Business plan for a Korean and Japanese restaurant

Business plan for a Korean and Japanese restaurant The purpose of this business plan is to justify the startup of a high-end Korean and Japanese restaurant in the Carrolton, TX area. Sushi Nara will have one owner and the legal structure will consist of a sole proprietor. Sushi Nara will be located in 2625 Old Denton Rd. #200 Carrolton, TX 75007. Sushi Nara will provide a high class Korean and Japanese cuisine. Based on projected income and financial analysis included in this business plan, Sushi Nara will be successful. There is a high demand for healthy food, especially Asian cuisine like Korean and Japanese cuisine in the Dallas area due to the lack of similar business available. We look forward to the future at Sushi Nara. We expect in five years that demand for our specialized service will grow in other areas to justify opening several restaurant owned franchises in other areas. Sushi Naras specialized service, distinctive logo, slogan Top quality Top Service, reputation for customer service will provide a tough to beat competitive edge. The owners have earned Bachelor degrees of business, and have extensive experience in business management and operations from past years of work experience. Management and Organization Plan Sushi Nara, Korean and Japanese fusion restaurant, has a mission that to provide outstanding Korean and Japanese cuisine to Korean community in Dallas, Texas. Sushi Naras specialized service, distinctive logo, and slogan Top Quality and Top service, reputation for customer service will provide a tough to beat competitive edge. Sushi Nara is committed to becoming Dallass premier Korean and Japanese restaurant. Dedication to building relationships is based on our honesty, service, and accountability. Sushi Nara is also committed to exceptional customer satisfaction. Location Sushi Nara is located in a Korean town in Carrolton, TX. The address is 2625 Old Denton Rd. #200 Carrolton, TX 75007. The 3,400 square foot building was built specifically for the commercial property. The entire building is serviced by a Korean retailer and whole seller. Sushi Nara maintains 11am to 9pm, on Tuesday to Sunday. Company mission At its core, Sushi Nara provides for the Korean traditional cuisines, Japanese cuisines, traditional Korean Soju, and Japanese Sake. Restaurant provides to customer with an outstanding quality sushi, sashimi, and Korean cuisine in one place. To provide high quality food, we do not use chemical ingredients and frozen products. Company Vision Eating healthy! Korean and Japanese cuisine at one place! Today there are many concerns regarding to our health and many experts advising us how we should eat. We must pay close attention to our diets, but eating well should not only benefit your body, but your mind as well. We, Sushi Nara, believe that of all the ways that people can eat, Korean and Japanese Cuisine are the healthiest and safest diet. We are going to start Sushi Nara so that people might learn how to eat a healthy diet. As native Koreans, we have the benefit of understanding traditional Korean cuisine and quickly saw that there were many Korean dishes we could introduce to westerners. Product The service that Sushi Nara is going to offer is one in which it makes your dining better and healthier. We want to treat our guests with respect so that it makes their dining more enjoyable. Sushi Nara will be providing services for dining such as: Korean cuisine, Japanese cuisine, and traditional alcohols. A typical Korean meal usually consists of one main dish, generally meat or fish, and a wide range of tiny side dishes as appetizers or Ban Chan. Kim Chi, a spicy fermented cabbage dish highly seasoned with garlic and red pepper, is served at virtually all meals and is probably the best known Korean Ban Chan. A typical Korean meal usually consists of sushi, sashimi and teriyaki. Two very popular meat dishes are Gal-Bi, and Bul-Goki which are marinated in a delectable sauce and grilled over an open flame. Soups are also another Korean staple at mealtimes. A popular soup is Man Du Guk, a tasty dumpling stew in a seasoned beef broth. Another favorite is Bi-Bim-Bab, which usually makes for a hearty meal on its own, with just a few appetizers. Bi-Bim-Bab starts with rice in a big bowl, and is topped with assorted vegetables and mixed with a spicy bean paste. This dish can be served with shreds of beef or without. Sushi is a Japanese dish consisting of cooked vinegary rice which is commonly topped with other ingredients, such as fish or other seafood. Sliced raw fish by itself is called sashimi, as distinct from sushi Organizational Structure and Human Resources Sushi Naras legal structure is sole proprietorship. Sushi Nara has 4 full time employees and 3 part time employees. Sushi Nara categorizes employees into four types of labor, Director, Receptionist/Casher, Kitchen employee, and Customer Service. These categories are determined by position education and experience requirements. Director has all responsibility of restaurant not only financial problems, customer service, advertising but also recipe and food quality, but usually executive director is going to be to greet customers and to check customers bill at the front desk. Receptionist/Casher has responsibilities about dining appointment, check bill, and customer greeting. Kitchen employee has responsibilities about cooking, food supply purchasing, food quality and everything inside the kitchen. Customer service has responsibilities about customer satisfaction during food serving. Director/Owner 1Organization Structure Kitchen employee 2 (Chef 1) (Assistant chef 1) Receptionist/Casher 1 Customer service 3 Human Resource Requirements Director/Owner The person who has knowledge of general business. Receptionist/Casher The person who has an accounting Knowledge The person who with no contagious diseases Kitchen Employee The person who has a license of Korean and Japanese cuisine The person who has chef experienced at least three years The person who has and honest and diligent attitude The person who with no contagious diseases Customer Service The person who with no contagious diseases