Category: Education

Tony is waiting for his day

Tony was really confused. When a dog gets a full plate of meats, eggs, and fish in the presence of his beloved one, it is natural to be confused. All members of the family were standing around him to watch whether he was comfortable with the food or not. He could see the smile of love in the face of his beloved Roslyn. He became very happy when he saw his greatest enemy Lucy, the Indian cat. She was standing in a corner watching the royal treat he was getting from the family. He was making sure that it was his day. But the kick of the small boy in the house-made him awake from the dream. He became really disappointed when he understood his day was yet to come.

Tony could understand that some guests were coming home as the family was celebrating the birthday of the youngest kid. Early morning some people came from the market carrying bags of meats. He then ran to the kitchen, where the meat was being prepared for cooking. He was trying to show the servants the pieces of meat which should be ready for him. But no one heard his words; indeed, they were shouting at him as he entered the kitchen. Seeing it, Lucy was laughing, standing closer to the leg of one of the servants as she always did. Unfortunately, it was not his day. He whispered himself.

When the guests were received at home, he noticed a stranger among them. He started to bark at him using all his energy and stood across the strangers way biting his trousers. He didnt understand that it was an official friend of his boss. That time he got a painful kick from his boss, and he was chained. He felt like his loyalty was questioned. Unfortunately, it was not his day.

He was sure that Roslyn, who was in the next home, would come to the party. He could definitely get some time to spend with her. She came with her boss, but a German shepherded was also with them. She looked very happy being with that new fellow. Even though Tony tried to attract her by making some noise, she even didnt care about him. Unfortunately, it was not his day.

Tony expected good heavy food in the afternoon, but that was the day he realized how much food human beings could take at a time. He got only some pieces of bone. Lucy was belching, looking at him. She wanted to show she was full. Unfortunately, it was not his day.

After the party, when all guests left home, the family was getting ready to go out. Tony prepared to accompany them but was not allowed to get into the car. All family members took food from outside. So, he didnt get any food in the night too. Before going to sleep, he made sure that it was definitely not his day.

Analysis of Tony is waiting for his day

The story Tony is waiting for his day is written based on another story, Alexander and the terrible horrible no good very bad day by Judith Viorst. The style of writing used in Tony is waiting for his day is taken from Alexander and the terrible horrible no good very bad day. But the contents and characters are entirely different from the original work. Tony, a domestic dog, is having a very unfortunate day. On that particular day, nothing is coming in favor of him. The story deals with the hope and disappointment Tony is having on that day. The story with the dream of Tony and narrates the incidents till he goes to sleep. In this essay, my intention is to analyze the writing style of Tony is waiting for his day. Certain tools have been used to explain the way the writing style of Tony is waiting for his day has mimicked that of the original one. The main tools are repetition and conjunctions, conjunction patterns, punctuation, arrangement, lexical choice, beat, tropes, and scheme, etc.

We cannot find very long sentences in the works which are written for children. And, while, but, etc., are the most used conjunctions in the story. Usage of conjunction has been reduced in the story to reduce the length because my main intention is to convey certain ideas, not to show how to use certain words and phrases properly. In line no. 18, and is used to explain the actions of Tony while he notices a strange face among the guests. He just stood in the way of that man and byte his trousers. This is one of the main responsibilities of all domestic dogs to identify strangers. But he gets punished by his boss even though he tries to show his loyalty.

There are two actions in this context. The first one is the kick of his boss, and it is depicted as a painful one any loyal dog can ever get. After that, the dog is chained by the same boss. These two actions, which are connected with the conjunction, are very important in the story to show the depth of the pain that the dog had suffered.

But is the most used conjunction in the passage. The story narrates an unfortunate day in the life of Tony. As nothing comes in favor of the desires of Tony, usage of but is inevitable in the passage. This conjunction is used in line no.6 for the first time in the passage. The story starts with a dream of Tony, which is about his ideal day. All his ambition in life was in that dream until he was wakened up. This dream explains the most pleasing things Tony can ever get. Here, But is used between the dream and reality. This conjunction is also used in line no.16 to narrate the incident that happened in the kitchen. He was just trying to show his choice, but what he got was pure negligence, even from the servants. In that way, But is used in almost all incidents in the story to show the break in the dreams Tony. There are many words and sentences in the story that are repeated frequently. I used these kinds of features to make the story more attractive and ensure the continuity in the incidents and emotions of Tony.

Tony was always expecting that day to come. The sentence, unfortunately, it was not his day, is a sentence that is used most frequently. This sentence is derived from the saying every dog has day as the entire story is connected to that saying. Tony is such a domestic dog who expects some love from the family and the female dog next door. The story narrates the incident of a particular day, but we can understand the kind of consideration Tony gets from his surroundings. He is not satisfied with the food every day he gets from home. He also doesnt get much consideration from the female dog. Indeed the Behavior of Lucy is also making him disappointed. That is the reason why he saw such a wonderful dream. But everyone in this world is driven forward in life by certain dreams. All suffering individual is waiting for their days to come. Sometimes the things happen against us only because thats not our time. All these thoughts are there in the sentence unfortunately it was not his day. This sentence was used first time in line no.16 after the disappointing incident in the kitchen. After that, it is repeated after all the unfortunate incidents on that day.

Some acts Lucy is repeated frequently as her intention is to make fun of Tony (lines no. 15 and 30). She is a witness to the unfortunate things that happen to Tony. But she wants to show he is having a happy time with the family.

Different kinds of punctuations are used in the story Tony is waiting for his day. Usage of commas is the important one in the story. Commas are used to separate different things. In the story, commas are used in the first line itself to tell about different food items served to Tony. Lots of commas are used in the original story Alexander and the terrible horrible no good very bad day also. There are three commas in the title of the story itself.

In the story, the incidents are narrated in a certain order. I have started the story with a dream of Tony, and it narrates the main unfortunate incidents in that day. The first incident happened in the kitchen when people came from the market. The second incident happened while he tried to prevent the stranger he found among the guests. The third unfortunate incident happens at lunch. Tony expected better lunch as there was a party in the home. But unfortunately, he got only some pieces of bones. In the evening, the family goes out without him, and he misses his lunch too. After all the main incidents, I have used the sentence unfortunately it was not his day. This would be the thought that consoles him whenever unfortunate things happened to him.

The lexical choice is made very carefully in the story to keep the humor which should be very important for such a story. Accurate words are used to show dog also has feelings and emotions like human beings. In line no.24, the word fellow is an example of that. The word fellow is used to show the dislike towards the male who came with his beloved female dog.

