Thursday, October 31, 2019
Reflecting Paper of The Case of the Mismanaged Ms Essay
Reflecting Paper of The Case of the Mismanaged Ms - Essay Example Ed Coulter, the Vice President of marketing admitted that he had fronted Dick to fill the position instead of Ruth since Dick was a man, and since men tend to be in most factory settings, he assumed that Dick could relate better to clients. In as much as both Dick and Ruth had equal qualifications needed for the job, Ed argued that women were not reliable at higher levels since they could get pregnant, or abandon their jobs in order to follow to their husbands based on their husbandsââ¬â¢ jobs or career (Seymour, 1987). From all these, it is evident that Ed was biased against Ruth. It is against the law to deny women opportunities because they are anticipated to get pregnant. From Ruthââ¬â¢s and Barbaraââ¬â¢s conversation, it is evident that Triton does not promote affirmative action. The company has failed to respect women and regard them as important people who can add value to the company and society at large. First and foremost, Ruthââ¬â¢s revelation that women in Tri ton Company form only twenty percent of all the employees is worrying. Additionally, there are only two women holding mid-level managerial positions, with no woman holding a position at the top executive level (Seymour, 1987). This is a clear demonstration that women are discriminated against and their presence in the company is not considered of value. Secondly, I am extremely shocked to hear Ruthââ¬â¢s complaints regarding the manner in which Ed addresses her. When Ed meets Ruth in the morning and does not greet her, but comments on her blouse, her mode of dressing, as well as her eyes (Seymour, 1987), it serves to be a clear indication of sexual harassment. Ed does this on purpose with intentions of making Ruth feel bad. This is an unacceptable behavior that should not be tolerated in any working environment. It is also worth noting that there are no clear procedures that are being followed when promoting employees. This is attributed to the fact that information regarding suc h opportunities are passed by word of mouth. No formal communication is given to existing employees to enable forward their applications to these positions. Instead, the Vice Presidents of various departments (all of them are men) sit down by themselves and choose who to fill the position with. It worries that in all the cases they have appointed only men, some of whom have not worked for the company compared to women at their level (Seymour, 1987). This brings forward several questions that demand answers. For instance, one may want to know, what role the Human Resource Manager of the company plays if she is not involved in the hiring process. Additionally, one may question why the Vice Presidents consider giving these vacant positions to men who do not deserve them, leaving out hardworking and achieving women. These acts of discrimination if not well handled can be extremely disastrous to the company. First, the company may face several discrimination lawsuits which may dent its p ublic image. The lawsuits may reveal what is happening in the company and discouraged bright, hardworking and achieving women who had wished to be a part of the Triton workforce. Secondly, the company may lack a diverse executive staff. Failure to incorporate women in its operation may hurt the company since studies have revealed that including women in the executive staff and having diversity is interrelated with better performance. This is because divergent
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Healthcare Right Or Privilege Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Healthcare Right Or Privilege - Essay Example If the concept of healthcare is deemed as a right, healthcare as a privilege becomes self-evident and contradictory with the definition of right itself. Those, who are willing to argue that healthcare is a right, simultaneously propose a bunch of policies that ultimately turns healthcare as privilege. In this regard, Brian T. Schwarz (2008) says, ââ¬Å"Ironically, those who claim health care is ââ¬Å"a right and not a privilegeâ⬠support policies that make it a privilegeâ⬠(p.1). Even both theoretically and ethically healthcare as a privilege are more reasoning than it as a right. Since philosophically the definition of right pivots on the commonality of the individualsââ¬â¢ ability to do and to have anything that sustains them both physically and mentally, the concept of healthcare as a right requires some additional attributes. Healthcare is a Product produced by those in this Field In the first place, healthcare as a right asserts that one has the right to take care of oneââ¬â¢s health to avail themselves of the available healthcare options. Also the basic concept of ââ¬Ërightââ¬â¢ ensures that oneââ¬â¢s right must not be entitled to what others produce without their consents. That is, oneââ¬â¢s right must not harm othersââ¬â¢ right. In the following lines MA Faria (1997) delineates what natural right is and what a stateââ¬â¢s role in preserving it is: ââ¬Å"Natural rights embody the concept of individual autonomy and negative rights that are inalienable and inherent to human beings. Natural rightsâ⬠¦..like human rights can be exercised by all individuals simultaneously without infringing and trampling on the rights of others.â⬠(p.98) If analyzed deeply, it will be evident that ââ¬Å"healthcare consists of diagnoses and treatments by highly-trained medical professionals. It involves sophisticated products, instruments, and tests designed and developed at great investment, effort, and cost by scientists, enginee rs, and entrepreneurs. That is, people produce health careâ⬠(Schwarz, 2008, p. 2). The pattern of healthcare market in the USA has flourished to the stage at which the status of healthcare as a product has been rather boosted up by the mode the production of healthcare service. On one hand, the US healthcare industry has excelled both qualitatively and quantitatively in the past few decades. On the other hand, healthcare-cost has increased many times, as it is said in an article, According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Americans spent $1.3 trillion, or 13.2 percent of the gross domestic product, on health care in 2000. Since the mid-1960s, health care costs have increased at double-digit levels, far exceeding the rate of inflation. (Barlett & James, 2006, p. 34) In the face of the increasing cost of medical-care in the private, the Health Saving Account was started as a tax advantaged medical savings account in 2003. Health saving account (HSA) is an inv estment in individual health an option differentiated from health insurance cover. In this account the patient deposits savings in order to pay for their health care needs. This account allows people to pay for current health expenses and save for future medical and retiree health expenses on a tax-free basis. The goal of these
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Life Now And Life Five Years Ago English Language Essay
Life Now And Life Five Years Ago English Language Essay My life now and my life five years ago are similar but there are also some major differences. Five years ago,I was living in Havre and going to high school. I didnt have to work because my parents supported me. I went to school everyday and spent time with my friends. I babysat my nieces everyday after school because both of my parents were working at the time. I had the responsibility of feeding them and making sure nothing happened to them while I was watching them. I didnt really have any major goals five years ago. I wasnt really thinking about my future quite yet. On the other hand, now I live in Great Falls and Im not in high school anymore. I have to work now in order to support myself. I only work twenty hours a week because Im in school right now. I have a lot more responsibility now than I did five years ago. I have to take responsibility for myself now and everything that I do. I have a lot of major goals now. For instance, I want to graduate and get my two year degree. I want to come back and get a bachelors degree. I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish now. Five years ago, I really wasnt going anywhere with my life, but now Im starting to get my life in order and deciding what I want to do. In addition,I am still living at home with my parents and I still go to school. I still baby sit my nieces every once in a while. I find time to spend with my family and friends. I still have some of the same responsibilities. I help my mom take care of my oldest niece. She has always lived with us, so Ive always helped take care of her ever since she was a baby. Even though she is not a baby anymore,I still have to baby sit her when my parents are gone because she is not quite old enough to stay by herself yet. I still have to depend on my parents for transportation because I dont have a vehicle right now. My life now has changed a lot in only five years. ~Ã © 2005 Brandy Doney~ My Brothers There are many differences and likenesses between my two brothers. Glenn, my eldest brother, was very rebellious as a teenager. For example, he would go out drinking all night with his buddies, and was always looking for trouble. Eric, whom is older then me, but younger than Glenn, was not rebellious as a teenager. A couple of examples are the fact that Eric always put his academics ahead of everything and stayed out of trouble. Glenn did not attend college, but pursued a career in the military. Where as Eric did attend college, became a pharmacist, and is in the Army National Guard. They are both religious, but Glenn is a Catholic who speaks with anyone and everyone about his religion, and Eric is a Christian who lets you believe what you believe. Glenn is a very manly person. He hides his emotions, is very handy around the house, and runs his family in the military style. Eric is a semi-feminine person. He shows his emotions, hires someone else to fix things around the house, and d oes not run his home in the military life style. Glenn is overly protective of his family. Eric is protective, but not overly protective of his family. Both Glenn and Eric have a wonderful sense of humor. There is never a dull moment when they are in the same room. Another likeness is that they both have served time in Iraq. They went over to Iraq within one month of each other, and are coming home within one or two months of each other. It has been very difficult for our family having the only two boys in Iraq. Glenn and Eric are both married to their high school sweethearts, and have had large families. Glenn has three boys, and one girl. Eric has three girls. Lastly, they both own beautiful homes that are comfortable for their family sizes. My brothers are very different, yet similar. ~Ã © 2005 Kelly Deck~ Phones Although cell phones and regular phones have the same purpose and they both work the same, they have many differences as well. For example a cell phone has to have at least six service bars in order to talk an dthe battery has to have a charge before it will work. The battery needs to charge for about an hour but it depends on what kind of charger you use. The charger that comes with the cell phone doesnt take as long to charge the phone as chargers purchased over the counter. A hard wired phone, one that has to be installed through wiring within your home, can be used anywhere in your home and is maintained by telephone servicemen. some of hard wired phones are cordless, which means they can be used throughout the home and even in the yard. You cant take your hard wired phone with you in your vehicle because service is limited to just a short range. A cordless phone has to be returned to its base periodically to be recharged. With your cell phone, someone can leave you a message an dyou can get it right on the phone where as on a home phone, you have to have an answering machine. Although they have many differences, they also have some similarities. They both have to be charged in order to keep the battery full an dthe phone working. You can use both to make an drecieve a call. They also both ring t tell you that you have an incomming call. A cell phone can be programed for special rings but a hard wired phone has only one ring tone. Cell phones are much smaller in apperance than a hard wired phone. Cell phones may have different apperences and gadgets but they both serve the same purpose. ~(c)2005 Laura White~ Compare Contrast: Errors
