Show, Dont Tell Tips and Examples of The Golden Rule

Show, Dont Tell Tips and Examples of The Golden Rule Show, Don't Tell: Tips and Examples of The Golden Rule Show, don’t tell is one of the most frequently given pieces of advice among writers. But just like â€Å"write what you know† and â€Å"write every day,† it can be difficult to follow - especially if you don’t really know what it means! Luckily, we’re here to show you exactly what this involves. We'll explain the various benefits of â€Å"showing† in writing, and provide plenty of helpful examples. Show, don't tell: it's a rule for a reason. Let us SHOW you why! 'Show, Don’t Tell': A Quick DefinitionShow, don’t tell is a writing technique in which story and characters are related through sensory details and actions rather than exposition. It fosters a style of writing that’s more immersive for the reader, allowing them to â€Å"be in the room† with the characters.In his most commonly repeated quoted, Chekhov said, â€Å"Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of light on broken glass."In short: showing illustrates, while telling merely states. Here’s a quick example of showing versus telling: Showing: As his mother switched off the light and left the room, Michael tensed. He huddled under the covers, gripped the sheets, and held his breath as the wind brushed past the curtain. Telling: Michael was terribly afraid of the dark.In the â€Å"showing† example, rather than merely saying that Michael is afraid of the dark, we’ve put him in a situation where his experience of that fear takes center stage. The reader can deduce the same information they’d get from the â€Å"telling† example but in a much more compelling way. The Benefits of 'Show, Don't Tell'Showing also helps develop characters in a way that isn't just listing their traits. For instance, rather than telling your readers that â€Å"Gina was selfish and immature,† you could show this side of her by writing a scene where she whines about how everyone forgot her half-birthday. Or if you have a character who’s extremely determined, show her actually persisting through something - don’t just say â€Å"she was persistent.†Overall, when done right, showing draws readers into the narrative with truly immersive description. It contributes to story development but also leaves certain things up to the reader’s interpretation, which is much more interesting than making everything explicit. (Though of course, you can still use language to alter their perception).The bottom line: telling might be quicker, and it’s certainly necessary to have some telling in every story (more on that later), but showing should almost always be your prime strategy.All right, that’s enough theory for now! Let’s talk about how you can show, not tell, in your own work. Here are five key tips on how to show rather than tell in a story4 Practical 'Show, Don’t Tell' TipsLet's start with one of the most important aspects of storytelling...Tip #1. Create a sense of settingOne of the best ways to show rather than tell is to create a sense of setting. You can do this by writing about how characters perceive and interact with their surroundings, weaving plenty of sensory details and occasional action into the scene. This is a particularly good way to lend immediacy to your story, as the reader should be able to imagine themselves in that very setting. Telling: I walked through the forest. It was already Fall and I was getting cold. Showing: The dry orange leaves crunched under my feet as I pulled the collar up on my coat.Tip #2. Use dialogue to show characterIn addition to setting, you can also use dialogue to demonstrate story elements beyond the surface conversation. A character’s speech will tell the reader a lot about them, especially when they’re first being introduced.Do they use long sentences and polysyllabic words or do they prefer short, punchy replies? Are there likely to use slang and call an authority figure â€Å"dude† or â€Å"fam† or will they address them respectfully as â€Å"Mr. So-and-So†?Tip #3. If in doubt, always describe actionâ€Å"Telling† almost always grinds your narrative momentum to a halt. Imagine having to describe the setting every time your characters enter a new space - any pace you had built in your chapter would be destroyed. However, it’s still important to evoke the setting and put your scene in context. And that’s w here showing action comes in handy.Let’s say you start your scene with your character walking through St Mark’s Square in Venice. Instead of describing the pigeons, the tourists and the layout of the space, you can evoke it through action: He was late. St Mark’s clocktower had struck one and Enzo found himself pushing against the tide of tourists milling towards the cafes lining the Piazza San Marco. A clump of pigeons scattered in front of him.Through action, you’re able to describe the setting of the scene while also maintaining your story’s forward motion.Tip #4. Use strong details, but don’t overdo itStrong, vivid details are crucial to the process of showing. However, that doesn’t mean you should include too many details, especially those that are overly embellished. This kind of excessively ornate language can be just as bad as â€Å"telling† language that’s too basic, as it may cause the reader to lose interest in your super-dense prose. Too much detail: The statue felt rough, its aged facade caked with dust and grime as I weighed it in my hand, observing its jagged curves and Fanta-colored hue. Just right: It was heavier than it looked. Some of the orange facade crumbled in my hand as I picked it up.Strike the right balance by alternating between simple and complex sentences and ideas, and different types of sensory detail, so the reader doesn’t get overloaded on one type.'Show, Don’t Tell' ExamplesTo break down this technique even further, here are a few additional "show, don't tell" examples of authors showing rather than telling in their writing. If you want to analyze even more examples of this tactic, just crack open the nearest novel! Pretty much every work of fiction involves showing, and observing the tactics of successful authors is one of the best ways to learn for yourself.Example #1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret AtwoodI once had a garden. I can remember the smell of the turned earth, the plump shapes of