Teaching Reflection free essay sample

They themselves learn lessons each time they teach, evaluating what they do and using these self-critical evaluations to adjust what they do next time. (Why Colleges Succeed, Ofsted 2004, para. 19) What this chapter is about . . . . . . . Reflective practice  ± what is it? Why and how should we do it? Reflection `in and `on action Some models of reflective practice Using reflection as a basis for improving learning and teaching Writing your personal development journal (PDJ) Your individual learning plan (ILP) What makes a good teacher in lifelong learning? LLUK standards This chapter covers, at least, the following standards: What is reflective practice? The LLUK Professional Standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector state that those working in the sector should value `Reflection and evaluation of their own practice and their continuing professional development as teachers (AS 4). In addition, their professional knowledge and understanding includes: `Ways to reflect, evaluate and use 8 TEACHING IN THE LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR research to develop own practice and to share good practice with others. We will write a custom essay sample on Teaching Reflection or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As part of their professional practice, they should: `Share good practice with others and engage in continuing professional development through reflection, evaluation and the appropriate use of research. Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status requires trainees to begin the practice of continuing professional development (CPD) right from the start of their training by keeping a development journal. This practice continues after completion of training; all teachers in lifelong learning are required to provide evidence of a minimum of 30 hours CPD each year in order to maintain their licence to practice. There is one quality above all that makes a good teacher  ± the ability to reflect on what, why and how we do things and to adapt and develop our practice within lifelong learning. Reflection is the key to successful learning for teachers, and for learners. As the LLUK standards make clear reflection is an underpinning value and is the key to becoming a professional teacher. A commonsense view of reflection is that it involves just thinking about things. Perhaps, thinking about the structure of the universe or why you disagreed with your partner last night could be regarded as reflection  ± others might consider it nothing more than idle and self-indulgent speculation. Most of us spend time thinking about what we do and the effects we have on others, but we dont always take it a step further and reflect on our actions and make plans to do things differently. To do with learning; about change and development  ± becoming a reflective teacher. Jenny Moon suggests: Reflection is a form of mental processing that we use to fulfil a purpose or to achieve some anticipated outcome. It is applied to gain a better understanding of relatively complicated or unstructured ideas and is largely based on the reprocessing of knowledge, understanding and, possibly, emotions that we already possess. (Moon 2005: 1) THE REFLECTIVE TEACHER 9 From `help! to `second nature The process of reflection helps us to monitor our own development from raw beginner to experienced professional. Reynoldss (1965) model of developing competence in social work suggests the stages seen in Figure 1. 1. Those of you who recall learning to drive will recognise these stages. Mastering, for example, clutch control is a deliberate practice of trying, sometimes failing, trying again, becoming confident, until it eventually becomes an unconscious process. Our teaching careers follow a similar process: early fears about the timing of activities or the use of information technology (IT) are initially difficult, even frightening, but eventually become second nature. Another, uncredited model, suggests a movement through the stages of: . . . . unconscious incompetence  ± in which we are unaware of what we cant do or dont know; conscious incompetence  ± in which we become aware of our development needs and start to do something about them; conscious competence  ± where we are using our new skills and knowledge, but watching and monitoring ourselves; unconscious competence  ± the skills become naturalised. This is like Reynoldss notion of `second nature. Many of our skills, our knowledge and competences will become, like driving a car, second nature. However, we must ensure that `second nature doesnt become complacency. Success in teaching requires us always to challenge and develop our practice by regular reflection and review. David Berliner (2001) outlines the stages of teacher development as going from the Novice  ± raw recruit who is learning the basics and is relatively inflexible  ± to the Expert, who is very much like the racing driver or the Figure 1. 1 From Reynoldss (1965) model of developing competence. 10 TEACHING IN THE LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR professional footballer who is completely at one with their art, performing effortlessly and naturally. Experience and length of service do not, however, necessarily make an expert; experience needs reflection if we are to become expert teachers. Rollett (2001) describes what it means to be an expert teacher. This is a very useful model and is worth quoting at length: Experts rely on a large repertoire of strategies and skills that they can call on automatically, leaving them free to deal with unique or unexpected events . . . The wealth of knowledge and routines that they employ, in fact, is so automatic that they often do not realise why they preferred a certain plan of action over another. However, when questioned, they are able to reconstruct the reasons for their decisions and behaviour. (Rollett 2001: 27) Reflection  ± some theory John Dewey was a leading educational philosopher of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries whose ideas are still influential. He believed that traditional education, as then practised in his native America, was rigid, static and inadequate for the rapidly developing society and economy of the time. (The same criticism is frequently made of education today! Dewey advocated child-centred learning and stressed the importance of each individuals lived experience as a starting point for learning. Key to Deweys philosophy was the development of thinking, particularly, reflective thinking. In How We Think, he states that: Thought affords the sole method of escape from purely impulsive or purely routine action. A being without capacity for thought is moved only by instincts and appetites, as these are called forth by outward conditions and the inner state of the organism. A being thus moved is, as it were, pushed from behind. (Dewey 1933: 15) Such a person is, in other words, not in control. They are dragged along by events, unable to understand or change them. To use more up to date terminology, such a person is merely reactive, rather than active or proactive  ± things happen to them; they dont make things happen. We must, as Dewey says, move from routine action to reflective