Monday, September 30, 2019

Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Strategies

Today’s classrooms are becoming more and more diverse with students that have disabilities and those that come from different cultures. It is important for educators to ensure that their teaching strategies are appropriate for all of the children in their classroom. When it comes to the classroom there can be many cultural challenges that educators will have to address to ensure that all students are growing and developing appropriately. Educators need to make sure that they are capable of addressing each of their students’ needs individually in order for the students to be able to succeed.Educators must be able to define and address any cultural challenges in the classroom in order for each and every one of their students to be successful. It is important for educators to be able to identify challenges they may have when using different teaching strategies to ensure students are getting the appropriate education. Effective teaching strategies help students to learn. Si nce not all children learn in the same ways it is important to be flexible and willing to change a strategy so that it meets everyone’s needs.Some educators may be unsure of their ability to reach and teach culturally diverse children. Some may even express reservations about their ability to teach students that are from a culture that is different from their own (Chisholm, 1994). One challenge involved with ensuring that teaching strategies are appropriate for culturally diverse children is effective communication. Educators must assess their students to see what level of development they are at. Communicating with parents is a great way to learn more about the students as individuals and their cultural background.Teachers can communicate with parents to find out what their goals for their child are, find out more about what their personality is like and even some of their favorite things to do. When educators understand more about each child individually then they can apply the appropriate teaching strategies. If the children seem uninterested in an assignment, the educator can adjust it to get them more interested and willing to complete the assignment. Overcoming stereotyping is a challenge educators can encounter when it comes to ensuring that teaching strategies are appropriate for culturally diverse children.Some educators may compare one child to another child that comes from the same cultural background and use the same teaching strategy. One way to overcome this is to make sure that educators know each of the students individually instead of comparing one to another or relying on stereotyping. â€Å"To truly engage students, we must reach out to them in ways that are culturally and linguistically responsive and appropriate, and we must examine the cultural assumptions and stereotypes we bring into the classroom that may hinder interconnectedness.† (Teaching Tolerance, 1991)Once they know more about each of the students then they can avo id stereotyping and adjust their teaching strategy to meet the individual needs of the students in the classroom. Another challenge educator’s encounter is the cultural gap that is between students and teachers. It is important for educators to understand that some culturally diverse children may need things explained to them in a different way for them to gain an understanding.If educators took the time to learn about the various cultures that are present in their school then they could possibly bridge the cultural gap between them and their students. Educators can learn more about their students culture by asking their students questions and getting to their level in order to gain an understanding of their cultures. Once this is accomplished they will have a better understanding on which teaching strategies to use with the students. People will often use nonverbal communication through behaviors like facial expressions, body language, gestures, etc.These behaviors are viewe d as a sociological framework called symbolic interactionism. Children that come from a different culture will more than likely have different ways of communicating nonverbally. For example, in some cultures it is considered to be disrespectful to look someone in the eye when they are talking to you. Most teachers expect you to look at them when they are talking to you so that they can see that you are paying attention and understand. There are certain behaviors that are associated with different cultures that are considered to be appropriate.â€Å"Although different cultures may share similar goals for children, the methods and practices that are implemented to instill those values in children may differ dramatically. † (Bojcyk, 2012, sec. 2. 2) For example, some cultures believe that children should be seen but not heard. Children that come from a culture that believes that may be more withdrawn and quiet in the classroom. Piaget’s preoperational stage involves child ren from two years old to seven years old. Children in this stage can mentally represent events and objects and engage in symbolic play.They are only able to focus on one aspect of a problem and their thoughts and communications are usually egocentric (Recker, 1999). Children from culturally diverse backgrounds may mentally represent objects and events differently than the other children. It is important for educators to provide children with other views that may conflict with their own in order for them to gain an understanding of others views. Doing this can help them in their development and is an important step in increasing their cognitive development.When educators provide their students with opportunities to work with others, the students will encounter different views of the other students and learn to look at things from someone else’s point of view. â€Å"Although individuals within a pluralistic society must learn to accept their own ethnic identity and to become comfortable with it, they must also learn to function effectively within other ethnic cultures and to respond positively to individuals who belong to other ethnic groups.They also need to learn how to interact with members of outside groups and how to resolve conflicts with them. † (Banks, 2006) Providing children with activities or assignments that allow them to work together with students from different cultural backgrounds can help in teaching them conflict resolution. At the same time they learn to see things from other points of view and this can help increase their cognitive development and ensure they are successful in school.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Elementary Teacher Essay

The name of the teacher interviewed is Lucila Reed. She has been teaching Mathematics in the grade school level for over 5 years at the local public school system. She teaches to culturally diverse classes where many learners have English only as a second language. The teacher has responded extensively to each of the four developmental domains. According to her responses, the most emphasized domain in her class is the cognitive/intellectual domain. She described Mathematics as a â€Å"content-extensive† subject wherein a majority of the input has to come from the teacher. She claimed that this was quite different from other subjects such as English or Social Studies, where the students can be left to figure out certain lessons on their own. However, she did say that the subject was also all about equipping students to be able to answer questions on their own. Hence, she believes in a â€Å"standard formula† that involves thorough and clear explanation of the learning content followed by enriching activities that would promote the retention of the content. On the physical level, she explained that she constructs easy-to-play games around the lesson she is teaching to get students who â€Å"thrive on action† to realize that â€Å"math is fun too. † She claimed that these activities have been successful in getting such students to participate. Also, such activities help learners who only have English as a second language by giving them opportunities outside of the standard pencil and paper to understand and apply the lessons explained. She observed that ESL learners are able to make use of the activities as â€Å"interpreters† that â€Å"fill in the blanks left by their inefficiencies in English comprehension. † Lucila expressed her deep concern for such learners and declared that they should not â€Å"have to learn English along with Mathematics in a Math class. † Hence, she provides measures so that the lesson would be as comprehensible as possible for all her students. She also periodically allows students to work in pairs or small groups. She reflected that she believed students sometimes worked better when they have peers talking to them about the lesson. She concluded that â€Å"learning is more fun when you can share it. † Her technique is to pair students performing poorly with those performing well to work on a couple of problems. To ensure that both of them would be working, each student would have to explain one problem that he or she had solved and the pair’s grade would depend on their collective performance. Hence, those who are performing well cannot simply answer both questions for those who are performing poorly and end up explaining the answers so that their partners would understand better. Lucila expounded on how important she believes the emotional domain is to the development of her students. According to her, teachers should not only facilitate content learning but also â€Å"emotional learning. † She mentioned encouragement to be â€Å"one of the teacher’s greatest tools† towards helping their students achieve emotional development. She further explained that by encouraging students who make mistakes to try again, the determination of such students are built up. This building up of determination makes students spend more time in answering more difficult problems and give them better satisfaction once they have found the correct solutions. Over time, she claimed that students who are adequately motivated would not be easily daunted by making a mistake but would rather use what he or she has learned from the mistake to find the correct answer. Although the interview conducted did not include any questions regarding the subject’s academic background involving the developmental theory, it seems from her responses that she is very well versed with it. Her classroom method focuses on cognitive development because that is the nature of her subject. However at the same time, she does not fail in including the other domains of development and makes sure that her students develop holistically with respect to the subject matter. She places appropriate emphasis on other domains such as physical, emotional, and social. Although such domains are not explicitly integrated in the content, they are instead assimilated in the way that she delivers instruction and in her methods of reinforcing learning. She provides diverse activities to suit students’ different needs based on their individual differences and then provides support to students who require more attention to make certain that they are also able to keep up. These are explicit examples of the teacher conducting activities that address the different developmental domains. In can be expected that Lucila’s students are able to absorb and retain lessons effectively because of the support activities and systems provided. Clearly, the interview has revealed that Lucila Reed is an effective teacher who is aware of the different developmental domains and makes use of such awareness adequately in her classes.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Toward An Intelligence beyond Mans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Toward An Intelligence beyond Mans - Essay Example As these form of computers are evolving, many of them will actually mimic humans in doing some roles better than them to an extent of blurring the difference between humans and computers. Generally, these computers will be regarded as artificially intelligent creations that will have the capability of absorbing large quantities of information, store and process them, at a faster speed compared to the slow human brains. The only thing which with the time that can be incorporated in such computers to totally give it an upper hand on humans, is when they shall be incorporated with human feelings. Computers will hence become faster and better, â€Å"Computers match people in some roles, and when decisions fast are needed in a crisis, they often outclass them†. Computers will hence be part of our evolutionary process. Ever since 100,000 years ago, the human brain has not changed that much in terms of its capacity of holding information. The human brain cannot accommodate large chun ks of information at once. Computers, on the other hand, provide humans with a chance to store large quantities of information and skip an evolutionary process of developing super accommodative brains. With time, human beings will form a symbiotic relationship with computers. Human beings will be expected to give them electricity and reproduce them while in return they can offer their economic and social needs, â€Å"Child of man’s brain rather than his loins, it will become his salvation in a world of crushing complexity†.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Exegetical paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Exegetical paper - Essay Example As Jesus proceeded with his teaching to Nicodemus, reveals to him that man would no longer be justified by the law alone, but by believing in him as the light of the world (Witt 65). This passage has had issues of misinterpretation especially on the issue of being born of water and the spirit. Jesus also emphasized that being redeemed was pegged on believing in him. A number of Christian faithful have misunderstood the salvation that Jesus Christ brought (Witt 72; and Engelsma 1). Many have misinterpreted the concept of believing that Jesus talked about. Some have not believed in Jesus, for instance Judaism. For such category of people, this passage has been applied within a narrow prism due poor understanding. This passage is of great importance as it emphasizes the central role of Jesus in the new covenant. The understanding of verse 16 that â€Å"whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life† speaks volumes. Confusion and misunderstanding arises when believ e has to be defined. Assess verse 16 in opposite implication also indicates that whoever does not believe in him will perish. What then is it to believe? The purpose of this study is to alert everyone, irrespective of their faith, that failing to believe in Jesus is an eternal spiritual suicide on humanity (Witt 72). By reading this paper, I hope that the reader will understand the importance of salvation by faith. In the above passage, Jesus tells Nicodemus that inheriting the kingdom of God requires one to be born again. Nicodemus has no understanding of what Jesus was speaking about at this time. Therefore, he put it to Jesus that it is impossible for one to be born again physically as he cannot enter into his mother’s womb again. In response, Jesus adds that inheriting the kingdom of God is tied together with being filled with the spirit. He proceeds to tell Nicodemus that there are heavenly things that would surprise him more if he tells him about them. Jesus

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Speaker's response for Sports management class Essay

Speaker's response for Sports management class - Essay Example Although none of the academic books or journals had mentioned anything about the sports managers being the last line of defense in any given sports management team, it remains a fact that managing sports is not an easy task. In line with this, the top management team of any sports-related organization are responsible not only in the search for short-term and long-term sponsors but also communicate how sports activities can benefit the sponsors, the need to constantly increase the sports organization’s sales and profit, finding ways on how to effectively associate the sponsor’s brand to a given sports event, and eventually come up with a reasonable pay and reward schemes that could encourage the players to stay loyal with the team (Crompton a). As compared to the use of traditional ads, Levin, Joiner and Cameron strongly suggest that the process of incorporating the logos or brand name of the sponsor in sports cars or basketball jerseys increases the chances wherein the public consumers could develop a strong positive attitude and increased ability to recall the sponsor’s brand. ... As a significant part of a sports management team, it will always be the duty of the top management officials to inquire, research, and learn more about the grounds for any potential legal issues that they will have to face in the near future or give them the opportunity to legally sue anyone who would illegally take advantage of the sports management organization. For example, the term â€Å"ambushing in sport† is all about pretending or purposely creating a false impression that a corporate brand is one of the official sponsors of a team even though the brand has no legal rights to be an official sponsor (Crompton b). Crompton (b 1) mentioned that â€Å"official sponsors receive littly legal protection from ambusing†. For this reason, the sports manager(s) should take it as a challenge to create useful and effective strategies on how they can counter-act or prevent any third party or a company from violating the sports ethics particularly when it comes to ambushing. P erhaps, the sports manager should investigate on whether or not he or she can make use of the IP rights law to protect the name of the sports team from being illegally used by any party or a company who wish to gain any forms of brand recognition from the sports viewers. Not only did the speaker talked about the proper way of doing business but also the significance of legality of doing business, the importance of public trust in sports, etc. Personally, I find the advice given by the speaker to be very logical and practical when it comes to molding his audiences on how to become an effective sports manager in the future. In general, there is a saying that â€Å"what goes around, comes around†. To become a successful and effective sports manager, the speaker advice

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Care for patients with Sickle Cell Disease Essay

