Drama: Daydreams and nightmares

The issue we were set to explore in the lessons was daydreams and nightmares. I enjoyed doing this topic because it allows you to act out scenes that are not real and what normal people think about in their everyday life. It also allows you to express your own thoughts. I think that nightmare chair is a very effective way of putting across to the audience what has happened during the course of the play.

We started the topic off with nightmare chair. In groups of six we had to make up a play with the second scene as nightmare chair. Our group found it very hard to think of a nightmare to do. So we ended up with our story being about a boy called Jack, who dared his friend, Paul, to walk across the railway track. However while Paul was walking back a train crushed him. This meant that Jack, who dared his friend, was having the nightmare. Jack had to sit in the middle and everyone else in a circle around him. We were chanting things like ‘ You shouldn’t have done that’, ‘you killed my best friend’ and ‘you killed my son’.

We then had to develop our plays so that they had the beginning of the story, then the nightmare chair, and then the end of the story. We had to have a monologue at the beginning of the story, but it could not tell the whole story. I found that making up the beginning and the end was harder to make up then the nightmares was. This was probably because we had the middle of the play and had to work around that.

We then began the daydream part of the topic. We started off by reading a few pages of a play, Ernie’s Great Hallucinations. This play was about a boy who used to daydream a lot however in his hallucinations they actual came true. The part we read was when Ernie and his Auntie May had gone to a fair, and the go to see a boxing match. The boxer want to win loses and the winner challenges anyone from the audience to go and fight him. No one from the audience goes so Auntie May goes in. that’s when Ernie starts to daydream that his Auntie becomes the world unofficial champion and she does. We got to read the play once and then had to make our own interpretation of it from memory. This helped us to give us an idea of how we could do our next task.

In different groups of six we had to make up our own versions of Ernie’s hallucinations. We had two choice of how to do our plays. We could either have the daydream affect real life or just have it as a normal daydream. We chose to have the daydream affect real life. The play was about a girl called Edwina who wanted to become a super model. One day she was in her maths class and she started to daydream about being a world famous model and winning an award for being the worlds most beautiful model. Then the next day at school teacher asks for Edwina’s homework and tells him she did not do it because she was modelling we then realise that her daydream was not actually a dream but did actually happened. When we first started doing the play no one liked it.

NIGHTMARE CHAIR.

In the nightmare chair play I did not have a very big part. I was the passer-by at the railway station. When Paul gets crushed I offer Jack my mobile to call the ambulance. When Jack is having a nightmare I walk around him saying ‘you shouldn’t have done that.’ My character thought that the boys should have had more sense than to play near the railway tracks. She was always looking up from her paper as she thought they were up to no good whish they were.

When I offered Jack my phone I had to make my voice sound panicky and had to rush my words to show that she was thinking quickly about what to do next. When doing the nightmare chair I had to make my voice sound flat and cold, so that it sounded like we were all blaming Jack for killing Paul.

I think my performance as an individual could have been improved by me learning my words correctly and knowing when and how to say them. I think I could have also improved my performance by making my actions clear and confident, because I was not sure what I should have been doing all the time. As a group our performance could have been improved by making sure everyone knew exactly what they were saying and when they should be saying it, so that we did not have so many pauses. We have made our actions more confident.

DAYDREAMS.

In our play about Ernie’s hallucinations I played the part of Eddie Edwards. I was the boxer that lost. My character Eddie was a boxer and probably thought of himself as a tough and very good boxer. However he was not because he got knock out during the first round.

In this play I did not have to speak, so I did not have to change my voice to suit the part I was playing. However I was mainly acting, so my actions had to good. I had to keep my hands in a tight ball, and close to my head. I also have my back slightly bent in order to give the affect that I was boxing.

For our main play I played the part of a clever girl in Edwina’s class, and I was a person watching Edwina’s fashion show. My character in Edwina’ s class always had her hand up to answer a question. She was a very clever and liked to show off she was not a very interesting person.

As a little girl in Edwina’s class I had to make my voice hi pitched and sound child like. When I has to recite my two times table I had to make my voice quite loud and make my mouth movement bigger like a young girls would. As the person watching the fashion show I did not have to say much. My actions as the little girl had to be different too. When I was sitting down I hard to sit up straight and place my hand straight up in the air when a question was asked. When I was playing the person watching the fashion show I had try to act posh. I tried to put this across when I clapped at Edwina. I had to clap very delicately and with my tips of my fingers.

Making my voice louder and not being so self-conscience could have improved my individual performance. I could have also made my actions more precise and confident. I think everyone learning their lines so they do not stutter and leave long pauses could have improved the whole groups performance.

CONCLUSION.

When we were first trying to make up the play no one really like it, and we had a lot of problems acting it. No one could put in the effort to make the play look and sound good, but after we listened to everyone’s ideas and thought of better ways to end it I think we made a very well acted performance.

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Summary of Sunday in the Park

Bell Kaufman brings into focus a wife’s resentment against the seeming impotence of her husband against a bully. The husband, Morton, backs off from the other man whose child has been bullying their own little boy. Back home, the wife appears to submit to the logic of non-violence adopted by her husband, but when their child, sickly and fragile, is having tantrums, the exasperated Morton threatens it with punishment. The wife snaps and taunts her husband as the bully did.