There are certain words and sentences and incidents in Tony is waiting for his day which are deliberately used for imitating the style of original work. In line no.5 and line no.15, incidents relating to Lucy are explained in that way.

Conclusion

The writing style of Tony is waiting for his day shows how work can adopt the style of another piece of work very creatively. I have tried my level my best to mimic the writing style of Alexander and the terrible horrible no good very bad day, which was written by Judith Viorst. There are many differences between these two works as one is about a boy, and the other one is about a domestic dog. But the themes of both stories are similar. The arrangements of the sentences and certain words are made very close to that of the work of Judith Viorst. But the main intention of the story is to describe an unfortunate day in Tonys life to reflect his entire life.

The idea of making the life of a student more intense and exciting has been picked as a topic for a number of researches lately (Gibbs and Poskitt 5). Many solutions have been suggested, including partying, making lectures interactive, introducing creative classes, etc. However, what most of these ideas seem to ignore is the power of a hobby and a process of sharing ones interests and achievements in this hobby with others (Reeve 149). Only a few researches point at the significance of clubs in students life (Massoni 84).

In fact, the positive effects of clubs on students performance have been listed in a number of studies (National Collaboration for Youth 1). It should be noted, though, that some scholars disagree that clubs help students in their studying process. In fact, a number of people believe that clubs can and, most likely, will be a major distraction for students. However, for the most part, researchers give student clubs organizers enough credit for creativity and enthusiasm at the very least, often praising clubs for pushing studies further and training students skills (Umar para. 5).

It should be noted that the history of clubs created for students to indulge in their hobbies is quite long. It is hard to spot the first attempt at making students life more diverse, yet some of the earliest clubs date way back to 1984, when Astin came up with the idea of encouraging students for a better academic performance by praising their achievements in other fields (Trowler 2). The strategy for creating student clubs has not changed considerably since then, the basic idea remaining the same. The methods of these clubs creation, organization and funding, however, have suffered drastic changes, the financial aspect being the focus (Hayens et al. para. 25).

The integration of new media and the latest technologies into organizing student clubs has shaped the latter a lot. With the introduction of the Internet, there is no need for the physical presence of the group and, therefore, renting the premises (Schimpf 1). Technology has also allowed for the coordination of several activities at the same time. Moreover, with the principles of shared knowledge and a single database, information management has been improved greatly, which helps conduct meetings and coordinate other activities more efficiently (McGowen 57).

It is worth mentioning, though, that the idea of bringing every single club that is related to the American University in Cairo is, in fact, innovative  similar practices occurred mostly in the U.S. (Model Bylaws for Student Clubs para. 1) and Europe (Student Union Constitution 12), yet are rather few in Egypt, with no obvious headquarters (Basic University Regulations for Student Leaders 9). Hence, the given project can be considered a breakthrough in the Cairo higher education realm.

An online student club that coordinates the work of several departments and arranges the meetings for the members of these departments is definitely going to revolutionize the existing Cairo system of student education (Anderson 3). A number of sources claim that, while it is not going to affect the educational system directly, it is going to shape the students attitude towards the education process by providing them an outlet for their creativity and the willingness to express themselves (Shiveley and Wang para. 1). Clubmania (About Us para. 1) is going to provide the students with such an opportunity, and is bound to succeed in its beginnings.

Works Cited

About Us. Clubmania. 2013. Web.

Anderson, Lisa. External Review of American University of Cairos Student Life Operations. 2013. Web.

Basic University Regulations for Student Leaders 2011/2012. Web.

Gibbs, Robyn and Jenny Poskitt. Student Engagement in the Middle Years of Schooling (Years 7-10): A Literature Review. New Zealand, NZ: Ministry of Education. 2010. Print.

Hayens, Charles C. et al. Chapter 1. Part II. Core Issues for All Schools to Consider. First Amendment in Schools. Ed. Charles C. Hayens. New York, NY: ASCD, 2003. Web.

Massoni, Erin. Positive Effects of Extra Curricular Activities on Students. ESSAI 9.27 (2011), 8487.

McGowen, Robert S. The Impact of School Facilities on Student Achievement, Attendance, Behavior, Competition Rate and Teacher Turnover Rate in Selected Texas High Schools. Diss. Texas A&M University, 2007. Print.

Model Bylaws for Student Clubs n. d. Web.

National Collaboration for Youth. The Impact of Youth Development Programs on Student Academic Achievement. 2011. Web.

Reeve, John Marshall. A Self-determination Theory: Perspective on Student Engagement. Handbook of Research on Student Engagement. Ed. S. L. Christensen. New York, NY: Springer Science and Business Media, LLC. 149171. Print.

Schimpf, Patricia L. G. The Relationship between Career, Technology, Education and High School Graduation. Diss. Liberty University, 2011. Print.

Shiveley, Jonathan P. and Jing Wang. Student Leadership and Academic Performance. n. d. Web.

Student Union Constitution n. d. Web.

Trowler, Vicki. Student Engagement Literature Review. Lancaster, UK: Lancaster University, 2010. Print.

Umar, Said S. The Effect of Social Factors on Students Academic Performance in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions. Library Philosophy and Practice 334.1 (2011), 112. Print.

Prerequisite skills to working with fractions with unlike denominators

When teaching fourth-grade students the concept of fractions with unlike denominators, it is necessary for them to have some prerequisite skills (Koch, 2010). These skills include an appreciation of the significance of a fraction (a method of computation of elements of groups of things, sections, and or parts).

Besides, learners need to have ample skills of not only classifying but also interpreting the elements of fraction in addition to possessing skills in division and multiplication of numbers from 0 through 12.

Fortunately, students have these tactics already developed by the time they get to the fourth grade (Reys, Lindquist, Lambdin & Smith, 2012) and hence the predicted easiness of understanding the theory of equivalent fractions of fourth graders.

Introducing the concept of finding equivalent fractions through manipulatives

To introduce the concept of manipulatives, a tutor can deploy the help of an overhead projector. Bars of different fractions are positioned next to one another though with varying colors. One-half and three-sixths are shown adjacent to one another.

One-half is shown by a rectangle partitioned twice with one of them painted red. The three-sixth fraction is shown by a rectangle divided into six portions with three portions shown in blue color. Comparing the two, students will appreciate the truth that the two colored portions are equal.

This experiment can be repeated for one-fourth, two-eighths, and three-twelfths for students to grasp the fact that equivalent fractions may have different names when they actually represent the same quantity.

Steps for finding equivalent fractions

To help students to determine equivalent fractions, several steps are taken. The first step is making a key circle from a piece of paper. Secondly, the tutor needs to mark a fraction on it, say one-third with colors on it followed by making other several circles with equal portions making a third, for instance, circles divided into 6 equal portions and 12 equal portions.

