Leadership Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership - Personal Statement Example Manifestation of maladaptive motivation arises when organizations possess high tendency of tolerating violent behavior. Managers of the organization can assist by practicing and maintaining the ethical environment at workplace so that the organizational culture reflects ethical culture along with highly motivated employees. â€Å"Leaders need to have a degree of confidence to make tough decision, but their self-images are often seriously distorted.† (p. 54) Self-image refers to the image which a person holds for himself. Many researches in psychology have highlighted the importance of Self-image in one’s personal and professional life. For an effective leadership, it is vital to possess a positive and optimistic self-image. Leaders must have the faith and confidence in their decisions. For that, it is necessary to have enough brainstorming done before taking any tough decision. All the pros and cons must be analyzed carefully, maximum number of managers must be involved in the final decision to avoid any uncertain situation and bring the desired goals into reality. Sharing information with reliable employees also lightens the burden of managers. Smart managers understand this fact that confidence has a considerable impact on their decision making and ultimately on the profitability of the company. â€Å"Successful leaders see hard times as positive high points of their lives. In contrast, less successful leaders are defeated and discouraged by similar events.† (p. 99) Not only leaders, even every individual person gets stronger after facing hardships in life. Every pain and harm serves with a lesson. Successful leaders don’t get themselves caught up in any problem. They tend to keep on striving for better results in future. They believe that failure creates new opportunities for them in contrast to that, fearful and less successful leaders get discouraged by these types of events. It is often said that; â€Å"Hardships test Leaderâ €™s true strength†. When things are good, leaders demonstrate leadership qualities, but when things go wrong many leaders get apprehensive and go astray. That’s the right time to test and judge a leader. The true way of measuring a person is to see how they perform in difficult times. In my mind, leaders are than remembered for their leadership traits in that tough time, and not because of their wins and losses. â€Å"Clearly virtuous leaders are other-centered, not self-centered (p.170)." Through decades, it has been observed that a good leader is more concerned about others than their own self. Recent example that supports this statement is Steve Jobs. Despite of being diagnosed with cancer, he gave his optimum efforts to satisfy and please Apple’s customers and to increase the profitability of his company. Under the reign of Steve Jobs, the stock price of Apple’s share grew around 9000%. It shows the importance of selflessness of a leader. This typ e of leadership style is known as Servant Leadership. Presence of such leadership inspires not only the employees but the customers as well. The strength of this style of leadership is that it values, respects and motivates employees who are reporting to them. It forces people away from domineering and self-serving leadership, hence when everyone reaches their full potential, the overall performance of the company gets better. â€Å"Limiting leadership solely to good leadership ignores the reality that a

Economics assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economics - Assignment Example To avoid this situation particularly when it is occasioned by the fact that the involved firms receive inputs from input suppliers and are attempting to innovate to produce differentiated products and even seeking patent of those products, is by the firms involved getting integrated vertically so that they can reduce some of the dead weight losses. Sometimes it would be necessary that the firms involved within the particular supply chain get to mergers and acquisition. One of the ways in which double marginalization may be solved is by Suppressing the Double marginalization. This can be done by avoiding the firms involved in unnecessarily applying for mark-ups over the cost of their own outputs; rather, they should increase their overall profits through internal suppression of the double marginalization. This should be strategically done by ensuring that they transfer the intermediate costs of the products they have through the application of a single optimal mark-ups. The above solution coincides with the profit maximization solution of innovating and producing up to the point where marginal cost equal marginal revenue. Like any other good practice in profit maximization in business, overcoming double marginalization solves the problem of losses. in the case of application of the marginal cost equals to marginal cost revenue, a firm will attempt to produce that additional production which will assure it of additional revenue. At the point where the marginal cost rises to equal the marginal revenue, it can then be said that the firm is maximizing the profit. The rule usually demands that; in the event that the marginal cost gets greater than marginal revenue, the firm must cut down on its cost. This is why by avoiding the dead weight loss through the reduction of double marginalization; the firm automatically reduces on its cost. 2) Suppose firms A and B are going head to head developing new products

Instrumental And Integrative Motivation

Instrumental And Integrative Motivation Robert Gardner established a model of motivation in second language acquisition in 1985. The field of language teaching has been influenced for many years by the model which came from the studies of language immersion in Canada (Ehrman, 1996, p.139). The model describes two forms of motivation, instrumental and integrative. Instrumental motivation refers to learning to accomplish a task, such as passing a course, getting better pay, and so on (Ehrman, 1996, p.139). Integrative motivation refers to a favorable attitude toward the target language community, possibly a wish to integrate and adapt to a new target culture through use of the language (Gardner, 1985, p. 54). One of the Gardners main ideas is that the integrative motivation plays an important role in second language acquisition. It is directly and positively related to second language achievement. However, the Gardeners model has received lots of criticisms since it was published. The criticisms will be discussed in the foll owing. The model is criticized for overstating the importance of the integrative motive. Gardner simply used the candidates selection of integrative reasons over instrumental ones as evidence that integrative reasons have a higher level of motivational intensity (Gardner, 1985, p.53). Gardner found that the integrative motivation has an extremely high significance in his studies. Nevertheless, the instrumental orientation such as getting a job and passing an examination is also an important factor in second language learning. If learners with integrative motivation can achieve success since they are active in their learning, the same theory might be applicable to the learners with instrumental motivation. Instrumentally motivated learners may be successful since they are eager to learn to achieve their instrumental purposes. Integrative motivation is the central concept in the Gardners model. However, the support of the importance of the integrative motivation is not consistent. Some early studies did agree that integrative motivation was significant in second language learning (Gardner and Lambert, 1959) but some recent researches has shown that the instrumental motivation has an equal or better impact than the integrative motivation. In some cases, the integrative motivation is even considered as having a negative correlation with proficiency which in turn affecting the success of second language learning (Belmechri and Hummel, 1998; DÃ ¶rnyei, 1990). DÃ ¶rnyei (1990) suggested that instrumental motivation could be more important than integrative motivation for foreign language learners since foreign language learners are not likely to have sufficient knowledge and experience to take part in the culture of the people who speak the target language in their early stage of language learning. Integrative motivation may not play a significant role in the early stage of foreign language learners. The importance of different kinds of motivation can be different between second language learners and foreign language learners. Gardners emphasis on integrative motivation for language learning may not fit in all language learning situations (Schmidt, Boraie, and Kassabgy, 1999). The Gardners model have limited applicability for the learners who do not have frequent contact with the target language speakers since they have few opportunities to integrate with the speakers. There are many other factors contributing to the motivation of the learners who are far away from the target language speakers, such as instrumental motivation and knowledge orientation. Gardner should not overstate the importance of integrative motivation in all language learning situations. The significance of different types of motivation may vary from one to another language learning situations. Actually, integrative and instrumental motivations are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Brown (2000) stated that learners rarely select only one type of motivation when learning a second language. The motivation of learning a second language is usually a combination of different forms of orientations. He has cited an example of international students who are residents in the United States. The international students learn English for academic purposes while wishing to be integrated with the people and culture of the country at the same time. This example has clearly shown that integrative and instrumental motivations can mutually exist. In some cases, it is difficult to divide instrumental and integrative motivations. To conclude, the importance of instrumental motivation is being concerned more in the later studies while the significance of integrative motivation has continued to be emphasized. However, it is important to note that the instrumental motivation has only been regarded as an important factor in second language learning while integrative motivation is continually linked to the success of second language learning. Motivation is a significant contribution to second language learning achievement. Therefore, identifying the types and combinations of motivations is one of the keys to successful second language learning. At the same time, learners should be reminded that there are always other variables which can be unique to each language learner affecting the success of second language learning. References Belmechri, F., Hymmel, K. (1998). Orientations and motivation in the acquisition of English as a second language among high school students in Quebec City, Language Learning Brown, H.D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice-Hall. DÃ ¶rnyei, Z. (1990). Conceptualizing motivation in foreign language learning. Language Learning Ehrman, E. (1996) Understanding Second Language Learning Difficulties. London: Sage Publications Gardner, R. C., Lambert, W. E. (1959). Motivational variables in second language acquisition. Canadian Journal of Psychology Gardner, R.C. (1985). Social psychology and language learning: The role of attitudes and motivation. London, Ontario: Edward Arnold. Schmidt, R., Boraie, D., Kassabgy, O. (1999). Foreign language motivation: Internal structure and external connections. In R. L. Oxford (Ed.), Language learning motivation: Pathways to the new century. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press.

Heathcliff: Made A Villain By Love Essay -- essays research papers

Love is a two way street. In order for love to work it must be given and returned. If love is left unfulfilled it can lead a person to be spiteful, vengeful, and at the extreme villainous. In Emily Bronte's novel, Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff is the villain because he is frustrated about his unrequited love for Cathy. Heathcliff's villainy is apparent in how he treats the Earnshaws, degrading Hindley and Hareton just as Hindley did him. This is also shown in his actions against the Lintons. Heathcliff hates the Lintons because Cathy married Edgar. Heathcliff uses his treachery to steal away the Linton fortune and to degrade their offspring. Heathcliff's villainy is finally shown in how he treats Cathy herself. He loves her so much he hates her. He feels that Cathy betrayed her heart and married Edgar. Heathcliff as the villain is first shown in his actions against the Earnshaws. When Heathcliff returns to Wuthering Heights after several years, his frustration leads him to exact revenge on Hindley Earnshaw. Heathcliff blames Hindley for Cathy not returning his love and becoming married to Edgar. Hindley reduced Heathcliff to such a status that it would ruin Cathy to marry him. Heathcliff's villainy is shown when he returns the favour to Hindley, reducing him and his son Hareton to servant class. This is apparent when Heathcliff is talking to Nellie about his joy in degrading Hareton, he says, I've pleasure in him!...He has satisfied my expectations - if he were born a fool I should not enjoy it half so much - But he's no fool; and I can sympathise with all his feelings, having felt them myself - I know what he suffers now, for instance exactly - it is merely a beginning of what he shall suffer though. And he'll never be able to emerge from his bathos of coarseness, and ignorance. I've got him faster than his scoundral of a father secured me, and lower; for he takes a pride in his brutishness. (252-253) This is also shown when Heathcliff accidentally saves Hareton from certain death. This is apparent when Nellie says, "A miser who has parted with a lucky lottery ticket for five shillings, and finds next day he has lost in the bargain five t... ...thout her. His villainy is also shown when he talks to Cathy when she is sick. He condemns her for breaking both his heart and hers. This is apparent when Heathcliff says, "Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy? I have not one word of comfort - you deserve this. You have killed yourself...They'll blight you - they'll damn you. You loved me - then what right did you to leave me?...I have not broken your heart - you have broken it - and in breaking it, you have broken mine." (197) This quote shows Heathcliff's anger, and his blaming of Cathy for his becoming a villain. Heathcliff as the villain is shown through his actions towards people. In the novel, Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff is a villain. He is a villain because of his unrequited love for Cathy. His villainy is shown though his actions towards the Earnshaws, a famliy that degraded him, the Lintons, the people he believes stole Cathy away from him, and Cathy herself, the woman he feels betrayed her heart and his love. Heathcliff felt that he did not have Cathy's love, when all the time he truly owned her heart. Without love being returned jealousy and anger could make villains of all.

