Sample Essay and Expository and Elementary - Easy for Middle School Students

Sample Essay and Expository and Elementary - Easy for Middle School StudentsIf you are looking for the kind of essay topic you can use as a sample essay and expository and elementary level course material, you should not be afraid of this. You may find it very difficult to find essays online that are as easy to do as this one. At times, you will need a very simple essay that is based on a basic idea or two and is easy to do.However, this may not be such an easy essay to create. So it is important that you understand the approach that is used by the writer in this type of essay. If you think that you are not going to be successful, you may want to consider hiring someone else to write your essay for you.In doing so, you may find that there are more difficulties in writing a sample essay and expository and elementary level material than you had imagined. After all, there is a certain ease in writing an essay, but if you find that you cannot really control what is said in your essay, yo u may not be successful. Therefore, you will need to study this closely and put in the effort that you need to make it sound like a college paper.You need to be able to write what you want to say about the idea, so this type of essay will require a good idea that will be included in your essay. When you try to do it yourself, you will find that you will forget a lot of what you will write about. There will be a few ideas that you will end up not writing about, so it is important that you make sure that you do write all of them down before you submit the essay.It is also important that you do not include too much of any type of material in your essay. You may end up writing a long essay, and you will not be able to fully get the point across with it. It is important that you include enough facts and data so that you can make sure that what you are saying in the essay is true. If you want to make sure that what you write in your essay is accurate, you will need to make sure that you h ave enough factual information.When you look at a sample essay that is using an expository and elementary level materials, you will notice that you will need to include some facts about the idea that you have presented. Some samples will include fact about how it works, and others will include an expository type of portion about it. Therefore, you will need to be aware of what you are writing before you actually begin writing.This type of essay is also a perfect way for a middle school student to get better at writing essays. These are usually easy essays that can be written quickly. However, you need to remember that you will not be able to write a very complicated type of essay, but if you do have enough experience with writing, you may be able to.

Egyptian goverment essays

Egyptian goverment essays The Egyptian government was the very first government. There were many reasons why the Egyptians had a good government. One example was that they were surrounded by natural boundaries to help them keep their land. Another is how they were excellent scientists. They had the Nile River, it was the reason they could grow 4 crops a year. There life was based on agriculture Egypts location help them a lot them from being conqured. All the cities and villages were along the Nile River because it was hard for them to be attacked. Also to the north they had the Mediterranean sea, to the west they had the Libyan desert, to the south they had more desert and to the east they had the red sea. All of these are reasons why they had such a great civilization for 1000years. The Egyptians were very smart people. They had many things that we have today, they had a solar calendar, they were excellent astronomers (365 day calendar), they used geometry to build they huge pyramids, they knew how to set broken bones. They knew how to take to chemicals and combine them or the chemical proceses, they produced their own natural medicines. Basically the Egyptians came up with a lot of stuff we use today. The Nile River was the base of the Egyptians culture, with out it they could not have a civilization. They Egyptians were the first civilization to be able to grow crops year around. They always had a crop growing no madder if it was hot or cold. It helped their exporting a lot. The Egyptians economy was based on agriculture. They grew wheat, barley, flax, raising sheep and cattle. They imported ivory, species, copper, and wood, they exported glassware, linen, and clay vases. They agriculture was very good for their time they dominated all other cavitations for 1000 years Those four examples are just some of the many reasons why Egypt had a conquering government for 1,000 years. Egypt was in the right place at the right time, they ha...

