The United Nations And the European Union Essay

The United Nations And the European Union - Essay Example This essay declares that the efficiency of EU’s counter-terrorism operations is also highly questionable. Generally, the EU doesn’t support the US concept of a ‘war on terror’ and tends to criticize the US approach as highly military driven and overactive. The EU has adopted soft approach of sanctions and political pressure. The European governments are highly worried about the consequence of their anti-terrorism policies on their Muslim population which constitutes around 16 to 21 million of overall EU’s population. This paper makes a conclusion that both the UN and EU have played a crucial role in peacekeeping operations on a global and regional level. The end of cold war is marked as the transformation period for both the organizations in terms of their peacekeeping operations and foreign policies. The emergence of global terrorism, growing intrastate conflicts, rising nuclear proliferation, transformation of global political system from unipolarity to multipolarity in recent years, globalization, and growing economic inequality are some of the major common pressures which triggered developments in both the institutions. Despite radical reformation, the UN and EU possess significant deficiencies in their structure and flaws in their policies. The effectiveness of their peacekeeping operations is rather limited. In order to preserve collective security and global peace, it is necessary for both these crucial organizations to reform their policies and adopt effective measures to conquer present flaws in their functional framework.

Entrepreneural Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Entrepreneural - Research Paper Example ea explains to the management the effect that the idea will have on the organization and how to implement the idea in the existing procedures (Christiansen, 2000). The organization has a culture that upholds change that arises. Management has ensured that it has induced a positive culture that encourages employees to welcome any change that will have a positive impact towards the organization’s performance. On the other hand, leaders are the implementers of the change. They ensure that they lead the rest of the organization towards changes the organization. The organization has also ensured that it provides a serene environment for the innovators. This is through providing psychological and financial support to those who have an idea that may change the organizational performance. Employees also give human capital inform of giving ideas towards refining the idea for it to become more effective for the whole organization. This has played a major role in encouraging potential innovators to come up with diverse ideas that has seen an increased competitiveness of the organization (Christiansen, 2000). For the management to increase creativity and innovation in the organization, they must create a good relationship with their subordinates. Many of the innovative ideas come from the low ranked employees. As a result, leaders should adopt open office policy to encourage employees t consult them when need arises concerning the idea (Christiansen, 2000). Second, the organization leaders should set aside funds that will help those with ideas to purchase all the necessary materials required to spearhead the idea(s). Funds have been the greatest setback towards innovation therefore; availability of the funds will encourage employees to come up with ideas that will improve the organizations status (Christiansen, 2000). The management can encourage innovation through giving out incentives. In case an employee comes up with an innovative idea and it brings change in the

Feedback Loops Essay Example for Free

Feedback Loops Essay DMSS processing will produce a variety of evaluation-specific outputs. A main document will be synthesized with the forecasts and reports regarding the DMSS effectiveness. The following will be enumerated in this document. (i) Organization performance, as well as, maturity assessments of the decision maker will be decomposed by the outcome projections. (ii) Phase and step ratings will be the separated form of the process projections, as well as, productivity appraisals and personal efficiency. (iii) The usage of the evaluated DMSS will determine the overall decision value. (iv) Further processing will be done by the advice and recommendation of the logic leading. The detailed documentation will be provided by such an enumeration, by which, the evaluation will be justified properly. The user will be available with several output options. The desired section of the main output will be displayed by the users on the monitor, and display will be able to print by the users. Alternatively, the entire document could be saved by the user into a file, and a hard copy could be printed for the display of the results. Point-and-click operations will allow the selection of all these options, which will allow the transparency of the processing to the user. Database entries can be updated or revised, specific knowledge can be evaluated, and evaluation model can be operational by the use of feedback from the actions of the evaluator, as signified by the input loop. The original analyses and evaluations can be modified, extended, and guided by the use of output feedback, as shown by the bottom loop. What-if-type sensitivity analyses have been included in the important further evaluations. In these analyses, specified changes in the outcome or process measures and their reactions on the DMSS effectiveness can be determined by the evaluator. (Dean 2006) Reliability of CBTIs (Customized Business Technical Information) Many computer-based systems for test interpretation also include options for computerized test administration and scoring. In most (but not all) cases, CBTIs have been constructed for instruments originally developed as non-computerized measures, raising issues regarding the equivalence of computerized and non-computerized administration formats. Concluded that by and large, computer-administered tests are essentially equivalent to booklet-administered tests. However, findings reported in that article and elsewhere suggest that conclusions regarding equivalence are more ambiguous than this. Scholar argued that equivalence between testing formats should be evaluated along both psychometric dimensions and experiential ones (eg, perceptual and attitudinal processes). They concluded that most studies have not addressed all the criteria for equivalence and have usually ignored possible differences in variances and criterion validity between computerized and traditional procedures. Although the strongest evidence for psychometric equivalence has been obtained for computerized adaptations of paper-and-pencil measures of personality, even here the data are mixed. For example, Honaker and Fowler cited four studies between 1974 and 1987 comparing computerized and booklet MMPI administration formats in which significant mean score differences were found on one or more scales. They noted that the status of the MMPI equivalency research is somewhat discouraging because the number of studies on the MMPI far exceeds that done for any other assessment instrument. A significant potential advantage of automated administration of psychological tests lies in computerized adaptive testing (CAT) in which only a subset of the complete item pool is presented, based on known item-response properties and idiographic response patterns of the respondent. Items lying outside the floor and ceiling of the individuals response pattern (i. e. , having either very high or very low probabilities of being answered in a particular direction) are omitted, thus providing greater efficiency of testing. Moreover, because CAT tailors the test to each individual, and each person responds to different subsets of items, anyone can be measured with the same degree of precision (i. e. , the same standard error), facilitating both accuracy and potential validity in predicting non-test criteria.

