John Conrad Essays - International PEN, Joseph Conrad,

John Conrad One of the finest stylist of modern English literature was Joseph Conrad, was a Polish-born English novelist, short story writer, essayist, dramatist, and autobiographer. Conrad was born in 1857 in a Russian-ruled Province of Poland. According to Jocelyn Baines, a literary critic, "Conrad was exiled with his parents to northern Russia in 1863 following his his parents participation in the Polish independence movement". (Baines 34). His parents' health rapidly deteriorated in Russia, and after their deaths in 1868, Conrad lived in the homes of relatives, where he was often ill and received spradic schooling (35). Conrad's birth-given name was Jozef Tedor Konrad Valecz Korzeniowski, however, his name was legally changed (39). Conrad died of a heart attack, August 3, 1924, in Bishopsbourne Kent, England (34). With such an innovative style, Joseph Conrad was perhaps one of Britain's most remarkable authors of modern English literature. Throughout Conrad's career, his works have became influential as well as remarkable. Cited by Ted E. Boyle, a short story analysis, "Conrad's novels are complex moral and psychological examinations of ambiguous nature of good and evil" (Boyle 93). Conrad's characters are repeatedly forced to acknowledge their own failures and the weakness of their ideals against all forms of coruption; the most honorable characters are those who realize their fallibility but still struggle to up hold the dictates of conscience (99). Early in life, Conrad pursued a career as a seaman, sailing to Martinique and the West Indies. In 1894, he began a career as a writer, basing much of his work on his experience as a seaman (100). Throughout his career, "Conrad examined the impossibility of living by a traditional code of conduct". His novels "postulate that the complexity of the human spirit allows neither absolute fidelity to any ideal nor even to one's conscience" (Baines 49). Conrad's work failure is a fact of human existence, and every ideal contains the possibilities for its own conniption (Boyle 34). Most of Conrad's greatest works take place on a ship or in the backwaters of civilization. After assessing Conrad's works, Douglas Hewitt, a renown critic, claimed that " a ship or a small outpost offered an isolated environment where Conrad could develop his already complex moral problems without unnecessary entanglements that might obscure the concentration of tragedy". Nostromo is widely recognized as Conrad's most ambitious novel. An account of a revolution in the fictitious South American country of Costaguana, Nostromo examines the ideals, motivations, and failures of several participants in that confict (Hewitt 60). Conrad himself referred to "Nostromo" as his "largest canvas", and many critics consider the novel as one of the greatest in twentieth century (Boyle 90). Conrad's current reputation rests with such relatively early works a "Lordd Jim", "Heart of Darkness", and "Nostromo", in which imagery, symbolism, and shifts in time and perspective combine to create an intriguing, mystical series of fictional settings. The two greatest examples of moral tragedy in his work are "Lord Jim" (1900), which "examines the failures of a man before society and his own conscience, and "Heart of Darkness" (1899), "a dreamlike tale of mystery and adventure set in central Africa that is also the story of a man's symbolic journey into his own inner being" (Hewitt 68). In his own preface to the Niger of the "Narcissus" (1897), an essay that has been called his artistic credo, Conrad expressed his intention of forcing the reader's involvement in his work: ...my task which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you feel -- it is, before all to reach his audience. That-- and no more, and it is everything. (Conrad 3) Bruce Johnson, a renown essay critic, stated that "Conrad's examination of the ambiguity of good and evil is generally considered too stylized and heavy-handed". Johnson claimes that Conrad's most highly regarded works, however, are acknowledged as masterpieces of English literature and continue to generate significant critical commentary. Conrad produced thirteen novels, tow volumes of memoirs, and twenty-eight short stories, athough writing was not easy or painless for him (Johnson 11). In most of Conrad's writings his outlook is bleak. He writes "in a rich, vivid prose style with a narrative technique that makes skillfull use of breaks in linear chronology" (Boyle 80). His character development is powerful and compelling. Conrad's life at sea and in foreign ports furnished the background for much of his writing, giving rise to the impression that he was primarily committed to foreign or alien concerns (Johnson 11). According to editor Zdzislaw Najder, Conrad's major interest was the human condition (Najder

