Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Essays Papers

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Written in the late fourteenth century by an anonymous author, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a story about a Christian warrior society. Sir Gawain, nephew to King Arthur, epitomizes the definition of a true noble knight. Sir Gawain is not only brave, but he is also loyal, courteous, and a true believer in God. The story begins with the game of the Green Knight, a game of exchanging hits with an axe (290-300). However, this story is more than an adventure tale; it is also a lesson on the long-term benefits of religious adherence over the short-term benefits of personal pleasure. At Bercilak's castle, Sir Gawain faces his most powerful enemy, himself. In the attempt to maintain his ideals of courtesy and nobility, Gawain causes his own religious downfall. As soon as Gawain enters Bercilak's castle, he is already slowly stripping off his religious protection and armor. Bercilak's servants take off his armor, which symbolically identifies him, and Gawain is dressed in "robes richly wrought" (859-861). He is without his shield, which is not only a protection from enemies, but from the evil spirits (641-650). It is in this clothing that Gawain faces his next tests. During the next three mornings, the Lady, Bercilak's wife, tries to seduce Gawain in his bedroom. Each of the three tests is parallel to the three hunting games of Bercilak. Gawain may not have sexual relations with the Lady, but during the tests, his spirituality declines and so does his morality: the Lady is able to receive one more kiss from Gawain each successive day; Gawain takes the green girdle; and he lies to Bercilak. On the first two mornings, Gawain is extremely surprised and shocked to find the Lady in his bedroom. In fact on the first morning he pretends to be asleep when the Lady comes into the room (1190). Gawain is very courteous in his responses to the Lady's words and actions, by constantly putting himself down and praising Bercilak. Both times, the Lady leaves, successfully getting a kiss the first morning and two kisses the second morning from Gawain. When Bercilak returns from his hunting, to keep his word, he gives Gawain the animals, the deer on the first day and the boar on the second day. Gawain, in return, gives Bercilak what he has received that day while in the castle, first a kiss, then two kisses.

Relationship Building as Means for Prevention of Behavior Problems in S

Many children come to school with behavior problems that impede their learning and disrupt the the learning of other children. As early as preschool as many as twenty-five percent of children demonstrate problematic behaviors which place them at risk for future negative school experiences (Conroy, M., Sutherland, K., Haydon, T., Stormont, M., & Harmon, J, 2009). These children exhibit aggression, defiance, bullying of others, poor work habits, and acting out in class. Overtime these behaviors become chronic for some students and cyclical patterns of poor behavior, reactionary discipline, failed relationships with staff and peers, low self-esteem, and poor academic performance plague these children. Many teachers feel frustrated as they spend the majority of their classroom management time on the same few children each day. This ongoing anger and frustration further isolates these students from their teachers. Attempts to teach expectations and proper school behaviors fail. These stud ent frequently become problem students each year. Over the course of several years these students begin to see themselves as failures and actively begin self-sabotaging behaviors leading to a permanent loss of academic achievement of a lifetime of low self-esteem. Many children with severe behavior problems have significant emotional trauma, serious emotional losses, and deficits in social skills. These problems never offically diagnosed or professionally treated despite their effects on the children. Children with chronically challenging behavior frequently come with a history of abuse or neglect. They often come from homes with significant instability or a chaotic environment. Often their parents have histories of drug abuse or mental illness. Acco... ...ocial Interactions in Head Start Classrooms and Early Reading, Mathematics, and Approaches to Learning. School Psychology Review, 40(1), 39-56. Conroy, M., Sutherland, K., Haydon, T., Stormont, M., & Harmon, J. (2009). Preventing and Ameliorating Young Children's Chronic Problem Behaviors: An Ecological Classroom-Based Approach. Psychology In The Schools, 46(1), 3-17. Gest, S. D., & Gest, J. M. (2005). Reading Tutoring for Students at Academic and Behavioral Risk: Effects on Time-On-Task in the Classroom. Education & Treatment Of Children (ETC), 28(1), 25-47. Matheson, A., & Shriver, M. D. (2005). Training Teachers to Give Effective Commands: Effects on Student Compliance and Academic Behaviors. School Psychology Review, 34(2), 202-219. Sitler, H. (2009). Teaching with Awareness: The Hidden Effects of Trauma on Learning. Clearing House, 82(3), 119-123.