Friday, October 25, 2019
The Perversion of Dorians Soul in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian
The Perversion of Dorian's Soul in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray à à à à à à The soul is thought to be an immaterial entity coexisting with our bodies which is credited with the faculties of thought, action, and emotion.à It is the part of our body which is believed to live on after the body dies.à In Oscar Wilde's, The Picture of Dorian Gray, the main character, Dorian Gray, destroys the innocence of his soul and becomes corrupt. He becomes corrupt by failing to live a life of virtue.à The main reason for his transformation can be attributed to a portrait painted of him that captured the true essence of his innocence.à This portrait is the personification of his soul.à At the beginning of the book Dorian makes a wish that inevitably changes his life forever.à His wish is that, "If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old!à For that - for that - I would give everything!à Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give!à I would give my soul for that!" (Wilde, 40)à As Dorian's wish of staying young and beautiful forever come true so does the fact that he has given his soul away to the devil.à Another contributing factor to the perversion of Dorian's soul comes from his supposed friend, Lord Henry Wotton.à Lord Henry fills Dorian's head with his outrageous philosophies such as, "....youth is the one thing worth having. .... You have only a few years in which to live really, perfectly, and fully.à When your youth goes, your beauty will go with it..." (34) and "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.à Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous ... ... that Dorian has become a dissolute and perverse man who cannot understand that vanity and the thrill of "new sensations" are not what run the world. à Works Cited à Cohen, Ed.à Talk on the Wilde Side.à Great Britain: Routledge, 1993. Freidman, Jonathan (edited).à Oscar Wilde: A Collection of Critical Essays.à New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1996. Pearson, Hesketh (edited).à Essays By Oscar Wilde.à New York: Books For Libraries Press, 1972. Ransome, Arthur.à Oscar Wilde: A Critical Study.à London: Mr. Martin Secker, 1913. Weintraub, Stanley (edited).à Literary Criticism of Oscar Wilde.à Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1968. Woodcock, George.à The Paradox of Oscar Wilde.à London-New York: T.V. Boardman and Co., Ltd., 1950. Wilde, Oscar.à The Picture of Dorian Gray.à Denmark: Wordsworth Editions Limited, Reprinted V à Ã
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Changes in economical political, legal and social factors Essay
Economic Factors During the economic growth, the automobile industry was also growing, and Fordââ¬â¢s business expanded rapidly, and the demand for their products increased as people could afford luxury goods. During these times, customers could afford more so Ford was bringing out newer more expensive models. During the recession, Ford sold off its subsidiaries to cut its losses. As the customers had less money, they will buy less, so Ford reduced the numbers of cars it was produced. Political Factors The government created a new scheme where people could scrap their old cars for cash, and have money for a new car. This helped Fords make a number of sales in the recession other Political factors that influence the strategic planning of Ford motor since government laws and regulations are concerned with the production of more eco-friendly automobiles. Due to the environmental concerns, the industry has to abide with the regulations aimed at reducing the pollution levels. When the recession ends, Fordââ¬â¢s sales will rise due to people spending their money on luxury goods that donââ¬â¢t affect the environment as badly. Legal Factors In the future, there will be new laws that will raise the minimum wage, which will change many pay schemes of Fordââ¬â¢s employees which will reduce its annual profits and may force it to change its business approach. For example, Ford may have to change its suppliers to cheaper options to combat the losses it will have due to the wage rise. Social Factors If society changed, and driving eco-friendly cars became a global trend, this would mean that Ford would have to design and produce a new model of car to join in on the profits of this trend. The problem with this is that the sales of other Ford models would suffer as they will seem old fashioned and unfriendly on the environment. To combat the losses they will get on their older models, they will cut production levels by a high a percentage of even entirely to stop the losses.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Dressing for Success
Robert Johnson Eng. 099 Fran Bradshaw Feb. 5, 2010 Dressing for Success Have you ever thought that dressing for success could bring about success to your everyday life? A lot of people these days as far as young men and women usually dress in a very urban style dealing with clothes that may be nice but are often worn incorrectly. For example somebody could have on a nice pair of Levi jeans but wear them to where they sag all the way off of their butt which is improper and just doesnââ¬â¢t look good.People also try to wear clothes that tend to be too big yet they still wear it which is funny to me, but not funny in the eyes of a business man or somebody important who may be watching. You never know who could be watching thatââ¬â¢s why I feel young men and women should show themselves to be presentable, as well as professional, because first impressions are everything in society. How you come off to people and show yourself matters so much in society. As your first impression you should want to come off as a well dressed individual.Before people even meet you if they see that youââ¬â¢re well dressed thatââ¬â¢s like a bonus for you because theyââ¬â¢ll appreciate you more. People will know that you carry yourself in a professional manner, and wonââ¬â¢t treat you as just who doesnââ¬â¢t matter, but a man or women of importance. Also dressing nicely shows that you have a good respect for yourself and if people see that just off of how you dress they will have way more respect for you. This can also help in any business venture you take, because what boss doesnââ¬â¢t like to see a potential or future employee who shows himself to look good and be professional.Which leads me to why looking professional is also a benefit of dressing well. As young men and women we strive to seek a well paying job whether in school or out of school. With well paying jobs comes an interview which looking professional is one of the keys to being viewed amongst the r est of the people who may be going for the same job you are. Not even in just a job setting, but in school as well with any teacher treating you better just for the simple fact that you come to class looking ready to learn.Also if you ever thought while you were in school that you may have wanted to pledge a fraternity or sorority, then looking professional might get you looked at as a potential choice for either one. Along with dressing for success being presentable is key. You must show that youââ¬â¢re not the same as everybody else but different in your own way. Everybody these days can put on a suit, but it takes the person inside the suit to really present there selves in a unique way from everybody else.You should present yourself to where it really shows who you are as an individual. Donââ¬â¢t set yourself up for failure and dress to where you present yourself as someone who is just like everybody else. In conclusion dressing for success deals with three things looking professional, being presentable, and your first impression. Even then itââ¬â¢s on you to strive to stand out amongst other people as person who dresses not simply to look good but for respect and admiration. That in its self is worth dressing for success every day.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The Top 9 SAT Writing Strategies You Must Use
The Top 9 SAT Writing Strategies You Must Use SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Efficiency and organization are vitally important to successful SAT Writing preparation. If you don't have a good game plan for your preparation, you're likely to waste time on things that may not be helping you improve your SAT Writing score. Implementing specific, proven strategies during your SAT Writing prep will allow you to make the best use of your time and fully prepare yourself for the SAT Writing section. In this post, I will share with you my top 9 strategies for SAT Writing. These arenââ¬â¢t strategies youââ¬â¢ll be able to use if you try to employ them the night before the test. They needto be implemented over time to be effective. The strategies are: Learn the Rules Study Example Questions Practice withOfficial Tests Know What's in Each Section Explain Your Reasoning Focus on Your Target Score Simulate Test Day Conditions Use What's Underlined to Determine Your Approach Look for the Most Common Errors First SAT Writing Study Strategies The first section of strategies I'm giving you are study strategies. These are strategies you should use and focus on while you're studying for the SAT Writing section. #1: Learn the Grammar Rules The SAT tests the same grammar rules over and over. Understandingthese rules isthe best strategy for success on SAT Writing. Focus on studying the grammar rules that are tested most often.Some of the more commonly tested grammar rules on SAT Writing are wordiness, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun agreement. For further details on which topics the SAT often test, check out this post on the distribution of questionson the SAT writing section (coming soon). On the PrepScholar blog, we've written articles on each grammar rule that is tested on the SAT Writing section. Here are links to each of them: Subject-Verb Agreement Pronoun Agreement Pronoun Case Idioms Word Choice/Diction Wordiness and Redundancy Run-On Sentences and Fragments Parallelism Faulty Modifiers Adjective and Adverb Errors Verb Tense and Forms Illogical Comparisons Relative Pronouns #2: Review Examples of Questions Related to Each Grammar Rule That is Tested on SAT Writing It's not enough to know the grammar rules. You have to understand how the SAT Writing section will test you on these grammar rules. There is no better way to do this than to review examples of questions from real SATs. You should categorize the questions based on the grammar rule that is being tested. For example, you should have a collection of subject-verb agreement questions and pronoun agreement questions to study from. Make sure you understand how to correctly answer each question. Every PrepScholar