I Did It My Way free essay sample

No! I told Lisa, my best friend. Telling me that my crush for three years suddenly likes someone else while I was away for three days was Just too much. Please say that its not true, Lisa, it could not be true. I was gone for Just three days because of the competition and now you are telling me this? Its true. He said that Jenny is really cute, feminine and sweet. Lisa said to me. No. I dont believe it. I do not really care if it was someone else but the one he likes is my friend, Jenny. Cassia Lisa trailed off. l am fine, I told her. L really am. I told her again when she gave me a look of doubt. After hugging and saying goodbye to her, I walked home as fast as possible and locked myself in my room. I should not cry Just because of the news I heard. We will write a custom essay sample on I Did It My Way or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I would not cry. I stared blankly at the white wall in my room. Why was I feeling so empty? I should be happy for Jenny. She likes him too. She is really nice and feminine, unlike me, the weird tomboyish girl. I really should be happy for her. However, she was also the first girl to Cassia, come down right now. My father shouted from the living mom downstairs. I went down, still feeling empty. I saw my report card on the coffee table. I shivered slightly, anticipating the worst. Inform report card. He pointed at the coffee table. Take it and tell me what you see. My father said angrily. I took my report card and really wished my hand would stop quivering. I opened it and my eyes started to water but I willed myself not to cry. Cassandra Bowman, tell me what you see. My father said angrily. He was using my full name, which was never a good sign. l- I can see my grade. I do- do not get any A. I-I get B for m-most subject but- but I barely passed the three science subjects. I stammered. Is that all? He asked fiercely. I shook my head. l am ranked the thirteenth in my class. I said fearfully. Miss. You are ranked thirteenth. This is the first time. Dont you have any shame? As the eldest child in the family, you should get good scores to show a good example to your brother and sisters. My father said angrily. Since you are so lax about exams after getting your laptop, Im taking it back. My father said with finality. I Just stood there, dumbfounded. My mother gave her old laptop to me as a present for doing well in the finals last year. Now my father wanted it? I looked at my mother for help but she Just shook her head. I ran to my room, put my laptop in my fathers study and then I locked myself inside my room again. I should never cry, I told myself. I tried to smile but I failed miserably. The cat is already out of the bag. My parents were so disappointed in me. My crush did not like me. I really felt like crying because I felt so inferior. I used to be an A student in all my classes and my rank was never below ten. However, my graded dropped and a girl managed to beat me. Jenny is the first girl to beat me in my class. I never felt so humiliated. I should be happy for her. No wonder my crush likes her, besides being nice and feminine, she is also the smartest girl in the class. She managed to strip off that title from me. I should be happy for her. I did not realize it but tears were streaming from my eyes. It is so painful but she is my friend. I should be happy for her. I nearly broke down but I caught a glimpse of colored paper under my table. I picked it up and read it. Cassia, you are a star. Face problems and never run away. Remember, where there is white and black, there is also gray so it is alright to do things your way. Believe in yourself and shine bright like a diamond. I remembered that I wrote it after winning the drama competition last year as a motivation for myself in the future. I wiped my tears and smiled. I am right. I should believe in myself. I am a star after all. I know that I am quite childish but I also know that I am a rational and thoughtful girl when I wanted to be one. I am right. I should face my problems. I could start by apologizing to my parents and doing my revision. I also decided to support Jenny. I am a star and I am going to shine brighter than before. My phone rang. I picked it up. Hello Cassia, are you okay? Lisa asked me. l am feeling on the top of the world. I told her happily. There was a slight pause. l know you are going to ask me how I suddenly become so optimistic. I said, looking at the paper I held tightly in my hand, well, that is easy. I did it my way!

All conflict in literature is, in its simplest form, a struggle between good and evil

All conflict in literature is, in its simplest form, a struggle between good and evil "All conflict in literature is, in its simplest form, a struggle between good and evil". This statement simplifies the idea that all themes and struggles in literature when broken down to their most basic forms are a conflict of good versus evil. This is a valid statement because good and evil are the basis of all conflict. A conflict is a two-sided and any struggle implies a difference of opinion or emotion which can be broken down into both "good" and "evil" parts. such works that emphasize this statement are George Orwell's novel, "Animal Farm" and the play, "Othello", a tragedy written by William Shakespeare.William Shakespeare's use of characterization in "Othello" describes the character Othello as a brave, courageous, and honorable soldier. Shakespeare also introduces the complete contrast of Othello in the character Iago. Iago is portrayed as two-faced and manipulation, representing the evil aspect in the play.Animal Farm - Rebelià ³n en la Granja

International and Domestic Food Franchising in Saudi Arabia Essay

International and Domestic Food Franchising in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The country is experiencing a tremendous population growth, along with the fact that its oil reserves are finite. These two major dynamics has and is changing the foundations of the country. The realities of globalisation as well as the understanding that its oil reserves will one day be depleted has seen the country's leadership plan changes to the economic structure of the country to meet current and future needs to bring Saudi Arabia in line with the economic make up of a post oil situation, via the development of a diversified economic structure. The preceding background events, which shall be further elaborated upon herein, represent important facets in this study, along with the underpinnings of the country's surge of industrial projects, and revision of its laws, policies and regulations. The foregoing has been spurred by the broad reasons mentioned, population growth and finite oil reserves, and the application by Saudi Arabia to join the World Trade Organisation, a process that began in 1992. Admission to this body occurred in 2005, with the foregoing admittance requiring massive as well as comprehensive internal reorganisation of the legal, social system, and industry that included the difficult changes in consideration of the country's religion, Islam. Â  

