Frodos Seed of Courage - 1770 Words

Frodos Seed of Courage Essay Courage is an essential quality that is found in every archetypal hero. Courage is defined as the quality of mind and spirit that enables an individual to face difficulty, danger, and pain without fear. An individual is not born with a courageous heart, but instead develops courage through experience of difficulty and danger. The stimulation of courage is analogous to the growth of a beautiful flower. Courage starts off as a seed which is planted in the soil of the individuals heart. The planting of the seed is usually initiated by a courageous act during a time of difficulty or danger. As an individual experiences many of these dangerous and difficult circumstances, the individuals courage begins†¦show more content†¦Frodos willingness to face even greater dangers clearly demonstrates that his courage continues to grow. Frodo once again shows his constant growth of courage during the journey through the Mines of Moria. When the Fellowsh ip is venturing in the Mines of Moria, they run into a large group of orcs. As one of the orcs tries to break into the room that the Fellowship is trapped in, Boromir strikes at the arm of the orc. Although Boromir is a powerful warrior, his sword does nothing and slips from his hands. After Boromir fails to harm the orc, Suddenly, and to his own surprise, Frodo felt a hot wrath blaze up in his heart. Ì’ The Shire! Ì“ he cried, and springing beside Boromir, he stooped , and stabbed with Sting at the hideous foot (364). Consequently, Frodos courage overpowers Boromirs brute strength. Furthermore, Frodos attack on an individual orc causes his courage to grow strong enough to fight against a hoard of orcs. After Frodo and the Fellowship kill thirteen orcs, the rest of the orcs temporarily run away giving time for the Fellowship to escape. Following the Council of Elrond and the journey through the Mines of Moria, Frodos courage becomes more natural, thus revealing that Fr odos courage is near full growth. Frodo shows full transformation into a courageous individual at Là ³rien and through his most courageous act of all at Amon Hen. Frodo first shows his full transformation into a courageous

I Am Irish And African American Essay - 1546 Words

â€Å"So, what are you anyway?† the girl asked in a snarky tone, staring at me blankly from across the awkwardly conjoined, wooden desks. I took a minute to sit back in my chair and wonder what the reaction would be this time, the usual â€Å"You don’t even look white,† or something completely new that I could add to my list of quirky comments made about being biracial. I stared blankly back at her, adding to the not-so-dramatic moment of suspense. â€Å"I’m Irish and African American,† I replied in a somewhat rehearsed, monotone voice, as if I had already been through this situation 100 times (that might be an exaggeration†¦more like 99 times to be exact). Just as her lips began to part, I was preparing myself for the QA session I would be holding after class to learn about the wonders of my life. â€Å"Oh wow†¦you don’t even look white!† Well what a surprise†¦the story of my life. Growing up, I always felt like an outs ider. I yearned for a sense of belonging, but I would always have to bring myself to a constant realization about the implication of my existence—I was black and white, not one or the other, but both. The continual task of â€Å"checking one box† on surveys and papers didn’t really help the situation either. Being the product of an African-American father and an Irish-American mother made me appreciate and understand all the variations of race and culture in the spectrum, but it also left me in this murky-gray area with no sense of direction—a feeling that most multiracialShow MoreRelatedIrish Immigration Essay933 Words   |  4 PagesRunning head: IRISH IMMIGRATION IN 1850’S 1 Irish Immigration in 1850’s Dorothy Mathews Eth/125 March 7, 2010 Read MorePersonal Identity Research Paper :932 Words   |  4 PagesResearch Paper I interviewed my nephew, Jeremy, for this assignment. Jeremy and I are members of the same family; but, have different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. My family is very large, consisting of; six brothers, sister in-laws, my parents, and fifteen nieces and nephews. My brother, Joe, married an African-American women (Sandra) and had two sons; but, they look nothing alike. Surprisingly, Jeremy’s appearance is African-American and Anthony looks Caucasian. I classify myselfRead MoreStereotypes, Stereotyping, And Stereotyping942 Words   |  4 Pagesexceptional African-American athletes in the NBA and WNBA, for example; however, that does not indicate that all Blacks are good in all sports, or in sports in general, just as not all Whites are good in baseball or soccer just because these major leagues are dominated by Whites. Alternatively, the African-American population is being stigmatized as being lazy, which according to Laura Green, is due to the assumption that Blacks abuse the