Mise-En-Scene Essay Example for Free

Mise-En-Scene Essay Forrest Gump For over a century now, individuals have been flocking to witness the magic of motion pictures. It is a world made possible by a director and a dream. Unbeknownst to many, the making of a motion picture is a tedious event, involving scripts, takes, re-takes, and an abundance of post-production editing. Many people sit and enjoy a movie without realizing the complexities and the amount of individuals involved in creating the film. These individuals create the landscapes and backboards for us, the ultimate image also known as the mise-en-scene. My favorite film of all time is Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump will go down in history as one of the greatest films ever made. This film was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards, and took home six of them. This is in part because of the phenomenal cast and crew members involved in the production of this film; individuals such as the director, cinematographer, and art director, to the actors, sound people, and most importantly the editor, who pulled everything together and created the final cut. All of these plus additional elements such as sound, style, societal impact, genre, and film criticism make the film such a masterpiece. In this paper I will go into detail about these elements and as to why they add character and zest to the overall success of the film. Forrest Gump is a film that draws out every emotion that is available to the viewer; at times it draws empathy, as well as sympathy and sadness because of the real-life elements that are a part of the plot. The film is also loaded with irony and many opportunities to laugh at the naivety of the main character, Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump is a story about an â€Å"Unusual man doing unusual things† (Groom, 1996, pg. v). As a result of how fantastic the film was, and how great the crew and cast were, Forrest Gump was nominated for thirteen Oscars at the Academy; which is a highly prestigious honor. Almost all elements of this film were up to be recognized. The list of elements that won an Oscar: best actor, best director, best effects (visual effects), best film editing, best picture, and best writing. However, the list goes on even further when me ntioning the additional ones that were nominated but did not win. This would include: best supporting actor, best art direction-set decoration, best cinematography, best effects (sound effects), best make-up, best music, and best sound (Dirks, 2010). Every one of these elements is crucial to the popularity and overall success of this film. What I plan to take notice of first is the director, Robert Zemeckis. Robert has led a successful career of directing many blockbuster hit movies. Movies such as the Back to the Future trilogy, Cast Away, Contact, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, just to name a few. It is no wonder why Robert is such a successful and well-known name in Hollywood. Robert is a director that continually makes great films that have recurring actors, Tom Hanks being one of these actors. The style of storyline that Robert chose to use in this film is mostly in chronological order; however, the story is narrated by Forrest in the future, so the story also has moments of incongruous editing. The text states that incongruous editing is when a film jumps around in time (Goodykontz Jacobs, 2011). You see ’future’ Forrest is telling the story of his life to numerous people who are sitting next to him at the bus stop. The story that he tells is in chronological order, basically catching up to where he is at that moment, at the bus stop. I highly enjoyed this approach that the director used; the story would continually flip back to ‘future’ Forrest as the movie went on. I believe that the movie would have been dull, had it not been from the perspective of Forrest in the future. Excitement is added by the way that he remembers the events in his life, and how even today he is still excited about them. This movie was adapted from the book of the same name, written by Warren Groom and the screenplay was written by Eric Roth. Although much of the story was changed, between the book and the film, it still remains based on the book. This is a story of a man who is highly naive, some would say slightly mentally challenged, who travels the world and is involved with many political events that occurred from the 1960’s to 1990’s. He faces hardships and overcomes adversity. In the final scenes devastating news is given to Forrest; the conclusion in this movie really pulls the whole movie together and makes it very satisfying. The exposition of this movie is right out the box with this film. It starts with a feather floating high in the shy aimlessly, drifting down towards the ground. At first the audience thinks nothing of it, however, as we later on see, this feather floating and landing on the ground in front of a dingy, worn pair of running shoes, is a symbol of the story. It is a symbol of the life of Forrest Gump, a man who drifts everywhere and becomes a part of many cultural events. We then come to realize that Forrest is a little slow and does not perceive the world as the majority of people do; with this we find a lot of verbal irony on Forrest’s behalf. The set-up is that Forrest is pushed away by his peers except a little girl named Jenny. Forrest is the protagonist in this film and his friend Jenny is the antagonist. Goodykoontz and Jacobs describe a protagonist as the main character in a movie; they also describe the antagonist as the character in conflict with the main character (Goodykontz Jacobs, 2011). Forrest is highly conservative, and Jenny is an outright liberal. As the story goes on, Jenny becomes more and more rebellious towards society’s standards. The confrontation is that Forrest is forever seeking to save Jenny, and to get her to conform to the way of life that he lives. However, Jenny is highly rebellious and wants to live the unhealthy lifestyle that she lives. Jenny was abused as a child and she lives very domineering to the men in her life, and since Forrest is good, she pushes him away, because all she knows is destruction. The conclusion brings everything to a head. This is where Forrest goes to Jenny’s house where she lays on him that she has a son and it is his. This is where it gets all fuzzy, emotionally, because we find out that finally Jenny is settling down and accepting Forrest and his conservative ways. However, in the final moments of the film the story turns sad and Jenny dies of an unknown illness; which leaves Forrest to care for his son that he previously knew nothing about. The main character in this movie, Forrest, is played by Tom Hanks, who is a career veteran of great movies; he is a wild card actor because he is able to play various types of roles (Goodykontz Jacobs, 2011). There are a couple of secondary actors, Jenny, played by Robin White; Lieutenant Dan Taylor, played by Gary Sinise; and Benjamin Buford â€Å"Bubba† Blue, played by Mykelti Williamson; all of these actors would be classified as character actors, because they have been in other various films, but were always secondary characters (Goodykoontz Jacobs, 2011). Sally Field is also in this film as Forrest’s mother, but the audience does not see too much of her. Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his grand performance in Forrest Gump. He also won many other prestigious awards such as a Screen Actors Guild award, a Golden Globe, a Kansas City Film Critics award, and an American Comedy award. Robin White and Gary Sinise were nominated for a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild award, but neither won. The cinematographer in this film is a man by the name of Don Burgess. Don was also the cinematographer in other Robert Zemeckis films, such as Contact, Cast Away, and The Polar Express (the latter two films had Tom Hanks in them). The cinematographer in a film is the one who directs the camera and chooses what kind of shot will take place, whether it be a long shot, a close-up, or somewhere in between. They also control the lighting and determine what will be best for each particular scene. The cinematographer designs the mise-en-scene. In the beginning we see a medium shot of a feather floating in the wind; the feather then lands on the ground which the cinematographer uses an extreme close-up of the feather and Forrest’s sneakers. Following this the camera zooms out and moves up to display Forrest sitting on a bus stop bench, next to a woman, as he is commenting about her shoes. This series of events and different shots really adds to the zest of the film. Right off we can hear Forrest’s manner of speaking, in addition to the way that he perceives the world. Another scene that I would like to point out is when Forrest is in Vietnam, and he finds Bubba shot. In this scene the cinematographer uses a lot of close-up shots of Forrest and Bubba. I believe this is to hype up the dramatics of the situation. However, a few moments later Forrest picks up Bubba and runs with him out of the jungle. In this scene the cinematographer uses an extreme long shot; the scene lasts a full 25 seconds, which is a long time for a shot in a movie (Goodykontz Jacobs, 2011). In this scene, Forrest and Bubba start from far away as they exit the jungle, it continues to progress until finally they run past the camera. This is a very important scene in the film where Bubba eventually dies. The cinematographer did an excellent job of capturing the planes overhead bombing, while Forrest is trying to save his friend. This scene is very meaningful. The editor of this film is Arthur Schmidt. An editor is the person who pieces all the appropriate shots into the final cut, basically rearranging the story into a plot (Goodykontz Jacob, 2011). Arthur Schmidt won an Academy Award for his stupendous work in this film. There was a ton of post-production done on this film. There was a scene where Forrest meets, President John F. Kennedy, the visual effects team along with the editor made this scene possible; since John F. Kennedy is currently diceased. Another scene takes place where Forrest is running rom some boys because they are chasing him down. In this scene Forrest is wearing leg braces, but there is a moment when Forrest begins breaking out of the braces, while he is running. The editor slows this scene down and closes in on Forrest’s legs, in order to emphasize him breaking out of the bondage that the braces caused. This is a pivotal scene, it is the prelude to the rest of the movie where Forrest is constantly on the move; his legs are a way for him to escape. In addition, this scene is full of direct cuts and jump cuts. A jump cut is when there is an obvious jump in the action during a transition, and a direct cut is when one shot instantly takes over for another shot (Goodykontz Jacobs, 2011). The various elements that the editor used were simply fantastic; it is no wonder why he won an Oscar for this film. There are many moments in this film where all types of sound are utilized, specifically sound effects and music. Each of these effects boosts the emotional value of scenes. There is a scene where Forrest is getting on the school bus for the first time. He is having trouble finding a seat because all of the students are denying him there seat. All of a sudden he hears the voice of a little girl saying, â€Å"you can sit hear†. During this scene, sentimental music plays in the background, simply adding emotional value to what Tom Hanks is saying. Forrest says to the woman on the bench next to him, as he is narrating the scene, that he finds it, â€Å"amazing what a young man recollects,† how he doesn’t, remember many of his ‘firsts’, but he cannot forget the first time he heard Jenny’s voice, he says that, â€Å"she was like an angel† (Finerman, Tisch, Newirth, 1994). In addition to the music, every sound other than dialogue was a sound effect that was added post-production. This film was also recognized for its phenomenal soundtrack. In some movies songs are intentionally written for that particular movie, but in Forrest Gump these are previously existing songs that the director thought would fit the tone or mood of the particular scene(s) (Goodykontz Jacobs, 2011). It is the soundtrack of the 60’s, filled with political songs such as â€Å"For What it’s Worth,† by Buffalo Springfield, and â€Å"Fortunate Son,† by Creedance Clearwater Revival. It also contained songs suitable for the action that was taking place, like â€Å"Sloop John B,† by The Beach Boys, while Forrest is in Vietnam. The song mentions the lyrics, â€Å"This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on,† and, â€Å"I feel so broke up, I wanna go home, let me go home,† these lyrics seem highly fitting for the scenario that the troops were in. The soundtrack won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. In our text it quotes that, â€Å"even though we go to films to be entertained†¦movies are something more than that†¦they are also historical documents that help us see—and perhaps more fully understand—the world in which they are made† (Goodykontz Jacobs, 2011). Forrest Gump touched on a lot cultural events and stigmas. First off is that Forrest is disabled and still was able to do more than most people who are not disabled do in their