What Does College Mean to Me?

What does college mean to me? Going to college to me means a lifetime full of knowledge. College is an accomplishment that would give me success for the rest of my life. When I’m older I hope college will build on to my knowledge level and put me at the top! I want to be an anesthesiologist when I get older so that means I have to go to at least four years at a regular college hopefully USC, and then go to a doctoring school for at least 8 years. In order to achieve this goal I have to do well in school now to get the job in about 15-25 years.College is a tool that I would have to have to get that job and I’m determined on getting it. I hope I’ll be more successful and think more about my future then. College would be a great thing for me since almost none of my family went, well my mom did and then she dropped out. If I made it to college I would love to finish what my mom started and finish college and do what she wanted to do become an actual something and not just a receptionist/nurse at a doctor’s office.College would mean the world to me and my family and all my relatives support me in my work and think I would do very well in college if I focused more on my school work now so I hope to become better at paying attention and giving my all in all my classes especially my AVID class because that is the class that is making my dream come true. AVID is a program that gives kids a way to get to college by giving scholarships which is the only way I’d be able to go to college because my parents say that they can’t afford for three kids to go to college.My parents tell me that I have to work my hardest in this class and stay smart so maybe just maybe I won’t have to pay but a small amount out of my pocket or even my parent’s pockets. College would be a blessing to me and help my dream career become a reality! I hope that doing my work and working hard in my AVID class will get me there. My AVID teacher is al so a big part of my college dream and she inspires me to want to go to college and I’m very thankful that she has helped me get my life straight and I’m set on what I want to do and what job I want to pursue and I’m ready for college and I’ll do anything I can to get there.

National Science Day

Every year we celebrate National Science Day on 28th February to honour our Nobel laureate Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman for his invention of the Raman effect through his experiments on the scattering of light. Nation pays tribute and expresses gratitude to Sir CV Raman and to all the scientists on this day for their genius and dedication. It is a day, which attracts many young minds to take up science as their career and a day to see novel scientific achievements. The basic objective of observation of National Science Day is to spread the message of importance of science and its application among the people.This is essential to accelerate the pace of development. Even in the 21st century and despite many significant achievements certain sections of our society are still guided by blind faith and beliefs, which is reflected in the quality of decision making on developmental issues. On February 28th, 1928, Sir. C. V. Raman announced the discovery of the Raman effect at the Indian I nstitute of Science in Bangalore. Sir C. V. Raman was honoured with the first prestigious Nobel Award in Physics for the country in 1930. Hence the National Science Day holds great significance for Indian Science and scientific community.Science has contributed a great deal to human welfare. Through the gospel of reason and experimental observation, by which it works, it has enabled man to acquire intellectual and mental excellence. It helps inculcate scientific temper among school children. Health and hygiene issues are prime concerns for the common people. The daily application of science like the use of clean drinking water, knowledge to eradicate contagious disease, the know how of various agricultural practices to increase crop production, the usefulness of biodiversity conservation, etc. , should be disseminated to the future generation.

Business Essays – Google Online Internet

Business Essays Google Online Internet Google Online Internet Google, Inc. is the world’s leading online search engine company founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were students at Stanford University and the company was first incorporated as a privately held company on September 7, 1998. Google’s business is related to Internet Search, web-based emailing, online mapping, office productivity, social networking and video sharing as well as advertising services like Adwords and Adsence. Founded at Menlo Park, CA on September 7, 1998 and now has head quarters at Mountain View, CA (â€Å"The Rise of Google†. USA Today). It is the largest American company (by market capitalization) that is not part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (as of October 31st, 2007). Google currently has16,805 full-time employees and Eric E. Schmidt, is the current CEO/Director of the company. Google is now traded on both NASDAQ and LSE. The first Google’s IPO took place on August 19, 2004. 19,605,052 shares were offered at a price of US$85 per share. The Google is the largest trading company on NASDAQ index with a revenue of US$16.593 billion, net income of US$4.203 billion, total assets of US$25.335 billion and total equity of US$22.689 billion (Financial Data Quest, 2007). Google is listed as top 5 companies traded on NASDAQ with total volume as 6,557,543. Google gets its name from the word â€Å"Googol† which is the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros. Google is the most used search engine on the web with a 53.6% market share, ahead of Yahoo! (19.9%) and Live Search (12.9%) making Google has a market leader. The main revenue for Google, Inc. is the advertising application launched by Google called Adwords, where thousands of advertisers advertise there products and services. Started in the year 2000 Google Adwords is treated as flagship advertising product and main source of revenue. It offers Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising, and site-targeted advertising for both text and banner ads. Google has tremendous competition in the industry with Yahoo, Inc., MSN, AOL and others. Google, Inc. is vaulted to more than 6 Billion $ sales last year (Business Week, Estimation 2007). Google also faced a number of Law suits for Violation of trademark law and Click fraud. Google settled a click fraud lawsuit for US$90 million. In April 2002 a company called Overtune Services, Inc.(A Yahoo Company) sued Google for patent infringement for launching Adwords. Google agreeing to issue 2.7 million shares of common stock to Yahoo! in exchange for a perpetual license under the patent. (Google, Yahoo bury the legal hatchet, Stefanie Olsen, CNET News.com, August 9, 2004). II. Firm’s Current Situation – Internal Analysis Strengths of Google, Inc: Google is the current market leader with more than 53% share in the Search Engine and advertising industry, the factors that made possible to acquire this position are: Technology: Google uses high defined user e nd technology such as open source search, which enables easy and sharp search to customers. Google uses high speed servers which can tackle millions of searches a minute. The technology used by Google is also used by NASA and US Defense. This type of technology help customers to find relevant answers for there enquiries online, making Google the most trusted reliable search engine in the world.

Food Insecurity Projects Conducted by the Following Organizations Research Paper

Food Insecurity Projects Conducted by the Following Organizations - Research Paper Example This is by encouraging the building of reserves for surplus food. The advice they offer goes a long way in promoting understanding between the countries these organizations come from, and the countries being offered assistance (Kracht and Schulz 194). As countless numbers of organizations come up, it is imperative to note the roles most of them play in eradicating food insecurity, and the growth of projects to protect the food many countries store. This paper will examine a number of such organizations, and the role they play in combatting the food insecurities experienced in most parts of the world. Also, how the world is reacting toward these organizations’ involvement in most of their activities. It is a division of the United Nations that seeks to address world health and issues that affect it. The rise in number of projects in many parts of the world to address food insecurity is part of the fundamental principles that it is run on, ever since its inception. One of the many responses that it is covering as an international organization is to address the issue of grain prices (Smith and Alderman 178). In Australia, the WHO is addressing the plight of minority groups in Australia. Some of the indigenous groups face problems with the unavailability of nutritious food. The WHO is offering these groups education as some of the projects it is undertaking in the region (Smith and Alderman 190). Manufacturers and wholesalers are urged to dispose of surplus food by the organization through the food banks present. It is one of the main organizations that helps run leading food programmes in the world. It is responsible for ensuring many nations are receiving the deserved attention when it comes to nourishing, healthy food. This is to combat the number of undernourished individuals, in the world, and mend the food situations in most protracted areas (Kracht and Schulz 199). There are crucial

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Macroeconomics - Essay Example In order to justify the arguments mentioned in the article, the author has used different economic theories. Equilibrium Theory of Economics: The author of the article implicitly described that the political leaders believe that the equilibrium in the economy will be achieved with the help of tax cut strategy. The assumption that lies behind the strategy of tax cut was that by reducing the taxes the economy will grow further and the economy may be able to achieve equilibrium position. First of all, it is important to develop cognizant regarding the equilibrium theory. Equilibrium theory of economics depends upon the behavior of demand and supply along with the prices of the whole economy (Scarf, 2008). The combination of quantity and the prices, where demand equals supply, is referred to as the equilibrium point. This equilibrium point is the point, where the economic growth is at its peak. The strategy, which is being followed by the US Govt. since last 10 years, was to reduce the t axes so the purchasing power of the people can be increased and the economic growth can reach approximately at its peak. Implicitly, the Govt. of United States Of America is assuming the equilibrium theory of economics persists. ... The strategy of tax cut prevails throughout the period. Now the question arises why the tax cut strategy could not be successful? The answer lies in the explanation of Keynesian Theory of Economics. Keynisian Theory Of Economics: One of the most significantly studied economic theories by the author of the article is the Keynesian theory. The Keynesian theory describes the fact that there are number of different factors that must be considered when studying the cause and effect relationships (Keynes, 2004). The article has beautifully described the facts that during the period of tax cuts the economy could not grow properly, but the period of economic growth could be significantly seen when the tax rates were high David Leonhardt, the author of the article has conducted the correlation analysis. The basic concept behind the Keynesion economic theory is that the aggregate demand and supply may never be equal for the economic growth. In other words, the equilibrium point, where the dema nd equals supply may not necessarily be the point of highest economic growth. The reason is that there are many other factors that may have profound impacts on the economic growth. The US Govt. must also consider those other factors to define the economic growth. The basic presumption behind the tax cut strategy, was that in short term the tax cut put money in the people’s pocket and in the long run people will work harder if they keep more of the next dollar they earn. The Govt. did not focus on other related and important factors. One of the most important considerations was that the people who care about hitting the specific income target might work less because they can hit that particular income target more easily. In addition to this, the economy has also experienced deficit,

Project Reviews Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project Reviews - Research Paper Example cope of the project, how many people works in that particular project, level of skills of the personnel, the time required for the project completion, project familiarity, resources available, the risk associated with the project, the project complexity and how often the communication is carried out within the project management systems (Barkley, 2006). While carrying out the project reviews it is fundamentally right to factor in the actionable information that gauges the extent of success of these projects. It should be able to scrutinize the project and determine the things that went well as well as those that met with failure in the process of project implementation. Besides, it should be able to capture things that struggled and created bottlenecks in different phases of the project implementation and take into account the preparation of the feedback mechanisms. The project review should take comparisons of the required specifications in consideration of the end results and whether the project is on track or in deviations. The actionable information helps in putting the lessons learnt in taking care of the project quality, budget, overall impacts, time delivery schedule and the project deviations from the requirements. The review should not be biased in any way and it should be able to identify risks that have occurred or yet t o occur in the process of project implementation. Honest project reviews is helpful since it puts projects on the right tracks by identifying the shortfalls and successes (Barkley,

