Language Arts Action Research Essay Example for Free

Language Arts Action Research Essay Classroom Management Inquiry: An Applied Study of Language Arts Data Zoo Southern Illinois university Daredevils Brian Walker Johnson, Literacy Faculty Inquiry into Teaching and Learning Project CLC 445 Language Arts at Elementary and Middle Levels November 22, 2013 Classroom Management Inquiry: An Applied Study of Language Arts The main phenomenon I have concentrated on throughout my Inquiry into Teaching and Learning Project for my applied study of language arts Is the role that speaking, writing, viewing, visually representing, reading and listening play in the management of an elementary school classroom. I have come to understand that classroom management is one of the hardest duties off beginning teacher. Being respected by students and colleagues is what establishes a teacher as an authority, and effective classroom management is a start towards this goal. Managing my students has been the hardest part of my school experience thus far, and I hoped that allowing language arts to become an active part of my management processes would allow my students to think more critically about their actions. When I began his inquiry study, I believed that writing classroom rules together, reading classroom rules critically, speaking and listening to how rules are applied, and viewing and visually representing class rules in daily walk and conversation might give students a sense of ownership over their classroom and greater respect for teachers. I thought the benefit of using language arts for classroom management might be measured by closer examination of critical conversations students have when rules are broken. So I proposed the following action research question: How does student behavior hanged when students read, write, speak, listen, view, or visually represent apparent misbehaver? Waxier (2007) suggests that written action plans which give older elementary students responsibility for their actions changes misbehaver. Research by Smith (2009) demonstrates that the use of other language arts with preschoolers can have the same effect. Reading these studies motivated me to pursue classroom arts. Method Secondary Sources to Answer Research Question I began my research into how student behavior changes when language arts are integrated into classroom management practices by reviewing two secondary resources. My first source, Blending Effective Behavior Management and Literacy Strategies for Preschoolers Exhibiting Negative Behavior by Smith (2009), was published in a peer reviewed early childhood education Journal specializing in articles that summarize a number of experimental studies. Smiths (2009) summary of research gave the ideas in the article greater validity. Some of the findings Smith (2009) shared described classroom management techniques I have personally experienced as effective. Smiths (2009) findings are limited to studies done with reechoes students, but I believe the findings can be used with older students as well. Unlike Smith (2009), my second source, Waxier (2007), was not published in a peer reviewed Journal. Washers eBook, teach: A Teacher Resource for Learning the Strategies of Master Teachers, was self-published. However, the authors online biography points to decades spent as a professional teacher and consultant who has helped hundreds of elementary teachers improve their classroom management. Waxier, like Smith, also describes a number of management techniques that I have found to be helpful in the past. Primary Source Data to Answer Research Question I continued my research into how student behavior changes when language arts are integrated into classroom management practices by collecting primary sources of data from my third grade classroom. The third grade classroom where I student teach is located in Roseville, Illinois, near the Mississippi River Just north of SST. Louis, Missouri. The third grade at Roseville Elementary School consists of 25 Caucasian students, 13 boys and 12 girls. Well over 70% of these students are on free or reduced lunch programs, suggesting that their families are struggling with poverty. However, the academic achievement of these students is especially high in language arts, evidenced by the schools online report card. These students may represent an exception to the thought that poverty dictates low academic achievement. I began my research into how elementary student behavior changes when language arts are integrated into classroom management practices by conducting classroom observations and collecting artifacts. My classroom observations were done by filling out five observations forms over 1 5 minute intervals over a period of six weeks. I simply observed moments in the life of my student teaching classroom where misbehaver was occurring. Then, using the left hand column of my observation form, I wrote what I saw my teacher and student informants doing during these 15-20 minute snapshots of instruction, scripting the instruction to the best of my ability. I included exactly what I heard and saw. On the same days I made my observations, I went home and read over what I had written. Then, using the right hand column of my observation form, I summarized the instructional moments I saw in my written observations that I thought related to engage arts instruction and changing student misbehaver. Finally, in a different column that: 1) documented which of the language arts were being used in the instructional moment you summarized; 2) described how I thought an additional element of language arts could have been incorporated into the instructional moment. Together with artifacts including written action plans by students to correct misbehaver, photos of room arrangement, copies of class rules, and student/teacher interviews, patterns of how misbehaver changed as a result of language arts applications began to emerge. I believe these patterns are valid because they are supported by three different kinds of primary source data: my observations, informant interviews, and classroom artifacts. My initial primary source data response to the question, How does student behavior change when students read, write, speak, listen, view, or visually represent apparent misbehaver? , emerged after examining data collected midway through my study with colleagues in my Language Arts at Element ary and Middle Levels class at Southern Illinois University Daredevils. I began to see at first that Reading, writing, or speaking about subversive changes misbehaver. As I continued to gather data, it became evident that all of the language arts gave misbehaving students opportunities for reflection that changed misbehaver. Results Results of my analysis of primary source data in the form of five 1 5 minute observations over five weeks, three student interviews, one cooperating teacher interview, and seven artifacts of student work in classroom management demonstrate that use of all of the six language arts gave misbehaving students opportunities for reflection that changed their misbehaver.

