Assessment Tools for Visually Impaired

Assessment tools for Visually Impaired †¢ Using real objects rather than representative objects or pictures †¢ Addressing impact of child's experiences with the environment on performance Familiar vs. unfamiliar objects: If you use familiar objects, the child has had time to explore and develop concepts; unfamiliar objects may take the child more time to explore them. If a child only knows his objects, this may indicate lack of experience and under generalization of concepts. Familiar vs. nfamiliar people: A child who is blind may need time to warm up to an unfamiliar person. It is important to read the child and allow him to maintain contact with his parents and to allow him to initiate interactions. Familiar vs. unfamiliar location: A child who is visually impaired will need time to explore and familiarize himself to an unfamiliar area. He may act more reticent in an unfamiliar area. When assessing functional vision and mobility skills, it is important to assess in both a familiar and unfamiliar area if possible.Because a child does not have to rely on fine detail vision as much in a familiar area, you may get different visual responses in an unfamiliar area which could add to your understanding of the child's vision. †¢ Impact of expectations and opportunities child has had Familiar vs. new task: If you are testing a skill that is usually learned visually and the child has never been taught the skill, a test-teach-test model can help determine if child can learn task through manual demonstration. Analyzing the concept being tested and adapting to a child who is visually impaired or blind For example, the concept of object permanence looks at a child's visual attention, memory, persistence and organization of searching behaviors. For a totally blind child, this can be assessed by looking at how a child reacts to a dropped object, first allowing the object touch a part of his body and then taking the object further away from his body to assess s earching behaviors.Need to be aware of response behaviors that may be seen in young children who are blind. †¢ â€Å"Passive†, neutral facial expressions that may indicate that the child is listening attentively. †¢ Resistance to having hands directed to unknown objects; use of protective responses of pulling hands away, protective responses to unanticipated events. †¢ Visual responses: eccentric viewing, head tilt, holding objects close, closing eyes, etc. †¢ Gaze aversion to disengage or if objects are too close. Arousal issues: visually impaired may be in low arousal state due to lack of visual stimulus and low postural tone. †¢ Child may use â€Å"immature† patterns or repetitive patterns of object exploration such as repeated dropping for auditory feedback, tapping, mouthing. †¢ Child may be auditorily distracted by environmental noises. Need to assess â€Å"unique curricular areas† that are important to children who are visual ly impaired. †¢ Functional vision †¢ Sensory development †¢ Compensatory Skills (e. g. exploration and hand skills, Pre-braille; listening skills) †¢ Orientation ; Mobility Need to select assessment scales and strategies that allow for: †¢ Freedom of presentation and selection of materials †¢ Quality in additional to milestones †¢ Incidental and structured presentation Need to understand the implications of: †¢ Age at which visual loss occurred †¢ Level of functional vision †¢ Implications of the eye condition †¢ Presence of additional handicaps Need to be able to clearly describe the assessment process and implications to PARENTS.

Cultural and Educational Rights in India Essay

As India is a country of many languages, religions, and cultures, the Constitution provides special measures, in Articles 29 and 30, to protect the rights of the minorities. The Cultural and Educational Rights is one of the six fundamental rights that have been granted to us in the Indian Constitution. This right allows every citizen of India to have a cultural and education up to where that person wants. This fundamental right is described in the constitution as: Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part there of having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same. No citizen shall be denied admission into any educational institution maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on grounds only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them. All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. In making any law providing for the compulsory acquisition of any property of any educational institution established and administered by a minority, referred to in clause (1), the State shall ensure that the amount fixed by or determined under such law for the acquisition of such property is such as would not restrict or abrogate the right guaranteed under that clause. The State shall not, in granting aid to educational institutions, discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion or language.

Preventing Sex Crimes

Running Head: PREVENTION OF SEX RELATED CRIMES Prevention of Sex Related Crimes Against Women Outline I. Primary prevention & health promotion A. Why is it important to nursing ?. Sex crimes against women is an ever increasing problem. A. Rape an increasing problem B. High risk potential victims of rape C. Drugs used for date rape D. Psychiatric patients I?. Various resources are available for primary prevention A. Possible locations for preventive programs to reach target population B. Different types of preventive programs IV. Rape prevention conclusionPrevention of Sex Related Crimes Against Women Health promotion is a type of healthcare service meant to help patients remain healthy by preventing the onset of diseases, lowering the possibility of injuries, and promoting a healthier lifestyle. This service is based on the assumption that if patients participate actively and accept specific lifestyle changes, their chances of suffering from heart attacks, lung cancer, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and other related diseases significantly lowers. The program works as the bond of trust that develops between the healthcare provider and patient.The patient understands how their lifestyle choices affects health and well-being, and works with the healthcare provider to develop healthy habits. Patients benefit from participating in health promotion activities such as health education programs, exercise programs, health fairs, wellness programs at work and school, proper nutrition training, and learning the bases of balancing one’s life. One example of this promotional service is prenatal classes. Expectant mothers are taught good nutritional habits, which benefit both the mother and their baby during the gestational period and after birth.This course increase the likelihood of a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby. Another example of health promotion classes include aerobic exercise and smoking cessation courses focused on the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems (Chitty, 1997). Primary prevention is a type of healthcare service designed to assist patients in reducing already identified risk factors such as heredity. This service requires active participation of the patient and the healthcare providers, targeted at disease specific protection for healthy individuals.Primary prevention programs include periodic health screening, physical examinations, identification of familial and environmental risk factors, community health programs, lifestyle changes to counteract risk factors, occupational safety programs, and environmental safety programs. An example of these programs would be the Denver Development test performed on toddlers and preschoolers during our clinical rotations at Baptist Hospital. Another example is teaching patients the correct way to perform monthly self breast exams for young women with a family history of breast cancer.Primary prevention focuses on preventing risk factors from develo ping, and health promotion focuses on general disease prevention and healthy lifestyles choices (Chitty, 1997). Rape is a violent crime that affects the victim physically, mentally, and emotionally. Potential rape victims include all individuals regardless of age, sex, race, nationality, social status, or economic status. The experience is devastating with usually long term affects of depression, isolation from society, low self esteem, and STDs transmitted from the perpetrator.According to FBI statistical projections every 7 minutes a trenchant rape occurs in the United States; women have a 1 out of 3 chance of becoming a victim of a sexual assault during their life span. Yet, only about 90,000 rapes per year are reported to local authorities. Society in general is unaware with the seriousness of the rape epidemic, since 90% of all rapes are unreported (Nadeau, 1991). Certain behaviors and conditions increases an individual’s risk of becoming a victim of a violent sexual ass ault. Most rape victims are women between the ages of 16 to 19 years-of-age.The second highest incident of rapes occurs in women between the ages of 20-24 years-of-age. Women between 16 to 24 years-old are 4 times more likely to be a victim of a rape ( Holcomb, 1997). According to Malik (1997) 35% of high school students in the United States are victims of some type of physical violence within a dating relationship. Children that are exposed to domestic violence are twice as likely to be part of a violent sexual assault filling the role of victim or aggressor. African-Americans and Hispanic are also more likely to be victims or aggressors then whites or Asian-Americans (Malik, 1997).Other potential risk factor include individuals suffering from mental illness or retardation, their chance of a violent sexual assault are increase usually at the hands of caretakers and strangers. Previous rape victims are also highly vulnerable to a repeated sexual assault, because of a low sexual self -respect and an increase feeling of powerlessness (Scott, 1993). Nurses need to target these high risk individuals to explain the realities and frequency of sexual assaults and if an assault does occur it should be reported to the proper authorities.A growing concern for healthcare providers, and the general population is the increasing availability of drugs used to commit date rapes. These drugs are part of a growing craze among teenagers and young adults as a recreational drug usually combined with alcohol. Rapists are using them in large dosages to incapacitate unsuspecting women by slipping the colorless, odorless, and tasteless drugs into their drinks at social events. The drug mixes immediately with alcohol leaving no signs of alternation to the drink. The victims are lured away from the social gathering to a remote location where they are taking advantage of.The drugs are used by rapist because it completely impairs the victims memory leaving then with no knowledge of what oc curred while under the influence, which last anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. Since the victim is unable to recall the incident, these rape cases are near impossible to prove in court; many times the victims has no description of the perpetrator. The three common rape drugs are Gamma y-hydroxybutyrate, Rohypnol, and Ketamine Hydrochloride and each one has dozens of different street names they are known by.A main concern for healthcare providers are the possible side effects linked to these drugs. The side effects include nausea, vomiting, seizures, memory loss, comas, hypotension, hypertension, arrhythmias, tachycardia, bradycardia, drowsiness, confusion, shock, cardiovascular collapse, muscular rigidity, apnea, etc. These drugs are inexpensive and readily available in our society despite the fact they are outlawed throughout the United States (Lyman, 1998). Nursing practice for victims of sexual assaults needs to be supportive, nonjudgemental, competent, and unbiased.This knowledge of p ractice is especially important to psychiatric nurses because of the association between psychiatric disorders and a history of childhood sexual assaults. Therefore nursing health history documents for psychiatric patients should include questions about possible sexual assaults. Psychiatric nurses must not silence the client or deny the reality of the sexual assault, since this will only revictimize the client; they should initiate discussions using effective listening, empathy, and respect for their client.Patients suffering from a psychiatric disorder with a past history of sexual abuse are prone to depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-harm, and sleep disturbance (Gallop, 1998). Primary prevention programs should be readily available for the target population, young women and psychiatric patients at risk of victimization. These programs should be offered at high schools and middle schools by campus officers, advisory counselors, school nurses, brochu res, and administration.Universities are also a good place for prevention programs through counselors, public safety department, health center, health fair, wellness fair, brochures, and administration. Other good sources for prevention are psychiatric care centers, family planning clinic, women’s clinic, medical care centers, church groups, youth groups, after school programs, and community programs. Also, parents should be informed of possible risks of victimization using the above resources; they can be a good resource of information for their kids.If preventive programs are offered by healthcare providers and proper authorities at these and other locations, then the target population would be reached and informed on measures that would reduce their chances of becoming a statistic. Primary prevention for rape is done using different programs which focus on informing the general public especially the target population about the different aspects of rape and what to do if ev er placed in a compromising situation. One program is the RAD system, a self-defense course for women which also covers awareness, risk reduction, prevention, and avoidance.This system is designed to give women a second viable option when their life is in danger, that option is proper self-defense targeting the weak areas of the male body (Nadeau, 1991). Another program targets date rapes and dating violence. This primary prevention program targets the problem of partner violence, diminishing gender stereotypes, anger managements during conflicts between partners, illustrating the women’s right to say no, and possible warning signs to look for before and during a date with an new acquaintance.An increased understanding of date rape concept may reduce its occurrence by helping women perceive a dangerous situation and realize their right to refuse improper actions or proposals (Foshee, 1998). Other prevention programs include a discussion on the danger and reality of date rape drugs. This program covers the effects of the rape drug in the body, the mode of ingestion for the drug, and helpful ideas to avoid becoming a victim of this increasing phenomenon for example.The rape problem will always be a part of society and rapists will continue to try new ways of luring victims in their hands. Victims of sexual assault suffer emotionally, physically, and mentally. Women can decrease their risk of victimization through different primary prevention programs conducted by healthcare providers and proper authorities. References Chitty, K. K. (1997). Professional nursing concepts and challenges. Pennsylvania: W. B. Saunders Company. Foshee, V. A. , Bauman, K. E. , Arriaga, X. B. , Helms, R. W. , Koch, G. G. & Linder, G. F. (1998). An evaluation of safe dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program. American Journal of Public Health, 88 (1), 45-50. Gallop, R. , Page, G. , McCay, E. , Austin, W. , Bayer, M. , & Peternelj-Taylor, C. (1998). Caring for sexuall y abused clients. Canadian Nurse, 94 (7), 30-34. Holcomb, D. R. , Westhoff, W. W. , & McDermott, R. J. (1997). Teaching idea. Date rape and the high school student: a likely scenario. Journal of Health Education, 28 (5), 308-310. Lyman, S. A. , Hughes-Mclain, C. & Thompson G. (1998). â€Å"Date-rape drugs†: A growing concern. Journal of Health Education, 29 (5), 271-274. Malik, S. , Sorenson, S. B. , & Aneshensal, C. S. (1997). Community and dating violence among adolescents: Perpetration and victimization. Journal of Adolescent Health, 21 (5), 291-302. Nadeau, L. N. (1991). R. A. D. Systems. Virginia: Rape Aggression Defense Systems, INC. Scott, C. S. , Lefley, H. P. , & Hicks, D. (1993). Potential risk factors for rape in three ethnic groups. Community Mental Health Journal, 29 (2), 133-141.

