Diversity in the Classroom Essay

In what ways might you experience diversity in a classroom? What strategies might you use to help provide equal learning outcomes for all? Diversity occurs in many forms within the classroom environment and necessitates the knowledge of the whole child, testing the skills and insight of the teacher. Children do not differ solely in their academic aptitude but in their behavioural, motivational and emotional needs as well. The inefficiencies in any of these areas can be the result of a great variety of reasons and therefore overcoming or resolving these issues relies on knowing the individual and their needs explicitly in addition to comprehensive awareness of the alternative strategies that can be used. Successful teaching encompasses three main components, the teaching, the students and the teacher. Effectiveness requires thorough understanding of all three. The teaching involves the content being taught and the pedagogy used to convey that content. Nonetheless, before strategic planning begins, part two of the puzzle must be understood, the children. How do they learn? What are their strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, their needs? This must be approached with the overall class and each individual in mind. Knowing the child starts primarily by examining the backgrounds of students especially by considering and respecting differing family values and beliefs. According to Groundwater-Smith et al. (2003) teachers must diagnose and continually monitor their students’ learning to identify needs and abilities. As Nieto argues, students are often treated differently because of the way their differences are perceived rather than because of these differences per se. (Nieto, 2002, as quoted in Groundwater-Smith et al, 2003, p. 4). Any differences or disabilities require particular attention with considerations to individual needs.

What qualities do you have that will make you a good accountant?

The qualities that I have that will make me a good accountant include trustworthiness, honesty, organized, purposeful, patient, self confidence, enthusiasm and being goal oriented.Trustworthiness is the most important quality as this would keep me accountable to my actions in accordance with the law and professional standards.   My being trustworthy is of course based on honesty with my dealings to others and to myself.The accounting profession requires independence of mind and integrity as necessary values; hence by being trustworthy and honest would make me fit and compatible with the profession. If these values are lacking there is no use of accounting profession, for these are very core values needed to keep it functioning.It was the lack of these values that had caused Andersen Consulting, one of the â€Å"Big Five† auditors to have fallen from its position, thus presently the group of auditors, who are also accountants, are now called the â€Å"Big Four.†Honesty must not only be observed in words but also in deeds.   An accountant cannot be successful if he cannot even be honest with small things as he or she is being made to account even to the smallest cent of a dollar.I believe that I have the characteristics of trustworthiness and honesty since I have been given the chance to assume functions that required these qualities and I did well with the experience.I handled two organizational funds by having been treasurer for at least two organizations on campus, The African Cultural Society, for which I am currently the Secretary and The Syndicate (Hip Hop Dance Team), for which I am now the Vice President. Another value that accountants require is competence. This value is something that is normally acquired by training and education. What I believe would make me fit to have this value is my proven capacity for leadership. The two positions that I now have in the organizations I mentioned are living proofs of my leadership.Of course accou ntant need to produce quality work based on the value of competence hence accountant need to have to have their outputs on time because of deadlines set by government regulations and commercial realities. In almost similar ways, I believe my values of being organized, purposeful and patient are necessarily compatible with competence.  I know that I possess said qualities since I plan my activities in order not to miss important dates and deadlines. Based on my experience in my internship at one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, Ernst & Young, LLP, I know the requirement of long hours to complete tasks and I am prepared to undergo the same experience.My self-confidence, enthusiasm and being goal oriented are also complementary to becoming a good accountant. Self-confidence will keep me trust my abilities hence competence will follow. My enthusiasm will sustain me in some activities of accountants which may be considered by other professions as boring and even when I am not feeling well by creating a friendly and amicable environment.My goal orientation would also make things easier for me as I am able to break down my goals into manageable steps and make progress towards reaching that goal.   As proof, my main goal for this year is to study for my GMAT by scoring high in order to obtain a scholarship for my graduate studies in Accounting. To attain that, I plan to allot study time outside of my academic classes and extra curricular activities and to actually do the studying needed.2. What are you hoping to achieve during your studies in the MAcc Program?After I graduate with the Bachelor’s degree in Accounting this May, 2008, I plan to proceed with Masters of Accounting Program of Mary's Mason School of Business to fulfill my 150-credit requirement so that I can be eligible to take the CPA exams.More than fulfilling the credit requirements I believe the Macc program will really prepare me to attain the values of competence which I will need in being a good accountant.I have learned that program will be conducted in small class sizes and relaxed, with informal interaction between faculty and students[1], thus I believe attaining my objective would be greatly enhanced.   With such policy of access to faculty, I believe, I will be able also to build at least some relationships that I could perhaps use in my long term future goals.It has been my plan to eventually go back to my home town in Accra, Ghana in West Africa and build a hospital with modern equipment and facilities that will bring affordable and effective health care to the average Ghanaian citizen. By that time I believe I could be of help to people like my father who is a pediatrician.I’m hoping that my education in Accounting together with my concentration in Entrepreneurship and hopefully to be strengthened and enhanced by the Masters of Accounting Program of Mary's Mason,   will really give me the knowledge, leadership, and management skills necessary to accomplish this goal of mine. [1] William & Mary Mason School of Business, Master of Accounting Program, A Distinctive Educational Experience. {www document} URL http://mason.wm.edu/Mason/Programs/Master+of+Accounting/, Accessed January 13,2008   

Environmental Health and Safety Essay

Explain which of the following two approaches to enhance food safety would be more effective in the long run- a stronger enforcement program by the local health department, or a mandatory food safety training requirement for all restaurant employees. Describe worker behaviors that may promote or compromise food safety. Provide two examples. Describe the top one recommendation you would give to the public to prevent being bit by mosquitoes that may transmit West Nile Virus. Justify your choice. Describe the top one recommendation you would give to the community to control the mosquito population in the community. It is my recommendation to implement a mandatory food safety training requirement for all restaurant employees. In order for this process to be effective education is very important. If restaurant employees are not educated on proper food handling, preparation, cleaning procedures in the kitchen they are destined to fail any type of standards and inspections. Because of the lack of funding and other resources Public Health departments are limited therefore establishments may only get inspected one to six times per year. According to Allison Knezevich, a reporter from the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia, â€Å"A critical violation is an infraction that is capable of spreading foodborne illness such as chicken salad that are not kept cold enough, on ice or refrigerated or employees who don’t practice adequate hand hygiene. † She also stated, â€Å"Under the current rules, an establishment can have five uncorrectable critical violations before it is shut down. † (Knezevich 2008). The behaviors of workers can promote or compromise food safety. Questions like why don’t food handlers wash their hands? Why isn’t that food stored at the required temperatures? When asked workers usually say they didn’t realize the possible dangers associated with food safety or lack thereof. As a food service manager you have to influence the workers behaviors to achieve an acceptable change and implement consequences if changes are not met, increase awareness of a need for change, promote awareness and employ reminder systems, provide training and guidance in performing the action, use verbal reinforcement, and demonstrate desired behaviors. Jenkins-McLean, 2004) How does this get accomplished? Demonstrate proper hand washing, use examples of restaurant foodborne outbreaks, involve the staff in mock inspections, and possibly have weekly meetings to re-emphasize key food protection points. When this occurs you will have a restaurant staff that not only exhibits proper worker behavior, but also understands why food safety is an extremely important issue and food Preparation is even more complex than ever. Ultimately mandating educational programs and professional training for restaurant employees is the best way to limit the spread of foodborne illness and promote healthy food safety practices. By doing this you will reduce the number of reportable public health illnesses that occur as a result of improper food preparation or handling. Being one of the most abundant insects in the world mosquitos have in some way made life miserable of every person on the planet be it a skin irritation caused from the saliva from the mosquito. A more serious consequence of some types of mosquito bites is the transmission of serious diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, different forms of encephalitis to include â€Å"West Nile Virus which has affected over 30,000 people in the U. S. since 1999†(EPA 2012). There are about 200 different species of mosquitos that live in the United States, and they all live in specific habitats, exhibit behaviors unique to its species and prey on different types of animals but all of these different species of mosquitoes have one thing in common they all have a four-stage life cycle. Humans aren’t the only creatures who can be infected by mosquitos other mammals such as dogs and horses can be afflicted with such diseases as dog heart worms, West Nile Virus and eastern equine encephalitis in horses. All mosquitos lay their eggs in standing water but if the water has predators such as fish and dragonfly nymphs in it they will not and if they do the eggs will be eaten. Other sites in which other species lay their eggs include buckets, old tires, tree holes, and potted plant trays. One of the most dangerous and annoying species such as the Asian tiger come from these types of sites. As a Healthcare Administrator of a local health clinic faced with the problem of mosquitos in your community I would put together a small task force of educators and pest control works to hold a class in a large enough building to accommodate the community members and the class would be on how to protect yourself from biting mosquitos, and the risk of being infected with by deadly disease. The community members will be taught how to apply insect repellent to all exposed skin, how to choose the right type of repellent so that you and your family can enjoy the outside more, what to look for in the ingredients used. They will also be taught that it is very important not to get the repellent into the eyes, mouth, and open sores on the skin because it would burn. â€Å"If you are going to be outside during the hours of dusk and dawn it is wise to spray on a repellent containing permethrin because most mosquitoes can and will bite through thin clothing† (EPA 2012). If the weather permits another method of ensuring you are not bitten is to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants which act as another barrier of protection. To protect infants and the young place some type of netting over the carriers. When you are in the home make sure that any broken windows are replaced and if you like to have the windows open install door and window screens. The recommendations I would give to the community as a whole is to try to reduce the number of habitats mosquitos use to lay their eggs in by dumping all sources of standing water. If you have a pool make sure it’s chlorinated on a regular basis, empty birdbaths at least twice a week, about one a month clean and or unclog rain gutters, if you see rubbish laying around in your community call the city trash collection company to come and clean it up because that would be an optimal place for any mosquito to lay its eggs. Conclusion Ultimately the prevention and control of WNV is most effectively accomplished through rigorous vector management programs at the least the programs should include surveillance of humans and the animals in the area that could be infected with the virus and when the time comes implementation of the appropriate control measures.

