Developing Good Work Habits Essay

During the early school years, students must begin to develop good work habits including preparing for schoolwork, organizing time and effort, and developing effective study skills. As students continue into middle school and high school their success depends, to a large degree, on refining and sustaining these work habits. Time management, organizational skills, and efficient study skills become especially important by this stage. Students who are able to develop and maintain good work habits are in a position to succeed – to learn what needs to be learned, and to become confident students. Getting started on assignments in school and at home requires students to engage their attentional abilities. Students must be alert to the task at hand, possibly shifting focus to a new activity, and have the mental effort necessary to initiate the task. Students who are able to preview, or think about the outcomes of a task before beginning, are helped in many ways. They can have an idea of what a report will be like once a topic is selected, what materials will be necessary to do an assignment, etc. In addition, students who have a strong sense of â€Å"step-wisdom† – knowing how tasks or activities can be broken down into a series of steps, will be able to determine the first step needed to get started on an assignment. There is an optimal rate for accomplishing most tasks. A competent student is often a well-paced student, performing at a rate appropriate to the task and available time. Taking the appropriate amount of time for a task is largely dependent upon both a student’s temporal-sequential skills and his/her attentional abilities. Temporal-sequential skills help us interpret, retain, or create information that is in serial order. These skills are related to a student’s ability to appreciate time in general and estimate time appropriately. Tempo control (a facet of attention) helps students regulate the allocation of time to the task at hand, and predict the time required for an upcoming task. Tempo control also instills a sense of â€Å"step-wisdom†, the knowledge that it is more effective to undertake activities in a series of steps, rather than all at once. Tempo control allows a student to match his/her pacing to the demands of a given task, e. g. , to take the right amount of time to finish an essay test, to do a homework assignment thoroughly yet efficiently, etc. For many students, time is their most precious resource. Making the most of the time they have enables students to be as efficient and successful as possible, leading a balanced life of work and play. A clear understanding of time is required for students to manage their own time effectively, e. g. , plan long term projects, organize schedules, etc. As such, time management skills are an important component of a student’s success – in school and beyond. In order to meet assignment deadlines and to keep up with schedules related to school and schoolwork, students must engage their temporal-sequential ordering abilities. These skills help us interpret, retain, or create information that is in a serial order. Students with strong temporal-sequential ordering skills are able to manage their schedules, organize their work, and make efficient use of their time. Such students are also able to avoid procrastination (putting off a task that must be done). For students with weak time management skills, procrastination can have painful consequences, affecting both academic and personal success. In order to complete assignments for school, students must develop their cognitive working capacity. That is, students must learn to initiate and maintain the mental effort needed to complete tasks and activities. The ability to manage one’s effort is closely linked to academic productivity and success. A strong capacity for work enables students to delay gratification and to persevere through tasks that take considerable energy. It also helps them sustain their effort when information is worthy of attention, even though not immediately exciting, such as when studying a chapter they will be tested on the next day, or reading the instructions for a science experiment. Developing good organizational behaviors can play a key role in efficient school performance. School is much easier for students who know how to organize themselves, their materials, and their work space. Having effective organizational tactics will continue to be a valuable asset throughout a student’s education and career. Being ready to learn often means being prepared for the next activity, having to shift gears from one task to another, and having all the necessary materials on hand. In order to develop this aspect of learning readiness, students must engage their attentional abilities (especially that of previewing), as well as their memory skills. Through previewing, a student is able to look ahead and be prepared to deal with upcoming circumstances, challenges, and academic tasks. For example, previewing helps students prepare for a test, get ready for an upcoming class, and smoothly transition from one activity to the ext. In addition, students who preview are able to determine which materials are needed for a task and to remember to have those materials on hand. As a result, they are better prepared for activities and better able to follow through on assignments. Staying organized for school requires a student to have strong spatial abilities as well as a strong memory. To efficiently keep track of school materials and assignments, for example, students must have an internal sense of how things should be organized. In order to follow through on school-related tasks, such as turning in homework and bringing the right books to class, students must be able to remember where these items are, as well as remember to have the items on hand when needed! Maintaining a good study space is important to every student’s success. Students must have appropriate environments in which to learn and study, both at school and at home. Setting up and keeping an organized work space requires that students have strong spatial abilities. Such abilities help a student arrange a consistent place for storing school books, organize a desk drawer, keep a desk clear of clutter, etc.

Bianca & skill

Although after three months of total immersion of a language, most people should show significant progress, Bianca’s lack of progress does not necessarily mean she has a learning disability. There are a number of possible causes for her lack of progress and a learning disability is only one of them. In Bianca’s specific case, her history should be considered. She was orphaned due to a tragic event and traumatized.This life event at the age of five, the time when reading often begins, could significantly affect her rate of developing reading skills without factoring in the second language. An additional social factor that could affect Bianca’s language and reading acquisition skills could be her recent adoption and move to a new country and environment. Anyone would have some difficulty adjusting to a new family, home, culture and language at the same time.It would undoubtedly be more difficult for a traumatized eight-year-old to adapt to and thrive in a short amo unt of time. The adoptive parents have legitimate concerns about how extensive testing for a specific learning disability during her adjustment to her new life could cause additional trauma. If, however, Bianca does have a learning disability, it would be important to find this out and treat her accordingly. The teacher could do some basic observations in order to get an idea about possible learning disabilities.It would be important to observe her development in other areas such as motor, social, and cognitive. If she is delayed in other developmental areas, the problem could easily be due to her trauma and adjustment. In spite of the school total immersion policy, a few age-level books should be acquired for her in her native language. By listening to her read in her native language a teacher could determine if she struggled in the language she understood as well as she did in English.The teacher could recognize a struggling reader even if she is not familiar with the language. If Bianca reads well in her native language the problem is probably not a learning disability, and the best assistance in her development would be time and attention dedicated to her. If Bianca is discovered to have significant difficulty in her native language, it would warrant the need for additional testing to determine if the problems are due to a learning disability and if a way can be found to help her overcome it.If she does have an actual learning disability, the earlier intervention can be found, the better her chances of effectively developing new language and reading skills. Bianca is a unique child, who should not be caught up in a standard school policy of total immersion. She might require some special attention due to her traumatic past and extensive changes. Some of this special attention could involve some translation and allowing her to do some of her work in her native language in order to help her catch up to her grade level.

Music Piracy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Music Piracy - Research Paper Example The purpose is to misguide the customer that he or she is buying the original recording (Indian Music Industry, â€Å"What is Piracy?† par. 2). These are unsanctioned copies of music from genuine recordings for profit gain. Pirated CDs or music cassettes are named as Top Ten, Hollywood Hits or a combination of hit titles of various music companies. The pirated copy looks different than the original commercial release (Indian Music Industry, â€Å"What is Piracy?† par. 3). This is recording, copying, and selling of a musical performance like a live concert or broadcast without the authorization of the artist or the music company holding all copyrights of it (Indian Music Industry, â€Å"What is Piracy?† par. 4). End User Piracy – It is related to duplicating of software either from one computer to another, copying office software to home computer, borrowing software to make copies for selling purpose (Indian Music Industry, â€Å"What is Piracy?† par. 5). Reseller Piracy – It is deliberate reproduction with fake certificates for cheating the buyers assuming that they have purchased from the developing company (Indian Music Industry, â€Å"What is Piracy?† par. 6). Internet Piracy – Peer-to-peer (P2P) downloading encourages internet piracy. Individual requests for not sharing licensed material are not adhered to. It is illegal to copy a copyrighted album on P2P service. Downloading MP3s becomes infringement when files are distributed after conversion to MP3 from CDs (Indian Music Industry, â€Å"What is Piracy?† par. 7). The issue of music piracy can be related to the pre-digital age of 1970s when there were legal altercations between the owners of copyrights of films and music and suppliers of technology. In one such case between Ames Records and CBS, legal action was taken by CBS for infringement on its copyrights by Ames permitting subscribers to hire records on rent. Again in 1980s CBS took legal proceedings against

Roles of Corrections Officers Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Roles of Corrections Officers - Coursework Example acter of inmates in order to control, discipline and provide security in the correctional and rehabilitation center (Stratton, West, & United States, 1972). They also have a responsibility to provide leadership and acts as a positive role model that the inmates should look up to, they provide emergency response to breach of correctional center, and they process, direct and observe visitors for the inmates. In the case of physical injuries to the inmates while, in the cell, they provide first aid services (Stratton, West, & United States, 1972). With the ever-increasing number of individual serving prison terms, correctional and rehabilitation centers have witnessed the increased number of inmates and thus have demanded more services to be offered by correctional officers. There has been an influx of mentally ill patients, physically handicapped persons as well as people with chronic illness that requires close monitoring. Due to this problem, correctional officers have found it necessary to acquire new knowledge in taking good care of the disadvantaged population in correctional centers (Dvoskin, & Spiers, n.d.). The correctional officers have the responsibility of creating a good and mutual relationship between the inmates and the prison staff (Dvoskin, & Spiers, n.d.). The inmates depend upon the staff to provide them with adequate security, maintain order and their safety in the prisons while the prison staffs depends upon the inmates to follow facility rule and provide work force labor (Stratton, West, & United States, 1972). Correctional officers are charged with the duty of providing a conducive environment for survival of inmates. They ensure cleanliness by disposing of off filth, ensuring proper room ventilation. They report overcrowding to federal authorities to build more cells. The prevention of overcrowding as well helps in preventing air borne diseases like tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections (American Correctional Association,

Setting up an Organic Farming Business Assignment

Setting up an Organic Farming Business - Assignment Example The mission of this business is to provide high quality, healthy, organic produce that is otherwise difficult to find. By targeting the right sellers and customers the business will be able to sustain itself and expand; the customer profile for the produce encompasses people who believe that fresh, organic produce is important to healthy living, and that the preservation of traditional, rare vegetables is important for the ecosystem and maintenance of high vitamin and mineral levels. Once a foundational customer base is established the business can expand to produce a wider variety of rare vegetables as well as seeds for home use. Land value will rise, however equipment will need maintenance and replacing regularly; as the business expands more land will need to be acquired. By starting locally and selling organic produce in small farmer's markets a customer base will form, after which larger sellers can be called upon to buy in larger quantities. By focusing on unique produce with the organic label, this business will succeed where the average produce selling business fails.

