Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Learning experience of international students Essay - 3

Learning experience of international students - Essay Example The course helps the international students to improve their English. Understanding English, as a language will aid future success and understanding of other courses taught and examined in English as the authenticated language. Learning of English helps the international students in socialization and interaction with the native students and other professions within the new environment. The socialization will positively contribute towards and team pulling towards completing and conducting a group research. The foundation course offers the international students an ample time and space to familiarize with the new environment. Familiarization with the new locality in terms of weather conditions, social relations and the surrounding eliminates the associated frustrations that may arise (Quan, Smailes & Fraser 2013, p. 416). The frustrations may shift and deviate the international students’ concentrations thereby compromising quality of academic performance during the course work. The adverse, unfamiliar weather conditions may interfere with an international students’ successful pursuit of a degree program in UK. During the pursuit of the foundation courses, international students get the opportunity to adjust to the new environment. Structures and the human traffic in UK may compromise an international students’ academic performance in his or her degree program. Limited mastery of UK streets may failure and slower capabilities in tracing directions that will lead to lateness and an eventual drop in academic performance because of the missed lectures and tutorials. The foundation courses help international students to familiarize with UK lifestyle and culture as they prepare to pursue the primary or core degree courses. Understanding the new culture and lifestyle will be beneficial in terms of interactions with the natives to offer a conducive and friendly study environment. UK lifestyle and meals are significant aspects that relate directly to an

Monday, October 28, 2019

Personal & Professional Healthcare Communication Paper Essay Example for Free

Personal Professional Healthcare Communication Paper Essay Communication, according to the Free Dictionary, is â€Å"the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing or behaviors†. It is vital in the development and maintenance of personal and professional relationships. It is important to understand communication also includes non-verbal as well as verbal acts. According to Rane (2010), 93% of communication is nonverbal and body language is an effective nonverbal communication tool. There are two essential components in communication, which are a sender and receiver of a message. In the personal and professional health care communication paper, I will discuss the definition of healthcare communication, the relevancy of effective personal healthcare communication to health outcomes, how the lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communications contributes to poor health outcomes, and the theories and principles of therapeutic communication in health care settings for the healthcare pro fessional (UOP, 2012). Healthcare communication definition In the healthcare field communication is vital to provide optimal care for the patient and enhancing the ability to make informed decisions. Healthcare communication relates to communication between people in health care organization, according to Northouse, 1998. This communication allows for questions and answers to who, what, where, how and when about health-related information in the patient-healthcare professional relationship. When used correctly communication enhances patient outcomes and results from patient surveys. Relevancy of effective personal healthcare communication with other healthcare professionals, clients, and patients (UOP,2012) Communication with the healthcare team including the patient, their family, medical professionals such as the doctor, nurse, and ancillary services such as X-ray department, pharmacy is vital in achieving the best outcomes as a result of evaluation, intervention, and the overall status of the patient. In order to give high-quality health care, it requires effective communication between the team and the patient. In cases of Non-English speaking patients or individuals with hearing impairments, they require other resources for effective communication such as interpreters, picture board or other devices. The healthcare professional must explain procedures or management of care to the patient or family to ensure optimal goals. It is through effective communication that the healthcare professional empowers the consumer with knowledge related to their illness, its ’ schedule of care by increasing patient compliance. It is when the patient does not understand what is happening in the health care system they need the professional to be understanding and sensitive by taking time to explain. This aids the patient by meeting their need to understand according to Northouse, 1998. Relevancy of effective professional healthcare communication to health outcomes (UOP, 2012) Effective professional healthcare communication is relevant to desired health outcomes. Successful communication is essential between team members because it allows for the development of specific objectives to accomplish. The health care team strives as one but individually they ensure the patient reaches the desired outcomes. If all team members are not â€Å"on board† to assure the patient reaches the goals set forth causes an uphill battle which produces conflict. This conflict could be productive by encouraging the team to review a difference in opinion that can be beneficial for the patient. How the lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communications contributes to poor health outcomes (UOP, 2012)   The lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communication affects teamwork, patient satisfaction, patient safety, patient management, compliance with treatment, level of anxiety, job satisfaction efficiency, which potentially leads to poor patient health outcomes (www.health.vic.gov.au/qualitycouncil/safetymodul/page22.htm). The purpose of effective communication in healthcare is to provide first-class medical care, minimal to no medical errors and have precision; and without it there is room for medical errors, poor patient care and an ineffective team that produces undesired outcome. In the professional and patient relationship, the lack of good communication causes the patient to be apprehensive in asking questions, to worry about being bothersome because they feel other patients are sicker, and there is an assumption that the patient doe s not have any concerns. There are barriers to communication that include only one between the sender and receiver of the message understands the message, cultural differences, and lack of education. In sending the message it is essential that the message is received with clarity, it is concise and complete. If the patient has a language barrier, it can be masked by the patient not responding to information and it is detected as a result of poor or no compliance. In literacy concerns, all information should be presented on a 5th grade level to aid in the comprehension of the information. The care of the patient should be patient/family centered which helps in detecting any language, cultural or literacy barriers (Schyve, 2007). For example, a 46 year old single male patient that is functionally literate is admitted with a diagnosis of acute angina. During the admission process it is disclosed he completed the 7th grade which renders him functionally literate and there is no language barrier. The cardiologist (heart doctor) comes in and discusses his plan of care that includes a stress test. The nurse asks the patient if he has any questions and he reports he cannot do any exercise. The nurse provides information related to the procedure that includes using medications to mimic the manual exercise. The theories and principles of therapeutic communication in health care settings for the healthcare professional (UOP, 2012) Therapeutic communication is a process in which the nurse consciously influences or helps the client to better understanding through verbal or nonverbal communication (The Free Dictionary). There are detailed approaches that promote the expression of feelings and ideas that convey approval and respect in a non judgmental manner. Therapeutic communication encourages the patient to participate in the plan of care. The patient would not be receptive to engaging in communication if the nurse runs in and out of the room hurriedly or promises to perform a task and not complete it. It is important that the patient views the care professional as one that is cari ng and willing to go the extra mile for the patient. The patient can be appreciative of any act of kindness displayed by the professional in as they promote Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring. Most nurses chose this career because of a genuine caring attitude toward all mankind therefore using the Watson’s caring theory will enhance the caring system. The information found in Watson’s caring theory helps the nurse revisit the place of traditional values, which is the foundation of becoming a nurse The following are Watson’s clinical caritas process (es): †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Practice of loving-kindness and equanimity with context of caring-consciousness† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Being authentically present and enabling and sustaining the deep belief system and subjective life world of self and the on-being-cared-for† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Cultivation of one’s own spiritual practices and transpersonal self, going beyond ego self. Being sensitive to self and other† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Developing and sustaining a helping-trusting, authentic caring relationship† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Being present to and supportive of the expression of positive and negative feelings as a connection with deeper spirit of self and the on-being-cared-for† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Creative use of self and all ways of knowing as part of the caring process and engagement in artistry of caring-healing practices† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Engaging in genuine teaching-learning experience that attends to unity of being and meaning and attempts to stay within other’s frame of reference† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Creating healing environment at all levels (physical as well as nonphysical) whereby wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity, and peace are potentiated† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Assisting with basic needs, with an intentional caring consciousness; administering human care essentials, which potentiate alignment of mind-body-spirit, wholeness, and unity of being in all aspects of care; attending to both embodied spirit and evolving emergence†, (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 118) and †¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœOpening and attending to spiritual-mysterious and existential dimensio ns of one’s own life-death; soul care for self and the one-being-cared-for† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 118). The Caring Theory facilitates therapeutic communication because it addresses all aspects of the patient’s being which encourages the patient to be more open and receptive to the treatment and procedures needed to promote desired outcomes. â€Å"Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you† (King James Bible, Luke 6:30-31). In conclusion, effective communication is understood by the patient and healthcare team and if there is a misunderstanding the communication is nonexistent, the terms of health care cease or continues with poor quality and high risks to patient safety (Schyve, 2007). Effective communication enhances the potential to provide error-free care of the patient. When there is an error it is viewed as the inability to provide optimal patient care (O’Daniel Rosenstein, date unknown). In order to provide premium quality patient care effective communication is a requirement; therefore it is an important role of communication and teamwork to reduce errors in the medical field thus increasing patient safety and promoting desired outcomes (Grover, 2005). I believe in providing therapeutic effective communication the health care professional should utilize professional skills learned especially those the endorse a caring and nurturing nurse-client/patient or professional-professional relationship. References Alligood, M. R. Tomey, A. M. (2006). Nursing theory: Utilization application (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier Grover, S. M. (2005). Shaping Effective Communication Skills and Therapeutic Relationships at Work. AAOHN Journal, 53(4), 177. King James Version. (1976). The Holy Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc Northouse, L. Northouse, P. (1998) Health communication: Strategies for health professionals (3rd ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall O’Daniel, M. Rosenstein, A. ( ). Chapter 33. Profession Communication and Team Collaboration www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/docs/O’DanielM_TWC.pdf Rane, D. B. (2010). Effective Body Language for Organizational Success. IUP Journal Of Soft Skills, 4(4), 17-26. Schyve, P. (2007). Language Differences as a Barrier to Quality and Safety in Health Care: The Joint Commission Perspective. Society of General Internal Medicine The free dictionary. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/therapeutic+communicationcommunication The free dictionary. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/therapeutic+communicationtherapeutic communication University of Phoenix, 2012. HCS/350-Health Care Communication www.uop.edu Why is communication important in health care? http://www.health.vic.gov.au/qualitycouncil/safety_module/page22.htm

