Analysis of the poem Acquainted with the Night Essay

Analysis of the poem Acquainted with the Night - Essay Example The setting of the poem is in the urban area; obviously it is crowed since it houses a big population, generally more than what the city infrastructure can accommodate; He writes, â€Å"I have looked down the saddest city lane.† He is familiar with the geography of the city; the second theme is loneliness; the third theme is the speaker’s sadness. The surroundings and situations make the poet sad. It is to be noted that the poem was written in 1928, when the world economy (especially that of U.S.) was at the threshold the Great Depression (which commenced in 1930) But the year 1928 relates to plenty and prosperity. Why then the poet should be sad? The poets have generally nothing to get elated about the materialistic prosperity. Their domain is spirituality, where such attachments have no relevance. â€Å"Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right- I have been one acquainted with the night.† -the poet has perfectly mastered the nature of the dualities of lif e, and came to the conclusion that everything happens in life, as it should! Time is a great healer, and one can never complain about Time-the nature of its functioning! It is always perfect; it is benevolent, provided an individual has the patience to understand. The wise saying goes, ‘Go placidly amidst the noise and din†¦.everything is happening as it should!’ The poet uses paradox like, â€Å"the time was neither wrong nor right.† He uses a common syntax of word order in most of the lines in his poem. This poem is a sonnet. The overall tone of the poem is sad and apathetic. â€Å"Acquainted with the Night,† means he has come to terms with the night. He is able to cope up with the night; he has mastered the art of living. The sapling of silence is steadily growing in his heart. The image of the moon as a clock and timekeeper is perfect because, the moon is one of the perfect agents of nature, unfailing as for the

Financial Analysis BMW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Analysis BMW - Essay Example For example the 2011 and 2012 financial reports shows that the company had a toatl of â‚ ¬27,038 million and â‚ ¬30,295 million respectively for the equity attributed to shareholders of BMW. In the year 2011, 28.9% of the shareholders equity contributede to the company toatal capiatl while in the year 2012 , 30.4% of the shareholders equity contributed to the company total capital contribution. The debt of the company is managed through a fixed debt ratio of capital . Therefore, the company debt ratios for the year 2011 and 2012 are maintaind at a fixed rate of a bout 70% or 0.70 The BMW debt ratios are effective since they are bellow 100% which is the maximum limit the ratio , the company debt ratio further fall bellow 80% that is set by many companies hence this is a positive figure for the BMW company. the debt ratio is relative lower compared to TVS motors company that has debt –equity ratios of 0.79 for the year 2011. This is shows that the BMW company ismore competive in the market and cannot under go recervership or liquadation. BMW company uses both operating and financial lease.the lease arrangement policy enables the customers of the company to iether have an option of buying the vehicle or lease it for a fixed pertiod of time as stated in the company leasing policy. Customers are given the oportunities under lease programe to drive a BMW vehicle of his or her choice for a fixed period of time in return for a pre-determined lease rental where the customers have the oportunities to iether retain the vehicle at a pre-determine price or return it to the BMW company. Under finance lease; the customer has a flexible chance of choosing a new BMW that best suits their driving interest and lifestyle needs. The contract tenure can range from 12 months to 48 months with an option to buy at the end of the lease or return thec vehicle. During the finance leasing period, the payment can be

Analysis of the poem Acquainted with the Night Essay

Analysis of the poem Acquainted with the Night - Essay Example The setting of the poem is in the urban area; obviously it is crowed since it houses a big population, generally more than what the city infrastructure can accommodate; He writes, â€Å"I have looked down the saddest city lane.† He is familiar with the geography of the city; the second theme is loneliness; the third theme is the speaker’s sadness. The surroundings and situations make the poet sad. It is to be noted that the poem was written in 1928, when the world economy (especially that of U.S.) was at the threshold the Great Depression (which commenced in 1930) But the year 1928 relates to plenty and prosperity. Why then the poet should be sad? The poets have generally nothing to get elated about the materialistic prosperity. Their domain is spirituality, where such attachments have no relevance. â€Å"Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right- I have been one acquainted with the night.† -the poet has perfectly mastered the nature of the dualities of lif e, and came to the conclusion that everything happens in life, as it should! Time is a great healer, and one can never complain about Time-the nature of its functioning! It is always perfect; it is benevolent, provided an individual has the patience to understand. The wise saying goes, ‘Go placidly amidst the noise and din†¦.everything is happening as it should!’ The poet uses paradox like, â€Å"the time was neither wrong nor right.† He uses a common syntax of word order in most of the lines in his poem. This poem is a sonnet. The overall tone of the poem is sad and apathetic. â€Å"Acquainted with the Night,† means he has come to terms with the night. He is able to cope up with the night; he has mastered the art of living. The sapling of silence is steadily growing in his heart. The image of the moon as a clock and timekeeper is perfect because, the moon is one of the perfect agents of nature, unfailing as for the

