What Defines Our Gender Development Of A Societal...

What Defines Our Gender? : Development of a Societal Standard for Men Main stream culture is consistently changing and actions such as bullying seem to always be overwhelmingly present, however, one thing has remained the same for decades; real men don’t cry. The â€Å"Guy Code† is every man’s worst enemy. The ideas of beauty and sexuality are ever changing. In the past, men used to not work in the fashion industry in fear of losing their masculine reputation; now men appear in a variety of media and advertisements. Men used to strive to prove their worth as a real man; now they are doing anything to prove they are not a homosexual. Although generations are passing and times are changing, Michael Kimmel firmly believes that the â€Å"Guy Code† is engrained in the minds of men forever; in fear of being emasculated, men will jump hurdles to prove themselves, even with the psychological repercussions. The profound idea of the â€Å"Guy Code† has been around for generations. When trying to clearly define the rules of the â€Å"Guy Code,† Kimmel revisited the work of Psychologist Michael Brannon. In 1976, Brannon summarized the four basic rules of masculinity in The Forty-Nine Per Cent Majority which consisted of â€Å"No Sissy Stuff, Be a Big Wheel, Be a Sturdy Oak, Give ‘em Hell† (Kimmel, 2009, pg. 464). Kimmel took into consideration the writing of Brannon, and expressed that â€Å"these four rules have changed very little†¦ of high-school and college-age men† (2009, pg. 464). One may agree with Kimmel inShow MoreRelatedGender And The Early Developmental Stages Of An Adolescent s Life886 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Gender† is a social construct that is developed solely by our society and the early developmental stages of an adolescent’s life. By introducing youths to the roles, behaviors, expectations and activities that correspond with males or females we give a clear guideline of what is accepted from a young male or female. An individual however can identify his or her gender based on their own system of beliefs without corresponding to their natural biological sex. Our lives are shaped by our true biologicalRead MoreThe Harsh Inequality Of Women1245 Words   |  5 PagesThe definition of gender roles is a set of societal norms dictating what types of behavior is generally considered acceptable based on the gender of a person. Additionally, if you don’t seem to accept this standard, there can be huge consequences. For example, in India, women are viewed as a burden and a â€Å"extra mouth to feed.† Her status promotes the idea that men can treat them in a subdued manner. If they don’t comply to these requirements, then a woman is murdered by her husband or his familyRead MoreGender Roles And Its Effects On Society1405 Words   |  6 PagesGender Roles In Todays Society Are Due To Nurture Society today places many ideals when it comes to proper behaviours regarding gender roles. These are considered societal norms that are widely debated and controversial. Society has created a norm, which encompasses specific expectations and rules that change the daily lives of men and women, giving them specific tasks and behaviours to abide by. These standards are known as gender roles, which are defined as distinguishing actions, thoughts, andRead MoreThe Documentaries Killing Us Softly 4 Essay1252 Words   |  6 Pagessocialization, especially involving the perpetuation of gender roles in our culture. At a very young age, children learn, without difficulty, the differences between boys and girls, and what standards they are held to. Women are often objectified, systematically demoralized, and dehumanized in the music video industry and mainstream advertisement. External forces, such as the media, not only guide children to understand the norms of each gender, but these forces a lso shape children and adolescent’sRead More Gender Identity Disorder Essay1594 Words   |  7 PagesGender, Sex, Sexuality: Separate and NOT equal. First and foremost, a few key terms to keep in mind while reading this paper. Sex†: refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women.[1] â€Å"Gender†: refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.[2] â€Å"Gender identityâ€Å": an individuals self-conception as being male or female, as distinguished from actual biologicalRead MoreMasculinity : Masculinity And Masculinity Essay1623 Words   |  7 Pagesstring of words that no heterosexual man wants to hear, â€Å"You’re acting like a girl!† To a straight or heterosexual man those words would be a shot to his manhood. To most men and boys in western society, masculinity is what separate the men from the women and the boys from the girls. However, what is masculinity and why do most men and boys’ try so hard to guard theirs? My understanding of masculinity, and as technically defined, is having customary qualities attributed to or usually applicable toRead MoreWork Life Balance : Myth Or Reality? Essay1650 Words   |  7 Pagesthem according to her own choice. However, the difficulties women are facing nowadays in balancing work and family cannot be left unnoticed. Women nowadays confront more challenges in juggling parenthood, career and personal growth because of the gender role imposed on them, the lack of the accommodation at the workplace, and views regarding women’s biological and emotional biases that prevent them from success in professional arena. As a result of these challenges, women sacrifice— it is difficultRead MoreThe Principle Of Male Primogeniture Essay1274 Words   |  6 Pageson the flexibility of customary law. The core theme of this paper is male primogeniture. The paper will define what customary law is. Male primogeniture is a distinct custom that has been part of the Valoyi tradition. The essay will, therefore, make a distinction between custom and customary law and draw a further distinction between official and living customary law. Lastly, the essay will define constitutional democracy and consider case law that prove that male primogeniture is unconstitutionalRead MorePersonal Statement On Non Verbal Communication1136 Words   |  5 Pagesen joyed most of the class, I remember one project in particular which I initially rejected as not applicable to myself. We discussed in class that men and women generally physically carry themselves differently and interact in the world in differing ways using non-verbal cues. Our text explained the non-verbal communication we use is often influenced by gender. The list for women seemed submissive and yielding. This is not how I saw myself; I expressed as much to Josie. She encouraged me to becomeRead MoreGender Stereotypes And Gender Roles980 Words   |  4 PagesChildren learn at a very early age what it means to be a boy or a girl in our society. As children grow and develop, the gender stereotypes they are exposed to at home are reinforced by many elements in their environment and are thus perpetuated throughout childhood followed by adolescence. One major societal issue uprising with the way children are raised in today’s society is the gender specific dressing for b oys and girls. The history with gender specific dressing is a one sided masculine enforced

