Roald Dahl’s Villains An analysis Essay Example

Roald Dahl’s Villains: An analysis Essay Roald Dahl is one of the most widely read children’s book authors of the twentieth century. Although he wrote several forms of literature, including adult novels and essays, he is most renowned for his children’s books, including popular books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG. Beyond proving to be accessible and engaging to children, his works reinvigorated this genre by making it more accessible and realistic for children to identify with. His penchant for understanding child psychology and composing a complex, intriguing plot contributed to his renown. More specifically, one of the defining features of Dahl’s fiction caused by Dahl’s personal childhood is its macabre characterization of several adult characters juxtaposed with good natured characterization of other adult characters. In Roald Dahl’s literary style, the story is mostly constructed from the point of view of the child protagonist, who is pitted against a few imposing adult personalities. For example, in the book Matilda, the villain is a woman teacher. She is shown to be quite dangerous – someone who will induce a young reader to be terrified of every female teacher he or she meets. Indeed the depiction of the teacher was so excessive that the book was attacked by critics as being unsuitable for young readers. (Cockburn 41) Further, in Matilda, Dahl provides â€Å"a dramatic shift in tone as he moved from character to character—innocent, intelligent Matilda, the caring Miss Honey, and the towering inferno of the headmistress Miss Trunchbull.† (Wolf 73) Generally, Dahl’s characterization of villains is more dramatic and vivid than that of his benign characters. We will write a custom essay sample on Roald Dahl’s Villains: An analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Roald Dahl’s Villains: An analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Roald Dahl’s Villains: An analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The sinister-minded owner of the chocolate factory in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka, is another strange character who swings between either too sentimental or too cold. Wonka is â€Å"a Michael Jackson type: a lonely, childish despot, complete with high-pitched voice, inability to mix and strained desire to make everything seem just perfect.† (Sawyer 34) Therefore, when he demands Charlie to get away from his family and run the factory, he conveys this demand in a sinister tone. Charlie, on the other hand, maintains his composure throughout the antics of his master. He manages to be good without being prissy, which is quite an achievement in the circumstances. Characters like Wonka are typical of Dahl’s villains – their power and cunning seemingly offers little hope the hero to overcome. And it is in succeeding against such strong adversity that the heroism shines through. Another feature of Dahl’s portrayal of villains is the recurrent theme of ‘abuse of power’. T his exercise of power with malicious intent is evident in different sorts of relationships, it is most evident in the adult-child relationships in his stories. In other words, in Dahl’s writings we see power in various forms – â€Å"whether adults exercising it over children, bigger children over smaller ones, or humans over animals.† (Sharp 521) We witness in Matilda how little girls were persecuted by Mrs. Trunchbull. Likewise, in Dahl’s short stories William and Mary and The Way Up to Heaven, we see even adult characters suffering due to arbitrary use of power by those at a higher station. Dahl succeeds in making this abuse very visceral for the readers as he draws heavily from his own personal childhood experiences of feeling fear and intimidation in his school. The villains in a Dahl story are usually juxtaposed to benevolent characters. The nastiness and malevolence projected onto the villains in the plot is offered a relief in the form of benign and decent adult individuals. There are some notable loving and warm relationships between children and adults in many stories. Examples that easily come to mind include that of Charlie and Grandfather Joe, Danny and his beloved father, etc. There is also the case of The Witches in which the unnamed narrator is nurtured and cared for by his Norwegian grandmother. If we are to attempt to understand Dahl’s inclination for including threatening adult characters in his stories, we have to grasp the facts of his own childhood. Dahl had a close and loving relationship with his mother Sofie, but his other encounters with adults were arduous and strained. The chief source of torment for him came from the authorities in the boarding school whom he felt were unduly retributive for minor offences. However Dahl is not conveying a message of hopelessness to his young readers. Even amidst adversity his stories show that there is hope and love. This is best illustrated in The Witches, where the close bond between the boy and his mother survives â€Å"the boy being turned into a mouse, for as the narrator says, ‘It doesn’t matter †¦ so long as somebody loves you.’† (Mitchell 27) There is a type of transcendent quality in the benign relations of the child protagonist to his guardian. This is witnessed in Dahl’s early story such as They Shall Not Grow Old as well as his later work The Minpins (1991) which is full of invocations of magic. Likewise, In The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, for example, Sugar loses his self-centeredness and becomes more spiritual, despite being a surefire winner at cards. This theme recurs throughout Dahl’s writing life. (Sharp 524)

