Thursday, October 31, 2019
Implementation of Basel II in Europe Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Implementation of Basel II in Europe - Thesis Example The basic aim of this approach is to ensure that the banks and financial institutions must maintain financial soundness and retain the consumer confidence in order to ensure the stability of the financial system and protect the interests of the deposit holders. With these perspectives in mind, Bank of International Settlement formed a Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in 1974 to provide a comprehensive forum for dealing with banking matters of such magnitude. The Basel Committee is made up of senior officials responsible for banking supervision or financial stability issues in central banks and other authorities in charge of the prudential supervision of banking businesses. Members of the Basel Committee come from Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US. This essay will discuss the implementation process of Basel II in Europe besides discussing some of the challenges and aspects that may raise tensions while implementing the accord in Europe. However, before exploring the issue of the implementation of the BASEL II accord, we will be discussing some of the key issues and points raised by BASEL II in order to implement it in true spirit. Before discussing the BASEL II and its implementation in Europe, it is necessary that a view must be taken in order to provide a historical account of the process of BASEL II implementation in Europe and rest of the world. Bank of international Settlements was established in Basel, Switzerland in 1930 and is considered as the world’s oldest international financial institution. It remains the principal center of international central bank corporations around the world. The BIS was formed as a result of the treaty of Versailles which ended the First World War and BIS was basically established for repatriation
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Summary of May the circle stay unbroken Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Summary of May the circle stay unbroken - Essay Example iteness†is frequently portrayed in visual formats but never discussed as an actual component with relevant racial positioning within society (Chidester, 2008). Chidester also addresses how the â€Å"whiteness†has assumed a strong racial position that is able to preserve a critical role in present-day American racial political arenas because it remains an unspoken subject (2008). This summary will highlight the major aspects of Chidester’s arguments as presented within the article and factors that the author believes has or will disseminate the air of invisibility that has historically cloaked the concept of â€Å"whiteness†(2008). The article continues to point out the historical implications of this concept in that the invisibility of the concept also empowered it and carried an assumption of privilege that may not bear the scrutiny of a public outing (Chidester, 2008). It is postulated that visual conceptualization of the concept will help minimalize the political power structured around it, which may fixate it and diminish its overall power (Chidester, 2008). Chidester continues to argue that visual media tends to represent â€Å"whiteness†as a moniker of privilege and reinforces the concept’s claim to the right to uphold its core sense of â€Å"purity†against other races by limiting and regulating contacts with the â€Å"racialized Other†(2008, p.160). The role of Friends as an example of a consistent portrayal of â€Å"whiteness†despite the absence of any racial context is highlighted as an example of the absence of â€Å"whiteness†through rhetoric (Chideste r, 2008). The consortium of racially and socio-economically homogenous cohorts despite being set in one of the most racially diverse cities in the world is emphasized throughout the sitcom through reinforcement of the closed circle, which symbolizes the exclusivity or â€Å"whiteness†without ever mentioning the concept (Chidester, 2008). NBC’s partnering of Friends with Seinfeld in their
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Hanjin Bankruptcy Case Study
Hanjin Bankruptcy Case Study Abstract Over the past five years, Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd has maintained its ranking among the top 10 shipping companies in the world making it in 8th position in 2015 (JOC 2016), however, on 31st of August 2016, Hanjin Shipping declared bankruptcy. It was clearly leading to bankruptcy as company was showing low profitability and Hanjin vainly attempted to increase liquidity but it was too late. It is also said that Hanjins breakdown was the largest and the most significant bankruptcy in the container transport industry (Paris and Nam 2016). 1. Introduction The purpose of this report is to examine and look at factors that led to the bankruptcy of Hanjin. This report is divided into two parts. In the first part the Business Report published by the company will be used to identify 4 factors which led to the Hajin Shipping collapse to give and analyse the image of liquidity and profitability. The second part will focus on cash budget went in 2014 and et sequitur. 