For this assignment, you will use your knowledge of performance management, supervision, teamwork, and communication to develop a comprehensive 3-6 page Performance Management Plan Portfolio to enhance staff/trainee improvement in a given environment. You are on ABA team of professionals working within a system that requires assessment and training to maximize the performance of the staff or stakeholders within that system. Your team has an opportunity to choose a case study to work from to complete this assignment:
Case Study 2: School Program (includes teacher, class aides, and one-on-one)
Edgardo is a fifth-grade student in an inclusion classroom with a regular education teacher, a special education teacher (who is only in the classroom for half of the day during math and language arts), and two paraprofessionals (a classroom aide and Edgardo’s one-on-one aide). Edgardo has a diagnosis of oppositional defiance disorder and exhibits frequent noncompliance and occasional physical disruption of the classroom (swipes materials from tables/desks, pushes furniture around, and dumps materials). As a result, Edgardo does not complete much of his schoolwork during the day because his behaviors impede his task completion, and the district is considering a more restrictive classroom environment if Edgardo’s behaviors are not improved. Edgardo’s special education teacher has some basic knowledge of applied behavior analysis; however, the general education teacher and paraprofessionals have never been trained in ABA.
After reviewing the case study, you should discuss and develop the following aspects for your Performance Management Plan Portfolio:
Assessment: Conduct a hypothetical diagnostic assessment of the system to determine the needs of the staff in terms of skills. Describe how the assessment analyzes the specific environment you are supporting. Then, hypothesize the assessment results that will be used to pinpoint behaviors for desired staff performance.
Pinpoint (and define) the desired performance outcomes and the target behaviors for staff. Discuss whether these are individual target behaviors or behaviors targeted for the group, and provide a rationale to explain why the targeted behaviors are necessary to meet the performance outcomes.
Training: Develop a set of training procedures for staff. Be sure to provide a discussion of why your outlined procedures were selected and how they will be implemented. This rationale should be grounded in evidence-based literature.
Assignment Description: 1) Read “Backpacks vs. briefcases: steps toward rhetorical analysis” (Links to an external site.) by Laura Bolin Carroll2) Write down at least two critical questions you had about the reading. Make sure the questions are introspective and can’t be answered directly in the reading. Ask questions that demonstrate some critical consideration of the reading. Ask your instructor for examples of critical discussion questions if needed. Put Critical Questions above the questions.3) Then answer the following discussion question below using 250-350 words.4) Make sure to come back and answer at least two of your classmates’ discussion questions within 48 hours of the initial post deadline.For the Response Part of Your Assignment:Define what a “rhetorical situation” is, including all of its parts (exigence, intended audience, rhetors, and constraints) in your own words, using quotes or paraphrases from Laura Bolin Carroll’s article with MLA in-text citations (send me an e-mail if you need help with this!) and then use an example of a text to explain how each part of the rhetorical situation functions. So, in your post you can have two sections. In the first section, either use bullet points or paragraphs to divide your post into exigence, intended audience, rhetors, and constraints. In each paragraph or bullet-pointed section, a) define the term in your own words, b) include a quote or paraphrase from “Backpacks vs. Briefcases” that supports the definition. Then, in the second section, write about your text example and explain what the exigence, intended audience, rhetors, and constraints for that text were.For your topic for this post, choose a text from either of these two categories: 1) an assignment that you still have in your possession–given to you in a class that you took within the last 6 months or are taking now, or 2) a social media, blog or vlog post that you published for an audience. A third option, if you have the original document in your possession and are able to share it ethically, could be a letter or e-mail that you had to write in order to solve a problem at work or in your personal life, such as to a company.Use MLA format carefully and accurately for your citations from Carroll. Please use the resources for MLA in our modules to guide you. This activity will help you generate content and ideas for your 3-4 page rhetorical situation assignment.
Preparation of an Income Statement for The Serious Reader Company
The first case of this course provides an opportunity to prepare a segmented variable costing (contribution margin, behavioral) income statement and analyze the information. This is a very small company and the information may seem simplistic at first glance. Don’t forget that numbers and hands-on practice best illustrate many basic accounting concepts.
The Serious Reader Company is a small online retailer operating out of a garage apartment. The owner buys books at garage sales, thrift shops, library sales, and whenever an opportunity arises. The company classifies all books into five categories based on cost of acquisition and estimated sales price. See below for details about books purchased and sold during the last year (20XX).
Case Assignment
Required:
Computations (use Excel)
Prepare a segmented variable costing (behavioral) income statement for the company in good format.
