Assignment on Nursing home Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment on Nursing home - Essay Example Commonwealth Memory Care is the only facility that is associated with Memory Care in the Norfolk area and is wholly devoted to the care of those with Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory loss and situated conveniently close to three major medical campuses – Bayview Medical Center, Bon Secours De Paul Medical Center and Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, and many nearby medical offices. The interview with the administrator of the Commonwealth Memory Care at Norfolk was conducted at the at the same centre at Norfolk that is an assisted living community that offers Alzheimer’s care and is located in Norfolk, Virginia. The interviewee was Antonio Williams who serves as the administrator of the Commonwealth Memory Care at Norfolk where the people that are associated with the centre perceive him as a leader who has a practical approach to work and one who can be trusted. Antonio Williams has been described by the families of some of the clients that receive the services of this centre as on a person whose guidance had helped their spirits that were almost heartbroken to adopt a better attitude and made the families to have a chance to enjoy the time that they had with their relatives as dealing with this disease can be hard on the families (Haaf, 1997). He is a person that has special insight in the creation of an environment that is meant to be compassionate and understanding while being supportive of the residents who have to live with the Alzheimer’s disease and he has the ability to be compassionate with both the residents and their families encouraging them in words while always being a good role model to the staff by leading through examples. For the work that he does, Antonio was able to receive the highest honour for his work being the Diamond Award for Assisted Living Director of the Year that came from the Virginia Assisted Living Association which is normally meant to distinguish

Changing the age of gambling Essay Example for Free

Changing the age of gambling Essay Everyone has gambled something in their life; it could be betting your baseball cards to see who can eat the most slices of pizza, or who is paying for soft drinks as each races to the nearest QuikTrip when you were kids. But why at the age eighteen, when we are considered adult citizens, do they restrict our rights to gamble in most casinos? If they restricted our rights to gamble, what would be next on their agenda? We need to put a stop to it now, by taking that step to re-evaluate the gambling age at twenty-one. The legalization of gambling at the age of eighteen would bring unity throughout the states, state revenue, and job opportunities. If the United States legalizes the age of gambling to eighteen it would unify all the states and discard all confusion about the age of gambling. Our neighbor from the north, Canada, has legalized gambling to the age of eighteen and prospered vastly from it. Currently, there are casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, etc. that are for the ages of twenty-one. But on the contrary, there are currently casinos on cruises and Indian reservations that are for the ages of eighteen (United 22). If America wanted to set an example for all the countries around the world, they must show more consistency with their own policies. Changing the age of gambling uniformly throughout the states has more benefits than disadvantages. The main argument against changing the gambling age was the addiction that it would bring to the people. The addiction of gambling would ruin lives and bring separation between their families (Morris 14). But why all of sudden does the government care about ruining peoples lives and separation between families? Take for instance, all the lives the government ruined through wrongfully accusing victims that are sitting in prison for no apparent reason. Also, look at how unjust that as an eighteen year old adult can serve for our country and risk their lives by being separated from our family but are still not allowed to gamble. The government does not need to put so much restriction on the minor problems, with this resolution it would allow them to focus on the major issues in the United States today. The unification of the gambling age like Canada has vastly increased the economy with casinos. Gambling in Canada has a net economic benefit that was equivalent to $3. 044 billion in 1995, up from $526 million in the 1990 economy (Council 3). Casinos in Las Vegas made $6. 1 billion in revenue since the first one opened (Council 5). Las Vegas revenue would easily triple if the legal gambling age was changed to eighteen. There tends to be casinos on Indian reservation that was for eighteen year olds and seemed very busy. Not only do they make money, but a large amount of the money was made from eighteen year olds who are attracted from surrounding cities according to one of the blackjack dealers. When the Aztar Casino opened up in Evansville, Indiana, gambling opponents feared that it would increase crime rates and encourage prostitution in the state. One would almost say that they were disappointed when their prophecies didnt prove true (Morris 19). The statistics have failed to support either the claim that the casino has caused a crime increase or any other negative expectations. As more states allowed gambling casinos in the past decade, the consensus was that casinos lowered the crime rate in the communities in which they were located. Lobbyists, developers and management pointed to studies showing dips in the crime rate after a flurry of casino construction in the 1990s (Morris 19). Casinos would become busier with the change of age to legally gamble and in return hire more positions. The gambling industry has become a major employer in most provinces in Canada, employment in the gaming industry increased from 11,900 to 39,200, an increase of 330% (Earl 7), and in Las Vegas every casino has at least 4000 employees (Earl 8). According to the 2000 census, there are about 1. 1 million eighteen year olds in the United States. Casinos would gain more business and hire more employees because of the increased business. People gambled for a variety of reasons, whether for a break from their daily lives, the thrills of the chase, or the challenge of beating the odds. Gambling should not be restricted to a certain age or to a certain area. If we legalized the age of gambling to eighteen we would bring unity throughout the states. Changing the gambling age to eighteen could maximize the states revenues through people being employed and people constantly visiting. There should be a change of the gambling age to eighteen because this policy would restrict and violate our rights as citizens within the United States. Works Cited Council of State Governments, Gambling; A Source of State Revenue Lexington: RM, 1973. Earl L. Grinols, Gambling in America: Cost and Benefits New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Morris Ploscowe and Edwin J. Lukas, Gambling: American Academy of Political and Social Science Philadelphia: Annals, 1950. United States Congress: Senate- Select Committee on Indian Affairs, Gambling on Indian Reservations and Lands Washington D. C. : G. P. O. , 1985.