Does The Use Of Technology Specifically Phones And Facebook Diminish Essay

Does The Use Of Technology Specifically Phones And Facebook Diminish Real Life Interactions - Essay Example A good example is the development of internet, which despite it being very useful brought forth cybercrime that, is affecting all persons either directly or indirectly. The phones are very essential in communicating with others who are not around us. This is very good for human development either politically or economically. Despite this, phones produce electromagnetic waves, which are not good for human health. Furthermore, the phones reduce physical interaction between persons as all transactions are completed without face-to-face interaction. This paper seeks to give an in-depth analysis of technology, specifically the use of phone and internet and they diminish real life interactions based on personal observation and interview results from five individuals.Due to the nature of the society we are today, the use of the phones has been on the increase. In the past, access to phone was limited and thus those who did not have phones had to travel to meet others. In such case, the huma n face-to-face interaction was common and had benefits attached to it. The face to face-to-face interaction reduced the chances of lying, which was very good for human social development. The duration a person spends on his phone in a day, depend on the nature of work he is undertaking. For example, businesspersons spend a lot of time on their phones to ensure that all transactions are carried out as planned despite them being absence.... The interference with their normal brain functioning affects various activities they are involved in, human face-to-face interaction included. Some people use phones for leisure and pleasure activities. This is well demonstrated by people who spend quantitate period playing various games available in the phone. In most cases, these games usually require one player. As a result, the addicts of such games spend a quantitative period of lime alone. Without the phone, the person would have interacted with other persons face to face in his recreation activities. In the children and youth development, learning from others not only the academic knowledge but also the general knowledge is mainly learned through interaction and observation of other people. Thus, the uses of phone impair face-to-face interaction of people, which may have adverse effect on child development. This does not mean that children should be denied access to phones. Consideration is necessary in ensuring those phones a re availed to children at the age of about fourteen years when it would not have much adverse effect on their development. Despite this, they should be advised and monitored. It is evident that people are involved in various activities in order to satisfy their needs. The activities may require their presence or not. In order to ensure that they effectively undertake them, people usually have more than one phone, each dedicated to a particular purpose. Using the phone, they are able to coordinate various activities in their absence. This makes it one of the most preferred methods of communication, as the response to the conversations is real time through calls. There are also methods of communication such as emails and messages. Their choice

Change mangement Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Change mangement - Case Study Example This identified the country among the best countries with air airline facilities until after the Second World War. Airline industry in the country started operating in the year 1910 and offered diversified services such as transporting passengers, commodities, parcels and even medical supplies. Development in the industry however begun with construction of aircraft models in the late 19th century but the models were only constructed in the 20th century and approved in the year 1909 before the first flight occurred in the year 1910. Military application of airlines followed two years later and the services were used in many European countries. A number of aviation colleges were also established in the same decade. In the following decade, flight trials were conducted across international airlines before diversified airline services were offered. The country’s airline industry has however continued to experience changes in its internal and external environments to warrant notabl e changes. Qantas is one of the significant developments in the industry (Australian Government, 2008). Competition within the industry is partially regulated by the country’s political environment. The Trade Practice Act is an example. The industry however allows for market forces’ effects, in competition, such as â€Å"predatory pricing† that offers large firms an advantage over small firms in the industry (Parliament of Australia, n.d., p. 1). The industry’s competitive environment has also shifted from its previous duopoly system to a competitive market system. Some of the major players are Qantas, virgin Blue, and Ansett group among others and the firms use product differentiation as the major tool to attracting and retaining their customers. Qantas however remains the largest controller of the industry’s market in Australia (Parliament of Australia, n.d.). Qantas, one of the major players in the Australian airline industry, has a rich history that extends

Marketing principles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Marketing principles - Assignment Example The benefits that can be achieved if you understand the customer is very important it can also help avoid any pitfalls and other issues. 2. Analyzing the market to check viability. Some basic market research should be carried out before introducing the product so that there are no issues when you launch the product or try to get something done. It is very important that some of the research that has been carried out should be utilized to ensure a successful product launch. The data such as total available market, market growth (historical numbers and projections), market trends, etc. are easily available and can be utilized for the benefit of the organization. 3. Analyzing the Competition that exists in the market 4. Researching and establishing the market distribution channels 5. Defining the Marketing Mix that exists and that the company plans to launch Marketing mix involves product, price, place, and packaging. 6. Analyzing the financials of the company and then deciding the mark eting plan. 7. The last step is to revise the steps that have been taken and then finalize the decision. There is no need to spend much on advertising. They can just print out the flyers and use the posters that can be put up so that people can become aware of the restaurant. At first they do not need any kind of marketing. They can start selling packaged lunches and dinners so that the students can have very easy access to food. This will help the restaurant build a better image as it will be creating an ease for the students. The main function of any organization’s marketing department is to be aware of what the consumer expects from the products of the company and be sure to devise methods that will help deliver the promises that they have made and satisfy the customers. The control and the leading quality of the management is visible from the way that they had anticipated the fact that it’s the ethnic groups that are basically introducing newer trends in the market s. The new product range that they had introduced also showed the keenness that they had in attracting newer customers and the tactics that they used to retain the older existing customers. The introduction of the newer product range and making Mc Donald’s â€Å"an any time walk in restaurant† has totally changed their positioning in the market, since they are catering to much more diverse market than ever before. When we analyze the facets that have influence on the buying behavior that people have are the different psychological aspects of the personality like attitudes, beliefs, values, motivation and perception, these are what play a major role in how much the person will spend and how will he spend it. The following psychological aspects have also been discussed in the hierarchy of needs and as well as the other theories that have been given by different psychologists (SHIMP, 35-36). The restaurant’s management can establish the cafes and revamp the play ar ea and in fact create a better one so that the incoming families who are about to settle in the newly finished houses, that they were bent on remaining the market leaders and not losing their touch in the daily life of general public. This will help the restaurant create a better image for them. Also, through the case study that has been mentioned it was visible that the increase in the turnover had the sole reason that

Are The Degree Programs In Business Administration Sufficiently Essay

Are The Degree Programs In Business Administration Sufficiently Rigorous Academically, Compared To Other Programs - Essay Example Whereas the word, "doctoral" is in most cases used only to describe a PhD program, there are several other degrees which are doctoral degrees, and this include the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD), Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) and Doctor of Education (EdD). Although the degree is a platform for the advancement in careers relating to research, consulting, or business administration, most students who undertake the PhD programs promote specializing in a critical dimension such as accounting, finance or marketing (Cass 8). Students wishing to improve their academic careers because, the PhD is the doctorate that is commonly pursing this. On the other hand, the Doctor of Business Administration, also known as DBA, is formulated to equip business executives with skills required in pursuing business, as well as public administration careers, which entails enhanced research skills, along with their qualifications. Apart from that, some of these programs can serve as go between in careers within academia. The Doctor of Business Administration is intended to present business executives with requirements needed to succeed in conducting business, as well as public administration careers that require more developed research skills, along with their qualifications. On the other hand, some of these DBA programs may serve as pathways into careers within academia (Cass 9). The comparability of these two programs is more than their diversity, however, the main difference between a business PhD program and a DBA program originates in the way the two programs are oriented, along with the desired outcome. A PhD program focuses on the development of a new theory, while, on the other hand, DBA, focuses on applying theoretical knowledge in order to make progression of a business practice. Another stunning difference between a PhD and a doctoral is that, although all PHD degrees are doctorates, not all doctorate degrees quali fy to be PhDs (Crocker 45). PhD programs are meant to describe programs whose priority is on research, while, on the other hand, the purpose of doctoral programs is to master research program, as well as professional practices. Even so, both DBA and PhD programs require innovative research in the formation, as well as defense of a thesis. However, there is a difference in the DBA program, with some of them being more driven towards knowledge application, while others are driven towards knowledge creation. The same reasoning applies to PhD programs whereby some programs in business like Doctor of Management and Executive Doctor of Management follows this path (Crocker 46). The designation "doctor," denoting mastery of a certain subject, came from Italy in the early 1100s. However, the current form of the PhD came from the Germany university system in the 19th century, which was established to demonstrate that the student with a degree had accomplished original research in a field wor k; and this was incorporated by Americans in its own universities in the late 1800s. Contemporary PhD students are expected to spend an average of eight and half years in graduate school, making theses which are hundreds of pages long, while at the same time, performing research and mastering the literature of his or her field, regularly in preparation of a career in teaching in the university

Intercultural Differences Essay Example for Free

Intercultural Differences Essay Recognizing cultural differences when you write or speak with someone from another culture, you encode your message using the assumptions of your own culture. Members of your audience decode the message relating to the assumptions of their culture. So your meaning may be misunderstood. The greater the difference between cultures, the greater the chance for misunderstanding. Cultural differences are listed in four categories: Contextual, Legal and Ethical, Social, and Nonverbal. Cultural context is the pattern of physical cues, environmental stimuli, and implicit understanding that conveys meaning between members of the same culture. High context cultures encourage lengthy decision making, concentrating on everything detail, and avoids confrontation and debate. Whereas low-context cultures emphasize quick, efficient decisions on major points while leaving the details to be worked out later and encourages open disagreement. Cultural context also influences legal and ethical behavior. Legal systems differ from culture to culture the high context cultures views laws as being more flexible, low-context tend to value written agreements and interpret laws strictly.. Ethical choices can be even more complicated when communicating across cultures. Keep your messages ethical by actively seeking mutual ground exchanging messages without judgement, sending messages that are honest, and showing respect for cultural differences. Social differences there are four types among cultures. In any culture etiquette play a major part. Formal rules of etiquette are explicit and well defined, but informal rules are learned through observation and imitation. When informal rules are violated members of the culture are likely to feel uncomfortable, they may not be able to say exactly why. Attitudes toward materialism people from the United States emphasize hard work, material success, and efficiency more than many people in other countries do. Roles and status, respect and rank are reflected differently from culture to culture and in their working environment. Use of manners the rules of polite behavior vary from country to country. Concepts of time, although businesspeople in the United States, Germany, and some other nations see  time as a way to organize the business day efficiently, other cultures see time as more flexible. Nonverbal differences is extremely reliable when determining meaning, but that reliability is valid only when communicators belong to the same culture. The simplest of hand gestures can change from culture to culture. Interpreting nonverbal elements according to your own culture can be dangerous the elements are apparent in attitudes toward personal space and in body language. Concept of personal space for example people in Canada and the united States stand about five feet apart during a business conversation. Use of Body Language gestures of a culture clarify confusing messages, but differences in body language can be a major source of misunderstanding during intercultural conversation. For example, during our negotiations and weve finally closed the deal the Chinese representative from this company says yes to everything and seems as if shes agreeable to our terms. I share the information with my boss and he doesnt seem very excited. Why isnt he excited? The word yes may not always mean yes in other cultures it may mean to say yes to confirm they have heard or understood something , but not necessarily to indicate they agree with it.. Youll seldom get a direct no . Some of the ways that other cultures say no indirectly include It will be difficult, I will ask my supervisor, Im not sure, We will think about it , and Im not sure. When communicating across cultures, your effectiveness depends on maintaining an open mind.Stereotyping is the attempt to categorize individuals by trying to predict their behavior or character on the basis of their membership or a particular group. Move beyond stereotypes to relationships with real people. You can achieve this by acknowledging distinctions, avoiding assumptions, and avoiding judgements. Works Cited: Business Communication Today Chp III 52-63 http://www.vcsun.org/~battias/class/356/olm/9.html http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?docid=1G1:19488131refid=ink_overture_hlth