Prepare a second variable costing statement assuming 90% of all the books in each category purchased were actually sold.
Prepare a third variable costing statement assuming that the price is increased by 50% for all five categories (use original sales information).
The owner enjoys the used-book business. Any suggestions as how to turn this into a full-time business venture so the owner can quit his other job? Prepare another income statement to support your idea.
Memo (use Word)
Interpret the results from the computations and explain how the information is useful. Write a 4- or 5-paragraph memo to the owner of the business. Start with an introduction and end with a recommendation. Each of the four or five paragraphs should have a heading.
Short essay to comment on the questions below (use Word). Start with an introduction and end with a summary or conclusion. Use headings. Maximum length of two pages.
Why do many organizations make the effort to prepare a different type of income statement for internal purposes?
Variable costing is not just about preparing income statements. Provide at least three scenarios in which understanding how costs behave is useful.
Assignment Expectations
Each submission should include two files: (1) An Excel file; and (2) A Word document. The Word document shows the memo first and short essay last. Assume a knowledgeable business audience and use required format and length. Individuals in business are busy and want information presented in an organized and concise manner.
PLEASE SEE ATTACHED FILES FOR COMPLETE ASSIGNMENT DETAILS AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS.
Why do you think the Allende chose to tell the story from the perspective of the first person narrator, who is not even on the scene with the girl? Why not tell the tale from Azucena’s perspective, or even Rolf Carlé’s?
Analyze the symbolism of the television camera and television coverage in Allende’s story, paying special attention to how the first-person narrator describes watching everything unfold on TV. What symbolic pattern—and meaning—can you find?
Review the sample essays in response to Allende’s piece and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each. Consider what we have learned regarding argument, thesis statements, and analysis this week.
225 words
SAMPLE WRITING: ESSAY
Because it focuses on both character and theme in Isabel Allende’s AND OF CLAY ARE WE CREATED, the following essay would be an appropriate response to essay assignments involving either of these elements. More specifically, Renee Maalouf here tackles a series of interesting, interlinked questions: How does the story’s central character develop over its course? How do other characters, as well as narration, enhance our sense of this development? What theme might emerge from it?
Read this essay as you would one of your peers’ drafts, looking for opportunities for the writer to improve her argument and presentation in revision. How effectively does the draft answer the questions it poses? Are there claims that might be developed further? other evidence that should be considered? How might the conclusion be strengthened?
For ease of reference, we have altered the citations in this essay to refer to paragraph numbers. Unless your instructor indicates otherwise, you should always follow convention by instead citing page numbers when writing about fiction. For more on citation, see chapter 33.
Maalouf 1
Renee Maalouf
Dr. Mays
ENG 298
20 April 2021
A Moment of Connection in Isabel Allende’s “And of Clay Are We Created”
In the wake of tragedy, empathy and sincerity run rampant toward those afflicted, or at least we hope they do, as we now have technology that allows us to watch disasters happen in real time through our various devices. Such is the case in Isabel Allende’s “And of Clay Are We Created,” as the media gathers to cover a volcanic eruption that leaves more than twenty thousand people buried in clay and to record the last hours of one victim—a thirteen-year-old girl named Azucena. Thanks to the narrator, readers observe one of these reporters, Rolf Carlé, as he makes his way to the scene. He immediately stands out in the crowd, and not just because he means a great deal to the narrator. In the three days that pass in Allende’s short story, Rolf, with the help of Azucena, teaches readers that to free themselves from the clay keeping them down they must first confront the past that weighs on them so heavily. He accomplishes this by
SAMPLE WRITING: RESPONSE PAPER
A response paper may use a less formal organization and style than a longer, more formal essay, but it should not just be a summary or description of the work. Indeed, a response paper could be a step on the way to a longer essay. You need not form a single thesis or argument, but you should try to develop your ideas and feelings about the story by making reference to some specifies. The point is to get your thoughts in writing without worrying too much about form and style.
Almost everything in the following response paper comes directly from the notes above, but notice how the writer has combined and developed observations, adding more direct quotations or details from the text. (For ease of reference, we have altered the citations in this paper to refer to paragraph numbers. Unless your instructor indicates otherwise, you should always follow convention by instead citing page numbers when writing about fiction.)
