Brain Death

Death occurs at an individual at the moment that his or her heart and lung stops functioning in such a way that they could never be restored. At the same instance, the brain function also stops. Death had been referred to as cardio respiratory death until technology altered the context death through the introduction of what was known as brain death which refers to the cessation of brain function and activity determined or measured by different test such as EEG diagnostics. Most of the time, the term brain death refers to a patient that lost brain capacity to do important function.They may sometimes be sustained by medical apparatus but is not literally dead in the physical context. However in some countries, these persons are considered dead and organs can be transplanted to some other patients who need body organs and patients who are brain alive. Thus, benefiting the society as a whole and as well as the receivers of the organ. Although the acknowledgment of brain death benefits th e community, several controversies and contradictions arise. Such conflict includes the different views regarding when the patient is to be considered brain dead, which also includes the controversies regarding PVS patients.Although new development on the fields of technology arises to be able to determine if one person is really brain dead, such as Digital Subtraction Angiography, Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT), Dynamic Computed Tomography (DCT), Magnetic Resonance Imaginary (MRI), Echo Planar MRI (EPI) and many other types of equipment, a consensus regarding the acceptance of brain death was never reached because of some ethical and cultural concerns. Such factor includes the different views and stand of the pubic regarding organ transplant.Still, the main factor against the consensus of accepting brain death is the public’s opinion and view, specially the families of the patient who were considered to be brain dead, regarding the matter. They are unlikely to accept th e burial of a breathing human or to intentionally terminate the cardio respiratory function of an individual through lethal injections or some other means. Due to several controversies regarding brain death, several policies had been made. However controversies and contradictions are still present, regarding brain death.Returning to Cardio Respiratory death will eliminate objections regarding brain death which was the original definition of death. Modern advances in medical technology are really challenging our conception of what it means to be human, to be alive. For some, the concept of Brain Death is also a form of legalizing killing.DEFINITION OF BRAIN DEATH: ROBERT BLANKStudies showed that the brain begins to die due to some several causes. One of the major causes was ageing in which there exist a gradual lost of sensory capacities in one’s brain.The higher the age of an individual means higher risk of having a decline in memory and other functions of the brain. Aging is the natural process in which brain functions declines. There are also causes which are not natural such as injuries, cancer, stoke as well as alcohol and drug abuse. However, the concept of brain death does not necessarily refers to this process of brain cell death but rather to the cessation of functions and activity of the brain as indicated by several test such as EEG diagnostics.This concept is different from what we normally regard as death. In a general sense, brain death refers to situation to which the patient was diagnosed to be unable to regain consciousness or unable to recover from his or her current state of having brain damage. When a person is considered brain dead he or she is regarded as already dead and thus, organs can be taken for transplants. Because of this definition, several controversies and contradiction occurs.In the beginning of the issue regarding brain death, several criteria were used conclude that a person was really brain dead: â€Å"(1) unreceptiv ity and unresponsiveness; (2) lack of spontaneous movements or breathing and, (3) lack of reflexes† (Blank, page 3). Due to the seriousness of the issue, there had also been acts in order to determine if the person is brain dead. The concept of brain death is still being debated up to the contemporary time even in the presence of modern technological devices such as Digital Subtraction Angiography, CAT, DCT, MRI and others.WHAT TRIGGERED THE CONTROVERSEY OVER BRAIN DEATH?The very reason for the creation of the concept of brain death was the advancement of medical technology. Although there are some machines in the field that were able to support the lungs and heart of a person, the fact that once the brain stem was seriously damaged. Spontaneous respiration could never be returned, providing a patient with no hope of recovery. Thus, the death of a person was linked to the death of certain brain function rather than to the cessation of the heart and lungs.CEREBRAL DEFINITON OF DEATHThe idea of total brain death has always been surrounded by controversies even it was accepted as the standard practice in most of the Western Nations because some argues that it cannot be referring to the death of the whole brain or the cessation of all the functions of the brain. Since the concept of the whole brain death ignores spinal cords reflexes as well as the emission of small electrical potentials measurable by the EEG continuous in some isolated brain cells. On the other hand, the cerebral death was associated to the cessation of the function of the cerebral cortex that is associated with consciousness and mental activity.Thus whenever specific higher brain functions of an individual ceases, he or she is considered cerebral dead rather than the cessation of all brain activity. The concept of equating death to cerebral death was based on the assumption that human life has no longer exist in the absence of the person’s consciousness. Thus, cerebral death focuses on the death of personhood rather than the death of the organism itself. Because of these assumptions, death gains a lot of criticism and objectivity.WHY IT IS DIFFICULT TO INSTITUTE A POLICY DEFINING PVS PATIENTS AS BRAIN DEAD?Patients with PVS have a relatively intact brain stem with the complete lost of cerebral cortical function that may be due to lack of oxygen or blood flow to the brain for about 4-6 minutes. Thus, the patient is left with a transient coma for days and weeks that sometimes also resulted in eyes-open consciousness for years. Although they have cough reactions as well as times of wakefulness and sleep because of the brain stem, they are completely unaware of themselves as well as their environments. PVS patients also experience no pain during the period.These characteristics that makes PVS patients different from permanent coma patients, patients with locked-in syndrome and irreversibly comatose are also the reason why it is difficult to institute a policy that defines PVS patients as brain dead.Summary: PETER MONAGHAN ARTICLEThe idea of referring to brain dead people as dead resulted in different views and stands taken by different groups and cultures. In the United Sates and Canada, the concept of brain was accepted and organs of people who are considered brain dead can be taken for transplant.Several countries on the other hand have different views regarding the matter specially those that that are outside the United States. Other countries have acknowledge the concept of brain death but were unwilling to view brain dead persons as dead and chose to stick to the cessation of heart and lungs as the indication of death of an individual. The differences in the views of the public regarding brain death creates several issues, controversies and as well as objections of the concept.For some, legalizing brain death is just a way of legalizing killing; others believed otherwise, mostly are professionals in the field of medicine who believed th at this concept will be able to save the lives of those persons whose brains are well functioning but are desperately in need of organ transplant. The acceptance of the whole concept of brain death is likely to produce a great development in the field of organ transplant, cloning and other medical fields. However, this would also mean changing the public’s definition of dead; disregarding mostly religious and biological beliefs of the definition of death.Medical technology developments also complicate the issues regarding brain death. Even the question of when should a person should be considered brain dead was still debatable up to the contemporary time. Still, the significance of death in the societal context still overrides medical authority when it comes to a patient known to be brain dead. One of the strongest issues that were against the concept of brain death was the difficulty of family members of a brain dead person to acknowledge the burial or even cremation of thei r love.Another issue that also arises was whether anesthesia should be used for patients that were brain dead. The concept of brain death really does create a lot of controversies and questions that remained debatable up to the present time.COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE USAIn the United States as well as in Canada, once a person was considered to be brain dead, his or her organs can be removed for transplant. However not all the countries, because of cultural differences, does not view and accept the concept of brain death in the same way.In several European Countries, surgeons could perform the transplant unless the patient forbade it. Still, there are those countries that accepted the idea of brain death and take it into consideration, but still preferred biological death and brain dead persons are not considered dead. There are also some countries that were totally against the idea of brain death. The concept of brain death was merely a convention outside the United States and Canada. Fo r example, in Japan, it took more than 3 decades of debate before the concept of brain death was legally accepted.Still, the issue of brain death remain restricted that allowed for organ transplants. Brain Dead individuals are not considered dead unless they wish to donate their organs. Germany on the other hand first recognized the concept of brain death but reversed its recognition in 1999. Although brain death had been legally accepted in Sweden in 1980’s, the issue is still being debated. On the other hand in the early 1900’s Denmark accepted the concept of brain death but decided not to use this concept in determining if an individual is dead rather they retain the heart and lung cessation of determining death.Thus, because of different views, beliefs and norms, different countries have different approaches regarding the issue of brain death.DECISION MAKING IN OTHER SENSITVE MEDICAL AND SOCIAL ETHICAL AREASThe issue on brain death had made certain impacts when it comes to decision making of some related medical, ethical and social issues. When it comes to ethical concerns, the main question that arises is the issue of life and death. Brain Death had moved some conception of death; it is a new definition of death as some may say.Brain death is a treat to some ethical, cultural and religious beliefs as it offenses certain beliefs of society. On the other hand, brain death offers great advancement in some field such as medicines and other medical aspects. Brain death made it easier for medical personnel to decide on whether to sustain or cut off different medical apparatus that sustains the breathing of the patients. It also helps in deciding to make an organ transplant from patients that are considered brain dead. Thus, it created medical advancement especially in the filed of organ transplant, cloning and other fields.On one point, brain death can be said to help the society by providing organs from those patients who are brain alive and are capable of making a change in society. However, the issue also brings disagreement among the members of the society.TERRY SCHIAVO CASEThe Terry Schiavo Case illustrates both societal and ethical issues concerning brain death, the decision that concern individuals and groups have to make. The different views of Terry’s husband and parents brought conflicts and legal issues.The concept of brain death made it legal to cut off the apparatus or the feeding tube used by Terry. Although Terry’s parents appeals to the court to put back the feeding tube, the court had rejected this appeal. It can be said that the court accepts the fact of brain death and agrees with Terry’s husband that she would rather be dead. However it was really hard for Terry’s parents to accept that their daughter was already dead. Different doctors who had seen Terry have different views and beliefs whether Terry would be able to recover or not.Thus, it was really hard even with several de velopments in medical fields to have a consensus of whether a brain dead person can be classified dead or not.CONCLUSIONIt can really say that medical development altered our notion of death. This brings new challenges to every culture and society. Because different cultures are different, they may have different stands regarding brain death. For some, it was proper to view brain dead person as dead because of the lost of the main function or the brain was already dead.However, some argues that legalizing brain death as death is also a form unjustified killing. The issue or concept of brain death will remain controversial and objections will always arise because of the differences of every culture and individual. Thus, the consensus regarding the matter can never be accomplished.ReferencesBlank, R. (2001). Technology and death policy: redefining death. Mortality: Vol. 6.Monaghan, P. (2002, February 22). Unsettled Question on Brain Death. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Washington : Vol. 48, Iss. 24; pg. A. 14.

