Essay One With the Animals Symbolism of the Animals in...

Animals come to represent, both purity and the relationship human beings have with the world. Animals play a key role in Timothy Findley’s novel, The Wars, whether its for the interference, necessity, affection or compassion towards the characters. In The Wars, several characters share this close bond with the animals, that serve to emphasize the different qualities of each character’s personality. The animals connect with the main character, Robert Ross, in ways that reflect his uncommon character and the obstacles that he faces throughout the war. Robert enlists into the army as a Canadian soldier, shortly after the tragic death of his younger sister, Rowena. Throughout the novel, Robert grows a connection with the soldiers in the†¦show more content†¦Robert sees the rabbits as innocent bystanders, in the middle of a war between human arrogance and complete madness. Rabbits reflect a defenseless and pure Rowena, that Robert feels has been destroyed by the war . As the war goes on, the reader notices the appearance and thought of Rowena and the rabbits slowly disappearing. â€Å"Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a rabbit beside the road. Then he heard a rush of wings. Something exploded. The rabbit disappeared.† (Findley 179) This was the last time Robert sees a rabbit, signifying the innocence once seen with his sister and her love for the rabbits, becoming forever lost within him. â€Å"Everything was in there- including the picture of Rowena. Robert burned it in the middle of the floor. This was not an act of anger- but an act of charity.† (Findley 178) Robert Ross also shares a special bond with horses and a coyote. Roberts numerous encounters with these animals, signify the step towards not understanding only the animals, however himself. Robert being a soldier learns the importance of survival and the duty to kill. â€Å"Always to trust the horse’s judgment above his own when it came to path-finding.† (Findley 77) Yet from the coyote and the horses, he learns to trust their guidance, during difficult times. For instance, when Robert is out following the coyote, the coyote guides him to water that is safe to drink by barking threeShow MoreRelatedAnimal Farm, By George Orwell1212 Words   |  5 Pagesstood there over the dead animals thinking to herself what have we come to? We try to become free but we just enslave ourselves to a so called superior kind. Napoleon killed the animals in front of the whole farm and said that this was to be the punishment for the traitors. Snowball was known as a traitor now and anyone conspiring with him would be killed. Snowball and Napoleon both represent historical characters during the Russian revolution in 1917.Snowball who was one of the smartest pigs andRead MoreAnimal Farm by George Orwell Essay876 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent qualities. Animal Farm is an allegory, fable, and a satire. He made the characters in the novel relate to real pe ople and events in history. Examples such allegory would be Animalism compared with Communism, Snowball compared with Leon Trotsky, and Napoleon compared to Joseph Stalin. Animalism in many ways does symbolize Communism. Animalism for the animals would be a perfect land, no rich, no poor, and everyone is equal. They all would own the same amount of the farm. No animal would be aboveRead MoreSymbolism Of The Film And The Mouse Hole1386 Words   |  6 PagesMaus and the film Schindler’s List, both Art and Spielberg use symbolism to show the true meaning of what happened during the Holocaust. Both the film and novel share similar and different symbols. 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Vonnegut and Pollan both do address slaughterhouses; althoughRead MoreAnimal Farm Film Analysis838 Words   |  4 Pages This essay is a comparative analysis between the film and novel, Animal Farm. Animal Farm was written by George Orwell in 1943 and published on the 17th of August 1945. A motion picture of the novel was later produced on the 29th of December 1954 by director Joy Bachelor. There are many differences and similarities between the novel and film involving the use of characters, symbolism, themes, dialogue and events. Animal farm was a successful novel as the length was 112 pages, therefore the movieRead MorePolitics And Language In Animal Farm, By George Orwell720 Words   |  3 PagesGeorge Orwell was a political writer who made it his life’s goal to expose the injustices he saw in the world. He does this through the many novels and essays he writes. Animal Farm, one of his better known pieces, depicts the hardships faced by a group of farm animals in an attempt to claim the farm that had been exploiting them for the entirety of their lives. His fable is written as an allegory t o comment on the Russian Revolution and to warn his audience of the corruption that entails power;Read MoreSymbolism In Animal Farm, By George Orwell993 Words   |  4 PagesThe