action which is characterised by ongoing self-appraisal and development. simply as the `theory-practice gap. Like Dewey, Schon believed that reflection begins in working practice, particularly those areas of practice where professionals are confronted with unique and confusing situations  ± E `the swampy lowlands of practice as Schon calls them. Teachers may have acquired the theoretical knowledge (technical rationality) of their subject or of the practice of teaching and learning, but whilst this might explain their classroom practice as it should be, it might not explain it as it actually is. From these real-life experiences teachers can develop tacit knowledge  ± a synthesis of theory and practice which they have developed for themselves. It is vital that these learning experiences are recorded in journals and discussed with mentors and fellow trainees. Trainee teachers might express the opinion that `this theory stuff is all very well, but it doesnt work in the real world. Teacher trainers may be offended by such rejections of theory, but their trainees may have a point  ± theory is only of any use when it is applied and developed in practice. The real teaching environment is where theory is applied, tested and evaluated. Theory is never used rigidly, nor does it provide all the answers to the problems teachers encounter. It is, however, the starting point for developing teaching and learning in practice. Reflection, in and on action, allows teachers to continually improve their practice and even to the development of practice-based theory. During your training, and as a result of reading this book, you will acquire a body of theoretical knowledge related to teaching and learning which you will want to apply in your learning sessions. For, example, humanist theories of teaching and learning stress the development of the whole person and the 12 TEACHING IN THE LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR Figure 1. 2 Using reflection in and on action to improve teaching and learning. creation of a non-threatening, positive learning environment. In practice, this might not be as easy as the theory suggests. However, this does not invalidate the theory, but it does mean you will need to adapt and E experiment with it in practice. Schon calls this application and development of theory in the real world theory-in-use. The notion of reflection linking theory and practice underlies the work of Kolb and of Gibbs. The models of learning and reflection they developed are sometimes called `iterative because they are based on a repeating, but continually evolving and improving, cycle of learning. Kolb (1984) is explained in detail in the chapter on learning theory. Essentially, his Experiential Learning Theory shows a four-stage cycle of activity. These four elements are: THE REFLECTIVE TEACHER . . . . 13 concrete experience; reflection; abstract conceptualisation; The learner, in this case the teacher, can begin the cycle at any point but must follow each step in order. Consider, for example, that a trainee teacher uses role play in a session (concrete experience). The role play is partially successful. The teacher reflects on the use of this learning method and considers how it could be improved and made more effective (reflection). She reads up on the use of role play and talks to more experienced colleagues and, as a result, formulates an improved version of the activity (abstract conceptualisation). The next time she plans to use role play she incorporates her new ideas into the planning (active experimentation). This leads to a new concrete experience and the repetition of the cycle. Activity Consider a recent example from your own teaching when you have tried a new method or resource. Using Kolbs four stages, consider the development of the technique in practice. Several writers on reflective practice have emphasised the importance of the teachers feelings as part of the reflective process. This fits in with the development of emotional intelligence, which is discussed later in the book. We may experience a wide range of feelings during and after our teaching  ± elation, confusion, anger, helplessness, blaming the learners  ± and it is important to recognise and reflect on them. Gibbs (1988) adds feelings to his model of `learning by doing. See Figure 1. 3 for the stages of learning in his model. Gibbss model provides key points in development, especially description, evaluation, analysis and action, which we will consider further in the section on methods of reflection. Before then we need to examine the reasons for reflective practice. These are key skills in active learning and the development of independent learners. Reflection can also help us to develop our emotional intelligence, particularly if we include a consideration of feelings as part of our reflections. The concept of emotional intelligence, developed by Daniel Goleman (1995, 1998), encourages the development of self-awareness of feelings and the recognition and management of emotions. Finally, and most importantly, reflective practice is the key to improvement. If we dont think about, analyse and evaluate our professional practice we cannot improve. Activity Empathy (see Chapter 4, `Communication and the teacher) is important in developing your reflective practice, particularly the ability to imagine what it would be like as a learner in your own class. I can well recall a staff development session in which a colleague talked to us for more than an hour. At the end of it I was extremely annoyed at just being a passive object. It was a salutary experience and made me realise what it would be like to be a student in a passive, non-stimulating environment. When youre teaching you have considerable freedom of movement and activity  ± you can stand up; sit down; walk around and, generally, direct operations. This is not usually the case for learners. Next time youre in `learner mode, at a conference or staff development session, think about how you feel. Do you feel stimulated, interested, engaged, or restless and fidgety? Would you like to move around a bit, stand up for a while, say something, do something? Reflective practice  ± how to do it Reflection is a process and an activity which teachers undertake primarily for themselves. It is not about the production of mountains of paper evidence at the behest of teacher trainers or managers  ± such `otherdirected activity becomes a chore for trainees and teachers from which they will derive little value. Reflection will, however, lead to a product  ± diary, log, PDJ  ± which will contribute to assessment and, subsequently, be used as evidence of CPD. 16 TEACHING IN THE LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR The right mental attitude We should remember that reflection is not an end in itself; it is the starting point of becoming a reflective practitioner. For Jenny Moon reflection is used, `with the sense of saying something not so much about what a person does as what they are (Moon 1999). The basis of all reflection is a willingness to undertake the process and to value it as means of improvement and development. Reflection can be difficult, even threatening, because it forces us to be honest with ourselves and recognise not only