Allegory of the Cave and Narrator free essay sample

As the philospoher Seneca once said, â€Å"It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable. † Raymond Carver’s Cathedral is a story about a man who started out as a closed-minded man but, throughout the story his character changes as he begins to bond with his wife’s friend, Robert, a man who is blind. Plato’s Allegory of the cave is a story about a prisoner who is freed from being locked in chains living all of his life underground and finding out a different perspective about a lie he’s been living his whole life, being told as a conversation between Socrates and Glaucon. In the stories, â€Å" Cathedral† by Raymond Carver, and â€Å" Allegory of the Cave† by Plato, both authors argue that a person’s reality is not always what is seems to be. In â€Å" Cathedral,† Raymond Carver uses irony between the narrator and Robert when they talk about the cathedral. We will write a custom essay sample on Allegory of the Cave and Narrator or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The narrator tries to explain how a cathedral looks like with words when he says â€Å" To begin with, they’re very tall. I was looking around the room for clues. They reach way up. Up and up. Toward the sky. They’re so big, some of them, they have to have these supports. To help hold them up, so to speak† to Robert who is blind and can’t really apprehend what is being said. (Carver, page 24, lines 448-451). Until Robert asks to be drawn a cathedral when he says â€Å" Hey, listen to me. Will you do me a favor? I got an idea. Why don’t you find us a pen and some heavy paper. Go on, bub, get the stuff† the narrator realizes that Robert sees by touching around the paper. (Carver, page 25, lines 492-495). What the narrator doesn’t understand is that the blind man can’t see what he sees even though he thinks that by describing with words about how a cathedral looks, helps. The irony Carver is trying to show is that the narrator is the one who is blind, not Robert, because he perceives his reality to be similar to Roberts but instead really isn’t. In â€Å" Allegory of the cave† Plato uses metaphor about the message that is being compared to an imaginary prisoner’s life. Socrates explains to Glaucon â€Å" Behold! Human beings living in a underground cave, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the cave; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and neck chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turing round their heads. Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets† to imagine a person who is living a certain kind of way for a long period of time. (Plato, page 8, lines 5-14). Then they are told that what they are living is a lie when Socrates says â€Å" And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released and disabused of their error. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and wlak and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distrees him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision, -what will be his reply? † (Plato, pages 8-9. Lines 42-51). Socrates then says â€Å" And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away and take in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be in reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to him† to explain that the prisoner will want to believe what he is already accustomed not to what has just been told to him. (Plato, page, lines 57-61). The metaphor that the story compares to is a prisoners life and perspective of reality, once you are told that the way you have been living for your whole life is wrong, you are most likely to be scared of the truth that has just been told to you since the reality that you have been living isn’t what it seems to be. In both stories, â€Å" Cathedral† by Raymond Carver and â€Å" Allegory of the cave† by Plato, both authors use imagery to descibe how the characters in the story are lead to a new reality that has been bestow upon them. In â€Å" Cathedral† the narrator learns the way Robert sees things when he says â€Å" He ran his fingers over the paper. He went up and down the sides of the paper. The edges, even the edges. He fingered the corners. All right, he said. All right, let’s do her. He found my hand with the pen. He closed his hand over my hand. Go ahead, bub, draw, he said. Draw. You’ll see. I’ll follow along with you. It’ll be okay. Just begin now like I’m telling you. You’ll see. Draw, the blind man said. † (Carver, page 26, lines 508-514). Carver reveals that by being very desciptive using imagery, the reader can understand how the narrator is getting really tense in a good way when he is shown that his perspective of reality of blind people just being blind and nothing else is about to change. In â€Å" Allegory of the cave† the prisoner is being taken to see a new perspective of the way he used to think when Socrates says â€Å" And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a steep and rugged ascent, and held fast until he’s forced into the presence of the sun himslef, is he not likely to be pained and irritated? When he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled, and he will not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities. † (Plato, page 9, lines 63-68). Plato shows that by using imagery in his story, people can notice that the prisoner is in a lot of pain when he is being shown that his perspective of reality of the shadows being his reality is about to change for the rest of his life. In both stories â€Å" Cathedral† and â€Å" Allegory of the cave† both charcters of the story are being shown a different way of thinking. This new way of thinking evolved them into a better self being. Both charcters, the narrator and the prisoner were challeneged into a new way of thinking, both stuck to it till the end, and both became more of a fulfilled person.