Sports-Cultural Comparison

| | |Sports | |Cultural Comparison | | | |Lisa Bowling Today, as Americans, we are surrounded by an increasing number of very different cultures, and along with that we are surrounded by numerous cultural differences. These differences between our culture and the cultures surrounding us deal with every aspect of life, from clothing to food to music, even our recreational activities, like sports. In our American culture we are flooded by mainstream sports such as basketball, football, and of course baseball, our â€Å"national pastime†. With the huge amount of coverage those main sports receive, Americans are sometimes unaware of what other cultures have to offer. Whether they are being played, watched, read about, or dreamed about, sports are everywhere, as are the cultural differences within them. A brief look at five different sports will reveal just a few of these differences, ranging from variations in rules to sports that are beginning to gain popularity to sports that are almost completely unknown in the United States, as well as show the effects that differences have on our own culture. Korfball First we will introduce you to the sport of Korfball, which was founded in Holland by an Amsterdam teacher, Nico Broekhuijsen in 1903. Nico once attended a physical education workshop in Sweden. He observed a game called ringball with men and women playing together. He liked the coeducational part of the game, so he rewrote the game, refined the rules and changed the ring goal to a basket. This basket is called de korf, which is Dutch, thus the name of the game. He wanted to have all his students be involved in a game, regardless of their gender. It is one of the few sports that involve men and women on the team. As a demonstration sport, it was introduced to the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, and then again in 1928 in Amsterdam. In 1933, the International Korfball Federation was founded in Belgium, but it asn’t until 1985 that the sport was recognized by the International Olympic Committee and also the World Games. Every four years the International Korfball Federation now holds the Korfball World Championships. Out of all the teams competing for the chance to have the championship, only two teams get to compete. Korfball is gaining popularity by many countries like Canada, Australia, England, Germany, Belgium, and South Africa. The object of the game is to shoot the ball with two hands through a cylindrical shaped basket. It is similar to basketball, yet a little harder considering the basket is twelve feet high, attached to a single wooden post, and located in the middle of the attack zone. This differs from basketball, where the baskets are only ten feet high and are located on each end of the court. The court is about 44 yards by 99 yards that is marked by white tape. As stated before the baskets are approximately twelve feet high and are placed eleven yards from the end line. The ball itself resembles a soccer ball and is a tad bit smaller than a basketball (whether it is for men or women). Its circumference is 27 inches, unlike the basketball that is 30 inches for men and 29 inches for women. Since Korfball is a team sport, individual excellence is critical importance, but is only when it is passed through team work. The team consists of four men and four women. Typically the women would defend the women and the men would defend the men. Korfball players catch, throw and run with the ball. It is considered a non-contact, non-collision sport. Each player has their own zone to cover and may not move from it. Each team has four players in each of the three zones. The ball in play is moved only by hand movements. Unlike basketball, there is no dribbling, no backboards, physical contact is not allowed, slam dunks are prohibited (unlikely though since the basket is much higher), and it is a violation of rules to shoot the ball if you are guarded. Height and size of the player is not important since scoring is when the players are constantly moving, running, and perfectly passing the ball to each other. A game lasts about 90 minutes with the object of scoring de korf. Curling Next we will take a look at the up and coming sport of curling. You may have never heard of curling until its recent emergence in the last two Winter Olympics. It is not one of the most traditional sports and there are no monstrosities of men and women participating. It is a sport known more for its grace, skill, and the ability to think through any situation that may be thrown your way. Curling has just begun to gain popularity here in the States, however it originated long ago in Scotland. The first documented games of curling were in Scotland and Holland. The Scots develop the game and formalized rules by 1807. Scottish emigres eventually brought curling to Canada, New Zealand and the United States later in the 1800s (USA Curling), and along with that came many different variations of the game. Canada and Scotland quickly became the two powerhouses of the sport, with Canada revolutionizing the way the game was played, leaving Scotland stuck in the past. Popularity of the sport rose around the world, as the newcomers from Canada took on Scotland in the Scotch Cup matches in 1959. Controversy quickly arose from the â€Å"new style† of curling Canada was playing, as the vanquished the best Scotland had to offer. The old met the new in the first Scotch Cup series of matches in 1959. Controversy there was aplenty in Scotland, as the Canadians of the new game vanquished the best Scotland had to offer. The International Curling Federation is now in place to provide the sport with firm guidelines and internationally accepted rules of play. The federation does leave room for change and improvement, however, as change is sure to arise from technological advances, introduction of new techniques, strategies, rules, and from the improvement of shot-making ability of individual players who strive for perfection in their chosen game (Cowan). Now that you have a slight background on the sport of Curling, we will take a look at curling in the United States. The United States Men’s Curling Association was founded in 1958 and later renamed in United States Curling Association due to gender equality, USCA for short. The sport saw its largest growth in 1998, when curling made its full medal debut at the Nagano Olympics (Karuizawa venue). In the 2002 Olympics held in Salt Lake City, (Ogden venue) curling emerged as a surprise television hit. Later, in 2006 in Torino, U. S. curlers won their first-ever Olympic medal (USA Curling). This sport is obviously on the rise in the American culture and maybe one day will be more widespread in the States. It will probably never be on the same level as basketball, football or baseball. But every sport has to start somewhere. Hockey When it comes to hockey, in order to discuss the cultural differences between the US and other countries, you need not look any further than to our friends up north in Canada. While we as Americans probably view our hockey league as the fourth most important sports league behind baseball, football, and basketball (those being in no particular order), Canadians cherish the sport. It is actually the country’s official winter sport. There is no doubt that hockey has been played in Canada for centuries, still there is no definitive origin of when it was officially established. (Hockey Canada) We do know, however, that â€Å"the first organization actually dealing with the administration and development of the sport was the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC), which was organized on the 8th of December, 1886. † (Hockey Canada) In comparison, the National Hockey League (NHL), which is the American hockey league in existence today, did not form until 1917. Even then, the league struggled to field more than a few teams its first couple of decades. In America over the past couple weeks, hockey has been gaining more coverage because of the Olympics, and the United States’ team’s success. The gold medal game against Canada was the most watched hockey game in history in our country, beating out our own league’s championship series. This statistic still pales in comparison to the fact that the preliminary round game against the US was one of the most viewed sporting events on in Canada’s history. Even better, the gold medal game drew an even bigger audience and, in fact, became the most watched sporting event ever in the country. â€Å"Nearly half the Canadian population watched the entire game on average, while 80 percent of Canadians watched some part of the game (26. 5 million). † (Vancouver Sun) As you can see, there is a huge difference in the way the sport is viewed in our two cultures. Lacrosse Another sport that is just beginning to gain more popularity in our country, and culture, is the sport of lacrosse. Again, we don’t have to look far to find where this sport is a large part of a culture. While hockey is Canada’s official winter sport, lacrosse is the country’s official summer sport. Much like the history of hockey, the date in which the sport was invented is not certain, but it is thought to date back to the 12th century. Lacrosse, which was originally played between Native Americans in the US and Canada, flourished in the 19th century in Canada as, â€Å"the National Lacrosse Association became the first national sport governing body in North America. † (Canadian Lacrosse Association) The sport is played both indoors and out, with leagues consisting of both types existing in Canada as well as the US. The National Lacrosse League (NLL) was started in 1987 and is played indoors, while Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was founded in 1999 and is the outdoor version. Although these leagues have both been in existence for at least a decade, the NLL consists of only 11 teams, while MLL is made up of a meager six teams. While the number of teams in the professional ranks, and the leagues in general, are often overshadowed by the major sports in our country, the sport is the fastest growing sport in our country. â€Å"National lacrosse participation increased 8. percent in 2009, according to research by US Lacrosse for its annual participation report. There were 568,021 lacrosse players that were members of organized teams across the country in 2009, from the youth level all the way on up through the professional ranks. † (US Lacrosse) It is estimated that participation in lacrosse in the US will double in the next ten years, and as it continues to grow in will continue to become a grea ter part of our culture. Football Somewhere in America a man, who is referred to as the quarterback, is standing on a field of fake grass made of astro-turf. He is covered almost head-to-toe in enough protective padding that could possibly protect him from a car running into him. He is hurling a cow hide covered prolate spheroid through the air. He is hoping that his teammate will catch this ball without being tackled by someone from the opposing team. His goal is to run with this ball to the opposite end of the field into the opposing team’s end zone to score points. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. This sport is known as football. The history of American football goes back to the first half of the 19th century and its origins can be traced back to the game of rugby, which is primarily played in the UK. Walter Camp took the game of rugby and converted many of its rules into the American football we know today. Walter Camp is hailed as the â€Å"Father of American Football†. Football can be played at the high school, college, and professional level, and all levels are governed by nationally accredited associations. The Ohio League was the first professional league formed in 1903, and then in 1920 the American Professional Football Association was formed. The first game was played in Dayton, Ohio. Many places around the world also share in playing the sport of football. They include, but are not limited to; Japan, the UK, Germany, England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. While these countries participate in playing the game, there are many variations in how they play the game. Australia, England, and New Zealand for example play the game of rugby. The ball is slightly larger and heavier than its American counterpart, and requires virtually no physical protective equipment. Consequently, Rugby has been called the toughest and most demanding sport in the world. Canada, the UK, Germany and Japan have very similar football leagues compared to the US, with their rules only varying slightly. Football is one of America’s most played sports and greatest pastimes. It is as much a part of our culture as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. College football in the state of Ohio however has its own culture, and it is huge! ESPN recently ranked Ohio State football #3 in all of the college football programs dating back to 1936. You can walk in almost any grocery store or department store and find Ohio State football accessories. Buckeye necklaces, jerseys, hats and coats are just some of the long list of items you can purchase and wear to support your team. If its game weekend, most work places not only allow but encourage you to wear something to support the team. There is even enough stuff out there to decorate the inside of your entire house. We even have our own candy! The delicious Buckeyes are the official sweet treat at any football party. Every weekend of the football playing season you can find men, women and children of all ages dressed up in their scarlet and grey huddled in front of their televisions cheering for their team. There is nothing that can bring together or separate the tightest of friends and family than an Ohio State game. The line of loyalty to their favorite team runs deep, especially when it comes to the all-so-famous Ohio State-Michigan game. If you are brave enough to declare your loyalty to Michigan, you better get ready for some opposition from someone with scarlet and grey. Ohio State also has the best damn band in the land and Brutus the mascot to add to its long list of signature cultural items. The pay scale for football players even surpasses the salary of the President of the United States. Sources â€Å"2009 Participation Survey. † US Lacrosse. 01 Jan 2010. US Lacrosse, Web. 4 Mar 2010. . A Short History of Lacrosse in Canada. Canadian Lacrosse Association, 13 Jan. 2010. Web. 4 Mar. 2010. . Canada-U. S. Olympic Hockey Final Gold for TV Ratings. Vancouver Sun, 1 Mar. 2010. Web. 4 Mar. 2010. . History of Hockey Canada. Hockey Canada, 2010. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. . International Korfball Federation. International Korfball Federation, 1 Jan. 2010. Web. 2 Mar. 2010. . Korfball. Wikipedia, 26 Feb. 2010. Web. 2 Mar. 2010. .