Free Essays on Commissions

Commissions Introduction: Intermediaries are often used by airlines, theme parks, restaurants, hotels, etc. because they make the suppliers’ services available to large numbers of potential customers in a cost-effective way. Among some of the functions performed by intermediaries, or travel agents, are providing information about the types and availability of service offerings, contacting current and potential customers, making reservations and other travel arrangements, assembling services to meet customer needs, and preparing tickets. The expenses incurred through using intermediaries occur in the form of commissions and arise when the service has been sold or used. The supplier then pays the intermediary this commission on each ticket sold or reservation used. The commission is based on the level of sales, which is referred to as â€Å"bookings.† In few cases, the consumer may pay a small service fee, but for the most part the commission is paid by the supplier (Cook, 54). Relevance to travel industry: In many sales jobs, commission is vital not only to the employee receiving it, but also to the business for which the employee works. The employee obviously benefits because the harder they work, the more likely they will be to make a sale and receive a commission. The employer benefits because commission is more of an incentive for an employee to work harder and make sales, and thus the employer makes more money also. The consumer, however, does not benefit as much because the sales person is, often times, looking at the consumer as a number or a dollar figure instead of as a person with specific wants. The sales person is more likely to push something onto the consumer even if they do not want to purchase it in their own self-interest. When the traveler books a tour vacation, which is with a large group of people, the traveler has options to participate in activities that are not on the itinerary. If they ch... Free Essays on Commissions Free Essays on Commissions Commissions Introduction: Intermediaries are often used by airlines, theme parks, restaurants, hotels, etc. because they make the suppliers’ services available to large numbers of potential customers in a cost-effective way. Among some of the functions performed by intermediaries, or travel agents, are providing information about the types and availability of service offerings, contacting current and potential customers, making reservations and other travel arrangements, assembling services to meet customer needs, and preparing tickets. The expenses incurred through using intermediaries occur in the form of commissions and arise when the service has been sold or used. The supplier then pays the intermediary this commission on each ticket sold or reservation used. The commission is based on the level of sales, which is referred to as â€Å"bookings.† In few cases, the consumer may pay a small service fee, but for the most part the commission is paid by the supplier (Cook, 54). Relevance to travel industry: In many sales jobs, commission is vital not only to the employee receiving it, but also to the business for which the employee works. The employee obviously benefits because the harder they work, the more likely they will be to make a sale and receive a commission. The employer benefits because commission is more of an incentive for an employee to work harder and make sales, and thus the employer makes more money also. The consumer, however, does not benefit as much because the sales person is, often times, looking at the consumer as a number or a dollar figure instead of as a person with specific wants. The sales person is more likely to push something onto the consumer even if they do not want to purchase it in their own self-interest. When the traveler books a tour vacation, which is with a large group of people, the traveler has options to participate in activities that are not on the itinerary. If they ch...

