Marilyn Yarbrough with Crystal Bennett Essay Example

Marilyn Yarbrough with Crystal Bennett Essay Marilyn Yarbrough with Crystal Bennett Excerpted from Marilyn Yarbrough with Crystal Bennett, Cassandra and the Sistahs: the Peculiar Treatment of African American Women in the Myth of Women as Liars Journal of Gender, Race and Justice 626-657, 634-655 (Spring 2000)(254 footnotes omitted) In addition to the negative stereotypes scholars associate with all women who complain about sexual harassment and other types of sexual abuse, there are three common stereotypes ascribed particularly to African American women. First, Mammy, everyones favorite aunt or grandmother, sometimes referred to as Aunt Jemima, is ready to soothe everyones hurt, envelop them in her always ample bosom, and wipe away their tears. She is often even more nurturing to her white charges than to her own children. Next, there is Jezebel, the bad-black-girl, who is depicted as alluring and seductive as she either indiscriminately mesmerizes men and lures them into her bed, or very deliberately lures into her snares those who have something of value to offer her. Finally, Sapphire, the wise-cracking, balls-crushing, emasculating woman, is usually shown with her hands on her hips and her head thrown back as she lets everyone know she is in charge. Besides the three common stereotypes listed above, there are other, more contemporary ones. According to Professor Ammons, the matriarch symbolizes the black mother in her home. The matriarch is the mammy gone bad, a failed mammy, because she has spent too much time away from home, has not properly supervised her children, is overly aggressive, and emasculates the men in her life. We will write a custom essay sample on Marilyn Yarbrough with Crystal Bennett specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marilyn Yarbrough with Crystal Bennett specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marilyn Yarbrough with Crystal Bennett specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The matriarch was the centerpiece of the Moynihan Report of the mid-1960s. Professor Ammons goes on to describe the welfare queen: [w]hile the problem with the matriarch is that she is too aggressive, the welfare mother is not aggressive enough. She shuns work and passes bad values onto her children. Unlike the breeder slave woman who was most valuable when she bore children, the welfare mother must be discouraged from producing because her offspring are a threat to economic stability. Another, mostly abandoned stereotype, once common in motion pictures that predated the appearance even of Mammy, was that of the tragic mulatta, depicted as alluring, sexually arousing, seductive, and tainted (by one drop of African blood). The image of Mammy as a symbol of African American womanhood is inextricably integrated into the folklore of American culture. The evolution of the Mammy image can be attributed to female slaves performing domestic duties for the family of the slave owner. Historically, the media has portrayed her as having characteristics that suggest submissiveness towards her owner (during slavery) or employer (following Emancipation). Moreover, her behavior connotes satisfaction and comfort with her station in life, wherein she is consigned to performing domestic duties. Mammy is first and foremost asexual, and accordingly, in this society she had to be fat. Most portrayals of Mammy depict her as an obese African American woman, of dark complexion, with extremely large breasts and buttocks . . . By doing this, male slave-owners could disavow their sexual interests in African American women. By characterizing Mammy as an asexual, maternal and deeply religious woman whose main task was caring for the masters children and running his household, the slave-owner found in her the perfect slave. She was a loyal, faithful, but still untrustworthy member of the family who always knew her place. The second stereotype of African American women is that of Jez ebel. Jezebel is the promiscuous female with an insatiable sexual appetite. In Biblical history, Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab of Israel. Jezebels actions came to exemplify lust. Subsequently, the name Jezebel has become synonymous with women who engage in lewd sexual acts and who take advantage of men through sex. Jezebel is depicted as erotically appealing and openly seductive. Her easy ways excused slave owners abuse of their slaves and gave an explanation for Jezebels mulatto offspring. This inability to be perceived as chaste brought about the stereotype of dishonesty. In other words, African American women were not, and often are not, portrayed as being truthful and, therefore, they could not be trusted. Throughout history, our court system has also exploited the myth of Jezebel. The courts have used this image to make racism and sexism appear natural. The sexual myth of Jezebel functions as a tool for controlling African American women. Consequently, sexual promiscuity is imputed to them even absent specific evidence of their individual sexual histories. This imputation ensures that their credibility is doubted when any issue of sexual exploitation is involved. Finally, in the stereotype of Sapphire, African American women are portrayed as evil, bitchy, stubborn and hateful. In other words, Sapphire is everything that Mammy is not. The Sapphire image has no specific