2. Factors that resulted in Hanjin Shipping crash Four outputs were chosen from Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd financial results two from Balance Sheet and two from Profit and Loss account in order to explain the bankruptcy. Those outputs are Current Assets (comparing to the Current Liabilities), Borrowings, reduction of Profitability and Profit from Discontinued Operations. 2.1 Factors in Balance Sheet Liquidity, according to Subramanyam and Wild (2009), is companys capacity to rapidly convert the current assets into cash or to derive cash to cover its short-term obligations. The companys activity may be affected seriously if there is a lack of liquidity. Therefore, liquidity expresses the capacity of the company to comply with its short-term obligations, for instance, to meet expenses with sufficient cash inflows or to accumulate a security reserve for any incalculable situation such as payments growth. Consequently, liquidity may be defined as the factor that designates the ability of the company to transform assets into cash or to obtain cash to keep up with the short-term obligations. 2.1.1 Current Assets and Current Liabilities Current Assets are assets that are expected to be converted into cash, sold or consumed within short period of time, usually one year (Subramanyam and Wild 2009). Current assets generally include cash, trade receivable, inventories and prepaid expenses. Current Liabilities are obligations expected to be satisfied usually within one year (Subramanyam and Wild 2009). Current liabilities in balance sheet accounts ordinarily include trade payable, short-term bank borrowings, taxes and accrued expenses. First of all, the key point in the Balance Sheet (B/S) is the difference in size amongst Current Assets and Current Liabilities (960 billion and 4 036 billion of won respectively in 2015). It is also important to mention that Current Assets built up only 13% of Total Assets in 2015. Besides, the short-term Borrowings was the main output which drove the Current Liabilities so high (3 171 billion of won in 2015 what is 78,6% of Current Liabilities and 60 times more than Total Comprehensive Income that year). Furthermore, the distance in percentage between Current Assets and Current Liabilities was enlarging since 2013. In particular, Current Assets went down by 35% in 2015 since 2014 and by 47% since 2013, while Current Liabilities declined only by 18% in 2015 since 2014 and by 32% since 2013. This is the root cause of insolvency, as Current Assets were not sufficient to come over Current Liabilities. 2.1.2 Long-term Borrowings Non-current (or long-term) liabilities are obligations that come due in more than one year (or the operating cycle) and include borrowings, bonds and debentures (Subramanyam and Wild 2009). Long-term Borrowings are type of debt and financial obligations issued for the duration of several (3-5 or more) years (Matassa 2011). Any financial liabilities or bonds included in long-term loan are expected to be reimbursed in a longer than 12-month period. In the Hanjins report (2015), long-term Borrowings grew up by 20% in 2015 since 2014 what means that previous long-term loans were not sufficient in order to run adequately. Moreover, Borrowings were composing over 95% of total Non-Current Liabilities in 2015, and 45% of total borrowings during the same year what comparing to the previous year (2014) grew by 13%. The situation was aggravating due to lack of liquidity and consequently, the ability to repay the loans. Too much of Borrowings finally resulted in loss of confidence by banks who refused future debt services. 2.2 Factors in Profit and Loss account 2.2.1 Reduction of Gross Profit Reduction in profitability may be another cause which triggered a reject for further accrediting by banks or other investors causing erosion of equity what consequently ended with the actual collapse of Hanjin. In the Profit and Loss account (P/L), Sales went down by 9% in 2015 from 2014 comparing to Gross Profit which reduced by 14% in 2015 from 2014. This means that in the possible future, company could become less profitable (if the trend will continue) and go into losses again, as it was in 2013, where Gross Loss was accounted for 260 billion of won and Total Comprehensive Loss for 670 billion of won. Regarding to all listed outputs, it may be additionally supposed that the company was losing its paying capacity what may be another factor of bankruptcy. 2.2.2 Profit from Discontinued Operation What is more, looking at the P/L, the Profit from Discontinued Operations suggested the slippage (141 billion of won in 2014 and 0 in 2015) joined together with losses accumulated over the past years (2 251 billion of won in 2015) had ruined the companys equity. 2.3 Evaluation of the effect on the financial result All in all, it can be said that the Liquidity was low due to incapability of Current Assets to overcome Current Liabilities and continuous Long-Term Borrowings. Profitability was also hardly struggled because of reduced Gross Profit and sudden losses from Discontinued Operations. Combining all afore-mentioned factors and taking into consideration the amount of accumulated losses, the size of total remained Equity was smaller than share capital by 34% in 2015 (the situation, however, was better than in 2014 where the distance was accounted for 38% but unfortunately for Hanjin not enough to solve the issue). As a result, the outcome of stated factors became the rapid decline of Hanjins financial sustainability which consequently led to companys insolvency and crash. 