bulbs held in the hands, fullness, the dry rustle of seeds through the fingers. Time could pass more swiftly that way. Sometimes the Comm ander’s Wife has a chair brought out, and just sits in it, in her garden. From a distance it looks like peace.This passage uses various senses (smell, touch, and sound) to recreate the atmosphere of Offred’s old garden, romanticizing the act of gardening to show that she misses those days. It also connects that peaceful past time to the present day, implying that many people no longer feel at peace, including the Commander’s Wife.Example #2. It by Stephen KingIn this early scene, young Georgie is running after his toy boat as he is unwittingly being lured by a malevolent force.Now here he was, chasing his boat down the left of Witcham Street. He was running fast but the water was running faster and his boat was pulling ahead. He heard a deepening roar and saw that fifty yards farther down the hill the water in the gutter was cascading into a storm drain that was still open. It was a long dark semi-circle cut into the curbing, and as Georgie watched, a stripped b ranch, its bark as dark and glistening as sealskin, shot into the storm drain’s maw.King renders the fast-running rivulets of a rainy day by having Georgie run alongside them, unable to keep up. Then he sees the storm drain, which King aptly calls a â€Å"maw† (a spot-on metaphor), and its threat is heightened by the sound of its â€Å"deepening roar† and the fact that it swallows an entire branch. Needless to say, poor Georgie’s boat doesn’t stand a chance. You gotta admit, that's a pretty cute pig. (Image: Paramount)Example #6. Oliver Twist by Charles DickensIn this extract, Oliver has arrived in London for the very first time.A dirtier or more wretched place he had never seen. The street was very narrow and muddy, and the air was impregnated with filthy odours. There were a good many small shops; but the only stock in trade appeared to be heaps of children, who, even at that time of night, were crawling in and out at the doors, or screaming from the inside. The sole places that seemed to prosper amid the general blight of the place, were the public-houses†¦ Oliver was just considering whether he hadn't better run away, when they reached the bottom of the hill.Oliver’s initial impression of London hits us like a train: you can almost taste the filthy air and hear the children screaming for yourself. And if London’s extreme depravity wasn’t already evident enough from the description, you can tell from Oliverâ €™s reaction that it must be pretty bad - for context, he’s just walked 30+ miles to reach London, and this is the first thing that’s really fazed him.Of course, Dickens might have just written, â€Å"Oliver reached London. It was dirty and crowded.† But while this more or less summarizes the above passage, it completely loses the visceral sense of setting and Oliver’s feelings toward that setting. Without these details, the description would be totally generic.Example #7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray BradburyIn this scene, Montag, a â€Å"fireman† tasked with destroying books, hears his boss’s voice in his head, describing the burning of pages.He could hear Beatty's voice. â€Å"Sit down, Montag. Watch. Delicately, like the petals of a flower. Light the first page, light the second page. Each becomes a black butterfly. Beautiful, eh? Light the third page from the second and so on, chainsmoking, chapter by chapter, all the silly things the wo rds mean, all the false promises, all the second-hand notions and time-worn philosophies.†This excellent use of metaphor (taken from our list of 97 metaphors in literature and pop culture) compares the pages of burnt books to â€Å"black butterflies†: an eerie image that, fittingly enough, burns itself into our brains. Though no book-burning actually occurs at this moment (Montag is merely imagining it), the reader can still vividly see what it would look like. We shudder at the contrast between the innocent, petal-like pages and the monstrous, destructive fire. Indeed, this is the pinnacle of showing - it really drives home how powerful figurative language can be.Example #8. White Teeth by Zadie SmithArchie scrabbling up the stairs, as usual cursing and blinding, wilting under the weight of boxes that Clara could carry two, three at a time without effort; Clara taking a break, squinting in the warm May sunshine, trying to get her bearings. She peeled down to a little purple vest and leaned against her front gate. What kind of a place was this? That was the thing, you see, you couldn’t be sure.The stream-of-consciousness style here evokes the rushed chaos of moving house. Also, the juxtaposed descriptions of Archie and Clara (him â€Å"scrabbling, cursing, blinding, and wilting† while she calmly assesses the situation) show how different they are - a disparity which will only grow over the course of the book.Is telling ever acceptable?Of course, sometimes you have no other choice but to do a bit of â€Å"telling† in a story. Yes, it’s a narrative shortcut, but sometimes shortcuts are necessary - especially when you’re trying to explain something quickly, with no fanfare or immersive evocation for readers. Writers often â€Å"tell† at the beginning of a story to get the exposition across, or after a â€Å"big reveal† where certain details just need to be clearly stated. The important thing is bala nce; as long as you don’t have too much of either telling or showing, you should be fine.Finally, remember that there are no hard-and-fast rules for writing. If you’re worried that you’re telling too much and not showing enough, but your writing still flows well and engages readers, don’t feel obligated to change it! And as Jim Thomas says in the video above: â€Å"In the arts, rules are more like friendly suggestions. This is especially useful to remember when you’re creating your first or second draft - you’re going to ‘tell’ and that’s okay. You’re still figuring out what your story is about.†So whether you’re more inclined to show or to tell, just know that with practice, you’ll find the exact style that works for you. And when that happens, you’ll show everyone (sorry, we couldn’t resist!) what you’re made of as a writer.Do you struggle to show, not tell? Leave any qu estions, concerns, or tips in the comments below!

