Extracurricular activity Essay Example for Free

Extracurricular activity Essay You may not know a lot of people when you start high school. Maybe your friends from middle school are going to a different high school. Even if you know other freshmen, you might feel nervous that you dont know any upperclassmen. How are you going to make friends among this sea of unknown faces? Most high schools hold a freshman orientation before school actually starts. These are helpful not only because you learn your way around the building and get to meet some of your teachers, but you also get to meet fellow freshmen. That way, when you show up on your first day of school, you may already recognize a few familiar faces. When you talk to people at orientation, youll probably find that a lot of them are feeling just like you are. Theyre all new to the school and dont know what to expect. Talking about a common concern with your classmates can spark new friendships. Learning Inside the Classroom How about the workload in high school — is it a lot harder? Again, this is something your classmates are probably worried about, too. The work in high school builds on what you learned in middle school, giving you a more advanced knowledge of many academic subjects. So you may find you have more work to do or that its a bit more challenging. But these challenges can make you feel less bored with the usual routine — it feels great when youve mastered something really tough. Maybe youll find a new appreciation for biology or discover a passion for literature. If you ever find your work too overwhelming, teachers and tutors are available for extra help. While you have more independence as a high school student than you might have had in middle school, there are still many resources to fall back on if you feel the work is too much. Extracurricular Activities High school also has more extracurriculars than middle school did, such as clubs, music and theater groups, student government, and sports teams. This is a fantastic time to explore your interests and try new things. Who said school has to be all work and no play? These activities may take place before or after school, or during free periods or study halls. Because of this, it helps to sharpen your time management skills in your first year. Extracurricular activities are great, but remember to leave free time for yourself. Everybody needs some downtime.

Importance Of Both Financial And Non Financial Motivation Commerce Essay

Importance Of Both Financial And Non Financial Motivation Commerce Essay It is widely believed that an effective management system of motivation in a company will directly influence employees to achieve their goals and businesses objectives (Accel-team, 2010). According to Accel-team (2010), motivation can be explained in financial and non-financial aspects. Financial rewards can be defined as using money as an incentive to employees for improving productivity. In contrast, non-financial rewards motivate employees by job enlargement, team working, and quality control circles etc. The below argument will show that financial and non-financial motivations are both determinants which affect employees through investigation. Taloy year pointed out that the best way to motivate people at work is by money. In other words, those workers who produce more in a fair day can receive more payment (Accel-team, 2010). The main reason for workers to go to work is that they can earn money to consume (Accel-team, 2010). Thus, workers are encouraged to work as efficient as possible they can (Accel-team, 2010). For example, Tesco is one of the top three retails in UK (Thetimes100, 2011). There are over 3700 stores and 440000 employees globally, which is very difficult to organize well (Thetimes100, 2011). However, Tesco makes good use of incentive payment to motivate employees (Thetimes100, 2011). Tesco not only give employees increased income, but also use targeted benefit to support the varied lifestyles of employees (Thetimes100, 2011). Furthermore, Fringe benefits prefer to provide their worker some in kind rather than in crash (Accel-team, 2010). For instance, company cars and private health insurance may lead to good performance of employees in a company (Accel-team, 2010). As another example that the fortune magazine states that Google is a company which is listed on the top 50 companies to best work for (Ezinearticles, 2008). Google provide their staff some usual perks which certain health cares and children facilities by allowing workers to bring their pets to work (Ezinearticles, 2008). The result for these series of Fringe benefits not only reduces the number of sick-leave days, but also can bring a good environment for workers. Nevertheless, financial rewards are not the only method that satisfies employees. There are non-financial rewards, which are as important as financial reward (Changingminds, 2011). Fredrick Herzberg of needs has claimed that both financial and non-financial rewards play significant roles in motivation (Changingminds, 2011). This is show in Figure 1, physiological need is at the bottom of the pyramid, such as wages for worker to be used each week or providing workers a good working environment (Changingminds, 2011). If the physiological needs are satisfied, employees needs will move to the next level which is called safety needs, such as living in a safe area or job security. As the level goes up in the pyramid, the financial factors will not satisfy the workers need while non-financial rewards motivate employees (Changingminds, 2011). Figure 1 (Changingminds, 2011) In order to motivate employees in higher levels in Maslows hierarchy of needs, it is necessary for business to consider more in non-financial rewards such as job enlargement and team work quality control circles. Job enlargement involves giving workers more jobs to avoid repeating doing the same job. In other words, they can change their jobs and tasks, so that they will not feel bored. For example, KFC invested more than 240 million Yuan for 20 million employees over a 17-year period when it entered China market ( Robroad, nd).The reason for KFC to use such a large amount of money to train their employees is that it aims to improve employees ability to deal with different jobs and tasks ( Robroad, nd). Meanwhile, team work is another good way to combine polled talents to work more efficiently. For example, one of the worldwide leaders in luxury automobiles BMW believed that teamwork helps workers trust each other and share their ideas by brainstorming, which hence helps the company run more efficiently (Swampfox, nd). Therefore, BMW spent thousands of money to make workers learnt how to trust and communicate better through a series of practice by using ultimate driving machine (Swampfox, nd). Finally, quality control circles are able to improve the nature of job directly. Staff can meet regularly to study and solve production problems. In addition, they also have abilities to help the company to make decisions. The well known computer company IBM does well in this area, employees in IBM can take part in decision making and bring some useful ideas for the company (Ocities, nd). At the same time employees feel that they are trusted and powerful when they were making an attempt to solve the problem (Ocities, nd). Therefore, non-financial motivation such as job enlargement, team work and quality control circles are also effective ways to motivate employees. In summary, it is necessary for a company to make sure what the employees really need and choose financial rewards or non- financial rewards to encourage them. There is no doubt that fair day pay and fringe benefits are still reasons why people keep working. However, non-financial rewards which include job enlargement, team work and quality control circles are more attracted for some higher educated employees, which are equally as important as financial rewards. Therefore, businesses need to balance each of them and make the most use of them to motivate the staffs. References Section: Accel-team (2010) [Online] Employee Motivation: Theory and practice Available at: http://www.accel-teamHYPERLINK http://www.accel-team.com/motivation/index.html.com/motivation/index.html Access Date: 12, March, 2011 Changingminds (2011) [Online] Maslows Hierarchy Available at: http://changingminds.org/explanations/needs/maslow.htm Access Date: 12, March, 2011 Ezinearticles (2011) [Online] Google sets the standard for a happy work environment Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Google-Sets-The-Standard-For-A-Happy-Work-EnvironmentHYPERLINK http://ezinearticles.com/?Google-Sets-The-Standard-For-A-Happy-Work-Environmentid=979201HYPERLINK http://ezinearticles.com/?Google-Sets-The-Standard-For-A-Happy-Work-Environmentid=979201id=979201 Access Date: 11, March, 2011 Qocities (nd) [Online] IBM Ideas Program Guide Available at: http://www.oocities.org/~keithgibby/ibm_ideas_prog_guide.htm Access Date: 12, March, 2011 Robroad (nd) [Online] KFC restaurant managers to do what the main job Available at: http://www.robroad.com/light-industry/index.php/restaurant-training-kfc/ Access Date: 12, March, 2011 Swampfox (nd) [Online] BMW delivers teamwork at Performance Center in Greer Available at: http://www.swampfox.ws/bmw-delivers-teamwork-at-performance-center-in-greer Access Date: 12, March, 2011 Thetimes100 (2011) [Online] Motivation theory in practice at Tesco Available at: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/case-studymotivational-theory-in-practice-at-tesco132-396-3.php Access Date: 12, March, 2011