By tradition, women regard their men as their protector, whether from beasts or there men. They want their husbands to be brave and willing to thwart aggressors at the risk of their own lives. Civilization, however, has softened man : the rule of law has done away with the need for a person to assert his rights by force. The peaceful, non-confrontational type of male has become the norm In our society. Nevertheless, most women still expect their men to be strong and brave, able to defend his family and his honor.

By taunting Morton In the manner of the bully when he threatened to punish their son, the wife shows her scorn for the weakling In her husband, her utter nonempty for Moron’s backing off from a fight he possibly could not win. Being physically weaker and more vulnerable, women naturally look up to men to perform the more tedious, physically demanding work, to hunt for food and game, to fight the battles in defense of home and tribe, dying if necessary. Down through the ages, society has always had this expectation of men. Primitive society placed supreme emphasis on courage and physical power.

Men who proved their superiority in battle or the hunt were chosen leaders. They also took unto themselves the most desirable males, a woman being naturally drawn to someone who could protect her against interlopers or the dangers of the wild, not a weakling whom the people of the tribe looked down upon with utmost contempt. Of course, women would want their men to be sensitive and caring and gentle. But when the moment arrives requiring their men to act manfully in their defense, women expect them to be resolute and brave, like the knights of yore who fought for their ladies.

In modern times, men no longer have to fight Trojan-like battles. The brutish man of old is replaced by the sociable, outgoing person who prefers to reason out a dispute than resort to violence. It is not, of course, the fault of men, given the conditions under which we now live. Nowadays It Is not unfashionable for men to do the household chores while the women work outside the home. Women are placed at equal footing with the men at the workplace and almost everywhere. Thus, men have been conditioned to think that women can fend for themselves. How many men today would rise up to give their seat to a woman In a crowded bus?

How many men would be willing to die defending a woman from an attacker? Only an Isolated Incident Like that In Sunday In the Park, now and then awakens a woman’s hidden attitude concerning the opposite sex. She looks at man as her protector, and If he has to suffer by defending her, sustaining broken glasses and losing teeth In the process, It Is a small price to pay to avoid losing one’s Inner peace, for defending one’s honor In the face of naked aggression. BY tenanted non-confrontational type of male has become the norm in our society. Nevertheless, and his honor.

By taunting Morton in the manner of the bully when he threatened to knish their son, the wife shows her scorn for the weakling in her husband, her utter it is not unfashionable for men to do the household chores while the women work woman in a crowded bus? How many men would be willing to die defending a woman from an attacker? Only an isolated incident like that in Sunday in the Park , looks at man as her protector, and if he has to suffer by defending her, sustaining broken glasses and losing teeth in the process, it is a small price to pay to avoid losing one’s inner peace, for defending one’s honor in the face of naked aggression.

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A year had departed since that fatal day

Everyday I pathologically relived those agonizing memories every detail had been scrutinized while sat in this chair being handed chipped mugs of luke warm instant coffee in return for reassurance that I was still present in this empty and hollow world.

I never responded; there was no point, but they gained their reassurance from my deep laboured breathing and went away content. I’d never enlightened anyone as to my thoughts, my inner most feelings; I had no one to trust.

How could I trust them they held out their hand and pulled me back from that cliff top, the only place I felt comfortable. They said they would help me. Instead they gave me a room full of memories; an environment where my goal was unattainable, and concluded for themselves a reason “why” based on half truths and other peoples opinions. “He can’t cope, poor chap” was a common phrase for gods sake I wasn’t coping, I was planning.

They had people come to sit with me on a Tuesday. All kinds of people: young, old, professional, dole fraudsters, priests.

Sometimes a familiar person would come and sit beside me who’d talk at me and I wouldn’t force myself to listen. Sometimes my ears would pick up as they talked about people who I’d known and things I’d done. I couldn’t remember them but they made sense. I never acknowledged them and they left soon after, shaking their heads and having a conference in the corridor at my expense.

I only trusted one person, and she was unreachable.

This day had felt different from the outset; something had unbalanced my routine and my usual blueprint of thought. I awoke a little earlier and glared around my room, my cage. This was not my home; it was a prison for my thoughts.

I ambled my way to the lounge; it was an unsettling place, not pleasant like my lounge at home. Our lounge at home. Our home that was.

Instead it was a mild form of hell. I regained my territorial seat near the window and blocked out all the bawls and whimpers from my surroundings and stared aimlessly out onto the main road.

It was morning rush hour and as my eyes filled and discharged, the lights of this dreary winter morning mingled from one colour to another. I saw the box of tissues resting on the sideboard, their miserable attempt at making this unfamiliar room more homely, but I didn’t reach for them.

I could have looked round to see what was going on, but I knew. I heard the cries, the crashes, the screams of restraint and the eerie silence that followed. I knew that it was soon to be accompanied by the sound of glass being swept, the tinkling like a wind chime blowing softly in the humid Barbados breeze of my honeymoon. Our honeymoon.

Sat on the beach sipping cocktails and each night making passionate love in the most luxurious apartment in town. It was a happy thought I know but instead it drew a tear.

