Andrew Carnegie - An Inspirational Figure in Teaching and Literature

A very wealthy entrepreneur, Andrew Carnegie is mainly known for his wealth and leadership during the late 19th and early 20th centuries - but many people may not be aware of some of his very influential writings. After immigrating to the United States with his parents from Scotland, his family was not always wealthy. In fact, he started out as a normal factory worker in a bobbin factory. It wasn't long before he worked his way up in the company and then rose up the ranks in a telegraph company. After learning how to operate a business, he build Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel Company. Later, he would merge this large company with several others to form U.S. Steel. With this venture, he made a fortune and later in life, he concentrated more on philanthropy and helping those less fortunate than he was. He founded many different corporations, museums, universities, and more and also gave away mountains of money to libraries, schools, and universities - both in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Of course, on top of his massive wealth and business savvy sense, Andrew Carnegie was also a brilliant writer that penned many essays, articles, contributions, and even wrote several novels. He was a frequent contributor over labor issues to many well known publications, helping businessmen and women all over the world understand their workers and help to provide a better working environment for everyone. His novels include: "The Gospel Of Wealth", "Triumphant Democracy", "Round The World", "The Empire Of Business", "The Secret Of Business Is The Management Of Men", "James Watt", "An American Four-In-Hand In Britain", and "Problems Of Today". His literary works became so well known around the world that they inspired both writers and business men, world leaders and poverty stricken peoples, and anyone that they touched.

His writings were so important to business and the world in general, that his own personal papers reside at the Library of Congress where they can be viewed by those wishing to read them in the Manuscript Division. Of course, most of his writings are public domain today, and can easily be found over the internet. The written work he did helped to inspire so many business people all over the world and helped to change relationships between both workers and their managers. His way of viewing the workplace, especially industrial areas, aided in so many different organizations being founded to help continue his work, his beliefs on business, and his giving nature.

Some of the different organizations that he founded included the Carnegie Foundation For The Advancement Of Teaching, which was created to be an independent research center that would help those in any teaching area. The organization's primary activities include writing and research over every different level of education to help promote higher education and a higher standard for education for every child all over the world. One of the main things that the Carnegie Foundation For The Advancement Of Teaching helped to create was federal aid for higher education as well as Pell Grants, to help those lower income students that could not afford to go to college otherwise. Without these grants and financial aid, millions of college students and graduates would never have risen to the areas that they are now. Many people don't even realize that Andrew Carnegie and this organization were the driving force behind what financial aid is now for college.

Another organization that he founded that touches many peoples lives is the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace. This think tank is based in Washington DC and is not associated with any political party, yet continues to help promote international engagement by the U.S. into peaceful cooperation between nations all around the world. Andrew Carnegie believed that war could easily be eliminated by stronger international laws and better international organizations. In 1907, he wrote: "I am drawn more to this cause than to any,". In fact, on his 75th birthday, he announced the establishment of this organization with a $10 million dollar gift and charged the trustees of the organization to help fund the abolition of international war and gave them the widest discretion as to their measures and policy that they should adopt when needed.

One of his best known organizations is the Carnegie Corporation Of New York, which was founded in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie to help "promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding". This organization is one of the most influential American organizations and they have contributed so much to the world, including: a massive expansion of higher education and even adult education, advancement of research on early childhood learning and development, major promotion of educational and public broadcasting, advancement of women and minorities in higher education, helping to raise public understanding of both education and health needs of children and young adults, and to help further the investigation of risks of superpower confrontation, ethnic and civil strife, as well as nuclear war. Along with all of these influences upon education, international relations, this organization also helped to establish several other institutions, including the Carnegie libraries, the National Research Council, the Russian Research Center at Harvard, the Children's Television Workshop (including Sesame Street), and so much more.

In fact, his constant contributions to libraries, schools, and universities as well as his literary works prompted the United Kingdom to create the Carnegie Medal for the best children's literature. There are also many different schools and universities named after him, including Carnegie College in Dunfermline. And, believe it or not, he even has both a dinosaur and a cactus named after him, the Diplodocus Carnegiei (he sponsored the expedition that discovered it's remains) and the Saguaro Cactus's scientific name, Carnegiea.

Without his massive contributions to teaching, literature, and his commitment to education in general all over the world, many of the great institutions and organizations we know today would not exist.

Jason Corrado is the owner of http://famousquotesindex.com, a website containing close to 30,000 famous quotes and citations from renowned authors.

