Architecture in Japanese Gardens Research Paper

Architecture in Japanese Gardens - Research Paper Example Gardening has been an important cultural, intellectual, and spiritual pursuit in Japan for almost 1300 years in various ways and to various people. Japanese gardens also show the influence that the Chinese culture had on the Japanese, as well as how Japan took that culture and changed it in subtle ways to make it its own. The philosophical ideas of Zen Buddhism also played a large role in the development of these important cultural objects and practices. Chesshire splits the history of gardening into Japan into six broad periods, each of which takes its title from important Japanese cities at the time. The first of these is the Nara period of the 8th century, where gardens that were â€Å"almost certainly used for ceremonial purposes† and â€Å"were quite similar to those that were constructed in China† were created in Nara, which was one of the ancient capitals of Japan. The idea of architecture is one that is unavoidably mixed with the history of Japanese Gardens. Regardless of what the effect of the garden is, there is no doubt that those who wish to create one will have to use not only plants and water, but also rocks, bridges, and even sometimes an entire building. Moreover, since the gardens can be built as a part of a house in and of itself, it can sometimes be even more important to have a good idea of basic architectural principles. In fact, it is arguably this sort of mixing of the manmade with the natural that is the defining idea of the Japanese garden.

Personal Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Personal Statement - Essay Example The challenging tasks of aiming to enhance and promote learning to young children through the application of diverse instructional skills, abilities, and methods are profoundly enriching. I am determined to pursue a lifelong career as a learning mentor who is genuinely committed to guiding young children towards maximizing their potentials for learning. I spent several years in the University of Birmingham, initially pursuing the Bachelor of Arts majoring in Humanities in Creative Arts. I have had several work experiences employed as an administrative assistant for Women’s Advice and Information Center; then, as a support worker for Care Bank agency, where my basic responsibilities include applying skills in various care environments, including day centres, residential homes, nursing homes and respite care homes; before being convinced that mentoring is truly the career for me. I first worked as a learning mentor from the years 2004 to 2005, as a voluntary work, assisting and guiding identified underperforming children on a one-on-one basis. I was finally accepted as an Educational and Training Mentor at an independent secondary school where duties and responsibilities as a learning mentor were more enhanced and emphasized. As my interest in mentoring young children continued to spur future personal and professional goals, I decided to enroll in the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) program from 2005 to 2006, also in the University of Birmingham, known to provide a multidimensional approach to according opportunities in learning from diverse and dynamic perspectives, to accord me formal theoretical knowledge and to hone my knowledge, skills, and abilities to entrench initially a teaching career, thought to be a crucial stepping stone to a mentoring profession, at it focuses on primary education and early years. The learning experience equipped me with the necessary qualifications, competence and confidence in furthering my craft. The volunteer work I did in 2004 to 2005 made me realize that working as a learning mentor entails more than just having innate desire and love for children. The need to prepare actions plans, superseded by explicitly defining mentorship goals on a per child basis, requires both theoretical background and application skills that draw from the course modules offered by the PGCE program. The experience of listening to pupils and assisting them towards applying appropriate interventions and courses of action to resolve issues that prevent them from utilizing their full learning potentials has been instrumental in the development of analytical, communication and conflict resolution skills. Concurrently, my working as an Educational and Training Mentor made me realize that there was a need to gain more knowledge and training from a PGCE program. The new responsibilities and accountabilities that go with the position actually developed skills in applying functions that are analogous to that of a leade r or manager in an organization: that which focuses on planning, organizing, directing and controlling all aspects of teaching underperforming children towards a defined mentorship goal. I realized the need to work with a Local Education Authority for the preparation and design of an appropriate curriculum, specifically for young people at Key stage 3 or 4, identified to be either excluded from residential care or from special school. Although quite intimidating at first, the task became part of the