Promote Positive Behaviour Essay

In this assignment I am going to explain my understanding about, legislation, frameworks, codes of practice and policies relate to positive behaviour support. Understand the context and use of proactive and reactive strategies. Be able to promote positive Behaviour Be able to Respond Appropriately to Incidents of Challenging Behaviour. People with learning disabilities show behaviours which present a significant challenge for those caring for them. Such behaviours may include aggression, destructive behaviours or self-harm. Individuals with more severe disabilities and those with additional disabilities such as sensory impairment’s and communication disorders are more likely to demonstrate challenging behaviour. Many forms of challenging behaviour are thought of as being functional and adaptive responses to challenging situations, in that they serve as a way of communication with the people with whom they interact (e.g. stopping unwanted attention, attracting attention or attempting to explain they are experiencing pain). Some forms of challenging behaviour may be linked to mental health problems, such as depression. The most important way in the reduction of challenging behaviour is for the individual to have a thorough assessment to find out the function of the behaviour. This is known as a functional behavioural assessment and is used to create an individual’s support plan. Positive behaviour support aims to teach the individual new behaviours and enable them to achieve what they want to achieve. Understand how legislation, frameworks, codes of practice and policies relate to positive behaviour support. In all aspects of my role I am regulated by my company’s policies and government legislation. The human rights act 1998, the disabled person act 1986, disability and discrimination act 1996, Health and safety at work act 1974, the equality act 2010. I have been trained in Mandatory courses, for example protecting vulnerable adults(safeguarding) Strategies for Crisis intervention and pr evention (S.C.I.P) Autism Awareness, and working safely, making sure I understand the legal policies put in place to provide the best care for the people who I support. S.C.I.P focuses on positive techniques and how to deescalate behaviour. Read more:  Essay About Promote Positive Behaviour This allows staff to be consistent in their approach when dealing with challenging behaviour. By following the S.C.I.P policy I am able to  reinforce positive behaviour and good skills in listening and learning as well as helping the individuals that I support feel safe and secure knowing that I am able to deal with their behaviours if they occur. Restrictive interventions are defined as any method which restricts the movement of an individual by physical means, including mechanical means (using straps) physical (holding) chemical restraint (using drugs). For example I support an individual who is prescribed medication (Lorazepam) by his physiatrist, to be used when he starts to become agitated. This is given to the customer as a last resort, when we have explored all other options for example is he in pain? Restrictive interventions should only be used as a matter of urgency to prevent imminent and serious harm to the individual or other people, be used in the best interests of th e person with learning disabilities, and only used alongside other strategies to help people learn to behave in non-challenging ways. Interventions need to be used in a context of a risk assessment. Incidents should be investigated and followed up, ensuring staff and customers get sufficient post-intervention support, risk assessments should be reviewed regularly to identify factors contributing to incidents, and associated action must be taken, to reduce those risks. Planned interventions should be agreed in advance at a multi-disciplinary meeting by relevant professionals working in consultation with the customer, his or her carers, and an independent advocate if appropriate. They should be implemented under the supervision of an identified member of staff who has relevant qualifications, training and experience and recorded in writing, so that the method of intervention and the circumstances when its use has been agreed are clearly understood. Behaviour support plans should be routinely reviewed by having team meetings, support plan reviews and risk assessment reviews. If it is agreed that a customer will require some form of intervention, there must be an up-to-date copy of a written protocol included in the person’s individual support plan and staff should be regularly trained and receive updates regarding an individual’s behaviour support plan because there may be a change in how to support a customer. The use of a restrictive intervention, whether planned or unplanned (emergency) must always be recorded. In the day centre where I work the policy and procedures are to inform the manager on duty who will usually provide support for the customer  involved as well as other customers in the centre, ensuring they are all safe. Offer staff support making sure an independent person checks for injuries and records them. The member of staff involved in using a restrictive intervention should: Record the incident, completing an incident report form, star chart and RIDDOR (Report of suspicious Diseases or Dangerous