book Animal Farm by George Orwell is all about symbolism. In this book it symbolizes the Russian Revolution and Joseph Stalin, an older dictator of Russia. This book symbolises so many different things that some people can call bad. The main character, a pig named Napoleon symbolises a dictator or leader, and no one wants a leader to be a dictator. A leader is supposed to lead and follow the same directions hes giving but in this case, instead of following his direction, he is sitting aroundRead More Infectious Death Through Lack of Living in The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway1157 Words   |  5 Pagesdialogue are common in Hemingway’s writings and are evident in â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† as well. â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† by Ernest Hemingway portrays the theme of death by use of specific narration, the protagonist’s, Harry’s, attitude, and symbolism. Throughout â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro,† Hemingway uses the narration device of the flashback to provide a contrast to Harry’s present state and his life. The present state narration is composed mostly of dialogue and is devoid of Harry’s inner thoughtsRead MoreThe Value Of The Jaguar Essay1377 Words   |  6 Pages The jaguar is a highly known animal with notable affiliation in the Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican societies and belief systems. All major Mesoamerican cultures proudly presented a jaguar god. Jaguars are known for their power and aggressive strength. They are great hunters and one of the big cats that can tolerate water. Most information that is known about Mayan culture and Mesoamerican societies comes from the countless and scrupulous findings on stone monuments, murals, documentsRead MoreEssay about Timeless Work: an Analysis of Marvin Gaye1053 Words   |  5 PagesMarvin Gaye uses pathos, symbolism, and imagery with an objective to connect to listeners on tremendously personal levels. Marvin Gaye’s first hit â€Å"What’s Going On?† makes use of symbolism in his general topic covering the agonizing conditions of the everlasting matter known as war. All throughout history there has been a parade of endless conflicts with country vs. country. Written in the 1960’s, â€Å"What’s Going On?† specifically targets the Vietnam War. During this war, countless men were killed

Problems Faced by Sociology as a Science and How They Can...

THE UNIVERSTY OF ZAMBIA SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES. SOCIOLOGY NAME : EMMANUEL WINA MUSHALA COMPTER NUMBER : 11067080 COURSE CODE : S 111 LECTURER : MR. MATAA MWIYA TUTORIAL : MONDAY 14 – 13 HOURS. DUE DATE : FRIDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER, 2011. ASSIGNMENT : ONE QUESTION : WITH EXAMPLES, CRITICALLY DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS FACED BY SOCIOLOGY AS A SCIENCE AND INDICATE HOW SUCH PROBLEMS CAN BE REDUCED OR ALLEVIATED. This essay is aimed at critically discussing the problems faced by sociology as a science and indicating how such problems can be reduced or alleviated. In order to answer the question at hand, the definitions of sociology, science and alleviate will be†¦show more content†¦As a general rule, the higher the proportion of non-responses in the sample, the more likely it is that the survey of those who do take part will be biased. Even if every attempt is made to reduce bias in the survey, the observations that sociologists make in carrying out a piece of research are likely to reflect their own cultural assumptions. This is the observer bias and it can be difficult, or perhaps impossible to eliminate. (Ibid) Sociology as a science faces the problem of the inability to rearrange society completely scientific experimentation. In studying society, usually sociology study’s people at all levels but suspends attitudes and morals of people. (Young,1948) To find out whether a correlation between variables is a casual connection, sociologists use controls. This means some variables have to be held constant in order to look at the effects of others. An example would be in studying the relationship between maternal deprivation in infancy and serious personality problems in adulthood. This could be done by trying to control or ‘screen out’ other possible influences that might explain the correlation. This might prove difficult as the child’s guardian may object to this experiment being carried out on her child. Giddens (2006:84) According to Giddens, (2006), another problem in sociology is identifying causes as there are a large number of possible causes that could be invoked to explain any given correlation. An example is of how difficult it is toShow MoreRelatedOverview of Organizational Theories2072 Words   |  8 Pagesaffect nearly everyones life in one way or another. However, there are many different perspectives that can be used in understanding these organizations. Theorists have produced many different ideas about the best vantage