Act One Plot Summary of Pygmalion

Act One Plot Summary of Pygmalion George Bernard Shaw wrote over forty plays during the course long life of 94 years. Pygmalion, written in 1913, became his most famous work. Check out our article on Shaws biography to learn more about his life and literature. Quick Synopsis Its the tale of a conceited professor of linguistics, Henry Higgins, and the brash, incorrigible young woman named Eliza Doolittle. Higgins sees the cockney girl as a great challenge. Can she learn to speak like a refined English lady? Higgins endeavors to transform Eliza in his own image, and he gets much more than he ever bargained for. Pygmalion in Greek Mythology The title of the play is derived from ancient Greece. According to Greek Mythology, Pygmalion was a sculptor who created a beautiful statue of a woman. The gods grant the artist a wish by making the sculpture come to life. The main character in Shaws play is not a sculptor; however, he does become enamored with his own creation. Plot Summary of Act One Professor Henry Higgins wanders the streets of London, absorbing the local color and studying the various dialects those around him. A crowd of people huddle together, due to the sudden downpour of rain. A wealthy woman tells her adult son, Freddy to hail a taxi. He complains but obeys, bumping into a young woman selling flowers: Eliza Doolittle. She asks a man to buy flowers from her. He declines, but gives her spare change, for charitys sake. Another man warns Eliza that she should be careful; a stranger has been writing down every word she has been saying. The stranger is Prof. Henry Higgins who reveals his shorthand notes. She is distressed, thinking that she is in trouble. Henry rebukes her: HIGGINS: Dont be ridiculous. Whos hurting you, you silly girl? The crowd gives Higgins a hard time when they realize he is a gentleman instead of a policeman. At first, the citizens are quite concerned about the poor flower girl. Eliza expresses her distress (and reveals the nature of the crowd) in the following quote and subsequent stage direction: ELIZA: I aint done nothing wrong by speaking to the gentleman. Ive a right to sell flowers if I keep off the kerb. (Hysterically) Im a respectable girl: so help me, I never spoke to him except to ask him to buy a flower off me. (General hubbub, mostly sympathetic to the flower girl, but deprecating her excessive sensibility. Cries of Dont start hollerin. Whos hurting you? Nobodys going to touch you. Whats the good of fussing? Steady on. Easy, easy, etc., come from the elderly staid spectators, who pat her comfortingly. Less patient ones bid her shut her head, or ask her roughly what is wrong with her. (...) The flower girl, distraught and mobbed, breaks through them to the gentleman, crying mildly.) Oh, sir, dont let him charge me. You dunno what it means to me. Theyll take away my character and drive me on the streets for speaking to gentlemen. Prof. Higgins listens to peoples accents and cleverly recognizes where they are from and where they have been. The crowd is both impressed and perturbed at his uncanny abilities. The rain stops and the crowd disperses. Colonel Pickering, the man who gave Doolittle spare change, is intrigued by Higgins. The professor explains that he can identify a persons origins based solely on phonetics, the science of speech. Meanwhile, Eliza is still nearby, sulking and muttering to herself. Higgins complains that the flower girls speech is an insult to the majestic English language. Yet he also boasts that he is so skilled in phonetics that he could train her to speak like royalty. Pickering reveals his name, explaining that he has written a book on Indian dialects. By coincidence, Higgins had been hoping to meet the distinguished Colonel, just as Col. Pickering had been hoping to meet Higgins. Delighted by their chance encounter, Higgins insists that Pickering stay at his home. Before they leave, Eliza begs them to buy some of her flowers. Higgins drops a large amount of coins into her basket, amazing the young woman who very likely has never paid so much. She celebrates by taking a taxi cab home. Freddy, the wealthy young man who originally hailed the taxi says Well, Im dashed, in response to the flower girls confident attitude.