These circles should be blank and not colored. For each blank circle, students will be required to trace the equivalent fractions on the key circle after which they will paint the portions that match the template (key circle). Students should know that the painted portions are equivalent to the key circle portion despite having unlike names.

Transitioning students from manipulatives to paper-and-pencil fractions

Transitioning from use manipulative to paper-and- pencil solution of equivalent fractions entails determination of the relationship between fractions. Now, the knowledge of division and multiplication is requisite. The first step is to explain to the students that equivalent fractions are arrived at through counting by multiples.

The second step is to inform students that, to get equivalent fractions, one multiplies both numerator and denominator by a common number other than zero. The third step is to explain to the students that problems of equivalent fractions would in some times entail finding missing numbers.

For instance, in a problem such as 3/10=6/?, the teacher explains that, to get the missing number, the learner needs to ask himself/herself: which number gives 6 when multiplied by 3 or how many 3s make 6. Once the learner is able to get this number, the next task is to inform him/her that he/she is supposed to multiply both the numerator and denominator with the number (in this case-2).

The last step is to introduce the concept of cross multiplication so that, if two fractions are depicted as 1/5 and 2/10, multiplying the numerator and denominator of the first fraction by 2 should give an answer similar to the second fraction. Hence, the fractions are equal.

Testing whether students have transitioned from concrete manipulatives to representative paper-and-pencil problems

To determine whether students have transitioned from manipulative to representative paper-and-pencil problems effectively, students are required to fill missing gaps for equivalent fractions such as the ones shown below:

Reference List

Koch, J. (2010). Science stories: Science methods for elementary and middle schoolteachers. Wadsworth Cengage Publishing.

Reys, R., Lindquist, M., Lambdin, D. & Smith, N. (2012). Helping children learn mathematics. Hobokon, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

The faculty of different colleges and schools are already evaluating the methods through which the effective learning process could be reported among students. Most of the professors and academic professionals recommended the method of attendance requirement as a way to promote effective learning among students. This paper aims to find out whether attendance requirement plays an effective role in achieving improved student learning or not.

Attendance requirements in schools and colleges are not a new regulatory phenomenon. The requirement of attendance is considered to be a very effective way to improve student learning. According to research conducted by Robert E. Ledman and Felix Kampuchea in 2002 noted that the students who failed to achieve higher test scores are due to the fact that they do not attend classes regularly as 78% of professors test students on the basis of their regular lectures (Ledman and Kamuche).

Students who are marked present on a regular basis have more material for the course leading to a quick understanding of subjects and presentation of knowledge in key assignments and models. Another research article concluded that attendance makes a significant increase in explaining class and academic grades. Higher attendance of a student performs an overall impression of reduced odds of students in a course (Minnesota State University).

Experiment to Evaluate Effectiveness of Attendance Requirement

Teachers can easily evaluate the advantages of attendance requirements with the help of planned assessment. Planned assessments and closer observation of the students participation in the class should be given points so that students would feel encouraged to remain punctual in taking the class. A lot of assessments of student effective learning should be planned at the beginning of the class year. One experiment has been discussed below:

Day 1

Provide a brief lecture on a chosen subject and assign a task to make questions regarding it.

Day 2

Conduct a class discussion forum on a particular subject and ask students to share different examples in order to answer the questions of peers.

Day 3

Start a new subject of course and continue the same process without notifying students about a surprise test that must be conducted on the day fourth of the week.

Day 4

Conduct a surprise test and evaluate the use of words, questions, and examples that would be used by students in the test paper. The teacher has to closely observe students who were marked absent in the first two classes of the subject taught in the assessment.

Results

It is predicted that students who will be marked absent during day 1 or 2 would answer the question through the context of their own knowledge without any knowledge, questions, lecture, examples, and words discussed in the class. Absent students will try to answer in a broad context of the subject.

By conducting the experiment discussed in above as a form of assessment technique, teachers could easily find out how advantageous the requirement of attendance is. Furthermore, it will be easy to understand what effective impact could be made by attendance requirements. Students can learn effectively in school, colleges if they are regular. In this way, students would be able to understand their relationship with education. Punctual students know better ways to manage time and excel quickly. It is recommended that school and college officials must put stress on the attendance requirement so that students can increase their grades and scores.

References

Ledman, R and F Kamuche. Improving Student Attendance: Does it Improve Student Learning? New York: Rapid Intellect Group, Inc., 2002.

Minnesota State University. Class Attendance Article. 2009. Mnsu. Web.

Adult learning is a complex phenomenon that has acquired significant attention in the middle of the 20^th century. Various experiments and surveys were implemented at that period. It was found that adults (aged 25-45) learnt at the same pace as 20-year-olds did and older adults (aged 50-70) could perform equally well if time pressure was not involved (Merriam 29). The bulk of research has been significantly increased since then and modern researchers emphasize that although brain functioning (especially when it comes to memory) deteriorates due to certain physiological changes that take place in the elderly (for example, changes in blood circulation), older learners can perform well (Hill 76). Importantly, although adult learners (especially older adults) have difficulties with memorizing information within short periods, they can memorize data developing various ties with their previous experiences. Their memorizing and learning is more context-based and it is quite improper to note that adult learners memory is dysfunctional (Hill 75). Researchers provide various models and approaches that help educators to develop proper strategies in adult teaching (Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner 86).

I believe adult learners have similar capacity to learn as younger learners have. Of course, there are some peculiarities that have to be taken into account. Some stress that aging is the central factor that contributes to deterioration of older adults learning capacity. Nonetheless, recent research shows that the changes that are taking place do not play decisive role in the learning process. Some of the most important aspects to pay attention to is memory. Importantly, the educator should not think that the adult learners capacity to memorize is low. It is important to remember that older adults simply need more time and they may need a slightly modified approach. It is also necessary to add that older learners cognition and intelligence are also important as they make the learning process context-based and, hence, effective.

The knowledge I obtained has equipped me with the understanding of the major difference between the ways young and older learners memorize information. When teaching adults, it is essential to draw ties between their experiences and new information. It is important to encourage them to analyze information rather than simply memorize it. Of course, drills can still be effective but they should also be context-based. It can also be a good idea to incorporate more discussions as learners will be able to share their experiences and expand each others scope of knowledge.

Lifelong learning is a key to professional and personal development. People transform their experience into knowledge, skill, behaviors, and attitudes and, hence, they may adjust to the changing world and respond to the challenges that arise (Cobb). Of course, it is especially important for educators who train others to fit in and complete certain tasks in the society. Educators have to constantly develop as they should have a broader perspective to be able to share their knowledge and transform it into particular skills (Jarvis 257). Educators have to be inspiring and lifelong learning can enable them to become an interesting source of knowledge and guidance for others.