Essay --

Tragedies such as 9/ll has impacted many people when the terrorist attack happened at the world trade center in Manhattan. Thousands and thousands of people died, others were injured, and other civilians cried their hearts out. The nation was in despair, knowing that innocent people have died and their nation has been attacked. The government had noted that the act of 9/11 was an act of terrorism. The question is, what is terrorism and is it permissible or non-permissible? There is no specific definition of terrorism due to the fact that the definition can be viewed differently (p398). Some of the definitions of terrorism is either too broad while others are too neutral (p398). An example that was in the book was the comparison between the London bombing and the bombing in Hiroshima. The London bombing was considered an act of terrorism while the bombing in Hiroshima was considered non-terrorism because it was a response to an act of terrorism that was done at Pearl Harbor (p399). V aughn had defined terrorism as â€Å"...the deliberate use or threat of physical violence against noncombat...

Barnados Essay

Thomas Barnardo’s established his charity in 1870; even then did it cause accusations. Barnardo’s opened many projects such as ‘Believe in Children’ and ‘Child Poverty’ and many more series of campaigns. During 2002 Barnado’s launched the campaign ‘Stolen Childhood’ to help children up to the age of 18, who have been abused through prostitution. Complaints said audiences were left feeling disconcerted and disturbed. But making calls to stop child prostitution was a target for Barnardo’s; they wanted to create a new law allowing child prostitution to end. Barnardo’s produced posters for advertisements about the prostitution of children and altered their faces to illustrate the pain that they are going through. Noticing the complaints, has risen, Barnardo’s defended the decision to use shocking images: saying that these changes allowed them to get the message across to many people and allow Minsters to act quickly, providing enough protection for children. In this particular advert, it contains a picture of a little girl sitting on a sofa. Her face is digitally grotesquely old, but has a young body. Standing behind the sofa is part if a man and his fingers are running through her hair. The background is a subtle yellow, with curtains that are drawn. The advert includes a catchy slogan and information on how to donate or get supplementary information about the campaign. The man in this image is placed behind a sofa, with his back towards a window. This arrangement gives me an idea he is hiding or protecting the little girl away from the public. This unknown man cannot be identified because the image does not allow the viewers to see his face because his face is deliberately hidden- this sets the audience eager to see his face. We are also not able to see his bottom half, as he is straightened up behind the sofa- Which suggests that the man may not be wearing any trousers. You can see the hairs upon the man’s chest, (as his shirt is seen to be undone) this straight away gives me a sense that this man is way beyond the age to be sexually connected with young girls. Plus I can identify that he is wearing a wedding ring which states the man might be either married or divorced. This proves that anyone can act in this behaviour, whether or not you’re married. Clenching his hand on the sofa expresses that the man is in anger and has force over the young girl. However, he is probably satisfied as well as incensed because, his other hand is touching the girl’s hair. Reminding ourselves that his shirt is undone, this can calculate that he may be ready to sexually abuse her, or that he has already done so. The terrified girl in the foreground is cramped up in the corner of the sofa: this shows that she is probably afraid and is trying to keep away. She looks as if she is trying to protect herself by holding both arms firmly around her. Through this I can sense that the girl may be in danger in some way perhaps, as she like to keep her self to herself. Her world might be very dark and cold so, therefore holding both arms is a way of keeping her pain within herself. Yet sitting in this position is also covering the lower part of her body, as she may not be wearing anything. This then shows me the young girls sensitive and emotional side as she may be a very shy person. The purple bruises on her legs must have a horrifying story behind them- A story that involves physical, brutal abusing conflict between the man and her, or maybe be she has self harmed herself which might be a way to relief her pain. The top that the girl is wearing stands out to me, it appears to be quite rigid as it looks almost washed out form a bright pink colour, this suggests a soft girly side that she once had, and has all been taken away from her. I can clearly say that this image of her clothing gives a sign of purity and innocence to contrast with her reality and the callousness of the room. Yet viewers who look at this poster are straight away drawn directly to her face. Her digital altered face appears to look old and wrinkly. Bug, heavy bags under her eyes are lined up with dark bruises, making her look stressed and tired, almost as if she has spent her hours crying with lack of sleep. From her droopy expression her mouth is weighed down with many defined lines which appear to be baggy wrinkles forming under her lips. Which is exaggerated on the amount of sexual abuse that she gets, hence it is equivalent to a life time and maybe it is difficult for her to relax and get some rest. This all results to how the child is being taken care of by the man –Not only does he abuse her but has no intention on her health and strength, she is some sort of shield for him, were she is being brutally knocked over, while he is safe ly fulfilled. The girl who once lived a happy life, with smiles and laughter, has almost faded away with a broken soul of worries, fear and pain. I think this altering of her face may reflect what she may look like in the coming years. The image of this lonely victim has been adjusted to make her look old with strands of grey hair. By doing this digital alteration the audience are led to believe that this young girl has been traumatised by suffering from too much sexual abuse from the man, resulting in ageing and loss of childhood. This image captures only a certain part of the room; this creates suspense and gives the audience thoughts about who else might be in the room†¦ nother abuser, or another child in a similar situation? The colour of the wall reflects the carpet, creating a sense of calm and a neutral atmosphere. This matches the colour of the curtains, and gives me an understanding that the main person living in the house has a sense of style, therefore can live in a decent looking way. Thus the soft colours clash with the situation of the trapped, dark story held between both characters in the image. Her disapp ointment and fear does not fit in well with the surroundings of the scene, which makes her prominent. Everything is in contrast to each other, the bright clean room to the dark filthy routine he portrays. Yet one may wonder what is really going on behind those doors and drawn curtains, where a little girl is forced to love with a man. There area different levels positioned in this photograph. The man in the background is standing behind her dominantly as if he is in control of his powerful actions committed against the frightened girl, (through his level of height) as she is sitting and being touched by him. Abuse through prostitution STEALS CHILDRENS LIVES’ is a slogan used in the poster. These effective, emotive words make the audience want to put a stop to prostitution, to give everything the child need which has been taken away from them. Their hope would want the audience to act quickly and efficiently, due to words ‘prostitution and children’ oddly put together (which is normally not relevant to children) it is a short powerful message that loiters onto to y ou after you have read it. The slogan also highlights the key points about the campaign, letting the audience know what prostitution can lead to. In this poster there is enough information needed, for instance the image is very vivid, followed by a catchy slogan, symbolising that the audience’s awareness can make a difference. Overall, Barnardo’s feel they can be more daring with their use of images to a younger age group. Even though, the text on this advert is very limited, the images illustrate an understanding of the charity, as it is well explained, using lack of words. I agree with the fact that Barnardo’s has used visual distressing images- this will encourage and expose how neglect and abuse can bring horrifying consequences to children in the UK. The resulting of the poster will wake the public up, to the children’s distress. If not, the charity still received publicity through the complaints that were made, and will acknowledge them. However, this advert revolts me, and makes me aware of what is actually happening around me. I feel sympathy for the young girl; trying to understand what its like to be in her position and in this uncomfortable situation. No child should experience an outrageous, despicable act like this! The poster lets the viewers create the rest of the room in your mind. Which makes me think that the rest of the world might me suffering from the same situation? This sets me a sudden erg, an eager to help the juvenile girl, and try to stay connected to her, letting her know that there can be help being made. In addition to this, I reckon the more eye-opening and clear the advert is, the more successful that campaign will be!