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

The media and today - Essay Example Meeuwis in 1993 illustrated the effectiveness of media by highlighting the role of television and press in the creation of nationalism in Serbia.1 Stuart Ewen argues that advertising has a more significant power in human collective consciousness as compared to the credit, which is given to it. Moreover, the two theories Social Learning theory and Cultivation theory also describe the importance of modern media in shaping the perceptions of people.2 In 1990, Abernethy found 32 percent rate of television commercial avoidance and in 1994, King found 35 percent audience claiming to watch ads.3 â€Å"Advertising effectiveness does vary over time, and when the market is in an unfavourable or unsaturated condition, advertising generally becomes more important and effective (Chung and Kaiser 1998).†4 A research conducted by Campbell, Margaret C. and Kevin Lane Keller on Television ads and internet ads showed that on both media the â€Å"wear out point happens sooner when the ad being repeated is for an unfamiliar brand as opposed to a familiar brand.†5 Marketing Evaluation research show that nowadays, power of media mix or ‘Surround Sound Marketing’ is greater as compared to what one medium can produce, thereby, highlighting a reduced effectiveness of media.6 Moreover, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) revealed that about 62 percent of marketers uphold that in the last two years, the television a dvertising has become less effective.7 In short, a radical changed has been seen in the advertising industry in the last few years. A logical perspective is that the consumers’ past responses to the media advertising is not the same because of the changing tastes, demographics, competition, economic and social factors, advertising theme etc. Furthermore, the marketing world has changed and even a target market consumer of a product/service is not considered to be ‘effectively exposed’, unless he watches the ad at least three to four times.

Video Games Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Video Games Violence - Essay Example For instance, there was the case of Virginia Tech massacre, where a student tragically ended the lives of his fellow students in April of 2007. This was just one of the violent acts affiliated with academic institutions, and numerous attributions of violent video games are easily available to anyone. In addition, this case worsens if one has the financial power to invest in a gaming console or just a computer, and even at times, if one can afford to spend time in cyber cafe. Analysts of the Virginia Tech incident sparked debate over violence in video games and their influence on the student who decided to massacre his fellow students. I believe this was the same reason Phil McGraw took to the television screens stating that video games of a violent nature and content have causal effects on the violent nature of the students conduct in killing his fellow college mates. Video games also have significant influences on the behavior of students in being violent towards their schoolmates, for instance, in the case of Phillip Kazmierczak, who shot his fellow students in Northern Illinois University, and evidence points to video games. This is following the fact that he was an avid gamer of violent games, although there may be some form of confounding in which other factors were overlooked prior to make such conclusions that may have led to the shootings. Similarly, video games have been proved to have a profound impact on the behavior of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebod, the main characters in the Columbine High shooting. The above said two, are known to have been fans and avid players of the game â€Å"Doom† (Ferguson 26). Even though records indicate that video games are not to blame for every act of school violence, every two out of five are directly related to video games. However, relying on statistics, video games are the highest causal agents of school shootings especially considering that there are many who view those that view video games as causal agents are only seeking to find a scapegoat. Personally, I believe it also means that, in spite of all opposition on the dangerous effects of games on the wellbeing and safety of students in college and institutions of learning, video games play a significant role. As of the case of Columbine High shooting, students who were well acquainted with the perpetrators gave detailed information on the level of exposure to violent games. This includes their networked computers in order to play games in multiplayer mode against each other and even against other computers. Moreover, the two perpetrators were exposed for hours on end, which can be perceived as a tool to harden and get their skills to the outside world, in this case, fellow students. Furthermore, with the games that the two were hooked on, â€Å"Doom and Quake†, the level of violence portrayed is not one that anyone can boast of considering it led to the real loss of human life. In addition, considering that the killings were d one by the two as a team, it appears more as a continuation of their gaming process in their favorite video games that saw the loss of twelve lives. In addition, once an individual is exposed to violent media, of which video games are included; their cognitive, affective and behavioral processes are altered (Funk et al 23). This process

