Educating Children With Learning Disabilities - 1612 Words

Educating Children with Learning Disabilities Research Compiled for Termpapermasters.com, Inc. by M. Hall 8/2009 Introduction Educators and parents sometimes have very different views on the education of their children and the best approaches to classroom process. Educational initiatives since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has led to increasing focus on providing parents with adequate data for decision-making and promoting positive parent/teacher interactions. For children with learning disabilities, the team approach based on interactions between parents and teachers is one of the most effective in addressing student needs. Interview â€Å"Jane† is a 48 year-old special education teacher working primarily in the resource room. She has been working in special education for 25 years and stated that she has watched her role in special education change over the years. Specifically, Jane stated that the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act has defined a specific change in how she interacts with other educators and with family members. Jane stated that when she began working in Special Education in the 1980s, parents rarely felt the need to intervene. She could enter a Pupil Evaluation Team (PET) meeting, present her information about the needs of a student, have them sign off on the student’s individual education program (IEP) plan and never hear from them again until they appeared for the next PET meeting. Increasingly, though,Show MoreRelatedEducating Children With Learning Disabilities And Needs1207 Words   |  5 Pagesknowledge, skill, and disposition to address the needs o f young children. Teachers asses children because it provides them needed information to help children with learning disabilities and needs. Assessment also gives teachers a more guided approach to teaching that is fitted to each child individually. The purpose of assessing young children is not merely to learn about children, but uncover and plan for their individual learning styles, behaviors, weaknesses, skills, and personalities. Teacher’sRead MoreMainstreaming Of Children With Disabilities1286 Words   |  6 PagesMainstreaming of Children with Disabilities One of the most important factors in a well, social functioning child with a disability is education. Proper education will offer a child the opportunity to be successful on a higher level than a child without an education. When a child enters the school system they are entering in an environment that is unfamiliar and challenging. Children with physical disabilities and lack of full cognitive reasoning, sense their differences around other children. AccordingRead MoreEducating Special Needs Students Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesEDUCATING SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS Educating Special Needs Students Katy J. Kaldenberg Grand Canyon University: SPE-226 Educating the Exceptional Learner Wednesday, December 14, 2011 Educating Special Needs Students It can be a difficult task to teach the typical child who has the ability to grasp concepts effectively. The task of teaching children with disabilities can be even more challenging. One of the most challenging tasks that a teacher today may have to preform is effectivelyRead MoreHistory of Special Education1539 Words   |  7 Pages526 ABSTRACT Individuals with disabilities have the same passion, drive, determination and ambitions of traditional students. Students living with disabilities are just as capable of learning and retaining information just like traditional students in the classroom. In today’s society, there are an abundance of laws and regulations that are in place to protect and educate individuals with disabilities. However, the idea of educating individuals with disabilities was not always a positive and fairRead MoreEffective Methods For Accommodating Students With Disabilities Essay1479 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Question: What are effective methods for accommodating students’ with disabilities in inclusive settings in elementary schools? Preface The right to equal education should be in reach of all students’ regardless of their educational needs and backgrounds. The barriers that students’ with disabilities face are evident in today’s public school education. We as educators sometimes ignore the capabilities of some of our disabled students’ and impede them from achieving their fullest potentialRead MoreEquality Diversity Inclusion1538 Words   |  7 Pagesbeing a part of what everyone is, being welcomed and embraced as a member who belongs. In other words, to make others feel included. Inclusion is supporting and educating children with learning difficulties and disabilities in classrooms with children without these problems. It allows students with learning difficulties and disabilities to be educated in age-appropriate classes in their home schools along with their friends and neighbours. Whilst receiving specially designed instruction and supportRead MoreEducating The Mind Without Educating Our Heart Is No Education At All1507 Words   |  7 Pages‘Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.’(Aristotle). This quote stood out to me as I feel it is absolutely crucial in order to learn; this quote also supports Maslow’s Hierarchy as it suggests there is more to learning then having a pedagogy. My first theme for my learning journal will be to demonstrate an appreciation to the lifelong learning; in order to do this is will reflect on my own personal learning journey and to discuss different types of learning. The sec ondRead MoreReflection on Learning Disabilities723 Words   |  3 PagesLearning Disabilities I believe that of the millions of young children who are diagnosed with a learning disability, only a few receive the full scope of assistance that they need in order to grow and succeed. Despite the advances our society has made when it comes to special education and offering resources to special needs children, I still believe that society is falling short of operating at its greatest potential to aid those with learning disabilities. I also feel that our culture devaluesRead More Learning Disabilities: ADHD Essay1709 Words   |  7 PagesLearning Disabilities: ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that can affect any person’s behavior and way of life. In their book, Special Education, J.Ysseldyke and B. Algozzine state that no area has experienced as much growth as learning disabilities. It is by far the largest of all special education categories. Enormous changes in the last century have changed the way society treats children with disabilities. Psychologist William Lee Heward affirms that in theRead MoreEssay about Special Needs Education999 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the most controversial issues facing educators today is the topic of educating students with disabilities, specifically through the concept of inclusion. Inclusion is defined as having every student be a part of the classroom all working together no matter if the child has a learning disability or not (Farmer) (Inclusion: Where We’ve Been.., 2005, para. 5). The mentally retarded population has both a low IQ and the inability to perf orm everyday functions. Activities such as eating, dressing

Mauryan/Gupta India vs. Imperial Rome Methods of Political...

Compare/Contrast Essay: Mauryan/Gupta India and Imperial Rome methods of political control Gupta India (320 B.C.E-550 C.E.) and Imperial Rome (31 B.C.E.-476 C.E.) both had very distinctive methods of political control based on everything from cultural reasons to geographic limitations. Many factors were present affecting the similarities and differences between the two. To begin, unity was difficult in India due to its geography which created a separation of sorts. However, it did make it more open to outside influences such as the Aryans and Alexander the Great of Macedon. Rome, on the other hand, was more or less easily unified geographically, as it was covered with gently rolling hills rather than mountain ranges and†¦show more content†¦Despite this, India had a very rigid structure. The caste system was everything in India. It was above even the state or the ruler, with the Brahmins or priestly class above all, even the warrior caste. The Roman Empire flourished f or many reasons. It welcomed local customs and religions, had a strong military, and they were the greatest road builders of the ancient world allowing trade to flourish. Roman law was fair to all with just regulations and rules, and conquered people were offered Roman citizenship. Both India and Rome developed successful and rich civilizations/empires. The aristocrats were the elites in Rome. The high power due to the caste system was given to the priests in India; showing that India’s culture was more religiously based than that of the Romans. The caste system in India made social mobility near impossible. It was relatively easily to move through the ranks in Rome through things like wealth, birth, marriage, political power, or of course military bravery as the Romans were of great military power. While merchants gained respect in India, manual labor was a more acceptable life-style in Rome socially speaking. A big key difference is that in India the Hindu religio n kept society in order, while Rome relied more on its fairly organized legal system and the acceptableness of community beliefs as a bases of order. India’s social structure would survive through the 20th century but

Child Development Amazing Power Of Baby Love And Essay Example For Students

Child Development: Amazing Power Of Baby Love And Essay A Year To Cheer The articles The Amazing Power of Baby Love and A Year to Cheer (written by Dr. Stanley Greenspan and Emily Abedon, respectively) advocate intense coexistence between the child and the caregiver. These articles (taken from parenting magazine) are, in essence, guidelines to be used by the parents or caregiver to ensure proper development of their child up to the second year. The article also educates the reader that every child develops at their own pace, and there is no exact time table that one can easily look at to see how well their child is doing. Either way the two articles overly support deep mutual interaction between both the child and the caregiver. Stanley Greenspans The Amazing Power of Baby Love teaches that simple gestures and interactions help babies develop intelligence, language and character. It states that at 2 to 4 months (notice the allowance of time Greenspan gives) the child becomes more involved with the caregiver. Notice the correlation between the authors statement and Ainsworths Stages of Attachment (p463-465): Birth through 2 months- indiscriminate social responsiveness- at first, babies do not focus their attention exclusively on their mothers and will at times respond positively to anyone. 2 months through 7 months- discriminate social response- During the second phase, infants become more interested in the caregiver and the other familiar people and direct their social responses to them. From birth to approximately 2 months the infants is does not really who cares who handles them. Afterwards, from 2 through seven months the child develops into the next stage. Once the child is in the second stage of Ainsworths theory Greenspan insinuates that the child is intelligent enough to distinguish differences between people: your child seems to be more intensely involved with you. She may look longingly into your eyesor wiggle in anticipation when she hears you approaching. By 5 months the child the child should have their own ways of expressing affection: -Responding to facial expressions -Initiating interactions -Making sounds or moving in rhythm with motions of your own -Relaxing when being held -Cooing when attention is given -Looking at face as if studying it -Looking uneasy/ sad when you move away The last in the list above relate to stage three of Ainsworths stage theory, focused attachment. The child suffers from separation anxiety, or fear that the caregiver will leave and never return. This action can relate to Piagets thoughts of object permanence, because the child fears or believes that once an object is out of sight it is gone for good. By definition: Object Permanence- The knowledge that objects have a permanent existence that is independent of our perceptual contact with them. In Piagets theory object permanence is a major achievement of the sensorimotor period. Greenspan then begins to talk about the beginning of communication. He states that children really do have a comprehension of language before they say their first words. Gestures instead take place of verbal communication. At first gestures are purposeful for requests and referential communication, later for functioning as symbols to label objects, events and characteristics. When the caregiver responds to the child the following interaction supposedly helps boost the childs self esteem. More importantly, the child learns about others moods, and in turn learn the ability to react to them. By responding to a baby they learn that their actions have an observable impact on their environment. Two-way conversations also make the child more empathetic. Once they see that they have an impact on the caregiver they see that person as an individual, some one separate from themselves. In the end Greenspan emphasizes again that children develop at their own pace. On top of that, they have their own response to a stimulus. Just because the react a way that a caregiver was expecting does not necessarily mean that there is anything wrong. When interacting with a child one should study how the child reacts, and then do what the child seemed to enjoy to bring the most pleasure, that should not be too obvious. Finally Greenspan suggests the following: -Talk in babble, using high to low pitches -Use a variety of faces while babbling -Massage the baby, telling them what your doing -Move the babies arms and legs while talking and looking at them -Do not exhaust the baby, stop when signs of fatigue/overstimulation arise Emily Abedons A Year to Cheer discusses the development of a child from 12 through 24 months. .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 , .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .postImageUrl , .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 , .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43:hover , .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43:visited , .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43:active { border:0!important; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43:active , .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43 .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u25d302e771de54d09e1317376b624c43:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Ediacaran Fauna Essay The most important thing again is that Abedon emphasizes children develop at .