Help Improve own and team practice in schools Essay

The ability to reflect on one’s own practice is crucial because you can evaluate your effectiveness and assess how well you think you are doing and identify any areas that need improvement or development. 1.1 Take a note of children and young people’s responses to own practice My placement is working with year 4 children who I engage with well and I get the general impression from their responses to my interaction with them that they enjoy working with me and that I assist their development. I had written feedback from one of the Teaching Assistants I work with and she has written; â€Å"Juley gets on well with the staff and has a natural rapport with the children†. This evidence supports my own belief that my practice is at the right level and style for 8 and 9 year old children. One of the more articulate children in my class said to me a 2 weeks ago â€Å"I really like working with you Miss. Hickman, you make maths fun†. One of the children I work with a lot who struggles with concentrating for any length of time asked me to help them read their book as I have done on a number of occasions. I asked him why he wanted me to help and he replied â€Å"I like how you explain things â€Å". My responses to any of the children when I sit down to work with them is always positive with lots of smiling and leaning in to me and at the beginning or end of class the children often come up to me to show me something or tell me something about their weekend which demonstrates to me that the children enjoy interacting with me. 1.2 Ask for constructive feedback on own practice from colleagues For this part of the assignment I produced a document which requested feedback from the Year 4 teacher I mainly work with and the TA I spend a lot of time working with. I handed this in last week and I collected the report this week when I attended school for my placement. I have included the two completed forms in this report . Read more:  Teamwork in Schools Essay The Year 4 teacher who I work mostly with also gave me a good feedback report including the comments â€Å"Excellent group and 1-2-1 work† and â€Å"great support to less able children†. The only development area he has highlighted is â€Å"to work with G&T (Gifted and talented) children more† which when I spoke to him he stated that this was not a failing on my part but down to him allocating me such groups to work with and he has written on the form in relation to  this goal â€Å"Teacher driven† so I know it is for him to allocate to me in the future. Again I am very encouraged by his feedback on the form and in person and this indicates to me that I am performing well and in the right manner. 1.3 Take notes of responses to own practice from others The Teaching Assistant gave me very positive feedback, including stating â€Å"She is very capable and willing to carry out any task give to her† and she also wrote â€Å"Juley gets on well with the staff and has a natural rapport with the children†. I am very pleased with this feedback which she has based on examples which she has given in her report. I feel I am performing to the best of my ability and the positive comments give me much encouragement that I am performing my role well and this motivates me to continue in the same vein. She did not highlight any areas for development but when I spoke to her she suggested that in order for me to get a wide range of experience I sometimes attend school for the afternoon sessions as this is when the children do other activities such as art and science which would be good experience for me. I currently only attend on morning sessions and hence my only experience with regards to subject matter is literacy and maths. I shall make a point next term of changing the sessions I attend to widen my experience and develop myself further. 1.4 Evaluate all aspects of own practice See attached job description and marked areas evaluating my performance. Section 2 Be able to improve own practice 2.2 Describe the importance of continuing professional development Continuing professional development (CPD) is almost always crucial in any position in any industry. In order to perform to the best of your ability as a school staff member a key aim should be CPD. This ensures that knowledge is developed and kept up to date and ones skills are honed and built upon. Within education teaching techniques are always changing and evolving and CPD assists in a fundamental way with keeping up to date with these changes. If a school promotes CPD then it is likely that it, as an institution, regularly reviews procedures and practices in vital areas such as safeguarding and Health and Safety. From an individual’s perspective being proactive in ones CPD gives a sense of achievement and confidence will be  instilled. This makes for a good and proficient teaching assistant who is prepared to seek feedback from colleagues and amend or change their own practices accordingly. In terms of an individual developing their career CPD is essential as investing in this demonstrates that there is an interest in progressing and developing the role. It is crucial that a written record is kept of one’s professional development in a file with dates, names of courses, certificates, appraisals and other relevant information. Appraisals are an essential part of CPD and are a way of identifying strengths, areas to improve and ways to improve. It can identify goals and targets which can then be worked towards and development measured using the SMART model. Section 3 Understand the work of the team 3.1 Describe why team work is important in schools In all areas of working life team work is of great importance. Team work means that a shared sense of purpose is felt and a common purpose is identified. This bonds individuals into a team and creates the ideal scenario for success and achievement. The identification and understanding of an individual’s role and that of the other team member’s roles is crucial as is the recognition of how the different roles complement each other and work together. Regular meetings with regards to roles and aims of the team are a very important part of the process of working as a team. The meetings enable the team to prioritise ways of working together, it enables the team to reflect on progress to date and to set new goals and identify other ways of getting the best out of being a team. A successful team can be represented by various characteristics which include respect for one another, a sense of purpose, commitment to the aims of the team which are demonstrated every day by each team member and regular communication between team members. Another very positive factor of a good team with members getting on well together is that it provides a good role model for children, they will recognise the respect the adults have for each other. 3.2 Describe the purpose and objectives of the team in which they work. The main purpose of team work is: -To promote children’s learning and behaviour. – To share both experiences and acquired knowledge in order to achieve better results with teaching and supporting children. -To promote equal opportunities and positive attitudes and to support diversity. – To provide a safe emotional environment for children. – To motivate children to use their full intellectual potential. – To support and respect one another. -To foster the good relationships and links already created with the local community and families. Within a work role it is highly likely that you will in fact be a member of a number of teams and they will have different specific objectives such as supporting a named child or to give general support within a specific class. However it is usually the case that the more general objectives of all the different teams have at least some, if not all, of the objectives listed above. 3.3 Describe own role and responsibilities and those of others in the team. Within any team in any industry it is crucial that each team member understands their own role, how it fits in with the team and other team members as well as understanding the role of other team members. Communication is a vital role for all team members and being able to liaise and interact with each other makes for a highly functioning team. All team members should feel that their opinion is valued and regular meetings enable the exchange of ideas and promote team objectives and create a sense of unity. Meetings also give a good idea of how what you are doing fits in with the school or team as a whole. The role of a Teaching Assistant is to work under the guidance and instruction of the teaching staff. Most work is carried out within the classroom during lessons but very importantly before lessons with preparation and the clearing up after classes. The support of specific pupils who may have special needs is also a key responsibility and working either one to one or in a small group is common place and key. This role description is a supporting role and different to that of a teacher whose main responsibilities include developing lesson plans, teaching, assessing pupils and tracking their development and fostering an atmosphere of learning, promoting essential personal character traits and setting a  good role model for pupils to emulate and aspire to. 3.4 Describe the importance of respecting the skills and expertise of other practitioners It is very important to respect the skills and expertise of other practitioners as it enables the development of good working relationships. The recognition that all team members bring something different but equally vital to the team is a core element to a successful team as is the acknowledgement that individuals can in turn learn from colleagues and thus develop. By listening to others, respect is demonstrated and usually reciprocated and in turn nurtures good working relationships. If all team members have the qualities of self-respect, self-esteem, confidence and the ability to do their role competently then the foundations of the team are strong and the performance enhanced. The fundamental point to be always kept in the forefront is that in order to have good working relationships with other team members you need to show that their opinions and expertise are considered, listened to and respected. A point to note however is that one should challenge and debate any opinions that one does not agree with as healthy debate is both rewarding and productive producing new ideas and solutions to problems. Section 4 Be able to support the work of the team 4.1 Support the purpose and objectives of the team The aims at Kingston Park Primary school are clearly laid out in the prospectus and on their website. These are â€Å"We aim to work together to provide a happy, caring, secure, stimulating learning environment in which children are treated as individuals, enabling them to become independent learners, with respect for each other, pride in themselves and in our school community. We provide a range of extended curriculum activities to develop the whole child and promote self-esteem and personal development â€Å" These aims cascade down to all levels and are seen in the purpose and objectives of the team in which I have been working at the school. Within my role I support many of these such as promoting positive behaviour by demonstrating consistent good behaviour myself, creating stimulating learning environments by preparing materials for use in class and ensuring a secure environment always being mindful of health and safety issues. I always try to promote a positive professional attitude whilst at school. I demonstrate a strong work ethic by always asking the TA’s if there is anything I can do and show  willingness to do even the most basic of tasks because it ultimately supports the schools objectives. I have attended every placement day I have said I would attend and have always been punctual and smart. 4.2 Carry out own role and responsibilities within the team. My role and responsibilities within the team include: – Supporting teaching and learning in the classroom. For example teaching a small group of less able children how to do multiplication in maths using the grid method. – Provide general support to the teacher in the organisation and management of the pupils and classroom. For example I set up the tables for the lessons by putting out the books and materials needed and ensure the children are sat at the correct tables. – Promote the inclusion of all pupils ensuring they have equal opportunities to learn and develop. For example last week I took two students for whom English was their second language and read a book with them and helped them write sentences about the book. They needed more focused help and would not have understood the tasks in the larger classroom setting. – To be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the children. For example when there was a fire alarm I assisted in getting all the children in the class safely out of the building. A typical morning on placement involves the following: – Liaising with the teacher to find out the running order of the morning, what the lesson will involve and ways in which I can assist. – Setting up the tables with any equipment – Liaising with the TA to establish if there are any tasks to do – Working with a small group of less able children with maths or literacy – Working 1-2-1 with an individual child perhaps listening to them read or helping them with addition – Writing up in the relevant document the progress of the child I have been working with and giving the teacher feedback on their progress. – Clearing up after lessons and doing any admin. tasks allocated to me including mounting work on backing paper, putting up a display or filing work. Throughout all of these tasks good communication is key and I feel I communicate and interact well with the children and staff alike. Overall my placement allows me to support the purpose and objectives of the  team in a professional and helpful way and I promote the team ethos needed to work successfully in the school environment. 4.3 Communicate clearly with team members and others, making sure they have the information they need. Communication is a key skill in my role as a volunteer in school and my ability to communicate well contributes to and supports the work of the team. When I am given a task to carry out by one of the teachers or Teaching Assistants I will always ask questions if I am unsure or if I need to clarify something. I am often given the task to take a less able group of children in maths or literacy and not only communicate with the children well but also feedback how the children have done at the end of the lesson. I also work on a one to one basis with individual children and then not only feedback their performance to the staff but also write up about their progress in their books and in the official pupils record sheets. This good communication is essential for the team to be able to monitor children’s progress and then plan for the future. 4.4 Interact with others in a way that supports good team work My interaction with staff at all levels has been excellent to date. I have liaised effectively with staff from the Deputy Head to the kitchen staff and caretaker and have been able to support the school team in many small ways through this interaction. One example was whilst in the staff room on a break a few of the Teaching Assistants were folding up raffle tickets, of which there were hundreds, to put in the bowl for the Christmas raffle draw. I offered to help with this in order to get more tickets folded and did this on my coffee break. This interaction supported the school team and I was thanked by a few other staff members for volunteering. 4.5 Identify and suggest ways in which the team could improve its work, challenging existing practice where necessary. I have not yet identified an issue whereby I felt the need to suggest ways in which the team could improve its work. I do now feel confident enough to do so should the situation arise and I will submit a learning journal to evidence this as and when I have encountered the situation. 4.6 See attached case studies. 4.7 Seek advice and support from relevant people when needed. See learning journal