Sociological theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sociological theory - Essay Example His book - Suicide: In the preface of suicide Durkheim says,† There can be no sociology unless societies exist, and societies cannot exist if there are only individuals." In this quotation and throughout his book Durkheim insists that society constitute a reality in itself, and could never be reduced to individuals. The proper focus of sociology was not the individual, but social facts which for Durkheim deal with attributes of society, not of individuals. Durkheim argued that if acts like suicide were purely individual in nature, they would fluctuate wildly from year to year. Social facts in contrast would be far less likely to exhibit such wide fluctuations, because societies seldom change that rapidly. Durkheims famous study of suicide took suicide rates as a dependent variable. Durkheim argued that two central variables--social integration and normative regulation--were independent variables that explained variation in suicide rates. He said that individuality can prosper o nly in a free society that promotes voluntary bonds between its members. In ‘Le Suicide’ Durkheim argues that collective social forces hold the upper hand for suicide than extra social or individual causes. In this book Durkheim argues that suicide is something which primarily results from a lack of integration of the individual into society, and it provides an incredibly detailed and complex understanding of the impetus for suicide as well as on it psychological and physical impact not only on the victim but also on their family and society in general. Erving Goffman: June 11, 1922 – November 19, 1982), was a sociologist and writer. The 73rd president of American Sociological Association, Goffmans greatest contribution to social theory is his study of symbolic interaction in the form of dramaturgical perspective that began with his 1959 book The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life and was developed throughout his life. Goffman became one of the most

Ransomware Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ransomware - Research Paper Example The way the ransomware attacks a computer system is similar to the way a computer worm operates. This means that a ransomware uses the route of downloaded data and it may even enter a computer system through a network that is vulnerable against such attacks and is not properly secured. Ransomware developers use payload to password protect personal files of a user, encrypt data that is textual in nature or minimize the users communication with his/her personal computer by displaying notices that the system has been used for illegal purposes, it even overrides files in the windows registry area such as the file of explorer.exe or restrict the user from being able to use the system until the user has not repaired the entire system. The system of coercing the computer user through display of messages is regarded as scareware. The first ever created ransomware was created by Joseph Popp who named his ransomware as PC Cyborg Trojan (Emm, 2008, p.15). In this ransomware the developer had developed a payload that used to state that the license of a particular software has been expired and the ransomware even used to password protect the softwares on the hardrive and use to coerce the user into paying an amount of $189 to the developer if the user wanted to reuse the software or unlock the encrypted system. Josephy was caught by the criminal justice system and he was recognized as mentally unfit, Josephy gave his earned money to help in funding AIDS related research. During the season of 2010, ten people were arrested by the local authorities of Russia for developing a ransomware named as WinLock (Celtnet, 2012). This ransomware was indulged in the act of displaying images that were pornographic in nature and used to coerce the users into sending a premium rate text message which was priced at $10 in order if the users wanted to unlock their computer systems through a code. The developers of this ransomware earned more than $16 million; this ransomware did not use the technique of encrypting files and computer systems. During the year of 2012 a huge ransomware named as Reveton which was even recognized with the nick name of Police Trojan started spreading in US. This ransomware displayed a message on the user’s pc stating that the law enforcement organizations have detected illegal activities conducted on the computer system. For example: viewing and downloading of softwares that are pirated in nature and downloading of pornographic material. The playload used by this ransomware required users to reimburse the authorities by utilizing a voucher from an unknown cash service that was prepaid in nature. To increase the fear of the law enforcement agency, the developers used to display the IP address used by the user and the ransomware even showed the users that the intelligence agenc ies are recording their activities. During the month of August 2012, the developers of Reveton attacked US computer system and the message displayed by the playload stated that the user has to compensate for their illegal activities by paying a total of $200 to the FBI through MoneyPack card (PERLROTH, 2012). Defense Several methods have been identified by security software developers and other software develope

Understanding organizations and the role of HR Essay Example for Free