our successes but areas where we need to improve. It makes us take responsibility for our teaching and learning. Being a reflective practitioner is like being your own observer and your own critical friend. We can refer to this willingness to reflect and develop as the `right mental attitude, without which the whole process of reflection is pointless. The professional development journal (PDJ) There are many forms of reflection and occasions on which you will reflect, but as a trainee teacher the main form of reflection will be through your reflective journal, commonly referred to as the professional development journal. Your PDJ is a written record of your experiences of, and feelings about planning, preparing and delivering teaching and learning. It will contain general accounts of learning sessions but, more importantly, will identify critical incidents which can be the basis for learning and continuing professional development (CPD). The PDJ is subjective; it is written by you and for you and gives an opportunity to conduct a dialogue with yourself. You must remember, however, that as a trainee your tutors and mentors will see the journal, so it pays not to be indiscreet or make personal comments. The journal is also a place where you can relate theory to practice. We have already established that theory is only useful if it is used, tested and evaluated in your teaching and learning. Success, or otherwise, in teaching is not just a matter of luck. It results from thorough planning and preparation, knowing your students, and reflection on, and evaluation of, your practice. You will experience the wonderful feeling you get after a class has gone well; the learners, and you, have enjoyed themselves and, above all, learned. You will also experience the depths of despair following a session which just hasnt worked, where the learners dont seem to want to learn and you just long for the end of it all. The reflective teacher uses both extremes to learn and develop. If it went well, are there general conclusions you can draw to try with other learners? Are there specific points you can use with this group again  ± remember each group of learners is THE REFLECTIVE TEACHER 17 unique and reflection helps you to get to know them and work effectively with them. After the dreadful session, you might be chastising yourself (or worse, your learners) for the failure. Neither course is appropriate. You must reflect, analyse, evaluate, learn and change. One of the most valuable functions of your PDJ is to help you identify development points for action planning. You should review your journal regularly to see if there any recurring themes which you need to pick up on for your training and development. It will be useful to summarise your journal at the end of your course. This summary can have two functions; first, you can see how far you have come since you started your training and, second, you can use it as the basis for your CPD. Remember, evidence of CPD is a requirement in getting and maintaining QTLS. Writing your PDJ Many trainee teachers in PCET worry about writing their journals  ± what form should it take; typed or handwritten; how much; how often; is it right? The main message is  ± dont worry. When it comes to journals, you cant do them wrong! There are, however, guidelines and advice to help you make them more useful and more effective. Writing and written style Writing is a very effective way to make sense of experience  ± to organise, evaluate and learn from it. Creative writing is often used as a form of therapy by which people can work things out and find solutions for problems. Cognitive behavioural therapy requires clients to recognise and write down examples of mistaken thinking and to imagine more positive scenarios  ± in other words to reflect, analyse, evaluate and, most importantly, change. It is important to get into the habit of writing and to do it as soon as possible after the event. Its a good idea to include a reflection box at the end of your session plans in which to record some immediate thoughts which will form the basis of your journal entry. When you start writing, dont spend too much time thinking about it. Let the writing flow and try to capture the experience and some critical incidents (see below). Once youve recalled the events, then you can start to learn from them. Little and often is a good rule, particularly in the early days of journal writing. You should always be regular in your journal writing habits. You might find it useful to track a particular group of learners or, perhaps, to compare groups. Your course tutors will advise you regarding how much you should write and what period of time your journal should cover. As for writing style, you should be free, spontaneous and informal. Theres no need for the impersonal, academic style; some of the best journals Ive seen 18 TEACHING IN THE LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR are quirky and idiosyncratic. You must, however, avoid inappropriate language or too much slang or colloquialism and never make personal comments about teachers or colleagues  ± unless, of course, you are referring to their good practice. There will be times when you are frustrated and annoyed in your training or in your work. You can use your journal to get some of this out of your system, it can even be therapeutic, but you must use it as a basis for learning and development  ± extended moaning is not acceptable. In keeping with the spontaneous and informal approach you will probably write your journal by hand, but its best to check if your tutors have any preferences regarding written or word-processed documents. Some of you will prefer to type your reflections straight on to your computer, possibly using a template you have designed to suit your needs. When you are reviewing your journal its useful to highlight key points for your summary, for action plans, or as discussion points for tutorials. I have known trainees who recorded their journals on to dictation machines (digital rather than tape). This can increase the spontaneity but, obviously, necessitates transcription into written form  ± if youve got voiceactivated software this is less of a problem. Increasingly, trainees are experimenting with using blogs for their reflective journals. This provides some interesting opportunities for sharing ideas with a whole range of people and even the development of `communities of practice. Again, you must check with your tutors regarding the acceptability of this format. Communities of practice dont have to be online. You can share your reflections with fellow trainees in taught sessions or group tutorials. It can be very helpful to find that colleagues are experiencing the same uncertainties or difficulties as you and, hopefully, enjoying successes. Sharing ideas and developing strategies together is an extremely valuable collaborative activity. You may even wish to build in presentations to colleagues on particular issues. Many teachers, like many learners, have a visual learning preference and, as such will want to include diagrams, drawings or any other visual modes. I always encourage this, particularly as visuals can help you get the big picture and explore relationships between ideas.