Maalouf 1
Renee Maalouf
Dr. Mays
ENG 298
10 April 2021
Response Paper on Isabel Allende’s “And of Clay Are We Created”
Allende’s story begins and almost ends with the same detail. We learn in the second sentence that the girl’s name is Azucena, lily in Spanish. At the end, the narrator refers to her again as a “flower in the mud” when she sinks into the clay (par. 28). Azucena’s introduction to Rolf is also with the acknowledgement of “her flower name” (par. 6). Other than the use of her name, there are no other flowers in the story whether physically present in the scene around her or figuratively present as Azucena and Rolf Carlé do their best to make it through each day waiting for a pump. As she becomes a “symbol of the tragedy,” Azucena and her floral name suggest that she should eventually flourish, blossom, and stand for a symbol of hope in the midst of all the destruction (par. 1). The text unfortunately does not have this happy ending because the attention Azucena receives does not help her survive, calling into question the media’s empathy for her and making me wonder why Allende gives a hopeful name to a tragic character. In this regard it is also ironic that to keep Azucena alive, Rolf
Maalouf 2
needs “a pump to drain the water” that keeps her down (par. 9). This runs counter to what a flower typically needs to survive, perhaps foreshadowing Azucena’s ill fate. She even weeps when it starts to rain, the water only bringing more sorrow.
Also Azucena’s claim that “the bodies of her brothers and sisters [cling] to her legs” and hold her in the mud is significant in relation to her name because they almost act as roots that keep her in place (par. 7). Azucena’s roots are her family, memories, and past. Due to the volcanic eruption, the only remnants of those roots cling to her legs. I do not think, however, that Azucena succumbing to the mud is due to her roots pulling her down. Ultimately, what ends Azucena’s life is the inability of anyone to get a pump to her in time. Figures who could have tended to this flower, such as the President of the Republic with his “emotional voice and paternal tone as he told her that her courage had served as an example to the nation,” do not fulfill their role or responsibility to save her (par. 26). A symbol of hope in the wake of a tragedy does not garner empathy that leads to survival. Rolf and the narrator are the only characters who show affection for Azucena, the former staying by her side while the latter manages to get the pump to them, albeit too late.
SAMPLE WRITING: READING NOTES
Student Renee Maalouf wrote the notes below with the “Questions about the Elements of Fiction” in mind (p. 19). As you read these notes, compare them to the notes you took as you read AND OF CLAY ARE WE CREATED. Do Maalouf’s notes reveal anything to you that you didn’t notice while reading the story? Did you notice anything she did not, or do you disagree with any of her interpretations?
Notes on Isabel Allende’s “And of Clay Are We Created”
What do you expect?
The title is almost in the phrase of a question and makes me wonder if I am about to read a myth/story about how humans were created.
The first paragraph, however, reveals that a tragedy occurred and that Azucena and Rolf Carlé seem to be at the center of that tragedy as the media reports it. The detail that Rolf Carlé “never suspect[ed] that he would find a fragment of his past” makes me expect Rolf will confront his past while saving Azucena (par. 1).
Azucena’s name (“lily”) and the narrator’s reference to her as “the symbol of the tragedy” (par. 1) make me think that she should eventually blossom and become a symbol of hope in the midst of destruction.
What happens in the story?
A lot happens in this story that takes place over three days. Before the story starts, a volcano erupts, and a girl gets trapped in a mudpit. During the story, a reporter stays with her and tries to reassure her that she’ll be okay, but because the necessary equipment doesn’t get through in time, she dies.
A lot also happens in between those major plot points. Rolf’s partner (the narrator) monitors the situation, trying to get the pump to him. Meanwhile other media outlets report what is happening to Azucena without helping her get out.
Rolf finally faces his past, the horrors he endured during WWII, his father’s abuse, and the death of his sister. His reflection allows him to see himself as “buried in the clayey mud” (par. 23).
How is the story narrated?
The narrator is Rolf’s partner. Little details reveal the identity of the narrator as the story goes on, but there’s confirmation when the narrator is described as “his life companion” (par. 27).
The story is told in past tense and first person. There are four breaks within the story (after pars. 16, 25, and 28) that reflect the passage of time. The first three parts each focus on one day. The last break in the story stands out because the last paragraph has the narrator refer directly to the effects of all this on Rolf after he is “back with” her (par. 29).
Because the narrator is so close to Rolf, we seem to gain access to a lot of Rolf’s thoughts. There are moments where it is unclear whether the narrator knows/assumes what Rolf is thinking and how much gets revealed because the narrator is watching footage of Rolf. For example, she says she “overheard fragments of what [Rolf and Azucena] said to one another and could guess the rest” (par. 22).
Who are the characters?