point in which to try to understand how an organization functions. Furthermore, it is important for leaders in the organization to understand these theories so that they can tailor their own concepts and theories and the organizations in which they are members of. This translatesRead MoreThe Curriculum Policy Statement Of The Council On Social Work5929 Words   |  24 PagesProblem Statement, Background, and Research Interest The Curriculum Policy Statement of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE, 2001), the accrediting body of all bachelor s and master s social work degree programs in the United States, requires all social work programs to teach students how to promote economic and social justice. The revised Code of Ethics (1996) of the National Association of Social Workers proclaims the pursuit of social justice one of the profession s core values andRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagescentury. 4. World politics—20th century. I. Adas, Michael, 1943– II. American Historical Association. D421.E77 2010 909.82—dc22 2009052961 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992 Printed in the United States of America 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1 C ONTENTS Introduction Michael Adas 1 1 World Migration in the Long Twentieth Century †¢ Jose C. MoyaRead MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 Pages(QR) The Changan-Ford Joint Venture: Same Bed but Different Dreams? TNK-BP: from Russia Without Love – a Joint Venture That Almost Fell Apart International HIV / AIDS Alliance Doman Synthetic Fibres plc (B) Sony Corporation: Restructuring Continues, Problems Remain LEAX: Managing Through a Crisis Design and Development of Strategy Processes at RACC Consulting in MacFarlane Solutions NHS Direct: Managing in Difficult Times 235 254 257 264 270 276 281 285 289 295 299 307 311 317 322 326 329 335 340

Literature Review Assignment

Question: How can i use higher order questioning more effectively to support young children in developing their understanding of problem-solving in mathematics? Answer: High order questioning In educational institutes, questioning helps the practitioners to check the understanding level of the children (Suggate, 2010). It also encourages the young children to engage and focus their thinking on various diverse concepts and ideas (Terezinha and Bryant, 1996). According to Smidt(2009), the teachers probes questioning and discussion to assess the effectiveness of their teaching approaches and promote deeper understanding in pupil progress. High order questioning also stimulates thinking and often generates more questions among the children in order to clarify the process of understanding (Carruthers and Worthington, 2011). However, Haylock and Cockburn (2013) argued that the process of high order questioning might fail due to use of inappropriate questioning techniques and framing of excessive difficult or easy questions. The learners may not be able to reciprocate the correct answer or may not make any further query in the peer fear or pressure to answer a question (Smith, 2 007) Blooms taxonomy is a way of distinguishing the fundamental questions within the education system (Frangenheim, 2005). The aim of high order questioning within the primary classroom is not to determine the learning progress of children rather the questions are used to teach the students. The hierarchy in using high order questions from lowest level of thinking to highest level of thinking is knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluative questions (Frangenheim, 2005). In the practical scenario, the teachers make storyboard displaying the main elements to create a mind map of the topic in the mind of the children. In the understanding stage the teacher draw pictures and illustrate the process. In the application stage, the teachers will construct a model to demonstrate the working of the process. In the analyzing part, the teacher makes questionnaire in order to evaluate the progress of the pupils. Finally in the evaluative stage the teachers will be able to evaluate the progress of the pupils based on the process report. The use of correct high order questions can stimulate mathematical thinking in the early years. (Wallace, 2002) Some of the high order questions like can you group these in some way?,How can this pattern help you find an answer?, Can you see a pattern ?, Is there a way to record what youve found that might help us see more patterns? will help the children to build strong conceptual framework. In addition to these questions McAteer (2012) commented that assessment questions like asking the children to explain what they are doing or how they arrived at a solution may help the practitioner to assess the learning progress of the children. Finally the use of final discussion questions like Who has the same answer?, Who has a different solution?, Are everybodys results same?provides further opportunity for reflection and realization of the