Essay on Writing

Essay on Writing Essays on writing contain information regarding writing different essays. The essays on writing inform the readers about various tips on writing essays. Many supporting sites provide tips on writing an essay and you can do many essays on writing by following those tips. Teachers give the students many essays on writing and assign different topics to them, which they are unable to do without some tips on writing a good essay. For doing a reflective essay on writing or essays on Canadian writing, you have to follow the following tips on essay writing: 1. You should divide your essay on writing in three parts. 2. The first part comprises an introduction. 3. The second part should contain the descriptive information regarding the topic of the essay on writing. 4. The third part should be of conclusion. 5. Each paragraph should contain one idea. 6. Your essay should be organized. 7. You should make a draft to select the most appropriate ideas. 8. In draft, you have to make certain headings, which you can remove, in your reflective essay on writing or custom essay on writing. 9. You can use headings if you wish to or there is no necessity for the inclusion of headings in the essay on writing. 10. You should write after researching the topic of the essay on writing. 11. The research should be relevant to the topic of essay on writing. 12. Do not try to make your essay lengthy. 13. Include only that information that is required. 14. Use clear and simple language. 15. Do not copy from any source. 16. Use quotations where appropriate to justify your claims but give the full reference of the source from which you have quoted, otherwise, you will be accused of plagiarism. Plagiarism is also termed as academic dishonesty. The tips on writing college essays or on writing the college application essay are more or less the same that are described above but as the level of education heightens, the responsibilities of the students are also increased. The seriousness of the topic in terms of essay on writing increases and the students are thought of to appear more competent and capable as compared to a lower level of studies. Essays on Canadian writing, essays on descriptive writing, essays on extended writing, essays on historical writing, essays on psychological writing and custom essay on writing, all of the stated essays on writing and others should be written by following the guidelines that are given above. The guidelines that are given above can be used as help on writing essays. An essay on writing will have to done keeping the principles of organization and they are introduction, discussion and conclusion in which the essay on writing should be divided.

African-American Vernacular English vs Standard English in Mule Bone

African-American Vernacular English vs Standard English in 'Mule Bone' The Negros universal mimicry is not so much a thing in itself as an evidence of something that permeates his entire self. And that thing is drama. (Hurston, 830) In her own words, Hurston captures the gritty picture she paints in the highly disputed early 20th century drama, Mule Bone, co-written by fellow Harlem renaissance icon Langston Hughes. Mule Bone is set in a fictionalized version of Hurstons hometown, an all black community in Eatonville, Florida where she spent the early years of her teen life living with her father following her mothers death. Hurstons earliest memoirs indicate that the Eatonville of her childhood, much like the Eatonville of the stage, had two churches and no jail. Based on the short story A Bone of Contention which Hurston penned in 1929, Mule Bone draws heavily from Hurstons anthropological work which she compiled from visits to all black communities in the southern United States. Hughes and Hurston collaboratively worked A Bone of Contention into a ru nning dialogue set for the stage, however; this project would eventually tear the two authors apart after discrepancies in the text became insurmountable. As a piece of social criticism, Mule Bone is much like other comedies, however; the high level of diction stemming from what linguistic scholars have recently named African-American vernacular English (AAVE) set a new standard in realism for African-Americans on stage. Standard English (SE) has been studied in volume after volume of deep structure analysis and lexical origins, only recently has AAVE received the same attention in the form of through analysis that SE has enjoyed for years. Researchers have found the main differences between AAVE and SE lie in subtle rule changes. Where AAVE allows for consonant cluster reduction, the absence of the copula, invariant or habitual forms of to be, time reference markers, and multiple negation (Mufwene, 1) SE does not have such allowances. So much of Hurstons voice relies on the accurate portrayal of AAVE. A voice which Holloway describes as recursive; it begins, it names, it activates, it calls us back to a primal ground. (Holloway, 113) Hurston was striving to write a dialogue which, until this point, had been poorly recorded and often stereotyped African-Americans as dim-witted, primitive and wild. In her highly acclaimed anthropological essay Characteristics of Negro Expression, Hurston sums up the realization of a pure black dialect and comments on the unnatural dialogue credited to the Negro so far: If we are to believe the majority of the writers of Negro dialect and the burnt-cork artists, Negro speech is a weird thing, full of ams and Ises. Fortunately we dont have to believe them. We may go directly to the Negro and let him speak for himself. (Hurston, 845-846) Dialect is a term linguists struggle to define as one cannot set firm boundaries around a shapeless, often regional form of speech. Tracing history and the introduction of Africans to America, researchers have roughly sketched out the origins of what is now covered by the umbrella label AAVE. Originally Pidgin French (later known as Creole) and Pidgin English were derived from Portuguese. These languages were spread to West Africa, and the first African-Asian trade involving the west Pacific, including India, China, and later Hawaii, brought the seeds of African-American English all across the globe. Charles S. Johnson, a prominent scholar of African-American English surmised that Negro dialect turns out to be a repository for the seventeenth century speech of the first English colonizers, (Dillard, 39) this theory, along with others that rely on berating African-American culture as the