City & Guilds Essay

1.1Explain the importance of continually improving knowledge and practice. New ways of working are always being developed so it is wise to attend and provide up-to-date learning opportunities for all staff. Also there can be changes to laws, legislation and policy so it is of great importance to make staff aware of these changes so they can reflect them in their practice. 1.2 Analyse potential barriers to professional development. Potential barriers of professional development can be: Not enough funding and other resources provided by the company. oNot enough staff. Staff can’t be expected to work all their work hours and attend extra training on top, this may cause burn out for the staff and also result in them not taking in as much of the training that they should because they are tired. oFear and lack of confidence in learning to additional learning. oLack of time because due to working lots of hours Worry that staff will gain the extra training and then leave the company oLack of flexible working to take into account the extra learning oLack of IT skills 1.3 Compare the use of different sources and systems of support for professional development Within Holme Farm we use our supervision sessions to discuss professional development. This can also be discussed in a group within our staff meetings. Staff can use the supervision to discuss issues regarding their own personal professional development in private if they wish to do so. Group supervision regarding professional development can be held and this can enable staff to identify other members of staff who have that same learning style as themselves thus enabling them to gain help and support from each other. This is the way personally I like to discuss my professional development. Holme farm staffs are offered access to a wide range of literature to enhance their level of understanding of the young people in our care. This way of learning is not suitable for all so individual and group sessions are offered to staff regarding issues that our young people face. This was of learning is a more direct approach as questions can be asked along the way but the benefits of the written literature is that it can be returned to at any time and re read and reviewed. 1.4 Explain factors to consider when selecting opportunities and activities for keeping knowledge and practice up to date. Appropriately identify what learning opportunities workers need for their continuing professional development. Identifying what learning and development needs each worker has and linking job descriptions and carer specifications to relevant training and development. These need to be based on the learning levels of each worker. As a part of the management team I need to make sure that the time when any training or learning opportunities are to take place that all the shifts are appropriately covered and there is nothing thing going on that could cause the training/learning not to take place. For example around the Christmas and summer period when our young people are not in education and extra activities are taking place. 4.1 Compare models of reflective practice. One model of reflection is the ‘Gibb’s Reflective Cycle. This model is a recognised framework for reflection. The Gibbs model consists of six stages to complete one cycle. The cycle begins with a description of the event, the next stage is to analyse our feelings, third is an evaluation of the experience, the fourth stage is for us to analyse the event to make sense of the experience, fifth stage is a conclusion of what else could have been done and final stage is an action plan to prepare if a similar situation should arise again. The Gibbs model encourages us to reflect as individuals. Kolb’s reflective model is centred around changing of information into knowledge. This takes place after a situation has occurred and it involves reflecting on the experience, gaining a general understanding of the concepts encountered during the experience and then testing these general understandings on a new situation. In this way the knowledge that is gained from a situation is continuously applied and reapplied. The Gibbs model has five stages which enable you to break down what has happened and the fully understand how, why and where changes can be made next time around. Kolb’s cycle only has four parts and these are all based on solid facts and not how you feel and the emotions that run alongside a situation whether it be good or bad. Gibbs cycle takes into account you own personal thoughts and feelings. The language that Kolb’s cycle is written in is quite technical and could be quite hard to  understand, whereas Gibbs cycle is written in simple English and is clear to understand what it is asking. Kolb’s Modle of Reflection 4.2 Explain the importance of reflective practice to improve performance. Reflective practice is important, as reflection enables us to improve skills and learn from experiences. This enables better practice in the future. Reflection allows you identify areas of good and bad practice that you may have experienced or observed. When analysing these experiences it is hoped that you learn and improve skills and knowledge. We use reflection as a tool to learn from experiences so that we can understand and develop our knowledge and skills, it helps us as professionals bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Strategics

