THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY -compact summary

 Students please note down the summary in your claswork copies :maintain index in your copies properly                                   

                                

           The Portrait of a Lady deals with an account of the author’s old grandmother. She was very old and wrinkled. She was fat, short and bent. She moved about the house with her rosary in her hand. She was always dressed in white. Her hair was white. Her lips always moved in prayer. She would wake up the author and prepare him for school. She went with him to school. The school was attached to the temple. While children learnt alphabet, she sat inside and read religious books. After school they came back together. She gave bread to village dogs. 

         After sometime they went to the city. The author was now in an English school. The grandmother could not help him with his lessons. She was not contented with what he learnt there. The writer told her that he was taught music. The grandmother did not like it. For her, music was meant for prostitutes. She was unhappy because there was no religious teaching at that school. There were no stray dogs. She took to feeding sparrows.

          The author then left for England for further studies. She did not feel upset. She went to the station to see him off. At the time of parting, she kissed the author. When he returned after five years, she came to the railway station to receive him. She did not look even a day older. Even now she was saying her prayer. In the evening she did not pray. She brought a drum. She called women from her neighbourhood. She sang songs to celebrate the return of her grandson. The next morning she fell ill. She lay peacefully in her bed praying. She died peacefully. Her death affected even the sparrows. They did not chirp. They ignored the crumbs thrown to them.

OUTLINE OF LESSON –THE RATTRAP

                                              MAIN  POINTS

1)      ‘The Rattrap’ is a story that underlies a belief that essential goodness in human beings can be aroused through sympathy, understanding and love.

2)      Once a man went around selling small rattraps but he took to begging and thievery to keep his body and soul together.

3)      One day he was struck with the idea – the whole world is a big rattrap and it offers riches as bait.

4)      People let themselves be tempted to touch the bait then it closes in on them bringing an end to everything.

5)      One dark evening the rattrap peddler sought shelter in an old crofter’s roadside cottage.

6)      The old man gave him food, tobacco they enjoyed the card game too.

7)      Next morning the peddler stole away his thirty kroners.

8)      The rattrap peddler escaped into a big confusing forest and got lost.

9)      While resting on the ground he recollected his idea that the world is a rattrap and thought his end was near.

10)  Hearing a thumping sound he reached Ramsjo ironworks for a night shelter.

11)  The owner came on his nightly rounds and noticed the ragged wretch near the furnace.

12)  He took him as an old acquaintance ‘Nils Olof.’

13)  He invited him to stay with them for Christmas but the stranger declined the offer.

14)  His daughter Edla Willmansson persuaded to go home with him.

15)  She requested him to stay for Christmas Eve only.

16)  On his way to the Manor House the peddler thought that he had thrown himself into the lion’s den.

17)  The next day in broad day light the iron master realized the stranger was not captain and threatened to call the sheriff.

18)  Edla pleaded for him and asked him to stay back.

19)  Christmas Eve at Ramsjo was as usual and the stranger slept and slept.

20)  She made him understand that if he wanted rest and peace he would be welcome next Christmas also. This had a miraculous effect on him.

21)  Next morning they went for early church service leaving behind the guest who was asleep.

22)  They learnt at church that a rattrap peddler had robbed an old crofter.

23)  Edla becomes very upset.

24)  They reach home immediately and learn that the peddler had already left but had not taken anything at all with him. Instead, he had left a small packet for the young girl as a Christmas present.

25)  She opens the packet and finds a rattrap, three wrinkled ten-Krona notes and also a letter with a request to return the Kroners to the crofter.

PSYCHOLOGY OF CLASSROOM LEARNING: A Secondary self study

   Every teacher in every classroom throughout the country uses strategies to acknowledge and encourage appropriate social and academic behavior by their students.  These strategies take many forms, some overt and dramatic (presentation of tokens, or recognition at an assembly), others more subtle and embedded in natural activities (a smile, the organization of a successful academic effort).  Our understanding of this process of encouraging appropriate behavior, and how best to incorporate this process in education, has been a major focus of both research and recent professional controversy.  As a result, understanding the role and function of rewards is now a central concern for any educator.

      Since 1898, when E. L. Thorndike described the “law of effect,” educators and psychologists have noted that when a behavior is successful it is more likely to occur again in similar circumstances.  The “success” of a behavior lies in the result, effect or consequence that behavior has on the environment.  The simple message is that the consequences of a behavior affect future performance of that behavior.  If, following the contingent delivery of a consequence, a behavior becomes more likely in the future, then that consequence was reinforcing or rewarding.  This basic idea has been among the most intensely studied and validated phenomena associated with human behavior.  
        The use of rewards in education remains a controversy, not over the principles governing its function, but in part due to two issues: (a) the precise definition of rewards, and (b) the perceived effect of rewards on “intrinsic motivation.”

