Review & Critical Thinking Essay

1. Explain the different forms of child abuse? Include Shaken Baby Syndrome in your response. *The different forms of abuse are physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. The shaken baby syndrome is the same as physical abuse. 2. What types of physical care must a parent provide an infant child? *the physica infant parents must provide the child with diapers and the child must be fed, bathed, and taking care of. 3. What are some strategies for helping a child cope with stress? *According to the module a parent can create a stable and non-violent home environment for the child. Another thing is that the parent can encourage the child to communicate and tell them thing that are bothering them. These are some of the strategies a parent can use to help a child with stress. Critical Thinking Questions 1. What is the difference between a protective environment and a nurturing environment? *A protective environment is an environment in which the children are feels safe at home or in any place and fells that they can trust any adult in her community. A nurturing environment is when the child feels free to discover how they are. They also feel free to express themselves without fear. 2. How children’s do need change as they grow through development stages from infancy to teen years? How do special needs children differ? *As infants children are supposed to be supervised by their parents. Their parents are supposed to feed them clean them etc†¦ As a teen the child can take care of themselves and the parent must help with emotional not physical needs. 3. List and explain factors a parent can control that lead to a nurturing environment. Include characteristics of nurturing parents. *A parent can spend more time with their children so that the child does not suffer from anxiety or fear in their early childhood. Another thing that a parent can do is not use alcohol or drugs. Children who are raised in a home with lots of alcohol or drugs are more likely to consume them. 4. List and explain factors that  lead to poor relationships and that increase the risk of child abuse. *One factor that can lead to child abuse is a child of parents who were abused themselves. Another one is children in homes with many difficulties at home. 5. Why is it critical for a parent to be involved in their children’s education? *Because parents should continue teaching and encouraging their children about the world so that the children would be more interested in studying.