The person who has a customer service mind The person who has honest and diligent attitude Marketing Plan Industry Outlook According to National Restaurant Associations 2010 Restaurant Industry Forecast, economic downturn easing, the restaurant industry is expected to show gradual improvement in 2010. Sustainability, health and nutrition will be the top trends on restaurant menus this year. Seventy percent of consumers say they are more likely to visit restaurants that offer fresh produced food, and nearly three out of four say they are trying to eat healthier in restaurants now than they did two years ago. Target Market A stores success often depends on how carefully its target market has been identified. Our main targets are Korean customers who live in Dallas and nearby states. Dallas is one of the most important cities to Korean society in US. According to The Korea Embassy in Houston, officially 148,000 Korean people live in Texas. There are a lot of Korean wholesale stores in Carrolton, TX and on Harry Hines Blvd in Dallas. Usually, Dallas covers business supply to Korean retail store, located in Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Customer Profile Primary customers will be: A Korean and Japanese family who lives in Dallas and age range are twenty to seventy. Korean goods retailer who lives in out of Texas such as Ok, AR, and LA. Secondary customers will be: American customer who likes Korean and Japanese cuisine. Competitive Environment According to Yellow Pages, there are only 13 Korean restaurants and 88 Japanese restaurants In Dallas area. But, there are a few restaurants that serve Korean and Japanese dishes at the same time. So, we focus on Korean and Japanese restaurant at the same time, for as I do this, our restaurant can meet the customers needs, they want to eat Korean dishes and Japanese dishes in one place. This will allow for the creation of a great deal of customer awareness and brand loyalty, erecting significant barriers to entry for potential competitors. Here are our competitors. Korea House Gui Korean Japanese Bistro Bar Omi Korean Grill Bar Todamgol Direct Competitor Restaurant Name Menu Distance/Address Price range Korea House http://www.koreahousedallas.com/ Korean and Japanese cuisine Within 8 miles/ 2598 Royal Ln. Dallas, TX 75229 Korean dishes $12- $20 Japanese dishes $20- $90 Gui Korean Japanese Bistro Bar http://www.guirestaurant.com/ Korean and Japanese cuisine Within 15 miles/ 2719 McKinney Ave Dallas, TX 75204 $10 ~ $30 Indirect Competitor Restaurant Name Menu Distance Price range Omi Korean Grill Bar http://www.omikoreangrill.com/ Korean cuisine Within 0.1 miles/ 2625 Old Denton Rd Carrollton, TX 75011 $8 ~ $33 Todamgol Korean cuisine Within 0.1 miles/ 2625 Old Denton Rd., Ste. 310 Carrollton, TX 75007 $8 ~ $20 SWOT Analysis Price strategy Sushi Nara will be offered at the following prices.  Our Korean cuisine price is a little bit superior then our competitors price, but our Japanese cuisine price is inferior then our competitors price, for we use good ingredients for customers health. Korean Traditional Meal starts ten dollar to twenty dollar. Sushi starts fifteen dollar to twenty dollar. Sashimi starts twenty dollar to one hundred dollar. Korean traditional alcohols start nine dollar to fifteen dollar. We offer money back guarantee If customer who does not satisfied food quality. We will do re-dish or refund your money. We offer ten dollar gift card when you visit 10 times. Advertising and Promotion Strategy For the first year, Sushi Nara will use word of mouth advertising by meeting with friends and business associates on a regular basis. Promotion of Sushi Nara will also do by attending meetings and networking with the Korean Society of Dallas. Also we will advertise on three different types of Korean daily news papers, seven different types of Korean weekly news papers, and Korean social TV network. We will create our own commercial through Korean social broadcasting to attract the television viewers. We are also trying to expose our service placing flyers in local grocery stores and placing ads in the local newspaper to attract the readers. Once business gets going we will also be providing discount coupon and special offers when the customer chooses Sushi Nara. Adverting on Korean news paper and Korean social TV network Flyers Discount coupon Special offers (ex. birthday special) Market Penetration Strategy At Sushi Nara our main target market is reaching out to middle to upper income customers, Korean community, and who interested in healthy food about Korean and Japanese cuisine. Our service is affordable and convenient to our customer. Sushi Nara wants to make sure that we keep our pricing in the mid to upper range to attract customers. Keeping our price reasonable will create a higher profit margin for the service that we are providing along with attracting more potential customers. As the market is continuously changing, we will be adding a new menu to adapt market changing. We treat our customer like a family. 30% of our profit will be invested to improve our restaurants environment. We will use fresh product We will focus on quality We will use Original Korean/Japanese recipe (No modify) Facility Plan Facility Description The restaurant at 2625 Old Denton Rd. #200 Carrolton, TX 75007 is a 2400 Square foot space. It was formerly a restaurant and needs on minor structural modifications. The licenses and codes issues are all in order. New equipment and dining room furnishings will be purchased and installed by the general contractor. conveyor-belt sushi * 1 (10 people ) Table and four chairs * 8 (32 people) Table and eight chairs * 2 (16 people ) Total 58 seats available Used Commercial Stainless Steel 3027 Equipment Utility Stand Kitchen appliances Serving dishes Commercial Cooking Equip 36 Six Eye Range V36 OVEN Used Refrigerator Cooler Deep Fryers Japanese Cookware Japanese Kitchen Utensils Rice Cookers Sushi Display Case Teppanyaki Griddles Under counter Coolers x 1 Computer and Printer Used Ice Head Maker w/ Bin and Remote IRC830 Used McCann Coke Product 6 Head Soda Beverage Dispenser w/ Ice Bin Wine Buckets Stands x 10 Financial Plan Objectives