Abrahamic Religions Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Abrahamic Religions Review - Essay Example istrust between the West and Islamic states can be traced to biased Western media and government authorities that started from the Iranian Revolution up to the Gulf War, and even to the present. Clearly, there are political and economic agenda involved in these misrepresentations of Islam by Western media. In chapter eleven of Global Islamic Politics, Husain shows that Western media and administrations have a love/hate relationship with Islamic states, where America supported authoritarian Islamic regimes that reinforced the former's political and economic hegemony, and then the U.S. was forced to support new administrations that the people themselves established, like what happened after the Iranian Revolution. The War on Terror demonstrates that though Bush differentiated peace-loving Muslims from terrorists, the political and media rhetoric emphasized suspicion against Islamists, which as a whole, as Husain stresses, cannot be generalized as violent revolutionaries. Chapter twelve addresses the growing anti-Americanism attitudes and practices in the Middle East, due to the historical interventions of the U.S. in Islamic states that predominantly served the former's interests and assisted in the repression of these states' subordinates. Quinn traces the history of prejudice and discrimination against Muslims much farther into history, because of lack of information and interaction between Christians and Muslims during the early times. This ignorance and poor experience of Muslim religion and culture created a wide range of bigoted images about Islam. Quinn asserts that non-Muslims' local needs and aspirations became the ?rism(Quinn 161) by which Islam and Muslims are perceived, which affected how the former created and spread Islamic images. Said confirms the... Abrahamic Religions Review These resources also demonstrate the vast misrepresentation of Arab and Muslim cultures and religions in the Western media, because of political and religious agenda of core state nations. Some articles further provide feasible and simple solutions that can help alleviate the distrust between the West and Islamic societIslam and Christianity are different religions, but their â€Å"common root† (Quinn 172) should be enough to bind their believers in the modern world. Bulliet, in The Case for Islamo-Christian Civilization, provides a broad historical and comparative analyses of the rise of Islamo-Christian Civilization and he contends that Christianity and Islam should be viewed as â€Å"fraternal twins† (15). He concentrates on the co-existing growth of Islamic and Christian thinking during the ninth century and even several centuries after that. He emphasizes the importance of understanding that the â€Å"past and future of the West cannot be fully comprehended withou t appreciation of the twinned relationship it has had with Islam over some fourteen centuries. The same is true of the Islamic world† (Bulliet 45). ies and to potentially foster multicultural and multireligious tolerance and respect, while also helping Islamic societies achieve domestic goals and interests. Said confirms the negative and incomplete images of Islam projected by Western media and authorities in â€Å"Covering Islam.† He complains on how some influential Western journalists have successfully equated â€Å"fundamentalism† and Islam, and how political interests colored and slanted Western news reporting about any news that concern Muslims or Islam.

Thesis Requirements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Thesis Requirements - Essay Example Thesis Requirements A thesis also must have an explanation of the methodology – how was the information gathered to answer the research questions, how many participants, and what is the theory behind the methods? Another section which is a part of a thesis requirements is the research findings, which explain what the data was, and interprets the data so that the research questions are answered. Conclusions and recommendations are another necessary section, in which the thesis is explained in a nutshell, and the recommendations are areas for further study, as well as recommendations on how to apply the information that was gathered in the study. Therefore, if these basic requirements are met, then the thesis is complete. This thesis will be analyzed for these basic requirements, as well as being analyzed for how completely these requirements are met. The first part of the paper is the Introduction. The function of the Introduction is to introduce the problem, outline the promotional strategy, and give an outline of the research objectives, questions, structure, and theory behind the dissertation. Moreover, the introduction also provides a brief chapter overview, in which the introduction chapter is synthesized. The good was that the Introduction was well thought-out and well-organized. The introduction was superior in giving an overview and preview of what was ahead in the rest of the dissertation. What a good introduction does is whet the appetite – it is supposed to give brief synopses of all the different parts of the structure of the paper, and give a brief reason for the dissertation itself. This introduction did this very well, in that it was broken down into discrete parts that explained each of the sections of the thesis that was to come. Moreover, it outlined the research objectives very well – the objectiv es were concise and pinpointed, and gave a good framework for the rest of the dissertation. The reader knows what issues will be presented by looking at the objectives. There were also problems, in that the research questions were not as aligned with the research objectives as they could have been. The research objectives were very specific, and they encompassed much of what the research questions would not answer. Of course, it is possible that, through inquisition by the research questions, the dissertation could still answer and meet the objectives, but the questions should be more pinpointed to answer what the objectives of the research are. Therefore, the research questions probably should have been reworked so that they would more closely answer the issues which were presented in the objectives. Either that, or the objectives should be reworked to fit the research questions. Another section of the Introduction is the theoretical framework. This was a concise statement that gav e the overall dissertation some theoretical heft, but examining in brief the literature that is focused upon the dissertation’s subject. While much of this would also be in the literature review, it is still advisable to put this information also in the introduction so that the reader can have a brief explanation for what the literature is on the subject, and how this literature shows that the question that is presented is a pertinent one. It also gives a rationale for