Language and Mind Essay Example for Free

Language and Mind Essay 1. Which of the following statements about parameters is FALSE? a. They specify the limits on possible differences between languages b. They do not belong to Universal Grammar # c. Their values must be â€Å"set† on the basis of experience 2. From the viewpoint of the principles-and-parameters theory, the process of language acquisition consists of: a. Setting the choice for each parameter that fits the language that is being acquired # b. Storing words and sentences in memory c. Learning the order in which words occur in sentences 3. If some property X is true for all languages, we can conclude that: a. X may be a property that all and only languages have (i.e. a language-unique universal) # b. X must be a general property of all cognitive systems c. X is determined by the universal human articulatory apparatus 4. The fact that young infants do not forget about objects that they have seen after these objects have been taken away is called: a. object shift b. habituation c. object permanence # 5. Consider the following two question sentences: i. When did the boy say he fell out of the tree? ii. When did the boy say how he fell out of the tree? The first question is ambiguous because: a. It is not clearly formulated b. It has two different underlying deep structures # c. It has one sentence embedded in another sentence 6. The statement: perception is ahead of production means that: a. Children can articulate words before they can recognize and understand them b. Children can recognize and understand words and sentences that they cannot yet properly produce themselves# c. Children’s visual abilities are better than their auditory abilities 7. The special way in which parents speak to young infants is called a. Telegraphic speech b. Motherese or parentese# c. Recursion 8. The ‘Critical Period’ that is relevant for first and second language acquisition a. That is correct # b. That is incorrect because it is only relevant for first language acquisition c. That is incorrect because it is only relevant for second language acquisition 9. Genie’s success in acquiring English turned out to be very limited. The greatest problem she had was: a. Learning words b. Understanding what people said to her c. Forming utterances with syntactic structure # 10. Genies case provides important support for: a. The critical period hypothesis # b. The role of ‘motherese’ in language acquisition c. The Poverty of stimulus argument for innateness 11. Imagine the following scenario: Some Japanese people come to Mexico to do business. None of them speaks Spanish, and none of their Mexican partners speaks Japanese. There is no other language that these two groups have in common. Therefore, they have to develop a kind of ‘auxiliary communication system’ that can fit this special circumstance. This system is most likely to be a: a. creole b. pidgin # c. English 12. According to Derek Bickerton a creole language is created by: a. adults who are forced to communicate with each other over a long period of time without having a shared language b. people who need to have a secret language c. children whose linguistic input consists of a pidgin spoken in their community # 13. The fact that children are apparently capable of producing a creole language which has grammatical properties that are not present in the pidgin input can be used as evidence for: a. The view that children have innate knowledge of language structure # b. The view that pidgin languages have hidden grammatical structure c. The view that children are born with blank slate minds 14. For a universal to count as an argument for the IH, which of the following three conditions is NOT necessary: a. The universal must be true of languages only b. We cannot explain the universal in any other way c. The universals must be about the syntax of language# 15. Which of the following is NOT a property of creole languages? a. Creole languages have a very simplified grammar # b. Creole languages have been acquired as first languages c. Creole languages have a fully developed grammar 16. Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Sign languages differ from spoken languages in being based on visual signals rather than on sound b. Sign languages have emerged spontaneously (i.e. they are not man-made or artificial) just like spoken languages c. Sign languages are fundamentally different from spoken languages in that all signs are necessarily iconic # 17. The existence of sign languages, being fully equivalent in all relevant respects to spoken languages, supports the innateness hypothesis because: a. Both types of languages are processed in totally different brain regions b. Both types of languages depend on the innate principles of the auditory or visual system c. Even though the perceptual modality (audition versus vision) is so different from the spoken language modality, the same kind of grammatical structures are present in both types of languages # 18. The stages that children, who acquire a sign language, go through (after they start babbling) are: a. The same as the stages we see in the acquisition of spoken languages # b. Different in that deaf children skip the two word stage c. Different in that deaf children never get to the point that they form full sentences 19. In the case of Nicaraguan Sign Language, the youngest children changed the unstructured signing of their older peers into a structured language. This is analogous to: a. changing a pidgin into a creole # b. changing a creole into a pidgin c. changing a spoken language into a sign language 20. A simplified form of human communication used by people with no common language is a(n): a. Pidgin language # b. Creole language c. Artificial language 21. Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. All pidgin languages have the same grammar b. All pidgin languages have very simple grammars # c. All pidgin languages have fully developed grammars 22. Which of the following statements is TRUE a. Children can acquire only one languages at the same time b. There are no fixed stages in the acquisition of sign languages c. Foreign language learning after puberty in general leads to imperfect language abilities # 23. The argument that the input that children receive is not rich enough to explain the rich knowledge that they end up with is called: a. The argument from universals b. The argument from stages c. The poverty of the stimulus argument # 24. Evidence for categorical perception in young infants comes from: a. Habituation studies # b. Diary studies c. Longitudinal studies 25. In which stage of language acquisition would children most likely produce a sentence such as â€Å"mommy want milky†? a. Holophrastic stage b. Two word-stage c. Telegraphic stage #

The Origin Of Gypsies English Language Essay

The Origin Of Gypsies English Language Essay This report will explore the origin of Gypsies, their traditions, culture, and discrimination associated with them. By the end of this report the unique traditions and general culture of the Romani, generally known as Gypsies will be evident. Throughout the centuries, Roma (Gypsies) have been misunderstood by society. Due to their unique and indifferent culture, traditions, and lifestyle. Other cultures have become suspicious and fearful of them. This led to furious speculation, stereotypes and judgment of these misunderstood people. In general, most Europeans presume that Gypsies originate from Romania and although this is not the case, the image of the Romanian people has been maligned for decades. Background Roma (Gypsies) do not originate in Romania or Egypt as is the common belief. The Romas are a nomadic tribe originating in India. In the second half of the 18th century evidence from scholars shows that Gypsies come from northern India. Professor Lub Kalaydjieva of the University of Western Australia and his team did a DNA study of eight to ten million people in Europe known as Gypsies. They have ten years experience studying Romani genetics. They discovered that Romani (Gypsies) originate from India. Another indication that Gypsies come from India are the similarities between Indian language, Sanskrit and the language spoken by the Roma. Language, numerals, kinships terms, names of body parts, music and similarities exist between Indian and Roma. Tradition Traditionally, each Romani family or clan has a trade or profession which is followed and passed on from generation to generation. One of the things Romani are known for are of their skilled trades. Horse dealers and horse breeders are one of them. They could diagnose the illnesses of horses and find ways to heal them. They also are known for their ability to change horse shoes. The Roma also established a good name for themselves by being very skilled blacksmiths. This was one of the oldest and the mainstay of Romani trades. Today not many Romani are committed to blacksmithing but rather making candle holders, mountings, latticework and many other artistic objects. Another well established profession for the Roma is that of a coppersmith. They are well known for their master craftsmanship and currently make pots and tin caldrons. In Romania, Hungary and other Balkan countries they still practice the wood carving profession they brought with them from India. Carving utensils like spoons and troughs for people that are in need of them. A spoon maker in Romania and the Balkans is called Lingurar. Croatia and Hungary they have a different name for a spoon maker, called Bejas. Among other trades such as; leather workers, bear and snake trainers, sharpening knives, making unfired bricks from clay, musician, farmers and other trades they had to master to make a living. It seems surprising to some that some Romani are educated and in highly regarded positions. There are some among us today that have established careers for themselves such as; doctors, lawyers, car mechanics, computer programmers and so on. Culture Engagement One of the Romani traditions is to get married at the age fifteen. To distinguish between non married and married women is to notice that married women have their head covered with a cloth called Batic. The Batic (head-kerchief) represents the symbol of married women. The first step to get married is for the boys parents to send a messenger to the girls parents house with all kinds of gifts. Typically, the girls parents receive wine and money. Once the messenger arrives at the house he confronts the girls father and lets him know who he was sent by. The messenger asks the father if he approves of his daughters marriage. Once he approves the wedding, than he informs Council. The Council is the older man in the community. The girls father asks the council if they approve as well. If they do, than the messenger has to offer to buy all the people in the community drinks. To settle the wedding day the boys parents and relatives go the girls house, except the groom. In the Roma community t here are some strict rules that it must be followed for the marriage to go on. If the father of the bride is not wealthy, he has right to demand money for his daughter. It all depends on the beauty of the bride. If his quantity is not met, than he has the right to call off the wedding. If the father of the bride is wealthy, he doesnt have the right to inquire for any money. Normally upscale people stick with their own kind. They wed their kids with a wealthy family. On no account a poor man will ever ask for bori (daughter in law) from a well-off man. In some cases the mans poor daughter gets married with a wealthy man only if the boy finds her very attractive. The future in-laws negotiate the girls contributions before the completion of the engagement. The following are the normal gifts that the girl gets from the future in-laws: 50 skirts of 5 m long each 50 aprons of 2 m long each skirts of 3 m long each 50 handkerchiefs 50 shirts Three large pillows of 1m stuffed with goose feathers A big necklace with gold coins The smallest necklace has ten golden coins on it. Gradually the necklace gets bigger with gold coins depending of the wealth of the brides father. Usually a necklace will never reach 100 golden coins. Other contributions may be presented such as; various cooking pots, plates, carpets furniture. It is the obligation of the mother of the bride to give her daughter everything that is needed for her new home. The Wedding day For the first day of the wedding, one woman from the brides side and one from grooms side are to help dress the bride with her white dress. Not just any woman can be picked from any sides. They had to have the following criterias; not to be married more the once, she had to be a virgin on her wedding, be wealthy, hard worker, have kids and have unity in her family. The wedding lasts minimum of 3 days to a week eating, drinking and dancing. In this day and age, some Roma enclose their weddings at restaurant having two hundred to three hundred guests. All the wedding guests give gifts to the newly-weds. Once the wedding is finished the bride has to cover her head with a scarf. The only person she is permitted to show her hair to is her husband. These traditions are practiced within many Roma communities, but unfortunately in big towns and cities these traditions are slowly disappearing. Baptism Another Roma tradition is baptism. Once a woman knows she is pregnant she informs her husband and other women in her clan. She becomes isolated and taken care of only by the women. Normally, the pregnancy takes place in someone elses tent, trailer or house so their own home doesnt become sinful. After two weeks or three the baptism takes place. The child is purified by the water at the baptism. Only after the ceremony, people then are allowed to say the childs name and take any pictures of the child. Romani Holocaust Isnt it extraordinary that the majority of us never heard of the Romani Holocaust? Is it because it was not brought to our attention like the Jewish Holocaust? Maybe the education in school has a small part to do with it or the mass media. We all know about the Jewish Holocaust one way or another. The Holocaust started between 1933 to 1945 when Adolf Hitler was in power, and annihilating of more than six million Jews. Jews were the main target but besides them another 5.5 millions of others such as Romani, Sinti, homosexuals, and others that were against Nazi regime, were mass murdered. History shows that Gypsies were hated and persecuted as much as the Jews. In 1935 a new Law came into effect called Nuremberg Law. This Law was created to forbid any Gypsy marriages with white people. In January 1940 at Buchenwald a concentration camp was established. A tragic month, were two hundred and fifty Romani kids are used as experiment the cyanide gas crystal. August 2nd and 3rd of 1944, it w as one of the horrifying days of the Romani history, were several thousand Romani were massacred at the Zigeunerlager in Auschwtiz-Birkenau concentration camp. The number of Romani massacres is unknown due to lack of documentation. Scholars estimated to be between 250,000 to 500,000 thousand, but it could be more. Not many survived as prisoners of war. If they wouldnt die from starvation, they passed away from diseases or brutality. If not killed from the medical experiments they were submitted to, they would die from poisonous gas or execution. Nazis developed a system to speed up the process of the mass elimination. They made six more extermination centers by which they could mass murder people by gas and body disposal threw cremating their bodies. It is sad to say, that 70% to 80% of the Romani population had been annihilated by the Nazi regime by the end of the war in 1945. Population There are more than twelve million Roma located in many countries around the world. Unfortunately, it is hard know the exact numbers of Roma population in the world. Due to the discrimination people fear to disclose their true identity as Romani. Discrimination Romani people have been discriminated throughout history and still nowadays their situation it has not gotten any better than before. They are not given the equal opportunity to advance in our society. Most of us do not know very much about Romani traditions, culture, and history. Therefore, most of the stereotypes come from the stories and the mass media. The discrimination that is still happening all around the world but mostly in Europe is as strong as ever. This has stopped Romani people to get access to jobs, social security systems, services and housing. One incident that occurred in the Czech Republic was highly publicized on CBC News. A young man at 17 year of age, walking home was confronted by prejudiced group of skinheads. Threaten him by saying today he will die. He was thrown on the ground and insolated and beaten so badly that he had to be hospitalized for a week. Now 24 year of age and living in Hamilton, Ontario the victim is happy not to worry that someone will jump him when walking down the street due to his nationality. Discrimination continues to occur in Europe like Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Slovakia and others countries through segregation. There are established separate schools only for Romani children. In other words, they are branded as Gypsy schools. Where there is low standard of teaching and poor material conditions. Governments around Europe need to change policy to end educational segregation of the Romani people. Romani children need to receive equal opportunities in education as the non Romani students so they can achieve the same or better goals in life. Without the right education, they are not able to succeed in our society. With a good education they will be able to succeed through better careers and opportunities, thereby being able to support themselves and their families. Conclusion I believe no race or human being should be discriminated against. We all deserve the right of freedom and equal rights. We should all take some time to read and explore and understand about one another culture and traditions. Lets not be judgmental and jump to conclusions of what we hear in our mass media these days. We are all humans, and we all make mistakes one way or another. Some more than others and some less. If some people from the same nationality like Romani make mistakes and break the law by stealing, mugging, or other acts of violence. We should not stereotype and conclude that all the Romani people are the same. They deserve a chance to show that they are better than what they are exploited by others.