Lifelong learning is an indispensable part of my life. I will continue developing in my future as well. I want to see and even foresee the changes that are or will be taking place in the society. I would like to be able to equip people with the latest and most advanced knowledge and skills. For this, I will learn and develop new skills and attitudes.

I also think that lifelong learning is the key to the best practices in higher education. Of course, this is true for any type of education and even self-learning. Nonetheless, it is especially important for higher education as it provides a broader perspective on all aspects of peoples lives. Higher education is associated with frameworks and trends that shape the way people interact and societies develop. Clearly, it is important for educators to learn every day of their life to remain updated.

It is possible to outline certain goals to make learning more structured and effective. One of my goals will be to take an active part in the academic debate on various topics. I will develop academic works that will expand the scope of the field. Another goal is my future participation in certain societies. This will help me keep in touch with many high-profile professionals, share knowledge and experience as well as remain updated on a variety of issues. My third goal is to become an effective practitioner, as I believe that it is impossible to contribute to the field without developing various approaches and evaluating their effectiveness through teaching different groups of people. I believe these goals are attainable and, hence, I think I will succeed in my strive for becoming an efficient educator.

I have also found a valuable resource that can help me achieve my goals. The website of American Association for Adult and Continuing Education contains various resources including scholarly articles, information on conferences, links to specific groups and so on (Welcome to the AAACE Website).

Works Cited

Cobb, Jeff. A Definition of Learning. 2009. Web.

Hill, Lilian H. The brain and consciousness: Sources of information for understanding adult learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 89 (2008): 73-81. Print.

Jarvis, Peter. Adult Education and Lifelong Learning: Theory and Practice. New York: Routledge, 2010. Print.

Merriam, Sharan B. Adult Learning. Sustainability in the Australasian University Context. Ed. Kjell Rubenson. Oxon: Academic Press, 2011. 29-35. Print.

Merriam, Sharan B., Rosemary S. Caffarella, and Lisa M. Baumgartner. Adult Education and Lifelong Learning: Theory and Practice. San Francisco: Routledge, 2010. Print.

Welcome to the AAACE Website.2015. Web.

In recent years, educators are increasingly relying on adult education to bring about social change through community development initiatives implemented at the grassroots level. Indeed, studies have deliberated on the social role of adult education in terms of empowering populations and contributing to the development of communities (Glassman, Erdem and Bartholomew 273-274; Guo 107-108). This blog undertakes an exploration of a professional agency involved in adult education to support the argument that the adult learning curriculum should be based on social action and community development rather than on individual problems and needs.

The professional agency in question is the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). The statement underscores the need for the adult learning curriculum to be grounded on social action and community development initiatives. This stand has been reinforced in the vision/purpose statement of the AAACE, which notes the association is dedicated to the belief that lifelong learning contributes to human fulfillment and positive social change (American Association for Adult and Continuing Education par. 1). I am of the opinion that adult education initiatives should be focused on triggering social change by empowering community members and upgrading their knowledge and skills to fully participate in local activities. Adult education, in my view, should not be concerned with addressing individual problems. On the contrary, it should be focused on assisting community members to acquire the skills, knowledge, and values needed to bring about social change by leading fruitful and fulfilling lifestyles (American Association for Adult and Continuing Education par. 1). As a future adult educator, this information is important as it will help me to consider the needs of the community when preparing the curriculum.

Teaching Methods

The three most important teaching methods for adult learners include team teaching, step-by-step teaching, as well as contextualized teaching. Team teaching is an important strategy that is used by educators to convey systems thinking (ability to work with other people in teams) to adult learners and communities. It is important as it uses group dynamics to (a) negotiate relationships among adult learners, (b) provide an applicable and integrated curriculum and pedagogy, and (c) focus on the learners capability to construct knowledge (Laughlin, Nelson and Donaldson 11-13). Step-by-step teaching method is a researcher-designed innovative process that takes the adult learner, step-by-step, from his present level of understanding to the required level (McDonald 357). It is important as it assists learners to understand fundamental concepts, particularly in mathematics and sciences. Contextualized teaching revolves around increasing transferability, attention, and motivation among adult learners by teaching them valuable life skills and facilitating the learning of abstract reasoning (Showalter, Wollet and Reynolds 23-23). Its ability to teach important life skills underscores its importance.

At a personal level, I might use team teaching to develop social interactions among students based on my belief that optimal learning takes place in socially conducive environments. I have a firm philosophy that adults should be taught in small groups in order to spur positive interactions, which in turn trigger social change. I might use step-by-step teaching to enhance the level of understanding when engaging adult learners in complex subjects such as mathematics. Lastly, I might use contextualized teaching not only to develop the learners abstract reasoning capabilities but also to maintain relevancy in teaching and learning. The three teaching methods fit into my teaching style as I employ a student-centered approach to spur classroom interactions, enhance understanding of complex concepts, and improve learner motivation. The teaching methods fit into my conception (philosophy) of teaching because I always believe that action learning is essential in allowing small groups of adult learners to translate their newly acquired skills and knowledge into small group projects.

Works Cited

American Association for Adult and Continuing Education. Who we Are 2015. Web.

Glassman, Michael, Gizem Erdem, and Mitchell Bartholomew. Action Research and its History as an Adult Education Movement for Social Change. Adult Education Quarterly. 63.3 (2012): 272-288. Academic Search Premier. Web.

Guo, Shibao. Adult Education for Social Change: The Role of Grassroots Organizations in Canada. Convergence. 39.4 (2006):107-122. ERIC. Web.

Laughlin, Kevin, Peggy Nelson, and Susan Donaldson. Team Teaching with Adult Learners. Journal of Adult Education. 40.1 (2011): 11-18. ERIC. Web.

McDonald, Betty. A Step-by-Step Teaching Technique for Teachers with Adult Students of Mathematics. Adult Education Quarterly. 63.4 (2013): 357-372. Academic Search Premier. Web.

Showalter, Daniel A., Chelsea Wollet, and Sharon Reynolds. Teaching a High-Contextualized Mathematics Curriculum to Adult Basic Learners. Journal of Research and Practice for Adult Literacy. 3.2 (2014): 21-34. ERIC. Web.