Care for patients with Sickle Cell Disease - Essay Example Helen Erickson, Evelyn Tomlin, and Mary Ann Swain developed the modeling and role-modeling (MRM) theory. This grand theory of nursing provides holistic care to clients by understanding their needs and providing client-centered interventions to meet the needs. It identifies the nurse as a â€Å"facilitator† who uses the modeling and role-modeling processes to help individuals â€Å"achieve a perceived optimal state of health and well-being†. Nurses use the process of modeling to develop an â€Å"understanding of the client’s world as the client perceives it† by accepting the individual’s belief. While the planning and implementation of client-specific nursing interventions are ongoing, the role-modeling process follows. This theory uses five aims of intervention as a standard in providing individualized care.The MRM theory also integrates Maslow’s theory, Piaget’s theory, and the concept of object attachment. The theory describes many c oncepts and their relationships in nursing and individuals since its original intentions were to guide the nurse-patient relationship. The nursing concepts include facilitation, nurturance, and unconditional acceptance, while concepts in individuals include similarities and differences in people. The commonness among human beings includes basic needs, holism, lifetime development, and affiliated individuation, while differences include inherent endowment, adaptation to stressors, mind-body relationships, and self-care.... The commonness among human beings include basic needs, holism, lifetime development, and affiliated individuation, while differences include inherent endowment, adaptation to stressors, mind-body relationships, and self-care (Erickson, 2010). There is an interrelationship of these differences and similarities. Following its publishing in 1983, there has been extensive research, examination, and adaptation of the MRM theory in diverse settings. It further guides undergraduate nursing curriculum, weight reduction programs, chronic illness management, and practice in hospitals (Frisch & Bowman, 2011). Strength and Limitations Some general strengths of the MRM theory include clarity, simplicity, and generality (Erickson, 2010). Theorists Erickson, Tomlin, and Swain clearly explained the theory while providing examples of their experiences to give a holistic understanding. The theory has a simple structure since it focuses on two steps of modeling and role-modeling. However, the interacti ons of its major concepts with the role of nursing add depth and complexity to the theory (Erickson, 2010). Nevertheless, its standard form allows its applicability in many nursing and patient situations by researchers and clinicians. However, its major limitation is that inexperienced nurses find it difficult to apply (Frisch & Bowman, 2011). While clinicians learn to perceive the client’s world by â€Å"unconditional acceptance† of the client as a unique individual easily, the theory requires experience and understanding of nursing in order to avoid confusing the role of a â€Å"caring professional† with that of a â€Å"caring friend† (Frisch & Bowman, 2011, p. 536). The MRM theory’s focus on client-centered care is

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Summary, findings and opinions on the reading Essay

Summary, findings and opinions on the reading - Essay Example Each website an internet user visit during his or her browsing session usually facilitate to the achievement of some objectives that are beyond mere identification of independent visitors to the site (White and Kamal, 2012).This similarity amongst all websites makes it easy for any person to note their relations to each other. When different website are complementary like search engine and content website, then internet users willingness to visit the combination of these sites depend on the rate of advertisement of each site (White and Kamal, 2012).This means that the number of visitors each site get per a specified period depends on its advertisement policy and frequency. So each website should keenly develop its advertisement strategies in an effective manner to ensure it attract higher number of visitors. In scenarios where complementary sites act independently, then their total distraction from their advertising becomes too high thus discouraging many internet users from visiting these sites. This makes it hard for these sites to maximize their total profits from advertisements. Secondly when complementary sites decide to operate independently, they end up allocating inefficient demands to attract internet user’s attention. When there are two competing companies with constant marginal cost that provides customers with perfectly complementary components, then overall business gains can be maximized only when one of the companies decides to lower it price to equal it marginal cost and the other firm freely adopt optimal price (White and Kamal, 2012).However, this fact does not apply to website owners when they opt to distract internet user from using their site in their attempt to advertise their sponsors’ product. This means that forcing one of the complementary sites not to advertise does not necessarily maximize total profits of the complementary sites. In fact, it can lead to decline in total profits of the two complementary sites due to lac k of cooperation between them. While increased competition from a multiple complementary sites solves the problem of double marginalization, the competition, also leads to increased problem of mis'-marginalization. Effect of differentiation among content website To achieve greater efficiency, when the market is in equilibrium and all firms tend to behave non-cooperatively, and content website has relatively inefficient advertising technologies, then it is socially desirable that the website owners increase the number of content websites than the internet users induces to enter (White and Kamal, 2012). This is because an increase in the number of content websites shifts advertising away from the content websites to the more efficient search engine advertising technology. Effect of competition When two or more sellers who deals with complementary products engages in double marginalization, then to ensure that they all maximize profits, then they need to increase competition in all mar kets (White and Kamal, 2012).This is because if the market of one firm becomes perfectly competitive, then the other complementary firm can successfully charge a price that implements the optimum outcome of the industry as a whole. Otherwise if, a set of complementary websites, whose

Monday, September 23, 2019

Sunset Grill at Blue Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Sunset Grill at Blue - Case Study Example Melhuish recognized that during the first year of operations and even when his franchise managed to break even, he was struggling and leaving money on the table. With new ideas, ready to implement before the summer will help reduce queues and get the operations fully on track. Data collection shows that the most burdensome queues are during the weekends. To alleviate this, Melhuish is planning on hiring a part timer food runner. The food runner will deliver the food from the kitchen directly to the table, saving the servers time and energy. This addition to the staff, even on a part time basis, would increase daily table turn over by five to ten percent. Melhuish is considering on adding a menu boards around the restaurant. One would be above the open concept kitchen and the other would be electronic near the front entrance. Both boards would be strategically placed so that those waiting would have the option of looking over the menus prior to sitting down. By the time the customers were seated, they would know what they wanted to order. This would reduce the amount of ordering time by up to 10 minutes. Melhuish believes the electronic menu boards could also be useful in promoting a few high-margin items. In response to customer complaints, Melhuish brainstormed the idea of allowing substitutions to certain menu items. Currently, the policy of no substitutions is strictly enforced. Data shows that allowing substitutions on certain menu items or during shoulder seasons would increase the preparation time from 5 minutes average to 6 minutes average. This small amount of time, is not a very big change in comparison to the advantages of allowing certain substitutions and satisfying customers requests / complaints. Another way to help reduce wait times is to add additional seating to the restaurant. Melhuish is considering increasing capacity by converting the

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Role of the Environment Agency in the Improvement of UK Essay

The Role of the Environment Agency in the Improvement of UK Air-Quality - Essay Example Its mission, as outlined in its Corporate Plan 2011-2015, is to protect and improve the environment and make it a better place for people and wildlife. Specific goals include: 1. to reduce the risks to people and properties from flooding; 2. ensure adequate supply of water; 3. protect air, land and water quality and apply environmental standards within which industry can operate; 4. reduce climate change; and, 5. help people and wildlife to adapt to its consequences (EA, 2011, p.2). As cited in the above mission and goals, one of the tasks of the Environment Agency is to ensure air quality in the country. This is the main focus of this research. This paper will examine whether the Environment Agency is effective in achieving its objectives in terms of the air quality standards in the United Kingdom. The Role of the Environment Agency According to Hopwood, Unerman and Fries (2010, p.22), the Environment Agency is one body that can exert pressure on central government on issues of sust ainability. This is also evident in the breadth of jurisdiction as well as the strength of authority given to the agency in addressing environmental issues. ... According to Wolf (2010, p.28), these tasks include: a) the bureaucratic task of processing paperwork relating to the issue of licences/permits to pollute and notices to take action regarding pollution problem identified by the regulator; and, b) policing compliance with the relevant licences/permits, notices and other regulatory control, which involves the regulator in monitoring and enforcement roles. These requirements were satisfied with the creation of the Environment Agency, tasked to oversee the protection of the environment as a whole and unified the regulatory powers that cover the air, land, and water. Based on the above factors, one can assume that the agency has the power to make meaningful changes in areas within its scope. Air Quality Objectives In order to evaluate the performance of the Environment Agency specific to air pollution, it is important to outline the objectives it has been working to achieve in this area. These objectives are contained in the larger Air Qu ality Strategy, mandated by The Environment Act of the 1995, which created the Environment agency. The strategy was finally drafted and adopted in 1997 and it contained standards, objectives and measures for improving ambient air quality (DEFRA, 2007, p.9). The strategy has undergone several modifications such as those introduced in 2003, which tightened several of its objectives and added newer ones. The most updated was the strategy released in 2007, which outlined the following objectives: the government will ensure that all citizens have access to outdoor air without significant risk to their health; the standards for setting objectives are set purely with regard to scientific and medical evidence

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Whole Foods Market 2007 Essay Example for Free

Whole Foods Market 2007 Essay Introduction John Mackey, current president and cofounder of founder of Whole Foods, opened â€Å"Safer Way† natural grocery store in 1978. The store had limited success as it was a small location allowing only for a limited selection, focusing entirely on vegetarian foods. John joined forces with Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, founders â€Å"Clarksville Natural Grocery† (founded in 1979), to create Whole Foods Market. This joint venture took place in Austin, Texas in 1980 resulting in a new company, a single natural food market with a staff of nineteen. Whole Foods Market was an early entrant into the organic food market and they have used their early mover advantage to solidify their position and continue their study growth. Synopsis of the Situation In 2005 Whole Foods Market acquired the Wild Oats Food chain. Wild Oats operates 100 full service stores in 24 states and Canada. With the changing economy and a more competitive industry landscape, John Mackey is uncertain about how to meet the company’s aggressive growth targets. Whole Foods Market’s objective is to reach $12 billion in revenue with 300+ stores in 2010 without sacrificing quality and their current reputation. Key Issues With increased demands from mainstream super markets also carrying organics, the demands for such products could outreach the limited supply. Changes in the Availability of Quality Natural and Organic Products could impact our Business. There is no assurance that quality natural and organic products will be available to meet our future needs. If conventional Whole Foods Market 20073 supermarkets increase their natural and organic product offerings or if new laws require the reformulation of certain products to meet tougher standards, the supply of products may be constrained. Any significant disruption in the supply of quality natural and organic products could have a material impact on our overall sales and cost of goods.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Transforming Hr Into Strategic Functions Management Essay