A IMPORTANCIA DO USO DA MUSICA

A IMPORTANCIA DO USO DA MUSICA A IMPORTANCIA DO USO DA MUSICA PARA O ENSINO DA LINGUA INGLESA A importAncia do uso da mUsica para o ensino da là ¬ngua inglesa RESUMO A cada dia surgem novos metodos e propostas que pretendem auxiliar no aprendizado da là ¬ngua inglesa de forma efetiva. Porem, ao tentar usar formas inovadoras o profissional da area de là ¬nguas estrangeiras se depara com um problema muito comum: o aluno escuta, mas nà £o compreende, escreve, mas nà £o cria a là ¬ngua escrita, repete expressoes e palavras, mas nà £o fala. Ou seja, nà £o se comunica, realmente, numa segunda là ¬ngua. e importante entender que o sucesso na aquisià §Ãƒ £o de uma nova là ¬ngua requer comprometimento e participaà §Ãƒ £o total por parte do aluno. Metodologias rejuvenescidas, ou a aplicaà §Ãƒ £o de regras, nà £o significam aprendizado efetivo. O educando precisa se sentir familiarizado com a là ¬ngua; necessita sentir-se parte deste meio. A mUsica tem esse poder de abrir caminhos e ligar conceitos e ideias. Ela consegue propagar ate aspectos culturais de uma determinada regià £o, usando uma combinaà §Ãƒ £o de linguagem sonora, verbal e, muitas vezes, visual. Ferreira (2009) comenta que desde os primà ³rdios da humanidade, a mUsica ja servia de subsà ¬dio para as primeiras manifestaà §oes verbais orais da humanidade. A partir desta constataà §Ãƒ £o, este estudo pretende apresentar e ressaltar a importAncia da mUsica, como auxiliadora na aprendizagem da là ¬ngua estrangeira (LE), neste caso, a là ¬ngua inglesa (L2). O objetivo e mostrar que o uso da mUsica pode auxiliar o educando no desenvolvimento das quatro habilidades: compreensà £o auditiva, compreensà £o oral, leitura e escrita. PALAVRAS-CHAVE MUsica. Aprendizado. Desenvolvimento. Comunicaà §Ãƒ £o. A importAncia do uso da mUsica para o ensino da là ¬ngua inglesa 1 Introduà §Ãƒ £o O ser humano e um ser musical. Podemos notar isso em qualquer tipo de evento ou comemoraà §Ãƒ £o. A mUsica e usada para expressar sentimentos ou mesmo para traduzir o grau de importAncia que cada um tem sobre determinado evento em sua vida. Porem alem de manifestaà §Ãƒ £o pessoal segundo Ferreira (2009) com a mUsica, e possà ¬vel ainda despertar e desenvolver nos aluno sensibilidades mais aguà §adas na observaà §Ãƒ £o de questoes prà ³prias à   disciplina alvo. Sendo assim, ao utilizarmos a mUsica em aulas de là ¬ngua inglesa, podemos despertar o desejo e o envolvimento do aluno, considerando tambem que ela e uma forma de comunicaà §Ãƒ £o comumente usada entre grupos em conversas, trocas de mensagens, lazer, festas, encontros, principalmente entre pessoas mais jovens. Porem nà £o podemos desconsiderar que, por vezes, a mUsica e caracterizada como outra linguagem, e dessa forma, pode apresentar barreiras ao profissional que intencione dela fazer uso, mas que nà £o domina essa tecnica ou   que se sente desconfortavel neste tipo de atividade. Nà £o e desconhecido que um dos grandes problemas enfrentados pelo professor de là ¬ngua estrangeira e o de procurar formas ou adaptar materiais para que o seu aluno aprenda e desenvolva os conhecimentos da là ¬ngua estrangeira. E mesmo quando, apà ³s pesquisas e tentativas, se desenvolve uma forma mais pratica de transmissà £o de dados e informaà §oes, o professor se depara com a falta de interesse do aluno, pois este percebe que seu aprendizado nà £o e completamente satisfatà ³rio. Qual educando nà £o se desencanta ao perceber que seu aprendizado da là ¬ngua estrangeira nà £o o habilita e capacita a se comunicar? Nerici (1985, p.11) afirma que praticar atividades nas quais o indivà ¬duo se revele mais eficiente; faz com que ele se sinta capaz, o que lhe confere auto-confianà §a. Alem disto, toda a atividade educativa deveria ser motivada na realidade. Esta deveria ser a fonte de motivaà §Ãƒ £o para se educar ou ensinar uma disciplina, principalmente quando falamos de linguagem e comunicaà §Ãƒ £o. Devemos aproximar o aluno da là ¬ngua e nà £o afasta-lo. Rivers (1975) menciona que a maneira ideal de desenvolver ao maximo a habilidade oral seria viver entre os falantes da là ¬ngua alvo. Acontece que, na nossa realidade brasileira, nem todos os alunos podem viajar, mesmo que por um espaà §o curto de tempo, para um paà ¬s falante de là ¬ngua inglesa, neste caso, a fim de praticar o que vem aprendendo em seu conteUdo escolar e ampliar seu vocabulario. Um dos principais fatores no aprendizado de uma là ¬ngua estrangeira e a habilidade e oportunidade de pratica-la, testar sua elasticidade[1] (Rivers, 2000 p.94, traduà §Ãƒ £o minha[2]). Para que o educando tenha o melhor aproveitamento da là ¬ngua inglesa, o professor muitas vezes, precisa descobrir ou adaptar tecnicas que propiciem bons resultados de aprendizagem. O material didatico atualmente usado em algumas instituià §oes educacionais ou escolas de idiomas, em certos aspectos, nà £o fornece bases necessarias para o real aprendizado de um idioma estrangeiro. Sà £o livros muitas vezes compostos de conteUdo ultrapassado ou que nà £o condiz com a realidade. Ou seja, a là ¬ngua inglesa que se ensina nà £o e a que e falada, por um falante nativo. Como consequà ªncia, por vezes o aluno se sente desmotivado, pois nà £o se acha capacitado em aprender a L.E. , ou simplesmente por nà £o entender o que e falado em series de TV, filmes, programas de variedades etc. E o pior e que essa desmotivaà §Ãƒ £o pode afetar diretamente o educador, que nà £o và ª o resultado de seu esforà §o em ensinar a L2. O educando precisa se familiarizar com a realidade. Essa realidade deve ser atraente a ele, a fim de que este queira conhecà ª-la, e sinta que pode atuar nela. Metodologias especializadas para o ensino de là ¬nguas estrangeiras orientam enfaticamente que um bom aprendizado requer interaà §Ãƒ £o entre aluno e là ¬ngua a ser aprendida, mediada ou liderada por um professor. Este professor deve ter, como qualidades essenciais, um grau de lideranà §a tanto quanto sensibilidade, percepà §Ãƒ £o e afeto. Quando um professor demonstra essas qualidades, os alunos perdem o receio de se atrapalharem com os exercà ¬cios, principalmente diante dos colegas, pelo contrario, tà ªm desejo de interagir e se expressar. Acrescido a isso, o uso de materiais como filmes, jornais e textos de gà ªneros variados, mUsicas e a interaà §Ãƒ £o com os costumes, farà £o   com que esses alunos compartilhem suas opinioes acerca da cultura da là ¬ngua alvo (Rivers, 2000). 2   MUsica para ensinar Ferreira (2009 p.14) define que uma comunicaà §Ãƒ £o efetiva e Compreender aquilo que faà §o com a maneira pessoal de expressar-me e ser compreendido por aqueles que me cercam. Rivers (1975), por sua vez, afirma que a aprendizagem da habilidade auditiva e de compreensà £o deve ser desenvolvida com exercà ¬cios para os estagios de identificaà §Ãƒ £o e retenà §Ãƒ £o. Nà £o estamos apenas falando do exercà ¬cio de retenà §Ãƒ £o de informaà §oes e repetià §Ãƒ £o de palavras, mas sim da real comunicaà §Ãƒ £o com um mundo globalizado, sendo assim, com linguagens e sinais. Trabalhar com exercà ¬cios que fogem da realidade ou que sà £o construà §oes artificiais nà £o produzira o resultado esperado de aprendizado, pelo contrario, pode confundir o aluno na hora em que a este forem requeridas a compreensà £o ou comunicaà §Ãƒ £o na là ¬ngua alvo. Rivers (1975) faz objeà §Ãƒ £o a afirmativa de que se ao aluno forem ensinadas a leitura, a escrita e a gramatica de uma maneira adequada, ele aprendera a falar rapidamente, de maneira fluente e natural, no momento em que se encontrar numa situaà §Ãƒ £o em que o uso oral da là ¬ngua lhe seja importante. Analisando o aprendizado, de uma forma geral, nà £o podemos deixar de constatar que e essencial o interesse do aluno. Sera uma tarefa ardua e inglà ³ria tentar desenvolver algum tipo de habilidade em alguem que nà £o sente empatia pelo assunto a ser estudado; ela deve ser despertada. Nerici (1985, p.12) afirma que o conhecer algo traz como consequà ªncia empatia acompanhada de