Effective Teaching Strategies for Deaf Students

Effective Teaching Strategies for Deaf Students What protocol would you put in place to ensure that pupils hearing aids and other amplification equipment are working optimally and used appropriately and that other aspects of your role in relation to audiology are met? Give the rationale for the procedures that you have specified. How would you evaluate the effectiveness of procedures that you have established? Rationale From the outset it is essential to determine what a ‘protocol is? As stated in the online Ask Oxford Dictionary protocol has many definitions, the one I believe provides a clear definition in this instance is â€Å"The accepted code of behaviour in a particular situation†. (Ask Oxford, Nov 2009) An educational establishment where children are using hearing aids and other amplification equipment would benefit from a protocol being in place. This would ensure that children using amplification equipment are accessing the curriculum at an optimal level. Teachers of the Deaf have a duty to ensure that each childs equipment is working and allowing them to learn and thrive within their educational environment by carrying out the protocol that is in place. It is therefore the duty of the teachers of the Deaf to carry out checks on the equipment. A protocol is therefore required to ensure that all Teachers of the Deaf are carrying out the same procedures and there is consistency through out the school. â€Å"Teachers should aim to give every pupil the opportunity to experience success in learning and to achieve as high a standard as possible.† (NCDS, 2005, p.5) By carrying out the checks, Teachers of the Deaf establish good practice and in turn aim to allow pupils to succeed. The children benefit when the protocol, which the school employs, is shared with parents and carers. Listening and learning take place in both the home and school environment. This would extend the â€Å"accepted code of behaviour† to the home life optimising the childs access to everyday learning experiences. With the need for a protocol established it is also necessary for that protocol to become a routine as to how, when and why Teachers of the Deaf should apply the specialised knowledge they have within their specific educational establishment. â€Å"Teachers of the deaf are specialist teachers, whose firm base in audiological knowledge is a fundamental part of their specialism† (Malthy and Knight, 2000, p.vii) Putting into practice a clear set of guidelines allows for each individual, working with children using these devices, to know who is responsible for each area and who to report faults to. This is the case, especially when multi-agency teams are involved in an individuals learning. To answer the question outlined I intend to: Describe the setting to which the protocol applies to Discuss the aims of the protocol and whom it applies to Review and evaluate the effectiveness of the protocol in relation to practice and research Protocol Setting The setting to which this protocol applies to is unique, in Scotland, in the sense that it is a mainstream school where hearing-impaired children are fully integrated into mainstream classes. Children have access to a full curriculum, which enhances their educational experience. (See Appendix 1 for a full policy statement) Teachers of the Deaf are also used in a unique way they are class committed in a mainstream environment with no more than four hearing impaired children in their class. It is important now to emphasise that the teachers have a responsibility and a duty of care to hearing and hearing impaired pupils in class. It is recognised in Watson. L and Parsons.J (1998) that the majority of Teachers of the Deaf are working in mainstream schools either as part of a unit or in peripatetic work but in this setting children are fully integrated into mainstream classes. This setting provides a real life setting for the children as hearing and hearing-impaired peers work together as they would in everyday life. This allows an inclusive ethos to develop educating respectful and open-minded individuals. It allows for the development of a safe and secure environment where all children feel valued and equal. Aims The aims of the protocol are clearly set out in the Aims of the Audiology Programme (Appendix 1). They are in bold and easily identified on the page. This is of great benefit to Teachers of the Deaf and other individuals that encounter the document. The mix of visual diagrams and the clear print allows this section to be user friendly and less intimidating to the user. The initial statement presents a positive and motivating aim for everyone involved. I will look at each aim individually and discuss how effectively the protocol (Appendix 2) achieves those aims. All pupils with a hearing impairment will be assessed regularly through a range of tests. Included in the protocol are the schools own testing strategies, which are of great importance as they make the protocol more meaning full to the individual establishment as these tests will differ depending on establishment. In Appendix 2, the protocol outlines the different checks that would take place to ensure that pupils hearing is assessed regularly. The G.A.P assessments are included in each child record and include a variety of linguistic and speech tests that are outlined in Appendix 2 and are carried out by the in house Speech Therapists. The Ling Speech Sound Test could be included in this however; it is outlined in the actual protocol. It will be used to gather information on how well a pupil is able to identify frequency elements in sounds. Ideally, this should be carried out before teaching and listening takes place to ensure that the amplification equipment is working optimally. If the test highlights any frequency issues, the stetoclip can be used to investigate further. In the event of everything, appearing to be working properly the issue can be raised with the educational audiologist on their visit to the school. They can then investigate and adjust amplification equipment to ensure opt imal teaching and learning conditions are maintained. Tympanometry tests are carried out and a record kept in each pupils file. This provides information on the middle ear. It looks like an audiogram, which can be difficult to interpret. If the information from this was translated into a report that was more understandable Teachers of the Deaf could use this information and translate it positively into their teaching environment so that it makes learning more accessible to the child and in turn meets the needs of the pupil. Other tests included in the protocol are Pure Tone Audiograms aided and unaided. These tests are usually used to determine the degree of deafness. The tests are carried out using different frequencies and intensities. The tests can be conducted through air conduction, using headphones or bone conduction using a bone conduction headband. Air conduction: this is where the individual wears headphones, the tester then selects pure tones from different frequencies and intensities. This test relies on the person being tested to be honest. Once the test is completed the range of deafness is apparent however the cause is not. Bone conduction: this is conducted in a similar way to air conduction. Maltby and Knight (2000) explain that it determines the nature of deafness. The signals are passed through the skull bone and travels to the cochlea. â€Å"The difference between the air conduction result and the bone conduction result is known as the air-bone gap and this indicates the extent of any conductive hearing loss.