Customer Service Satisfaction at the University of London Library Essay - 1

Customer Service Satisfaction at the University of London Library - Essay Example According to Quinn (2007) in recent times the educational community, generally and the library profession in particular have placed increasing emphasis on the service quality model. This model has customer satisfaction as its primary objective as traditional measures of academic library quality such as collection size becomes secondary. In assessing service quality the customer compares expectations about the service offered to actual experience with the service. Gap analysis is a tool that is used to identify the differences (gap) between what is expected and what is experienced. According to Berkowitz et al (1997, p.353) this type of analysis requires consumers to assess their expectations and experiences on dimensions of service quality as described in the table that follows. In the context of service quality and customer satisfaction, of importance, is the need to look at the service that the library provides in order to see how it can fulfil expectations. The role of the library is to provide resource materials for its customers. But, who exactly are these customers? They are students, administrators, faculty members and the general public. In terms of reliability the library must be able to provide the student with a book, journal or other resource material which will enable the completion of a required task. While the librarian is expected to provide the service in a timely manner, there is the need for the student to exercise some skills in how to access required materials to carry out his or her role. The librarian however, is available to provide some guidance but the student independence is of extreme importance in the development of worthwhile skills which will be required in the future.

Creating a Plan for Positive Influence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creating a Plan for Positive Influence - Essay Example Managers have a greater role to play in shaping the different emotions exhibited by their employees and create an atmosphere in the workplace where the employees feel motivated thus creating an improved performance in the organization. This paper will therefore discuss the differences in personality, values, emotions and attitudes as well as how all these elements influence behavior. Finally there will be a discussion on how these differences can be implemented effectively in to a plan so as to influence the team positively. The Differences in Personality, Attitudes, Values and Emotions and how They Influence Behavior Yang and Diefendorff (2009) points out that an attitude usually shows how an employee feel about something that relates to him or her and has three main components which include the cognitive, affective and behavioral. the cognitive aspect of attitude elaborates on the truthfulness of an individual concerning certain issues for example in the workplace setting employees knows very well that visiting social sites while at work is prohibited therefore those visit such sites are on the wrong and it can be said that this type of attitude is right and is cognitive. The affective aspect elaborates on how an employee feels about a certain situation for example in the case above an individual might state he or she dislikes visiting the social sites during the working hours thus this aspect shows how an employee affectively feels about visiting social sites during working hours and those individuals who visits those sites. The behavioral aspect of attitude shows how an employee feels through an action in the work place. Values refer to the life goals that are set out by the individual that reflects what is important to them. Values are gained from the experiences of the daily occurrences thus making the stable. Important values in the life of an individual affect the decisions that this individual makes in the work place. The attainment of an individual’s values in the organization is likely to make the individual remain in the organization and when the job does not satisfy a person’s values this individual is likely to leave the job. In the case of behaviors, an individual is likely to choose a job that posses high values and that he or she values them (Garrety, et al., 2003). The personality of any individual include the person’s feelings, behavioral patterns and thoughts and the success of an institution is highly dependent on how the leaders are able to understand the personalities of the people within the organization. By understanding the pers onality of a certain individual within the organization makes it easier for managers to gauge how the employees are likely to behave when faced with certain issues. In the institutional setting each and every individual has a role to play thus he or she is required to behave in a certain manner that is expected of them in the office etiquette. In jobs that require more independence or freedom, then personality usually tends to exert a much strong influence on the behavior of people in the workplace (Morris & Feldman, 1997). Developing the Plan The completion of the project will take one year and during this time different activities will be undertaken. The team will need to stay focused throughout the period which the project is being undertaken thus there is need to for the team members to be motivated

Pilgrimage's Role in Development of Buddhism in Japan Essay

Pilgrimage's Role in Development of Buddhism in Japan - Essay Example The Kumano within the Southern Wakayama Prefecture ended up becoming a large center for pilgrims and adherents of Shugendo Sect during Heina Period. Some other significantly important pilgrimages at the time were to Mt. Koya, Hasedera (Kyoto) and Shitenno-ji  (Osaka) (Swanson & Chilson 2006). Between 160 and 1868 AD, during the Edo Period, the number of persons making pilgrimages to Shinto Shrines and Buddhist temples increased rapidly, particularly to the Kotohira Shrine, the Ise Shrine, the 88 Shikoku temples, Zenkoji (Nagano), Mt. Fuji (Shizuoka), and the Kiso Ontake (Nagoya) (Reynolds  2001; Covell 2005). One phenomenon during Edo Era was the special pilgrimage to Ise-Jingu Shrine, known as Okage Mairi. The tradition of Okage Mairi has continued to be unabated even the contemporary Japanese society, with approximately 6 million people paying a visit to Ise Jingu Shrines per annum. Perhaps behind the phenomenon lies some nostalgic past: Resurgent interest in the region and som e desire for a temporary escape from the over-crowded urban settings (Alisal, Ackermann, Dolores 2007). Pilgrimage and Development of Buddhism The history of pilgrimage in Japan could be traced back to the early years, at least by the era of Nara, between 7610-794 AD. The pilgrimages flourished during the initial day, through Heian era (947-1185). At the time, the aristocrats and the imperial family were the most active pilgrims (Kaempfer 1995). During the latter days of the ninth century, the imperial family members took some interest in the religious visits to various shrines in the country and the temples that existed outside Japanese capital of Kyoto. From the late tenth century, the custom became adopted by the aristocrats, to a certain... The development of pilgrimages within Japanese society could greatly be conditioned to geographical, cultural, religious or topographical factors. There were there primary types of pilgrimages among the Japanese: Pilgrimage to the sacred mountains, pilgrimage to the shrines and temples based on the enshrined divinities and pilgrims to the sacred places, which are based on special powers of charismatic persons such as Buddha. The pilgrimages to the sacred mountains were founded on Buddhist notion of jiriki, self power, an idea that made those who are self strong via ascetic practices. Buddhists believed that there was a need of training for one to obtain some special powers, which were acquired through regular visits to the holy mountains. The non-Buddhists specialists like the healers, the ascetics and the shamans as well as the greater public also acquired the special powers. During the Middle Ages (twelfth and eleventh) aristocrats believed in pilgrimages to the sacred mountains to help them experience Pure Land while they were still living. Moreover, it was believed that kami of the mountains were manifestations of the Buddhists divinities; they were merely special ascetics, and would be guided by the aristocrats within the region. By the nineteenth century, there were more that 17,000 senior guides that were familiar with the sacred mountains. Even as the aristocracy and courtship declined during the initial days of Tokugawa era, there was a novel phenomenon emerging in already existing mountain pilgrimage beliefs. There were four major pilgrimage sites that had been recommended by Buddha.