Challenges and Rewards I Will Face as a Teacher Essay

There are many rewards and challenges a teacher will face. Not every teacher may have the same rewards and challenges as another teacher. In the following paragraphs I will share three of my own rewards and three challenges I will face as a teacher. The first reward is my desire to work with young people. I want to interact with young people and help them learn and develop. Teaching is a satisfying profession. A national survey suggests that teachers as a group are satisfied with the profession and their level of satisfaction has increased in the last 25 years (Introduction to Teaching, 2007, pg. 5). Being able to help in shaping our young people gives one a great feeling. The second reward of teaching is being appreciated. Not only do†¦show more content†¦There are some things that we as teachers first learn about as we teach it to our young people. There is really so much stuff we teach that is so exciting for us as well as our young people. The challenges teachers face ha s big impact on how we deal with different situations within our classrooms. One challenge is multidimensional classrooms. Not only is your life multidimensional, but our classrooms are as well. There are times when we will put our students into different groups and we will have to monitor each group well some students are asking for permission to go to the bathroom or other things. A big distraction is when you have some students with special needs or students who need extra help being pulled from the classroom by other teachers during a lesson. Some students will stay focused when this happens but there are other students who will drift off. Announcements, assemblies, an other school functions add to the complexity (Introduction to Teaching, 2007, pg. 11). A common response from teachers with these situations say or think, â€Å"If I only had time to teach†. Another challenge is classroom events are simultaneous. There are many different events that occur at the same time. When you are trying to begin a lesson or in the middle of a lesson, you get students who need immediate attention, students asking questions, and students giving you late slips or dismissal slips. The key to dealingShow MoreRelatedHow Can Teachers Use Rewards And Praise?1362 Words   |  6 Pagesof our children at school we think of a well-managed classroom and an organized teacher who is providing ample opportunities for learning. For the most part classrooms are orderly and well behaved. Teachers recognize the importance of classroom management and a positive relationship with all students to ensure their learning. Although this is easier said than done, one of the most difficult challenges as a teacher is managing student’s behaviors. If one or a number of students demonstrate negativeRead MoreHow Can Teachers Use Rewards And Praise?1435 Words   |  6 Pagesof our children at school, we think of a well-managed classroom and an organized teacher who is providing am ple opportunities for learning. For the most part classrooms are orderly and well behaved. Teachers recognize the importance of classroom management and a positive relationship with all students to ensure their learning. Although this is easier said than done, one of the most difficult challenges as a teacher is managing student’s behaviors. If one or a number of students demonstrate negativeRead MoreStudents And Their Technology Usage1485 Words   |  6 Pageshas also given instant access to information that at one time was not easy to retrieve unless they went to the library. It has provided students and teachers with unlimited amounts of of information at their fingertips, enabling students to come up with new and exciting ideas for projects. Without this being said, it is the greatest gift to teachers and their students, within all age groups. showing educators it has had a positive impact on students independent research skills. Even though theRead MoreProfessional Development At A Charter School Teacher844 Words   |  4 PagesAs a charter school teacher, I have had many Professional Development days dedicated to classroom management. The latest one focused on Positive Classroom Management. This PD day was by far the most positive and enlightening guidance to classroom management. There are times when I have faced the challenge of remaining positive and calm no matter what situation occurs. The important thing to remember is to stay positive. All students respond to incentives and one of the greatest incentives is theRead MoreWhen Reflecting On The Challenges That I Face As A Teacher,948 Words   |  4 Pagesreflecting on the challenges that I face as a teacher, some major challenges quickly stand out. Such obstacles are overpopulated classrooms, excessive paperwork, and limited resources. Even though these challenges are the first that come to mind, they are not my biggest hurdles. The two most significant challenges to me are the restra ints from time and balancing personal life and work. It always seems like there is not enough time in a school day or year. At the start of the year, I am tasked withRead MoreMy Best Qualities For Teaching1404 Words   |  6 Pagesis my determination and patience. If something does not go to plan, I am disappointed for a moment, but I am quick to come up with a new plan to try. I think this will be especially useful in the classroom, especially since each day might not be a great day. I am confident that I will be able to take on the challenge and work to provide the best instruction possible for my students (even if it means foregoing my original plans!) I also think my patient attitude will be helpful in conjunction withRead MoreIndividual Education Plans: Learning Disabilities1070 Words   |  5 Pagesdetermined that I was never going to be able to function as an adult in any meaningful way. Never graduate from high school, never even go to high school, never work or have a job or be married or have kids or any of the thing s you dream about. She told my parents they needed to put me in an institution in Maryland, where she had already reserved a spot for me.