Discuss research relating to bystander behaviour Essay Example for Free

Discuss research relating to bystander behaviour Essay The murder of Kitty Genovese and the bystander behaviour that was apparent that night triggered a great deal of research to explain bystander behaviour. Latane Darley suspected that the fact that the number of possible helpers was so large might actually have contributed to their lack of intervention. They processes that might explain the reluctance of others to get involved in situations such as the Kitty Genovese incident. The Diffusion of Responsibility explanation suggests that the more witnesses there are to a person needing help, the less anyone witness feels responsible for giving help. Latane Darley conducted a lab based experiment using male university students seated in individual cubicles connected by an intercom system, believing they had come to take part in a discussion on collage life. Students were lead to believe they were on their own, alone with one other participant who would later appear to have an epileptic seizure, or an increasing number of other participants. Help was less likely and slower to be given when participants believed that other potential helpers were available. The findings from this study support the notion of diffusion of responsibility as, as suggested the more witness there were to the victim needing help, the less the participant felt a sloe responsibility to help. Participants assumed that his intervention would not be necessary, as confederates would have taken care of the situation. However, it could be argued that as the experiment was lab based it holds no ecological validity, and therefore the results cannot be generalised to real life situations. Participants reluctance to help may have been caused by an attempt to avoid social disapproval (e. g. being the odd one out), or they may also have picked up demand characteristics from experimenters or other confederates as to the true nature of the experiment and felt they needed to supply the experimenters with the results they required. Latane Draley also proposed the Pluralistic Ignorance theory. This hypothesis suggests that when making a decision about whether or not to help, we look to see what other bystanders are doing. If other bystanders appear to act as if the situation is an emergency situation and help the victim, we are likely to do the same. If no one else offers to help we are unlikely to offer help as well. In the smoke filled room experiment participants were invited to take part in what they thought was a psychological experiment. While waiting for it to begin they were asked to fill out a questionnaire in a waiting room that is filled with smoke. In the first condition they were in the room on theyre own, and then in a variety of conditions including an increasing number of confederates, who acted like it was not an emergency situation. When on their own participants seeked help 100% of the time, but as the number of people present increased, participants remained seated and acted like it was not an emergency situation (mirroring the confederates behaviour). This strongly supports the idea of pluralistic ignorance as they were looking to confederates for guidance on how to shape their own behaviour. Again this was a lab-based experiment and therefore it lacks ecological validity. As a result of Latane Darleys research, Piliavin conducted a field in a New York subway, where a stooge collapsed in a variety of conditions (black stooges that looked ill, white stooge that appeared to be drunk and visa versa), with other experimenters observing commuters behaviour. If the victim appeared to be ill they were helped much more frequently than if they appeared to be drunk. The colour of the victim made no difference to the frequency of help they received. This real life study demonstrates that personal characteristics of the victim appear to play a more important part in whether to be a bystander or not. This study is much higher in ecological validity than those conducted by Latane Darley as it was conducted in a real-life situation. Most of the above research has been carried out in the USA. The dominant approach in the USA is based on self-interest, rather than concern for others. There is evidence that this selfish approach is not dominant in other cultures, e. g. a study by Whiting Whiting found large differences in the prevalence of altruistic behaviour form one culture to another. Darley said in 1991; in the United States, and perhaps in all advanced societies, it is generally accepted that the true and basic motive of human action is self-interest.

Basketballs Greatest Players :: essays research papers

Basketball's Greatest Players   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many great players who had the talent to be all pro and lost it in the streets. Probaly the two most famous to fail are Lloyd Daniels and Earl Manigult. Both could of been all-stars but let the drugs and inner city life destroy there chances. It's been said that Earl Manigult's best feat was being able to jump up to the top of the backboard and take a dollar bill and replace it with four quarters. One other rumor was he once dunked a basketball backwards thirty-six times in a row to win a sixty dollar bet. Now to Lloyd Daniels, said to be the best basketball player ever to play in New York he was heavely recruited and signed with UNLV despite never graduating H.S. His biggest downfall was his addiction to drugs since he was twelve years old. Despite having anything he wanted and UNLV he was caught buying drugs and kicked off the basketball team and out of school.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, the player who did make and continues to rock the up and rising basketball world. The most famous and most known of the basketball players is Michael Jordan. He has won four NBA titles and is the most recognized player ever. Despite his pro career he was once cut from his H.S. team. Then two years later he was a H.S. all-american. Two years later at the University Of North Carolina Michael as a freshman hit the game winning shot to secure the legendary coach Dean Smith his first ever collegiate championship. As a pro playing for the four time defending champions he has averaged 32.2 points per game, 5.9 assists per game, 6.4 rebounds , 2.7 steals, and 1 block. Michael Jordan is the best role model for America's youth since Dr.

