New York State standards Essay

It is important for grade 4 pupils to meet the standards for English Language Arts set forth in the New York State standards. It is in the light of this that great attention must be paid to the way English is taught in the grade 4 classroom. When a teacher prepares and delivers his or her lessons in English, she should do this with the objective of making sure that his or her pupils meet the standards of the State of New York in mind. The standards should be her guide as he or she delivers the lessons in English and administers both oral and written tests to find out whether or not his or her students have mastered the required skills. What educational strategies and instructional methods may be employed to ensure that grade 4 pupils meet the standards for English Language Arts set forth by the State of New York? One of the skills ( Education Planet, 2010) that grade 4 pupils are expected to have is being able to listen and speak in formal and informal settings wherein they are expected to talk with people of different ages, genders, and cultures. One instructional method (Nada’s ESL Island, 2000) that can be used to ensure that grade 4 pupils achieve the above mentioned skill is the communicative approach. In the communicative approach, the teacher gives more emphasis on language functions rather than on language structures. As such, when the teacher designs a lesson, her lesson is focused on a language function such as greeting a person, telling a story, giving directions, or asking for help with something. She then decides what language structures are suited for a particular language function. For instance, prepositions can be taught for pupils to learn how to give directions. The LEA or Language Experience Approach (Nada’s ESL Island, 2000) may be utilized by the teacher in teaching the uses of the different parts of speech. What the teacher does is make the pupils read a line of text. Then she asks questions like â€Å"What words were used to describe the flower? † and â€Å" What words were used to describe the mountain? †. The teacher may then tell the pupils that words like pretty, colorful, tall, and big are called adjectives and that adjectives are words used for describing. What about listening? What strategies or instructional methods can be utilized to develop listening skills among pupils? Pupils have to learn to become active rather than passive listeners. Here, the teacher can make use of the cloze test wherein the pupils are asked to listen to the teacher read a short poem twice. The pupils are then given a copy of the poem with some words left out. The pupils are to fill in the missing words after listening to the reading of the poem. With regard to developing skills in speaking, the teacher can make use of the audiolingual method wherein the teacher first teaches the pupils a set of expressions like â€Å"May I help you? †, â€Å"What time is it? † and â€Å"How do you do? †. She then asks the pupils to repeat each expression after him or her. The teacher can later have the pupils engage in a role play wherein they are given the chance to put into practice the expressions they have learned. Aside from acquiring listening and speaking skills for formal and informal situations, grade 4 pupils ( Education Planet, 2010) are also expected to learn how to write for social interaction and produce written messages to establish, maintain, and enhance personal relationships with others. One way of teaching writing with this purpose in mind is through the use of the interactive journal. How is this done? The teacher sets the topic for the class to write about. She then pairs off the students and makes sure that each pair has a small notebook. Pupil A then begins by writing something about the topic before turning the note over to his or her partner pupil B who reads and reacts to what pupil a has written about the topic. From time to time the teacher goes around to check to make sure that the students are not deviating from the topic. Letter writing could also be a useful activity in developing the pupils’ social interaction skills. For example, after talking about how to take care of the environment, the teacher may ask pupils to write a letter to their congressman or mayor. The State of New York ( Education Planet 2010) expects grade 4 pupils to also be able to listen and read to evaluate experiences, ideas, information, and issues by using evaluative criteria from different perspectives and by recognizing the difference in evaluations based on different sets of criteria. One technique ( Nada’s ESL Island, 2000) that the teacher can use to achieve this goal is the interactive approach to reading. Here the pupils do not only read but also interact with the material. By asking questions, the teacher allows the pupils to predict what will happen before the next part of the story is read, say whether or not they have the same experience as that of the character or characters in the story, comment on the actions of the characters, or even tell whether the story happened in real life or not. Grade 4 pupils ( Education Planet, 2010) are also expected to learn how to speak and write for critical analysis and evaluation by presenting opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information, and issues clearly, logically, and persuasively with reference to specific criteria on which the opinion or judgment is based. This goal can be attained by asking Why and How questions about a topic that had been read or listened to instead of the usual What, Who, and Where questions. Pupils may also be taught how to write and speak critically by asking them â€Å"What do you think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"What if†¦Ã¢â‚¬  questions. Such kind of questions would allow them to present their opinions and judgments on an issue that had been read or listened to. Another standard that was set by the State of New York ( Education Planet 2010) is grade 4 pupils should be able to listen and read for literary response which involves comprehending, interpreting, and critiquing imaginative texts in every medium, drawing from personal experiences and knowledge to understand the text, and recognizing the social, historical, and cultural features of the text. In order to achieve this, the teacher can use the top down approach wherein the pupils can bring to fore their experiences and present knowledge in understanding the text. The pupil uses his or her experience and current knowledge to be able to relate to the text. The child’s schema is also utilized in being able to understand the meaning of each word and sentence in the text. Another skill ( Education Planet, 2010) that grade 4 pupils are expected to have is being able to speak and write for literary response which involves presenting interpretations, analysis, and reactions to the content and language of a text. Here the teacher can make use of the interactive approach in reading wherein the pupils are mad to interpret a line or a word in a poem. They are also made to react to the content of a poem or story and give their opinion and judgment regarding its contents either orally or in written form. Grade 4 pupils ( Education Planet, 2010) are also expected to speak and write for literary expression which involves producing imaginative texts that use language and text structures that are inventive and often multilayered. To develop this skill in the pupils, the teacher (Nada’s ESL Island, 2000) can make use of the KWL method. Here the pupils are asked to put down what they already know about the topic that will be discussed or text that would be read. The teacher then asks the pupils to write down or say what they expect to learn from the topic or text. After the teacher discusses the topic or read the text, the pupils are asked to write down or say what they have learned from the discussion of the topic or the reading of the text. Based on what they have learned, the pupils may create a new story or composition as a kind of learning synthesis. The State of New York ( Education Planet, 2010) also aims to develop in the pupils the ability to listen and read to acquire information and understanding which involves collecting data, facts, and ideas; discovering relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written, and electronic sources. The research method can be used to develop the above mentioned skill in the pupils. While listening to a text being read, the pupils are asked to pay close attention to important pieces of information and note these down in their notebooks. The same thing would be done as the pupils read a piece of text. The teachers may guide the pupils in using semantic maps which the pupils used to organize the pieces of information that they have picked up from listening to or reading the text. Semantic maps also allow the pupils to see the relationship among the different ideas. Aside from semantic maps, pupils may also be taught how to construct charts which also help organize pieces of information they have picked up. The State of New York ( Education Planet, 2010) also expects pupils to be able to speak and write to acquire and transmit information which requires asking probing and clarifying questions, interpreting information in one’s own words, applying information from one context to another, and presenting the information and interpretation clearly, concisely, and comprehensively. One method that the teacher could use to develop this skill among the grade 4 pupils involves prereading, reading, and postreading activities. In the prereading activity pupils are made to scan or skim the text. They are afterwards asked to come up with questions that they might want to ask about the material. The pupils then read the text and while reading, they try to look for answers to their own questions. They later present their answers to the class. With regard to asking questions, the teachers could invite a fireman, for example, to talk about his profession. After his talk, the pupils are encouraged to ask questions regarding what they listened to. What other educational strategies and instructional methods can the teacher utilize to improve the reading, speaking, writing, and listening skills of grade 4 pupils? With regard to improving the listening skills of the pupils, the teacher may dictate to the pupils a piece of text line by line. As she reads each line twice, the pupils write down each line in their notebooks. After the last line of the text had been read, the teacher reads the text again and asks the pupils to check what they wrote as they listen to the teacher read the text. Another educational strategy that the teacher can employ to improve the listening skills of grade 4 pupils is to have them listen to the teacher playback a recorded newscast or story. The teacher may opt to playback the recorded newscast or story twice. He or she then gives the pupils an exercise to answer to test how well they listened to the recorded newscast or story. The test can be a fill in the blanks or multiple choice type of exercise. These can de done again and again until the pupils attain an acceptable level of mastery. The speaking skills of grade 4 pupils can be improved by introducing them to debate. Here the pupils are given the chance to express their opinions, views, and judgments regarding an issue. Asking grade 4 pupils to retell a story they have read is also a good way of improving the speaking skills of grade 4 pupils. The pupils retell a story in front of the class through the use of visual aids. They may also be encouraged to create their own stories and share it with the rest of the class. Teaching pupils how to conduct an interview is another way of improving their listening and speaking skills, One pupil could play the role of TV reporter while another pupil could be the person being interviewed. To apply what they have learned about interviewing people, pupils could be asked to interview, let us say, the nurse in their community and have them report the results of the interview in front of the class. Show and Tell is also a good way of developing the speaking skills of grade 4 pupils. They may be asked to bring to class a favorite pet or toy and talk about these in front of the class. The pupils might also be asked to draw any picture and then call them one by one to the front of the class to talk about their picture. What educational strategies or instructional methods may be employed to improve the writing skills of pupils? Aside from journal or letter writing, grade 4 pupils may be taught how to write a haiku or a tanka on any topic of their choice. They could then share with their classmates what they wrote. Other activities that could improve the writing skills of pupils are poster making, making greeting cards. The integrated approach can also be used to improve the writing skills of grade 4 pupils. For example, the teacher could conduct a simple experiment inside the classroom. While the teacher is doing the experiment, the pupils can write down what they observe and their conclusions after the teacher finishes conducting the experiment, The teacher could also have the pupils read a story and organize the sequence of events as they happened in the story. Based on the arranged sequence of events, the pupils could be asked to rewrite the story. With regard to improving the reading skills of the pupils, the teacher could make use of SSR or Sustained Silent Reading wherein the teacher sets aside a few minutes of the period to allow the pupils to read their favorite book. This sustains pupils’ interest in reading. DRTA or Directed Reading Thinking Activity ( Nada’s ESL Island, 2000) can also be utilized by the teacher to improve the reading skills of grade 4 pupils. The teacher first reads the title of the text and he or she asks the pupils what they think the story is going to be about. He or she then solicits different answers from the pupils. The teacher then reads the first paragraph of the story and stops to ask the pupils what they think will happen in the next part of the story. He or she writes their predictions on the board. After reading the next part of the story the teacher erases the answers on the board that are no longer needed. The procedure goes on until the story is finished. The pupils may be asked to write a summary of the story. Aside from DRTA, the ETR or Experience Text Relationship (Nada’s ESL Island, 2000) method may be utilized to improve the reading skills of grade 4 pupils. The teacher begins by asking the pupils what they know about the text that is going to be read. The teacher then reads the story along with the pupils and pausing every know and then to discuss the part of the story that had just been read and ask what the pupils thin will happen in the next part of the story. After the story had been read, the teacher discusses the story with pupils and ask them to relate it to their personal experience. The PreP or the Prereading Plan (Nada’s ESL Island, 2000) also helps in improving the reading skills of grade 4 pupils since it attempts to trigger previous knowledge and provide background knowledge which will help the pupils understand what they are reading. The teacher begins by introducing a main concept to the pupils to prepare them for what is to be read or listened to. For instance the teacher could start by saying, â€Å" Today, we are a going to talk about a planet. Who can tell me what a planet is. † He or she then allows the pupils to give their own ideas of the concept and lists these down on the board or on a chart. After correcting some misconceptions about the topic or idea, the teacher asks the pupils to write something about the idea by utilizing the words on the board or on the chart. After having written something about the topic, the pupils are now ready to read the text that talks about the topic they wrote about. The SQ3R or the Survey Question Read Write Review (Nada’s ESL Island , 2000) is another method that is utilized by teachers to help improve the reading skills of grade pupils. The teacher first asks the pupils to look at the title, the headings of paragraphs, the introduction , and the conclusion of the text that they are about to read. This helps the pupils gain an idea about the text before they actually start reading it. The pupils are then asked to read the questions at the end of the text so that more or less they will have an idea of the kind of information that they are expected to look for from the text. The teacher may now ask the pupils to read the text. The teacher reminds the pupils to take note of ideas and words that they do not understand and to read the text the second time around. The next things that the pupils are asked to do is to write the answers to the questions found at the end of the text. They may read the answers aloud in front of the class. The teacher advises the pupils to review that they wrote to ensure that the information remains fresh inside their minds. Teachers (Nada’s ESL Island , 2000) also utilize story grammar to improve the reading skills of grade 4 pupils. Pupils are taught the four major components of story grammar which are main character and main problem or conflict, character clues which involve the actions of the characters, their dialogue, thoughts, physical qualities, and their reactions to other characters and events, the solving of the problem or conflict, and the theme of the story. Breaking down the story into the above mentioned components help the pupils understand easily what they just read. Semantic maps may also be used as an organizer of the components of story grammar. Strategic Reading (Nada’s ESL Island 2000) is quite similar to the other approaches used in teaching reading to grade 4 pupils. The teacher begins by asking the pupils what they know about what is going to be read and what they expect to learn. Afterward, the teacher employs Click and Clunk while the pupils are reading the first part of the text. Clunks are the words or ideas that pupils find difficult to understand. The teacher helps the pupils â€Å"fix† the clunks as they continue reading the text. The same thing is done for the other parts of the text. The teacher wraps up the reading activities by asking the pupils to say what they have learned from what they just read. With Sample Reading Strategies, (Nada’s ESL Island, 2000) teachers ask the pupils to say what they know about what is going to be read, write about an experience related to the topic, say something about the title of the text that will be read, make predictions about the contents of the text, skim the text for general ideas, or read the opening part and the closing part of the text. While reading, pupils may encounter words that are not familiar. The teachers help the pupils figure the meaning of the words by using context clues. Pupils may be also asked to predict what would happen in the next paragraph or draw pictures to show what they understand about what they have read so far. After reading, pupils may be asked to make an outline, a chart, a map or diagram to show what they have understood about the text. They may also be asked to retell what they have read or relate what they have read to their own experience. CBLI or Context Based Language Instruction makes learning language for pupils also interesting. In CBLI, the teacher makes use of real life texts rather than nursery rhymes or classic stories. Real life text may be in the form of a news article, recipes, posters, advertisements, or brochures. The teacher uses these to help pupils understand how language structures are applied in real life. For example, recipes, posters, and advertisements make plenty of use of action verbs. Instructional leaflets also make use of a lot of action verbs as well as prepositions. Sugestopedia is another method that teachers use to teach language to grade 4 pupils. Before having pupils read the text, the teacher prepares the mood of the classroom by playing soft music. She then asks the pupils to close their eyes and listen carefully to what is going to be read. Music helps condition the mind of the pupils and allows them to concentrate on what is being read. Aside from sugestopedia, teachers also help improve the listening and comprehension skills of the pupils by asking them to perform the appropriate action for a word. For example when the teacher says â€Å"sit†, the pupils sit down. When the teacher says â€Å"stand† the pupils stand up. When the teacher says â€Å"Step backwards† the pupils move one step back. This helps the pupils become with the meaning attached to words aside from becoming familiar with the words themselves. There are many other techniques that teachers can employ in honing the English communication skills of grade 4 pupils. However, the technique that must be employed by the teacher should be suitable to the learning abilities of grade 4 pupils. References (2010). English Language Arts State Standards for New York. Lesson Planet. Retrieved August 20, 2010 from http://www. lessonplanet. com. (n. d. ). Ideas for Teaching Writing. Kim’s Korner for Teacher Talk. Retrieved August 22, 2010 from http://www. kimskorner4teachertalk. com. (2000) Teaching Second Language Reading. Nada’s ESL Island Resources for Teachers and Students. Retrieved August 20, 2010 from http://www. Nadaisland. com.

