Sunshine Chapter 4 Free Essays

string(323) " could ride a bicycle, could you ride a super-mega-thor-turbo-charged several million something-or-other motorcycle, the kind you can hear from six blocks away that you’d have to stand on tiptoe to straddle, the first time you tried\? I felt the power gathering below the nape of my neck, between my shoulder blades\." Desperately I tried to think of anything – anything – my grandmother’s ring, which was the color of these eyes. My grandmother. Sunlight is your element. We will write a custom essay sample on Sunshine Chapter 4 or any similar topic only for you Order Now But it was darkness here, darkness barely lessened by candlelight. The candlelight was only there so that my weak human eyes could be more easily drawn by mesmeric vampire eyes. But I remember light, real light, daylight, sunlight. Hey, Sunshine. I am Sunshine. Sunshine is my name. I remembered a song Charlie used to sing: You are my sunshine My only sunshine I heard him singing it. No, I heard me singing it. Thin, wavering, with no discernable tune. But it was my voice. The light in the green eyes snapped off, and I fell backward as if I’d been dropped. I turned, and scuttled for my corner. I burrowed under my blanket, and I stayed there. I must have slept again. Silly thing to do. Was there a sensible thing to do? Perhaps I fainted. I woke suddenly, knowing it was four a.m., and time to go make cinnamon rolls. But this time when I woke I knew at once where I was. I was still in that ballroom, still chained to that wall. I was still alive. I was so tired. I sat up. It would be dawn soon. The candles had burned out while I slept, but there was dim gray light coming through the windows. I could see some pink starting on the horizon. I sighed. I didn’t want to turn around and look at him. I knew he was still sitting in the middle of the wall; I knew he hadn’t moved. I knew it as I knew that Bo’s gang had been frightened. The blood from my split lip had stuck my mouth together and when I licked it unstuck and yawned it split again, with a sharp rip of pain that made my eyes water. Damn. I touched my breast dubiously. It was clotted and sticky. The slash had been high, where it was only skin over bone; I hadn’t, after all, lost much blood, although it was a long gash, and messy. I didn’t want to turn around. He had let me go, last night. He had remembered that he didn’t want Bo to win. Perhaps my singing had sounded like the singing of a â€Å"rational creature.† But the sight of my blood ha d almost been too much for him. I didn’t want to show him my front again; maybe the scab would be too much of a come-on. I sucked at my lip. With my back to him, wrapped in my blanket, I watched the sun rise. It was going to be another brilliant day. Good. I needed sunlight now, but I also needed as many hours as possible before sunset. How long could I afford to wait? Charlie would be brewing the coffee by now. The sun was bright on the water of the lake. This would have to do. I stood up and dropped my blanket. If the vampire had been telling the truth, I was safe from him now till sunset. I turned around and looked at the sunlight coming in the two windows I had to choose from. For no explicable reason I preferred the window nearer him. I avoided looking at him. I stepped into the block of friendly sunlight, and knelt down. I pulled my little jackknife from my bra, and held it between my two hands, fingers extended, palms together as if I was praying. I suppose I was. I hadn’t tried to change anything in fifteen years. I’d only ever done it with my grandmother, and after she’d gone, I stopped. Perhaps I was unsettled by what I had done to her ring. Perhaps I was angry with her for leaving, even though the Wars had started and lots of people were being separated from members of their families as travel and communication became increasing erratic and in some areas broke down completely. The postcards from my father stopped during the Wars. But I knew my gran loved me, knew that she wouldn’t have left me again if she hadn’t had to. I still stopped trying to do the things she taught me. It was as if our time by the lake was a different life. My life away from the lake, away from my gran, was the life my mother had chosen for me, in which my father’s heritage did not exist. Although I went to school with several kids from important magic-handling families, and some of them liked to show off what they could do, I was never really tempted. I oohed and aahed with the ordinary kids; and my last name, Charlie’s last name, gave nothing away. By the time the Wars ended, I was a teenager, and perhaps I’d convinced myself that the games by the lake with my gran had only been children’s games, and if I remembered anything else I was dreaming. (Or the hypes or trippers I’d had had been unusually good.) It’s not as though my gran ever came back and reminded me otherwise. But my gran was right about my heritage not going away because everyone was pretending it didn’t exist. I hadn’t been near that place, that somewhere inside me, for fifteen years, but when I went back there that morning, kneeling in the sunshine, it wasn’t just there, it had changed. Grown. It was as if what my gran had done – what we had done together – was plant a sapling. It didn’t matter to the sapling that we’d then gone away and left it. It went on with becoming a tree. My heritage was the soil it had grown in. But I had never done anything this difficult, and I hadn’t done anything at all in fifteen years. Did you really never forget how to ride a bicycle? If you could ride a bicycle, could you ride a super-mega-thor-turbo-charged several million something-or-other motorcycle, the kind you can hear from six blocks away that you’d have to stand on tiptoe to straddle, the first time you tried? I felt the power gathering below the nape of my neck, between my shoulder blades. That place on my back burned, as if the sunlight I knelt in was too strong. There was an unpleasant sense of pressure building, like the worst case of heartburn you can imagine, and then it exploded, and shot down my arms in fiery threads, and there was an almost audible clunk. Or maybe it was audible. I opened my hands. My arms felt as weak as if I’d lifted a boulder. There was a key lying in my right palm. â€Å"You’re a magic handler – a transmuter,† said the vampire in that strange voice I no longer always found expressionless. I heard him being surprised. â€Å"Not much of one,† I said. â€Å"A small stuff-changer only.† The kids from the magic-handling families taught the rest of us some of the slang. Calling a transmuter a stuff-changer was pretty insulting. Almost as bad as calling a sorcerer a charm-twister. â€Å"I thought you couldn’t look at me in sunlight.† â€Å"The sound and smell of magic were too strong to ignore, and your body is shading your hands,† he said. I extended the foot with the shackle on it. This was the real moment. My heart was beating as if†¦there was a vampire in the room. Ha ha ha. My hand was shaking badly, but I found the odd little keyhole, fumbled my new key in it, and turned it. Click. â€Å"Well done,† he whispered. I looked out the window. It was maybe seven o’clock. I had about twelve hours. I was already exhausted, but I would be running for my life. How far could adrenaline get me? I had a vague but practical idea where I was; the lake itself was a great orienter. All I had to do was keep it on my right, and I would come to where I’d left my car eventually†¦probably twenty miles, if I remembered the shape of the shore correctly. If I stayed close to the lake I could avoid the bad spot behind the house, and I would have to hope there weren’t any other bad spots between me and my car that I couldn’t get around. Would I be able to change my shackle key into a car key? I doubted the vampires would have folded up my discarded clothing with the key in the jeans pocket and left it for me on the driver’s seat. Surely I could do twenty-odd miles in twelve hours, even after the two nights and a day I’d just had. I turned to the vampire. I looked at him for the first time that day. For the first time since I’d bled on him. He had shut his eyes again. I stepped out of the sunlight and his eyes opened. I stepped toward him, knelt down beside him. I felt his eyes drop to my bloody breast. My blood on his chest had crusted; he hadn’t tried to wipe it off. Or lick it up. â€Å"Give me your ankle,† I said. There was a long pause. â€Å"Why?† he said at last. â€Å"I don’t like bullies,† I said. â€Å"Honor among thieves. Take your pick.† He shook his head, slowly. â€Å"It is – † There was an even longer pause. â€Å"It is a kind thought.† I wondered what depths he’d had to plumb to come up with the word kind. â€Å"But it is no use. Bo’s folk encircle this place. The size of the clear area around this house is precisely the size of the area Bo thinks can be kept close-guarded. He will not be wrong about this. You will be able to pass that ring now, in daylight, while all sane vampires are shielded and in repose, but the moment I can move out of this place, so will my guards be moving.† And you aren’t, of course, at your best and brightest, I added silently. I stood up and stepped back into the sunlight and felt it on my skin, and thought about the big tree where a tiny sapling used to be. There are a lot of trees and tree symbolism in the magic done to ward or contain the Others, because trees are impervious to dark magic. And then I thought about traps, and trapped things, and about when the evil of the dark was clearly evil, and when it was not quite so clearly evil. There was a very long pause, while I felt the sunlight soaking through my skin, soaking into the tree that up till a few minutes ago I hadn’t known was there, felt the leaves of my tree unfurl, stretch like tiny hands, to take it in. I was tired, I was scared, I was stupefied, I’d just done an important piece of magic, I was tranced out. I thought I heard a wind in the leaves of my tree, and the wind had a voice, and it said yesssssssssss. â€Å"Then you’ll have to come with me,† I said. There was another silence, but when he spoke his voice struck at me as if it might itself draw blood. â€Å"Do not torment me,† he said. â€Å"As I have been merciful to you – as merciful as I can be – do not tease me now. Go and live. Go.† I looked down at him. He was not looking at me, but then I was standing in the sunlight again. I stepped out of the sunlight but he still did not look at me. â€Å"I’m sorry,† I said. â€Å"I am not teasing you. If you will not let me try the shackle on your ankle, give me your hand instead.† I held my hand out – down – toward him, still sitting cross-legged on the floor. More priceless sunlit moments passed. â€Å"Would you rather die – er – whatever – like a rat in a trap?† I said, more harshly than I meant. â€Å"I haven’t noticed you getting any better offers.