...fascinating question “Are child prodigies born or made?” To begin with, the author strictly defines prodigy as a child who by age 10 displays a mastery of a field. Initially, I had no doubt about this definition; however, after reading some online information, I got to know that although there was growing consensus with the author’s definition, it would be going too far to say that such a consensus exists without controversy. There may, for example, be some wisdom in the view of Radford (1990), who has argued that there are so many problems with specifying at what age, and against what standard, a child would have to perform to be called a prodigy. Personally, I much more agree with Radford’s viewpoint than the strict definition of the author. He regards age as the standard to demiliate a prodigy, while I agree with Radford that each field has its own standards, and it seems better to try to specify what is uniquely characteristic of the child prodigy than restricting a certain age to call someone a prodigy. Prodigies, as the author says, can be found anywhere and in any race or culture. However, there are some factors that prevent some child prodigies from being discovered or developed. Besides poverty, lack of education, and absence of opportunities in the past, most of which have been mentions in the text, there are two other factors that I feel quite upset to know when searching further online information. First is the history of child prodigies in South – East Asia...
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...“Lead or Follow” Should I conform? Should I rebel? This has and always will be, a constant battle struggled individually, or as a society. A certain amount of conformity needs to exist in life in order to avoid disorder. This is the reason we have laws. Take those laws, rules, control, or even expectations, to an extreme, and some form of rebellion is probable. Struggle with these opposites, and you have a catalyst for war, or perhaps, being fired from a job. Literature represents life, and this theme can be found at the root of many literary works. “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, reflects blind conformity by the villagers with a hint of rebellion. Every June 27th the lottery takes place; the prize for winning is death. The villagers believe sacrificing one of their own will ensure a good harvest. The villagers are so blasé about the lottery it is said “the whole lottery took less than two hours, so it could begin at ten o’clock in the morning and still be through in time to allow the villagers to get home for noon dinner” (339/1). We get our first sense of possible rebellion when Mr. Adams says, “over in the north village they’re talking of giving up the lottery” (342/31) Mrs. Adams adds, some villages have already given it up. Old Man Warner’s retort is, “Pack of crazy fools…Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon. First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns,” (342/32) summing up the villagers belief in the continued need of this tradition....
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...The short story, “Two Kinds”, written by Amy Tan, is written from the point of view of the character named Jing-Mei. There are three experiences which demonstrate her viewpoint. In the first experience, Jing-Mei is being told by her mom about the “American dream”. At first, she strives to pursue this prodigy. Her mom would test her every night after dinner. Through Jing-Mei’s eyes, she starts to realize that it was not the life she wanted to live. Lines in the story illustrate this when he says “I won’t let her change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not.” (p.406). In the second experience, Jing-Mei performs in a talent show. Her mother forced her to learn how to play the piano. After seeing a little girl playing the piano magnificently, her mother was inspired to make Jing-Mei become a famous pianist. Through her eyes, she was not really concerned about playing well and didn’t practiced efficiently. As a result, when she played her piece at the talent show, she fumbled on some notes. As it suddenly became a snowball effect. At this point, Jing-Mei felt ashamed of herself and was not satisfied with how her performance went. Indeed, we see this exact thought in the lines of the story when she states, “my whole face quivering as I tried not to cry” (p.410). In the third experience, we see Jing-Mei at home about two days after the talent show. After her mom kept reminding her about her usual four o’clock lesson, Jing-Mei replies that she was not going to play the piano...
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...STAGE 2 ENGLISH COMMUNICATIONS TEXT RESPONSE Shine – Interview with Scott Hicks David Helfgott. An Australian child prodigy at the piano. Yet not many people have heard of this person. Until now; the 1996 movie Shine starring Geoffrey Rush and Noah Taylor, shows just this; the life of David Helfgott… a rambling and mentally ill, yet brilliant piano player. In an interview with the director, Scott Hicks answers a few pressing questions of the movie. Interviewer – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview. First up, I would like to know what some of the challenges that you encountered while making the movie? Scott Hicks – Thanks, it’s good to be here. The main challenge that I found while Shine was in the making, was getting enough...
