After the First Death Summary free essay sample

The various themes explored in the texts include the parallel made through the father-son relationship between Ben, the General, Miro and Artkin. Some of these themes are Courage, Survival, Resilience, Sacrifice, Endurance, and being wise. Summary After the First Death written by Robert Cormier is a book about two guys named Artkin and Miro who hold a bus load of children hostage on a bridge for two days. The bus driver,Karen, tries to take control but has a hard time. Cormier brings suspense to the realistic story and engages the reader with his mastermind haracters. Cormiers plot holds a lot of suspense. The main characters, Artkin and Miro drug the kids twice a day so they wont be alert to what is going on during the two days they are held as hostages. Karen, the driver, (who is very scared of danger), tries to take matters into her own hands, trying to move the bus off the bridge without disturbing Artkin and Miro. We will write a custom essay sample on After the First Death Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Somehow the General, of the town, finds out, so he sends his son as a spy to make a deal with Artkin. The General says he will pay them to let the kids and Karen go. As this deal is being made, though, Miro gets Karen and kills her. While the General is letting all the kids free, Artkin kills himself. Artkin and Miro, the main characters are what make this story interesting. Miro was adopted by Artkin when he was three, and Artkin then showed him how to behave in a rude manner. Miro is very unsure about all this but feels as though he has to repay Artkin for saving him and taking him into his life. As the story opens Artkin sees the bus coming. They would take over the bus within seven minutes. In another twenty minutes they would be at the bridge. Fifteen and seven are twenty-two and you always allow three minutes for unexpected delays, Artkin always says. So within twenty-five minutes they had killed their first victim. Cormier carefully plans the actions as if in a real like mob scene. He makes sure the killers know exactly what they are doing so that they will appear rebellious. Cormier wants us to see what kind of people are living in the world, whether they be innocent like the kids and the driver and Just happen to be in the wrong place at the rong time, or whether they are mean and cruel like Artkin and Miro. This book received many negative comments but received some very sincere reviews to! l would give this a positive review for the techniques and suspense Cormier uses to create this horrifying story. Cormier really is a master of suspense, says the San Francisco Chronicle, and I believe that statement is correct. Miro and Artkin bring this story to life with the suspense of whether anyone will survive this hostage situation. Cormier deserves two thumbs up tor an excellent book