PARTY PLATFORMS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

PARTY PLATFORMS - Essay Example Democrats demand that the state meet all the funds required for education while Republicans are more inclined towards privatization of educational funding (2010 State Republican Party Platform, 12; Texas Democratic Party). Regarding giving education to all who are living in the United States, Democrats have a more flexible stand towards non-citizens (2010 State Republican Party Platform, 12; Texas Democratic Party). Democrats are for daytime juvenile curfew while Republicans are against it (2010 State Republican Party Platform, 14; Texas Democratic Party). Democrats also want the state to support community colleges, which Republicans disagree with, as they want the students and parents to fund community colleges (2010 State Republican Party Platform; Texas Democratic Party). b. Position II. On Immigration Democrats have a more lenient stand towards illegal immigrants than the Republicans (2010 State Republican Party Platform; Texas Democratic Party). Republicans declare that they are dead against â€Å"amnesty in any form leading to citizenship, or legal status for illegal immigrants† (2010 State Republican Party Platform, 20). But democrats want to have helpful legislation for legalization of illegal immigrants who want to stay (Texas Democratic Party).

Periodic Feedback Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Periodic Feedback - Essay Example ) during my first week at Covad Communication and received a performance note on the work that I have done during that week (please refer to the performance note section) by Paul Chu. Unfortunately, Paul left after the first week. 5. Gained technical experience on auditing Oracle application automated controls. Used Oracle gate tool to pull the SOD testing results as well as India testing results and confirmed these results with DBA (Eranyian Guna). Also, leverage some technical knowledge by looking at the controls that have been sent to Oracle gate analysis team. I was aware of the budget hours that have been assigned for SPA team, and was managing the time of the engagement in order not to exceed the budget hours. In addition, I was aware of the hours that have been assigned to the new associate Irella Blackwood and to let her informed me about any additional time that she might need to complete her

An overview of Argentina`s Economy and the State of its Economic Research Paper

An overview of Argentina`s Economy and the State of its Economic Progress - Research Paper Example ?s interim President, Adolfo Rodriguez Saa, announced a default on foreign debt of the government, which was the largest in the country’s economic history. Adolfo stepped down just a few days after assuming office. In early 2002, Adolfo’s successor, Eduardo Duhalde put to an end the pegging of the peso to the United States dollar. During that year (2002), Argentina’s economy declined with real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 18 percent smaller than GDP in 1998. Approximately 60 percent of Argentines fell below poverty line in the same year. However, Argentina’s real GDP bounced back and achieved annual growth rate of 8.5 percent from 2003 to 2008. This rebound was attributed to increased industrial capacity and literate workforce. The growth in real GDP was also as a result of Argentina’s debt restructuring and reduction, implementation of expansionary monetary and fiscal policies and favorable global financial conditions. Argentina’s Growth and Productivity from 1961-2006 Period GDP % TFP 1961-1970 1971-1980 1981-1990 1991-2000 2001-2006 4.4 2.6 -0.8 4.1 4.1 1.2 -0.1 -1.3 1.4 1.0 1961-2006 2.7 0.4 Source: MECON and Coremberg et al. (2007). In early 2007, Argentina faced increased rate of inflation. The government led by President Nestor KIRCHNER, responded to the inflation by imposing taxes on exports as well as export restraints. There were also price restraints on businesses across the country. However, in late 2007 when Cristina Fernandez De Kirchner succeeded her husband as the president of Argentina, the swift economic growth that had been experienced in the last six years began to stall. In 2008, the government of Argentina held back its exports before the 2008 recession hit global economies. In 2010 he country’s economy bounced back from economic... This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the economy of Argentina in the last decades and estimates the progress of the country’s economy over the years. Argentina has an interesting economic history and is one of the most researches about countries owing to the fact that it had attained advanced development status by the beginning of the 20th century, but its economic growth retarded afterwards. The country’s high rate of economic growth has been discontinuous following serious economic recessions, especially during the twentieth century. Argentina is amongst the countries endowed with rich natural resources. The country has very high literacy level. The agricultural sector is export-oriented with the nation’s industrial sector highly diversified. Because of intermittent economic crises, unrelenting deficits in its fiscal and current accounts, high and ever growing external debts as well as capital flight, especially during the twentieth century, Argentina slipped from its advanced economic status The economic recession of December 2001 is considered the worst recession in Argentina’s history. On December 2001, Argentina’s interim President, Adolfo Rodriguez Saa, announced a default on foreign debt of the government, which was the largest in the country’s economic history. After the wrath of the 2009 global economic downturn, the economy of Argentina has not been very stable. In 2012, the country’s economy experienced a sharp slowdown. However, the economy showed some signs of recovery at the beginning of 2013.