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Arrogance of Greek Heroes Essay -- Epic Conceit Aeneid Odysseus Essays

Arrogance of Greek Heroes Often readers will criticize the champions of classical and medieval epics for egotism. Critics cite examples from the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and Beowulf of conceit and egocentric behavior. Odysseus, Aeneas, and Beowulf display a well-known arrogance befitting their accomplishments. The motivation for this arrogance, to complete these tasks, to perform these feats, is often over-generalized to the point of inaccuracy and confusion. One must not let such misinterpretations interrupt the humanization of these characters. Through the examination of the desires and behavior of these epic heroes, we can discover an underlying need for recognition or honor. In classical and medieval western epics, the hero’s desire to complete a given quest is fueled by their desire to gain or maintain honor or fame. The first hero to be considered is one of the original Greek champions. Odysseus, often characterized as a braggart and self-centered, displays all the traits of a man doing his best to leave his mark. He will never take the simplest of routes to solve a problem; he would much rather use his cunning and inventiveness to contrive a plan that exploits the weaknesses of his foe and uses all the resources at his disposal: â€Å"‘God help me!’ the man of intrigue broke out†¦ ‘Come weave us a scheme so I can pay them back! Stand beside me, Athena, fire me with daring, fierce as the day we ripped Troy’s glittering crown of towers down. Stand by me—furious now as then, my bright-eyed one— and I would fight three hundred men, great goddess, with you to brace me, comrade-in-arms in battle!’†(l.437-47, VIII) Odysseus would rather orchestrate a plan that ensures a total elimination of the suit... ... wife and home as well as his place in Carthage in the name of the gods, in the name of a quest that does not directly benefit him. From this pursuit, he does not stand to gain spoils, and the most that could be said of his fame would be drawn from his descendents. It is this moral stance, this understanding of universal placement, of purpose, that sets Aeneas apart from other heroes. Not every hero is a perfect model of character, but these well-known heroes of epic poetry do have powerful senses of honor and endeavor. Perhaps the authors meant these characters to exhibit flaws, or to relate to an idealized hero image that modern readers cannot understand. Regardless, it cannot be assumed that these characters are driven by a simple egotism, but rather by the same desire of many other men to be remembered, especially to be remembered for great things.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Personal Selling Essay

Step 1: Prospecting Prospecting, involves the Money, Authority, Desire (M.A.D) approach. Firstly I analysed my prospective clients to ensure that they had the money, authority and desire to purchase the products I was selling. Upon analysis I realised that since my target customers were friends and colleagues who themselves had authority on their purchases I decided to focus on Money and Desire. The prospecting methods I used were direct mail, networking and telephone. I sorted through my contacts on social networking sites such as Facebook, Friendster and MSN and also a list of past and present colleagues to sift for viable prospects. Step 2: Pre-approach At this stage, I did a few things to make my personal selling successful. Firstly I drafted email messages and messages to be sent on social networking sites to my viable contacts to inform them about the promotions and items I was selling. I also ensured to highlight the discounts that they would be receiving by purchasing the items from me. I believed that this would create an image of professionalism as it would portray that as a salesperson, I am well informed about my products. Step 3: Approach I moved on to approach, sending out emails and messages through the social networking sites informing them about my products. I also made use of the Chinese New Year season to target those celebrating to purchase the New Year goodies that I was selling. I also promoted the many vouchers, as thoughtful gifts for Valentines’ day for their loved ones, placing emphasis on the Swensen’s Valentines’ day cake voucher as it was one of the few items on sale that was Halal certified allowing me to widen my target consumers to include my Muslim friends, in the process using the customer benefit approach highlighting the discounts they would be receiving if they purchased the items from me. For potential prospects for products from MSC Studio and Mini Challenger outlets, I provided them with the product information and on-going promotional information which I obtained from posters and Colleagues working in MSC Studio as well as from my personal experience working in Challeng er Mini. Which in this case is the product approach. Step 4: Presentation At the presentation stage, I use 2 methods of presentation, AIDA approach and Need Satisfactory Method. AIDA approach includes, getting Attention, making prospect Interested, convert his Desire to conviction, as well as to take purchase Action. Which in this case, I have done it through sending out PowerPoint slide attachment and also created an album on facebook containing the products I’m selling. I also included the pricing and the discounts that they would be receiving. This grabs the prospects Attention, Interest and Desire to take Action. The need-satisfaction method would be to confirm clients’ needs and to show the product that can offer solution. In this case, I would approach potential prospects and ask them questions on what they are looking for maybe in-terms of Chinese New Year goodies or Valentines’ day gifts and be sure not to make them feel uneasy while doing so. After confirming their needs, recommendations would be made to them based on individu al customer needs. Step 5: Trial close After the presentation stage, I would ask if there are any discomforts in my recommendations. Example, â€Å"Are these what you’re looking for?† and â€Å"how does this sound to u?† For prospects who seemed interested but needed time to think about it, I made follow up calls about a couple of days later to ensure that it would not become a dead sales lead. This eventually made way for a few successful sales. Step 6: Objections There is definitely bound to be objections in the course of personal selling. Some of the objections that I faced from my prospects were: 1. Not interested in the item 2. Not Halal. 3. Too expensive. 4. Already bought. 5. Uncertainty in purchasing Step 7: Meeting Objections When I face objections, I would try to come up with solutions. These are some solutions for the above objections: 1. Try to offer another product that suits their need or interest 2. Offer to hold the sales period open for them till the very last day. 3. Offer cheaper range products which meets their budget. 4. Introduce them to other products which they may not have bought. 5. Persuade them by highlighting the benefits of buying the product. Step 8: The close For products from the Cupid ‘N’ You pre-order, during the closing I would have to take down their order, reconfirm it, and collect the money as well as to inform them about the collection date (27 January 2011). I would also thank them for buying from me. As for personal selling done at MSC Studio, I would just thank my customers for buying as the collecting of money and taking of order are suppose to be done by the MSC staff. Step 9: Follow up and Service I intend to contact my customers a few days in advance before the 27th of January, to remind them that the items will be ready for delivery on the 27th of January. I will also be personally delivering the items to my customers. I intend to attach a personalised thank you note with each of my customers to show my appreciation for their support. I would also be offering free gift wrapping for items which have been intended as Valentines’ day gift, upon request from my customer. A satisfied customer is a loyal customer and satisfied customers are known to spread positive word-of-mouth and this would defiantly prove to be essential should I need their continued support in future sales tasks. Question 2 Personal Selling Event For this round of Personal selling project, we were given Cupid ‘N’ You, a Chinese New Year and Valentines’ Day pre-order event to work with by the EMRS, TEP– MSC festive team. The items on sale for this event were from various companies that included Mrs Fields, Awfully Chocolate, Astons, Ritz Apple Strudel and Swensen’s, Fragrance, Horse Brand Bird’s Nest, Taiwan snacks, CNY Pastries Season and Cornery Popcorn. Mrs Fields and Astons offered discounted cash vouchers while Awfully Chocolate Ritz Apple Strudel and Swensen’s were offering discounted product vouchers. Fragrance offered three different varieties of ‘Bak Kwa’ in either 500g or 1kg packages at a discounted price. Horse Brand Bird’s Nest offered different varieties of Bird’s Nest, chicken essence as well as abalone. Taiwan snacks, CNY Pastries and Season offered snacks, cookies, cakes and pastries, well suited as Chinese New Year goodies. Cornery Popcorn, offered two, regular sized popcorn as a set allowing customers to choose from a range of three flavours. Moreover being attached to Challenger Mini for this stopover, I could also only include items from MSC Studio which housed brands such as Faceshop, Sasa, Giordano, Six accessories, Ameba as well as many others and Challenger Mini two year memberships into my overall Personal selling. Question 3 Refer to annex 1 Question 4 Lessons Learnt Lessons that I have learnt in the course of this personal selling process is that One must have sufficient product knowledge before they can do recommendations that suit individual consumer needs and persuade their customers to successfully buy their products. There will always be rejections but I should not let that put me down, instead I should develop a more positive mindset in failures and use that as a stepping stone and improve on my sales techniques in order to achieve my target. I have also learnt to always be aware of a sales opportunity as it may arise at any time. I should also be aware of my competitors offering so that I will be able to highlight the benefits of purchasing from me. Challenges The challenges I encountered for this project was the tight deadlines that had to be met. In addition, with the busy pace of life, sometimes people tend to overlook emails and messages so I had to follow up with every single prospect to verify their interest in the products and try to close the deal which was time consuming. There was also the issue of my customers preferring competitors offering in the case of ‘Bak Kwa’. I â€Å"lost† quite a few customers as they preferred Bee Cheng Hiang ‘Bak Kwa’ comparative to that from Fragrance that I was selling. I had to place great emphasis on the discount being offered, to tempt my prospects. One specific challenge that I encountered was a prospective customer who was aware of this promotion and had expressed interest in it, had to go to Malaysia urgently for a week. I was unable to reach her to close the deal in time. My friend only came back to Singapore on the 21st of January 2011 and contacted me immeiately to order six kilograms of Fragrance ‘Bak Kwa’ from me. I was unable to process this order as the last date to place the order for the festive sales was 20th January 2011. Even though I was unable to close such a huge individual deal, I am glad that this Personal Selling Process has given me a greater exposure to the real working world. Lastly, through this process, I have learnt to be flexible and provide good customer service in order to meet customer’s needs.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

How Did the Events of the Indian Mutiny Change?