Martin Luther King Jr Day Essay †A Life to Be Remembered

Martin Luther King Jr Day Essay – A Life to Be Remembered It’s in times like these that we must turn our heads from the future, and the present, to look back on the brilliant minds of the past. From this vantage certain questions can be jarring. For example, how different would the state of world today be if Martin Luther King Jr had been the first African American president? At this moment in history many Americans believe the US government is the #1 threat to liberty and the pursuit of justice, once again. It was the same in his day. The degree to which civil liberties have been eroded for all Americans, not just those of color, is disturbing; shocking really. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and President Obama are Nobel Peace Prize winners. One for combating racial inequality, and the other for well†¦no one really knows and the President himself offered to give it back. What’s happening? When did we lose control? To write an essay, let’s take a look at a couple select parts of the world renowned and historic speech, I Have a Dream and compare it to where most Americans find themselves today. And, as we do, let’s ask ourselves what it’s going to take before another leader like Mr. Luther King Jr. stands up and begins to speak. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. Income disparity is at historic levels. The fact of the matter is that nearly all of the country’s wealth is concentrated in the hands of a tiny portion of society. We’re talking literally off the charts inequality (borderline banana republic). While over 100 million have left the conventional workforce to become discouraged or underemployed workers, Wall Street is seeing new highs. As of right now the DOW just reached its 143rd new record of 2013. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. Because of the rampant fiscal calamities, compounded by the loss of civil liberties and the disenfranchisement of the masses in the completely inept political establishment, a ferocious class war is brewing. The right and left sides of the isle have never been so polarized throughout the nation. Online and around dinner tables from Seattle to New York serious constitutional, legislative and legal arguments are getting heated. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. The state still has some political, economic, educational, labor problems. Debt is progressing. Through inflation and the devaluation of the dollar, at least 80% of America is being increasingly oppressed and then taxed to the gills with interest on money created out of thin air. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. In this respect Martin would be proud of America’s youth at large. They’re not perfect and have many flaws, but they sit at the cusp of a new age where through technology they find empowerment. Free knowledge, networking, business, virtual currencies, etc. Millennials will be the brunt of the workforce soon, and with them will come unprecedented changes. Freedom, real honest to goodness freedom, that’s what we see when we look at a black and white photo of him. That’s what we feel when we hear his words: And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. Sooner or later the pendulum of freedom will swing back towards a more balanced 21st century society. And when it does there will be great minds at the helm of powerful movement who themselves will have likely read and re-read those words above. A life remembered still has the power to change the world.

Tuberculosis in HIV infected patients Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tuberculosis in HIV infected patients - Essay Example This paper shall discuss tuberculosis among HIV patients, including its management, and expected patient outcomes. Discussion According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TB is the leading cause of death among HIV patients with almost one in four deaths attributed to tuberculosis. Statistics also indicate that about 20% of patients with TB and HIV have died in 2007; and individuals with HIV and TB account for 32% of patients having died during TB treatment (CDC). These figures indicate the impact of the TB on the HIV patient, how it exacerbates the patient’s condition and even places him at a significant and mortal risk. There are significant challenges which health professionals face with the treatment of TB among HIV patients. It is also important to note that multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) can manifest among HIV patients. This is unfortunate because these patients would often manifest resistance to two of the best anti-TB drugs – isonia zid and rifampicin (CDC). This type of TB is very difficult to treat and is sometimes a death sentence for HIV patients. Experts suggest that in order to control the occurrence of MDR-TB, the treatment has to be improved not just in the US, but all over the world. The most effective treatment for TB is still the DOTS treatment or the directly-observed therapy; and in order to improve the treatment of MDR-TB, the application of the DOTS must be expanded (CDC). The treatment of TB among HIV patients is more or less similar to the treatment of adult TB patients without HIV. However, managing this disease among HIV patients is complicated; moreover, these patients must also seek care from health professionals with