Difficult To Define Identity Sociology Essay

Difficult To Define Identity Sociology Essay For all assignments of 1,000 words or more handed in after the due date and without an agreed extension, a five percent penalty applies for the first day of the missed deadline. After that, a subsequent penalty of 2% per day will be applied for the next thirteen calendar days after the due date (including Saturdays and Sundays). No assignment can be accepted after more than fourteen calendar days except in exceptional circumstances and in consultation with your lecturer or tutor. If students face a significant illness or serious issue, it may be that  Special Consideration  is warranted. If an extension of work is granted this must be specified with the signature of the lecturer or tutor. Extension granted until: Tutors Signature: If you would like written feedback for your end of semester assessment eg research essay, then please tick the box and provide an A4 self-addressed stamped envelope stapled to your assessment.  Ã‚ ± NOTE: It is your responsibility to keep a copy of your essay If there are no substantial factors to indicate that plagiarism was accidental or unintentional, plagiarism will be treated as cheating for the purposes of Monash Statute 4.1 Discipline Plagiarism: Plagiarism means to take and use another persons ideas or work and pass these off as ones own by failing to give appropriate acknowledgement. This includes material from any source published and unpublished works, staff or students, the Internet. Collusion: Collusion is the presentation of work which is the result in whole or in part of unauthorised collaboration with another person or persons. Where there are reasonable grounds for believing that plagiarism has occurred, this will be reported to the Chief Examiner, who will disallow the work concerned by prohibiting assessment or refer the matter to the Faculty Manager. For further information see the universitys Plagiarism Policy at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/execserv/policies/Academic-Policies/policy/plagarism-and-cheating.html Privacy Statement: The information on this form is collected for the primary purpose of assessing your assignment. Other purposes of collection include recording your plagiarism and collusion declaration, attending to administrative matters and statistical analyses. If you choose not to complete all the questions on this form, it may not be possible for Monash University to allow the submission of your assignment. You have a right to access personal information that Monash University holds about you, subject to any exceptions in relevant legislation. If you wish to seek access to your personal information or inquire about the handling of your personal information, please contact the University Privacy Officer on 9905 6011. Students Statement: I have read the universitys statement on cheating and plagiarism, as described in the Student Resource Guide (refer http://www.monash.edu.au/au/pubs/handbooks/srg/srg-119.html) This assignment is original and has not previously submitted as part of another unit/subject/course, I have taken proper care of safeguarding this work and made all reasonable effort to ensure it could not be copied, I acknowledge that the assessor of this assignment may for the purposes of assessment, reproduce the assignment and: Provide to another member of faculty; and/or Communicate it to the universitys plagiarism checking service (which may then retain a copy of the assignment on its database for the purpose of future plagiarism checking). I understand the consequences for engaging in plagiarism as described in University Statute 4.1. Part III Academic Misconduct (refer http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/calendar/statutes/statutes04.html#Heading110) I certify that I have not plagiarised the work of others or participated in unauthorised collusion when preparing this assignment. Signature: Sophie Boinnard Date 21-10-2011 Question 6: Discuss why is it difficult to define identity? The best way to characterize identity may be to see it as a multi-dimensional space in which a variety of writing blend and clash (Sarup, 1996, p.25). Approaches to identity are multiple and from various fields such as sociology, psychology and psychoanalysis. This vast array of theories offer as many different attributes and definitions to identity which prevent the construction of a simple definition. I will argue that identity cannot be reduced to a simple and unified definition. This is most evident by understanding and analyzing the broad differences and interconnectedness between the major theories on identity, such as psychoanalysis, symbolic interactionism and performativity, which all have something to offer, each focusing more on the aspects that are relevant for their field of study. The wish to define identity can be traced back to the Enlightenment philosophy in Europe, when humanism and the quest to find who we are and how we should behave as rational and free beings (Mansfield, 2000, p.15). Identity was then studied as a philosophical construct, and the theories, influenced by Descartes and his notion of duality of the human mind between an emotional self and a rational thoughts as constituting our identity, led to believe the