History of James Town Virginia Essay

James town is regarded as the first permanent English colony in America. It was founded in 1607 in Virginia. Physically, this colony had an upper hand in military benefits since it had a deep mooring which acted as the harbor for ships as well as being far up the James River in a location that was out of sight of the Spanish whom the Britons did not want a confrontation with. The site was also semi arid in nature and the colony was fully protected on all its 3 sides by the marshes and by the James River. Its founding led to a series of encounters in terms of culture and these aided in shaping America as a nation and the world at large (Carbone, 17) . The culture and lifestyles of these early Virginians is what has shaped the heritage of United States in terms of governance, language, beliefs, aspirations and customs. The establishment of James town as a colony was sponsored by a group of investors who called themselves the Virginia Company of London. The main aim of this company was to benefit in terms of monetary gains especially from new outlets and colonies. The company was also established in a way to compete with the French and the Spanish internationally (Haile, 14). This group set out on the basis of a charter granted to the company by King James I. the main reasons why King James sent the ships to sail was to go forth and find gold, find a direct route to the south seas, and /or find the lost Roanoke Colony. Jamestown was therefore the first British colony in North America. The aim of these investors was to benefit in terms of profits from this venture. The first ships to reach the Virginia coast were The Susan Constant, Discovery and Godspeed which arrived there in late April 1606. These ships carried a total of 105 passengers. Captain Christopher Newport led the expedition and after two weeks, they discovered a site along James River that was favorable in terms of its good defensive position and deep water anchorage. The site that these explorers chose was 60 kilometers from the bay of James River. The reason for this was that the expeditors did not want any conflict with the Spaniards who had already settled there (Colonial Life Jamestown 1607, 1998). The passengers disembarked on the day after and started settling. These first colonialists were made of upper class Englishmen. The location of the colony was in the midst of Algonquian-speaking Indians who were governed by a powerful ruler referred to as Powhatan. The main aim of the passengers on board the three small ships was glory and destiny, wealth and discovery. Little did they know that the steps they had taken for their own benefit and their own personal beliefs and dreams that they set out to achieve was the first step in the birth of a nation currently called the United States of America (Smith, 13). Problems faced in the colony. The established of the colony was faced with many problems that included establishment of the colony in a poor location that was insect infected, marshy and which lacked fresh waters. This lack of water led to diseases like Malaria and dysentery which claimed many lives. Other problems in the newly established colonies were the in ability to deal with the native Indians which led to frequent war fares. The first colonialists were lazy and they hated farming and therefore they were unable to feed themselves. The original colonialists were not ready to engage in any form of labor even if it was for their own personal interests of preservation. They were not used to hard manual labor and since they were considered as gentlemen, they preferred lazing around to working in the farm. This led to the death toll in the colony being catastrophic and this led to an unprecedented savagery level (Doherty, 7-8). The area that the original colonialists chose was low lying and swampy and this made it a good spot as a breeding ground for insects and more so mosquitoes. This therefore made the original colonialists to be vulnerable to a variety of diseases. Because of the marshy nature of the Island, it was impossible for the colonialists to obtain fresh water and this made them drink the salty water from the James River or that from the well which was brackish in nature (Bridenbaugh, 47). The colonialists were also unable to maintain or form a peaceful and workable relationship with the Native Indians. This made the relationship between the settlers from Britain and the Powhatans Indians to be strained and violent in the whole of the colonial period (Morgan, 90). The high rate of mortality rates was also a major problem in James town. It is estimated that 3 out of the 4 6000 settlers who settled in James town between 1607 and 1624 died. This increase in mortality rate led to the Colony being referred as â€Å"a hellhole where savage death, illness and death awaited (Doherty, 112). In the early days, the colony also suffered from explosions and fires which were disastrous and the city is reported to have been burnt down twice. Governance of the colony The colony was initially governed by a council of 7 members whereby one member served as the president. Serious relationships in terms of relations with the Indians soon emerged even though there were established trading opportunities. The colony was affected by a rise in disease and death due to lack of water, supply of blackish water and an unfamiliar climate, conditions which were influenced by a prolonged drought. Because the original colonialists of this colony were upper class Englishmen, there was lack of skilled farmers and sufficient labors in the colony. The passengers of these ships were mainly townsmen and adventurers who were more concerned with farming as compared to farming. Therefore they were unequipped in terms of temperament and the ability to embark and adapt in a new life in the wilderness. In September 1609, Captain John Smith took over as the leader of the colony. He was the fourth council president and he is best known for establishing the no work, no food policy. This policy meant that those people who did not participate in the work shall not share in the food as well. He was also very instrumental and influential in trading with the Indians for food. He therefore emerged as a dominant figure and he was able to instill discipline and this was influential in holding the colony together. This he achieved despite constant attacks from the Native Americans, starvation and constant quarrels. Captain Smith was injured in the fall of 1609 by burning gunpowder and this made him leave for England never to return to Virginia again. His departure led to the descent of the colony into anarchy. John Smith is proclaimed to be the only man who was able to maintain peace between the Indians and the settlers. After his departure, the colony was faced with a starving time which was basically a warfare period between the Native Indians and the Colonialists. The Starving Time involved a colony that was hard hit by a winter season that led to the freezing of the river. This led to the death, through disease, of many Britons both men and women. Many of these colonialists succumbed to disease in the winter of 1609-1610 and died. By May 1610, only 20% of the original first colonialists were arrive i. . 60 of the original 300 who were settlers in Virginia (Smith, 58). It was at this time that the colonialists decided to leave James town and therefore abandon it. No sooner had they decided this than other settlers arrived in Virginia in search of wealth. These settlers arrived in 1610 and they carried with them supplies from England. Their arrival was based on a second charter granted by King James I. the provision of this charter was a stronger leadership which was to be implemented by a governor who worked hand in hand with a group of advisors. This charter also provided for a period of military law that could be introduced and this law carried with it a harsh punishment that was implemented on those who did not follow orders or those who refused to obey. It was in 1619 at Jamestown where the first British representative government in America began. The new settlers’ aimed at making profits for the Virginia Company and therefore they involved themselves in various small industries that included wood production, glassmaking and tar, potash and pitch manufacture. However these ventures were not successful (Smith, 58). It was John Rolfe who in 1613 introduced tobacco as a cash crop with an aim of profiting the company. The embracement of tobacco as a cash crop led to the rapid growth and expansion of Virginia colony. This is because its cultivation required large amounts of investment in terms of land labor. This made the settlers to move to the lands formerly occupied by the Native Indians. This also led to more servants coming to Virginia. This was a development that revolutionized the economy of Virginia. What John Rolfe did was to simply cross breed the seed of imported tobacco from West Indies with that of the native plants and this led to the development of a new variety that fitted and was pleasing in taste to the preferences of the Europeans. Even after this development, the prosperity of Virginia colony did not occur immediately. This is because during this period, the rate of death from starvation, diseases and attacks from the native Indians was still very high. On average, around 14000 Britons had migrated to the Virginia colony between the years 1607 and 1924. However by the end of 1924, only about 1,132 Britons were living there (Traugh, 96). Relationship between Jamestown and other colonies. There came a time in the mid 17th century whereby the mother country i. e. England paid little attention to its American colonies. This led to England neglecting some of its colonies in North America. The colonies in North America also suffered from the bitter religious and political contention that existed in the Mother country and Jamestown was not excluded. The bitter rivalries in religion that occurred in Britain affected the overseas colonies Jamestown included (Traugh, 96).

Realtionship Nora and Torvald – a Dolls House

The relationship between the two main characters of Nora and Helmer in â€Å"A Doll's House† are established through the dialogue and stage directions which take place in Act One. The relationship is very representative of the time period in which it is set, Helmer, the husband is the head of the household and is the most important in the family status he controls the family's lifestyle according to his own views. In order to convey Torvald's authority in the relationship, Ibsen uses first person possessive pronouns, for example, ‘Is that my little squirrel frisking about? , the use of ‘my' reflects the ownership that Torvald has over Nora, this links to the ideologies of society at the time were a man owned his wife in the relationship and that a man Just as the pre-modifying adjective ‘little' undermines Nora's authority in their relationship and emphasises his power over her. Ibsen also depicts the idea that Nora is in Torvald's household for his own enjoy ment by referring to her as a pet, ‘My pretty little pet is very sweet but it runs away with an awful lot of money', To him, she is only a possession.Torvald calls Nora by pet-names and speaks down to her because he thinks that she is not intelligent and that she can not think on her own. Whenever she begins to voice an opinion Torvald quickly drops the pet-names and insults her as a women through comments like; â€Å"worries that you couldn't possibly help me with,† and â€Å"Nora, Nora, just like a woman. â€Å"(1565) Torvald is a typical husband in his society. He denied Nora the right to think and act the way she wished.He required her to act like an imbecile and insisted upon the rightness of his view in all matters. The relationship between the two main characters of Nora and Helmer in â€Å"A Dolls House† are established through the diologue and stage directions which take place in Act One. The relationship between the characters is quite simplistic, der ived from the 1870s time period in which it is set. Helmer, the husband is the head of the household and is the most important in the family status, he controls the families lifestyle according to his own views.This is depicted through Helmer's actions and diologue towards Nora. Nora has respect for her husband and â€Å"goes cautiously to her husbands door and listens† rather than disturb him to find out if he his home. She also listens to his advice and tries to include him in her everyday chores â€Å"Come see what vie bought†. Helmer treats her as a child calling her â€Å"scatter brain† and â€Å"my lost squirrel† giving the impression of ownership, and that she is in ‘his' household for his enjoyment.Throughout the scene Helmer continues to use pet names such as â€Å"feather brain† and â€Å"sulking squirrel† which undermine Nora's authority in their relationship and emphasis his power over her. When Nora arrives home from shopp ing in town Helmer asks â€Å"has featherbrain been out wasting money again†, making Nora appear as a foolish girl who has no knowledge of money and that she spends it unknowingly, which shows Hemler's perception of her. Helmer's controlling relationship is also shown through their discussion of money early on in Act 1.Although both have conflicting ideas on spending money at christmas time, Nora eventually gives in to his opinion â€Å"very well if you say so†. This emphasizes how she adapts to suit his point of view even though she disagrees with the idea herself. She obeys and changes her own opinions to match Helmer's showing that she has no way to stand up to defend her own beliefs in the relationship, meaning that her own views are forgotten and ignored.Helmer believes he is superior and that he must â€Å"protect her† as she is so delicate and unexperienced that he must decide all of the aspects of her life without consulting her, he appears to dictate hi s opinions to her â€Å"no debts, no borrowing†, his views soon become the reality and laws of the household as Nora replies to him that she â€Å"would never do anything you didn't like† . Helmer's protective and controlling nature lead to his ideas being imposed on Nora through their relationship despite her beliefs, leaving no room for confliction.Which causes Noras' deception from Helmer, rather than telling him the truth which he will not accept, she decides to hide information from him. This means that although they are married, their relationship is not very deep and meaningful, since Helmer doesn't consult the details of their lifestyle with Nora, which means she cannot express her ideas and show her traits through their lifestyle and therefore she has no knowledge of law or the world around her. This is highlighted when Helmer asks Nora what she wants as a present, rather than giving her a surprise.Showing that he has no knowledge of her interests as their dut ies to the family are completely separate. However Helmer seems to be infatuated by her in the play as he â€Å"follows her† around the kitchen and talks to her, showing that he is in love with her. Helmer depicts her as a lover and yet he is unable to consult with her the issues of their married life, leaving her no concerns and no knowledge of law or the world around her. Which leads to the deterioration of their relationship as Nora discovers she needs to express herself and therefore seeks to escape the stifling confines of his opinions.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Internet and Newspaper Advertising