The events of the Indian mutiny; in particular the Enfield rifle cartridges, the murder of Christians, the shootings in Cawnpore and the massacre in Lucknow, vastly changed the presence of British in India. The British realised that they could not run a country through a company with no acknowledgement and respect for culture. After the mutiny, the East India Company no longer ruled India – The queen did. The British prime minister chose a secretary of state for India. This change gave the people of India someone to look up to and respect rather than a company ruling and making decisions for their own financial gain.Towns and cities were ‘littered with her statues'. The legislative council also included some Indian representation, signifying the start of participation of Indian people in British Government. This meant that the Indians felt as though they had a say in the running of their country. The end of the mutiny also indicated the beginning of a new attitude toward s Indian culture where the British no longer interfered. In particular, the British no longer attempted to stop the traditional practices and laws surrounding widows. The British also came to respect Indian princes and other respected people in positions of authority over others.This was shown through their participation in the Legislative council. The British felt that Princes and landowners had a crucial role in maintaining positive relationships between themselves and Indian peasantry, so they were guaranteed property and some were given rewards for their loyalty. However, the fading relationship between the working peasants and their landowners, meant that the policy was not as successful as expected, in a long term view. The continued superior attitude of the British meant that the still viewed the Indians as a substandard people.They believed that they ‘didn't know a good thing when they saw it'. The British continued to have complete financial and political control. Alt hough more attainable, still enforced a uniformed revenue tax of 10% and introduced paper currency through the country. This then ended majority of barter trade. The British presence in India changed immensely after the mutiny. It changed on many levels affecting the people in social, cultural, financial, political and occupational aspects of their lives due to the changing nature of the company.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Writing Prompts for Journal Topics and Writing Ideas

Writing Prompts for Journal Topics and Writing Ideas May is often a beautiful month, full of flowers and sunshine. May also celebrates a week for teachers during  Teacher Appreciation Week. Many of the following writing prompts for each day of May are written to take advantage of this time of year. These prompts provide teachers a great way to add more writing time in class. Some have two suggestions, one for middle school (MS) and one for high school (HS). These can be simple writing assignments, warm-ups, or journal entries. Feel free to use these any way you wish. May Holidays American Bike MonthFlower MonthAsthma Allergy Awareness MonthNational Bar-B-Que MonthNational Physical Fitness and Sports MonthOlder Americans MonthNational Hamburger Month Writing Prompt Ideas for May May 1 - Theme: May Day(MS) May Day is a traditional celebration of Spring in countries around the globe, often including dancing and flowers around a maypole. However, May Day is rarely celebrated in the United States. Do you think that Americans should celebrate May Day? Why or why not?(HS) In Chicago 1886, 15 people were killed during the Haymaker Riot strikes held to protest poor working conditions. In sympathy, European nations, many  socialist or communist, established May Day to honor the cause of the worker.   May 2 - Theme: Holocaust Remembrance DaySome people argue that the Holocaust is too disturbing for students to learn about  in middle school or even in high school. Write a persuasive paragraph explaining why it should be included in the curriculum.   May 3 - Theme: National Day of Prayer is usually observed on the first Thursday of May. This  day is an inter-denominational event when faiths from across the country pray for the United States and its leaders. The word pray was first used in the  early 13th century to mean ask earnestly, beg. What would you like to  ask earnestly, beg for  in your life?  Ã‚     May 4 - Theme: Star Wars DayThe date comes from the  catchphrase, May the 4th [force]  Be With You.What is your opinion about the Star Wars film franchise? Do you love it, hate it? Are there reasons to appreciate the series? For example,   from 2015 to the present, the   film series has made millions of dollars: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)   over $900 millionStar Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) over $600 millionRogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)   over $500 million May 5 - Theme:  Cinco de MayoMany people across the United States celebrate the day, but they do not know what Cinco de Mayo commemorates. The day recognizes when  Mexican Armys victory over the French at the  Battle of Puebla, in 1862. Should there be more education on knowing this holiday or other international holidays?  Ã‚   May 6 - Theme: American Bike Month(MS) 40% of Americans have a bicycle. Do you know how to ride a bike?   Do you have a bicycle? What could be the advantages of having a bicycle? What are the disadvantages of riding a bike?(HS) Urban planners include more bike lanes to reduce car traffic. The benefits of bicycles in cities are the reduction of car emissions and the increase of exercise. Is this planning a good thing? Or, is this planning something cities should do? Could this planning be like the idiom the says something is needed like a fish needs a bicycle  ? May 7 - Theme: Teacher Appreciation  (Week May 7-11)What qualities do you think a great teacher must have? Explain your answer.Do you have a favorite teacher from your school experiences? Write a letter of appreciation to that teacher. May 8 - Theme: National Train DayHigh-speed trains can travel fast with some prototypes with speeds over 400 mph. In theory, a high-speed train could race up the East Coast, from NYC to Miami, in seven hours. The same trip would take a car about 18.5 hours. Should Americans invest in high-speed rails for trains or in roads for cars?     Why or why not?May 9 - Theme: Peter Pan DayPretend you were in J.M. Barries story about Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up and remain eternally young. Which part would you most like to see or do: fly, visit with mermaids, fight the pirate Captain Hook, or meet the mischevious fairy Tinkerbell? Explain your answer. May 10 - Theme: Civil Disobedience.In 1994, political activist  Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africas 1st black president. Mandela followed the example of the civil disobedience practices used by Gandhi and Martin Luther King.   Consider Kings statement, Any man who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community on the injustice of the law is at that moment expressing the very highest respect for the law.For what injustice would you practice civil disobedience?ORMay 10: Theme: PostcardsIn 1861, the US Post Office authorized the first postcard.  Postcards are usually sent from a vacation place or as a greeting card to mark an event, or even just to say hello.Design a postcard and prepare a message. May 11 - Theme: Asthma Allergy Awareness MonthDo you have asthma or allergies? If so, what are your triggers? (What makes you have an attack or sneeze, etc.) If not, do you think that schools do enough to help those who have asthma and allergies? Why or why not?May 12: Theme: National Limerick DayLimericks are poems with the following scheme: five-lines of an anapestic  meter (unstressed syllable, unstressed syllable, stressed syllable)   with a strict  rhyme scheme  of AABBA. For example: There was an Old Man in a tree,Who was horribly bored by a Bee;When they said, Does it buzz?He replied, Yes, it does!Its a regular brute of a Bee! Try to write a limerick.   May 13 - Theme: Mothers DayWrite a descriptive paragraph or poem about either your Mother or someone who is a Mother figure to you.ORMay 13 - Theme: Tulip DayIn the 17th century, tulip bulbs were so prized that traders would mortgage their houses and fields.   (provide a picture or bring in real tulips). Describe a tulip or another flower using all five senses. May 14 - Theme: Lewis and Clark ExpeditionWilliam Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was able to create a map of the Louisiana Purchase by merely walking through and exploring it. Today Google uses  cars with custom cameras over  five million miles  to develop their Google Maps apps. How do maps figure in your life? How might they figure in your future?May 15 - Theme: L. F. Baums Birthday - Author of the Wizard of Oz books and creator of Dorothy, the Wicked Witch of the West, the Scarecrow, the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Wizard.Which character from the world of Oz would you most like to meet? Explain your answer. May 16 - Theme: National Bar-B-Que MonthThe  word barbecue comes from the Caribbean word â€Å"barbacoa.† Originally, barbacoa was not a way of cooking food, but the name of a wooden structure used by indigenous Taino Indians to smoke their food. Barbeque ranks in the top 20 most popular foods in the USA. Whats your favorite picnic food? Do you like bar-b-que, hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, or something else entirely? What makes it so special? May 17 - Theme: Kentucky Derby(MS) This horse race is also called  The Run for the Roses for the draped blanket of roses placed over the winning horse. This idiom uses a rose, as do many other idioms. Choose one of the following rose idioms, or any other idiom you know, and give an example as to when it could be used: a bed of rosesa rose by any other namebed of rosesbloom is off the rosebring the roses to (ones) cheekscome out smelling like a rose (HS) Just before the race at the Kentucky Derby, the crowds sing My Old Kentucky Home. The revised lyrics of the original song by Stephen Foster changed the  word darkies,   and substituted the word people. Crowds now sing: The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky homeTis summer, the people are gay... Should songs with questionable lyrics from years ago continue to be used for public events? Are there songs that are so inappropriate that they should be dropped entirely? May 18 - Theme: International Museum DayThere are numerous world-class museums around the world. For example, there is The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Hermitage. There are also some oddball museums such as Museum of Bad Art or the National Mustard Museum.If you could create a museum about any topic, what would it be about? Describe two or three exhibits that would be in your museum.May 19 - Theme: Circus MonthIn 1768, the English equestrian  Philip Astley demonstrated trick riding by trotting in a circle rather than a straight line. His act was named a circus. As today is circus day, you have a choice of topics: If you were in a circus, which performer would you be and why?Do you like circuses? Explain your answer.Do you think circuses should feature animals? Why or why not? May 20 - Theme: National Physical Fitness and Sports MonthEach state requires a specific number of minutes that students should participate in physical activity.   If your state requires  physical fitness activity for the next 30 minutes, what activity would you choose? Why? May 21 - Theme: Lindbergh Flight DayOn this day in 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off on his famous flight across the Atlantic. Would you like to learn how to fly a plane? Why or why not? May 22 - Theme: Older Americans MonthDo you believe that older Americans are treated with enough respect today? Explain your answer. May 23 - Theme: World Turtle/Tortoise DayToday is World Turtle Day. Conservation efforts are demonstrating success, and turtle populations are up.   Tortoises can live long lives. One,  Adwaita the Tortoise (1750-2006), is reputed to have lived over 250 years. What events would a tortoise who lived that long have witnessed? What event would you like to have seen? May 24 - Theme: First Morse Code Message SentA simple substitution code is when you replace each letter with a different letter. For example, all As become Bs, and Bs become Cs, etc. I have written the following sentence using this type of code so that each letter of the alphabet is written as the letter that comes after it. What does my sentence say? Do you agree or disagree with it?Dpef csfbljoh jt fbtz boe gvo. May 25 - Theme: John F. Kennedys Speech About Sending a Man to the MoonOn this day in 1961, John F. Kennedy said that America would send a man to the moon before the end of the 1960s.   We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too. Why is this speech so significant? Should Americans continue space exploration because it is hard?   May 26 - Theme: National Hamburger MonthOn average, Americans eat three hamburgers a week. What is your favorite type of hamburger or veggie burger? Is it plain or with toppings like cheese, bacon, onions, etc.? If not a hamburger, what food do you (or could you) eat three times a week? Describe a favorite food using at least three of the five senses. May 27 - Theme: Golden Gate Bridge OpensThe Golden Gate Bridge is a symbol of San Francisco, recognizable by people all over the world. Do you have any symbols or monuments for your city or community? What are they? Even if you dont have a symbol that you can think of,   explain why you think these types of symbols are important to people. May 28 - Theme: Amnesty International DayThe goal of Amnesty International is to protect and promote human rights across the world. Their motto is, Fight injustice and help create a world where human rights are enjoyed by all.  In some countries, genocide (the systemized killing of an entire ethnic group) is still being carried out. What is the responsibility of the United States? Do we have a duty to step in and stop these types of human rights violations? Explain your answer. May 29 - Theme: Paper Clip DayThe paperclip was created in 1889. There is a paperclip game  to play that pits you against market forces. There is also a movie,  Paper Clips, featuring middle school students who collected  one  paper clip  for each  person  exterminated by the Nazis. The paper clip was also a symbol of resistance in Norway against  Nazi  occupation.   This small everyday object has made its way into history. What other uses could you come up with for a paper clip?ORTheme: Memorial DayMemorial Day is a federal holiday that originated when decorations were placed on the graves of Civil War soldiers. Decoration Day gave way to Memorial Day, the last Monday in May.What are three things that we can do to honor those men and women who died while serving in our military?   May 30- Theme-Emerald GemstoneThe emerald is Mays gemstone. The stone is a symbol of rebirth and is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune, and youth. The color green  is associated with new life and the promise of spring. What promises of spring do you see now?   May 31 - Theme: Meditation DayA combination of anecdotal and scientific evidence  suggests that meditation in schools may help improve grades and attendance. Yoga and meditation may help students at all grade levels feel happier and more relaxed. What do you know about meditation and yoga? Would you like to see meditation programs brought into your school?

