What Education Means to Me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What Education Means to Me - Essay Example Most students in high school are not sure what they want to be when they grow up. Often the lack of surety results in poor decisions and choices. In order to perform well in any job, it is critical to be passionate about it. One cannot be a good doctor if he really wants to be a writer. In my case, I always had a direction about what I wanted to pursue as my career although I did work in the marine infantry. In the marine, I was responsible for guarding the nuclear weapons which are amongst the most significant weapons. I always welcome the opportunity to learn as I believe one learns at every stage of his life. While working at the marine infantry I took the chance to learn more about the workings of the infantry. The experience proved to be invaluable although I showed more inclination towards radiation therapy. I did realize throughout school that education was of vital importance for my academic and professional development. It was my pathway to success. Although I found examinations to be intimidating I acknowledged that they were part of my educational development. But this did not mean that my view of education was limited to school, classes, and examinations. Education for me was beyond examinations and just school. The role of my teachers in motivating me has been great. This resulted in me looking at the world in a new perspective, one that was not confined to the classroom. Perhaps my teachers have had the greatest influence on my life in terms of education in school. They made me realize the importance of learning outside of the class. The ability to observe and apply knowledge to real situations was extremely helpful in building myself academically. Education is definitely beyond the usual textbook for me. It includes just about any knowledge or learning that results in a new perspective of viewing the world.  

Picking a stock Essay Example for Free

Picking a stock Essay Picking a stock is not as easy as differentiating NYSE from the Nasdaq. And more importantly, such differences are independent of the quality of the stocks. Both bourses make up the big majority of the US stock market. Easily, these stock exchanges maintain the country’s premiered blue chip stocks; wherein Microsoft is Nasdaq’s â€Å"flagship† stock and General Electric is arguably NYSE’s most well established listed company. The most glaring difference between the two is their own choice of medium to do transactions. â€Å"Nasdaq-listed trades are entirely automated. NYSE trades are still overseen by specialists. While traders have some say in how, when and at what price the trades are crossed, they cant pick the market† (NYSE vs. Nasdaq, (2003), from web site http://www. forbes. com/2003/08/18/cx_aw_0818mondaymatchup. html). Meanwhile, NYSE’s seven (7) specialists act as facilitators with the interest of making a very liquid market in the stock exchange. Nasdaq’s market makers on the other hand, actually act as participants in the buying and selling of shares (electronically, of course). NYSE is a well-know auction’s market wherein â€Å"the highest bidding price will be matched by the lowest asking price† (The Tale of Two Exchanges: NYSE and Nasdaq, from web site http://www. investopedia. com/articles/basics/03/103103. asp). Conversely, Nasdaq is more â€Å"organic† as a dealer’s market where market makers buy and sell from each other against their personal inventories. Lastly, history makes a big contribution to each bourse’s public perception. Whereas the NYSE is viewed as a more established institution (founded in 1792), Nasdaq is perceived as high-growth and highly volatile trading platform and subsequently attracts mostly firms from the IT and Telecom industries. Some first-time participants who are cost-driven prefer Nasdaq’s cheaper listing fee as well. The case of former Worldcom CEO Bernard Ebbers created a ripple effect in the telecommunications industry and severely put its existing form, MCI, into a whirlpool of debt amounting to around $35 billion. Even when Verizon purchased MCI for $7. 6 billion when the latter filed for bankruptcy, the new executive officers had the daunting tasks of regaining public trust while at the same unfolding more antitrust issues and financial window dressing perpetrated by the previous incumbents. Thousands of jobs were lost; creditors and investors alike could not recoup most of their stakes in the company. â€Å"†¦the fall of WorldCom altered the fortunes of a number of telecommunications industry participants, none more so than ATT Corporation† (Romar, Edward J. , Worldcom Case Study Update 2006, (2006), from web site http://www. scu. edu/ethics/dialogue/candc/cases/worldcom-update. html). The demise of Worldcom after the scandal affected the entire industry, especially the other forerunners that put too much reliance on the now bankrupt company as the beacon of industry standards. Bloated projections not only destroyed Worldcom, but it also damaged financially the competitors who reacted aggressively to counter these projections. For example, Worldcom’s former suppliers Nortell and Lucent Technologies took a nosedive via layoffs and below book value share prices because of these overstated figures that were never accomplished anyway.