Transforming Hr Into Strategic Functions Management Essay High competition, pressure imposed by environmental changes, accelerated trends for change, and new management techniques have caused enterprises to evolve dramatically with respect to their structure as well as cultural and human resources (Garcia, 1997 cited in ).Nowadays, it is important to consider HRM as a strategic dimension within the wider improvement of quality and good marketing position. HRM can be said to be a strategic coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued assets- the people working there, who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives (Armstrong, 2000). The field of strategic human resources management has enjoyed a remarkable ascendancy during the past two decades, as both an academic literature and focus on management practice (Becker Huselid, 2006). The transition from the older HR practice with focus on staff matter to a subject of re-birth which focuses on linking people as organizational asset with the business strategy of the firm (Niehaus, 1995) means that the HR professional is performing a new and more challenging responsibility that requires new competencies and skills. The Human Resource function should be strategically integrated with a companys business plan to help the company achieve its business objectives. The objective of HR professionals is to ensure that HR adds value to strategic planning and business results of the organization (Ulrich, 2001). HR lacks alignment with other departmental goals To be involved with the over-all strategy, HR needs to be aligned with the organization. One Harvard survey found that 80% of HR departments lack a strategic planning process that aligns it spending with the organizations strategy (Norton, 2001). HR needs to become interdependent with the rest of the organization. HR needs to take a comprehensive approach that aligns its actions with the entire organizational strategy. The motivation to correct these HR problems is high because the strategic integration of HR into an organization achieves a competitive advantage. HR has much to contribute in a strategic supporting role. The ultimate goal is for HR to support an organization through the management of human capital, which is the major subset of the broader organizations strategy. HR needs to be part of the organizations strategy development. In order for HR to effectively align itself with the strategy of an organization, it must present top management with solutions that address the s trategic need and support of the organization (Freedman, 2004). Definition of Human Resource Transformation Beer (1997) argued that the HR function needs to shed its traditional administrative role and adopt a new strategic role, aimed at developing the organisation and the capabilities of its managers. The drive towards a more strategic HR function has pre-occupied the profession for some time and HR functions are increasingly under pressure to become a strategic business partner or an internal consultant, to become aligned to the business strategy, demonstrate its added value (Alvares, 1997, p.9), and latterly, to become involved in Human Capital Management. HR professionals aspire to a strategic role because it raises their status, makes their work more interesting, lifts their personal career horizons and (hopefully) is better for the business as a whole. One of the biggest perceived barriers to achieving this strategic role is the amount of time spent on administrative work; although the amount of time spent on administration has been steadily falling over recent years, to 36% from 50 % between 2003 and 2007 (CIPD, 2007a), a Mercer report on the HR function (Mercer, 2007) confirmed that HR teams would like to reduce the time spent on delivering services, transactions and compliance even more. The response by many HR functions has been to undertake a programme of significant organisational change, frequently labelled as transformation. Human Resources Transformation has been defined as follows: The process of recreating or reinventing the HR function such as re-engineering, restructuring, implementing new systems or a new HR service delivery model, outsourcing or co-sourcing with the specific intent of enhancing HRs contribution to the business (Mercer, 2007, p.1). HR transformation is something done internally to improve the ability of the human resources group to work more effectively with management teams, creating greater value, bringing more timely information, becoming a better business partner. Steve Klingbeil, Partner Chazey Partners A true definition of HR Transformation is an integrated, aligned, innovative, and business-focused approach to redefining how HR work is done within an organization so that it helps the organization deliver on the promises made to customers, investors, stakeholders, and other stakeholders. (HRT- building Human Resources from the outside in, Ulrich, 2009) Drivers and Barriers for HR Transformation According to a 2005 survey (Rampat 2005, p. 7) key drivers for HR transformation include the following: Making HR strategic Improving HR service Responding to changes in business Benefiting from new technology Better managing the cost of internal processes The same survey also revealed the following key barriers to the success of HR transformation Lack of appropriate skills among HR staff Lack of appropriate support technology An unwillingness to take risk or deal with complexity Difficulties in dealing with bureaucracy Difficulties in dealing with corporate or international cultural differences Lack of employee buy-in to HR Transformation Failure in building a business case to support change Lack of genuine top management support Regulatory constraints Unions According to the 2008 Global HR Transformation Report done by Human Resource Outsourcing Association (HROA) in association with Automatic Data Processing (ADP), among the keys to success in achieving HR transformation goals are: Access to better tools/resources: improved/new technology, use of online tools and services, and automation of processes; Change management and education: change management planning prior to implementing a transformation programme, cultural acceptance of change, training and motivation to encourage and engage staff in the transformation, and pre-transformation agreement on the programme goals; Management support at both the top and line levels: gaining top-level management support, and as much line-manager level buy-in as possible, prior to programme introduction; and, continually demonstrating the benefits of the programme to attempt to increase line-level buy-in over time; Alignment, focus and standardisation: alignment between HR and business units, harmonisation of processes, centralisation of services, standardised reporting The New Roles and Competencies of the HR Professional David Ulrich and Wayne Brockbank (2005) have created a model that describes the new roles of human resource professionals. They stress on the importance of building professional, credible relationships across the organization, and performing in a manner that both supports the business and preserves the integrity of the profession. As they outline the new capabilities of the human resource function the role of strategic talent management begins to emerge. Human resources professionals become less responsible for providing service and more accountable for facilitating better decisions. David Ulrich defined 5 major HR Roles in his HR Model to build efficient and modern Human Resources professionals. Figure 2.1: HR roles defined by Ulrich HR Professionals are Employee Advocate, with the responsibility to make sure that the employer -employee relationship is one of reciprocal value Furthermore, the build workforce of the future through the Human Capital Developer. They are also Functional Expert who design and delivers hr practices that ensures individual competence and organizational capability. As Strategic Partner, they help line managers at all levels meet their goals. And to sum the first four roles, HR Leaders need to lead and value their own function. Ulrich et Al., (2005) There are six major factors of HR competencies according to Ulrich et al., (2009), they believe that it is vital for the HR function to be a strategic professional player in a changing world. The two arrows (see figure 2.2 below) illustrate that HR must consider both aspects of the business, i.e. people and business oriented. The characteristics/roles HR people must have or play (six circles within the V shape below) to achieve will be described further. Figure 2.2: Competency model by Ulrich and Brockbank Credible activists build relationships of trust based on facts and have a point of view not just about HR issues, but about business issues. Operational executors do the operational work that have to be addressed by HR, using information systems to ensure better, faster and cheaper HR delivery. Business allies demonstrate a firm grasp on how the organization operates, how they work to enable to make a profit and compete. Culture and change stewards support the organization in identifying and facilitating important changes that improve the capabilities of the organization to compete. It is important that HR professionals help to formulate, communicate and create the organizational culture. Talent managers and organizational designers provide important support and counsel in both employees development (for example, competence and career development) and how the organization capability. Strategy architects contribute to the development, execution and communication of winning strategies. They prepare themselves for the future by drawing strategies to meet upcoming challenges. Possessing the competencies and performing the roles mentioned above, HR departments will derive their goals from the business objectives of the organization and become more strategically involved. HR Transformation and Technology Rapid improvements in technologies are changing the way work is performed by HR professionals from being administrative to todays a more strategic role. With new approaches such as Human Resource Information System (HRIS), web-enabled HR applications, HR self-service and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), HR practitioners are now more involved in strategic decision making. A key development in the field of IT is the emergence of enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications, such as Oracle, SAP and PeopleSoft. Enterprise resource planning systems are commercial software packages that enable the integration of transaction-oriented data and business processes throughout an organization (Markus and Tanis, 2000). ERP packages may be configured to more closely fit an enterprises structure, business practices and workflow (Chalmers, 1999). Recently, the HR function has had to adopt a more value adding role to the organization. With the growth of information technology, HR can be relieved from the burden of transactional human resource activities and this can be accomplished either by outsourcing some of the HR function, but what would be more relevant to this study, is to use technology solutions. There is a greater opportunity for HR professionals to become a strategic partner Self-Service HR self-service technology assists in meeting the needs of employees and managers, while supporting business objectives (Keebler Rhodes, 2002). Employee Self Service allow employees to manage their own HR activities such as updating their own personal details, leave application, nominate themselves for training, facilitating feedback and giving them visibility of the information held about them on HR systems. Eventually, HR professionals can concentrate on value added HR activities and spend fewer resources in managing administrative HR activities. Manager Self-Service (MSS) puts the information managers need at their fingertips giving them the ability to more closely monitor and direct their team towards the strategic goals of the organization. Business Partner Model Within this transformational HRM area, Walker (2001) breaks this down further into three types of work done in transformational e-HRM. These types of work include: strategic partnering with the business, creating centres of expertise and administration of service centres. In order to move to the third level of HRM, Beatty (2001) identifies five success factors. These include changing: the culture of HR, the people employed in the HR function, and also their competencies, developmental needs and their performance; the roles and responsibilities of individuals performing HR activities, that is, the structure of the HR function; HR processes or HR products; service delivery and development; and finally; the technology used for HR functions, which may include enterprise-wide systems and custom systems. HR Shared Services Centres HR shared service centre is defined as follows by (Brescia and Hartness, 2001): A centralized location where customer transactions and customer enquiries are handled Increasingly, HR are now using the shared services concept to drive down costs, provide increased levels of service and improve data accuracy and integrity. HR shared service centers help transform HR into a business-driven function focused on facilitating and supporting organizational change. HR shared service centre is usually a part of a wider transformation of HR structure within the organization. Shared service centers are usually proposed for the organizations strategic reasons in order to improve the capability and effectiveness of HR function. The HR shared service centre can include the full service from routine administration in recruitment, payroll and training, or provide specialist HR information and advice on HR policy and practice. While HR shared services provide quantifiable benefits in terms of cost reduction (through achieving economies of scale, the standardization of process, better management structures, etc.), the strategic benefits achievable from HR transformation are significantly more important. Strategic benefits of HR shared services include sharing more relevant and accurate information across the organization (sharing HR best practice, leveraging HR expertise, pooling knowledge across different parts of the organization and different geographical regions), achieving greater structural flexibility, improving organizational learning, and freeing up HR from day-to-day routine enquiries. Centres of Expertise (CoE) CoE provide specialist technical and professional support to the business and other areas of HR on specialist HR topics. CoE HR professionals play a number of important roles that should be clarified in an HR transformation: They create service menus aligned with the capabilities driving business strategy. They diagnose needs and recommend services most appropriate to the situation. They collaborate with embedded HR professionals in selecting and implementing the right services. They create new menu offerings if the current offerings are insufficient. They manage the menu. They shepherd the learning community within the organization. Strategic Business Partner Senior HR professionals working closely with business leaders influencing and steering strategy and strategy implementation. The role can vary enormously depending on organisational size and business priorities. Some activities that strategic partners are likely to be involved in include: organisational and people capability building longer term resource and talent management planning using business insights to drive change in people management practices Intelligence gathering of good people management practices internally and externally, so they can raise issues that executives may not be aware of. Model for HR Transformation The following HR Transformation is a four phased model proposed by Ulrich et al., (2009) Business Context (Why) Phase one addresses the question: why carry out transformation? To start Human Resource Transformation journey it is important to ensure that the context of the business is clearly understood by all those involved in the transformation process. Ulrich et al., (2009) believe that when the presenting problem for HR transformation comes from the context of the business and from the expectations of key stakeholders, then the case for transformation is stronger than if the presenting problem originates primarily inside the business. Outcomes (What) Phase two explains the expected outcomes from the transformation. Hr transformation should also change the fundamental identity, culture, or image of the business. This outcome is referred to as defining and building capabilities. These capabilities become the identity of the firm, the deliverables of HR practices, and the keys to implementing business strategy. Redesign HR (How) This phase has three components, each of which is a way of defining what we mean by HR: The HR function or department may need to be redesigned. HR professionals may be upgraded to possess the competencies required to do their work. HR practices may be transformed to be more effectively or more fully aligned, integrated, and innovative. The transformation model focuses on redesigning the HR function to make sure that it is aligned with business strategy. The redesigned of HR needs to differentiate between transactional and transformational work. Furthermore competencies of HR professional may need upgrade in order to perform their roles in the new organization. Hr practices may need to be revamped. Four domains representing the flows or process central to organizational success are as follows: Flow of people- ensuring talent availability to accomplish organisational strategy. Flow of performance management- promoting accountability for performance and rewarding it Flow of information- ensuring employees is given information needed to do their work properly. Flow of work- who does the work, how and where work is done and ensure quality outputs. The flows should also be integrated with each other to bring results. Accountability (Who) Line managers are ultimately accountable for ensuring that the organization has the right talent and right structures in place to deliver on the expectations of customers, shareholders and communities. Clear role definition and rigorous accountability will help an HR transformation succeed. HR Transformation achieved at AT T Anne Fritz, vice-president HR, who has been with ATT for almost 30 years, said: As competition, rapid technological breakthroughs and globalization turned our business upside down; the old HR model could not support the need for strategic change. Now, our role is to help internal partners to succeed in sometimes-fragile states of competitiveness and to ensure that we have the talent in place to build future business capability. Doing so delivers a value-adding service. HR transformation was achieved through key steps that represent a good-practice model for integrating the HR function with business strategies and aligning organizational performance to corporate goals. The key steps were: Determining strategic business needs customers, growth, reducing cost and technology; reviewing organizational structure, dynamics and systems Defining the strategic implications for HR continuous learning, team working and empowerment Identifying HR systems those that were required to support organizational, structural and cultural change Leveraging HR capability through leading-edge practices leadership, staffing, performance management and education Devising high-level HR initiatives for special needs, such as workforce planning and downsizing. Implications of the Human Resource Transformation in the Telecommunication Industry The HR Transformation model proposed by Ulrich and HRT process at AT T will be used as background for this study. The different components in the above transformation process at AT T key steps are interrelated, only those that seemingly represent the important practices and or potential constraints in HRT will be further explained below. Empowerment Empowerment is an essential element of organizational change and transformation as the global business environment becomes ever more competitive. By enabling managers and employees to have more control over their work and their working lives, they are being empowered. Employee Self-Service (ESS) has a great influence on the empowerment aspect. ESS allows employees to help themselves (changing their personal details, checking or applying for leaves, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦), thus HR professionals are now free to spend less time on day-to-day recordkeeping and focus on value-added functions that aid in meeting the goals and objectives of the organization (i.e., talent management, staff development and retention, performance management, rewards, etc.). Furthermore MSS enable managers processing basic HR transaction (appraisals) and retrieve data without involving the HR professionals. Leadership Effective leadership of the change process is fundamental to its success (Buckingham, 2005;Hunt Buzan, 1999; Johnson Uline, 2005; Kamener, 2004). The concept of managerial leadership permeates and structures the theory and practice of work organizations and hence the way we understand SHRM. In the management texts, leadership has been defined in terms of traits, behaviour, contingency, power, and occupation of an administrative position. Most definitions reflect the assumption that leadership involves a process whereby an individual exerts influence upon others in anorganizational context. Employee satisfaction, motivation, and loyalty are of major importance when it comes to retain the most valuable employees and this is where a strong leadership becomes very important. There is a difference between management and leadership. Leadership means understanding the corporate mission, developing goals which support the mission, then using personal and management skills to help build a stable, skillful, productive and satisfied workforce. Leadership is seen as the power to inspire and motivate the ability to permeate employees with the desire to change the organization to the best. Training and development Swanson (1995) defined employee training and development as the process of systematically developing expertise in individuals for the purpose of improving performance. Trainings strategic contributions to the organizations goal include new employee orientations, diagnosis and correction of skills problems, remedial training and sometimes long-term career development (Ceriello and Freeman, 1991). Indeed training and development is an important aspect in HRT, with new technologies, enhancement of HR practices and processes put in place, training will be required to adapt to new HR requirements. Link: Survey of Global HR Challenges: Yesterday, today and tomorrow PWC Leadership development also proves to be a big challenge. HR professionals continue to wrestle with understanding the best ways to keep people in the pipeline and develop leaders for future succession planning. Increasingly recognized as becoming strategic business partners within their organizations, HR professionals are expected to provide the essential frameworks, processes, tools, and points of view needed for the selection and development of future leaders. Across the globe leadership development has been identified as a critical strategic initiative in ensuring that the right employees are retained, that the culture of the organization supports performance from within to gain market position, and that managers are equipped to take on leadership roles of the future so that the organization is viable in the long term. Performance Management Performance management is a holistic process, bringing together many of the elements which go to make up the successful practice of people management, including in particular learning and development. Performance management is about establishing a culture in which individuals and groups take responsibility for the continuous improvement of business processes and of their own skills, behavior and contributions. At AT T performance HR initiatives is monitored by using the corporations top-level business performance measures: Customer value-added. The degree to which the competencies, people-planning and culture/design requirements have an impact on customer satisfaction. Financials. Revenues, cost reductions and earnings realized from the deployment of competencies, people planning and performance management. People value-added. A measure of the degree to which employee perceptions of leadership, job satisfaction and diversity issues, among others, meet or exceed corporate goals and objectives for all four requirements of the performance-system model. Performance management will aid the HR Transformation process, measuring the performance of employees will help in monitoring the productivity in the organization and establishing a culture of continuous learning, motivation that will result in better ROI. HR managers and professionals must take the lead in building and maintaining this performance culture and in ensuring it permeates the organization. Rewards are often credited as a source of motivation. Communication Good communication between HR function, line managers and employees is essential. Employees need to feel they form part of the organisation and have to be made aware of what is happening within their workplace. Lack of communication to employees can lead to confusion, rumours, misinterpretations and negative morale. Managers often think that employees are more aware than they really are. By building strong communication messages to employees this could help obtain commitment of employees which is important to the good functioning of the business where HRM is being transformed strategically. User involvement All parties should be involved Change management (structural and cultural change) The Inside Track on HR Outsourcing: Retained HR and Other Success Strategies Bruce Barge, Namrata Mundhra and Hameedah Merchant, 2007 The changes associated with HR transformation put enormous pressure on HR. HR transformation has a wide reach, often affecting the entire organization. With the emphasis of HRO on self-service, managers and employees often have concerns about the decrease in face-to-face contact with HR. HR staff often have fears about performance expectations that are connected more strategically to the business. Business leaders might have doubts about HRs ability to attain a more strategic role. Further, while HR is often the champion of change in an organization, there are unique challenges in managing change around HR transformation. HR is supposed to be a role model of effective change management, yet in this case it is the function that will need to navigate through the most wrenching change as HR transforms itself to accept a new and difficult role. A strong understanding of stakeholder concerns and interests is necessary to take a proactive approach to change management. An impact analysis provides a basis from which enablers and barriers to change can be identified. In an impact analysis, a sample population from the stakeholder groups, including executives, managers, employees and HR staff, is surveyed through focus groups and interviews. The findings of the impact analysis drive the development and execution of practical approaches to effect change, which are documented in a change management plan. HRO should help the HR generalist, or business partner, staff focus more resources on the crucial change and talent issues that drive competitive success of the business. HR needs to change and lead change initiatives to transform other functions. If HR transformation is implemented skillfully, HR professionals will become a much more vital contributor to organizational success through business partnership and strong leadership. Hr professionals Engage in projects with other departments Role and competencies Training, coaching guiding Attract, hire, retain talent Employees Be more empowered Participate Engage on self-learning Committed Line Managers Encourage movement of staff to work collaboratively with other departments Empower and motivate staffs Building Employee Commitment encouraging employees professional development, compensating them fairly use MSS fine tune hr strategy to fit with org strategy structure and resource allocation communicating strategy, organization changes at all levels