life. In addition, Forrest saw all people as equal, no matter what skin color they had. He also gave money to Bubba’s family, even though Bubba had died before Forrest created the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Forrest gave Bubba’s half of the profits to Bubba’s remaining family. Bubba gave Forrest the idea and Forrest was paying due to his lost friend, through his family. This is something that he definitely did not have to do. He stands for anyone who has ever felt inadequate. Forrest Gump will go down in the history books as one of the greatest films ever made. This is because a huge number of cast and crew made this possible, from the director, cinematographer, and art director, to the actors, sound people, and most importantly the editor, who pulled everything together and created the final cut. Additional elements should be recognized as well for the overall success of the film, such as sound, style, societal impact, genre, and film criticism. A lot of hard work, time and effort go into making a movie, and unfortunately not a lot of the public are aware of this. However, once they learn a few things and realize the distinct meaning behind a slow-motion shot or the color of a characters costume, they take a more appreciative look as to what they are viewing. The mise-en-scene makes all the difference; it is what makes or breaks any movie.

Stranger On A Train :: essays research papers

Stranger On A Train According to me, the model of "the classic cinema" is respected in the movie Strangers On a Train. The movie starts on a train, where we are introduced to the two main characters, having a conversation. The subject of the conversation is basically the most important part of the setup. By listening to them, we could predict the direction that the story was going towards. Throughout the rest of the introduction, we are introduced to the rest of the important characters. The first plot point, as expected, takes place when Bruno murders the protagonist's wife. After doing so, he expects the protagonist to do his part of the plan, who refuses Bruno's offer because they never had planned it. The protagonist's identity is threatened because he's accused of a crime which he never committed. We could also see the presence of oedipus complex: Bruno's hatred towards his father since his childhood. According to me, the model of "the classic cinema" is respected in the movie Strangers On a Train. The movie starts on a train, where we are introduced to the two main characters, having a conversation. The subject of the conversation is basically the most important part of the setup. By listening to them, we could predict the direction that the story was going towards. Throughout the rest of the introduction, we are introduced to the rest of the important characters. The first plot point, as expected, takes place when Bruno murders the protagonist's wife. After doing so, he expects the protagonist to do his part of the plan, who refuses Bruno's offer because they never had planned it. The protagonist's identity is threatened because he's accused of a crime which he never committed. We could also see the presence of oedipus complex: Bruno's hatred towards his father since his childhood. The object of the protagonist's and the camera's look was usually women. When Bruno was committing the murder, we could see only her (the victim) and the reflecting light on her glasses. Also by the time when Bruno was demonstrating

Activity Based Learning in Commerce Education Essay

Vocational education covers education and skill developed at all levels from post-primary to tertiary education both through formal and non-formal programme. Technical and Vocational Education, defined it as a â€Å"Comprehensive term embracing those aspects of the educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations in the various sectors of economic and social life. The main objectives of the vocational education are to fulfill the national goals of development and the removal of unemployment and poverty, to impart education relevant to increased production and productivity, economic development and individual prosperity, to meet the need for skilled and middle-level manpower for the growing sectors of economy, both organised and unorganized, to attract sizeable segment of population to varied vocational courses so as to reduce the rush to general education courses of universities and institutions for higher learning and to prepare students for self-reliance and gainful self-employment. The primary objective of Commerce education the preparation of people to enter upon a business career, or having entered upon such a career, to render more efficient service therein and to advance from their present levels of employment to higher levels. † During the post independence era, commerce education has emerged as one of the most potential pursuits in the wake of industrialization. Most of the Education Commissions have held that commerce education is primarily meant for providing the students in-depth knowledge of different functional areas of business so as to prepare people required by the community for the purposes of trade, commerce and industry. Commercial activity is present in almost every day-to-day activity that takes place in our environment. Formal courses at schools and colleges are only systematic, scholarly presentations/records of the experience. For teaching any subject effectively first of all teacher should be clear about its general as well as specific objectives of each topic/concepts because this will only help the teacher in selecting the appropriate approach and method of teaching according to the content. So for teaching commerce effectively teacher has to be thorough with the objectives of teaching commerce at all levels. Commerce is a subject which is very close to us, so for effective teaching of commerce it is all about listening, questioning, being responsive, and remembering that each student and class is different. For this teacher should adopt Socratic instruction approach. It’s all about eliciting responses and developing the oral communication skills of the quiet students. It’s all about pushing students to excel, which is basic requirement of commerce teaching. Commerce is a subject where a teacher can use all the methods effectively such as lecture, discussion, role playing, seminar, supervised as well as independent study, project method, field trip, etc. A major concern however is that teacher should actually use these methods in classroom teaching. Activity method is quite suitable for teaching Commerce as a Vocational Subject. In the wards of Rousseau, â€Å"Instead of making the child stick to is