A Thematic Approach To Teaching Education Essay

A Thematic Approach To Teaching Education Essay For this topic I am going to explore the history of the National Curriculum and the thematic approach to teaching. Looking at these areas I am going to create themes within the Foundation Phase and Key Stage 2 to use as an example of a thematic approach to teaching. National Curriculum The National Curriculum has been policy in Schools for many years, it originates back to 1970 when the government focused on education with a desire to educate children to create a better work force. Teaching consisted of no supervision within the classroom and the teachers could teach whatever they wanted as a result of there not being a specific curriculum to follow, or at least relate back to. In 1976 James Callaghan changed the teaching profession. His idea was everyone should be taught the same topics, this led to an introduction of more core subjects. Within a few years, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister and decided she didnt like the scheme of teaching within the National Curriculum, so, in 1979 she decided that every Council would write their own policies. These policies had to include maths, English and science which were deemed to be core subjects. The Prime Minister wanted to see a lot more testing of the teaching process so that teaching was far more measurable and what progress and standard the children where achieving. In the 1987, Kenneth Baker, the Education Minister took the concept a stage further. He divided the curriculum into 3 core subjects maths, English and science, and 7 foundation subjects including the subjects of history, geography, foreign language, art, music, P.E and design and technology. He had a syllabus for each subject composed so that all teachers knew what content to cover when teaching each subject. In 1988 the Educational Reform Act became legislation. It was widely regarded as the most important single piece of education legislation in England and Wales in modern times. The Educational Reform Act changed education. After its introduction in 1988, the National Primary School Curriculum had to be presented to the government to ensure standards of teaching were the same for every child. Key Stages were introduced in schools that benched marked milestones in a childs education. At each key stage a number of educational objectives had to be achieved, the impact of this was the curriculum evolved into educational overload. Each teacher had 345 targets to meet! The Key Stages introduced were Key Stage 1 (5 7 year old children), Key Stage 2 (7 11 year old children), Key Stage 3 (11 14 year old pupils) and Key Stage 4 (15 16 year old pupils). Statutory tests were progressively introduced for each Key Stage. The Key Stage 1 statutory tests were introduced in 1991, Key Stage 2 in 1995 and Key Stage 3 in 1993. Sir Ron Dearing reviewed education in 1995, he removed some topics out and reduced the burden of 345 targets to 14 targets that teachers needed to meet. Margaret Thatcher still wanted to change elements of the curriculum whilst Sir Ron Dearing was doing his review. She wanted to name and shame every school that wasnt performing and to rank all schools, hence the birth of school tables to publicly inform parents how individual schools were performing. Sir Ron Dearing wanted a structured numeracy and literacy hour which was structured and dictated what had to be done and was applied by all schools across the Country. This enabled visibility to monitor and evaluate what was being done at any one time. Another huge change arrived 30 years later when Sir Jim Rose looked at the National Curriculum. He led an independent review in 2008-2009 and came to the conclusion that there was still too much going on in the curriculum. He wanted focus on essential life and learning skills and on literacy, numeracy, I.C.T, learning and thinking skills and social and emotional well being. Sir Jim Rose wanted to establish a curriculum for the 21st century that met the needs of individual learners whilst taking account for the broader needs of Wales. The national curriculum changed once again in 2008. The stages of the curriculum Key Stages were and remain divided into sections, Year 3- Year 6 Key Stage 2 (7 11 year olds) and early years which became the Foundation Phase Year 1 Year 2 (3 7 year olds). The curriculum content consists of core subjects (Mathematics, English and Science) and Welsh Language, broader curriculum subjects ( I.C.T, History, Geography, Music, Art and Design, Physical recreation, Design and Technology, Welsh second Language) and basic curriculum (R.E and P.S.E). This ensures subjects are taught via a cross curriculum approach and introduce key skills that includes thinking, number, I.C.T and communication. Assessments have been introduced to enable teachers to monitor childrens learning and baseline assess attainment at the end of the Foundation Phase. At Key Stage 2, pupils are tested on their English and Mathematics and core subjects. then in Year 6 they are assessed in preparation for transition to year 7 in Secondary education. The introduction to the Foundation Phase was set out in Wales and further amplified and explained in the Foundation Phase consultation paper published in 2003. The proposals contained in this paper was supported by 96 per cent of respondents. The Welsh Assembly Government then piloted the Foundation Phase from September 2004. The Foundation Phase provides young children with a curriculum that is more appropriate to their stage of development and that caters for their individual needs. From reading Welsh Assembly Government, March 2009, Foundation Phase Child Development Profile Guidance, Welsh Assembly Government I have discovered the seven areas of learning within the Foundation Phase (3 7 year olds). The seven areas of learning are:- Personal and social development, well-being and cultural diversity Language, literacy and communication skills Mathematical development Welsh language development Knowledge and understanding of the world Physical development Creative development This approach allows teachers to monitor the knowledge of individual childrens development in the key areas of a childs learning and to follow onto the areas of learning to observe and evaluate childrens progress throughout their learning. In the National Curriculum for Key Stage 2, each subject has two sections (skills and range) for a childs programme of study in each different national curriculum subject. This includes levels of understanding, investigating and making. There are also national curriculum skills that are the same for all non-core and core subjects within the National Curriculum. Children develop thinking skills by planning, developing and reflecting on their work in all subjects. Another requirement within the National Curriculum is to develop communication skills. The children learn to communicate across the curriculum by using skills such as oracy, reading, writing and wider communicating in all subjects across the National Curriculum. A further requirement is to develop ICT skills. The children must develop their ICT skills across the curriculum by finding, developing, creating and presenting information and ideas using a wide range of software and equipment. Finally children must develop their num ber skills across the curriculum by using mathematical information, calculating, interpreting and presenting their findings across the whole range of national curriculum subjects. Thematic Approach The cross-curricular thematic approach has been part of education in schools for many