subject as being I think therefore I am (Sarup, 1996, p.46). This Cartesian approach considering the self as unified stayed the main view for many years. However we now live in a post-Cartesian world, and the development of fields such as psychoanalysis, sociology and social psychology led to a shift in the way to look at identity, by decentralizing the subject (Sarup, 1996, p.46) to take into account different evolution of society and the complexity of human beings. With the development of psychoanalysis, initiated by the researches and theories of Sigmund Freud, the approach to the study of identity changed focus and meaning. Freud believed that most of our identity is based upon the result of the negotiation of actions and reactions between the individual and the external environment (Elliott, 2007, p.53), such as the family, culture and society. According to him, we are not born with an identity, but we construct one through the process of identification. This is especially true in the early ages of your life when you learn what is acceptable according to social criteria and what has to be prevented, which is then repressed according to Freud into the unconscious; the Oedipus complex is a good example of structuring the subject in terms of identification (Sarup, 1996, p.30). It is the result of these interactions which will define who we are. It is important then to notice that for Freud ones identity construction is mostly unconscious and re sides within oneself (Lawler, 2008, p.78); the focus is, as such, placed on the individual and his capacity to adapt and positively interact with the world. Following psychoanalytic traditions, academics such as Eissler theorized the sense of identity as being based on memory elements which in turn depend on the capacity of the ego to consider these memories as its own, and be then able to either repress or integrate them successfully (De Levita, 1965, p.106). Stephanie Lawler, also on memory, argues that identity is not something fundamental and essential, but something produced through the narratives people use to explain and understand their lives (Lawler, 2008, p.17). As such they use their memories to interpret their lives, and at the same time these memories are already interpretations of a past experience: memories themselves are social products. What psychoanalysis can bring to the study of identity is that it gives a way to consider the place of unconscious and non-rational elements of identity (Lawler, 2008, p.83) which are psychoanalytic elements that are necessary to understand the construction of identity but which are often denied by theorists exploring social dynamics impacts (Sarup, 1996, p.39). Furthermore, by placing the unconscious and ideas of repression at the centre of his model of identity, Freud shows that we can only know ourselves incompletely and with difficulty, rendering identity blurred and unfinished (Lawler, 2008, p.99). However, by concentrating so much on the selfs experience of identity, this approach might lack depth in understanding the impact of some social forces such as inequality, oppression and domination (Elliott, 2007, p.70). Another approach that developed around that time but in the sociological field, is the theory known as symbolic interactionism. Largely influenced by Meads theory, it gives less importance to the individual than psychoanalysis and in contrary concentrates on the effects of interactions between the social reality and an individual. In fact, Mead believes that a subjective self is fashioned and shaped by the cooperative interaction with the world and others. It is indeed through the use of symbols which meanings we learn and understand thanks to experiences, to languages, values and culture and according to our surrounding environment that we are constructing our identities (Elliott, 2007, p.32). In other words, according to Mead, we make sense of ourselves only by the time we make sense of the world and others around us, by developing a sense of difference and recognition through symbols such as language. As such, it is necessary to distinguish between the I, representing the intern al needs, feelings, whishes and the me, representing the socialized self, which appears in reaction to what we see around us (Carriera Da Silva, 2007, pp.51-59): it is the consciousness of ourselves we develop in reaction to developing a sense of others, a differentiation from them. Something common with psychoanalysis is the importance of childhood in development of the sense of self, as Mead believes in the importance of the processes of play and game in becoming a healthy mind which can interact with others and society (Carriera Da Silva, 2007, pp.48-51). However Strauss, who on that aspect shares symbolic interactionists view, rejects the idea that the self is determined only through early childhood, and would then be static, and in contrary argues about a theory of adult identity change (Musolf, 2003, p. 167) showing that we are flexible beings, and are continuously socialized into new identities (Musolf, 2003, pp. 77, 170). Finally, Strausss theory incorporates the structural influences on social behaviors that he believes are neglected in the basic theory. Language is very important, with for example our names being the first act of