Topic: MS Word Your friend, Bill, needs your help!

Bills essay is due soon and he needs someone to help him troubleshoot the problems with the essay. 1. Check the spelling of all the words in the essay. Make sure you do not change anyones names. 2. The Atomic Bomb word art is obscuring some text but Bill is unable to select th e word art and edit it. Help him select the word art and change the text wrappin g from behind text to tight. 3. Some paragraphs are in Times New Roman while others are in Arial Black. Chang e only the Arial Black paragraphs to New Courier. 4. Find a clipart of a book an insert it in the last page under the References hea ding. 5. There is a picture of an atomic bomb in the essay. The lower half of the pict ure is black and prevents easy reading of the words. Crop the picture so that on ly the mushroom cloud of the explosion is seen. 6. Make the first letter of the first word in the essay a drop cap. 7. The last sentence of the second paragraphs lists his accomplishments. Change the formatting from a sentence into a bulleted point form. Example: His contributions to physics include: Something or other Cookies and cream 8. Change the alignment of all paragraphs to justify. 9. Bill spelt the name of Robert Oppenheimerers name wrongly. Change all occurren ces of Oppenheimer to Oppenheimerer. 10. Save your work as CS your class Msword yourname.doc (example CS 1.12 Msword Bil l Tan.doc) into your flash drive. Gifted behaviour is the interaction of above average ability, high levels of tas k commitment, and high levels of creativity (Renzulli, 1978). J. Robert Oppenhei mer displays tremendous amount of above average ability and high levels of creat ivity. However, while his task commitment is considerable, it is overshadowed by his other two traits and somewhat lacking when compared to other gifted individ uals. This would turn out to be both a blessing and a curse. Oppenheimer was a theoretical physicist and is remembered as The Father of the At omic Bomb for his famous role as the scientific director of the Manhattan Project . He is regarded as the founder of modern theoretical physics in the United Stat es and was the chief founder of the American school of theoretical physics. His contributions to physics include the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, work on ele ctron-positron theory, the Oppenheimer-Phillips process, quantum tunneling, rela tivistic, quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, black holes, and cosmic rays. Oppenheimer displayed a remarkable versatility in his studies when he was young. He had diverse interests in Greek, chemistry, architecture, classics, art and l iterature when he was studying in the Ethical Culture Society School. At Harvard , he majored in chemistry while studying philosophy, French literature, and Gree k architecture. His diverse interests held him in good stead while he was Scient

ific Director of the Manhattan Project. His high levels of proficiency in all fi elds of science allowed him to understand, direct and motivate every step and fa cet of the project (Bethe, 1997). So effective was he as director that General G roves allowed Oppenheimer to hold his post despite suspicion that Oppenheimer ha d Communist leanings (Herken, 2002). He was a fast learner and graduated summa cum laude in three years by taking six courses each term. In the first year of undergraduate study, he was given gradu ate status in physics despite not having taken a single course in physics on the basis of independent study alone. This allowed him to take higher post graduate courses while still an undergraduate. Other examples of his ability to learn ra pidly include picking up large scale administrative skills and learning Dutch in six weeks. When he was appointed Scientific Director of the Manhattan Project, he had difficulty organizing large diverse groups. He quickly picked up the req uired skills and effectively controlled the clash between the scientists and the military regarding how things are done. He received his PhD at a young age of 2 2. Oppenheimer was also gifted in languages, having learnt Greek, French, Latin and German while still in school. He liked to read texts in their original language and even learned Sanskrit to read the Bhagavad Gita (Hijiya, 2000). Consequentl y, he also felt that others should learn in their original language and in one i nstance, he learnt the Dutch language so that he could give lectures in Holland. Oppenheimer did not concern himself much with the world at large until he met Je an Tatlock in 1936. Jean was a communist and Oppenheimer found himself intereste d and sympathetic to social reforms and supported many liberal movements. Many o f his acquaintances were communists, including his brother, his wife and many of his students. This would later haunt him in the McCarthy era during his securit y hearings. He was also concerned with how nuclear power was used and was the Ch airman of the General Advisory Committee of the Atomic Energy Commission. He use d his position to lobby for international arms control and attempted to move pol icy away from a developing nuclear arms race with the USSR. Oppenheimer suffered from bouts of depression and once claimed to need physics mo re than friends. (Smith and Weiner, 1980) He was a chain smoker and often neglect ed to eat when depressed. He has been described as self-destructive and insecure . Once in Paris, he tried to strangle a friend when describing the difficulties he was encountering with experimental physics. He was alternately charming and w arm in private settings while awkward and cold in public settings. His greatest strength was also his greatest flaw. While he was a master in many areas and had diverse interests in many fields, this ultimately prevented him fr om staying the course in any one particular field. This is one of the main reaso ns why Oppenheimer never got a Nobel Prize for Physics. While he contributed to many different fields in physics, he did not follow through any one topic to the end. His interest in Hinduism, which stems from his reading of the Bhagavad Git a, may also have contributed to this by giving him a fascination with the myster ies of the universe. This gave him a mystical outlook to the universe which led him to approach physics more by intuition than traditional empirical methods (Rh odes 1977). Oppenheimer spent his early years studying at the Ethical Culture Society School . The school was concerned with allowing their students to develop their own per sonal understanding of ethical behaviour. This is similar to concept attainment where comparisons of examples are used to form an understanding of a concept (Br uner, Goodnow and Austin, 1967). This moral responsibility would later be manife sted in Oppenheimers interest in limiting the spread of nuclear resources and tec hnology, redirecting of policy away from an arms race and supporting internation al arms control.