3. Budgeting P/L account (Y0) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Sales revenues 52 55 59 65 55 53 57 59 64 67 70 74 Cost of sales -29 -31 -34 -36 -31 -29 -33 -34 -35 -36 -37 -39 Salaries -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 Electricity -3 -4 -5 -5 -2 -2 -2 -3 -3 -5 -6 -7 Depreciation -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 Other overheads -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 Total expenses -47 -50 -54 -56 -48 -46 -50 -52 -53 -56 -58 -61 Profit 5 5 5 9 7 7 7 7 11 11 12 13 Legend: From previous Year Reduced inventories Increased sales Electricity policy Payables policy 3.1 Cash Budget for Y0 (2014) Cash Budget (Y0) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Trade Receivables 65 52 55 59 65 55 53 57 59 64 67 70 Trade Payables -35 -29 -31 0 -34 -36 -28 -26 -30 -31 -35 -36 Salaries -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 Electricity -3 -4 -5 0 0 -6 0 0 -5 0 0 -15 Overheads -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 Total payments -51 -46 -49 -13 -47 -55 -41 -39 -48 -44 -48 -64 Cash Surplus 14 6 6 46 18 0 12 18 11 20 19 6 Opening Balance 50 64 70 76 122 140 140 152 170 181 201 220 Closing Balance 64 70 76 122 140 140 152 170 181 201 220 226 Legend: From previous Year Reduced inventories Increased sales Electricity policy Payables policy 3.2 P/L Forecast for Y+1 (2015) P/L forecast (Y+1) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Sales revenues 55 58 62 68 58 56 60 62 65 68 71 75 Cost of sales -29 -31 -34 -36 -28 -26 -30 -31 -35 -36 -37 -39 Salaries wages -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 Electricity -9 -6 -5 -15 Other overheads -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 Total expenses -42 -44 -56 -49 -41 -45 -43 -44 -53 -49 -50 -67 Profit 13 14 6 19 17 11 17 18 12 19 21 8 3.3 Cash Budget for Y+1 (2015) Cash Budget (Y+1) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Trade Receivables 74 55 58 62 68 58 56 60 62 65 68 71 Trade Payables -37 -39 -29 -31 -34 -36 -28 -26 -30 -31 -35 -36 Salaries wages -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 Overheads -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 Electricity 0 0 -9 0 0 -6 0 0 -5 0 0 -15 Total payments -50 -52 -51 -44 -47 -55 -41 -39 -48 -44 -48 -64 Cash Surplus 24 3 7 18 21 3 15 21 14 21 20 7 Opening balance 226 250 253 260 278 299 302 317 338 352 373 393 Closing Balance 250 253 260 278 299 302 317 338 352 373 393 400 3.4 Effects of Initiatives on profitability and liquidity There is more cash available for spending on other business opportunities such as: Pay off a loan; Take advantage of new opportunities; Adoption of new technologies; Increased efficiency on operations. Implication of new assumptions for Y+1 as well as consideration of the changes that were applied in the Y-0 eventually allowed achieving positive results for the company. First of all, when comparing cash budget Y-0 and Y+1 it becomes possible to see that due to the introduction of new proposals overall expenses within Y+1 were maintained relatively close to expenses within Y-0. Moreover, assumptions that were set for the Y+1 allowed further increasing the overall profitability of the company and achieving final amount for closed balance of 347. Furthermore, implications that were introduced in Y-0 and were present in Y+1, such as electricity costs policy and supplier policy, also made a significant impact in terms of boosting the overall performance of the business during the Y+1 period. All in all, initiatives that were proposed and incorporated proved to be efficient and had a significant impact on the companys performance. 4. Conclusion Taking everything into account, all the implementations that were made within Y-0 and Y+1 have proven to be successful in terms of allowing the company to expand its capital. As it can be seen from the calculations provided in the report the company experienced a steady growth of shares which can be used as a support to the previous statement. Finally, the decisions which were made regarding Braemer Shipping Ltd created a positive effect on the business simultaneously setting the ground for the companys future expansion. Reference List Hanjin Shipping (2015) Business Report Hunter L. (2017) Lecture, Available at: (Accessed: 10 March 2017) JOC (2016) Hanjin Shipping Bankruptcy, Available at: http://www.joc.com/special-topics/hanjin-shipping-bankruptcy (Accessed: 2 February 2017) Paris C. and Nam I.-S. (2016) Move by South Koreas Hanjin Shipping Roils Global Trade, Wall Street Journal, Available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/troubled-hanjin-shipping-to-sell-healthy-assets-to-rival-1472611190 (Accessed: 2 February 2017) Subramanyam K. R. and Wild J. J. (2009) Financial Statement Analysis, 10th edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin: New York Matassa F. (2011) Museum Collections Management: A Handbook, Facet Publishers