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...only made him laugh more. Eventually he came up to me, patted my head and said "kitty kat" with benevolent condescension. This perfectly sums up my status in the animal pack of mothers defined by Amy Chua's "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother." There are the fierce tigers who churn out child prodigies, and then there are the pussycats who waste their afternoons playing useless board games and get bested by their own toddlers. In pretty much every way, I am the weak-willed, pathetic Western parent that Ms. Chua describes. My children go on playdates and sleepovers; in fact I wish they would go on more of them. When they give me lopsided, hastily drawn birthday cards, I praise them as if they were Matisse, sometimes with tears in my eyes. (Ms. Chua threw back one quickly scribbled birthday card, saying "I reject this," and told her daughters they could do better.) My middle son is skilled at precisely the two extracurricular activities Ms. Chua most mocks: He just got a minor part in the school play as a fisherman, and he is a master of the drums, the instrument that she claims leads directly to using drugs (I'm not sure if she is joking or not). I would be thrilled, of course, if my eldest child made it to Carnegie Hall at 14, which is the great crescendo of the Chua family story (although I would make sure to tell my other two children that they were fabulous in other ways!). But the chances that I would threaten to burn all her stuffed animals unless she played a piano piece...
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...I was on a parenting bulletin board recently and read a post by a mother who was worried that her 4 1/2 year old did not know enough. “What should a 4 year old know?” she asked. Most of the answers left me not only saddened but pretty soundly annoyed. One mom posted a laundry list of all of the things her son knew. Counting to 100, planets, how to write his first and last name, and on and on. Others chimed in with how much more their children already knew, some who were only three. A few posted URL’s to lists of what each age should know. The fewest yet said that each child develops at his own pace and not to worry. It bothered me greatly to see these mothers responding to a worried mom by adding to her concern, with lists of all the things their children could do that hers couldn’t. We are such a competitive culture that even our preschoolers have become trophies and bragging rights. Childhood shouldn’t be a race. So here, I offer my list of what a 4 year old should know. She should know that she is loved wholly and unconditionally, all of the time. He should know that he is safe and he should know how to keep himself safe in public, with others, and in varied situations. He should know that he can trust his instincts about people and that he never has to do something that doesn’t feel right, no matter who is asking. He should know his personal rights and that his family will back them up. She should know how to laugh, act silly, be goofy and use her imagination...
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...INTRODUCTION… Rainbow is franchise that operates 5 branches of pre-school and child care facilities in the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This 5 branches offer the highest quality or nurses and toddler facilities as well as 3 and 4 year old kindergarten for 90- 100 children. These centers comprise class rooms catering for the1-2 year’s olds and 2-3 years old, as well as classes for the 3 and 3 year old kindergarten. Besides that, these centers also provide casual day care services for parents who need to be away from their children for appointments, running errands, due to work or even just to enjoy the quiet time sans children. Parents have been advised to book for slots much earlier to reserve child care. Casual booking has to be paid up front for prior to leaving the child in the Centre. This center’s ensure that all teachers in the kindergarten classes are highly qualified and the child care givers are well trained. At the moment the Centre has 120 employees. This centers use the highest possible technology that they can provide out, most parents are updated on their children’s progress by their respective teachers. Teachers are to keep track on the behaviors of the children and to track them down so that parents can view their all-round performances in the centers. This business takes pride on the quality of the services it is providing the customers. A business like Rainbow is a very huge business that requires a certain amount extensive use of Information System that would...