article on each grammar rule has real example questions and explanations. If necessary, take practice tests with explanations to help categorize questions. The College Board website has a free test with explanations and Khan Academy has video explanations to some of those questions. Also, you can get explanations to the questions from The Official SAT Study Guide from the College Board website with a code from the inside of the book. Because there are 10 official practice tests in this book, you'll have access to explanations to a ton of real SAT questions. Review tons of example SAT Writing questions. #3: Focus on Using Real Practice Tests for Your Studying The best practice problems are those that come from offical SATs. They are most representative of what you're likely to encounter on your SAT. Unfortunately, many of the sources of SAT Writing prep available aren't very good. Their practice questions cover different concepts or are presented in a different format than those on the SAT Writing test. Many test prep books or websites have practice questions that are either much harder or much easier than the questions on the SAT Writing section. Make sure you know where to find the best SAT Writing practice tests. For those of you looking for additional content review and explanation, I advise looking at our posts on the best SAT prep books and websites. Also, I may be biased, but I highly recommend the PrepScholar program. PrepScholar practice questions are designed to be realistic and are based on questions from official SATs. The content of the PrepScholar program was written by experts who have extensive experience teaching SAT prep and scored in the 99th percentile on their SATs. #4: Know the Structure of and Material in Each Subsection While each subsection generally tests the same set of grammar rules, there are a few rules that are more commonly or exclusively tested in each subsection. For example, wordiness questions will generally be found in the improving sentences subsection and adverb questions tend to be found in the identify the error subsection. To add to the confusion, there are paragraph improvement questions that are unrelated to the grammar rules tested on the sentence improvement and identify the error subsections. For a thorough breakdown of the content in each subsection, review the big secret to SAT Writing. Furthermore, the process to get correct answers varies for each subsection. You need a different approach to spot the error on a Identifying Sentence Errors question than you do to determine how to combine two sentences on an Improvin paragraphs one. To learn more about how to correctly answer questions in each individual subsection, read about the strategies for sentence improvement, the strategies for identifying sentence errors, and how to tackle paragraph improvement. #5: Be Able to Explain How and Why You Select Your Answers When answering SAT Writing questions, don't be content with just trying to guess at theright answer. You should be able to explain exactly how you arrived at each correct response. In my SAT Writing prep classes, I make students explain their answers, and this method of instruction has been very successful. If you can not only pick a correct answer, but also specifically explain the process by which you arrived at your answer, you're exhibiting a more thorough mastery of the material and will be more likely to get similar questions right in the future. For each SAT Writing question, justify your answer with your knowledge of grammar rules as opposed to using the what sounds right approach. Trying to rely on what sounds right often doesn't work on the SAT Writing section because the SAT tries to trick you with long, awkward-sounding sentences and grammar errors that may not sound wrong to you because they're extremely common. Another related approach I recommend is to try to teach your friends how to answer questions that they're missing. Teaching others will undoubtedly solidify your understanding and make you more confident with the material. If you can clearly walk somebody else through the steps to correctly answer SAT Writing questions, you're demonstrating true SAT Writing expertise. #6: Use Your Target Score to Focus and Inform Your Studying Knowing your SAT Writing target score can give you a better idea of how and what to study. Here's how to determine your SAT Writing target score: Use your overall SAT target score and then determine target scores for each section by dividing your overall score by 3. If you're stronger in Reading and Writing or applying to a humanities program, your Reading and Writing target scores can be about 50 points higher than your Math target score. If you excel in math or you're applying to an engineering program, your Math target score can be about 50 points higher than your Reading and Writing targets. Based on your SAT Writing target score, you can determine roughly how manyquestions you can need to getright and how many you can missto reach your goal. Refer to this article for information on how the SAT is scored and a sample conversion table for the SAT Writing section. If your target score is an 800, you usually have to get every single multiple choice question right; you might be able to omit one question if you get an 11 or 12 on your essay. Therefore, you need to be familiar with all of the grammar rules and know how to correctly answer even the hardest questions. If your target score is a 600, on the other hand, you should focus on mastering the most commonly tested rules and primarily worry about getting the easy and medium level questions right. If you get an essay score of 8, you only need a raw score of about 37 out of a possible 49 on the multiple choice questions to get a 600. You should work toward reaching your target score on at least one official practice test before you take your actual SAT. Yes, you most definitely should take full-length SATs in preparation for your test. #7: Simulate Test Day Conditions on Practice Tests Taking the SAT can be a mentally draining, pressure-filled experience. To alleviate your test day anxiety and build up your endurance, you should take 3 full length, timed practice tests prior to your real SAT. Use a timer and take only the SAT-allowed breaks. It's important to practice maintaing focus for such a long period of time. Also, taking practice tests will enable you to determine if you're having issues with time management. If you are running out of time on any of the SAT Writing sections, monitor your time spent per question when you're doing practice questions. You should spend less than a minute on each question and easier questions should take less than 30 seconds. If you're finishing sections with more than 5 minutes left and getting more than a couple of questions wrong, slow down. You're probably rushing. Read questions more carefully and look at the answer choices more closely. With the time you have left over, review the questions you're unsure about. If you follow the straightforward study strategies I explained above, you'll be well on your way to SAT Writing sucess. Test-Taking SAT Writing Strategies The following test-taking strategies are tools you should use when you're answering SAT Writing questions. You should make a habit of utilizing these methods for each SAT Writing question, since they'll be more effecitve if your'e comfortable with them. #8: Look for Specific Errors Based on the Parts of Speech That Are Underlined Because the grammar questions test you on a limited number of grammar rules, the underlined portion can immediately signal the possible grammar rules that are being tested. Many of the SAT Writing grammar rules are associated with a specific part of speech, and most of these errors are associated with only a few different parts of speech. By determining the parts of speech of the words in the underlined phrase, you will have a better idea of what errors to look for. Here are the grammar errors that are associated with specific parts of speech. If this part of speech is underlined, these are the grammar errors to look for: Verb- Subject-verb agreement, verb tense or form Pronoun- pronoun agreement, pronoun case, relative pronouns Gerund- fragment, wordiness, idioms, parallelism, misplaced modifiers Prepositions-idioms, word pairs Nouns-illogical comparisons, noun agreement Adverb/Adjective- Correct modifier type, comparative/superlative Conjunction- Parallelism, illogical comparisons, word pairs, fragments #9: Look for the Most Common Errors First Use your knowledge of the basic distribution of grammar rules on SAT Writing to help determine which errors to look for first on SAT Writing questions. Some of the more commonly tested rules are wordiness, pronoun agreement, run-ons/fragments, and subject-verb agreement. Remember to review the post on the distribution of appearance of the grammar rules on the SAT (coming soon). If you possess the discipline and commitment to implement these 9 strategies, I am confident that you'll reap the benefits when you get your SAT scores. You will be proud that you took the necessary steps to reach your goal, and you'll make yourself more competitive for admission to the college of your dreams. What's Next? Review my tips to boost your SAT Writing score and the best way to prepare for SAT Writing. For more information on how to reach your target score, read the articles on how to improve your SAT Writing score and how to get an 800 on SAT Writing. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:
Monday, October 21, 2019
Understanding Arrays in PHP
Understanding Arrays in PHP An array is a systemic arrangement of objects. Hum, what does this mean? Well in programming an array is a type of data structure. Each array can hold several pieces of information. Itââ¬â¢s sort of like a variable in that it stores data, but not at all like a variable in that instead of storing one bit of information it can store many pieces of information. Letââ¬â¢s start with an example. Letââ¬â¢s say that you are storing information about people. You could have a variable that stored my name ââ¬Å"Angelaâ⬠. But in an array, you could store my name, my age, my height, my In this sample code, we will look at storing two bits of information at a time, the first being somebodyââ¬â¢s name and the second being their favorite color. ?php $friend[0] Kevin; $friend[1] Bradleyâ⬠; $friend[2] Alexa; $friend[3] Devin; $color[Kevin] ââ¬Å"Tealâ⬠; $color[Bradley] ââ¬Å"Redâ⬠; $color[Alexa] ââ¬Å"Pinkâ⬠; $color[Devin] ââ¬Å"Redâ⬠; print My friends names are . $friend[0] . , . $friend[1] . , . $friend[2] . , and . $friend[3]; print p; print Alexa ââ¬Ës favorite color is . $color[Alexa] . .; ? In this example code, you can see that the friend array is sorted by number, and contains a list of friends. In the second array, color, instead of using numbers it uses strings to identify the different bits of information. The identifier used to retrieve data from the array is called itââ¬â¢s key. In our first example, the keys were integers 0, 1, 2, and 3. In our second example, the keys were strings. In both cases, we are able to access the data held in the array by using both the arrayââ¬â¢s name, and the key. Like variables, arrays always start with a dollar sign ($array) and they are case sensitive. They can not start with an underscore or a number, you must start them with a letter. So, to put it simply, an array is kind of like a variable with lots of little variables inside of it. But what exactly do you do with an array? And how is it useful to you as a PHP programmer? In practice, you will probably never create an array like the one in the example above. The most useful thing you can do with an array in PHP is to use it to hold information you get form somewhere else. Having your websites information stored in an MySQL database is not uncommon. When your website needs certain information it simply accesses your database, and wha-laa, on demand data. Letââ¬â¢s say you have a database of people who live in your city. You now want to search that database and print out records for anyone named ââ¬Å"Tomâ⬠. How would you go about doing this? You would read through the database for people named Tom, and then pull their name and all the other information about them from the database, and place it in an array inside of your program. You are then able to cycle through this array, and print out the information or store it to use elsewhere in your program. On the surface, an array might not look that interesting to you, but when you do more programming and start storing more complex data structures you will find you are often writing them to arrays when they need to be used.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Bad Pets