Top 5 Jobs in 2017 That Dont Require a College Degree

Top 5 Jobs in 2017 That Dont Require a College Degree when you’re looking for a job, you may see the same theme over and over: bachelor’s degree required; associate’s degree, minimum. if you don’t happen to have that degree in hand, it can be very disheartening. you know you have valuable skills and experience, but what will those get you if employers see that diploma as the baseline? don’t despair and resign yourself to a job or career you hate just because you think it’s your only option. we’re here to help you help you open doors and find a great job in the new year that works with the skills, experience, and goals you have. there are many jobs that don’t require a college degree. that being said, you can get a headstart on getting your gameplan in order for the coming year by taking a look at the information below. where do i start?of course, you can always just dive into job listings and start combing for jobs that don’t require a college degree. but it’s always a good idea to have an attack plan, if only to save yourself some time and aggravation as you get your hunt underway.get your resume together.a great resume is the entry point to any if you don’t have a degree, you should be packaging the skills and experience you do have, to package yourself as a superstar before you even start applying to jobs. we’ve got you covered on how to create your resume masterpiece:resume format guide: what your resume should look like in 2017the jobnetwork resume librarywhat is the best format for a resume?5 super tips on how to get your resume noticedavoid the resume black hole with these tipshow to create a resume packed with action words11 steps to writing the perfect resumethe ultimate resume guide for every job seeker5 things you should never put on your resumetarget your search.what are your interests, career-wise? do you already have particular skills or experience? use this information to figure out where you want to focus your job s earch.develop your skills.once you know where you want to focus your job search, make sure you have the skills necessary to succeed in that line of work. need to improve those typing skills? take a course! want to have a more solid understanding of how excel works? try an online tutorial. the more legwork and prep work you do up front, the better able you’ll be to package yourself for a given job opportunity.if your chosen job path involves certification or some kind of educational/training requirement, now’s the time to start looking at what that means, and whether you’re willing (or able) to make that commitment.be prepared for the long haul.getting a job is never easy, and it can be even more challenging at times if you don’t have a degree. but remember that employers value skills and experience highly as well- the degree isn’t everything. it’s about packaging yourself, and not giving up, even when it seems like â€Å"degree requiredâ₠¬  is the common denominator in all of the job postings you’re seeing.let’s look at 5 top jobs you should be looking at if you’re looking for a new career path or job opportunity:vet assistantparamedicnursing assistanttruck driverinside sales representativeall of these can be great entries to a new industry or profession, and let you start building the skills and experience you need to make it your career.the healthcare industryhealthcare is booming, with no real end in sight for a few reasons, including that people are more health-minded these days than ever before, and the baby boomer generation is aging and needs diverse kinds of medical and wellness care. becoming a doctor or a nurse will always require advanced education, but there are lots of great healthcare jobs out there that require only a high school degree (plus possible job-specific training, which in many cases you can get on the job). let’s look at five of the top healthcare jobs for 2017: veterinary assistanthumans aren’t the only ones who need great healthcare. if you’ve always been more partial to animalkind, this could be the career path you’re seeking.the job: vet assistants, sometimes also known as laboratory animal caretakers, are responsible for the care and treatment of animals in a clinical setting- often either a veterinary practice or a lab setting. their duties might include feeding and weighing animals, monitoring their vital signs, making sure they have clean cages/spaces, and providing nursing care before or after procedures. they might also assist the veterinarian or vet technicians during surgery or other procedures.the pay: median salary of $24,360 per year, or $11.71 per hour, per the u.s. bureau of labor statistics.the requirements: high school diploma or equivalent, on-the-job training.the outlook: this field is expected to grow by at least 9% by 2024.interested in this growing profession? search veterinary assistant jobs in your area of the country!paramedicif you like bursts of adrenaline, are incredibly calm under pressure, and don’t pass out at the sight of blood, becoming a paramedic is a great option.the job: paramedics are first responders when anyone needs medical care. they’re sent by dispatchers to provide emergency medical care for accidents or acute illness, or to transport people to the hospital who unable to transport themselves.the pay: median salary of $24,360 per year, or $11.71 per hour, per the u.s. bureau of labor statistics.the requirements: high school diploma or equivalent, cpr training, plus certification and completion of a non-degree training program (typically less than 2 years).the outlook: this field is expected to grow by at least 24% by 2024.paramedics are always needed nationwide.  search paramedic jobs in your area of the country!nursing assistantnursing assistants provide very necessary care for patients, helping them with daily tasks to support recovery or independence.the job: nursing assistants, also called nursing aides, work in hospitals or long-term care facilities like rehabilitation centers or nursing homes. as part of the medical and nursing team, they provide basic care like assisting with feeding, bathing and other personal care tasks; monitoring vital signs; and ensuring patients take medication as prescribed.the pay: median salary of $25,710 per year, or $12.36 per hour, per the u.s. bureau of labor statistics.the requirements: high school diploma or equivalent, plus a training program. certified nursing assistants (cnas) will also need to meet additional licensing requirements.the outlook: this field is expected to grow by at least 17% by 2024.this career is definitely on the rise. if you want to hop on while it’s on the upswing, search nursing assistant  jobs in your area of the country!the logistics industrypeople in logistics are responsible for getting things done. whether that’s making sure goods get from point a to point b, or managing inventory with deadly precision, these roles often require specialized training, but are usually open to those without a degree.truck driveryou don’t need a degree to hit the open road- just a commercial driver’s license, a clean record of responsible driving, and a love for meeting demanding schedules. it’s not a glamorous job, but it’s a very necessary one for our commercial economy.the job: truck drivers are responsible for moving large, heavy loads from one place to another. with online sales and delivery booming, this is an especially necessary field. it can be solitary (it’s often just you, the radio, and the aforementioned open road), but it’s a job that allows you to travel, be creative on the fly when there are obstacles, and be fairly independent.the pay: median salary of $40,260 per year, or $19.36 per hour, per the u.s. bureau of labor statistics.the requirements: high school diploma or eq uivalent, plus a training program. many trucking companies offer on-the-job training. you will also need to have a commercial driver’s license (cdl) and a clean driving record.the outlook: this field is expected to grow by at least 5% by 2024.truck drivers are needed in many industries nationwide. search for truck driver jobs in your area of the country!  the sales customer service industrysales is a field where your people skills and experience tend to outweigh a college degree. the ability to connect with people and sell them successfully on a product is something that can’t necessarily be taught in a classroom. this is also an industry that continues growing all the time- and once you have sales skills, you can apply them to all different kinds of jobs.sales representativesales representatives are responsible for getting (and keeping) customers for their product.the job: sales representatives are tasked with selling products, yes, but they’re also the keep er of the customer relationship. a major part of this job is cultivating relationships, and providing stellar service to keep those relationships going. exact duties and responsibilities vary depending on which industry you’re in, but once you have the skill set, it’s highly adaptable throughout many industries.the pay: median salary of $ $75,666, or $36.37 per hour.the requirements: high school diploma or equivalent.the outlook: this field is expected to grow by at least 9% by 2024.sales reps are also needed nationwide, and the career is on the upswing.  search for sales representative jobs in your area of the country!  all of these industries are expected to grow in 2017, which offers great opportunity. if you’re looking to change jobs, or are just starting out, you don’t need to be scared away by listings that have a degree as the minimum barrier to entry. you have lots of opportunities open to you- you just need to come up with a plan of attack, a nd seize them

The European Union Law Overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The European Union Law Overview - Essay Example The essay "The European Union Law Overview" presents the analysis of the European Union structure and also its decision-making process. The Council of Ministers operates clandestinely and its functions, which are influenced by national and transnational parties, lack transparency and accountability. Decision-making is determined by qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers is the most powerful institution in the European Union and comprises of envoys from the Member States of the EU. The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers enact the EU’s legislation. The Council decides issues either by qualified majority voting or by unanimity. Its presidency has a rotating tenure of six months. Although it does not formally comprise a component of the EU system, it has emerged as the cardinal institution of the EU. It organizes meetings between the heads of state and the representatives of the European Commission. Unlike the Council, the European Parliament is a supranational institution. The Council of Ministers has been accorded the status of the principal legislative body by the Treaties of the EU. Its importance stems from the fact that it constitutes the final decision-making authority. In the process of making policies, the Council relies on other institutions for assistance and direction. The EU is a novel political institution, consisting of intergovernmental elements in some issues, supranational in administrative matters and transnational in most domains.

Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 15

Political Science - Essay Example Under a conservative system, individuals are responsible for their own welfare and the state benefits from individual’s efforts, contributions, and interests. Conservatives do not believe in equality of citizens and equitable distribution of national resources since every individual is compensated according to their effort. Liberals believe that the government should set policies and regulations against gun ownership. Under this system, the government is responsible for individual’s security and, therefore gun ownership is unnecessary. The liberals argue that people commit crime due to social disparities that exist within our society. Thus, in a liberal state there will be social and economic stability enhanced by equitable distribution of resources. Such states will have minimal crime rates. On the other hand, the conservatives believe that citizens have the rights for gun ownership as provided for by the Second amendment. In a conservative system, individuals have the rights to defend themselves and prevent criminals from committing crime. They also believe that gun controls laws do not prevent criminals from obtaining weapons and using them to commit crime. Instead, they argue that the government should strengthen existing laws to prevent misuse of guns. [Source textbook and week 9 videos] 2#, US elections often divide the country into either blue or red states. The Republican Party is associated with the red state while the democrats are linked with color blue. The blue and red state ideology originates from the liberal and conservative ideologies whereby the democrats are considered as liberal while the republicans are considered conservatives. The red and blue states have their origin from the era of slavery. States that supported slavery remain under the republican ideologies while those that supported abolition of slavery support the right movement or they are the blue states. Blue states include New England and the Great

Third paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Third paper - Essay Example This is followed by a request, which shows that the speaker is down and ready to prostrate to her girlfriend as he asks â€Å"Shall I go down and bow, baby?† As a romantic song, the speaker goes on to praise his loved one, using romantic terms, descriptions and repetitions. This is a blues song, which doubles the traditional three lines to six lines in every stanza. The last line is a form of a question and the response is provided at the end of the song in a series of derivative three lines answer. The question repeated is ‘Shall I go down and bow, baby?† and at the end of the song, the speaker appears to have reached the end and resolves to answer his question because the referred and revered ‘baby’ seems to have answered in her acceptance and he derives; Shall I go down and bow, baby? I shall go down and bow, baby I am down and bowing baby Oh baby baby make you stay Baby ah baby oh baby I’m done! The pattern of this song is AbcdeB, AfghiBâ₠¬ ¦ and so on, with the first line and the last lines repeated. This pattern is regular and the blues lyrics have concentrated on the theme of love as the speaker tries to show his affection to his goddess, the valentine. The description of the ‘baby’ by the speaker is marked by repetitions. These repetitions are regular, and they make the rhythm of the song regular. In most of the stanzas, the first line and the last lines are repeated in a regular manner. This harmonizes the regular rhythm of the song. The last two stanzas are the conclusion of the song and the speaker consummates his dream of being granted a favour by his girlfriend as thus: Oh ah oh ah baby baby Baby oh baby stay baby My goddess baby, leave not baby oh baby baby Shall I go down and bow, baby? †¦ Shall I go down and bow, baby? I shall go down and bow, baby I am down and bowing baby Oh baby baby make you stay Baby ah baby oh baby I’m done! In this case, the song is conclusive and the clima x is reached when the instruments adopt the rhythm of the song in a unified manner. At the same time, the speaker is able to express his last passions and emotions for his girlfriend who has accepted his request. This song has a regular sound considering its regular rhythm. Being a romantic blues song, it will require soft beats and a mix of melodies. Therefore, the studio producing the song must refine and produce a soft symphony for the song at the start and at the end. The singer or the lead vocalist must be a man and should have a romantic, soft or mildly broken voice so as to exploit the overall theme of the song. This song should be started by a combination of a violin and a keyboard string tunes. Immediately the lead vocalist picks the first line, other instruments should pick and harmonize but should pause whenever the vocalist is picking the first line in every stanza. Moreover, instrumentation should also be toned down whenever the speaker is picking on the descriptive par ts so that the lead vocalist is above all the instruments. This will ensure the message is passed and the song is entertaining and moving as well. When the song is read in the lyrics, the reader is able to pick musical elements such as the tone of the song, the rhythm of the song and possible beat and meter of the lyrics. For example, the lyrics of this song requires a quadruple beat and regular dynamics in the loudness, volume and softness. On the other hand, if one listens to the song, he or she will notice by hearing, not