Learning And Development As An Organisation Process Management Essay

Learning And Development As An Organisation Process Management Essay If the Challenge of the past has been to get organized, the challenge of the future is to find ways in which we can remain open to continous self-organizations: so that we can adapt and evolve as we go along (Gareth morgan, Imagination, p.17) Learning and development is an organisational process. Learning development is a multi-faceted study. LD activity first acquired a specific organizational meaning in the USA in the 1970s. Termed human resource development its purpose was regarded as primarily about short-term training ,encompassing skills acquistion and behavioural change . It was defined by one of its most influential commentators(Nadler 1970) as: a series of organized activites conducted within a specified time and designed to produce behavioural change. Hall(1984) defined it in more strategic perspective as Strategic human resource development is the identification of needed skills and active management of learning for the long-range future in relation to explicit corporate and business strategies According to CIPDs defnition LD purpose is as follows (CIPD 2001a): The organizational process of developing people involves the integration of learning and developing process,operations and realtionships.its most powerful outcomes for the business are to do with enhanced organizational effectiveness and sustainability .For the individual they are to do with enhanced personal competence,adaptability and employability. It is therefore a critical business process , whether in for profit or not-for-profit organizations. Rosemarys definition of LD purpose is shorter than the CIPDs and has a rather different emphasis: The primary puropse of learning and development as an organizational process is to aid collective progress through the collaborative and expert stimulation and facilitation of learning and knowledge that support business goals, develop individual potential, and respect and build on diversity Learning learning is a selfdirected, work based process leading to increased adaptive capacity in other words an environment where individuals learn to learn and possess the capabilities that enable them to build thier skills and help thier organisation retain competitive advantantage. Development Development implies a longer process of learning , acquiring skills or knowledge by different means such as training, coaching, formal and informal interventions, education or planned experience. It can be strutured by human resource development (HRD)professionals, or created as a personal plan. Learning and development (LD) as a field of management research and practice is concerned with how individuals acquire or create knowledge and skills which enable them to perform and grow in thier current or future occupational role. Historical background Terms for LD as an organisational process ; In the past three terms have been widely used to describe the LD field: training and development , employement development and human resource development.The term training development is still a popular one , however training is only way of achieving development . The term employee development is now touched by political correctness , it gives a view of master- servant relationship. It is no doubt that is falling out of use at time when many organisations are referring to their members as associates or partners rather than employees. The term human resource development retains its popularity amongst academics but it has never been as attractive practitioners. They tend to dislike it because reference to people as resource is felt to be demeaning. Putting people on a mission with money, materials and equipment creates an impression of development as an essentially unfeeling, even manipulative activity. However ,using the term learning and development is not the perfect solution. What is gained in scope is lost somewhat in generalisation. learning has so many meanings . a common view is to see it as a life long activity involving three processes (onions 1973): To develop : to unfold more fully , bring out all that is contained in To educate: to bring up from childhood , so as to form habits , manners and mental and physical aptitudes To train : to instruct and discipline in or for some particular art, profession, occupation or practice: to exercise , practice ,drill. Combining these terms a conditioning process and the gaining of competencies through planned instructional activity . another kind of defnition would draw more attention to learning driven by natural curiousity. So the terms we choose to describe things matters. They influence peoples perceptions and bestows identity. An organisation that uses the term human resource development in preference to employee development, or training or learning and development has reason for that choice. LD activity is first acquired a specific organisational meaning in 1970s. Termed human resource development its purpose was regarded as primarily about short term training , encompassing skills acquistion and behavioural change . it was defined by one of its most influential commentators (Nadler, 1970) as a series of organised activities conducted within a specified time and designed to produce behavioural change. By 1980s some commentators were moving towards a more strategic perspective. According to hall(1984) strategic human resource development is the identification of needed skills and active management of learning for the long range future in relation to explicit corporate and business strategies Now it is easy to find out the stated purpose of LD activity in HSBC? And how well or badly do the employees think LD is linked to other HR practices and to organisational goals. http://books.google.com/books?hl=enlr=id=vMFcnZiT63cCoi=fndpg=PR11dq=nadler+learning+and+developmentots=YZPzM5-Ndnsig=ZY-gDyZiM3LpuLB1IGbCNpp1OcI#v=onepageq=nadler%20learning%20and%20developmentf=false The importance of context Although many employers today increasingly call for thier LD activity to be more convincingly tied to business needs, there are still many organisations where there is not happening and also where LD professionals are to make a strategic contribution. Often this because they do not relate thier activity sufficiently to context. The term has two dimesions , external and internal. The external context consists of the business environment of the organisation and other factors that have a direct relevance for LD practice within the organisation. The internal , organisational context, expressed most obvisouly in workplace culture, is most powerfully shaped by Top managements vision and values , goals and leadership Management (espcecially front line management) style and actions HR strategies and