white mans castoff, fell by the wayside as more scientific research was done on the structure of A AVE; revealing the blending of both native tongues and new forms of Pidgin English as the origins of African-American English in the United States. Deeply seeded in the Portuguese origins from which AAVE seems to have stemmed is the fundamental difference most noticeable to most SE speakers. Dillard examines a sentence such as: An so I comin down an she out there blabbin her mouth told my sister I was playin hookey from school. In which, he explains, there are no lexical anomalies from SE, nor any alien forms, although sometimes usage is casual and illiterate, it follows many of the same conventions as does SE. (Dillard, 40) However, it is the syntactical analysis of AAVE that reveals the most information. Dillard points out that an obligatory category in SE: verb tense, can be ignored in what he refers to as, Black English. While it is interesting to peruse these volumes of thoroughly dissected AAVE, it is important to remember Hurston and Hughes goal in penning Mule Bone; the accurate portrayal of the language of life in a racially un-oppressed southern black community. Hurston failed to capture the elusive dialect in perfect written form, insofar as researchers are concerned, as often she substitutes more readily recognizable structures in place of the hard to read, more accurate written compositions, which she could have transcribed from tapes gathered during her anthropological studies. None the less, Hurston and Hughes managed to convey the sounds of AAVE, its subtle inflections and outlandish expressions, which in consideration of the theatrical backdrop Mule Bone enjoyed, remains of higher importance than their choice of spelling. Hughes seems to have played a lesser role in designating the reality of dialogue in Mule Bone as critics have commented on other literary work he published as stale, flat, and spiritless. (Redding, 73) Further examination of his literary track record reveals that as Hughes matured and evolved as a human being, so did his writing. One critics nostalgic view of Hughes reveals the disgust within a literary niche in response to his stronghold on his roots. While Hughess rejection of his own growth shows an admirable loyalty to his self-commitment as the poet of the simple, Negro common-folk the peasant, the laborer, the city slum-dweller, it does a disservice to his art. (Redding, 74) This diehard image of the common black man is the cornerstone of the Mule Bone community, and an important role Hughes facilitated transcribing A Bone of Contention into a feasible piece of dramatic text. Within Mule Bone, concrete examples of Hurston and Hughess regionalized diction are plenteous, the play is written strictly in dialect. Breaking these forms of speech into appropriate categories is essential in an analysis of the text. Hurston reveals in Characteristics of Negro Expression, that the most basic language is one which relies on comparisons, rather than extensive descriptions to elaborate meaning. She supposes the inherent ease of parallelisms as the natural form from which all other descriptive speech is derived. And in doing so, Hurston recognizes African-Americans as the contributors of broad, often natural similes and metaphors, the double descriptive (such as high-tall, little-tee-ninchy, kill-dead), and verbal nouns (such as funeralize, puts the shamery on him, and uglying away) to the English language. (Hurston, 832-833) Mule Bone is packed full of these elements, a few examples of the co-authors awareness to the vivid language associated with similes are as follows: Id beat her till she smell like onions. (Bass, 52) Id stomp her till she rope like okra. (Bass, 52) Id romp her till she slack like lime. (Bass, 52) The first example is self explanatory, however the second and third are a bit more elusive in their meaning. Okra is a non-native English word introduced by African-Americans, one of the dozen or so words researchers formally recognize as African in origin, and refers to a particular kind of vegetable. The meaning is derived from the strings of gooey sap exuded by cooked okra when its eaten. Hurstons simile paints the picture of a beating so severe; one might be left oozing blood. Slack like lime is a term which has apparently fallen by the wayside, as no formal explanation seems to exist. Smell like a nest of yellowhammers was another elusive term, yellowhammers are a type of bird, however; there is little to no evidence that shows any connection between the two. The characters within Mule Bone relate everything to a grounded understanding of their world. Every description involves something physical; a tangible piece of their surroundings that fundamentally represents the implied meaning. As an example, in the opening lines, Hambo retorts that his baldness doesnt matter because he dont want nothin-not even hair-between (he) and God. (Bass, 49) The description of old Brazzles mule lends itself nicely as an example of the physical aspect of everyday speech. He was so skinny you could do a weeks washing on his ribs for a washboard and hang em up on his hip-bones to dry. (Bass, 53) Or, Clarkes description of Daisy a great big mangoa sweet smell, you know, with a strong flavor, but not something you could mash up like a strawberry. Something with a body to it. (Bass, 60) Several languages of West Africa denote the creation of man to a God beating a drum; the shockwaves of each beat resonating throughout mankind. This kind of primal being, a connection with the physical universe, comes to life as Hurston examines this feeling as related to African-American dance, she says: The performer flexes one knee sharply, assumes a ferocious face mask, thrusts the upper part of the body forward with clenched fists, elbows taut as in hard running or grasping a thrusting blade. That is all. Bit the spectator himself adds the picture of ferocious assault, hears the drums and finds himself keeping time with the music and tensing himself for the struggle. It is compelling insinuation. (Hurston, 835) This to Hurston is the embodiment of drama. Fundamentally, Hurston feels as though African-Americans are drama. She feels as though each aspect of the Negro life is dramatized, lifted above the mundane, and enacted, not lived. In conclusion, studying the development of AAVE in conjunction with the changing social atmosphere of the Harlem renaissance and the conversion of Hurstons short story to a dramatic work, has greatly increased