welfare system. In other words, African-Americans are beingRead MoreEthnic Background Essay673 Words   |  3 PagesI was born into a mixed family much like Tigers. My mothers father was Chinese-American, orphaned by his birth-family and raised in the South. My mothers mother was African-American and, following the family legacy, she received a degree from Fisk University in Nashville, TN. My relatives were instrumental in the foundation of the Avery Nor mal Institute in Charleston, SC, an educational institute for African-Americans founded in 1865 (now associated with the College of Charleston). My mother grewRead MoreI Classify Myself As A White, Irish Italian- American Woman778 Words   |  4 Pages I classify myself as a white, Irish-Italian- American, woman. My mother was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and my paternal grandparents are from Sicily, Italy. I imagine being first generation Irish and second generation Italian helps me relate to my ethnicity. My maternal grandfather impacted my development of my ethnic and cultural identity. He instilled me with pride and appreciation for my Irish roots. Specifically, he brought me over to Belfast to learn and experience the culture. TheRead MorePersonal Statement : Personal Identity Research Paper Essay916 Words   |  4 PagesResearch Paper I chose to interview my nephew, Jeremy for this paper. Jeremy and I are members of the same family; but, have different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. My family is a very large family and consists of; six brothers, sister in- laws, and fifteen nieces and nephews. My brother, Joe, married an African-American women (Sandra) and had two sons; but, they look nothing alike. Surprisingly, Jeremy’s appearance is African-American and Anthony looks Caucasian. I classify myselfRead MoreDiversity Interview By Integrating A Classmate Essay1572 Words   |  7 PagesI decided to complete the Diversity Interview by utilizing a classmate that I have worked with on several occasions. The work we performed together has always been professional; we have never had discussions that delved deep into each other’s backgrounds. This person is of the opposite sex and is visibly a different ethnic group from myself. I am an American- African male and she is an American – Mexican/Irish. This interview is being done in order for me to understand what it is like to be in herRead MorePersonal Statement : Personal Identity Research831 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Identity Research Paper I classify my race, ethnicity, and culture as a white, Irish-Italian- American, woman. My mother was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and my paternal grandparents are from Sicily, Italy. I imagine being first generation Irish and second generation Italian makes me relate more with my ethnicity. My maternal grandfather impacted my development of my ethnic and cultural identity. He instilled a pride and an understanding of my Irish roots. Specifically, he broughtRead MoreA White Irish Italian American Woman922 Words   |  4 Pages I consider myself to be a white Irish-Italian American woman. My mother was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and my paternal grandparents are from Sicily, Italy. I imagine being first generation Irish and second generation Italian makes me identify more with my ethnicity. In the first place, my maternal grandfather instilled a pride and understanding of my Irish roots. Specifically, he brought me over to Belfast to learn and experience the culture. At the time, the hostility between theRead MoreThe Slavery Of African Americans942 Words   |  4 PagesSome people I met asked me that we Africans sold other Africans into slavery and why? I will tell them well I was not born when it happened, I only learn about slavery in school not even my parents told me so I cannot provide you with genuine reason behind slavery but I do understand this that it may have some economic benefits attached to it and that is a fact, the world back then was like survival of the fittest, slavery was rampant all over the world and not only black Africans were enslaved,

Math Self-efficacy Free Essays

Math Self-efficacy 1 Running head: SELF-EFFICACY AND STANDARDIZED TEST PERFORMANCE Accepted for publication in the Journal of Educational Psychology. This version may slightly differ from the published version. Does Math Self-efficacy Mediate the Effect of the Perceived Classroom Environment on Standardized Math Test Performance? Lisa A. We will write a custom essay sample on Math Self-efficacy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Fast University of California, Riverside James Lewis University of California, Riverside Michael J. Bryant California Institute of the Arts Kathleen A. Bocian University of California, Riverside Richard A. Cardullo University of California, Riverside Michael Rettig University of California, Riverside Kimberly A. Hammond University of California, Riverside Math Self-efficacy 2 Abstract We