SATs Validity and Reliability

The Scholastic Aptitude Test or the Scholastic Assessment Test serves to measure the college aptitudes of future students and their readiness to study. The history shows that norms applied to this testing have considerably altered over 75 years of its existence and the latest version has become available in 2005. The most crucial virtues of the Standardized Aptitude Test are validity and reliability. Hence, there are different methods that identify these issues. First of all, the test should measure what it plans to assess; then, when it is defined, then, one can state that the SAT has relevant validity. Second, a reliable test is one that is reproducible (Fullinwider and Lichtenberd, 2004). In addition, the aspect of reliability is less contradicting than that of validity. Therefore, it is first better to examine the first dimension of the SAT.

Usually, the SATs reliability presupposes the study of differences between two editions of tests; if the results are the same, then the SAT can be recognized as highly reliable. However, it is impossible to take two tests within a short period. Therefore, as the SAT has three writing sections and three mathematics sections, researchers usually compare the results of those sections, which is nearly the same. It should be stressed that the majority of the researchers (Fullinwider and Lichtenberd, 2004; Sticker, 2007), mark a high level of reliability of the SAT tests. In particular, Fullinwider and Lichtenberd (2004, p. 107) believe that SATs reliability coefficient is approximately 0.9 (out of 1.0 maximum). This result has been justified by different variables, including outside factors and the number of the test-taking by students. The same argument is approved by Stickler (2007) who has found out that that an internal consistency coefficient is 0.91 if taking into consideration that the error measurement is about 30 points out of 100. The researcher has also used repeated testing and has chosen 1,120, 563 students in 1997 college. During the analysis, the SAT experiment has detected that repeated testing reveals higher points at the senior level. This, thus, indicates high retest reliability as well (Stickler 2007, p.4).

SATs validity is the second dimension of testing requiring a more in-depth investigation. When referring to this aspect, it is also necessary to consider predictive validity. Usually, validation is the difference between the SAT scores and GPA (grade point average). Therefore, to define validity means to calculate the scores and to correlate them with your average grade. This correlation can provoke the major bias of this dimension, which is commonly called as restriction of range (Fullinwider and Lichtenburg 2004). Hence, the problem is that GPA differences do not have any correlations with the SAT scores, as they can have no differences at all, in case a student has a perfect 4.0 GPA. Therefore, the best method is to compare the differences between SAT and the GPA of freshmen.

Stickler divides this problem into study groups: analysis of the SATs ability to predict success academic performance and consideration of the SATs validity. In the first case, the SAT proves to be efficient and valid whereas the second one affirms that this achievement test, as SAT measures a presumption that coincides with other measurements, like GPA and ACT (Stickler 2007, p.4). There are researchers (Stickler 2007; Flemming and Garcia 1998) who believe that the validity of the SAT is also affected by outer factors, like economic and social status, cultural and national biases.

Bejar and Blew (1981) study the influence of grade inflation, which is understood as grade increase without achievement improvement, on the predictive validity. By using the restriction of range criteria, the researcher has defined that there observes an increasing difference between a correlation of GPA SAT scores at the beginning of the study and at the end of it. This phenomenon calls as grade inflations. More importantly, the researchers have also found the SAT variations in terms of gender and time periods. Hence, it has been defined that female correlations were much higher than male ones; still in later periods, those correlations were equal.

According to Allalouf and Ben-Shakhars studies (1998), the SATs validity is greatly affected by coaching that does not always have a positive influence. Hence, the researcher engage a group of students of the academic year 1992-1993 with relevant coaching specifically designed for these purposes (Allalouf and Ben-Shakhar, 1998, p 34). The results have shown that coaching does have an impact on test scores where mathematics portion is more influenced than the verbal one (Allalouf and Ben-Shakhar, 1998, p. 37).

Flemming and Garcia (1998), when studying the SATs predictive validity among black and white students have discovered that standardized tests predict academic performance much better for black students who attend predominantly black colleges (p. 489). However, the given research also shows that the validity coefficient of black students studying in the black schools is about 2 % lower than those who study in the white schools. However, the research was conducted in the late 80s when the problem of racial discrimination was more rigid. Though the given research is not valid for the current situation, it still shows that racial issues are worth consideration.

Different studies revealed that Scholastic Achievement Test has many advantages in terms of its reliability and, to some extent, its validity. Hence, SAT is considered reliable by many researchers and among them are Stickler (2007), and Fullinwider and Lichtenburg (2004). Hence, owing to the fact that SAT includes several verbal and mathematics portions, it is always possible to measure the differences. What is more crucial is that this achievement test is considered to be reliable even during retesting. It is also worth mentioning that the SAT predictable validity and construct validity are in bid question, due to numerous drawbacks. First of all, it is necessary to say that the SAT has certain variations restrictions so that it is impossible to define a fix correlation between SAT scores and GPA scores. Secondly, the validity of testing also depends upon specific factors, namely, gender, age, year of study, racial issues, and social conditions, which does not influence reliability of the SAT. However, the main merit of this dimension lies in ability to foresee college success. The most persuasive argument in support of the SATs validation is it equals to the quality of the data. In my opinion, despite the fact that the SAT has some academic gaps, it is still rather efficient as comprised minimum of measurement errors. The reliability issue is also rather important as, the SAT displays a high level of reliability irrespective of number of the tests passed.

Assisting students with disabilities

It is crucial for students with disabilities to feel support on the high school counselors part. In particular, there is the necessity to work out specialized academic programs that would reveal the strengths and weaknesses of students. It is also important that the learning process of individual with disabilities should involve comfortable accommodation and correspondent equipment. Books and academic sources should also correspond to this case. Specific psychological approaches should be also applied to the process of instructing; therefore, there should be a special technique in supervising the training process and conducting lessons.

During the interview, I found out some useful details about the requirements of the student groups with disabilities.

What is the most difficult task for you? Is there something that you cannot overcome?

Student: The most difficult task for me is reading, as it is really hard for me to understand the content right after the primary reading. The problem is that I am lagging behind the group as my reading speed leaves much to be desired. This also hampers my engagement into the specifics of my discipline content.

Are there any problems concerning the relations with peers? Does this issue negatively influence the process of learning?

Student: I can address both to pleasant and unpleasant moment I have had during the learning process in college because my disease (quadriplegia) was often reduced to mistaking presumption regarding my intelligence. Therefore, it has taken a lot of time to prove that my abilities do not deviate from norms. Certainly, that has also influence my grade in the beginning of the study. But I managed to surpass those hardships.

What is the most interesting subject for you? Is it your major?

Student: Frankly speaking, I like all the disciplines connecting with calculating: defining the balance, solving different equalities, and so on. I am also keen on learning administration management and accounting, as I am dreaming to work as an accountant or as a manager.

Are you satisfied with the conditions of learning and with the learning process itself?

