Describe An Experience That Changed You Essays -

Describe an experience that changed you The black pirate hat danced around in the air, weaving and bobbing to some Disneyland music. Attached to it was my head and the rest of me, being dragged along on this wild ride. The only sounds I heard were ones of trumpets soaring higher and higher, trying to hit an absurdly high note. The pirate hat and the warm Florida night had taken control, and my self-consciousness went right out the window. I danced, not greatly or with any skill whatsoever, but I danced. For that one night, at the end of our trip to Florida and Walt Disney World, I enjoyed life in a way I never have before. Earlier that evening, I had wandered around the hotel, feeling lonely and bored. My roommate and I had planned on visiting the theme parks, but his father, a chaperon, had taken him out for a surprise birthday dinner. So I was left alone to wander. Feeling in the mood to play some video games, I headed out to the arcade with a crisp ten dollar bill. Fifteen minutes later, I walked out, penniless, after quickly finding out that I should never get behind the wheel of a race car. I don't believe I even managed to complete one lap, let alone finish. On the way back, I ran into some friends of mine, who had returned from dinner to get their tickets for the theme parks. Seeing how lonely I was, they invited me to go with them. I agreed, happy to do anything. We got our tickets, and decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks and the parade. When we arrived there, we walked around, stopping to get some ice cream and pie. The air was constantly filled with the screams of joy from children running around, and every person had a smile on his face. The happy mood was contagious and I began to smile myself. My two friends sat down for a minute to enjoy their ice cream, so I went into a store looking for a souvenir. The pirate hat sat on the table, looking silly even from across the room. I moved closer, a smile and a chuckle coming from me as I thought about what my friends might say. A cartoonish sticker of Captain Hook was on the front brim, and his large smile sold me. I picked it up, paid for it, and put it on, anticipating the reaction of my friends. I was not disappointed. Howls of laughter burst forth, and I quickly joined in, enjoying the moment. I spent the rest of time at the park and the ride back to the hotel with a big sm ile on my face. It was around eleven o'clock when we got in, but I was having too much fun to go to sleep. It was also our last night in Florida. I went into my room, and got out my Cd player, and put in my Disney Jazz cd, wanting to listen to some fun music. I intended only to listen and watch the stars and the night, but the incessant beat of the drums and jubilation's of the trumpets filled me with energy. I was in such a good mode, I began to let the music move me, and I was off. For once in my life, I forgot about being mature and serious, and let it all go. I got even more flamboyant when my other friends returned, enjoying their shock at seeing me like this. I had the time of my life. When I think back on that trip, it always brings back a smile to my face. Since then I've tried to be less serious and enjoy life a little more. I've made more friends and I have had more fun this past year than I have before. That experience has changed my life for the better, and I'm glad it happened in a funny way.

Legal Drinking Age essays

Legal Drinking Age essays Motor vehicle crashes, alcoholic poisoning, violence, and addiction are just some of the ways children under age 21 are being devastated by the inappropriate and illegal use of alcohol. Alcohol is the number one drug of choice among the nations youth and it can have serious, often lifelong, consequences for them, their families and their communities (Alcoholism). Underage alcohol use is a significant threat to the health and safety of our children, noted Steven A. Shroeder, M.D., President and CEO of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The extent of alcohol consumption by children ages 9 to 15 is startling, and preventing it must become a national priority. Consider these facts: - 3 million children ages 14 through 17 are regular drinkers who already have a confirmed alcoholic problem. - 24 percent of eighth graders say they have used alcohol in the last 30 days. - More than 100,000 12-13 year-olds binge drink every month - Ninth graders who drink are almost twice as likely to attempt suicide as those who dont. - 40 percent of children who begin drinking before the age of 15 will become alcoholics at some point in their lives. (Alcoholism) Alcohol consumption is one of the leading causes of death and injury among teenagers (Alcoholism). If you can join the Army and get killed fighting for your country, you should be able to drink, said Tim Maloney, who was a junior at Grandview High School when he participated in the survey. Yet nearly anyone who has studied the effects of alcohol on teen-agers will disagree with Maloney (Bradley). Researchers have determined that alcohol kills a large number of persons between the ages of 18 and 21 (Bradley). And liquor packs a more powerful punch for teen-agers, even 20-years-olds, because they still are developing physically, emotionally, and socially (Bradley). The maturing process can last until age 24 (Alcoholism). Frequent drinking can stunt ...

