The hour of feeling Essay Example for Free

The hour of feeling Essay Lyrical Ballads has been called a poetic revolution, the true beginning, (In British poetry) of the literary, philosophical and artistic movement known as Romanticism. The Romantics were concerned with feeling. In his preface of the Lyrical Ballads, Wordsworth wrote that all good poetry is a spontaneous overflow of feelings The above passage is from Lines written at a small distance form my house whereby the poem very much centres on it is the hour of feeling. In this poem Wordsworth wants his sister to experience the blessed pervasiveness of this one moment which fifty years of reason cannot substitute for, in which he finds himself connected to the earth and mankind through love. I shall use the underlined statement as the definition for the hour of feeling and imminently discuss the success of the poets in accomplishing this in the Lyrical Ballads. The Romantic Movement was a reaction to the classical literature of the Augustan age, which was classic, impersonal and formal, championing rationality as opposed to feelings and used a large number of literary clichi s and overblown phrases. The readers of poetry in the eighteenth century were largely educated men with a classical upbringing who had been conditioned to reflect in verse. The acme of classical elegance would be Thomas Grays An elegy written in a Country Churchyard, it is the reflections of a man seated in a country churchyard, but nothing can conceal the fact that it is a series of solemn thoughts, marshaled in logical sequence and clearly infers a classical restrained background. The poem speaks of emotions but does not convey them. Wordsworth asserted that Poetry is passion: it is the history and science of feelings and that the word passion is derived from a word that signifies suffering. Most of the characters in Lyrical Ballads are suffering. Some characters suffer from the effects of the American and French Wars- Wordsworth stated that The Female Vagrant was in part inspired by watching a fleet prepare to sail to engage the French in 1793. Enclosures and irresolute Poor Laws led to the destitution of many agrarian workers, a situation outlined in The Last of the Flock. A lack of provision for the elderly (Simon Lee), the stigma of unmarried motherhood and the need for penal reform (The convict, The dungeon) all shape the poems. Lyrical Ballads was very much inspired by real events and real people written in a selection of language really used by men making it identifiable and invocative to the readers who share the common plight with the characters in the poem; thus creating a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. Mothers who have lost their children (which was a common phenomenon at the time due to famine and sickness) would respond emotionally to We are Seven and The Thorn; families who have lost their men to war, would sympathize with the female vagrant and to the readers who never experience those plights, they were given a deeper and emotional understanding to the suffering of others. However, the poems were not merely limited to minute observations of suffering, though these were written with an ardent wish to promote the welfare of mankind. The major traits of the Romantic Movement are well-represented by the poems. These include the primacy of feeling over reason (it is the hour of feeling); interest in the power of imagination (I must think, do all I can); the value of the insight of a child (we are Seven, Anecdote for Fathers); and therefore also in the primary adult/child relationship, that with its mother (The Idiot Boy, The Thorn); The value of Nature as a moral guide, healer, and fulfillment (Tintern Abbey, Lines written in Early Spring,The Tables Turned); the goodness of the pastoral contrasted to the corruption of the urban; the developing science of psychology (The Mad Mother, The Complaint); alternative ways of expressing spiritual and religious conviction; life as a journey or process, a state of flux rather than a fixed course ( The Old Man Travelling, Ancyent Marinere) sexual freedom; humanitarian political views ( The Dungeon, The Convict, The Last of the Flock, The Female Vagrant) and an interest in the aesthetic guidelines of painting. The poets were chiefly concerned with bringing back their readers to the Natural State of mind and feeling, uncorrupted by the influences of social vanity; just like children; the child is the father of the man. In his preface, Wordsworth wrote of their choice subject. Humble and rustic life was generally chosen because in that condition: the essential passions of the heart find a better soil in which they can attain maturity and are less under restraint- our elementary feelings coexist in a state of greater simplicity and, consequently more accurately contemplated and more forcibly communicated; because the manners of rural life germinate from those elementary feelings; and lastly because in that condition, the passions of men are incorporated with the beautiful and permanent forms of nature. Keeping in line with this vision and objective, the poems in Lyrical Ballads was predominantly set in the countryside and rural areas and the language used is simple , the diction plain, almost deceptively so: sturdy he seemed, though he was sad/ And in his arms a lamb he had At night, at morning, and at noon Tis all the same to Harry Gill; Beneath the sun, beneath the moon, His teeth they chatter, chatter still. The diction is doggedly unpoetic by Augustan standards, and the subject matter ordinary to the point of perversity: old men, idiot boys, abandoned village women, unmarried pregnant mothers. There were many who felt that these types of lines were so turgid and ordinary that they had found it hard to believe that Wordsworth wrote it. However Robert Mayo in his essay The Contemporaneity of the Lyrical Ballads opposes this opinion: The real novelty of these poems lies not in the subject matter and forms, but in sheer poetic excellence- in their vastly superior technical mastery, their fullness of thought and intensity of feeling, the air of spontaneity which they breathe, and their attention to significant details which seem to the reader to have been observed for the first time. The well thought out structure of the whole compilation plays a significant role in capturing the hour of feeling. There was a hint in a letter from Coleridge to Cottle that the poems were meant to be taken as a whole: that what was important was their accumulative effect upon the reader. Lyrical Ballads was, he wrote, one work, in kind tho not in degree, as an ode is one work; and our different poems are as different stanzas. Beginning the book with the Ancyent Mariner sets the mood for a journey into wise passiveness, where the reader is invited to feel, contemplate and experience sublimity and imagination. Subsequently the reader is transported into the lives of the characters, where we are exposed to issues we rarely give attention to, like capital punishment, whereby in The Convict, Wordsworth focuses on the fact that no proper restitution can be made by a convict subjected to this harsh punishment. (the fetters that link him to death) He makes the readers realise that prison is an awful place not because it twists a mans soul, but because it is hard to repent in the comfortless vault of disease Cleverly Wordsworth does not have the prisoner speak, allowing him only a questioning look. Were he to speak, it would raise the question whether his crime actually deserved capital punishment or not; instead the poem challenges the whole notion of capital punishment because the convict is kept a mute object for our consideration. The voice crying out for change, the poem suggests, must be the readers, rather than the