Education Essays – Curriculum Steiner Montessori

Curriculum Steiner MontessoriIntroductionAs with most things in instruction, there is no in agreement definition of ‘curriculum’ . The manner we understand and theorise it has altered over the old ages. A utile starting point for us here might be the definition offered by John Kerr and taken up by Vic Kelly in his standard work on the topic. Kerr ( Kelly 1999, p.10 ) defines course of study as ‘All the acquisition which is planned and guided by school, whether it is carried on in groups or separately, inside or outside school.’ There are many theoreticians who have studied kid development and have designed curriculum’s from their ain theories which they think will offer the best acquisition environment. This study will merely analyze three of assorted current course of study but offers an penetration of how there is no existent right or incorrect manner of how a kid learns. The study will take a expression at the ‘Steiner Method’ , the ‘Montessori Method’ , and eventually it will discourse the ‘High Scope Method’ , a more late developed method. It will besides supply illustrations on how some of the thoughts of these methods are being incorporated into other childcare scenes and course of studies.The Steiner MethodThere is over eight hundred Steiner schools universe broad. The Steiner method is based on the doctrines of Rudolf Steiner and the instruction emphasises personal duty and societal consciousness. The cardinal purpose of the instruction is to fit immature people emotionally, spiritually and intellectually, non merely to run into the hereafter but to play an of import portion in determining it. Harmonizing to Steiner’s doctrine, adult male is a treble being of spirit, psyche, and organic structure whose capacities unfold in three developmental phases on the way to maturity: early childhood, in-between childhood, and adolescence. Steiner instruction differs from the mainstream in a figure of ways. In a Steiner school there is no Hierarchy, instructors and parents work along together. Children do non get down formal instruction until they are six or seven old ages old and they so stay with the same instructor for seven old ages. The instructor works with the student’s parents, frequently sing the household place to let parental engagement. Classrooms are filled with natural and organic stuffs. In a Steiner baby's room, kids typically play with simple unfinished, wooden toys instead than bright plastic 1s, to let their imaginativenesss to develop. A Steiner schoolroom would hold few books and few computing machines. The Steiner doctrine dictates that screen images hinder the development of idea and imaginativeness. Colour is of import to Steiner ‘s educational doctrine for assisting kids ‘s imaginativeness to boom so students are instructed carefully as to how to continue through the coloring material spectrum ( Lewis 2001 ) . The immense difference between the Steiner method and other methods is that larning is directed by the instructor instead than the kid. There is a immense accent on creativeness and instructors will demo kids how and what stuffs they use. Teachers stress physical development through a ritualised dance signifier called eurythmy. Another primary rule of the Steiner method is kids do non get down reading until their grownup dentitions have erupted, normally around age seven, which, harmonizing to Steiner, shows the child’s preparedness to get down formal instruction. Delayed reading is one of the most controversial issues environing Steiner instruction, and there is concern from some pedagogues that kids may lose out on their literacy and reading â€Å"windows† ( Mogensen 2004 ) . The Steiner method is one that is enormously different to other methods used in Nurseries and schools ; therefore it is sometimes hard to see similarities in other educational establishments. However you can see similar theories in the Montessori Method. The usage of natural stuffs and the composure scene is one of the chief rules that link the two methods. I have seen this in topographic point at a Montessori primary school. The school was really quiet, and tonss of playthings and larning stuffs were made of wood and other natural stuffs. The school besides adopted some of the originative thoughts that Steiner follow. They let the kids make their ain narrative books alternatively of reading published books with ‘ready-made’ images, which encourages the kid to utilize their imaginativeness more widely. I think this is a great thought, as kids are non tainted by a peculiar image of a individual, animate being, object or environment. Kettle Nursery, who follow a 3-5 course of study, hold regular meetings with parents to inform them of their child’s development, and they besides give parents chances to detect their kid in the baby's room. This promotes parental engagement, which is another of Steiner’s chief rules.The Montessori MethodThe Montessori Method is an educational method for kids, based on theories of kid development originated by an Italian pedagogue, Maria Montessori. The method accommodates all ages of kids but it is applied chiefly in preschool and simple schools. It is an alternat e type