10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Bad Pets It seems that everyone these days is keeping dinosaurs as pets, what with supermodels tugging tiny Microraptors on leashes and pro football players adopting full-grown Utahraptors as team mascots. But before you fill out the paperwork at your local dinosaur shelter, here are some things you may want to consider. (Dont agree? See 10 Reasons Dinosaurs Make Good Pets.) 1. Pet dinosaurs are expensive to feed. If you dont happen to have a Cycad Hut or Ginkgo Emporium in your neighborhood, you might find it difficult to scrounge up sufficient vegetable grub for your pet Apatosaurus (and your neighbors probably wont appreciate him eating the tops of their shrubs). And do you know how many cute, fuzzy mice, rabbits and Labrador Retrievers the average Deinonychus goes through every day? 2. Its virtually impossible to teach a dinosaur tricks. Believe me, its easier to train your cat to clean your windows than to teach the average dinosaur to sit, fetch or heel. Your pet Ankylosaurus will probably just sit there on the floor and stare at you dolefully, while your teenaged Spinosaurus eats the drapes from the top down. (With a little persistence, though, you might be able to teach a purebred Troodon to roll over.) 3. Dinosaurs create a lot of poop. Unless you live smack in the middle of a turnip farm, you may have a hard time disposing of the hundreds of pounds of poop the average Triceratops generates every day. Flushing it down the toilet isnt an option, and neither is using it for insulation in your attic. Some pet owners have experimented with creating kiln-dried dinosaur-poop furniture, with mixed results. 4. No veterinarian will want to de-claw your dinosaur. For liability reasons, most municipalities require you to trim the claws of any raptors, tyrannosaurs or allosaurs residing in your household. Good luck getting a vet to do thisand, if you do miraculously find someone willing to take on this task, even better luck stuffing your Gigantoraptor into your Honda Odyseeyà and shlepping it to the clinic. 5. Your pet dinosaur will want to sleep in your bed. In the wild, dinosaurs are accustomed to hunkering down in rotting foliage, urine-soaked sand dunes and ash pits strewn with rotting carcasses. Thats why the average Styracosaurus will insist not only on sharing your mattress, but layering on every freshly washed duvet cover in the house and using your pillows as antler cozies. 6. Dinosaurs arent very good with children... As much as kids love dinosaurs, its unfair to expect the average Ceratosaurus to reciprocate that affection, especially since a well-fed five-year-old can supply a weeks worth of calories. Teenagers will have a slightly easier time of it; in any case, theyll put up more of a fight before being swallowed head-first. 7. ...or with other dinosaurs, for that matter. So youre looking forward to hauling your pet Majungatholus over the local dinosaur park and meeting that cute chick with the Archaeopteryxà popping out of her handbag. Well, bad news: the only thing dinosaurs hate more than children is other dinosaurs. Take your pet to the dog run instead, then sit back and watch the fun. 8. Dinosaur pet-sitters are hard to come by. Isnt it cute when your neighbors eight-year-old daughter drops by to pet your kitty, feed it kibble and scoop out the litterbox? Well, she might think twice about doing the same for your pet Therizinosaurus, especially given the mysterious disappearance of the last six pet-sitters you hired to do the job. 9. Most cities have very strict dinosaur leash laws. Unless you live in Seattle (for some reason, Seattle is very liberal about these kinds of things) you cant just saddle up your pet Centrosaurus and take it out onto the sidewalk. Flout the rules, and your municipalitys animal-control squad will gladly tug your pal over to the nearest dinosaur shelter, assuming they arent eaten first. 10. Pet dinosaurs take up a lot of room. As a general rule of thumb, the American Purebred Dinosaur Association (APDA) recommends at least 10 square feet of living space per pound of dinosaur. Thats not much of a problem for a 25-pound Dilophosaurus puppy, but it could be a deal breaker if you plan to adopt a full-grown Argentinosaurus, which will require its own aircraft hangar.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
The Enron case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
The Enron - Case Study Example d the corporation and it was realized that their reported financial condition was sustained considerably by an institutionalized, methodological, systematic and crafted planned accounting fraud, which was to be known as the Enron scandal. The corporation did this through a complicated arrangement of special purpose entities they referred to as the Raptors. The Raptors were expected to cover their expenses if the stocks in their start-up businesses collapsed. Most surprising is the fact that the corporation took spent 16 years to grow from about $9 billion assets to $60 billion, but only spent about a month to go bankrupt. The Company collapsed so fast and so entirely. In fact it made history as the largest bankruptcy and accounting scandal in American. The absence of truthfulness by management about the company led to their downfall. The overriding benefits and public trust ended immediately. For years the management lied about the financial reporting thus worsening the economic ability. They made employees loos job and lack of investors trust was evident. The senior management team believed Enron had to be perfect in everything it did and that they had to safeguard their reputations and their compensation as the most successful management in the US. Three most common forms of accounting frauds above where witness that led to the downfall of the company. The corporation followed these illegal accounting practices in financing which subsequently ensure the company be valued more attractively and appealing to the investors by the by Wall Street analysts and rating agencies. Most notably was the fact that Enron as a company used various related parties in increment of equity and crafted its financial arrangements using various loopholes in laws. All these was surprisingly was conducted trying to not consolidate into its reports and accounts by at will not fulfilling certain ethical conditions. This was a principle and a plan that proposed by both Andrew Fastow and
Friday, October 18, 2019
Life Cycle Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Literature review
Life Cycle Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Literature review Example This increase in demand will lead to construction of new power plants; this means that more greenhouse gas will be released into environment; and the environment will continue to be affected by the greenhouse emissions. Generally, there exists a number of ways in which electric energy (electricity) is produced; and each method of production has benefits and disadvantages in relation to operation cost, and impact on the environment, among other factors. For example, the major sources of electric energy include: nuclear energy, coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, oil, biomass, solar and wind among others. Therefore, there is a great need that the future power plants are built such that greenhouse emissions are kept as minimum as possible, and environmental impact is minimized. In this regard, this research paper has carried out a life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from four natural gas and biomass power plants in United Kingdom. The plants investigated in this research inc lude: Elean, Knapton, Sleaford and Sutton Bridge power plants. These power plants source electricity from natural gas, oil, and/or biomass among others. Table of Contents 1.INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Aims 6 1.2 Problem statement 6 2.LITERATURE REVIEW 7 2.1 Understanding Lifecycle assessment 7 2.2 Lifecycle assessment of the various energy sources 8 2.2.1 Fossil Fuel 8 2.2.2 Lignite 8 2.2.3 Coal 8 2.2.4 Oil 9 2.2.5 Biomass 9 3.METHODOLOGY 9 4.ELEAN POWER PLANT 10 4.1 Power plantââ¬â¢s Brief preview 10 4.2 Characteristics of straw used on the power (the major source of fuel) 10 4.3 Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from Elean Power Plant 12 4.3.1 The source of Straw used in Elean Power Plant 12 4.3.2 Transportation of straw to the power plant 12 4.3.3 Calculation of greenhouse emissions as a result of combusion of diesel 18 4.4 Emission with carbon capture 33 4.5 MASS BALANCE FOR ELEAN POWER PLANT 34 4.6 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ELEAN POWER PLANT 37 5.SLEAFORD RENEWABLE ENERGY PLANT 39 5.1 Preview of sleaford power plant 39 5.2 Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from Sleaford Renewable Energy 41 5.3 Calculation of greenhouse emissions as a result of combusion of diesel 44 5.4 Emission with carbon capture 56 5.5 Mass Balance 56 5.6 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR SLEAFORD RENEWABLE ENERGY 59 6SUTTON BRIDGE POWER STATION 60 6.1 Brief Preview of the power plant 60 6.2 Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from Sutton Bridge Power Plant 61 6.3 Emission with carbon capture 67 Elean power plant is considered one of the major Biomass fired power stations in the world; in fact, according to Farming and Countryside Education (2013), it is the largest power plant in the world that is powered by straw. In addition, it is normally considered the first straw fired power plant in the United Kingdom. It is located in Cambridgeshire at Sutton area near Ely, and it was constructed in the period between 1998 and 2000 (that is, construction of the power pla nt begun in 1998, and was completed in 2000) (Farming and Countryside Education, 2013). It is estimated that the power plant consumes approximately 200000 tonnes of straw every year, and that it generates electric power that is enough to serve about 800000 homes (Galbraith, et al., 2006). Or according toà Farming and Countryside Education (2013), it produces electric power that is enough to power two towns whose sizes can be compared to that of Cambridge. à Elean power plant has two barns which are 18 meters high, and are used to house straw (fuel for the production of electricty); these barns are located on the either side the plants 25 meter high boilerà (Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions, 2012). In order that the plant fits perfectly into unfavourable surrounding landscape, it was constructed approximately 8 meters into the ground surfaceà (Brem, 2005).