There are three main characters: the narrator, Azucena, and Rolf. The narrator is Rolf’s partner and knows a lot about his past, so she understands the change that takes place in him. We never learn the narrator’s name. Azucena is thirteen years old and has never been anywhere except her village (par. 15). She is trapped in the mudpit after the volcanic eruption and unfortunately dies at the end of the story. Rolf is a reporter with a past he has not confronted until he meets Azucena.
He and the narrator seem to be the only people who care about Azucena, which is especially clear because of minor characters like the President of the Republic who arrives in “his tailored safari jacket” with “vague promises” and waves at her with “a limp statesman’s hand” (par. 26). The presence of him and the media doesn’t save her. Instead it’s the narrator who manages to get the pump to her, albeit too late.
There is not necessarily one person who serves as an antagonist or villain in this story. The characters instead face natural and personal disasters. As a result of this disaster, Rolf sees himself in Azucena, as someone trapped in the clay of their past.
Katharina is Rolf’s sister and the only other named character.
What is the setting of the story?
The eruption takes place on a Wednesday in November, but the year is unclear. Rolf’s memories of World War II and the reference to “thirty years” in the first paragraph let me know the story must take place in the 1970s. The technology that is available like tapes, precision lenses, recorders, etc. also means that the story can’t take place too far in the past.
The story is more unclear about place. We do not learn the name of the village or “the Republic,” but obviously it is somewhere with a volcano, somewhere that people speak Spanish (“Azecuna” is Spanish for “lily”) and where at least some of them are Catholic (this is her “First Communion name,” par. 1). Why not name the country?
Three days pass in the story. But we also go back and forth in time as Rolf remembers the memories he has been trying to repress.
In terms of physical setting, we’re either with Rolf and Azucena at the scene of the eruption, or we’re with the narrator as she does what she can to help Azucena and monitor the situation.
What do you notice about how the story is written?
The narrator mostly uses complex sentences and vocabulary to tell this story. I think this style is important because these longer sentences carry some of the emotional turmoil of the story.
The narrator makes it very clear that three days pass with Azucena in the clay. This makes me wonder if this is a Biblical allusion to the three days until Jesus was resurrected. The rain could also be a sign of baptism or cleansing that takes place. The clay is also symbolic. One thing it might symbolize is the weight of Rolf’s past.
The narrator is very sympathetic to and worried about Rolf and Azucena. This is most likely due to the narrator’s relationship with the former and concern for a girl in such a terrible situation. What makes the narrator’s narration interesting is that at times she reveals just enough to hint at what happens without explicitly saying it, or there are hints along the way until she reveals the full picture. For example, when first introducing Rolf, the narrator says she “came to realize that this fictive distance seemed to protect him from his own emotions” (par. 4). This foreshadows Rolf facing his emotions later on in the story.
What does the story mean? Can you express its theme or themes?
There are two main themes that stood out to me as I read this story. The first is about how the media reports a tragedy. Millions of people manage to see Azucena’s face on their screens because of cameras that made their way through the rubble, but the pump that Rolf keeps asking for does not come through. Even though millions see Azucena as a symbol of this tragedy, no one except Rolf and the narrator seem to actively try to save her.
The second is about Rolf’s past. He suffered a great deal of trauma that he managed to bury in his role as a reporter. He manages to rid himself of the clay that held him down while Azucena submerges. This makes me think back to the title. Are we created from the moments of our past?
Why do you think the Allende chose to tell the story from the perspective of the first person narrator, who is not even on the scene with the girl? Why not tell the tale from Azucena’s perspective, or even Rolf Carlé’s?
Analyze the symbolism of the television camera and television coverage in Allende’s story, paying special attention to how the first-person narrator describes watching everything unfold on TV. What symbolic pattern—and meaning—can you find?
Review the sample essays in response to Allende’s piece and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each. Consider what we have learned regarding argument, thesis statements, and analysis this week.
225 words
SAMPLE WRITING: ESSAY
Because it focuses on both character and theme in Isabel Allende’s AND OF CLAY ARE WE CREATED, the following essay would be an appropriate response to essay assignments involving either of these elements. More specifically, Renee Maalouf here tackles a series of interesting, interlinked questions: How does the story’s central character develop over its course? How do other characters, as well as narration, enhance our sense of this development? What theme might emerge from it?
Read this essay as you would one of your peers’ drafts, looking for opportunities for the writer to improve her argument and presentation in revision. How effectively does the draft answer the questions it poses? Are there claims that might be developed further? other evidence that should be considered? How might the conclusion be strengthened?
