.10). They aim at presenting managers with a model that helps them to assess and direct innovation efforts. The authors provide evolved and refined tools that employ design thinking to assist their clients to shape their innovation efforts. The strength of the article lies in its step by step approach towards design

3 short essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

3 short essays - Essay Example These parts are the exposition (A), the development (B), and the recapitulation (A’). The exposition is the main movement of sonata, which consists of such elements as a first theme, bridge (transition) with modulation, the second theme, and the closing theme (the cadence theme). The development contrasts with the exposition in tonic key, which is unstable because of modulations; also, in this movement, various themes developed, which then through the retransition return to the first key in the last movement, the recapitulation. This movement repeats the themes of the exposition in the first key and may end with the coda (concluding section). The Classical minuet and trio form is more complex than a Baroque minuet form due to its structure. Classical period composers extended the internal form of minuets and created pieces in accordance with the following scheme: minuet A (aba with repetitions) – trio B (cdc with repetitions) – minuet A (aba) or A (aba’) – B (cdc’) – A (aba’). The rondo (rondeau) form is commonly used for closing movements. It consists of a main theme (A) and spacers (B, C etc.) between the appearances of A. The main rondo schemes are as follows: ABACA coda; ABACABA; ABACADA and others. 2. Music period that appeals to me as a listener is the Late Baroque period. Primarily, it is so because of its complexity, which encourages to think and follow, intellectuality, accuracy (due to the tempered scales), regularity in rhythm and musical form, intensity of emotions, and ornamentation. Among the most significant genres of this period are concerto and concerto grosso, the fugue, dance suites, opera, oratorios, church cantatas etc. 3. With the aim to be able to deal with atonality and dissonance in music, Arnold Schoenberg presented his method of composing, known as the twelve-tone system, which he defined as â€Å"a method of composing with twelve tones solely in relation to one another†, meaning with

Oedipus Rex Essay Example for Free

Oedipus Rex Essay â€Å"Fear? What should a man fear? It’s all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark. Better to live at random, best we can.† (lines 1068-1072) The themes of fate and light and darkness are prominent in Oedipus Rex, a play written in ancient Greece by the famous poet Sophocles. Oedipus was a powerful Greek king and was notable for his compassion, sense of justice and his swiftness of thought and action. Unfortunately for him, his life fell ill when the prophecy of his birth came true. Throughout the play, the audience experiences a series of emotions. They experience pity, fear, and anger. At the end of the play, the audience may or may not experience a katharsis, a cleansing or purgation of emotions. The dispute between whether Oedipus should be viewed as a victim or merely a part of the gods manifesting their power and thereby teaching man a lesson is a common argument still in literature today. As many members of an audience believe, Oedipus can appear as having been victimized by the prophecy stricken upon him at birth. Oedipus, being born into such a horrible predicament, had no choice but to live his life as he did always afraid of the horrible outcome of his fate. His parents Laius and Jocasta chose to selfishly bind there son’s feet together and abandon him as a way of making sure they would never see him again and never be vulnerable to the day that Oedipus’ prophecy would come true. Therefore, the emotion of pity arises in the audience and Oedipus is viewed as a victim of a very tragic fate. However, it is important to consider whether he inflicted more agony into his life by trying to fight against his fate. Were the gods punishing Oedipus and ultimately all of mankind because of his retaliation? If so, not only was Oedipus punished, but also his parents were for interfering with the gods’ plans. Oedipus suffered the consequence of losing his sight and his mother committed suicide because of her shame and embarrassment. Today, some view the idea of fate as something planned by a greater being and for human beings, out of our control. For Oedipus and his parents, they thought that they could change their fate but as an outcome and consequence for disrespecting the gods, there was no way to escape it. As Oedipus eagerly attempted to uncover the truth about his fate, acting decisively and deliberately refusing to shield himself from the truth. Although we see Oedipus as a playing-piece of fate, the irony becomes so magnified that it seems as if Oedipus was willingly bringing catastrophe upon himself. In one of Oedipus’ speeches, he declares that when he discovers the truth he will excommunicate the murderer from Thebes and punish him severely. Ironically, Oedipus is the murderer himself that he spoke so viciously about and he leaves Thebes and blinds himself after he finds that Jocasta has hanged herself. Despite the many character flaws that Oedipus withholds, such as quickness to anger, stubbornness, ignorance and arrogance, rather than viewing his fate as a natural result of the virtues and vices of his character, Oedipus teaches mankind a lesson in humility. Like many tragedies, Oedipus Rex teaches a lesson of morality to the audience. It teaches the audience that it is better to be humble and that even if you are a good leader, it does not necessarily mean that you are a good person. Oedipus Rex also teaches that no matter your past or what you do to change your fate, it will always catch up to you somehow. â€Å"People of Thebes, my countrymen, look on Oedipus. He solved the famous riddle with his brilliance, he rose to power, a man beyond all power. Who could behold his greatness without envy? Now what a black sea of terror has overwhelmed him. Now as we keep our watch and wait the final day, count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at last.† (lines 1678-1684) These words, spoken by the chorus, form the ending of Oedipus Rex. The chorus announces that even though Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx, he was never happy with his life and his fate and he caused his own fall. Rather than a victim to his fate, he was the antagonist to his fate.