To Kill a Mockinbird essays

To Kill a Mockinbird essays One of the major masterpieces of American literature, To Kill A Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee originally as a love story, was published in 1960 and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1961. It also won an Academy Award when it was later made into a film starring Gregory Peck. The story is set in imaginary Maycomb County in southern Alabama. The time frame for the story is the early 1930's during the great depression. Poverty was common and times were extremely tough. This book is loaded with interesting characters. Here is an outline and description of some of the most important characters. The story revolves around the Finch family, led by Atticus Finch, a lawyer. Atticus has two children: Jem, short for Jeremy, his eldest son and Scout, nickname for Jean Louise, his younger and only daughter. Scout is a bit of a tomboy and enjoys hanging out with her brother and their friend Dill. Dill is a young boy who comes to stay in Maycomb every summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel. Aunt Alexandra is Atticus' sister and the family has a maid named Calpurnia. The children spend a great deal of time at the house of Arthur "Boo" Radley. Bob Ewell who lives with his daughter Mayella Ewell is the man who accuses Tom Robinson, a black man, of raping Mayella. Law enforcement in Maycomb consists of Heck Tate, county law official and Judge Taylor. The story begins when Jem and Scout meet a new friend, Dill, who has come to spend yet another summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel. The town is full of gossip about Boo Radley, which fascinates the three friends. Dill, Jem and Scout try to think up creative ways to lure Boo out of his house with no success. The next summer Dill returns and is even more curious and becomes more daring in his attempt to see Boo. On the last evening of Dill's stay in Maycomb the children decide to sneak up on Boo's porch to see what they can see. Just as Jem reaches the window, Nath ...

What really happened in the Bryant Grocery and Meat Market between Essay

What really happened in the Bryant Grocery and Meat Market between Emmett Till and Carolyn Bryant August 24, 1955 - Essay Example What makes the crime of Emmett Till’s murder so brutal is not only what was done to his body, but what was done to his soul—how his spirit was snuffed out like a light under a bushel, and all because Emmett Till was simply a Black boy in the wrong place at the wrong time. II. What Happened At the Bryant Grocery and Meat Market Emmett Till, a young, 14-year-old African-American youth, really wanted to go down South to Money, Mississippi, where Jim Crow laws were still in full effect in August of 1955. Emmett was from Chicago, in the North, where there was less discrimination—and the Jim Crow laws were not applied as harshly even though they were federal law. Emmett apparently insisted upon going to Mississippi to visit his cousins, even though Mamie Till-Mobley was dead-set against it (Till-Mobley and Benson 2004, 99). When Emmett and his family members pulled up to the Bryant Grocery and Meat Market that fateful day in August of 1955, there was an encounter betwe en the teenager Emmett Till and Carolyn Bryant—the 21-year-old wife of Roy Bryant, the store owner. According to Carolyn Bryant’s testimony, Emmett Till put his hands around Mrs. Bryant’s waist and said some unpleasant things to her (â€Å"Transcript: Emmett Till Trial† 1955, 270). In addition, there is the famous allegation that Emmett Till ‘whistled’ at Carolyn Bryant. â€Å"It [was] alleged that Emmett Till â€Å"wolf whistled† and made some â€Å"ugly remarks† to Bryant’s 21-year-old wife† (Popham 1955, 64). In many media accounts, Mrs. Bryant is described as being attractive, or ‘pretty.’ This is emphasized when the story is told about how Emmett apparently may have physically accosted her in someway, however seemingly innocent. Mrs. Bryant testified that Emmett grabbed her hand when he asked to see the bubble gum from the showcase. Supposedly, he also asked her for ‘a date,’ and call ed her pet names instead of addressing her by the title â€Å"Ma’am,† which was common and the legal custom in the South. Much is debated about what actually went on at the store. There were various accounts of what happened from Emmett’s cousins and other boys in the neighborhood, one or some of which were alleged to have taunted Emmett to go into the store and ask ‘the pretty white lady’ for a ‘date.’ At any rate, Emmett had allegedly been boasting about how he had been with a white woman or women before, and showed a picture of a white girl in his wallet—whom his mother later claimed was a photo of Heddy Lamar, which came with the wallet. After Emmett came out of the store, â€Å"‘[h]e knew he had done something wrong, because he begged us not to tell daddy [Mose Wright],’ insisted [cousin Simeon] Wright in 2007. Parker agreed. ‘Everyone knew a wrong had been committed’† (Anderson 2008, 18). Th is wrong was just one stepping-stone which led to Emmett’s murder and his alleged murderers’ trial, which proved fruitless for the prosecution. Basically, the defense had at least five lawyers, one of which had gone to a prestigious Ivy League law school and was 71 years old. Also, besides that, basically all that the prosecution could prove was that a body had been found in the Tallahatchie River, but—even though Mrs. Till had been able to positively identify the body—the prosecution was not able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this was the same person whom J.W. Milam and Roy Bryant had kidnapped. This was enough doubt to place in the mind of the jury that perhaps the person who had turned up in the river was not the

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 8

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example 2003, p. 285). Fair trade influence organizations and movements of products in the third world countries by ensuring that consumers pay fair prices for the products. Also, it ensures producers have healthy working conditions, and their rights are preserved from exploitation by some unethical consumer behaviors (Auger & Devinney 2007, p. 361). It is important to note that ethical consumer behaviour allows users to express their personal feelings freely and show the sense of responsibility to societies. It also enables them appreciate products from different companies (Auger et al. 2003, p. 299). Hines and Ames (2000), affirms that 68% of the population buys a product from a company because of the company’s ethical reputation. Also, they argue that 51% of the population makes purchases in different companies due to its behavior. This indicates that a higher per cent of the population are driven by the ethical standards of a producer to buy their products, and this encourages fair trading (Auger & Devinney 2007, p. 365). If the ethical reputation of a company is not standard, then most consumers will tend shy away from purchasing their products. This unethical behaviour can be in the forms of prices or the poor qualities of their products. It can also be due to weak and unhealthy working conditions of the workers and the violation of the consumer rights (Arvola & Vassallo 2008, p. 445). According to a study of a group of European consumers, indicates that most of the consumers are willing to pay more money for proved ethical products from the companies. These consumers are also willing to import ethical products from the producers in the developing countries thereby improving the standards of the producers. In his study of Belgian consumers, Dolan (2009, p. 38) indicated that most of the consumers are willing to pay about 10% more for fair-trade despite the country of

Philosophy of Music Education in the Indian Context Essay Example for Free

Philosophy of Music Education in the Indian Context Essay These goals must be the first and foremost reason why we teach music. To instill an even greater understanding and love of the domain thus enabling our students develop a genuine interest and continue a life long journey that’s undertaken in varying degrees and through diverse roles. Phenix (1986) stress on the fact that knowledge of methods makes it possible for a person to continue learning and undertake inquiries on his own (p. 11). Estelle Jorgenson in her book â€Å"Transforming Music Education† eloquently describes the need for music education to be transformed for the very reason that children be able to continue developing their knowledge beyond the classroom. Effective music education is built of a foundation that encompasses discussions, goals, materials and strategies, based on a teacher’s knowledge and experience of music and child development, educational guidelines and â€Å"overarching, and developing philosophy of music education† (Fiske, 2012). Before I elucidate my philosophy about music, I recognize the need to clarify my stand as a music educator who is passionate and determined to elevate the status of music education within classrooms around India. My Musical Experiences Music has always been a part of me for as long as I can remember. My earliest memories of music, especially the performance aspect, goes back to when I was three years old and sang a solo for a Christmas Concert that was organized by the radio station that my father worked at. I have memories of him kneeling on one knee and playing the guitar for me while I sang after which I was delighted to receive a big present from Santa. Ever since, I have enjoyed performing, and have so felt so comfortable on stage. All along I grew up listening to Christian gospel music and many contemporary arrangements of hymns. Supplementary to that my father offered me a rich experience of Indian hindustani devotional music. I