MIT Gothic

MIT Gothic Happy Sunday! I am doing end of semester things and also reading Hemingway in dramatic black and white. There is perhaps my favorite meme that has been going around tumblr and finally found its way into our corner: MIT Gothic. I think it paints a very concrete picture of life at MIT, especially around this time of the semester. The rest of this blog post is by MIT tumblr users of varying anonymity. I hope it gives you a sense of our dramatic lives and a break from your own. (You are reading Hemingway. You are reading tumblr. You are reading an information theory textbook. You are reading tumblr. You are reading an admissions blog post. You are reading tumblr. You are reading tumblr. You are reading tumblr.) ivynewton  â€˜16: You lay down for a 15-minute nap, and wake up a day later. You’re still tired. You’re always tired. You slept all day. You haven’t slept in weeks. You arrive late to lecture. The chalkboard is already covered in equations. The desks are covered in equations. The walls are covered in equations. Your notebook is covered in equations. They don’t look familiar. You try to find your professor’s office in the Stata Center. You go up the elevator. You’re in the wrong tower. You return to the first floor and walk to the other tower. You’re still in the wrong tower. You walk down the stairs, and exit on the top floor. You don’t know how to get back down. You finish a problem set. There are two more to take its place. Each one has more problems than the last. You’re walking back from Boston across the Harvard Bridge. You look down and see the scrawled marker: “Halfway to Hell.” You turn and look back the way you came. Boston is miles away. This is much more than halfway. The administration has announced changes to the dining plans. The administration has announced new security procedures. The administration has announced that all GRTs will be replaced with ravenous bears. You write an opinion piece in  The Tech to complain. You get your Brass Rat. You joke that you can drop out now. But you know it’s not true. You can’t leave. They won’t let you. You’re not sure who ‘they’ are, but you know you’re stuck here. Your friends can’t tell if you’re laughing or crying. You help take down a hack. It’s back the next morning. It wasn’t ready to leave yet. The poster on the bulletin board says ‘IHTFP.’ Every poster says ‘IHTFP.’ You find yourself whispering ‘IHTFP’ at random moments. You can’t remember what it stands for anymore, but still you whisper it. IHTFP. excalculus  â€˜15: You ask your bio major friend for some help with taxonomy. They draw out a tree. Kingdom Animalia only has one line coming out of it: Pisces. One of the branches coming off that is Felidae. You copy it down. You tell the freshmen at the sailing pavilion that the river water is perfectly safe, but they must never disturb the mud of the riverbed. You tell them it’s because of residual pollution and chemicals in the mud. Your best friend is Course 6. All their friends are Course 6. Everyone you know is Course 6. You’re pretty sure your resume has a different number on it, but the only companies that will talk to you at Career Fair are software firms so maybe you’re wrong. The classmate you’re talking to says he’s a HASS major. You blink. There’s nobody there. You wake up to your alarm in bed and go to your first class. You take notes. Your second class is having an exam, and it seems to be going well. You sit back in your chair after problem 3 to stretch. You wake up to your alarm in bed. You have just crossed the boundary between sleeping and waking but you don’t know in which direction. hamaonoverdrive  â€˜16: Your professor makes a joke about “that place downriver from here”; you laugh because you know that nothing exists off campus. One of your friends says that the biometric for the Guest Indemnity changes every time they visit your dorm: last week it was a piece of hair, this time an ounce of blood. Neither of you decide to question why this is being collected. You keep getting cryptic emails from a mailing list, and no matter how hard you try you cannot seem to unsubscribe from it. You think that you’re on the list because of the Activities Fair back in Freshman year, but when you look up the group that the list is affiliated with you discover that the student group was disbanded in 1967. It is the end of term, and every posting space is filled with ads for various student performing groupsâ€"you hear that someone you know will be in two of them, so you look the shows up. They’re occuring at the same time. There is an email about Boba sales in your inbox, and every time you delete it a new one gets sent out. When asked about how much sleep you get from night to night, you shrug and say one to ten hours, muttering something about a scaling approximation. analemmas  â€˜13: The windows of the Green Building flicker in your peripheral vision. You can’t tell if it was the lights turning off, or something falling from the roof. You drift asleep on Saferide. The same gaggle of Asian women in shiny dresses and heels gets on and off at each stop. There’s a solitary girl from Random in the back, leaning against the window. You hear someone throw up. The wheelchair contraption in the rear rattles loudly. You hear glass shatter. The lights of the Harvard Bridge roll past. Someone’s practicing with glowing poi in the courtyard. The rainy night turns the lights into a whirling blur of red and blue. The music sounds like a siren. The roof of the Stata Center leaks continually, even when it’s not raining. They use some of the water to flush the toilets. The rest spills down onto the sidewalks and into storm drains. You suspect the drains connect directly back to the roof. Your parents call. They’re driving into town. They want to take a photo in The Alchemist. There’s an endless line of parents and tourists waiting to take photos in The Alchemist. A convoy of Korean tour buses waits eternally along Mass Ave. A passing duck tour points out the buses. The Koreans wave back and take photos. The tourists are themselves attractions for other tourists. You swear the trees move around when you aren’t looking, especially the ones near the course 20 buildings. There’s a bike locked to a lamppost, surrounded by flowers. It’s painted white and seems to be melting into the ground. In the morning a Hubway station has sprouted in its place. There was a video showing the Great Dome opening up and swarms of drones flying out of it. That was CGI, right? Some nights you aren’t sure. There’s a scale model of Building 7 outside Steam Cafe. Somewhere inside it, there’s a scale model of you, and a scale model of the model. If the course 4 students have fractal armies of homunculi helping them, maybe they won’t have to work so hard. Some days, there’s a car in your reserved parking spot. A few times, it was a police car; once, an Airgas truck. Every once in a while, the spot just isn’t there at all. The other spaces are unchanged, but occupied by unfamiliar cars whose makes and models you don’t recognize. You sigh and pull around to another lot. Residential