Standardized Testing vs Portfolio Assessment

Standardized Testing vs Portfolio Assessment Free Online Research Papers Portfolios and standardized testing are two ways of assessing individual progress. Portfolios can be used to assess students on an individual basis, but this type of assessment may be difficult to use to compare one student to another. To make it standardized across large groups of people in a meaningful way could be too subjective. Standardized tests like ACT and SAT are generally better at comparing one student to another because they minimize the subjectivity. Standardized testing can be used as a system to assess students from different schools. Different methods of assessing students are useful in a variety of settings and for an assortment of purposes. David Boyanton (2009) and a group of educators conducted a study to determine if the emotions felt by a student could affect the outcome of the student’s learning. Although emotion usually is not considered in assessing learning, this study showed that emotion played a significant role in the learning process. Emotions are used during the procedure of learning, and as a result of learning. â€Å"When a student is truly engaged in learning, he will naturally produce some emotion during or at the end of the class. Further, this emotional involvement does not have to be always positive. Rather, it can be either positive or negative† (Boyanton, 2009, p. 67). The study encompassed a type of learning system that students engaged in. The students were then assessed using portfolios based upon this system, known as CES. â€Å"CES proposes that student learning can be inferred through three student characteristics: cognitive continuity, emotional involvement, and social harm ony† (Boyanton, 2009, p.69). Most students engage in conversations or communicate with each other outside of the classroom. Cognitive continuity refers to this type of interaction. A display of strong emotion, either negative or positive, incorporates the emotional involvement component. Social develops when students feel a sense of belonging and the students feel a connection to each other (Boyanton, 2009). According to the study, these three characteristics are reliable indicators of classroom learning. Traditional assessments judge the students’ performance by comparing them to others (norm-referenced testing) or by criterion-referenced testing which uses certain standards (Boyanton, 2009). CES examines learning on an individual level by observing changes made by each student. These changes are compared and assessed to determine growth. The CES model evaluates student learning inside of the classroom as well as behavior outside the classroom (Boyanton, 2009). Learning takes on many forms and constantly changes. The perspective of an individual differs from one person to the next. Common learning assessment tools generally look at learning as stable and within a whole group. CES takes the approach to learning as a changing, individualized, and building experience (Boyanton, 2009). â€Å"CES was to provide a model for instructors to determine how well the students have learned, it does not indicate what the students have learned, how much they have learned, or how wel l they are able to apply what they have learned† (Boyanton, 2009, p. 70). Furthermore, CES does not consider whether the knowledge will be retained, whether student behavior will be influenced or whether students will be able to generalize the information they learned (Boyanton, 2009). Motivation can be a powerful emotion as related to learning. The relationship between student’s motivation to read and their performance on standardized testing is one factor to consider in assessment (Mucherah, 2008). Students who are motivated in some way to read at school or at home, often score higher on certain standardized tests (Mucherah, 2008). â€Å"Students who had high self-efficacy in reading, enjoyed reading challenging material, and who enjoyed reading different kinds of literary material [are the ones who] performed better†(Mucherah, 2008, p. 229). However, those who were motivated to read more for social reasons did not do as well on the test. Mucherah (2008) points out that reading motivation itself does not necessarily predict performance on a standardized test in reading. While reading for personal interest does not improve performance on standardized tests, reading challenging materials and different types of books does have a positive effect on reading tests (Mucherah, 2008). Even though motivation to read might increase achievement, students should not always be rewarded for reading. Teachers may want to increase intrinsic motivation by varying the ways students are rewarded. â€Å"Further understanding of middle school students’ reading motivation will contribute to the design of classroom and school contexts that expand and strengthen readers’ intrinsic reading motivation and the benefits it provides† (Mucherah, 2008, p. 230). Some critics believe there are