Yudhisthira’s Wisdom

While running after a deer in the forest. the pandava brothers became thirsty. It was hot and they were tired. Then yudhlsthlra sent sahadev, one of his brothers to look for water. When he did not return, he sends the other three brothers one at a time. When none of them returned he himself went to look for them. He saw them lying on the ground near a pool. They were either dead or unconscious. Yudhlsthlra did not no that they had ignored a yakshya's warning not to drink the water of his pool until hey answer his questions.Although Yudhisthira was very thirsty, he obeyed the yakshya and answers all his quesuons correctly. The Yakshya was pleased with hlrn ready to revive (bring back to life) one of his brothers. Then Yudhisthira chose Nakula on the moral ground. Pleased with Yudhisthira's righteousness, the Yakshya showed himself as Yama, and revived the entire tour brother. He then advised them to go to Matcha and also promised to help them when they were in danger.This story may be trying to tell us some thing about the Importance of patience, obedience to god's wisdom and right conduct. Without these qualities, the pandava brothers would not have become successful. This story can also be Interpreted to mean that righteousness make us feel good here on earth. In other word good actions are immediately rewarded. CRITICAL THINKING An atheist may ask a lot of quesuons about this beautiful story. Do gods really exist? If they exist what is the proof for their existence? Is righteousness always rewarded?Arent the good people ever in trouble? In spite of such questions, the answer given by Yudhlsthlra Is very simple. I am very much satisfied with the answers to the questions. â€Å"what can a man give up and immediately become rich? † â€Å"it is desire. † If we have no desire we can really be happy. ASSIMILATION This tale has influence me very much. All the answers are Yudhisthira are simple but very powerful. If we follow his wisdom we can make our life successful. I also knew that the value of wisdom and patience. We should be as patience.

What Are the Intended Effects of the Opening of Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ and How Effective Are They?

Ridley Scott's ‘Gladiator' was released in 2000 and won five Oscars (Academy Awards); including â€Å"Best Film,† â€Å"Best Visual Effects† and â€Å"Best Director.† Scott cast some well known actors such as Russel Crowe and Richard Harris. Some reports suggest it cost an amazing à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½145 million. The casting of Crowe as Maximus was significant because he is able to portray a very well built, physically strong, battle-hardened leader. The character of Maximus contrasts with the casting of Harris as the ageing Emperor with his gaunt and tired looking features. From the very outset of the film, the director employs a sepia effect coupled with a dark, overcast almost monochrome effect. These combine to give the impression of imminent tragedy as well as conveying that the events are set in the distant past. The director has even asked the production companies ‘Universal' and ‘DreamWorks' to make their logos' sepia to show continuity. The historical information provided helps the audience to place the film in a historical context. The use of old Roman font for the text further reinforces the context and genre. The information is factual, gives names and information of real people. It is clear that this is going a historical, action film but with a central theme about power, control and one man's fight for his freedom from the killing and slaughter. The first shot is an extreme close up, when you would normally expect an extreme long shot to see the scene. The extreme close up is focusing on the actor's hand floating through the grass. The slow quiet music helps to make the shot dreamlike. The main character seems calm because he is stroking the grass and he is wearing a wedding ring to show he is a family man. After the slow close up shot the director shows the character alone on the battlefield which makes the previous scene a definite dream. To establish that it was a dream the director jumps from a slow calm shot to a medium close up on the character in a more dark and gloomy shot. The character's armour and wolf-skin shows that he is an important man. The cut to a robin (a bird usually seen in winter) with a dark background tells the audience that it is winter. After seeing the robin a small smile fights its way on to his face, which shows he is not just a gory, ruthless fighter and that he does have a gentle side. The extreme long shot is good to set the scene of the battlefield, which is a dark and gloomy forest. The name of the location ‘Germania' is Roman for Germany, by using the Roman language it helps to establish the fact that it is an old, Roman film. This shot is more dramatic because it contrasts heavily with the previous dreamlike shot of the hand floating through a calm cornfield. The slow music (adagio) starts off the extreme long shot making the atmosphere calm and gentle, it also makes it ominous because the adagio music is playing in the battlefield shot. When the shot begins to zoom in the music becomes more lively and action packed just as the army starts coming into view so you know that they are going to war. The music includes trumpets and a few drums which makes the shot more martial. The sudden change in atmosphere and music starts to build up the tension and expectation that a great deal of action is imminent. As the shot moves to Marcus Aurelius, the audience can see that he is an important character. He is wearing gold along with a purple cape. The purple cape shows he is royalty because to make the colour purple a tiny sea creature called a Murex Mollusc was required. This creature was very rare and large quantities were required to make a small amount of dye. Therefore, purple garments were highly prized status symbols. Whilst zooming inward the camera shot used is a low angle which makes Marcus Aurelius seem very high on his horse. He is also just watching the war not doing anything and he has got a stern looking bodyguard. The director emphasises General Maximus' authority by using a medium close up as he walks along all of his troops. Everyone is focused on him; they move out of the way, bow down and are always calling him sir to show complete respect. The costume he wears defines his authority, he wears more armour than the rest of his army and he is also wearing wolf-skin. The director stresses Maximus' authority and respect by making his word final, the director shows this in the following quote, â€Å"The range is good† this is the sentence where Maximus cuts off the other soldier, also â€Å"†¦is acceptable†, then, â€Å"agreed†, Maximus speaks in a very low, quiet, considered tone of voice but the soldiers still listen with no question which shows their respect for him. In the pre-battle motivational speech to his men, Maximus uses the type of language that his men can understand to encourage and motivate them. â€Å"Three weeks from now I will be harvesting my crops. Think were you want to be and it will be so.† Here he is making them think positive about the future and set a goal for themselves. He then jokes that if they find themselves all alone they are already in Elysium (Roman afterlife). But then he uses a phrase that seems quite out of character for a tough, brutal general of an aggressive, imperial Roman army, â€Å"What we do in life echoes in eternity.† This line instantly marks out Maximus as having a spiritual and sentimental aspect to his character. There are many differences between the Romans and the German Tribesmen, for instance when Maximus is giving his speech all of his troops are in formation quietly listening and fully concentrating, by contrast the German Tribesmen are shouting and not giving any attention. The fighting style of the Romans is orderly, synchronised and they are in a perfect battle formation, the Tribesmen are in disorganised running around like a rabble. The Romans are equipped with matching armour and similar weapons whilst the Tribesmen have animal skins and rough individual weapons. The Romans appear to have a complete strategy and are disciplined, the Tribesmen just rely on their brute strength, and even their appearance is barbaric. The director helps to establish the difference between the two sides by taking the shots of each side one after the other. Toward the end of the battle the director employs a technique that seems completely unexpected. As the battle is raging, there is loud martial music with lots of trumpets, drums and war cries. However as the battle is coming to a conclusion and the Roman army is on the verge of victory, the director switches to slow motion shots and an adagio score. Instead of seeing triumphant Romans celebrating their victory and listening to triumphant music, the audience is left in a slightly confused state. It is almost as if the director is trying to communicate the futility of the death and destruction. As the last of the Germans are being slaughtered and fires are raging in the background the only human sound is the sound of heavy tired exhalation of breath, Even blood splattered, exhausted Maximus' triumphant cry, â€Å"Roma Victor!† and his soldiers' cheers are almost lost in the adagio. Then in a scene that seals the futility of war, the camera focuses a tired, old, weary Emperor as he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes in an expression that reveals his sad resignation that another battle has been won. At first glance, I just thought â€Å"Gladiator† was simply going to be a â€Å"blood and guts film,† But having watched it with greater attention, I believe it is a truly great film. Ridley Scott has carefully constructed an opening scene that brings out the futility of war and one mans struggle to be free. Scott had used many different effects such as; slow motion photography, quick change in atmosphere and an almost monochrome set with the orange of burning fires and sepia tones. The musical score has switched between triumphant martial music and a slow adagio hinting of imminent tragedy and sadness. Even the minimal dialogue between the characters complements the director's intended effect. Overall this is a magnificent opening scene.