um agir responsavel em relaà §Ãƒ £o a esse mesmo algo. Ao entrar em contato com o universo que e a là ¬ngua estrangeira, e neste caso, com o auxà ¬lio da mUsica, o aluno tende a se aprofundar, por empatia, no conhecimento e na aquisià §Ãƒ £o gramatical, lexical, cultural da L.E. . Aos poucos, este educando vai ampliando seu conhecimento, promovendo assim seu efetivo aprendizado. Nà £o se trata apenas do conhecer informal, mecAnico, mas de um conhecimento vivo. Atraves de metodos, analises e releituras de formas de ensino, nà ³s professores podemos criar uma ponte entre o aluno e o conhecimento, de uma maneira agradavel, interessante e ampla. A realidade que nos deparamos quando observamos alunos dentro do contexto escolar por vezes e preocupante. Existem educandos que sà £o naturalmente propensos ao estudo e ao desenvolvimento de uma L.E. Mas sà £o alguns. Deparamo-nos com um grupo que e falante de uma mesma là ¬ngua materna, porem com propà ³sitos e motivaà §oes e interpretaà §oes particulares. (Brown, 2001). Se os educandos hoje sà £o ecleticos, e o que os norteia tem diferentes cores e formas, nà ³s, enquanto professores, precisamos encontrar um ponto em comum, ou pelo menos, tentar desenvolver atividades que mantenham a dinAmica da aula e proporcionem a aquisià §Ãƒ £o da là ¬ngua estrangeira. A interaà §Ãƒ £o entre a sua abordagem e a atividade em sala de aula e a chave para o dinamismo no ensino. Os melhores professores sempre correm alguns riscos calculados em sala de aula, tentando uma ou outra atividade nova. [3] (Brown, 2001 p.40). A proposta e a abordagem de exercà ¬cios que usam   esta estrategia para exercitar a memà ³ria (aquisià §Ãƒ £o de vocabulario); as habilidades cognitivas (raciocà ¬nio e significado de expressoes); e afetivas (simpatia pelo grupo e/ou cantor). Nà £o se trata mais de privilegiar a gramatica ou a comunicaà §Ãƒ £o, mas de promover o conhecimento e o reconhecimento de si e do outro. Brown (2001) sugere que o professor motive os seus alunos por meio de atividades que desenvolvam compreensà £o, autoconfianà §a, interesse pela là ¬ngua e cultura. Segundo Rivers (1987) a mUsica promove interaà §Ãƒ £o nà £o somente do aluno-aluno, mas tambem do professor-aluno. Ha uma troca de conhecimentos e discussà £o sobre determinado aspecto, dentro da mUsica que esta sendo utilizada em determinado exercà ¬cio. Atividades musicais tà ªm a capacidade de promover e desenvolver quatro estagios ou habilidades: preparaà §Ãƒ £o, compreensà £o, expressà £o e reaà §Ãƒ £o. e por esse motivo   que e um recurso que promove resultados satisfatà ³rios tanto para   o professor quanto ao aluno. O uso de mUsica e canà §oes de maneira organizada, com letras de facil interpretaà §Ãƒ £o e com pouca repetià §Ãƒ £o descansa o grupo de alunos, quando eles està £o envolvidos em atividades gramaticais, por exemplo. Ha tambem outro fator importante que e a motivaà §Ãƒ £o. O educando que esta motivado com determinado exercà ¬cio tem melhor resultado. Rivers (2000, p.95) afirma que ha um elemento motivacional especà ¬fico no ensino de mUsicas em là ¬ngua estrangeira. Em inglà ªs, que e a là ¬ngua da mUsica pop, este fator motivacional e evidente. [4]   De fato, a mUsica da acesso à   parte reacional do aluno, fazendo-o sentir o que esta sendo dito ou a mensagem que se esta passando atraves da letra. (Rivers, 2000). A mUsica e uma das maneiras que usamos para nos exprimir e interagir com o outro. E por ser uma ferramenta poderosa de comunicaà §Ãƒ £o, e possà ¬vel usa-la no aprendizado da là ¬ngua, para facilitar a compreensà £o e a absorà §Ãƒ £o do insumo de conhecimento teà ³rico. A tecnologia eletrà ´nica, atualmente, facilita de forma ampla o uso da mUsica em sala de aula, pois hoje, e muito facil ao aluno e ao professor disporem de aparelhos portateis, ou ainda, ter acesso a uma vasta e diversificada quantidade de mUsicas via internet. No entanto, toda essa diversidade musical deve ser usada de maneira direcionada. Do contrario, o aprendizado com a mUsica passara a ser sà ³ mais uma aula com mUsica. Quase um passatempo. Existem diversas formas musicais. Dentro dessas formas, distribuem-se os varios gà ªneros. A escolha do gà ªnero mais adequado para um resultado satisfatà ³rio no aprendizado e absorà §Ãƒ £o por parte do aluno e de extrema relevAncia. Ferreira (2009 p.25) ressalta que hoje sabemos a relaà §Ãƒ £o à ¬ntima que a mUsica tem, por exemplo, com disciplinas como a arte (em geral), a là ¬ngua (portuguesa, inglesa, italiana, latina etc), a histà ³ria, a matematica, a fà ¬sica [. . . ] Trata-se de uma arte extremamente rica e que dispoe de farto e vasto repertà ³rio, acessà ¬vel em qualquer lugar no nosso planeta. No entanto, quando nos propomos a usar a mUsica associada a uma outra disciplina, que nà £o a prà ³pria arte musical e suas caracterà ¬sticas, constatamos que o aluno associa essa atividade ao lazer e diversà £o e nà £o especificamente ao aprendizado. Nà £o e incomum os educandos nà £o levarem as aulas com mUsica a serio, o que pode causar desordem e barulho, atrapalhando inclusive salas vizinhas. Esta constataà §Ãƒ £o nà £o e notada somente nos alunos; o prà ³prio professor pode ter influenciado este tipo de comportamento, ao tratar atividades com mUsica, nas aulas de inglà ªs, de maneira inapropriada. Para que problemas provenientes da falta de organizaà §Ãƒ £o e inabilidade sejam evitados, a mUsica que sera usada nas aulas deve ser cuidadosamente avaliada; da mesma forma que seu conteUdo e qualidade do audio. Sons baixos, ruidosos, gravaà §oes de baixa qualidade e de difà ¬cil compreensà £o mais incomodam que auxiliam Canà §oes em inglà ªs, a exemplo de milhares de outras canà §oes, nà £o tà ªm a intenà §Ãƒ £o de ensinar a là ¬ngua inglesa. Para sua composià §Ãƒ £o, seus autores usam as mais variadas composià §oes linguà ¬sticas e recursos estilà ¬sticos, expressoes idiomaticas, gà ¬rias, para expressar um ponto de vista, um aspecto cultural, fazer um protesto contra injustià §a social ou polà ¬tica. E toda essa combinaà §Ãƒ £o permite-nos introduzir o aluno na cultura da L2. Tomemos, como exemplo, um trecho retirado da mUsica Crazy[5], do grupo norte-americano Simple Plan. Tell me whats wrong with society. When everywhere I look I see. Young girls dying to be on TV. Wont stop til. Theyve reached their dreams. Diet pills, surgery. Photoshop pictures in magazines. Telling them how they should be. It doesnt make sense to me Nestas duas estrofes podemos encontrar aspectos culturais atuais: (Garotas morrendo para aparecem na TV[6]); podemos abordar o uso de contraà §oes, muito comuns na là ¬ngua falada (Whats, til);   alem de explicar ou mesmo retomar os Modal Verbs (Does/doesnt, Will/wont).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Para que a mUsica, uma forma de linguagem que apresenta em sua composià §Ãƒ £o aspectos complexos, seja usada com sucesso, o professor deve dedicar-se ao seu estudo, procurando compreendà ª-la, considerando os sons e ritmos variados, ou seja, a sua amplitude. Este professor deve estar disposto a aceitar o desafio, vencer a timidez, caso nà £o o tenha feito ainda, de usar e disponibilizar tanto a tecnologia, quanto de seu prà ³prio talento musical. Deve explorar e desenvolver atividades musicais a fim de ampliar aspectos culturais, como expressoes idiomaticas, gà ¬rias, abreviaà §oes e coloquialismos. E ficar atento aos resultados que o uso de mUsicas em sala de aula pode lhe proporcionar. Nà £o se trata de aprofundamento na teoria musical, ou suas raà ¬zes e histà ³ria. A proposta aqui e fazer uma ponte entre a disciplina de là ¬ngua inglesa e a mUsica. A mUsica alem da arte de combinar sons, e uma maneira de exprimir-se e interagir com o outro, e portanto, devemos compreendà ª-la. (Ferreira, 2009). 