mathematical ideas and relationships established by the children (Terezinha and Bryant, 1996). High order thinking High order thinking involves creating and evaluating of the information and on the contrary low order thinking involves remembering of the facts and processing of the information accordingly (Muthivhi, 2012). Low effort thinking may be inefficient however it saves time in comparison to high order thinking. However Simmons (2012) has argued that high order thinking promotes knowledge and hence it is more effective than low order thinking. The implementation of higher order thinking can be effectively done within the students with the help of scaffolding (Muthivhi, 2012).This process involves providing the children with necessary support at the beginning of the task and then allows working independently. Some of the other learning schemas include trial, elaboration, organisation and Meta cognition. The trial includes attempting to solve critical numerical problems. The other schema, which is also known as Meta cognition, involves activities such as planning how to approach a task, monitoring and evaluating the progress of a task. Moreover constructive feedback providing immediate specific information should inform the learners of their progress(Marshall and Horton, 2011). Relational thinking may be defined as the technique of seeing the equal sign as an indication of equivalence or balance and not as a direction to find an answer (Siraj-Blatchford and Nah, 2014). The use relational thinking helps the children to establish an equivalent relationship between the different numerical terms. Marshall and Horton (2011) stresses that high order thinking which is commonly known as highorder thinking skills teaches the children to be critical thinkers. The use of the critical thinking skills is required for the implementation of high order thinking (Haylock and Cockburn. 2013).According to Simmons (2012), the individuals who have the ability to think on a level higher than memorising of facts or copying the actions or thoughts of theoryare said to able to implement high thinking abilities. The use of thinking Hats concept introduced by Edward De Bono is a useful tool to analyze the decisions from a number of perspectives (Muthivhi, 2012). This forces the learner to move out of their habitual thinking style and helps to get a more rounded view of the situation (Bjorklund, 1990). According to Edward De Bono the white hat may help the learners to be rational in their thinking approach. The red hat may make the learners emotional about their decisions on the contrary the blue hat will make the learner cautious and defensive in their decision approach. The yellow and the green hat help the learners to think positively and creatively respectively. Finally the blue hat stands for process control (Suggate, 2010). A relational connection is seen between the concepts of thinking hat and the Blooms taxonomy. The rationality showed by the white hat thinkers can be connected with Blooms stage of knowledge acquiring. The red hat thinkers however uses emotions and intuition to evalua te the decisions hence these thinkers can be found in the evaluative stage of Blooms taxonomy. In cases of both black hat thinkers and yellow hat thinkers, the assessment of strengths and weaknesses of the individual is noticed hence these types of thinkers are majorly found in the analysis and evaluation stage of the taxonomy. The green hat thinkers are the individuals concerned with the creativity of thoughts and hence can be identified in the comprehension and application stage of taxonomy. Problem solving skills (REASONING AND UNDERSTANDING) in mathematics The problem solving process involves a series of decisions each of which depends on the outcomes of the preceding decisions (Williams, 2008). Majority of the schools in UK focuses on the use of nursery rhymes and songs to help the children develop problem solving skills and early mathematical language and concepts in a fun and interactive manner (Wallace, 2002). Bjorklund (1990), highlights that the learners must be provided with initial guidance in order to define the numerical problems and help them in finding appropriate solutions to the numerical problems. On defining the problem, the children will be able to understand the complexity of the problems and will be able to evaluate the type of approach they should consider for solving of the problem (GB. DfE, 2012). The non statutory curriculums were concerned about reasoning on the contrary the statutory curriculum has introduced a single strand on reasoning alone in the field of mathematics (GB. Department for Education and Skills , 2003). The national curriculum sets the standards in all subjects so that all children in all types of educational institutions can learn the same standard of tasks. The complexity of the problem will help the children to use their critical thinking ability to generate simpler alternatives in solving the problems(Geary, 