TEFL study guide

Once you're facing 20 eager dents who've parted with their hard-earned cash hoping that you can change their lives, it's a little late for regrets. Get some training or do your own research but never walk Into a classroom completely unprepared. A little training is better than none at all. Being an unqualified teacher Most language schools belong to professional bodies, which set criteria for teaching staff so that there's a level of quality control. This means that usually you can't find paid work in an English-speaking country without a willingness teaching qualification.However, there are exceptions to this If the school runs Its own training aerogramme for would-be teachers. Charitable and state-run organizations with volunteer programmed sometimes welcome people willing to share their knowledge with others and you get some teaching experience in return. Chapter 3: Examining Courses, Qualifications and Jobs 33 If a school trains staff to use its own teaching methods, you've a bet ter chance of finding work with them without a teaching qualification. Big chains like Calla and Burlier employ staff in this way, depending on the location.On the other hand, If you're traveling to a part of the world where there are few native English speakers In accidence, but the locals have some disposable income, you're more likely to be viewed as a great catch by schools and individual students looking for a tutor, despite your lack of qualifications and experience. Being a native speaker can be your USPS (unique selling point), but try not to be complacent. Many FEEL teachers have no training whatsoever but still manage to find work and develop their skills while In the Job.If you won't be relying on an Income from taster course is probably all you need. Various organizations offer weekend and short courses in TOEFL that give you a taste of what is involved in the Job and help you ecocide whether teaching is for you on a long-term basis. In the I-J, for example, Burlier (who m. Burlier. Com) won't employ a teacher who doesn't have a degree and teaching certificate. However, if you apply to one of their schools abroad, you may have the chance to prove yourself on their unpaid training course which lasts one to two weeks.Unfortunately, employers don't view all native speakers as equal. ELK, Australian and other accents from economically strong nations are viewed as high status and are more sought after. Students tend to mimic the pronunciation of their teachers and any have distinct preferences about the accent they want to acquire. Countries that use English as Just one of their national languages often bring influences from the other language (or languages) into the pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary of their particular variety of English.Some students find Asian and African varieties of English, for example, less desirable than those of the single-language nations. Whatever your accent, practice speaking clearly and accurately. When you start approa ching schools, project a professional attitude, a sense of humor and an interest in meeting and helping people. Once you find work, you need more than a great accent to get through the lessons. If a choice of work comes your way, teaching conversation lessons is your best bet for easing yourself into TOEFL.Teaching conversation is a little easier because you can concentrate on teaching less technical areas like fluency, vocabulary and pronunciation and avoid tricky grammar questions until you build up your experience. It's inadvisable to advertise yourself as merely a teacher of conversation lessons though, as this can limit your 34 Part l: Getting Started in TOEFL chances of finding work and you may find yourself feeling pigeonholed even after eve expanded your skills. It pays to brush up on your own grammar anyway and take an interest in how the English language works. Look at Chapter 15 for info on grammar. ) Think about when and why you say the things you do. Getting initiated I f you intend to teach for more than a few months, make a reasonable living at TOEFL, and give your students value for money, you really should invest in a TOEFL certificate course of 100 hours or more. Teachers at this level are officially called TOEFL initiated. Most FEEL teachers remain at this level as this is what the majority of employers squire from Job applicants. Before enrolling on a certificate course, consider who you want to teach and where.Each country has its own standards and preferences, so failing to meet the criteria for visa applications and the standards set by local employers hampers your chances of finding work. The I-J TOEFL market is a prime example. The two strands of English course providers are the private sector and the public sector: Private sector: The more established private language schools tend to be accredited by the British Council who expect FEEL teachers to be graduates (in any lied) and to hold the CELT (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) or qualifications.Other qualifications are technically acceptable but school managers have to Jump through hoops to convince inspectors that their teachers are worthy if they don't meet the British Council's standard for FEEL teaching qualifications or if their qualifications are not so well known. As a result they usually avoid hiring anyone who doesn't fit the profile or may cause them extra work. Public sector: On the other hand, in the public sector, schools and colleges have to meet ever changing government standards.So these days, all new teachers have to take a ‘Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector' qualification. Unfortunately, one certificate alone won't easily grant you entry into both sectors. The point being that, if you know where, who and how you want to teach, you can do your research and select the right course. Look at TOEFL Job ads specific to the country you intend to work in and even call or email a few employers to find what exact ly they are looking for. If you need a work permit before you can work as a teacher in your chosen destination, check whether you qualify for one.If not, you may have to put in bit Chapter 3: Examining Courses, Qualifications and Jobs 35 more planning, otherwise you'll find yourself dependent on dodgy operators who run courses with poor facilities and ridiculously low pay. Find out too if the schools there have a strong preference for one qualification over another. Becoming a qualified teacher A fully qualified FEEL teacher is someone who has a diploma in TOEFL and has at least two years' full-time experience in teaching FEEL. The best-known diplomas are the Cambridge DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults) and Trinity Dippiest (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers ofOther Languages). You may also have a master's degree in LET or a similar field (such as Applied Linguistics) in addition to teaching experience. These qualifications are for people who want to make p rogress in their career and apply for managerial positions such as Director of Studies. You need a qualification like this if you're interested in training roles too. The good news is that all these positions attract higher pay and even if you're teaching the same courses as your less qualified colleagues, you're likely to have a better hourly rate than them.Diploma and master's-level courses are not for the faint hearted. You need to get thorough experience in TOEFL before considering a qualification at this level. Getting on Course After you decide that some form of training is in order, you need to find the right course. Doing a training course abroad may be cheaper than doing one at home. Entering introductory courses Various organizations offer weekend courses of about 20 hours that introduce you to TOEFL. Courses aren't accredited by any of the best-known bodies, so word of mouth is an important indicator of quality.Even though the certificate may have an accreditation stamp, it may be from an organization most employers haven't heard of. So it's worth finding out about the tutors' qualifications and experience and of what the course consists before parting with your cash. In most cases, courses have a minimum age requirement of 17 or 18. To be honest, you need to have an A-level standard education or similar to get your head around it all, but more importantly, you should have the confidence to manage people, which is something teenagers may struggle with unless they restrict themselves to teaching small children.There's no upper age limit, but once again, the pace is rather hectic on these courses. Be honest with yourself as you need to be the kind of person who can absorb knowledge quickly and put it into practice to get the most benefit out of these TOEFL weekend programmed. Trainees sometimes underestimate what is required of them and end up a little discouraged. So be warned. Weekend courses are fast and furious! If you're not a native speaker, you usually need to show that you've achieved an advanced level of English by passing an exam such as LILTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum band score of 7.However, even if you're a dative speaker, your grammar should be of a reasonably high standard or else you can find yourself doubting your English and losing the confidence of your students. You should know that your English is correct even if you cannot explain why yet. What you can do with this certificate A certificate from a weekend course tells employers that you're responsible enough to undergo basic training before applying for a Job. It doesn't mean that you're now a qualified FEEL teacher, regardless of what the advertisement says.In fact, after a training weekend, you're likely to feel a lot more enthusiastic and aware of what the job entails. You won't feel ready to go anywhere and teach anyone but at least you know a bit more about how to put a lesson together and the kind of the informatio n students need. View the course as a taster and tell employers that you're keen to develop your skills on the Job. What the course covers A weekend TOEFL course follows similar lines as a full TOEFL certificate because it touches on most of the same course components but in a very brief way.A weekend course should include: Basic grammar: There's far too much grammar in the English language to teach everything in such a short time, but the course should make you aware of different menses (you may think that there's a past, present and future tense and that's it, but believe me, the truth is a little more complicated). You usually touch on the different kinds of words you use in a sentence too – nouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives.Chapter 3: Examining Courses, Qualifications and Jobs 37 Classroom techniques and activities: Very often the tutor treats you as though you're a foreign student and shows you how to handle warm-up activities and pair or group work in the classroom. Lesson planning: You should learn one of the different formats for planning a Essen so that you know in which order to do things and how to make your lessons fun and effective. An opportunity to practice teaching: You teach a mini lesson or part of a lesson to volunteer students or to your fellow trainees.The maximum class size should be about 20; a tutor can't effectively teach more than How much it costs A weekend course should be a lot cheaper (about 25 per cent of the cost) of a full certificate in a school, but don't forget to factor in the cost of accommodation and travel too. In the I-J courses cost approximately IEEE for 20 hours training. I- to- I (www. I-to-I. Mom) has been offering weekend TOEFL courses in the I-J, USA, Ireland, Canada and Australia for several years. Signing up for a certificate course TOEFL certificate courses come in a variety of packages these days.You can do intensive or part-time courses or complete a distance course online or by post. You have to b e at least 18 years old to do a TOEFL certificate in most cases, which is practical as you'll be managing people in your classroom. There's no upper age limit. Course providers generally prefer to take students with degrees or a good standard of education (good enough to go to university). Don't despair if you don't have any aroma qualifications though. It's worth speaking to the school or college in person. If it's satisfied that you have a good head on your shoulders and a respectable level of English, it may well accept you.Applicants with teaching experience are also favored. Most schools ask you to take a test to prove how good your English is, so inform the school beforehand if you have a learning difficulty that affects your writing. If you're a nonnative speaker, schools expect you to have an exam pass at advanced level in English as well. 38 part l: Getting started in TOEFL Intensive TOEFL courses last four or five weeks. Don't try to keep up your part-time Job or even your favorite TV show because every waking moment is filled with lesson plans and projects. However, this type of course is a great way to Jump in and get started.If that sounds a bit too much for you, plenty of courses are spread over three months or even a year, enabling you to attend sessions in the evenings and at weekends, so you can fit it in around your Job. In any case, you need over 100 hours of tuition, plus feedback and homework time to gain your certificate. With a bachelor or master's degree in any field and an FEEL teaching certificate you're eligible to apply for the majority of vacancies. To be honest, many university graduates have no idea what to do in a classroom so some employers bypass your level of education if you've managed to prove yourself and passed a certificate course.What the course covers The overall aim of certificate courses is to provide initial training for people who want to teach English to speakers of other languages and to make sure that they meet the criteria for teaching by demonstrating English usage accurately, by giving well balanced lessons and by evaluating their lessons. Objectives for the course usually include familiarizing trainees with all those areas that go into English language teaching – methodology, classroom procedures, techniques and aids, language awareness and testing.You have the opportunity to teach and to find out how to To help trainees learn about the main pronunciation, vocabulary and structural features of current English. To raise awareness of the learning needs of individuals or groups of learners and of the motivation they have in a variety of circumstances and environments. To make sure that trainees can work cooperatively as members of a teaching team or group. / To help trainees develop the ability to create and maintain the learners' interest and establish rapport.Chapter 3: Examining Courses, Qualifications and Jobs 39 To make sure that trainees can plan lessons with clear and achiev able aims using methods appropriate to the learners' levels of achievement and age. To give trainees basic classroom management skills and the ability to provide relevant activities. To make sure that trainees are able to use and adapt published teaching material and create their own basic teaching material. To highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of various language teaching approaches. To ensure that trainees can continue their development in TOEFL after completing the course.Before you start, the course provider sends you an FEEL reading list and often asks you to complete a work book that provides an introduction to three important areas of the course. One is the unknown language section, the second is a grammar section and the third section is about how to teach. Some courses include lessons in a foreign language so that you understand how the students in your class feel. Through these lessons you can gain the dual perspective of both a teacher and a student and expe rience various teaching techniques.You produce a project based on these lessons near the end of the course. Teaching practice is an essential part of the course so expect real live students to volunteer to take part in your lesson. You also have the opportunity to see various other experienced teachers at work and your tutor gives you continual advice, feedback and support. Courses with a learner profile project give you the opportunity to get to know one FEEL student a bit better and analyses their language skills in depth. For the project, you usually conduct an interview with the student and record it.In addition you set them a written task so that you can write about their strengths and weaknesses and discuss ways in which you would help them through FEEL lessons. You may teach one lesson with the student in which you address one of that student's weak points. A materials project is designed to help you use and adapt basic materials, such as a photograph, in the classroom. You'r e asked to show how to use the same set of materials with students of different levels and abilities. At the end of the course there's often a test on grammar and phonology (pronunciation). 40 Part l: Getting Started in TOEFLSpeak to local schools and colleges about their teacher training programmed. CELT and Trinity Creosotes are the most widely accepted certificates for the private sector check whether your university runs TOEFL courses in the summer. The average cost of the CELT and the Trinity Creosotes is II,OHO. You may need to consider accommodation and travel costs too if no course provider exists where you live. Keeping your distance Distance learning courses never share the same high profile as taught courses because they don't let you experience teaching practice, but they have their own advantages.Many people find it easier to fit the course into their normal lives by studying in this way. You can go at your own pace – and distance courses are a lot cheaper. On th e other hand, you may never meet a student until you're teaching a class yourself and your tutor can only offer feedback on your written work not your actual performance. So distance learning has a few disadvantages too. Many people who already have a suitable teaching qualification, such as a PACE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education), but have no experience in FEEL choose to take a distance course because the certificate itself is not as important for them.The skills to do with presentation, classroom management and lesson planning are transferable, so with this kind of course it's easier for the teacher to choose which areas to spend more time on. Overseas employers appreciate the fact that you've taken the trouble to study and get yourself a certificate, and this tends to carry more weight than the actual certificate itself. This is because the organizations offering distance courses aren't as well known as CELT or Trinity, which provide taught courses. This area of the market has far less quality control than taught courses.However, the College of Teachers is one body which accredits distance TESTS (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) courses as does ACTED, which is specifically for distance courses in TESTS. Courses accredited by these bodies offer a reasonable standard of professionalism and someone to talk to if the course or course provider falls seriously below your expectations. Chapter 3: Examining Courses, Qualifications and Jobs 41 Most distance certificate courses run along the same lines as taught courses (see information in the preceding ‘Signing up for a certificate course').