learned songs by ear and didn’t realize what I was missing at this point, imagining what I learned in music to be the only way to absorb and internalize it. Performing was something that I enjoyed doing and it came naturally to me, partly because of my early initiation into leading worship at church. My true test of endurance came about when I was introduced to Western Classical Music at the age of 14, through the study of two years of piano. My teacher, like many others around, displayed an extremely formalistic approach and didn’t do much to expand my understanding of music beyond what was on the page and how I was supposed to read it. In response to this method I didn’t enjoy learning from the pages of notated music books, as much as I did learning by ear, and I continued to develop as a musician who played by ear and improvised at will. Studying opera during undergrad was a trying phase for me because of my inability to â€Å"connect the dots† as easily as I should have been able to. My aural skills remained excellent and I sometimes relied on that to carry me through certain phases. Hard work and determination became my motto, and I spent hours to understand and perfect music that was assigned to me, as I wanted to do my very best. Although I had composed songs earlier, without notating them, the study of music theory opened up a whole new world for me. I could now add variety and richness to my music through the concepts I was learning. Music became a new language for me; I was captivated by the way it lent itself to diverse experiences through different musical roles (something that I wasn’t aware of or didn’t pay attention to earlier). As a Music Teacher Although I initially joined a conservatory to study vocal performance, I found myself deeply drawn towards music education, and during my second semester decided to learn more about devising meaningful and persuasive trategies to improve the standard of music education in India. This thought emerged from an understanding that I had felt almost cheated for having lost out on so many years of studying music formally, yet effectively. I didn’t have a choice because structured music instruction simply wasn’t available at all the schools that I studied in, or the quality of instruction didn’t serve the purpose of educating or informing students like me. What gave the impression of a music class/lesson at school was in reality an enthusiastic way of keeping students occupied for forty minutes in simple singing, with a concert for parents every once a year. We learned songs by rote to perform them, year after year. During those years though, I didn’t realize the limitations that this system came with and continued to enjoy the fact that I was in choir and able to sing. This vacuum remains largely visible and unattended to in schools today, although some music educators in the recent past have taken huge steps towards improving the quality and effectiveness of their instruction in classrooms around India. Their efforts however remain predominantly an enthusiastic endeavor. What is urgently required is certainly something much more than sincere teaching. It calls for a transformation of the present system, giving room for every child to receive superior music education that fits into the whole. The need of every student being met in a transformed educational framework that constantly reshapes itself to accommodate new ideas and strategies. After all, as Regelski (2003) rightly points out that music (music education) is for everyone and not just for an elite few. The turning point in my decision to finally teach music myself came about when I enrolled my four-year-old daughter, Tiara, for after-school piano lessons. I hoped to give her a head start, with the understanding that she needn’t have to face the same challenges in learning music, like I had to. However, after a few classes, I realized to my complete dissatisfaction that there was no structure, no thought and imagination, and no clarity in what was being thought to her. Her fingering on the piano was all over the place for the two songs that her teacher worked on â€Å"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. † And â€Å"Baa Baa Black Sheep† Her teacher (I later learned wasn’t introduced to classical notation), taught her these songs by writing letters in a book and instructing her to commit it to heart. Lesson after lesson they would follow the same outline with no emphasis on any other musical aspects whatsoever. I decided I wasn’t going to take this lying down! I had to do all within my capacity to change the face of music education, as the vast majority of people understand it. I began studying about music education as well, to inform and equip myself for the task at hand. Around this period, my voice teacher encouraged me to coach students in voice, and I began shying away from it believing I was under qualified and needed many years of study to begin teaching. However, with a newfound passion and vigor, I accepted to coaching some of his voice students and also began to teach small groups of students on the history of music (because I loved learning about it). Meanwhile, I started