Montessori Method and Child

The sequence of exercises through which the child is introduced to group operations with golden beads. â€Å"If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is life to be hoped from it in the bettering of man’s future† (Maria Montessori – The discovery of the child) Dr. Montessori recognized that children are born with a particular kind of mind, one that is naturally inclined towards order.This ‘special’ mind is what gives humans the ability to make judgments and to calculate; it is how we have progressed in fields such as engineering and architecture. Dr. Montessori called this ‘the mathematical mind’ – a term borrowed from the French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal. Montessori felt that, if we are to support development, then we must offer mathematics at an early age since this is the kind of support that is appropriate for the kind of mind that we have. S he observed: Great creations come from the mathematical mind, so we must always consider all that is mathematical as a means of mental development. It is certain that mathematics organizes the abstract path of the mind, so we must offer it at an early age, in a clear and very accessible manner, as a stimulus to the child whose mind is yet to be organized. ’ (Maria Montessori – The discovery of the child) Dr.Montessori believed that children pass through sensitive periods when they possess a unique and amazing aptitude for learning; to take advantage of these sensitive periods, we must prepare environment to simulate their particular interests and allow them to exercise their innate ability to learn. I began to understand to that the shelf-works are actually the practical life and sensorial exercises that are as necessary as the materials insolated qualities physically and prepare the children before they begin the mathematics learning.From the course manual and the var ious reading materials, I began to discover some important elements that will lead the children to progress mathematics learning from concrete to abstract using Montessori methods in teaching. These elements are:1) The Montessori Sensorial materials and Exercises 2) The Practical life materials and Exercises 3) The unique Montessori mathematics curriculum and materials When we think of Montessori Mathematics, we cannot just consider math materials only because sensorial training is of great importance in teaming the basics of mathematics.The entire sensorial materials for dimension (knobbed cylinders, pink tower, broad stairs and long rods) are in sets of ten. When the child works with the sensorial materials, he is indirectly learning the units of measurement, the ‘tenness’ in the materials. For example, when the child has mastered the arrangement of the long rods, he has a sensorial basis for counting tens. The long rods are identical top the number rods: the child al ready has an impression and is familiar with the long rods which make learning concepts of 1-10 easier when the child is being introduced to number rods.The long rods act as an indirect preparation for a more advanced activity. Dr. Montessori stated that the long rods provide an absolute and a relative concept of numbers. As the children handled and compared would help them to various combinations and contracts. (The Discovery of the Child, Pg. 264) The sensorial exercises are based on a logical learning sequence. It goes from the concrete to the abstract an example of geometry: In the traditional system, when we introduce ‘triangle’, we would show children a plane figure enclosed by 3 straight lines but is quite an intellectual concept and children are being ‘told’ then ‘discover’.However, Montessori Method introduces the triangle in the form of solid wooden insets which can be taken out and fitted into corresponding wooden sockets. When the c hild ‘tough’ and ‘see’, he forms a visual image of the object and make it easier to remember. Secondly, the child is given the ‘triangle’ printed on cards wholly filled in. thirdly, the ‘triangle’ is not filled in now, but drawn with thick outlines. Fourthly, the ‘triangle’ is shown by a thin outline only and lastly it arrives at the Euclidean Definition of a triangle, i. e. a plane figure enclosed by 3 straight lines.In this example, the child has gone through five stages before reaching the abstract concept. (The Course Manual, Pg. 73) The materials also contain a control of error, e. g. in the cylinder blocks, directress will not tell a child if he makes a mistake in placing the cylinder back, the child will make his own judgment when he discovers on his own if the cylinder will not fit in a hole that is too small, this guides him to accurate observation and also builds up the child’s perseverance skills, tha t teachers him not to give up so easily.The sensorial materials basically help the child to learn through their senses. According to Dr. Maria Montessori, there is a purpose for sensory education: â€Å"It is exactly in the repetition of the exercises that the education of the sense consists the aims of the exercises are not that the child shall know colours, form and the different qualities of objects, but that he refines his sense through an exercise of attention, of comparison of judgment. Maria Montessori The sensorial materials provide the child with plenty of opportunities to improve his attention span as the child is allowed to work with the material as long as the child’s interest may hold. The sensorial didactic materials such as the cylinder blocks, the Colour tablets, the geometric cabinet and many other exercises provide the child the skills to make comparison and judgment that are so essential to prepare the child to the next level of learning.When the children work with the sensorial materials, they are being introduced to the idealization of things and isolation of qualities. It fosters concentration and thinking skills, which develop the mathematical mind. The Practical life exercises in everyday living skills help the child to improve his fine motor skills, eye-hand co-coordination and concentration. The activities are familiar tasks to their home settings, such as pouring, transferring, sweeping or even cleaning the shoes. For example, the child begins with simple pouring exercise like pouring water into a bottle with a funnel.These simple exercises prepare the child indirectly for mathematical concepts such as volume and capacity. The practical life materials are mostly practical and creatively made or assembled by the teachers. The various exercises often begin from simple to more complexes in design and usage. Each material has a definite purpose and meaningful to the child. The directress will also observe different childrenâ€⠄¢s capabilities and arrange the shelves with activities helping to progress in their learning paths. These purposeful activities help to assist children in their development: physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally.They increase the children’s attention span, help them to understand achieving objectives through set sequence and gain a sense of â€Å"I can do it† independence. These Practical life exercises ultimately help the children with three basic mathematical skills: exactness, calculations and repetition. Obviously, the Practical Life and Sensorial activities and materials have indirectly preparing them for learning the mathematical concepts and building a strong platform of foundation even before the child begins mathematical learning. Dr.Montessori also knew that the child aged six and under learns through his senses and through movement, that is, through hands-on, manipulation. She concluded that she needed to provide mathematical concepts in a conc rete form, which would be accessible to the children's senses. A prime example is the material used to introduce the concept of quantity: the Number Rods. These wooden rods are painted in sections of red and blue so that each section represents the addition of a unit. The rod for two is therefore twice as long and twice as heavy as the rod of one; that the rod for ten is ten times larger than that for one is strikingly apparent.In traditional education, on the other hand, mathematics is taught in a less hands-on manner. The child is given the abstract symbol as a starting point. Beads on a thread may be used to practice counting to ten, but it is more often done aloud or in the form of songs. Recognizing the symbol and counting up to ten does not imply an understanding of what these numbers mean; they are simply symbols and words to be said in sequence. Furthermore, counting individual objects such as beads requires the child to make the additional mental step of grouping objects to gether in order to come up with the quantity.Far clearer is the Montessori approach of presenting the idea of the quantities as a whole using the Number Rods. As Dr. Montessori wrote, ‘When, on the other hand, in ordinary schools, to make the calculation easier, they present the child with different objects to count, such as beans, marbles etc. , and when, he takes a group of eight marbles and adds two more marbles to it, the natural impression in his mind is not that he has added 8 to 2, but that he has added 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1 to 1+1.The result is not so clear, and the child is required to make the effort of holding in his mind the idea of a group of eight objects as one united whole, corresponding to a single number, 8. This effort often puts the child back, and delays his understanding of number by months or even years (Maria Montessori – The discovery of the child) The Montessori mathematics curriculum is organized into six groups.It begins with Group one introducing units of quantity from 1 – 10 using various concrete materials like the number rods, number cards, sandpaper numerals, spindle box, cars and counters and number games to learn the names of the numbers and repetition learning in counting from 1 – 10. The materials are designed to prepare the child indirectly for further learning. For example, the sandpaper numerals are used to teach children the name of the numbers from 1 – 10. By tracing the numerals with his fingers; he builds a muscular memory of the numerals and therefore prepare him to write numbers.The number ‘Zero’ is being introduced through the spindle box when the child learns that ‘zero’ means ‘nothing’ and he does not put any spindles into the spindle box compartment that shows the numeral ‘0’. Each topic is presented to the child individually. The teacher also uses the ‘three period lesson’ to teach the concept of the numbers 1 – 10. For Example by using the sandpaper numerals. First period: The teacher places the sandpaper numeral 1 in front of the child and says, â€Å"This is one. † She also traces 1 using two fingers. She continues with numeral 2 and numeral 3.Second period : To test if the name of the numerals is associated in the child’s mind. The teacher places both the numerals 1 and 2 in front of the child and asks, â€Å"Show me the numeral 2† and asks child to trace 2, followed by â€Å"Show me the numeral 1† and trace 1. The teacher moves on to the next stage should the child succeed in the association. Third Period : The teacher points to the numeral 1 and asks, â€Å"What numeral is this? † If the child is able to name the numerals, she replaces it with the other numerals and asks the same question.Once the child has mastered the thorough knowledge of the units, then he will be introduced to the whole decimal system, learning the names of the power of ten usi ng the bead materials which is Group two. The children are given concrete experiences with the units, tens, hundreds and thousands; and these learning are made possible and easy because of the golden beads and colorful bead stair. Montessori golden beads are golden beads of the same size, which are used to help children understand unit, quantities of tens, hundreds and thousands.A single bead comprises one unit. Ten beads strung on a wire indicate ten. One hundred is indicated by ten bars side by side, which makes a square, and one thousand is ten one hundreds staked on top of each other, making a cube. It uses sensorial approach as the different bead materials can be differentiated in depth, weight and quantity. (www. montessori. com/goldenbeads) The children will explore the quantities and place values as they count though the units, tens hundreds and thousands using the materials.As the children can see visually, making it easier for them to associate the name of the numerals wit h the quantities. With the use of the materials like the large number cards, children also begin to link written symbol with quantities. All these exercises help to prepare the children as they progress towards abstract learning later on. Next, in Group three, the child first learn with the beads and the beads are arranged vertically to help the child to associate his learning later when he is being introduced to use sequin board A to learn 11 – 19 and sequin board B to learn 10,20,30,†¦. 0. Correspondingly, the child is also using the sequin board B and the golden beads to reinforce concepts of learning numerals 11 -99. The correct number of ten bars and short bead stair provide control of error and give the child the muscular impression of the quantities. In Group four, the children are being introduced to not just addition and subtraction but also to multiplication and division. It is not yet written in the book but as a sensorial level with an interesting set-up of a banker and two players.The children will fetch the beads, large numeral cards, small numeral cards on trays, making it fun like a trading game, but most importantly, the children are learning. All the directress has to do is to guide the children, observe their learning capacities and enjoy playing in the game as well. When the children have enough learning and understanding with the operation of decimal system, the children progress on to the next level. This is Group five. Lastly in Group six, the children will begin to transit to abstraction as they move on to internalize the function of arithmetic.At this point, the children would have a good foundation practicing the individual sums with golden beads. Conclusion Indeed, the Montessori mathematics materials and methods have proven its efficiency that is necessary for laying the foundation of counting and arithmetical operations. These key elements of sensorial learning, practical life exercises and mathematics materials are imp ortant process for children to learn from concrete to abstract in mathematical learning. The child is free to explore the material for mathematics material at his own pace, without pressure.The materials are designed with their own ‘control of error’ so the child is always able to assess his own progress. He is introduced to the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in group activities where he is given an actual concrete experience of the meaning of these functions. For example, he experiences addition as the putting together of two quantities that results in the production of a larger quantity and multiplication as a special addition in that it is the putting together of quantities that are all the same.The working in groups appeals to his need to interact socially at this age in sharp contrast to the solitary approach of the traditional ‘worksheet’. The Montessori approach results in the concepts being fully understood at a time when it is easy for the child to understand as long as the ideas are presented to him through the manipulation of concrete materials. By the time the children are six years old they have a solid knowledge of mathematics that will stand them in good stead not only for further study, but also for many other aspects of everyday life