I stepped back into my world.

Each day was identical.

But not this day, today was a year since that horrendous day. The day I repeat in my head over and over, that I couldn’t escape from if I wanted to. But I didn’t want to, I didn’t want to escape from it, for escaping would be forgetting and I couldn’t lose the pressures memories we had. Memories were all I have now.

Nobody knew why I sat here looking at this road. Just as well because if they did they wouldn’t allow it. It was a constant reminder.

Most days I would see the same white Astra with the same dinted bonnet and cracked bumper, pass over the same spot it did a year ago today. Some days it would be late but it would nearly always be there. Sometimes I would see it on an evening, the new haphazardly applied “Kill Your Speed” sticker strategically on the rear bumper. It would always slow for the crossing. The driver always slowed for the crossing, but he hadn’t one day. Maybe one was enough for him. Maybe he knew next time he wouldn’t get off so lightly.

They let me out, but I didn’t want to go. “The door is open,” they said, sure it was open but I wasn’t going to pass through it. I could see the world from the 4th story lounge the windows were sealed shut. Shame, it would have been quick and painless, but not part of the plan.

It was 9am; she would have been on her way to work now. I would normally give her a lift, but not that day. That day she wanted to walk. A final goodbye kiss accompanied by a waving hand as she disappeared round the corner, the distinctive clicking of her heals disappearing.

My house was just around the corner from here. Our house. Not anymore.

My things had been put into storage and my landscaped garden has been bulldozed for a square of low maintenance turf.

It was nearly time to meet her. I got up from my seat and wandered to my room. I rummaged round my bedside draw until I found my key. It glinted in the light like a precious jewel. Some would say it looked sinister, but it was the only way I could join her, and I had made a promise so I had to keep it.

I walked out of the room; out of the door and down the four flights of steps to the ground. There was no need to rush, by the time they had noticed, I’d have crossed over.

I walked out of the suburbs until the houses thinned and the city life died away behind me. I passed under the neatly trimmed fern archway and into the grassy pastures where I knew I would find her. I’d only been here once before but I knew my way.

When I reached where she lived now, I sat down. The ground was cold.

I put my hand in my pocket and reached for my key. I watched with intent as I ran the cold metal down the un-weathered skin of my inner left arm. It tingled slightly. I placed the key back in my pocket and lay down, my left arm on the concrete.

I closed my eyes and remembered how it had happened; as I waited for the ice to thaw on the car windows I heard the screech of the brakes and the heart wrenching scream.

I remembered how I had dropped the ice scraper and run along the snow dusted path to the crossing. I remembered how I had looked for her as I ran calling her name louder with each step. I remembered seeing the windscreen of a white Astra smeared with red blood, and now in front if it she had lay there helplessly.

No one had tried to help. I remembered how I had flopped to my knees and gazed into her eyes as she breathed slower and slower. How the sirens wailed in the background. How I had scooped her head in my arms, her long hair that had been so smartly and expertly tied into a tight bun bound with a red ribbon – ruffled. Her designer jacket that I had bought her for Christmas – ripped. I remember how she gazed back and pulled my head closer to hers and whispered “I’m not going to make it, am I?” I remembered how I had croaked back the tears and told her “Wherever you go, I go. I can’t live without you” She smiled back at me, a tear rolled down her face and she whispered, “I don’t want to leave you. God please don’t let me….” She gasped for breath but breath didn’t come. She held me tight, looked at me as another tear rolled down her cheek and was accompanied by two of mine. “I love you. I’ll be with you soon” I had said. She nodded and closed her eyes. Her arms relaxed and fell from around me.

I had ran back to the house, fumbled at the lock with my frozen blood stained hands and grabbed the knife from the drawer. I had ran back to where she was. I can’t have been longer then thirty seconds but by the time I got there all that was left was a pool of blood. An ambulance wailed down the street, taking her away from me. The knife had already cut into my wrist and that’s when they pulled me back, that kind faced policeman had robbed me of fulfilling my pact and my promise.

I opened my eyes I was here now. I felt weak as the blood poured from my left arm onto the cold gravestone. I looked at her name and the faded flowers that her parents had painted onto the headstone.

My eyes felt heavy but as my life flowed out onto her final resting place, the closest I could be to her, I could see her walking towards me.

Her hair expertly tied in a tight bun bound with a red ribbon. The designer jacket I had bought her for Christmas. She reached out a hand and pulled me up.

I took one last look back at myself, and followed her.

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A day … in the life

I wake with a constant mix of white noise acoustic guitar and the tortured lyrics of two broken men. This noise bleeds in through my ears. Why? Without it would I even know if I was awake? After the humdrum morning routine, philosophical conversation with Clo on the way to the bus stop and the inevitable journey on wonderful public transport I arrive at school. School this eternal lapse between comfort zones and paranoia. Comfort zones the lessons and places I’m comfortable in where I can really be me. Like drama selling line after line.

I stretch the truth like a crooked sales man lie like a cheap Italian watch, showing all my emotions by portraying others. Some thing that is now so natural like I was born with it like the ability to breath. Paranoia, looking over my back makes me feel weak like a one armed boxer throwing punch after punch, after punch I’m so tired I give in I’ m surprised when they duck. Sometimes I get so tired of getting out of bed but who would want to die like a cowardly little child? The doctors tell me there is nothing wrong with me so why do I get so full of anger, regret, and hatred? I got a trigger inside!