self-introduction and as such functions as a social object by which others may initially typify us (Musolf, 2003, pp. 164-16 5). However, symbolic interactionism has been accused of being too rationalistic, cognitive and conscious, and indeed seems to have little recognition of the relation between desire, wishes, fantasies and social control that is argued in psychoanalysis (Elliott, 2007, p.35). Later on, approaches started to focus more on how identity functioned to try and explain what it is. This is the case of Anthony Goffman who, departing from symbolic interactionism, believes in the strategic performativity of the self in everyday life as constituting different identities for ourselves where the social sphere therefore represents a stage where we have to act an identity (Lawler, 2008, p104). Our self is reflected to the world as a faà §ade, and the individual is the creative and reflective agent who decides and in doing so constitutes self identity on how to carry out such roles as well as the staging of role performances (Elliott, 2007, p. 38). We therefore have a set of identities for which we know how to perform and what expectations people have of them, and we are constantly constraint to be on display and perform, as well as adding roles to adapt to every situation (Musolf, 2003, p. 164). Taking further Goffmans performativity, Mills argues that the performing self appeared as a result of the structural transformation of society into a bureaucratic consumerist one, and that it leads to the disappearing of real bonds in society replaced by a cash nexus as the only uniting element (Musolf, 2003, pp. 164, 172). Goffman takes some distance from symbolic interactionism however as he focuses on interactions and as such gives no importance to the difference between the I and the me; this leads to questioning the presence of a real self existing outside such practices the real identity of the I, hiding behind the personae and roles people assume, but he seems to leave undeveloped this aspect of the theory, concentrating on studying the faà §ades we show and not the true identity we might have behind it (Hetherington, 1998, pp. 150-151). As such theorists like De Levita have interpreted that for Goffman, the roles we play do not hide anything comparable to what Jung would argue (1965, p.132). According to Jung, the persona regroups the totality of the roles which a certain individual fulfils and portrays to the world, a similar idea to Goffmans performance but their ideas shift as for defining the place of identity in this schema. Indeed it is explicit for Jung that the persona only is a shield for our true identity (De Levita, 1965, p.132) which is not so clear for Goffman. In contrary, he argues that the roles/performances are what make us persons; we are constantly acting, but what those roles add up to is our identity (Lawler, 2008, p.106). Take a lecturer for example; he will act differently while teaching in classes than how he is with his friends over lunch, and even differently than how he will act with his children in the evening. It doesnt mean that he is someone else more true outside of these contexts, or that he is fraudulent about his identity, but that all these roles represent who he is. Today, with the increasing influence of the media as a social force, Goffmans theory might be more adapted than ever as these media perpetuate performance demands. Indeed, as Altheide argues, our everyday life saturated by the media reshapes identity into another piece of merchandise that we shill just as advertising promotes corporate products with which we play as a toy (Altheide, 2000, pp. 13, 20). Another way of thinking about identity comes from Giddens theory of reflexivity and social change. Today according to Giddens, people are more self-aware, and therefore can make strategic decision for their future and about who they are or want to be (Giddens, 1991, p.35). Identity is not passive and has to be reflexively made from a multitude of often competing choices, and the settings of uncertainty and multiple choices render the notions of trust, risk and ontological security central to the reflexive self. Indeed, as Giddens puts it, trust is at the origin of the experience of a stable external world and a coherent sense of self-identity (Giddens, 1991, p.51). His concept considers how in late modernity humans develop a psychological self and re-focus on their identity, to try and reflect on a sense of self, helped by the many experts, information and advices, largely psychological and sociological (Elliott, 2007, p.45), which are now available about how we should live our lives , such as self-help books or TV shows like Dr Phil which reminds of what Rose calls the psy complex (Rose, 1999). Therefore our identity becomes what we believe or interpret ourselves to be and how we want to shape ourselves. His way of characterizing individuals as being almost self-mastering leads to many critics, considering his theory as too individualistic (Elliott, 2007, pp.48-49). Giddens is critical of overly pessimistic accounts of the post-modern self as fragmented (Heaphy, 2007, p.94). Instead for Giddens, individuals actively participate in forging their self-identities and in doing so contribute to social life in a way that has global