Thursday, September 19, 2019

How Fitzgerald Controls readers reaction To Gatsby in The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald delays the introduction of Gatsby until fairly late in the novel. This emphasizes the theatrical quality of Gatsby's approach to life, which is an important part of his personality. Gatsby has literally created his own character. As his relentless quest for Daisy demonstrates, Gatsby has an extraordinary ability to transform his hopes and dreams into reality, at the beginning of the novel, he appears to the reader just as he desires to appear to the world. We hear of Gatsby through Nick, and in a sense his reputation precedes him. Fitzgerald propels the novel forward through the early chapters by shrouding Gatsby's background and the source of his wealth in mystery. Fitzgerald uses Nick as a puppet and, because of this we first hear Nick?s feelings towards Gatsby in chapter one. Nick is looking back into the past at this point, and how he perceives him since he first met him. Nick says, ?Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have unaffected scorn? and at this point in the novel, Fitzgerald makes sure we don?t understand what Nick is talking about. He then drip feeds us more information throughout the book, but this gives a very mysterious impression of Gatsby. What shouldn?t we like about him? We haven?t even met him yet. Fitzgerald then controls Nick to say, ?If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away. This responsiveness had nothing to do with that flabby impressionability which is dignified under the name of the ?creative temperament? ? it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romanti... ...ross just as he would like to be perceived at the start of the novel. As his relentless quest for Daisy demonstrates, Gatsby has an extraordinary ability to transform his hopes and dreams into reality. This talent for self-invention is what gives Gatsby his quality of ?greatness?: indeed, the title ?The Great Gatsby? is reminiscent of names for such magicians as ?The Great Houdini? and ?The Great Blackstone,? suggesting that the persona of Jay Gatsby is a masterful illusion. As the novel progresses and Fitzgerald deconstructs Gatsby?s self-presentation, Gatsby reveals himself to be an innocent, hopeful young man who stakes everything on his dreams, not realizing that his dreams are unworthy of him. Gatsby invests Daisy with an idealistic perfection that she cannot possibly attain in reality and pursues her with a passionate zeal that blinds him to her limitations.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Historical Macbeth Compared To Shakespeares Macbeth Essay -- essays re

Although most of Shakespeare's play " Mac Beth " is not historically accurate, MacBeth's life is the subject of the tragedy. There are characters and events that are based on true events and real persons but, Shakespeare's "MacBeth " differs significantly from history's MacBeth. The first example of a difference between the Shakespeare "MacBeth" and historical Mac Beth is the death of Duncan I. In Shakespeare's " Mac Beth ", Duncan I was murdered by MacBeth. A prophecy said to Mac Beth by one of the three witches "All hail, MacBeth, that shalt be King hereafter1 ." was what prompted Gruoch, MacBeth's wife to plot the murder of Duncan I as he slept in their castle. In history, Mac Beth established himself as the King of Scots after killing his cousin Duncan I, in battle near Elgin not as in Shakespeare's play by killing him in his sleep. Duncan I was killed on August 14, 1040. Mac Beth then reigned as king for seventeen years.As previously stated Duncan I and Mac Beth were cousins, a fact not brought out in the play. Shakespeare loosely based the play," Mac Beth " on events he found in Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland. " Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, are the materials that furnished Shakespeare with his plot2. The chronicles were an account of the history of the country of which they came from. Another major difference, is that Duncan I was ...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Fuel of the Future Essay -- Energy Oil Crisis Shortage Essays Papers

Fuel of the Future It is obvious that this country has a knack for vast and rapid consumption of oil. Increases in greenhouse gas emissions, global warming threats and surging gas prices are just some of the warning signs. In the last two decades, this country has made great bounds in new, energy efficient technologies that have played a major role in the United States’ energy conservation efforts. â€Å"It’s not about turning off the lights or unplugging the refrigerator. It is a story about better technology. Industry and economics, not virtue or government control, are the driving forces† (Brown, 2007). New technologies in everything from simple household appliances to transportation methods have had a major impact in reducing this country’s rate of energy consumption, and more importantly its need for foreign oil. â€Å"The most important exception to this trend is in transportation. While fuel mileage in cars continues to improve, the fuel efficiency of U. S. automobiles has actually declined since the mid-1990’s. That’s because many drivers have switched from ordinary cars, to light trucks or so-called sport utility vehicles† (Brown, 2007). Vehicles and public transportation methods account for a critical portion of our nations energy tab. One way scientists have countered this problem is the development of alternative fuels, specifically the use of Hydrogen Fuel Cells. Advancements in the research and development of this alternative fuel have proven to be a vital solution to this nation’s increasingly prevalent energy crisis. â€Å"The world’s demand for energy is projected to double by 2050 in response to population growth and the industrialization of developing countries† (Crabtree, 2004). Through its react... ...uwyo.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=27077584&site=ehost-live 3) Crabtree, G, Dresselhaus, M, & Buchanan, M (2004, December). The Hydrogen Economy. Physics Today, 57(12), Retrieved March 16, 2008, from http://search.ebhost.com.proxy.uwlib.uwyo.ed/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=15210897&site=ehost-live. 4) Hutchinson, H (2007, December). Going for Distance. Mechanical Engineering, Retrieved March 16, 2008, from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.uwlib.uwyo.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=27761367&site=ehost-live 5) Leal, D, Velez, A, Prelas, M, Gosh, T, & Leal-Quiros, E (2006). Hydrogen Storage in Diamond Powder Utilizing Plasma NaF Surface Treatment for Fuel Cell Applications. AIP Conference Proceedings, 875(1), Retrieved March 16, 2008, from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.uwlib.uwyo.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=23421089&site=ehost-live.

Munroe Prayer book

IntroductionPrayer is an essential part of a Christian’s life. Too often, however, Christians are either unaware of what they should be doing or they do not have a good grasp of what prayer truly means for their lives as Christians in this world. Prayer is also essential in communicating and relating with Christian brothers and sisters. The phrase â€Å"I’ll pray for you† is used very often but is rarely done. If only Christians would understand the purpose and the power of prayer, they would do what they say more often.The exploration of the purpose and power of prayer motivated Dr. Munroe to write about the topic and help Christians understand why they need to pray and be in touch with God.The Purpose and Priority of PrayerThe Lord Jesus Christ came to save humankind and enable the Church to become his partners in establishing His kingdom on earth. When He came to the earth, he healed the sick, He made the blind see, made the cripple walk and even raised the de ad. Today, more than ever, He works through the Church to show the world His love and His compassion. Christians therefore are part of His plan in bringing about the changes that he promised.Dr. Munroe said that the act of prayer is an affirmation that Christians do believe, affirm and participate in the unfolding plan of God. Prayer is a way for them to connect with God and help intercede and pray for the expansion of God’s kingdom on earth. Furthermore, as Christians, the Lord Jesus Christ has given us authority and prayer is an expression of this authority. In fact, he said that â€Å"prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference.†As the partners and friends of God, we, like Abraham and other persons of God before us, could communicate, ask favors, and intercede in behalf of those we love before God. With prayer, we can become intercessors and mediators before God since this is part of the authority that Christ has given us by virtue of the sacrifice He made o n the cross and based on the authority He has bestowed upon us under the new covenant of grace.Preparing for PrayerFor many people, prayer seems to be the last resort in dealing with difficult situations in life. Even Christians sometimes only approach God when they need money or they need help out of difficult situations. In this case, sometimes prayer becomes a one-way street that a Christian enters into because of his needs. This is the correct way of treating prayer. Instead, Dr. Munroe admonishes Christians to use prayer to enter God’s presence. Sure, God longs to bestow His blessings on His children, but more than that, He also desires a close relationship with them.For Christians who feel like their prayers only bounce on the ceiling, Dr. Munroe provides several principles in preparing oneself to enter the presence of God. He encourages believers to cultivate the kind of faith that is expectant for God to answer. However, he cautions against simply praying without doin g anything. He draws upon several biblical verses and principles that show that action should be in partnership with faith and prayer. He offers ten steps to preparedness in prayer. Although such steps might seem formulaic, it helps new believers to prepare themselves.As they mature in the faith, however, they can improvise and to state it proverbially, they can take the plunge and dive into the life of prayer. Dr. Munroe also encourages Christians to practice the â€Å"God kind of faith†. This faith is active and not passive. The persons who exhibit this kind of faith actively seeks ways in which they can participate in God’s will.Principles of PrayerIn Part III of Dr. Munroe’s book, he expounded on different principles related to prayer that can be gleaned from the Bible. He explained the significance of Jesus’ model of prayer. Although Jesus enjoyed the company of His disciples and the accolades of the public that He preached to, he nonetheless cultiva ted an attitude of prayer that sought to establish His connection with God the Father. This expression of His relationship was foremost among His priorities.The Lord’s prayer also received significant attention from Dr. Munroe’s books and he explained its significance for Christians today. Instead of perpetually asking God for favors like a genie in a bottle, Christians need to understand that prayer is essentially an expression of the relationship that they have with God.Dr. Munroe also offered twelve action steps to prayer, which is meant to help believers actively participate in seeking God’s answer to prayers. Although such steps may seem to be a simple list, they can help believers focus themselves on the task of praying and seeking God’s will.  In addition to this, Dr. Munroe also listed down several hurdles to answered prayers as well as the hindrances. These hurdles may be in regards to the level of faith of the Christian praying or because of w rong motives. In order to deal with these hurdles and hindrances, the Christian should put himself right with God and examine his intentions and his desires in seeking for the prayer items.The Power of PrayerBecause of the authority that God has given to Christ and to the authority that Christ has given to His followers, we have do have power through prayer. The power of the word and of the name of Jesus in prayer was expounded by Dr. Munroe. Naming things that believers desire in accordance to God’s word is an important part of prayer. And yet, even if some desires are not uttered, the Holy Spirit enables believers to pray with â€Å"groans that words could not express.†Yet, through the name of Jesus, believers do have access to the throne of grace. Fasting is also another way for believers to empower their prayer lives. Through fasting, believers can focus their energies and discipline their bodies. It is a way to empower one’s prayer and help discern what God wills for one’s life and for the world.ConclusionPrayer seems to an underrated part of Christians’ lives. In this regard, Dr. Munroe provides a good handbook on prayer. The issues relating to the prayer lives of Christians, the principles behind it, as well as the different hurdles and hindrances were explored in the book. This way, Christians would understand better the purpose and the power of prayer and they will be able to claim these for themselves.As the world proceeds with its breakneck speed and the increasing demands of work and other pressures on the lives of Christians and pre-Christians alike, Dr. Munroe’s book can help Christians change their perspective on prayer and start practicing it so that they, too, can participate in God’s plan for this world.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Management: Questions and Answers for Midterm Examination