The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay Example

The Crucible by Arthur Miller Paper Throughout the play the contrast between light and dark is a prominent feature. In the footnote at the begging of act one Miller has used the image of light There is a narrow window at the left. Through its leaded pains the morning sunlight streams. A candle still burns near the bed The room gives of an air of clean spare ness. This symbolizes that everything is alright, there are no bad things happening. Light throughout the play is used to symbolize good. As the story line continues the atmosphere and even the scenes themselves become darker and more sinister, even the weather becomes more glum and depressing. Dark is used throughout the play to symbolize bad. For example, the courtroom is always dark, there are no open windows and no candles. In some cases certain characters bring light into a scene that was dark, like John Proctor. But when he is accused of witchcraft the light that accompanies him became a lot dimmer. Dramatic devices are used constantly throughout the play. They are apparent in a key scene of the play, which we could call the yellow bird scene in Act Three. Abigail uses her strength over the girls to create an imaginary bird, which she claims is Mercys spirit trying to attack her face, of course this is not true. Proctor frantically tries to explain to Judge Danforth that this is all pretence. Lies, lies he says. This is an example of dramatic irony because we, the audience, are much more aware that Proctor at this point in the play, that it is these such lies that are going to get him hanged. We will write a custom essay sample on The Crucible by Arthur Miller specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Crucible by Arthur Miller specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Crucible by Arthur Miller specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The fact that those who lie are saved and Proctor, whose conscience finally wont allow him to lie, is hanged, is another example of dramatic irony in the sense that we already sense that being truthful in such a society is the most dangerous thing to be. Examples of dramatic tension in this scene are the manner in which Mary at first begs (pleading) Abigail to believe that she is doing nothing to harm her. This tension is highlighted by the fact that the girls echo everything that Mary says. In Marys frustration, she screams at the girls, (at the top of her lungs and raising her fists) to Stop it! . Even more dramatic tension comes later in the scene when Mary, either because she realises that she has to go along with Abigail in order to stop the accusations against her, or because she has been caught up in Abigails hysteria, reunites herself as part of the girls group and pretends to the court that Proctor has made her stand up to Abigail in order to save his wife. Ill murder you, he says, if my wife hangs! We must go and overthrow the court, he says. Mary has just caused even more drama by completely overturning the focus onto Proctor and by now transferring all the pressure onto him. Dramatic irony and tension come together to create what must be one of the most memorable scenes in the whole play, Elizabeths only lie. Religion is Elizabeths life, she believes wholeheartedly in the commandments and would not dream of breaking them for any reason. Because Proctor is aware of this, he knows he can relay on his wife to back him and prove to the court how evil Abigail is, but Proctor has confessed to the court out of anger that he has known her. The court now do not know whether they can trust John and what he has to say. In order to prove to them the real Abigail, John preaches how Elizabeth has never lied, and therefore they can get the truth from her. In her life, sir, she has never lied . Elizabeth is fetched from the jail unaware that her husband has confessed to his affair with the vain Abigail and the drama begins again with Danforth questioning Elizabeth. We, the audience and the others in the room, Proctor and Abigail, know of the confession bringing about the irony in the scene. Elizabeth is confused when she arrives, and is ordered not to look at anyone but Danforth, making her nerves and unsure of herself. Danforth states, We are given to understand that at one time you dismissed your servant, Abigail Williams Elizabeth agrees and is asked to explain why. She looks at her husband for a clue as what to say, but seems confused and unsteady why anyone would be asking her the nature of her dismissal of Abigail unless they had come into knowledge of the affair. Despite this, Elizabeth tells Judge Danforth that Abigail dissatisfied her, but Danforth is not happy with this answer and digs deeper. As he does so Elizabeth glances at Proctor for a cue but she knows what answer Danforth is looking for and whilst speaking but unknowing what to say she keeps glancing at her husband but is repeatedly shouted at saying you will look in my eyes only, not at your husband. This is creating tension because we know that whatever Elizabeth says there will be a bad outcome. As the play comes to a close, Proctor is torn between saving his life and saving his name. He feels that he has lost the battle against witchcraft. He considers his name to be the one thing he has left. I have given you my soul; leave me my name! . Proctor would rather die with his name pure and white, then live knowing that he can not live a full life. He does sign the document in which he admits to witchcraft, which makes him seem selfish, but he will not accuse others of witchcraft, I have three children how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends? , which preserves his heroic qualities, nor will he allow himself to be made into an example, You will not use me! You will not use me! It is no part of salvation that you should use me! . To himself, he is nothing but a fraud. He is consumed with self-doubt. He has nothing left but his name, it is his name and no one can ever take this from his as it is his own identity and is the only possessions he has left worth having. This is a very emotional scene, Salems witch hunt has taken everything from proctor; Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name! . The Crucible By Arthur MIller Essay Example The Crucible By Arthur MIller Paper Now, Betty, dear wake up now. Its Abigail. (She sits Betty up and furiously shakes her. ) Ill beat you Betty. This violent language is a key to how violent Abigails behaviour is. She knows what she wants and she is prepared to do whatever it takes to get it. Abigails character has many flaws, people would think passion is a good thing, and it is, but Abi is too passionate, she is willing to have innocent people killed, just to get rid of John Proctors wife, so she can be with him. Abigail Williams does not seem to be a very religious person. (This is proven in her later life. She was found in Boston later on in life, living as a prostitute. ) She is mischievous, a liar, an adulterer, and in a sense, a murderer. You get an idea of her character from the first few pages. Uncle we did dance; let you tell them I confessed it. This shows she is not concerned about the fact she was caught breaking the rules. In puritan times people were not allowed to have fun as it was seen as ungodly. The only time you could celebrate was when somebody built a new barn; they held a sort of barbeque. They have cider and dance. If there hasnt been a new barn built then puritan life was uneventful. This is why I think all of the rumours of witchcraft were started. It was just people wanting to have some fun in Salem. Little did they know what this fun was going to result in. Abigail Williams is a strong character throughout the whole play. All of the girls do what she says and they follow her every action. We will write a custom essay sample on The Crucible By Arthur MIller specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Crucible By Arthur MIller specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Crucible By Arthur MIller specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer If she accuses somebody of witchcraft the others say that person came to them in the night as well. In one scene of the play Betty tells the judge that she can see a black man whispering in one of the defendants ear. When the Judge tells the other girls, Abigail says she notices it first and she points to the man then all of the others do the same. Abigails relationship with John Proctor is very strange. She loves the man, but she is still willing to destroy everything he loves, to have him as her own. She has no regard for other peoples feelings. At the start John seems to be on good terms with her, even though he is ending it all, but at the end he hates her, the audience begin to hate Abigail as well because they sympathize with John; she has ruined his life, his wifes, his childrens, and hundreds of peoples lives who live in the village. Abigails relationship with Elizabeth Proctor is tarnished from the beginning, as you can imagine. Abigail had been previously employed in their house as a maid, but as soon as Elizabeth found out about Abigail and Procters affair, she threw her out. This makes Abigail feel that Elizabeth is unworthy of John, and takes every chance she gets to undermine her in front of her husband. She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, snivelling woman, and you bend to her! Let her turn you like a-(Page 19). She wants Proctor to leave his wife so she tries to make him think she isnt worth being with. I think that Abigail Williams is a good character to create tension because she is unpredictable. In the start she is just a teenage girl, or to be exact a young woman (although this is arguable), who wants to have a little harmless fun. By the end of it she has caused so much distress and disruption, I dont even think she could have imagined that happening. Throughout the play, even though people are being killed, she remains to tell lies, so she isnt thought badly of. I think this creates tension because up until the end you dont know if she is going to right her wrongs. So all in all I think Abigail is an interesting and unpredictable character, she is in the centre of everything.