expertise in managing HIV patients with TB (CDC). Since HIV patients are usually already taking in numerous medications, it is important for health experts to note which drugs would have negative interactions with each other, so as not to further exacerbate the patient’ s condition. These experts are also focusing their health programs towards preventing the spread of this disease among the non-HIV population, and more particularly among the HIV population (CDC). Various methods for the management of TB among HIV patients have been suggested. In a paper by Madhi, et.al., (p. 21) the authors sought to evaluate the use of isoniazid prophylaxis against TB among HIV infected children and uninfected children exposed to HIV during the their prenatal period. The authors considered about 540 HIV infected and 804 uninfected infants, assigning them to the isoniazid or the placebo group for 96 weeks. The respondents were assessed on tuberculosis disease, death among HIV-infected children and latent TB infection (Madhi, et.al., p. 21). The study established that the use of primary isoniazid prophylaxis among HIV-infected children and uninfected children did not improve their TB-disease free survival. In effect, even with the application of antiretroviral thera py, TB among HIV infected children remained high (Madhi, et.al., p. 21). There is a need to review the available treatment methods for these children, in order to establish appropriate preventative measures on the occurrence of TB. Martinson’s paper below provides an alternative to the isoniazid treatment. Martinson (p. 11) sought to evaluate the use of three new regimens for latent TB which may be more effective than the standard isoniazid treatment. The authors assigned respondents with HIV and TB and who were not

Analyze and interpret the events surrounding the overthrow of foreign Essay - 1

Analyze and interpret the events surrounding the overthrow of foreign governments by the United States. Why did the United States depose these foreign governments and what were the long term consequences - Essay Example extend the range of the Navy and Air Force, Kinzer shows how corporate interests, particularly related to the sugar industry, worked together with both the Presidential administration and military forces to establish a new government in Hawaii, protect it militarily through the deployment of Marine forces, and then to give it official recognition over the indigenous Hawaiian government led by the Queen, essentially enacting â€Å"regime change†. (Kinzer, 2006) Kinzer suggests that minority corporate interests related to the sugar industry drove the policy, but that this also was part of the broader goals of the imperial era where many industrialized nations sought to extend their influence globally through a combination of trade, military occupation, colonization, and natural resource exploitation. Another critical aspect Kinzer identifies is what can be called the â€Å"land grab† where corporate interests such as those related to the sugar plantations acquired vast tr acts of land from indigenous peoples using dishonest means cloaked in legality. The next main example Kinzer gives is the manufacturing of consent for war in the style of â€Å"yellow journalism† is Cuba, as related to the sinking of the Lusitania. Kinzer suggest that again sugar interests were a driving force, but behind the sugar trade the more sinister aspects of late 19th Century capitalism that were represented elsewhere in America. This is the era of the great Robber Barons, Carnegie, Morgan, Frick, Rockefeller, and the founders of modern finance and industrialization in America. Kinzer focuses more on the wider imperial forces that drive this era, such as the Spanish-American war, Cuba, the Philippines, and early intervention in the â€Å"Banana Republics† all as examples of the imperial drive that were driven by the urge to dominate other nations and indigenous groups through trade, land grabs, and natural resource exploitation. Kinzer shows how the aspects of the trade can shift from profit

Julius Caesar - Theme Of Friendship :: essays research papers

Friendship is a wonderful part of life, but it can unfortunately be used to deceive, for it is easy to manipulate with it, but only true friendship cannot be defeated, even after death. This element could well likely be the very thing that had sealed the fate of Julius Caesar, and Brutus, Cassius, and all the other conspirators knew that they could use this to their advantage, and to Caesar’s disadvantage. Friendship, was what the conspirators used as a cover to blind Caesar from the truth, just as a hunter uses camouflage to keep the animals from seeing what he is up to. The conspirators also used camouflage, but they used flattery along with manipulation as a way to soothe any feelings of doubt that Caesar may have had about their sincerity. These essentials would gain trust, which is the key to all friendships. This trust would be lost and transform into betrayal, with the murder of Caesar. Even though Caesar was plotted against and murdered by Brutus and Cassius, friendship still proved a strong theme because it would falsify the conspirators intents. Caesar was susceptible to the power of friendship just as any normal person would be and his friendship for the conspirators unfortunately blinded him until Brutus’s final blow, by which time it was too late for him. An example of how the conspirators used their friendship with Caesar against him was when Decius, who is one of the conspirators, came to the house of Caesar on the Ides of March. The first thing that Decius says when he walks into Caesar's house is "Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar."(2.2. 58-59) Decius also referred to Caesar as "most mighty". This only made Caesar become more comfortable with Decius, and trust him all the more. The conspirators had already decided how and when they would kill Caesar, and Brutus, Cassius, along with Decius, knew they had to lure Caesar close. They had an advantage at this because they knew that all they would have to do was prove to Caesar that they had a good, solid friendship, and this would help their situation and leave Caesar completely sightless to the fact that his situation had grown dire. So they decided to use their friendship with Caesar in a horribly deceptive manner, effectively, in order to kill him. Decius managed to start this off well by using flattery and quick wit in order to trick Caesar into going to the senate house, despite the fact that Caesars wife, Calpurnia had dreams of Caesars murder the night before. Julius Caesar - Theme Of Friendship :: essays research papers Friendship is a wonderful part of life, but it can unfortunately be used to deceive, for it is easy to manipulate with it, but only true friendship cannot be defeated, even after death. This element could well likely be the very thing that had sealed the fate of Julius Caesar, and Brutus, Cassius, and all the other conspirators knew that they could use this to their advantage, and to Caesar’s disadvantage. Friendship, was what the conspirators used as a cover to blind Caesar from the truth, just as a hunter uses camouflage to keep the animals from seeing what he is up to. The conspirators also used camouflage, but they used flattery along with manipulation as a way to soothe any feelings of doubt that Caesar may have had about their sincerity. These essentials would gain trust, which is the key to all friendships. This trust would be lost and transform into betrayal, with the murder of Caesar. Even though Caesar was plotted against and murdered by Brutus and Cassius, friendship still proved a strong theme because it would falsify the conspirators intents. Caesar was susceptible to the power of friendship just as any normal person would be and his friendship for the conspirators unfortunately blinded him until Brutus’s final blow, by which time it was too late for him. An example of how the conspirators used their friendship with Caesar against him was when Decius, who is one of the conspirators, came to the house of Caesar on the Ides of March. The first thing that Decius says when he walks into Caesar's house is "Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar."(2.2. 58-59) Decius also referred to Caesar as "most mighty". This only made Caesar become more comfortable with Decius, and trust him all the more. The conspirators had already decided how and when they would kill Caesar, and Brutus, Cassius, along with Decius, knew they had to lure Caesar close. They had an advantage at this because they knew that all they would have to do was prove to Caesar that they had a good, solid friendship, and this would help their situation and leave Caesar completely sightless to the fact that his situation had grown dire. So they decided to use their friendship with Caesar in a horribly deceptive manner, effectively, in order to kill him. Decius managed to start this off well by using flattery and quick wit in order to trick Caesar into going to the senate house, despite the fact that Caesars wife, Calpurnia had dreams of Caesars murder the night before.

Critical Incident Assignment Essay

In this assignment, I will analyse and reflect on a critical incident that I was confronted with during school experience A (here after will be referred to as SEA). I will reflect on the implications that my critical incident has had on my practice and I will relate it to theory. In addition, I will make reference to four approaches of analysis which have been outlined by Tripp (1993). Tripp’s four approaches focus on the why challenge, personal theory, thinking strategies and dilemma identification. I will examine these four approaches and discuss the ways in which I can develop my teaching practice. Moreover, I will outline further recommendations for my future practice which will be suggested throughout this assignment. Pollard (2008) points out that reflection can help to develop the quality of teaching and it provides children with valued learning experiences. In addition, being reflective allows one to analyse and consider ways to improve their professional development. Nonetheless, Cottrell (2005) argues that there can be barriers to critical thinking because some may assume that it is a negative activity. Therefore, one may feel that it is only necessary to make positive comments rather than seeking for areas of development. Consequently, this does not lead to or provide constructive criticism for areas to become a better practitioner (Cottrell, 2005). However, in my opinion, I think that it is important to reflect on and be critical of my teaching practice for the reason that I can learn from what I have done, and consider ways to progress in my future practice. Tripp (1993) advocates that reflective teaching is crucial because