Life starts offering a new dining plan, in which you are paid money in exchange for agreeing to be dined on. Residential Life doesn’t specify what will be doing the dining. It does note that freshmen are tastiest, and will be paid the most. People rush past you in small knots, clutching phones and laptops and chattering excitedly about minute details of the hallways. You assume it’s a Mystery Hunt thing. It’s probably a Mystery Hunt thing. The SIPB office is out of staples, but it never runs out of staplers. Wanking spontaneously generates staplers, as well as useless cables and bottles of juice. SIPB sells the juice to ESP in exchange for fresh souls, which they keep in an applesauce jar. You look up an advanced course 8 class and discover that its units are listed as 20/4/-12. Past students have rated it as taking more than 168 hours a week. When you try to add it to your schedule, your Athena workstation crashes. You should probably be taking jlab instead. The class shows up on your registration anyway. It’s listed not as Listener, but as Taster. You do notice a distinct flavor in your Anna’s burrito that evening. You can’t really place it, but it makes you think of dark matter, or maybe quarks. A cluster printer is producing reams of color printouts, covered in patterns that hurt your eyes to look at. No one else is around. You thought Pharos was supposed to keep this kind of thing from happening, but the touchscreen tells you the print job is owned by Pharos itself. Later, when you leave, the printer’s trays are empty and its display shows PAPER JAM, but the pages are still coming out. They flutter to the floor in a heap. The Milk arrives on campus for orientation. All the other frosh take it in stride, because this must be what MIT is like, right? No one would say The Milk doesn’t belong. After an all-nighter on campus, you try to make your way home through the basements, but after a few wrong turns you no longer recognize where you are. The GetFit maps on the walls continue to appear every so often, but they’re marked with letters that aren’t from any alphabet you know. There’s a continuous slow breeze at your back, and it smells of cinnamon and ozone. You see a door labeled “DANGER: Keep Door Shut” standing propped open. It seems to compel you to walk through it. You emerge into a secret courtyard you didn’t know existed. It’s wonderful here, under the predawn sky, but you know you can’t stay. Under building 36 you come across a LARPer trapped in a temporal prison. His frozen mouth seems to be forming a word, but you can’t make it out. The next time you pass by, someone has carted the prison outside and tossed it into a dumpster. Dorm security has been upgraded and now requires a spectral identity holomatrix from all visitors, although no one can tell you where you might procure one. Despite the policies, deskworkers continue to let visitors in, but the process visibly wears them out, draining their vital energy, until they leave at the end of their shifts stooped and hobbling. A fragment of the self is required in payment for passage, and if the guest cannot provide it, an equivalent must be given by another. reptilian-conspiracy  â€˜17: You go to TEAL and start working on a group problem. Lights flicker on and off in the classroom, and the table shakes. You have awoken Ba’al, the elder demon, by chanting in Greek while sitting in a circle of six. He leaves because he doesn’t want to be in 8.02 either. One of your friends replied to an email sent to eecs-jobs-announce looking for a “technical cofounder.” She returned from Harvard two weeks later, pale, drawn and silent with dark circles under their eyes. She doesn’t speak or smile anymore, but some nights when the moon is full you see her staggering down Amherst Ave to the Sloan School, whispering “diiiisruuupt” under her breath. You try to tell your friend about your terrible, terrible day, but all that comes out is a correctness proof of Dijkstra’s Algorithm. You try again. This time, you recite a uniqueness proof for a minimum spanning tree provided all edge weights are unique. A few days later, all your friends have forgotten you and all your dreams are of algorithms and invariants. You’re not even sure the proofs are correct. You go to your HASS class, and someone complains about the “soft” ideas and the lack of upstanding, reliable numbers under their breath. The professor, who has suffered this stoically for years, begins to weep. Her tears are acid. The floor begins to melt. You wish you hadn’t left your NaOH at home, but it’s too late now. As the semester has worn on, the lecture hall you return to each morning has become more and more empty. You ask the kid sitting in front of you where they’ve all gone. His eyes go round with fear. “They are dead to us now,” he chants, monotone. “We are all that remain.”

John Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men - 2257 Words

The American Dream, is the wish to prosper. In John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men told during the time of hard labor in the 1930’s about two close friends, who are all each other have, but are chasing this American dream, George and Lennie deal with several obstacles and road blocks with each other. Whether it be, hiding Lennie’s mental illness, or trying to keep a job to fulfill their version of the American dream, George will always carry Lennie in his heart, and Lennie tries his hardest to please George. Through characterization and foreshadowing readers learn about the deeper meaning and theme to the novella of the American Dream. Although some may say that George and Lennie are only externally flawed, by reading deeper, you can†¦show more content†¦George is more realistic than Lennie in believing it may not happen, and it could be just a fairy tale but he continues to keep the dream alive because it is what makes Lennie happy, and keeps Geor ge from being mean. George never hesitates to repeat to him that â€Å"one day they will save enough money to buy their own small farm, where they can live off the fatta of the land, and have rabbits.† (Steinbeck 14) George repeating the story to Lennie over and over is one of Steinbeck’s way of showing how much Lennie means to George. At first, readers may believe that George only keeps Lennie around because he has to, but deep down George genuinely cares for Lennie. As you read throughout the story, the amount that George cares for Lennie gets more and more prominent. With us it ain t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don t have to sit in no bar room blowin in our jack jus because we got no place else to go. If the other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us. (Steinbeck 14) George often talks about their future and past together as if he and Lennie will always stick together, no matter what. Lennie is unaware of the problems he creates for George, he believes that â€Å"we will never be lonely because we will always have each other† (Steinbeck 6) Steinbeck uses characterization by developing each character to be weak without

A Reflection On Policy, And Market Interactions With...