The Psychological Effect Of Academic Achievement Education Essay

African American pupils have the chance to gain academic accomplishment awards where pupils of their ain race are their lone competition. Each clip they receive those awards, they are reminded of the demands that had to hold been met in order to make such acknowledgment. The GPA demands for these awards normally equal the mean GPA of their Asiatic and Caucasic schoolmates. Therefore, the criterions of these awards statistically pale in comparing to the accomplishments of the Asian and Caucasic pupils. Because there are no tantamount race-specific awards given to Asian or Caucasic pupils, it is clear that there is a disagreement in what society expects from pupils of certain races academically. These awards were created by organisations to actuate these pupils to go on their academic enterprises and possibly accomplish more. This survey attempts to measure the cogency of such awards by the specifying academic excellence for all pupils, irrespective of race. With research, the paper besides attempts to find grounds for possibly take downing the criterions for Afro-american specific awards. Taking in to account all the factors that contribute to a pupil ‘s motive, it is concluded that the awards could merely turn out to be uneffective. Michael-Ann Henry Ms. Emily Sigman Senior Independent Undertaking Spring 2010 The Psychological Consequence of Academic Achievement Awards on African American Students Over the past twosome decennaries, public schools and separate organisations in Montgomery County, Maryland have awarded African American and Latino pupils who display accomplishments in faculty members, leading, and sports. One of these awards was granted to an jock who maintained a 2.5 class point norm ( lone.5 above the ineligibility GPA of 2.0 ) ; another was rewarded to an African American pupil for geting a GPA of 3.0. These awards clearly exclude other populations such as Asiatic Americans and Caucasians. How is it that the pupils of those ethnicities, who typically sit on the more successful terminal of the academic accomplishment spread, are non awarded for similar achievements? Harmonizing to research, it is statistically more of a rareness for Afro-american and Latino pupils to achieve equal degrees of accomplishments when compared to Asians and Caucasians ( NAEP Studies ) . Because such achievement remains uncommon with the pupils of these races, the achievements warrant wages, in the sentiment of the organisations giving the awards. Organizations like Montgomery County ‘s African American Festival of Academic Excellence claim that they seek to â€Å" promote and help African American pupils to endeavor for academic excellence † by showing pupils with congratulatory certifications ( AAFAE Online ) . However, it needs to be proven whether these awards do actuate African-American and Latino pupils to prosecute more academic asperity or whether they set the saloon depression in a manner that indicates that it would be excessively hard for them to accomplish more like their Asiatic and Caucasic opposite numbers. Furthermore, a survey of the possible relationship between the awards and the achievement spread demands to be considered to measure the necessity and effectivity of these awards in our school systems. Challenged by statistical and psychological theories, the cogency of the awards and their ability to motivate more motive in African American pupils has proven, so far, to be uneffective.Context for Evaluation of the AwardsIn order to find the legitimacy of these academic awards as motivational tools, true academic excellence must be defined. A pupil ‘s grade point norm is normally the first listed demand for the awards in inquiry and therefore, apparently, the most of import and simplest manner to mensurate school performance.. In order to specify academic excellence in footings of a pupil ‘s grade point norm, the national mean GPA of all high school pupils should be considered. Harmonizing to an article by Justin Pope of the Associated Press, in the twelvemonth 2000, the national norm for GPAs was a 2.94. At that clip, the above norm public presentation could hold been defined by a GPA that surpasses 3.0. However, it was reported that in 2005 over a fifth of the high school population claimed to hold a GPA equivalent to an A norm ( Pope ) . Therefore, throughout this survey, a GPA of 3.5 is believe d to outdo represent academic excellence in today ‘s society, across the racial spectrum. In short, awards with this demand are less likely to be given due to racially subjective grounds or differing outlooks of pupils based on race. Students awarded based on this demand would undeniably be considered deserving of the acknowledgment that comes with academic excellence. Granted that academic excellence should besides be evaluated along with several other factors-such as each county ‘s assorted methods of making a class point norm, each instructor ‘s or academic section ‘s assorted rating policies, and the pupil ‘s single attempt and socioeconomic position to call a few-this survey specifically analyzes academic awards given chiefly based on grade point norms. Therefore, sorting a GPA that about indicates academic excellence for all races, a 3.5, is necessary to measure the cogency and the effectivity of the awards given to merely Afro-american pupils.Examples of Awards GivenWhile based on the national norm GPA, an above norm GPA would be closer to 3.5, most of the race-specific awards do non necessitate a GPA stopping point to that estimated pot of academic excellence. Within Montgomery County Maryland, the African American Festival of Academic Excellence awards high school pupils in this county who earn a â€Å" cumulative unweighted Grade Point Average ( GPA ) of 3.0 or above or a cumulative leaden GPA of 3.2 or above for all combined high school old ages through the first semester of the current school twelvemonth † . Besides in the Montgomery County country, the Iota Upsilon Lambda Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, a historically Black fraternity grants the undermentioned awards based on the corresponding demands: Jesse Owens Award for jocks with outstanding devotedness to sports and a minimal GPA of 2.5 ; Paul Robeson Award for minimal 3.0 GPA ; and the W.E.B Dubois Award for lower limit of 3.5 GPA. Illustrated in Montgomery County, the disagreement conspicuously separates the races that typically perform good at the high terminal of the accomplishment spread and the races that normally fall short of the criterions of academic excellence. The bulk of the acknowledgment given to African American pupils in Montgomery County does non run into the criterion of excellence that was based upon the mean GPA in the state. Hence, there seems to be a disagreement between the likely definition of â€Å" above norm † for the pupils across the state ( a class point norm of 3.5 or higher ) and the likely definition of â€Å" above norm † for African American pupils. Although the conditions of the listed academic awards still represent all right accomplishments, tantamount certifications and acknowledgment are non given to Asian and Caucasic pupils of in a similar race-specific manner. Based on informations from the National Assessment of Educational Progress ( NAEP ) , if organisation s were to give out the same awards to Caucasian and Asiatic American pupils that met the same demands, the sum of pupils that would have wagess would be overpowering. In contrast, there exists merely a little part of the African American pupil organic structure that reach the criterions of those academic awards. This disparity in the awarding system for pupils of different races nowadayss itself non merely in Montgomery County, but besides throughout the state. In the San Francisco Unified School District, the territory itself hosts a community event known as the Annual African American Student Honor Roll Parade and Celebration honouring â€Å" all center and high school pupils with a 3.0 class point norm or above for the past two semesters, along with the 10 top accomplishing pupils from each simple school in the territory † ( Robbins ) . However, the degree of acknowledgment seems indefensible when a pupil with a 3.0 does run into the same criterion to which other pupils are held for the non-race specific academic awards they would be eligible to have. Superintendent of Schools in that San Francisco territory, Waldemar Rojas, besides yearly presents a particular gold embossed plaque, â€Å" the Academic Excellence Award † to all Afro-american center and high school pupils with a 4.0 GPA ( Robbins ) . Even though the conditional GPA of this award seems to transcend the antecedently decided definition of academic excellence, in footings of GPA, there was no grounds that equal acknowledgment was given to pupils of other races who achieved the same. In Seattle Public Schools ( 2003 ) , â€Å" more than 140 African American pupils from Garfield High School [ were ] recognized for their academic accomplishment at the Ku'Onesha Awards. These pupils have achieved a class point norm of 3.0 or higher † sponsored by the â€Å" Parents for African American Student Excellence ( PAASE ) , a multicultural group dedicated to shuting the academic accomplishment spread at Garfield High School † ( â€Å" Seattle ‘s Public Schools † ) . Therefore, the incompatibility among the awards given to pupil of assorted races becomes clear when there is no clear tantamount acknowledgment for academic accomplishment given to specifically Asians and Caucasic pupils. It is apparent that there is inequality in the presenting systems across the state ; the Afro-american pupils get awards with less demanding conditions than what the national norm GPA implies the demands should be, while the pupils of the races on the statistically be tter side of the academic accomplishment spread, receive no acknowledgment for equal accomplishment. The latter pupils must vie with all races to have more requirement intensive awards ( Divoky 220 ) .Reasons for Race-Specific Academic AwardsIn order