Shakespeare’s play Essay

Explore the dramatic techniques used by Henry V to inspire his men before the battle of Agincourt. William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Henry V† is set in 1415, when Henry becomes King Henry V of England. As a young man Henry enjoyed drinking and the company of women. When he became King Henry changed, he wanted to be taken seriously and to be treated like an adult, so he gave up drinking. Henry was angry and insulted by a birthday present of a box of tennis balls from the King of France, Henry thought the King of France was suggesting that he was still a boy and not a man capable of ruling England. To prove he was a man Henry ordered the invasion of France. Henry’s first battle was the Siege of Horfieur Henry V where he inspired his troops with a speech before leading them into battle. Henry said they had to behave like tigers and show no fear only strength. The next battle was the Battle of Agincourt, Henry’s troops were exhausted after their last battle and were out numbered five to one. But Henry tries to inspire them again for the last time he starts off talking dramatically about death, â€Å"if we are marked to die, we are enough to do our country loss. † I think he is saying that if the English are meant to lose the battle then it is better that they die, than thousands more if they wait for help. Then he goes on to say, â€Å"if to live, the fewer men, the greater the share of honour† if they fight there is a chance that only a few will survive and these few men will have gained honour. After this he stops talking about death and attempts to be more positive and tries to get his troops off the subject of death and to think about the honour that will achieve. Henry attempts to make them closer and tries to unite them as a family, by saying, â€Å"I who doth feed upon my cost† and â€Å"It yearns me not if mean my garments wear† which means that he does not mind paying for them all to eat and he also is not bothered if they wear his clothes. Henry also made it clear that any one who did not want to fight that was free to leave, when he said, â€Å"That he which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. His passport shall be made and crowns for the convoy put into his purse†. I think that by saying this Henry means that any one of his troops is free to go, he will even give them money to get home, but if any choose this option then they would be giving up their chance for honour. And people would remember them as men who were not manly enough to go into battle. Henry continues his speech by reminding his troops that, â€Å"This day is called the Feast of Crispian†, this is a Saint’s day that the English would have celebrated with a feast. Henry says that â€Å"He that outlives this day and comes safe home. Will stand a-tiptoe when this day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian† he is telling his troops that when the celebrate the Feast of Crispian they will always remember the battle and remind themselves by showing their old scars to neighbours and friends because men that were not in the battle would not remember it but those that took part would always remember it, â€Å"Then will he strip his sleeve and show his cars, And say â€Å"These wounds I had on Crispin’s day†. Old men forget, yet all shall be forgot. But he’ll remember, with advantages†. Henry mentions some of his troops by name â€Å"Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester†, then offers a toast to them, â€Å"Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered†. By using their names I feel Henry makes it seem like the speech is directed to the troops individually and personally this makes them feel special and inspired them to fight harder for Henry. Again Henry uses this technique to make his troops feel that they are part of his family that he is one of them by saying, â€Å"But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers†. Henry goes on to say, â€Å"For he today that shed his blood with me. Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile†, by saying this Henry was ensuring that any of his troops who were injured in the battle would be inspired to keep fighting because Henry would regard them as his brother. Henry ends his speech by saying, â€Å"And gentlemen in England, now abed, shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks†, by say this he is inspiring his troops that they are more manly and should feel honoured to be fighting today as any man in England that had missed the battle and stayed at home would feel ashamed when they heard of the great victory and therefore feel less manly. The battle of Agincourt was a great victory for the Henry’s tired English troops, they overcame great odds to win. I feel that Henry used this dramatic speech in the play to motivate and inspire the English troops on to victory against the French by lifting their spirits, promising them great honour, also by making them feel part of his family, almost like brothers fighting side by side and by promising them a battle they would never forget.

Poverty in Canada Essay

Despite having one of the highest  standards of living among all the developed nations, and despite being voted numerous times in recent years by the United Nations as the best country in the world in which to live, experts agree that poverty is prevalent in Canada today. Unfortunately, that is more or less where the agreement ends. Exactly how prevalent and how serious a problem poverty is in Canada is an open question that has been hotly debated for the last 10 years. There have been two times in the past 300 years when economic structural changes have occurred in the world that have been so massive and so far-reaching, that the impact on societies has been nothing short of monumental. The first time was in the Industrial Revolution which began in the early 1700s and caused massive societal transformations, especially in the western world, changing life from agrarian-based societies to industrial-based societies. The second time was in the early 1980s with the beginning of the â€Å"Information Revolution.† Today, a rapid, world-wide, economic transformation is taking place that is changing our societies from industrial-based societies to information-based societies, the 3rd wave. These changes are part of a greater phenomenon called â€Å"globalization† . The improvement in technology lead to a desire to make trades with other countries, and therefore allowing foreign companies to sell in Canada and thereby compete with Canadian companies, and vice versa (â€Å"Laisser faire, laisser passer† – Adam Smith).This increased competition lead to ever greater pressures on Canadian companies to reduce their costs of producing goods. Companies closed down and went looking in third world countries because labour is cheaper. At the same time, technology was replacing human labour; employees lost their jobs, being replaced by machines that could do the job faster and more efficiently. This eliminated the manufacturing, low-to-medium skills, well-paying jobs, which didn’t require a very high level of education. While now, our labour markets into high-skills, high-paying jobs on one end of the spectrum, and low-skills, low-paying jobs  on the other end. Therefore, one way would be for people have to get a better education to get a better job, get better money, and get themselves out of poverty, which runs along the views of Plato. But who are the poor in Canada? Are there any identifiable persons or groups who are more likely to be poor than others? Is age a factor? What about gender, race? What about geographical factors? Does living in certain parts of the country make you more likely to be poor than living in other parts? According to Smith, there is in every society an absolute minimum standard of living which consists of survival necessities (shelter, food and clothes), plus additional non-survival necessities as determined by each society’s customs (such as owning a linen shirt and a pair leather shoes in his day). Together these necessities meet not only a person’s basic survival needs, but also allow that person to participate in society with dignity and without the shame and stigma often attached to being poor. To allow any person to live below this minimum standard would, to use Smith’s term, render that society â€Å"indecent.† The following studies have been made by Kevin Lee from the Canadian Council on Social Development: â€Å"1. From 1990 to 1995 the total number of poor people in Canada increased dramatically. During this period, Canada’s total population increased by 6.1 percent, whereas the population of those considered poor increased by 28.6 percent, far outstripping the overall growth. 2. Poverty is largely an urban phenomenon. In 1990, 66.6 percent of the poor population in Canada lived in metropolitan centers. 70 percent of all poor people live in Montreal, Vancouver or Toronto. Between 1990 and 1995, poverty rates rose in every city examined. 3. Poverty rates varied substantial between cities. Cities in Quebec had the highest poverty rates while cities in southern Ontario had the lowest. For example, Montreal had the highest rate in Canada, 2.5 times higher than Oakville, which had the lowest rate. 4. Certain population groups were more likely to be poor than others. These included: * Single-parent families, whose poverty rate was 2.45 times higher than the average. * Aboriginal persons, whose poverty rate was 2.26 times higher than the average. * Recent immigrants, whose poverty rate was 2.17 times higher than the average. * Visible minorities, whose poverty rate was 1.53 times higher than the average. * Persons with disabilities, whose poverty rate was 1.47 times higher than the average. 5. Poverty rates varied considerably according to age and gender. The young and the elderly are more likely to experience poverty. The incidence of poverty declines with age until age 45 to 54, after which it rises again. Women in every age groups are more likely to live in poverty, and women seniors above age 75 are the most like of any group. Among males, boys up to age 14 had the highest poverty rate. Children and youth made up one third of the total poor population. 6. Poverty rates varied based on education levels. As expected, in every city examined persons with less than high school education were more likely to be poor than those with a post-secondary level education. However, at least 6 percent of post-secondary graduates in every city lived in poverty, and in six cities that rate was over 20 percent. 7. Poverty rates varied based on occupational skills levels. As expected, persons with lower skills levels had a higher incidence of poverty, however  high-skills workers still had high poverty rates in some cities. For example, in Montreal almost 20 percent of high-skills workers were living in poverty as compared to 4.5 percent in Gloucester or Burlington. 8. The average income for working-age families in Canada was $60,400. 9. The average income for working-age â€Å"poor† families in Canada was $14,500.† Taken from http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2000/up/ But another question prevails here: How should we help them? Canada has been using a lot of different methods to try and help them. We can find numerous shelters for the homeless, which also provides them with food and water. All this is free for them, but it’s not helping them get out of poverty, it is like a breathing device for them. Without it, they would die. There are other people who do have a home, as humble as it might be, but they are having troubles paying for it, since they cannot find a job. The government supplies those people with an amount of money weekly. This is called the Welfare system, but it is not working as well as in Sweden. This may be because the people are taking this money, and instead of spending it on food and vital needs, some of them go and buy cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. On the other hand, some people are wisely investing it in education, and vital needs. This makes us wonder if our tax money is being spent wisely. Should the government tax the working people to give and income to the non-working people? There are many points of view about this subject. We may think that it is unfair that you are working to help them, without getting anything in return. We may feel like we are being obliged to care for the less well off. But in fact, by giving them little boost, they are helping us back. If they get a chance at a better education, they could get a job, or even open their own company, which would create employment, and in its turn would increase consumption, and make the economy go round. We would all benefit from this. If this starts off, there would be enough jobs for everyone, thus getting the present poor people out of poverty and help the next generation be poverty free. Of course I am exaggerating, there would  never be 0% poverty, but there might be a possibility of a 100% educated population. Once this has been reached, more innovations will be accessible, and the updated Adam Smith wo uld come in play: â€Å"Laisser innover†, also known as R&D. This could help in many ways, a good example would be space technology. The exploration of space has, ever since it began in 1962 with the launch of Yuri Gagarin, been a controversial subject among the peoples of this planet. The controversy surrounds the spending of billions and billions of dollars on the pursuits of space exploration. The thread of the most common argument against space is that there are more pressing problems here on our planet such as pollution, overcrowding, disease, poverty etc. that this money could be spent on. Will taking moneys from space exploration and investing more money in these immediate problems help them? There is no doubt that by investing more in these problems that there will be measurable improvements in all problems. In fact given a conscious effort to spend wisely any problem could be helped. So the question becomes does space exploration help this planet? Can exploring space on its own justify the investment? The most obvious area where space exploration has benefited our immediate lives is right in every ones own living room. The television newscasts which you watch have been more than likely been transmitted via satellite. The satellite has also allowed trans-continental telephone calls, emergency tracking and a host of other uses. These are measurable benefits in the present, but the question begs as to why we spend money on theoretical research on quasars, missions to the moon, and experimental technologies which seem like science fiction to most people. The answer to this question lies in the benefit of space exploration that we see today, that is, in satellite communications. More than thirty years ago when Sputnik was first launched that was deemed a marvel of science and technology, almost science fiction. No one person could foresee the benefits that could be gleaned from the launch of this simple spherical metal ball which bounced radio signals back to earth. The point here is that the investment in this project paid off, in what we see today in the form of TV  news, phone calls and direct broadcasting television. It is important to point out that the Sputnik launch and all other attempts including the American Echo project were good investments but there are space projects which failed miserably such as the Russian attempt at building a Super Booster, now called Energia. Millions of dollars were wasted in this failed project. What I am trying to illustrate is that there are good and bad ideas, good and bad investments not only in space exploration but in any field of science. This is what drives the advancement of knowledge. Space exploration in the broadest sense gives us the future. It is an investment not for the short term but for the long term. It allows us to study different environments, allows technology to develop and allows ideas to be tested. No one can argue that Sputnik was not a wise investment so how can we possibly know that sending missions to the moon is not. The responsibility lies with us to determine what is important and worth pursuing.

