4 Tips for Effective Classroom Management

4 Tips for Effective Classroom Management Classroom management is simply the techniques teachers use to maintain control in the classroom. Educators employ a variety of strategies and techniques to ensure that students are organized, on task, well-behaved, and productive during the school day. A lack of effective classroom management can cause chaos and stress, which can create an unsatisfactory learning environment for students and an unsatisfactory work environment for the teacher. However, these tips will help you master classroom management and create a quality learning environment. Know Your Students and How They Learn Implementing successful classroom management strategies creates a positive learning environment for students and ensure that they successfully master the materials presented. How this is done can vary depending on student ages and personalities. By understanding the strengths and needs of students, you can better plan activities and lesson plans that allow for a cohesive and collaborative classroom. Teachers always want their students to succeed and thrive, but what that looks like for each individual might differ. Knowing student capabilities can greatly enhance your ability to help each individual succeed, and allows you to offer varied assessments and assignments that let students work at their own pace. This can be a challenge in larger classrooms, but versatility in the material is vital to ensure that everyone in the classroom is well-served. You can proactively plan for a wide variety of learning styles and personalities but plan to adjust your approach once you have a better idea of the students in your class. You might consider inviting students to be a part of setting goals for themselves and assessing how they learn best if age appropriate. If not, beginning the school year with a variety of activities and assessments can help you more easily determine what your class will need from you. Have a Strong Lesson Plan A key aspect of effective classroom management is knowing what youre going to do. The better your plan, the better your class will likely run. Map out your intended flow for the semester or year when planning, so you can ensure that you cover everything you need to get through. Its often easier to manage your classroom when you plan well in advance, and build in flexibility should you get ahead of schedule or behind. To help improve the collaborative aspect of your classroom, you might consider presenting the year-long or semester-long plan with students from the start, if age appropriate. This can often generate excitement and help students understand what they are working to overall. Have Clear Expectations for Students Students learn best when they know what is expected of them, and what they can expect from the teacher. While they tend to need daily routines, they also need to know how much they are expected to participate, what needs to go into presentations and projects, when tests might occur, and what their grading structure is like. They need to know what the teacher is looking for when assessing mastery of material and exactly how they will be assessed in their work and in their behavior. In terms of managing student conduct, outline what is considered positive and negative behavior in advance, and communicate with students quickly to warn them of inappropriate behavior. One middle school theater teacher in Virginia made up a clever series of hand signs representing a llama and her various moods. Depending on which lama sign the teacher aimed at the students, they would know that they need to pay attention, improve their behavior, and when they are really pushing the limits of proper classroom behavior. These signs helped students better understand how much they are positively or negatively impacting the class and were simple enough to allow the teacher to continue her lessons with minimal interruption, even while communicating with students on the fly. Her students embraced this system so much, that they asked for it to be used more often. Students need a variety of both routines and processes, as well as a balance of some free time. Its important to provide both the structured time and the free time to keep students engaged and feeling like they are part of the learning process themselves. Have Clear Expectations for Yourself Part of creating a positive learning experience and strong classroom management is ensuring that you have clear and realistic expectations for yourself. As the teacher, its important for you to have both routine elements, realistic expectations of student performance, and to know how to maintain your sense of humor when times get tough. There will absolutely days that wont go as planned, and remembering that this can be expected is vital to ensuring your own success. Managing a classroom is important to being an effective teacher, but it can take years to master classroom management skills. Younger teachers should actively look to more veteran teachers and administrators for advice and support when working to improve. Its important to remember that not every class will be a perfectly managed classroom, and how you learn from your mistakes and move forward is an important aspect of growing as an educator.

The Effectiveness of Public Relations and Relationship Marketing to the Successful Promotion of Winbeldon Championships