Do i consider myself a leader or a manager?

It is said that a leader is â€Å"someone who people naturally follow according to their own choice, whereas a manager must be obeyed.   Leaders are people who do the right thing, and managers are people who do things right. Leaders are implored to do the right or moral or ethical thing to do, while managers, though not necessarily immoral or unethical in their actions and decisions, are more concerned with doing things in the right manner. In business sense, the right manner would be the most cost-efficient, effective, and also, most profitable. Hence, there is blurry boundary between managers and leaders. (The Difference Between Management And Leadership). How do I consider myself—a leader or a manager? I think I function well in both roles. To start off managers keep things moving, leaders are more visionary, looking at things differently† (Miller) Author Miller reinforces the first view that managers are more focused on doing things right; thereby saying that managers take care of the daily grind of the operations of the organization. Leaders, on the other hand, are far-sighted, in such that they are more of visionaries, always looking towards the far-off rainbow. They inspire people to recognize this rainbow as a beautiful and noble vision, worth working for as a result and a process. Using this rainbow symbol, the managers do see, appreciate and recognize the rainbow as a vision worth reaching, but afterwards they get down immediately to planning, goal-setting and the whole gamut of organizing and management to start things moving. Managers prioritize on how things are done, while leaders emphasize on what should be achieved in the long run. Meanwhile, Farr comments on how some business writers and consultants remark that â€Å"leaders as more creative and valuable to an organization than managers† (Farr, 1997). Some managers are perceived to be too inclined in focusing on managing daily organizational activities, and making sure things are being done correctly.   However, some managers overlook opportunities, threats and trends, or external factors that affect the organization. As for me, looking at all these, I can say that I have tested myself on both roles. I have the vision and foresight of a leader in initiating projects, and at the same time, I am able to look into the simplest office procedure and manage people and the daily flow of operations since I am also meticulous by nature. In the end, it is helpful to keep in mind from moment to moment that it is not so much the stressors I face as a leader or a manager but how I see them and what I do with them that determine how much they are in my control. If people can change the way they see, they can change the way they respond. It is not only the major turning points in our lives that require us to adapt. Every day, in functioning as a manager and a leader, I face a range of moderately important to trivial obstacles and occurrences which I have to deal, and which may turn into a much larger problem than they need to be if I lose my perspective and balance of mind. REFERENCES Farr, J. Leadership Vs. Management: Do You Know the Difference? Business Leader Online. 1997. Sep Retrieved Oct. 13, 2006 at Miller, P. What's The Difference Between Leaders and Managers? High Beam Research. Retrieved Oct. 13, 2006 The Difference Between Management And Leadership. University of Edinburgh: School of Engineering and Electronics. Retrieved Oct. 13, 2006 at: ;http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/MENG/ME96/Documents/Intro/leader.html; ; ; ; ;

Analysis of Argentina Balance of Payments

The economic situation of Argentina was interesting between 1998 and 2007. However, it can be assumed that the worst year of the Argentinean economy was 2002. Before 1998, some factors such as a huge debt reaching 55% of the GDP, a currency pegged to the US $, the â€Å"Tequila† crisis in 1995, the devaluation of Mexican and Brazilian currencies, were responsible of the crisis Firstly we compared trade and GDP, to obtain the trade openness ratio. It increased strongly in 2002, due to a high increase in trade (133% 2001 to 2002) compared to the GDP that declined 11bp. The relatively high level of trade openness registered in 2002: 10. 08%, is based on the steep drop in imports 56%, related to the peso devaluation. As the peso stabilized and GDP undertook an ascending trend trade openness bounced back to low level again. Secondly, the balance of payments of Argentina can be analyzed in order to compare the exports to the GDP. The trade index of the country is under 20% until 2005, which is lower than the Global Trade Index at this time (30%). Nevertheless, it increased to reach a better level in 2007 (25%). For the valuation of the liquidity level, we compared the reserves to the imports, in volume and number of days. Since 1998, it is decreasing, sharply in 2001 and 2002, then recovering a better level between 20% and 30%. Therefore we can not consider that 4 months of reserves to be sufficient for maintaining a good level of liquidity, it’s a bit lower than the 6 months objective. In 2006, reserves influenced by the crisis in Mexico, dropped to 10%. To assess the debt service, we assumed a 5% interest rate, applied to interest payments and exceptional financing. Debt declined in terms of export multiplies especially due to the rise in exports and not to reimbursements. The highly indebted Argentina actually resorted to IMF financing and additional loans in 2001, when confronted with $3bn capital flight. Fluctuating between 900% in 1998 and 380% in 2007, the debt service ratio, far away from the optimal level of 33% , clearly emphasizes the state’s debt burden. The interest ratio is high, but still decreasing jointly with the debt, reaching a sane level below 0,25 in 2006 and 2007. Still this figure is actually deceiving, the interest ratio plunging due to ascending exports and not decreasing debt service. All liquidity indicators point out to a disappointing position for Argentina, still the reimbursements made in the recent years and the IMF account clearing entice improvements at this level. We can notice a huge change, in the current account since 2002. The negative current account which lasted for several years, had been replaced by a positive one in 2002. This change was attributable to the big decision of switching from a pegged currency (to the US$), to a floating currency. Consequently, the Argentinean peso was devalued. On a current account view, this means less imports, and an increase of the exports. Actually the volume of the exports didn’t take off the day when the decision of devaluating the Argentinean peso, but 2 years after. This phenomenon could be explained by the J curve theory. 2001 was a turning point in the history of Argentina. Forecasting the devaluation of the peso, investors revised their position towards the Argentinean market, foreign direct investment dropping by 80% from 2000 and 2001. This way FDI decreased drastically its role as a financing source (before 2001, Argentina was financing between 5 and 10% of its debt by the Foreign Direct Investment). Faced with such a drastic cut in foreign direct investment and portfolio investment, Argentina issued additional debt worth $ 10 bn. Over the last ten years Argentina experienced serious turbulence in its financial position that has negatively impacted its state rating and fuelled even more financial distress. Still, in recent years, rescue came and it was in the form of economic growth. This restored investors’ confidence, translating into higher absolute FDI inflows, and allowed for debt restructuring. With an outstanding debt of $6 bn towards the Venezuelean government, obligations of $ 500 m in the international debt market and a state rating of B (Moody’s), any investment in the Argentinean market will carry high risk that might not necessarily be offset by a high return. For the time being, we recommend not investing in Argentina.