RUNNING HEAD: Reflection #2 A Reflection on Policy Stakeholders, Measurement of Policy Efficacy, and Market Interactions with Democracy Chris Surfus Western Michigan University School of Public Affairs and Administration PADM-6650 Public Policy: Theory and Research Professor Dr. Udaya Waglà ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ February 3, 2015 A Reflection on Policy Stakeholders, Measurement of Policy Efficacy, and Market Interactions with Democracy The authors define the roles and relationships of policy stakeholders, provide for the measurement of policy efficacy, and how the market interacts with a democratic society. Deborah Stone (2011) focuses on the structure of society, whether city government, nonprofit organizations,†¦show more content†¦Polices of inclusion simply state that the government will not tolerate discrimination through providing a means for punishing discrimination, but these policies do little to change human behavior. Lindblom (1995) discusses the role and relationships of markets and democracy. Meier (1982) discusses the introduction, implementation, and practicality of using cost-benefit analyses in policy planning, evaluation, and reform. Galbraith (1958) focuses on ideas that are acceptable, stable, and predictable, and he refers to this idea as â€Å"conventional wisdom† (p. 18). The key points made by the authors provide a measurement of policy efficacy, while understanding how the v arious stakeholders and market fluctuations affect policy. Furthermore, it provides accountability to the taxpayer in that government officials can show how a particular policy outweighs the costs of implementation and control. It is interesting to note that every couple decades, healthcare reform is necessary to balance the interactions with the economy. Inclusion can be expressed through a cost-benefit analysis, but the most effective way to measure it is through qualitative analysis (i.e., outcomes, quality of life, etc.). The social and economic structure of our society is constantly changing due to the policy interactions on theShow MoreRelatedPolitical Ideologies Are The Best Way Of Governing A Country1734 Words   |  7 Pagesbehaviour, particularly in effect to Social Policy decisions; determining what policy initiatives will be elected and what is the best way of implementing such policies. New Zealand has had various political ideologies brought in by different government s; such as Social Democracy, Social Liberalism, Neo liberalism, Neo Conservatism and Conservatism. For the basis of this Essay, the focus will be on two of the most significant influences; Social Democracy and Conservatism. Both ideologies have hadRead MoreGlobalization: An Ideology of Western Elitists? Essay examples1229 Words   |  5 Pagespolitical, economical and cultural force in the 21st century (Steger, 2002, 6). As a social and economic concept, globalization has its roots in neoliberalism which advocates: the primacy of economic growth, free trade to stimulate growth, a free market, individual choice, reduction of government regulation, and global social development based on a western model (Steger, 2002, 9). Although globalization is not a new concept, technological advancements in the last few decades have, for the first timeRead MoreEconomic Development Of Hong Kong931 Words   |  4 Pageseconomic development, and decolonization of the education system as compared t o the predicted changes under the agreement. Hong Kong (HK) began as a British colony in 1842 as a â€Å"spoil of victory from the Opium War† (Chan Postiglione, p. 3). Its markets and ports were driven by regional trade and their strategic location. Hong Kong has since then become a cosmopolitan city-state of global significance and serves as the gateway to trade with mainland China. Further, HK acts as a catalyst for the economicRead MorePoli 330 Entire Course (Dqs -Checkpoints Critical Paper)9209 Words   |  37 Pagesthe role of the state this week, let’s take a closer look at this parable. What is the setting of the story? Who are the main characters? And what major events transpire? Week 3 discussions Ideologies Compared (graded) This week your Critical Reflection Paper compares the concepts of liberalism and socialism. To best prepare you for this assignment, let’s take a deeper look at the variations found within liberalism. Classical liberalism is based upon the work of John Locke and Adam Smith whereasRead MorePoli 330 Entire Course – Devry (Dqs -Checkpoints Critical Paper)4649 Words   |  19 Pagesrole of the state this week, let’s take a closer look at this parable. What is the setting of the story? Who are the main characters? And what major events transpire? Week 3 discussions Ideologies Compared (graded) This week your Critical Reflection Paper compares the concepts of liberalism and socialism. To best prepare you for this assignment, let’s take a deeper look at the variations found within liberalism. Classical liberalism is based upon the work of John Locke and Adam Smith whereasRead MoreA Third World Country Report of Iraq Essay3205 Words   |  13 PagesSociology 300 General Studies Department (Sociology) Strayer University Online August 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Dependency and Modernization Theories†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 Religion and Politics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Democracy and Dictatorship†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 Ethnic- Cultural Divisions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...7 Women and Development†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 Global Issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Revolutionary Change†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreImportance of Curriculum Foundations2440 Words   |  10 Pagestime of its birth. 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Throughout the Asia-Pacific region, its brand name has continuously led the company to the consistent growth in Marriott properties in many countries such as China, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand. Each Marriott hotel differentiates itself with exceptional amenities, individualized attention to guests, and careful reflection of local surroundings

Future of English Free Essays

Future of English as a global language â€Å"A language achieves a genuinely global status when it develops a special role that is recognized in every country† (Crystal 1997). In the 21st century, English is increasingly becoming the dominant language in global communication. However, the question of where the future of English lies remains unclear. We will write a custom essay sample on Future of English or any similar topic only for you Order Now Will English in the future increase in popularity or should we adopt a better alternative? English is undoubtedly one of the most influential languages in the world as more and more people use English as their official or second language. It has been given a variety of labels to represent its popularity. However, social inequalities and injustices have also emerged in the same process, revealing the controversial role English has had internationally. In order to critically examine the future of English as a global language this essay will discuss the following topics in this literature review. 