examined the effect of the perceived classroom environment on math self-efficacy and the effect of math self-efficacy on standardized math test performance. Upper elementary school students (n = 1163) provided self-reports of their perceived math selfefficacy and the degree to which their math classroom environment was masteryoriented, challenging, and caring. Individual student scores on the California Standards Test for Mathematics were also collected. A series of two-level models revealed that students who perceived their classroom environments as more caring, challenging, and mastery-oriented had significantly higher levels of math efficacy, and higher levels of math efficacy positively predicted math performance. Analysis of the indirect effects of classroom variables on math performance indicated a small significant mediating effect of self-efficacy. Implications for research on self-efficacy and the perceived classroom environment are discussed. Math Self-efficacy 3 Does Math Self-efficacy Mediate the Effect of the Perceived Classroom Environment on Standardized Math Test Performance? In the current high-stakes testing environment, any attribute of a student that positively influences achievement is of interest. The degree to which a student believes that he/she is capable of performing specific tasks, referred to as self-efficacy, is particularly relevant given that self-efficacy has been argued to have powerful effects on achievement behavior (Bandura, 1986). Those with higher self-efficacy are proposed to have higher aspirations, stronger commitments to their goals, and recover more quickly from setbacks than those lower in self-efficacy. Beliefs in one’s efficacy can vary across academic subjects (e. . reading vs. writing) and self-efficacy for mathematics has received close attention. Students with higher math self-efficacy persist longer on difficult math problems and are more accurate in math computations than those lower in math self-efficacy (Collins, 1982; Hoffman Schraw, 2009). Math self-efficacy is also a stronger predictor of math performance than either math anxiety or previous math experience (Pajares Miller, 1994; Pajares Miller, 1995, respectively) and influences math performance as strongly as overall mental ability (Pajares Kranzler, 1995). The demonstrated importance of self-efficacy in academic achievement has provoked widespread interest in specific factors that affect a student’s self-efficacy beliefs. Bandura’s (1997) social-cognitive theory proposed that self-efficacy is most strongly affected by one’s previous performance and research largely supports this (Chen Zimmerman, 2007). His theory also suggests that self-efficacy is affected by observing others (e. g. watching peers succeed at a task), verbal persuasion (e. g. encouragement from parents and teachers), and interpretation of physiological states (e. g. Math Self-efficacy 4 lack of anxiety may be a signal that one possesses skills). Although several studies indicate that manipulating features of learning environments along these theoretical premises has immediate and detectable effects on self-efficacy (Schunk, 1982, 1983, 1984; Schunk Hanson, 1985), it seems possible that students’ perceptions of their learning environments also affect their efficacy beliefs. Ames (1992) argued that learning environments may not provide a common experience for all students and that students’ subjective interpretations of their environment determine how they respond to it. For example, a teacher might be described by an objective observer as helpful, but if a student perceives him/her as unhelpful, then the perception of unhelpfulness will guide the students’ behavior more than the teachers’ actual helpfulness. Focusing on perceptions of the classroom environment is consistent with Bandura’s (1997) theory, which suggests that self-efficacy is influenced by how an individual interprets relevant information. For example, a student might interpret a perceived unhelpful teacher as evidence that he/she lacks ability. In the current study, we focus on three aspects of the perceived classroom environment that affect self-efficacy: Mastery-orientation, Challenge, and Caring. The degree to which students perceive their classroom environment as one that encourages mastery versus performance goals has been prominently studied (Ames, 1992; Dweck, 1986; Maehr Nicholls, 1980, respectively). Classrooms structured around mastery goals emphasize effort and the intrinsic value of learning; students who adopt mastery goals are more likely to believe that effort leads to success (Weiner, 1979) and display positive attitudes towards learning (Ames Archer, 1988). In contrast, classrooms structured around performance goals emphasize ability and competition Math Self-efficacy 5 between peers; students who adopt performance goals are more likely to use shallow learning strategies (Meece et al. , 1988) and avoid challenging tasks (Dweck, 1986). Although both of these classroom goal structures theoretically