to decide the evident disparity, the grounds for presenting second-rate accomplishment ( or achievement deemed mediocre for pupils of other races ) must be analyzed. Why do organisations and school systems feel that it is necessary to allow race-specific academic awards to African American pupils? The allowance of these lowered outlooks and demands for African American pupils must be argued and evaluated by statistical and historical informations Sandra Graham, who studied motive in African American pupils, define motive as a perceptual experience of the â€Å" likeliness of achieving a end and the value ( affect ) associated with that end attainment † ( 57 ) . Thus we must dig into the factors that influence this perceptual expe rience of what can be attained. The deficit of internal motive for the bulk of African American pupils has been the beginning of argument of pedagogues across the state. One theory claims that within the African American pupil community, there is animus towards the high-achieving that stems from cultural associations, making an environment that discourages larning. Therefore, the awards may function as a physical manner to battle the verbal â€Å" put-downs † that can impede a pupil from accomplishing self-actualization in academe. Harmonizing to a survey performed by the University of Illinois, Afro-american high school pupils who considered themselves really good pupils were shown to be more likely to be the victims of verbal maltreatment from their equals ( Cherry ) . â€Å" The survey farther suggests that covering with classmate squelchs can do it hard for good pupils to larn while doing it near impossible for behind to catch up ( Cherry ) . Harmonizing Fordham and Ogbu who studied internal cultural pr ejudice, high accomplishing African American pupils tend to be labeled by their academic strive as â€Å" moving white † ( 178 ) . As clarified by Tyson, Darity, and Castellino, the formation of the term, â€Å" moving white † was portion of a larger oppositional civilization constructed by African Americans in response to their history of captivity and favoritism. The oppositional individuality was said to be â€Å" portion of a cultural orientation toward schooling which exists within the minority community † ( Tyson, Darity, and Castellino 583 ) . Thus, some African Americans claim that academic accomplishment should non be extremely valued in the community because such actions have been associated with the standard norms of success among Caucasic Americans. Therefore, academic awards, specifically given to African American pupils, may hold lowered criterions for retrieval to equal this force against instruction in the African American community. The end of t he awards in this instance would be to allow the pupil with assurance that what their difficult work in school is worth the possible ridicule because of the hereafter success. School systems and private organisations would make these race-specific awards besides to possibly excite motive when pupils face hard socio-economic and place environment related issues that result in less drive to win. As indicated by the U.S. Census Bureau ‘s survey of kids younger than 18 life in households, 27 per centum of Latino kids and 30 per centum of black kids live in poorness, compared with approximately 13 per centum of white kids. Harmonizing Graham research of the motive of African American pupils old â€Å" societal scientistsaˆÂ ¦found it easy to associate differences between Blacks and White persons in household construction to differences in their accomplishment demands † ( 60 ) . Graham cited George Mussen as holding conducted first comparative racial survey on the demand to accomplish, or a pupil ‘s motive. Thereafter, 18 more surveies arose that fundamentally tested for the same information, the degree of each race of pupils ‘ dema nd to accomplish. Seven out of 19 surveies, or 36 % , reported Whites to be higher in the demand to accomplish than Blacks, ( Graham 61 ) . Graham goes on to reason that â€Å" even though African Americans appeared to be lower in the accomplishment motivation in these surveies, they reported educational and vocational aspirations equal to or higher than their White opposite numbers. † This means that they were merely every bit likely as Caucasians to draw a bead on to travel to college and to come in high position professions ( Graham 66 ) Therefore the awards could be given to bring forth this demand to accomplish that compels pupils to hold higher aspirations and academic successes and hence associate the awards with the wagess that difficult work brings in the hereafter such post-secondary instruction and a steady occupation. Graham continues to indicate out the concrete correlativity between hapless socio-economic position and low motive. Therefore, the awards could supp ly the encouragement that their economic state of affairs knees. The Research Center for the organisation known as Editorial Projects in Education asserts that, â€Å" the disparities in accomplishment are frequently attributed to socioeconomic factors † . As referenced earlier, Graham noticed that motive was lower among pupils of certain socioeconomic position, non pupils in a peculiar race. Therefore, the academic awards do non necessitate to be race specific because race entirely has no correlativity to the deficiency of motive. While the proportions of African American and Latino pupils who achieve good academically continue to increase, there is still a clear disparity between those who are rewarded for their accomplishments with relation to ethnicity. Illustrated in Montgomery County, the disagreement conspicuously separates the races that typically perform good at the high terminal of the accomplishment spread and the races that normally fall short of the criterions of academic excellence. Harmonizing to the U.S. Census Bureau Ã¢â‚¬Ë œs survey of kids younger than 18 life in households, 27 per centum of Latino kids and 30 per centum of black kids live in poorness, compared with approximately 13 per centum of white kids. Graham goes on to reason that â€Å" even though African Americans appeared to be lower in the accomplishment motivation in these surveies, they reported educational and vocational aspirations equal to or higher than their White opposite numbers. † This means that they were merely every bit likely as Caucasians to draw a bead on to travel to college and to come in high position professions ( Graham 66 ) The Research Center for the organisation known as Editorial Projects in Education asserts that, â€Å" the disparities in accomplishment are frequently attributed to socioeconomic factors † . As referenced earlier, Graham noticed that motive was lower among pupils of certain socioeconomic position, non pupils in a peculiar race. Therefore, the academic awards do non necessitate to be race specific because race entirely has no correlativity to the deficiency of motive. Therefore, the deficiency of motive among African American pupils is non a subscriber to the accomplishment but the deficit of thrust in pupils who live in hapless economic conditions remains the job. Unfortunately, African Americans and Hispanics go on to organize the bulk of the economically down-trotted. Conversely, we must besides retrieve that non all African Americans are in economic adversity while there are several Caucasian and Asiatic American pupils in hapless socioeconomic state of affairss who can non have awards that encourage to them endeavor academically despite their state of affairs further set uping inequality within our school systems.The Academic Achievement GapAlthough it has been concluded that African American pupils are capable of bring forthing adequate motive for great accomplishment, despite some possible obstructions, the statistics still problem pedagogues as there st ill clear differences between the racial groups of pupils ( see Figure1 ) . Fig. 1. Swerve in Grade Point Average by Race/Ethnicity, â€Å" NAEP 2005 HSTS: Grade Point Average, Entire GPA. † NAEP. U.S. Department of Education. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //nationsreportcard.gov/hsts_2005/hs_gpa_3a_1.asp? tab_id=tab3 & A ; subtab_id=Tab_1 # chart & gt ; . The mean GPA for Asian and Pacific Islander pupils throughout the U.S. surpasses all other groups with a 3.16, a class point norm higher than most of the demands for the African American particular academic awards. Black pupils remain at the bottom terminal of the GPA spectrum with a GPA of 2.69. Taking this figure in to account, school systems and private organisations that create the academic awards in inquiry clearly must hold made the demands low plenty to do certain that there would be some feasible campaigners for such awards. But if these organisations continue to further the thought that 3.0 is an academic range, some African American pupils will ne'er make above that saloon. By puting the saloon at such a degree, I hypothesize that it sends a message to African American pupils that they are hardly capable of making their opposite numbers ‘ mean tonss.Why Awards with Mediocre Requirements Do Not Work As Incentives for EducationNo affair what the grounds are for presenti ng African American pupils for mean work, the permanent effects of such acknowledgment and attending on mediocre accomplishments have yet to be to the full examined. Based on psychological inclinations, trying to put extrinsic value on instruction, particularly through the representation of a simple piece of paper, in attempt to supply an inducement to larn proves uneffective with striplings ( Plotnik 333 ) . In order to bring forth more of an intrinsic desire to accomplish, Henry Murray ‘s original theory on human motive must be understood. He â€Å" observed that persons vary in their inclination or desire to make things good and vie against a criterion of excellence † ( Graham 60 ) . Alternatively of seeking to make an inducement to larn, pedagogues who desire to shut the accomplishment spread should arouse with the intrinsic motives within pupils by puting the academic accomplishment saloon even higher.