Historical Development of the Early Childcare Essay

a) History and current status of childcare provision in Ireland During the early Twentieth century in Ireland there was a lack of job opportunities for women in the workforce. Women were still seen largely seen as the ‘stay at home figure’. Due to this environmental impact, children were cared for in their own homes mainly by their mothers. Therefore there was less of a demand in the Early Childcare Education sector. This ended when children started attending Primary school. During the latter part of the Twentieth century, during the times of the Celtic Tiger, the number of job opportunities for women in the workforce escalated. This resulted in an increase in urbanisation and a decrease in family support. For example: Families lived further apart from each other, and as a result, it did not make sense to leave the children with their grandmother or other family members due to financial restrictions such as the price of fuel, or time restrictions such as the length of time taken to leave the children from one  destination to the ot her. This lead to parents seeking the childminding services privately or within their local area. Statistics have shown that approximately 60% of children under six years of age attended a form of childcare service at this time. (Class Notes) There was a substantial increase in the demand for both private and community childcare services. In response to the rapidly increasing demand for childcare service, it was deemed necessary that an ‘Expert Working Group on Childcare’ was formed. The Expert Working Group came together and arranged a meeting to discuss ways to resolve the upcoming problems within the childcare services sector. They held discussions on how to make childcare services more readily available and accessible to families in Ireland. It was recognized at this point, that there was a need to develop a ‘National Strategy’ to assist them with the transformation of the current childcare services sector. Thus, a National Strategy was developed and was published in 1999. The National strategy recognized and contained the following principles: ‘The Needs and the rights of the child, Equality of access and participation, Diversity, Partnership and Quality’ (Class Notes Page 2) It also contained suggestions and advice on support for parents/guardians, Laws relating childcare, Qualifications, Employment, Planning and Co-ordination. In 2002, the Centre for Early childhood development and Education was established. This centre was set up to develop standards and to improve the childcare sector. The Centre for early Childhood Development and Education aimed to ensure that every childcare setting (whether it was a Full-time / Part-time service or a Public / Private service); met the criteria and quality standards that that were established by the Centre. The main objective of the Centre for Early childhood development and Education was to focus on improving more disadvantaged are as as well as the more advantaged areas so as to ensure that all areas within the childcare sector offered the same quality of services In 2006, ‘Siolta’ was launched. Siolta was set up to implement the first aim of the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education which was to develop the current standards within the childcare sector. This was called ‘The National Quality Framework for Early Education’. This ensured that there was support in improving quality across all childcare services which contained children from 0-6 years of age. Further to this, in 2009, a new scheme was introduced within the Childcare sector. The Early Childcare  Education scheme ‘Free pre-school place’ was formed. The free pre-school place enabled children within the age range of 3 years and 3 months and 4 years 6 months in September of the relevant year to engage in one free academic year within a full time or seasonal service. If a childcare service/ centre wanted to take part in the Early Childcare Education scheme, the criteria set out by Siolta had to be met and furthermore the Principles set by An Siolta would have to be implemented within their current childcare setting. It is important to recognize that this is the first time that Early childhood education has received any direct Universal funding. As a result of the free pre-school place initiative, the demand within the childcare sector continued to grow. (Siolta) More recent developments within the childcare sector include the introduction of a new initiative called ‘Aistear’, which was established by the Department of Education and Skills through NCCA in 2010. Aistear from the Irish word meaning ‘journey’, is of relevant importance to childcare settings where children from the ages of 0-6 years receive their care and education. Aistear works closely alongside Siolta and consists of an informal curriculum that contains twelve principles and themes that give guidance to the childcare worker. Aistear recognizes that education and care are not separate within the childcare sector and they aim to help children grow and develop independently.(Aistear) b) Current range of childcare provision in Ireland Six types of services that can be categorised under sessional and fulltime services are: Naà onraà  – A Naà onraà  is a sessional service. It organises and communicates with the playgroup through the medium of Irish, they recognise each child as individuals. The service doesn’t put pressure on children to speak Irish, they still encourage and support children either way. As the children are surrounded in Irish they will gradually pick up and learn the language in their own time. The service is recognised by Forbairt Naà onraà . Parent and toddler groups – This is a sessional service and is supported by Early Childhood Ireland. Parents and their children/toddlers meet in one area, often held in one of the parent houses who are taking part in the service. It gives children the opportunity to gain the experience of interacting with others, therefore promoting and developing the child’s social skills. It also gives parents the opportunity to intera ct with other  parents, gaining support of each other. Montessori pre-schools – The pre-school is usually privately run, it develops its curriculum around the methods of Dr Maria. The Montessori focuses mainly on the child’s educational development, its curriculum is therefore more practical based, isn’t fully focused on play. This action of purely practical based education may be scrutinised by certain individuals as it thought by some theorists that children should experience and develop through the experience of play at this young age. The pre-school functions on academic year and mainly cares for children from three to six years of age. Home and community playgroups – Home and community playgroups care for children within the age range of 2 and a half to five years of age, they operate in either a home or community basis. Home playgroups are generally privately funded where as community playgroups receive funding from the government, each service usually opens and runs for a period of three to four hours each day. The service highlights and develops children’s social and emotional learning through play. Crà ¨ches, Nurseries and Day care services – These services are recognised as a fulltime service and cater for children from the age of approximately three months to five years of age. They are open at a minimum of eight hours a day and usually provide a day-to-day curriculum. The services can be privately or publicly run, an increase in demand for these services greatly increased after the Free Pre-School Year was introduced. Each service provides the children attending the service with a hot meal and snacks during the duration of the day. Each service helps met the child’s safety, welfare and developmental needs. They also help children make the best of their abilities, whether that be through play or practical learning. Family Day Care – Children are looked after in the childminders home. There is no specific age group that Family Day Care caters for, they can cater for all different age groups at once in the same facility. The hours that the carer caters for the children is arranged between the child’s parent and the carer. The children become easily settled in this form of day care as they are only interacting and building a relationship with one adult with the service. The children are provided with snacks and possibly hot meals, depending on the length of time the child is attending the service. The service is supported and recognised by Childminding Ireland. c) Current range of roles in childcare support organisations and agencies Health Service Executive (HSE) – is the first service contacted when there is a serious concern involving a child safety or family issue , the Health Service Executive then has the responsibility of bringing services and agencies together to help resolve the concerned matter. The Health Service Executive provides services that helps protect and support children, parents/guardians and families. There are many roles within the Health Service Executive, they include: Family support worker – The Family support worker offers support and supplies services to family’s going through emotionally distressing times. The Family Support Worker tries to keep families remained together unless there is a family member deemed at serious risk if kept together. Some of the services that The Family Support Worker will supply to the family to try help resolve the issues are, â€Å"Parenting Skills, Confidence and Personal Development, Home Care management, Diet, Nutrition and Health Care, Budgeting and family Finance†. (Class notes page 4) Community Childcare Worker – The Community Childcare Worker works alongside professionals to give support to children who are in disadvantaged families, deemed at risk, deprived or in care. The Community Childcare Worker also helps children deal with or come to an understanding of why they are in that care home. Social Worker – works with problematic families and individuals, The Social Worker helps resolve problems in families whether that is emotional, behavioural or social problems. Social Workers also deal with problems such as child abuse, domestic violence, and adoption. Before removing children from their home and separating families social worker s have to prove that they have gave families every option possible, if the family /parents does not comply with any of the options, the matter continues to rise and the child/children are still recognised at risk then the case is taken to court and assessed by a Judge whether the child/children should be removed from the family home, thus action is seen as a last resort. Barnardos – Barnardos is Ireland’s biggest children’s charity. It is focused on working with children and families on, whether that be group work or one-on-one interaction. Barnardos help children make the best of their abilities when going through difficult situations, such as neglect, abuse,  or poverty. They provide a range of services to help families through distressing time’s i.e counselling, and bereavement help lines. Barnardos also protest against Government laws that affect children and their way of living e.g. child benefit cuts. d) Six National Childcare organisations Barnardos – Barnardos is Ireland’s biggest children’s charity, it is mainly focused on working with children and families. Barnardos provide a range of services to help assist and support families through distressing times, they also help children make the best of their abilities whilst going through or have gone through difficult times e.g. neglect. Childminding Ireland- is a registered Charity and was created in 1986. It was created by a small group of childminders that further grew into a bigger organisation. The organisation promotes home-based childcare. Forbairt Naà onraà  Teoranta – is a voluntary organisation which supports education and care for children from birth who are brought up in Irish. St.Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland – Provide opportunities for Montessori teachers to further their profession. They also offer help, support and give guidance for Montessori teachers. The Irish Society for the prevention of Children’s Cruelty – Provide a 24hour support service for children who are going through a difficult situations. States that id high quality childcare service wants to keep their service high quality, then the service must ensure that there is good child protection within the facility. The organisation also recognises children are individuals and therefore the child’s right s and values should be supported. Border Counties Childcare Network – Is a network that services in counties such as Monaghan, Meath, Louth, Cavan, Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim in helping deliver a childhood service of high quality. LO4: Clear explanation the rights of the child in the context of an ECCE setting. A) Examine the UN convention on the Rights of the Child. The UN convention on the Rights of the Child has 54 articles. These  fifty-four articles are a written list of the different types of the child’s rights, if those rights are intentionally broken it is seen as breaking the law. The UN convention on the Rights of the child can be broken into four broad areas, these four areas are – Survival, Development, Protection and Participation. Survival – The child has a right to life and the right to the basic requirements to survive life e.g. food, water, shelter, clothing, medical aid. Development – The child has a right to education, religion, play, develop the identification of right and wrong and leisure. The child also has the right to be provided with a safe environment to develop these skills and knowledge. Protection – The child has the right to be protected against abuse and neglect. If a child has come in interference with and suffered from abuse then the child has the right to some form of counselling to come to an understanding and overcome the traumatic situation. Participation – The child has the right to join organisations e.g. clubs, groups, freedom of expression and speech. Standard 1: Right of the child. â€Å"Ensuring that each child’s rights are met, requires that she/he is enabled to exercise choice and to use initiative as an active participant and partner in her/his own development and learning.† (Siolta page 13) Component 1.1 – Choice for the child Practitioners could put component 1.1 into practice at meal time. By giving the child the options at meal time, this could be achieved by giving the child the choice of two different meals therefore enabling the child to make its own choices. If a child decides they do not want to eat at meal time the practitioner should respect the child’s decision. By having different utensils available at meal time e.g. chopsticks, this provides choice for the child. The child can then make the choice on what they want to eat there meal with. Component 1.2 – Use initiative A practitioners could put component 1.2 into practice with a child from twelve – thirty-six months by providing the opportunity of letting the child out on its coat independently, enabling the child to zip or button  the coat. The practitioner should talk the child through the process, encourage the child as she/he is trying to overcome and accomplish the task and support the child if he/she comes into difficulty. Component 1.3 – active participants A practitioner could put component 1.3 into practice with a child from birth to eighteen months by viably communicating. While/when the practitioner is changing the child’s nappy he/she could viably communicate to the child and make eye contact whilst changing its nappy. The practitioner could also sing nursery rhymes and act out movements to the child e.g. three little pigs, touching the child’s toes whilst singing the rhyme. This makes the child feel comfortable and an active participant throughout the activity. LO2: Detained description of the qualifications and experience needed for work associated with one occupation in the ECCE sector. a) Outline legislations, policies, practices and procedures pertaining to ECCE provision. Childcare Act 1991 Provides asset of rules relating to children/young adults under the age of eighteen in Ireland, it governs the care and protection of children in Ireland. (Classnotes) Due to this legislation the Health Service Executive has a mandatory duty to promote and protect the wellbeing of all children under this act. Children who are being abused or at risk, this Act allows those children to be removed or be placed under the care of the Health Service Executive. In relation to preschool services the Act is consulted with when rules and regulations are being drawn up for the supervision of children of pre-school services. Under the Act the pre-school carers have a responsibility and duty to implement safety and wellbeing of children under their pre-school setting. If the pre-school carer has concern for a child’s safety health it is their responsibility to notify the Health Service Executive. If a new pre-school setting is being set up or is intending to set up the local Health Service Executive must be notified. The Health Service Executive then has a duty to inspect the pre-school setting to  ensure the health and safety standards of the setting are being met. The rules and regulations drawn up from the Act must be strictly followed by the practitioners. Childcare (preschool services) Regulations 2006 The regulation outlines the standards that a preschool setting of any form must put/have in place before it can commence e.g. all forms of health, safety and welfare of the setting must be put in place to ensure full safety of the child is being met. It is the Health Service Executive’s duty for inspecting and giving a report of information on pre-schools of any sort or kind who care for children from the age of zero-six years of age. The regulation is arranged in six parts – thirty-three regulations and can be broadly covered over the following areas: â€Å"Health, welfare and development of the child Notification and inspection by the Health Service Executive Record keeping Standard of premises and facilities General administration† (class notes) Policies and procedures must be drawn up and developed from these points. Children First 1999 Children First was first made available in the year 1999 but was later replaced with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2011. The general rule of the document was left unchanged but acknowledges past inspections and reports and feedback, due to this the document had been edited to set out distinctive guidelines that individual roles should take is concerned for a child’s health, safety and welfare. Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2011 main aims are to ensure children’s health safety and welfare are being constantly met. That society are aware that they should not assume but should report any concerns regarding a child’s health and safety and realise that it is their responsibility to put this action into place. The legislation provides advise/support for parents/guardians in regards to their role as a parent/carer. Inspections made by the ‘Department of Education and Science’ will take place through-out schools of all sorts to  reinforce and ensure that the new legislation is being enforced. Siolta Siolta is made up of twelve principals, sixteen standard and seventy-five components. The twelve principals provide the base of the frame work. Without the principals the components wouldn’t be able to be put in place. The principals give direction for childcare workers on how they should carry out their work in an Early Childhood Care and Education environment, how to interact and communicate with children and fillies, how subjects should be taught and how the services that the childcare worker works in should be organised. The twelve principles contain: Equality – is a necessary aspect to have in a childcare setting, it is essential every child feels equal. Diversity- Every childcare setting should recognise that each child comes from very different backgrounds. It is the childcares settings responsibility to confirm that they understand, respect and accommodate this with visual aids e.g. posters, dolls from different ethnic backgrounds, chopsticks in the home area ec t. Environment- The physical layout of the setting should be organised to meet, encourage and develop the child’s abilities so the child can reach their full potential. Welfare- The child’s health, safety and welfare is essential and should be met as much as it possibly can be e.g. if a child has chicken pock’s, that child should be removed to a room where no other children are present the child’s parents should be contacted and the child shouldn’t return until it has cleared to prevent it infecting other children. The role of the adult- The adult working in the setting has a responsibility to make sure the child is making the most of their experience and are reaching full potential while in that adults company. Teamwork-Good communication and respect should be shown and practised in settings between the various workers in the setting. If there isn’t respect among workers, there won’t be good teamwork skills therefore the children present in that company will pick up on the negative energy and put what they have picked up on into practice. Pedagogy- The study and theory of the methods and principals of teaching should be put in place in early childhood care and education through holistic play, as this is the most appropriate method of learning for children of that age range. Play-Should be promoted, as it is an essential part in a child’s development  whether that be physical or theory learning. Sioltas sixteen standards are essential and necessary in services as it give guidance for workers within the service, IT gives guidance on how to act, provide and develop services with the setting. The standards contain various elements such as the various elements such as the child’s rights to the legislation and regulation. It’s from the sanders that the seventy-five components are made up. The components help meet the standard. Without the sixteen standards and seventy-five components the knowledge of the twelve principals wouldn’t be able to be put in place as effectively. Siolta was created to improve the way childcare is taught, organised, carried out and viewed in the Early Childhood Care and Education settings who cater for children from the age range of birth to six years of age. It â€Å"defines, assess and supports† these improvements. Early Childhood Care and Education settings and services taking part in the free school year must implement Siolta, making more demand for the service. (siolta) Aistear Aistear, was established by the Department of Education and Skills through NCCA in 2010. Aistear from the Irish word meaning ‘journey’, is of relevant importance to childcare settings where children from the ages of 0-6 years receive their care and education. Aistear works closely alongside Siolta and consists of an informal curriculum that contains twelve principles and themes that give guidance to the childcare worker. Aistear recognizes that education and care are not separate within the childcare sector and they aim to help children grow and develop independently. (Aistear) The manager The manager is required to have a minimum level 7/8 qualification in childcare, they have to manage the day-to-day routine of the preschool setting, ensuring that the developmental needs, safety and wellbeing of each individual child are being met. The manager may also be required to work unsocial hours and must attend to relevant meetings. The manager also has the responsibility to ensure the child protection policy is being implemented within the setting, recording and concerns and also ensuring high sanders of safety are being maintained at all times. (Class notes) The Childcare assistant The Childcare assistant is required to have a minimum of a level 5 qualification in childcare and previous experience is required. They assist in the day-to-day organisation and preparation of the childcare setting. The Childcare assistant must maintain all personal information of the individual children as confidential and at times have to work unsocial hours. The assistant must ensure the children within their care are receiving high standards of care, safety and wellbeing whilst also ensuring the developmental need of the children are being met accurately. The Childcare Assistant will have to at times participate in fundraising activities, special events and outings. They must strictly follow the Child Protection policy and report any concerns. (class notes) The Playgroup Leader The Playgroup Leader is required to have a minimum of a level 5 qualification in childcare and previous experience in childcare is required. The Playgroup Leader is required to manage the day-to-day routine of the playgroup. The playgroup leader has the responsibility to ensure the safety, wellbeing and developmental needs of the children are being continually being met. They must keep all personal information regarding the children within the service, children’s family and staff strictly confidential. Must strictly follow and promote the Child Protection Policy, ensuring high standers of hygiene and quality are being promoted within the setting. Organise regular meetings with parents throughout the year. Must regularly carry out appraisal on the staff’s performance, make sure all staff and volunteers have guard vetting. Must try to obtain good staff more and show respect to other staff members. Special Needs Assistant A Special Needs Assistant must have a minimum level5 qualification in childcare. Must ensure that all personal information regarding children or staff they work with remains confidently then it should be reported. Must strictly follow the Child Protection Act and make sure the developmental needs of the child are being met. The assists are recruited to help assist  and support children with special needs or difficult behaviour problems in schools. The assistants engage regularly with the parents of the special needs child, they also participate in fundraising activities, special events and outings to further help the child or children with special needs. Montessori teacher Must have a minimum level5 qualification in childcare. Must strictly follow the Child Protection Act and make sure the developmental needs of the child are being met, ensuring high standards of hygiene and quality are being promoted within the setting. A Montessori has the responsibly to provide opportunities for children so they can figure out how to do something for themselves. Must observe children within the setting and comment on their development. They provide challenging tasks for the children, so they make the best of their abilities. Organise meetings with the parents throughout the year. Detailed description of the qualifications and experience needed for work associated with on occupation in the ECCE sector. One occupation in the Early Child Care and Education sector I have chose to further evaluate on is the pre-school manager. The pre-school manager has many roles and responsibilities such as: Being strictly confidential within and outside the Early Childhood Care and Education setting in relaxation to keeping personal information about the children, their family and also the staff. Ensuring when planned activities are taking place that each individual child’s developmental needs are being met. Making sure that every area and all facilities of the Early Childhood Care and Education setting are being met to Sioltas standards. Has the role of preparing and creating curriculum plans for the staff to carry out in the Early Childhood Care and Education setting. Making sure that there is good staff morale, resolving any issues that arise promptly and effectively Making sure that there the Child Protection policy is being promoted and that the policy is being firmly stuck to. If any concerns are arisen then the manager must document and record this. Organise meetings with parents throughout the year to inform them and discuss such things as the child’s progression and also  adhering to any concerns raised by the parents. It is also a role and responsibility of the manager to prepare and organise special event and outings for the children attending the Early Childhood Care and Education setting. ( class notes) The preschool manager must have a minimum qualification of level of seven/eight in childcare.This qualification can be obtained in most IT’s. The duration of study that it would take to obtain this would be approximately three to four years depending on the level of qualification. To then further become a pre-school manager the level of experience the individual would need to have would depend on the Early Childhood Care and Education setting. Generally the minimum experience needed by the individual would be approximately two – four years. It would be appropriate that the individual had experience as a supervisor before becoming a pre-school manager. Employment and Career Opportunities in Childcare Funding that is made available to state to childcare services, such as the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme / Free Pre-School year and Community Childcare Solovention scheme make the option of childcare services more appealing and therefore increase the demand for childcare services. As a result of the increased demand for childcare services, the demand for employment opportunities also increases. The Early Childhood care and Education Scheme / Free Pre-school year (FPSY) was introduced in 2009. The scheme recognized the importance of qualifications within the childcare sector and as a result it introduced a minimum qualifications standard for pre-school leaders. An important feature of the scheme is that it offers more funding for better qualified staff and because of this feature it can increase or decrease an individual’s employment opportunities e.g. if an individual applied for a particular position in which the state requires the potential employee to hold a Level 7 qualification, and the candidate did not hold a Level 7 qualification,  that candidate will most likely not get the position as a result as their employment would not benefit the pre-school. The Community Childcare Subvention Scheme is a support scheme that was set up to aid and support non-profit childcare services/centres. This scheme does not support profit childcare services. The schemes main focus is to help the non-profit childcare services. This scheme allows non-profit childcare services to provide their services at a lower rate, which enables children with disadvantaged parents the opportunity to attend childcare services. Each Community based service that takes part in the Community Childcare scheme, has the responsibility to make a guideline available of the different rates for each type of service that they offer to parents. There are four types of fee rates available; and the parent/guardian will be offered the rate depending on what price band or category they fall into based on their individual financial situation. This scheme enables more access to all types of parents and therefore increases the demand for childcare services and effectively increases employment opportunities. Special Needs Assistant – Due to the downturn in the Irish Economy, there have been substantial cuts in Special Needs Assistants. It has been revealed that approximately 1200 Special needs assistant positions will be cut in the near future. (Class notes) If this happens, there will be a sharp decrease in the amount of employment opportunities available within the childcare sector. It is also thought that as a result of the cuts, individuals that currently hold a Level 7/8 qualification may not be willing to apply for job opportunities that become available due to the poor pay conditions and low status of the childcare positions. Progression of qualifications within the childcare sector e.g. achieving a Level 5 and progressing to a Level 6, Level 7 and Level 8 qualification is becoming more important to childcare workers to help them increase their employment opportunities. The better the qualification that a childcare worker obtains means they have a higher chance of securing employment within the childcare sector. E.g. If an advertisement is published in a newspaper for a childcare position, and an individual that holds a Level 5 applies  while also an individual what holds a Level 8 qualification also applies, the individual with the higher qualification i.e. the Level 8 qualification, will have a higher chance of getting the position. After obtaining a Level 8 qualification i.e. A Degree in childcare, which is generally obtained over a three year period, there is a career opportunity to continue to study towards a Primary school teaching qualification. A further two years of study in Teacher training is also required before obtaining a qualification as a Primary school teacher. After achieving a minimum of a Level 7/8 qualification, there is also the opportunity to become a manager within a childcare setting. An individual seeking to further their career or who wishes to pursue a career in management would also need sufficient experience within the early childcare and education setting to secure a higher position. This career opportunity can only become available for the individual if they have obtained a Level 7/8 qualification.

