Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Causes of World War One Essay Example for Free

Causes of World War One Essay There were many reasons why World War One broke out: imperialism was taken into effect, nationalism and unification of nations was very popular, alliances all over Europe were established and glorifying one’s military rapidly rose. World War One started in July of 1914, and lasted until November 1918. The primary cause of WW1 was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand; however, alliances developed prior to the war and the glorification in country’s military made the call for war nearly imperative. Militarism is when a country builds a strong military with the intention to use it when it is thought necessary. A nation will glorify it’s military and impose a threat to surrounding nations, which will lead those nations to establish larger, stronger, and more potent militaries. This was the case with Germany and France: Germany began to build up a forceful army in order to prepare for defense against France if necessary. This made the French feel threatened, and influenced to initiate in building an even larger army. This caused WW1 because both nations felt a threat against each other. Another example of militarism that caused WW1 was Germany building a large navy, as opposed to Great Britain. Again, Germany managed to impose a threat towards another nation, causing for that nation to feel obligated in establishing a stronger navy than Germany’s. Every nation at this point in time felt they had to have the biggest and strongest form of military in order to feel a sense of protection. The main cause of WW1 was the attack against Franz Ferdinand, who was the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austria-Hungary had control over Serbia, and Serbs did not like this. The Black Hand, a Serbian terrorist group, wanted Serbia to be free from Austria-Hungary’s rule. This caused WW1 because the nationalism in the Black Hand drove them to attack Ferdinand in order to try and gain back Serbia’s control in its land. The goal of the Black Hand was to break of Austro-Hungarian power in Serbia to form a Greater Serbia, which would be accomplished by attacking Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia where he was scheduled to visit on June 28, 1914. This assassination led Austria-Hungary to believe Serbia was behind the Black Hand’s movement. After the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. As Serbia and Austria-Hungary prepared to go to war, Russia offered support to Serbia, causing for Germany to declare war on Russia. This caused WW1 because the alliances drew nations into fighting, and it led to a huge war. As Germany and Russia went to war, Russia looked to France for help. Germany later declared war on France due to its alliance with Russia, and soon, Germany invaded Belgium as part of the Schleifen Plan. The Schleifen Plan was arranged for Germans to invade Belgium, and through Belgium, take Paris, then sweep back to Russia to take Moscow. This caused WW1 because the powerful nations of Europe were drawn into a state of war, and after Germany’s invasion in Belgium, Great Britain (who was allied with Russia and France) declared war on Germany and began a naval blockade (didn’t allow for Germany to get supplies). The primary cause of WW1 was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand; however, alliances developed prior to the war and the glorification in country’s military made the call for war nearly imperative. The assassination brought attention to many nations, which led to a rise in militarism between nations. Alliances also led to many nations coming together, using their militaries to take down opposing nations. Irrelevant things like feeling your army and navy is stronger than that of some other nations, connection between countries, and the attacking of an unpopular Austro-Hungarian heir led to a breakout of chaos in what we know today as World War One.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Gender in Shakespeares As You Like It :: Shakespeare As You Like It Essays

Gender in As You Like It One of the most intriguing aspects of the treatment of love in As You Like It concerns the issue of gender. And this issue, for obvious reasons, has generated a special interest in recent times. The principal reason for such a thematic concern in the play is the cross dressing and role playing. The central love interest between Rosalind and Orlando calls into question the conventional wisdom about men's and women's gender roles and challenges our preconceptions about these roles in courtship, erotic love, and beyond. At the heart of this courtship is a very complex ambiguity which it is difficult fully to appreciate without a production to refer to. But here we have a man (the actor) playing a woman (Rosalind), who has dressed herself up as a man (Ganymede), and who is pretending to be a woman (Rosalind) in the courtship game with Orlando. Even if, in modern times, Rosalind is not played by a young male actor, the theatrical irony is complex enough. The most obvious issue raised by the cross dressing is the relationship between gender roles and clothes (or outer appearance). For Rosalind passes herself off easily enough as a man and, in the process, acquires a certain freedom to move around, give advice, and associate as an equal among other men (this freedom gives her the power to initiate the courtship). Her disguise is, in that sense, much more significant than Celia's, for Celia remains female in her role as Aliena and is thus largely passive (her pseudonym meaning "Stranger" or "outsider" is an interesting one). The fact that Celia is largely passive in the Forest of Ardenne (especially in contrast to Rosalind) and has to wait for life to deliver a man to her rather than seeking one out, as Rosalind does, is an interesting and important difference between the two friends. These points raise some interesting issues. If becoming accepted as a man and getting the freedom to act that comes with that acceptance is simply a matter of presenting oneself as a man, then what do we say about all the enshrined natural differences we claim as the basis for our different treatment of men and women?