† I didn’t see him move, of course. He was just standing there, standing beside me, his hand in my hand. It was the first time I had seen him standing. His hand felt as inhuman as the rest of him looked: the right shape and everything, but all wrong. Wrong in some fathomless, indefinable, turning-the-world-on-its-end way. Also there was the smell. Standing beside him it was almost overwhelming. Mind you, he smelled a lot better than I did, I needed a bath like you don’t want to imagine – there isn’t much that stinks worse than fear – but he didn’t smell human. He didn’t smell animal or vegetable or mineral. He smelled vampire. I took a deep breath anyway. Then I stepped back into the sunlight, still holding his hand, drawing it after me. His arm unbent and let me do it. The sunlight struck his hand, halfway up the wealed forearm. Some subtle change occurred – subtle but profound. The feeling of his hand in mine was no longer a – a threat to everything that made me human. The hand became a – an undertaking, an enterprise, a piece of work. Maybe not that much different from flour and water and yeast and a rapidly approaching deadline of hungry, focused customers. I felt the power moving through me. It did not come in fiery threads this time, but in slow, fat, curly ripples. The ripples made me feel a little peculiar, as if there was an actual thing, or things, moving around in my insides, shouldering my liver and stomach aside, twisting among my bowels. I tried to relax and let the ripples wiggle and squirm as they wished. I had to know if I could do this, do what I was offering to do, for a long time. Possibly till sunset. Possibly twelve hours or more. Could I bear this invasion that long, even though I was inviting it? What if I overestimated my strength, like a diver overestimating how long she could hold her breath? I was demented. The most impressive thing I had ever done before today was turn a very pretty ring into an ugly botch. And I would have this vampire’s†¦er†¦life totally in my hands. I was trying to save the life of a vampire. The ripples spread through me, first balancing themselves cautiously like kids standing on a teeter-totter, then slowly, gently, finding spaces where they could settle themselves down on various bits of my inner anatomy, like the last customers during the early breakfast rush finding the last available seats. Most of me was already full of things like heart and spleen and kidneys, but there were gaps where the power could fit itself in, attach itself to its surroundings. Tap into me. I felt very†¦full. As the connections were made – as the power made itself at home – the ripples began to change. Now they felt like the straps of a harness being settled in place, buckles let out a little here, taken in a little there. When they were done, it felt like a good fit. I thought I could do it. I sighed. I could no longer see my tree, because I had become it, embodied it, it grew in me, its sap my blood, its branches my limbs. The power wrapped round it like ropes and cables, flew from its boughs like banners and streamers. Perhaps the next time there was wind in my hair, it would rustle like leaves. Yessssssss. I held out my right hand, and he put his left hand into it. I drew him – all the rest of him – into the bright rectangle in front of the window. Vampire skin looks like hell in sunlight, by the way. Maybe bursting into flames is to be preferred. Anyway. I felt my harness take its load. The pull was steady and even, the weight heavy but bearable. I hoped. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Back up again. I want both hands free to get that shackle off, and – um – we’ll need to stay in contact while we – um – do this sunlight thing.† I didn’t know vampires were ever clumsy. I thought grace came with the territory, like fangs and a complexion that looks really bad in daylight. They’re always oilily supple in the books. But he staggered back into the shadow, leaned against the wall with a thump, dropped my hands, dropped his own hands to thud against the wall next to him. â€Å"What in creation are you?† he said. â€Å"That is no small stuff-changer trick. It is not possible. It is not possible. I have been standing in sunlight and I know it is not possible.† It was nice to know I wasn’t the only one of us feeling demented. I knelt to get at his shackle. I was relieved when the key worked for his cuff too; I guessed I was going to have to be pretty careful of my strength to be a successful sun-parasol for the undead for the next twelve hours. I was not thinking about any more of the implications of my offer than I had to. The main thing – the only thing – was: I couldn’t leave him behind. I didn’t care who or what he was. I couldn’t walk out of this cage and leave some caged thing behind me. If I could help it. And, for better or worse, I could. Apparently. The skin of his ankle looked terrible. I couldn’t tell if the†¦peeling†¦was anything more than just chafing. I was careful not to touch it. My ankle didn’t seem any the worse for wear, but there hadn’t been any antihuman wards on my shackle that I’d noticed. Oh yes: they exist. They’re not a lot talked about among humans, but they exist. â€Å"What are you? Who are you?† he repeated. â€Å"What family are you from?† I broke the cuff open. â€Å"My name is Rae Seddon, but what you’re looking for is Raven Blaise. Seddon is Charlie’s name – my stepfather’s name – but my mother stopped me using Raven or Blaise as soon as we left my dad.† â€Å"You’re a Blaise,† he said, still leaning against the wall, but staring down at me as I knelt at his feet. â€Å"Which Blaise?† â€Å"My father is Onyx Blaise,† I said. â€Å"Onyx Blaise had no children,† barked the vampire. â€Å"Had?† I said, just as sharply. â€Å"Do you know he is dead?† The vampire shook his head, impatiently, but then went on shaking it again and again, as if bothered by gnats. Gnats might like vampires: they go for blood. But I didn’t think that was the problem here. â€Å"I don’t know. I don’t know. He disappeared – â€Å" â€Å"Fifteen years ago,† I said. The vampire looked at me. â€Å"Onyx Blaise had – has – no children.† How do you know? I wanted to say. Is my dad another of your old enemies? Or†¦your old friends? No. No. I hadn’t seen him since I was six, but I couldn’t believe that of my gran’s son. â€Å"He has at least one,† I said. The vampire slid slowly down the wall to sit on the floor next to me. He started to laugh. Vampires don’t laugh very well, or at least this one didn’t. He half looked – sounded – like something out of a bad horror film – the sort of horror film that isn’t scary because you don’t believe it, it’s so crude, where was their special effects budget? – and half didn’t. The second half was like the worst horror film you’d ever seen, the one that made you think about things you’d never imagined, the one that scared you so much you threw up. This was worse than the goblin giggler, my second guard, from Bo’s gang. I clamped my hands around the empty shackle and waited for him to stop. â€Å"A Blaise,† he said. â€Å"Bo’s lot brought me a Blaise. And not just a third cousin who can do card tricks and maybe write a ward sign that almost works, but Onyx Blaise’s daughter.† He stopped laughing. Then I decided maybe silence was worse after all, at least when it followed that laughter. â€Å"Your father didn’t educate you very well. If I had killed you and had your blood, the blood of Onyx Blaise’s daughter, the blood of someone who can do what you just did, I could have snapped that shackle as if the steel were paper and the marks on it no more than a – a recipe for cinnamon rolls, and taken the odds against me with Bo’s gang, even after the weeks I’ve been here, even against all the others you haven’t seen, silent in the woods, watching. And I would have won. That’s what the blood of someone from one of the families can do, and a Blaise†¦The effect doesn’t last – a week at the most – but a lot can be done in a few nights.† He sounded almost dreamy. â€Å"On Onyx Blaise’s daughter’s blood I could get rid of Bo for good. I still could. All I would have to do is keep you here one more day, and wait till sunset. I’m weak and sick and I see double in this damned day light, but I’m still stronger than a human. All I would have to do is keep you here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice trailed off. I didn’t move. There was a small wispy thought in the back of my mind. It seemed to be something like: oh, well. A little closer to consciousness there was a slightly more definite thought, and it said, well, we’ve been here before, several times, in the last couple of days. We’re either going to lose for good now, or we aren’t. I sat very still, as if I were trying to discourage a cobra from striking. More minutes of sunlight streamed past us toward nightfall. At last he said: â€Å"But I am not going to. I suppose I am not going to for some reason similar to whatever insane reason has made you decide to free me and take me with you. What happens when your power comes to its end, in five minutes or five hours? Well, I know that the fire is swift.† I moved. Slowly. Distracted, in spite of everything, by that I know. Not I believe or I guess but I know. Something else not to think about. I continued to move very slowly. Took my hands off the empty shackle. Slid the key into my bra again. It could stay a shackle key for now. I was not, perhaps, fully convinced that the cobra had lowered its hood. I felt his eyes on me again. â€Å"I did warn you that names have power,† he said. â€Å"Even human names, although this was not what I was thinking of when I said it.† â€Å"I’ll remember not to tell any vampires my father’s name in the future,† I said. I glanced out the window. We’d lost about half an hour since I’d made the key. I shivered. My glance fell on my corner; the sack looked plumper than it had when I last looked – before Bo’s gang had come the second time. More supplies, presumably. I would need feeding to get me through this day, although I didn’t at all feel like eating now, and neither of us had pockets to carry anything in. I went over to the sack and picked it up. Another loaf of bread, another bottle of water, and something heavy in a plastic bag. I pulled the heavy thing out†¦heavy and squishy. A big lump of red, bleeding meat. I gave a squeak and dropped it on the floor, where it obligingly went splat. The vampire said, â€Å"It is beast. Cow. Beef. I believe they have forgotten to cook it for you.† â€Å"I don’t like cooked meat either,† I said, backing away from it. â€Å"I – I – no thanks. Er – would it do you any good?† Another of his pauses. â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"It’s all yours,† I said. â€Å"I’ll stick to bread.† I saw him, this time. Did he mean for me to be able to see him, was it hard for him to move in daylight even early in the morning and in shade, or was he merely luxuriating in being free from the chain? Or had he moved so little in the last†¦however many days and nights that even he felt a little stiff? He walked as slowly as a weary human might walk around the big rectangle of light on the floor, around it to my corner, although he still walked with a sinuousness no human had. He bent and picked up the drippy parcel. I thought, is he going to suck it dry or what? I didn’t see. It was like when he drank water. One moment there was water, the next moment there was not. One moment there was a big piece of bloody meat in a white plastic bag, and the next moment the white plastic bag, ripped open, was drifting toward the floor, and the meat had disappeared. Vampires sometimes like their blood with a few solids, I guess. Maybe it was like having rice with your curry or pasta with your sauce. I decided against trying to tie the sack round me somehow, and ate most of the new loaf instead, although it tasted like dust and ashes, not wholly because it was more store bread. (I spared a brief thought about how vampires might go shopping for human groceries. Groceries for humans, that is.) Then I picked up the water bottle. It would come with us. We had to get going. We were leaving. We were on our way. We were going now. And I was scared out of my mind. What had I let myself in for? The mere thought of remaining in constant physical contact with a vampire was abhorrent, and he was right, what about when whatever-it-was ran out? But I couldn’t force him to come with me. He had decided it was worth the risk. So how fast was the fire, anyway? Supposing it came to that. I didn’t need an answer to that: not fast enough. Nothing like as fast as a nice clean beheading. And if you’re touching a vampire when he catches fire†¦ Okay, okay, wait, said a little voice in my head. How did you get here? You got here by making the best of a whole Carthaginian hell of a series of bad choices. And remember he doesn’t feel horrible when you’re doing your sun-parasol trick. He feels more like†¦helping Charlie do the books when Mom’s sick. Or dealing with Mr. Cagney. Mr. Cagney was one of our regulars at the coffeehouse, and he was convinced that the rest of the world existed to give him a bad time. He was the only one of our regulars who couldn’t manage to say anything nice about my cinnamon rolls. That didn’t stop him from eating them, however, and listening to him complain on a day he had arrived too late and they were sold out had resulted in our always having one set aside for him. Dealing with Mr. Cagney was an effort. A big, tiring, thankless effort. On the whole I thought I preferred the vampire. He was watching me. â€Å"You can change your mind.† Then he said something that sounded almost human for the first time: â€Å"I half wish you would.† I shook my head mournfully. â€Å"No. I can’t.† â€Å"Then there is one more thing,† he said. I was beginning to learn that I probably wouldn’t like anything he said after one of his pauses. I waited. â€Å"You will have to let me carry you till we are well away from here.† â€Å"What?† How to cite Sunshine Chapter 4, Essay examples