Student: While studying, I have noticed that some professors often fail to take into account my emotional and psychological needs, as I always feel pressure from nondisabled students, which is permitted by the professor. If a teacher paid more attention to my achievement, I would gain much higher results.

What facilities can improve the process of study?

Student: When studying on a full-time basis, it is necessary to provide some communicational devices to enforce the teacher- student interaction. Also, I feel uncomfortable in the class, as the furniture are not destined for students with disabilities. Hence, the equipment should be portable and easily operated. I should admit that it is not that easy to handle it and cope with all the tasks all the time.

Do you have any hobbies? How do usually spend your leisure time?

Student: I like walking in the open air and communicating to other students with the same problems. This helps me to distract my attention from difficulties I experience during the class.

What would you like to change to simplify your study?

Student: Perhaps, I would like to be more involved into the discussions in class, which I lack much, as my teacher believes that this is a complicated task for me.

What would your say if there were a special psychological training for students with disabilities?

Student: I think, it is a great idea, as this will surely help me to adjust to some specific conditions to realize that we are not alone.

What is your attitude to team projects?

Student: I love that most of all, as it always implies creativity and unconventional approach to the study. Besides, you some sort of responsibility for what you are going.

Then, I can assume that you like different kinds of contest in math or in writing, do not you?

Student: Yes, everything that is connected with checking my abilities and strengths is important for me.

Vocational Assessment

For students with disabilities, a lot of efforts and care is required if the assessment. Therefore, the evaluation process is not a primitive enumeration of what a disabled individual can do and what he/she cannot. Hence, there are several requirements to the process of assessment. First, parents should actively participate to contribute to the assessment. Second, it is necessary to analyze the performance of students with disabilities in various settings. Thirdly, to carry out an appropriate assessment, a highly qualified expertise should be introduced.

There exist different approaches and norms of vocational assessment. The first one reveals the analysis of training programs and curriculum plans that should be worked out according to the needs of disabled individuals. This type of vocational assessment proposed by Strohmer and Prout (1994) should encompass medical, psychological, social, and economic analysis in the context of goals of the evaluation process. This is required for career assessment of disabled students.

Suzuki et al. (2000) insist on the idea that the vocational assessment is the analysis of cultural and multicultural competence. Therefore, it should include the issues on vocational development of student with mental and psychical disorders and reveal other problems of their accommodation in a college. In this respect, counselors and instructors must be culturally aware thus demonstrating a high level of cultural training.

Apart from cultural and psychological vocational assessment of students of disabilities, there is also an interest vocational assessment that is considered as the one of essentials types of vocational assessment. As a whole, interests enlarge on individuals likes and dislikes related to various career functions. This type of assessment is usually divided into three interest analyses: expressed interest analysis, measured interest, and inventoried interest (Fagan and Warden, 1996, p. 169). Hence, in the first case, it is necessary to conduct the interview in order to find out what preferences a student has. Measured interests are defined by means of knowledge evaluation, and, finally, inventoried interests are appraised by means of vocational inventories.

After a thorough consideration of the above-mentioned vocational assessments, it is possible to admit that all of them are reliable and can be applied in combination with each other. However, the interest assessment is, probably, the most effective one, as it promotes the understanding of students goal and their aptitude to certain disciplines. It should be also stressed that career assessment is also crucial for individual with mental and physical disorders, as they should be prepared for adult life as well. This vocational assessment can also be considered as reliable and valid. Finally, multicultural assessment also greatly contributed to an overall discovery of students abilities so that high-school counselor should be aware of national and cultural issues to be fully engaged into the problem.

Reference

Allalouf, A., and Ben-Shakhar (1998). The Effet of Coaching on the Predictive Validity of Scholastic Attitude Tests.

Bajar, I. I., and Blew, E. O. (1981). Grade Inflation and the Validity of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. American Educational Research Journal. 18(2), 143-156.

Fleming, J., and Garcia, N. (1998). Are Standardized Test Fair to African Americans?: Predictive Validity of the SAT in Black and White Institutions. Journal of Higher Education. 69(5), 471-495.

Fullinwider, R. K., and Lichtenberg, J. (2004). Leveling the playing field: justice, police, and college admissions. US: Rowman &Littlefield.

Stickler, L. (2007). A Critical Review of the SAT: Menace or Mild-Mannered Measure? TCNJ Journal of Student Scholarship. 9, 1-8.

Strohmer, D. C., and Prout, H. T. (1994). Counseling and Psychotherapy with Persons with Mental Retardation and Borderline Intelligence. US: John Wiley and Sons.

Suzuki, L. A., Ponterotto, J. G., Meller, P. J. (2000). Handbook of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, and Educational Applications. US: John Willey and Sons.

Warden, T., and Warden, P. G. (1996). Historical encyclopedia of school psychology. US: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Strategies for Enhancing Curiosity in Mathematics

One of strategies for enhancing curiosity in mathematics among students is making use of mathematical manipulatives. Manipulatives are obtained from day-to-day objects used by students. Using this strategy, curiosity is developed through connection of mathematical concepts with sensorimotor understanding coupled with explicit verbal-declarative skills.

Another strategy is making students work in groups. The third strategy is to teach all the students together and have one repeat the procedure to the rest. A reward may be given for correct repetition. Lastly, a teacher may use mathematical problems to create games for which every student would like to be part of. In the effort to become champions in a particular game, the students develop curiosity on how to work with numbers.

Purpose of the Strategies

For successful performance in the games, when using games to create curiosity among children, a child endeavors to learn the rules of the game. Hence, when games are made such that they feature mathematical analogies, children become curious on how they can be able to learn the rules and the processes of determining the winner (Koch, 2010).

The purpose of mathematical manipulative strategy is to make children relate practical scenarios with the concepts taught in mathematics. For strategies of group work and having a single student teach the rest about something that has been taught previously, the purpose is to encourage students to become curious by learning from the mistakes made.

How a teacher can apply the strategies in classroom settings

To use manipulatives to enhance curiosity in mathematics among students, a teacher can collect colored beads, blocks, or even sticks. He or she has to make the learners sample together blocks of the same color followed by requesting them to count each set of the blocks in an effort to get their answer.

Based on color differences, students learn that different objects have different mathematical representations. This strategy would make them become curious about other things, for instance, their number in class based on gender. Using gaming strategy to enhance math curiosity, the teacher needs to let the children engage in plays while keeping the record of scores for each session in the form of blocks with one block representing a score.

The blocks for different sessions also need to be different in color. When requested to identify the number of scores in all the games, the main problem would be how to count the total number of blocks. Since the winner will be the team having the largest number of blocks, children are able to have curiosity to understand the precedence of numbers through gaming and the process of determining the winner, which entails addition.