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...these assumptions and don’t even know the true history of the child and what the child has been through or currently going through; I have been one of these people myself. It’s important to know that something seriously could be wrong with our children rather in development issues or home based issues. In this paper I will be discussing different risk factors and how they can influence a child’s behavior; I will also enlighten you on how you as well as other teachers, and parents can help change these behaviors. Risk Factors Educators and parents must be able to identify risk factors in order to be able to successfully understand and help a child in need. There are many factors that should be known about such as: Poverty, Violence, and problem with brain function (Development). * Poverty- Child poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon and can be measured in many ways. It is imperative that governments make a commitment to child poverty reduction, recognizing and responding to child poverty is the first priority, alongside building expertise and improved approaches to child poverty measurement. Understanding child poverty to the fullest possible extent is vital. While an adult may fall into poverty temporarily, falling into poverty in childhood can last a lifetime – rarely does a child get a second chance at an education or a healthy start in life. As such, child poverty threatens not only the individual child, but is likely...
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...Information Technology Act There are several advances in information technology that resulted in new ethical issues that brought on the creation of certain acts. The two acts which will be discussed in this paper are the Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000 (CIPA), and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (COPPA). Children’s Internet Protection Act is a federal law that was passed by congress that went into effect April 20, 2001 (ala.org. para1). The purpose behind the Children’s Internet Protection Act is to help block and filter certain material from being accessed through the internet. (ala.org para1). As the technology advances the local school systems have begun using computers/internet to teach children how to research subjects and to learn the technology of this day and time, which is also covered under this particular act that each school that has computers as a teaching tool is required to have filter system to keep minors from seeing cites that are not appreciate. The main purpose with the Children’s Internet Protection is to prevent children from today’s exposure for example pornographic images that are unsuitable for children. Modern Technology has become an important tool in our society from online banking to entering an address and receives step by step directions; if it appeals to adults then children interest will be a larger version of appeal. The internet is growing and children are being brought up in different society, learning how...
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...mentally-impaired child. This small school is very near a state university, although it is not directly associated with it. Most of the families who enroll their children in the school are graduate students or faculty at the nearby campus, and the director is a graduate student in the master's program in education. There are eight 4-and 5-year old children in the group, and each of them has some special difficulty in the emotional or mental realm. The physical environment is a house that has been partially converted into a school. The director uses her kitchen and living room for various activities, and two other rooms are set aside for the children, as well as the fenced-in outdoor play yard. The atmosphere is homey and friendly, and the director is as relaxed as if she were inviting the families, the children, and me over for a friendly chat over coffee. This program is a half-day arrangement, and day care is not provided. The educational and mental health curriculum is intended for enrichment and specific assistance to children and families that have identified some difficulty in their child's behavior or development. Most of the children come through referral from the local mental health center. The instructor carefully screens each family and makes certain requirements for parental involvement in the program. Each parent assists for a few hours each month, partly to keep the tuition costs reasonable, and more importantly to allow the parent to observe the child within the...
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...of them is different. It is the teacher’s job to explain how the world around them and the people in it are different. Making each child feel like they belong can be difficult but is always possible and a good teacher can accomplish that task. | Accommodating the Differences With the rowing cultural diversity of the world, the classroom has become a vital launching station for understanding cultural differences. Education about cultural differences and different groups of students starts with the teacher. One group of diverse students may be that of ethnic background. Children develop racial attitudes up until about the age of 9. After the age of 9, racial attitudes are likely to stay the same. Before that, the teacher has a good chance to help children develop positive feelings about who he or she is and about whom others are around them. “Children develop their identity and attitudes through experiences with their bodies, social environments, and their cognitive developmental stages.” (Derman-Sparks, 1989) As these three factors inter play, children go through stages of racial and cultural understanding. Also, as a child’s thinking is not yet fully developed, it is important to catch feeling of racial prejudice before they start, so that a child can form a healthy attitude about the world around them. To help a child of different culture feel comfortable in the classroom, the teacher needs to create a multicultural classroom. This can be done with...