Defining rewards

Rewards (or the more accurate term: reinforcers) are technically defined as any contingently delivered consequence (e.g. event, activity, object) associated with an increase in the future likelihood of a behavior in similar situations.  This definition has many problems when used in natural contexts like homes, schools and communities.  When applied in a rigorous and precise manner, the definition allows an object or event to be classified as a reward, or reinforcer, only after demonstration that (a) the object/event was delivered contingent upon the performance of a behavior, and (b) the behavior became more likely to occur under similar conditions in the future.  In practice, teachers and parents seldom wait to see the effect of a consequence on future occurrences of the behavior.  It is far more likely that a teacher will simply presume that she/he has provided rewards when praise is delivered following “sharing,” or points are assigned for correct problem completion, or access to preferred toys follows work completion. 

Herein lies an important distinction.  The technical definition of a reward (reinforcer) always adopts the perspective of the learner, not the intentions of the person delivering the reward.  If the contingent delivery of a consequence resulted in increased likelihood of that behavior then the consequence was a reward.  If the consequence was a piece of preferred fruit, and the behavior increased, then the fruit was a reward; if the consequence was a sticker, and the behavior increased, then the sticker was a reward; if the consequence was a reprimand (which included adult attention), and the behavior increased, then the reprimand was a reward.  It is the effect of the consequence on future behavior that determines if that consequence is a reward (reinforcer).  If a consequence does not lead to increased likelihood of the behavior, then it was not a reward, even if the person delivering the consequence had the best of intensions.  If a teacher’s praise for “on-task” working is followed by a reduction in level of being “on-task” then the teacher’s praise was not a functional reward (reinforcer).  If the delivery of tokens for sharing on the playground does not lead to increased sharing then the tokens were not a reward.  From a technical perspective, rewards are defined by the effect they have on behavior, not on their intended desirability.  In this way, we can never define an event, activity or object as a reward without connecting it to the behavior that was affected by contingent access to that event, activity or object.  Practically, teachers will deliver feedback and consequences that they “presume” are rewards.  Those teachers with technical knowledge, however, will always check the effect of that presumed reward on student behavior.

Understanding rewards is of special importance for teaching because while we want desirable behavior to be rewarded, we do not want undesirable behavior to be rewarded.  A reprimand, for example, may not have been intended to be a reward, but may still function in that capacity.  One of the more common findings in schools is that teachers inadvertently reward inappropriate child behavior by attending to talking out, or disruptive acts.  Similarly being sent to the office may be rewarding if it involves escaping from aversive or difficult work.  If a behavior is contingently followed by (a) obtaining a desirable event/activity/object or (b) avoiding an aversive event/activity/object then the behavior will become more likely to occur in similar situations in the future. Said differently, the behavior has been rewarded.

Rewards are important for both encouraging appropriate behavior and preventing the encouragement of inappropriate behavior. What the science of human behavior teaches, is that we should adopt the perspective of the learner, not the teacher, when planning how to select and deliver rewards. The following are some basic guidelines:

1. Reward “behavior” not people.  When rewards are provided be clear about the specific behavior that led to the reward.
2. Include the learner in identification of possible rewards.  Use consequences that are likely to be rewarding to the students.
3. Use small rewards frequently, rather than large rewards infrequently.
4. Embed rewards in the activity/behavior you want to encourage.
5. Ensure that rewards closely follow the behavior you want to encourage.  Generally behavior is more likely to change when the reward is delivered quickly.
6. Use rewards that are natural to the context, appropriate to the developmental age of the learner and easy to administer.
7. Use many different kinds of rewards (objects, activities, privileges, attention, natural consequences) rather than relying on one strategy or pattern.
8. Use rewards more often than negative consequences.  Students should experience at least five times the number of rewards as they do corrections or punishers.
9. Avoid delivering rewards (even inadvertently) for problem behaviors.

