Fashion and Surrealism free essay sample

Fashion and Surrealism: Why Not? Imagining a world where your dreams and subconscious co-exist with the general happenings of life is surreal however extremely alluring. Surrealist artists and fashion designers have a steady belief in this fantasy and have attempted to achieve this through the work of art and fashion. Throughout this essay, the bewildering topic of fashion and Surrealism will be taken into an in depth analysis. Topical questions will be undertaken to ensure a clear understanding of fashion and surrealism. With defining the concepts behind Surrealist fashion the essay will be able to progress into additional subjects within the topic. Relevant fashion designers and artists will be observed and from this, the essay will continue to mention the results of Surrealist fashion. With covering historic and present relations in the subject matter, the penultimate question will identify whether with the present day market, politics, commercial awareness and fame, does Surrealist fashion uphold its place in fashion. We will write a custom essay sample on Fashion and Surrealism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However before commencing with these questions, first an understanding of Surrealism in art is to be found. Surrealism : Pure Psychic automatism by which it is intended to express, either verbally or in writing, or otherwise the true function of thought. Thought dictated in the absence of all control exerted by reason and outside all aesthetic or moral preoccupations. [1] Opposed to the customary art expressions of the conscious mind, surrealism welcomes the concept that the unconscious mind could also be utilized. Reality is isolated by the human unconscious which creates unfeasible sights and inconsistent arrangements. These concepts clarify the art movement. Juxtaposed orders also have an important component within a surrealist artist creativity. With profound use of the interpretation of dreams, artists allow this to unlock their mind and obtain an everlasting structure of their work. They believe that ‘surreality’ is achievable, in which we live in a world of dream and fantasy integrated into our standard everyday life. [2] Surrealism is the descendant from such avant-garde movements as Dadaism, Cubism, expressionism and futurism. Before Dadaism and Surrealism, artists followed the customary form of nature in painting. Due to the World War one, Dadaism was formed into ‘anti-art’, when artists began incorporating politics from the war and social life into their art. (See Illustration 1. 1) Dada redefined how art was looked at and what it stood for. [3] Subsequently the Dada artists who evolved into surrealist artists carried this through. In 1924, Andre Breton, a French poet of the early 1900’s, published his surrealist manifesto featuring paintings and from this, Surrealism had begun its impact in art and literacy. Surrealism’s beginning main contributors to the victorious movement were, Max Ernst, Man Ray, Joan Miro, Rene Magritte and Salvador Dali. Dali has become one of the most recognizable names in art. Not only is he notorious for his subconscious masterpieces, but also for delving into the notion that fashion and surrealism not only co-exist, but could work together simultaneously. Before Dali’s realised thoughts of surrealist fashion, artists of preceding art movements such as, Dadaism and Futurism had comprehended the potential of wearable art. Jean Arp, one of the founders of Dadaism, constructed costumes as part of his display of non conformism. The Futurism art movement saw the creation of playful dresses, conflicting to the traditional way of dress. Futuristic artists/designers were to add modifiers to clothing. These modifiers were intricate detailing such as vivid colouring and asymmetrical cuts. The intention was to modify the wearers’ mood through these details. Another futurist example of art in fashion was Ernesto Michahelles, otherwise known as Thayaht. Thayaht combined the art concepts and created the Tuta. The Tuta was an all–in–one garment. It had similar connotations to the overall. When Thayaht created the garment in 1919, it was deemed as an elegant, practical, versatile, easy to make and economical garment; a great success and revolution in the combining world of art and fashion. [5] (See Illustration 1. 3 and 1. 4) By the 1930’s surrealism had entered the discovery of artistry fashion. ‘Two words have always been banned from my house – the word â€Å"creation†, which strikes me as the height of pretentiousness, and the word â€Å"impossible†. ’[6] Elsa Schiaparelli, Shocking life Among many fashion designers, Elsa Schiaparelli fell victim to the bewildering ways of surrealist fashion. Schiaparelli was not afraid to undertake new and innovative fashions. Her designs would commonly align shock and chic and her continuous effort to shock and entertain her audience, has seen succeeding fashion designers like Jean-Paul Gaultier and Yves Saint Laurent be inspired by the same ambition. After Schiaparelli’s career had taken flight in Paris, 1934, her use of Surrealism into her Haute Couture collections was becoming ever more noticeable. Aside from her X-ray Skeleton dress, (See Illustration 1. 5) Schiaparelli’s Surrealism blossomed from the intricate detailing within her collections. With scores of hats whose those details contained some of a human brain, a shoe, a telescope, a lamb cutlet, a pointed clowns hat, She was realising her forte within fashion. [7] The list was infinite with, novelty buttons in the shape of padlocks, acrobatic dancers, paperweights, lips, animals, feathers and glass eyes. (See Illustration 1. 