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Homeschool Science - Teaching Elementary Science With Great Literature

How do you teach a fact-heavy subject like science with great literature? First,science is not fact-heavy, or, at least it ought not to be. British educator, Charlotte Mason called science the study of "the great scheme of the unity of life".

Abstract concepts become easy to picture and understand when they are experienced in context. A picture-packed, glitzy book filled with facts cannot teach "the great scheme of unity of life" but literature and hands-on experimentation can.

Charlotte Mason felt that the only sound method of teaching science is to combine field work and great literature. Ms. Mason saw that the teaching of science in our schools has lost much of its educative value through a fatal and quite unnecessary divorce between science and the 'humanities.

Why use literature in a study of science?

Charlotte Mason wrote of the unnecessary divorce of the sciences and the humanities: "It is through great literature that one gets at great thoughts, not through dry, 'dumbed down' textbooks." (A Philosophy of Education, p. 223).Ms. Mason was not opposed to textbooks, only to their exclusive use and that they are too often "dry and dumbed down".

What if I don't have a strong background in science?

Learning along with your child is one of the delights of homeschooling. However, if the concern is that you will miss something of what a child should know in a science curriculum, consider this. If your child can name every scientific term, define it, and still not have a sense of wonder or a curious mind, you will have failed. If you want to be sure you haven't missed anything, borrow a science textbook and study the topics as a guide.

Where can I find good science books?

Look for living books in both non-fiction, fiction and biographies. Study the book choices of high-quality curriculum companies that use literature extensively. Go to your library and ask to see the science section. If the book has too many high graphics, and is not of a strong literary quality, leave it there.

Here are five titles that you can find through inter-library loan or a Amazon, the online bookstore:

Robert Boyle: Trail Blazer of Science, John Hudson Tiner

The Story Book of Science, Jean Fabre

Archimedes and the Door of Science, Jeanne Bendick

Galen and the Gateway to Medicine,John Hudson Tiner

Louis Pasteur:Founder of modern medicine, John Hudson Tiner

If you want to learn more about homeschooling and the Charlotte Mason method, read my article "Seven Keys of Learning".

Download it free here: Charlotte Mason

Sheila Carroll helps homeschooling parents use living books and Charlotte Mason's methods to produce outstanding results in learning.

http://www.livingbookscurriculum.com

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Teaching About the Election to Elementary Students Using Literature and Technology

Teaching about the election can be an interesting process. Of course the best way is to hold a mock election, or even better, a school election with children running for various offices. As with all curricular areas, experiencing the learning by participation cements the concepts.

Other ideas for teaching about the election include:

For Kindergarten and Grade 1

Read a book about an election and discuss the elements of election. Books I choose to use are "Duck for President" by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin (2004) and "My Teacher for President" by Kay Winters and Denise Brunkus (2008.)

After discussing the election process we make campaign posters. Students use a drawing program on the computer (I use KidPix) and type "Vote for ______" in huge letters. They add decorations to complete the poster. We print in color and staple to construction paper. Hanging this campaign poster on their bedroom doors will remind them of what they learned about the election.

For Grades 2 and 3

I read an election book such as "Pete for President" by Daisy Alberto (2004). We discuss election procedures but also emphasize telling the truth during the election process. During the story there is a page where there is a debate. I stop the story, have two kids join me up front, and simulate a debate. Sometimes I even tell one of the students to make outlandish claims about what he or she would do if they were to win. We finish reading the book and then discuss ways that students can improve the school.

The second graders make campaign posters just like the younger students but they add four ways they can make the school/world a better place. Examples might be: Eliminate bullies from the playground, Pick up Litter on the Playground, Be Nice to All People, Help Raise Money for New Library Books, etc.

In Grades 3 through 5

As the children get older I begin to teach about the electoral college. The best book I've found for this is "Grace for President" by Kelly Dipucchio and Leuyen Pham (2008.) After reading this story I send the students to explore an online simulation game at the Scholastic News website.

Grade 6: By the time students are in grade 6 they are ready to explore the issues of the candidates. To do this I ask the students to choose six issues to research on the websites of the candidates. The information that they gather can be presented in any manner; for instance, a 2-column display comparing the issues or using an organizing software such as Inspiration to create a web of information.

Overall, the more concrete examples you can give to students about the election will assist them in learning about the process that we embrace within our country.