To induce math curiosity by having students work in groups, a teacher may give students a number of sticks to use in the computation of addition problems. Each student in the group is requested to carry out an addition task while explaining to the rest about every step.

When one student completes the task, another student in the same group is requested to also carry out the task. Rewards are given for students who achieve outstanding results. Rewarding not only motivates them but also makes the group members more curious about the process of using the sticks to arrive at the correct answers (Reys, Lindquist, Lambdin & Smith, 2012).

A teacher can also induce curiosity in math by choosing randomly a student to repeat the process of solving a mathematical problem to the rest of the students. This strategy makes students pay attention and or develop curiosity to know how mathematical problems are solved so that, should one be chosen to solve a similar problem, she or he will get it right and get a reward.

Reference List

Koch, J. (2010). Science stories: Science methods for elementary and middle schoolteachers. Wadsworth: Cengage Publishing.

Reys, R., Lindquist, M., Lambdin, D., & Smith, N. (2012). Helping Children Learn Mathematics. Hobokon, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) exemplifies a set of principles for developing accessible curricula and inclusive classroom environments that can be adapted to the individual needs and preferences of a diverse set of learners (CAST, 2012; Mannheimer & Hasselbring, 2014). This blog post describes how UDL would be implemented in a face-to-face music classroom consisting of students with a diverse set of needs. The lesson topic referred to in this discussion is music theory.

In the UDL framework, learning objectives must be separated from the instructional techniques used to achieve them in order to avail a variety of pathways to the objectives at all levels (CAST, 2012). As an example, a lesson of music presented in a face-to-face teaching mode can be chosen. While dealing with the topic related to the voice leading, the main objective of the lesson plan is to ask music students to identify patterns that can help them internalize the syntax of common-practice harmony and voice leading. For many learners, the figured bass technique is a perfectly effective method for achieving this objective as it is typically assumed that an average learner is sighted and has an adequate visual ability to perform the exercise. However, some barriers prevent a part of the students from reaching the goal. Ones have vision and hearing difficulties while others are slow learners in music theory.

The three principles of UDL (representation, action and expression, and engagement) can be employed by the music teacher to develop a methodology that could be used to improve students learning outcomes irrespective of need (CAST, 2012; Mannheimer & Hasselbring, 2014). The teacher may adopt methods that leverage aural and kinesthetic modalities of learning (e.g., strategic categorization, active memorization, improvisation, error-detection exercises, engagement) to cater for the needs of such students. Additionally, scaffolding can be used to assist slow learners in music theory as it entails the initial employment of systematic and customized supports intended to help novice learners in developing a passion for and understanding of new ideas and skills. This way, all learners of music theory get equal opportunities to learn due to the flexible learning approaches made possible through UDL.

References

CAST. (2012). Universal Design for Learning guideline version 2.0. Web.

Mannheimer, J., & Hasselbring, T.S. (2014). Mini anchors: A universal design for learning approach. Tech Trends, 58(6), 21-28.

Topic

The topic of the article is about the way of how undergraduate students can understand and choose their majors perspectives.

Author

Maria Boya Zhu, a student of Pomona College and the winner of a National Science Fellowship for graduate students, is the author of the work under analysis.

Date of the publication

The article is published in the CSWEP, the Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession (it is the American Association) in summer 2013.

Relation of the topic to life

The topic relates to my life as I, as well as the author, have to know how to make decisions and understand the importance of all decisions made. It should help me realize how to use the knowledge gained and choose the Major.

Type of writing

The article is a kind of personal reflection on everything that can be done by students when they have to make choices. The correctness of choice defines the perspectives of the students future.

Reading strategy

I will read the paper and underline the most interesting ideas as soon as I see them. Then, I will re-read the article when I start answering the questions to find the most appropriate answers.

Challenges

In the topic, there are no too complicated words. Still, I want to know more about the definition of the world perspective to learn the options possible. Perspective is defined as a particular attitude to something or a prospect.

Reading outline

The reading is not too long, just two pages. There are 12 small paragraphs. It means that the author focuses on different aspects of the chosen topic. There are no subheadings. There is only the main though identified in the middle of the article that the core of the matter is not so much that economics is good for women, but that women are good for economics (Zhu 8).

Intended Audience

The article can be interesting to any student who is going to decide on his/her majors and teachers, who want to understand the aspects that are more important for students while making choices.

Notes about the Reading

Throughout most of the high school, I thought I would pursue a major in the humanities when I came to college. I loved reading and writing, and I thought I was too much of a creative type of person to major in math or science. I took my first economics class during my senior year of high school, and it didnt fit either humanities or science. I enjoyed the class, partly because it presented a novel way of looking at the world, but mostly because I picked up the concepts more quickly than many of my classmates.

While I wouldnt say my experience with economics in high school instilled a life-changing passion, having exposure to the subject definitely made me more open to it as a field of study in college. What turns off many women from economics (and some men, for that matter) is a misconception of what economics is actually about. Some of this misunderstanding is due to lack of exposure, but often it is because introductory economics is taught in a way that does not reflect the full breadth of the field.

As a student at a liberal arts college with no business major, I encountered many economics majors who saw economics as a proxy for business. The major was a way for them to have the benefits of a liberal arts education and a route to a future on Wall Street. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that all too often, economics is seen as the business of making money rather than the science of human behavior.

Based on my observations, this misconception of the field seems to disproportionately drive women out of taking economics classes. Many of my female peers never even considered economics as a possible major, even those who were leaning heavily towards other social sciences, such as politics, psychology, or sociology. Economics was often stigmatized as a pre-professional degree that focused less on critical thinking and engagement with significant ideas. The availability of interdisciplinary fields that offered concentrations in economics (e.g., Public Policy Analysis, Environmental Analysis, International Relations) provided an attractive alternative to those who were interested in making a difference in society.

Additionally, the low numbers of female faculty and female majors poses a self-perpetuating problem. The absence of women in the year above me made pursuing an economics major less appealing. When I came to college, I didnt have a clear idea of what I was interested in studying, and I took classes in many different areas during my first two years to try and figure out what to do. It was difficult to imagine myself thriving in departments such as economics with a clear gender imbalance.

For many people I have spoken to, both women and men, the presence of inspiring faculty that they could relate to was instrumental in influencing their eventual field of study. Put simply, people are likely to feel more of a sense of belonging in places where there are people they can relate to. This level of relatedness comes in many forms, and gender is one key factor.

