Development and Social Change Essay Example for Free

Development and Social Change Essay â€Å"Although globalization made earlier appearances, the trend has unfolded with unprecedented speeds, and to unprecedented extents since the 1960s. † (SCHOLTE. 2000) This essay will explain how the forces of globalisation have shaped and will continue to shape, the financial, demographic, and political societies we see around us today. It will identify the extent to which sustained Globalization has â€Å" the crevice between poverty, comparative poverty, and luxury. † Such positive and negative attributes affect society on a number of different levels, â€Å" the individual, the household, the firm, the town, the region, the sector, the nation. † (Kaplinsky) This essay will provide and in-depth analysis and examples of how such global processes have worked to erode the fortunes of so many (Sierra Leone); whilst also being the catalyst for success in other areas (Mexico). (HELD. 2007) ‘The Race to the Bottom,’ is a term describing the intra-national contest for the most favourable environment for business trading, manufacture and investment. Following its successful application to join the World Trading Organisation (WTO) in November 2001, China has experienced a vast influx of foreign investment. This has – as expected – empowered the Chinese economy to the detriment of its former South-east Asian exporting partners. Hong Kong and Taiwan had nurtured the Chinese economy for a decade previously, and now find that their economies are being â€Å" hollowed out, as China sucks away jobs. † (CHAN. 2009) How did this happen? In the early 1990s China introduced its first minimum wage system with the intention of protecting its workforce. Due to the great versatility of China, the government came up with a formula (based upon local living costs; inflation etc. ) with which each city or region would publish and enforce its own minimum wage. The benchmark for all minimum wages set is between 40% and 60% of the average wage in that locality. Since 1993, according to a study by the Bureau of International Labour Affairs, almost all of the provincial governments have failed to maintain these standards – [see table 2]. Their desire to attract investment has forced the minimum wage : average wage percentage further down. Shenzhen, a model Chinese exports city, paid, on average, 10% less that the absolute minimum wage required by the government and international labour standards. Conversely, the city of Chongqing, which is not export-led or globally integrated, consistently achieves almost 10% more than its minimum required standards (49. 86% in 2000). Chan concludes a â€Å"worrying trend. † She suggests that; â€Å" as a region or province becomes more prosperous, it violates the national guidelines and seeks to maintain its attractiveness to foreign capital by keeping its minimum wage level low the benefits of globalisation with this competitive logic have not, and will not, trickle down to those who make the products. † (CHAN. 2009) The Human Development Report 2006-2008 uses Corrado Gini’s coefficient to highlight an increase in overall inequality from 0. 31 to 0. 45 during the initial years of reform. [Coefficient measures between 0 and 1 where 0 is complete equality]. (FACTSHEET. 2008) However, the benefits of neo-liberal economic reform in China seem to have had a positive effect on ‘Poverty. ’ Between 1990 and 2005 the influx of industry and trade bought a per capita growth averaging 8. 7%. Using the World Bank poverty line, (measured at Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)) household surveys suggest that post 1981, 54% (500,000,000 people) of the population of China scrambled over the poverty line. (CHAN. 2009) In this sense, we must conclude that global economic integration in China has seen a significant reduction in poverty, but an increase in income inequality has come from overwhelming national development due to increasingly capitalist structures stemming from trade liberalization. What advocates of globalization emit is that two thirds of Chinese industry relies on coal, and just 7% of their energy sources are renewable. A report from the Financial Times found that air pollution in China caused by heavy industry and chemical production has led to the annual premature deaths of 400,000 (air quality); 300,000 (indoor air quality); and a further 60,000 due to poor water quality. (BBC. 2007) There is 1 country in the world where economic growth rate has consistently outpaced that of the Asian Tigers: Botswana (9% average annual growth). Botswana had a GDP per capita of just US$ 77 at independence from Britain (1966). It now stands at US$ 7,554 (GLOBAL PROPERTY. 2010). Kraay notes that; â€Å"A sustainable future in Africa rests on its ability to develop and maximise natural resources. Diamonds play a major role in these efforts. † Diamond extraction and production requires a large investment of initial capital. In the case of Botswana, DeBeers and the Government of Botswana invested 50:50 US$40 million in the Damtshaa mine. FDI in diamonds around Botswana accounts for 33% of GDP growth. Global trading and distribution of diamonds and other minerals accounted for 55% of total government revenues in the late 1990s. (MBENDI. 2009) â€Å"Botswana’s history of sound management, good governance [Botswana has an accountable parliament and holds regular democratic elections] and an emerging focus on enhancing regional competitiveness should serve it well as it continues efforts to diversify. † (WORLD BANK. 2009) So, to what extent can we propose Botswana as a model of how ‘Sustained Globalization’ can ‘Eliminate World Poverty? ’ Firstly it is important to note the income elasticity of diamonds and other such minerals. They are a luxury product and due to the current economic downturn, as real wages decrease, demand is likely to proportionally decrease also. Growth estimates for 2009-2010 predict a contraction of 10. 2%. It seems that over reliance on the global export market has forged vulnerabilities in an otherwise stable nation. However the non-mining private sector of Botswana has proved to have deep foundations, recording a 9. 4% market increase this year. Either way, prudent fiscal and taxation policy, and low level of public debt (3% of GDP) resulting from huge capital influx over the years, mean that national reserves are likely to hold out for the recession period. (MBENDI. 2009) Secondly, it is important to note (as was the case in China), that increase in GDP is not directly proportional to poverty decrease. The most deprived quintile share just 1% of GDP, whilst the second quintile accounts for 5. 9% (Gini coefficient 0. 6). This means that 47% of the population still live below the poverty line. Perhaps the capital gains still need more time to filter down through infrastructure development and reform? In 1966 there were just 3 miles of roads; now there are 4,000 miles, a public transportation system and a nation-wide telephone grid. (WORKMAN. 2006) Perhaps the figures are being distorted by the unstoppable force of HIV/AIDs and malaria that has hit Botswana so hard recently? It is impossible to say. What we can say, however, is that in order to reap the benefits of global trade in the long-term, Botswana must recognise the fragilities of basing their economy on an exhaustible and export-orientated resource. In 1991 the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under Froday Sankoh, launched assaults against the Government of Sierra Leone. Their goal was to combat ‘crime and corruption. ’ The ensuing 11-year conflict was funded throughout by revenues generated by the diamond trade (an estimated initial worth of US$ 125 million). A median estimate suggests the murder of 75,000 (USA Today and The Times). A less conservative opinion from the Agence France Presse believe the figure was nearer to 200,000. (WORLD BANK. 2009) Either way, the drain on capital, natural resources, labour demographic and widespread looting was funded by the global financial market and African integration with it. Capital obtained from ‘conflict diamonds’ was notably from consumerism in the global North. Following the end of the war in 2000, the country was exposed to anarchy and complete economic collapse. Drugs and arms trafficking in cocaine and ex-soviet weaponry was rife, and corrupt feudal political structures further intensified income inequality – Gini coefficient over 0. 6. In 2004 its trade deficit totalled $US 350 million. (FACTSHEET. 2005) In the same year the UN named Sierra Leone the poorest country in the world (based on PPP/capita); and â€Å" the worlds ‘least livable’ country, based on its poverty and the poor Quality of Life its citizens must endure. † (WORKMAN. 