George brenard shaw Essay Example For Students

George brenard shaw Essay On the night of July 26th, 1856 one of the greatest playwrights in history, George Bernard Shaw, was born. George’s mother, Lucinda Elizabeth Gurly, was an aristocrat, while his father, George Gurly, was a poor alcoholic. Shaw had two sisters, Elinour Agness, who died of tuberculosis at age 20, and Lucinda Frances who died of starvation at age 40. Both were spinsters and had no children. In Dublin the theatre was the only thing that actually interested, and had something to offer to Shaw. George also went to many schools while living in Dublin, including the Wesleyan Connexional School, but said he learned little from schools and was self-educated. In 1876, mother, daughters, son left their father behind and moved to London to seek a more cultured way of life. They lived at 13 Victoria Grove, a middle class area in London. Shaw found work at Edison’s Telephone Company at a wage of two shillings and a sixpence, and in his spare time taught himself to write. After a while he was promoted to head of his department with a wage of 80 pounds. Soon enough Shaw admitted that he was not a working man, and he wanted to be a writer. December 23rd 1880, the family moved to Fitzroy Street. This enabled Shaw to visit the museum library, where he learned the most for his education. Unemployed, he could not afford to eat at the local restaurants and ate instead at the vegetarian eatery where he could buy a good and nourishing meal. He became a vegetarian in 1881 and kept his vow never to eat flesh again. He believed that all living things were equal and deserved to be treated with the same respect. Shaws visits to museum library brought him into contact with the great people alive during that time such as, William Morris, Ruskin, and the Bloomsburry gang. These people were just as smart as he was, thus allowing Shaw to associate with them and become socially active. A keen on boxer; in 1883 Shaw joined the Queensburry Amateur Boxing Championships, and took part in the Middle ; Heavyweight matches. This was a great way of keeping healthy, while he exercised his brain at the library. With his good looks and refined personality, women fell at his feet. Jenny Patterson, Alice Locket, May Morris, Edith Bland, Eleanor Marx and Annie Besant, each fell in love with him. But Shaw was not interested in marriage, being too busy writing plays. In 1888 The Star Newspaper employed him as a music critic, and he used the pen name Corno de Bassetto. By this time Shaw was beginning to be noticed throughout London for his writing, providing him with many job opportunities. However between 1873 and 1883 he wrote five novels, all of which were rejected by every publisher in London. Instead he decided to write plays, the first performance of Widowers House appeared in London in 1892 and Arms and The Man performed in London ; New York, in 1894. While he was not writing, Shaw discovered Karl Marx and read his book Das Kapital, during which, grew his interest in history ; civilization. After reading Why are the Many Poor?, he joined the Fabian Society on 16th May 1884, later becoming one of it’s leaders. By joining the Fabian Society he met his life long friends, Sydney and Beatrice Webb. Next Shaw was hired by The Pall Mall Gazette hired him between 1885-88, to review books. Then Edwin Palmer, founder of the Magazine of Music, employed Shaw as his music critic. Soon after that Shaw began to write the plays that made him a very, very wealthy man. These plays included Arms and the Man, Candida, Don Juan in Hell, Getting Married, Heartbreak House, The Apple Cart, and his last play Why She Would Not. Shaw continued to live his life writing plays until the day he died. .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a , .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .postImageUrl , .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a , .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a:hover , .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a:visited , .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a:active { border:0!important; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a:active , .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc84761b392a8b732510b7d4cd059196a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Lizzie Borden Argumentative Essay On November 2nd 1950, while pruning an apple tree, George fell of a ladder and died of complications at the age of 94.During his lifetime George Bernard Shaw had many great achievements. In 1892 Shaw’s first play, Widower’s Houses, performed in London. Shaw continued to right plays such as Overruled, Man of Destiny , and Great Catherine. In 1926 he received the Nobel Prize for Literature. Even though he was awarded a large sum of money for winning the Nobel Prize he turned it down. After winning the Nobel Prize Shaw went on to write even more plays. In 1929 the first Shaw Festival was held at Malvern, and opened with The Apple Cart. One famous achievement that Shaw had, was his involvement in the Fabian Society. He joined the Fabian Society on Mary16, 1884, and grew to become one of it’s main spokesmen. Between 1889 and 1901 he wrote many pamphlets for the society including The Fabian Election Manifesto in 1892, and Socialism For Millionaires in 190. He also took the position as a political activist during World War 1, writing pieces such as The Rights of Man, and Common Sense About the War. Shaw was also a great believer in Marxism and was able to visit Russia and meet Stalin in 1931. In 1938 Shaw received an Oscar for Film of the Year, with Pygmalion, which was presented as My Fair Lady. The same year the world premiere of his play Geneva, was shown at Malvern. The life of George Bernard Shaw was one of magnificace and greatness, thus the world was able to benefit a great deal from his life. He helped shape the literary world and the United Kingdom. Due to his participation in the Fabian Society he was able to solidify the socialist movement in England, and was a major contributer to the government that Britain has today. In 1900 the Fabian Society merged with the ILP, to create the Labor Party, partly due to the works of Shaw. He was also a contributer to the way we think and act in western society today. Like in Britain, our society is starting to take a more socialist attitude in our government, thanks to the political activism of Shaw. George has shown the world the problems with class systems through his play Pygmalion, thus directing more attention to helping the poor. Today his legacy still lives on at Niagara on the Lake, where there is an annual Shaw festival, where his plays are shown to those interested in his masterpieces. Overall George Bernard Shaw was a great playwright, activist, politician, and overall good person. He stood up for what he believed in, whether it was vegetarianism or socialism, portraying a ver commendable trait. In the end his life can be summed up in one quote, â€Å"The world would be a better place, be it that it gave us more Bernard Shaws.†

Jimmy Carter Essays (306 words) - Jimmy Carter,

Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter Economy can always make or break a president. President Jimmy Carter's was a Democrat whose administration, that lasted from 1977-1981, was burdened with a recessive economy from the beginning. Inflation was rising rapidly due to the worst oil embargo United States history has ever witnessed. All of these factors contributed to the national malaise sweeping over Americans. It was Carter's administration that began the process of deregulation and bureaucratic streamlining in hopes of courting moderate factions. He also expressed a desire to move the Democratic Party close to political middle ground to lessen the great divide. President Carter had many failures as well as attributes when it came to foreign policy. On November 4, 1979, in the United States Embassy in Iran, 52 Americans were seized by students who were angry with the Carter administration for allowing Iran's deposed shah into the United States to seek medical treatment. Carter's failure to negotiate their release and a devastating rescue attempt (in which eight United States Marines died) contributed to the nation's waning confidence in him. As well as the Iran hostage crisis, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan seemed to overwhelm his last two years of his administration, conveying an impression of the United States as weak and feeble. At the cornerstone of his foreign achievements was the accord Carter brokered between Prime Minister Menachem of Israel and President Anwar Sadat, of Egypt, that became known as the Camp David Accords of 1979. Another recognized achievement in foreign affairs was the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty in 1978. Though faced with an unstable economy, Carter succeeded in many other tasks. He managed to become an avid supporter of global peace and human rights. He raised $27 million to build The Carter Center, which envisioned ?conflict resolution? which promoted global peace and human rights.