What are the benefits of strategic  planning? Understanding the Benefits of Strategic Planning For Entrepreneurs Your venture’s goals and strategy define the purpose and competitive advantage that will set it apart from others. Your goals help define your intent, and strategy is the plan of action that describes activities for dealing with the environment and for reaching your venture’s intended goals. When combined, goals and strategies define the scope of operations and the relationship with employees, customers, competitors, and other stakeholders.The term â€Å"strategy† is widely used in the business world today. It is one of those words that people define in one way and often use in another, without realizing the difference. It is derived from the ancient Greek word meaning â€Å"the art and science of the general deploying forces for battle. † Your strategy is a plan for interacting with the competitive environment to achieve your intended goals. Some think of goals and strategies as interchangeable. For purposes of our research, goals define where your venture wants to go, and strategy defines how your venture will get there.This formal process of setting goals and creating a strategy adds legitimacy, provides employee direction and motivation, helps form decision-making guidelines, and provides criteria for your performance. In essence, the process of strategy formulation sets the general directions in which your venture’s position will grow and develop—your goals and objectives represent the ends that you are seeking to attain. Whereas the strategy is the means to these ends, strategic management is positioning and relating your venture to its environment in a way that will ensure its continued success and make it secure from surprises from competitors.This is competitive strategy, the search for a favorable competitive position in an industry, aiming to establish a profitable and sustainable position agains t the forces that determine industry competition. Benefits of Strategic Planning for Entrepreneurs Strategic planning is a logical, analytical process for choosing your venture’s future positions vis a vis the environment. The most common defect of entrepreneurs is myopia, a lack of long-range perspective in thinking or planning. In the sports world they say, â€Å"Luck is where preparation meets pportunity. † Lance Armstrong, a bicyclist with five consecutive Tour de France wins to his name, prepares by â€Å"thinking the race through† before he ever starts down the road. In the business world this preparation comes from strategic planning. As Michael Porter writes, â€Å"The essence of formulating competitive strategy is relating a company to its environment; the best strategy for a given firm is ultimately a unique construction reflecting its particular circumstances. † So look at new business venturing as a chess game.To be successful you must be able to anticipate several moves ahead in advance. Thinking about your strategy is like thinking about the scenarios of plans, for example, what to do if/when competitors come into your space. Strategic planning is the process of thinking about and creating these scenarios, and the business plan is the document that communicates the fact that you have figured it out. According to Henry Mintzberg, the key to successful strategic decision making is not just looking out into the future, but having a capacity and willingness to learn from experience.A new venture has to start somewhere, with a collective understanding of what it is supposed to be doing and where it should be going, and strategic planning aids in this learning. But entrepreneurs cannot wait until the competition is engaged before planning. The inevitable confusion that accompanies any battle and that renders the clearest plans difficult to execute is called the â€Å"fog of war,† a term first coined by the nineteenth- century Prussian general Karl von Clausewitz (1780–1831).Crafting Your Business Strategy Strategic planning is the process through which you profitably match your internal resources with shifting market demands and based on an opportunity. In a must-read article for all entrepreneurs learning about strategic planning, â€Å"Crafting Strategy† in Harvard Business Review, Mintzberg states that a business strategy should be crafted because â€Å"craft evokes traditional skill, dedication, perfection through the mastery of detail. His point is that â€Å"strategies can form as well as be formulated. † There are two key components that need to be crafted together to logically spell out, as Drucker calls it, the business purpose. The first is a coherent encapsulation of your products and services, the markets and types of customers you serve, and the benefits they derive. The second component should identify the â€Å"key activities and how they will be carried out to realize the logic for competing. It is this the tight integration of the reasons for competing and for organizing lays the foundation for your venture’s competitive advantage that becomes the basis of its superiority over rivals in serving a particular market or market segments. Strategies are not set in stone. In fact, 84 percent of the CEOs leading fast-growth ventures said their business had changed target markets, even from the time when they launched. Although the business may change, the questions that drive strategic planning remain fixed. Start thinking about the following key questions: – Where are we now? – Where

Saturday School

Who would want to spend their Saturday at school, no one? As soon as that very last bell rings on Friday you and everyone else are ready to get out of there. When Saturday comes around all I want to do that day is hang with friends, sleep in all day, or something fun. I am sure you feel and many others agree with what I am thinking. Spending your Saturday at school is something you certainly do not want to do! On Saturday I’m all set to go to a friend’s house and have some fun. That day I don’t have a worry in the world.I get to stay up all night and enjoy being with my friend’s. Nobody even wants to think twice about anything school associated. I highly doubt anyone would rather go to school on Saturday than just going one extra hour a day, the rest of the week. I mean come on. It is ridiculous to spend your Saturday at school instead of at your friend’s house. It is not ethical to go to school on Saturday when you’re supposed to be sleeping in all day! We teenagers need as much sleep as we can get to develop properly. Please really think about this.Going to school for just one extra hour is not that unreasonable. If you choose to go on Saturday that is a complete seven hours you cannot spend sleeping in. Lastly, the most significant reason we should not have school on a Saturday is you’re supposed to be doing something fun that day! What if you had a trip planned that Saturday to go to mall or maybe even skydiving? If you end up choosing to have school that Saturday you cannot go now! Saturday’s are meant to be all about fun and nothing to do with education.That is our day off to have fun and be free of school. It is not our day to be locked up for hours in a boring old school. Really think about what I am saying! You will regret it if you do not! In conclusion, Saturday school should be entirely out of the question. On Saturday, your day should consist of hanging with a friend, sleeping in all day or ju st doing something enjoyable. Before you make a verdict, truly think about what I said and make the choice you and I both know is the right one!

