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Saturday, December 21, 2019

Creative Writing in the Composition Classroom Essay

Walking inside the typical composition class, one can expect to see the students crafting the five-paragraph essay or working on a persuasive piece as they try to argue they side of an in-class debate. Composition classes do not only work on a studentà ­s writing, they also get the students to think through their writing (at least the good ones do). There is a certain well-accepted style to teaching writing in the traditional composition class, and it works very well for many students and teachers. However, should the line of comfort be crossed, and if so, how? Should composition instructors grab a hold of a different writing style, making it the focal point of their pedagogies in their writing classes? More importantly, if they do, what†¦show more content†¦Of course, they are well-suited to teaching writing of any kind to their students, but could they not be more effective in doing so if they had the freedom to teach the typical à ¬five-paragraphà ® or à ¬persuasiveà ® as a piece of creative writing/literature? While Bishopà ­s work on the topic of using creative writing in the composition classroom is crucial to any understanding of the argument, Deborah Dean, in à ¬Muddying Boundaries: Mixing Genres with Five Paragraphs,à ® also extensively explores the question I just raised, and does so by bringing in the concept of à ¬genre theory.à ® In an explanation of à ¬genre theory,à ® Dean states that, à ¬one way to make writing interesting is to create the experiences of the genre in the mind of the reader and then tweak one or twoà ® (Dean 53). Using the example of a childrenà ­s fairy tale to illustrate her point, Dean goes on to say that genre theory is a bit controversial, saying that à ¬if applied without thought, it could mean a return to a focus on forms and product over processà ® (Dean 53). Proponents of genre theory, however, feel just the opposite. To them, genre theory is à ¬a more logical way to empower our students, to give them the ability to write in ways that will help them be successful in the social situations in which theyà ­ll find themselvesà ® (Dean 53). Application of genre theory in the classroom à ¬is a process because it asks students to analyze the social contextShow MoreRelated Emotive Response to Essays1425 Words   |  6 Pagesfifteen year old writing a poem with no restrictions for length, style, or meter. As the class proceeded to read their poems aloud, I began to see why someone might find a kind of empowerment in writing. It became clear that what I wrote about in my own poem was personal, but capable of being understood by others. This was an amazing feeling. Other assignments from Mrs. D followed, of course, but none were as profound as this for me, at least in the context of that small classroom, in a Catholic highRead MoreWriting Across And Against The Curriculum1159 Words   |  5 Pages Young, Art. â€Å"Writing Across and Against the Curriculum.† College Composition and Communication. 54.3 (2003): 472-485. Art Young, in the article â€Å"Writing Across and Against the Curriculum,† proposes an innovative and effective approach to promoting language skills and critical thinking amongst college students. As an English professor, Young describes a project in which his campus used poetry across the curriculum to stimulate learning in a variety of subjectRead MoreCreative Writing As A Tool For Enhancing Algerian Efl1441 Words   |  6 PagesCreative writing in EFL: Creative writing has begun to gain its popularity in the field of EFL/ ESL. This issue is recently mostly intrigued the interest of many countries including, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Trinidad and Tobago, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, Ireland, United States and south Africa (Google Trends, 2015). Alan Maley is considered as one of the pioneers in the field of teaching creative writing in EFL settings. He, in fact, has numerous scholarly articles on creative writingRead MoreReading The Same Book Over And Over1016 Words   |  5 PagesCollege professors have to read multiple papers and it tends to get boring when they all sound the same. When writing, students do not venture out and get creative. Writing in English is all about perception and varies from person to person. Every piece of writing should be different and based on each individual s perspective. Sometimes students do not venture out and get creative with their writing, they stick to the bland and boring basic ways that everyone else uses. In the article Freirean Voices,Read MoreChoosing A English / Language Arts Preparation Programs995 Words   |  4 Pagesteachers for classroom instruction in reading. Educator preparation program course textbooks present an overarching instructional content that includes topics s uch as academic vocabulary, promoting comprehension, selection of texts, reading across curriculum, differentiating instruction, and integrating literacy theory into practice (Tompkins, Gail E., 2010; Bucher Hinton, 2014; Handsfield, 2016). However, there is literature and research on the current English/language arts classroom needs and studiesRead More The Powerful Words of Amy Tan, Maxine Hairston, and Mike Rose1312 Words   |  6 Pageswithin the classroom today. She points out that the educational system is in need of a change because they also have teachers who are steering them away from writing and into math and science, which is what happened to me. Amy Tan calls for an educational system where children from all cultures are encouraged to follow through on any goal no matter what