6) However, Schiaparelli did continue on with her Haute Couture collections, absent Surrealism. One Surrealist artist that she became accustom to was, Salvador Dali. Dali had been an admirer of Schiaparelli’s work and requested to design for and alongside her. [8] This quickly became a reality, and the outcomes are most likely the most recognizable of Schiaparelli’s career, for instance the Lobster Dress of 1937. (See Illustration 1. 7) Evidently, Schiaparelli was not the sole designer, publication or photographer of this era to take advantage of Surrealism. The majority of publications in the 1930’s and 1940’s had observed the potential of Surrealist art, photography and fashion. Vogue and Harper Bazaar were at the forefront of this and with their expectation; Surrealism became an unremitting factor within the pages. The editor and contributors would create a distressed but beautiful surrounding, in which the text and image would some how unite and be integrated into a work of art. [9] (See Illustration 1. 8) Man Ray, a fashion photographer was display countless Surrealist visions through the lens. He, among others such as Schiaparelli, Dali, Jean – Michael Frank and Jean Cocteau were granted messengers of Surrealist art in all forms. In 1937, Man Ray, Oscar Dominguez (Artist) and Madeleine Vionnet fashioned an advertisement. The advertisement featured, a model dressed elegantly in a Madeleine Vionnet gown sitting in a red satin wheelbarrow with luxury. Man Ray had photographed the image and amplified the value and the certainty of awkwardness and agitation between the juxtapositions of the women and the wheelbarrow. He was able to signify hidden messages within a shoot and let them be exploited. [10] (See Illustration 1. ) With Surrealism being discovered by various fashion designers, photographers and publications, there became an ability to free the restrictions of fashion, enabling boundaries to break. Conventional, traditional, wearable and practical are considered the primary characteristics for clothing. With the release of surrealism in fashion, these notions are allowed to be over shadowed. Art on the runway is formed and designers are not afraid to change the basics of fashion. The question which drives surrealist fashion designers is, why not? Many functional garments have been reversed into a work of art with broken boundaries in abundance. A Bodice and two-piece panelled dress, princess line seaming, A-line and circular skirt construction are all basic and practical methods of garment construction. However, if you adapt the panelling to any line of the body you like, add an eccentric amount of flounce to one half of the A-line skirt or disfigure and add irregular pleating to the bodice, these are seen as breaking the boundaries of conventional fashion. The detailing f garments can be manipulated to alter the use of functionality to simply be an addition to the garment to be admired. Designers realise that a zip doesn’t have to be at the centre front and why not use many zips to detach and alter the length or width of a garment. Nor do buttons need to be circular and have the use as a fastening. Fashion designers such as, Elsa Schiaparelli took this example of button use and created fantastic buttons to complement her designs. Schiaparelli use of misplacements and avant-garde surrealism in her designs were a common factor. In 1936, the eccentric designer designed the Desk Suit. (See Illustration 2. 1) The Desk Suit was profoundly inspired by Dali’s 1936, The City of Drawers. The garment featured surreal drawers in the use of pockets, where few are functional, however others are decoration. [11] Almost fifty years later, Doline Dritsas, a French fashion designer drove the Dali inspiration of The City of Drawers artwork to her own version and produced the Painted Silk Drawer dress in 1984. Dritsas designed the dress with half painted drawers attached and jewellery pouring out of them. 12] (See Illustration 2. 2) This work of art in fashion produced another resource which should be tapped, and many designers’ pre and post Dritsas had and would benefit from this. Furthermore, designers have not only used construction methods and fabrics to break boundaries in fashion, but objects of no fashion identity such as wooden drawers, have been moulded to produce a work of fashion. Musical instruments have been an inspiration for many fashion designers throughout the past and present. Paul Colin, a French fashion designer of the 1900’s, designed the collection, L’Orchestre en Liberte (Costume for the violin). This collection contained musical instruments such as the harp, the flute and trumpet as an accessory to be worn as a hat. (See Illustration 2. 3) Colin also designed the Costume for Two Woodwinds collection in 1931. These designs featured flutes being transformed into garments for individuals to wear. [13] Post Paul Colin’s surreal instrumental practice, Christian Dior also tapped the use of music by designing sheet music as a hat in 1979. The result being that, the exposure of music then becomes a physical part of the garment. [14] (See Illustration 2. 4) The inspiration of music continued onto Karl Lagerfeld, now head of house at Chanel, when he designed the Guitar Dress for Chloe in 1983. The design features a side cut out bodice dress, with the guitar being the connector to the bodice and skirt. With the use of drapery, Lagerfeld designed a guitar pin to secure the dress with an asymmetric hem. [15] (See Illustration 2. 