the significance of the text as a piece of self-proclamation for the African-American in the early 20th century. The combination of Hurstons anthropological experience and Hughess steadfast hold on his culture reaches new heights in the realization of a true to life representation of African-American life. Place was important to Zora Neale Hurston-she would spend most of her adult life in search of a place she could claim as her own-one that would support, with fervor equal to hers, her cultural nationalism, that would respect the legacies represented in the voices that she recorded-voices that evidenced the traditions of the world. (Holloway, 113) Holloway touches upon an important conclusion one comes to in viewing Mule Bone as a text among many others. Hurston and Hughes strove to find a place among the Zekes of The Octoroon and the Jupiters of Poes The Gold Bug, and succeeded wildly. The dialect of each character in Mule Bone lends itself to the subtle twisting and careful crafting applied by the co-authors. In a way, Hurston and Hughes celebrate themselves in the colorful use of dialect. To close, Holloway sums up the atmosphere one gets a feel for with this use of dialect, she says, (it) speaks of the primacy of the word, the instrumentation of literary talent and the metaphorical adornment of a culture that recaptures myth on its tongue and uses the adornment to represent itself as black. (Holloway, 115) Works Cited Bass, George Hurston, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., eds. Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston: Mule Bone: A comedy of Negro Life. New York: Perennial, 1991. Dillard, J.L.. Black English: Its History and Usage in the United States. New York: Random House, 1972. Holloway, Karla F.C., ed. The Character of the Word: The Texts of Zora Neale Hurston. New York: Greenwood Press, 1987. Hurston, Zora Neale. Characteristics of Negro Expression. Wall, Cheryl A., comp. Zora Neale Hurston: Folklore, memoirs, and other writings. New York: The Library of America, 1995. Mufwene, Salikoko S., John R. Rickford, Guy Bailey, John Baugh, eds. African-American English: Structure, history and use. London: Routledge, 1998. Redding, Saunders. Old Forms, New Rhythms, New Words. Mullen, Edward J., comp. Critical Essays on Langston Hughes. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1986.

Production Of A Klashnikov Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Production Of A Klashnikov - Coursework Example Part 1: One of the production method used in producing most of the riffle part is through KB-P-580, which serves to be more reliable than most of the other production method and way more better handling characteristics, this method was used in 1948 in Izhevsk factory. Its banana shaped magazine or cartridge is manufactured through curve which is smoothly fed with ammunition, the steel used is quite heavy mixed together with feed-lips which makes it highly resistant to damage in the long run. The design of the magazine is borrowed from other guns and was used in AS-44 model by the soviets. The receiver which anchors the integrated gas piston and the trigger is made of sheet metal with milled trunnion insert. In the year 1940, it took about 150 totally different machine motions to make it.so the new method of making it has differently changed it and help reduce the weight of the gun to only 8 pounds. The gas piston and bolt carrier contained in the receiver were deliberately structured to fit loosely in the receiver and the aim for this is to stop carbon buildup, dust and rust. What should be noted here is that this method of loose fit was borrowed from other designers like Sudayev and the concept was used by several other people after his death. The stock of the AK-47 rifle is made of wood. There have been a lot of developments when it comes to the making of this particular type of gun and some of its features being borrowed from other gun designs. Guns which have folding stocks are better fitted for tighter spaces for instance airborne troops. A combination of the bolt carrier and gas piston make up the gas piston which is a design that is not original but borrowed from another gun. The design is made to provide more energy to the operating system of the gun. How it works is that, when each round is fired, there is a gas which enters into a chamber through a port in the top of the barrel which in turn drives back a piston that then withdraws the bolt from the chamber and removes the already used cartridge. The magazine contains a spring which pushes the next cartridge into its place. There is a return spring which pushes the piston and bolt in front placing the cartridge in its chamber in readiness to fire once again. This system is much better since its stroke is 50% longer than usual which makes the gun versatile and still performs even when infiltrated by foreign substances like water which impedes lubrication. The protective coating of the gun is a phosphate coating which increases its reliability when it comes to rus ting. The chamber and barrel of the gun are actually chromed which also helps fight rusting. These anti-corrosive features of the gun are very key when it comes to harsh climate conditions like in times of war. Compared to other guns like an M16 before their chambers and barrel were chromed and which there protective coating were vulnerable to corrosion, AK-47 stood out in this aspect. The selectors switch which regulates when the gun can fire and when it cannot. The options of the switch are; safe, semi-automatic and automatic. When the gun is in the safe mode it is not able to fire. When it is the semi-automatic the shots are single shot and finally the automatic mode which fires rounds in a continuous mode when the trigger is pulled. Finally the trigger of the gun is a borrowed design from the M1 design created by John c and a German gun maker called Schmeisser who was in prison at the time the legendary AK47 rifle was made. Part 2: One production method I would use to produce th e riffle is Izhmash production method which produces around 95 units per hour which is an equal amount of over 1 million units per year. The fact that while using this method most parts are joined using hands, makes it more effective and accurate increasing