Finance and Cash Flow Items Essay

Finance and Cash Flow Items Essay Finance and Cash Flow Items Essay Financial Statements for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. - Google Finance Page 1 of 1 +You Search Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive Calendar More nyse:wmt Finance Company Summary News Option chain Related companies Historical prices Financials Markets News Portfolios Stock screener Google Domestic Trends Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) Add to portfolio More results Income Statement Balance Sheet Cash Flow Hide charts View: Quarterly Data | Annual Data Recent Quotes (30 days) You have no recent quotes 12 months 12 months 12 months 12 months In Millions of USD (except for per share items) ending 2013-01 ending 2012-01 ending 2011-01 ending 2010-01 -31 -31 -31 -31 Net Income/Starting Line 17,756.00 16,387.00 16,993.00 14,883.00 Depreciation/Depletion 8,501.00 8,130.00 7,641.00 7,157.00 Amortization Deferred Taxes Non-Cash Items Changes in Working Capital Cash from Operating Activities Capital Expenditures Other Investing Cash Flow Items, Total Cash from Investing Activities Financing Cash Flow Items Total Cash Dividends Paid Issuance (Retirement) of Stock, Net Issuance (Retirement) of Debt, Net Cash from Financing Activities Foreign Exchange Effects Net Change in Cash Cash Interest Paid, Supplemental Cash Taxes Paid, Supplemental -133.00 527.00 -1,060.00 25,591.00 -12,898.00 287.00 -12,611.00 -498.00 -5,361.00 -7,600.00 1,487.00 -11,972.00 223.00 1,231.00 2,262.00 7,304.00 1,050.00 465.00 -1,777.00 24,255.00

Compare and contrast the four distinct categories of presidential Essay

Compare and contrast the four distinct categories of presidential personality described in James Barber's habitual action patterns approach - Essay Example In the active positive presidential category, Barber described them as adaptive. They are also self-confident and flexible. They tend to create opportunities for actions and enjoy exercising their power. They usually do not take themselves too seriously. In addition, they are optimistic individuals. Power is considered as means to achieve beneficial results by this group. They spend much energy in their job and enjoy doing the job. The group is also productive, result-oriented, and successful in pushing programs through (Barber 6). A good example is George W. Bush. His character of taking action without too much caution as was the case with the Iraq invasion portrays a key characteristic of this group. The second group of active negative tends to be compulsive. They mainly tend to use power as a means of self-realization. This group expends a lot of energy on the job but derive little joy in the process. They are always preoccupied with whether they are succeeding or failing in their job. In addition, they tend to have low self-esteem. Mostly, they are rigid, pessimist, highly driven, and have problems when it comes to aggression and management. They usually want to get and retain power to prove to others that they are people to reckon with. A good example of active negative presidents is Woodrow Wilson. Wilson put much effort in his work but did not receive any emotional rewards. He rarely received satisfaction with the work he did. He was said to have a compulsive and perfectionist personality. The other group is passive positive. This group tends to be compliant and usually seek to be loved. They are easily manipulated. The have a low self-esteem, which they overcome by adopting an ingratiating personality. They are reactive, lack initiative, and are superficially optimistic. They spend less energy on the job but like doing the job. William Taft and Warren Harding are typical examples of

To what extent can Hesketts Service Profit Chain be supported by Essay

To what extent can Hesketts Service Profit Chain be supported by empirical evidence and other arguments - Essay Example The linkage in the chain which is in fact the prepositions are between profit and growth. These two are particularly inspired by customer loyalty. Very clearly, loyalty is the direct attribute of customer satisfaction. The reason behind a customer being extremely satisfied about the product or a service is the value of the services that were provided to the customers. Hence, it can be otherwise stated that Value is created by satisfied, loyal and productive employees. The Service-Profit Chain (SPC) is a conceptual framework, which describes a process for delivering superior service value (Heskett, Sasser, & Schlesinger, 1997). According to the framework, positive business outcomes result when service delivery activities lead to customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. However, managerial implementation of the SPC has remained problematic, primarily because of certain limitations in the modelling methods commonly employed. Providing managers with the ability to model this process in a way that is of practical value to decision makers would be a considerable contribution (Anderson, 2004). Based on the Service Profit Chain model, profitability and growth are determined primarily by maximizing the lifetime value of your customers, and that value is fully realized only when you earn the customer's loyalty. In one study, a 5% increase in customer loyalty produced profit increases from 25% to 85%. A loyal customer is one who obeys the three R's: Retention, Repeat Sales, and Referrals. Major corporations (many of which are household names) subscribe to the Service Profit Chain model and have achieved a level of success that is enviable. The diagram below outlines the links in the Service-Profit Chain. From the diagram given below, it can be clearly noticed that one of the most important links in this chain is the interface between the external service value and customer satisfaction. The external service value represents the service concept: the results for the customers. This is the interface of your installers, sales reps and managers, and your client (SENCORE). Now, the above diagram clearly suggests that customer loyalty is driven by customer satisfaction, customer satisfaction is driven by value, and value is driven by employee productivity, and so on. As already noticed the beginning of the chain is Internal Service Quality. It becomes clear that employee satisfaction and loyalty are directly proportional to the service they provide to your customers. The success of any business thus depends on how the organization cultivates its employees into a productive, passionate, quality-oriented team (SENCORE). Also,