Free Essays on Marvell Coy Mistress

At first glance, Andrew Marvel's poem "To His Coy Mistress" is a fairly typical carpe diem poem, in which the speaker tells his beloved that they should "seize the day" and have sex now instead of waiting until they are married.. Marvell, however, isn't suggesting that unbridled lust is preferable to moral or ethical restraint; sex is the subject matter, not the theme of the poem. Marvell's actual point here is that instead of dividing our lives or our values into mathematically neat but artificial categories of present and future, we should savor the unique experiences of each present moment; to convey this theme, the poet uses irregularities of rhyme, rhythm, and meter to undermine the mathematically neat but artificial patterns of the poem. This is also an extremely interesting and enticing poem about love. Love is perhaps the most clichà ©d topic of poetry, but Marvell does an excellent job of making his thoughts unique and original. The poem divides up into three main parts! , each with a slightly different tone/main idea. The emotion and passion conveyed is ambiguous, and the overall tone is closer to melancholy than joy. He praises and plans, but the overarching reminder is of the temporality of our lives. The final part of the poem represents how the author and his mistress plan to spend this fleeting time and is the most interesting philosophical presentation of the poem. The poem contains many lines, which deal with seemingly happy and hopeful ideas, but several lines placed at intervals throughout the poem crush any chance of a joyful light pervading the poem. The mood of the poem is set with the very first couplet: Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime The first line is really the key. It will set the stage for the rest of the poem, no matter what the subsequent lines have to say. Marvell quickly establishes a mood of pessimistic realization of reality. In his apostrophe he states that his m... Free Essays on Marvell Coy Mistress Free Essays on Marvell Coy Mistress At first glance, Andrew Marvel's poem "To His Coy Mistress" is a fairly typical carpe diem poem, in which the speaker tells his beloved that they should "seize the day" and have sex now instead of waiting until they are married.. Marvell, however, isn't suggesting that unbridled lust is preferable to moral or ethical restraint; sex is the subject matter, not the theme of the poem. Marvell's actual point here is that instead of dividing our lives or our values into mathematically neat but artificial categories of present and future, we should savor the unique experiences of each present moment; to convey this theme, the poet uses irregularities of rhyme, rhythm, and meter to undermine the mathematically neat but artificial patterns of the poem. This is also an extremely interesting and enticing poem about love. Love is perhaps the most clichà ©d topic of poetry, but Marvell does an excellent job of making his thoughts unique and original. The poem divides up into three main parts! , each with a slightly different tone/main idea. The emotion and passion conveyed is ambiguous, and the overall tone is closer to melancholy than joy. He praises and plans, but the overarching reminder is of the temporality of our lives. The final part of the poem represents how the author and his mistress plan to spend this fleeting time and is the most interesting philosophical presentation of the poem. The poem contains many lines, which deal with seemingly happy and hopeful ideas, but several lines placed at intervals throughout the poem crush any chance of a joyful light pervading the poem. The mood of the poem is set with the very first couplet: Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime The first line is really the key. It will set the stage for the rest of the poem, no matter what the subsequent lines have to say. Marvell quickly establishes a mood of pessimistic realization of reality. In his apostrophe he states that his m...

The Invisable Man essays

The Invisable Man essays The novel, Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison explores the issue of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness through the main character. In the novel, Invisible Man, the main character is not giving a name. In our paper we will refer to him as the Protagonist. Ellison explores how unalienable rights cannot be obtained without freedom from the obstacles in life especially from one's own fears. In the novel Invisible Man, several major characters affect the Protagonist. One of the major characters is Dr. Bledsoe, who is the president of the school. Dr. Bledsoe had a major effect on the main character, because the Protagonist idolizes him. "He was every thing that I hope to be," (Ellison 99), but the Dr. Bledsoe degrades him when we says "Why, the dumbest black bastard in the cotton patch knows that the only way to please a white man is to tell him a lie" (Emerson 137) and calls him a Nigger. In addition, the Protagonist grandfather had a major effect on him. The ! Protagonist's grandfa ther last word, "Live in the Lions mouth" (Ellison 16) has a lasting effect on him throughout most of the novel. Finally and most important, Ras the Destroyer, whom the Protagonist fears whom along with Dr. Bledsoe in a separate encountering calls him "a educated fool" (Ellison 140). The first encounter of the Protagonist own fears is introduce when his grandfather' s tells the Protagonist to go against the white man by "overcome 'em with yeses" (Emerson 16). These words haunts the Protagonist when he is kicked out getting kicked out of college. When Dr. Bledsoe kicks him out of college, the Protagonist reflects on his grandfather last words "undermine 'em with grins, agree 'em to death^"(Emerson 16). For a moment, the Protagonist wonders if his grandfather might be right. However, due to the Protagonist fear of failure, the Protagonist doubts his grandfather wise words, because he does not want to believe that his role in life is to undermine the white ma...

How Poverty Causes Crimes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How Poverty Causes Crimes - Essay Example Both theories are of great significance for designing social strategies and policies to combat crime. According to the research conducted by the United States Government Accountability Office (2007), individuals living in poverty face an increased risk of adverse outcomes such as poor health and criminal activity. American healthcare system itself can be a factor that makes people vulnerable to poverty. Among the industrial nations, U.S. is the only country that does not have a universal healthcare policy for its citizens. Although American healthcare service is believed to be the best, the dramatic increase in cost, high drug prices, fraudulent activities, healthcare abuse, and unfair coalitions have left the system extremely fragmented. For the majority of the population hospital bills have become unaffordable. According to Marilyn Elias (2009), for some families, just one added stressor is enough to push them over the edge into violence. Although hospitals are highly equipped with the advanced technology and modern facilities, majority of people do not have the access to adequate healthcare service due the escalating cost of drugs and services. To illustrate, the study proves that "as many as 195,000 people may well be dying in American hospitals each year because of avoidable medical errors, and as many as 1.5 million may well be misdiagnosed" (Coates 61-62). The recent economic recession has made the situation more complex. It has contributed to more frequent violence, more violent abuse, and more deadly abuse when the domestic violence already exists. For instance, there has recently been a 25 percent increase in felony-level domestic violence crimes in Rhode Island, and a three-fold increase in domestic violence related homicides in Massachusetts during the same period (Lauby and Else, 2008). Another argument suggests that crime is being promoted by certain social

The joy of life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The joy of life - Essay Example The characters in the painting vary from one to the other; the three characters on the foreground were painted using napels yellow-reddish extra colour. There are two obviously female characters in the middle ground, one with a reddish hair and the other a brunette they have a pale skin. On the left side of the paint, there are four characters, one with a yellow skin and the three have an emerald green skin tone. The painting is an elaborate yet brilliant use of an array of different aspects of art, and an intricate application of shadowing; this has the effect of dramatizing the characters in this piece of art. Matisse (1869-1954) is a celebrated and respected artist from Paris who initially began a career in law but eventually transited to art, where he started as an amateur artist and later studied academic painting from various artists in Paris, Australia and London. He also experimented on sculpting, using clay to create certain forms, and printmaking but his most notable contri butions are well known in the art works. Most of his paintings exhibit the character of extravagant and use of bold, bright and vibrant colors, and for this, he was known as â€Å"wild beast†. His bold usage of brilliant colours earned him a place in the list of greatest modern artist of the 20th century. His initial paintings, now mostly in St Petersburg Russia, were mostly inclined to innate subject matter, but his later work bore the inclination of impressionalism. He admired and adored several artists and these included Jean- Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, and he made copies of Chardin’s work. Henri Matisse applied several varied aspects of art in the painting ‘Joy of Life’ to put his message across. One of the most important elements that he applied is the careful use of space, which becomes very evident to the viewer at first glance. He was able to accomplish this through by the different sizes and distances between the subjects in the whole work as some o f the sizes seem entirely inconsistent generating marvelous scene to the viewer as to just how near or far the subjects are in relation to one another. The artist also applies color with creativity by using a very wide range of colors from extremely light to pastel purple with a thin outline of dark blue lines, to deep red landscape, which is in contrast with the pale yellow skin of a woman’s body to create an eye-catching impact on the viewer. Another outstanding element of Matisse’s artwork was the use of line in the whole paining of ‘Joy of Life’ to carefully outline the subjects that are lighter in tone, and to portray a general flow of the painting. The use of smooth, consistent lines in this piece conveyed the creativity of the artist, which greatly influenced the work and was adequately able to capture the exact effect that Matisse intended to show us. Matisse developed this painting out of the impressionists’ movement that was prevalent in t he late 19th century, a derogatory term coined by Louis Leroy in 1972 to refer to a work of art that is unfinished. Matisse’s painting had no sphere or boundary on rules, the painting purely reflected radicalism in light of the growing secularism at that time in France. French political system at that time had an impact on the painting, during that period, French political system was adapting to the secular society, this had an impact on