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Management - Essay Example The management theory acts as the frame work for running the business. It is essential in dealing with employees, and in understanding the business environment(Robbins et al.2008). History of management As indicated by Robbins et al. (2008, p. 29), the ancient management practices were implemented in projects such as the construction of the Great Wall of Chinaas well as the pyramids of Egypt which employed thousands of people. During the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, a single pyramid would employ more the 100000 workers for 20 years; hence, someone had to be assigned the task of organizing and controlling the people and the materials to be used. Such activities led to the study of management practices. Robbins et al. (2008, p. 29) further stated that, in 1776, Adam Smith published a book that argued the economic benefits that organizations get from practicing effective management practices such as division of labour and breaking down jobs to narrow tasks, which played a role in increasing the labor productivity, and in enhancing the skills of the workers. The other concept that has played a role in management is the industrial revolution of the18th century in the Great Britain. Industrial revolution was important because it enhanced the use of machinery for production instead of manpower. This made the production of goods more efficient by reducing the finance and time resources used for production. The tasks that were previously taken by human beings were substituted by machines which enhance both accuracy and quality. In the 19th century, there was a major step taken to enhance proper management through the development of formalized management theories which were implemented in large organizations. These were scientific management, general administrative theory, quantitative organizational behavior and contingency. The scientific management theory explains the use of scientific methods to ensure that various tasks are implemented. The scientific theo ry was further enhanced by Fredrick Taylor, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. Taylor observed that most tasks were executed with neither application of skills nor professional standards; thus, reducing their output to a third of what was expected from a worker. To maximize the application of skills by the workers and increase the production efficiency, workers were assigned tasks according to their abilities and characteristics. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth studied on ways to avoid wastage of the body movements. The study was implemented through the selection of the right tools for the right job so as to optimize work performance. The experiments for this study were done through bricklaying, and by reducing the motions from 18 to 2, a move which proved to be more productive. The four principles of management developed by Taylor were; developing professional techniques for each component of the individual’s work, selecting and training the employees, cooperation with the employees and dividing the responsibilities amongst the management and employees (Robbins et al.2008). The general administrative theorywas developed by Henri Fayol, in an effort to enhance effective management practices by educating managers on ways to execute their tasks and in return achieve positive results. Fayol’s idea was based on creating a suitable working environment and controlling workers to achieve higher productivity. This approach is applicable in any organizational setting. This concept is important in determining

Wal-Mart Organizational Structure Paper Essay Example for Free

Wal-Mart Organizational Structure Paper Essay As an organization Wal-Mart has grown into a global and multimillion dollar company in America and around the world. They have been at the top of the list for the fortune and global 500 for years. They make big headlines both good and bad. They are in the United Kingdom, China, and Brazil, and all over the world. Wal-Mart started its global market in 1991, where they opened up a store in Mexico City. The profits were not that good at the beginning because they opened the store using plans and strategies they use in the United States. Those internal and external factors in globalization affected the four functions of management such as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. It was a learning experience for the organization and they had to assemble different plans for more international stores. When we think of technology in companies like Wal-mart, we think of marketing technology. With marketing technology, Wal-mart uses all functions of management. These functions had to be planned, organized, controlled, and their managers have to take the lead to convince or motivate the employees to carry out the marketing strategies in order for them to be effective. For example, anybody can market a sale in their stores, but if it is not planned, organized, or controlled, the store will not meet the goals, which can include an increase in sales, or an increase in the amount of customers coming into the businesses. When Wal-mart first started their business, they were clothing, small appliances, and home goods type of business. Through the years of their technology innovation, they saw how they can benefit from expanding their sales to food, pharmacy, sporting goods, and even an auto center. As they moved forward, they brought in private banks, eye care centers, nail salons, hair salons, and even a place for professional photos. Their careful planning and organizing helped them to become one of the largest retail stores not only in America but also nation-wide. Their strategies to make this happen were very successful because of the four function of management working well when they made these changes. Wal-mart is a perfect example of the way the four functions of management can work. Not only work but also work effectively with organized planning, controlling the needed changes, and acquiring the right management in place to take the needed charge for it all to come together. Without technology and the four functions of management, Wal-mart would not be the successful business it is today. There are many internal and external factors that affect functions of management. When we speak of Diversity, which is a variety or range of different things, and we look at the Planning, organizing, directing, and controlling functions of management. An organization may look at hiring different ethnic backgrounds, ages, genders as well as focus on offering different types of services within the organization. Meeting the needs of the community will be very important for business to grow; therefore bi-lingual staff will be a plus. Store location is a keen factor as well, so an organization may have greater opportunity in a location where there is no competition. Advertisement will come into play when organizing. What types of advertisements to use will have to be decided upon. Billboards, TV commercials, newspaper inserts, English/Spanish, or even flyers may be considered. There are also sales papers in every entrance of every store for customers to look through as they shop. The set-up of the store also falls under organizing, figuring out the layout of items and additional services like urgent care centers or nail spas. Directing and Controlling of an organization will depend mostly upon management. Policies will be set on ways to encourage, motivate, and train employees. According to the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, â€Å"Organizations need to make cultures that allow workers from various fields to succeed.