several faults with standardized testing. Often these tests mainly assess â€Å"rote memorization and dead facts† (Eisner, 1999, p. 568). Eisner believes that it can be difficult for standardized tests to assess a student’s ability to think critically or problem solve. This type of testing only tells how well the students can store and retrieve information, but not apply the information to different settings (Eisner, 1999). Because of these limitations, a learning assessment model based on learning experiences and projects in the classroom may reflect a more individualized assessment. Other critics of criterion referenced testing, such as Dr. Douglas Reeves, believe that such testing can be detrimental. During the assessment and evaluation symposium Dr. Reeves delivered a presentation titled, â€Å"Toxic Grading Practices.† In the presentation, he described how zeros, big final exam, and using an average for a final grade are harmful to students. Dr. Reeves (2008) strongly advocated teachers to make students accountable by making them complete the assignment rather than giving a zero for the missed work. Jay McClain, principal at Bailey’s Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia has similar opinions. In a podcast on PBS.org he explained, â€Å"Data is dangerous if it’s not data that is built on what you feel is important to look at† (2008). When students take a test and you get the results back later, it does not help the teacher to go back and retest. The education reform bill known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), has int ensified accountability for teachers. The focus should be on the whole child rather than on what the child has been taught. McClain believes that NCLB is too restrictive and does not allow for individual expression (Renaud, 2006). Throughout history, there have been many different ways to educate students. Progressive Education philosophers include John Dewey and William Heard Kilpatrick (Gutek, 2009). Both Dewey and Kilpatrick believed that education should be more than textbooks. Students should be engaged in learning and teachers should consider different aspects of the individual child. Kilpatrick was a strong advocate for a project-based learning environment. Students had hands-on opportunities and developed important skills such as cooperation and analytical thinking (Gutek, 2009). The teaching method developed by John Dewey incorporated some similar concepts. Dewey believed that students learned best through the scientific method and experiences within their environment (Gutek, 2009). Both philosophers seem to embrace a portfolio type of assessment that would more accurately reflect individual learning. Because progressive education ideas center on being engaged, portfolio assessment would clos ely fit with these ideals. Accountability has become an increasingly integral part of education. Most states in the United States embrace a system of accountability for teachers and schools. As the accountability system increases, standardized and norm-referenced testing seems to be the assessments of choice for data collection. This method is generally better for collecting data that compares one student to another or one school to another. Many aspect of education are tied to the results of testing. Funding for schools and teacher salary is often a large component of the data results. Freedom of expression and individualism appear to be lost when schools embrace numerical growth rather than student growth. Each assessment method has a purpose and a specific use. Finding the right balance can be difficult, but is important in order to accurately reflect progress and individual growth. References Boyanton, D. (2009, March). How Do You Know They Are Learning: Introducing the CES Classroom Learning Assessment Model. International Journal of Learning, 15(12), 67- 77. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from Education Research Complete database. Eisner, E. W. (1999). The uses and limits of performance assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(9), 658-660. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from Education Research Complete database. Gutek, G. (2009). New Perspectives on Philosophy and Education., New Jersey: Pearson Education. Mucherah, W., Yoder, A. (2008, May). Motivation for Reading and Middle School Students Performance on Standardized Testing in Reading. Reading Psychology, 29(3), 214-235. Retrieved July 1, 2009, doi:10.1080/02702710801982159 Reeves. D. (2008, Jan.). Toxic Grading Practices. retrieved June 30, 2009 from teachertube.com/members Renaud, J., Merrow, J. (producers). (2006, Oct.). Daily, Weekly, Monthly. Podcast retrieved June 30, 2009 from pbs.org/merrow/rss/media/88.mp3. Research Papers on Standardized Testing vs Portfolio AssessmentStandardized TestingThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThree Concepts of PsychodynamicArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Assess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