Advertising & Consumers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Advertising & Consumers - Essay Example and Trehan, R. (2011) as advertisement. According to Bishnoi and Sharma (2009), advertisement refers to a persuasive, normally paid for, impersonal communication on services, products or ideas through various media by a specific sponsor. The intention of the advertiser would be to spread ideas on the product and offerings, recognised by Belch, George Edward, Belch, George Eugene & Belch, M. (2006) as a marketers’ tool of communication to customers. Wang, Zhang and Ouyang (2009) categorise the effects of advertising as either intermediate, which influences the beliefs and attitudes of consumers or behavioural, which relates to the purchase and brand choice of consumers. Advertisement banks on psychological factors that influence consumer behaviour to reach out to the customer. These psychological factors include learning, personality and lifestyle, attitude, image and individual needs. Studying these factors would guide the advertiser on the message, ad-appeal, colour, illustra tions, media, media scheduling and the layout of the ad-copy among other critical advertisement factors. If these consumer behaviour factors would be related to the target audience, advertisers would come up with effective advertisements. Impact of advertisements on consumer behaviour ... Sutherland (2009) appreciates the importance of repetition in advertisements with consistency in messages so as to increase familiarity especially with the use of a catch line, an observation opposed by Chung and Zhao who noted that â€Å"ad repetition has no influence on perceived humour and overall effectiveness of advertising† (2003, p.121). Percy and Elliott (2012) add to this debate arguing that in direct response advertising, there would be no need for repeated advertising as action terminates with a single purchase. Consumer choices would be influenced by the brand and product image and their perception towards them (Percy & Elliot, 2012). Through advertisement, advertisers could change consumers’ perception through association of the product with attributes appealing to the needs of the consumer. Consequently, in their minds, consumers would associate that attribute to that particular brand more than they would for competitor’s brand, thus influencing pur chasing behaviour (Sutherland, 2009). Different organisations would have differences in their dependencies on advertisement to sell their products. For example, a cereal company would have to advertise more due to the existence of varied competing products as opposed to a power company which has minimal or no competition (Yeshin 2006). A strategy that advertisers employ to influence consumers to purchase products has been noted to be the creation of a feeling of lack or scarcity (Wells & Foxall, 2012). But noting the role that brands play in influencing consumption of products, Dahlen, Granlund and Grenros (2009) introduce an important role of advertising in brand

Euthanasia and Whether it is Morally Justified and Hence Ethically Essay

Euthanasia and Whether it is Morally Justified and Hence Ethically Acceptable - Essay Example There is need for the act of assisted suicide to be morally justifiable to make it ethical. However, the major question is to whom the act is meant to justify morality to. Every case that requires euthanasia should be considered differently with its own tenets. The use of euthanasia is morally justifiable and is therefore ethically acceptable since the use requires the opinion of medical practitioners. If their expert opinion is considered after the condition of the individual is thoroughly analyzed to make sure that all actions to alleviate their pain has been taken and no other options are available, then it is crucial for euthanasia to be applied for the good of the individual as well as that of the people closest to him/her. Many people may argue that there is a higher power that guides human life and that only that power and that power alone is responsible for giving and ending human life. I differ with this position vehemently and I strongly believe in the power of the human be ing to derive his/her own destiny. The advances in technology have given people the power to claim expertise in a certain profession. This is no different for the medical practice. This means that they opinion of these experts should be regarded in light of the advances in technology. ... The theory further suggests that in order for an end to be arrived at, a principle or maxim which is supreme and devoid of human influence is followed. This is the sole scale on which the moral worth of any action is weighed. The theory believes that all human beings were created supreme and as such have it in them an inherent capability to decide what is either good or bad. The father of this theory, Immanuel Kant, strongly believed that a categorical imperative is what is responsible for the actions that human beings choose to follow. The fact that the maxims contained in this theory are universal and as thus are right. The simplicity of this theory is that if for example a maxim stated that killing people who you dislike holds true, then the human race would not exist as ultimately, we will be forced to end the lives of all who we dislike and consequently, those who do not like us will kills us. On that example alone, the Kantian theory tends to suggest that it is impossible for a maxim to be untrue or wrong as it is not ultimately decided by the human being himself but rather on a power that is beyond the human being himself. The theory however only holds true where the human being applying the maxim believes in it and follows it to the latter. The Kantian theory is flawed in some aspects. First, when a person conceives the maxim to hold true but it is no longer a means to an end, then the result may not be what is desired by the theory. The above consequence of the Kantian theory is interpreted as a perfect duty as the maxim has been upheld. In the case of the use of euthanasia, then the end of human life may not follow the maxim since its following will not be the best option for the afflicted

Black Holes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Black Holes - Essay Example Based on this concept of black hole, scientists have tried to describe unseen surface of the black hole as ‘event sphere’ that at a conflict, does not allow any particle or object to return and thus scientists explain event sphere as the point of no return. The scientists named black hole as black because of its properties that mainly include absorbing everything that comes into its reach resulting in everything disappearing, thus black. Quantum physics and mechanics have contributed significantly in understanding of black holes that indicate that although black holes absorb everything that comes in its reach, however, there have been observations of a very weak emission from the black holes that has a temperature, which is inversely proportional to the mass of the black hole (Taylor & Wheeler, 2000). Scientists believe that every galaxy has these black holes at their cores, which absorb all the left-out energies of these galaxies and thus they are denser and heavier than even the sun, which is a theoretical assumption and thus, has been criticised by many experts in the field who even do not believe in the existence of black holes. However, scientists who believe in black holes indicate that with their characteristic of absorbing everything, the black hole creates a spinning disk that confine nearby particles in the space. Few scientists have been successful in observing this accumulation-spinning disk on radio, x-ray, and gamma ray bands since emissions of black holes often become very warm and thus, come on the x-ray bands (Susskind & Lindesay, 2004). With these observations, a huge number of scientists have now proofs of real black hole at the core of Milky Way galaxy that is heavier than the four million solar masses, and it is assumed that this black hole has maintained its gravitational field and absorbing everything that comes in its vicinity. Due to this ability of black

Black reparations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Black reparations - Essay Example The central claims and organising and legal principles of the reparations movement are laid out in the Black Manifesto. The Manifesto is premised on the historical fact that the United States was constitutionally founded on slavery and that the persistence of racial inequality and injustice in American society is derived from slavery. The Manifesto articulates the legal principle for reparations for African Americans. According to Wade Henderson, Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, this principle affirms that for every wrong there is a remedy, and ... that remedy is not extinguished by time itself, particularly when the manifestations of the problem are current day and visible to all1. Judiciously, the Manifesto does not specify how to assess the damage for reparations, calling for congressional hearings to determine the basis for compensation. While the Manifesto implicates the US government as a principal benefactor and enforcer of slavery, it intentionally does not specify the form or forms of reparations, except to call for the establishment of a 'private trust', which may imply financial as well as other forms of restitution. Mazrui has delineated three categories of reparations considered during his membership of the Group of Eminent Persons. The Group was established by the Org anisation for African Unity (OAU) in 1992 to address reparations in the larger context of African slavery and colonisation. The categories, broadly defined, are 'capital transfer', 'skill transfer' and 'empowerment'. The first of the three is self-evident, implying financial compensation; the second concerns the acquisition of skills and presumably knowledge to compensate for the deprivation and underdevelopment caused by slavery and colonisation; the third, 'empowerment', calls for the apportionment to Africa of 'out of proportion power' in institutions like the World Bank and for veto authority in the Security Council of the United Nations. Within these three categories, reparations can take several forms. Historical context The call for reparations in the US is not of recent vintage. On his match through Confederate territory in 1865, General William Tecumseh Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15 on 16 January which reserved land largely in the Sea Islands and on the South Carolina and Georgia coasts for the settlement of freed blacks. That year, nearly 40,000 former slaves settled on 400,000 acres in the 'Sherman Reservation ( Levitt, 1997). Although Sherman (and his contemporaries who advocated land distribution) did not define this as reparations, he ordered that each family of ex-slaves be given not more than forty acres of tillable land' and 'subject to the approval of the President of the United States, a possessory title in writing ( Matsuda, 1987). However, the terms of the land distribution were unclear. Was the federal government leasing or giving title of the land to the ex-slaves When the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Land (aka the Freedmen's Bureau) was established in March 1865, Congress authorised it to lease confiscated or abandoned lands to former slaves who would have the option to 'purchase the land and receive such titles thereto as the United States can convey'. But President Johnson undermined the Bureau's efforts by ordering the restoration of property to the former Confederates he had pardoned. In

Linguistic analysis of Gypsie's (ROMANI) dialect of Cyprus (I WOULD Research Paper

Linguistic analysis of Gypsie's (ROMANI) dialect of Cyprus (I WOULD LIKE ONLY A PROPOSAL) - Research Paper Example Romani is a phenomenon of Indic language - the only one - spoken without interruption in Europe since medieval times (Gray 2003). Academic and ethnic studies have largely ignored the existence of this enclave: a glaring omission of which linguistic analysis is urgently required. This Cyprian pocket of Gypsies merits analysis and accurate recording, or the language of such a small and scattered population runs the risk of complete extinction within a few generations (Williams 2000). A detailed study will attempt to discover salient adaptations of this special dialect, and which linguistic system: morphological, phonological, lexical, or syntactical, carries the highest proportion of detectable loan adaptations. The lexical miscellany that survives does evolve, and therefore requires documentation (Trimiklitios 2008). Analysis is needed of certain terms and structures, as in this example: A project currently under way at Manchester University in England has the Romani language, its Indo-Aryan origins and history, and the diaspora of its speakers, under a magnifying glass. It studies ‘place, mobility and dialect differentiation of the Romani people’, exploring the linguistic features and their distribution in geographical space (Matras 2009), using interviews and custom software. Readings of this study and others like it will be invaluable: firstly to discern any mention of the Cypriot Kurbet, and then to understand different methodologies and styles of inquiry. It will provide an excellent launching point, show what already has been discovered and what problems solved, and help decision-making. It has already resolved matters of geneaolgy and culture. Starting with a similar foray into the history and culture of the Cypriot Kurbet, this proposal for research will deepen into an examination of the linguistic shifts and the reasons behind them, with the primary intention of setting up a lexicon of record. The plan is to carry out a

Freewrite in the Style of Susan Griffins Our Secret Scholarship Essay

Freewrite in the Style of Susan Griffins Our Secret - Scholarship Essay Example It reminds us of our humanity. We weep for a piece of bread at night. Let bygones be bygones, but if I have the soul of a Jew I will never again buy a German car, no matter how much I want a BMW. If I have the soul of a Jew I will never truly understand how we can look at disasters like Haiti and not be one of the people who constitute $396 M in donations to our darker brothers and sisters living on one-half of an island in the Caribbean. If I have the soul of a Jew I will never be able to look back at WWII history and not learn its lessons. The wisdom it teaches us. Freedom is a privilege, not a right. Many of us are yet still not free in this world. Tough times, repeated rhymes. Fourscore and seven years ago becomes a whimper in the background. Even though this life is full of sound and fury and signifying nothing, even though it may start with a bang and end with a whimper, still, this life is magnificent no matter how one slices it. This life is wonderful, no matter what happens, who tries to put you down, or who tries to destroy your good name. Men like myself are like torpedoes. From the inside out we distance ourselves away from others, aiming for the target, to pierce others with our consciousness. Silently we are thinking to ourselves, "And who are we to destroy" But deep within our consciousness lies the subtle fact that we owe our own destinies a shot at finding true meaning and relevance in a rickety world so poorly and yet so magnificently built. Truth was never yet found where darkness is considered king. But all of these days, we consider that man is simply a leave of grass that will be blown away with the summer wind. Nothing satiates our desires more perfectly than finding the right person with whom to share these personal pestilences, these difficulties, these mired-down missions in our petty lives. Nothing. With all of the history we refer back to, we realize that in the shadows, in the darkest recesses of our minds, nothing can compare to the hope we have when we come back and take ownership of our own destinies. Like the wind, we fly. Sincerest victory is not won by sitting idly by the sidelines. We must fight, we must struggle, we must dance to the death, our victory dance. We must realize ourselves. We must self-actualize. Dearly, we hold each other. In the light of each others' arms, we realize our true purpose in life, which is to love and be loved. "Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward."2 Because I have the soul of a Jew, I realize all my mistakes must be remedied by love, kindness, compassion, caring, and understanding. I realize my love must be like an overflowing ocean or river in order to manifest love. Because I have the soul of a Jew, I recognize all human pain and suffering. I will not turn a blind eye to the homeless, the destitute, or those who have needs and problems. My mind is racing. Without love in the world, there can be no great change. Without love in the world, there can be no catharsis. Without love in the world, there can be no healing. Because I see with the eyes of the oppressed, I am more free in my own being. I have more of an ability to identify with the needs of the suffering. I see the problems. I do not ignore them. I will not turn a blind eye to suffering when I see it in my life. When I see others in pain, I will see and do something. I will take action. I will be a force for change. I will do the right thing. I will get involved. I am trying to be the best man I can be. I am trying to be the best human being I can be. With God as my witness, I take an