Military Leadership

The American Revolution comprised mainly of land based forces in the form of army battalions. Because of the early creations of ammunition, the armies are the only available units in the war. Since this conflict primarily involved the intention of independence, it was a very brute event for the commanders of both sides. Christian men are the most proliferated individuals in this war. Interestingly, the American Revolution had a great influence on liberal thought throughout Europe (American Revolution, 2006). On the other hand, the American civil war was a major war between the forces of the same constituents of a nation. However, because of the relative differences in ideology, the war became inevitable and eventually came into reality. The military people in the American civil war may be perceived to have a balanced approach towards victory. Because of the relative smaller scope, the commanding forces of the army may have been somehow reluctant to fight their own citizen domains. They were very prone to social trauma considering that they live in the same national domain with just a little misunderstanding of idealism approaches. It would have been very hard for the army to fight for both sides since they belong to a single line of citizenship. The most explicit factor in the procedure of this war was the collaboration of slaves and the fighting units until the end of the event. Emancipated slaves fought in several key battles in the last two years of the war (wikipedia, 2007). The military personnel still has the concentration of American males with religious affiliations of Christian origin. This made the war very traumatic for both parties. On the event of the Indian wars, the army still had the opportunity to disclose its might. Although naval and air forces are not very significant during this period war, the relative intensity on the part of the army still focused on the aproach to dislodge what native americans were fighting for. The concentration of Native American and English lineages was the main component of the war. Men were still the most active participants in the war while some females of both social parties were engaged in post war operations. The relative differences in racial characteristics of both sides was the aggravating factor that lead to various levels of fight setbacks. The armies of both sides were willing to win against each other. As with the whole population of the American army, most Americans viewed the Indians as incorrigible and non-reformable savages. Those closest to the warring factions or who were threaten by it, naturally wanted government protection at any cost (Davis, 1999). For World War I, the overall capacity of the army, the navy and the availability of the air force, has dramatically changed the way war is staged. For the army, it was during this time that the physical participation of units is reduced because of advanced weapons and guns. For the navy, a greater scope of challenges was encountered due the international scope of the war. The naval forces played a great role in weakening the offenses of the enemy before letting the army proceed with the fight. On the other hand, the air force became a significant penetration unit to dislocate the stable forces of the enemy nation by targeting its internal strengths. Men are still the main forces in these three force units. However, women participation was very visible in the form of service units. Health care and rehabilitation are the main tasks for women involved in World War I. The religious affiliations were significant factors in this war because of the global scope of the conflict. References: American Revolution. 2006. Complete History-Aftermath. American Revolution. Retrieved May 21, 2007 from http://www.americanrevolution.com/. Davis, S. 1999. Buffalo Soldiers and Indian Wars. Buffalosoldiers. Retrieved May 21, 2007 from http://www.buffalosoldier.net/. Wikipedia. 2007. American Civi War. Retrieved May 21, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War#Military_factors. Â  

Workplace Tension Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Workplace Tension - Essay Example The tension exists apparently due to differences between co-workers, and the counsellor directs his or her efforts towards the discovery and removal of this source of tension. When tension exists between co-workers, their attention shifts from the main job they are performing to the source of their stress – the other co-worker. Workplace tension among co-workers develops into workplace conflict if the sources of the tension are not discovered and eliminated at the soonest possible time. The co-workers involved tend to be occupied by their personal conflicts and therefore become distracted from their jobs. Because they cannot function at their peak, these workers experience reduced productivity, which results in reduced efficiency and therefore higher costs for the organization. This may be seen as a slowdown during operations, or increasing errors committed on the job that lead to lower quality and additional rework costs. Although workplace tension is a personal thing, it is therefore in the company’s better interest that such tension be avoided, usually through proactive counselling. There are many theories the counsellor may be guided by. The theory I believe could best help the counsellor in eliminating workplace tension is the Motivational Systems Theory (MST), formulated by Martin Ford in 1992. The MST tries to present in an organized manner a clear image of the different motivation theories. It recognizes the interaction of the individual and his environment, on his way to his career-related goals, and how important a person’s motivation is to the way he functions (Patton & McMahon, 1998:140). In applying MST, the counsellor must try to understand the individual worker’s motivation, and the different factors affecting his motivation such as biological, environmental, skills, knowledge, and circumstances, as well as factors relating to hic job. While many of these factors are personal to the individual worker and do not

First World War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

First World War - Essay Example This is a reflection of the large numbers of deaths, which finally made the war unpopular on all sides. None of this means, however, that the war was unpopular in some countries to begin with. The European powers were still rivals for the spoils of Africa, and certainly Britain suffered from 'Jingoism' (A popular term for what is almost outward-directed xenophobia, extreme rivalry and bigotry aimed at Britain's economic rivals), and the majority of the other nations involved in the war did so too. Perhaps the only member of the Great War who was not a willing combatant is Russia, who entered into battle almost by accident, having become a third party in the Anglo-French Entente. Even there, however, public feeling was partially aroused by the 'neo Slav' movement "The Neo-Slavs envisaged truly independent Slavic nations in a free association"2. Other nations, such as America, also mobilised, but here the conditions of the popular movement are not always clear. While Woodrow Wilson's government swept into action: "People were ordered to 'work or fight'. Every adult male registered with a draft board"3. Although America joined the war too late to count as a subject for analysis here, the support which the war received when they finally joined provides an interesting parallel with the nations of Europe. In addition to the loss of life, the Great War had a number of consequences for all of the nations involved. Britain was obliged to grant women the vote after their war contribution; Russia collapsed into the Bolshevik Revolution, and then Communism; and Germany was damaged so severely that it also effectively disintegrated, and of course the mighty and powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire was finished. None of these consequences could have been foreseen at the beginning of the war. Britain The war in Europe came as no real surprise to anyone in Europe. For most of the first decade of the twentieth century, the continental powers were involved in a rapid series of peace talks and treaties. England and France became allies in 1905, with the Entente Cordial (Which became the Triple Entente when Russia joined). Forces such as the National Service League ensured that the general populace was prepared for war: " Unbelievably glib assertions that 'war is not murderwar is sacrifice - which is the soul of Christianity"4.In many ways, Britain was well placed for a short, sharp war with her continental rivals: the last decade of the nineteenth century has produced "An increase of 98.3 per cent in the size of the Army and a 70.9 per cent in the Navy"5. Marsh suggests the reason for this was the South African (Boer) War, but the ultimate result of this massive increase is that there were a large number of servicemen in the British Army at the outbreak of the war. Furthermore, there were pressing needs to develop a distraction for the British populace: the situation in Ulster was growing increasingly tense. As late as May 1914, the government was passing Home Rule legislation in order to contain the threat of war6. In a game of consequences with the Irish Nationalists, the Prime Minister Asquith was prepared to force a state of war in order to keep as much power in English hands as he could. Asquith was in trouble at home too, where the 1913 act that enabled Suffragettes to be force-fed was coming under fire.7 The additional problems of "intensified industrial unrest"8

Reading Responses to Literacy in Three Metaphors, Writing Healing Essay

Reading Responses to Literacy in Three Metaphors, Writing Healing Introduction and Strategies - Essay Example However, working with a large audience in a classroom full of varying personalities makes this a highly difficult task to accomplish. But that is not to say that it is an impossible objective to achieve. Rather, it is one that can be accomplished with the cooperation of the students who have the desire to learn and fulfill their academic requirements. It is a well known fact that all universities and colleges have began to enact signed agreements between students and teachers / professors at the start of each academic season with the aim of clarifying the expectations and accomplishments of each party in the classroom setting. Such an agreement certainly helps to clarify the learning and discussion points during the lesson and forces students to take responsibility for their own actions within the classroom, be it in real time or cyberspace. The electronic classroom as students have come to become familiar with in the 21st century allows them too much freedom to be themselves and take their classes lightly because the professor is not within their eyesight. The students in an actual classroom treat their professors with a disrespect that is brought about by their misplaced sense of entitlement. By forcing students to acknowledge that they have an academic responsibility towards themselves, the students, both on the internet and in real time are forced to follow a certain sense of decorum that in the long run, proves to benefit both the students and professors as each party becomes an important tool in providing a conducive learning environment for their fellow classmates.