Mark Rydell’s “On Golden Pond” Essay

Mark Rydell’s â€Å"On Golden Pond† is a drama that emphasizes the stages people of various ages endures. Utilizing Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages as learned in class, each of the main characters can be placed within a stage and their age-related crises analyzed. The film being so close to a family’s life, it becomes relatable to the audience, prompting personal reactions as well as implementing life examples of some of the theories studied in class. As there are plenty of characters that all develop changes throughout the movie, the most influential would be the main character, Norman Thayer. Throughout the movie Norman shows many prime examples or physical, cognitive, and emotional changes. All of these are tied into Norman’s challenge of accepting the fact of his own age and maybe the idea of death. On Golden Pond is based off of accepting the fact of age, family, and dying. With this being the main focus the story goes deep and wraps around Norman’s physical state. Norman is approaching his Eightieth birthday, and one can only imagine a person’s physical appearance at this age. He is wrinkled all along his body, kind of like a shriveled up prune. Glasses rest upon his face, and he has very little hair, which he hides with a fisherman hat. Norman has many health problems such as arthritis and palpitations, but his most pressing health issue is his slow mental decline. He knows he is not at the top of his game anymore so grumpiness and a sharp tongue is his cover. According to Erikson’s stages Norman would be considered in the Late Adulthood category. The physical state of people in this category is everything that Norman is facing. Vision becomes worse, hence why Norman wears glasses. The skin starts to become wrinkled and tough, hair loss occurs a lot faster. When this point in your life is reached the person is supposed to take the time and find meaning and satisfaction in their life  rather than to become bitter and not resolve the conflict of integrity versus despair. When a person is unsuccessful at doing so they tend to feel as if their life has been wasted and will go on with many regrets. They then will be left with feelings of bitterness and despair. Norman faces this problem because he cannot find it in him to love his life, or to accept what is happening to him as he ages. Along with physical changes throughout a person’s life comes cognitive development. These are the strongest developments and changes a person goes through in their life because they affect the person the most, without us realizing what’s actually happening. Throughout the movie Norman experiences cognitive development and it really shows through. When a person enters their Late Adulthood cognitive development includes many things. McGraw-Hill (2006) states the following: Some aspects of memory, such as sensory memory, semantic and procedural memory, and priming appear nearly as efficient in older adults as in younger people. Other aspects, mainly the capacity of working memory and the ability to recall specific events or recently learned information, are often less efficient. This information goes along perfectly with the character Norman. One of Norman’s toughest challenges is his loss of memory, and he is in denial about it. A scene in the movie where this is present is when Normal proceeds to tell his wife Ethel that he has gotten lost in the woods. While Norman is on his walk he becomes disoriented and scared, wandering off the trail and into the woods. After a short run that causes him to pant heavily, he finds his way back to the cottage without giving Ethel any suspicions of the incident. He then soon begins to confess to Ethel that he got lost on his walk and needed to rush back to her. She embraces him and reassures him they will go on that same walk together to regain his memory. He wonders why she loves him so much. Norman throughout the movie also has other incidents of decline in his memory. Throughout all the years he was known for taking his boat out on the pond and going fishing, this year when he tries its almost like he forgets how to steer it. It gets so bad that Billy takes over the boat, and Norman actually leads him into a patch full of rocks, which  damages the boat and throws Norman overboard. â€Å"Women’s childhood relationships with their fathers are important to them all their lives. Regardless of age or status, women who seem clearest about their goals and most satisfied with their lives and personal and family relationships usually remember that their fathers enjoyed them and were actively interested in their development.† (Chess, Stella). Among from all the other twists and turns a person goes through in their lifetime, emotional development is by far the best and the worst. In this movie an emotional relationship is what it’s solely based off of. Norman has lived his whole entire life without having a relationship with his daughter Chelsea. In fact she hasn’t seen him in years and for the first time she is coming to spend time for his big birthday. When Chelsea arrives the tension and resentment is so present with both the characters. Norman’s problem is that he doesn’t realize his words and actions strongly affect Chelsea in more than one-way. One scene that really shows how Norman feels about life and that can really affect Chelsea is when they assemble for his birthday cake. He states that he has little to say for living for four score years. Instead of