Contemporary discourse in design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Contemporary discourse in design - Essay Example This ranged from making their homes more comfortable such as the case of the homeless of New York to making their homes more secure such as the case of Antonelli’s Grace Under Pressure. But the profundity of the meaning of home is best illustrated by the experience of the city dwellers of New York who managed to create a home out of a cart when they opted to live in the streets than in an institution. There, the city dwellers in New York showed that home is not just a physical structure or a dwelling but rather a place of comfort where one can be â€Å"at home†. There, the cart dwellers of New York illustrated that comfort does not only mean physical implements nor devices nor machines, but rather a place where one can be at ease with his surroundings. They opted to call a cart home where they can barely fit to live rather than stay than in an institution with all the amenities and provisions but does not treat them as human beings. The cart dwellers of New York came fi rst in the discussion of the expression of home, its design and its importance because they demonstrated the basic concept of what constitute a home; that home can be still home even if it cannot house or even if it is not a house. This is very important to stress because we always equate house with a home and the cart dwellers of New York demonstrated that it is not the case; that they are not synonymous with each other. You can â€Å"house† a person or a group of person such as what the city government of New York did to the homeless people of New York but you cannot just automatically make them feel at home and so they left. A house or structure has to have several components before it can be considered a home and a mere structure does not suffice to make it a home. Had we inferred home to be synonymous with structure or house, it would be incomprehensible why the homeless of New York City left the institution. The structure was imposing that could withstand any cruelty of nature. It is also secure from the onslaught of the outside world because it is guarded. Above all, the facility is free and its residents are assured of a steady supply of food and provision. Despite of all of this, the homeless of New York still left the facility. This is quite incomprehensible because it is not the nature of man to gallivant. His body is frail and meant for domesticated and sheltered stay that could become easily vulnerable to the elements. Unlike the beast whose body allows it to hunt when it roams around, man’s body will succumb to the elements when it is not sheltered. Yet, the homeless of New York preferred the uncertainty of the street rather than stay in the government run facilities. Close examination of the facility revealed why the residents left. True, it provides food and shelter but the condition and treatment of its residents made it far from being a home. â€Å"City-run shelters-though they provide food and respite from the elements-are dan gerous and unfriendly places that impose a dehumanizing, even prisonlike, regimentation on residents. Guards routinely treat clients as inmates, allegedly denying them food for the violation of rules. Some shelter residents are abused from place to place for food, showers, and sleep. Charges of violence by shelter security guards and clients are common2† This report only revealed that people will not endure shabby treatment just to have a

Paul Berg and the Asilomar Conference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paul Berg and the Asilomar Conference - Essay Example "Many scientists worried that hybrid molecules from recombinant DNA experiments could result in dangerous new organisms that could pose a threat to public health. Others were deeply concerned about ethical issues related to genetic engineering, especially as it might be applied to humans." (Photographs from Asilomar). This chaotic situation led the National Academy of Sciences to ask Paul Berg to head a committee that "in July 1974 took the unusual move of calling for a voluntary moratorium on certain types of recombinant DNA experiments until the hazards could be evaluated." (Barinaga). Seven months later, Berg organized the International Congress on Recombinant DNA Molecules, which was held in February 1975 at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California. In an essay posted by Paul Berg at the Nobel Prize Organization website in 2004, he revisits the recombinant DNA controversies of the 1970's, the 1975 Asilomar Conference and 30 years later. Looking back, Berg explains and justifies the voluntary moratorium which scientists universally imposed on themselves regarding certain recombinant DNA experiments. ... rg became the 1975 Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA Molecules and one of its aims "was to consider whether to lift the voluntary moratorium and, if so, under what conditions the research could proceed safely", according to Berg. At the conclusion of the conference, consensus was for recombinant DNA research to proceed but under strict guidelines. Berg supports this conclusion. He mentions that hundreds of millions of experiments have been conducted since 1975 with "no documented hazard to public health attributable to the applications of recombinant DNA technology. Moreover, the concern of some that moving DNA among species would breach customary breeding barriers and have profound effects on natural evolutionary processes has substantially disappeared as the science revealed that such exchanges occur in nature." He also mentions, that in support of the resolutions of the conference, immediately after, in 1976, the Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules wer e promulgated by the National Institutes of Health and by comparable bodies in other countries. Despite Paul Berg's support of both the moratorium and the successful conclusion of the Asilomar Conference, he has strong reservations regarding resurrecting the Asilomar model for the resolution of "hot button issues confronting scientists and the public today". He compares the environment of 30 years ago, which worked for the success of the 1975 Asilomar Conference versus the present scenario. He believes, "an Asilomar type conference trying to contend with contentious views is doomed to acrimony and policy stagnation." Although I agree with the points Berg raised against convening an Asilomar type conference in the present day, I believe that communication, dialogue, exhaustive discussion

The Forest of Hands and Teeth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Essay Example The people of the village are controlled by fear of the Unconsecrated who continually try to infiltrate the village in order to satisfy their need for human flesh. The villagers live with the constant fear that the village could be breached at any time and they all would be infected which would turn the village into a world of zombies. Every day life is ruled by this fear, for instance, those villagers who were not of the Guard had to stay away from the fences in case of being bitten. Thus, it can be said that this fear was a form of social control; for, it forced the villagers to live in a certain way and adhere to certain rules. The villagers have limited options as what to do with their lives. Mary explains that â€Å"In my village an unmarried woman has three choices. She may live with her family; a man may speak for her, court her through the winter and marry her in the spring ceremonies; or she may join the Sisterhood.† The only real option the men have is to join the gu ard which patrols the fences, ensuring that no unconsecrated breach them. These options leave no room for free will and places duty above any personal wishes. These restrictions show how the villagers are obliged to live within these restrictions which tightly control their social lives. Ryan seems to be pointing at those social structures which limit our choices and free will. For instance, it is the common belief that has been passed down over generations that it is a woman’s duty to marry and have children. The Sisterhood of the village which is the religious mothers of the village so to speak also practices social control over the villagers. The Sisters believe in religious order, and tell the villagers that they are the only humans left on earth. Therefore, they are to protect their society whatever the cost, even if it means killing a loved one who has become infected. They also enforce the belief that God’s word is not to be questioned. On each door in the villa ge, a scripture is carved into the right of the door. Before, anyone is to enter or leave a building they have to place their hand on the scripture. Mary tells us that â€Å"It is our habit and duty to press a hand against these words†, demonstrating how easy it is to simply obey and get caught up in social control. The sisters have taught that this practice will protect the villagers and make God aid them. Whereas, if they do not follow these religious practices, God’s wrath would descend on the village. When Mary is forced to join the sisterhood she discovers that she has no choice but to abide by the sisters’ laws or else she would be cast out into the forest to join the ranks of the unconsecrated. Mary’s belief that there is a world beyond her village and the forest is bolstered by the arrival of the outsider, Gabrielle. Mary then realizes that the sisterhood has been keeping secrets from the villagers in order to force them to follow the edicts laid out by them. When Mary discovers that Gabrielle has become an unconsecrated, she explores the forbidden section of the Cathedral and learns that the sisters had caused Gabrielle to turn as part of an experiment. This completely shatters Mary’s belief in the sisterhood and all that they represent. The sisterhood created the Guard which Mary later finds out also kept certain secrets, such as placing stocks of food, water and weapons on the two fenced paths that lead away from

HUman Rights(United Nations Declaration of Human Rightss 1948) Essay

HUman Rights(United Nations Declaration of Human Rightss 1948) - Essay Example d surrounding nations are hotbeds of caste and religious discriminations whereas the USA and EU nations regularly discriminate on the basis color and gender. The USA operates an inhuman detention centre at the US naval base in Guantà ¡namo Bay, Cuba. In fact there is no nation in the world where all human beings are treated as equals. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. †¦. According to special rapporteur of the UN Mr. Githu Muigai â€Å"An estimated 250 million people around the world are at risk of violations of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights, including violence, marginalization and discrimination†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This fact is applicable to all nations including the developed western societies and backward third world countries. Some governments go so far as to explicitly rationalize some forms of discrimination in the name of morals, religion, cultural equality or even national security.   Discrimination protected by law – for example, where the law limits religious freedoms (the decision to ban headscarves in France) or refuses to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ rights ( Aborigine mistreatment in Australia) effectively strips away human rights.( Discrimination, no date) In the United States, the consequence of the Bush administrations decision to fight terrorism without regard to the basic human rights is a gross violation of this article. Thousands have been detained without fair trial because they belong to a particular religion or region. France is guilty of Islam phobia and Xenophobia is a major issue in all western societies. The under developed nations of Africa are guilty of genocide, and every conceivable violation of basic rights, other nations specially in the Indian subcontinent are guilty of caste, religious and gender

Week One Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week One Discussion Questions - Essay Example Also adding a marketing aspect can give the sales people a better understand of the market they are selling to especially when it comes to demographics and what people are interested in. Also, a good marketing team can suggest specific ways to market to their market in order to get a stronger sale. One drawback could be that sales people may not be as savvy about markets as the marketers. The sales team may not be as up-to-date with technology and therefore may not have the ability to do all of the things that the marketing team suggests. They could get discouraged if some of the technology is above their comfort level. As an example, the marketing team may create a database of information that they understand but that the sales force does not understand. If this happens, this would create problems for the sales force because they would be bogged down in the database instead of being able to sell. I think that marketing is an integral part of a sales organization beacsue sales and marketing are two different processes. Sales is all about selling and often it is to whomever will by the product. Marketing adds a bit of finesse to sales because through marketing you can get a sense of what products are being sold to whom, where they are being sold and you can move the business forward based on the data that you have collected through marketing. Without marketing you only have sales statistics and this is like having only half of the information you need to build a business. As a newly hired marketing manager the firs thing I would do is pull together the marketing team to create a marketing plan. Before I talked to the supervisor I would want to bring the marketing together to gather information from them about what they know about the target market, what they have done I the past that worked and what would be needed in the