training both my young daughters at home constantly developing new ideas and strategies to introduce musical concepts to them. A friend noticed my teaching style and asked if I would teach her daughter too, and thus began my professional journey as a music educator. Four years since then, I find myself accountable for the music instruction I offer to over 250 children across various age groups, who are part of my school. The need is so great within schools, and only a few educators are willing to take the extra effort of educating themselves and being channels of superior music instruction-catalysts of sorts. I am blessed to have a team of ten teachers who share in my vision and work alongside me in imparting music to the children who are part of our music school, â€Å"Harmony†. My long-term vision is to enhance the music programs in India for the betterment of as many children as possible. Individuals don’t realize what they’re missing until they’ve been given a taste of it, a glimpse of the bigger picture (much like my case). Through our school performances I aim on providing a window for the change to take place. A transformation that not only affects my students, but others around them as well through their personal interactions with each other and the community as a whole. My Personal Philosophy â€Å"A field or discipline without philosophical guidance, without critically examined ideals and commitment to their revision in light of the diverse and changing needs of those it seeks to serve, is more akin to an occupation han a profession† (Bowman Frega, 2012, p. 23). For my vision to bear fruit and show evidence of becoming something concrete, I realize the need to develop my philosophy of music to an extent that equips me with the requisite tools to be able to initiate the change that I seek after. In the words of Jorgenson (2008), â€Å"I want to excavate beneath the superficial and demonstrable skills to think about the ideas and principles of music teaching, the things that drive and shapeà ¢â‚¬ . According to Kivy (2002), â€Å"A practice or discipline or body of knowledge, then, seems to become ‘eligible’ (If that is the right word) for philosophy, properly so–called, when it becomes for us a way of life: when it cuts so deeply into our natures as human beings that we are impelled to explore and reveal its innermost workings† (p. 7). It is necessary for me to â€Å"clarify the major dimensions of musical experience† so I can â€Å"effectively offer them to, and nurture them within, â€Å" my students (Reimer, 2003, p. 9), this despite the passion and conviction with which I teach and advocate the need for arts in schools. I have begun to develop a synergistic mindset in my philosophy of music education after my reading and researching the literature, coupled with practical experiences over the last few years. Reimer (2003) points out â€Å" A synergistic mind-set is one open to cooperation as an alternative to contention, to searching for points of agreement or confluence as an alternative to fixating on discord, to recognizing nuances in which seemingly opposed views are capable of some level of contention† (p. 30). I agree with Reimer’s democratic view that musical meaning is meaning that â€Å"individuals choose to give to and take from music, based on their life experiences and their musical orientations. † He further adds that there is to be no â€Å"one right way†, and calls for an adaptation of a synergistic blend in music teaching. Music must involve decision making through discernment and connections within a particular role (Reimer, 2003, p. 213). Eisner (1987) illuminates the need for a curriculum that â€Å"exploits the various forms of representation and that utilizes all of the senses to help students learn what a period of history feels like†(p. 7). Similarly, offering students a basis for understanding music in all contexts involves a thorough exploration of musical meaning within its definitive parameters, along with contemplation or reflection. Introducing students to the music and other art forms of various cultures is a wonderful way to broaden their understanding of the meaning of music. A student does not need to lose his own musical identity in order to study other music. On the contrary, in learning about other music, a student’s life is enriched. Reimer states, â€Å"In the spirit of adding to the self rather than substituting other selves for one’s self, the study of the music of foreign cultures enriches the souls of all who are engaged in it† (p. 191). Music and Meaning As advocates of music, music educators are often expected to express the meaning of music through words, yet words are incapable of truly describing the beauty and emotion felt through experience. â€Å"The concern is not to arrive at a definition and to close the book, but to arrive at an experience† (Ciardi, 1975, p. ). Ciardi states that there â€Å"still lingers belief that a dictionary definition is a satisfactory description of an idea or of an experience† (p. 1). Words may attempt to describe music, yet true meaning must be derived from the actual music experience Reimer (2003) discusses the difference between meanings