expressing his love to his daughter he makes her feel as if she has had no impact on him what so ever. That very next day Chelsea tells her mother Ethel that even though she is all the way in Los Angeles he makes her feel inadequate from a distance. Now every person knows that in order to build a relationship it takes two. Another relationship Norman builds throughout the movie is through Chelsea’s stepson Billy. Billy gives Norman a run for his money and shows him that not everyone will take his negativity. Norman and the boy slowly begin to bond and share laughs with each other. Their biggest bonding experience is when they go fishing out on the lake to catch the big fish they call â€Å"Walter†. These experiences that Norman shares with Billy make him rea lize all he has missed out on with his own daughter Chelsea. Rougemont-Bucking (2013) research states the following: In particular, it focuses on the fact that the limited capacity of the working memory to process now-relevant information can be turned into an advantage, when the individual is occupied by dealing with unpleasant emotion. Based on a  phenomenon known as dual-task interference (DTI), this emotion can be chased by intense arousal due to clearly identifiable external stressors. This research on emotional development fits perfectly with Late Adulthood and maybe as to why Norman is so distant with his daughter. Since his memory is going slowly declining, his mind doesn’t find it hard to deal with unpleasant emotion. Norman is kind of like a rock he is just there and doesn’t feel much. To go back to the quote from before â€Å"Women’s relationship’s with their fathers are important to them all their life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This quote ties my paper together perfectly. As much as it is a quote more to Chelsea than Norman it strongly shows how a daughter can be so affected without a father’s love and support. This movie is not only based off of Norman’s aging and one of his last summer’s but it is about the growth of a daughter and father’s nonexistent relationship. Throughout the movie Norman shows many prime examples or physical, cognitive, and emotional changes. We as an audience go into the mind of Norman Thayer and learn that even as a grumpy old soul, somewhere deep down in there is a huge heart with lots of love to give. WORKS CITED Gilbert B. (Producer), & Rydell M. (Director). (1981) _On Golden Pond_ (Motion Picture). United States: Universal Pictures Papalia, D. E. Olds. S. W. Feldman. R. D (2006). Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood. _Higered.mcgraw-hill_. Retrieved November 28, 2013, http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com. Rougemont-Bucking, A: Grivel J. (2013). Risk Perception and Emotional Coping: A Pathway for Behavioral Addiction?. European Addiction Research (20.2), 49. (November 28, 2013) from Proquest on the World Wide Web: http://proquest.umi.com/pdqweb

Essay on The Destruction of Love Between Hamlet and Ophelia

The Destruction of Love Between Hamlet and Ophelia Ophelia describes Hamlet as the courtiers soldier, scholars eye, tongue and sword, Thexpectancy and rose of fair state, the glass of fashion and the mould of form, Thobserved of all observers (Act 3 Scene 1) He is the ideal man. But, after his madness and the death of her father she sees him as a noble mind oer thrown! (Act 3 Scene 1). Ophelia suffers from Hamlets disillusionment; his attitude to her in Act 3 Scene 1 is hard to explain. His faith in women was shattered by his mothers marriage and it is also possible that Hamlet knows that Ophelia has been ordered to seek him out- yet how strong could their love have been as there is little excuse for the†¦show more content†¦This point is further backed by the fact that although Claudius and Gertrude would like to believe that it is Hamlets unrequited love for Ophelia that has driven him mad, Hamlets behaviour with Ophelia convinces them that Ophelia is not the main cause of his illness. As Claudius said Love? His affections do not that way tend; Nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little, was not like madness. (Act 3 Scene 1). Hamlets attitude, after seeing the ghost of his father, to Ophelia suggests that he is not fully in control of his actions- even if he knows Polonius and Claudius are listening, and that Ophelia, like his mother, is faithless; it is still hard to explain that, if he loves Ophelia, why he is so cruel to her. Ophelias response to his harsh words are immediate, that he is mad- suggesting that their love does run deep, for she cannot bear to conceive that his words are from sanity and that he could be so cruel and unloving to her. Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh (Act 3 Scene 1). Hamlets behaviour in the graveyard scene suggests insanity. When he realises his love, Ophelia, is dead, he leaps into her grave, insisting that his love is greater than any brothers. From his mouth heShow MoreRelatedShakespeare s Hamlet - Hamlet And Ophelia958 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet and Ophelia The play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare is the perfect example of how love can not always conquer all. Hamlet may be regarded as one of Shakespeare s greatest plays. This play follows the story of a young prince named Hamlet who lost his father and had his family torn apart by the hands of his Uncle, Claudius who is now king and step father to Hamlet. Subsequently, Hamlet was also having relational problems with his love, Ophelia. The relationship between Hamlet and OpheliaRead MoreExamples Of Temperaments In Hamlet1631 Words   |  7 PagesHamlet Rough Draft Hamlet is a play written by William Shakespeare around the turn of the 17th century that is believed to be based off of Seneca, one of the first â€Å"revenge tragedies† (). Hamlet is considered to be a tragedy because at the end of the story only one major character, Horatio, is left alive. The revenge plot occurs mainly between Hamlet and Claudius after Claudius kills Hamlet’s father. As more people become involved on either side of their conflict, additional sources for revenge areRead MoreThe Superego and Hamlet Essays1435 Words   |  6 PagesPsychoanalysis: Tragic Alternatives: Eros and Superego Revenge in Hamlet, the author, Joanna Montgomery Byles, focuses on the psychological origins of revenge in Hamlet. Also the concept of the superego, both individual and cultural are brought up; and the importance of understanding the dynamics of aggressive destruction in Shakespeare’s tragedies involving revenge. The Freudian superego is usually thought of as heir to the Oedipus complex. In Hamlet himself, hate and destructiveness are consuming passions;Read MoreThe Juxtaposition of Hamlet Characters1658 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Tragedy of Hamlet†, Ophelia and Laertes represent different aspects of prince Hamlets traits that further the understanding of his behaviour, thoughts, and over-all character. Laertes and Ophelia, like Hamlet, are children of murdered fathers. This connection helps create a link between the three that sends them passionately to their end. Ophelia has an important relationship and entangling affair with the prince. Hamlets and Ophelia’s actions in time lead the youngRead MoreHamlet Temperament Essay1702 Words   |  7 PagesHamlet is a play written by William Shakespeare around the turn of the 17th century that is believed to be based off of Seneca, one of the first â€Å"revenge tragedies† (â€Å"Hamlet: Violence†). Hamlet is considered to be a tragedy because at the end of the story only one major character, Horatio, is left alive. The revenge plot occurs mainly between Hamlet and Claudius after Claudius kills Hamlet’s father. As more people become involved on either side of their conflict, additional sources for revenge areRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1396 Words   |  6 Pagesbut they also help to develop and drive the plot. Ophelia, falling victim to the neglect and abuse of the other characters and depending solely on the men in her life, becomes the only char acter who truly becomes mad. Polonius’ concern with how others perceive him, along with his selfishness ultimately leads to him driving his children further away from him thus leaving Claudius with more power. Claudius uses manipulation, corruption and destruction of the lives of the innocent to stay in power, andRead More Themes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1142 Words   |  5 PagesThemes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeares Hamlet Love is one of the most powerful themes in Hamlet, but a superior force - REVENGE, drives Hamlets love. Revenge of his fathers murder. Hamlet is confused and melancholic over the fact that his mother married his own uncle and so quickly after his fathers death. Even though he does not immediately suspect foul play in his fathers untimely death, he is in a state of shock. As Kenneth Muir states, He (Hamlet) is profoundly shocked by GertrudesRead More The Tragic Tale of Ophelia and Hamlet Essay1390 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tragic Tale of Ophelia and Hamlet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The common problem of lack of communication has plagued couples since the beginning of time. The relationship Hamlet and Ophelia share in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, is no more immune to these human tendencies. Throughout the drama, many misunderstandings cloud their relationship. Unspoken problems and pressures within Ophelia’s and Hamlet’s private lives lead to overlooked, unnoticed love. For Hamlet, his bond with Ophelia pales in comparisonRead MoreHamlet Betrayal1216 Words   |  5 Pagestrust. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, betrayal is a reoccurring action between many characters. This play shows the audience different types of betrayal that are imaginable, from a husband betraying his wife, a boyfriend betraying his girlfriend and a mother betraying the son and father. These actions of betrayal hurt the people that are most loved and destroys them where it most hurts in the end. Betrayal is one of the strongest and most important themes in Hamlet. The entire play revolvesRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare911 Words   |  4 Pages The male characters in Hamlet continually abuse both Ophelia and Gertrude, physically and psychologically, as a pathetic attempt to gain power and control over the situation. One of the greatest examples of psychological abuse comes from the harrowing scene where Hamlet and Ophelia have their final conversation before Hamlet leaves for England. During this rage-induced altercation, Hamlet refuses to accept Ophelia’s returning of the gifts previously given to her from him, saying â€Å"I never gave you

Analysis Of `` Told By Alex Haley `` - 2124 Words