For me, it has been important to find a strong female support network. I have actively sought out female professors as advisors and made sure to establish relationships with female peers. I have received a lot of encouragement and advice from professors, older students, and people in my cohort during college, and that has been invaluable in motivating me when I had doubts about my own capabilities or goals. In turn, I have tried to engage others on this issue as well. I took over organizing the semi-annual Women in Economics luncheon during my sophomore year. I organized a discussion panel that addressed the gender dynamics in economics and other disciplines with large gender imbalances and invited all students and professors to express their experiences and concerns.

Many people ask me why I decided to major in economics, and thats a good question given that much of this essay has been devoted to describing the challenges women in economics face. I am interested in economics as a way of understanding the choices individuals make and how these decisions operate in a greater social context. Economics conceptualizes relationships in the world in a way that makes sense to me, and I see a lot of potentials to do research with meaningful policy implications in this area. I like the combination of analytical and creative aspects in looking at real-world problems, and I find it to be challenging in a way that I enjoy.

I did not always feel this certain about my passion for economics. During my sophomore year, I seriously considered dropping the major. I was having a hard time in one of my core theory classes, and I did not really understand why what I was learning was relevant to anything I cared about. Two key points made me decide to stick with economics. The first was that I had gotten the opportunity to do economics research with a professor the summer after freshman year, so I had been exposed to some of what real economics research looked like. The project I was working on looked at demographic data to analyze the impacts of immigration policy changes in Arizona and the impact this had on immigration patterns. I thought this research was fascinating, and I didnt even realize something like that would fall under the umbrella of research in economics. I saw a side of economics that was very much tied to real issues that affected many peoples lives, which is something I didnt see from the graphs and equations in my textbooks.

The second key reason I decided to stick with economics was that I had taken a class called Economics of Gender and Family during the second semester of my freshman year. This class presented economics to me in a completely different framework, and I loved that it challenged traditional neoclassical ideas. We looked at topics such as household bargaining, womens rights, development, health, and labor, and we addressed facets of these issues that actually seemed relevant and personal. I believe if more women were exposed to the wide scope of economics research at an earlier stage, it would give more purpose to many of the core theory courses and spark more interest in learning the tools to analyze some of these interesting questions. For me, gaining research experience and taking interesting elective courses early exposed me to a much more nuanced and interesting side of economics than I would have been otherwise, and I think it made a big difference in my eventual decision to pursue economics as a major.

Finally, a valuable question to address in this discourse is why we should care about the representation of women in economics. I think the underrepresentation signals greater issues in terms of equity and access. It also signals problematic aspects of the current structure of economics in both research and pedagogy. Women bring a different perspective to the field, one that I think is very much missing right now. In particular, women often have different views on the valuation of time, attention to social constructs, focus on the informal economy, bargaining, welfare, and more.

Many of these perspectives run counter to the established rigorous neoclassical models of economics, but that is an argument for diversity, not against it. Ultimately, we need to be careful about how we frame this issue. The goal is not simply to convince more women to be major in economics at the undergraduate levelthat implies that we should be fixing women instead of fixing greater structural issues. Trying to get women to conform to a male-dominated norm only serves to perpetuate the discipline as it is currently being practiced. Instead, we need to adopt a more nuanced approach that places value on the perspectives that women bring to the field and that works to encourage more people to embrace the full potential of economics as a discipline and tool. In the end, I believe that the core of the matter is not so much that economics is good for women, but that women are good for economics.

New words for Discussion

To stigmatize rigorous neoclassical models of economics, to perpetuate the discipline.

Summary

In the article, the author discusses the reasons why women have to pay more attention to such majors as Economics and not be afraid to conform to a male-dominated norm (Zhu 8). Zhu says that there is a certain misconception about economics itself and about the opportunities this major can open to men and women. The way of how people understand economics and the way of how economics does look are different indeed. Some people cannot even guess that economics can touch upon human behavior, relations, and even emotions. Economics is not only about numbers, theories, and calculations. It is a properly covert opportunity for women to understand this world better and get equal to mens rights. These are the main ideas offered by Zhu in the article. In the end, the author underlines one truth about the connection between economics and women that it is not so much that economics is good for women, but that women are good for economics (Zhu 8).

Evaluation and Reflection

The chosen article may cause different attitudes to the issue discussed by the author. The author does not provide clear evidence to support her position and does not refer to some well-known authors and researchers. However, Zhu describes her own attitude to the relation that exists between women and economics. In my opinion, this article is a captivating source of information on how people should make their choices. It is not enough to rely on the statistics or some public opinion. The choice of education should be personal and independent. People, especially women, should be free from prejudices and the symbolic relics of the past to be confident in their decisions and not to regret anything. Zhu helps to understand that Economics, as the major, does not make people work with numbers and theories all the time. It varies considerably, and people are able to learn better household bargaining, womens rights, development, health and labor (Zhu 8). Even the way of how the article is written impresses a lot. The structure and context are logically developed in the article. She follows a good order of thoughts to explain her beliefs and intentions. It is hard to believe that its author is a female economist who used to have some doubts about the choices made.

Reading Experience

The article made me inspired with the intention to make independent choices and rely on personal interests and possibilities. It helps to understand that a person should not follow someones expectations. Even if such a complicated major as Economics opens its doors to all female students, who want to try being economists, people should not be afraid to experiment and choose in accordance with their own needs.

Importance in the Real World

Though this article is written on paper, it has a considerable impact on the real world. I have met such people who tried to reconsider their own interests and demands just because they are not similar to the already established traditions and attitudes. My male friend is good at haircutting, make-up, and designing. Still, his parents do not even want to hear about his chances to become a person of fashion. They want to see him as an independent owner of a restaurant. This article should show such prejudiced people like my friends family members that personal interests may contradict the social expectations and be justified within a short period of time. People should learn how to follow their own dreams, make their own decisions, and even be upset with the mistakes made by their own. Life is something personal. If a woman wants to connect her life with the male-founded world of economics, she should have such a chance.

Argumentative Techniques and Evidence

Zhu constructs her arguments in a very interesting and personal way. In the beginning, she uses some general facts and conclusions to prove the urgency of the topic chosen. For example, she mentions that many women and some men have turned off economics because of lack of exposure and misconception of what economics can actually be about (Zhu 7). At the same time, she appeals to such values as fairness and efficiency, explaining that women just cannot consider economics as their major. To support the correctness of her choice, Zhu describes her own experience and emotions and proves that people are likely to feel more of a sense of belonging in places where there are people they can relate to (7). This consumption helps to realize that a person may be involved in any sphere of life in case there is the required portion of the support.

Work Cited

Zhu, Maria, Boya. An Undergraduate Majors Perspective. Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession 2013:7-8. Web.