Do elderly african americans trust their caucasian health care Research Paper

Do elderly african americans trust their caucasian health care providers Why or why not - Research Paper Example ere are also factors like lack of interpersonal communication, technical incompetency, ethnic differences which contribute towards the untrustworthiness and health care disparities (Lillie-Blanto et al 2000). Amongst the interpersonal skills, different linguistics builds communication barriers. Many of the providers are not familiar or adept with languages of their patients and their respective cultures. These attributes should be present as they, along with cultural competency, are vital for building a connection between them. According to the participants of the research, Understanding African Americans Views of the Trustworthiness of Physicians, their relationship with their doctors was not empathically interactive. Rather their doctors treated them with indifference and at times they â€Å"barely spoke to them† and without any examination suggested prescriptions. The callous and unsympathetic attitude of these providers led the patients to have a preference for ones who belonged to the same ethnic, racial and cultural background as theirs (A Jacobs et al 2006). Like the lack of communication and the insensitive attitude of the providers, their focus on profits also changes the African Americans perceptions about them. Similarly, another disconcerting rationale given is due to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study in 1932, where black males were incorrectly diagnosed without legitimate treatment. Later on, it embedded the fear of experimentation in their minds of people and reinforced health disparities among African Americans and others (Centre for disease control and prevention). These genuine concerns of the people should be considered and actions must be taken. Health issues should not be neglected or taken lightly. Given the strong cultural believes and values of the elderly African Americans and their right to be equally accepted in the society, small measures initiated will go a long way. To build one strong relationship, it’s imperative to consider the

A Possible case of Sexual Harassment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Possible case of Sexual Harassment - Essay Example "Sexual harassment means unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex affecting the dignity of women and men at work. This can include unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct (para 2.1). Thus a range of behaviour may be considered to constitute sexual harassment (para 2.2). The essential characteristic of sexual harassment is that it is unwanted by the recipient, that it is for each individual to determine what behaviour is acceptable to them and what they regard as offensive. (para 2.3)" (Barry) Once the situation is taken at the level of seriousness it merits, the idea of B refusing to approach you because she does not want to be called "a tattletale" would be dismissed. Here is a situation where action of some sort is warranted. Now, you might be tempted to pull up C immediately. This is to be entirely avoided, since there is no reported evidence-a private conversation is not evidence enough-neither is there a formal complaint. On top of that, one cannot be sure that what A is saying is true: It is unverified even if she has reported that several people were witnesses to the sexual advances she mentions. Finally, it is again improper to call a meeting of those present at the roll call to ascertain the facts. At this point, it should be realized that something needs to be done soon, since the harassment seems to be repeating. If what A is saying is true, and if B is indeed troubled by what is happening, it must be made official as soon as possible, and punitive and/or remedial action must be taken just as soon. The obvious idea now is to speak directly to B. However, there is a danger in this direct course of action-B might get upset with A for having reported the incident. Requesting that A ask B to speak to you directly is a solution that suffers from the same problem: B will know that A has reported the incident. We have not yet analyzed whether B wants the incident reported, but it is incorrect to assume that she does. A possible workaround is to ask A to make up a story. She could say to B that she approached you about a problem, and that you were sympathetic and helpful-and that you assured her you would keep the matter in strict confidence. This might give B the required confidence to approach you directly. We must now speak about the protagonist himself. You might have developed a reputation of being unapproachable, or it might be generally believed that you cannot handle a situation in the appropriate manner-which could be why B is afraid of approaching you. If you trust your capabilities, you, as sergeant, could call a general meeting before attempting to resolve B's issue, reassuring everyone in your team that they can approach you with whatever issues they may have, that information will be kept in confidence if required, and so on. Your image in the team needs to be bolstered, and perhaps the most straightforward way to achieve this is to address all team members publicly. We now turn to officer B. What is

The History and Development of the ECCE in Ireland Essay Example for Free

The History and Development of the ECCE in Ireland Essay A, The History and development of the ECCE in Ireland The environments in which our youngest children live, grow and play have changed dramatically over the past century. For the best part of the twentieth century, young children were cared for in the family home and went to school sometime after the age of three. For much of that time, Irish society was largely agrarian based and children worked on the farm; work which had economic value to the family. Families were large, twice as large on average as those in the rest of Europe for most of the century. Children lived in households which frequently comprised members of the extended family. Emigration was a way of life and many children must have grown up in the knowledge that they would leave and not return. The Catholic Church and the State operated a symbiotic relationship in relation to many aspects of Irish life, including education, following Independence. In particular, the Church appears to have had considerable influence in terms of family life, a position consolidated by the 1937 Constitution. Changes began to occur in the 1950s when increasing industrialisation and urbanisation began to have an impact. Around this time, too, family size began to reduce. It was not until the 1970s, though, that substantial numbers of women began to enter – and stay in – the paid workforce. This was partly due to the lifting of the marriage bar in the civil service and the beginnings of movement towards parity of pay and rights for women with their male colleagues following Ireland’s entry into the European Economic Community (EEC). Out-of-home care arrangements for children then became a necessity for some families. Contemporary experience With changes in family patterns, more children are now living in smaller families, one parent families or in disparate families. Young children in contemporary Irish families are experiencing substantially different parenting trends, not least of which is that many now have the more active involvement of their fathers as well as their mothers. Traditionally, parents tended to concentrate more on the physical well-being of their children, whereas now they are increasingly concerned with their children’s holistic development, including their cognitive, emotional and social development. Widespread dissemination of research on child development in popular and accessible media formats, such as television programmes and self-help books on child development and parenting, indicate interest among the population on such issues. Such a media profile for child development also suggests an increased awareness among parents of the importance of this stage of life, and of the importance of supporting children’s optimal development. However, there is also the possibility that such media will exert pressure on parents in suggesting that parenting is a complicated and fraught occupation, with the margins for error being frighteningly wide, and the possibilities for success intimidatingly narrow. In fact, parents get it right even in difficult circumstances. Impact of socio-economic change While there is greater sensitivity to children’s needs in the holistic sense, there are depleted resources, notably time, within families and communities to meet them. Many aspects of the socio-economic context, including the organization of work and work/life balance, are not child friendly. House prices have risen enormously and consequently, the difficulty in finding affordable housing in central parts of cities such as Dublin has meant that many people, particularly young couples, have had to move out into the surrounding counties. The road and rail infrastructure is unable to meet the new demand and many people have had to succumb to lengthy hours of commuting. Stress and tiredness caused by parents’ commuting and work is likely to put pressure on children’s quality of life within their families. There is an element of irony in the fact that while children are experiencing more environments in their day-to-day lives in comparison to children even thirty years ago, we now find it necessary to plan for children’s access to, in particular, the outdoor environment. Parental and adult concern for the child’s safety and security means that the range of places in which children can play has shrunk, particularly in urban areas. Traffic volumes, development of green spaces and fear for children being out and about without adult supervision contributes to a contraction of freedom for children. Additionally, it would appear that children are spending increasing time in front of computers and televisions with consequent health risks, including diminished outdoor play, physical inactivity and obesity. Employment and childcare While unemployment was endemic during most of the 1980s, Ireland has experienced increasingly high levels of employment over the past ten years or so. Employment growth and a greater demand for labour, coupled with the need for dual income households to meet the cost of housing, impacted on female work force participation rates. Mothers’ employment participation rates in Ireland are comparatively high. Because of relatively short leave entitlements after the birth of a child, more mothers of young children are in employment in Ireland than in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. The obvious consequence of these circumstances is that more children are now being cared for outside the home than heretofore, despite continuing shortages of provision. Much of the increase in supply has occurred in the private commercial sector where costs to parents are among the highest in Europe. Substantial percentages of mothers working full-time and part-time use no paid childcare at all, indicating a reliance on informal provision provided by family or friends. There is very limited information on the nature and quality of the many and varied forms of childcare and pre-school provision for children who attend out-of-home settings. Implications for ECCE provision There are several implications emanating from this position, but just one will be considered here; that of the young child’s right to educational provision. To be meaningful, life-long learning must be conceptualised on a continuum which begins at birth. There are good reasons, based on the knowledge we now have on the efficacy of early education and the magnitude of young children’s potential for learning, for making provision for children from birth. However, a more fundamental argument relates to the young child’s right to education in the same way that older children are entitled to educational provision. This position is underpinned by the UNCRC (UN, 1989). Care and Education Provision for young children in Ireland has been fragmented and many of the fault lines can be traced to the historical understanding of care and education as being separate forms of provision. It is not difficult to see how this fracture developed historically here in Ireland. Home and School The national school system was established in 1831 and there were enough infants (3-5 year olds) in the system by 1872 to warrant a specific infant programme. Figures from the mid-1940s indicate that by then, over 48,000 children between the ages of three and five were in the system. These figures represent substantial numbers of young children in school. It is possible that this indicates that parents placed a high value on their children’s education and may explain why the national or primary school system here in Ireland has, since its inception, been regarded as concerned exclusively with ‘education’. Throughout the period referred to above, children were ‘cared for’ at home up until the point at which they began to attend school. These two contexts of ‘care’ and ‘education’ were quite different, and that difference seems to have been translated to mean mutually exclusive. While there is very little documented evidence about the care of young children at home, it appears that care was primarily the responsibility of the mother. Families were large and older siblings were involved in looking after younger children. While there were differences in urban and rural contexts, the extended family, particularly grandmothers, who often lived in the family home, were involved. Home and school were the two contexts in which children spent time so, even before the concepts were considered, it is possible to see the genesis of our traditional conceptualisation of care as what happens up to the age of three or so, and education as what happens after that. Revised Programme, 1900 One of the most remarkable stages in that history was the Revised Programme of 1900 (Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, 1901), though this is a somewhat arbitrary starting point. Even before this time, the philosophies of Rousseau, Froebel, Pestalozzi and Dewey had influenced individuals who put such theories into practice here. In fact, one might locate the provenance of the concept of child-centred practice with these theorists. The Revised Programme is strikingly familiar to the modern reader. It was influenced by Frobelian principles and incorporated heuristic approaches to teaching and learning. It advocated development from within rather than moulding from without, promoted the integration of subject areas and emphasised the environment as a context for the child’s learning. The Revised Programme advocated teaching content in an integrated manner, breaking with the tradition at that time of compartmentalising knowledge. Unfortunately, however, the necessary finances for equipment, training and implementation were never put in place. While the Revised Programme led to improvements in the dire state of infant education, the Dale Report (Dale, 1904) still found that this was one of the weakest elements of the system. Then, as now, no matter how good the curriculum, it is dependent for effectiveness on resourcing, training and investment. 1922 and 1948 curricular change A very different approach was taken in the curriculum introduced in 1922 following the foundation of the Irish Free State (National Programme Conference, 1922). This approach moved the focus off the young child onto curriculum content, specifically the Irish language, which was to be re-established as part of the socio-political transformation of Ireland following independence. The curricular changes introduced meant that the restoration of the Irish language became the primary aim of infant education. Following some years of implementation of this programme, teachers expressed deep reservations about its effect, stating that it inhibited the child intellectually, repressed the natural urge for self-expression and led to some children being mentally and physically damaged. This programme was replaced by the Revised Programme for Infants (Department of Education [DoE], 1948) in 1948, which returned to the values and direction espoused by the 1900 Revised Programme. However, due to continuing requirements regarding the teaching of Irish, it proved difficult to implement the philosophy of this programme. New Curriculum, 1971 Major curricular change occurred in 1971 with the introduction of the New Curriculum (DoE, 1971). Play was an integral part of this curriculum which was designed to cater for the full and harmonious development of each child, with an inherent flexibility to adapt to the needs of children of varying abilities and cultural backgrounds. However, the economic recession of the 1970s meant that the comprehensive network of supports for teachers which was envisaged did not materialise. Class size remained very large during the period following the introduction of the New Curriculum. Spending on education increased over the following decades, and while class size remained an issue at this time, the number of teaching posts in the system increased substantially. This relates to the introduction of schemes such as Home/School/Community Liaison (HSCL) and the expansion of Special Needs provision. Revised Curriculum, 1999 The 1999 Revised Curriculum (DES, 1999b) is designed to nurture children in all dimensions of their lives. In-service training is ongoing for teachers and structures (e.g. the Primary Curriculum Support Programme [PCSP] and the School Development Planning Service [SDPS]) have been put in place to support its roll-out into schools. A close study of these consecutive curricula illustrates the evolving understandings of concepts such as childcentred and holistic education in Ireland. Developments in provision One of the consequences of the relative economic prosperity of the 1960s was to increase interest and focus on education. From around this period, education became a new catalyst for social mobility, possibly on account of the introduction of free secondary education. Parents became increasingly anxious that their children’s future opportunities would be enhanced through education. Ireland’s increased involvement with international organisations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Office (UNESCO), the OECD and the UN, allied with the aspiration to become a member of the EEC, contributed to a lessening of the insularity which had been a feature of the previous period. There was a shift in focus from social expenditure in relation to education and children to one of investment in the individual, the economy and society.