Automated Teller Machine: Innovation in the Banking Industry

Automated Teller Machine: Innovation in the Banking Industry The banking industry occupies a very strategic position in the financial system of any economy, since there will no economic growth unless there is adequate channelling of savings into investment. The banks are responsible for increasing the level of savings and investments, granting of credit and generally influencing the level of supply of money in the economy. They also facilitate economic transactions between nations thereby encouraging and promoting trade, commerce and industry. Banks and banking is a very old profession but the modern-day banking practice as we know it today, started in the medieval days in Italian cities of Florence, Venice and Genoa. In Nigeria, banking officially had a formal legislative backing in 1952 (alford, 2010) and since then, there has been tremendous growth in the industry, which believed to have been fuelled largely by changes in technology and the banks ability to embrace these changes successfully by implementing novel ideas in their bid to control a large share of the market. The development of self service technology and the emerging of a number of new innovations are taking place in the area of retail payments known as electronic money. (Mohamad Al-Laham, 2009). This development is influencing the banking industry due to the increased use of Automated Teller Machines. This led to a new concept in the ATM, known as the Cash/Cheque Deposit Automated Teller Machine (ATM). The objective of this paper is to show that the development of the Cash/Cheque deposit Automated Teller Machine (ATM) should be viewed as an innovation in the banking industry in developing countries. We also aim to find out the approach and implementation procedures adopted by the organisation in managing the innovation, examine its benefits to the bank and finally, identifying the role played by the manager in the innovation. For the purpose of this paper, we use the introduction of Cash/ cheque deposit ATM by Skye Bank PLC., based in Nigeria as a case study. According to (eShekels Limited, 2006), the history of ATMs dated back to the USA in the mid 1960s and gained grounds world over, in the 70s. However, in Nigeria, the ATM was introduced in 1989 by the defunct Societe Generale Bank and has since then, the ATMs appear to have spread everywhere across Nigeria. eShekels limited, further posited that the banking industry no doubt has witnessed advancement in technology just like any other sector; the use of the automated teller machine is one of these as it affects banking operations entirely. With the adoption of Self Service technology by the banks, ATMs have continued to service the populace; they offer convenience to customers and provide banking services well beyond the traditional service period. It therefore encourages a cashless society. Thus, eliminating the risk of loss of cash through theft or fire as witnessed in the past, creating a win-win scenario for parties concerned. Industries and businesses operating in a dynamic and volatile environment always look for ways to make their growth a continuous process. They believe they can do this by finding new and creative ways of maintaining or improving their market share. The process of turning these creative ideas into facts is known as innovation. According to the Wikipedia, Innovation is a change in the method of doing something, or the useful application of new inventions or discoveries. It may also refer to major or fundamental changes in thinking, products, processes, or organizations. (Sarkar, 2007) in citing Michael Vance simplified innovation as a creation of the new or re-arranging of the old in a new way. He went further by distinguishing innovation from invention by quoting Schumpeter (1934), contributors to the scholarly literature on innovation typically distinguish between invention, an idea made manifest, and innovation, ideas applied successfully in practice. In all ramification of life, be it arts, science, economics or government policy, something new must be significantly different to be seen as an innovation. (Sarkar, 2007), further stated the difference or change must however be able to increase value, be it customer value, or producer value. The objective of innovation is positive change, to make someone or something better and ultimately leading to increased productivity which is the fundamental source of increasing wealth in an economy he concluded. There are different types of identified innovations. Some of them are highlighted below: * Business Model innovation involves changing the way business is done in terms of capturing value e.g. Compaq vs. Dell, hub and spoke airlines vs. Southwest, and Hertz/Avis vs. Enterprise. * Marketing innovation is the development of new marketing methods with improvement in product design or packaging, product promotion or pricing. * Organizational innovation involves the creation or alteration of business structures, practices, and models, and may therefore include process, marketing and business model innovation. * Process innovation involves the implementation of a new or significantly improved production or delivery method. * Product innovation, involves the introduction of a new good or service that is new or substantially improved. This might include improvements in functional characteristics, technical abilities, ease of use, or any other dimension. * Service innovation is similar to product innovation except that the innovation relates to services rather than to products. Todays United Bank for Africa Plc. (UBA) is the product of the merger of Nigerias third (3rd) and fifth (5th) largest banks, namely the old UBA and the erstwhile Standard Trust Bank Plc. (STB) respectively, and a subsequent acquisition of the erstwhile Continental Trust Bank Limited (CTB). The union emerged as the first successful corporate combination in the history of Nigerian banking. UBAs history dates back to 1948 when the British and French Bank Limited (BFB) commenced business in Nigeria and the erstwhile STB and CTB both in 1990. Following Nigerias independence from Britain, UBA was incorporated in 1961 to take over the business of BFB. Although todays UBA emerged at a time of industry consolidation induced by regulation, the consolidated UBA was borne out of a desire to lead the domestic sector to a new era of global relevance by championing the creation of the Nigerian consumer finance market, leading a private/public sector partnership at supporting the acceleration of Nigerias economic development, and growing the institution from a banking to a one-stop financial services institution, while spreading its footprints across Africa to earn the reputation as the face of banking in the continent. Today, United Bank for Africa Plc. is one of Africas leading financial institutions offering universal banking to more than 7 million customers across 750 branches in 14 African countries. With presence in New York, London and Paris and assets in excess of $19bn, UBA is your partner for banking services for Africans and African related businesses globally http://www.ubagroup.com/group/genericpage/19 Skye Bank PLC is a publicly quoted company in Nigeria with over 300,000 shareholders and is technically one of the oldest banks in Nigeria and West Africa. It provides financial products and services with a solid technological background that supports the service delivery process to customers. After the bank consolidation process in 2006, Skye bank developed into one of the top financial institutions in Nigeria. Presently, it manages more than 250 branches in the country with over 600 operational ATM machines within their business premises and other well placed location across the country. In 2009, the Bank as part of its growth and expansion strategy and its determination to provide world class and cutting edge services to its vast majority of customers, Skye Bank Plc., introduced advancement in its electronic payment solutions, with the launch of new cash-deposit, cheque deposit and foreign exchange Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), a feat unprecedented in the history of Nigerian banking industry. Mr Chuma Ezirim, Deputy General Manager of the bank, during the launching of the product, said Depositing cash on the ATMs is very simple. A customer simply slots in his or her card, after which he or she is presented with options on the screen. To deposit cash all a customer has to do is select the cash deposit option on the screen, after which the ATM will open the cash acceptance slot. A customer can deposit a bundle of up to 200 notes at a time, without sorting them into different denominations, as the ATM accepts 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 notes. The ATM will validate each note to confirm it is genuine, count the notes and hold in escrow. The customer is then notified of the note count and the total and given the option to continue, insert additional notes or cancel the transaction. Our customers can also deposit Cheques in ATMs. Each cheque is inserted into the ATM through the ATM Cheque Processor opening. As the cheque is inserted, it is imaged, both front and rear, the image is displayed on the screen and, subsequently, printed on the receipt to give the customer positive confirmation that the bank has accepted the cheque. When the cheque is inserted into the ATM, it is read by a MICR reader to ensure that a MICR code line is present and that it is a valid cheque. If the ATM cannot verify the cheque, it can be rejected and returned to the customer. The image of the verified cheque, together with the captured code line data, can be passed to the back-office for processing. Cheques are picked up at specified times by designated officers for further processing. Previously, all transactions that involve cheques and foreign currency are always done at the counter, compounded by long queues and delays. Marc Bourreau, Marianne Verdier, Cooperation for innovation in payment system: the case of mobile payment. Feb. 2010. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1575036

Resource Dependence Theory

Resource dependence theory  (RDT) is the study of how the external resources of organizations affect the behavior of the organization. The procurement of external resources is an important tenet of both the strategic and tactical management of any company. Nevertheless, a theory of the consequences of this importance was not formalized until the 1970s, with the publication of  The External Control of Organizations: A Resource Dependence Perspective (Pfeffer and Salancik 1978).Resource dependence theory has implications regarding the optimal divisional structure of organizations, recruitment of board members and employees, production strategies, contract structure, external organizational links, and many other aspects of organizational strategy. The basic argument of resource dependence theory can be summarized as follows: * Organizations depend on resources. * These resources ultimately originate from an organization's environment. * The environment, to a considerable extent, con tains other organizations. * The resources one organization needs are thus often in the hand of other organizations. Resources are a basis of power. * Legally independent organizations can therefore depend on each other. * Power and resource dependence are directly linked: Organization A's power over organization B is equal to organization B's dependence on organization A's resources. * Power is thus  relational, situational and potentially mutual. Organizations depend on multidimensional resources: labor, capital, raw material, etc. Organizations may not be able to come out with countervailing initiatives for all these multiple resources. Hence  organization should move through the principle of criticality and principle of scarcity.Critical resources are those the organization must have to function. For example, a burger outlet can't function without bread. An organization may adopt various countervailing strategies—it may associate with more suppliers, or integrate vert ically or horizontally. Resource dependence concerns more than the external organizations that provide, distribute,  finance, and compete with a firm. Although executive decisions have more individual weight than non-executive decisions, in aggregate the latter have greater organizational impact. Managers throughout the organization understand their success is tied to ustomer demand. Managers' careers thrive when customer demand expands. Thus customers are the ultimate resource on which companies depend. Although this seems obvious in terms of revenue, it is actually organizational incentives that make management see customers as a resource. Resource dependence theory is one of many theories of  organizational studies  that characterize organizational behavior. In many ways, resource dependence theory predictions are similar to those of  transaction cost economics, but it also shares some aspects with  institutional theory.