Article summaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article summaries - Essay Example markably, some selfish businesspersons continue to push for capitalism and disregard the society with their sole objective of making profits from the society. However, activists against capitalism have pushed forth to ensure that businesses does not only take profits from the society, but also contribute towards the wellbeing and development of the society (Levitt, n.d.). According to the author, social responsibility evolution aspect in the business world is the main aspect that will enable socially responsible business to thrive while the profit-oriented entities and self-centered executives fall (p. 464). Remarkably, the author indicates that personal social responsibility values such as self-conscious and non-profit endeavors are the key aspects of a responsible manager that will enable the business thrive in the public and reduce resistance evoked by capitalism. The article articulates that social responsibility is not a threat to the success of a businessperson, but long-term benefits from the society compared to the short-term business environment offered by the society to the selfish and profit oriented executives. Social responsibility remains the main aspect towards the survival of a business and reduced conflicts among the executive and the governments despite the function of a business to yield high level of profits. Additionally, the author recognizes the failure of business to recognize social responsibility that has led to the rise of unions and welfare programs to safeguard the community against ill-motivated economists whose sole interest is to uphold capitalism and dep rive the resources of the society, labor, agriculture, and the government. vi. Management is always faced by numerous critics, which it can only avoid by involving the society in terms of ensuring that it maintains the civil rights and restricts the free operation of profit motive. The articles has evoked a sense of exploitation by the capitalists who think that they can just

EQ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EQ - Essay Example Why? Introduction: Emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a highly significant and critical aspect of management after studies related to emotional intelligence gained pace in fields of psychology and management. Leading is an integral part of manager’s job, which requires the ability to influence others to achieve certain goals. In general, emotional intelligence may be referred to the ability of realising or understanding emotions of oneself and others coupled with the ability to put this understanding to use in managing self and others in a manner that produces desired outcomes. Emotions tend to have mental, social and physical impact on self and surroundings, which makes emotional intelligence a necessity in managing relationships and work. Though EI has received much attention from various researchers and scholars around the world, the most significant and renowned studies have been that of Daniel Goleman. Numerous models on EI and its application have been proposed; however, this paper briefly explores EI from Goleman’s (2003) perspective, which identifies four key components namely, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. Further, a short argument about the most important component will be presented before concluding with findings and opinions. Self-awareness: Self-awareness is the first component discussed in EI model, which refers to the ability of recognizing feelings and their impact on outcomes or performance. Goleman (2003) asserts that self-awareness helps in identifying one’s own strengths and weaknesses, which will further assist the individual in taking right steps towards goal achievement or bringing an improvement in expected outcomes. Self-awareness also encourages the individual to introspect and seek feedback; such individuals strive to learn from the feedback and also from their mistakes. Goleman’s (2003) studies indicated that most of the high performing candidates we re high on self-awareness index. Self-awareness also instigates individuals to assess the impact of their emotions on situations and others as well as on the outcomes. Self-management: Self-management refers to the process of controlling oneself and not showing too much of distress or other extreme feelings (Goleman, 2003). Self-management ability helps the individual to build the focus and achieve desired goals. Such individuals possess flexibility to adapt to any situation without getting affected by the changes. Social awareness: This third component refers to the ability to empathize with others and understand their situation without affecting their emotions in a negative manner. Social awareness skills help in developing others by positively motivating them while understanding their negative or disruptive state of mind. Higher social awareness drives greater service-oriented behavior, which is a critical quality for effective leadership from customer, subordinate and situation perspectives. Social awareness also refers to the ability to understand organizational mood or emotion, which will help in understanding and building interpersonal relationships by exerting the right and/or positive influence on others (Lynn, 2000). Relationship management: The last component is relationship management, which refers to the ability to influence, motivate and lead others towards the right direction. As Goleman (2003) explains, Individuals with high social awareness will be able to manage relationships

Constitution in 2013 - Changes and Interpretations Term Paper

Constitution in 2013 - Changes and Interpretations - Term Paper Example e idea of arming the citizens dated back to around 700 AD in England when King Alfred required all the citizens to be armed depending on their financial status with the poorest at least owning a spear and a lance. With time, the ownership of weapons was even allowed to the workers of a landowner, which was in preparation for crossing the sea to Gascavy. This paper will explain the history of the right to own weapons in American bill of rights and how the interpretation of the same has changed for the last two centuries including the relevant Supreme Court cases involved. In1785 delegates from two states of Maryland and Virginia met to address the inadequacies that were in the present in the articles of the confederation, and a year later, another meeting was held with delegates from five states that identified the solutions to the problems. These includes setting up of an arbitration process to handle disputes between states, the need for setting up a militia to defend the states against foreign invasions and an interstate force that is trained to suppress insurrections especially by the slaves. Federalists such as James Madison who supported the congress to be given the power over security and forming the army was of the opinion that the federal government would not be able to raise a strong enough army to counter the militias. However anti federalists were not supportive of the constitution that gave such huge powers to the federal government as they thought the federal government would decide to disarm the militias. In order to solve the gridlock and push ahead with the adoption of the constitution, a compromise had to be reached and the anti federalists wanted the powers of the federal government to be decentralized (Geber 48). It was agreed that a bill of rights should be included in the constitutions so the federalists promised to support an amendment of the constitution if it was adopted and this convinced many of the anti federalists to support the

Student at Drexel University Essay Example for Free

Student at Drexel University Essay While the Philadelphia Museum of Art may not house some of the more famous artwork from the Baroque period, their acquisition of Poussin’s â€Å"Birth of Venus† was nothing short of a savvy purchase. Hungry for Western currency, the painting was sold by the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg in 1930 under the Soviet Regime to the PMA. In their possession is arguably one of the most hotly debated works from that era. Also aptly named â€Å"The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite† this painting not only highlights Poussin’s trademark ability to allow for an open interpretation of his depictions but also encourages an allegorical analysis of the many elements present in his composition. The very ambiguities of this painting, and his others, emphasizes Poussin’s capacity to express the concepts or overall ideas of things and events themselves while not concentrating on the minutia while still allowing for translation. Before one can approach an iconological interpretation of Poussin’s work, one must also understand his early training, influences and subsequent ideology to grasp his use of deep symbolism and line. In his early career working with Italian poet Giambattista Marino, Nicolas Poussin was commissioned to illustrate Ovidian poetry subsequently establishing the ideals of Metamorphoses – themes and motifs prominent in â€Å"The Birth of Venus†.[3][6] This was also important in developing his ability to intimately tie literature to painting.[1] Poussin grew to heavily favor Disegno over Colore, or design over color which can be seen in all of his works[3][6]. His ideology proposed that design, form and line were more important than t he colors and dà ©cor of the traditional Baroque French art of the time. This very dogma split French Renaissance Art 200 years after his death in which factions of his study (Poussinistes) proposed that drawing was superior to color (Rubà ©nistes)[6]. Poussin’s  holistic and classical approach was his attempt to reach the highest aim of painting: the representation of the magnificent. He intended to only focus on great events, battles and divine matters. In this way, Poussin’s take on Roman Classicism eventually contributed to the aesthetic style of Grand Matter[3][6]. His method of Ideal or Heroic Landscape, which drew upon the perspectives of rhetoric, utopianism, drama and metaphysics allowed him to coherently arrange elements as seen in the â€Å"Birth of Venus†. The very nature and composition of Poussin’s works highlights the realm of Baroque Classicism in which the arrangement of the physical is paramount to reflecting the rationality of an ideal and eternal world. His fascination with deity and mythology sans Christianity also can be seen in his rejection of Neoplatonism and his use of Epicurean interpretation[5]. Indeed, Poussin was not the first artist to depict Venus physica (terrestrial Venus). Nearly a century and a half prior to Poussin’s painting, Italian painter Sandro Boticelli composed a similar painting also named â€Å"The Birth of Venus† (1485)[6]. While there are some similarities to Boticelli’s painting, Poussin’s provides a more Epicurean interpretation rather than a Neoplatonistic o ne. In addition, 20 years after Boticelli’s work, another Italian painter created another piece of art that depicts Venus in a manner more similar to Poussin’s (â€Å"The Triumph of Galatea†)[6]. The Birth of Venus by Boticelli (1485) The Triumph of Galatea by Raphael (1514) Both of these paintings, while somewhat similar, only reinforce some of the symbolic clues left by Poussin in his own depiction: The Birth of Venus or The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite by Poussin (1635) As we gaze over Poussin’s work of art we notice a great many things. First and foremost, as we know of his attention to placement, the centermost and brightest subject is of a nude female deity. A time-frozen, windswept pink shroud is cast upon her naked body while she rides on top of dolphins harnessed by her and the cupid-like boy under her. Poussin’s placement of Her is crucial because it highlights Her very significance in the scene; she is centered as her male counterpart is seemingly subordinate and pictorially  off to the side. Around her are Tritons and Nerreds and above are cupid-like babies adorning her with flowers. The inspiration for the placement and formation of the goddess can be seen by the earlier paintings of Boticelli and Raphael. In each painting the deity in the center is shielded by a billowing cloth of pink/red. In addition, Poussin chose to have the woman deity ride in on dolphins similar to that of Raphael’s composition. Because there are two official names for this painting, one thing must be addressed before moving on, â€Å"Is this a depiction of the birth of Venus or the triumph of Amphitrite?†. Amphitrite is the Greek sea-goddess and wife of Poseidon while Venus is the Roman goddess of love, two different characters that share no parallels. There is some interesting evidence to support that the painting is indeed Venus’ birth. In both The Triumph of Galatea and The Birth of Venus, Venus is not only riding on dolphins but also has her son Cupid below her also harnessing the sea beasts[3][4][5][6]. Furthermore in Boticelli’s painting and in Poussin’s, the woman deity is being adorned with myrtle, the flower most commonly associated with Venus, goddess of love – myrtle too is a symbol of love[6]. Additionally, Poussin employs his knowledge of Apulerius in Metamorphoses or â€Å"The Golden Ass† of which the story describes Venus as being accompanied by a ban d of fellow beings singing and blowing horns[2][4]. The comparison between the Apulerius’ text and Poussin’s painting are fascinating, there are a band of fellow beings surrounding Venus in the form of Tritons and Nerreds, two of which are blowing horns. In Metamorphoses, Apulerius merely depicts the triumph of a Venus while Poussin paints her genesis[2]. Seen in the warm clouds above, riding on a chariot in the sky by six doves is the infant form of Venus. On her journey to creation she encounters transformation which is signified by the dark storm clouds above. This is painted to contrast the entire tone of the painting so markedly that it bears a special meaning. Poussin again employs his usage of literary interpretation in the form of Lucretius’ didactic poem De rerum natura or â€Å"On the Nature of Things†[4]. In this poem’s prologue, there lies a single significant line: â€Å"Te dea, te fugiunt venti, Te nubile caeli Adventumque tuum†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This translates to â€Å"Thee, goddess fle e you, the wind, cloudy skies, and your arrival.† [4] Which means that the winds and clouds part in anticipation of a goddess, shown in the picture. In Poussin’s depiction, he portrays Venus as being propelled by the  winds just as in Boticelli’s work. These pieces of literary and visual evidence provide basis that the central female deity in Poussin’s painting is in fact Roman goddess Venus. To the left of Venus is a male deity riding on hippocamps or seahorses, it is not easily discernible however if he is to be depicted as Neptune the Roman god of freshwater and sea or Poseidon, Greek god of the ocean. Both counterparts are known as god of the horses and horse tamer respectively and each wields a trident[6]. In regards to the location of the painting, Poussin uses the method of Ideal Landscape[6] in which he represents the locale but not exactly. It was important that the setting did not exactly reflect or imitate a real place in its entirety but to highlight the divinity, magnificence and importance of the event or subject in an effort to not distract the audience. However, Poussin did provide a small piece of evidence in the form of a spilling vase at the base of the painting. This could symbolize a river near a mountai nous island in the Mediterranean. Evidence has shown that the archaeological site of Paphos (a mountainous island of Cyprus) is near the mouth of the Bocarus River which could very well be the paintings’ setting [4][5]. Works Cited [1] Janson, Anthony. Jansons History of Art . 8th ed. Pearson, 2011. Print. [2]Moore, Brooks. Ovids Metamorphoses. 1st. New York, NY: Marshall Jones Company, 1933. Print. [3] Nicolas Poussin Biography. Nicholas Poussin: The Complete Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Aug 2013. . [4] Phelan, Joseph. Poussin and the Heroic Landscape.ArtCyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Aug 2013. [5] Sommer, Frank H. . Poussins Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite: A Re- Identification. Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes. 24.3 (1961): 323-327. Print. [6] Verdi, Richard. Nicolas Poussin. Encyclopedia Britannica. .