Hardware and Software Selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hardware and Software Selection - Essay Example This meant making sure there were no errors. First there was a trial balance. It was a way of ensuring the values at the end of the period were equal. This was called debits equal credits. The next step was to proceed with what saw called closing of the books. This process made it possible to create two main documents. First was the income statement the income statement told if the business made money or lost money was referred to as the processing cycle. Computer Technology Next came the impact of computer information systems. It became necessary to introduce a new concept. The new concept is called modules. The computer made it possible to avoid errors in the transfer process between cycles. Today, many systems move the information immediately and automatically from recording to impact on the reporting result. The computer system is made up of five parts (O’Leary T.J. and L.L 2006).(1)People (2)procedures (3)Software (4)hardware (5)data. It is now possible for people to work in different segments of the accounting documentation because of the functional modules introduced. Some modules can be invoicing, accounts receivable accounts payable payroll general ledger. The type of business determines the level of complexity. The emphasis here will have to be on people. We must consider who will be operating it and who will be using the output information. Next we turn to the software.

Global Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Global Supply Chain Management - Essay Example Mollenkopf, et al. (2010) has discussed on the concept of the sustainable supply chain management system. The synchronization process of green, lean and global supply chain management processes have been discussed in the article. All the other journals have provided the different approaches of the supply chain management process. However, Mollenkopf, et al. has depicted a new concept that can maintain the ecological balances. The author has mentioned that, by reducing the carbon emissions and utilizing the natural gasses, the companies can progress towards the sustainable business practices. The author has also added that in order to deal with the competition of the global market, the companies are required to manage the supply chain processes effectively. The report highlights on the major issues of the supply chain management system. The issues such as inventory management, better networking, outsourcing etc. have been identified as the major challenges of the supply chain managers of the global firms. The report also concluded that sustainable business practices are the major concern for most of the global firms at present time. The discussions of the articles have also found that most of the companies have been focusing on collaborating the stages of the supply chain management system. Moreover, the authors have also stressed on TQM as a process of ensuring the quality parameter. Managing sustainable supply chain practices and the operational cost can be considered difficult tasks for the global managers.

Medicare, Medicaid, and the Delivery System Case Study

Medicare, Medicaid, and the Delivery System - Case Study Example All these approaches have incentives that seem to motivate a certain trend (Guterman, Davis, Schoenbaum & Shih, w238). However, of the above three, the fee-for-service is the traditional one. The capitation approach is up-to-date and is meant to be a step up concerning creating better incentives for preventive care, efficiency, and cost control in health care. Under this payment system, a hospital, a physician, or a medical group receives a given flat fee per month for caring for a patient registered in a managed health care plan, despite the cost of the patient’s care. In the global capitation mode, whole networks of physicians and hospitals band in unison to obtain single fixed per-month payments for registered health plan individuals. The providers sign one contract with a health plan covering the care group signatories, and then they must establish a way of dividing the capitated check among the members. Flexibility in shared savings symbolizes a major feature of the proposed Medicare ACO rule. As such, even though ACOs will be reimbursed by fee-for-services, CMS are also scheduled to come up with benchmarks designed towards every individual ACO. In case the ACO exceeds its specified standard in Medicare cost savings, it definitely qualifies for shared savings. However, it will as well be held accountable for any incurred losses for failing to meet the set benchmarks. In addition, CMS has proposed creating a minimum sharing rate meant to account for normal differences in expenditure that could determine whether ACO reaches or goes beyond its benchmark (Guterman, Davis, Schoenbaum & Shih, w250). In the proposed rules, CMS has set forth two tracks for ACO reimbursement models. Here, ACOs will be asked to serve at least five thousand Medicare beneficiaries for a period of 3years. This new rule gives ACO an opportunity to follow a one-sided risk approach, where only

Professional Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Professional Development - Essay Example The first step in the strategic plan is to secure membership as a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), a world renowned organization dedicated to advancing knowledge of human resources, providing literature on managing people using contemporary leadership philosophy, and serving as an HR advocate for legal issues in business and coordinating efforts of HR policy makers (SHRM, 2013). As a student, this membership is only $35 annually, with the expenditure allowing the student to access modern HR research studies and having the ability to network with other international and domestic human resources leaders and practitioners. Through this networking, I will be able to exchange ideas and interact with reputable and competent HR professionals who will provide the knowledge necessary to become a more progressive HR leader and also stay up-to-date on advances in HR practice versus theory. Once securing the aforementioned membership with SHRM, I will begin reviewing qualitative and quantitative research data regarding how to properly motivate teams, build their long-term loyalty, and establish cohesive teams devoted to achieving strategic goals.

The Federal Reserve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

The Federal Reserve - Essay Example Therefore, in pursuing these functions Fed aim to stabilize prices and attain maximum employment. The Federal Reserve tightened it policy after the country suffered from a 2008-2010 financial crisis. Moreover, the bank increased regulations in the financial sector to check on bank lending behavior that caused the housing bubble to burst. These measures have achieved tremendously as indicated in the recent Beige Book. The economy at a national level is growing, and this shows that the country is on the path out of the financial crisis. The Board says that consumer confidence has increased, and business buoyancy is rising too. The Beige Book (2013) reported that the national economic conditions have expanded during the month of September to October. All the twelve Federal Districts had similar rates of growth, though some like Richmond, Philadelphia, Kansas and Chicago showed slowed growth rate as compared to earlier reports. Moreover, the Districts were optimistic of growth in future economics behaviors, but they also feared uncertainty as a result of increased debate on the debt ceiling and government shutdown. The country has increased consumer spending and people are travelling more in all most all the districts. Furthermore, tourism has also increased, and businesses are now growing. This can be attributed to increased payrolls in many Districts. The Fed reports that there is increased demand for manufacturing activities and nonfinancial services. Residential construction has resumed, and it is increasing pace by pace. The lending rate has remained modest, and there was little change in the financial balances. The agricultural sector has been affected, and most districts reported that drought impacted the sector. The energy sector has expanded, but there has been reduced production of coal. Therefore, the overall price condition and wage was stable and without pressure (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2013). Economic Indicators That Guide I n Stabilizing the Economy Economic indicators are voluminous statistics of the economic conditions that are used by the government in measuring and evaluating the growth of the economy. There are many economic indicators and each function differently from the other. Some indicators have short term effects on the economy while others have short term and long term effects. These indicators include real gross domestic product, money supply, consumer price index, consumer confidence, employment rate and housing starts. Real GDP help the Federal Reserve to know how it will utilize monetary policies to the changes in the economic conditions. Its shows the market cost of a countries goods market produced at the current period. Real GDP shows the country’s wealth by demonstrating the returns on capital and the growth of profit in businesses and service industries. Real GDP, therefore, measures the well being of a country economic activity. Consequently, Fed must use tight monetary po licies to ensure that the interest rate is not below the set target of 2%. Low interest rates render the Federal Reserve policies ineffective in controlling the money supply (Labonte, 2013). Employment is the other economic indicator the Federal Reserve ought to address to maintain the path of economic growth. The employments statistics are derived from the payrolls, retail trade, construction and manufacturing and are used in determining the level of unemployment and the well being of the country. Increase in wages enhances

The Role of Non-State Actors in World Politics Essay

The Role of Non-State Actors in World Politics - Essay Example However, since most of the international organizations fall under non-state actors, they can not be ignored due to their contributions to the world politics (Jeffrey 1997). Based on the contributions of non-state actors in the world of politics, pluralists approach the study of international relations differently and extend their views of both actors and non-actors role on dynamics of economic interests (Taylor 1984). However, structuralists view the role of non-state actors as driven by individuals with economic interests who use their resources to influence policymaking. Pluralists view on the role of nonstate actors in the world of politics By most and different accounts, non-state actors play a major role in the international policy-making (Arfi 2005). They broadly deal with global politics and specific country issues. If this assertion is something to go by, it can, therefore, be argued that currently, the independent behavior of state actors is becoming additionally limited bec ause of the compulsion to international agreements and institutions (Taylor 1984). One of the major problems associated with the study of non-state actors in the international relations is lack of logical approach on their contribution to the world of politics (Jeffrey 1997). ... Â  the world of politics and that security is not the only main issue to consider while dealing with politics and that non-actors help improve cooperation among states. According to pluralists, non-actors are not powerful actors to control states but rather enhance relations between states (Arfi 2005).