A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

A Modest Proposal - Essay Example Swift’s reasoning is that by nipping the problem in the bud during the early stages of life, it makes everyone a whole lot easier later on. Swift’s proposal is that little children who are destined to become a burden on society are sold and turned into meat for the eating pleasures of the rich and wealthy. Swift subtracts out the number of children who have parents who can afford to take care of them and also those children who die due to disease or accident. The total figure that Swift comes up with is 120,000 children each year. Swift claims that these children are unredeemable and the only way to provide some benefit to society is to sell them off to be eaten. In order to strengthen his argument, Swift tells of at least six advantages that would come from his proposal: (1) the number of papists would be reduced. This would prevent people from being tricked into following a religion that has no purpose. Also, there is already a plentiful supply of them, so no more are needed; (2) poor parents will be able to be compensated for the sale of their child, and with this money they will be able to pay for their rent, and maybe even their corn and cattle that had previously been taken away from them; (3) the nation’s economy will improve because a whole lot of children will not have to be provided for. This is in addition to the new dish that would be present in restaurants across the nation; (4) parents will not have to raise their children after the first year of life, and so they will be able to live better lives themselves. Money saved from bringing up their children would ease their burden in the long term; (5) the introduction of babies as food would provide a new delicacy to all taverns, and will result in a surge in new customers; and (6) men would not abuse their pregnant wives because they would harm their prospects of being able to sell their child later on. Swift concludes that his only motives

Inclusion, Equality And Diversity in Learners

Inclusion, Equality And Diversity in Learners As teachers we all want our learners to reach their full potential with their studies. In order for the learners to do this its important for the tutor to be mindful of the issues of equality and diversity. These issues will be discussed here as well as ways to promote inclusive learning which help the learners to get the most out of their learning. Each learner is different due to different previous experiences and this means we must tailor our teaching so that it is appropriate to each individual learners needs. In terms of equality and diversity the relevant factors we must be sensitive to when teaching are disability, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity/race, age, religious beliefs and economic/social needs. The diverse backgrounds and experiences of individual learners are what make teaching so exciting and challenging. To tackle these challenges tutors need to employ a number of strategies to promote inclusive learning which means getting all the students involved in the learning. Inclusive learning can be achieved in a number of ways such as providing grants to those on lower incomes so they can complete a course at a lower cost or for free. If there are wheelchairs users on the course the appropriate venue for the teaching must be chosen so that access is as easy as possible. A ground floor venue is likely to be the preferred option or where a particular class has to be above the ground floor it must have the option for the wheelchair user to be able to use a lift. For students that have a disability (such as being blind or deaf, etc.) it may be useful for the student to have learning support whilst attending the classes. Carefully prepared resources can also help with inclusive learning. For example, handouts should be in a font size which is big enough (and without serifs) to help partially sighted learners with reading it. Any resources need to be in plain English (i.e. avoid unnecessary jargon). A good layout combining pictures and text is far more stimulating for learners than just blocks of text. Coloured paper may help those who are dyslexic. When it comes to the actual teaching the tutor can use a number of techniques to encourage inclusive learning. These include using different learning styles, differentiation and varying the activities and interaction between the learners. Its understood that different people assimilate information with different learning styles such as auditory, visual, aural and kinaesthetic methods. Differentiation is when the teaching methods match and challenge an individuals needs and ensure their interest and enthusiasm in the subject is maintained. Understanding your students abilities will ensure the right balance of methods and different activities are used. Other points of referral which are available to meet the potential needs of learners include the hardship fund, learner support fund, Citizens Advice Bureau, Job Centre Plus, Norfolk Deaf Association, Sensory Support, MIND, etc. Legislation and Metropole Learning For my job role I require an understanding of all current legislation, policies and procedures. I feel we have these in place so we have a guideline and it also protects tutors and students while working in a teaching environment. I am new to the teaching environment so I have had to learn the different aspects of the current legislative requirements. I follow the Institute for Learning (IfL) guidelines which is a professional body for teachers, trainers, tutors, student teachers and assessors in the further education and skills sector. IFL listens and supports the needs of registered members and it continues to raise the status of teaching practitioners across the sector. My current employer (Metropole Learning) makes sure that I have up to date information on legislative requirements and codes of practices. And I am also aware where to obtain this information if needed. The Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) An independent employer-led sector skills council responsible for the professional development of all those working in community learning and development, further education, higher education, libraries, archives and information services and work based learning across the UK. I would use the knowledge that I have gained from LLUK to increase the quality of my working area (Life Skills). I would also make sure that I incorporate the six core principles: integrity respect care practice disclosure responsibility There are many more legislations that I have to be aware of while teaching. It is important that I keep up to date with these legislations and part of my responsibility is to make sure that they are been adhered to and I know what procedure to follow if this is not the case. Data Protection Act Each learner that I have will have their own file which holds personal and confidential information (address, contact details and medical history). These files are kept in a cabinet which is locked in the main office but I have access to these. Health Safety Act When teaching I am always making sure that the environment that I am working in is suitable for me and my learners. Making any adjustments where necessary, for example if there are wheelchair users or people with epilepsy. I carry out any risk assessments that maybe needed and I am aware of the companyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s fire procedure including the usage of fire equipment. Race Relations Act, Discrimination Act, and Equal Opportunities It is very important in my job role to have the correct information, knowledge and understanding of these legislations. As the learners that I work with have learning and physical disabilities. I make sure that we have adequate facilities and adapt my resources to make sure that nobody is discriminated against. This essay has helped to summarise the broad range of different people that you can expect to meet in the classroom and has suggested a number of ways to help increase the inclusivity of those learners. In addition, a range of other third bodies were suggested which can assist the student in maximising their potential and ultimately increase the enjoyment of their studies.