physical features other than the fact that her complexion is usually brown or dark brown. Unlike other images that symbolize African American women, Sapphire necessitates the presence of an African American male. The African American male and female are engaged in an ongoing verbal duel. Sapphire was created to battle the corrupt African American male whose lack of integrity, and use of cunning and trickery provides her with an opportunity to emasculate him through her use of verbal put-downs. Ernestine Ward popularized the Sapphire image in the Amos and Andy television series. Ward played a character known as Sapphire, and her husband, Kingfish, was played by Tim Moore. Sapphires spiteful personality was primarily used to create sympathy in viewers for Kingfish specifically and African American males in general. As a result, many African American women suppress these feelings of bitterness and rage for fear of being regarded as a Sapphire. The myths of Mammy, Jezebel and Sapphire have their roots in negative anti- woman mythology. Moreover, at any time, each of these images is used to characterize African American women in a monolithic image. Consequently, many people find it difficult to appreciate the diversity of African American women and instead impose identities based on negative stereotypes. While the Jezebel stereotype most clearly supports the sexual exploitation of African American women, the other two stereotypes also promote this subjugation. Mammys harassment claims would go unheard because no one would believe that a man would desire an asexual woman. Similarly, Sapphires claims of sexual abuse would be overshadowed by her reputation for deception, lying and lack of loyalty. The characterizations of African American women as asexual Mammys, promiscuous Jezebels, and antagonistic Sapphires reaffirm societys belief that African American women are less individualistic than white women. These stereotypes, which evolved during slavery, continued to exist after the end of slavery and still contribute to the unique harassment experiences of African American women today. [pic]

The 7 Worst Mistakes You Can Make During a Phone Interview

The 7 Worst Mistakes You Can Make During a Phone Interview You get a phone call out of the blue to interview you for a job. That means your interviewer will be totally forgiving if you’re unprepared, right? Wrong. You do need to be prepared- always.   Steer clear of these 7 common pitfalls and set yourself up for success. Here are the 7 worst mistakes you can make during a phone interview.1. Not being able to remember which job this isThe interviewer will say she’s so-and-so from such-and-such company. That has to trigger for you exactly which position you applied to. The only way you’re allowed to ask is if you’ve applied for two positions in the same company. Otherwise, make sure you’re sharp and prepared to recall exactly which positions go with which companies.As far as she is concerned, her open position is the only one in the world. Don’t give her evidence that her job isn’t special for you.2. Talking in public/while driving /in the subwayIf you get surprised by a call while in public, politely state that you’re in a less-than-ideal setting for a conversation and ask if you can reschedule or postpone until you can get to a quiet, private spot. If you have scheduled your phone interview and it does not come as a surprise, make sure you’re going to be available to answer in ideal conditions.3. Not knowing the formatIf you’re scheduling a remote interview, make sure you know whether it’s via phone or Skype or FaceTime. Not to mention who is contacting whom, and whether all the relevant contact information has been shared.4. Botching the â€Å"Who are you?† questionYour interviewer starts with â€Å"Tell us a little about yourself.† Don’t blow it. And don’t just give a brief bio and a sense of your favorite taste in movies. Target this answer to include compelling reasons why you understand the companies needs and fit them perfectly. Prepare this in advance, for each position you apply to. Just in case.5.  Not asking questionsIf you’ve got ‘em, ask ‘em. Particularly if you’ve heard some scuttlebutt about the company. Now is your chance to find out. Take any insider gossip with a grain of salt, of course, but find a clever and nonspecific way of asking around it, particularly if you have concerns.6. Not having an answer to the salary questionYou may think you’re â€Å"not being pushy,† but really you look unprepared and not confident or experienced enough to know better. Have a range in mind, for any and all positions, and be prepared to state it clearly. Don’t aim too high or too low for the company or position- do some research ahead of time. Weigh what you used to make, what they’re offering, and what you think you can get before coming up with a number. And it’s always okay to ask them what their budgeted range is before stating your requirements.7. Not identifying the elephant in the roomIf you’re in the least bit un der-qualified for a position, or lack a specific certification, you must not simply lean back and rely on charm. They know what your applications lacks and so do you. It’s best to be honest and up front about this and provide practical solutions for your inexperience. They’ll see that you’re mature enough to realize your weaknesses, but professional enough to have a plan to surpass expectations.