3 Inteligà ªncias MUltiplas na sala de aula Inteligà ªncia musical A escola com a qual trabalhamos hoje passa por mudanà §as significativas a cada dia. Sà £o novas tecnologias, novas metodologias. O aluno esta muito mais crà ¬tico ao aprendizado, e fà ³rmulas muitas vezes usadas nas salas de aulas nà £o dà £o mais o mesmo resultado. A escola que nà ³s educadores visualizamos busca estimular o profundo entendimento dos alunos a utilizarem conhecimentos adquiridos para resolverem tarefas e problemas com os quais se deparam na comunidade e ambiente em que vivem (Gardner, 1993 apud Armstrong, 2001). O aluno hoje, nà £o deve aprender somente teoria. Ele deve usar toda a informaà §Ãƒ £o adquirida em prol de seu desenvolvimento e inserà §Ãƒ £o num mercado cada vez mais global. Mas para que esse convà ¬vio real, numa sociedade bilà ¬ngue aconteà §a, a escola de hoje tem a missà £o de mediar ou auxiliar esse aluno. O està ¬mulo ao uso e compreensà £o da L2 deve acontecer de forma familiar. Isso evitara o fracasso do professor, e derrubara problemas inerentes à   abordagem sou obrigado a aprender uma L2, discurso muito comum encontrado hoje em dia. A proposta e o uso de algum mecanismo que faà §a esse aluno se sentir familiarizado com tanta mudanà §a à   sua volta. Na Europa Oriental, ha vinte e cinco anos, pesquisadores em educaà §Ãƒ £o descobriram que os alunos conseguiam gravar mais informaà §oes na memà ³ria se escutassem a exposià §Ãƒ £o da materia, pelo professor, com sons musicais ao fundo. E se a mUsica promove este conforto e sucesso, essa descoberta e uma forte aliada para qualquer professor de là ¬nguas. Porem nà £o podemos desconsiderar que quando falamos do uso da mUsica, tambem temos outros fatores envolvidos em resultados satisfatà ³rios. Ha alunos que, naturalmente, sà £o predispostos à   linguagem musical. Sà £o aqueles que tà ªm uma aptidà £o nata à   mUsica. Neste caso, o uso desta linguagem para o aprendizado tera excelente resultado, pois estarà £o envolvidos alem da aquisià §Ãƒ £o de conhecimentos, o fator emocional, o prazer, a receptividade. Quanto aos educandos que nà £o possuem uma inteligà ªncia musical nata, se houver o desenvolvimento de atividades que propiciem integraà §Ãƒ £o e comprometimento no aprendizado, os resultados tambem serà £o satisfatà ³rios. Isso vale tambem para desenvolver tal habilidade em educadores, se estes se considerarem nà £o possuidores de inteligà ªncia musical. Devemos lembrar que ao falar de atividades com mUsica nà £o estamos considerando somente o cantar em grupo, ou mesmo, repetir palavras dentro de um contexto. Estamos abordando tecnicas e exercà ¬cios de concentraà §Ãƒ £o, predisposià §Ãƒ £o e relacionamento com uma determinada atividade linguà ¬stica. Nà £o e tarefa facil definir padroes de enquadramento, para se chegar num consenso se um aluno e ou nà £o possuidor de inteligà ªncia musical[7]. E tambem o objetivo principal e o aprendizado atraves da mUsica, resultando em desenvolvimento pessoal e intelectual. e importante sempre considerar que o mais importante em qualquer tipo de aula, ou atividade diferenciada, que se desvie do padrà £o e o resultado para a pessoa do aluno. Antes de levarmos adiante qualquer tipo de modelo de aprendizagem em um ambiente de sala de aula, baseado tambem, dentre tantas outras consideraà §oes, na inteligà ªncia musical, devemos primeiro aplica-lo a nà ³s mesmos como educadores. Armstrong (2001) nos adverte que um passo importante no uso da Teoria das Inteligà ªncias MUltiplas e determinar a natureza e a qualidade das nossas prà ³prias inteligà ªncias mUltiplas, buscando maneiras de desenvolvà ª-las na nossa vida. Somos educadores, mas tambem somos aprendizes. A melhor maneira de avaliar o desempenho de nossos alunos, e explorar de forma significativa as inteligà ªncias e examinando de maneira realista nosso desempenho diante das tarefas que propomos aos nossos alunos. Em vez de realizar tarefas com os alunos, podemos desempenha-las juntamente a eles. Por exemplo, podemos propor um teste, cujas perguntas se enquadrem numa avaliaà §Ãƒ £o das inteligà ªncias separadamente. A partir das respostas, alem de conseguirmos entender mais profundamente a sala, poderemos explorar e despertar o interesse dos alunos, de forma interpessoal. Perguntas como Aprender uma là ¬ngua estrangeira (inglà ªs) e relativamente facil para mim? ou Ouà §o as palavras em minha cabeà §a antes de là ª-las, fala-las ou escrevà ª-las? para medir a Inteligà ªncia linguà ¬stica; ou mesmo Minha vida seria mais pobre se nela nà £o houvesse mUsica? e ainda Conheà §o a melodia e a letra de muitas mUsicas? para medir a Inteligà ªncia Musical seria um exercà ¬cio revelador e envolvente para toda a sala. A teoria das inteligà ªncias mUltiplas e um modelo atrativo e interessante para nos auxiliar. Ela serve para avaliarmos a sala, como um todo, mas a nà ³s mesmos, pois nos desafia a superarmos nossas prà ³prias dificuldades e limitaà §oes. Armstrong (2001 p.32) orienta-nos da seguinte forma: Se vocà ª nà £o tem ideias para levar a mUsica à   sala de aula porque sua inteligà ªncia musical e pouco desenvolvida, pense em pedir ajuda à   professora de mUsica da escola ou a um colega com inclinaà §oes musicais. Cada aluno tem inclinaà §oes diferentes nas inteligà ªncias mUltiplas. Portanto, sabemos que determinados exercà ¬cios que usam ritmos e cAnticos serà £o bem aceitos por uns e rejeitados por outros. Devido a essa diferenà §a inerente a qualquer grupo heterogà ªneo, o professor pode usar estrategias variadas para a mesma aula. Aquele aluno que tem inclinaà §oes mais fà ¬sicas e verbais, por exemplo, podera nà £o se interessar por atividades musicais, mas apreciara exercà ¬cios do tipo preencha as lacunas ou complete o restante que falta na frase e assim por diante. Ja à  queles que apreciam o ritmo e a melodia, sera interessante exercà ¬cios orais e repetià §Ãƒ £o de expressoes e estruturas complexas, por exemplo, os phrasal verbs ou tempos verbais. Ao falar do exercà ¬cio da inteligà ªncia musical, Alvarez (2002) remete-nos ao fato de que tanto na Idade Media quanto no Renascimento, a mUsica ja era considerada um dos quatro grandes pilares da aprendizagem, juntamente à   geometria, a astronomia e a aritmetica. Armstrong (2001 p.83) reforà §a sua importAncia, relatando-nos que por milhares de anos, conhecimentos foram transmitidos de geraà §Ãƒ £o em geraà §Ãƒ £o por meio de mUsicas ou cAnticos. No seculo XX, os publicitarios descobriram que os jingles musicais ajudam as pessoas a lembrar o produto de seu cliente. Os educadores, todavia, demoraram mais para reconhecer a importAncia da mUsica na aprendizagem. Como resultado, a maioria de nà ³s tem milhares de jingles musicais comerciais na memà ³ria a longo prazo, mas relativamente poucas mUsicas relacionadas à   escola. Podemos ate criar um ritmo moderno, um rap ou um cAntico, associado à   aula que queremos explanar. Por exemplo, se colocarmos um ponto central que queremos ensinar numa aula expositiva, de forma rà ¬tmica, com repetià §oes, a sala toda podera se envolver tanto no conteUdo quanto no ritmo. Esse exercà ¬cio e muito comum entre os alunos, e sà ³ observar alunos cantarolando mUsicas e palavras em inglà ªs, nos corredores das escolas. Outro exercà ¬cio e convidar os alunos a criarem seus prà ³prios jingles ou canà §oes sobre o tema a ser estudado. Esse exercà ¬cio ajudara os alunos a sintetizarem a materia e a aplicaà §Ãƒ £o dos significados aprendidos, alem de proporcionar uma atmosfera mais descontraà ¬da e emocional para a aula. Se o professor tocar algum instrumento de percussà £o, ou qualquer outro instrumento musical tambem sera uma à ³tima contribuià §Ãƒ £o para bons resultados. Alem disso, podemos encontrar frases musicais, ou trechos de canà §oes que resumam algum ponto essencial da materia estudada. Tambem e possà ¬vel falar sobre literatura, usando ritmos opostos para sugerir situaà §oes mais calmas ou tensas, da peà §a Romeu e Julieta de Shakespeare, por exemplo. Armstrong (2001). Essas estrategias oferecem um grau de amplitude e criatividade consideraveis tanto para os alunos, quanto para os professores. O desafio maior   aqui e vencer a resistà ªncia quanto à   timidez e o envolvimento com o grupo que se esta trabalhando. 4 Traduà §oes e Versoes Existem hoje diversas formas, com resultados satisfatà ³rios, de se trabalhar com a mUsica em sala de aula. Podemos citar os exercà ¬cios mais comuns de preencha as lacunas em branco ate praticas mais elaboradas de traduà §oes. Atualmente e muito facil encontrar mUsicas na internet, que dispoem de traduà §oes. Isso pode ser considerado uma à ³tima estrategia de ensino pela facilidade e disponibilidade tanto para o professor quanto para o aluno. Considerando essa disponibilidade tecnolà ³gica, acessà ¬vel ate para as escolas de menor poder aquisitivo, podemos trabalhar uma analise de letras de hinos, poesias cantadas, canà §oes (esta Ultima muito mais comum e de facil traduà §Ãƒ £o). Nà £o podemos negar que muito do que e traduzido aos alunos, provem de nossa prà ³pria experià ªncia como professores ou tradutores. Porem, existem traduà §oes que sà £o verdadeiras perolas para a compreensà £o. Vejamos o exemplo da mUsica Im not dog no, de Falcà £o e Tarcà ¬sio Matos, uma versà £o do portuguà ªs para o inglà ªs da canà §Ãƒ £o Eu nà £o sou cachorro nà £o[8], de Waldick Soriano. A mUsica foi traduzida ao pe da letra. Sabemos que foi intencional, porem, com o uso desta canà §Ãƒ £o, o professor podera trazer à   tona erros que devem ser evitados ao lidar com letras e traduà §oes, e assim explicar expressoes idiomaticas e coloquialismos. Im not dog no, for live so humbleIm not dog no, for you be so very farYou dont know understand who is love, who is likeE eu ja estou querendo stay hereAnd so there I go away Eu nà £o sou cachorro nà £o, para viver tà £o