Friday, October 25, 2019
Attack on America :: essays research papers
Tonya Wood                                   October 4, 2001     Dr. Annan                                        Freshman Seminar                     The Attack On America      I was quite saddened by the event that took place on September 11, 2001. An unfortunate tragedy occurred in New York that will go down in history. Two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center, causing them to collapse, injuring and killing thousands of people.      When I first learned of the catastrophe, I was in my dorm room asleep because I don’t have classes on Tuesdays. My mom called me and informed me of the horrendous episode and it actually took me a while to realize what happened. But when I turned the television on, everything was clear as day. I saw people falling and jumping out of windows. It was horrific. My initial feelings were hatred toward the culprits behind this cowardly act. I couldn’t comprehend exactly what the purpose of this was proving. I hope and pray that Osama bin Laden and whoever else is responsible for this callous act is given capital punishment.      If I were in the position to do something I would donate clothing, blood, counseling, and anything else that would assist anyone who needed emotional support. But unfortunately I can’t donate blood because I’ve had body tattoos done recently.      My feelings toward the people that live in the Middle East are good nor bad because not all of them can be held responsible and not one individual can be pinpointed. But it is unfortunate for them because even though they are Americans, they are considered as â€Å"one of them†who were involved in this hate crime. It’s quite sad.          It’s very difficult to say why exactly we were attacked, but I’m sure whoever was responsible for this had more than one motive. I’ve heard numerous reasons and some people think we should attack; others think we should make peace. I personally think that if we don’t fight back and let everything go, we’ll be attacked again. If it takes bombing Afghanistan, then that’s what it takes.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Philosophy of Education Essay
It was Chesterton, an English essayist, who once said that â€Å"the most practical thing about a man is his view of the universe – his philosophy†(Hocking 4). Man’s philosophy is generally referred to as the sum of all his beliefs and views about the world which guide his actions. His beliefs comprise all those judgments, whether they are based on convictions or impressions, which he habitually lives by. During the pre-service education and throughout the teaching career, teachers will have to face up to what it means to live and to teach in a society that gives the individual freedom to hold different beliefs and values. In this society there seems to be no single â€Å"right†way of thinking about and doing things in education. How teachers deal with school matters – objectives, contents, and methods – depend very much on their own individual beliefs and values. They should be willing to take responsibility for giving their own answers to many problems they will meet in their classrooms regarding goals and values, and ways of teaching their students. 1. Organizing your classroom & materials. The teacher in the classroom is a veritable manager. The success of the activities in the classroom depends on the ability of the teacher as classroom manager. He is at the helm of all activities, and these activities will succeed depending on how well he can steer and guide them properly. One of the most difficult problems that confront a beginning teacher is classroom management. Unfortunately, he does not learn techniques of proper classroom management from books. He merely gets suggestions on how to mange a class, but there is nothing like teaching experience that will really teach him all the tricks of classroom management. Hence, classroom management is one of the main concerns of teachers, administrators, and parents.  If the school is to live up to the community’s expectation that it is a learning-producing enterprise, the individual classrooms which comprise the school must contribute to the school’s educational productivity. Learning is the central goal of the total school operation, and teaching is the school’s basic production technique. Effective teaching and effective learning take place in well-managed classrooms. When class time is consumed by management problems, students are the losers, for little real learning takes place. As every teacher knows, good classroom management is one of the strongest influences on academic learning. 