Who doesn’t know how to pull it? In the last year school has become easier but only slightly. The new found ease is all down the beautiful and profound idea of “options” being able to leave dull subjects behind in search of ones more to your interests making my life easier and the whole year generally happier. I’m not saying after options it all becomes perfect over night because schools still have the same problems as before the ones that schools pretend aren’t there. But as we all know the future is more important than the present and my future will be a very bright and shinny one in fact my future will be orange.

I see one supposed upside to school seeing my friends and my actual friends. There are some people who I really like and others I have nil time or respect for but I play politics. Who needs enemies? My real friends are the ones I know I can trust, the ones that I conclude to make school worth attending. The rest of the people I am seen with at school are all sort of bellow my level sort of unaware of the wonderful world we live in and all its great events that are there to bring peace love and enjoyment to our day.

Don’t get me wrong most of them are wonderful people but pay some attention the world does not revolve around your friends and your love life. is to be a business man, actor, film maker, and comedian. Comedy is some thing that seems to come very naturally to me I love to make others laugh. I have always had a very mature sense of humor I am very into satire and those sketches with ridiculous but some how believable situations. I like my entertainment to be of quality but to also have a message. When people ask what I want to be I always tell them I want to be an international man of mystery.

The only person who really knows what I’m talking about is me. I want to be an entertainer but that is all I want to be I don’t want the following or the paps outside my door when I go to collect my milk or if I have left something in the car. I guess what I’m trying to get is simply this, I want to entertain people weather that be with business and product or film, comedy or television I also want the fortune ( a man needs to eat) the notoriety but not to be a brand. Do I ask for to much? Can I do it? Have I got it in me? I hope so.

I would I have to admit that I do actually quite enjoy school but I also like the occasional sneaky day off with a “head ache”. The subjects I enjoy tend to be the ones were you get free reign over what you do like English no one tells you how much to write or how or what. I also like my computer based subjects I. C. T and digital applications I also enjoy science but not as much as I used to there’s me thinking it would get better in year 10. But no! Were doing reports. Not good. But no matter how much I enjoy school I enjoy after school ten times more being allowed to take one hour in walking one mile that feels like a gift to me.

Being able to just collapse and eat sleep and eat and watch the endless black hole of programmes made by and for severely brainless people on television. Go on my laptop, download applications that I don’t actually need, music that I won’t listen to unless iTunes shuffles to it, films I wont watch and television programmes that I want to watch when “I” want to. Although I take pleasure in my times after school with freedom, Saturday is the most important day of the week the ultimate day of freedom no bed times no rules eat what I like do what I like go where I like with who I want to do it with no obligation to see anyone.

At the moment most of my weekends are spent with my wonderful girlfriend and vision of beautiful perfection April. She’s the kind of girl makes life worth living its fun what ever we do as long as were together Some times I just look into her eyes and I know I’m happy well more like contented no desire to move or do anything else than to just look into her eyes . Our time together is more precious than diamonds or gold it is invaluable to me. Some times I pinch my self just to make sure its not dream.

When I first met April I was in town with a friend I only went because I was told that I was to meet a girl. When I arrived outside McDonalds to meet my friend Heather who was the only one of this random constructed group I had ever laid eyes on before that. Sure I had spoken to April online but never seen her in the flesh and who where the others witch part of obscurity where they plucked from? and then I saw April she looked simply irresistible like a Hollywood beauty queen of old but like all Hollywood queens she had her entourage featuring her two best friends one either side her.

Heather introduced us I said Hey and waved at her. She almost did exactly the same but after the wave came a smile that melted my heart that moment triggered shy mode: my hand snapped straight into the pockets of my jeans, my shoulders tensed I dared not do or say anything. 30 minutes, a solo trip to virgin and the stalking of two business men past the orange phone shop had passed before she spoke to me. She moved several paces away from her protection that eased me slightly so I took my hand out of my right pocket and lent it on her shoulder and said “so how are you?

Then something trivial occurred witch distracted everyone so she cut short answer, then a scruffy looking unemployed man I know that much about him because who else where’s camouflage jackets and buys a big Mac for breakfast? Looked straight at me then said something. At that point I took my arm off of her shoulder looked into her eyes and said confidently like it was a perfectly normal activity, April lets follow Him! We walked briskly behind him so that he noticed just to make a point.

After finally thinking I could be alone with her and get know her better but alas cut short was our time alone as there was noise and a voice behind us as half her entourage caught up. But that didn’t matter because at that point she took my and she has never let go. My usual Saturday activity is going into town spending my parent’s money on food and junk that I don’t actually want or need. This is called shopping or giving into to money grabbing organizations when I could be saving this money and putting it towards something practical mainly an item of consumer electronics some thing I have a big affiliation with.

People who enjoy consumer electronics as much as I do are labeled as techys a clever take on the word treckie the term for star trek fans. My few on electronics is simple there is always one that is greater than the others and one that sells more than the others never normally the same thing witch has to said is a shame. But on reflection I would actually rather be buying pointless stuff with friends in town than being all alone at home with a new gadget I can’t win.