it enables one to evaluate the decisions that they have made, and consider ways to develop and progress in their professional development. During my first placement, I was confronted with a critical incident which led me to make a decision based on my professional development. During my maths lessons, child x (an English as an additional learner) continuously shouted out without putting his hands up whenever I asked the class questions. His disruptive behaviour unsettled my teaching as well as the children’s’ learning which I found quite difficult to deal with. Every time that he shouted out, I immediately informed him that I would not accept his answer because he did not have his hand up. Nonetheless, he would take that opportunity to continue to shout out without putting his hands up. This limited their ability to focus and listen to the lesson that I was teaching. Consequently, to minimise the possibilities of child x disturbing further lessons, I decided that he would sit with the teaching assistant (who spoke the same language as child x) so that he would become less disruptive. Upon reflection, I think that I should have firmly implemented the behaviour management strategy by being stricter. In addition, I could have immediately given child x a warning for shouting out. Nonetheless, I have realised that I did not have as much confidence during my first placement as I would have desired. During my dilemma, it was at that point that I had think about and question my teaching strategies to consider reasons behind child x’s disruptive behaviour during my lessons. Thinking strategies Tripp (1993) highlights that thinking strategies help reflective thinkers to gain a deeper understanding of a critical incident. When we think about critical incidents, we must consider non-events which reinforce the idea that when something has happened, this usually means that other things have not happened. In relation to my critical incident, I considered what had happened with child x rather than reflecting what had he did not do. Nonetheless, as I reflect on this critical incident, I have realised that if I thought about what did not happen with child x, it may have revealed why he was being disruptive during my lessons. In addition, the thinking strategy helps me to reflect upon the good and bad points of my critical incident. I was pleased to see that child x was optimistic to participate in my lesson as he showed great enthusiasm. Nonetheless, my incident also reveals the pessimistic point of my incident. Although child x was engaged in the lesson, his behaviour was disruptive and he interrupted my teaching which did not benefit the pupils learning. Due to the fact that I am a reflective thinker, I could have thought about possible alternatives and considered the incident from the child’s point of view. For instance, rather than moving child x next to the teaching assistant, I could have considered how he felt and the reasons why he did not put his hand up during class discussions. If I chose to make an alternative decision, what would the outcome be? I continue to ask myself a series of questions. After my maths lessons, I proposed a series of questions to myself: why does he call out during my lessons? Why do I have the expectation that he should put his hand up? Should I have imposed a different solution rather than have child x sit next to the teaching assistant? Could I have handled the situation more effectively? I continued to ask myself a series of questions which enabled me to reflect on what I did and why I did it. Although I may not be able to find a solution to my critical incident, I aim to explore and analyse it by reflecting on my teaching practice. Dewey (1933) in Pollard (1998) highlights that reflective practice enables teachers to constantly monitor, assess and review their own practice which allows teachers to learn from what they have done and develop in their professional skills. In addition, as previously outlined, my array of enquiries fits in with one of Tripp’s (1993) approaches which is called the ‘why challenge’. This form of analysis allows one to continuously ask questions: ‘why? ’ (Tripp, 1993, p 46). The ‘why challenge’ Tripp (1993) conveys that the answers to questions that practitioners have, does not necessarily reveal or lead to a conclusion that one is seeking for. Nonetheless, asking ‘why’ allows one to reflect and think about their practice and consider possible outcomes that could have arisen. Moreover, Tripp (1993) points out that when we ask questions, our ideas or actions can create either some form of reification or a normative statement which underpins a subjective point of view based on personal beliefs and opinions. ‘We are operating from a deeply held belief which may not be appropriate to our or consonant with our other beliefs’ (Tripp, 1993, p. 46) When we enquire about a particular situation, we tend to build our answers based on our former beliefs. With regards to the critical incident which took place between child x and I, I had to explore why I expected him to put his hands up to answer my questions? I expected that all children should put their hand up during class discussions because my former experiences in the classroom led me to the assumption that it was the norm for children to do so. Additionally, I think that the ‘hands up’ policy maintains order in the classroom rather than permitting all