† An organization needs to have policies in place that provide opportunity for everyone to improve. Targeting customers from different ethnicities and age are important as well as offering an array of product, designating adequate handicap parking spots, shopping carts, and motorized scooters. Customer surveys and employee job performance reviews are also a part of Controlling. The ethics function will focus on the moral principles that govern a group’s behavior. Initially during planning, a company may be sure that items not appropriate for children are locked away, such as explicit CD’s or weapons. When organizing, customers are more likely to shop at a store where the staff is courtesy, kind, respectful, and helpful. The Directing and Controlling functions are monitored more so by management to ensure that policies are adhered to, and tracked for compliance. Excellent customer service will be a focus because happy and satisfied customers are return customers. Although as consumers, this is an area that many stores are losing their focus on. In Business Ethics: The Law of Rules, the author states â€Å"Rules have the greatest impact when they cause people to behave differently than they would have behaved in the absence of the rule.† This would mean that if there is a policy in place for monetary incentives for the employee with the most customer service nominations, and more employees are trying to obtain the incentive, the â€Å"great impact† will be that more employees are exuding excellent customer service and more often. Though there are many other stores that offer the same items as Wal-Mart such as Target, K-Mart, Sams, owned by the same person. Customers like Wal-mart better because of the great prices and can do more at this one location; they can at the other similar stores. In conclusion, Wal-Mart is still the leading organizational business to this day, mixing the good with the bad situations that come about. There are many internal and external factors that affect Wal-Mart, globally, technically, and ethically. Diversity and innovation also play roles in leadership and management. The reason I have chosen Wal-Mart as my topic for this assignment is that it is a great organization to research and discuss because of its popularity. Most of the family shopping is done at the local Wal-Mart. Clothing, Groceries, household items, pet supplies, and even my oil changes on the family car are done at Wal-Mart. After doing research I realized the effect that legal issues, ethics, and corporate social responsibility have on management planning. These are the reasons Wal-Mart has been at the top of the list for the fortune and global 500 for years. REFERNCES Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory: Oct2010, vol. 20 Issue 4 p 867-886, 20p Authors: Pitts, David W Heckling, Alisa Hawes, Daniel Melton, Erin Business Ethics: The Law of Rules Ã…  Ã„ eulovs, D., Gaile-Sarkane, E. (2011). E-MARKETING FOR A COMPANY: EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL INFLUENCE. Economics Management, 16947-953.

Professional Sports - Athletes do Not Deserve What they are Paid :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Professional Athletes do Not Deserve What the Earn Wouldn't it be great to make 31.3 million dollars a year and an additional 47 million dollars in endorsements simply to play a game? Michael Jordan, along with many other professional athletes thinks so. In the 1996 season, playing 3,106 minutes Michael Jordan made 170,000 dollars a day, equaling out to be 160.97 dollars a second. Even more unbelievable are Mike Tyson's earnings in his match with Peter McNeeley. In a single second, he made 281,000 dollars ("Professional AthletesÉ"). Do these athletes really deserve all that money? "Professional athletes are making too much money in a society where salaries and wages are traditionally based on the value of ones work" ("Professional AthletesÉ"). In today's society, one will be paid more if their job is more economically important. However, teaching is one of the most economically important occupations because our future economy relies on the education of its youth, yet teachers are paid much less than the average professional athlete. The U.S President makes decisions that affect our economy and yet he only makes 250,000 dollars a year (Turner). Professional athletes do not play near as vital role in the economy as the president, but their salaries reflect otherwise. These games are supposed to be played for fun, not for millions of dollars. Opponents of this view say payment is being received for a service, therefore professional sports are a business. Many people believe athletes are being paid for little work, but in fact they work harder than any one else. Not only do they work during their particular season; they also work in the off season. Most professional athletes train on their own striving to become better. They also attend miniature camps and their seasonal training camps. These athletes work year round to earn their high salaries. Making it into the pros isn't an easy thing to do. It takes a tremendous number of hours of hard work and dedication every day to earn a job in professional sports. These athletes sometimes go through life threatening injuries for the love of the game. Considering this, one might think that these athletes do it for the love of the game not for the money. According to Gerald Sim, "The odds are higher for someone to become a brain surgeon than a NBA player, so isn't it more logical that the professional athlete get paid more than a brain surgeon?