Monday, January 13, 2020

Our School Exhibition

Our school held a very interesting exhibition of students' art and craft work last year. Itwas surprising to see the various pieces of handwork of such high standards. Theseexhibits were attractive and colourful for they had been prepared and designed well bythe students with guidance from the Art teachers. The students were obviouslyenthusiastic about their work; for each item was rendered carefully and lovingly withoutthe slightest trace of sloppinessThere were many sections to interest parents and friends who came to see the work of their children. The painting of nature, Malaysian scenes, flowers and fruits was of anexceptionally high standard. Other items such as puppets, dolls and articles of embroidery  were admired, too.In the geography section, there were clay models of physical features like hills, mountains and plateaus set in a natural environment of greenlandscape with rivers meandering  through the land.Some articles like flowers made from silk were for sale and lad ies readily bought theseitems. Our school exhibition was appreciated by all. Cameron Highlands – a Malaysian Hill ResortAfter living in the busy city of Kuala Lumpur with its noise and bustling traffic, it is a pleasure to go up to Cameron Highlands, a cool mountain resort, for relaxation.Enroute  you will enjoy the scenic countryside as you drive up hilly roads amidst jungletrees, waterfalls and small villages. Then, you feast your eyes each time you pass a flower nursery or a vegetable farm. The cool, crisp air at Tanah Rata makes you feel invigorated.At the same time, you are able to admire the quaint-looking English-style cottages alongthe way. Roses creeping up and clinging to the walls of the cottages remind you of England and the scenery is enchanting  if you happen to be a nature-lover. Usually, avisitor gets quite hungry as he  goes up the highlands and he is able to enjoy the piping hotmeals served in the restaurants.As the sun goes down, temperature drops and it becomes quite chilly. You can then sit bythe fireside with your favourite story book and laze around in a sweater or a jacket as it isquite a contrast to the warm and sunny weather on the plains in your hometown.A visit to the famous Boh Tea plantation is interesting and worthwhile for have you ever wondered how you get you cup of tea? It comes mainly from the tea plantations onCameron Highlands. Jungle walks are also a good way of spending your time while youare there. Cameron is indeed an ideal holiday resort.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Solutions for Teaching in an Overcrowded Classroom