Similarities and differences between the USA and Saudi Arabia in Essay

Similarities and differences between the USA and Saudi Arabia in relation to their religion, politics, economic development, and social behaviors - Essay Example The paper tells that in Saudi Arabia, people’s way of life, the economy and politics are guided by the Islamic religion and their old customs. In contrast, the American society is guided by freedom and economic development. United States methods, therefore, differ from the Saudi people’s method. United States is the most religious developed country across the world. It is revealed that religion plays a great role in the life of American people. The history of United States is patent by freedom of religion. Constitution of this country is designed to ensure citizens have the power to establish religious practices. This, therefore, makes United States one of the countries with diverse religion. This is because it is estimated that there are over 100 different religious sects in the America. About 80 percent of them are Christians, while Jews and Muslims hold about 2 percent each. Majority of Americans are, therefore, followers of Christ. On the contrary, Saudi Arabia has Islamic as its official religion. As Muslims, Saudi Arabian people believe in God and prophets. However, they do not believe Jesus Christ was a son of God but rather a messenger. In addition, they believe Muhammad was also a messenger of God. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is, therefore, referred as an Islamic theocratic dominion. The law in this country only allows Muslims to be the real citizens of this kingdom. However, non-Muslims are only allowed to visit and work in the kingdom but cannot acquire citizenship. Moreover, Muslims are the only ones permitted to visit holiest cities in the country. One of the holiest cities is Mecca, which houses Ka ‘aba, a pilgrim shrine that was built by Moses following an order from God. United States government and politics is a clear example of democracy. This is because they are allowed to choose their representatives in their relevant States during elections. States representatives then select the best candidate to contend for the preside ncy. United States’ citizen vote for their president through the electoral process called Electoral College system. In this case, every State has electors equal to the number of members in the House of Representatives. Additionally, two senators representing each State are also included in the Electoral College system. During the elections, United States’ citizens cast votes to electors who obligate to offer support presidential candidate desired by members of their State. Whenever a president is elected, he or she is supposed to run the office for a period less than two terms comprising four years each. President in United States is the head of government and State. In addition, he is the commander in chief of all the armed forces. The structure of government in United States is categorized in three levels, which include Local, State, and Federal governments. Federal government in United States is in charge of the entire nation and has three branches, which include th e legislative, executive and legislature. In addition, the government of United States conducts its affairs in accordance to the constitution of the country. This constitution outlines freedom of citizens, function of the three arms of government and democratic rule. On the contrary, Saudi Arabian government is monarch in nature with the head of state being referred as the king. Whenever the king demises, he is succeeded by his eldest son in the event. However, the king can also choose a heir to succeed him or her in the leadership of the country.

The Jungle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Jungle - Essay Example causes Jurgis to lead a life of begging and crime, illustrating how it is the system’s willing abuse of the ‘common man’ that creates the problems of the criminal lower class while the upper class becomes just as criminal in working to abuse the system for their own welfare. The concept of socialism is first introduced as Ona and Jurgis are planning their wedding feast and grows to become one of the central themes of the book. It is Grandmother Majauzskiene who first mentions the word â€Å"Socialist† to Jurgis. She describes the capitalist system: â€Å"It was easy to bring them, for wages were really much higher, and it was only when it was too late that the poor people found out that everything else was higher too. They were like rats in a trap, that was the truth† (95). It would seem clear that whatever she defines herself as would be the opposite of the system in place. Just before she introduces the word socialism, though, a suggestion of what it might mean is offered, â€Å"By and by they would have their revenge, though, for the thing was getting beyond human endurance, and the people would rise and murder the packers† (95). This seems to suggest something violent and destructive, which frightens the simple man. Jurgis learns more about socialism through Bush Harper. Harper characterizes socialists as people who â€Å"could not be bought, and would not combine or make any sort of a ‘dicker’† (384). Later, Jurgis suddenly finds himself at the center of a Socialist rally and, more surprisingly, becoming caught up in the words that are said. As the speaker denounces the capitalist system, which has already been battered brutally throughout the novel, the ideas of Socialism are brought forward. The way that Sinclair presents them makes them seem not nearly as frightening as the ideas of Communism have been to the modern reader. He talks about how the Socialists would give more power to the people, would provide them would good food, clothing

An Objective Way of thinking using mathematical principles Article - 1

An Objective Way of thinking using mathematical principles - Article Example Then one should seek to establish for each class of experience, what classes of knowledge are required for that class. For the Visual class of Experience one realises that all that can be acquired are those classes of knowledge that the individual’s senses can receive without any interpretation. This reasoning can be set out in the form of a series or SET of equations 3/ One of these classes is the ‘visual experience’ e.g. viewing the world that surrounds us for which the ONLY class of knowledge one requires to satisfy this class of experience, is that which can be gathered through the specific human’s senses e.g. for the sight sense, ‘colours that form shapes’. This applies to all the members of reality that make up the world that surrounds us. No further interpretation is required or can be made through the ‘visual experience‘. [See also the solution to Big Question 2 which details how the personal TEMPLATE works. For it includes what classes of knowledge the senses can detect and those that cannot be detected I.e. complete SET that can be used to represent any human.] 4/ Thus by adopting this thinking strategy of accepting what one receives through the senses without personal interpretation I.e. subjectivity [perceptions], everyone would be able to see the same / real world rather than seeking to create their own world. My appreciation for Roger Penroses essay asking "What is reality?" was diminished because he gave no clear-cut definition of what he means by "reality" (18 November, p 32). As a result, the discussion seemed like nothing so much as an overview of the implicit etymology and current range of English-language meanings of that word. One can easily imagine dictionary definitions that either include or exclude physical events at the quantum scale, or human mental events such as unexpressed thoughts. I am not a linguist, but I suspect that the words for "reality" in other languages may not exactly

Changing a Five Day School Week to a Four Day School Week Essay Example for Free

Changing a Five Day School Week to a Four Day School Week Essay Changing a five day week to a five day week to a four day week (For schools) Why is our traditional five day week changing to a four day week? Any reason? A four day week would result in extra hours of work, interference with family schedules and much more. In any case what’s the problem with the five day school week? The customary five day school week should stay without any alterations. There are many reasons that support the understanding of having a five day school week instead of changing it into a four day school week. Firstly, people are already used to the five day week and might have to put some changes to their regular habits. Secondly, parents at work would have a very hard time to find a person to take care of their child (babysitter); this would be a big problem for families with no money. In the third reason I speak about the kids interest areas. It would be a loss of time of their practice of their extra-curricular activities that they really enjoy from their choice classes. There are many reasons that support the understanding of having a five day school week instead of changing it to a five day school week. People are already used to the five day school week since centuries and there have not been a lot of problems with the system, so why change it right now? The four day week would make a big difference (bad changes) in their sleeping and eating habits(Proved out by the Canadian center for occupational health). Parents at work would also have a hard time finding a babysitter. They would have a hard time leaving their children alone at home. This would be a big problem for children and families who are poor and cannot afford a person to take care of their children during work. Everyone knows that education for children has an impact on the future of this country. Our education/ learning system has been going on pretty good or let’s just say progressing every day and taking a brake would obviously low the percentage down of getting all these things we hope for. Lots of high schools, middle schools and elementary schools have game time/P.  E which makes children active at least for sixty min. a day. Less activity time can lead to unhealthy diseases such as obesity. Many activities such as orchestra, robotics and arts are chosen by the child with their own interest. If a parent cannot afford a class (outside school) it would be hard for them to enjoy the lost time of the choice class they chose. Now I would like to add on more to my first reason of having a five day week instead of changing it to a four day week. All of us have been using the ive day week for centuries then why change it now? The four day week might bring a sudden change in sleep habits which in turn may cause drowsiness, laziness and other factors during working hours. The four day week might also bring sudden changes in eating habits from more regular parties and unhealthy food.. When you have another weekend, many people oversleep. You might also develop certain health problems from oversleeping on an extra holiday such as diabetes, heart diseases, stress, anxiety, apnea and many more. Another day of a holiday means more partying, and mainly eating more unhealthy food. Problems that you might develop from eating unhealthy food are: Obesity, Diabetes, bulimia, binge eating and many more. There are people out there fighting for a four day week. Let see a few of the other side’s arguments. Some say that having a four day week might help save gas money for the district. However school buses are used on weekends as a public transportation even more which in turn might get the gas costs higher instead of saving a whole bunch of money. Parents also say that children would have extra free time if allowed an extra weekend. But guess what? 70% of all kids in America would prefer to have school instead of an extra weekend. School is a place where you could interact with old friends and make new friends! Fun activities compiled with learning. What would be a better option? In conclusion I would want the school board to consider the decision of having a five day school week because of multiple reasons I told during my essay. Such as people are already used to the five day school week, poor parents and normal parents might have a hard time at work worrying about their children at work and having a babysitter, less education for the future, less activity time, less extra-curricular time and having less face-to-face time with the teacher. Therefore as a call to action I would go to the school board/superintendent and reject all proposals of having a four day week because of these several reasons. I would also write a petition/proposal regarding to keep the 5 day school week the same. This petition would include other parents signatures who agree with me.