For more information, samples, and a list of websites, download a free packet of Election materials at http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

Kathy Cothran is an elementary media specialist committed to helping teachers turn toys into learning tools. Her vast teaching experience ranges from preschool through Master's level education classes.

For years Kathy has been a "Gadget Girl." She loves technology! Tie that to her extensive teaching background and she has been able to interest, invigorate, and inspire children and teachers to use technology in a rich, exciting manner.

Interested in ways that toys can become learning tools? Visit http://turningtoysintotools.com

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Hotel California Meets the Great Gatsby - Music As a Teaching Resource For Literature

The most famous artistic product of the boozy 1920's is F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, a novel about a man trying to recreate an ideal past in a drunken, materialistic present. It's one of those books just about everyone has a strong impression of whether or not they've actually read it - which makes it hard for many to approach the story with fresh eyes.

If you're a teacher looking for interesting, relevant ways to dig into The Great Gatsby, why not try something like this on for size: the 1920's were to WWI what the 1970's were to the hippy movement. The unprecedented global carnage following the so-called "War to End All Wars" turned disillusioned Americans inwards, setting their priorities on money, bootlegged liquor, and partying. Similarly, after the hippies failed to elevate worldwide consciousness with peace, love, and patchouli oil, 1970's America drowned its sorrows in disco, drugs, and polyester pants.

As an assignment, have your students compare The Great Gatsby to a 1970's song in this same vein. Take, for example, The Eagles' Hotel California, one of the best-selling and most recognizable songs from this (or any) era of American history.

Hotel California boasts some of the most analyzed and memorized lyrics in rock and roll. If the element of mystery means a lot to you, you'll probably be disappointed to hear Don Henley's two cents: "It's basically a song about the dark underbelly of the American dream." Not that a bunch of rock stars would know anything about that. In other words, the symbol of Californian prosperity (back when that still existed) stands in as a microcosm of American decadence in the 1970's.

The "hotel" (wink, wink) California is no Motel 6. It has mirrored ceilings, courtyards, master's chambers, pink champagne, and high-falutin' guests. The narrator can't help but notice the seductive woman with a Benz, a mind that's "Tiffany-twisted," and a lot of hot guys following her around. He asks for wine, to which the captain famously replies, "We haven't had that spirit here since 1969." Since wine isn't a spirit (and we're betting The Eagles have a basic understanding of liquor), we're going to go ahead and assume Henley is referring to some other spirit of '69.

In a creepy turn of events, there is then a beast-killing ceremony involving "steely knives," which prompts the narrator to high-tail it "back to the place [he] was before." Only when it's too late does he realize that he can "check out" but "never leave." How, pray tell, can a person be checked out without going anywhere physically? We're thinking there might be some chemistry involved.

So let's review: luxury, substance abuse, a beautiful temptress, materialism, violence, living in the past, and being trapped. Remind you of anyone?

As a rule of thumb, music is one of the best teacher resources because it can be deeply personal and easily relatable at the same time. Plus, the fact that lyrics are usually highly open to interpretation means your students will be putting in a lot more work than they think.

Shmoop is an online study guide for The Great Gatsby, Hotel California and many more. Its content is written by Ph.D. and Masters students from top universities, like Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, and Yale who have also taught at the high school and college levels. Teachers and students should feel confident to cite Shmoop.

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Teaching Strategies For Developing World Literature Appreciation

There are many wonderful teaching strategies educators can use to cultivate and develop an appreciation of world literature within their students. Initially, developing an appreciation for world literature in high school students requires that teachers select reading material with themes that are relevant to the modern era in which we live.

Interest and appreciation for the book To Kill A Mockingbird for example could be generated by having a brief class discussion on race relations. The teacher and students could collaborate to create a detailed timeline of 15 to 20 social, cultural, and political events that occurred in the 1930s. The activity would familiarize students with the attitudes and issues of the Depression era in the deep South, while simultaneously teaching students how African-Americans overcame such prejudicial attitudes.

Following the class discussion on race relations, teachers could ask students to keep reading journals and document their reactions to the book as they read it. Reading journals allow students to enjoy literature and make remarks about points of interest as they come to them during the reading.

Next teachers can assign students free writing exercises in which they can respond to elements of the story, as well as prompt driven responses. Important elements of the story, aspects crucial to the theme, and anything of unique interest to a student should be encouraged to be reflected upon during the reading. The story's main conflict, it's level of importance, and possible solutions are all worthy topics for students to evaluate and discuss.