Advantages & disadvantages of Internet and newspaper advertising The Internet and newspapers are considered two of the five traditional types of media used for advertising. The others are television, radio and magazines. Each medium has advantages and disadvantages that are considered when selection of the best media for advertising messages is made. The Internet and newspapers are both useful media for advertising when they effectively convey your message to the right audience. Internet Advertising Advantages The Internet is the newest of the traditional media.A main advantage of Internet advertising is its affordability as an advertising medium. Typically, you pay for your ad based on the number of people it reaches. Audience selectivity is another major benefit as you can pinpoint specific audiences by site. Tracking results of Internet ads is also a strength. Online sites have great tracking tools to track unique visitors, visits, page views and impressions on the pages your ads are on. Versatility is another advantage. You can place banner ads of various sizes, pop-up ads, text ads and streaming audio and video ads. Internet Advertising DisdvantagesLimited click-through rates are a burden with Internet advertising. People often ignore banner ads and avoid pop-up ads and other online ad types. Uncertainty with what works through online advertising is a significant disadvantage as well. As the newest of the traditional media types, Internet advertising is still evolving. Technology, such as pop-up ad blockers, helps web users avoid pop up ads. In some cases, the audience on the website controls their exposure to the ad, such as with streaming audio and video, and the need to click through an ad to see the full message.Newspaper Advertising Advantages Timeliness is a major advantage of newspaper advertising relative to many other media types. You can often drop a newspaper ad off a day or two before it runs in the paper. Newspapers are excellent for geographi c targeting as well. Local businesses make regular use of local newspapers to target a local geographic market. State, regional and national newspapers offer broader geographic opportunities. Credibility is another strength of newspapers relative to other media. People often perceive that since the ads are near fact or news-based content, they are more believable.Newspaper Advertising Disdvantages Newspapers have a short life. Relative to magazines, newspaper ads have limited potential for ongoing exposure as they are often recycled or thrown out after initial reading. Reproduction quality also affects the print quality, especially in the latter part of a production run. You also have limited ability to target segmented markets through newspapers. While geographic targeting is an advantage, you have to pay for the newspaper's audience regardless of who fits into your market segment.

Authobiographical essay Scholarship Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Authobiographical - Scholarship Essay Example I was born in Russia in a little southern town, Goriachy Kluch. I studied in a local high school and had always been a top student getting positions and certificates. I was also an active participant of my hometown’s Union of the Young Painters and won the best picture contest in my hometown in year 2000. I feel proud to tell that I graduated from high school with the highest honors and received full scholarship for admission in Rostov State University for BA in Finance and Credit. It was like my constant struggle through every thick and thin had started bearing fruit. My teachers and professors always considered me a student worthy of reward. I graduated from the university in year 2007 again with highest honors and received full scholarship for admission in the Masters programme in the same university. Once again, my honesty and hard work was given its due reward. Life had something special in store for me. I met my future husband, got married, and then had to move to the Un ited States with him. Now, it has been two years since I shifted to the US. Since, I had always been the type of person with high goals and ideas, I thought of pursuing my education and career once again. Along with looking after my married life, I made adjustments in my routine and got admission in a college in the Accounting discipline. Thanks to my husband’s moral support and encouragement, I am in my third semester right now. I have clear plans to get my AA degree which would lead me towards my BA degree in Accounting. After that, I plan to pass a CPA exam to become a CPA. Besides this, in order to satisfy my helpful and sympathetic nature, I work as a volunteer helper for an old couple here in California who does not have any relations to look after them. Nothing pleases me more than helping people out especially those who are in dire need of help. My application for scholarship might be plain but is very

Leaders as agents of Socialization Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Leaders as agents of Socialization - Term Paper Example That is, the gradual shift from an unfavorable environment to a more favorable one has the likelihood to reshape the initial cognitive cycle of the child, thereby emphasizing the role that conscious educational environments could create for the child. Essentially, inequality in educational achievement has been attributed majorly to the physical environment that the child grows in. The cultural capital theory helps to explain disparities in educational attainment based on the environmental setup that children grow in (Meyer, 2007). Intellectual ability is assessed through educational attainment of individuals. However, the interaction between such achievement and the socialization has prompted wide research into the impacts of social structures on the individual’s ability to socialize (loosely translated into the ability to interact freely and intelligently with other members of a social setup). Socialization is a key factor in the determination of the skill development in young children. Consequently, a great deal of attention has been concentrated to understanding how cultures create a social structure, and how such structures affect the ability to socialize (Turner, 2006). From the dimension of a school leader, the above argument presents a state to redefine the way children socialize. That is, irrespective of their cultural background. The leader aims at creating a supportive environment that recognizes the existence of each member of a society, and attempts to genuinely offer them equal opportunity to develop their social skills. In order to address the disparities between various members of a community, it is essential to create a transformative environment that will enable convergence of interests and encourage those who are seen to be underprivileged to come out more boldly and confront their past misgivings. The transformation environment created by a school leader cannot be complete without

Discussing incentives to conserve marine biodiversity conservation Essay

Discussing incentives to conserve marine biodiversity conservation within the framework of impure public goods - Essay Example It is important to note that their benefits can be affected when the government decides not to offer the conservation. (Maxwell) Ordinarilly, an externality is the effect of an economic activity felt by those not directly involved in the economic activity. Positive externalities are often described as spillover effects to suggest their effects are felt by consumers who were not directly intended by their producers. The impure public goods such marine biodiversity and other environmental amenities are not to be supplied privately because the provider cannot capture the benefits and therefore no one can be excluded, so free riding is possible. Clearly, some aspects of marine bear the characteristics of a public good. Marine contributes to global biodiversity and enhances the well being of the majority of people. (Bulte) Ordinarily, no one has the appropriate incentive to provide marine habitat or otherwise protect marine as they cannot capture the full benefits from the needed investments. Market failure occurs because the amount of a public good is underprovided, and thus marginal social benefits exceed marginal social costs. In this case, more of the public good should be provided, but it is forthcoming only if society subsidizes a private supplier, or provides it publicly. (Bulte) On the other hand, negative externalities that include the government regulations impose costs on society that extend beyond the cost of production as originally intended by the producer. A producer of a negative externality who does not have to worry about its full cost is likely to produce an excessive harmful amount of the product.Ordinarilly, regulations and fines may deter the production of negative externalities. But the effects of regulation may be limited under conditions such as where negative externalities are so pervasive they encourage free riding attitudes, where negative externalities are so pervasive their producers could

Tuberculosis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Tuberculosis - Term Paper Example According to the World Health Organization (WHO) approximates, nearly ten million new patients get TB annually, and that around 2 million people died from TB worldwide during 2010. Nonetheless, if TB is identified near the beginning and properly treated, people with the disease soon become non-infectious and are finally cured. Poor cure has caused outbreak of mycobacterium TB strains that do not respond to treatment with regular first line combination of anti-tuberculosis drugs, causing the â€Å"emergence of multi-drug resistance tuberculosis in almost every country† (Bynum, 2012). Tuberculosis is a matter of universal apprehension and a key focus for prevention and control attempts for CDC along with its collaborators throughout the world. The universal program to end TB (2011 - 2015) has marked the objective of 50 percent drop in TB pervasiveness and casualty rates by 2015, in comparison with 1990 levels. CDC chips in to the accomplishment of these objectives by working to enhance the level of TB control plans globally in countries nations with an increased stress of TB and those that add considerably to TB stress within the United States. CDC offers significant scientific sustenance to global collaborators for epidemiology as well as inspection, together with assistance for drug-resistant TB; laboratory support; medical and operational research that assesses hopeful analytics, cure and avoidance approaches. CDC is presently involved with activities to endorse the up-gradation of the â€Å"three is intensified case finding, isoniazid preventive therapy, and infection control† (Connolly, 2008) and early start of ART for individuals residing with HIV in lesser resource nations with TB/HIV syndemics. CDC’s global TB management activities are largely carried out in high-burden nations and nations of origin for foreign-born US TB cases, collaborating with MOHs and other collaborators to make sturdy national TB programs. CDC has a vital part in