Biography of Prof. Joseph Kahamba

Biography of Prof. Joseph Kahamba BIOGRAPHY OF Prof. JOSEPH KAHAMBA Dr. Joseph Kahamba is an Associate Professor in Neurosurgery at Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS) in Dar es Salaam, a Consultant Neurosurgeon and acting Head of the Neurosurgical department at Muhimbili Orthopedics and Neurosurgical Institute. He holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) of the University of Timisoara-Romania, a Master of Medicine (MMed) in General Surgery of the University of Dar es Salaam, a Master of Science (MSc) in Neurosurgery of the Universities of Zurich, Ulm and Dar es Salaam (a sandwich program), and FCS-ECSA (Fellow of the College of Surgeons of East, Central Southern Africa) and MBA (Master of Business Administration) program of the University of Dar es Salaam. CHILDWOOD Born September 1 1964 in Bukoba, Tanzania, Prof. Joseph Kahamba was raised in a hard working middle class family with Ten siblings–four brothers and six sister. His mother was a farmer and father a Secondary teacher. He grew up mainly in three kind of environment, Gangster, Quiet, Energetic and loud .During his childhood years his family lived first in Katoke and then shifted to Ishozi, Bukoba. When they were living in Katoke he had many friends. He liked making friends. He was with them all the time. They went to many places and parties together, and they even went to the Disco or play soccer together and he really enjoyed this these moments. His best friends ware Stanley, Mjuni, Peter, Ester and Salma. He really enjoy be with them, because they were so nice that sometimes talk about all in his life, and when he had a problem they always help him. Childhood influences: The first book He remember reading for fun was called ‘Maisha Yetu’. He probably read it three times a day. He also liked Greek mythology since he was in middle school. He used to read mostly fantasy and science fiction in high school, and then got interested in mysteries when He got to Universities. Since his father was a teacher. He grew up in a very artistic family. His Dad was an inspiration professionally and his Mum was always there to talk to. His Dad taught him many values that define who he is now — the values of honesty, integrity and sincerity. They were teachers to him and his mother was always scout him to school when he was very young. She used to read for him stories every night that he can remember many of the stories and have even got quite a few of the books she read to him. Her Mum had a sing-song voice that he once told her but she thought he was criticising her and she got a bit humpy with him. His dad read to them when we were older but he helped them a lot with writing and studying. When sitting together with his father, they spent long hours talking about the world, politics, books and football. His father was also very funny, very good at jokes and could speak several languages. All this influenced his carrier. EDUCATION PRIMARY SCHOOL He received his primary education at Katoke Primary School between 1970 and 1973; his middle school education at Kanyigo School from 1974 up to 1978. Durring his Primary education his favorite subject were Science (especially biology and chemistry!), He loved them and he was never horrible at any subject, but he definitely hated History because he never liked writing essays since he didnt find it interesting. His favorite teacher was his Math’s teacher Ms.Salome, when he was in the fifth grade. As he described her as being very loving, caring, inspiring and almost like a mother to them. SECONDARY AND A-LEVEL After graduating at Kanyigo School in (1978) he was selected among 50 best students and been transferred to a Seminary government Secondary School (Kashasha Seminary) which it was 56 Kilometers’ away from his virrage. In 1978, Prof.Kahamba enrolled to Kahororo Seminary Secondary School for (O A-level) education between 1978 to 1984. While there much had happened routinely in the Seminary, each day had its own rhythm and he also noted that the seminarians had a varied schedule. They used to begin each day in the chapel, with either Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours at 7:30 a.m. After breakfast,Which sometimes made him to sleep in class .But in class He was often knowing how to do complex math problems before the concept had even been introduced to his class. In his second year the young Prof.Kahamba participated in student body government as Sports Minister in my second year. In this time, He worked for 2 years as the Scout President at a School camp. He liked most about school were the after-school athletic activities and least were Mandatory attendance and Learning superfluous subjects. Also he often knew how to do complex math problems before the concept had even been introduced to his class. He also did some extracurricular activities by Participating in Gym, Sports and Society clubs. He engage in the social life with other students mostly in parties. In 1984 his family returned to Ishozi, and Prof.Kahamba within a short time graduated from high school in the first division. UNIVERSITY In 1984, He enrolled at the University of Timisoara-Romania for his undergraduate study in Medicine (MD).In his first year in medical school he had been participating in new types of medical research. Since arriving in April he was been able to participate in two different research projects – one qualitative and one quantitative. In University, He was also involved in few outside activities. While there, and to enhance his meager income, He organized a Helping Hand Club and even served as its Vice president. After a handful of jobs , He finally went for different Projects to work for a large investment films. There He continued the trend of just meeting his potential, only taking on new challenges when enything was brought to his attention that it could be perfect opportunity for him. After graduating and reserved the certificate in Doctor of Medicine (MD) of the University of Timisoara-Romania, He then went back to his hometown and worked as Pharmacist assistance for the village local Institute Dispensary and a few Pharmacies in and around his hometown. In the meantime, He spent 1 year before Master school as a Soldier at Kanyigo Military, Bukoba serving for his county. During his time there, they moved into different largest military in the county for training. They also moved into the new country military base of Lugalo. One of thing he learned was simple. It doesnt matter if you can [do something] or not, you will. Just get it done. Going Master school had always been in the back of his mind, and he finally headed again across the Ocean to enroll in a Master of Science (MSc) in Neurosurgery at the Universities of Zurich in (1990). Early in 1992, he was transferred as a medical student to Zurich Medical cumpus to gain greater clinical experience, were he become Senior Laboratory Assistance at the University. He began his career as an ICU fellow at the Katoke Hospital Center where he worked in a variety of critical care settings before coming to the Clinical Center in 1999. At the Clinical Center he began his career as a Senior Clinical Researcher in the Medical Intensive Care Unit. His clinical research specializations included health behavior and health disparities research with special emphasis on methodology and measurement in end-of-life care, integrative health and vulnerable populations. After that, His wife and him moved to Bugando, Mwanza. Were they lived there for two years and managed to teach Bugando Medical University for almost 1 year. Then they had two daughters, Eunice and Nelly, and we moved back home to Dar es salaam. were he enrolled for MBA (Master of Business Administration) program at the University of Dar es Salaam.While there he used his extra time to teach at Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (Neurosurgery). Professional Recognition In November 2003, Prof. Kahamba was recognized by the Tanzanian Society of Orthopedics with the Dedicated Service Award. This award honors dedicated volunteer service to the Society marked by his outstanding performance. Between 2000 and 2006,He served as President of the Medical Association of Tanzania (MAT) at Muhimbili Orthopedics and Neurosurgical Institute. The Association that aimed to compliment the government efforts in reaching its desired objective of promoting the health and wellbeing of all Tanzanians. Marking the 45th Anniversary Medical Association of Tanzania (MAT) in 2008.Professor Joseph.F. Kahamba was presented with MAT Fellowship certificates for their distinguished contributions to the promotion of the medical profession and nurturing of the Medical Association of Tanzania. FAMILY In 1990, He met a pretty woman at a Staff Board meeting. He could feel that she was the right one for his eternal life. In 1991, He married Dr. Godelive Kagashe,Lecture in College of Health Sciences (MUCHS) in Dar es Salaam when he was 27.The wedding took place in Church, one month from his 28th birthday, Gogelive was 25, who spent her childhood in Morogoro, Tanzania. They have four childrens,One boy, Innocent 21 and three Daughters, Eunice 23, Nelly 22 and Karen 17. Eunice lives in the Mikocheni area. Shee works for a Clothing business company. Whenever they visit each other, they have a great time and many laughs. She also guides, teaches , and has been a great role model.Nelly is a Postgraduate in Medicine at Bugando Hospital,Mwanza.While Innocent is undergraduate in Civil engineering at Arthi University. When he was young, He sometimes did something very horrible that he then regret doing. One at which he would get other children to laugh at someone. He made fun of that person and got others to join in. In the rare hours when he’s not at Work, He enjoy running, reading, watching news. He’s very excited about moving back to his village in next year’s. About his Haya and Christianity background he said â€Å"its important because its how and why my parents behaved in the way they did. If I try to break that down into exactly what, all I come up with is things like the particular way in which they told stories about their family and their childhoods. At age of 50, He honestly think that reading has been one of the pleasant constants in my life. Reading truly feeds his soul. Looking ahead 20-30 years, He will fear losing his eyesight more than any other senior ailment. What the heck, he could enjoy reading The Adventures. Among of the worst or most embarrassing experience of his career as had been to identify his younger brothers body at a local municipal morgue. Employment and Professional Activities 1986-1987 Research Laboratory , University of Timisoara-Romania. 1988-1990 Postdoctoral fellowship, Institute for Advanced Study, Mwanza. 1991-1992 Senior Laboratory Assistance, University of Zurich. 1996-1997 Assistant Professor, Bugando University, Mwanza. 1997-1998 Associate Professor, University of Dar-es-salaam. 1998- Professor, University of Muhimbili, Dar-es-salaam. 1997-1998 Staff of Katoke Hospital Laboratory,Bukoba. 1998-2000 Director of MOI Physical Laboratory 2002-2004 Head of the Neurosurgical department at Muhimbili Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Institute. 2000-2006 President of the Medical Association of Tanzania (MAT). 2007- Associate Professor in Neurosurgery at Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS),Dar-es-salaam