Evaluations containing students' assertions and assumptions should cite supportive textual evidence. This will clearly demonstrate students' mental comprehension processes.

Worthy of recognition in Harper Lee's novel To Kill A Mockingbird is the author's observations of her family and neighbors. The events which occurred in her hometown in 1936, made a profound impression upon the ten-year-old Scout. The issues of rape, race relations, gender bias, and class conflict all were found throughout the text. These issues are seemingly universal in nature and therefore effect every generation. The primary themes of racial injustice and the destruction of innocence are both disheartening and enlightening. These themes provide students with a sufficient amount to think about, when posed in the form of meaningful and probing questions.

The noble lessons within the novel emphasizing tolerance and decrying prejudice are instructional for students, while giving them much to discuss and write about.

The character Atticus stated, "You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them." This heartfelt instruction to his children awakened compassion in them to not be so quick to prematurely judge a man, nor a matter. Teachers can ask students when if ever they prematurely judged a person or situation. Students should also be asked how they remedied the wrong and made it right.

Jem, Scout, and Dil all attended the court hearing of Tom Robinson, a negro gentleman who had been falsely accused. As a sign of solidarity and racial unity, the children sat upstairs in the courthouse with the black Pastor and folks. Questions about the role of each character, what their temperament portrayed and revealed, along with the possibility of what that person might be doing today all are excellent and thought provoking questions for students.

Tying the literature together with modern day events will also enable the students to apply what they are learning. A discussion about what Atticus would have said and done had he been alive in our day would be a stimulating conversation for students.

Paul F. Davis is a highly sought after worldwide professional speaker, prophetic minister, purpose coach, and change master transforming organizations and empowering individuals to live their dreams.

Paul is the author of several books including United States of Arrogance; Poems that Propel the Planet; Update Your Identity; Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Adultery: 101 Reasons Not to Cheat; Are You Ready for True Love; Stop Lusting & Start Living; Waves of God; Supernatural Fire; God vs. Religion; and many more!

Paul's compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul's organization Dream-Maker Inc. builds dreams, transcends limitations, & reconciles nations.

Contact Paul to speak at your event or for consulting:

RevivingNations@yahoo.com
407-284-1705

http://www.PaulFDavis.com

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Tutoring and Teaching Methods to Improve Reading Comprehension in Classic Literature

Many high school students have a difficult experience with their first classic literature assignment. The archaic prose of works by Dickens, Melville and Shakespeare can prove difficult to understand and seem like a whole other language. So how do we break the barriers between literature and learning?

There are a variety of ways that we can increase comprehension when reading literature. Using these techniques increase the comprehension of a classic novel in a variety of students and can result in successful comprehension of the piece of literature.

One of the top ways to increase comprehension of literature in the classroom, and with tutoring tactics, is to compare the text with a modern day interpretation of the literature. Learning by comparison can be helpful. Comparing the literature to modern situations assist the theme or the classic. Often younger generations will be more adept to learn the themes of classics they are able to identify with. If the tutor is able to provide some mirroring within the classic to modern day situations, the student is more likely to learn the information.

Providing a translation for texts written in poetry can also prove helpful. Since poetry is a language all it's own, especially with Victorian authors such as Byron, Keats and Shelley, providing a text with a contemporary translation under or opposite of each line in the poem increases comprehension for the student.

Using textual clues such as descriptive words to gain the feeling of the literature can improve comprehension greatly. These identifier words can create recognition of one word, which can lead to the comprehension of one phrase, which can lead to the comprehension of the whole page.

These are just some techniques a good tutor can employ to help their student's grasp of reading comprehension with classic literature; find a tutor near you to learn more!

Diane Palumbo blogs at Homework Help Today.

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Teaching Tone and Mood in Literature - 5 Basic Steps to Consider

Teaching tone and mood in literature can be an interesting task for those who love to teach literature. The main focus is be on identifying the tone and mood in major literary works which can be a crucial step towards helping the students enjoy, analyze, and do their own creative writing.

Tone is nothing but the narrative voice, or something by which the story is told or narrated. It is often used for conveying mood, or feelings or emotions threading throughout a piece of literature. Simply we can put that tone is the technique whereas mood is the result attained by the technique. In other words, both go side by side!