influence the achievement goals that students adopt, only mastery goal structures are consistently related to selfefficacy. Several studies have found that students who perceive their classroom environment as more mastery oriented have higher academic self-efficacy (Dorman, 2001; Friedel et al. , 2007; Middleton Midgley, 1997), whereas performance oriented classrooms have been found to be unrelated, positively related, and negatively related to self-efficacy (Friedel et al. , 2007; Wolters et al. , 1996; Schunk, 1996, respectively). Studies using path analysis have also found that self-efficacy mediates the influence of mastery-oriented classrooms on performance (Bong, 2008; Greene, Miller, Crowson, Duke, Akey, 2004). In particular, Wolters (2004) found that mastery goal structure had a significant positive effect on students’ math grades, but when math self-efficacy was included in the model, the effect of mastery structure on course grades became nonsignificant. The degree to which a classroom environment is perceived as challenging also influences self-efficacy. A challenging environment is one in which students are provided with progressively difficult tasks as their proficiency increases. Vygotsky (1978) argued that challenge is essential for intellectual development and Grolnick et al. 2002) proposed that individuals are born with a need to test their abilities and master their environment. Accordingly, evidence indicates that students enjoy learning when tasks are challenging (Zahorik, 1996). Although challenge has been most prominently discussed as an important facilitator of intrinsic motivation (e. g. Malone Lepper, Math Self-efficacy 6 1987), some researchers suggest that it als o leads to stronger beliefs in one’s academic abilities (Meyer, Turner, Spencer, 1997; Stipek, 2001). Participating in challenging activities allows students to notice their incremental improvement in a subject, which increases feelings of self-competence. In support of this, Gentry and Owen (2004) reported that middle and high school students who perceived their classroom as challenging were more likely to have higher academic self-efficacy. Similarly, Meyer, Turner, Spencer (1997) found that fifth and sixth-grade students who were characterized as â€Å"challenge-seekers† had higher math self-efficacy, while students who were characterized as â€Å"challenge-avoiders’ had lower math self-efficacy. Finally, the degree to which students perceive their classroom as a caring environment also has an important influence on self-efficacy. In a caring classroom (also referred to as Teacher Involvement: Newman, 2002; Personalization: Frasier Fisher, 1982), the teacher expresses personal interest in students, provides emotional support, and generally creates a comfortable atmosphere. Murdock and Miller (2003) suggest that students who perceive their teachers as caring are more likely to view themselves as academically capable and set higher educational goals for themselves. Positive relationships between students and teachers provide a critical developmental resource for children; students are more likely to seek help when they need it and develop a wide range of competencies when they feel emotionally supported by their teachers (Crosnoe, Johnson, Elder, 2004; Pianta, Hamre, Stuhlman, 2003). Accordingly, evidence suggests that students who perceive their teachers as more caring have significantly higher academic self-efficacy (Murdock Miller, 200; Patrick et al. , 2007). Pianta et al. (2008) also found that fifth-grade students had higher performance on math tests when Math Self-efficacy 7 their classrooms were rated higher in emotional support. In addition, the effect of emotional support on math achievement was larger than the effect of quantity of math instruction. The authors noted that, â€Å"this is especially interesting because math is perhaps not a subject where teacher-student relations are as much a focus,† (Pianta et al. , 2008, p. 389). In summary, math self-efficacy appears to play an important role in math achievement and mediates the influence of mastery-oriented classroom environments on math achievement. Global academic self-efficacy also seems to be positively affected by caring and challenging classroom environments. However, several issues remain unclear. Little is known either about the influence of caring and challenging classroom environments specifically on math self-efficacy or whether math self-efficacy mediates the influence of challenging and caring classroom environments on math achievement. Further, virtually nothing is known about the relationships between math self-efficacy, perceived classroom environment, and achievement in the context of standardized math test performance. These are important gaps in the literature in light of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2002 that requires all students to take standardized math tests annually in grades 3 through 8 and once during high school. Scores on these tests are increasingly being