1. Rise of English World-wide 2. English as the language of Science and Technology 3. English language teaching world-wide The number of English speakers in the world has increased at an astonishing rate throughout the last few centuries. According to Crystal he states that by 1983, the number of people speaking English as an official language was over 1,400 million world wide. Moreover in India and its subcontinent, the English language has an official standing. In the late 1990’s the number of English speaking citizens in China was approximately 220 million. The Olympics provided the motivation for an increase to double these numbers. English has brought benefits, social inequalities and injustices. It remains questionable as to whether or not English would remain a global standard language. Tsuda discuss how the political and cultural neutrality of the common language used internationally is extremely important and is required within the English language. By incorporating English into any society, countries are able to have some share of the globalization benefits but this necessitates the force of implementing English. If this way is adopted, the independence and uniqueness of other cultures will diminish because of one language dominating other ways worldwide and homogenize them into a Western and more particularly an American way of life. Esperanto has been suggested by Tsuda is a language that could be used for the purpose of an equal communication. The Esperanto movement has its philosophy as peace. The author questions whether English has a similar philosophy. THE RISE OF ENGLISH WORLD ·WIDE English has undoubtedly dominated other languages in the past 20 years. How it came to be so is another story altogether, although some stress it on historical or political spurs while others believe that modern-day socio-economic and scientific motivations led to its popularity. However in my opinion and with some research it is believed that the popularity of English began by the end of World War II. The only major industrialized country unaffected by war was the United States. The United States rapidly began working on scientific discoveries, such as the computer, this led to an increase in exchange of information globally, by design English became the source language for storage of information and its retrieval. The United States spent 40 years, after the war, working on setting up research universities, research and development departments, economic stability and computer networking. Hence becoming the supreme user of information technology as well as its biggest contributor. When you contribute towards something you eventually become its manager, similarly the United States began managing information such as its categorization, storage as well as operating languages and computer system designs. And the only medium it knew best to manage was in the programmer’s natural language i. e. English. So now English not only became the global language of Science but also ecame the global language of Information Technology. The position of English as a dominant language in areas of science and Technology is now quiet secure since most of the modern-day information assemblage are English based. English as the language of Science and Technology: Over the last 20 years, the spread of English has been enormous. Developing Countries desires for economic development, their need for information access and transfer of technology have been the key catalyst behind this domina nce. Although some might see this dominance as a negative impact that will not last for long, in Baileys 1983 article he states: â€Å"People bent on imposing their ways on others have no difficulty in contriving arguments to justify their doing so. The historical and present-day spread of English is no exception to that principle. Also â€Å"The hegemony of English that has steadily grown with the increase in global communication is now beginning to diminish and will shrink further in the immediate future† Although such a notion puts forward that English does represent part hegemony, it is the sort of hegemony that will not fade away or diminish in the near future due to some revolution but if it does it will not be as most have expect. However if evidence to date is considered, English is far from being diminished, it is now more than ever still expanding and continuing to secure its role as a global language hence further emphasizing the importance of English in our modern day lives. It should be made clear that any country that wishes to modernize itself and grow in the areas of science and technology and eventually com pete in global markets cannot show a resistance towards English. It is imperative for any country wishing to make its place in the world for any form of trade to communicate in English. Such will be the case until a time comes in the future when other languages are able to provide access to larger information and better technological development, or until a computer’s ability is developed to such an extent that it becomes independent of any specific natural language. Many have termed this statement as an argument for English for Science and Technology (EST) instruction. Of late Garfield (1987) pointed out that 88% of articles present in the Science Citation Index were in English, and from 1978 till 1982 data indicates that this development has been quiet consistent. He further adds that if citation data is to be considered then the dominance of English is seen at large. Around 96% of all citations, from 1978 to 1982, present in the index journal are written in English. Garfield also surveyed that most countries that had an option to publish in their language or a foreign language often chose to publish in English as frequently as in their own language. For example according to Garfield’s research, from 1978 to 1982, the Japanese Scientists cited their own publications 3 times as much as their Japanese publications. While according to Swinburne (1983) the French scientists cited their publications in English four times as much as their French publications. In the same way the Russian Scientists cited their publications quiet often in English as well. All this suggests that even those countries that value their natural language more are now giving a lot of importance to the use of English as a global language as well as a medium for scientific progression. The major reason behind this acceptance of English is due to the fact that 80 to 85% of all information stored in a computerized data bases around the world are written in either English or in some way abstracted in English. (Kaplan 1980-1982) and (McCrum et al 1986) English is not only the language for Technology but now is widely being used in Medical publications, in a study by Maher(1986) it is pointed out that from 1966 to 1980 a 19% increase in use of English in medical publications can been seen, from 53% to 72% respectively. In more recent research Maher shows that, with Japan being an exception, there is an incline towards the trend in general rather than a decline. English is undoubtedly the prevailing and widely used language of Science and Technology. Therefore it must be understood that for any country to ecome modernize and industrialize and technologically competitive, it is imperative that they access or use information that has been written in English. In the past 20 years the exponential growth in publications, the need for even faster retrieval and access of information and the stark demands generated by private multinational corporations and government industries have created a competition amongst countries to an extent that t he only access to information they have, technological or otherwise is basically in English. So any public or private modern day business or industries wanting to compete in the global markets and magnify their production need to have access to some form of information, latest researches and technological applications. And in order to utilize the research, applications or information the managers or administrators must be able to use English because English will be the language used to acquire information out of a system. This competition and the need for latest information make the position of English as a global language unwavering and steadfast for years to come. According to