books keep him busy in workshop where his hands will work to the profit of his mind. † Thus learning by doing, by activity and experience is the first and the most natured form of learning. One of the arguments against using these methods is that they consume more time but if we use different methods according to the needs of the content then it will help in achieving HOTS at the same time they are not at all time consuming. For example if you field trip as a method for teaching banking it will consume at the most two-three hours to take students to the nearby bank and observe the functions of the employees of the bank and then the teacher can just discuss about the observations of the students in the class room and with this the chapter will be over. This will also help in retention of knowledge for longer period. This is also one of the ways to facilitate learning i. e. relating the curriculum to the student’s lifestyles. Teaching of commerce can be made more effective by relating the subject/content with the daily life of the students and commerce is such a subject who can be related with the daily life of the students by giving examples, by adopting project based learning method. Right from the beginning we are saying that commerce is a practical subject as well as related to real life, so for teaching it effectively we should encourage students’ participation. For students participation teacher should provide opportunity to students to ask questions, answer questions in a meaningful way, offer challenging and thought provoking ideas, plan interactive activities, show approval for students’ ideas, incorporate student’s ideas into lessons, and ask students whether they have understood the concept before proceeding. Keeping in view the importance of activity method for commerce education we present this paper entitled â€Å"Activity Based Learning in Commerce Education – With Special Reference to Vocational Commerce Education†. The main objectives of this paper is to: †¢Describe the meaning and importance of activity-based education. †¢Apprise the Service Activities in commerce based vocational education. †¢Explain the Internship/On-the Job Training activities in commerce based vocational education. †¢Analyze the School/College based Enterprise Education – Production-cum Training activities in commerce based vocational education. †¢Examine Education and Business Partnership/Institute – Industry Linkages activity in commerce based vocational education. Meaning and Importance of Activity based Learning Activity-based instruction involves the activities. This is in opposite of pure lectures. It means hands-on approaches to instruction, using manipulative to engage multiple senses, as opposed to just listening to a lecture. For instance, the teacher used note cards in a lesson to teach complete subjects and predicates. On the note cards he wrote (from a prompt) complete subjects and complete predicates, separate from each other, and had the students find their match. As opposed to just listen the teacher tells them what the differences are, they see them, evaluate them, and synthesize them. Activity-bases instruction revolves around students learning though hands-on activities. This method can be great, especially for tactile learners. It breaks up the monotony of the basic teacher-led lecture; students listen and take notes system. Let’s face it, not all students learn from listening to their teacher drone on for 50-90 minutes a day. Activity-based allows students to demonstrate an understanding of the material and, usually, work with a partner or group, which leads to socialization Activity based learning, on the other hand, helps children connect their learning to real life and encourages them to innovative ideas. In the end, it is only creativity that leads to path breaking discoveries and inventions in the world. Activity based learning, therefore, holds the key to better and more relevant education. What is Hands-On Learning? Hands-on learning is learning by doing. Hands-on learning involves understanding things while doing and experiencing them which as we know are the highest form of understanding. This can be done through simple activities and toys based on elementary scientific principles which closely simulate real-life scenarios, give enough scope for innovation and challenge and make learning science fun and exciting. Vocational education has always understood that if you want someone to learn to repair an automobile, you need an automobile to repair. If you want to teach someone to cook, you put him or her in a kitchen. Did anyone hear of teaching someone to swim in a traditional classroom? Likewise, we do believe we are learning that in order to truly teach science, we must â€Å"do† science. Hands-on learning means many different things to different people. It has become a slogan and is often used to describe any activities in classrooms that use materials. Hands-on learning, however, is not simply manipulating things. It is engaging in in-depth investigations with objects, materials, phenomena, and ideas and drawing meaning and understanding from those experiences. Other terms for this are inquiry learning, hands-on, and minds-on learning. Learning by well-planned activities and experiences in a well-engineered program is a quality instructional approach. It causes students to rely on the evidence instead of upon authority (encyclopedia, minister, doctor, text, teacher, parent). Most students live in an authoritarian world with little or no opportunity to practice decision-making because nearly everyone tells students what to do and when to do it. We continually graduate students, who do not yet have the ability to set up a simple experiment with controlled variables, collect and interpret evidence, or make correct interpretations based upon that evidence provides students with a similar set of experiences so everyone can participate in discussions on a level playing field regardless of their socio-economic status. In this way, special benefits are not awarded to those who, by virtue of their wealth or background, have a greater number of experiences under their belts forces student thinking by requiring interpretation of the observed events, rather than memorization of correct responses. Activity based learning method is adopted in vocational commerce education in +2 level Vocational Education Programme and developed curricula & instructional material. For development of vocational commerce curricula we invite the experts from professional institutions, university departments, vocational commerce teachers and industrial experts for preparing in activity based. In this curricula we not only provide