convicts or the poets. Wordsworth believed that transportation should replace capital punishment (would plant thee where yet though mightst blossom again) and that the only emotion we should feel for the transported convict is compassion. The Last of the Flock too, has a humanitarian purpose. Based on a real incident reported to him by a friend, he uses the tale of a poor shepherd losing his flock to attack the stupidity of the system of poor relief which insisted that a man had to sell all of his property before any financial support could be given to him. He is victimized by social forces beyond his control, his pride and mental health leeched away drop by drop by the stupidity of society. This is seen to damage our human relationships: I loved my children less By not offering any solution to the situation, the poet is inviting readers to come up with their own emotional response. It is up to (the largely middle-class) reader to re-make the world to avoid such distress. Lyrical Ballads is filled with such characters and their sad stories throughout; the perfect ending to these poems would have to be an explosive one to complement the Ancyent Mariner, and indeed Tintern Abbey was not only explosive but reflective and quite personal to the poet. The reader will get a glimpse into the poets heart, to identify with him and be forever marked with the beautiful verses in Tintern Abbey, perhaps even respond to nature just like the poet has hoped for in his readers. Tintern Abbey is Wordsworths most complete expression of his philosophical and poetical viewpoints. The poem is divided to five sections. The first describes the view, offering the reader a chance of sharing his perception of Nature. The second section describes the effect that that perception has on him. The third section recounts his journey (and journeys of all kinds are a running theme in Lyrical Ballads) to his current state of mind. It charts the development of his love of Nature from his earliest boyhood to look on nature, not as in the hour of thoughtless youth, but hearing oftentimes, The still, sad music of humanity. The fourth section is dedicated to his sister who is also his friend, and to the readers, exhorting us to look on Nature as our friend knowing that Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Nature is personified here. Wordsworth brings the poem and the book to a close with a personal message to all the readers if solitude, or fear, or pain, or grief, should be thy portion, with what healing thoughts of tender joy wilt thou remember me, and these my exhortations! and finally this green pastoral landscape, were to me more dear, both for themselves and for thy sake Early critical reception of The Lyrical Ballads was mostly negative and at times even hostile. Reviewers cited uninteresting subject themes and the prolixity of the Ancyent Marinere, with its archaic style and murky philosophical theme. Francis Jeffrey, one of the chief reviewers for the influential Edinburgh Review, was so offended by Wordsworths flaunting of poetic convention in the Lyrical Ballads that he engaged in a long and vitriolic campaign against what he termed the Lake School of Poetry. While this initial critical response impeded acceptance of the Lyrical Ballads and its authors, acknowledgment did come eventually. Other reviewers praised the earnestness and simplicity of the poems in Lyrical Ballads and their focus on the usually neglected subject of the rural poor. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, Victorian critics demonstrated a special interest in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner as a moral and philosophical puzzle, and Wordsworth and Coleridge already were already figures of pre-eminent English poets, the leaders of the first wave of Romanticism. Robert Southey in his contribution to the Critical Review, October 1799, wrote that of these experimental poems, the most important is The Idiot Boy [a tale] of nearly 500 lines, no tale less deserved the labour that appears to have been bestowed on this. He reflects the general confusion caused by the blending of lyric and ballads The other ballads of this kind are as bald in story, and are not so highly embellished in narration. The Acyent Marinere, Southey notes, claims to be in the style of the elder poets. He confesses he thinks the style is rather original, in a rather pejorative use of the term, although he finds many of the stanzas laboriously beautiful he goes on to add that they are in connection absurd or unintelligible we do not sufficiently understand the story to analyse it. Dr Burneys comment on the Monthly Review is similarly dismissive. He calls the Ancyent Mariner the strangest story of a cock and a bull that we ever saw on paper although, for a rhapsody of unintelligible wildness it does have poetical touches of an exquisite kind However there are poems that Southey likes: The Foster Mothers Tale is in the best style of dramatic narrative and The Dungeon and Lines left upon a Seat are beautiful. The Female Vagrant is also admirable. He goes on to say: The experiment we think has failed, not because the language of conversation is little adapted to the the purpose of poetic pleasure but because it has been tried upon uninteresting subjects. Even so he concludes that the authors rank with the best living poets As for Dr. Burney, he wonders if the Female Vagrant doesnt cast unnecessary and unpatriotic aspersions on the War effort. The Old Man Travelling is criticised for the same, unpatriotic feeling. As for the Last of the Flock Burney concludes that it is a gloomy poem, and that No oppression is pointed out implying that it was the shepherds own fault. Property, and patronizing pity, lies behind these words: moved, but not educated, Burney goes on to add that if the author be a wealthy man, he ought not to have suffered this poor peasant to part with the last of his flock. Likewise, Burney finds The Dungeon pushing candour and tenderness for the criminal to excess, while The Convict misplaced commiseration. He finds The Idiot Boy merely distressing, The Thorn dark, and Tintern Abbey although the reflections of no common mind: poetical, beautiful and philosophical, is nevertheless gloomy. On the whole, he concludes, it would have been better had the poets chosen more elevated subjects and in a more cheerful disposition. It is precisely to the likes of Dr. Burney, that the Romantics were revolting against. The objective of the Lyrical Ballads was precisely to speak about the less elevated and cheerful subjects which are also known as Reality. Doubtless there will be many readers like Dr. Burney who do not feel anything towards the issues raised by the romantics, who would prefer to be fed with cheerful, superficial and restrained classical subjects whereby unnecessary feelings and thoughts will not be provoked. However this should not be mistaken as the general reception. Lyrical Ballads raised issues that was not explicitly discussed especially in the literary sense; because of its aukwardness and strangeness, the immediate reception in the times of the poets was Rejection, understandably so; however this positive change in Literature, thanks to the Romantics, will forever change the course of posterity, who will be free to express their thoughts and ideas against the modes of convention. When reading this collection, the reader is transported to that one moment where he will be connected to earth and mankind through the united feeling of love. However I believe that the Lyrical Ballads will only appeal to those who have a heart that cries out for change. Overall, I believe the poets achieved their objective in capturing the hour of feeling, and sometimes even feelings of strangeness and aukwardness for the likes of Dr. Burney.