Juliet And Her Romeo Essay Example for Free

Juliet And Her Romeo Essay â€Å"For never was there a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo†. Romeo and Juliet is a tragic love story. Whose tragedy is it? Through the metrical composition of the closing lines of the play, Shakespeare informs the audience on whose tragedy Romeo and Juliet is about. By addressing the last verse of the play to us in pyrrhic pentameter, he is suggesting a victory which has come about at too great a cost. The pace of time amplifies the tragic quality of the play. Time is used to set things in a motion that they spiral out of control. Instead of logical decisions, everything is controlled by emotions, which ultimately leads Romeo and Juliet to their path of death. However, Shakespeare’s deliberate use of pyrrhic pentameter reinforces the sound of a pyrrhic victory. Besides the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, there is something more pervasive suggested, as many characters thereafter also suffer as a consequence of this tragedy, such as the parents and Paris. Essentially, the story is Romeo and Juliet’s tragedy because they are young and pay the ultimate price for their passionate ‘true love’. The chorus tells us that the lovers are necessary sacrifices. Nothing but their death can â€Å"bury their parents’ strife†. Through the words â€Å"here’s much to do with hate, but more with love†, Shakespeare suggests how the world of the play is initially sprouted by hate between two families. So the paradox with Romeo and Juliet is how the one thing that defines them is ultimately the one thing which separates them. Not only are they victims of their families hatred, they are also victim to piteous overthrows and misguided plans which were supposed to unite them. By disregarding patriarchal imperatives and escaping to a world without parents, they place their trust in orders, such as Friar Lawrence and the Nurse. In doing that, they subject themselves to piteous overthrows. Their tragedy is that they have nowhere to turn. In an attempt to come together, the true lovers die; their love was â€Å"death-marked†. They are inexperienced and have the idealistic ardour of first love. Hence, their love is pure. The poetry of the play is written as beautifully and pure as the love it speaks of as this purity enhances the tragedy presented in the play for Romeo and Juliet. It is the parents’ tragedy in this play because of their disobedient children. Romeo and Juliet’s rebellion ultimately leads to them to their own deaths and consequently, the only succession to the Capulet and Montague’s family name is lost. Upon Juliet’s death, Capulet expresses lamentation to this loss of  succession through his words â€Å"death is my heir†. The children’s fatal flaws ultimately pave their parents’ tragedy. The children took little honour in their names and treated it as if it were a piece of clothing which they could just throw away. Juliet questions â€Å"what’s in a name?† and expresses dishonour to the significance of her family name. Juliet’s lack of pride leads her to Romeo, which ultimately leads her to death. Hence, her lack of pride is her fatal flaw. If she had pride in her name, she would not have allowed herself to love Romeo and hence, would not have died. If they did not die, the story would not have been their parent’s tragedy, as they would not have lost their children, or their successor to their family name. Of all the young men who die in the play, Paris is the greatest victim of all, because he dies from being a victim of both love and death. Essentially, Paris was not even part of the two families’ battle. Rather, he was dragged into the whole mess as a result of associations. For the other young men in the story, their tragedy had come about as a result of the ancient grudge however for Paris, he was a victim of love. He dies as a consequence of love in both ways; Romeo’s love for Juliet as well as his own love for Juliet. Paris was a nice guy who happened to get caught in someone else’s love story. As Juliet’s love for Romeo deepens, Paris is increasingly ignored by her. Hence, not only is it a tragic end for Paris in that he dies by the end of the play, but his beloved Juliet also dies and the fact that he never received Juliet’s love or attention since the start adds further depth to his tragedy. Through the use of pyrrhic pentameter, Shakespeare allows us to ‘hear’ as well as understand the pyrrhic victory taken place in the play. The constant battle between family Montague and the family Capulet is the spark which sets off the train for future misfortunes. Romeo and Juliet’s forbidden pure love is definitely a major factor which contributes to the tragedy of both these young lovers. For the parents, their children’s grave death, tragic in itself, also marks the death of their own succession to the family names. For Paris, his tragedy is bought about as a consequence of love. Ultimately, the catastrophic end to Romeo and Juliet is a t ragedy which affects everyone in the play.