Bruno - Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essay Example for Free

Bruno Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essay TALKATIVE Bruno is portrayed as talkative in the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas because when he went exploring he found a boy, named Shmuel on the other side of the fence he was not afraid to not only talk to him but, to have a bit of a conversation with Shmuel, although he had never met this boy before. Here is some of the conversation the two young boys carried on the first time they had met: â€Å"Hello,† said Bruno. â€Å"Hello,† said the boy. â€Å"I’ve been exploring,† he said. â€Å"Have you?† said the little boy. â€Å"Yes. For almost two hours now.† â€Å"Have you found anything?† asked the boy. â€Å"Very little.† â€Å"Nothing at all?† â€Å"Well, I found you,† said Bruno after a moment (page 106-107). CREATIVE Bruno is described as creative in this novel because when he let it slip to his sister that because of the rain he hadn’t been able to go and see Shmuel for a few days he was quickly able to make up an excuse that Shmuel was his imaginative friend: â€Å"I have a new friend,† he began. â€Å"A new friend that I go see everyday. And he’ll be waiting for me by now. But you cant tell anyone.† â€Å"Why Not?† â€Å"Because he’s an imaginary friend,† said Bruno trying his best to look embarrassed, just like Lieutenant Kotler had when he had became trapped in his story about his father in Switzerland. â€Å"We play together everyday† (page 155) CURIOUS In this novel Bruno is showed as curious because he loves to explore even though it is off limits at the new house, ‘Out-With’, Here is an example of a time when Bruno went exploring: ‘Before heading of in that direction, though, there was one final thing to investigate and that was the bench. All of these months he’d been looking at it and staring at the plaque from a distance and calling it ‘the bench with the plaque’, but he still had no idea what it said. Looking left and right to make sure that no one was coming, he ran over to it and squinted as he read the words. It was only a small bronze plaque and Bruno read it quietly to himself. ‘Presented on the occasion of the opening of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. ‘Out-With Camp,’ he continued, stumbling over the name as usual. ‘June nineteen forty’ (page102). CARING Bruno is defined as caring throughout the book because he doesn’t recognize the various barriers presented, between him and Shmuel, Bruno is also very caring as he treats Shmuel as an equal unlike the soilder’s and many people around him. ‘Perhaps you can come to dinner with us one evening,’ said Bruno, although he wasn’t sure it was a very good idea. ‘Perhaps,’ said Shmuel, although he didn’t sound convinced. ‘Or I could come to you,’ said Bruno. ‘Perhaps I could come and meet your friends,’ he added hopefully (page 132). This specific reference from the novel shows two different barriers between Shmuel and Bruno, one being the fence between them and the other being the families when they go to supper together.

Mona Lisa By Leonardo Da Vinci English Literature Essay

Mona Lisa By Leonardo Da Vinci English Literature Essay This essay is devoted to a masterpiece by the hand of one of the greatest artist this world has seen, The Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci. The intent is to address the story behind this painting, trying to unveil some of the mysteries that lie behind her smile or at least the reason of the commission to begin with. The artistic methods and especially the more specific description of the uniqueness of the Mona Lisa will be a focal point of the text. The portrait was painted in a theme, well known in the early sixteenth century, the differences however, both prominent and subtle; make this artwork, in the opinion of many, the Magnum Opus of Leonardo Da Vinci. My choice of subject lies in my personal encounter with her when visiting Paris, France. The expectations I had were of course very high, la piece du resistance of the Louvre must have something very special to offer. Still I told myself that the hype around this painting must have been more important in reaching her current status than the actual beauty of the painting. To my great astonishing I must confess that even from the distance visitors have to keep from the painting, she was amazing. It is difficult to imagine that such an ordinary portrait to the lay mans eye, can still captivate and inspire it. After about ten minutes of staring at the painting, being surrounded by Japanese tourists, I left inebriated with the Mona Lisa and finally understood the publicity surrounding her. Therefore I have written this essay. b) Context In first appearance it seems quite remarkable and perhaps even odd, that Leonardo Da Vinci did not want to work for the margravine of Mantua, even though he was allowed to choose the setting in which the portrait would take place, as well as the delivery date. Apparently Leonardo lived off of the savings he had transferred to his account in Florence before leaving Milan. He seemed to prefer the scientific studies that did not generate any income and which were frowned upon by the people who lived in his age. In the light of this event it is even more remarkable that Leonardo decided to work per order of Francesco Del Giocondo (1460-1539) in the spring of 1503, to make a portrait of his wife Lisa Gherardini (1479-after 1551?). This portrait would later be known by the name of the Mona Lisa. The reason for this remarkable decision by Leonardo could be that he had a personal relationship with the Giocondo family. The family Giocondo belonged to the same social class as Leonardo and his father Ser Piero. Da Vinci knew people who had close relationships with Francesco Del Giocondo. Even more so, was the family-chapel of the Giocondo family located in the SS. Annunziata in Florence, the church for which Leonardo started with his cardboard with the Annaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The circumstances in which the Mona Lisa was created are relatively well known. Lisa del Giocondo was born in 1479 as the daughter of Antonmaria Gherardini and was married on the fifth of march 1495to Francesco Del Giocondo, born in 1460 and a son of the prospering Florentine family of silk merchants. It is safe to assume that this man, in contradiction to the margavine of Matua, not ordered this painting in the spur of the moment if you will, but usually had clear motives to make such an investment. This also holds for the Mona Lisa. Francesco Del Giocondo had bought a new home for its young family, in the spring of 1503. Lisa had given birth to her second son Andrea only several months before that, this was considered a good reason to order a portrait in the Florence of the fifteenth and sixteenth century A.D., even more so because the birth of their son Andrea must have had a very important significance, since the child mortality rates were frighteningly high in that period. Lisa Gherardini was the third woman to be wedded to Francesco Del Giocondo, after the tragic deaths of both his first and second wife. Both losses were due to child birth, either during the delivery itself or shortly after. Lisa had given birth to their son Piero in 1496, and apparently she got through pregnancy and births relatively care free. The unfortunate event of losing a daughter during birth in 1499 caused a major blow to the Giocondo family. It is therefore understandable that Francesco had even more motivation to eternalize his spouse than the average well off business man, when taking his previous experiences into account that caused a lot of hardship. The peculiar fact of the matter is that the portrait actually never reached its destination, since several years later around 1510, Leonardo Da Vinci was no longer residing in the city of Firenze as the Italians call it. c) Content Leonardo based his formal composition of the portrait of Lisa Giocondo in first instance on the examples of Florentine portraits of the late fourteen hundreds. The woman is pictured turning her upper body for approximately two-third to the spectator. Another feature often recognizable for portraits of this region and period are the pillars between the back-country is visible which creates a greater sense of depth and distance; this however is not used by Leonardo Da Vinci in this particular painting. The figure portrayed in the Mona Lisa is positioned more to the front of the frame than Flemish examples of the same period. The smaller distance between the viewer and the woman portrayed creates an intensified impression, while the landscape on the background creates a large sense of depth, the lack of pillars or a window through which the spectator looks seems a daring decision of Leonardo, the result simply astonishing. Below an example illustrates the difference between a portrait of the same period and the different style that is recognizable in Da Vincis work. Rafaà «l Leonardo Da Vincihttp://www.timealone.com/webstuff/CWIA/the-women-thumbnails/raphael/files/blocks_image_4_1.pnghttp://bartoszweglarczyk.blox.pl/resource/monalisa.jpg Lady with a unicorn Mona Lisa 1504 1503 Mountains and canyons fade away as they get closer to the horizon into a blue-green sky. In the pale landscape there is a road on the left and a dried-up riverbed on the right can be detected once observing closely. The water reserve or lake on the left side of the painting, around the height of her chin does not seem to be connected to the riverbed, one would expect there to be some sort of dried up reserve on the upper right beyond the limits of the painting. The separate elements of the dry landscape can be traced back to the religious paintings often portraying the Virgin Mary, the similarities between those pieces of art and the Mona Lisa are striking in several ways, most likely intentional. It was common in for woman of good descent to be depicted as a virtuous and beautiful, what better way than to depict one in a similar matter as the most virtuous and beautiful of all. The positioning of the hands are a symbol of a virtuous and morally upright lifestyle, such as described i n books written in that period. This message hidden in the details by the artist does not end here: a very delicate veil covers the loosely draped hair; the dark dress is enriched by the embroideries and vertical folds in the fabric; the dark yellow colored sleeves have a light glistening quality makes it look more beautiful, these details enrich the delicate character of the painting, associated with the example of a virtues woman. The face and hands in particular are made more tangible by the use of lighting and shades, the light that shines from the back onto the woman makes her stand out even more. d) Artistic nature http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=4112dict=CALDtopic=the-visual-arts-in-general The first tread towards the disclosure of the artistic nature of the Mona Lisa, the careful analysis of the noun art should be conducted in order to elucidate the basis of the argumentation. The Cambridge dictionary defines art as The making of objects, images, etc. that are beautiful or that express feelings. The immediate hurdle one finds when analyzing this sentence is the fundamental question which is: what is beauty?Before stepping foot in this exceptionally complicated matter I will take into account a number of theories that have been formulated on the matter. Marie-Henri Beyle was a writer who lived in nineteenth century France, he is better known by his pseudonym Stendhal. The following translated quotation taken from his work De LAmour of 1822 gives an interesting take on the matter of beauty: Beauty is nothing other than the promise of happiness. The French original states: La beautà © nest que la promesse du Bonheur. (De LAmour, 1822, pg. 34) The context in which this sentence is placed is important in order to fully appreciate the message of Stendhal, for he mentions the differences in the standards different nationals have, concerning attractiveness of woman, therefore beauty. The words by Marie-Henri Beyle could make a person wonder whether a certain work of art indeed promises happiness of some kind, for instance the Mona Lisa. The fascination people have for this painting, mere observers and even her creator himself, shows the level of interest or even intoxication the painting has on people. If the human kind is constantly trying to improve its life, in other words; trying to find happiness, than the fascination so many people have for the Mona Lisa should be counted as evidence of her beauty. Therefore the sentence Beauty is nothing other than the promise of happiness seems applicable to the Mona Lisa. The Analysis of Beauty by William Hogarth draws different conclusions concerning beauty than Beyle; the scientific approach used by the former is especially significant, because it is the first scientific and empirical research on the subject of beauty. The subtitle describes the aim of the author With a view of fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste. William Hogarth used the picture portrayed below and asked his subjects to tell him which corset of one up to and including seven, they perceived as the most beautiful corset. Before conducting the research he states that he is sure that most of the subjects will choose one of the middle three corsets, his personal favorite is number four, the one in the middle. The reason he gives is that the numbers higher than four are too curved and the numbers lower are too rigid or straight. Similar questions are asked when using different examples such as noses and even table legs. The results show that indeed the middle option is chosen most often by his subjects, confirming his earlier belief. The reason why one chooses for the middle option, according to Hogarth, is that the most beautiful picture in all cases consists of light curved lines. These lines can be found in nature, for instance if one would take a ribbon and start from the back of a womans neck and end at the lowest part of the corset, the fabric would draw a light curved line. The more this perfect line is approached in curviness the more beautiful it becomes, the farther away from it she goes, the l ess beautiful it becomes. His theory as to why this phenomenon occurs is psychological; he believed that the human mind has developed in such a way that it likes variation. Human beings like change because it stimulates them, too much or too rapid change however is confusing and exhausting. As a reaction to this, people look for regularity as a form of relief, but too much uniformity becomes tiresome an obnoxious. That is the reason why most pleasant things both reward our longing for variation and our need for uniformity, the beauty is in the balance. The curved line drawn on the cover of his book is exactly that balance, according to Hogarth. The line that has the perfect variety, as portrayed above inside of the pyramid, has been implemented by me in order to see whether or not the Mona Lisa of Leonardo Da Vinci has the perfect curve that would explain the beauty of the painting, or vice versa; prove the painting to be beautiful according to Hogarth. The line starts at her right wrist, following the natural position f her arm. The slight curve starts a bit above her elbow and it straightens out, near the ending of her right breast, seeing as one follows the red line from bottom to top. The second curve is inspired by the shadow that the artist has added to her face, serving as a boundary if you will. The cheekbone is quite prominent at the left side of her face, therefore strengthening the motive to draw the line there. The last part simply follows the shape of her head, of course taking into account that her hair increases the volume quite a bit. http://www.cichw.net/monananch/analysish.JPG The making of objects, images, music, etc. that are beautiful or that express feelings, The activity of painting, drawing and making sculpture, Paintings, drawings and sculptures, An activity through which people express particular ideas. It might seem like an odd way of determining the artistic nature of a painting: using the formal definition of the word art as a starting point. Nevertheless, in order to establish a solid argumentation I find it of vital importance to use an unyielding basis to reflect on such an elusive subject. The painting of Lisa Giocondo is, by definition, art. The most important issue that needs to be addressed however is not whether or not this painting can be defined in such a way. This piece of art is such a global icon, for in some, perhaps indescribable manner, it inspires and captivates people. When one thinks of art, an image that is not unlikely to appear is that of this very woman, therefore the following bold statement could be made that: the Mona Lisa is not only a magnificent piece of art, or can be defined in such a way: it has defined art itself.