We are expecting that sales of over $400,000 in first year. We are expecting that net profit over $100,000 in three year. Start-up Summary Sushi Nara has found the store location. Sushi Naras monthly rent cost is around $4,000 per month. We are expecting to set up the shop in time to begin turning back a profit by the end of month sixth and be profitable in the one year. The place which we selected is already surrounded by Korean shopping center, so there is a lot of customer traffic. So we plan to come up with a total of $90,000 in capital, plus a $100,000 guaranteed loan, to start up the restaurant. . Table: Start-up financial plan Sushi Nara Start-up financial plan Requirements Start-up Expenses Legal Form $3,000 Cleaning and Stationery $2,000 Other $1,500 Total Start-up Expenses $6,500 Start-up Assets Needed Cash Balance on Starting Date $88,500 Other Current Assets $100,000 Total Current Assets $188,500 Long-term Assets $0 Total Assets $188,500 Total Requirements $194,500 Funding Investment Investor 1 $90,000 Total Investment $90,000 Current Liabilities Accounts Payable $5,000 Current Liabilities $5,000 Long-term Liabilities $100,000 Total Liabilities $105,000 Loss at Start-up ($6,500) Total Capital $83,500 Total Capital and Liabilities $188,500 Sales Strategy Table: Sales Forecast Unit Sales 2011 2012 2013 Meals 28,080 33,000 38,000 Drinks 13,000 16,000 19,500 Other 310 450 700 Total Unit Sales 41,390 49,450 58,200 Unit Prices 2011 2012 2013 Meals $16.00 $16.00 $16.00 Drinks $2.00 $2.00 $2.00 Other $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 Sales 2011 2012 2013 Meals $449,280 $528,000 $608,000 Drinks $26,000 $32,000 $39,000 Other $3,100 $4,500 $7,000 Total Sales $478,380 $564,500 $654,000 Direct Unit Costs 2011 2012 2013 Meals $3.00 $3.00 $3.00 Drinks $0.60 $0.60 $0.60 Other $1.50 $1.50 $1.50 Direct Cost of Sales 2011 2012 2013 Meals $84,240 $99,000 $114,000 Drinks $7,800 $9,600 $11,700 Other $465 $675 $1,050 Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $92,505 $109,275 $126.750 Human Resource Financial Plan Our restaurant will be consisting of seven peoples. As the Human resource financial plan table shows that each salary are considering inflation. Table: Human Resource Financial Pan Human Resource Financial Plan 2011 2012 2013 Director 60,000 61,000 62,000 Receptionist $42,000 $43,000 $44,000 Chef $54,000 $55,000 $56,000 Chef assist $30,000 $31,000 $32,000 Hall server $72,000 $75,000 $78,000 Other $14,000 $15,000 $16,000 Total People 7 7 7 Total Payroll $272,000 $280,000 $288,000 Break-even Analysis Sushi Naras break-even analysis is based on the average of the first financial year sales revenue for total product sales by meal and drink served, total cost of sales, and all operating expenses. Our total product sales are presented as per-unit revenue, per-unit cost, and fixed costs. We estimate that this break-even analysis numbers are not really the same as fixed cost, but these break-even analysis assumptions make for a better estimate of real risk. Table: Break-even Analysis Break-even Analysis (Monthly) Sushi Nara Sushi Nara Units Break-even Point 16,000 Sushi Nara Revenue Break-even Point $16,000 Sushi Nara Break-even point assumptions (Average) Unit Revenue $10.44 Unit Variable Cost $8.34 Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost $29,459 Projected Profit and Loss As the profit and loss table shows, we expect to become barely profitable in the second year of business, and to make an acceptable profit in the third year. Table: Pro Forma Profit and Loss Pro Forma Profit and Loss 2011 2012 2013 Sales $478,380 $564,500 $654,000 Direct Cost of Sales $92,505 $109,275 $126.750 Production Payroll $0 $0 $0 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Cost of Sales $92,505 $109,275 $126.750 Gross Margin $385,875 $455,225 $527,000 Gross Margin % 80.66% 80.64% 80.58% Expenses Payroll $272,000 $280,000 $288,000 Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses $15,000 $23,000 $33,000 Depreciation $1,000 $1,050 $1,103 Utilities $2,200 $2,260 $2,323 Payroll Taxes $41,300 $52,550 $60,500 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Operating Expenses $331,500 $358,860 $384,926 Profit Before Interest and Taxes 54,357 $96,365 $142,074 Interest Expense $10,000 $9,500 $8,250 Taxes Incurred $0 $6,890 $18,363 Net Profit $44,357 $79,975 $115,461 Net Profit/Sales 9.27% 14.16% 17.65% Projected Cash Flow The cash flow projection shows for three years Table: Pro Forma Cash Flow Pro Forma Cash Flow Cash Received 2011   2012   2013   Cash from Operations: Cash Sales $478,380 $564,500 $654,000 Cash from Receivables $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash from Operations $478,380 $564,500 $654,000 Additional Cash Received Non Operating (Other) Income $0 $0 $0 New Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 New Other Liabilities (interest-free) $0 $0 $0 New Long-term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Sales of Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 New Investment Received $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Received $478,380 $564,500 $654,000 Expenditures Expenditures from Operations: Cash Spending $17,400 $19,800 $27,000 Payment of Accounts Payable $360,000 $410,000 $480,000 Subtotal Spent on Operations $377,400 $429,800 $507,000 Additional Cash Spent Non Operating (Other) Expense $3,500 $4,700 $6,800 Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 Other Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0 Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment $500 $10,000 $15,000 Purchase Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Spent $381,400 $444,500 $528,000 Net Cash Flow $96,980 $120,000 $126,000 Cash Balance $185,480 $305,480 $431,480 Projected Balance Sheet The table shows projected balance sheet for three years. Table: Balance Sheet Pro Forma Balance Sheet Assets Current Assets 2011 2012 2013 Cash $185,480 $305,480 $431,480 Other Current Assets $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 Total Current Assets $285,480 $405,480 $531,480 Long-term Assets Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0 Accumulated Depreciation $1,000 $1,050 $1,103 Total Long-term Assets ($1,000) ($1,050) ($1,103) Total Assets $284,480 $404,430 $530,377 Liabilities and Capital 2011 2012 2013 Accounts Payable $35,000 $41,000 $53,000 Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 Other Current Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Current Liabilities $35,000 $41,000 $53,000 Long-term Liabilities 100,000 $90,000 $75,000 Total Liabilities $135,000 $131,000 $128,000 Paid-in Capital $90,000 $90,000 $90,000 Retained Earnings ($15,123) ($45,000) ($50,000) Earnings $44,357 $79,975 $115,461 Total Capital $119,234 $124,975 $155,461 Total Liabilities and Capital $284,480 $404,430 $530,377 Net Worth $119,234 $124,975 $155,461