Study On Comprehensive Mental Health Nursing Assessment

Study On Comprehensive Mental Health Nursing Assessment A written account of a comprehensive mental health nursing assessment and plan of care for a selected client who has multiple health problems. This account must critically reflect on communication with other agencies and evidence of working with the client and or family in a collaborative manner. Particular attention should be paid to national policies in this area and evidence of best practice. In this assignment it will define and discuss a nursing intervention for a client with a long enduring mental health illness. A systematic approach will be used the nursing process and the role of the mental health nurse will be clearly identified in providing care for the client. The nursing process consists of four stages, the assessment, planning, implementing and evaluation. This problem solving approach will be adopted to structure, organise, and present the nursing intervention. A fully detailed clients profile will be given. The mental health assessment and plan process will also be addressed. The client will be involved in the whole process as far as possible in order to empower him / her, a plan that is person centred and interventions that are evidence based will be displayed in the assignment. In this profile a pseudonym (James) will be used in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC, 2002) to maintain confidentiality. The need of the Multi Displinary Team (MDT) for collaboration will be discussed in order to safe guard the patient to share skills and knowledge and to improve the quality of care. James is a 65 year old man with a diagnosis of severely depression and excessive alcohol intake. He was detained under section 3 of the mental health act (1983) at a low secure unit. James was admitted into the unit 12 months ago his index offence being physical assault and attempted suicide through an overdose with his prescribed medication for his depression and insomnia. He shares the house with four other men in the unit. James is potentially active and usually manages his day to day living activities as well as attending day care sessions without much prompting. However, he had recently become very reluctant to attend to his personal hygiene. This became worse when James started going for days without washing or bathing himself. His room was never cleaned hence having a bad odour because of his leg ulcer and he refuses the Tissue Viability Nurse (TV) to change the dressings regularly. Care Programme Approach (1991) which aims to improve the co-ordination of services and collabor ation between the various agencies, carers and service user. The introduction of the CPA in (1991) was to provide shape, coherence to what had often been haphazard, uncoordinated attempts to provide support in the care for people with severe mental illnesses (DOH1991). CPA is a statutory framework within which bio-psycho-social needs assessments is carried out (Norman and Ryrie 2004). This odour was because James would not change allowing the TV nurse to dress his leg ulcer for days. At his previous review meeting, issues around his hygiene had been viewed as hazardous to his health and also the health of staff since there were times when they would have to go into his room now and again. If James had no day care sessions to attend to he would sit and watch television. James also had a fairly huge appetite, he was observed to be frequently asking for more food at meal times. The other factor that proved he had a huge appetite was that he always asked for tea and biscuits several times between meals. This could be seen as poor eating patterns as Henderson (2001) implied that frequent binging is a factor behind poor eating patterns. Concerns about his weight gain had recently been discussed in his review meeting. James had of late become very withdrawn, wanting to be alone all the time. In an interview with him, he expressed how he felt useless and not having any fa ith in himself. He said he felt this was because his peers were looking down upon him because of his poor hygiene. James was referred to our team for five day assessment prior to facilitate discharge. James had a psychosocial assessment by the mental health nurse and the student at the day hospital. Good psychosocial assessments could be therapeutic to the client because it might be their fist time to be able to discuss different aspects of their problems or a particular problem with anyone (Rose and Barnes 2008). The assessment is important in enabling the development of a care plan that is person centred that could stabilise Jamess conditions and endeavour to improve his quality of life. Care plans and working practices should be person centred. The recover model also require a person centred approach so that clients can explore their thoughts, feelings, lives and to discover more accepting sense of self (Repper Perkins 2007). James had a high score of 19 / 21 on the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al 1961 cited by Norman and Ryrie 2007 pg 201,438). However, all self report inventories there is a possibility that clients may exaggerate or under-present symptoms resulting in low score to avoid further interventions (Castillo 2003). In this case the results from the inventory were therefore only be used as a guideline. The Department of Health (DOH 2001) properly targeted assessment and active care management promotes older peoples independence through preventing deterioration and managing crises. It further states that proper assessments may reduce demand for services through assessing need more accurately and by ensuring services remain appropriate to needs, such systematic assessment is also valued by the older people. Standard seven of the National Service Framework (NSF) for older adults advices professionals on treatment of depression and National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2001) focused in the management of Depression NICE. These guidelines set clear proposals of tackling social exclusion, promotion of partnership working of the NHS and Social services, ensuring high standards of care and provision of quicker treatment, safe , sound and supportive services for people who suffer from depression. According to Redfern and Ross (1997) depression in elderly people is often undetected because elderly people will often complain of physical illness and physical aspects of depression rather than the depressed mood itself; moreover, they are not aware that depression is a distinct disorder which is treatable. Norman and Ryrie (2004) further state that most clinicians perceive depression as a normal ageing process and in this context the writer feels that professionals have to be more educated or increase their knowledge in recognising depression in elderly as they are the main gate keepers and misdiagnosed depression is a serious issue as most people will go untreated or undetected. The DOH (2001) could be seen to be in support with above view when they state that under-detection of mental illness in older people is widespread, due to the nature of the symptoms and the fact that many older people live alone. Depression in people aged 65 and over is especially under-diagnosed and this is particularly true of residents in care homes, mental and physical problems can also interact in older people making their overall assessment and management more difficult and mental health problems may be perceived by older people as well as by professionals and their families, as an inevitable consequence of ageing, and not as health problems which will respond to treatment.   These findings call for health professionals to be thorough when working with people with multiple health problems like James. During the assessment it became apparent that James became severely depressed following the death of his wife and losing his family and the family house. He was struggling to cope with loosing his house and moving into a residential home. He expressed feelings of loneliness and that he missed his family and neighbours. Depression in older people is under detected and under treated due to the ageists misconception of thinking its normal in this group. Symptoms displayed reflected that James was feeling depressed as according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD 10) 1992 the key symptoms of depression are depressed mood, loss of enjoyment or interest, lack of concentration, disturbed sleep, ideas of self harm or suicide. James had made frequent remarks of ending his life but could not further elaborate on how he intends to do this when asked by staff. This is recognised as a serious risk, it is difficulty to establish these symptoms. However, older people are more likely than younger people to experience anxiety and memory loss as symptoms of depression (Pillai 1997). James lost contact with his family because they didnt want to know him due to his mental illness. There is a mounting evidence of discrimination experienced by people with mental health problems within their families and in the community (Dunn 1999). Beck et al (1998) defined health as that which includes dimensions of being, such as biological, social, spiritual and cultural. In this nursing intervention the nurse will be involved in the promotion of Jamess health and social well-being. Mathews (1996) emphasised that nurses need to follow a problem solving approach when intervening to the care of patients. The mental health nurse will use the nursing process to do a nursing intervention on Jamess care because Alan (1991) stated that the nursing process is a problem solving approach to care. The four stages of the nursing process will be followed step by step. The Maslows (1954) hierarchy of needs will be used to guide the nurse in the care planning. This hierarchy summarizes all human needs. Pillings (1991) mentioned that it is essential that peoples needs are satisfied regardless of whether they are ill or well. Abraham Maslow provides us with considerable information about human needs regardless of their well being. The rationale for using Maslows hierarchy of needs as an assessment tool is that Maslow expresses that physiological needs must be dealt with first otherwise the person will die. The nurse therefore felt that James lacked mostly the ability to satisfy his physiological needs more than his other needs. Without meeting his physiological needs, in this case poor hygiene and unhealthy eating, James would not be able to gain his self esteem. The priority needs therefore identified during the assessment process were poor hygiene, excessive alcohol intake, poor eating habits and suicidal thoughts. According to Roper et al (1983) a model is an artefact, which provides growing points for new ideas. Newton (1991) defined a model as a collection of mental images of what nursing should be like, which provides structure and direction to achieve its goal. The nursing model chosen for this intervention was the Roper, Logan and Tierneys (1983) Activities of Daily Living. This model was chosen as it uses a systematic approach and follows Maslow by looking at physiological needs first. The nurse decided to plan health promotion activities so as to improve and prevent any more deterioration to Jamess health. Kemn and Close (1995) maintained that health promotion is, among many definitions and approaches, defined as encompassing activities meant to prevent disease and illness, and improving the well-being of the community. Prior to the assessment, James was informed of the process. This was done in accordance with Newton (1991) who states that people should be given choice and autonomy and be able where possible to make their own decisions both trivial and important. The nurse worked through the four stages of assessment as required in the Roper, Logan and Tierney (1983) model. This was done by collecting information about James, reviewing the collected information, identifying Jamess problems then identifying priorities among the problems. Orems self care model (1985) could have also been ideal to use in Jamess assessment. This model emphasizes that individuals initiate and perform activities on their own behalf in maintaining life, health and well-being. As noted earlier, James needed a lot of prompting when it came to his self care therefore this model could be used to help James achieve the need of personal cleansing without much prompting. Brown (1995) stated that planning is the activity whereby nurses can decide on the necessary actions on the basis of the identified needs. When planning clients care nurses need to think of the aim, goal and objectives. An aim is a desired long-term outcome to be achieved in a specified time (Ewles and Simnett, 1999). In this case the aim was to help James understand the importance of eating appropriate food in relation to issues surrounding his weight. The other aim was to help him understand the importance of good hygiene in relation to his health and well being. Goals established in this case were to:- encourage James to adopt a healthy lifestyle by healthy eating. encourage James to prevent diseases by practicing good hygiene. According to Fawcett et al (1997), objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic and time framed. Kiger et al (1995) stated that an objective is what the teacher intends to achieve. In this case James will:- Eat only reasonable amounts of food during meal times. In order to have a healthy body and to avoid a risk of developing diabetes. Over weight in James situation is bad for his leg ulcer. Avoid unhealthy binging between meals. Bath himself daily. Change his socks daily. Put all dirty socks for laundry. Implementation is focused at the actual way the client carries out activities and the intention is to minimise disruptions, (Newton, 1991). James will be empowered with knowledge and confidence by providing him with one to one teaching and written information. Jamess named nurse would arrange some one to one sessions so as to encourage him to eat healthy. The nurse will also refer James to a dietician concerning issues about his weight. Educative leaflets on healthy eating will also be made available to James. Staffs who work with James will need to go for training on healthy eating. This would widen their knowledge leading to them supplementing biscuits for fruits so that James binges on fruits instead of biscuits. One to one sessions will be offered every time James fails to attend to his personal hygiene. During such sessions the nurse will attempt to work in a way not to force James to attend to his personal hygiene, but encourage him instead. The nurse will also seek to obtain J amess own views about issues surrounding his personal hygiene she will achieve this by asking open-ended instead of closed questions. Understanding his own views about the issue will help the nurse work around encouraging him more effectively. James expressed a felt need when he discussed his feelings of uselessness and having no faith in himself. The nurse then decided to draw up a care plan for James. Ewles and Simnett (1992) stated that the purpose of an action plan is to detail that who is going to do what and when. Newton (1991) mentioned that evaluation is directly linked with care planning and is best defined as simply determining the extent to which goals have been achieved. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO, 1981), evaluation refers to judgement based upon careful assessment and critical appraisal of given situations, which should reach sensible conclusions and useful proposals. It is therefore apparent that evaluation is an important issue in health promotion because it assists to judge the worthiness of an activity. According to Naidoo and Wills (1994), evaluation addresses participants perceptions and reaction to health promotion interventions and identifies the factors that support on impede the activities. They explain impact evaluation as referring to immediate effects whereas outcome evaluation refers more to long term consequences. In Jamess care plan, evaluating his health promotion activity would involve the following:- Checking his weight using a body mass index was to check if he is overweight and to refer him to the dietician. Checking if James has gained any understanding about the importance of good personal hygiene. Checking if he has adopted any healthy eating habits. Get feedback from James, other staff and dietician and accept suggestions. The nurse will ask herself how the process went and what could be done differently to improve the quality of care in her future practice. According to Rose and Kay (1995), the role of a mental health nurse is a multidimensional in nature which comprises of the assessment of needs, health surveillance, enhanced therapeutic skills, developing personal skills, management and leadership, enablement and empowerment and coordination of services. An intervention is said to be more effective if it encompasses aspects like choice, empowerment and client involvement together with the client centred approach. Valuing People (2001) would be seen to be supporting this statement by emphasising on person centred planning. Applying person centred planning would help James assert control over his life hence empowerment. Throughout this intervention, the nurse maintained a good rapport with James which reflected the process of empowerment. According to the (NMC, 2002), nurses have a duty to care. In this intervention, this was practiced when the nurse identified Jamess needs and used assessment tools and methods that are highly reliable and valid. For interventions to be successful, the smart system should be applied (Brown, 1997). Smart stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and teachable. This was applied to Jamess case as the process clearly had specific aims and gaols. The nurse asked open-ended questions during the one to one sessions so as to help James feel comfortable and free to say out his own views. This could also be viewed as practising in accordance with Brown (1997) who states that putting the clients feelings, way of thinking and behaviour first helps makes teaching a success. The nurse did not attempt to clean Jamess room for him but just emphasised on encouraging him. By doing so, independence was being practiced. Brandon and Hawkes (1998) emphasised that independence can be achieved through empowerment and choice. The nurse also practiced partnership working by referring James to a dietician. It could be said that by so doing, the nurse was in recognition of her limitations. A great knowledge on the different aspects of care planning was gained. This included assessment which had proved to be a vital component of care planning. In the planning stage the nurse gained an understanding of how to address clients needs and take into consideration any necessary factors. These factors included the cognitive abilities of people with mental illness. The nurse felt that her communication skills for future practice had been enhanced as good interpersonal skills are vital for delivering holistic care. The nurse gained a more depth understanding of the role of the mental health nurse which includes empowering the clients and encouraging them to engage in activities carried out by the general population and not forgetting to take into consideration important issues like their disability. This essay has detailed the different aspects of care planning. It has also emphasised the imperative role the mental health nurse plays in the health of people with mental illness. This is echoed by the (NMC 2002), which states that nurses should act to identify and minimise the risk to clients. The whole activity has shown that in a nursing intervention there are a lot of other things to take into consideration. Its been apparent that its not only the nursing process that helps achieve goals but together with all the other principles which involve the role of the nurse, consent, empowerment and multi-agency working.