Power and Seduction Essay Example for Free

Power and Seduction Essay The gaze holds the contention of being an almost exclusively male property. Men look at women and women ‘watch themselves’ being looked at (Berger, 1972). This makes men the possessor of the gaze while women become double objects; object of the male gaze and object of their own gaze. 2. Per Wells, what’s the older anthropological definition of fetishism? It is defined as ‘an inanimate object that takes on special powers such as warding off danger and misfortune and is the centre of religious rituals’. 3. Per Wells, why is Freud’s concept of fetishism a controversial one? Freud relied on the male castration anxiety which in a way, coins the fetishist as male, making fetishism as an exclusively male perversion. 4. Per Bakhtin, what’s the difference between ‘carnivalesque’ and ‘classical’ body? Mikhail Bakhtin, a noted literary theorist referred ‘carnivalesque’ as the ‘grotesque’ body. It shows how bodies are linked together in a cycle that continually grows and changes. This representation was however displaced by the ‘classical’ body, the epitome of purity image. It is ‘smooth, orifice-less and self-sufficient’ (Bakhtin, 1984, 29) as it hides the chaos and humour collective to the carnivalesque image. 5. Per Freud, voyeurism and exhibitionism are what forms of looking? Freud identified voyeurism and exhibitionism in children as an auto-erotic looking; the object is the subject’s body. While the adult look is a component of the externally directed sexual drive to ‘objectify’ the other. 6. Per Burgin, what is the function of suture? Suture helps the subject construct or incorporate itself in the discourse. In film for example, the subject would be able to identify the audience and the character thus creating the ‘point of view’ and other photographic techniques to achieve its end. 7. Per Burgin, what is the primary instance of suture in still photography? Example is when the subject ‘identifies’ in a radically selective manner, the attributes of the object surveyed. This ‘selectivity’ is achieved by identifying the camera position and thus creating a conflation between voyeurism and narcissism. 8. Per Burgin, is this identification an either/or process? Yes. This identification is selective. 9. Per Burgin, how is a photograph like a fetish? A photograph freezes a fragment of time. Although one characteristic of fetishism is it separates reality from fantasy, the photograph can still arouse sexual tendencies no matter the disavowal of the perception. 10. Per Burgin, why is it frustrating to look at a photograph for too long? Photographs give us pleasure but after sometime, we would begin to notice the little centrality we have over the object. As the surveyor, it is important for our gaze not to be alienated or else, it will create an aversion. 11. Per Burgin, what recognition produces a tear in the suture process? When the subject recognizes that the object’s gaze belongs to the camera and not to him, the imaginary relationship is torn. 12. Per Burgin, what function does a caption serve? Caption supports the still image the way reverse shots do the trick in the cinema. So, as the surveyor gets alienated, his look will be displaced to the caption that when expires, finds itself returned back to the image. 13. Why does McGrath call modernism a ruse? McGrath called modernism a ruse due to the social suppression of knowledge in the issues of class, race and crucially that of gender. Amidst the modern concept of art as ‘universal’, the feminist art lacked contribution because of its inability to contend with the modern, yet still patriarchal world. 14. Would Weston agree with the terms of McGrath’s critique? Yes, given that Weston lived capturing women’s essence and sensuality and McGrath wrote to advance it, they basically are in the same platform. 15. What must the photographer and the voyeur maintain? They must always maintain a certain degree of distance from the object. This will not only keep the focus and mastery of the photographer but as well prohibit the exercise of other drives towards the object. 16. Per McGrath, how does the act of photographing relieve castration anxiety? The camera and photograph become ‘fetishes’. They both play as pleasurable props that give men the reverence of feeling and maintaining their erection. 17. Per McGrath, how is a photograph like a fetish? Like a fetish, photographs require a disavowal of knowledge. They contain meaning and stand in place of the real object’s absence. 18. Per McGrath, how does a maximum depth of field serve in the construction of a fetish? The maximum depth of field could be established using two techniques; the aperture which gives the sharpest focus, and the printing of the photograph. The first heightens the visual qualities, making it more invoking to touch while the latter’s use of high gloss paper gives it the closest original beauty. 19. Per Freud, what are examples of symbolic topography? Freud claims that things around exist in genital symbolism. Anything that stands represents the male genitalia; landscapes, hills, trees and rocks. With almost the exception of the cigar which, ‘is sometimes just a cigar’. 20. Per McGrath, what do Weston’s framing devices achieve? The cutting of the frame, the literal cutting of the head or the covering of the eyes ensure a more sadistic implication and thus more enjoyment of the nude. Print Source Burgin, V. , (1982). Photo; Power Seduction. Houndmills: Macmillan Education Ltd.

Free Essays on Homers Odyssey: Greek Values :: Odyssey essays

Greek Values and Homer's Odyssey "Look death in the face with joyful hope, and consider this a lasting truth: the righteous man has nothing to fear, neither in life, nor in death, and the Gods will not forsake him."-Socrates, a Greek philosopher and contemplative thinker. The above quote is the basis for Greek belief, demonstrating the respectable Greek citizen. It displays courage and obedience for the Gods in which the Greek world revolved around. Greeks had many traditions and ways of life. Greek cosmos played an important role in Greek life including the God's influence and personality, Greek military ideas, philosophers, and Greek poetry. The God's impact and personality had a direct influence on daily life in Greek society. The Gods can give things "A cruel turn, this. Never had I thought to see this land, but Zeus let me see it." (Book 5, Line 426-427 The Odyssey unabridged), however, they can also take things away and curse their people "Take yourself out of this island, creeping thing...Your voyage here was cursed by heaven" (Book 10, Line 82-85 The Odyssey unabridged). Greek citizens had to always be considering what the Gods were thinking of them. The Greeks knew that whatever the Gods gave them, they will just as easily take everything away. By knowing the nicknames of the Gods, readers are able to determine their personalities. Throughout The Odyssey, Athena, Roman name Minerva, is often referred to as the "Grey-eyed goddess". This explanation can account for her cleverness and her bright, scheming eye. Athena is constantly changing shapes and disguises, but the cunning eye, stays constant. Another example of one of the God's personalities, is in the myth of Athena's birth. The personality of Zeus shines. It displays Zeus' constant lust after female mortals. There are many other displays of Zeus' lust. Many half mortals are the offspring of Zeus, due to his flirtatious attitude. While the Gods were a very important aspect of the Greeks, so was war and militaristic power. These values can be seen in Thucydides The Funeral Oration of Pericles, which explains a battle of the Peloponnesian War. "And we have not forgotten to provide for our weary spirits many relaxations from toil".

A Futile Task- the Catcher in the Rye Essay

The teenager stands on a hill in complete solitude, watching the nearby football game, and contemplating if he should say a final farewell to the school. Ambivalent, the melancholy teenager leaves himself in a confused and vulnerable position to the lonely and corrupt reality of the world. In an attempt to endure the vices that alter the blissful spirit, he feels the need to make things right by saving what little recognizable evidence of purity that the world has not already desecrated. All throughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye, author J. D. Salinger establishes Holden’s bizarre attraction toward particular places, objects, and experiences, past and present. The author concurrently sets out the subtle, tender concern that Holden has for the preservation of innocence and where life will ultimately end up. At essential points in the plot, Salinger embodies these two motifs, which metaphorically represent each other, in order to uncover the true sadness that lurks in an abandoned Holden. By doing this, the author reveals the greater theme that unlike artifacts of history, constrained the human spirit would severely stunt any opportunity of development for people. Salinger constantly highlights the motif of Holden’s endeavors to preserve innocence from being tainted by corruption. The author first presents this through the objects that Holden develops a bond with. To demonstrate that bond, Salinger produces a scene in which Holden visits his old teacher, Mr. Spencer, one of the few concerned about the boy. The teacher asks Holden to read his paper about Egyptian mummifying aloud. Salinger first demonstrates Holden’s obsession for the preservation of life when Holden divulges that â€Å"Modern science would still like to know what the secret ingredients were that the Egyptians used when they wrapped up dead people so that their faces would not rot for innumerable centuries† (Salinger 16). Implying the deep interest that Holden possesses for this subject, Salinger underscores that the teenager may have experienced a harrowing event relating to the matter. Because Holden would still dearly like to know the â€Å"secret† of maintaining life in such a state, the author also exposes Holden’s unawareness of the topic altogether. Leaving Holden in an unaware state, the author then inserts the minor motif of Holden’s younger brother’s baseball mitt to clear the confusion. When asked to write a composition for a classmate, of all the topics Holden decides to write about, the nostalgic adolescent distinguishes his younger brother’s baseball mitt. With this sacred object, Salinger links it to Holden’s goal for conserving the unharmed and the aesthetic, as the glove had poems scribed all over it in ink. The author represents the ink as the permanence in which the item endures. Similar to the beloved baseball mitt, Holden finds solidity in a Little Shirley Beans record that he purchases. Identifying the song eternally preserved on the record, the writer elucidates that Holden still preserves things in the state that they are left, never allowing them to change. Salinger also represents Holden’s remembrance of the innocence of childhood, the record reminding him of that period. In addition to the revered objects, the author exhibits a pattern in Holden’s experiences and anecdotes that motivate Holden in the direction of making events like those last for an eternity. One of Holden’s recollections that Salinger touches on briefly involves Holden playing checkers with a childhood friend, Jane Gallagher. At one point in the game, Jane cries, and sensing this, Holden drives his efforts to console with her, kissing her all over her face, avoiding her mouth. Symbolizing the need to protect Jane and her virginity, the author portrays Holden comforting her instead of violating her, revealing the tender empathy that Holden possesses. Prior to reflecting this memory, Holden underwent an instance of rejection at a bar, and seeing what little empathy people have, Holden tries to remember a positive memory to keep his motivation alive. One of Holden’s fondest memories stems from the remembrance of his younger brother. When given time to ruminate upon his past, Allie stands out as the ideal brother that Holden would never find in any other person. Salinger distinguishes Allie as â€Å"terrifically intelligent† and that â€Å"he was also the nicest†¦ he never got mad at anybody. People with red hair are supposed to get mad very easily, but Allie never did, and he had very red hair† (Salinger 50). Portraying Allie as the epitome of childhood innocence, the author juxtaposes this to Holden’s thoughts of preserving purity. Because his sibling passed away at an extremely young age, Holden’s sole coping strategy involves the thought of bringing back his brother, thinking that someone as magnanimous as Allie deserves to live on. Despite Holden’s naive point of view toward what troubles him, he finally begins to subtly realize something about his brother. Salinger weaves a scene of Holden conversing with Phoebe, his younger sister, and the teenager mentions that he loves Allie, thinking that he still exists. Following Phoebe’s comment that Allie is dead, Holden refuses to accept and reveals that â€Å"Just because somebody’s dead, you don’t just stop liking them, for God’s sake—especially if they were about a thousand times nicer than the people you know that’re alive an all† (Salinger 223). Salinger highlights a rare moment: someone offering guidance to Holden, accepting that he is stuck. By displaying Holden touching upon Allie, Salinger expresses the adolescent beginning to address the connection with Allie. However, Holden still possesses the unawareness to come to terms with this. Salinger effectively amplifies the essence of Holden’s being in a thought of the teenager. The author illustrates a dream of Holden desiring to catch children who accidentally fall off the ledge of a cliff in the rye field, the adolescent defining himself as a catcher in the rye. The author resembles Holden as a selfless martyr in this thought, leaving Holden in bliss that he can save people if they fall; the author makes clear that, for Holden, danger should be avoided by all means and at all costs. Salinger stems the implication from Holden’s own dealings with losses Perhaps the most important category that Holden associates with conservation and longing consists of the places that he visits. One of the first locations that Salinger introduces pertains to the museum, a site of never changing exhibits. The boy favors that all the displays stay the way they are and that things are kept in fixed positions. By symbolizing the museum as a place where nothing changes, Salinger mirrors the setting to Holden’s opposition to growing up and change. Salinger initiates the beginning of a epiphany for Holden when the teenager travels to his old elementary school to meet with Phoebe. The writer describes the school as familiar to Holden While appearing to give up hope on the world, Holden sees yet another instance of chicanery. The author depicts an obscenity on the wall that appalls Holden, and in the act he makes of rubbing it out, Salinger reiterates Holden as a savior figure and that combating all of evil can be accomplished. The author furthers the learning experience for Holden when the teenager returns to the museum. Although feeling tranquil while all alone in one of the showcases, Holden observes yet another contemptible obscenity, defacing one of the glass cases. By repeating the obscenity for Holden, Salinger starts to affirm in Holden that he cannot keep everything clean and pure but must accept events like these once in a while. Finally pivoting Holden’s vague realization to the last crucial place, Salinger fleshes out the epiphany. Accompanied by phoebe, Holden views one of the carousels nearby, his attraction to it brought on by the fact that the ride always plays the same song. Holden again clings to a familiar tangent and what comforts him. Yet, the teenager watches Phoebe go around on the carousel and sees her and other children trying to grab for the gold ring. Salinger depicts Holden as â€Å"afraid that she’d fall off† but he does not react, as Holden realizes that â€Å"If they fall off, they fall off, but it’s bad if you say anything to them† (Salinger 274). Paralleling and directing opportunity and danger close together, Salinger enables acceptance in Holden that if people stay the same way, there leaves no room for development, thus rendering them static, strayed from the dynamics of change, and this time, Holden does not deny Phoebe or himself the opportunity to mature.