Cultural Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cultural Anthropology - Essay Example In fact, the latter part of the Neolithic Age showed that these people also developed pottery especially those group found in the Near East. When it comes to society, the Hunter society is considered flat since there is no hierarchical authority and the social structure is egalitarian. The hunters are usually grouped in a band that has an average of 15 members. On the contrary, the Neolithic Man are usually grouped in tribes with at least â€Å"150 up to 2000 members† ( Rigby, 2000). However, like the hunter society, studies about Neolithic Man also revealed that hierarchy is not evident in their society. Many scholars believed that both societies had â€Å" primitive communism† wherein they all equally worked hard for the benefit of the community. Also, the social life of these groups mainly focused on the home and their families. The â€Å" primal religion† of these two groups are similar. These societies believed in a concept of â€Å"god† that existed in nature. God was magical for them since he existed in forms such as thunder, fire, lightning which they showed much respect. These two groups also believed that people have spirits and that they travel into another dimension. Even in the hunter society, burial was practiced which illustrated their respect for the dead body. Shamans or witchdoctors were also recognized as people who can heal or communicate with spirits. In short, religious beliefs already pervaded the life of early man.

Convicted felons in the workforce vs human resource management Research Paper

Convicted felons in the workforce vs human resource management - Research Paper Example This paper is about individuals who possess criminal records, and how their chance to work in the workforce is a notch more difficult than their other peers who have a clean record. In this paper, the researcher would like to focus on a certain type of individual who has been excluded from the rest of society because of their misbehaviour. In legal systems, a felon is someone who has been accused of performing a serious crime and has been legally condemned of doing so. There exist a long list of crimes that can brand a person a criminal, and the ones that are considered to be felonies are not restricted to the following- grand theft, tax evasion, robbery, rape, murder, fraud, kidnapping, violent assaults, treason, arson, illegal drug abuse and drug trafficking, and espionage. Felonies can be considered as a felony under various circumstances, and a convicted felon can only be convicted by a person of legal authority such as a judge (Eisenstein and Jacob, 1991). In this paper, the researcher would like to discuss the reasons regarding preferred characteristics of a potential employee. In the case of felons who decide to join the workforce after serving their time in prison, the researcher would like to investigate how the human resource department in organizations deal with such cases, should they decide to hire a felon. Naturally, hiring a previously convicted criminal can affect an organization’s operations, so companies must be extremely cautious in such cases. For instance, planning employee activities might have to be planned in a different way, or controlling such employees might have to be done in a different manner. The researcher would like to investigate social views on such a controversial topic, and also what can be done to help these felons find their own niche in the workforce. In 2007, reports were made that there are en estimate of 2 million convicted persons in prison serving their time.