Understanding organizations and the role of HR Essay YTL Cement’s purpose in beginning this business is to supply quality cement to local construction companies for a competitive price especially in the eastern corridor of peninsular Malaysia. There were no cement plants in the eastern side of peninsular Malaysia. So, cost of purchasing cement was high due to logistics. Our plant in Pahang solved all issues as we could now provide cement with a much cheaper price. YTL Cement is currently the second largest cement producer in Malaysia. Our goal is to be the largest cement producer in Malaysia and also southeast Asia. From one cement plant, we have rapidly expanded to four plant now. The goal to be the largest cement producer in Malaysia might come to past earlier than expected. PRODUCTS SERVICES We have 5 brands of bagged product and 4 types of bulk product. The 5 brands in the bagged products are Castle, Orang Kuat, Wallcem, Marinecem and Dragon. Each bag weighs 50 kilogrammes. Each brand is different in terms of  uses, strength and suitability. Cement has many uses during the construction process such as brick making, brick laying, concreting, plastering and tiling. So, each brand has its own suitability. For instance, when it comes to tiling, the brands Castle and Dragon are the most suitable. We have 4 kinds of bulk products. They are MASCEM, SLAGCEM, OPC and CLAGCEM GGBS. Bulk products are usually dispatched in tankers. The weight of each tanker varies from 28 tonnes to 40 tonnes. We supply bulk cement to all parts of Malaysia via tankers and rail. CUSTOMERS CLIENTS YTL Cement has customers and clients both locally and internationally. The bagged products targets small contractors, hardware stores and individual purchasers. These target use cement for small scale renovations and other personal use. Bulk cement is usually bought by large contractors who are employed by the government or the private sector to build housing estates, buildings, bridges and more. The cement quantity needed in these projects is huge so purchases are made in bulks. 4 EXTERNAL FACTORS Economy The cement industry depends on the economy situation. If the economy is stable, then development and construction is on-going. The government and private organizations will initiate projects which include housing and other infrastructure project which requires cement. Hence, the demand for cement will increase. But if there is an economy downturn, it will have a bad impact on the construction industry. And when the construction industry is down, then the demand for cement will decrease which will directly affect the cement industry. Technology Technology plays a very important role in the process of making cement. Technology has grown and new machinery is constantly being introduced to maximize output and minimize the usage of power. The advances in technology, has also allowed cement plants to increase production on a daily basis. This directly contributes to the profit of the organization. One of the biggest issues in cement plants are the breakdowns. Metal fatigue and corrosion cause machinery to break down which effects production. Technology today allows machinery to run longer with minimal maintenance procedures. Legal Legal implications always surround heavy industries that effect the environment. New acts and new policies enforced by governments will affect the cement industry. A growing population with growing concerns about the environment will push the government to impose new laws which will directly or indirectly affect the cement industry. Environment The most important raw material to used to make cement is limestone. Limestone is a sedimentary rock. Limestone can be mined in two ways which are from hills which contain limestone and two, from limestone deposits deep underground. Aggressive mining can deplete the limestone and when that happens, we will not be able to produce cement. As most natural resources, limestone is not renewable hence making it a limited resource. Coal is used in cement plants to heat up the kiln. A kiln is something like an oven where raw materials are transformed at high temperatures. The temperature in a cement kiln can reach up to 1400 degree Celsius. So, huge amounts of coal are used everyday to heat up the kilns. Like limestone, coal is also a limited resource. The depletion of coal will impact the cement industry. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE YTL Cement has a top down organizational structure. It is a family owned business. As such, all decisions are made by the Executive Director which is Dato’ Sri Michael Yeoh who is a member of the Yeoh family. Authority is vested at the top and flows down through directors, managers and executives before finally reaching those who make the product. The four functions in this organization which are vital are operations, human resources, finance and purchasing. Operations The operations team are in charge of the day to day operations of the cement plant and all its machinery. Achieving daily production output is the end result of this team. Human Resources The human resources team are in charge of daily employee related activities such as recruitment, training and development, attendance, disciplinary and much more. Finance The finance team are in charge of financial aspects of the plant in the daily  matters such receiving payments, making payments, processing invoices and much more. Purchasing The purchasing team handles all purchases made by all the other departments in the plant. OPTIMIZING PERFORMANCE All the functions in the organization work hand in hand to optimize performance. Operations Operations is the money maker in the organization. The wages, profit of the organization depends on the capability of operation in achieving its targets. The more money the organization makes, the better it is for the stakeholder and the employees. The extra funds can be used in various ways such as upgrading infrastructure and machinery, giving more incentives and benefits to employees, increased increments, better bonuses and much more. Upgrading infrastructure and machinery will directly increase performance. Increased performance leads to increased production which leads to increased profits. Providing better benefits, increments and bonuses, increases the employees’ morale and motivation. A motivated workforce raises productivity. This will directly lead to optimizing the performance of the department which will then optimize the performance of the organization. Human Resources Human resources work together with the rest of the departments in the organization in many ways. Recruitment of employees based on the forecast, manpower planning and attrition is an ongoing process. Selecting the right candidate at the right time is vital to insure that performance is not affected. A pool of suitable candidates for key positions must always be available incase of unforeseen emergency. Retention of employees is also important. Each employee carries knowledge, skill and experience of the designated role he or she works in. Losing an employee can affect performance of a department. Resources such as time, energy and money need to be used to re-train a new employee. As such, human resources must always be aware of the current market salary, current compensation and benefits packages, training and development requirements as to keep turnover as low as possible. Finance The finance department’s activities range from bookkeeping to providing information to managers and directors in making strategic decisions.   