† (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.34) The results produced are displayed on an audiogram. It is important to emphasise that these tests are not carried out by Teachers of the Deaf but by audiologists. However, it is important that Teachers of the Deaf are aware of them and how results can be used to improve a pupils residual hearing. This brings me to the point I made earlier on how the audiogram can be difficult to interpret. It would be of great advantage to teachers, parents, and other professionals if the information were transposed into a report, which can be used to benefit the child. The use of pupils residual hearing will be maximised Many factors can contribute to ensuring that a childs residual hearing is maximised. In Appendix 2 it outlines the documentation and assessments, each individual will undertake during their time in school. This part of the protocol needs to be looked at as Record of Needs is being replaced with Additional Support Plans and Co-ordinated Support Plans. This highlights the need for the protocol being a working document and not something that is just produced to meet audiology requirements. In completing these assessment such as Pure Tone Audiograms aided and unaided and Tympanometry Records all agencies involved will be able to contribute to the action that should be taken within the educational environment to maximise the pupils residual hearing. In addition to this it is of great importance to consider the acoustic setting as this contributes to how well residual hearing is maximised. This leads on to the next aim. The acoustical settings for learning will be monitored and acted upon where necessary. In every classroom, there is background noise and this contributes to how effective a hearing aid can be. â€Å"Hearing aids work well when there is little or no background noise† (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.61) However, this is unrealistic to attain within an educational environment. Children are often working in groups and teaching can take place in whole class settings where they can be further away than what would be desired for optimal hearing. The hearing aid volume can be increased however this will amplify the background noise that is present also. A quiet learning environment is one, which would provide optimal learning conditions however in a mainstream school this is unlikely. The increased class effects noise. Areas, which contribute to background noise within a mainstream class are, movement, chairs being pushed and pulled, bags being accessed and the rustling this produces, increased amounts of talking, group activities going on independently when other direct teaching is taking place. All of these can lead to a poor acoustic setting. It would therefore be beneficial for the protocol to include measures for the Teachers of the Deaf to assess this before teaching in this environ ment. They could use a sound level meter, which encourages the teacher to put his or herself in the position of the deaf child and try to remove any pieces of furniture, which are not essential which sounds can reflect off. The teachers are also able to position themselves around the class identifying where the best place for a deaf child to sit within the class is. This allows for greater access to teaching and learning and ultimately reducing some of the background noise. As the background noise does not only come from the people inside the class, it is important for the teacher to do this so that outside noises are reduced. Traffic, toilets, general outside activity, weather can all be heard in the classroom. (Maltby and Knight 2000) It would therefore be of great value for the protocol to offer ways of minimising background noises within the classroom setting however it doesnt provide ways of making the classroom acoustically sympathetic. Reducing background and reverberation could be set out in guidelines and could provide suggestions. â€Å"An acoustically good environment is crucial for effective classroom listening †¦ schools provide an acoustically hostile environment that particularly disadvantages hearing aid wearers.† (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.54) Therefore, guidelines within the protocol should encourage the use of carpets, curtains blinds, acoustic ceiling tiles and soft materials, which can in turn absorb and reduce the amount of background noise. (BATOD, 2001) This will help promote the fruitful learning environment outlined in Appendix 1. As classrooms are, in general, noisy places to be it would also be of great value that the protocol takes into account classroom management strategies, laying out rules for talking and listening. Establishing a whole school approach would provide consistency for not only the children but also the Teachers of the Deaf who undoubtedly have varied teaching styles and approaches. â€Å"†¦It is the teachers responsibility to maintain discipline and cooperation and thus reduce noise levels. Ensuring only one person talks at a time. (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.58) Fm and Sound Field systems help reduce the amount of background noise as this amplifies one source of sound benefiting the hearing aid or cochlear implant user. This will allow for enhanced teaching and learning taking place and allow the learner to become more focused and interactive with the lesson in hand. It is therefore of great importance that they are utilised effectively. Sound Field systems not only benefit hearing-impaired children in the class but those of hearing children as well. This is due to the teachers voice being amplified and making it clear for all present in the room. Brett and McCraken (1998) have referred that some authorities are not using the system successfully and in turn not providing children with the heightened sensory provision. The system not only increases the volume of the person using it but also helps eliminate noises in the classroom, which can be controlled such as movement, chairs moving, quiet discussions. This has outlined the importance of monitoring the acoustic setting for the children it has also highlighted areas in which the protocol could be improved to optimise the service provided to the children. Including these areas would make Teachers of the Deaf and Teachers of the Deaf in training more aware of areas which can be detrimental to the learning environment and moreover have a negative impact on the childs learning. The amplification needs of each pupil will be assessed and addressed. Each child is an individual and in turn, each child has individual needs. So it is of the utmost importance that Teachers of the Deaf regularly assess the equipment each child uses. This will ensure that faults are highlighted quickly and fixed without any real issues arising for the child and their learning. Brett and McCracken (1998) outline the particular needs of a Hearing Aid wearer and provide outline for assessing the equipment. These include making sure that hearing aids are well fitted and that the individual is able to hear in a range of environments. These are of great importance in a school as children are moving from area to area rather than being stationary in the one environment. This is where the acoustic setting assessments are monitored and acted on if necessary. Tests are carried out, which were discussed in the first aim, to gather information. This information can then be used to make decisions regarding amplification equipment of each individual making sure that Teachers of the Deaf are meeting the needs of each child. The amplification equipment and technology will be working to optimum effect and will be used effectively. It is essential that this aim is addressed in the protocol as teachers and parents should be checking the childs amplification equipment on a daily basis. This will allow problems to be detected quickly and rectified. In turn, this will maximise the potential learning that, the child has access to and allow the child to engage fully in their learning and the social interactions, which can take place within the classroom. This is concurred by Maltby and Knight; they believe that auditory equipment if working properly will enhance the learners experiences and the overall progress which a child can make. This setting is one, which uses oral communication, and not signing so any problems with amplification equipment is extremely detrimental to the childs development. â€Å" †¦ without effective exposure to the sounds of the environment and particularly of speech the opportunity to develop spoken language will be diminished.