Reflective Practice and lifelong learning

Reflective Practice and lifelong learning Within this essay, the research will use Reflective Practice in a teaching experience. It will focus on The Community College Whitstable and the curriculum that the students experience. It will highlight the changes that have happened from the introduction of the National Curriculum to the present day, and how the curriculum ideologies, models and theories have shaped the education system in Britain. This essay will identify Reflective Practice and evaluate the different ideas from scholars and professions such as Schon and Brookfield. This essay will evaluate and develop understanding of assessments in Britains state education system and how it affects The Community College Whitstable. It will explore how self reflection in it truest sense progresses teachers in their understanding of both the curriculum and the students they teach. Incorporating a reflective practice in ones own professional teaching methods, would be one way to keep up with the ongoing appraisals that should occur in any professional set up or learning experience. One could describe reflection as looking back at past teaching experiences, either good or bad, and determining whether the experience could have been better managed or taught. There is a clear distinction between thinking and reflecting. Thinking could be associated with a problem and solution where as reflecting may not have an absolute end result. Working as a teacher in a secondary school poses many problems, and many questions that are very rarely answered. The problem that surfaces with the idea of reflecting on ones own practice is that we as teachers are not given the time, or the motivation to reflect more often, or more deeply into our methods, teaching styles or delivery of the curriculum. The introduction of standardisation by way of the National Curriculum towards the en d of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s by the Conservative Government, has taken away the power from the individual teacher in deciding what is important. It could be argued it has reduced the teacher to nothing more than a messenger of a state controlled curriculum. It also suggests a hidden agenda. Neary,M (2002) highlights the hidden curriculum and the attitude towards education and the function a school should play in preparing people for society. Neary,M (2002,p45) states Lynch 1989(1989,p3): The particular social relations they deem important in the reproductive process are principally the hierarchical division of labour between teachers and learners, the alienated character of learners school work itself, and the fragmentation in work reflected in the institutionalised and often destructive competition among learners through continual and ostensibly meritocratic ranking and evaluation. Neary,M argues that writers such as Bowles and Gintis have made connections with a capitalist society and how this is reflected in the school system. It is important to reflect on the curriculum one teaches and who decides what is Really Useful Knowledge and how socially effective this is for the learners that we teach. The curriculum that is offered at The Community College Whitstable is GCSES in all the core subjects, BTEC in Construction, Physical Education, Science, Drama, Science, Music, Business Studies, Travel and Tourism, Design and Technology, NVQ in Hairdressing, professional qualifications in Motor Vehicles (IMA and ABC) and A Levels. Students at The Community College Whitstable are increasingly becoming familiar with BTEC rather than the traditional GCSES which are favoured by most Grammar and the top tier of other State schools. The reasoning for this could be that state education is undergoing huge fundamental changes through political and ideological mindsets. The Nati onal Curriculum was sought to increase the students learning, the House of Commons fourth report states (2008, p10): This document essentially identified four broad purposes; introducing an entitlement for pupils to a broad and balanced curriculum; setting standards for pupil attainment and to support school accountability; improving continuity and coherence within the curriculum, and aiding public understanding of the work of school: The school state system has now moved on more than a decade since that pledge and is currently at the centre of a political overhaul. The Community College Whitstable is entering more students onto the BTEC programmes than ever before. Through reflection of the stance and vision that the school is taking, and with regards to the increased flexibility of the school curriculum programme, one could see that schools such as The Community College Whitstable are increasingly struggling to compete on national and local terms through GSES results. Therefore turning to BTECs is a way to increase students results and move up the league tables. The popularity with BTECs are that they are all coursework driven and this does give them an advantage over GCSES which are part coursework, and part end of year exam towards final marks. The coursework is internally marked and externally verified, students who would not have had any chance of getting good results through GSESs, stand a better chance wit h BTECs (possibly getting 4 GSSEs at A* C grade on another subject.)The Community College Whitstable has been excellent in implementing the previous Governments call for Vocationalism and Diversity in the curriculum but is that all about to change with the new Coalition Government. It is important to reflect on ones teaching of the curriculum, knowledge, delivery, learning styles and methods, if we are to progress and grow as a teacher or facilitator. At present there are no school guidelines to become a Reflective Practitioner but there have been many authors and professionals that have laid down models for reflective practice to be incorporated into the curriculum. Brookfield,S states ( 1995 p29 ): We have available four lenses through which we can view our teaching. These lenses are represented by the four arrows in figure 2.1. They are (1) our autobiographies as teachers and learners, (2) our students eyes, (3) our colleagues experiences, and (4) theoretical literature. Viewing what we do through these different lenses alerts us to distorted or incomplete aspects of our assumptions that need further investigation. For example using a challenging student as a case study who attends the vocational centre is a good way to reflect on Brookfields lenses. The student that I have identified has had domestic problems and personal problems that stem from his home life. The student has a low academic ability and falls into the category of additional extra needs, which would have been recorded on his data from assessments conducted in key stage two and three. I believe this student suffers from low self esteem and confidence which reflects his aggressive nature towards education and superiors such as teachers and people in authority. The student was pushed into the vocational centre because of stereotyping and the low criteria needed to enrol on the courses at the vocational centre at The Community College Whitstable. Taking this into consideration and seeing it from the students eyes would help all teachers deal with his/her challenging behaviour with greater empathy and compassion, and in turn this wou ld enable us to tackle these problems with greater knowledge. A minority of students may have an awful home situation and life in a social environment that does not promote learning. Students may be come to school with that baggage of home life and may suffer from a lack of confidence through low academic ability. Seeing this situation from a students point of view should encourage us as teachers to be more thoughtful and tactful when dealing with certain students. From my experience of working and teaching at The Community College Whitstable, the students who chose vocational courses are generally lower ability students. Although there are some exceptions to this, and there will always be students who opt for vocational course who are academically bright. Students that are on the Construction courses at The Community College Whitstable may have problems that range from behavioural, social and academic through to the medical and physical. Through my experience as a teacher, communic ator or facilitator I have always relied on my autobiographical learning, for example, teaching students carpentry and joinery through my own good experience as an apprentice and then going on to study at college. This reflection into my past experiences has helped me to become a more rounded and competent teacher of the skills of a crafts that goes back many centuries. I believe that all teachers should use their autobiographical learning in their teaching because we can all remember the good teachers or the good instructors and employers. Our autobiography should form the foundation of our teaching methods and styles. Peer assessment is a crucial part of a teachers learning experience either informal or formal, both of these tools are equally important. Teaching on the BTEC Level 2 Construction course involves two members of staff and each member has equal responsibility to internally verify each others work. Fifty per cent of all students work will need to be cross referenced and internally verified. There are regular team meetings and departmental meetings on marking, students performance, attendance and behaviour. These meetings have always been a good way to pass on shared knowledge and to exchange ideas and beliefs on the best ways of teaching. Informal feedback from ones colleagues can be just as effective, for example asking a colleague to come into a class to observe a particular part of the lesson can provide us with greater knowledge of the situation. By simply asking other teachers how they deal with problem students can solve the mystery. From my experience a colleague had advised me to make up a seating plan at the beginning of the lesson to combat bad behaviour. The idea is that you have already taken control of the situation and the student understands this and responds accordingly. To this day the strategy has worked. Understanding how and why students behave in a manner requires understanding of human needs, this may not come naturally to most of us, but the ability to reflect and to research is a tool all teachers have at their disposal. Completion of the Certificate of Education course in previous years and now studying the BA Hons in Lifelong Learning, has put me on a learning curve using theoretical literature that I am still researching and trying to comprehend. This research into curriculum ideology, curriculum change, knowledge of education etc. suggests that education is not what it seems but a smokescreen for competing egos and polices from political parties at the helm of the countrys future. Brookfields Lenses challenges us to move away from our point of view and to take onboard other interferences that may or may not make a students progress or fail. Brookfield highlights the complexities of how we learn, and how the learning environment is always affected by more than one issue. By becoming a Reflective Practitioner it can help one understand the problems that arise from the problems teachers face. Brookfield identifies Reflective Practice as a way in which teachers can make sense of the education system and the political intrusions that occur in the curriculum. He suggests that through critical reflection we find our footing and are then able to have an openness that benefits both students and teacher. The students can be very challenging and will all have their own set of issues to deal with as outlines above. Using Brookfields Four Lenses to deal with a challenging student would be one way of discovering the true art of pedagogical teaching. Reflective Practice thro ugh Brookfields model would be beneficial when one encounters a difficult day. Peer evaluation forms an important role in our teaching methods, Brookfield highlight this in his Four Lenses and states (1995, p35) Our colleagues serve as critical mirrors reflecting back to us images of our actions that often take us by surprise. As they describe their own experiences dealing with the same crises and dilemmas we face, we are able to check, reframe and broaden our own theories of practice. This discovery through other teachers who deal with the same problem students is very important for a teacher to progress, and move on in their pursuit of becoming a competent teacher. Brookfields fourth lense focuses on theoretical literature whereby teachers and lecturers should read more about the processes of learning theory and research. Brookfield states (1995, p37): Reading a theoretical analysis that offers an alternative interpretive framework for a situation can be life saving or at least, career saving. Critical theory may help us realize, for example, that students disinterest is the predictable consequence of a system that forces people to study disconnected chunks of knowledge at a pace prescribed by curriculum councils and license bodies. Theoretical literature is covered by the leadership team at The Community College Whitstable in Staff Development evenings. From my experience this literature is used to justify their strategy rather than to professionally develop a teachers mind. Theoretical literature can help teachers to allay their fears and seek assurances from other professionals outside their working environment. Unfortunately too few teachers actively read theoretical literature on pedagogical teaching, from my experience reading and studying literature on behaviour has been a great source of encouragement. Brookfield points out that the reasoning for this is that the studies carried out about teaching in theoretical books are always written by academics and not teachers. The previous Government had realised this, the fourth report on the National Curriculum states (2008, p32): At the same time, teachers need to be given a stronger sense that their own innovations in pedagogy can be valued. There is considerable support for the introduction of some form of pedagogic bank developed by teachers for teachers. In order for teachers to become a Reflective Practitioner or teacher they would have to question the basis of the Curriculum and the hierarchical institution that administers it. This would bring them in direct conflict with the whole school system and the powers that control the system, both centrally through government, and directly through the senior management of the school. This theory of questioning the core values of an educational institution goes against the National Curriculum set up under the Conservative Government, where teacher control and powers are limited. In a world where we are now used to following the rules and codes of organisations the true spirit of people power has been born out of us through Capitalism, Globalisation and dominance. If one was to take onboard