of method that harnesses the child’s natural ability to larn and is built upon the thought that kids develop and believe otherwise than grownups. The Montessori Method supports all facets of the Childs personal and societal development. â€Å"From the minute the kid enters the schoolroom, each measure in his instruction is seen as a progressive edifice block, finally organizing the whole individual, in the outgrowth from childhood to adulthood. All focal point is on the demands of the child† ( Hainstock 1997, p.xiii ) . One separating characteristic of the Montessori at the preschool age is that kids direct their ain acquisition, taking among the subdivisions of a well structured and stocked schoolroom including practical life, sensory, Language, Math, Geography, Science and Art. The â€Å"Practical Life† country is particularly for the really immature kid and teaches them how to care for themselves and their environment. Here, a kid will larn to dress themselves, to pour, to rinse a tabular array, and to properly rinse their custodies, among other things. The â€Å"Sensorial† country allows them to utilize their senses to larn about the universe. Here, a kid will larn to judge different highs, lengths, weights, colourss, sounds, odors, forms, and textures. The linguistic communication, math, geographics and scientific discipline countries provide a kid with AIDSs for their rational development. Exercises in organic structure motion assist their physical development and their consciousness of their organic structure and what it can make. Many Montessori schools add such countries as music, art, dance, run uping, wood-working and foreign linguistic communications to foster enrich a child’s sum development ( Montessori 1912 ) . In a Montessori school, a kid teaches himself through their usage of the specially designed Montessori stuffs. These are attractive, by and large simple, child-sized stuffs that are self-correcting, that is, if a kid makes an mistake, they can see it by looking at the stuff itself in this manner ; no grownup is needed to indicate out their error and possibly wound their self-pride. The kid learns to work entirely and with others in a Montessori school. A kid learns to follow the category â€Å"ground rules† and may frequently remind other kids to follow them every bit good. Because they can take their ain work and make it at their ain gait, a kid has many chances for success ; the Montessori schoolroom is non-competitive. They will besides hold entree to workss and animate beings and will assist care for them. The Montessori schoolroom is an attractive topographic point in which a kid can be free from big domination and can detect their universe and construct their head and organic structure. The Montessori Method is alone. It is based on a reasonable balance between freedom and construction specifically designed for the immature kid. It provides a pleasant environment with carefully devised stuffs that meet the child’s natural demands. It provides the overall counsel of a thoroughly trained teacher. The function of the instructor is to present kids to stuffs and remain a â€Å"silent presence† ( Montessori 1912, p.371 ) in the schoolroom. Montessori gives a kid a strong footing, in their most formative old ages, for developing into a all-around, responsible, happy and fulfilled grownup. From my experience in Kettle baby's room, I can see how the course of study incorporates some of the thoughts that the Montessori Method follows. For case, the kids are to the full encouraged to make things for themselves, and take their ain drama and acquisition. The grownup is to merely function as an helper by back uping and widening their acquisition through drama. They are besides encouraged to clean up after themselves ; rinsing up their bite dishes, cleaning the tabular arraies and clean uping off stuffs one time they have finished utilizing them this is a really similar thought to the Montessori’s practical life thought. Another activity that allows kids to see practical life is when every bit shortly as they enter the baby's room they are expected to take their outside vesture and places themselves, and at the terminal of the twenty-four hours they are expected to set it back on themselves.The High Scope MethodThe High Scope course of study was developed in the United States of America in the 1960’s. It is one of the most common methods used at that place and in some other states. The thought behind High Scope is that kids should be involved actively in their ain acquisition. The grownups working with the kids should see themselves more as facilitators than supervisors. The High Scope method is an â€Å"active learning† attack. This means pupils have direct custodies on experience with people, objects, events and thoughts. Children’s involvements and picks are at the bosom of High Scope based plans. They construct their ain cognition through interactions with the universe and the people around them. Children take the first measure in the acquisition procedure by doing picks and following through on their programs and determinations. Teachers and parents offer physical, emotional and rational support. In active learning scenes grownups expand