Monday, October 21, 2019

Social Dimensions in management essays

Social Dimensions in management essays 2.0 Managers ¡ responsibility in the office and in society. 3.0 Employees ¡ responsibility in the office and in society. 5.0 Who is affected and to what degree. - Management is the process of planning, organizing and staffing, directing and controlling activities in an organization in a systematic way in order to achieve a specific goal. From time in memorial, society has undergone the management process. For example, in the African context, the chiefs led the clan and either the Prince or a Chief Warrior led the warriors. Comparing this scenario to the Western world, take for example Britain and Spain was and is led by the Queen and King respectively while the United States was and is led by a President. From the above it is a clear indication that they were appointed and had responsibilities and duties (as clear as any organization would refer to its leaders). Social dimensions in management refer to both the societal changes as well as managerial changes that affect the working environment. This paper is written to tackle these changes from all angles. 2.0 Manager ¡s responsibility in the office and in society. A manager ¡s responsibility both in the office and out there is to uphold his duties both as an employee of an organization and as a member of society. Society is fundamentally based upon performance and profit, it is not unusual to find that it is necessary to impart a sense of corporate responsibility with regard to contemporary commerce. The ethical approaches of purpose, principle and consequence are integral components of business social performance; itemizing these contributions finds one incorporating the interests of ethics and morality within the corporate structure, essential concepts that are often absent from a managerial viewpoint. However, corporate social responsibility should rightly exist within every company ¡s infrastructure. Social ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

About Short-Term Homeschooling

About Short-Term Homeschooling There are many reasons a family might begin homeschooling on a temporary basis. Some are excited about the idea of home educating their children, but they arent sure homeschooling will really work for their family. So, they opt to homeschool for a trial period, knowing that they will evaluate the experience and make a permanent decision at the end of their trial.   Others know from the start that their foray into home education  is only temporary. Temporary homeschooling may be the result of illness, a bullying situation, an impending move,  an opportunity to travel for an extended time, or a myriad of other possibilities. Whatever the reason, there are some steps you can take to make your homeschool experience a positive one while ensuring that your students transition back into a traditional school setting is as seamless as possible. Complete Standardized Testing Homeschooling parents who return their children to public or private school may be asked to submit standardized test scores for grade placement. Test scores can be particularly crucial for students re-entering public or private school after 9th grade. Without these scores, they will likely have to take placement tests to determine their grade level. This may not be true for all states, particularly those who offer assessment options other than testing for homeschoolers and those  that don’t require assessments. Check your state’s homeschool laws to see what may be expected of your student. If you know or are relatively confident that your student will be returning to school, ask your school administration precisely what will be required so that you can make sure you have what you need. Stay on Target If you know that homeschooling will be temporary for your family, take steps to stay on target, particularly with concept-based subjects like math. Many curriculum publishers also sell materials for homeschooling families. You may be able to use the same curriculum your child would be using in a traditional school setting. You might also inquire about the learning benchmarks for your student’s grade level and the topics that his or her peers will cover in the upcoming year. Perhaps your family would like to touch on some of the same topics in your studies.   Have Fun Don’t be afraid to dig in and enjoy your temporary homeschool situation.  Just because your child’s public or privately schooled  classmates will be studying the Pilgrims or the water cycle doesn’t mean you have to. Those are topics that can be easily covered on a need-to-know basis when your child returns to school. If you are traveling, take advantage of the opportunity to explore first-hand the history and geography of the places you’ll be visiting, something that would be impossible if you weren’t homeschooling. Visit historical landmarks, museums, and local hot-spots. Even if you aren’t traveling, take advantage of the freedom to follow your child’s interests and customize his education during your foray into homeschooling. Go on field trips. Delve into topics that captivate your student. Consider ditching the textbooks in favor of historical fiction, biographies, and engaging non-fiction titles on topics of interest. Study the arts by incorporating visual arts into your homeschool day and by attending plays or symphony performances. Take advantage of classes for homeschoolers at places such as zoos, museums, gymnastics centers, and  art studios. If you’re moving to a new area, make the most of  learning opportunities as you travel and take time to explore your new home. Get Involved in Your Local Homeschool Community Even though you won’t be homeschooling long-term, getting involved in your local homeschooling community can be an opportunity to forge life-long friendships for parents and kids alike. If your student will be returning to the same public or private school at the end of your homeschool year, it makes sense to  maintain school friendships. However, it’s also wise to give him or her  the opportunity to foster friendships with other homeschoolers. Their shared experiences can make homeschooling feel less awkward and isolating, particularly for a child who may feel caught between two worlds in a temporary homeschooling experience. Getting involved with other homeschoolers can be especially helpful for a child who isn’t particularly excited about homeschooling and who may think homeschoolers are weird. Being around other homeschooled kids can break the stereotypes in his mind (and vice versa). Not only is getting involved in the homeschooling community a good idea for social reasons, but it can be helpful for the temporary homeschool parent, too. Other homeschooling families can be a wealth of information about educational opportunities that you may wish to explore. They can also be a source of support for the difficult days that are an inevitable part of homeschooling and a sounding board about curriculum choices. If needed, they can offer tips for tweaking your curriculum to make it work best for your family since completely changing any ill-fitting  choices probably isn’t feasible for short-term homeschoolers. Be Prepared to Make It Permanent Finally, be prepared for the possibility that your temporary homeschooling situation may become permanent. Even though your plan may be to return your student to public or private school, its okay to entertain the possibility that your family might enjoy  homeschooling so much that you decide to continue. Thats why its a good idea to enjoy the year and not be too rigid in following what your child would be learning in school. Create a learning-rich environment and explore different educational experiences than your child might have in school. Try hands-on learning activities  and look for everyday educational moments. Following these tips can help your child be prepared for his re-entry into public or private school (or not!) while making the time that you do spend homeschooling something that your whole family will remember fondly.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

SarbanesOxley Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SarbanesOxley Paper - Essay Example Furthermore, the law covers significant corporate issues as follows ("Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - SOX, Investopedia" n.d.): In view of the provisions of the SOX, companies covered are required to submit report on their internal controls to ensure that they are compliant with the law in general. As per Section 404 of the Act, Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officers must file Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and Certification of Disclosure in Exchange Act Periodic Reports, the forms of which are published by the Securities and Exchange Commission. ("Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - SOX," n.d.) Moreover, the said section requires management to document and evaluate the effectiveness of their internal controls over financial reporting. As part of the reports, companies must provide verification that their internal controls have been appropriately assessed. Such provisions present new challenges to businesses, particularly in terms of documentation of control procedures related to information technology.