implications. Giddens analysis begins with the premise that all human beings possess an awareness of what they are doing and why they are doing so, and they monitor themselves in producing and reproducing social conventions (Heaphy, 2007, pp.95, 119). The problem with this approach is that Giddens fails to take into account power relations and the possible lack of choice or the different consequences of choices. As Lash indeed argues, contradiction and contingency, he suggests, are far more characteristic of the contemporary self than Giddens theory of reflexivity will allow and he therefore counsels to use Foucaults insights on power and control where reflexivitys shows limitation (in Heaphy, 2007, pp.112-113). To have a greater account of power relation in the creation of identity, one should turn to Foucault and Foucauldian theorists. Foucaults argument is that particular kinds of identity are made up within relations of power/knowledge (Lawler, 2008, p.55). To put it simply, he argues that how we are is an effect of what we know ourselves to be, or in other words, we are addressed, and address ourselves as certain kind of person, and through this process we become that person. Lawler gives the example of the subjectivation of sexuality, showing that we dont understand sexual preference as something we do but as something we are (2008, p.59). Subjectivation is therefore the idea of becoming subjects by gaining specific identities (Lawler, 2008, p.62). Foucauldian scholars follow his theory and have argued that society is governed through self-surveillance, initiated by social institutions, to encourage individuals to actively condition and shape themselves according to social norms (Heapy , 2007, pp.33-34). Another important element is the idea that we are not regulated by the media but regulating ourselves with it, using different means such as counseling or self help books, because of our strive to be a certain type of person in order to be normal, healthy, self-fulfilled (Lawler, 2008, p.63) which relates to theories previously discussed. According to Rose, the language of psychology provides an important way of constructing ones identity, of identifying ones deepest thoughts, wishes and conflicts (Rose, 1999). However one of the critic against Foucaults ideas relates to the lack of insight into why people make subjectivation investments in some forms of self-understands and not in others, or also how such understandings come to constitute the self (Lawler, 2008, p.76). As we have seen through these renowned examples of how to frame identity, there are many approaches to the study of identity, which define or characterize it in different ways, blurring the possibility to give a simple unified definition. Identity is not a thing but a process in constant change of shape and meaning, and that is why it is difficult to grasp it. Because identity is a broad and nebulous concept, it is complex and multiple, and can mean different things depending on your purposes of research and approach. Some of these theories concentrate on how to see the individual from societys perspective, while some others study the positions of these individuals within the society, but what seems common to most of them is the idea that identity plays a role of mediator (Sarup, 1996, p.28) between the external and the internal, between the self and others. Reference list: Altheide, D. (2000). Identity and the Definition of the Situation in a Mass-Mediated Context. Symbolic Interaction, vol. 23 , pp.1-27. Carreira Da Silva, F. (2007). G. H. Mead: A critical introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press. De Levita, D. (1965). The Concept of Identity. Paris and The Hague: Mouton co. Elliott, A. (2007). Concepts of the self. Cambridge: Polity Press. Giddens, A. (1991). Modernity and Self-identity. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Heaphy, B. (2007). Late Modernity and Social Change. London and New York: Routledge. Hetherington, K. (1998). Expressions of Identity. London: Sage Publications. Lawler, S. (2008). Identity: Social Perspectives. Cambridge: Polity Press. Mansfield, N. (2000). Subjectivity: theories of self from Freud to Haraway, New York: New York University Press. Musolf, G. R. (2003). Structure and Agency in everyday life. Lanham: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. Rose, N. (1999). Obliged to be free in Governing the soul: the shaping of the private self, Second edition. London: Free Association Books. Sarup, M. (1996). Identity, Culture and the Postmodern world. Athenes: University of Georgia Press. Mark sheet Addressing the topic Excellent Very Good Good Fair Pass Poor Expression of the argument Engagement with relevant literature Use of relevant examples Originality and critical insight Range of concepts Integration of concepts Conforms to requirements of academic writing Punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, paragraphing In-text referencing

Cathedral by Raymond Carver Essay -- Raymond Carver