Contemporary cars Essay Example for Free

Contemporary cars Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of System Testing

Advantages and Disadvantages of System Testing Assessment and reporting are the means by which learning can be monitored and stakeholders can be informed of achievement. Its educational aspect sees results used to identify strengths and weaknesses and improve future learning, and its instrumental aspect involves grouping of students according to achievement . Parents, teachers and students are interested in its educational function, whereas external stakeholders such as governments are concerned with the instrumental aspect. Movement towards a global and digital economy has necessitated skilled and knowledgeable school leavers, crucial for Australias social and economic prosperity. Governments therefore require schools to demonstrate student achievement at acceptable levels to justify their economic support . This accountability also ensures the community understands provision of funding and services to schools . To provide this information, assessment must be undertaken on a national scale. As the information required differs to that required in the classroom, strategies for assessment differ in design, implementation and reporting. National assessment must be inexpensive, rapid and externally mandated, and results must be transparent and accessible . Herein lie the issues with national testing. Authentic assessment is becoming popular in the classroom, testing real-life experiences and practical knowledge over numerous assessment tasks. In contrast, national tests assess students on one occasion and rely on a pen-and-paper mode of deliver, leading to debate over validity. Benefits of system-wide testing Over the past 40 years, international and national testing has increased substantially. While early implementation assisted selection of students for higher education, more recent national assessment is used to evaluate curriculum implementation . As different curricula operate throughout Australia and internationally, benchmarking has been developed to facilitate comparisons between countries or students and identify strengths and weaknesses . In Australia, the National Assessment Program (NAP) incorporates annual NAP literacy and numeracy (NAPLAN), and three yearly sample assessments in science literacy, civics and citizenship, and information and communication technology literacy. Most debate surrounds NAPLAN, hence it will be discussed further. NAPLAN proceeds under direction of the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA, previously MCEETYA) and is federally funded. It was developed to test skills essential for every child to progress through school and life . Each year, all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are assessed in reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy. NAPLAN endeavours to provide data enabling Government to: analyse how well schools are performing identify schools with particular needs determine where resources are most needed to lift attainment identify best practice and innovation conduct national and international comparisons of approaches and performance develop a substantive evidence base on what works . NAPLAN claims to achieve this by collecting a breadth of information that cannot be obtained from classroom assessment. Government benefits from analysis on such large data samples: outcomes for groups including males/females, Indigenous and low socio-economic status students provide an evidence-base to inform policy development and resource allocation . Comparing individual students to others in their state, and national benchmarks provides detailed information for teachers to inform future learning. Individual students can also be mapped over time, to identify areas of improvement or those requiring intervention. In addition, national testing assists students moving schools in that it allows immediate identification of their learning level by their new school . Strict guidelines surround reporting of results to ensure benefits are gained. The Government have committed to ensuring that public reporting: focuses on improving performance and student outcomes is both locally and nationally relevant is timely, consistent and comparable . If NAPLANs implementation follows these guidelines, it will provide great benefit to Australia. However in these early stages of implementation, it is important to consider the troubled experiences of other countries regarding national testing. Lessons to be learnt National assessment was introduced in England in 1992 to establish national targets for education. Students are assessed at ages 7 and 11 in English and mathematics, and at 14 also in science . The no child left behind legislation was