practices. According to survey by CIPD 2004 on Training and development, it showed that greater attention is now being paid to workplace learning, and that on the job training and coaching/mentoring are the most popular processes here. Thier main use , however is to improve individual peformance , tackle underpeformance and improve productivity again, not an indicator that value is placed on longer term development. CIPD (2004a) revealed Minimal evaluation of either coaching or mentoring process against business objectives Very little training provided for the line managers who carry the main burden of coaching roles Uncertainity as to what activities coaching and mentoring involve. Thus research however should be continued to show a gap between strategy delivery across the whole HR area .To tackle this gap in thier field, LD professionals need to work with line managers to build and support learning cultures that will make LD plans come to life in the workplace. Front-line mangers in particular need helping in coping with thier LD responsibilites they are much pressurised by the organisations that regulary restructure in search for competitive advantage. Importance of planning Planning is a process of developing strategies to accomplish the goals. Planning in organizations provides a logical framework approach to the goal. It helps to improve the performance of the company. Planning, learning and development is becoming increasingly important in all organizations to become successful in the present competitive world. There are various planning models like strategic planning, Issue based planning, alignment planning, scenario planning, organic planning etc.., People have to continue learning to develop their skills along with the changing world. Learning theories like behaviorism, cognitive, constructivism, design-based and humanism theories will help in understanding the importance of the LD in the organization. The concept of identifying and analyzing the importance of training and learning is necessary at different levels. The various theories and models have a functional involvement for LD research and practice. However, all the models present only a partial imminent in actual workplace. Learning and development is concerned with how the individuals can gain the knowledge and skills which will assist them to execute the performance well in his future career. Planning is very important and has to be done properly to attain a goal of the organization. Development occurs as a result of the learning,coaching,mentoring,training,planning etc..The motivation of learning and development may differ in individuals depending on their goals.Through Learning people should change from what they were and should be able to produce a proper output. LD Management development planning term refers to the activities involved in enhancing leaders, managers and supervisors abilities to plan, organize, lead and control the organization and its members. Consequently, many view the term management development to include executive development (developing executives), supervisors). leadership development (developing leaders), managerial development (developing managers) and supervisorial development (developing Management development is an effort that enhances the learners ability to manage organizations. Managing includes activities of planning, organizing, leading and coordinating resources. A critical skill for anyone is the ability to manage their own learning The main purpose of learning and development as a process is to help collective improvement through the joint and expert stimulation and facilitation of learning and knowledge that support business goals,develop individual potential and build on diversity. Leaning and development provides a wide range of activities to improve the capacity of the individual. LD can be designed to deliver specific skills in a short time to meet an immediate need or can be designed to attain broader requirements over a longer period. Theories surrounding Learning There are various theories surrounding the learning and development which include Behaviourism theories, Cogtnitivism theories ,Humanism thories, Social and situational theories etc.There are different roles for all the theories in the individual development. Aspect Behaviourist Cognitivist Humanist Social situational PLANNING: Planning consists of some essential and significant aspects to be considered, which include goals, strategies, resources, objectives, tasks etc., Goals: Goals are the important aspects that should be accomplished in total by the organization. Goals are mission of an organization. Strategies and achievements: To achieve the goals in the organization strategies should be planned and followed. Strategies are the processes in the system. Objectives: Objectives are specific targets that must be accomplished to achieve the goal in total. To achieve the goals, objectives are the milestones, which should be implementing the strategies. Tasks: In organizations people are usually assigned with various tasks to implement the plans. If the scope of the plan is small then the responsibilities and activities are essentially the same. Resources: Resources in an organization include people, material, technologies, money etc.., which are required to implement the strategies to accomplish the goals. Costs of these resources are estimated in the form of budget. Planning models There is no one perfect planning model for each organization. All the own environment and model of organization ends with developing their developing their own planning process, planning often by selecting a model and modifying it as they go along in The models like strategic planning, Issue based planning, alignment planning, scenario planning, organic planning etc An organization might choose to integrate different planning models, e.g., work force planning model in an organisation is used in developing and retaining the staff. Using a scenario model to creatively identify strategic issues and goals, and then an issues-based model to carefully strategize to address the issues and reach the goals. Planning determines the future of the organization. The focus of strategic planning is mainly on the entire organization, while the focus of the business plan is usually on a service, product or program. The planning is developed depending on the nature of the leadership, size, capability of planners etc.., in the organization. Development of the planning greatly helps to clarify the organizations plans and make sure that key leaders are all in the same play. The process of planning is more important than the strategic plan document. 