children’s believing with diverse stuffs and nurturing interactions. High Scope has alone characteristics that differentiate it from other early childhood plans. One is the day-to-day plan-do-review sequence. Research shows that be aftering and reexamining are the two constituents of the plan twenty-four hours most positively and significantly associated with children’s tonss on measurings of developmental advancement. This three-part sequence is alone to the High/Scope attack. It includes a short little group treatment during which kids plan what they want to make during work clip ( the country to see, stuffs to utilize and friends to play with ) . They are so given to clip to transport out their programs and so they meet up once more for another group treatment for reexamining what they have done and what they have learned. In between â€Å"do† and â€Å"review† kids clean up by seting off their stuffs or hive awaying unfinished undertakings. Childs are really active and purposeful during â€Å"do† clip because they are prosecuting activities that involvement them. They may follow their initial programs but frequently as they become engaged their programs shift or may even alter wholly ( High Scope Educational Research Foundation 2007 ) . The High Scope method besides operates group clip. ‘Small’ group clip is a opportunity for the kids to run into with an grownup to experiment with stuffs and work out jobs. Although grownups choose the activity to underscore a cardinal experience, kids are free to utilize the stuff in any manner they want during this clip. ‘Large’ group clip is the clip where kids and grownups come together for motion and music activities storytelling and other activities. Children have many picks and play the function of leader. In High Scope plans grownups are as active in the acquisition procedure as kids. A common spring and take relationship exists in which both groups participate as leaders and followings, talkers and hearers. Adults interact with kids by sharing control with them ; concentrating on their strengths, organizing echt relationships with them, back uping their drama thoughts, and assisting them decide struggles. Adults participate as spouses in children’s activities instead than supervisors. They respect kids and their picks and promote enterprise, independency, and creativeness. Because grownups are good trained in kid development, they provide stuffs and program experiences that kids need to turn and larn. Children and grownups spend at least half an hr outside every twenty-four hours basking vigorous and frequently noisy drama. They are free to do big motions running, jumping, mounting singing turn overing leaping yelling-all with energy. They collect and they garden. In utmost conditions they do big motor activity indoors. Transition times are the proceedingss between other blocks of the twenty-four hours including reaching and going times. The end is to do passages go through swimmingly since they set the phase for the following section in the days’ agenda. They besides provide meaningful chances themselves. Children may make up one's mind how to travel across the floor on the manner to little group clip. With a consistent day-to-day modus operandi, kids know what is traveling to take topographic point next. It is non unusual for them to denote the following activity and originate the passage. Snack clip allows kids to bask eating healthy nutrient in a supportive societal scene ( High Scope Educational Research Foundation 2007 ) . Some of these day-to-day modus operandis that happen in a high range baby's room are rather similar to other course of studies. The thought of the kid taking their ain acquisition is incorporated into the Montessori Method and the 3-5 twelvemonth Curriculum. I have seen this work good at Kettle Nursery. Another of import component that I have seen in working action was the importance of wellness. Snack clip at Kettle allows kids to see a healthy eating experience ; including sugar free bites, fruits and veggies. It seems to be that in the High Scope Method, the child’s wellness is a really of import facet of the course of study, which is really similar to the 3-5 old ages course of study. Kettle Nursery provides the chance for the kids to see play outside each twenty-four hours. They encourage an active life style which once more is really similar to High Scope. At the terminal of they twenty-four hours at Kettle Nursery, the Nursery Nurse besides spends a few proceedingss to discourse with the kids what they did that twenty-four hours, this is a small similar to the High Scopes thought of ‘reviewing’ .MentionsHainstock, E. 1997.The Essential Montessori: An debut to the adult female, the Hagiographas, the method, and the motion. New York: Plume Books. High Scope Educational Research Foundation. 2007.Curriculum.[ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.highscope.org/Content.asp? ContentId=1 [ accessed 24 September 2007 ] Kelly, A. V. 1999.The Curriculum: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Lewis, G. 2001.Rudolf Steiner. [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.freedom-in-education.co.uk/Steiner.htm [ accessed 24 September 2007 ] Mogensen, K. 2004.Eyess Wide Open. [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.aeufederal.org.au/Publications/AE/Atmn04pp26-30.pdf [ accessed 24 September 2007 ] Montessori, M. 1912.The Montessori Method.