Justification Report Memorandum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Justification Report Memorandum - Essay Example The results of the survey proved to be increasingly enlightening. We had known that the problem existed, however we had no idea that it was so acute. We received 56 complaints out of the average 90 families we served in our restaurant last week only. The customers were questioned about the quality of food, the type of service, overall experience and cleanliness at the restaurant. The problems most concerning our customers are best represented by the graph below through the information collected by the survey. As we had predicted, our quality of service was rated as the worst amongst the four factors. As the graph shows, our second most frequent complain was about the lack of uniqueness in the environment in our restaurant while our food quality and cleanliness factors have been rated top notch by most customers. Some serious remedial steps need to be taken to avoid further loss of customers and taint the image of the restaurant forever. This report presents why customer service is such an important factor for a top-of-line restaurant like ours and what steps can be taken to remedy, and even enhance the restaurant's image and performance. These days creating a dining experience for the customers making them come back for more means a lot more than just great food and attentive table service (Kharasch, 2007). Hiring an interior decorator to improve on the ambience makes a lot of sense especially when customers complain about ambience second most frequently. Improving the environment of the restaurant and creating a memorable experience for the customers will definitely help to compensate for the occasional sluggishness in quality of food and service. People would want to spend more time in the restaurant thus any time delays to deliver food or bills won't even register to the customer's minds. Also more time the customer stays in the restaurant, more likely the chances that more orders will be made. (Rainsford and Bangs, 2000) Technical Feasibility No technicalities involved Economic Feasibility High cost for interior decoration Operational Feasibility No operational difficulties Alternative 2 The restaurant currently has a staff of more than 26 employees of which 18 are always on duty. The daily average customer inflow is approximately 110 while on weekends the average is around 180 when all 26 employees are required on duty. There seem to be enough servers even in the peak hours however the customers have to wait a long time. Hiring additional staff seems to be a likely option for the restaurant. With more chefs on hand, the food can be prepared much quicker and more servers can deliver the food to the customers quicker. Part time hiring of 2 chefs and 3 servers for weekdays and 5 chefs and 10 servers for weekends will most-likely solve the issue at hand. Part time employment will be beneficial for the restaurant for its lower cost and for the employees as well due to its flexible nature. (Rainsford and Bangs, 2000) Technical Feasibility Quality dispersion Economic Feasibility High costs for hiring and training new employees Operational Feasibility Too many cooks spoil the broth Alternative 3 Mechanization is being used in most of the industries nowadays. In fact now the world is moving towards incorporating information

Understanding Pregnancy and the three Trimesters Essay

Understanding Pregnancy and the three Trimesters - Essay Example The 1st Trimester encompasses the time from the moment of conception to 13 weeks and many experts feel that the 1st Trimester is the most crucial, because it is at this stage that body structure and organ systems are designed (The Regents of the University of California, 2014). During the first two weeks the woman is not technically pregnant, not yet. Conception actually occurs about two weeks after the end of your last menstrual cycle. By the 3rd week fertilization is achieved. At this point the offspring is called a zygote and is made up of the base 46 chromosomes that will account for many of the baby’s future traits, including gender. Week four begins the process called implantation. From here the zygote is now referred to as a blastocyst, which is a ball of multiplying cells. This is also when the placenta begins to prepare itself (Vishton, 2013). Week five begins the embryonic stage of development. The brain, spinal cord, and heart begin to form; inner and exterior skin layers develop, as well as, certain amounts of connective tissue. Week six marks the closing of the neural tube and the embryo’s heart begins to beat independently and buds protrude from the embryos body, which will become arms and legs. The seventh week sees vast change s in the embryo; head develops, including eye sockets, ears, and facial features begin to be defined. However, with all of this change the embryo is no bigger than the end of a pencil’s eraser. During the 8th, 9th, and 10th week the eyelids, fingers, toes, lips, straightening of the torso, and rounding of the head can be seen. By the 11th week the embryo is now a fetus. Red blood cells are forming and genitalia will begin to form. In the 12th week fingernails are forming and the fetus’s profile is clearly human. At this stage the fetus is only, approximately, 2  ½ inches long and weighing a  ½ of an ounce (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Through the definitive 1st Trimester it is not just the baby-to-be that is going

Articles Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Articles Comparison - Essay Example In the second essay the author teaches us to give more importance to ourselves rather than anything else. Throughout the essay he has shown how web technology and media strive to fulfill our needs and desires. But the purpose of the article is not to encourage individuals to become self centered people but also to have sufficient knowledge about the outside world. For the first essay the author Steven Johnson have highlighted the following issues: 1. Web technology centering on common people and giving much attention to their ordinary lives apart from those having extra ordinary lives and given a lot of media attention and coverage. 2. Social interaction surely has become easier and networking, connections more wide spread. 3. The phenomenon of ‘place bloggers’ has enabled people to share their own life, their neighborhood with other members of communities. 4. The essay has also brought into notice the fact that the art of taking snaps and recording videos have not remai ned solely in the hands of professionals. Ordinary people can now to some extent mange these kinds of stuff. 5. The essay never ignores the need to know the designers and creators of those devices that made life this simpler. In the other essay the author Brian Williams has emphasized the following: 1. Need to do things that satisfy us and make us happy. Importance of self has been highlighted throughout. He calls this more important than anything else. 2. The author has also talked about web technology and feels that they have always worked upon meeting our needs and desires. Their strategy is based upon user satisfaction. 3. Sharing our life with others is held as equally important. It gives an individual a sort of pleasure and urge to do so irrespective of whether the viewer likes it or not. 4. Celebration of life is most important. It does not matter whether the concerned person have or does not have a long list of achievements behind him. 5. Although author stresses upon self s atisfaction he does not support keeping oneself locked and shutting the doors of the outside world totally. There are some things, some facts which should be in everyone’s knowledge. Such shortage of knowledge can miss out again many things in life and we can also land up in danger. Both the essays have highlighted have stressed on concentrating on the so called ordinary people and their ordinary lives rather than focusing only on those extraordinary celebrity kinds of people who are already under limelight. The media coverage should not only be for champions and winners or only for those genius people who have a lot of awards and trophies to display (Williams). In this era of web technology people can click their own pictures and make their own videos. The best part is common man can share all this stuff with others on social networking websites or web communities. Web technology has led to better communications and this implies more when it comes to the cultural side (Johns on). Its no more that taking good quality pictures and make good videos is confined to professional experts. Common people, even if not so good as the professionals, can take satisfying snaps and recordings and now a days they are very much willing to share those with friends, relatives and other chatting companions. But those great minds or the creators should also be known. Both the essays consider the need of some facts to be in everybody’

Current issues in dissability studies activity 12 Essay

Current issues in dissability studies activity 12 - Essay Example t for successful transition, because an individual may perform better in one environment than the other; and the transition to adulthood encompasses several factors outlined above (Lones, 1997). However, some assessments are required to ascertain the level of individual involvement in the process; the level of parental involvement; the level of school involvement and the extent of involvement of other inter-agencies. When all these issues have been analyzed, it is possible to determine how successful the transition will be. The process of inclusion can depend on how much usefulness the disabled person to the society. If the person has acquired good education, such a person could be included in the working environment where such knowledge would be utilized. The person may also be included in the community activities. But when such an assessment has not been properly made, it may be difficult for the individual to be fully included in the society. Answer 2: There are certain issues that all parties (parents, schools, agencies etc) involved in helping a disabled individual undergo transition must take note of: (i) the individual must be given full support during the transition stage; (ii) the individual must be assessed periodically about the level of knowledge acquisition; (iii) the society must be patient for the individual to demonstrate his or her capability, which will encourage smooth inclusion; (iv) the individual must be encouraged at every stage of the transition and inclusion. Once the issues highlighted above have been taken good care of, the inclusion of such an individual in community activities, working environments, educational setting, and other places, would be smooth and

What did the ancient Hebrews(ancestors of modern Jewish people)believe Essay

What did the ancient Hebrews(ancestors of modern Jewish people)believe at the end the Babylonian Captivity, or around 500 BCE - Essay Example In this outline, we look at three major prongs the nature of God, Yahweh, the core value of the faith (Torah) and the organization of the faith at around 500 BC. As Hansen and Kenneth (53) note, in the ancient Hebrew, God was a supreme being. He posed a lot more than just one personality. To the Jewish tradition, God was and still is a lawgiver, a judge, a liberator, a creator and many more titles all of whom manifested depending on the specific situation or a specific point in time. To them Gods way of doing, things were marvellous in their own way. This definition almost cuts across to the view of the Christians, however in this case, the concept of Yahweh changed depending on a specific point in time. This is why the concept of God at around 500 BC saw him as a supreme being. The tradition recognised there might have been the existence of other gods. In the traditional context God was seen as limitless however as Jacobs Louis notes, there were three prongs all of which focused on giving the nature of God from different perspectives. These are the Maimonides, who did note that God had prior knowledge while man was seen as free; secondly Gersonides, noted that man is free, while god does not have the sole knowledge and lastly, Hasdai Crescas, noted that god has the sole knowledge of every knowledge. Although there may have been people who may have believed in the existence of God, There are times when these views obscure the true nature of God hence the rise of various groups all with their view about God. Examples of such groups were the atheist (Hansen and Kenneth 54). The study of Torah guided the core values of faith in the Hebrew religion. The Jewish has applied the same torah in the current period, and it is the basis that creates a direct linkage to what was done in the olden times to the current period. It is considered imperative (mitzvah) in the Jewish tradition to learn and uphold the values of the law that guides both the faith and creates