Occurrences) form. Record the incident in the individual’s logs. Inform carers/ family members. Have a post incident meeting with Manager and the staff involved. Make referrals to specialist services for example Derby City, Proactive S.C.I.P Instructors. Inform the customer’s Social worker/ care manager. Before intervening, the member of staff should ask themselves, is there another way to manage the situation and ensure everyone’s safety? If a person has to use intervention they should do it in the least restrictive way possible to prevent the individual from being hurt and all other options have been explored. A restrictive intervention can feel very intimidating to a vulnerable person who is unable to control themselves. By not exploring other options first, there is a risk that the situation can escalate, causing more damage. For example I support a customer who will be happily smiling, singing and interacting with people, her facial expressions and body language will suddenly change. She will begin to spit, hit out, stand up and try to kick other individuals or damage objects. The individual displayed these behaviours to a member of staff who was supporting her. The member of staff did not explore other options first or follow her behaviour support plan and used a restrictive intervention to deal with her negative behaviour. The situation escalated and the customer became more anxious, damaged property and the staff member became injured. In my opinion if the member of staff had followed the customer’s guidelines and offered calmness, communication and distraction, the incident may not have escalated. We must also use minimum intervention to encourage the customers to trust individuals who are supporting them this helps to form positive relationships with each other and also staff will not be feared. Understand the context and use of proactive and reactive strategies. The difference between proactive and reactive strategies is that proactive  strategies are put into place to avoid any problematic or foreseeable situations and a reactive strategy is a response to a situation that has already happened. In my own work role the reactive strategies that are used are based on the results of an individual’s functional behaviour assessment and the support put into place. Everyone involved in an individual’s care should be involved in creating the behaviour support plan this should include writing a description of the behaviours and working out a reason for the behaviours. Proactive Strategies are used to make sure that the person has got what they need. They also describe ways to teach the person communication and other skills. Examples of proactive strategies that I use include: Teaching the individual skills for example Makaton signs for â€Å"finished† â€Å"Thank you† â€Å"Good† Using communication charts with sig ns, symbols or pictures which also outlines the routine for that day. The environment for example dims the lights, tying hair back to stop the individual from pulling hair. Rewards Routine and Structure Boundaries Giving the individual access to preferred activities Making sure that a person’s cultural and religious needs are being met Reactive strategies are designed to keep the individual and those around them safe. Examples that I use include: I don’t respond to the behaviour, if you ignore the behaviour sometimes it stops as the individual wants a reaction I give the individual reminders I distract the individual, by offering a different activity I give the individual what they want for example a drink or a biscuit Ask the Individual if they are in feeling ill or they are in pain. Remove myself from the situation for example leave the room, making sure I am still supporting the customer from a safe distance. Ask another member of staff if they will assist the customer as sometimes another person can be more productive. The importance of identifying patterns of behaviour or triggers that will result in challenging behaviour is that early warning signs can be spotted and acted upon before the behaviour happens or escalates. Factors that can lead to mood changes include: Body Temperature, is the customer too  hot, too cold. Over sensory stimulation Lack of choice, boredom, Limited communication or understanding Over stimulation through noise A general disruption to a customer’s routine Overcrowding? For example are there too many people in one activity for the customer to be able to cope with. Provocation by other people, for example if a customer is showing signs of disruption they need to be removed from the situation before it escalates. The importance of maintaining a person centred approach when establishing proactive strategies is that challenging behaviours are an individual thing, the causes and triggers differ according to each individual, as do their reactions and degree of severity. I therefore feel it is important when planning strategies for dealing with challenging behaviour that we ensure they are just as individual as the triggers. No two people will respond in the same way to established strategies. In my own experience, a one size fits all approach does not work and does not show the ability to adapt and respond. By responding to customers behaviours in different ways to each other not only shows that we can identify and recognise each individuals strengths and incorporate