Friday, March 20, 2020

The curious incident of a dog in the nighttime Essays

The curious incident of a dog in the nighttime Essays The curious incident of a dog in the nighttime Essay The curious incident of a dog in the nighttime Essay Everyone has probably wondered once In their Lifetime about how life would have been with a disorder. Through this novel in the head of an autistic boy lives a child trying to express his emotions. The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddam. Mark, the author of this astonishing novel describes how different life is like in an autistic childs mind. This novel is written in a way that normal novels are not. There are diagrams, footnotes and metaphors these elements show the reader how Christopher struggles with autism. Firstly, every author has Its specific style of approach to the audience, the way Mark has added diagrams in this novel to make it look like this is the way autistic kids write or describe it is very unusual. While explaining the Journey of Christopher life, diagrams are something he uses daily. First of all I made a plan of our street Like this(35). Len this diagram it shows a birds eye view of Christopher street. It states that Christopher uses diagrams to help him out on whatever he Is doing. So In this case Christopher Is going to go out and Investigate. So to help himself out, he drew a map of his street. Autism can be serious for some people but they have their ways in helping themselves succeed. Such as Christopher uses diagrams. Novels usually explain their plans in a written description whereas in this novel or maybe in an autistic mind it shows illustrations which makes it unusual. Also, a picture says a thousand words the author uses these diagrams/pleasures which clearly shows a message of the situation. And then I realized that there was nothing And I made a picture of It In my head Like 30). In this diagram It shows a mind map of what choices Christopher has to decide which place would be the safest for him. Most books have words and words and it gets boring, tiring and monotonous. The way Mark Haddam uses diagrams is interesting and no other novel uses this idea. It clearly explains the thinking and the struggle of life for the character. Secondly, each and every novel explains points or elaborates on them, Mark chose to do the same but with footnotes which makes It unusual. A. Not talking to people for a long title. Once I did not talk to anyone for five weeks(46). Novels are written in a way that makes things easier for the audience to read. In this novel Christopher likes to make everything detailed. He states points by elaborating on them more. This is probably because Christopher thinks that everyone notices details as well. He comes and states the points and adds a footnote so it is easier for the audience to understand. Also, the way the author, Mark Haddam write s about how an autistic person connote make a Judgment or decide on a simple situation, Is also unusual. People say that you have to tell the truth. But they do not mean this because you are not allowed to tell an old man that they are A normal or an non-autistic person will understand how to deal or what to do when they come in contact with an older person. If anyone comes into to contact and start a conversation with an older person and they state that l have become old no one would agree with them, but say no, you are still young. Mark has now come to a point In the novel where he be said because of autism. Thirdly, although Christopher does not seem to understand metaphors they are still seen throughout the book. A metaphor is a direct comparison without using like or as. We had a real pig of the day think it should be called a lie because a pig is not like a day(1 5). Mark Haddam uses metaphors in this novel but because Christopher is autistic he cannot understand the meaning of them like normal people do. Christopher thinks that a metaphors are lies and that they can never be true. This shows that the author, Mark the autistic minds of preserving metaphors. Marks writing explains about how Christopher takes metaphors as what it is. By imagining n actual apple in someones eyes. Whereas, for non-autistic people they would think it as you are special. Another reason that makes this novel unusual with the use of metaphors was Christopher did not like his name. My name is a metaphor, it means carrying Christ It was the name given to SST. Christopher because he carried Jesus Christ across a river But I do not want my name to mean a story(16). Mark has a very unusual way to describe the name given to Christopher. Due to autism Christopher does not understand that the story behind naming Christopher, Christopher which was actually nice and a proud feeling that you get named after such a good deed. Christopher takes metaphors the way they are meaning what was his name before he carried Jesus Christ? Basically, the way an autistic mind takes things are not the correct meaning. Therefore, while reading and discovering how an autistic mind works, Mark Haddam has written this novel in an interesting way yet unusual. Such as when he uses diagrams, footnotes and metaphors. Using diagrams, footnotes and metaphors s an interesting way Mark Haddam has shown the audience how an autistic child sees the world. Christopher uses diagrams as a navigator throughout his life. He likes to make everything detailed so its easier for the audience to understand his mind by using footnotes. And not knowing the real meaning of what a metaphor really means is not in the hands of an autistic child. The Curious Incident OF the Dog In The Night- Time by Mark Haddam illuminates a core of suffering through the narrowly focused novel in sights of a boy who has no words to describe emotional pain.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Advice for Finding a Private School Teaching Job