humilhado Eu nà £o sou cachorro nà £o, para vocà ª estar tà £o longe Vocà ª nà £o sabe entender o que e amar, o que e gostar E eu ja estou querendo ficar aqui E assim, la eu ir embora As mUsicas de carater humorà ¬stico servem para descontrair a aula, alem de tornar o aprendizado atraente para a maioria dos educandos, sejam eles das mais variadas idades. Os alunos passam a aprender e adquirir conhecimento nà £o somente observando os acertos e construà §oes linguisticamente corretas, mas notando ou localizando os erros. Duas pessoas diferentes nà £o interpretam ou entendem um trecho exatamente da mesma maneira. A personalidade, experià ªncia e a referà ªncia de memà ³rias farà £o com que esta interpretaà §Ãƒ £o varie de aluno para aluno (Rivers, 2000). A contribuià §Ãƒ £o, por exemplo, que teremos ao interpretar uma mUsica, como exercà ¬cio em sala de aula, sera outro fator motivacional e por que nà £o dizer, uma promoà §Ãƒ £o à   relaà §Ãƒ £o   interpessoal   entre   o grupo, pois cada aluno trara uma versà £o diferente de um mesmo trecho de mUsica. MUsicas e canà §oes usadas como atividades conduzem naturalmente ao aprendizado ou aperfeià §oamento da là ¬ngua estrangeira. A pronUncia e entonaà §Ãƒ £o sà £o assimiladas com facilidade atraves de canà §oes na là ¬ngua alvo. Alem disso, segundo Rivers (2000, p.160) trabalhar com mUsica pop pode envolver quanto à   leitura sobre o cantor/cantora, acompanhar entrevistas com o cantor/cantora no radio ou TV, assistir os và ¬deos ou cantar as mUsicas[9]. O aluno, ao ser motivado a aprender as palavras, podera exercitar atividades diferentes sozinho e depois compara-las à  s dos colegas de classe. O professor inclusive pode se valer desta iniciativa do aluno e fornecer-lhe a mUsica com os espaà §os em branco para completar. 4.1   A TECNOLOGIA NA SALA DE AULA Quando alguem fala no uso de tecnologia e mUsicas em sala de aula, logo pensamos em computadores, ou nas aulas de computaà §Ãƒ £o na sala de multimà ¬dia da escola. A questà £o e que, tudo que nà £o seja cad

Shakespeares Rebuttal to Possibilities in Sonnet 96 Essay -- Sonnet e

Shakespeare's Rebuttal to Possibilities in Sonnet 96      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare's apostrophic "Sonnet 96," one of the sonnets written to the blond young man, is arranged similar to a rebuttal in an argument or debate." In the first three quatrains, he describes several possibilities, such as the youth's winning nature and potential for mischief, only to refute them in the couplet." He begins with concise one-line points in the first quatrain, moves to a comparison utilizing the entire quatrain in the second, and transitions to two-line arguments in the final quatrain, evoking the idea of a logical, organized argument." Along with reason, however, are the romantic tones of the couplet, which refutes the statements made in the douzain." The conditional nature of the sonnet parallels the individual conditional statements made in the quatrains.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare uses end-stopped lines in the first quatrain that mimic the brisk style of a debate or quarrel to establish the arguments for and against the blond young man." He explains, "Some say [his] fault is youth" (1), while others think that youth is his "grace" (2)." The parallel structure of lines one and two deftly contrast the range of opinions on the subject's character."" Along with youth, Shakespeare claims that some view "gentle sport" (2) as a grace as well, playing on the double meaning of "sport" as both "pleasant pastime" and "amorous dalliance or intercourse" (OED)."" It appears that Shakespeare falls in this category, saying in line three that people of all stations and classes love the young man's graces and faults, because he "makest faults graces" (4)." Line four possesses a fault in being hypermetric, whichà ·like the young man's faultsà ·can b... ...tradictory to the remainder of the sonnet, as well as the fact that the rhyme of the couplet returns to the b rhyme of the first quatrain." Perhaps this implies that Shakespeare is among the people who "say [his] grace is youth and gentle sport" (2).""" However, the amorous connotation of "sport" in line two fits well with the romantic couplet, which serves as a rejection of the suggestions of the rest of the sonnet, and instead seems to suggest that the young man be content to restrain himself for the love of the poet.    Works Cited The Oxford English Dictionary."" 2nd ed." Oxford:" Clarendon P, 1989." 26 Feb." 2001." http://www.asu.edu/lib/resources/db/oed.htm Shakespeare, William." "Sonnet 96."" The Norton Anthology of English Literature." Eds." M. H." Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt." 7th ed." 2 vols." New York: Norton, 2000." 1:" 1031-32. Shakespeare's Rebuttal to Possibilities in Sonnet 96 Essay -- Sonnet e Shakespeare's Rebuttal to Possibilities in Sonnet 96      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare's apostrophic "Sonnet 96," one of the sonnets written to the blond young man, is arranged similar to a rebuttal in an argument or debate." In the first three quatrains, he describes several possibilities, such as the youth's winning nature and potential for mischief, only to refute them in the couplet." He begins with concise one-line points in the first quatrain, moves to a comparison utilizing the entire quatrain in the second, and transitions to two-line arguments in the final quatrain, evoking the idea of a logical, organized argument." Along with reason, however, are the romantic tones of the couplet, which refutes the statements made in the douzain." The conditional nature of the sonnet parallels the individual conditional statements made in the quatrains.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare uses end-stopped lines in the first quatrain that mimic the brisk style of a debate or quarrel to establish the arguments for and against the blond young man." He explains, "Some say [his] fault is youth" (1), while others think that youth is his "grace" (2)." The parallel structure of lines one and two deftly contrast the range of opinions on the subject's character."" Along with youth, Shakespeare claims that some view "gentle sport" (2) as a grace as well, playing on the double meaning of "sport" as both "pleasant pastime" and "amorous dalliance or intercourse" (OED)."" It appears that Shakespeare falls in this category, saying in line three that people of all stations and classes love the young man's graces and faults, because he "makest faults graces" (4)." Line four possesses a fault in being hypermetric, whichà ·like the young man's faultsà ·can b... ...tradictory to the remainder of the sonnet, as well as the fact that the rhyme of the couplet returns to the b rhyme of the first quatrain." Perhaps this implies that Shakespeare is among the people who "say [his] grace is youth and gentle sport" (2).""" However, the amorous connotation of "sport" in line two fits well with the romantic couplet, which serves as a rejection of the suggestions of the rest of the sonnet, and instead seems to suggest that the young man be content to restrain himself for the love of the poet.    Works Cited The Oxford English Dictionary."" 2nd ed." Oxford:" Clarendon P, 1989." 26 Feb." 2001." http://www.asu.edu/lib/resources/db/oed.htm Shakespeare, William." "Sonnet 96."" The Norton Anthology of English Literature." Eds." M. H." Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt." 7th ed." 2 vols." New York: Norton, 2000." 1:" 1031-32.