Malcolm X was an influential leader throughout the 60s and 70s who impacted history through his beliefs, personal changes, and his choices. In his autobiography, told by Alex Haley, the reader can explore his life. Alex Haley did many extensive interviews with Malcolm to write his autobiography. Malcolm X, who was born Malcolm Little, was an African American who had an adolescence full of turmoil. His family was attacked frequently by white people, which influenced Malcolm to have the same views throughout his own life. Malcolm began to get involved in the wrong things as a teenager and ended up in jail. While imprisoned, Malcolm started to believe in the Islamic religion. He started with the views of white people are all awful, and then changed into viewing most whites as equal. His autobiography helps the reader understand why Malcolm was the way that he was. Also, the autobiography shows how Malcolm influenced history forever. Through his beliefs, personal changes in views, and hi s choices, he left a lasting impact on the Civil Rights Movement, African American history, and the history of the United States. Body of Research Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19th, 1925 to Reverend Earl and Louise Little. His family also included seven siblings, along with three step-siblings. Malcolm and his family were African American which brought them trials throughout Malcolm’s early years. The family even moved to Michigan to try toShow MoreRelatedThe Autobiography Of Malcolm X Essay1152 Words   |  5 Pageswritten in collaboration with Alex Haley is an exciting story of personality transformation. During several years, Malcolm X told Haley his biography in several extensive interviews. Haley described and orchestrated the stories and Malcolm X edited and endorsed every part of the book. The story is narrated in the first person and it seems like Malcolm was writing this of his own. But it is important to understand that the autobiography is not written by Malcolm. Alex Haley recorded his words. The readersRead MoreThe Autobiography of Malcolm X729 Words   |  3 PagesLiterary Analysis: The Autobiography of Malcolm X The Autobiography of Malcolm X, told by Alex Haley, details the incredible journey of one of the most inspiration and life altering leaders the world has ever encountered. The book begins with the illustration of Malcolm’s early life experiences and ends with X predicting that he will die a violent death prior to seeing the publication of his autobiography. At the beginning of the book, Haley describes how Malcolm’s father, a Baptist MinisterRead MoreReducing Workplace Discrimination Essay1444 Words   |  6 Pagesof African American people in companies. It is very apparent when one contemplates the number of Black CEOs versus White leaders. Something is preventing them from reaching the top. Examples of this can be found in The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Hayley. Although many people believe racial discrimination is mostly a thing of the past, it is still prominent as an invisible barrier in one of the most prominent areas of life: the workplace. The term â€Å"glass ceiling† was coined by the Wall StreetRead MoreThe Autobiography of Malcom X as Told to Alex Haley Essay749 Words   |  3 PagesPurpose Alex Haley is the author of the book. The central theme of the book is to reflect the perspective of a black man in an era that called for equality struggles between races in the United States while battling views on racism and his rise and fall within the Nation of Islam religion. The author’s purpose for writing the book was for the reader to gain knowledge of Malcolm X as an individual and not as a phenomenon. He wanted to deliver truths that spanned his brief lifetime. Alex Haley’sRead MoreThe Development And Development With One s Lifespan857 Words   |  4 Pageswe must identify our strength and weaknesses through our choices, experiences, trauma, and death. Each experience influences our structure as it relates to adaptability, resilience, and help identity the consciousness of self. This development analysis is the journey through my life emphasizing on my personal growth and development setting the stage to the person that writes this paper reflecting on her life choices, and experiences in several forms (physically, mentally, and spiritually). EarlyRead More Malcolm X and the Shakespearean Tragic Hero Essay example1801 Words   |  8 Pagesthe blue-eyed devil white man had brainwashed the so-called Negro. He told us how, as one result, the Black man in America was mentally, morally and spiritually dead. Elijah Muhammad spoke of how the Black man was the Original Man, who had been kidnapped from his homeland and stripped of his language, his culture, his family structure, his family name, until the Black man in America did not even realize who he was. He told us, and showed us, how his teachings of the true knowledge of ourselvesRead MoreApplying Adult Learning Theory Through Character Analysis Essay1448 Words   |  6 Pagesassignment explores the learning theories of Mezirow and Bandura through the character analysis of Malcolm X, portrayed by actor Denzel Washington from the film â€Å"Malcolm X†. The focus is to examine the theoretical perspective of adult learning theories transformative learning and that of social learning and how they impact character learning and development. Applying Adult Learning Theory through A character Analysis The film â€Å"Malcolm X,† produced by Worth, written and directed by Lee (1992) portrays

Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe - 901 Words