To me a Sunday is the day of rest a lazy day to recover one from the activities of Saturday a wind down before restarting for school on the Monday. A day for big dinners, being old fashioned and staying at home with family, or going out. But all in all Sundays are generally for being lazy. I used to like walking into town Sundays even though no decent shops open it just seemed calmer and quieter like an arctic village or a sleepy Cotswold hamlet. I guess I’m just impressed at the transition between Saturday and Sunday. A day in the life of me it’s not really that bad. I suppose.

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A day I will remember for the rest of my life! – Creative Writing

My name is John and I am a normal 15 year old boy attending school. I have a mother and a father, Susan and Jack and one sister called Molly. I thought we were all just a normal family and that nothing exciting or extra ordinary ever happens to people like us but I was wrong, very wrong.

Well it all happened along time ago on one Monday afternoon, I was just threw the door home from school on my own as usual until five thirty. But as soon I had closed the door there was a knock on the door, so I went to answer but the man behind the door did not look familiar to me, I had never seen him before. He asked me was my mother or father at home and I told him that they were both still at work and would not be home until after 5 thirty. Next thing I know the man is pointing a gun at my head and tells me to move into the house.

I was so scared I had never even seen a gun before never mind getting one pointed at me knowing that if I say one wrong thing to the man all he has to do is pull the trigger and that would be the end of me. The man then began to tie me up to the chair and began to talk to me he told me that all I had to do was keep quiet and not say a word, he told me that he did not want me he wanted my father. I then began to think to myself why would anybody come barging into our house with a gun looking for my father but before I could even finish thinking about it he began to tell me why he wanted my father.

“Do you know who your father works for” he said and I told him “yes, he works for the government, he is a scientist” The man began to tell me how wrong I was about my father “Your dad is a scientist, that’s true, but did you know that your dad is one of the best in the world? Did you know that your dad is working for the NWDF?” “The NWDF” I said to him confused “Yes he said the THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT FORCE and did you know that your father has recently just designed one of the most sophisticated and most deadly weapon ever dreamed about? In theory it is so deadly that if it was ever to be used it would wipe out the entire planet within a matter of hours” I was stunned I didn’t know what to think and then….. my father walked threw the door, and to his surprise he seen a man with a gun but the difference this time was that my father knew the man.

“Edward” my father said in amazement, “What in the name of God do you think you are doing” “I am doing what I should have done along time ago, Jack , I’m taking back what is rightfully mine and which you have received all the credit, fame and gratitude for. I’m taking back the prototype for the Nuclear detonation programme. He held a gun to my fathers head and ordered him to get it but my father refused. “

“How dare you Edward I treated you like a father when you came to NWDF I showed and taught you everything you know and this is what I receive in return” My father said “You can say what you like Jack but I will be taking back what is rightfully mine I designed it and you took all my plans and made the device knowing what it was capable off and what it could do if it ever got into the hands of the wrong person, now I will show you all what MY device can do” The man continued, he then dragged my father into the other room, all I could hear was the constant screaming and impounding thuds as if they were fighting, from the room for a couple of minutes and next thing it stopped and went quiet, a very scary and tense quiet and then I heard it. A Gunshot, I was screaming, “DAD, DAD” I roared but there was no reply I roared roared and roared but still no reply. He’s dead I thought to myself DEAD!!!

I was very very, very scared I did not know what to think and then……. My father came out from the room. But he was unharmed!! I thought to myself well then who got shot and then my father began to cry!!! I had to, I had to shot him if not god knows what could have happened. Dad came over to me and began to untie me, as soon as I was free he immediately told me to ring the police and I did and within minutes the were her with ambulances and squad cars. My father told the police man what had happened and before he could finish dad’s boss entered the house and began to demand answers to what happened. My dad began to tell him and once he had finished explaining, dad’s boss told him that he had done the right thing, done what he had to do and possibly saved many lives. My dads boss began to talk to the police and within minutes the were gone, and the house we quiet but myself and dad stunned by the whole ordeal were not going to talk about this incident at all, that was the end of it.

A couple of weeks after the whole thing my dad resigned, told the company he had enough and that he wanted to spend to time with his children and wife and they accepted his resignation considering the circumstances, and so we are all a happy normal family again but with a story this time.

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The Worst Day of my Life

The Worst Day of my Life BY challenge It started out as a great summer day with my band class. Then all of a sudden something happened that has not happened In 16 years while the class was on a trip. What had happened had ruined everyone’s day of fun. In June of 2011, we went to Kings Island to have a fun day before school started back up in August. We had planned to be there until pm. We split up into small groups and did different things. I was walking around with my best friend, Taylor. We went and rode the Vortex, which was the first time that I had rode it since the last year of going with the class. It was about 9:30 when we got done riding the Vertex and Taylor wanted to go and ride the Fire hawk. I decided that I would ride It with her. We were walling. Inline talking until it was our turn to ride. When we got on and started buckling up, the seat belt wouldn’t go around me so I was told that I had to get off. Taylor said she would get off too but I told her to go ahead and ride because she was the one who wanted to ride it in the first place. I went to get off and the two people on the other side of her wouldn’t move their feet, so I had to climb over their feet and when I did, I tripped and fell.