The Effectiveness of Public Relations and Relationship Marketing to the Successful Promotion of Winbeldon Championships The world has experienced dramatic changes in the way business is conducted and also in the way information on a particular event, occurrence or product is disseminated. The world has also experienced great technological advancements that have given people easy accessibility to information on almost everything that a person may be interested in (Waters, Tindall and Morton 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Effectiveness of Public Relations and Relationship Marketing to the Successful Promotion of Winbeldon Championships specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This, together with the dynamic force of change that constantly face business world, has led to the need for a new approach in the way a business entity carries out its activities in order to have a successful sales campaign for its products. One way that businesses have responded to the changes in the business world is through the increase in public relation a ctivities which aim at promoting the products to the target markets by engaging in what is valued by the target customers. In public relations, a business aims to achieve the objective of creating a positive relationship between its customers, the product and the organisation itself through various means of communication (Strà ¶mbck, Mitrook and Kiousis 2010). It is also aimed at creating a good image for the organisation, managing any crisis that may face a company or its product and also creating goodwill in the eye of the general public. A business can also create an exchange system between business partners and itself with the aim of achieving mutual benefit for both sides of the bargain. This is referred to as the relationship marketing and is aimed at achieving the objective of creating customer loyalty for products offered by the company, interaction between the company and the market it serves, and the retention of the market share commanded by the company (Botan and Taylor 2004). This objective is achievable through the provision of relevant information to the customers on the products offered by the company and support information about the right usage of such products. This has the ability to create a pool of repeat customers, who are willing to see the success of the company through the provision of relevant information on market needs and referrals. PR as a corporate activity has been impacted heavily by the advancement of technology. With computer terminals having the ability to receive information, edit such information and also to send information, a new approach to PR activities is inevitable. Matters have been complicated by the fact that information on various activities, products, and the industry in general is now available in the data banks over the internet (Grunig 2006).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The advancement of technology especially in the communication sector has also affected the way of life of societies besides creating a new pool of opportunities for business organisations. One of the opportunities presented to PR activities is the ability to produce personalized information that target a specific market niche. Feedback from the market is now possible and the assessment of the effectiveness of the public relations activities is now possible. Various theories have been proposed to explain public relations. One of such theories is the symmetrical approach which employs the concept of four models. According to this approach, the main objective of the public relations is to champion the interest of the organisation that sponsors public relation activities. This is in contrast with the asymmetrical model proposed early which view public relations as a concept aimed at promoting the interests of both the organisation and the general public. The views of the symmetric approach are conside red not only unrealistic, but also idealistic since by hiring public relation experts, a company aims at the promotion of its interests rather than trying to promote the impression of a perfect organisation in order to win the interest of the stakeholders outside the organisation, who may have different views other than those held by the organisation. Public relations are considered to be based on ethics (Health 2006). However, the question of justification of ethics in term of monetary returns to the organisation arises. Another school of thought that has been advanced to conceptualise public relations is the rhetoric theory. The theory gives rhetoric dialogue as the process through which influence and conclusions can be found. According to Hung (2009), this can be achieved in two ways; one of the ways involves engagement of groups in exchange of statements and counter statements on the products offered, public policies and the services with a view of assessing the way each group v iew values and realities. In this dialogue, the PR professionals and the clients engage in persuasive discourse (Roper, 2005). Rhetoric theory on public relations and the symmetric theory agree on the fact that ethics should be practiced on a level ground. It also supports the views of the asymmetric theory on the assertion of the idea that public policies and ideas should stand in the market place on their own based on merit. However, this view by the proponents’ rhetoric approach is criticized by public relation critics who argue that the rationale proposed by the rhetoric theory fails to make public relations more ethical, unless there is equal distribution of resources to the involved public.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Effectiveness of Public Relations and Relationship Marketing to the Successful Promotion of Winbeldon Championships specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The relational approach to publ ic relations also tries to explain the roles of the public relations to the organisation (Li and Bernoff 2008). This approach takes an organisation and the society at large into perspective and successfully gives the true meaning to public relations. This theory takes into account the relationship that exists between organisations that fund the public relations activities, and the public through which an organisation intends to promote its products, in which openness, efficiency, cooperation, commitment and credibility are enhanced (Sweetser and Metzgar 2007). This approach fails to compare with the other two in as much as the main aspect on the nature of the relationship is concerned. In this case, the relationship in most cases may not be symmetrical. The management of relationship is considered instrumental rather than an approach towards public relations activity. It is considered to be the advancement of goodwill in public relations. Wimbledon Championship draws great interest in the sporting world. The event which was staged in 2011 was considered to be of great importance given the fact that it was the culmination of the improvement of the Wimbledon tennis lawn which had started back in 1993. This international sporting event has a rich history that dates back in 1977. The first event featured the England tennis croquet club which was started in Wimbledon as a private organisation back in 1865. Initially, the event featured participants from England, but later became an international event attracting participants from as far as the United States of America. The interest to participate in this event in 1954 was boosted by the advancement of air travel technology which made it easier for the international players to participate in the event easily. However the participation remained closed to most countries until 1968 when it was opened for different categories of international players. The reason why the lawn tennis club was closed down for major improve ment was to improve future participation and to reach the standards recommended by the international sports organisations. The 2011 event also involved commemoration of 125 years since the inception of the event. The Wimbledon championship had various stakeholders that included the tennis club members, volunteers, management, press and the tennis club staffs. On the other hand, the event attracted external stakeholders that included international players, federations, general public and spectators from all over the world.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The analysis of the strategies employed by the internal stakeholders reveals a number of important factors. First, there was the formulation of objectives which aimed at keeping these stakeholders focused on the work. This enabled the staffs to concentrate on the goals that had been set for them. There was the establishment of three types of professional programs for the purpose of development by the organisation management for staff members, management and other participants in the preparation of the event (Hallahan 2009). The aim of this development was to create enthusiasm among all internal stakeholders on what they were doing. Some programs introduced were web site based, while others were offered offline and also through seminars and conferences on development. Another key management tool employed by the Wimbledon championship management committee involved the rounding of employees in all departments involved in the preparation of the Wimbledon event (Kim, 2011). There were in teractions between managers and employees, as well as participants and volunteers in the course of execution of work or through informal meetings where small groups of employees would be invited to attend. The aim of this was to improve the relationship that existed between management, employees and volunteers. It also helped to improve the process through which information flowed and ideas exchanged among all internal stakeholders. There was also employment of appreciation and recognition strategy which involved implementation of feasible ideas suggested by the stakeholders. These stakeholders would be recognized and then appreciated in ways that encouraged further participation by all members (Lawson, 2006). The recognitions would mainly be done in meetings or on a one-on-one basis. There was also the creation of a balance between personal life and the work life which allowed members to take part in events such as charity work, physical exercises and voluntary activities in the co mmunity. The organizers of the Wimbledon championship relied on the web site to disseminate information on the progress of the event to the interested parties outside the organisation (Kirby and Marsden, 2005). This web site gave schedules of events that made up the tournament, posted results of completed events and also provided any other information considered important for the success of the event. There was also the establishment of the media room manned by the public relations officers in the organisation. The purpose of this media room was to keep the general public updated on the events that took place in the championship. The messages relayed by the public relations department to the media were always in consistence with the information that was displayed by the organisation on its website. The public was invited to comment on various issues by leaving their comments on the organisation’s website. The organisers of the event also employed press releases to communicate to external stakeholders in order to supplement the online media (Harrison, 2000). Due to the nature of participation which involved international players, the organizers allowed major broadcasters across the globe to air this event. This served as a public relations activity that was aimed at creating a positive image for the event before the eyes of the public. There was also development of documentaries that highlighted important issues about the championship which included the history of the tournament. The Wimbledon event organizers also tried to create positive public relations in the society by engaging in community services and other support activities. Various donations were made to the society by the event organizers with the aim of improving community welfare. A portion of returns from this event was also ploughed back to the society in the form of contribution towards a good course such the sponsorship of junior tennis tournament. The organizers also contributed towards the establishment of the education museum to be used for leisure purposes by students. The event was successful through the employment of both the public relations and the relationship marketing. Through their public relations activities, they were able to win a positive image and generate a high income (Halligan and Shah, 2010). Here, the relationship between the organisation and the public had beneficial outcomes. The event was able to collect high returns and the society was able to benefit from various development projects initiated by the organisation. Reference List Botan, C., H. Taylor, M. 2004. ‘Public Relations: State of the Field’, Journal of Communication. Vol 54 No. 4. Pp 645-661. Grunig, J., E. 2006. ‘Furnishing the Edifice: Ongoing Research on Public Relations as a Strategic Management Function’, Journal of Public Relations Research. Vol 18 No. 2.Pp 151-176. Hallahan, K. 2009. ‘Seven Models of Framing: Implications for Public Relations ’. Journal of Public Relations Research Vol. 11, no. 3, 1999 pages 205-242. Routledge Halligan, B., Shah, D. 2010. Inbound Marketing, get found using Google, social media and blogs. Wiley Sons, Inc, New York. Harrison, S. 2000. Public Relations: an Introduction, 2nd Edition, Thomson: London. Health, R., L. 2006. ‘Onward Into More Fog: Thoughts on Public Relations Research Directions’, Journal of Public Relations Research. Vol 18 No 2.Pp 93-114. Hung, C., F. 2009. ‘Exploring Types of Organization–Public Relationships and Their Implications for Relationship Management in Public Relations’, Journal of Public Relations Research. Vol. 17 No. 4.Pp 393-426. Kim, S. 2011. Transferring Effects of CSR Strategy on Consumer Responses: The Synergistic Model of Corporate Communication Strategy. Journal of Public Relations Research. Vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 245-297. Routledge, London. Kirby, J. and Marsden, K. 2005. Connected Marketing. Butterworth-Heinemann, Ne w York. Lawson, R. 2006. The PR buzz factor: how using public relations can boost your business, Kogan Page, London. Li, C. Bernoff, J. 2008. Groundswell, winning in a world transformed by social technologies. Harvard Business Press: London. Roper, J. 2005. ‘Symmetrical Communication: Excellent Public Relations or a Strategy for Hegemony?’ Journal of Public Relations Research.Vol 17 No. 1.Pp69-86. Strà ¶mbck, J., Mitrook, M., A. Kiousis, S. 2010. ‘Bridging Two Schools of Thought: Applications of Public Relations Theory to Political Marketing’. Journal of Political Marketing. Vol 9, No. 1-2, 2010 pages 73-92. Sweetser, K., D. Metzgar, E. 2007.‘Communicating during crisis: Use of blogs as a relationship management tool’, Public Relations Review.Vol 33 No. 3.Pp 340-342. Waters, D., R.,Tindall, T., J. . Morton, T., S. 2010. ‘Media Catching and the Journalist–Public Relations Practitioner Relationship: How Social Media are Changing the Practice of Media Relations’. Journal of Public Relations Research. Vol 22, no.3, pp. 245-267.

11-2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

11-2 - Assignment Example Actually, the developed countries have exploited the resources of the poor countries for self interests, conveniently forgetting the objectives of globalization. Thus the gap between poor countries and the developed countries are gradually increasing instead of decreasing. UN intervention is essential in modifying the globalization policies, more suitable to the development of the poor countries. Even though exchange of workforce across different countries is taking place smoothly because of globalization, most of the international workers or the workers from the poor countries are facing discriminations in developed countries. We would like to bring your attention in this regard urgently and we strongly believe that you can (UN) interfere effectively in this matter. Environment problems are increasing day by day and it is not possible for a country to tackle such issues independently. Collective efforts are required for reducing environment pollutions and the UN should play its part effectively in order to save the future generation from a polluted

Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Statistics - Essay Example In fact, in all the home fires that were reported during the period of the survey, smoke alarms were installed in the respective homes. Nonetheless, there still remains much more to be done in order to meet the objective of making people safe in their homes. Considering the 4% of the households that do not have fire alarms, Ahrens (2014) places the count at about 5 million. This was the cause of 37% home fire deaths. Even aggravating the issue further is the finding that of all the reported fires during the period of NFPA study, only 52% of the fire alarms operated. The malfunctioning of these fire alarms was the cause of the 23% of home fire deaths. Therefore, fire alarms play a crucial role of saving human lives from home fires. However, statistics show that much more need to be undertaken to have more homes install these devices and have them function as required. Ahrens, M. (2014, March). Smoke alarms in U.S. home fires. National Fire Protection Association. Retrieved 1 July 2014 from