Cathedral: A Lesson for the Ages Raymond Carver’s short story, â€Å"Cathedral,† portrays a story in which many in today’s society can relate. We are introduced from the first sentence of the story to a man that seems to be perturbed and agitated. As readers, we are initially unsure to the reasoning’s behind the man’s discomfort. The man, who seems to be a direct portrayal of Raymond Carver himself, shows his ignorance by stereotyping a blind man by the name of Robert, who has come to stay with he and his wife. From the very beginning, Carver shows his detest for Robert but over the course of the story eases into comfort with him and in the end is taught a lesson from the very one he despised. The story begins with a description of the relation’s between he, his wife and Robert. It is unveiled that Robert employed Raymond Carver’s wife, whose name is never stated, ten years previous by having her read reports and case studies to him since his blindness would not permit him to do it himself. She hadn’t seen him since those days but â€Å"she and the blind man kept in touch. They mailed tapes and sent them back and forth.† (506) The story also is set up by briefly describing Carver’s wife’s past relations with her first husband. Their past marital troubles seem to be a main basis for the wife’s and Robert’s extended contact. After this background history, the story then jumps into the present with the Blind man on his way to stay for a night. The blind man is invited to stay with the Carver’s by Raymond’s wife for he has just been through the death of his own wife and is now alone. Even this being the case, Raymond Carver’s distaste for the blind man is evident from the first paragraph on. â€Å"I wasn’t enthusiastic about his visit. He was no one I knew. And his being blind bothered me.† (506) Carver’s distaste for Robert is blatantly apparent even subsequent to his arrival at their home. It also becomes quite clear that his wife disapproves of his attitude toward Robert and fails to see how he could be so self-centered. â€Å"My wife finally took her eyes off the blind man and looked at me. I had the feeling she didn’t like what she saw. I shrugged† (509) The other emotion highly present from the beginning is that of the attitude of Robert. We are introduced to what appears to be a quick witted and pleasant man, especially considering the recent death of his wi... ... point the strong change in interaction between the two characters. The blind man diligently places his hand on that of Carver and they draw, together. The two are intently drawing the cathedral when Robert asks Carver to keep drawing but with his eyes closed too. He obeys and continues this is the climax of the story for Carver now briefly gets a glimpse of what it is like to live with the ailment of blindness. He is temporarily awed at the feeling for it is one he has obviously never experienced. â€Å"It’ really something†, he says (515) Although it took this lesson, Carver now seems to understand, even if only for a fleeting moment, his own prejudice and feels compassionate with Robert. He begins the story with a quick judgment but ends with a lesson that we can all learn from. The two gentlemen appear seemingly different and in the beginning but learn form one another and in the end grow to indeed appreciate one another. It seems ironic though that although Robert rendered the physical ailment, we see Carver too was blind to many things. Works Cited Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral." The Harper Anthology of Fiction Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1991.

Gilbert & Sullivan- the Mikado

Alex Ewanyk American Musical Theater History Writing Assignment 1 Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado 2/7/13 Most would agree to say that two is better than one. William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan are by any means no exception to this. Gilbert, a playwright, and Sullivan, a composer, combined their talents to make the dream team of musical theatre. Together they have made some of the greatest and sophisticated musicals the world will ever see. The best of their shows are still being performed today, one of which is their famous musical, The Mikado.The Mikado is a comical musical which poked fun at a few aspects of England’s culture at the time. It quickly became popular among both the British and Americans. It eventually became popular in many other countries, which was an extraordinary feat at the time. Gilbert and Sullivan have an interesting history before coming together to make their great works such as The Mikado. Before William Gilbert started writing, he was an attorney. O n the side he would write poems which led to a series of his illustrated comical poems getting published by a few popular British magazines.This eventually opened the door to his career as a playwright. During the time Gilbert was starting his writing career, Arthur Sullivan was already making waves as a serious composer. He knew this was what he wanted to do with his life and for good reason. He was a great composer who could make a song to fit any mood. Sullivan was already making a great deal of money with his works and felt very comfortable, but both he and Gilbert could never have foreseen what was next to come. In the 1860’s John Hillingshead, the owner of the Gaiety Theatre hired Gilbert to write and Sullivan to compose their first work together titled Thepsis.In the crowd at the showing of Thepsis was aspiring producer Richard D'Oyly Carte and saw something in the work of Gilbert and