Impossible

The word Impossible Impossible is a word that has been used to describe a multitude of situations. People have been told forever that their dreams and ambitions were impossible; this has inspired greatness and made the world what it is today. Everyone that has achieved anything great has been told that their idea was impossible. Daymond John, like all successful entrepreneurs, inspired me by defying the odds of his time and never listening to the word impossible. Daymond John is the CEO and Founder of the world recognized clothing company FIJBU.He is from Queens, New York and from an era that was all about defying what the world's version of â€Å"impossible† was for him. He is a 44 year old African American that started a clothing company out of his house that has become a 317 million dollar company that has taken on the world and defied everyone that said his dreams were impossible. From a young age the word impossible is something I have always loved to defy I grew up in Ro ckwood Oregon and went to Reynolds Middle school where the majority of my friends and kids were apart of gangs and doing drugs.My teachers told me I was not smart enough to get out the there and that I would end up like everyone else eventually. My parents moved me to the opposite part of town where I kept my mentality that my dreams and aspirations were going to be impossible. Until a teacher I hated told me I was not going to be anything and I was determined to change my life eventually I Joined the United States Army. Before Joining the army I was told that I would not make it because of the physical demands they were going to ask of me and I was too defiant.I was determined to prove everyone wrong in four years I became a SGT and got over a 300 on my physical aptitude test also shot an expert after every qualification. The word impossible became my potential. I thrived in high stress environments. Even though from a young age I have been told that most of my ambitions were impos sible. I never believed them. My Father told me a story when I was growing up that his dad always told him: he was† living in a fantasy land† when my Father would alk about robots in the future.Now days my Father is a head engineer for Intel and works on robots all day. When my Father tells me my dreams are impossible I tell him â€Å"l am Just living in a fantasy land and want to show the world what is in it. † My interpretation stands that nothing is impossible if I am willing to put in the work to prove to the world, but most importantly myself, that I am able to do whatever I put my mind to.At the times when I find myself questioning if I am going to be able to omplete my dreams and if the word impossible is going to finally defeat me, I remember a quote by Muhammad Ali that one of my Drill Sergeants told me to remember: â€Å"Impossible is Just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world theyVe been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing. â€Å"- Muhammad Ali Impossible By dougwilliamsmp

Estrogen and progesterone ( Advanced pharmacology) Essay

Estrogen and progesterone ( Advanced pharmacology) - Essay Example Pills containing progesterone also act by secreting thick cervical mucus which blocks the movement of the sperm beyond the cervix. There are many different types of progesterones like synthetic or oral progesterone, crinone, injectible progesterone and progesterone suppositories. Before recommending an oral contraceptive pill which is usually a combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) to the client, a detailed clinical history must be taken. The history should cover information like the previous and current medications taken by the client, herbal and over the counter remedies and drug usage. In case of women above 35 years and women with a history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, migraines, gall bladder disease and pulmonary hypertension, COCP recommendation should be avoided (Petitti, 2003). The oral contraceptive may either be a combination birth control pill or a minipill. The combination birth control pill contains both progestin and estrogen and different combinations of active and inactive pills which may be conventional or continuous dosing type. Progestin is the only constituent of the minipill. The combination birth control pills may be monophasic or triphasic. In case of a monophasic birth control pill, every active pill comprises of the same quantity of progestin and estrogen, whereas the triphasic combination birth control pill contains three different types of pills that contain different hormones taken for a period of 3 weeks. Other than oral contraceptives, there are also novel approaches available to prevent conception. Ortho evra is a trans-dermal patch that is worn on any region of the body like abdomen, buttocks, upper arm or upper torso except the breasts that delivers progestin and estrogen in an uninterrupted manner into the blood stream through the skin. Contraception is also achieved through depot specific injections. For instance, Depo provera is medroxyprogesterone acetate which could

Lebanon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lebanon - Essay Example Early settlement in Lebanon evidence was found in Byblos. In 5000 BC the city was occupied by people. Lebanon was the homeland of Canaanite descendants as it was part of Northern Canaan. The famous colonies of Lebanon rulers were Cadiz and Carthage which are currently known as Tunisia and Spain respectively. The country became one of the succeeding empires in recent times. The empires include Persian, Roman, Assyrian and Crusader among others (Harris 6). Music, literature and art in Lebanon are rooted in Levantine and Mediterranean norms. The art of Lebanon started after the civil war in 1991 in Beirut. The start of the art was marked by alternative Anita Toutikian artwork. Lebanon has more literature writers like Khalil Gibran who wrote the book called, â€Å"The Prophet†. Other local literature writers include Amin Maalouf and Elias Khoury among other. Lebanon mostly practice the traditional folk music. Currently, the society practices the modern music involving Arabic and Western styles and pop (Harris 35). Lebanon is favorable for tourism since it has many places to visit like Mim Museum, Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque and National Museum of Beirut among others. There are hotels for accommodation and they include Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Sonesta Great Bay Beach among others (Harris 10). In conclusion, Lebanon is a country which has undergone many stages of development. The societies in Lebanon have interacted with different communities that participated in brining up the Lebanon culture. The country is a good place to tour since it is peaceful and has many tourism attraction features (Harris

The Doctrine of Acte Clair in the Context of National Courts Research Paper

The Doctrine of Acte Clair in the Context of National Courts - Research Paper Example A national court can ask the CJ questions pertaining to the interpretation of the EU charter. It can also ask the CJ to give rulings on the interpretation of the Treaty and Acts of the EU institutions. The CJ can be asked questions on the validity of Acts of the EU institutions - not on the validity of the Treaty through, or be asked to give rulings on such Acts. In practice, as only the CJ can rule on the invalidity of EU law, any such question must be referred to it by the concerned national court. This function of the CJ is enshrined in the EU charter. Art 256(3) TFEU (Art 225(3)EC: Art 168(a) EEC) specifies the General court’s authority that it shall have the ‘†¦jurisdiction to hear and determine questions referred for a preliminary ruling under Art 267 TFEU, in specific areas†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Moreover, CJ can only interpret EU law. It cannot interpret national law nor pass comment on the compatibility of national law with EU law. A good example can be found in th e case of 6/64 Costa v ENEL [1964] ECR 585. If CJ is asked a question raising the compatibility of national law with EU law, it has the duty to reformulate the question into one just of EU law – see eg26/62 Van Gend en Loos [1963] ECR 1. In C221/89 ex p Factortame [1992] QB 680. Nevertheless, even though expressed in abstract terms, the CJ gives a clear ruling that UK law is incompatible with EU law. Additionally, the CJ can only rule on the interpretation of EU law, not on the application of it by the national court in the particular case. However, often the guidance given by the CJ is so specific that it equates to the application, for example as seen in C392/93 R v HM Treasury ex p BT[1996] ECR I 1631.