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream :: Literary Analysis, F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby depicts the 1920’s Jazz Age, and how society operates under the influence of the American Dream. Society during this time period consists of huge hopes and dreams for improvement of the self. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream hides behind a mirage of beauty and splendor, buy in reality the corruption and illusions within this dream entice Americans to become drawn into its web of lies, deceit, and greed. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald strongly criticizes the American Dream (Seschachari 1). Fitzgerald shows readers the American Dream in this time period is centered on romanticism, material items, youth, and an emergence of selfishness (Seschachari 2). People value tangible items over strong moral values. A life of extravagance, however, does not always come without repercussions. People in this society live in a pretend world of beauty, but in reality the American Dream is a defective illusion. In the American Dream, equality is an impossible feat and even though Americans have an abundance of opportunities, people will always be suppressed from true achievement (Hearne 191). Meyer Wolfshiem, a corrupt business man, represents how disillusioned the American Dream is. His mannerisms reek of brutality, yet he sits pleasantly in a restaurant while exchanging pleasantries with Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway (Hearne 192). Fitzgerald writes, â€Å"A small, flat-nosed Jew raised his large head and regarded me with two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril. After a moment I discovered his tiny eyes in the half-darkness† (Fitzgerald 69). (Check how to quote) Also, Wolfsheim boasts his cuff buttons are actual human molars; nevertheless, Wolfshiem is regarded by Jay Gatsby as a pleasant gentlemen. This demonstrates the faà §ade of brutality that Wolfshiem portrays. Wolfshiem ultimately represents corruption in the American Dream (Hearne 192). Fitzgerald’s ultimate goal in writing The Great Gatsby is to shed light on the illusions in the American Dream to the people of America (Hearne 189). If Americans are better informed about the American Dream, they are less likely to fall subject to its evils. (Add too or move) Jay Gatsby, in particular, becomes a strangely unique character in The Great Gatsby. Even though Jay Gatsby strives for the best material items, he does not strive for these items in hopes of attaining any type of dream except a romantic one (Seshachari 2).

Effects of Desertification

Environmental problems Of all the global environmental problems, desertification is, perhaps, the most threatening for poor rural people. The most accepted definition of desertification states that it is land degradation in arid, semiarid, and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Drylands cover almost 40 percent of the total land surface of the world and are inhabited by approximately 1 billion humans dispersed over more than 100 countries. These people include many of the world's most vulnerable, marginalized, and politically weak citizens. In spite of the progress in the understanding of the ecological dimension of this phenomenon, few communities' wellbeing has improved by the myriad action plans and activities carried out by local, regional, or national organizations, particularly in Africa. A growing body of evidence suggests that a closer look at the social system and the role of its components is critical to understanding this frequent outcome. Drylands are characterized by water scarcity stemming from the conjunction of low water offer (i. e. , precipitation) and high water demand (i. . , water lost to the atmosphere as water vapor from soil via evaporation and from plants through transpiration). Drylands' precipitation is highly variable through the year and occurs in infrequent, discrete, and largely unpredictable events. In turn, the high evaporative demand of the atmosphere, resulting from high air temperatures, low humidity, and abundant solar radiation, determines that water availability is the dominant con trolling factor for biological processes such as plant growth and herbivore productivity. Thus drylands, though not barren, are ecosystems of low and highly variable productivity capable of limited human settlement and vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance. The proximate causes of desertification are complex and vary from region to region. The European Mediterranean region has a long history of human misuse. War, urbanization, farming, and tourism have, over the years, altered vegetation to such an extent that, at present, virtually no natural vegetation exists there and soil erosion is ubiquitous. In contrast, Australian drylands have experienced extensive degradation only recently. The introduction of domestic livestock by Europeans in the late 1880s, together with the fences used to concentrate these animals and the suppression of fire, drastically reduced the abundance of perennial grasses, leaving more soil exposed to erosion by water or wind, and triggered shrub encroachment. In the Sahelian region of Africa, where the concept of desertification was first coined at the beginning of the 20th century, the replacement of the original vegetation by crops, the increase of grazing pressure over the remaining lands, and the collection of wood for fuel resulted in a reduction of the biological or economic productivity of the land. In particular, inappropriate use of heavy machinery, deficient irrigation schemes, and grazing management practices led to soil erosion, salinization, and overgrazing. Any attempt to assess the impact of desertification on human societies should first acknowledge the difference between the ways water-limited ecosystems shape the functioning of social systems and the effects of desertification itself. Desertification imposes an additional constraint on human well-being by further reducing the limited ecosystem goods (e. g. , food, timber, water) and services (e. g. , soil maintenance, erosion control, carbon sequestration) that drylands provide. Failure to address this difference would lead to an overestimation of the desertification effects. Additionally, the manifestations of desertification vary widely, depending on the capacity of each country to mitigate its impacts. For example, in Africa it resulted in declining productivity and intensifying food insecurity and widespread famines, whereas in the Mediterranean region desertification seriously threatens water supply, while many regions of northern Europe are experiencing an increase in dust deposition due to north African soil erosion. In poor countries with a large proportion of their territory in arid and semiarid regions, desertification may trigger a downward spiral where a significant amount of a nation's human and financial resources are devoted to combating past desertification effects, leaving less available to invest in health, education, industry, and governmental institutions. The ultimate precarious social conditions thus developed generally lead to migrations, exacerbating urban sprawl, and may bring about internal and cross-boundary social, ethnic, and political strife. Approaches to the desertification problem broadly fall into two competing perspectives: the predominant global environmental management (GEM) discourse and the populist discourse. Whereas the former discourse rests on neoliberal values and Malthusian thinking, the latter has its philosophical roots in the self-reliant advocacy derived from the dependency schools of the 1970s and 1980s. The GEM discourse depicts overpopulation in drylands as the main problem leading to the degradation of the ecosystems on which they depend. As seen in the GEM discourse, the global problem of desertification requires a global solution. Therefore, GEM supporters promote topdown, interventionist and technocentrist solutions implemented through international institutions and conventions, such as the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. On the contrary, the populist discourse–populist in the sense that it positively portrays the acts of local people–emphasizes that the marginalization of smallholders and pastoralists started during the colonial period and was subsequently deepened by global capitalism, transnational corporations, and northern consumers as the principal causes of land overexploitation and degradation. International assistance in the form of debt per nature exchanges or technological transferences is regarded as part of the problem itself. Rather, the populist discourse focuses on local or traditional knowledge and community-based action as major sources to overcome environmental problems. However, despite its diametrically opposed explanations of the desertification problem, neither discourse denies an impending crisis caused by desertification. Why, almost a century after its first detection, does desertification continue to be among the most important environmental problems faced by humankind? Though no single answer exists, there are some arguments to sketch an answer. Undoubtedly the inherent complexity of the desertification phenomenon hampers almost every phase of the sequence leading to the mitigation or control of an environmental problem (i. e. , first detection, general recognition, agreement on regulation). For instance, a long period elapsed between when French foresters first perceived what they called â€Å"the desert advance† and the widespread diffusion of the desertification tragedy that took place in the Sahelian region of Africa after a series of drought years at the beginning of the 1970s; today improvements in our understanding of rangelands functioning and climatic variability allow for faster detection and prevention. These advances show that vegetation dynamics in drylands may remain seemingly unaffected by an increase in land use pressure until there is a sudden shift to a