Things Fall Apart Africa is the most diverse continent on this planet, linguistically speaking. There are thousands of languages spoken within many different cultures of people in Africa. Although most of Africa received freedom in mid-late 20th century, it has a very rich history and a strong background on which it is built. After colonization of Africa by the Europeans, the Europeans and their writings looked at Africa as having no diversity or culture in its colonized stage. Things Fall Apart was written as an argument to those writings and the Europeans proving that Africa is diverse. Chinua Achebe, the author of Things Fall Apart, was a Nigerian. As back of the book states, he lived in Nigeria for most of his life. He has the first†¦show more content†¦Europeans wanted them to separate from these traditional views of worshipping to multiple gods and other indigenous values. Religion was huge to the people of Igbo society. Gods were always connected to the nature like the goddess of earth. Things connected to the nature were sacred to them like kola nut, alligator pepper or goatskin. They also believed highly in magic. To the Europeans, that seemed ludicrous. Family is also another factor connected to indigenous religious beliefs. Families stayed together in Igbo culture. They farmed together and carried out traditional duties of the society together like respecting the leader and what he wants. Okonkwo was the leader of the Umuofia clan. He was well known for his fierceness and strong will to be a leader. To him, being a leader was everything because of the household he grew up in. His father was weak and Okonkwo never looked up to him. He rejected the Europeans trying to convert the societies. He feared that he might lose his reputation of being strong willed. People of Igbo lived a peaceful life, as assumed by the reader, before the Europeans and started to drift away the people of their traditions and religious beliefs. Another theme that Achebe conveys throughout the novel is the theme of fear. Fear was everywhere in the novel. It ranged from small things like the magic to the big things Europeans

What does it mean to be an effective teacher free essay sample

A person who has enough knowledge about a particular topic may teach; however the question remains, does this make them an effective teacher? Even though there are many contributing factors that can affect a student’s performance such as physical, psychological, sociological, and economical, it should be noted that no student enters school as a â€Å"failure†. It comes down to the processes and procedures that the teacher employs, which are the main cause of student’s success or failure (Lembo, as cited in Westwood, 2004, p.79). An effective teacher will employ processes, procedure and attitudes that maximises understanding and enables a student to easily process and apply that learning to their daily lives. Furthermore, an effective teacher is a person who is able to encourage and motivate a student to promote a positive learning environment. Before discussing the aspects of effective teaching, it would be fitting to firstly discuss what teaching is. We will write a custom essay sample on What does it mean to be an effective teacher? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A teacher can be seen as a person who provides opportunities for students to learn. The teacher’s main goal is to relay information and to impart knowledge to the learner; however becoming an effective teacher is more than just a process of transmitting information onto students. It is about the ability to take â€Å"raw† content and transform that information into understandable and meaningful knowledge. By doing this, the student will be able to easily absorb this information and access deep knowledge. The process of accessing deep knowledge involves key steps which Killen (2005, p. 39) suggests are, †¦ identifying the important concepts and principles that students need to learn, organizing those concepts and principles into a coherent structure, devising effective ways of explaining the key ideas and their relationships, identifying themes and issues that will help students integrate their knowledge, and developing learning experiences that will lead students to deep understanding. Killen’s approach displays how students can be lead to deep understanding when a teacher identifies concepts, principles, themes and issues and explains this is in a structured manner. By doing this, a student can develop their learning and integrate their knowledge into another context. However before a teacher can lead a learner to deep understanding effectively, they must first have sound pedagogical knowledge. There are three aspects to Pedagogical knowledge. The first aspect of Pedagogical knowledge is knowledge of the content. In today’s teaching context, teachers need to have a deep understanding of subject matter, how one idea relates to another and to everyday life. This will help assist students in creating useful cognitive maps and address misconceptions. By having a great understanding of content, teachers will have a great base to make ideas accessible for others. The second aspect of Pedagogical knowledge is knowledge of teaching. Knowledge of teaching is about understanding the best ways to relay information onto their students. Teachers are required to access their deep knowledge and come up with the best ways to relay the concepts and principles in a way for students to easily understand and apply. The