Tocqueville Analyses Political Society Functioning Politics Essay

Tocqueville Analyses Political Society Functioning Politics Essay The key cultural and economic factors in the Tocquevilles work revolve around social equality and inequality. In his work Tocqueville tend to focus on equality in the society the aristocratic which compromised equality and democracy which maximized equality. Tocqueville recognizes that in America several social forces have allowed people to remain free. Tocqueville talks about burgeoning democratic order and views democracy from the perspective of a detached social scientist. Tocqueville observes democracy as an equation that balances equality and liberty concern for the America society. He finds human to thirst for equality and the desire of the weak to bring the strong down the equal levels reducing men to favor parity in servitude to inequality in freedom. Tocqueville analyses political society functioning and several forms of political associations and has shed some light on the civil society. Similar to Marx and Hegel, Tocqueville demonstrates civil society as a sphere of civil affairs and private entrepreneurship. Justifiably, Tocqueville indicates that equality of social condition has bred civilian and political values which in turn determine the type of legislations to be passed. Tocqueville maintains with Aristotle and Montesquieu that the balances of possessions determine the poise of power. Distinctively positioned at the crossroads of American history; Tocqueville view on American democracy attempted to capture the very fundamental nature of American culture and values. Greenberg Greenberg indicates that within the structure of democratic capitalism in America, the government structure and the constitution have a vitally liberal backbone. The relationship between the government and an individual is through the constitution which read aloud the liberal values fundamentally woven into the rich history of America. The American constitution combined with the Bill of Rights holds the prevailing government accountable for all the actions and sets a finite limit on the power it exercises over a citizen. America as a capitalist society uses wealth distribution and taxation way to control social equity. In keeping with classical liberalism, the society and the state can be viewed as an immense social contract. The central liberal principle that is served by the American constitution limits and separates governmental power. In n keeping with Greenberg argument, the characteristically liberal mistrust of majoritarian tyranny has been continued to the contemporary American politics through the constitution. Liberal concern with individual rights has principally been portrayed in the American customs by the Bill of Rights. Liberalism guarantees individual liberty like freedom of religion, speech and the universal rights of all the American citizens. The function of the Bill of Rights is protection of the American citizen from the abuse of power that might be committed by any part of the government. Individual freedom has been established as one of the hallmarks of liberalism especially fo r the Americas free-market economy; every American citizen is free to choose how they would like to use their income. Generally, liberal principles supports that individuals should pursue their own best interest economically, this mutual pursuit of individual interest encourages improvement and innovation. In regard to the Greenberg argument, the analogy presents that the free market economics is similar to free market for policies and ideas and thus liberal democracy. Underlying the liberal approach to political and economic organization is the assertion that every individual possess equal rights to work, cast their votes and this creates an equal playing-ground in the electoral politics. Arguably, united nation as a country has strayed least from values of liberalism. American constitution is based on fundamental liberal principles protecting individuals and limiting appropriate powers of government. Lipset In keeping with the works of Lipet, formulating a national identity the American nation presents a progressive and a virile society that has abundance of opportunity to all. Lipsets work also depicts a society rich in corrupt affluence; a society with a rising laxity of values and morals, impropriety of taste and a broadening gap between the haves and have-nots. American policies and put by Lipset follows the principles that were set in the federalist. America sort thet nations must focus their interest in their foreign policies. Lipset indicates that one powerful step to American development is the weight of ancient tradition present in most of the states was initially not there. America grew not only as a new nation but also a new society with new set morals and values. However, religion can at some point be seen as a new conventional institution that has played a great role in America. All in all, in the first half a decade the religion defenders were greatly weakened with disesta blishment of Anglican and the New England Congregationalist. Lipset draws a significant connection between democracy and income. In keeping with Lipset, economic development through increased income determine the type of class struggle allowing person in the lower strata to come up with more gradualist views in reference to political change. Factors that seem to be Central in all arguments All the arguments respond to the impact of political and social development of the U.S. to its governance. In keeping with the three arguments it is definite that America has a unique culture which has been developed for a long time. In is fundamental to understand that Tocqueville lays emphasis on liberty, individualism, laissez-faire and egalitarianism as the main driving forces for Democratic republic Do you agree which the idea that the United States is exceptional that the political system here developed in ways that make it very different from political systems in other countries. The distinctive national attribute of the U.S. political and social culture distinguishes the nations from other nations. United States possesses an exceptional political system that is developed in ways that make them very different from political system. U.S. Political system has clearly been defined by elementary documents. The 1776 declaration of independence and the 1789 U.S constitution are the foundations of the United States federal government. In reference to Khan (2003), the declaration of independence institutes the U.S. as a political entity that is independent. The constitution on the other hand, formulates a basic structure of the U.S. federal government. In keeping with Tocqueville, the greatest advantage of the Americans is the fact the country reached to a state of democracy without enduring democratic revolution. Supplementary readings Khan, L. (2003). A theory of universal democracy: beyond the end of history. The Hague New York: Kluwer Law International. Schleifer, J. (2012). The Chicago companion to Tocquevilles Democracy in America. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Aphra Behns Oroonoko as the First Modern Novel Essay -- Oroonoko Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the seventeenth century, the art of writing was like uncharted waters for women, in which most who ventured were rendered pathetically unsuccessful.   No matter the quality, publications written by women were typically ridiculed by their male contenders.   However, a handful of women defied the common standards and were prosperous; one of these was Aprha Behn.   Virgina Wolf says of Behn, "All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the tomb of Aphra Behn, for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds."   Although she was a woman of outstanding accomplishments, one of her publications truly glistens.   Oroonoko (1688), the epic tale of a heroic black slave, has often been dubbed the first modern novel in that it displays qualities utterly matchless for the seventeenth century.    Although one may not realize it, several aspects work harmoniously in constructing the modern novel.   According to Ian Watt, three of these are particularity, unity of design, and rejection of traditional plots.   A novel must focus on specific characters and has to occur in a distinct time frame.   Furthermore, a novel should have a plot unlike others of the era.   One common idea or theme should also rule the work.   All of these characteristics are vividly expressed in Oroonoko.    Particularity, Watt states, is "the amount of attention it [the novel] habitually accords to both the individualism of its characters and to the detailed presentation of their environment."   Behn puts an emphasis on only a few main characters; these being Oroonoko (Caesar), the narrator who is a white mistress, and Imoinda, Oroonoko's love.   The writer goes to great lengths to brilliantly paint a picture of Oroonoko for the readers, ... ...el - distinctiveness, unity of design, and rejection of traditional plots. Behn's accomplishment in writing Oroonoko both paved the way for future female writers and set an example for prospective novelists.   Truly her impassioned account of a maltreated slave who died for liberty will forever be revered and cherished as the first modern novel.    Works Cited Behn, Aphra and Janet Todd.   Oroonoko, The Rover and Other Works. England: Penguin Classics, 1992. Hunter, Paul J.   "Before Novels".   The Aphra Behn Page.   <http://www.lit-arts.com/rmn/behn/novel.htm> 22 July 1999. Watt, Ian.   "The beginnings of the English novel".   The Aphra Behn Page. <http://www.lit-arts.com/rmn/behn/novel.htm>19 July 1999. Wolf, Virginia.   "A Room of One's Own".   The Virginia Wolf Society of Great Britian. <http://orlando.jp.org/VWSGB/> 22 July 1999.

Comparing Carbon Footprints of Nike and Timberland Shoe Companies :: Business and the Environment

Our group is interested in comparing the carbon footprints of two major clothing brands, Nike and Timberland. For comparison, we used statistics provided by the companies through their public Responsibility Reports. These Responsibility Reports have been reviewed by reliable third party committees. We found that Americans purchase on average 8 pairs of shoes every year. This translates to about 7,142,094,187 CO2 tonnes released into the atmosphere every year, in addition to the rest of the world’s population. Click â€Å"see the math† on the left menu bar for the calculations. In relation to Nike and Timberland, we are interested on investigating their impact on the world. Their global dominance and fast business rates are sure to have large carbon footprints; and our project is aimed at calculating their total impact. We also worked to investigate the carbon emissions per shoe in order to learn of each company’s efficiency. As shoes are a basic necessity for modern life, it is satisfying to learn of their environmental effect. To calculate the carbon footprint emitted from shoes purchased in the United States, we used our population of 304,696,851, as of July 26, 2008. 8 pairs of shoes per person is described in the report by the American Apparel and Footwear Association. Each shoe manufactured emits about 2.93 CO2 tonnes Population In the United States: 304,696,851 Average Shoes per person per year: x 8 CO2 emitted per pair: x 2.93 Grand Total of CO2 due to shoes in US: =7,142,094,187 During our research, we found that Timberland and Nike had both published their complete responsibility reports. This made them simple to compare. However, these reports are the year 2005, so the information is to be used solely as a comparison and not an updated reference. Nike reported 1.