[ e-book ] New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company. Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //digital.library.upenn.edu/women/montessori/method/method.html [ accessed 14 October 2007 ]BibliographyScots Executive. 2001.Curriculum Framework for kids 3 to 5.Dundee: Learning and Teaching Scotland. Tanner, D. 2006.Curriculum Development: Theory into Practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Maria Montessori. n.d.Maria Montessori, MD.[ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.montessori.edu/maria.html [ accessed 24 September 2007 ]

Talking point( Family communication class) Essay

Talking point( Family communication class) - Essay Example Children whose parents divorced are recorded to be exhibiting less â€Å"emotional, behavioral, mental and social stability, have poorer health and inferior academic† performance (Fabricius et al., 2010, p. 202). Divorce can be caused by a variety of factors and is a very complex emotional issue. In general, divorce rates are increasing due to the rising level of economic independence of a woman and also because of higher educational attainment by most women. There are many social factors contributory to increasing divorce rates these days such as a decline in influence of religion, reduced communalism and a corresponding rise in individualism. However, most of the highly relevant reasons for a divorce are actually the result of a miscommunication or a lack of effective communications between the two principal partners. These are called as the predictive factors of a divorce such as repeated expressions of negative affect, low levels of emotional support, frequent arguments, infidelity and frequent heated arguments. Many of the causes happen on multiple levels and interact (Clarke-Stewart & Brentano, 2007, p. 29). This project is focused on the attachment theory which was originally developed for children and later on extended to adults in family relationships (Feeney & Noller, 1996, p. 5). Specifically, it looks at the dysfunctional nature of their communications (Rholes & Simpson, 2006, p. 23). Attachment theory from a dialectical perspective involves three general thoughts on family relationships that are privacy as against transparency, novelty versus predictability and finally, desired autonomy as against connectedness and intimacy. An important part of the intervention is looking at several talking points designed to help diffuse mis-communications. 1. Talking Point No. 1 – It takes two to tango. When people get into trouble with their partners, they usually blame the other person and

Comparing Eulers Method with Numerical Methods Thesis

Comparing Eulers Method with Numerical Methods - Thesis Example Nonetheless, differentiation of equation expressing these systems and shapes was noted to be quite complex. Moreover, these equations are only capable of describing extremely large systems and shapes, so pure mathematical analysis on them is quite impossible. The complex nature of these systems led to the usefulness of numerical approximation and computer simulations. Therefore, this paper will analyze Euler’s method in differentiating these complex mathematical equations. Notably, the numerical approximation techniques that are applied in solving the differential equation were thought of and developed long before the existence of the programmable computers. During the Second World War, people (particularly women) used mechanical calculators (in their rooms) to solve differential equations for war purposes. However, the introduction and increase in programmable computers and computer applications have decreased the cost and increased the speed, thereby increasingly easing solv ing the difference equations of complex systems (Kuang and Cong, 2007). For example, laptops can easily compute a long term interjectory of over one million interacting molecules. For about five to ten years ago, this problem seemed inaccessible to even the then fastest analog supercomputers. This essay will introduce the fundamental principle of numerical approximation and relate to geometry and curved surfaces. Thereafter, it will analyze how simple geometric problems can be handled using Euler’s method. Generally, numerical differential equations are always represented in the equation or functions, f. These functions can handle a wider range of ordinary differential equation (ODEs) and partial differential equations (PDEs). A system of ordinary differential equations can contain any number of unknown functions. However, all these functions must be a derivative of a single independent variable, t that is the same for other functions (Kuang and Cong, 2007). On the other hand , partial differential equations often have two or more independent variables. Differential Equations There are numerous ways of solving differential equations. However, there are fundamental equations upon which all other equations are built. The first order system of differential equation takes the simplest