implemented in the USA in 2001 to reduce the disparity between high and low ends of student achievement, focussing on literacy and numeracy. Students are assessed yearly between Year 3 and 8, and once between Year 9 and 12. Results are analysed on the basis of socioeconomic and ethnic background, and published as school league tables by the media. Federal funding is linked to school performance . The common issues with both cases will be discussed below. Being a topical issue, the majority of literature on national testing is highly biased towards the authors opinion. However if or when these effects occur, they have the capacity to negatively impact on students. As such, they also need to be considered within the Australian context. Narrowing of the curriculum With funding linked to success, teachers are obliged to ensure students achieve the best result possible in assessed subjects, and can end up teaching to the test. Those teachers who produce successful students using this strategy are rewarded, deepening the problem . Within assessed subjects, increased class time is spent teaching students to take tests and increasing focus on tested areas, leading to reduced emphasis on skills such as creativity and higher order thinking . Furthermore, time spent on subjects not tested is reduced in preference for those that are. This type of teaching has been labelled defensive pedagogy and leads to narrowing of the curriculum . Excluding low-achieving students Reports suggest that some low-performing students are excluded from enrolment or suspended during testing to improve school performance . In one example, students with low scores were prevented from re-enrolling, but were officially labelled as having withdrawn . Compounding this effect, successful schools then have further power to choose students, leading to a widening gap between low and high performing schools; in direct opposition to the reasons for implementing national assessment . disregarding high-achieving students High-achieving students can also be adversely affected, as many results are reported only as percentage achieving benchmarks. Priority is therefore given to students just below benchmarks to ensure they reach them . This has been described as developing cookie-cutter students, all with similar skills . In doing this, students achieving above benchmarks are not challenged, reducing motivation and causing disengagement. Lowered self-esteem In one study, for the three years after national testing was implemented student self-esteem was significantly reduced compared to students the previous two years. Furthermore, attainment in national tests correlated with self-esteem, suggesting that both pressure of testing and the students achievement can influence self-esteem . Increased drop-out rates When compared to schools of similar socio-economic background but without national testing, a significant increase in Year 8-10 students dropping out of school was observed . This may be linked to pressure to suspend students or reduced self-esteem and motivation associated with high-stakes testing. Reporting of league tables National testing results are often reported as league tables, presenting average scores allowing direct comparison between schools. However, results tend to reflect socio-economic status rather than true achievement, and the depiction of schools as successes or failures leads to even further inequity between socio-economic groups . Importantly, the tables give no information as to the cause of low achievement or means for improvement , and therefore do not fulfil their intended purpose. Recent trends have seen publication of value-added data, adjusted for socio-economic status , however the methods of calculation are not explicit, hence their benefit is debatable. disparity from classroom assessment Classroom assessment has become increasingly authentic, with students being assessed on real-world tasks , giving them the best possible chance of demonstrating knowledge and skills. The use of national testing opposes this model, assessing students on one single occasion and leaving teachers uncertain as to appropriate pedagogy. Results obtained during classroom inspections of authentic styles of assessment have been shown to differ to those from national testing , leading to questioning over validity. Ensuring reliability and validity in Australia The issues described above need to be considered to ensure reliability and validity of national testing in the Australian context. Reliability Reliability refers to consistency of assessment, where results should be the same irrespective of when, where and how the assessment was taken and marked . The primary issue is marking consistency throughout Australia. Information technology facilitates accurate marking of