† – Quinn Bradlee, A Different Life Though Quinn’s case may sound extreme, it is not far from what many parents and children face on a dailyRead MoreThe Tough Kid New Teacher Book968 Words   |  4 PagesKid New Teacher Book There are many problems that new teachers face in the classroom and many were unexpected to me and I was unprepared. Class sizes were large, classes were diverse and funding was scarce. The largest problem I encountered was finding solutions for dealing with misbehaved students. The Tough Kid was written to address these problems and guide new teachers in the classroom. The authors state the many problems of discipline and classroom management for new teachers and provideRead MoreThe Importance Of A Guidance Technician And Guidance Professional1736 Words   |  7 Pagesfiveactivities packet For this packet all you need to do is type directly on this page underneath each of the bold activities listed below. As you type in the boxes they will expand. Then save your work (I suggest you save often) and submit your completed packet to the dropbox. Make sure to save it in a format that I will be able to open in the dropbox. Activity #1 (45 min): Answer the following questions about the textbook reading (just type in the box below the question: Describe two key differences betweenRead MoreA Worthy Leader689 Words   |  3 Pages Leaders are people that challenge a person to be the best they can be. A leader is a person that uses encouragement to bring out the best in a person, and will pull someone through a difficult phase in life. A leader is someone that takes a person’s weakness and makes it a strength. I met four such people this year. It is my opinion that these four people are very worthy leaders. It is often said that the best leaders need no recognition. These four people though worthy of a medal, at the end of

Management and Sandwich Blitz Unit free essay sample

After reviewing the Eight Steps in â€Å"Rethinking Integrity,† By Sherman, Stratford, I believe that Dalmen and the location manager need to â€Å"Do the Right Thing. † Doing the right thing entails being aware of what’s right and it comes with the obligation of taking the right action. This means standing up for your principles and accepting the consequences. The most influential attribute a business can have in integrity. I believe that when business integrity is present within the company and not just on the surface, it becomes the most vital part of the company’s philosophy, and can determine whether or not it succeeds or fails. Integrity begins with the company leader who understands and adheres to the qualities of integrity. I believe that with everything I have read about Sandwich Blitz and Dalmen and Lei, the business is sound and was based on integrity. By â€Å"doing what is right,† Dalmen and Lei have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to expand their business to several locations and continually make a profit. We will write a custom essay sample on Management and Sandwich Blitz Unit or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page By not â€Å"doing what is right† in this instance, it would destroy everything they were founded upon. There are several things that need to be taken into consideration when operating a company. Every [continues] Read full essay Cite This Essay APA (2012, 03). Dalmen and Lei Sandwich Blitz Unit 8 Assignment. StudyMode. com. Retrieved 03, 2012, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Dalmen-And-Lei-Sandwich-Blitz-Unit-932575. html MLA Dalmen and Lei Sandwich Blitz Unit 8 Assignment StudyMode. com. 03 2012. 2012. 03 2012 .

Play materials by preschool teachers free essay sample

Play is essential for optimal development Play is a universal phenomenon with a pervasive and enduring presence in human history. 1,2,3 Play has fascinated philosophers, painters, and poets for generations. Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the significance of play in the lives of children, acknowledging play as a specific right, in addition to and distinct from the child’s right to recreation and leisure. 4 Early childhood educators have long recognized the power of play. The significant contribution of play to young children’s development is well documented in child psychology, anthropology, sociology, and in the theoretical frameworks of education, recreation, and communications. 5 Being able to play is one of the key developmental tasks of early childhood. 6 Play is â€Å"the leading source of development in the early years†:7 it is essential to children’s optimal development. 8 Children’s opportunities to play are under threat Ironically, play is persistently undervalued, and children’s opportunities for uninterrupted free play – both indoors and out – are under threat. We will write a custom essay sample on Play materials by preschool teachers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The physical and social environments of childhood in the Western world have changed dramatically over the past several decades. 9,10 Many children are spending substantial time in peer-group settings from a very young age. Many of these settings focus on structured educational and recreational activities, leaving little time for participation in open-ended, selfinitiated free play. 11 Children’s play advocates are concerned that access to outdoor play opportunities in natural environments in neighborhoods is vanishing. Technology, traffic, and urban land-use patterns have changed the natural play territory of childhood. 12 Parents are increasingly concerned about safety and children find themselves in carefully constructed outdoor playgrounds that limit challenge in the name of safety. 13,14,15 The priority currently given to the early acquisition of academic skills is another threat to children’s play. 16 This emphasis often constrains and limits the scope of the learning that unfolds naturally in play. The question of how and what children should learn in preparation for formal school is a subject of vigorous debate in Canada. It used to be that children spent their preschool years playing, whether at home, in child care, or in preschool social settings. Many now advocate for early childhood programs focused on literacy and numeracy experiences, particularly in cases where social and environmental circumstances potentially compromise children’s readiness for school. In recent years, the trend has been to introduce more content via direct instruction into the practice of earlychildhood professionals. Research demonstrates that this approach, while promising in the short term, does not sustain long-term benefits and, in fact, has a negative impact on some young children. 