order dy/dt = f(y, t) or y? = f(x, y). Where dy/dy represents the change in y with time and f(y, t) is a function of variables y and t. notably, there are numerous notations for the change d/dt. The most common ones include ? and y’. This equation satisfies numerical integration that means computation from initial point y0 (the initial condition) to the other successive conditions y1, y2, y3 †¦ since differential equations cannot be solved analytically, they take an algorithm that computes the function or equation as precise as possible, that is, yn+1 from yn. In some cases, y may be a vector while the evolution equation may be non-linear differential equations. Pro blem Formulation The main theme of this essay is to use first order differential to solve differential equation under certain set conditions. Consider that the fundamental differential equation of the first order of ordinary differential equation is dy/dx = f(x, y) with the initial boundary condition being y(x0) = y0. Approximate the function y(x) over the sample values of xn

Why do bioacchaeologists pay so much attention to human dental remains Essay

Why do bioacchaeologists pay so much attention to human dental remains - Essay Example It is possible to identify whether the human bone remain is composed of an infant to be present with an adult(s), or an adult alone. (Janaway et al., 2001; 202 – 204) Other detailed information that can be gathered from human bone remains includes the height of an individual and the possible causes of death such as cut-marks, abrasions or surface etching on the bones among others. However, there is a limitation in the study of human bone remains. Bone assembly is not enough to determine the sex information of an individual. (Stini, 1985) Due to the limitations in study the human bone remains, the use of human dentition in personal identification of the victims of violence, accidents, disaster, homicides, suicides, or other unfortunate events such as fire is commonly used and is widely accepted. (Jones, 1998) It is possible to conduct a personal identification of deceased individuals in two ways: (1) by comparing the antemortem (before death) dental records with the human dental remains; and (2) by collecting and recording the postmortem (after death) dental profile which will be used in comparing with the antemortem records. (Sweet and DiZinno, 1996) Postmortem dental profiling enables Bioarchaeologists to stay focused in the search for the antemortem record which normally contains information related to the deceased’s age, ancestry background, sex, and socio-economic status. In some cases, the antemortem record also provides information concerning the deceased’s occupation, habitual behaviours, dietar y habits, and dental or systemic diseases. In line with the importance of studying the importance of human dental remains, this study will identify the importance of dental development in determining the approximate age of an individual; the difference in determining the sex of an individual based on archaeological skeletal and human dental remains; the use of human dental remains in determining

Employment Law essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employment Law - Essay Example Along with this transference, the company requires the redundancy of thirty-five employees out of total fifty employees in the South Sea centre because of bad reputation of the centre and lessening memberships. The company, Keep Fit & Well Co Ltd has a high turnover, but it is liable for unfair dismissals of employees and in case of downsizing or transferring, it is again accountable to the employees. This paper offers legal advises to Abe, Donald and Esme and finally to the employers and employees involved in the transference of Fareham centre to the Fitness Freaks, as many employees have to face redundancy. The employees are highly affected by wrong decisions taken by the company’s administration. In addition, legalization of every employment action is necessary in order to work without any legal claims. Abe has been wronged, as Cathy, the manager of the South Sea centre unjustifiably accused Abe of theft and pushed him into dismissal. She took a one sided decision based on her own will that comes into the category of discrimination. She also dismissed Abe unfairly calling legal action. She conducted the investigation after dismissing Abe, however, she was supposed to investigate the matter beforehand. In Abe’s case, the role of employment tribunal, unfair dismissal and dismissal based on discrimination must be considered in detail to come to a conclusion, as what Abe can claim for the injustice. Employment tribunal resolves conflicting situations between employers and employees and the matters, it usually solves are related to unfair dismissal, redundancy and discrimination1. In addition, the employment tribunal is also referred to be accessed as per ACAS guidelines related to disciplinary rules and procedures2. Unfair dismissal can be explained in legal terms as inability of the employer to provide a justified reason for dismissal of the employee, failure of the employer to follow the legal processing of dismissal or a dismissal based on unfair reason.