The Impact Of The Renaissance History Essay

The Impact Of The Renaissance History Essay In a short span of time, the world flourished. Rediscoveries of classical manuscripts lead to a new and improved period of art works. This period was responsible for the transformation between the medieval west and the modern western civilization, and in creating some of the greatest pieces of art that the world has ever witnessed. This period was known as The Renaissance, and as historian Paul Johnson explained it in his book Renaissance, A Short Hisotry, The Renaissance was primarily a human event, propelled forward by a number of individuals of outstanding talent, in some cases amounting to genius. From Dante, to Da Vinci, Gutenburg and others, they made The Renaissance a true historical phenomenon. The overwhelming emphasis on God started to deteriorate and peoples lives felt freer and less limited. Technology, education and expand of knowledge and ideas, medical science and the living environment excelled those of the Middle Ages. Life in The Renaissance thrived. In the Middle Ages, God and the church played a very important role in the medieval lives. God was the center of peoples lives, they worshipped him greatly. The pope was like Gods puppet, leading the church and running things through the ideas of God . The Church ran almost everything in the society and affected the way people lived. They believed God created the world and their main goal in life was to land in heaven. As the Middle Ages ended and The Renaissance began, importance started shifting from God to man and science, art, and humanism became the new main ideas. The Catholic Churchs influence and power over the people started to decline and individualism was emphasized. According to historian Jacob Burckhardt, the Middle Ages was a society where people were part of a class but the Renaissance saw a society change to one where individualism was stressed. He expresses this thought in his book The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy where he stated: both sides of human consciousness the side turned to the world and that turned inward lay, as it were, beneath a common veil, dreaming or half awake. The veil was woven of faith, childlike prejudices, and illusion; seen through it, world and history appeared in strange hues; man recognized himself only as a member of a race, a nation, a party, a corporation, a family, or in some other general category. It was in Italy that this veil first melted into thin air, and awakened an objective perception and treatment of the state and all things of this world in general; but by its side, and with full power, there also arose the subjective; man becomes a self-aware individual and recognizes himself as such. He is basically saying that the idea of individualism started off in Italy, where The Renaissance began, and people started to view the world in a different way, while in the Middle Ages, everything was viewed ridiculously to him (childlike prejudices, illusion, world appearing in strange hues) and faith was very important. And it was, but as the Churchs importance faded, the lives of people saw more freedom in the centuries ahead. An improvement of education, spread of Humanism, and expanding of knowledge took place in the Renaissance. Back in the Middle Ages, the Church played a major role in the education of the people. Boys were taught by Bishops and Monks, while girls were practically ignored when it came to education. The boys sat on the floor and scribbled notes onto wooden tablets. The teachings during the Middle Ages were based on scholasticism. They taught what the Church wanted them to teach (how the Church sees the world), it related to theories and faith, not by real facts or evidence. For example, they believed and taught that God created the world, and peoples ideas are born with their soul, it doesnt come from anywhere else. When The Renaissance began, education became more important and popular. The opportunity for more to be educated was aided by the printing press. Education improved a little for girls, high class girls could go to school or they could receive some private tutoring. People st arted unearthing old manuscripts. People like Petrarch told that people shouldnt be following Christ, they should be educated about the truth and facts written in the manuscripts. Humanism played an important role in the education of men, as opposed to the Middle Ages where the ideas of the Church did. It was the philosophical idea that concerned the life and values of human beings. Historian Bertrand Russell described this change of knowledge by saying A good world needs knowledge, kindliness, and courage; it does not need a regretful hankering after the past or a fettering of the free intelligence by the words uttered long ago by ignorant men. Math and accounting improved during the centuries, from children being able to learn the skills of being a merchant, to Fibonacci combining the rules of arithmetic and algebra in 1202. Not only that, knowledge of geography expanded more too during the Renaissance as America, the New World was discovered in 1492 by Columbus. Astronomy experie nced some breakthroughs during the late Renaissance. In 1514, Nicolaus Copernicus discovered that the Earth revolved around the sun and published his idea of the solar system in his book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium. Education and knowledge prospered in the minds of the Renaissance people. The lives of The Renaissance civilians changed dramatically as new technologies were invented. There was an invention in The Renaissance that is considered the most significant. It was the printer press, which was invented in 1445 by Gutenburg. During the Middle Ages, monks had to copy the books by hand. It took months and years to complete a single book; as a result, books were really expensive back then. Most of the books were written in Latin and since most of the population wasnt educated, they couldnt read the books. Quantities of the Bible printed in The Renaissance were massive and it helped greatly in the spreading of religion. Middle class people could afford the books now, and they wanted them to be written in vernacular and with a more variety of topics. With increase of purchase in books, book trade and industries started to bloom, such as the paper making companies. With more people able to afford and acquire books, literacy rate increased gradually. Before The Renaissan ce, about 5-10% of the population could read or write, as The Renaissance progressed, the literacy rate went up to about 20-30%. The printing press helped tremendously in the spread of the new philosophical idea developed in The Renaissance, Humanism. The printing press was surely one of the biggest highlights of The Renaissance that leaves its mark here in the modern world still. Without it, writings werent able to be produced in such a short amount of time and money. Living life in both eras was a huge difference. The Middle Ages followed a system called Feudalism. It had a pyramid of power, which ranks from King all the way to the peasants. Life for the peasants were harsh, death was very common. A child who survived childhood was considered lucky and most parents were grateful to end up with one grown up child after many births. Children in the Middle Ages followed in their parents footsteps as soon as possible: peasant children doing labor, merchant children studying trade, and nobles children training to be warriors or good wives. Feudalism started to decline in The Renaissance and cities and towns started to rise. This helped many merchants because as more products were demanded in shops, the products trade increased. For example, when the demand for expensive accessories increased, the trade increased too which made the merchants rich, and with their wealth, they buy other expensive accessories. During the Middle Ages, the Church adopted th e ideas of Galen about the human body which were proved to be wrong in The Renaissance because dissecting human was banned during that time. Some of his errors were that he said the blood moved from the left side of the heart to the right by going through pores, when it is actually because of the pumping of the heart. He even said that the blood was produced from the liver. These theories and others he came up with were approved for over 1,400 years. It took centuries later in The Renaissance that his errors were corrected and medical science advanced. Understandings of the circulation of the blood in the body, invention of surgery equipments and the approval of dissecting bodies lead to new discoveries and treatments. From 1533-1536, Parà © served as a French military surgeon, where he mastered surgery techniques, and he developed new treatments and equipments. In 1543, Andreas Vesaliuss book De Corporis Fabrica was published with accurate details of the human anatomy. And in 1628 , William Harvey published his book De Mortu Cordis, explaining the circulation of the blood throughout the body. The church had trouble stopping these new discoveries (which disproved their beliefs) because of the printing press. Medically improved, The Renaissance provided a healthier and safer life for the people. With all the developments, advances, and improvements, hardly anyone can deny The Renaissance wasnt a better time to be living in than the Middle Ages. The 14th century just rocketed off from the centuries before, spiraling into a new universe with great educations, technologies, medicines, and lifestyles. The brilliant minds that made this era an era to remember will always be remembered. Their minds decorated and purified the world. They recovered the lost lives of people and left us to remember a rebirth that marked its place in history as one of the three greatest centuries of all time, The Renaissance.