Promote communication in health, social care Essay

1.1 The different reasons why people communicate are: To form positive relationships To play together cooperatively To work together Information sharing Approach and response To understand expectations and boundaries. erent ways. 1.2 Communication effects relationships in the workplace because there needs to be clear boundaries and expectations for people and this is only achieved through clear communication. There should be respect between colleagues and with young people so they know the guidelines and rules within the setting and any concerns from the young person is acknowledged. If the communication is not flowing this could lead to lots of problems as their needs will not be met effectively. Read more:  Promote Communication Essay 2.2 The factors to consider when promoting effective communication are building positive relationships, being considerate to others, showing respect for each other, being clear on key points and maintaining a good sense of humour. If these factors are followed and taken into consideration then the flow of communication between a carer and young person will be positive. 3.1 When communicating with people from different backgrounds or cultures care and sensitivity should be shown when communicating. We must not be too ready to take offence to a gesture or language that is not the norm in our own culture, and be aware of our own body language and gestures. Care should also be taken with the language used and the tone of voice used and they can be misinterpreted. 3.2 Barriers to effective communication are: – Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to express their emotions and some topics may be completely ‘off-limits’ or taboo. – Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver. – The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms – Differences in perception and viewpoint. – Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties. – Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make communication less effective. – Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents. – Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions. – Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between different settings. 3.5 There are a number of agencies, web sites and courses available that can be accessed to enable individuals to communicate effectively for example families first, government schemes, advocacy services etc. 4.1 The term confidentiality means information that should only be shared with people with a right to have it. This is vital as young people in care will often have information about their backgrounds or family history that should only be divulged to those who need to know. Sometimes there will be information about a childs history that should only be shared with that child when they are ready to cope with it; and could be detrimental if divulged early. 4.3 When and if you need to disclose information that you have received in confidence then it can create tension and distrust. You are therefore better explaining to a person who may disclose to you that anything disclosed would have to be shared with the relevant professionals. If this is shared from the offset trust will not be lost and more importantly the young person will know why you need to do it. Unit 4222-33 302 Engage in personal development in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings 1.1 The duties and responsibilities of my own role is to provide a safe and caring environment for children to have a stable upbringing so as to achieve their full potential. 1.2 I have high expectations in regards to looking after young people. These are linked to the standards and I am continually reminded of how I have met these or should be meeting them. 2.1 To reflect at a later date about how we handle situations is very good practice. We can employ hindsight so as to employ more foresight next time. 2.3 Our own values and beliefs are just that, our own. We must be aware that while there are generic morals and beliefs there are also cultural and religious differences that must also be respected. 3.1 We can evaluate our own knowledge, performance and understanding with the professionals that make up the fostering team. Our supervising social worker is there for intimate support and guidance when we need it and it is our judgement that we rely on to evaluate our performance. Every year I have an annual review where I am assessed against the standards and my performance is discussed. This is supported by my monthly reports where I write up what has happened during the month, reflecting on how I handled situations that arose. 4.1 My supervising social worker provides me with the help to plan and review my own development. This can be through attending courses, reviews of monthly plans or suggestions of how to help with situations that have arisen and agencies to turn to for additional support. 5.1 Learning activities have helped a great deal as they provide carers with continual development and keeps us open minded and up to date with current situations and ways forward. Unit 4222-33 303 Promote equality and inclusion in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings 1.1 Diversity- Diversity can be defined (in a care environment) as a broad selection of people from different backgrounds, with different ideas, religion, culture, sexual orientation, ages, disabilities, ethnicity, gender and general beliefs. Equality- Where individuals in society are treated the same with the same opportunities as each other, given the same chances and human rights as everyone else in society regardless of backgrounds mentioned above  (Diversity). Inclusion- Inclusion determines the Equal opportunities of all individuals, and enforces the methods to do so. 1.2 There are many forms of discrimination. From a workers perspective this could be not given the same job/conditions opportunities as other workers. As a client in a care background, not being given the care they should be entitled to. Also not being given respect for a persons backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicity and needs. This can lead to alienation/segregation, personal growth and in some cases depression and general ill health, due to not having respect of a person’s background/lifestyle. 1.3. I constantly include the young person in my practice to promote equality and support diversity. This allows the childs interests and differences to be taken into account so that the child is happier and healthier etc. An example of this is trying to encourage inclusive schooling, we moved the child in our care to a school that is ASD friendly as the environment he was in was not appropriate. We involved the child in the process at all times, to ensure that he was happy and in agreement with the transition. 2.1 These are the laws I need to adhere to: Anti discrimination Act 1977 Racial discrimination act 1975 Age discrimination act 1975 Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 Mental Health Act 1983 and 2007 amended Act Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 Human Rights Act 1998 Race Relations Act 1976 and Race Relations (Amendments) Act 2000 and 2003 Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 I must understand and adhere to the codes of practice and legislation at all times. Also when I am acting as an advocate for our young person I must always ensure that the young person is receiving fair and inclusive practice from organisations be it education or social. For example school, social clubs or social service provision. I am constantly ensuring that these are adhered to. 3.3 You should always challenge discrimination, but to do this it is essential that you can recognise anti-discriminatory practice. My role is to protect children from discrimination. If I ignore it when it happens, this will be viewed as condoning (excusing or overlooking) discrimination. If I ignored a child who had felt they had experienced discrimination, who is there to support them. The child could feel that I share the view of the perpetrator or believe that the way they are being treated is ‘normal’. They may feel that they are in some way inferior. At the very least, they will feel let down that I did not protect their rights, which is my role. It can be difficult to challenge discrimination, particularly if it is institutional or practised by a colleague, so it is important that I consider how to deal with different and often difficult situations. To be able to challenge discrimination I would require knowledge of policy, procedures and practice. If I feel confident about what is good practice, I will be able to deal more effectively with incidents that arise. When discrimination happens it may be intentional, but it can also be because of ignorance and lack of understanding. It is not easy to change the views of others but you must challenge discriminatory comments and actions. When I am concerned about anti-discriminatory practice, I always speak me to my supervising social worker to discuss the matter and check that I have  carried out everything in my power to support the young person in my care.

Position Paper Essay

I had chosen the topic for the response paper about the choice of Sarah Palin as the running mate for John McCain. In this position paper, I try to develop my position around the same topic and I would develop the paper around the choice and how it is affecting the presidential campaign. I use the response paper for the topic but only to that extent that I use it as a base. My main thrust in this paper would be on putting the nomination of Sarah Palin in perspective. Choice of Sarah Palin There was universal surprise when Sarah Palin was picked as the vice presidential nominee. When everyone was expecting Joe Lieberman or someone else to be picked as the vice presidential nominee, the McCain camp pulled a rabbit from the hat in the form of Sarah Palin. This left many observers stumped and people were left wondering about the real reasons. There was intense speculation that this was part of a move to counter the Democratic campaign and the appeal of Hillary Clinton. With Hillary no longer in the reckoning, the perception was that Sarah Palin could draw away some of Hillary’s supporters into the Republican fold. Others saw it as a kind of maverick stunt that could upstage the rock star appeal of Barack Obama. What no one could have anticipated is the electrifying effect that Sarah Palin had on the electorate immediately following her nomination. The entire campaign was energized by the â€Å"Palin Effect† and suddenly the Republicans were back in the reckoning. Her go-getter image along with her stylish attire has caught the imagination of the public. However, there is a sneaking suspicion that she is all glamour and not substance. She has the charm of a â€Å"Kennedy, Clinton or a Reagan† (Mayer, 2). She also can draw crowds and hold their attention. It was this very ability that made the McCain camp plump for her to get the star appeal to the voters. Media Management Sarah Palin looks good on TV and she is the favorite of the right wing media. Though her appearances in the public rallies have been highlighted, what is also glaring is the fact that she has not given too many interviews and has not appeared on the popular talk shows like Larry King Live. And whatever chances she had with other networks, she turned in a less than favorable performance. In recent days, much has been made of her $150,000 attire and the way in which she has been â€Å"made up† with lot of effort. However much this has been played up for the benefit of the voters, there are some who see this as mere gloss and unlikely to have an effect on the larger electorate. The Insider’s Choice? While there have been several articles in the media about how Sarah Palin has been a wild card, Jane Mayer of The New Yorker thinks otherwise. As I pointed out in my response paper about the article that she had written, where she had laid out the case for Sarah Palin being backed by influential members of the Republican Party, there is no conclusive point about Sarah Palin being an outsider. But there are enough indications to indicate that she has been favored by the Republican insiders who wanted someone to counter the charismatic appeal of Obama. While the point of this position paper is not to contest the claim of Sarah Palin being selected or not by a power group, nonetheless it throws light on the happenings of the Republican Party as they went into election mode. It is indeed a powerful choice as reflected in the approval ratings after her nomination. Her â€Å"Star Power† is sure bound to get the ticket some badly needed swing votes in the upcoming election. As we see in the next section, Sarah Palin has become what some commentators have been calling the â€Å"Attack Dog† of the Republican camp. Attack Dog In recent weeks, Sarah Palin has taken the attack to the Democratic camp. First, by portraying Obama as someone who is â€Å"palling around with terrorists† an apparent reference to his earlier friendships with Bill Ayers, a sixties left wing radical and then by proclaiming that Obama wants to turn America into a â€Å"socialist paradise†. These have left the Democrats seething with anger and the hard core among the Republican camp egging her on. Of course, this has led to resentment among moderate Republicans and as the title of this article says Palin is diving more than uniting the faithful. Pro-life and family matters Sarah Palin’s pro-life stance has drawn attention towards her own family and her daughter in particular who is single and pregnant. This has provided ammunition for the Democrats though there was enough damage control exercise done. This raised the question of how much of vetting the McCain camp did before zeroing on her. And this left many wondering whether the McCain camp had done their homework particularly after she was found to have used her position as Governor of Alaska to influence some decisions in her family’s favor. Economic Policies Even on the subject of the tax breaks or the other proposals to shore up the economy, Sarah Palin comes across as a shrill voice adding to the clamor on Capitol Hill. There is no fresh approach to the vexed question of how far and how much should the government intervene in bailing out Wall Street. My way politics Most pertinently, Sarah Palin is practicing what can be called the â€Å"My Way† politics. In the words of one critic, Celtic Diva (17), â€Å"Palin is transforming her base into a lynch mob†. What she is effectively saying is that her way is the only way and her supporters are the true supporters and the like. Though this may appeal to the radical right, there are nonetheless large swathes of Republican voters who would not be comfortable with this kind of rhetoric. And it is leaving an overall sense of polarization in the country. This makes for hardly good news for a country that is deeply divided in the aftermath of the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004. Liability for McCain? While the first sections of this paper examined how Palin became a star in the initial stages of the campaign, it is now apparent that unless she comes up with some new ideas, she would become a liability instead of the trump card that the McCain camp was hoping for. Conclusion As I mentioned in the title of the article, Sarah Palin has increasingly come to divide the electorate rather than unite them. As Basu states, â€Å"Palin should aim to Unify rather than polarize†. Her strident approach towards Obama’s proposed policies and the trenchant criticism that she reserves for her opponents are just indications of a personality that thrives on divisive politics. While this would have been tolerable in times gone by, what this country needs now, with all the economic crises and a war that has no end in sight, is a healing figure that can re-energize the country and make Americans look forward to their place in the world. As we head into the last days of the campaign, we can expect more of the rhetoric from Palin and an increasingly strident stance. It remains to be seen how the electorate would respond to this ticket as well as the Democratic ticket on Nov 4, 2008.