Macbeth Essay -- essays research papers

Macbeth is an epic tragedy inspiring pity and remorse because the hero, though flawed, is also shown to be human. The play portrays a journey of self-discovery and awareness as both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth pass from happiness to misery. Their punishment is well deserved but the retributive price is enormous. Evil, both internal and external corrupts their minds, distorting their positive traits and exaggerating their worst. Both fall victim to ‘vaulting ambition’, pride and greed, tempting them to acts of treason and betrayal of friends, kinsman and the nation itself. Warfare on the battlefield mirrors the metaphorical warfare being played out between the forces of good and evil within them. Spurred by ambition, supernatural solicitation and by the taunting of his wife, Macbeth deliberately chooses to embark on what he knows to be an evil course. From the moment he listens with ‘rapt’ attention to the witches, he allows himself to be drawn further and further into a vision of hell. The audience accompanies him into a morass of nightmares, ghosts, bloody visions and false prophecies. Abnormal conditions of mind such as insanity, sleep walking and hallucinations demonstrate his moral and emotional decline. We are given insight into their feelings of agitation, anxiety, fear, determination and regret which minimises the horror of the murder. Macbeth’s soliloquies voice his inner thoughts, making him an object of pity as well as a fascinating portrait of evil. A psychological change takes place as we witness the valiant general become a ruthless murderer. Although conscious of this evil transformation, he cannot resist the process. Ambition has become a powerful drug, usurping his reason and will as he lurches towards personal disaster. Brutality hardens him and his misrule brings suffering and chaos to Scotland. Macbeth Macbeth exhibits many of the traditional attributes of a tragic hero. Courage, determination, intelligence and moral awareness are clearly evident in his actions in the early scenes. His reputation is high and he holds a noble, aristocratic position of power and influence. He is introduced as a courageous general, worthy of respect and honour, brave, valiant, noble, imaginative, kind, ambitious, loving and artless. ‘Brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name.’ He is ambitious for public acclaim, recognition and wants to appear great and adm... ...cating Macbeth with his first words "So foul and fair a day I have not seen". His actions unsettle the moral and natural order, consequently his authority is repudiated and overthrown. Macbeth's usurpation is not rewarded "upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, / And put a barren sceptre in my gripe" (III.i.60), he committed an unnatural act. Lady Macbeth's precipitation of these actions is punished accordingly, ironically after the murder of Duncan she suggests that "These deeds must not be thought / After these ways: so, it will make us mad" (II.ii.33). The entire mood of the play is effected by the disruption of nature. Repeated images of darkness, blood, and violence contribute to this tone The vision of the dagger, the murder of Duncan, the murder of Banquo, the sleep-walking of Lady Macbeth, all occur in the darkness of night and evoke for Macbeth a feeling of fear and horror . Again the dramatic verse intertwines the language and themes. The theme of transformation was apparent in Macbeth, the hero esteemed by his peers, however through his desire for power he transformed into a man obsessed with his desires, his tragedy was his downfall

The Hemingway Code Hero and The Old Man in the Sea Essay -- Essays Pap

The Hemingway Code Hero and The Old Man in the Sea The Old Man and the Sea is a beloved novel because of the style in which Hemingway writes, his idea of a hero, and how he applied it affectively. The code for his heroes way in which they act with courage, always strive to prove them selves one more time, not to complain about their suffering. The writing techniques brought the story in to full multimedia life by letting the reader see what is going on. Finally, the way it all just seems to fit together in the end. The Hemingway code is an idea of what all heroes have in common. In the words of Irving Howe, "There emerges...the characteristics hero of the Hemingway world: the hero who was wounded the bears his wound in silence who is sensitive to but scorns to devalue his feelings into words who is defeated but finds a remnant of dignity in an honest confrontation of defeat."(232) This code is a code of honor to all who attain it. Even in today's life we can find this hero. Take a fireman, there is a fire ripping a building to shreds with its furry. The firemen come in to the blazing wreck insuring that they will get burnt. Bearing their wounds in silence. When they save the last family in that building they would cheer and go on how brave he was and he would think of it as a days work. But, if he did not save that last family member he would find pride in not having all the family members died in the building. What is the Hemingway Code? It’s had the fear of death on your back but you will still fight on. And, even if you do not completely finish the task you still find pride in what you did. One of Hemingway’s best novels was The Old Man and the Sea fore it was a story of skill. Santiago, the hero, is an elderly man tanned and wrinkled from fishing all his life and from that he is skilled with the art of the task. â€Å"He kept {the lines} Straighter than anyone did, so that at each level in the darkness of the stream there would be a bait waiting exactly where he wished it to be for any fish that swam there.†(32) This alone shows how precise he was about fishing, proving his skills of a fisherman. If he did not keep the lines straight down they can all be at the same level. Then, only the fish around that one level, which would a shallower part of water, could smell and maybe take the bait. At that if it was in shallow water where the ... ... hero, and how he applied it affectively. The code for his heroes way in which they act with courage, always strive to prove them selves one more time, not to complain about their suffering. The writing techniques that brought the story in to full multimedia life by letting the reader see what is going on. In conclusion, this book is perfect. Works Cited Butterfield, Herbie. â€Å"Ernest Hemingway,† in American Fiction: New Readings. (1983): 184-199. Rpt. In Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Richard Gray. Vol 41. Detroit, Gale, 1985, 456-457. Fiedler, Leslie. â€Å"The Death of the Old Men,† in his Waiting for the End. (1964): 9-19. Rpt. In Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Carolyn Riley. Vol. 3. Detroit, Gale, 1975, 232-233. ---. â€Å"An Almost Imaginary Interview Hemingway in Ketchlum.† In Partisan Review. (1962) Rpt. In Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Carolyn Riley. Vol. 3. Detroit, Gale, 1975, 232-233. Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1952 Howe, Irving. A World More Attractive: A View of Modern Literature and Politics. (1963): 65-70. Rpt. In Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Carolyn Riley. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 1975, 232-233.