Multiple questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multiple questions - Assignment Example Additionally, the teachers also point out that finding help from senior teachers may also be an important inclusion in these strategies. Based on your reading and on this video, do you agree with the master teachers in this video case who believe that standardized testing "offers the opportunity to reflect upon your teaching practice?"   Why or why not? Standardized testing provides a tutor with an opportunity to effectively analyze their teaching practice. Standardized testing enables a tutor to generally create assessment systems that equally reflect the performance of every student. Additionally, the tests are effective enough to generate reliable results that reflect the performance of a tutor in regards to performance by their students. Collaboration requires understanding among teachers in an institution. Collaboration refers to the generation of ideas collectively by all teachers. However, a tutor should be able to look for friendly tutors who maybe willing to help. Additionally, collaboration should be agenda based as tutor should seek collaboration to generate a solution to a particular problem. The master teachers in this video suggest that it is important to use student test data effectively.   How does one use test data effectively?   What are some challenges that might be encountered during this process? Test data can be used effectively if the collection of the data is accurate. Additionally, test data should be collected from reliable test that may reflect the exact potential of the students. Possible challenges may be generated from biasness from collecting the data. Data collection questions may also be limited to testing the actual student abilities. In the video, the teachers believe in teacher’s empowerment through collaboration. They also use collaboration as decision making tool (01_CollaborationColleagues.mov). The tutors come together was a work group. They

Critically Analyse the Interpretation of Umbrella Clause in Investment Essay

Critically Analyse the Interpretation of Umbrella Clause in Investment Treaties - Essay Example investor in a host state.3 One such device is the umbrella clause. 2. Definitions of Umbrella Clause The umbrella clause is also known by other terms, such as the observance of undertakings clause, the observance of commitments clause, the pacta sunt servanda 4 clause, the sanctity of contract clause, and the mirror effect clause.5 There is no fixed wording for the clause, but it’s different manifestations are all to the effect that obligations are imposed upon the parties for those circumstances for which the contract had not specifically provided. The benefit of umbrella clause is that it can encompass all types of commitments whether express or implied, contractual or not contractual.6 The clause’s broadest version may be stated as: â€Å"Each Contracting Party shall observe any obligation it may have assumed with regard to investments.†7 As Dolzer & Stevens describes, the provision of umbrellas clause intends to ensure that contracting parties in an investmen t agreement should honour their commitments towards citizens or investors of other parts.8 Consequently, The effect of umbrella clauses is for arbitral jurisdiction to be extended more broadly to investment disputes that involve alleged default by the host state in meeting any obligation it owes to the foreign investor. Through umbrella clauses, therefore, the investor secures the state’s observance of its commitments. More state acts are thus brought â€Å"under the umbrella of protection of the treaty.†9 There are far-reaching effects of umbrella clauses, the most important of which is to extend violations of a contract relating to an investment to the status of treaty violations.10 The conventional concept of the umbrella clause was best put forward by Noble Ventures v Romania,11 which held that â€Å"the purpose of the parties in adopting an umbrella clause was ‘to equate contractual obligations governed by municipal law to international treaty obligations a s established in the BIT.†12 3. Evolution of Umbrella Clause Long before BITs were the norm and when investor-to-state arbitration was still unheard of, the only recourse of an individual who felt aggrieved by alleged illicit acts of the host state was by diplomatic protection. Traditional international law insulated governments against the direct claims of private persons (corporations and individuals), requiring aggrieved foreign investors to secure the consent of the host country before it may seek redress.13 It was a rule of customary law that a state may exercise its right of diplomatic protection only if a breach of international law has taken place, and its national has suffered some form of injury as a result thereof. The term umbrella clause was first used by an prominet international scholar Elihu Lauterpacht in a claim against Iran due to nationalisation of iranian oil fields when claim was made by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1953-54. Lauterpacht supported that an â€Å"umbrella treaty† would be implemented infringement of which would make the infringement if the

Two World Wars of the 20th Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Two World Wars of the 20th Century - Essay Example As the report declares World War I was immediately triggered by the assassination of the Crown Prince to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. Serbia wanted to be independent from Austria-Hungary and saw the assassination as a way to put their message across. When Austria-Hungary and its German ally attacked Serbia in retaliation, the latter’s Russian ally came to the rescue together with their allies Britain and France. World War II was like a continuation of the unfinished business of World War I where Germany aimed at strengthening its hold on Europe by having a large Empire under its control. Its ambition for world domination thwarted by their loss in 1918, Germany began building up its armed forces and its military power under the guidance of misguided politicians with grand ambitions. This paper stresses that both wars featured heavy casualties because of the use of technology. While the wars in previous centuries were marked by battles of mass troop formations, the two world wars became the laboratory for weapons of mass destruction in the form of poison chemical gases, landmines, explosive projectiles that were created to inflict death or serious injury from remote locations, armored vehicles that could carry troops and ammunitions across great distances, and in Japan in 1945, the use of atomic weapons that claimed many civilian casualties and that flattened two cities. World War I affected a few countries, mostly in Europe. On the side of the Allies were Britain, France, and Russia, but there were troops from the United States, Australia, northern Africa, and Eastern Europe. The Axis powers were Germany, Austro-Hungary, and Italy. World War II affected more countries with the entry of Japan as one of the Axis powers carrying the war to island nations in the Pacific and the Asian continent. The impact on world

Making Sense of Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Making Sense of Change Management - Essay Example It accounts for an organizational process which is aimed at the empowerment of the employees towards accepting or embracing a change in their organization or business environment. The strategy begins with a systematic approach for diagnosing the present situation for determining both the need for change and also the capacity of the organization to implement changes. However, at the beginning of the plan, the purpose, objective and process of the change must be specified to every member of the organization. Most organizations have acknowledged the idea of managing innovation in their organizations. In fact, the performance of innovation varies greatly across organizations which suggest that both the organizational and structural factors affect the influence of innovation on performance (Bessant & Pavitt, 2005, p.13). Â  The project aims to explore the changes and innovation management strategy undertaken in US-based Apple Corp Ltd. It makes an analysis of the effectiveness of the strategy undertaken in the organization in bringing about the change with a presentation of suitable arguments to support the topic. Â  The change management strategies are explained in terms of Kotter’s eight steps to change. The theory is one of the most important and most widely accepted texts in modern organizations. It defines eight steps in which changes can be implemented in organizations effectively. Although the steps are primarily meant for organizations, they also find application in personal change initiatives. Successful change management is also explained in terms of the Lewin’s model of organizational change.

Luck Club Essay Example for Free

Luck Club Essay Published in 1989, The Joy Luck Club is the first novel written by Amy Tan that narrates about the lives of four Chinese-American immigrant families who are living in the United States. â€Å"Two Kinds† is one of the chapters in this book that focuses on the conflict between a mother and a daughter as a result of generation gap and cultural differences. Shu-Huei Henrickson, an instructor of English at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois, wrote a criticism on the novel and explores the reasons for the popularity of The Joy Luck Club and the various narrative techniques used by the author to give life to the conflict and resentment that arise between a mother and a daughter in the novel. In his criticism, Hendrickson initially introduced the background of the author and listed the novels that she has written. A comparison was also made between Amy Tan’s narrative style and that of other ethnic authors in the Asian American Literature. He believes that the success of the novel is due to Tan’s excellent treatment of the mother/daughter relationship. Normally texts of mother/daughter focus on the daughter’s struggles for identity and the mothers supporting role position. In the case of this novel, the central focus is on the lives of the mothers. Hendrickson quoted another critic, Maria Heung’s description of The Joy Luck Club who said, â€Å"What distinguishes Tan’s text from other ethnic novels is the ‘foregrounding of the voices of mothers as well as of daughters’. † This unique style makes The Joy Luck Club an outstanding Asian American literature. Hendrickson further analyzes Amy Tan’s narrative techniques. He pointed out that the author’s first narrative technique uses multiple points of view in recounting the stories. In these four pairs of mothers and daughters’ stories, there are sixteen interlocking tales. The stories are divided into two parts, one for the daughters and one for the mothers. â€Å"The mothers are all depicted as strong and determined women who play significant roles in the daughters’ lives. † Hendrickson considers this as a unique technique. In Jing-Mei Woo’s story (Two Kinds), a high standard of maternal expectation is manifested as Jing Mei’s mother forces her to practice playing the piano. This vivid depiction shows the significant role of the mother in the story. Through the significant presence of the mothers, Tan reinforces the conflict between the mothers and daughters that stems from their cultural and generation differences. In addition, misunderstanding arises due to their linguistic differences. Hendrickson believes that the central theme of The Joy Luck Club is the lack of shared languages and cultural logic between the Chinese immigrant mothers and the American-born daughters. Nevertheless, the mothers are not given any insignificant roles in the stories and their concerns are noteworthy in this novel. The second narrative technique that Hendrickson pointed out is the presence of realistic dialogues. In the story, the mothers are speaking imperfect English. Tan directly captures these dialogues and clearly shows it to the readers. Thus, the linguistic and cultural differences between the mothers and daughters are directly felt throughout the story. This is one of the remarkable features of the novel. Hendrickson also criticized the racial identity and the concluding part of Jing-Mei’s story. However, this part will not be discussed since it is no longer related to the chapter, â€Å"Two Kinds†. Hendrickson considers the mothers in The Joy Luck Club as â€Å"heroines†. They are different in comparison with other Asian American literature that has portrayed them as discreet and modest. Because of their significant presence and Tan’s unique narrative techniques, The Joy Luck Club is considered as a special and excellent literary work. Response: The chapter, â€Å"Two Kinds† may provide us with a minute idea of the existing conflict between two generations of women who were raised in two different environments – the mothers in an oriental country and the daughters in a western environment. However, without the benefit of viewing the film and reading the novel, one would not be able to imbibe the conflicting reality of seeing families of the same race living in conflict as a result of generation and cultural differences. Fortunately, I have seen the film, â€Å"The Joy Luck Club† a few years ago and without a doubt, the movie is great. Although I have not read the entire book, I could only imagine the novel to be as good if not better. Personally, I agree with the critic, Shu-Huei Hendrickson’s opinion in the conflict between Suyuan (mother) and Jing-Mei (daughter). The daughter, Jing-Mei was born in the United States while the mother, Suyuan was born in China, and later immigrated to the US. In most family situations, mothers and daughters tend to establish a close bond but this kind of relationship was not present between Suyuan and Jing-Mei. Both were emotionally apart and they have not developed a close relationship. Since Jing-Mei was raised in a country where freedom of choice abounds, her young mind could not accept her mother’s desire to have a daughter who is willing to obey and follow everything that a mother says. Forcing her to take piano lessons against her wishes only made their relationship worst. On the other hand, Suyuan does not understand her daughter’s desire to establish her own identity and independence. For Suyuan, the road to success in the US requires one to speak the American language fluently. Hence, she compelled Jing-Mei to speak in perfect English. Suyuan desires the best for her daughter as she does not want her to experience the painful life that she had in China. This however was not fully accepted by Jing-Mei. Language barrier and cultural gap has widened the difference between the mother and the daughter. Suyuan’s dream of giving Jing-Mei the best of life is often misunderstood by her daughter who wanted to be free from the clutches of her mother. Since I am a student from China, I can relate to the story than most American readers. Suyuan’s hopes and dreams for her daughter are common among parents in my country. In China, people do not enjoy the freedom to do whatever they want. We are not given the opportunity to achieve our dreams. When we set foot in the United States, we want to identify with the Americans and embrace the country that is known as the land of freedom and hope. Our thirst for freedom is so intense. Chinese-American people who were born in the US like Jing-Mei have never experienced the life of those who lived in China during the nineteenth century where freedom never exist and people’s lives were in the hands of the communist government. I agree with Hendrickson’s view that Amy Tan uses the first narrative technique in writing her novel effectively. She uses many dialogues that project the voices of mothers and daughters. I can also relate to the challenges of trying to speak English fluently while thinking and translating Chinese words into English when I saw the scene where Suyuan speaks imperfect American English while shouting these words to Jing-Mei, â€Å"Only ask you be your best. For your sake. You think I want you be genius? Hnnh! What for! Who ask you! † Amy Tan has mastered the use of narrative technique in ways that many writers could not imagine. Her unique and effective techniques have drawn many readers to read her novel, watch the movie and relate to the challenges of two generations of women who are living in the land where freedom abounds and dreams turn into reality.