Identify and describe the three levels of the organizational hierarchy. Which types of Information systems serve each level? Answer: The three levels of the organizational hierarchy: Senior Managers Middle Managers Operational Managers Types of Information systems serve each level: Operational-level systems: support operational mangers, keeping track of the elementary activities and transactions.Management-level systems: serve the monitoring, controlling, decision-making, and administrative activities of middle managers. Strategic-level systems: help senior management tackle and address strategic issues. 2- List and briefly describe the major types of system in organization? Answer: Transaction Processing Systems (TIPS): are the basic business systems that serve the operational level of the organization. And it is also a computerized system that performs and records the daily routine transactions necessary to conduct business.Management Information Systems (MIS): serve the management level of the organization, providing managers with reports and often-online access to the organization's current performance and historical records and primarily serve the functions of planning, controlling, and decision-making. Decision-support System (ADS): also serve the management level or the organization. ADS help mangers make decisions that are unique, rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance.MIS differ from SEES: MIS serve at management level and SEES serve at strategic level. 5- What are the characteristics for ADS? How do they differ from those of SEES? Answer: Characteristics for ADS: (Inputs: transaction level data; Processing: Interactive; Outputs: Decision analysis; Users: Professional and staff ADS differ from SEES: ADS revere at management level and SEES serve at strategic level and its characteristics are: Inputs: Aggregate data; Outputs: projections; Users: senior managers. – Describe the relationship between TIPS, MIS, and SEES. The relationsh ip between TIPS, MIS, and SEES: TIPS are typically a major source of data for other systems, data also be exchanged to MIS to produce reports, whereas SEES are primarily a recipient of date from lower-level systems. 7- List and describe the information systems serving each of the major functional areas of a business. Answer: Sale and Marketing Systems: SystemDescription Organizational Level Order processing Enter, process, and track orders Operational Pricing analysis Determine prices for products and services Management Sale and forecasting Prepare 5 years sales forecasts Strategic Manufacturing and Production Systems Machine control Control the actions of machines and equipment Production planning Facilities location Decide where to locate new production facilities. Finance & Accounting Systems Account Receivable Tracks money owed the firm Budgeting Prepares short-term budgets Profit planning Plans long-term profits Human Resource SystemsTraining and Development Tracks employee tr aining, skills, and performance appraisals Operational Compensation analysis Monitors the rang and distribution of employee wages, salaries, and benefits Human Resource planning Plans the long-term labor force needs of the organization 8- What is a business process? Give two examples of processes for functional areas of the business and one example of a cross functional process. Answer: Business process refer to sets of logically related activities for accomplishing a specific business result, and also refer to the unique ways in which organization and management coordinate these activities.Example for functional area of business process: (Finance and Accounting: paying creditors, creating financial statements and managing cash accounts); (Human Resources: hiring employees, evaluating employees' Job performance and enrolling employees in benefits plans) Example of a cross functional process: Order fulfillment process (Sales Department: Generate order and submit order; Accounting Dep artment: Check credit and approve credit and then Manufacturing & Production department: Assemble product and ship product, and finally Accounting Department: Generate invoice). Why are enterprise applications for organization-wide process integration? Answer: Organizations are trying to integrate their business processes because they want to enhance the performance of the organizations as a whole. The system takes advantage of corporate intranets and web technologies that enable the efficient transfer of information within the firm and to partner firms. And these systems are inherently cross-level, cross-functional, and business process oriented. The four key enterprise applications: Enterprise Systems, Supply Chain Management Systems,Customer Relationship Management Systems, and Knowledge Management Systems. 10- What are enterprise systems? How do they change the way an organization work? Enterprise Systems, also known as enterprise resource planning systems, provide a single info rmation system for organization-wide coordination and integration of key business processes. Information that was previously fragmented in different systems can seamlessly flow throughout the firm so that it can be shared by business processes in manufacturing, accounting, human resources, and other areas.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Australian Aborigines Essay

Anthropology is the study of humanity. In Chapters 3 and 4 of the text we are learning about kinship system. In these selections I will focus on the Australian Aborigines culture. I will also concentrate on the Australian Aborigines and the three specific examples of how the kinship system of the chosen culture impacts the way the culture evolves. This paper will also show how the cultures compare to each other. ? Voluntary controls on fertility for Aborigines were controlled in the form of infanticide. Based on the text infanticide is the killing or the abandonment of new born babies. This practice is usually used when a baby has problem or deformities, which make it hard for the offspring to be taken care of (3. 4 Settlement Patterns). In the United States infanticide would be consider a homicide. In our culture we do have abortions. Some women use abortions for various reason for example health problems, raped, or just plan not ready to be parent. ? ? In Australian Aborigines culture they believe in cross cousin marriage. As described in the text Cross cousins are the children of opposite sex siblings, such as the father’s sister or the mother’s brother. The man in this culture has the right to marry his father sister’s daughter or his mother’s brother’s daughter (3. 7 Social Organizations). In this culture and day and time, we look at marrying cousins as wrong. It is old folk tale that the third cousins are removed but that was some of the older cultures. So now we believe in my family at least that mixing blood so to speak can cause baby deformities. So in our culture cross cousin marriage is prohibited. We also have family reunions to help family members know who there family is. According to Australian Aboriginal culture, all living things were created by ancient spirit ancestors. These stories of creation are known as the Dream-time, or Dreaming. Dream time according to the Aborigines, describes the creation of the earth and how all living things were created and how that affects life and morality (3. 8 Rituals and Religion). We have all different religions in America that’s what makes us as unique as a culture. I am a Christian. I believe Jesus Christ came and save the world from sin. I believe that God came to Moses and that only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. Some atheists would compare us to the Australian Aborigine’s folk tale, but everybody has and opinion. ? In-closing Australian Aborigines culture and all other cultures have examples of kinship systems. What I learned from the text is that through anthropology that all men as an allocated law or system to follow as there way of life, Today society has come a long ways, but still shares the some of the same values. To know where you going, you have to know where you came from. Nowak B. , & Laird, P. (2010). Cultural Anthropology. Ashford University, Discovery Series. Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