children to shout out all at once. My rules and beliefs, reinforces a normative statement because it is what I believe ‘is necessary’ (Tripp, 1993, p. 8). On the other hand, current research and ideas have opposed to children putting their hands up in class. Professor Dylan William (The Telegraph, 2010) advocates that asking children to put their hands up isolates other students during class discussion. However, School X highlights that no child is excluded and that they are all encouraged to move toward their full potential (School Policy 2011). Moreover, my beliefs and opinions led me to believe that all children should put their hands up and must not shout out in the class which led to a dilemma that I encountered during my teaching. Dilemma Identification Tripp (1993) conveys that incidents contain dilemmas that teachers are frequently confronted with. In his reading, Tripp recommends Berlak and Berlak as they propose that the great stress in teaching is having to make decisions throughout their teaching career. Pollard (2008) continues that teachers use their professional judgement to determine the most suitable form of action to take in any particular situation. During my critical incident (at SEA), I found myself in a predicament when child x constantly shouted out in class. When he disrupted the other children’s learning, I had to immediately decide on how I would deal with this situation. My immediate response was to have him sit next to the teaching assistant. My reason for placing child x with the teaching assistant, was because English is an additional language for him, therefore, I thought that it would be easier to place with an additional adult that spoke the same language as him. Nonetheless, reflecting back on this critical incident, there were many alternative routes that I could have taken rather than moving child x. I could have given him a warning to ensure that he was aware that I would not tolerate his disruptive behaviour. Moreover, I could have removed child x from the classroom in order for me to continue with my lesson. Nevertheless, being faced with a dilemma does not allow much time to contemplate, particularly within a class of 28 pupils. I did what I thought was the ‘right’ thing at that point which was to have him set next to another adult in the classroom. The series of dilemmas that I was confronted with was a emanding experience which I expressed within my reflective journal: ‘I found it difficult to deal with child x, he does not put his hands up during classroom discussions†¦ I need to decide how I am going to deal with his behaviour’ (U1100711 Reflective Journal, 24th November 2011). Upon reflection of my dilemma, I made a decision based on my values. This relates to Tripp’s (1993) ‘Personal Theory Analysis’. ‘Dilemma identification is useful†¦ because why we chose one resolution rather than another enables us to identify the values inherent in our professional judgement’ Tripp (1993, p. 9) Personal Theory Analysis Tripp (1993) proposes that teachers use their professional judgement to deal with dilemmas that they are constantly confronted with. My personal beliefs and values encouraged me to make the decision to move child x nearer to another adult. I thought that if child x sat next to an adult that he is more familiar with, he will be less disruptive in my lessons. Tripp (1993) conveys that teacher’s should also make decisions based on what is best for that child’s well-being. Therefore, I believed that rather than shouting at this child for being disruptive, my values and professional judgement assumed that it was beneficial for child x as well as the class if I remained calm and placed him with the teaching assistant. In addition, I had to consider the reasons as to why child x thought that it was necessary to distract his peers in the classroom: he was doing it to gain attention; he was trying to prove that he knew all of the answers; English is an additional language for him, and so on. All of these possible reasons must be taken into consideration rather than just assuming that he is a ‘naughty’ child. As confirmed by Tripp (1993), these examples convey that teachers are challenged with a series of dilemmas and decisions that they must make based on personal theories and professional judgement (1993, p. 53). Although I was faced with a number of challenges during my critical incident, it was crucial for me to make a decision based on my theoretical and moral judgement. To conclude, it is apparent that teachers are commonly confronted with critical incidents which consequently place them in a dilemma that is often dealt with based on professional and personal judgement. As formerly outlined, the critical incident and dilemmas that I was faced with, allowed me to reflect, analyse and critique on my teaching practice. Consequently, I have found that reflective teaching has enabled me to think about the decisions that I have made and contemplate ways in which I can become a better and effective teacher. After my first placement, I have learnt that I should enforce different teaching strategies to deal with a child’s behaviour rather than placing with another adult in the class straight away. For my future placements, I aim to enforce the behaviour management strategies more rigidly. Moreover, I intend to be more of an assertive and effective teacher in the future. Commentary – â€Å"Reflecting on what we do