lower-productivity stable state, with stochastic climate events, such as severe droughts, acting as triggers. Additionally, incomplete or inadequate scientific knowledge, together with the urgent need of integrative solutions for the Sahelian drama, may have driven actors to resort to the first workable options, leading to erroneous regulations at that time. However, regulations of this kind are not dependent on scientific knowledge alone but also on political pressure mechanisms. Thus an explanation of the failure to achieve sound regulation needs to consider political issues as well. The predominance of the GEM discourse, despite the poor performance of top-down solutions to â€Å"unsustainable† resource management, can be explained by its convenience for the interests of three main groups involved in the desertification issue: national governments, international aid donors, and scientists. National governments benefit not only from foreign financial aid but also from the use of desertification as the basis for severely repressive social control. International donors and institutions find the problem of desertification a reason unto itself for their involvement, whereas scientists may highlight the global nature and severity of the desertification problem as a means to obtain research funds. On the contrary, the bottom-up approaches promoted by the populist discourse do not fit the terms and conditions of bilateral and multilateral funding and instead stress the principles of participation and decentralization. It is apparent that the progress achieved in our comprehension of desertification has not been matched by an improvement in the regulations aimed at mitigating its consequences. While the accumulation of knowledge generated during the past decades provides evidence against both discourses' main tenets, they nonetheless remain influential in the political and scientific arenas. Future contributions to the solution of the desertification problem require the synthesis of recent social and ecological advances into a new synthetic framework that overcomes the constraints upon the solutions imposed by the GEM and populist discourses. Social scientists hope that a new desertification paradigm–that is, the dryland development paradigm, which represents a convergence of insights from both discourses–is emerging. Bibliography: 1) Adger, W. Neil, Tor A. Benjaminsen, Katrina Brown, and Hanne Svarstad. 2001. Advancing a Political Ecology of Global Environmental Discourses. † Development and Change 32:681-715. 2) Herrmann, Stefanie M. and Charles F. Hutchinson. 2005. â€Å"The Changing Contexts of the Desertification Debate. † Journal of Arid Environments 63:538-55. 3) Reynolds, James F. and D. Mark Stafford-Smith. 2002. Global Desertification: Do Humans Create Deserts? Berlin: Dahlem University Press. 4) Veron, Santiago R. , Jose M. Paruelo, and Martin Oesterheld. 2006. â€Å"Assessing Desertification. † Journal of Arid Environments 66:751-63.

They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky

About the Book Benjamin, Alepho, and Benson were raised among the Dinka tribe of Sudan. Theirs was an insulated, close-knit world of grass-roofed cottages, cattle herders, and tribal councils. The lions and pythons that prowled beyond the village fences were the greatest threat they knew. All that changed the night the government-armed Murahiliin began attacking their villages. Amid the chaos, screams, conflagration, and gunfire, five-year-old Benson and seven-year-old Benjamin fled into the dark night. Two years later, Alepho, age seven, was forced to do the same.Between 1987 and 1989, thousands of other young Sudanese boys did likewise, joining this stream of child refugees that became known as the Lost Boys. Their journey would take them over one thousand miles across a war-ravaged country, through landmine-sown paths, crocodile-infested waters, and grotesque extremes of hunger, thirst, and disease. The refugee camps they eventually filtered through offered little respite from the brutality they were fleeing. In They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky, Benson, Alepho, and Benjamin, by turn, recount their experiences along this unthinkable journey.This is a captivating memoir of Sudan and a powerful portrait of war as seen through the eyes of children. And it is, in the end, an inspiring and unforgettable tale of three young boys who, cast against all elements, had the will, the tenacity, and the very good luck to survive. TEACHING AND READING GUIDE In the Classroom This disarmingly intimate memoir delves beyond headlines to bring readers deep into the heart of the Sudanese conflict – and into the flight of three children determined to escape it. It deciphers Sudan’s struggle from the inside. Who is fighting it? Why?Who are the victims? How did these boys survive without food, without family, for so long? At the same time, the journey of Benson, Alephonsion, and Benjamin over these many years and these thousand miles reveals how small minds comprehe nd and process the violence of war. Their story also begs the question: Can and should the international community intervene? What can be done? Pre-Reading Activity Have students bring in recent news articles and clippings regarding developments in Sudan. Try to piece together the conflict from these accounts and clippings. Discuss the history of Sudan’s war.How do the students feel about the conflict? What do they think it is like to grow up during wartime? You may also invite them to bring in articles regarding intervention or immigration. Do they think intervention important? How do they feel about refugees, like the Lost Boys, seeking asylum in this country? USING THIS GUIDE To the Teacher: Reading and Understanding the Story examines the reader’s comprehension and retention of the book itself, and of the war as Benson, Alepho, and Benjamin relate it. Students should refer to the narrative to answer these questions.Themes and Context encourages students to use the book as a lens into larger ideas, events, and issues. These questions encourage students to think freely and independently on the war in Sudan and the broader moral and political debates stemming from it. Teaching Ideas offers course-specific projects, essays, and discussion questions for classes: English/Language Arts, Geography, History, Science, and Social Studies. READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE STORY Definitions Ask students to define the following terms with reference to the book: Dinka; SPLA; refugee; jihad; genocide; murahiliin; UNHCR. ComprehensionLook at a map of Africa. Locate Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Kenya. Identify the Nile River. Find Sudan’s capital city, Khartoum. Try to locate Bhar al Ghazal (the region where the Dinka live). Before this phase of the Sudanese war, a treaty had brokered peace between northern and southern Sudan. What was the name of this treaty? (See Judy Bernstein’s introduction. ) Describe the landscape in which the authors grew up. What was their village life like? Benson recalls first learning of the war around village fires. What does he learn from the tribe elders? For much of his journey, Benson wears red shorts.Where did he get these? They are almost ruined one night. What happens to them? Why does he treasure these shorts so much? Along their journey, Benson, Benjamin, and Alepho meet many kind family and friends. Who is Monyde? Who is Yier? Why are they important in this story? Despite their clear desperation and young age, time and again the boys find villages turning them away, denying them food, and directing them back into enemy hands. Why do the villages do this? Yier recalls the government storming Wau Wau University. â€Å"We were led to the dorms and questioned: Do you know the leader of the rebels, ______? What was the name of this leader? As the refugee camp takes shape at Panyido, the UN begins sending food relief. What do they send? How does this diet differ from the usual Dinka diet? What are some of its mis-intended consequences? (see p. 92) Benson writes â€Å"I have many bad memories that I will never erase from my brain† but of these, the flight from Panyido stands out. Why were the Sudanese forced to leave Panyido (Ethiopia)? The refugees had only one means back into Sudan. What was it? What were the perils of this flight? Who was Mr. Hyena? Why did the refugees call him that?Name two positive aspects of Kakuma life for the Lost Boys. Name two negative aspects of it. At Kakuma, refugees receive food in the form of grain rations. Though the rations are small, many still end up selling some portion of these at the market. Why do they do this? What are the consequences when the camp learns of this underground grain market? The journey through the refugee