The Day I Decided I Didnt Want to be a Doctor :: Personal Narrative Medicine Papers

The Day I Decided I Didn't Want to be a Doctor We've got one unconscious 14-year old male, struck by a train. Breathing is labored and shallow. A weak carotid pulse is 42. BP is 80 over 60. Skin is cyanotic, moist, and clammy. Pupils are dilated and non-reactive. Multiple complicated injuries: broken ribs protruding through left side, tension pnuemothorax, distended abdomen with obvious internal bleeding, fractured humerus, and pelvis. Massive injuries to head and face: lacerated nose, fractured zyogos, fractured cranium with obvious ecchymosis around eyes, hemorrhaging and leaking cerebrospinal fluid from ears and cranium. Have the trauma team ready when we arrive. I chose to do my clinical on a Friday night because I wanted a big messy injury like the ones in our class videos; but so far it's been a rather uninteresting evening. The only injuries, a fractured arm, an avulsed finger, a lacerated chin, and, of course, herds of complaining geriatrics. Just my luck. Being enthusiastically bored with these trivial injuries, I stroll up to the central call-in desk and slump down on a wooden, three-legged stool and insipidly finger the plastic ID badge clipped to my front collar. WAIT, what is this. The trauma team has assembled and is impatiently waiting by the accordion glass door. Something big must have happened. Through the glass door, brightly flashing red and white lights ignite the emergency room. An ambulance has just arrived. The glass doors fold open and a sea of blue and teal scrubs frantically attacks the wheeled stretcher. This is it; this is the big one I've been waiting for. A spark of excitement shoots down my veins. Adrenaline jump- starts my heart and my mind is immediately racing. I launch from my stool and shuffle around the swarming sea of blue and teal. A blaring voice rattles off the patient's latest diagnosis: a 14-year old struck by a train. BP is 68 over 40, pulse is 34, broken ribs, tension pnuemo, fractured cranium . . . The stretcher is wheeled to an isolated back room. A boy's tattered body lay quiet and still. Two, latex-gloved male nurses grasp each end of the spine board on which the boy is strapped and lift it onto a rectangular, white padded bed. A football-sized pool of bright red blood remains on the white padded stretcher where the boy once lay. The small body, stripped of all clothing except for a small white towel covering his genitalia, is grotesquely deformed.

Matthew Hopkins - An English Witchfinder :: essays research papers

Matthew Hopkins - An English Witchfinder "Thou must not suffer a witch to live." This single phrase justified the death of thousands of victims throughout Europe and North America. Matthew Hopkins was an English witchfinder who was responsible for the ruthless persecution of scores of alleged witches during the witchcraft mania that swept parts of England under the Puritans. Born in c.1621 Hopkins was a son of a minister and raised in Essex, which had a long tradition persecuting witches. Hopkins studied law and had a variety of careers before he hit upon the idea of establishing his career as a witchfinder in the Essex parish of Manningtree and Mistley around 1644. It must be noted that his timing was brilliant. The Civil War was wreaking havoc on England and creating tension throughout Puritan society. Anyone who suggested a reason for the nation's trouble was going to get a hearing. Hopkins at the age of 24 made his first charge against a one-legged crone called Elizabeth Clarke, claiming she was a member of a coven in the Manningtree area. Clarke was arrested and questioned in Chelmsford. As a result of her "confessions" roughly 31 other women were brought before the Assizes, nineteen of whom were hanged. This was the beginning of Hopkins' "reign of terror." After adopting the self-styled title of Witchfinder-General Hopkins acquired two assistants, John Stearne and Mary Phillips, who searched for the "Devil's Mark" on the accused. Apparently obsessed by his mission to obtain confessions of witchcraft, the three began a tour of the eastern counties of England. To those who questioned his qualifications for such work, pointing out that he had never studied the subject, he replied that his expertise issued "from experience, which though it be meanly esteemed of, yet surest and safest way to judge by." Such was the demand of his services that he made an extraordinary profit from his work considering that the average daily wages of the time was as little as 2.5 pence. Hopkins charged 40 shillings for each investigation that he was asked to undertake and 9 pence for each witch he found. When the proceeding from a single town was over, the bill was usually between  £15 and  £23. In the space of little more than a year Hopkins brought over a hundred women, typically old, poor and unattractive, to the gallows in Essex alone. He extracted his confessions by various means such as `pricking', `swimming', and `watching and waking'.