2006) Whose fault is it? Is it the greediness of the conflicting armies? Is it the presence of such a store of wealth in a poverty-stricken country with few other natural resources? Is it the emergence of a global market that has created cosmic demand for such commodities? Time will tell. What we can see is that again, (as was the case in China and Botswana) global financial demand caused a sharp increase in GDP of the country. In 1965 GPD in Sierra Leone was US$ 246; in 2000 it was US$1,330,429 – see Table. 3. We can also say that this does not in any way correlate to an increase in living standards or reduction in poverty. It represents a huge crack in the neo-liberal ideology and Shah’s suggestion that; â€Å"Sustained economic growth is the way to human progress. Economic globalisation in the form of freer circulation of capital would be beneficial to everyone. † (SHAH. 2009) This essay suggests that however trade and political systems are constructed, without complete socialism, conflict can, has, and will continue to peak at the emergence of valuable natural resources. We can also conclude that whilst globalization could â€Å"offer the best prospects for eliminating world poverty,† African history stands in the way of such an ideology. (Table 6) It is not, however, all doom and gloom for the globalization and poverty argument. Mexico in many ways lost the ‘Race to the bottom’ to China, but neo-liberal reform has played a vital role in the successful integration of the Mexican economy into the global manufacture and export market. Prior to the 1980s (and economic downturn), Mexican economics was characterised by protectionist policies, high tariffs and quotas, and restrictions to FDI. By 1981 choking fiscal profligacy and vulnerability to external conditions (notably the 1973 oil shock) caused an imbalance of payments and massive capital flight. This caused huge inflation and the worst recession since the 1930s, forcing devaluation of the Peso on numerous occasions and further recession. (SOMMER. 2008) The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) eliminated the almost all import and export taxes and infused a gradual fade-out of the majority of tariffs between Mexico, the US and Canada. Following initial success, (Table. 4) the government then furthered economic liberalization by implementing 11 free trade agreements with the EU, Japan, and countries in South and Central America. Table. 4 shows how Mexican commodities exported to the United States increases from US$39. 9 billion in 1993; to US$ 210. 8 billion in 2007 (437% increase). Over the same period GDP grew 46%. (SOMMER. 2008) The success of the Mexican model is based largely on efficiency and proximity. Maquiladoras are large manufacturing and export plants, the majority of which are located just south of the US border. There are around one million workers employed in any of the 3,000 clothing, furniture and electronic equipment factories. Their proximity to the US gains them a significant advantage in terms of lower indirect costs (90% of production is transported ‘North’ straightaway) than those of Asian Tigers and the Pacific Ring countries. (BORRAZ. 2007) In contrast to Sierra Leone and Botswana, GDP increase seems to have direct correlation with improvements in real wages; a negative correlation with income inequality; and an overall reduction in poverty. Evidence of its success is shown by a net decrease in Gini coefficient between 1992 and 2002 (Table 5). (FACTSHEET. 2005) Borraz shows that income is less concentrated and has a lower Gini coefficient in states that are more closely linked to the global economy. He suggests that states with stronger links to the world economy might offer proportionately higher wages to the unskilled workforce – in this case (young) women. Unskilled women in Mexico earn between 7% and 16% more than their counterparts in non-globalized or exporting states. Overall, in 2002, 7 out of 9 states in Mexico have seen a decrease in income inequality. (BORRAZ. 2007) Why then, has Mexico succeeded in reducing poverty, whilst Sierra Leone has not? According to Borraz there are two main reasons for Mexican success; 1. Commitment to universal education in the 1940s realized a significant increase in skilled labour and higher overall productivity – sustained GDP growth of 3-4% from 1940. Governmental organizations like PROGRESA have hugely enhanced school attendance rates and decreased child labour. In November 1999 PROGRESA strategies accounted for 82% of the 25% of boys who left work to choose basic or higher education. Thus it was inward looking development strategies prior to neo-liberal reform meant the basic infrastructures for rapid growth were already there. 2. Luck. On the verge of complete inward economic collapse, the discovery of the Cantarell oil fields in 1976 sustained an otherwise weakened and fluctuating Mexican economy. (BORRAZ. 2007) However, it is true that NAFTA and other trade liberalization schemes in the Americas have reduced income inequalities and increased real wages in Mexico – but at what cost? ; The violation of human rights of a million of underpaid (US$ 3. 40/day); overworked (up to 60 hours/week); underage (girls often start at 12 or 13) workers with minimum knowledge of their rights. â€Å"In 1987 a worker had to work 8 hours and 47 minutes to buy the basic food basket for a family of four. Today it takes 34 hours. (CORPWATCH. 2009) The pollution of New River in Mexicali Valley [which runs into the Rio Grande] is now dumped with 130 million gallons of industrial waste each day. â€Å"According to the Texas Department of Health, since NAFTA went into effect the Hepatitis A rate for Cameron County shot up from 17. 8 per 100,000 residents to 87. 4 per 100,000 an increase of almost 400%. † (CORPWATCH. 2009) The Zapatistas have also suffered hugely from opening the agricultural market to mass produced US market-garden exports. Their anti-globalization ideology highlights that their inability to compete with mechanically harvested, artificially fertilized and genetically modified imports from the US. NAFTA also eliminated crop subsidies for Mexico while US farmers still receive them. The agrarian based society has directly suffered from a decrease in real wages and an increase in comparative poverty due to open trade. Further, â€Å"China [Page 2 Table 1] has weakened the allure of Maquiladoras in recent years and some report that more than 500 plants have been closed since the beginning of the decade. † (SOMMER. 2009) Currently, the future of the Mexican economy is unknown. Sharp decreases in PEMEX oil production and the current financial crisis in the U. S. is revealing more weaknesses in the Mexican export strategy. (RANDEWICH. 2008) Conclusion Does â€Å"Sustained globalisation offers the best prospects for eliminating world poverty. † ? Firstly there is no confirmed method of effectively measuring either ‘Globalization’ or ‘Poverty. ’ One can not accurately judge the benefits/detrimental effects of globalization without a baseline measure for poverty. QOL indicators, the Gini coefficient, and GDP are subject to variations and outside influences that cannot be measured or corrected (E. g. measuring GDP in Kerala; or measuring the Gini coefficient of China). The Neo-liberal argument that increased density of economic integration between countries will increase overall efficiency due to the specialization of resource use – is likely to be correct. The majority of trade liberalization cases show an overall increase in GDP. This cannot be taken further to suggest that it directly benefits those living in poverty. Further, in the case of Mexico and China, evidence suggests trade liberalization pits global forces against each other and with no weight divisions and no handicaps, smaller regions, towns, industries and households cannot be expected to win. â€Å"The eradication of global inequality requires much more than simply repeating the tired rhetoric of anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism or, even worse, marking globalization work for the poor. † (HELD. 2007) Claire Short’s White Paper (Title) fails to recognise this, suggesting 5 common elements to successful poverty reduction based around a neo-liberal framework: 1. Openness to trade and eagerness to attract FDI. 2. Political stability and competent governments committed to economic growth. 3. Savings and investment of at least 25% of national income. 4. Economic stability: controlled inflation and government budgeting; avoiding production collapse. 5. Market allocation of resources: minimal necessary government intervention. (DFID. 2006) Such claims can be considered naive. The DFID paper reads like a propaganda policy designed to gain electoral support. This essay suggests that there are only three conclusions that can be drawn. 1. That trade liberalization generally incurs an increase in international trade and GDP. 2. â€Å"Every international institution throughout history has been hierarchical and composed of dominant and subordinate states; there has never been, and in the future is never likely to be, an egalitarian and democratic international system. † (HELD. 2007) 3. â€Å"Globalization is in fast forward, and the world’s ability to understand and react to it is in slow motion. † (TURNER. 2003) Table 1 (WORLD BANK. 2009) (CHAN. 2009) Table 3. Estimated GDP Sierra Leone (WORLD BANK. 2009) TABLE. 4 (SOMMER. 2009) Table. 5 (CHAN. 2007) Table 6. (DFID. 2006) ABOUT. 2009. The History of Transportation [online] [Accessed 28th December 2009] Available from: http://inventors. about. com/library/inventors/bl_history_of_transportation. htm. ADELZADEH, A. 2008. Simulation Models of 5 African Economies. Designing Africa’s Poverty Strategies: Creating the Capacity for Policy Simulation. [online] [Accessed 3rd January 2010] Available from: http://models. wider. unu. edu/africa_web/input_login. php? class=bw_quickiesinstance=quickiescountry=bw