What is Corporate Governance †Business Essay

What is Corporate Governance – Business Essay Free Online Research Papers What is Corporate Governance Business Essay Stakeholder – Any one with a vested interest in the business. Includes shareholders, managers, employees, community, suppliers, buyer’s etc: any one who uses or relies on the business in some way. Definition from â€Å"Business Studies Excel† Start of the essay with a summary of the year’s performance, this is found on page one. This summary outlines the performance of the company throughout the last financial year. Although it does not analyse it in great detail it allows the stakeholder to have a brief description of the companies whereabouts in respect to its market share and the way the company is heading. It outlines to the stakeholder the weaknesses of the company and how these weaknesses are going to be dealt with during the next financial year. It also outlines the coming years focus’s for the business. This reflective summary of the previous year past gives minimal but effective insight. Chairman’s report and Management’s discussion and Analysis depict positive corporate governance. The Chairman’s report emphasized the fact that it was a hard year for Greens and outlines the major causes of their downfall, (Pasta problems, Share Problems and the drivers of these problems, also the change in management and the board also contributed to this. It then lists the consequences of these changes. This demonstrates Greens attempt to clarify with its stakeholders where the company went wrong throughout the year and the factors that contributed to these wrong doings. It then goes through and list the factors that are strong in the company, despite the companies weak performance in certain aspects of their products. It outlines to the stakeholders how each aspect of the businesses sale items performed. The Management’s Discussion and Analysis is excellent in answering the stakeholder’s questions in relation to market share, and financial performances. It runs through the major headings that the stakeholders want to know about, (Market position, Products, Sale Revenue, Profit, Debt and expenses, sales performance. Environmental Aspects are then introduced when the effect of the drought on the cost of raw materials in mentioned. (Need to elaborate on). Especially in the food manufacturing industry it is important for shareholders in particular to know how specific products and lines are performing statistically. As the food industry is also a seasonal product, consumer’s tastes and food preference will change throughout the year; therefore stakeholder must be kept informed as to these changes. Greens have done this very well, using brief to the point detail that leads into the in-depth fact and figures later on in the report. The Directors Report is composed by a number of director’s states the names of the directors on the Greens board. It gives a brief description of each and their role in the business. A review of results of operation is then reviewed. It states that â€Å" The Green Family disposed of the majority of their shareholdings. Czarvan PTY LTD, Guinness Peat Group and Continental Venture Capital LTD are now significant shareholders† This is a statement that directly relates to the social structure of the company. The fact that the Green family disposed of their shares to large businesses such as Guinness Peat and other large companies without and hassle implies that they are a strong social company. That is they have other businesses like them working in their favor. On page 9 a section on Corporate Governance and a full report on the companies adherence to corporate governance can be found on page 51 of the report. (I will analyse this later.) When talking about corporate governance use quotes that depict how important it is to the company. â€Å"In recognizing the need for the highest standards of corporate behavior† pg. 9 Environmental issues are then stated, there is only a small paragraph on this. Share options are then mentioned, these are possible one of the most important aspect to the stakeholders. (Elaborate on why this is so) The amount of shares issued and the cost of shares are stated. Financial Statements essentially present a scorecard of a companys operations. At a certain time, or for a certain period of time, financial statements show what the company owns and what it owes, its profitability, and the companys flows of cash. The three primary Financial Statements are the Balance Sheet, the Income Statement (or Earnings Statement), and the Statement of Changes in Financial Position. A less common Financial Statement is the Statement of Retained Earnings. These are all extremely important to stakeholders of the business. (Expand on why these factors are important) Financial Position – This statement is important to stakeholders as it outlines the company’s assets, liabilities and the overall liquidity of the business. It can be seen in the Greens Annual Report on Financial Position that Total Assets in well in excess of Total Liabilities, (102,655, 000 in assets – 58,856, 000 in liabilities) These figures from the Statement of Financial Position can be used in conjunction with accounting ratios to depict the liquidity of the business. (Go through all the relevant ratios and explain what they mean). This is possibly the most important aspect to stakeholders, knowing whether or not and how liquid the company is. (Go through the most important ratios and apply the figures to them and give percentages of liquidity) Show Acid – Test Ratio, Gross Profit Ratio and Debt to total asset ratio. Cash Flows – The Cash Flow Statement is another important aspect that stakeholders are concerned with. This statement shows where cash is coming and going from in the business, it also displays how much the figures of cash leaving and entering are. Name and explain the main ways that cash in entering and leaving. The statement of significant accounting policies outlines all the significant policies that have been adopted in the preparation of the financial report. There are a few main heading that we should look at and analyse a bit further: Intangibles, Employee entitlements (as this is excellent for the social and corporate governance side of the essay), Artwork and design (environmentally friendly packaging to benefit environment) See customer relations print out for ideas on the social side of Greens, in respect to gaining customer feedback and satisfaction. See environmental printout. Greens indicate and acknowledge that its environment is a key factor in its future outcomes. Expand on this idea Overall the Financial statements of Greens company are quite good in the way that they present the information of financial reports to their stakeholder. It is clear and precise and well explained. The needs of major stakeholders have been met through the many comprehensive Financial Statements that Greens have made available. References : www.corp-gov.com Get Smart Business Studies (pg 88) Author Geoff Wing and Ray Wooby An Introduction to Accounting (pg134) Author – Carrick Martin greens.com.au/dir016/greenspublishing.nsf /Content/ConsumerRelations Research Papers on What is Corporate Governance - Business EssayAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalRiordan Manufacturing Production Plan

The Clash - Smart Custom Writing Samples

The Clash - Smart Custom Writing Literary Analysis of Jean-Paul Sartre?s ?The Wall?Jean-Paul Sartre authored â€Å"The Wall† a collection of short fictional stories that was published in 1939. This book is set in Spain and its Civil War acts as the backdrop. In this book, three men have been sentenced to death by the Spanish Fascists. They are put in reclusion or a cell, and a static character, the Belgian doctor observes their mental torture on the last night before being subjected to the firing squad. The three men are Pablo Ibietta, Juan, and Tom. Pablo is the protagonist and the narrator of the story (Sartre 1). He is being tried for war crimes and his refusal to reveal the whereabouts of his friend, Ramon Gris, an anarchist. Juan’s criminal charge is having a brother who is an anarchist while Tom is a member of International Brigades. Juan is the protagonist and believes that he will be killed because he is not innocent. Sartre has used narration to reveal the reactions, psychological state, and thoughts of the three men as they await execution. In this book, the author uses imagery to show the intense emotions of the three convicts. The wall has been used to show the end of life and freedom. The wall symbolizes the end of freedom and good life for the three men. It also symbolizes the â€Å"blockade† that is between them and their lives. On a literal meaning, the cell is reclusion of walls. The firing squad will use the wall to terminate lives. This is a wall in a wall or the use of a wall as an object to put a â€Å"wall† (death) to the lives of the three men. They are locked in and cannot have contact with the other world and this translates to reclusion or total separation. The cell is an enclosure that stands between them and their dreams. The only thing that is connecting them to their past is memories. Pablo is detached from life. He knows that the woman he loves, the life, does not matter anymore. The main theme in this book is â€Å"death.† The wall symbolizes death, an imminent end that all people must face. They cannot think beyond the wall and thus have resigned themselves to death even before they face the firing squad. It is significant to note that the men are psychologically dead even before the guards take them to face the firing squad. The other theme is innocence. Pablo and Juan are innocent. Juan tries to justify his innocence when he admits that his brother is an anarchist, and claims that he does not belong to any political party (Sartre 1). They have been convicted because of their relations with anarchists. The other themes in this story are love, society versus individuals and reality. The author drags the story through suspense, and literary intensifies the conflict that surfaces among the convicts and their imminent death. Sartre, Jean-Paul. The Wall. 1939.Web. 17 November 2010.

Derecho and Derecha, Two Confusing Spanish Words

Derecho and Derecha, Two Confusing Spanish Words Two easily confused Spanish words are derecho and derecha. Both are distant cousins of the English words right and direct, and that is the source of the confusion: Depending on the context and usage, these words can carry meanings such as right (the opposite of left), right (entitlement), straight, upright and directly. ‘Derecho’ and ‘Derecha’ Explained These words are easiest to understand as nouns: El derecho is never a term of direction and is used to refer to something that is due a person according to law, moral principle or custom - in other words, a right. When used in the plural, it typically means rights such as in the phrase derechos humanos, human rights. It can also refer to a type of right that is less abstract. For example, derechos del autor (literally, authors rights) refers to royalties.La derecha refers to something that is on the right (opposite of left) side. It can refer to, for example, the right hand and the political right. The adverbial phrase a la derecha is common and means to the right or on the right. As an adjective, derecho (and derived forms derecha, derechos and derechas) can mean right (the opposite of left, as in el lado derecho, the right side), upright (as in el palo derecho, the upright pole), and straight (as in là ­nea derecha, straight line). Usually the context will make the meaning clear. Except in bad Spanglish, derecho as an adjective does not mean correct. As an adverb, the form is derecho. It typically means straight ahead or in a straight line as in anduvieron derecho, they walked straight ahead. Sample Sentences Here are some examples of these words in use: No tienes el derecho de iniciar la fuerza contra la vida, libertad, o propiedad de otros. (You dont have the right to initiate the use of force against the life, liberty or property of others.)Estos cambios pueden tener un impacto negativo contra los derechos al voto de minorà ­as raciales. (These changes can have a negative effect against the voting rights of racial minorities.)Queremos el derecho a decidir para toda la gente. (We want the right to decide for all the people.)Como consecuencia de este incidente sufrià ³ una herida grave en el ojo derecho. (As a result of this incident he suffered a serious injury in his right eye.)El coche es caro, pero no me funciona la luz de cruce derecha. (The car is expensive, but the right turn signal doesnt work for me.)El espejo derecho no es obligatorio salvo que algo nos obstaculice el uso del espejo interior. (The right-side mirror isnt mandatory unless something blocks our use of the interior mirror.)Siguià ³ derecho por un tiempo ante s de que parara. (She continued straight ahead for some time before she stopped.) Nunca he negado que hay diferente tipos de derechas. (I have never denied there are different types of conservatives.)Espero que la pared de la cocina està © derecha. (I hope the kitchen wall is straight up and down.)Gire a la derecha desde la rampa de salida. (Turn to the right from the exit ramp.)Por tradicià ³n el guila de la bandera mira a la derecha. (Traditionally, the eagle on the flag looks to the right.) If You Need To Say ‘Left’ Whether referring to physical direction or politics, the noun form for left is izquierda. The adjective form is izquierdo and its variations for number and gender. Zurdo is the adjective usually used to refer to someone who is left-handed. Some sample sentences: Sufro de constante inflamacià ³n en el ojo izquierdo. (I constantly suffer from inflammation in my left eye.)Se dice que un partido es de la izquierda cuando tiende a buscar una mayor distribucià ³n de las riquezas. (They say that a party is from the left when it tends to pursue a greater distribution of wealth.)La imagen a la izquierda muestra la rotacià ³n del planeta. (The image on the left shows the planets rotation.)Fue designado como mejor atleta zurdo del paà ­s. (He was named the countrys best left-handed athlete.) Key Takeaways As an adjective, derecho (and its feminine and plural forms) can mean the opposite of left as well as upright or straight, and it can also serve as an adverb to refer to action straight ahead.But as a noun, el derecho never refers to a direction. but to an entitlement.The noun form for something on the right (opposite of left) side is derecha.