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...important to note that the term “failure to thrive” is used to describe elderly individuals with declining health, and individuals who are losing the ability to perform the functions need to survive. Children are deemed as individuals who are failing to thrive when their rate of growth does not meet the expected growth rate for a child their age. Reasons for children’s failure to thrive can be medical, such as Anorexia or their refusal to eat from chronic medical problems, such as Renal Disease, Cancer, Congenital Heart Disease, Metabolic Disorders, liver disease, HIV infection, or gastrointestinal reflux. It can range from mild to moderate to severe in individuals with diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, autism, and fetal alcohol syndrome. Other reasons that can lead to a child’s failure to thrive can be emotional or behavioral in origin. When a child is not receiving adequate nutrition or the child has an inability to receive adequate nutrition the child is unable gain weight and grow in a healthy manner. Failure to thrive has an enormous impact on the child's physical and mental growth. If the underlying conditions are not taken care of, a child who is experiencing failure to thrive will become irritable and apathetic and my not reach developmental markers at the usual ages for most...
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...choice of food for children. It describes that living healthy starts with children and the foods that they eat and their physical activities are two of the most important issues. Child obesity is a growing issue and this article has valuable information. This article states that it is peer reviewed on the detailed record. Baker, T., & Masud, H. (2010). Liability risks for after-hours use of public school property to reduce obesity: a 50-state survey. Journal Of School Health, 80(10), 508-513. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00535.x Retrieved July 29, 2012 from EBSCOhost. This is an interesting article that talks about children and obesity. It goes over why it is important that children are involved in physical activities and how schools can help achieve this. It talks about how school boards and administrators feel as though it is a liability risk for students to be involved in more physical activities. This article states that it is peer reviewed on the detailed record. Murphy, M., & Polivka, B. (2007). Parental perceptions of the schools' role in addressing childhood obesity. Journal Of School Nursing (Allen Press Publishing Services Inc.), 23(1), 40-46. doi:10.1177/10598405070230010701 Retrieved July 29, 2012 from EBSCOhost. This is a good article that gives a perspective about child obesity and schools through parent’s eyes. Many parents were surveyed to get an understanding of what they felt ws the...
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...and its name is: h-waya´as. An H-waya´as is a Baalba´al, it is dirty, revolting with long hair around for all its body. It was inside the cave and caring for “hapai kan”. Its work is to search children to take them at the cave so hapai kan swallowed them. Hapai kan can bring a child towards itself with its hot mouth, even though child being so far like a distance of 4 walache´es. There are impenetrable labyrinths inside it cave. There anybody could get lost. People don’t allow their children go there. Once a year, it goes out by 4 directions: north, south, east, and west. After 5 days it will come back. When it go out, Baalba'al H-Waya'as turn it face upward; and when it come back at its cave it is face downward. While it flies on the world, it spreads a scabies or malignant fluff similar to the corn. This way everything spreads on the 4 cardinal points. As consequence would have putrefied and harmful waters for humans and sown fields. Due to putrefied waters all the people and animals fell sick of stomachache. Sometimes this cause that trees and humans die. In the month of august, it flies for all the sky. It will make the day when “Yum k´u” who will judge men when the world end, during 7 days any child will be born. When this day come, “hapai kan” will be dying...
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...Journal 4 : The Unforgettable Experience of My Life. I wondered what others had to say regarding their past encountring mishaps and accidents especially during their childhood life. I remembered when I was at the tender age of five. I was quite playful and active child of the age of mine. As simple minded as a child, I never heed to advices and ban the elders used to cry at. Of course being a child of no experience made me curious and persistent to do things as the grown-ups did. Never did I thought of dangers posed in every action and move I take. One day, I woke up to my usual Saturday morning and had the breakfast my mom prepared. She asked me to follow her to her workplace, a primary school which I agreed. There, my mom let me play with the staff’s children so we wouldn’t disturb them at work. But my mom reminded not to go too near the fish pond in the science garden. Lately, some reports were made that student got stung by bees near the fish pond. The beehives was believed to be at the rock pile of bricks. It was normal for my fellow friends and I to play near the fish pond. That place was shady and cool. We played hide-and-seek game. I hid behind the rock pile of bricks and accidentally toppled the unstable structure. The beehives was destroyed at once and the bees were furious. They swarmed over me and stung me. I was lucky as I wore long-sleeved shirt but my bare foot became the target. My friends and I run to safety, but the stings was so much that I cried in pain...
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