Historical Films: Perceptions Of The Past

Historical Films: Perceptions Of The Past The first films were made in the first half of the twentieth century and along with this the first historical films were made. These include The Passion of Joan of Arc in 1924, The King of Kings in 1927 and The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse in 1921. Even since the first historical films were made, this genre has become one of the most popular out of all types of film. Due to this, millions of people watch these films every year and therefore get their perception of History mostly from film. This poses a problem for the historian. Robert Rosenstone clearly states this, Lets be blunt and admit it: historical films trouble and disturb professional historians and have troubled and disturbed professional historians for a long time (Rosenstone R, 1995, p.45). Furthermore, William Guynn provides evidence of this, In cinema, history empties out its significance and leaves us with the cold artifice of representation (Guynn W, 2006, p.6). On the other hand, Guynn admits, For some Historians, the cinema is not entirely lost; indeed, it can be salvaged if we acknowledge that historical film is the most fictional of genres and abandon the idea of film as a vehicle of historical representation (Guynn W, 2006, p.6). What this means is that although film cannot be an instrument for representing the past, it can bear witness to the historical period in which it is produced. Most people do not study history or have only briefly studied it at a younger age; therefore film has become the primary source of knowledge for them about the past. Therefore historians are forced to accept these historical films despite their historical inaccuracy. Even if a film cannot offer the critical elements and analysis insisted on in scholarly text and even if it bends history to match the characters or the plot line and completely misses out the finer details of historical accuracy, film can stimulate the imagination and create curiosity and interest into the lives of past generations. Important ly, it can cause an interest into history which can later lead to the choice of studying it or a topic of research and enjoyment. Therefore there are a number of negatives and positives to historians from film. However one thing is clear, it is not possible for a film to be historically accurate. There are a number of reasons for this. The obvious one is that how can a film be historically accurate if no one, not even historians, have an accurate picture of a historical period. Furthermore, most historical film makes dont care whether the film is accurate of not, they prioritise making a popular film with a good story line. It is not important if a film is inaccurate, it is only important for a historian who is frustrated with the wrong facts being given out to millions of people. The reasons are many and these will be explored in detail. It is clear that a film cannot be historically accurate however a historical film has so many benefits that it doesnt need to be. History is not a pure science, it is not just open to historians alone to study therefore historians do not have a monopoly on reading, studying and conveying history. Most films are not made for historical accuracy therefore is not open to criticism from historians. Guynn believes, Historians resist approaching film because history and film are based in different sign systems that refer to the world in a radically different way (Guynn W, 2006, p.8). However historical truth on a whole is elusive and subjective just like a film set in a historical period. What is important is that no work or historical piece of writing is capable of achieving the appreciation of, for example, medieval warfare. Historical films like Braveheart however can accomplish this in minutes. This by no means claims that Braveheart is historically accurate, in fact it is incredibly inaccurate; how could William Wallace have an affair with Isabella of France when she didnt even arrive in England until three year s after his execution? Despite this however, it is clear that film can powerfully convey the foundations of historical information to millions of people. Furthermore, can a document, sculpture and eyewitness account present the excitement and chaos of chariot racing which was accomplished in Ben Hur? Similarly, in no other way can the power and magnitude of the Roman coliseum be portrayed than in the film Gladiator. In these ways, film is an incredibly valuable tool in creating history as a vision which is engaging, vibrant and real, in the sense that we can hear and see it. Guynn supports this, From this perspective, films are like any other artefacts dropped on the road of history. They bare unconscious witness to their own period, as do private letters, diaries, and accounts that were never intended to be read from the historians perspective. They provide a body of data to be analyzed and interpreted in terms of the mentality of a period, or they can, unwittingly, speak about una cknowledged realities (Guynn W, 2006, p.12). Furthermore, one can argue that there are times when film can achieve greater levels of appreciation than those possible in the written world. Rosenstone provides evidence of this, Film shows history as a process. The world on the screen brings together things that, for analytical or structural purposes, written history often has to split apart (Rosenstone R, 1995, p.57). Therefore this provides evidence that despite the fact that a film may not be historically accurate, it is incredibly effective at displaying the foundations of History in a way no other works of history can. Bringing history alive in a way which people can hear and see is arguably more effective than a historians writing. The historical story line may not be accurate however the general foundations of the period probably are and this is very important in providing people with the awareness of history in an enjoyable way. R.J Raack provides evidence to support this view, Traditional written history is too linear and too narrow in focus to render the fullness of the complex, multi-dimensional world in which humans live. Only film, with its ability to juxtapose images and sounds, with its quick cuts to new sequences, dissolves, fades, speed-ups and slow motion, can ever hope to approximate real life, the daily experience of ideas, words, images, preoccupations, distractions, sensory deceptions, conscious and unconscious motives and emotions. Only film can provide an adequate empathetic reconstruction to convey how historical people witnessed, understood, and lived their lives. Only film can recover all the pasts liveliness (Raack R, 1983, p.417). As stated previously, there is no doubt that written history and film history possess different strengths and weaknesses. What is important however is that written history and history in film are experienced in different ways. Rosenstone states, The most serious problems the historian has with the past on the screen arise out of the nature and demands of the visual medium itself (Rosenstone R, 1988, p.1173). Furthermore Rosenstone believes, The historical film must be seen not in terms of how it compares to written history but as a way of recounting the past with its own rules of representation (Rosenstone R, 1995, p.3). Critics point to the lack of essential historical information in films and the finer details of history. What historians are basically referring to is the lack of footnotes. However these historian critics are attempting to judge these