simple answers, and Newton suggests computer-based scoring algorithms for constructed responses also improve reliability. Moderation ensures all assessors use the same strategies, and marking by more than one person may also improve reliability. Moderation also assists in maintaining threshold levels over time . Validity Validity refers to the assessment testing what it was designed to test. Construct validity: assessment is relevant, meaningful and fair and provides accurate information about student knowledge Content validity: assessment is linked to a specific curriculum outcome Consequential validity: assessment does not result in a specific group of students consistently performing poorly Concurrent validity: students receive similar results for similar tasks . Debate arises over the capacity of national assessment to demonstrate real-world tasks in meaningful contexts, or deep thinking and problem solving . With diverse cultural and language backgrounds, Australian students bring to school a variety of experiences and beliefs and demonstrate learning differently. The single occasion, pen and paper style delivery of national testing does not capture this diversity and can lead to anxiety . This is evident particularly for students from Indigenous and low socioeconomic backgrounds. One teacher suggested that the assessment is daunting, and skills valued in their culture are not seen as relevant . The concept of silent and individual examination is foreign due to their cultural value of collaboration, and the numeracy assessments are unfair because of their low English literacy (G. Guymer, personal communication, April 2011). Much time is spent teaching students how to complete forms, reducing teaching time already limited by low attendance . The aspiration for equality in Australian education is evident. However, this evidence suggests that rather than closing the gap national testing may actually be increasing it. Reporting of results In the past, rather than publishing league tables Australia has value-added to data by grouping schools with similar characteristics, to track individual students, and identify schools in need . However, this grouping has been challenged, as each school is essentially unique . To address this, the My School website was published in 2010 (http://www.myschool.edu.au), publishing a school profile including information on staffing, facilities and financial resources. The NAPLAN results are reported for each school against national averages as well as against 60 schools with similar socio-economic characteristics throughout Australia . Using results to improve learning Despite the overwhelming negative response to national testing, it is unlikely to disappear. As such, using results to improve student learning is the best response. Some methods used successfully are described below. Diagnostic application Although not designed for the purpose, results can be used to identify strengths and weaknesses for individuals or groups of students. By analysing specific questions, common errors can be identified and inadequacies in thinking inferred . In doing so, national assessment results can be used as a formative assessment to guide future teaching. As NAPLAN is undertaken every three years, results for individual students can also be analysed over time to identify improvement or decline. Consistency of schooling Together with the National Curriculum, results from NAPLAN will ensure students receive the same schooling across Australia. This will reduce difficulty associated with students changing schools, as their achievement level will be immediately accessible. Incorporation of content in the classroom NAP assessment tasks will be based on National Curriculum content once implemented. As students will be exposed to content during class, national testing should not pose an added burden for teachers. Teachers at Ramingining School ensure all worksheets incorporate question formats similar to those on NAPLAN tests, and in primary school tests are undertaken weekly in English or mathematics under test conditions (G. Guymer B. Thomson, personal communication, April 2011). The school therefore does explicitly teach students to take the test. Allocation of funding and resources Arguably the most important outcome of national testing is to identify schools with particular needs and determine where resources are most needed to lift attainment . Appropriate distribution of funding and resources will mean NAPLAN has delivered on these promises. In turn, there should be a closing of the gap between low and high achieving schools, and a reduction in many of the issues discussed. Hopefully, implementation of the National Curriculum will support the purposes of NAPLAN, together leading to equality for young Australians.