Review Based on the Book Educational Studies Essay

Review Based on the Book Educational Studies - Essay Example Within the context of this paper, I will discuss how community, family, technology, society, and relationships all have a strong effect on the quality of education children get and whether they decide to go to college. The quality of the education a child gets also determines if they become lifelong learners, leaders, and have confidence in themselves and their abilities as they grow and develop throughout life. Family, society, and classmates all play a significant role in how children develop their sense of self and their self-esteem (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). The development of this sense of self has a strong impact on the ability of the child to excel in academics, sports, and it will also affect their thoughts on higher education (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). Children that have low self-esteem tend to think poorly about their abilities and may not think they are capable of learning the complex curriculum taught in today’s schools. A strong sense of self enables t he child to have the courage to explore their surroundings, engage in activities, and develop their sense of self (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). Culturally responsive teaching is an important factor in helping young children learns to develop a positive sense of self (Sadker and Zittleman, 2009). From birth, children are gathering knowledge of their own culture from the people around them and they use this information in the development of their self-image (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). ... Biological factors include inherited or genetic traits, personality or temperament, and physical and health attributes, like disabilities or premature birth (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). These factors don’t just play an influential role in the development of the child, but can also have a negative affect on the relationship that the child has with their caregivers (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). Environmental factors include the child’s family, the neighborhood they live in, and the presence of environmental toxins, like second-hand smoke (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). These factors can effect a child’s social and emotional development by adding stress to the child’s family life (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). Relationships with other children that are not related to them and the values and attitudes of their teachers add additional influences to the child’s development (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). All these influences are the effects of socialization or the child’s nurturing environment (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). The nature of the child is determined mostly by biological factors and plays a vital role in the way the child learns (Sharp, Ward, and Hankin, 2009). Programs that create supportive environments, provide time for unstructured play, and allow the child to establish caring relationships with others will help the child gain the tools they need to be successful in the future (Sorte, Daeschel, and Amador, 2011). The standards of a supportive environment are: small group sizes, developmentally appropriate curriculum, competent instructors, and parents that are involved with the child’s

National Math Curriculum Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

National Math Curriculum - Case Study Example The key concepts of applications of mathematics enable the students of this college to gain a critical understanding about mathematical ideas that shape our world. The revised mathematics programme of study for key stage 3 includes the level 1 functional skills standard in mathematics. There are structural similarities with the level 1 functional skills. For the algebra lessons, there are four specific examples outlined. The first one is to generate and describe simple integer sequences. The second one is to generate terms of a simple sequence based on a given rule. The third one is to generate sequences from practical contexts and explain the general term in specific simple cases. The fourth one is to express simple functions in words and afterwards express it using symbols and in mappings. For the lessons in shape and space, there are seven specific examples. The first one is to utilize letter symbols to represent unknown numbers and variables. The second one is to recognise and use multiples, factors or divisors, common factor, highest common factor, lowest common multiple and primes. The third one is to find the prime factor decomposition of a number. ... For the lessons on probability, there are three examples. First, one must generate the point estimate of a normal distribution. The second example is finding the confidence interval of normal distributions. The third one is to assess the strength of association between two variables using chi-square and phi. The major functional skills in algebra, shape and space and probability lessons are applied to the teaching and learning methods of St. Thomas a Becket Catholic College. This type of holistic learning needs to contribute to the development of the key processes. The skills developed in key stage 3 pertain to the key processes of representing, analysing, interpreting, evaluating, communicating and reflecting. The range and content set out in the programme of study is comprehensive. The key stage 3 programme of study forms the foundation for pupils to apply their mathematics to actual situations in the real world in key stage 4.This curriculum helps them to be responsible citizens. It contributes to help them adopt mathematical skills for financial capability which will prepare them to live responsible and satisfying lives. The curriculum puts primordial emphasis on analysing and justifying conclusions in mathematical situations which allows them to acquire critical and analytical appr oaches to real-life situations. This curriculum helps students to be successful learners. The mathematics programme of study assists students with inquisitive minds to learn how to think for themselves. It specifically provides ample opportunities for pupils to tackle open-ended problems. The pupils are work with mathematical errors and misconceptions, which helps them to understand how they learn, as well as to learn from their

Terrorism in the modern world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Terrorism in the modern world - Essay Example The issue is further complicated when governments adopt violent tactics in the pursuit of their interests, provoking accusations of state terrorism. The quotation mentioned above from Giannini Riotta, speaking as the Deputy Editor of the Spanish newspaper Corriera del Sera, was made in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks of 2001 in the United States. The force of his statement is to argue that whereas terrorists formerly tried to gain publicity by staging events that the media could report on, they have now begun to specifically target media networks because in this way a terrorist â€Å"understands that that’s the right way to paralyse our world.† (Riotta, 2005) It is important at the outset to be clear about our definition of terrorism, as opposed to other activities which may involve some degree of violence tied to political motives. Wilkinson identifies five key features of terrorism: 1) It is premeditated and designed to create a climate of extreme fea r; 2) It is directed at a wider target than the immediate victims; 3) It inherently involves attacks on random or symbolic targets, including civilians; 4) It is considered by the society in which it occurs as ‘extra-normal’, that is in the literal sense that it violates the norms regulating disputes, protest and dissent; and 5) It is used primarily, though not exclusively, to influence the political behaviour of governments, communities or specific social groups. (Wilkinson, 1997, p.51) It is clear from each of these characteristics that a key distinguishing feature of terrorism is its intention to reach a far greater number of people than those immediately affected by any terrorist act. The media play a crucial role in providing a mechanism for passing on information, fear and all sorts of ideas from the terrorist group to the public at large. Journalists and editors have a responsibility to report the truth, and considerable lee-way in how they frame the facts and co mment on the issues. It is possible, for example, to report both the concerns of the terrorists and the dreadful consequences of their acts on innocent civilians, thus eroding arguments of terrorists by illustrating their disregard for human life. Journalists are not simply being used by terrorists, because they are responsible for what they write. Schmid and de Graaf focus on the modern mass media’s insatiable hunger for specatacle and drama and recommend a system in which journalists should have a voluntary code of conduct in reporting on terrorism and navigating the many moral dilemmas that arise in this field. Using the example of the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847 by Lebanese Shia terrorists, Schmid and de Graf demonstrate the leverage which was gained by the hijackers, thanks to the mass media filming and commentating of the unfolding events. (Schmid and de Graaf, 1982, pp. 539-555) The visual elements of this â€Å"spectacle† ensured that it remained on televi sions and in newspapers throughout the world over several days while governments negotiated with the hijackers. The media sold many copies and filled many hours of airtime with commentary and debate, and this dependence of Western media on commercial income through sales can lead to a tendency to hype up and sensationalise terrorist activities. In the 1970s and 1980s there was an increase in the number of international terrorist activit