Story About Pablo Picasso Essay Example for Free

Story About Pablo Picasso Essay Good artists copy, great artists steal. Pablo Picasso was born on October 25th, 1881 in Malaga, Spain. He was baptized Catholic, but would later convert into being an Atheist. His father, a painter, specialized in painting birds and other animals. Pablo Picasso showed a passion for art at an early age. According to his mother, his first words were piz piz, an abbreviation for the spanish word lapiz which means pencil. Starting from the age of seven, Picasso started receiving artistic training from his father. In 1891, the family moved to A Coruà ±a, a city in Galicia, Spain, where his father became a professor at the School of Fine Arts. Unfortunately, in 1895, Picasso lost his seven year old sister, Conchita to diphtheria. Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness and an infectious disease. Despite being traumatized by his sister’s death, he managed to make it into an advanced class at the school where his father taught. At the mere age of 13, he began his first oil paintings which were portraits of his family and the same year his sister died, he began to exhibit and sell his work. His father, Ruiz, persuaded the people at the academy he was working at, to allow Picasso to take an exam to be accepted in the advanced class. Where most kids wouldve taken nearly a month, Picasso only took a week to complete all the aspects of the exam and got admitted at age 15. Picasso spent most of his adult life in France and died on April 8, 1973 in Mougins, France. Pablo Picasso had th ree, different periods throughout his career. Picasso’s Blue Period, which began in 1901 and ended in 1904, was a collection of sad paintings that was done in shades of blue and blue green. Picasso’s Blue Period was influenced by a trip he took through Spain and by the suicide of his friend, Carlos Casagemas. After his Blue Period, then came his Rose Period which lasted for about two years (1904-1906). His Rose Period was a more uplifting period with cheery colors such as orange and pink and that featured circus people like acrobats. This period began when his psychological condition began to improve. The Rose Period has been considered influenced more by the French while the Blue Period is more Spanish influenced. The harlequin, a comedic character usually drawn with patterned or checkered clothing, became a personal symbol for Picasso. Picasso had an African Period as well which lasted from 1906 to 1909. Les Demoiselles dAvignon is a revolutionary work that introduced this period of cubism. He painted in such a style that was inspired by African sculpture and artifacts. Analytic cubism is a style of painting that Picasso developed with Georges Braque using brown and neutral colors. During this period of cubism, both artists took apart objects and drew them in terms of their shapes. Picasso’s most celebrated work is his depiction of the German bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. This piece of work, which was done in 1937, displays the harshness and reality of war and how it affects those who are innocent. Picasso is normally identified as an artist who â€Å"re-invented† art. While many artists normally painted just one side of an object or person, Picasso realized that different perspectives still mattered and so, he drew them too. Picasso did a lot of artwork during his notorious career. Two of my favorite pieces of artwork by him are Jacqueline and the Old Guitarist. Jacqueline is the name of Picasso’s second wife. I think the artwork is beautiful and I feel like he did the painting out of love and dedicated it to his wife. I also love the Old Guitarist because I enjoy looking at the angle of the man and there’s so much meaning in the artwork. The piece of art shows poverty and loneliness. Pablo Picasso’s work doesn’t relate to my artwork at all. I’m not an artist or a drawer. I’ve never had a strong interest in art and I don’t think I’ll ever reach the level Pablo Picasso was at. But, just like Picasso, I have the ability to improve and develop my skills as I go. I chose Pablo Picasso as the topic of my research paper because I feel like he’s an artist that not many people know well and someone that’s more recent than Vincent van Gogh and Leonard da Vinci. I also chose Pablo Picasso because I felt like doing a research paper on a person would be much easie r than doing a paper on an art movement or a piece of artwork.

How Religion Affects Society Essay Example for Free

How Religion Affects Society Essay More generally, social scientists are discovering the continuing power of religion to protect the family from the forces that would tear it down. 13 Professor Bergins summary was echoed two years later by nationally syndicated columnist William Raspberry: Almost every commentator on the current scene bemoans the increase of violence, lowered ethical standards and loss of civility that mark American society. Is the decline of religious influence part of what is happening to us? Is it not Just possible that anti-religious bias masquerading as religious neutrality is costing more than we have been willing to acknowledge? 14 Other reviewsl 5 also list the positive effects of religious belief and practice in reducing uch problems as suicide, substance abuse, divorce, and marital dissatisfaction. Such evidence indicates clearly that religious practice contributes significantly to the quality of American life. Given this evidence, Congress should: Begin a new national debate to help renew the role of religion in American life; Ask the General Accounting Office (GAO) to review the evidence on the beneficial effects of religious practice in the relevant social science literature and report its findings to a national commission formed to promote the consideration of religious Fund federal experiments with school choice that ractice among U. S. citizens; include religiously affiliated schools; Pass a sense-of-the-congress resolution that data on religious practice are useful for policymakers and researchers as part of the public policy debate; and Mandate a census question on religious practice. It religious practice in America. The President should: Appoint Judges who are more sensitive to the role of religion in public life, with the Senate ensuring that such is the case by ascertaining the stand of Judges on matters of religion and its relationship to the Constitution; Direct the Bureau of he Census to record levels of religious practice in the census for the year 2000 (time is running out for preparation of the census questionnaire); and Issue a directive to all federal agencies making clear that cooperation between government entities and the social, medical, and educational services of faith-based organizations does not violate separation of church and state. The U. S. Supreme Court should: Review the decisions in which it has changed the laws of the land by changing commonly held beliefs regarding the Constitution and religion and send to Congress hose that should have been the object of legislative action rather than Judicial reinterpretation. Americas religious leaders should: Be much more assertive in emphasizing the contribution of religion to the health of the nation and in resisting efforts to minimize religion in public discourse; Make clear to their congregations that they are contributing not only to their own welfare, but also to the well-being of the nation by their regular attendance at religious worship; Take special care of the religious formation of children, especially during the transition period from childhood to adolescence, when they are ost likely to lose their religious faith; Recognize that the church in the inner city, especially the black church, has a vital role to play in helping its people escape from the degrading culture of inner-city poverty;