For ease of reference, we have altered the citations in this essay to refer to paragraph numbers. Unless your instructor indicates otherwise, you should always follow convention by instead citing page numbers when writing about fiction. For more on citation, see chapter 33.
Maalouf 1
Renee Maalouf
Dr. Mays
ENG 298
20 April 2021
A Moment of Connection in Isabel Allende’s “And of Clay Are We Created”
In the wake of tragedy, empathy and sincerity run rampant toward those afflicted, or at least we hope they do, as we now have technology that allows us to watch disasters happen in real time through our various devices. Such is the case in Isabel Allende’s “And of Clay Are We Created,” as the media gathers to cover a volcanic eruption that leaves more than twenty thousand people buried in clay and to record the last hours of one victim—a thirteen-year-old girl named Azucena. Thanks to the narrator, readers observe one of these reporters, Rolf Carlé, as he makes his way to the scene. He immediately stands out in the crowd, and not just because he means a great deal to the narrator. In the three days that pass in Allende’s short story, Rolf, with the help of Azucena, teaches readers that to free themselves from the clay keeping them down they must first confront the past that weighs on them so heavily. He accomplishes this by
SAMPLE WRITING: RESPONSE PAPER
A response paper may use a less formal organization and style than a longer, more formal essay, but it should not just be a summary or description of the work. Indeed, a response paper could be a step on the way to a longer essay. You need not form a single thesis or argument, but you should try to develop your ideas and feelings about the story by making reference to some specifies. The point is to get your thoughts in writing without worrying too much about form and style.
Almost everything in the following response paper comes directly from the notes above, but notice how the writer has combined and developed observations, adding more direct quotations or details from the text. (For ease of reference, we have altered the citations in this paper to refer to paragraph numbers. Unless your instructor indicates otherwise, you should always follow convention by instead citing page numbers when writing about fiction.)
Maalouf 1
Renee Maalouf
Dr. Mays
ENG 298
10 April 2021
Response Paper on Isabel Allende’s “And of Clay Are We Created”
Allende’s story begins and almost ends with the same detail. We learn in the second sentence that the girl’s name is Azucena, lily in Spanish. At the end, the narrator refers to her again as a “flower in the mud” when she sinks into the clay (par. 28). Azucena’s introduction to Rolf is also with the acknowledgement of “her flower name” (par. 6). Other than the use of her name, there are no other flowers in the story whether physically present in the scene around her or figuratively present as Azucena and Rolf Carlé do their best to make it through each day waiting for a pump. As she becomes a “symbol of the tragedy,” Azucena and her floral name suggest that she should eventually flourish, blossom, and stand for a symbol of hope in the midst of all the destruction (par. 1). The text unfortunately does not have this happy ending because the attention Azucena receives does not help her survive, calling into question the media’s empathy for her and making me wonder why Allende gives a hopeful name to a tragic character. In this regard it is also ironic that to keep Azucena alive, Rolf
Maalouf 2
needs “a pump to drain the water” that keeps her down (par. 9). This runs counter to what a flower typically needs to survive, perhaps foreshadowing Azucena’s ill fate. She even weeps when it starts to rain, the water only bringing more sorrow.
Also Azucena’s claim that “the bodies of her brothers and sisters [cling] to her legs” and hold her in the mud is significant in relation to her name because they almost act as roots that keep her in place (par. 7). Azucena’s roots are her family, memories, and past. Due to the volcanic eruption, the only remnants of those roots cling to her legs. I do not think, however, that Azucena succumbing to the mud is due to her roots pulling her down. Ultimately, what ends Azucena’s life is the inability of anyone to get a pump to her in time. Figures who could have tended to this flower, such as the President of the Republic with his “emotional voice and paternal tone as he told her that her courage had served as an example to the nation,” do not fulfill their role or responsibility to save her (par. 26). A symbol of hope in the wake of a tragedy does not garner empathy that leads to survival. Rolf and the narrator are the only characters who show affection for Azucena, the former staying by her side while the latter manages to get the pump to them, albeit too late.
SAMPLE WRITING: READING NOTES
Student Renee Maalouf wrote the notes below with the “Questions about the Elements of Fiction” in mind (p. 19). As you read these notes, compare them to the notes you took as you read AND OF CLAY ARE WE CREATED. Do Maalouf’s notes reveal anything to you that you didn’t notice while reading the story? Did you notice anything she did not, or do you disagree with any of her interpretations?
Notes on Isabel Allende’s “And of Clay Are We Created”
What do you expect?
The title is almost in the phrase of a question and makes me wonder if I am about to read a myth/story about how humans were created.