Strong Culture and Organizational Effectiveness

Strong Culture and Organizational Effectiveness Organizational culture is the pattern of shared values and beliefs that help individuals understand organizational functioning. The characteristics that captures the essence of organizations culture include member identity, group emphasis, people focus, unit integration, control, risk tolerance, reward criteria, conflict tolerance, means-end orientation, and open system focus. Appraising the organization on these ten characteristics gives a composite picture of the organizations culture. However, we have strong culture and weak culture. Strong cultures are those in which organizational values and beliefs are widely shared and significantly influence peoples behaviour on the job. Organizations with a strong culture create clear and coherent values and expect that members agree with and care intensely about those values. Denison identifies four key traits that an organization should master in order to be effective as mission, consistency, involvement, and adapt ­ability. Strong organizational cultures have been linked to increased staff alignment, resulting in enhanced organizational effectiveness. However some research shows that strong cultures may enhance short-term success but inhibit long-term organizational performance, and may even contribute to long-term failure by preventing organizations from adapting to changing contingencies. TABLE OF CONTENTS (JUMP TO) 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Culture 1.2 Organizational culture 1.3 Strong culture and weak culture 2.0 Strong culture and organizational effectiveness 2.1 Subculture 3.0 Leadership role in organizational effectiveness 4.0 Conclusion 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 CULTURE Culture is the way we do things are done around here (Schein, 1985) defining the actions of an organization in overt and covert ways, and when change takes place (Smollan, 2009). Culture can also be defined as the collective programming of the mind (Hofstede, 2005). According to Jan Vom (2011), two significant elements covers the scope of culture: (1) cultures manifestation (2) scope of the referenced group. Cultures manifestation Organizations culture is manifested through visible structures and strategies (Jan Vom, 2011). The three layers of culture related to its manifestation are; artefacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions (Schein, 2004 as quoted in Jan Vom, 2011). The visible artefact through which culture is manifested includes companys symbols, its products, architecture, way of dressing, typical behaviours and rituals. It is important to connect artefacts to values. Espoused values are less visible and encompass publicly expressed strategies, goals, norms and rules that provide the daily operating doctrine for members of the organization. Basic underlying assumptions are a subconscious part of the culture which accounts for a mental map of fundamental aspects of life such as the nature of time and space, the role of social hierarchies, and the relative importance of work, family, and self-development. These represent the essence of culture. Scope of the referenced group Reference group refers to the set of people an individual perceives as belonging to his or her work environment which defines the social world of work in which he or she engages, including people with whom the individual does and does not communicate (Lawrence, 2006). Thus, the referenced group are the people within the context of the culture. The scope of the culture is defined depending on the referenced group (Jan Vom, 2011). 1.2 ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE Organizational culture has been defined by numerous authors in different ways. Deshpande and Webster (1989) define organizational culture as the pattern of shared values and beliefs that help individuals understand organizational functioning thus providing norms for behaviour in the organization. In contrast, other authors such as Schein (1985) have put forward that culture is best thought of as a psychological tendency, which he refers to as basic assumptions, that members of an organization learns as it solves its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, and considered valid because it is successful, and then taught to new members to use when facing those problems. However, no matter how we choose to define culture, culture is an important aspect of an organization, and organizations with strong culture increase the chances that members can execute its objectives and increase organizational performance by enlightening members on those objectives (Pottruck, 2001). Chantman, and Chaldwell (1991) quoted in Dwivedi (1995) suggests that the ten primary characteristics that, in aggregate, capture the essence of organizations culture includes: Member identity: how employees identify with the organization as a whole rather than with their type of job or field of professional expertise. Group emphasis: The degree to which work activities are organised around groups rather than individuals. People focus: the degree to which management decisions taken into consideration the effect of outcomes on people within the organization. Unit integration: the degree to which units within the organization are encouraged to operate in a coordinated or interdependent manner. Control: the degree to which rules, regulations, and direct supervision are used to oversee and control employee behaviour. Risk tolerance: the degree to which employees are encouraged to be aggressive, innovative, and risk seeking. Reward criteria: the degree to which rewards such as salary increases and promotions are allocated according to employees performance rather than seniority, favouritism, or other non- performance factors. Conflict tolerance: the degree to which employees are encouraged to air conflicts and criticisms openly. Means-ends orientation: the degree to which management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes used to achieve those outcomes. Open system focus: the degree to which the organization monitors and responds to changes in the external environment. These characteristics reflect the organizations value and are used to determine an organizations culture. Depending on its strength, it can bring about organizational effectiveness (Dwivedi, 1995). However, some researchers have questioned how well strong cultures improve organizational performance. According to Denison (1990), organizations with strong cultures had greater returns on investments, but this only happens in the short run, after three years the relationship between cultural consistency and performance becomes negative. Also, Alicia (2002) is of the opinion that strong cultures may facilitate short-term success but inhibit long-term organizational performance, and may even contribute to long-term failure by preventing organizations from adapting to changing contingencies. Thus, while cultural strength may bring about increase in organizational performance in the short run, they may also inhibit an organizations ability to adapt, change, and innovate. 1.3 STRONG CULTURE AND WEAK CULTURE An organizations culture can either be strong or weak depending on the degree of alignment of the organizations value and employees response to stimuli because of their alignment with it (Olivier, 2009). Strong cultures: Here, organizational values and beliefs are widely shared with significant influence on peoples behaviour with respect to their job (John, 2006). It encompasses the ability to influence and motivate organizational members to act in an approved manner in the organization, and also an agreement on the part of members, regarding the importance of the organizational values (Schein, 2004). Weak cultures: Here, there is lack of motivation by the members of the organization, and it encompasses little or no  strategy-implementing assistance since there are no traditions, beliefs, values, common bonds, or behavioural norms that  management  can use to motivate to execute the chosen strategy (John, 2006). 