Metacognition Student Achievement Essay

Metacognition has generally been described as thinking about one’s own thoughts. The realization that a human being cannot exist in isolation of his inner self, that he is constantly probing that dam of his very essence to evaluate situations and resolve the never-ending puzzles that daily confront him. Kornell (2009), has described metacognition as self-reflection and conscious awareness. An even more elaborate definition is that given by Serendip (2009). He defines it as â€Å"a reflective practice that helps one discern general patterns in one’s own views and abilities†. Whichever definition one feels comfortable with, it cannot be said to be superior to the other, because metacognition deals with the intangible and cannot be weighed on a scale. It has, however, been the subject of widespread research all over the world. Psychologists are now asking themselves, what causes that tip of the tongue experience, when you are sure you know someone’s name but cannot recall it? Or what is at play when one conveys a feeling of uncertainty? Why is it that humans are able to have certain cognitive abilities that animals apparently do not have? For example, if asked what year America gained independence, one may readily recall with certainty, or one may say with complete uncertainty that he does not know. The answer may also lie in between, showing a certain degree of uncertainty by replying, for example, I think it was 1776. Whatever answer one gives, it demonstrates an ability to question one’s memory and experience. According to studies that have been done, this ability can be improved. Thus, the science of metacognition is now rampant, with studies being carried out on the cognitive abilities of monkeys, children, students, and ways in which they can be improved. Metacognition 2 One study which was carried out to test the cognitive abilities of rhesus monkeys, was that conducted by Kornell, Son & Terrace (2007). In this trial, the monkeys were initially trained to select a given picture from a sample of six pictures by touching the image on a touch-screen monitor. After this training period, they were shown six sample pictures which were then simultaneously removed and replaced with nine, one of the previous six being among them. As soon as they selected the sample they thought was among the previous six, they were required to bet on their choice by depressing an icon on the screen for certainty, with a reward of redeemable food tokens, or loss of tokens, if wrong. A further icon for a low risk bet was also there. After carrying out this experiment for a suitable period of time, they concluded that the monkeys would invariably only bet when they were sure that they knew the correct answer. The researchers were therefore of the opinion that the monkeys were guided by a cognitive ability. They also tested two monkeys on metacognitive control. This is the ability to use metacognitive ability to influence behavior. An example would be requesting for a hint when one is unsure of an answer, a common trait with humans. In this trial, two monkeys were presented with a few sample pictures to place in a certain order. They were also availed of onscreen visual hints if they needed. The penalty for using the hints was a less appetizing banana flavored pellet, instead of the more attractive M&M candy. As the test progressed, it became apparent that the monkeys were using the hints less and less, and would only resort to them when they were sure that they did not know the right answer. This ability to have control over one’s metacognitive ability had been tested on humans for many years, and it was only now that it was becoming clear that it was also present in animals. However, how prevalent this is among them, cannot be clear and it cannot be generalized from this study that only involved rhesus monkeys. Metacognition 3 Smith & Washbum (2005) have taken animal research a notch higher and carried out trials that probe the memory, referred to as monitoring the memory. In the test, animals which were given various tasks to do based on what they had done before, declined to engage in the more difficult tasks, a result that was the same as similar tests carried out on humans. The animals were selective and seemed to have the same analogous capacity as human. There was no doubt that they were using their metacognitive abilities to seek in their memories, and when they remembered that the task was arduous, they declined to take the test. Kornell & Terrace (2007) also carried out some trials seeking to find out if monkeys benefited from learning. They did this with two rhesus monkeys which were given two problem sets to solve. In one difficult set, they were given hints to assist them after a suitable training period. In the other set, they were given no hints. The number of hints they used to solve the problem set steadily declined over time, the performance, however, did not change, it stayed the same. The monkeys were solving the problem with skills they had acquired from the hints and were using them less and less because they had â€Å"learned†. This is fascinating and opens up very interesting questions about the training of animals. There are other areas of animal metacognitive behavior which have been studied. Hampton, R (2009), carried out studies on rhesus monkeys to determine if they made decisions when they had information, or sought information when ignorant and immediately made a decision. The results were quite revealing. They