Exceptional Things That Great Teachers Do

Exceptional Things That Great Teachers Do All teachers are not created equal. Some are frankly better than others. It is a privilege and special opportunity when we have a great one. Great teachers go above and beyond to ensure that each child is successful. Many of us have had that one teacher that inspired us more than any other. Great teachers are able to bring the best out of every student. They are often energetic, fun, and seemingly always at the top of their game. Their students look forward to coming to their class each day. When students are promoted to the next grade, they are sad that they are leaving but armed with the skills necessary to be successful. Great teachers are rare. Many teachers are capable, but there are a select few who are willing to spend the time necessary to hone their skills enough to become great. They are innovators, communicators, and educators. They are compassionate, endearing, charming, and funny. They are creative, smart, and ambitious. They are passionate, personable, and proactive. They are dedicated, continuous learners who are gifted in their craft. They are in a sense the total teaching package. So what makes someone a great teacher? There is not a single answer. Instead, there are several exceptional things that great teachers do. Many teachers do a few of these things, but the great teachers consistently do them all. A Great Teacher Is Prepared:  Preparation takes a lot of time. Great teachers spend a lot of time outside of the school day preparing for each day. This often includes weekends. They also spend countless hours during the summer working to improve their craft. They prepare detailed lessons, activities, and centers each designed to maximize student learning opportunities. They create detailed lesson plans and often plan for more in a day than they typically can complete.Organized:  Being organized leads to efficiency. This allows great teachers minimal distractions and maximizes instructional time. Increasing instructional time will lead to an increase in academic success for students. Organization is about creating an efficient system to find resources and other materials quickly which a teacher needs. There are many different organizational styles. A great teacher finds the system that works for them and makes it better.A Continuous Learner:  They continuously read and apply the newest research i n their classroom. They are never satisfied whether they have taught for one year or twenty. They seek out professional development opportunities, research ideas online and subscribe to multiple teaching related newsletters. Great teachers are not afraid to ask other teachers what they are doing in their classrooms. They often take these ideas and experiment with them in their classroom. Adaptable: They recognize that each school day and each school year is different. What works for one student or one class may not work for the next. They continuously change things up to take advantage of individual strengths and weaknesses within a classroom. Great teachers are not afraid to scrap entire lessons and start back over with a new approach. They recognize when something is working and stick to it. When an approach is ineffective, they make the necessary changes.Constantly changing and never become stale: As trends change, they change with them. They grow each year they teach always improving across multiple areas. They are not the same teacher from year to year. Great teachers learn from their mistakes. They look to improve upon what has been successful and find something new to replace what has been not worked. They are not afraid to learn new strategies, technologies, or implement new curricula.Proactive:  Being proactive can stave off a lot of potential problems inc luding academic, discipline, or any other issue. It can prevent a small concern from turning into an enormous problem. Great teachers recognize potential problems immediately and work to fix them quickly. They understand that the time put into correcting a small problem is considerably less than it would be if it ballooned into something bigger. Once it becomes a large issue, it will almost always take away from valuable class time. Communicates:  Communication is a critical component of a successful teacher. They must be adept at communicating with several subgroups including students, parents, administrators, support personnel, and other teachers. Each of these subgroups must be communicated with differently, and great teachers are terrific at communicating with everyone. They are able to communicate so that every person understands the message they are trying to convey. Great teachers keep people informed. They explain concepts well and make people feel comfortable around them.Networks:  Networking has become a critical component of being a great teacher. It has also become easier. Social networks such as Google, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest allow teachers from all over the world to share ideas and provide best practices quickly. They also allow teachers to seek input and advice from other teachers. Networking provides a natural support system with those who share a similar passion. It provides great teachers with another means of learning and honing their craft. Inspires:  They are able to pull the best out of every student they teach. They inspire them to become better students, to maximize their time in the classroom, and to look towards the future. A great teacher takes an interest a student has and helps turn it into a passion making educational connections that will potentially last a lifetime. They understand that each student is different, and they embrace those differences. They teach their students that it is those differences that often make them exceptional.Compassionate:  They hurt when their students hurt and rejoice when their students rejoice. They understand that life happens and that the kids they teach do not control their home lives. Great teachers believe in second chances, but use mistakes to teach life lessons. They offer advice, counseling, and mentoring when necessary. Great teachers understand that school is sometimes the safest place a kid can be.Respected: Respect is earned over time. It does not come easy. Res pected teachers are able to maximize learning because they do not typically have classroom management issues. When they have an issue, they are dealt with quickly and in a respectable manner. They do not embarrass or berate the student. Great teachers understand you have to give respect before you earn respect. They are considerable and thoughtful to everyone but understand that there are occasions where they must stand their ground. Able to Make Learning Fun: They are unpredictable. They jump into character when reading a story, teach lessons with enthusiasm, take advantage of teachable moments, and provide dynamic, hands-on activities that students will remember. They tell stories to make real life connections. Great teachers incorporate student interests into their lessons. They are not afraid to do crazy things that motivate their students to learn.Going Above and Beyond:  They volunteer their own time to tutor a struggling student after school or on weekends. They help out in other areas around school when they are needed. A great teacher is the first to help a family of a student in need in any way they can. They advocate for the students when necessary. They look out for each student’s best interest. They do what it takes to ensure that each student is safe, healthy, clothed, and fed.Loving  What They Do:  They are passionate about their job. They enjoy getting up each morning and going to the ir classroom. They are excited about the opportunities they have. They like the challenges that each day presents. Great teachers always have a smile on their face. They rarely let their students know when something is bothering them because they worry it will affect them negatively. They are natural educators because they were born to be a teacher. Educating:  They not only teach students the required curriculum, but they also teach them life skills. They are in a constant state of teaching, taking advantage of impromptu opportunities that may captivate and inspire a particular student. They do not rely on a mainstream or boxed in approach to educate. They are able to take a variety of styles and mold them into their own unique style to meet the needs of the students that they have at any given time.