Great expectations Essay Example for Free

Great expectations Essay Chapter 11 sees Pip on his second visit to Satis House, and the early introduction of several important characters such as Jaggers and Herbert, who play vital roles in Pips later life and great expectations. Ms. Havishams poisoned and hateful mind can be seen through her malicious thoughts that are reflected through her choice of words: I am yellow skin and bone. She has clearly brooded a great deal over her past and has lived the majority of her adult life full of contempt and bitterness for the entire male race. An air of Mystery is given to the fact that we do not actually know the cause of Ms. Havisham resentment, all we do know is that she was once to be married, and due to some occurrence or misfortune, the wedding did not take, but everything, from that fateful day, has stayed still. The time has stopped at twenty minutes to nine, and even her bride-cake is still there. One assumes, after reading the Chapter, that the mystery plot will be solved eventually, and the suspense lures the readers further into the novel . The suspense that surrounds the character of Ms. Havisham is half-satisfied when the readers find out the truth of what actually happened to Ms. Havisham, (that she victim of a conspiracy of which her money was the ultimate motive), in Chapter 22 from Herbert. Satis House is dismal and unchanging. Like the bride-cake, which now has black fungus growing out of it and speckled-legged spiders with blotchy bodies running to it, Ms. Havisham has also deteriorated. The vermin, the poison and the hate also rush flood to her mind, causing her to lose all control of any logical decisions or rational thoughts. Like the cake, Ms. Havisham is also dropping to pieces, covered with dust and mould. Ms Havisham could be described as being Satis House herself, she has become part of her landscape, as she herself says: It and I have worn away together. All the death images, corpse-like, shroud, grave-clothes, all symbolise the slow death of Ms Havisham, the cruel image of her rotting and decaying a result of her twisted, evil mind. The suspense and thrilling horror surrounding Ms. Havisham sustains the readers attentions, as they listen attentively to hang on to every word she speaks, in the hope of any clues to what tragedy she was victim of that has made her into the person she is. The dull nonsensical conversations made by the relatives emphasise just how intriguing Ms. Havishams character is. Her dramatic flairs of speech and over-exaggeration: when they lay me dead captures the readers much more than the repetitive, irrelevant conversation made by the relatives. Ms. Havishams relations are characterised as being money-greedy, selfish people. Their only reasons for visiting their half-sister is simply for her large fortune and in the hope that they, once she is finally dead, will inherit each large portions of her money. The dreary, dull conversations that seem to have no concluding points underlines the uselessness and narrow-mindedness of these people. Certainly, the descriptions of the relatives are far from flattering: so very blank and high was the dead wall of her face. Dickens has chosen to make these characters into comic figures. They represent Dickens view of the majority of middle-high class of society, educated yet still fools. Camilla, in particular, provides entertainment for the audience with her ridiculous self-pitying airs: I cried about it from breakfast to dinner. Her pretence is obvious, and one may guess from Ms. Havishams contempt for her relations that she understands that they care not for her but for her money: when you come to feast upon me. Ms. Havishams relations are the image of a selfish and materialistic side of society. The readers are given an early introduction to the character of Jaggers, Pips future lawyer and guide to his fortune and the world of industrious, educated so-called gentleman. Again, like Ms. Havisham, the readers are lured into the burly man on the stairs. The description is mysterious and surprisingly detailed for just a stranger: eyes set very deep in his head. When Pip states: He was nothing to me, and I could have had no foresight then, that he would be anything to me Our suspicions are nearly confirmed that Jaggers will play an important part in Pips later life. Jaggers description is interesting when one looks for clues in his personality, his eyes also being described as being: disagreeable sharp and suspicious, a clue to Jaggers alertness and ability to see through people as if they were transparent. His bushy black eyebrows that wouldnt lie down but stood up bristling symbolises Jaggers habit of attentively understanding a persons mind by every move that they make. The hands that smelt of scented soap is Jaggers future tagline or reference to himself, the idea of washing away the guilt of dealing with guilty criminal convicts. Herbert, the Pale young gentleman is first introduced in this chapter, as an unhealthy boy, with pimple on his face and a breaking out at his mouth, yet, his brave attitude and desperation to fight a fair and just battle appeals to the readers. As he says to Pip after he has been so easily defeated: That means you have won. Even Pip is surprised by his moral integrity: He was so brave and innocent, his ability to accept defeat and fight an unlikely battle gains respect from the readers, and Herbert is seen as a comical figure at his vain attempts fight back at Pip. He later carries the image of honesty when he is an adult, and represents the gentleman whose of free-spirit, whose cares lie not in money and reputation, but in the happiness of life. In Chapter 11, we are introduced to several new characters and are given distinct and sometimes obvious clues to Pips later life. They later play a great influence on Pips thoughts, actions, and journey to become a true gentleman.