5) This use of unpredictable placements of objects would be considered as mild Surrealist Fashion. When observing recent designers collections in the notion of Surrealist Fashion, there have been a select few who have been triumphant over past designers and with that have the shock factor to bewilder and amaze audiences with what they can achieve and how well it works. One extremely successful fashion designer and designer in many other products, who has fully embraced Surrealism in fashion is Spanish designer, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada. From 1981, Agatha burst onto the scene in great success. Her first collection in Madrid was well praised and from her accomplishment she opened her own studio. Agatha was heavily endorsed in the cultural and artistic scene in Spain and was steadily conquering her country. By 1991, Agatha had expanded her brand into a multi-product company. Aside from women’s fashion, she had branched out to men’s, children’s wear, shoes, towels, make-up, ceramics and linens. [16] Agatha fashion collections are not be shunned from conventional fashion, but to be admired at the abilities and uses of Surrealism. She demonstrated this with her 2009/10 fall collection. Throughout the show were explosions of vivid surreal fashions. There displayed a fuchsia silk suit with an upside down structured umbrella with artificial drops of rain sprinkling aside. Also captured was a keyboard dress which stretched the body, much to the inspiration from the everlasting Dali. [17] (See Illustrations 2. 6 and 2. 7) Agatha’s assurance to Surrealist Fashion is showcased on the runway and from her collections she has been one of the uncontrollable leaders of Surrealist fashion. From the full invasion of surrealist fashion in the 1930’s to the present day, the general basics of garment construction have been given a new breath of life. It has become an innovative and unique way of fashion, where Avant-Garde fashion is the art exhibition of a catwalk. However, with designers delving into the surroundings of surrealism, has the overall reason to produce these misplaced garments adapted through time? The younger days of Surrealist fashion saw designers and artists bring their disciplines together to achieve something wonderful. They desired to produce new and undiscovered methods to fashion, where the integration of Surrealism and fashion had a personal meaning to up hold. Nevertheless, with commercial awareness, fame and money being at the forefront for many designers, it seems that the reasoning behind these ‘shocking’ collections has changed. With fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier, all being no stranger to Avant-Garde Surrealist fashion, who is to say those designers and others, are attempting to ‘top’ one another to gain more awareness and coverage. It seems that the originality of being inspired by the great works of Surrealist artists may have become overlooked by the temptation of money, fame and at times ego. Surrealism in fashion is a way to express the subconscious and dream like fantasies and with the overshadowing of unsettled events in the present day; there is an increasing purpose to produce such work. If current designers are aiming to gain popularity with their audience, then producing a collection that can escort them from the monotonous happenings of life is surely a positive and effective approach to achieve this. Nevertheless, taking into account the economic issues we are facing today has the audiences’ views on producing catwalk restricted clothing altered. From this, the question has to be asked whether Surrealist fashion continues to have a place in the market of selling, or is it just a pleasantry to the eye; a work of art to be admired. Naturally, with the use of Surrealist fashion on the catwalk, there are benefits to retail chains within the high street and students studying fashion. Inspiration is leaking from Surrealist designer collections such as, Agatha and some high street chains and students can exploit this to their advantages. However, despite these two examples which may favour the art on the catwalk, there are still economic issues to determine, not only for the consumer, but the designer also. Producing these Surrealist Avant-Garde pieces, that are highly unlikely to be worn by your everyday person, can have a profit loss effect on the designer and their business. Fashion designers invest a considerable amount of money in ensuring these pieces are to perfect standard and fit for royalty. However, the monetary return can be very little if not any. 18] With this taken into consideration, there is a produced thought of whether creating the masterpieces of Surrealist Avant-Garde fashion is a waste of time, money and effort. Off course you can argue that with celebrity culture being a massive participant to fashion these days, designers can find hope of producing money from these garments from our rich and famous. Furthermore, due to these figures being in the public eye, inspiration and trends can be set fr om these garments. For Example, Lady Gaga has become one of the most recognizable celebrity figures. Her devotion to wearing Alexander McQueen’s sometimes shocking Avant-Garde collections has exposed his work to those of a world not surrounded by fashion. (See Illustration 2. 8) To settle with, it seems that despite the economic issues and shrinking markets in the current day, these concerns have not ceased designers from desiring to produce such garments. To conclude, fashion and Surrealism have had a promising bond since the early stages of the 20th Century. Despite the ever changing trends and movements in fashion, Surrealism has been able to persist its way through and keep its place. The collaboration has enticed many fashion designers, artists, photographers and publications and with this, unique and revolutionary artwork has been produced. Furthermore, despite the economic and politic issues seen since Andre Breton’s 1924 manifesto, these creative minds have continued their serge for the wonderful, continuously shocking and at times bizarre nature that Surrealism brings to fashion. With boundaries broken in ways never thought, Surrealist fashion has been able to bring the much fantasied ‘Surreality’, a little closer to reality. Not only has surrealism had an impact in fashion but art in general from past and present has shaped up the fashion world in design and the fields of advertisement and marketing.