Reaction of a article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reaction of a article - Essay Example The photograph shows how the two splashes drunkenly barefoot through a fountain of Parisian in the late 1930’s. But the author’s Aunt seems careless with her life despite enjoying it. It is clear that the author was trying to bring out the aspect of imagery in his piece of writing. What he does is to capture the attention of the readers and drive them in the world of fantasies. He opens up his narration with the following line: â€Å"As I walked down the darkened hallway of the Hospice (278).† This suggests that the environment around him seemed scarily and with a lot of tension. However, the other imagery used is during the time when the author’s aunt got drunk, in a cocktail bar, and came home at a time when the author was preparing to take a date. The Author helps her to get into bed and she barely recognized him, let alone knowing where she was. He weeps as he bends over to kiss her cheek and whisper to her saying how important she was to him and how much he loved her. I did not like the quality of words used by the Author. Many of the words used are difficult to understand and, therefore, making it hard to follow the storyline. For instance, he uses the words â€Å"anti- climatic feeling.† After visiting his sick aunt at the hospital, he says that he wanted to avoid this kind of feeling that one gets around Christmas. I do not get the connection between the anti-climatic feeling, which he says to avoid, and his visit to the hospital. However, the author was successful in making me feel emotionally attached to his story. He describes his Aunt in a manner that brings empathy. We find that after the husband to his Aunt dies, she becomes hopeless with life and started taking excessive alcohol and illegal drugs. At times she would get drunk and fail to recognize the author; her nephew. The author says â€Å"she turned towards me and opened her eyes.

International Securities and Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Securities and Finance - Essay Example mediary used insider information to trade securities of the companies outlined, as they were price affected and thus make high profits than the normal traders (Suzi , 2014). Insider dealing is under the FSA and Securities regulation in the UK. It has been a criminal offense since the year 1985 and currently it is incorporated under the criminal justice Act 1993 Part V. Information that is not available to all parties in the market is deemed asymmetric as traders could use it for their personal gains and make high profits. Efforts have been done overtime to tighten up laws on insider dealing but still there are some who go unprosecuted. Insider dealing is said to be a criminal offense when; the information on hand is price sensitive to the shares trading in the market and when an individual encourages someone else to pass the inside information or deal with the shares that are price sensitive and finally when the dealing takes place through a professional trader or broker and on a regulated market (out-law.com, 2014). For most of the times, people have always thought that insider trading is always illegal, but there are some circumstances where it is legal where the officers, employees, directors, buy and sell stock in their own companies and they report to the reporting authorities of their actions. However, it becomes illegal where the buying and selling of securities involves a breach of fiduciary duty or trust and confidence while in possession of material information that is not available to the whole market. Insider trading is said to undermine investors’ confidence in the market as it does not in any way promote integrity and fairness with some gaining more than others gain. Thus, the relevant authorities should be more stringent in regulating the trading of securities in the market by prosecuting those involved in insider dealings (Mirranda, 2013). The security markets within the UK have faced a lot of criticism from members of the public as issues of

The Baisakhi Festival Is a Seasonal Festival Essay Example for Free

The Baisakhi Festival Is a Seasonal Festival Essay The Baisakhi festival is a seasonal festival. It is celebrated all over the Punjab and Haryana by all classes of people. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs all take part in this celebration. It falls in he first day of baisakh. It falls every year in the 13th of April. On this day people put on new clothes. They prepare Halawa and several tasty things at home. Baisakhi Fair A fair is held everywhere in connection with the Baisakhi festival. The site of the fair is a place which is religiously famous. Generally the fair is held by the side of a river. The religious body is in charge of the fair. A day before the fair there seen a regular bazaar. There are stalls of sweet, toys fruits on either side of it. On Baisakhi day there is great rush in the fair. There is no place in the fair without visitors. In the fair the crowd is so great that you cannot meet with it even in the over crowded cities. You cannot elbow your way through it easily. Description On one side of the bazaar merry-go-rounds attract the people. They whirl in the air with children and boys of all ages sitting them. The boys enjoy their rides. Near them are the rope dancers. They do their feats on the rope. The moneys men make their monkeys show the same feats as were shown by their forefathers about a hundred years ago. Country Dance On the other side of the bazaar crowd of people can be seen standing on a circle. In the middle there is a group of villagers. They are mostly farmers. They are giving a show of their country dance with the beating of drum. Each one of these villagers has a stick in his hand. These sticks are raised in the air as the dancers lift both hands and raise their legs. They cry,. Gone is Baisakhi, Gone in Baisakhi. The sight is worth seeing. The excitement and enthusiasm of the dancers are very great. So many of onlookers forget there sense of shyness and join the dancers. The dance is wild indeed. Shamianas of Religious Parties Side by side with these means of amusement arrangement are made for the elderly people who are serious and religious minded. Hindus, Arya Samajist and Sikhs have out up their Shamianasunder which they are giving lecture on religion and are signing hymns. The number of the people who are listening to them is small. It is much smaller as compared with huge crowd gathered around the dancers to enjoy the dance. Those people who gather under the Shamianas do not care for the worldly attachments. They go on with their duty. Conclusion By the time evening drawn near, people get tired. They are glad to return home with sweets, toys and fruits for their children for the next day.

Columbus City Schools Policies Essay Example for Free

Columbus City Schools Policies Essay The reason I don’t like the rule about fire arm look-alikes is because, if you have a toy gun that your younger sibling has asked you to hold for them in your bag and you forget about it is an instant 5-10 day suspension. I understand why you would suspend someone for that reason; it is because you have to insure the person’s safety and the rest of the schools. But if someone leaves the toy or look-alike in your bag and you forget about its unfair we have to get suspended for that amount of time I get a day or two but 5-10 it’s not fair that is the only reason I have to have a problem with that policy. Insubordination is another one. When a teacher asks you to do something unfair for instance give up your phone when it has fallen out your pocket and they say you have been texting while doing an assignment or cheating is also unfair. Not everyone cheats on their work if our phone happens to slip out why get punished it was an accident not intentional. But I get why you do it, it’s only to insure we aren’t cheating or texting during class. The last one is possession, sale or distribution of drugs other than tobacco or alcohol. If someone has a massive headache and can’t concentrate in class and the student asks you for an Aspirin or Tylenol and you give it to them why put it as possession, sale or distribution of drugs other than tobacco or alcohol. That in my mind is unfair you’re just helping someone out with a legitimate problem that they are having. We are keeping them out of the nurse’s office and having them in class longer so what is the problem with that? The reasons for this and I know why are because of Marijuana, Cocaine and crack or other narcotics you should put narcotics as its own punishment instead of Aspirin or another type pain reliever. If you would only make the slightest change I would greatly appreciate it. also the drug problems we have and leaving the school without permission. Those are the only few changes I would make about the CCS policy.