carried out two sets of tests. In one test, the monkeys witnessed food being inserted into some opaque test tubes. These tests were referred to as the seen trials. In the other test, the food was inserted into test tubes without their knowledge. Metacognition 4 The monkeys were then required to identify the tubes which had food in them. In trial after trial, they would first look down the tubes to ascertain if the food was there and if it was, they selected the tube. What was evident from these tests is that the monkeys sought information first, by peering down the tubes, when ignorant, and only immediately selected the correct tubes without investigating, when they knew the food was there. That means they knew when they knew and only sought information when they knew that they did not know. This is a characteristic which is prevalent among human children, orangutans and rhesus monkeys. It is, however, not clear with capuchin monkeys when they were exposed to a similar trial about a decade before. There is room for more research on animals. According to Smith & Washbum, a lot needs to be investigated regarding the gifts different animals have. For example, monkeys and dolphins seem to exhibit more cognitive abilities than pigeons, whose reactions appear to be more stimulus based. Further research in this area can yield very important information which may stimulate a whole spectrum of research into cognitive abilities of different animal specie. Additionally, there is a lot of room into studies on the ability or lack of ability of animals to make quantitative judgements, for example, their mood. Metacognitive abilities is also a subject of importance in developing learning capabilities for children. Loh, A (2009), has made suggestions on methods to use to improve metacognition learning for children as young as two year olds. Since parents spend the most amount time with children of this age, they are best placed to practice the techniques recommended by Loh. He says that children should be encouraged to think about their thinking process in order to develop their intellect and intelligence. Children should be engaged, soon after an activity, to gauge their Metacognition 5 thinking process and the techniques they used for a task. Immediately after this activity, they should be asked certain questions, for example : 1. They should be asked about the process they used to achieve the result. This way, they will recall the steps and learn the process. 2. What strategies did they use? This will engage them actively in the thinking process by beginning to adopt strategic thinking of alternative techniques they can use to achieve better results. 3. What do they think about the end result? Is it good or bad? This will help them to evaluate their work. 4. Offer them puzzling tasks that have more than one solution. This exposes them to cognitive conflicts 5. Engage them in debates and discussions with other children 6. Allow them to practice reciprocal teaching where they form groups and one child teaches members of his group. 7. Once they engage on a task, allow them to continue undisturbed. Help them with clues if they get stuck. Further, they can be assisted with questions that will incline them to probe their mind even more, for example, what they learned from the task and what they found difficult. Additionally, they can be probed to find out if they have a next goal and what will help them to achieve it. Metacognition 6 There has been more research in the field of metacognitive abilities of children. Young children’s understanding of mental life, or â€Å"theory of mind†, is an area that is currently being explored by various scientists. According to science daily (2008), a new study had made a link between theory of mind as assessed in kindergarten children and their metacognitive abilities in elementary school. Early theory of mind competencies positively influenced metacognitive abilities acquired later. 174 children between the ages of three and four were used as study subjects to investigate this relationship. Wolfgang Schneider, P. H. D. , of the University of Wurzburg, who carried out the trial, said that knowledge from this research can be used to develop training programs for young children. For all the progress that has been done on metacognition in animals and children, none can rival that of learners. The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (2009), says that students with metacognitive needs have difficulties in setting priorities and planning their tasks. Additionally: 1. They are poor at strategizing in order to accomplish a task methodically 2. They procrastinate and are unable to start their work. 3. They are inattentive and make careless mistakes. 4. They are not able to identify their faults or know how to seek help. With these type of students they recommend the following teaching strategies : 1. Teachers should tutor them on how to plan and show them the scoring rubric for the assignment. 2. They should be taught on estimation of time needed to complete a task. 3. They should be assisted with think-aloud strategies. Metacognition 7 4. They should be cajoled to get engaged actively in their work by asking them how they are doing the work and how they will remember to solve the problem. 5. Teachers should be specific in their assignments to students by providing scoring rubrics for each question and how they have been calculated. However, Pierce (2004), dealt even deeper in metacognition for students. He was of the opinion that study strategies were generalized and teachers did not teach them in class. They assumed that students had already learned them. When they taught a strategy, students used the same strategy taught for all subjects. According to him, students needed to acquire three types of knowledge in order to improve their metacognitive abilities. These are : 1. Declarative knowledge which is having at their grasp factual information, for example, speed is distance divided by time taken. 2. Procedural knowledge which is knowing how to do something. Using the previous example of speed, they should know the formula for speed and the steps required in its calculation. 