Summary #18 Example

Summary #18 Example Summary #18 – Essay Example AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR Aggressive Behavior Aggressive behavior is learnt and shared from the father to the child since the boys learndirectly by observing the behavioral patterns of the father. In the ordinary and conventional sense, children do not only learn from the things that their parents advice or tell them to do but also emulate from their actual behavior (Rosenthal & Zimmerman, 2014). The fact that the father shouts, screams and is even physically violent with the boys put them in a bad headspace emotionally. When the father pushes the boys to the ground, their emotional stability and acumen is shaken and they are left psychologically scared. Thus, as a result, it would be ordinary for the children or the boys to transfer the same type of treatment and violence to the other younger children or people. This stems from the fact that the children are modelled or mentally prepared to reasons that violence either through shouting, screaming or physically manhandling their peers is the best way of resolving issues and disagreements. Intuitively, the elder children who are manhandled and shouted to transform and do the same to the younger child by lifting him up by his ears while they are screaming at him. The younger child also does not take the shouting in a soft manner and instead also raises his voice to the other older children. It is my humble opinion and respectful li9ne of thought that the younger child also emulates the stance demonstrated by the father relative to violence. Thus, it is fair to mention that the violent and abusive behavior of the father directly affects the children to act in the same manner to all their other counterparts.ReferenceRosenthal, T. L., & Zimmerman, B. J. (2014). Social learning and cognition. Academic Press.

Biomechanical Laboratory Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Biomechanical Laboratory - Article Example Bioabsorbable interference screws are popular in endoscopic reconstructions of the ACL as there is no need for a second operation for removal and no complicating factor in case of a revision surgery. Pullout studies of metal and bioabsorbable interference screws have yielded similar results. However, a randomized controlled clinical trial comparing patients having metal interference screws with those having bioabsorbable poly-l-lactic acid screws showed subjective knee function to be better in the patients in the metal screw group although no difference in stability was noted between the two groups (Drogset et al., 2005) 3. Bioabsorbable interference screw breakage can be a problem in ACL reconstructive surgery which necessitates burying the screw on graft fixation (MacDonald and Arneja, 2003 ) 4. Partial or non-uniform degradation of bioabsorbable screws could lead to breakage with daily activities (Hall et al., 2009) 5. An in vitro study by Schwach and Vert (1999)6 showed a loss of 50% of compression strength in poly-L-lactic acid screws due to hydrolytic degradation between 2 and 5 months. While the overall complication rate associated with the use of this implant is low, complications involving osteolysis and aseptic effusion of the knee joint have been reported (Baums et al., 2006)7. Other complications that have been reported with bioabsorbable interference screws include cyst formation, tunnel widening, late screw breakage, and intra-articular migration (Appelt et al., 2007; Lembeck et al., 2005) 8, 9 According to Weiler et al. (1998)1, graft fixation close to the ACL insertion site increases anterior knee stability. The authors could do this successfully using a round threaded biodegradable interference screw. Interference screw fixation of bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts is a well-established process in ACL fixation. A study was conducted by Zheng.