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - Research Paper Example However, it does not mean that other factors such as crime, unemployment rate and pollution levels are at low or minimum levels. This is because GDP does not factor these issues in the above equation and does not take these issues into consideration. As such, a positive GDP will not necessarily mean a country has a low unemployment rate when the economy is ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠. Logically, if a country has positive GDP growth, it means that economy is ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠. Thus, businesses profit and demand for labor to meet the market demands for supply of goods and services grows. Increased demand for labor will also result in higher wages offered and lead to a decrease in the unemployment rate. Crime rates may decrease as people have jobs to support the cost of living; but this factor is not calculated in the equation. So when the economy is ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠as shown by the positive GDP, it does not mean that everything is ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠for its people. As an example, think about the rising cost of health care, which would be classified in the equation as consumer spending (C). Although the increase in consumer spending will contribute positively to the GDP, this is under the mistaken assumption that all individuals in the family can afford higher health care costs (Schwartz, 2010). This is also the case for the costs of education and leisure. If a GDP is positive, it does not necessarily mean that all of the people in the country have more money for leisure and can afford higher education costs. A developed nation almost always has a high GDP (Wikipedia), but at what cost does this development come? The question arises as to whether their development is detrimental to the environment. When businesses expand, they will need more space to build offices and other developments for peopleââ¬â¢s benefit. This will see a reduction in green areas or even deforestation; and myriad pollutions by industries- be it air, water or sound pollution- will also
International diversification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
International diversification - Essay Example The United States and the two European countries i.e. Germany and Poland. If we suppose that an investor from the UK diversifies his portfolio of investments in the stock market of these three international countries. The differences in the statistics shown in the Fig1 propose that the level of risk and return would certainly vary from country to country that will ensure maximum returns for investors.à International portfolio diversification is highly beneficial in a situation where the stock exchanges, economic condition and political environment of international countries are highly different from each other. Syriopoulos also says that ââ¬Å"if returns from investments in different national stock markets are not perfectly correlated and the correlation structure is stable, there are potential gains from international portfolio diversification.â⬠(2004, p1254) It is so because the diversification would not yield the desired results if the conditions and environment in intern ational countries vary in the same manner as in domestic economy. If the international countries included in the portfolio have an economic, political and investment environment that differs from that of the domestic environs, the international portfolio diversification will reap significant benefits.The Capital Asset Pricing Model is an effective tool for portfolio management. Because of the modelââ¬â¢s efficiency in pricing assets, it is considered to be useful in evaluating risk and return on various assets in a given portfolio.... rnational portfolio diversification." (2004, p1254) It is so because the diversification would not yield the desired results if the conditions and environment in international countries vary in the same manner as in domestic economy. If the international countries included in the portfolio have an economic, political and investment environment that differs from that of the domestic environs, the international portfolio diversification will reap significant benefits. Question 2: The Capital Asset Pricing Model is an effective tool for portfolio management. Because of the model's efficiency in pricing assets, it is considered to be useful in evaluating risk and return on various assets in a given portfolio. The most significant usefulness of the CAPM in portfolio analysis is its effectiveness in illuminating the risk factor involved in a portfolio investment. Andre explores that "the CAPM tells us that investors pay a price for being undiversified in that they are taking risks for whic h they are not being compensated." (2004, p19) For un-diversifiable or systematic risk, this model uses Beta as a means to identify the rate of risk involved in investment. CAPM can thus be useful for investors in portfolio management by providing relevant information concerning the risk factor involved in a particular investment with respect to the whole market and also lead the investors to improve their portfolio. With the help of the Capital Asset Pricing Model, the investors can easily determine the required rate of return with respect to different assets in the portfolio according to their risk without any efforts to estimate revenues and cash flows. Andre illuminates that in order "to find the expected return of a company's shares, it is thus not necessary to carry out an
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Modern Art - Avant-Garde, Cubism, Russian Design Essay
Modern Art - Avant-Garde, Cubism, Russian Design - Essay Example The essay "Modern Art - Avant-Garde, Cubism, Russian Design" explores movements and artists of the modern art. The researcher of the paper also analyzes Charles Jencks's opinion about avant-garde. Jencksââ¬â¢ theoretical considerations about art were based on his views on European and American art development. Jencks underlined that a ââ¬Ëmythicalââ¬â¢ modern man required ââ¬Ëmultiple codingââ¬â¢ in art in order to satisfy his aesthetical needs. A concept of ââ¬Å"participatory designâ⬠implied that an architect would follow not only his tastes, but also tastes of other people, residents and participants. Jencks claimed that avant-garde potential may blossom in case its revolutionary nature would be embodied not in academies, but on a broader space. The main idea of avant-garde art is a transfer of initial idea of public interests and not only tastes of the artist. The main three stages of avant-garde art are: Cubism, Futurism or Surrealism. Cubism was known for innovations of form; Futurists and Surrealists were focused on a non-traditional reality transfer; a reflection of reality in movement. ââ¬Å"Gardens like cities are whispering games in which the key is to pass on meaning even as it changes.â⬠And ââ¬Å"Design is like a conversation, if you knew the outcome it wouldnââ¬â¢t be worth havingâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ . Thus Charles Jencks was sure that avant-garde art is a perfect chance to embody hidden and unseen aspects of reality. Thus an avant-garde artist should reflect not only his ideas, but also public vision of reality of modernity.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Patriarchy, the System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Patriarchy, the System - Essay Example However, Johnson would want to show to us that these would not be able to present us the actual working social patterns in the society. In order for us to better grasp the vital thoughts of Johnson about patriarchy, being acquainted to the idea of a system, participation and resistance are important concepts that highlight the presence of male privilege and female gender oppression. We shall be able to discuss them in concrete and great detail for us to take hold of the ultimate concept that Johnson would want to share with us. The article entitled ââ¬Å"Patriarchy, the System: An It, Not a He, a Them, or an USâ⬠is the actual work of Johnson depicting rich information about patriarchy as a system and how systematic male gender privilege informs sexism. This work is the actual reference of all the concepts and thoughts integrated into the work at hand. This paper explains what Johnson means by Patriarchy, the System, elaborating how male gender privilege and female gender oppre ssion consist of more than simply the actions of individuals. The work at hand also involves examples for us to understand how systematic male gender privilege informs sexism. ... nge of this system, but Johnson believes that the individual choices of actions could make a difference, and even could possibly initiate total system change. Johnson started to define Patriarchy as a system by elaborating some examples of other systems like capitalism and the game ââ¬Ëmonopolyââ¬â¢. For Johnson, in a capitalistic society, every worker has less power to level up with the capitalists and would never have any chance to exercise what they would want to do even if they could (p. 30). The reason is that they are strongly confined within the system that everyone is doing, and so it is hard for an individual to deviate from the entire working system. In a capitalistic society, the rule is to gain, no matter how detailed personal convictions may internally protest or showcase disapproval. For as long as the ultimate goal is achieved in the end, the whole system can be said that it conspires to create a necessary output. In addition, Johnson also provides a detailed exa mple by explaining the working concept of a game called ââ¬Ëmonopoly.ââ¬â¢ According to Johnson, this game manifests actual working system, which aids the individual player to best the opponents. The purpose of the game is to win, but prior to winning, there is an actual system that everyone should participate and show no resistance particularly with the working rules (p. 34). The important points that surface in the above two examples are the actual concepts of ââ¬Ëparticipationââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëleast resistanceââ¬â¢ that could help us elaborate the complex system surrounding patriarchy. According to Johnson, socialization is a mechanism for training people to participate (p. 37). As we therefore participate in social systems, we are shaped as individuals leading us to participate in social life via
Modern Art - Avant-Garde, Cubism, Russian Design Essay
Modern Art - Avant-Garde, Cubism, Russian Design - Essay Example The essay "Modern Art - Avant-Garde, Cubism, Russian Design" explores movements and artists of the modern art. The researcher of the paper also analyzes Charles Jencks's opinion about avant-garde. Jencksââ¬â¢ theoretical considerations about art were based on his views on European and American art development. Jencks underlined that a ââ¬Ëmythicalââ¬â¢ modern man required ââ¬Ëmultiple codingââ¬â¢ in art in order to satisfy his aesthetical needs. A concept of ââ¬Å"participatory designâ⬠implied that an architect would follow not only his tastes, but also tastes of other people, residents and participants. Jencks claimed that avant-garde potential may blossom in case its revolutionary nature would be embodied not in academies, but on a broader space. The main idea of avant-garde art is a transfer of initial idea of public interests and not only tastes of the artist. The main three stages of avant-garde art are: Cubism, Futurism or Surrealism. Cubism was known for innovations of form; Futurists and Surrealists were focused on a non-traditional reality transfer; a reflection of reality in movement. ââ¬Å"Gardens like cities are whispering games in which the key is to pass on meaning even as it changes.â⬠And ââ¬Å"Design is like a conversation, if you knew the outcome it wouldnââ¬â¢t be worth havingâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ . Thus Charles Jencks was sure that avant-garde art is a perfect chance to embody hidden and unseen aspects of reality. Thus an avant-garde artist should reflect not only his ideas, but also public vision of reality of modernity.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Work in partnership Essay Example for Free