Sullivan. He eventually contacts them to write a curtain raiser which turned out to b e very profitable. After the money started coming in, G;S were hooked. From then on, their career together officially started. The rest is history. One of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most famous work was a comedy called The Migato. The synopsis of this amusing musical is as follows. Before the story begins, Nanki-Poo, the Mikado’s son, fled from his father’s palace to escape being forced to marry Katisha, an elderly lady of the court.Nanki-Poo has become a traveling performer who falls in love with Yum-Yum, however he can’t marry her because Ko-Ko, her guardian, has decided to marry her himself. Nanki-Poo learns that Ko-Ko has been sentenced to death for violating the Mikado’s law against flirting. Nanki-Poo arrives in Titipu to determine if Ko-Ko has been executed, and therefore, if Yum-Yum is free to marry him. He encounters Pooh-Bah, a corrupt public official, and Pish-Tush, a noble, who informs him that Ko-Ko was saved at the last moment by a set of events, and then raised to the high rank of Lord High Executioner.Nanki-Poo loses hope when he learns that Ko-Ko plans to marry Yum-Yum immediately. There have been no executions in Titipu since Ko-Ko became Lord High Executioner. Ko-Ko receives a letter from The Mikado ordering him to execute someone or else lose his position as Lord High Executioner. As Ko-Ko ponders his dilemma of trying to find someone to execute, Nanki-Poo appears, saying that he’s going to commit suicide because he can’t marry Yum-Yum, the women he loves. Ko-Ko offers to allow Nanki-Poo to marry Yum-Yum for one month, after which, he will become his execution victim.Suddenly, Katisha appears and discovers Nanki-Poo, her lost love. After she is driven away, she rushes to inform the Mikado that his son has been found. As it goes into Act II, Yum-Yum is preparing for her one-month marriage to Nanki-Poo. Ko-Ko arrives with the shocking revelation that he has discovered a law decreeing that when a ma rried man is executed, his widow must be buried alive. Because of this the marriage between Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo is canceled. Nevertheless, Ko-Ko must find a â€Å"substitute† for execution or he will be decapitated by The Mikado. Nanki-Poo contrives a solution to save Ko-Ko’s life.A false contract confirming his own execution, but in exchange, he must be allowed to marry Yum-Yum and leave the country forever. Ko-Ko agrees. The Mikado finally arrives in Titipu. Ko-Ko believes that the purpose of his visit is to confirm that an execution has taken place so he produces the contract and proceeds to describe the execution with gusto. However, The Mikado has actually come to Titipu in search of his lost son and learns from the contract that Ko-Ko and his ministers executed his son. He declares them guilty of â€Å"composing the death of the Heir Apparent†.Their only hope to avoid execution is to show Nanki-Poo’s alive. Nanki-Poo hesitates to reveal himself, f earing that if Katisha learns that he has married Yum-Yum she will have him executed. The dilemma is resolved by Ko-Ko, who, at Nanki-Poo’s suggestion, woos, wins, and weds Katisha. In the end, all conflicts are put to an end as they celebrate Nanki-Poo’s marriage to Yum-Yum and Ko-Ko’s marriage to Katisha. This show quickly became extremely popular in England due to how it related to them but was also popular in the U. S. because of how funny, amusing, and ingenious it was.During the time The Mikado was created, the British were going through an â€Å"all things Japanese† craze. They were in a sense obsessed with the Japanese culture and customs for some reason. So in a sense, Gilbert was poking fun at this obsession while writing this play which centers on Japan in a humorous fashion. Let it be understood that he wasn’t making fun of Japan, but playing with the fact that people were trying to mimic the Japanese ways. As The Mikado got introduced to the U. S. , Americans actually started to adopt this trend of all things Japanese. â€Å"Mikado-Mania† was the name given to the American craze.A funny fact about The Mikado is that it’s one of the few musicals that every caused a diplomatic argument. When the prince of Japan visited England in 1907, the work was temporarily banned from being performed. This ban in turn backfired because the prince actually was hoping to see the play during his visit. This fact alone shows how widespread talk of The Mikado was. Gilbert and Sullivan will go down in history as one of the greatest stage musical teams of all time, if not the greatest. With works like The Mikado, how could they not be one of the greatest?Their plays have even been performed in other languages such as French, German, and Yiddish. After 120 years The Mikado is still one of the most frequently produced musicals of all time and fully deserves to be. Bibliography Ainger, Michael. Gilbert and Sullivan: A Dual Biography. N. p. : Oxford UP, 2002. Print. Kenrick, John. â€Å"Gilbert & Sullivan 101. † Musicals101. com. N. p. , 2000. Web. 1 Feb. 2013. ;http://www. musicals101. com/g;s101. htm;. â€Å"Plot Summary. † Gilbert and Sullivan Archive. N. p. , n. d. Web. 06 Feb. 2013. ;http://math. boisestate. edu/gas/mikado/html/summary. html;.