My Experience with Domestic Violence Essay -- Personal Narrative Essay

I would shut my eyes because I knew what was coming. And before I shut my eyes, I held my breath, like a swimmer ready to dive into a deep ocean. I could never watch when his hands came toward me; I only patiently waited for the harsh sound of the strike. I would always remember his eyes right before I closed my own: pupils wide with rage, cold, and dark eyebrows clenched with hate. When it finally came, I never knew which fist hit me first, or which blow sent me to my knees because I could not bring myself to open my eyes. They were closed because I didn’t want to see what he had promised he would never do again. In the darkness of my mind, I could escape to a paradise where he would never reach me. I would find again the haven where I kept my hopes, dreams, and childhood memories. His words could not devour me there, and his violence could not poison my soul because I was in my own world, away from this reality. When it was all over, and the only thing left were bruises, tea rs, and bleeding flesh, I felt a relief run through my body. It was so predictable. For there was no more need to recede, only to recover. There was no more reason to be afraid; it was over. He would feel sorry for me, promise that it would never happen again, hold me, and say how much he loved me. This was the end of the pain, not the beginning, and I believed that everything would be all right. Like so many innocent, selfless girls, untouched by the world, I forgave him. The pain dispersing through my body reminded me that I was strong and all I needed to do was heal. I would cry without tears at first, the sadness inside me so intense, that the hollowness in my heart would weigh me down. My heart’s deep hollowness was so immense, that the loudest shrie... ...e helped me overcome the obstacle of domestic violence. My will and motivation was to get an education, better myself, and become a strong and intelligent woman. I choose to view this unfortunate situation as a learning experience because I am stronger now and I will never go backwards. Something that I have learned after overcoming this battle is that life is very unpredictable and it is up to the individual to rise above and choose the right path. This excerpt from the poem â€Å"Recovery† by Maya Angelou has given me encouragement and inspiration to move on with my life and become the best person that I can be: â€Å"A last love, proper in conclusion, should snip the wings forbidding further flight. But I now reft of that confusion, am lifted up and speeding towards the light.† I live by these words everyday because they motivate me to succeed and overcome the impossible. My Experience with Domestic Violence Essay -- Personal Narrative Essay I would shut my eyes because I knew what was coming. And before I shut my eyes, I held my breath, like a swimmer ready to dive into a deep ocean. I could never watch when his hands came toward me; I only patiently waited for the harsh sound of the strike. I would always remember his eyes right before I closed my own: pupils wide with rage, cold, and dark eyebrows clenched with hate. When it finally came, I never knew which fist hit me first, or which blow sent me to my knees because I could not bring myself to open my eyes. They were closed because I didn’t want to see what he had promised he would never do again. In the darkness of my mind, I could escape to a paradise where he would never reach me. I would find again the haven where I kept my hopes, dreams, and childhood memories. His words could not devour me there, and his violence could not poison my soul because I was in my own world, away from this reality. When it was all over, and the only thing left were bruises, tea rs, and bleeding flesh, I felt a relief run through my body. It was so predictable. For there was no more need to recede, only to recover. There was no more reason to be afraid; it was over. He would feel sorry for me, promise that it would never happen again, hold me, and say how much he loved me. This was the end of the pain, not the beginning, and I believed that everything would be all right. Like so many innocent, selfless girls, untouched by the world, I forgave him. The pain dispersing through my body reminded me that I was strong and all I needed to do was heal. I would cry without tears at first, the sadness inside me so intense, that the hollowness in my heart would weigh me down. My heart’s deep hollowness was so immense, that the loudest shrie... ...e helped me overcome the obstacle of domestic violence. My will and motivation was to get an education, better myself, and become a strong and intelligent woman. I choose to view this unfortunate situation as a learning experience because I am stronger now and I will never go backwards. Something that I have learned after overcoming this battle is that life is very unpredictable and it is up to the individual to rise above and choose the right path. This excerpt from the poem â€Å"Recovery† by Maya Angelou has given me encouragement and inspiration to move on with my life and become the best person that I can be: â€Å"A last love, proper in conclusion, should snip the wings forbidding further flight. But I now reft of that confusion, am lifted up and speeding towards the light.† I live by these words everyday because they motivate me to succeed and overcome the impossible.

Negative Impact of God on the Minds of David Hume, Christopher Smart, a

Negative Impact of God on the Minds of David Hume, Christopher Smart, and William Cowper David Hume was one of the most influential writers and philosophers of his time. Hume was the second son of Joseph Hume, laird of Ninewells, a small estate in Berwickshire. He was born and raised in Edinburgh, and studied law at Edinburgh University. He left the University without taking a degree with him, however. He spent the next three years living at his fathers, occupying his time primarily with reading and pondering ideas, later to be used in his works. In 1773 Hume traveled to France, making his way to La Fleche on the Loire. He attended Jesuit college while abroad, and was greatly stimulated by history. While in La Fleche, he began his renown A Treatise of Human Understanding. The first two volumes were published in 1739, and the concluding volume in 1740. His work was published anonymously, and subsequently attracted little attention. While in France, Hume became good friends with a number of well known men. Voltaire, Diderot, and d’Alembert were friends of his that had great influence on his writings and ideas. Several of his works include, The History of Great Britain, and Four Dissertations which contained The Natural History of Religion, Of the Passions, Of Tragedy, and Of the Standard of Taste (Stapleton 1757). Two Essays (1777) contained Of Suicide and Of the Immortality of the Soul. David Hume explores the issue of what exactly comprises the â€Å"self†. Hume states in his Treatise of Human Nature that ...when I enter most intimately into what I call myself, I always stumble on some particular perception or other, of heat or cold, light or shade, love or hatred, pain or pleasure. I never can catch my... ...Literature. Vol.1. Ed. Rossi, Patricia. Addison Wesley Educational Publishers Inc. New York: Copyright 1999. 2655-57. Hume, David. â€Å"A Treatise of Human Nature:The Mind as Theater†. Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol.1. Ed. Rossi, Patricia. Addison Wesley Educational Publishers Inc. New York: Copyright 1999. 2644-47. Hume, David. â€Å"An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding: Of Miracles†. Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol.1. Ed. Rossi, Patricia. Addison Wesley Educational Publishers Inc. New York: Copyright 1999. 2647-50. Jenkins, John. Understanding Hume. Edinburgh University Press. Lanham, Maryland: Copyright 1992. Smart, Christopher. â€Å"Jubilante Agno†. Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol.1. Ed. Rossi, Patricia. Addison Wesley Educational Publishers Inc. New York: Copyright 1999. 2650-53