17 Long uninterrupted blocks of time for children to play – by themselves and with peers, indoors and outdoors – are becoming increasin ­ gly rare. The developmental literature is clear: play stimulates physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development in the early years. Children need time, space, materials, and the support of informed parents and thoughtful, skilled early-childhood educators in order to become â€Å"master players. †18 They need time to play for the sake of playing. What is play? Why is it important? Almost any adult you meet can recall a pleasurable childhood play experience, often in rich and vivid detail. When we recall our childhood play, we talk about feelings – of freedom, of power, of control, and of intimacy with friends. Many of us remember endless, delicious time spent in secret places – the time and place still palpable. We remember the feel of the wind, the touch of the grass, the sound of creaking stairs, and the smell of a dusty attic. Play is meaningful experience. It is also tremendously satisfying for children, a pursuit they seek out eagerly, and one they find endlessly absorbing. Anyone who has spent any time watching children play knows they engage deeply and they take their play very seriously. Although play is a common experience, and a universal one, it is difficult to define precisely for the purposes of multidisciplinary scholarly research. Play is paradoxical – it is serious and non-serious, real and not real, apparently purposeless and yet essential to development. It is resilient – children continue to play in the most traumatic of situations – and yet fragile – there is increasing evidence that play deprivation has a damaging impact on development. 19 In a much-quoted review of play theory and research, authors Rubin, Fein, and Vandenburg20 draw together existing psychological definitions, developing a consensus around a definition of play behaviour as †¢ Intrinsically motivated †¢ Controlled by the players †¢ Concerned with process rather than product †¢ Non literal †¢ Free of externally imposed rules †¢ Characterized by the active engagement of the players These characteristics now frame much of the scholarly work on children’s play. Anthropological investigations of children’s play focus on the complex relationships between play and culture: the obvious links between children’s play and adult social roles, and the sense in which play creates a culture among children, with rules of engagement and rites of passage. 21 An intriguing perspective in play research considers the meaning of play from the perspective of the players themselves. 22 Children have their own definitions of play and their own deeply serious and purposeful goals. In a recent study, children defined play based on the absence of adults and the presence of peers or friends. 23 Taken together, these definitions give us a glimpse of the complexity and depth of the phenomenon of children’s play. There are many forms of play in childhood, variously described as exploratory play, object play, construction play, physical play (sensorimotor play, rough-and-tumble play), dramatic play (solitary pretense), socio-dramatic play (pretense with peers, also called pretend play, fantasy play, make-believe, or symbolic play), games with rules (fixed, predetermined rules) and games with invented rules (rules that are modifiable by the players). These forms of play evolve over the course of early childhood. Naturally occurring episodes of play often have a mix of different types of play. For example, a block construction representing buildings leads naturally to a dramatic play episode with toy cars and people. The complexity of each type of play develops over the course of childhood. For example, symbolic play begins in toddlers with simple pretense – pretending to say hello to grandma on a toy telephone – peaking during the preschool years in complex extended episodes of pretend play with peers. The developmental progression that we observe in different types of play mirrors development in other areas; for example, language and symbolic play emerge in young children at approximately the same time in cultures around the world. Children begin to create and play active games with predetermined rules and with invented rules when they develop sufficient physical strength and coordination and the capacity for concrete operational thought. 32 Play and Diversity Recent research emphasizes the importance of interpreting children’s pretend play within a social and cultural context. 24 The sociocultural context is important in informing practice in diverse societies such as Canada. Cultures have different attitudes and values about play. The prominence given to the development of socio-dramatic play in Western culture is not universal. 25 This is increasingly a significant consideration for early childhood educators in Canada. There are sociocultural themes in pretend play26,27 and these have implications for the way we design play environments in communities as well as early childhood 2 LET THE CHILDREN PLAY: Nature’s Answer to Early Learning settings. 28 Children find it difficult to engage in pretend play if the props and settings are unfamiliar. In a culturally sensitive context, play has the potential to bridge between cultures, helping newcomer children develop bicultural competence. 29,30 Children explore and express their understanding of aspects of diversity in their play. It is important for adults to respond to children’s interpretations of diversity in their play – gender roles, ability and disability, socioeconomic class – particularly if they are inaccurate or hurtful to other children. 31 KIND OF PLAY DESCRIPTION AGE RANGE OF GREATEST INCIDENCE Exploratory play/object play/ sensory play Very young children explore objects and environments – touching, mouthing, tossing, banging, squeezing. Sensory play appears in children’s early attempts to feed themselves. As they get older, materials like playdough, clay, and paint add to sensory-play experiences. 0–2. 5 years Dramatic play (solitary pretense) Many young children spend a lot of time engaged in imaginative play by themselves throughout the earlychildhood years. They invent scripts and play many roles simultaneously. Toys or props, (e. g. , dolls, cars, action figures) usually support this kind of play. As children get older, they create entire worlds in solitary pretense, often with large collections of small objects or miniature figures. 