Closing The Gap In Educational Attainment

Closing The Gap In Educational Attainment Closing the gap in educational attainment between social groups has been widely acknowledged as a pressing concern of national importance Introduction Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela grew up in a country divided by apartheid. A black man in a country where a white minority ruled, he had a vision for South Africa; to be one nation regardless of race. In 1994 he became the first black president of South Africa testament, indeed, that barriers, of any kind, should not be reason for or an apology for lack of attainment or achievement of any kind and, that barriers can be overcome. It is widely agreed that there are numerous barriers to educational achievement and social inclusion, among them Special Educational Needs (SEN)  [1]  and disability, Ethnicity and English as an Additional Language, and gender to name but a few. The aim of this essay however, is to look at just one of the barriers faced in this country, poverty, and to look at how pupils within this social group are affected and how poverty affects their educational achievement, further, the essay will look briefly at the evolution of inclusive education and what is currently being addressed by this and subsequent governments in order that pupils, regardless of circumstance can have equality in education. Body of essay In order to link poverty with educational achievement and attainment gaps, a background to poverty and social inclusion within education will be outlined followed by the first part of the analysis which will look at the historical overview of inclusive education, current policy and guidance and its impact on minority groups; the second part of the analysis will examine the effects of poverty and how, in particular, pupils entitled to FSMs  [2]  impact on the gap in educational attainment compared against children not entitled to FSMs. The final level of the analysis will look at the importance of narrowing the gap and the introduction of the 21st Century School. What is poverty? At this point it is necessary to note that, through research, it became apparent that there is an unclear and infinite definition about what poverty is and how it should be measured. However, most of the research leads to an agreement that poverty is to be related to in terms of typical living standards within the UK and the following definition is widely accepted: Individuals, families and groups in the population can be said to be in poverty when they lack the resources to obtain the types of diet, participate in the activities, and have the living conditions and amenities which are customary, or are at least widely encouraged and approved, in the societies in which they belong. P Townsend, Poverty in the United Kingdom: a survey of household resources and standards of living, Penguin, 1979, p31 The most crucial point made above and which is the main cause of poverty is resources; to emphasise more clearly, the main cause of poverty is insufficient income/unemployment which, for adults with children directly impacts on them and their wellbeing. Although the UK has a system of benefits which should protect families with children from poverty, these too are deemed as too low. In relation to this, it accepted that whilst adults do not choose for themselves the road of poverty, for children of parents living in poverty there is no alternative and they are therefore not just children but could be described as victims of circumstance. Poverty is not just about going without it is about being deprived of equality in areas such as health, housing and respect and, in the case of children, education. In conjunction with the definition (above) the DCSF (2009) goes on to describe child poverty alone as Child poverty means growing up in a household with low income. Research has shown that these children will face a greater risk of having poor health, being exposed to crime and failing to reach their full potential. It means they miss out on school trips, do not have adequate winter clothing and arent able to enjoy leisure activities with their peers. As a result, their education suffers making it difficult to get the qualifications they need to move on to sustainable, well-paid jobs. This limits their potential to earn the money needed to support their own families in later life, and so a cycle of poverty is created. www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/strategy/parents/childpoverty/childpoverty/ What is Social inclusion? As with poverty, in order to link social inclusion with educational achievement and attainment gaps, a background and understanding of the issues pertaining to social inclusion need to be outlined. The term social exclusion is a term generally used to describe what can happen to people who are subject to the most severe problems, and are therefore no longer socially included. As noted above, children have no choice of background; they are born into it and therefore find themselves in poverty as a result of their birth circumstance. For a child not to be socially included brings consequences above and beyond economic poverty alone. It is generally considered that to be socially excluded as a young and impressionable child can have far reaching effects detrimental to both education and health therefore, to surmise, to be socially excluded is to face exclusion not just economically but socially and academically too. http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/social_exclusion_task_force/context.aspx Historical development of inclusive policy guidance Bearing in mind the previous points, it is necessary now focus on how this and previous governments have attempted to overcome some of these issues through inclusive education. It should also be noted that whilst this essay is focussing, in the main, on the impact of poverty on educational achievement, the roots of inclusive education lay predominantly with another minority group, children with learning difficulties/special educational needs (SEN). However, as acknowledged above; through circumstance, pupils from families who are deemed as in poverty have now been identified as a group who are under achieving academically and, therefore, as with pupils with SEN are a recognised minority group for which an inclusive education should benefit. Inclusion is not a new idea and in fact has its roots at the turn of the last century where educationalists, in particular child welfare pioneer Elizabeth Burgwin, saw neither the purpose nor virtue in, what was then segregated education and that adaptations could be made to ordinary schools in order to educate all children, whatever their ability or circumstance, together, however, there was another opinion that children could be categorised according to their ability and taught in special schools. These were children who, in the words of the School Board for London (1904) were children who could not be taught in ordinary schools. (Thomas, Walker and Webb, 1998) It became accepted that segregated education/special schools was the safe and sensible way forward to meet the needs of children with SEN; further, this format of schooling safeguarded the education of mainstream pupils in ordinary schools, indeed the 1944 Education Act scripted an extremely segregative post war education system. It was not until the mid-1960s when evidence showed lack of success in the system that opinions began to change and education looked toward integration and inclusion (Thomas et al., 1998). Given then that the purpose of inclusion within education is that pupils with SEN are integrated into mainstream education it is important here to note the difference between integration and inclusion. The term Integration was introduced in 1978 in the Warnock Report and referred to the idea of integrating children with SEN into a common educational framework. The idea has since progressed to include all children, not just those with an identified