1. Basic strategic model Basic strategic model of planning is a very fundamental process is normally followed by organizations that are enormously small, busy, and have not done much planning before. Planning is usually conceded out by top-level administration. This basic strategic planning process includes: a. Identifying the function of the organization (mission statement) This describes the organization its basic purpose. The statement should explain what are the client needs are and what are the services expected by them. The toplevel management should develop and agree on the mission statement. The statements will change over the years. b. Selecting the goals the organization must achieve Goals are about what the organization need to accomplish to meet the purpose. c. Identify specific strategies that must be implemented to reach the goal By closely examining the environments of the organization or by conducting PEST and SWOT analysis specific strategies should be implemented to accomplish the goals d. Implement the action plans for each strategy These are the definite actions that each department must undertake to make sure that the implementation of each strategy is done properly. Objectives should be clear, to the extent that public can assess if the objectives have been met. The top management should ideally develop detailed committees that each has a work plan. e. Monitoring the plan Planners frequently reflect on the level to which the goals are being reached and whether the action plans are being implemented correctly. The most significant indicator of accomplishment of the organization is the positive feedback from the customers. Monitoring requires existing and appropriate data. When the plans are not being implemented according to targeted time, corrective actions must be implemented to reach the target. 1. Issue based Model Organizations that start with the basic planning evolve to using this wider ranging and more efficient type of planning. Issue-Based (or Goal-Based) Planning The organizations may not perform all the following activities every year. 1. External and internal measurement to identify SWOT and PESTEL. 1. Calculated analysis to classify and prioritize major issues and goals. 2. Design most important programs to address issues and goals. 3. Design and update idea, mission and principles. Some organizations may do follow this step first in planning. 4. Establish action plans for implementing the plans. 5. Document the analysis, issues, goals and action plans of the organization. 6. Develop the yearly Operating Plan record. 7. Develop and approve financial plan for year one. 8. Monitor, estimate and update Strategic Plan document 3. Alignment Model The main principle of this model is to make sure that there is a strong alignment between the organizations mission and its resources to efficiently function the organization. This model is useful for organizations that require altering strategies and finding out the problem during the function of a plan. An organization plans to choose this model if its facing a large amount of issues. 4. Workforce planning model Effective workforce plan is an important tool to identify appropriate.Effective workforce plan is an essential tool to identify suitable staffing levels and validate budget allocations so that organizations can accomplish their objectives.Workforce planning is a efficient process for identifying the human capital necessary to meet the organization goals and developing the strategies to meet their requirements. This step involves linking between the workforces planning process with the organization strategic plan. The main purposes of workforce planning are a.To ensure that an organization has the required workers to support their mission and strategic plan. the objectives of its strategic plan Those responsible for workforce planning should identify the organizations mission and b. Analyze workforce, Identify skill gaps and conduct workforce analysis Analysis of workforce data is the main element in the workforce planning process. Workforce analysis usually considers information such as occupations, skills and experience, retirement eligibility, diversity, turnover rates, and trend data. c. Develop and implement action plans Implementation brings your workforce plan to life. You may need a separate action plan to address the implementation of each strategy in the workforce plan. The workforce plan should be implemented in connection with the requirements of the organizations strategic plan. If the strategic plan changes due to unanticipated customer, leadership, or legislative changes, adjustments to workforce plan strategies may be necessary. d. Monitor, Evaluate, and Revise The evaluation and adjustments are very important in workforce planning and are keys to continuous improvement. Although a workforce plan should cover five years, it should be reviewed annually. If an Organization does not regularly review its workforce planning efforts, it runs the risk of failing to respond to unexpected changes. Key enabling features in managing learning and development Everyone has a responsibility in managing learning and development to achieve outcomes efficiently and effectively. Learning and development are critical processes for enhancing productivity and organizational performance. Research shows high-performing organizations in Australia and overseas share certain features in relation to learning and development as follows: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ They align and integrate their learning and development initiatives with corporate and business planning by reviewing existing activities and initiating new learning programs to support corporate plans. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The corporate culture supports these initiatives and addresses cultural barriers to learning. They focus on the business application of training rather than the type of training, and they consider appropriate learning options de-emphasizing classroom training and allowing staff time to process what they have learned on the job consistent with adult learning principles. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ They evaluate learning and development formally, systematically and rigorously. Most organizations carry out evaluation at the reaction level,but few attempts to assess changes in behaviour of criteria of organizational effectiveness(Ralphs and Stephan,1986;Saari et al..,1988;Training in Britain,1989). (Performance = Ability ÃÆ'- Motivation ÃÆ'-Opportunity). People development will have a lot of impact on the organization performance. Competitive success through people involves fundamentally altering the way we think about the workforce and the employment association. Success can be achieved by working with people, not by replacing them or limiting the scope of their activities. Firms that take this different perspective are often able to sucessfully outsmart and outperform the rivals.