Friday, October 18, 2019

English as Second Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English as Second Language - Essay Example In the first day of class, I realized that there were 6 essays which I had to write in order to pass this class. In the second day of class, we started directly to write the first ‘in class’ essay. When I got the feedback from my professor about the first essay, I was told that I had a few weaknesses: a lot of grammar issues, no position statement, no driven thesis relevance, and weak examples. After that, we started working on the first ‘out of class’ essay. The out of class essay required 3 draft processes. I needed to bring the first draft to meet with the professor in the conference. I got feedback from my professor for my essay. My first draft also had a lot of grammar errors and other technical corrections. I was directed to structure shorter paragraphs and cite when I paraphrased. I had noticed from my professor that I had some improvement as well - I had a thesis statement in this essay and had also stated my position statement in the essay. Moreover , I had enough examples, explanations, and valid reasons to illustrate my position statement. I know that my weakness in writing is always grammar and technical errors. Therefore, I bought my first essay to the SCAA for help in grammar and technical issues. After that, I used my time to fix the papers. I learned why I went wrong in grammar structures. I looked carefully at the word forms that I chose and why these were wrong the word forms. Overall, I had come up with the third draft with the minimum of grammar issues.

Assignment Geography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geography - Assignment Example The trend of unpaid internship is more prevalent in the sectors like politics, technology, journalism and fashion. The article thus focuses on the bizarre scenario operating within the industries demanding the unpaid labor of considerable amount over a considerable span of time. And the predicament of the unpaid personnel in these sectors also finds enough expression in the essay where it has been quintessentially mentioned that the time, when the unpaid labor reaches the point of getting paid adequately for his or her expertise, there are already huge professional as juniors in the industry who have received the status of unpaid intern. Summary The potent issue focused within the article hinges on the fact that unpaid internship might be quite beneficial for the individuals who are young. It also highlights that these young individuals possess the ability of becoming a very good and attractive entrepreneur as they are able to procure skilled and free labor. But this system is very b ad and sluggish for the entire society as a comprehensive unit. As often argued by theorists, the trend of unpaid internship is screwing the job market (Matthews, 2013; Paton, 2013).

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Customer Service Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Customer Service - Assignment Example Customer service policy explains the code of conduct for employees; that is what they can do for customers and what they cannot do. The main purpose of evaluating the performance of customer service policy is to identify the ways through which customer satisfaction can be increased. Customer service policy is designed to assist employees by providing them guidelines on how to deal with customers and satisfy their needs. Customer service policy evaluation provides information to the management about the lacking in customer service policy and ways to make constructive changes in policy design and execution (Kim, Haung, & Young-Gul 3). The information collected through the customer service policy evaluation helps organization to understand the difference between actual employees’ performance and the predetermined standards. Customer service policy evaluation supports an organization in planning staff training and development programs. It provides accurate information about the job description of customer service employees and their training requirements. Effective evaluations provides information about the areas in which employees need training and management, design future training programs on the basis of collected information (Lawler et. Al 21). Effective and responsive customer service provision helps organization to exceed customer satisfaction and creates superior customer relationship (Lakos, and Phipps 5). Customer perception is influenced by providing better services to them. Post purchase services plays vital role in increasing customer satisfaction. Organizations that assure post purchase services are considered good where as those organizations who fail to deliver post purchase services lose its customers and market share. Setting customer service standards and evaluating them helps organizations to ensure that its customer relationship employees are working according to the requirements and policies. Companies whose customer care

Intellectual Property Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Intellectual Property Rights - Essay Example If not then licensing of patents will have to be negotiated between the company and the laboratory. In such a scenario it is the internal agreement between the laboratory and the staff, students or post doc fellows which comes in effect. There might be a general agreement in place and specific agreement for the particular project might have to be executed including or excluding the right so people of the laboratory (Queen’s University IPR Guide, 2011) 2) Work for Pay – if the staff is specifically hired to follow directions of the laboratory coordinator or anyone else then they shall not be entitled to any IPR as it was not their genesis. They were just executors who acted on behalf of the director and did not contribute any cognitive inputs (NIT, Rourkela 2009) 3) Contractual work – if the project is work-for-hire, the employee or agency will retain the right to be identified as the creator of the IP but the right of commercialization and IP rests with the labor atory. In such cases the staff depending on the general agreement has the share of the IP benefit as the work was not indigenously developed by the laboratory. 4) Full time work – if any student or staff works in the laboratory full time or part time the rights to IP depends on the contract of employment.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Customer Service Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Customer Service - Assignment Example Customer service policy explains the code of conduct for employees; that is what they can do for customers and what they cannot do. The main purpose of evaluating the performance of customer service policy is to identify the ways through which customer satisfaction can be increased. Customer service policy is designed to assist employees by providing them guidelines on how to deal with customers and satisfy their needs. Customer service policy evaluation provides information to the management about the lacking in customer service policy and ways to make constructive changes in policy design and execution (Kim, Haung, & Young-Gul 3). The information collected through the customer service policy evaluation helps organization to understand the difference between actual employees’ performance and the predetermined standards. Customer service policy evaluation supports an organization in planning staff training and development programs. It provides accurate information about the job description of customer service employees and their training requirements. Effective evaluations provides information about the areas in which employees need training and management, design future training programs on the basis of collected information (Lawler et. Al 21). Effective and responsive customer service provision helps organization to exceed customer satisfaction and creates superior customer relationship (Lakos, and Phipps 5). Customer perception is influenced by providing better services to them. Post purchase services plays vital role in increasing customer satisfaction. Organizations that assure post purchase services are considered good where as those organizations who fail to deliver post purchase services lose its customers and market share. Setting customer service standards and evaluating them helps organizations to ensure that its customer relationship employees are working according to the requirements and policies. Companies whose customer care

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Applying qualitative research methodology to an educational problem Paper

Applying qualitative methodology to an educational problem - Research Paper Example roach is most appropriate using structured and semi-structured interview templates, observational research scenarios, or a blend of survey assessments designed to examine subject responses. Are the study habits of online versus traditional students different? This research question can be answered using the structured and semi-structured interview. First, an appropriate sample population must be determined based on researcher tools at his or her disposal and the feasibility of getting consistent results from students in the online environment. For this study, using interactive media tools, online interviews can be conducted using chat technology and similar social networking sites. Recruiting the population would involve achieving participation with the online college or university website to distribute a notice that interviews for academic study habits are available and to register for this event. This could achieve a potential sample population of 5 to 15 students, depending on willingness to participate in the online interview. Personal interviews with traditional, on-campus students could be conducted at any local college or university, with a recruitment sample of 5-15 students additionally who might be willing to be interviewed for this research study. The interviews will ask specific questions pertaining to study habits, to both the traditional and online students. Questions such as Do you prefer to study alone or in groups? and similar templates will spotlight behavioral responses regarding the performance of studying. These would be determined based on the available secondary literature on the subject and the professional/expert theories regarding previously-examined study behaviors of both groups. This secondary research could potentially create a template of potential interview questions which remove issues of researcher bias or other situations which may impact validity. The interview format is most appropriate for this study because it allows the