The first paragraph, however, reveals that a tragedy occurred and that Azucena and Rolf Carlé seem to be at the center of that tragedy as the media reports it. The detail that Rolf Carlé “never suspect[ed] that he would find a fragment of his past” makes me expect Rolf will confront his past while saving Azucena (par. 1).
Azucena’s name (“lily”) and the narrator’s reference to her as “the symbol of the tragedy” (par. 1) make me think that she should eventually blossom and become a symbol of hope in the midst of destruction.
What happens in the story?
A lot happens in this story that takes place over three days. Before the story starts, a volcano erupts, and a girl gets trapped in a mudpit. During the story, a reporter stays with her and tries to reassure her that she’ll be okay, but because the necessary equipment doesn’t get through in time, she dies.
A lot also happens in between those major plot points. Rolf’s partner (the narrator) monitors the situation, trying to get the pump to him. Meanwhile other media outlets report what is happening to Azucena without helping her get out.
Rolf finally faces his past, the horrors he endured during WWII, his father’s abuse, and the death of his sister. His reflection allows him to see himself as “buried in the clayey mud” (par. 23).
How is the story narrated?
The narrator is Rolf’s partner. Little details reveal the identity of the narrator as the story goes on, but there’s confirmation when the narrator is described as “his life companion” (par. 27).
The story is told in past tense and first person. There are four breaks within the story (after pars. 16, 25, and 28) that reflect the passage of time. The first three parts each focus on one day. The last break in the story stands out because the last paragraph has the narrator refer directly to the effects of all this on Rolf after he is “back with” her (par. 29).
Because the narrator is so close to Rolf, we seem to gain access to a lot of Rolf’s thoughts. There are moments where it is unclear whether the narrator knows/assumes what Rolf is thinking and how much gets revealed because the narrator is watching footage of Rolf. For example, she says she “overheard fragments of what [Rolf and Azucena] said to one another and could guess the rest” (par. 22).
Who are the characters?
There are three main characters: the narrator, Azucena, and Rolf. The narrator is Rolf’s partner and knows a lot about his past, so she understands the change that takes place in him. We never learn the narrator’s name. Azucena is thirteen years old and has never been anywhere except her village (par. 15). She is trapped in the mudpit after the volcanic eruption and unfortunately dies at the end of the story. Rolf is a reporter with a past he has not confronted until he meets Azucena.
He and the narrator seem to be the only people who care about Azucena, which is especially clear because of minor characters like the President of the Republic who arrives in “his tailored safari jacket” with “vague promises” and waves at her with “a limp statesman’s hand” (par. 26). The presence of him and the media doesn’t save her. Instead it’s the narrator who manages to get the pump to her, albeit too late.
There is not necessarily one person who serves as an antagonist or villain in this story. The characters instead face natural and personal disasters. As a result of this disaster, Rolf sees himself in Azucena, as someone trapped in the clay of their past.
Katharina is Rolf’s sister and the only other named character.
What is the setting of the story?
The eruption takes place on a Wednesday in November, but the year is unclear. Rolf’s memories of World War II and the reference to “thirty years” in the first paragraph let me know the story must take place in the 1970s. The technology that is available like tapes, precision lenses, recorders, etc. also means that the story can’t take place too far in the past.
The story is more unclear about place. We do not learn the name of the village or “the Republic,” but obviously it is somewhere with a volcano, somewhere that people speak Spanish (“Azecuna” is Spanish for “lily”) and where at least some of them are Catholic (this is her “First Communion name,” par. 1). Why not name the country?
Three days pass in the story. But we also go back and forth in time as Rolf remembers the memories he has been trying to repress.
In terms of physical setting, we’re either with Rolf and Azucena at the scene of the eruption, or we’re with the narrator as she does what she can to help Azucena and monitor the situation.
What do you notice about how the story is written?
The narrator mostly uses complex sentences and vocabulary to tell this story. I think this style is important because these longer sentences carry some of the emotional turmoil of the story.
The narrator makes it very clear that three days pass with Azucena in the clay. This makes me wonder if this is a Biblical allusion to the three days until Jesus was resurrected. The rain could also be a sign of baptism or cleansing that takes place. The clay is also symbolic. One thing it might symbolize is the weight of Rolf’s past.