The Great Gatsby - The American Dream :: essays research papers

The American dream. Everyone has different opinions on what the American dream is. Their 'ultimate goal'; in life. The people in The Great Gatsby think they are living that dream, but I beg to differ. The only one who I believe is living out something close to the American dream is Tom, and I will prove so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The many different characters in this book act as if they're having the time of their life and so forth. That is so only on the outside. If you look carefully at the person inside, you can see that they aren't so happy-go-lucky as they seem. A good example would be Daisy. Sure, she's pretty and so forth. However, her flaw is that she is attracted to money. No love has to be involved in the relationship as long as her beau can provide the dough. You can see this from the fact that she was married to Tom for about 5 years and never once did she think about leaving him. This was all for the simple fact that he had all the superficial qualities that anyone can have. He's rich, he's big and hulking, and he's very offensive. Therefore, although she did not love Tom, she knew he would provide for her with both money and protection. That is why she did not live the American dream. The American dream is all about happiness. I believe that if you are happy with what has hap pened with you in life, then you have lived the American dream. Sure Daisy seems happy, but inside she went through 5 years of hell.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My second example is Gatsby. There could not be a better example of someone who has lived a life that is a total opposite to American dream. How did he become rich? He was a bootlegger. He got his money illegally. What did he concentrate on for the past 5 years? He arranged parties and gatherings to try to get close to the only thing that gave him a meaning to live: Daisy. Was he ever happy during that time? I highly doubt it. He had fun, bootlegging and making money and getting together with lots of so called 'friends.'; All just to get close to Daisy. Did he even succeed in winning her? No, and that's the point. He was unsatisfied with life and in the end, someone had killed him.

Maya Angelou Essay example -- essays research papers

Maya Angelou has dedicated her life to end prejudices faced by many black females in the 20th century. As an author, poet, and entertainer, she is known best for her strong portrayal of African-American women. Some of her most outstanding work is the series of autobiographies that she wrote telling about her childhood. Her work has contributed immensely to Americans everywhere. She has also broken many barriers for black women in writing, entertainment, and in film making. Maya Angelou is definitely a positive role model to people everywhere. Maya Angelou has made many contributions through her poetry, writing, songwriting, acting, and film directing. She has written a series of autobiographical books focusing on her childhood until the birth of her own child, ten of which have appeared on the best selling list (â€Å"Biography† 1). The most prestigious of the novels is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This is a very controversial novel dealing with many serious issues including rape and murder. It is her most critically acclaimed work and was nominated for the National Book Award (â€Å"Maya American† 1). She often writes using a female as the strong role model. In addition, she has published many distinguished poems which have received recognition by many people including President Clinton. Her poem â€Å"On the Pulse of Morning† was chosen by President Clinton to be read at the 1993 presidential inauguration. Many of her volumes of poetry have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize inclu...

Building Community on the Net :: Internet Web Cyberspace Essays

Building Community on the Net All sorts of reasons have been advanced in recent years to explain the decline of community in America, from the way we design our neighborhoods to the increased mobility of the average American to such demographic shifts as the movement of women into the labor force. But the onslaught of television and other electronic technologies is usually cited as the main culprit. As Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam observes, these technologies are increasingly "privatizing our leisure time" and "undermining our connections with one another and with our communities."[1] In his essay "The Strange Disappearance of Civic America," Putnam draws a direct parallel between the arrival of television and the decline of what he calls "social capital" -- the social networks, trust, and norms of reciprocity that are the essence of healthy communities. As he points out, a "massive change in the way Americans spend their days and nights occurred precisely during the years of generational civic disengagement."[2] It follows that computers, VCRs, virtual reality and other technologies that, like television, "cocoon" us from our neighbors and communities exacerbate the loss of social capital. With the advent of computer networks and "virtual communities," however, some feel that electronic technologies can actually be used to strengthen the bonds of community and reverse America's declining social capital. Advocates stress that electronic networks can help citizens build organizations, provide local information, and develop bonds of civic life and conviviality. While the claims are no doubt overstated in many cases, as they always are when new technologies are involved, there is growing evidence that this may be the case, particularly in local community networks. The social and political ramifications of electronic networking has become a favorite topic of speculation in recent years. Cover stories, conferences, books, Web sites, and radio and television programs devoted to the subject have grown exponentially. In looking over the burgeoning literature on the political uses of the Net, I find that most of it falls into three general categories: 1) questions of democratic culture and practice, such as the pros and cons of direct democracy, issues of privacy and social control, and the changing nature of public opinion; 2) how on-line petitioning, electronic voting, information campaigning and other forms of "netactivism" can promote politics more narrowly defined; and 3) the implications of networking technologies for communities. This paper leaves aside the first two categories[3] and focuses specifically on the third: whether computer networks can be used to strengthen and enhance the bonds of community.

Business Messages Essay

In a traditional workplace, memos are the usual form of business messages that are sent from officers to employees. With the advent of technology, the issuance of memorandums is often limited to topics of general interest, like organizational meetings or policy changes. If I were a lead engineer in Cards4U, I’d maximize the use of faster and more efficient tools to aid me in communicating with other members of the team, as well as company executives and potential customers.   That means e-mails will be the primary source of communication among the team members, since sending and receiving messages take only a few seconds to a few minutes.   E-mail communications are convenient, does not need to be too formal, and can be accessed anytime, anywhere.   The memos will be utilized to inform the CEO or customers regarding product presentations and updates. Since I’m a lead engineer in a creative design group, presentations using PowerPoint or Flash would be very useful in showcasing latest designs and innovations.   Reports are also necessary to document the progress, activities, and changes in the production department.   Face to face meetings with customers are important to establish rapport and get them to buy your designs, or get their feedback. If face-to-face meeting is not possible, conference calls can also be used.   Meeting the CEO for updates and developments would also require face-to-face encounters.   However, if the chief executive initiated conversation using e-mails, then, I should take his lead and reply using the same medium.   But if the message were sent through the more formal memorandum, then the reply would also be of that kind. More importantly, in any type of business communication that I would send, the messages should be concise, direct to the point, and professional. References Business/Professional Writing.(1995-2004). OWL at Purdue University.   Retrieved December 4, 2007, from:   http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/index.html#business Ramsey, L. (2005). Business E-mail Messages & Professionalism.   Retrieved December 4, 2007, from, http://website101.com/email_e-mail/e-mail_business-etiquette.html Kotelnikov, V. Effective Business Communication. Retrieved December 4, 2007, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/biz_communication_main.html

Moral philosophy analyzes Essay

Judith A Boss has clearly brought out an overview abstract in her book Ethics for life. She employs an up to date tone in bringing out the moral development which makes it easy for the reader to relate their own experience on moral growth. Having explored the moral issues in real life, this book aims at significantly improving the readers’ ability to make key decisions on their morality. Book Review – Judith. A. Boss, Ethics for life In contrast to Judith Boss view on ethics, Aristotle held that ethics is something that helps man to be able to keep from error which may subsequently result due to a weakness thus making him have a good happy life. In other words, he associates ethics with the happy life which is enhanced by virtue. Based on his definition of ethics, a person should posses a set of character that will lead him into being a better person thus making the people have morally good characters. He further explains that a person’s virtue has to come from within. His theory is that virtue is a natural choice or principles that a man uses in determining what is right and wrong for him to live a good life (Huener, 1992). Based on her book, the social aspects of life is significant to ethics due to the fact that they analytically act as a foundation for testing ideas about moral development and human nature. Judith A Boss view on ethics is seen as an incorporated structure of philosophy. She analyzes the issue by attempting to explain how a person can grow ethically to be able to develop the society by establishing what is right from what is considered wrong (Boss, 2001, p. 3). Additionally, the book clarifies and gives examples on how ethics acts as a guide to moral decision making for realization of a complete life. In her argument, Boss explains that making the wrong choices in life tend to lead to unhappiness (Boss, 2001, p. 47). Various theories on morality have tried to come up with justifications and guidance for decision making about the right and the wrong. According to Judith Boss, moral theory is not only a means of providing the reasons underlying decision making but it also calls for consistency in our thinking as well as ignorance of beliefs that are usually held in common and are not consistent. Boss explains that a good moral theory is one that provides guidance for resolving and thinking about moral issues (Boss, 2001, p. 3). While looking at the justification of morality, Boss looks at how moral philosophy points out that there is a higher morality. Moral philosophy analyzes and evaluates the principles, virtues and attitudes that are usually used by specific groups of people or culture with regard to principles and concerns that are universally accepted. However, moral philosophy also holds that the justification of morality should not be motivated by self interest; therefore ethical conduct can only be accepted if it is viewed from a somewhat universal perspective (Boss, 2001, pp. 100-132). Besides, Boss explains the importance of social sciences to ethics by saying that they test ideas about moral development, human nature and society systematically. She also adds her view on concepts of human nature by saying that they are useless and highlighting that they could be harmful if in any case they are not grounded in reality. According to Boss, our moral decision making can not be guided sufficiently by good intentions alone (Boss, 2001, pp. 100-132). Such are the ideals brought out in Aristotle’s life history. Aristotle viewed ethics as an attempt to establish the major end or highest good. Aristotle also holds that as humans, our most important activity as humans is the pursuit of good life and since morality is what expresses our human nature fundamentally, it is only when we are being moral that we are happiest (Iloveindia. com). Reference Boss J A. (2001). Ethics for life. McGraw Hill. Pp. 3-132 Huener. , M. (1992). An examination of Aristotle’s ethics. Retrieved October 1, 2008 from http://home. sprynet. com/~owl1/arist2. htm Iloveindia. com. (2008) Aristotle. Retrieved October 1, 2008 from http://festivals. iloveindia. com/teachers-day/famous-teachers/aristotle. html