2. Choosing rules & procedures. A well managed classroom is hardly possible without laws, regulations, and conventions. The classroom in itself is a society and needs its own rules and regulations to keep peace and harmony within it. Certain classroom activities can be made automatic in the sense that they can be performed without much thought, especially when they have become habitual. Such activities, we say, have become routinized. It is apparent that routinizing classroom rules and procedures can help the teacher a lot in classroom management. There are no hard-and-fast rules as to which activities can be reduced to routine. Routinizing would depend on such factors as size of the class, the nature of students, materials available, arrangement of equipment, and the like. There are certain advantages in routinizing classroom rules and procedures and these are economy in time and effort, prevent confusion, and promote learning activity. Much time is wasted on administrative activities that are not handled in a well-organized manner. Activities that are repeatedly done may well be routinized so that pupils will know exactly what should be done. Some disadvantages should, however, be mentioned if routine factors are overmechanized. If every little activity in the classroom is mechanized, no room for initiative is left to the pupils. They may behave like automatons and certainly creativity is destroyed. The teacher is reduced to an autocratic general and the pupils are regimented soldiers who merely wait for the chief’s signal or command. Such a situation leads to blind obedience and acceptance of rules and procedures. This type of atmosphere must be avoided by the teacher. Certain classroom rules and procedure, though, can be routinized so that more time can be devoted or allotted to more significant activities. Among these activities are the roll calls, seating, handling materials and devices, classroom courtesies, and responses to the bell signals. The main goal here is to save time and effort. Pupils should be made to understand and learn the value of time. The old saying that time is gold should be clearly impressed on the minds of children. 3. Managing student work. One aspect of classroom management deals with managing student work. The teacher takes full charge of the learning situation should manipulate the learner and the situation to produce the desired learning. Managing implies arranging the learning situation so that the learner comes face to face with the stimulating problem. While it is true that most teaching tends to foster teacher domination, manipulation, an intervention rather than the development of a genuine helping relationship, teachers can learn to dominate less and get students to participate more. It is good practice for teachers not to repeat their questions, answer their own questions, or repeat answers of students. Some teachers tend to be autocratic or authoritarian. Experience and research findings show that democratic teachers produce better learning results than those who dominate, control, or manipulate learning situations. Teachers should determine the psychological needs of their students and adapt their teaching styles accordingly. The teacher who encourages a two-way communication in the classroom insures a favorable teaching-learning climate. To understand better the complexities of learning and classroom behavior, classrooms must be pupil centered rather than teacher centered. 4. Getting off to a good start. Getting off a good start requires careful attention to how teacher’s teach rules and procedures to their classes. The tone of the class is set by the personal disposition that a teacher displays. A teacher should bring a cheerful, pleasant and confident disposition to the classroom. Once inside the room, a teacher’s face must be lit with joy to brighten the atmosphere. Then, a teacher should take the necessary time during the first day of class to describe carefully your expectations for behavior and work. Teachers should not be in a hurry to get started on content activities that teaching good behavior is neglected. Rather, combine learning about procedures, rules, and course requirements with your initial content activities in order to build the foundation for the whole year program. 5. Planning & conducting instruction. Just as good classroom management enhances instruction by helping to create a good environment for learning, so too does effective instruction contribute to well-managed classroom. With the change of emphasis on educational objectives, with the inclusion of more outcomes learning, with the focus on the child as the most important factor in the educational process, the concept of conducting instruction has likewise diversified and broadened. In recent years, newer and more informal methods of instruction have come about. Current practices have gradually replaced the undesirable features of so-called lesson hearing instruction. This is due in part to the gradual acceptance of the newer philosophy of education, i.e. education is not merely a process of learning facts and storing knowledge, but it is concerned with the many sided development of the individual – social, emotional, and mental- including he ability to meet social needs. 