The Impact of Rewards on Intrinsic Motivation

Recently, there has been concern that the formal use of rewards in schools could result in children failing to develop intrinsic, or self-managed motivation.  Reading should be a behavior that becomes more frequent because the content of what is read is rewarding, not because a token or play period will follow reading.  Sharing on the playground should occur because a child experiences personal satisfaction from behaving well, not because the child receives candy if she shares.  Similarly, concern exists that if a teacher provides a reward to Child A for excellent math work, it will be a negative, or punishing, experience for Child B who did not receive a reward, tried just as hard, but did not get as many problems correct.  These concerns are based on research conducted in the 1970s (Deci, 1971; 1975; Lepper, Greene & Nesbett, 1973) and have led to strong recommendations against the formal use of praise and extrinsic rewards (e.g. tokens, food, activities, privileges) in schools (Deci, Koestner, & Ryan, 2001; Kohn, 1993; 1996).  There is evidence that rewards can be used poorly.  The primary errors involve (a) providing rewards without being clear about the behavior being rewarded, (b) inadvertently providing rewards for problem behavior, (c) providing large rewards and then suddenly (rather than gradually) withdrawing the rewards, and (d) providing rewards so infrequently that a child never builds the skill fluency needed to attain the natural benefit of a skill (e.g. does not learn to read fast enough or well enough to enjoy reading).  These errors are worth considering and avoiding.

The concern that rewards damage the intrinsic motivation of students is less well supported by research.  Most educators will agree that academic and social skills learned in schools should be maintained by natural consequence, not artificial rewards.  Reading, math and play skills should not end when a teacher is no longer present to offer verbal praise, toys, or stickers.  The rewards provided for the behavior of one student should not function as a punisher for all others.  There is less agreement (and much less evidence) that the use of rewards in schools leads to these ill effects.

To address these concerns several scholars recently examined the full body of research literature and concluded that not only have schools successfully employed the use of external rewards for decades (Slavin, 1997), but that the use of rewards following appropriate behavior is directly related to both initial, and durable academic and social success.  Rewards are an effective, important and functional part of any educational context, and need not be detrimental to intrinsic motivation (Akin-Little, Eckert Lovett & Little, 2004; Cameron, Banko & Pierce, 2001; Reiss, 2005).  Rewards are especially important for helping motivate a child to build early competence (fluency) with reading, math or social skills.  Encouragement, guidance and reward of appropriate approximations of successful behavior are helpful for students to build the skills that can then be sustained by the natural consequences from reading well, joining games with peers, or playing a musical instrument.  Rewards also are important for building a predictable, positive social culture in a school.   Schools with clearly defined behavioral expectations, and formal strategies for acknowledging (rewarding) appropriate behavior, are perceived as safer, more effective learning environments.  The delivery of rewards is one overt way that children learn that adults are serious about the social and academic goals they are teaching.

Understanding and using rewards is an essential skill for any educator.  Selecting the right type, level and form of rewards to encourage student behavior is a competence developed over time, and is a hallmark of effective teaching.

References

Akin-Little, K., Eckert, T., Lovett, B., & Little, S. (2004).  Extrinsic reinforcement in the classroom: Bribery or best practice.  School Psychology Review, 33,  344-362.

Cameron, J., Banko, K. & Pierce, W. (2001).  Pervasive negative effects of rewards on intrinsic motivation: The myth continues.  The Behavior Analyst, 24,  1-44.

Deci, E. (1971). Effects of externally mediated rewards on intrinsic motivation.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 18, 105-115.

Deci, E., (1975). Intrinsic Motivation.  New York: Plenum Press.

Deci, E., Koestner, R., & Ryan R. (2001).  Extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motivation in education: Reconsidered once again.  Review of Educational Research, 71, 1-27.

Kohn, A. (1993).  Punished by rewards: The trouble with gold stars, incentive plans, A’s, praise and other bribes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Lepper, M. Greene, D., & Nisbett, R., (1973).  Undermining children’s intrinsic interest with extrinsic reward: A test of the “overjustification” hypothesis.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28, 129-137.

Reiss, S., (2005). Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation at 30: Unresolved scientific issues.  The Behavior Analyst 28 (1), 1-14.

Slavin, R. E. (1997).  Educational Psychology (5^th ed).  Needham Heights. MA: Allyn & Bacon.

DISADVANTAGES OF EXCESSIVE TALKING

DISADVANTAGE 1: Talking Too Much Inspires Boasting. One of the reasons why people talk too much is to attract others to themselves. In doing this, they talk about all their achievements, their past records, where they have been to, how much they worth and what they possess. They are good at lying so they can be seen bigger than they are by others.

DISADVANTAGE 2: Talking Too Much Brings About Loss Of Respect.  A talkative loses his respect when he talks more than he knows. He talks more than people can accommodate so they begin to disrespect him and he loses his honour. A talkative does not place any value on himself so people around him do not place value on him either.

DISADVANTAGE 3: Talking Too Much Makes You Reveal More. People that talk too much have a weakness of talking more about themselves, their personal life’s, saying what they should not be saying without even noticing that they have said it. The wise runs from such people because they know that their secrets are not safe and secured with these kinds of people.