SEN, but children from all minority groups regardless of gender, ethnicity or circumstance [poverty] so that a fully inclusive education should be fully inclusive of all children and is seen to embrace diversity. (Warnock Report special educational needs 1978 chapter 7) (House of Commons: Select Committee on Education and Skills Third Report 2006) Clarification of inclusion policy: Defining inclusion p58). Inclusive education Promoting excellence in teaching and tackling disadvantage demands we personalise teaching and learning and back strong, innovative leadership in schools Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families July 2007 present  [3]   ECM Speech to the National Childrens Bureau, 23rd July, 2007 The principle and practices of inclusive education therefore suggests that all pupils in a school, regardless of their strengths or weaknesses in any area, become part of the school community; that they are included in the feeling of belonging among other pupils, teachers, and support staff further, schools have a legal responsibility to educate all regardless of gender, ethnicity or circumstance in mainstream schools. Breaking the link (DSCF, 2009) identified that a FSM pupil is also more likely to have been identified with special educational needs (SEN) and will be more likely to have a CoP  [4]  statement or categorised as School Action or SA+, it is possible that this group will also be of a group of BEM or BESD  [5]  which have also been identified as an under performing social group. It is generally considered that there is a relationship between these factors and interventions such as personalised learning, as identified within the QCA framework for inclusion, is vital to adhere to in order for progress. For these identified groups, inclusion is not necessarily just understanding that every pupil will not be working on the same learning objectives as every other pupil within that group but that the pedagogy will be about recognising where differentiation would be appropriate in order to support and accommodate the different learning needs and styles of the social/learning group and that a detailed approach to monitoring their improvement is in place in order that targets may be stretched and met. Personalised learning (differentiation) therefore, will be key to lifting achievement and therefore should be a fundamental component to narrowing the gap and working towards a culture where a childs chances of success are not limited by their socio-economic background, gender, ethnicity or any disability or circumstance. Working within the inclusive framework however should not be viewed as a barrier for either pupil or staff; inclusion needs to be viewed as a continuing process of breaking down barriers and narrowing the gap to educational attainment for all children and young people. There are a number of laws addressing discrimination in education and therefore support inclusive education in the UK. Arguably, the most important piece of legislation passed in recent years is the Every Child Matters (ECM) policy which, launched in 2003, was published alongside the formal response to the report into the death of Victoria Climbià ©Ã‚  [6]  and gave rise to the 2004 Childrens act. ECM covers children and young adults up to the age of 19 (or 24 for those with disabilities) and is the Governments aim is for every child, whatever their background or circumstance, to have the support needed to: Be healthy Stay safe Enjoy and achieve Make a positive contribution Achieve economic well-being The ECM policy focussed on Inclusive Education Equality of Opportunity and placed high on the agenda 3 main areas: Human Rights Children have a right to learn and play together, they should not be discriminated against and inclusion is concerned with improving schools for both pupils and staff alike Equal Opportunities in Education Children do better in inclusive settings (academically and socially), they should not need to be separated in order to achieve equal academic status and inclusive education is a more effective use of resources Social Opportunities inclusive education is on part of inclusion in society, children need to be involved with all their peers. Assuming then that ECM and the 2004 Childrens act are supporting and sanctioning inclusion, it is interesting to note that there is evidence to suggest, through the attainment gap, that social minority groups, despite progress and the inclusion and integration advocated in the Warnock Report, are still under achieving and, that the concept of inclusive education is still discussed as though it applies only to children with an identified SEN and is not taking account of all social minority groups, but as identified in the Index for Inclusion below, it does, in fact, have a much wider scope, inclusion in education involves: (Booth and Ainscow 2000) Valuing all students and staff equally. Increasing the participation of students in, and reducing their exclusion from, the cultures, curricula and communities of local schools. Restructuring the cultures, policies and practices in schools so that they respond to the diversity of students in the locality. Reducing barriers to learning and participation for all students, not only those with impairments or those who are categorised as having special educational needs. Learning from attempts to overcome barriers to the access and participation of particular students to make changes for the benefit of students more widely. Viewing the difference between students as resources to support learning, rather than as problems to be overcome. Acknowledging the right of students to an education in their locality. Improving schools for staff as well as for students. Emphasising the role of schools in building community and developing values, as well as in increasing achievement. Fostering mutually sustaining relationships between schools and communities. Poverty and the effects on education It is the aim of this and subsequent governments to raise achievement for all pupils and to break the link between disadvantage [poverty] and low educational attainment. In 1999, the [then] government pledged to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020, in response to this, in 2008 the government published a paper: Ending Child Poverty Making it Happen 2008 underlining their commitment to ensure not just that each successive generation is able to gain better jobs, but that everyone has the chance to achieve their potential, no matter what their background, further the paper announced that a child poverty Bill will be introduced in 2009. The Child Poverty Act 2010  [7]  ensures that sustained action must be taken to tackle child poverty by this, and future, governments, by devolved administrations, and by local government and their partners. The act sets targets relating to the eradication of child poverty, and to make other provision about child poverty. The Bill provides a statutory basis to the commitment made in 1999 and to create a framework in which to monitor progress at a national and local level. Relevant to poverty and education however, is section 26 of the act which makes an amendment to the of the Education Act 1996 and gives the Secretary of State an order-making power to extend eligibility for free school meals (FSMs) if the child meets prescribed conditions and the childs parent is in receipt of a prescribed benefit or allowance. (Child Poverty Act, 2010) Research carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2007 reinforced that the links between poverty and education were clear but complicated and that to break the established relationship between poverty and poor educational outcomes required a change to the underlying structures (Raffo, Dyson, Gunter, Hall, Jones, Kalambouka JRF A Review of research on the links between education and Poverty, September 2007). Since then and with the advent of the Child Poverty Act and the End Child Poverty Campaign, inroads have been made and some 