Witches :: essays research papers

Witches American history has few subjects as interesting as witchcraft, because it confronts us with many Ideas about women. It confronts us with fears about women, the place of women in society, and with women themselves. Also, it confronts us with violence against women and how the problems of society were often blamed on women. Even though some men were executed as during periods of witch hunting, witches were generally thought of as women and most who died in the name of witchcraft were women. In the United States, witchcraft took place among too educated of people to dismiss it as mere "superstition." (P.10) The first person that was executed, as a witch, in America was Margaret Jones, in 1648. Jones was a midwife and lay healer, who was accused of several different practices. Minister John Hale, who witnessed Jones's hanging in Boston when he was a boy, later said that she "was suspected partly because that after some angry words passing between her and her Neighbors, some mischief befell such neighbors in their Creatures, or the like: [and] partly because some things supposed to be bewitched, or have a Charm upon them, being burned, she came to the fire and seemed concerned." (P.20) Hale included neither of these charges in his list of the evidence presented against Jones, but suggested that the crimes had to do with her medical practice. She was accused of having a "malignant touch," Hale noted, and her medicines were said to have "extraordinary violent effects." When people refused to take her medical advice, he added, "their diseases and hurts continued, with relapse against the ordinary course, and beyond the apprehension of all physicians and surgeons."(P.21) Hale also mentioned that Jones was believed to possess psychic powers: "some things which she foretold came to pass accordingly; other things she could tell of ... she had no ordinary means to come to the knowledge of."(P.20) John Hale pointed out that several of Jones's neighbors tried to get her to confess and repent. One of them, he said, "prayed her to consider if God did not bring this punishment upon her for some other crime, and asked, if she had not been guilty of stealing many years ago." (P.22)Jones admitted the theft, but she refused to accept it as a reason for her conviction as a witch. Hale's writings, on the other hand, showed that stealing, and other crimes such as fornication and infanticide, were regularly associated with witchcraft, by both the clergy and the larger population . . . " (p. 22) This first account, in Karlsens' study, brings to the surface some of

Brave New Brain

AP PsychologyName Chp 2: Neuroscience Questions for Brave New Brain, Chapter 4 by Nancy C. Andreasen Read this packet carefully & completely. The reading is very long, complex & detailed. Consider it a primer reading to help you study the brain. As you read feel free to highlight or underline the actual text as needed. These study questions are to help you key in on what is important. Be sure to answer each question fully and completely. I expect you to TYPE the answers. You may find it easier to save a copy from my webpage and fill in the questions as you go instead of retyping the questions.Due to the length of this assignment it will count as a test grade. (HINT: Questions go in order) 1. What are the three (3) types of brain tissue? ~Gray matter, white matter, and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 2. List the two (2) neurodegenerative disorders that destroy cell bodies. ~Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s 3. What does the cell body do for the neuron? ~Performs basic command functi ons 4. Why does â€Å"cerebral cortex† mean â€Å"bark of the brain†? ~The nerve cell bodies are highly concentrated on the surface of the brain, causing it to look like tree bark 5.What does â€Å"subcortical† literally mean? ~Below the cortex 6. Name the two (2) demyelinating diseases listed in the text. What do these types of diseases do? ~Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) both harm the white matter of the brain and cut the ties that allow the neurons to communicate with one another 7. What are ventricles? ~Parts inside the brain that carry CSF 8. Name two of the three important functions that CSF carries out. ~Contain nutrients and byproducts of brain activity to help the brain ~Replace issing brain tissue 9. What are gyri and sulci? Why do we have them? Draw a diagram to explain. ~Ridges and dips that cover the surface of the human brain in order for the brain to have enough neurons and stay at a healthy size, because the brain has to do adjusting and when it does, it creates the gyri and sulci 10. How does the brain grow? List and explain in detail each of the seven (7) steps in Table 4-1 on page 45: neuron formation, neuron migration, proliferation of dendrites and spines, synaptogenesis, myelination, pruning, and apoptosis.You may have to read into the text to explain in detail. ~Neuron formation happens a few months after fetus conception, and when DNA begins to send instructions to cells telling them to differentiate into nerve cells and some to change into liver or heart cells. After a sufficient number of nerve cells accumulate, the neurons then embark on a journey known as neuron migration. Pathfinder cells called glia guide the neurons to a new territory where they will create the cerebral cortex and the various subcortical gray matter parts of the brain.After the brain divides into two sides and the cells organize themselves according to the role that they will play in the activities of the brai n, dendrites and spines are formed (when each neuron sprouts dendrites that extend themselves by sprouting spines). Synapses are communication points that allow many cells to communicate with each other at the same time and mature and change in a process called synaptogenesis. Myelination occurs when axons are covered and insulated by fat layers, which increase the information speed between neurons.Lastly, pruning and apoptosis must occur to create a balance of connections within the brain because of the excess number of unnecessary cells and connections in the brain. Pruning trims the back overgrowth of dendrites and spines, and apoptosis removes the excess in a process known as programmed cell death. 11. What role does DNA play in neural development? ~It provides basic instructions in neural development with a concept called â€Å"brain plasticity† 12. Explain the following in your own words: â€Å"neurons that wire together, fire together. ~Nerve cells that are built toge ther and are stimulated at the same time will produce the same reaction 13. What is LTP or long term potentiation? What major neurotransmitter facilitates LTP? ~LTP is when the size of a neural response increases after stimulation, and is facilitated by Glutamate 14. What does the hippocampus do? ~One of the major memory regions of the brain and stores memories; is the home for much LTP activity with Glutamate 15. What did Hubel & Wiesel win the Nobel Prize for? Specifically explain their experiment on vision & critical periods. Their discoveries about the brain by conducting an experiment involving covering the eye of a very young animal and observing cell alignment and how it impacted the function of the good eye and bad eye. Later, they uncovered the bad eye and determined that it was too late for it to develop like the good eye. 16. What is a critical period (relate this term to more than vision)? ~When an area of the brain (vision, touch, or speaking) develop fully. For some pa rts, timing is crucial and proper development will be lost if stimulation doesn’t occur at the correct time. 17.In your own words explain the following quote on page 49: â€Å"Sometimes single powerful experiences affect our brains for life. † ~It doesn’t take something crazy to alter the brain. If the experience is strong, a sole experience can produce a lasting impact. 18. In your own words explain the following quote on page 50: There is â€Å"†¦ a false polarity between physical and psychological†¦ † ~People think that treatments for depression or anxiety require physical biological treatment, but sometimes non-biological methods can produce the same or stronger results. 19. What is agenesis?How is it caused? Explain fully!!! ~An abnormality of the fetal brain caused by alcohol exposure; nerve cells in the two hemispheres fail to send axons between each other and communicate. 20. What are some social consequences of LTP and human experience mentioned on page 51. ~Over exposure to TV or violence when young can cause children to develop a passive learning style or become insensitive to violence and/or pain. 21. Write down the Latin or Greek meaning and the function for the following: cerebellum, thalamus, hippocampus, subcortical, amygdala, neocortex, hypothalamus & corpus callosum. Cerebellum: â€Å"little brain†; coordinates movement, thinking, and emotion ~Thalamus: â€Å"marriage bed†; filter or central switchboard of the brain ~Hippocampus: â€Å"seahorse†; memory ~Subcortical: â€Å"below the bark†; any gray matter region that lies below the cortex of the brain ~Amygdala: â€Å"almond†; emotional memory ~Neocortex: â€Å"new bark†; more highly evolved cortical area ~Hypothalamus: â€Å"under the bed†; modulation of appetites and drives ~Corpus Callosum: â€Å"firm body†; axon tracks connecting two hemispheres of the brain 22. What is the motor strip in charge of? Where is it located?What is the motor homunculus? Who found it? ~In charge of movement throughout the body; located in frontal lobe. Motor Humunculus is a pattern that connects sense of touch to movement in our bodies and it was mapped out by Wilder Penfield. 23. List and explain what each of the four (4) lobes of the cerebral cortex do. ~Frontal Lobes: planning, deciding, remembering, and making moral judgements ~Temporal Lobes: language and some parts of memory ~Parietal Lobes: sensory and visuospatial associations ~Occipital Lobes: contain regions used for visual perception 24.What do they mean by the â€Å"mind† on page 56? ~Mental activities such as remembering and communicating (rather than the scientific aspects of the brain) 25. Compare and contrast the two (2) general methods of brain research on page 57. ~Lesion method: Provides information about the brain by showing what the brain was no longer able to do after having a particular section taken away ~Functional Imaging Techniques: permit scientists to directly visualize which parts of the healthy brain are used to perform specific functions ~Contrast: Lesion method exploited accidents and strange natural occurrences 26.Define aphasia and then explain the two (2) different types. What happens if your angular gyrus is damaged? ~Aphasia is called the â€Å"loss of language† (failure to associate meaning to sound waves). Types: Wernicke’s (individual loses ability to speak coherently because the ability to comprehend the language is lost) and Broca’s (individual knows what’s being said but can’t express himself). If the angular gyrus is damaged the ability to read and write will be diminished, but the ability to understand won’t be. 27.Explain what Karl Lashley was looking for. What happened to H. M. as a result of his surgery? What do the amygdala and hippocampus do? ~He was looking for proof that no specific lesion could produce deficits in memory; H. M was completely voided of the ability to remember any new information. The amygdala and hippocampus mediate some learning/memory and work together to send and store memories. 28. What brain structure acts as an attention filter? ~The Thalamus 29. What does the prefrontal system (cortex) do?What is a prefrontal syndrome? Historical cases? ~It mediates executive functions (abstract thought, creative problem solving, and behavior). A prefrontal syndrome is a lesion in the orbital region of the prefrontal cortex. A historical case is when Phineas Gage got an iron bar through his left frontal lobe and exhibited drastic personality and developmental differences/changes. 30. What does the cerebellum do? ~Coordinates movement, thinking, and emotion 31. What is the limbic system in charge of?What four (4) major parts make up this system? ~Feeling and monitoring emotions with basic survival drives; cingulate gyrus, hippocampus and amygdala, mammillary bodies and anterior thalamus 32. Brie fly explain how a neurotransmitter works (not action potential). Draw me a sketch. ~Small molecule or chemical that transmits nerve signals from one neuron to another 33. The last parts are wordy. List and summarize all of the functions of the following chemicals: dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, GABA, and glutamate. Dopamine: first product synthesized from the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase; close chemical relationship with norepinephrine and epinephrine; key neurotransmitter in the brain and plays role in Parkinson’s and schizophrenia ~Norepinephrine: sends projections throughout the whole brain; affects almost every region in the brain, and plays a large part in mood disorders ~Serotonin: near midbrain, similar to norepinephrine and plays important roles in antidepressant medications ~Acetylcholine: in the nucleus basalis of Meyner and protects the hippocampus and cingulate gyrus; memory encoder ~GABA: amino acid neurotransmitter; inhibitory role in th e brain; relatively long tract; characterizes Huntington’s disease ~Glutamate: amino acid neurotransmitter; excitatory role; can be harmful if presented in large amounts (produce excessive neuronal excitation); produce signs of psychosis 34. Finally, in your own words tell me why â€Å"the whole [brain] is greater than the sum of its parts†? ~In order for the brain to function, all parts must work together, which means that no part can be completely dysfunctional (although brain plasticity can to some degree balance and make up for the disfunction).