Navigation Incident NO.1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Navigation Incident NO.1 - Essay Example The buoy however was unharmed. DISCUSSION MV â€Å"Calamity Jane† was proceeding at a speed of 15 knots along the course of 170o (T). Visibility was determined to be good and with an excess of 10 nautical miles. The tidal stream was estimated to be setting 178o (T) at a rate of 1.4 knots. Even all of the bridge equipments such as the radar were fully functional. With everything working in top form, MV ‘’Calamity Jane’s’’ route was fully planned and she was on schedule, passing her first way point ‘’Mew Island Lighthouse’’ and enroute to the second way point ‘’South Rock Lighthouse’’. The distance between the previous way points was 18.3 nautical miles. The plan of passage was marked up on the chart (No.2093) and it determined that the ship was to proceed at a course of 170o (T) at 15 knots so that to pass between the South Rock Light Vessel, until South Ridge buoy. On passing the previous w ay point the ship was scheduled to alter her course to 210o (T) and follow up this course for 7.5 nm so as to reach ‘’Strangford Narrows Leading Lights’’, her third way point. Things began to get out of hand about 18 minutes prior to midnight, which was scheduled to be the time for switching watches between the two navigators. The 1st navigator fixed the position of the ship at 2342 and 2348 but found that the ship was 2 cables east of track while the South Rock Light Vessel was ahead of the track. This led to him altering 5o to starboard and then following up a new course of 175o (T). Subsequently, the 1st navigator took a third fix right before switching watches at 2354 and found that the ship was back on track. This incident is said to have occurred mainly due to the faults by the first navigator, who first took two fixes in a 6 minutes interval, which is good. He noticed that the ship was in the port side of the track and so made alterations to the sta rboard to a course of 175o (T) to regain the track. However, he did not consider the effects of the tidal stream that was estimated to be setting 178o (T) at a rate of 1.4 knots. Considering the course and the direction of the tidal stream together, it is understood that the ship will drift most towards the east because of the lack of resistance between the tidal stream and the ship flow. Thus, this lack of consideration of this aspect could have resulted in a largely misleading from the planned track and beginning to drift off the course. Then, less than 6 minutes before midnight, the 1st navigator tried to correct things by taking a last fix and found that the ship was right on track while navigating at the same course at 175o (T). Now, the ship was momentarily on track but not following the correct course since it was drifting towards the west. The navigator’s timing for takinf the fix was quite bad and turned out to be unfortunate for the ship. Had the fix been made even a few minutes later, the 1st navigator would have noticed that he was proceeding on the wrong course and that the ship was wrongly drifting towards the west. This is considered wrong since the east coast plays a better home for ships than the west due to the west having more hazards such as shallow water, wreck and unlit buoy which are almost impossible to notice in the dark. The 1st navigator did not consider all this while making the decision and this accident was caused due to his lack of attention.

Media Practice in the UK Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media Practice in the UK - Personal Statement Example After this, I hope to either join an animation team for the production of a television programme or film or, alternatively, set up one myself. It is unwise to be too focused on the current economic climate, so although I remain ambitious, I am keeping my mind open to whatever comes along. Describe why you feel your background, experience and aptitude make you a suitable candidate for the Animation Direction course. Personally, I cannot help but feel that the Animation Direction course is the best thing I could possibly do with my life at the moment. As a teenager, I felt caged in my surroundings and found that I could only release my emotions through the creation of a story and the visualization of ideas. Since I was nine years old and started making flip books, I have spent much of my free time – and all of my time in higher education – writing novels and drawing comic books. Such a hobby came naturally to me, and happily, it is something at which I am skilled. This is why I am applying, specifically, to the Animation Direction course. I studied the Media, Art and Design Foundation course at the London College of Communication; I have a BA in Animation from the University of Westminster, and an MA in Illustration and Animation from Kingston University. I have excelled in these courses, due to both my passion and my talent. I have studied film theory in depth and developed both practical and mental skills necessary for the type of career I am entering. I am also a confident person and have never been shy to communicate my artistic visions: I am always discussing projects with my peers and potential colleagues. Given your choice of specialization, describe in your own words the role you would expect to take in the process of development and production of an animated film. I would welcome the chance to work at the highest possible level, as a director. The director of an animated film holds the most senior position in the animation department, and a s such is ultimately and personally responsible not only for the quality of the animation but also for the department's ability to produce results on time. This means that from the very beginning I would have to liaise with the writers to understand their vision and help communicate that vision to the artists. Delegation is an important part of being a director, so I would need to be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each team member to be able to assign work fairly and to the best advantage; later on, I would critically review the work of my staff, encouraging or suggesting improvement as necessary. Select one item from your submission and write an evaluation of the dramatic strengths and weaknesses including that of your own creative contribution. One of my submission items was the opening live-action footage of my experimental animation. I challenged myself to create an effective atmosphere without using sound effects. The series of close-ups of banal items such as shoes and gloves heighten the senses, and the cinematic color I used creates a feeling of suspense in the audience. More astute members of the audience will work themselves into a state of fear, creating links between the blue saturation and bathroom, in silence. I believe I have succeeded in making an atmospheric opening scene without resorting to music or sound effects.  

St. Valentine's Day Massacre Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

St. Valentine's Day Massacre - Movie Review Example te ideas ad plans from his members, which is contrary, to Al Capone did in this case, accepting and going ahead with a ruthless and violent plan devised by one of his gang member. The leadership structure of Al Capone’s gang would be argued to have been somewhat organized and rule driven with clear tasks and goals. For instance, Al Capone’s goal was never to kill, eliminate, or take control of Moran’s gang but was to destabilize and weaken Moran’s gang and its perceived threat to the operations of Al Capone (Allen). This depicts a clear goal and task. In addition, organization in terms of leadership structure is also depicted and can be argued in the sense of leadership positions such an accountant position, which was the occupied by Jake â€Å"Greasy Thumb† Guzik, the distribution and sales and liquor a responsibility of Al Capone’s brother, Ralph, and the idea that gang members hoped to climb the leadership ranks. In terms of operation goals, Al Capone’s gang had clear ones, which included complete control of the flow of all illegal alcohol, prostitution business, with the goal of making huge profit margins. Al Capone gained his power from his mentor, Johnny Torrio who brought him from New York to Chicago to come and help in operating the network of gambling and brothel establishments (Allen). Al Capone used violence to ensure the dominance of his gang. In order to gain influence, Al Capone used his power to intimidate, and kill people opposed to his control or posed a threat to his business and gang. He managed to control almost all the alcohol flow and more than half the city through corruption, violence, intimidation, and organized

Environmental Studies - Consumer Products Research Paper

Environmental Studies - Consumer Products - Research Paper Example Since the industrial revolution in Europe, mass production came in to place to satiate the demand for consumer products, which was passed on to the European colonies, with particular emphasis on the United States of America. Greater economic strength has led to the developed world becoming the focus of increased consumerism (Stearns, 2006, p.40). This paper evaluates some consumer products in terms of their environmental footprint, to provide awareness on the impact of consumer products on the environment. Bottled Water Tap water fit for human consumption is quite freely available, yet there is increasing use of bottled water, due to the lack of faith in tap water (Gelt 1996, np). For the production of bottled water consumed worldwide more than 1.5 million ton of plastic is needed for the plastic bottles in which the water is bottled. This plastic comes from the non-renewable resources of oil and natural gas. The manufacturing processes involved in the production of the plastic can b e polluting to the environment and cause risk to human health. There are several ways in which Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is the plastic resin used most commonly to produce plastic bottles can be recycled, to reduce environmental degradation (Chong & Kim, 2007, np). Yet, recycling of plastic is not often done, and so plastic bottles are disposed off, causing serious landfill issues. Plastics are chosen for several applications because of their stability to degradation. This in turn causes plastics to have a very slow rate of degradation, thus constituting a long duration waste problem (Harper, 2002, p.14). In addition to the pollution issues with bottled water, there is concern on depletion of the water resources at the production sites of bottled water. Large quantities of water are required at the bottled water production sites, which is drawn from ground water aquifers and local streams, raising concerns on the sustainability of the water resources in the face of thi s large scale depletion of water resources. In the USA protests against the depletion of water resources for the production bottled water have occurred, like at Nestle’s Perrier plant at Wisconsin, which led to its relocation to Michigan (Gleick, 2004, p.41). Dishwashing or Washing Machine Detergents In the production of dishwashing and washing machine detergents the factors that are important from an environmental perspective are the energy used in the impact of the raw material extraction, energy consumption, and release of waste products and effluent from manufacturing sites. Raw material extraction issues include the impact of mining for phosphates, silicates, and carbonates, used as builders in detergents, on the environment. Waste effluents from the production of detergents pertain to the ingredients in the detergents. There are more than 30 ingredients in modern detergent, with surfactants, builders, and solvents that can be toxic to the surrounding environment (Risk & Policy Analysts, 2006. p.i). However, it is the usage stage of dishwashing or washing machine detergents that is the most critical to environmental degradation. Life cycle assessments on detergents have shown that it is the usage stage that is responsible for approximately 95% of environmental degradation with detergents. This critical factor becomes even more significant, when the increasing number of different dishwashing and washing machine detergents entering the market and increasing consumption is taken

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Essay - 2

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Thematic Area Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing - Essay Example Mental health and emotional well-being is a journal because it is possible to incorporate videos and supplementary materials. Presentation of the journal is via a modified PDF version of full text and presented in full digital version of science. There is a modified abstract in the print version. The journal is illustrates findings of scientific research with supporting evidence. This makes it different from other articles that generally describe a topic with an introduction. The journal is has findings for enlightening the scientific community. Mental health journal presents facts as opposed to articles that give opinion and are summary for existing articles (Brendtro, 2009 Pg7). The authors believe that developing children are complex since they undergo many dynamic processes both internal and external (Brendtro, 2009 Pg7). These processes must work together to shape and create a child. It is the understanding of the author that each individual is unique through strength and vulnerability. There are situations where vulnerabilities are deep to an extent where an individual does not engage with others or appreciate the fullness of life. Most scholars believe that the extent of full potential of a human being is determined by the opportunities and challenges he encounters. The author believes that extreme cases such as maltreatment, violence and chaos might result to emotional, behavior and psychological troubles. These problems have affected individual and the society thus millions of dollars are used in succumbing these problems. A lot of time is wasted in taking care of maltreated children because they are fragile. The authors acknowledge that policies and programs are ineffective even though lots of money and time has been invented. Many children fear childhood trauma and this makes only a fraction of their full potential to be identified (Dobson, & Perry, 2010 Pg 25). Problems that children experience during their childhood