3–8 years Construction play Children begin to build and construct with commercial toys (Lego, Tinkertoys, blocks), with found and recycled materials (cardboard boxes, plastic tubing) and with a variety of modelling media, (clay, playdough, plasticine). Older children play for extended periods with complex commercial model sets. Children across the age range engage in this kind of play by themselves and in groups, often combining it with episodes of solitary pretense or socio-dramatic play. 3–8 years Physical play Sensorimotor play begins as young infants discover they can make objects move; e. g. , kicking the figures on a crib mobile or crawling after a rolling ball. Physical play in the preschool years often involves rough-and-tumble play, a unique form of social play most popular with little boys. Rough and tumble play describes a series of behaviours used by children in play fighting. Adults often mistake it as aggression. Older preschoolers engage in vigorous physical activity, testing the boundaries of their strength by running, climbing, sliding, and jumping, individually and in groups. This kind of play often develops spontaneously into games with invented rules. 3–8 years Socio-dramatic play Pretend play with peers – children take on social roles and invent increasingly complex narrative scripts, which they enact with friends in small groups. 3–6 years Games with rules Children begin to play formal games in social groups. These games have fixed, predetermined rules; e. g. , card games, board games, soccer, and hockey. 5 years and up Games with invented rules Children begin to invent their own games and/or modify the rules of traditional playground games in their self-organized playgroups; e. g. , tag, hide-andseek, red rover, hopscotch. 5–8 years LET THE CHILDREN PLAY: Nature’s Answer to Early Learning 3 The Pedagogical Value of Play: What do children learn? Play nourishes every aspect of children’s development– physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and creative. The learning in play is integrated, powerful, and largely invisible to the untrained eye. Much of this learning happens without direct teaching. It is learning that is important to the learner. Play has an intrinsic value in childhood and long-term developmental benefits. Play develops the foundation of intellectual, social, physical, and emotional skills necessary for success in school and in life. It â€Å"paves the way for learning. †33 Block building, sand and water play lay the foundation for logical mathematical thinking, scientific reasoning, and cognitive problem solving. 34 Rough-and-tumble play develops social and emotional self-regulation35 and may be particularly important in the development of social competence in boys. 36 Play fosters creativity and flexibility in thinking. There is no right or wrong way to do things; there are many possibilities in play – a chair can be a car or a boat, a house or a bed. Pretend play fosters communication, developing conversational skills,37 turn taking, and perspective taking,38 and the skills of social problem solving – persuading, negotiating, compromising, and cooperating. 39 It requires complex communication skills: children must be able to communicate and understand the message, â€Å"this is play. †40 As they develop skill in pretend play, children begin to converse on many levels at once, becoming actors, directors, narrators, and audience,41 slipping in and out of multiple roles easily. There is considerable fascination among play researchers and theorists with the correlations between children’s pretend play and cognitive development. 42,43 The capacity for pretense, developed so elaborately in socio-dramatic play, is inextricably intertwined with the development of the capacity for abstract, representational thinking. 44,45 We marvel at the developmental progression in thinking as the child gives up the need for a realistic object in pretend play – a banana, shoe, or simple hand gesture replaces the toy telephone. In play, children construct knowledge by combining their ideas, impressions, and intuitions with experiences and opinions. 47 They create theories about their world and share them with one another. They establish a culture and a social world with their peers. In play, children make sense – and sometimes nonsense – of their experience. They discover the intimacy and joy of friendship as they explore their own emerging identity. Because it is self-directed, play leads to feelings of competence and self-confidence. Play is a significant dimension of early learning. â€Å"Young children learn the most important things not by being told but by constructing knowledge for themselves in interaction with the physical world and with other children – and the way they do this is by playing. † Source: Jones, E. , Reynolds, G. (1992). The play’s the thing: Teachers’ roles in children’s play, p. 1 The relationship between play and learning is complex, reciprocal, and multidimensional. The processes of play and learning stimulate one another in early childhood – there are dimensions of learning in play and dimensions of play in learning. Play and learning are â€Å"inseparable dimensions in preschool practice. †48 There is immediate and obvious learning in play and learning that is not so obvious. For example, it is obvious that outdoor play experiences contribute to children’s physical development, in particular to motor development. Less obvious is the learning that happens as children test their strength, externally and internally: How high can I climb? Why does my heart pound when I run? Am I brave enough to jump from this platform? Although the learning in play is powerful, oddly enough, it is often incidental to the play, at least from the child’s perspective. The toddler absorbed by balancing blocks on top of one another is not necessarily motivated by a need or even a desire to learn the principles of stable physical structures, though this may indeed be what is fascinating to him; this learning is the byproduct of his play, and generally speaking, not its purpose. Play and Literacy There are consistent findings in research about the close relationship between symbolic play and literacy development and good evidence that increasing opportunities for rich symbolic play can have a positive influence on literacy development. 