Forey Nunan â€Å"Hong Kong is a major international trading, business, banking, and communications center, and English is seen as a key to maintaining its position in these areas. †(Forey Nunan, 2002) ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING WORLD ·WIDE In extension to the above rationale that English is the language of Science, it won’t be wrong to say that wherever a need exists English is to be taught. Over the past 20 years this awareness has grown world-wide and more and more countries are giving English a great deal of importance in their school curriculum. Although the level of English being taught and the measures to be taken for its proper learning is a different issue altogether. Asian countries like China, Honk Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Philippines and Malaysia have added English language in their school curriculum at an early age, with teaching time ranging from minimum 4 hours a week to maximum 50 hours a week. Also a shift in the age at which English is taught is seen, from secondary classes to primary classes. It should be made clear that not all citizens of a country need to understand English, although in doing so they are denying themselves the access to the enormous information available world-wide. Even a country like Japan that holds a strong resistance towards English has introduced the language at high school level. English in China is in some way considered or has become the language for the elite; those who are unable to learn proper English in schools and have a sound family background begin taking private tuitions in order to learn English. This introduction of English in schools at such primary level, as well as the steps various governments have taken to ensure its proper learning of the language simply shows the dominance and importance of English world-wide. CONCLUSION To draw a conclusion that English is indeed a global language and will likely remain one in the near future seems reasonable. English plays a vital role is areas of information retrieval and its access, as well as in Science and Technology. Any country wishing to explore or expand in these areas will need to understand English. Although coming to such a conclusion is not as simple as it may seem, there are many complex issues at stake here but nevertheless, in light of the evidence provided in this paper it will not be wrong to say that English has clearly achieved world dominance and will continue to maintain its position not only as the language for Science and technology but also as world language in general. As Kaplan (1983b) has noted in an editorial in Science: â€Å"It seems reasonable to assert, however difficult it may be to accept, that knowledge of a world language, especially English, is essential to the welfare of the new nations . . New nations must find a balance between the cultivation of indigenous culture-rich language and the need for a world language . . . Any other course is tantamount to restricting their capability for modernization. † Reference List ? Bailey, R. W. (1983) Literacy in English: an international perspective. In Literacy for Life. Edited by R. W. Bailey and R. Fos heim. New York: MLA. pp. 30-44. ? Crystal, D. (1997). English as a global language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ? Crystal, D. (2000). Language death. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Curriculum Development Council. (1999). Syllabuses for secondary schools Englishlanguage (Secondary 1–5). Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China: Hong Kong Education Department. ? Education Commission. (1990). Education commission report number 4. Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China: Hong Kong Education Department. ? Forey, G. , Nunan, D. (2002). The role of language and culture within the accountancy workforce. In C. Barron, N. Bruce, D. Nunan (Eds. ), Knowledge and discourse: Towards an ecology of language. London: Longman/Pearson. ? Garfield, E. (1987) English spoken here. The Scientist, 1, 9 (7 September). ? Graddol, D. (1997). The future of English. London: British Council. ? Kaplan, R. B. (1980) A language-planning rationale for English for special purposes. In Language Policy and Language Teaching: Essays in Honor of Clifford H. Prator. Edited by J. Povey. Culver City, CA: ELS. pp. 53-64. ? Kaplan, R. B. (1982) Information science and ESP. Paper presented at the 16th Annual TESOL Convention, Honolulu, HI, May 1982. Kaplan, R. B. (1983b) Language and science policies of new nations. (Editorial) Science, 221,4614 (2 September). ? McCrum, R. , Cran, W. and MacNeil. R. (1986) The Story of English. New York: Viking. ? Maher, J. (1986) The development of English as an international langiage of mine. Applied Linguistics, 7, 206-218. ? Swinburne, J. (1983) Information use and transfer by British and French scientists: a study of two groups. Journal of information science 6, 75-80 —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 2010 How to cite Future of English, Essay examples

What Can Schools Do to Prevent Tardiness Essay Example

What Can Schools Do to Prevent Tardiness? Essay Students who arrive late to class are often disruptive to the class; they may also miss valuable instructions from teachers. School administrators, teachers and other school staff members can implement various policies and techniques designed to reduce the amount of student tardiness. Establish Rules * Establish clear rules at the beginning of the school year regarding the schools attendance and punctuality policy. Outline a clear plan on the consequences for unexcused absences and late arrivals. Be consistent with the rules, as students typically will notice otherwise. Involve the Parents For frequently tardy students, address the matter with the students parent. Some parents are at fault for their childs frequent tardiness. Involve the parents by asking for their help and explaining the school policy on tardiness. Tardy Report Card * Draw up an individual contract to motivate a frequently tardy student to improve her behavior. Use a daily or weekly tardiness report card. Reward stu dents who are obviously making an effort to reduce their tardiness with recognition. Make the subject of school attendance and punctuality an important one to give students the motivation to attend school on time. Detention * Issue a tardy detention for continuously tardy students. Give a detention for each tardy; have the student serve the detention on breaks and after school. Send home a notice of the reason for the detention to the parents; require the student to return the notice signed by the parent. Withhold Credits * Communicate with students and parents about how school attendance and punctuality are required to earn the credits for the class. A teachers instructions are necessary and important for a students learning; they should not be missed or interrupted by a student arriving late. Avoid Morning Downtime * Begin working immediately at the time class is to start. Late students who miss only a few minutes of downtime may not see the point in arriving to class on time; however, missing important information can motivate some students to avoid being tardy. Require Tardy Slips * Require late students to go to the school office and request a tardy slip before they can join the class. Keep track of each tardy and address your concerns with the student, the parent and the principal of the school. We will write a custom essay sample on What Can Schools Do to Prevent Tardiness? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What Can Schools Do to Prevent Tardiness? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What Can Schools Do to Prevent Tardiness? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In most cases, this process is motivating for students to arrive to class on time. Students come to class late. When students come to class late, it can disrupt the flow of a lecture or discussion, distract other students, impede learning, and generally erode class morale. Moreover, if left unchecked, lateness can become chronic and spread throughout the class. Because there are a number of possible reasons students arrive to class late, considering which causes are at the root of the problem can help guide instructors to appropriate responses and strategies. Understanding the reasons, however, does not require tolerating the behavior. Students lack interest or motivation. - Students see little value in the course or its content. Regardless of the objective value of an activity or topic, if students do not recognize its value, they may not be motivated to expend effort. However, if students clearly see how coursework connects to their goals, interests, and concerns, they will be more likely to value it, and thus more motivated to invest time and effort. Strategies: Clearly articulate learning goals. * Show relevance to students’ academic lives. * Demonstrate relevance to students’ professional lives. * Highlight real-world applications of knowledge and skills. * Connect to students’ personal interests. * Allow students some degree of choice. * Show your own passion and enthusiasm. Clearly articulate learning goals. Students will be more motivated to work if they know what goals they are working towards. Thus, it is a good idea not only to articulate goals for the course, but also for specific lectures, discussions, and assignments. For example, before beginning a lecture, an instructor might write on the board the skills, knowledge, and perspectives students will gain that day (with appropriate effort), using concrete, student-centered language—for example, â€Å"When you leave today, you should be able to debate the pros and cons of a single-payer health plan; apply a particular economic framework to make predictions about interest rates; identify, illustrate and compare three theoretical approaches in child development. Articulating learning goals is important for a variety of reasons, but it plays a key role in motivation by showing students the specific value they will derive from a particular course, unit, or activity. Show relevance to students’ academic lives. Students will be more motivated to work hard if they see the value of what they are learning to their overall course of study. Consequently, it is important to explain to students how your course will help prepare them for subsequent courses (e. g. a mathematics professor might help to motivate psychology students by explaining how the math skills they learn will help them in quantitative courses for their major). This gives students a better appreciation of the combined value of the courses they take and lets them see how each contributes to their overall education. It is also helpful to point out when students are learning skills that will help them later in the same course—especially when the material is difficult and potentially frustrating (e. g. an instructor might help encourage students who are struggling with a concept by saying, â€Å"This is a difficult idea, but a crucial one, and you’re going to be very glad you learned it when we begin analyzing negotiation cases in Unit 3†). Seeing the value of the material within a broader academic framework can help students sustain motivation and persist through challenges and setbacks. Demonstrate relevance to students’ professiona l lives. Students are more likely to exert effort in a course if they anticipate an eventual payoff in terms of their future professional lives. Consequently, instructors can enhance motivation by linking their course content to students’ intended professions, pointing out how the skills and knowledge students are gaining in class will help them after they graduate. An information systems instructor, for example, can motivate students to learn information systems principles by pointing to real-life database failures that resulted when these principles were not applied. A theater instructor might motivate acting students to study dramaturgy by explaining how a rich understanding of a play’s context will contribute to their understanding of character. It is especially important to highlight the professional relevance of higher-level skills such as quantitative reasoning, public speaking, persuasive writing, and teamwork, because students do not always recognize their importance in the work world. Highlight real-world applications of knowledge and skills. One effective way to harness student motivation is to have students apply what they are learning to real-world contexts. For example, a marketing professor might use a real-world industry case study to give students practice applying marketing principles to complex, contextualized problems. Similarly, in an information systems course, the instructor might assign a service-learning project in which students must build a database for a non-profit community organization. This kind of task allows students to work within authentic constraints, interact with real clients, and explore possible professions. Such assignments may also create possibilities for future internships or jobs. All of these factors are likely to increase student motivation. Even in courses that are more theoretical than applied, instructors can convey the relevance of course content simply by pointing out its significance in the real world. For example, a mathematics professor teaching optimization might point out that financial institutions use optimization techniques to maximize trade efficiency. Connect to students’ personal interests. Motivation is often enhanced when instructors connect course material to students’ personal interests. For example, a chemistry professor might link a lesson on chemical transformations of carbohydrates to students’ interest in cooking. A history instructor might motivate interest in colonial history by showing how it helps to explain contemporary geopolitical conflicts or environmental problems. Similarly, well-constructed courses that tap into issues that are important to students (e. g. , The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Philosophy and the Matrix [a popular film], The Statistics of Sexual Orientation) can capitalize on students’ motivation without sacrificing intellectual or disciplinary rigor. Allow students some degree of choice. One possible way to enhance student motivation is to allow students to choose topics for papers and projects that connect the course content to their outside interests and passions. For example, a physics instructor might allow a student who plays different sports to do a project comparing the spin, rotation, and acceleration of differently shaped balls. A history instructor teaching about immigration might allow students to write about their own family’s immigration experience in relation to the course content. However, while flexibility and choice can be motivating, it is also important to recognize that weighing and choosing among alternatives requires cognitive effort and can create an extra burden for students. Thus, instructors might want to provide a restricted set of options and sufficient time to choose among them. This can enhance motivation without overwhelming students with too many choices. Show your own passion and enthusiasm. Your own enthusiasm about the course content can be powerful and contagious. Even if students are not initially attracted to or interested in the material, by clearly demonstrating your own enthusiasm, you can often raise students’ curiosity and motivate them to find out what excites you about the subject. This can lead them to engage more deeply than they had initially planned and to discover value they had overlooked. The causes of absenteeism of students are 1. Lack of Subject Interest 2. Lack of Personal Interest in studies. 