Monday, October 14, 2019

Letters to a young Catholic Essay Example for Free

Letters to a young Catholic Essay The book â€Å"Letters to a Young Catholic† is an inquisition on the foundations of Catholic faith. It is a comprehensive introduction to Catholic theology as a different way of looking at things. Through these letters, George Weigel tackles the issue on what it really means to be a Catholic through insights about the religions roots and traditions, also touching on such areas as literature and music. Weigel gives a tour on some famous Catholic landmarks, taking into account people who have made significant contributions in shaping the authors beliefs. It is a testament to the belief in the doctrine of the Catholic Church that the author deems all-encompassing and universal. As the title implies, it was written for young Catholics; and whether they are want to reinforce their beliefs or are doubters who are looking for answers, this book is a relevant guide that teaches Catholicisms core beliefs, as well as the Catholic world view, in a refreshing manner. The discussion of Catholic world view is especially important as it gives an insight on how that world view differs from all other religious or secular perspectives (even that of Christianity). This odyssey consists of fourteen letters that the Weigel considers as integral to a young Catholics indoctrination and understanding of the Catholic perspective. It weaves all real and convincing Catholic teachings such as sacraments, discipleship, and the life of Christ in an interesting narrative. It starts off with the authors own childhood experiences in Baltimore, a predominantly Catholic community where he had come to acquire a understanding of the Catholic sacraments, doctrines, and parish life. He introduces the concept of Catholicism as a an essential aspect of living and viewing the world. He uses different settings to enlighten the reader about the the beliefs that form the cornerstone of the Catholic faith. The first of which is a depiction of the Scavi in St. Peters Basilica which houses the bones of St. Peter. Here, Weigel lays down the idea of the reality of the foundation of the Catholic Church. He tells the readers that the Bible is not merely a story, but a historical account about real places and people. The next chapter deals with a story about the early experiences of Pope John Paul II during the Nazi occupation. It show shows how the young Pope had undergone his ministry training living in secret in underground catacomb. The Popes vocational plight was also featured in the letter on â€Å"How Vocations Can Change History. † In the letter about â€Å"Mary and Discipleship†, the author tackles commitment issues among the young in the light of Marys own struggles. He also cited The Olde Cheshire Cheese, a pub where Christian thinkers such as G. K. Chester, and the Christian politician Hilaire Belloc frequented. The chapter also discussed how those people lived in a world full of anti-Catholic sentiments. In another letter that highlights St. Marys Catholic Church in Greenville, Weigel delves into the story of Father Jay Scott Newman. It teaches how and why prayer is important to the development of a community. In chapter twelve, his depiction of Chartres Cathedral in France evokes thought about the role of the human beauty for beauty in its magnificent construction. In other chapters, he presents new ways of understanding the Catholic world view with a journey through the Catholic landmarks such as the Oratory in Birmingham, Castle Howard in Yorkshire, the Sistine Chapel and North American College Mausoleum in Rome, the Old Cathedral in Baltimore, and the Basilica of the Holy Trinity in Krakow. Weigel also talks about the stories of other important Christian figures such as Jerzy Popieuszko, Edith Stein, Mother Teresa, Cardinal John Henry Newman, Flannery O Connor, Fra Angelico, and even Michaelangelo, who have been exemplary in living according to Jesuss path.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Are People With Anorexia Or Obesity Deviant?

Are People With Anorexia Or Obesity Deviant? Anorexia is seen as deviant because it defined as an illness. People literally starve themselves at times. It is a world known behaviors especially in women. Many women become victims to anorexia due to society and the media creating the perfect body for people. (deviance sociology) this is mentioned in the functionalist theory which looks at society. Obesity people are seen as deviant because people stereotype them as lazy, slobs and ugly. Medically overweight people are those who are 20 percent over their ideal weight. (deviance) The media is one of the most influential cultures; it can impact individuals and cause society issues. It can impact society negatively due people relying on media for information. (Wright 1986). How does society define the right weight? If there was no gym or healthy table how would you know if you had the right weight? American Company Metropolitan established the first table of the right weights and height in 1942; it was based on the measurements and life spans of a large number of their clients. (Deviance and social control p. 129). Healthy people find it easier to get insurance, somebody suffering from obesity or anorexia will struggle to get health insurance. Women have been stereotyped there image since history could remember. In ninetieth century to be thin signaled nervous exhaustion and lack of fitness to fulfill the ideals of wife and motherhood (Ewen 1988). Only in the 1920s did the image of women start to change. Anorexia can be seen as a form of rebellion A Sociologists looks at issues from a different perspective, they focus their attention on social factors. They look at regularities as with all social behavior, it is socially patterned.   Emile Durkheim Deviance has to do with going against the norms of a particular society. For years it has been discussed how celebrities and their super slim bodies have tainted the self-image of the very impressionable youths. We have reached a point where eating disorders have saturated the adolescent population and as such society has expressed their disgust. Previously it was a topic that was avoided as much as possible but the realization has come forth that the only way to attack this problem is head-on. As such, a very negative stigma has been placed on eating disorders especially anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. This stigma has caused those affiliated with the act to be viewed as deviants and treated as such. They are institutionalized so that they can be rehabilitated and released back into society when it is thought that they can function normally. The Interactionist Perspective emphasizes things such as peer pressure, the influence of role models, and the role of peer groups on an individual (Adler and Adler 49). Because people often associate with others who are similar to themselves, the obese persons peer group becomes many other obese people. Often, these people reinforce each others eating and exercise habits, as well as beliefs concerning obesity. It becomes an acceptable practice to eat often and poorly as well as not exercise. These peer groups perform the function of support and acceptance, making the obese person feel better about him/herself. The group even allows its members to feel a sense of normalcy about themselves. Outside of this peer group, however, these people are seen as deviant. According to McLorg and Taub, as a part of developing the deviant identity, people experience both primary and secondary deviance (Adler and Adler 247-250). Between these stages is societal reaction. In primary deviance, the person violates norms that do not affect self-concept or social role performance. In this stage, the person overeats, but has not yet begun showing signs of being overweight or obese. They do not feel differently about themselves. Between stages, the person begins to be visibly deviant, and is labeled obese by society. In secondary deviance, the person deviates in response to societys having labeled them. Once this has occurred, the obese person internalizes that identity and begins to interact with others in such a fashion. It affects his or her self-concept and social roles. One begins to associate with others like him/herself. At this point, the deviant has achieved a new status that defines him/her. Additionally, the people surrounding the deviant often expec t the person to fulfill the deviant role. Deviance is not the person who is being breaking the rules but the social groups who apply those rules. The deviant behavior is who labels the people (Becker 1963:9). According to downs 1999 labelling theory has had a dramatic impact on social policy. It stresses the negative consequences of societal reactons to deviance that have more to do wth stigmatizing outsiders than attempting to prevent crime. Obesity can be considered deviant due to its societal reaction. Obesity is visibly deviant, therefore, making it easier for the labeling process to occur. Once the obese person has been labeled, he or she is deviant. besity has become statistically an average behavior in the United States. Nevertheless, it is still abnormal. The norm stands that thinness is attractive and worthy (Adler and Adler, 245). So long as this norm is upheld, obesity will be deviant and people will be labeled for their deviance and inability to conform. Also, it has been noted in a study done by Hammarlund et al, that poor family functioning and parental control are risk factors contributing to childhood obesity. Adult obesity is often rooted in childhood obesity making it harder to lose weight later in life (Wardlaw 324). Deviant behaviour is pathological in that it repents the viollateion of shared norkms (Elliott et al. 1985) have shown thast young people behaviour needs to be understood in terms of immediate goals (such as doing well in school, being popular and being successful in sporot) as well as long term economic success ( Lawson snd heaton 1999:58). Women are taught that image is their master status and that those who do not meet a lofty standard will be branded as inferior or unfit (or in the words of Tepperman, citing Erving Goffman, stigmatized. [Tepperman, 52]) Becker 1963:9: What kinds people commit deviant acts (Roach Anleu 2006:26). 2500 words defend argument provide evidence refer work to sociologists sujpport claims use the sociological models to organize the argument atleasst 10 references It further questions why, given those definitions, some people come to be defined as deviant, and what consequences this has for them (downes 1999:223). Girls as young as six or seven years of age react to being labeled. This labeling often originates when mothers pressure their young daughters into becoming aware of their physical appearance. (ibid) This image pressure can range from nominally harmless activities like encouraging children to play with make-up and dresses to overtly telling a chubby child that she should lose weight. By enshrining image and appearance near the top of the childs list of cultural goals, mothers often render their daughters susceptible to further and perhaps more harmful pressures from other sources in their adolescent years. Mertonian Functionalism and Symbolic Interactionism are only two of the many sociological perspectives that make substantial contributions to our understanding of eating disorders One particular example of research that an SI sociologist might perform would be an examination of the intervention process. Many individuals who are perceived to suffer from a psychological illness, including those related to body image such as obesity and anorexia, are subject to interventions and confrontations by their friends and family. During an intervention, a wide variety of social sources attempt to get the subject to admit to having a problem. This strategy of confrontation is not unlike the way that psychiatric hospital staff treat patients who insist they are not actually ill, as developed David Rosenhans famous study that utilized SI paradigms. (Rosenhan)

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Nature of Solitude in Chopins Novel, The Awakening Essay -- Chopi