Jousting :: Essays Papers

Jousting Depending on who you ask, there are many different things that come to people's minds when one hears the word, chivalry. Some might say: knights, castles, horses, damsels in distress, Knights in shinning armor.... i could go on and on. I think of all these things as well, but I also think of Jousting. In a time when courage, honor and integrity were valued jousting was not only a sport, but a way for knights to prove their skill and courage. When we think of a knight in shining armor, we almost automatically think of the grand joust. It's hard not to imagine the thunderous hoof beats and the roar of the crowd as two knights race towards each other in a test of skill and nerve. The joust grew from the chaotic melee of the tournaments that were always taking place. As more and more restrictions were put on man to man combat; a tournament was developed where men rode horses and carried lances. This dangerous form of combat, was an event designed to test the horsemanship and weapons skill of the individual knight. Jousting tournaments caught on quickly because it truly tested every aspect of a chivalric man. Not only did it test the skill a knight had with weapons, but it also tested his skill with of controlling and riding a horse. In a sense, a jousting match could prove or disprove a knights ability to be a truly chivalric knight. In the joust the knight used the lance, a weapon specifically designed for mounted combat. At first jousters would simply spur their horses towards one another, weapons ready, each attempting to knock each other off there horses. If a knight was knocked to the ground, his battle was as good as lost. For the mounted warrior could run him down, trample him with his horse, or spear him with his lance; all while out of reach of the land bound fighter. When the joust came to represent the horsemanship of the fighter, safeguards evolved. The lance was fitted with a three pronged tip called a coronal, which was designed to keep the weapon from penetrating a knights helm and to re-distribute the force of the impact. Also, armor was developed specifically for the joust.