Leonardo da Vincis Painting: The Last Supper | History

Leonardo da Vincis Painting: The Last Supper | History Leonardo da Vincis large mural of The Last Supper is one of the most familiar images in Western art, even though it has deteriorated to the point where its original brilliance can only be guessed at. The mural has largely been known through its repainted versions, or through touched-up copies that attempt to give some idea of what the original might have looked like. But, the various versions of the picture do little to convey how revolutionary Leonardos whole conception was. At Milan, Leonardo created a work that treated a familiar subject, but was a complete departure from the usual in terms of composition, selection of a Biblical text, iconography, use of perspective, and fresco technique. Leonardo arrived in Milan in the early 1480s, and made one of the longest stays of his career therenearly twenty years. He went to Milan to work for the controversial Sforza family, dukes of Milan, in a number of different capacities: designer, engineer, painter, sculptor, and producer of theatrical entertainments and spectacles. The Last Supper was his most important painting commission in that city. The mural, which measures 1310 x 297.5, was painted in the refectory of the ducal church of Santa Maria della Grazie in the years 1495-1498. Leonardo was an inventor and an innovator, always looking for a better way to do things. In addition, he was, one of the most influential painters of the High Renaissance. The key to understanding the revolutionary qualities of The Last Supper lies in the fact that, in the last quarter of the fifteenth century, Leonardo was engaged in creating an entirely new style of painting. He was involved in working out a solution to a problem that had confronted Florentine painters during the preceding century: the opposition between a view which took the first function of art to be that of rationally and objectively describing physical reality and one that held it to be the expression of spiritualnon-rational and subjectivevalues (Freedberg 23). Various compromises had been worked out between these two positions. But, Leonardo wanted a true blending, rather than a compromise. He did not seek to replicate reality for its own sake, nor did he choose to neglect the appearance of the real world. Instead, Leonardo believed that the painter could show that truth which intellect may find behind the facade of visible experience (Freedberg 20). The painters various tools, such as perspective or the rendering of light on surfaces, were to be used to create an overall harmony that took from the real world in order to describe the ideal. Leonardo had begun the work of creating this new style in his Adoration of the Magi (1481), which he left behind, unfinished, in Florence, when he departed for Milan. His earlier paintings in Milan show the continued development of the style, but his Last Supper was to be its major statement (Freedberg 20). He began conventionally enough. Refectories, the dining halls of the friars or monks who ran large churches, were traditionally decorated with portrayals of the Last Supper, or some other subject associated with dining. These paintings must have been considered important commissions, since their execution was often entrusted to the most popular and well-known artists of the times (Cole 45). The opposite wall usually featured a fresco of the Crucifixionsignifying the connection between the last supper, at which the sacrament of the Eucharist was instituted, and the sacrifice on the Cross, which was recreated in the sacrament. At Milan, the opposing wall featured a Crucifixion (1495) by Donato Montorfano (Pedretti 75). Leonardos drawings show that he began with the conventional seating arrangement and the depiction of the usual moments from the New Testament (Hartt 399). But, he soon changed this, and went for something new. Unfortunately, he also wanted something new in terms of techniqueand this has made it difficult to see everything else he seems to have accomplished in this work. Leonardo was a painter who could spend enormous amounts of time staring at, and thinking about his works. There are even mentions in the literature of the duke trying to get him to hurry with this particular commission (Pedretti 75). In addition, Leonardos primary concern in painting was the creation of a uniform, overall effecta vital element of his creation of a harmonious ideal. But, fresco painting had to be done in clumsy stages. The wet plaster had to be applied only to the section the painter would be able to finish in one sitting. The paint was applied to, and absorbed by, the wet plaster, and creating smooth, invisible joins between sections was a difficult problem. But for Leonardo, who wanted carefully controlled tone and light to unify his composition, it was nearly impossible. Therefore, he attempted to produce a new type of fresco, and painted directly on the dry plaster with a special oil tempera which, he was convinced, would meet the special needs of painting on plaster. But, by 1517, humidity and changing temperatures began to make the paint peel, and, within only twenty years, had become almost indecipherable. In the dramatic moment that Leonardo presented, Jesus sits with his hands outstretched, as if in resignation. He is the focal point of the composition. The twelve apostles are arranged in four groups of three, two on either side of Christ. Their faces express surprise, and horror at the thought that one of them could be guilty of anything so terrible. This allows Leonardo to present a number of figures, who are, basically, arranged in a long row, in a great variety of positions, expressing shock, surprise, protest, and curiosity. But, among the groups, one includes Peter, John and Judas. Christ is lit from in front and from behind, by the framing of his head against the center window, and all the disciples are also well lit. The single exception is Judas. It was traditional to present Judas on the other side of the table from everyone else, and as dark-haired and bearded, his expression sly (Hall 190). But, Leonardo wished to present a more natural version of the story in which Judas truly would not stand out to the eyes of his fellow disciples. Therefore, Judas is integrated into the group. But, he is also placed with the other two most readily identified figures. He sits, shadowed, the only disciple not in the light, by Peter and John. Judas displays his accepted appearance. And, Peter displays his well-known characteristics of gray hair which is generally short and curly and a short usually curly beard, while John is identifiable because he is usually shown next to Christ, and depicted as young, clean-shaven, with long hair and sometimes rather effeminate features (Hall 190). Because the historical event serves as a warning to those who view it, it is set in a world that is both realistic in its details, and ideal in its totality. Leonardo was creating a vision of one of a New Testament drama that had great personal significance for the viewers. But the event is played out on a scale, and in a setting that resembles the real world, but actually represents an ideal. The control of light seems to have been very carefully organized as well, and the perspective of the room is perfect. But, just as the light that shines on the faces of the disciples cannot have any origin within the picture, so the perspective is not what spectators were used to. The fifteenth centurys tradition of illusionistic perspective decreed that represented space must be an inward extension of the room in which the spectator stands (Hartt 401). However, in the case of The Last Supper, there is no place in the refectory that a spectator can take in order to experience the painted space in this way (Pedretti 70). The room created by Leonardo, like the people and objects in it, is in a region of superior existence and the tables edge makes a boundary between our world and the idea (Freedberg 24). Thus, though Leonardo failed to change fresco painting to suit his own aims, the wreck of The Last Supper demonstrates how revolutionary the painting was. WORKS CITED Cole, Bruce. The Renaissance Artist at Work: From Pisano to Titian London: John Murray, 1983. Freedberg, S. J. Painting in Italy: 1500-1600 3d ed. New Haven: Yale UP, 1993. Hall, James. Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art Rev ed. New York: Harper and Row-Icon, 1979. Hartt, Frederick. Italian Renaissance Art Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall; New York: Abrams, 1975. Pedretti, Carlo. Leonardo: A Study in Chronology and Style. [1973]. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich-Johnson Reprint, 1982. Modern Day Subcultures: Hip-Hop, Cosplay and Otaku Modern Day Subcultures: Hip-Hop, Cosplay and Otaku Subculture refers to a small group of people who with different behavior and beliefs in a larger mainstream culture. Subculture does not only contain the values and concepts that similar as the main culture, but also their own unique values and concepts, and these values are scattered into all kinds of main cultures. Subculture is a branch of the whole culture. Because of class, ethnic, religious, occupation differences, living environment, it can form groups or regional culture with its own characteristics under a unified national culture. Sub-culture originated in the 1950s and was influenced by the Baby boom of the post-war. Since then, the Teenage of the Western was becoming the main part of society and prompted the Youth culture age. Nowadays, most of the mainstream cultures are evolved from the subculture slowly. Hip-Hop Hip-hop is a cultural movement including rap, break dance, graffiti writing, DJing, etc. As a musical understanding, it originated in the African American communities of New York City in the late 1970s. Hip-hop is a completely improvised freestyle of music, this kind of music doesnt contain any binding elements. Hip-Hop originally refers to the early stages of hip-hop dance, and it gradually developed into a greater concept. The Hip-Hop culture characteristic, usually including those large clothes, heavy gold jewelry, and speak with the words YoYo whats up?. As early 80s, Hip-Hop trend had already spread from the United States to the whole Western world. In 1986, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and Run DMC of Def Jam Records Company hold the Def Jam Tour, it triggered a global Hip-Hop craze. And by 90s, the time led to Dr. Dres Gangsta Rap, Puff Daddys Hip-Hop style, the queen of rap Missy Elliott and so countless Hip-Hoper appeared. They gradually make these musical forms which from folk music into the mainstream market, and their works easily created on the 10 million sales. Hip-Hop music has become big revenue of entertainment industry in the United States. The appearance of Eminem in the late 90s, as a white man, he needed one year to become the hottest Hip-Hop stars, completely broke the race question of Hip-Hop culture. Just as using Elvis Presley to prove that rock and roll is not only belong to the black. Eminems appearance symbolize that Hip-Hop culture has accepted the white man and toward to the world. Actually, hip-hop was a sub-cultural forms that with counter-cultural tendencies, the nature of it runs in the opposite direction of pop culture in our traditional sense. However, in the current situation, it not only becomes the mainstream culture, an important component, but also the rapid rise of the hip-hops development. Cosplay Cosplay, is the short form of costume play, it is established by the Japanese animator Takahashi Nobuyuki during the Los Angeles worlds annual science fiction exhibition in 1984. Cosplay refers to a kind of self-interpretation of role, the behavior of Performing Arts. In the present day, cosplay is usually seen as sub-culture activities. The role often comes from animation, comics, games, novels, movies, TV series, tokusatsu, idol groups, occupation, historical stories, social stories and so on. Usually, they wear similar clothes, carry necessary props and put on make-up to mimic the role. During the 17th century, the Jesuit priest Athanasius Kircher invented Magic lantern successfully and then animation became popular in Europe. Until the late 1930s, Mickey Mouse of Walt Disney appeared in U.S., the animation style had a clear and affirmative definition. And also, the first cosplayer of animated character in history was born in this period. Soon, Mickey Mouse has been popular in the United States, also around the world. Walt Disney grasped this opportunity and created the first Disney theme park of the world in 1955. In order to publicize the products and better attract tourists, Walt Disney hired employees to wear special Mickey Mouse costumes for pleasing tourists and taking pictures. The original unknown persons who dressed in Mickey Mouse are the first cosplayers of Cosplay culture in the contemporary world. In 1947, the so-called God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka revised a red cover Manga New Treasure Island in according to Sakais original works. He thus made a showy display of his abilities and set off a wave of contemporary comic cartoons in Japan. He created overall prosperity for Japans ACG (animation, comic and game) market and laid a foundation of the real status of ACG in Japan. At the same time, Disneys Cosplay activity for publicity was introduced into Japan, and ACG community imitated that and it becomes a normal activity in Japans ACG community. By the 1990s, Japanese ACG industry successfully held many animation and game exhibitions. In those exhibitions, they employed some people to dress as the roles of ACG works in order to attract the visitors. Therefore, Cosplay culture in the ACG community has been promoted and carried forward in Japan. Through a variety of Cosplay events, media presentations, a large number of Internet propaganda of Cosplay information, the participants in Cosplay increased rapidly. Slowly, Cosplay began to get real, independent development. It can be said that the global concept of Cosplay has inherited a substantial part of Japanese Cosplay. Otaku Otaku originally referred to the people who have proficient skills and is wild about animation, comics and computer games (ACG), but now generally refers to the people who keen on subculture and have in-depth understanding of subculture. Otaku is the intention of anothers house or family . Also, its an honorific second-person pronoun in Japanese. In 1982, the animation Macross was released, in that animation, the characters are using otaku, to call each other, it is inferred that this group of people is affected by this animation and started to call each other using this term. Later on, the term otaku starts to represent this kind of people. In the 80s, the Japanese animation golden age, otaku can be said that its the promoter of this splendid times. One of the most famous people of Japanese animation is the Japanese OTAKU King (OTAKING) Okada Toshio and his animation company GAINAX. GAINAX released two episodes of the semi-autobiographical OVA otakus video, and it has the direct description about the reality of Japanese otaku culture at that time. In 2004, The internet true story train man shapes the image of Japanese otaku: do not care about the appearance, women dont like, do not dare to talk to women, good at computer, well known about subculture, will collect a wide range of models. As the story made into a film version, TV series and comic that output all over the world, Train Man image become popular and represent typical Otaku image. Conclusion The three subcultures that mentioned above are the well known subcultures in the world. Evidently, the present mainstream came from subcultures through a long time of humans awareness, understanding, and acceptance. Historically, the famous jazz and RB was once a subculture, but with the professionals and the continued involvement of culture scholar, which later became the formal part of the pop culture. Yesterdays subculture may be todays mainstream culture; todays subculture may be tomorrows mainstream culture. This also shows that the formal cultures always absorb the sub-culture and developed, subculture plays a huge role in the formation of the formal culture.