Relationship Between Welfare Policy and Healthcare in the UK

Relationship Between Welfare Policy and Healthcare in the UK I Health and Public Policy Introduction: Social Policy is public policy that relates to health, employment, poverty, education and welfare issues and focuses on social services and welfare state. Social policy is the study of social welfare and how it relates to politics and society. Social policies refer to government policies relating to welfare, social security and protection of an individual in a state and the ways in which welfare is developed and administered in a state (Hill, 1986). The principal areas of social policy aimed towards government objectives of a welfare state are: Administrative practices and policies of social services which include health, social security, education, housing, employment and community and social care Policies towards tackling social crimes, and problems with unemployment, drug abuse, disability, mental health, learning difficulties and old age Socially disadvantageous issues of race, gender, poverty and the related collective social responses and responsibilities towards these conditions The broader subject area of social policy is heavily dependent on disciplines of sociology, management, political science, philosophy, law, psychology and social work. The aims and objectives of a British Welfare State highlight the importance of well being of every individual with a range of services provided to protect people in conditions such as sickness, poverty, old age and childhood and in such a sense , welfare is more than needs fulfillment and relates to complete well being of individuals. Welfare provisions are based on humanitarian, religious, democratic or practical concerns and involve economic and social benefits such as eradication of poverty and governmental duty and social responsibility (Hill, 1986). In this essay we will deal with the relationship of welfare and social policy with health care, especially within the UK through the NHS systems and department of health. For an analysis of health and public policy within the UK we will analyze the stages of health policy, the rationale for such policies and how these policies are carried out through a health service network. Health care coverage provided worldwide is given in a comparative chart below. UK, Sweden and France is seen to have the same level of hospital and ambulatory care services with USA showing lower levels of health care services when compared with worldwide standards. Health Care and Social Policy The definition of health can be given in terms of cultural standards in which health is a standard of mental and physical well being according to a particular society and a general good health is necessary to perform mental and physical activities optimally. Health is also defined normatively as an ideal mental or physical state. Health depends on several factors such as biological factors, environmental factors, standard of living, social factors, nutrition, and psychological or emotional factors (WHO, 2005). Improving sanitation systems, providing medical care and support systems and clean water supply to prevent infectious diseases are the general responsibilities of health authorities (Jones, 1995). Inequalities in health especially in the UK can be due to poverty, or differences in social class as certain categories of people may be more aware of their health and fitness needs than certain others (Graham and Kelly, 2004). Health policy in the UK is implemented through a wide health care network provided by the Department of health and NHS. The different branches providing health care in the UK include the Hospitals which provide care to patients for both acute and long stay illnesses and provide medical facilities such as emergency treatment, psychiatric care or continuing nursing care. The governmental emphasis is to minimize all long term needs which can be considerably expensive and offer a full range of care in the hospitals providing acute services. Primary care is more basic medical treatment and refers to non-hospital care including general family practitioners and general physicians, professions ancillary to medicine and domiciliary health care such as occupational therapy (Allsop, 1995). Ambulatory care is distinct from, yet a category of hospital care as it includes primary care and day care in hospitals. Public health policy is a general care strategy including preventive medicine such as screening and health education and several areas which may not be directly linked to health services such as housing, water supply, sewage disposal, food hygiene and general poverty and employment conditions which are also factors related to health. For health of a population in a state, public health needs and related issues are very important under the health care policy at a governmental administrative level. For medical care in practice, primary care provided by primary care trusts of the NHS and services of general physicians are important at a more social level. Hospital care and medicines provided involves the highest costs for the NHS, is an important political issue for the UK government and has the highest priority for the NHS health policy implementation (Wall, 1999). Some of the Health policy objectives and strategies on health care identified by the NHS and Department of Health are given below: (NHS, 2005) Modernization Policy Primary Care Policy Secondary Care Policy Integrated Care Policy Patient Centeredness or Patient-centered Care Policy Complaints Policy Occupational Health and Safety Policy Social Services Performance Assessment Policy Information Policy Within the organizational improvement plans, the NHS health improvement modernization plans (HIMPs) involve a three year planning framework and details roles and responsibilities for the NHS primary care trusts (PCTs) and builds on the Planning and Priorities Framework (PPF) guidance issued in 2002. Within this framework PCTs are responsible for developing new Local Delivery Plans (LDPs) and any additional PCT owned local plans (NHS, 2005). The planning of Health Policies for modernization and improvement of services within the NHS consists of the following six steps that are to be maintained in every organization and community: This is given by the Department of Health official report 2003-2006: The areas of responsibility for NHS and Social services for health policy implementation are given in the table below. In terms of Primary care policy, the NHS and social care long term conditions model laid down health policies and models for long term care to cases already under NHS treatment. Some of the key objectives and targets within the Primary care policy are given as : The three levels of the Health care delivery system are given by the Department of Health as follows: DH, 2005 The NHS social care long term conditions model is given as: Source: NHS Organizational Health Policy The implications of NHSD complaints policy have been emphasized in a recent NHS report and include the following conditions Complaints Policy Implications: It has been recognized that how well the policy works depends largely on attitudes of individual members and the culture of the organization and although complaints act as potential sources of improvement of health care services, these are also indicative of the high level of dissatisfaction regarding current health care procedures. There is considerably higher level of complaints for family health services as it has been identified that in primary care services are n a small scale and informally managed and the role of individual practitioners are more important than the organizational network. Satisfactory and prompt resolution of complaints has been identified as important to improving health care services (Allsop, 1995). Three factors in particular are likely to be central to improving performance as given by the NHS and Department of Health a realization that complaints management is an explicit part of the performance  management framework. The board of every NHS organization should be held accountable for the performance of the  organization in handling complaints. And the board should ensure that: (a) all staff are  adequately trained to deal with complaints (b) staff managing complaints have adequate  administrative and technical resources and also access to managerial supervision and support; and (c) the complaints procedure is integrated into the clinical governance as well as quality framework of the organization. Consideration should be given to the development of a National Service Framework or its  equivalent for the management of complaints. (NHS, Complaints Procedure National Evaluation, 2001) The National strategy for IT and computer services help deliver an up to date medical service to its people, through the NHS information policy. Some of the strategic directions of the information policy in the health care sector include: (See in Allsop, 1995; Wall 1995; NHS 2001 report) Specifying the level of national direction given for IT by evolving and simplifying management structure and responsibilities within both the DH and NHS at regional and local levels; to deliver change quickly following an implementation approach in phases – focus at a time on quickly delivering a limited portfolio of activity, nationally,that can be built on by subsequent phases; management of increased levels of funding with clear central direction and control; a structured partnering approach with IT Industry to deliver new IT systems across the NHS; coordination, acceleration and simplification of procurements to ensure we get value for money while moving at a faster pace, and cutting down on unnecessary time and cost to the health care industry Consideration of radical outsourcing options that can add pace and value to the programme; Emphasis on changed working practices in the NHS; Benchmarking progress against best practice companies Building IT and networking connectivity, so that all staff have the access devices they need to share information; and Creating national standards for data quality and data interchange between systems at local, regional and national levels so that even the public can have access to information stored and accessed at a national level. A National Strategic Programme for Health care modernization and improvement and provisions of services in general can be given by the following architectural model provided by the Department of health: Information Health Policy – Source DH Conclusion: In this essay we discussed health care and social policy in terms of its stages of development through a three year plan and IT approach specifying levels of health care services that are provided and NHS social care through interaction of proper infrastructure, delivery strategies and desired outcomes of treatment. The focus is on reducing waiting times for emergency treatment or health services at hospitals and primary care centers. We highlighted the importance of modernization, updated IT systems, primary care services, complaints policy and patient centered care as important aspects of health policy followed by the NHS laying down strategic programmes, directions and objectives for an overall health care system as a social and public policy. In the next discussion we would examine the rationale and effectiveness of such policies within the context of political motivations and welfare objectives. II – Effectiveness of Health Policy Introduction: In this section we would examine the policies that have been implemented in the last few years within the NHS and have served as political and administrative tools both as a means of political achievement and measure of social services provisions (Batchelor, 2005). Evaluation of health policy followed by the department of health can be done by comparing target objectives with the attained levels of service. Evaluation can also be done by analyzing research studies, news reports and NHS and Department of Health annual reports on what are the specific targets that were achieved and which are the objectives that were identified and yet could not be achieved through their policies. The discussion would thus show the flaws in the health framework, the differences in aims and achievements and analyze why certain objectives could not be reached along with the strengths and weaknesses of the policies in general. According to the DH plans, ‘DH policies are designed to improve on existing arrangements in health and social care, and turn political vision into actions that should benefit staff, patients and the public’ (Department of Health, 2005). The DH notes that a DH health policy covers many areas of working including the way patients and the public receive care how NHS and social care organizations are run information technology and other facilities that support the delivery of health care. (DH, 2005) A policy is largely evaluated by three features as to whether it can be implemented quickly achieves its purpose does not create an unnecessary burden on NHS and social care staff. A policy is meant to help rather than hinder NHS working and thus it should be easy to implement, evaluate and give quick and significant results. DH Annual Reports – Targets and Progress The Target analysis given by the DH annual reports shows the targets and the extent to which the objectives have been achieved by the Department of health: the aim to transform health and social care systems so that it produces better and faster services to tackle health inequalities was emphasized along with the objective of improving health outcomes for everyone. (DH report, 2004) Target: Reduce substantially the mortality rates from major killers by 2010: from circulatory disease by at least 40% in people under 75; from cancer by at least 20% in people under 75; and from suicide and undetermined injury by at least 20%. Key to the delivery of this target will be implementing the National Service Frameworks for coronary heart disease and mental health and the NHS Cancer Plan. Measure : Death rate from circulatory disease amongst people aged under 75. Death rate from cancer amongst people aged under 75. Death rate from intentional self harm and injury of undetermined intent. Progress: A small but statistically significant increase in the number of deaths coded to cancers was identified, A small but statistically significant increase in the number of deaths coded to circulatory diseases was identified. Data for 2000-02 (3 year average) show a rate of 16.0 deaths per 100,000 population – a rise of 0.6% from the baseline (1995-97). Single year data for financial year 2001-02 show a rate of 313.9 hospital admissions per 100,000 population – a decrease of 2.3% from the baseline estimate (1995-96). A National Suicide Prevention Strategy was published in September 2002 led by the National Director for Mental Health. As this is implemented it will contribute to reducing the suicide rate. Although not statistically significant, there has been a small increase in numbers of deaths recorded to suicide and intentional self harm. 2. the second aim is to treat people with illness, disease, or injury quickly, effectively, and on the basis of need alone (DH report, 2004) Target Ensure everyone with suspected cancer is able to see a specialist within two weeks of their GP deciding they need to be seen urgently and requesting an appointment for: all patients with suspected breast cancer from April 1999, and for all other cases of suspected cancer by 2000. Measure: Percentage of patients with suspected breast cancer and other cancers able to see a specialist within 2 weeks. Progress: 99% of patients referred urgently with suspected cancer were seen within 2 weeks during July to September 2003. For the same period for breast cancer this figure stands at 98.2%. 3. a third important objective identified has been to enable people who are unable to perform essential activities of daily living, including those with chronic illness, disability or terminal illness, to live as full and normal lives as possible. Target: Improve the delivery of appropriate care and treatment to patients with mental illness who are discharged from hospital and reduce the national average emergency psychiatric re-admission rate by 2 percentage points by 2002 from the 1997-98 baseline of 14.3%. Measure: Average emergency psychiatric admission rate. Progress: Psychiatric re-admission rate in 2001-02, the last year data was collected on a readmissions within 90 day basis, was 12.7% narrowly missing the target by 0.4 percentage points. However, with the implementation of new service models such as assertive outreach, early intervention and crisis resolution, further falls in readmission rates are expected, though this might not manifest itself until after 2002-03. (DH reports, 2001) the fourth objective we have chosen for discussion is Improving patient and Carer experience of the NHS and Social Services.(DH annual report, 2004) Target: Patients will receive treatment at a time that suits them in accordance with their clinical need: two thirds of all outpatient appointments and inpatient elective admissions will be pre-booked by 2003-04 on the way to 100% pre-booking by 2005. Measure: DH monthly central data collection from January 03. Supersedes the Modernization Agency monthly project progress reports. Progress: On course: A monthly DH central data collection was introduced in January 03.The monthly data collection captures full bookings and partial bookings as they are added to the waiting list. This allows rigorous monitoring of progress towards booking milestones and targets. A Data Set Change Notice was issued in 2000 to the service in support of the new monitoring arrangements The Modernization Agency National Booking Team is assisting challenged Trusts to work towards achieving key booking milestones and targets. The Recovery and Support Unit (RSU) is also working with challenged Trusts. From April 2003, Strategic Health Authorities are responsible for managing and developing booking locally as part of their Local Delivery Plan (DH annual reports, 2004) We have delineated four important objectives among several health care policy plans laid down by the NHS and Department of Health. The first objective discussed is aimed towards providing faster and better services for improving health outcomes of everyone. This was specified as reducing mortality rates from killer diseases such as cancer, coronary heart disease and accidents. The targets however have not been achieved as there has been significant rise in deaths from cancer, heart disease and accidents in the last few years since the target was set. Although there has been a decrease in the number of hospital admissions, deaths due to suicide and intentional self harm have also gone up. From this analysis it is only suggested that the target for improving general health outcomes by reducing mortality rates has not been achieved as specified by the Department of Health. Examining the second objective of providing treatment to people effectively and quickly on the basis of need suggest that everyone with cancer or such ailments should be able to visit their GP within 2 weeks of their deciding to see their practitioner and waiting times should be cut down considerably. The progress report shows that 99% of the cancer patients were able to see their GP within 2 weeks of their decision and this suggests that the target objective in this case has been nearly met. The third objective we have highlighted is that according to the NHS plan, most disabled or chronically ill patients should be able to support themselves and perform daily activities and lead as normal life as possible. This was effectively studied by using psychiatric illness as an indicator of chronic disability and hospital readmission rates as important measures of finding out to what extent chronically ill patients are able to lead normal lives or support themselves. Although the readmissions measure shows that targets and objectives were narrowly missed in previous years, in more recent times due to assertive outreach and early intervention and crisis resolution, there were considerable falls in psychiatric readmission rates suggesting that some progress is definitely being made on general improvement of health of people who are chronically disabled. The fourth aim was improving patient and carer experience of NHS and social services provided by beginning pre-booking services and it is emphasized that all clinical services should be pre booked by the year 2005. This is largely a procedure under the aegis of the NHS modernization agency as pre booking services are also IT related and a general improvement of IT systems are associated with achieving this target. However according to DH reports, this target achievement is already on course and most of the health services are now pre booked and waiting times for appointment have reduced significantly. Following an analysis of objectives and aims and the targets achieved by the NHS according to Health care policy, we would take a look at performance of the health care sector and the ratings obtained by primary, secondary trusts. The results of 2002-2003 are given below: Overall there are 579 NHS trusts that have been rated for their performance in 2002/2003. Evidence on Health Policy Implementation – Issues From an analysis of DH annual reports on progress and targets that have or have not been achieved in the past few years, we no move on to clinical evidence and research studies that have formed the basic evaluative tool for health policy implementation appraisal. Ujah et al (2004) provided an evaluative study to establish the nature, extent and organization of occupational health services provisions for people within the NHS and reviewed the systems for monitoring NHS performance. Within the NHS trusts, human resource managers and occupational health managers were selected for the study and were invited to complete an interviewer led questionnaire. All the 17 trusts in which the interview was carried out claimed that they do provide occupational health service to their employees and the provisions and organization of these services were under the human resource unit. However only 29% of the trusts could provide a written health policy with 87% of occupational health mangers claiming that they only provide a rather reactive service based on patient needs, rather than health policy objectives. The authors discovered considerable variation sin the level, nature and quality of services provided by the NHS trusts and concluded as a result of their findings that there are significant differences in the level of occupational health service available to staff across the NHS in London. From this study it is evident that health policy as an initiative only serves as a framework for achievement and may not ultimately be followed in the same way as there are significant differences in the way policies are implemented in different NHS trusts. New health policies that tend to integrate education and training with research and implementation tend to support new practitioners to perform health care research and Bateman et al (2004) evaluate the policy of supporting health care professionals who have some interest in research. The authors claim that there may be considerable value in development of research objectives within the NHS RD wing and mention that ‘Future policies may need to address: the indicators used in measuring the success of such schemes; the relationship between what individuals choose to do and its context within national policy on research and development; and the sustainability of involvement in research’ (Bateman et al, 2004, p.83) Evaluating the information systems and up gradation of IT networking within the NHS, Wyatt and Wyatt (2003) argue that evaluating large scale health information systems such as in hospital systems can be lengthy and difficult procedure. However they discuss the reasons for which such evaluation is necessary and the appropriate methods to carry out these evaluations. This information as they suggest is supposed to be directed towards an assessment of health policy and is thus expected to provide feedback to health policy makers and help in improvement of health and public policies. The authors discuss many experimental designs to carry out their research and also study the impact of communications system within a laboratory setting, the potential problems and how they could be resolved. Wyatt and Wyatt conclude that the correct methods to evaluate health information systems in hospitals and clinics do not depend on the technology being evaluated but on the reliability of answers given for evaluation. Health policies such as patient centered care approach (Webster, 2004), integrated clinical governance (Cauchi 2005) and nurse led intervention services (Lees 2003) have been effectively implemented and successful although posing major challenges to NHS to constantly improve policies according to targets and objectives. Carter et al (2003) evaluated multi-disciplinary team working as a policy and the effectiveness of introducing new organizational structure within the NHS. Although the authors emphasized that as a result of this policy very little have changed so far, but the interests that such a multi-agency working approach has generated suggest that this may be the beginning of medical practice that can link the changes in work practices with improvements in quality of services[1]. Within the NHS framework, multidisciplinary team working is developing to expand roles of traditional institutional boundaries and form complex clinical networks. However these networks could become increasingly autonomous from current NHS structures. The authors discuss the possibility of forming chambers for doctors as well as other professionals as a means of working together in groups. Multilevel working at the NHS is as of now a very effective health care policy but needs even further evaluation and suggestions f or improvement. Conclusion: Within this particular discussion we have tried to analyze the health care policies and targets and evaluated these objectives in terms of achievement and progress in policy implementation within the health care sector in the UK. For our purposes we have used targets and progress report from annual results published by the DH. Evidential information on policy effectiveness have also been provided where we suggested that health care polici