The Nature of Solitude in Chopin's Novel, The Awakening "The name of the piece was something else, but she called it ‘Solitude.' When she heard it there came before her imagination the figure of a man standing beside a desolate rock on the seashore. He was naked. His attitude was one of hopeless resignation as he looked toward a distant bird winging its flight away from him."(47) "All along the white beach, up and down, there was no living thing in sight. A bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water...when she was there beside the sea, absolutely alone, she cast the unpleasant, pricking garments from her, and for the first time in her life she stood naked in the open air, at the mercy of the sun, the breeze that beat upon her, and the waves that invited her. How strange and awful it seemed to stand naked under the sky! how delicious! She felt like some new-born creature, opening its eyes in a familiar world that it had never known."(138) These two passages from Kate Chopin's novel, The Awakening, both utilize much of the same imagery in conveying the nature of solitude, yet they do so towards creating somewhat oppositional representations. The instance of the first passage occurs on the night when Edna's own "awakening" begins, describing her fondness for music and the pictorial effects that it has upon her before she is then moved to tears by Mademoiselle Reisz's performance. The second passage is taken from the last pages of the novel wherein Edna swims out to sea, presumably towards her death. In looking back through the novel for this assignment I was struck by the similarity of these two passages and by the way that the imagery in them seems t... ... attitude of "hopeless resignation," she portrays an attitude of amazed excitement as she describes the scene as "delicious" and her place in it as that of a "new-born creature" entering into a new world and existence. The male figure in the first passage stands passive and "resigned" on the shore, but Edna in her state of wonderment acts, defiantly choosing her own fate in the face of the same societal pressures. Tragically, her choice means death and conveys the novel's sentiment that in a repressively sexist society the only option for an "awakened" woman may be oblivion. Through these shared images and the ideas that they represent, the two passages link and reflect upon one another and the characters' situations. This linkage enhances the palpable visual and sensual nature of the novel, thus beautifully presenting Chopin's multi-layered vision of solitude.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Toyota: a Glimpse of Leadership, Organizational Leadership, and Organizational Structure

Toyota: A Glimpse of Leadership, Organizational Behavior, and Organizational Structure Courtney Berry Organizational behavior is the study of application of individuals’ behaviors within structured groups within an organization (Robbins & Judge, 2007). The field of study identifies behaviors within specific groups and individuals in organizations and how the structures of organizations play a role in behaviors (Robbins & Judge, 2007). In the past several months, the leading company in the car industry has been experiencing a quality control and consumer product safety issue. Toyota is not only encountering a quality control issue but also a senior management crisis issue. The corporate leadership team of Toyota did not recognize the importance of addressing the consumer safety issue with the sticking accelerator and not to mention the huge public relations blunder that came with it. Does this failure to address a quality control issue and a real senior management public relations issue have anything to do with Toyota’s leadership, organizational behavior, and organizational structure? Leadership, organizational behavior, and organization structure Toyota’s thought on leadership is to empower employees and develop their people. If the employee has not learned a specific task, the leader has not done a good job (Womack & Shook, 2007). Plan, Do, Check, and Action (PDCA) Cycle is something that Toyota implements (Womack & Shook, 2007). This cycle engages employees to question products and processes and implement new action. Senior leadership is also expected to perform this. In fact, senior leadership regularly makes visits to the plant floors to engage with people and help with processes. This type of leadership employs mutual adjustment and interaction from both the employees and leadership. Leadership has much to do with behaviors within an organization. Organizational behavior looks at behaviors on an individual, group, and organizational level and how the levels are interelated. According to Henry Mintzberg, organizational behaviors can be grouped into three primary categories: interpersonal, informational, and decisional (Robbins & Judge, 2003). These behaviors are found at the managerial role but play an mportant and predictive role at determining the behaviors of an organization and its structure. When Toyota led the way in the car industry the organization was firing on all cylinders in their organizational behavior. At the individual level, job satisfaction empowers the employees to make decisions on the line and create effcient processes that lead to high production. At the group level, communication and decisions are made across multiple teams and employees to engineer the highest level of product leadership (Womack & Shook, 2007). The organizational level mirrors the individual and group level that creates a culture of pride within Toyota. This organizational pride creates a culture of employees with a belief that Toyota engineers the best products. Organizational structure is the backbone to the strategy of an organization. It helps carry out new strategies by differing structure designs and parameters in which individuals and groups communicate within organizations (Mintzber, Lampel, Quinn, & Ghoshal, 2003). The car industry typically mirrors the machine organizational structure. The work is highly standardized and is designed to run by a large technostructure to formalize behaviors and actions (Mintzber, et al, 2003). The structure of this design typically limits power at the operator level. This type of horizontal structure ends up not engaging the people at the organization and does not benefit the customer as a whole (Mitzber, et al, 2003). Toyota, while a machine organization, does not place value vertically and rather creates power horizontally. The organization has a history of empowering their operators with knowledge and career paths. Toyota is noted for this. Conclusion Toyota’s leadership and organizational structure does not predicate the failure for senior management to fail to address a quality control and product issue as well as a public relations issue. The organization’s role of interpersonal communication and decisions made both vertically and horizontally within its structure would lend to fix a problem and engineer the best product. All employees are empowered to ask why an accelerator should be engineered with a certain spec and require certain raw materials. The leadership and structure creat high quality product processes. The organizational behavior could have explained the blunder on senior management to fail to address a quality control issue based on the culture. According to Benjamin Heineman, Toyota’s culture of, â€Å"We did it right, the problem is small, the critics are wrong† (paragraph 5, 2010). Toyota’s culture and pride of engineering the best could have predicted this public relations blunder that has striped consumer confidence and may lead to a business failure or a chief executive officer stepping down. References Heineman, B. W. (2010). Flunking Crisis Management 101. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://views. washingtonpost. com/leadership/panelists/2010/02/crisis-management-recall. html Mintzberg, H. , Lampel, J. , Quinn, J. B. , & Ghoshal, S. (2003). The strategy process: Concepts, contexts, cases (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Robbins, S. P. , & Judge, T. A. (2007). Organizational behavior (12th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Womack, J. P. & Shook, J.. (2007, October). Lean Management and the Role of Lean Leadership [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://www. lean. org/images/october_webinar_project_slides. PDF.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Taking Masters in Nursing

It has always been my dream since my childhood to become either a Nurse or a Lawyer; however, I preferred to be a Nurse. In that way, I can realize both. As a nurse, I can be of help to patients who need our modest care and attention and at the same time, be advocates of patient’s health and rights. I had high ambitions when I entered the field of nursing on the year 2004. Completing the course wasn’t that easy. I seriously took my studies and attain every single requirement to be able to achieve the Nursing degree and eventually, pass the Nurse Licensure Examination. I applied for training at tertiary hospitals in Davao. One of which is Davao Regional Hospital, a 250 bed health care facility, where I was exposed in various special units. As a neophyte, I got to learn and adjust with the different cases I encountered. It is a fact that nowadays, it is not that easy to find a permanent job as a nurse. I took the challenge of the stiff competition and grabbed every chance only to prove that I don’t easily give up. With high hopes and perseverance, I was hired and given the chance to be a part of the health care team of Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH), the premiere hospital in Mindanao. I was trained and assigned at the Medical-Surgical Unit, which caters critically and chronically ill patients. Continuing my nursing career at DDH widened my goals, perspective and outlook in this profession. My path and focus toward work aimed for new heights. Taking care of some patient with mechanical ventilators, on going chemotherapy and with various tubes attached, I know that I get to see great things, which I can acquire in this profession. I realized that one must have an open-mind and a compassionate heart toward work in order to be effective and efficient in this field of practice. The critical cases of my patients served as challenges considering the care and empathy I feel towards them. The exposures I experience give a new meaning as I end every shift of my duty. It always teaches me to stand tall and surrendering isn’t an option. I consider it an everyday fulfillment. Fulfilling my goals to become critically aware with the theories and principles of the Nursing profession, achieving my aspiration to become a holistic nurse which can be advocate, practitioner and educator to my patients, as well as to my colleagues, are my main reasons for pursuing the Master of Arts in Nursing major in Adult Health Nursing at the University of the Philippines Open University. With this degree, I know that I can widen my competence and understanding and develop my awareness on the present issues affecting the Nursing profession especially to the area, which I am assigned. Likewise, it has been my dream, since then, to attain a Master’s degree in a prestigious university like UP. It is also my aim to lead the Nursing team specifically in our unit and even in the whole Nursing Department, where I can provide education to my co-workers and be a model in promoting the best and qualified service to our clients. In addition, considering my location and duty schedule here in Davao, I know that the Open University program would be the best way to achieve my aspirations. In the future, I hope to achieve new opportunities in the institution I work and even in the wide-range scope of this profession and continue to be a blessing to others. With UPOU, I am best aware that I have the high chances of fulfilling my passion of serving the people and attain high positions in the right time. Finally, I want to become an educator of excellence in health care and continue the tradition of education in our profession and preparing those interested and qualified, who will also become medical and nursing advocates and leaders of the next generation.