2.0 STRONG CULTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Culture has long been regarded as essential to organizational effectiveness (Schein, 1992). According to Alicia (2002); Organizations with a strong culture create clear and coherent values and expect members to care and agree with those values, even if core values emphasize dissent and creativity (Flynn Chatman, 2001). Chatman (2002) is of the opinion that organizations attain strategic advantages through strong cultures. For example, Southwest Airlines has better performance than its competitors, over a period of time, due to its strong culture of focusing on keeping costs low and customers happy. However, Denison (1990) postulated a model that highlights the four key traits of organizational culture, which includes; mission, consistency, involvement, adaptability. Denisons research has demonstrated that effective organizations have high culture scores in all four traits. Thus, effective organizations are likely to have cultures that are adaptive, yet highly consistent and predictable, and that foster high involvement, but do so within the context of a shared sense of mission. External Focus (Adaptability + Mission) The adaptation hypothesis asserts that an organization must hold a system of norms and beliefs which support the capacity of an organization to receive, interpret, and translate signals from its environment into internal behavioural changes that increase its chances for survival, growth and development (Denison, 1990). Schein (1985) emphasizes that a culture usually consists of some adaptive collective behavioural responses, and the capacity to manage these responses is key to organizations effectiveness. A mission, on the other hand, provides purpose and meaning by defining a social role for an institution and defining the relevance of individual roles as related to the institutional role (Denison, 1990). Hence, an organization that is focused on adapting and changing in response to the external environment, and also has well defined goals and objectives has a strong external focus which is key to organizational effectiveness. A strong external focus typically impacts revenue, sales growth, and market share (Denison, 2006). Internal Focus (Involvement + Consistency) High levels of involvement and participation create a sense of ownership and responsibility (Denison, 1990). Members of an organization are able carry out coordinated action when they shared system of beliefs, and values, which are widely understood. Consistency involves defining the values and systems that are the basis of a strong culture. Strong organizational culture which is consistent leads to organizational effectiveness by priding itself on the quality of its products or services. An organization with strong internal focus has higher levels of quality, fewer defects, less rework, good resource utilization, and high employee satisfaction (Denison, 2006). Flexibility (Adaptability + Involvement) A flexible organization has the capability to change in response to the environment with focus is on the marketplace and its people. An organization that is flexible has higher levels of product and service innovation, creativity, and a fast response to the changing needs of customers and employees (Denison, 2006). Stability (Mission + Consistency) A stable organization has the capacity to remain focused and predictable over time. An organization that is stable has high return on assets, investments and sales, as well as strong busi ­ness operations (Denison, 2006). Hence an organization should master these key traits and strengthen its culture in order to be effective. According to Barney (1986), strong organizational culture facilitates increased staff alignment, thus strengthening organizational effectiveness, and increasing employee productivity and commitment. However, on the contrary, Gagliardi (1986) suggested that organizations with strong cultures are only capable of a limited change because of resistance by members to changing those strongly held and widely shared values. For example, such resistance threatened the survival of Westinghouse electrical company in the 1950s, by preventing it from reaping any benefits from acquiring a factory automation business. It was concluded that the failure was due to the organizations culture of merging an entrepreneurial organizational activity into a relatively slow-moving, large American corporation (Nohria, Dwyer, Dalzell, 2002). This further reinforces the point that cultural strength increases organizational performance, but only in the short run, they may also inhibit an organizations ability to change. However Alicia (2002) suggests that organizations facing such problems can use subcultures to become more agile and to drive innovation. 2.1 SUBCULTURE Subcultures are groups whose common characteristic is a set of shared norms and beliefs, formed based on an array of individual, societal, and organizational characteristics (Chatman, 2002). Organizational subcultures may be based on membership in various groups (departments, workgroups, and teams), levels of hierarchies, professional and occupational affiliations, socio-demographic categories (sex, ethnicity, age, or nationality) and performance-related variables such as organizational commitment and work performance (Trice Beyer, 1993 quoted by Chatman, 2002) Hofstede (1998) suggested that subculture provides information about employees perceptions of the organization, and thus managers lack of awareness of existing or potential subcultures can be damaging. As mentioned earlier, members of strong cultures may resist change, and change within strong culture organizations may lead to conflict. Subcultures can absorb this conflict, with the value of the organizational culture intact. Thus, subcultures may offer a way for organizations with strong culture to be flexible enough to change and adapt to external occurrences (Chatman, 2002). 3.0 LEADERSHIP ROLE IN ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS According to Bryman (1992), the leader could alter or impact the organizational culture. Weese (1995) suggested that leaders have tempered positions relative to the impact that a leader can have on shaping and preserving the culture of an organization, that the culture is the organization, not something that the organization possesses, and consequently, culture change is an arduous assignment. Hence, transformational leaders are needed to help shape and maintain the desired culture of an organization (Schein, 1993), which may link to organizational effectiveness. High transformational leaders possess strong organizational cultures and carry out culture-building activities, especially the customer-orientation function, to a greater extent than other leaders do (Weese, 1995). Also, Bass and Avolio (1992) suggested that transformational leadership and organizational culture is vital to organizational effectiveness. Yukl (1994) defined transformational leadership as the process of influencing major changes in the attitudes and assumptions of organizational members and building commitment for the organizations mission, objectives and strategies. Leaders should therefore focus on developing a strong organizational culture which supports achieving set goals and objectives, coordinated team work, customer orientation, as well as managing change in the organization. 4.0 CONCLUSION It has been established that culture has a significant impact on organizations performance. Organizations with strong culture, and are able to maintain its stability enjoy better performance than weaker cultural organizations. Organizations should pay attention to mission, consistency, involvement, and adapt ­ability in order to have organizational effectiveness (Denison, 2006). Also, it is important for transformational leaders to possess a stronger organizational culture. However, strong cultures may inhibit an organizations ability to change, but such organizations can use subcultures to become more agile and to drive innovation (Chatman, 2002).