The impact of SATs

The impact of SATs Special Study: What impact do Standard Attainment Tests (SATs) have on the education of primary school children in the final year of each Key Stage? Standard Attainment Tests (SATs) have been an integral part of summative assessment in primary education since their introduction in the 1990s. These tests, occurring at the end of each of the first two Key Stages, usually take place in May, when Year Two children sit tests in English and Maths, and Year Six children are tested in English, Maths and Science. The rationale for these tests was that the results should, first, genuinely give information about how children were doing in the National Curriculum (Sainsbury and Sizmur, 1996). Secondly, these assessments should provide an authentic reflection of the kinds of work children have to do in following the curriculum (Sainsbury and Sizmur, 1996). However, from the outset, SATs have attracted considerable criticism in the media, not only from teachers and parents, but also from education researchers and government officials (Yarker, 2003). This criticism stems from the notion that these groups do not believe that either part of the above rationale is being ideologically or practically adhered to. In the first instance, they argue that the most important reason for collating the test results is not to determine individual childrens attainment levels, but instead to compare the overall attainment of one school with others. In the second instance, they argue that the tests, and their implem entation, do not accurately reflect the range of educational tasks undertaken by children in school: by posing a series of predominantly closed questions under strict, timed test conditions, all the test results indicate is a level of the childrens competence at taking tests, and not their ability in the subject in question. According to Wintle and Harrison (1999), these test results are the most significant performance indicator used by teachers, inspectors, parents and other professionals. However, one major component group is missing from this statement: the children taking the tests. It is crucial to examine the issues surrounding the impact that SATs have on these children, so that an overall view of the situation can be established. These issues can be split into three broad categories. Firstly, it is important to consider how and why childrens learning is affected by SATs. Secondly, childrens attitudes, both towards this aspect of their schooling and likewise to the test itself, need to be discussed and analysed. Finally, it is vital to examine the emotional effects SATs have on children, and the causes and consequences of these effects. One of the principal effects on childrens learning, according to research by Connors et al (2009), is the issue of children being taught to the test in the months and weeks preceding the eventual sitting of the SATs. This involves classroom activities such as children learning how to answer typical SATs questions and the taking of practice tests, in addition to the delivery of the National Curriculum in the relevant subjects. In some respects, this can be beneficial to children. For example, they should be well prepared for the type of questions that will be posed in the SATs; it might be concluded from this that they will gain higher marks. Moreover, it may positively impact on childrens behaviour, as argued by Hall et al (2004), where the taking of practice tests improves childrens concentration and greatly reduces classroom disruption, as they regularly need to display these attributes under test conditions. There are, however, other respects in which the methodical approach of teaching to the test may be disadvantageous to childrens learning. For instance, due to the importance of SATs for summative assessment purposes, teachers feel personally accountable for their pupils results (Connors et al, 2009). This is for two main reasons: firstly, they are responsible for the academic progress of the children in their class, and therefore feel that whatever marks these children achieve in their SATs reflect their competence as practitioners. Secondly, on a broader scale, they also feel pressurised into teaching to the test in order to maintain or improve the schools position in the SATs league tables, and also to meet national targets. This can have a negative impact on childrens learning as, during these heavily SATs-focused lessons, children are taught examination technique rather than developing the knowledge and skills the test is designed to assess (Hall et al, 2004). This limits a holis tic approach to their education, as this teaching method revolves around memory and repetition, rather than skills and application. Furthermore, because teachers are limited as to how far they can deviate from the curriculum, the scope for creativity in these lessons is greatly reduced. Another way in which SATs impact upon childrens learning concerns the fact that an increasing percentage of the school timetable is being dedicated to the teaching of the SATs subjects, according to research by Webb (2006). Although English, Maths and Science, due to their long-established importance across all Key Stages, have always featured prominently in the school schedule, the danger exists that a disproportionate amount of the school week will be spent on the teaching and learning of these subjects, primarily caused by the teachers feeling of personal accountability (Connors et al, 2009). Consequently, the rest of the primary curriculum subjects, especially art, music and physical education (Webb, 2006) may not have as much time devoted to them. This would adversely affect the childrens right to receiving a broad and well-balanced primary school curriculum. Taking this potential curricular imbalance a stage further, some schools organise weekend and after-school SATs clubs, an d some parents enlist private tutors for extra SATs coaching sessions (Byrne and McGavin, 2004). On a positive note, these courses of action may help to increase childrens confidence and competence in the target subjects. However, these constant levels of coaching, both during and after school hours, may change childrens attitudes towards SATs-orientated teaching and learning, and their eventual participation in the tests themselves. According to research by Connors et al (2009), some children, especially those taking the Key Stage Two SATs, regard both the prior preparation and the test itself to be ways of challenging themselves at school. This sense of challenge can increase childrens motivation and application levels in the classroom (Drummond, 2003), as children try to meet the demands of an increasing, more intense academic workload, and acquire new knowledge and skills. What is unclear, however, is whether these increased motivation and application levels are mirrored in non-SATs subjects. Another positive aspect of the challenge of SATs is that many children associate hard work with higher marks (Webb, 2006), which can be an additional motivational factor. Although it could be argued that aptitude, rather than attitude, contributes to higher levels of achievement, it is nevertheless important to encourage this positive thinking. This idea is extended on a social level by Byrne and McGavin (2004), who argu e that the achievement of higher marks can add a competitive element to educational proceedings, as children try to achieve more highly than their peers do. However, it is important to note that this has the potential to cause emotional distress to the child who does not perform as well as others, even if the competition is meant to be friendly and light-hearted. In contrast, many children have a much more negative attitude towards SATs and the teaching and learning associated with it. Referring back to the challenge of SATs, according to research by Hall et al (2004), some children, rather than viewing them as a challenge to be overcome, regard them instead as either a bridge too far or, even worse, a complete waste of time. In the case of these children, these negative attitudes may be caused by a variety of factors. For example, they may be lower achievers who find the increased intensity of, and the amount of time devoted to, SATs preparation difficult to cope with. This can cause them to become disillusioned about the SATs, which, in turn, can have an adverse affect on their behaviour and motivation levels. At Key Stage Two level, many schools place children into ability groups in the SATs subjects (Webb, 2006); this can alleviate this problem to a certain extent, as their individual learning needs can be more appropriately catered for. Nevertheless, it could be argued that, although the level and pace of such learning would be more appropriate for lower achieving children, this solution does not directly address these childrens possible concerns about the amount of time allocated to the SATs subjects. A further concern for lower achieving children, according to Yarker (2003), is that, if they do not achieve what they consider to be good marks in the tests themselves, they will be labelled as failures. It is, however, important to clarify that these children are never labelled in this way by teachers, but by the children themselves, who are concerned about the effect that SATs results will have on their future, both academically and motivationally. Another factor that may cause children to have a negative attitude towards the SATs is highlighted by Wintle and Harrison (1999), who argue that the concentration on SATs preparation is linear and regimented to such an extent that children no longer have any ownership of it. This can have a distinct attitudinal effect on the children. They may become disillusioned by the fact that, because of the focus on SATs work, they are simply undertaking activities and tasks for the sake of knowing how to do them for SATs purposes, rather than for the benefit of their own learning. Cullingford (2006) echoes this view, stating that, with regard to SATs preparation, children perceive their task in school as not so much to think as to guess what it is that the teachers want. Moreover, further research conducted by Cullingford (2006) suggests that many children, particularly those at Key Stage Two level, are surprisingly aware of the importance of SATs and even the significance of league tables. It can therefore be argued that they consider SATs to be one of the most, if not the most crucial aspect of their schooling during the final year of each Key Stage. This attitude can have a positive or adverse effect on their commitment to the SATs and the preparation for them; again, this depends on the attitude and aptitude of individual children. This surprisingly common awareness of the importance of both the SATs and the results they achieve in them is one way in which children can become not only attitudinally affected, but also emotionally affected by them. In this instance, because of the strong focus on preparing for the tests, children may feel pressurised, and in many cases excessively so, for two main reasons. Firstly, according to a study by Connors et al (2009), some children put themselves under pressure to perform well because they have worrisome thoughts and concerns about the consequences of failure if they do not. It could be argued that this level of worry should have no place in the mind of a child of primary school age, although it does further illustrate the importance the children place on SATs. Secondly, many children realise that SATs results are important to their teachers; consequently, the children also perceive them as important (Webb, 2006). This realisation, generally speaking, is a subconscious o ne: the children are not told outright by the teacher that the SATs are important. Instead, the curricular focus on the preparation for the SATs signifies their importance in the childrens minds. Furthermore, if the children respect their teacher (the way they should in an ideal situation), then they may feel under pressure to perform well in the SATs to attempt to prove that their teacher has taught them well, thus enhancing their reputation. One final important point about this kind of pressure is that it may not necessarily have a negative effect on all children; conversely, some children may thrive on it, and work harder and achieve higher as a consequence. It can be argued that any increase in pressure will increase the likelihood of stress and anxiety, particularly in the case of children, who will not have had the experience of coping with such pressure increases at this stage of their lives. According to Yarker (2003), children, particularly at Key Stage One level, become stressed through constant teaching to the test and test practice, due to both its intensity, and its implementation to the apparent exclusion of the rest of the curriculum. However, Byrne and McGavin (2004), whilst acknowledging the stress that this may cause to children, argue that it is the thought of, and the participation in, the tests themselves that cause the highest levels of stress and anxiety in children. In certain severe cases, research has even discovered a direct link between these SATs related stress levels that can be detrimental to the childs health and their life outside school, such as loss of sleep (Yarker, 2003), loss of appetite (Hall et al, 20 04) and headaches (Connors et al, 2009). With regard to childrens emotions about the prospect of being formally tested, some children were excited and were looking forward to taking the tests, according to a survey by Connors et al (2009). A possible reason for this could be the fact that they may regard the tests as the culmination of their hard work, and they offer them the chance to put their newly acquired skills and knowledge into practice. They can prove to themselves and to their teachers that they have learnt what the tests require them to learn. In contrast, other children can display signs of nervousness and apprehension during the period immediately prior to taking the tests (Connors et al, 2009). Reasons for this could include the fear of getting a poor result, which may not only adversely affect their self-esteem, but may also make the child think that their teacher (and possibly their parents and their peers) will think less of them as a result. They may also worry that they have not worked hard enough, or not achieved enough in the target subjects to obtain the level that they want to achieve. Furthermore, children can often have problems during the taking of the test itself (Byrne and McGavin, 2004), not only for the aforementioned reasons, but also due to other factors. For instance, many children, particularly at Key Stage One level, may find it difficult to formulate answers and recall previous learning and knowledge under the pressure of timed test conditions. Furthermore, if the child is not in a prepared, focused frame of mind before the test starts, this can affect their performance on the day, which could lead to a lower, potentially misleading test result. In conclusion, it is clear from the evidence that primary schools take the process of preparing children for the SATs tests very seriously. However, the way in which this issue is approached depends on the individual school concerned, and the ways in which they implement their teaching and classroom procedures. One thing remains constant, though. Regardless of the methods used, and the reasoning behind them, SATs will have an academic, attitudinal and emotional impact on childrens education in the final year of each Key Stage. Although the evidence available has predominantly shown a bias towards SATs having a negative impact in these respects, they can have a positive impact under the right physical and mental conditions. In the same way that the approach to SATs depends on the individual school, the level and the inclination of the impact depends on the individual child, and their individual level of aptitude, dedication, self-belief and resolve. Reference List / Bibliography Byrne, K. McGavin, H. (2004) A parents guide to primary school. London: Continuum Connors, L. et al (2009) Causes and consequences of test anxiety in Key Stage 2 pupils: the mediational role of emotional resilience. In: British Educational Research Association Annual Conference. University of Manchester, 2-5 September 2009. Cullingford, C. (2006) Pupils views of the school experience. In Webb, R. (ed) Changing teaching and learning in the primary school. Maidenhead: Open University Press Drummond, M. J. (2003) Assessing childrens learning. London: David Fulton Fielding, S. et al (1999) The (mis)use of SATs to examine gender and achievement at Key Stage 2. Curriculum Journal, 10 (2), pp. 169-187 Gipps, C. V. (2002) Beyond testing: towards a theory of educational assessment. London: Routledge Falmer Green, C. et al (2001) Children put the national tests to the test. Education 3-13, 29 (3), pp. 39-42 Hall, K. et al (2004) SATurated models of pupildom: assessment and inclusion/exclusion. British Educational Research Journal, 30 (6), pp. 801-817 Headington, R. (2003) Monitoring, assessment, recording, reporting and accountability: meeting the standards. London: David Fulton Sainsbury, M. Sizmur, S. (1996) Curriculum-based assessment and the search for authenticity. In Sainsbury, M. (ed) SATs the inside story: the development of the first national assessments for seven-year-olds, 1989-1995. Slough: NFER Tennent, W. et al (2008) Assessing reading at Key Stage 2: SATs as measures of childrens inferential abilities. British Educational Research Journal, 34 (4), pp.431-446 Webb, R. (2006) Teachers perspectives on teaching and learning in a performativity centre. In Webb, R. (ed) Changing teaching and learning in the primary school. Maidenhead: Open University Press Whetton, C. (2009) A brief history of a testing time: national curriculum assessment in England 1989-2008. Education Research, 51 (2), pp. 137-159 Wintle, M. Harrison, M. (1999) Coordinating assessment practice across the primary school. London: Falmer Press Yarker, P. (2003) The hours of folly: settling accounts with SATs. Forum, 45 (3), pp. 98-101

Contemporary Dance Assesment :: essays research papers

Our year 11 contemporary dance assessment for semester 1 consisted of dance exercises taught by Rachel. Due to a dance injury I sustained 14 weeks ago I was unable to participate in the assessment but, instead was asked to asses my peers and write corrections and strengths they demonstrated throughout the class. In this class I really feel, as a group, they lacked an effective dance vocabulary. In answer to the question ‘What do you feel you need to work on in this exercise?’ there was only really the basic terminology used, basic things said that did not show a very thorough grasp on dance language. I feel that the use and understanding of communication in verbal modes was poor and at a low standard. For this age they should be able to effectively converse appropriate dance vocabulary. Although that said, this conclusion is targeted at the group as a whole; there were certain individuals who came up with some valuable answers. In this task I feel that the demonstration of appropriate dance technique to the contemporary genre was at a satisfactory standard. The correct contemporary technique was evident in a number of students, while others, I feel require more effort. The group, in general lacked physical competencies. Strength and flexibility was not a strong highlight, although they did demonstrate good coordination skills. The drop swings exercise proved to be their strongest asset. The Grande Battement exercise required work, turn out and alignment seemed to be, overall the thing that most people had difficulties in mastering. The identification and application of correct posture and alignment was evident, more often than not throughout the class. In general I feel that my peers have improved over the weeks but still demands a lot more work in order to strengthen their technique. Presenting dance sequences, I feel was a positive feature in the contemporary assessment to some extent. My fellow peers, generally had a thorough grasp on all exercises demonstrated. They understood and carried out dance combinations with great awareness to what they were doing. This said I feel that although my peers know and can demonstrate the exercises, they have no real approach or presentation to their work. Style has a great impact on dance. The way a dancer approaches an exercise or dance piece can change one’s technique, body stance and physical ability. Julie and Stephanie showed a great display of this in all exercises, but particularly the jump exercise.