Henry James The Turn of the Screw Essay -- Henry James Turn Screw Ess

Henry James' The Turn of the Screw Peter G. Beidler informs us that there have been â€Å"hundreds† of analyses of Henry James’ spine-tingling novella, The Turn of the Screw (189). Norman Macleod suggests that James himself seems to be â€Å"an author intent on establishing a text that cannot be interpreted in a definite way† (Qtd in Beidler 198). Yet, the vast majority of analyses of The Turn of the Screw seem to revolve around two sub-themes: the reality of the ghosts and the death of Miles both of which are used to answer the question of the governess’s mental stability: is she a hero or a deranged lunatic? As Beidler points out, â€Å"It is an amazingly fine creepy, scary, soul-shuddering ghost story or, alternatively, it is an amazingly fine psychological case study of a neurotic young woman† (189). These two views of the governess seem to dominate the analytical world in terms of readings, typically being one view or the other and seldom being anything else. Unfortunately, most of the myriad readings focus only on the visible events as related by the governess. However, there is much that we are not told but that is pertinent to an accurate reading. Bruce Fleming argues that what we are not told in The Turn of the Screw is as important as what we are told (135). Wolfgang Iser suggests that there are â€Å"gaps† or holes within the sequence of the text. He further suggests that it is the reader’s responsibility to fill-in those gaps (Qtd in Beidler 226). The facts â€Å"not in evidence† are equal in importance to the information laid out before us. What happens â€Å"off-screen† or â€Å"off-stage† is just as important as what happens in front of the audience. Much of what we do not see and are not told impacts what we do see and are told so g... ...Couldn't Say.† Studies in Short Fiction 26.2 (1989): 135-143. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. BYUI Lib. 25 Oct 2005. http://search.epnet.com/. Groome, David, and Nina Grant. "Retrieval-induced forgetting is inversely related to everyday cognitive failures." British Journal of Psychology 96.2 (2005): 313-319. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. BYUI Lib. 26 Oct 2005. http://search.epnet.com/. James, Henry. The Turn of the Screw. Peter G. Beidler. Boston: Bedford, 2004. Matheson, Terence J. "Did the Governess Smother Miles? A Note on James's The Turn of the Screw." Studies in Short Fiction 19.2 (1982): 172-175. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. BYUI Lib. 25 Oct 2005. http://search.epnet.com/. Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis. Educational Psychology: Developing Learners. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2004.

Existing television channels Essay

Distinctiveness and originality are always key in any aspect of the media, as it allows anything to be set apart from the rest, drawing the audiences attention towards it. However distinctiveness and originality are becoming a thing of the past as ideas are running thin. Constantly we are able to see similar or replicas of past programming on our screens, whether it be in reality television, soap storylines or big dramas. The BBC have always been known for is popular programming. In the early days of the BBC, they strived to follow a common trend of having an educational programme, follow an entertainment programme. However, as such programming scheduling has been scrapped, both educational programmes do appear in the scheduling. But the question is how original and distinctive are these programmes that the BBC are producing? Well firstly the BBC have publicly admitted that they will be reducing their amounts of repeats to below 10% in their programming schedule within the next 10 years. But will this help the BBC become more original and distinctive? In one sense it will, as the BBC have become well known for having constant repeats they will now have to think ip exciting ideas to fill the slots of the original repeats. However will the BBC crumble under the pressure and resort to common concepts and genres, such as reality and soaps? Well it seems not as the BBC have made a vow to bring the best original ideas to the screen, Saying that the channel will invent, refresh and discover new passions and interests. New educational programmes such as The Blue Planet and Son of God are among the line up. With The Blue Planet exploring the earths final frontier, from the deep to the shore, from pole to pole. It revealed new and extraordinary life and behaviour that had never before been captured on film. While Son on God used breakthroughs in archaeology, astronomy, forensic science and history to help viewers make up their own minds about the man who changed the world. There is said to be no crisis of orginality in British television – though there may be for ITV. Why is this? Well for one ITV has a very important and unique posistion as the only UK channel expected to deliver a mass audience to advertisers, day in day out. With this kind of pressure on their backs ITV have the most to prove with originality and distinctiveness in their programming. Numerous programmes have catered to these needs in recent years. For example the television revival of John Galsworty’s Forsyte novels The Forsyte Saga, and also The Jury, an innovative six parter starring Derek Jacobi and Antony Sher. However ITV is not required to cater specifically for non-mainstream tastes and interests, or to meet particular requirements for innovation, experimentation or distinctiveness. That is not to say that these characteristics will not appear in ITV’s programming. Channel 4 has always stood out, as in the beginning it was designed for minority groups. But today, Channel 4 still stands out with its range of programmes, and it is often said that distinctiveness, diversity and innovation are key requirements to Channel 4’s programming. Shows such as Green Wing, Touching the Void, Spitfire Ace, My Foetus and Supernanny demonstrate that these have been achieved in every part of the schedule and with significant public impact. Channel 4 proved its distinctiveness with programmes ranging from Shameless to Hamburg Cell to Sex Traffic. Channel for has continued and progressed in supplying original and quality programmes that challenge the veiwers opinions and personal veiws. Channel 4 continued to find new formats and reach new audiences with Musicality, Cheating At Athens – Is It Worth It? , Bollywood Star, The Great British Asian Invasion and Time Team’s Big Dig. Overall i feel that originality and distinctiveness has great importance of the ever changing television market, as it sets each channel apart form one another. Also it allows us all to see the potential that these channels have and what they could do when they enter the digital age after the analogue switch off. With this originality and distinctiveness, will the Big 5 be able to compete in the digital age with numerous other channels pinning for the maximum audience share? Yes, i feel they will as they will have a step up on the other channels with their programming. However i feel that this will only happen if the Big 5 continue and improve their originality and distinctiveness in programming, instead of settling for a common concept.

Which Country Would I Love to Visit?

If I had a chance to visit a foreign country, I would not hesitate to choose South Korea. The main reason why I would choose Korea as my destination is that I want to visit Seoul and Jeju Island. Seoul, the capital of the South Korea, is one of the modern cities in the world. It is the business and cultural hub of South Korea, where skyscrapers tower over Buddhist temples. N Seoul Tower, built atop a peak in Namsan Park, allows me to view the entire city and surrounding areas from above.The teahouses and shops of Insadong give me a taste of Korean flavor, which I can further experience with a visit to the grounds and museums of Gyeongbokgung. UNESCO World Heritage Site, Changdeokgung Palace is a fine example of authentic ancient architecture which I would love to visit. In my opinion, Seoul is not just the capital of the South Korea, but a wonderful city worthy to visit. The second part of South Korea I would like to visit is Jeju Island, a hot tourist spot booming with unique attrac tions. Jeju’s romantic sunrises and sunsets, mild climate and beautiful sandy beaches totally enchanted me just with the images found on Google.I often image that I could meander along the beaches to enjoy the sunlight and breeze. I can also hike with my family to Baeknok Lake at the top of Mount Halla, South Korea’s highest peak. I would also love to see the â€Å"haenyeo,† female divers gathering fresh seafood, and the iconic â€Å"grandfather statues† displayed outside of many restaurants. Most importantly, I hope to see my favourite KPOP stars by chance!!! Of course, there are other countries I could visit if I had the opportunity to visit a foreign country. However, I think South Korea would be my first choice.

Stand by Me Cmm Theory

1. Describe the development of Self Concept of Gordie’s character in the film. How is it different from Chris’? The film showcased Gordie’s thoughts and growth with his friends. From his exterior of a young lad, wimpy and afraid, he had managed to mature in to an independent and confident individual. In the beginning of the film, he had been described, by himself, as a weird guy, since he wasn’t like his late brother, who was the favorite. He loved writing and was good at it, but the unfortunate reality he was in was comparison from his parents, who would rather have a popular kid with ‘normal’ friends later, made him diss his own passion.And this practice developed and later on gave him enough fright to accept his invisibility. His coward-ness of going against his father permanently shuts his mouth and just listen with what his parents had to say. However, Chris, a kid from a bad family, is a hopeful lawyer. But since everyone sees him as a j uvenile, he never bothered to live his dream. His tough spirit and leadership skills lead the gang gave them courage. I think he’s influential like that, though he knows for himself he wouldn’t turn out good; he has good intention for his friends.Like how Gordie described him as a peacemaker of the gang. Chris is like the gang’s guardian. He always makes sure they’re okay and take care of them unlike how his alcoholic father. Nevertheless, the self-fulfilling prophecy of the two later on changed when Chris and Gordie changed after they found the body. Chris became a lawyer, though hard to get in with his status and Gordie became a writer, much to his joy that he took it. When they changed their views of themselves and how they acted, people had changed also with how they viewed them. 2.Choose any one of the characters and by citing specific scenes and dialogues from the film discuss how this character exhibited the Self-fulfilling Prophecy. Chris’ side: Gordie: Maybe you could go into the College-courses with me. Chris: That'll be the day. Gordie: Why not you're smart enough. Chris: They won't let me. Gordie: What d'you mean? Chris: It's the way people think of my family in this town. It's the way they think of me. Just one of those lowlife Chambers-kids. Gordie: That's not true. Chris: Oh it is. No one even asked me if I took the milkmoney that time.I just got a three-day vacation. Gordie: Did you take it? Chris: Yeah I took it. You knew I took it. Teddy knew I took it. Everyone knew I took it. Even Vern knew it I think. Maybe I was sorry and I tried to give it back. Gordie: Tried to give it back? Chris: Maybe, just maybe. And maybe I took it to Old Lady Simons and told her. And the money was all there. But I still got a three-day vacation because it never showed up. And maybe the next week Old lady Simons had that brand new skirt on when she came to school. Gordie: Yeah, yeah. It was brown and had dots on it!Chris: Yeah. So let's just say that I stole the milk money but Old Lady Simons stole it back from me. Just suppose that I told the story. Me, Chris Chambers, kid brother of the Eyeball Chambers. You think that anybody would have believed it? Gordie: No. Chris: And d'you think that that bitch would have dared try something like that if it would have been one of those dootch bags from up on The View if they had taken the money? Gordie: No way! Chris: Oh no! But with me! I'm sure she had her eyes on that skirt for a long time. Anyway she saw her chance and she took it. I was the tupid one for even trying to give it back. I never thought – I never thought that a teacher– Oh who gives a fuck anyway? I just wish I could go to some place where nobody knows me. I guess I'm just a pussy, Gordie. Gordie: No way, no way. I think it was pretty brave of him to say what he has to say, but share his dream with his best friend and giving him his trust, is very admirable. This dialogue further define d his thoughts and how he had accepted his fate as a delinquent. Everyone saw him as a low life and never bothered to hear his side because he was Chris Chambers, a son of an alcoholic drug addict, so he ever bothered to argue no more. But on the last line, he said â€Å"I just wish I could go to some place where nobody knows me† this simple phrase is also another way of saying â€Å"I wish nobody would judge me with my family. They don’t know the real me† 3. Choose any two(2) of the IC Theories we covered in class and discuss how each was made evident in the film. Social Penetration Theory: Gordie: Why did he have to die, Chris? Why did Denny have to die? Why? Chris: I don't know. Gordie: It should have been me. Chris: Don't say that. Gordie: It should have been me.Chris: Don't say that, man. Gordie: I'm no good. My dad said it, I'm no good. Chris: He doesn't know you. Gordie: He hates me. Chris: He doesn't hate you. Gordie: He hates me. Chris: No, he just does n't know you. Gordie: He hates me. My dad hates me. He hates me oh oh God. Chris: You gonna be a great writer someday, Gordie. You might even write about us guys if you ever get hard up for material. Gordie: Guess I'd have to be really hard up, huh? Chris: Yeah. The moment when they had reached their goal, everything had hit Gordie like a cake thrown on the face.He mumbles his inner thoughts, agreeing to his uselessness to the family, completely in tragic horror about his brother’s death should have been his. This kind of talks only happens in intimate relationships shared, like Chris and Gordie’s relationship, which was built through the whole adventure or quest to find the missing body. Constructivism: As time went on we saw less and less of Teddy and Vern until eventually they became just two more faces in the halls. That happens sometimes. Friends come in and out of your life like busboys in a restaurant.I heard that Vern got married out of High-school, had four ki ds and is now the forklift operator at the Arsenal Lumberyard. Teddy tried several times to get into the Army but his eyes and his ear kept him out. The last I heard, he'd spent some time in jail. He was now doing odd jobs around Castle Rock. Chris did get out. He enrolled in the College-courses with me. And although it was hard he gutted it out like he always did. He went on to College and eventually became a lawyer. Last week he entered a fast food restaurant. Just ahead of him, two men got into an argument. One of them pulled a knife.Chris who would always make the best peace tried to break it up. He was stabbed in the throat. He died almost instantly. The writer or Gordie, now a father and a writer, reflects over what happened to them when they were twelve. His perspective of what happened was unforgettable and had imprinted on his life. Like what Chris said â€Å"You might even write about us guys if you ever hard up for material† and he did, he wrote their experience an d described how each one of them had grown and how he could never forget their friendship. Because only through experience you learn how things are made and how you mature.