Group Development Model Essay Example for Free

Group Development Model Essay You are required to organize your company dinner. The company has chosen 20 people from various departments to be in the dinner committee. Using a group development model, discuss the stages that the group will go through from the beginning to the end of the task (organizing dinner). A group is defined as two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve specific goals. Formal groups are working groups defined by the organizational structure that have designated work assignment and task. Informal groups are groups that is independently formed to meet the social needs of their members. There are five stages in a group development model which are forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. The forming stage in which people join the group and then define the group’s purpose, structure and leadership. Team members tend to behave quite independently. The members of the team get to know one another, exchange some personal information, and make new friends. Supervisors of the team tend to need to be directive during this phase. From 20 people, I will decide who is going to be decorating sub committee, food sub committee, funding sub committee, marketing sub committee, program sub committee, and volunteer sub committee. Because of they are from different departments, they tend to know each other first before they start working. They have to determine what activities and programs are already in place and serving the needs of the community. Determine the need for the dinner and availability of resources. The next stage is storming. Storming stage characterizes by intragroup conflicts and disagreement among group members. Team members open up to each other and confront each others ideas and perspective. Normally tension, struggle and sometimes arguments occur. Supervisors of the team during this phase may be more accessible, but tend to remain directive in their guidance of decision-making and professional behavior. All the subcommittee has to set goals for the dinner. They have to know their target population and their desired objective or outcome. They have to brainstorm ideas and at this stage all ideas are good ideas. They also can explore the idea of partnership to share the workload or get mileage out of the work they do. The third stage of group development is norming stage. It is characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness. The team manages to have one goal and come to a mutual plan for the team at this stage. Some may have to give up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make the team function. In this stage, all team members take the responsibility and have the ambition to work for the success of the teams goals. The sub committee now able to find a leader among them and establish a small but effective working group with a broad range of skills that is able to function as a team. The subcommittee also has to compare the skills and abilities of the committee members against the task to be performed to determine what training is required. Besides that, they have to determine the actual fiscal resources necessary. The fourth stage of group development is performing stage when the group is fully functional and work on group tasks. The team members are now competent, autonomous and able to handle the decision-making process without supervision. Supervisors of the team during this phase are almost always participative. Even the most high-performing teams will revert to earlier stages in certain circumstances. At this stage, all sub committees implement what they plan before. They are co-operating together and help each other to succeed the dinner. Each member knows their responsibilities and tasks. The marketing subcommittee has to publicize to catch the attention of their target group and make them want to seek more information about the dinner. The program subcommittee has to make sure all needed material such as equipment is on hand and in good working order. The final stage of group development stage is adjourning stage which group members are concerned with wrapping up activities rather than task performance. This stage involves completing the task and breaking up the team.

Faust and the Juxtaposition of Good and Evil Essay -- Literary Analysi

In â€Å"Faust Part One†, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, uses different characters in his play, like God, Mephistopheles, and Gretchen to portray the juxtaposition of good and bad. We are introduced to Faust, who as a mere human makes mistakes throughout the play under some influence of the devil. Therefore it is difficult to write him off as a completely evil being. However, Destro’s argument is extremely useful in helping to interpret Faust’s character in a very levelheaded manner. Destro believes that Faust is a tragic hero for the purposes of the play, but as a person Faust is bad because of his actions and lack of enlightenment up until the near end of his life. Faust was a very selfish character who caused death and despair because of his carelessness; and for that he is bad. Although Faust does show feelings of remorse and guilt in the dungeon scene, for majority of the play, he is flawed and though Mephistopheles manipulated him, Faust had the power to main tain control over his own actions and urges therefore he is a bad or negative character. Faust is a fairly troubled individual. That is a major part of the play. Faust is not like typical humans of his time; he is very curious, self-righteous and extreme and as Destro says, Faust has his own interpretation of morality that are not exactly typical (Page 60). Which helps the reader to understand Faust’s character can be seen as â€Å"highly problematic† from an â€Å"ordinary moral point of view† which is why Faust, regardless of his guilt will never fully change and the pursuit of trying to gain moral clarity and substance will lead to nowhere because he is already very flawed (Destro 60). Essentially, Destro means that Faust was doomed because of his personal views and his desire to ga... ...ity in hell, unable to ever experience love again. Works Cited 1. Andre, Alt, Peter. "Mephistopheles' Principles: On the Construction of Evil in Goethe's Faust I." Modern Language Review Vol. 6.1 (2011): 149-63. Print. 2. Destro, Alberto==. "The Guilty Hero, or the Tragic Salvation of Faust." A Companion to Goethe's Faust: Parts II and I. Rochester, NY: Camden House, 2001. 56-75. Print. 3. Colavito, Carl N. Educating for Democracy: Lessons from Goethe's 'Faust' Colavito, Carl Nicholas. Diss. University of Florida, 2010. Miami: Dissertation Abstract, 2010. Print. 4. Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von, and Peter Salm. Faust, First Part. New York: Bantam, 1962. Print. 5. Murray, Chris. "Review Essay: 'Give It Up in Despair': Coleridge and Goethe's Faust."Romanticism: The Journal of Romantic Culture and Criticism Vol 15.1 (2009): 1-15. Print.