Corporate Governance Essay examples -- Business Management Essays

Corporate Governance Corporate Governance is the relationship between the shareholders, directors, and management of a company, as defined by the corporate character, bylaws, formal policies and rule laws. The corporate governance system was designed to help oversee the decisions and best interest of the shareholders. The system should works accordingly: The shareholders elect directors, who in turn hire management to make the daily executive decisions on the owner’s behalf. The company’s board of director’s position is to oversee management and ensure that the shareholders interest is being served. Corporate governance focus is with promoting enterprise, to improve efficiency, and to address disputes of interest which can force upon burdens on the business. Ensuring that the clearness, and truth in a company’s business can make contribution to improving the enterprise standards and public governance. What created corporate governance is still a question of debate? It is a developing order control system, and one in which little has been rearranged from the outlook of developing and transition economies. From the corporation’s outlook, the developing system’s general agreement is that the purpose of corporate governance is to increase the firm’s value, subject to meeting the corporation’s financial and other legal obligation. They believe that the extensive meaning stresses the need for boards of directors to balance the interest of capital providers with those of stakeholders in order to achieve long term maintained commercial success. While on the other hand, the public believe the purpose of corporate governance is to nature the spirit of the company while ensuring accountability for the exercise of power and special privileges by the firm. The role of the public policy is to provide firms with the incentives and discipline to minimize the difference between private and social returns, and to protect the interest of stakeholders. Corporate governance has become an issue of worldwide importance. Corporations have a role to play in promoting economic development and social progress therefore they must have the best members on the board to assure good standards. Board members and directors should possess certain characteristics that will allow them to make good decisions for the firm. The appropriate characteristics should be possessed by each c... ...lling away from the company. This new Nasdaq rule is suppose to make investors and the public aware of what is happening with the company weather its conflict of interest or other corporate abuse. They also believe it will give investors more confidence in the companies that they invest their money in. The new rule should prevent a bad company from showing dishonest behavior. Many agree that there will not really be a change for companies that are doing business correctly already. All it really will do is show the public who the bad companies are and see them as they are put to justice. The bottom line to the whole scenario is â€Å"all honest people are honest people and crooks are crooks†. It has been said that this new rule will only make the bad people work harder to be bad and continue wrongful doings to learn new ways to bet the corporate governance system. Face it the bottom line is if you want something done right you have to do it yourself, but how could one person have some many obligations to meet for a company when they will face problems also. Hopefully along with the new Nasdaq rule and obedience board directors corporate governance will become better with in time.

Haefren Baum Business Analysis Essay

Haefren Baum is a furniture retailer, established in 1965 and was incorporated in 1970. Haefren Baum receives its merchandise from Wiegandt GmbH Cologne, a nearby manufacturer, whose business relationship equals over twenty-seven years. The company has one retail location in Cologne, Germany and three recently constructed outlet stores in nearby suburban areas. Demand and product sales are influenced by consumer discretionary income. In 1993, an economic bust in the German economy resulted in a major dip in GDP. Demand for the industry is cyclical and is influenced by the overall economy. There is no evidence of seasonality. In response to the German economic downturn in 1993, the company began to open outlets with wide selections and lower prices to maintain sales volume. This was a trend used by all in the industry, but sales volumes were not affected and remained flat. As the German economy recovered, Haefren Baum’s business began to see fierce competition from European furniture retailers. This was a concern for the Wiegandt, who saw its retailers losing market share, and began aggressively advertising its brand. The strategies involving aggressive branding and offering wider selections at lower prices proved to be unsuccessful, mainly due to the influx of competition. Operations Analysis: Haefren Baum being a retailer needs a large amount of inventory and assets in order to generate sales. To turn profits, the company needs to be efficient in both inventory management and asset turnover. Recently, the Haefren Baum is showing very high values for inventory days, and an overall decline in its TAT and FAT ratios. Figures for total and fixed asset turnover steadily decline from 1993-1995. These figures could be a result of the expansion and building of outlet stores, as well as slower sales. Total assets turnover equals 2.1 in 1993 to 1.5 in 1995. As for fixed asset turnover, 1993 equals 6.98 to 5.39 in 1995. Haefren Baum’s land investment has remained constant over this period, but buildings and equipment investments have changed, again a result from the building of the three outlet stores. Inventory days  show and increase from 103 in 1993 to 129 in 1995. Such a dramatic change shows that the firm is getting less efficient in managing its inventory, which could be a result of increasing competition throughout the industry. The average collection period has also shown significant increases, going from 53 days in 1993 to 77 days in 1994 and 1995. It seems that Haefren Baum has had difficulty obtaining capital due from customers. The overall operations of the company seem to be lacking proper efficiency due to the increase in inventory days and average collection period. The negative values for net income and results from the previous sentence conclude why the firm has seen a decrease and negative values for ROE and ROA. Financial Analysis: Haefren Baum’s strategy of selling product at lower prices seems to be ineffective in generating profits. The firm’s operating activities can be misleading, although it seems that it’s improving, the net figures are still negative. The increase in investing activities is explained by the recent construction of outlets, and is shown in the buildings and equipment account. The recent buyout from the other investors is shown in the payables from stockholders. Financing activities seem to be the source of funding for the firm. Haefren Baum’s liquidity has been mildly volatile. The current ratios for the firm have changed from 2.26 in 1993 to 2.53 in 1995. Accounts payable days saw a major increase going from 49 days in ’93, to 65 days in ’94. Although Wiegandt has been flexible with credit terms, Baum is far exceeding the net 30 terms and is not taking advantage of any discounts. Haefren Baum is showing high leverage risk with its debt to equity ratio of 5.84%, this is a problem due to the large debt compared to equity owned. The NPM of the company is zero, due to the failure to generate profits. The GPM, though positive, shows a steady decline in profitability. Haefren Baum is primarily using financing activities to maintain operations of the business. They are basically staying alive by debt, and will need to re-evaluate its processes to stay in business. Summary: Haefren Baum has been severely impacted by competition and the value of its inventory stemming from the economic downturn in 1993. The firm is producing negative cash flows and in turn producing zero profits. The construction and  building of the new outlet stores have no sales support and are eating profits with staggering mortgage cost. The firm needs to be more effective and efficient with inventory and credit lines. Arranging new credit terms in order to receive discounts and improve margins are in order for the firm to generate profits.

The Impact of Advertising on Graffiti

In an era defined by hyper reality, branded lifesylfe, and instant gratification. Effect= noun Is graffiti a direct result of advertising? To evaluate how the advertising industry has played a role in the inception of street art sub culture, we must compare each institution’s role in society, the techniques employed (use of propaganda) by each, and how past artistic movements have been influenced by forces that propel them into. Commercial consumer advertising is propelled by immediate financial profit and mediated by boardrooms and stockholders.It aims at exposing that product in an appealing way, and doing it so as many people are aware of that product. Graffiti is a tool used by individuals with their own agenda, one however that doesn't include profit as its foremost target. The main agenda of a graffiti artist is exposure by means of guerrilla tactics. To understand how advertising has contributed to the establishment of graffiti subculture, the roles each has in society must be examined. Advertising has come a long way from the archaic methods of attraction. Long gone are the times of fact-based advertising.Instead we have moved on to the aesthetisation of commodities, and consequently a world in which the promise made by the seller of love, eternal youth and a perfect body turns people into obsessive-compulsive consumers with a proclivity for instant gratification and a 5-second attention span. The advertising industry sells a way of life, not a product; in fact the ad itself becomes the object of aesthetisation. Over time advertisements have become much more than just ads, they incorporate art of all kinds to appeal to all tastes, using strong cultural signifiers that evoke certain emotions in the viewer.They are like an exact science; they employ psychologists, behaviorists, and all kinds of experts from different fields to pinpoint the moment when a mind will be ready to respond to all these messages. Graffiti becomes a visual manifestation of man's desire to leave his mark on the world, something that is the hallmark of advertising practice, while visually (logos, signs, brands), advertising has provided the ‘raw materials' as it were, with which writers become known. advertising and a world over-saturated with popular culture imagery