3. Conditional knowledge – This is knowing when to use a certain procedure and why one strategy is better than another. In applying the three types of knowledge for study strategies for example, students need declarative knowledge to know that a high school history textbook is different from an article analyzing the same textbook. They need procedural knowledge to take notes from such a textbook and conditional knowledge to know when such notes should be taken. According to Pierce, study techniques improve learning but are hardly ever taught. Additionally, many students do not internalize success as caused by ability and effort. Metacognition 8 Lippman, Danielsson & Linder (2005), differed slightly with some researchers of metacognition. They claimed that most studies taught metacognitive skills and then measured the effects of training. Instead, they should quantify the use of metacognition. In a study that they carried out at an American university, their aim was to find out how much metacognition is used in a laboratory and how the setup encourages the use of metacognition. Three groups of students were used and their proceedings videotaped and their verbal comments recorded. In one group, students were given a set of instructions to follow. The same was done for the second group and in addition, they were expected to explain their reason. The third group was given a question to answer and expected to explain, in a presentation, the method they had used to get results. In analyzing the results, Lippman et al (2005) saw no difference in the amount of metacognition in the different groups. However, the most important finding was that there was a difference in how metacognition made students change their behavior in tackling the lab assignments. For example, in the third group, the verbal exchanges revealed that the use of metacognition made the students more creative. This was a different approach as was the one used by Mevarech & Kramarski (2003). In this study, 100 eighth graders, studying algebra in four classrooms, were divided into two groups. One group was exposed to cooperative learning and also given metacognitive training. The other group was given cooperative learning but without metacognitive training. At issue was mathematical modeling and problem solving skills. After tasks to perform were given, the results showed that the group which had been given metacognitive training did outperformed the other that only had a cooperative setting. There was significant difference with the two groups with regard to planning, processing and reflection. They concluded that the cooperative Metacognition 9 setting is not enough to enhance modeling skills. Metacognitive skills are important in how to approach a problem, how to control and monitor the solution and how to reflect on the final answer. As a result of such studies, Mevarech & Kramarski (2003) designed the learning tool called IMPROVE, whose letters stand for : Introducing the new material Metacognitive questioning Practicing Reviewing Obtaining mastery on higher and lower cognitive processes Verification Enrichment and remedial The important thing in IMPROVE is the approach in problem solving. Students are able to approach a scenario with a systematic method which first and foremost addresses the question of what is the issue at hand. They then investigate to find out how different the problem is from others and what the best strategies are to solve it. As can be seen from all the studies mentioned, metacognition is an area of development that has a lot of room for growth. Animals which have been shown to have metacognitive abilities can be researched further in order to discover if this is something widespread within the animal kingdom, and if not, then what actually determines metacognition of a species. With children too, the theory of the mind is interesting and further studies should be carried out to determine if there are other areas of their lives that can benefit from improved research on Metacognition 10 metacognition. For example, are high levels of metacognition genetic? Does diet affect levels of metacognition? What role does disease play in metacognition? It would also be interesting to see new research in the study techniques of students. More than anyone else, their place in society is critical because they take over reins in business, government and the civil society within only a few years after leaving college. Their overall performance in school is therefore a top priority. Of serious concern should be when study techniques should begin to be taught and how they would be standardized. Additionally, quantifying the use of metacognition as advocated for by Lippman (2005), needs to generate more study. If his research is anything to go by, then the approach to metacognition training must also address, not just the amount of metacognition ability gained, but also how it is channeled to productive use. This is an area that can prove very challenging and rewarding because teaching metacognition techniques is one thing, but being able to teach the type of techniques that can produce quantifiable measures cannot be easy. However, it is possible that the same metacognition graduates will discover new methods and strategies to impart more abilities in metacognition. Metacognition 11 References Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (2009). Metacognitive Skills. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. etfo. ca/Multimedia/Webcasts/SpecialEducation/Pages/Metacognitive%20Skills. aspx Hampton, R (2009). Multiple demonstrations of metacognition in nonhumans: Converging evidence or multiple mechanisms? Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://psyc. queensu. ca/ccbr/Vol4/Hampton.pdf. Kornell, Nate (2009, February). Metacognition in Humans and Animals. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122212734/HTMLSTART Lippmann, K. , Danielsson, A. & Linder, C. (2005, August). Metacognition in the student Laboratory : Is increased metacognition necessarily better? Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. anst. uu. se/rekun676/meta. pdf Loh, A (2009, July). Using Metacognition Learning to Make Children Smarter. Retrieved on July 29, 209 from http://www. brainy-child. com/articles/metacognition-learning.shtml Mevarech Z. & Kramarski, B. ( 2003). Mathematical Modeling and Meta-cognitive Instruction. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. icme-organisers. dk/tsg18/S32MevarechKramarski. pdf Metacognition 12 Mevarech, Z. & Kramarski, B. (2003). Metacognitive Questioning and the use of Worked Examples. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. memory-key. com/StudySkills/IMPROVE. htm Peirce, W (2004, November). METACOGNITION: Study Strategies, Monitoring, and Motivation. Retrieved on July 29, 2009, from http://academic. pgcc. edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm ScienceDaily (2008, August). Young Children’s ‘Theory Of Mind’ Linked To Subsequent Metacognitive Development In Adolescence. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2008/08/080814154429. htm Serendip (2009). Metacognition. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/wfrankli/ii09/metacognition Smith, D & Washbum, D. (2005, February). Uncertainty Monitoring and Metacognition by Animals. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118706297/HTMLSTART

Character Analysis in Araby by James Joyce - 904 Words

Character Analysis of the Narrator in â€Å"Araby† by James Joyce While â€Å"growing up† is generally associated with age, the transition from adolescence to adulthood in particular comes with more subtlety, in the form of experience. James Joyce’s short story â€Å"Araby† describes the emotional rollercoaster of its protagonist and narrator - a young boy in love with his best friend’s sister - caused by the prospects of a potential future with his crush. The narrator of James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† is an innocent, emotionally sensitive character, who takes his first step into adulthood through his heart-wrenching experience with first love. The conflicts of â€Å"Araby† occur in the narrator’s mind, and they revolve around the narrator’s first crush, his†¦show more content†¦Although adolescent years can be those of confusion, frustration, and emotional imbalance, the narrator of â€Å"Araby† is particularly sensitive. Towards the beginning of the story, the narratorâ₠¬â„¢s introduces his admiration for Mangan’s sister with much deeper emotion than those of most teenage crushes: â€Å"Her name sprang to my lips at moments in strange prayers and praises which I myself did not understand. My eyes were often full of tears (I could not tell why) and at times a flood from my heart seemed to pour itself into my bosom.† (Joyce, 108) The narrator is so overwhelmed by the incomprehensible love he feels for Mangan’s sister that it drove him to tears! As the story continues, the narrator’s emotions grow more consuming. Following his first encounter with Mangan’s sister, the narrator describes the powerful emotions he experiences during the days preceding the night of the bazaar: â€Å"I wished to annihilate the tedious intervening days. I chafed against the work of school... I had hardly any patience with the serious work of life which, now that it stood between me and my desire, seemed to me child’s play, ugly mo notonous child’s play.† (Joyce, 109) In retrospect, the narrator’s anticipation would end up setting himself up for a greater disappointment, however it was his sensitive nature that let these emotions consume every moment of his life. After finally overcoming the adverse obstacles of the journey to the bazaar, the narrator enters Araby ten minutesShow MoreRelatedEveline1643 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Eveline,† James Joyce uses the juxtaposition of the ever-changing setting and the unchanging stoic character of Eveline in order to exemplify the character’s reluctance and inability to move forward. James Joyce is known for his juxtaposition of light and dark throughout his short stories, specifically in his story â€Å"Araby.† I would argue that Joyce is using the contrast of opposing forces described above between the setting and the character in a similar way as he was light and dark. â€Å"Araby† andRead MoreAnalysis Of James Joyce s Araby 1246 Words   |  5 Pages16 October 2014 Araby – James Joyce – Critical Analysis - Revision The visual and emblematic details established throughout the story are highly concentrated, with Araby culminating, largely, in the epiphany of the young unnamed narrator. To Joyce, an epiphany occurs at the instant when the spirit and essence of a character is revealed, when all the forces that endure and influence his life converge, and when we can, in that moment, comprehend and appreciate him. As follows, Araby is a story of anRead More The Decline of Chivalry Explored in Araby and AP Essay1211 Words   |  5 Pageschivalrous acts has diminished. In James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† and John Updike’s â€Å"AP†, this theory is explored, both telling the story of a boy whose efforts to impress the girl of their desires fail. As said by Well’s in his critical analysis of these stories, â€Å"Both the protagonists have come to realize that romantic gestures—in fact, that the whole chivalric view [sic] --- are, in modern times, counterproductiveâ € . These stories, despite the differences between the two characters, clearly show that the character’sRead MoreJames Joyces Araby Essay736 Words   |  3 Pages Araby by James Joyce nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In quot;Arabyquot; James Joyce explores the theme that adulthood is not always what it seems. The narrator in the story is the main character and he demonstrates this theme when he falls in love with the girl in his neighborhood. In the beginning the young boy is too shy to express his feeling towards her. Later in the story he tells her of a present that he is going to bring her from the bazzar. Lastly he realizes that he has failed and nowRead More James Joyce Essay1100 Words   |  5 Pages In selecting James Joyces Ulysses as the best novel of the twentieth century, Time magazine affirmed Joyces lasting legacy in the realm of English literature. James Joyce (1882-1941), the twentieth century Irish novelist, short story writer and poet