historical films by inappropriate standards. It is not realistic analysis of how viewers watch films. They dont care about finer deta ils missing, they probably dont notice. Furthermore, the director does not put first these finer historical details but instead a good story line which an audience will want to watch. Historians may not like the view audiences create for themselves of a historical period however they should think positively and believe that the viewer is being informed of the foundations of a historical period and becoming aware of it. If anything, the fact that the film misses out the finer details creates lose ends which the viewer can then explore further. This can create an interest in history and cause a future study or interest in it. Critics of film history also repeatedly state that the films over personalise however this is from the experience of a historian. The filmmaker over personalises to create a story however this makes the film historically inaccurate. It is almost impossible to make a good film with a good story line historically accurate as films are focused on particular people p ersonally and their feelings of love, hate, anger etc. However history focuses on people personally only to the extent to which their personalities or actions are portrayed by another person and this is not a reliable viewpoint to get an accurate picture of an individual as opinions of a figure can differ from person to person. Therefore as films are deeply personal, this overwhelms the senses and the viewer becomes personally attached. This in itself is a strength and a weakness depending on who is watching it. Clearly a historian, who is aware of all the facts of the person or time period, wouldnt believe it as the historian has their own perspective on the person taken from a document and writings. However the viewer of the film will have a different view. There is no way of knowing in detail what, for example, Elizabeth I was like personally however Shekhar Kapur portrays his view in the film Elizabeth. Therefore this is evidence to prove that no one knows personally what histor ical figures are like therefore films are beneficial to providing viewers with a visual representation and this is the directors view on the figure. Rosenstone provides a balanced view on why historians distrust a historical film, The overt answer: Films are inaccurate. They distort the past. They fictionalize, trivialize, and romanticize people, events, and movements; they falsify history (Rosenstone R, 1995, p.46). However Rosenstone goes on to state, The covert answers: Film is out of the control of historians. Film shows that we do not own the past. Film creates a historical world with which books cannot compete, at least for popularity. Film is a disturbing symbol of a post literate world in which people can read but wont (Rosenstone R, 1995, p.46). This is further evidence to prove that despite inaccuracy of historical films, they are very beneficial to raising awareness for a historical period. Similarly to Rosenstone, Marc Ferro provides a balanced viewpoint on historians vi ew of historical film. Marc Ferro is the most influential French historian in the neglected field of history and film and Guynn states, Ferros approach is well articulated and worth following in some detail (Guynn W, 2006, p.8). Ferros argument begins with a negative thesis, It is easy to think that film is not suited to represent past reality and at best its testimony is valuable only for the present; or that, aside from documents and newsreels, the reality it offers is no more real than the novels (Ferro M, 1988, p.47). However Ferros principal thesis on the viewpoint is very positive. He argues that film can become a rich resource of information on the period in which it was made. Ferro believes that historians have neglected film almost entirely, film does not enter the historians mental universe (Ferro M, 1988, p.47). Therefore this is evidence to prove that not all historians believe that historical film is completely useless and that it can be very useful to the study of hist ory as it brings it to life. Despite the fact that historical films are never completely historically accurate, they can be incredibly useful in teaching. This includes primary school, secondary school and even university teaching of history. A class discussion of the accuracies and inaccuracies in a film can be quite valuable. For example, for all the criticism which Braveheart faced from historians, it does include some realistic parts on medieval warfare and tactics. Furthermore, the vast battle scenes and accurate medieval executions bring this historical period to life. Therefore for a class which is learning about thirteenth century England or Scotland, the watching of Braveheart can be useful, especially in a discussion on the accuracies and inaccuracies. Furthermore, despite the fact that Gladiator is centred on a romanticized plot that is not real, it displays rich glimpses of the Roman period. Several of the characters are portrayed realistically, and while not all historians would agree with the archi tectural specifics of the reconstruction of the great city of Rome, the resulting grandeur is certainly effective at illustrating how superior the city was compared to the rest of the world in the period. Another fine example is the film The 13th warrior, this film has a number of historically accurate scenes which are taken from historical manuscripts. The face washing of the Vikings and the ship burials are taken directly from the tenth century works of Ibn Fadlan. Furthermore, The 13th warrior includes references to Beowulf. Therefore a discussion on the films relationship with Beowulf and the way in which modern people perceive the Vikings is useful and could possibly lead students towards the interest of medieval literature and history. Elements of historical accuracy can be found in many historical films and the appreciation of these accuracies in class discussion can be very rewarding. Can a film be entirely historically accurate? The answer to this question is no. However there is no doubt that a film can contain elements of historical accuracy therefore be extremely beneficial to the study of history. It is also clear though that a student of history can never rely on films alone. It is certainly obvious that the library is not about to be cleared out of the way by video or cinema. Evidence of this is that film history only started in the twentieth century however the study of history has been going on for hundreds of years prior to this. Therefore only in the twentieth and twenty first centuries have films become a possible primary source for the past therefore this is evidence to prove that it is not necessarily necessary. The real question to ask is what can historians potentially learn from film, as a secondary source, that written works cannot tell them? Film brings alive a historical period, it is easy to learn something when you can see it or imagine it cl early. Film can be classified as a historical resource and historians should be making the most out of every resource. There is no doubt also that the combination of historical films and written history could be a highly stimulating way of learning and teaching history. It can teach important skills which are essential to history for example, becoming more critical in the analysis of sources of historical information. Therefore is it clear to sometimes set aside the written world and allow the drama of film to stimulate students of history and to view it as a dynamic medium which can be appreciated for it complexity and its application to the present. Historical film, as a production which portrays the past during the present can be an enjoyable and informative way of participating in history despite the fact that films are not entirely accurate. Ron Briley makes an important case on appreciating historical film, Whether educators approve or not, young people are going to attain a g reat deal of historical information through film. Accordingly, it behoves teachers to provide their students with the intellectual tools and media literacy to deconstruct and interpret film (Briley R, 2006, p.5). Therefore it is clear that historical films should not be ignored or dismissed in the teaching of history as they can beneficial. Historical film adds a spice to history; it is good to sometimes change from reading through books, documents and manuscripts but instead to visualise and hear history. Therefore despite the fact that a film cant be entirely historically accurate in the view of historians, it can be accurate in the sense that it can be extremely beneficial to the study of history as well as creating a new enjoyment and interest in it.