Work in partnership Essay Working in partnership with other colleagues and professionals is detrimental in being able to provide a service fit for need as it helps promote team working which i believe motivates a team to work well and excel them. It also helps every person involved in providing the service aware of all obstacles that could arise and any outcomes to achieve or have been achieved. Within a childrenââ¬â¢s setting it can also help build positive environments for children to be in and this would help a child or young person settle better into a new environment so that you are able to assess a person or child and manage tasks efficiently. It helps creates a safe environment to share information as nearly all professionals update themselves with technology, information can now be sent password protected via a encrypted system which deters others from being able to access a personââ¬â¢s private information by a secure connection. Sharing information about a person can help the smooth running of a service as it enables all involved to be fully aware of each personââ¬â¢s position and remit and allows others to know who to approach for feedback or guidance. Working in partnership with others i.e. family members or carers helps with the smooth running of a service, as family members hold a lot of information past and present about a person which can be used to build a care plan. Family are often keen to assist with service provision for a person and by working in partnership with them it creates positives relationships. You can put a personââ¬â¢s mind at ease with regard to the level of support a person may need. If it is a child or young person a parent or guardian would need much reassurance to know that they are leaving the child in safe capable hands therefore it is imperative that pre assessments are carried out. We have in the past used an informal interview process for new services for a personà who may have either complex or long term needs i.e. a waking night service. We would before the service is due to start we would set up an informal meeting at the clients home and arrange for 3-4 people to go and meet the client their family or NOK. This would allow them to put any questions forward and explain specific tasks and how they should be carried out. It also helps as when the service does start the person coming to assist is not a stranger. This in turn helps a nok, guardian, parent or family member enjoy their respite without fear of the person not being able to manage. This has worked well on many occasions and this is something we intend to keep as a way of matching the correct care support assistant to the person who needs support. Analyse how partnership working delivers better outcomes. Partnership working can help to deliver better outcomes for all health and social care professionals from a commissioning, performance management, service delivery and service improvement purpose. As we move forward with new legislation and processes it is important to deliver person centred care. This means we need range of expertise, knowledge and experience in order to deliver the best possible service for an individual. From the outset we are able to use the information gathered from social worker assessment, hospital discharge letters care plans and risk assessment to produce a plan tailored for a specific person. For example we currently have client who requires support from a team of Care Support Assistants, District Nurse Teams and mental health community team. By working in partnership we are able to get up to date information and guidance on the personââ¬â¢s condition and how to manage it from a professional point of view. We work well with arranging our service delivery around the schedule for the District Nurseââ¬â¢s therefore we book out daily visits either before or after their due to attend for two reasons. We found that when we attended for a review meeting and there were too many people in the property this caused panic and distress to the service user it was agreed by all that any visits would be made by appointment only and by 2 people maximum, also due to the high demand and limited resources District Nurse teams have, it worked well by planning our visits to a different time to their arrival so that theyà were not kept longer than they needed to be and vice versa for our staff. There is a joint log book left in the property for any concerns or follow up actions to be taken and this is signed once the action has been acknowledged or completed. We worked with the service user to make this plan to minimise disruption and undue distress to him as by not following this plan could lead to a setback in his recovery which in turn would mean outcomes would not be met. Therefore in this instance and for most it shows that partnership working is how we proceed to working to ensure that out comes are met efficiently and if this cannot be achieved how we change our methods to enable achieved outcomes. Explain how to overcome barriers to partnership working. There can be many barriers to partnership working and most commonly arise due to a lack of experience, lack of time and a disregard for importance. Others include a lack of trust especially when it comes to children. There are many parents who initially will put a barrier up to professionals as they tend to feel that strangers are coming in to their home to tell them how to be a parent or how to look after their child. A good way of overcoming this barrier is to build a relationship with the family first, listen to the incidents, issues or concerns they have. By supporting them through the crisis/difficult time will build trust within the circle and helps them to make informed choices in a relaxed environment. Acknowledging each otherââ¬â¢s expertise for example a parent will feel they know their child better than any other person which is correct however a professional will have seen a child similar to the one they have been allocated to many times therefore with their joint expe rtise this would make a great team. It is important to sure that you are there to support the family unit not to criticise them and this can lead to positives outcomes and overcome barriers in partnership working. For adults it can be easier to break through these barriers especially if it is to support a person who has capacity. By speaking to them to conduct assessments you get to build a good idea of a personââ¬â¢s character, need and attitude toward a service. It allows you to build a rapport with someone share stories and common interests if any. This can be relationship building. I recently had this experience with a service. I wasà contacted privately by a husband and wife who have physical disabilities, they are wheelchair and housebound without assistance. Upon speaking to Mrs x it was clear she had some bad experiences with other providers. I decided to visit them in their home to get a broader picture of the service they wanted and problems they had in the past to try and work out how improve their opinions of care providers. Upon speaking to them it was clear that although they both have medical conditions that reduce their ability to be fully independent they were not totally incapacitated. They wanted to be treated as adults not children or elderly people who were not able to fend for thems elves. They had social needs just the same as those who are fully independent for example going to the cinema and shopping. Mr x is a keen football fan and liked talking about sports. I believed i had gained some thrust and set about finding the ideal person to provide their service. We have had the service for approximately 1 year and in that time we have had to make changes to care workers who did not work out but the current Care Support Assistant has been with since February 2014 and all communication with Mr and mrs is positive. It is in agreement that planned absences require a second and third person to cover their service and shadowing the regular Care Support Assistant always takes place. By working together closely for those 3 months and investing my time in to rebuilding their opinion I feel I have worked in partnership with them and succeeded in overcoming the initial barriers that were there. Explain own role and responsibilities in working with colleagues. My role as the Service Team Leader/ Registered Manager firstly has a legal responsibility to ensure that everyone who is in receipt of a service is kept safe from risk, harm and abuse. It is my job to ensure that all staff are fully equipped with knowledge and training to go into the field and demonstrate that they are able and suitable for the role they have been appointed to. It is my role to supervise the office staff to give guidance and support where necessary. Set tasks on week by week basis according to the needs of the business. I take the lead on any complaint or safeguarding referral we may receive and investigate. I am responsible for the petty cash kept on site and to provide our accounts team each month of the breakdown ofà money spent. It is my duty to complete supervisions and appraisals for office and field staff, maintain a good working relationship with local authorities. Providing my seniors with a monthly KPI report. Keep a professional boundary with all staff a nd service users. These are an example of what is expected of me in my role however i am also available and required to support in other roles as necessary i.e. provide an out of hours service on a rota basis, provide all induction training for new applicants as well as refresher training for existing members of staff. Evaluate own working relationship with colleagues. To evaluate my own work i need to be able to request positive or negative criticism as to how i may have handled a situation so that i can learn from the experience and improve for next time. I need to be able to self evaluate and not just rely solely on another persons opinion. By doing a self analysis i am able to pick up what my strengths and weaknesses are to be improved. This can also help with the quality of my work and setting myself targets to achieve to feel a great sense of completion helps motivate me which in turn passes on a positive working environment on to my team to help all of us excel. I feel presently as i am very open and honest with all my staff and my approachable manor i feel that i am able to communicate well my expectations of how i believe the service should be run and this is passed on to field staff and rarely do i feel i need to display any negative comments on to the team. We communicate by text and email with our field staff and i often send out messag es of gratitude to those have worked well over weekends as there are many issues that could prevent a service running smoothly. I feel that by appreciating my staff at any level i have formed good working relationships however there is always a need for improvement. Explain own role and responsibility in working with other professionals. It is my role to build relationships with outside organisations such as local authorities, district nurse teams, hospital teams and social work teams. I take the lead with all safeguarding investigations and work with the professionals involved in resolving the issues raised. Although it is myà duty to take the lead i expect my office to be able to share the responsibility to an extent for example if i am away from the office for any reason i.e. annual leave or sickness, i expect the rest of the team to be able to conduct an initial investigation to gather facts and provide a summary of the incident or concern raised so that i can take over on return. I feel that this does not limit the office to one way of working or delay important tasks. It can also help promote personal development to enable a junior member of staff to gain experience in order to progress either within or outside of our organisation. It is my role to attend all contract meetings to discuss possible issues withi n our service or for feedback to passed back to our staff to give thanks appreciation for something we did well. Evaluate procedures for working with professionals. The procedure for working with other professionals remains the same across the board. Every person is expected to treat all they come into contact with, with respect, be responsive to any equality and diversity matters as discussed. Confidentiality is to be adhered to at all times and personal information is not being discussed with those outside of the professional circle. Information relating to a person or child should be shared on a need to know basis and as agreed. Each professional is responsible for their own department and are expected to deal with matters as they arise within agreed timescales. Professionals are expected to work together to obtain the best possible outcomes in the safest way. Each person has a duty of care to protect those they care for from being subjected to any form of harm or abuse and to report any concerns to a senior person or to a care management team within a local authority. Professional opinions should be sought from specialist teams before partaking in any task that could potentially cause concern. For example the procedure for reporting any concern or information regarding one of our clients from the local authority is to write a detailed email containing all the facts we have at hand. We then send this to the placements and brokerage email who are regarded as our contact team within this borough. This is sent via a secure website with password protection. They will then forward on to the relevant social work team in oreder forà this to be either recorded or dealt with. We then if need be wait for a response and a resolution to the query and work together to reach an outcome. Analyse the importance of working in partnership with others. It is extremely important to work in partnership with others as every person wants the best level and quality of care for the person they are dealing with, acting on behalf of or have a personal relationship i.e. parent, child, guardian NOK. I feel the best outcome sought by all is the wellbeing, safety and happiness of the person or child who requires support. There is also a level of consistency for not only you but for the person or child you are supporting. Children need consistency especially if you are supporting a child who has autism. Children who live with this condition require a huge amount of support. They do not adapt well to change and require routine to help them have a good quality of life and experience. By not working in partnership with others it would not be possible to build and establish relationships, improve service delivery and help the child transition well to an adult. For an elderly person working in partnership helps them have a better quality of life by having a unit of support who know their needs and are familiar to them. By working in partnership it allows every person you support to access to different activities and support. It is also good to surround yourself and your settings with professionals from all backgrounds and groups and to create relationships so you can use, learn and share resources and experience to achieve outcomes. Evaluate procedures for working with others. The procedure for working with others is very much similar to those as working with professionals. The main requirement is be honest, communicative and detailed in every aspect. It is important to seek consent and permission from the person or a child guardian, parent or NOK you are supporting before any tasks procedure or assessment takes place. It is important that you involve others in the care planning process in order to achieve the outcomes as they know themselves or their loved one best to know their strengths, weaknesses and desires to a service delivery. You are expected to treatà others with respect and dignity. As part of our pre-employment paperwork all staff office and field base are expected to sign and adhered to the dignity promise. Continued regular monitoring and supervision ensures that others are adhering and receiving all aspects of the dignity promise. That any concern raised will be dealt with efficiently and professionally. It is more common for others to be come upset and angry and may fall from treating people with respect. However this does not absolve a professional from completing their task, but it does mean that an increased sense of awareness needs to be adopted so that all can remain safe. We previously had a service user that all we was required to do was support him in taking his medication. Unfortunately his wife suffered with Dementia and she would often try and attack staff and make accusation that they were trying make her husband ill. After working with family the service user himself and other professionals it was decided that this call would be attended by two care workers. Although it did not require 2 care workers to support him to take the medication, the second care worker was sent in to distract his wife so that the first care worker could safely support him. This was due to all involved wanting the outcome to be safe. Mr x was less anxious about the distress it caused upsetting his wife and being concerned for his own health if he did not receive his medication. We continued to mon itor this new approach and all feedback was positive.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Why Should We Teach Shakespeare English Language Essay