General and Application Controls in Information Technology

Information Technology has answered our many problems. It has made the life of individuals, groups and organization very easy compared to the former years where technology was something in dreams or on paper. Information Technology is referred to the various sophisticated and state of the art technology like computers that help us to manage our businesses (Senn, 2003).The most important part of the business for example is their huge amounts of data, the problem of storing them and then retrieving them for a useful purpose. Companies realize that data should never be treated as a useless collection of numbers, no matter how old they are. They also came to an appreciation that data can be used to give the companies the competitive edge they need, especially after they became conscious about the â€Å"marketing paradigm†.The Information Technology helps these companies to create, process, store, protect, transmit and retrieve data (Senft & Gallegos, 2008). Besides these, Informat ion technology has helped give impetus to the globalization process. It has reduced the world to a global village where the communication problem is no more an issue, especially after the advent of the internet. Now you can even make calls using the internet. All you need is a microphone and speakers to talk to anyone, at any time sitting anywhere in the world.The companies also realize that there processes (that take place within their organization to come up with their products) have become more cost effective (Senn, 2003). This has allowed business to efficiently utilize their resources and probably the most important one (which is usually saved at the end of the process) is the time. Through technology, companies are able to enhance the quality of their products and processes.BACKGROUNDGeneral Control of the Information Technology aids to guarantee the consistency of the data. This means that the data being produced is showing the performance of the system that you have installe d, and that it is producing the desired results. It ensures that the machine is working perfectly fine. You can then check upon your business process if there is an anomaly or inconsistency in your data. You can be sure of the right data for the wrong processes.Thus you can improve upon your business processes to correct your data. General Control of Information Technology usually encompasses the environmental control (Senft & Gallegos, 2008). This means that you understand the extent of the outside environment or the system beyond the boundary of your system and clearly out of your hands does shape your business in a certain way. But in what way does it affect you depends on the various environmental control you have at hand.USES AND IMPLICATIONSThe General Control also focuses on the different management changes that are brought within the business system or environment. Changes are a verily a very stressful task with in the organization.Information Technology helps to make sure t hat the changes brought therein is acceptable with the norms, organizational culture and the rules and regulations of the business itself (Senft & Gallegos, 2008). During the life of the business, many programs (complex or simples) are written to help businesses achieve their desired results.For example a company may find itself in the need of a Data Base Management Systems or a Data Warehouse. They may either purchase it or they may build it themselves. In both the cases, the company needs to mould the coding to suit their business requirements. It helps the source code’s reliability within the program.Businesses work on projects. For advanced business and for businesses that care to expand in the long run, find themselves in the need of developing software or systems. On the other hand, software houses whose main business is to develop and sell customer’s customized softwares goes through a complex life cycle to design, develop, test, implement and maintain the softw are.General Control helps to achieve that too. It helps to simplify the whole cycle which may extend to a number of years depending on the size and complexity of the software (Turban, Leidner, McLean, & Wetherbe, 2007).