Develop a social networking strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Develop a social networking strategy - Essay Example Social media marketing is the promotional activity through which the business targets the prospect or potential customers via various social media sites in order, to increase the sales, enhance the brand loyalty and accomplish the business goals. It is very different from the traditional marketing, where promotion is highly dependent on the high-traffic Media, such as print and television. Unlike traditional means marketing through social media sites does not requires any paid placement that are charged to the business, but requires the marketer to devise methods in which information can be presented, so that the target audiences can assign value to the offerings. A social media marketing plan can take various forms like creating page of Facebook, developing a blog that focuses on issues related to the business segment in which the organization is dealing, new tools like Foursquare and reward on returning to visit the store through virtual badges (Powell, Groves & Dimos, 2011). This study focuses on the social media as a marketing tool for Book Bunker. Figure 1 Source: (Roberts, 2002) Figure 2 Source: (Roberts, 2002) Social Media Social media includes online tools that allow people with similar interest to share information and learn from each other or network over an open process. The information that is found on these sites are referred to as user generated content, which signifies that any individual can post their comments or suggestion on these sites with almost no or minimal restriction. This type of user-supplied content can vary over a wide range starting from bookmarked links to written posts, photos, original music and videos. It can be unstructured as well, such as family photos on Facebook or in a very formal and detailed structure such as article on Wikipedia. A partial list of structures that are available for a social media site includes combination of blogs, forums, micro-blogs, video-sharing, photo-sharing, customer reviews, online publishing, social and professional networking, or any other traditional website that accepts post from online communities. The media has become a significant element in driving the page visits and views and some sort of social media feature is always available on web (Wankel, 2011). It should be noted that the veracity of the contents that are posted on the social media outlets are not scrutinized. This may acts as one of the defining characteristics. This in turn also signifies a broad spectrum of mankind. It can be dull or insightful, biased or balanced, too revealing or guarded and most significantly outrageously libelous and verifiably true. False or accurate, anything can be posted on the websites or any other online sources with either a malicious intention or with the best intention. This makes it important for the readers or the users of these contents to scrutinize the validity and importance of the material that they read (Zarrella, 2010; Newson, Houghton & Patten, 2009; Al-Deen & He ndricks, 2012). Utilization of social media There are huge variations of websites and social media applications, which makes it impossible to list

The electric car , Practicalities and Prospects Essay

The electric car , Practicalities and Prospects - Essay Example In the context of this reality some of the states in the U.S. have passed laws requiring that a minimum percentage of sales made must be zero emission vehicles. Although the law does not explicitly mention electric car, they are the most feasible alternative as of now (Lave, 2005). Also, helping the case for electric cars are chemicals such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are extremely hazardous to humans as well as the ecosystems they live in. Several studies have shown that the exhaust gases released by petroleum run cars are the contributor to this pollution. This pollution has no small part to play in the general increase in temperatures across the world, also called â€Å"global warming†. At this juncture the introduction of electric cars in the market is not only a good business opportunity but a better alternative for humans and their environments alike. In this respect, the prospects are quite good for electric cars in the near future, until a better technology replaces it (Newbery, 2001). On the flip side generating electricity for recharging batteries can lead to significant harm to the environment. A transition to electric cars, as made compulsory already in some parts of the world, is proven to be no more environment friendly than cars that run on low-emission petrol. Factories making lead-acid batteries would release higher levels of toxic lead. Low-toxicity batteries on the other hand are not yet suited for mass manufacture (Ochoa, 1997). The possible dangers of rechargeable batteries are illustrated in the following passage: â€Å"For vehicles that are to be mass produced in the future, lead-acid batteries are likely to be the only practical technology. Smelting and recycling the lead for these batteries will result in substantial releases of lead to the environment. Lead is a neurotoxin,