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

My Assembly Reflection Paper free essay sample

I am glad I spoke at the assembly. At first when I had Michael Pritchard (well- known speaker about bullying) was coming I thought, well it just another speaker (who’s) that’s here to tell us about bullying, something I don’t even do. But when I heard him speak I was moved by his speech. I could not believe that he had the courage to tell us students of the WRHS what we have done wrong. That when it hit me when Mr. Pritchard was calling people down I thought I should tell my story. After my friend John spoke I raised my hand and Mr. Pritchard picked me. I was shaking when I got up there. I said my name then I told my story of how I lost my mother when I was five and how I had a hard time making friends in school and how I was always alone . We will write a custom essay sample on My Assembly Reflection Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I just plainly told people that I sick and tired of being the butt of their jokes. After my speech I got a hug from friend and Michael Pritchard. I feel now I have good respect from people in school . And most of it comes from my dad and my step mom. I also fell since the speech I have more respect from people. Well before I end I would like to thank my dad, step mom Patti , my Grammy and my auntie Kate for there love and support through this . I would also like to thank a few people from school Doctor Mark Dotter for being a really great councilor. Erin the guidance secretary for being a person I can talk to when I just need someone to talk to in school And last but not least, Mr. Mower for cheering me up when I am down and just being a great mentor I can just come and talk to.

The Man Who Was Almost a Man essays

The Man Who Was Almost a Man essays The Man Who Was Almost a Man In The Man Who Was Almost a Man by Richard Wright, the main character Dave expresses his needs to be acknowledged as an adult. Yet he also exhibits his immaturity and the fact that he is not yet an adult and can not handle adult problems. His actions lead him into trouble that proves the fact that he is still an adolescent who can not handle problems of the adult world. The characters around Dave make him feel like he is still a child. His wants to purchase a gun to feel more powerful. In the beginning of this story, Dave talks about how a gun would change the way people acted towards him. He feels that if he owns this power, the men in the fields who work with him will have more respect for him, and his mother will start treating him as an adult. Dave feels as if he is surrounded by people who treat him as a child and he does not like this at all. You aint nothing but a boy. You dont need a gun. This statement said by Joe, is the main reason why Dave tru ly wants a gun, to feel independent. Even though Dave wants to be acknowledged as an adult, his actions are very immature and childlike. The act of cornering his mother for a gun is one good example of immaturity. Dave feels as though he can not ask his dad for the gun for fear of rejection, a perfect example of immaturity. Daves defiance to his mothers rules is another example of immaturity. Daves mother agrees to allow Dave to buy the gun as long as he promises to bring it straight to her. He agrees to this, yet he does not go along with her wish. The next morning, Dave set out to the fields early to shoot his gun. He ends up accidentally killing Mr. Hawkins mule, Jenny. The way Dave goes about dealing with this problem is childish. He panics and decides to lie about what really did happen. He makes up a story which he knows nobody will believe, yet he feels that if everyone does in fact believe him h ...