Teaching Assistant Level 2

Level 2 Teaching Assistant Certificate – Assignment Three Unit 3 Supporting the Curriculum TASK 9: Using subject headings together with a brief summary of the subject, describe the range and main provisions of the relevant National curriculum in the school where you are employed. Creative Development: This Area of Learning relates to the development of children’s individual ways of developing and representing their notions and emotions in an imaginative way through assorted mediums and various forms of self-expression.Children explore as wide a range of stimulus as it is possible to provide given the resources available. They take part in art, craft, design, music, dance, theatre and movement activities. They have the opportunity to role play; to compose music or poetry; to develop their creative writing skills. They are encouraged to experiment with artistic mediums and represent their own feelings through their creativity, developing an ability to communicate and expr ess their individual creative ideas while also demonstrating an empathy with others. They are also encouraged to reflect upon their own work.Knowledge and Understanding of the World This subject builds upon children’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them by developing different aspects of play, activities and experimental learning processes that stimulate their senses; encourage investigation into subjects or activities that spark an interest. The children are encouraged to ask questions about their surroundings; explore their environment and undertake studies that will help them to develop an interest in and awareness of the ideals, beliefs, views and opinions of thers. Through the use of experiential learning, starting with a familiar present or past experience (see: ‘spiral curriculum,’ as advocated by American psychologist Jerome Bruner (Smith, Mark k. 2002)), curious and exploratory play techniques are fostered and the children are encouraged to develop reflective skills so that they can revisit and draw upon their own individual experiences. Language, Literacy and Communication Skills Children are encouraged to engage in discussions that develop their thinking understanding and range of vocabulary.They become involved in speaking and listening activities throughout the foundation stage and are encouraged to ask for information with regard to anything that they do not understand. There are activities that involve words, rhymes, songs and stories where children join in. Early literacy is encouraged while consideration is given to the fact that, for all children, ‘learning to read’ is a unique personal experience as such should not be rushed. Ysgol Dolafon believes that reading should also be fun!Children are allowed ample opportunity to freely access books and quiet areas are provided. The following list contains just a few examples of techniques that have been implemented and proven to help with early liter acy: 1. Using children’s own books in class. 2. Using audio tapes in conjunction with books to help children follow a story. 3. Pointing out words and linking them to the relevant items, people or places in the picture. 4. Using role play, or props to act out familiar stories. 5. Reading stories and rhymes out in a fun and imaginative way. 6.Consistently pointing to the top left-hand as your starting point and indication the left to right orientation through-out the reading of a story. Reading is promoted as a pleasurable activity and allowing children to read books that bear a particular relevance to their own interests is often considered to be more useful than strict adherence to a commercial reading scheme. Children at Ysgol Dolafon are continuously provided with the opportunity to make pre-cursor writing marks an early age and and a great deal of effort is put into encouraging the children to develop writing skills and activities.From scribbles and mark making right thro ugh to participating in purposeful writing tasks, children develop and improve their writing skills as they move through the curriculum. At all stages (including very early mark making) the children’s work is positively encouraged, valued and exhibited. Mathematical Development Mathematical activities at Ysgol Dolafon are delivered in accordance with pupil’s individual needs and great deal of emphasis is given to continuity of learning.Ample opportunity is provided for pupils to discuss their understanding of concepts as they progress and teachers are aware of the importance of eliminating any gaps in the children’s mathematical knowledge. The Welsh Assembly Government guideline for Mathematical Development maintains that: ‘It is crucial that gaps in children’s mathematical learning are avoided, so that children do not miss out on essential elements in their understanding of mathematical concepts’ (WAG 2008) and Ysgol Dolafon fully agrees wit h that statement.Children at **** **** frequently engage in experiential activities where they are encouraged to explore indoor and outdoor environments and gain first-hand experience of recognising materials; making comparisons / recognising similarities and differences; estimating and predicting; counting; sequencing; weighing and measuring etc. Engaging in relevant discussions that provide an opportunity for the children to build their skills, increase their knowledge and extend their mathematical vocabulary is an essential part of the learning process.Mathematics is taught throughout the school day and across the entire curriculum. Its relevance to other subjects is frequently pointed out. For example: The need for accurate weighing and measuring of the ingredients used in cookery and the bearing that inaccurate measuring might have on the finished product would be discussed as part of the cookery lesson. Children might also be encouraged to work out half measures or double up o n ingredients in order to vary the portion size of the finished item. Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural DevelopmentThis element of the curriculum builds on the child’s past and present experiences and it provides the opportunities for children to ‘learn about themselves and their relationships with other children and adults both within and beyond the family’ (WAG 2008). Children at **** ***** are encouraged to develop confidence and assertiveness, while taking into account the needs and feelings of others. They are encouraged to challenge prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping and staff lead by positive example.Staff at the school provide pupils with frequent opportunities to share their opinions and emotions and encourage them to pay appropriate attention to the feelings and emotions of others. Children are also provided with the opportunity to look after animals and plants in order to demonstrate that all living things require care an d respect in order to thrive. Children are introduced to concepts that build on their personal experiences and increase their knowledge and understanding of themselves and their surroundings. Once children are able to appreciate and understand the eelings of others the concepts of fairness, justice, rights and responsibilities can be realistically introduced. The aim is to fully prepare and equip children for a positive role in society and the intention is to achieve this ‘through a learning environment that reflects each culture appropriately. **** ***** is a dual stream Welsh/English school which is attentive to the distinctive and rich Welsh culture including all cultures that are part of the diverse society in Wales and it strives to provide activities that are suitably planned and resourced.The children are taught to appreciate and celebrate cultural differences and learn a great deal about the diverse range of cultures through the exploration of art, literature, music, f ashion, architecture and religion. Physical Development This aspect of the curriculum relates to the development, increased skills functioning and performance of the physical body. It also provides an understanding of the results that a healthy lifestyle delivers by exploring the effects of a balanced diet, exercise, fresh air, adequate sleep etc.Children at **** ***** are taught how best to take responsibility for keeping their own bodies healthy; they are taught to identify and understand the dangers of medicines and drugs, smoking, alcohol and other potentially harmful substances. Pupils are taught the importance of food and water in relation to the human body. They are encouraged to recognise healthy foods; develop a good knowledge of the different food groups and to understand how a balanced combination of foods is a requirement for a healthy mind and body.Children’s physical development begins with ‘gross motor skills’ (control of the large body muscles suc h as those found in the arms and legs). This stage is followed by ‘fine manipulative skills’ (the control and coordination of small muscles). Due consideration is given to the fact that children are unique and develop at different rates and staff are aware of the fact that children cannot increase they’re range of skills until the muscles required are sufficiently developed. Consequently the activities and resources used are checked for the suitable developmental needs of each individual child.Physical activities are introduced at the earliest opportunity and they are integrated into other lessons where appropriate. For example: the inclusion of actions performed to rhymes, stories and games is believed to foster a positive attitude to movement and exercise from an early age and as such actions are incorporated into much of the story telling in the three year old setting. For more demanding, physically active movement appropriate space is essential and open areas are available indoors and outdoors so that children can gain greater spatial awareness through experimentation of movement without restrictions.The children are provided with access to appropriate apparatus (for both supervised and unsupervised use) and consideration is given to the fact that enough time for the children to develop their skills is of equal importance to the provision of equipment and space. Pupils are encouraged to recognise that regular exercise makes them feel good and helps their bodies to work well. Welsh Language Development The foundation phase initially introduces Welsh through incidental Welsh.The everyday use of simple Welsh greetings; the repetitious recital of rhymes; the singing of songs and the telling of simple stories in informal play situations are part and parcel of the everyday routine. There are interactive displays designed to support the development of familiar concepts such as discussing colours, numbers, the weather etc. and any themes that w e explore: (e. g. the seaside, the farm, the fire station) have the key words highlighted bilingually. Next we have the introduction of structured sessions where simple phrases and language patterns are explored.The children are exposed to basic question patterns, such as ‘ble mae? ’ (‘where is? ’) and simple phrases are introduced into their play. Children in **** *****’s Foundation Phase learn Welsh through a holistic curriculum, through structured play, and through having a specific structured developmental and progressive programme. The language skills that they learn in Welsh support their development, knowledge and skills in English and vice versa. Examples of activities used to support the development of speaking skills at **** ***** include the following:Joining in with nursery rhymes, action songs and singing: Singing is seen as a good way for children to practise the sounds and pronunciation of a new language. Singing as part of a group pro vides them with security and helps develop confidence. As in all language teaching, the use of rhymes containing a strong rhythm, repetition, alliteration and homophones reinforces language development and pronunciation. Telling stories; sharing and recounting information; observing and respecting celebrations and events that are important to the children Circle time’ designed to provide opportunities for children to discuss; speak and listen to others’ ideas, feelings, emotions and events Relaying messages; sharing greetings in daily routines and giving instructions to others. Footnote: I feel it is important to add that In the opening descriptive paragraph of each of the curriculum subjects as outlined in The Foundation Phase Framework for Children’s Learning for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales, it is stated that, ‘the guidance and Area of Learning should not be viewed or delivered in isolation; it should be planned for across the curriculum’ (swanseagf l. ov. uk) Complete a detailed study of one subject over one key stage. Describe how this would be planned, delivered and monitored and explain the terminology used. NB: The Foundation Phase replaced Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum from the start of the 2011/12 school year. The foundation phase covers four years from ages 3 – 7 (Wales. gov. uk. 2011 – 2012). I have chosen to complete a detailed study of ‘Language, Literacy and Communication Skills’ as delivered to a mixed age class of: ‘Nursery, Reception and Year 1 and 2 pupils’ (foundation phase). Oracy (Skills and Range):The children’s oracy skills are promoted though spontaneous and structured viewing, listening and speaking activities. Children are expected to make progress in their ability to listen, understand, communicate and make themselves understood. The use of movement, gesture and speech as communication tools is explored and developed and the children should become increasing capable of speaking clearly, understanding basic instructions, using appropriate language and conveying accurate meaning. They are expected to attain listening skills and develop the ability respond to the sounds around them.They should develop an understanding of variety in the language that they hear consequently becoming more and more able to respond appropriately to phrases or instructions that increase in complexity. Delivery of these skills should come in a variety of forms and locations and the following list contains some examples of where/how: 1. Children should be provided with the opportunity to experience activities in both indoor and outdoor settings. 