Presentation of War in Literature | The Man He Killed and Dulce Er Decorum Est

Presentation of War in Literature | The Man He Killed and Dulce Er Decorum Est The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), and Dulce et Decorum est, by Wilfred Owen explore the theme of war, they both take similar views on life during and after the treacherous times that war created, and its lasting effects. However, the poets choose to display these feelings through their poetry in different ways. In Hardys poem, the poet adopts the person of a war veteran in the Boer war. The poem is about his actions in this war and their lasting effects. In Dulce Decorum est, the poet prefers to take a step back, he is not as directly involved as Hardy, yet he continues to get his message across very effectively by describing the horrors he witnessed. Though the poems were written in different wars the messages they portray are very similar as the poems do not divulge into the actual wars they were based on, but, instead on the inner dynamics of war on a whole. Wilfred Owen is known as being one of the most famous poets of the First World War. He wrote Dulce et Decorum Est while he served as a soldier in the appalling conditions of the trenches. Dulce et Decorum Est gives a distressing account of the futility of war, generated from his own personal experiences. It was composed during the summer of 1917 when Owen wrote a series of poems about the war. The preface to this collection was My subject is War, and the pity of War. This shows Owens view to war and his purpose for writing the poems was to show the disgusting horror that war created to an ill-informed and uneducated audience back at home in England. Though the war made Owen famous it ultimately led to his demise a year later. The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy was written to express Hardys beliefs. Hardy felt that war was inhuman, he despised the heartlessness atrocity between men. The poem is specifically addressed to the Boer War, which Hardy was passionately against. The poem may seem very simple at first but in fact it is a very skilful one, it is hampered with irony and Hardy makes interesting use of colloquialism (writing in a conversational style). Hardy titled the poem The Man He Killed, in the third person. However, the poem is narrated in the first person. The person in the poem, the he in the title and I in the poem, is clearly a soldier of the Boer war attempting to explain and perhaps clarify the reasons to kill another man in battle. The short lines, simple rhyme scheme, and colloquial language make the poem almost like pleasant nursery rhyme as it is so simple and easy to read, however, this is an ironic contrast to its less than pleasant subject. In Dulce et decorum est, Owen is showing how the press and public at home were comforting themselves in the belief that all the young men dying in the war were dying noble, heroic deaths. Owen on the other hand, shows how the reality was quite different; the young men were dieing horrible and obscene deaths in the trenches. I believe that Owen wanted to open the eyes of the reader to what was really going on in the war to illustrate how vile and inhumane war really is. The first line sets the tone for the rest of the poem Bent double, like old beggars under sacks. He uses the simile like old beggars to show how the average soldier was not being treated nobly or with respect but like someone the lowest class (a beggar). It also shows how the young, vibrant boys who signed up had the life taken out of them by the war and were becoming old well before it was their time. This put the reader in the right frame of mind about the war, it casts out any false pretences they had about the war and opens their eyes to the inhumane truth war created. He uses bitter imagery like coughing like hags and But limped on, blood shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue to show how these apparent youthful and strong men had been broken by the war and become prematurely old and weakened. Owen takes pity on these tired and weary soldiers as he describes them in the most unglamorous, inglorious manner. Similarly, in The Man He Killed, Hardy also banishes a common misconception about war, that killing a man was a dignified and noble thing to do. In the first stanza Hardy establishes that things could have been different in more favourable circumstances between him and his foe: Had he and I but met they could have had a drink together By some old ancient inn. However, in the second stanza, Hardy shows the true circumstances in which they did meet, which is in stark contrast to the first stanza. Ranged as infantry Hardy once again reemphasises the point that the men are not natural foes but have been ranged, which means that they have been set against each other by someone elses decision. The phrase as he at me indicates they are both in similar situations. This tells the reader how your foe may have been your friend in indifferent circumstances but because someone higher has said they are your enemy means you must kill them, in essence you must banish your own moral and personal view s on the person you are about to kill because someone has told you, falsely, it is your duty to kill them. Like Owen, Hardy takes pity on the soldiers, as it is not their fault, as he shows it is kill or be killed in war. In The Man He Killed, Hardy also exhibits the dark side of man, especially his capacity for violence and cruelty. He does this in the last stanza where concludes with a repetition of the contrast between his treatment of the man he killed and how he might have shared hospitality with him in other circumstances, Youd treat, if met where any bar is, or even been ready to extend charity to him Or help to half a crown. Before this he says that war is quaint and curious, as if to say war was is bit of a harmless puzzle. This may give the impression that war is undamaging and acceptable, but as the reader now knows from the events described in the poem and the knowledge he already has of war, make it clear that Hardy applies this phrase quaint and curious with great irony, knowing full well that this statement is far from the truth. It forces the reader, through Hardys irony, to divulge deeper into the ethics behind war and the brutality and inhumanity it creates, and to consider how human s are often victims of sheer circumstance and fate, which has lead them to take another persons life. Hardy has very cleverly through colloquial language and simple statements, made the reader think as though they have made a judgment of whether war is right or wrong on their own, when really Hardy has inconspicuously made that decision for them. Furthermore, Owen also shows how war has changed man into a killing beast. He concentrates on the use of mustard gas, a new devastating weapon used in the First World war. If inhaled without the protection of a mask, the gas quickly burns away the lining of the respiratory system. Owen shows this as he compares the soldier who has breathed in the toxic fumes with a man consumed in fire or lime. When you have breathed in the fumes, it is of often compared with drowning, as mustard gas effectively drowns people in the blood from their own lung tissues. Owen then skilfully uses a metaphor to tie into the drowning theme as he says As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. This was because Mustard gas had a green colour, he calls it a sea to show how it was impossible to get away from. Owen continues this aquatic theme as he views this floundring man as if through an underwater mask, Dim through the misty panes. This gives the impression that Owen was unable to fully access the situation through his gas mask, there is also a helplessness felt by Owen as there is nothing he can do, which adds to the surreal and nightmarish atmosphere of the poem, in all my dreams, before my helpless sight. This dream then becomes a harsh reality as the guttering, choking soldier plunges at the helpless speaker, seeking help, in an effort to escape his inevitable death, Owen uses triple emphasis to engrave this astringent image in the readers head. Owen can do nothing for the man; there is still a feeling of responsibility and guilt. This vivid imagery creates a bleak image in the readers mind, Owen is trying to make them question whether the suffering and torture created by war is really worth it. His despair at war and the loss of morals it results in are shown in phrase sores on innocent tongues, as Owen realizes that this soldier, though he is fighting in a war, is innocent and there was no reason for him to die in this way. Owen then uses alliteration to further emphasize the inh umanities man does to man by describing the soldiers slow death, he repeats initial consonant sounds in closely related words wagon, watch, white, writhing. Owen then continues to use bitter imagery combined with similes such as, Like a devils sick of sin to describe the soldiers dying face. This exceptionally dramatic imagery creates a lasting and distressing impression on the reader, as Owen reveals the true horrors that go on during times of war. In The Man He Killed, Hardy illustrates that the reason for killing a man because they are your foe is not good enough. This is shown in the third stanza. The colloquial style Hardy uses enables him to repeat the word because, when he is trying to justify the reason for killing the man, implying hesitation, and therefore doubt as he doesnt know why he killed him. He uses repetition of my foe and the of course this also shows that there is an element of doubt as the speaker tries to convince himself of his justification for the killing. Hardy has already made it clear that the men fighting each other because of an artificial hostility created by others. He adds at the end of the stanza Thats clear enough which is obviously ironic, as the reason for killing is far from clear to the reader because of the reasons above. The last word of the stanza although ultimately destroys the whole entire believability of the reason he has just given. I believe the main point of this poem is to show that there is never a good enough reason to kill another man. Hardy shows this through illustrating how these men would have been friends if they had met under different circumstances yet because someone has said they were there enemy this was a good enough reason to take the other persons life, thus showing how war is a pointless and frivolous act. On the other hand, in Dulce et Decorum est, Owen in not against the reasons why soldiers are killing each other but the fact that these young, innocent and possibly naive men were signing up based on the belief that it is sweet and fitting to die for your country (which is Dulce et decorum est the title of the poem in Latin). At the end of the last stanza, Owen sums up the poem. Owen speaks directly to reader calling the reader my friend, this draws the reader into the poem. He says you would not tell with such high zest, to say directly to the reader that if they had witnessed the horror that he had witnessed then the readers attitude towards the war would change. Therefore, the reader would not repeat patriotic slogans to make people sign up, To children ardent for some desperate glory. The title of the poem Dulce et decorum est is used with a certain sense of irony as the poem is all about how it is not sweet and fitting to die for your country. However, Owen abandons this irony a nd just says The old Lie, showing how more soldiers will die in the circumstances of the fallen soldier in this poem, if the reader continues to spread that lie to young men who have been blinded by this sense of patriotic duty to their country. The final line brings about the full chilling effect of the poem Pro patria mori: to die for ones country. Owen shows how people are signing up to the war on lies like Dulce et decorum est, however, this is far from the truth as nobody deserves to suffer the fate of the fallen soldier in the poem for their country. Within Dulce et Decorum Est the poet utilises a variety of powerful poetic devices in order to depict death in war as a brutal and horrifying experience. It is through the use of this simile that the poet arouses the sympathy of the responder as they witness the grotesque nature of such a death. In Dulce et Decorum est Owen masterfully uses a variety of potent poetic devices to depict the horrifying nature of death in a war to stimulate a response from the reader. He uses metaphors and similes to provoke sympathy for the people who were dying in the war, as the reader witnesses the grotesque death of the soldier who died in the poem. By doing this Owen portrays his message in a very bold and tasteful way. In The Man He Killed Hardy uses a colloquial style of writing combined with an ABAB rhyme scheme, this makes the poem very easy to read and long lasting. Hardy uses slang to get the reader involved in the poem, this allows Hardy to make a strong point in highlighting the irony behind how war can turn friend into foe simply by association and sway the reader against war. Both poems are against war and the reasons and ethics behind them. Though Hardy uses a more direct approach to get his point across, both poems successfully complete the objective that the poets had for them , which was to open the readers eyes to the true reality of war.