Cultural Change

Organization Culture And Change Organizational culture – a popular but also a very complex concept – has been identified as an influential factor affecting the successes and failures of organizational change efforts. Organizational culture could be looked at as the pattern of shared valued, beliefs and assumptions considered being the appropriate way to think and act within an organization (Schneider, 1985).In other words, culture: the pattern of shared values, beliefs and assumptions considered to be the appropriate way to think and act within an organization. – Culture is shared – Culture helps members solve problems – Culture is taught to newcomers – Culture strongly influences behavior Generally, this shared culture is invisible to the employees and their interpretations are viewed as something unique to the individual—their personal opinions.People tend to surround themselves with others of like opinions and values, thus reinforci ng their common beliefs and expectations. Where does organization culture come from? It comes from the Organization founder, vision and mission statement, past practices, Top management attitude and behavior and through socialization – the process that helps employees adapt to the organization’s culture more quickly and effectively.People/ Employees of the organization learn culture through stories, narratives of significant events or actions of people that convey the spirit of the organization, rituals, repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the values of the organization, material symbols, physical assets distinguishing the organization, language, acronyms and jargon of terms, phrases, and word meanings specific to an organization. Keeling (1981, p. 8), who offers that culture refers to an individual’s â€Å"theory of what his fellows know, believe and mean, his theory of the code being followed, the game being played, in the society in to which he was born†. In a similar framework, Geertz (1973) views culture as a symbolic system (i. e. , shared codes of meaning) that reflects understandings shared by social actors. These definitions all imply that culture affects ways members think, feel, and act. According to Henry Mintzberg, â€Å"Culture is the soul of the organization — the beliefs and values, and how they are manifested.I think of the structure as the skeleton, and as the flesh and blood. And culture is the soul that holds the thing together and gives it life force. † There fore, culture is the social glue that helps and holds an organization together by providing appropriate standards for what employees should say or do. People who have worked in different organizations agree that each organization is different from the other organization. Things are not done the same way in everywhere in the organization. Even businesses within the same industry can be quite different from each other.Th e difference is what management scholars call â€Å"organizational culture† or â€Å"corporate culture†. Therefore every organization has their own culture according to which they carry out their day-to-day activities and act and behave accordingly to it. Do Organizations have uniform culture? Schein (2009), Deal & Kennedy (2000), Kotter (1992) and many others state that organizations often have very differing cultures as well as subcultures. Dominant Culture: expresses the core values that are shared by a majority of the organization’s members.Subcultures: mini cultures within an organization, typically defined by department designations and geographical separation. Core Values: the primary or dominant values that are accepted throughout the organization. Strong Culture: a culture in which the core values are intensely held and widely shared. Organizational culture is therefore different from national culture or ethnic culture. The national culture in which the business is based can however have some influence on that business’s organizational culture. Smircich (1983) has analyzed different conceptions of organizational culture in relation to the anthropological schools.Organizational culture has been conceived either as a variable or as a root metaphor for conceptualizing organization. The studies can be divided into two areas; organizations have been regarded as cultures (‘is’ approach) or having a culture (‘has’ approach). It happens all too often. A company introduces changes with high expectations of improving performance. When the changes fail to take root and produce intended results, the unfulfilled hopes lead management to introduce other seemingly promising changes. These, too, ultimately fail.The sequence repeats—an unending cycle of high expectations followed by failure and, inevitably, frustration on the part of management and cynicism on the part of workers. There are several possible reasons for these failures. One key reason is that changes introduced fail to alter the fundamental psychology or ‘‘feel’’ of the organization to its members, it is this ‘‘feel’’ that directs and motivates employee efforts (Guzzo and Shea, 1992). Without changing this psychology, there can be no sustained change. The main point is: organizations have people in them; if the people do not change, there is no organizational change.Changes in hierarchy, technology, communication networks, and so forth are effective only to the degree that these structural changes are associated with changes in the psychology of employees. The primary mechanisms for both maintaining and changing an organization’s culture includes: 1. What managers pay attention to, measure and control? 2. The ways managers (particularly top management) react to critical incidents and organizational crises; 3. Managerial role modeling, teaching, and coaching; 4. T he criteria for allocating rewards and status; and . The criteria for recruitment, selection, promotion, and removal from the organization. Managers should expect to encounter difficulty in clearly understanding situations that involve change. Analyzing a change problem can become quite complex because of the large number of variables that must be considered since there’s no way to stop change from happening, there are several positive steps to make a change program successful, including opening channels of communication, developing a learning environment, and providing training.Even with open communication, careful planning, and extensive training, new program or idea may still meet with resistance. According to Schein, culture is the most difficult organizational attribute to change, outlasting organizational products, services, founders and leadership and all other physical attributes of the organization. His organizational model illuminates culture from the standpoint of the observer, described by three cognitive levels of organizational culture (Schein, 1992).Culture change may be necessary to reduce employee turnover, influence employee behavior, make improvements to the company, refocus the company objectives and/or rescale the organization, provide better customer service, and/or achieve specific company goals and results. Culture change is impacted by a number of elements, including the external environment and industry competitors, change in industry standards, technology changes, the size and nature of the workforce, and the organization’s history and management. 3-Step Model This is often cited as Lewin's key contribution to organizational change.However, it needs to be recognized that when he developed his 3-Step model Lewin was not thinking only of organizational issues. Nor did he intend it to be seen separately from the other three elements, which comprise his Planned approach to change (i. e. Field Theory, Group Dynamics and Acti on Research). Rather Lewin saw the four concepts as forming an integrated approach to analyzing, understanding and bringing about change at the group, organizational and societal levels. A successful change project, Lewin (1947a) argued, involved three steps: . Step 1: Unfreezing.Lewin believed that the stability of human behavior was based on a quasi-stationary equilibrium supported by a complex field of driving and restraining forces. He argued that the equilibrium need’s to be destabilized (unfrozen) before old behavior can be discarded (unlearnt) and new behavior successfully adopted. Given the type of issues that Lewin was addressing, as one would expect, he did not believe that change would be easy or that the same approach could be applied in all situations: The ‘unfreezing of the present level may involve quite different problems in different cases (Lewin, 1947a, p. 29). Enlarging on Lewin's ideas, (Schein (1996, p. 27) comments that the key to unfreezing Ã¢â‚¬Ë œ. .  . was to recognize that change, whether at the individual or group level, was a profound psychological dynamic process’. Schein (1996) identifies three processes necessary to achieve unfreezing: disconfirmation of the validity of the status quo, the induction of guilt or survival anxiety, and creating psychological safety. He argued that: ‘. .  . unless sufficient psychological safety is created, the disconfirming information will be denied or in other ways defended against, no survival anxiety will be felt. nd consequently, no change will take place’ (Schein, 1996, p. 61). In other words, those concerned have to feel safe from loss and humiliation before they can accept the new information and reject old behaviors. . Step 2: Moving. As Schein (1996, p. 62) notes, unfreezing is not an end in itself; it ‘. .  . creates motivation to learn but does not necessarily control or predict the direction’. This echoes Lewin's view that any attempt to predict or identify a specific outcome from Planned change is very difficult because of the complexity of the forces concerned.Instead, one should seek to take into account all the forces at work and identify and evaluate, on a trial and error basis, all the available options (Lewin, 1947a). However, as noted above, (Lewin (1947a) recognized that, without reinforcement, change could be short-lived. Step 3: Refreezing. This is the final step in the 3-Step model. Refreezing seeks to stabilize the group at a new quasi-stationary equilibrium in order to ensure that the new behaviors are relatively safe from regression.The main point about refreezing is that new behavior must be, to some degree, congruent with the rest of the behavior, personality and environment of the learner or it will simply lead to a new round of disconfirmation (Schein, 1996). This is why Lewin saw successful change as a group activity, because unless group norms and routines are also transformed, changes to ind ividual behavior will not be sustained. In organizational terms, refreezing often requires changes to organizational culture, norms, policies and practices (Cummings and Huse, 1989).It is more difficult to change the culture of an existing organization than to create a culture in a brand new organization. When an organizational culture is already established, people must unlearn the old values, assumptions, and behaviors before they can learn the new ones. The two most important elements for creating organizational cultural change are executive support and training. . Executive support: Executives in the organization must support the cultural change, and in ways beyond verbal support. They must show behavioral support for the cultural change. Executives must lead the change by changing their own behaviors.It is extremely important for executives to consistently support the change. Training: Culture change depends on behavior change. Members of the organization must clearly understan d what is expected of them, and must know how to actually do the new behaviors, once they have been defined. Training can be very useful in both communicating expectations and teaching new behaviors. Other components important in changing the culture of an organization are: Create value and belief statements: use employee focus groups, by department, to put the mission, vision, and values into words that state their impact on each employee's job.For one job, the employee stated: â€Å"I live the value of quality patient care by listening attentively whenever a patient speaks. † This exercise gives all employees a common understanding of the desired culture that actually reflects the actions they must commit to on their jobs. Practice effective communication: keeping all employees informed about the organizational culture change process ensures commitment and success. Telling employees what is expected of them is critical for effective organizational culture change.Review orga nizational structure: changing the physical structure of the company to align it with the desired organizational culture may be necessary. As an example, in a small company, four distinct business units competing for product, customers, and internal support resources, may not support the creation of an effective organizational culture. These units are unlikely to align to support the overall success of the business. Redesign organization approach to rewards and recognition: needs to change the reward system to encourage the behaviors vital to the desired organizational culture.Review all work systems such as employee promotions, pay practices, performance management, and employee selection to make sure they are aligned with the desired culture. Hofstede (1980) looked for global differences between over 100,000 of IBM's employees in 50 different countries and three regions of the world, in an attempt to find aspects of culture that might influence business behavior. He suggested abou t cultural differences existing in regions and nations, and the importance of international awareness and multiculturalism for the own cultural introspection.Cultural differences reflect differences in thinking and social action, and even in â€Å"mental programs†, a term Hofstede uses for predictable behavior. Hofstede relates culture to ethnic and regional groups, but also organizations, profession, family, to society and subcultural groups, national political systems and legislation, etc. Hofstede suggests of the need of changing â€Å"mental programs† with changing behavior first which will lead to value change and he suggests that however certain groups like Jews, Gypsies and Basques have maintained their identity through centuries without changing.Hofstede demonstrated that there are national and regional cultural groupings that affect the behavior of organizations and identified four dimensions of culture (later five in his study of national cultures: Power dist ance (Mauk Mulder, 1977) – Different societies find different solutions on social inequality. Although invisible, inside organizations power inequality of the â€Å"boss-subordinates relationships† is functional and according to Hofstede reflects the way inequality is addressed in the society. According to Mulder's Power Distance Reduction theory subordinates will try to reduce the power distance between themselves and their bosses and bosses will try to maintain or enlarge it†, but there is also a degree to which a society expects there to be differences in the levels of power. A high score suggests that there is an expectation that some individuals wield larger amounts of power than others. A low score reflects the view that all people should have equal rights. . Uncertainty avoidance is the coping with uncertainty about the future.Society copes with it with technology, law and religion (however different societies have different ways to addressing it), and acc ording to Hofstede organizations deal with it with technology, law and rituals or in two ways – rational and non-rational, where rituals being the non-rational. Hofstede listed as rituals the memos and reports, some parts of the accounting system, large part of the planning and control systems, and the nomination of experts. . Individualism vs. collectivism – disharmony of interests on personal and collective goals (Parsons and Shils, 1951).Hofstede brings that society's expectations of Individualism/ Collectivism will be reflected by the employee inside the organization. Collectivist societies will have more emotional dependence of members on their organizations, when in equilibrium – organization is expected to show responsibility on members. . Masculinity vs. femininity – reflect whether certain society is predominantly male or female in terms of cultural values, gender roles and power relations. . Long- Versus Short-Term Orientation which Hofstede des cribes as â€Å"The long-term orientation dimension can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue.Societies with a short-term orientation generally have a strong concern with establishing the absolute truth. They are normative in their thinking. They exhibit great respect for traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a focus on achieving quick results. In societies with a long-term orientation, people believe that truth depends very much on situation, context and time. They show an ability to adapt traditions to changed conditions, a strong propensity to save and invest, thriftiness, and perseverance in achieving results. Conclusion: Employees form an overall subjective perception of the organization based on such factors as degree of risk tolerance, team emphasis, and support of people. This overall perception becomes, in effect, the organization’s culture or personality. These favorable or unfavorable perceptions then aff ect employee performance and satisfaction, with the impact being greater for stronger cultures. Just as people’s personalities tend to be stable over time, so too do strong cultures. This makes strong cultures difficult for managers to change.One of the more important managerial implications of organizational culture relates to selection decisions. Hiring individuals whose values don't align with those of the organization is not good. An employee's performance depends to a considerable degree on knowing what he should or should not do. Changing the organizational culture requires time, commitment, planning and proper execution – but it can be done. References: Henry Mintzberg Cultural and Environmental School of Thought culled www. mbaknol. com accessed Thursday11th April 2013. Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of culture. New York: Basic Books.Keeling, R. M. (1981). Theories of culture. In R. W. Casson (Ed. ), Language, culture and cognition (pp. 42- 66). New York : Macmillan. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE Creating a Climate and Culture for Sustainable Organizational Change Benjamin Schneider Arthur P. Brief Richard A. Guzzo (1996) Accessed on Thursday 11th April, 2013 http://media. johnwiley. com. au/product_ancillary/64/04702605/DOWNLOAD/chapter41. pdf B. Schneider, ‘‘Organizational Behavior,’’ Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 36, pp. 573–611, 1985. R. A. Guzzo and G. P. Shea, ‘‘Group Performance and Intergroup Relations in Organizations,’’ in M.D. Dunnette and L. M. Hough (eds. ), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2nd ed. , Vol. 3 (Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1992). Smircich, L. (1983): Concepts of Culture and Organizational Analysis. Administrative Science Quarterly: 28(3). Pp. 339-358. . . Cummings, T. G. and Huse, E. F. (1989). Organization Development and Change, 4th edition. St Paul, MN: West Publishing. Cummings, T. G. and Worley, C. G. (1997). Org anization Development and Change, 6th edition. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western College Publishing. . Deal T. E. and Kennedy, A. A. 1982, 2000) Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life, Harmondsworth, Penguin Books, 1982; reissue Perseus Books, 2000 . . Hofstede, Geert (1980) Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work Related Values, Beverly Hills, CA, Sage Publications, reprinted 1984 . . Kotter, John and Heskett, James L. (1992) Corporate Culture and Performance, Free Press; ISBN 0-02-918467-3 . . Lewin, K. (1946). ‘Action research and minority problems’. In Lewin, G. W. (Ed. ), Resolving Social Conflict. London: Harper & Row. . . Lewin, K. (1947a). ‘Frontiers in group dynamics’.In Cartwright, D. (Ed. ), Field Theory in Social Science. London: Social Science Paperbacks. . Mulder, Mauk (1977) The daily power game, Martinus Nijhoff Social Sciences Division Parsons, Talcott, Shils, Edward (1951), Toward a General Theory of Acti on, reprinted as Parsons, Talcott, Shils, Tolman, Stouffer and Kluckhohn et al. , Toward a General Theory of Action: Theoretical foundations of the Social Sciencies, Transaction Publishers, 2001 Ravasi, D. , Schultz, M. (2006), â€Å"Responding to organizational identity threats: exploring the role of organizational culture†, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 433–458. Schein, E. H. (1996). ‘Kurt Lewin's change theory in the field and in the classroom: notes towards a model of management learning’. Systems Practice, 9, 1, 27–47. Shein, Edgar (1992). Organizational Culture and Leadership: A Dynamic View. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. p. 9. How to Change Your Culture: Organizational Culture  Change You Can Transform Your Culture With Conscious  Steps By Susan M. Heathfield, About. com Guide http://humanresources. about. com/od/organizationalculture/a/culture_change. htm