Educational Development Theories

Understanding human development is considered the key towards maximizing the potentials of every student in the classroom. Developments in various fields, such anthropology, psychology, and biology have contributed largely to reinventing education in the last century. Research is given a central role in shaping â€Å"children’s education and experiences in schools† (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 4). The advances in related fields and the increasing support from research have prompted educators to be reflective and evaluative about pedagogy and curriculum in an effort to ensure that the best learning environment is provided. In short, teachers now have comprehensive tools to guarantee that no child is left behind. Any child that sets foot into the classroom carries with him/her a myriad of experiences and background; thus, making it essential to perceive the child in relation to the systems and dynamics that surround him/her. â€Å"All areas of development depend on the context of children’s lives—children’s experiences in families, schools, neighborhoods, community organizations, cultural and ethnic groups, and society at large† (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 5). Learning does not happen in isolation and it is how these various contexts that play out during developmental years that significantly affect his/her experiences in school. To illustrate the impact of context to development a case study is presented in this paper of an eight year old child, Tonya, attending first grade. After a discussion of the student’s classroom behavior, the developmental milestones for her age will be presented. These stages of development will be contextualized with the socio-cultural background of the student. Having created a picture of the circumstances of the student, I will then propose an analysis of the situation of the student drawing from educational development theories. Ethical considerations for the case study will then be discussed, followed by recommendations to improve the schooling and learning outcomes of the student. Tonya literally stood out in her class, not only because she was big for her age, but also because she was older than the rest of the class having been retained in kindergarten. At eight years old, she was attending a first grade class. Tonya was observed to display disruptive behaviors such as bossing and bullying other children, stealing items from others, or talking them into trading their things (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). The teacher received complaints from both students and parents that she was also stealing food from her classmate’s lunchboxes. Tonya’s behavior can be described as atypical for other children of her age, and required serious attention. The period from six to ten years old is often referred to as middle childhood. There is continued differentiation of fine motor skills, although the growth in height and weight slows down and only picks up later on during the adolescent stage. Development of fine motor skills is reflected in illustrations that are â€Å"organized and detailed and include some depth cues† (Berk, 2009, p. 7). Moreover, such developments allowed for wider range of activities in play, sports and household chores. Often, parents start to build responsibility among their children by assigning them chores at home such as cooking, cleaning, and looking after their siblings. Middle childhood is also a period of active neural developments that manifest in increasing integration of cognitive processes. They are learning to read and write, as well as perform basic mathematical computations (i. e. addition and subtraction). In addition, they are beginning to express themselves creatively. There is also a marked improvement in verbal expressions, and are becoming more aware of the concept of rules with peers and parents. Thus, they are learning to grasp the concepts of cause and effect better. The socio-emotional development of children from six to ten years old is marked by development of emotional states in relation to the people around them. This accompanied by an increasing social network of peers and friends. At this stage, children become more aware of pride and guilt, and are more likely to conform to good behavior. Pro-social behaviors are observed when dealing with peers, especially as they learn to build friendships based on trust and assistance. It can be deduced that at this stage, children start to develop their moral compass and respond to others with sensitivity and better judgment. In the case of Tonya discussed above, it is apparent that the socio-emotional milestone expected for her age group was not been met. Instead of displaying pro-social behavior, she is disruptive in class, and clearly is not developing friendships that are based on mutual trust and assistance. She is actually behaving exactly the opposite. In addition, having been retained in Kindergarten may be a good indicator of some cognitive delays as well. However, physically, she has developed as expected, and has the capacities and skills to perform manual tasks for her age. In fact, the report from the teacher emphasized the point that Tonya had to take care of her three-year old brother before going to school. Knowing Tonya’s family background was the key to helping her curb the problematic behavior in school. Her physical development coupled with the responsibilities she had at home required healthy food and supplement, which was not available for her because her mother had lupus, and her step-father was permanently disabled. Children’s experiences within their families are especially important to their health† (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 149). Tonya was not provided with essential dietary supplement which triggered her decision to steal food from her classmates. Moreover, although she was entitled to free lunches, she was not aware of this, and there was no adult who facilitated the process of availing this service. Tonya’s behavior severely disrupted the possibility of developing friendships. Her reputation made it difficult to gain the trust and respect of her peers. However, the teacher’s intervention helped Tonya discern what was right and wrong. Tonya responded to the intervention positively, and changed tremendously. Because of the situation at home, Tonya lacked a role model and the constant guidance of the parents to help her maximize her potentials, both cognitively and socio-emotionally. The change in Tonya’s behavior and understanding of the consequences of her actions are good indicators of sound judgment and comprehension skills. It is highly plausible that retention in Kindergarten may have been caused by socio-emotional problems, rather than cognitive difficulties. Drawing ideas from prominent educational theorists, Piaget, Vgotsky and Erickson, can be helpful to facilitate learning for Tonya, and hopefully accelerate her so she achieves the proper grade level for her age. Jean Piaget coined the term â€Å"concrete operational stage† for children ages seven to eleven years old. At this stage, children have developed the concept of â€Å"conservation. † â€Å"The child can think logically about very concrete objects, categories and principles† (Coon & Mitterer, 2010, p. 99). Thus, it is essential for the teacher to pay special attention to Tonya’s development of mathematical skills, and its relation to other subjects, such as science. Once she gains mastery, she will gain confidence as well in performing tasks, and this is essential for her to work towards reaching her expected levels. Providing Tonya with hands-on experiences will further facilitate her learning. Judging from the circumstances that surround Tonya, it is highly challenging for her to successfully develop according to the developmental milestones. As explained by Vygotsky’s (1978) zone of proximal development (ZPD), â€Å"human learning presupposes a specific social nature and a process by which children grow into the intellectual life of those around them† (as cited in Slee, 2002, p. 209). One of the contemporary proponents of ZPD, Wood (1988) further outlines the instructional options for mothers of children between four and five years old: â€Å"(i) general verbal encouragement; (ii) specific verbal instruction; (iii) assistance in choosing materials for a task; (iv) preparing materials for assembly in a task; (v) demonstration† (Ibid). With Tonya’s family background, maternal interaction has been limited, and from her early years, she has missed out on the developmental opportunities. Vygotsky’s (1978) ZPD highlights the role of the adult in facilitating the learning of children. Compared to Piaget however, he approaches the development in a more qualitative, rather than quantitative perspective and is more liberal on the expected abilities of the children. It highlights the role of the adult, and in the case study, Tonya’s teacher to provide the guidance that she is not able to acquire in the home. Furthermore, it will require effort in integrating Tonya in the class considering her past behavior towards her classmates. Vygotsky’s (1978) theory emphasizes the role of adults and peers in the learning of the individual. I consider it meaningful to highlight Erickson’s psychosocial theory because Tonya’s case is hinged on her socio-emotional experiences which have serious implications on her psychological state. At her age, the basic conflict as identified by Erickson is â€Å"industry versus inferiority† (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2010, October). School becomes more formalized, and children have to adjust to the new environment while meeting the demands in academics. Competence is achieved through successful attempts, while failure breeds feelings of inferiority. An eight year old joining a first grade class sets the stage for inferiority, and the teacher must be proactive in creating measures to make Tonya feel competent. Encouraging words and positive reinforcement can help her gain confidence and advance academically. At this point, it is highly important to focus on building her confidence first, so she is able to take risks and work further towards building her competencies. The role of the teacher in assisting students like Tonya always stands out. The teacher becomes the architect who shapes the conditions that will benefit the students more. Going back to the teacher’s narration in this case study, it may be observed that the intervention highly suggested by the principal violates the ethical standards set by the National Education Association. The principal’s suggestion of punishment which consisted of a month without recess not only puts the child in danger, but also becomes an additional cause for further disruptive behavior. The teacher though, may have violated the code as well by disclosing the decision of the principal in published material which has the possibility of causing harm to the principal’s profession. However, the teacher made a wise decision about visiting the family, and examining the conditions before taking any action. Doing so allowed her to find better solutions without compromising the health of the student. It is hoped that the teacher did not give her real name so as not to compromise the school and the principal. Although the problem was resolved, there were still administrative matters that she hopefully handled properly, and exercising due confidentiality.Reference http://www.nea.org/home/30442.htm