500,000 children have been lifted out of poverty  [8]  however, there are still currently 4 million children in the UK living in poverty, as defined above, which equates to an overwhelming 30% of children all within the UK, further, the UK has one of the worst rates of child poverty in the industrialised world. It could be argued therefore that poverty has the ability to obscure the potential and opportunity of a child and therefore limit the life chances of the child. Evidence suggests that poverty has the capability of shaping a childs development; before reaching the age of 2; a child from a poorer family is more likely to be showing lower levels of attainment than that of a child from a better off family and that children growing up in poverty are more likely to leave school at 16 with fewer qualifications (End Child Poverty; 2010). In the foreword to Removing Barriers to Achievement (DfES, 2004) a set of specific educational goals were expressed. Primarily, education is targeted as a means to integrate individuals into society and to teach them the skills necessary to participate contribute and achieve their potential. Therefore it can be assumed that the notion of inclusive education is a basic human right of every child regardless of circumstance. Given then that the opportunity for full time education is available for all and, that under international human rights law (and, in particular, Articles 28 and 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) which cover the right to education), the UK has an obligation to provide [inclusive] education for all children. (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: 1989) If it is the case then, that the right of the child to education, and with a view to achieving this right progressively on the basis of equal opportunity (Article 28), it is interesting to note that on average poorer children score less well on a range of educational measures such as reading tests in early years and GCSE results in secondary education, highlighting the plight of poverty in education. With the statement made in the: Ending Child Poverty document [to ensure not just that each successive generation is able to gain better jobs, but that everyone has the chance to achieve their potential, no matter what their background] it must follow, therefore, that part of the answer lies in education as the path to a better job lies with qualifications. During the last 10 years schools, nationwide, have benefited from government investment and statistics show that the attainment gap is closing however, evidence shows that there is still a link between family income and achievement. Approximately 15% of all pupils are entitled to FSMs but as demonstrated [below], these pupils are less likely to get 5 good ACEM  [9]  compared to those pupils not in receipt of FSM. For that reason, poverty and deprivation remain an ongoing area of concern. (DCSF: Breaking the Link, 2009) The importance then of FSMs for eligible pupils should not be under estimated as a means to closing the gap in educational attainment as, to refer back to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), article 27 states that no child in the UK should go hungry. Abraham Maslow is known for establishing the theory of a hierarchy of needs, which places, in a pyramid, the order basic requirements need for motivation. At the bottom, are the physical requirements which, although basic, we will not function comfortably without. The basic human need is for food, water and sleep. The middle of the pyramid deals with the emotion and at the very top is self fulfilment. Using this theory illustrates and reinforces the importance of FSMs for pupils eligible as without their basic need met pupils will not function to the best of their ability as demonstrated below. Assuming then that, a child is fed, research has shown that there is a significant and immediate effect of diet on behaviour, concentration and cognitive ability. Areas directly relating to educational attainment affected by nutrition have been identified as: Developmental disorders e.g. dyslexia and dyspraxia, Memory Concentration Intelligence Attention span Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder Aggression Achievement (Sorhaindo, A. Feinstein, L. 2006 What is the relationship between child nutrition and school outcomes? Wider Benefits of Learning Research Report No 18. Centre for Research of Wider Benefits of Learning) p 7, 11. If it is the case then that nutrition has a clear impact on the performance of a pupil, it must therefore be of prime importance to ensure that all pupils entitled to FSM are in receipt of them. In addition to the above, nutrition is also believed to impact upon behaviour, which has the potential also to affect school performance and interaction with peers, and compromise self-esteem (Sorhaindo et.al., 2006) However, research carried out for the DCSF by the Key Stage 2 4: National Indicator Set has shown that where pupils are in receipt of FSM academic attainment is lower at every key stage (as the focus group identified is secondary pupils, relevant statistics only are identified). By the sheer fact that a pupil is entitled to FSM indicates that they are from a family whose parents or carers are in receipt of benefit and are therefore are on low income and are entitled to apply to their local authority to claim FSMs. The use of the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) is used in order to determine FSM eligibility. This however, this is by no means a perfect system, as it misses out children from families who do not apply for all the benefit to which they are entitled; in so doing pushes the family further into economic chaos as lunches that need not necessarily be paid for now become, unnecessarily, part of the family budget. (DCSF: Deprivation and Education 2009) An attainment gap (measured by pupils entitled to FSM) is measured at each key stage; it begins at key stage 1 and increases at each key stage through education. By the end of key stage 4, research has shown that there was a 29 percentage point gap between FSM and non FSM pupils in English and a 28 percentage point gap in maths. This equates to a non FSM pupil having over three times the odds of achieving an A*-C grade in these subjects compared to an FSM pupil. In 2007 Only 21% of FSM pupils achieved 5 ACEM  [10]  , compared to 49% of non FSM pupils. This figure had narrowed slightly from the statistics available for 2003, whereby a non FSM pupil had 3.8 times the odds of achieving 5+ACEM, but this ratio has fallen over time to just 3.1 in 2007. (DCSF: Deprivation and Education 2009). With a link in educational attainment having been identified and linked to amongst others, poverty and FSMs it is necessary to look at how this gap can be narrowed; for as long as poverty exists in childhood there will be an increase in the risk of adult poverty. Intergenerational cycles of poverty are not unbreakable or inevitable, but changes need to be implemented or there will be a risk that, in future years, the gap in attainment will impact on society, as there will be children leaving education with fewer skills required by employers when entering into the workforce, which will ultimately hinder economic growth. There is evidence to suggest that poverty need not be the cause to achievement or attainment. Research carried out by Jason Strelitz, policy advisor on UK child poverty for Save the Children, showed that with successful financial and policy intervention by national government poverty as a key barrier to educational attainment can be eliminated (Jason Strelitz, The Guardian Newspaper, Thursday 21 August 2008). It has been shown and is acknowledged that FSMs are a clear indicators of performance however, in London in 2007, the average attainment gap of children on FSM and non FSMs was 27 percentage points, the gap in performance between children on FSM in the best authority and the worst was wider still; 37 percentage points