Radical Behaviorist Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Radical Behaviorist Critique - Essay Example For the purpose of ensuring that the learner meets the learning outcome described above, it is of essence to use the constructivism radical approach during instruction. Constructivist approach Constructivism involves allowing the learner to solve problems on their own based on the experience they have gained over time. A constructivist classroom does not consider the learner as a passive recipient of information. Rather, the learner is actively involved in discovering knowledge by themselves and not necessarily depending on the instructor. In constructivist learning, the role of the teacher is simply to facilitate learning activities, then leaving the learner to acquire knowledge on their own. According to Seel (2011) constructivist theorists believe that the acquisition of knowledge is determinant on prior knowledge. Therefore, a learner only builds up upon previous knowledge while learning. Accordingly, in my mathematics class, the learners will be required to use the knowledge the y have acquired over time coupled with new ideas to find solutions to the algebraic problems. More importantly, the learners will use the mathematical knowledge they have acquired previously to achieve the set learning outcomes. ... This means that as a learner continues to perceive external information, they continually blend it with what they already know about the topic and make a meaning out of it. The process of acquiring external information may be through reading a book or viewing images. In the process of doing either, the learner stores the information in the short-term memory then later on, after they are through reading or viewing, the information is transferred into the long-term memory (Seel, 2011). From the long-term memory, the information can now be retrieved as knowledge. Using this information processing theory, I would change the view of constructivists that the teacher does not have a very important role to play in learner-centered learning. It is obvious that the learner needs the teacher to simplify some of the concepts for easier encoding and decoding. Therefore, in as much as the learner should be left to solve the problem on their own, the teacher needs to guide the learner in perceiving the instructions and solving the problem. Some algebraic equations may be too complex for the learner and they may need the teacher’s intervention. Schema theory of meaningful learning According to the schema theory, meaningful learning can only occur if the learner is able to use their schema to interpret their experiences. Schema in this case refers to a learner’s existing knowledge. This theory is somehow similar to the constructivist theory, in that it emphasizes on the role played by prior experiences in determining how a learner acquires knowledge. The constructivist and schema theories belong to a group of learning approaches that emphasize on discovery learning. Here, the learner is left to discover concepts on their own,