Free Essays on Revolutions 1848

The February Revolution in France gave impetus to a series of revolutionary explosions in Western and Central Europe. However the new French Republic did not support these movements. The stage was set when the unrest caused by the economic effects of severe crop failures in 1846–47 merged with the discontent caused by political repression of liberal and nationalist aspirations. In the German states, popular demonstrations and uprisings (Feb.–Mar., 1848) led to the dismissal of unpopular ministers and the calling of a national parliament to draft a constitution for a united Germany. While the constitution was debated at length, rulers of the German states were able to recover their authority. By 1849, the Frankfurt Parliament and the provisional government it established had collapsed and the old order was restored. The revolution within the Austrian Empire was one of initial success and subsequent defeat. In contrast to the situation in Germany, however, revolutionists in the Hapsburg domains demanded less central authority and a more autonomous role for the national groups. Lack of cooperation among the revolutionary movements and the loyalty of the armies to old authorities permitted the suppression of the insurgents by armed might. In Italy, the demand for expulsion of the Austrians and for national unification found a champion in King Charles Albert of Sardinia, but again Austrian armies put down the revolutions. The revolutions of 1848 failed notably because three kinds of demands- social and economic, liberal, and national- were not easily reconciled. This is illustrated in France by the Socialists Blanc and Albert on the one side, and the Liberal Republicans Marie and Arago on the other. Middle-class moderates like Lamartine gained control of the revolutionary movements and resisted the more radical demands of the lower classes, thus losing much of the popular support that was essential to their success. The results of the ... Free Essays on Revolutions 1848 Free Essays on Revolutions 1848 The February Revolution in France gave impetus to a series of revolutionary explosions in Western and Central Europe. However the new French Republic did not support these movements. The stage was set when the unrest caused by the economic effects of severe crop failures in 1846–47 merged with the discontent caused by political repression of liberal and nationalist aspirations. In the German states, popular demonstrations and uprisings (Feb.–Mar., 1848) led to the dismissal of unpopular ministers and the calling of a national parliament to draft a constitution for a united Germany. While the constitution was debated at length, rulers of the German states were able to recover their authority. By 1849, the Frankfurt Parliament and the provisional government it established had collapsed and the old order was restored. The revolution within the Austrian Empire was one of initial success and subsequent defeat. In contrast to the situation in Germany, however, revolutionists in the Hapsburg domains demanded less central authority and a more autonomous role for the national groups. Lack of cooperation among the revolutionary movements and the loyalty of the armies to old authorities permitted the suppression of the insurgents by armed might. In Italy, the demand for expulsion of the Austrians and for national unification found a champion in King Charles Albert of Sardinia, but again Austrian armies put down the revolutions. The revolutions of 1848 failed notably because three kinds of demands- social and economic, liberal, and national- were not easily reconciled. This is illustrated in France by the Socialists Blanc and Albert on the one side, and the Liberal Republicans Marie and Arago on the other. Middle-class moderates like Lamartine gained control of the revolutionary movements and resisted the more radical demands of the lower classes, thus losing much of the popular support that was essential to their success. The results of the ...