years and slowly began to gain popularity in primary schools during the 60s. This was due to recommendations from the Plowden Report (1967) emphasising that children learn better finding out information for themselves rather than being taught directly and supplied with information direct from a teacher. A thematic approach to teaching involves integrating all subject areas together under one theme. The cross curriculum approach helps children relate basic academic skills to the real world. Thematic units are common in the Foundation Phase where children learn through interactive, integrated activities. These themed units incorporate reading, mathematics, science and social studies. To create thematic approaches in teaching a theme is selected for a particular topic which would be applied for a period of a week or a month. The time line would depend on the broadness of the theme and how many subjects are going to be included in the cross curriculum approach. From knowing the themes the teacher develops schemes of work, activities and writing lesson plans. The children are then given aims and objectives within the thematic approach lessons. The activities may consist of being hands-on or physical learning, games on the internet and reading certain books for the skill level the children are reading at. For example, art skills can be developed by drawing exercises related to the theme. There is no end to what national curriculum subjects can be developed within the thematic approach. The benefits of a thematic approach have been examined. Teaching thematically helps children build self esteem and allows the children to understand what they are being taught. Content and subject areas are integrated and not made obvious to the children what subjects they are being taught. The pupils are able to learn and retain more information through a thematic approach, it encourages the involvement of all abilities of children through topics relevant to them and their learning needs, from the learning aspect the children are able to relate to real-world experiences and build upon their prior knowledge learned from previous lessons taught at that particular moment in time. The thematic approach also helps teachers teach to the different learning capabilities of their children. Overall the thematic approach keeps children engaged by making learning activities fun by creating a variety of different experiences within different thematic approaches. The teacher and children are able to be creative, authentic and original, it also allows the teacher to integrate all subjects and use literacy within those subjects. The children can share the same learning goals, is children centred and utilises collaborative and cooperative learning. The curriculum is also compact and saves time teaching multiple subjects at once. The negatives of a thematic approach need to be considered. Some children may lose interest in the theme/subject being addressed. Using one theme for a month may become boring, repetitive and the childrens motivation to learn will decrease and become uninterested and distracted. The children may also not like the choice of the theme chosen by the teacher and may cause arguments between children making them unwilling to participate in the activities created by the teacher. It can be hard for the teacher to find enough resources/information to cover every aspect of the topic and intertwining the benchmarks within that one topic may be difficult, it can also be easy to miss out on some content that could be covered in the theme. Within the thematic approach it may be hard for the lower level children to engage and consequently have a hard time with concepts within that theme, they will then struggle with the work. This child is still expected to connect within the focused tasks causing possible stress for the child knowing their level of capabilities are lower than someone else in the class, so it is difficult for the teacher to provide tasks that suits everyones needs and learning styles. From reading a document Using thematic approach, Bristol, Victoria Clarke and Virginia Braun (Page 2) express a mixed view of the thematic approach. They quote Thematic analysis is a poorly demarcated, rarely-acknowledged, yet widely-used qualitative analytic method. They believe that the thematic approach is rarely acknowledged but is used widely across teaching. Theorists have a mixed view about the statement because they feel that the thematic approach can prove to be successful as long as the theme and subjects used are taught at a level that suits all the childrens needs using an integrated and balanced scheme of work for all abilities . Others also think that the quote is wrong in saying the thematic approach is rarely acknowledged. It is clear from experiences within the classroom that teachers successfully use the thematic approach a lot. My view on the foundation phase and what it has to offer. Within the Foundation Phase, children as individuals are given opportunities to learn about themselves, improve their own knowledge and understanding of the real world and gain better knowledge of personal hygiene and safety. The children become independent and achieve goals that teachers cannot pass on to the children through use of just the direct teaching method. This is why the Foundation Phase is so unique, it allows the children to learn from their own personal experiences and take their learning into their own hands. The children become more confident and assertive and learn values for themselves and from their peers. With all of the above focusing on skills, children can develop in the Foundation Phase. The main thrust of developing skills is by letting children play, it is an essential feature within the curriculum which must be fun and stimulating for the children to enjoy learning. This approach helps children to be pro active and physically interact with objects they woul dnt necessarily encounter day to day. From reading the Rumbold Report (1990) on play, there is a very strong view about using play within the Foundation Phase, it is believed that active educational play supports childrens learning across all areas of learning. I totally agree with this statement as it does create activity for the development of a wide range of skills and also allows the children to develop their own personal skills. Overall I think the Foundation Phase is an all round positive curriculum that appears to work very well in developing children from an early age of 3. My lesson ideas for teaching within the Foundation Phase The subjects I examine as an example for my teaching in a thematic approach in the Foundation Phase incorporates two non-core subjects Geography, Art and Design and also look at the basic curriculum area of R.E. The theme I have chosen is the Amazon rainforest. The class I have chosen to deliver this task to is Year 2. R.E In the R.E lesson, I will read the read the book of Noahs Ark. Maisy, 2007, Noahs Ark, Lucy Cousins I will identify the type of animals and relate them to the Amazon Rainforest. From reading the book I will have a section of play where I will divide the class into groups. The children will have samples of all of the animals referred to in the book along with a boat. They will then have to memorise the list of the animals which relate back to the book and fit them into the boat. This will develop their thinking skills and also their communication skills while working in groups to do the activity. This will be a warm up activity for the children so they are getting their brain into working mode. This relates back to the national curriculum skills