6. Managing cooperative learning groups. Cooperative learning in mathematics is essential if math teachers are to promote the goals of problem-solving competency, ability to communicate mathematically, ability to reason mathematically, valuing of mathematics, and self-confidence in one’s ability to apply mathematics, and self-confidence in one’s ability to apply mathematical knowledge to new problem situations in one’s world. Although competitive and individualistic assignments should at times be given (even though they place students in the role of being passive recipients of information), the dominant goal structure in math should be cooperative. There are a number of fairly simple ways teachers may begin to use cooperative learning in mathematics classes, including having students turn to their partners to decide on an answer to a question or having students work in pairs to check each other’s homework, involves far more than simply assigning students to groups and telling them to work together. The teacher’s role in structuring learning situations cooperatively involves clearly specifying the objectives for the lesson, placing students in learning groups and providing appropriate materials, clearly explaining the cooperative goal structure and learning task, monitoring students as they work, and evaluating students` performance. Teaching students the required interpersonal and small-group skills can be done simultaneously with teaching academic material. In order to sustain the long-term implementation and in-classroom help and assistance needed to gain expertise in cooperative learning, teachers need support groups made up of colleagues who are also committed to mastering cooperative learning. 7. Maintaining appropriate student behavior. A number of educators have formulated some suggestions on ways to maintain good classroom student behavior. The suggestions range from how to encourage students to behave and how to develop and maintain a positive approach to classroom management. Some of these suggestions commonly used in the classrooms are: (1) Act as if you expect students to be orderly from the first day on; (2) Expect everyone’s attention before starting to teach. Stop when there is noise. Don’t teach over individual or group chatter ;(3) don’t talk too much as after a while, you lose the students` attention. Involve the students in activities, ask questions, pose problems, etc. ;(4) Hold students accountable for abiding by rules. 8. Communication skills for teachers. Making a lesson presentation basically requires mastery and understanding of goals, skills and criteria for effective communication. Communication skills is also at the very core of effective teaching. As most teacher would agree that to communicate well is to teach well. In the skillful use of the question more than anything else lies the fine art of teaching; for in it we have the guide to clear and vivid ideas, and the quick spur to imagination, the stimulus to thought, the incentive to action. 9. Managing problem behavior. It has been stressed time and again that good classroom discipline is indispensable to an effective learning situation. All teachers, old or young, old or new in the service, are faced with problems of discipline. It is true that some teachers can maintain better discipline than can others. It is suggested that the best approach should be positive rather than negative. The best measure should be preventive rather than remedial. â€Å"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,†so the saying goes. This adage is exactly what should guide the teacher. Knowing the possible causes of disciplinary problems, the teacher should strive to eliminate them. 10. Managing special groups. One of the special challenges a teacher should face is managing special groups successfully. Of course, these groups have an impact on the management of student behavior as well as on instruction. Experience have proven that attempting to cope with these special groups by using many different assignments, providing an individualized, self-paced program, or using small group instruction extensively in secondary school increases the complexity of classroom management, requires a great deal of planning and preparation, and require instructional materials that are not readily available. So, rather than altering the instructional approach, experienced teachers provide for different levels of student ability by supplementing their whole-class instruction with limited use of special materials, activities , assignments, and small group work. So, to the question of which administrative procedure is most effective in managing special groups, only one answer can be given. All ca n be effective if used with discretion and with the right children. Conclusion The teacher’s total philosophy of life cannot be separated from his philosophy of education, his learning theory, and his methods of teaching. In other words, how he thinks about his work and the way he performs his functions as a teacher are derived from what he believes about the nature of the world, knowledge, and values. In philosophical terms, his world-view lies in the realm of the metaphysical, his knowledge-view in the epistemological, and his values in the axiological. These are the philosophies which teachers consciously or unconsciously deal with in the teaching world. Every committed teacher tries to work out his own philosophy of education, clarifies his beliefs and ideals to make his teaching meaningful to himself and to his students. Without a philosophy of education, the teacher will be easily swayed by fads in education. Because his life and work involve making choices and decisions, the teacher cannot avoid having a philosophy. Even when courses of study are dictated, he always has the freedom to decide how he will teach and to select the contents and methods of teaching.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