Ecological Footprint Reflection (Environmental Sustainability) Term Paper

Ecological Footprint Reflection (Environmental Sustainability) - Term Paper Example In practical approach one’s own personal life style (related to food, mobility or waste) is selected and its ecological footprint is analyzed for four weeks and then reduction strategies (intervention) were employed for that particular life style for the next four weeks. Then a comparison was brought in to see how the reduction strategies affected one’s Ecological foot print. The aim of this project was to analyze baseline food consumption based on calories and the reduction strategy was employed to reduce the calorie intake and to have a healthy diet. The 9th week, which was the first week of intervention failed miserably as that week alone had a large consumption; 1450 ml of alcoholic beverages, 1000ml of ice cream, 1.10 kg of fried chicken, 5 eggs and 4.48 kg of rice put together sums up a large intake of calorie, this high intake was associated to socializing with friends. The following weeks of intervention was more successful as both alcohol and ice cream consumption fell to 500ml each in the 2nd week to nil in the next two weeks for both. Alcohol has a high calorie content of 7 calories per gram and so reduction in alcoholic beverages can have good effect on the ecological footprint. This intervention any way had an effect on the overall alcohol consumption; 2250 ml in baseline tracking (4 weeks) compared to only 1825 ml on application of reduction strategy (4 weeks). At the same time ice-cream consumption was same for both the base line and intervention period. In the meat section the four week reduction strategy helped to reduce consumption of beef from 2.75 kg of initial four weeks (baseline) to 0.80kg and at the same time consumption of pork was reduced from 0.20 to 0.10 kg .Beef provides an enormous amount of calories on an average 250Kcal per 100gram. Pork contains high amount of non healthy fat. The intervention was not successful in reducing consumption of

The Life and History of Jesse Stuart Essay Example for Free

The Life and History of Jesse Stuart Essay Jesse Stuart (1907— ) was the son of an illiterate tenant farmer from eastern Kentucky. Jesse Stuart had little formal education as a child. When he finally managed to attend high school, and then college, he discovered that he had a talent for writing. He has pursued a successful career as a writer, at the same time serving as a teacher and administrator in southern schools. In addition to short stories, Stuart has written poetry, novels, an autobiography (The Thread that Runs So True, 1958) and a biography of his father (Gods Oddling, 1960). It was from his father, that the author gained his great love of nature and appreciation individuality. LOVE Yesterday when the bright sun blazed down on the wilted corn my father and I walked around the edge of the new ground to plan a fence. The cows kept coming through the chestnut oaks on the cliff and running over the young corn. They bit off the tips of the corn and trampled down the stubble. My father walked in the cornbalk. Bob, our Collie, walked in front of my father. We heard a ground squirrel whistle down over the bluff among the dead treetops at the clearings edge. Whoop, take him, Bob, said my father. He lifted up a young stalk of corn, with wilted dried roots, where the ground squirrel had dug it up for the sweet grain of corn left on its tender roots. This has been a dry spring and the corn has kept well in the earth where the grain has sprouted. The ground squirrels love this corn. They dig up rows of it and eat the sweet grains. The young corn stalks are killed and we have to replant the corn. I can see my father keep sicking Bob after the ground squirrel. He jumped over the corn rows. He started to run toward the ground squirrel. I, too, started running toward the clearings edge where Bob was jumping and barking. The dust flew in tiny swirls behind our feet. There was a cloud of dust behind us. Its a big bull blacksnake, said my father. Kill him, Bob! Kill him, Bob! Bob was jumping and snapping at the snake so as to make it strike and throw itself off guard. Bob had killed twenty-eight copperheads this spring. He knows how to kill a snake. He doesnt rush to do it. He takes his time and does the job well. Lets dont kill the snake, I said. A blacksnake is a harmless snake. It kills poison snakes. It kills the copperhead. It catches more mice from the fields than a cat. I could see the snake didnt want to fight the dog. The snake wanted to get away. Bob wouldnt let it. I wondered why it was crawling toward a heap of black loamy earth at the bench of the