To Kill A Mockingbird and Chapter

Week 1 Introducing â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird† [pic] By the end of this week students should be able to: †¢ Complete a journal entry of their understanding of the novel. To Kill A Mockingbird The main text for study this semester is To Kill a Mockingbird, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. The novel is loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbours, as well as an event that occurred near her hometown when she was 10 years old. Lee's novel is widely taught in schools in English speaking countries with lessons that tie into tolerance and prejudice.The novel addresses themes such as courage, racial injustice, the death of innocence, tragedy, and coming of age, set against a backdrop of life in the Deep South. The character of Atticus Finch, the narrator's father, has served as a moral hero for many readers, and a singular model of integrity for lawyers. One writer noted its impact in saying, â€Å"In the twentieth centu ry, To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch, the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism. â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird has proven to be not only an extraordinarily influential book, but a controversial one as well. Initially perceived as a novel addressing racial justice, To Kill a Mockingbird has been the target of various campaigns to have it removed from public classrooms, often for its use of racial epithets. Reading Goals and Workbook Before delving into the book make yourself regular reading goals. These will help you stay motivated with your reading and not forget any characters or important details! Two or three chapters a day or 30 minutes of reading each day is an excellent start. Read also  How Powerful Do You Find Atticus Finch’s Closing Speech?Also know your â€Å"peak time†. People work best at different times of the day, and only you know when you work most efficiently. Figure out when you seem to be more focused and organise your reading around that! This semester you will also be keeping a workbook (word document or exercise book); which you will be submitting at the end of the semester. There will be certain tasks we will be asking you to complete in your workbook and which you can post in My Online Journal in Janison if you wish to share these with other students.You should use your workbook as a tool to jot down your initial responses to topics, your reflections on particular ideas and so on. You can review and reflect upon your weekly work in your workbook. This is similar to the weekly reflections you completed at the end of each week in semester 1. You can also use your workbook to build up your English vocabulary. Every time you c ome across an unknown or unfamiliar word jot it down in your workbook and then work out its definition. If you choose to post some of your reflections online, you will find instructions on how to do this on pages 9-10.However, be mindful that if you choose to post your reflections online it will be accessible by other students and teachers. Therefore, if you do not wish to share your personal thoughts/reflections with others then you should not post these online. Instead it would be best to use a workbook (word document or exercise book) to store these reflections, and only post the required ‘Journal’ tasks online To Kill A Mockingbird Guide To Kill A Mockingbird is a great read! It is divided into two parts and comprises a total of thirty-one chapters. Part one introduces us to Maycomb and its inhabitants and the three major storylines in the novel:In Part two the racism in their community is revealed to the children through the trial of Tom Robinson. They learn about the positive and negative sides to human nature and solve the mystery of Boo Radley. Below and over the next few pages are questions that should help you find what is important in the novel and could prove useful for you understanding the plot, characters and themes in the book. Also they could be useful when you need to refer back to each chapter during your study of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’. You do not have to answer the questions; they can act as points to summarize what happens in each chapter.However, you can choose to answer these questions by recording them in your workbook, or you can use chapter questions as a guide to writing a short summary about each chapter. Chapter-by-Chapter questions Activity 1: I Knew That! And now I know†¦ As you read the novel â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird†, list five important things that you already knew about life in America in the 1930’s and five important things that you have learned. This task can be completed in you’re My Online Journal if you wish. If you complete it online, let your teacher know the date of your entry. I Knew†¦ | |1. | | | |2. | | | |3. | | | |4. | | | |5. | | | Now I know†¦ | |1. | | | |2. | | | |3. | | | |4. | | | |5. | | |Instructions for Setting up your Online Blog†¦ Go to www. distance. vic. edu. au and click on online courses. Your login is your DECV number and your password is your 8 digit date of birth, yearmonthday. For example, if your date of birth is 15th June 1992, then your password is 19920615. (Note that this is the backwards version of how you would normally write your birth date. ) Once you have logged in on the left side you will notice a tool bar with a list of all the subjects you are doing with the DECV. Click on ENGLISH UNIT 4 YEAR 9/10.The front page of the Year 10 English course will open. Go to the left side tool bar and Click on ‘My Online Journal’. My Online Journal area will open. Now it is time to make your first journal entry. Go to the right side of the ‘My Online Journal’ page and click on Create New Entry under the heading ACTIONS. A new page will open up titled EDIT/CREATE BLOG ENTRY. Tick the box USE TEXT EDITOR. The page will automatically refresh. You will notice that the Text Editor works like a Microsoft Word document. So anything you can do in a word document you can do on this page.Experiment a little bit with the different tools before you make your blog entry. You need to use the Create New Entry and USE TEXT EDITOR buttons every time you make a new blog entry. Always remember to save before posting your blog entry. If you need help to get started with your Blog, do not hesitate to contact your teacher. This week you should be spending time reading the novel â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird†. As you read, remember to take notes in your Journal; it is a long novel and a lot of information to retain. [pic] End of Week 1 315 Clarendon Street, Thornbury 3071 | | |Telephone (03) 8480 0000 | | |FAX (03) 9416 8371 (Despatch) | | |Toll free (1800) 133 511 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |STUDENT NUMBER _________________ | | | | | |STUDENT NAME ____________________ | | | | | |___________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Fix your student barcode | | |label over this space. | | | | | | | | | | |30401 | | |[30401] | |SUBJECT |English 4 | | | | | | | | |[ZX] | |YEAR/LEVEL |10 |WEEK |1 | | |TEACHER |________________________ | | PLEASE ATTACH WORK TO BE SENT. NOTE: Please write your number on each page of your work which is attached to this page. SEND |Please check that you have attached: | ? Activity 1: I Knew That! And now I Know†¦ If you have not included any of these items, please explain why not. _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ___________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Use the space on the back of this sheet if you have any questions you would like to ask, or problems with your work that you would like to share with your teacher. | |YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |DISTANCE EDUCATION CENTRE TEACHER’S COMMENTS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |DISTANCE EDUCATION CENTRE TEACHER | ———————– Chapter 1: What do you learn in this chapter about Maycomb, Atticus Finch and his family? What do you learn about Dill's character? What, briefly, has happened to Arthur â€Å"Boo† Radley. Why does the Radley place fascinate Scout, Jem and Dill? What do you notice about the narrative voice and viewpoint in the novel? Chapter 2: Why is Scout so looking forward to starting sc hool?Why does Jem not want anything to do with Scout at school? Is his behaviour typical of an older child? What do you think of Miss Caroline Fisher as a teacher? Can you find qualities which would make her good or not so good at her job? Chapter 3: Who is Calpurnia? What is her place in the Finch household? What is Walter Cunningham like? What does his behaviour during lunch suggest about his home life? What do you think of the way Atticus treats Walter? Does Scout learn anything from Walter's visit? What do you think this is? Atticus says that you never really understand a person â€Å"until you climb into his skin and walk around in it†. What does this mean? Is it an easy thing for Scout to learn? In the last chapter of the novel, Scout repeats this, but she changes â€Å"skin† to â€Å"shoes† – this is probably not a mistake: Harper Lee suggests that Scout cannot clearly recall exactly what Atticus said and when, but the reader can check this! ) What do you learn in this chapter about the Ewells? Chapter 4: What does Scout think of current fashions in education? What superstitions do the children have in connection with the Radley house? Why do the children make Boo's story into a game? What do they do in this game? Do you think the game is an accurate version of what happens in the Radleys' home? What might be the cause of the laughter from inside the house? Chapter 5: Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson? How typical is she of Maycomb's women? What do the children think of her?What does Miss Maudie tell Scout about Boo? How does this compare with what Scout already believes? Scout claims that â€Å"Dill could tell the biggest ones † (lies) she ever heard. Why might Dill have told such lies? What reasons does Atticus give for the children not to play the Boo Radley game? Do you think he is right? Why? Chapter 6: Why does Scout disapprove of Jem's and Dill's plan of looking in at one of the Radleys' windows? What does Mr. Natha n Radley know about the intruders in his garden? Why does Miss Stephanie refer to a â€Å"negro† over whose head Mr. Nathan has fired? Why does Dill's explanation of Jem's state of dress almost land him in trouble? Chapter 7:When Jem tells Scout about getting his trousers back, he tells her of something strange. What is this? Can you find any evidence that Jem is beginning to understand more than Scout about Boo Radley? What do you think this is? Does Jem still fear the gifts in the tree? Give reasons for your answer. When the children plan to send a letter to the person who leaves the gifts, they are prevented. How does this happen? Who does it, and why might he do so? Chapter 8: Why does Scout quiz Atticus about his visit to the Radley house? How much does Atticus tell her? What is the â€Å"near libel† which Jem puts in the front yard? How do Miss Maudie and Atticus react to it? Why does Atticus save Miss Maudie's oak rocking chair?When Atticus asks Scout about the blanket around her shoulders, what does Jem realize? Explain what Atticus means by telling Jem not to let his discovery â€Å"inspire † him to â€Å"further glory†? Is there any reason why Jem might now do as his father says? Chapter 9: How well does Atticus feel he should defend Tom Robinson? Is it usual for (white) lawyers to do their best for black clients in Alabama at this time? Scout and Jem have â€Å"mixed feelings† about Christmas? What are these feelings and why? Uncle Jack Finch tells Scout that she is growing out of her pants. What does this mean and why might he say it? When Francis talks to Scout he reveals an unpleasant feature of Aunt Alexandra. What is this?Does Scout learn anything from overhearing Atticus's conversation with Uncle Jack? What might this be? Read the final sentence of this chapter. Explain in your own words what it means and why it might be important in the story. Chapter 15: What is the â€Å"nightmare† that now descends upon the children? What was (and is) the Ku Klux Klan? What do you think of Atticus's comment about it? How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why? What persuades the lynching-party to give up their attempt on Tom's life? Comment on the way Scout affects events without realizing it at the time. Chapter 14: Comment on Atticus's explanation of rape.How suitable is this as an answer to Scout. Why does Alexandra think Atticus should dismiss Calpurnia? How does Atticus respond to the suggestion? Why is Scout pleased when Jem fights her back? Why is she less pleased when he tells Atticus about Dill? What do we learn from Dill's account of his running away? Chapter 13: Why does Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Atticus and his family? What is she like? Read the first two things Alexandra says when she comes to the Finch house. Are these typical of her or not? Alexandra thinks Scout is â€Å"dull† (not clever). Why does she think this, and is she right? Are all adu lts good at knowing how clever young people are?How does Aunt Alexandra involve herself in Maycomb's social life? Comment on Aunt Alexandra's ideas about breeding and family. Why does Atticus tell them to forget it? Who is right, do you think? Chapter 10: Scout says that â€Å"Atticus was feeble†. Do you think that this is her view as she tells the story or her view when she was younger? Does she still think this after the events recorded in this chapter? In this chapter Atticus tells his children that â€Å"it's a sin to kill a mockingbird†. What reason does he give for saying this? Why does Heck Tate not want to shoot Tim Johnson? Near the end of this chapter Atticus cuts off Heck Tate as he is speaking to Jem.What might Heck have been about to say, and why would Atticus want to stop him from saying it? Jem and Scout have different views about telling people at school how well Atticus can shoot. Explain this difference. Which view is closer to your own? Chapter 11 Ho w does Atticus advise Jem to react to Mrs. Dubose's taunts? What does Mrs. Dubose say about the children's mother? How does Jem feel about this? What request does Mrs. Dubose make of Jem? Is this a fair punishment for his â€Å"crime†? Explain in your own words what Atticus thinks of insults like â€Å"nigger-lover†. How far do you agree with him? Why, in Atticus's view, was Mrs. Dubose â€Å"a great lady†? Atticus says that Mrs.Dubose is a model of real courage rather than â€Å"a man with a gun in his hand†. What does he mean? Do you think he is right? Chapters ten and eleven are the last two chapters in the first part of the book. Explain why Harper Lee chooses to end the first part here. Chapter 12: Comment on Jem's and Scout's visit to First Purchase church. What new things does Scout learn here about how the black people live? What does Scout learn from Calpurnia's account of Zeebo's education? Explain why Calpurnia speaks differently in the Finch h ousehold, and among her neighbours at church. Chapter 13: Why does Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Atticus and his family? What is she like?Read the first two things Alexandra says when she comes to the Finch house. Are these typical of her or not? Alexandra thinks Scout is â€Å"dull† (not clever). Why does she think this, and is she right? Are all adults good at knowing how clever young people are? How does Aunt Alexandra involve herself in Maycomb's social life? Comment on Aunt Alexandra's ideas about breeding and family. Why does Atticus tell them to forget it? Who is right, do you think? Chapter 14: Comment on Atticus's explanation of rape. How suitable is this as an answer to Scout. Why does Alexandra think Atticus should dismiss Calpurnia? How does Atticus respond to the suggestion?Why is Scout pleased when Jem fights her back? Why is she less pleased when he tells Atticus about Dill? What do we learn from Dill's account of his running away? Chapter 23: What do you th ink of Atticus's reaction to Bob Ewell's challenge? Should he have ignored Bob, retaliated or done something else? What is â€Å"circumstantial evidence†? What has it got to do with Tom's conviction? What does Atticus tell Scout about why the jury took so long to convict Tom? Why does Aunt Alexandra accept that the Cunninghams may be good but are not â€Å"our kind of folks†? Do you think that people should mix only with others of the same social class? Are class-divisions good or bad for societies?At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley has never left his house in years. What is this? How likely is it to be true, in your opinion? Chapter 22: Although Atticus did not want his children in court, he defends Jem's right to know what has happened. Explain, in your own words, Atticus's reasons for this. (Look at the speech beginning, â€Å"This is their home, sister. †) Miss Maudie tells Jem that â€Å"things are never as bad as they seem†. What reasons does she give for this view? Why does Dill say that he will be a clown when he grows up? Do you think he would keep this ambition for long? This story is set in the 1930s but was published in 1960.Have attitudes to racism remained the same (in the USA and the UK) or have there been any changes (for the better or worse) since then, in your view? Why does Bob Ewell feel so angry with