Teaching Gifted and Talented Students

Many educators have become well-versed in modifying the regular classroom curriculum to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Educators are not as experienced, however, in meeting the instructional needs of high-ability students. In a growing number of states, revisions in regulations pertaining to gifted and talented students are requiring that high-ability students, previously served in part-time pull-out programs, must also receive appropriate instruction within the context of their regular classrooms. For example, in Kentucky, high-ability students can no longer be viewed as sufficiently served by a once-monthly or once-weekly program. These students have educational needs that must be met daily, just as students with disabilities have. Many regular education teachers report that meeting the needs of high-ability students equals and often exceeds the challenges of integrating disabled students in their classrooms. High-ability students can be delightful, but they can also be demanding, impatient, perfectionistic, sarcastic, and disruptive. In addition, few regular education teachers have received sufficient training in issues related to gifted and talented education. Before teachers can develop appropriate instructional strategies to meet the needs of high-ability students, they must recognize the value of such efforts. For many educators, services to gifted and talented students may seem to be elitist. However, public education is founded on the belief that all students (including those with high abilities) have the right to instruction appropriate to their needs. Gifted and talented students, like all students, should learn something new every day. General Strategies for Modifying the Curriculum The objectives for modifying standard curricula for high-ability students include: meeting the learning capacity of the students, meeting the students’ rapid rates of learning in all or some areas of study, and providing time and resources so that students can pursue areas of special interest. In order to modify standard curricula for high-ability students, Lois Roets (1993) proposed three options: lesson modifications, ssignment modifications, and scheduling modifications. Lessons can be modified through acceleration or enrichment of content. Assignments can be modified through reducing regular classroom work or providing alternate assignments. Scheduling options include providing opportunities for high-ability students to work individually through independent study, shared learning in homogeneous groupings with peers of similar ability and in terests, and participation in heterogeneous groupings of mixed-ability students. Lesson Modifications. One way teachers can extend or enrich the content they present is by asking open-ended questions. Such questions stimulate higher order thinking skills and give students opportunities to consider and express personal opinions. Open-ended questions require thinking skills such as comparison, synthesis, insight, judgment, hypothesis, conjecture, and assimilation. Such questions can also increase student awareness of current events. Open-ended questions should be included in both class discussions and assignments. They can also be used as stimulation for the opening or conclusion of a lesson. Another strategy for lesson modification developed by Susan Winebrenner (1992) is to use Bloom’s taxonomy of six levels of thinking to develop lesson content. Bloom’s model implies that the â€Å"lower† levels (knowledge, comprehension, and application) require more literal and less complex thinking than the â€Å"higher† levels (analysis, evaluation, and synthesis). Teachers are encouraged to develop thematic units with activities for students at all ability levels. This strategy involves four steps. Teachers first choose a theme that can incorporate learning objectives from several different subject areas. Secondly, teachers identify 6 to 10 key concepts or instructional objectives. Third, they determine which learner outcomes or grade-level competencies will be targeted for the unit. Finally, they design instructional activities to cover each of the six levels of thinking. Assignment Modifications High-ability students are often expected to complete assignments that they find boring or irrelevant because they represent no new learning for them. Allowing them to reduce or skip standard assignments in order to acquire time to pursue alternate assignments or independent projects is called urriculum compacting. The curriculum for a gifted student should be compacted in those areas that represent his or her strengths. When students â€Å"buy time† for enrichment or alternate activities, they should use that time to capitalize on their strengths, rather than to improve skills in weaker subjects. For example, a student advanced in math should have a compacted curriculum in that area w ith opportunities given for enriched study in mathematics. The first step in compacting the curriculum is determining the need to do so. A student is a candidate for compacting if he or she regularly finishes assignments quickly and correctly, consistently scores high on tests related to the modified area, or demonstrates high ability through individualized assessment, but not daily classwork (i. e. , he or she is gifted, but unmotivated for the standard curriculum). The second step in compacting the curriculum is to create a written plan outlining which, if any, regular assignments will be completed and what alternate activities will be accomplished. A time frame for the plan should also be determined. Modification plans can be limited to a few days (i. e. , length of lesson or chapter) or extend over the course of an entire school year. Alternate assignments for high-ability students can either be projects related to the modified area of study that extend the curriculum, or they can be independent projects that are chosen based on students’ individual interests. Winebrenner (1992) described a strategy in which students use written independent study contracts to research topics of interest to become â€Å"resident experts. † The students and teacher decide upon a description and the criteria for evaluating each project. A deadline is determined, and by that date, each student must share his or her project with the entire class. Before choosing their projects, students are also given time to browse various areas of interest. After completing compacted work, students are allowed to look through research materials to explore various topics. A deadline for choosing a topic for independent projects is also given to the students to limit their browsing time. Scheduling Modifications Cooperative learning through traditional heterogeneous groups is often counterproductive for high-ability students. When the learning task involves a great deal of drill and practice, these students often end up doing more teaching than learning. When placed in homogeneous cooperative learning groups, however, gifted students can derive significant learning benefits. This does not mean that high-ability students should never participate in heterogeneous cooperative learning groups. Rather, groupings should be chosen based on the task that is being assigned. When the task includes drill and practice, such as math computation or answering comprehension questions about a novel, gifted students should be grouped together and given a more complex task. When the task includes critical thinking, gifted students should be part of heterogeneous groups to stimulate discussions. Open-ended activities are excellent choices for heterogeneous groupings. Cluster grouping of high-ability students in the same classroom is another option for meeting the needs of gifted students in the regular classroom. The traditional method of assigning students to classes has often been to divide the high-ability students equally among the available classes so each teacher would have his or her â€Å"fair share. Under this system, however, each teacher must develop strategies for modifying the curriculum to meet the needs of the advanced students. With cluster grouping, four to six high-ability students are placed in the same classroom. This system allows the students to learn with and from each other and reduces the need for multiple teachers to develop appropriate instructional modifications. Case Studies The following case studies describe how the curric ulum was modified for three academically able students. Mark Mark entered first grade reading at a fourth-grade level. He had mastered math concepts that challenged his first-grade peers. He was placed in a second-grade class for math instruction and in a third-grade class for reading and spelling instruction. Despite these opportunities, Mark was always the first to finish assignments and spent the majority of his school day reading library books or playing computer games. His parents and teacher were concerned that he was not sufficiently challenged, but as a 6-year-old, he was too young to participate in the district’s pull-out gifted program. They were also concerned that he was having difficulty developing friendships in his classroom since he spent much of the day apart from his homeroom peers. A request for consultation was made to the school psychologist. With input from Mark’s parents and teachers, an independent study contract was developed for Mark to channel his high reading abilities toward study in a specific area. After browsing for a week, he chose dinosaurs as his project area. Mark then narrowed his focus to the Jurassic Period and decided to create a classroom reference book complete with pictures he drew. When he completed his daily work, Mark researched his topic area and worked on his project. When completed, Mark’s teacher asked him to share his project with his classmates. Because he had chosen a topic of high interest to his peers, Mark’s status as â€Å"resident expert† on dinosaurs made him attractive to his classmates. Mark’s teacher encouraged these budding friendships by asking the other students to bring dinosaur toys and books from home to share with the class during the following weeks. Katrina Katrina’s parents chose to move her from a private school to public school at the end of her third-grade year. Following the advice of the private school staff, Katrina’s parents enrolled her in a second year of third grade at the public school due to reported weaknesses in reading and written expression. After a few weeks of school, Katrina’s teacher approached the school psychologist with her concern that retention may not have been in Katrina’s best interest. The teacher reported that Katrina was performing on grade level in all areas and demonstrated high-ability math skills. Upon meeting with Katrina’s parents, however, they expressed the desire to keep her in the third grade. They felt that Katrina had suffered no harmful effects from the retention since it involved a move to a new school with different peers. Further, Katrina’s parents reported that she felt very comfortable and successful in her classroom. Although the committee decided to keep Katrina in the third grade, they developed a compacted curriculum for her in the area of math. A contract was written specifying modifications for Katrina in the regular class math curriculum. She was required to complete half of the assignments given to her peers, as long as she did so with 90% or higher accuracy. When finished with her modified assignment, Katrina then used her time earned through compacting for enriched study in mathematics. The committee was careful to avoid presenting material to Katrina that she would study in the future to avoid the possibility of repetition. Instead, an enriched program of study was developed that emphasized critical thinking and problem solving related to the addition and subtraction being taught in her classroom. Katrina’s contract included several choices of activities, any of which she could choose to do on a given day, such as creating story problems for the class to solve, drawing pictures or using manipulatives to demonstrate calculation problems, or activities involving measuring, classifying, estimating, and graphing. Katrina’s teacher would present a specific activity choice in these areas that extended and enriched the basic concepts