Executive Summary Essay Example

Executive Summary Essay Example Executive Summary Paper Executive Summary Paper As health insurance marketing is a highly competitive field, society is glimpsing the first indications that only innovative marketing techniques and tactics will win out over the competition. Of foremost importance to this situation is comprehending which segment of society prefers which marketing strategies. Because time is of the essence and an abundance of information can be found on-line, marketing agencies are seeing that the emerging health insurance marketing strategies must also use the web to obtain information about its potential clientele as well as provide information to users. B. Current Marketing Situation a. Market Description It is common knowledge that with skyrocketing health insurance costs, individuals seeking insurance recognize that it is vital to obtain it while ensuring that they do not get ripped off in the process. Marketing for health insurance attempts to show consumers that they can get a good deal for their money while having easy access to medical facility as they are needed. In addition, consumers who research on the web acknowledge that they are looking for insurance which has no gaps, allows you to pay for what you need with no frills or unnecessary extras, and you receive treatment as promised. For the elderly, receiving treatment is essential and often they are faced with â€Å"red tape† or have to jump through hoops while attempting to receive the benefits they are paying for. (amazon.com/Health-Insurance-Without-Getting-Ripped-Off/dp/0979478103/ref=sr_1_45?ie=UTF8s=booksqid=1238539157sr=8-45#reader) b. Product Review: Online health insurance marketing is a new frontier. It allows for feasible and easy access to information. As a platform for communicating insurance rates, premiums, co-pays, benefits, opportunities, referrals, and provider information, it gives an element of security for consumers wanting to research and see such information in clear writing (heartland.org/policybot/results/424/FreeMarket_Health_Insurance_Flourishes_Online.html). With online, consumers can also be provided with information which has been translated into their native language as well. For some cultures, they might feel intimidated calling health insurance representatives upfront because of language barriers. This new marketing tool will allow them to grasp at a new wealth of information at their disposal prior to reaching out to representatives who are fluent in their specific language.   They can get quick individual or group quotes or even requoted if they are looking to modify their potential plans to better fit within the plan rates that they are seeking. (sasid.com/products/Health/basic_health_insurance.htm) In addition, sometimes consumers find that information about insurance is diluted and thus causes ample confusion, which is why marketing strategies for health insurance predominately depend on using financial strategies like referrals, leads, and other such methods. Because we want to insure that consumers see added value to our online services we have had to reinvent the idea of marketing health insurance by focusing on specific market segments prior to branching out to others. For example, it is common place for the younger generation to lose coverage upon graduating from high school or upon reaching 18 yrs of age. This generation is also highly focused utilizing web-based sites such as facebook, linkedin, shutterfly, etc.. Our product will advertise on such websites in order to coax such individuals to hyperlink their pages into our website or delve further into our web-based site for specific fact finding information. We also advertise online via recorded radio broadcasters and weekly newsletters because if you don’t need or want insurance now that doesn’t mean that you won’t require it in the future.

Judicial Process Article Review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Judicial Process Article Review - Research Paper Example Some states in the US define the juvenile-adult transition at seventeenth birthday, and some few states define the line of transition at sixteen years of age. Generally, states have laid down transfer procedure laws that govern or call for criminal prosecution of young offenders, even if they are considered juveniles under the jurisdictional definition. The laws are intended to reduce or deter further criminal activities. Research has not established any inherent fact that they are effective, questioning their efficiency. Are the laws efficient in deterring crime? Research on effects of the law on deterring crime has produced totally inconsistent results. Prompting the question of their effectiveness. Many studies have not realized a drop in juvenile crime rate that can be associated with the transfer laws. Nonetheless, much evidence demonstrates that transfer laws governing the states have a diminutive or no effect in deterring crime by the juveniles. Possible reasoning attributes it to general ignorance, tendency to ignore risks involved in decision making and low impulse control. A research comparing youths prosecuted criminally and youth processed under the juvenile system demonstrated a counter effect of transfer laws on criminal deterrence. Youths prosecuted criminally were also found to recidivate frequently and sooner into criminal activities. These negative results can be attributed to various causes, which include indirect and direct effects of conviction criminally, absence of rehabilitative means in the criminal correctional facilities, and the risk of association with criminal mentors in the adult correctional system. Studies showing the counter-productive nature of transfer system do not all agree that the effect is true in all types of offences, creating a possible assumption that criminal conviction may be effective on some juvenile offenders and non-effective on some offenders. A research conducted by

How People Make Economic Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How People Make Economic Decisions - Essay Example This decision involved comparison of marginal benefits and marginal costs associated with it. Establishing the auditing firm would offer me a better chance to exploit and realize my potential in the real world as I won't be tied to very stringent policies as those of my firm can oftenly be amended at will and hence more flexible. In case the auditing firm became a success, it would generate profits that would surpass my previous income by far. This will create more time me to pursue my own ambitions including working extra hours. Being my own boss is more satisfying and assuring in terms of mutual growth as the firm grows. It was easier for me to grow up the rank in my own establishment to the post of a CEO as opposed to my previous employment. Large capital and other resource requirement required to kick-start the auditing firm. Conforming to the legal requirement s (rules and regulations) of the state and regulatory authorities required for the auditing firm to be operational. Losing the job security that was attached to my previous employment and starting an auditing firm whose success was not certain.

Need to come up with one from you Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Need to come up with one from you - Essay Example The first microscopes enabled the human eye to magnify an object up to 20-30 times but today a microscope can magnify an object up to 1500 times. With the invention of microscopes, the vision changed and it opened the doors to many other associated fields of inventions (Wilkin, 1911). Micro organisms were studied and cellular structures were discovered. Biological uses include tissue and cell analysis to examine for any diseases in the body, whereas in modern times, it is also used to see finger prints for evidence collection at a crime sight. Not only this, several enhancements were made to the original microscope including Compound Microscopes, Transmission Electron Microscopes, Scanning Electron microscopes and Dissection Microscopes (Strain, 2006). Later, when the curiosity to know more about the universe around us grew, telescopes were invented which changed the lives drastically. As the first step, the depressions on the surface of moon were noticed, the sunspots, the rings of the Saturn and the moons of the Jupiter were discovered using a telescope. Not only this but scientific reasoning methods, mathematical laws and logics were applied to understand how the universe works, which laid the foundations of modern astronomy. An exceptional discovery was made by Galileo about the surface of moon which was previously considered as smooth (Wilkin, 1911). He discovered that there are dark areas and shadows on the moon which change in accordance to the positioning of the sun. He concluded that these shadows were the craters and mountains on the surface of moon. Another stunning discovery was made by the use of telescopes that there are four large moons around Jupiter which also rotate. Later, Sir Issac Newton proposed the usage of a curved mirror instead of glass lens in the telescope. Soon after, in the seventeenth century binoculars were designed based on the idea of telescopes. Camera Obscura (the dark chamber) was used

George Washingtons Advice to the American People Essay Example for Free

George Washingtons Advice to the American People Essay George Washington’s farewell letter, it is almost impossible for me to choose his most important piece of advice. His points seem almost haunting while reading them with our country in its present condition. Washington had such foresight and wisdom. The sad reality is that we as a country have so strayed from his advice. He made multiple points that I think are vastly important. Washington warned against political parties. He pointed out that they only cause disagreements and disunity among the people. Instead of Americans being one unified people, we have become defined by our political party. Republicans and democrats are in constant struggle over views and agendas. Washington warned us to flee from these and hold fast to unity. Washington also emphasized the importance of religion and morality. He held tightly to the belief that a person’s spiritual life had effects on one’s decisions in everyday life. With morality as the heart of an issue, people are more likely to treat each other fairly and be unified in spirit. One of the most outstanding pieces of advice from our first president sends chills down my spine. Washington encouraged sparing use of credit. He did not believe we as a nation should be in debt to anyone, which is also Biblical. He warned us to take heed of falling into debt. This is great advice that has so obviously been forgotten it is maddening. Our country is currently 16 trillion dollars in debt. We spend more than we take in, and we are putting our future in the hands of government of foreign lands. This reality speaks wholeheartedly to Washington’s next piece of advice. The last two pieces of advice I believe go hand in hand. Washington spelled out plainly that we did not want to be overly involved with other nations; in fact, he discouraged permanent alliances with any foreign nation. By doing so, we put our national security at possible risk. In regards to national security, Washington believed that we should have a strong military force. Being in the military, Washington understood to need for men purposed to fight for our freedom. This is yet another issue we face today with our current president wishing to downsize our military. I truly believe if we will begin to follow Washington’s advice, at least in part, we can improve the future of our country. Lastly, I believe Washington encouraged unity in almost every point he made. He was passionate for our country, for our freedom, for our future. In his farewell address he stated that at the mere thought of the honor and privilege of being an American, the spirit of patriotism should unite us all to action. The pride of being an American should link us like no other nation before or since.