When I fell I heard my ankle pop. I tried to get up but I couldn’t move my feet. While the people that we’re watching the ride was on the phone with the Meet’s, Taylor had called our teacher to let him know that I fell and that they were taking me to the hospital. After she got off the phone with him, she called my mom to let her know what had happened and that I was on my way to the hospital. When the Meet’s got there, they had to carry me down the stairs In a chair. They put me In the back of one of the trucks that they use and took me to the clinic at Kings Island, where they put me Into the ambulance and got y teacher to go with me. He had to go since he was the one In charge of me for the day. When we got to the hospital, they took me back to get x-rays of my ankles. While we were waiting for the results, my teacher called my mom and let her know that I was at the hospital. She told him that she was already notified and that she was on her way there. The doctors came back with the results, they told me that I had fractured my left ankle and sprained my right one. My teacher had called the bus driver and let him know what had happened. He gathered up all of the other students and faculty, and come to the hospital.

My teacher had stayed there with me until my mom got there. My mom had got to the hospital when the nurse was putting my ankle into a half cast. After my mom got there, the bus had pulled Into the parking lot. My teacher had left with the rest of the group to go back home. When they released me to go they were going to have me walk out to the car, but I wasn’t able to walk. They finally brought a wheelchair in for me to go out in. I had a hard time getting into the car because of the cast, so I had to sit sideways in the car. My mom wasn’t very happy because she had to come and get me from the hospital at 0:30 pm. We got back home around midnight, which was about an hour before the rest of the class did because the teacher had the bus driver take a long way home. Another x-ray is done to see how my ankle was doing. The doctor told me I was able to get the half cast off, but I had to wear a boot until I could walk without it. A few days later Taylor had come to my house to see how I was doing. I was doing better but my ankle was still hurting. I had gotten a lot of calls from faculty that went on the trip to see how I was doing, but I really didn’t mind them calling because that gave me money to talk to.

I knew that they were all worried about me. I went to church the second Sunday after it happened and everyone there asked me what happened. I told them that I fell at Kings Island and fractured my left ankle and sprained my right one. That is one thing that I love about my church family because I know that they will always care about me. They always know when there is something wrong with me because of my facial expressions. When it came time to sign up for school the next year I was still in the boot and everyone kept saying “you’re still in that thing. I said “yeah and I am tired of it. ” It was getting a lot easier to walk with the boot on. I was able to stop wearing the boot two weeks before school started up, which I was very glad to get the boot off. That was the day that had ruined everyone’s day of fun. I will never forget that day at Kings Island when I had hurt both of my ankles. Now every time that I go to Kings Island I will find a way to get hurt. This past summer, which was my last year going with the band class, I stepped in a hole; and fell and skinned my knee while walking with my group to go ride a ride.

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Teachers of Today – Who They Are and What They Need to Know

Assignment 2 – Paper – Teachers of Today – who they are and what they need to know Word count (2,382): Final Word count (2,264): INTRODUCTION Exciting, and rewarding are just some characteristics that explain teaching. Overcoming anxiety and nerves in the first year is our greatest challenge. Moving into the classroom for the first time can be a daunting and challenging experience for everyone. You are required to immediately equip four years of knowledge into your teaching and classroom management. While this may seem to be a difficult time, it will only get easier.

There are many rewards with being a teacher, however it is important to note that it is not a role to be taken lightly – it is a difficult role to fill. As teachers, we need to understand that every child will learn differently. No matter their culture, gender or socioeconomic status, so as teachers you have to encourage and have a level field in your classrooms. You have to know how to reach each student. As teachers you need to let the students know that they don’t have to follow the stereotyped roles of society.

The teachers of 2010 and beyond will face many challenges that we are currently unaware of. What we can do to prepare for those challenges is look at where things may be headed in terms of technology and population and cultural diversity. PROFESSIONALISM & TECHNOLOGY “A professional doesn’t view his or her profession as a just a job, but rather sees it as a calling that is all about caring for children” – Kramer, 2003, p. 23 As an independent Australian Comics publisher (and short film producer), professionalism is what helps us stand out from the crowd.

Look and presentation is vital, we have to stick to various guidelines depending on your audience and where we are showcasing, all this requires some serious decision making and – when dealing with multiple artists – juggling some serious egos! Developing and maintaining relationships with other artists is imperative for us to continue to grow, and is just as important to the relationship of student and teacher. We need to keep up to date with market, media and consumer trends just as both students and teachers must with syllabus and curriculum… nd indeed those same market, media and consumer trends. Change and adaption is incredibly important as well, because without it you can’t move forward or stay fresh. To be a professional teacher you can’t be a dictator, but more of great artist whose success is drawn from the love of the craft, nurturing the medium and understanding what the final masterpiece is meant to convey. In 2010 and beyond, our classrooms will transform into more of a technological teaching and learning environment. There are many new ways students can research information they need through resources such as the Internet.