The historic Development of Chinese Private International Law Article

The historic Development of Chinese Private International Law - Article Example Following the enactment of the process of reform and the opening-up in 1978, the destiny of China has never been the same. For the last three decades, China has realized progress on an unprecedented magnitude. Its economy is skyrocketing as the legal system undergoes continuous improvements. We can deduce that it is the reform policy coupled with the opening up that has attracted the international community to China. This guiding principle has also enabled China to familiarize itself and have an understanding of the international arena2. Within the last three decades, China has also witness a tremendous development in its legal academy, an impact of which much greater research and high number of improved performances have been encouraged and promoted. A case in point is the development of private international law. The nation’s private international legal structure has turned out to be more comprehensive, efficient and effective, especially in view of the actualization of Chapter IX of the draft Civil Code. It is possible to project with certainty that in the few years to come, the Chinese private international legal structure will be one of the most popular systems in the planet, with respect to both structure and composition3. The inception and growth of law and the social context within which it exists are inseparable. The things that private international law oversees are the international civil and commercial legal link. As such, its occurrence and progress cannot be realizable without clear-cut state policy together with a social environment in under which the Chinese can enjoy equal interaction with the international community. Since 1949, a period when new China was formed, to 1978, owing to historical reasons, China was in a comparatively confined social environment4. It was not possible for the nation’s private international law to advance

Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotskys Theories on Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotskys Theories on Cognitive Development According to Meece (2002), Piaget and Vygotsky were two prominent scholars of cognitive development theories. Piaget was a biology, psychology and philosophy scholar while Vygotsky first received a degree in law, then a degree in psychology. Even with two very different backgrounds, both scholars took a constructivist approach to their research in cognitive development as they believed, children must construct their own understandings of the world in which they live (p. 121). This idea has been debated and discussed for years. Piaget and Vygotsky were two prominent scholars within the realm of cognitive development. Their theories of cognitive development have been influential in the development of theories of education. In Jean Piagets research, his main goal was to answer the question, How does knowledge grow? (Silverthorn, 1999). He did this through genetic epistemology which is the study of cognitive development in children. According to Meece (2002), there are four major cognitive stages in a childs cognitive development: sensorimotor, preoperations, concrete operations and formal operations. A childs thought process is different from other developmental stages and each of the stages has its own importance. Piaget believed that a child could not skip a stage because each one is necessary in the process of cognitive development. In accordance with Meece (2002) and funderstanding.com (2006) the four stages are described as such: Sensorimotor stage (birth 2 years old)The child, through physical interaction with his or her environment, builds a set of concepts about reality and how it works. This is the stage where a child does not know that physical objects remain in existence even when out of sight (object permanence). Preoperational stage (ages 2-7)The child is not yet able to conceptualize abstractly and needs concrete physical situations. Concrete operations (ages 7-11)As physical experience accumulates, the child starts to conceptualize, creating logical structures that explain his or her physical experiences. Abstract problem solving is also possible at this stage. For example, arithmetic equations can be solved with numbers, not just with objects. Formal operations (beginning at ages 11-15)By this point, the childs cognitive structures are like those of an adult and include conceptual reasoning. (p. 1) In Piagets research, these four stages are rather concrete. But, many current researchers do not completely agree with the exactitude and universality of these stages. Piaget also refers to three different types of knowledge. Physical knowledge is knowing the attributes of objects such as their number, color, size and shape (Meece, 2002, p. 122). Logio-mathematical knowledge involves the mental construction of relationships (p. 122). Social knowledge is derived in part through interactions with others (p. 123). Piaget focused on classification and relations, spatial relationships, time, movement, chance, number, conservation and measurement in concrete stages (Genetic Epistemology, 2006). Lev Vygotsky was more concerned with how a child interacts with his culture and society (Meece, 2002). Piaget viewed knowledge as individually constructed while Vygotsky viewed cognitive development as socially co-constructed between people as they interact (p. 155). Vygotsky believed that children are born with elementary mental abilities such as perception, attention and memory (Meece, p. 156). As children develop and interact socially with their culture and society, these innate characteristics are further developed. According to Vygotsky, one of the most important parts of cognitive development is language. Within this theory, language occurs in three stages: social speech, egocentric speech and inner speech. Social speech is just that: speech for the purposes of communicating. Egocentric speech is more intellectual and children use this by speaking out loud to themselves. Inner speech is used by children to think in their heads about the problem or task at hand, instead of verbalizing their thoughts in order to decide what to do next. According to the website funderstanding.com, the zone of proximal development explains that, a difference exists between what [a] child can do on [his or] her own and what the child can do with help [from knowledgeable peers or adults] (p. 1). For example, a young child may not be able to put together a complex puzzle by himself, but with the help of an older child or another adult, the young child could put together the puzzle correctly. Both Piagets and Vygotskys theories of cognitive development provide foundations for constructivist approaches to teaching and learning (Meece, 2002). Each of their theories concern qualitative changes within a childs cognitive process. They also have the same goal within the