2. Provision should be made for the experiencing of different types of play ranging from planned and structured to spontaneous and child initiated. . Talk/communicate for a variety of purposes included but not limited to: a. Presenting simple information b. Asking and answering questions c. Expressing emotions, likes, dislikes, need etc. and expressing personal opinions. d. Involvement in spontaneous learning activities such as dialogue and role play. e. Joining in with rhymes, songs and simple stories. f. Repeated recitation of songs, poems or raps. g. The conveying of personal or imaginative experiences using familiar language patterns. h.Extend their knowledge of language through activities that foster an interest in words and consequently increase their vocabulary. Reading (Skills and Range): The opportunities provided throughout the Foundation Phase should encourage children to show and interest in books and to enjoy reading. The skills taught in the Foundation Phase should enable children to progress in their ability to follow stories that are read out to them and respond to those stories in an appropriate manner. Children should be encouraged to explore books (with or without and adult) and to handle them in the way that a reader would.They should be aware that there are different t ypes of books. Adults should develop an underpinning strategy of demonstrating that text is read from left to right and of explaining how written symbols have sounds and meanings. The objective is for children to build on the knowledge that they already have and to ultimately gain the skills required to read with fluency, accuracy, understanding and independence. These skills provide them with the confidence needed in order to read their own work and other texts aloud; discuss written works in an informed manner (e. g. alk about characters and storylines or predict events and outcomes) and to ‘respond appropriately to books by considering what they have read in terms of content, ideas presentation, organisation and the language used. ’ (WAG 2010) Planning: This covers the three areas of oracy, reading (including phonics) and writing. The teacher’s plans with input from classroom assistants and the planning needs to cover skills development as well as age range. M edium Term Planning: Research books relating to topic. Plan aspects of literacy to be taught through these books: e. g. labelling; listing; captions; story; diary etc.The use of phonics – letters and sounds. Phonics: – three times a week. Weekly Planning: Chose a book for a week or a fortnight and plan on topic activities for oracy reading and writing. Differentiate activities for age groups and ability levels and include specific tasks for more able students or those with SEN. Delivery: **** ***** has a dedicated LLC every morning and but LLC is also delivered across the curriculum. Oracy is developed through Knowledge, Understanding or Creative Development. Writing is developed through Knowledge, Understanding or Role Play. Children are divided into ability groups.The teacher and the teaching assistant work with a focus group while the other children work on enhanced activity or have continuous provision. Groups are rotated to ensure that all children work with the t eacher during the week. Monitoring: Classroom assistants provide feedback to the teacher and the teacher records progress/difficulties in a variety of ways: individual record sheets; post it notes; the annotation of plans are all ways in which the child’s progress is evaluated and this constant evaluation is an essential component of successful planning which adapts to the needs of the child/children.This monitoring is also used to write the child’s end of year report. Terminology explained: CVCC Words: Words which have a consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant pattern. Differentiation: The practice of delivering information to pupils in a way that is appropriate to their individual ability and level of understanding rather than their age. Digraphs: A combination of two letters representing one sound such as: ph; ch; sh; ee; and oo Graphemes: Graphemes are the smallest units in a writing system capable of causing a contrast in meaning.In the English alphabet, the switch fr om cat to bat introduces a meaning change; therefore, c and b represent different graphemes. It is usual to transcribe graphemes within angle brackets, to show their special status: , . The main graphemes of English are the twenty-six units that make up the alphabet. Other graphemes include the various marks of punctuation: , , etc. , and such special symbols as , , and (? ) †¦ LLC: Language, literacy and communication skills. Objective: The end result (as predicted in the planning) the final goal that you would be expecting the children to achieve. Oracy:Fluent, articulate and grammatically correct verbal communication Oral blending and segmenting: To practise oral blending, the teacher could say some sounds, such as /c/-/u/-/p/ and see whether the children can pick out a cup from a group of objects. For segmenting practise, the teacher could hold up an object such as a sock and ask the children which sounds they can hear in the word sock. The activities introduced in Phase 1 are intended to continue throughout the following phases, as lots of practice is needed before children will become confident in their phonic knowledge and skills.Phonemes: any of the perceptually distinct units of sound in a specified language that distinguish one word from another, for example p, b, d, and t in the English words pad, pat, bad, and bat. Phonics: A method of teaching reading based on the sounds of letters, groups of letters, and syllables. Range: A variety of planned activities which are specifically relevant to the subject. In this case: The opportunity to engage in spontaneous and structured communicative activities designed to expand the children’s vocabulary and encourage their interest in words.Stimulus would include: Stories (fictional and factual); media and ITC texts; information texts; poems; songs and nursery rhymes. Skills: Refers to the child’s capabilities – In this case their ‘oracy skills’ which should be developed pr imarily through the use of sensory stimuli: Speaking; listening and viewing activities which are ultimately intended to improve the children’s ability to listen and respond appropriately while continuously improving their attention/concentration spans and building on their previous experiences thereby helping them to attain general communicative accomplishment and increased self-confidence.Write dance: A technique developed by Ragnhild Oussoren encourages creativity, self-expression and confidence and by developing the child’s gross motor skills it theoretically helps to develop the prerequisite physical skills and co-ordination required for writing. The programme is described as being ‘of benefit all children,’ but it has been found to be particularly helpful for children with SEN. Briefly outline three recent strategies introduced by the government to raise standards in the curriculum. How would you access up to date information in curriculum development ?Recent strategies to raise standards: Literacy, numeracy and deprivation. The Minister for Education and Skills recently introduced a strategy for raising standards of literacy and numeracy in schools. In June 2011 he announced the intention to introduce a new National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) and a system of national testing for all pupils aged 5 to 14. Deprivation: In brief, the strategy to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds ranges from the introduction of free breakfast clubs to classroom based strategies which include, learning in small groups supported by teaching assistants; customising lessons to individual tudents' learning needs; providing extra-curricular learning and study support; engaging and supporting parents in supporting their children’s learning and promotion of the idea that effort and perseverance pay dividends. In order to receive updated curriculum development information first hand I regularly visit the education and skills webpa ge at Wales. gov. uk – I have also registered for the WAG newsletter. Relevant and up-to-date publications are always available to read in the school staff room. What extra-curricular activities are available in a typical school?Complete a detailed study of one of the activities. A typical school would probably offer the following extra-curricular activities: Sports: Football;/rugby/ netball/ hockey etc. Choir Chess/board games Gardening club An In-depth Study of Chess/Boardgames Club at **** ***** Chess/board games club at **** ***** takes place every Wednesday afternoon during term time. It runs from 3. 30pm until 4. 15pm and is supervised by a member of the school’s board of governors. This gentleman also provides the medieval board games that the children use.Number of children in attendance: 10 (2 new players joined at the beginning of this term, both are from year 2). Gender: 4 girls & 6 Boys. Age range: Year 2 to year 6 (was year 3 upwards but the rules changed in September 2012). Duration of session: 45 minutes Number of games being played on Wednesday 19th Sept 2012: Four Types of games available: Chess and an assortment of hand-made Medieval, Tudor and Viking games; mostly 2 player games but some multi-player games. The games being played while I was in attendance were: Fox and GeeseFox and Geese is a medieval, asymmetrical game. Players have different objectives and different pieces/men. One player leads a fox whose objective is to kill all the geese by jumping over them. The other player leads the gaggle of geese whose objective is to corner the fox and stop him escaping. Nine Men's Morris Nine Men Morris is a two player, strategy board game of Roman origin. Each player has nine pieces which they place upon the board one at a time taking alternating turns. Players then take it in turn to move their own pieces in an attempt to build a line of three.A straight line of three wins the player the right to take any one of his/her opponentâ €™s pieces. The object of the game is to leave the opposing player with fewer than three pieces. It is possible for either player either player to force the game into a draw. Tafl (meaning ‘table’ in old norse) Games Tawl Bwrdd is the Welsh name for an 11Ãâ€"11 Tafl board as described (with the rules of play) by Robert ap Ifan in 1587 in a Welsh document (p. 4 Peniarth ms) now in the Welsh National Library. Thought to be of Viking origin and found in one form or another everywhere the Vikings travelled, includingIceland, Britain, Ireland, and Lapland; the game represents the final stages of a battle where the king, on the losing side, is being attacked on four sides by an army with twice the number of men to his defending army. To win he has to escape to one of the corners. The king loses if he is surrounded on four sides. Chess A medieval style chess set was in use but during play I saw no deviation from the chess rules that most of us are familiar with today. TAS K 10 List and briefly outline the main factors that influence teaching and learning.The quality of the planning and delivery of the lesson. Meeting the needs of all the students. Making the lesson engaging by ensuring that the different learning styles of the students are catered for. Students achieving the learning objective that is: Every student should make adequate progress. Planning Ability to communicate clearly Behaviour management And external factors weather conditions, home life, etc. Using your preferred method of research, study various teaching assistant’s job description and explain the variety of support a teaching assistant ight be expected to give in the classroom whilst supporting, planning and evaluating learning activities. The following is a ‘cut and pasted’ job description taken from Powys County Council’s ‘Vacancies’ webpage. P. C. C. lists all TA posts as ‘Non-teaching staff’ despite the fact that this term is no longer frequently used. Marland (2001; cited in David Fulton in association with The Open University, Primary Teaching Assistants, Learners and Learning) suggests that the title is offensive. P. C. C. Example: Teaching Assistant (Non-teaching Staff)Main Purpose of Post: Working under the overall supervision of the responsible teacher to: -provide support in addressing the needs of pupils within the class; -assist and support teaching and learning; -work with individuals or groups and assist in providing for general care, safety and welfare of pupils. Principal Responsibilities: 1. Contribute to implementation of plans. Assist in the delivery of lessons/sessions and interact with the teacher and pupils as required. Undertake agreed learning activities/teaching programmes, adjusting according to pupil responses. . Promote positive values, attitudes and good pupil behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own behaviour. 