† (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.38) The mainstream protocol for this setting outlines how to check all different kinds of amplification equipment. However it may need updated as, no child now wears the Sprint (the body worn processor) as this just adds to the bulk of the protocol and the amount of paper which you have to go through especially if you are new to the school. In addition to this upon evaluating the protocol, I also feel that there should be a checklist record for each child, keeping track of any issues with equipment. This could be a simple tick list to ensure that time constraints do not impose an issue for the teachers. This would provide useful information for the educational audiologists when they visit asking if there have been any problems. This is of greater use in the lower end of the school where the children are less able to vocalise any issues, which they may be having. As it is just now, there is no such method of recording and Teachers of the Deaf are making notes on an informal basis with no consistency being formed throughout the establishment. Parents should be considered also; they could be consulted on what would be easily managed for them at home, so that the protocol can be continued there, as it is of great importance that the equipment is at an optimal level there also. Appendix 2 outlines the checks, which should be carried out on a daily basis. Daily checks begin with a visual check. By looking closely at the casing of a hearing aid or cochlear implant cracks can be identified. Moulds and tubing can be looked at and the build up of wax or condensation can be apparent. It has been argued that it is not the role of the Teacher of the Deaf to clear wax obstructions from tubing and ear moulds (NCDS, 2005) in the case of children there might not be anyone else. In meeting the overall aim of the protocol â€Å" †¦ to provide a fruitful learning environment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  it is essential that we do what we can to meet each childs individual needs. In the setting which this protocol applies, as stated before it is an oral one, it is important that the older children become responsible for checking their equipment and that the Teachers of the deaf promote each individuals independence and provide support for these checks only when needed. In this setting, other equipment is used also Radio aids and Sound Field systems are in place to provide further amplification. These have been included in the protocol along with whose responsibility it is to check these and how often the checks should be carried out. â€Å"Deaf pupils who are being educated orally without any sign support will be highly dependent on amplification, both in the form of personal hearing aids and other equipment, for example radio aids.† (Gregory, Knight, McCracken, Powers and Watson, 1998, p.138) This quote highlights the greater importance placed on amplification equipment in a mainstream school and the necessity for it to work optimally. This equipment is what the children solely rely on to communicate effectively with. Radio aids should be checked monthly using a test box. This can highlight any problems with equipment and it will ensure that the hearing aid is producing sound at a high intensity this should also be carried out across a number of frequencies. It is also important that hearing aids and processors also be checked monthly to ensure that they are in line with the manufacturers specifications. Teachers of the Deaf are not responsible for these tests and are not fully trained in the technologies used to carry out these tests however they should be aware that they take place and of their importance in ensuring that amplification equipment works at its optimal level. In this setting and as stated in the protocol (Appendix 2) the Depute Head is responsible for ensu ring these tests are completed. I am of the opinion it would be beneficial for the protocol to outline what a Teacher of the Deaf should do when the equipment is not working properly. For example if shoes or links are faulty are there temporary replacements, or are there contacts in place with manufacturers to highlight faults. It would not be the responsibility for the Teacher of the Deaf to contact manufacturers directly but that of the Depute Head however there needs to be a record or pro-forma included in the protocol for passing this information on the Depute Head to guarantee that any problems are rectified quickly. Evaluation The technology surrounding audiology and amplification equipment is evolving so the first point is that the protocol should be regularly evaluated and adapted to ensure that it fits the requirements of the equipment being used. As I stated previously there are steps and procedures included in the document that no longer apply to children in the school, I am not saying this should be discarded completely however it can be removed from the working document until required, if ever required again. The steps are clear and it is identify who is responsible for each job; however some equipment is checked annually. I feel that as there is a heavy daily reliance on these pieces of equipment and there is a strong argument that these checks should be more frequent. This would allow for problems and issues to be identified and rectified more quickly. Especially when these equipments help achieve the aims outlined in the protocol (Appendix 1) In addition to more frequent checks it would beneficial to have a check list and record sheet this would benefit, not only Teachers of the Deaf but parents, audiologists and other professionals that work with the children. It would allow for quick reference for any issues children are having with their hearing aids or cochlear implants and would highlight any recurring problems. This information would be recorded in a consistent format providing continuity throughout the school. It would also be provided to parents to allow them to keep checks on their childs equipment. With everyone using the same format, the child can be encouraged to become more responsible for maintaining and checking their own equipment. Not only does audiology evolve but also education and the way we approach teaching and education is continually evolving so the protocol should be updated with these changes. That is in Appendix 1 the policy statement outlines that the establishment follows the 5-14 guidelines. This is still the case however the Curriculum for Excellence is becoming the more dominant tool in the planning and implementing of lessons and therefore should now be included also. The greatest indication of how successful the protocol has been is whether it is still meeting the needs of the children it poses to serve. It would therefore be good sense to establish a working party within the establishment to evaluate how well it is doing this, and adapt it to be more successful or it could be added for discussion to the agenda of the Hearing Impairment meetings, which are held regularly. This would incorporate views of everyone working with the document and not just a selected few on the working party. Conclusion The protocol, which appears in Appendix 2, is one, which is already in place, and I have broken it down and looked at the aims that it says it achieves. As a Teacher of the Deaf, this protocol is established and has to be adhered to. It is an important agreement, which has to be followed by all Teachers of the Deaf, to ensure that the needs of each child within a class are being met. â€Å"One way to ensure the teacher of the deaf and other professionals working with deaf children are meeting their obligations is to devise an audiology protocol.† (Course Team University of Birmingham, 2009, Unit 4 p.80) I feel that this protocol has plus points and negative ones. It achieves all of the aims outlined however it has not been updated in some time. With new equipment, needing to be included i.e. our new FM system and older amplification equipment, which is not currently in use needing to be removed. It would also benefit from additions, some parts being condensed into a daily check sheet, which would be more time efficient as it operates within a mainstream school. This would allow for even younger children becoming more familiar with the checks they should carry out. Moreover, I feel there should also be a place for a parental part of the protocol as they are a vital part of their childs life. Even though it is heavy on wordage, it does include pictures of the equipment in question allowing for quick finding of the part of the protocol, which relates to children in your class. The protocol does establish the roles of individuals and the duties and responsibilities that they have. It also states timelines for different checks whether they are daily, weekly or annually. It outlines what should be present in each class for carrying out checks, e.g. First Aid Kit. To conclude I do feel that this protocol does suffice but would benefit from regular updates as needs change and children within educational establishments continually move on. As a teacher and particularly for Teachers of the Deaf it is important to meet the needs of every child. As a profession we endeavour to do this and having a protocol allows for consistency and continuity throughout the stages. We have ambition for all our young people and we want them to have ambition for themselves and to be confident individuals, effective contributors, successful learners and responsible citizens. All Scotlands children and young people need to be nurtured, safe, active, healthy, engaged in learning, achieving, included, respected and responsible if we are to achieve our ambition for them.† (December 2009, Scottish Government) In managing the protocol more successfully, we will achieve the above aim as set by our Government and all the aims outlined within the document of the establishment. In doing this the needs of all children that are taught, within the setting, are met.