Indian Wedding Clothes Essay

In India, the wedding rituals and clothes make the wedding as much as that of the bride and her groom. Both look their splendid best in gorgeous clothes. Not just the couple, but the guests attending the family and the relatives are often seen dressed up to the teeth. The bride is dressed up in auspicious colors, whereas the bridegroom is dressed to exude a regale aura. The bridesmaids and best men are often dressed in par with the bride and the groom. But they are toned down a bit because the day belongs to the couple. All the folks attending the marriage are decked up with gold jewelry including the bride and sometimes the groom. The ladies are additionally adorned with henna patterns all over their palms, hands, forearms, legs and feet. Sometimes henna patterns are replaced with alta designs which are short lived and easily removable. Indian wedding generally tend to continue for several days and new attire is worn each day. All these dresses and the color symbolize the meaning of marriage and the period that follows it. Indian wedding is one that gives more importance to details like different rituals and the various attires one wears to attend them. Hindu wedding Indian Hindu weddings continue for several days. India is a country that defines diversity and this is visible even in the wedding and its different styles. The ceremonies, the rituals, the formalities are all different between each region and culture. Unlike the Christians, Hindus wedding ceremony does not resemble the western marriages and are quite elaborate. In the North,Starting from the Tilak ceremony, each function has significance in the marriage. Tilak, Sangeet, Haldi, Baraat and the Shaadi, all necessitate the Bride and the bridegroom to wear new attire at each occasion.All these above ceremonies are known by different names in the other parts,e.g.:Simant puja in the west,or Mangalasnanam in the south and so on.But have got   he same significance all over. Bridegroom’s clothes Many communities of South,West and Eastern India still adhere to the traditional costumes,i.e. Dhoti,or sometimes Lungi,and Mundu by some communities of the South.Kurta or a shirt may be worn or sometimes just a Angavastram may be used to cover the chest. On the other hand in the Northern parts, bridegroom usually wears a Sherwani, Jodhpuri suit or a western suit. The groom’s face is covered with a veiled with a curtain of flowers which is called Sehra in the North,which is not the custom elsewhere. It is also customary to wear a Taqiyah all through the ceremony in Muslim marriages. Many prefer to wear a Kurta.Kurta can be worn with Salwar,or Dhoti. A dazzling series of ensemble for bridegrooms include majestic sherwani, blended Indo-western suit and ethnic Jodhpuri suit. The exquisite shirts, coats and jackets are designed with extra care and touch to bring out the magnanimity out of the bridegroom on the marriage day. Precious embellishments are studded into the collars and the cuffs of the bridegroom’s dress. Available both in simple cottons and splendid, royal raw silk, these Kurta Pyjamas are a preferred mostly by the bridegrooms. Bride’s clothes Christian Bride in wedding sari The bride wears a saree or a lehenga according to the region. Red is considered to be the most auspicious color in among Hindus. While the saree is preferred as the bridal dress in South India, West, East India, most brides of other parts of India prefer Lehenga, Gagra Choli and Odni as bridal dress. Christian wedding Christian marriage in India is mostly an adaption of western wedding ceremonies. Here the bridegroom wears a western suit or tuxedo. The Bride usually opts for a silk saree or a western gown. Bridesmaid and family While during a marriage function, the bride and the bridegroom take the centre stage, the bridesmaid takes over everyone off-stage. Dainty Lehenga Cholis in bright colors, long cholis for the conservative, authentic designer lehengas and readymade lehenga cholis are usually selected by the bridesmaid as wedding ensemble. Sometimes the bridesmaids wear sari rich in silk and embroidery. Delicately put together with alluring fabrics of bright and cheery colours, these Lehengas bring out the playful nature of the bridesmaid.

Black queer feminists Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Black queer feminists - Research Paper Example The purpose of this essay is to explore the black queer feminist movements to highlight the struggle that women of color have when identifying with queerness. It will become evident that, though the situation is becoming easier with time, it is only through the actions of outstanding individuals that this improvement is possible and there is still a long way to go before black queer feminists are seen favorably in society. The Combahee River Collective is an organization active in Boston in the 1970s, comprising of black feminist lesbians, who developed the Combahee River Collective Statement. This statement was influential in defining and discussing black feminism and the concept of identity (Johnson & Henderson, 1996), and has had a huge impact on the work of a number of social theorists. The Combahee River Collective Statement suggests that black feminists may have problems defining an identity because the notions of â€Å"black†, â€Å"lesbian† and â€Å"feminist† are so often seen as being at odds with each other (Harris, 1996). This notion is common amongst a lot of black feminist literature and highlights part of the struggle that those identifying with all three labels may face. The statement suggests that ‘Feminism is...very threatening to the majority of Black people because it calls into question some of the most basic assumptions about our existence’ (Comb ahee River Collective, 1982), again highlighting that there may be problems with being both black and identifying as a feminist, and there is a need to correlate the two identities. Audre Lorde was an African-American lesbian feminist active in the 20th century. Her work included a huge amount of poetry, as well as articles and feminist critiques (Hammonds, 2004). Lorde was critical of the feminist movement of the 1960s because she felt that it was aimed at

The US Air Force in World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The US Air Force in World War II - Essay Example Thus the direct premise that followed from this catechism was that victory beyond doubt will go to that power that will manage to exhibit and retain decisive air superiority throughout the conflict. Still such findings and predictions failed to muster a commensurate support and budgetary allocations from the US authorities. It was only in the thick of the World War II that the validity of such forecasts became crystal clear and self evident and the US realized that the stature and scope of its Air Force needs to be unavoidably expanded and broadened. In fact such provisions became necessary after the Japanese air attack on the Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 (Lord 4). This unexpected attack revealed the extent to which the Japanese intended to rely on their air power to have an upper edge in the war. This attack also revealed the potential and capabilities of the Japanese Air Force, its ability to plan and execute debilitating air operations and its skill for withholding and camouflaging the information and intelligence pertaining to its air preparedness. Pearl Harbor was a painful eye opener that was as much the result of the Japanese air preparedness as the lack of prompt US initiative in response to the ensuing developments in Europe and Japan. This attack also made the US cognizant of the vulnerability of its Air Force and its air defense systems. Luckily, the Pearl Harbor attack unleashed a sea change in the US foreign policy and its defense preparations (Cate). It was decided that from now onwards, the US Air Force ought to play an aggressive and proactive role in the future conflicts. President Roosevelt decided in favor of an unprecedented expansion and refurbishing of the US Air Corps and substantial and impressive allocations were made to procure fighter aircraft for the army (Cate). In the mean time, the US Air Force was already anticipating such salubrious developments and hence it took no time in gearing up and responding to such alleviated expectations and bold plans. The strategic stress was also laid down on the upgrading of aerial infrastructure and the development of new airfields and air bases to enhance the tactical potential of the US Air Force (Cate). There is no doubt that such developments were to chan ge the face of the US Air Force not only in the II World War, but their reverberations were audible in the much later US missions like the Operation Desert Storm.Though the US Air Force fighters and bombers were soon carpeting the Pacific skies, still the US Air Force some what reluctantly entered the European horizons in July 1942 (Wolf 156). The scope of the US Air Force was extended to the European territories only at the repeated request and encouragement of the British army, which was continually suggesting a scheme for the collaboration and cooperation between the Air Forces of the two nations embroiled in this conflict. As American strategic interests in Europe started to become clearer, concise and concrete, the entry of the American Air Force in the European theater of war became a tactical and political necessity. Considering the fact the allied forces operating in Europe were

American cuisine overview of the culinary development of the Deep Essay

American cuisine overview of the culinary development of the Deep South - Essay Example Yet it feels very modern, and the chef’s plates — always visually striking — are meticulously composed. Impeccably sourced ingredients, often foraged or custom-grown, speak for themselves and of themselves† (Brenner). John Currence: Since 1992 John Currence’s Restaurant ‘City Grocery Restaurant Group’ has been the talk of the town in Oxford, Mississippi. He is one of those chefs that bring the southern cuisine to front lines. Although Pork is the main ingredient southern cuisine, Currence is one of those chefs whose main focus is not pork but he focuses on vegetables and seafood, he says he is on a mission to redefine southern cuisine not through traditional ways but by venturing in to new territory. In an interview Currence said, â€Å"My greatest desire is to rediscover the flavors I remember as a kid that my grandmother cooked, the sausage my grandfather made. I’m terrified I’m the last generation of guys that have those memories before GMO and GE veg† (Currence). His greatest inspiration comes through travelling and can be seen in his work, he goes against traditional recipes to create not a dish but a piece of art. Hugh Acheson: Hugh Acheson is a Canadian celebrity chef and restaurant owner. He currently owns three restaurants in Georgia. He is also the author of the book, ‘New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen’ published in 2011. He has worked in Ottawa, Mecca, San Francisco and taking these travel experiences he works on blending tastes from different cuisines. Although his cooking style is southern cuisine mainly, he opened a restaurant, 5 & 10 which mixes the flavors of southern food with European tastes; French and Italian cuisine. He defines his work as, â€Å"I like to pay homage to the history of the region and reflect the diverse cultures that exist in the South today through the food I cook† (Achesom).

Change & Change Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Change & Change Management - Term Paper Example This is a fiction with an artistic approach Cheese as a word. Cheese has been used in the text to mean something that the company or organization holds dear (Spencer 14), hence why I chose this fictional text for analysis. The Cheese in this case refers to the livelihood, status and way of life that the four characters had in their environment (Spencer 14). For a company, the Cheese would be the status in the industry, the market size, the customers as well as the profits that they earn from their operations. When the Cheese is exhausted in the original station the four characters have to look for other ways to survive, just like how it happens when change occurs in any company. The mice are able to detect change before it happens and find ways to deal with it, while the little people wait for the change to happen before they can find ways to deal with it (Spencer 36). The intention of Spencer is to teach managers and anybody else interested in moving well with changes in an organiza tion. Most of the time, individuals would want to maintain the status quo because they are very comfortable with the current situations and would not like to put in more efforts to have a different status. Change is simply the alteration of the status quo or making things look differently from their original look. In organizations, change refers to the alteration of the overall work environment. Change can occur due to external or internal forces which disturb or force the status quo to be disturbed. Change caused by internal forces is called proactive change while that which is caused by external forces such as competition is referred to as reactive change. In Who Moved My Cheese, the writer uses four characters to describe how people react to change. Sniff and Scurry the mice are non judgmental and non-analytical. All they needed was cheese and were willing to do whatever it takes to get it. For the two little humans; Haw and Hem, cheese has a different meaning. It is a means of l ivelihood and helps them attain some sense of worth. When change occurs, a reaction to the change is in most cases involuntary and unplanned because most people fear change because they lack control over it. Change happens either to the individual or by the individual (Moris & Neering 76). It is because of this reason that Spencer shows us that what really matters the most, when it comes to change, is the attitude. It is important for an organisation to find ways of adopting to change. For example, big companies like IBM and Microsoft must craft ways of maintaining a competitive edge in the market and for them to do so they must embrace change in and outside (Moris & Neering 769). Introducing change is difficult and the process leaves different individuals with emotions and hatred for their managers and change agents. The best way of introducing change is aligning the company’s objectives with those of individuals (Yongmei & Pamela 265). Spencer’s allegory in Who Moved My Cheese, in this case is seen when the cheese is exhausted in one station and the two little people had to adopt a change; they had to craft other means of getting their daily bread (Spencer 36). As their way of adopting to change, Sniff and Scurry used try and error tactics. They searched one corridor after the other without assuming those corridors where they had never found cheese. Sniff, who is gifted with the skill of finding the direction of cheese, does so and scurry, goes ahead. Like managers in a company that is looking up for a positive change, they sometimes got lost but they retrace their direction and find their way (Spencer 34). This is not true for the mice alone; Denial in the process of adopting change is common in organizations.