The narrator is very sympathetic to and worried about Rolf and Azucena. This is most likely due to the narrator’s relationship with the former and concern for a girl in such a terrible situation. What makes the narrator’s narration interesting is that at times she reveals just enough to hint at what happens without explicitly saying it, or there are hints along the way until she reveals the full picture. For example, when first introducing Rolf, the narrator says she “came to realize that this fictive distance seemed to protect him from his own emotions” (par. 4). This foreshadows Rolf facing his emotions later on in the story.
What does the story mean? Can you express its theme or themes?
There are two main themes that stood out to me as I read this story. The first is about how the media reports a tragedy. Millions of people manage to see Azucena’s face on their screens because of cameras that made their way through the rubble, but the pump that Rolf keeps asking for does not come through. Even though millions see Azucena as a symbol of this tragedy, no one except Rolf and the narrator seem to actively try to save her.
The second is about Rolf’s past. He suffered a great deal of trauma that he managed to bury in his role as a reporter. He manages to rid himself of the clay that held him down while Azucena submerges. This makes me think back to the title. Are we created from the moments of our past?
The organization that you are a director of leadership and learning for has been conducting engagement surveys among its employees every two years to gain a deeper understanding of employees’ views on areas such as customer service, the organization’s overall strategy, job satisfaction, rewards and recognition, and training and development. The most recent survey was conducted this year, and the organization wants to carry out another survey in two years.
Prompt
Your task is to continue using your GROW model template you began in Module Two to complete the final three sections:
Identified Gaps—Obstacles
Goal Revision
A Way Forward—Action
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
In the Identified Gaps—Obstacles section, describe obstacles that might prevent the focus areas you previously identified moving from current state to future state. Consider the following in your response:
Skill gaps, organizational culture, and resources among other things
In the Goal Revision section, for each of the goals you created previously, describe whether they need to be revised:
For the goals that do need to be revised, provide a revision and explain your changes based on obstacles you identified above.
For the goals that do not need to be revised, provide rationale for why this goal should remain the same. Support your response.
In the A Way Forward—Action section, recommend an actionable step that should be taken in order to close the gap between current state and desired future state for each identified focus area and related goal. Your response should include the following for each actionable step:
An explanation on what the step will entail
Identification of stakeholders who will need to be involved
Justification for how this step will help close the gap between current state and desired future state
What to Submit
Submit your answers in the GROW Model Template that you began working on in Module Two. https://www.mediafire.com/file/d11ws1xz8axu65v/MBA_530_GROW_Afnan.Odhaib.docx/file
Assignment status: Director of leadership and learning for has been conducting engagement surveys among its employees every two years to gain a deeper understanding of employees’ views on areas such as customer service
Answer each of the following questions in at least 100 words:
After viewing Angelou’s reading of “Still I Rise,” how did your interpretation of the poem, tone, or meaning change, if at all?
Select two or three poems from the list below and discuss how the authors define, or redefine, what poetry is or is not? You may also reflect on your own understanding of poetry in light of their definitions.
Select two or three different poems from the list below and discuss how the author uses images and symbols to convey their ideas. Do you find their methods effective? Why or why not?
HOWARD NEMEROV
Because You Asked about the Line between Prose and Poetry
ARCHIBALD MACLEISH
Ars Poetica
ELIZABETH ALEXANDER
Ars Poetica #100: I Believe
MARIANNE MOORE
Poetry
JULIA ALVAREZ
“Poetry Makes Nothing Happen”?
BILLY COLLINS
Introduction to Poetry
OCTAVIO PAZ
Proem
read “And of Clay We Are Created” and your choice of three poems. Then, identify what you believe would be the thesis statement (main argument) for each piece. This may be either a single-sentence quote from the piece OR a statement you write, but it should summarize the argument the author presents. If you quote or paraphrase from the text, be sure to cite in text and via a Works Cited page.
As we learned in week 5, the purpose of this two-stage project is for you to compare cultural productions in the Humanities from three different cultures using terminology and interpretative processes from a specific humanities field.
In Stage 1 you:
Identified three specific examples in one humanities field from three different cultures.
Found at least one aspect these examples have in common.
Identified at least one learning resource from the class to help you compare and analyze your examples.
Stage 2 builds on the information your gathered in Stage 1 by:
Explaining the historical and cultural contexts of your examples.
Explaining what your examples have in common and what is different by pointing to specifics in your examples.
Applying the terminology or interpretative methods from the learning resources in your analysis of your examples.
For this stage, you will use the same topic and examples from Stage 1 and write a 750-1200-word paper (3-5 pages) that offers specific comparisons between your examples and some analysis using terminology and methods from the course materials in the field of your examples. Please try to keep your paper to about 1200 words or less and consult with your instructor for what to do if you think you will exceed this.