the syllabus but also provide the activities like course introduction, job opportunities, job description, job analysis which includes knowledge, skills & personality traits, course objectives, scheme of studies & examination, on-the-job training site & syllabus, inputs for the course, agencies for procurement of inputs, suggested list of collaborating organizations, teaching staff and their qualifications, suggested list of reference books, career mobility, and list of experts involve for development of the curriculum. Simultaneously, we also developed activity based instructional material to involving the industrial experts. We also utilize the services of industrial experts for curricular transactions, skill/practical training, on-the-job training, apprenticeship training and evaluation of student’s performance and conducting campus interviews for placement of students. For implementing activity based learning in vocational commerce education the following activities are mainly adopted apart from the transaction of theory and practical activities: Service Learning Activities Service learning activity is a method of teaching whereby students learn and develop through active, unpaid, participation in organized academic and practical activities that are conducted in and designed to meet the needs of their communities. Service learning links activities to the school/college curriculum and provides students with a real-world context in which to apply their academic skills. Through service learning, students learn critical thinking, communication skills, teamwork, civic responsibility, mathematical reasoning, problem solving, public speaking, vocational skills, computer  skills, scientific method, research skills, and analysis. Service learning may take place in the school/college, the community at large, in non-profit community agencies, private businesses, or government agencies. This service is also a vehicle through which schools and colleges can teach the skills of democratic citizenship. By allowing students to venture out of the classroom to examine the world around them, and by providing them with opportunities to address the problems they see, service learning teaches young people that they have the power to change their communities and their world for the better. Equally important in any discussion regarding service learning is the connection of these types of activities to the academic programs experienced by all students. The following elements are essential to any service-learning program: †¢Integrated curricula wherein community service activities are a natural adjunct to classroom learning experiences. †¢Preparations whereby students identify and analyze a problem, select and plan a project, and receive training and orientation prior to the service. †¢Action, which is meaningful, appropriate for the ages and abilities of the students primarily, involved, is supervised, and provides for a feeling of ownership by the students during and at the conclusion of the project. †¢Reflection time consisting of structured discussions, readings, working on a project, etc. , all designed with the idea that students should be thinking critically and learning from their experiences as an individual or as a group. †¢Celebration of the achievements and accomplishments of the students to be shared with the students and the recipients of the services as well. Through service learning activities, students come into contact with decision makers in their communities (e. g. , business people, government officials, and other members of the community). Because of projects that address real needs, students must seek the assistance of community members and leaders, and the community is able to see its young people as problem solvers and full members of the community. The more students work in the community, and the more successes they experience, the more likely they are to continue to be involved after they leave schools and colleges. The following student service learning outcomes: Service Outcomes: †¢development of strong values and reasonable morals †¢a sense of personal worth and competence †¢positive self esteem †¢a willingness to explore new roles and interests †¢a willingness to take risks and an acceptance of fresh challenges †¢acceptance of the consequences of behavior †¢ability to take responsibility for problem solving †¢sense of the obligations of public life in a democratic republic Intellectual Development and Academic Outcomes: †¢increased basic academic skills such as reading, writing, calculating, speaking, and listening †¢enhanced ability for problem solving, reviewing choices, analytical criticism †¢learning-from-experience-skills, such as observation, questioning, knowledge †¢application, summarizing, testing and assessing results †¢motivation to learn and retain what has been learned. Social Growth and Development Outcomes: †¢concern for the welfare of others †¢social responsibility †¢political strategies †¢civic preparation †¢exploration of service-related career paths †¢sensitivity toward people from a wide range of backgrounds †¢development of character, judgment, insight, and sensitivity to underlying themes Internships/On-the-Job Training Activity Internship means unpaid work-based experiences where a student â€Å"samples† a particular industry or business for a period of time by working on a single project or a number of different projects. It defines â€Å"Internships† as highly structured workplace experiences taking place over a number of weeks during which a student completes a planned series of activities or a project(s) and achieves a set of learning objectives designed to give a broad understanding of a business or occupational area. On the Job Training (OJT) refers to that component of vocational curricula which takes place in a real job situation under the supervision of an expert in plant supervisor or master craftsman, aiming at the development of proficiency and self-confidence. On the Job Training (OJT) is an integral part of the vocational curricula, which enables the students to use theoretical knowledge in the real work situation. This helps the student to observe and understand the practical intricacies and make them well equipped, confident and motivated so that he will be able to take up any task with ease. As an initial step, it is proposed to train the students for 30 days in the concerned industrial firm during end of the academic year, which gives exposure to the latest technology, and equipment, which are not available in the schools and colleges. Thus the scheme will definitely improve the vocational skill, competency of the students and thereby the quality of Vocational