Group Dynamics And Groupthink In A Management Environment

Groupthink is a prevalent process in many organizations and businesses. This paper will examine the definition of groupthink as it relates to management decisions compared with similar group performance factors and situations leading to the thoughts and processes of business decision making, group dynamics and interpersonal operations within the group from both a business standpoint and a psychological standpoint. These standpoints will evaluate the effects of dominance, cohesion, anxiety and group norms leading to either effective or defective group process and group decision making. As with all group dynamics there are many factors involved such as race, gender, religion, political and cultural views. The paper will examine the interactions involved within a group and examine how groupthink is often allowed to be the overall choice made by the group. The author will also examine the difference in definitions form the Janis (I. L. Janis, 1982) model and the Management text book definition (Bateman, Snell, 2011) to gather a sound definition for business purposes. GROUPTHINK IN ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT Organizations and managers must make critical decisions on a daily basis. As business is such a highly complex environment spanning both national and global markets decision making must be thought of in a larger field of view taking into account many factors such as bias, culture and customer attitude to name a few. No one person generally has all the knowledge or experience to tackle every conceivable issue that may arise or need to be considered. A good manager or leader knows that they alone are not the only one to solve the problem and thus look to others to help with the puzzle needing to be solved. There is a substantial need to gain broad spectrum opinion and ideas in business today which leads effective managers to seek and develop effective groups to provide that broad spectrum and increase idea flow from different perspectives. The â€Å"Brain-Storming† in business today is much more complicated and involves large numbers of variable factors that can best be resolved by the group process allowing for varied input and expertise information to be injected into the final decision making process. This does not always define an effective group or process as we will see throughout this paper. Decision Making Management must make decisions in different ways to handle different problems on a daily basis. Many of these decisions are programmed decisions based on past experience and working knowledge based on procedures already in place. These programmed decisions are normally simple in nature and are more of an automatic response versus having to think of or develop a new solution. As we know, things are not always as easy as we may wish and in business, with its ever changing nature, problems and issues arise that require the manager to be creative and adapt new thinking and new solutions to properly make an effective decision. This nonprogrammed decision making process involves the manager weighing the good with the bad and attempting to identify all the unknown variables. It is at this stage that an effective manager or leader knows to review his limitations and seek guidance from others with the knowledge to provide information needed to develop and informed and effective decision. The adage â€Å"knowledge is power† comes to mind and the manager, leader seeks out those who can assist in providing that knowledge to lower risks and gain a better reward. The effective manager, leader will practice stages of the decision making process, as they normally might, in identifying the problem and generating alternative solutions. In the process of attempting to generate solutions the manager would best be served by obtaining that knowledge of others to compensate their own. This is where they may decide to form a group and begin the group process to ultimately solve the problem and make the best decision possible. Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing In the decision to form a group to aid in difficult decision making there are several key items management must consider in selecting members of the group and being aware of possible negative effects of the group members involved. One of the first items to be considered is the size of the group needed and what skills or knowledge is required and what skills or knowledge each member may provide. The smaller group may require less group maintenance but provide less needed input. A larger group may provide more information but require a higher degree of group maintenance thus rendering them less effective. Management may choose to seek well known members or possibly new members. Newer members may provide new ideas and concepts while more well-known members could tend to adhere to the current policy and procedures and not be as creative and more satisficing. Group make-up must also avoid dominance type personalities to allow for a more free flow of ideas and creativity thus reducing group anxiety. Group management must be foremost in the mind of the manager to best achieve the goals and allowing for the best decision to be made. Knowing each person in the group individuals personality can be critical to proper selection but as with all people each are different and demonstrate different personalities in different situations. Group management must be maintained and observed to avoid conflicts based on personality and not creativity. Short of management being trained in psychology a group of members is selected based on management’s best knowledge and understanding of each individual member. Forming is the stage of group dynamics where the members first come together and normally demonstrate polite and positive attitudes to one another, as in any greeting situation, and is usually short in time. The next stage of development in the group is often difficult and delicate as members try to determine their role and place within the group. Storming identifies this stage by the way in which the members may question the validity or purpose of the group, including those within, and challenge or attempt to assert authority within the group. They may also feel overwhelmed by the task at hand and not yet understand their purpose of being there. It is not uncommon for groups at this stage to fail or cause some members to feel undervalued. When all, or most, of the difficulties are settled to member’s satisfaction the group moves forward with an understanding of their place within the group. Norming is the stage where the group comes together to identify the common goal and progress with the understanding and social acceptance of the group members as a whole. Forward progress and the ability to share in the group vision or goal being established, next stage, performing, is achieved. The group now functions well together and their work begins to bare the fruit of their labor. Process and structure have been established and work continues to achieve the main objective as group members satisfaction has increased. Managing Group Dynamics in Decision Making As we now have a better understanding of group dynamics in their basic form we realize that management must remain vigilant in all of the stages but certainly the performing stage the most. It is at the performing stage where most can go wrong and where complacency is most likely to occur. Group members are now comfortable in their role, leaders in the group have been well established and the work of the group may continue as if on autopilot. This may lead the group to fall into the trap of familiarity and allow the status-quo. Other factors may emerge from leaders or members within the group such as dominance and familiar cohesion where members chose to avoid disagreement and merely agree to consensus. Groupthink Phenomenon Should the group be allowed to fall into this trap it would be clear that management has failed to recognize the problem thereby allowing the creativity and effectiveness of the group to become ineffective. This phenomenon was described by Irving Janis (1972, 1982) as faulty decision making in a group when members do not consider all alternatives and desire unanimity at the expense of quality. There are several variations to the groupthink model such as â€Å"The term groupthink is appropriate only when the concurrence seeking emerges prematurely, thus curtailing thinking and discussion, and increasing the likelihood of poor decision outcomes (Longley and Pruitt, 1980). This variation does not always hold true in all cases. Based on groupthink in juries it is also evident that the information has been discussed and thought of critically but the jury member (group member) gave in more to peer (group) pressure from either the authoritative jury foreman, jury members or merely the desire to agree for their own personal benefit, such as the desire to end their sequestration if involved in a lengthy case. Groupthink Variations Janis (1972, 1982, 1989) defined groupthink as the extreme concu rrence sought by decision-making groups. Groupthink is most likely to occur when a group experiences antecedent conditions such as high cohesion, insulation from experts, limited methodological search and appraisal procedures, directive leadership, and high stress combined with low self-esteem and little hope of finding a better solution than that favored by the leader or influential group members. Such conditions lead to symptoms of groupthink such as illusions of invulnerability, collective rationalization, belief in the inherent morality of the group, stereotypes of outgroups, pressure on dissenters, self-censor-ship, illusions of unanimity, and self-appointed mindguards† (Turner, Pratkanis, Probasco, Leve,1992). Causal factors in groupthink seem to not fit only one model such as Janis describe. There are varied reasons group members seek concurrence unanimity in decision making, emotion, anxiety and coercion are some of only many reminding us that in managerial decisions we must remain mindful of the group members involved and maintain an active role in managing both the group and the decisions that come from within the group. If a manager is effective at management they will be better able to recognize the possible factors within the group before a faulty or ineffective decision can be made. Conclusion In examination of the decision making method we can see that there is a much larger degree to utilizing the group method requiring the manager to not only manage the personnel but also manage the group. A thorough knowledge of group dynamics is most important when selecting group members which can be difficult at times when expecting group performance based solely on an individual’s subject knowledge with little to no understanding of their interpersonal skills. The manager must be willing to accept risks certainly, if they expect to gain the best possible solution with the most creativity available. But the effective manager must also invest time and observe the group at different stages and evaluate member selection within each stage to ensure the proper choice made is still the best fit. The effective manager must be alert for telltale signs of conflict within the group and be prepared at all stages to make replacements available to include the group leader or dominant members within the group. Managing personnel on a factory floor and managing decision making groups are two very different levels which require a far greater knowledge and understanding on the manager’s part. If a manager is not able to recognize interpersonal skills and weaknesses then there is little chance they can effectively manage a group and expect positive results from that group nor would they recognize the proper decision to be valid or invalid. In the business world of today that could make the difference between being successful or going out of business. As was stated early on, managers are not expected to be psychologists but a truly effective manager will have and know the basics to understanding human behavior to remain an effective manager.