suggesting that it is not FSM in isolation alone that is seen as a barrier but geography and postcode. To illustrate; two contrasting London boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, with few children on FSM, besides Tower Hamlets, who had the highest proportion of children on FSM anywhere in the country. In 1998 Tower Hamlets ranked as one of lowest-performing authorities in the country for educational attainment; 10 years later their results were above average across the board and, for the poorest children among the very best. It appeared the answer for Tower Hamlets was investment. During the 10 year period identified, investment and educational initiatives were focused on d isadvantaged areas and the results were outstanding. With the exception of one, all of the 30 local authorities that were identified saw improvement in their GCSE attainment since 1998. All, bar one, had above average per-pupil funding. (Strelitz, 2008). This clearly demonstrates how investment in education can work to narrow the gap in attainment and that poverty, is not necessarily a barrier to education. However, it should be remembered that the investment has been made in the educational system/framework not the individual and that the children themselves, due to family circumstance, are still actually in poverty although the opportunity of a good/better education has been afforded them and which will be the key to their future and the opportunity for them to move on into higher education or employment giving them the prospect of breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty. It is clear then from the above that problems within the education system have been identified and are being addressed, through legislation drive and forward thinking as financial investment alone will not solve the problem, however, it does indicate that the problem can be solved. Working on the guidelines for change recommended in ECM the government has produced a series of papers aimed at outlining the way forward to narrow the gap for specific groups. June 2009 saw the publication of the current governments white paper: Building a 21st Century School System along with Breaking the Link. Building a 21st Century School System proposes the way forward for education. It documents how this and future governments will build on the existing school system to create a new system that will provide an education that is able to act in response to the challenges of society. Further it looks at and endorses a totally inclusive educational system aiming to break the link between deprivation, disadvantage, disability and low educational attainment and so impacts upon intergenerational poverty as discussed above and where every child, regardless of gender, ethnicity or circumstance [poverty] will have the opportunity to develop and gain the skills necessary to succeed in the ever changing global climate. (DCSF: 21st Century School System) One element of the 21st Century School is Extended services within schools. This has now been implemented in 72% of schools nationwide and it is intended that by the end of 2010 all schools will offer extended school services. The aim being, to have integrated health and social care on site as well as child care and after school facilities; thereby ensuring that problems which may potentially stand in the way of pupils learning are more easily and readily dealt with. However, data to date shows that whilst awareness of and satisfaction with services among parents is relatively high, there remains a participation gap between FSM eligible pupils and those not eligible, with non FSM showing typically a 10% higher participation rate. The issue therefore is to further encourage the disadvantaged groups and, in particular those eligible for FSM, to participate and make use of the offer. The participation gap indicates that children from poorer backgrounds are less likely than their peers t o have used to such facilities and are therefore less likely to state that the service meets their needs on the other hand the data shows clearly that progress is being been made in enabling disadvantaged children to participate in quality after school activities, but that more needs to be done to maximise the benefits of these activities to bring this groups engagement with learning. (DSCF: Breaking the Link, 2009) Conclusion It is not poverty alone that is the barrier to educational achievement. Poverty is circumstance. This and subsequent governments can, and should invest in education in order to give our children the opportunity they need to break away from intergenerational poverty and to close the gap in educational achievement and social inclusion. While children are denied their basic human right of an education equal for all, no matter their current circumstance, they will remain in poverty. Improving life chances through education, for all, is not an unrealistic aspiration but does demand the commitment of policymakers, both national and local, schools, partner agencies and parents to work together, to be focused on delivering change for all. As Nelson Mandela broke through his barrier and proved that race need not hold back achievement, this country too can break down barriers; children from all backgrounds can achieve poverty does not and should not be a barrier to attainment.

The Ghost Essay -- Narrative Memoir Essays

The Ghost I clutched my cell phone tightly ready to call 911. I was so terrified lying there in my bed that I couldn't move. Previous nights while staying at my Grandma's house I had been scared, but nothing compared to the fear that ran through my veins on this unforgettable night. I remember how exciting the idea of living with my grandma and being independent from my parents for a whole summer while our new house was being built sounded to me. My grandma lives in a house that is over a 100 years old! I really don't believe it is haunted or anything, but I have definitely heard sounds in the night, some louder and scarier than other nights. My dad used to tease me that it was my Grandpa's ghost coming back for visits. My grandpa died in January of 2001. I don't believe in ghosts, but just my dad's suggestion of Grandpa's soul coming back made me feel uneasy. One particular night still haunts me and is one that I really wish I could forget. I went to bed that night up at my Grandma's house just like I did almost every night, a little apprehensive about what I might hear. At about 1:00 a.m., I was awakened by a loud bang on my window. I thought maybe it was just a dream, so I closed my eyes and started to fall back asleep. Just as I was almost back to sleep, I heard another loud bang followed by mysterious voices; this time I knew it wasn't a dream. At first, I was so scared that all I could do was lay in my bed motionless. I tried to rationalize what the noises I heard could have been, but I couldn't think of any logical explanation, except that someone was outside. My first instinct was to grab my cell phone and call 911. I quickly grabbed my phone off my headboard and held it close to me, still too scared to move, b... ... always tell her it was branches from the trees hitting the sides of the house. Well, old houses do creak I guess, but the sounds I heard that night were definite loud bangs on my window, which couldn't have possibly been caused by tree branches, since there weren't any tree branches that even touched the house anywhere near the room I slept in. I definitely got the independence that I wanted this past summer, but I wasn't quite as ready for it as I thought I was. I'll probably never have an explanation for what I heard that night, and honestly, I don't think that I really want one. I still don't like the idea of ghosts or souls of people who have died coming back to earth, but I do think that some things just can't be explained by my simple human logic. I'll never forget that night up at my grandma's when I was so scared that I couldn't move a muscle in my body.