Where will you learn tone and mood from? There are several lesson plans are available online that can help you understand and teach tone and mood. If you explore the internet, you will see that horror or fantastic literature are some of the areas where tone and mood are the most obvious. You can also choose creative techniques like art and activities that can help you understand these two concepts.

Basic Step to Consider for Teaching Tone and Mood:

The internet is one of the best resources available for creating your own lesson plan. There are certain basic steps and tips you can consider when it comes to preparing your own lesson plan focusing on teaching tone and mood in literature:

1. The best thing is to choose a work of literature in which tone and mood are obvious and for that reason most teachers opt for fantastic literature, for example the works of Poe and Shirley Jackson.

2. You need to make it easier for students to understand tone and mood and nothing better than introducing the theme with the help of music or certain visual arts just such painting.

3. It will be very effective if you create a list of words something like "feeling words." Students can easily pick up a word from the list to affix a feeling work label to literature, music or any sort of work of art.

4. As you complete your discussions regarding the tone and mood of different works of literature or art that you have chosen ask your students to create their own narrative or poem conveying a particular tone or mood.

5. Feedback is a fine idea that lets you realize whether your students have truly understood the concept or not. Students will not be in a position to reflect the concept of tone or mood in their creative act unless they really understand.

However, you may find some students for whom mood and tone may be difficult to understand. In such cases, computer-based activities can help the students recognize the emotional 'cues' which are associated with feeling words.

Rakesh Patel is an aspiring poet, freelance writer, self-published author and teacher. Read his blogs about types of poetry, and English literature.

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To Read Or Not To Read: The Necessity Of Literature In EFL Teaching

Literature is one of the greatest cornerstones in any linguist's regime. The use of literature as a teaching tool is therefore extremely important, and thanks to the English language's vast diversity, a whole wealth of potential teaching resources is readily available. Not only does literature serve as a way to inform a student of different grammatical constructions (the one that sticks in my mind is ikke mer en jeg tror pa troll - containing important comparative constructions as well as a verb with a preposition), but it also gives the student a valuable chance to examine different styles, registers and in some cases, dialects. But which authors should be chosen for this great honour? Should the already picked-clean cadaver of William Shakespeare be resurrected to be once more scrutinised under a linguistic microscope? What makes a piece of literature useful for a student of EFL?

There should be no restrictions to the literature used, the only attention being given to the level of the material and the level of the students. Each piece of writing has its uses, and discussion of literature will bring out these uses. Oftentimes one cannot see the linguistic significance of a piece of literature when simply reading alone. Discussion is paramount. Discussion not of grammar, not of syntax, not of register, but of the material in and as of itself. Whereas literature is a written means of communication, it lacks the fluidity of spoken language, but is enhanced through discourse and analysis. As well as being a great source for grammar examples and vocabulary exercises, as I have briefly covered, literature gives an insight into how language can be adapted and it gives the student a chance to see how it was used, whether the material was written five, ten, one hundred or five hundred years ago, and understanding origins is the key to understanding evolution.

As an avid collector of 18th and 19th century French and German literature, I am delighted and saddened in equal amounts when turning to the last page of a novel, play or article. The feeling of accomplishment is inspiring to me, knowing that not only have I convinced myself to sit down and go on a journey the author intended, but I have also understood it. Comprehension is the most important factor when it comes to studying foreign literature. One can easily find a synopsis of a story via the internet, but knowing the story is only half the battle. What about word play? What about literary devices? Where do they feature in the context of learning a foreign language? There is an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction when I understand a pun in a foreign language, whether it be an advertisement or snarky remark by a 19th century villain dressed up in top hat and tails. Developing the sophistication to appreciate not only how one can use a language, but also how one can abuse it, is fundamental to language learning. Language is not a rigid thing; it is malleable and can be moulded for any purpose. Literature is the documentation of language, and therefore forms a highly essential part of language learning. Far from asking students to read a passage of a particular text and then making them find the different components of a sentence, students should be asked to engage themselves in the text, discuss and debate it. If reading a play, ask how the student might put it on, were they the director. If reading a novel, ask what context the student thinks it could have been written in. If reading an article, ask what prompted it. Reading literature is only the start when it comes to using it in the classroom. Engaging the student in the material is as rewarding for the teacher as it is for the pupils.

Ian Stephenson is a final-year student of Modern Languages (French, German and Russian) and Linguistics at the University of Sheffield, UK. An aspiring EFL teacher, Ian has worked with several secondary schools in his local area to promote the study of foreign languages at advanced levels.

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