Effectiveness of Play Based Learning on Thinking Skills

Effectiveness of Play Based Learning on Thinking Skills The effectiveness of play-based learning in developing thinking skills in young children. There is wide-held support for the thesis that a play-based curriculum will directly enhance cognition in young children. The effectiveness of play-based learning is founded on the pedagogical applications of the theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Semenovich Vygotsky. Both theorists wrote about the importance of play in the world of children and recent research in the area builds upon their ideas to confirm that play has a significant role in the development of cognitive skills in young children. In this essay, I will explore how play-based learning is linked to the development of thinking skills in young children, especially when the processes involved in play are made explicit, so that children, while enjoying the experience of play also explicitly recognise the mechanics of play, understand the role of play in their learning and anticipate the outcomes that will be achieved. I will consider both theoretical and practical levels and conclude that the benefits of play are so vital that children need to be given an abundance of opportunities to experience learning through play, because play directly affects their capacity for cognition, metacognition and problem solving, skills which are fundamental to their longer-term academic and social achievements. In a detailed synthesis of the recent research on the relationship between play and cognition, Bergen (2002) lists how such studies link play to young childrens mathematical reasoning, cognitive strategies, linguistic ability, problem-solving skills and mental representation ability. However, despite the positive literature on the importance of play in the learning experiences of children, there still exists an underlying bias – both parental and pedagogical – that sees play as a â€Å"trivial,† â€Å"purposeless† and â€Å"aimless† activity or a â€Å"jumbo category† that includes all sorts of activities, some of which are â€Å"conducive to learning† and others which are not (Wood and Attfield, 2005, p. 2). It is pertinent then to ask the same question that Moyles (2005, p. 2) asks: â€Å"Can play be equated with anything that is worthwhile in the twenty-first-century world?† A play-based curriculum includes play as a pedagogical tool. This is based on the understanding that the characteristics of play are always present in the world of the child (Piaget, 1999) and it is through play that children naturally learn about the world. Play involves a wide variety of activities and behaviours that take place in different meaningful contexts. Adults, however, according to Piaget (1999), tend to distinguish between â€Å"serious endeavour† and â€Å"play† and see a childs play as a â€Å"world of irresponsibility, in which unreality reigns supreme† (p. 366). The very nature of play might indeed be founded on behaviour that is seemingly spontaneous and idiosyncratic, but these characteristics are often mirrored in young childrens thinking patterns. Wood and Attfield (2005, p. 87) clarify that while young childrens thinking exhibits elements of disorganisation and inconsistency, there are actually very consistent patterns being developed in pla y which later integrate into a childs accumulated body of knowledge and experience. This occurs successfully when children are encouraged to become consciously aware of the processes at play in their play-based learning activities. It is when play is made explicit – that is, when it is understood at the metacognitive level – that it becomes an especially effective tool in developing thinking skills in young children (p. 87). Thinking skills are a group of skills that govern how new knowledge is learned. Clarke (2008, p. 1) defines thinking as a â€Å"complex process that involves a variety of skills that are often used together when confronted with a new and interesting situation.† Thinking skills also require â€Å"knowing about thinking.† This is metacognition. Metacognitive abilities include planning how to approach a learning task or problem, evaluating a specific learning process or approach to problem-solving, and being motivated to do this (Clarke, 2008). The development of thinking skills in young children requires that children be given opportunities to think â€Å"for themselves† and apply the knowledge they have acquired in one learning situation to another situation. Thinking skills are also often called â€Å"critical thinking† or â€Å"creative thinking† because of the assumed ability of a learner to reason, evaluate, solve and process, while being aware o f executing these skills. Clarke (2008) stresses that children need opportunities for questioning and answering in a â€Å"variety of contexts† and â€Å"play situations.† In these situations, adults should serve as guides to model the skills required for developing cognition and metacognition. Children develop thinking skills through their interactions with adults as well as with other children and through â€Å"their explorations and use of mind-engaging materials† (Puckett and Diffily, 2004, p. 36). Play is effective in developing thinking skills because different play situations offer cognitive challenges, provide opportunities for young children to form new connections between ideas and concepts, and consolidate cognitive competence by incorporating â€Å"practice, rehearsal, repetition, mastery and extension† (Wood and Attfield, 2005, p. 88). Moreover, cognitive development in young children is linked to their ability to acquire the skills that Vygotksy called â€Å"symbolic representation† (Whitebread and Jameson, 2005, p. 65), which are linked to abstract thought, the type of cognitive competence developed in later years. Young children between the ages of two and seven are in, what Piaget calls, the â€Å"pre-operational† period of cognitive development, a period characterised by the â€Å"acquisition of representational skills: mental imagery, language, and drawing† (Puckett and Diffily, 2004, p. 105). During this phase in their cognitive development, children use words, concepts, images, signs and symbols. A play-based curriculum can effectively foster the acquisition of such skills. Even a game of tag can offer opportunities for the development of thinking skills (Little, 1998) if the teacher makes explicit the mechanics of the game. For example, the physical education activity of â€Å"chasing and tagging† becomes an opportunity for thinking as well as â€Å"having fun.† Thinking skills are developed when students discuss the rules and objectives of the game with the teacher in the guiding role. For example, the teacher might ask about the strategies students used in tagging, seek ideas on how it is best to play the game, question how well students understood directions, and encourage students to consider novel ways for playing the game. Similarly, playing with play dough in the classroom can become an opportunity for developing thinking skills (Dimech and Pace, 2005) when the teacher introduces the concept and symbol of CAF (Consider All Facts.) Students are offered the opportunity to develop thinking skills when asked leading questions by the teacher, for example, â€Å"Where are we going to play?† â€Å"What should we do so as not to dirty the tables?† and â€Å"What should we do when we have finished playing?† (p. 5). Hereford and Schall (1998) also consider how guiding children through â€Å"dramatic play† can help develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, playing a â€Å"trip to the moon† could begin with guided questions that identify a problem (the need for helmets), brainstorm solutions (what can be used) and choose and evaluate a solution. Here the teacher supports the choices of the students even when impractical or illogical (p. 22). These activi ties encourage students to think for themselves and to understand the mechanics of their playing and thinking activities at a metacognitive level. In both theory and practice then, the evidence supporting a direct link between the effectiveness of play-based learning in developing thinking skills in young children is significant. The development of thinking skills thrives best when young children experience learning in a variety of complex contexts. A play-based curriculum offers the ideal multidimensional context in which young children are able to develop cognitive competence and metacognitive strategies. Young children should therefore be given ample opportunities to experience play, because play can indeed be equated with something â€Å"worthwhile.† References Bergen, B., 2002. The Role of Pretend Play in Childrens Cognitive Development. [online] In Early Childhood Research Practice, Vol. 4 No. 1. Available from: http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v4n1/bergen.html [Accessed: 21 November 2008]. Clarke, J., 2008. What are thinking skills, and how can they be nurtured in young children? [online] In Teaching Expertise. Available from: http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/fostering-young-childrens-thinking-skills-3193 [Accessed: 21 November 2008]. Dimech, N., and Pace, D., 2005. Thinking Skills Lesson Plans for Kindergarten [online] Skola, Available from: http://schoolnet.gov.mt/tsearly/LESSONPLANS/lessonplansforkindergarten.PDF [Accessed: 21 November 2008]. Hereford, N.J., and Schall, J., 1998. Learning Through Play: A Practical Guide for Teaching Young Children. New York, NY: Teaching Resources/Scholastic. Little, N., 1998. Sharks and Barracudas: Chasing and Tagging Activity: An Educators Reference Desk Lesson Plan [online] The Educators Reference Desk. Available from: http://eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Physical_Education/Games/GAM0005.html [Accessed: 21 November 2008]. Moyles, J.R., ed., 2005. Excellence of Play. Berkshire: Open University Press. Piaget, J., and Inhelder, B., 1999a. The Growth of Logical Thinking from Childhood to Adolescence: : Classification and Seriation. London: Routledge. Puckett, M.B., and Diffily, D., 2004. Teaching Young Children. Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning. Whitebread, D., and Jameson, H., Play, Storytelling and Creative Writing, p. 59-71. In Moyles, J.R., ed., 2005. Excellence of Play. Berkshire: Open University Press. Wood, E., and Attfield, J., 2005. Play, Learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum. California: SAGE Publications Inc. 5/ 5