Development of Winston Smith in 1984

Development of Winston Smith in 1984 The ideological development of Winston Smith in 1984 One of the two most famous books of George Orwell, 1984, depicts a pessimistic vision of the future world consisting of three totalitarian states; Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia, constantly at war with each other and keeping masses under careful observation and entire control. Therefore, the average people in 1984 cannot develop in any ways, except physically, because all their thoughts and ideas are under control of the Party. Emotions are unwanted, except for the devoted love of Big Brother, and the profound hate of Emmanuel Goldstein, and the enemies of the Party. Party members are being watched through telescreens all day, so when the first symptoms of unorthodoxy are noticed, they can be â€Å"cured† immediately. In addition, telescreens are constantly providing people with the appropriate ideas. Even the future language of Oceania, Newspeak, prevents people from â€Å"unorthodox† thoughts. All he unnecessary words, such as the ones bearing only slight differences, are being removed from the dictionary. The rest of the words are being deprived of their secondary and â€Å"improper† meanings. Accordingly, in the near future, party members are not going to be able to think of inadequate ideas. Winston Smith seems to be the only man in London who has human thoughts. There might be other people like him around, but due to the current system, people are prevented from showing their â€Å"unorthodox† thoughts and feelings. Winston Smith is an ordinary party member, except for the fact that he is a thinking creature. He has had thoughts long before he starts to write his diary, and his thoughts have not been appropriate in the eye of the Party. His Therefore, he has been a thoughtcriminal for years, but he was able to hide it, by understanding what the Party expects from an ideal member, and miming it. The unpremeditated act of constantly thinking is his first step to revolution. The next level of revolt is to start writing his diary. Though the act of writing seems to be pointless, even dangerous; it is satisfactory. Winston Smith starts to write his diary in an unusual way, he does not think about what he is writing, he just lets his thoughts embody on the paper. This method is called automatic writing; †modern psychodynamic theories of personality propose that traits, attitudes, motives, impulses, and memories that are incompatible with the persons conscious awareness may be dissociated from awareness and rarely expressed overtly in the course of normal waking behaviour.† (Encyclopaedia Britannica) Using this method, the person is unaware of what will be written: â€Å"Suddenly he began writing in sheer panic, only imperfectly aware of what he was setting down. His small but childish handwriting straggled up and down the page, shedding first its capital letters and finally even its full stops.†(Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.11) â€Å"He did n ot know what had made him pour out this stream of rubbish.† (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.11) After beginning his diary, he soon starts to think about how the regime works. He is in a good position to be able to see into the governance, because Winston works in Minitrue, Ministry of Truth, where he rectifies some earlier articles. He remembers an incident when he found an unquestionable evidence of the assumption that the Party changes past events to prove his statements. Winston comes to the conclusion that only the proles are free in his society, and they are the ones who could defeat the authority of the Party. He writes: â€Å"If there is hope it lies in the proles.† (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.60) The only problem with the proles is that they do not care about politics, and they do not know what kind of power is in their hands. They are the great majority (85%) of the society, but they live politically unconsciously. â€Å"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.† (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.61) Smith realizes what the Party does. He knows how they falsify the past and how they manipulate party members and the proles, but he does not know why they do this. â€Å"The immediate advantages of falsifying the past were obvious, but the ultimate motive was mysterious. He took up his pen again and wrote: I understand HOW: I do not understand WHY.† (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.68) He also realizes that the real freedom is the freedom of thoughts, and he thinks that it cannot be taken away from people: â€Å"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.† (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.69) Accordingly, at the end of Part I, Winston is a real rebel, he finds out many things about the Party, yet he does not do anything against it. He starts to revolt in his private life, when he starts an affair with Julia. The Party considers sex only the way to produce citizens in the country. The Party wants to abolish sexual contact, therefore they encourage young people to undertake artificial insemination. As Daphne Patai points out, the Party â€Å"prohibits sex except for the purpose of procreation, on the assumption that sexual tension could be redirected as passionate hatred of an enemy and passionate love of an abstract leader.† (Patai, 1984) Julia pretends to be an innocent, perfect party member, but she often has sex secretly with other Party members. This is her way of rebelling against the current system. â€Å" Have you done this before? Of course. Hundreds of times well scores of times anyway. With Party members. Yes, always with Party members. † (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.104) Winston and Julia start to have a secret life together. Winston rents a room from a prole man and they meet there regularly. They make love, consume things from the black market and talk a lot. Winston talks to Julia about politics. Although Julia is not truly interested in it, she listens to him and agrees, because she loves him. â€Å"Im not interested in the next generation, dear. Im interested in us. Youre only a rebel from the waist downwards, he told her. She thought this brilliantly witty and flung her arms round him in delight. â€Å" (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.129) Winston is waiting for a sign of the Brotherhood; the underground organization, headed by Emmanuel Goldstein, that is secretly trying to overthrow the Party. He wants to do something effectively against the Party. People do not know anything about Brotherhood, but there has always been a rumor of something like the Brotherhood. Winston really believes in the Brotherhood, and he has always wanted to be a part of it. â€Å"It had happened at last. The expected message had come. All his life, it seemed to him, he had been waiting for this to happen.