Why Should We Teach Shakespeare English Language Essay The writings of Shakespeare play an important part of the heritage of the English literature which sends us the moral obligation to teach Shakespeare. Constructed by critical approach, the narrow, elitist hierarchy of texts written by Shakespeare, which was considered as the apex as a touchstone of excellence to protest to match inferior productions, are now a remote view, quite different from the great variety and richness of human experience in the arts. However, personal sense of works should be encouraged to communicate with many people by sharing celebration, accessing to tradition of communal dramatic experience, not as the key to ivory tower. Language of Shakespeare contains not only specific historical and cultural context, but also introduces all kinds of linguistic development by widening the way of seeing and thinking. Besides, our language, concept, and perception can be enriched by coping with his language. As a teaching aid, Shakespeares innovative use of vocabulary helps show children how to use the language they are born with better than a bland textbook, even when used without this aim in mind. Children should be encouraged to access to Shakespeare, and since parents seem to be too lazy to read to their children any more, it must be the place of school to offer this education. His dramatic and lyric poetry speaks powerfully and directly to the belief of the essential poetry in education. The idea that good poetry is deep, rich, obscure, and complex is sometimes promoted by textual analysis. Readers of Shakespeares poetry will find depth in simplicity, wisdom, or tragic mode. Dr. Johnson (1765) considers Shakespeare as a poet of Nature who filled his plays with practical axioms and domestic wisdom by his universal sympathies. Shakespeare treated his characters in action a depth and various insights that can sharpen our self-knowledge and knowledge of human condition which bring us context to test out our potential for good or ill in private reflection when discussing with others. In the field of drama and theatre, scripts of Shakespeares plays provide us full range of practical activity, workshop improvisation and mime which is based on different moments or themes to full-scale public performance. Students from primary school onwards can experience through the formal and narrative structures, as well as the language of plays and poetry of Shakespeare. From this, deeper understanding his texts can be raised higher to each level. The texts in Shakespeares works are open to explore the way in which apparently settled notions of kingship, order, harmony, nobility, and social class and gender are threatened by unresolved forces. Difficulties and challenges in teaching Shakespeare are the opportunities. Shakespeare is the cultural treasure not only of England but also the world. An education in England cannot ignore the vast cultural wealth of our country. For too long England have lost pride in its national icons and allowed nationalists to reclaim them as their own. Keeping control of the powerful icons such as Shakespeare is a tool for integration. Shakespeare has enlightened the lives of the people of this country for 500 years, and for good reason. His poetry and drama represent the pinnacle of the English language, and influences the way we speak today. It is a beautiful body of work, ranging from comedy to tragedy, murder to hatred, treating difficult subjects brilliantly. If we are to remain proud of the history of this country, we cannot ignore the contribution made by this one man to our culture, and wider European culture. Shakespeare made his name here, but has been read by an audience far beyond the reaches of this sceptred isle (Shakespeare: Richard II, 2.i). Shakespeare is also the cultural integration. Many people are worried about an upcoming generation of immigrants that do not identify themselves as British, while living in Britain and paying taxes to the British government. Culture is a key tool in integration; if you can share a cultural identity, you can share other values and bring the wider community together. Teaching Shakespeare, a bastion of British culture, in schools to this end is far better than forcing citizenship ceremonies and oaths of allegiance on children. It is not forceful, but creates a sense that they are part of a country with a long and proud history, willing to integrate new communities into its growth. Shakespeare was way ahead of his time. Many of his characters and situations are modern day and relate to us. Also, his plays and poetry show us things about ourselves that other pieces of literature often cant. The mastermind himself has invented a whole new phase of the English language. To this date, we all use words which directly or indirectly have their origins in Shakespeares works. Also, many movies are being made on his works which has further generated an interest in the Bard. They are even applicable to todays 21st century. There are still Macbeths, Othello, Julius Caesars and others in the society. Its just that their lifestyle has become more advanced, more tech-savvy and dressed differently. Its just that their lifestyle has become more advanced, more tech-savvy and dressed differently. Shakespeare is a pro at deciphering the human emotions and the working of the mind. One can also see his works from a psychological point of view and identify with some of the characters . It might also give an insight to the students who are learning about it and give a better view of the real world as opposed to seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses. II. Recent Shakespeare teaching in schools Generally, teaching and learning in schools have been transformed radically during the last twenty-five years. Learning process is now emphasized within different contexts, oral, as well as valuable written outcomes, active modes of learning, such as: role-play, group discussion, and independent learning). The development of media studies encourages extending the range of linguistic and visual experiences. Literature, in this stream, is no longer perceived as the central study in English, but one of a range of possibilities. Not only competing for time with other literature, Shakespeare also fights with the role of English as a support subject across the curriculum. Shakespeare studies in schools have got many fruitful developments, in which there are two significant ones: the growth of practical drama work through workshop and Theatre-in-Education, and plain text examinations. The pioneers of the first fruit are Henry Caldwell Cook (1917) and Beacock (1943) who established the mummery in Perse School, Cambridge, and were seminal influences on teaching through drama. It was not until in the late 1960s when the growth of educational drama introduced Shakespeare into the teaching in state schools with possible way of grouping students into 4 or 5 member resident companies who are responsible a certain part given by teacher to discuss and perform before evaluation of the whole class. Plain text examinations are given particularly to O level by providing the text in the examination room shifting students to respond by using their own words. III. Teaching Shakespeare in England With many young people, Shakespeare play is just a story with fixed values to be learned, rather than the dramatically dynamic, emotionally shifting and unstable play text which it really is. There are still many classes where students sit at their desks experience by reading through a Shakespeare play. Nothing startling, but a few right ingredients were there with enthusiastic teaching, playing the text, and seeing a performance. Many people leaving school along with the thinking of the most unbelievable and unutterable rubbish to ever hear about Shakespeares plays. Ted Wragg, one of the most well-respected and well-loved educationalists of Britain agreed that there was nothing but doing Shakespeare, rather than reading if someone wants to let children access the power of Shakespeares words. 1. Pre-national Curriculum Beginning of the twentieth century sees the secondary education becoming compulsory and English taking its prestige value from the Classics. Along this, attitudes to Shakespeare were very much influenced by nationalist pride. William Shakespeare, whose timeless characters and portrayed universal values in his plays define our humanity, was reversed as the greatest poet of all time. Shakespeare, in the post enlightenment age when art was considered as the human surrogate for religion (Peter Widdowson, 1981), was like the apex of high culture which was the target for Victorian belief of a better person if exposing to it. Richard Adams (1985), despite decrying the static of Shakespeare, comments that most students still respect Shakespeare although they get bored to tears by reading incomprehensive words if his plays. In the first half of twentieth century, Shakespeares plays were read around class only, which was the main topic for the influential critics such as: AC Bradleys character -based criticism, LC Knights journal Scrunity, and critics like Tillyard, Wilson Knight and Leavis whose concepts of an ordered Elizabethan world helped transmit clear cultural values in Shakespeares plays to us. This tradition of criticism the liberal humanist took the plays in the view of literature rather than drama and influenced a long life in secondary schools. However, on the other side, different views on seeing the plays as the performance texts also existed. Founded in 1906, The English Association suggested in its first pamphlet publications The Teaching of Shakespeare in Schools how to study Shakespeares plays: It is desirable that all the Shakespeare chosen for study should be read aloud in class. The living voice will often give a clue to the meaning, and reading aloud is the only way of ensuring knowledge of the metre. In a class of beginners the teacher must take a liberal share of the reading, but the pupils should be brought into play. They can be cast for some of the parts; the forum scene in Julius Caesar comes one step nearer the dramatic if the teacher is Anthony and the other parts are distributed and the class transformed into a Roman mob shouting for the will. Many writers on Shakespeare education agreed that it was so dangerous for opening textbooks before students in classrooms but forgetting what drama really meant. This pamphlet also recommended good practice by acting out scenes and seeing performance of the play occasionally. Henry Caldwell Cook (1917) strongly encouraged the case for a theatrical approach to the study of Shakespeare. Under the influence of the liberal humanist tradition in teaching, the trend for drama-based teaching of texts was still calling. A.K Hudson (1954) confirmed the important role of active approaches to teaching Shakespeare in his book Shakespeare and the Classroom for The Society for Teachers of English. He wrote in the introduction of this book: The unsuccessful methods [of teaching Shakespeare] normally display two features: they are non-dramatic and they reflect a tendency to regard school children as textual scholars in embryo. The present book recognises frankly the difficulties which the modern pupil finds in dealing with Shakespeare. It has been written in the belief that the plays can be made intelligible and interesting only if the teaching remains stage-centred. The writer suggests practical advice and ideas on how to work with the plays with 11-18 years old. He believes in the benefits from his ways to students when learning Shakespeare. Government, in this time, also had innovative opinions on teaching Shakespeare, which is illustrated by its document named The Newbolt Report (entitled The Teaching English in England) published in 1921. The report, besides remaining the traditional view of regarding Shakespeare as the greatest English writer, focused on the need for English to be enjoyable and encouraged the use of drama for improving the imagination and empathy. School curriculum in this time is the secret garden where schools decide themselves on how much and what about Shakespeare to teach. Frank Whitehead (1966) and J.W. Patrick Creber (1965) introduced a more pragmatic view on Shakespeare in their two books influential in the teaching of English in the mid 1960s. Despite keeping the point of view of Shakespeare as greatest English wri ter, they see that Shakespeare was really difficult for the majority of students, and wonder the suitability of the study of Shakespeare for young teenagers. Jan Kott (1965) concludes that the attitudes to Shakespeare academic and theatrical world were undergone the revolution. Moreover, universities and theatres ignored the traditional, reverential view of Shakespeares plays. 