The Zone Diet Essay example -- Weight Loss Nutrition Papers

The Zone Diet High-protein/ low-carbohydrate diets are nothing new to Americans these days; they seem overwhelmingly to be the most popular among those people trying to lose weight. Ph.D. Dr. Barry Sears’ books on his version of the high-protein diet, the Zone Diet, are among the best selling diet books on the market. The diet seems to be yielding quick and noticeable results to those who follow Dr. Sears’ plan. Many people are desperate to lose weight and have tried numerous methods that have not produced sufficient and long lasting results. This could perhaps be the reason for the recent craze for the high-protein/ low-carbohydrate diet- it really does cause weight loss. Even Hollywood movie stars such as actresses Jennifer Anniston and Sandra Bullock attribute their recent weight loss and improvement in appearance to the Zone diet. However, in the midst of all of the hype, we must examine the claims and assess the degree to which this diet is indeed effective. Further, considering that Dr. Sears’ advice contradicts what we have been told for years about dieting, we must determine if it is healthy. Could we have been misinformed when given advice to eat a diet rich in carbohydrates, or is this diet another that falls short of what it promises? THE ZONE AND IT’S PURPOSE Dr. Barry Sears, Ph.D., is responsible for the development of The Zone nutrition concept, which is based upon 15 years of his research in the field of bio-nutrition. It was guided by the same science that won the 1982 Nobel Prize for Medicine dealing with the research of eicosanoids. The term "Zone" is an expression used by athletes to describe a near-euphoric state of maximum physical, mental and psychological performance (http://www.nutrition... ...igh meat diets and cancer risk." The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 58(2):243-8, May 1999. Holm, L et.al. "Randomized trial on protein vs carbohydrate in ad libitum fat reduced diet for the treatment of obesity." International Journal of Obesity. 23(5):528-36, May 1999. Katan, MB. "High-oil compared to low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets in the prevention of ischemic heart disease." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 66:974-979, Oct. 1997 Miller, SI and Wolfe, RR. "Physical exercise as a modulator of adaptation to low and high carbohydrate and low and high fat intakes." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 53:112-9, Apr. 1999 Panhuysen, G. et.al. "Does carbohydrate-rich, protein-poor food prevent a deterioration of mood and cognitive performance of stress-prone subjects when subjected to a stressful task?" Appetite. (1):49-65, Aug. 1998.