46 Pretend play with peers engages children in the same kind of representational thinking needed in early literacy activities. Children develop complex narratives in their pretend play. They begin to link objects, actions, and language together in combinations and narrative sequences. They generate language suited to different perspectives and roles. 4 LET THE CHILDREN PLAY: Nature’s Answer to Early Learning â€Å"Children don’t play in order to learn, although they are learning while they are playing. † Source: Kalliala, M. (2006). Play Culture in a Changing World, p. 20 Not all play is learning and not all learning is play. It is also important to remember that not everything children do is play. 49 Play-based learning in early childhood is a valuable, effective, and appropriate pedagogy and much good work has been done on the process of playful approaches to early learning. 50,51,52 â€Å"Learning through play† is an approach to curriculum and planning promoted by many early childhood programs in Canada. Early educators see such tremendous potential in play for children’s learning that we sometimes run the risk of overemphasizing the learning and under ­ emphasizing the play. 53 There are unique and fundamental developmental benefits that derive from spontaneous free play. The child’s experience of intrinsic motivation in play is fundamental to successful life-long learning. Play is a valid learning experience in and of itself – albeit one that has been difficult to justify and sustain in formal educational settings. We know that development is rapid in the early years, the domains of development are interdependent and that children need environments that stimulate overall development without forcing it prematurely. Play provides a natural integration of learning domains, integrating social, emotional, and physical learning with cognitive and academic learning. This integration is difficult to achieve and maintain in teacher-directed instruction. 54 One of the challenges facing early-childhood educators is teaching in the context of extraordinary individual variation in development. Play helps to balance learning for individual children – the child engages at the level and with the intensity needed to support his or her own learning. Play is uniquely responsive to each child’s developmental needs and interests. A well-designed environment meets multiple individual developmental needs simultaneously. â€Å"The pedagogical value of play does not lie in its use as a way to teach children a specific set of skills through structured activities called ‘play. ’† Source: Bergen, D. 1998. Play as a Medium for Learning and Development, p. 7 Towards a Pedagogy of Play: The Role of the Adult â€Å"Supporting children’s play is more active than simply saying you believe that it is important. When children’s play culture is taken seriously, the conditions which make it flourish are carefully created. Children’s play culture does not just happen naturally. Play needs time and space. It needs mental and material stimulation to be offered in abundance. Creating a rich play environment means creating good learning environments for children. † Source: Kalliala, M. 2006. Play Culture in a Changing World, p. 139 Creating environments where children can learn through play is not a simple thing to do consistently and well. Children must have time to play in order to learn through play. The role of the adult is critical. In order for children to become skilled at play, they need uninterrupted time and knowledgeable adults who pay attention to and support their right to play. Children learn to play all by themselves, given time and materials. The environment for play and the attitudes of the supporting adults towards play shapes the quality of the play experience for children. One of the most important roles is a facilitative one – the adult sets the stage, creating and maintaining an environment conducive to rich, spontaneous play, and interacting in ways that enhance children’s learning in play, without interrupting the flow and direction of play. â€Å"The skillful teacher of young children is one who makes†¦. play possible and helps children keep getting better and better at it. † Source: Jones Reynolds. 1992. The Play’s the Thing, p. 1 The adult designs an environment with hands-on, concrete materials that encourage exploration, discovery, manipulation, and active engagement of children. The quantity, quality, and selection of play materials influence the interactions that take place between children. The adult protects the time needed for exploration, discovery, and uninterrupted play. There are multiple roles for the adult in facilitating children’s play experiences. Jones and Reynolds55 describe the teacher as stage manager, mediator, player, scribe, assessor and communicator, and planner. Van Hoorn et al. 56 describe several similar roles in â€Å"orchestrating children’s play† along a continuum from indirect to direct involvement. Jones and Reynolds57 point out that teachers tend to have more difficulty with indirect roles than with direct ones. This presents a challenge. The indirect roles are most facilitative of children’s spontaneous free play, with its unique developmental benefits. While some play advocates maintain that children should be left alone to play without adult interruption, there is good evidence to support the positive benefits of some active adult involvement in children’s play. When skillfully done, adult involvement results in longer, more complex episodes of play. 58 Early childhood educators pay close attention to children’s play while they are playing; they are respon ­ sive observers and skilled play watchers. 59 They support children’s learning in play by becoming co-players, guiding and role modelling when the play becomes frustrating for the child or when it is about to be abandoned for lack of knowledge or skill. Based on their observations, they provide new experiences for children to enrich and extend play. LET THE CHILDREN PLAY: Nature’s Answer to Early Learning 5 They pose challenging questions for young children to consider, assisting them to develop new cognitive understanding. They interact in ways that maximize the potential for peer learning, continually seeking opportunities for children to learn from one another. Facilitating children’s play Young children need a balance of opportunities for different kinds of play, indoors and out. They need the support of knowledgeable adults and parents who do the following: †¢ Provide long, uninterrupted periods (45-60 minutes minimum) for spontaneous free play. †¢ Provide a sufficient variety of materials to stimulate different kinds of play – blocks and construction toys for cognitive development; sand, mud, water, clay, paint, and