Child Developement :: essays research papers

Volunteering at the YMCA was a great experience. I conducted a two-hour craft class with approximately seventeen children between five to seven years of age. Two â€Å"Y† counselors assisted me with the children. The project I selected was a magazine collage based on nutrition and fitness. The children enthusiastically participated. I brought a large scaled laminated version of the food pyramid. We began by discussing the food groups and they assisted in the assembly of the pyramid. We then discussed the importance of breakfast, good after school snacks and junk food. They energetically engaged in conversation. The children were given black construction paper and magazines to look through to find pictures, they would cut or tear the pictures into small pieces and sort the pieces and glue the pieces onto their paper. The children were sensitive to the needs and feelings of the others around them. They varied widely in a number of different ways. Some of the children could make their own decisions and work independently, while others looked for adult approval. Some worked very quietly when others were noisy. Others were wiggle worms when some were concentrating and working intensely. One beautiful little girl was acting out, vying for even negative attention, when she was no longer the center of attention. She reacted emotionally when she received a written referral from the counselor. When one asked to go to the bathroom suddenly half a dozen children had to go to the bathroom! Based on the Eight Stages of Development developed by psychiatrist, Erik Erikson in 1956 stages three and four were present. Stage (age) Psychosocial crisis Significant relations Psychosocial modalities Psychosocial virtues Maladaptations & malignancies III (3-6) -- preschooler initiative vs. guilt family to go after, to play purpose, courage ruthlessness -- inhibition IV (7-12 or so) -- school-age child industry vs. inferiority neighborhood and school to complete, to make things together competence narrow virtuosity -- inertia 3. Learning Initiative Versus Guilt (Purpose) Erikson believed that this third psychosocial crisis occurs during what he calls the "play age," or the later preschool years. During it, the healthily developing child learns: (1) to imagine, to broaden his skills through active play of all sorts, including fantasy (2) to cooperate with others (3) to lead as well as to follow. Immobilized by guilt, he is: (1) fearful (2) hangs on the fringes of groups (3) continues to depend unduly on adults and (4) is restricted both in the development of play skills and in imagination 4. Industry Versus Inferiority (Competence) Erikson believed that the fourth psychosocial crisis is handled, for better or worse, during what he calls the "school age," presumably up to and possibly including some of junior high school.