Two Women in Proverbs 9 Essay -- Religion Bible Proverbs 9 women Essay

Two Women in Proverbs 9 Proverbs has always been one of the most renowned and loved books of the Bible. According to the prologue, it was written â€Å"to teach shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and prudence to the young† (1.4), and to â€Å"let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill† (1.5). It is primarily addressed to young men, as the author makes frequent references to â€Å"my son† throughout. The purpose of this book was to help prepare young men for leadership and life. A proverb, which serves the purpose of drawing a comparison between two forms of behavior to teach moral wisdom, explicitly fulfills its role in particularly chapter 9 of Proverbs. In light of this father-to-son instruction, the author uses the personification of two different types of women in order to illustrate the two corresponding paths of life: wisdom and folly. Although there are many striking similarities of both women in Proverbs 9, the subtle differences between the two didactically imparts life lessons to young men. The speaker begins the passage of Proverbs 9, by informing that the first similarity that Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly share is the possession of a house. The only apparent difference is that Lady Wisdom has built her own house: â€Å"Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars† (9.1). Lady Wisdom has not simply constructed her home, but it is given that her house is a large one, representing wealth. There is no reference to Lady Folly building her house—she sluggishly just â€Å"sits at the door of her house† (9.14). Metaphorically, the speaker of this passage is advising the young men to be hard-working, signifying the importance of diligence, which is a constant underlying thre... ...m will lead to life. The speaker is saying that it is well worth it to embark on the path of wisdom and to persevere through it for there is an unseen reward awaiting them. Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly are not mentioned in Proverbs 9 to be merely two contrasting women that the young men should be aware of when they look for a wife. Representing the two ways of life, Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly are used to bring awareness to the young men about the subtle differences between the respective routes of life. It is emphasized that every decision counts and that just one decision can mean the difference between life and death. Because the teacher knows that the young men are the ones who will ultimately make crucial decisions of their own, he uses this particular juxtaposition of Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly to prepare them for what challenges lie ahead for them.

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It is in the early hours of Monday morning when Holden returns Grand Central Station. He decides to sleep on one of the benches in the waiting room because he has nowhere else to go. He wakes around nine, as the hustle and bustle of the working day begins. He thinks about the night before and the incident with Mr. Antolini; he wonders if he has misinterpreted Antolini’s touch. Disturbed by these though, he tries to think of something else. He reads a magazine someone has left behind. It is some kind of health magazine, however, and Holden gets more depressed, certain he has cancer and is dying. Holden decides to go out and buy himself an inexpensive breakfast. He does not want to spend too much of Phoebe’s money. Since his stomach is upset, he just drinks coffee. He leaves the train station and walks out to Fifth Avenue. All around him, people seem to be in the Christmas spirit, which is depressing to Holden. He begins to imagine he is disappearing, becoming invisible. He thinks the distance it takes to cross the street keeps growing and fears he will never reach the other side; it is like a death dream. He then begins to talk to his dead brother, asking him to help him cross the street. Each time Holden makes it across another street, he thanks Allie. After a while, Holden sits down on a bench to formulate a plan of action. He decides he will hitchhike "way out west". However, he decides to meet Phoebe one last time and say good-bye. He goes to her school and delivers a note asking her to meet him in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for lunch. Since he has nothing else to do, he goes to the museum to wait. While Holden waits, he meets two young boys and helps them locate the display of Egyptian mummies. The tomb-like structure makes Holden ill, and he goes to the bathroom and faints. Once he revives, he goes out to wait for Phoebe.

History of State and Federal Prisons Essay

State and Federal Prison History The basic history for both state and federal prisons are the same, they were both created to incarcerate criminals that were sentenced for a minimum of thirteen months and a maximum of life. However, state prisons are ran by that state government and are usually for those who are considered â€Å"Blue-collar criminals†. Federal prisons are ran by the U.S government and are for those considered â€Å"White-collar criminals†. Both types of prisons have the same levels of security that can range from minimum to maximum. State Prisons State prisons are controlled by state governments and incarcerate â€Å"blue-collar criminals†. A blue-collar crime is any crime committed by someone of lower class. This comes from the term â€Å"blue-collar worker†. Blue-collar workers are primarily paid a lower wage and are mostly middle class people and lower. Blue-collar criminals primarily commit crimes that are of a personal nature (such as robbery). Federal Prison If a criminal is committed of tax fraud then they will most likely end up in a federal prison. Federal Prisons are run by the national government and primarily house those known as â€Å"white-collar criminals†. A while-collar criminal is a person who commits what is known as a white-collar crime such as Income tax evasion. The term white-collar criminal is related to the term â€Å"white-collar worker†, who are mostly those who receive higher wages and are part of the upper-middle class to the higher class range.