Evidence Based Practice Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evidence Based Practice - Article Example It was intended to identify the following issues at this moment divided into general objective and specific objectives under such subheadings. There exist modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors in addition to other factors contributing to the prevalence of Ventilated-Associated Pneumonia with modifiable risk factors being; education of personnel, surveillance and reporting, transmission prevention, and modification of host risks. It was realized that education of personnel regarding the ventilator-associated pneumonia reduction strategies reduces the incidence of the same (Coffin, 2008). It was found out that Surveillance and reporting of ventilator-associated pneumonia to certain extend help to track and identify the major causes of Ventilated-Associated Pneumonia. Vaccinations of all healthcare workers and high-risk peoples in the community is a priority in the prevention of community-acquired and healthcare-acquired pneumonias especially after it was realized that the prevention of transmission of pneumonia from person-to-person is a major modifiable risk factor that could be achieved by proper hand-washing and use of gloves and gowns. Modification of host risks was also found to reduce Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia. This includes; increasing host defenses against infection and prevention of aspiration, as well as the use of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation. The latter was also found to help in reducing the incidence of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia. It was also found that an oral intubation route is preferred over nasal intubation to prevent sinusitis and decrease the risk of contracting in most hospitals (OKeefe-McCarthy, 2008). Supporting and maintaining a patients head-of-bed angles at 30 to 45 degrees or higher could be a good preventative strategy against aspiration of gastric contents. This plus the use of turning or

Corporations and Environmental Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Corporations and Environmental Pollution - Essay Example This paper approves that corporations have been fighting policies designed at the state level to protect the environment from their extensive pollution by claiming there is a need to protect competitiveness of the state in the global market. Apart from the usual joint interests between corporations and states in protecting the balance of trade especially at the international level, corporations have gone further to rally state officials into supporting what is claimed to be policies to promote industry competitiveness. This report makes a conclusion that corporations cannot be seen as environmental protectors due to their enjoyment in environmental politics that are only aimed at protecting dividends for shareholders. Their social responsibility has been found to be public relation undertakings that are aimed at presenting their businesses as taking care of ethical outcomes of operations. Due to consumer and regulatory scrutiny, corporations have put in place strategies that are aimed at pleasing these groups of stakeholders into their activities with environmental policies that barely meet legislative requirements. In cases where profit margin is thought to be under threat, corporations would choose to protect their interest at the expense of environmental protection by forming partnerships with lobby groups and civil society. These corporations would also fund studies that spell negative consequences of regulations on the balance of trade of states in order to arm-twist their respective governmen ts into siding with them on the pretext of protecting state competitiveness. Consequently, corporations are polluters and not protectors of the environment.

Appropriateness Of Integrity And Personality Tests Assignment

Appropriateness Of Integrity And Personality Tests - Assignment Example When an organization recruits, it desires to get the best-qualified persons to higher or promote. Unfortunately, the organization may not be aware of new employees’ capabilities due to no previous contact (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2013). The organization can, for this reason, use the tests as an indication of the presence of desired capabilities as long as ethical, and legal standards are observed. Integrity and personality tests are ostensibly more significant in some jobs than others. For instance, jobs in finance depend on integrity and personality irrespective of the controls used. If the accountant is not honest, the organization can easily collapse as the accountant can scheme against the organization in such a fashion as to steal money from it without being noticed for a long time. Accountants can do so through manipulating loopholes in the accounting systems that a firm employs. Due to the advantages of personality and integrity texts expressed above, companies will most lik ely use more of them in the next five years. However, the use will depend on whether the tests are adjudged to be ethical over time, and their legality is upheld. The rationale is that since the modern business environment is characterized by uncertainty, companies would prefer to keep their risks at the minimum in all avenues in which risks can be controlled. If human resource departments can successfully identify and hire staff with excellent character, companies would be glad due to reduced risk of theft and improved work performance.

In-Depth Audience Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

In-Depth Audience Analysis - Research Paper Example The Chamber has more than 200 companies affiliated with it which are the employers for more than 280,000 people. The Chamber aims to support and mentor its members at a very low cost through its various programs and benefits. The Chamber has contributed to the growth of working women and small business enterprises through their low cost or no cost educational supports systems. The major volume of the members of the Chamber constitutes of small business enterprises and the Chamber aims at tapping in every business decision maker as their potential member. The Chamber pays particular attention to make the most of the investment of the small businesses so that the businesses can utilize the benefits of their membership fully. The Chamber provides different benefits to its member companies including wellness and health solutions, communication solutions and business solutions. The cost saving benefits programs are especially suitable for the small businesses. These programs help to support and develop the businesses in the area and thus improving the economic conditions of the area. The Group Health programs are directed at the employees and their family. The benefits of group term life, Health savings Account, and Discount prescription Drug Cards help to save the money of the employees in the member businesses. This provides facilities for the business as well as the employees. The chamber also supports various business issues through their business solutions like the Fuel Protection Program that helps the businesses to minimize their fuel costs at an affordable fee to the Chamber. The accounts receivables solutions are helpful in improving the cash flows and reduce the collection costs, thereby helping the member businesses to expand (Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, 2013). The Chamber offers specific programs for the different types of businesses to help the businesses and their employees