I Love Yous Are For White People

Reading your book brought to surface many of the occurrences in my life that I have found myself hiding from. You told my story seen through your eyes but from a deferent environment, I honestly thought I was alone In this world until I read your book.From moving from your home land, to being bullied and picked on for your accent, losing a friend through tragedy and having to meet new friends In a new world, from being physically and mentally abused by your father to molested by a family member, from ranking to numb the pain to Joining a gang/clack to feel at home and have a real family who cared, and finally occurrences to which I could have lost my life. Every story you told had a deeper meaning to me and my stories, you have helped me shine a light on the past which has held a strong grip on me for so long.Growing up in another country brought to light In my eyes the Importance of family, having respect for your elders, and to speak when spoken to along with not speaking out of tu rn. I grew up Belize with an abusive/ alcoholic father, in a way he was similar o what you described he was strict on me getting good grades and staying out of trouble: in any way I dishonored or disobeyed his orders he would be waiting my arrival home, his glare which literally made me weak in the knees and most of the time made me cry, but the various objects he would hold to give me my beatings never made me budge in a way; I was ready it was a routine.My mother I can say was in a way similar to the mother you described, she was always quiet and never intervened in anything my dad was involved in; she could never defend or protect e, she had to stay quiet, and had to make sure my father was satisfied whenever he was around. The phrase you used on chapter fourteen â€Å"l realized one thing- I am my father† really caught my attention. I found myself in life trying my hardest to run away from the thought of becoming my father not realizing that every action I participated in brought me closer to being him.At the age of eight I started stealing money from my parents and sneaking alcoholic beverages to drink so I could numb myself from my surroundings and the pain I was feeling, then it became worst as mime progressed. I don't usually talk about my best friend because it brings back painful memories and the feeling of hate and revenge, he was my big brother older than me by close to a year but he was too young to lose his life.I was eight when we loaned the family gang which Included friends and family members, at the age of 10 during a drug deal he was gunned down by a rival gang during their Initiation phase. Seeing my only brother lifeless In a coffin drove me to a dark place and I felt I had to do something about it. When I turned 10 years old my mother who feared for my life took me from my father and we left Belize to come to America; she wanted to give me a new start, a better life and a future to live for.In Tampa, Florida the elementary school m y mother enrolled me In I didn't feel alone the children were nice and friendly although I had my heavy Caribbean accent, then It changed when I graduated and went to a different middle school from the little bit of friend I had befriended the bullies and never was I picked on again; instead I was protected. My other received a better Job in a different location and I had to switch schools.The second middle school I was enrolled in became my worst nightmare; I was called names, physically picked on by the students and couldn't make friends, I was an outsider and found myself roaming the school yard alone. I became depressed, found myself eating away my pain, and started stealing drinks from my mother's wine bottles and from her boyfriend's liquor collection. I pleaded with my mom for a new change, as a result we moved to Long Beach, California after I graduated middle school; before arriving I swore to myself I would never stand for getting bullied ever again.In High school I starte d working out and turned all my fat into muscles and I also found myself getting in too much fights, about close to 70 in the first two years, then I switched schools to a predominated white upper-class high school in which I joined the wrestling team and took the varsity position at ass's my first year, ever since I moved to the new environment my life has changed. I am in college now pursuing a career in the Fire Service; I want to help people not cause harm to them.I never wanted to be a violent person, I was driven into it because at the time I felt there were no other possible solutions. Today I strongly believe the person I grew up to be does not shape my future, it's my choice; I can either stay and dwell in the past or move forward and strive for my future. You helped me enforce this idea and that's why I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read your novel â€Å"l Love Hoys Are For White People†.You can change the lives of many individuals Just by being able to elate, a lot of people feel they have to bottle up their emotions because no one out there would be able to relate and understand. I would and will recommend this novel for all my friends and family to read. I have come to witness that am still here in this world for a reason, I believe in the phrase you used and that is â€Å"Eve come across a couple of angels in my days here on earth†. I want to say thank you once again for speaking to me through your story and I really appreciate the words you wrote. Sincerely Clifford Usher