Source Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Source Analysis Paper - Essay Example To the family and other Englishmen, this brought about a reality check in terms accepting Eunice’s choice to stick with the Indians out of her own consent. To the father, John Williams who professed a puritans faith, Eunice’s refusal to come back, called for a concerted prayer for redemption. In this context, the redemption meant freeing Eunice from harm or distress. While, Eunice does not view her action as wrong, the puritans remain adamant for redemption to save her from the Native Americans. The action by Eunice presents a pattern of trying to assimilate into another culture. This choice, results in pain and anguish to John Williams, the father. Among the English, the choice by Eunice then, was viewed as a lost cause. However, there is need to consider fact that, Eunice decided live according to how she sees it fit. In essence, Eunice’s case in this story brings to light how choices and liberty manifested in 1700s United States. Among the custom was, having f reedom to make own choices (Demos 37). As part of exercising one’s own liberty, Eunice deviated from her English roots. This involved converting to Catholism and disowned her name (Demos 107). Such events clearly indicate dissatisfaction with her previous roots. During 1700s, colonialists explored the Americas to practice religious freedom. There was freedom in terms of practicing own religion without disapproval from the King. However, regions such as New England adopted protestant faith, and was regarded more superior than other faith. This is evident when John Williams assert that, â€Å"Eunice should not loss her protestant faith in the hands of the captives† (Demos 37). The book further, reflects on a lack of respect to French Jesuits by the English Protestants. However, Demos assert that, â€Å"the Native Americans were not easily swayed to alien model† (Demos 171). The lack of religious tolerance forced John Williams to spend only a few moments talking to Eunice. It might seem that, Eunice disliked the over dependence on God among the English and her family in New England. Despite the disapproval by John Williams regarding her daughter’s choice, Eunice displayed one of the pinnacle American choices, which is, individual freedom and choice. The Native Americans regard Eunice as an equal, compared to limited liberty allowed by the English at that period in history. In reality, Eunice experienced two conflicting civilizations (Demos 175). In this story, and particular, a focus on Eunice, reflects on the freedoms instituted in the American society. Further, this story picture a period in America when religious tolerance was gaining momentum. Religious tolerance is today identified by all Americans as a vital possession. The choices made by Eunice, reflects on the Bill of Rights. Despite the story being petite histoire, illustrations about liberty are evident in a large way. In addition, the choices by Eunice have established a pr ecedent for future generations of the American society. The precedent, involves freedom to make own choices. The ideals that shape the American society today, reflects back to the journey taken by Eunice in pursuit for choice and liberty (Demos 255). In a review of Demos and Cronon’s arguments, both focuses on history related to New England. Cronon on one hand focuses on ecological changes by comparing Indians and the Europeans. Demos on the other hand, highlights on the puritans roots compared to French Jesuit and the Native American

Preferential Trade Agreement and Third World Economies Research Proposal

Preferential Trade Agreement and Third World Economies - Research Proposal Example Scope and uniqueness of study from existing research From the research questions posed above, it would be noted that the study will have a central theme of economic growth among third world economies. To achieve this, three major premises or variables shall be investigated as part of the scope of the study. These premises and the theme that together form the scope of the study have been demonstrated in the diagram below. What makes the research questions and the scope of the study unique is that it takes a spiral and holistic approach to the theme of economic growth in 3rd world economies. By spiral, reference is being made to the fact that the eventual goal of economic growth will be approached from a systematic order where one thing must lead to the other in order to bring the needed change. By holistic also, reference is being made to the fact that the research will not only look at what needs to be done but what needs to be avoided. By this, all forms of unfair trade agreements that have only taken advantage of third world economies will be exposed. The rationale for such a spiral and holistic approach is that Martin, Marchetti and Lim (2007) criticised existing approaches to economic growth in third world economies as being haphazard and lacking systematic plan that recognises barriers that must be overcome before growth can be achieved. Bridging gaps in literature The proposed study will be conducted in a manner that departs from existing literature so as to make the topic different from others.