drawn from words or language and the meanings found through music. He writes, â€Å"Language is created and shared through the processes of conceptualization and communication. Music is created and shared through the process of artistic/aesthetic perceptual structuring, yielding meanings language cannot represent† (p. 133). â€Å"The real power of music lies in the fact that it can be â€Å"true† to the life of feeling in a way that language cannot† (Langer, 1942, p. 197). Phenix (1986) highlights the need to look for aesthetic meaning in music concluding that there has to be a delicate balance between descriptive proposition that serves the purpose of laying out a historical background and allowing for freedom to gain perceptual features. Though music may evoke emotions in my students as they compose or serve as an outlet for their feelings when they perform, the ultimate significance of music lies in its ability to symbolize/portray deeply felt emotions. In the pages of his article, How Does a Poem Mean, John Ciardi (1975) shares with the reader his view that language is not capable of completely conveying the meaning that is discovered through experience. Living through the poetry is more powerful than attempting to interpret it. I believe that language does, however, serve a purpose of enhancing and is required when teaching for musical meaning. Words such as diction, metaphor, rhythm, and counter rhythm describe elements that lead to the understanding of form. Once a student can identify changes in the form through performance, â€Å"he will have identified the poem in action† (p. 95). He will no longer ask what the poem means but will see â€Å"how it means† (p. 95). Ciardi suggests questions such as, â€Å"Why does it build itself into a form out of images, ideas, rhythms? How do these elements become the meaning? † and â€Å"How are they inseparable from the meaning? † (p. 100). These questions are helpful in leading a student to the ultimate meaningful experience. Likewise, music students may use their knowledge of musical elements, such as rhythm and dynamics, to see â€Å"how† a piece of music means. Reimer (2003) says language has the essential function of disclosing and explaining the music. Music elements are inseparable from the performance of the music as they help to explain the musical experience. On their own, however, words and definitions remain dull and lifeless. I believe students should be immersed in the experience, while in a chorus, performing their instruments and listening to those around them. Meaning can be discovered through active participation in music and through the emotion and beauty the music portrays, for â€Å"Music means whatever a person experiences when involved with music† (Reimer, 2003, p. 133). Ciardi’s (1975) statement: â€Å"It is the experience, not the final examination, that counts† (p. 3) is particularly striking. The Indian society places high emphasis on examinations in music as with other subjects, very often overlooking the need for students to value their experience through the process of learning. I sometimes feel pressured by the community to meet high concert performance expectations and good examination results. Although I recognize that performance and the International music exams is a wonderful opportunity in which students can share their music with the community, or understand their level of competency, the true reflection of meaning in the music should be experienced in day-to-day music making within my classroom. I do my best not to focus on the examination repertoire alone but to include other music as well giving them a chance to draw out meanings and experience the music. Ciardi (1975) describes a poem as a â€Å"dynamic and living thing† (p. 10). He continues stating, â€Å"One experiences it as one experiences life. One is never done with it: every time he looks he sees something new, and it changes even as he watches† (p. 10). Similarly, music is capable of revealing something new each time it is experienced. The meanings my students derive from an initial listening of a piece of music may be vastly different than the meanings understood months or years later. The meaning of music constantly changes with personal life experiences and new perspectives. Reimer claims, â€Å"Music education exists to nurture people’s potential to gain deeper, broader, more significant musical meanings† (p. 133). I believe my students should derive their own meanings from the musical experience and without my influence. By explaining meanings to them, I face the fear of casting into oblivion the celebration of their own unique experience with the music, much the same way a language teacher might, in more ways than one, take away from the experience of a students â€Å"feelingful† experience of poetry as she explains the meaning in the verses of the poem. Instead of teaching â€Å"what† music means, I will instruct students on â€Å"how† music means, enabling them to derive meaning from experiences that occur beyond the classroom, and within their own roles. Feeling through Music â€Å"Music does for feeling what language does for thought† (Bowman, 1998, p. 200). As a musician, I