The Spanish Flu in Remission :: Journalism Influenza Health Medical Essays

The Spanish Flu in Remission For many it appears like there is finally reason to take a deep sigh of relief. The deadly Spanish Flu, now believed to have begun on the battlefields and in the military hospitals of the war, appears to be in remission. In the previous two days the death tolls has gone from 302 down to 269, and it today reached a remarkable low of only 17. Still the business men's advisory committee and our local Health Commission say that we must "keep up the fight so long as there is a case of influenza." The eradication of this illness is the responsibility of every citizen and does not simply rest with the physician. Many are preparing to proclaim an end to this devastating illness which has already claimed the lives of millions world-wide, and has forced many Los Angeles residents to isolate themselves. The disease was known in the battlefields in which it originated as "three-day fever,". Since then the name stuck. It can attack in an instance without warning, and leave those it infects dead in less than a week. John C. Acker, a Sergeant within the 32nd Division American Expeditionary Force, described the course of the illness in greater detail: "It runs its course in a week or more. It hits suddenly and one's temperature nearly chases the mercury thru the top of the M.D.'s thermometer, face gets red, every bone in the body aches and the head splits wide open." The disease has been the source of enormous tragedy, and sadly has claimed the lives of some of our nation's greatest young men, who have successfully fought to push back imposing enemy armies despite tremendous difficulties. After these soldiers returned home a new battle confronted Uncle Sam, as the dark shadow of flu claimed countless the lives of countless civilians and military personnel. Fortunately Los Angeles' reaction to this scourge has been swift. Quarantine has been the official policy. This week such measures continue as nearly all downtown churches announce that they will not hold their regular Children's Sunday School classes since large meetings could endanger the lives of the youth. While the measures are only temporary it has been yet another sign of the inconveniences that quarantine measures have produced. The churches which made this decision hail from virtually every denomination.