Amish`

BIOGRAPHY OF MAHATMA PHULE by Dr. Y. D. Phadke. for the bo†¦ http://www. dalitstan. org/books/slavery/slavry_b. html 1 of 6 6/23/2005 1:02 PM ——- O ——- Slavery by Mahatma Phule ——- O ——- Biography of Mahatma Phule Dr. Y. D. Phadke. [This brief Life Sketch of Mahatma Jotirao Phule is written by the noted the scholar Dr. Y. D. Phadke. He is the editor of the Collected Words of Mahatma Phule in Marathi. He is also an eminent scholar of Mahatma Phule and the Satyashodhak Movement. ] JOTIRAO GOVINDRAO PHULE occupies a unique position among the social reformers of Maharashtra in the nineteenth century.While other reformers concentrated more on reforming the social institutions of amily and marriage with special emphasis on the status and right of women, Jotirao Phule revolted against the unjust caste system under which millions of people had suffered for centuries. In particular, he courageously upheld the cause of the untouchabl es and look up the cudgels for the poorer peasants. He was a militant advocate of their right. The story of his stormy life is an inspiring saga of a continuous struggle whih he waged relentlessly against the forces of reaction.Though some keen observers of the social scene in Maharashtra like Narayan Mahadeo Parmananda did acknowledge his greatness in his lifetime, it is only in is only in recent decades that there is increasing appreciation of his service and sacrifice in uplifting the masses. Jotirao Phule was born in 1827. His father, Govindrao was a vegetable-vendor at Poona. Originally Jotirao's family known as Gorhays, came from Katgun, a village in the Satara district of Maharashtra, His grandfather Shetiba Gorhay settled down in Poona. Since Jotirao's father and two uncles served as florists under the last of the Peshwas, they came to be known as `Phule'.Jotirao's mother passed away when he was hardly one year old. After completing his primary education, Jotirao had to leav e the school and help his father by working on the family's farm. Jotirao's marriage was celebrated when he was not even thirteen. Impressed by Jotirao's intelligence and his love of knowledge two of his neighbours, one a Muslim teachr and another a Christian gentleman persuaded his father Govindrao to allow him to study in a secondary school. In 1841, got admission in the Scottish Mission's High School at Poona. It was in his this school that he met SadashivBIOGRAPHY OF MAHATMA PHULE by Dr.Y. D. Phadke. for the bo†¦ http://www. dalitstan. org/books/slavery/slavry_b. html 2 of 6 6/23/2005 1:02 PM Ballal Govande, a Brahmin, who remained a close friend throughout his life. Both Jotirao and Govande were greatly influenced by Thomas Paine's ideas and they read with great interest Paine's famous book ‘The Rights of Man. ‘ Moro Vithal Valvekar and Sakharam Yashwant Paranjapye were two other Brahmin friends of Jotirao who in later years stood by him in all his activities. After completing his secondary education in 1847 Jotirao decided not to accept a job under the Government.An incident in 1848 made him aware of the iniquities of the caste system, the predominant position of the Brahmin in the social setup. He was invited to attend a wedding of one of his Brahmin friends. As the bridegroom was taken in a procession, Jotirao accompanied him along with the relatives of his Brahmin friends. Knowing that Jotirao belonged to the Mil caste which was considered to be inferior by the Brahmins, the relatives of the bridegroom insulted and abused him. Jotirao left the procession and retuned home. With tears in his eyes, he narrated his experience to his father who tried to pacify him.After this incident Jotirao made up his mind to defy the caste-system and serve the Shudras and women who were deprived of all their rights as human beings under the caste-system. Education of women and the lower castes, he believed, deserved priority, Hence he began educating hi s wife Savitribai and opened a girls' school in August 1848. The orthodox opponents of Jotirao were furious and they started a vicious campaign against him. He refused to be unnerved by their malicious propaganda. As no teacher dared to work in a which untouchable were admitted as students, Jotirao asked his wife to teach the girls in his school.Stones and brickbats were thrown at her when she was on her way to the school. The reactionaries threatened Jotirao's father with dire consequences if he did not dissociate himself Yielding to the pressure, Jotirao's father asked his son and the daughter in-law to leave his house as both of them refused to give up their noble endeavor. Though the school had to be closed for sometime due to lack of funds, Jotirao re-opened it with the help of his Brahmin friends Govande and Valvekar. On 3 July 1851, he founded a girls' school in which eight girls were admittedon the first day. Steadily the number of student increased.Savitribai taught in this school also and had to suffer a lot because of hostility of the orthodox people. Jotirao opened two more girl's schools during 1851-52 in a memorial addressed to the Education Commission (popularly known as the Hunter Commission ) in 1882, he described his activities in the field of education, ` A year after the institution of the female school I also established and indigenous mixed school for the lower classes, especially the Mahars and Mangs. Tow more school for these classes were subsequently added. I continued to work in them for nearly nine to ten years'.Jotirao was aware that primary education among the masses in the Bombay Presidency was very much neglected. He argued that ‘a good deal of their poverty,BIOGRAPHY OF MAHATMA PHULE by Dr. Y. D. Phadke. for the bo†¦ http://www. dalitstan. org/books/slavery/slavry_b. html 3 of 6 6/23/2005 1:02 PM their want of self-reliance, their entire dependence upon the learned and intelligent classes' could be attribute to the Br itish Government for spending profusely a lar portion of revenue on the education of the higher classes. According to him. this policy resulted in the virtual monopoly of all the higher offices under the Government by the Brahmins.Jotirao boldly attacked the stranglehold of the Brahmins, who prevented others from having access to all the avenues of Knowledge and influence. He denounced them as cheats and hypocrites. He asked the masses to resist the tyranny of the Brahmins. All his writings were variation on this theme. His critics made fun of his ignorance of grammar and philology, his inelegant language and far-fetched interpretation of Indian history and the ancient texts. They brushed his criticism aside by saying that he was merely echoing what the Christian missionaries had said about the Indian society in general and Brahmin in particular.The established scholars in his time did not take Phule's arguments seriously. His critics did not realise that Jotirao's acrimonious criti cism was basically a spontaneous outburst of a genuine concern for the equal rights of human beings Emotionally he was so deeply involved in his work that he could not make a dispassionate analysis and take a detached view of the social forces. Jotirao's deep sense of commitment to basic human values made it difficult for him to restrain himself when he witnessed injustice and atrocities committed in the name of religion by those who were supposed to be its custodians.Widow remarriages were banned and child-marriage was very common among the Brahmin and other upper castes in the then Hindu society. Many widows were young and not all of them could live in a manner in which the orthodox people expected them to live. Some of the delinquent widows resorted to abortion or left their illegitimate children to their fate by leaving them on the streets. Out of pity for the orphans, jotirao Phule established an orphanage, possible the first such institution founded by a Hindu. Jotirao gave pr otection to pregnant widows and assured them that the orphanage would take care of their children.It was in this orphanage run by Jotirao that a Brahmin widow gave birth to a boy in 1873 and Jotirao adopted him as his son. For sometime, Jotirao worked as a contractor for the government and supplied building material required for the construction of a huge barrage at Khadakvasala near Poona. He had a direct experience of working with the officials of the Public Works Department which was notorious as a hotbed of corruption. Except the British officers holding very high positions in the Department. the clerks and other officers were invariably Brahmin and they exploited the illiterate workers.Jotirao felt in necessary to explain to the workers how they were duped by the Brahmin officials . in one of the ballads composed by him, he described vividly the fraudulent practices resorted to by the Brahmin officials in the Public Works Department (printed at the end of `Slavery')BIOGRAPHY OF MAHATMA PHULE by Dr. Y. D. Phadke. for the bo†¦ http://www. dalitstan. org/books/slavery/slavry_b. html 4 of 6 6/23/2005 1:02 PM In 1868, Jotirao decided to give access to the untouchables to small bathing tank mere his house.In his controversial book called Slavery published in June 1873, Jotirao included a manifesto which declared that he was willing to dine with