Katherine Mansfield Essay

Her feelings of disjuncture were accentuated when she arrived in Britain in 1903 to attend Queen’s College. In many respects, Mansfield remained a lifelong outsider, a traveler between two seemingly similar yet profoundly different worlds. After briefly returning to New Zealand in 1906, she moved back to Europe in 1908, living and writing in England and parts of continental Europe. Until her premature death from tuberculosis at the age of 34, Mansfield remained in Europe, leading a Bohemian, unconventional way of life. The Domestic Picturesque Mansfield’s short story â€Å"Prelude† is set in New Zealand and dramatizes the disjunctures of colonial life through an account of the Burnell family’s move from Wellington to a country village. The story takes its title from Wordsworth’s seminal poem, â€Å"The Prelude,† the first version of which was completed in 1805, which casts the poet as a traveler and chronicles the â€Å"growth of a poet’s mind. †[4] Although the Burnell family moves a mere â€Å"six miles† from town, the move is not inconsequential; it enacts a break with their previous way of life and alerts the family members to the various discontinuities in their lives. Beneath the veneer of the Burnells’ harmonious domestic life are faint undercurrents of aggression and unhappiness. The haunting specter of a mysterious aloe plant and a slaughtered duck in their well-manicured yard suggests that the family’s â€Å"awfully nice† new home conceals moments of brutality and ignorance toward another way of life that was suppressed and denied. [5] As I will propose, these two incidents echo the aesthetic concept of the sublime, as they encapsulate a mysterious power that awes its beholders and cannot be fully contained within their picturesque home. Through her subtle, dream-like prose, Mansfield deploys traditional aesthetic conventions like the picturesque while simultaneously transfiguring, subverting, and reinventing them in a modernist context. The concept of the picturesque was first defined by its originator, William Gilpin, an 18th century artist and clergyman, as â€Å"that kind of beauty which is agreeable in a picture. †[6] Thus, a scene or representation is beautiful when it echoes an already-established, artistic conception of beauty, revealing the self-reinforcing way in which art creates the standard of beauty for both art and life. Mansfield presents these picturesque moments in order to demystify them and reveal the suppression and violence they contain. In addition to â€Å"Prelude,† her stories â€Å"Garden Party† and â€Å"Bliss† dramatize the transformation and inversion of picturesque moments of bourgeois life and domestic harmony. While she seems to exhibit a certain attachment to these standard aesthetic forms, Mansfield subtly interrogates many of these conventions in a strikingly modernist way. Through her childhood in a colony, Mansfield also became attuned to the violence and inequalities of colonialism. As Angela Smith suggests, her early writings demonstrate a keen sensitivity towards a repressed history of brutality and duplicity. [7] In her 1912 short story â€Å"How Pearl Button Was Kidnapped,† she questions and overturns the perspective of the colonialist, whose vantage point historically trumps that of the native. The deliberate ambivalence of the word â€Å"kidnapping† dramatizes the conflict between the colonist’s perspective and Pearl’s joyful, eye-opening experiences during her abduction. In a similar way, empire dramatized for Mansfield the way that a picturesque, bourgeois household could suppress alternative perspectives. The Sublime In â€Å"Prelude,† the mysterious, sublime aloe plant disrupts the pleasant domesticity of the Burnell household. Their well-manicured yard with its tennis lawn, garden, and orchard also contains a wild, unseemly side—â€Å"this was the frightening side, and no garden at all. †[8] This â€Å"side† contains the aloe plant, which exerts a mysterious, enthralling power over its awed beholders. In its resemblance to the ocean, the aloe assumes the characteristics of the sublime: â€Å"the high grassy bank on which the aloe rested rose up like a wave, and the aloe seemed to ride upon it like a shop with the oars lifted. Bright moonlight hung upon the lifted oars like water, and on the green wave glittered the dew. †[9] For many writers and poets, the ocean was a manifestation of the sublime because of its unfathomable power and scale that awed and humbled its observers. The aloe’s strikingly physiological effect on its viewers recalls Edmund Burke’s sublime, which overpowers its observer and reinforces the limitations of human reason and control. In his famous treatise on the sublime, Burke writes: â€Å"greatness of dimension, vastness of extent or quantity† is a powerful cause of the sublime, as it embodies the violent and overpowering forces of nature. [10] In a similar vein, the child, Kezia Burnell’s first impression upon seeing the â€Å"fat swelling plant with its cruel leaves and fleshy stem† is one of awe and wonder. [11] In this case, the sublimity of the aloe plant disrupts and challenges the domestic picturesque as it defies mastery, categorization, and traditional notions of beauty. In its resistance to categorization and control, the sublime embodies the part of the ungovernable landscape that the Burnell family cannot domesticate and the picturesque cannot frame. As a result, in â€Å"Prelude,† the magnitude of the sublime interrupts and fractures the tranquil surface of the picturesque by exposing the unfathomable depths beneath it. The colonial backdrop of the Burnells’ yard also contributes to the mysterious, occult power of the aloe. This unruly part of their property hints toward a landscape that eludes domestication and serves as a constant reminder that the Burnell family is living in a land that is not quite theirs and cannot be fully tamed. [12] At the age of 19, Mansfield wrote that the New Zealand bush outside of the cities is â€Å"all so gigantic and tragic—and even in the bright sunlight it is so passionately secret. †[13] For Mansfield, the bush embodies the history of a people whose lives have been interrupted and displaced by European settlers. [14] After wars, brutal colonial practices, and European diseases had devastated the local Maori population, the bush became a haunting monument to their presence. As the Burnell family settles down to sleep on the first night in their new home, â€Å"far away in the bush there sounded a harsh rapid chatter: â€Å"Ha-ha-ha†¦ Ha-ha-ha. †[15] In her subtle way, Mansfield unveils the voices of those whose perspectives are excluded from this portrait of nocturnal domestic harmony. In a similar way, the aloe plant exudes an unfathomable history that is beyond the time and place of the Burnells. Even its age—implied by the fact that it flowers â€Å"once every hundred years†Ã¢â‚¬â€suggests that the aloe exists on a different scale than its human beholders. [16] In its ancient, superhuman scale, the aloe gestures towards the â€Å"gigantic,† indicating a subtle, but implicitly threatening power within, or in proximity of the home. The aloe is a kind of lacuna in the imperial landscape of New Zealand, whose power threatens the colonial household and its control over the landscape. [17] By disrupting and encroaching upon the ostensibly safe domestic sphere, the aloe also echoes the â€Å"unheimlich,† or uncanny, an aesthetic concept explored by Sigmund Freud in his 1919 essay, â€Å"The Uncanny. † The uncanny becomes, in part, an invasive force violating the sacred, domestic sphere and hearkens back to a previously repressed or hidden impulse: â€Å"The uncanny is something which ought to have remained hidden but has come to light. †[18] In â€Å"Prelude,† the aloe is initially depicted as a threatening force that â€Å"might have had claws instead of roots. The curving leaves seemed to be hiding something. †[19] Positioned within the safe space of their property, the aloe is a menacing, ungovernable force that seems to encroach upon it. The plant becomes part of the repressed history of the landscape—a history that is only apparent to Kezia, her mother Linda Burnell, and her grandmother Mrs. Fairfield, who are attuned to the forces below the surface of the picturesque exterior. Violent Underpinnings Beneath many of Mansfield’s picturesque domestic scenes are moments of violence and rupture. In â€Å"Garden Party,† for instance, a poor man falls to his death during the preparations for a much-anticipated social gathering of the wealthy Sheridan family, undermining the convivial spirit of the occasion. In â€Å"Prelude,† Pat, the handyman, slaughters a duck while the children watch with grotesque enthrallment as it waddles for a few steps after being decapitated. â€Å"The crowning wonder† of the dead duck walking hearkens back to Burke’s sublime, which is experienced in â€Å"Prelude† within the confines of the private residence. [20] The sublimity of this apparent defiance of the properties of death acts as a dramatic external force imposing on the observers’ intellect and reason in a profoundly Burkian way. But later that night, when the duck is placed in front of the patriarch, Stanley Burnell, â€Å"it did not look as if it had ever had a head. †[21] The duck’s picturesque dressing—â€Å"its legs tied together with a piece of string and a wreath of little balls of stuffing round it†Ã¢â‚¬â€conceals its violent death. [22] In a similar way, the â€Å"awfully nice† picturesque house is imposed upon the landscape, as if it had never been any other way. [23] Through reconfiguration and transformation, a new imperial order conceals the fact that an older order once lay beneath it. In both cases, the picturesque functions as a way of naturalizing the violent order of domination. As Pat’s golden earrings distract Kezia from her grief over the duck’s death, the duck’s pretty garnish conceals its â€Å"basted resignation. †[24] There is no such thing as a pure aesthetics, Mansfield seems to suggest, as each serene moment is implicated in some act of violence, brutality, or suppression. In â€Å"Prelude,† the good-natured Pat disrupts a pre-existing picturesque scene in which ducks â€Å"preen their dazzling breasts† amidst the pools and â€Å"bushes of yellow flowers and blackberries. †[25] Tellingly, the duck pond contains a bridge, a typical feature of the picturesque that reconciles or bridges the gap between different aspects of the scenery. In this way, the Burnell family’s cultivation of the land by planting and slaughtering ducks disrupts another underlying order. Their unquestioning appropriation of this pre-existing order mirrors the way colonial life disrupted and undermined the indigenous Maori life. Juxtaposing two picturesque scenes that interrupt and conflict with one another, Mansfield questions and unravels the conventional image of the picturesque. This interplay of various conflicting aesthetic orders constitutes part of Mansfield’s modernist style, in which aesthetic forms are ruptured, fragmented, and overturned. As the yard’s landscape bears traces of the Maori past, so the quiet harmony of the Burnells’ domesticity is underscored by deep, unspoken tensions and an animosity that hints at the uncanny. In fact, the only character who expresses any contentment is Stanley, who reflects, â€Å"By God, he was a perfect fool to feel as happy as this! †[26] Yet even he shudders upon entering his new driveway, as â€Å"a sort of panic overtook Burnell whenever he approached near home. †[27] Beneath this veneer of marital bliss and familial harmony, his wife Linda occasionally ignores her children and expresses hatred towards her husband and his aggressive sexuality: â€Å"there were times when he was frightening—really frightening. When she screamed at the top of her voice, ‘You are killing me. ’†[28] Meanwhile Stanley and Beryl, Linda’s sister, seem to have a flirtatious, indecent relationship: â€Å"Only last night when he was reading the paper her false self had stood beside him and leaned against his shoulder on purpose. Hadn’t she put her hand over his†¦ so that he should see how white her hand was beside his brown one. †[29] Dramatizing these dynamics, Mansfield suggests that a â€Å"happy† household outside of town is not as â€Å"dirt cheap† as Stanley boasts; it comes at the cost of servitude, sexual aggression, and a ravaged Maori landscape. [30] Through these layers, which Mansfield subtly strips off one at a time, she artfully exposes the way that an existing political and aesthetic order is not what it seems to be or how it has always been. Her short stories are fraught with their own tensions; while exposing the picturesque as false and absurd, she nevertheless draws on its conventional associations. Similarly, her subtle attempts to question colonial power are embedded in a seemingly idealized portrait of colonial life. Mansfield creates a seemingly beautiful or normal image, such as the happy family in â€Å"Prelude,† â€Å"Bliss,† or â€Å"Garden Party,† and then slowly challenges it through a subtle counter-narrative. In this way, her deployment of modernist techniques is less pronounced than that of James Joyce and her other modernist contemporaries. Just as she challenges aesthetic conventions, Mansfield unravels the reader’s ideas about her own stories by presenting a seemingly beautiful, transparent narrative that is haunted by tensions, lacunae, and opacity. Like the headless walking duck, these fictions of transparency and harmony quickly collapse upon closer inspection.