for R.E in the Guidance for local education authorities and agreed syllabus conferences, January 2008, National exemplar framework for religious education for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales, Welsh Assembly Government by using the section listed as developing thinking. For the main activity the children have to create their own story where they save a number of animals onto a certain object, the object can be specific to our day and age so it could range from a boat or train to an aeroplane. To get the children started in their story one can brain storm and list their examples of some animals and objects on a board / interactive whiteboard and show what mode of transport animals can be rescued onto. From the main activity they are developing their communication skills, theyre using their writing skills and oracy by discussing what they are going to include in their story. From the content of the activities created one can monitor the calibre and style of childrens writing. I will select three or four pieces of work to be read out by the children and evaluate everyones work by having everyone on each table to swap and evaluate each others work. Geography (Knowledge and understanding of the world) To teach knowledge and understanding of the world I will focus on the wider world section of the curriculum, illustrating to the children what lives in the Amazon Rainforest, and type of habitats they live in. I would create discussions around particular questions I would continually ask. Questions would raise awareness and explore what is the rainforest. Childrens knowledge and understanding of the Amazon Rainforest will be developed through the handing out of a quiz that can be completed in groups. A class competition can be created to see who has the most questions correct about the Amazon Rainforest. After the quiz, to develop continuity through this subject of geography the children can create pieces of work to put up on the Amazon Rainforest board on the classroom walls. The children can bring their knowledge from R.E and use their drawings they developed in art to put onto the classroom board, this will create a sense of achievement and ownership as the children would be able to look at their own work when in their own classroom and is a clear display of their own work for others to see what they have done. A number of skills will have been developed from using this approach that are taken from the national curriculum book of knowledge and understanding of the world for Foundation Phase. The skills developed consist of enquiring, exploring, describing, asking/ answering questions, investigating, thinking, solving problems and recording their research. All of these are required and used within the theme and tasks set during lessons. Art From reading the book Noahs Ark, children can draw an animal of their choice that relates to the story, a list and a picture of each animal mentioned in the story would be given as a resource for the children to relate back to. A directed task would then be set to use different materials to create a 2D image of the animal from the Noahs Ark story. Materials to be used would include: Coloured pencils Paint Coloured pens Crayons Craft materials to create different textures etc. From creating their animal drawing, the children can try and link them to a habitat within the rainforest. To research the animals habitat the children can use the internet to find an image of the habitat for their animal to be stuck onto. The final outcome will then consist of a hand made piece of artwork of an animal from the rainforest made by every individual child and placed on a background of the habitat the animal would live in within the rainforest. Overall the children would have explored colour using different materials and creatively making an animal by exploring and forming different textures. This relates back to the national curriculum within the foundation phase due to reading the creative development Welsh Assembly Government book. Welsh Assembly Government, June 2008, Creative Development, Welsh Assembly Government The children will have used ICT skills to research on the internet for a habitat picture of the rainforest. From creating the animal design that relates back to the Amazon rainforest, focus can be made upon literacy skills by asking each child to describe what animal they have created and what their habitat looks like. Overall, the children would have used planning and thinking skills by developing and creating the art work. The children can reflect on their work and see if their animal relates to the rainforest to give it a real life effect. Oracy and writing skills are also developed by describing their animal and habitat, so they are expressing their ideas and emotions about their work. The structure of the childs learning will be as it is presented in the essay, I will start off with R.E, and then include Geography and follow integrate Art and Design. When the children take part in these activities the children themselves do not realise they are learning these skills. This is an excellent outcome, as, when they grow up, the children will reflect and hopefully remember what they have done and recognise the skills they had used. My lesson ideas for teaching within Key Stage 2 The subjects I examine for teaching a thematic approach in Key Stage 2 will consist of two non-core subjects of Geography, Art and Design and also look at the basic curriculum which is R.E. The theme chosen is Judaism. The year group chosen for this is Year 5. R.E The children will be made aware what Judaism, different clothing and their names worn at this time would be examined. A group activity for children would be used after explaining the variety of clothes using dolls clothing, some relevant to Judaism and some not relevant. A women and man doll would be introduced for the children to dress and they learn to relate the same back to Judaism culture. From dressing the dolls the children move on to examine a house of a Jewish person. The children will look at dietary make up of Jews and what type of ornaments they have in their houses that are an integrated part of their culture. A group session can be delivered where children can trial some Jewish food and if possible have a Jewish person to come in and talk to the children about their lifestyle. A useful website for a teacher resource would be:- http://www.waupun.k12.wi.us/Policy/other/dickhut/religions/14%20Jewish%20Symbols.html This website describes the clothing and certain items that are found in a Jewish home. This theme will have continuity and appear through other lessons. In other lessons different festivals within the Jewish community would be explored and have a look at videos to demonstrate how they celebrate their festivals. The skills developed throughout these lessons would be communication through talking in groups to discuss issues about the culture and ornaments the children have discovered. The children are also developing thinking skills to execute dressing the men and women dolls into suitable clothing for a Jewish person. Art From the previous lesson on R.E about Judaism children are given a directed task using a hand out sheet with four boxes to draw in. The children are asked to use each box to draw from real life, objects such as Shofar or a type of clothing like a Kippah and use a range of art materials to colour in their drawings. The materials used could include :- Coloured pencils Paint Coloured pens Crayons Charcoal Water paint Mark making Tone Craft materials Each box I will ask The children will be told to use each box to