Beginning and Physical development in Infancy

Physical development of infants usually depends on their nutritional, hereditary and environmental factors. In some cases physical or psychological abnormalities after birth or during pregnancy also determines physical development of an infant. For a child to develop fully physically, he or she requires optimum nutritional requirements and healthy environment to grow in.During birth of a child, the infant has no ability to control their body movements and in this case most of the movements noticed are reflexes since their nervous system by this time is partially developed (Promin, 1986).Infants do not recognize objects which are far from them but by 6 months their visual ability develops fully and they can see distance objects. At around the age of four, most of the children have their muscles fully developed and they can sit and support themselves for quite a short time. Therefore, most of the physical development in infants takes place between births up to the age of 6 months where by the infant can be able to notice changes in the environment.Debate of nature versus nurture rotates around biological and environmental factors. The nature of this debate is argumentative because it is understood in the world of science today. Some people view behavioral origin of most infants as issues contributed by the environmental factors which they are brought up in. These are the natural aspect of behavior. Some other scientists argue that behavior portrayed by infants and children are as a result of hereditary factors that they acquire from the genes of their parents.Source of nurture can be understood by studying behavior of the way an infant grows physically in regard to the environment which he or she is being brought up in. Some people argue that physical and motor growth is usually controlled by an automatic natural process (UNEP, 2008). Both of these theories in regard to nurture and nature can be acknowledged through study of child psychology. Various studies and e xperiments have been carried out by psychologists and scientist so that they can establish the main cause of certain behaviors in children as they grow up.According to various studies carried out, early years of child development can be influenced by environmental situation which usually cause personalities, beliefs, attitude sexual preference and other behaviors which occur in children. For example, the environment that a child is brought up basically determines the behavior of that child; those children who are brought up by single parents are quite different in their behavior development from those who are brought up by both parents from when the child is an infant to the time the child reach Adolescent stage.The issue of step parenting also affects the development of a child greatly since there are those behavior that the child exhibits that the parent can not understand since they are hereditary and the step parent is not aware of them.. In most cases when children are brought up by step parents, the environment of the affected children can be altered. This brings about the issue of situational difference which can be traumatic to children’s life and therefore their lives have been hence influenced by upbringing.This has not been overshadowed by hereditary source of behavior since they will bear some behavioral characteristic of their original parents (Lamb et al. 2002). Traumatic child’s event as a, result of their up bringing and the genetic characteristics that they acquire from their parents have raised a lot of concern on sexual orientation of a child. These behaviors in most cases are caused by erratic situational difference which can result to inner conflict between environmental and hereditary factors. The issue of sexual orientation is least influenced by genetic factors since it is not governed by chromosomes or genes.Most of the sexual behaviors that children adopt are determined by their environmental upbringing. Some children ca n also develop varying behaviors even if they are brought up in the same environment. Many psychologists have tried to carry out various studies on relationship between parents and siblings, the way they grow and their behavior. For example, naughtiness in young children who are usually controlled on their naughty behavior by their mothers can be associated by the environmental cause of behavior as a result of poor methods of parenting.According to studies, this can not be true since some children can inherit these behaviors from parents instead of being taken as poor parenting techniques. Parents should be given credit less for a good outcome of behavior of their children or else they should not be blamed since the behavior can be as a result of genetic factor or hereditary factor. Therefore, one cannot determine exactly what has caused that behavior change in child. According to various arguments, children are usually born the same way but due to the environment that they are brou ght up in, they continues to grow according to the demands of nature.Some of the expressions such as temperaments can be associated with genetic factors. In disciplining the child, it is quite necessary for parent to determine which behavior is impacted by the environmental factor and the one which is as a result of upbringing of a child. Therefore nature versus nurture plays quite similar role in determining the behavior of a child during child’s development. Both environmental factors and hereditary factors contribute greatly to the behavior of a child and also physical growth of a child which encompasses even the general health of a child.Environmental raising and intelligence origin are mainly contributed by nurture and nature in formation of behavior by the child. In today’s world, after extensive research and other theories which support child’s development have been evaluated, it is true that nurture and nature contributes to the origin of child’s behavior characteristic. The quality of environment that a child is brought up in determines the survival rate of a child in early days of life. This determines child’s physical and mental growth.Children are always at risk of these environmental factors due to their immature organs, small physical size low metabolic rate, curiosity and behavior. Most of the global diseases are usually attributed by negative environmental factors such as air pollution, dirty water, poor sanitations and other aspect such as vector-transmitted diseases. Due to these aspects, there are a number of abnormalities which can be impacted by environmental factors. Environment influence can play a vital role in physical and mental development of a child.For example, Down syndrome is one of the mental conditions which are impacted to a child at early age due to environmental influence. During early days of a child, environment that a child is brought up in determines his/her future life. Children who ar e suffering from Down syndrome have low motivation of performing tasks. These can be contributed by environmental experiences of a child. This has been investigated by gauging the motivation of an infant to perform various tasks. In most cases, mystery of motivation is usually a intrinsic factor which is usually manifested in behavior of a child as he or she grows up.This shows the difference in mystery behavior of different individuals. All these behaviors are contributed by environmental factors. According to various studies, Down syndrome is reinforced and controlled by environmental factors since they greatly attribute to the behavior of an infant. Many researchers have tried to come up with any environmental factors which cause Down syndrome but they have not established any of them since it is believed that Down syndrome according to physiologist is a genetic disorder but it can rather be contributed by environmental set up.Down syndrome as a result of environmental factor can result to:- Input in material language and the general outcome of studies of language intervention. In studying these factors, one should identify various factors which facilitate language within the natural environment and then evaluate how the environment has manipulated language development of that individual. There are a number of risk factors which influences development of a child. Some of these factors in child’s development can be positively or negatively impacted by various aspects such as environmental factors.Genetic factors in most of the environmental set up are quite dynamic and therefore they keep on changing constantly over time. Genetic factors which children inherit from their parents can be developed or lost depending on the environmental background that they grow in. environmental factors can promote optimum development in infant. Some genetic factors such as temperament, Disease and brightness of infants can be impacted either positively or negatively by environment (Health School Environment, 2005). Temperament or behavior that a child exhibits is usually associated with parent.This should not always be true since environment that a child is brought up in. some behaviors that children exhibits such as abuse, bad eating habits and other petty behaviors can be attributed by the environmental upbringing of child, those children whom he/she relates with or the physical set up and behavior of most individuals in those areas. But some aspects such as temperament which a child can acquire from parent can be developed if the environment that he/she is brought up in is hostile and requires that form of behavior.On the other hand, if the environment that a child grows in is calm, this behavior is not portrayed in child as he/she grows up since he/she has not been able to exercise temperament form of behavior as they grow. Another genetic factor is acquisition of diseases from parent which are known to be hereditary. Depending on the environ mental background that a child is brought up in, the disease can either manifest itself or not. Some diseases such as Down syndrome which is usually hereditary can also be developed or controlled depending on the environmental set up that a child is brought up in.If the environment is friendly and interactive the child’s IQ can develop well and therefore the risk of child manifesting the symptoms of Down syndrome is reduced. In other cases, if the environmental set up is not friendly and the people who are involved in bringing up the child are not interactive, then the IQ of an infant will remain low and therefore the brain of the child will not develop as its required which makes the infant to show the symptoms of down syndrome.Therefore, the environmental setup which a child is brought up in can either help to positively or negatively in develop various hereditary characteristics that a child acquires from the parents. Pregnant women can give birth to physically, emotionall y and intellectually healthy babies depending on the environment and emotional aspect they carry their pregnancy through. When one is pregnant, she should ensure that exercise and healthy eating habits are enhanced so that the outcome of the pregnancy is a healthy baby in all the aspects.Emotional status of pregnant woman accounts a lot of the fitness of the baby in all the aspects of development such as physical, emotional or intellectual aspect. Good parenting begins the time one became pregnant. This is because the baby who is born, his mental, physical and intellectual capacity is determined by the status that the mother was in during the 9 months pregnancy period. Child’s growth can still develop after birth, whereby parents are held responsible for training their children during their development (Christian, 2006).Physical growth is maintained by proper diet and living in environment which is free from infections such as dusty environment which can cause allergic infect ions. Parents should ensure that their children are physically fit by taking necessary care and precautions needed to live a healthy life. Little effort is employed especially when a child is taken care of at early age since the child can be able to emulate the behaviors of the parent and other older siblings. Emotional and intellectual well being of a child can be enhanced in child’s early life by training the child on good behavior.As a good parent, one should initially understand the child well and find out the cause of behavior that the child portrays. To ensure that a child is emotionally fit, review of the behavior of that child is quite necessary since they will portray intellectual capability of a child in carrying out various tasks. Good parents usually discipline their children when they conduct themselves poorly. But before punishing a child parent should try and evaluate the cause of poor behavior whether is as a result of environmental influence or hereditary beh avior from either parent.Incase it is as a result of environmental influenced the child should be punished so that he or she cannot repeat it again. On the other hand, if the behavior is hereditary, child should be counseled accordingly by the parent on the ways to avoid such behavior in future. Therefore good parenting can be enhanced which finally result to raising up a family which is intellectually, physically and emotionally fit and therefore the growth of babies can be healthy. Motor skill development according to dynamic system theory.Parents should be involved in various activities with their children so that they can help them to develop their fine and gross motor skills. These skills can affect the child adversely if they are not developed. These skills help a child to perform well in various tasks such as academic and physical growth. Fine motor skills according to dynamics theory enable a child to manipulate objects and to write (Lamb, 2002). They take activities in such things as painting.This should be enhanced by exchanging brushes, carrying out puzzles which help to control finger movement, play dough, cutting and threading. Some of these activities are aimed at manipulating hands to help in developing their motor activities. Other motor skills such as gross motor skills helps in developing big motor skills, these activities involves activities such as jumping, running, climbing, hopping, skipping and other activities which helps the whole body movement. These activities develop the muscles of the body and legs.These skills only require a lot of coordination and development of balance. When children develop these motor skills, they can be able to carry on with various movement needed for their survival. Therefore, parents need to work with their children during their early ages in developing so that they can understand them as they grow and also to help to develop their skills effectively. Children development, health and their safety should be enhanced by the environmental aspect that they bring up children in.For parents to serve their children well, they must ensure that they work hand in hand with their families and in order to enhance this, they must understand their children before taking any action on them. Good development of the child depend entirely on nurturing the child the best way at early stages before they reach adolescent where they are uncontrollable. Reference: Lamb E. et al. (2002). Development in infancy: An introduction. United State: Lawrence Erlbaum Association. Christian L. , (2006).Understanding Families. Journal of National Association for Education for Young Children, Retrieved from: http://www. journal. naeyc. org/about/permissions. asp Promin M. , (1986), Development, Genetics and Psychology. United State: Lawrence Erlbaum Association. Health School Environment. (2005). Environmental Impact in School Setting. Retrieved from http://www. nasn. org/Default. aspx? tabid=293 UNEP, (2008) Children Environmental Health. Retrieved from; http://www. nyo. unep. org/ceht. htm