Finance department is responsible for all the day to day transactional accounting for the organization. This includes tracking of all financial transactions that happens in the organization. The finance department is also responsible for the organization’s cash flow to ensure that funds are available to meet the day to day payments. This is important as to make sure that operations run smoothly without any problems. The finance department also contributes to the management and improvement of the operations by reporting regularly on key numbers important to the success of the organization. They also work with managers and head of departments to prepare budgets and forecasts. This information can be used to plan machinery purchases and expansions and cash needs before they become necessary. All this contribute to optimising the p erformance of the organization. Purchasing The role of the purchasing department is to procure all necessary materials needed for production or daily operation of the organization. For YTL Cement, a heavy industry company, this will include raw materials such as iron, silica, gypsum, coal or sand which will be used in producing cement. Other items procured, which are as equally important such as machinery parts, electrical parts are vital in sustaining operations of the plant. The purchasing department also needs to evaluate the prices of materials procured to maximize profitability. A purchasing department in a small business needs to locate the best vendors’ at the most reasonable prices. Purchasing department staff needs to communicate with many vendors to negotiate a better price for any material which will be ordered. CULTURE AND ITS IMPACTS The culture in YTL Cement is more of a Power Culture. All decisions are made by the Executive Director and the Director of Operations. Due to this culture, all decisions are pushed upwards from below. The impact of this culture is employees are not empowered to make decisions about their job. They will always look for higher authority to make even a simple decision. And when employees do not take decision, they do not take responsibility. And when employees do not take responsibility, they do not feel proud of their organization. This also affects the loyalty of the employee which leads to a high turnover. 3 HR ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION’S STRATEGY Strategic HR Planning Strategic HR planning is links HR management directly to the strategic plan of the organization. Organizations nowadays have a strategic plan that guides them in successfully achieving their vision and mission. Based on this strategic plan, the organization can develop a strategic HR plan that will allow HR to make decisions now to support the future direction of the organization. Strategic HR planning also helps to: Ensure sufficient workforce to meet the strategic goals and operational plans of your organization Keep abreast with economic changes, technological changes, social changes and legal changes that impact HR and the cement industry Talent Management A talented workforce is essential to achieve our vision and mission. Aligning individual goals with the organizations strategy is a proven recipe for success. Goal alignment is a powerful management tool. When the organization engages employees in their work through goal alignment, a greater employee ownership in your companys ultimate success is created. Thus, the employees become more committed to your company and achieve higher levels of job performance. Compensation Benefits A good compensation and benefits package will always attract competent employees. Employing competent workers leads to better results and leads to higher productivity. A compensation and benefits plan that rewards employees for company loyalty is also vital in retaining talented employees. When this appreciation is shown to senior employees, new employees realize that the organization values employees who choose to work with the organization for the long-term. This encourages new employees to decide build a career with the organization hence retaining competent employees. 3 WAYS HR SUPPORT THE LINE MANAGERS AND STAFF Training and Development Based on the Training Needs Analysis (TNA), HR can then select the relevant  training courses and trainers to train the employees. Whether its technical training or management training, choosing the right kind of training with the right modules and trainer is vital. This to make sure that the training is relevant and effective. Training improves employee job performance. This helps reduce job performance disputes and contributes to the department achieving its KPI. Coaching Coaching can improve employee performance, increase employee engagement and reduce turnover. During coaching, the key issue will be on the employee’s performance in the workplace which includes assessment, appraisals and discussing the employee’s strength and weaknesses. Employees feel more engaged when they can discuss their achievement and plan for the future. Engaged employee will work harder, contribute more and are less likely to leave the organization. Recruitment Selection Recruitment includes screening potential candidates using tests and interviews and then selecting the right candidate. This procedure is important the candidate has to be balanced in terms of technical knowledge and also has good character and management skills. This will help department when the right person is selected and the candidate is able to fulfil their new roles effectively. Choosing the wrong candidate can lead to de-motivating and de-moralising current employees, workplace disputes, poor performance by the department and much more.