Comparing the French Poets

Antony Bush said: to me poetry is an expression of self thought. It would seem then that poetry a personal journey that a poet shares with a willing audience. This journey through the poet’s ego or consciousness is what allows poetry to be dynamic, enigmatic, and provocative. Poetry then isn’t a way in which a poet can complain about a broken heart or a broken family but a way in which they can more vividly and truthfully express their surrounding circumstance and place metaphor in the place of cliche.For instance, instead of saying ‘my heart is broken’ a poet can say ‘my heart splinters into a thousand galaxies’ thereby relating their personal pain into a more worldly occurrence and thus making the poem accessible to their audience. The aim of poetry then is to make readers feel more human when they read lines like â€Å"We flit each other, fluid affectionate, chaste, matured. You grew up with me, were a boy with me or a girl with me† i n which Walt Whitman expresses to his reader how he knows them – and in knowing them he transcends time, gender, and space thereby making the reader a little less lonely.That is the goal of poetry, to make people feel less lonely, to have them feel as if someone else has felt their love, joy, pain and grief and made it through these human emotions – it gives the reader hope that they too will make it through life. In Baudelaire’s poem One O’clock in the Morning he expresses enthusiasm for being alone. Except, in his third sentence he says ‘ours’ meaning that he is not alone, his desire was to be alone with someone – to be left by the world so that he can exist in a world of two. This is a common theme among poets.However, this ‘ours’ is rather ambiguous and the reader is left with the impression that Baudelaire is indeed alone. He states, â€Å"tyranny of the human face† meaning he attributes almost everything wrong in the world to humanity and not to simply one person but all people. Is he then an exception? The poem does not say. The poem is however definitely pointing out how sick humanity is. The poet expresses rather masochistic tendencies in wanting to be alone (the turn of the key in the lock) and how he wants to be bathed in darkness.With such metaphors and imagery the poet succeeds in delivering his desire to be alone. In Rimbaud’s poem Barbarian the poet speaks of distant – distant from humanity (again). This is shown with his allusions to humanity being a â€Å"banner of bleeding meat† and how being far from such barbarism, one can be at peace again. He perhaps has had his vision of heroism denied or proven false as this banner (a banner which is carried in battle) is what drives the narrator quite mad with barbaric thoughts.Perhaps Rimbaud is talking about death. His reverie in stating â€Å"Oh World† is a cry of a dying man, and the â€Å"eyes floating † confirms this argument. Rimbaud’s poem goes on to state something about the world and the treasures of that world that he will miss – this statement is given in parenthesis, â€Å"(Far from the old retreats and the old flames, that are known, that are felt)† (Rimbaud line 11-12). He is making a comparison between life and this new place and how both perhaps have their positive and negatives.Rimbaud however leaves the reader in an ambiguous state as he does not seem to favor one state of being over the other (unlike Baudelaire) but merely makes exhalations about either place and his feeling toward both. In the end, perhaps it is not death he is explaining in his poem, but heartbreak – a love over a woman. He states he that he sees the eyes and hair and the floating form before him – so in the end, the poem is perhaps more about how being out of favor or out of someone’s love affects him.

Safeguarding the Welfare of Children and Young People Essays

Safeguarding the Welfare of Children and Young People Essays Safeguarding the Welfare of Children and Young People Essay Safeguarding the Welfare of Children and Young People Essay Identify the current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding the welfare of children and young people including e-safety Children Act 1989 This Act identifies the responsibilities of parents and professionals who must work to ensure the safety of the child. This Act includes two important sections which focus specifically on child protection. The Education Act 2002 This sets out the responsibilities of Local Education Authorities (LEAs) governing bodies, head teachers and all those working in schools to ensure that children are safe and free from harm. Children Act 2004 This provides the legal framework for Every Child Matters. It includes the requirement for: A shared database of information which is relevant to the safety and welfare of children Earlier support for parents who are experiencing problems A ‘common’ assessment of children’s needs Services to work more closely, forming an integrated service Policies which safeguard Settings must develop a range of policies which ensure the safety, security and well-being of their pupils. These will set out the responsibilities of staff and the procedures that they must follow. Policies may be separate or incorporated into one health and safety policy, but they must include sections which cover the following issues of: Safeguarding and protecting, and procedures for reporting E-safety Bullying, including cyber-bullying The Department for Education provides guidance for local authorities they use this guidance to develop their own policy and procedures which must be followed. Two of these are listed below. Working Together to Safeguard Children This is guidance which sets out the duties of organisations and how they must work together to safeguard children and young people. What to do if you’re worried that a child is being abused This is guidance to help those working with children safeguard and promote their welfare. It also looks at the actions which all adults working with children should take if they are concerned . E safety The UK for child internet safety (UKCCIS) was launched in 2008 in response to concerns about internet safety. Its role is to safeguard children in relation to this issue. The council has produced a strategy to increase awareness of internet safety, set out measures to protect children from unsuitable sites and establish codes of practise.