Censorship: Simply Not Enough Essay -- Censorship

Not too long ago, an evening television program caught mine and my daughter’s attention. It was a cute family comedy verging close to her bedtime. I was relaxed as we spent some quality time together, and out of nowhere I felt as if I had been punched in the face when a curse word came out of the so-called 15 year old actor’s mouth. Playing it cool, I glanced down at my young daughter who did not even flinch. I thought to myself, when were those words allowed to be uttered on television? Even worse, was my daughter’s reaction, or in this case non-reaction, because of desensitization or did she simply not hear it? Since then I have found myself immersed in the censorship dispute. Globally, media censors have loosened their grip significantly which have had a positive social impact, for the most part, but have they gone too far? I, for one, yearn for the â€Å"Mayberry† days where life was simple and no one had to worry about what children were watch ing on TV. In 1973, Thomas Elmendorf, an emergency room physician, made a speech to the American Medical Association about the increase in violence behavior among young adults and it’s correlation to violence on TV. In it he cited that â€Å"Murder is the fastest growing cause of death in the United States. The annual rate of increase exceeded 100 percent between 1960 and 1974.† He also goes on to explain that by the time a child graduates high school, they have spent an astonishing 18,000 hours in front of the TV, not to mention other forms of media, versus 15,000 hours in the classroom. Elmendorf also elaborates that within those 18,000 television hours, a young adult will have witnessed â€Å"18,000 murders and countless highly detailed incidents of robbery, arson, bombings, shootings... ...All Aspects Of Tibet 45.5 (2010): 4. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. Collins, Rebecca L.Elliott, Marc N.Berry, Sandra H.Kanouse, David E.Kunkel, DaleHunter, Sarah B.Miu, Angela. "Watching Sex On Television Predicts Adolescent Initiation Of Sexual Behavior." Pediatrics 114.3 (2004): e280. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. Elmendorf, Thomas. "Violence On TV." Vital Speeches Of The Day 42.24 (1976): 764. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. Jerome, Sara. "Supreme Court Case May Dirty Down the Airwaves." CongressDaily AM 16 Nov. 2011: 5. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. Katz, Paul. "Funny $#@*!." Entertainment Weekly 802 (2005): 23. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. TODD PITMAN - Associated, Press. "Myanmar Relaxes Grip On Media, Vows End To Censors." AP Top News Package (2012): Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 14 Apr. 2012.

Macbeth: Shakespeare’s Two Key Motifs Essay example -- weather, blood,

The play â€Å"Macbeth†, by Shakespeare, contains many motifs. Two very powerful motifs that Shakespeare illustrates in this play are blood, and weather. Blood is important because it shows that this play is violent, and the blood physically shows that these characters in the play are warriors. Weather plays an important role because it usually foreshadows events that are about to take place. For example, a storm usually foreshadows terrible things, like death and destruction. A major motif in â€Å"Macbeth† is blood. Blood is talked about everywhere in Macbeth. Blood is found when Macbeth kills his own relative, King Duncan, in order to gain power and to become the king himself. After Macbeth carries out Duncan’s murder, he is crowned King of Scotland. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s murderous journey begins, the death toll rises; and with each death, the amount of blood on Macbeth metaphorically and literally increases. Guilt starts to control Macbeth. When King Duncan is killed, Macbeth is convinced that â€Å"all great Neptune’s oceans† would not wash the blood clean from his hands. Guilt is eating away at Macbeth, and his desire and ambition for power is what leads to him to carry out many more murders. Blood is found several times in the text: â€Å"may thick my blood†, â€Å"the sleepy grooms with blood†, â€Å"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?†, â€Å"Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm excite the mortified man.† Blood appears in â€Å"Macbeth† in two ways: It appears in the text, and it also appears literally, due to the many deaths in the play. In a lot of ways, blood symbolizes a person’s bravery. For example, In Act I, after the battle, Duncan asks the wounded sergeant, "Wh... ...re. Another Major motif in the play is weather. Sunshine and clear skies are not discussed at all in the play. Shakespeare wanted to create a dark and gloomy background. Most of the descriptions about the weather indicate storm-like conditions such as rain, thunder, and lightning. The three witches are also associated with the weather motif. Right before the first scene of the play, it is stated in the text: â€Å"Thunder and lightning. Enter three witches.† Thunder and lightning usually represents an unnatural presence. Shakespeare wrote this play with intention on giving the reader this lesson. Too much greed can consume you and make you do something that you will possibly regret. Works Cited http://intensivemacbeth.wikispaces.com/The+Motif+of+Blood http://www.studymode.com/essays/Blood-Motif-In-Macbeth-64386.html http://britlit4.wikispaces.com/Macbeth+Motif-+Blood

The Wrong Stuff

In the book, The Wrong Stuff, by Marcus Stern, Dean Calbreath, and Jerry Krammer, a sad story is told about a man that fell from grace as one of the truly great Americans and went on to become one of the most publicly lambasted figures of a generation. The book talks about the life, trials, and tribulations of Duke Cunningham, the American congressman that saw his star fall as far from the sky as one could possibly fall. In the book, the authors take an interesting viewpoint on the many different scenes that would eventually shape Cunningham’s life and they use an interesting style to get across these points.Ultimately, the authors combine to render an effective work that takes a comprehensive view of a man with an emphasis on proving that his life was one that was ultimately wasted. The main idea of the book is to not only give the reader a history of Duke Cunningham and his situation, but to shed a light on what might have caused the congressman to mess up something that cou ld have been so good. It does not take a short sighted view on the congressman, either.Instead of simply focusing on the bribery scandal that sent him to jail or the tax evasion that was a part of his life, it focuses on letting the reader know why these things happened and what might have motivated Cunningham to take such risks. The book talks at length about the fact that Duke Cunningham had it made as a congressman from the moment he entered office. He was able to gain his seat after