The Necklace
The Necklace About the Author Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant was born on August 5, 1850, to an affluent family at the Chateau de Miromesnil, in France. As a child, Guy adored his mother and loathed his absent father. His mother was very literary and passed on her love of books to her son, Guy, and his brother, Herve. Much of Guy’s childhood was spent in the countryside playing sports or simply spending time outdoors. Point of View Third-Person Omniscient The story's focus is certainly on Mathilde, but the narrator does not speak from her point of view.Instead, he talks about Mathilde as if he were from the outside looking in. When he brings her up at the beginning, she's just â€Å"one of those girls†(1). It sounds like he's seen a lot more of them than just this one. That's omniscient, all right. Mathilde's also not the only character whose thoughts he can see into; he's able to speak into her husband's thoughts just as easily, when he wants to. Overview Mathilde Loisel is â€Å"pretty and charming†but feels she has been born into a family of unfavorable economic status.She was married off to a lowly clerk in the Ministry of Education, who can afford to provide her only with a modest though not uncomfortable lifestyle. Mathilde feels the burden of her poverty intensely. She regrets her lot in life and spends endless hours imagining a more extravagant existence. While her husband expresses his pleasure at the small, modest supper she has prepared for him, she dreams of an elaborate feast served on fancy china and eaten in the company of wealthy friends. She possesses no fancy jewels or clothing, yet these are the only things she lives for. Without them, she feels she is not desirable.She has one wealthy friend, Madame Forestier, but refuses to visit her because of the heartbreak it brings her. Theme The Necklace Theme of Wealth â€Å"The Necklace†gets its title from the gorgeous piece of diamond jewelry that drives the story' s plot. The expensive nature of the necklace is not the only way in which wealth is central to this story. The main character of â€Å"The Necklace†is obsessed with wealth. She wants nothing else than to escape from her shabby middle-class life with a shabby middle-class husband and live the glamorous life for which she was born. She's so jealous of her one wealthy friend it hurts.When Mathilde's given the chance to get decked out in diamonds and go to a ritzy party to mingle with all the beautiful people, it seems like her dreams have finally become a reality. Then she loses the borrowed diamond necklace, gets cast into poverty, and learns what it means to truly live without money. The Necklace Theme of Women and Femininity Mathilde Loisel, the main character of â€Å"The Necklace,†is a 19th century French version of a desperate housewife. Because she's a woman in a man's world, she has almost no control over her life. She finds herself married to a husband she does n't care for, and cooped up in a house she despises.What she wants more than anything else is to be desirable to other men. And what's particularly irritating is that she has all the â€Å"womanly virtues†she needs in order to be desirable: she's charming, graceful, beautiful. She's just doesn't have the necessary wealth. Does Mathilde Loisel capture the tragic plight of the modern, middle-class woman? Is she a victim of the patriarchal society in which she lives? Or is she just a shallow and materialistic character? Characters * Madame Jeanne Forestier Madame Forestier is a school friend of Mathilde Loisel, and she lends her the necklace that Madame Loisel wears to the ball. Madame Mathilde Loisel It is Madame Loisel’s desire to be part of the upper class which sets the story’s events in motion. * Monsieur Loisel Monsieur Loisel’s complacency and contentment with his social situation contrasts markedly with his wife’s desire to experience life am ong the social elite. Settings It is set in 19th century Paris, France The events take place at Rue de Martyrs where the Loisels live The Seine-Mathilde waits for a cab The Palais Royal- Mathilde buys a necklace to replace the lost one The Champ Elysees- The street where Mathilde meets Madame Forestier Plot Conflict It's a party and I'll cry if I want to†¦The action proper begins when M. Loisel (Mathilde's husband) comes home with the invitation to the fabulous ball and Mathilde reacts by having a fit. Now we have a specific problem: Mathilde's now has the best opportunity she's ever had to have a taste of the high life, but she has nothing to wear. That problem sets the rest of the plot in motion. Complication Diamonds are this girl's best friend Mathilde solves the first problem when her husband gives her money for a dress. But then she runs into a second problem: she's needs to have some jewels. Luckily, her friend Mme. Forestier is able to provide her with a fabulous diamon d necklace.But now