Peer to Peer Assessment Strategy for Groups

Peer to Peer Assessment Strategy for Groups Group work is a great strategy to use in the secondary classroom in order to to improve student learning.  But group work sometimes requires a form of problem solving on its own. While the goal in these classroom collaborations is to equally distribute the work to solve a problem or produce a product, there maybe a student (or two) who does not contribute as much as the other members of the group. This student may let his or her fellow students do the bulk of the work, and this student may even share the group grade. This student is the  slacker  in the group, a member who can frustrate the other members of the group. This is especially a problem if the some of the group work is done outside the classroom. So what can a teacher do about assessing this slacker student who does not collaborate with others or who contributes little to the finished product? How can a teacher be fair and award the appropriate grade to those members of a group who have worked effectively? Is equal participation in group work even possible?   The Reasons for Using Group Work in Class While these concerns might make a teacher think about giving up group work entirely, there are still powerful reasons for using groups in class: Students take ownership of the subject matter.Students develop communication and teamwork skills.Students work together and teach each other.   Students can bring   individual skill sets  to a group.Students learn to plan more effectively and manage their time. Here is one more reason to use groups Students can learn to how to assess their work and the work of others. At the secondary level, the success of group work can be measured in many different ways, but the most common is through a grade or points. Instead of having the teacher determine how a groups participation or project will be scored, teachers can grade the project as a whole and then turn the individual participant grades over to the group as a lesson in negotiation. Turning this responsibility over to the students can address the problem of grading the slacker in the group by having student peers distribute points based on the evidence of work contributed. Designing the Point or Grade System: If the teacher chooses to use peer to peer grade distribution, the teacher must be clear that the project under review will be graded to meet standards outlined in a rubric. The total number of points available for the completed project, however, would be based on the number of people in each group. For example, the top score (or an A) awarded to a student for a project or participation that meets the highest standard could be set at 50 points. If there are 4 students in the group, the project would be worth 200 points (4 students X 50 points each).If there are 3 students in the group,   the project would be worth 150 points  (3 students X 50 points each). If there are 2 members of the group,   the project would be worth 100 points  (2 students X 50 points each). Peer to Peer Grading and Student Negotiation Each student would be be awarded points using the following formula: 1. The teacher would first grade the project  as anA or B or C, etc.   based on the criteria established in the rubric. 2. The teacher would convert that grade into its numerical equivalent:   For example, the teacher may determine that the project should be awarded  the equivalent of a B: ​If the project had four students and was worth 200 points, the project would receive 172  points;   ​  if the project had three students and was worth 150 points, the project would receive  130 points; if the project had two students and was worth 100 points, the project would be awarded 86 points. 3.   After the project receives a grade from the teacher, the students in the group would negotiate on how to divide these points for a grade. Each student must have evidence of what he or she did to  earn points.  Students   could equitably divide the points:   172 points (4 students) or130 points (3 students) or 86 points (two students) ​If all students worked equally and have the evidence to show they should all get the same grade, then each student would receive 43   points out of the original 50 points available.  Each student would receive an 86%. However,  in the group of three students, if two students have the evidence that that they did the bulk of the work, they could negotiate for more points.   They could negotiate for 48 points each (96%) and leave the  slacker with 34 points (68%).   4. Students confer with the teacher for the distribution of points supported by evidence. Results of Peer to Peer Grading Having students participate in how they are graded makes the assessment process transparent. In these negotiations, all students are responsible for providing evidence of the work they did in completing the project.   Peer to peer assessment can be a motivating experience. When teachers may not be able to motivate students, this form of peer pressure may get the desired results. It is recommended that the negotiations for awarding points be supervised by the teacher to ensure fairness. The teacher can retain the ability to override a groups decision. Using this strategy can provide students an opportunity advocate for themselves, a real world skill they will need after they leave school.