Checkout paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Checkout paper 2 - Essay Example She even agreed that not able to attend schools due to sickness was causing a hard time for her. â€Å"I believe that I am feeling ill most of the time and sometimes the intensity of sickness increases which compels me to take off from the school. Since I am missing my classes, I am lagging behind from my classmates and it is quite disturbing for me. It is even giving me a hard time.† I think it was the right time to ask for clarifying me her viewpoint so that I could probe her for more information. I even realized that she was having difficulty in sharing her feeling and my question gave her space to open up and she responded to me appropriately: It was important to summarize and reflect on her responses so that we both were on the same pace and the matter could be resolved. Her response shed light on the solution which she was seeking for undertaking few measures for getting fit and healthy: â€Å"The medications make me tiresome and I feel sleepy during the classes too. It is quite irritating for me as I want to focus my attention on class lectures and compensate for the loss caused due to my sickness. Moreover, I want to move towards a routine which incorporates exercise regime.† With this statement, it was evident that she wanted support for implementing a lifestyle which will be in compliance with her requirements. At this point, I had to ask more information so I used the paraphrasing technique: This statement clarified everything that she wanted to get rid of the inactiveness caused due to sickness and motivate herself to include exercise in her routine. In order to summarize the interview, I said: The client agreed with my response and it was a productive activity as it highlighted the main area of concern. During this exercise, I made effective use of reflection, summarization, clarification and paraphrasing. Overall, I believe that I learnt about my

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Essay - 2

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Thematic Area Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing - Essay Example Mental health and emotional well-being is a journal because it is possible to incorporate videos and supplementary materials. Presentation of the journal is via a modified PDF version of full text and presented in full digital version of science. There is a modified abstract in the print version. The journal is illustrates findings of scientific research with supporting evidence. This makes it different from other articles that generally describe a topic with an introduction. The journal is has findings for enlightening the scientific community. Mental health journal presents facts as opposed to articles that give opinion and are summary for existing articles (Brendtro, 2009 Pg7). The authors believe that developing children are complex since they undergo many dynamic processes both internal and external (Brendtro, 2009 Pg7). These processes must work together to shape and create a child. It is the understanding of the author that each individual is unique through strength and vulnerability. There are situations where vulnerabilities are deep to an extent where an individual does not engage with others or appreciate the fullness of life. Most scholars believe that the extent of full potential of a human being is determined by the opportunities and challenges he encounters. The author believes that extreme cases such as maltreatment, violence and chaos might result to emotional, behavior and psychological troubles. These problems have affected individual and the society thus millions of dollars are used in succumbing these problems. A lot of time is wasted in taking care of maltreated children because they are fragile. The authors acknowledge that policies and programs are ineffective even though lots of money and time has been invented. Many children fear childhood trauma and this makes only a fraction of their full potential to be identified (Dobson, & Perry, 2010 Pg 25). Problems that children experience during their childhood

Gender Equity Issues in Antigone Essay Example for Free

Gender Equity Issues in Antigone Essay In our present day, many believe they should be treated fairly regardless of their race, religious beliefs, or gender. When gender equity is put on the table as the main discussion we may find women to have more aggressive opinions and views rather than men. Some will suggest this is due to the thousands of years women have been limited to certain rights that men are so freely able to obtain. Greek men are born and viewed as the superior being while women face limits on their freedom and justice. They are, however, given restrictive rules and laws that do not apply equally to their counterpart. According to one analysis of Antigone, â€Å"women individuality were violated and hidden while they were subjugated by a man’s desire†(Karim, 2012). In Antigone, Sophocles changes the script of many before him, as he displays his main character, Antigone, a courageous and respectful woman, who has great beliefs in the Gods. Antigone is quick to put her family before the law as she goes against the king’s order. Antigone can be looked upon as a great leader of society except there’s one problem; she is a woman which has great effects on the actions she wishes to take. Even though Ismene, Antigone’s sister, understands her decision she goes along with the king’s order to keep from disobeying the law. Antigone feels that the king, Creon, is being unjust when he doesn’t allow her to give her brother, Polynices, a proper burial. Creon becomes devastated when he finds out that it’s a woman who has publicly defied him. â€Å"There are factors, such as, catastrophes, wars, and events that have effects on the culture, history, and politics of one society. However, sometimes domestic issues can also cause great debate and reflect large concerns governing society and culture† (Rokem, 2006). Antigone’s rebellious act upset gender roles and threaten the Greek culture. Women in the Greek Society In Ancient Greece it was very common for men to have a dominant role. Men were highly involved in politics and it was very rare to see women engage in jobs that were thought to be more suited for men. Women stayed in the home and if they worked they normally held jobs as maids or servants. Men looked for wives who didn’t speak much but instead kept to their cleaning, weaving, and caring for the children. Women were forbidden to go against the beliefs of men and if they spoke out against a man then harsh consequences would follow. The Consequences Antigone Will Bare In Sophocles’, Antigone, Creon sees Antigone as a threat to his society. He hates that a woman is going against his first order as king. He makes it clear that Polynices is not to be buried but will remain on the field of battle to rot. When Antigone, a woman, buries her brother, Polynices, Creon is devastated. Creon feels Antigone is trying to rule over him. She is thought of as disobeying Creon and the law he has set forth. He wants to make an example of her and punish her for going against his law and his gender role. Creon: The Male Role Throughout the play, Antigone, Creon displays his feeling of women time after time. He doesn’t hold back his beliefs that men are dominant and should never be over powered by any woman. Creon states to Antigone, â€Å"while I live, no woman shall rule me† (Sophocles, Jebb trans). Creon feels that Antigone is out of order by defying him. He hates that Antigone is breaking the law but he also hates the fact that as a woman she is going against him. Creon Creon: The Male Role doesn’t care that his son, Haemon, has asked Antigone to marry him. Once Antigone breaks the law and confesses her beliefs to him, Creon will not approve of her as a wife for his son. He has to terminate her womanly courage and sentence her to death. Many women in the kingdom probably felt the same as Antigone but they dare not express them to a man. Ismene even felt that Antigone was being treated unjustly but she remained in her woman role and would not stand with Antigone. At one point she couldn’t understand why Antigone was reacting in such an unlawful way. Ismene Beliefs as a Woman Many readers may feel that Ismene was nothing more than a coward. Some may ask how she could stand by and allow someone to disrespect her dead brother. Unfortunately, Ismene beliefs and actions were those of many women in their society. It was expected of Ismene, as a woman, to follow the word of man and his law. Ismene is willing to defy the Gods in order to respect the laws of man. She is afraid of Creon and she allows herself to be governed by him. She is like all other women in her society who know their boundaries. Ismene kept her inner thoughts to herself. She was upset that no one else in the town would not stand and support Antigone’s decision. Ismene displays her feelings of being a woman to Antigone as she says, â€Å"Nay we must remember, first, that we are born women, as who should not strive with men; next, that we are ruled of the stronger, so that we must obey in these things† (Sophocles, Jebb trans). Ismene beliefs are common in comparison to other women in her society but Antigone was not going to stand by and allow men to defy the Gods, even if it meant death for her. A Courageous Woman The character, Antigone, was an interesting and dynamic role due to her personal traits. Antigone held her personal convictions tightly and her beliefs in the Gods tighter. She held her allegiance first to the gods rather than to the mortal institutions of man. Antigone was not just a rebellious role but was much different than other docile women of her day. Despite being a woman, Antigone is not afraid of disobeying Creon’s law nor is she afraid to tell Creon how she has no respect for him. Antigone was being punished for following the Gods which were of higher statue than Creon’s law. She stated, â€Å"I have longer to please the dead than please the living her: in the kingdom down below, I’ll lie forever. Do as you please and dishonor the laws the gods hold in honor† (Sophocles, Jebb trans). She will not defy the Gods to please Creon and takes her death sentence lightly. Creon hates that Antigone won’t go against her beliefs. She knows she is being used as an example to show other women how to not act. It takes the Gods to interrupt Creon’s death sentence to Antigone. Unfortunately, it comes too late and before Creon can release Antigone she has already taken her own life. Thoughts of Antigone Antigone is a reminder of how women were mistreated in previous societies. Even though the play ends tragically, Antigone will never be forgotten as a woman who stood up close to her beliefs regardless if she was cast away by an authoritive male figure. She didn’t care if she had to stand alone but she was willing to die rather than obey man’s law and dishonor the Gods. Karim (2012) suggests, â€Å"routine fundamental subject of burial of the dead created conflict relative to law, religion, and culture. It also generated critical debate on a woman’s status. † Thoughts of Antigone Antigone was a role model to other women because she remained true to her religion by going against the culture and law of her society.