Personal Narrative - I Don’t Want to Cry :: Personal Narrative

I Don’t Want to Cry Tonight, I punched a child in the stomach. He gasped for air, his face grew red, and his eyes got watery. Granted, we were at Karate class and we were sparring. And, granted, I was 19 and he was likely 10. I hadn’t meant to hurt him; I had actually been â€Å"going light.† But I hurt him. The fact is, he knew it and didn’t care. He could have continued the night without a single tear. But when the Shihan came to try and make him feel better, the boy’s face got redder and his lip quivered as that single tear rolled down his cheek. The boy was perfectly fine until he was consoled. When I was younger, I wasn’t the most popular. I was known as a bookworm who frequently dazed off in class, all the while being admired by the teachers for my intelligence. I was short, wore glasses, didn’t talk much, and only had 2 friends in my grade. I was, expectedly, picked on by the bigger kids. I was hurt several times. However, I hid it from my teachers and parents. I didn’t want to cry. And I was fine without crying; I merely accepted the beating and went on, trying to avoid or get back at the bullies. Girls are taught at an early age that they can cry. The sight of a girl with tears running down her cheeks inspires compassion, while a boy’s tears bring mostly embarrassment. Girls are also ingrained with the fact that females are â€Å"there for each other,† and can therefore support one another emotionally. Women frequently talk of how refreshed a â€Å"good cry† is, as if it were a long bath or a cigarette. But guys don’t cry. Pop psychology tells us that this is because men see crying as negative. Because we can’t accept our feelings and are scared at the expression of them. So this boy was too scared to cry until the instructor let him know it was OK? Hogwash. A Karate instructor, like a coach, wants to keep little boys from crying whenever possible. It isn’t fair that a man’s dislike of being forced to cry makes others think he is â€Å"all bottled up inside. Personal Narrative - I Don’t Want to Cry :: Personal Narrative I Don’t Want to Cry Tonight, I punched a child in the stomach. He gasped for air, his face grew red, and his eyes got watery. Granted, we were at Karate class and we were sparring. And, granted, I was 19 and he was likely 10. I hadn’t meant to hurt him; I had actually been â€Å"going light.† But I hurt him. The fact is, he knew it and didn’t care. He could have continued the night without a single tear. But when the Shihan came to try and make him feel better, the boy’s face got redder and his lip quivered as that single tear rolled down his cheek. The boy was perfectly fine until he was consoled. When I was younger, I wasn’t the most popular. I was known as a bookworm who frequently dazed off in class, all the while being admired by the teachers for my intelligence. I was short, wore glasses, didn’t talk much, and only had 2 friends in my grade. I was, expectedly, picked on by the bigger kids. I was hurt several times. However, I hid it from my teachers and parents. I didn’t want to cry. And I was fine without crying; I merely accepted the beating and went on, trying to avoid or get back at the bullies. Girls are taught at an early age that they can cry. The sight of a girl with tears running down her cheeks inspires compassion, while a boy’s tears bring mostly embarrassment. Girls are also ingrained with the fact that females are â€Å"there for each other,† and can therefore support one another emotionally. Women frequently talk of how refreshed a â€Å"good cry† is, as if it were a long bath or a cigarette. But guys don’t cry. Pop psychology tells us that this is because men see crying as negative. Because we can’t accept our feelings and are scared at the expression of them. So this boy was too scared to cry until the instructor let him know it was OK? Hogwash. A Karate instructor, like a coach, wants to keep little boys from crying whenever possible. It isn’t fair that a man’s dislike of being forced to cry makes others think he is â€Å"all bottled up inside.

The Tragic Pride of Anowa Essay -- Character Analysis, Anowa, Kofi Ako

The tragic pride of Anowa In life there is place in between adolescents and adulthood where many decisions that are made will ultimately direct the path of life. There are times when a decisions is made it leads to a great life and other times it leads to a destructive path just not for one person but affects everyone around them. In the story of Anowa the main character Anowa is in the place where every decisions she makes leads to a turning point in her life that sets the trap for a great demise. Anowa’s pride leads to her fall and causes those around her great pain. First, Anowa being a strange woman who refuses to get married and when she finally does decide to get married the man whom she picks is not fitting of her mother’s expectations this is the rift that starts the fall of Anowa. In the Global Crossroads World Literature Badua tells Anowa that â€Å"Marriage is like a piece of cloth†¦ and like cloth; its beauty passes with wear and tear† (Iglesias, Mays, and Pierce103). The cloth signifies strength and beauty of a marriage but without the proper consideration and care it will not last. Badua tries to tell her daughter that what may look good today later on may not be so pleasant and may very well rip apart in time ; but because Anowa’s pride she replies to her mother â€Å"I like mine and it is none of your business. I do not care, Mother. Have I not told you that this is to be my marriage and not yours?†(Iglesias, Mays, and Pierce103). Anowa’s determination to follow through with her dec ision seems to be just like many young ladies today who refuse to adhere to the voice of their mother and although the decision they make may be wrong they would rather be stubborn than to admit that the truth of their m... ...ave children, but the whole time he was the reason they could not have children. Instead of leaving well enough alone she says, â€Å"Now I know. So that is it. My husband is woman now and she giggles† (Iglesias, Mays, and Pierce155). Anowa prideful attitude has lead to the death of her husband, herself and the sorrow of her mother and father. She not only killed his manhood but caused him to commit suicide. In conclusion, every decision Anowa made lead to her tragic demise and pride was the ruler of every decision she made. The life of Anowa showed how pride is selfish, stubborn, and disrespect. Anowa could not see how her attitude determined her altitude. Had she learn how to be temperate and showed concern for others she would have not cause herself and other s sorrow and death. Anowa life teaches a valuable lesson that pride will only lead to a destructive path.