Tips for Remembering How to Spell Wednesday and Other Tricky Words

Tips for Remembering How to Spell Wednesday and Other Tricky Words Some words are tricky to spell even when you’re an adult, so imagine being a young learner trying to remember all those spelling rules. There are many tricky words in the English language and spelling rules don’t always apply.  The old adage â€Å"rules were made to be broken† is certainly true when it comes to spelling rules. â€Å"I before e except after c† is usually true  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ except for words like weird, heist, and feisty. If your student (or you!) always has a particular word or two that prove challenging, try these tricks, a  mnemonic device, or even a rhyme to help you remember. These tips can help your students remember how to spell commonly confused words like Wednesday, weird, niece, Renaissance, dessert, beautiful, accommodate, separate, and together.   How to Spell Wednesday One of the easiest ways for remembering how to spell Wednesday is to break it down into its individual syllables- Wed nes day. Pronounce it â€Å"Wed NEZ day† in your mind so that you don’t forget the d in the first syllable or the e in the second. Another trick is to use a mnemonic memory device. A mnemonic device is a technique to improve one’s ability to remember something. A common mnemonic trick is to create an acronym with the beginning letter of each word. For example, a mnemonic device for remembering the planets might be, â€Å"My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos.† This helps us to remember Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Try these mnemonic devices to help you remember how to spell Wednesday or make up one of your own: â€Å"WE Do Not Eat Sandwiches on WednesDAY† or â€Å"WE Do Not Eat Soup DAY.† How to Spell Weird The best way to remember how to spell weird is keeping in mind that it’s  a weird word because it doesn’t follow the â€Å"I before e except after c† rule. If that doesn’t help, try this trick for remembering how to spell it: We are weird.  We is the beginning of weird. How to Spell Niece Niece nicely follows the i before e, except after c rule; but it can still be confusing. Here is a tip to help you remember how to spell niece. My niece is nice.  Ni is the beginning of nice and ni is the beginning of niece. It may also help to remember that niece is spelled like piece, so make up a sentence using those two words to help you remember. Try something like, â€Å"My niece ate a piece of pie.† How to Spell Renaissance One way to remember how to spell renaissance is to think: â€Å"Rena is sance.† This can be particularly helpful if you know someone named Rena. How to Spell Dessert Dessert is tricky because it seems that it would only have one s, making the e a long vowel sound, Similarly, it would seem like desert would need two s’s to avoid the same. These sayings are helpful in remembering which word has one versus two ss. Dessert is twice as good as the desert. Strawberry Shortcake dessert and Sahara desert How to Spell Beautiful One helpful trick is the saying it is important to be a beautiful person inside and out. That way you will remember  beautiful begins with be a. You might also try a mnemonic device such as â€Å"Big Elephants Are Under Trees In Forests Until Light† or make up one of your own. How to Spell Accommodate Remember that accommodate is a big enough word to accommodate two c’s and two m’s. How to Spell Separate Many people misspell separate because of the as and es in the word. An easy way to remember to spell separate is to remember that there is a rat in the middle of the word. How to Spell Together As a young student just learning to spell, a trick to spelling together is by breaking the word down to â€Å"to get her.†

UNICEF advertisement concerning the AIDS epidemic Essay

UNICEF advertisement concerning the AIDS epidemic - Essay Example Finally, seeking to understand this advertisement from yet another perspective, the rhetorical approach of logos, demands that the individual focus upon the moment in time it just prior to the advertisement concluding and/or the moments prior to the UNICEF emblem being flashed upon the screen. Within this brief period of time all of the preceding information that has been driven by thoughts and a sense of emotional distress and need for action is juxtaposed with the statement: â€Å"What we see as fiction... Is real in Ethiopia† (Unicef 2007). Such a statement of fact links all of the seemingly disjointed emotionally charged imagery and tax that was presented previously and the advertisement to a definitive and logical conclusion. Whereas it may be hard for the individual to accept the images of orphans, innately poor, struggling to survive in burned out towns with no viable means of support or education as a fictitious rendering of a post-apocalyptic world, this is very much unfortunately the case within many parts of Ethiopia and Eastern Africa that are heavily impacted by the AIDS epidemic. By referencing all of this information and utilizing all three of the previously denoted rhetorical strategies, the director and producer, and indeed all of the people responsible for the production of this ad, effectively integrated with as large a market audience as is possible. As has been denoted through previous levels of research, effectively representing these rhetorical stragegies in the making of a well nuanced case that can be effectively presented to the viewer was the primary goal that the director and producer/writer and composer of this... UNICEF advertisement concerning the AIDS epidemic Firstly, the pathos of the video is clear and apparent from the very first frame of the video; as the viewer is greeted with an expansive cemetery perforated by concentric lines of seemingly endless white crosses. This imagery serves to evoke an emotional response within the reader by accompanying this morbid sight with very slow moving and contemplative, one might even argue depressing, music. A very clear and apparent level of connection is found to exist between those images and sounds that the viewer sees and hears and the subject matter that is being presented. Moreover, by presenting a steady stream of images connecting homelessness, poverty, orphans, and a post-apocalyptic environment, each of these emotionally charged images is capable of invoking a response upon the part of the viewer; a response that the director and producer of this brief advertisement were fully aware could be evoked. By referencing all of this information and utilizing all three of the previously denoted rhetorical strategies, the director and producer, and indeed all of the people responsible for the production of this ad, effectively integrated with as large a market audience as is possible. As has been denoted through previous levels of research, effectively representing these rhetorical stragegies in the making of a well nuanced case that can be effectively presented to the viewer was the primary goal that the director and producer/writer and composer of this piece necessarily intended.