third aspect is knowledge of learning. Before a teacher can structure concepts, ideas and principles and effectively relay this information onto learners, they must understand how learners absorb information. As no student are the same, a teacher must understand that there are many different learning styles and each lesson needs to be designed to cater for each student’s learning needs (Killen, 2005). The importance of pedagogy contributes to ensuring a teacher is effective. It once again displays that through a strong understanding of content, teaching and learning knowledge, a teacher can promote intellectual quality, a positive learning environment and meaningful learning for all students regardless of their level of achievement or ability. In the Schools. tv video â€Å"Maths – A Lesson on Shapes†, Ms. Poole displays how the use of Pedagogical Knowledge is important to being an effective teacher. She uses her knowledge of subject matter to create a lesson that allows her to relate the information on to her students in such a way that enables them to relate it to the real world, for example finding right angles on a variety of different objects. She uses her teaching knowledge by creating a lesson that uses constructivism and scaffolding, which can be seen through group work. This promotes student interaction so students can bounce ideas off one another and challenge their thinking. Finally, by using different types of aids and constructing group activities for three different abilities, Ms. Poole has used her knowledge of learners to cater for different learner types and abilities (Davies, 2008). Effective teachers are those whom are prepared by having a well planned lesson plan as this determines the success or failure of the lesson. The follow up lesson plan â€Å"Mass – Comparing masses of objects using balance scales. †(Refer to Appendix 1), has been formulated to contain all aspects of Pedagogical knowledge to ensure the success of the lesson. It contains content knowledge, which is broken down and easy to read. This will ensure the teacher can effectively relay information onto students, which is easily understood. The lesson plan contains teacher knowledge through the connection to the curriculum and syllabus, timing and pace. By allowing for adequate timing and pace, a student can think through their knowledge and apply this to another context. Moreover, the lesson plan contains leaner knowledge as it adopts approaches such as group discussions, group work and scaffolding techniques to cater for the different learner types and abilities. To broaden the aspect of teacher and learner knowledge, there are many strategies such as group work, role-play or discussion that could be used to strengthen the understanding and deep knowledge in students (Barry and King, 2004). There are many factors when choosing the most appropriate strategy such as subject matter, age, ability and learner types however it is most important to choose a strategy based on what the teacher want students to achieve at the end of the lesson. For example, a teacher wanting to show a student how to throw a ball will use a demonstration as their teaching approach compared to a teacher wanting a student to explore a topic and analyse may use discovery learning. These two approaches use two different types of cognitive thinking (Barry and King, 2004). An effective teacher would choose strategies that enable students to think, reason and debate their understanding as this allows them to process content in their own way. Spady suggested (as cited in Killen, 2005, p. 36) that â€Å"all students can learn and succeed, but not in the same day or in the same way†. This means that each student has their own way to absorb information. It is important to remember that learning is a social experience so strategies that provide students enough time and opportunities to interact and discuss with each other will cater for different learner needs and allows students to absorb information in their preferred way and at their own pace (Killen, 2007, p. 73). There are two types of teaching strategies, which include teacher-centred and learner-centred. There are a number of differences between the two strategies such as how the lesson is organised, how interactive lessons are, what the teacher does and how learning is approached by the learners themselves. The teacher-centred approach is focused on the teacher being a transmitter of information and is a more direct approach where students have less control of what they are learning and how they learn it. Whereas Student-centred approaches are more focused on what students do to achieve the required outcome, not what the teachers do. It allows students more control in their role as a learner and how they learn the specified content. Some teacher-centred approaches include lectures, observations, direct instruction or expository teaching. Some student-centred approaches include constructivism, group work and discovery learning (Killen, 2007, p. 73). If a teacher only uses one approach, they will not allow for equal learning opportunities. Alexander has suggested (as cited in Weston, 2004, p. 87) that an effective teacher should have a combination of three approaches. The first approach is direct teaching. This will allow the teacher to instruct learners exactly what to do and how to do it. The second approach is enquiry. This enables students to get their ideas across, solve problems, challenges their thinking and assists students