illustrate a different art material so they are experimenting and testing different materials and are using a range of art media. After finishing the drawings the following activity would develop literacy where children have to describe the content and process used in creating each box, stating what material they have used, what the object is and how it is used within the religion of Judaism. Overall children have explored different art materials and creatively making examples relating to Judaism using the clothes they wear or the different items used within the culture. This links to the national curriculum within the Key Stage 2 Art and Design as found through reading the Art and Design national curriculum for Wales book. Welsh Assembly Government, January 2008, Art and Design in the National Curriculum for Wales, Welsh Assembly Government From reading the book listed above I am able to see what parts of the curriculum I have taught. The activities demonstrate that the children have planned, developed and reflected on their work which uses the developing thinking skill and that all of the children have developed their oracy and writing skills that links to the developing communication aspect. Geography In geography focus is on where the Jewish community was founded and where Judaism is sited in different countries. A presentation using PowerPoint for both tasks and the children can do small tasks from worksheets. We will then look at the Star of David flag and what the meaning is behind it. Two follow on from this children will be asked to develop a double page in their book about Judaism. This double page will involve information about the Jewish community, where Jewish people are distributed around the world, some ornaments, clothes and the Star of David flag. The children are being tested on a number of skills across the curriculum in geography. The children are developing thinking skills, they have to plan the double page on Judaism and develop the work on Jews and also to ensure they include Judaism. The childrens communication skills are being developed through them writing about what they have learned about the Jewish community and Judaism. The children are using selected language to describe where the Jewish people live within different countries, and so are discussing geographical issues. The children are conducting their own personal investigation into Judaism and Jewish religion. From developing the double page they are developing creative and presentation of information and ideas from their investigation. Observing children To see the childrens improvement throughout their learning teachers need to pay attention to observing the children in their care. In the observing children book Welsh Assembly Government, January 2008, Observing children, Welsh Assembly Government it is quoted It is important that practitioners listen to children as well as watch them when observing, as they can learn a great deal about childrens learning and understanding through listening to their speech I believe this is a vital quote for teachers observing children because you can definately gain more understanding of the childrens learning by talking to children as well as observing how they play and the standard of their work. The observation of children should be taken into consideration through using the seven areas of learning, this will provide evidence of their development and achievements across the national curriculum. Teachers can also observe different situations children are exposed to through playing on their own or as part of agroup. The main headings mentioned in the Welsh Assembly Government, January 2008, Observing children, Welsh Assembly Government state that teachers need to observe:- Personal development Social development Well-being/emotional development Cognitive development Language development and communication skills Physical development Gross motor skills Fine motor skills There much observation of childrens development of the child as a whole that has to be considered as an essential part of the role of a teacher. From observing the children one can monitor their progress and continuity during lessons to ensure improvement and that children are gaining and benefiting from new learning experiences throughout their years in primary school. This can be achieved by both looking at the development of their work and also how they play alone and within groups. Conclusion To conclude, the National Curriculum has gone through many changes in the past few years and evolved into what is delivered in primary schools today. From the many theorists I have researched and read about, there is a belief that where we are placed today is the better stage of the developed National Curriculum. The Foundation Phase is proving to be a success. The children are able to improve their personal learning without having a teacher to spoon feed them to gain experiences and skills. Key Stage 2 needs improving and attention due to the drop in standards and attainment in literacy and numeracy, this drop in standards has resulted in improvements being demanded by the Welsh Government all across Wales. Welsh Government are implementing literacy and numeracy strategies in every subject across the national curriculum. The thematic approach has been evaluated and is declared a success by many theorists, it allows teachers to choose a theme and teach joint subjects in one integrate d scheme of work/ lessons, this is a definate advantage because the children do not specifically realise how they are being taught. This method of educating primary aged children develops what they know from personal experiences and their involvement develops them through the teachers integrated lessons.

Dancing Queen :: essays research papers

As I stand in my starting pose, after the judges have called the name of my dance group, and we have walked out to onto the stage. I can hear the people in the audience applauding and talking. I can hear my heart beating. I can also feel it. I feel like it's about to jump right out of my chest I am so nervous. I have been here once before but never for this age group and we have never been this group. We are the junior tap lines we are one of the best in Arkansas. As the music starts I forget everything and everybody around me .I can no longer see the people watching my every move I can no longer see the judges facial expressions or try to read there lips. All I can hear is the music I am dancing to, all I can see are the bright lights shinning down on me, the blur of people, and my feet moving, dancing like they've never danced before. Before I know it the dance is over and the music has stopped, and I can see, and hear the people clapping and screaming .I am no longer scared. I could do it again and again. I love it. It gives me a rush that I can only get from a huge roller coaster. As I walk off the stage I am greeted by a hug from my dance instructor and the rest of my dance group we are all so happy .At the end the awards are giving out we get second place we are all so happy we have made it to the top ten now for the high point spots we wait for our division it comes slowly but it comes. Impatiently we wait number ten is called soon number seven we hope they will call our names number two is called it still isn't us one spot is left to go and if we don't make this one we are not going to nationals it isn't called we are al disappointed. After we get back to magnolia we hear the taps of the judges talking and telling us their opinions we work on what needs to be worked on and improve in time for up coming events we are to perform at.