20 Surprising Facts About the Titanic

20 Surprising Facts About the Titanic You may already know that the Titanic hit an iceberg  at 11:40 p.m. on the night of April 14, 1912, and that it sank two hours and forty minutes  later. Did you know that there were only two bathtubs for third class passengers or that the crew had only seconds to react to the iceberg? These are just a couple of the interesting facts about the Titanic that were going to explore. The  Titanic  Was Gigantic The Titanic was supposed to be an unsinkable boat and it was built to monumental scale. In total, it was 882.5 feet long, 92.5 feet wide, and 175 feet high. It would displace 66,000 tons of water and it was the largest ship built up to that point in time. The Queen Mary cruise ship was built in 1934 and surpassed the Titanics length by 136 feet, making it 1,019 feet long. In comparison, The Oasis of the Seas, a luxury liner built in 2010, has a total length of 1,187 feet. That is nearly a football field longer than the Titanic. And Grand Luxuries for the first class passengers included a swimming pool, a Turkish bath, a squash court, and a dog kennel. The Ritz Restaurant on board was inspired by the famous Ritz in Londons Picadilly Circus. The grand staircase- there were several staircases- descended seven of the ships ten decks, and featured oak paneling and bronze cherubs. A replica of the staircase can be seen at the Titanic museum in Branson, Missouri. The Last Dinner The last dinner served to first class passengers at the Ritz Restaurant was a feast with ten sumptuous courses, featuring oysters, caviar, lobster, quail, salmon, roast duckling, and lamb. On board the Titanic were 20,000 bottles of beer, 1,500 bottles of wine, and 8,000 cigars, all for the first class passengers. Expensive to Operate The Titanic burned about 600 tons of coal each day to keep it powered. A team of 176 men kept the fires burning, and it is estimated that over 100 tons of ash were injected into the Atlantic each day the Titanic operated. The Canceled Lifeboat Drill Originally, a lifeboat drill was scheduled to take place on board the Titanic on the very day that the ship hit the iceberg. However, for an unknown reason, Captain Smith canceled the drill. Many people believe that had the drill taken place, more lives could have been saved. Only Seconds to React From the time the lookouts sounded the alert, the officers on the bridge had only 37 seconds to react before the Titanic hit the iceberg. In that time, First Officer Murdoch ordered, hard a-starboard (which turned the ship to port- left). He also ordered the engine room to put the engines in reverse. The Titanic did bank left, but it wasnt quite fast or far enough. Lifeboats Were Not Full Not only were there not enough lifeboats to save all 2,200 people on board, most of the lifeboats that were launched were not filled to capacity. If they had been, 1,178 people might have been rescued, far more than the 705 who did survive. For instance, the first lifeboat to launch- Lifeboat 7 from the starboard side- only carried 24 people, despite having a capacity of 65 (two additional people later transferred onto it from Lifeboat 5). However, it was Lifeboat 1 that carried the fewest people. It had only seven crew and five passengers (a total of 12 people) despite having a capacity for 40. Another Boat Was Closer for Rescue When the Titanic began sending out distress signals, the Californian, rather than the Carpathia, was the closest ship. However, the Californian did not respond until it was much too late to help. At 12:45 a.m. on April 15, 1912, crew members on the Californian saw mysterious lights in the sky. These were the distress flares sent up from the Titanic  and they immediately woke up their captain to tell him. Unfortunately, the captain issued no orders. Since the ships wireless operator had already gone to bed as well, the Californian was unaware of any distress signals from the Titanic until the morning. By then, the Carpathia had already picked up all of the survivors. Many people believe that if the Californian had responded to the Titanics pleas for help, many more lives could have been saved. Two Dogs Rescued The order was for  women and children first when it came to the lifeboats. When you factor in that there were not enough lifeboats for everyone on board the Titanic, it is a bit surprising that two dogs made it into the lifeboats. Of the nine dogs on board the Titanic, the two that were rescued were a Pomeranian and a Pekinese. Rich and Famous Among the famous people who died on the Titanic, the wealthiest by far was John Jacob Astor IV, who was worth over US$90 million, over two billion in todays currency. Others included the mining heir, Benjamin Guggenheim, and engineer Thomas Andrews, who oversaw the construction of the Titanic. The co-owner of Macys department store, Isidor Straus and his wife Ida, also died on board the ship. Corpses Recovered On April 17, 1912, the day before survivors of the Titanic disaster reached New York, the CS Mackay-Bennett, a commercial cable repair ship, was sent off from Halifax, Nova Scotia to search for bodies. On board, the Mackay-Bennett were embalming supplies, 40 embalmers, tons of ice, and 100 coffins. Although the Mackay-Bennett  found 306 bodies, 116 of them were too badly damaged to take all the way back to shore. Attempts were made to identify each body found. Additional ships were also sent out to look for bodies. In all, 328 bodies were found, but 119 of these were so severely degraded that they were buried at sea. No-one Knows All Who Died on the Titanic Although the official number of the dead on the Titanic was 1,503 (of the 2,208 on board, there were 705 survivors), over a hundred unidentified bodies were buried in Fairview Lawn cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Many people traveled under false names, and from so many different places, it proved impossible to identify even the recovered bodies. Sidney Leslie Goodwin, a 19-month-old boy buried under the marker unknown child was identified in 2008, after extensive DNA tests and a worldwide genealogical search. Dance Band on the Titanic There was an eight-piece band on the Titanic, led by violinist Wallace Hartley, who had to learn 350 songs in the songbook handed out to first class passengers. As the Titanic was sinking, they sat on the deck and played music, and all of them went down with the ship. Survivors reported that the last piece they played was either Nearer My God to Thee or a waltz named Autumn. The Fourth Funnel Wasnt Real In what is now an iconic image, the side view of the Titanic clearly shows four cream and black funnels. While three of them released steam from the boilers, the fourth was just for show. The designers thought the ship would look more impressive with four funnels rather than three. Only Two Bathtubs in Third Class While the promenade suites in first class had private bathrooms, most passengers on the Titanic had to share bathrooms. Third class had it very rough with only two bathtubs for more than 700 passengers. The  Titanics  Newspaper The  Titanic  seemed to have everything on board, including its own newspaper. The Atlantic Daily Bulletin was printed every day on board the  Titanic. Each edition included news, advertisements, stock prices, horse-racing results, society gossip, and the days menu. A Royal Mail Ship The R.M.S. Titanic was a Royal Mail Ship. This designation meant the Titanic was officially responsible for delivering mail for the British postal service. On board the Titanic was a Sea Post Office with five mail clerks (two British and three American) who were responsible for the 3,423 sacks of mail (seven million individual pieces). Interestingly, although no mail has yet been recovered from the wreck of the Titanic, if it were, the U.S. Postal Service would still try to deliver it out of duty and because most of the mail was destined for the U.S. 73 Years to Find It Despite the fact that everyone knew the Titanic sunk and they had an idea of where that happened, it took 73 years to find the wreckage. Dr. Robert Ballard, an American oceanographer, found the Titanic on September 1, 1985. Now a UNESCO protected site, the ship lays two miles below the oceans surface, with the bow nearly 2,000 feet from the ships stern. The  Titanics  Treasures The Titanic movie included The Heart of the Ocean, a priceless blue diamond that was supposed to have gone down with the ship. This was just a fictional addition to the story that was likely based on a real-life love story regarding a blue sapphire pendant.   Thousands of artifacts were recovered from the wreckage, however, and many pieces of precious jewelry were included. The majority were auctioned off and sold for some rather incredible prices. More Than One Movie Though many of us know of the 1997 movie Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, it was not the first movie made about the disaster. At least 11 have been made, depending on how you define Titanic movie. The very first movie made about the Titanic disaster was released in May 1912, a month after the disaster. It was a silent movie called Saved from the Titanic and it starred Dorothy Gibson, an actress who was one of the survivors. In 1958, A Night to Remember was released that recounted in great detail the ships fatal night. The British-made film featured Kenneth More, Robert Ayres, and many other notable actors, with over 200 speaking parts. There was also the 1953 Twentieth Century Fox production of Titanic. This black and white film starred Barbara Stanwyck, Clifton Webb, and Robert Wagner and was centered around a couples unhappy marriage. Another Titanic movie was produced in Germany and released in 1950. In 1996, a Titanic TV mini-series was produced. The all-star cast included Peter Gallagher, George C. Scott, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Eva Marie Saint. It was reportedly a rushed production designed to be released before the famous blockbuster film hit theaters the next year.