reflective teaching and use it as part of the curriculum timetabling it would help us to become better teachers and this would help us teach students what we think is important to them in the outside wor ld. Schon, D (1995, p332) argues: What happens in such an educational bureaucracy when a teacher begins to think and act not as technical expert but as reflective practitioner? Her reflection- in-action poses a potential threat to the dynamically conservative system in which she lives. As mentioned earlier the hidden curriculum has many agendas, ever since the introduction of free state schooling in the 1940s the issue has always been what should the students learn and why. Education was seen to be a way to move a nation on from the traumas of the World War and the depths of despair. The Education Minister at the time was R. A. Butler. In a draft white paper (1943, pp182) he stated: The new educational opportunities must not, therefore, be of a single pattern. Schools and courses must be available to suit the needs and aptitudes of different types of pupil or student. It is just as important to achieve diversity as it is to ensure equality of educational opportunity. Although the Government were not directly involved in educational curriculum there was a firm directive from the Government. Scholars throughout history have identified learning models and theories, armitage et al (2003) identified five Models of Educational Ideologies: Classical Humanism, Liberal Humanism, Progressivism, Instrumentalism and Reconstructionism. Armitage argues that we as teachers need to understand these ideologies in order to take them on board and through this knowledge we as teachers can set the learning experience for our students. Out of the five ideologies Reconstructionism seems the furthest away from our educational system and would suit the Developing World who need ideologies to pull themselves out of economical turmoil. Neary,M (2002) suggests that the Liberal Humanist ideology has been the most relevant since the industrialised west evolved. Neary argues that this ideology had favoured the private and higher classed schools such as the Grammar schools but not the State schools. Tony Blairs New Labour Government and the educational ideology could be coined with instrumentalism. The educational policies under Blair such as the Leitch Report (2006) are in keeping with the instrumentalism armitage et al states (2003, p209): The instrumental curriculum sees knowledge in factual terms and is clearly lecturer/teacher/trainer led. Thus, through instrumentalism education and training students are preparing themselves for their roles in the workplace and in society as a whole. This instrumentalism has had a major effect on state schools such as The Community College Whitstable because since New Labour, Vocationalism has made its way into Secondary schools and is now part of the curriculum for fourteen year olds. It remains to be seen whether the new Coalition Government are prepared to carry on these ideologies or follow another path. In a perfect world the educational ideology would be Progressivism Armitage et al states (2003, p208): The curriculum would be based around active problem-solving in a variety of social contexts and be constructed of topics which interested and challenged students (learning from experience) with the aim that people would learn how to think for themselves, make decisions, cooperate and participate as makers of a democratic society. The problem that has arisen in the curriculum today is that students are being spoon fed the information and that they cannot think for themselves. This is the result of the curriculum being too narrow and too focussed on good result and attainment rather than students growth. In order for our society or political organisations to decide the fate of our education system or the role it plays in how the students will be taught, curriculum research is carried out to ascertain the end goal. Neary, M (2002) has highlighted two curriculum models the Product Model and the Process Model. The Product Model is linked with behaviour and Neary, M (2002, p60) cites Tyler (1949); 1. What are the aims and objectives of the curriculum? 2. Which learning experiences meet these aims and objectives? 3. How can the extent to which these aims and objectives have been met be evaluated? 4. How can these learning experiences be organised? Under this model each question will need to be answered in order for the development of the curriculum to be successful and achieve the goals and outcomes intended. According to Neary the model was not without its critics based solely on the thought that a curriculum can not be based on Behaviourism. Armitage et al states there was an alternative model for curriculum development, the Process Model (2003, p203): This is an approach to curriculum which is interested in the processes and procedures of learning so that the learner is able to use and develop the content, not simply receive it passively. Neary,M states the Process Model focuses on (2002,p61): Teacher activities (and therefore the teachers role), student and learner activities (perhaps the most important feature), the conditions in which the learning takes place. Students on the BTEC level 2 Construction courses at The Community College Whitstable will have a varying degree of both models in the course aims and objectives and the structure and delivery of the content material and assessments. The BTEC Level 2 Construction courses will already have predetermined aims and outcomes in which the learner will have to meet to satisfy the awarding body, if they are to achieve the qualification, this type of curriculum falls in line with the Product Model. The BTEC does allow for some autonomy of the teachers because the modules or units will have to be personally written by the teacher or lecturer for the students to complete. This does reflect part of the Process Model but the self written units and delivery of the units have specific guidelines laid down by BTEC Edexcel. Curriculum change and the ideology behind it are very important when considering a wholesale change of the National Curriculum for schools in Britain. With the introduction of new qualifications, the assessment of that is fundamentally important to the success and the longevity of the new set up. Knight, J Minister of state schools (14-19) states (2008, p1): Many schools are already seeing the benefits of using assessment for learning practices and resources, but I want all schools to have access to high-quality training and support so that assessment for learning can be embedded in all classrooms. The previous Labour Government had targeted assessment as the way forward for schools to tackle students failings. According to the department for Children, Schools and Families (2008) the assessment for learning championed by Labour would enable students, teachers, parents and schools to know how the student is performing, where they should be and how they are going to achieve a satisfactory level of performance. For schools this meant that the structure would be transparent for all to see. For teachers they would now have a foundation to work from and be able to test students intermittently against the agreed assessments and criteria that are laid down by Government bodies. There are many ways to test students ranging from summative testing (end of year exams), to formative testing: this could be conducted in the classroom and workshops, and initial testing which would be carried out at the beginning of the course. The core question that needs to be answered when assessing is, are the means of testing reliable and valid? Armitage et al (2003, p 157) states: A valid assessment method is one which tests whether the aims and objectives of a learning experience have been achieved. The BTEC level 2 Construction course that is taught at The Community College Whitstable has various forms of assessment in order for the student to complete the units for that particular course. Currently students will have to pass six units in which three are theory units, and three are practical units. The theory units are taught on a modular basis, once the student has completed one unit they move onto the next one. The units are broken down into three smaller chunks of assessment so that it is easier for the students to digest and apply themselves and progress through the grading system. The grading systems start with a pass and then move onto a merit and finally a distinction. This kind of assessment follows the criterion referenced route of assessments, the students will have a set of questions and each question will have pass, merit or distinction attached to it. The students can elaborate on their answers and achieve a higher score or grade. The marked work is then marked by the assessor and then internally verified by a colleague teaching the same course. This is essential for the assessment process to be made valid and reliable. The practical elements of the BTEC level 2 Construction course are marked by the assessor as soon as the students has achieved the aim, which could range from building a Flemish Bond wall, making a panel door or preparing and painting a booth. The teacher (assessor) will instantly mark their piece of work in line with the course specification and grade the students a fail, pass, merit or distinction. This assessment is in keeping with a competence based formula which is similar with NVQs. There have been criticisms of this kind of competence based testing Armitage et al (2003, p166) states: Some argue that a competence-based system makes learning assessment-led. That is, for students at least, one eye is always on the competencies that have yet to be awarded and the entire course of study the becomes skewed towards ticking off such competencies. The students at The Community College Whitstable could identify with this criticism as we as teachers are pushed to increase achievements and pass qualifications rather than making sure that the student is ready equipped for the outside world. Assessment strategies and the reliability and validity have become an issue with new Coalition Government. An independent review conducted by Sir Richard Sykes (2010p3) states; There is an obsession with measurement, setting quantitative targets and compiling league tables, as though what cannot be measured numerically has no value and should have no place in education. Yet the best things in education often cannot readily be measured in this way. Dockrell and Black (1980) pick up on this theme of validity and reliability but their focus is assessment in the affective domain. Dockrell and Black (1980) argue that this kind of assessment is beneficial for the success of the students progression in their educational experience. Assessing someones welfare and preparing lessons to accommodate all students sat in front of them is part of the student centred curriculum at The Community College Whitstable. Teachers are expected to write reports three times a year on every child they teach assessing both ability and attitude although this does not go towards their final grade it can act as a tool to assess the students progress. Every child must be taught to the best of their ability is the mantra at the college. Although I do not agree with the current education system in Britain one hundred per cent, there seem to be very little alternative. The eleven plus test that is conducted in the Kent District is designed to split the brighter students from the less academic to the gain of the Grammar schools. This kind of assessment has a huge effect on all secondary schools in Kent, especially The Community College Whitstable who will have to select students that have failed or are not eligible. The Tomlinson report (2004) had promised or set out a new curriculum and assessment that would have revolutionised our state education. The report had identified that GCSEs and ALevels needed to be reformed as well as vocational education for fourteen year olds. Unfortunately, the reform did not transform the education system but was only brought in a watered downed level. Sir Richard Sykes (2010, p3) argues: We therefore present a discussion and a set of recommendations which if adopted would, we believe, help to redress the balance between education and assessment. The new specification for all BTEC courses has been renewed as of September 2010, this follows a whole shake up of the QCA framework and the governing bodies that preside over the direction of our qualification system in Britain. It remains to be seen whether this will bring the change that will bridge the gap between students progress and an education system that is envied throughout the world. In conclusion Reflective Practice enables one to view their professional role as a teacher and within society. It is important that we as teachers and professionals encourage students to achieve all that they can in the education system and to become life long learners. It is important that we encourage students to not only learn what the curriculum has offered them but to extend their learning. The essay has researched the curriculum of The Community College Whitstable and how it has adapted to the changes of a tiered school system through league tables and assessments such as the Eleven Plus. Schools such as The Community College Whitstable will have to continually surpass their expectations if they are to survive in this Capitalist State System. Brookfields Four Lenses is an important starting point for reflection in ones own professional practice and this can put the teacher/professional onto the road of true satisfaction of ones own practice. Curriculum ideologies have played an important part in Britain and the Worlds education system. This essay has focussed on instrumentalism and how this affects The Community College Whitstable and how it has played an important part in Britains Education System. This essay has identified and developed a knowledge and understanding of assessments in our State Education System. It has identified how these assessments are being used in a vocational sense through BTEC qualifications at The Community College Whitstable. It is important to understand Britains education system, ideologies and fundamental beliefs as this will enable the teacher to progress and to make sense of educational change. Schools such as The Community College Whitstable have benefited from ideology, political intrusion and curriculum development because more students are now entering sixth form and going on to university or higher education than ever before. Schools play an important part when educating the student and the local community, it is the s tart of lifelong learning for some students. Comparing the education system of the 1970s to the present day, students have a greater advantage because schools are now set up to benefit the student. The Community College Whitstable offers a vast range of qualifications that would be the envy of many countries.