The Effects of Bullying on Student Achievement Essay -- Education

In today’s world there are many laws that have been established in order to protect everyday civilians from being harmed or robbed of their possessions or piece of mind. However, in school, children play by different rules. Rules do not seem as imperative as say a law being broken. For example, imagine if it did not matter what the robber stole, but how much he took that lets him off the hook. One would still be upset that his valuables were interfered with without permission. This scenario can be compared to bullying and how adults sometimes overlook the seriousness of the effects (no matter how big or small) it can have on a student and his or her achievements. Sometimes bullying is acknowledged, but is ultimately cast off as mere â€Å"child’s play,† but it can become so much more. A bullying incident does not stop in the school yard simply because a teacher puts an end to it; bullying must be addressed from all angles of parents, guardians, media, and everyda y civilians that are children’s immediate examples of proper ways to behave. Again, bullying spans beyond school walls and cannot ultimately be controlled by teacher discipline alone. The effects bullying can have on student achievement may interfere with their life choices, their physical and mental stability, and of course their future behaviors as a reaction to such behavior that was shown to them. It is arguable that broken citizenship among students is not as harmful as everyday citizens breaking common laws, but I argue that it is. However, this paper is not to argue; it is to inform every one of the issue at hand, so that it may be reduced, and that can only be done with harmony, not coercion, or plainly â€Å"bullying.† What exactly is bullying, to the extent that I am spea... ...l abuse. However, it is not a situation exclusive to occurring in school, it happens outside as well; the effects of it are simply more noticeable through the results of student work or lack thereof. If bullying is not addressed, dropout rates, youth suicide, and lack of positive future leaders are in store for future generations of education. â€Æ' Works Cited "Bullying." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2012. Web. 16 April 2012. Kritsonis, W. PhD. School Discipline: The Art of Survival. Mansfield, Ohio: BookMasters, Inc. 1999. Print. Meyer, E. Gender, Bullying, and Harassment: Strategies to End Sexism and Homophobia in Schools. New York: Teachers College Press. 2009. Print. Singer, L. Jerome, and Dorothy G. Singer. Television, Imagination, and Aggression: A Study of Preschoolers. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 1989. Print.