classroom, creating for students a community of learning. Even though both theories have a common goal, each of them has a different approach when dealing with children and education. For instance, Piagets theory can help educators understand how children react and learn according to their age while Vygotskys theory can help understand the role of society in childrens education. Piaget was a scholar of natural science who happened to discover a way to explain how children acquire knowledge as they develop in age. Piagets theory can be directly related to his traditional background as he tries to explain the major transformations that children go through while acquiring knowledge. Piaget strongly believed that each age group varied significantly not only in the individual and group aspect, but also in the cultural aspect as well. The stages that he created are the following: Sensorimotor, Preoperations, Concrete Operations, and Formal Operations. All of these stages are met when children manipulate objects. This manipulation allows the creation of mental representation of the world and it allows two-way interaction with the environment. Essentially, the goal is to allow a child the ability to create and understand his world in a logical way. All of these stages result from the childrens manipulation of objects that lets them create a mental representation of the world and act on and influence the environment they live in (and vice versa), so that learners gradually forego illogical ways of thinking. Piagets theory is about including spontaneous experimentation in a single and group basis, so that students can build their own understanding based on the experiences that they have. By setting up this system, the children are not only limited to the classroom setting, but they are more alert of their surroundings. This method leads them to learn about self-correction, self-instruction, and self-motivation because of its hand on experience approach. According to Piaget, the growth of knowledge is a progressive construction. Childrens logic and modes of thinking are initially entirely different from those of adults (Jean Piaget Society, 2006), believing that the acquisition of knowledge is a process of continuous self-construction (Silverthorn, 1999). In order to adopt the cognitive development following Piagets theory, the educator should organize the class time with spontaneous mental activities to let learners develop their own ideas and to construct a healthy learning environment. To achieve this, Piaget encourages teachers to provide a role for social interaction and communication by presenting appropriate materials, drills, so that children can actively learn how to confront their physical and social world by living their own experiences. According to Marcy Driscoll (1994), there are three basic instructional principles on which Piagetian theorists generally agree: Principle 1: The learning environment should support the activity of the child (i.e., an active, discovery-oriented environment) Principle 2: Childrens interactions with their peers are an important source of cognitive development (i.e., peer teaching and social negotiation) (Driscoll, 1994). Principle 3: Adopt instructional strategies that make children aware of conflicts and inconsistencies in their thinking (i.e., conflict teaching and Socratic dialog) All of these principles are meant to be used in such a way that children can relate and continue to build upon previously acquired knowledge. It is important and necessary that teachers play the role of facilitators and encourage dialog among students about things that they have discovered themselves, so that learning become an automatic and enjoyable process. Piaget has inspired major curriculum reforms, some of his major contributions to education are (Meece, 2002): Knowledge must be actively constructed by the child. Educators should help children learn how to learn. Learning activities should be matched to the childs level of conceptual development. Peer interactions play an important role in the childs cognitive development (p. 169). Although this method seems beneficial, the financial cost and time-consumption that is involved during the set-up cause this method to be less influential. When compared with Piagets theory, Vygotskys theory places a stronger emphasis on social interactions. According to Vygotsky, knowledge is not individually constructed, but co -constructed between people. For Vygotsky, language and communication play the most important role of cognitive development his primary concern dealing with nature, evaluation and the transmission of human culture. Vygotsky identified three stages in childrens use of language: Language is primarily used for communication (social speech). Children begin to use egocentric or private speech to regulate their own thinking. Children use inner speech or verbal thoughts to guide their thinking and actions. For Piagets theory, language did not play such an important role in childrens development; however for Vygotskys theory speech is an extremely important developmental phenomenon as he believed that children learn through conversations with adults as the need to communicate with them presses the child to seek for the adult meanings of things that are said (Mason Timothy, 2006). So learning becomes a result of mature thinking and behavior due to socio-cultural experiences. For instance, Vygotsky encourages collaborative process of learning between teachers and students in the going of social events in the classroom. Vygotskys term Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) was used to refer the difference between what children can do on their own, and what they could do with the assistance of others (Meece, 2002). The ZPD indicates what a childs level of mental development is at a particular time (Galant, 2006). Vygotsky assumed that interactions with adults and peers in the zone of proximal development help children move to higher levels of mental functioning (Meece, 2002). Vygotsky believed that interactions with adults and peers in this zone helped children move to higher levels of mental functioning within the classroom. Vygotskys approach challenges traditional teaching methods, as he emphasizes the significance of cooperative thinking that take place in the decision making process. This involves having students paired together or in small groups in which the teachers task is to focus on maintaining students motivation in order to pursue the instructional goal. Vygotskys theory is about guided discovery by having the teacher offer, intriguing questions to students and having them discover the answers through testing hypotheses. The students are engaged in the discovery process; however, they are still receiving assistance from a more knowledgeable source (Sample, 2006). According to Meece (2002), some of the major Educational Contributions of Vygotskys theories are: Role of private speech in cognitive development. The