Advice for Finding a Private School Teaching Job Cornelia and Jim Iredell run Independent School Placement, which matches educators with independent schools in New York City, its suburbs, and New Jersey. The company was founded in 1987. We asked Cornelia Iredell her advice for teachers and teacher candidates. Here’s what she had to say: What do private schools look for in teacher applicants? These days, just as much as advanced degrees and familiarity with independent schools, independent schools look for experience in the classroom. It used to be 25 years ago that if you went to a wonderful college, you could walk into an independent school and start teaching. That’s not true these days, except perhaps in the suburbs in Connecticut and New Jersey. In New York City independent schools, the position open to people with that background is the assistant teacher in elementary grades. It’s the easiest entry-level position. You need a strong undergraduate degree and some experience working with children. The more academic schools really look for someone who’s had more professional experience and who’s halfway through a master’s or done some student teaching. Even that is more difficult for someone with a B.A. Schools will make an exception for an alumna or alumnus sometimes. Why is prior teaching experience so important? One of the situations that teachers in independent schools may face is a parent asking why a student isn’t getting an â€Å"A.† Kids will complain too if the teacher doesn’t have experience. The schools want to make sure the teacher is prepared to deal with these types of situations. On the other hand, teacher candidates shouldn’t worry about where they got their degrees. Some schools are known for certain programs, and these schools aren’t necessarily top tier or Ivy League. People will sit up and take notice at all kinds of schools around the country. What is your advice for mid-career people looking to transition? For the mid-career person, these schools have an individualized process. The schools may be looking for someone with professional experience. They may be looking for someone who can do something else, such as development. A career changer can find a job in an independent school. We see an increasing number of career changers who are tired of doing what they are doing. Now, we’re more frequently getting candidates who have done some graduate work in the field. We’ve had people do the New York City Teaching Fellows program even if they’re interested in independent schools, so they can get hands-on training. What is your advice for jobseekers? Get experience in some way. If you are a recent grad, do Teach for America or the NYC Teaching Fellows program. If you can put up with being in a difficult school, it can be an eye-opener. People will take you seriously. You can also try to find a position in a boarding school or another part of the country, where it is more difficult to find the ideal teacher. Boarding schools are more open to intern teachers. They give you a lot of mentoring. It’s a wonderful experience. In addition, write a good cover letter and resume. Some of the cover letters and resumes we see are in poor shape these days. People don’t know how to structure a cover letter introducing themselves. People present themselves badly and praise themselves in the letter and overstate their experience. Instead, keep it brief and factual. Can public school teachers transition to private schools? Yes, they can! Certainly there are lower school teachers who’ve been head teachers in public elementary schools. If it’s someone who’s been tied to testing and a Regents curriculum, it’s harder. If you are coming from a public school, become more familiar with independent schools. Sit in classes, and get an idea of what the expectations are and what the classroom dynamic is. What helps teachers  be successful once in schools? A good mentoring program helps people. Some schools have a more formal one, while some are more informal. Have not only a mentor in your own teaching department, but have someone perhaps in a different area who is not tied in with commenting on how you are teaching your subject and can give you feedback on how you are relating to your students. Being a subject matter expert and a good teacher are both important, particularly in the upper school. Again, that’s part of the importance of the style of the person fitting in with the school. Teachers are always nervous about the demo lesson they have to do as candidates. It’s an artificial situation. What the schools are looking at is the style of the teacher, whether the teacher connects with the class. It’s important to engage the students. Are there any particular areas of growth? Independent schools are always evolving and working to stay at the forefront of learning and education. They are constantly reevaluating their curriculum, even the best schools. Many schools offer a global emphasis in many areas in the curriculum and a greater movement towards interdisciplinary work. There is also a move towards a student-centered approach and modern skills and learning methods. Real world experience is also becoming increasingly important, as are skills in technology, design thinking, entrepreneurship and more, so teachers with life experience might find themselves at the top of the resume pile.