Dialectic Journal of the poems Beowulf, Grendel,...

Sea against sand; they stowed away In the hold of the ship their shining armor... Will the seamen that sailed her sighted the land Shining cliffs and coastwise hills, (p14, ln 74-83) The use of consonance here repeats the sound of the wind. Beowulf and his men are going to go save the Danes. They must cross the sea and the wind acts very favorable and leads them to the way. The s sound imitates the sound of a swift and light wind, not a treacherous gust. Foam on her breast, like a bird she flew; (p 14, ln79) This quote uses personification and smile. The author personifies the ship calling it a she. One refers to ships often as female, but it also gives the ship qualities of tender and nurture. The ship guides them the right†¦show more content†¦He realizes that no one can hurt him. Now that he knows that, he kills more often simply for sport. This turns him from misunderstood to a monster. This also isolates him even further. Not only can he not communicate with anyone, but also now that no one can hurt him, he nothing affects him. He is isolated. The room goes suddenly white, as if struck by lightening. I stare down, amazed. He has torn off my arm at the shoulder! Blood pours down where the limb was. (p172) Grendels tragic downfall of his death by Beowulf is cause by his self-belief. He believes no one can hurt him so he approaches Beowulf instead of running away. If he was aware of Beowulf, and realized that he was not like the other men, and instead of thinking, nothing can hurt him, he might have survived. The Snow Man And have been cold a long time To behold the junipers shagged with ice, The spruces rough in the distant glitter(ln 4-6) Enjambment in the poem sets the mood. The mood is that as of a snowfall, quiet cold, settled and slow. The poem does not need to rush its thoughts into a sentence or a stanza. By separating the thoughts into different lines and stanzas forces the reader to read slowly as that of a snowfall. The reader reads the poem peacefully, which depicts the images of a peaceful snow, covered forest. Of any misery in the sound of the wind In the sound of a few leaves, which is the sound of the land Full of the same wind What is blowing in