Sterilizing the World of ‘Dumb’ People . . . Why It Won’t Work :: Argumentative Persuasive Intelligence Essays

Sterilizing the World of ‘Dumb’ People . . . Why It Won’t Work â€Å"If we could just keep dumb people from having children, eventually there would be nothing but smart people and this would be a better place.† After reading this statement once and not really fully considering it, a lot of people may agree. At some point in their lives, many people may look at certain parents and their children and say, ‘those people really should not be allowed to have children.’ Usually these thoughts are just thoughts, for who are we to say who can and cannot have children. However, what if a government official proposed to sterilize everyone with less than an average IQ of 100. Would preventing ‘dumb’ people from reproducing really make this world a better place? Is the status of our society based on the intelligence of its people alone? The answer to solving the world’s problems and making this a better place to live are not that simple. There are many complex issues around defining and measuring intelligence. Even if we knew for sure that only ‘smart’ people make this place better, would sterilizing the ‘dumb’ work? How important is it to take into account other things that may affect a person’s development? Intelligence is influenced by the interaction of genetics, environment, and culture; therefore, sterilizing people would probably not keep the world free of people with an IQ of less than 100. If the world were cleansed of ‘dumb’ people, it would not guarantee a perfect world. Having a high IQ does not mean that a person will necessarily make this world a better place. Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber, had the IQ of a genius. He spent years of his life terrorizing, injuring, and killing people. On the other hand, just because a person has a low IQ does not mean they cannot make this a better place. Take, for example, the ‘Forest Gumps’ of the world or the mentally challenged. They may not be very smart on what our society subjectively calls intelligence, but they may bring joy and purpose to someone else’s life. Making this world a better place is not something left strictly up to the intelligence of the people in it. Anyone supporting the government official’s proposal is assuming that people’s intelligence alone causes the condition of the world, and there is no proof of this.

Gay Marriage? Essay

When you think of America, the first thing that should come to your mind is a nation of peace and equality. But in reality it’s not, is it? We live in a nation of racism, sexism, and homophobia. Homosexuals get the worst of all the unfair treatment. Gays have been fighting for rights since the 1960’s, maybe even before then, and yet today in 2012, those pleas for rights are heard, but ignored & lashed at. We should allow same-sex marriage because banning it is unfair, love is all that matters in marriage, & gay families have certain family values that some straight marriages lack. Banning an issue doesn’t make it go away. The fact of the matter is, it’ll always be there: gay people will always exist & so will their need for equal rights. As stated in ’14th amendment’ in the Constitution, â€Å"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges†¦ nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. † In short, everyone deserves the same, equal rights: that includes gay people. In that case, banning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Making this issue illegal is also a form of discrimination. Homophobes ridicule & abuse gay citizens, gays are just being themselves! We are all created equal, so why can’t we all just try to get along? What’s the reason people get married for? Love is. Who’s to judge someone based ;amp; whom they love? No one has the rights to do so. Gays have feelings too, ;amp; them getting married isn’t hurting anyone. In most, basically all, marriages, vows are said to one another. They have many strong family benefits that some straight marriages lack, such as being more open-minded & accepting. As said in a study of gay/lesbian families/parenting, â€Å"Not a single study has found children of gay or lesbian parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents, (J. Patterson, Pg. 9). † Gay couples have been proven to have stronger emotional bonds than straight couples. Strong family benefits & strong emotional bonds are necessary to long-lasting relationships & marriages. The thing is, it isn’t who you’re raised by, it’s how you’re raised. Banning the issue is unfair, love is all that matters in marriage, & some gay families have certain family values that some straight marriages lack. Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, & transsexual people deserve to have the same rights as & be happy like everyone else. Gays should be allowed to marry.