language they hear at home. Maxine Hairston also has vast experience dealing with language. She is a Professor of Rhetoric and Composition at theRead More Academics versus Writing Centered Classes1784 Words   |  8 Pagesbiggest debates in composition theory seems to be the notion of fostering the â€Å"creative impulse† versus â€Å"structure† in the writing classroom. We have run into this argument time and again in class, and it is waged on a larger scale in the â€Å"Bartholomae and Elbow Debate† in terms of academic versus writing centered classes. In class we have discussed â€Å"structure† as grammar, and the â€Å"creative impulse† as the desire students have to break the rules of language in their own creative endeavors. BartholomaeRead MoreAnalyzing My Self Reflective Essay1165 Words   |  5 Pagesmy Theories of Rhetoric and Writing course. Here, my colleagues and I formed the idea that literature is any intellectual piece that is rooted in substantial research. Since this course, I have included 5th century BC philosophers, psychiatric journals, and collegiate papers all worth literary recognition. Therefore, literary studies is a comprehensive analysis of various texts through a number of given resources. And it is through Advanced Composition, Creative Writing, American Poetry, and FoundationsRead More Acquiring Skills in a New Language Essay1510 Words   |  7 Pageslanguage is the ability to communicate messages in writing. For a teacher of English as a second language, nurturing students to develop sound writing skills is crucial to the success of the student both as a learner of the language, and their skills communication skills in reading, speaking and even listening in English. The natural ability of native speakers to communicate in a given language does not automatically indicate proficiency in their writing skills, which must be acquired. The psycholinguistRead MoreHow Does The Implementation Of Graphic Organisers Impact Student Learning With Regard?1244 Words   |  5 Pagesorganisers used in writing a narrative are a visual cue for ordering information. To full understand the purpose of graphic organisers in classrooms it is useful to break the term down and look at the defintions of both ‘graphic’ and ‘organiser’. The term graphic can be described as an adjective and means ‘clear’ (2014). While the term organiser can be defined as a person or a thing used for organising. (2014, Cambridge Dictionary Online) The text type of narrative also known as creative writing needs to follow

Friday, December 13, 2019

Motivation, Satisfaction, and Performance Free Essays

Motivation, Satisfaction and Performance Plan LDR 531 Table of Contents The Team1 Motivation, Satisfaction, and Performance1 Motivation1 Satisfaction2 Performance2 The Plan2 References4 The Team The team is composed of four team members and one team manager; Mike, James, Mary, Katy and Barb. The team does a good job staying motivated and satisfied, and also performs well. However, there are moments the team struggles due to differences in attitudes, emotions, and values. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation, Satisfaction, and Performance or any similar topic only for you Order Now The team manager strives to implement ways to keep the team where it should be. The plan will address the ways to keep the team motivated, satisfied and preforming well. Motivation, Satisfaction, and Performance The team currently has one thing that motivates them, satisfies them, and keeps them performing well, bonuses. The team works on different projects throughout the year. Meeting the deadlines on these projects keeps the team performing well which in turn earns them a bigger bonus check which motivates and satisfies them. However, there have been several instances where the team has not met a deadline and it has caused them their bonus for the project. This then causes issues between the team members and keeps them from performing well, being satisfied, and being motivated. Motivation In order to increase team motivation, the manager has come up with two suggestions; get connected and show the team appreciation. The best way to get connected with your team is to build relationships with them. It is very important to let your team know you have their best interest in mind. By doing so, you also build trust. Very rarely do employees do more than just the minimum when they do not feel like you will do more for them. The key here is to establish a professional relationship, not a friendship. By establishing these relationships and getting connected with your team, you will increase their motivation. (Kearns, 2010) Showing the team appreciation is also something that will increase the motivation within a team. Doing simple gestures like bringing in donuts or bagels (something your team enjoys), shows you are thinking of them and appreciate their hard work. It is important that when deciding to do this, it is not overdone. Team members can start to expect such a gesture and you don’t want that happening. Satisfaction The team has expressed major dissatisfaction when it comes to working long days for several weeks at a time. In order to overcome this dissatisfaction, the team manager has proposed the team take turns in deciding a schedule for the week. There are several rules that need to be taken into account, like hours of operation. By implementing this type of plan, the employees will be allowed to work out schedules that satisfy all of them and they get a sense of more than just work back. (Improve Your Employees’ Job Satisfaction, 2004) Performance The most important thing to increase performance is to give regular performance reviews. This ensures that