importance of guided participation and scaffolding. The role of peer interactions in cognitive development (p. 159-161). This method is helpful because it encourages constant peer review. However, if not handled properly, it can bring up a common problem that students and teachers frequently face. This disadvantage would be when groups rely on one member to do all the work. Meece (2002) explains that Piagets cognitive development theory is based on a childs innate ability to productively think on their own. This cognitive ability allows them to move to the next cognitive stage as they mature biologically and adapt to their environment. Children assimilate and accommodate their current schema, or mental constructs, to fit the new information presented in the classroom. Cognitive development and social interaction feeds intellectual activity and learning. The classroom methods of instruction should match the level of cognitive development, facilitating the advancement to the next stage of cognitive development. The level of cognitive development for early childhood learners (2-7 years) is described by Piaget as the preoperational stage (Meece, 2002). At this stage intuition and language develop. Examples of instructional tools Piaget would recommend to describe objects they are experiencing include: concrete props, symbols, and visual aids such as drawings, usage of models or examples, lessons about the childrens world and their experiences, less paper-and-pencil tasks and more hands on learning, back-and-forth conversations with peers to develop skills for the next stage, and field trips. According to Piaget, logical and mental operations are part of the cognitive development of children in the elementary school years (7-11 years). A childs thinking becomes less rigid and more dynamic during this stage. Piaget called this stage the concrete operations stage (Meece, 2002). Huitt (1997) mentions these instructional tools that follow this theory: concrete props such as three dimensional science models, lab work with minimal steps, brief and well organized lectures, relate existing instruction into previously learned material, word problems in math, and problems which require logic and analysis to solve. The Math Forum at Drexel University (2006) explained math education using a Piagetian theory: Students need to construct their own understanding of each mathematical concept, so that the primary role of teaching is not to lecture, explain, or otherwise attempt to transfer mathematical knowledge, but to create situations for students that will foster their making the necessary mental constructions. A critical aspect of the approach is a decomposition of each mathematical concept into developmental steps following a Piagetian theory of knowledge based on observation of, and interviews with, students as they attempt to learn a concept (para.1). Piagets final stage in his theory of cognitive development covers the 12 year old and up group. This stage is called the formal operations stage. Huitt Hummel (2003) describe this stage as characterized by a shift in thinking from the real to the involvement of abstractions and reflections. In this stage, intelligence is demonstrated through the logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts. Early in the period there is a return to egocentric thought. Only 35% of high school graduates in industrialized countries obtain formal operations; many people do not think formally during adulthood (page 1). Huitt (1997) suggests classroom practices such as these to best use Piagets theory: concrete operations stage type graphs on a more complicated scale, ask students to explore hypotheticals as they explore other worlds or complicated issues, encourage students to describe opposing viewpoints, have students describe how the solved the problem, teach broad but curriculum related concept s, and use materials and ideas relevant to the students to broaden their perspectives. Meece (2002) explains that Vygotsky did not believe an individuals thinking structure as innate, but cultural and social in origin and influence. Social and cultural interactions with knowledgeable peers and adults fuel cognitive development while improving the elementary thinking skills of the child (perception, attention, memory) to a higher level. Vygotsky might suggest Reciprocal Teaching in the classroom. This involves guided participation by a knowledgeable adult; with the students eventually taking over the learning activity. Egocentric speech was favored by Vygotsky. This is the thinking aloud speech children sometimes use to work through a problem. Vygotsky would not only encourage students to use this speech, but would demonstrate its use in practical settings. Collaborative learning activities would also be emphasized in the Vygotsky classroom. Learning is facilitated with meaningful discussions among students in a collaborative learning setting. Especially valuable are discussions with knowledgeable peers. Knowledgeable peers and teachers elevate a student beyond the students current capabilities, a place the student would not have achieved otherwise. It is absolutely possible to incorporate parts of both Piaget and Vygotskys theories in the classroom. Both theorists take a constructivist point of view and also believe that students are not passive in their knowledge (Meece, 2002). It is important for the teacher to be important organizers, stimulators, guides, and supporters of learning (p. 168). Piagets theory suggests that students need a curriculum that supports their cognitive development by learning concepts and logical steps. He also suggests that children are only capable of learning specific material in specific stages of cognitive development. Vygotsky would suggest more peer and cultural interactions in the classroom (funderstanding.com, 2006). He also believes that knowledgeable adults can help children learn even if they are not at the specific stage as Piaget suggests (Meece 2002). It is possible that while children are learning about concepts and logic, they can also interact with their peers and other adults by wor king on projects that relate the two together. It seems as though children may show some signs of specific development at specific times, but with help they can also excel at tasks they may not be able to do without help of others. Piaget and Vygotsky have differing views on cognitive development, but it is possible to incorporate parts of both theories when thinking about teaching strategies. Teachers must take into consideration the social and cultural background of the student before preparing the lesson plan. Using Piagets theory, the student must be at the correct stage of development in order use and understand the knowledge at hand. But, Vygotsky says that even if the child is not at the correct stage of development then a knowledgeable adult or teacher could influence the child and help him get to a level beyond what his level would otherwise indicate.