Positive Relationships With Children Essay

Positive relationships with children and young people are important for the following reasons: When a child/young person feels comfortable and settled within their care setting they are more likely to engage and participate more with staff and other children within the group which creates a more relaxed atmosphere, it also makes the separation process easier for the parents/carers as well as the child /young person as it shows that the child/young person is emotionally secure, Building and maintaining positive relationships is also important as it contributes to the developmental needs of each individual child/young person personally, socially and emotionally which then enhances their language skills as they gain confidence talking to each other and staff. Positive relationships also enables us as practitioners to understand and respond to children/young people more effectively as we are able to recognise their emotions and expressions and also enables practitioners to plan more accurately as we know more of the interests and understand the developmental needs of the children/young people in our care. Making sure as a practitioner I keep to my word i.e. if a child/group have done a particular activity today, and I have told another group/child they may have a turn next session I must make sure that is what takes place as theses situations will affect the trust between myself and the children within the setting. Positive relationships are maintained by us practitioners, parents /carers being good role models, by showing courtesy and respect to each other at all times, remembering that we must show respect and courtesy to our younger as well as our elders, Always being fair and consistent, listening to what is being said without making judgement and making sure that any rules and boundaries set out are kept to and understanding when information is to be kept confidential, being able to identify and resolve disagreements /conflicts, help children and young people to understand the difference. Effective communication- the way in which we speak to an individual, according to age and developmental stage of the child/young person, being  aware of body language/hand gestures and facial expressions. Ensuring that children and young people are aware and understand their views and opinions are valued and considered. It is important that people involved in the care of children and young people build and maintain positive relationships with each other, as this can also have an enormous impact the development and wellbeing of the children and young people within their care spectrum, having a positive relationship with the child/young persons parent/carer can have positive effect on the child/young person, as this is the first step in getting to know and understand the initial needs and preferences, likes and dislikes and fears or concerns of each individual, also by including parent/carers in various sessions giving them the opportunity to contribute and get involved in planning and implementing of various activities it encourages people to engage in conversation where different views, ideas, and skills are learned. Also shared whilst showing the children/young people how to live in diverse community where we are all individuals who are able to work together regardless of background or upbringing. positive relationships between the various professionals working with children/young people whether it be colleagues, external agency/organisation or service, is important as it has a direct impact on the child/young person ongoing development, being able to share information between adults involving children/young people in different situations engaging in various activities, means that planning for the children/young people can be done more effectively as each professional involved may see a different way of contributing towards the development /wellbeing of the child/young person, they may also have the opportunity to identify any needs and interests different to those already established, the welfare of children/young people can be properly monitored while being assured that each child/young person is being given consistent care, any concerns or issues can be shared accurately and promptly when required following correct procedures and guidelines.

Edible Candle - Fire Science Demonstration

Edible Candle - Fire Science Demonstration For this science magic trick, you light a candle, blow out the flame and then eat the candle. Its safe, fun and even nutritious. Edible Candle Materials This project requires a few simple ingredients from the home: bananapecan nutcandle stick or candle holder with wax drippingsmatch or lighter Set Up The Trick Cut a banana so that it resembles a small candle. You want a candle that you can eat in one or two bites.Set your banana-candle on a candle stick or holder. If the candle stick has white wax drippings, this will add realism to the trick.Cut the pecan into a wick shape and set it into the top of the banana.When you are ready to do the trick, light the pecan, just like an ordinary candle wick. Blow out the flame and eat the candle. How It Works Pecans, as well as other nuts, are high in oils. The nut can be lit like a candle wick and will burn for several minutes. You could even use nuts on a cake as birthday candles!