Anna Pavlova Ballerina Biography

Anna Pavlova Ballerina Biography Anna Pavlova, a famous Russian ballet dancer best known for changing the ideals for ballet dancers, was the first to make ballet popular in America and the rest of the world. Her love for classical ballet, determination to perform her love for the arts, influences and zest can still be evidently felt. Born on 31 January 1881, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Anna Pavlova was awestruck by the first ballet performance she watched and was intent on becoming a ballerina. Petite Pavlova entered the Imperial Ballet School in 1891 despite not having the preferred body type of a ballerina which was a strong, muscular and compact body. However, she gave the examiners enough confidence that she would work hard and excel. In the later years, Pavlova became one of the most astounding ballerinas. Young Pavlova was a talented and hardworking student. Training years were difficult due to her special physique. She was considered physically weak as she was small and thin coupled with highly arched feet unlike the preferred body of a ballerina at that time. Pavlova was fed with cod-liver oil which tasted awful to her in the hope of getting the ideal body. Even so she remained slender. In order to improve faster, Pavlova tried imitating other ballet dancers. However her teacher, Pavel Gerdt taught her to  understand her unique dancing of daintiness and fragility and the importance to dance out those rare qualities. Her zeal for ballet was remarkable; she worked hard to strengthen her weakness and also with what she had instead of trying to be someone else. Her willingness to overcome these obstacles at such a young age is commendable. Soon, Pavlova grew in gracefulness and could stand in a way that her body formed a beautiful line where she was able to bend and twist her torso wi th ease and grace. Instead of mastering multiple fouettes turns and other technical steps that the muscular Italian style had induced at that time, Pavlova danced poetically and expressively. She stood out.. Finally upon graduation, Pavlovas hard work paid off she graduated as a first class dancer. After Pavlovas school years, she continued training hard to improve her technique and even took extra lessons with different teachers such as Christian Johansson, Madame Sokolova and Nikolai Legat. Pavlova graduated at a time where virtuoso Italian ballerinas and a muscular ballet stylewas popular. Although Pavlova had mastered difficult steps and ballet technique, her highly arched feet were still too weak for the flamboyant pointe work. She experimented with ways to wear her pointe shoes with the hope of maximizing her potential. Through experiments, she discovered that by adding a piece of hard leather to the soles, the shoes provided better support. Many people thought this as cheating because ideally, ballerinas should be able to hold their own weight on their toes. However, her idea enabled her to perform better and allowed her to balance in her arabesque with poised and elegance inflicting less pain and  hence easier to sustain on pointe. In doing so, Pavlova created what is known as our pointe shoes today. Being able to go on pointe with ease and having a beautiful extension, flexible torso and tremendous feminine expressive dancing, Pavlova set a higher aesthetic of beauty in ballet where ballet dancers were able to perform with poise and elegance like a princess. With the recreation of the pointe shoes, there was a demand for brilliant and fancy footwork like jumps, multiple turns and balances and that of ballerinas performing on pointe. Pavlovas extremely strong stage presence caught a lot of attention and impressed several people such as leading ballerina, Kchessinskaya and ballet master Marius Petipa, who later became her most revered mentor. Pavlova started off performing at the Maryinsky Theatre playing minor roles. Although she was only able to perform short solos, she was not disheartened. Learning under Petipa, Pavlova improved tremendously earning the title role in Paquita, Princess Aspicia in The Pharaohs Daughter, Queen Nisia in Le Roi Candaule, and Giselle. She was named coryphà ©e in 1902, premià ¨re danseuse in 1905, and finally prima ballerina in 1906 after a resounding performance in Giselle. Petipa would edit various ballet variations to suit Pavlova and her unique style of dancing. With the collaboration between Pavlova and Petipa, they made ballet very popular and was highly demanded in places after Pavlova had performed. Pavlova and her ballet were so popular that she had a fans base who called themselves Pavlovatzi. Pavlovas popularity and fame rose with every performance she undertook, both at home and overseas. However she remained humble and danced genuinely. After earning the valuable title of Prima Ballerina in a mere four years, Pavlova traveled around the world to promote ballet. She felt that she needed to venture around the world to look for her true identity as a dancer coupled with the desire to be the best ballerina ever. It lasted for many years and took her all over the world. Pavlova left the Maryinsky Theatre and joined another company where she performed The Dying Swan which became her trademark. Pavlova performed extensively, even if it meant small stages. She was sincere in all her performances that she always took the audiences breath away. Pavlova and her company traveled extensively introducing classical ballet to the world. Countries such as China, India and Australia were touched by her sincere performance. Her first appearance in America, at the Metropolitan Opera House was an astounding one. Most of the American audiences had never seen classical ballet and critics could not depict what Pavlova had offered to them. They concluded however, that it was beautiful. Pavlova appearance in the various countries not only overwhelmed the people with her elegance and grace in dancing but also introduced a new kind of art form, classical ballet. Subsequently, there was a rise in demand and a higher expectation for ballet performances of both technique and aesthetics. Increasingly more people became interested in learning the art form as they wanted to dance as gracefully and elegantly as Pavlova. Pavlovas performance was always awaited enthusiastically. In 1904 when Russia was in chaos, Pavlova fought for dancers rights such as a  raise in the unjustly low salaries. She was firm in upholding her principles, ;Pavlova was insistent and determined in her values but at the same time respected what others wanted to do. Pavlova had little regard for the wealth she obtained, she was more interested in spreading her love for classical ballet. She would donate generously to charities and to dancers who were paid low. This provided the dancers with a motivation to work hard so that their daily expenses were less of a worry. Shortly after becoming the Prima Ballerina at the Maryinsky Theatre, Pavlova left the company travelled around the world to promote ballet and later setting up a company of her own. Since then she contributed greatly to both the arts and her home town financially and artistically. Although she was on tour during World War I, she gave special charity performances to raise funds to send home and for the needy, making sure that ticket prices were affordable. At the same time, she promoted classical ballet to places where it was foreign to them. Hence more people had the chance to have a glimpse at classical ballet Pavlova used her love for classical ballet as a source of comfort to the audience. In addition, she was very patriotic. She established a home for Russian refugees and sent large amounts of everything she could to help them including from her own private resources, vast entertainments and charitable performances. She believed that through dance she would be able to make and help patrons forget their problems, or the very least forget their problems momentarily during the performance. Her sincerity and utmost respect for the audience during the performances always awed them and this was what made her very special. Pavlova never believed in teaching her students how to imitate her in dancing. Pavlovas student would try to intimate her style of dancing, following her sentimental and melodramatic expression, which she would never hesitate to rebuke the student. She believed that by intimating another, one would only be a dancer without a soul. Everyone is special to her and that no one is replaceable. She too did not believe in teaching a dancer to be a technical dancer, she felt that expressing inner beauty and feelings was more important because that was the way to create sincerity in dancing. Hence Pavlova always taught her students to dance with their heart leading to genuinely performed movements. In 1931 she contracted pleurisy. An operation would have saved her life however she would never be able to perform again. With her love for dance, Pavlova chose to die. In the end, she died before she was able to perform The Dying Swan on stage. Pavlovas love for dance and ever lasting determination to do her best in perfecting what she loves is widely recognized in the world. It was because of her that ballet and the usage of her handicraft, the pointe shoes became popular till this day. Through her undying love and creativity in creating wonderful performances in classical ballet, Pavlova touched the hearts of many people. Pavlova taught people the true meaning of art through her sentimental and melodramatic style of dancing. As a result, ballet moved beyond mastering techniques, to the expression of inner beauty and sincere feelings. Pavlova taught people to be sincere with themselves and only so will they be able to perform sincerely. Similarly, her strong character has taught many people to be  humble and to have self respect for themselves, the art form and the people around them. If not for Pavlovas insistence, classical ballet or any sort of dance would not have been taken seriously or respected till today.

Smoking Should Be Outlawed and Tobacco Profit Applied to Medical Resear

Smoking Should Be Outlawed and Tobacco Profit Applied to Medical Research "Scientists know what makes tobacco so deadly. It's the more than 4,000 different chemicals that cigarettes contain. And the more than 400 different poisons that scientists have found in cigarette smoke" (LeTourneau). Does that statement appeal to you? Funny how the public hears this phrase and knows what tobacco is made from, yet they still smoke knowing that tobacco kills more than 440,000 people a year in America alone. "That's more people than die from AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, fires, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides all added together"(LeTourneau). Tobacco is made from all kind of harmful things. Things that give little children asthma, give adults emphysema, cancer of the lungs, throat, mouth, tongue, and can cause many other awful occurrences with people's health. I believe that tobacco should be taken off the market completely. I believe that tobacco companies should not have to pay for rehabilitation for those people who are addicted to tobacco because it is t heir own choice. Inste...