2. The 1980s In the mid 1980s, independent schools and higher ability streams were the province of Shakespeare studies which, despite of having lost favor with general rank and files of teachers in England, became very much the norm with its performance consciousness. Neil King (1985) suggested that Shakespeare should not be taught below Year 9 because the language is too high and difficult to attempt. He chose Macbeth and Henry V instead of the full of violence and hatred in Romeo and Juliet to deal with thirteen-year-old students. John F Andrews writes in the Teaching Shakespeare a special edition produced by American Shakespeare Quarterly in 1984: A decade ago performance-oriented pedagogy was relatively unfamiliar among Shakespeareans and was anything but universally accepted as the wave of the future. Now it is difficult to find a dissenting voice: virtually everybody acknowledges the need to approach Shakespeares plays as dramatic rather than literary works. The only real question seems to be just how to put the new consensus into practice. Also in this edition, Kenneth Muir, in his essay Teaching Shakespeare: the wrong way or the right, affirms that the most effective and only legitimate way to study Shakespeares plays in schools is to turn the lessons into a rehearsal. Late 1980s and early 1990s sees the clash of view over the position of Shakespeare in education between the left wing cultural materialist academics and the right wing guardians of cultural heritage. 1980s was the period of critical theories which opened up academic Shakespeare study. The Feminist and Cultural Materialist got the most influential on Shakespeare teaching. Bardolatry, which had built up around Shakespeare at seemed to be out of time and a repository of universal truth, was strongly attacked by Cultural Materialism. In 1980s, context to the plays in textbooks dealing with Shakespeare were increasingly adapted. Besides, educationalists who were already working with such ideas were provided a theoretical underpinning by the academics. Opposite the awareness of cultural, historical and other contextual influences which is embedded as part of examination requirements along with the awareness of literary heritage of these days, summer 1993 came what the Observer called The Battle of the Bard which saw John Major, at his Party Conference, railed against 500 academics who had written a letter protesting against the Governments policies on literature teaching in which the introduction of Shakespeare was compulsory at Key Stage 3. While the academics view of the policies was like an ill-thought-through elitist imposition of a death white man, it was, with the party members, the chance for moral fibre of all right-minded inhabitants of this sceptred isle to be strengthened. Meanwhile, teachers shrugged and tried to get on with their daily teaching tasks. Luckily, in the stream of this chaos, Dr Rex Gibson, the English greatest Shakespearean educationalist, was building an oasis of sense for some teachers with quiet achieving great success of his invaluable research in project Shakespeare in schools started in 1986. Gibsons team, working from the Cambridge Institute of Education, produced a termly the newsletter named Shakespeare and Schools which is as a support for the teaching of Shakespeare, containing quotes, articles, information, and writings by teachers on their direct experiences with Shakespeare in Primary and Secondary schools. Gibson introduced his fruitful result by using active and flexible approaches to the plays to involve every student of any age to appreciate Shakespeare: In total, our research reveals an encouraging picture. Teachers increasingly report success as they employ a variety of methods, at the heart of which is social collaborative, imaginative, re-creative activities. Such methods deepen and enhance students informed personal responses. First appeared in 1991, Gibsons school editions of plays provides a wealth of practical ideas facing with each page of text. They soon became popular in every English stock-cupboard and the compulsory study of Shakespeare in Key Stage 3. Moreover, his book, Teaching Shakespeare (1998) became the favorite of many new and experienced teachers alike. In the early 1990s, Royal Society of Arts (RSA) project also conveyed the same spirit of how to make Shakespeare accessible in the origin to all age groups from 5 upwards by using well prepared, exciting, and enjoyable teaching and learning approaches. The project, in the echo of Gibsons work, tried to counter the idea of Shakespeare as a bogeyman whose works are so difficult, irrelevant, and inaccessible. RSA introduced a more practical, fun approach to replace the scholarly one, which allows teachers and students to develop skills, knowledge and sharing ideas. In the same purpose, Shakespeare and Schools project, the work of Royal Shakesp eare Company (RSC), National Theatre, and Globe education departments, involved enormously the development of teaching and learning Shakespeare with new approaches. 3. The National Curriculum From 1976, the quality of state education and a great deal of discussion about the curriculum were questioned but most ideas were still theoretical and generalized. Despite broadly mentioned in Curriculum Matter 1, a document of Department of Education and Science, published in 1984, there was still unclear way of how much, which work(s) of Shakespeare, which age of students to teach Shakespeare. Having initiated plans for National Curriculum (NC) of predecessor, Keith Joseph, Kenneth Baker, as Secretary of State for Education in May 1986, was determined to change and create specific requirements for all school children. He got his goal and opened the door of opportunity in 1987 by tying up all the details for NC. He clearly believed that Shakespeare should be a compulsory author to study for having cultural and intellectual cachet. Nigel Lawson, in an interview with The Guardian, in September 1983, summed that Shakespeare was a Tory without any doubt. Shakespeare, in the view of Tor ies, is as the bastion of British culture and values, a stable enduring symbol of Englishness in a shifting world. In September 1992, the Conservative view was stated clearly by John Patten, then Education Secretary: It is essential that pupils are encouraged to develop an understanding and appreciation of our countrys literary heritage. Studying the works of Shakespeare is central to that development. That is why the study of Shakespeare is an explicit requirement of the National Curriculum. This point of view alienated many teachers and academics who did not support the compulsory Shakespeare study. They still questioned the values about class and women in the writings of this white man, and denied students access to a man who is generally regarded as the worlds greatest playwright but simply reverse snobbery. From autumn 1989, the National Curriculum was introduced progressively. It begins with unspecific state that pupils should learn some of Shakespeares works. Besides, a new battle of the Bard began in September 1990 when SATs, a kind of Scholastic Assessment Test, were first embarked to Year 7 students on the English NC program. The Cox Report, English for Ages 5-16, in 1989, mentioned the implication of drama-based methods for teaching Shakespeare: In particular, every pupil should be given at least some experience of the plays or poetry of Shakespeare. Whether this is through the study, viewing or performance of whole plays or of selected poems or scenes should be entirely at the discretion of the teacher. The report continued on the comment of Gibsons Shakespeare and Schools project that secondary students received wide range of abilities to find Shakespeare meaningful, accessible and enjoyable from the project which also replaced traditional methods of reading desk-bound students by exciting, enjoyable approaches. The place of Shakespeare in NC is also validated in this report: Many teachers believe that Shakespeares work conveys universal values, and that his language expresses rich and subtle meanings beyond that of any other English writer. Other teachers point out that evaluations of Shakespeare have varied from one historical period to the next and they argue that pupils should be encouraged to think critically about his status in the canon. But almost everyone agrees that his work should be represented in a National Curriculum. Shakespeares plays are so rich that in every age they can produce fresh meanings and even those who deny his universality agree on his cultural importance. In 1995, as the information in the Dearing Report, a new slimmed-down version of NC was given to schools, which stated that at least two Shakespeare plays should be taught during the Key Stage 3 and 4. 4. The SATs Early 1990s, Shakespeare was added on Paper 2 of the Key Stage 3 SATs examinations, which went along with the fact that all Year 9 students had to study 3 plays of Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and A Midsummers Night Dream. The questions in exam were traditionally literary, based on the set scenes of the plays. Students were required to answers the questions as well as writing their response in 1 hour 15 minutes. Both reading and writing skills were required. However, the questions were still in the form that regards an audience member as a reader rather than a witness at a place. For example, the question relating to Act 1 Scene 3 of Julius Caesar: At this point in the play do you support the conspirators? Or the question relating to Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet: How are moods of excitement, romance and danger created during the scene? How do they affect the audiences feelings about Romeo and Juliet at this point in the play? A better question that allows students to give more interpretive response is the one relating to Act 3 Scene 1 of A Midsummers Night Dream: If you were directing the scene, what would you tell the actors to help them bring out the comedy? However, this paper was boycotted by the majority of schools in the trend of boycott the English Key Stage 3 SATs because teachers and students felt that the paper was so quick to be adequately prepared. In 1995, the first year of national tests for all Year 9 students, SATs were deigned to be as inoffensive although the format was the same. The questions tried to put students into characters behavior in the set scene or characters place, and then asked students to writes a letter or diary as that character. In the next years, most questions were largely character-based. 2003 sees another battle when the ideas of Estelle Morris vetoing a QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) recommendation of reducing the test to 45 minutes and checking reading skill only. The set plays were Twelfth Night, Macbeth and Henry V, each of which was put in a separate paper within two questions to be answered in 1 hour and 15 minutes. This new version also got so many complaints the QCA had to do a survey of teachers on how to change the paper into the best way. Because of having not enough time to change, 2004 version got the same format of paper and the problems were compounded further. The negative stress factor caused by SATs was highlighted in the Report on KS3 English Review of Service Delivery failure 2003-2004 to QCA Board. 30/09/04 that the test results of school-level key stage 3 had significant impact on school with the potential affect on teachers careers. 2005s Paper 2 was also considered as a disaster. Shakespeare in 2005, 2006 was assessed by student s who would answer one question which possessed 18% of the total English papers. The question based on the set play and required 45 minutes to respond. Since 2009, following the public consultation, only two plays Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest have been chosen as the set texts for SATs. For Key Stage 3, the NAA suggests four plays Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, A Midsummers Night Dream, and Julius Caesar should be on a rolling program of plays. 5. Key Stage 4 Exams In 1960s and 1970s, Shakespeare was the unique compulsory author in the old O-Level English Literature syllabus which required the study of three texts: A Shakespeare play, a novel and some poetry. It was free for the boards to choose texts from any period, although in practice, the texts were in the trend of drawing from Great Tradition. Differently, 1980s came the boards withdrawing away from the Great Tradition and compulsory Shakespeare. O-Level texts no longer insert plays or poetry. Therefore, students could escape from plays or poetry all together, and left school without having studied Shakespeare at all. The three genres: poetry, prose and drama were recovered by the introduction of GCSE supplanting the O-Level and CSE syllabuses for first examination in 1988, but the study of Shakespeare was placed in the discretion of the teacher. Some schools chose coursework with 100% mark or took chance to do some interesting assignments on Shakespeare. However, when adding both Shakespeare and a modern text, for example Forsyths Gregorys Girl, while most teachers were trying to convey the lessons in mixed-ability groups, many opted not to bother Shakespeare. In 1994, Shakespeare returned the only compulsory author on the Literature syllabuses when the Key Stage 4 program of study which was set out in the 1991 National Curriculum, came into force. In 1995, the exam boards required the texts be compared and contrasted, and be shown social and historical contexts, which became the hints for teachers to set discussions the relevance between texts social and historical contexts and today ones. Since 1999, GCSE English Language has required the study of a Shakespeare play to meet the requirement of NC that a play should be studied at Key Stage 4. Regardless the ability, for the first time, all students had to study a Shakespeare play for their important 16+ exam in English. Shakespeares works are still the industry standard of literature, teaching Shakespeare in England has been innovative to update and create new approaches for a wider and deeper view on his social, historical contexts and humanity. Teachers and students play important keys to make Shakespeare lifelong.
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