Music as a Tool for Learning

Music as a Tool for Learning The teaching of music in Primary Schools is an area of education that has seen dramatic changes in the last few decades. From a situation where music teaching was almost non-existent in some schools, and where in others young children were frequently alienated from music by being banned from choirs or told they were ‘tone-deaf’, music is now strongly represented within the National Curriculum. Current thinking emphasises that there is no such thing as a completely unmusical child, and the curriculum has moved from an emphasis on performance – often for the relatively gifted only – and passive listening to encompass composition, performance and critical appraisal part of the musical education of every child. This study considers music within the broader context of Primary education, considering the benefits of integrating music into other areas of the curriculum, and looking at the implications for learning bearing in mind that music in itself has been linked with improved behaviour and concentration (Glover and Ward 1998: 14), and thus may be considered conducive to a desirable learning environment for all subjects, and, furthermore, to the social and mental well-being of Primary school children. The development of modern Primary music education can be traced back to the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1987, although music at the time was considered low priority, and was not included in the Curriculum until 1991. When the National Curriculum was introduced, many teachers questioned its viability: it moved away from the topic-based teaching which had embraced a number of subjects without specifying distinct areas such as history or music or language. It was felt that by focusing on the topic rather than specific academic subjects, lessons held more interest for children. However, a number of educationalists had criticised the topic-based approach because of its lack of objectives and limited focus on specific achievement, and the National Curriculum sought to address this. Today, best practice is considered to be somewhere between these two approaches: subjects are distinct from each other, but a focus on the links between different disciplines is encouraged, and it is in this environment that incorporating music into cross-curricular activities can be particularly beneficial. The past few decades have seen a significant change in the delivery of music education. The Plowden Report (1967) recognised the importance of ‘non-specialist’ teachers being able to deliver music teaching : â€Å"It is to the musical education of the teacher that attention must first be given†¦ Comparatively few primary schools†¦can, for some time to come, expect to have a music specialist as a full-time member of the staff and it is even doubtful whether a specialist responsible for most of the teaching is desirable. It is the musical education of the non-specialist which, in our view, is the key to the problem.†(Web link: Plowden Report para. 690) It was over two decades before this thinking began to be properly implemented. In the meantime, schools relied on music specialists –teachers who were trained musicians, almost always skilled pianists –and this led, at best, to a detachment of music-teaching from the rest of the curriculum, delivered by the class teacher, and, at worst (where a specialist was unavailable), marginalised or non-existent music education. The development of a National Curriculum for music which is intended to be delivered by classroom teachers without any music specialisation has allowed it to be linked with other work more easily.More significantly still, delivery by the class teacher who, through far more exposure to the class than the ‘once-a-week music teacher’,understands the dynamic of the class and the individual pupils’situations, enables that teacher to deliver music teaching in a way that engages the class more readily and meets their specific needs. In 1991, the National Curriculum for Music was developed quickly,with limited research and, in many areas of music teaching, no accepted‘good practice’ that could be incorporated into the plan. In 2000, anew National Curriculum for Music was introduced that could take account of what had been learnt through the 1990s. The announcement of the government’s Music Manifesto in July 2004 suggested a further commitment to music education, with the aim that every child should have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Although this could be considered a move away from classroom music teaching, with the requirement for peripatetic instrumental teachers and the demands made on limited school time, the potential outcome is a future generation who consider a wide range of music to be part of their culture and experience, rather than something for their more gifted or more affluent classmates. In order to consider how music should be used across the Primary curriculum, some thought should be given to the ways in which children learn. There are various theories of learning: at the extremes are maturation, which suggests children should be left to learn through their own experiences, and behaviourism, which advocates learning through instruction from others. Many theories consider learning to be a combination of the two: Vygotsky’s theories reconcile the two approaches. Jean Piaget’s theories tend towards maturation and have been influential in education, though probably more so in the sciences than the arts. Through many years of observation, Piaget drew the conclusion that children establish a ‘framework’ within which they construct their vision of the world. As they experience something new, they try to explain it from the perspective of the framework (assimilation). Only if they cannot will their framework develop in some way(accommodation). Much of the experience Piaget considers should be self-generated and not instructional from teachers, parents or other authority figures. Piaget proposed four key stages of learning. For primary school teaching, the second and third stage are most relevant, covering the ages of around 2 to 7 (Pre-Operational) and around 7 to 11 (Concrete Operational) respectively. There is a lack of logic and a focus on the self in the Pre-operational stage, while in the Concrete operational stage, childr en are able to apply knowledge logically, manipulate information and understand the concept of others’ perceptions as well as their own. While Piaget’s theories are popular, many educators have reservations about them, particularly with regard to the specific age ranges linked to the stages. It is widely considered that such developments vary greatly in respect of age from child to child .Criticism of the Plowden Report has at times focused on its emphasis onPiagetian approaches (Gillard 2005). However, Piaget’s ideas are applied widely, including in music education, with its frequent focus on working together in ensembles (which helps develop understanding of others’ perspectives), or experimenting with the sounds that different classroom instruments can make (learning by experience). The behaviourist approach has lost favour in education: certainly in music, where it would be characterised by passive listening and instruction, it has been superceded by a more critical and analytical approach. Pavlov, famous for teaching dogs to salivate at the sound sofa bell, was a key figure in the development of behaviourist theory, and it has some place in musical education: for example, historical or cultural context of a piece of music is best explained by the teacher before pupils explore its musical qualities. Vygotsky’s theories, which suggest children learn by a combination of experience and instruction are perhaps more relevant to primary music education. Vygotsky took into account the social and cultural environment, particularly the influence of parents. He proposed that children’s development arose as a result of interactions with others. Vygotsky’s theories provide a link to theories regarding the learning of expression through the spoken word. A number of academic shave researched the area of music as a language which might be learned in a similar way to speech. In Barrett (1996), various research into the learning of oral language is explored to construct a framework in which successful learning of music might take place. Key to it is immersion: just as language is practiced all around the child, so too should music be, with parents demonstrating good practice as well as teachers. This parallels the Suzuki method of instrumental learning,where the parent learns alongside the child and reinforces at home what has been taught. Barrett endorses a method which leans towards maturation – â€Å"the learner is encouraged to assume responsibility for his own learning,with frequent opportunities provided for the continuous practice of skills† (Barrett 1996:72), with â€Å"the teacher available to assist when help is requested† (ibid). Yet there is also an element of behaviourism: â€Å"The experience of explaining, or teaching an item to another is often instrumental in clarifying the issues within the mind of the learner† (ibid: 69). In Mills’ exploration of the development of musical skills in the primary years (Mills 1996), a New Zealand study is discussed which supports Barrett’s theories. Through extensive fieldwork, Roger Bucktonfound that Polynesian children in New Zealand schools sung with moreconsistent vocal accuracy than those from European families. Millsattributes this to the difference in culture: â€Å"[Polynesian] children sing with their families and in church from anearly age. Children of European ethnic background†¦often arrive atschool with little background in singing.† (Mills 1996: 119) As will be seen, these various schools of thought have implications forboth the study of music and of other subjects, and hence forcross-curricular activity too. To consider music’s use across the curriculum, we must first consider its place as a subject in its own right. The National Curriculum addresses the following core areas: Performing skills: controlling sound through singing and playing Composing skills: creating and developing musical ideas Appraising skills: responding to and reviewing music Listening and applying knowledge and understanding. The scope of the National Curriculum for music is broad. By the end ofKey Stage 1, pupils are expected to reach a standard where they arecapable of organising sound, of using symbols to represent music, ofperforming with an awareness of others and of responding to the mood ofmusic. Beyond the practical, they are also expected to learn aboutvarious music from history and around the world – this provides auseful opportunity for cross-curricular work – and to understand thefunctions of music such as for dance, again offering cross-curricularopportunities. This kind of background knowledge continues to form a core part of thecurriculum at Key Stage 2, with the practical element further expandedthrough ICT, with the statutory requirement to â€Å"capture, change andcombine sounds†. Technological developments and greater affordabilitymean this is an area that has been practical to include in thecurriculum only in recent years, and for many teachers unfamiliar withmusic technology, this creates an additional challenge. However, it isagain a practical area to apply cross-curricular teaching in. At Key Stage 2, pupils are expected to develop a sense of musicalexpression along with more advanced ensemble skills. They should alsobe able to evaluate and suggest improvements to pieces of music by thetime they leave Primary School. This corresponds to a time when pupilsare developing their own tastes, influenced by a range of externalfactors such as family (particularly older siblings), or artistsspecifically marketed at ‘tweens’. An awareness of such subcultures canhelp the Primary school teacher to relate elements of the music lessonto them to create a particular resonance with pupils with suchinterests. A 2002 study by a team of researchers from Southampton Roehampton and Keele Universities carried out as part of the QCA’s (Qualifications andCurriculum Authority) Curriculum Development Project in the Arts andMusic Monitoring Programme produced some interesting findings(Hargreaves, Lamont, Marshall and Tarrant 2002). Many of the study’ssubjects were K S2 pupils. Across the study, which used interviews andquestionnaires to look at pupils’ and teachers’ attitudes to andengagement with school music teaching, children responded positively tothe performance aspect of the curriculum. Although many spent a gooddeal of time listening to music outside school (particularly popularmusic on the radio or on walkmans), little reference was made tolistening and appraising music in school music lessons, nor tocomposition. Given the government’s commitment to enabling every child to havethe opportunity to learn an instrument, it is perhaps surprising thatonly 17% of children thought this was something a school should offer,although the majority were learning or wanted to learn an instrument.While instrumental lessons may seem to offer limited scope forcross-curricular activities, and indeed may take up additional teachingtime, their indirect effect on other subjects is positive as thelearning of an instrument helps develop a range of skills includingco-ordination, concentration and self-expression. The Southampton/Keele study noted that a number of teachersexpressed concern over time and financial resources available toimplement a music programme. The time constraints suggest thatcombination of subjects through cross-curricular activity may be anattractive solution if managed appropriately. The study also showed that the use of external music specialists inPrimary music teaching was widespread and, furthermore, help fromspecialists was seen as vital to the success of the music curriculum.The aim that music teaching should be deliverable by non-specialistteachers is still not met entirely: â€Å"Technical demands of the curriculum are mentioned by many teachers:even those with musical qualifications and expertise feel unable tocover the entire spectrum of the music curriculum.† (Hargreaves,Lamont, Marshall and Tarrant 2002: Section 3) This is not expanded on. Teachers responded positively to theschemes of work, particularly as a tool for less musically-experiencedteachers, but it is possible that the breadth of the music curriculumis a challenge for teachers to deliver. The government’s increasedfocus on learning an instrument is likely to maintain this situation.It will be interesting to see whether, in future years, the generationof teachers that has benefited from the National Curriculum for Musicas pupils and who have had more opportunity for learning an instrumentthan previous generations of Primary teachers find it easier to deliverclassroom music lessons. The response from schools in the Southampton/Keele survey wasoverwhelmingly positive and it appears that the National Curriculum hasbrought classroom music teaching out of the margins by demonstratingthe many benefits of musical activity, notably those beyond musicalskills such as the social aspects and positive impact on behaviour andconcentration . In addition to focusing purely on music for a period within thetimetable, many teachers practise combining music teaching with othersubjects. This has roots in pre-National Curriculum teaching, wherelearning was frequently cross-curricular and based on a topic. Incertain situations, it appears that music is highly relevant in theteaching of another subject. This section explores the opportunitiesavailable and shows how there may be significant benefits for learningin all subjects in a cross-curricular lesson. Glover and Ward warn that there is a danger of attempting tocombine subjects in a way that has little benefit. They particularlydraw attention to themed songs which have no musical relevance: â€Å"In a topic on ‘food’†¦young children might be encouraged to sing ‘FoodGlorious Food’†¦ the links with the topic are spurious†¦the song may be apoor musical choice for a class who find difficulty with pitching thedemanding interval leaps.