Essay --

Cruel and unusual punishment is banned in many countries, including the United States. It is a big argument if torture should be acceptable to use in certain situations for justice to prevail. There are pros and cons to this argument but using torture can be used to save lives and find out critical information. The definition of torture is the act of causing severe physical pain as a form of punishment or as a way to force someone to do or say something (Webster). There have been different hypothetical situations looking at using torture to get a positive end result and how it could be successful. There should be strict restrictions, rules and guidelines that go along with using torture as a means to justice. Pro torture is not meant to be used for just any circumstance, but when many people are in danger and questions are not being answered, a certain type of punishment like torture could solve the case/save many lives. Today, we have lots of technology and all sorts of devices to help get to the bottom of figuring out if someone is guilty or not. These devices can find o...

My First Impression of Critical Thinking Class Essay

My first impression when I went to this university was very positive. The person I spoke to just made me feel completely at home because he said when I started as a mature student and that’s what I wanted to hear. He asked me about my experience so far and treated it as though it was something important, something worthwhile talking about and interesting and then he gave me chance to prove myself although I didn’t have the conventional qualifications, to prove myself by doing a written piece of writing which gave me access to the course. Quite pleased because I felt I was intelligent enough to get onto a course, intelligent enough but not educated enough, I didn’t have the certificates to prove it and this was my chance to do so. I’ve no way of knowing really to be honest I’ve nothing really to compare it without I imagine that obviously with the engineering and those sort of sciences you do need to show that you’ve gone through the steps, yes I can imagine there would be the difference, yeah.. My course is like a general introduction to socio-economic, political, even psychological studies and as you go through from one year to the next you can concentrate more on the areas that you find you are interested in but you don’t regret having done other areas which you weren’t particularly fascinated by because it’s building blocks and you build on the last one before you go onto the next one. I found it really hard work fitting – think fitting 6 subjects in one year is quite a lot to fit in. It would be nice if it was just 5 perhaps but that’s life. The deadlines are really hard work but I suppose you’ve got to have them so that’s okay. I chose to study full-time so I can’t really complain. I find the university itself a rather alienating environment. In the library it is difficult to concentrate – there are always people chatting, letting doors bang and so on. It’s mostly minor practical things like the long two bus journeys that I have and the fact that there is nowhere to base yourself. You can’t make yourself a coffee – you haven’t got a room of your own, not even a locker. You have to carry everything there and back every day and pay 82p for a drink, like a shopper going round town. You can’t find anywhere to have a nap if you’re tired and I love catnapping – it just revives me instantly. Study rooms get really hot. The food canteens are not as good as I’d expect but it’s great – I could stay all day reading in the library – it’s a fantastic resource. There is just so much there – and I think of it as an archive – as time goes on the more and more, the older stuff gets more and more important – the fact that it’s still there because if you compare it for example with the internet there’s loads of stuff on the internet but it’s all pretty current. The old stuff hasn’t necessarily been archived, it can just be switched off. Lack of grass roots involvement, choices and accountability – altogether you are treated more like a consumer than a participant but with no customer services hotline. You’ve very much following a series of chosen paths like levels in a computer game. The choices are just which subjects, not fundamentals like where, when and how to study – it’s not a democracy, it’s an institution. It’s not what I’d expected coming from the voluntary sector where every organisation is run by a committee that the grass roots can contact and appeal to. You can even put yourself forward to join the committees. Student Union’s just not the same, to me that’s like being invited to be a critic in the audience, not to have a share in running the show. Here they ask for one student rep from our group – just one – why not all of us? Why not an open forum meeting every few months to feed all our comments – big and small – through to the management. Why not a suggestion box at least? Where is the annual report to students? Where s the accountability? It was a surprise to find my course entirely full of 18 year old white kids – they all look the same. There must be less than 5% mature students which is a shame. The youngsters are so docile in the classroom, like sheep, they never challenge anything, they just don’t know loads of stuff like recent British history, politics. Of course, it’s easier if you’ve lived through it but I don’t think some of them even listen to the news. I feel sorry for anyone just studying the National Curriculum. The mature students mostly got kids, like me, I’ve got teenagers, some also work, have other activities, some are even doing other courses at the same time, they know how to push themselves. Even so, a lot feel unconfident at the university. They just don’t get what’s required of them, at least for the first year. I was a mentor when I started my second year for an adult in her first year. She said I really helped in lending an ear and explaining things. Mentoring is a really good system. I wish I’d had one when I started. Co-operative work, team work, committee skills. The whole emphasis is on developing you as an individual. You will become a researcher, not a team. We are also carefully told how to avoid plagiarism but people are afraid to actually work together – in fact, university doesn’t teach team work in general. It could. In reality there are vital committee skills some graduates won’t come across till they get to the workplace, making them look naive. I mean practical things like meetings, having agendas, minutes, standing orders and so on. In the voluntary sector I’d been used to organisations having good, well worked out policies and procedures which are publicly available documents. Here, the nearest we got was one session on ground rules in an introductory course which was never repeated, reviewed or built upon. Value and experiences, using skills and building your self-esteem. Something I got from training as an adult trainer was an appreciation of good methods in bringing out what people already have as a starting point for education. Lectures are obviously pretty much one way but seminars don’t have to be. I was taught to be a facilitator not a teacher with the idea that the group works together towards a result. The process of doing this is educational. It builds up self-esteem because everyone contributes – their input is valued. Their previous experiences in life and skills and attributes in group work come out. There is no time for that here. Seminars are mostly just tutors trying to get kids to talk about what they’ve understood from the text of some great intellectual man who’s probably dead now. Perhaps that is just in social science, I don’t know. Social justice, rights, respect, equality and diversity – all these things are central to the objectives in the voluntary sector. I am sure they are here in the mission statement for the university but the reality is different. The staff seem to be 100% white. I am on a course which must be about 98% white. Why aren’t people screaming about that? Where are the anti-racism posters around the place? It’s as if no-one wants to stir up agitation for a change. One good thing is that here in working-class South Yorkshire the university does open its library doors and other facilities to everyone although it doesn’t make a point of advertising the fact – perhaps they think that would cause trouble. Perhaps they’re not proud enough of the community focus part of the mission. Activism, forums, notice-boards. I was expecting university to be a hive of student activities like it perhaps was in the 1960’s but it’s not, as many people have said. The student societies are, to say the least, not high profile. This is a shame because it’s such a learning experience for people’s skills trying to organise something. One reason is that there are so few lively, open notice-boards where activities can be advertised. The few existing notice-boards are glass-covered, it’s not obvious if they’re for student use and people secretly try to slide notices through the glass where they just stay there for months curling up. Split between several campuses there’s no feeling of a sort of open forum for stalls. It’s as if a vital source is missing. True engagement with the community. Before I’d started at university I’d seven years or more with the credit unions which is part of the voluntary sector. It has it’s own culture perhaps, but it has good principles and tools which are used. Principles like diversity, equality, co-operation, mutual respect, rights and social justice, user management, community management, local provision and grass roots basis and a critical awareness of power structures. Democracy, self-esteem building and capacity building, accessible facilities with childcare if necessary, environmental awareness, accountability and sustainable progress. Useful tools include the use of ground rules for meetings, experiential learning, valuing people’s own experience, avoidance of jargon and good policies and procedures. The Hallam volunteering project has an impressive track record and it’s obviously a step in the right direction. It gets students out of the ivory towers or out of the pub and into the community for some real-life experience. But I wonder how this impacts on the organisations they work with. There is such a thing as institutional memory and I wonder whether they’re having a good or a bad experience with student volunteers in those organisations. The local voluntary action organisations could advise on this but I never heard much about Hallam volunteering when I worked in the voluntary sector. It may be a false impression but they seem to come for one-off projects, then go away to write up their experiences. For the full-time volunteers and clients of others in the voluntary sector it must feel a little bit like being experimented on I think. I’d like to think that students could be prepared with an idealistic visionary missionary statement in their minds about the voluntary sector – perhaps a course on community work, it’s principles, it’s forward-looking ideals. The voluntary and community sector is historic – it is immense, it is something Britain should be proud of. If this vision met the hard reality of imperfect organisations, over the years something would rub off for the organisations as well as the students and it would be a two-way learning experience. There are many hard-working development workers in most fields who would be grateful to show the ropes and get some real student volunteers if they came along with some grounding like this. The vision I would have of being a self-directed learner would be spending hours in the library and hours on the internet looking things up. With the guidance of an essay title, perhaps a list of resources that are recommended, web-site links, books by key writers on the subject but not an open brief, definitely working towards an agreed or a set title and writing an essay about that. Yeah it would be nice, it would be nice to have a completely free hand in setting an objective and working an open-ended way to collect data. The nearest I’ve come to that type of experience is in the final year dissertation but even that is within you have to choose within a subject area and then within that you can almost by negotiation choose your wn title for the essay or piece of work. I think I’ve found it quite liberating to be released from the confines of writing an essay – an essay is rather like, well I suppose that is the whole discipline of it – narrowing your words and your thoughts down to one and a half thousand words, certain format, very strict – yeah, that’s difficult, it is an art in itself but I’d much rather be doing something open-ended given the freedom and the flexibility to determine the limits myself. Yeah, I’ve seen people walking round with cameras, with questionnaire sheets. It seems as though I’m guessing, I might be wrong, but it seems as though they’re following year after year the same pattern so I imagine that cohorts of students come round every year and ask the same passers-by the same series of questions. In the first year or two of university is certainly following orders, like following a worksheet or following what you’ve been told to do. In my particular field I’d like to be more in contact with other people discussing working on the same areas. I think I like websites and I’d like to think, for one example off the top of my head, that I was working to a cumulative sort of website where we were each contributing pieces of work in the areas that we’re interested in which would build up as a resource over several years so that new students could come along and be shown this website – look at this as a resource and contribute and discuss with the people currently working on the website. That’s just one idea. Other things that make studying interesting would be student publications which were not reviews of pubs and bands and so on but on the topic so perhaps if the university had a tradition of contributing to the journals. There is a massive, massive range of journals which are great to read and very intellectual and some universities I think have this tradition of contributing and I haven’t seen anybody at undergraduate level making a contribution – you can do.