Work Considered Chronicle Of A Death Foretold English Literature Essay

Work Considered Chronicle Of A Death Foretold English Literature Essay Reflective Statement: Translated from the Spanish masterpiece first published in 1981, Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a tale embossed with irony and political authority. Inspired by a true story, Marquez eloquently critiques the collective psychology of the small Columbian coastal towns residents, whose response to the murder is portrayed through a powerfully orchestrated framework of poetic beauty and literary phenomenon that preserves a chapter of history in a portrait of the 1950s community. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Marquezs work and hope my enthusiasm was conveyed to the group. Discussion focussed on how contextual factors shaped the novella. Plagued by corruption stemming from Catholicism, full appreciation of Marquezs work is dependent upon understanding of religious contexts. Ironically, blatant disregard for religious scriptures implies a superficial nature to religious devotion. I communicated how, despite claiming to be devout Catholics, the neighbourhood undermine religious attitudes by lying to avoid culpability and killing to preserve honour. The insightfully articulated point explaining how forgiveness is the main teaching in Catholicism reinforced how religion cant be used to justify honour killings since they are contradictory to Biblical teachings. We concluded that religion was being used to veil corrupt traditions and anachronistic sentiments. Marquez criticises male obligation to defend family honour. Reminiscent of a motto, there is conviction in the expression honour doesnt wait. Although women are objectified throughout, Angelas accusation that Santiago was her perpetrator remains unquestioned, perhaps because, where preservation of honour is concerned, the sentiment supersedes the action itself. Someone said that possibility of the victims innocence was irrelevant; Santiagos life compensated for the shame brought on the family. The ambiguity of biblical teachings invites misinterpretation. Wiping dirt off his guts, ironically Santiago is the only one with honour. Someone thought cultural differences made relating to characters difficult, reducing overall reading pleasure; I argued, however, time has enriched the story. Influenced by changing attitudes; when the narrator returns 27 years later to piece together the events of the murder, details are confused, suggesting that the townsfolk have altered their memories to absolve themselves of guilt and shared responsibility. Magical realism is a recurring motif. Implications of shared responsibility are shown through the enchanting way everything smells of Santiago Nasar; suggestive of the guilt that haunts the community. Poignant fantastical imagery confuses the distinction between reality and fiction and, like the investigation that inspired his work, there are many unanswered questions. 395 words Aspect: How does narrative perspective influence the readers understanding of the events? Title: Why does Marquez allow the selection of evidence to be influenced by a subjective narrator and to what extent does this complicate the readers investigation into the question who or what is responsible for the death of Santiago Nasar? Translated from the 1981 Spanish text, Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a tale embossed with irony and riddled with mystery. Inspired by a real event, Marquez critiques the collective psychology of the towns residents and their response to a cold-blooded murder. The distinction between fact and fiction is blurred by discrepancies presented within a complex narrative framework as our unnamed narrator investigates the murder. Although the journalistic style is convincing, like everything in this novel, the various accounts are not as they seem. Compounded by the absence of potentially enlightening documents, the investigation presents nothing more than a subjective compilation of inconsistencies. As the narrator rummages through a lagoon of lost causes (100) attempting to recover partial records from the original investigation, we too must piece together an impossible puzzle of narrative ambiguities. No more reliable than the members of the community desperately trying to evade respons ibility, our detective narrator filters and manipulates the evidence, imparting a fragmented report plagued with unsolved mysteries. Thus, when approaching the underlying question who or what is responsible for the death of Santiago Nasar consideration of narrative perspective is essential to see through the misleading facade worn by the community. Narrative subjectivity is shrouded by a deceptive journalistic style. His unique position as a member of the community has decisive influence on the investigation proceedings, making it difficult to establish a trusting relationship with the narrator. We learn of neither his character nor his motivations for trying after so many years to disinter the horrific events, although hopes to unearth a forgotten secret that could restore coherence to the investigation are frequently implied. Despite his meticulous research, our narrator is unable to provide any persuasive evidence; merely a subjective compilation of contradictory accounts, procured largely from sources confounded with bias. Whats more, the traditions and cultural values of the community have had subtle influences on the narrators work. Expressing an intrinsic belief in his mothers ability she had a well-earned reputation as an accurate interpreter of other peoples dreams'(2), the narrator places great value on mythical allus ions; the hyphenated adjective well-earned implying a level of respect and perhaps even admiration for her ability. Although our narrators roots and his relationships with the central protagonists add a new dimension to the investigation, ultimately, like the smell of Santiago Nasar in the memories of the characters, uncertainty lingers in the mind of the reader as a consequence of his subjectivity. One of the major challenges the narrator encounters is the limited availability of evidence; failure to procure key details left many questions unanswered during the original investigation and continues to riddle the chronicle for readers today. Responsible for the selection of evidence, the narrator controls what information is available to the reader; it is plausible that certain details remain undisclosed to protect his integrity. This is compounded by the fact only some 322 from the more than 500 (100) pages of an already deficient collection of documents were rescued by the narrator, implying the absence of details perhaps critical to the understanding of existing evidence and success of the investigation. In compensation for the lack of original evidence he interviews members of the community, but even these accounts are nebulous. Angelas mother, for example, refuses to speak of past events she went to her grave with her secret (46); her memories may have been critical in advan cing the investigation, hence the denied information incites unwelcome feelings of missed opportunity. Such feelings of despair are reflected in this poignant image that reinforces how the secrets are concealed and out of reach, with a metaphorical evocation that the truth is inaccessible. One can only imagine a grave to be a lonely place for a secret; buried deep in the ground and in total darkness, if light represents truth and understanding, this image may be symbolic of the unknown. There is also a suggestion that the community doesnt want the truth exposed as it would mean accepting a degree of culpability. More so than the reservations of key characters, it is the impossibility of retrieving certain memories that troubles the narrator. Officer Leandro Pornoy died the following year, gored in the jugular vein by a bull (53) before the narrator had the opportunity to talk to him. Here the graphic imagery is shocking and resembles something of a newspaper headline. Moreover, incl usion of gory details is consistent with the honest reporting style that veils the narrators subjectivity. Thus, the limited availability of information serves to divert the readers already gruelling journey in search of the truth; our confusion parallels that of our narrator. Used throughout the chronicle as a motif to reflect the emotional position of its characters, the weather is a topic of inconsistency, casting an element of mystery over the novel which is never explicitly addressed. Throughout, Marquez uses pathetic fallacy to convey characters attitudes. Victoria Guzman openly expressed an ardent dislike for Santiago Nasar and her lack of remorse for failing to prevent his murder is metaphorically implied in her statement, claiming It hadnt rained that day, or during the whole month of February (7); her conscience as clear as the sky in her testimony, she will continue to stand by her judgement. Reported to have been a radiant morning with a sea breeze coming in through the banana groves (2), similar values are shared by other members of the community. The positive connotations associated with this image of pastoral harmony suggest a relatively content state of mind and lack of concern. Conversely, the narrator may have been motivated by a desire t o absolve himself from the guilt haunting his conscience. Uncovering the truth would give the investigation a sense of closure, allowing Santiagos memory be left to rest in peace. Where light represents truth and knowledge, it seems apposite that the weather was funereal, with a cloudy, low sky (2). Blocking the sun in the same way answers have been concealed for 27 years, the clouds carry therefore symbolic importance. Hence, provided that questions remain unanswered, the narrator will never truly be able to rid himself of the guilt; perhaps Marquez is presenting a subtle criticism of societys values in that murder should never be justified or accepted on the grounds of honour or personal aversion. The chronicle doesnt follow the typical narrative structure. Instead, intrinsic of the investigation itself, the reader first learns of the murder in the opening sentence before journeying alongside the narrator in an attempt to discover the truth behind the tragedy; the reconstructed past fragmented as proceedings are recounted from various perspectives. Metaphorically, each shard of the broken mirror of memory (5) is a fragment of the truth that only when united can reveal the underlying truth. Meticulous investigation presents a limited picture; like a mirror, the closer the narrator scrutinises individual testimonies and solitary evidence, the more his desired answers elude him and multiple inconsistencies reveal a level of subjectivity. The narrator advocates the conviction of a foretold death because none of us could go on living without an exact knowledge of the place and mission assigned to us by fate. (97), hoping like the rest of the community, to detach himself from the si tuation, alleviating the burden of personal responsibility. The extent to which the death of Santiago Nasar can be attributed to fate, is, however, largely ambiguous. It is Marquezs use of magical realism that alludes to the number of obscure coincidences for which the only logical explanation is fate, sending the reader into a blurred conceptual zone somewhere between fact and fiction. Thus, subjectivity of our unnamed narrator in Chronicle of a Death Foretold can be seen to compromise the credibility of the narrative. The selection of already limited evidence, influenced by the narrators obligation to protect his community, further complicates the underlying investigation into the question: who or what is responsible for the death of Santiago Nasar? His motivation may have been to answer this question; however, it is difficult to identify a single offender given that the entire community is culpable to some degree. Many of the characters insist that fate is responsible for Santiagos death the narrator included, but this is merely a facade, burying the shame that would inevitably be cast upon them should they reveal the truth of how they tolerated such a brutal murder. Ultimately there is not one culprit, nor was the death of Santiago Nasar down to fate, rather it is the anachronistic traditions of the Roman Catholic community that should be criticised. Following social progression, it is difficult for the ashamed community to dwell on events of the past as no justification seems logical or indeed adequate to defend such an unthinkable murder. The collective group overshadowed and plagued the thoughts of the individual; but clearly what is popular is not always moral. His role is not to expose the truth; as a member of that community, inability to accept responsibility will prevent the narrator from ever solving the mystery surrounding the death of Santiago Nasar. Ultimately, Marquez uses the narrator as a device to question the unreliability of the communitys collective voice. (1467 Words)

Spiritual Healing :: essays research papers fc

An Exploration of Spiritual Healing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout time, mankind has constantly been seeking ways to maintain their health and to cure those that had not been so fortunate in that task. Just about everything has been experimented with as a cure for some type of illness; whether physical or mental. There is also a third type of illness that can and is addressed, which is healing on the spiritual plan. According to research, most of the spiritual healers are concentrated in primitive societies and undeveloped areas of the world. However, there are still undertones of reliance on spiritual healing in modern medicine today and there are some in civilized, well developed parts of the world that have rejected modern medicine all together and adopted alternative healing methods. Even a person who does not believe in a higher being actually takes part in this type cure simply by allowing the chemical medicines in his/her body to mend what is wrong. No matter what class of society a person is in, no matter how a dvanced that particular country is, there will always be traces of spiritual healing if not all-out practicing of it; and it is and will continue to be a significant part of any healing process, large or small.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are numerous names for spiritual healers, but for simplicity’s sake and the fact that the concentration is on American Indian Medicine, all spiritual healers will be lumped together as ‘Shaman’ unless otherwise specified. This does not mean that all healers will hold the same beliefs, or that a particular belief is not even held by a group known as Shamans, but rather a different type of healer. The grouping is just so that a detailed and confusing explaination of all the subsections of healers. If necessary, there will be specifications. Again , for clarification, definitions are provided to clear up any confusion. A Shaman is a person anchored securely in both the physical world and the spiritual realm-- a mediator if you will(Shamanism 1). Therefore, Shamanism is a way of life revolving around interaction of the spiritual and physical worlds(Shamanism). The Shaman does not solely exist as other humans do; they lead a totally different life in conjunction with their earthly duties within their tribe. The two are not separate by any means; one has direct impact on the other, or so it is believed by those who study this form of healing.

Donald Davidsons What Metaphors Mean Essay -- Writing Literary Essays

Donald Davidson's What Metaphors Mean Our literal understandings of a word are twins in constant opposition with one another, twins in constant competition to receive the most love from their mother and father. Let us pretend the parents are the literary community that demonstrates love frequently by showing a preference for one of their twins. Donald Davidson's theory expressed in What Metaphors Mean is a tragic, intellectual miscarriage; it is a theory of language that brings forth a stillborn child, a dead metaphor. Do you see the candle there in the window? What does it mean to you, and is your understanding of its "ordinary" essence, its literal meaning, identical to mine? Davidson assumes we both clearly know and agree upon its literal meaning, that it is literally "a cylindrical mass of tallow or wax with a wick through its center, which gives light when burned." Contrarily, however, I believe our understandings of a simple word like candle often file for divorce because they cannot resist the semantic temptation of what I metaphorically call literal-meaning infidelity. Metaphorical meaning is a sex object for literal meaning, and the mind of a creative artist, a lover of humanities and poetry, is incapable of not pursing this with passion unleashed via creative language-libido. This kind of person has a mind fundamentally opposed to the Davidsonesque mind, a mind that is constantly discovering (if he reads a book of prose or poetry) and inventing (if he writes with a pen in his hand) the me taphorical connection with lust filled eyes. The above literal, dictionary definition of candle is not the first definition that enters my mind, I am afraid, and thus how can there only exist a literal "surface" meaning inside... ...rn to a state of mind that only acknowledges objective, literal meanings in words, denying language its natural tendency of allowing meanings to evolve and expand. It is imperative for us, especially all poets and writers of prose that use language to express figurative meaning, to critique this theory because it only decreases creativity and denies that artist say anything beyond the literal with their words and metaphors. Davidson's ideas violently affront to the purpose of our craft. If we become completely dependent upon objective, literal meaning and learn to reject subjective, figurative meaning in words, we will consequently become less human and more detached from the world, from our natural surroundings, from our fellow human beings, and from the spontaneous, creative voices deep in our guts that often speak of truths literal expression cannot capture.