Encouraging more Respect for the Dutch Culture Essay

Introduction For my personal project I have decided to write a book (appendix 1) about the Dutch culture and habits. I was inspired to do this project, because a lot of people think that everyone in Holland smoked marihuana at least once a day, walks on clogs all the time and has a garden full of tulips. When I first joined ISS I noticed that everyone assumed that I loved cheese and they still do. This inspired me to do write this book, because I want people to know more about Holland and gain more respect for the country. This is important to me, because I want everyone to not always stereotype the Netherlands. My Area of Interaction for this project will be Community and Service. I chose this Area of Interaction, because I am writing a book for the community to read. I want to inspire the community to see Holland through a different view. I want people to have more respect for the Dutch  culture and its habits after reading my book. By doing this I not only help the school community, but also the Dutch community by encouraging more respect for their culture. Since I am doing this for free it is a service. I think that giving out a book for free is going to make the book more successful. More people would want to read it and so more people will be encouraged to have more respect for Holland. That is why my AOI is Community and Service. My goal of writing this book is that people will start to have more respect for the Dutch culture. I do not want everyone to just assume that I wear clogs at home, eat cheese everyday and especially that I smoke marihuana. I also want to get more non-fiction writing experience and skill by writing this book. This will help me for writing essays and other informative writing tasks. I will measure my goal by seeing if the attitude of people improves after reading my book. What I mean to say by this is that: if they lessened the stereotypical comments, than I believe that their respect has increased. I have designed an 11-point plan for my Personal Project. Make a survey and ask the questions to people in Holland to get their opinion. Buy and read books about the Dutch culture, so I can use these in my project. Find websites on the Internet about clogs, Dutch cheese, drug consumption in the Netherlands etc. I will keep researching. Ask the questions of the survey to people in ISS. Plan out my book. I will plan out what I want chapters to be about and in what order I will put them. Write an introduction for the book. Writing an introduction is important, because it introduces the reader to the book and shows what the reader can expect. I will start on writing the book and finish at least 1/3 of it before the progress fair, so I can present this on the progress fair. I will finish my book around January. This will not be the completed version. I will ask some people to read the rough draft. I will use the feedback I get to improve and finish the book. When finished I will make a table of contents and a cover page. Then I put everything together in a folder and hand it in on the due date. Description of the process Research and Planning First, I had to plan out the whole entire process. As shown in the introduction I had an eleven-point plan to finish my personal project. That was just a rough draft of all the things I was going to do, but now I will describe the whole process in detail. I started my project a little bit before the summer break. I started researching on how to write a non-fiction book. This was very critical to my project, because I have never written a book before and it was very likely to take longer if I did not use these websites. (Stephanie Chandeler, 2009) (Bobbi Linkemer, 2010) After this I thought of the survey questions I was going to ask people about Holland. The week after I planned this, my family and me went to the Netherlands and I planned to do the survey there. I asked the survey questions to as many family members and friends as I could, until we went home. I had about 25 persons interviewed and I was convinced that this was going to help me during the project. I put all the answers of the survey into an Excel document. (appendix 2) After the all this research I realized that I did not have a plan. I quickly made a 11-point plan to write my book. I was very stupid of me to write the plan so late. I will discuss this further in the conclusion. Two weeks after school started I asked the survey questions to the whole entire tenth grade class. Some of these surveys were very useful and actually helped me writing my book. But many of them were not taken seriously and I thought this was very disappointing, because I expected a little better of my classmates. Writing the first half and rewriting first half After all of this research I started writing the book. Three weeks after the school started I wrote my introduction to the book (word from the Author). This was very important to the book, because in this introduction I had to introduce the whole entire book and as I said before I have difficulties starting a writing task. But once I get into writing, then I can keep on writing for maybe 15 minutes straight. After that I wrote chapter one of my book. It was not very hard on deciding what my first chapter should be on, because almost every non-fiction book starts out with a basic overview of the topic that will be discussed. So my first chapter was about the geographical facts about Holland, like its area, population, religion  percentage and other basic facts about The Netherlands. The second chapter was about the provinces of Holland. I believed that this was important to explain, because every province is different and I wanted to show that not everything in Holland is the same a s some people think. It is like the states in the U.S., people in Georgia are completely different from people in Texas. Then I started on the third chapter, which was about the water in Holland. I talked about the lakes, rivers, seas and polders in Holland. The fourth chapter was the last chapter I wrote before the progress fair. It was about the history of Holland. I discussed important wars and events that effected Holland on what it is today. Three days later I presented what I had written so far at the progress fair. Not a lot of people were interested in my project and only about 5 kids stopped to look and ask questions about my project. A week later the biggest problem happened throughout the whole project. I lost all my progress so far on what I have written. For some reason my laptop deleted nearly everything that I had written so far. The only thing that wasn’t gone was my introduction. This was a very big problem and I should have had a back up. The next school week and one and a half week of the break I spend rewriting my whole entire first half of the book. This wasted a lot of my time I could have actually spent starting my second half of the book. I believe that the second version of my book was slightly different than the first version, but only small improvements were made. It could even be that I may have left some things out and have added some things, so my first version could have been better or worse. Writing the second half of the book The second half of the book was a little more difficult. I had covered all of the basic things, like geography and history. Now I needed all the things that people were stereotyping and making fun of, because my goal was to encourage more respect for the Dutch community by writing the actual truth instead of writing. I first decided to make a chapter on significant and famous Dutch people before talking about stereotypes. In the appendix chapter 5 of my book is shown and as you can see I talk about famous Dutch people in the past (like Vincent Van Gogh), and famous Dutch people in the present (like Johan Cruijff). I thought that this was also important to put into my book, because some people did not know any famous Dutch people and I  thought it was a good idea to also include this in my book. I finally started writing about some typical Dutch things. My sixth chapter was about Dutch holidays and traditions. I included holidays in them like the Dutch carnaval and Sinterklaas, because those are two very popular and well-known holidays all over Holland. This chapter is also included in the appendix. My seventh chapter was about Dutch eating habits and I talked about food like Dutch cheese and its stereotypes and liquorice. I hoped that I made a lot of things clear about Dutch people and cheese in this chapter. The eighth chapter of my book was about tolerance in the Netherlands. Here I hope I made a lot of things clear about the red light district, drug legalization in Holland and legalized prostitution in Holland. My final chapter was about typical Dutch things like windmills and tulips. I explained that not everyone grows tulips in their garden and not everyone in Holland lives in a windmill! After I finished all of my chapters I let my mother and father read it through for some feedback. Using the feedback I got, I improved my book. Afterwards I wrote my afterword and bibliography. In the afterword I thanked all the people that helped me write the book and summarize the conclusion of the book. At last I put the book together and made a table of contents. So, finally after 6 months of hard work, problems and bad time management I finished my book and handed it in. I hope everyone who will read the book will gain more respect for the people of The Netherlands and will think twice before concluding anything about Holland and its culture. Analysis Useful resources and the AOI linked to it My project was a project that was based on and dependent on a lot of research. So the research changed my personal project a lot. As I told in the process description, I did some research on how to write a book and I also did a survey with a lot of people. This survey affected my personal project a lot, because this showed me what people of different ages were thinking about Holland internationally. I used this survey in a lot of chapters in my book, so I could see what people were thinking about Holland. As I mentioned before my project was dependent on research. I used a lot of websites and most other websites were useful in the same way. I found websites about cheese, traditions, polders and many other things. There were  only two parts of my research that were more important than all the information sources. These were the survey and the websites on how to write a book. These helped me reach my goal better. The survey helped, because this showed me what a lot of people were thinking and so I could decide what I should write several of my chapters about. The websites on how to write book helped, because it is always very difficult for me to start an essay or any other writing task. These websites helped me start out and guided me throughout the whole writing process. Another very useful website that helped me finish my longest chapter, chapter 2, was a website called tripadvisor.com (Tripadvisor, 2000) I used a lot of sources I used and it would be a miracle if I remembered all of them word by word. Some of which I remember do relate to the AOI. The source that links the most to the AOI is my survey results. Asking people from two different communities questions about their personal opinions created this survey. One was the Dutch community who all gave similar answers and mostly answers that make sense to me. The other was an international community who also gave similar answers, but made less sense. Some people did not take this survey seriously and some people gave stupid answers. One example is that some people just wrote weed next to every answer. These were the survey that did not help me at all and I just threw them away. By seeing this I could conclude that not a lot of foreigners knew about the Dutch people and their culture. Changes in the plan I changed a lot of things in the plan. At the very beginning I said that I would create the survey first. What I actually did first was research on how to write a book. This was an important change in the plan, because if I didn’t than probably my book would have been less organized, I probably forgot the table of contents and my introduction would take maybe three days. Another change I made in one of the points in the plan was that I did not interview people from the I was planning in doing so, but than I decided not to. I am a very shy person when it comes to asking a stranger a bunch of questions. I was afraid that they might be startled and most of them just say no, because they don’t have time. I was also afraid that people think I am some crazy kid asking them some stupid questions about their own country. Another change in the plan was that I switched point 4 and 5 around. Now, I  first planned out the book and then I surveyed the tenth grade. I did this, because I saw that some people were still getting used to their homework pattern in tenth grade and would probably forget one â€Å"unimportant† survey and that would leave me with maybe 15 completed surveys in my hands. So I first planned out the book and later when most people were less stressed I asked the survey questions. The biggest change is probably that I would have had the book finished in January. I had to change this, because of the problem that occurred I explained about in the description process. Almost all of my work got deleted. Due to this I could not work on my second half of the project in the Christmas break. I finished up my rough draft in the February break and had two days to use feedback from my mother and father to improve my book. This change also had effect on nearly all of my last points, because of the little time that was left after the deletion of my project. Techniques used in the project and time management I did not use a lot of different techniques in my project. Since my project is writing a book not as many techniques are used as in making a movie or sporting. The technique I used most was research and write. For a non-fiction book this is obvious, because the information in the book does require a lot of research. There are also other techniques I used, like the interview. The interview was, as I explained before, critical to my project. This interview was very effective to my project, because it is always good to not only have second hand sources. To have a first hand source can come in really handy, because one cannot always believe what is on the Internet. My time management could have been better. First of all it would have been better if I had finished everything up until my book introduction in the summer break, because than I could have entirely focused on writing my book for the rest of the year. The other big thing that interfered with my time schedule was the deletion of my project. As I explained before I had to rewrite all over again during the Christmas break. And the last thing that is again completely my fault, is that I let the final chapter of my book all come down to one holiday. I worked everyday on the project in the holiday and was really stressed throughout the whole ‘holiday’. I should have spread it out over the last three weeks, but I admit I was too lazy and thought that I wasted half of my Christmas break on my project that I won’t do a lot  in the weeks to come. This is a thought that I will not ever think again after what happened. Has my understanding of my AOI grown during the project? My understanding of the AOI has definitely improved over the course of the year. My understanding about why one should respect another culture has grown a lot. I have realized more than ever that I have to respect other cultures more and stop making stereotypical jokes in order to gain respect from other people for my culture. I also understand more how my book could contribute and has contributed to a community. By reading my book some people have gained respect for Holland and its culture as I mentioned before. Now maybe 10 people read the book and maybe 5 of these have gained respect for the Dutch culture. This benefitted the small Dutch community in our school. But let us say that half of Germany reads my book. I think that around 40%/50% of these people would actually understand and respect the Dutch culture more. If such a thing happened than it could have contributed to the whole Dutch community. Understanding and quality of the product I understand many more things now about writing a book. The main thing that I have learned is to have a back up for every chapter you make. I have learned this the hard way. Another major thing that I understand now is that writing a book is not as easy as I expected it to be. It requires a lot of research, creativity and especially time. If you do not plan you time well then writing a book can take a really long time. I wrote a book double-spaced, size 14 and 6800 words in 46 pages in about 6 months. A writer that does single-spaced, size 12 and around 500 pages would maybe take 30 years over one book if he/she wrote in my tempo. And if I wrote in their tempo than I would be done with the project in maybe a month or so. So my understanding is that writing a book is mostly about planning and a lot of dedication to one’s work. I am quite proud on what I produced. I never thought myself capable of writing a book. Compared to the work of a professional writer my book is very short. I compared my work to a book called â€Å"The Dutch, I presume?†(Martijn de Rooj, April 2009) and another book called â€Å"Holland† (Herman Van Amsterdam, 2009) and saw that mine was way shorter. These man also has more experience when it comes to writing a book. they designed it really clever and also had other professionals working with them; like  professional photographers and artists. The Difficulty of the project Overall I would not consider my project as a difficult project. I also don’t think it is easy. Writing a book is not as easy as people think it is, because it requires a lot of planning and a bit of creativity. But it is also not extremely difficult, because if you planned everything than you just let your mind and hands do the work and just keep on writing until you cannot write anymore. I think writing a non-fiction book is more for people who are looking for a challenge. Conclusion Have I met my Goal? I believe that I have met my goal to a certain extent. The first part of my goal was to encourage more respect for the Dutch culture. This point is not very clear yet, because only one foreigner has read the book until now. But I believe that the book will have some impact on the respect people have for Holland. I told some of my classmates some facts about the Netherlands and they stopped making fun of the things I told them are not even close to the truth. My other goal was to get more informative writing skills. I believe that I really have achieved this goal, because I find it easier to write more on one-world essays or history essays now, because I wrote this book. This project also helped me a lot with researching skills. Before I only used to look on the Internet, but now I will start using other sources like books and first hand sources to research. By doing this I can get more information about a subject and this will, hopefully, get me better grades. Things that I would do differently if I could start over There are a lot of things I would do differently next time. The first one is to have a back up for everything I write. This was the biggest problem I had throughout the whole project. Due to this I wasted a whole break rewriting all the things I did not back up. If I do this differently if I could start over than I would probably have way more time to do the rest of my book. This brings me to the other thing I would do differently if I could start over: time management. I should have planned my time better throughout the 6 months I had. Because I did not plan my time well in the ending I had to  finish the second half of my project in one and a half week. Another thing that I could improve is that I should let more than just 2 people give me feedback on my book. Both of the people that gave me feedback were Dutch and I should have let someone with a different nationality look at it. This would have been an advantage, because than I would have gotten another cultures point of view. The benefit of another culture’s point of view is that all the things that think could be appropriate in Holland could be inappropriate in other cultures. Because I might have put one or two jokes in my book that could be seen as inappropriate, but I left them in there due to that the two people giving feedback were ok with it. Personal lesson I learned from doing this project I have learned a lot by doing this project. The main thing is that I learned to organize better. I was always terrible at organizing my work, so I got in time trouble a lot of time. By doing this project along with all the essays and tests we got I had to learn organizing the hard way. Another thing I learned and I kept mentioning throughout the whole report is that I HAVE to make a back up for all the important work I have done. If I do not do this something like what happened in December might happen and completely ruin days of works. I also learned that if I really put myself into something I could write about a lot of information quickly. Another important thing that I realized while writing my book was that if I want people to respect my culture and stop stereotyping, I also have to do the same thing. I realized this while talking to a couple of my friends about respect for one’s country. I realized that in order for me to achieve my goal of people respecting my culture, I had to do the same thing. I have learned a lot by doing this project and I hope that other people have learned a lot too by reading my book. Bibliography Chandler, Stephanie. â€Å"How to Write Your Non-Fiction Book in 60 Days: 8 Steps Get Your Book Out of Your Head and on to Paper.† Scribd. 2009. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. . Linkemer,