is a major literary figure of the twentieth-century. Regarded as quot;the most international of writers in English ¡K[with] a global reputation (Attridge, pix), Joyces stature in literature stems from his experimentation with English prose. InfluencedRead MoreChange: The Seed of Evolution2514 Words   |  11 Pagessomething simple and, sometimes, unassociated (â€Å"Epiphany†). Authors often use this device not only to convey a realization on the part of their character, but also to allude to an internal message (â€Å"Epiphany†). James Joyce employed this device in many of his works in hopes of revealing to his Irish peers the low esteem of their conduct (Bulson 33). James Joyce was born in Ireland to a borderline destitute/middle-class family. After his graduation from the University College, he moved to Paris to studyRead MoreAnalysis Of James Joyce s Dubliners1668 Words   |  7 Pagesrole in how the characters and events in a given story are analyzed. The readers response to the literature depends greatly on the position of the author and/or narrator; whether he is on the outside looking in, or vise versa. The use of point of view also allows the author to convey a certain message or belief by allowing for other literary elements such as irony and sympathy . The point of view in literature is one of the central focuses for interpretation. Dubliners, by James Joyce is an outstandingRead MoreEssay on Araby and Cask of Amontillado: a Comparison1002 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Araby† and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†: A Comparison I found the stories â€Å"Araby,† by James Joyce and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† by Edgar Allan Poe to have a similar idea behind them. They both seem to be stories involving someone manipulating the actions of another person. I will be talking about and comparing the different elements of each story and their relevance. Both stories take place in different countries. In â€Å"Araby† the story is about a boy from Ireland. The country itself doesn’tRead More Youthful Experience in James Joyces Araby Essay1607 Words   |  7 PagesYouthful Experience in James Joyces Araby James Joyces, Araby is a simple tale of youthful passion set in the midst of a harsh economic era. The main character of the story is a young boy living in a bleak environment who becomes entangled in the passions, frustrations, and realizations of youth. The bleak setting of the era is enhanced by the narrators descriptions of the young boys surroundings. Araby is a story of the loneliness of youth, the joy of youthful passion, and the realizationRead MoreComparative Analysis Of Epiphany, From James Joyce s Araby And The Dead1758 Words   |  8 PagesComparative Analysis of Epiphany, from James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† and â€Å"The Dead† James Joyce elaborately portrays the complexity of the human male psyche through his protagonists in â€Å"Araby† and â€Å"The Dead.† Through the use of first person perspective, each protagonists’ true motivations and perceptions of reality are betrayed by Joyce, therefore allowing the reader to fully understand the fallacies and complexities within each character. Through the depictions of such complexities, Joyce is able to leverage

A womans view Essay - 869 Words

A womans view A Women’s View There are a lot of specific cultural values that have been taught to women by society since birth. The three essays, â€Å"I Want a Wife† by Judy Syfers, â€Å"How the Superwoman Myth Puts Women Down† by Sylvia Rabiner, and â€Å"An Open Window On My Private World† by Jane Elizabeth Lemke are all written by women who share their experiences with us. The three essays explore the value of self, power, control, and life. First of all, in the essay, â€Å"I Want a Wife†, Judy Syfers exposes the meaning of â€Å"wife† presently in our society. Her argument is based on the premise that all wives are completely devoted†¦show more content†¦The value of wanting to be loved also represents how the woman performs all of these tasks for love. In addition, the essay â€Å"How the Superwoman Myth Puts Women Down† by Sylvia Rabiner also discusses the cultural values forced on her as a woman. She writes about the superwoman that our society expects women to be that have brains, brawn, children, husband, career, fame, respect, and money. Rabiner discusses the difference of the perfect women in the old days and the perfect women now. The expectations in society have become greater since the old days. â€Å"It is ironic that feminism, finally respectable, has been made to backfire in this way.†(pg. 658, 12). Even though there might be a few women who have and are able to do everything, most women and men don’t lead perfect lives. Rabiner explains how the media uses the superwoman image to intimidate the average woman: The superwoman image ignores the reality of the ave rage working woman or housewife. It elevates an elite of upper-class women executives. The media loves it because it is glamorous and false. In the end it threatens nothing in the system. 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Generally, woman were viewed as inferior to men, yet WildeRead MoreThe Mental Traveller Poem Analysis1272 Words   |  6 PagesFinally, the darkest and most complex view of motherhood comes from Blake’s poem â€Å"The Mental Traveller† wherein an Old Woman (acting as a de-facto mother) and the infant she cares for are stuck in a cycle of suffering, torture, and dependency. Unlike â€Å"Infant Joy† and The Book of Thel, the mother in â€Å"The Mental Traveller† is not a caring or nurturing figure at all, but instead tortures the child in her charge and feeds off of his suffering, portraying a more disturbing image of motherhood. RatherRead MoreThe Abortion Debate Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pageswill look at the Pro-Choice view. In the final analysis I will sh ow how utilitarianism, altruism, and situational ethical views apply to abortion. Having in mind the extreme controversy surrounding this issue, I will examine the history of abortion and why it is so highly debated today. 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