Political Science paper about (Should the Arms Trade Treaty cover Essay

Political Science paper about (Should the Arms Trade Treaty cover small arms) - Essay Example Thus, clearly, by direct control and monitoring of the small arms, the crime rate can also be controlled effectively. Secondly, as opposed to nuclear weapons or other large ammunition equipment, small arms are convenient to conceal. Also, these are smaller in size and lighter to carry which makes them easier to transport. Thus, terrorist groups can accumulate these light weapons which they can later utilize to carry a lethal operation during the aggravation of a conflictii. This is a classic case exhibit during civil wars. Furthermore, majority of the conflicts in civil wars effecting the civilian population involve small arms, being the more dominant ammunition used for criminal violence. The death toll of fire-arms in the post-conflict period is thus higher than that of the death toll during the climax of the conflictiii. This directly implies that the losses in a conflict can clearly be minimized by controlling small arms. Also, the armed violence leads towards the decay in social welfare. People flee their homes and tend to be threatened by the presence of small arms. Also, according to statement issues by the World Bank, nothing affects the investment opportunities in a state as do armed violenceiv. Thus, all negative indicators to economic development can directly be connected to small arms. Thus, with active exports and imports of small arms, there are chances that more and more number of people would have easier access to small arms which would tend to increase violence and decrease economic growth indicators. Lastly, there are presently no measures of transparency related to the available data on the presence of small arms on the global pretext. Thus, by virtue of small arms control and consistent monitoring of the data, eventually the data would be accumulated to a considerable extent, after which a database can be formed for future referencev. As opposed to small arms, the data on nuclear warheads and other conventional arms is

Why Do Nations Engage In Trade?

Why Do Nations Engage In Trade? Regional Economic Integration: Why is it happening? Why do nations engage in trade? Provide examples of the levels of economic integration. The reason why the Regional Economic Integration is happening because nowadays we have the open market in which every countries or state can have the free trade to others countries. This integration results from regional economic integration blocs in which member countries agree to eliminate tariffs and other restrictions on the cross-national flow of products, services, capital and in more advanced stages labor within the bloc (3). One of the most important things that lead to this integration is the globalization. It affects no on many types of life including the economy. So that, this is a significance to have the Economic integration in order to have the better economy in which the globalization is making its effects on. Nations engage in economic integration because each country cannot produce all the goods and services it needs. Therefore, countries produce what they are good at and have abundant supply of raw materials, and then they trade another country in exchange for something that they need. Some countries trade with other nations for particular goods and services because they either lack the technology to produce the goods themselves or the other countries can do it cheaper. One country may have the advance at producing high quality cabinets and entertainment stands for large screen televisions. Another country may have the resources for producing goods but they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have the technology. It would benefit both countries to trade with one another for their different but complementary goods and services. There are several levels of the regional economic integration which are the Free Trade Area, The Custom Union, The Common Market, and The Economic Union. The Free Trade Area is the least restrictive form of economic integration among countries. In a free trade area, all barriers to trade among member countries are removed. (1) Therefore, goods and services are freely traded among member countries in much the same way that they flow freely between, for example, Southeast Asia and America. There are no discriminatory taxes, quotas tariffs, or other trade barriers are allowed. Sometimes a free trade area is formed only for certain classes of goods and services. The most notable feature of a free trade area is that each member country is free to set any tariffs, quotas, or other restriction that it chooses for trade with countries outside the free trade area. European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are one of the biggest free trade areas in the world. The customs union is one step further along the spectrum of economic integration. Like a free trade area, it eliminates trade barriers between member countries and adopts a common external trade policy (2) in goods and services among themselves. One of the biggest customs unions is the Andean Pact. It has Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru as its members. In addition, however, the customs union establishes a common trade policy with respect to nonmembers. Typically, this takes the form of a common external tariff, whereby imports from nonmembers are subject to the same tariff when sold to any member country. Tariff revenues are then shared among members according to a perspective formula. The common market has no barriers to trade among members and has a common external trade policy like the customs union. Additionally, the common market removes restrictions on the movement of the factors of production (labor, capital, and technology) across borders. (2) Thus, restrictions on immigration, emigration, and cross-border investment are abolished. When factors of production are freely mobile, then capital, labor, and technology may be employed in their most productive uses. An economic union has the free flow of products and factors of production between members, a common external trade policy, a common currency, a harmonized tax rate, and a common monetary and fiscal policy.