Justifying The State Essay

Q1 If the state is not a voluntary organisation, how can one be under any obligation to obey its commands? This is a question about justifying the state. What D. D. Raphael calls † the grounds of political obligation.1 If the state can be justified somehow then so can the commands it makes, whether it is voluntary or not. This would be a state built on individual consent; obligation to the commands of the state would flow from that consent. This essay will discuss the possibility of justifying of the state through the idea of a social contract. The state when it creates a law draws a line one cannot cross without consequences. For clarity I am talking about a serious law, specifically one that obviously has a moral base, the law against murder for example. An individualist might say ‘I have no intention of crossing that line anyway because I believe it would be morally wrong to do so’. The law in his case may as well not exist. Just by not breaking a law it can appear as though he supports it. When what he might agree with is what the law defends/upholds /represents, and that is the moral principle behind it. This is one reason why some people appear to uphold the law when in fact all they may be doing is following a personal moral code. or simply agreeing with the basic rational belief shared by most people that ‘murder is wrong or (maybe) tax for the NHS is good’ for example. I suggest this analogy can be applied when questioning many commands of the state. When I obey the state by paying taxes, I may not be doing so because I am obligated too by law but for other reasons including moral ones. Socialists (as do many others) might argue that they are happy to pay more tax in return for a wider societal benefit that includes all, i.e. as in the National Health Service. Therefore a socialist might argue that she paid her National Insurance not because the law obligates her too, but because it ‘fits her moral attitudes and outlook anyway’. The fact that she has no legal right to refuse to pay becomes relevant in this case only if she actually doesn’t. The above argument is Lockean to the extent that it â€Å"appeal[s] to the idea of individual consent.†2 It is also in part my own view, which is (I think) essentially individualist in nature, though not libertarian. The relevance of my own view to this essay is that when thinking about this question, I realised that I had no idea what my own moral position was regarding some of the most crucial problems and contradictions of political philosophy. Many of these questions require (I think) a moral stance in order to be able to make sense of them. This may seem like a non-academic approach as if I am personalising or reducing this essay to subjective notions, however the questions and issues of political philosophy are in large part moral questions and issues that therefore have as a basis, personal moral opinions. Locke’s view according to Wolff is that obligations to the institutions of the state â€Å"must be justified in terms of the will, choices or decisions of those over whom they have authority.†3 Justification of the institutions of the state that enforce obligation then is reliant on the idea that personal autonomy is of premier value. Will Kymlicka defines this as the belief that the individual is ‘morally prior’ to the community. One objection to this is the communitarian argument that the individual is not ‘morally prior’ to the community instead individuals are a ‘product of the community.’4 There are other objectors to Locke’s idea that autonomy is the primary value. Wolff writes that Bentham considered â€Å"the primary value is not autonomy but happiness †¦ whether we consent to the state is irrelevant.† 5 This utilitarian argument is that the ‘happiness’ of society, as a whole is of more value than personal autonomy or the happiness of the few or one. And that therefore one has a duty to obey the commands of the state as it pursues this goal. So if the state decides that having nuclear weapons is for the greater good (happiness) then I would be obligated to pay my share of tax for them whatever I thought. I may be against nuclear weapons or the military in general for moral reasons (pacifism for example) but my moral objection is sacrificed for the greater happiness. The problem political philosopher’s face is finding ways to solve issues like the one above. Just how does one justify the state? One theory is the idea of ‘the social contract.’ Wolff here defines the ‘project of the social contract theory.’ â€Å"The project of showing that individuals consent to the state lies behind the idea of social contract theory. If, somehow or other, it can be shown that every individual has consented to the state, or formed a contract with the state, or made a contract with each other to create a state, then the problem appears to be solved.†6 It is difficult to support the idea that the state, and thereby its commands and responding obligations, can be justified by the theory of a social contract. â€Å"The theory of a social contract tries to justify political obligation as being based on an implicit promise, like the obligation to obey the rules of a voluntary association.†7 If there were such a contract (based on the idea that the state is a voluntary organisation) the problem of individual obligation to the state would be solved. One could join (or leave) institutions of the state at will, and not be subject to state penalties. This is clearly not so. To clarify this further I can ask a different question: how much like a voluntary association is the state? The consensus among political philosophers is I think that the state is not a voluntary organisation. To be born is to be joined to it. As Raphael says â€Å"the universality of the states jurisdiction makes its compulsory character more pervasive and more evident. â€Å"8 Individuals are inextricably linked to it in many ways, for example through the financial/legal institutions. Neither of these institutions are voluntary, they both carry obligations that are enforceable by law. For a comparison I will examine what I think a voluntary organisation is. The obligations I have to the UEA regarding my degree, I agreed to honour. They were stated, I accepted. This does not mean I think the UEA is perfect. Just because I am obligated, (I agreed to the UEA rules) does not mean I cannot criticise the parking problem. What is important is that I chose to join. My obligations to the UEA are voluntary, and I can withdraw from them voluntarily and leave the university should I choose. This is not possible in the case of the state. â€Å"[I] am subject to the rules whether I like it or not.†9 As a general philosophical attitude I am ‘nervous’ or sceptical of organisations people are forced to join or have to remain joined to, this includes the idea of a state. This could be framed as, (if this sentence makes sense) ‘I do not like the idea that there is a group I am unable not to join’. These reasons might help to explain why I am ‘generally sceptical’ of some of the motives of our own state. So where does this leave us? The above contentions highlight some of the problems of the social contract theory. The central objection to it is that the state is not voluntary therefore there can be no ‘mutually agreed contract.’ Nor has there historically ever been one. As Wolff observes, if there ever was a social contract â€Å"What is the evidence? Which museum is it in?†10 The idea of a hypothetical contract is an attempt to solve this problem. It does not rely on any formal notion of â€Å"actual consent, be it historical, express, or tacit.†11 The hypothetical contract relies on hypothetical consent. If hypothetical consent were possible it would provide a moral reason for political obligation. That is the ingredient the question this essay is discussing implicitly implies is missing. The idea asks us to imagine a position from where we could successfully negotiate a social contract. Rawl’s idea is a very complex one that effects many issues. In his Theory of Justice, Rawls sets out primarily to establish â€Å"what moral principles should govern the basic structure of a just society.†12 Rawls Theory of Justice suggests a set of specific moral principles that he hopes will achieve this consensus view. It is these principles that critics of the theory in the main object to. What they are concerned with is the kind of society that would emerge from behind any veil of ignorance whatever its character. For the purpose of this essay the idea of a ‘veil of ignorance’ which is subject to many conditions, is the device Rawls uses to argue for consent. If people can agree on what would be just, (which he argues is possible using the principles he suggests) from behind a ‘veil of ignorance’ the consent reached would be a voluntary contract. Again the problem remains, what principles really constitute a ‘just society’ are not clear. Objections to Rawls ideas include the ‘libertarian critique.’ Kukathas and Pettit13 argue that for principled libertarians like Nozick the state that would emerge from Rawls’s theory â€Å"is bound to seem inherently evil.†14 Nozick’s objections are based on his libertarian view that â€Å"Individuals have rights, and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights)†15 To conclude is this essay is very difficult; the argument I have tried to demonstrate is that one cannot be under any obligation to obey the commands of the state using the social contract model. I have argued that the social contract fails because it is not consensual. I have also tried to show that the idea of hypothetical contract cannot work because the ‘veil of ignorance’ still does not produce consent because people cannot agree on what the principles of a just state are. One can only be obligated to obey the commands of the state (I think) when its principles are consensual. Bibliography Chandran Kukathas and Philip Pettit, Rawls, A Theory of Justice and its Critics, (Polity Press 1990) Kymlicka, Will, Contemporary Political philosophy. Raphael, D D, Problems of Political Philosophy, (Macmillan press 1990) Wolff, Jonathan, An Introduction to Political Philosophy, (oxford University Press 1996) Colin Dunlop His II Political Philosophy Dr Kathleen Stock 04-04-03 Q1 If the state is not a voluntary organisation, how can one be under any obligation to obey its commands? 1 Raphael, D D, Problems of Political Philosophy, p175 2 Wolff, Jonathan, An Introduction to Political Philosophy, p38 3 Ibid.p38 4 See Kymlicka, Will, Contemporary Political philosophy, Ch5 (I think) his discussion â€Å"multiculturalism and communitarianism.† 5 Ibid.p38 6 Ibid.p43 7 Raphael, D D, Problems of Political Philosophy, p182 8 Ibid.p181 9 Ibid.p181 10 Wolff, Jonathan, An Introduction to Political Philosophy, p44 11 Ibid.p44 12 Chandran Kukathas and Philip Pettit, Rawls, A Theory of Justice and its Critics, p36 13 Ibid. See chapter 5 † The Libertarian Critique† 14 Ibid.p74 15 Robert Nozick quoted by Chandran Kukathas and Philip Pettit in, Rawls, A Theory of Justice and its Critics, p76