Urban Myths Essay example -- Rumors Myths Lies Essays Papers

Urban Myths It can all start with an e-mail or a couple of phone calls, and it can escalate into a possible international rumor or myth. According to About.com an urban myth is a â€Å"term used to describe an apocryphal – and actually false – story that plays on a general assumption or feeling shared by many, usually of fear or distrust, and that usually claims to expose a public danger (1). Urban myths usually push the lines of believability, and when one really tries to piece the story together and figure out the origin, he finds that it definitely does not prove to be true. They also appear to come with an endorsement like the FCC, the police department, the FBI, or even a newspaper. Urban food myths are no different from any other urban myths. They all start with lies about some sort of food or food company. The people who start these myths are either trying to make a bad reputation for the company or food, trying to scare people, or even trying to get a good laugh out of someone. For example, an urban food myth began to circulate about Kentucky Fried Chicken when they changed their name to KFC in 1991 because the FDA ordered them to change it because they were not using real chicken for their products (Emery 1). Supposedly the fast food chain had engineered a more efficient way to manufacture their chicken by growing it without heads, beaks, and feathers. The chickens would then be hooked up to mechanical tubes and be fed the exact ration of food that would make them grow the most and best meat. According to the myth, the FDA forced Kentucky Fried Chicken to change their name to KFC because the chickens they served were really not chickens at all because they were headless (Weise 1). They sup... ...05 http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa030701a.htm Rosenblum, Larry. â€Å" The Indian on the Tootsie Roll Pop.† Road Trip America. 2005. Road Trip America. 3 April 2005 http://urbanlegends.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site= http://www.roadtripamerica.com/mttul/indian.htm Chandler, Diana Lyn. â€Å" Urban Myths Melted.† The Equinox. 25 September 2003. Keene State College. 4 April 2005 http://www.keeneequinox.com/news/2003/09/25/Features /Urban.Myths.Melted-474861.shtml Mikkelson, Barbara. â€Å"The Death of little Mikey.† Urban legends reference page. 22 Jan 2005. 3 April 2005 http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/poprocks.htm Mikkelson, Barbara. â€Å"Indian Giver.† Urban legends reference page. 31 December 1998. 3 April 2005 http://www.snopes.com/business/redeem/tootsie.asp

Federal Poverty Lines Essay

The common issue concerning the annual Federal poverty levels that are universal for all the lower forth eight states are that the poverty level measures are limited. In other words, the poverty thresholds doesn’t represent a budget for basic necessities of life nor it addresses the supplementary amount   to allow for other basic needs such as household supplies, person care, etc(Madden, 182). Also, the federal poverty lines by family size do not use consumer expenditure data and it is not updates. It is not adjusted by family types and geographical differences in housing concepts. Problems with Absolute Federal Poverty Level Absolute federal poverty level is enumerates the numeral value of people below poverty threshold which does not depend on time and place (Madden, 183). In other words, it is constant. It is incorrect to calculate absolute federal poverty level because it is only possible because the amount of wealth essential for survival is not constant for all places and time periods.   For example, a person living Alaska requires more sources of heat because of its cold climate whereas a person living in Hawaii does not. As compared to absolute federal poverty level, relative poverty level is dependent on time and place (Madden, 183). Poverty Levels, Family Size and Cost of Living The federal government does not raise the poverty levels by family size to reflect the cost of living of a geographic area because the poverty threshold level varies from one place to another. The current poverty levels by family size are measured by comparing the individual’s family income to the essential amount necessary for standard of living (Rogers, 85). It has been used as the primary statistic by the U.S federal government to allocate mean-tested social welfare benefits. Expenses in NYC versus Other States New York City is considered to be the most expensive cities to live in. New York remains the most expensive city within United States. According to statistics, the median earnings of New York are more that sixty thousand dollars which is ten thousand dollars greater than the national median. The overall average living expenses in New York are more than one hundred and ninety dollars (Rogers, 185). Housing expenses are more than three hundred thousand dollars and secondary education is more than two thousand dollars as compared to the nation average. Other facilities are also expensive as compared to other states. For example, a person living in Pittsburg who earns fifty thousand dollars will need one hundred thousands dollars to survive in New York. Over all, living expenses in New York is twice as much as compared to other states. Juvenilization and Feminization of Poverty Juvenilization of poverty is has been derived from the word juvenile and poverty. Poverty is defined as the scarcity and deficiency assets, income, capabilities or freedoms. Juvenilization is associated with children. Hence, juvenilization of poverty means that children are deprived of basic necessities of life. According to statistics, one out of six children in United States suffers from poverty. Studies also show that more than thirty percent of children are living below poverty line although they make up more than twenty eight percent of the population. The term feminization of poverty has been originated from the definition of two words which are poverty and feminization. Feminization is the term which illustrates that gender partiality and bias in deprivation of resources, capabilities or freedoms. Hence, feminization of poverty is considered to be a concept which compares male and female and what are the differences or ratios between the two in terms of poverty levels. It represents the inability of women to meet the basic necessities of life. Personal Costs of Poverty and Problems with Federal Approach towards Poverty According to the data collected the U.S Census Bureau, the personal costs of poverty on family and children of four is $22,050 per year and for family of eight is $37010 per year and for every additional personal $ 3740 is added (Madden, 196). There are certain sets of specific policies and programs which are flawed because they cannot fight poverty. Aid to Families with Dependent Children has provided families with cash assistance but it comprises about one percent of the federal budget. AFDC polices have serious weaknesses which makes the poverty rate higher as compared to other countries. The weaknesses in the current policies can be classified into two broad categories namely, inadequate livable wage jobs and inadequate social welfare policies. The AFDC policies do not have policies which guarantee childcare for families who are living below two hundred percent of poverty. It doesn’t have policies which assist child support and low incoming individuals. Other problems include lack of workforce education and training programs, benefits and inadequate job policies. Social Work and Poverty and Modifications in Federal Policies As a social worker, I will apply my social work training in system to understand the nature of poverty and its origin. As a social worker, poverty must be combated at macro level so that poor families can afford childcare, housing, mental health treatment and education and employment opportunities (Rogers, 221). On broader scale, the first thing to help poor families would be through community organizing in poor neighborhoods. This can help in organizing the community’s asset and combine them with other resources to create and set up local structure which assist health, education and financial viability. This will empower the community residents to be active and support local initiatives. In order to reduce poverty, the federal government should recognize and produce measures to tackle issues of well being beyond the income status. The federal government should introduce a guarantee for child care for families living at or below two hundred percent of poverty in order to improve the quality of child care. It should also assist child support and fathers who have low incomes. In order to remove the future generation from poverty, the federal government should increase child support programs and adopt pragmatic policies for low income families. At the same time, workforce education and training programs should be introduced to assist low-income individuals to advance economically. The government should also improve job quality with the help of earnings, benefits and other predictable measures so that workers can meet both work and family responsibilities. Work Cited Madden, David. â€Å"RELATIVE OR ABSOLUTE POVERTY LINES: A NEW APPROACH.† Review of Income & Wealth 46 (June 2009): 181-199.   Rogers, Harrell, R.. American Poverty in a New Era of Reform. New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., (2006).

The Narcolepsy Sleeping Disorder

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleeping disorder with no sure cause. The main characteristic is excessive and over daytime sleepiness, even after a good nights rest. A person with narcolepsy will usually be very drowsy or fall asleep, particularly at unappropriate times and places. Daytime attacks may or may not occur withouth any warning (This is a personal account of someone with Narcolepsy that i found on the Science News website) My problems started in the fall of 1954 when football practice began just before school started. I would be so exhausted after practice that I could barely make it ome. Upon doing so I would lay down on the floor and go to sleep. I knew that something was seriously wrong with me and there wasn't anyway that I could play football. The previous year I was a starter on the varsity team. The next ten years were very difficult for me. Doctor after doctor made diagnoses that were wrong. People around you think that you are lazy, sleep all the time, you have no interest in anything and worst of all, you begin to think you are worthless and lazy. During this ten years, I have had sleep attacks while driving a car. When I would awaken, I would have traveled 20 r 30 miles and not remember a thing. I have gone to sleep on my feet while working and standing still. I would go to the bathroom just to be able to close my eyes for a short period of time. I would use cigarettes as a timer. You can light a cigarette and slide it between your fingers down toward your palm, different lengths to adjust the time. When the cigarette burns down toward your fingers How I found out what was wrong with me! There was an article in a magazine which came with the Sunday paper. When I read the article, I immediately knew that i had found the answer to my problem. The next morning I went to the local Doctor and asked him if he had read the article. He responded that he had, but the symptoms would fit just about everyone in town. I told him he might be right, but how many people did he know have their knees buckle or lose control of their neck when they laughed, got mad, or were surprised. I asked if he would write a prescription for Ritalin. When I took my first pill of Ritalin, it was the first time I had felt any source of energy for over 10 years. I am now 61 years old and I am from a time when the workplace was very different from today. Management id not take the time, nor were they required to try to understand disabilities. If a company found out that you were a narcoleptic, they would terminate you, because they were afraid you would hurt someone else in the work place. I worked as a professional mechanic for 20 years and then worked in the gas industry on the retail level for another 22 years. I have not had an accident of any kind as a result of my narcolepsy. It seems as though subconsciously, I knew when I was in danger and would always wake up. My advice to anyone that has had a proper diagnosis as to their narcolepsy is the following. Get to know thy self, be aware and study what effects your behavior when this or that happens. Symptoms typically appear during adolescence, although the disease itself may not be diagnosed for many years afterward. The primary symptom is an overwhelming feeling of fatigue, together with sleep attacks that may occur with or without warning. About 75% of patients also experience cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone lasting a few seconds to 30 minutes, but without loss of consciousness. Episodes of narcolepsy can be triggered by emotions such as laughter, fear, or anger. Other symptoms include sleep aralysis and hypnogogic hallucinations as the person wakes up or falls asleep. Some patients may also have trouble staying asleep at Recent research suggests that the cause of narcolepsy maybe involves a dead patch of cells in your brain, in dogs and mice they have found this patch of dead cells that they ahave verified causes narcolepsy to these animals. The exact cell pattern has not been identified in humans, and scientists say we may find the source in as close to 2 years with good research. Twin studies suggest that narcolepsy is not definately a genetic disease, since only 25% of the ime will both twins have the condition. The risk for a person whose immediate relative has narcolepsy is only about 1-2%. This baffles doctors because narcolepsy can show up out of nowhere, but also may run in the family, but not always. The treatment for narcolepsy usually involves taking medications to reduce sleepiness during the day and in those who have cataplexy, other medications to prevent cataplexy. The medications to prevent sleep during the day are a group of medicines called stimulants that includes Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine, Provigil and others. Cataplexy is usually treated with antidepressant edications that repress REM (dreaming) sleep such as Tofranil, Norpramin, Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft. Narcolepsy can be diagnosed easily when all the symptoms are present. Two tests are usually done to verify the diagnosis. These tests are usually done by a sleep doctor. The polysomnogram records your brain waves when you sleep in the night, and once you go into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) if the brain waves look the same then this helps in diagnosis. With the multiple latency test people are to do an activity they regularly do any other day and every 2 hours the doctors tell them if they feel drowsy that they should try o sleep etc. I have also read though that doctors usually wont diagnose narcolepsy easily, in many stories like the one above, people say that doctors said that they had anything but narcolepsy. Narcolepsy usually can show up as many things, doctors usually at at first call it a lack of sleep, and other times they may say that you I learned a lot from this report. Before I did this report I thought that narcolepsy was just always being tired and sometimes taking a nap during the day, but I was wrong. I think narcolepsy would be a very aggrevating and embarrasing disease.