(2) EU is the most important economic in the world in which almost European countries are the members. It has the great effect to the world economy. The creation of a true economic union requires integration of economic policies in addition to the free movement of goods, services, and factors of production across borders. Under an economic union, members would harmonize monetary policies, taxation, and government spending. In addition, a common currency would be used by all members. This could be accomplished by membersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ countries agreeing to a common currency or in effect, by a system of fixed exchange rates. Clearly, the formation of an economic union requires nations to surrender a large measure of their formation of an economic union requires nations to surrende r a large measure of their national sovereignty. Needless to say, the barriers to full economic union are quite strong. Our global political system is built on the autonomy and supreme power of the nation-state, and attempts to undermine the authority of the state will undoubtedly always encounter opposition. As a result, no true economic unions are in effect today. Montessori Education: Principles, Philosophy And Practice Montessori Education: Principles, Philosophy And Practice The Montessori Method developed initially at the first Casa dei Bambini that Montessori established in 1906 in San Lorenzo in Rome. As with modern Montessori education, the basic principles were straightforward. First, Montessori believed that children were innate knowledge seekers and that they taught themselves. As she expressed it, young learners were self-creating. Second, Montessori believed that, at each stage of development, education should include and evolve within prepared environments, environments that enabled children to take on accountability for their own learning as they engaged the processes relevant to becoming able and actu alized adults and citizens. More specifically, according to the American Montessori Society (AMS), Montessoris pedagogy stressed the following critical and structuring notions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The aim of Montessori education is to foster competent, responsible, adaptive citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning occurs in an inquiring, cooperative, nurturing atmosphere. Students increase their own knowledge through both self- and teacher-initiated experiences; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning takes place through the senses. Students learn by manipulating materials and interacting with others. These meaningful experiences are precursors to the abstract understanding of ideas; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The individual is considered as a whole. The physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, spiritual, and cognitive needs and interests are inseparable and equally important; [and] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Respect and caring attitudes for oneself, others, the environment, and all life are necessary. 5 Pedagogically, perhaps the most important, and most famous, emphases are Montessoris conceptualizations of the prepared environment and the developmental plane. According to the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI, founded by Montessori herself in 1929), the prepared environment of the Montessori classroom is one where children are free to respond to their natural tendency to work [and where their] innate passion[s] for learning [are] encouraged by giving them opportunities to engage in spontaneous, purposeful activities with the guidance of a trained adult. [Here, and t]hrough their work, the children develop concentration and joyful self-discipline.] Within a framework of order, [they] progress at their own pace and rhythm, according to their individual capabilities. 6 These are environments that allow [children] to take responsibility for their own education, giving them the opportunity to become human beings able to function independently and hence interdependently. 7 From this view, the prepared environment is one that can be designed to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration by the child, one in which there is a variety of activity as well as a great deal of movement. In this situation, according to the Montessori approach, this necessary preparedness enables children [to] work on activities of their own choice at their own pace. Further, [t]hey [children] experience a blend of freedom and self-discipline in a place especially designed to meet their developmental needs. 8 The notion of prepared environment is related, moreover, to the manipulation of learning materials and to the understanding of normalization. From the Montessorian view, materials are to be accessible (e.g., placed on appropriately high or low shelves) and available for individual student choice, interest, and use. They are, to a large extent, fully the responsibility of students-regardless of age (e.g., students obtain, return, and maintain them). More pedagogically precise, these materials aim at inducing activity, isolating a particular learning quality (e.g., comparison and contrast, size, color, shape, etc.), and inducing self-correctivity (i.e., students can perceive errors relative to their learning via the materials and correct them without [or with minimal] adult intervention) and interrelationality (i.e., that the various materials [should] build one upon the others). 