Phrmaceutical Formulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Phrmaceutical Formulation - Essay Example It has a wide range of applications, like, levosalbutamol inhalers have been designed to help in the treatment of asthma. Pulmonary drug delivery can be used to administer a vaccine like in the case of currently inhaled measles vaccine given by nebilizer. (Molema, 2001 pg 16) Also it can be used to give medication to infants and young children who have a small tidal volume and low inspiratory flow rates by the use of a baby mask which normally is attached to spacer. (Perry, 2012 pg 25)It has been used to treat lung cancer by the means of inhaled chemotherapy which has proven to be a logical approach and also it is used on patients who are very ill who cannot withstand any more pain by inhaling opioids such as morphine and fentanyl. (Sigmund, 2009 pg10) Drugs used in pulmonary drug delivery have multi-component powders with mucoactive compounds and anti-asthmatic medicines bound together in a single particle because of the mucus layer covering the airways of the tracheobronchial struc ture. (Friebel, 2010 pg 20)The substances used in the inhalers must dissolve 100% so as not to block the air gaps to avoid suffocation. (Le, 2001 pg 37) Been affected by the rapid change of technology due to great inventions pharmaceutical industries had to do some research to come up with more efficient drug delivery system like drug powder inhalers. (Zeng, 2001 pg 8) Although drug powder inhalers has greatly boosted the pharmaceutical companies there are challenges that are experienced during its formulation like the cohesive ,adhesive property of drug and carrier aggregation, particle size , morphology of the drug and carrier aerosolization performance and powder formulation properties. (Koning, 2001 pg 40)One of the challenges in pharmaceutical industries is to characterize their various physical behaviors; here the concern is mainly focused on the study of the relations relating the properties of the grain to those of the powder bed. (Wang, 2012 pg 44)The goal is thus to be abl e to control, analyze and improve the manufacturing processes of the powder. (Talton, 1999 pg 60) To improve the aerosolization performance of drug powder inhalers, varieties of carrier and carrier types have to be sampled and studied so as to come up with the best, and the drug ratios are prepared by spray-drying so as to improve the efficiency of the drying procedure and the characterized at last. Again to improve aerosolization two critical physical properties which are the particle size and flowability has to be keenly observed where the particle size should be around 5-6   Ã‚ µm and the angle of repose to be within the ranges of 43 °Ã¢â‚¬â€œ52 ° for the flowability to boost the aerosolization. If this is done well the aerosolization performances can be improve greatly. Cohesion forces of particles used in dry powder formulation is a great nuisance to inhalers because it reduces powder flow and hinders accurate metering hence needs to reduce it and this can be achieved by blending the active pharmaceutical ingredient with a larger inert carrier so as to reduce the high cohesion forces that are normally between the micron sized active pharmaceutical ingredient particles. Adhesion forces are also of great concern in dry powder inhalers because if not catered for they make the patient to find it difficult to deliver the drug from the inhaler to his or her system hence it must be overcome or reduced by great magnitude so as to allow liberation of drug from the device with minimal energy from the patient. The particle size is a challenge in drug powder inhalation