Analysis of how both companies meet their financial objectives and aims Essay

In this report I have decided to concentrate on two companies, Woolworth’s plc and WHSmith plc, I will be analysing and comparing the two companies on their objectives (what they say their objectives are, and how they meet those objectives set) and their performances (if they have made profit or loss). I will research all these from their annual report, which is provided on the Internet. An introduction of both companies Woolworth’s is known to be one of Britain’s leading general merchandise retailers, with great brands, strong market position and a powerful presence in home entertainment. The company has one of the highest customer shopper’s performances of all UK retailers’ and today known to be the largest non-food retail chains. WHSmith is also one of the UK’s leading retail groups incorporating market-leading companies in retailing publishing and news distributing. WHSmith has 1,464 stores world-wide; all these locate in place like the UK high street, airport, stations and countries outside of the United Kingdom such as North America and Asia The performance of the companies Last year was an eventful and challenging year for the Woolworth; the first half of the year when they were still part of Kingfisher’s plc was a moment of uncertainty as the future of the company was being decided. The company detached themselves from Kingfisher plc on 28 August 2001, leaving them with 200 million of debt, over ? 100 million of excess stock, loss marking new format and e-business. Woolworth’s formats are designed to appeal to the value-conscious consumer. Woolworth’s is a mass-market retailer with a leading brand and broad product offering at competitive prices. Their mission is â€Å"to be at the heart of the community and the best loved retailer for kids, home and family leisure†. The company’s brand is known to be one of the best-recognised retail brands in the UK and proving this is on average, 6. 5 million customer transactions are made on tills per week. Woolworth’s business operates in the UK general merchandising market, which is both large and highly fragmented, with participants of varying sizes and covering different category mixes.

Baroque Era

In all respects, baroque music is like the anger of teenagers. Well, even in such a way that you do not pay for the way we expect from modern teenagers, they may not be criticized as all they might be surprised. But what do you do, what is a teenager? Briefly, teenagers are no longer children, not adults. When all the rules are broken, there seems to be nothing that matches it, and when the mood fluctuates dramatically, this is the middle stage of embarrassment. This is Baroque music. To better understand this, remember that the Renaissance is the reproduction of art and music, and the classical era is its birth. The Baroque era is thought to be the beginning of expansion of Western European civilization. The word baroque comes from Portuguese and represents irregular shaped pearls. It is translated from Italian into strange and strange things. The Baroque era refused to regard it as ignorance and wild nature. During this period, women should be unnaturally pale and their bodies shou ld have mysterious hair, but men should not have whiskers or wigs on their heads. He should be full of strength and aroma. (Bukofzer, 24 years old) The era of Baroque art was classified as many as the early Baroque era, the high Baroque era, and the late Baroque era. The era of Rococo art is often regarded as part of the late Baroque era. Over the years, the time frame of the Rococo era and whether it is the same as the Baroque era. The era of Baroque art and Rococo art may be classified in the same era, but in fact it is very unique and unique. The era of baroque art from the 1600s to the mid 1700s began during the Catholic reform in Rome in Italy and spread rapidly to most parts of Europe. In the late 1500s Protestant reform began to attack doctrine like the Catholic church. In response to these attacks, the Catholic Pope began a campaign in the church to rebuild and disseminate Catholic faith. In the meantime most people are unable to read and write, so the church has to design a way to disseminate the message of the gospel so that everyone can understand it. The most important elements of the Baroque period were religious reform and anti-reform, and the development of the Baroque style was thought to be closely related to the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church encouraged the popularity of the Baroque style, the Catholic Church decided at the Trent Committee that art should convey religious themes and guide emotional participation in response to Protestant reforms. The most important elements of the Baroque period were religious reform and anti-reform, and the development of the Baroque style was thought to be closely related to the Catholic Church. In fact, the popularity of this style is encouraged by the Catholic Church. And it has decided that in the Trent Council art should convey religious themes and lead emotional participation in response to Protestant reform.

Teamwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Teamwork - Essay Example Introduction of teamwork in the organization is a gradual process that requires patience and hard work both from the employees and their supervisors. To accomplish this as the supervisor, I would apply a four-step procedure that mostly involves training to show the importance of teamwork. The first step would involve developing the mindset by establishing a weekly training to improve team skills (Stanton, Baber & Harris, 2008). During this step, I would work towards showing the employees that all individuals’ ideas are valuable and the communication skills would be improved in this step. In the second step, I would engage the employees extensively by asking questions that require several individuals to consult each other. Here, I would encourage all members to participate. Third, I would then train them to resolve conflicts, which are the main barriers to success. During this step, I would refrain from giving my ideas until the trainees have given and evaluated theirs. The tra inees deal with the issues that would get in the way of achieving success, thus becoming good problem solvers (Stanton et al., 2008. The final step would incorporate brainstorming solutions where all ideas are evaluated to encourage the spirit of innovation. This would take a period of approximately 12 months to develop reliable teams. Several challenges can be encountered when developing team players. One of the challenges includes domineering personalities where certain individuals dominate discussions in the group. This can be resolved by creating time limitations on contributions and ensuring that all members get a chance to contribute. Secondly, conflicts are a frequent occurrence when developing teams. Conflicts occur in the form of disagreements and can be resolved by teaching the individuals to respect all members’ ideas and disagreeing politely and reasonably. The last challenge is ineffective communication where members communicate in a vague way. Identifying issues

Military Personnel and its Benefits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Military Personnel and its Benefits - Essay Example Sadly, the mundane world is governed by economic and strategic constraints. Still, in a starkly pragmatic context, the reality is that in the contemporary scenario, not only the military personnel are getting less than sufficient benefits, but such curtailing and liquidation of benefits could have dire consequences for the national security and the overall morale of the military. Lately, the Congress and the Federal administration has been vociferously evincing the desire to not only downsize the military but also to cut on the benefits to military personnel and the veterans, going by the current economic meltdown and the recessionary trends (Scarborough A01). The direct conclusion that could be drawn from such intentions is that not only the nation does not have enough money to pay the salary to military personnel, but the military personnel could also expect a further cut in the benefits being extended to them. One thing that needs to be kept on the mind is that the proposed cuts are not in consonance with the nation’s strategic requirements, but rather are the results of the hypothetical financial calculations being resorted to being the Congress (Bennett 1). Hence, any shrinking in the number of armed personnel or the benefits they deserve could have dire consequences for the strategic interests of the United States of America. The army serves the Congress. These curtailing of the military benefits will send a direct message to the military ranks that the Congress does no more afford to pay them. Even a cursory perusal of the fundamentals of HR will amply testify to the fact that such a message is bound to negatively impact the morale of the army (Maze 1). How would a soldier dare to sacrifice one’s life in the line of duty, while his conscience is bothered by the worry as to whether he will be able to provide for his family and loved ones (Maze 1)? One other important thing is that the special perks and benefits accorded to the military personnel  serve a pivotal function.  