3. Available opportunities for entertainment like malls, movie halls etc. 4. The mental capacity of a students does not matches with the the course opted. 5. Too much Pamperness from family. 6. The poor teaching skills of a teacher also keep away student from the school. 7. Lack of confidence 8. Ragging also cause absenteeism 9. Lack of allied activities also causes absenteeism like no sports program,no freshers or farewell parties ,no annual day celebration etc. How to Deal With Tardy Students Teachers sometimes have to deal with students who are tardy to their class. While some students occasionally come to class late because they miss the bus, others are chronically tardy. Dealing with students who are constantly tardy becomes frustrating for many teachers. Students who show up late disrupt a teachers lecture and slow the class down. Teachers should not handle tardiness lightly and properly discipline students who continuously come to class late. Instructions 1 Treat the tardy student with respect. Do not embarrass the late student in front of the class by making a big deal about her tardiness. She will likely feel bad the rest of the class period and wont appreciate your attempt to humiliate her. In addition, making a big deal about her tardiness will also distract the other students from learning. 2 Talk to the tardy student in private after class. Tell him that you dont appreciate his tardiness because it disrupts the class. Ask him why he has been tardy and give him advice on how to be on time. Express to him that his tardiness wont be tolerated by telling him his next tardy will result in a detention. 3 Give the student an after school detention if she continues to come late to class. Require her to sit quietly at her desk and complete her homework during her detention. A detention may deter her from being late again because she likely would rather spend time at home or with her friends than sit in a classroom after school. If she takes the bus home, call her parents ahead of time to tell them about the situation. 4 Call the students parents if he still continues to be late. Arrange to have a meeting with the parents and the tardy student after school. Explain to them that you warned him about his tardiness, but he continues to come late to class. If his parents understand the seriousness of the situation, they will likely take proper disciplinary measures at home to ensure he isnt late again. Dealing with Excessive Absences 1. Make sure students note the departmental policy regarding unexcused absences. . After the first absence beyond what you consider tolerable (this depends upon how many days per week your course meets, whether the student has been in touch with you, etc. ) speak to the student at the first opportunity. Make clear that you are , indeed, maintaining attendance records and that you have noted his/her absences and will permit no more absences without serious cause. Make a note of the d ate on which you spoke to the student. 3. After the third absence beyond a tolerable limit (second after you have spoken with the student) send the student a letter by regular mail or lectronic mail (messenger mail can be very slow) and copy to the students association dean and the Language Program Director. Keep a copy for your own files. Be sure to refer to the discussion you had with the student and mention the date of this discussion. 4. If this does not produce results, send the next letter to the students dean and then get on with more important things. Send a copy of the letter to the Language Program Director and keep one for your files. 5. If the student indeed misses 8 [6/3] classes, get in touch with the students dean or ask the Language Program Director to take over from there. You may not drop students from your class list after the last day to drop classes. Students who exceed the total number of allowed absences after the drop date may receive a 0 in participation or in the course. This decision should be handled case-by-case, in consultation with the students association dean. How to Stop Failing a Class Relax. First you need to relax and think to yourself why you are failing this class. Are there too many distractions? Does the teacher not explain the work well? Or are you just not understanding any of it? Think about this and ways you could minimize it. Study. Studying is probably the most important thing you could do! Not studying could be a big reason why you arent passing the class. When studying, make sure you rid the room of ALL distractions! turn off things such as the TV, stereo, and even your cell phone! if you are tempted to turn any of these things on then move to another comfortable and quiet place in your home that has less distractions. Take breaks. Take a break once in a while when studying. Working non-stop wont help you that much and may make it more difficult to remember things. Stop and grab a snack but dont turn on ANY of the distractions that are around you for you may end up not going back to study or even remember what you have just studied. Studies have shown that doing some exercising or just simply walking around keeps your brain going and you have energy. this will help your memory. Take advantage. Take advantage of things at your school. If your teacher stays after school on certain days for extra help make sure you talk to them about that. you need all the help you can get. if you want, you could even consider a tutor. Use your class time. While in class, make sure you get rid of any distractions as well. Since you dont own the classroom, you cant just walk around and hide things or turn them off. but make your workspace clean and with no distractions at all! make sure you have all of the supplies you need before the class starts. taking the time to find paper or a pen or even the homework could cause you to miss something important. Listen. Make sure you are listening to what is going on in the class. Studies have shown that looking at the teacher while they are talking helps when it comes to listening. ont fiddle around with you pen/pencil and also dont draw on the side of your papers. (i have a huge habit of drawing on almost all of my papers during classes). Pay attention to what your teacher is saying so you understand. Ask. Dont be afraid to ask questions when you dont understand something. if you didnt understand the problem the teacher just did on the board, ask if they could do it again and explain it to you. Asking is very important. Again, ask the teacher if you could come at lunch to be tutored or to stay after school for extra help. Doing this isnt embarrassing so dont mind if your friends tease you. Hey, youll be the one laughing when you friends are failing a class and your out hanging with other friends! Use time at home. When at home and doing your homework or studying, make sure its quiet and again, no distractions. If you dont understand a problem on the homework, call up a friend to ask or look back into a text book or even ask your parents! the internet can be useful but most websites might not have accurate explanations or even answers! dont go on there unless you dont have any other choice. Take care of yourself. Be healthy too! be happy and healthy has a big part when it comes to learning. make sure you get enough sleep which should be at least 8 hours. Eat breakfast in the morning even if its a simple granola bar or even an apple! eating and sleeping help you stay focused throughout the day! and remember, you still have classes after lunch so make sure you eat well there too! make sure you are in a good mood too. you dont want a negative attitude or a lot of things on your mind while trying to pay attention to the lesson or when taking a test. clear your mind of distractions before class starts.