Utilitarianism or God, do we have to choose? Essay -- essays research

Utilitarianism or God, do we have to choose? During many years that question is being formulated and many scholars had a very difficult time to decide if it was possible to follow God’s will and the principle of utility maximization. The principle of utility maximization was a theory created by John Stuart Mill and presented in his book Utilitarianism (1863). Societies throughout the years have argued that those theories are hard to combine, since Utilitarianism seeks for self-development and God’s teachings seek for community growth. This paper will start with a context on actuality of society, then it will try to clarify what is the Bible view of Utilitarianism by explaining the principle of Utilitarianism, what society has to change to avoid to forget God’s principles and only base their behavior on Mill’s theory, how society should accept both theories and combine them into one in order to create a better society. An important part of this discussion is based on understanding what is happening with society nowadays. Societies all around the world are becoming more and more individualists, what is causing problems that can affect the whole world, problems such as terrorists attacks, war or even in a lower but maybe more important scale hunger. This is basically happening because every single member of every society is only looking after themselves instead of the group, they are only trying to progress individually, but most of these individuals forget that to really achieve the top you need help, and that help comes from other individuals. The following part of the paper will try to clarify the biblical view of Mill’s theory, the Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism has always been seen as an opposite theory from God’s teachings. That is not absolutely correct. Jesus gave us the major example of understanding Mill’s principle by dying on the cross. Of course it is simple to say that Jesus died for every human being and that is a proof of community spirit instead of individualism, however Jesus showed that He was following actually not His will but God’s will, what is showed on the passage before Jesus is captured by the roman soldiers: â€Å"O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt† (Matthew 26:39). What Jesus was showing is that every single human has the principle of utilitarianism inside themselve... ...s Consulted †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rose, John T., â€Å"Utility Versus Self-Sacrificing Love† Christian Scholar’s Review Fall 2004 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leightner, Jonathan, â€Å"‘Not my Will†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢:Further Thoughts on Utility Versus Self-Sacrificing Love† Christian Scholar’s Review Fall 2004 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NRSV Bible †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"FAO unveils global anti-hunger program† http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2002/5500-en.html †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mill, John Stuart, Utilitarianism, Hackett Publishing Company Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1979, Original Publication, 1861 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harcourt, Edward, â€Å"Mill’s ‘Sanctions’, Internalization and the Self† European Journal of Philosophy; Oct98, Vol. 6 Issue 3, p318, 17p †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kant Immanuel, Grounding For The Metaphysics Of Morals, Third Edition, Hackett Publishing Company Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1993, Original Publication, 1785 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Smart, and Bernard Williams. Utilitarianism: For and Against. Trowbridge: Redwood Burn, 1973 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lewis, C.S., â€Å"Mere Christianity† Harper Collins Edition 2001

Lifetime of Color Essay

In the 1900s, the world was suddenly enveloped by vagueness and uncertainty on what the future will bring. Prior to this period, the ambience was definite and secure. In relation to the art world, many artists were trying to outgrow the traditional styles that flourished all over the world. They wanted to create something different based from the conventional aesthetics popularized by the Renaissance. These artisans were considered as the founders of Modernism because they were trying to search for ways on how to display their new found outlook to ambiguity. This scenario laid the grounds for the founding of Cubism. This avant-garde art style movement began when a French painter called Paul Cezanne began to change his Impressionist style. Cezanne shifted from painting landscapes with pastel colors and soft brushstrokes to concentrating on portraying his own interpretation of the â€Å"shapes and forms† and he stayed away from rendering a realistic pictorial output. More so, he put more importance on the painting as a whole rather than focusing on the subject or the theme. Then, another artist came into the picture named Henri Matisse who also paved the way for the development of Cubism. Together with Louis Vauxcelles, an art critic and French journalist who â€Å"coined the term ‘les fauves’ (the wild animals) for the artists of Fauvism,† Matisse discovered an unusual painting by George Braque at the â€Å"Salon d’ Automne. † He said that the artwork incorporated â€Å"little cubes. † Braque’s painting showcased the landscape of the South of France with a surprising twist of including â€Å"two ascending lines meeting at the top and between several cubes. † This work of art provided artists who were looking for change with a new direction. Braque was the very first artist to create a cubist painting. Since then, despite the negative criticisms, cubism became an established style and art movement. The term â€Å"cubism† was developed by Vauxcelles when he was writing a report about the â€Å"Salon des Independants in 1909. † Through the ingenuity and innovation of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, cubism has gained a big following in France and rest of the world. According to Picasso, Cubism has tangible goals. We see it only as a means of expressing what we perceive with the eye and the spirit, while utilizing the possibilities that lie within the natural properties of drawing and color, That became a source of unexpected joy for us, a front to discoveries. (Gantefuhrer-Trier, Gantefuhrer and Grosenick 2004, 6) It is evident that Cubism is the brainchild of Picasso and Braque. They were responsible for the proliferation of a modern, radical and powerful art style that significantly influenced the 20th century. The main focus of this style and movement is the â€Å"complete denial of Classical conception of beauty. † The untrained eye evaluated the by-products of the cubists as perplexing but for the avant-garde, they perceived cubism as the way to the future. In cubism, many traditional elements such as proportions, lines, perspective and forms are distorted. As a result, the visual representation looked like â€Å"a field of broken glass. † Because of this, cubism became known for its â€Å"geometrically analytical approach to form and color, and shattering of object in focus into geometrical sharp-edged angular