other openended materials for sensory play, dress-up clothes and props for pretend play; balls, hoops, climbing places, and open space for gross motor play. †¢ Provide loose parts for play, both indoors and out, and encourage children to manipulate the environment to support their play. †¢ Consider the opportunities for challenge and age-appropriate risk-taking in play. †¢ Ensure that all children have access to play opportunities and are included in play. †¢ Let children play for their own purposes. †¢ Play with children on their terms, taking the occasional ride down the slide, or putting on a hat and assuming a role in pretend play. †¢ Recognize the value of messy play, rough-andtumble play, and nonsense play. Caring Spaces, Learning Places: Children’s Environments that Work Greenman, J. (2005). Redmond, WA: Exchange Press. Canadian Association for the Right to Play (IPA Canada): www. ipacanada. org International Play Association: www. ipaworld. org Playing for Keeps: www. playingforkeeps. org Invest in Kids: www. investinkids. ca Click on â€Å"Comfort Play and Teach† for activities and information on play for parents of children from birth to eight years old. The Value of Outdoor play There is an emerging body of evidence on the developmental significance of contact with nature and its positive impact on children’s physical and mental well being. 60,61,62,63 Natural landscapes in the outdoors typically provide †¢ rich, diverse, multisensory experiences; †¢ opportunities for noisy, boisterous, vigorous, physically active play; †¢ opportunities for physical challenge and risktaking that is inherent in the value of play; †¢ rough, uneven surfaces, with opportunities for the development of physical strength, balance, and coordination; and †¢ natural elements and loose parts that children can combine, manipulate, and adapt for their own purposes. Adults – parents and early educators – must design the outdoor play environment with equal care and attention as they pay to the indoor environments, ensuring that these opportunities are inclusive of all children, especially those of differing abilities. †¢ Understand that children need to feel a sense of belonging to the play culture of childhood. †¢ Take an interest in their play, asking questions, offering suggestions, and engaging eagerly as co-players when invited. †¢ Useful Resources and Links USEFUL RESOURCES AND LINKS Preschool Outdoor Environment Measurement Scale DeBord, K. , Hestenes, L. L. , Moore, R. C. Cosco, N. G. , McGinnis, J. R. (2005). Lewisville, NC: Kaplan Early Learning. Tumbling over the edge: A rant for children’s play Bos, B. Chapman, J. Roseville. (2005). CA: Turn the Page Press. The Great Outdoors: Restoring Children’s Right to Play Outdoors Rivkin, M. (1995). Washington, D. C. : NAEYC. Making Space for Children: Rethinking and Recreating Children’s Play Environments Society for Children and Youth of B. C. (1999). Available at www. scyofbc. org. The Play For All Guidelines: Planning, Design, and Management of Outdoor Play Settings For All Children (2nd ed. ) Moore, R. , Goltsman, S. , Iacofano, D. (Eds. ). (1992). Berkeley, California: MIG Communications. 6 LET THE CHILDREN PLAY: Nature’s Answer to Early Learning The Geography of Childhood: Why Children Need Wild Places. Nabhan, G. P. , Trimble, S. (1994). Boston, MD: Beacon Press. Canadian Child Care Federation: www. cccf-fcsge. ca. Go to the e-store to view the following titles: Outdoor play in early childhood education and care programs and Quality environments and best practices for physical activity in early childhood settings. Natural Learning Initiative: www. naturalearning. org Evergreen: www. evergreen. ca The Challenge for the Future In the current climate of concern over school readiness, we must preserve some opportunity for children to play for their own purposes. If we trust the evidence that children’s play is at the very heart of healthy growth and development and early learning, we must ensure that children have sufficient time and adequate resources and support to develop the ability to engage independently in extended free play. If play always and exclusively serves adult educational goals, it is no longer play from the child’s perspective. It becomes work, albeit playfully organized. In many early childhood programs, the â€Å"free play† environment is synonymous with unstructured time. Teachers do the important work of teaching during centre time and circle time; spontaneous free play is unimportant in the educational endeavour. Early childhood educators must find a way to devote equal time and interest to facilitating the spontaneous free play of children and to promoting playful approaches to early learning. Families have little incentive to make time for play. They need good information about the benefits of unstructured free play in early childhood and regular opportunities to engage with their children in play. Early childhood educators and elementary school teachers need specialized preparation to engage comfortably in child-initiated free play, as well as more structured play-based learning experiences. It is incumbent upon early-childhood educators, parents, play advocates and researchers to do the following: †¢ Ensure that there is adequate time, space, and conditions for play to develop, both indoors and outdoors. †¢ Ensure that early learning environments have an appropriate balance of child-initiated free play and more directed learning. †¢ Improve the quality and scope of play in early-learning environments. †¢ Create tools to assess the quality of play environments and experiences. †¢ Articulate the learning outcomes of play – social, emotional, cognitive, creative, and physical. †¢ Create tools to assess the learning of individual children and groups of children in play contexts. †¢ Provide a clear focus in both preservice and inservice teacher training on developing the full range of roles for adults facilitating children’s play. †¢ Promote the value of play and the child’s right to play. The formal education system and structured preschool educational environments tend to emphasize the benefits of play as a means to an end. As the debate in Canada continues over what, when and how to facilitate learning in early childhood, the philosophy of early-childhood education – developed over several decades of practice – has much to contribute. A comprehensive approach to promoting learning through play must recognize the whole continuum of play and the value of skilled educators in facilitating opportunities for spontaneous free play in early childhood.