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY - Essay Example Violent groups like Ku Klux Klan terrorized and killed many blacks; whites who sympathized with blacks were beaten up and murdered. Other groups that were in support of slavery comprised; the White League, that started from white reservists in Grant Parish, Louisiana, in 1874 and the Red Shirts that started in Mississippi. These revolutionary organizations rose in the South during the mid-1870s and were more focused in challenging Republican governments, overturning the black vote and attaining political goals (Hine & Harrold, 38-39). Unlike southerners, northerners were strongly against slavery. They devoted their lives to securing black freedom. As time went on many people united in the fight to end captivity and many slaves were helped escape to the North trough secret routes. Blacks were also themselves against slavery. They organized groups such as American Society of Free Persons of Color, which gave social aid to poor blacks and planned answers to political issues and Black church that rose to be the central point of the Black community. It served as a place of worship, educational center, a place where African heritage was celebrated. Even though there existed strong force against Black freedom: slavery, some African Americans that were elected leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Hiram Revels amongst many others that came to Congress from South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi were also strongly against slavery. They were for the Blacks freedom. These new politicians gave support to the Republicans and brought further developments to their lives. Schools for black children established since they were not permitted to join same schools with whites. These â€Å"separate but equal† institutions were so important in shaping the lives of blacks as they were able to learn and build their strengths freely without discrimination. This

Historical development of nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Historical development of nursing - Essay Example Before the birth of Christ, nursing did not exist as a distinct profession. It started out as caring for sick members of one’s family. At this time, it was viewed as a way of expressing love and showing compassion one’s family member. It was mainly a woman’s work and no education or training was required. Between and 100 and 500 AD, nursing was mainly done by religious groups mainly churches. The establishment of the first general hospital by Fabiola in Rome was a landmark event in the history of nursing. In the 16th century, women were required to stay at home and look after their families (Nicola & Frances, 2012). This resulted in the deterioration of nursing care since at the time, it was still a profession for women only. Between 1654 and 1656 nursing was realized as sisters of charity took good care of soldiers who were wounded in the battlefields of Arras and Sedan in France. By 1960, the sister of charity was operating in 40 other countries besides France. However, according to Elizabeth and Jerome (2011), it was not until after Florence Nightingale that nursing started to become a reality in the world. After realizing that very few opportunities were given to women, Florence Nightingale started taking care of the ill while visiting the poor. This is where she developed an interest in a career in nursing. Her most notable contributions happened during the Crimean war. This is after she received reports wounded soldiers were in horrible conditions. In October 1854 together with 38 women that she had trained as nurses, she volunteered to take care of wounded soldiers in the battle field. After noting that there was limited supply for medicine, overworked medical staff and poor hygiene which resulted in fatalities among the soldiers, Nightingale appealed to the British government to find a solution to this problem. The British government commissioned the designing of a

Changing the Requiring for Filing for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Research Paper

Changing the Requiring for Filing for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy - Research Paper Example Sometimes it is enough to push a person to the brink of financial disaster. At one time a person could seek Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and discharge the debt they could not afford to pay, but it is not so easy any more. When a person files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, s/he acknowledges that s/he is unable to pay some or all of his/her creditors. Prior to 2005, people with jobs who just overextended themselves could file Chapter 7 bankruptcy and be free of credit card or other debt such as medical bills, without relinquishing much of their property as long as they continued to make payments on the property on which they still owed money. Chapter 7 bankruptcy, also known as liquidation, â€Å"contemplates an orderly, court-supervised procedure by which a trustee takes over the assets of the debtor's estate, reduces them to cash, and makes distributions to creditors, subject to the debtor's right to retain certain exempt property and the rights of secured creditors† (Office of the U.S. Courts, 2011). Often times, the debtor has no assets—that is s/he does not own a house, car, or other valuable goods, or, if the debtor does own them, s/he owes so much debt on them, they are foreclosed or repossessed, or, before 2005, as long as the debtor was not in arrears, creditors could not repossess or foreclose on assets of those who filed Chapter 7 as long as their payments on those assets were current. Before 2005, people who declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy often walked away from their debts with a stain on their credit history that, after a few years, no longer affected them in an adverse way. Some of these people got into trouble because they lacked the ability or desire to budget properly. Others experienced some sort of financial setback like a catastrophic illness or injury. Some went on to rack up insurmountable debt again, only to have it discharged again through Chapter 7 bankruptcy. However, in 2005 the law regarding Chapter 7 bankruptcy f ilings changed so that deadbeat debtors could not file Chapter 7 bankruptcy so easily, and if they did file, the penalties were much greater. In 2005, the bankruptcy laws changed from one that favored the debtor to one that favored the creditor. People now cannot get into debt over their heads and then just file Chapter 7 bankruptcy to alleviate the debt they cannot afford. â€Å"The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 [BAPCPA] require the application of a ‘means test’ to determine whether individual consumer debtors qualify for relief under chapter 7. If such a debtor's income is in excess of certain thresholds, the debtor may not be eligible for chapter 7 relief† (Office of the U.S. Courts, 2011). In other words, if the debtor has a job, s/he may not be eligible for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The â€Å"means test† requires that petitioners for Chapter 7 bankruptcy â€Å"complete Official Bankruptcy Form B22A, entitled "Statement o f Current Monthly Income and Means Test Calculation - For Use in Chapter 7." This then â€Å"determine[s] whether a presumption of abuse arises† (Office of the U.S. Courts, 2011). Form B22A consists of eight pages similar to a federal tax form that examines every source of income and debt a person has, allows for exemptions of some, and sets a limit of debts between $7025 and $11,725 and a limit of greater than 25% disposable income over five years to be eligible for Chapter 7. The Golden Gate University Law Review offers a hypothetical case of a couple with $28,000 of