2012). The extensive use of research analytical skills and logical thinking capabilities are required for generating the alternative solutions (GB. DfE, 2013).Finally the learner will be able to judge the problem based on the alternative solutions GB. (Department for Education and Skills, 2003). The uses of creative learning sessions might be helpful in this stage for the learners to ascertain the alternatives and evaluate them(Muthivhi, 2012). Then the children will give preference on the solution which is easier to understand(Wallace, 2002). The child then in the final step of the process might implement the chosen alternative(Anghileri, 1995). The logical implementation o f the solution will benefit the children in understanding the whole process and effective in solving the problem(Watchorn, 2014). Importance of Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy in the early years foundation stage The Early years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards for learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old (Koshy, 2011). The formulation of development matters in EYFS sets out the non statutory guidelines for the practitioners for implementing the statutory requirements in early foundation stages. The document shows how the three themes namely a unique child, positive relationship and enabling environments help in learning and development of children. All the schools are required to follow the guidelines of the EYFS in order to nurture the thinking skills and develop the reasoning skills of the children. In the year 2012 various developments took place within the system guidelines (GB. EE, 2012). The unique child develops and learns through positive interaction in positive relationships and enabling environments (Askew Wiliam, 1995). The regulation further states that the practitioners should use development matters as a part of their daily observation, ass essment and planning. These regulations are stated in the non-statutory curriculum (GB. Department for Education, 2013). The Statutory Curriculum provides the necessary guidelines for the practitioners outlining the teaching requirements for mathematics. The teaching requirements need the practitioners to teach how to use and apply numbers, problem solving, communicating, reasoning, counting, understand number patterns and sequences, the number system etc. This helps the children to develop mathematical skills for the early years (GB. Department for Education, 2013). The development of the numerical problem solving ability in the early stage might help the individual child to foster effective logical reasoning skills in the later stages of educational and holistic development (GB. Department for Education, 2013). The use of the critical thinking concepts might help the children in their early foundation years to seek patterns, make connections and recognize relationships between the numerical in order to solve numerical problems (Montague-Smith 2014). With the advancement in the field of educational techniques the pupils are now made to learn the basic counting skills with the help of real life objects (Carruthers and Worthington, 2011). The use of the number lines stimulates discussion about numbers and children learn about the easy numerical problems while exploring with the number lines. Cockburn (1999) suggested that all children might be able to succeed in generating numerical problem solving ability if the practitioners provide them the opportunity to explore the mathematical ideas in ways that would make sense to them and opportunities to develop mathematical concepts and understanding. Children mathematical COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION In the schools, mathematics is used as an opportunity for communication so that the students can reflect on and clarify their thinking about mathematical ideas and situations (Watson Mason, 1998). Williams (2008) suggested that mathematics can be regarded as an important language if the students are able to use the language to communicate productively. For example, Use of mathematics as a communicative language will help the children to become logical thinkers. Geary et al. (2012) added that communication plays an important role in helping children construct links between their mathematical symbols and help them to realize ways of representing mathematical problems. Young children can learn mathematics with the help of verbal communication hence it is important for them to talk mathematics. (Bjorklund, 1990) Interaction with classmates of the same age helps children to construct knowledge, learn thinking ways and clarify individual thoughts. (Smith, 2007) MATHEMATICAL GRAPHICS Children mathematical graphics is the term which refers to the visual marks, representations and graphics that the young children in primary schools are seen to make or choose to use or explore mathematical meanings and communicate their thinking (GB. DfES, 2003). The visual representations found in the nurseries including scribbles, drawings, writing, iconic marks and standard symbols forms a part of the children mathematical graphics (Terezinha and Bryant. 