Mathilde's been entrusted with something expensive that belongs to someone else and we have the potential for disaster. It's true that the complication is often when things â€Å"get worse,†and that doesn't really happen here (for that, we have to wait for the climax). In fact, after borrowing the necklace, Mathilde has the time of her life. But it's when she borrows the necklace that the possibility opens up for something really bad to happen†¦and it does. Climax The necklace is missing! Mathilde's discovery is the most exciting and dramatic moment in the story (until that crazy twist in the last line).It's also the turning point in the plot. Before, the story was a build-up to Mathilde's one glorious night with the rich and famous. Now it transitions into a desperate search. We have a feeling things are not going to end well. Suspense Diamonds, when lost, are a girl's worst nightmare After the loss of the necklace, we're kept in constant suspense. F irst, there's the search for the necklace: will it be found? When it becomes clear it isn't going to be, the question becomes: what will the Loisels do? Will they find a replacement? And when they do, the question is: how the are they going to pay for it?It turns out paying for it takes quite a toll on them – their lives are ruined for ten years. Denouement A fateful stroll down the Champs Elysees When Mathilde meets Mme. Forestier on the Champs Elysees, it looks like we're just about to tie up the last loose end in the story. The main action is over – the Loisels have finally finished paying off their debts for the necklace. All that remains is for Mathilde to see whether her friend ever noticed the substitute necklace, and tell her the sad story of the whole affair. But then things don't quite wrap up the way we expect. Conclusion Come on baby, let's do the twist†¦Sometimes critics say that the twist ending is the climax of the story. You could think that the tw ist is the most exciting moment of the story, and represents a turning point since it reverses everything that came before. But we're sticking to our guns, and saying that the twist ending isn't the climax, but the conclusion. A climax is technically the point of the plot that everything builds up to, and that's not true of the twist. What makes the twist so effective is that by the time it happens the plot has already â€Å"risen and fallen,†and seems to be wrapping up naturally. Then, right in the denouement, everything changes.Unlike your run-of-the-mill conclusion, this conclusion is exciting, and it upsets everything. Analysis â€Å"The Necklace†clearly demonstrates Maupassant’s fixation with facts and observations. Rather than explore Mathilde’s yearning for wealth or unhappiness with her life, Maupaussant simply tells us about her unhappiness and all the things she desires. At the end of the story, he provides no moral commentary or explanation a bout Mathilde’s reaction to Madame Forestier’s shocking revelation; he simply reports events as they happen. There is no pretense, idealizing, or artifice to Maupaussant’s prose or treatment of his characters.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Hard Times by Charles Dickens essays
Hard Times by Charles Dickens essays Explain how the values and attitudes of Bounderby are indicative of the era of the industrial revolution. The novel Hard Times by Charles Dickens offers a glimpse into the life and times during the industrial revolution in England during the nineteenth century. Dickens offers a wide range of characters from the upper class factory owner to the lowest class factory workers. He creates characters in this range of social classes and crafts this story that intertwines each person and their transformations throughout the novel. Almost every character in this story is complex and has characteristics that run deeper than their place in society, and this is what makes the novel so very important and intense. While there are many complexities linked to these characters, some do not appear to be as complex but in actuality they are. A strong example would be Josiah Bounderby, the wealthiest character in the novel. Mr. Bounderby is a factory and bank owner in Coketown, the industrial town in which the novel is set. He claims that he came from nothing to riches and has no problem exclaiming the trials and hard times that he went through to get to where he is now. While the people who hear these stories have no reason to doubt Mr. Bounderby, they later learn that he was actually making up all of these stories of his grueling childhood and upbringing. This is very significant because if the comparison is made between Bounderby and the industrial revolution, there are many aspects that are in fact very comparable. It seems that Bounderby almost wants to be symbolic of the industrial revolution and attempts to model his life after how the industrial revolution came to be. For example, Bounderby seems to want others to think that he came from nothing, as did the industrial revolution. The revolution came after a time when technological ways of life were not considered to ever dominate society the way they eventually did. Bounderby see...
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