Assessment of Inappropriate Behavioral Development in Children and Teens :: essays research papers

It is far easier to measure a child's physical growth and maturation than to assess the complexities of individual differences in children's disruptive and antisocial development. Pediatricians can clearly record increases in a child's weight and height on growth charts and even provide percentile estimates indicating how a child compares to others at the same age. Measuring and interpreting acceptable versus unacceptable and normal versus abnormal behaviors among children and adolescents are far more complex. Children and adolescents often test the limits of appropriate conduct by crossing the boundaries set by caretakers. When a youth exhibits a particular problem behavior, it is important to consider not only if the behavior has previously occurred, but also if it is exhibited in multiple settings and with what frequency, duration, intensity, and provocation. For example, a 2-year-old who playfully nips a playmate is less off the mark of developmentally appropriate behavior than a 4-year-old who aggressively and frequently bites playmates to forcefully gain possession of desired toys. Among adolescents, a certain degree of misbehavior, experimentation, or independence seeking is common. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association (1994) indicates that "New onset of oppositional behaviors in adolescence may be due to the process of normal individuation." On the other hand, youth who persistently and progressively engage in problem behaviors with significant impairment in personal development, social functioning, academic achievement, and vocational preparation are of great concern to caretakers. Also of concern is the broad category of "antisocial behaviors" that have an appreciable harmful effect on others, in terms of inflicting physical or mental harm on others or causing property loss or damage. The Semantics of Disruptive and Delinquent Behavior A mother finds parenting exhausting and describes her 7-year-old son as extremely energetic, frequently switching from one play activity to another, often losing his things, and forgetting to do his chores. A second grade teacher notes that her student has a learning disability, as he is unruly, requires constant disciplinary attention, fidgets or squirms in his seat, fails to follow directions or complete assignments, refuses to wait his turn, and often disturbs his classmates. A child psychologist indicates a young boy lacks the ability for sustained mental effort, is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli, displays poor impulse control, and meets the criteria for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as defined in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Fourth Edition (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).

Summerhill Education

SUMMERHILL EDUCATION Education is one of many elements, which create personalities of young people. We used to the fact that each school aims to teach, require and civilize. Most people think, that young do not know what is good for them, moreover, without appropriate mobilization, they cannot gain a success in future. 1. Alexander Sutherland Neill  (17 October 1883 – 23 September 1973) was a Scottish progressive educator, author and founder of  Summerhill school, which remains open and continues to follow his educational philosophy to this day. He is best known as an advocate of personal freedom for children.Neill believed that the happiness of the child should be the paramount consideration in decisions about the child's upbringing, and that this happiness grew from a sense of personal freedom. He felt that deprivation of this sense of freedom during childhood, and the consequent unhappiness experienced by the repressed child, was responsible for many of the psychologica l disorders of adulthood. Neill's ideas, which tried to help children achieve self-determination and encouraged critical thinking rather than blind obedience, were seen as backward, radical, or at best, controversial.Many of Neill's ideas are widely accepted today, although there are still many more â€Å"traditional† thinkers within the educational establishment who regard Neill's ideas as threatening the existing social order, and are therefore controversial. In 1921 Neill founded  Summerhill School  to demonstrate his educational theories in practice. These included a belief that children learn better when they are not compelled to attend lessons. The school is also managed democratically, with regular meetings to determine school rules.Pupils have equal voting rights with school staff. Neill's Summerhill School experience demonstrated that, free from the coercion of traditional schools, students tended to respond by developing self-motivation, rather than self-indulge nce. Externally imposed discipline, Neill felt, prevented internal, self-discipline from developing. He therefore considered that children who attended Summerhill were likely to emerge with better-developed critical thinking skills and greater self-discipline than children educated in compulsion-based schools.These tendencies were perhaps all the more remarkable considering that the children accepted by Summerhill were often from problematic backgrounds, where parental conflict or neglect had resulted in children arriving in a particularly unhappy state of mind. The therapeutic value of Summerhill's environment was demonstrated by the improvement of many children who had been rejected by conventional schools, yet flourished at Summerhill. Strongly influenced by the contemporary work of  Sigmund Freud  and  Wilhelm Reich, Neill was opposed to  sexual repression  and the imposition of the strict  Victorian values  of his childhood era.He stated clearly that to be anti-se x was to be anti-life. Naturally, these views made him unpopular with many establishment figures of the time. 2. CHARACTERISTIC Summerhill is a democratic, self-governing school providing boarding, day education and care for 78 pupils aged 5 – 17 years old. It is situated in the small market town of Leiston, within walking distance of the town centre. The school adopts an alternative philosophy to education based on the work of its founder, A S Neill. It is based on the notion that children should be free to decide for themselves