The Splendid Little War :: essays papers

The Splendid Little War February 15th, 1898, all is quiet in Havana Harbor. The crew of the USS Maine is sound asleep less a few solitary watchmen. The brackish sea air and the calm ocean breeze are soothing and peaceful. This would hardly suggest the terror about to erupt on this â€Å"peaceful† visit to the Spanish-controlled Cuban harbor. At 9:45PM, a violent explosion rips the Maine apart sending it plummeting down to the muddy sea floor and killing nearly all of her crew. All of the Spanish boats in the harbor rushed to the aid of the American vessel and its survivors: the commander, Captain Charles D. Sigsbee, and a few lucky crewmembers. Even though Captain Sigsbee, a favorite of the Naval Department, urged President McKinley not to react in an aggressive manner toward Spain, the media, namely New York newspaper editors Pulitzer and Hearst, already inflating current issues relating to the Cuban revolution, spin the incident out of control. The American public goes mad with suspicion of Spanish fowl play and the sinking of the USS Maine serves as the immediate catalyst to the Spanish-American war. This â€Å"Splendid Little War† is deeply rooted in Spain’s rule over Cuba as a colony infringing upon American interests in Cuban agriculture and goods. The first episodes of war-like acts between the U.S. and Spain began with the explosion of the USS Maine in 1898. After the catastrophe, many attempts to solve the mystery behind the explosion and withhold peace took place, including the ambassadors of England, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Russia, and the Pope appealing to president McKinley for peace. Despite numerous efforts against it, McKinley asks congress for war April 11, 1898 and U.S. troops mobilized on April 16. The Teller amendment passes through Congress stating that the U.S. would not annex Cuba. Congress declares Cuba independent on April 19. Shortly after the United States Navy blockades Cuba the first Spanish ship was taken. By April 25, both Spain and the U.S. declare war. The Spanish-American War was an extremely quick war, highlighted in history by Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders in the battle of San Juan Hill. Spain was completely stomped. On the way to capture the Philippine Islands, Spain’s most worthwhile colony U.S. Naval forces also capture Guam. Closer to home, the U.