being taught to the class as a whole. With these modifications, Katrina's advanced skills in math were addressed. Her parents and teacher judged her school year a success, and Katrina made an easy transition to fourth grade, where she was able to work on grade-level material with an average level of accuracy in all areas. Adam Adam demonstrated a very high spoken vocabulary and advanced ideas when participating in class. He completed few of his assignments, though, and showed strong resistance to putting pencil to paper despite obvious high abilities. He was able to read orally at a level 2 years above his fourth-grade status and could perform multidigit calculation problems mentally. However, in the classroom, Adam demonstrated task avoidance and disruptive behaviors. His teacher and parents were frustrated by his lack of work output and behavior problems, and they sought assistance from the school psychologist. In interviewing Adam, the psychologist found that he did not see the need to put on paper answers he already knew. It seemed likely that Adam’s behavior problems were related to boredom and frustration. To test this theory, the psychologist recommended the use of Winebrenner's (1992) â€Å"Most Difficult First† strategy. With this strategy, the teacher identifies the most difficult portion of an assignment and the student is allowed to attempt that portion of the assignment first. If he or she completes it with 100% accuracy, the student is excused from the remainder of the assignment and allowed to use his or her free time to pursue an alternate activity. Adam was resistant to this strategy at first, but he quickly saw its advantages and began completing those assignments that were modified using the strategy. With guidance from the school psychologist, Adam’s teacher then extended modifications to include pretesting and compacting opportunities across the curriculum. Adam used his time earned from compacting to pursue independent projects and recreational reading, and his behavior problems decreased accordingly. Conclusion The focus of educational services for high-ability students is shifting to the regular classroom. While this expansion of services to the regular classroom is a welcome recognition of the need to challenge high-ability students all day, every day, this initiative also brings with it a significant need to train regular education teachers. Support staff such as educators of gifted and talented students and school psychologists must learn to become effective consultants to assist regular classroom teachers in applying instructional strategies appropriate for meeting the needs of high-ability students References Roets, L. (1993). Modifying standard curriculum for high ability students. New Sharon, IA: Leadership Publishers. Winebrenner, S. (1992). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit. One of the biggest complaints that teachers hear from truly gifted students is that instead of having different or more challenging work, they simply have more of the same work every other student is assigned. For most parents, it is difficult to understand the difference. They see their child who can write and read well, and who can do math calculations easily and quickly and think that by having twice as much homework, the student's needs are being served. Unfortunately, they are wrong. While there has been a significant push to improve the lot of students with disabilities, programs for the truly gifted student are often left to their own devices. Without training and supervision, some teachers will be intimidated by their precocious class and rather than opening doors to more advanced insight, will simply load students down with what amounts to busy work. A child who already knows how to read and write well, probably should not be burdened with basic grammar exercises. Instead, this student should be reading for research and writing essays. This isn't beyond the scope of truly gifted children as young as nine or ten. But with funding cut at every turn and demands being made on public schools to provide services beyond the scope of mere education, too often G/T programs are left to their own devices. The solution lies in the intervention of parents and the interest of the community at large. This is the point where mentors from various professions can spark a bored but talented student to the next level. Imagine how much more interesting a talk about cancer cells would be from a visiting oncologist. People in the community are often more than willing to help, but it takes more than just teachers making the request. Parents have to get involved. Quite often parents are the first to notice their child's abilities. Some schools will try to put off testing or divert attention, but the parent needs to be their child's advocate. Students are legally entitled to and schools are federally mandated to offer programs for students according to their abilities. This means that gifted children deserve and should receive educational work commensurate with their abilities. Don't take no for an answer. Parental involvement can be a double-edged sword. Gifted programs need parents to push school districts to offer and support programs for gifted students that go past minimum standards. Without parental pressure, districts will ignore programs and allow them to atrophy. But it is also important that the need for parents to view their children as gifted isn't allowed to drive the enrollment of the program. In some district, testing for admission has become a tug of war for parents to get their children into programs viewed as having better teachers or lower enrollment. While any gifted student should be encouraged to take more challenging courses, it is a mistake to simply place a student into a program. It is also a mistake to water down curriculum in order to raise enrollment in advanced classes. Students need to be in programs that fit. Some students are good across the board learners and will be in language arts, science and math programs; other students have abilities in just math or just language arts. Make sure your student is in classes that fit his or her needs. Many parents make the mistake of thinking that having a child in a G/T program of classes is a ticket to academic success. That isn't really the case. Students in advanced classes suffer from some of the same problems that students in regular classes endure. And students in gifted classes have been known to fail. Failure is seen as anathema for most parents, but especially those of gifted students. Their first reaction is to blame the teacher or the school. Sometimes that action is justified, but just as often students make the choice to fail. Sometimes the decision to fail is an attempt to fit into the prevailing social structure of the school. Gifted students sometimes have difficulty dealing with their peers and will â€Å"dumb down† in order to fit in. Other times, learning disabilities such as ADD or anxiety will create situations in which the gifted student has problems processing or completing work. This doesn't mean the student doesn't deserve to be in an advanced program; it means that the student's educational disabilities need assistance in much the same way that a nearsighted student needs glasses to see the board. It's a balancing act. One of the biggest hurdles gifted students face is the social acceptance within the school. In some schools being in the gifted program is a mark of excellence. In others, it labels you as a nerd and causes problems that can be difficult for a shy or immature student to overcome. Teachers and parents should always monitor their student for situations where they are settling for lower recognition in order to avoid confrontation or bullying. This is especially a problem for some minority students and needs parental intervention and outside activities in church or the community in order to give the student a social support structure. Students such as this thrive in activities such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church service, community volunteer programs and other activities that require a level of independence. By having a group of friends outside of school, the gifted student won't feel the need to mitigate their own achievements in the classroom in order to keep friends. Finally, and this is a very hard situation, parents have to learn to separate their personal needs from the accomplishments of their child. It's very easy to look at the kid who does math and science well and try to push them into a program for Med school. Don't do it. Gifted kids learn quickly, but they also suffer from the same false starts and lagging development that other kids experience. The failure or success of your gifted child belongs to them. And if that is the case, parents have to develop a hands off policy towards homework and projects. Teachers can spot the project where Mom or Dad tweaked something here or added something there. By intervening on such projects, parents dilute the learning experience and undermine their child's self-confidence. Gifted children often have self-doubt because they are doing things that are months or sometimes years beyond their peers. Don't exacerbate that by taking over the learning experience. Gifted children can offer a great deal of joy, but they are also a huge challenge. Quite often hey will offer opinions far beyond their years and understand provocative situations while still appearing innocent. It is important to support your child without smothering them. No matter what their abilities, they will still suffer the same teen angst and doubt held by others of their age. Roll with the punches, expect to be challenged and encourage them to explore areas beyond their comfort zone academically. BACKROUND http://www. azagt. org/teaching-gifted. html Common wisdom of the day once said bright children take care of themselves. Leta Hollingworth didn't believe a word of it. Instead, she thought teaching gifted students required specialized environments designed to bring out the full range of talents of the student. Hollingworth stumbled onto the concept of teaching gifted and talented students in a different way than the ordinary when her own teaching career hit a dead end. Hollingworth had been born and raised in Nebraska. She even graduated from the University of Nebraska at the age of 20, in 1906. Two years later, Leta Anna Stetter (Hollingsworth) moved to New York City and married Harry Levi Hollingworth, a Columbia University graduate student. Expecting to resume her teaching career in New York, her plan failed when she learned no one in New York City hired married women as teachers. Bored with the prospect of being a housewife for the rest of her life, Hollingworth took the next step in developing the methods for teaching gifted students still in use today. She enrolled at graduate school, too. Perhaps it was here that her interest in teaching gifted children sparked to life. She studied educational psychology and became a Columbia University professor. She focused her research and studies on finding the origins of human intelligence. She measured thousands of babies and monitored others for decades. It seems to have been important to Hollingworth to uncover any gender issues before tailoring methods for teaching gifted children of either gender. Her meticulous studies debunked the idea female inferiority. Over the years, her research and her methods for teaching gifted children led to more research and more books. She considered it vital to identify gifted children at as early an age as possible. She also advocated grouping gifted children with other gifted children instead of placing them in classes designed for the average student. Because Hollingworth considered daily contact a key component to her methods of teaching gifted and talented students, she eventually established a school in New York that was devoted to exceptionally bright students. Instead of a teacher-led program of study, the flow of the education was student driven instead. Hollingworth felt her special students would benefit from knowing about some of the challenges life might send their way. To prepare them, her curriculum for teaching gifted students included learning experiences based on issues they were likely to encounter at some point in their adult lives.