Coyote Blue Chapter 34~36

CHAPTER 34 Let Slip the Dogs of Irony The owl was still perched on the power pole. Adeline Eats sat in her easy chair reading the Book of Job, trying to keep her dinner down. On the way back from the clinic the kids had elected to have pancakes for dinner and Adeline had eaten a mountainous stack and all the mistakes. Now the matriarchs of breakfast, Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth, were waging a bubbling battle in her stomach while her kids burned with fever and Job suffered boils. Adeline admired Job for keeping his faith. All she had was a house full of sick kids, a husband with a peyote hangover, an owl out front, and a little difficulty reading small print through her sunglasses, and she was ready to pack it in to her reserved spot in Hell. Old Job was quite a guy, especially with God acting like such a prick. What was that about? When her sisters talked about the Bible it was all the Sermon on the Mount and the Song of Solomon, Proverbs and Psalms; never smitings and plagues. And her sisters had never mentioned that God was a racist. He sure hated those old Philistines. Adeline had a cousin in Philadelphia; she wore a little too much eye shadow, but that didn't seem a sin you should get smote and circumcised for†¦. Adeline's religious reverie was interrupted by a tidal surge of acid in her stomach. She put the Bible down and went to the kitchen for some Pepto-Bismol. She found the bottle and wrestled with the child-guard cap for five minutes before deciding to smite its head off with the cleaver Milo used for hacking deer joints. She was raising the cleaver when the doorbell rang like a call from the governor. She waddled to the door and threw it open. An enormously fat white man in a powder-blue suit was standing on the steps, hat in hand, sample case at his side, grinning like a possum eating shit. He looked vaguely familiar. â€Å"Pardon me, ma'am,† he said. â€Å"I was looking for a Mrs. Adeline Eats, but I have obviously stumbled onto the home of a movie star.† Adeline remembered that she was still wearing sunglasses and her hair was piled up on her head. She lifted her glasses. â€Å"I'm Adeline Eats,† she said. She peeked over his shoulder and shuddered. The owl was still on the pole. â€Å"Of course you are. And I'm Lloyd Commerce, purveyor of the worlds finest vitamin supplement and herbal remedy: Miracle Medicine. May I come in?† Adeline eyed him suspiciously. â€Å"Didn't you sell me a vacuum cleaner a long time ago?† â€Å"You've got a heck of a memory, Mrs. Eats. I did have the privilege of bringing to people's lives that beam of brightness known as the Miracle. How's it working?† â€Å"I don't know. I don't have any rugs.† â€Å"Very shrewd, Mrs. Eats. What better way to avoid dirty carpets than to avoid carpets altogether? The very reason that I have turned my efforts to a product that addresses the number one problem facing families today.† â€Å"What's that?† Lloyd put his hat over his heart. â€Å"If you could just afford me a minute of your time, you will reap the benefit of years of research.† â€Å"Okay, come on in. But you got to be quiet. My kids are sick and my husband is resting.† Adeline stepped out of the doorway and the salesman floated by her to the couch. Adeline sat in her chair across from him. Her stomach gurgled and rolled. She stifled a belch. â€Å"Excuse me.† â€Å"Indigestion!† Lloyd exclaimed as if he had discovered the cure for cancer. â€Å"Fortune has smiled on you, Mrs. Eats. I have in my case the bee's knees of indigestion remedies.† He pulled a brown bottle from his case and held it out reverentially. â€Å"Mrs. Eats, may I present Miracle Medicine.† Adeline fidgeted. â€Å"I don't know if I can afford it. I've been off work for a couple of days taking care of my kids.† â€Å"In that case, you can't afford to be without it. And with a house full of illness you can't afford to wait.† â€Å"Will this stuff cure the flu?† â€Å"The flu? The flu?† Lloyd shook the bottle at Adeline. â€Å"The flu doesn't exist when you have Miracle Medicine. It makes them that's sick well, and them that's well better. This is no backward primitive remedy, ma'am, but the finest product that nature and modern science could come up with. Miracle Medicine cures croup, cramps, cankers, and the creeping crud.† â€Å"I don't know†¦,† Adeline said. â€Å"And how could you know until you try it? Why, Miracle Medicine will even raise your self-confidence, as well as doing away with excess mucus, the embarrassment of bad breath, intestinal gas, dandruff, the heartbreak of psoriasis, most mental illness, and the post-peyote dry heaves.† â€Å"I don't think so,† Adeline said. â€Å"You don't think so? Mrs. Eats, may I see your medicine cabinet?† Lloyd pulled a plastic garbage bag out of his sample case. â€Å"I suppose so,† Adeline said. â€Å"The bathrom is in there.† â€Å"Come with me,† Lloyd said. He got up and led Adeline into the bathroom, where he threw open the medicine cabinet. He took a bottle of aspirin from the shelf and held it up. â€Å"What is this for, Mrs. Eats?† â€Å"Headaches.† â€Å"Don't need it.† Lloyd threw the aspirin in the garbage bag. â€Å"Hey,† Adeline said. â€Å"Miracle Medicine makes headaches a thing of the past.† He grabbed the tube of Preparation H and tossed it in the garbage bag. â€Å"Hemorrhoids are behind you, Mrs. Eats.† Next went the cough medicine, the Band-Aids, some Neosporin ointment, and an old prescription for bladder infections. â€Å"Hey, I need that stuff.† â€Å"Not anymore,† Lloyd said. â€Å"Not with Miracle Medicine.† Adeline was starting to get angry. â€Å"Put that stuff back.† Lloyd lifted Adeline's sunglasses and looked her in the eye. â€Å"Mrs. Eats, you say you have a house full of sick kids. What exactly have you done to make them better?† â€Å"I took them to the clinic but we couldn't get in. I've been praying.† Lloyd nodded knowingly. â€Å"Well you can say good-bye to prayer.† He stormed back into the living room, picked up the Bible, and threw it in the garbage bag. â€Å"You don't need prayer when you have a medicine that reduces swelling, increases sex drive, and directly addresses the national debt.† â€Å"No,† Adeline said, following him. â€Å"I don't want any.† He went to the crucifix on the wall, tore it off, and threw it in the bag. â€Å"Quiets coughs, promotes regularity, increases energy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No!† Adeline said. Lloyd took the 3-D picture of Jesus off the television and threw it in the bag. â€Å"Calms nerves.† â€Å"No!† â€Å"Cures acne.† â€Å"No!† â€Å"Cures crabs, spiritual indecision, poison sumac, rabies, and-â€Å" â€Å"No!† â€Å"Gets rid of unwanted owls.† â€Å"How much is it?† Adeline said. â€Å"Cash or check?† Lloyd said. He sat back down on the couch. Adeline heard the bedroom door open. She turned and saw Milo coming into the living room, wearing sunglasses. He couldn't tolerate bright light for a day or two after a peyote ceremony. â€Å"What in the hell is going on out here?† â€Å"I was just talking to this salesman,† Adeline said. â€Å"What salesman?† Adeline turned around. The salesman, his sample case, and the garbage bag full of over-the-counter icons were gone. The brown bottle of Miracle Medicine sat on the table. â€Å"Here honey, take some of this,† she said. â€Å"You'll feel better.† She felt better already. Sam felt as if he were passing out, then the vertigo of falling. The sounds around him faded; Pokey's voice became distant, then silent. He felt his stomach lurch, as if he had just gone into the big drop of a roller coaster, then an impact that flattened him on the ground. He looked up, expecting to see the others around him in the sweat lodge. The lodge, and everyone in it, was gone. There was nothing but blackness and the sound of his own breathing. A thousand questions raced through his brain, but he realized that each one led to another and the best strategy was to maintain a state of automatic action and remember why he was here. He stood and squinted into the darkness. Two golden eyes were floating in front of him. He heard the sound of an animal breathing. Suddenly a stone platform started to glow. On it stood a figure: a man's body with a dog's head, wearing an Egyptian kilt. Except for the golden eyes, he was black, so black he appeared to absorb light. He carried a golden staff tipped with the effigy of a falcon. Beside him on the platform was the source of the breathing sounds: a beast the size of a hippo, with the jaws of a crocodile on the body of a lion. It snorted and snapped at the air, flicking foam from its jaws. Behind them both stood a giant balance scale. Despite all he had been through, Sam felt a wave of mind-blanking terror pass through him. He wanted to run, but couldn't move. With the light coming off the pedestal he could see human bones scattered around him. He realized that he was standing on his toes, every muscle in his body rigid. The black dog man snapped his staff on the platform. â€Å"Okay, up on the scale,† he said. Then he narrowed his gaze and stepped down from the platform. â€Å"Wait a minute, you're alive. Go away. We only do the dead. Out, out, out.† Of all the strange things Sam had seen in the last week, watching the dog mouth forming human speech was the strangest. It looked like the creature was trying to yak up a chicken bone. Suddenly the fear was gone. This was too goofy, like an Alpo commercial filmed in Hell. â€Å"Are you the one I'm supposed to talk to about – about getting some help?† â€Å"Look, I tried to warn you that my brother was going to cause you problems. I sent my agent to help you.† â€Å"Your brother?† â€Å"Coyote is my brother. He didn't tell you?† â€Å"No, he never mentioned a brother. He said I had to find the one that weighs the souls.† The dog man scoffed. â€Å"Well there's the scale. And here I am. Take a wild guess. Go ahead, Einstein, figure it out. I can't believe he didn't mention me.† He sat down, hung his head and began scratching himself behind the ears. â€Å"He's an ingrate.† The monster growled and Sam jumped back. â€Å"That's Ammut,† the dog man said. â€Å"He wants to eat you.† Sam shuddered. â€Å"Maybe later. I'm here to ask a favor.† â€Å"You don't even know who I am, do you? That hurts. You think I don't have feelings?† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Sam said. â€Å"I'm a little preoccupied. I didn't mean to be rude.† Preoccupied? Naked, in a supernatural world, talking to the dog-food god, trying to get back the woman he loved. Excuse my manners, he thought. â€Å"I'm Sam Hunter, and you are?† â€Å"Anubis, son of Osiris. God of the Underworld.† He scratched behind his ears harder and his leg began to bounce with pleasure. â€Å"Osiris? You're Egyptian?† â€Å"My people lived in the Nile Valley, yes.† â€Å"But you said that you were Coyote's brother.† â€Å"He didn't tell you that story either?† Anubis was irritated. â€Å"No, sorry,† Sam said. How could Calliope's life be in the hands of this neurotic canine? He decided to try to placate the god. â€Å"But I'd love to hear it.