Evidence Based Essay

Teaching in the twenty first century has become a major challenge for everyone involved with education. Not only do teachers have to worry about test scores and how to handle the multitude of differences when it comes to students. But, also making sure they have adequate documentation to support all the differences and education they are supplying. When adding the documentation and strategies to special education students it becomes even more difficult. However, using strategies that align with Common Core can easily engage and participate those that are special education students and have them become successful. Now that our country has moved more and more towards Common Core instruction it is important that teachers do not lose those that are struggling to learn. Adding the toughness and rigor of Common Core easily complicates this situation. As teachers we need to learn to adapt to the changing curriculum and engage our students in a way that they can still learn through the Common Core instruction. One way to do this is through using a variety of assessments. Variety of assessments allows teachers free range how to assess their children based on their learning styles. This can be done by using either formative or informative assessments. Formative assessments is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes (Dodge,2012). When we use formative assessments it is allowing us to see exactly the areas of need/improvement, as well as the areas of strength. This is wonderful because it allows teachers the opportunity to then re-teach students based off their areas of need. When we are teaching math it is important that we try to keep the lessons as actively engaging as possible. Math tends to be a  big struggle for many special education students. The more Common Core is pushed on students the more they feel as though they might not have the ability to learn. Therefore, using an inquiry and student learning model can benefit those who struggle with math. The inquiry and student learning model is where the teaching is put back on the students in the role of hands-on inquiry (Hertz, 2013). The teacher does the modeling and the students then do the work with each other and explain the process. This really allows the teacher ample time to observe and go work with students and grab data that might not be possible. While this is happening, the children are actually having fun and they are learning! Another way to engage children with Common Core is during reading and language arts instruction. Teaching children to read is the foundation for educational success. In order to get kids engaged in learning we need to make it fun and have the students take value in what they are doing. Reading is a wonderful subject, when done correctly, the teacher can really make it fun. Having students go through a topic or core for the day and then focusing differentiated hands-on centers will really allow the students to use what they are learning more effectively. Instead of students reading in a group and then doing worksheets, they are actually putting letters together using letter cubes or play –doh. Taking the concept they just learned about and making it into their own writing story. These are activities that children love and remain engaged in and what classrooms should be doing. Another way to ensure learning is taking place for all students is making sure that the space is free of any safety concerns for those who have physical or health limitations. Physically handicapped students are aware of the fact that they are physically different that most others and that there are certain things they cannot do (Watson 2011). Therefore, it is up to the teachers to set a positive image from the beginning. This will limit the amount of talking and self-esteem crushing that can take place in the classroom. It is also important for the teacher to set up the room before any children come in, so the environment is already positively set. Making sure that the room and areas are de-cluttered, and there is a defined area for a wheelchair to get through can make a big difference in how a physically challenged student feels. It is also important to let all involved with the disabled student, what the plans are in case of emergencies, such as; fire drills or a lock-down  situation. Teachers need to do their jobs to ensure the safety of all students disabled or not. Students that enter a classroom and are physically disabled, usually have some fine or gross motor skill issues. These issues can be worked on through an occupational therapist, but also need to be reinforced when the occupational therapist is not in the room. When it comes to cutting or using a scissors the teacher should find out if the student benefits from a hand over hand assist or the use of a specialized scissors to complete the task. Knowing how severely the student’s handwriting is effected is also a very important thing to note. If the student has extremely poor motor skills and writing is not an option, then the teacher needs to look into getting a communication device that will do the typing and written work for the student. It is also beneficial to know how much self-help the child needs. Does the child need help going to the bathroom and washing their hands, or zipping up a coat? These are all questions that can decline the amount of frustration on a teacher before the student is even in the classroom. Using all of these strategies can really help and cut down on any behavioral issues that can arise when a student becomes frustrated and overwhelmed by the amount they are not able to do. Since physically handicapped children have many issues to sort out, it might become overwhelming for them and they might not be able to socialize correctly or discuss how they are feeling. When this happens they need the support and strategies to help them work through their feelings. Teachers might have the students engage in a social skills group with only four or five other students. The one leading the group can focus on different social issues; such as; embarrassment, bullying, feeling left out. Even if the disabled child is unable to talk, they can bring their assistive technology to help them participate. Role-playing can also be a huge positive for everyone. Many times children do not know and understand what it is like to be physically handicapped and not have the ability to run and play soccer. So, when the shoe is on the other foot in a role-playing mode the students can then begin to see how much the disabled child is affected. Social skill interventions start with accurate diagnosis and continue by allowing students to practice positive social interactions in a step-by-step, decision-by-decision fashion (Beelmann, Pfingsten, & Losel, 1994). Teaching children is an art form. It is something that cannot be explained and truly  understood until others have walked in those shoes. All teachers can do is hope that we are using strategies effectively and communicating accurately to reach the needs of all the students, whether they are disabled or not. By using strategies and accommodations we are opening the door of possibilities and one that will benefit all that are involved not just the ones who qualify for those strategies and accomm odations. References Beelmann, A., Pfingsten, U., & Losel, F. (1994). Effects of training social competence in children: A meta-analysis of recent evaluation studies. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 23(3), 260-271. Dodge, J (2012). Tips for using formative assessments to help you differentiate instruction and improve student achievement. Retrieved fromhttp://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/what-are-formative-assessments-and-why-should-we-use-them Hertz, M (2013). Common Core Standard: Third Grade Math Strategies. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ccss-3rd-grade-math-strategies-mary-beth-hertz Watson, S (2011). Physically Handicapped Students. Retrieved from http://specialed.about.com/od/physicaldisabilities/a/physical.htm