Commerce Education. The on-the-job training provides the student a guarded exposure to the real world of work under the supervision of expert worker and teacher guide, before the individual fully/really enters the job on permanent basis as an employable worker. The research studies indicate that the on-the-job work experience makes a person suitable for taking up self-employment since this training develops motivation, self-confidence and proficiency in production. It is the only mode of instruction in vocational courses, which goes beyond the level of skill training and takes the persons into the domain of intricacies of the occupational field. The overall impact of on-the-job training is to train the student in the competency of work, to attain self-confidence and work habits and attitudes before these individuals enter the actual occupational field that is to prepare square pegs for the square holes. Internships/on-the-job training help students transcend from school/college  to the work place by offering â€Å"hands-on† learning in real work settings over a relatively long period of time. The experience is designed to give students a better sense of the jobs within a particular business or industry. Further, the internship provides students with information about all aspects of the business to aid them in understanding, through experience, how each part of a company aids the other in meeting the goals and objectives of a business or industry. Internships are designed to allow students to accomplish the following: †¢Apply basic skills to the workplace by observing the relationship between academic skills and knowledge and a particular job †¢Develop employability and problem-solving skills which can be transferred back to the classroom †¢Increase self-esteem by becoming a valuable and productive worker in an adult environment †¢Focus on a career interest through participating in an in-depth, day-to-day job experience †¢Recognize the connection between school/college and the workplace and how both are related and necessary to achieve personal and professional goals. Internships involve many more partners than just the participating students. At a minimum, the following individuals and organizations should be included in any internship program: †¢Students who will be working with a teacher and a business or a community organization as an intern †¢Parents/guardians who will be providing support to the student and/or soliciting cooperation from various businesses and industries in the community. †¢Educators who will be working with the students to define the internship activities; provide continuous instruction, advice and supervision; help the student integrate their workplace activities with the classroom; and, coordinate the logistics of the internship †¢Business and community organizations which will collaborate with the teacher and the student, provide opportunities for the students to complete their intern activities, instruct and evaluate the student and coordinate internship activities with the schools and colleges †¢Community partners (e. g., chamber of commerce, labor unions, service organizations, etc. ), which can provide internship, experiences for students and help to recruit other community organizations and businesses. As part of the internship/on-the-job experience, students will be expected to: †¢Discuss all assignments with both the teacher and the workplace supervisor. †¢Review and understand all of the performance criteria established for the internship assignment and understand what constitutes an acceptable level of performance. †¢Know the job site expectations, rules, culture, and the nature of the job to be performed. †¢Accept feedback and constructive criticism from the job supervisor. †¢Develop a regularly scheduled time for meetings with the job supervisor to review past performance and discuss future tasks and expectations. †¢Maintain communications with the teacher assigned to coordinate the internship program regarding both positive and negative feelings regarding the assignment. †¢Learn about the overall nature of the business or industry before the internship begins. †¢Become familiar with the specific work being done in the area assigned, the employees with whom you will be working, and the job tasks they perform. †¢Become knowledgeable about your particular assignment and how your tasks will fit into the overall operations of the business. †¢Determine the workplace expectations regarding dress and generally accepted business practices. †¢Know and understand the hours to be worked and the procedures to be followed if late or absent from the job. †¢Become knowledgeable with any machinery and the safety measures to be used when operating the equipment. †¢Learn the tasks to be completed and the person(s) other than the supervisor to whom one can turn to with questions or to help resolve problems. †¢Complete all forms, materials, and evaluation sheets required prior to and during the internship. School/College Based Enterprise/Production-cum Training Activities Small business is the lifeblood of our economy. Research, breakthrough thinking, idea generation, processes, and relationships are the elements entrepreneurs bring to the marketplace. Students need to learn and explore the challenges that are inherent in beginning a new business or maintaining an existing business. Entrepreneurs embody the marketing concepts in creating goods, services or ideas for consumers. Entrepreneurship begins with forming the attitudes and unique talents associated with that of a risk-taker. Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial skills, and the economic role of citizens are all part of the study of business, industry, labor, and agricultural organizations and their role in a local, state, national and international economy. General knowledge of business operations and economics is not only critical to a student’s ability to get a job, it is important to job success and to the vitality of employing businesses. Agencies working with small business development say lack of appropriate management and marketing skills are the most common factors in small business failures during the first year of operation. For many entrepreneurs, business success depends on the skills they gain in school/college. Work-based learning and marketing education bring knowledge of business operations and economic systems into the general and the vocational commerce curricula. All students, regardless of future career aspirations, need an understanding of marketing, business, and economics. Students involved in a marketing, school/college-based enterprise activity have the responsibility to: †¢Design a career development