Anime VS American Animation Essays - Shnen Manga, Osamu Tezuka

Anime VS American Animation Essays - Shnen Manga, Osamu Tezuka Anime VS American Animation by Marker Apenname Thesis Statement This is my thesis statement while American animation and Japanese animation both have their virtues, the style of American animation, in general, has a significant amount of higher quality. Where to Begin? Where to be Going? To begin with, one of the major problems that has hindered American animation is budget and time constraints. On the other hand, in Japan, anime has been allowed to flourish all over. When it comes to animation, it seems that Hollywood simply does not take it seriously and would rather throw its millions into "live action" films and TV shows. There is only one company in Hollywood which devotes a significant amount of its resources to advancing our heritage in animation, and that's Disney. Comparatively, its Japanese cousin has hundreds. This is a real shame considering that animation itself was originally pioneered by us. The American form of animation has not had its techniques advanced through as many stages or been perfected as much as Japanese anime has. This would lead some to the conclusion that Japanese animation is inherently better than American animation; a false conclusion that I will dissect piece by piece as we go on. Still, there are some examples where the qualit y of American animation really shines through for what it was meant to be. Take another perspective, and you'll see that the cut-throat constraints which American animation producers face can actually help the quality of their animation, because they are always forced to work under the constant threat of being "canned". Any animation project cannot be a flop or else (as in showbiz terms) so-and-so "will never work in this town again!" Compare this to all that garbage floating around in Japan. However, to gain the popularity and respect that the form deserves, we need to make some big changes. Fortunately, it seems that some of the big-shots up there have finally started to take notice of what has caused the likes of Disney to become very successful and make billions of dollars for years. Of course, it will be a while before animators are given the freedom and creativity that have made the Japanese successful for the last decade. But we cannot simply play catch-up by copying their in ferior anime style (even though that's what they did to us a long time ago). Then we would be giving away our pride selling out one of the few proud things that we can say was made in America. No, we must do things our own way! A Little History Few people, including those obsessed anime fans, have a clear understanding of how Japanese animation came to be or how it relates to the American form of animation. So, let's take a little look at its history. First, let's figure out what element of Japan's society has caused the proliferation of anime. Well, in Japan there is a distinctive connection between the animation industry and the comic book (called "manga") industry. In fact, many animes are based off of manga. The actual word "manga" was coined in 1814 and roughly translates into "humorous pictures", but cartoonish art had existed in Japanese culture for centuries prior to that. The crude drawings were used by the Japanese leaders and social elite, usually for political purposes. One of the earliest known collections of these drawings were drawn by a Buddhist monk named Toba in the 12th century. The need for these drawings was probably brought about by a certain trait in Japanese culture, which modern-day psychologis ts might call an "attention deficit disorder". The solution for this was to entice their people with certain visual stimuli. This became a useful tool for those in power, since they could use it to leverage control over the public. The effect could be described similarly to the "media saturation" which has plagued America in recent times. Flash forward to 1989 only 12% of published material in Japan were books, whereas the majority (38%) were manga! If this does not show anything about Japanese society and literacy, then I don't know what does. All of this may suggest that the Japanese had a unique style of their

Getting Started With Student Portfolios

Getting Started With Student Portfolios There are many wonderful benefits to having students create portfoliosone is the enhancement of critical thinking skills which results from the need for students to develop evaluation criteria. You can also use this criteria to evaluate their work and engage in self-reflection about their progress. Additionally, students are pleased to observe their personal growth, they tend to  have better attitudes toward their work, and they are more likely to think of themselves as writers. The payoff for using portfolios becomes concrete when students discover they can earn college credit and, in some cases, skip a freshman writing class by creating a top notch writing portfolio while they are still in high school.    Before proceeding with assigning a portfolio, familiarize yourself with the rules and credit requirements for such a project. Theres little point to requiring this work from students if theyre not properly credited or dont understand the assignment.   Working Student Portfolio A working portfolio, often a simple file folder containing all the students work, is helpful when used in conjunction with the evaluation portfolio; you can start it prior to deciding what youll require in the evaluation portfolio and thus protect work from being lost. Arrangements must be made, however, to store folders in the classroom. Students at all levels generally become proud as they watch their work accumulateeven students who rarely work will be amazed to see five or more assignments that they actually finished. Getting Started With Student Portfolios There are three main factors that go into the development of a student portfolio assessment. First, you must decide on the purpose of your students  portfolios. For example, the portfolios might be used to show student growth, to identify weak spots in student work, and/or to evaluate your own teaching methods. After deciding the purpose of the portfolio, you will need to determine how you are going to grade it. In other words, what would a student need in their portfolio for it to be considered a success and for them to earn a passing grade? The answer to the previous two questions helps form the answer to the third: What should be included in the portfolio? Are you going to have students put in all  of  their work or only certain assignments? Who gets to choose? By answering the above questions, you are able to start student portfolios off on the right foot. A big mistake some teachers make is to just jump into student portfolios without thinking through exactly how they are going to manage them. To help you answer these questions, you might find it helpful to review the Portfolio Planning Checklist and Suggested Portfolio Items for each kind of portfolio students will keep. If done in a focused way, creating student portfolios will be a rewarding experience for both student and teacher.