'Economic development is a prerequisite to democratisation.' Discuss Essay

'Economic development is a prerequisite to democratisation.' Discuss - Essay Example Southern Europe became the first continent to experience the rapid political transformation in mid 1970s. It later spread to the Latin America and some specific parts of Asia in 1980s. Finally, in the late 1980s and even in the early 1990s, it moved to the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and some specific parts in the sub- Saharan Africa. In some countries, democratization is known to have a strong impulse, while in other countries it is considered as a weaker impulse or does not even exist. In addition, it has also been revealed that government and politics democratic forms have been common in some specific parts of the world and less in others. In conducting analysis, various individuals have applied the measures of democracy and development, which are different. This has led to several crucial questions that concerns democracy consequences, emergence, and maintenance being handled. Many different scholars have been committed in analyzing democracy economic requisites. This took place during Lipset (1959) early work. He stated that the chances of democracy being sustained are more likely when a country is a more well-to-do. Regardless of how democracy is measured and when used, the relationship between the democracy and the improved levels of economic development remains to be important and irrefutable. The outcome of this various findings is the weak claim of economic development and democracy just being associated with each other. On the other hand, strong claim has been established that economic development brings about democracy. This results in recognition of endogenous and exogenous theories. The relationship between democracy and economic development is the major existing argument. In this argument, endogenous and exogenous theory differences are examined. In the endogenous theory, democracy is described as being economic development function. According to this theory, development in poor countries increases the chances for democratic transition. The fact ors contributing to this include the increase in the number of middle class who are enlightened, changes in the land, income, and capital relative distribution. On the other hand, exogenous theory opposes this; they insist that democracy does not result from development. According to exogenous theory, longevity of democracy is maintained by the economic development. However, the theory suggests that from the authoritarian rule, the transition to democracy is exogenous to development. This theory suggests that democracy is established with the aid of different factors that are considered as being external to economic development processes. These factors include, elites in authoritarian regimes interacting strategically and relative power alterations, elites who are in the regime and those who are in the opposition having strategic interaction, and individual rights of citizenship being mobilized socially. In addition to this are international factors that are significant. These inclu de diffusion, contagion, coercion, and even globalization. These exogenous explanations does not dismiss the existence of economic development, instead the argument is that in countries with high level of development establishment of democracy collapses. This way the process of democratization is just supported by economic development and not determine by it. In exogenous explanations, economic development is critically handled. It considers that once established, democracy continues in a country. The determining factor here is the economic

Social Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Social Policy - Essay Example The role of the state therefore, has become crucial, while incorporating the new developments in the societal changes of the time in their social policy so that state benefit can reach every one. The predetermined and the predefined modules of the social changes have not only become outdated and irrelevant in the fast changing social environment, but the urgent need to address the evolving paradigms of the society at large, has become imperative. The various discourses relating to the people who are most vulnerable to be excluded from the state benefits can be broadly classified into three categories like RED or redistributive discourse, SID or social integration discourse and MUD or moral underclass discourse. RED became more emphasized in European Union as Portugal and United Kingdom, both had relatively significant number of people who do not have enough resources to meet the average living standard and hence often were deprived of the state benefits which should have been available to them. To ratify RED, social integration took the form of employment but here also, the marginalised workforce was poorly paid which still made a mockery of so called social integration. The moral underclass discourse was different in the sense that it considered that segment of society that had defied the norms of society and had become vulnerable to the moral and ethical correct societal norms. In United Kingdom, MUD became more popularly accepted after Blair government made special efforts to understand and evaluate the cause and consequences of this class of society in a comprehensive study. The wide ranging implications of the multi-cultural societies, as discussed earlier, have brought in an equal number of interlinked social issues and related problems which are increasingly becoming major concern for the state. Apart from the problem of

To what extent does states can to cooperates from realists perspective Essay

To what extent does states can to cooperates from realists perspective - Essay Example In the modern world, a bunch of subjects compete for attention as a result of the proliferation of issues that every international relations theory seeks to acknowledge (Jan, 2008, p 473; Brown, 1998, p 26). There are three prominent theories that endeavor to explain international relations and cooperation. These are the realism theory, constructivism theory and the liberal theory. This discussion seeks to explore the extent in which countries can cooperate from a realist’s perspective. Cooperation of most states arises in a realist manner where countries unite at the face of adversity. When countries perceive an increasing threat that may interfere with their interests, they collaborate momentarily. For instance, some of the Gulf States joined hands with Saudi Arabia at the looming threat of conflict between Iraq and Iran. As a GCC member state, Saudi Arabia was concerned that some small states may collaborate with either Iran or Iraq, both of which are its adversaries. Saudi Arabia reached for the smaller Gulf States to unite momentary to counter the regional hegemony wars involving Iraq and Iran. Further, cooperation between member states happens when the six states making up the GCC perceive a common interest in the cooperation. Cooperation of the member states happens mostly on economic basis. It is for that reason that there exists fluid cooperation on other aspects affecting individual states. Cooperation in a realist world happens when states have great interest in two principal areas; security and economics. What is realism? Realism theory of international relations views world politics as being advanced by competing self interests. Proponents of realism theory observe that the tensions and relations between countries is a battle of supremacy in which every country wants to preserve and enhance its military security and economic welfare at the expense of other nations. Unlike the liberal theory, that views international relations as a win-win si tuation, realist theory perceives international relations as a zero-sum game. This implies that gains in one nation come at the cost of others (Gismondi, 2008). Conventional realism stemmed from the failure to maintain peace after world war one. Realist theory is linked with terms such as realpolitik, geopolitics and balance of power. Realism theory presents grim view of global relations as being in a unending state of conflict and war. Power, economic and material possessions, capabilities and security motivate and guide state more than humanity and altruism values. Modern realism Modern realism started as a reaction to the breakdown of the international order of the post world war one in 1930s. The collapse of great power cooperation after the Second World War helped form realism as the dominant approach to the premise and application of global politics in the United States. During the cold war, endeavors to replace realism from its prevailing position were continuously disillusio ned by the unending salience of the soviet-America antagonism. The cold war antagonism, however, ended in early 1990s after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, leaving United States as the key superpower. However, china is emerging as a superpower, countering the United States unipolar moment. Basic tenets of realism theo

How would a dalang create, produce, and perform The Pandawa's Saga Research Paper

How would a dalang create, produce, and perform The Pandawa's Saga from the Mahabharata using wayang kulit puppetry - Research Paper Example It uses Yudistira, Arjuna, Krishna and Bima as the key characters. They play with other characters in opposition. These include Karna and Duryodana. It depicts two families fighting, each desiring to inherit the throne. The Pandora family believes that they have the right as direct descendants. The Korwaa family opposes this idea since they believe they too have. This play uses the puppets to illustrate the fight to the viewers. The play further uses more characters than those counted (Oscar and Hildy, 2003). The Dalang therefore tries out the play to represent the variety of personalities. The study aims at providing ideas to the Dalang, to make the puppets alive and succeed as the new Dalang. Synopsis The story has its background from the ‘Wayang’ and ‘Kulit’. Wayang in the Indonesian Language means ghost or shadow. On the other hand, kulit refers to skin, hide or leather. The play uses puppets designed from the buffalo hide. It is played in darkness or sh adow to signify the mythical culture of the play. The same can be used in the today’s theatre among the dalang to perform traditional plays. The viewers prefer to identify with the theatre because it is familiar to their traditions. The dalang use the Mahabharata episodes to maintain their traditional lives technical skills to engage the viewers to avoid dozing off. The play is about rivalry between two groups (Hodge, 2000). The puppet player must understand the meaning and epitome of wayang kulit before he or she can play it. The player must distinguish it from the usual puppet play. One fundamental reason for this is that the puppets are hidden from the viewers Instead of showing them the puppets, the Dalang (puppet player) plays as a multiple character as an actor designer and a spirit. He uses the spiritual aspect not only to entertain the viewers but also to educate them about good deeds and wickedness. Statement of the Chosen piece The study selects tradition as the asp ect of investigation. As Harrison (1998) suggests, this aspect is appropriate because it focuses on â€Å"the good† and â€Å"the evil† of the society in the performance. This is based on the presence of the light, darkness (shadow) and the spirit. The puppet player must fully understand the behaviors of the puppets present their traits to the viewers. The puppet is brought in from the back of the light to present magical appearance. The distance from the puppet to the screen is regulated to control how crisper the puppets appear to the viewers (Meyerhold, 1991). The puppets that enter through the light are the â€Å"good† while those that enter through the dark side are the â€Å"evil†. The good characters are Arjuna and Bima. Their rivals are the evil characters. Chosen Aspect of the Play The selected aspect of the play is the traditional criteria in the practice of selecting the new Dalang in the traditions. This is shown in the rules of the play where a woman is prohibited from inheriting the seat of the Dalang. Principally, the Dalang has to select the appropriate music that links properly to the show. The Dalang must be strong and skilled to play, conduct the orchestra and control the distance of the puppets to the screen. The tradition dictates that the music must be an original Indonesian Music for it to qualify for the play. The sounds and the rhythm are very different from the Western styles. The Dalang uses his own feet to knock the rattle to signify the start of the play. The

To critically analyze of the impact the Customer Relationship Dissertation

To critically analyze of the impact the Customer Relationship Management has made on Customer Loyalty in Renaissance Beijing Cap - Dissertation Example The dissertation begins with a comprehensive introduction, explaining what the paper is all about and giving a chronological sequence of how the text shall unfold in subsequent sections. Later the author has reviewed the literature in detail that has been utilized and studied to ascertain theories applicable to this scenario and how they are helpful in analyzing the practices being followed by this hotel. The scholarly resources used have been elaborated and theories selected have been explained to give a bird’s eye view to the readers about evidences that already exist regarding the effects CRM has on customer loyalty. An overview of CRM procedures has been provided in this section and correspondingly broad definition has been discussed for customer loyalty. The subsequent section elucidates the methodologies that have been adopted and implemented by the author in conducting the entire research for this dissertation. The procedures carried out have been justified and their pl anned outcomes have been entailed. The pivotal portion of this dissertation follows where rigorous analysis has been conducted and all related implications have been discussed in detail. Findings have been incorporated along with graphical illustrations. Finally, concluding remarks have been made to close the dissertation with fruitful outcomes, significance of topic has been discussed and recommendations have been made to the hotel’s management in the closing note. Acknowledgments To take this opportunity, I would like to express my thanks to the people who supported me in this research. Firstly, I would like to express my indeed gratefulness to my family and school friends, my mum, dad and my school friends. They motivated and inspired me a lot on achieving my Bachelor Degree. My dad and mum give me the best to make me happy and feel less stress, their love is my biggest motivation and nothing can replace it. Also, I have to thank my school friends as they always help me an d inspire me on the study and school life, they have contributed and shared the knowledge and opinion on the study of hospitality industry. Moreover, here I extend my gratitude and biggest gratefulness to Mr. Bradley. It is a great pleasure for me to have Mr. Bradley to be my tutor. Without his guidance and encouragement, I would not be able to complete this dissertation. Therefore, I would like to show my big thank to Mr. Bradley for his supporting. Last but not least, I would like to appreciate the big effort that contributed by Mr. Han, as the front office manager, he arranged the interview for me to investigate the CRM system and understand how CRM is implemented at the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel, as well as helped me for distributing questionnaires to the customers at the hotel. Table of Contents List of Tables, Figures and Illustrations Content Page 1.1 Structured Plan †¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 2.1 The effect of customer retention †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 2.2 Four types of CRM definitions †¦