One of the biggest issues facing schools and teachers today is overcrowding. A combination of an increasing population and a decrease in funding has caused class sizes to soar. In an ideal world, class sizes would be capped at 15 to 20 students. Unfortunately, many classrooms now regularly exceed 30 students, and it is not uncommon for there to be more than 40 students in a single class. Classroom overcrowding has sadly become the new normal. The issue is unlikely to go away anytime soon, so schools and teachers must create workable solutions to make the best out of a bad situation. Problems Created by Overcrowded Classrooms Teaching in an overcrowded classroom can be frustrating, overwhelming and stressful. An overcrowded classroom presents challenges that can feel nearly impossible to overcome, even to the  most effective teachers. Increasing class sizes is a sacrifice many schools have to make in order to keep their doors open in an era where schools are underfunded. Overcrowded classrooms create a number of problems for modern school systems, including: There is not enough of the teacher to go around. Students perform better when the teacher is able to give one-on-one or small-group instruction on a regular basis. As classroom size increases, this becomes increasingly difficult to do. Overcrowding increases classroom discipline issues. Large classes packed with students provide more opportunities for personality conflicts, tension, and general disruptive behavior. Even the best teachers find it difficult to manage an overcrowded classroom successfully and can find themselves spending more time managing their classroom than they do teaching. Struggling students fall further behind. Average and below-average students will struggle to advance in an overcrowded classroom. These students need more direct instruction, one-on-one instructional time and minimal distractions to maximize their learning potential. Standardized test scores suffer. While many teachers would argue that there is an overemphasis placed on test scores especially in America’s public schools, the chance of successfully improving proficiency on a standardized test decreases as the number of students in the classroom increases. The overall noise level is increased. This is an expected result when you increase the number of students in the classroom. Louder classrooms translate to distractions making it more difficult for students to learn and for teachers to teach. Teacher stress is increased often leading to teacher burnout. More students translate to more stress. Many excellent teachers are opting to leave the profession because it is not worth the stresses they deal with on a daily basis. Overcrowding leads to less access to equipment and technology. Space is already at a premium for many schools and there often is not enough room to accommodate specialties such as science or a computer lab. District Solutions to Overcrowded Classrooms Increasing class sizes should be the last resort for any school district. It should never be a starting point. There are many other ways to trim a budget. If all other options are exhausted, then schools may be forced to enact what is known as a reduction in force, where teachers and staff are laid off for budgetary reasons and class sizes subsequently increase. Even with tight budgets, districts can take certain actions to ease overcrowding issues: Take advantage of ability grouping. Schools should use benchmark assessments to determine student placement. Class sizes should be kept relatively small for those who perform unsatisfactorily. Students who are strong academically have less to lose in an overcrowded classroom. Provide teachers with an aide. Providing a teacher with an aide can help decrease the burden on the teacher. Aides receive a lower salary, so placing them in overcrowded classrooms would improve the student/teacher ratios while keeping costs low. Lobby for more funding. Schools administrators and teachers should regularly lobby their state and local representatives for more funding. They should keep them apprised of issues overcrowding is causing. Administrators can also invite them to spend time at their school so that they can see the impact of overcrowding. Solicit local donations. Private schools are able to keep their doors open due to tuition and to a large extent by soliciting donations. In tough financial times, public school administrators should not be afraid to solicit donations either. Teachers across the country have sought and used public donations for everything from technology upgrades to classroom basics like notebooks and paper. Every dollar counts and even garnering enough donations to hire an extra teacher or two each year can make a significant difference. Apply for grants. There are thousands of grant opportunities made available to schools each year. Grants exist for almost everything including technology, supplies, professional development and even teachers themselves. Teacher Solutions to Overcrowded Classrooms Teachers in an overcrowded classroom must be exceptionally organized. They have to be well prepared every day. They must develop a fluid system through trial and error to maximize the time they have with their students. Teachers can generate solutions for overcrowded classrooms by: Creating energetic and engaging lessons: Every lesson must be enticing, energetic and fun. It is easy for students in any class to be distracted and lose interest, but this is especially true in a large classroom. Lessons must be fast-paced, unique and full of attention grabbers. Tutoring struggling students who need more time after school: There simply is not enough time to provide struggling students with the one-on-one time that they need. Tutoring these students two to three times a week after school gives them a better shot at being successful. Assigning seats and rotating when necessary: With a large class, teachers must be structured, and this starts with strategically placed assigned seats. Students who are low academically and/or are behavior issues should be assigned seats toward the front. Students who are high academically and/or are well behaved should be provided seats toward the back. Understanding that the dynamics in an overcrowded classroom will be different: It is essential that teachers understand that there are significant differences in a classroom of 20 students compared to a classroom of 30 or 40. Teachers have no control over how many students are in their classes, so they cannot allow themselves to become stressed due to things that are out of their control. Teachers should understand that they are not going to be able to spend time with each student every day. They should understand that they will not get to know each student on a personal level. That is simply the reality in an overcrowded classroom. Lastly, structure is very important in any classroom but especially so in a classroom with lots of students. Teachers need to establish clear rules and expectations on day one, and then follow through as the year progresses. Clear rules and expectations will help create a much more manageable class—where students know what they are required to do and when—especially an overcrowded one.