all regardless of their caste, creed or country of origin. It is significant that several newspapers refused to give publicity to the manifesto because of its contents. His book Slavery was severely criticised for its `venomous propaganda' against the Brahmins. Jotio dedicated this book `to the good people of the United States as a token of admiration for their sublime, disinterested and self sacrificing devotion in the cause of Negro Slavery'. The book is written in the form of a dialogue.After tracing the history of the Brahmin domination in India, Jotirao examined the motives and objects of cruel and inhuman laws framed by the brahmins. Their main object in fabricating these fasehoods was to dupe the minds of the ignorant and rivet firmly on them the chains of perpetual bondage and slavery which their selfishness and cunning had forged, The severity of the laws as affecting the Sudras and the intense hatred with which they were regarded by the Brahmins can be explained on no other supposition but that there was, originally between the two, a deadly feud arising from the advent of the latter in to this land.Jotirao argued that the sudras were the sons of the soil while the Brahmins came from outside and usurped everything that was possessed by the `not one hundredth part of the rogueries' that were generally practsed on his `poor, illiterate and ignorant Sudra brethren'. On 24 September 1873 , Jotirao convened a meeting of his followers and admirers and it was decided to form the ‘Satya Shodhak Samaj' (Society of Seekers of Truth) with Jotirao as its first president and treasurer. Ever y member had to take pledge of loyalty to the British Empire.The main objectives of the organisation were to liberate the Shudras and Ati Shudras and to prevent their exploitation by the Brahmins. All the members of the Satya Shodhak Samaj were expected to treat all human being as children of God and worship the Creator without the help of any mediator. Membership was open to all and the available evidence proves that some Jews were admitted as members. In 1876. Jotirao refused to regard the Vedas as sacrosanct. He opposed idolatry and denounced the chaturvarnya. In his book Sarvajanik Satya Dharma Pustak published in 1891, his views on religious and social issues are given in the form of f dialogue.According to him,both men and women were entitled to enjoy equal rights and it was a sin to discriminate between human being on the basis of sex. He stressed the unity of man and envisaged a society based on liberty, equality and fraternity. He was aware that religious bigotry and aggres sive natioalism destroy the unity of man. In 1876 Jotirao was nominated as a member of the Poona Municipality, He tried to help the people in the famine-stricken areas of Maharashtra when a severe famine in 1877 forced people in the rural area to leave their villages.Some of them had to leave their children behind and appeal issued on 17 May 1877 by Jotirao indicates that theBIOGRAPHY OF MAHATMA PHULE by Dr. Y. D. Phadke. for the bo†¦ http://www. dalitstan. org/books/slavery/slavry_b. html 5 of 6 6/23/2005 1:02 PM Victoria Orphanage was founded under the auspices of the Satya Shodhak Samaj to took after these unfortunate children. From the beginning of the year 1879 Krishnarao Bhalekar, one of his colleagues, edited a weekly called Deenbandhu which was the organ f the Satya Shodhak Samaj.The weekly articulated the grievances of the peasants and workers. Deenbandhu defended Jotirao when Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, a powerful spokesmen of the conservative nationalists, attacked Jot irao's writing in the most vitriolic style. Narayan Meghaji Lokhande was another prominent colleague of Jotirao, Lokhande is acclaimed as the Father of Trade Union Movement in India From 1880 onward, he look over the management of Deenbabdhu which published from Bombay. Along with Lokhande. Jotirao also addressed the meetings of the textile workers in Bombay.It is significant that before and his colleagues Bhalekar and Lokhande tried to organise the peasants and the workers, no such attempt was made by any organisation to redress their grievances. One of the charges levelled by Jotirao against the leaders of the Brahmo Samaj and the Prarthana Samaj, the Sarvajanik Sabha and the Indian National Congress was that despite their programmes, in reality, they did very little to improve the lot of the masses. He felt that these organisations were dominated by the Brahmins and were not truly representative in character.In his booklet called Satsara (The Essence of Truth) published in June 1 885, he criticised the Brahmo Samaj and the Prarthana Samaj. Addressing their leaders he declared, ‘We don't need the help of your organisations. Don't worry about us' In his book, Sarvajanik Sabha or the Indian National Congress. He warnhat the persistent demand made by these organisation for Indianisation of the administrative services, if accepted, would lead to Brahminisation of the service in India.He thought that it was difficult to create a sense of nationality so long as the restriction on dining and marrying outside the caste continued to observed by people belonging to different castes. Education of the masses would promote the process of nation-making. It should be remembered that just as Jotirao did not mince words when he criticised the leaders of tormist movement he was equally fearless in criticising the decision of the alien rulers which did not contribute to the welfare of the masses.When the government wanted to grant more licences for liquor-shop, Jotirao co ndemned this move as he believed that addiction to liquor would ruin many poor families. On 30 November 1880, the President of the Poona Municipality requested the members of approve his proposal of spending one thousand rupees on the occasion of the visit of Lord Lytton, the Governor-General of India. The official wanted to present him an address during his visit to Poona. Lytton had passed an Act which resulted in gagging the press and Deenbandhu, the organ of the Satya Shodhak Samaj, had protested against the restriction on the right to freedom of the press.Jotirao did not like the idea of spending the money of the tax- payers in honouring a guest like Lytton. HeBIOGRAPHY OF MAHATMA PHULE by Dr. Y. D. Phadke. for the bo†¦ http://www. dalitstan. org/books/slavery/slavry_b. html 6 of 6 6/23/2005 1:02 PM boldly suggested that the amount could be very well spent on the education of the poor people in poona. He was the only member out of all the thirty-two nominated members of th e Poona Municipality who voted against the official resolution. Another incident also revealed his attachment for the poor easant and his courage in drawing the attention of member of the British royal family to the sufferings of the framers in rural areas, On 2 March 1888, Hari Raoji Chiplunkar, a friend of Jotirao, arranged a function in honour of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. Dressed like a peasant, Jotirao attended the function and made a speech,. He commented on the rich invitees who displayed their wealth by wearing diamond studded jewellery and warned the visiting dignitaries that the people who had gathered there did not represent India.If the Duke of Connaught was really interested in finding out the condition of the Indian subjects of Her Majesty the Queen of England, Jotirao suggested that the ought to visit some nearby village as well as the areas in the city occupied by the untouchables. He requested the Duke of Connaught who was a gandson of Queen Victoria to conv ey his message to her and made a strong plea to provide education to the poor people, Jotirao's speech created quit a stir. Throughout his life.Jotirao Phule fought for the emancipation of the downtrodden people and the struggle which he launched at a young age ended only when he died on 28 November 18 He was a pioneer in many fields and among his contemporaries he stands out as one who never wavered in his quest for trust for and justice, Thought he was often accused of fomenting hatred between the non Brahmins, very rarely an attempt was made to consider his scathing criticism in a broad perspective.The later generation also took considerable time to understand and appreciate the profound significance of his unflinching espousal of the rights of man remained till the end of his life a major theme of his writings and a goal of his actions. [p. xxii] Dr. Y. D. PHADKE – o o O o o – [ Table of Contents ] [ Preface >> THE END Amish Janie Kiester Mini Ethnography on Amish Dinner Instructor, Michelle Stone, PhD Amish/Mennonite Information: Today there are over 12 different Amish and Mennonite groups in the Shipshawana area. They do not permit electricity or telephones in their homes. By restricting access to television, radio, and telephones, the Amish feel they are better able to keep the modern world from intruding into their home life. The Amish have long preferred farming as a way of life. They feel their lifestyle and their families can best be maintained in a rural environment. While they do not permit the use of tractors in their fields, these traditional Amish groups do use modern farm equipment pulled