Instructions for Stage 2
Write a 750–1000-page paper that includes the following:
An introductory paragraph that identifies the Humanities field you chose your examples from and explains why this field was of interest to you. Try to avoid telling the reader what you intend to do in your paper and see if you can preview your conclusion.
Descriptions of each of your examples that include the following information, as appropriate.
3. An explanation of what your three examples have in common and how they are different based on a detailed analysis of the examples to show how you came to this conclusion. In your analysis, you should:
Use at least one of the resources in the classroom that is directly related to the Humanities field your paper focuses on. For instance, if you are comparing three poems, ensure that your resource(s) from the classroom is about analyzing literature.
Rely on at least two of the terms or interpretative methods from the classroom resource(s) in your analysis of the examples. For example, if you are looking at three poems, you could use metaphor and rhyme scheme.
Underline or bold the terms or methods of interpretation from the class you use in your paper.
Explain the terms or methods before or as you use them.
Provide specifics from your examples that you are analyzing using the terms or methods. For instance, if you are looking at three poems, you should quote the lines you analyze (not the whole poem). If you are looking at three paintings, you should describe what you are analyzing, or you could even use images overlaid with arrows to help illustrate your points.
4. A concluding paragraph that offers some summative concluding remarks about what you learned about all three of the cultures your examples were from through comparing and contrasting your three examples. Did you learn that all three of these cultures express similar sentiments about parenting, for example? Did you learn that the attitude towards colonization was different in Spain, Africa, and South America? Think about how your examples informed you about the similarities and the differences between humans from the cultures you covered.
Note: Please be sure to look over your paper at least once or twice before handing it in to edit and try to catch any writing issues
Assignment status: Compare cultural productions in the Humanities from three different cultures using terminology and interpretative processes from a specific humanities field
As we learned in week 5, the purpose of this two-stage project is for you to compare cultural productions in the Humanities from three different cultures using terminology and interpretative processes from a specific humanities field.
In Stage 1 you:
Identified three specific examples in one humanities field from three different cultures.
Found at least one aspect these examples have in common.
Identified at least one learning resource from the class to help you compare and analyze your examples.
Stage 2 builds on the information your gathered in Stage 1 by:
Explaining the historical and cultural contexts of your examples.
Explaining what your examples have in common and what is different by pointing to specifics in your examples.
Applying the terminology or interpretative methods from the learning resources in your analysis of your examples.
For this stage, you will use the same topic and examples from Stage 1 and write a 750-1200-word paper (3-5 pages) that offers specific comparisons between your examples and some analysis using terminology and methods from the course materials in the field of your examples. Please try to keep your paper to about 1200 words or less and consult with your instructor for what to do if you think you will exceed this.
Instructions for Stage 2
Write a 750–1000-page paper that includes the following:
An introductory paragraph that identifies the Humanities field you chose your examples from and explains why this field was of interest to you. Try to avoid telling the reader what you intend to do in your paper and see if you can preview your conclusion.
Descriptions of each of your examples that include the following information, as appropriate.
3. An explanation of what your three examples have in common and how they are different based on a detailed analysis of the examples to show how you came to this conclusion. In your analysis, you should:
Use at least one of the resources in the classroom that is directly related to the Humanities field your paper focuses on. For instance, if you are comparing three poems, ensure that your resource(s) from the classroom is about analyzing literature.
Rely on at least two of the terms or interpretative methods from the classroom resource(s) in your analysis of the examples. For example, if you are looking at three poems, you could use metaphor and rhyme scheme.
Underline or bold the terms or methods of interpretation from the class you use in your paper.
Explain the terms or methods before or as you use them.
Provide specifics from your examples that you are analyzing using the terms or methods. For instance, if you are looking at three poems, you should quote the lines you analyze (not the whole poem). If you are looking at three paintings, you should describe what you are analyzing, or you could even use images overlaid with arrows to help illustrate your points.
4. A concluding paragraph that offers some summative concluding remarks about what you learned about all three of the cultures your examples were from through comparing and contrasting your three examples. Did you learn that all three of these cultures express similar sentiments about parenting, for example? Did you learn that the attitude towards colonization was different in Spain, Africa, and South America? Think about how your examples informed you about the similarities and the differences between humans from the cultures you covered.
Note: Please be sure to look over your paper at least once or twice before handing it in to edit and try to catch any writing issues
Assignment status: Compare cultural productions in the Humanities from three different cultures using terminology and interpretative processes from a specific humanities field