them into the strategies planned for that individual, it also tells the individual that you are supporting that they have value and worth and no matter how challenging their behaviour may be, there is always something positive to build on. Reinforcing positive behaviour with individuals can improve their behaviour. Positive reinforcement is a powerful and effective way to help shape and change behaviour. Positive reinforcement works by presenting a motivating item to the individual after the desired behaviour is shown, making the behaviour more likely to happen in the future. When I am supporting customers i praise them using speech and Makaton, for example when an individual has washed their hands, put their dirty dinner plates on the trolley, thrown something in the bin, put an item away they have been using in an activity. I use praise â€Å"Thank you†, â€Å"please†, â€Å"well done† which is effective when reinforcing positive behaviour. Using an incentive also works in reinforcing positive behaviour, for example a customer who i  support likes football and cricket. When the customer shows positive behaviour he will get a trip out to the cricket ground to watch a match and have his packed lu nch there, or to the football ground to have a cup of tea and a cake. Using reactive strategies can have an impact on an individual’s wellbeing. For example i support customers who display challenging behaviour’s. A previous manager asked one of my colleagues and me to assist a customer to go out for a walk. The customer is extremely afraid of dogs he will scream and run when he sees one. This is because he was bitten by a dog when he went on holiday to India. Whilst we were out walking, the customer saw a dog in the distance and began to scream and run towards a busy main road. Both my colleague and I ran after the customer shouting â€Å"stop†. When we managed to catch up with the customer we had to restrain the customer using S.C.I.P (strategies for crisis intervention and prevention) because the customer was in danger of running into the road and getting hurt or even killed. The customer was very upset; he was shaking, sweating, crying, and screaming. When we got back into the centre the customer was upset and angry for the rest of the day. He displayed the need for more sensory stimulation by rocking back and forth and flapping his hands. The customer became very vocal and began making loud noises, (which had an effect on other customers) he also began to barge into other people. This in itself is not being proactive as we did not explore other options first or even prepare the customer for going out for a walk. What I feel should have happened is photographs of dogs should have been used and pat dog should have been brought into the centre(as it is a safe environment) on numerous occasions to begin the process of helping the customer to overcome his phobia of dogs. This had an effect on the customer’s wellbeing because he would not get out of bed in the morning and would refuse to come into the centre. He would not eat his food and if he saw a dog through the window he would scream. In my opinion, we put the customer through unnecessary anxiety and stress. Be able to promote positive behaviour. There are a range of factors that may be associated with challenging behaviours these Include: Illness, Pain, Medication, The need for sensory stimulation or sensory overload Seeking interaction, Staff not working consistently, Staff not following customer guidelines, Communication difficulties, Past experiences that have happened to the individual, The environment being too hot or too cold, Boredom Lack of boundaries or goals, Mental and physical health, Bereavement! Phobia The goal of using proactive strategies on mitigating challenging behaviours is to reduce the future probability of the behaviour. It helps if proactive strategies are identified when supporting customers who display challenging behaviours. Risk Assessments means evaluating the consequences and likelihood of challenging behaviour, it identifies measures to help avoid, mitigate or control the risks. The risk assessment should take into account of personal, environmental or situational factors which increase the likelihood of challenging behaviours. To reduce risks associated with challenging behaviour we need to identify the emotional, physical and psychological needs of the customer. Dignity and respect is important and where possible a customer should have choices concerning their care. A strategy for reducing risks also requires communication between staff to form an understanding of an individual’s behaviour and what they need to do to prevent the behaviours. Other services, family/carers should also be involved in discussions and decision making. A crucial part of managing risk is to understand the reasons for the behaviour so that strategies can be put into place for example: What is causing the distress? What are we doing that is leading to the distress? What can we do differently? It is important to highlight praise when supporting customers so that we can reinforce positive behaviour. I feel it is important to offer praise to a  customer I am supporting, immediately after they have demonstrated a skill, this will hopefully learn to make an association between the skill and the reward which means the customer will start to use the skill more often. For example a customer who I support is very impatient and does not like to wait. The individual has to share a toilet with other customers. In the past when another customer is using the toilet, the individual has kicked the toilet door and started pulling on the handle; she would scream and try to attack the other customer when they have come out. In the individuals behaviour support plan it is highlighted how to support the customer if the situation arises. The protocol is, if another customer is using the toilet ask K to wait using speech, Makaton and picture signs explain what is happening and why. Keep reminding K and also use praise.