The Ways in which Act 3 scene 5 Prepares the Audience for...

The Ways in which Act 3 scene 5 Prepares the Audience for the Tragic Ending of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet In the time of Shakespeare the word tragedy is used to describe a hero or heroine, usually from a noble family, involving a sad ending with the hero or heroin dying. Nowadays the word tragedy is used to describe everyday things, anything that is sad in the television and newspapers is called a tragedy. It is very often used as a story leading to a sad ending. Tragedy is most used in our world today when something really bad happens that doesnt occur too often. A good example would be the world trade centers that were destroyed by terrorists on a hijacked plane. My definition of tragedy†¦show more content†¦In the beginning of the play Capulet wants the best for Juliet, but seems to have changed his mind and talks like he is selling property not his own flesh and blood. The way he talks indicates he doesnt want Paris to change his mind about marrying Juliet because of all the trouble happening involving their family. He talks quickly, asks questions and answers them himsel f as if hes afraid of the answers: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I think she will be ruld. In all respects by me; nay more, I doubt it not. Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed, Acquaint her here of my son Paris loveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Monday, ha,ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon, AThursday let it be - AThursday, tell her, She shall be married to this noble earl. Will you be ready? Do you like this haste? Well keep on great ado - a friend or twoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ From Capulets behavior, it is known that he is a man with too much power, he shows it in the way he controls his wife and daughter. Capulet is a man who has values that can easily be forgotten when faced with the possibility of more money and power, which is what hell get if Paris marries Juliet. Veronas society is made up of power and money, without it you are no one. Shakespeare makes it very clear the way act 3 scene 4 is written that everything is being arranged in haste. He shows thatShow MoreRelatedEssay about Dramatic Irony in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet877 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a tragic story about two lovers who are from two disputing families, and their eventual suicides. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony throughout the play to create tension for the audience and foreshadow the ending. Dramatic irony is when the words or actions of characters in a story have a different meaning to the reader than to the characters. This is because the reader knows something that the characters do not. Romeo and Juliet’s death could have been prevented