† Anubis pricked up his long ears. â€Å"It was long ago,† he began. â€Å"And the god Osiris brought to the people of the Nile Valley the knowledge to plant grain, and he brought great floods to nourish the grains. With his queen, Isis, he ruled all of civilization, until his brother Set, the dark one, became jealous and killed Osiris, tearing his body into fourteen pieces and scattering them over the valley. â€Å"But Osiris had consorted with Set's wife, Nephthys, and she gave birth to two dog-headed sons, Anubis and Aputet. When Set found the boys he put them into baskets and set them afloat in the Nile. Later, Isis found Anubis and adopted him. But Aputet floated out to sea and across the ocean to another land in the West.† Here the dog-headed god puffed himself up with pride. â€Å"Anubis was always the one bound to duty, the faithful. He found the pieces of our father and bound them together so that Osiris lived again. For that he was given the job of weighing human souls against truth, and taking people to the Underworld. â€Å"And my brother,† Anubis said, â€Å"grew up in a wild land, with the powers of a god and no sense of duty or justice. All he cares about is the stories people tell about him. And he never remembers his brother, who has saved him so many times. He never visits. You're sure Coyote never told you this?† Sam didn't know what to say. He thought of the Coyote tales he had heard as a child, and how this seemed to fit. â€Å"No, I was told he brought my people the buffalo and taught us how to live off the land.† â€Å"He did those things to serve himself. Without a way to live, how could they tell stories about him? He has used me for years to make his stories. Now he has returned to Earth and used you.† It all fit. â€Å"He fucked up my life and got Calliope killed for the stories.† Sam was trying to control his anger. â€Å"I'm here because he wants people to tell stories about him?† â€Å"He had to or he would end up like me.† Anubis lowered his voice. â€Å"Your people don't have a word in their language for ;computer; or ;VCR; or â€Å"television.† The children are losing the old stories, the stories of hunting buffalo and counting coup. That's not their world. Coyote was afraid he would be forgotten, like me. With the new stories he's real again. You lived the stories that will bring him back. He doesn't care about the people, only that they are talking about him. I tried. I sent my agent to help you.† Sam looked at Anubis. â€Å"The big black guy, Minty? You sent him?† â€Å"He's mine, a dutiful son, but he doesn't know it,† Anubis said. â€Å"I can no longer walk in your world because I am a dead god. I died of change. So I sent the black one to help you. He is mine like you are Aputet's.† â€Å"I'm his? What does that mean?† â€Å"You were born for his stories. To live them, to carry them on.† â€Å"He wants little kids to hear stories about killing innocent women? That's supposed to be good for a people?† â€Å"He doesn't care. As long as the stories are told they will hold his people together. He says people need a good bad example. It gives them pride in doing the right thing. I have always done the right thing and my people are gone because of it, swallowed up by the Christian god.† â€Å"So how does the story end?† Sam asked. â€Å"Can I bring back Calliope? She didn't do anything wrong.† â€Å"I weigh the souls of the dead against truth. If there is balance, then the soul passes on. If not, I feed it to Ammut.† The monster snarled at the mention of his name. â€Å"I'm stuck here doing this tedious work while my brother roams the world having fun. It's not fair.† Sam kept pressing. â€Å"Let me take the girl back. It's not her fault that Coyote is a jerk.† â€Å"No,† Anubis said. â€Å"My brother needs to learn a lesson. He has never had to sacrifice anything.† â€Å"Let her live and I'll tell your story. You'll be remembered again. People will believe.† Sam had to keep pressing. â€Å"Like the other stories?† The god affected a whiny, mocking tone. â€Å"‘Then along came Coyote's brother, who jumped over him four times, and he came back to life. I never even get my name mentioned.† â€Å"Please,† Sam pleaded. Anubis shook his head slowly. â€Å"No. Tell my brother he needs to learn to sacrifice for his people. I have done what I can do.† The jackal-headed god stood and walked off the pedestal into the darkness, the monster at his heels. â€Å"Wait!† Sam started to run after him. The pedestal went dark and he felt the loss of his love even as the ground dropped out from under him. Just before dawn Coyote climbed into the sweat lodge and sat beside Pokey. Sam's body was shaking, his eyes still rolled back in his head. â€Å"Wait!† he screamed. He jerked, as if someone had applied a current to his body, and his eyes rolled down. The door flap of the sweat lodge was thrown open and the first light of dawn was spilling through. â€Å"How's my brother?† Coyote asked. Sam lunged for Coyote's throat. â€Å"You killed her for stories!† Pokey caught him from behind in a bear hug. â€Å"No, Samson.† Pokey struggled to hold Sam. â€Å"You were gone all night. Harlan and his boys left. Someone named Minty Fresh called the house for you. He said to tell you that some bikers are coming here to take the child. He said they would be here about dawn.† CHAPTER 35 Crazy Dogs Wishing to Die The Underworld made Calliope's death real, stripping Sam of the last of his hope, leaving him like a raw, screaming nerve. He ran naked out of the sweat lodge and dove into the cooling fire pit. â€Å"Samson, stop it!† Pokey shouted. Sam grabbed handfuls of ashes and rubbed them on his face and chest, then ran through the yard and into the house, Coyote and Pokey close behind him. They found him in the living room, pulling the buffalo lance off the wall. The women had taken the children and retreated to the bedrooms. Pokey could hear them crying. Coyote grabbed Sam by the shoulder. â€Å"Stop this.† Sam shrieked and swung around with the lance, slashing Coyote across the chest with the long obsidian point. The trickster fell back bleeding. Sam ran out of the house. â€Å"Go get him,† Pokey said to Coyote. Coyote got up and ran out the front door in time to see Sam vaulting the fence into the side field. Sam jumped on the back of a buckskin horse and wrapped a hand in its long mane, then dug his heels in and smacked the lance across its hindquarters. The horse shot forward and over the fence into the road, taking a line of barbed wire out with its front legs. â€Å"Sam, wait!† Coyote shouted. Sam pulled the horse up and looked back at the trickster. Pokey joined Coyote on the porch. â€Å"Samson, don't do this,† Pokey said. â€Å"I'm tired of being afraid, Pokey. This is a good day to die.† Sam slapped the horse's flank with the lance and galloped down the road. â€Å"Get the gate,† Coyote shouted to Pokey. He ran to the field, scooping up a handful of mud from some tire tracks as he ran and rubbing it on his face and chest. He vaulted the fence and the paint horse, spooked by the commotion, ran to the other side of the pasture. â€Å"Come,† Coyote commanded. The paint horse stopped as if it had been jerked back by an invisible rope, then turned and galloped back to the trickster. Coyote calmed it, then climbed the fence and jumped on its back. Pokey swung the gate open and Coyote rode the horse through, up the driveway, and down the road after Sam. Rarely does one encounter a combination of human traits quite so frightening as a psychopath with a purpose. Yet, as dawn broke in Crow Agency, forty examples of that particular perversion cruised, in a double column of Harley-Davidsons, off the ramp from Highway 90, under the overpass by Wiley's Food and Gas, and down the main street of town. Lonnie Ray Inman rode at the head of the column, followed closely by Bonner Newton on one side and Tinker on the other. Behind them were the other members of the Guild's Santa Barbara chapter, and behind them joiners from other Guild chapters who, pumped with the mere idea of self-righteous vengeance, had volunteered to come along. Pulling into town, they were losing some of their resolve, and confused glances passed from one biker to another. They knew they were coming to the Crow reservation to get a kid who had been stolen, but now that they were here, what were they supposed to do? No one was out on the street at this hour to observe their fierce show of unity and force. It was rapidly turing into an unsatisfying experience, especially for those who were not used to wearing shoulder holsters and were a little chafed under the arms. Lonnie slowed the column to a creep as he looked down the side streets of Crow Agency for signs of the orange Z. At the edge of town, near the tobacco shop, he signaled the column to stop. It was obvious they were about to head into open ranchland. The big bikes thundered out iron flatulence as they idled, putting up a din that rattled the windows of Crow Agency. A few lights went on in town; a few faces appeared in windows. Lonnie Ray signaled Bonner to join him for a conference. Bonner Newton was moving to his side when they heard the war cry. Lonnie and Bonner looked down the road to see two men on horses charging them, one waving a spear over his head and screaming. Bonner was the first to recover from the shock and started to draw his pistol when a shot went off to his left and the speedometer on his bike exploded, peppering him with splinters of glass and metal. â€Å"I wouldn't draw that.† The voice came from the rooftops. â€Å"I wouldn't fucking move.† Bonner looked up to see someone holding a scoped hunting rifle on them. The horsemen were still bearing down on them. One of the bikers in the column started to draw and a shot came from the other direction, taking the light off his bike. There was another one on the roof across the street. The bikers looked around. There were four men with scoped high-powered rifles pointing down on them from different rooftops. â€Å"I can take a flea off a gnat's ass at two hundred yards with this,† Harlan shouted over his rifle. â€Å"You let them popguns stay where they are.† Sam screamed again, a long rasping wail. â€Å"He's not fucking stopping,† Tinker said. He drew his Magnum and fired before Harlan put a bullet in his shoulder, spinning him off his bike to the pavement. Coyote grabbed his chest and rolled off his horse, bouncing into the ditch. Seeing that Sam wasn't going to stop, Bonner Newton dropped his bike and dove into the gutter, covering his head. Lonnie watched the crazed horseman, streaked with ashes and sweat, bearing down on him. Sam was only a few yards away, raising his lance for the kill, when Lonnie went for his gun. Sam yanked on the horse's mane, jumping it over the front of the bike. One hoof hit Lonnie in the chest; another took off a piece of his right ear before the horse stumbled into the bikers behind him. Sam rolled free and up to his feet. He ran back to where Lonnie lay and raised the lance above his head as Lonnie's eyes went wide and he screamed. â€Å"Samson!