Voc wk 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Voc wk 7 - Essay Example In these cases, the consultant is looked at as an expert. The career coach seems to expand the role of the career counselor by combining several types of consulting processes. Career coaches put themselves in mentoring roles with their clients and they seem to be more business oriented. Some of the things that career coaches do is guide a client towards making better career goals, help them create strategies to make more money and make them more valuable to their boss (Simpson, 2006). In using these models with clients, I would concentrate on helping my clients identify their strengths and weaknesses using career coaching. This would help the client take more control of their own career needs. As a consultant, I would work with groups rather than individuals because it seems that groups and organizations are more conducive to consulting. When comparing the roles of a career counselor in consulting, coaching, and supervision, there are many distinctive similarities and differences. The focus of these three is similar in that they all work with people. With consulting and coaching, the client is more important. In supervision, the focus is on the counselor and their performance. In consulting, the focus is on developing a plan that will help the clients personal functioning. Coaching is more action oriented than the other two and is focused on specific interventions for specific clients. The goals of the three roles are to provide feedback in some way. As a consultant, the role is to "advise and educate" (Simpson, 2006, p. 247) the consultee. In coaching, the coach engages actively with the client to identify their skills, goals, and talents to show them how to maximize their potential. In supervision, the supervisor provides feedback to the counselor to help them improve their skills to better serve their clients (Simpson, 2006). When looking at the examples, both consulting and coaching worked directly with professional clients who wanted to

Your Career Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Your Career Development - Essay Example Furthermore, I will present an analysis of how my decision related to career has influenced my career prospects – both in the positive and negative ways – and what have I achieved so far. Introduction It will seem odd to say that I have quite a few MBA’s in my family and I have seen them struggle. Since MBA is a family thing I never had much of a choice, but when I got in and decided that I will make best of what I had; I also resolved in my mind that I will do more, and something worthwhile with my life and career, not sit around waiting for someone to offer me a job. Having my own business set up, however small it might be, was the ultimate solution for me. Hard work has never been bothersome to me, but to wait upon others to recognize my potential and tell me what to do is just not my cup of tea. I made up my mind with regard to my career before I joined the MBA, but I never meant to study to get a job, having a business of my own is the ultimate goal for me. My career anchors, lifeline, Wheels of life, strengths exercise and integration allow me to look closely into the choices I have made and the extent to which they favor my career choice. Personal and Career Purpose While thinking about the personal and career purposes I have to take family and work together. I chose to study MBA for lack of choice and to show respect to what my family thought best for me. Seeing the way many MBA’s suffer while waiting for a job I decided that I had to make myself self-sufficient, so much so, that I shouldn’t have to wait for a salary to run my house hold and to fulfill my and my family’s needs. Starting a business from scratch is no easy task, thus I decided to first take advantage of my MBA to gain necessary understanding of how things work in the business world. The course modules have given me an insight into the business world and have made me firm on my decision rather than weakening my resolve. Courses like entrepreneurshi p, HRM, Supply Chain have provided me with a clear and detailed understanding of the functionalities and complexities faced in the world of business. But I still believe that I lack in understanding of how to make things happen for me when it comes to starting a business from scratch and running it successfully. The severity of competition is becoming even more evident with the crisis threatening businesses all around. After an MBA, I consider it necessary to take courses that offer understanding of starting a business. Free courses and certifications are available online to take. These courses provide with all kinds of information on businesses, financing, accounts and marketing strategies (Norman). Online workshops along with videos from the IRS are also an instrumental tool towards gaining the understanding of personal business (Norman). Such courses and research are free and only require an investment of time. Significance of My Own Business My own business holds significance fo r me in multiple ways. I have always aspired to be unique and to stand out. I enjoy being unique and creating uniqueness. My business will be my own; unique and innovative. Allowing me the freedom of choice I crave. I realized also how much this business is significant to me as I studied about the recession during my classes and how people have been losing their jobs. So many jobless people and such limited opportunities, made me think of creating my own circle of opportunity which will not only make me self-sufficient but also will allow me to help other jobless people by recruiting them. My key anchors, independence, sense of service and entrepreneurship enabled me to realize how significant this venture is for me. Whose Support Will Matter? Rome was not