Muscles

Muscles, skeleton and skin give the body shape and form. But it’s the muscle tissues that clearly give the features and shape of the human body. Much effort is given to muscles that it has even become a large global industry just to maintain it. Among the specialized tissues in the body, the muscle tissue is highly specialized. Muscle tissues have contracting abilities and conducting abilities. Muscles are found to carry out electrical impulses. Voluntary muscles are differentiated from involuntary muscles. In terms of structure, muscles can either be striated or smooth. Muscles are commonly known as smooth, skeletal and cardiac. Different organs use different kinds of muscles. Small intestines have smooth muscles. Smooth muscles are neat and form parallel lines. Intestine muscles are involuntary muscles. They contract without conscious thought. These muscles fit the intestines because digestion is not an act of will. Whether you like it or not, intestines will move according to the contents of your stomach either when they are full or empty. The uterus also has smooth muscles. Other organs such as the bladder, blood vessels and other internal organs also have involuntary muscles. Skeletal muscles are confused to be fibres of connective tissues. Skeletal muscles are not of connective tissues because these muscles are not extracellular elements. These muscles describe the individual skeletal muscle cells. These tissues are fibres that are thin and very long. They almost look like threads like the one we see in clothing. Under the microscope, these cells are cylindrical and unbranched. The nuclei of these tissues are neatly arranged that goes around the periphery of the cell. This neat and orderly arrangement is made up of actin and myosin filaments found inside the muscle cell. Skeletal muscle cells that are arranged and form large bundles are called fascicles. These bundles are enveloped with thin layers of connective. Continuous arrangements of these fascicles become parts of a particular muscle organ, for example biceps. Cardiac muscles are almost an integration of smooth muscles and skeletal muscles. These muscle tissues make up the wall of the heart. They are striated and multinucleate like skeletal muscles however, they also seem to be smooth because their nuclei are located at the center and that a lot of cells are required to occupy the length of the muscle. â€Å"It differs from both skeletal muscle and smooth muscle in that its cells branch and are joined to one another via intercalated discs. Intercalated discs allow communication between the cells such that there is a sequential contraction of the cells from the bottom of the ventricle to the top, facilitating maximal ejection of blood from the ventricle during contraction. This occurs with out nervous innervation to each cell or group of cells. Cardiac muscle also differs from the other two muscle types in that contraction can occur even without an initial nervous input. The cells that produce the stimulation for contraction without nervous input are called the pacemaker cells.† (Ackerley, 2006) These three types of muscles help the body more than make it look good. There are many important benefits from proper maintenance of muscle tissues. The muscle is fit when one is strong, has endurance, is flexible and can carry out everyday tasks without injury. Keeping the muscle fit will also keep the organs fit. Programs such as weight lifting or weight bearing help the muscle build endurance and flexibility. One need not be a weight lifter to have properly maintained muscles. Weak muscles are cause of lower back and posture-related diseases that can lead to painful problems. If the muscles are healthy, it will help the skeletons to cope up with stressful activities of the body. Both voluntary and involuntary muscles are important to keep the body balanced. Massaging muscle tissues are almost the basic human instinct that is first aid to muscle pains. Massaging the muscles specially the ones that are in pain or are with disease is a way to increase body chemical flow in and out of the muscles. Given that muscles are smooth, skeletal or cardiac, massaging the muscles will help the muscle tissues from stagnating and being rigid. References: Ackerley, Sandra K. 2006. Muscles. Department of Zoology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2006    Bourne, GH. 1960. The Structure and Function of Muscle. Academic Press      

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

The ways in which Starbucks exercises corporate social responsibility Essay

The ways in which Starbucks exercises corporate social responsibility - Essay Example Social activity and environmental protection Speaking about the strategy of Starbucks, it is impossible not to mention the word â€Å"commitment†. The organization is using this approach since it was founded. Starbucks makes the huge investments into the environment and coffee manufacturing. It takes care not only of coffee farmers, but also pays special attention to the fields, where they grow the coffee beans. At the same time it demonstrates its respect to partners the company is working with. Moreover, the company takes care of each member of the team. Starbucks hires people from all over the world. â€Å"We have always believed Starbucks can – and should — have a positive impact on the communities it serves. One person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. As we have grown to now more than 18,000 stores in over 60 countries, so too has our commitment to corporate citizenship. So it is our vision that together we will elevate our partners, customers, suppliers and neighbors to use our scale for good . To be innovators, leaders and contributors to an inclusive society and a healthy environment so that Starbucks and everyone we touch can endure and thrive† (Being a responsible company).Starbucks takes an active part in social work encouraging local communities. The main goal of such actions is to be an active contributor to the society’s welfare. The Starbucks is also an active protector of the environment and actively applies the methods, which help save our nature. In order to make our planet clean and prosperous, it utilizes the waste by recycling it as well as introduces ecologically friendly products. Ethical behavior Ethical behavior of the organization is also significant. Its significance is in the successful combination of two factors: being a non-governmental organization and at the same time introducing fair trade coffee. Fair trade coffee seriously influenced company’s returns, therefore it was a conscious choice. Doing business this way, the membe rs of the company understand that such strategy will bring only benefits and improve the image of the company. Starbucks is involved in charity, it has made considerable donations to Jumpstart. This program is aimed at providing children with good education opportunities. Making donations, Starbucks tries to influence American children positively: â€Å"our partnership with Jumpstart not only allows us to make a direct impact on the children they serve, but also helps Jumpstart to expand the program throughout the country. We are proud to support an organization that shares our vision for inspiring hope and discovery among children† (cites in Starbucks Donates $1.5 Million to Jumpstart). Financial losses Any business faces many difficulties, and Starbucks is not an exception. The company had to close 616 of its branches. The main reason for that was insufficient prosperity of the coffeehouses. Starbucks also had to struggle to solve the problems with its landlord-tenants agre ements. Some of these agreements were broken up finally. The company has to struggle for the each agreement of lease. Much time and much money were lost. Disagreements with media Starbucks also had some disagreements with media. A great scandal between Starbucks and mass media happened at the time of the 35 anniversary of the company. This scandal was related to the company’s the logo. There is a naked water nymph on it. Starbucks had no intention to connect its logo with sex. Nevertheless, the media was

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Meditation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Meditation - Essay Example There are different methods of meditation. To begin with, there is the concentrative meditation that entails focusing attention on an object until it becomes clearer (Jordt, 2007). In terms of the five senses, an object could be a sound, physical sensation, or a visual image. The most common object entails focusing on the natural physical process of breathing. This entails attending to calming sensations of breathing. A receptive meditation involves being open to the experience that arises out of focusing one’s attention on an object. For instance, a person may sit with the eyes open and observe one’s environment without thinking and judging. In reflective meditation, an individual turns one’s attention to a theme but becomes open to consequential experiences. Generative meditation, on the other hand, involves love and kindness. This involves the meditating person turning attention to oneself and others. These types of meditation grant significant benefits. To be gin with, it helps one’s thoughts become still. When the thoughts become still, a person can choose on a particular subject and reflect deeply upon it. This is because fuzzy thoughts that do not possess a given focus do not produce meaningful ideas. In addition, still thoughts ward off worry and anxiety. This consequently contributes towards happiness, as the person does not over-think. Zen meditation is a discipline of sitting down and calming both the body and the mind towards insight into nature. In this sense, the mediating person gains enlightenment.

Monday, October 7, 2019

Answer questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Answer questions - Essay Example practice insurance does not mean that a professional can use the same when he conducts an act of negligence; the insurance is simply for protecting him against some malpractice committed while being ordinarily prudent in his affairs of conducting his activities, yet causing some damage to the patient, in an unknowingly negligent manner. It thus should not ideally lessen the care that is taken by a professional in his work. 29. The role of the insurance industry is to reiterate the fact that despite any professional possessing liability insurance, he must not fall short of being competent or prudent while conducting his daily affairs. The insurance should not be treated like a ticket to being negligent, but merely used during a time of crisis. 30. Churning amounts to a breach of securities law; when a broker conducts an excessive transaction and sells the securities that have increased in their value while keeping the securities that have lost out on their value, misrepresentation or fraud may be committed by the broker and the company that he represents. Thus, the line should be drawn when one steps onto fraudulent methods to earn a higher commission. 31. It is ethical for an insurance company to base the commission of an agent on the basis of a buyer’s needs because at the end of the company is carrying out a business transaction and every agent acting on behalf of the company should be entitled to receive that which he is able to get; regardless of the buyer’s needs, the agent will only be entitled to the amount of commission equal to that of the policy that he has been able to sell to the client. 32. It is important and pertinent for a state to respect and enforce the judgments that are awarded by courts in other states as well as the statutes and case laws of other states because when a certain judgment has been passed for a particular case in a state, it may act as a precedent for a similar case taking place elsewhere. The state thus must foster

Sunday, October 6, 2019

The Significance of Storytelling for Children Thesis Proposal

The Significance of Storytelling for Children - Thesis Proposal Example I have chosen to carry out an investigation into the language of books written for young children based on Gordon Pradl’s study of a child’s concept of story development. In ‘Narratology: The Study of Story Structure’, he states:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Applebee describes six stages in children's event-arrangement, a developmental pattern ranging from "heaps" (mere lists of unrelated perceptions) to "true narratives" (complete events that reveal a theme or evaluation of experience). Other researchers have shown that children in the telling of their own stories gradually develop certain literary conventions ("once upon a time...") as they grow increasingly sensitive to the overall aesthetic structure of a narrative.†Ã‚   Reading books to children is an age-old and trusted method of instilling a basic comfort level in the child with a particular language. Barbara Stoodt remarks, â€Å"Reading which does not stir their imagination, which does not stretch their minds, not only wastes their time but will not hold them permanently† (Stoodt, 61) I believe that interacting and reading books with other people is a more natural way for children to learn basic language skills backed up with practice of high-quality phonics (letters and sounds strategy) The point about reading with children is to open up that most vital human interaction: a conversation. I aim to discover how books introduce new words to children and how illustrations play a key part in this. Furthermore, I aim to explore how effective books are in helping children to acquire linguistic and communicative competence by helping them learn the main aspects of language including phonology, pragmatics, semantics, and syntax.