3. Encourage good relationships between pupils. Promote inclusion and acceptance of all pupils, encourage them to interact and work co-operatively and engage in activities. Assist with pupil supervision in the playground and on school trips. Monitor pupils’ achievement, safety and welfare. 4. Promote independence and development of self-esteem in all pupils. 5.Support and use ICT in learning activities & develop pupils’ competence and independence in its use. 6. Undertake to promote the ethos of the school and be familiar with school policies 8. Undertake routine tasks: photocopying, collecting and distributing resources. 10. Work with the teacher to establish an appropriate learning environment e. g. helping with displays, tidying and organizing resources. 11. To co-operate with the employer and follow health and safety advice and instructions. 12. To abide by the principles and practice of equality of opportunity as laid down in the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy. The above example gives the typical specifications for a Powys primary school but official titles and job descriptions tend to be subject to a fair amount of regional and local variation. Learning support assistant; teaching assistant; classroom assistant and learning mentor are a few of the titles that I have encountered during my research for this assignment and all appear to be fundamentally the same thing. Ask a cross-section of people who do the job what the associated duties are and the descriptions that you get will be even more varied than the titles.There seems to be no ‘set in stone’ criteria; the responsibilities appear to vary from school to school and tend to be depended upon specific requirements at specific times; this is particularly noticeable in the case of SEN positions which are closely tailored to the individual needs of the child or children concerned. In summary, the general job description is as follows: The teaching assistant’s role is to complement the professional work of teachers and accept responsibility for agreed learning activities under an agreed system of supervision, supported by direction from teaching staff in line with school policies and guidance.The role may involve planning, preparing and delivering learning activities for individuals/groups or short term for whole classes as well as monitoring pupils and assessing, recording and reporting on their achievement, progress and development. Teaching assistants with a level 3 or higher qualification might also be responsible for the management of other teaching assistants including allocation and monitoring of work, appraisal and training. Typical day to day teaching assistant duties appear to involve a variety of tasks which might consist of of any or all of the following: . Assisting the teacher in the planning and execution of classroom activities. 2. Working with small groups of children on exercises that have been set by the class teacher. 3. Setting up lesson resources/equipment before lessons; the packing away or appropriate disposal of resources after the lessons. 4. Setting up audio/visual equipment. 5. Creating displays and mounting children’s work. 6. Photocopying, filing , book sorting, and general admin duties. 7. Working one to one with children who are struggling with some aspect. of numeracy or literacy. 8. Playground duty. 9.Helping the younger children to change before and after sport activities. 10. Helping younger children with toileting and hand washing 11. Stock rotation; general stock taking and ordering of art and craft materials etc. 12. Listening to children read on a one to one basis. 13. Helping children to reach expected targets. 14. Monitoring pupil progress and reporting back to the class teacher. 15. Leading by example with regard to good manners, morals, social interaction, racial and sexual equality etc. 16. Dealing with instances of argumen t, fighting or bullying in the appropriate way. 7. Ensuring health and safety guidelines are followed and routine checking of tools and equipment for any H&S issues. 18. Routine maintenance and repair (where practically possible) of equipment and resources. State why you think it is important to plan and prepare learning activities. How will the experience and qualifications of the teaching assistant affect the support they are able to give? Teachers and teaching assistants need to have clear ideas about the lesson they wish to set up and it is important for them to have made adequate preparation if the lesson is to be a success.Good communication between teachers and teaching assistants is hugely important. There are three main elements that need to be considered when planning lessons. Firstly one must consider the aims and outcomes the lesson is intended to achieve. Next they should choose an effective learning environment, appropriate activities, relevant resources and sequencing of these and finally they would need to monitor and evaluate pupil’s progress in order for the teacher to be able to decide whether or not the lesson has been successful.Teaching assistants undertake a wide range of supportive tasks, the variety and importance of which are dependent upon their level of qualification/experience. Those with the most qualifications/experience are naturally expected to be able to assume more responsibility than those who are just starting out in the job or working at a less qualified level. The LEA and/or individual schools tend to make decisions with regard to the level of experience or qualifications they would expect from someone applying for a teaching assistant position.As a bare minimum you would usually need to be able to demonstrate good reading, writing and numeracy skills and it would usually be preferred that you would have some experience of working with children of the relevant age. What feedback might a teaching assistant be expect ed to provide and in what form and to who might they be required to deliver it? More often than not feedback would be delivered to the class teacher, verbally, at the end of the lesson but in special circumstances such as one to one reading feedback would be written in the pupil’s reading record book where teachers/parents can access it later.When working with a pupil or group where extra support is required feedback might be best delivered ‘as and when required’ throughout the duration of the lesson. TASK 11 When assisting in the delivery of learning activities, describe how a teaching assistant might be expected to; 1. Assist pupils and keep them on track The general consensus is that happy children are more likely to get involved and learn and with that in mind the teaching assistant should try to make lessons as enjoyable as possible, however, it is equally important to set clear and firm boundaries in order to prevent fun from descending into unbridled chaos . . Encourage pupils to work independently Research into independent study has indicated that teachers and teaching assistants who involve learners in lesson planning get good results from the practice. This type of collaboration often helps to make the lesson interesting and relevant for the pupils and involving children in the learning process can also provide them with where-with-all to reflect upon their own needs. It is well known that children learn better if their efforts are appreciated and they feel valued. As they gain in confidence they will automatically become more independent.Teaching Assistants can play an important role in helping raise the self-esteem of children. They can do this not only by demonstrating an interest their school work but also by expressing an interest in activities that they enjoy outside of the school environment. Group working is also proven to be highly beneficial strategy for building confidence; it can provide students with an opportunity to learn from one another and this temporarily switches control from the teacher to the learners resulting in increased confidence and greater independence. 3. Use learning material appropriatelyThe teaching Assistant should possess the knowledge and ability to be able to prepare appropriate equipment and materials for lessons that they are involved in and they should be practiced in the techniques involved for the use of specific tools, equipment and resources. They should possess up to date knowledge of Health & Safety legislation as it relates to the activities or lessons that they are preparing for; this should include COSHH and all other applicable regulations. In addition to these skills the TA also be capable of undertaking routine maintenance and/or general repairs to tools and equipment. . Monitor responses The teaching assistant would usually be expected to monitor and evaluate pupil responses to learning activities using a range of assessment and monitoring strategies. They should have the ability to be able to record the progress and achievement of a child or group or children in lessons/activities and systematically and accurately provide evidence of the range and levels of progress that the child/children achieve. The expectation would be for them to be capable of providing objective feedback and/or accurate reports on pupil achievement as and when they were required.They should be able to ensure the availability of appropriate evidence to back up any reports that they make. Explain how a teaching assistant might recognise problems that might occur whist supporting individuals and how they could be managed? Behaviour management should be implemented In accordance with guidance provided by the class teacher. The Teaching Assistant would usually be expected to provide support to the teacher when dealing with disruptive or potentially disruptive behaviour from pupils.That said, the Teaching Assistant might often find them-selves in a position where the y are able to spot the early signs of disruptive behaviour of potential bullying and in these circumstances they may be able to divert the child/children’s attention to other, more positive things, effectively preventing the potentially negative situation from occurring in the first place. References: Welsh Assembly Government. (2008). WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS. Available: http://www. swanseagfl. gov. uk/learn_agenda/foundation_p/wag_docs. asp Last accessed 29th June 2012.Welsh Assembly Government. (2011 – 2012). National curriculum – Key Stage 1. Available: http://wales. gov. uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/arevisedcurriculumforwales/nationalcurriculum1/? lang=en Last accessed 29th June 2012. Smith, M. K. (2002) ‘Jerome S. Bruner and the process of education', the encyclopedia of informal education http://www. infed. org/thinkers/bruner. htm Last accessed 29th June 2012. Ragnhild Oussoren . (2010). Write Dance. Availab le: http://www. schrijfdans. nl/write-dance. html Last accessed 18th July 2012. Dwr Cymru. 2005). Think Water. Available: http://www. dwrcymru. co. uk/English/community/education/think/index. asp. Last accessed 13 Sept 2012. Hancock, R. , Collins, J (Eds) & Colloby, J. (2005), Primary teaching assistants, Learners and learning, Chapter 1: p7, Eight titles and roles, Published: David Futlon in association with the Open University (2005) Reprinted: Routledge 2009. Gothic Green Oak. ( ). Games. Available: http://www. gothicgreenoak. co. uk/index. html. Last accessed 19th Sept 2012. ———————– PAGE 1 Margaret Lorraine Voss SH34393/NCC Assignment 3

Meeting The Challenge Of Change - 797 Words

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