DISADVANTAGE 4: Talking Too Much Makes You Sin More. People that talk more are engaged and involved in more sins. They talk about others, they boast, lie and even cause quarrel among brethren’s with their gossips and back stabbing.

DISADVANTAGE 5: Talking Too Much Is Someone’s Job. Some categories of people are heavily paid because they can talk well. Their talent is well appreciated and it is converted to money. Why then have you decided to talk excessively when you are not paid a dime for it? You make it even worse because it is at the expense of your progress.

DISADVANTAGE 6: Excessive Talking or talking too much produces devastating health effects and promotes any chronic disease: cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and many others. You can save yourself from all these chronic diseases if you decide to limit the way you talk. Talk when it is appropriate to, not when you just feel like moving your mouth.

Think of these things. 

THE WISDOM OF SILENCE: LEARNING TO TALK LESS AND SAY MORE

Silence is a precious gift. In that space between our words, it’s where we find ourselves. When the mind is quiet, when there are no thoughts and no words to be said, we can hear our own heart talking to us. We can hear our own soul and our own intuition. 

Herman Melville has a really beautiful quote that explains exactly what I mean: 

“God’s one and only voice are Silence.” ~ Herman Melville

When we allow ourselves to be quiet, to breathe in and breathe out, without the need to force ourselves into saying another word or think another thought, that’s when we can hear our inner voice, our heart, and intuition. That’s when we can experience our own Divinity, our own beauty, and perfection.

I have learned more from being quiet and from embracing silence than I have learned from thinking and from talking. Silence is my greatest teacher, whispering things in my ear and helping me know things that I won’t be able to discover from anywhere else. 

“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” ~ Francis Bacon

I honestly believe that the reason why so many of us are under so much stress is that we haven’t yet learned how to quiet our minds and embrace silence. We haven’t yet learned to appreciate and see the value and the wisdom that comes from being quiet.

Who says that you have to be thinking and you have to be talking all the time? Who says that it’s not okay to have moments when you just don’t have anything to say? Who says that you should be talking nonstop even when you don’t have anything valuable to say?

“He who does not know how to be silent will not know how to speak.” – Ausonius

Learn to talk less, say more. When you use your words, use them because they will brighten someone’s day and because they will teach people something valuable. Don’t just use words for the sake of using them. Use them because you have something to say.

“Much talking is the cause of danger. 

Silence is the means of avoiding misfortune.

The talkative parrot is shut up in a cage. 

Other birds, without speech, fly freely about.” ~ Saskya Pandita 

Pursuit of Honesty

Nowadays People are less honest with each other than our forefather, which make living in this modern life is not easy at all. The fact that people are not honest causes problems, some of which could hurt others badly. In my opinion lying is not a good job to do. Thus I agree the statement honesty is the best policy.

If we do not lie, we will take advantages from it. Everyone will trust us. We will have good friends, a great job and of course a good life to live. An example for this is my oldest sister who graduated from college. She never lies and she is the one that you can believe. Employers always want to have honest people to work for them. My sister has got a great job and she work hard too. Being honest in her job, she has got quick promotion to higher positions. She has many friends who are ready to be with her and help her in need. My sister’s life is good in my opinion.

If we are not honest, others do not respect us. If we lie to someone for the first time, he or she may doubt at us next time. Not getting the belief, we easily fail to succeed in doing many things. Therefore, lying does not give us benefits. In the case that we are a good liar, we will. However, finally the truth may be found out. The next fact is that no one will trust us. Then come serious problems. For example, when I ask make questions to my friend and get information which is not true. When I come to know the fact, I will not believe in her sayings for the next time. Unbelievable, she is of course a good friend at all. The friendship between her and me may become worse. I no longer respect the friend.

Dishonesty can put those who lie in difficult situations. When the truth does come out things get bad and problems start to happen. For example, being dishonest in workplace causes coworkers to be not fond of working with us. The liar gets trouble in fulfilling his or her job with the coworkers. The fact that a person does not perform well enough in job can make him or her get fired.

Being honest give us comfortable feelings to our life. Liars often worry that the truth can be uncovered. They must remember things which are true and also other ones which are not. They must act so that others can not uncover the fact. In some situations, liars say the truth to these people but tell lies to the others. Therefore, they must bear in mine whom that she told the truth about the problem and whom she did not. Living such a life is a hard job to do.

As can be seen, honesty is a good way to live. Knowing this, we will be a good person in others’ eyes. If we are honest, we are living in a realistic world of our own. Otherwise, we are living in our own play where we do not live our own life but act it.