Motivating Middle School Boys Free Essays

Motivation of Middle School Boys in Math Class Abstract Middle school is a time of physical, emotional and social change for boys. When students hit middle school, academics tend to take a back seat to all of the new activity in their lives. For boys, middle school is increasingly difficult. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivating Middle School Boys or any similar topic only for you Order Now In addition to the physical and emotional changes, the academic curriculum becomes more challenging and rigid. This does not align with a typical boy’s learning style. Many boys in middle school are struggling through hard times at home. Situations may include challenges such as little to no parental support, poverty, and malnutrition. With all of the possible circumstances disrupting their home lives, it is hard for these boys to concentrate on how to solve an equation in math class. Teachers need to motivate boys by providing relevant, hands-on curriculum. Three ways that teachers can do this is by including family members in the classroom, using friendly competition in the form of games and contests, and by relating mathematical lessons and material to real-life situations and interests that the boys might have. Introduction By seventh grade, most students have had years of poor attendance, little parental support, and many other issues related to poverty. They simply do not see the importance of mathematics in everyday life and how math can lead to better things for them. Males, in particular, want to continue the lifestyle they were raised in; showing little to no effort when it comes to the math classroom. This paper discusses three reasons why mathematics teachers should incorporate meaningful motivation strategies as a tool to motivate middle school males in the mathematics classroom. Including Family in the Classroom One way that teachers can help to motivate boys in the middle school classroom is to include their families in the classroom. The relationship between family and school influences the academic achievement of middle school students. These family relationships and parental involvement mold students’ educational development drastically. Murdock and Miller (2003) refer to family as a major influence in how middle school boys deal with learning, peers, and motivation. They state â€Å"families play the most important role in students’ lives as they transition from elementary school to middle school†. The absence of a parent can play a very important role in the success of a student, so when the student sees that there is a connection between the classroom and their family, they are motivated to succeed. Middle school math teachers should try their best to create a sense of family cohesion and teamwork in the classroom. Teachers can do this by always making sure parents are aware of what is happening in the classroom, keeping the lines of communication open, and even incorporating projects that might need the student to work with a member of their family to complete it. Haim Ginott’s theory of congruent communication states that teachers should always use communication that is harmonious with students’ feelings about situations (Charles, 2008). This can be applied to idea of including families in the classroom because teachers need to keep the lines of communication open not only with their students, but with their students’ families. By taking the time to talk to students about situations arising in the classroom, it will be easy for teachers to communicate with parents about similar situations and the lack of motivation within the classroom. When students know that their families are involved in their academics, they are more inclined to succeed in the classroom. Introduce Competition Next, a second way that teachers can help to motivate middle school boys while in the classroom is to include the use of different games and contests. Most boys respond well to competition with their peers. They will force one another to greater speeds, improved accuracy and higher achievement in the name of winning. Boys thrive on competition, so any type of game or activity that allows them to go against a peer in a competitive manner will motivate them to perform. In the following quote, Conti explains why he believes that competitions in the math classroom can spark an interest in math for boys. â€Å"Mathematics competitions are probably the extracurricular academic programs with the widest participation. The most immediate value of these math contests is obvious – they pique students’ interest in mathematics and encourage them to value intellectual pursuits. Boys love games, and many will turn just about any activity into a contest, or in other words, something to get good at. Math contests thus inspire them to become good at mathematics just like sports encourage physical fitness. Eventually, students put aside the games. By then, hopefully an interest in the underlying activity has developed† (Conti, 2001). Teachers should create competitions by having students race against one another to solve math problems or turning a test review into a basketball game, allowing students to shoot a basket for every correct answer. The teacher could also place students in groups and award points based on certain behaviors and completed tasks. A prize would be awarded to the group with the highest score at the end of the week. Jacob Kounin would agree with this point based on his theory of lesson momentum and withitness. Kounin believes that classroom teachers should be able to do a multitude of things at one time, including presenting motivating and engaging lessons, managing the class, and being aware of the classroom surroundings (Charles, 2008). He states that good teachers keep students from getting bored or otherwise frustrated with lessons. By including competition in the form of games and contests in the classroom, the teacher is able to keep the boys motivated with a lesson while still controlling the needs of the class. When boys know they have a chance to show off their skills by winning something, they will immediately become engaged and motivated to participate. Provide Connections to Real-Life Therefore, a third way that middle school math teachers can motivate boys within the classroom is to connect the material to real-life applications. Students, particularly those who come from backgrounds that undervalue education, will benefit from this strategy. Stein (1993) expressed his belief in real-world connections revolving around math lessons by stating â€Å"Because students often feel that mathematics is the subject least relevant to their daily lives, it is an important arena in which teachers can attempt to incorporate students’ funds of knowledge in the context of culturally relevant mathematics instruction†. For middle school boys, school itself is often the least important factor in their lives. Teachers can tap into their focus by relating topics to important interests in their lives. One way for teachers to do that is to use democratic teaching; a theory of Rudolf Dreikurs. Democratic teaching occurs in a classroom in which the teacher and students work together to make decisions about how the class will function (Charles, 2008). This applies to the idea of connecting math with real-world situations. Students want to know how what they are learning will benefit them in their future lives. By brainstorming different topics and careers that the students are interested in, the teacher can then develop lessons that explain how those interests or careers are affected by mathematics. Teachers should show boys how math affects their everyday lives in areas such as: household maintenance, calculating car mileage, budgeting, making larger purchases (cars and houses), or solving problems that are important to them. Connecting math to future careers can also help to motivate boys in math class. Many unmotivated boys do not realize the importance of math for success in college or the role that math plays in careers that are not overtly math-oriented. Stein also claimed that by using problems that interest and excite the students’ curiosity, students are keen to develop important problem-solving strategies. These strategies can be applied in everyday situations, not just in the mathematics classroom. Conclusion The use of meaningful and male-related motivational strategies in middle school mathematics classrooms are a great way to motivate and help boys succeed. Most boys are very intelligent when it comes to numbers and math, however it may seem â€Å"too cool† to get good grades and to apply yourself. Middle school is where students generally begin to find themselves, and a determined teacher can help to motivate students to choose the right path. A teacher’s responsibility is to make sure they have done everything in their power to help their students succeed. This means reaching out to parents, changing lessons to fit the needs of the unmotivated students in the classroom, and changing your classroom management strategies to help engage and excite the students. With little to no parental support or guidance for many boys in the classroom, a male math teacher may be exactly what these boys need. But will these same strategies work with a female math teacher? References: Charles, C. M. (2008). Twentieth-Century Pioneers in Classroom Discipline. Building Classroom Discipline (Ninth Edition). Boston: Pearson. Conti, R. , Collins, M. A. , Picariello, M. L. (2001). The impact of competition on intrinsic motivation and creativity: Considering gender, gender segregation nd gender role orientation. Personality and Individual Differences, 31(8), 1273- 1289 Grossman, H. (2004). Classroom behavior management for diverse and inclusive schools. (3rd edition). Maryland: Rowman Littlefield. Murdock, T. , Miller, A. (2003). Teachers as Sources of Middle School Students’ Motivational Identity: Variable-Centered and Person-Centered Analytic Approaches. The Elementary School Journal, 103(4), 383-399. Stein, S. L. (1993). Young’s vision. The Mat hematics Teacher, 86, 330-333. How to cite Motivating Middle School Boys, Papers