Mental health programs Essay

Community health programs based in churches have been highly successful, although occasionally confusing and stressful for pastors to administer. However, it is not only physical health programs which have thrived; mental health and chemical dependency programs are an important supplement to church ministry and community service. Thompson and McRae argue that the Black church itself offers a positive therapeutic effect to its congregation, even without a formal mental health ministry in place. They discuss the historical basis for the Black church’s creation of community; the creation of the â€Å"we† group rather than the individual â€Å"I† and the need for belonging with a group, rather than to a group (41). They state â€Å"Embedded within the individual were past experiences, traditions, values, and norms for emotions, cognitions, and behaviors conducive to relatedness and â€Å"interpersonalness† that reflected a collective sense of belonging with rather than to, caring, similar others (Thompson & McRae, 41). † The Black church, in Thompson and McRae’s view, has created a bridge for the gap between the historic slave experience and the modern Black experience which helps ease the mental transition between worlds, and created a framework for dealing with hostility. They state â€Å"The Black church nurtures the survival of its members through providing a supportive, caring environment to facilitate an ever-widening upward spiral of positive cognitive, affective and behavioral outcomes for growth and change (Thompson & McRae, 46). † While the mere fact of church fellowship has a positive effect on its members, Black church involvement in formal mental health ministry programs has a significant impact on its members as well. Blank discussed the importance of mental health care within the church setting. They state that there are four areas of community care considered most effective in the church setting. These are primary care delivery, mental health, health promotion and disease promotion and health policy. Their review of studies underscored the importance of natural helpers (friends and extended family), lay helpers and most especially church leaders in the delivery of mental health care through an informal care system. Blank discussed the state of mental health care in the rural South in the 1970s; the population was discovered by researchers studying psychiatric utilization and morbidity in the area to be underserved, despite the general view that rural life was superior to urban. The problems contributing to low psychiatric utilization are complex; problems with service delivery, low quality of care (especially among minority patients) and lack of providers are entangled with social stigma surrounding psychiatric care, economic and social factors, geographic distance from providers, poverty, race and class issues to create a morass of issues a patient must slog through to acquire psychiatric care. Blank notes that at the time of the study, most counties lacked a single doctoral-level mental health professional; only 3% of licensed psychiatrists practice in the rural South, a number which has not changed significantly since the 1970s. In addition to the socioeconomic issues with receiving psychiatric care in the rural South, there are further problems relating to doctor-patient relations. Some theorists state that white mental health care providers cannot provide optimal care to Black patients because of their lack of knowledge and understanding of Black history and culture, as well as a lack of understanding of the difficulty of being Black in a white world; furthermore Black patients are less likely to trust white care providers due to racial tensions and differences in worldview (Blank , 1668). Instead, Black patients are considered to have a preference for Black care providers. While some studies have shown that Black patients do prefer Black care providers, stated reasons for this preference are a perception of greater professional competence and attitude, as well as racial and cultural compatibility (Blank , 1668). Blank emphasize the importance of sensitivity and cultural competence; it can lead to a greater understanding of non-normative minority behavior as well as an increase in trust levels between provider and patient which increase the possibility of a successful outcome. Blank discusses the cultural responsiveness hypothesis, which states that the effectiveness of psychotherapy is directly related to the therapist’s ability to communicate an understanding of the patient’s cultural background. Lack of this cultural responsiveness might account for some of the racial divide in diagnosis, treatment and premature termination of treatment observed between Black and white psychiatric patients (Blank, 1669). Blank hypothesized that rural churches provide fewer social and mental health services than urban churches, and that they have fewer links with the formal care system; furthermore, because of the importance of the church in the Black community and the historic exclusion of Black from formal care systems (schools, mental health services, etc), Black churches would provide more social and mental health services than white churches, but with fewer links to the formal care system (1669). Blank tested their theory using a phone survey of Black and white church leaders in both rural and urban areas in the South (defined in their study as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missisippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia (Blank, 1670)). A total of 2,867 churches were targeted, with a total of 269 completed interviews, or an overall participation rate of just under 10% (Blank, 1670). Rural Black churches, the targeted demographic, were actually least likely to participate in the study, with only a one in fourteen survey completion rate; the researchers cited lack of full-time staff creating difficulties reaching church leaders and a high rate of church leader refusal as factors in this low completion rate (Blank, 1670). The researchers discussed topics such as church demographics, including size and racial composition of the congregation, number of services held and attendance at the services, the church budget and founding date; problems the church’s congregants faced that the church leader considered to be most important; specific questions about mental health services provided by the church or church leader, including such issues as depression, paranoia, nervous breakdown, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and attempted suicide; What type of support services were offered formally by the church to deal with these types of issues; and what links to the formal care system, including hospitals, care providers and support services like Alcoholics Anonymous existed, and if links existed to what level church leaders provided referrals to the formal care system (Blank, 1669). The researchers then constructed four different scales on which to rank the churches: Problems, which quantified the degree to which responding churches dealt with mental health problems over the previous two years; Programs for Adults, which quantified the number of mental health programs offered by the church, including those dealing with alcohol and substance abuse, marital counseling, sex education and counseling, domestic violence and sexual assault; Programs for Children, which quantified programs specifically aimed at support for children, including individual and family support services; and finally Programs for Teenagers, which quantified programs specifically aimed at support for teens. Referrals, both in and out, were also quantified (Blank, 1670). Statistical analysis using factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine the correlation between the varying factors. The researchers found some surprising differences in funding – when adjusted for congregation size, rural white churches had substantially larger budgets than rural Black churches, and urban Black churches also had significantly larger budgets than the rural Black churches (Blank, 1670). However, both urban and rural Black churches were shown to offer significantly higher numbers of mental health programs overall than their white counterparts. There were no statistically significant variables in the study of links between referrals, but the modal response among churches overall was 0, indicating that all churches tend to lack links with the formal care system (Blank, 1671). Blank extrapolate concerning the possible reasons for lack of links between the formal care system and the informal care system provided by churches. They note that one of the difficulties may be historical in nature; because churches are often divided among racial and ethnic lines, there may be barriers to connection between the formal care system and churches precipitated by racial and ethnic tensions. Additionally, because churches have played a role as a political entity in the past, there may be lingering social tensions between churches and formal care systems which prevent these roles. (Blank, 1671). Another barrier may be the different paradigms of the formal care system and the church regarding the nature, causes and treatment of mental health problems.

Native Americans essays

Conservatism/Native Americans essays In 1985, members of the Papago tribe announced plans to change their name to Tohono Oodham Nation, which means the desert people. Tribal leaders no longer wished to be called Papago, a Spanish conjunction of the Indian word for bean eaters (Herschfelder 45). Such a decision came as no surprise. Over the centuries, most tribal people have been forced to accept names and actions decided for them. Despite this coercion, however, Native Americans survived as communities and cultures (Champagne 1995: 18), because conservatism or traditional approach to life allowed many tribal nations to retain varying degrees of their history and pride. There are several aspects of the Native American worldview that gave, and continue to give, American Indians the ability to withstand change and total assimilation. One of the main concepts or natural laws in native communities concerns the land. The Northern Cheyennes of Montana, for example, consider Bear Butte, near Sturgis, South Dakota, a sacred place. They believe the Cheyenne people were born there. Every year, many people of the tribe still travel to Bear Butte to fast, pray for themselves and their families and for spiritual guidance (Herschfelder 45). The European idea of owning land made little sense in their culture or worldview (Champagne 2006:1). Instead, many Native American communities believe that land is sacred and reserved for creation stories and human subsistence. Land is held as a group in stewardship. Most of the American Indian communities have a sacred area, whether it is a mountain, river, valley or plateau. Devils Tower in Wyoming and Rainbow Bridge in Utah are two examples of such locations. This is also the case of the Ojibway vision quest site of Dreamers Rock on Manitoulin Island. Another corresponding worldview that encourages conservatism is holism, or where this-w...