Teachers in the Ethical Culture Society School specialized in their subject area s and showed considerable passion for their areas of knowledge. This passion mot ivates the teachers to teach and in turn motivates the students to learn. Oppenh eimer cultivated his diverse interests in this school ranging from Greek to Fren ch literature and the sciences. The school also employed the Socratic Method in their pedagogy and this encouraged independent, critical thinking. Oppenheimer w as active in discussions in University to the point where his fellow students co mplained about his enthusiasm. Harvard also played a role in developing Oppenheimer to his full potential. He w as allowed to squeeze 6 courses per term to make up for lost time when he was in valid for a year. He was also given graduate status in physics in the first year of his undergraduate study, despite not taking any physics modules, on the basi s of independent study alone. This allowed him to take postgraduate courses. Thi s acceleration allowed Oppenheimer to develop at his own pace instead of stickin g to convention and slowing down his learning. This acceleration can help reduce the maladjustment exceptionally gifted individuals often have with their peers by age (Miraca, 1994). It also prevents boredom and motivated Oppenheimer to see k greater heights. America could not provide Oppenheimer with a world class educ ation in physics and so he was encouraged to seek higher education in Europe. It was in Europe that Oppenheimer realized his inaptitude for experimental physics and at the same time, he discovered his affinity for theoretical physics. From studying Oppenheimers history, I have come to understand that a gifted indiv idual should never have to conform to societys expectations for someone of their age. They should be allowed to grow at their own pace, even if it requires rapid acceleration of subjects and defying rules. Oppenheimer might never have attain ed mastery of all sciences if he was required to follow procedure to obtain his degrees and was denied higher courses because of a lack of paper work. His was a n example of how effective acceleration can be in the education of exceptionally gifted individuals. While Singapore has strict rules and regulations which prev ent acceleration to a high degree, I can differentiate my teaching and enrich th e curriculum to cater to the needs of the gifted individuals. Compacting is anot her technique I can use to free up curriculum time for the higher ability learne rs to spend on increasing depth and complexity in the subject matter. Passion for my teaching subject is also important as this motivates me to do my best for my lessons and in turn motivate students to do their best. Students who are motivated in this way are intrinsically motivated and will be willing to sp end more time and effort than if they were forced to learn. Oppenheimers teachers were passionate in their areas of subject knowledge and this contributed to bui lding up a diverse group of interests in him, from humanities like French litera ture, to the hard sciences of physics. He was a well rounded individual who was admired for his erudition in physics, his eclecticism and the clarity and eloque nce of his thoughts. I will ensure myself to lead by example. I cannot expect my students to be interested and motivated to learn if I am not interested or moti vated to teach my subject. I must always show interest in all areas of my subjec t and attempt to infect the students with my enthusiasm. While imparting knowledge is an important and main role of teachers, no less imp ortant is the imparting of moral values and ethics. Gifted students have the pot ential to rise to positions of great power and political influence and it is the teachers responsibility to ensure that they have the moral background with which to make good, sound decisions for the greater good of humankind. Oppenheimer wa s Scientific Director of the Manhattan Project, Chairman of the General Advisory Committee of the Atomic Energy Commission and a member of the Board of Consulta nts to a committee advising the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission. He was in a position to influence international policy on arms control, nuclear prolife ration and the development of the hydrogen bomb. His education in the Ethical Cu

lture Society School stood him in good stead as the emphasis on ethical principl es in his formative years made him concerned about how all his scientific works and achievements was affecting the world. His concern led him to establish joint ly with other leading scientists the World Academy of Art and Science. This orga nization works to promote the advancement of knowledge while enhancing awareness of the consequences and political impact of the advancements. While the main bu lk of imparting moral values is done in pastoral care lessons, my lessons can be enriched with ethics and origins using Kaplans dimensions of depth and content i mperatives. This can help students examine the moral dilemmas faced by scientist s in the past as well as the present. I can use Bruners concept attainment model and provide plenty of examples of good and bad decisions over the years and allo w the students to develop their own view of moral responsibility and obligation. This will be more effective than forcing a social norm on them and telling them to accept ethics at face value. Many gifted individuals suffer from social and emotional issues and Oppenheimer was no exception. Self destructive and self worth issues weighed heavily on him from time to time. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to identify and help to counsel gifted individuals on these issues and refer them to specialists if nee ded. Allowing them to interact with intellectual peers of common interests can h elp to mitigate any social and emotional issues that the gifted individual might have (Robinson, 2002). Studying Oppenheimers biography has given me awareness on the impact that gifted individuals can have on not just their immediate surroundings but the world. It is our imperative as educators to help identify and develop these individuals to become responsible, morally upright, well adjusted global citizens. References Renzulli, J.S. (1978). What Makes Giftedness? Reexamining a Definition. Phi Delt a Kappan, 60(3), 180-184, 261. Hijiya, James A. (June 2000). "The Gita of Robert Oppenheimer". Proceedings of t he American Philosophical Society 144 (2). Bethe, Hans (1997). "J. Robert Oppenheimer". United States National Academy of S ciences. Herken, Gregg (2002). Brotherhood of the Bomb: The Tangled Lives and Loyalties o f Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller, New York: Henry Holt a nd Company. Smith, Alice Kimball; Weiner, Charles (1980). Robert Oppenheimer: Letters and re collections, Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Rhodes, Richard (October 1977). ""I AM BECOME DEATH..." The Agony of J. Robert O ppenheimer". American Heritage. Bruner, J., Goodnow, J. J., & Austin, G. A. (1967). A study of thinking. New Yor k: Science Editions. Miraca, U.M. Gross (1994). Factors in the social adjustment and social acceptabi lity of extremely gifted children. Ohio Psychology Press Robinson, N. M. (2002). Introduction. In M. Neihart, S. M. Reis, N. M. Robinson, & S. M. Moon (Eds.) The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children. Wa co, Texas: Prufrock Press, Inc.