Global Warming Essay -- Causes and Effects of Climate Change

Pollution in our world is leading to increased global warming. Global warming is a problem that if it doesn’t effect us, it will effect all future generations. Global Warming is a problem that all of us can solve, and it should be solved through the work of our community. Global Warming is caused by the Greenhouse Effect. The Greenhouse effect causes the sun’s rays to come in the earth’s atmosphere, and when it bounces back, more and more of the sun’s rays stay in the Earth, heating up the average global temperature. Greenhouse gasses cause the addition of the Greenhouse Effect. Greenhouse Gasses cause an increase in the Greenhouse Effect. Greenhouse Gasses are created whenever a fossil fuel is burned. It is not the burning of the fossil fuel, but the emissions of the gas from the burning fossil fuel that adds to the Greenhouse Effect. Greenhouse Gasses in this planet are natural, but with added amounts of Greenhouse Gasses, the Greenhouse Effect gets much stronger. There are several simple solutions, but many people don’t care about the environment enough to help stop Global Warming. One Step to stop Global Warming could be to turn off your computers when you finish with them, because computers use electricity, witch is created mostly by the burning of Fossil Fuels. Another Step to control Global Warming could be to use Public Transportation, rather than each person driving around in a car, because each less car reduces the level of oil burned. Another way to stop Global Warming could be to Recycle, because lots of garbage is burned, adding to the Greenhouse Effect. Global Warming is a serious problem, and it needs to be solved, NOW! The global warming hypothesis originated in 1896 when Svante Arrheniu... ... course of geologic time without any assistance from human activity. Says Singer, â€Å"The human component [in recent global warming] is thought to be quite small. . . . The climate cooled between 1940 and 1975, just as industrial activity grew rapidly after WWII. It has been difficult to reconcile this cooling with the observed increases in greenhouse gases.† Singer also argues that temperature observations since 1979 are in dispute: Surface readings with thermometers show a rise of about 0.1 degree C per decade, while data from satellites and balloon-borne radiosondes [miniature transmitters] show no warming—with possible indications of a slight cooling—in the lower atmosphere between 1979 and 1997. Until the science behind the global warming theory is more settled, Singer and other skeptical scientists advocate placing no limits on the consumption of fossil fuels.