understand the power of music to evoke feelings. Listening to or performing a great work of music in a concert hall may bring tears or chills to the musician in a way that only music is capable. Similarly, students’ emotional lives may be heightened by experiences in the classroom. According to Reimer (2003), the â€Å"emotional dimension of music-its power to make us feel, and to â€Å"know† through feeling-is probably its most important defining characteristic† (p. 72). In Western history, emotion has often been regarded less valuable than intellect (Reimer, 2003). Some people do not consider the arts to be as important as other core subjects such as math and reading in education due to the belief that arts are based on emotions and not reasoning or intellect. Recently, however, scientific scholars have begun to recognize that human intelligence, or cognition, is exhibited in a variety of forms, directly related to functions of the body, and tied to feeling. Dimensions of the mind, once thought to be separate and unrelated, are now known to work together, contributing to the things we know and experience. Anthony Damasio, a research neurologist, believes â€Å"feeling is likely to be the key factor in human consciousness itself and an essential ingredient in human cognition† (Reimer, 2003, p. 76). The capacity to feel â€Å"pervades and directs all we undergo as living, aware creatures† (p. 8). â€Å"Direct experiences of feeling are embodied in music and made available to the bodied experience of those engaged with it† (p. 80). The use of descriptive and symbolic language in the classroom, in the teaching of a varied repertoire of expressive music, aids in drawing out these responses of feeling from students. Including music that is heavy and loud or delicate and light will bring out an array of feelings. I believe students should be given an opportunity to articulate these feelings through journaling and in-class discussion.

Special Education Essay -- Health, Diseases, Autism

Gender According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV, 1994), the category of disorders under which autism falls is pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). Autism is often referred to as belonging in a â€Å"spectrum† of disorders. Autism is a severe disorder of communication and behavior. It is a lifelong disorder that usually appears during the first three years of life. It occurs in approximately 15 in 10,000 births, ten percent are classically autistic, the most severe form of autism. Autism is four times more likely to occur in males than females and there is no known cause or cure for autism (Sullivan, cited in Sewell, 1998). Educational Placement Parents and advocates began to challenge the schools to provide their children with the â€Å"most appropriate† education in the â€Å"least restrictive environment† (LRE) (Petch-Hoggan & Haggard, 1999). As defined by IDEA, the â€Å"least restrictive environment provision requires that states assure that, to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated with children without disabilities.† Removal or separate schooling should only occur when the severity of the child’s disability is such that the general curriculum cannot be modified to meet their educational needs (Sawyer, McLaughlin, & Winglee, 1994, p. 204). Parents of children with autism have rarely been asked their opinions about their ideal educational placement for their child (Kasari, Freeman, Bauminger, & Alkin, 1999). Parental opinions on the proper placement for their child vary greatly and often evoke a wide range of emotions. The decision to place students into full or part-time inclusive environments is often dependent on several factors. The severity or dia... ...ose to have more than two workshops per year, depending on both student need and availability of staff. It is important to consider the latter, as this would be an after school activity, hosted by a committee of volunteer. Research supports the idea that such workshops would benefit students and their families in preparing for this difficult transition. Eckes and Ochoa (2005) also believe workshops would especially help in preparing for postsecondary education. The main idea behind the transition committee is for a variety of individuals from both the school and community to work collaboratively in their efforts to advocate for students in special education and their families may be more comfortable with this process. When they have questions or concerns, there would be a team of trusted individuals that they could feel comfortable turning to for help. Special Education Essay -- Health, Diseases, Autism Gender According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV, 1994), the category of disorders under which autism falls is pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). Autism is often referred to as belonging in a â€Å"spectrum† of disorders. Autism is a severe disorder of communication and behavior. It is a lifelong disorder that usually appears during the first three years of life. It occurs in approximately 15 in 10,000 births, ten percent are classically autistic, the most severe form of autism. Autism is four times more likely to occur in males than females and there is no known cause or cure for autism (Sullivan, cited in Sewell, 1998). Educational Placement Parents and advocates began to challenge the schools to provide their children with the â€Å"most appropriate† education in the â€Å"least restrictive environment† (LRE) (Petch-Hoggan & Haggard, 1999). As defined by IDEA, the â€Å"least restrictive environment provision requires that states assure that, to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated with children without disabilities.