Educate a noncompliant patient Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Educate a noncompliant patient - Assignment Example There are several ways through which the nurses and other healthcare professionals may educate the non-compliance patients. Counseling sessions can be conducted for the purpose of guiding the patients about their health plans, medications and diet plans. Seminars can be held related to different chronic diseases and the patients must be recommended by the doctor to attend these seminars to get a better insight about their condition. The non-compliant patients are the ones who do not have the health insurance, health plan complimenting their conditions or they do not have the desire of living. Therefore it is the responsibilities of the nurses and other healthcare professionals to encourage them to fight through this as a strong person. They can also educate them about the importance of medication and recommended lifestyle while fighting in their condition (Crane,

Influence of the global crisis on Russia in 2008 Essay Example for Free

Influence of the global crisis on Russia in 2008 Essay The recent global crisis has been a turning point in the economies of many countries. Its origin can be traced back to the economic meltdown that hit the USA starting the year 2007. The crisis was mainly felt across the world thereafter due to the economic influence of the countries that it later hit. The main cause of this crisis was cited as the lending of money to the different sectors with less pragmatic actions. These had been pegged on the expectations by economists that the money from sectors such as real estate and stocks would go up or remain steady. The ripple effect was thus reflected on countries whose economies were dependent on the countries from which the crisis started. The prices of crude oil had just fallen drastically after an increase in production from countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. This, consequentially, reduced the demand for oil and other petroleum products. Sestanovich and Kennan (2008) opine that the situation in Russia had been made more complex by the fact that its economy largely depends on the sale of oil and gas. These are the primary exports that mainly run the economy of Russia. The prices dropped drastically from $147- $38 due to the fall in demand and prices after an intervention by the oil producing countries. This meant tat the economy of Russia had to slow down due to a slower inflow of cash into the economy. Economists therefore pointed out that the reliance on oil and gas that has characterised the Russian economy was the major cause of the drastic effect of the global crisis. The other cause of the crisis was the intervention of Russia in the war between Georgia and Ossetia. This is due to the fact that many countries that did not approve of the manner in which the intervention was carried out protested by withdrawing their investments in Russia. Consequently, the outflow of cash caused a crisis in the banking sector of Russia. The direct effect of the crisis is that the country was forced to scale down on its expenditure. This was due to the fact that the economy of Russia is not industry-based as much as to enable it to survive the crisis. Therefore, the government went out of its way to support the sectors that it felt would be most vulnerable. The priority fell on the financial sector. A consequence is that the deviation of resources from important projects caused an increase in poverty. This came as a result of lay-offs and a severe decrease in incomes. The purchasing power of citizens thus shot down significantly. The attempt by the government to address the crisis by bailing out the financial sector slowed down the rate of growth and thus the GDP went down. The growth of near 12% that had been projected before fell to 5. 6%. There was an increase in interest rates on loans that locked out the middle and mostly lower class citizens. The activity in the stock market was seriously affected. Stocks dropped by nearly 70% causing uncertainty in the markets. This was another big cause of outflow of foreign investments. The use of reserves was imminent as the withdrawal of foreign investments decreased foreign currencies that were available. Consequently, the government had to start using its reserves, critically reducing it to dangerous levels. The credit that the government owed its trading partners came into focus. Moscow had failed to come up with concrete means of paying back its credits. In as much as it finally paid back all it owed to other economies, its capital base had been reduced to a bare minimum. The crisis had wrecked havoc on the Russian economy and it was a matter of time before the country went into a some form of dependence on foreign aid – an issue the political class had not imagined in a very long while and had done all it could to stop it. None the less, the economy survived the crisis somehow. To address the crisis, the government took several steps to make sure that it did not harm the economy further. The first step was to start production of goods that the foreign investors had been producing in Russia. This was aimed at reducing reliance on foreign countries. The political class, which had been praised for its former policies that ensured the country conserved more than it spent, decided to hold briefs where they would address different issues. First in line was the influence of the US on the global economy. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s President, urged the US to ease its chokehold on the global economy as this would mean that other economies that depended on it largely suffer any time its economy does. The political class also reached an agreement that countries that are of interest should be trading partners with Moscow as it also increases economic influence and strategic positioning politically. In dealing with the rising cases of poverty, the government came up with policies that would go a long way in ensuring that housing and education would effectively be subsidised so as to relieve the citizens of heavy expenses on the two areas. This had been necessitated by the decrease in the people’s ability to purchase basic goods and services. A stimulus package was also organised to augment other interventions that had been organised for in the labour market. An example of how this was to be implemented was the unemployment benefits, coming up with ways through which the unemployed could be given temporary jobs and even organising workshops to enhance employee skills while at work. With the keen and pragmatic moves planned by the government, Russia was able to lift itself out of the global economic crisis. This would in the subsequent year prove to be a boost to its economy as dependency had been cut down to necessary levels while increasing production of goods from within. The dependence Russia has on petroleum products like oil and gas is thus slowly going down. Sestanocich Kennan (2008) claim that the government of Russia should not back down on courting international interests as it had started before the crisis. This is due to the fact that international relations increase chances of obtaining favourable trade partners. However, the relations that Russia had with most powerful nations had been drastic on their capacities to gain many partners to trade with. This had reflected on the how fast the countries that had invested in Russia wanted out once Russia started sinking in the crisis and when it decided to intervene in the conflict between Georgia and Ossetia. After grappling with the effects, Russia came out stronger and more economically independent. A reliance on oil and gas had also started going down as other industries had been forced to provide home-grown solutions to lack of critical goods. In conclusion, the global crisis had so many economies shattered. This stemmed from the influence the economy of the US had on the global economy. Russia, as a country, experienced it in the worst form as it came at a time when the petroleum industry was not performing well. In as much as the crisis ravaged its economy, the immediate and near-comprehensive action taken by the government reduced the results faster than thought. Apart from the crisis that Russia experienced in the year 1998, the 2008 one proved to be very costly. This is as a result on the expectations its citizens had after a good run in the global crude oil prices. The leadership of Russia has in effect been forced to look at a wider range of industries that the economy can rely on so as to spread risks. Finally, the global crisis, according to economists, did not reduce the economic influence that Russia had gained in the period before the crisis.