Teddy Bear Essays - English-language Films, Teddy Bear, Bear

Teddy Bear Essays - English-language Films, Teddy Bear, Bear Teddy Bear A bear, however hard he tries Grows tubby without exercise. Our Teddy Bear is short and fat, Which is not to be wondered at; He gets what exercise he can By falling off the ottoman, But generally seems to lack The energy to clamber back. Now tubbiness is just the thing Which gets a fellow wondering; And Teddy worried lots about The fact that he was rather stout. He thought: "If only I were thin! But how does anyone begin?" He thought: "It really isn't fair To grudge one exercise and air." For many weeks he pressed in vain His nose against the window-pane, And envied those who walked about Reducing their unwanted stout. None of the people he could see "Is quite" (he said) "as fat as me!" Then, with a still more moving sigh, "I mean" (he said) "as fat as I!" Now Teddy, as was only right, Slept in the ottoman at night, And with him crowded in as well More animals than I can tell; Not only these, but books and things, Such as a kind relation brings - Old tales of "Once upon a time," And history retold in rhyme. One night it happened that he took A peep at an old picture-book, Wherein he came across by chance The picture of a King of France (A stoutish man) and, down below, These words: "King Louis So and So, Nicknamed 'The Handsome!'" There he sat, And (think of it!) the man was fat! Our bear rejoiced like anything To read about this famous King, Nicknamed "The Handsome." There he sat, And certainly the man was fat. Nicknamed "The Handsome." Not a doubt The man was definitely stout. Why then, a bear (for all his tub ) Might yet be named "The Handsome Cub!" "Might yet be named." Or did he mean That years ago he "might have been"? For now he felt a slight misgiving: "Is Louis So and So still living? Fashions in beauty have a way Of altering from day to day. Is 'Handsome Louis' with us yet? Unfortunately I forget." Next morning (nose to window-pane) The doubt occurred to him again. One question hammered in his head: "Is he alive or is he dead?" Thus, nose to pane, he pondered; but The lattice window, loosely shut, Swung open. With one startled "Oh!" Our Teddy disappeared below. There happened to be passing by A plump man with a twinkling eye, Who, seeing Teddy in the street, Raised him politely to his feet, And murmured kindly in his ear Soft words of comfort and of cheer: "Well, well!" "Allow me!" "Not at all." "Tut-tut! A very nasty fall." Our Teddy answered not a word; It's doubtful if he even heard. Our bear could only look and look: The stout man in the picture-book! That 'handsome' King - could this be he, This man of adiposity? "Impossible," he thought. "But still, No harm in asking. Yes I will!" "Are you," he said,"by any chance His Majesty the King of France?" The other answered, "I am that," Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat; Then said, "Excuse me," with an air, "But is it Mr Edward Bear?" And Teddy, bending very low, Replied politely, "Even so!" They stood beneath the window there, The King and Mr Edward Bear, And, handsome, if a trifle fat, Talked carelessly of this and that. Then said His Majesty, "Well, well, I must get on," and rang the bell. "Your bear, I think," he smiled. "Good-day!" And turned, and went upon his way. A bear, however hard he tries, Grows tubby without exercise. Our Teddy Bear is short and fat, Which is not to be wondered at. But do you think it worries him To know that he is far from slim? No, just the other way about - He's proud of being short and stout

J. Armand Bombardier essays

J. Armand Bombardier essays Joseph-Armand Bombardier was born in Valcourt in 1907, He was the eldest of eight children born to Anna Gravel and Alfred Bombardier, who was a farmer who turned into a general merchant. On August 7, 1929, he married Yvonne Labrecque and together they had six children: Germain, Yvon, Janine, Claire, Huguette and Andr. When Bombardier was 15 he built his first snowmobile. He took the engine out of an old Model T Ford and mounted it on to the frame of a large farm sleigh. He put steering runners at the front and heavier, rigid runners at the back. He bolted a large hand-whittled propeller to the drive shaft of the engine The snowmobile was a success; it climbed over snowdrifts and traveled the ground with ease. Unfortunately, Bombardier's father was not impressed and made him dismantle the whole thing and put the pieces away. Bombardier continued to design snowmobiles. By the time he had graduated from high school in Sherbrooke and returned to Valcourt as a garage owner, he had developed the plans to make good snowmobiles. So he began building and testing them. In 1934 one of his sons died of appendicitis because Bombardier could not get the boy to the hospital in time,the snowmobile he was testing then was too small. For Bombardier this turned this project into an obsession and for years afterward this lean, wiry-framed man seemed never without a wrench in his hand. By 1936 he had sold his first commercial snowmobile. It had a plywood body and rubber tracks driven by sprockets, which together with a spring suspension system gave a smoother ride and increased traction. The wooden cabin was completely enclosed and the whole structure was quite large. During the next few years he developed a steel body to replace the wooden one and this paved the way for production of snowmobiles in much larger numbers. Bombardier really started production during the Second World War when the Canadian army wanted ...

Journey to the West Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Journey to the West - Essay Example In most European countries, it is referred to as â€Å"Monkey† because it focuses on the Tang Monk as well as his monkey disciple Sun Wukong. The first edition was written in Chinese by Wu Chengen in the sixteenth century, however, since then there have been numerous other publications in English translation. I used the fourth volume of the revised edition translated by Anthony C. Yu. This version lays its focus on the pilgrimage itself, the journey towards getting the Holy Scriptures and bringing them back to Tang dynasty, which is in China. In its twenty-five chapters, it gives the exaggerated adventures, encounters and challenges that the monk, Tang Tripitaka, and his three disciples Great Sage Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie Wuneng and Sha Wujing faced during the pilgrimage. His disciples were meant to serve and protect their master from any harm and ensure the success of the pilgrimage. The book begins with chapter seventy-six of the original book giving a tale whereby some demons have captured the Great Sage Sun-the monkey disciple of Tang Monk. One of the demons has swallowed him, and he is causing it distress from the insides of its stomach (Yu 2). Sun Wukong, in a smart and tricky way and with the help of his magic manages to salvage himself from the situation and coerce the demons to agree to transport him, his brothers and their master Tang across the mountains (Yu 4). We then see a battle of muscle and wits between the demons and the Monks on pilgrimage as the demons try to devour the Tang Monk. They do so because they believe his meat will grant them immortality and free them from their sins (Yu 17). In the following chapter, the demons trick and seize all the four and prepare to eat the monk. However, Sun Wukong uses his wits, magic and to save himself, his brothers and his master from these demons (Yu 28). As the book continues, the monk runs into numerous demons and evil creatures, a land