CBSE CLASS 11 ASSIGNMENT

Q1. You are the cultural secretary of your school. Write a notice in about 50 words inviting the names of students who would like to participate in the variety programme that you are planning in aid of an old age home in your city. Items may be in the form of solo and group singing, monoacting, magic show, dance performance, etc. Trials for the most suitable participants will be held during the zero period everyday.

Blooming Flowers School        Notice 10th July 2017                     Sandhya Tara      Our school is organising a cultural programme to collect funds for ‘Sandhya Tara’, a home for the elderly. We plan to include a dance drama, mono acting, a magic show and other items. Students who wish to participate should submit their names to the undersigned before 25 July 2017. Trials will be held daily in the zero period.  S Walia SandeepWalia Secretary, Cultural Society

CBSE CLASS 11 ASSIGNMENT

Q2. You are Parthasarthy Mishra, the Head Boy of St John’s High School, Dalhousie. You have been asked to write a notice regarding a sports kit bag found on the school playground. Write the notice in not more than 50 words. Invent necessary details. 

                             St John’s High School, Dalhousie

                                                     Notice 

24th July 2017               Found – A Sports Kit Bag 

    

        A sports kit bag was found on the playground on 21st july during the recess period. Anyone who has misplaced a grey sports bag with huge pockets can collect it from the undersigned within two days, that is, by 25th July 2017. .

.Parth Parthasarthy Mishra

 (Head Boy)

CBSE CLASS 11 HOME ASSIGNMENT

Q3.Write a notice of an excursion tour to Goa. You are, Sumit  the Secretary of Air Force Public School, Tezpur.

Air Force Public School Notice                                           An Excursion Tour to Goa Date-24th July’2017        The Students Council of our school has organized a week educational tour to Goa during the autumn break for senior students. The touring party will leave the campus on 15th August and will return on 20th august in the evening by 4.00 p.m. Interested students may deposit Rs. 500 as tour expenses with a consent letter from their parents within five days in school office. Sumit Secretary

CBSE CLASS 12 HOME ASSIGNMENT FROM CHAPTER DEEP WATER

Long Answer Type Questions (6 Marks, 120-150 words)

Question.1. “I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell.” What was the incident which nearly killed Douglas and developed in him a strong aversion to water? 
Answer. The incident which nearly killed Douglas occurred when he was ten or eleven years old. He had decided to learn swimming at the YMCA pool, and thus get rid of his fear of water. One . morning, when he was alone at the pool, waiting for others, a big bully of a boy tossed him into the deep end of the pool. Though he had planned a strategy to save himself as he went down, his plan did not work. He went down to the bottom and became panicky. Thrice he struggled hard to come to the surface, but failed each time. He was almost drowned in the pool. He lost his consciousness and felt that he would die. Though he was ultimately saved, this misadventure developed in him a strong aversion to water.

Question.2. Douglas fully realised the truth of Roosevelt’s statement,“All we have to fear is fear
itself.” How did this realisation help him brush aside his fear and become an expert swimmer? 
Answer. Douglas had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that the fear of death can cause. Strong will, hard determination, courage and toil as well as honest labour won over all his terrors and fears. The will to live brushed aside all his fears.
In reality all our fears are only psychological, and can be easily won over, if we can control our mind. This realisation makes Douglas resolve to learn swimming by engaging an instructor. This instructor, piece by piece, built Douglas into a swimmer. However, his first step was to drive away Douglas’ fear of water, before training him in swimming techniques. When Douglas tried and swam the length of the pool up and down, small traces of his old terror of water would return. So, he went to Lake Wentworth, dived at Triggs Island and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. Finally, he was certain that he had conquered his fear of water.

Question.3. How did Douglas develop an aversion to water? 
                                               or
“…….there was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.” When did Douglas start fearing water? Which experience had further strengthened its hold on his mind and personality?
Answer. Douglas developed an aversion to water in his early childhood, When he was three or four
years old, his father took him to a beach in California. The waves knocked him down and
swept over him. He was buried in water. He was frightened but his father was laughing. Perhaps this was the moment his fear of water took root inside his mind.
Further, when Douglas was ten or eleven years old, he decided to learn to swim and went to
the YMCA pool. Here an incident took place that finally established his aversion to water as a big fear. One day when Douglas was alone at the pool sitting on the edge and waiting for others to come, a big boy of 18 years of age threw him into the deep end of the pool.
What followed was a nightmarish experience for him. Douglas tried very, hard and applied all his knowledge to come to the surface of the water but to no avail. Somehow, he was saved. Thus after this fearful incident, his fear of water got implanted in his heart and mind
permanently.