Arthur Conan Doyle Essay Example for Free

Arthur Conan Doyle Essay Arthur Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes Stories are antiquated with nothing to offer a modern day reader.  Arthur Conan Doyles distinctive and unique writing style lead to great success beginning in the nineteenth century when he created the original characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. His ingenious stories have had such a major impact on society that they are still significant today.  Sherlock Holmes is a difficult character to avoid as he is talked about constantly in the media. Sherlock Holmes stories have been translated into over fifty different worldwide languages and have become very popular nationally and internationally. These stories are all set in the late nineteenth century in Victorian London where reality consisted of Crime, filth and vast amounts of poverty. The population, overcrowded with prostitutes, beggars and rogues causing problems. Rubbish painted the streets and soot covered each surface. Victorian London was a dreary place and Doyles stories were based on reality. This is why everyone found they could relate to them.  Arthur Conan Doyles stories are written in nineteenth century prose. This can be classed as long-winded, arcaic and antiquated by modern day readers. For example The Boscombe Valley uses outdated phrases such as Masters the particulars which may not be understood today. The sentences can be long winded, become boring and complex. Paragraphs are also stilted. Todays Reader may encounter a number of problems when reading Sherlock Holmes stories. As well as language being complex and dated there are no pictures to encourage the imagination or help the reader to understand what is going on.  Doyle has been such a successful author that he has influenced subsequent detective fiction writers such as Nevada Barr and Agatha Christie. Even today programmes such as A Touch of Frost are influenced by detective stories like Doyles. Sherlock Holmes is such a popular character he still influences much today. As I typed in his name my search engine came up with over 21,000 websites! Sherlock Holmes is still extremely popular.  A detective story is full of anticipation and suspense. They cause the reader keep questioning their own mind. Who did it? How did they do it? This makes them carry on reading and make the book interesting and enjoyable. As well as this Doyle uses many features to keep the reader interested.  Atmosphere plays a huge part in each story. The Speckled Band creates atmosphere well by using speech and adjectives. Adjectives are used such as terror ferocious disgraceful brawls to create a possibly stereotypical horror type atmosphere. Ive got nobody to turn to This gives the story a mysterious atmosphere where odd things are happening. Dense darkness is also used which creates a scary impression of the atmosphere. Cat like whine is also very atmospheric. The man with the twisted lip also uses fantastic adjectives to help create atmosphere such as Bile shot eyes which creates a horror movie like atmosphere. Suspense also plays a major part in the success of Doyles stories. I think that Doyle builds up suspense by using clues to solve the mystery but not letting the reader know until the end. The speckled Band builds up suspense slowly. Near the beginning the sister died two weeks after she got engaged this gives an idea for a motive has been established. We can then deduce the reason on page 177. On page 177 the motive is identified about the annual allowance. Then again on page 186 the motive is reinforced because Holmes goes to get a copy of the will. When the ladys sister died she mentioned the line it was the speckled band This makes us wonder throughout the story, what is the speckled band? The video of The speckled Band also showed a scene where the clock moved hour-by-hour implying the time was going extremely slowly building up suspense.  In the Red Headed League clues are planted. The use of Red herrings  Descriptions of London life included mentions of Crime, middle class people, drugs and Dens. At that time Dens were not illegal and were on the fringe of society. The Red Headed League mentions the roadway blocked with the immense stream of commerce Footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of pedestrians. It even mentions specific names such as Saxe Coburg Square The way Holmes deduces the answer to each crime is very logical and quite outstanding. In The Boscombe Valley Holmes starts by using the newspaper to find out facts about the crime. The newspaper is a highly detailed account, which is very unusual nowadays. We use different sources of the media to work out for ourselves what is going on; but rarely from just a newspaper. Holmes is a very observational character. He does only observe but today people generally take photographic evidence. Holmes gathers evidence by acute observation as he has no cameras and collects no forensic evidence. On page 93 when Holmes goes to observe clues at the crime scene it has just finished raining. So moist was the ground that I could plainly see the traces which had been left by the fall of the stricken man. Usually in present time people would have taped off the crime scene and studied it before it rained or any evidence became contaminated by other people. However here it seems like other people have already been onto the crime scene which could lead to contaminated evidence oh, how simple it would have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo but Holmes still manages to solve the crime just by logical observation and no scientific reasoning. Twice he was walking, and once he ran swiftly so that the soles are deeply marked, and the heels hardly visible. That bears out his story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Just by commonsensical observation he managed to deduce this. On page 94 he knows what he is looking for when he specifies the exact description of the murderer. Is a tall man, left handed, limps with the right leg. This makes the reader wonder all along, how does Holmes know this? The case is slowly unravelled and the clues all return and fit into the sequence. On the other hand Holmes methods of observation are still relevant today however more scientific evidence and backups are needed. But Holmes uses logic as we do today and he can be quite scientific.  This keeps the reader interested.  The use of language creates atmosphere and contributes to the popularity of these books. Weather in each of these stories is rather stereotypical but effective as it helps create atmosphere.