Atticus? Do you think his threat is a real one, and how might he try to â€Å"get† Atticus? Chapter 20: Scout says that â€Å"Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man†. Is she right? In most states of the USA people who drink alcohol in public places are required to hide their bottle in a paper bag. Why does Dolphus Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a bag? What, according to Atticus, is the thing that Mayella has done wrong? Explain, in your own words, Atticus's views on people's being equal. Chapter 15:What is the â€Å"nightmare† that now descends upon the children? Wha t was (and is) the Ku Klux Klan? What do you think of Atticus's comment about it? How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why? What persuades the lynching-party to give up their attempt on Tom's life? Comment on the way Scout affects events without realizing it at the time. Chapter 16: What â€Å"subtle change† does Scout notice in her father? What sort of person is Dolphus Raymond? How does Reverend Sykes help the children see and hear the trial? Is he right to do? Comment on Judge Taylor's attitude to his job. Does he take the trial seriously or not? Chapter 17 What are the main points in Heck Tate's evidence?What does Atticus show in his cross-examination of Sheriff Tate? What do we learn indirectly of the home life of the Ewell family in this chapter? What do you learn from Bob Ewell's evidence? Why does Atticus ask Bob Ewell to write out his name? What does the jury see when he does this? Chapter 19: What made Tom visit the Ewell's house in the first pl ace? Why does Scout think that Mayella Ewell was â€Å"the loneliest person in the world†? In your own words explain Mayella's relationship with her father. How does Dill react to this part of the trial? Why is this, in your opinion? Chapter 18: Is Mayella like her father or different from him? In what ways?What might be the reason for Mayella's crying in the court? How does Mayella react to Atticus's politeness? Is she used to people being polite? How well does Mr. Gilmer prove Tom's guilt in the eyes of the reader (you) and in the eyes of the jury? Can you suggest why these might be different? Chapter 21: What does Jem expect the verdict to be? Does Atticus think the same? What is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict? Is the verdict predictable or not? As Scout waits for the verdict, she thinks of earlier events. What are these and how do they remind us of the novel's central themes? Chapter 20: Scout says that â€Å"Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil m an†. Is she right?In most states of the USA people who drink alcohol in public places are required to hide their bottle in a paper bag. Why does Dolphus Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a bag? What, according to Atticus, is the thing that Mayella has done wrong? Explain, in your own words, Atticus's views on people's being equal. Chapter 22: Although Atticus did not want his children in court, he defends Jem's right to know what has happened. Explain, in your own words, Atticus's reasons for this. (Look at the speech beginning, â€Å"This is their home, sister. †) Miss Maudie tells Jem that â€Å"things are never as bad as they seem†. What reasons does she give for this view? Why does Dill say that he will be a clown when he grows up?Do you think he would keep this ambition for long? This story is set in the 1930s but was published in 1960. Have attitudes to racism remained the same (in the USA and the UK) or have there been any changes (for the better or worse) since t hen, in your view? Why does Bob Ewell feel so angry with Atticus? Do you think his threat is a real one, and how might he try to â€Å"get† Atticus? Chapter 23: What do you think of Atticus's reaction to Bob Ewell's challenge? Should he have ignored Bob, retaliated or done something else? What is â€Å"circumstantial evidence†? What has it got to do with Tom's conviction? What does Atticus tell Scout about why the jury took so long to convict Tom?Why does Aunt Alexandra accept that the Cunninghams may be good but are not â€Å"our kind of folks†? Do you think that people should mix only with others of the same social class? Are class-divisions good or bad for societies? At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley has never left his house in years. What is this? How likely is it to be true, in your opinion? Chapter 31: How do the events of the final chapters explain the first sentence in the whole novel? Comment on the way the writer s ummarizes earlier events to show their siginificance. How does Scout make sense of an earlier remark of Atticus's as she stands on the Radley porch?How much of a surprise is it to find what Boo Radley is really like? Has the story before this point prepared the reader for this discovery? At the end of the novel, Atticus reads to Scout. Comment on his choice of story. Does it have any connection with themes earlier in the novel and in its ending? Chapter 30: Who does Atticus think caused Bob Ewell's death? Why does Heck Tate insist that Bob Ewell's death was self-inflicted? In what way is this partly true? Is Heck Tate right to spare Boo then publicity of an inquest? Give reasons for your answer. How does the writer handle the appearance, at the end of the story, of Boo Radley? Chapter 29:What causes the â€Å"shiny clean line† on the otherwise â€Å"dull wire† of Scout's costume? What explanation does Atticus give for Bob Ewell's attack? What does Heck Tate give as the reason for the attack? Do you think the sheriff's explanation or Atticus's is the more likely to be true? Chapter 28: Comment on the way this chapter reminds the reader of earlier events in the novel. Why does Jem say that Boo Radley must not be at home? What is ironic about this? (Is it true? Does he really mean it? Why might it be important for him and Scout that Boo should not be at home? ) Scout decides to keep her costume on while walking home. How does this affect her understanding of what happens on the way?Why had Atticus not brought a chair for the man in the corner? Who might this stranger be? Chapter 27: What three things does Bob Ewell do that alarm Aunt Alexandra? Why, according to Atticus, does Bob Ewell bear a grudge? Which people does Ewell see as his enemies, and why? What was the purpose of the Halloween pageant? What practical joke had persuaded the grown ups to have an organized event? Chapter 26: In her lesson on Hitler, Miss Gates says that â€Å"we (American people) don't believe in persecuting anyone†. What seems odd to the reader about this claim? Why is Scout puzzled by Miss Gates' disapproval of Hitler? Why does Scout's question upset Jem?Is there a simple answer, or any answer, to the question â€Å"How can you hate Hitler an’ then turn around an be ugly about folks right at home? † Chapter 25: How does Maycomb react to the news of Tom's death? Comment on the idea that Tom's death was â€Å"typical†? Explain the contrast Scout draws between the court where Tom was tried and â€Å"the secret courts of men's hearts†. In what way are hearts like courts? Why did Jem not want Scout to tell Atticus about Bob Ewell's comment? Was this a wise thing to ask her to do? Chapter 24: Do you think the missionary ladies are sincere in worrying about the â€Å"Mrunas† (a tribe in Africa)? Give reasons for your answer.Compare the reactions of Miss Maudie and the other ladies when Scout says she is wearing he r â€Å"britches† under her dress. What is your opinion of the Maycomb ladies, as depicted in this chapter? Explain briefly how Tom was killed. What is Atticus's explanation for Tom's attempted escape. Do you think agree with Atticus? How, in this chapter, do we see Aunt Alexandra in a new light? How does Miss Maudie support her? Click on ENGLISH UNIT 4 YEAR 9/10 List of all your DECV Subjects Click on Create new entry Enter Your Journal title: Week 1 Activity 1 Your Full Name Date and time will automatically show Tick USE TEXT EDITOR Click to insert pictureYou can change the style, size and colour of your text font Once you are happy with your entry click Save Type your text here [pic] For Content: Kennedy Melissa, The Heinemann English Project Text Study: To Kill A Mockingbird, Heinemann, 2008 http://www. universalteacher. org. uk/gcse/mockingbird. htm For Images: http://www. theseattletraveler. com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/to-kill-a-mockingbird-at-intiman-theatre. jpg ht tp://www. dvdbeaver. com/film/DVDReviews17/a%20to%20kill%20a%20mockingbird%20robert%20mulligan%20dvd%20review/title%20to%20kill%20a%20mockingbird%20robert%20mulligan%20dvd%20review%20. JPG http://www. amazon. com/gp/customer-media/product gallery/0446310786/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_all To Kill A Mockingbird and Chapter Week 1 Introducing â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird† [pic] By the end of this week students should be able to: †¢ Complete a journal entry of their understanding of the novel. To Kill A Mockingbird The main text for study this semester is To Kill a Mockingbird, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. The novel is loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbours, as well as an event that occurred near her hometown when she was 10 years old. Lee's novel is widely taught in schools in English speaking countries with lessons that tie into tolerance and prejudice.The novel addresses themes such as courage, racial injustice, the death of innocence, tragedy, and coming of age, set against a backdrop of life in the Deep South. The character of Atticus Finch, the narrator's father, has served as a moral hero for many readers, and a singular model of integrity for lawyers. One writer noted its impact in saying, â€Å"In the twentieth centu ry, To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch, the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism. â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird has proven to be not only an extraordinarily influential book, but a controversial one as well. Initially perceived as a novel addressing racial justice, To Kill a Mockingbird has been the target of various campaigns to have it removed from public classrooms, often for its use of racial epithets. Reading Goals and Workbook Before delving into the book make yourself regular reading goals. These will help you stay motivated with your reading and not forget any characters or important details! Two or three chapters a day or 30 minutes of reading each day is an excellent start. Read also  How Powerful Do You Find Atticus Finch’s Closing Speech?Also know your â€Å"peak time†. People work best at different times of the day, and only you know when you work most efficiently. Figure out when you seem to be more focused and organise your reading around that! This semester you will also be keeping a workbook (word document or exercise book); which you will be submitting at the end of the semester. There will be certain tasks we will be asking you to complete in your workbook and which you can post in My Online Journal in Janison if you wish to share these with other students.You should use your workbook as a tool to jot down your initial responses to topics, your reflections on particular ideas and so on. You can review and reflect upon your weekly work in your workbook. This is similar to the weekly reflections you completed at the end of each week in semester 1. You can also use your workbook to build up your English vocabulary. Every time you c ome across an unknown or unfamiliar word jot it down in your workbook and then work out its definition. If you choose to post some of your reflections online, you will find instructions on how to do this on pages 9-10.However, be mindful that if you choose to post your reflections online it will be accessible by other students and teachers. Therefore, if you do not wish to share your personal thoughts/reflections with others then you should not post these online. Instead it would be best to use a workbook (word document or exercise book) to store these reflections, and only post the required ‘Journal’ tasks online To Kill A Mockingbird Guide To Kill A Mockingbird is a great read! It is divided into two parts and comprises a total of thirty-one chapters. Part one introduces us to Maycomb and its inhabitants and the three major storylines in the novel:In Part two the racism in their community is revealed to the children through the trial of Tom Robinson. They learn about the positive and negative sides to human nature and solve the mystery of Boo Radley. Below and over the next few pages are questions that should help you find what is important in the novel and could prove useful for you understanding the plot, characters and themes in the book. Also they could be useful when you need to refer back to each chapter during your study of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’. You do not have to answer the questions; they can act as points to summarize what happens in each chapter.However, you can choose to answer these questions by recording them in your workbook, or you can use chapter questions as a guide to writing a short summary about each chapter. Chapter-by-Chapter questions Activity 1: I Knew That! And now I know†¦ As you read the novel â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird†, list five important things that you already knew about life in America in the 1930’s and five important things that you have learned. This task can be completed in you’re My Online Journal if you wish. If you complete it online, let your teacher know the date of your entry. I Knew†¦ | |1. | | | |2. | | | |3. | | | |4. | | | |5. | | | Now I know†¦ | |1. | | | |2. | | | |3. | | | |4. | | | |5. | | |Instructions for Setting up your Online Blog†¦ Go to www. distance. vic. edu. au and click on online courses. Your login is your DECV number and your password is your 8 digit date of birth, yearmonthday. For example, if your date of birth is 15th June 1992, then your password is 19920615. (Note that this is the backwards version of how you would normally write your birth date. ) Once you have logged in on the left side you will notice a tool bar with a list of all the subjects you are doing with the DECV. Click on ENGLISH UNIT 4 YEAR 9/10.The front page of the Year 10 English course will open. Go to the left side tool bar and Click on ‘My Online Journal’. My Online Journal area will open. Now it is time to make your first journal entry. Go to the right side of the ‘My Online Journal’ page and click on Create New Entry under the heading ACTIONS. A new page will open up titled EDIT/CREATE BLOG ENTRY. Tick the box USE TEXT EDITOR. The page will automatically refresh. You will notice that the Text Editor works like a Microsoft Word document. So anything you can do in a word document you can do on this page.Experiment a little bit with the different tools before you make your blog entry. You need to use the Create New Entry and USE TEXT EDITOR buttons every time you make a new blog entry. Always remember to save before posting your blog entry. If you need help to get started with your Blog, do not hesitate to contact your teacher. This week you should be spending time reading the novel â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird†. As you read, remember to take notes in your Journal; it is a long novel and a lot of information to retain. [pic] End of Week 1 315 Clarendon Street, Thornbury 3071 | | |Telephone (03) 8480 0000 | | |FAX (03) 9416 8371 (Despatch) | | |Toll free (1800) 133 511 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |STUDENT NUMBER _________________ | | | | | |STUDENT NAME ____________________ | | | | | |___________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Fix your student barcode | | |label over this space. | | | | | | | | | | |30401 | | |[30401] | |SUBJECT |English 4 | | | | | | | | |[ZX] | |YEAR/LEVEL |10 |WEEK |1 | | |TEACHER |________________________ | | PLEASE ATTACH WORK TO BE SENT. NOTE: Please write your number on each page of your work which is attached to this page. SEND |Please check that you have attached: | ? Activity 1: I Knew That! And now I Know†¦ If you have not included any of these items, please explain why not. _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ___________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Use the space on the back of this sheet if you have any questions you would like to ask, or problems with your work that you would like to share with your teacher. | |YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |DISTANCE EDUCATION CENTRE TEACHER’S COMMENTS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |DISTANCE EDUCATION CENTRE TEACHER | ———————– Chapter 1: What do you learn in this chapter about Maycomb, Atticus Finch and his family? What do you learn about Dill's character? What, briefly, has happened to Arthur â€Å"Boo† Radley. Why does the Radley place fascinate Scout, Jem and Dill? What do you notice about the narrative voice and viewpoint in the novel? Chapter 2: Why is Scout so looking forward to starting sc hool?Why does Jem not want anything to do with Scout at school? Is his behaviour typical of an older child? What do you think of Miss Caroline Fisher as a teacher? Can you find qualities which would make her good or not so good at her job? Chapter 3: Who is Calpurnia? What is her place in the Finch household? What is Walter Cunningham like? What does his behaviour during lunch suggest about his home life? What do