Conflict Resolution Essay Example for Free

Conflict Resolution Essay Merriam-Webster (n.d) defines conflict as, â€Å"the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction†. Interpersonal conflicts, whether they are between family members, students and teachers, employees and supervisors, or groups, have certain elements in common. Coser (1967) asserts that conflict is a struggle over values and claims to scarce status, power, and resources, in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, injure, or eliminate the rivals. (p. 8) Coser’s definition grew out of the cold war, when conflict between the United States and the former U. S.S.R. dominated Western method to conflict. Conflict was viewed as a win-lose solution. According to Dana (2001) there are only three ways to resolve any conflict; power contests, rights contests, and interest’s reconciliation. Power contest is based on Coser’s (1967) win-lose situation. Each party views their point as right each wanting power over the other. Rights contest is an orderly system which has rules, regulations, policies, precedents and a hierarchy of authority which is used in order to â€Å"win† again this model is a win-lose resolution. The solution to conflict resolution is interest reconciliation. This approach enlists support from both parties to find the best solution. All parties win with interest reconciliation model as their solution. Conflict in the workplace is a condition between or among two or more workers whose jobs are independent, who feel angry, who perceive the other(s) as being at fault, and act in a way that causes a business problem. Conflict has three elements feelings (emotions), perceptions (thoughts) and actions (behaviors). â€Å"Psychologists consider these three the only dimensions of human experience. So, conflict is rooted in all parts of the human nature† (Dana, 2001, p. 5) some confuse conflict with indecision, disagreement, stress, or some other common experience that may cause or be caused by a conflict. However, those elements are not best handled by conflict resolution. The question many ask, is conflict normal? Conflict is a fact of any organizational life. On the job, conflict is a stubborn fact of organizational life (Kolb and Putnam, 1992, p. 311). Rather than seeing conflict as abnormal, Pondy (1992) suggests we view organizations as arenas for staging conflicts, and managers as both fight promoters who organize bouts and as referees who regulate them (p. 259). In addition, Pondy states that in the company, agency, or small business, conflict may be the very essence of what the organization is about, and if conflict isnt happening then the organization has no reason for being (p. 259). One study surveyed workers and found that almost 85 percent reported conflicts at work (Volkema and Bergmann 1989). With an increasing awareness of cultural diversity and gender equity issues, it is essential that employees become familiar with issues surrounding promotions and harassment. In fact, one can see training in organizations as a form of preventive conflict management (Hathaway, 1995). The recognition of the frequency of conflict at work has led to books on mediating conflict in the workplace (Yarbrough and Wilmot 1995), showing how managers can learn conflict management skills to intervene in disputes in their organization. As employees, daily work with clients, customers, co-workers, or bosses can be a struggle. Conflict is as Wilmot (1995) wrote, What determines the course of a relationship . . . is in a large measure determined by how successfully the participants move through conflict episodes (p. 95). Conflict resolution has five styles, giving in, avoiding, fight it out, comprise, and work together style. No style is right or wrong; however some do work better than others. Accommodation, giving in to the others wishes or smoothing waves sacrifices ones own goals for the sake of the other person. Accommodators often use phrases like: Whatever you want is fine with me. When one party in a conflict genuinely does not care about the outcome of the conflict, accommodation may be the right choice for that situation. However, if accommodation is the only style a person utilizes, he or she is advised to learn more skills. Avoidance is characterized by behaviors that either ignore or refuse to engage in the conflict. While avoidance is by some consider a negative style that shows low concern for both ones own and the other partys interests, there are sometimes strategic reasons to avoid conflict. For example, when the relationship is short-term and the issue is not important or when the situation has a potential to escalate to violence, avoidance may be the prudent choice. Fight it out, competition, or win/lose, style maximizes reaching ones own goals or getting the problem solved at the cost of the others goals or feelings. While always choosing competition has negative repercussions for relationships, businesses and cultures, it can occasionally be the right style to choose if the other party is firmly fixed in a competitive style or there are limited resources. While competitive strategy is not necessarily dysfunctional, competition can easily slip into a destructive situation. Understanding the methods and strategies of others who use competitive styles can assist conflict managers in neutralizing the negative consequences of competition and work toward a mutual gain approach. Compromise is a give and take of resources. The classic compromise in negotiating is to split the difference between two positions. While there is no victor from compromise, each person also fails to achieve her or his original goal. Finally, working together to collaborate is when parties cooperatively team up until a mutually agreeable solution is found. Compromise and collaboration are win-win solution where as the other styles are win-lose. Why do people avoid dealing with conflict? People have a natural instinct of fear and some let that fear overpower them. The fear of harm causes people to fight-or-flight. Individuals will choose the flight option when in a dangerous part of a city that they have never been in before in order to avoid danger, it shows wisdom or strength to get out a of physically abusive relationship, commendable to stay out emotionally abusive relationships. In spite of this, in some cases people have the response to flight to a false perception of harm. People overstress in their minds the emotional h arm that someone can cause harm. The same is said for conflict in the workplace, people will avoid conflict for fear of being harmed by others. Some avoid conflict because of a fear of rejection from others. These individuals feel others will withdraw their friendship or push them away causing more hurt. People have the perception if they do not risk rejection they can suppress their needs and feelings. Loss of relationship is the fear of rejection taken up a level they fear totally losing a relationship. Others avoid conflict to mask their true desires because preserving a relationship is more important than getting what they want. These individuals are trapped into believing their worth is dependant on another accepting them. People avoid conflict for fear of anger. These people do not like listening to someone who is angry. They believe another will hurt them, reject them, or leave them, and they just cannot stand to witness anger. However, anger is just anger and it is not necessarily directed toward them. Individuals do not want to be seen as selfish. In some situations people are not afraid of others reactions, but rather their interpretation of the situation. They fear that they will appear selfish. However, is it wrong to have a need, feeling, or want and to express it? Society has sometimes had it seem that way. Although, there is nothing wrong with asking for what individuals want versus feeling they are entitled to always getting what they want. The truth is if one never asks, then they are depriving people around them from being able give to them effectively. Still, people who feel their wants should not be fulfilled, regardless of what others want, fall into the selfishness category. Sometimes people avoid conflict for fear of saying the wrong thing or something they will regret. Individuals will avoid conflict rather than risk putting â€Å"their foot in their mouth† they contain their anger and frustration which often leads to that which they fear. When people have conflicts in the past that have failed so they avoid future conflict for the fear of failing those too and begin to believe the confrontation is not worth the em otional energy it takes to deal with others. The fear of failing can impact other aspects of ones life. The fear of hurting another is more than just saying the wrong thing. These individuals are extremely sensitive and caring. They would rather hurt themselves than risk hurting another. The fear of success is a fear that most over look. However, it is much like the fear of failure. Some people are afraid to get what they want; they believe they will never get it. These people feel they do not deserve what they want, the consequences of getting of what they want is regret, or the responsibility is more than they need or desire. The fear of intimacy is the most subconscious of the fears. People do not want to share their dreams, desires, and wants with others. They feel they are private and do not want to be exposed. People do not want to appear weak. If resolution involves giving in, avoiding, or compromise they may feel they appear as though they do not have confidence. People do not want the stress of confrontation. They feel it is better to avoid conflict rather than deal with the stress it will cause them in the workplace between co-workers. Our society tends to reward alternative responses to conflict, rather than negotiation. People, who aggressively pursue their needs, competing rather than collaborating, are often satisfied by others who prefer to accommodate. Managers and leaders are often rewarded for their aggressive, controlling approaches to problems, rather than taking a more compassionate approach to issues that may seem less decisive to the public or their staffs. Conflict resolution requires profound courage on the part of all parties: It takes courage to honestly and clearly express one’s needs, and it takes courage to sit down and listen to one’s adversaries. It takes courage to look at one’s own role in the dispute, and it takes courage to approach others with a sense of empathy, openness and respect for their perspective. Collaborative approaches to conflict management require individuals to engage in the moment of dialogue in thoughtful and meaningful ways, so it is understandable if people tend to avoid such situations until the balance of wisdom tips in favor of negotiation. People have certain perceptions in conflict when dealing with different situations. Culture shapes and frames each individuals interpretation of appropriate behaviors during conflicts. Conflict across cultures, whether across nations or across the diverse cultures within a country, exacerbates the routine difficulties of conflict management (Fry and Bjorkqvist, 1997). There is no clear conclusion about whether men and women actually behave in different ways while conducting conflicts. However, gender stereotypes do affect conflict behaviors when individuals act and react based on stereotypes of how men and women will/should act rather than selecting behaviors appropriate for the individual one is communicating with (Borisoff and Victor, 1997). Parties respond to conflicts on the basis of the knowledge they have about the issue at hand. This includes situation-specific knowledge and general knowledge. The understanding of the knowledge they have can influence the persons willingness to engage in efforts to manage the conflict, either reinforcing confidence to deal with the dilemma or undermining ones willingness to flexibly consider alternatives. The person sharing the message is considered to be the messenger. If the messenger is perceived to be a threat (powerful, scary, unknown, etc.) the message can influence others responses to the overall situation being experienced. For example, if a big scary-looking guy is yelling at people they may respond differently than if a diminutive, calm person would express the same message. Additionally, if the people knew the messenger previously, they might respond differently based upon that prior sense of the person’s credibility. People are more inclined to listen with respect to someone they view more credible than if the message comes from someone who lacks credibility and integrity. Some people have had significant life experiences that continue to influence their perceptions of current situations. These experiences may have left them fearful, lacking trust, and reluctant to take risks. On the other hand, previous experiences may have left them confident, willing to take chances and experience the unknown. Either way, one must acknowledge the role of previous experiences as elements of their perceptual filter in the current dilemma. These factors, along with others, work together to form the perceptual filters through which people experience conflict. As a result, their reactions to the threat and dilemma posed by conflict should be anticipated to include varying understandings of the situation. This also means that they can anticipate that in many conflicts there will be significant misunderstanding of each others perceptions, needs and feelings. These challenges contribute to our emerging sense, during conflict, that the situation is overwhelming and unsolvable. As such, they become critical sources of potential understanding, insight and possibility. How do people respond to conflict? There are three responses to conflict emotional, cognitive and physical responses that are important windows into our experience during conflict, for they frequently tell people more about what is the true source of threat that is perceived; by understanding the thoughts, feelings and behavior to conflict, a better insight into the best potential solution to the situation. Emotional (feelings) are the feelings we experience in conflict, ranging from anger and fear to despair and confusion. Emotional responses are often misunderstood, as people tend to believe that others feel the same as they do. Thus, differing emotional responses are confusing and, at times, threatening. Cognitive (thinking) are our ideas and thoughts about a conflict, often present as inner voices or internal observers in the midst of a situation. Through sub-vocalization (self-talk), people understand these cognitive responses. Physical (behavior) can play an important role in our ability to meet our needs in the conflict. They include heightened stress, bodily tension, increased perspiration, tunnel vision, shallow or accelerated breathing, nausea, and rapid heartbeat. These responses are similar to those we experience in high-anxiety situations, and they may be managed through stress management techniques. Establishing a calmer environment in which emotions can be managed is more likely if the physical response is addressed effectively. Dealing with someone unwilling to negotiate can be difficult for the person who is trying to resolve the conflict. However, the 8 Step Model can be very beneficial, by focusing first on listening to the other person, and seeking to understand the sources of their resistance, the stage can be set for clarifying the conditions he or she requires in order to talk things out. This is not about being right or wrong in the situation, but a practical strategy for getting the other person engaged as a partner in the negotiation process. Another alternative is to focus on things we can do to influence conflicts in the future, rather than putting initial energy into understanding (or solving) problems we have had in the past. By remaining relatively flexible about the agenda taking on topics individuals care about, but not necessarily the most pressing issues – thus, creating an opportunity to reduce the fears associated with resistance. While the conflict may not be able to be truly resolved, some key issues that exist will be managed and will help to prevent the issues from getting worse. Power is an important and complex issue facing anyone seeking a negotiated solution to a conflict. Before negotiating clarify the true sources of power in the room: The boss has position power, associated with the carrots and sticks that come with the role. She or he may also have coercive power, supported by contracts or statute that compels employees to behave in certain ways and do certain tasks associated with the job. Some may have a great deal of expertise power, accumulated from doing your job over a period of time. Either conflict participants may possess normative power, through which they know the lay of the land in their department and, therefore, how to get things done. And either may possess referent power, through which others show respect for the manner in which the employee conducts themselves. Generally, referent power accrues to those who demonstrate a mature willingness to seek collaborative solutions. An impasse is the sense of being stuck. Impasse is the point within a dispute in which the parties are unable to perceive effective solutions. People feel stuck, frustrated, angry, and disillusioned. Therefore, they might either dig their heels in deeper, anchoring themselves in extreme and rigid positions, or they might decide to withdraw from negotiation. Either way, impasse represents a turning point in our efforts to negotiate a solution to the conflict. As such, rather than avoiding or dreading it, impasse should be viewed with calmness, patience, and respect. Multi-party disputes are complex situations, and they require careful attention and persistence. However, the same 8 Step Model can be applied to the disputes. In spite of using the same process expect everything to take a bit longer than if there where only two or three people. Patiently make sure that all points of view are heard, that issues are clarified for all to see, and that all members in the group accept the agreements being negotiated. If there are limits to the groups decision-making power, then it is important to acknowledge those limits and understand how they are perceived by all members of the group. There are many different ideas of the steps for resolution, some claim five steps while others claim six or seven for the purpose of this paper Weeks (1992) eight step resolution style is identified. Step one – Create an Effective Atmosphere Creating the right atmosphere in which the conflict resolution process will take place is very important, yet most overlook its importance. The atmosphere is the frame around the canvas which will be painted the negotiations and building of better relationships (Weeks, 1992). Step two – Clarify Perceptions Perceptions are lenses through which a person sees themselves, others, their relationships, and the situations they encounter. Perceptions have a great influence on behavior of people. Once people perceive something in certain way, even if the perception is wrong, in the mind it is that way, and often base behaviors on that perception (Weeks, 1992). Step three – Focus on the Individual and Shared Needs This step builds on the previous step as needs as the conditions people perceive they cannot do without, those conditions critical to each persons wellbeing and relationships. However, step three focuses more on skills involved in the conflict partnership approach. There are several key points to keep in mind in this step. 1) Needs are the foundation of relationship and are an essential part of that foundation. 2) People sometimes confuse needs with desires. 3) Personal needs in relationships perceived by individuals must allow for respect of the needs or the relationship (Weeks, 1992). Step four – Build Shared Power Power is a part of every relationship. However, the way people perceive and use power is seen frequently as a dirty word. Such as when people use power as means to control or to manipulate some else to get what they want. Although, power is and of itself not corrupt, it is the way in which people use their power and whether they allow such power to corrupt. Developing positive self power through a clear self-image means that we base our perceptions of ourselves not on what others expect of us or want us to be but what we believe to be our own needs, capabilities, priorities and goals (Weeks, 1992, p. 152). Step five – Look to the Future, Then Learn from the Past. All relationships and conflicts have a past, present and future. Resolving conflicts requires dealing with all three. The conflict partnership process encourages the use of positive power to focus on the present-future to learn from the past. The past experiences people face set the landscape for present and future decision making and how relate to others (Weeks, 1992). Step six – Generate Options People have the ability to discover new possibilities in their relationships as well as conflict resolution. However, both are often impaired by the packaged truths and limited vision people hold onto in times of stress, insecurity, and conflict. Generating options breaks through the predetermined restrictions brought into the conflict resolution process. Generating options imparts choices which specific steps to resolve conflicts and enhanced relationship can be agreed upon (Weeks, 1992). Step seven – Develop â€Å"Doables†: the Stepping-stones to Action Doables are the necessary stepping-stones taken along the way to resolve conflict. Doables are explicit acts that stand a good possibility of success, meet some individual and shared need, and depend on positive power, usually shared power to be carried out. Working on and accomplishing some doables can help the conflict partners see more clearly where they need to go. Many conflict partners have changed their preconceived definitions of both the conflict itself and the expected outcome due to the lessons learned and clarified perceptions through working with doables (Weeks, 1992) Step eight – Make Mutual-Benefit Agreements Mutual-benefit agreements are the next step on the pathway to conflict resolution. Conflict resolution agreements must be realistic and effective enough to survive and the potential to develop further as challenges arise in the future. Mutual-benefit agreements replace the need or want for demands, see the others needs, shared goals, and establish a standard wherein power is identified as positive mutual action through which differences can be dealt with constructively (Weeks, 1992). Conclusion Conflict is an unavoidable aspect of everyday life whether it is with family, teachers, students, friends, or an organization. The best approach to resolving conflict is interest reconciliation. It joins both parties of the dispute to find the best solution. In so doing, all parties win. People respond to conflict in three ways emotional (feelings), cognitive (thinking), and physical (behavior). All are important to the conflict experience. They allow a better awareness to best furnish a solution to the situation. An important tactic to conflict resolution is to develop persuasion skills with the ability to clearly explain one’s point of view and to argue for their conclusions and convictions. Week’s Eight-Step Process is a valuable tool in helping people to become more strategic about resolving conflict. References Borisoff, D., and D. A. Victor., (1997). Conflict management: A communication skills approach, 2nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Conflict, (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflict Coser, L. A. 1967. Continuities in the study of social conflict. New York: Free Press. Dana, D. (2001). 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