used for â€Å"high-stakes† purposes that affect both students and teachers. According to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing (2007), standardized test scores of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders can be used for the following purposes in California: to place students into instructional groups (e. . remedial or special education programs), determine school eligibility for federal funding, make decisions about whether principals, Math Self-efficacy 8 teachers, and staff are offered continued employment, and determine whether or not teachers get bonuses. Several researchers have argued that the implementation of NCLB has led to a focus on testing and evaluation that permeates the school environment (Meece, Anderm an, Anderman, 2006; Ryan et al. , 2007). It is important to examine how student motivation (e. g. elf-efficacy) and classroom environments are related to one another in this legislated performance-oriented environment. In the current study, we predicted that math self-efficacy mediates the influence the perceived of classroom environment on standardized math test performance (Figure 1). Specifically, we predict that students’ perceptions of the degree to which their classroom environment is mastery-oriented, challenging, and caring has a direct and positive influence on math self-efficacy, and math self-efficacy has a direct and positive effect on student performance on standardized math tests. Each of these three aspects of the classroom environment will positively affect self-efficacy for the following reasons. Mastery-orientation will have a positive influence on math self-efficacy because environments that encourage students to take pride in their effort and value learning for its own sake, rather than simply emphasize the importance of good grades, will allow students to feel more confident in their ability. Challenge will also be associated with higher math self-efficacy because being afforded the opportunity to progressively master tasks that are slightly beyond one’s current capacity allows a student to observe his/her own progress and gradually increase beliefs in his/her ability. Finally, caring will have a positive influence on math self-efficacy because Bandura (1993) argued that affective processes affect self-efficacy. In particular, environments that arouse anxiety and other negative emotions have a negative affect on efficacy beliefs (Usher, 2009). We Math Self-efficacy 9 hypothesize that environments in which teachers take a personal interest in and emotionally support students are less likely to arouse negative emotions than environments in which teachers are impersonal and emotionally disconnected, and therefore caring environments will positively affect self-efficacy. Methods Participants The 1,163 participants in our study were fourth, fifth, and sixth graders who attended elementary school in an inland southern California suburban school district during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years. The schools were located in low to middle income neighborhoods, with 59% (n = 682) of our participants receiving free and/or reduced lunch. Participants came from 88 separate classrooms. The mean cluster size was 13. 22 (SD = 5. 95) and ranged from 2 to 25 students per classroom. The majority of our sample consisted of Latino/a (62%) and Caucasian (31%) students and other ethnic groups included African American (4%), Asian (1%), Pacific Islander ( How to cite Math Self-efficacy, Papers

Confucianism and Japanese Growth Essay Example For Students

Confucianism and Japanese Growth Essay Many factors helped aid in the dynamic growth that occurred in Japan and the four little dragons during the post-World War 2 period. Some of these factors were situational factors unique to the time but some of the factors were cultural. The legacy of Confucianism in Japan and the four little dragons helped to further the goals of industrialization that these nations had. The traditions of Confucianism provided for Japan and the four little dragons both a pliant public and a model for choosing competent leaders. Confucian traditions placed an emphasis on the values of the group over the individual. This helped industrialism by creating a pliant populace who were willing to accept long hours and low wages and not question government policies. The traditions of Confucianism taught workers not to question authority. These traditions carried over into the post war period and allowed authoritarian regimes in the four little dragons to go unquestioned by the public. This lack of dissent allowed the four little dragons to have stable governments which were critical to investment and industrialization. The stability of these nations was a direct result of Confucian values being indoctrinated into the population. Confucian placement of the group over the individual and strong belief in filial piety also caused families and local communities to accept social responsibility for members of their community.