pieces. † To form these unusual shapes, a systematic deconstruction was employed to create an illusion of three- dimensionality. Many cubists doubted the integrity of â€Å"whole† images because for them these were the synthetic and conventional outputs of the past artisans. They believed that â€Å"perspective space is an illusory, rational invention, or a sign system inherited from works of art since the Renaissance. Moreover, cubism has two major branches namely: Analytical cubism and Synthetic cubism. The former is defined as the intellectual distortion of a subject matter producing hard to interpret and ambiguous materials. Meanwhile, the latter is more â€Å"experimental nature of a collage† and highly decorative. It is easier to comprehend than analytic cubism because the images and forms are not that distorted and abstract. Since its inception, Cubism became a worldwide phenomenon in the field of art. It continues to challenge artists even in the contemporary period to advance the art style and the movement to better reflect culture and society. Pioneers of Cubism The growth of cubism in the 20th century is accredited to Pablo Picasso and George Braque. Both worked hand in hand in exploring and at the same time experimenting with a technique aimed at flattening space. They utilized bold colors, raw shapes and flattened space to display their non-conformist approach towards art. It was the focus on conveying emotions rather than the â€Å"intellectual experiment with structure† that set cubism from other avant-garde movements such as Fauvism. Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso was a native of Spain. At an early age, he was already producing remarkable works of art. In the early 1900s, Picasso moved to Paris where he developed an artistic phase called the Blue period. This was the time when he used various â€Å"shades of blue† in portraying the darker side of particular place. By the time he met Fernande Oliver, Picasso’s gloomy works transformed into bright shades of red that became known as his Rose period. The circus theme seemed to be the favorite subject of Picasso during this period. By 1906, he went to Spain that marked another modification in his art style. During his stay there, he was greatly influenced by â€Å"African, Green and Iberian art. † He incorporated geometrical forms that made his paintings very forward-looking. Then, Picasso met another intriguing artist named George Braque. In 1908 to 1911, they developed a unique style of painting landscape wherein they included cube shapes or forms in the picture. This became known as analytic cubism. This style was formed by â€Å"by breaking down and analyzing a object† and utilizing a monochromatic earthy brown color scheme. By 1912, Picasso started to use other elements in his artworks that resulted to the creation of collages which is also known as synthetic cubism. This style is more for decorative purposes. In the late 1920s, Picasso moved to Rome, Italy where he got married. In this period, he painted â€Å"neoclassical pictures of women and pictures inspired by Greek mythology. † By the time WWI broke out, Picasso created Guernica, to demonstrate his opposition over the bombing of â€Å"Basque town of Guernica on April 26, 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. † The painting was filled with symbolisms that represented the wickedness attached with the bombing. By the time of the end of WWII until Picasso’s death in 1973, his paintings veered towards more somber theme dealing about death. Some of Picasso’s famous artworks include Woman with a Crow (1903), Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), Geometric Composition: The Guitar (1913) and many others. George Braque On the other hand, George Braque also lived a full life personally and professionally in the realm of art. He studied painting at the â€Å"local art school in Le Havre,† France. This was followed by a more formal training at the â€Å"Academie Humbert and at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in the studio of Leon Bonnat. † Braque started out with impressionism wherein he was influenced by Matisse and Derain. By 1906, he got immersed with Fauvism and started to use light and bright colors combined with undulating patterns. But he stood out from the rest of the fauvists when he employed â€Å"architectonic solidity of composition and an emphasis on strongly defined volumes rather than color and brushwork. † The year 1907 became a crucial time for Braque and cubism. This was the time when Braque was once again inspired by Paul Cezanne and this was also the time when he met Pablo Picasso. Because of them, Braque’s outputs developed into something more radical. After only three years, the tandem of Braque and Picasso produce a new form art style called the analytic cubism which is described as the â€Å"nonillusionistic and nonimitative method of depicting the visual world. † The partnership of these two artists was mutual and their connection was so strong that their artworks cannot be distinguished from one another. The Violin and Pitcher (1910) is a very suitable example of an analytic cubism by Braque. Most of his paintings during this period were fragmented resulting to a â€Å"compact pictorial structure. † In 1914, Braque ventured into another phase of cubism which was called synthetic cubism wherein the artistic treatment included the use of â€Å"brightly dotted decorative passages. † Then, he moved to Normandy, France in the 1930s which have influenced Braque to shift his themes to seascapes. His painting style employed the use of â€Å"ornamentation and patterned surfaces. † From the 1930s to the 1950s, Braque grew interests on birds, melancholic themes, brilliant fauvist colors that were all seen in his â€Å"sculptures, graphics, book illustration, and decorative art. † Famous Cubist Artworks In the early 20th century, a new wave of artists have emerged that embraced a new progressive art style that had made a significant influence in the art world and the rest of the society and this was Cubism. This innovative movement aided in the development of contemporary art. More so, cubism led to the activation of many artists’ creative geniuses and induction of their bravery to go against the flow. Because of this, numerous masterpieces have emerged that embodied the unique principles and avant-garde style of cubism. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso (1907) This painting showed Picasso’s portrayal of sexuality and his defiance over the traditional rules on visual elements and principles of design. The images integrated illustrated five naked female â€Å"prostitutes in a brothel. † In terms of form, human bodies were deformed with distorted body proportions. Also, out of the five figures, three were wearing ancient African masks that made the painting more interesting. More so, the â€Å"bold, brash diagonal lines and angular planes added a sense of violence to the composition. † The colors used were a mix of bold hues of reds and blues that were combined with the subtle pink and flesh tones. Through this, each figure was able to stand out from one another. Another intriguing factor of the painting is the â€Å"two central figures† that appeared to be looking directly at the viewers. This was probably intentional on the part of Picasso to grab the attention of the viewers. The Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is one of the first models for analytic cubism that successfully demonstrated that three dimensionality can be achieved even without the employment of perspective. Violin and Pitcher by Georges Braque (1909-1910) This still life painting is another example of analytic cubism. Based on the title, the main focus of this artwork is the violin and the pitcher. Many believed that Braque developed a fascination with musical instruments even if he did not know how to play. For him, painting these instruments was his way of showing his departure with naturalism. The treatment on the primary figures was distorted in order to illustrate disintegration. The violin was twisted at the bottom to make the other parts more visible. On top of the violin is the pitcher that was also drawn in fragments to create an illusion of depth. The contrast of the shades of red and grey added more dramatic effect to the series of geometric shapes strewn all over the canvas. There is also a nail on top of the painting but it serves no real purpose unlike in Braque’s earlier painting, Violin and Palette. Underneath the nail is a â€Å"piece of paper† wherein the top right corner was folded that provided a flattening effect on the plane. This also projected a shadow that created an illusion of light â€Å"being beamed down from the top right corner. † Glass of Beer and Playing Cards by Juan Gris (1913) Juan Gris was part of the founding of Cubism together with Braque and Picasso. He pushed for the advancement as well as for the growth of this art movement. In his painting of the Glass of Beer and Playing Cards, it is ruled over by vertical lines that divide the canvas into several segments. A coherently silhouetted beer mug might be established by shifting the vertical band that constitutes the right side of the mug upward so that the white outline becomes contiguous with the outline of the fully modeled form of the mug to its left. But this realignment would in turn disalign the continuity between the blue curvature on the orange wallpaper and the edge of the sand to the right, both forms constituting a view from above of the beer’s foam. Changes or transformations in the appearance of an object seem to occur in a number of directions: they follow the alternating rhythm of vertical bands but also the contrapuntal system of horizontal bands. Occasionally there is also a sense of transformations occurring in depth, as if Gris had peeled away the surface of certain vertical bands to reveal an alternate mode of representation or point of view beneath. Still Life with Chair Cane by Pablo Picasso (1912) This is first painting of Picasso to represent synthetic cubism. It was one of the first illustrations of a collage painting. The elements present in the artwork are woven chair cane, various geometric drawings, newspapers, painted letters and wine labels which were all encapsulated by a rope around the oval canvas. In contrast with analytic cubism, this painting is less on deconstruction but more on juxtaposing different elements for decorative purposes. Since there is only a minimal presence of fragmentations, depth is nonexistent making the painting more flat. Art in the 1900s During the 1900s, several other art movements have emerged aside from Cubism. Some of these movements were the Abstraction, Fauvism, Futurism, Dadaism and Surrealism. The only common factor that binds these art movements is their ability to reject tradition and their flair for the modern aesthetics. In abstraction, the artists choose not to depict reality. The images are disfigured, the details are left out and the conventional perspective is altered. Meanwhile, Fauvism is known for its use of colors in portraying emotions. Fauvists created their masterpieces by imperfectly treating colors in an arbitrary style. On the other hand, Futurism is characterized by the abandonment of the â€Å"static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality and innovation in culture and society. † This style celebrates the power and vivacity of machines. Moreover, Dadaism is another movement that garnered positive as well as negative feedbacks from art aficionados. This style is defined as â€Å"nihilistic, anti-aesthetic and a reaction to the rationalization, rules and conventions of mainstream art. † For Dada artists, their artworks are intended to be anti-art. The last movement is Surrealism which existed through the art style of Dadaism. Surrealist art was greatly influenced by the â€Å"theories of Dr. Sigmund Freud and the unconscious† which are represented in a dream or fantasy-like manner in paintings. Though cubism had a lot of competition, it still managed to continue to influence 1920s and even way beyond to the contemporary period. Today, many modern artists are using cubism in sculptures and architecture. Cubism had become more bold and experimental. It seemed like the artists have eliminated all boundaries for the sake of the enrichment of their creativity. Like in the 1900s, many modern artists are still faced with several challenges on how to make their artworks more pleasing to the public eye but at the same time they still want to render a significant importance to their own point of view in order not to compromise their artistic integrity for public support. The House of the Black Madonna in Czech Republic and Cal Poly Pomona University library in California symbolized that the spirit and philosophies of Cubism during its initial phase are still as intense and provocative as it is today. Conclusion In conclusion, Cubism has created a revolution in the world of art. It defied the conventions and traditional practices that have dominated in the 1900s. For many artists, it was not easy to challenge the existing status quo. But because of their yearning for change and their craving for stimulation, they were able to withstand the scrutiny and rejection made by society. Through the resilience and the drive of the cubist style for progress, it was able to endure the test of time that it continues to persist in the 21st century. Moreover, this art style and movement is an evident symbol of how human beings can perceive the world in a totally different way. More so, cubism has showcased the value of intellectual freedom and distinctive aesthetic, in which significantly contributed to the development of the visual art. Overall, cubism is a form of art that will keep on evolving for the expression and celebration of human’s vision, passion and imagination. BIBLIOGRAPHY â€Å"Art timeline. † 2007. A Lifetime of Color. http://www. alifetimeofcolor. com/study/timeline. html (accessed April 24, 2009). â€Å"Cubism. † 2007. Huntfor. com. http://www. huntfor. com/arthistory/C20th/cubism. htm (accessed April 23, 2009) Drinkwater, Lee. â€Å"Georges Braque Violin and Pitcher. † 2009. Lycos. co. uk. http://members. lycos. co. uk/cubist_movement/violin. htm (accessed April 24, 2009). Gantefuhrer-Trier, Anne, Gantefuhrer, Trie and Grosenick, Uta. Cubism. Germany: Taschen, 2004. â€Å"Georges Braque. † 1999. Discoverfrance. net. http://www. discoverfrance. net/France/Art/Braque/Braque. shtml (accessed April 23, 2009). Grisham, Kathleen. â€Å"Analytical Cubism. † n. d. West Valley College. http://instruct. westvalley. edu/grisham/1d_analycub. html (accessed April 23, 2009).