plan to achieve personal, educational and career goals. †¢Use a variety of communication technologies to effectively communicate with associates, customers, employers and suppliers. †¢Explain the nature of risk management. †¢Explaining and comparing types of unit inventory control systems. †¢Describe and explain the types of economic systems, factors which affect pricing and determine pricing strategies. †¢Prepare policies and procedures for extending credit and evaluating credit risks. †¢Prepare a cash flow and profit/loss statements. †¢Determine the factors related to lease or purchase of a facility. †¢Develop an organizational plan. †¢Write job descriptions, personnel policies, and establish standards for job performance. †¢Develop a business plan and establish objectives for the business. †¢Describe the factors entering into the selection of a business location. †¢Analyze various types of business ownership. †¢Describe and interpret major guidelines provided by the Occupational Health and Safety Act. †¢Distinguish between business ethics and social responsibility. †¢Identify a manager’s role in customer relations. †¢Recognize problems and implement plans of action to bring about change. †¢Explain the relationship between span of control and delegation. †¢Describe the role of management and employees in the achievement of quality. †¢Describe the customer focus of total quality management. †¢Interpret market research to identify target marketing. †¢Estimate market share for a particular product or service. †¢Choose a marketing plan and project the outcomes of the plan. †¢Develop a promotional plan for a business. †¢Develop a promotional plan and preparing a promotional budget. †¢Develop a sales promotional plan. †¢Explain the key factors in building a clientele and developing effective buyer/seller relationships. †¢Design a sales training program. Establishing Business and Education Partnerships/Institute Industry Linkage Activities. It is well known that schools alone cannot provide students with all of the necessary academic and technical skills necessary for them to be successful. What is needed is the support and cooperation of the community at large and the business and industry sector in particular. Through the formation of business and education partnerships, teachers and employers can create learning opportunities, which will expose students to the skills, experiences and attitudes necessary in today’s work place environments. Not only do these associations provide a real world context where students can apply what they have learned in the classroom but they also provide significant rewards to the employer as well. Features In Developing Linkages †¢Identification of vocational opportunities. †¢Development of curricula and instructional material †¢Utilization of facility/infrastructure in industry for specific skills training, specialized skill training, on-the-job training and apprenticeship training. †¢Utilization of professionals and technicians for curricular transaction and skill training †¢Evaluation of student progress and certification. †¢Placement in Industries and business organizations The following are some of the benefits to the business and industry sector as a result of establishing a partnership with the schools/colleges: †¢Developing employee satisfaction from sharing time and talents with the students †¢Enhancing the business image in the community. †¢Creating the prospect of identifying and attracting better future employees †¢Favorable publicity for all partners †¢Creating the opportunity to influence the course of education †¢Improving morale of the students, teachers, administrators, and staff †¢Giving students a better understanding of the free enterprise system †¢Communicating the community at large and the business and industry sector in particular the school/college goals and the obstacles faced in meeting those goals. †¢Increasing school/college pride with placement of students †¢Improving school attendance, punctuality and academic achievement For developing a plan for business/education partnerships, it is necessary to survey the community. In conducting this recruiting research, the following questions should be considered: †¢What businesses and industries are located in the district? How large are they? †¢Are the businesses and industries local, statewide, national, or international corporations? †¢Do the organizations have public service programs and/or a public relations staff who would be interested in furthering a business and education partnership? †¢What businesses currently employ parents of students or family members of teachers in the school district? †¢To what extent does the business or industry offer goods and/or services, which would, are of benefit to the students’ education? †¢Who is the ultimate decision maker in the business or industry being recruited? The School’s/Colleges Role in Establishing Business and Education Partnerships The following are some of the steps a school or college should take when attempting to establish a collaborative relationship with business and industry: †¢Create awareness within the school/college community of the concepts and the development of business and education partnerships. †¢Develop a business and education partnership task force to explore various partnership opportunities. †¢Develop a partnership plan that reflects the needs of the school/college community and the capabilities/offerings of the business/industry sector. †¢Seek a commitment from the school/college board, school/college administration, teaching staff and the senior management staff of the business or industry. †¢Ensure that the goals and objectives of the partnership are clearly understood by all parties involved in the program. †¢Incorporate the partnership into the school’s/colleges activities to the maximum extent possible. †¢Develop an ongoing support system for the partnership. †¢Ensure that the partnership is curriculum focused. †¢Establish evaluation criteria and a recurring evaluation timetable for the partnership. †¢Publicize partnership activities throughout the community and highlight the positive results achieved through the cooperative arrangements. †¢Create partnerships in critical academic areas where normal business and industry interests may not be available. †¢Designate specific program coordinators at both the school/college and the business/industry sites. †¢Provide overall coordination for the maintenance and support of the partnerships. †¢Maintain flexibility regarding the needs of the school/college and the business or industry. †¢Ensure that the relationship between the school/college and the business partners is