Louis Armstrong Became One of the Most Influential & Musicians

When you think of Louis Armstrong you probably think of a jolly middle-aged man who can play the cornet like no one else, a man who had it all, a man who had the good life. Well, Louis was not always that lucky. From childhood to his adulthood, Louis Armstrong changed much as a person and a musician. He worked very hard to become what he became and did not let anything get in the way of becoming a musician. In this paper, you will read about how Louis Armstrong became one of the most influential Louis Armstrong†s childhood was not of the normal childhoods most of us have had. He had a very hard and painful childhood. He was treated very harshly by his family and the people around him. His mother did not even care enough to keep his birth certificate. That is why no one is really sure of Louis†s birthdate ,but people believe he was born around 1898, in New Orleans. Around Louis†s time of birth, many blacks were confined to live in the slums. The slums were in a way like ghettos. They were very poor, dirty areas where people who hadn†t much money would live. In the slums, there was much violence, drug circulation and prostitution. The only people that made any money in the slums were either the hustlers or the musicians. Considering Louis was not related to anyone of that status he and his family had very little money. That left Louis with no possessions whatsoever. He hadn†t any toys to play with, he didn†t even have a simple stick just to keep him occupied. His clothes were at the lowest of the low class. He was confined to wearing a dress as a younger child until he was a little older, then he had hand me down shirts and shorts to wear. His choice of foods was limited to rice and beans. His family did not make enough money to get better food than that. His family did not have enough of anything to keep him happy. He felt like nobody loved him. When he was born his father left his mother and him to start another life with another family. His mother always was out leaving Louis to fend for himself. But before Louis had lived with his mother he lived with his grandmother. His grandma took the best care of him out of anybody in his family. She always made sure that Louis was fed and that he was not alone. She was the only person that really loved him. She would always take him to church on Sundays which gave Louis his first singing experience. Louis loved his grandmother but, after seven years of living with her he moved 18 blocks away to live with his mother When he went to her house he found out that he had a new sister named Beatrice. She was nicknamed Mama Lucy. His mother would always be working long hours and drink in bars all night. That left Louis to take care of Mama Lucy and himself. Louis was luck enough to get work from a young white boy who helped him sell papers for pennies. He also sang in a street choir with some of his friends. As he got into his teen years he took up crapshooting. All of these odd jobs brought in enough money to feed Mama Lucy and himself. When working was not getting him anywhere he could always find a careless r drunk person stumbling in the streets who would drop his/her money. Also, when nothing was working at all he would occasionally steal some food from the local grocery stores. But still being just a boy he was not satisfied with the title of being the bearer of food for his family. He wanted to be and do so many things. He idolized hustlers and their easy lives. With a life like one of theirs, Louis could do more things with his life and still support his family. Also, Louis was starting to notice music. He always would admire the marching bands that would come booming down the streets and the blues that would ome blasting out of all the bars and â€Å"honky tonks†. Louis just wanted to be something more than he was. He was more into being a musician than being a hustler. That†s what he really wanted. So, on New Years Eve there was a big celebration. One kid picked up a gun with blanks and shot it at Louis. Louis then did the same to the kid but was caught in the act. Louis was put on a small trial in which the judge decided something that would start Louis off on his music career. Louis was sent to the Colored Waif†s Home for poor black boys which he spent most of his childhood. The home was run under military lines. A bugler would use his bugle to wake up the boys, tell them when it was time to eat, and send them to bed. Also, the boys would do intensive drills with fake guns. There were many chores that each boy had to do as well to learn responsibility. At first the home was very new to him. He was homesick for quite some time. After a while though, people started to enjoy Louis†s company and that made him feel more welcome. Once Louis got settled in, he noticed something that changed his life drastically. He found out that there was a band at the home. It was sort of a school band. They played some old tunes that had some blues influence to them. Louis liked this band a lot. He liked it so much that he would sit down at every band practice in hope that the band teacher ,Mr. Davis, would notice him and ask his to join the band. Finally a man that worked at the home named Captain Jones (he was called that because of the military ranking influence) got Louis involved with music. A woman named Mrs. Spriggins would come to the home now and then to conduct a boy†s choir. Jones put Louis in the choir. He did so well that at the next practice as Louis sat and watched that band, Mr. Davis walked ver and asked Louis to join the choir. Of course he said yes and was from then on a musician no matter how bad he was. Davis started Louis on the tambourine. Louis†s joy turned a little sour when he was presented with the instrument but, he knew that it was a custom among the New Orlean†s African Americans to start out with rhythm instruments such as the tambourine or the drums. It gets the musicians a feel for the beat they are to be playing so when they graduate to a more complicated instrument they will be able to keep an accurate beat throughout the whole song. So Louis swallowed his disappointment and layed his tambourine as best as possible. It was simple for Louis. he had been growing up listening to ragtime marches so keeping beat was natural to him. Not long after he started the tambourine Davis realized that Louis was ready to move a level up to the base drum. Louis played that with ease. He played it so well that not long after that he was moved up to mellophone or what we would today call an alto horn. This was an important switch for Louis. The alto horn is very much like the cornet he played later in his life. Now Louis was in a spot. Like most of the boys in the band he could not read music. This is where singing in the street choir comes in to play. Louis was able to work out the notes by just hearing them. Once he found the notes on the horn, it was easy to play. He was so good that he was moved up to the bugler. The bugle was much different. It helped him form notes by forming his lips around the mouthpiece a special way and using his tongue as well then by blowing into the bugle would create different notes. Soon Louis was moved to the cornet and became the head of the band. Louis was admired by the rest of the band not just for the music he played but for his humor as well. In the book the author writes that Davis † I remember Louis used to walk funny with his feet and at the first note of music he†d break into comedy dances. He could sing real well as a boy, too, even though his voice was coarse. I†d play the horn and he†d dance, and when I†d put my horn down he†d pick it up and start playing it. â€Å"(Collier, Page 32) One day as the band was marching in the streets ,with Louis leading, they headed down Louis†s old street. As Louis was playing some of the best music he had ever played at that time in his life all the people that knew him would point out their Little Louis. Louis felt o amazingly good. he was a musician, that was all he ever wanted to be. Louis was now around 16 years old. he had been living at the home for quite a few years. Sometimes his mother ,Mayann, would visit him. But one day Louis got a surpassing visit from someone he has not heard from since he was born. His own father, Willie Armstrong. Louis was curious why his father had come to see him. Willie wanted him out of the home. But why? Louis was pondering that thought for some time and came to the conclusion that Willie wanted him to babysit his two sons because Willie and his wife had to work to provide for their family. Louis did it anyway as soon as his father convinced the judge to set him free. Louis did a lot of work caring for the kids. He did it until finally, Willie†s wife was again pregnant. That left Willie no choice but to send Louis back to his mother. Mayann and Mama Lucy were glad to see him all grown up. Once Louis was back, it was back to the same old thing. But this time Louis had a new plan. He was going to become the musician he always wanted to be. Louis tried to become a big musician in the area of New Orleans he lived in. He wanted to be a person that people would always mention when they talked about music. To do that he tried to befriend some bigger musicians that could help him get gigs. So Louis would go to some of the â€Å"honk tonks† and listen to some music and get himself a 5 cent beer. He hung around there so much that he ended up meeting a drummer/hustler named Benny Williams. Benny would be conversing with another musician and Louis would stand there and wait to be noticed. When Benny finally did so they talked for a while. Finally Benny noticed this short teenager was hanging around him quite a lot. He liked this kid. So Benny Williams adopted Louis as one of his very good friends. Benny as a tough guy who no one messed with and when people found out he was watching out for Louis, nobody messed around with him. Louis was on easy street. Benny helped Louis become a better musician by letting Louis sit for Benny and play with the other musicians though he was not yet good enough. As Louis would sit in and play with the musicians he would get increasingly better. He was getting good enough to play in the â€Å"honky tonks†, and so he did. A while after Louis†s becoming a real musician, Benny was shot by his girlfriend. Louis would brag how Benny still lived a week with that old bullet n his heart, but that just is not possible. Louis was very sad but he got over it shortly. After the incident with Benny, Louis started being noticed musically. But Louis knew that he needed his own cornet by now. He could become even better if he could practice by himself more often. Louis has been borrowing other musicians instruments to play but he can†t take them home with him. So one day Louis met up with that white boy that had helped him sell papers as a child. This boy said that he would sell him a cornet for ten dollars. Louis bought the beat up old thing but made it play beautifully. After Louis ad acquired his own instrument, he was used as a substitute for other cornet players. But when Louis substituted for these musicians he really showed them up. He played so well that the manager finally told him that he was good enough to be a regular player which meant he could be a star attraction. The manager of the club arranged him to play in a band with a drummer named Garbee, and a pianist named Boogus. While Louis was playing in the band he started to get attached to another big musician. he was very well known throughout New Orleans. His name is Joe â€Å"King† Oliver. Oliver was the best cornetist in New Orleans. Louis got to know Oliver and his wife. Oliver would help Louis with cornet and Louis would often sit in for Oliver. Sometimes Oliver†s wife would invite Louis over to eat dinner with them. Finally Oliver got Louis on the right track. He recommended Louis to Kid Ory the best trombonist in New Orleans. Kid let Louis into his band. Louis did very well and Kid liked him a lot. Louis was proud to be in the best Jazz band in New Orleans. The band mostly played dances. As Louis played in a band he also worked on a coal cart to earn more money. By doing those jobs he was earning a higher income and could afford more food. So with the steady income and the great band Louis was pretty satisfied with himself. But one day the band had to break up. Kid†s doctor told him to move to dryer climates because of coughing spells. So Kid moved to Los Angeles, California. Louis just played parades and had some non-serious bands with his musician friends while Ory was gone. One dat Ory wrote to Louis asking him to move to L. A. with him. Considering Louis was scared of moving away from an area he already knows he said no. Louis then made himself even a better musician. Louis was asked by a man named Fate Marable to join a band on the Streckfus Line riverboat. Streckfus people were very strict with how they wanted the music to be played. The wanted perfect timing and a very clear sound. Louis was very worried because he could not read music. Luckily, two musicians named Joe Howard and David Jones helped Louis with his music reading abilities. Considering Louis did not play all year 'round, Marable asked him to and he said yes because he was now ready. When Louis played many enjoyed listening to him. One time a man named Fletcher Henderson asked him to tour with him. Louis would only say yes if they would take along his friend Arthur Singleton ,Zutty, a good drummer. They said that they could so Louis said the same and they went their separate ways for the time being. Finally Louis heard from Oliver. He was in Chicago and wanted Louis to come down a play in his band. Louis was ready to do so. He knew Oliver and felt comfortable around him so he did not feel alone. When Louis moved to Chicago, Oliver introduced him to a woman pianist named Lilian Hardin. At first she did not like Louis. She felt that he was a hick in a way because of his ratty old clothes and how he did not speak as proper as she did. But after a while she got to like Louis. They started dating a lot. Then on February 5, 1924 they were wed. Lil loved Louis very much and wanted only the best for him. She though ,and so did many other musicians, that Louis was too good for the band and should start his own. Louis did not want to do that because after all, Oliver had done so much for him. But it happened anyway. The band started to fall apart because not only of Oliver†s bossiness but also he was holding each of the member†s pay secretly so they all turned on him and just quit. After that was over Louis joined and band with band leader Ollie Powers. That and was moving slowly but the pace for Louis was just about to pick up. Fletcher Henderson ,who asked him to tour with him when he was playing on the riverboats, wrote him to come to New York. He wanted him to be in his Jazz orchestra. Louis said yes. While Louis was there he amazed them with his talents. He was and influence to many of them. One man would dress like him, talk like him and follow him around everywhere. He was now being considered the new king of Jazz. Louis was now asking Henderson if he could sing as well. Henderson was hesitant about it and would let him sing but not while hey record records. Louis then got a letter from Lil and she wanted him to come back to Chicago because she had arranged a band for him to lead. Louis thought it over and in October of 1925, Louis moved back to Chicago. His new band was great. Louis recorded with his band ,The Hot Fives, at OKeh records. Those were some of the most important records he ever made. Louis would also sing and entertain at the Sunset Theater on the side. And later ,after some changes in the line up, the final group of Hot Fives were without many of the originals such as Lil on the piano. You could now tell that their arriage was now in trouble because of that. By 1928 they divorced and Louis got Earl Hines to replace her on the piano. The problem with Jazz then was that it was closing down in Chicago so Louis moved to Manhattan in 1929. Now Louis was the best. Louis was now famous. He was the best cornetist in the world. He received an engraved watch that said so. But being famous was not all rewards. His introduction to the world of commercial music was very tough. There followed six years of desperate over work, nagging personal problems, appalling management and conflicts with Chicago nd New York gangs. Also, Louis was arrested and suspended for smoking pot, then he went right back to doing it. Another problem was still with Lil and the final relationship, but it all turned out that Lil and Louis stayed good friends. He also had a problem with dated all the way back to the Waif†s Home. He has been using the wrong part of his lip to play cornet. It has been getting callused and that limited his playing abilities. It even got worse when in 1931, Louis made a mistake in hiring a failed mobster with a drinking problem ,named Johnny Collins, as management. Collins saw Louis as a meal ticket. Collins cheated Louis out of a lot of money and as a result of Collins† gangland connections, Louis†s lucrative secrets became the subject of gang rivalry. But besides the gangs and personal problems, Louis was still trying to entertain the crowd. So Louis entered the movie business around the 1930†³s. He was seen dressed in a leopard†s skin in Rhapsody in Blue and was a band conductor in a later film known as Hello Dolly. Also, in a Betty Boop cartoon, Louis is seen conversing with Betty and then serenading her. He career in t he movie business was rapidly growing. Louis was starting to enter the final phases of his career. First of all, he was remarried to a girl named Alpha Smith. Alpha was very worried of what happened to Louis and Lil would happen to her, but it seemed to have not. But that was not the biggest issue going on in Louis†s life. The biggest started off in a 1946 movie called New Orleans. The movie had quite a line up of wonderful Jazz musicians. There was Kid Ory on trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Zutty Singleton on drums, and the young Red Callendar on bass. This movie branched off a new band led by Louis called The All Stars. The All Stars were some of the guys from the movie and some old Hot Fives colleagues such as Earl Hines on Piano. Traditional Jazz was back in business for quite some time. This band was the most well known band of all that Louis was in. They had a succession of hits, but the most well known would have to be Blueberry Hill. Now Louis was finally up to the peak of his career. In 1952 he was voted the most important musical figure of all time in Downbeat Magazine. Louis was also starting to speak his mind. Louis†s fame made him more confident to speak out against one of his biggest problems. Louis was standing up against racism. Louis was protesting on Eisenhower†s policy on race as gutless. This angered many blacks who thought Louis should have stood up much earlier. Now Louis was trying to stay on top. Armstrong†s corncerts started to settle into a steady, routine of love songs and old favorites. Louis†s final phase of his career was getting nearer as the days passed. His health problems were getting worse as he ignored them which foreshadowed his final days on earth. He tried to ignore his heart problem for ten years. He was forced to acknowledge his precariousness f health when he had woke up one morning to discover that he had swollen up so much that he could not get his shoes on. Soon after that Louis was ordered to stay at the Beth Israel Hospital under doctor†s orders. After his final concert he returned there for the last time. He was planning another concert when he died July 6, 1971. Louis†s death was deeply saddening for everyone, but especially Lil. She conducted the band at his funeral in his memory. A memorial service followed which President Nixon attended and spoke at. That was the sad ending of Louis Armstrong. To conclude my paper I would like to highlight Louis†s life. He was just a poor child from New Orleans. He had very little education. He had to take care of his sister and himself 90% of the day until he was and adult. He had to work twice as hard as most people have to worked to get where he got to. He was just a simple man who from the beginning just wanted to play music. But he got so much more than just that and was able to fulfil his life to the fullest. Louis Armstrong will always be remembered as a wonderful man with a passion for playing the cornet beautifully. At least we have his music, movies and television appearances which keep him a live to this very day.