Teaching has also been altered, with the use of interactive whiteboards. To fulfil a professional role as a teacher, there are many different aspects to consider and behaviours to demonstrate. As role-models, these will pave the way for the students to become more professional themselves. It is important for a teacher to relate to each student in a professional manner. There are many ways to tutor students through advancements in technology such as the Internet, thus expanding the opportunities to be passed on to a new generation.

Teachers should always teach with passion and a burning desire to touch hearts and change lives. Remember: it’s not just a job – it’s an honour. MOTIVATION and TEACHING STRATEGIES The description of motivation and the descriptions of the many various differing theoretical explanations for them are as follows… The process of motivation itself is – simply put – starting towards a goal and keeping on the path until you achieve the goal. (Eggen and Kauchak 2010). An individual may well have different ideas in mind when achieving heir goals – whether they are moved by an extrinsic motivation (ie: the need to get there simply as a means to an end) or intrinsic motivation (doing it for the love of the subject) – the results are the same and both methods are valid. Admittedly, if you enjoy a subject it will give you more value as it will your teacher/s, but striving for that end result regardless will be an achievement. There are various theories of motivation, which shall be dealt with below. Through various cognitive theories, we know people really need to understand the world and their experiences to make sense of them and their place in that world.

They can be as follows: Need for Self-Determination: this is where an individual feels the need to act on and control their environment to understand it – to have choices and to decide what they want to do. Praise, offers of help and other emotional factors can also be a part of self-determination. Need for Autonomy: here the individual feels the need to not only act on their environment, but to alter it to their way of thinking so that they can relate to it and learn more effectively.

Need for Relatedness: this is where an individual feels the need for social connection and approval to facilitate their learning. Indeed, this factor is quite important as it fulfils the desire for approval and positive judging. Need to Preserve Self-Worth: simply put – this is the need to feel important – whether this is in a family group, friends, employment or any other social aspect – if we feel intelligent and important then our ability to learn likewise grows. Belief about future outcomes: This is a very personal part of learning and unique to each individual.

The ability to guesstimate what the outcome of a project will be based upon your own knowledge of your capabilities will greatly influence your learning skills – the more you think you can, you will (Little Engine That Could – Watty Piper – 1930) Beliefs about Intelligence: the belief that you can or can NOT do a task will have a huge psychological impact upon your learning abilities. This can also be influenced by outside positive and negative feedback from others. Unless you are rock-solid positive you can do something despite negative criticism, that very criticism can undermine your belief in your own intelligence.

The challenge is to find motivators for each and every student and use these to engage them in their education and learning. In terms of teaching and learning, motivation is the engagement that students have in their studies, and the efforts that they make to achieve their goals. Motivation can be split into two types, refer to Table 1. 1. Understanding student motivation is vital to the development of effective teaching strategies and necessary to discover different approaches to motivation and how these impact classroom decisions. pic] (Eggen and Kauchak, 2010) Table 1. 1 – Types of Motivation The behaviourist approach suggests that a student will gain a reward, either extrinsic or intrinsic, then the individual will be motivated to complete the task so as to receive it. From this we can determine that reward systems within the classroom can be used to increase student motivation, however Eggen and Kauchak (2010) stress that extrinsic rewards should be used to increase intrinsic motivation so as to promote learner independence.

As teaching moves forward into 2010 and beyond, behaviourism is amongst the many learning theories in practice that is essential to good teaching. With diverse backgrounds and environmental factors, watching for the appropriate and inappropriate key behaviours in students is a complicated process in assuring desired behaviour is maintained. The cognitive approach suggests teachers should model how to claim responsibility for their success and failures, and should acknowledge that with additional effort past failures can be used as a learning tool.

The Individuals’ Memory Stores play an important role, which contains the sensory memory to capture stimuli, working memory, phonological loop for words and sounds, and our visual-spatial sketch pad for our visual and spatial surroundings. All these various processes are active when we learn, and are fascinating examples of how the human mind operates. The humanist approach to motivation is dominated by the belief that all individuals have a number of needs that must be fulfilled (Eggen and Kauchak, 2010). These needs are categorised in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs outlined in figure 2. . The hierarchy suggests that if any of the lower level needs are not met then it is not possible for higher order ones to be fulfilled. Teachers must understand that these needs will not always be fulfilled within the home environment and various programs can be established to aid students when the home environment fails. [pic] (Eggen and Kauchak, 2010) Figure 2. 2 – Maslows’s Hierarch of Needs We must also remember that an integral aspect of motivation lies in aiming towards a particular achievement, or goal. A goal is an outcome that an individual is striving to achieve.

Goals can be divided into four different types, see table 3. 3. [pic] (Eggen and Kauchak, 2010) Table 3. 3 – Types of Goals Classical conditioning is yet another form of learning that occurs when an individual produces an involuntary emotional or physiological response, similar to instinct or reflex (Pavlov, 1927). Figure 4. 4 (below) outlines the concepts in greater detail. [pic] (Eggen and Kauchak, 2010) Figure 4. 4 – Classical Conditioning Operant conditioning is where a response changes in frequency or duration as a result of a consequence (Skinner, 1953).