Strategic Management And Leadership Semco Case Study Business Essay

Strategic Management And Leadership Semco Case Study Business Essay Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to identify the leadership and management styles adopted by Ricardo Semler and their impact on the strategic choices of Semco. This report will also explore various management and leadership theories and the resultant effect on organisational and leadership strategy. Introduction: The report intends to take a holistic view of the management and leadership styles and theories and their impacts on organizational leadership and strategy in the backdrop of Semco. Continuing further, the report will assess and evaluate the leadership requirements of Semco and formulate a suitable leadership development plan. A brief look into the evolution of Ricardo Semlers Semco is necessary to understand the organization. Semco, despite challenging the traditional style of corporate management, has continued to grow by leaps and bounds ever since the legendary Ricardo Semler took charge. The organization that was thought to have adopted a management style often termed as a recipe for disaster has been a champion of change with profits growing consistently. Semco had a manifold increase in profitability, growth and productivity, which is remarkable considering the many years of economic melt-down and the volatile political scenario it was operating in. Such an accomplishment requires full faith in employees and a commitment from the top management, but it was not always so. This progress was gradual and methodical as will be demonstrated in the following sections. 1: Leadership styles adopted by Mr. Semler and impact on strategy Ricardo Semmler The authoritarian: When Ricardo Semmler joined his fathers company in 1979, the company was involved in manufacturing equipment for the shipping industry. The revenues were shrinking and despite Semmlers insistence to diversify into other businesses, the management stuck to the same industry. When Mr. Semmler was made in charge in 1980, his first action was to fire 60% of the top management which opposed his radical ideas. An autocratic style of leadership, as theorized by Kurt Lewin, is evident from many actions taken by Semmler. This was combined with a traditional management style which involved following a strict policies and procedures framework for almost every task. Reports and manuals were a norm. The focus was on productivity and achievement of goals. The management performed the traditional roles, as described by Henry Fayol in his theory of 5 functions of management, namely; planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling the organization. This management style suited well to the fairly authoritarian style of leadership of Ricardo Semmler who held the power to decide for the organisation. Impact on strategy He changed the strategy of the organization, shifting the focus from shipping industry only to diversification into various industries. His vision was to reduce reliance on one industry only and expand into different businesses. This meant that the achievement of tasks were the focal point of the strategy while the employees felt stressed and de-motivated. Innovation seemed non-existent and steadily the staff turnover began to rise. Stress took its toll on Ricardo Semmler himself and his health condition became worse. This was the time for a change. The Change: Source: http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/images/Managerial%20Grid.gif The management grid by Blake and Mouton perfectly describes the styles of management adopted by Semco. Initially, Semco was located in the bottom right section aiming for high production with low concern for people but gradually the shift towards Team management whereby the organization is divided into small teams operating fairly independently of others but in a coordinated way with high productivity while keeping employees motivated and satisfied. Ricardo Semmler The Democrat: This was when he turned the tables around, making the change by involving the employees in almost every decision made in the company. The change was not a drastic one, it was gradual yet steady. Ricardo Semmler had realized that employees involvement in the decisions related to the organization was essential. They must be well aware of what the organization wants to achieve. Employees should give in their 100% regardless of the skills set they possess. For these reasons, Semmler transformed himself and adopted a leadership style that was identical to Kurt Lewins participative style of leadership. Reforms such as removing the formal line of authority, discarding the organization chart, letting employees set their salaries, select work hours that suit them and even choose their managers and spiraling the organisition into one where there are no cabins and where employees are involved in all major decisions made by the organization are all evidences of the change in management style by Ricardo Semmler. Impact on strategy These actions have brought about a change in the overall strategy of the organization. The employees are aligned with the strategic objectives of the organization. The organization now operates with a strategy that promotes culture of overall openness sharing ideas and providing feedback. The strategy of Semco is now to involve employees in the organizations benefits through its unique profit-sharing scheme, motivating them to work for the growth of the company they can call their own. The organizations structure has been re-defined, moving from hierarchical to business unit approach with teams at the core. Teams mutually decide upon what needs to be done and who will be responsible for what tasks. For this to be achieved multi-tasking is pivotal and most employees are adept at majority of the tasks performed within the unit. This promotes ideas of self-governance and self-management and incorporates responsibility among employees into the overall strategy of the organization. The f ocus has shifted from being task oriented to more people oriented with high importance given to productivity. 2: Link between management and leadership theories 2.1 Leadership and Strategic Management: Leadership and management are two distinct systems that must co-exist in any organization. Managers tend to have a short-term orientation and usually solve problems as they appear. Leaders on the other hand are more forward looking and make decisions that suit the long term interests of the organization. Leadership and management both shape up the organization. While leaders decide on the direction of the organization, provide the resources and set the frame, managers ensure that the objectives are achieved within the allocated resources. Theoretically, managers and leaders are considered to be separate. However, managers will not be working alone and will be managing a team of individuals for achieving the targets set for them. This will require a degree of leadership skills too as this would call for influencing the actions and thoughts of other people. Henry Fayols 5 Functions of Management (1916) http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Leadership-Management/48673 Henry Fayol devised a theory which suggested that management is essentially a combination of stepped activities, namely; Planning: Plans are made, budgets are decided, limitations are taken into account and parameters of operations are established. This role is commonly shared by both the leader and the manager. A leader would usually be planning for the longer-term while the managers viewpoint is fairly shorter and focuses on immediate targets. Organizing: The second phase invariably includes the allocation of resources that would be consumed for achievement of objectives. Decisions about financial capital, human capital and the structure to be followed for attaining success are taken. Commanding: This ensues deriving the optimum out of the resources. Managers communicate clearly what is expected from the employees and lead by example. Coordinating: Teams will be striving for their individual targets and a balance needs to be maintained among all activities. Harmonization of activities is vital and so is management of conflicting interests. Leaders would take the driving seat. Controlling: Sizing up the benefits of activities is important. Controlling is measuring performance to be able to plan for the future. Leaders would again be looking at the long-term implications of the actions performed and decide on the future strategy. Managers on the other hand will be more concerned with what needs to be repeated and what is to be avoided. To sum it up, Henry Fayol proposed a management theory which describes the functions of management but in effect, it also categorizes the traditional role performed by the leaders as well. Peter Druckers 5 Management Processes (1954) http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Leadership-Management/48673 Peter Drucker, a renowned management theorist had a similar viewpoint of the process of management. According to him, management plays a predefined role in any context. These are: Objective Setting: Leaders provide the vision of the organization as a whole and managers, for their part, set the direction of their individual units. Motivation: Employees need to be motivated if managers want to extract their full potential. Leaders and managers have a variety of motivational tactics to use. Some could be financial incentives, while others are more humanistic in nature. Task Organisation: A manager needs to organize the task and organize the activities for the smooth operations leading to realization of objectives. Measurement: Performance needs to be measured in order to identify any divergences from the required performance and to find ways to fill any gaps in the desired and actual performance. Training and Coaching: Managers and leaders must develop their sub-ordinates. Managers and leaders have to train and coach their sub-ordinates in order for them to perform to the required level. Transactional Management and Transformational Leadership The transactional and transformational theories are another way of describing the inter-relationship and distinction between managers and leaders. According to this theory, managers are more involved with day to day activities of the organization while leaders are concerned with the strategic vision. Managers follow the set principles while leaders challenge the status quo. Leaders are more concerned with bringing about the change in the culture while managers implant that change in the organization. The primary role of a leader is to set the direction while managers ensure the organization is kept on track. Mckinseys 7S Framework http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_91.htm Source: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_91.htm The model suggests that any organization has 7 building blocks. The blocks are categorized as: Soft Elements: Shared Values, Skills, Style Staff Hard Elements: Structure, Systems and Strategy The model places highest importance to the shared values placed in the middle. It re-iterates the fact that all other elements are derived from the vision for what the organization wants to achieve. The Hard elements are determined by the leadership style chosen while the soft elements are drawn from management. Leaders would; evaluate what set of skills are possessed by the employees and what should to be developed select the staff taking into consideration their abilities and the needs of the organization; and Decide upon The style in which the organization is taken forward. The style of leadership would depend on circumstances Managers on the other hand; Shape the structure of the organization using tools such as reporting lines, organization charts etc Develop a plan, allocate resources and decide the course of action. In short, devise a strategy Craft the policies and procedures and standards on how tasks are performed. Leadership style may have profound impact on the strategy of an organization. A transformational style of leadership may stir up the enterprise, motivate and spur action. Such a leader provides an insight into the future, takes the initiative, inspires followers, involves stakeholders, improvises, thoughtful about individuals and implements successfully. This form of leadership would lead to an overhaul of the way the organization operates. A transactional leader on the other hand would have a strategy of maintaining the status quo and keep the current operations. Add Emotional Intelligence 3: Utilize appropriate techniques to review Semco leadership requirements 3.1: Use appropriate methods to review current leadership requirements In order to completely understand the requirements of leadership, it is necessary to understand the environment Semco is operates in, the phase the Semco itself is going through, what pressures are exerted from an industry sector, what its structure is and what the strategic direction it has assumed by the corporate parent. Semco strives to develop a competitive advantage. This is achived by looking at four factors according to Porters Diamond. These are: Firm strategy, structure and rivalry: strategy is what the organization wants to achieve. Structure of the enterprise should be developed to support the strategy and rivalry serves as motivation. Demand Conditions: portrays the demand of products and services. Factor conditions would be developed according to these demand conditions Related and supporting industries: an industry cannot survive without its associated industries. Semmler saw this when the shipping industry was shaking and Semco was badly hit. Factor conditions: The resources of the nation are the factor conditions. Education, mineral resources, capital goods all account for here. What we already possess and what needs to be developed. STEEPLE: Semco is primarily involved in production of heavy industrial equipment and development of intelligent systems however, it also holds stakes in an investment company and energy sector.A STEEPLE analysis is used to understand the environment that Semco operates in. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html Social factors: Semco has shown high concern for social factors. It pays its staff good salaries and keeps them motivated. Semcos policy is to maintain a work/life balance evidenced by initiatives such as Retire a little bit allowing employees to do what they want. Technlogical factors: Technoloical advancement is the need of time and organizations need to identify and discover new technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Economic: Semco operates in the fastest growing South American economy. It is among the emerging economies that have shown revival signs. Growth is expected to be 5% in 2010 as per the Central Bank. GDP composition by sector is: Agriculture:Â  6.1% Industry:Â  25.4% Services:Â  68.5% (2009 est.) Environmental: Brazil is the 7th largest oil consumer in the world and 10th largest when it comes to electricity. This is largely because major part of economy is related to industry. This poses a threat to environment. http://www.semco.com.br/en/content.asp?content=2contentID=548 Political: Semco operates in a political environment where, in the past, the government has often changed monetary, fiscal, taxation and other policies to influence the course of Brazils economy. Such actions are beyond control and Semco cannot predict what measures or policies the Brazilian government may take to influence the economy. Legal: The legal structure in Brazil is one that welcomes foreign investment. There are no requirements for government approvals or minimum investments. http://www.lexmundi.com/images/lexmundi/PDF/guide_brazil.pdf Ethical: Ethics is a major issue of concern in Brazil. It ranked among the 15 most corrupt countries in the world. There have been cases of corruption in the public sector. http://www.brazzil.com/cvrmar97.htm STEEPLE provides an insight into the macro environment Semco operates in. It is also important to understand the phase that Semco is going through as an individual organization. The organization has taken a strategy of diversification by entering new markets and developing new products. This has been done by revolutionizing the current practices, regular reinvention and constant renewal. Semco operates in a complex environment although the environment provides plenty of opportunities that might match its strengths. Semco needs to adopt a strategy of global companionship and to partner with international, well-reputed organizations to achieve economies, compete effectively and lead the market. It has to build strong bonding between the sister concerns and develop strong networks within the group and with parties external to the group. It needs a leadership that promotes mergers, acquisitions and alliances in order to continue its long run of success. 3.2: Plan development of leadership according to future needs: Semco needs to develop leadership that has the ability to foresee the future requirements and have a strong sense of responsibility. Semco needs to make use of the corporate parent theory to productively apply the concept of diversification through mergers and acquisitions. Strong communication skills are an essential attribute that must be developed to avoid ambiguities. The leader must be able to network well with inter-related parties and command respect so that others may give to heed his ideas. The leader should have the strength to accept his mistakes and the humility to give credit where it is due. Semcos culture is the core competency that it has developed over the years. Its competitors have been unsuccessful at adopting the culture, either because of lack of resources or lack of conviction. 4: Produce a future leadership plan for Semco