Analysis of the Movie Doctor Zhivago Essay -- Doctor Zhivago Russian R

Analysis of the Movie Doctor Zhivago Doctor Zhivago is a historically accurate movie. It is a love story that takes place during the Russian Revolution, World War One, and the Russian Civil War. Doctor Zhivago is historically correct because of the events it represents, the people the actors portray, and the level of detail put into the setting. At the beginning of the movie, there is a scene showing a man handing out flyers asking workers to join him in a peaceful march to protest against the Tsar. The man’s name is Pasha. He is an ordinary worker who believes to reform Russia there must be a complete revolution of thought and action. Pahsa, when asked if he was part of the Bolshevik party, claims no allegiance. The Bolsheviks were people who were attempting to gain a much more favorable lifestyle for the working class. The Bolsheviks were lead by Lenin, who would end up leading Russia. Since someone questioned if Pasha was a Bolshevik because of his actions, one would believe that the Bolsheviks were doing the same thing; trying to get people to revolt against the Tsar. When the workers who received the flyers join Pasha in the peaceful march, they are attacked Russian soldiers. The soldiers charge at them and the people turn and run. Those unable to escape are killed or injured. In the movie, this event took place in Moscow, but it was representing â€Å"The Bloody Sunday Massacre† which took place in St Petersburg, January 22, 1905. Doctor Zhivago portrayed this event very well. They have the march during the winter of 1905, which is the actual time that the â€Å"Bloody Sunday† event took place. Also, both the people marching in the movie and the people marching in real life wanted the same things. They wanted bread, better working conditions, and eight-hour days. The setting of the massacre scene in front of the Russian palace is correct because in actuality, the massacre took place in front of the Winter Palace. Doctor Zhivago also uses one of its characters to represent one of the historical figures who was involved in the â€Å"Bloody Sunday Massacre†. After the massacre, Pasha escapes with only a cut to his face. He goes to his fiancà ©e, Laura, to ask for help. She asks how he got injured and he tells her about the massacre. He describes how the soldiers slaughtered women and children who only asked for bread to eat. Since he was the... ...go is quite accurate in it’s portrayal of the facts. Everything from the ideas about the revolution to details on the buildings were historically correct. Names and locations might have been changed, but what they represented is factual. Even though the movie’s focus is on the love story and not the revolution, the details for the revolution seem to be accurate. Bibliography 1) Adams, Arthur E. The Russian Revolution and Bolshevik Victory: Why and How? Boston: D.C. Heath and Company, 1960. 2) â€Å"Bloody Sunday.† Spartacus Educational. 2002. Spartacus Educational. October 15, 2004 3) Field, Daniel. Rebels in the Name of the Tsar. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1976 4) Moorehead, Alan. The Russian Revolution. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1958. 5) Oliva, L. Jay. Russia and the West: From Peter to Khrushchev. Boston: D.C. Heath and Company, 1965. 6) Roark, James L. and others. The American Promise: a History of the United States: Second Compact Edition. Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003. 7) Vernadsky, George. A History of Russia: Fourth Edition, Completely Revised. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1954.

Business And Management Personal Statement Essay

Creativity is what drove me to pursue in Business and Management at University of Westminster. Business has always fascinated me. During my time growing up, I have seen the global economy change rapidly. The European Union has faced many atrocious crisis, making Europe unstable. As a result to prevent the instability, small businesses created jobs to improve the European Union’s economy, and one day I want my business to be a part of that improvement. I came across a quote from Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company which stated â€Å"A business that makes nothing but money is poor business† Ford Motor Company is a hugely successful company which all probably started with creativity and ambition to actually create something that fulfils peoples need. This further encouraged me to produce a few ideas of my own. Two ideas in particular have stood out to me; firstly: Expand my current company. When I was in my last year in High school, I started my first youth enterprise with my classmate. We noticed that there was a huge request for thin jewelleries among young women. So we created a business plan and named our business Tropical Jewellery UF. Our company took great success and received a lot of positive response. My next idea for this company is to expand it internationally. I still want to develop the business and be as creative as I can, since I have put my whole in this idea. Secondly I have studied a lot about the global poverty. My main idea is to increase the education equivalent in countries who suffers from poverty by creating schools in these affecting areas. I know in particular that I will be facing difficulty whilst establishing the idea, however I will be fighting this struggle in order to create education. Through studying three different math courses, I have gained the ability to interpret data and successfully solve the task and draw conclusion from it. Beside studying math, I have also studied three business courses, marketing and a lot of other courses. I am a very well rounded person with skills and knowledge in many fields. I believe this is an important feature of a business person as they need to be able to deal with many different varieties of challenges. In and out of school I have a big interest in languages. I speak fluent Arabic and of course Swedish. I have studied Spanish for seven years, and I can almost speak it fluently. During my last year in school I studied a French course. I spent two weeks of my summer in  France. I continued to develop my French skills in Paris. During my third year, I studied Cambridge Advanced English and did the exam and got a certificate at the beginning of the summer. A business degree is exceptionally various and can lead to many opportu nities. At present I have recently entered the business world and I am already eager to learn more.