Degreeless Syste essays

The Gradeless/Degreeless Syste essays In Robert M. Pirsigs Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Phaedrus thought of a very clever way to make students work for themselves and not just for a good grade. He wanted students to attend college because they were interested in learning and not just because they needed a degree. Phaedrus thought he could do this by eliminating grades and degrees; it would be a grade less/degreeless system. When looking at this idea hypothetically with a hypothetical student, this system seemed to be fabulous, but when Phaedrus actually applied this idea to his classrooms with real students, it didnt turn out how he had hoped. With the elimination of grades and degrees, Phaedrus believed the hypothetical student would eventually flunk himself out of school and not got back until he was there for the knowledge and not just the grades. He predicted that the student would go to his first few classes out of habit and probably do the assignments in a way he was sort of trained to do them his whole life. Eventually the student would get bored with the class because he wasnt really there for any sort of purpose and would quit going to classes and do the assignments. Then the hypothetical student would eventually take himself out of school. He would flunk himself out. As Phaedrus saw it, this would be better for everyone. The student wasnt there for any real reason so he didnt deserve to be there anyway. He pointed out how a lot of money had been saved and this hadnt affected anyone but the student. All his life the student had been trained with this slave mentality, Phaedrus called it carrot-and-whip grading, a mule mentality which said, If you dont whip me, I wont work (Pirsig 175). This is why the student failed himself out; no one was pushing him to work. The student would go get a job to support himself doing something that he enjoyed. This would satisfy him for a while...

Peer Reviewed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Peer Reviewed - Essay Example an be used in credentialing organizations, ensuring quality health care and how it helps nurses acquire jobs in organizations such as Cancer Treatment Centers of America. When in the world of research, many articles are written and the way that they are clarified is through peer review. This is the process by which people of similar understanding in the same field evaluate the work done by their colleague before it is published. This is a form of self-regulation of research and studies in designated fields to maintain standards of quality, increase performance and grant credibility within the said field. Once the peer review process is complete, the reviewed material is then published or deemed worthy of teaching, presenting or enacting. This paper will thus look at the peer review process implemented at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, compare it with that at American Academy of Nurse, and suggest improvements or changes. It will also identify the ways in which the process is used in the credentialing organizations, ensuring quality and improve advances in practice. To begin with, we will look at the Cancer Treatment Center of America. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) are a private for-profit institution that builds hospitals that are dedicated to the treatment of cancer and provides outpatient clinics in which patients can receive both traditional and complimentary alternative medicine treatments (Kent, 2014). With a head office in Schaumburg, Illinois, it has five fully-fledged hospitals around the United States in Illinois, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Georgia. It also has an outpatient oncology clinic located in Seattle, Washington. Having been founded by Richard J Stephenson in the late 1980s after losing his mother to cancer, the organization has been helping patients fight cancer using advanced technology and a personalized approach offering comprehensive cancer care in all its hospitals. Being an organization that is

The nurses role as a cultural broker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The nurses role as a cultural broker - Essay Example Nurses as cultural brokers had a role to build an understanding of the cultural factors and awareness of the different communities they serve and of the many ways in which such factors influence communities and the community members. It is not a must for a Cultural Broker to be a member of a particular cultural background or community. However, it was a requirement for them to have a history and experience with different cultural groups for which they serve as brokers. They needed to respect and trust the community they are working for, have knowledge of the community’s values, beliefs, and health practices of different cultural groups. It is equally important for them to have a clear understanding of the traditional and indigenous wellness and healing networks of that particular community for them to be effective middlemen. Nurses as cultural brokers ensure that individuals’ values customs and spiritual beliefs of an individual are respected accordingly. The nurses also ensure an individual receives information that is accurate, sufficient and culturally appropriate manner on which to base consent for care and treatment. The final role was to navigate the health care delivery and the community’s supportive systems (Parker, 2001).