hill. I wondered why it had come from the chestnut oak sprouts and the matted greenbriars on the cliff. I looked as the snake lifted its pretty head in response to one of Bobs jumps. Its not a bull blacksnake, I said. Its a she-snake. Look at the white on her throat. A snake is an enemy to me, my father snapped. I hate a snake. Kill it, Bob. Go in there and get that snake and quit playing with it! Bob obeyed my father. I hated to see him take this snake by the throat. She was so beautifully poised in the sunlight. Bob grabbed the white patch on her throat. He cracked her long body like an ox whip in the wind. He cracked it against the wind only. The blood spurted from her fine-curved throat. Something hit against my legs like pellets. Bob threw the snake down. I looked to see what had struck my legs. It was snake eggs. Bob had slung them from her body. She was going to the sand heap to lay her eggs, where the sun is the setting-hen that warms them and hatches them. Bob grabbed her body there on the earth where the red blood was running down on the gray-piled loam. Her body was still writhing in pain. She acted like a greenweed held over a new-ground fire. Bob slung her viciously many times. He cracked her limp body against the wind. She was now limber as a shoestring in the wind. Bob threw her riddled body back on the sand. She quivered like a leaf in the lazy wind, then her riddled body lay perfectly still. The blood colored the loamy earth around the snake. Look at the eggs, wont you? said my father. We counted thirty-seven eggs. I picked an egg up and held it in my hand. Only a minute ago there was life in it. It was an immature seed. It would not hatch. Mother sun could not incubate it on the warm earth. The egg I held in my hand was almost the size of a quails egg. The shell on it was thin and tough and the egg appeared under the surface to be a watery egg. Well, Bob, I guess you see now why this snake couldnt fight, I said, It is life. Stronger devour the weaker even among human beings. Dog kills snake. Snake kills birds. Birds kill the butterflies. Man conquers all. Man, too, kills for sport. Bob was panting. He walked ahead of us back to the house. His tongue was out of his mouth. He was tired. He was hot under his shaggy coat of hair. His tongue nearly touched the dry dirt and white flecks of foam dripped from it. We walked toward the house. Neither my father nor I spoke. I still thought about the dead snake. The sun was going down over the chestnut ridge. A lark was singing. It was late for a lark to sing. The red evening clouds floated above the pine trees on our pasture hill. My father stood beside the path. His black hair was moved by the wind. His face was red in the blue wind of day. His eyes looked toward the sinking sun. And my father hates a snake, I thought. I thought about the agony women know of giving birth. I thought about how they will fight to save their children. Then, I thought of the snake. I thought it was silly for me to think such thoughts. This morning my father and I got up with the chickens. He says one has to get up with the chickens to do a days work. We got the posthole digger, ax, spud, measuring pole and the mattock. We started for the clearings edge. Bob didnt go along. The dew was on the corn. My father walked behind with the posthole digger across his shoulder. I walked in front. The wind was blowing. It was a good morning wind to breathe and a wind that makes one feel like he can get under the edge of a hill and heave the whole hill upside down. I walked out the corn row where we had come yesterday afternoon. I looked in front of me. I saw something. I saw it move. It was moving like a huge black rope winds around a windlass. Steady, I says to my father. Here is the bull blacksnake. He took one step up beside me and stood. His eyes grew wide apart. What do you know about this, he said. You have seen the bull blacksnake now, I said. Take a good look at him! He is lying beside his dead mate. He has come to her. He, perhaps, was on her trail yesterday. The male snake had trailed her to her doom. He had come in the night, under the roof of stars, as the moon shed rays of light on the quivering clouds of green. He had found his lover dead. He was coiled beside her, and she was dead. The bull blacksnake lifted his head and followed us as we walked around the dead snake. He would have fought us to his death. He would have fought Bob to his death. Take a stick, said my father, and throw him over the hill so Bob wont find him. Did you ever see anything to beat that? Ive heard theyd do that. But this is my first time to see it. I took a stick and threw him over the bank into the dewy sprouts on the cliff.