in reflecting on their learning. The third approach is scaffolding, which assists students in their learning and allows them to progress from one level to the next. By having a combination of teaching strategies a teacher will be able to cater for all learning needs. In the Schools. tv video, Ms. Poole uses a combination of strategies; however it is evident that the lesson is very student-centred. She starts the lesson with direct teaching. This allows her to instruct the class of what to do and how to do it. She uses enquiry and scaffolding throughout the lesson as seen in her group discussions and group work. The group discussions allow students to interact socially so they can exchange ideas and through group work, students are able to solve problems and challenge their own thinking. Moreover, by scaffolding her students, Ms. Poole ensures that her students can progress from one level of understanding to the next (Davies, 2008). By having a combination of teaching strategies, Ms. Poole can effectively cater for all learning needs. The follow up lesson plan (Refer to Appendix 1), takes on a mainly a student-centred approach; however like the previous lesson, it has a combination of teaching strategies to cater for all learners. The lesson beings with a direct teaching approach in order for the teacher to access prior knowledge and link this lesson to the previous. Throughout the lesson, enquiry is used through questioning and group work. This again allows students to interact socially and get their ideas across so they can challenge their thinking with other students. Finally, by having a mixed ability activity in this lesson, not only does the teach scaffold students, but the more able can scaffold the less able students. To again reiterate a point, by having a combination of teaching approaches and strategies a teacher will be able to cater for all students learning types, which will allow for more effective teaching. It is important to also note that an effective teacher is not just about what a teacher knows. It is also about the personality they have and the type of person they are. A teacher who may have all the knowledge in the world about teaching, but are really negative, arrogant or boring as a person may not get the respect or care of their students. This in effect may mean that a school experience for a student can be negative and student learning will diminish. A question put forward by Killen (as cited in Faull n. d) was, â€Å"What type of person does a teacher need to be in order to implement each of the elements of Quality Teaching Effectively? † The question asked by Killen is of great importance as it suggests effective teaching should include the emotional and mental outlook of the teacher as an individual. So what are the characteristics that separate good teachers from exceptional teachers? Killen (2005, p. 33) described exceptional teachers as knowledgeable, enthusiastic, confident, effective communicators, committed, compassionate, patient and persistent. Furthermore, they are resourceful, inventive, well organized, optimistic and ethical. Similarly, Batten, Marland, Khamis, Morgan and Morris (as cited in Westwood, 2004) has described a student’s view of a good teacher is a person who explains content well, makes lessons enjoyable, has a sense of humour, cares about students, is ready to listen and is understanding. Through extensive research, it is evident that effective teaching goes beyond pedagogical practices. An effective teacher has a particular set of characteristics, which allows them to motivate, encourage, understand and inspire students. In effect this contributes to a positive learning environment and effective learning. In the Schools. tv video, Ms. Poole has the characteristics of an effective teacher. Her statements are always positive and it is evident that she cares for her students, which can be seen through her reward system of â€Å"Star of the day†. Ms. Poole is helpful throughout her lesson and assists her students through scaffolding techniques. She encourages the class to help each other and makes the lesson a very interactive one (Davies, 2008). Through her characteristics as a person, Ms. Poole makes her lesson a positive learning environment, which motivates students and promotes learning. The follow up lesson plan (Please refer to Appendix 1) has been formulated to bring out characteristics of an effective teacher. Throughout the lesson, the teacher is required to be attentive, motivating and encourage all students. The teacher is to provide constructive feedback and scaffolding where necessary. By having group work and group discussion, it will promote social interaction so that the teacher can gage the level of understanding of all students. By being motivating, encouraging and providing constructive feedback, the teacher will be able to make the lesson fun, which will bring about a positive learning environment and promote learning. In conclusion, an effective teacher is a person who adopts processes, procedure and attitudes, which maximises student understanding. This can be done by having sound Pedagogical knowledge and using this knowledge to come up with appropriate strategies that enable students to effectively relay information onto students that is meaningful, easy for them to absorb and apply. Furthermore, by being caring understanding, encouraging and motivating a teacher can get the respect and care of their students, which will promote a positive learning environment.