Ideals and Values for 12th Century Medieval Aristocrats

Chrà ©tien de Troyes’ Lancelot: The Knight of the Cart, told a tale of a mighty knight. It has the air, to us, of fable. It was of fabrication as two cults of the time, courtly love and honor, dominated the story. These cults were parts of a set of medieval aristocratic ideals and values. Within this set, the cults had supportive notions of hospitality, oaths, service, and military prowess. Courtly love pushed the tale into existence when Lancelot stepped onto the cart and courtly love pushed the tale to completion with the death of Meleagant at the hands of Lancelot. Lancelot put into motion these actions. Lancelot’s love for Queen Guinevere bound him to honorable displays of his devotion to her.Chrà ©tien’s tale began with Meleagant’s appearance at King Arthur’s court at Camelot. He informed King Arthur that :â€Å"†¦King,If you have a single knightIn this court of yours you can trustTo take your queen to the woods,Where I’ll be goi ng when I’m finishedHere, then I’ll agreeTo let him have those prisonersI’ve got in my dungeons, providedHe can defeat me in battle,It being understoodThat possession of your queen is the prizeFor victory.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (lines 69-80).Those at court did not immediately secure the return of the Queen. She was gone. Chrà ©tien soon related how a knight (Lancelot) jumped into a cart driven by a dwarf. Those having committed criminal or despicable acts occupied such a cart in those days. Lancelot entered the cart since the dwarf promised to later reveal the whereabouts of the Queen. Chrà ©tian noted :†¦and the knightFollowed along behindFor several steps, not climbingRight up. But his hesitant shameWas wrong. †¦(360-364).This delay on the part of Lancelot came back to thwart his efforts when he had gotten the release of the Queen from her captor. She said :â€Å"Indeed? Didn’t the cartShame you the least little bit?You must have hesitated,For you lingered a good two steps.And that, you see, was my soleReason for ignoring your presence.†Ã‚   (4491-4496).This rigidity characterized the cult of honor as exemplified by Lancelot’s actions. If an affair of honor came about, then the knight must perform in the honorable way. Yet there were levels of honor as when Meleagant, described as a pitiless brave fool, subscribed to a higher honor of battling Lancelot at King Arthur’s court in a year’s time and agreed to forgo combat at an earlier time (3886-3895).Chrà ©tien saw that honor in service to love ignored common sense and reason. Reason did not include in its realm the working of the heart. Love had its way. For love’s commands, even shame endured. Deep in reflection, Lancelot had no defense against love. He did completely forget himself. An opponent challenged Lancelot three times before crossing a stream. The opponent struck Lancelot with Lancelot still in love’s command. The opponent ha d unfairly struck him. Lancelot wanted to avenge this disturbance of his revery (891-893). Outside revery he was in a fair enough way but his one and only heart he entrusted to some one else such that he was constrained in a special manner (1231-1248).   He found the Queen’s comb. It had strands of her hair and he was ecstatic:Touching them a hundred thousandTimes, caressing with his eves,His lips, his forehead, his face.And all of it brings him happiness,Fills him with the richest delight;He presses it into his breast,Slips it between his shirtAnd his heart – worth more than a wagon-Load of emeralds or diamonds, (1470-1478).Later, in traversing the sword bridge, the blade cut so as to maim him but the suffering was sweet since love led him on and relieved his pain (3115-3122). Still later a distraught Lancelot, thinking that the Queen is dead, attempted to kill himself by hanging himself from his saddle by means of his belt (4264-4268).Honor had its greatest demands made upon it by love but it spanned also military activity for which the knights were constantly prepared. In this preparation, a generous hospitality aided them that mostly included horses (284-289), beds (458-463), and food. For the first two, they had a choice. The mistress of a house offered Lancelot the house and the mistress of the house (938-949).Thus prepared, their military valor was a pledge, an oath, which they must uphold. A knight could be in the grip of another knight and not fight correctly; so the second knight asked to release the first knight. Then the second knight could recover his military equipment and they could then fight in the approved manner (839-852). The more honor gained in combat, the better. Accompanying a damsel involved an unspoken oath and was a very serious business since the knight was then responsible for her.A challenging knight could assault her with impunity if a challenging knight defeated the escorting knight (1304-1322). Mercy could be gr anted for the about to be vanquished but this usually entailed an oath be taken. The one who granted mercy redeemed this oath to their benefit. If one had an oath to carry out, then could not do it, there could be shame of a great dimension when another knight did the deed (4013-4019). Knights sometimes honored a pledge, for honor’s sake, even though it seemed not in the best interests of most of those involved as when Kay sought to have the Queen accompany him into the forest where a knight awaited :The king was upset, but his wordHad been given, and he could not revoke it,No matter how angry and sorrowfulIt made him (which was easy to see).The queen, too, was deeplyDispleased, and the whole palaceDenounced Kay’s pride and presumptionIn making such a demand. (179-186).Again, it could be a combatant who would not continue the fight if pledged by his lady to cease. Then the other knight must not force a continuance then and there by striking the one who no longer lifts a weapon. Meleagant, for example, struck Lancelot.   The Queen had requested Lancelot to stop fighting:  The king came hurrying downFrom the tower, to stop him. StraightTo the field of battle he went,Speaking these words to his son:â€Å"What’s this? You think it’s fineTo go on fighting, afterHe’s stopped? You act like a savage!† (3824-3831).The truth of the matter is that Lancelot only appeared to give up. In truth he was doing what his lady had requested of him. Later her captors said she was lying about bloodied sheets (4788-4798). This was a most grievous charge and so combat was called for. Holy relics came out and, on their knees, the parties involved did swear. Truth in other matters was another preoccupation of the aristocrats that Chrà ©tien wrote about. There were standards of truth against which the knights and others could measure their conduct. To seek death in ignorance was the action of a fool.   A fool too was one who does not truly humble oneself. A fool never lost his folly. Those nobles, not fools, did not need to seek praise to enhance their deeds and self praise did not increase one’s esteem. The madness of a fool had no cure:â€Å"Who do you think believes you?†Said the king. â€Å"All these peopleCan tell for themselves what’s trueAnd False. We know you’re lying.† (3841-3844).Far from the fool was the man as lover who was always obedient and gladly did his lover’s bidding in short order. He knew much about love and included in this knowledge was that honor done for love entailed no shame. Should something greatly go amiss, he would not fear death. Death desired those who were afraid of it (4283-4284).Before death there were dwarfs. Lancelot encountered two dwarfs in the tale. Neither one was up to any good. The first, described as a â€Å"Low-born and disgusting† dwarf (353) did lead Lancelot astray. The dwarf lied as to knowing the Queen’s whereab outs but did convince Lancelot to enter the cart. The other dwarf encountered Lancelot on Lancelot’s approach to the water bridge. The dwarf promised to take Lancelot to a special place (5081-5084). This dwarf also lied.No one said anything about what happened to the dwarfs. Presumably, they received a suitable fate for their unbecoming behavior. Perhaps death found them soon enough without their heads. It seemed that beheading was the surefire way to ensure that the one on their way out did indeed depart. Lancelot did battle with an enemy and after having vanquished him, a woman wants the opponent’s head. Lancelot obliges :One swing of the sword, the headWas off, and it and the bodyFell to the ground. And the girlWas happy†¦.(2927-2930).The headless one wronged her. Lancelot had already showed mercy to the opponent. Then again the opponent had pleaded for mercy. Then too the opponent had been most impertinent with Lancelot. So the upshot of this battle was the da msel was pleased and the opponent lost his head.Another beheading occurred at the end of the tale. Meleagant reflected on how it was that Lancelot had made his way to Camelot. Meleagant had thought he had locked Lancelot in a tower from which there could be no escape. He realized that he was a victim of trickery. He was ready for something worse than great shame and humiliation (6967-6969).   In his battle with Lancelot he lost his right arm. He felt badly since he then could not strike Lancelot. Then he was smashed in the face by Lancelot. Three teeth are broken in his mouth. His state enraged him to the extent he could not speak and so did not seek mercy. Lancelot cut off his head. It was finished :And let me assure you, no oneWho was there, watching the battle,Felt the slightest pity.The king and his courtiers and ladiesWere fairly jumping for joy (7099-7103). Works CitedChrà ©tien de Troyes. Lancelot: The Knight of the Cart. Trans. Burton Raffel. New Haven & London: Yale Univ ersity Press ,1997.