9 Normalization, for Montessori, meant not its typical (or normal) definition of conformity and what is normal but, instead, a developmental process, one inextricably tied to the appropriate preparation of the pedagogical environment. Montessori obs erved that children do best in schools (and education more broadly) given maximal freedom in an environment designed to meet their unique growth and personal and social needs. Through continued work with materials that held their interest, selected independently from within the prepared environment, Montessori noted that children eventually acquired an increased sense of satisfaction, self, and inner fulfillment. The course through which this evolution occurred defined for her the nature and significance of normalization. As she wrote in The Absorbent Mind: Only normalized children, aided by their environment, show in their subsequent development those wonderful powers that we describe: spontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social sentiments of help and sympathy for others à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ An interesting piece of work, freely chosen, which has the virtue of inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the childs energies and mental capacities, and leads him [or her] to self-mastery à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ One is tempted to say that the children are performing spiritual exercises, having found the path of self-perfectionment and of ascent to the inner heights of the soul. 10 As E. M. Standing, in Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, defined the characteristics of normalization, they are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of order à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of work à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spontaneous concentration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Attachment to reality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Love of silence and of working alone à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sublimation of the possessive instinct à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [The p]ower to act from real choice à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Obedience à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Independence and initiative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spontaneous self-discipline à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Joy As the North American Montessori Teachers Association (NAMTA) says, Montessori believed that these are the truly normal characteristics of childhood, which emerge when childrens developmental needs are met. 11 The idea of developmental plane designates the transitions that occur during the birth through adulthood evolution of human beings. According to AMI, the specific planes are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Birth to age six: children are sensorial explorers, constructing their intellects by absorbing every aspect of their environment, their language[,] and their culture; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age six to age twelve: children become conceptual explorers[; they] develop their powers of abstraction and imagination, and apply their knowledge to discover and expand their worlds further; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age twelve to age eighteen: children become humanistic explorers, seeking to understand their place in society and their opportunity to contribute to it; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age eighteen to age twenty-four: as young adults, [individuals] become specialized explorers, seeking a niche from which to contribute to universal dialogue. 12 More specifically, Montessori classrooms are divided into three-year groups, the purpose of which, according to Montessoris theories and observations, is to facilitate precisely and appropriately the continuum of growth and learning via human interaction and personal development and exploration, here both in terms of the individual and the social. 13 The multi-age divisions of the Montessori program are (1) parent-infant (ages 0-3), preschool (ages 3-6), lower and upper elementary (ages 6-9 and 9-12), and middle school (ages 12-14). Again, each presents its own precise purposes, materials, and activities and methodologies. 14 And yet Montessorian curriculum and instruction can be both complex and multiple, formal as well as unpredictable and less than rigid. Consider the following applied example. At the elementary level, the expectations of the learner and the appropriate pedagogical principles include: 1. Lesson repetition among students individually, that is after the initial presentation by the teacher, in order to concretize abstract concepts; 2. Cross-curriculum webbing; 3. The view that ability is individual-adults and children work to the potential of each person, not to the average; 4. Ever-deepening interest on the part of the learner; 5. The perspective that respect, freedom, and responsibility are interdependent. Our question, of course, is what these might mean in practice. Lesson repetition implies recurrence and redundancy-not in a negative way but as individually developed experiences in an effort to habitualize, routinize, and conceptualize key (especially unfamiliar) ideas, such as, perhaps, counting and various other mathematical notions. Webbing suggests that each new idea leads to-and connects with-others, whether presented earlier or presented later. The individual nature of ability, as opposed to the average level of students, indicates focusing on children moving forward according to their own singular lesson paces without unwarranted stigmatizations and without undue pressure to track. The idea of ever-increasing interest insinuates learners follow their own natural curiosities and inclinations (a la Kilpatrick?), particularly vis-à  -vis engaging the essential question of why? Lastly, regarding the case of the interconnectedness of ideas, such as respect, freedom, and responsibility, Montessori understandings suggest a relationship