† (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.131) OBrien, the one who Winston has always believed to be a rebellious person, invites him to his home. What Winston expects is some kind of initiation to the Brotherhood. He wants to belong to an organization that really does something against the Party. He has always believed what the arrested insurgents confessed, and he wants to do similar things to those. OBrien took Winston and Julia in the Brotherhood. Smith receives the book that Goldstein wrote and he starts to read it. He is satisfied because he thinks that his questions will be answered, but at the end he becomes disappointed by the book, because it does not give any answers yet. â€Å" He had still, he reflected, not learned the ultimate secret. He understood how; he did not understand why. Chapter 1, like Chapter 3, had not actually told him anything that he did not know; it had merely systematized the knowledge that he possessed already.† (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p179) After reading two chapters of the book, the worst thing happens to Winston and Julia. They have been betrayed and than arrested. It turns out that the prole man that let the room for them and even OBrien are the agents of the thoughtpolice. Therefore Winston is not only disappointed by the book, but also by the man that he really respected. Winston is taken to Miniluv where OBrien takes him in hand. OBrien teaches Winston in a Platonic method. He asks questions as far as Winston gives the right answer. OBrien , at last, gives the answers to Winstons questions. â€Å" Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from all the oligarchies of the past, in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites.† (Nineteen Eighty-Four, p.217) At the end, when he understood all that he wanted, he was taken to Room 101, and he had been changed. At the top of his ideological development, Winston became intellectually murdered. He knew what he wanted to know, but he did not believe himself. The only thing he trusted was the Party, and Big Brother. All in all, Winston goes through a hard and long process of ideological progress. According to Adibur Rahman, â€Å"Winston Smith wants to come â€Å"up for Air† in order to communicate with his genuine voice of self which is of course, not pessimistic. He no longer identifies himself with the existing callousness of the society.† (Adibur, 2002) First, he did not consciously think of rebelling, his subconscious thoughts and his dreams were his way of thinking. Then the next level was to disgorge his feelings and thoughts through his diary. After that he started to retrace his thoughts consciously, then he was not pleased with thinking, he wanted to act. At the beginning, he only rioted in his private life, after that he wanted to transfer it to public life, although he did not clearly understand his ideology. This was the point when he got arrested, and his questions were answered by OBrien, who was his traitor, his mentor, his enemy and his friend. He had intellectuall y been murdered, when he had reached the zenith of his ideological advance. Works consulted: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/44909/automatic-writing Retrieved on 08. 01. 2010 Patai, Daphne. The Orwell Mystique A Study in Male Ideology. Amherst, 1984 Rahman ,Adibur. George Orwell: a humanistic approach.New Delhi, 2002

Faulkners Condemnation of the South in Absalom, Absalom Essay

Faulkner's Condemnation of the South in Absalom, Absalom       William Faulkner came from an old, proud, and distinguished Mississippi family, which included a governor, a colonel in the Confederate army, and notable business pioneers.   Through his experiences from growing up in the old South, Faulkner has been able to express the values of the South through his characters. William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom offers a strong condemnation of the mores and morals of the South.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Faulkner's strong condemnation of the values of the South emanates from the actual story of the Sutpen family whose history must be seen as connected to the history of the South (Bloom 74).   Quentin tells this story in response to a Northerner's question:   "What is the South like?"  Ã‚   As the novel progresses, Quentin is explaining the story of the Sutpen myth and revealing it to the reader.   Faulkner says that the duty of an author, as an artist, is to depict the human heart in conflict with itself.   This attitude is revealed in the conflicts that Henry Sutpen undergoes in Absalom, Absalom.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thomas Sutpen is the son of a poor mountain farmer who founded the Sutpen estate.   Thomas Sutpen stands for all the great and noble qualities of the South, and at the same time represents the failure of the South by rejecting the past and committing the same types of acts that his ancestors did (Connelly 34).   He rejects his own father to adopt a plantation owner as his surrogate father, who acts as a model of what a man is supposed to be.   When the plantation owner tells Sutpen to use the back door instead of the front door, Faulkner is using ... ...).    Works Cited    Aswell, Duncan. "The Puzzling Design of Absalom, Absalom!" Muhlenfeld 93-108    Bloom, Harold, ed.  Ã‚   Absalom, Absalom! Modern Critical Interpretations.   New York: Chelsea.  Ã‚  Ã‚   1987.    Connelly, Don.   "The History and Truth in Absalom, Absalom!" Northwestern University, 1991.    Faulkner, William.   Absalom, Absalom!   New York: Vintage, 1972    Levins, Lynn.   "The Four Narrative Perspectives in Absalom, Absalom!"   Austin: U of Texas,   1971.    Muhlenfeld, Elizabeth, ed. William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!: A Critical Casebook. New York: Garland, 1984.    Rollyson, Carl. "The Re-creation of the Past in Absalom, Absalom!"   Mississippi Quarterly 29 (1976): 361-74    Searle Leroy. "Opening the Door: Truth in Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!" Unpublished essay. N.d.