the incumbent fell victim to a scandal of his own. In addition, he was able to use his past military service in the Vietnam War as a means of earning respect among both his peers and his constituents.The book ties all of these events together in a way that gives the reader a clear view of Cunningham’s entire life and political experience. One important point that the book tries to make numerous times is the fact that Cunningham gained his position of influence not only by circumstance, but als o because he was a relentless worker. On page twenty-four of the work, the authors write (2007), â€Å"But no one outworked Cunningham. Jim Laing, one his tactical flight instructors, once marveled at his willingness to study1† (p. 24).This was an important theme through the book that was represented by in many ways using tales of his Vietnam days. The book’s authors understood that people would be more moved by tales from the battle front, so they took advantage of those stories as much as possible. In one way, this is why the book succeeds in grabbing the reader. In the work, the authors find a lot of success in validating their primary points. They try hard to make the point that the congressman had everything out in front of him, yet he did not have the right stuff to make it happen in life.Luckily for the authors, Cunningham gives them many examples of both of these instances. Not only is he an excellent worker with many accomplishments leading up to his problems, but his political career crashes and burns in such a way that it would be nearly impossible for any author to miss the point in describing the event. Because this was one of the most publicized political corruption incidents of all time, it is very easy for the authors to make the reader understand its significance.The authors make mention of the publicity of the incident when they write (2007), â€Å"Cunningham could no longer walk the halls of congress without being dogged by television cameras and shouted questions†1 (p. 237). This is a clear indication that the event was taking its toll on the senator, and the authors waste little time mentioning this in their work in a way that readers can understand. I would certainly recommend this book to people close to me because it is a perfect recollection a fairly interesting incident.It succeeds in a lot of different ways because it uses real life examples to not only tell the story, but to paint a portrait of Cunningham as a m an. It would really allow my parents to see the congressman in a human sense, instead of simply as a politician with no soul. Of the weaknesses in the book that I would point out to those people, there includes the fact that it is slow moving at points. People that pick up this book to read it are looking to get insight on the scandals and political situations that the congressman was involved in.It spends a little bit too much time focusing on Cunningham’s life as a youngster, while it should be focusing on the main points. Still, these weaknesses are not all that evident to the casual reader, because it is not a slow enough book that will make readers want to put the book down. References Calbreath, D, & Condon, G. E. , & Krammer, J. , & Stern, M. (2007). The Wrong Stuff: The Extraordinary Saga of Randy â€Å"Duke† Cunningham, the Most Corrupt Congressman Ever Caught. PublicAffairs Publishing.

Indian Influence Essay

This paper aims to discuss the question of to what extent the Indians have influenced place names and the vocabulary of American English. Considering that Native American Indians are the oldest people in America, it is natural that their language and culture have had some influence upon the development of American English, as well as upon place names in America. It is believed that the first Native Americans arrived during the last ice-age, approximately 20,000 – 30,000 years ago . There are a great number of American place names, including those of large cities and states, which have been named after Indian words – it’s estimated that at least half of the states get their names from Indian words. These include Arizona, which comes from the Indian word Arizonac, which means little spring or young spring. Arizona has a history rich in legends of pertaining to the West. Here Indian chiefs Geronimo and Cochise led the fight against the frontiersmen. Tombstone, Arizona, was the site of the most famous shootout in the West, this being the gunfight at the O. K. Corral. Names of other states influenced by the Indians include Arkansas which comes from the Quapaw Indians, Iowa, which probably comes from an Indian name meaning â€Å"this is the place† or â€Å"the Beautiful Land†, Oklahoma, which is from two Choctaw Indian words meaning red people, and Wyoming, which is from the Delaware Indian word meaning â€Å"mountains and valleys alternating†, just like the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. It can therefore be seen that the influence of American Indians has had quite a large impact on the naming of places in America. The vocabulary of American English has also been quite profoundly impacted. In a similar way that thousands of place names have been impacted by Indian words, so have many US English words have their roots in American Indian. These help in making the language the rich, cultural affair that it is today, and include not only words such as tomahawk from the Virginia Algonquian â€Å"tamahaac†, totem from the Ojibwa â€Å"nindoodem,† my totem, wampum from the Massachusetts â€Å"wampumpeag† , wigwam from the Eastern Abenaki â€Å"wik’wom† but also moccasin from the Virginia Algonquian moose from the Eastern Abenaki â€Å"mos†, papoose from the Narragansett â€Å"papoos,† child, pecan from the Illinois â€Å"pakani† which are used with relevance to everyday American things. The word â€Å"Podunk,† meant to describe an insignificant town out in the middle of nowhere, comes from a Natick Indian word meaning â€Å"swampy place. † Many of these words borrowed from American Indians are nouns from the Algonquian languages that used to be common and widely spoken along the Atlantic coast. English colonists, who came across iar plants and animals which were strange to them at the time named them based on Indian terms. Naturally enough pronunciation changed and words were shortened in order to make them easier for the English tongue. But the fact remains that their roots are in American Indian words. Conclusion This paper shows that the Indians have influenced both place names and the vocabulary of American English to a large degree. REFERENCES Infoplease, 2005 American Indian Loan Words, retrieved 8 May 2006 from the website http://www. infoplease. com/spot/aihmwords1. html Native Americans, 2005, The Bravest of the Brave, retrieved 8 May 2006 from the website http://www. nativeamericans. com/ Fact Monster, 2005, American Indian Place Names retrieved 8 May 2006 from the website http://www. factmonster. com/spot/aihmnames1. html