Volleyball Expectations

My expectations from the team this year are to be good teammates for one another and everyone on the team. This looks like welcoming, encouraging, and helping each other during workouts, practice, and games. It doesn't mean that everyone has to be best friends, but Just that the players treat each other as our motto: â€Å"It's a team thing†. My expectations from the coaching staff this year are to watch and correct individual mistakes and not to let bad habits go unnoticed. I like how the coaches will focus on what we are doing and talk to us about how to fix anything.The personal attention for everyone helps us all to become better players. Skill wise, I bring to the table for this team that I am able to get a good pass to the setter, can play serve receive, and I have a Jump serve. I focus on back row because it all starts with a pass. In terms of attitude and leadership, I bring to the table for this team a positive attitude. If a teammate gets discouraged about what they' re doing, I want to encourage them to play the next ball and not worry about their mistakes.For adhering, when we are out on the court and come together in the middle to talk, I tell the girls that what we need to focus on or add motivation to finish a game. At this time, I perceive my strengths are that I am a fast learner and work at correcting my mistakes after instruction. I feel that my weaknesses are that I haven't learned all of the plays. For example, I'm most comfortable with hitting a 4 as an outside, and although Vive been introduced to other hits I'm not as familiar with them.I see my ole on the team this year as an all-around volleyball player. My role is to be a more efficient hitter/blocker, play defense, and go after every ball as hard as I can. I am to keep the ball in play no matter what. My individual short term goal for the next week at practice is to work on my hitting. I need to get more power and load up on my step-close so I can Jump higher. I also need to ti me my approach better to the ball (depending on its tempo) because at practice I was either too early or too late.My worth term goal for our team for the next week at practice is to talk more on the court, because it was pretty much silent last time. We only really talked after coach pointed it out. And even then, we didn't keep it up. Also, to call for the ball as loud as we can when hitting so the setter can hear us. A lot of confusion can be avoided this way. My individual long term goal for this season is to be able to become a better-rounded volleyball player. I want to improve on my hitting?I am off on my timing and don't get low on my step-close to Jump higher.Also, I want to be more accurate on hitting certain areas on the court. I want to be able to set and pass more on target as well, especially on out of system. My long term goal for our team this season is to be a team that other schools don't want to play because of both our consistency on defense and offense. I want ou r team to dig up balls that has the other side wondering how we were able to manage to get the ball up and hitting the ball so hard that the other players are hesitant to go after it. Volleyball Expectations

What Duty of Care Means in Children’s and Young People’s Settings

1, What duty of care means in children's and young people's settings. Duty of care in children's and young peoples setting means the adults providing care have to ensure the child is kept safe from any form of harm or abuse. This can include giving full attention, watching for hazards, accidents and mistakes and following correct procedures. Also ensuring the child is the most important part of your day. 2, How the duty of care contributes to the safeguarding or protection of individuals.The duty of care contributes to safeguarding by ensuring the child is happy, healthy and safe whilst in your care. This can be done by undertaking thorougher risk assessments and procedures/precautions to avoid accidents, mistakes and hazards such as making sure all equipment is clean and not broken, children are supervised at all time by staff who have the relevant checks and health standards are maintained when preparing food and changing nappies.Giving children attention and observing their behavi or also contributes to safeguarding as you will be better placed to notice any needs the child has as they develop. Task C 1, The main points of agreed procedures for handling complaints in children and young people's settings Listen to complaint Record complaint in writing including all details and facts Speak to manager Ensure person complaining knows a time frame for complaint to be investigated and dealt with Manager will then speak to relevant people, investigate and report back to complainant , How would you respond to a complaint. I would listen carefully and respectfully to the complaint, if appropriate (depending on the nature of the complaint) I would ask other members of staff if they can offer an insight as to what happened, then refer it to my manager. If the manager was not available I would take a written account of all the details/facts and contact the manager who would then investigate and report back to me and the complainant. If the complaint was a staff on staff complaint I would refer it straight to my manager.