1996). Graphical representation shows that the children are comfortable in usage of informal methods in order to communicate with each other about the mathematical and numerical problems (Carruthers and Worthington, 2011). The graphics are vital for the development of the numerical skills because with the use of their own graphics the children are able to represent their mental mathematics on paper (Haylock and Cockburn, 2013 and Anghileri, 1995). Moreover Smidt(2009) added that children makes or generates standard graphics for t he process of the numerical problem solving with the help of the graphics and they create their own layout for solving and understanding of the numerical problems. HOW CHILDREN INTERPRET THE REASONING? DRAWING, POINTING OUT? SPEAKING? AGREEING, NOT AGREEING? A child generally uses the graphical drawings and pointing outs in interpreting mathematical reasoning skills. The Reggio Emilia approach introduced by Loris Malaguzzi focused on preschool and primary education language development (Wien et al. 2011). Malaguzzi believed that there are around 100 languages and the aim of this approach is to teach the students in primary schools to communicate using those languages (Anghileri, 1995). The term hundred languages in this approach refer to the numerous ways that children have of expressing themselves The use of the drawing and graphics by children to understand mathematical reasoning is a philosophy of this approach. The Regio Emilia approach states that children must have a control over the direction of learning and must be able to learn through experiences of touching, moving, drawing and observing (Koshy and Muurray, 2011). Hence, children with the help of symbolic depiction, drawing, sculpture, dramatic plays and writing will be able t o communicate their reasoning thoughts with each other as well as with the practitioners (Wien et al. 2011). Summary/ CONCLUSION It is seen that the childrens development can be done with the help of various outdoor learning activities. The use of high order questioning, blooms taxonomy and mathematical graphics can help the practitioners to develop the reasoning skills of the children. The chapter highlights the basic concepts of the high order thinking and high order questioning that helps in developing the skills and knowledge level of the learners. With the help of the secondary information gathered from the journals and books the evaluation on the learning of the children can be done. Reference list Books 1. Bjorklund, D. F. (2013).Children's strategies: Contemporary views of cognitive development. Psychology Press. 2. Montague-Smith, A. (2014).Mathematics in nursery education. Routledge. 3. Carruthers, E., and Worthington, M. (2011).Understanding Children'S Mathematical Graphics: Beginnings In Play: Beginnings in Play. McGraw-Hill International. 4. McAteer, M. (2012).Improving Primary Mathematics Teaching and Learning. McGraw-Hill Education (UK). 5. Roberts-Holmes, G., (2014). Doing Your Early Years Research Project. 2ndLondon: PCP. 6. Terezinha N. and Bryant. P. (1996) Children doing Mathematics. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. 7. Smith, A. M. (2007) Mathematics in Nursery Education. 2nd Ed Oxon: Rotledge. 8. J. (2010) Mathematical Knowledge for Primary Teachers. 4th edition Andrew Davis and Maria Goulding. London: Routledge. 9. Fulton, D. (2002)Teaching Thinking Skills Across the Early Years- a practical approach for children aged 4-7. Edited by Belle Wallace. 2002.London: 10. S(2009)Key Issues in Early Years Education: A Guide for Students and Practitioners. 11. Williams, P. (2008) Independent Review of Mathematics Teaching in Early Years Settings and Primary Schools, London: DCSF. 12. The Early Years Mathematics Group (1997) Learning Mathematics in the Nursery: Desirable Approaches, Malton: BEAM. Journals 1. Muthivhi, A. (2012). Schooling and the Development of Verbal Thinking: Tshivenda-Speaking Children's Reasoning and Classification Skills. South African Journal of Psychology, 42(1), pp.82-92 2. Marshall, J. and Horton, R. (2011). The Relationship of Teacher-Facilitated, Inquiry-Based Instruction to Student Higher-Order Thinking. School Science and Mathematics, 111(3), pp.93-101 3. Geary, D. C., Hoard, M. K., Nugent, L., and Bailey, D. H. (2012). Mathematical cognition deficits in children with learning disabilities and persistent low achievement: A five-year prospective study.Journal of Educational Psychology,104(1), pp- 206. 4. Simmons, F. R., Willis, C., and Adams, A. M. (2012). Different components of working memory have different relationships with different mathematical skills.Journal of experimental child psychology,111(2), pp-139-155. 5. Wien, C.A.; Guyevskey, V.; Berdoussis, N. (2011). "Learning to Document in Reggio-inspired Education".Early Childhood Research and Practice.