how to spend their time in school.The proprietor, who is the daughter of A S Neill, continues to uphold these principles. The daily life of the school is governed by the school meetings, held three times a week, in which everybody has an equal vote. School meetings are used to create, confirm and amend all the school laws which form the structure of expectations for the community of staff and pupils, in which the adults and children have complete par ity of status. The school's philosophy is to allow freedom for the individual, each child being able to take their own path in life and find, through experience, the things that they want to do and the person they want to be.The school proposes that this leads to an inner selfconfidence and real acceptance of themselves as people. All of this is done within the structures of the school, through the meetings, self-government and the clear distinctions between freedom and licence, all elements which are at the very core of the school's philosophy and the day-to-day experiences of the pupils and staff. The school is part of a regional, national and international democratic network and reflects the extent of A S Neill’s continuing influence on the world.This is mirrored in the pupil intake. Approximately two thirds of pupils (mainly Dutch, German, Korean Japanese, and Taiwanese) speak English as an additional language. The principal and, from time to time other staff and children , go out from the school to speak to and work with other children and adults and to promote democratic education. A. S. Neill’s system is a radical approach to child rearing. In Summerhill School authority does not mask a system of manipulation. 3. THE PRINCIPLES ? Neill maintains a firm faith â€Å"in the goodness of the child. He believes that the average child is not born a cripple, a coward, or a soulless automaton, but has full potentialities to love life and to be interested in life. ? The aim of education-in fact the aim of life-is to work joyfully and to find happiness. Happiness, according to Neill, means being interested in life; or as I would put it, responding to life not just with one’s brain but with one’s whole personality. ? In education, intellectual development is not enough. Education must be both intellectual and emotional.In modern society we find an increasing separation between intellect and feeling. The experiences of man today are mainl y experiences of thought rather than an immediate grasp of what his hurt feels, his eyes see, and his ears hear. In fact, this separation between intellect and feeling has led modern man to a near schizoid state of mind in which he has become almost incapable of experiencing anything except in thought. ? Education must be geared to the psychic needs and capacities of the child. The child is not an altruist. He does not yet love in the sense of the mature love of an adult.It is an error to expect something from a child, which he can show only in a hypocritical way. Altruism develops after childhood. ? Discipline, dogmatically imposed, and punishment create fear; and fear creates hostility. This hostility may not be conscious and overt, but it nevertheless paralyzes endeavor and authenticity of feeling. The extensive disciplining of children is harmful and thwarts sound psychic development ? Freedom does not mean license. This very important principle, emphasized by Neill, is that res pect for the individual must be mutual.A teacher does not use force against a child, nor has a child the right to use force against a teacher. A child may not intrude upon an adult just because he is a child, nor may a child use pressure in the many ways in which a child can. ? Closely related to this principle is the need for true sincerity on the part of the teacher. The author says that never in the 40 years of his work in Summerhill has he lied to a child. Anyone who reads this book will be convinced that this statement, which might sound like boasting, is the simple truth. Healthy human development makes it necessary that a child eventually cut the primary ties which connect him with his father and mother, or with later substitutes in society, and that he become truly independent. He must learn to face the world as an individual. He must learn to find his security not in any symbiotic attachment, but in his capacity to grasp the world intellectually, emotionally, and artistical ly. He must use all his powers to find union with the world, rather than to find security through submission or domination. ? Summerhill School does not offer religious education.This, however, does not mean that Summerhill is not concerned with what might be loosely called the basic humanistic values. Neill puts it succinctly: â€Å"The battle is not between believers in theology and non-believers in theology; it is between believers in human freedom and believers in the suppression of human freedom. † The author continues, â€Å"Some day a new generation will not accept the obsolete religion and myths of today. When the new religion comes, it will refute the idea of man’s being born in sin. A new religion will praise God by making men happy. †

Online Exhibition Essay: A More Perfect Union

At the height of the internment of the Japanese Americans during World War II, the number of individuals relocated and housed at the internment camps reached a staggering 120,000 individuals.Spread over 10 camps nationwide, that were defined by remoteness and remove from the general structure of American society, these people many of which were born American citizens lived their lives under lock and key simply because of their cultural ancestry.Not only men, but women, children, and the elderly were classified as â€Å"enemy aliens† following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Using national security as justification, the U.S. government displaced and imprisoned these Japanese Americans for 2 years, taking not only their freedom but their assets as well.Given the information contained in the Smithsonian’s exhibition, A More Perfect Union, the justification of national security was faulty and played off prejudice rather than common sense. The Japanese migration to Hawaii and t he U.S. mainland began in 1861 and continued through to 1940. During this time over 275,000 individuals immigrated.Many of the first generation Japanese who came to the