Phony Catcher In The Rye Essay Example For Students

Phony Catcher In The Rye Essay Holden Caulfield is teen angst bull-crap with a pickax. Hes sarcastic,nasty, and completely unlikeable. He also doesnt give a crap. He is everyteenager caught between the crapy little games of high school (youresupposed to kill yourself if the football team loses or something) andthe fear of adulthood (going to get an office job and make a lot of moneylike the rest of the phonies). The greatness in Holden Caulfield is that what he has to say is betterthan a million Celestine Prophecies or anything said by JonathanLivingston Seagull (save for the squawks after you shoot him) or Jesus(save for the apocryphal hey Peter I can see your house from here). Holden Caulfield says that life sucks, everyone is a phony, and youll beinevitably disappointed by everyone that you hold in awe. If you thinkthat this sounds awful, ask yourself one question. When was the last timeyou found any joy in watching Barney or the Care Bears? It isnt just what he says but the way he says it. He goes through life making dead-on observations that completely shoot the kneecaps out fromunder the terminally self-righteous. When a successful mortician tells theschool to follow his example and pray when things go bad, it is HoldenCaulfield who points out that the guy is praying for more people to die. Hes depressed by nuns and annoyed by shallow girlfriends, while in lovewith his platonic friend. Even more interesting is the fact that Caulfields general pissed offattitude and his hormones are inextricably linked. He practically wants tokill his roommate, Stradlatter, because Stradlatter might have screwed agirl he desires. He guiltily admits to making out with phonies, and in amajor confession he confesses to being a virgin. He gets the crap beat outof him by a disgruntled pimp after deciding that he doesnt want a to havesex with a prostitute for the silliest of reasons.(he just found itdisconcerting to see her take her clothes off without fanfare.)The factthat his little brother has just died and that hes being kicked out ofyet another school takes second place to the whole sex question. In otherwords, Holden Caulfield is a guy; stereotype away. What is also interesting is how closely Caulfield captures the attitudeand culture of adolescence. There is the caste system in which Ca ulfieldhates and wishes to be his roommate Stradlatter. Meanwhile zit-encrustedAckley, whom he maybe should feel sympathy for, is an annoying guy thatHolden cant wait to get out of his room. Hes sympathetic to theprinciples daughter, saying that its not her fault what kind of abastard her old man is, and without missing a beat remarks on the factthat she pads her bra. Cruelty and frustration are mixed, but the comedylevel allows you to laugh at your own painful memories. Granted, like many of his fans, Holden Caulfield turns out to be nuts orat least residing in an insane asylum. (Sorry, if you think that thosestupid surprise endings are the best reason to read Salinger.) Yet, inCaulfields insanity, there is a transcendent theme. By being the pissedoff, nasty, cynical insane bastard; Holden Caulfield suggests that it isok to be a crap. Your criticisms of the world are not invalid and nothingyou say or think is so bad that you need to repress it. Ironically, thisis not only something that is essential to survival (especially if you area teenager and desperately trying to maintain your lily-white self image)but is also the key to ultimately becoming a decent caring human being. .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e , .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .postImageUrl , .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e , .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e:hover , .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e:visited , .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e:active { border:0!important; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e:active , .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u292e984217315067a68c3db1d2466d8e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Type 2 Diabetes EssayKeep your prophets, preachers and shamans. Ill take Holden Caulfield overthem any day. Words/ Pages : 589 / 24