Nonprofit Governance WA 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nonprofit Governance WA 2 - Coursework Example According to a report published by the Charity Watch (2012) of the American Institute of Philanthropy, AFM’s revenues in 2009 increased to $1.3 million, and that it sold food to everyone that wanted to buy it at low costs instead of selling food only to the people that were needy. After a four-year investigation, the federal investigators laid numerous accusations against the AFM owners that included Joe and his wife Linda Wingo, son Andy Wingo and an employee Harry Michaels. These accusations included fraudulent dealing and reporting of funds, funds diversion, unethical dealings with suppliers and vendors, using funds for personal gains and lavish life styles etc. These findings eventually resulted in shutting down of AFM besides prosecution of the accused. White (2010, p.153) specifies that the four essential concepts that form the backbone of ethics in non-profit organizations include disclosure, transparency, avoidance of conflict of interest, and oversight. At AFM, the owners’ intentions were not aligned to the needs of the people they wished to serve. Moreover, their multiple principles seemed to contradict each other. For instance, AFM’s mission to serve the people in need did not correspond with the owners’ intentions of making money and their inclination towards lavish life styles. The founder actually saw a business opportunity amidst increasing costs, which he continued to harness by adopting nonprofit model in order to get easy funds and access to the target market. This intention itself was unethical. Employees that knew about these practices also tried to take undue advantage of the situation. Non-profit organizations function largely based on trust, which helps them to acquire funds, partners, and relationships. Hence, it becomes all the more important for the leaders/owners to exhibit integrity and transparency; and to be accountable for their funds and resources. In conclusion, the Wingos’ and their

Schistosome parasite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Schistosome parasite - Essay Example water sources that are infected with the bilharzia diseases, being under the age of 14, residing in the prone regions such as Africa, and working in occupations centered around freshwater areas. The transmission of the diseases occurs when an individual suffering from the disease contaminates fresh water sources with infected eggs that hatch in the water (WHO n.p). Upon infection, the worm develops into adult schistosomes that live in the blood vessel and lay eggs. The progenies are emitted, with the faeces and urine, to ensure the continuity of the life cycle. However, some eggs are trapped in the body tissues where the cause immune reaction and progress to damage the body organs. There are various snail species responsible for the transmission of the disease and vary on the region. The most common vector species are Bulinus, Biomphalaria, Oncomelania, and Physopsis that are prevalent, in Africa, Asia, and Europe (WHO n.p). The disease has two broad classifications based on its area of infection. Specifically, this intestinal and urogenital Schistosomiasis is prevalent in Africa and Asia. The ailment is common among the rural poor communities including women doing domestic chores such as washings and children living under unhygienic condition with higher exposure to infected water. The manifestation of the disease symptoms is due to the body’s reaction to the worms eggs. The most common signs of the intestinal Schistosomiasis include abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and diarrhoea. However, the enlargement of the spleen and the liver is common in the advanced stages. Specifically, these enlargements are due to the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity and increased blood pressure in the abdominal vessels (WHO n.p). In the urogenital Schistosomiasis, the classic symptom is blood in urine (haematuria). In its advanced stage, bladder cancer, fibrosis of the ureter is common. Additionally, painful intercourse, lesions, and vaginal bleeding are typical

How do stock price volatility affect monetary policy Essay - 1

How do stock price volatility affect monetary policy - Essay Example Therefore they have an effect on interest rates, inflation rates and money supply. These variables are controlled by monetary policy made by the central banks of countries or federal reserves and the policy determination is therefore depended on the stock prices. This paper discusses how the movements in stock prices affect determination of monetary policy. Monetary policy is the process by which the central bank or a federal reserve regulates the money supply and interest rates in order to achieve a major economic goal. On the other hand the stock market is considered as the country’s economic strength and development since it’s a non-physical facility of economic transactions. In any particular country, the economy strongly reacts to stock prices movement and in most cases economic recession is preceded by crash in stock markets. There is a very important relationship between the central banks of countries and stock markets. This makes the monetary authorities to make monetary decisions and policies by closely monitoring the stock market volatility. This ensures the authorities maintain a macroeconomic balance. According to Rigobon and sack 2001, volatility of stock prices significantly impact macroeconomics hence an important factor in determining the monetary policy. As mentioned earlier, this paper discusses the how stock price volatility affects monetary policy. This is addressed by using simple models of data from the international monetary fund in the quarterly series as at December 2010. The data used in the research is UK data ranging from 1990 first quarter to 2010 fourth quarter. The variables contained in this data set are the real UK GDP (RGDP), the consumer price index (CPI) and the interest rates set by the Bank of England The international monetary fund has 188 member countries. These countries work to foster global monetary cooperation, financial stability security, reduce poverty around the world, and promote sustainable

To What Extent Was Truman's Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Justified Research Paper

To What Extent Was Truman's Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Justified - Research Paper Example The first atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima by a B-29 war craft on august 6 1945, resulting in the destruction of the city and instant deaths of over 90,000 people. It is still not clear why japan hesitated in surrendering after the damage and carnage in Hiroshima as the Truman administration did not give them much time to respond. On august 9 1945, the second atomic bomb was dropped over Nagasaki, a secondary target, to avoid poor visibility due to bad weather in Kokura, the primary target. The bombing of Nagasaki resulted in over 60,000 instant deaths. The Truman administration was planning on further attacks, but japan surrendered 5 days after Nagasaki bombing. These actions exposed Truman to sharp criticism, with many people referring to the bombings as barbaric. The main aim of this report is to use various primary and secondary sources to determine the level to which Truman’s actions were justified. Primary sources include official documents, eyewitness accounts and excerpts from harry Truman’s speeches and diaries, and secondary sources include textbooks and journal articles supporting or opposing Truman’s actions. ... In any case, the American public was getting weary of war and Truman wanted to conclude it to prevent the countless deaths that were happening at the hands of the Japanese2. In addition, Truman was not enjoying the public perception that he was too soft on the Japanese3. Russia had the intentions of taking over the Japanese territory and something had to be done about it; and Truman figured that the United States had to show its power to the world to prevent the Soviet Union from emerging as the world’s super power4. Truman thought that if Russia gained any more power than it had, then it would resort to enforcement, spread and strengthening of communism5. The atomic bombs seemed to be the ideal tool to show America's superiority over the Soviet Union; and Truman showed the Soviet Union that he had the bombs and was ready to use them6. Japan only acted as a demonstration board since the United States was neither in good terms with japan, nor with the soviet union. However, Tru man did not expect to cause deaths of innocent civilians, in fact, he believed that the two cities he ordered bombed were military bases7. In addition, Japan, USSR, and Germany were developing nuclear weapons; it was only a matter of the country that could use theirs first, which was mainly the reason why the United States joined hands with Canada and United Kingdom to pursue the Manhattan project8. To avoid the possibility of a nuclear war, Truman decided to use the means at his disposal to instill fear to the other countries developing the weapons. The other reason cited for Truman's use of the atomic bombs was to end the war as quickly as possible so that he could save countless of lives, including American9, Japanese, and

Empowerment is an unrealistic concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Empowerment is an unrealistic concept - Essay Example The managements are spending a lot of resources in empowering its employees in order to boost their competence. Employee empowerment involves conscious policy decision to develop workforces and engage them in more decision-making practices (Luttrell, Quiroz & Bird, 2007, p. 7). This study argues that the empowerment is an unrealistic concept and explores the reasons companies have not fully implemented the employee empowerment to enjoy the perceived advantages. Most organizational managers perceive employee empowerment as a strategic approach for cultivating and improving the employees’ potential by building their capacity to make a decision (Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 2011) Although proponents of employee empowerment consider it as an essential practice of recognizing the importance of all workers in the organization, there are many challenges associated with the empowerment practices thus making it impossible to attain the objectives (Rochford, 2010, p. 57). The management empowers employers in order to have more competent workforce. In so doing managers can devote routine issues to the workers and have more time to engage in strategic issues that are beyond the scope of worker in addition, it ensures quick decision making even in the absence of top managers. Also, empowerment or workers can motivate the workers and improve productivity (Rochford, 2010, 173). Finally, employee empowerment enables managers to reduce work-related stress by reducing the scope of activities they have to handle each day (Luttrell et al. 2007, p. 10). However, despite the perceived advantages of employees empowerment companies have continued to experience challenges with practical implementation of the empowerment practices. The success of employee empowerment is a mutually inclusive practice that should involve both workers and the management. In most cases,

Internet Essay Example for Free

Internet Essay Internet these days is very advanced because you can see that internet is everywhere like school, home, and malls as well. There is Wi-Fi where you don’t need to plug in a wire in the computer or laptop to make the internet work. I agree that internet is a useful tool for high school students because firstly, you can finish off your project or research quickly. Secondly, you can save your document into your e-mail. Thirdly you’ll be able to translate words using Google translation. Firstly, internet is a useful tool for doing assignments and research quickly because instead of taking a book out and looking for the answer would take up a lot of time. But if you would use the internet it would go faster and do it faster because the internet gathers the information instantly. Also the fact and information you look up is already on the internet and the internet is more updated then the textbook. When you would get homework in class you can find the answer on the internet within a few minutes. The textbook would take a lot of time researching and writing the answer down on a sheet of paper. But instead of that you would use the internet to research and type it on the computer because it would do faster and save time. Therefore internet is a useful tool for doing assignments and research. Secondly, internet is a useful tool for saving document on an e-mail and transferring to usb. Instead of taking your paper out and writing for hours and hours keeping it with you it would take a long time. When you do it on the computer the internet would automatically save the document. If you would write it down on a piece of paper you could have lost it any time and would have gotten ripped by a dog or your brother/sister. If you want to send it to your friend it would take a minute on the internet. When you would write it on the paper you would have to write it again to give to your friend and that would be boring or waste of time. When you want to do it on the power point you would open your e-mail, gather information from the usb and it would save time by jotting ideas straight on the computer. Thirdly, internet is a useful tool for using the Google translation. If you had to write it down you would have to use the dictionary and it would take you several hours. Instead of that you would use the Google translation that would save you a lot of time. The special thing about Google translation is that you could write any sentence or paragraph in English and then you would get the translation from another language. Also you would have to use books and dictionary to find each word and write it in a paragraph or sentence that would take you a lot of time and 88% of people use Google translation. Therefore, internet is a useful tool for Google translation. In conclusion, I agree internet is useful tool for high school students because firstly, you can finish off your project and research quickly. Secondly, you can save your document into your e-mail. Thirdly, you can use Google translation to translate words. Internet these days is very advanced because the internet is a very helpful tool and the internet helps the student complete their homework faster than it takes for a student to finish their homework by researching books and dictionaries. Now you can compare that internet is much faster and advanced then using textbook and dictionaries. Imagine using book or dictionary as a source to complete homework or any other project?