by teams of horses or mules. These traditional Amish groups do not own or operate automobiles, believing that cars would provide easier access to the ways of the world. You often see their horses and buggies on the streets of Shipshawana. These traditional groups wear plain clothing styles, which has earned them the name â€Å"Plain People†. It is the simple, peaceful lifestyle of these plain people that attracts such a curiosity today. Many wonder how these people can survive in their supposedly backward ways. Well, they're not only surviving – they're thriving. Since 1960, the Amish population in Shipshewana has almost tripled. Their separation from the rest of society actually helps to strengthen their community. Amish children attend Amish one-room school houses through the eighth grade. Amish worship services are held every other week in one of the member's homes. Socializing is an important part of Amish life. The Amish have a strong sense of community spirit, and often come to the aid of those in need. Their barn raisings are a good example and neighbors freely give of their time and their skills to help one another. The Amish are generally private people and often find all the attention and curiosity about their lifestyle disturbing. They believe that the taking of photographs where someone is recognizable is forbidden by the Biblical prohibition against making any ‘graven image. With our society's current interest in restoring ‘family values', much can be learned from studying the Amish way of life. Their devotion to family and community and their strong work ethic are good examples of a much larger society. I was invited to attend the Amish Dinner in the home of J and B Yoder, of Shipshawana on October 16, 2010, at 6:00pm. Six other people were invited to attend this special dinner and I arrived early so I could observe them as they arrived. The home was completely inviting and decorated in wood furniture and homemade furnishings; anyone would be of comfort. Small Amish children could be found running around, lots of women with aprons carrying food dishes to the eating area, even a dog was barking and running about while all this commotion was happening. I talked to Mrs. Yoder, the wife of Mr. Yoder, who is the head of the household. I asked her many questions about being Amish, living with extend family, and what her culture is like on a day to day basis. She excitingly talked about her family and her ideal culture of being Amish. She went on to talk about the huge amounts of work that has to be done each day and each person residing in the home has their own responsibilities. She named a few of hers, including laundry by hand, bathing the 7 young children, making 12 loafs of bread everyday and the cleaning. She laughed at having 4 ovens and it still isn't enough for her family. The powerful leaders in her group are definitely the men. Then use the law of consecration and when someone needs help it is done together as a community in the order of need. If a family needs food, housing, transportation, then they give from within. She comments about being born and raised Amish and that she does not know a life outside it. She does enjoy the family unity the culture provides, the sense of well-being and the quiet lifestyle. The first to arrive was the Adam's Family. There were two adults and two small children. They entered the house with much gratitude and was introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Yoder. The children were brought into the playroom to play with the Amish children. I stood in the doorway to observe the children and noticed the conversation was all about the Amish child's clothing. A Adams, was asking the sweet Amish boy why he had to wear the same out fit as the other Amish boys and men. He even asked if it was his Halloween costume. It was amazing to me that at the age of 5, Alex knew that the clothing was out of his social norm. He also was well aware that this Amish boy was not of his same social group. The Amish boy was very quiet and did not answer the questions he was asked. He sat quietly and played with a hand made wooden truck. C Adams, the older boy pulled out his Nintendo DS System and started playing with it. The Amish boy asked him if it was a calculator. C Adams, showed the Amish boy the video game system and he watched but never took the offer to play it. Mrs. Adams was in the kitchen trying to help but her attempts were turned down by the sweet Amish women. The next to arrive was a black couple. They were not as out going and gracious as the Adam's family. They sat at the table and did not get up and look around or offer any assistance to the Amish women. I walked up to this couple and introduced myself to them. They had just moved to the area and was invited to the dinner by friends. They currently had no knowledge or experience with the Amish and were amazed by their lifestyle. They were anxious to try the delicious food they kept hearing all about. They also commented on never knowing anyone who could live life without cars, electricity etc. The black man did ask if there were black Amish families in the area and Mr. Yoder commented that he did not know of any and that he was sure there were African Americans who partake in his same culture. Once the guests were all arrived, they were all invited to gather into the garage area where there were long tables set up for the dinner. Young girls wore cute aprons and were introduced as our servers for the evening. The group was overall very quiet and full of observation. There were a few babies fussing but other then that you heard very little chatter. Mr. and Mrs. Yoder came out and welcomed everyone formally and asked to say a blessing on the food. This was definitely part of their beliefs and everyone took the gesture kindly. We then sat as the young Amish girls brought platters and platters of food to our tables. Huge amounts of fried chicken, chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, lots of different vegetables, white turkey and ham were available to enjoy. Everyone ate and kept to themselves. The Amish girls were busy running back and forth with new platters of food and pitchers full of fresh lemonade. There was no entertainment of any kind and we very seldom saw the hostesses. It would have been nice if they were around to answer questions or to offer information about their culture to the invited guests. After the main course was cleared and everyone was full with a joyous amount of food, they brought out the pie. There was lots of cheering and excitement. We were allowed 2 pieces and there was about 10 different choices. My husband and I chose 4 different choices and nibbled at each of them. The Amish are definitely known for their delicious pies and bakery items. As the guests slowly left as they finished their deserts. I watched and only a few took their dirty dishes into the kitchen. Those that did, took the time to thank the Yoder family for this special occasion. A couple of the young Amish boys then took a few of the men on a tour of the property. The Amish are definitely a rare social institution of its own. They go against the world and live life like they did a million years ago and survive. No cell phones, no internet, no cars, no electricity, no gasoline, etc. These strict values make the outsider curious of such institution. I heard people say many times, â€Å"I could never live like this, how do they do it? † How do they do it? Many of them don't know anything different and therefore make it much easier to go without something that you never had to begin with. The Amish are a religious group, they are sweet and full of God's spirit. The are a kind people, a family orientated people. They are selfless, always doing service for someone else. I can't help but think what our society would be like with instilled and encouraged amazing values and beliefs. One can still have electricity and be kind, love their families and do selfless acts of service right? I feel that our society would be so much better if somehow we could follow some of the Amish's examples. We all have our own norms, our own religions and beliefs. Watching teenagers text nonstop is something that I fear is a glimpse of our future. Can we survive without materialistic things like a cell phone? How could a teenager's time be spent if he/she weren't loathing in high school gossip 24/7? As an entire society we will never be able to instil such values but within our families and primary groups we can. As parents I feel that we have a huge responsibility and teaching our children high standards and values is of the utmost importance. What would our society be like if teenagers spent the same amount of time studying as they did texting? Amazing! We would have rocket scientists everywhere! Writing this paper gave me some great experience going out of my social comfort zone. I found, however, that it makes a group more likely to socialize if someone opens up first and introduces themselves. It breaks the ice and was much easier then I had thought it would be. I feel my next social event will go better now that I have experienced going out of my comfort zone and introducing myself to strangers first.