† Harlan shouted. Sam put all his weight behind the lance and came down with it, screaming at the top of his lungs. At the last second he spun the lance and touched Lonnie on the chest with the butt end. â€Å"Go away,† he said. Sam stumbled away and dropped the lance. â€Å"That's it,† Harlan shouted. â€Å"Everybody just turn your bikes around and go back the way you came. We'll drop the first one that looks like he's doing the wrong thing.† The bikers looked around in confusion. Festus, Harry, and Billy Two Irons kept their rifles shouldered and trained on the column. Bonner Newton climbed to his feet. â€Å"Turn around,† he said, waving his hand in the air. He looked at Lonnie. â€Å"See if Tink can ride. Let's get the fuck out of here.† Sam walked back down the road to where Coyote had fallen. The trickster was lying naked in the ditch, covered with mud, his leg bent under him. Blood was coursing from a hole in his chest and he was breathing in short, rattling pants. Sam bent over him and held his head. Coyote's eyes slowly opened. â€Å"That's the last coup,† Coyote said. â€Å"You counted the last coup. It's a new world now.† The trickster coughed; foamy blood covered his lips. Sam had no anger left, no thoughts, no words. A minute passed. He heard someone blowing a car horn somewhere, and Harlan saying, â€Å"Let him through.† Finally Sam said, â€Å"What can I do?† â€Å"Tell the stories,† Coyote said. He closed his eyes and stopped breathing. Sam gently lowered the trickster's head and lay down in the ditch beside him. He heard a car pull up on the road above, but did not look up. A car door, footsteps, and hands under his body, lifting him. He opened his eyes to see a battered black face with golden eyes. â€Å"Are you okay?† Minty Fresh said. Sam didn't answer. He felt himself being put in a car. â€Å"I'll take you home,† Minty said. Sam sat in the limo, the car door open, staring at the dashboard. Someone walked up beside him and said, â€Å"Nice outfit, Hunts Alone.† Sam looked up to see Billy Two Irons standing over him: older, and just as thin, but unmistakably Billy Two Irons. Sam managed a weak smile. â€Å"Your face cleared up.† â€Å"Yeah,† Billy said. â€Å"I got laid, too. Only last week, but who's counting after thirty-five years?† Sam looked forward trying to squint back tears. Billy shuffled a bit with discomfort. â€Å"This guy's going to take you home. I'll stop by when things settle down a little.† Sam nodded. â€Å"It was a good day to die.† â€Å"You're always trying to cheer me up,† Billy said. â€Å"Don't take off again, okay?† He patted Sam's shoulder and opened the back door of the limo for Minty Fresh, who laid Coyote's body on the backseat, then closed the door. Minty closed Sam's door, then went around and got in on the driver's side. He put the key in the ignition and paused. Without looking at Sam he said, â€Å"I'm sorry. Your uncle told me about the girl. They beat on me pretty bad and I told them where you were going. I screwed up. I'm sorry. If I could make it up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sam didn't look up. â€Å"How did you get away?† â€Å"They found my casino ID. I think the rumors about the Mafia running the casinos is what stopped them. They were afraid of retribution. I called the casino and got your office number. Your secretary gave me the number here. I called as soon as I got away.† Sam didn't say anything. Minty started the limo and pulled slowly onto the road, headed out of town to the Hunts Alone place. Sam said, â€Å"What are you going to do with his body?† â€Å"I don't know. I guess it will come to me, like everything else I've done in the last two days.† Sam looked at Minty, and for the first time saw the golden eyes, surrounded with bruises. â€Å"Do you know what's happened here? Do you know what we are?† Minty shook his head, â€Å"What we are? No. I was a trouble-shooter in a casino until yesterday. Now I guess I'm a car thief.† â€Å"You didn't really have any choice. But I think it's over now. You're free now.† â€Å"Sure, throw that responsibility on me,† Minty said. He grinned. Sam reached deep down and found he had a smile left, like the last worm in the bait can. They were approaching the Hunts Alone place. Minty turned into the driveway and stopped. â€Å"Do you need any help?† â€Å"No, I'll be okay,† Sam said automatically, not knowing what he needed. He opened the car door. â€Å"Where will you go?† â€Å"Like I said, I guess it will come to me. Maybe San Diego.† â€Å"You can stay here if you want.† â€Å"No, I don't think so. But thanks. I'm feeling like there's still something I have to do.† â€Å"When it comes to you, remember, the sacred number is four. You jump over the body four times.† â€Å"Am I supposed to know what that means?† â€Å"You will,† Sam said. â€Å"Good luck.† He got out of the car and stood at the end of the driveway watching Minty drive away. What now? He hadn't died, and he didn't have a life to return to. Nothing. Empty. Dead inside. He turned and started toward the house. Cindy and another woman appeared at the door, and waited. From the shocked look on their faces Sam realized how crazed he must look: naked, covered with soot, streaked with sweat and tears. He waved to them and headed around the house to wash himself in the barrel back by the sweat lodge. As he walked by the Airstream he heard the door unlatch and looked up. Calliope stepped out of the trailer. â€Å"Sam?† she said. â€Å"I had the strangest dream.† She looked around the yard, then at the trailer. â€Å"I didn't just land on the Wicked Witch of the East, did I?† Sam closed his eyes and took her in his arms. He held her there for a long time, laughing, then sobbing, then laughing again, feeling as if he had, at last, come home. Crazy Dogs Wishing to Die One day, a long time ago, Coyote was coming along when he saw a cowboy sitting on his horse, rolling a cigarette. Coyote watched the cowboy take a little pouch of tobacco out of his shirt pocket, and then some rolling papers. He poured some tobacco into a paper, then pulled the strings of the pouch tight with his teeth and put it back in his pocket. Then he rolled up the paper, licked it, and stuck the cigarette in his mouth. He lit it with a match. Coyote had smoked a pipe many times, but he had never seen anything quite so wonderful as rolling a cigarette. â€Å"I want to do that,† Coyote said. â€Å"Let me do that.† â€Å"You can't,† the cowboy said. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"You ain't got a shirt, so you ain't got a shirt pocket for your tobacco pouch.† Coyote didn't wear a shirt in those days. He looked at his bare chest, then at the cowboy's shirt. â€Å"I can make a pocket in my chest.† â€Å"Well, why don't you do that.† The cowboy unfolded his pocketknife and handed it to Coyote. Coyote looked one more time at the cowboy's pocket, to get the size right, then he made a deep cut in his chest. He looked a little surprised, then he fell over dead. The cowboy got back his pocketknife and rode off. A little while later, Coyote's brother came along and saw the trickster lying dead on the ground. He jumped over Coyote's body four times and Coyote sprang up, good as new. â€Å"You did it again,† Coyote's brother said. â€Å"I really wanted to roll a cigarette like the cowboy.† Coyote's brother shook his head. He said, â€Å"If you're going to live around these white folks, Coyote, you got to learn. Just because you want something, it don't mean that it's good for you.† â€Å"I knew that,† Coyote said. CHAPTER 36 There Ain't No Cure for Coyote Blue There is a saying that goes back to the buffalo days: there are no orphans among the Crow. Even today, if someone stays for a time on the reservation, he will be adopted by a Crow family, regardless of his race. The idea of a person without family makes the Crow uncomfortable. So when Samuel Hunter became, once again, Samson Hunts Alone, he found that there was family waiting for him, as well as his new white wife and her son. Pokey said, â€Å"There ain't near enough blond Indians, if you ask me.† And even as he left his old name behind with his old life, Sam maintained his shape-shifter ways, putting on each face as it was needed. Sometimes he was quick and clever, and other times he was simple, when simple served his purpose. When he spoke for the Crow to the government he wore traditional tribal dress and an eagle feather in his hair. But when he reported to his own people he dug out one of his Armani suits and the Rolex (that had long since stopped running), because that is what they needed to see. He was given the honor of pouring for the sweat, and the responsibility to carry on the old ways, and he programmed a computer to speak Crow, and using it, at the age of eighty, Pokey Medicine Wing learned to speak his own language. And Sam put on many faces when he told the stories. When he told the old stories, of how Old Man Coyote made the world, of how he got his power to change shapes, of Cottontail and Raven and the other animal people, Sam was like the trickster himself, grinning and laughing, making rude noises, his golden eyes shining like fire. When he told the new stories – of the Crow man who had forgotten who he was, of a Japanese businessman who saved the life of an old shaman, of a black man who helped rescue a white child from the enemy, of all the tricks and machines that Coyote used to bring the Crow man home, and of the last coup – his voice took on a melancholy sweetness and his eyes went wide and bright, as if life itself was a delightful surprise. And when he told the story of the journey into the Underworld, of how Coyote's brother let Calliope live again because the trickster gave his own life, Sam became grave and dark, and those who doubted were quickly convinced when they saw the scar on Calliope's back from the bullet that had killed her. But even as Sam put on these faces and wore these personalities, he knew exactly who he was. He was happy. After a while Calliope became pregnant and Sam's peace was again thrown out of balance. He was jumpy and nervous until the day the little girl was born and he saw that she had Calliope's deep brown eyes, not the golden eyes of a trickster. And meanwhile, as Grubb grew, he found that he could frighten his adopted father by hiding and making the sound of a coyote howling, and for this he suffered long lectures from his old Uncle Pokey about respecting his elders. When Grubb was nine, in the time of the new grass, Sam took him to the great medicine wheel for his first fast. During the ride, in Pokey's ancient pickup truck, Sam instructed Grubb on how to enter the Spirit World and prepared him for what to expect there. â€Å"And one last thing,† Sam said as he left the boy on the mountain. â€Å"If a fat guy in a big blue car comes along and offers you a ride, don't get in.† What Grubb saw on his vision, and what happened when he grew up, is a story for another time. But it should be noted here that over the years, as he grew into manhood, his eyes faded gradually from dark brown to a bright, shining gold. â€Å"Coyote medicine will do them white folks some good,† Pokey said with a grin. END