U.S. worked on sugar cane fields in Hawaii and on fruit and vegetable farms in California. There they established communities and were able to surround themselves with cultural familiarity but as their population grew, animosity against them also began to grow.Within a couple years of their first arrival, the Hawaii legislator passed laws restricting the immigration of Japanese. By 1907, the U.S. had restricted the travel of Japanese from Hawaii to the mainland. The exhibit notes that by 1940, forty percent of the population of Hawaii owed at least part of their ancestry to Japanese.In California, the Japanese Americans fought similar odds as their tenacity and success made them easy targets of racially fueled jealousy.The racism against them, however, was not limited to the unsuccessful farmer down the road but rath er reached into every branch of government. Unable to own land or become citizens, many Japanese placed their properties in the name of their children who had been born in the U.S. and were therefore citizens.The Supreme Court itself, played on the side of the oppressor, ruling against Japanese immigrants and upholding racist laws and restrictions.Anti-Japanese propaganda was also common place in the years leading up to Pearl Harbor, including bubble gum cards sold to children and political cartoons, editorials and speeches. Once the Japanese American population established itself as a living and growing community in the United States, the hatred became more concentrated.With the drop of the bomb on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Japanese Americans fate was sealed. Americans had followed the Japanese Army’s support of Hitler and Mussolini, they were aware of the military power. What American’s were not prepared for was for that military power to reach across the Pa cific and tap them on the shoulder.The exhibit notes that in the panic that ensued along the West Coast, along with the prejudices already in place and made policy, the Japanese Americans became an easy target for political kowtowing and venting the prejudices which had until then only bubbled. With President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s issuance of executive order 9066, the situation exploded into full blown segregation.What is interesting to note, is that though the U.S. was also in a war against Germany and Italy, Italian American and German Americans were not targeted under E.O. 9066, â€Å"While German or Italian enemies were often viewed as misguided victims of despotic leaders, Japanese people were referred to as â€Å"yellow vermin,† â€Å"mad dogs,† and â€Å"monkey men.† Racist wartime propaganda further exacerbated fears of invasion and prejudice against people of Japanese decent.†Much of the political and military justification for the remov al of Japanese Americans was blatantly fueled by individual racism and not sound strategy. Congressman from the West Coast, who had their own individual prejudices against their own Japanese American communities were some of the strongest supporters of the measure.The initial order was for the military to remove persons from their jurisdiction who were seen to be threats to national security but the removal wasn’t limited to individuals near air bases or the coast but stretched far across the country, uprooting them from their homes and leaving them to take only what they could carry. Disobeying the order was not an option nor was it considered correct.Japanese American, Morgan Yamanaka, in recalling her own experience explains that it wasn’t in their upbringing to disobey the authority of the federal government, â€Å"I think one has to appreciate what our parents, the immigrant parents taught us: â€Å"Always respect order coming from the people above you. Respect your teachers, respect the government, respect the law.Be obedient, be reserved, be a good Japanese according to good Japanese traditions.† Though I doubt it was willing, there was little protest on the part of the Japanese Americans. However, perhaps this loyalty and obedience to the U.S. government despite the criminal nature of   E.O. 9066, was also a factor in the survival of spirit and their reemergence back into American society following the camps.The camp experience though far less extreme, despite the designation of internment rather than the Nazi concentration camps, did not differ so much from the Jews experiences in Germany during the same time.Fenced in by barbed wire and soldiers with guns, their were housed in substandard barracks and worked for minimal wages to help support the camp and war effort. Many used their opportunities at work as ways to continue their lives outside the context of the camp, while remaining imprisoned.The things which occupied their t ime such as artwork and making of furniture, the expression of their freedom through imagination are what I would most recommend to someone viewing the exhibit. The works, though deeply disturbing in the recurrence of the fences and general feeling of entrapment present in some, shows a freedom that no imprisonment can stifle.While the body is imprisoned, the mind continues to go forth into the world even if it is only a recoloring of the same landscape, dusty and isolated. To maintain artistic expression under such duress is a true show of the strength needed to survive becoming an unknowing enemy.By 1943, the U.S. government was asking all residents of the camp to fill out a questionnaire to determine their loyalty to the U.S. Some, feeling tricked and manipulated by the maneuver and the questions on the forms, chose to reply no to certain questions, such as â€Å"†Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States†¦ and forswear any form of allegiance or obedi ence to the Japanese emperor, to any other foreign government, power or organization?†The exhibit explains that some of the interned Japanese Americans saw the question as a double edged sword. If they were to answer yes, than they would be implying that they had ever been disloyal to the U.S. government and to answer no was to seal their fate. The ones who were deemed loyal were able to start on the road back to a normal life, the others were segregated further.Among these were children and natural born U.S. citizens. At the end of the war, over 4,000 Japanese Americans (all but 100 under the age of 20) were repatriated to Japan.