How Far Libraries in Primary Schools Assist in the Education System Essay

Education all over the world has evolved into a more complex system of teaching methods, areas of learning to be taught, curriculum, tools to be used in the mode of instruction chosen, language to be used in the instruction, and many more. As schools respond to these needs, a parallel program to upgrade the states of the schools’ libraries is also necessary. Studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between library programs and levels of performance among children in the primary schools. Thus, the advocacy in pursuing strategic plans to better equip the libraries in primary schools is growing. Libraries have organized into a solid association as they seek the support of the government not only in terms of legislation but more so on adequate funding to rehabilitate the libraries of primary schools. A primary school library serves as the media center for students, faculty, staff, and parents that serve each of their purposes and interests. For a student, the school library is the place where he gets information relative to classroom assignments and projects. It could also be the source for a student’s interest in children books, caricature books, comic books, adventure books which he usually shares with his friends and classmates. For the faculty and staff, the primary school library is the source of relevant materials such as stories, poems, songs, and structured activities which serve to enhance the teaching method and enrich teaching modules. For parents, the primary school library serves as a refresher forum in order for them to catch up with their children’s assignments and works. A good primary school library is a place where children are taught how to love reading. There is focus on the enhancement of reading habits among children. Some early rewards system may be established to grow the reading habit. There should be a significance of motivation in promoting student reading. Meanwhile, teachers and parents are coached on how to support the child’s learning how to love reading. Guidelines in improving reading promotion programs are in place. (Johnson, J. Creating fat kids who don’t like to read. Sept/Oct 1999, Vol. 18 Issue 2 p96). LITERATURE REVIEW The availability of materials in this subject matter is not broad. However, studies conducted in this area showed more or less identical results. These findings only strengthen the thesis of this work. Most of the materials that can be used in research studies on primary school libraries are on fund-raising activities in order to grow the number of books in the primary school libraries. Only a handful could be read on the focus and evaluation of primary school libraries. In a documentary by Pat Miller, he discussed on how librarians can attract children to the library where interest from among these children seems to have faded. The perception among children that the library is the home of antiquated and boring books should be dis-abused and re-aligned to the basic truth and tradition that children needs to develop the habit of reading to equip them for a better future. Moreover, she suggests librarians to make library a kid-friendly by taking cues from their electronic lives–providing library games, encouraging student chat, teaching with video and audio, and making the books relevant and personal. Moreover, she recommends librarians to cater all learning styles and to consider factors like gender appeal in taking steps to enhance the students’ interest in library (Miller, Pat. Is your library kid-friendly? Library Media Connection. Worthington, Mar 2008. Vol 26, Issue 6 pg22). In Jesuit schools like the Ateneo de Manila University, the primary school library serves as the resource center for teachers as they weave stories into the everyday lessons aimed at building at total formation of the child. This is in conjunction with the school’s strategy of promoting a class teacher scheme of imparting knowledge. The self-contained classroom develops students through integration of subject matters using reading skills and values as the thread. Storybook weaving approach is the key in achieving a self-contained classroom strategy. In this context, the primary school library provides various and extensive collection of storybooks for both the teachers and the students. The purpose of a school library according to The School Library Association (January 2006) is to provide a wide range of multimedia resources to support teaching and learning throughout the key stages, ad foster a reading and information culture that promotes independent motivated readers and learners for life. One of the main objectives of a primary school library is to cultivate interest for reading among children with the end of developing the habit of reading among them as they grow into well-informed adults. Developing enthusiasm for learning through reading is the focus of library work (Dubber, Geoff. Cultivating Curiosity: information literacy skills and the primary school library. Januray 2008). The use of a rewards system in creating interest for reading among children may be a good incentive at the beginning. But weaning children from getting rewards for their reading habit should be done at an earlier stage. The enthusiasm to be in the library to read books should be out of a habit and personal interest cultivated in the child through earlier intervention programs. This updated and revised Guideline, taking account of the 2007 Government literacy teaching objectives, explains the importance of embedding information literacy into a whole school, ICT and curriculum context. It outlines and explains the processes of research for young children and shows ways that teachers and librarians can develop and promote information literacy and related ICT skills through the primary school library and link it to classroom practice. It also includes a very useful and practical case study, some templates, and a reading list. (Dubber, 2008). Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a sample of more than 20,000 children who started kindergarten in fall 1998, researchers found that many children do not experience key elements in their schools that maximize their learning outcomes: * 30 percent of all children attend elementary schools that do not have strong principal leadership * Just over half of all children are in schools where their teachers meet together regularly to plan sequenced and coordinated instruction. * 15 percent of children are in schools where teacher turnover is a problem (Peckham, Suzanne. â€Å"Specific School Traits linked to Elementary Achievement Scores. † The Education Digest. Mar 2008. Vol 73 Issue 7 pg 76). In other parts of the world, like China, learner-centered teaching is as a way to nurture active learners who can innovate and solve problems. Teacher education programs are beginning to adopt learner-centered methods as well. In the U. S. , learner-centered approaches, which emphasize teaching for meaning, have been promoted for some time. Primary teachers now get three years of training, and the eventual goal is for all teachers to have at least four years of training. Traditionally, Chinese teacher education has concentrated on subject matter. In the last decade, however, there have been calls for expanding professional preparation by establishing closer links between schools and universities, by having prospective teachers study educational theory and apply their skills through practice teaching, and by having teacher educator’s model effective pedagogy. Meanwhile, U. S. policy makers have been promoting shorter, alternative routes to teaching, including on-the-job training (Preus, Betty. â€Å"Educational Trends in China and the United States: Proverbial Pendulum or Potential for Balance. † Bloomington: Oct 2007. Vol. 89 Issue 2; pg115). The library department should take the initiative to create and implement simple activities that attract children to their school library. These activities should point back to good old books like literature and establish a connection of the lessons, phrases, morale of these books to the present times. This would create an impression in the minds of children why these books are still read up to this day. (Weisburg, Hilda and Ruth Toor. â€Å"Brush Up your Shakespeare. † School Librarian’s Workshop. Berkeley Heights: Spring 2008. Vol 28 Issue 5; pg 16). The primary school library serves as the motivator of interest in children while it is a data center for adults like teachers and parents. The former brings about awareness and interest while the latter reinforces needs to bridge the gap between children and adults. The interest that is developed in a child should be continuously strengthened by an unconditional support from the parents, teachers, and other significant others. Support from parents may be through a grant of some additional time for the child to enjoy the library. The physical set-up of a primary school library is a determining factor in achieving the goal of creating interest and enthusiasm among children insofar as their need to visit the library is concerned. Library design plays an important role in the realization of a primary school’s goal of cultivating the habit of learning through reading among primary school children. The tangible and the intangible goals of a primary school library go hand in hand. (Dewe, Michael. Ideas and Designs: Creating the Environment for the Primary School Library. October 2007). It is very essential that the government or other non-governmental entities give support to the initiative by giving funds for the rehabilitation of public libraries. The government units may also have a parallel program in which to recognize and appreciate children who read books and other materials in the library. A well-resourced school library plays a key part in assisting learning across the school and is essential to support the wealth of opportunities for studying the locality. An accessible, attractively presented collection of local materials that includes a range of formats will enhance effective learning and raise the status of the library within the school and beyond. (Southcombe, Dianne. Setting the Scene: Local Studies Resources in the School Library. 1999). The presence of a teacher-librarian would help in the pursuit of good library programs. To maximize the impact of a primary school library in aid of the school curriculum, a regular updating of the library’s policy and development plan are necessary. The aim is to develop the library as the school’s resource and focus for learning. (Harrison, Kay and Tricia Adams. Practical Paperwork: Policy Making and Development Planning for the Primary School Library. February 2007. ) Achieving a successful school library is a bit like gardening: â€Å"little and often, with regular input to obtain healthy growth and year-round interest. (Harrison and Adams. 2007). The school’s annual calendar should include such events as would introduce the children to the use of its primary school library. Making children aware of the existence of a good primary school library in their vicinity is the first step towards the goals of establishing a good primary school library. School programs like book events should be included in the school’s calendar of activities for the year. (Dubber, Geoff and Elspeth Scott. Brilliant Books: Running a Successful School Library Book Event. 2nd edition. April 2005). A library is only as good as the material it contains and the access it provides for its users, so efficient stock management is essential for effective resource provision (Lemaire, Kathy. Shelf Life, Shelf Matters: Managing Resources in the School Library. 2nd edition. October 2004). Times are changing and libraries need to keep abreast on recent development in technology. Otherwise, there would be a gap between children and the libraries in general. With the advances achieved by the new information technology systems as well as the prevalent use of mobile phones for SMS, primary school libraries need to go beyond; than just providing children resource materials for reading. (Murphy, Richard. Going online: Developing LRC Web Pages. May 2003). The introduction of the Internet and its associated information handling/literacy skills is quickly becoming a key development in the effective use of primary school libraries. Many schools are realizing the potential of the Internet as an exciting and dynamic curriculum resource for raising pupil attainment, developing a pupil awareness of ICT for a real purpose, and promoting literacy. (Dubber, Geoff, et al. The Internet, the Primary School Library, and the Independent Learner. 2002). The rehabilitation of libraries includes those in the public schools. The funding from government is necessary (Ward, Helen. Book bonanza spurs pupils to test success. The Times Educational Supplement. London: October 26, 2007, Issue 4760. pg 15). Accessibility and ease of use of the primary school library are focus areas that need to be addressed as well by the school as it aims to develop awareness and interest among children. There are systems and tools which are available in the market to address this concern. This will help in ensuring confident use of the primary school library among children. Additionally, teachers would be aided in the instructional process of guiding children towards the regular use of the library. The school’s direction in integrating library use and school curriculum will dictate the degree of interest that the school provides in addressing ease and accessibility concerns on the use of its library. (Lemaire, Kathy. Issue Systems for the Primary School Library. 2nd edition). A key results area always requires a key process indicator to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiencies of the program. Performance measurement is being required by some governmental agencies to ensure continuous improvement of standards and attainment of objectives. Measuring the success of the primary school library in its ultimate end of awakening and cultivating interest and enthusiasm to learn among children is a real opportunity to evaluate the success thus far and to continuously strategize for improvements. (Scott, Elspeth. Measuring Success: How Effective is your School Library Resource Centre? 2001). â€Å"Enjoyment of reading at the youngest possible age sets us up for life as full members of a literate society† (Attenborough, Liz. Project Director of the National Year of Reading. As cited in Primary School Guidelines, 2002). A research study conducted by California School Libraries Association from 1993 to 2005 showed that where there is a library overall program consisting of quality and adequate staffing, flexible hours of availability, and collaborative support to school curriculum, the goal for establishing any library for that matter is achieved. In addition, 99. 