My Summer Vacation in Florida Essays -- Summer Vacation Essays

Have you ever been on a vacation? To me a vacation is a time to be with friends or family. When I think of vacations, I think of packing, the flight or drive, and relaxation. Not only is it very exciting to go on a vacation, but you get closer to the people that go with you. Linda, my best friend's mom had asked me if I would want to go with their family to Florida. When she asked me I thought she was kidding, but when she said, "I need to know because if you are I need to get you a airplane ticket," I knew she was serious. I was so excited I could have kissed her. I was going to Florida with my best friend, Lisa, and her family. The people from Lisa's family that were going were Tina, Randy, Ashley, and Linda. Tina is Lis'?s sister, Randy is Tina?s husband and Ashley is Tina?s daughter. Linda is Lisa?s mom and she was the only one out of all Lisa?s family I knew. Going on a trip packing is defiantly a priority. The whole week before the trip I had began packing. I didn?t realize how many things I was going to need until I started packing. I packed two suit cases full of clothes, but I figured I?d rather have more clothes because you never know what the weather will be like. I packed cards, connect four, guess who, I pod, and food so we wouldn't be bored on the flight. When I was done packing my mom asked ? Are you moving out?? The night before leaving I couldn't sleep. When I woke up that morning it was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining brightly, and the clouds in the sky looked like giant marshmallows. I was so excited because this was my first time going on a vacation. I had already put my suitcases and bags in my car the night before. After I said my goodbyes to my family, I was on my way. I met with Lisa a... ...icking because we didn?t want to miss our flight. Randy called the company where he had rented the van from and they came to pick us up. We made it to the airport just in time because when we walked in the airport they called our flight. This made us very relieved. The flight home went just as well as the flight there except this time I didn't have the butterflies. Overall going on a vacation is something I want to do more in the future. I learned many things from this vacation such as even though you go with some people you don't know as well, you get to know them and by the end of the vacation it's like you have known them your whole life. This vacation brought my friend Lisa and I closer because we experienced things together. Going on a vacation with someone makes your relationship stronger and you find out many different likes and dislikes about each other.

Traditional methods of professional development :: essays papers

Traditional methods of professional development Traditional methods of professional development include workshops, learning communities, and college classes at a doctoral level. Most traditional professional development opportunities occur locally. Working in local communities allows teachers to address the professional norms of practice for the area in which they practice, and allows them to form more appropriate policies (Schlager& Fusco, 2003, p. 205). Each community is different in many ways. By catering professional development opportunities to the community in which they will be used, this allows the teacher to gain more information that pertains to their student population and school system. Moreover, one opportunity for professional development that may be offered locally is workshops. Workshops are usually offered in the summer and last only a few days (Gibbs, H.J., 2004, p. 47). Workshops are convenient for most teachers because they have the summer off and therefore the workshop does not interfere with their busy school work schedule. Also, local workshops allow teachers to network with other local teachers. Teachers share and build on each others ideas and work together to develop integrated activities (Gibbs, H.J., 2004, p. 47). It is important for teachers to have peers with whom they can seek advice from. Teachers with more seniority may be able to offer newer teachers helpful advice or bring up another aspect of a subject that may not have been considered. Sharing ideas through collaboration can spark up ideas for other teachers. Another example of a traditional method of professional development is the formation of learning communities. Learning communities are groups of teachers who meet to work on their teaching skills or new techniques. Learning communities also provide a support system to the teachers that are involved. Researchers believe teachers are more effective when they collaborate because the teacher has moral support, situated certainty, and a better opportunity to learn (Coronel, Carrasco, Fernandez, & Gonzalez, 2003, p. 130). Teachers become more confident when they are formulating ideas with people who work in the same field as they do. Working with peers allows for constructive criticism and the sharing of personal experiences which help teachers to explore and learn to be more effective. Furthermore, another type of traditional professional development is taking college classes at the doctoral level. Traditional cl asses are preferred by most students because they find face to face discussions to be the most beneficial (Mather, M.A., 2000, p.

Bio-fuels and how effective they truly are for the environment Essay

Biodiesel Biodiesel, classified as a renewable and biodegradable diesel fuel which is produced thru extraction of natural fats and oils. It can substantially reduce green house gas emission due to its low sulfur content. It is now commonly used in various parts of the world. Biodiesel can replace petroleum diesel in both the transport and non-transport applications. A shift in the utilization of alternative energy resources (including alternative fuels) will change the total demand for biodiesel as well as the level of utilization in specific applications. Bioethanol â€Å"Bioethanol is a high-octane, water-free alcohol produced from the fermentation of sugar or other converted biomass. In its purest form it is a colorless clear liquid with mild characteristic odor that boils at 78oC and freezes at 112oC† (www. doe. gov. ph). Ethanol burns more cleanly because it contains oxygen and has a high octane number, hence less carbon monoxide emissions and averts premature detonation. It burns slightly cooler, extending engine life, and promotes higher volumetric efficiency of the engine, thus, increases power. Adding ethanol to gasoline â€Å"oxygenates† the fuel so that it burns with less emissions. Most modern gasoline vehicles could operate on pure ethanol with a few basic engine modifications. â€Å"A 10% blend requires no engine modification while making a contribution to reducing emissions. Anything more than 10% requires engine modification† (www. doe. gov. ph). The other commercial blends are E15 (U. S. A. ), E20 (Brazil), E85 (Sweden and Minnesota), and E100 (used with 4% water in Brazil and Argentina). Fuel ethanol is primarily used for land transport as alternative to gasoline in spark-ignition engines. Other Biofuels The potentials of other alcohols such as methanol, propanol and butanol can be exhaustively explored for very specific future applications that can further increase the total amount of biofuel substitute to conventional fossil and fossil derived fuels. Methanol produced from biomass is not economically competitive at present. There is, however, an interesting possibility as alternative to hydrogen as fuel. Propanol and butanol can be produced by the action of microorganisms and enzymes. Butanol, particularly, is produced by fermentation in a process that can be modified for high net enegy gains. It has sufficiently similar characteristics with gasoline fuel such that there is high probability that it can be burned pure in existing commercial engines without modification and without any difficulty. There are other important biofuels such as biogas, charcoal, producer gas, etc. They can be processed and utilized in accordance with the provisions of existing laws, rules, regulations and standards. Studies are conducted in order that these important biofuels can be integrated into the biofuels program in a package for both energy and socio-economic objectives. Other First Generation Biofuels. The most common First Generation Biofuel is biogas which is a product of anaerobic digestion of organic materials an example of which is methane from wastes. Both the gas and digestate can be used as fuel. The utilization is usually site specific because of the environmental implications of production. A number of big commercial farms are producing and using biogas from wastes for process heating and the generation of supplementary power. Another first generation biofuel is Charcoal which is the product of the carbonization of hydrocarbon materials including wastes. Producer gas is from the gasification of hydrocarbon feedstock. In the late seventies, this fuel was utilized as engine fuel. The gas was generated from small wood chips fed into a reactor mounted unto the vehicle. Second-generation Biofuels â€Å"Second generation biofuels are those from lignocellulosic biomass feedstock using advanced technical processes. Being currently developed are: BioHydrogen, Bio- dimethylether (Bio-DME), Biomethanol, dimethylfuran (DMF), High Temperature Upgrading (HTU) diesel, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, Mixed Alcohols† (http://www. export. gov).