is essential to the development of professional judgement, but unless our reflection involves some form of challenge to and critique of ourselves and our professional values, we simply reinforce existing patterns and tendencies† (Tripp, D. , 1993, p. 12) The purpose of this assignment is to explore the implications of critical reflection within the context of my critical incident. I will analyse a range of relevant literature, national strategies and theories which will be used to critically evaluate the significant issues in relation to my teaching practice. Moreover, I intend to engage in a wider reading surrounding my critical incident in order to progress my professional development and to subsequently become a more effective teacher not only during my teaching practice, but throughout my teaching career. Tripp (1993) states that it is crucial to challenge and be critically reflective of one’s practice as it is enables us to improve and progress in our professional development. Moon (2004) contributes to Tripp’s theory as she claims that our thinking allows us to learn from our previous experiences. In addition, this theorist (2004) points out that we can improve our professional development as a result of thinking critically. Nonetheless, the aforementioned theories have been challenged as Zeichner and Liston (1996), suggest that reflective teaching can be considered as an idealised and unrealistic practice due to the high demands and heavy workload that teachers are confronted with on a daily basis. They continue that teachers do not often have the time to critically reflect on their practice for the reason that the classroom environment is fast-paced and busy which can make it difficult for teachers to reflect. On the other hand, I believe that critical reflection is essential for practitioners. This is because as I continue to engage with a wider reading of critical reflective activity, I have gained a greater understanding of how to deal with complex situations more efficiently within the classroom. My practice has enabled me to critically reflect on a variety of teaching styles that I adopted during my first placement. For example, I encouraged ‘talk partners’ during carpet time, reinforced children to work collaboratively, modelled examples on the interactive whiteboard and encouraged the pupils to display their work to the rest of the class. Adopting different teaching strategies has given me more confidence to develop my teaching practice and become more self-assured in some aspects of my teaching. Nonetheless, upon reflection of my first school placement, I found it quite difficult to deal with challenging behaviour whilst I was teaching. Pollard (2010) suggests that trainee teachers find it quite challenging to maintain discipline and order in the classroom, particularly if the children have established a relationship with their own teacher from the beginning of the year. Subsequently, it is essential for me to explore behaviour management theories in order to reflect and consider ways to progress in my professional development and be able to effectively deal with challenging behaviour in the future. Moreover, throughout my placement, I found that my reflective journal has been a useful tool as it has enabled me to reflect on ways to develop my classroom practice and improve my professional development: â€Å"Working in an inner-city and multi-cultural school has been a positive and challenging experience for me. I have been exposed to different teaching strategies and have witnessed various ways that the pupils respond to the staff which is useful for my professional development. † (U1100711, UEL Reflective Journal, 22 October 2011). Ghaye (2011) conveys that reflective practice is a purposeful and meaningful activity because it reinforces us to gain better knowledge and understanding of our practice. Moreover, although I was faced with many challenges throughout my first school placement, my reflective journal enabled me to consider reasons why I made the decisions that I chose to make during my critical incident. In addition, whilst on my placement, it was crucial for me to familiarise myself with the School X’s behaviour policy so that I was aware of what was expected of me during my placement. The School’s behaviour policy underlines the consequences of inappropriate behaviour and points out that there are five levels of intervention. School X uses a staged approach which is recorded on a stage chart in each classroom from Years 3 to 6. In their response to poor behaviour, this approach is variable, depending on the age of the pupil. Pollard (2010) points out that behaviour management is a continual concern for teachers due to the large numbers of children in the classroom. Furthermore, teachers constantly have to make quick decisions based on their professional judgement. Likewise, Roffey (2011) suggests that many teachers (particularly teachers with limited teaching experience) may not have much confidence when confronted with complexities within the classroom. She conveys that some teachers may not know what to do when they are placed in challenging situations which in turn, can have a negative effect on the children’s learning in the classroom. On the other hand, school and government policies emphasise the significance of the holistic approach to teaching and they have highlighted the importance of good behaviour in schools.