4 percent of grades 3-12 students in Ohio believe school libraries and their services help them become better learners [Ohio: Todd, Kuhlthau and OELMA, 2004]. The relationship between school library program services and student achievement was not negated by other school or community demographics, [Missouri: Quantitative Resources, LLC, 2003]. The relationship between school library program development and test scores is not explained away by other school or community conditions at the elementary or middle school levels or by other school conditions at the high school level, [Oregon: Lance, Rodney, and Hamilton-Pennell, 2001] (Cited in California School Libraries Association. School Libraries Do Make A Difference. Research Studies from 1993 to 2005 in Sixteen States). In 2001, a research study was conducted among Texas school to examine school library resources, services, and use, on the basis of School Library Programs and how these made an impact on the students’ performance measured in the reading portion of Texas Assessment of Academic Skills. The research study showed that in schools were a good library program exists; students got higher percentage performance than those who had poor library resources and programs. (EGS Research & Consulting. Texas School Libraries: Standards, Resources, Services, and Students’ Performance. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. April 2001). The same study shows that where there is collaborative work between Library Staff and the teachers, higher percentage performance among students’ reading skills is achieved. (EGS Research & Consulting. Texas School Libraries: Standards, Resources, Services, and Students’ Performance. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. April 2001). The Texas Library Journal Volume 77 No. 4, Winter 2001 reported on the state of the libraries in Texas and how the government committed its support in the rehabilitation of their libraries. Texas believes in the necessity of transforming libraries in order for them to meet the requirements of the present. While books would still be books and the love of books would always be there, the Association of Texas Libraries advocate for the application of advance technology in their libraries to ensure wider reach and expanded services. (Texas Library Journal, 2001). I will end by returning to the question I posed in my introduction. Will â€Å"the love of books† disappear? There is the love of the content of books, and there is the love of books. For those for whom the two are inseparable, the answer must be no, the love of books won’t disappear; but perhaps eventually all the people who love books in the traditional form will disappear. I think that could take a very, very, long time. Weeks asks: â€Å"If it has no pages, just a magic tablet that emits sounds, sights, smells and tastes, is a book still a book? †13 For me, the answer is yes. I can accept â€Å"a substantial compilation of ideas or actions commonly displayed on a viewing device† as the future definition of â€Å"book. † As a librarian, I must be a philistine: I’ve always loved the content more than the package. [Juergens, Bonnie, Executive Director of Amigos Library Services](Texas Library Journal, 2001). he ex Libraries are vital to children’s achievement in school. As they need to develop their informational needs and reading habits, children need libraries and good library programs. But they would not be able to use these available materials on their own. They need the supportive details from adults like the Librarians, their teachers, and their parents. A collaborative work among these three significant others of children are necessary. (Newman, Susan. â€Å"The role of school libraries in elementary and secondary education. † Teacher Librarian. Seattle: October 2002. Vol. 30 Issue 1, pg 74). The Library Power Program at Chattanooga TN’s Lakeside Elementary School has found a direct correlation between students’ use of the library and the level of their test scores in reading comprehension and reference skills (Anonymous. â€Å"Positive correlation between student library use and test scores. † Teacher Librarian. Seattle: Jan/Feb 1999. Vol. 26 Issue 3. pg61). The Lance Model and the Alaska study focused on evaluating the impact of good librarianship to the reading capabilities among primary school children. Several key findings were reported in these studies which point to the direct relationship between good library programs and student’s level of reading performance. (Williams, Doroty, Louisa Coles and Caroline Wavell. Impact of school library services on achievement and learning in primary schools. A critical literature review. 2002). At Lincoln Elementary School in Hawaii a program which involves children from the 5th and 4th grades are given the opportunity to work as library aides†¦ The current library aides conduct this recruitment meeting where they talk about their duties and responsibilities to help students decide if being an aide is something they really want to do. Applicants go through a rigorous one-week training period that tests their commitment and desire to serve as library aides. Throughout the training, the aides take notes and provide the trainees with individual scores for their attitude, respect, and knowledge. (Muranaga, Karen and Emmi Masumura. Library Aides: Building Character, Advancing Service. Worthington. Jan 2008. Vol 26 Issue 4 pg10). METHODOLOGY Several works are undertaken to assess the direct correlation between library programs and the reading performance among primary school children. The methodology in all these researches is more or less similar. Research study methods are used to gather data either for quantitative or qualitative analysis. The validity and availability of this data cannot be questioned and denied. Test measurements, especially those required by the state for regulatory purposes, are extensive and widely represented. Case study research is the recommended methodology to use in library studies. Researchers could use the case study method to further study the role of the librarian in implementing specific models of service. For example, case study research could examine how information-seeking behavior in public libraries compares with information-seeking behavior in places other than libraries; to conduct in-depth studies of non-library community based information services to compare with library based community information services, and to study community networks based in libraries. (The Case Study as a Research Method. Uses and Users of Information LIS 391D. 1. Spring 1997). Case studies are complex because they generally involve multiple sources of data, may include multiple cases within a study, and produce large amounts of data for analysis. Researchers from many disciplines use the case study method to build upon theory, to produce new theory, to dispute or challenge theory, to explain a situation, to provide a basis to apply solutions to situations, to explore, or to describe an object or phenomenon. The advantages of the case study method are its applicability to real-life, contemporary, human situations, and its public accessibility through written reports. Case study results relate directly to the common reader’s everyday experience and facilitate an understanding of complex real-life situations. (The Case Study as a Research Method. Uses and Users of Information LIS 391D. 1. Spring 1997). The method of Convergent Analysis simply uses a set of questions based on the area of study being undertaken. These questions are set in a standard format. A parallel run is made by reviewing relevant studies and setting them in the same format used for the set of questions prepared for the study. Analysis is done by comparing the results of the two standard formats and assess on convergent points. (Norris, Cathleen, et al. Convergent Analysis: A method for extracting the value from research studies on technology in education. Peer-Reviewed. 1999) Review of relevant studies and a re-examination of the original search strategy. It is also recommended that a kind of longitudinal study of impact of primary library provision on learning, based on the implementation of appropriate standards be also undertaken. It is also recommended to conduct a quantitative study used in the USA for use with KS1 and KS2 SATs and pilot to establish whether the methodology is transferable to the English primary education. A qualitative evaluation of the intervention using standards and any indicators may also be developed. (Williams, Dorothy, Louis Coles and Caroline Wavell). Impact of school library services on achievement and learning in primary schools. 2002). A study conducted by ETI used varied assessment tools in attaining its objective, namely: data collection through surveys; fieldwork through questionnaires and interviews; observation of children in selected settings; case study method (â€Å"Evaluation of Public Library Summer Reading Program. † The Los Angeles County Public Library Foundation. Final Report. December 2001). Fieldwork method may also be used in ascertaining the questions in the area of study. This fieldwork may consist of questionnaires distributed among selected representative population and interviews conducted among selected authorities in the area of study. (Dubazana, Khanyi. Integration of the school library into the curriculum. Education Library and Information Technology Services). CONCLUSION From the foregoing literature sources, we can safely say that there is indeed a need for a well structured primary school library. The structure includes not only the physical set-up but also the books inside the library, the library staff, and more importantly, the library program. These are the pillars of a good primary school library that supports the early development of the school child. Children believe what they see. If they see lines and lines of good attractive books then it would already create the interest in them to check out the books and go through the pages of some of them. They cannot be forced to read in an environment that is not conducive to reading. In the latte case, the inadequacy of the library would backfire any effort to arouse the interest in the child and develop the reading habit. The presence of warm and hospitable library staff would sustain the interest in the child-reader. The program that the library can offer to children is a factor that sustains the child’s interest and children would keep on going back to the library which would be as second home to them. A comprehensive work on the area of direct correlation between good library program and reading skills among primary children is relevant today. The educational trend nowadays is towards the extensive use of advance technology even in the primary schools. Reading books has become a thing of the past for many as more and more have shifted to reading information, data, stories, and news from the internet. But this shift from the good old printed material to the easy access to internet sources should be seen on a positive note. There is an opportunity to still arouse the child’s enthusiasm through the implementation of a good program. The library staff should not feel demotivated by this trend. Rather, the Library staff should continue to introduce innovations and attract children to access the library more often. The results of the study as mentioned in the above discussions should serve as an eye opener for all schools and government agencies to work collaboratively in developing the young minds into future reading-individuals. The habit of reading should be sustained all throughout the stages of his life. The shift from print to media sources of reading should be addressed positively. Awareness and campaign strategies as well as the use of a reward system in order to promote interest in reading among primary school students. The use of the internet and the advancement of technology, policies, strategies should be seen as complementing strategies in the total development of the child. The shift from printed materials to web reading among children should be addressed in order to eradicate the confusing stand on this issue; there is never a substitute for reading good printed books. Thus, while we embrace the advances of technology in the field of learning and education, we should not forget the solid foundation of reading good books from an early age. This is not only for learning and cognition. Rather, reading is very much a part of a child’s growing up with family bonds, societal norms, and tradition. The role of primary school libraries has always been to create an environment that arouses the child’s interest in books. A good library physical set-up and programs would be a good answer to the proposition – children perform excellently in the primary schools where school libraries collaborate with the school’s curriculum. It is time to begin reshaping our vision for 21st-century school library media programs, and the best way is to assemble a study group, a professional learning community, a district group of teacher-librarians, or just yourself. Compare and contrast these standards documents and then read your own mission statement. What essentials remain the same? What are different? Who needs to know? What should happen next? (Loertscher, David. Find Out What Should Work. Teacher Librarian. Seattle: December 2007. Vol 35 Issue 2 pg 40). REFERENCES Anonymous.â€Å"Positive correlation between student library use and test scores. † Teacher Librarian. Seattle: Jan/Feb 1999. Vol. 26 Issue 3. pg61. Attenborough, Liz. Project Director of the National Year of Reading. As cited in Primary School Guidelines, 2002. Cited in California School Libraries Association. School Libraries Do Make A Difference. Research Studies from 1993 to 2005 in Sixteen States. Dewe, Michael. Ideas and Designs: Creating the Environment for the Primary School Library. October 2007. Dubber, Geoff. Cultivating Curiosity: information literacy skills and the primary school library. Januray 2008. Dubazana, Khanyi. Integration of the school library into the curriculum. Education Library and Information Technology Services. Dubber, Geoff and Elspeth Scott. Brilliant Books: Running a Successful School Library Book Event. 2nd edition. April 2005. EGS Research & Consulting. Texas School Libraries: Standards, Resources, Services, and Students’ Performance. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. April 2001. â€Å"Evaluation of Public Library Summer Reading Program. † The Los Angeles County Public Library Foundation. Final Report. December 2001. Harrison, Kay and Tricia Adams. Practical Paperwork: Policy Making and Development Planning for the Primary School Library. February 2007. Juergens, Bonnie, Executive Director of Amigos Library Services](Texas Library Journal, 2001. Lemaire, Kathy. Shelf Life, Shelf Matters: Managing Resources in the School Library. 2nd edition. October 2004. Loertscher, David. Find Out What Should Work. Teacher Librarian. Seattle: December 2007. Vol 35 Issue 2 pg 40. Miller, Pat. Is your library kid-friendly? Library Media Conne