The Museum of Tolerance and the Swastika Essays

The Museum of Tolerance and the Swastika Essays The Museum of Tolerance and the Swastika Essay The Museum of Tolerance and the Swastika Essay The Museum of Tolerance and The Swastika Maria A. Kreit Anthropology 101 Dr. Raffaella November 30, 2011 Abstract This essay is about my first experience at the Museum of Tolerance. Although the museum was very informative, the one main detail that it did not have was many actual artifacts. It had a few artifacts, but none that were noteworthy or interesting in regards to history. My experience in the Museum of Tolerance mostly focuses on the holocaust exhibit of the museum, which then relates to Anti-Semitism and the Swastika. It then goes in depth about the Swastika and how it came to be. The Museum of Tolerance, Anti-Semitism, and The Swastika When first deciding on a field trip, I was unsure which one to go to because there were so many interesting options. Then the idea of going to the Museum of Tolerance came to mind. I had never previously visited the Museum of Tolerance, but I was often told about how it was mostly referenced for its Holocaust exhibit and its message about being prejudice. Just from personal experience, the Museum of Tolerance appeared to be a popular place to visit and a place people often talk about or reference within conversations. Because of its popularity and constant reoccurrence in topics of conversation, I finally decided that it was important I see this specific museum. Upon entering the museums parking structure, which had been strategically hidden beneath the building, My friend Cameron and I came across a security guard. Before being allowed to enter the structure, he instructed us to open the trunk and show him identification. Strange as it was, we had done exactly as told without question. He proceeded to check the contents of the trunk and Cameron’s ID. Once he was finished, he told us that camera’s were ot allowed in the museum along with several other things, and then he let us through and allowed us to park. (Due to this fact, I was unable to take any personal pictures of the museum or myself in the museum. ) After finding a parking spot, we went up the elevator to the lobby of the museum. Right next to the front desk, I noticed that the only way in was through a security checkpoint ; a high tech security checkpoint that reminded me of airport security. They had a bag scanner and what I assumed were metal detectors that people had to walk through. For a museum regarding tolerance and prejudice, it was unnerving to have to see that they actually use these machines on a daily basis. Although I cannot begin to imagine what they encounter there at the museum on a daily basis, I hardly think it necessary to use such intimidating machinery just to get into the museum. My theory is that the real purpose behind it is to make us feel unsettled and uncomfortable, as though we were being judged and demoralized just as the Jews had been back in the 1930s. It could also be for security purposes, but it seems odd that a museum with little to no artifacts would actually have a very obvious heightened amount of security when compared to museums like the Getty, which has paintings that are worth millions. Regardless, my experience for the Museum of Tolerance began with a confused and uneasy feeling. As we moved forward, there was a spiraling ramp going downwards and along the side of the ramp were framed photographs of people; Older people to be precise. At first glance, I assumed that they were contributors to the museum, or possibly even managers that headed the museum. Then after making that comment aloud, my friend who had previously been to the museum told me that they were pictures of Holocaust survivors. It was touching to see that there was a tribute to the holocaust survivors, but it was disheartening to know that it was nothing in comparison to how many had died, which again reinforced that uneasy feeling. Reaching the bottom of the spiral ramp led to even more confusion. Since I had never been to the Museum of Tolerance before, I had no idea where to begin. I decided to begin by visiting the Holocaust exhibit because that is what the Museum of Tolerance is famous for. The main issue that I had with the exhibit was that they did not have any actual physical artifacts up for display. A majority of the exhibit was technology based or was made up entirely of dioramas. It was intriguing to discover that they used a media based approach to inform their audience about the events that happened during the time of the Holocaust. To further enhance the experience and evoke emotions of the audience, the museum handed out cards with pictures of Jewish people on them. Each card could be entered into a scanner to receive a bit of background information on that person. At the end of the tour, there would be a scanner that told you whether or not that person survived the dreadful events of the Holocaust. The person I received had survived, but my friend Cameron received a person who had died at a young age. We even received a copied printout about each story and how they survived or died. Peter Freistadt was the name of the individual whose card I had received. He was born on October 13, 1931, in Bratislavia, Czechoslovakia and his family had practiced Neology, which is the Hungarian Reform of Judaism. When the anti-Semitic laws came around in the 1940s they had to start wearing the Jewish star of David around their arms so that people could see that they were Jewish. They were even required to hire a non-Jewish person to overlook their business. Eventually, they were forced to leave their home and his mother, Irene, thought it best that Peter go into hiding with a nice Slovak family. Ultimately, he got turned in by the boyfriend of the Slovak family’s daughter and was forced to showing his false identification papers. Once it was discovered that his papers were fake, he was sent to the Sered transit camp. Not long after, he was transferred to the ghetto where he eventually escaped and went back to his hometown to live with his grandparents and uncle. The paper I received ends by saying that â€Å"Peter’s current name is Peter Freistadt† demonstrating that he suvived the Holocaust and that he kept his name as well. (Museum of Tolerance 2011) These intriguing stories were printed to each individual who had received a card in the beginning of the tour. The thought that millions of people had gone trough this exhibit and had witnessed the same intolerance towards Jews astounded me, and it made me wonder what people thought about these stories. Most importantly, it made me wonder why people from the past would go about doing these horrible crimes to people who have not actually done anything wrong. This activity made me interested in researching anti-Semitism, but more specifically, the symbol behind the Nazi party that stood for being anti-Semitic: The Swastika. What exactly is Anti-Semitism though? According to Anti-Semitism: A Modern Perspective, Anti-Semitism is the â€Å"hatred of Jews because of their religious heritage and beliefs (Arnold and Silverstein 1985),† not because they committed a crime. Only because â€Å"they were Jews (Arnold and Silverstein 1985). † Anti-Semitism can be dated back to 1873, when it was first coined, but it truly became a problem when Hitler killed off millions of people because he was anti-Semitic. The phrase was first coined in a pamphlet titled â€Å"TheVictory of Judaism over Germanism† by Willhelm Marr, where he declared that â€Å"Jews had corrupted German society (Arnold and Silverstein 1985). Since 1873 was a time of economic turmoil, it was easier to just put the blame on the Jews, which lead to its spread across Germany. Funny thing is, Hitler actually avoided using the term â€Å"anti-Semitic† because he did not want to offend the Arabs who were Semites. He wanted to make sure that they were to be allies even though he had a strong dislike for Jews (Arnold and Silverstein 1985). One of the most notable symbols today that depicts anti-Semitism and Hitler’s views is the Swastika. An interesting fact bout the swastika is that it is originally meant to be a sign of luck, but now it is known to be â€Å"the universal symbol of hate (Goodstein 2010). † As the story goes, the swastika â€Å"is an ancient symbol† that is used to â€Å"represent the sun wheeling across the sky(Fuchs 1990). † It was actually first seen in ancient India and has been known as â€Å"the symbol of good fortune† for thousands of years (Fuchs 1990). Hitler was said to have possibly found this symbol in a church in Lambach (Fuchs 1990), but he was not the first to use it for politics. It had been used for right-wing radical parties, but was not as effective as Hitler’s use of it due to propaganda. Hitler chose this symbol because â€Å"it would represent the basic concept of Germandom (Fuchs 1990). † He then chose it to be displayed on a red flag so that it would catch people’s attention. The article â€Å" Swastika Is Deemed ‘Universal’ Hate Symbol† goes on to say that it is now used for more than just hating the Jews but also African-Americans, Hispanics, and Gays(Goodstein 2010). It is fascinating to discover that the swastika’s meaning keeps changing over time and that the image of it keeps developing a increasingly negative image as time goes on. To conclude, the Museum of Tolerance gave an unsettling feeling from the time I entered the museum to the time I left. It showed me disturbing images and displayed depressing statistics. All due to an economic depression and the growing ideas of anti-Semitism, millions of people died. In the end, I discovered that everyone is a little bit prejudiced, but it is how we handle it that makes the difference. Arnold, C. Silverstein, A. Anti-Semitism: A Modern Perspective. New York, NY: Julian Messner, 1985. Print. Fuchs, Thomas. A Concise Biography of Adolf Hitler. New York, NY: The Berkley Publishing Group, 1990. Print. Goodstein, Laurie. Swastika Is Deemed Universal Hate Symbol. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO, 29 July 2010. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. . Peter Freistadt. Museum of Tolerance. Simon Wiesenthal Center, 2011. Web. . -Used parts of their website, but mostly used the print handout they gave at the end of the tour.