Music falls Essay

This third activity was chosen because it provides the children with this means of communication, giving them the opportunity to express themselves freely. Doing this helps them progress emotionally and cognitively in all other areas of their learning. Music falls under Donaldson’s construct mode, under value-sensing. She argues that emotion and thought are frequently related closely to one another (Palmer, 2001).  Neill (1927) also favoured music within the curriculum, as he alleged that it had a therapeutic function, particularly with children with psychological problems. He also acknowledged that it gave the less academically challenged pupils something they may excel at. This activity, therefore, assists in increasing the child’s self esteem, giving them more confidence in other areas of the curriculum too. Differentiation  The possibilities for differentiation within this lesson are extensive. As it is a relatively free activity, the children can move as much, or as little as they like. Interaction from the practitioner could be by means of praising those who demonstrate effort and capability, or by encouraging the children to express themselves and by giving them the confidence to move as they wish. Those who do not attempt to join in could be partnered with others, to provide further encouragement and enjoyment. Evaluation  This activity provides the children with the freedom to move their bodies in ways which are normally considered inappropriate within the classroom. There is no specific way in which the children are required to move and so they have the opportunity to truly express themselves without the usual confines and barricades. Skinner (1971) believes that behaviour is not something a child is born with, it is shaped by consequences. The conditioning adopted by the setting determines the catalogue of behaviour the child has at his disposal (cited in Palmer 2001). Skinner recognised that children respond to positive re-inforcement. The practitioner in this activity praises the children, encouraging them to express themselves further. Bandura suggests that adults can gain children’s attention and highlight the behaviour patterns they want to encourage (David T et al, 2003). He suggests that the children will mimic the behaviour they see in others. In this activity, if the children see the practitioner praising one child as suggested by Skinner, their behaviour will be reinforced and this should encourage more of this behaviour. As the rest of the children bear witness to this development, Bandura suggests that they will reproduce this behaviour to gain recognition for themselves. This was apparent when watching the behaviour of the whole class. When one child became slightly over-excited and silly, others began to imitate him. The practitioner quickly took control of the situation by praising one of the children who was making slower, more gentle movements and the children responded swiftly by slowing their movements down too. Conclusion Each one of these activities proved to be successful. The children enjoyed them and were keen to stay on task throughout. The relevant areas and aspects of learning were adequately covered and the children gained a great deal from participating. From carrying out this research, it is apparent that it is necessary for practitioners to plan their scheme of work effectively in order to guarantee that the foundation stage curriculum is covered throughout the year. This work has examined the long, medium and short term plans and has explained why they are used. It has researched the emergence of the foundation stage curriculum and the ways it can be adapted and moulded to fit into many different types of early years settings. Using the three activities this work has established the theoretical underpinning of the curriculum and demonstrates the strategies which can be applied to differentiate the experiences effectively. Bibliography Books Bee, H. & Boyd, D. (2004) The Developing Child, Tenth Edition USA: Pearson Education, Inc.  Boushel, M., Fawcett, M. & Selwyn, J. (2000) Focus on Early Childhood: Principles and Realities Malden, Mass: Blackwell Science  Carnie, F (2003) Alternative Approaches to Education: A Guide for Parents and Teachers New York: Taylor and Francis