Humanism and Marxist Theory in Geography

Humanism and Marxist Theory in Geography Humanism and Marxist Theory in Geography; how it differs from Positivism. Philosophical ways of knowing cannot be avoided when research is being conducted in geography. Philosophy is used as a way communication between what we know and how we know it. It helps put into context and justify answers regarding research questions; therefore it is used widely throughout geography (Aitken and Valentine, 2006). Up until the 1950s, geography was in actual fact detailed in nature, as it examined patterns and processes, usually on a regional bias, when trying to understand specific places (Aitken and valentine, 2006). However after the 1950s, numerous geographers such as Schaefer started â€Å"to argue that geographical research needed to become more scientific in nature† (Schaefer, 1953). It was then that Comte (1798-1857) formed the theory of positivism (Kitchin and Tate, 2013). Unwin (1992) noted that Comte used the â€Å"term ‘positive’ to refer to the actual, the certain, the exact, the useful and the relative rather than the imaginary, the undecided, the imprecise, the vain and the absolute† (Unwin, 1992). In Comte’s positivism he stated that the formulation of theories should be experimented by and proven using certain methods that provide â€Å"society with knowledge so that speculation could be avoided† (Kitchin and Tate, 2013). In Geography, positivism was implemented so that the principles of science could be applied to geographic understanding (Aitken and Valentine, 2006). â€Å"The positivist approach requires experience to be verified rather than just simply presented as fact† (Johnston, 1986a) and there are various versions of positivism. Positivism can be separated into two methods of thought: logical positivism regarding verification and critical rationalism which regards falsification (Kitchin and Tate, 2013). â€Å"Logical positivism was first developed by the Vienna Circle in the 1920s and 1930s† (Holt-Jensen, 1988) but Schaefer supported the development of a logical positivist approach within geography. Critical rationalism was developed by Karl Popper as a different method than logical positivism. Popper disputed that the validity of a law did not relay upon how many times it was examined or proven, but instead relies on whether it can be falsified (Kitchin and Tate, 2013). Popperà ¢â‚¬â„¢s approach of critical rationalism was highly criticised (Sayer, 1992) and therefore many human geographers have not adopted his theory (Gregory, 1986b). Within geography positivism is closely connected with quantitative methodologies which came about in the late 1950s after geography was involved in a quantitative uprising; as geographers wanted to â€Å"replace description with explanation, individual understanding with general laws, and interpretation with prediction† (Unwin, 1992). Consequently, in the 1970s the implementation of positivism came under attack with new modes of explanation being established as a reaction to positivisms growing use in geography. However, quantitative methodologies are not just used by positivists and the use of these methods does not ensure a piece of research positivistic in nature. It is in fact the implementation of the hidden fundamentals of impartiality and explicit logic (Kitchin and Tate, 2013). Humanistic geography was one of two key 1970s rational developments that formed out of a discontent with positivism (Aitken and Valentine, 2006). â€Å"The second was regarding social purpose and politics that took its most coherent form in Marxism† (Harvey, 1973). Humanistic geography illustrates the significance of individuals’ experiences, beliefs and attitudes when constructing opinions that we make and in our engagement with the world. The importance within humanistic geography has regarded â€Å"exposing meaning, values and interpretations in order to incorporate a more complex understanding of human reality into geography† (Aitken and Valentine, 2006). Humanism believes that humanity acquires a common excellence, and that this excellence is evident in human individuals, human interests, and human works. â€Å"Humanism elaborates this dogma of human dignity in four important ways: metaphysical humanism, topical humanism, methodological humanism, and philanthropic humanism† (Smith, 2009). The particular focal point in humanistic geography is the topic of conflict between other methods that require â€Å"emphasizing how individuals’ choices are forced by social structures such as Marx’s capitalism, and with this have attempted to tease out the complex relationship between agencies and structure† (Aitken and Valentine, 2006). Humanists presuppose that humans are intricate beings that do not essentially act in ways that are easy to represent. Therefore in relation to geographical research, humanistic geographers â€Å"proposed the adoption of geographical enquiry that was sensitive to capturing the complex lives of people through in-depth, qualitative studies† (Aitken and Valentine, 2006). Though methodological humanist is typically antipositivist, coincidentally in this sense the word humanist may very often be strongly linked to positivism and science when conducting geographical research (Smith, 2009). This is because many humanists state to be unbiased and impartial, with their research having no social position, a lot like positivists (Kitchin and Tate, 2013). Therefore positivism and scientific views were seen as the logical part of humanistic evaluations that purely provide qualitative data in which quantitative classification can be built (Aitken and Valentine, 2006). Humanists stated that the experimental scientist may be able to explain the objective world, and even human consciousness (Smith, 2009). On the other hand the positivist tries to â€Å"objectively study conditions using empirical measures; whereas humanists place more emphasis on subjective experiences, values and opinions and this is where conflict began (Kitchin and Tate, 2013)† therefore humanists believe that it is only them, using the humanistic tools of understanding, explanation and critical analysis, can expect to ‘understand’ the impartial world and human consciousness as they appear (Smith, 2009). Also according to the new humanistic geographers, positivist geographers dehumanized individuals by stating that they were passive agents of social, psychological, and economic forces. These forces, according to positivists, caused individuals to act in expected ways, and a growing and logical society seeks to control individual manners indirectly, through modulation of these forces. â€Å"As well as this it was argued that positivism not acknowledge people’s beliefs, values, opinions, feelings and so on, in shaping everyday geographies† (Aitken and Valentine, 2006).Therefore, against this view a different image was raised by humanistic geographers, which involved individuals deliberately acting on the base of reason that they considered where in the â€Å"light of their own intentions, interests, and values† (Smith, 2009). All in all, humanistic geographers insist that humans are free, decision-making beings, â€Å"in part because this fit more closely to the first-person perspective of the humanities, but also because it gave them reason to hope that people could choose to change† (Smith, 2009) and in this sense humanism is very much linked to Marxism in geography. Marxists approaches within geography arose at roughly the same time as humanistic approaches, and likewise was a reaction in opposition to the growth of positivism within geography. â€Å"Humanistic approaches criticized positivism because of its disregard of human agency, whereas Marxists argued that it failed to recognise the effects of social, economic and political structures in creating spatial patterns† (Cloke et al., 1991; Kitchin and Tate, 2013). Further, Marxism suggested that positivism limited examination to how things really seemed to be, rather than allowing for how they might be under different social circumstances and how it did not take into account of processes of originality and independence among individuals (Cloke et al., 1991). The Marxist geographers’ purpose was to bring some of the opinions and examination of Marxism into geographical thought. Marxism itself existed as theory since its development by Karl Marx in the 19th century (Johnston et al., 2000) but until the 1970s it had not been significant in geography (Cloke et al., 1991). Marxist geography talks in terms of ‘modes of production’ such as feudalism, capitalism and socialism. Marxism largely targets the capitalist mode of production and recognizes the need for a constant flow of capital with profit as its main purpose. â€Å"In order to do this Marxists suggest that we need to consider how conditions might be under difficult social conditions to highlight how society operates (Kitchin and Tate, 2013)† and also that there must be a constant growth of the value of products produced in order for this flow of capital to be maintained and thus lead to ‘economic growth’. Marxist geography was also interested in how under different social circumstances geographies alter and wanted to have an involvement towards these changes and thus did not just suggest the cause of geographical patterns that lay within capitalist socio-economic systems. â€Å"Marxist geography was therefore not just about understanding the world but also about changing it† (Harvey, 1985b). Undeniably change is significant to the Marxist theory and Marxist geography now assumes that conditions continuously change rather than assuming economic conditions remain constant when decisions are made (Holloway et al., 2003). As seen throughout this essay, positivism has been widely criticized for a number of reasons, and therefore led to the development of humanism and Marxism. However these two have also had certain criticisms. For instance, Marxism was criticized for the ethnocentric nature, for the passive role administered to its individuals, for its obsession with class and industry and its abandonment of environmental issues. Whereas critics found humanism to be a â€Å"diffuse target, that emphasized the relatively neglected tie of geography to the humanities and the ideals of liberal education† (Entrikin, 2001). Even with these criticisms for some geographers the only way to tackle issues in positivism is to turn to radical theories such as Marxism and due to the fact that this generation seems to be more interested in â€Å"esthetics, human values, and ‘lifestyle’ than with social ‘laws’ that a humanistic approach may prove more congenial to the coming generatio n† (Smith, 2009). Despite the criticism towards the positivist reasoning, implicit positivism is still used strongly within human geography (Aitken and Valentine, 2006).