My Understanding of Parents-Children Relationship Essay

During the past twenty years of my life, I was always regarding my parents as extraordinary and authoritative models of my life. I adored them so much as if everything they had done was not only right but also great. As for my parents, they paid much attention to setting a good example for me since I was a little girl. The situation lasts and I have never thought of any possible changes in the relationship between my parents and me. However, after reading the passage Predictable Crises of Adulthood written by Gail Sheehy, my old understanding of parents-children relationship is replaced by a totally new one —- nothing remains unchanged forever and the parents-children relationship is no exception. Actually, there are changes in my relationship although I did not detect them before reading the passage. As I mentioned above, my parents were regarded as the models of my life and this impression was established firmly from my early childhood, influencing me greatly during the past years. In my eyes, they were so preeminent that they could have everything done well. In fact, they were intent on setting an example to me by building up such kind of holy and authoritative image in my mind. However, as I was growing up, I gradually found that my parents were not the God. It was impossible for them to control everything in life and sometimes they were confronted with difficulties. In the recent years, with the broadening of my horizons, I gain my own beliefs, some of which are quite differently from that of my parents. I find that they are no long as holy and remote as they used to be. Now my parents and I am sharing a more equal relationship. On the one hand, they respect my opinions, treating me as an adult. On the other hand, I would like to consult with them whenever I am confronted with difficulties. Therefore, the relationship between my parents and me has changed. They are no long holy and authoritative, but amiable and friendly. They are more like my friends rather than parents. In the next decade when I become a mother, my relationship with parents will be likely to get into a new stage. My parents are such good models of my life that I firmly believe that they are excellent and extraordinary parents. As a result, it is quite possible for me to develop similar parenting pattern. Also, my parents will certainly offer me suggestions whenever I am confused. The role of my parents in the  relationship changes again. At this stage, they will become my model in terms of parenting. At the last stage of their life, parents may become too old to take good care of themselves. Thus, special care for them will be needed, which will wholly shift the relationship between my parents and me. There exists an interesting phenomenon: the senior tend to become more childlike when they are getting older and older, while their children, who are at the best stage in their life, become the reliance of their parents. Thus, the roles of my parents and I will exchange as the process of life. I, in return, will take care of my old parents just as they took care of me years ago. The relationship will go to the opposite side of the one in the earlier stage of life. Except for the love between parents and children, nothing remains unchanged forever. The relationship between parents and children changes as the stage of life processes. These changes are inevitable, just as the life cycle goes on. We should accept the changes positively and face them bravely. Only by adopting the right relationship at the right stage can one lives a better life with the relationship between parents and children.

Ray Bradbury’s Predictions in Fahrenheit 451 Essay

As we all know, Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451, made many predictions as to what this day and age would be like. He was right in many cases including speed, entertainment, and the mindlessness of people. He predicted that nobody would speak more than a couple of words at a time to a certain person. That makes the people seem mindless because they don’t talk or ask questions. Ray also predicted that people would drive by places so fast that the y don’t even know what they passed. That has not quite happened in out tome yet, but I believe it is coming. One of the final things that Bradbury talks about in his book is entertainment, slowly but surely, people are starting to stay indoors and do such activities so they don’t have to go outside. Being obsessed with entertainment, which is probably the most obvious aspect of this book, is very important in our world and Montag’s made up society. The characters rarely have friends, and if they do, they just go over each other’s houses to watch television. Bradbury makes this clear when Mildred says to Montag, â€Å"I went to Helen’s last night† (50). He replies by saying, â€Å"Couldn’t you get the shows in your own parlor† (50). She says, â€Å"Sure, but it’s nice visiting† (50). In that statement she clarifies that the only reason she goes over friend’s houses is to watch television, not to talk, eat, or go outside and have a good time. An example of someone who is not obsessed with entertainment is Clarisse, the 17 year old girl who is â€Å"different† from everyone else because she enjoyed life. She enjoyed smelling flowers, walking in the rain, and getting into deep conversations with people. Clarisse thinks that all people ever do is watch the â€Å"Parlor Walls,† go to the races, and amusement parks. Our society is turning out to be like that, we have to stop it before it’s too late. A couple of years ago, family used to go to amusement parks as a treat every once in a while, now a days we have people that go almost every other day. Speed plays a very large role in the book Fahrenheit 451. People in their society were completely obsessed with speed; they increased the size of billboards to two hundred feet long so that the advertisement would last as the people rushed by it. Clarisse says, â€Å"My uncle drove slowly on a highway once; He drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two days† (9).  Clarisse also says that if you showed a truck driver a green blur, he will tell you that it’s grass. Second, if you show a truck driver and pink blur, he will tell you that it is a rose garden. Third, if you show a truck driver a white blur, he will say that it is a house. Finally, if you show a truck driver a brown blur, he will tell you that it is a cow. Towards the end of the book, Clarisse was suspected to have been hit by a speeding car and killed. That proves that people don’t slow down for anything and speed is a major part in Montag’s world. In our society, people are starting to get more and more speeding tickets. The police are really cracking down on people going over the speed limit. People are constantly on the move, going fast to get more done. People are now making microwavable dinners, eating on the run, and many are resorting to eating fast food. They know that it is not good for you but they eat it anyway because it is fast, and it keeps them going at the pace, they want to keep their lives going at. Cars these days are getting faster and faster, you pay a little bit more and get a BMW or a Porsche, just to keep up the speed that all of us think we have to stay at. People in both Montag’s society and our society today are very mindless. In Montag’s society, all people do is watching the â€Å"parlor walls.† You are considered odd or weird if you enjoy talking, asking questions, or enjoying things in nature. Clarisse if one of those people that Montag’s society considers to be odd. She loves to ask questions and get into deep conversations with people; in fact her whole family is like that. Even when Montag first meets her, he is very amazed by how â€Å"weird† she is. Guy looks at Clarisse and laughs when she tells him that fireman actually used to stop fires that started by accident. She asks him if he ever reads any of the books that he is told to burn. He turns to her and yells, â€Å"That’s against the law! (8)† That is the point at which Guy really starts to wonder about books and why they are burning them. Mildred is one of the people in the made up world that is very mindless. She  always watches her parlor walls and has friends over to just watch with her, they never talk or anything which proves to me that she is very mindless. In our world, technology is getting to the point where we don’t have to leave our houses very much. That is scary because I am afraid that we are going to turn out just like Bradbury predicted. This story is coming true and there is very few things that we can do about it. Speed, entertainment, and mindlessness of people are starting to come true in our world today. It is surprising that Bradbury could make so many predictions so many years ago and have them be so accurate. Overall Ray Bradbury is a very good author that catches the attention of his readers by telling them what things will be like in the future. I certainly hope that all of these negative things that Bradbury predicted will not become any truer as time progresses.