This can be presented through either positive or negative reinforcement or through the presentation or removal of a punishment and shaping (Premack, 1965). Operant Conditioning can have a negative impact if used incorrectly, which can result in students not feeling safe, stressed and anxious about their environment. Constructivist Learning Theory is a theory that seems like common sense when you think about it, stating that learners create their own knowledge of topics they study as opposed to simply recording that information. Piaget 1952/ Vygotsky 1978). There are two primary perspectives for Constructivism: Cognitive Constructivism – focuses on internal construction of knowledge. Social Constructivism – focuses on constructing knowledge socially before internalising. Cognitive Apprenticeships is a process designed to places less able learners with more able ones to assist in developing their abilities. Peer-to-peer assistance provides many characteristics that assist learners through a new teaching experience.

Some of these are modelling (watching demonstrations), scaffolding (being asked questions to prompt their learning), verbalisation (expressing their beliefs), increasing complexity (which does what the name implies) and exploration (finding new ways to use knowledge). This tool allows teachers to monitor other less able students, knowing that appropriate peer-to-peer learning is being undertaken with other less able students. The learning process of students will be influenced by many factors as you can see above.

As they do, we need to keep a watchful eye on how they unfold. The challenge of teachers in 2010 and beyond is to find these motivators for each and every student and use them to engage them in education and learning. In the end, when teachers effectively motivate students their interest will increase along with their ability to learn. COMMITMENT and CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT When committing to creating a productive learning environment, the developmental stage of students should be considered.

High-school students have different capabilities of primary-school students, so their classroom activities need to be more challenging (Eggen and Kauchak, 2010). Younger students are more responsive to concrete examples, while older students are capable of understanding theories and complex situations. If computer software is to be used in the classroom, it should be tailored to those stages of development. Younger students would require simple interfaces, less challenging problems, frequent feedback and recognition of achievement.

Classroom management will also determine how effective the teaching is. Part of effective management is setting rules and procedures, and following them throughout the entire study period. The selection of topics attracts several issues. For the most part, teachers will be following a curriculum, but will prefer to place emphasis on particular sections of this framework. Their own personal knowledge and commitment, as well as the information that they deem important and useful, contributes to the various topics. There is also a need to plan how these topics will be delivered.

Traditional instruction using lectures provides little interaction and feedback, so other strategies need to be looked at and implemented. The author Tony Newton intends to try and maintain a level of control using humour in much the same way his own third grade teachers did when he was young. Keeping in mind all the various technologies and ground rules that have to be in place, as well as students’ abilities and social interaction, (Maximizing the Time and Opportunity for Learning – Eggen and Kauchak, 2010 – pg 355) a classroom MUST be organised, arranged appropriately and personal.

For Mr. Newton’s own class, he also firmly believe if kids have fun, they will learn more. Then we have Ability Grouping, being the practice of sorting students into groups of similar intelligence/ learning capabilities. We need to remember that if we begin segregating students early on, then those who are quicker cannot scaffold or mentor the slower ones up to speed. Social ramifications here are also dangerous where those smarter think they may be “better” than their less able peers… and friendships can then also suffer.

Tolerance and assistance must be cultivated to prevent these prejudices from booming out of proportion in later life. CONCLUSION The theories of learning and teaching covered above provide useful background information for new teachers entering the workforce. Situations that we encounter will be unique, though it is always beneficial to be prepared and plan for the journey ahead. Reviewing literature and applying some of these techniques can assist with understanding how people learn, different teaching methods, and the factors to consider when building a classroom.

Moving forward into 2010, teachers are advised to consider these theories and incorporate many different levels of educational tools, through appropriate modes, that assist in developing the students’ learning construction. Although we do not know what classrooms will be like in the future, this is something that we actually determine ourselves. When we are first starting out, we will need to create our own style and approach, making up our own rules. Although teachers are expected to give instruction, it is still a learning experience.

Thankfully there are a lot of resources at our disposal. Remember to keep improving our teaching craft, and we will be able to adapt to the demands of classrooms in 2010 and beyond. Reference List Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations on Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman. Borko, H. , and Putnam R. (1996). Handbook of educational psychology. Macmillan; United States of America. Eggen, P. , and Kauchak, D. (2010).

Educational Psychology: Windows On Classrooms (8th ed. ). In H. Gardner, and S. Moran, The Science of Multiple Intelligences Theory. United States of America: Pearson International. Mayer, R. , (2002). Teaching of subject matter. Annual review of psychology,55, 715-744. Pavlov, I. P. (1927). Conditioned Reflexes translated by G V Anrep. Oxford University Press, London, England. Piaget, J. (1977). Problems in quilibration. In M. Appel, and L. Goldberg, Topics in cognitive development: Vol. 1. Equilibration: Theory, research, and application. New York: Plenum Press. Premack, D. 1965). Reinforcement theory. In D. Levine (Ed. ), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (Vol. 13, pp. 3-41). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and Human Behavior. New York. Macmillan. Woolfolk, A. , and Margetts,K. (2007). Educational psychology. Sydney, Australia: Pearson Education Australia. Vinesh Chandra and Darrell L. Fisher (2009). Students’ Perceptions of a Blended Web-Based Learning. Environment. Learning Environ Res. Vygotsky, L. (1978). Thought and Language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. The Little Engine That Could – Watty Piper – 1930

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