among values, culture, growth, success, and maturity, settings important, ultimately, to both liberal and conservative critics of contemporary American public schooling. DEFENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MONTESSORI EDUCATION According to NAMTA, well over 200 U.S. public schools are now Montessori-oriented, a number that continues to grow. 15 When viewed within the context of other contemporary public (though, granted, sometimes private as well) school reform trends (e.g., Waldorf education, charter schools, vouchers, public school choice), the commitment to Montessori public education seems to support at least two significant points. First, it represents, to some extent, the present dissatisfaction with traditional public schooling (or at least dominant images of it). Second, it supports the notion that another way-Montessori, Waldorf, and so on-might provide and prove to be a better way (especially within the contexts of the No Child Left Behind Act and standards-based educational reform). Fundamentally, Montessori education offers but one alternative to the criticisms leveled at public schools from critics both of the political and pedagogical left and the political and pedagogical right. The standard right-wing critique centers on the beliefs that schools today are failing because they (1) have standards that are too low, (2) replicate the worthless theories and perspectives of the liberal educational establishment, (3) maintain a monopoly, (4) focus on self-esteem (and the like) over content, (5) rely on progressive methods at the expense of direct instruction, (6) have privileged cultural relativism over traditional values and character, (7) have usurped the power and position of parents, and (8) misguidedly throw more money at schools even though this is neither (from this view) a solution to educational problems nor the answer to educational improvement. 16 The standard left-wing critique is that schools fail students because they (1) stifle freedom and creativity in favor of conformity and discipline, (2) are dominated by noneducators (e.g., corporations, politicians, managers, test companies), (3) are too centrally controlled, (4) focus too much on fact- based, standardized content, (5) are too traditional in terms of assessment and instructional methods, (6) hyperemphasize homogeneity at the expense of diversity and difference, (7) neglect neighborhoods and local communities, and (8) are underfunded. 17 Conceivably, of course, one could make a case in favor of the truth or utility of either or both of these critiques (although, indeed, we are more sympathetic to contemporary left-based criticisms). And, most likely, Montessori educators and other interested stakeholders probably possess and espouse a range of viewpoints relative to the overall effectiveness of traditional public schooling. Yet, what the Montessori approach does is co nnect with the concerns many (though not necessarily most) parents have (rightly or wrongly) that, at least broadly speaking, American public schools are failing or at least not up to snuff. While our own position is that this is not inevitably the case, 18 even so, Montessori education provides one appropriate and legitimate response to dominant modes of public schooling that can be consistent with a multitude of philosophical, pedagogical, political, and sociocultural goals. In fact, arguably, Montessorianism takes seriously the apprehensions of the entire spectrum of educational criticism (relative to official schooling). It emphasizes, for example, freedom, mastery, diversity, scientific research and methodologies, formal curriculum, individuality, fairness, planning, and hard work (among others)-each of which to some extent can meet the demands of both conservatives and liberals (if not others). That is not to say, of course, that the Montessori system is perfect-obviously, it is not. Yet, it does favorably compare with many aspects of more established modes of public education. According to NAMTA, the quintessential (and implicitly negative) characteristics of contemporary public school classrooms are their propensities toward: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Textbooks, pencil and paper, worksheets and dittos à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Working and learning without emphasis on social development à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Narrow, unit-driven curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individual subjects à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Block time, period lessons à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Single-graded classrooms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who are] passive, quiet, in desks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who] fit [the] mold of [their] school[s] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students [who] leave for special help à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Product-focused report cards 19 Although, to some, this version of traditional education might seem to describe perfectly only the conservative agenda, increasingly it can be seen to characterize what we have previously called the liberal-conservative consensus and to indicate the current will-to-standardize or the standardization imperative of both the liberal and conservative race to the middle of the road. 20 In contrast, NAMTA characterizes the Montessori approach as favoring: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Prepared kinesthetic materials with incorporated control of error [and] specially developed reference materials à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Working and learning matched to the social development of the child à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unified, internationally developed curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Integrated subjects and learning based on developmental psychology