Educating Rita by Willy Russell :: English Literature

Educating Rita Educating Rita is a story written by Willy Russell. He was born in Whiston, which is just outside Liverpool. When he was five his mum and dad moved to Knowsley, on an estate full of Liverpudlians who taught him how to talk properly. It is about two main characters Rita and Frank. Rita is a literature student at the Open University. This is a university that is used as a way of enabling adult students, like Rita. Frank is a tutor at the Open University but unlike the normal upper class tutors frank is a normal scruffy old man, this shocks Rita. Rita wanted to study and learn here, and so the fear and pressure from her friends made her join in with the others around her. She didn't want to become different from her family and friends, nor those around her, and so blocked the thought that she wanted more from her life: "I'd just play another record or buy another dress an' stop worryin" She put this off because of the peer pressure from the other working class people, she didn't want to be different and upset them so went along with their assumptions of women as low, and this put her off for a while. Rita sees the middle class as totally different from herself, and although doesn't want to be working class, doesn't feel she will be accepted as middle class either. She has the idea that all middle class individuals are free, and stereotypes, making sweeping generalisations. She assumes they all eat wholemeal bread, flora, and watch the BBC, as this is seen as more intellectually stimulating than ITV, the channel that many of the working class watch. This shows that she stereotypes certain groups of people from what she has heard, instead of her own views, she doesn't wait to get to know them before judging. As Rita believes herself to be sophisticated and well read, she has named herself after an author. Her real name is Susan, but Rita Mae Brown is a pornographic author, and as Rita likes her books, she laughably adopts her name and believes she is making herself seem more sophisticated, once again showing her complete misunderstanding that sexually explicit novels are classified as good literature. Such an action again indicates her naive outlook and lack of literary awareness at the beginning of the play. There are many themes during the play, change is probably the most important as it shows how an individual can develop and learn in both positive and negative ways, the play indicates the protagonist changing from one extreme to the other, eventually discovering a happy

The Boondocks :: essays research papers

Aaron McGruder is an African American cartoonist. At only twenty-six years of age, he is best known as the creator of Boondocks, the popular comic strip that is currently featured in over two hundred and fifty newspapers throughout the United States. Boondocks, which â€Å"stars two amusingly surly African American kids who live with their grandfather in a white middle-class suburb† is known for mocking issues that range from entertainment news (such as Whitney Houston), to political news (like the Bush administration). His most recent subject, however, may prove to be too controversial even for this strip, which is famous for it’s satirical attitude.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within two weeks of the September 11th attacks, McGruder had addressed the national crisis addressing Americans’ â€Å"blind, unquestioning faith in our almost elected leaders.† This particular plot cost McGruder Boondocks’ place in New York’s Daily News and caused The Dallas Morning News to move the strip to another section of the paper. McGruder, however, remains unaffected. He states that he will continue to address these issues because as he says, â€Å"†¦you can’t remove the impact of this incident from any aspect of life.† Apparently, this includes the funny pages. Aaron McGruder is an African American cartoonist. At only twenty-six years of age, he is best known as the creator of Boondocks, the popular comic strip that is currently featured in over two hundred and fifty newspapers throughout the United States. Boondocks, which â€Å"stars two amusingly surly African American kids who live with their grandfather in a white middle-class suburb† is known for mocking issues that range from entertainment news (such as Whitney Houston), to political news (like the Bush administration). His most recent subject, however, may prove to be too controversial even for this strip, which is famous for it’s satirical attitude.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within two weeks of the September 11th attacks, McGruder had addressed the national crisis addressing Americans’ â€Å"blind, unquestioning faith in our almost elected leaders.† This particular plot cost McGruder Boondocks’ place in New York’s Daily News and caused The Dallas Morning News to move the strip to another section of the paper. McGruder, however, remains unaffected. He states that he will continue to address these issues because as he says, â€Å"†¦you can’t remove the impact of this incident from any aspect of life.† Apparently, this includes the funny pages. Aaron McGruder is an African American cartoonist. At only twenty-six years of age, he is best known as the creator of Boondocks, the popular comic strip that is currently featured in over two hundred and fifty newspapers throughout the United States.

Creativity and Creative Learning in Young Children

CYPOP4 Promote Young Children’s physical activity and movement skills 1. 1 Physical activity is an essential component in children’s overall health and well being. Unfortunately some children are not as active as they should be to prevent harmful harmful short term and long term effects on their health. * Short term health Physical activity helps children to build muscle, develops the skeletal frame, develops the heart and lung function and also helps prevent obesity. Children who are active are likely to sleep better and longer and are less likely to develop infections such as colds and flu. * Long term healthPhysical activity in young children not only supports health in the short term but can also give children a positive attitude towards sport, playing outdoors and walking. It is important to start when the children are young as when they are older they lose interest in activity. If children are not sufficiently active they are more likely to become overweight or ob ese, this in turn is linked with serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancers. For girls, there is also the increased risk of developing osteoporosis later in life if they don’t take physical exercise. * Well beingAs well as providing short and long term benefits, physical activity is also important for children’s overall well being. If physical activity is taken outdoors, children will benefit from fresh air and a feeling of being in a free environment. Children can benefit emotionally and socially as they learn new skills and develop confidence playing with others The current guidelines for physical activity suggest that children should get a minimum of one hour a day. This can be through walking, play or structured activities. 1. 2 In order to achieve the physical skills required a mixture of movement skills need to be acquired in the right order.They include the following; * Hand – eye coordination Many activities require the hand and eye to work together. For example throwing a ball requires the brain to send the correct signal from the eyes to the hands to create the correct movements. * Foot-eye coordination Children have to learn to guide their feet. Kicking a ball or climbing stairs require this type of coordination * Balance Balance is a complicated skill. Although most of us take it for granted, the ability to balance is a skill that develops with age. These skills form and develop as part of the central nervous system in babies and young children.The Central nervous system is responsible for sending out signals from the brain to the rest of our body. Information is constantly collected from our body’s senses. The whole process is surprisingly quick allowing the body to take action against possible dangers. In babies and young children the central nervous system has to develop and mature. At first babies have to rely on the natural reflections they are born with until the central nervous system lear ns how to control their responses. The rate at which babies and children gain control over their bodies varies enormously.There are three key principles that underpin the gaining of this control; 1. Development follows a definite sequence Movements and control develop in a specific sequence which means babies cannot learn to walk before they can sit unsupported 2. Development starts with control of head movements and develops downwards and outwards Babies gain control over their head and top of their spine before the rest of the body. 3. Development starts with uncontrolled gross motor movements before becoming precise and refined Babies gain control over their arms before their hands and fingers.This is important to know before trying to teach a child to write. They will need to start with large letter types before learning to write letters in the correct size and form. We use our physical skills every day. The development of children’s skills gives them independence, over t ime they no longer need our help to feed them or get them dressed or move from one place to the next. This gives them confidence to learn because they are exploring. Children also use their new found skills to play together and play more challenging games. Physical skills also link to other aspects of children’s overall development.These are; * Emotional Development Builds children’s confidence. When they can do things for themselves they are more likely to gain confidence. They can do things how and when they want . They can also use physical skills to express themselves like paint, draw and dance. * Language Development Language develops when there are things to talk about. This is easier when children can do things themselves to explore and see things. It gives them a reason to talk. * Social Development Play with babies is active rather than language based. Children can join in when they have learned and developed their physical skills. Cognitive Development Most o f children’s learning is linked to practical activities. This requires movement skills. There are links between early physical movements and brain development. 