Greek Mythology Impact on Greece

Greek Mythology Impact on Greece Greek Mythology played a huge role in the development of Ancient Greece. Not only did it surround the basic structures of their buildings, it also surrounded the structure of their everyday lives. The way they would pray, the way they would complete everyday tasks, and the way they lived all centered around the gods and goddesses of Greek Mythology. People prayed to these gods for the same reasons we pray today: for health and safety, for prosperity, for a good harvest, for safety at sea. Mostly they prayed as communities, and through offerings and sacrifice they sought to please the inscrutable deities who they believed controlled their lives (National Geographics). The Greeks looked to Hades (God of the Underworld) whenever it came to death. The places where Hades ruled (The Unseen) was described as moldering horror where heroes and ordinary people went after they died (National Geographics). The Greeks began making afterlife kind of like a personal quest rather than a joyless fate. They wanted to complete whatever it was that was holding them there so that they could move on. Rather it be to a worse or a far better place. They had mystery cults that would provide guidance to the path each individual person needed to follow after their death. With the belief the Greeks had, multiple cults emerged claiming to help cleanse the s oul and lead them on the right path. And when Christianity swept the ancient world, it carried with it, along with guidance from a single deity, remnants of the old beliefs: the washing away of human corruption through mystic rites, the different fates awaiting the initiated and uninitiated, and the reverence for sacred texts (National Geographics). Believing that death could be good or bad for the Greeks, they sought out the ancestors favor with honors and offerings. Along with the help of their ancestors, they also believed that initiation into the right cult also played a part in their ultimate destination for afterlife. Greek Mythology does not have an actual Bible, like Christianity, instead their religion is an oral tradition that started in the Bronze age and their plots and themes unfolded gradually in the written literature of the archaic and classical periods (History). The Greeks worshipped multiple different gods each with different personalities and domain. There were twelve principal deities in the Greek pantheon. The two most important, and best known, are Zeus (god of the sky and father of all other gods) and Hades (god of the underworld). The relationship between human beings and deities was based on the concept of exchange: gods and goddesses were expected to give gifts. Votive offerings, which have been excavated from sanctuaries by the thousands, were a physical expression of thanks on the part of individual worshippers (metmuseum). They worshipped in sanctuaries located within the countryside or the city. A sanctuary was a well-defined sacred space set apart usually by an enclosure wall. This sacred precinct, also known as a temenos, contained the temple with a monumental cult image of the deity, an outdoor altar, statues and votive offerings to the gods, and often features of landscape such as sacred trees or springs. Many temples benefited from their natural surroundings, which helped to express the character of the divinities (metmuseum). The ritual act that many Greeks preformed was animal sacrifice. They mostly sacrificed oxen, goats, and sheep. They would sacrifice the animals at alters in front of the temples. They had groups of people that would consume the remains of the animals after the sacrifices. Religious festivals, literally feast days, filled the year. The four most famous festivals, each with its own procession, athletic competitions (14.130.12), and sacrifices, were held every four years at Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, and Isthmia. (metmuseum). Not only did religion play a huge role in Greek Mythology, so did the structures of their society. As mentioned above, they had temples set for the gods and goddesses for sacrifice purposes. Greek Architecture has influenced many cities and states to this day. One very obvious area of influence is architecture: Just look at the downtown of nearly any major city in the U.S., or many of the great cities of Europe. Ancient Greek influence is lurking within the facades of buildings as varied as the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Prado Museum in Madrid, and Downing College, Cambridge University, in Cambridge, England. When we think of ancient Greek architecture, we are generally referring to temple architecture (or other public buildings, rather than residential). Ancient Greek temples featured proportional design, columns, friezes, and pediments, usually decorated with sculpture in relief. These elements give ancient Greek architecture its distinctive character (owlation). The Greeks gave their buildings all kind of similar design. They had kind of a godly look to them. Usually to appeal to the gods and goddesses that they will be praising. They used their buildings usually for religious purposes. They had sacrifices, praises, meetings, and everything else being held in their buildings. The buildings were built to perfection, as a way to provide comfort and solitude to the gods. The people only wanted to please them, because they felt the gods and goddesses saw everything and judged everything. They did not want to disappoint them. To the people, the buildings were the gods houses. They did no bad, no wrong, or even go against the gods in the buildings. Much like how Christians are in church. The church is Gods home and we give him the upmost respect in there. The Greeks did the same thing. That is why their buildings were built the way they were. To the people, the gods and goddesses controlled everything. Ultimately you were sent to the underworld after death, not hell or heaven, but the underworld. It was the place where you stayed until you finished your unfinished business. The people began viewing it as a personal quest for them. Almost like, who will stay here the longest? And who will be going to Heaven? Who will be going to hell? The Greeks involved their everyday life to the gods and goddesses. They would not do anything that did not in some shape or form involve them. They did sacrifices to please them, they lived by their codes, they built buildings that were fit for them. Greece was surrounded by Greek Mythology. Their gods were much different than the God that Christians praise. They each had their own way of life, their own power, their own thing that they ruled. There are a total of twelve of them. One was Zeus, the god of the sky and the father of all gods. Then there is Hades, the god of the underworld. Posei don, god of the sea. Hera, Zeuss wife and sister, queen of all gods. Athena, patron goddess of Athens. Apollo, god of music and prophecy. Artemis, Apollos twin sister, patroness of hunting. Hermes, messenger god. Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. Dionysos, god of wine and theater. Ares, god of war. Hephaistos, god of metalworking. The people all believed that Mount Olympus, which was the highest mountain in Greece, was where the gods and goddesses all resided. Their buildings looked to the mountain, tall enough to be seen. The people worshipped that mountain along with all the deities that they believed resided it. Essentially, the Greeks worshipped numerous gods, making their religion polytheistic. They believed that exercising the opportunity to choose between a wide array of gods to worship offered them a great sense of freedom that they treasured. After all, the Greeks were known for their intellectual distinction of which their means of worship played a huge part. Each cit y-state, or polis, thus had an affiliated god who protected and guided its residents (Histoty). The Greeks believed in all twelve gods, because not one god or goddess was equal or was god of the same thing. Allowing the Greeks to believe in multiple different people for multiple different reasons. Greeks believed in so many different gods so that they could have an array of people to praise. Giving them the sense of freedom that they loved. They were not contained to one god, and they did not have to follow the words of one religious figure. They could follow the words of multiple religious figures, and if they did not believe or agree with one there were eleven more to turn to. Greeks were a very freedom loving society. They felt that people should have a choice in what and whom they believe in. Thus, starting Greek Mythology so they could have multiple people to look up to. Sources Used http://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Architecture/ https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-Influence-of-Ancient-Greek-Architecture http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grlg/hd_grlg.htm http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/greek-mythology http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/07/greek-gods-ancient-greece-afterlife/ Books: hhttp://www.greekmythology.com/Books/1000_mythological_characters_briefly_describedttp://www.greekmythology.com/Books/an_introduction_to_mythology/2 http://www.greekmythology.com/Books/hero_tales http://www.greekmythology.com/Books/myths_and_legends_of_ancient_greece_and_rome http://www.greekmythology.com/Books/myths_of_greece_and_rome_narrated_with_special_reference_to_literature_and_art http://www.greekmythology.com/Books/the_odyssey

The Real Threat Of Nuclear Smuggling :: essays research papers

The Real Threat of Nuclear Smuggling This reading was based on the controversy over the threat that nuclear smuggling poses. It begins by going over the view of each side in a brief manner. It states that some analysts dismiss it as a minor nuisance while others find the danger to be very real and probable. This reading stands mainly for the belief that nuclear smuggling is a real danger. The analysts that find this issue to be a problem say that nuclear smuggling presents grave and serious because even though the percent of these type of smuggling is less than that of drugs for example, the law-enforcement type officials are also less experienced at stopping shipments of an item such as uranium than they are in seizing marijuana or hashish. These same analysts have also found that even a small leakage rate of any type of nuclear material can have extremely vast consequences and dangers. They say that although secrecy rules make precise numbers impossible to get, Thomas B. Cochran of the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, D.C., estimates that a bomb requires between three and 25 kilograms of enriched uranium or between one and eight kilograms of plutonium. A Kilogram of plutonium occupies about 50.4 cubic centimeters, or one seventh the volume of a standard aluminum soft-drink can. In addition to this, analysts have found that security is much to lax in even the supposedly "most protected locations". For example, the Russian stores in particular suffer from sloppy security, poor inventory management and inadequate measurements. Then there is the virtually nonexistent security at nuclear installations that compounds the problem. The main reason for this lack of security is that pay and conditions have worsened and disaffection has become widespread. So with an alienated workforce suffering from low and often late wages, the incentives for nuclear theft have become far greater at the very time that restrictions and controls have deteriorated. Against this background, it is hardly surprising that the number of nuclear-smuggling incidents-both real and fake-has increased during the few years. German authorities for example, reported 41 in 1991, 158 in 1992,241 in 1993 and 267 in 1994. Although most of these cases did involve material suitable for bombs, as the number of incidents increases so does the likelihood that at least a few will include weapons-grade alloys. In March 1993, according to a report from Istanbul, six kilograms of enriched uranium entered Turkey through the Aralik border gate in Kars Province. Although confirmation of neither the incident nor the degree of the uranium's enrichment was forthcoming, It raised fears that Chechen "Mafia" groups had

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Class of 2012, tonight is the last time we will share together for many years. After tonight, we will begin a new chapter in our lives. This chapter will lead us away from each other, but the memories we've shared will continue to stay. The years behind us have been full of challenges and rewards; these experiences will be there to guide us as we branch out into the world. Let's take a moment to think back to the people and times that shaped us the last four years. Every teacher deserves a "thank you" for helping us to reach our goal of graduation. The love and support of our families has been greatly appreciated. But truly, the main ingredient of our high school experience has been our peers. We all faced hardships, but we were able to overcome them, together. And now, here we are once again, together. Homecoming, tolo, football games, pep assemblies and spirit weeks ignited us as young freshman. When we became sophomores, the blaring of the fire alarm became our wake-up call. Only after wiping the drool off our desks and hurrying out to the field did we realize that this wa...