à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Uninterrupted work cycles à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Multi-age classrooms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which students are] active [and] talking, with periods of spontaneous quiet [and] freedom to move à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which] school[s] meet the needs of students à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ [A setting in which special] help comes to students à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Process-focused assessment, skills checklists, [and] mastery benchmarks 21 In effect, Montessori education provides parents and students an alternative option within the standard frameworks of public schooling. For those (generally liberal) critics who believe that traditional public education stifles freedom, individuality, and creativity, Montessori instruction offers spontaneity, choice, and creative student-centeredness. For those (generally conservative) critics who believe that public education has been dumbed down, is anti-knowledge, and is too touchy-feely, Montessori instruction offers hard work, discipline (in the most positive sense), and an emphasis on fundamental skills. CONCLUSIONS Montessori education in the public schools raises a number of questions, yet it implies, as well, a number of productive and pedagogically sound principles and practices. Some of the difficulties with the historical criticisms of the Montessori approach include such concerns as immutability versus evolution (i.e., the extent to which Montessori education changes or the extent to which it should or must change), truth or universality (i.e., the degree to which it implies a structure that can, or does, meet the needs of all individual students), and teacher education (i.e., the potential conflict between individual interpretation, creativity, and independence and individual teacher conformity and disciplinarity). At the extremes, these issues (rightly or wrongly, for good or bad) weigh heavily on the capacity of the Montessori approach to meet its educational agendas and its stated purposes. On the other hand, Montessori education represents a little known alternative to more traditional modes of public schooling; most members of the citizenry have no idea that such a state of affairs even exists. When most people think of public schools-their own, their childrens-they think of a homogeneous setting of traditionalism or of progressivism-either way, the same setup for everyone. Yet Montessori education demonstrates the diversity-often little understood, even unknown-that characterizes contemporary teaching and learning. This is most often, we think, quite a good thing. In any event, it presents the condition of effective methods regardless of ones political or pedagogical orientation-that is, whether one is conservative, liberal, reactionary, or radical. There is more going on, that is, than most people perceive. And, most profoundly, the Montessori effort-the movement-is on the ascendancy. In the end, with respect to public education, the Montessori philosophy and its attendant methodologies imply something new, ironically new given the long and successful history of Maria Montessoris efforts and influences. If nothing else, it remains, after all this time, an option worth exploring and taking seriously. It is a viewpoint that should be reconsidered, reckoned with, and continuously and rigorously pursued. It is, that is, not the same old thing.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Woman in White :: Compare Contrast Lee Woman White Essays

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (post 1914) and The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (pre 1914) I chose the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" as I had read it a while ago and had enjoyed it a great deal, I was also interested in the themes and subjects covered in it, such as: Prejudice, innocence, how a mind set affects peoples opinions etc My only problem was I had no idea what to compare it to as I am not a huge fan of classical literature, and do not know many books of this style. My teacher suggested I try either "Jane Eyre" or "The Woman in White", as they both covered the themes and subjects of "To Kill a Mockingbird". First I tried "Jane Eyre", after a few chapters I decided to try "The Woman in White", as I found "Jane Eyre" quite monotonous and dull. The first few chapters in "The Woman in White" were also quite dull but at about chapter 8/9 it starts getting really interesting soon after I couldn't put it down. It is now one of my favourite books The "Woman in White" is a story about the horrific acts a man of high status could commit in the 1800's and get away with (Sir Percival Glyde). The story begins by introducing us to Walter Hartright, who is the primary narrator, through him we have our first encounter with the woman in white (Anne Catherick), who hints that she had been terribly wronged by an evil baronet (who we soon discover to be Sir Percival Glyde). Sir Percival is engaged to Laura Fairlie, the beautiful art student of Mr Hartright. But Laura and Mr Hartright are in love, the triangle ends with Laura and Sir Percival marrying and Mr Hartright going to Central America to try to forget Laura. It turns out that Sir Percival has a terrible secret, which Mrs Catherick (Anne's mother) knows it is that he is not really a baronet he becomes paranoid of Anne discovering it so he sends her to an asylum. In addition, he is in great debt, which is why he marries Laura as she is set to inherit a great fortune. This is the base of which a terrible conspiracy takes place, which robs Laura of her identity and money then locks her up in an asylum. The rest of the story concerns her revenge, and how it was possible for such a thing to take place. "To Kill a Mocking Bird" is also based around how an innocent who is wronged simply to suit a person's personal needs.