2. 3 Natural outdoor environments include, fields, woodland, moors and beaches. For children they are a wonderful playground which change with each visit according to the changes in the weather and the season . Children should have access to these kind of environments so they can learn about nature. These kinds of environments encourage children to learn and practise new skills such as climbing up a tree or over a wall or fence.They may also enjoy running on the sand, making footprints and pictures in it. Natural environments may also be challenging for the children as the terrain will be different. It may be uneven to walk on. There may be pools for them to jump in or avoid and things to jump over. All these encourage confidence and better coordination. 3. 1 Although many children are naturally active it is important to think about creating a range of different opportunities for them to develop their physical skills. Planning their development is important. Observation is key to planning for young children.It needs to be the starting point so we can establish what the children enjoy doing and ensure we are planning opportunities appropriate to their development. Planning appropriately for children involves the following; * Time You need to plan sufficient time for the children’s activities. Some children learn at a slower pace so you need to allow for each individual to get enjoyment from the physical activity, while they are developing their new skills. * Balance of child initiated and adult initiated opportunities It is a requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage that you allow enough opportunities of each during play activities.It is important as children need time to discover new skills for themselves and play in ways that interest them. * Interest Children need to be motivated in order to practise and develop their skills. It is important to look at what each child is interested in and develop from that so they are encouraged to learn and develop . Play is key for children’s development and learning so planning should be around their interests and how we can incorporate physical activity into this. * Developmentally appropriate Activities should be developmentally appropriate.So when planning you must allow for the fact some children have disabilities and special needs. Ensure you seek the correct guidance and support to enable all children to develop through physical activity. * Range of skills and movement It is important that all physical activities allow children to experience and practice a range of skills and movements. * Planning for non mobile babies Babies who are not yet mobile still need opportunities for physical activities. This might include a baby gym to encourage the baby to move their arms and legs, or grasping and shaking a rattle .Babies also need time lying on their front to encourage muscle development for when they learn to crawl. It is important to place objects where babies can reach and grab so they don’t become frustrated. We should also get on the floor and interact and play with the babies. In addition our plans also need to include actions we do ourselves which help babies enjoy movement. These include rocking, swinging, being held up high and bouncing. All these give babies a different view of the world and aid spatial awareness and rhythm. * Planning for toddlersToddlers enjoy exploring and practising their new found skills. They will need opportunities to walk and climb. Some resources toddlers will require to aid development are; * Books * Shape sorters * Sensory equipment such as water, sand and dough * Rocking horses * Sit and ride toys * Slides * Balls * Pushchairs * Planning for 3-5 year olds Most children this age will have fairly good coordination but they will need help developing their fine motor skills. They will also need varied support with their movement skills, which should be incorporated into their play whenever possible.Some adult led activities can be used to ensure that all children develop and range of movements and skills. Some equipment 3-5 year olds will need are; * Puzzles * Construction toys * Sand and water play * Dressing up and role play toys * Small world play * Climbing frames * Slide * Tricycles and scooters * Balls, hoops and cones * Fabrics * Pushchairs 3. 2 Once you have identified opportunities that will promote physical activity in the children you need to incorporate them into your plan.Your plan must; * Meet the individual movement skills needs of the children * Include activities that promote competence in movement skills * Encourage physical play To ensure these points are covered your plan should be based on observations you have carried out on the children. You may show in your plan, details of equipment, specific adult init iated and child initiated activities. The Early Years Foundation also states you show how each child is planned for. It is also good practice to include the child’s ideas when planning activities. They may have preferences to what activity or equipment they would like to use.You need to watch children carefully when implementing planned activities. Their reactions will let you know whether it is developmentally appropriate for them or not. They will also let you know if they find it interesting and sufficiently challenging for them. You should be ready to change, adapt or even abandon the activity if necessary. Being flexible and ready to change your plan according to the needs and interests of the children is essential. Children can be very creative and they may well change or adapt your planned activity to suit them.Some children are more confident than others and may find movement skills easier or be more confident taking risks. Other children will be hesitant and will nee d encouragement to go that step further. 4. 1 It is important to include physical activity into daily routines in order for children to gain skills and build stamina. Getting children used to physical activity as part of their every day lives will help them later on in life. It is also good practice for their independence. Working with parents so they are keeping the children active at home also helps.Children should also have outdoor play each day so they get used to the outside environment. Sources of physical activity in every day routines are; * Washing and drying up * Sweeping the floor and outdoor area * Pouring their own drinks * Preparing snacks * Walking up and down stairs * Tidying up * Dressing and undressing * Wiping tables * Hanging up coats * Walking to and from the setting In my setting we walk to school and back in the morning and afternoon. The children take off their coats and those that can reach hang them up. They take off their shoes and put them together.We hav e music time each day where the children can play the instruments and dance to the music and we go to the park or visit the local green where there are lots of trees and paths to walk on and there is a woodland area where we look for different animals, insects and birds. 5. 1 It is important for us to be aware of how effective our provision and practice is in supporting children’s physical activity. To be able to assess the effectiveness in your setting you should consider the following; * Observe and assess children’s participation and developmental progress Look at the children and observe them over a number of weeks.Consider how interested they have been in opportunities of physical activity and if they have made progress. * Gain direct feedback from children Children’s reactions can be verbal or non verbal. They may tell us if they have enjoyed an activity or not. Children who cannot speak will let you know with body language and expression. A child who has enjoyed an activity may become excited at seeing a photo of them doing the activity. In my setting I have a photo album which the children can access themselves to look at. I also get it from time to time and we look at the pictures together. Gain feedback from parents, colleagues and others Other people can see more objectively and give their thoughts about our settings and provisions. Parents also experience seeing their children in other situations and may be able to guide us on sufficiently challenging activities. In my setting I have daily chats with parents, I also have a facebook page they can look at and I provide regular parent surveys to get feedback from them. 5. 2 Feedback and information you gain should be used to identify areas for future development.In some settings this may mean altering the physical environment while others may need to change the types of activities and play opportunities. 5. 3 It is important to reflect on your own practice in order to make any imp rovements necessary. Some questions you could ask yourself are; * Do you act as a good role model? * Do you join in physical activities? * Do you observe children’s physical skills regularly? * How aware are you of the children’s expected development? * How do you adapt activities and play opportunities to meet the individual needs oof the children? How do you ensure both boys and girls enjoy physical activity? * How do you plan activities to ensure the children are engaged in a range of movement skills? * How do you ensure that there is sufficient challenge for the children? * How often are children able to play in a natural outdoor environment? Being honest with yourself is key to ensuring you are meeting the children’s developmental requirements. It’s no good thinking you do that or being pretty sure you are good at this. You have to be sure bin order to provide the best for your children.