the team members and the team manager are all on the same page. While in a team, it’s important to discuss team reviews as well. As a manager, it is important to do this so that the team as a whole knows how they are doing. It allows for corrections and for the team to know how well they are doing. Strengths are a great focus point, however it is also important to address the weaknesses so they can be corrected. (McCormick, 2012) The Plan The following is a detail of what the plan is for motivation, satisfaction, and performance. Months 1-3 * Inform team members of the plan * 1st individual and team performance reviews * Set expectations Start developing a professional relationship * Set expectations * Team manager only: Treat the team (bagels, donuts, etc. ) * Set schedule * Discuss rules for schedules during long projects * Set expectations Months 4-6 * 2nd individual and performance reviews * Evaluate schedule setting for long projects * Evaluate professional relationships Months 7-12 * 3rd and 4th individual and performance reviews * S chedule setting for long projects * Continue building professional relationships At the end of the year, there will be a yearly evaluation taking into account all the evaluations for the year. It is a good way to show your team how far they’ve come. At this time, any changes that the team believes should be made can be addressed. References Improve Your Employees’ Job Satisfaction. (2004, March 22). Retrieved from Entrepreneur: http://www. entrepreneur. com/article/70060# Kearns, K. (2010). Top 7 Tips for Motivating Your Team. Retrieved from Top 7 Business: http://top7business. com/? Top-7-Tips-for-Motivating-Your-Teamid=567 McCormick, M. (2012). Chron. Retrieved from How to Increase Employee Performance in the Workplace: http://smallbusiness. chron. com/increase-employee-performance-workplace-1950. html How to cite Motivation, Satisfaction, and Performance, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Scarlet Letter

Scarlet Letter- Pearl Essay Scarlet Letter- PearlPearls have always held a great price to mankind, but no pearl had ever been earned at as high a cost to a person as Nathaniel Hawthornes powerful heroine Hester Prynne. Her daughter Pearl, born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one, is an enigmatic character serving entirely as a vehicle for symbolism. From her introduction as an infant on her mothers scaffold of shame to the stormy zenith of the story, Pearl is an empathetic and improbably intelligent child. Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see, and asks questions nothing but a childs innocence permit her to ask, allowing Hawthorne to weave rich detail into The Scarlet Letter without making the story overly narrative. Pearl is the purest embodiment of literary symbolism. She is at times a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the irrational and translucent qualities of Hester and Dimmesdales illicit bond at times, and at others a forceful reminder of her mothers sin. Pearl Prynne is her mothers most precious possession and her only reason to live, but also a priceless treasure purchased with her life. Pearls strange beauty and deeply enigmatic qualities make her the most powerful symbol some feel Hawthorne ever created. The product of Hesters sin and agony, Pearl was a painfully constant reminder of her mothers violation of the Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery. Hester herself felt that Pearl was given to her not only as a blessing but a punishment worse than death or ignominy. She is tormented by her daughters childish teasing and endless questioning about the scarlet A; and its relation to Minister Dimmesdale and his maladies. After Pearl has created a letter A; on her own breast out of seaweed, she asks her mother: But in good earnest, now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom? and why does the minister keep his hand over his heart? In saying this Pear l implies that she knows much, much more about the scarlet letter than she lets on. Throughout the conversation Pearl is impish and teasing, saying one thing and contradicting it soon after. She refuses to say just what she means, which makes it hard for Hester to give a straight reply. Hester is shocked that her playful daughter has lead their conversation to the topic of the scarlet letter, and even more disturbed that she has assumed Hesters letter and Dimmesdales habit of pressing his hand to his heart branch from the same issue. Pearl, in bringing this forbidden and painful subject about, unwittingly inflicts agony upon her hapless mother. Hester cannot tell her daughter what has passed between the minister and herself and come clean. Pearl symbolizes a hidden part of her mother that has not, and will never be exposed and therefore washed free of sin. Pearl was always drawn to the ;A;, and seemed to twist the symbolic knife in Hesters bosom every time she thought she was free o f her weighty burden of sin by flippantly reminding her of the letter and the meaning it bore. Pearls questioning wrenched Hesters heart when the child seemed to somehow know about the relationship between Hester and Dimmesdale. Pearls precocity worried Hester constantly. Hester Prynne herself realized that Pearl was unlike other children, and prayed that she was not sin incarnate. When Hester finally freed herself of her sin and removed the scarlet letter after years of its leaden weight on her chest, it was little Pearl who brought the reality of her eternal condemnation back to Hester with a stinging blow. She was the scarlet letter endowed with life;. Pearl represented the part of Hester to be always dulled by the searing judgment of others