Philosophy of Education Essays

Philosophy of Education Essays Philosophy of Education Essay Philosophy of Education Essay Philosophy of Education I believe that as a teacher I must first believe in my students. When I enter the classroom, I will look into the faces of each of my students and see them reach their greatest potential while in my care. I will make it an obligation to not let one single student leave my room at the end of a year without having helped them realize their potential. I will dedicate each and every minute of instruction to the investment of the future of my students. While this sounds ideal, I realize it will not be easy. I believe the greater purpose of education is to instill in my students the ealization that life happens on a daily basis, and it is up to them as individuals to determine what the future will be. I must help them understand how each and every lesson has a greater purpose. It is the beginning of the rest of their lives, and only through hard work and determination will they be able to lay a strong foundation that will support them throughout their lives. I must help open their minds to more than Just the basic concepts of a lesson so that they will realize what the greater picture is in life. I must take learning toa higher level and make it applicable to the veryday life of my students so that they find meaning in what happens in the classroom. I believe students learn best when they can find meaning in what they are doing. I believe the classroom must be an extension of their world. They must see the meaning in a lesson beyond the four walls of the classroom. When possible, I must open up opportunities for my students to explore more than the simple concepts of a lesson. I must challenge them to question concepts and challenge facts so that they learn how to invent and create new concepts and meanings and become the nventors of the future. I must allow them to challenge me and force them to look beyond the things they can see and imagine what could be instead of accepting what is. I must allow them to question, expect them to falter, and help them find new ways to overcome in order to excel and explore the unimaginable. In order to be an effective teacher that is able to achieve the impossible and challenge every student, regardless of his/her ability, I must remain excited about teaching and stay positive, even in the face of resistance. I must work diligently to reate a student-centered classroom. I must continue to educate myself and find new ways to engage my students and stay current on what their interests are. I must be willing to work harder, become more knowledgeable, and invest in what I may not always be able to see. I must stay positive when others around me choose to see the negative. Teaching is a choice. It is not something I do because it is easy or comfortable. I do it because it is a calling. I know I will impact the lives of many children. It is frightening at times to think how much influence I will have on my students. Because of my influence, I take it seriously and realize that my attitude and impact is far more reaching than the building in which I will teach. I will affect some of my students for a diligently to find the worth in my students that some of them will find nowhere else but my classroom. As my students leave my room, I must send with them the desire to impact society. I must find a way to help them realize that they have an obligation to find a way to give back in their home, their community, and the world. If I am able to do this, then I believe I will be a successful educator.

Arguments for the DREAM Act

Arguments for the DREAM Act Supporters of DREAM Act legislation that would give legal status to thousands of the children of illegal immigrants make their case on social, moral and economic grounds. Versions of the DREAM Act have been debated in Washington and state capitals for much of the last decade. All of them have at their core a belief that the country can’t continue to ignore some 1.7 million young immigrants who came here as children and have no legal national identity. Reasons to Support Dreamers Here are some of the main reasons supporters believe that these undocumented immigrants should get a reprieve from the federal government: These young immigrants are blameless in their current predicament. They were brought here at a young age by their parents and had no say in the matter. It makes no sense and is morally wrong to punish them for the offenses of their parents. The government should treat them as victims, not offenders.The country has already made a substantial investment in many of these young immigrants and it would be senseless to throw that away. Most of them have attended public schools. They have earned high school diplomas in the public system. Many have benefited from public health care and some from other public assistance. The government could get a return from these investments by allowing them to contribute to the U.S. economy and society. Many have completed high school but cannot attend college because of their undocumented status. Studies show DREAM Act immigrants could provide a powerful boost to the U.S. economy.Many of the typical complaints about immigrants don’t apply to these young people. Most are as American as the native-born citizens around them. They speak English, understand American life and culture, and they are fully assimilated. They tend to be highly motivated and prepared to accept the responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. DREAM Act legislation could transform this lost generation of young people into U.S. taxpayers. Even some conservative Republicans such as Texas Gov. Rick Perry support the DREAM Act because it would make these immigrants taxpayers who contribute to the economy, instead of people forced to live unproductive lives in the shadows of a nation that won’t acknowledge them. â€Å"Are we going to create a class of tax wasters or are we going to create taxpayers?† Perry said. â€Å"Texas chose the latter. Every state has the freedom to make that decision.†Bringing these young immigrants out of the shadows would enhance national security. As long as the government considers them here illegally, they will not come forward. National security is strengthened when everyone in the country lives openly and contributes to society. To take advantage of the DREAM Act, young immigrants would be required to pass background checks and give their addresses and contact information to t he government.Giving legal status to these young immigrants through the DREAM Act would not cost the government. In fact, the fees immigration officials could charge applicants could more than cover the administrative costs of running the program. President Obama’s deferred action, DREAM Act alternative program already uses fees to cover its costs. Many of the eligible young immigrants are willing to give public service to the country, either through the U.S. military or non-profit enterprises. The DREAM Act could be the catalyst for a wave of service and social activism across the country. Young immigrants are eager to contribute their time and energy to a nation that embraces them.The DREAM Act is in keeping with the United States’ heritage as a nation that treats immigrants fairly and makes special efforts to reach out to young people. TheAmerican tradition as a sanctuary for exiles dictates that we allow these innocent immigrants a chance to move on with their lives and not cast them as refugees without a homeland.Studies show that President Obamas deferred action program for young immigrants, which he implemented as a substitute for the DREAM Act, has helped lift the U.S. economy. Also, it has saved U.S. taxpayers millions that would have been spent to deport this group of unauthorized immigrants. A study by the Cen ter for American Progress found that the DREAM Act would create economic benefits for the country.

Saleh's english Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Saleh's english - Essay Example Phenomenon happened in the Millennium Bridge was rather serious. Norman Foster as the designer made the bridge strongly designed and estimated to be able to cope with degree of movements. As a matter of fact, serious trouble occurred on its deck when it swayed just like a drunken sailor. People who experienced that phenomenon told that it felt like a seasick. The worst thing was the elderly walkers clung on the side of the bridge. In a view, the phenomenon was like swaying bridge as a fairground ride. As it had been observed, the movements occurred on the Millennium Bridge were caused by Synchronous Lateral Excitation. In this case, small sideways oscillations happened because of natural sway motion of people walking; it was in turn to cause people who passed the bridge to sway in step, in which it made the amplitude of the bridge oscillations increased and reinforced the effect continuously. When it occurred, the worst movement was on the central span where the deck moved by up to 7 0mm. What a dramatic swaying that had made people who passed shocked. The solutions that had been done to analysed the phenomenon were mostly used tests. Crowd tests were implemented on the bridge deck. In July 2000, 100 people were used in the first test.

Personal view of early childhood education Term Paper

Personal view of early childhood education - Term Paper Example These early ages are the most critical in the development of a child. The parents or guardians of children should take extra care of the nutritional needs, learning and emotional protection of the children. When the children grow up a bit, it is the responsibility of the children to detect any changes in the child’s behavior as it would be easier for them to detect any difference in behavior in a class with many children. Early childhood is a precious time – a true window of opportunity – that cannot be re-opened later on. Early childhood care and development leads to the formation of a healthy society because of the children are well cared of they are most likely to become responsible citizens and human beings. The Micro-system The micro-system denotes the lowest level of environment. It is the immediate environment the child adopts as he is surrounded by it from the start. When a child is in a micro-system he develops the sense of differentiating similar faces from dissimilar face. Most of the development of the child occurs in this phase of life. The micro-system of children includes people who spend more time with them, play with them and take care of them. These people can be family members the child sees everyday for example mother, father, grandparents and siblings. It also contains caregivers at home, or teachers at day cares. The behavior which the child sees from these people, he will try to adopt that behavior naturally. It will have an effect on the growth of the child. If the mother of the child is patient and calm, the child would tend to be polite and less aggressive then the children whose mothers are short tempered. In the same way if the child is hand over to teachers at daycare who use bad language the child will be tempted to learn those words and will eventually learn them. If the care takers at home do not take care of their hygiene the child would learn to be like them since he would see a friend and mentor in them as a child at that level does not know the difference between right and wrong. It is the responsibility of the parents specifically, to correct their own selves first in order to represent themselves as the role models to the children. At this level all relationships are meaningful to the child. The child would know how loves him more and how gets angry on the things he does. Children are intelligent enough to grasp languages at a faster rate at this level. Therefore, it should be made sure that children are not subjected to abusive language at such early ages. Every person has a temperament and like everyone children also have a temperament which shows in a child’s personality trait. Personality traits are inherited genetically and biologically. As a person grows, he takes control of his personality. The more encouraging and nurturing care is provided to the child, the better the child will be able to grow in mentally and physically. â€Å"The period of early childhood should be given the top most priority especially if responsible governments make decisions about laws, policies, programs and money. Even then unfortunately for the children, the society and for the nation, these years receive the least attention.† – State of the World’s Children, 2001- The Mesosystem The next system which occurs in the early development of a child is the