Planning and carrying out a literacy activity to meet the learning Essay

Planning and carrying out a literacy activity to meet the learning goals - Essay Example Ideas in practice have been considered in a variety of genres to affect children writing skills. Children possess a number of attributes that enable them to be effective in writing. Such attributes include developing consistent spelling skills, recognition, and awareness in phonologies and phonemes, ability to form alphabetical letters comfortably, develop the writing concept, having a vocabulary in a wide range, and achieving oneself expression through writing. Writing flourishes in an environment with celebrated examples and displays for children writing on their own. The opportunities and purpose for writing are linked to the curriculum activities. Repeated writing and use of writing materials demonstrate what the children are doing in a classroom. It is important that pupils are trained to elaborate sentences from a tender age. One plans a snowman activity by first selecting the theme. Here, alphabetical letters are selected to represent a given word. For example, we can consider letter S for snow or snowflake.   Define the keywords to a student. Snow is a precipitate from such as sleet, hail or rain that drops from clouds. A snowflake is ice crystals collectively formed in and beneath a cloud during rainfall. Alphabet S is printed and displayed on materials chosen. In this context, I will encourage each of the four boys and two girls to identify the letter on the display. Due to multilingual and monolingual children in my class, I will ensure reading is sound and repetitive.     ... For example, we can consider letter S for snow or snowflake. Secondly we analyze activities and instructions. Define the key words to student. Snow is a precipitate form such as sleet, hail or rain that drops from clouds. A snowflake is ice crystals collectively formed in and beneath a cloud during rainfall. Alphabet S is printed and displayed on materials chosen. In this context, I will encourage each of the four boys and two girls to identify the letter on the display. Due to multilingual and monolingual children in my class, I will ensure reading is sound and repetitive. They will trace alphabets in both lower and upper case by using fingers. Demonstrate to children on how to trace the letter by emphasizing the use of continuous stroke through finger and pencil tracing. Children are to color the images with a range of materials. To reinforce the letter practice, use a mini book and activity page to identify the related words. Ask children to also give other words with the same sou nd as you write them on the board. Displays of the alphabet posts and coloring images can also be used. Lastly, materials for the activity are chosen these materials are to meet all the needs of the four boys and two girls. They include; color poster, coloring page, handwriting worksheet, control charts, writing paper, printable lined paper, and theme coloring pages. Letters on the sand paper is also required to enable a child who requires the sense of touch to identify the alphabets. Broad display working sheet will be provided to the deaf child. In conjunction with working sheets of the American Sign Language, the deaf child will be able to identify the alphabets. In addition, the blind will require audio devices for

Comparison Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparison - Research Paper Example This concise overview will further analyze the history of public health and look at the difference between the community health and public health. Public Health Resources Public health refers to the medical approach that covers the health issues of the entire community. Public health resources facilitate providing health services to the public through an integrated and coordinated approach. The public health resources range from the health infrastructure to the health personnel and the health information services. Public health has several core functions, which include the monitoring and assessment of the populations and communities health and identifying priorities and problems (Cromley & McLafferty, 2011). Further, public health contributes in the public policies formulation to address the national and local priorities and problems. Lastly, public health ensures that citizens access cost-effective and appropriate care, which includes services of health promotion, health care evalua tion, and disease prevention. The practice of public health in Clinton County occupied a central place to ensure public welfare of her residents. Public health in Clinton County has contributed immensely in disease diagnosis, disease prevention, health promotion and prolonging life through community efforts organized for environment sanitation (Cromley & McLafferty, 2011). ... Clinton County is situated in Pennsylvania State; most of the public health resources in these localities are similar. These resources provide residents with continuous evaluation of the community's healthcare needs, as well as epidemiology and surveillance. Further, both Clinton County and Pennsylvania State have public health resources that track the patterns of treatable and preventable diseases, referral services to patients who require such services. Other resources include immunization services, public health response and emergency planning, environmental protection and community awareness through outreach programs. The national public health resources are broad, and they do not concentrate on any single provision. Instead, the national public health resources are general, and they are disbursed to the respective counties and states to ensure that they reach the citizens (Cromley & McLafferty, 2011). Therefore, the national public health resources cover the entire nation, and t he resources facilitate the health activities at county and state levels to ensure that the public receive high quality health services. The history of public health services dates back to 1798 after an act was passed to cater for the health needs of merchant seamen who were injured. In 1870, the entire hospitals were controlled by the state from a central point; this happened to give room for efficient supervision. The hospitals that were controlled from a central place formed the Marine Hospital Service. The scope of this hospital service widened, and the hospital started to undertake other complex activities besides caring for the seamen. In 1902, the Marine Hospital Service was controlling the spread of diseases through quarantines.

Case study on critical understanding of the treatment and sentencing Essay

Case study on critical understanding of the treatment and sentencing of young people - Essay Example The six elements were enunciated in the Morgan Report: Safer Communities: the Local Delivery of Crime Prevention through the Partnership Approach Home Office Standing Conference on Crime Prevention which were implemented by the 1998 Act. The six elements can be summarised as follows: In keeping with this mandate, the police have an option within the scope and range of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 whether to prosecute James. Under Section 65, the constable could have merely warned and reprimanded James if James had no antecedents or his detention and prosecution would not be in the public interest.2 On the facts however, James has been taken into custody and the presumption is that the arresting officer either is aware of James’ having committed previous offences or that his conduct is such that detention and prosecution would not offend the public interest. Section 69 introduces an Action Plan Order which is meant to aid in the rehabilitation of convicted youth offenders. This course of action may be administered to James in the event he is convicted of assault under the Offences Against the Person Act. The Action Plan Order is available to any child or young person who is convicted of an offence and the penalty is not fixed by law. Section 42 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 gives the sentencing tribunal options of two months imprisonment and/or fines for a conviction in respect of common assault or battery.3 Therefore the penalty for James’ offence is not fixed by law and he is eligible for the Action Plan Order. By virtue of the Action Plan Order, James will be required to be under the supervision of a designated officer for a period of three months following the date of the order. account for his conduct and whereabouts for three months commencing from the date of the order.4 The sentencing court may also make a Reparation Order under Section 67 of the Crime

Internet and Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Internet and Democracy - Essay Example Internet communication is probably the fastest way of communication. The introduction of internet and other computer-based communication technologies has opened up many possibilities in different aspects of human life. Distance is no longer a constraint for information interchange because of the advanced internet and wireless technologies. Even the outer universe communication and data analysis are made possible with the introduction of wireless technology and internet. Most of the common people believe that internet is just for information interchange only. But the internet can influence other regions of the human life as well. It can assist job seekers in getting jobs, it can assist students in improving their learning potentials, it can act as an excellent medium for advertisement, it can act as a market where people can sell and purchase goods or services etc. Even the politics seem to be one beneficiary of the internet. In early 90’s it is believed that internet can enhan ce the political process of democracy immensely. Though internet requires a lot of financial and intellectual investments, the lack of centralized control over the internet raised doubts about the implementation of internet technologies for the strengthening of democracy. â€Å"Democracy involves a separation of powers and popular participation in governmental affairs. During the era of the Enlightenment and 18th-century democratic revolutions, public spheres emerged where individuals could discuss and debate issues of common concern† (Douglas Kellner). Democracy can be defined as a system in all citizens can directly participate in the decision-making process. Proponents of democracy believe legislative, judicial, and executive powers should be handled by the people. Or in other words, the representatives in these three sectors must be appointed by the people.

Persian carpets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Persian carpets - Essay Example The increased urbanism and industrial expansion in Iran in the contemporary age has in no way, weakened the Iranians’ association with carpets. Carpets have always been and continue to be the most particular and fantabulous characteristic feature of the Iranian culture and heritage. Iranians’ deep-rooted associated with this insignia of their national heritage brings life to the ambiance of every Iranian home. The history of Persian carpets encompasses a complete account of the way one of the greatest civilizations of the world has evolved and ruled over the world of arts and crafts through something as simple as a carpet. â€Å"From being simply articles of need, as pure and simple floor entrance covering to protect the nomadic tribesmen from the cold and damp, the increasing beauty of the carpets found them new owners - kings and nobleman, those who looked for signs of wealth or adornment for fine buildings† (â€Å"The Persian Carpet Gallery†). Ctesiphon was conquered by the Arabs in 637. The Spring Time of Khosroe was amongst the carpets they retrieved from Iran. This has conventionally been recognized as the most distinct piece of art of its time. The 90 feet square carpet has been described by the Arab historians in these words â€Å"The border was a magnificent flower bed of blue, red, white, yellow and green stones; in the background the colour of the earth was imitated with gold; clear stones like crystals gave the illusion of water; the plants were in silk and the fruits were formed by colour stones† (Kianush). In the 13th century, the Mongols found Persian carpets after their invasion into the country. This changed the artistic life of Iran for the following 200 years. As a result of the devastation caused by the Mongols, the carpet weaving trend saw a decline. However, the conqueror Tamerlane spared the Iranian artisans and led them to Turkistan from where, the Persian carpet art started to flourish again. Tamerlane ’s son Shah Rokh encouraged the carpet weavers and facilitated them with resources to help them increase the production. The Persian carpet art saw a climax when the lavish royal support provided the weavers with the finest materials for carpet making. In 1499, Shah Ismail took measures to establish a national industry in Iran to help the weavers optimize on their skills. Shah Abbas of the Safavid dynasty helped the industry spread. Persian carpets were brought from the nomads’ tents to the towns and industrialized cities. Establishment of a royal carpet factory in Isfahan and recruitment of artisans to provide the craftsmen with professional designs were some steps that led the Persian carpet art to its apogee. One of the hand-woven Persian carpets from the 5th century B.C. is in the Pazyryk valley. Over the centuries, this carpet has become a little bedraggled, though a thick sheet of ice was originally used to preserve it that kept protecting this carpet for more th an 2500 years. It was in 1929 when Rudenko and Griaznov led a Russian ethnographic mission to excavate the five tumuli. They discovered a magnificent carpet while excavating the fifth tumulus. Experts attribute its origin to Persia because of its obvious resemblance with the antique Persian art. The outer of the two principal border bands is decorated with a line of horsemen: seven on each side, twenty-eight in number -- a figure which corresponds to the number of males