camps and finally, to America introduces the Lost Boys to a new language (words like â€Å"dessert† and â€Å"because†), a new culture, and many new things. Recall two episodes where the authors en counter new objects or concepts.Describe their initial reaction in each instance. BROADER THEMES AND QUESTIONS FAMILY AND FRIENDSHIP. Robert E. Lee once said â€Å"What a cruel thing is war†¦ to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors. † After reading this book, do you think this is always the case? How does war impact families? How does it shape friendships? What qualities does it bring out in people throughout the story? RITES AND INITIATIONS. â€Å"My mother wore the radiating scarification mark on her forehead as a sign of her bravery† remembers Benson. Rites and initiations are important aspects of the Dinka culture.Explain two different cultural initiations common to the Dinka. What is the role of such rites in a culture? Do you know of any such rites, initiations, and/or identifying marks in your own family or culture? GROWING UP. Though torn from their homes and their families, the Lost Boys were still very much children. From their e arly childhood in the village to their adolescence in the refugee camps, we watch them grow up in this story. Can you relate to any of their experiences growing up? What about the games they play? How do they view and interact with the opposite sex? How do their views of education relate to your own?How do their perceptions of adults and authority figures change through the story? THE â€Å"OTHER†. Benson’s father attempts to describe the enemy to his children. He explains: â€Å"The government troops are Arabs and call themselves Muslims. The Arabs wear a long white dress with a large handkerchief tied on their ears†¦They speak a strange language that we cannot understand. † But when he continues he says: â€Å"You must beware. Some of the Muslims are traitors from Dinka tribes; they speak the way we do. † Imagine Benson’s confusion. Are friends and allies easily distinguished in war?Consider how we try to describe and define people â€Å"ot her† than our peers and ourselves. Do physical traits define who we are and who we are not? Link this idea to recent other conflicts and wars: Rwanda; Vietnam; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. LIFE AS A REFUGEE. Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya is the light at the end of a long and dark journey for the Lost Boys. They risk everything and endure unspeakable pain, hunger and thirst, just to enter the camp. Yet the camp presents them with its own menaces and challenges. After several years in the camp Benson decides he hates it than â€Å"more than anyplace. What makes him say is this? How do the Kenyans and the camp administrators treat the refugees? What is life like as a refugee? SPIN. Joseph Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister in Nazi Germany, once declared: â€Å"We have made the Reich by propaganda. † Throughout They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky, we see government and rebel forces alike manipulating facts and media to their own ends. Consider the role of propaganda in the book. How and why do you think leaders use propaganda? What is its purpose? What is its impact? Have you ever heard of or encountered propaganda in your own media? What about in the government?GEOGRAPHY AND CULTURE. When the Sudanese government institutes Sharia law over all of Sudan, the Dinka tribes grow angry. Benson recalls the village elders complaining: â€Å"We have too much to do with our cattle, our plantations and hunting†¦. † What is Sharia Law? What are some of the reasons the southerners resist it? What role do you think physical and geographic constraints play in determining the ideals and traditions of a community? TEACHING IDEAS English/Language Arts Ask students if they know of any immigrants, in their family or community, who came to the US from another country?Have them interview these individuals about their journey and present that person’s story to the class. Allow students to decide the medium for their presentation. For example, they ca n create a video-audio montage, enact it before the class, or rewrite that person’s story as a first-person narrative. Immigration and interventionism make major news headlines these days. Have students select one of these issues and research both sides of the debate. Then have them select a position, write a position statement on the issue, and then team up to â€Å"debate† the issue in class. Have students create a Kakuma Camp newspaper.Possible sections could include: Arts and Leisure, Sports, International News, Op-Eds, Marketplace (which could include articles on food rations or the state of trading in the Kenyan marketplace). Geography Make a map of Sudan. Have students chart out the major cities, rivers, mountains, and deserts. Have them demarcate the northern/southern divide and indicate the primary religion, resources, and activities of each region. â€Å"Piecing together Africa†. As the boys recall the landscapes they cross in they journey, they reveal Africa to be a land of rich and varied terrain – far more so than American students sometimes think.Create a large outline map of Africa. Cut out the countries and divide these among the students. After researching their country(s), students should report back with their cutout clearly indicating the major physical and geographic traits of that area. Now reassemble the map (preferably on a large surface). Have the students examine the reassembled map and try to understand the great geographic differences and divides of this continent. The southern tribes resist Sharia Law because, in part, as farmers and cattle-herders: â€Å"We don’t have time to pray five times a day. Have students research Islamic countries and report back on the major geographic features of these countries. What are the major resources, commodities, and products of these nations? Does physical geography correlate to cultural geography? Ask them what role they think geography played in shaping tra its of their own communities. History Colonization, violence, and civil war represent only a part of Sudan’s history. Create a Sudanese cultural timeline around the classroom. Assign students to specific periods in Sudanese history and ask them to research major events and cultural elements in that era.Have them create posters and/or dioramas replete with images and any objects they might find that illuminate their portion of the Sudanese timeline. History is always being created, and sometimes revised, by its sources. In August of 2005, John Garang died in a plane crash in Sudan. Have students locate accounts of this plane crash. Be sure they consult a variety of news media publications: left, right, American, British, African, Sudanese. Have them read the different accounts out loud to the class. Do these vary at all in facts or in tone? Discuss the importance of noting, and cross-referencing, sources in historical research.Science â€Å"We were all heads and hipbones. â⠂¬  Along the journey, the boys describe unimaginable hunger, such that they become like â€Å"stoneheads† teetering along. Investigate the impact of hunger on the human body. What are the caloric needs of the body? How does hunger impact body functions? How does it affect mental capacity? Have students consider their own diets and create caloric scales. Balance their daily intake of calories versus those the boys received (through their rations) at Kakuma. Have students identify the major illnesses and diseases that appear in this story (e. g. ehydration, snake bite, yellow fever, dysentery). Have them create a medical chart of these diseases. What are the causes? What are the symptoms? What is the treatment? Social Studies The UN is a large and complex organization. Have the students research and create an organizational chart of the UN system. How is it organized? How is it governed? How is funded? Where do groups like the UNHRC fit in this scheme? How are such subsidiary bodies programs administered, funded, and maintained? Have students read the UN Convention on the Crime of Genocide. What organizations report on instances of genocide today?Find examples of such reports in recent times. Distribute a template to the students and have them complete a rights report on one of these recent crises. Though governments, and economists, dislike them, underground economies can be necessities – at least to the producers and consumers within them. Why do the Kakuma refugees sell some of their precious rations? Why does the UN consider this wrong? Have students consider the case of Kakuma trading and set up a mock trial/debate that argues the social and economic consequences of such markets within aid-dependent economies.