A Quiz About Parenthetical Punctuation

A Quiz About Parenthetical Punctuation A Quiz About Parenthetical Punctuation A Quiz About Parenthetical Punctuation By Mark Nichol Em dashes are woefully underused and misused. Here are five sentences that would be much improved by their proper use, or by proper use of other punctuation in cooperation with them. Determine how each sentence would benefit from changes in punctuation and compare your revisions with my suggested solutions at the bottom of the page: 1. â€Å"Not in years, like more than ten years, have I seen someone so committed to owning the stage.† 2. â€Å"Such pioneers trigger and indeed hope for gentrification leading to more and more middle-class home buyers being willing to take a chance on the neighborhood.† 3. â€Å"You, yes you, can say you were there for the advent of the Apple iPod.† 4. â€Å"It’ll take years to know if it works in humans but in mice the tumors almost completely disappeared.† 5. â€Å"Consumer-oriented businesses are trying to find the words, logo, image and, of course, products that will indelibly brand themselves as environmentally friendly.† Answers and Explanations 1. The phrase â€Å"like more than ten years† (with like, as an interjection, separated from the rest of the phrase with a comma), is more emphatic than one that would merely be parenthesized between commas: â€Å"Not in years like, more than ten years have I seen someone so committed to owning the stage.† 2. The clause beginning with leading does not merit being set off from the rest of the sentence with an em dash, but the phrase â€Å"and indeed hope for,† with the interjection indeed bracketed by commas, should be emphasized by being framed by a pair of em dashes: â€Å"Such pioneers trigger and, indeed, hope for gentrification, leading to more and more middle-class home buyers being willing to take a chance on the neighborhood.† 3. â€Å"Yes you,† with a necessary comma between the words, is such an interruptive element that bracketing by a pair of em dashes is necessary: â€Å"You- yes, you- can say you were there for the advent of the Apple iPod.† 4. Just as you’d do in the case of a pair of commas in a sentence that doesn’t sound quite right, diagnostically remove a parenthetical phrase framed by em dashes from an awkward sentence. In this case, â€Å"but in mice† is an essential dependent clause for the second half of the sentence, and the em dash following it is incorrect. The first em dash can be replaced by a comma, or the single dash can be retained: â€Å"It’ll take years to know if it works in humans but in mice, the tumors almost completely disappeared.† 5. Parentheticals are just that interjections, short or long, that are parenthetical to the main sentence, and any parts of speech within them are integral to the interjection alone. Therefore, without the parenthesis set off by em dashes, this sentence lacks a conjunction in the list of three elements preceding the first dash. Here’s the corrected version: â€Å"Consumer-oriented businesses are trying to find the words, logo, and image- and, of course, products- that will indelibly brand themselves as environmentally friendly.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†5 Brainstorming Strategies for WritersList of Prefixes and Suffixes and their Meanings

The Gallipoli campaign Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Gallipoli campaign - Article Example It is estimated that more than 130,000 Allied soldiers died. Surprisingly, the Turks fiercely put up a resistance that proved impossible for the Allied forces to crack. Throughout the Wars in Europe, the Ottoman Empire had remained neutral for it was still recouping from internal civil strives and political instabilities (Broadbent 12). However, by 1914, the Turks had fully recovered and entered the World War 1 on the side of the Central Powers- Germany and Austria-Hungary (Hart 8-13). Turkey as a country lies between the Europe and Russia. In this case, it was impossible for Europe to link up with Russia with Turkey at the center as a Central Power (Hart 8-13). The Allied Forces therefore wanted to capture the straits so as to be able to establish links with the Russians through the Black Sea (Hart 8-13). Capture of the Dardanelles Straits would have also made it easy for the Allied forces to kick the Turks out of the war (Hart 8-13). Nevertheless, even though the Gallipoli Campaign was only seen as a great loss on the side of the Allied forces, the war brought equal losses to both sides. The Allied forces lost a huge number of soldiers and warships while Turkey’s national resources were largely damaged and not forgetting the high number of Turk soldiers who lost their lives in this War (Hart 8-13). Further, Broadbent (57-61) argue that the Allied forces wasted a lot of resources in the Gallipoli Campaign that would have been vital to them on the major war front. It was unrealistic how the Allied forces lost this particular battle but critics argue that the loss was as a result of poor execution of warring strategies (Hart 8-13). The British and her allies were steered by ill-fitted goals, insufficient artillery, overconfidence, inaccurate intelligence and maps, poor plans, tactical deficiency, in experienced troops as well as the inadequate logistics and equipment (Broadbent, 19-20). The

Strategic Management and Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Management and Marketing - Essay Example e practices of competitors and the financial potentials of the customers; the wise use of resources also helped to the limitation of the firm’s expenses and the increase of its profits – a practice used especially for the period from 2008 onwards. The critical assessment of the firm’s policies led to the conclusion that in the near future the update of existing organizational strategies would be required in order for the firm to keep its competitiveness at high levels; innovation in all organizational activities and change of current firm’s culture would be necessarily included in such a project. The expansion of financial crisis during the last two years led to the limitation of activities of firms operating in various industrial sectors; cruise and vacations industry has been an industrial sector strongly affected by the world recession – under the continuous decrease of their income people at all levels of society had to review all their expenses – the limitation of funds spent on cruises and vacations has been an expected outcome of the current recession. However, it seems that the business environment has been traditionally hostile towards the firms that operate in the specific sector; this view is clearly stated by Morris (1990, p. 317); at a next level, the strategies of the firms that operate in this sector have been often characterized as ineffective, wrongly designed and developed or not appropriately supervised (Bloor & Sampson 2009, p. 711); under these terms, the use of ‘McKinneys seven S factors of Structure, Strategy, System, Staff, Skill, Style (leadership), and Shared Values’ (Lee et al. 2001, p. 49) is often proposed as a successful method in order to develop effective organizational plans; however, other issues, like a firm’s environment, its competitors and the use of its resources would be also thoroughly examined before focusing on the design and the establishment of strategic business policies. Carnival Corporation & Plc