Ptlls Understanding of Inclusive Learning

In inclusive learning we need to consider the diversity of a student body and make efforts not to exclude anyone be it intended or unintended. â€Å"Some students could feel excluded during your session if their particular needs are not met,† Gravells (2012:56). Inclusive learning is simply â€Å"involving all students, treating them equally and fairly,† Gravells (2012:56). The field of self-defence includes physical, philosophical and physiological elements which allows for a large range of learning and teaching strategies.A new course would begin with the filling out of an enrolment form and discussions which give participants an initial platform to put across any concerns or specific needs, the initial discussion can also be used as an icebreaker that everyone is involved with. A great deal of self-defence training will be scenario based giving the students the freedom to work and discuss their own scenarios and also those from other student’s viewpoints. When the discussions and enrolment forms are completed I would be able to better tailor the learning and teaching strategies some of which are: The participants will be shown a technique/drill with explanation which can include a handout. This method is directed by the instructor to allow the students to see and come to some understanding of what is expected and some of problems they may face. (Presentations – the didactic approach/ the psychomotor domain). †¢ They will then move on to practice the technique so that there can be a greater understanding of how it feels to do, rather than see or be told (Participative/interaction/ the psychomotor domain).The student can be individually assessed and alterations can be suggested, finally an open discussion and general assessment of that which has been learnt will allow the students to put forward any queries or suggestions. †¢ Group work will be introduced in which the group can discuss various self-defence scenarios, role playing or work in a team when analysing case studies, before presenting their findings (Discovery/search/ the affective domain/ the cognitive domain).The range of learning strategies used in a typical self-defence lesson allows for a more effective lesson and more motivated students, â€Å"studies have shown that over a period of three days, learning retention is as follows. †¢ 10% of what you read †¢ 20% of what you hear †¢ 30% of what you see †¢ 50% of what you see and hear †¢ 70% of what you say †¢ 90% of what you say and do. (Pike 1989) If your students can incorporate reading, hearing, seeing, saying and doing during your session, their learning retention should increase. Gravells (2012:30) Because the fields of read, hear, see, say and do are covered in the self-defence class the opportunity for a learner to participate fully are increased. Flemings VARK: Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinaesthetic Gravells (2012:31) also looks at the differing lear ning styles which are used within the lessons to support learners. From a self defence perspective: demonstrating and explaining a technique (Visual/Aural) with the added handout (Read/write) followed by practice and discussion (kinaesthetic) follows Fleming’s principles of the four learning styles.Aspects of inclusive learning include: †¢ Entitlement: everyone is entitled to fair treatment and the chance to learn. There can be no bias towards an individual or group because of who they are their background, lifestyle, or situation. There must be an understanding that even getting to a course for some can be problematic whether it be financial, childcare, access or any number of reasons, there are many ways to help a student access the learning they require, whether it be via private organisations, charities or government funding. Equality: â€Å"can be described as everyone is different, but having equal rights. † Gravel (2012:54) Although students will have their individuality they should be treated equally regardless of their, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, gender , gender identity, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership or age. â€Å"Students seem keen to fit in at university and tend to focus on the similarities between themselves and other students.But when it comes to classroom learning, they value having their individual academic and social identities acknowledged and their particular needs addressed. † Hockings (2008:3) †¢ Inclusivity: It is of importance that the tutor makes all efforts to include all students in the learning environment. Correctly planning lessons, creating a friendly non judgmental atmosphere and including a range of teaching styles will help learners feel included.By understanding the needs of the individual, social, physical and academic the tutor can eliminate any feelings of exclusion. †¢ Diversity: Everyone is different and these differences need to be valued, the tolerance of different cultures, beliefs, races, ages and gender to name a few, needs to be of importance not only to the tutor but the students as well. Creating a classroom atmosphere of valuing and understanding individual experiences and views can be achieved through ground rules and by the example set by the tutor. Differentiation: With the understanding that all students are different the tutor will need to plan the lessons around these differences by using the various teaching methods available or acquiring the resources that will make the students learning experience a productive one. The inclusion of inclusive learning techniques will be selected in response to an individual’s needs; this information can be garnered via enrolment forms, induction or an informal chat.Sometimes a learner will not want to divulge information or may not be aware of or think certain information is important the tailoring of teaching techniques may then come into effect due to formal or informal assessments. Once the assessments and enrolments are completed I would then be able to plan the lessons to suit, some examples are: †¢ Role play: an important part of self-defence training is working through realistic scenarios one way of accomplishing this is through role play.This method of training can be good for those that aren’t confident in their literacy or language and although some may find it embarrassing, it can be a good way for a class to bond while developing the social skills needed in self-defence. †¢ Handouts or PowerPoint: A good way to reinforce some of the physical training is to precede or follow up with some written material, this will engage those that learn better through reading and writing, it can even have a different impact with the use of interesting visuals. Handouts can also be taken home for future reference. †¢ Demonstration and imitation: demonstrating a technique by breaking it down nto easily manageabl e sections whilst giving accurate and precise instructions will give the student a good grounding in how the movement should be performed, but the real learning will be achieved when the student begins to practice the move themselves. This method allows the students to find or feel their way through a technique and will allow both the tutor and student the opportunity to assess and make alterations where needed on an individual basis. There will be many resources available to meet the needs of the learner which again would need to be assessed on an individual basis.Correctly chosen resources can help to engage learners and promote a fuller learning experience although the methods used would need to be constantly evaluated for effectiveness. Examples of this could be: †¢ video: The use of a short film or can be beneficial for those that have language or reading difficulties or prefer to learn by seeing as this resource can introduce effective images which at times can explain an idea better than words alone. A film can also alter the momentum of a class if attention spans begin to suffer from prolonged periods of work.Questions can be put to the students to assess what they have learned from the film. †¢ Assistant (voluntary or paid): Within any course there may be learners that need extra help, be it physical, emotional or academic. When this is identified the tutor can begin the process with their organisation for a learning support assistant to support those in need. †¢ Flip chart: this can be an invaluable and versatile resource as it can be used actively in the lesson to show brainstorming ideas or have pre-prepared material which can be revealed at the appropriate time.It will be limited to the literacy or artistic abilities of those using it (tutor or student) and may be hard for some to follow if their reading ability or eyesight is at a low level, the tutor will also need to make sure that what they put down is legible. Within the self-d efence scenario assessment opportunities can be created by: †¢ Viewing: viewing learners repeatedly practicing techniques on striking pads or working with a partner will allow assessment and alterations on an individual basis.This is an informal method which also allows for discussion between the tutor and student to clarify any queries that may arise and can be used by the tutor to gage a student’s understanding of a technique. The downfall of this method is that it can be time consuming, to alleviate this problem the tutor can monitor from a distance and involve the whole group in any alterations which need to be made, in this way no one person needs to be singled out. Group work (large or small): a group can work though and discuss awareness scenarios or drills such as assessing the dangers and opportunities in a room before presenting their findings. This method can bond a group and promote discussion which can also become a self assessment exercise. This method may become a problem for those who are less confident and may feel overpowered by those with greater confidence. †¢ Formal assessment: Formal assessments can be set up within the syllabus at certain points to allow students to show their progress.The tutor would need to make clear any requirements or what the student will be assessed on and when assessments will take place at the beginning of the course, they will need to include a written list, maybe a tick box sheet which can be used to gage a students’ knowledge or skill. In a self-defence course a discussion can be added to the end of the assessment for the student to self assess their feelings on being put under scrutiny allowing them to come to an understanding of their own emotions and reactions when put under pressure.Learners can gain opportunities to practice their Literacy and language skills via the handouts or slide presentations associated with the course or being involved in course discussions, presenting and listening to ideas, researching laws and visiting self protection websites. A section of the self-defence course will be the ability to explain what one saw verbally or on paper or accurately reading back information, handouts with purposeful mistakes or with lists of objects previously seen on a slide can be used to develop the skill of accurately seeing.Numeracy can be practiced when taking into account details such as times of events, amounts of people involved or distances with regards to accurately giving statements. ICT skills can be practiced when researching laws, viewing websites relevant to the subject or course, writing statements or using phones or camera’s to capture evidence. Motivating learners in an inclusive environment can be achieved by first nderstanding what it is that motivates those being taught, â€Å"motivation is either intrinsic (from within) meaning the student wants to learn for their own fulfilment, or extrinsic (from without), meaning there may be an external factor motivating the student. † Gravells (2012:40). Once established there are numerous ways to engage and motivate, some examples are: †¢ Creating a relevant learning experience which can be achieved by allowing the students to use their own experiences to form the basis for a lesson (in self-defence this can be achieved by having individuals put forward scenarios to discuss or work through). Keeping the class momentum up by being aware of student attention spans and the need to alter teaching methods if those used are not effective with the current students. †¢ Praise and encourage individual achievements by giving ongoing and constructive feedback through informal assessments or discussions. †¢ Ask open questions which create relevant discussions which will engage students. †¢ Have clear and defined targets so that students are clear as to their goals and what is required on the course. †¢ Use different teaching approaches. Keep the learning interesting and relevant to the course and the individuals attending. Within the learning environment it is necessary to establish ground rules early on, usually in the first lesson so that learners have a framework from which to work which will promote respect for others and set appropriate boundaries so that everyone will understand what is expected from them during the course/lesson. â€Å"If not set, problems may occur which could disrupt the session and lead to misunderstandings or behaviour problems. Gravells (2012:91). Ground rules which are set to promote respect for others must take into account those things which some may regard as innocent but may have a negative effect on other classmates. Often a discussion at the beginning of the course can be used to involve students in the setting of ground rules, some examples are: †¢ Smoking: a no smoking policy can be agreed (smoking indoors is banned although some locations can be exempt), although it would be pru dent and fair to have agreed smoking breaks for those that need them. Offensive language or behaviour: agreeing amongst the group the boundaries set with regards to the use of inappropriate jokes, stereotyping etc. This can be incorporated into a self-defence class with a discussion on how the seemingly innocent actions of an individual may seem offensive to another and cause conflict due to differences in perception. †¢ Respecting others views: Respecting that everyone’s voice has the right to be heard and every opinion is valid, this can be achieved by understanding that it is inappropriate to interrupt or speak over a classmate. Being punctual: It can be put forward that having to wait for an individual disrupts the class flow and can show a lack of regard for those that are punctual and ready to learn. †¢ Turning off mobile phones: again this can be viewed as a disruption and off-putting for those that have the come to and have the right to learn. †¢ The in structor: is integral in the attitude towards others within the lesson, being punctual, professional, respectful and polite from the outset will set the mood of the class and the standard by which others will act.Constructive feedback is an important part of the communication process and can be used to reinforce positive behaviour and alter negative behaviour. Effectively delivered feedback can boost self-esteem and encourage progression. Some ways to give constructive feedback are: †¢ Informal: speaking to an individual or a group during or after an observation or task, allowing for a two-way discussion to clarify any points and focus on positive development. †¢ Formal: written feedback or discussion, again this should also be a two way process where the individual has the opportunity to discuss the feedback.This could be done in two parts, the written feedback and then an individual meeting to discuss the positive steps available for further development. †¢ Specific : Feedback will need to include facts which increase progress. When practicing a physical self-defence technique it can become necessary to alter a student’s movements to improve the technique, this feedback would also need to include the reason for the adjustment to help facilitate better understanding. Awareness: of a student’s reactions to feedback will allow for alterations so as not to offend and hinder progression. A tutors positive body language, tone and use of language can help make the feedback a positive experience. †¢ Praise sandwich: praising the things a student has done well will make them more receptive when listening to the things they need to improve on, following this up with another positive will create the praise sandwich. Research listing:Ann Gravells 2012 Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector: (5th edition) the new award. Hockings 2008 Teaching and learning research briefing, Learning and teaching for diversity and difference in higher education: http://www. tlrp. org/pub/documents/Hockings%20RB%2041%20FINAL. pdf Christine Hockings, April 2010 Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: a synthesis of research, http://www. heacademy. ac. uk/resources/detail/evidencenet/Inclusive_learning_and_teaching_in_higher_education_synthesis