Hate Bush essays

Hate Bush essays WHAT THE HELL!!! Gorge W. Bush is president agene? He should never have been president. He starts a war. Cant keep track of/ blows all our tax money .And is very I dont know how to put it stupid/ ignorant, but I know hes not well school stupid but, makes bad decisions. I believe that Pres. Bush should not be president. He is a money/war loving jid-idiot who cant even count. This country is in debt. In the year 2004, Bush made 1.782 trillion dollars, yah sounds like a lot but, he ended up spending 2.156 trillion dollars. How do you spend money you dont have? A nice chunk of that is going to Bushs war (will be further explained latter,) there are cut backs on thing that shouldnt be cut back. Like our schools; public schools were a joke before but not its ridiculous. Teachers have limits to how much paper they can print, such a small amount of materials they can use, ex.... Being in debt like this makes the whole country look ever shittyer, and now the value of the U.S.s dollar isnt up to gold value anymore. All this could have been different if Bush hadnt taken over agene and started his war, and didnt act like a coke addict and cant even keep track of money. WAR. A simple three letter word that means so much. Pres. Bush felt like starting a war with Iraq because some terrorists decide to hurt his pride and crush a couple buildings. Now there are more people dead in his war than the entire bombing. When I hear the word war, I only think two things, two things I hate to hear, death and destruction. thats all that war can bring. Innocent people die and their homes get destroyed by both sides. The young man who joined the U.S army with dreams of heroism and pride ,only to get shot in the heart, and sure to have grieving parents and siblings. The proud husband and father who fights off foreign invaders to protect his home and country only to...

JetBlue Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

JetBlue - Case Study Example There are three critical stages in developing the airline industry and they include regulation, liberalization, re-regulation, as well as de-regulation (Vasigh, Fleming, & Mackay, 2010). Major challenges facing this industry are fuel prices, which continue to hike, pollution control, personnel shortages and global economic problems. However, fuel, labor, and maintenance are the most common setbacks in the industry. Proper planning is essential for the success of the company. Failures in air business planning include under capitalization, over expansion, lack of flexibility besides the inability to obtain sustainable and competitive advantage. Failure to demonstrate revenue growth and profitability are also factors that contribute to failure of a business plan (Vasigh, Fleming, & Mackay, 2010). Five forces affect this industry. Firstly, there is rivalry between existing competitors; this is due to the competition for growth as well as market share. There is also the bargaining power o f suppliers caused by the need to access capital and supplier concentration. In addition, there is the bargaining power of buyers, which refers to price sensitivity, substitute products, buyer information, as well as bargaining advantage. Threats of new entrants are another force that is caused by freedom of entry and exit and availability of air crafts. Finally, there are the threats caused by new substitutes like telecommunication, high-speed railroads, as well as video conferencing (Vasigh, Fleming, & Mackay, 2010). Key success factors for the airline industry include factors that help a company achieve its mission, objectives and goals. The key success factors include strong management for each department that is of advantage for the business. Highly qualified and competent work force is also essential for the success of the company. Everything they do must aim at improving customer relation and

Software Development Life Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Software Development Life Cycle - Essay Example The processes are going to be employed in a database system required for the London Olympics expected to take place in the near future. The most essential part in Software De3velopment Cycle is defining of the required data; obtaining and clearly indicating the objectives to be carried out (Dhunna & Dixt 2010: 129). To be able to define the objectives and activities taking place during the event, it is required of the analyst to find the data from the organizers. The organizers of the London Olympics are grouped to form the London Olympics Games Organizing Committee (LOGOC). There are many methods that are used in fact finding or gathering. The main methods include questionnaires, interviews, observations, and record inspection. The different methods are employed in certain situations for optimum data gathering (Dhunna & Dixt 2010: 129). The data is defined to be collected from the London Olympic Games organizing Committee. The most effective method in collecting data from the group is through interview. This is because the LOGOC comprises a small group of people; the management team comprises of persons less than thirty. There are two structures in interviews; open and closed structure. The two structures differ in the questions asked during the interview. There are also two type of interview; face to face and group interview (Dennis, Wixom & Roth 2008: 43). The most essential type of interview is the face to face or one on one or personal interview. It gives an opportunity to varied opinion on the same issue hence deeper understanding of the requirements. The interview would employ the closed structure at its initial stages then after the structured questions are responded to, I would employ the open ended structure to ensure that I attain extra information on some data. The information to be attained in the interview include the type of data; the information of athletes that is stored, the types of sports, the arrangements on how the events are to occur, the organizations past information and challenges that the system needs to address (Dhunna & Dixt 2010: 132). The steps to conducting the interview are carried out strategically as they appear; planning, creating the questions, determining the order of conducting the interview and the information consolidating process (Fettke & Loos 2006: 119). The advantages associated with the interview process include easy framing of questions with objective to attain different set of answers, use of the observable non-verbal communication from the interviewee, immediate response, and there is a high response rate (Marshall & Bruno 2009: 221). The interview method therefore offers detailed facts from the outlined advantages. Despite having advantages that are beneficial, the method of use has disadvantages which include time consuming due to the personal conversation with the interviewee, location of respondents may cause inefficiency, it is costly, it brings an interrogative phenomenon to the inter viewee who may decide to control the information she/he gives. The method is also dependent on the interviewer’s perception (Zendler 1997: 21). There are various ways though through which these disadvantages may be overcome. The proximity effect may be controlled by use of video conferencing. The interviewer may be given a warm feeling by the interviewer to avoid the grill or summon view of the interview pro