Canterville Ghost Chapter 1 Summary Essay

When Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American Minister, bought Canterville Chase, every one told him he was doing a very foolish thing, as there was no doubt at all that the place was haunted. Indeed, Lord Canterville himself, who was a man of the most punctilious honour, had felt it his duty to mention the fact to Mr. Otis when they came to discuss terms. ‘We have not cared to live in the place ourselves,’ said Lord Canterville, ‘since my grand-aunt, the Dowager Duchess of Bolton, was frightened into a fit, from which she never really recovered, by two skeleton hands being placed on her shoulders as she was dressing for dinner, and I feel bound to tell you, Mr. Otis, that the ghost has been seen by several living members of my family, as well as by the rector of the parish, the Rev. Augustus Dampier, who is a Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge. After the unfortunate accident to the Duchess, none of our younger servants would stay with us, and Lady Canterville often got very little sleep at night, in consequence of the mysterious noises that came from the corridor and the library.’ ‘My Lord,’ answered the Minister, ‘I will take the furniture and the ghost at a valuation. I come from a modern country, where we have everything that money can buy; and with all our spry young fellows painting the Old World red, and carrying off your best actors and prima-donnas, I reckon that if there were such a thing as a ghost in Europe, we’d have it at home in a very short time in one of our public museums, or on the road as a show.’ ‘I fear that the ghost exists,’ said Lord Canterville, smiling, ‘though it may have resisted the overtures of your enterprising impresarios. It has been well known for three centuries, since 1584 in fact, and always makes its appearance before the death of any member of our family.’ ‘Well, so does the family doctor for that matter, Lord Canterville. But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, and I guess the laws of Nature are not going to be suspended for the British aristocracy.’ ‘You are certainly very natural in America,’ answered Lord Canterville, who did not quite understand Mr. Otis’ last observation, ‘and if you don’t mind a ghost in the house, it is all right. Only you must remember I warned you.’ A few weeks after this, the purchase was concluded, and at the close of the season the Minister and his family went down to Canterville Chase. Mrs. Otis, who, as Miss Lucretia R. Tappan, of West 53rd Street, had been a celebrated New York belle, was now a very handsome, middle-aged woman, with fine eyes, and a superb profile. Many American ladies on leaving their native land adopt an appearance of chronic ill-health, under the impression that it is a form of European refinement, but Mrs. Otis had never fallen into this error. She had a magnificent constitution, and a really wonderful amount of animal spirits. Indeed, in many respects, she was quite English, and was an excellent example of the fact that we have really ev erything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language. Their eldest son, christened Washington by his parents in a moment of patriotism, which he never ceased to regret, was a fair-haired, rather good-looking young man, who had qualified himself for American diplomacy by leading the German at the Newport Casino for three successive seasons, and even in London was well known as an excellent dancer. Gardenias and the peerage were his only weaknesses. Otherwise he was extremely sensible. Miss Virginia E. Otis was a little girl of fifteen, lithe and lovely as a fawn, and with a fine freedom in her large blue eyes. She was a wonderful amazon, and had once raced old Lord Bilton on her pony twice round the park, winning by a length and a half, just in front of the Achilles statue, to the huge delight of the young Duke of Cheshire, who proposed for her on the spot, and was sent back to Eton that very night by his guardians, in floods of tears. After Virginia came the twins, who were usually called ‘The Stars and Stripes,’ as they we re always getting swished. They were delightful boys, and with the exception of the worthy Minister the only true republicans of the family. As Canterville Chase is seven miles from Ascot, the nearest railway station, Mr. Otis had telegraphed for a waggonette to meet them, and they started on their drive in high spirits. It was a lovely July evening, and the air was delicate with the scent of the pinewoods. Now and then they heard a wood pigeon brooding over its own sweet voice, or saw, deep in the rustling fern, the burnished breast of the pheasant. Little squirrels peered at them from the beech-trees as they went by, and the rabbits scudded away through the brushwood and over the mossy knolls, with their white tails in the air. As they entered the avenue of Canterville Chase, however, the sky became suddenly overcast with clouds, a curious stillness seemed to hold the atmosphere, a great flight of rooks passed silently over their heads, and, before they reached the house, some big drops of rain had fallen. S tanding on the steps to receive them was an old woman, neatly dressed in black silk, with a white cap and apron. This was Mrs. Umney, the housekeeper, whom Mrs. Otis, at Lady Canterville’s earnest request, had consented to keep on in her former position. She made them each a low curtsey as they alighted, and said in a quaint, old-fashioned manner,’I bid you welcome to Canterville Chase.’ Following her, they passed through the fine Tudor hall into the library, a long, low room, panelled in black oak, at the end of which was a large stained-glass window. Here they found tea laid out for them, and, after taking off their wraps, they sat down and began to look round, while Mrs. Umney waited on them. Suddenly Mrs. Otis caught sight of a dull red stain on the floor just by the fireplace and, quite unconscious of what it really signified, said to Mrs. Umney, I am afraid something has been spilt there. ‘Yes, madam,’ replied the old housekeeper in a low voice, ‘blood has been spilt on that spot.’ ‘How horrid,’ cried Mrs. Otis; ‘I don’t at all care for bloodstains in a sitting-room. It must be removed at once.’ The old woman smiled, and answered in the same low, mysterious voice, ‘It is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, who was murdered on that very spot by her own husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, in 1575. Sir Simon survived her nine years, and disappeared suddenly under very mysterious circumstances. His body has never been discovered, but his guilty spirit still haunts the Chase. The blood-stain has been much admired by tourists and others, and cannot be removed.’ ‘That is all nonsense,’ cried Washington Otis; ‘Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent will clean it up in no time,’ and before the terrified housekeeper could interfere he had fallen upon his knees, and was rapidly scouring the floor with a small stick of what looked like a black cosmetic. In a few moments no trace of the blood-stain could be seen. ‘I knew Pinkerton would do it,’ he exclaimed triumphantly, as he looked round at his admiring family; but no sooner had he said these words than a terrible flash of lightning lit up the sombre room, a fearful peal of thunder made them all start to their feet, and Mrs. Umney fainted. ‘What a monstrous climate!’ said the American Minister calmly, as he lit a long cheroot. ‘I guess the ol d country is so over-populated that they have not enough decent weather for everybody. I have always been of opinion that emigration is the only thing for England. ‘My dear Hiram,’ cried Mrs. Otis, ‘what can we do with a woman who faints?’ ‘Charge it to her like breakages,’ answered the Minister; ‘she won’t faint after that;’ and in a few moments Mrs. Umney certainly came to. There was no doubt, however, that she was extremely upset, and she sternly warned Mr. Otis to beware of some trouble coming to the house. ‘I have seen things with my own eyes, sir,’ she said,’that would make any Christian’s hair stand on end, and many and many a night I have not closed my eyes in sleep for the awful things that are done here.’ Mr. Otis, however, and his wife warmly assured the honest soul that they were not afraid of ghosts, and, after invoking the blessings of Providence on her new master and mistress, and making arrangements for an increase of salary, the old housekeeper tottered off to her own room. FROM: Wikisource. Excerpt from The Canterville Ghost, by Oscar Wilde. 1- Try and find as many words as you can from the â€Å"ghost / supernatural† semantic field: any word or phrase that has the same root or that is related to it. Organize your findings in a grid. Ghost semantic field Reality / down-to-earth semantic field 2- Write their translations, explain the differences of meaning. 3- Try and find the meaning of the following words / phrases: Foolish Punctilius Duty Unfortunate To reckon For that matter Purchase Refinement Worthy 4- Use them in a sentence. 5- What could a â€Å"fawn† be? (In the saying: â€Å"lovely as a fawn†) 6- Discuss with a partner what you know about Oscar Wilde. Write a short summary of what you both know. 7- Using the title, guess what the story might be about. Which type of story do you expect it to be? 8- Imagine a story. Be creative! 9- Prepare 6 guesses: what do you think the story is going to deal with? 10- Prepare 6 questions to which you would like to find an answer in the first chapter. 11- Write 10 words you expect to find in the extract. 12- Imagine a short summary of the story using these words. 13- Discuss it with your partner. Read the first paragraph of the story and answer the following questions: 1- What do we learn at the beginning of the story? 2- List all the information you are given about the main characters. 3- What do the following expressions refer to? â€Å"The Stars and Stripes† The Minister â€Å"She† won’t faint after that (end of the chapter). The old housekeeper 4- Can you infer the meaning and word-class (for instance adjective, noun, verb, preposition†¦) of the following words & phrases? Indeed Aristocracy Middle-aged Ill-health 5- Compare the description of the British Aristocracy (Lord Canterville) with that of the modern Americans. 6- What can you infer from these descriptions & their reactions? 7- Write 10 key-words you read. 8- Write a short summary of the story using those words and some connectors. (at least 5) 9- Check if you found the words you thought might appear in the text and tick the correct ones. 10- Try and answer your questions. 11- Prepare 6 more questions (& the answers to your questions) to ask your friends. 12- Pick out 5 verbs from the text and describe their forms (tense, active or passive voice†¦) and decide why this particular tense was chosen. Answer the following questions: 1- Who will be the main characters in your opinion? 2- What do you learn about them? (Draw a grid.) Character Actions Personality Interesting facts 3- Where does the story unfold? When? 4- What is the excerpt really about? 5- Did you enjoy it or not? Why? 6- Which type of short story is it? 7- In which ways is it different from usual ghost stories? 8- What must have been the author’s goal? 9- Do you think the story is a success? Why (not)? 10- Let’s list the key phrases & words from the text: (To be learnt for next lesson): To do a very foolish thing There was no doubt that†¦ To be haunted Duty To discuss terms Skeleton Mysterious noises To get very little sleep at night Furniture To be enterprising To warn someone Otherwise 11- Add some which you did not know. (at least 3) 1- Write a summary of the first chapter. 2- Write a story using the title â€Å"The (name of your school) ghost†. It must be a mock ghost story, a parody. The best story (the most interesting, the most creative, the funniest†¦.) will be selected by the class. 3- Make a poster about Oscar Wilde. 4- Prepare a talk on Oscar Wilde’s main novels, plays, short stories. 5- Learn the vocabulary. 6- Imagine a sequel to the story (the following chapters). 7- Imagine another title for the story. 8- Which type of stories do you enjoy most? Why? 9- Sum up your favourite story for the class. Try and find as many words as you can from the â€Å"ghost / supernatural† semantic field: any word or phrase that has the same root or that is related to it. Ghost semantic field Reality / down-to-earth semantic field Haunted Frightened into a fit Skeleton Ghost Several living members of my family Unfortunate accident Mysterious noises 1584 Makes its appearance before the death of any member of our family Curious stillness Red stain Blood has been spilt Guilty spirit To discuss terms As she was dressing for dinner Got very little sleep at night â€Å"that is all nonsense† Try and find the meaning of the following words / phrases: Foolish (= stupid) fool (noun) + -ish (ïÆ'   adjective) = adjective Punctilius (=Strictly attentive to minute details of form in action or conduct. See synonyms at meticulous/ Precise; scrupulous.) = adjective Duty (= what you are supposed to do) = noun Unfortunate ( = Characterized by undeserved bad luck; unlucky / Causing misfortune; disastrous) Un- (prefix) + fortune (noun) + -ate (ïÆ'   adjective) = adjective To reckon (=To consider as being; regard as / To think or assume.) Verb (informal) For that matter (=as far as that is concerned) = phrase (preposition + quantifier + noun) Purchase (= something you buy) = noun Refinement (= 1. The act of refining. 2. The result of refining; an improvement or elaboration. 3. The state or quality of being refined; cultivation, as in manners or taste. 4. A keen or precise phrasing; a subtle distinction.) = noun (to refine, verb + suffix –ment ïÆ'   noun) Worthy ( = 1. Having worth, merit, or value; useful or valuable. 2. Honorable; admirable: a worthy fellow. 3. Having sufficient worth; deserving: worthy to be revered; worthy of acclaim.) = worth (noun) + suffix –y (ïÆ'   adjective) = adjective. Use them in a sentence. This was a very foolish reaction! Paul has always been extremely punctilius in all matters. This is your duty. You don’t have a choice. This unfortunate accident proved that the house was not safe at all. I reckon I saw the ghost this morning. I don’t believe in ghosts myself for that matter. What a lovely purchase! One of his best qualities is the refinement of his language. He is not worthy of you! What could a â€Å"fawn† be? Like the deer and the stag, the fawn exercised great power over the early Celtic imagination. The Eacute;rainn King Lugaid Laà ­gde pursued a fawn, probably a divine personification of Ireland itself. Aige and Sadb were transformed into fawns. Donn mac Midir used yet another woman transformed into a fawn to lure Fionn mac Cumhaill and his men. But some fawns are male, like Fionn’s son Oisà ­n, whose name is still the Irish word for fawn. The fawn appears to be an antecedent of the stag in the Perceval legend. (Adapted from answer.com) Discuss with a partner what you know about Oscar Wilde. Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest. As the result of a widely covered series of trials, Wilde suffered a dramatic downfall and was imprisoned for two years hard labour after being convicted of â€Å"gross indecency† with other men. After Wilde was released from prison he set sail for Dieppe by the night ferry. He never returned to Ireland or Britain Adapted from: Wikipedia. Using the title, guess what the story might be about. Which type of story do you expect it to be? It will certainly be a ghost story, a gothic story. Prepare 6 guesses: what do you think the story is going to deal with? (Use modals!!!) It might be about †¦ This story may deal with a cranky old ghost. It could tell the story of a †¦ Prepare 6 questions to which you would like to find an answer in the first chapter. Is the ghost scary? How do the inhabitants feel about it? What is going to happen to the main characters? What did the ghost to be forced to haunt a house? What can he do to rest in peace at long last? Who represents evil, who represents good? Write 10 words you expect to find in the extract. To haunt, to be haunted, to be scared to death, to scream, to howl, to be afraid, to run away, to hide, to moan, to cry. Imagine a short summary of the story using these words. There was once a huge haunted castle in which the inhabitants kept being scared to death by a moaning ghost who kept rattling his chains & howling at night. The poor inhabitants kept crying, screaming, running away from him but there was no escaping him so they had to hide and then to move out at last. Read the first paragraph of the story and answer the following questions: What do we learn at the beginning of the story? (1st paragraph) 2 characters are introduced: Mr Hiram Otis, an American Minister who has bought Canterville Chase and Lord canterville, an English aristocrat. Lord Canterville has told Mr Otis that the place was haunted. List all the information you are given about the main characters. Mr Otis is American. Lord Canterville is English and an aristocrat. He is a man of most punctilius honour and does not hide from his buyer that the castle is haunted. What do the following expressions refer to? â€Å"The Stars and Stripes† (= the twins) The Minister (= Mr Otis) â€Å"She† won’t faint after that (end of the chapter). (= Mrs Umney) The old housekeeper (= Mrs Umney) Can you infer the meaning and word-class (for instance adjective, noun, verb, preposition†¦) of the following words & phrases? Indeed (link-word) 1. Without a doubt; certainly: very cold indeed; was indeed grateful. 2. In fact; in reality: felt sure I’d win, and indeed I did. Aristocracy (noun, aristocrat + suffix –y) 1. A hereditary ruling class; nobility. 2. a. Government by a ruling class. b. A state or country having this form of government. 3. a. Government by the citizens deemed to be best qualified to lead. b. A state having such a government. 4. A group or class considered superior to others. Middle-aged (noun + verb + -ed, ïÆ'   adjective) Of or relating to middle age: middle-aged parents; middle-aged interests. Ill-health (adjective + noun ïÆ'   noun) Poor health; sickness. Compare the description of the British Aristocracy (Lord Canterville) with that of the modern Americans. What can you infer from these descriptions & their reactions? Lord Canterville is a man of punctilius honor whereas Mr Otis mocks the English and is quite derogatory when he mentions that money can buy anything, that the Americans would have bought ghosts if there were such things. Write 10 key-words you read. Ghost, haunted, skeleton, nonsense, to faint, honest soul, frightened, modern country, old-fashioned, be scared. Write a short summary of the story using those words and some connectors. Canterville Chase is haunted by a ghost who had been scaring the British aristocracy for 300 years when it was bought by an American Minister who keeps comparing America, a modern country to Great Britain, an old-fashioned nation. Moreover, Mr. Otis is not afraid of the ghost. On the contrary, he doubts its existence. It’s nonsense according to his son, Washington. Later in the chapter his son even goes so far as removing a blood stain and that makes the old housekeeper, an honest soul, faint. She is afraid of the ghost and of skeletons. Pick out 5 verbs from the text and describe their forms (tense, active or passive voice†¦) and decide why this particular tense was chosen. â€Å"When Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American Minister, bought Canterville Chase† = past simple, used for a finished time. â€Å"every one told him he was doing a very foolish thing† = past continuous, used for a finished time but when we insist on the activity, its duration, when we give our opinion on the sentence (when we comment upon it). â€Å"We have not cared to live in the place ourselves† = present perfect, used when there is a connection with the present time, with â€Å"now† (indeed, nobody is living now at Canterville Chase, it’s still true). â€Å"lady canterville often got very little sleep at night† = past simple, used for a finished time + narrative tense. â€Å"I fear that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  = present simple, â€Å"fear†: you fear when you say it (then the present simple is used). Answer the following questions: Who will be the main characters in your opinion? Mr. Otis & his family (Washington seems quite enterprising), the ghost. What do you learn about them? (Draw a grid.) Character Actions Personality Interesting facts Mr. Otis Talks about America in a very proud way Insulting (without meaning to), proud Does not believe in ghosts Washington Removes the blood stain practical Is trying to defeat the ghost from the start Lord Canterville Tells Mr. otis about the ghost Frank, kind Tries to warn the family Where does the story unfold? When? In Great Britain, at the end of the 19th century (1584 + 300 = 1884). What is the excerpt really about? It’s about American & British values. Money vs tradition. Which type of short story is it? It is the parody of a ghost story. In which ways is it different from usual ghost stories? There’s a gothic castle but the new owners are not scared to death. They even doubt the ghost’s existence! What must have been the author’s goal? Criticism. Write a summary of the first chapter. ïÆ'   Mr. Otis, an American Minister, buys a property in England called Canterville Chase, against the advice of his friends and the owner himself, Lord Canterville, who assures him that it is haunted. Lord Canterville’s family has chosen not to live there because of the ghost. His grandaunt never recovered from her fright caused by two skeleton hands grabbing her shoulders. Mr. Otis says that he does not believe there is such a thing as a ghost, and says he will take the house and the ghost if it does indeed come with it. Lord Canterville replies that the ghost’s existence has been well known since 1584, and always appears before the death of a member of his family. A few weeks later, when the purchase is complete, the family moves into Canterville Chase. Mr. Otis is accompanied by his wife, who is a good-looking woman of good health, and their four children. The eldest is a son named Washington, a handsome, sensible young man who is also good at dancing. Virginia is the only daughter, and is fifteen years old. She is â€Å"lithe and lovely† and an accomplished rider. She even beat the young Duke of Cheshire in a race, and he was so impressed by her he proposed to her. The youngest children are the twins, otherwise known as the â€Å"stars and stripes† because they are always being switched for their mischievousness. The Otises have a lovely drive to their new property, seeing squirrels, rabbits and birds along the way. However, as they approach Canterville Chase, the sky becomes dark, and everything is very still. The housekeeper, Mrs. Umney, greets them and tells them about the bloodstain on the library floor when asked by Mrs. Otis. She tells them that the stain mysteriously cannot be removed, and is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville who was murdered there by here husband, Sir Simon, in 1575. Sir Simon lived for another nine years, but then mysteriously disappeared. His body was never found, but his ghost haunts the house. Washington says her story is nonsense, and proceeds to remove the stain with stain remover. There is a clap of thunder and Mrs. Umney faints. When she awakes, Mrs. Umney warns the Otis’ to be wary because she has seen the truth of the ghost’s existence, and has spent many sleepless nights in the house. All of the Otises, however, state that they are not afraid of ghosts. (From Bookrags.com).