reciprocal. The Role of Business and Industry in the Partnership As a partner in the education program, the cooperating businesses and industries will have the responsibility to: †¢Provide role models and mentors. †¢Exemplify the benefits and advantages of an education. †¢Enhance a student’s self image. †¢Encourage regular school/college attendance and punctuality. †¢Share employment readiness information with the student, the coordinating teacher and the parent/guardian. †¢Serve as advisors on partnership task forces and curriculum development committees. †¢Encourage parental involvement in all phases of the business and education experience. †¢Initiate special projects to increase student involvement and experience. †¢Serve as resources for teachers regarding current workplace skills; business operations; technological and operational changes to the business resulting from market place demands; and keeping current with the trends in labor market information Business and education partnerships have a positive effect on and increase the effectiveness of school coordinated, student work programs. Moreover, by working together, these collaborations have been shown to be a critical component of any successful program, which has established working alliances between schools/colleges, local businesses and industries, and the community. Through these partnership agreements, each partner can share important information, build a mutual collection of resources, and clearly focus the programs on the students. While the majority of partnerships exist in urban and suburban areas, they are also being successfully implemented in rural communities. They reduce the isolation and expand the resource base of small schools by getting businesses more directly involved in the education of youth and the professional development of teachers through the sharing of expertise, resources, and experiences. Be it an urban or rural, the increased communication between business and schools helps students make a smoother transition from the classroom to the workplace. Communities and businesses receive the benefit of better prepared workers, while schools become more efficient at promoting career development and planning, preparing students for further education and citizenship, enhancing student self-esteem, and reducing dropout rates. Conclusions and Suggestions Commerce based vocational education is totally service and practical activity based education.

Must-Reads on Every 12th Grade Reading List

This is a sampling of the titles that often appear on high-school reading lists for 12th-grade students, and are often discussed in greater depth in college literature courses. The books on this list are important introductions to world literature. (And on a more practical and humorous note, you might also want to read these 5 Books You Should Read Before College).   The Odyssey, Homer This epic Greek poem, believed to have originated in  the oral storytelling tradition, is one of the foundations of Western literature. It focuses on the trials of the hero Odysseus, who tries to journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy The story of Anna Karenina and her ultimately tragic love affair with Count Vronsky was inspired by an episode in which Leo Tolstoy arrived at a railway station shortly after a young woman had committed suicide. She had been the mistress of a neighboring landowner, and the incident stuck in his mind, ultimately serving as the inspiration for a classic story of star-crossed lovers. The Seagull, Anton Chekhov The Seagull by Anton Chekhov is a slice-of-life drama set in the Russian countryside at the end of the 19th century. The cast of characters is dissatisfied with their lives. Some desire love. Some desire success. Some desire artistic genius. No one, however, ever seems to attain happiness. Some critics view  The Seagull  as a tragic play about eternally unhappy people. Others see it as a humorous albeit bitter satire, poking fun at human folly. Candide,  Voltaire Voltaire offers his satirical view of society and nobility in Candide. The novel was published in 1759, and it is often considered the authors most important work, representative of The Enlightenment. A simple-minded young man, Candide is convinced his world is the best of all worlds, but a trip around the world opens his eyes about what he believes to be true. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky This novel explores the moral implications of murder, told through the story of Raskolnikov, who decides to murder and rob a pawn broker in St. Petersburg. He reasons the crime is justified.  Crime and Punishment is also a social commentary on the effects of poverty. Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton This novel set in South Africa just before apartheid became institutionalized is a social commentary on the racial inequities and its causes, offering perspectives both from whites and blacks. Beloved, Toni Morrison This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is the story of the lingering psychological effects of slavery told through the eyes of escaped slave Sethe, who killed her two-year-old daughter rather than allow the child to be recaptured. A mysterious woman known only as Beloved appears to Sethe years later, and Sethe believes her to be the reincarnation of her dead child. An example of magical realism, Beloved explores the bonds between a mother and her children, even in the face of unspeakable evil. Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe Achebes 1958 post-colonial novel tells the story of the Ibo tribe in Nigeria, before and after the British colonized the country. Protagonist Okonkwo is a proud and angry man whose fate is closely tied to the changes that colonialism and Christianity bring to his village. Things Fall Apart, whose title is taken from the William Yeats poem The Second Coming, is one of the first African novels to receive universal critical acclaim. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley Considered one of the first works of science fiction, Mary Shelleys master work is more than just a story of a terrifying monster, but a Gothic novel that tells the tale of a scientist who tries to play God, and then refuses to take responsibility for his creation, leading to tragedy. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte The coming-of-age story of one of the most remarkable female protagonists in Western literature, Charlotte Brontes heroine was one of the first in English literature to serve as first-person narrator of her own life story. Jane finds love with the enigmatic Rochester, but on her own terms, and only after he has proven himself worthy of her.