you think of the way Atticus treats Walter? Does Scout learn anything from Walter's visit? What do you think this is? Atticus says that you never really understand a person â€Å"until you climb into his skin and walk around in it†. What does this mean? Is it an easy thing for Scout to learn? In the last chapter of the novel, Scout repeats this, but she changes â€Å"skin† to â€Å"shoes† – this is probably not a mistake: Harper Lee suggests that Scout cannot clearly recall exactly what Atticus said and when, but the reader can check this! ) What do you learn in this chapter about the Ewells? Chapter 4: What does Scout think of current fashions in education? What superstitions do the children have in connection with the Radley house? Why do the children make Boo's story into a game? What do they do in this game? Do you think the game is an accurate version of what happens in the Radleys' home? What might be the cause of the laughter from inside the house? Chapter 5: Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson? How typical is she of Maycomb's women? What do the children think of her?What does Miss Maudie tell Scout about Boo? How does this compare with what Scout already believes? Scout claims that â€Å"Dill could tell the biggest ones † (lies) she ever heard. Why might Dill have told such lies? What reasons does Atticus give for the children not to play the Boo Radley game? Do you think he is right? Why? Chapter 6: Why does Scout disapprove of Jem's and Dill's plan of looking in at one of the Radleys' windows? What does Mr. Natha n Radley know about the intruders in his garden? Why does Miss Stephanie refer to a â€Å"negro† over whose head Mr. Nathan has fired? Why does Dill's explanation of Jem's state of dress almost land him in trouble? Chapter 7:When Jem tells Scout about getting his trousers back, he tells her of something strange. What is this? Can you find any evidence that Jem is beginning to understand more than Scout about Boo Radley? What do you think this is? Does Jem still fear the gifts in the tree? Give reasons for your answer. When the children plan to send a letter to the person who leaves the gifts, they are prevented. How does this happen? Who does it, and why might he do so? Chapter 8: Why does Scout quiz Atticus about his visit to the Radley house? How much does Atticus tell her? What is the â€Å"near libel† which Jem puts in the front yard? How do Miss Maudie and Atticus react to it? Why does Atticus save Miss Maudie's oak rocking chair?When Atticus asks Scout about the blanket around her shoulders, what does Jem realize? Explain what Atticus means by telling Jem not to let his discovery â€Å"inspire † him to â€Å"further glory†? Is there any reason why Jem might now do as his father says? Chapter 9: How well does Atticus feel he should defend Tom Robinson? Is it usual for (white) lawyers to do their best for black clients in Alabama at this time? Scout and Jem have â€Å"mixed feelings† about Christmas? What are these feelings and why? Uncle Jack Finch tells Scout that she is growing out of her pants. What does this mean and why might he say it? When Francis talks to Scout he reveals an unpleasant feature of Aunt Alexandra. What is this?Does Scout learn anything from overhearing Atticus's conversation with Uncle Jack? What might this be? Read the final sentence of this chapter. Explain in your own words what it means and why it might be important in the story. Chapter 15: What is the â€Å"nightmare† that now descends upon the children? What was (and is) the Ku Klux Klan? What do you think of Atticus's comment about it? How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why? What persuades the lynching-party to give up their attempt on Tom's life? Comment on the way Scout affects events without realizing it at the time. Chapter 14: Comment on Atticus's explanation of rape.How suitable is this as an answer to Scout. Why does Alexandra think Atticus should dismiss Calpurnia? How does Atticus respond to the suggestion? Why is Scout pleased when Jem fights her back? Why is she less pleased when he tells Atticus about Dill? What do we learn from Dill's account of his running away? Chapter 13: Why does Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Atticus and his family? What is she like? Read the first two things Alexandra says when she comes to the Finch house. Are these typical of her or not? Alexandra thinks Scout is â€Å"dull† (not clever). Why does she think this, and is she right? Are all adu lts good at knowing how clever young people are?How does Aunt Alexandra involve herself in Maycomb's social life? Comment on Aunt Alexandra's ideas about breeding and family. Why does Atticus tell them to forget it? Who is right, do you think? Chapter 10: Scout says that â€Å"Atticus was feeble†. Do you think that this is her view as she tells the story or her view when she was younger? Does she still think this after the events recorded in this chapter? In this chapter Atticus tells his children that â€Å"it's a sin to kill a mockingbird†. What reason does he give for saying this? Why does Heck Tate not want to shoot Tim Johnson? Near the end of this chapter Atticus cuts off Heck Tate as he is speaking to Jem.What might Heck have been about to say, and why would Atticus want to stop him from saying it? Jem and Scout have different views about telling people at school how well Atticus can shoot. Explain this difference. Which view is closer to your own? Chapter 11 Ho w does Atticus advise Jem to react to Mrs. Dubose's taunts? What does Mrs. Dubose say about the children's mother? How does Jem feel about this? What request does Mrs. Dubose make of Jem? Is this a fair punishment for his â€Å"crime†? Explain in your own words what Atticus thinks of insults like â€Å"nigger-lover†. How far do you agree with him? Why, in Atticus's view, was Mrs. Dubose â€Å"a great lady†? Atticus says that Mrs.Dubose is a model of real courage rather than â€Å"a man with a gun in his hand†. What does he mean? Do you think he is right? Chapters ten and eleven are the last two chapters in the first part of the book. Explain why Harper Lee chooses to end the first part here. Chapter 12: Comment on Jem's and Scout's visit to First Purchase church. What new things does Scout learn here about how the black people live? What does Scout learn from Calpurnia's account of Zeebo's education? Explain why Calpurnia speaks differently in the Finch h ousehold, and among her neighbours at church. Chapter 13: Why does Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Atticus and his family? What is she like?Read the first two things Alexandra says when she comes to the Finch house. Are these typical of her or not? Alexandra thinks Scout is â€Å"dull† (not clever). Why does she think this, and is she right? Are all adults good at knowing how clever young people are? How does Aunt Alexandra involve herself in Maycomb's social life? Comment on Aunt Alexandra's ideas about breeding and family. Why does Atticus tell them to forget it? Who is right, do you think? Chapter 14: Comment on Atticus's explanation of rape. How suitable is this as an answer to Scout. Why does Alexandra think Atticus should dismiss Calpurnia? How does Atticus respond to the suggestion?Why is Scout pleased when Jem fights her back? Why is she less pleased when he tells Atticus about Dill? What do we learn from Dill's account of his running away? Chapter 23: What do you th ink of Atticus's reaction to Bob Ewell's challenge? Should he have ignored Bob, retaliated or done something else? What is â€Å"circumstantial evidence†? What has it got to do with Tom's conviction? What does Atticus tell Scout about why the jury took so long to convict Tom? Why does Aunt Alexandra accept that the Cunninghams may be good but are not â€Å"our kind of folks†? Do you think that people should mix only with others of the same social class? Are class-divisions good or bad for societies?At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley has never left his house in years. What is this? How likely is it to be true, in your opinion? Chapter 22: Although Atticus did not want his children in court, he defends Jem's right to know what has happened. Explain, in your own words, Atticus's reasons for this. (Look at the speech beginning, â€Å"This is their home, sister. †) Miss Maudie tells Jem that â€Å"things are never as bad as they seem†. What reasons does she give for this view? Why does Dill say that he will be a clown when he grows up? Do you think he would keep this ambition for long? This story is set in the 1930s but was published in 1960.Have attitudes to racism remained the same (in the USA and the UK) or have there been any changes (for the better or worse) since then, in your view? Why does Bob Ewell feel so angry with Atticus? Do you think his threat is a real one, and how might he try to â€Å"get† Atticus? Chapter 20: Scout says that â€Å"Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man†. Is she right? In most states of the USA people who drink alcohol in public places are required to hide their bottle in a paper bag. Why does Dolphus Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a bag? What, according to Atticus, is the thing that Mayella has done wrong? Explain, in your own words, Atticus's views on people's being equal. Chapter 15:What is the â€Å"nightmare† that now descends upon the children? Wha t was (and is) the Ku Klux Klan? What do you think of Atticus's comment about it? How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why? What persuades the lynching-party to give up their attempt on Tom's life? Comment on the way Scout affects events without realizing it at the time. Chapter 16: What â€Å"subtle change† does Scout notice in her father? What sort of person is Dolphus Raymond? How does Reverend Sykes help the children see and hear the trial? Is he right to do? Comment on Judge Taylor's attitude to his job. Does he take the trial seriously or not? Chapter 17 What are the main points in Heck Tate's evidence?What does Atticus show in his cross-examination of Sheriff Tate? What do we learn indirectly of the home life of the Ewell family in this chapter? What do you learn from Bob Ewell's evidence? Why does Atticus ask Bob Ewell to write out his name? What does the jury see when he does this? Chapter 19: What made Tom visit the Ewell's house in the first pl ace? Why does Scout think that Mayella Ewell was â€Å"the loneliest person in the world†? In your own words explain Mayella's relationship with her father. How does Dill react to this part of the trial? Why is this, in your opinion? Chapter 18: Is Mayella like her father or different from him? In what ways?What might be the reason for Mayella's crying in the court? How does Mayella react to Atticus's politeness? Is she used to people being polite? How well does Mr. Gilmer prove Tom's guilt in the eyes of the reader (you) and in the eyes of the jury? Can you suggest why these might be different? Chapter 21: What does Jem expect the verdict to be? Does Atticus think the same? What is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict? Is the verdict predictable or not? As Scout waits for the verdict, she thinks of earlier events. What are these and how do they remind us of the novel's central themes? Chapter 20: Scout says that â€Å"Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil m an†. Is she right?In most states of the USA people who drink alcohol in public places are required to hide their bottle in a paper bag. Why does Dolphus Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a bag? What, according to Atticus, is the thing that Mayella has done wrong? Explain, in your own words, Atticus's views on people's being equal. Chapter 22: Although Atticus did not want his children in court, he defends Jem's right to know what has happened. Explain, in your own words, Atticus's reasons for this. (Look at the speech beginning, â€Å"This is their home, sister. †) Miss Maudie tells Jem that â€Å"things are never as bad as they seem†. What reasons does she give for this view? Why does Dill say that he will be a clown when he grows up?Do you think he would keep this ambition for long? This story is set in the 1930s but was published in 1960. Have attitudes to racism remained the same (in the USA and the UK) or have there been any changes (for the better or worse) since t hen, in your view? Why does Bob Ewell feel so angry with Atticus? Do you think his threat is a real one, and how might he try to â€Å"get† Atticus? Chapter 23: What do you think of Atticus's reaction to Bob Ewell's challenge? Should he have ignored Bob, retaliated or done something else? What is â€Å"circumstantial evidence†? What has it got to do with Tom's conviction? What does Atticus tell Scout about why the jury took so long to convict Tom?Why does Aunt Alexandra accept that the Cunninghams may be good but are not â€Å"our kind of folks†? Do you think that people should mix only with others of the same social class? Are class-divisions good or bad for societies? At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley has never left his house in years. What is this? How likely is it to be true, in your opinion? Chapter 31: How do the events of the final chapters explain the first sentence in the whole novel? Comment on the way the writer s ummarizes earlier events to show their siginificance. How does Scout make sense of an earlier remark of Atticus's as she stands on the Radley porch?How much of a surprise is it to find what Boo Radley is really like? Has the story before this point prepared the reader for this discovery? At the end of the novel, Atticus reads to Scout. Comment on his choice of story. Does it have any connection with themes earlier in the novel and in its ending? Chapter 30: Who does Atticus think caused Bob Ewell's death? Why does Heck Tate insist that Bob Ewell's death was self-inflicted? In what way is this partly true? Is Heck Tate right to spare Boo then publicity of an inquest? Give reasons for your answer. How does the writer handle the appearance, at the end of the story, of Boo Radley? Chapter 29:What causes the â€Å"shiny clean line† on the otherwise â€Å"dull wire† of Scout's costume? What explanation does Atticus give for Bob Ewell's attack? What does Heck Tate give as the reason for the attack? Do you think the sheriff's explanation or Atticus's is the more likely to be true? Chapter 28: Comment on the way this chapter reminds the reader of earlier events in the novel. Why does Jem say that Boo Radley must not be at home? What is ironic about this? (Is it true? Does he really mean it? Why might it be important for him and Scout that Boo should not be at home? ) Scout decides to keep her costume on while walking home. How does this affect her understanding of what happens on the way?Why had Atticus not brought a chair for the man in the corner? Who might this stranger be? Chapter 27: What three things does Bob Ewell do that alarm Aunt Alexandra? Why, according to Atticus, does Bob Ewell bear a grudge? Which people does Ewell see as his enemies, and why? What was the purpose of the Halloween pageant? What practical joke had persuaded the grown ups to have an organized event? Chapter 26: In her lesson on Hitler, Miss Gates says that â€Å"we (American people) don't believe in persecuting anyone†. What seems odd to the reader about this claim? Why is Scout puzzled by Miss Gates' disapproval of Hitler? Why does Scout's question upset Jem?Is there a simple answer, or any answer, to the question â€Å"How can you hate Hitler an’ then turn around an be ugly about folks right at home? † Chapter 25: How does Maycomb react to the news of Tom's death? Comment on the idea that Tom's death was â€Å"typical†? Explain the contrast Scout draws between the court where Tom was tried and â€Å"the secret courts of men's hearts†. In what way are hearts like courts? Why did Jem not want Scout to tell Atticus about Bob Ewell's comment? Was this a wise thing to ask her to do? Chapter 24: Do you think the missionary ladies are sincere in worrying about the â€Å"Mrunas† (a tribe in Africa)? Give reasons for your answer.Compare the reactions of Miss Maudie and the other ladies when Scout says she is wearing he r â€Å"britches† under her dress. What is your opinion of the Maycomb ladies, as depicted in this chapter? Explain briefly how Tom was killed. What is Atticus's explanation for Tom's attempted escape. Do you think agree with Atticus? How, in this chapter, do we see Aunt Alexandra in a new light? How does Miss Maudie support her? Click on ENGLISH UNIT 4 YEAR 9/10 List of all your DECV Subjects Click on Create new entry Enter Your Journal title: Week 1 Activity 1 Your Full Name Date and time will automatically show Tick USE TEXT EDITOR Click to insert pictureYou can change the style, size and colour of your text font Once you are happy with your entry click Save Type your text here [pic] For Content: Kennedy Melissa, The Heinemann English Project Text Study: To Kill A Mockingbird, Heinemann, 2008 http://www. universalteacher. org. uk/gcse/mockingbird. htm For Images: http://www. theseattletraveler. com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/to-kill-a-mockingbird-at-intiman-theatre. jpg ht tp://www. dvdbeaver. com/film/DVDReviews17/a%20to%20kill%20a%20mockingbird%20robert%20mulligan%20dvd%20review/title%20to%20kill%20a%20mockingbird%20robert%20mulligan%20dvd%20review%20. JPG http://www. amazon. com/gp/customer-media/product gallery/0446310786/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_all