Application of Developmental Theories to Education

Application of Developmental Theories to Education Part 1. Purpose My classroom will be a place of respect. It will provide an inclusive and safe environment  that will encourage students to learn. Students are to play an active role in their learning and are  also expected to respect each other and the teacher. Our classroom will foster positive interactions with safe and open communication between students and teachers alike. All individuals shall be respected and respectful of the differences of others. Our classroom will become a community of learners encouraging one anothers personal and academic success. In our classroom we will obey all the rules, be respectful, be organized, and create a safe and positive learning environment. All students will do their best and be successful in all they do. Part 2. The Learner Age and Developmental Characteristics Infants and Toddlers Social Physical Cognitive Emotional Attachment: baby  settles when parent  comforts; toddler  seeks comfort from  parent, safe-base  exploration  5 mo: responsive to  social stimuli; facial  expressions of  emotion 9 mo: socially  interactive; plays  games (pattycake) with caretakers   11 mo: stranger  anxiety; separation  anxiety; solitary play 2 yr: imitation, parallel and symbolic, play Newborn: rough, random, uncoordinated,  reflexive movement   3 mo: head at 90 degree angle, uses arms to  prop; visually track  through midline 5 mo: purposeful grasp; roll over; head lag disappears; reaches for objects; transfer objects  from hand to hand;  plays with feet;  exercises body by  stretching, moving;  touch genitals, rock on stomach for pleasure 7 mo: sits in tripod; push head and torso up off the floor; support weight on legs; raking with hands 9 mo: gets to and from sitting; crawls, pulls to standing; stooping and recovering; fingerthumb  opposition; eyehand  coordination, but  no hand preference 12 mo: walking 15 mo: more complex  motor skills 2 yrs: learns to climb up stairs first, then down Sensori-motor: physically explores environment to learn about it; repeats movements to master them, which also stimulates brain cell development 4-5 mo: coos, curious and interested in environment 6 mo: babbles and imitates sounds 9 mo: discriminates between parents and others; trial and error problem solving 12 mo: beginning of symbolic thinking; points to pictures in books in response to verbal cue; object permanence; some may use single words; receptive language more advanced than expressive language 15 mo: learns through imitating complex behaviors; knows objects are used for specific purposes 2 yrs: 2 word phrases; uses more complex toys and understands sequence of putting toys, puzzles together Birth-1 yr: learns fundamental trust in self, caretakers, environment 1-3 yr: mastery of body and rudimentary mastery of environment (can get others to take care of him) 12-18 mo: terrible twos may begin; willful, stubborn, tantrums 18-36 mo: feel pride when they are good and embarrassment when they are bad 18-36 mo: Can recognize distress in others beginning of empathy 18-36 mo: are emotionally attached to toys or objects for security Preschool Social Physical Cognitive Emotional Birth-1 yr: learns fundamental trust  in self, caretakers, environment 1-3 yr: mastery of body and  rudimentary mastery of environment (can get others to  take care of him) 12-18 mo: terrible twos may begin; willful, stubborn, tantrums 18-36 mo: feel pride when they are good and embarrassment when they are bad Can recognize distress in others beginning of empathy Are emotionally  attached to toys or objects for  security Physically active Rule of Three: 3 yrs, 3 ft, 33 lbs. Weight gain: 4-5 lbs per year Growth: 3-4 inches per year Physically active, cant sit still for long Clumsy throwing balls Refines complex skills: hopping, jumping, climbing, running, ride big wheels and tricycles Improving fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination: cut with scissors, draw shapes 3- 3  ½ yr: most toilet trained Ego-centric, illogical, magical thinking Explosion of vocabulary; learning syntax, grammar; understood by 75% of people by age 3 Poor understanding of time, value, sequence of events Vivid imaginations; some difficulty separating fantasy from reality Accurate memory, but more suggestible than older children Primitive drawing, cant represent themselves in drawing till age 4 Dont realize others have different perspective Leave out important facts May misinterpret visual cues of emotions Receptive language better than expressive till age 4 Self-esteem based on what others tell him or her Increasing ability to control emotions; less emotional outbursts Increased frustration tolerance Better delay gratification Rudimentary sense of self Understands concepts of right and wrong Self-esteem reflects opinions of significant others Curious Self-directed in many activities School Aged Social Physical Cognitive Emotional Friendships are situation specific Understands concepts of right and wrong Rules relied upon to guide behavior and play, and provide child with structure and security 5-6 yr: believe rules can be changed 7-8 yrs: strict adherence to rules 9-10 yrs: rules can be negotiated Begin understanding social roles; regards them as inflexible; can adapt behavior to fit different situations; practices social roles Takes on more responsibilities at home Less fantasy play, more team sports, board games Morality: avoid punishment; self interested exchanges Self-esteem based on what others tell him or her Increasing ability to control emotions; less emotional outbursts Increased frustration tolerance Better delay gratification Rudimentary sense of self Understands concepts of right and wrong Self-esteem reflects opinions of significant others Curious Self-directed in many activities Use language as a communication tool Perspective taking: 5-8 yr: can recognize others perspectives, cant assume the role of the other 8-10 yr: recognize difference between behavior and intent; age 10-11 yr: can accurately recognize and consider others viewpoints Concrete operations: Accurate perception of events; rational, logical thought; concrete thinking; reflect upon self and attributes; understands concepts of space, time, dimension Can remember events from months, or years earlier More effective coping skills Understands how his behavior affects others Self esteem based on ability to perform and produce Alternative strategies for dealing with frustration and expressing emotions Sensitive to others opinions about themselves 6-9 yr: have questions about pregnancy, intercourse, sexual swearing, look for nude pictures in books,magazines 10-12 yr: games with peeing, sexual activity (truth/dare, boy-girl relationships, flirting, some kissing, stroking/rubbing, re-enacting intercourse with clothes on) Social Physical Cognitive Emotional Young (12 14): psychologically distance self from parents; identify with peer group; social status largely related to group membership; social acceptance depends on conformity to observable traits or roles; need to be independent from all adults; ambivalent about sexual relationships, sexual behavior is exploratory Middle (15 17): friendships based on loyalty, understanding, trust; self-revelation is first step towards intimacy; conscious choices about adults to trust; respect honesty straightforwardness from adults; may become sexually active Morality: golden rule; conformity with law is necessary for good of society Growth spurt: Girls: 11-14 yrs Boys: 13-17 yrs Puberty: Girls: 11-14 yrs Boys: 12-15 yrs Youth acclimate to changes in body Formal operations: precursors in early adolescence, more developed in middle and late adolescence, as follows: Think hypothetically: calculate consequences of thoughts and actions without experiencing them; consider a number of possibilities and plan behavior accordingly Think logically: identify and reject hypotheses or possible outcomes based on logic Think hypothetically, abstractly, logically Think about thought: leads to introspection and self-analysis Insight, perspective taking: understand and consider others perspectives, and perspectives of social systems Systematic problem solving: can attack a problem, consider multiple solutions, plan a course of action Cognitive development is uneven, and impacted by emotionality Psycho-social task is identity formation Young adolescents (12-14): self-conscious about physical appearance and early or late development; body image rarely objective, negatively affected by physical and sexual abuse; emotionally labile; may over-react to parental questions or criticisms; engage in activities for intense emotional experience; risky behavior; blatant rejections of parental standards; rely on peer group for support Middle adolescents (15-17): examination of others values, beliefs; forms identity by organizing perceptions of ones attitudes, behaviors, values into coherent whole; identity includes positive self image comprised of cognitive and affective components Additional struggles with identity formation include minority or biracial status, being an adopted child, gay/lesbian identity Diversity In every classroom there will be all types of diversities. A few examples of different types of diversity are: students come from all different racial, ethical, and religious backgrounds. As a teacher it is our job to treat every student equally no matter what kind of background they come from. Some students in our classroom may be originally from a different country and may not speak English; but we have to make accommodations to make sure this child can learn and succeed. In our classrooms we will also have students with different learning disabilities. We have to these into consideration when we plan our lesson making sure we make modifications to help ensure the childs needs are being met. Through out the textbook Comprehensive Classroom Management Creating Communities of Support and Solving Problems, the authors Vern and Louise Jones gathered reasearch and wrote about diversity in the classroom in several chapters. Here is the important information that I found that will assist in having a well managed classroom with a diverse student body. When teachers begin a new school year it is important to get to know who the students are. It is important to get an understanding of their background so a teacher can apply this knowledge to their classroom management. The textbook has a quote from Shevalier and McKenzies (2012) review on culturally responsive teaching that shares where classroom management arose from. It quotes classroom management arose from a family-like community defined by a shared vocabulary, with all responsible to one another to do the right thing. By communicating with the students and their families the teacher learns what is and is not accepted or taught at home. Learning what is accepted in their culture will guide the teacher in how to apply the lesson to the class. Students that move to the United States may have different interpretations of gestures and words and it is important for teachers to know this so no students are offended or class is disrupted. Another important area of a students background is where they live. Being aware of students home life and if they live in poverty areas helps the teachers learn to establish a postitive learning environment. The textbook discusses the article A Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching written by Raymond Wlodkowski and Margery Ginsberg. (1995) It discusses in poverty areas a learning environment has to emphasize intrinsic motivation. The atmosphere that is created has students and teachers respecting each other, making what is taught relavent to the students, having creative learning experiences that include students input, and making students feel that they are effective in learning something they value. Where students live and what cultures they come from are not the only things that cover classroom diversity. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) teachers are to include students with Kathleen Slamka 3 both physical and learning disablities in the general education classroom. Working with in their IEP team it is important for teachers to make these students feel they are competent to participate in class. They need to be treated the same as the other students and to be an effective teacher you need to consider this and work it into your lesson plans. When becoming a teacher it is important for teachers not to just learn how to teach but understand who they are teaching. Classroom diversity is an important part of good classroom mangement. When a teacher goes that extra mile to become involved in students life then the students will succeed under their care Motivation and High Expectations Causes of Low Motivation in Students Pressure Some students respond negatively to pressure and avoid participation because of fear of failure. They appear not to care but are using this to cover their anxiety. Low Classroom Expectations Teachers having poor attitudes and does not focus on students needs and mutual respect. Lack Of Home Support- Parents are less invloved in the students learning and show a lack of importance toward education. Low income parents- Parents are working more and not home enough to meet childs personal and emotional needs. Parents may not make much therefore students are left with little food and clothes that are worn out or outgrown. Low Self Esteem Students- have low self image and see themselves not capable and tasks to hard for them. They avoid doing tasks for fear. According to our textbook (2016), one of the main components of creating high motivation and expectations is creating a safe, calm, and healthy classroom environment. If students feel like they are safe and cared for, they more than likely will do their best. Students can come from all different backgrounds and home lives and it is our job as teachers to take that worry away from them and make them feel safe and loved at school. Another component is making students feel like they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. Some things that organize our thinking about motivation are: Intrinsic Value, which is a students interest or enjoyment with engaging in a task; Attainment Value, which is when a student feels like they can achieve or accomplish a task; and Utility Value, which is when the students feel like what they are learning and doing will benefit their career one day. Teachers feel that student dont see the value in learning the curriculums taught in the classroom. As teachers, we have to create a learning environment that establishes inclusion, develops attitude, enhances meaning, and engenders competence. We have to create a classroom environment where everyone feels respected and valued including the teachers and students; we have to try our best to create a favorable disposition for learning through their personal relevance, we have to create learning that is challenging, and we need to make students feel like they are learning about something they value. Finally, students that are low motivators need help understanding the value of their learning goals, understand the learning process, be involved in the process, have goals, experience success, self-evaluate, receive appropriate rewards, and experience a safe and well-organized learning environment. Academic Learning Goals Teachers responsibility regarding safety Creating a safe classroom environment is one of the key factors for a successful classroom, and it is very important for the students. A lot of classroom problems can be prevented by creating a safe and positive environment for the students. Research has indicated that when students perceive their relationships with their teachers and peers to be positive and supportive their motivation and positive behavior increases dramatically. Students academics will be enhanced when the teacher takes time to respond to the students psychological and personal needs. Creating a safe environment for students will benefit their social, mental, physical, and spiritual needs. A student will always remember a teacher who took the time to get to know them and cared about them. Alabama Educator Code of Ethics Important Laws for Teachers Bullying Laws Alabama has anti-bullying laws and policies. The Student Harassment Prevention Act was signed by Bob Riley on May 29, 2009. Cyberbullying is included in these laws. According to Alabamas Student Harassment Prevention Act says that research confirms that victims of school bullying and harassment suffer detrimental psychological problems that could lead to suicide, behavioral problems, and lower levels of academic achievement. As teachers it is our job to make sure our students are not being bullied, and if we see bullying to take certain protocols to resolve the bullying. No student shall engage in or be sujected to harassment, violence, threats of violence, or intimidation by any other student that is based on any of the specific characteristics that have been identified by the board in this policy. Students who violate this policy will be suject to disciplinary sanctions. IDEA IDEA is the Individuals with Disablities Education Act. This act ensures services for students with disabilities. They provide special education and intervention to students who need the help. IDEA is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities Due Process According to myaea Students first Act was adopted by the legislature during the 2011 regular session. This act imposed a new tenure system and education support professionals in Alabama.Teachers have the right to hear and contest charges that are placed against the before they lose their jobs. Teachers have a right to a hearing and have the right to appeal the hearings findings. Discipline of Special Needs Students According to IDEA, students with disabilities can be suspended or expelled for violating the schools code of conduct. There are some procedures though, the length of time and type of action, the nature of the conduct that led to the action, and whether it is connected to the students disability. These situations are handled case by case. Dress Teachers are to dress professionally and by their schools dress code policy. Every school district is different in what they have their teachers to wear. FERPA FERPA is the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. It is to ensure that parents have access to their childrens educational records and to protect the privacy rights of parents and children by limiting access to these records without parental consent. Works Cited Page Denton,Paula, Kriete, Roxann. A Conflict Resolution Protocol for Elementary Classrooms. Creducation.Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20081031103405/http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/pdf_files/feature_10.pdf Jones, Vernon, Jones, Louise. Comprehensive Classroom Management Eleventh Edition p. 4, 49-50, 172-174, 298-299. Alex.State.al.us>stop bullying>mode Http://alex.state.al.us/leadership/Alabama_Educator_Code of_Ethics.pdf http://www.Idea.ed.gov http://www.myaea.org Http://www.brighthubededucation.com/teaching-methods-tips/19619-advantages-of-group-work-in-the-class/ Due Process Laws Vary for Teachers by State. (2014, September 23). Retrieved November 24, 2015, from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/09/24/05tenure.h34.html