Subculture Analysis free essay sample

Culture is the ways of thinking, acting and the material objects that form a peoples way of life. Within each culture there are many subcultures, which are cultural groups within a larger culture with similar beliefs. Many times, the subculture a person belongs to provide him/her with a sense of identity and belonging. Subcultures are characterized by their origin and the characteristics that define it. While growing up belonged to many different subcultures, but my main one was my gymnastics competitive team. This was definitely the most influential and time-consuming subculture I was a part of and is considered a special interest subculture. Along with its origin, subcultures also have a set of characteristics that are used systematically and provide one with information. Characteristics include boundary rigidity, language/jargon, values, identifying signs, the degree Of attachment and initiation rituals. Boundary rigidity refers to the subcultures exclusivity and how one can become a part of it. We will write a custom essay sample on Subculture Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My gymnastics team was considerably exclusive.The am I was on consisted of about seven or eight people, who all started at the young age of about three or four. As little kids we practiced in hopes of becoming good enough to be part of the competitive team, knowing that it required a certain level of skills and commitment. This fact alone shows the high degree of exclusivity because not just anyone could become a part of this subculture, one had to work hard for it. As a part of the team, I had to be fully committed to giving up the majority of my free time. Most days, if I wasnt at school was at the gym practicing.Due to the high degree of exclusivity, I would consider this subculture to be very structured. There was always a schedule to follow: when to be at the gym, what events to practice and for how long, etc. Being a part of the team is significantly exclusive, but leaving is not necessarily as difficult, it was just very rare. After all of the hard work and time that a gymnast invests in the team, they usually dont give it up easily. Therefore, this subculture has strong boundary rigidity. Another characteristic of a subculture is the language/jargon used by its embers.Language can refer to the way its members walk, talk, carry themselves, the slang words used, etc. Within my gymnastics team there was a lot of language we used that set us apart from other subcultures. The technical terms used in the sport of gymnastics is one of the obvious language barriers because only those who are familiar with the sport understand the terms and their meanings. The way gymnasts carry themselves also sets them apart from others. An example of this is when I was on the track team, a coach pointed out that ran like a gymnast. Although as not with my teammates or talking about gymnastics, the way I ran was an indicator Of the subculture was associated with. Values are another characteristic of a subculture. These are the groups ideas about what is right or wrong, whats important, how they view other people and so forth. As a part of a competitive gymnastics team, grew up learning the values my coaches instilled in me time and time again. Things like hard work, dedication and commitment. As a part of the team, we all valued our coaches opinions and demands for what we were expected to do.At a nouns age we learned to that if you want something, you have to work to get it. We also learned that practicing and being in the gym was what was important, while free time and friends were not. Additionally, identifying signs is another characteristic of a subculture. This can be interpreted as labels, what the members are wearing/listening to/ using and inside jokes or nicknames. There are three types of signs: private, public and covert. Private signs are displayed only to the subculture, public signs are shown to everyone and everyone knows what they mean and covert signs are displayed publicly, but are only known by the subculture.Some signs associated with gymnastics is the G label, which is a brand of gymnastics sports wear. Most people wearing this participate in gymnastics and only those familiar with the sport would know the labels association with gymnastics. Another sign is the USA Gymnastics bumper sticker. This is a public sign that clearly shows association with the subculture. Furthermore, as a team we tend to become very close, so there tends to be a lot of inside jokes and nicknames used. These are covert signs because we would shout he nicknames or talk about the inside jokes publicly, but only we would know their meaning.The degree of attachment is another characteristic of a subculture. This refers to the groups importance to its members. As a gymnast, my degree of attachment to my team was very high. Having been involved in the sport for the majority of my childhood, considered the sport my life. Would eat, sleep and breathe gymnastics; when I wasnt doing it, was thinking about it. Being on a competitive team, would spend a lot of time at the gym, so my team and coaches became like a second family. At this point, it wasnt just the sport was attached to, it was the friends I made and the experiences I continued to have.As grew older, my degree of attachment to the sport heightened. The sport became more demanding and as a result, the degree of attachment continued to rise. Even to this day, although I am not an active member of this subculture, I still consider myself a part of it and am still very much attached. Once a gymnast, always a gymnast. Initiation rituals are the characteristics of a subculture that lets one know when they are a part of the group. For gymnastics, there was no set initiation tall.You knew you were a part of the team when you finally achieved the skills required and the head coach asked you to start practicing with the team. Throughout ones life, he/she is a part Of many different subcultures. For me, the most influential subculture I was a part of was my competitive gymnastics team. This is a special interest subculture with many characteristics that set it apart from other subcultures. It gave me my sense of identity, as well as a sense of belonging. It is where I devoted most of my time and energy and will forever be a part of who I am.