† Removal or separate schooling should only occur when the severity of the child’s disability is such that the general curriculum cannot be modified to meet their educational needs (Sawyer, McLaughlin, & Winglee, 1994, p. 204). Parents of children with autism have rarely been asked their opinions about their ideal educational placement for their child (Kasari, Freeman, Bauminger, & Alkin, 1999). Parental opinions on the proper placement for their child vary greatly and often evoke a wide range of emotions. The decision to place students into full or part-time inclusive environments is often dependent on several factors. The severity or dia... ...ose to have more than two workshops per year, depending on both student need and availability of staff. It is important to consider the latter, as this would be an after school activity, hosted by a committee of volunteer. Research supports the idea that such workshops would benefit students and their families in preparing for this difficult transition. Eckes and Ochoa (2005) also believe workshops would especially help in preparing for postsecondary education. The main idea behind the transition committee is for a variety of individuals from both the school and community to work collaboratively in their efforts to advocate for students in special education and their families may be more comfortable with this process. When they have questions or concerns, there would be a team of trusted individuals that they could feel comfortable turning to for help.

Alcohol Abstinence Essay

Ever known someone that was a victim of an alcohol related death or had their lives ruined because of it? Well I have. More than 100,000 US deaths are caused by excessive alcohol drinking each year. Alcohol is a huge fetter to people and I believe that everyone should be abstinent from it. Alcohol is harmful to the body, teens abuse it and drink underage, and it has harmful effects on children. Every year, more money is spent promoting alcohol than any other product. Perhaps through its elaborate and creative marketing, the most basic, yet important fact about alcohol is often overlooked: It is a drug. One concept that many people find difficult to accept is that alcoholism and alcohol problems are a disease. Research has shown that alcohol interacts with the bodys systems in predictable ways to lead to physiological addiction. Alcohol significantly impairs judgment and coordination, it can increase the chance of aggressive acts, it can do permanent damage to vital organs, and it can cause cancer, gastrointestinal irritations such as nausea, diarrhea, and ulcers, malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies, sexual dysfunctions, high blood pressure, lowered resistance to disease, and others. Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among young people today. Underage drinking costs the United States more than 58 billion dollars a year. Thats enough to buy every public school student a state of the art computer. Concerning the past 30 days, 50% of high school seniors reported drinking, with 32% report being drunk at least once. About 30% of failures in school are caused by alcohol and 2-3% of teens die from it. Despite the tireless efforts of thousands of advocates, impaired drivers continue to kill someone every 30 minutes, nearly 50 people a day, and almost 18,000 citizens a year. Lots of people think the only people affected by alcohol are adults and teens but children can also be affected by it. More than 18% of American children experience alcohol abuse by a parent or other adult in their lives. Parents can influence the use of alcohol as well. Almost 65% of youth surveyed said that they got the alcohol they drink from family. Mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy can also affect children. These infants may suffer from mental retardation and other irreversible physical abnormalities. In  addition, research indicates that children of alcoholic parents are at greater risk than other children of becoming alcoholics. Since alcohol is something that would be extremely hard to ban and probably wouldnt work if tried, people need to refrain from poisoning themselves with it and become abstinent. Alcohol forces people to do irrational things and endanger peoples lives. People need to be abstinent from alcohol so this world can become a better and safer place for the generations to come. Bibliography â€Å"Alcohol.† GDCADA- Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol on Drug Abuse. 6 Mar. 2006. 14 Feb. 2009 . â€Å"Alcohol and Drugs.† Alcohol and Drug Information. SAMHSA. 14 Feb. 2009 .