Net-Zero Energy Homes

Definition of a Net-zero Energy Home A Net-zero Energy Home (NZEH) is â€Å"capable of producing, at minimum, an annual output of renewable energy that is equal to the total amount of its annual consumed/ purchased energy from energy utilities† and emits zero net carbon (1). This concept is becoming increasingly popular as people are becoming more aware of the effects of buildings on the environment. However, to build a net-zero home, in-depth design considerations to minimize â€Å"the energy requirements for space heating, cooling and water heating† are required (2).This will result in the least amount of artificial ighting, heating, and air conditioning to be used to achieve human comfort level (2). Designing for Building Orientation The best building orientation for making efficient use of solar energy is south. Thus, running the buildings long axis from east to west and facing within 30 degrees of due south is strongly recommended (Figure 1). This allows the house to receive at least 90 percent of the optimal winter solar heat gain. The buildings south orientation should also be clear from obstacles to allow unblocked sunlight to enter the house (3).Use and Placement of Windows Windows let in sunlight but trap long-wave radiation, making the indoor temperature rise; however, in the absence of sunlight, windows let out considerable amount of heated air due to their high conductivity. To minimize this effect, selecting windows with special coatings are recommended. Window sizes have to be determined carefully because of these unique properties, to balance heat loss and heat gain: Net window area should be at least five percent of net floor area with each room or space having one or more windows.Glare can often become problematic especially through south-facing windows but this can be prevented by using low-emissivity oated windows. Sloped or horizontal windows such as skylights must be used with caution because they can become major areas of un controllable heat loss, overheating, and condensation (3). Controlling Airtightness Holes, cracks, floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, and outlets are all susceptible locations of air leakage. Air leakage equals energy leakage because as heated air leaks out of the building, the cooler air outside tends to get sucked into the building.Therefore, tight sealants around all Joints and openings are required. Proper Insulating Techniques An NZEH should also be well insulated around the building envelope to minimize eat transfer. This is achieved by using proper installation of insulation that meets the required R-value (Figure 2). This will not only minimize the energy loss but also reduce the need for supplementary heating (3). Providing Ventilation by Mechanical or Natural Systems Ventilation can either be mechanically or naturally provided.Before energy conservation became an issue to building occupants and the construction industry, buildings were not as airtight as they are today and na tural ventilation was sufficient. Building occupants could open and close windows for fresh air and continuous entilation was always present through the building's cracks and openings. In airtight buildings, natural ventilation is unreliable because buildings have fewer openings and cracks for natural air flow and the weather is often too cold or rainy for occupants to leave windows open for maintaining adequate relative humidity and fresh air circulation (4).One of the mechanical ventilation systems is the exhaust-only system, which exhausts air out of the building through an exhaust fan (Figure 3). This can be cost effective and functional provided that the building is airtight enough to run this system. If the building has cracks that act as an air path, the air that gets exhausted out can get sucked back into the building, essentially defeating the purpose of the system. Also, in humid climates, the exhaust-only system tends to cause condensation problems in wall cavities (4).Su pply-only ventilation provides fresh air through vents and is extremely effective in providing high indoor air quality when the system is designed and installed according to the building size and specifications. This system can also be combined with a heating system or a humidifying system to suit the occupants' needs. This system makes the indoor air pressure higher than the outdoor air pressure, which can work to the occupants' advantage if the building is located in hot and humid climates because the positive air pressure will resist the hot and humid pressure from getting sucked into the building.However, this is problematic in cold climates because hot and moist indoor air will push against the warm side of the wall cavities, which leads to condensation problems (5). An exhaust and supply balanced system is the most ideal system as it can serve all climates. Increasing the Efficiency of Furnace and Air Conditioner Systems Two of the major sources of energy consumption in todays households are the furnace in the winter and the air conditioner (A/C) in the summer. Increasing the quality and efficiency of the furnace and A/C will make some of the greatest returns in cost.Three main factors contribute to healthy and efficient furnace and A/C systems: Correct installation by qualified trades. Properly sealed supply and return duct system with approved tapes or mastics to minimize air loss. Continued maintenance throughout the lifetime of the furnace and A/C. Where space and cost conditions permit, consider ground-source heat pump echnology as opposed to ENERGY [email  protected] furnaces: â€Å"A ground-source heat pump uses the earth or ground water or both as the sources of heat in the winter, and as the â€Å"sink† for heat removed from the home in the summer.For this reason, ground- source heat pump systems have come to be known as earth-energy systems (EESs). Heat is removed from the earth through a liquid, such as ground water or an antifreeze solution, upgraded by the heat pump, and transferred to indoor air. During summer months, the process is reversed: heat is extracted from indoor air and transferred to the earth through the ground water or antifreeze solution. A direct-expansion (DX) earth-energy system uses refrigerant in the ground-heat exchanger instead of an antifreeze solution† (6). Figure : Schematic Diagram of a Ground-source Heat Pump Source: http://www. ge04va. vt. edu/A3/A3. tm Water Conservation Techniques through Efficient Water Distribution Systems After heating and cooling, water heating is typically the next largest energy user ot the home because it is necessary for so many domestic activities. Heating water is a large cost especially if a home has out-dated appliances. These next tips can substantially reduce energy consumption simply from water conservation based eating systems. Firstly, a tank less on-demand water heater is advantageous for residences already conserving water, for hot water users relatively close together, and for communities living where natural gas is readily available (Figure 5).Secondly, consider a solar hot water pre-heat system with a parallel piping system for the hot water outlets. Solar energy is the most economical and available energy source and should be utilized to its full potential. The key is to have a knowledgeable solar hot water instillation company perform the installation so proper instillation is achieved. Finally, another cost-effective method to conserve water usage is to install low-flow fixtures. Thousands of gallons of water are wasted everyday because of unnecessary use from high-flow fixtures. Figure : The Process of a tank less water heater Source: http://kerrygoldplumbing. om/tankless-gas-water-heaters Energy Efficient Lighting Fixtures and Lighting Energy efficient lighting fixtures, lighting, and energy efficient appliances meet a standard of reduced energy use rated by ENERGY STARL Such appliances consume significantly less energy and water than the standard products. Energy efficient ighting fixtures use about 25% the amount of energy of a regular incandescent light fixture (7). Such fixtures are specifically made to work with fluorescent or LED lights and therefore use less energy. Fluorescent light bulbs consist of a gas-filled tube and magnetic or electronic ballast (8).These bulbs last about 10 times longer (9 years at 3 hours/day) and run cooler than a standard incandescent light bulb (8). Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting consists of a semiconductor diode that converts applied voltage to light (9). LED lighting is available in many different colors and izes, has a lifetime of more than 22 years but still very expensive. Energy Efficient Appliances Energy efficient appliances are rated by ENERGY [email  protected] and use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models because these products use advanced technology in their systems (10).These appliances are readily available and can be found at all appliance retailers such as Future Shop, Best Buy and Sears. Photovoltaic (PV) systems Photovoltaic (PV) systems are comprised of solar cells which convert sunlight directly into electricity (11). These cells or semiconductor wafers, installed on the sun-facing ide of buildings, are protected from rain, hail and other inclement weather elements by a glass sheet (11). As photons from the sunlight knock electrons into an excited higher energy state, electricity is created and captured by the solar cells (11).These solar cells are connected in either series or parallel or both to form PV modules, and in applications the PV modules are arranged in arrays. PV systems produce D power and electricity fed into the electricity grid is converted by inverters to AC power. Current PVsystems in use have a 12 to 18 percent average efficiency in converting sunlight to electricity (11). Current developments have achieved an efficiency of 42 percent (11). Residential Applica tions for PV Systems In residential building, PVsystems are typically installed on roofs or on walls.Roof tiles with integrated PV cells can also be purchased. The use of the residential PV system allows the home to be connected to the electricity grid and surplus power deposited into the grid. To acquire a net-zero energy balance, the goal is to produce as much power from PV systems as you consume from the power grid, so that at the end of the year the homeowner pays absolutely nothing for power. The upfront cost f current PV systems is still relatively high typically costing installed (12).Working Towards a Canadian NZEH Building Standard Although there is currently no Canadian net-zero energy home building code, work is progressing to lead Canada towards such a building approach. Leading the way is the Net Zero Energy Home Coalition, formed in 2004, whose mandate is to promote existing and available energy efficient and renewable energy technologies to supply residential energy i n a sustainable manner in order to minimize the production of greenhouse gases and create healthier, greener communities (1).Comprised of ome builders and developers keen in applying renewable energy resources to residential building, the Coalition in partnership with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Natural Resources Canada, Industry Canada, and Environment Canada, aims to establish a new Canadian NZEH building standard by 2030. To showcase the viability of NZEHs, the CMHC, supported by the Net-zero Energy Home Coalition, is currently leading a demonstration building project called the Initiative.Fifteen teams across Canada were selected to build demonstration homes using the various techniques discussed in the previous ections. To date, six of the fifteen homes have been completed in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec (13). Initiative NZEH Examples – New and Old The Alstonvale Net Zero House is an example of new NZEH construction while the Now House Project dem onstrates how NZEH principles can be economically applied in home renovations. The Alstonvale Net Zero House The Alstonvale Net Zero House (shown on the cover) is a single-family detached house in Hudson, Qu ©bec currently under construction.It features an air-tight, well- insulated building envelope, extensive passive heating and cooling techniques hrough large south facing windows, sunscreens, and natural sources of shade (14). An air-to-water pump heating system connected to a PV system provides heated water for the in-floor radiant system and other domestic uses (Figure 9). Instead of standard landscaping, a large portion of the site will remain undisturbed and act as a natural habitat tor the local wildlite (14). The Now House Demonstration The Now House Project is a retrofit of a 60-year old home in Toronto, Ontario.The project goal was â€Å"to demonstrate how home owners and contractors can dramatically mprove the energy efficiency of existing homes with a few relatively simple modifications† (15). Energy requirements were reduced by upgrading the insulation, installing low-e, argon-filled windows and energy efficient ENERGY [email  protected] appliances, and replacing incandescent lighting with LED lighting (16). Increased energy efficiency and renewable energy production were accomplished through installation of solar hot water panels, a photovoltaic array, and a waste water heat recovery system (16).Figure : A Comparison of Energy Consumption between the Now House and Average Canadian Homes Source: http://www. mhc-schl. gc. ca/en/inpr/su/eqho/noho/ upload/Now-House_E-Oct30. pdf Figure 10 on page 8 compares energy consumption rates between the average Canadian home and the Now House w. Taking into account space heating, water heating, major appliances, interior lighting and space cooling, the Now House will consume only 38 percent as much energy as an average Canadian home (16). From this demonstration, the project shows that NZEH principl es are economically viable for renovating similarly older homes across the country. https://happyhealthyhome.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/hhh_report_final.pdfhttps://www.pinterest.com/aimej_r/maison-bioclimatique/http://www.whitebear.k12.mn.us/https://www.energystar.gov/ia/new_homes/features/Appliances_062906.pdfhttps://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/oee.nrcan.gc.ca/files/pdf/publications/infosource/pub/cipec/Managementguide_E.pdfhttps://www.energystar.gov/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamphttp://thefreedictionary.com/https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=appliances.pr_energy_guidehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaicshttp://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/2003-11-13_500-03-083F.PDFhttps://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/su/eqho/ecte/ecte_005.cfmhttps://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Mortgage_and_Housing_Corporationhttps://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/su/eqho/noho/