in that she was Hesters ceaseless reminder of the sin she had committed, but also symbolized everything about Hester that was free and alive. Pearl is the only happiness in Hester Prynnes lonely life. Without a child to care for, teach, and l ove, Hester would have long ago given her soul and life over to evil. When town authorities, shocked at Pearls apparent belief that she was plucked from a rose bush and not created by God, recommend she be taken from Hester and placed in a school, Hester responds with the following: God gave me this child! She is my happiness, she is my torture none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life!Ye shall not take her! I will die first!; Pearl, though Hester understands that she was God-given as a constant reminder or her sin, is her only requited love and a friend that does not judge her by things past. Later, Hester comments that she would have signed my name in the Black Mans book too, and that with mine own blood!; if they had taken Pearl from her. Her daughter is her only earthly salvation, as well as her only friend. Pearl is a blessing upon Hester in that her light-heartedness and seeming innocence allow her mother to forget about her troubles and (to use a Calvin Klein cliche) simply BE. To see Pearl playing on the beach and creating a fascinating world of her own is to allow Hester to momentarily throw off the shackles imposed on her by Puritan society and be truly happy. Another important symbol that makes up Pearl is her significance as Hesters only tie to Minister Dimmesdale, her partner in adultery. Pearl is imbued with an unearthly knowledge about the bond between her mother and the Minister. While this, in itself, frightens Hester, Pearl is all that she has of Dimmesdale and she treasures the girl for that. She is the one who repeatedly demands that he hold hands with Hester and herself in public and recognize them. Of course, this is the only thing that Dimmesdale CAN do to save himself from the misery of guilt, which only goes further to show that Pearl symbolizes the deep nexus between Hester and the Minister. The Scarlet Letter is overflowing with masterfully wrought symbolism and representation, but Pearl Prynne is the purest and deepest symbol in th e story. She was born not only out of utter sin, but out of the deepest and most absolute love imaginable. She serves as a messenger of Gods salvation through pain, and as a symbol of all that is blissful and content in Hester Prynnes life. In the end, it is Pearl who kisses Arthur Dimmesdale as he lies dying on the scaffold, having admitted his sin. She breaks a spell that had lain over the dyad in adultery and herself the product of their sin , completing her service as a symbol of pain and hardship, but more importantly a symbol of love, salvation, and the deep bond between two lovers condemned by the strict decorum of the Puritan days. Biography of Ernest Hemingway EssayArthur begins his progressive moral revolution and self-hatred. He despises the hypocrisy of such a vile scoundrel, as himself preaching from behind the pulpit, yet can never bring himself to admit his corruption before his congregation. From this undesirable spiritual weight he seeks freedom. He had striven to find forgiveness in admitting his guilt at the pulpit, but he ended up only feeling more shamed when the masses viewed his confessions as only more proof of his saintliness. His inner turmoil led him to find other methods of penance: the scourge, fasting, and vigils. Arthur would whip his shoulders senselessly, fast rigorously to the point of where his knees trembled, and sit in either the darkness, the light of a single lamp, or while gazing into a mirror on the occasion of a night (Hawthorne 99-100). Conscience can be mans saving grace or his damning affliction; its presence may simultaneously purify and mar. On one such night, Arthur found temporary solace. The guilt of seven years caused him to steal swiftly to the scaffold, the same scaffold Hester Prynne was publicly shamed years ago the same scaffold he should have been on. Climbing atop this structure and later being joined by Pearl and Hester, an electrical charge pulsed through his body and he was reawakened (Hawthorne 106-107). However, he still refused to admit his crime in front of the town, and when he returned to the trappings of society, he was greeted again by his familiar hypocrisy. These acts of penance failed in purifying him, and only caused him to lapse further in his distortion of the world and its realities. Concealing sin and converting to a life of secrecy has forced Dimmesdale to lead a very depressing life. With his last steps, he ascends the scaffold and completes something he feels he should have completed seven years earlier: he accepts his sin, he accepts Hester, and he accepts Pearl. He reveals to the world his humanity and in so doing, forgives himself and is himself forgiven. His conscience and the truth, which had been agonizing him before has purified him, and he is free to achieve the peace he was in search of. Arthur Dimmesdales embrace of his conscience and truth lead to a decisive victory in the battle against himself. In the novel, Arthur Dimmesdale proved to be an effective character in illustrating the theme of conscience and redemption through truth. Through Arthurs change from merely feeling the pains of his human weakness while being interviewed, to his attempts at relieving his pain through scourging, fasting, and vigils, to his ultimate acceptance of the truth at the final scaffold scene, Nathaniel Hawthorne succeeds in showing that redemption can be achieved through truth alone. Complete atonement comes only with complete truth.