Nonviolent movement

There is a wide-spread conception in the theory of nation-building that violence is an ultimate way to express disagreement and overcome injustice as well as fight a dictatorship. But the last century has proven the fallaciousness of this conception. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Dalai Lama and many others have shown that nonviolence can be more powerful force in defeating oppressive rulers and laws. Their lives and actions are examples how oppressors or unjust legislation may be defied by the force of word and soul rather than by the force of weapons. Gene Sharp summarizes the effectiveness of nonviolent actions with such words: â€Å"nonviolent action is possible, and is capable of wielding great power even against ruthless rulers and military regimes, because it attacks the most vulnerable characteristic of all hierarchical institutions and governments: dependence on the governed† (p. 18).Nonviolent action is an application of a very simple t ruth: people do not always do what they are told to do, and sometimes they do that which has been forbidden. When people refuse their cooperation, withhold their help, and persist in their disobedience and defiance, they do this to deny their opponents the basic human assistance and cooperation which any government or hierarchical system requires. If they do this collectively through their established independent social institutions or newly improvised groupings for a sufficient period of time, the power of that government will weaken and potentially dissolve.The world history has witnessed the cases when nonviolent means have been chosen over violence for religious or ethical reasons. In some cases, even when pragmatic political considerations were dominant in the choice of nonviolent struggle, the movement has taken on certain religious or ethical overtones. This was the case in the campaigns of the Indian National Congress for independence from Britain in the 1920s, 1930s, and 19 40s. Those struggles, often under Gandhi’s leadership, and also the civil rights campaigns in the 1950s and 1960s in the Deep South of the United States, under the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr., are very important.Mohandas Karamchand  Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, is the first name that comes to mind when one speaks of nonviolence in the 20th century. His charisma and his action not only had a profound effect on India’s modern history, but also provided firm basis for all future nonviolent struggles in the world. Gandhi’s political philosophy revolved around three key concepts: satyagraha (non-violence), sawaraj (home rule), and sarvodaya (welfare of all). Whereas satyagraha was essentially a tactic of achieving political ends by non-violent means, sawaraj and sarvodaya sought to encourage ideas of individual and collective improvement and regeneration. Such regeneration, Gandhi insisted, was necessary if India was to rediscover her enduring historical and religious self and throw off British rule. (Andrews, 1949)Perhaps Gandhi’s best-known act of civil disobedience, known as the second satyagraha (‘hold fast to the truth’) was Salt March that was taking place in 1930 from  12 March to 6 April. It expressed increasing frustration by Congress at its own impotence and, specifically, the British refusal to grant Dominion status to India. Gandhi chose the hated salt tax as the object of his campaign. At the time, the Indian government maintained a monopoly over the manufacture of salt, an essential basic commodity which was thus heavily taxed. Those using their own salt, e.g. if they were living close to the sea, were subject to heavy punishment.The 61-year-old Mahatma started the 240-mile-long march from Sabarmati to the coastal town of Dandi together with seventy-eight of his followers. He was joined by thousands along the way, in a march that received vast international and national attention. When the protesters marched on to a government salt depot, he was arrested, as were between 60,000 and 90,000 other Indians in subsequent months, as well as the entire Congress leadership. Gandhi was released and called off the campaign in March 1931 following the Gandhi–Irwin Pact, which allowed Gandhi to participate in the second Round Table Conference, and symbolically permitted the production of salt for domestic consumption.From the 1920s to early 1940s, he led a series of passive resistance campaigns in pursuit of Swaraj, which redefined the character of Indian nationalism. He sought tolerance between Hindus and Muslims and the eradication of caste untouchability. In January 1948 he was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic for his pro-Muslim sympathies. Gandhi’s insistence that means were more important than the ends distinguished him from other great political leaders of the twentieth century.Since his death Gandhi has become the source of inspiration for non-violent poli tical movements such as the Civil Rights Movement in the USA. Desmond Tutu in the article A Force More Powerful a Century of Nonviolent Conflict rightfully points out: â€Å"The leaders who opted for nonviolent weapons often learned from resistance movements of the past. Indian nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi was inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1905. The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other African American leaders traveled to India to study Gandhi’s tactics.† (Tutu, 2000) Non-cooperation was a major tactic employed by Gandhi when he felt the state had become immoral or unjust. In the King movement, such action was called boycott, the most effective nonviolent tactic employed in the movement to abolish discrimination in public transportation in Montgomery, Alabama.The justification for such action lies in the fact that rejection is as much of an action as acceptance. Thus, King, like Gandhi, while emphasizing the necessity of courage, utilized the boycott to achieve rejection of unjust laws regulating public transportation and public lunch counters. The net effect of the various expressions of the nonviolent protest, especially the boycott, strike, demonstration and jail, was to draw one’s opponent off balance, hoping thereby to change his mind. (Smith, p.58) Nonviolence, therefore, was not a sign of weakness or of a lack of courage. Quite the contrary, King believed that only the strong and courageous person could be nonviolent. He advised persons not to get involved in the civil rights struggle unless they had the strength and the courage to stand before people full of hate and to break the cycle of violence by refusing to retaliate.King just as Gandhi emphasized the need to prepare for action. The Civil Rights Movement initiated by Martin Luther King, Jr. succeeded in mobilizing massive nonviolent direct action. Innovative tactics included economic boycotts, beginning with the yearlong boycott of a bus company in Montgomery, Alabama, begun in December 1955 and led by Martin Luther King, Jr.; sit-in demonstrations; and mass marches, including a massive mobilization of whites and blacks in the August 1963 March on Washington, which culminated in King’s â€Å"I have a dream† speech, and protest marches led by King that met with police violence in Selma, Alabama, in January 1965.The goal of these protests was to overthrow the entire system of racial segregation and to empower African Americans by seizing the franchise. Participants of the Civil Rights Movement were often beaten and brutalized by southern law enforcement officials, and thousands were arrested and jailed for their protest activities. Some leaders and participants were killed.Nevertheless, an endless stream of highly visible confrontations in the streets, which contrasted the brutality and the inhumanity of the white segregationists with the dignity and resolve of black protesters, made the cause of black civil rights the major i ssue in the United States for over a decade during the 1950s and 1960s. The nation and its leaders were forced to decide publicly whether to grant African Americans their citizenship rights or to side with white segregationists who advocated racial superiority and the undemocratic subjugation of black people.In conclusion it would be relevant to provide a brief revision of the similarity and differences the detection of which was purpose of this analysis. The parallels between Gandhi and Martin Luther King are self-evident. This preliminary look at Gandhi and King’s activity gives us the understanding that nonviolent movement cannot be limited by time frames or specific location. It rather needs a leader with strong character, resilience and ability to persuade people. The two leaders preferred nonviolence at a time when their people were being oppressed. Both struggled against the yoke of white oppression. Like Gandhi, King valued the power of nonviolent political action in keeping with the spirit of Gandhi’s satyagraha. King’s role in organizing the Montgomery bus boycott enabled him to emerge as the creator of a strategy of civil disobedience that earned for the civil-rights movement in the United States unprecedented media coverage, new forms of public recognition, and greater access to political power.Though both agreed that nonviolence is successful tactics on condition that every individual is committed to truth and justice, Gandhi tended to lay stress upon the necessity of personal suffering when participating in nonviolent movement, an attitude that to some extent was less aggressive than King’s emphasis on self-sacrifice. Moreover, Gandhi claimed that to achieve the goals through nonviolence one needs patience and non-cooperation and King believed that it is a certain degree of confrontation that is necessary to accomplish change. One more difference between Gandhi and King lies in the paradigm of their activity.While Gand hi was concerned about social injustice suffered by Indian people, King’s concerns bore upon racial discrimination of African Americans in the USA. And probably the most striking difference is the result of their struggle. While Martin Luther King’s ideas after his death were followed through by his followers and found an echo in common American’s heart, Gandhi was criticized that his tactics unnecessarily delayed the departure of the British, precipitated the partition of India, and led to the Hinduization of Congress because of his over-emphasis on religion. Few of Gandhi’s ideas were put into practice by independent India.While both of them deserve respect and admiration, it is possible to recognize that their approaches to the practice of nonviolence later grew strong one as opposition, the other as protest. Gandhi and King help us to believe that peaceful resolution of a conflict will live up to its promise.References:Andrews, C. F. Mahatma Gandhiâ⠂¬â„¢s Ideas.   London: Allen & Unwin, 1949McCarthy, R. and Sharp, G., eds., Nonviolent Action: A Research Guide. New York, 1997Sharp, G. The Role of Power in Nonviolent Struggle. Monograph Series, No. 3. The Albert Einstein Institution, 1990Smith, Kenneth and Zepp, Ira. Search for the Beloved Community: The Thinking of Martin Luther King. Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1974.Tutu, Desmond. â€Å"A Force More Powerful a Century of Nonviolent Conflict†. Social Education. (64):5, 2000