† (Glover and Ward 1998: 153-4) Glover and Ward also draw attention to the practice of linkingcomposition too closely to topic work, so that children are invited tocreate the sound of, for example weather, producing sound effectsrather than an appropriately-structured and thought-out piece of music(Glover and Ward 1998: 154). Bearing these points in mind, how can music teaching be productively combined with other subject areas? History lends itself to an exploration of music from other times. Astudy of the Tudors might incorporate a look at Tudor instruments andmusic, which provides further opportunities to consider Tudor life.Many pieces are dances, and pupils might participate in a dance of theera. Pupils can find out more about the function of the music, aboutwho would have been able to afford the instruments and who would haveplayed them. This might link with study of life for the wealthycontrasted with the majority of the population or of leisure pursuitsof the time. This helps reinforce what has been learnt about life inTudor times, while consideration of the stylistic qualities of themusic benefits musical understanding. Geography provides the chance to consider world music within its socialand cultural context rather than in isolation. Glover and Ward advocateexploring various musical styles from the same geographical area: â€Å"A little research goes a long way towards getting things intoperspective. Children will be interested in the detail and thedifferences between different music within a culture.† (Glover and Ward1998: 160) Through exploration of the elements which go to make a particularmusical style, children can learn about musical devices such as dronesor call-and-response structures. Simultaneously, by understanding therole of a type of music within a particular culture, they gain abroader understanding of different societies. Science lessons can provide a framework for the study of soundproduction. Through a focus on a range of instruments and othermaterials and their sonic properties (the production method of thesound, its qualities and pitch range, for example) causes pupils tofocus on the detail of sound. Composition activities linked toexperiments with sound production are enhanced: pupils consider thescope of their instruments in a broader range of musical parameters.Their scientific understanding of sound also benefits. Maths has particularly strong links with music, and various studieshave established a link between aptitude in maths and musical ability.Rhythm in music has a significant mathematical component: an obviousexample is the US note-naming system, where a crotchet is aquarter-note, a quaver an eighth-note and so on. Musical patterns offerthe opportunity to explore principles of symmetry, by playing a patternin its original form and in reverse. The inversion of a melody can belikened to reflection. A number of composers have incorporatedmathematical concepts into their music: many of these are rathercomplex for consideration at primary level, although the works ofXenakis may be useful for older Primary pupils. The construction of aparabola through a series of overlaid straight lines is visible in someof Xenakis’ scores, with lines performed as a string glissandi (slidesthrough pitch). Xenakis’ involvement with architecture, again using thescience of curves, may also be linked to lessons in this subject area.In addition to obvious connections with mathematics, Xenakis’ scoresare a useful example of how modern composers develop their own notationsystems and graphic scores, which may inspire children in compositionactivities. Literacy also has a close affiliation with music. The inflections inspeech are melodic and it has distinct rhythmic qualities. The settingof text to music draws on these connections. Explorations of languageand words – for example, rhyming words or short poem – can be takenfurther by turning them into chants or songs. A recent trend which underlines the links between language andmusic is the frequency with which children write a ‘rap’ rather than apoem. This could be taken further with a look at rap music payingattention to the dialect, fulfilling the requirement of the NationalCurriculum for English that children understand about language variety.However, any rap music should be selected with care due to subjectmatter and vocabulary in many rap tracks being unsuitable for use inschool. Narratives in literacy can also be explored through music, but itis important that children understand the concept of music without aprogramme and can link musical devices to punctuation: a cadence is afull stop, a musical phrase correlates with a spoken phrase (Glover andWard 1998: 166). The National Curriculum for Physical Education promotes the explorationof music through dance, and schools have a long tradition of music andmovement lessons. Dance and music together are included in thegovernment’s Schemes of Work: â€Å"Unit 31†¦In this unit children focus on popular dance styles ofdifferent eras. They explore a range of dances, using step and gesturepatterns, body shapes, contact work, and contrasts in dynamic andrhythmic patterning. They learn more about both dance style and music.†(Weblink: Schemes of Work: PE/dance) This unit has links to history and possibly geography too, so is truly cross-curricular. Response to music through movement is pertinent throughout our culture(the inclination to tap a foot to the beat, for example), and in youngchildren a physical response to music is common. Ben-Tovim and Boydinclude this as a criterion in a ‘Musicality Test’ to be applied whenconsidering whether a child should learn a musical instrument(Ben-Tovim and Boyd 1995: 18). Possibly the most difficult subject to establish effectivecross-curricular links in is art. While music and art can be seen asclosely connected, they both function in a similar role in terms ofproviding an outlet for self-expression through organisation ofelements, whether visual or aural. The temptation to play a piece ofmusic as an ‘inspiration’ for painting may result in the childinventing a programme for the music which is then represented in apicture. One must question the benefits of this regarding the verylimited extent to which it might benefit musical understanding, andalso its unintentional promotion of the idea that music must beprogrammatic. Also, is the music a background element compromising thechild’s concentration on the art, or vice versa? Overall, there is a wide range of opportunity to combine music withother subjects to the benefit of both curriculum areas concerned. Thepractical applications discussed above also fulfil a balanced model ofinstructional teaching and self-discovery: for example, the teacherpresents a recording of music from another era or land, and providesbackground information, but the pupils are encouraged to explore itscharacteristics for themselves. This promotes a blend of thebehaviourist and maturation theories discussed earlier. The opportunities for mutual support between subjects throughcross-curricular teaching demonstrates the importance of classroomteachers having adequate support and training to incorporate music intoother lessons; it is even more relevant in cross-curricular teachingthan in music lessons. By ensuring this is the case, benefits may beseen across almost all curriculum subjects. In addition to combining music with other subjects in order to teach itdirectly, music has further applications in the curriculum. The connections between language and music have a further benefit thatcan be utilised across various subjects. Text set to music is moreeasily committed to memory, and the use of songs to learn key facts iswidespread – for example, to learn numbers or the alphabet.Number-learning by song is effective, as one SEN teacher using singingin Maths comments: â€Å"Even if pupils don’t understand the concept of numbers, they can sing up to 10†, (Maynard 2004) Colwell’s research with Kindergarten children in the US (Colwell 1994)demonstrated that when children practised a reading text set to music,they read it with greater accuracy than a group who had practised thetext without its musical setting. However, although this researchsupports the findings of previous experiments, it used a sample of only27 subjects. Research undertaken by Dr Frances Rauscher, a former professional’cellist with a Ph.D. in Psychology, and her colleagues suggested alink between playing music to a group of subjects and a simultaneousincrease in their spatial-temporal reasoning abilities (Rauscher, Shawand Ky 1993). Since then, further research has been undertaken whichboth supports and questions these results. A further study in 1997 on preschool children showed a 34% increasein spatial-temporal reasoning tests among children who had receivedprivate piano and singing lessons compared to those who had not –including a group who had received private computer lessons. Theconclusion drawn by the researchers was that learning music was ofbenefit to learning potential in maths and science subjects, and moreso than computer skills. This research raises many questions. Firstly, it is widely thoughtthat the ideal age to begin learning an instrument is no younger than 7: â€Å"the second most common factor in musical failure was starting at thewrong time – too early†¦a six year old who goes on and on about wantingto play a musical instrument is experiencing the promptings of hisdeveloping instinct to make music, but he is not yet ready to do muchabout it.† (Ben-Tovim and Boyd 1995: 20) . It is therefore somewhat surprising that very young children engagedwith their music lessons in a way that increased their more generalmental capabilities. This has clear implications for the government’sMusic Manifesto; could earlier instrumental learning have a greaterbenefit in other subjects? The second issue is the findings themselves: as the computerlessons had little impact on test results while the music lessons madea significant difference, it is clear that private teaching alone isnot the cause of the improvement; rather it is the learning of music.However, it does not necessarily follow that by simply listening tomusic, a child’s academic potential in mathematics or any other subjectis enhanced. Rauscher’s research has created a great deal of interest bothwithin more general media and among psychologists and other academics.It has, to some extent, been mythologised with the label â€Å"The MozartEffect†. Rauscher’s findings have been disputed by a number of academics.Heath and Bangerter (2004) argue that the original 1993 research, oncollege students, showed only a small effect which was not prolonged,and that a number of research projects have failed to replicate theresults. They also demonstrated a link between the level of attainmenti n various states in the US and the amount of local newspaper coveragepromoting the Mozart Effect: the lower the attainment, the morecoverage. Heath and Bangerter attributed this to the recognition of aparticular problem and the possibility of a ‘quick fix’. In a number ofstates local government reflected media endorsement by subsidisingprojects to expose children to Mozart recordings, but it appears therestill needs to be more research in the area Rauscher herself has moved to clarify her research: â€Å"Our results on the effects of listening to Mozarts Sonata for TwoPianos in D Major K. 448 on spatial-temporal task performance, havegenerated much interest but several misconceptions†¦ the most common ofthese [is] that listening to Mozart enhances intelligence. We made nosuch claim. The effect is limited to spatial-temporal tasks involvingmental imagery and temporal ordering.† (Rauscher 1999) However, a number of studies have shown some evidence of a Mozarteffect in various different environments. Most relevant is Ivanov andGeake (2003) which found a Mozart Effect and a Bach Effect on Primaryschool children listening to music while undertaking a paper-foldingtask (again, this is demonstrating spatial-temporal competence ratherthan intelligence). This study also established that general musictraining was not a factor in the results – this suggests that playingmusic has a temporary effect on reasoning, and might not enhancelearning in other subjects subsequently unless music is played on thatoccasion. The Mozart Effect continues to be debated by academics because ofthe conflicting research findings. However, it is notable that limitedresearch has been done on the elements of music which might contributeto the effect, although reference to an unspecified study by Dr WilliamThompson (Weblink: Research relating to the ‘Mozart Effect’ (2)) notesthat the effect is evident when lively classical music, includingMozart and Schubert, is played, but not with slower music by Albinoni. Many teachers report using background music in a variety of situations with positive results: â€Å"For many years I have used music during lessons. It helps youngchildren relax in handwriting lessons, and helps their concentrationduring imaginative writing sessions.† (Hume 2004) It appears that there is certainly some evidence supporting playinglively classical music in a variety of class situations to boostpupils’ performance, and a number of teachers are using backgroundmusic in class and feel it to be beneficial. However, much research isstill needed in this area. Music teaching has a variety of uses within the curriculum for pupilswith special educational needs (SEN). The term SEN is used to refer topupils with special needs arising from a wide range of situations andconditions such as physical disability, emotional and behaviouralproblems, autism, school phobia, a background of abuse or stress ordyslexia. Many of these children may be academically gifted, others mayfind very basic concepts challenging. Music in SEN, as a result,fulfils a range of functions. For all SEN music lessons, there is the potential to cover areasincluded in the National Curriculum: listening and appraising,composing and performing. The nature of SEN teaching means that thesemay have to be adapted according to the needs of pupils. Cross-curricular activity can be useful tool: for example, whilepupils with concentration problems may struggle to sit and listen tomusic, they may be more receptive if asked to draw a picture respondingto music that is playing while they do so, although there can be adifficulty with children focusing on their art and barely noticing themusic. Perry (1995: 56) suggests using a 5 minute excerpt introducedwith a story – thus using literacy – to create an initial engagementbefore moving on to children drawing. Music may also be used as a form of therapy. For younger children,activities undertaken while standing in a circle are of particularbenefit in helping child a child with attention difficulties to engage.An activity might involve passing a teddy around a circle while musicplays until it stops, at which point the child holding the teddy has achance to play briefly on an instrument. The teddy helps those childrenwho might be resistant to the activity to accept it (Weblinks: Becta). For autistic children, music can contribute to establishing aroutine. With songs, for example, for lunchtime, for playtime and forgoing-home time, where the same piece of music is used consistently forthe same activity, singing can help maintain the sense of stability androutine which is particularly important for those with autism (Maynard2004). While musical activities can benefit children with specialeducational needs, care must also be taken not to cause a detrimentaleffect. Packe