† Well done K for waiting†. K will smile and wait patiently. This has and is working well and has created positive reinforcement as K will now stand away from the door and say â€Å"wait† without being reminded or prompted. It is still important to praise K and not become too complacent because of the risk that K can become challenging again in this situation and regress. It is essential that everyone working with challenging behaviour develop a general understanding of promoting positive behaviour. In my opinion a consistent and proactive approach should be followed rather than reacting negatively to situations. Strategies should be in place that allows us to work positively with individuals and focus on their achievements rather than highlighting their inappropriate behaviour. Staff communicating with each other and sharing ideas and information is vital. In our centre we have daily half hour team briefings where we can discuss the events of the day. The meetings are also used to discuss all customers we have been supporting whether they have had a good day or bad day. Have there been any incidents that have happened, any new information about a customer? Have Colleagues had a good day? We share information and ideas about working with individual customers and share what worked and what didn’t work when dealing with challenging behaviour. I key work a customer who displays challenging behaviour, he will shout, swear, bang his fists on the table, threaten to smash a window and threaten to hit a person. This is usually when he has dropped an item on the floor and been asked to pick it up, or he is not feeling very well, there is too much noise, something has happened at home or on the bus that morning. The  individual has got a behaviour support plan which I ask staff to read and sign which enables everyone to understand his guidelines on how to support him. I have monthly meetings so that we can share ideas, information, what’s working/ not working. Is there any new behaviour or any behaviour that have resurfaced? What can we do better? We discuss activities that the customer appears to like and dislike. It is important for colleagues to support each other when a customer is displaying challenging behaviour. Where possible I ask my colleague if they need any assistance or time out for me to take over, especially if they have been injured by the customer. Blaming the member of staff is not helpful or constructive for example I have witnessed colleagues in the past say â€Å"he doesn’t behave like that when he is supported by me, what they have done to make him like that?† We must all share our experiences, skills, knowledge, thoughts and ideas with each other . How can we promote positive behaviour with our customers if we do not promote it within our staff team? Be able to respond appropriately to incidents of challenging behaviour Challenging behaviour shows there is some need being unfulfilled or a problem with communication. Behaviour is challenging if it causes harm to the individual or others. There are different types of challenging behaviour these include: Spitting, self-harm, aggression (physical, verbal, mental, emotional) destruction (breaking furniture, tearing things up) Shouting, swearing, biting self and others, eating inedible objects, smearing faeces, soiling and urinating in odd places, stripping clothes off, eye poking, hand biting, pulling own hair and others, hitting others and self, Threatening or hitting others with objects, inappropriate sexualised behaviour, destruction of clothing. An appropriate response to challenging behaviour depends on the type of behaviour that is being exhibited by the individual. My opinion on the response to this behaviour should be consistent, fair, so not to cause any further disruption to a group session or the individual, thus calming the situation and the customer using this behaviour. A proactive response is likely to be more effective than one that is merely reactive. When responding to incidents of challenging behaviour it is important to ensure that an individual’s behaviour support plan is followed as no two people are the same. A behaviour support plan describes situations that an individual finds difficult and what others can do to help them cope with distress. They are a  very useful way of encouraging staff supporting the person to respond consistently. The plan should include Strategies to encourage staff to respond to the first signs of distress and resolve issues before they escalate. This helps to ensure that the least restrictive interventions are being used and the strategies being used are in proportion to the level of risk. The behaviour plan should include: Triggers –What can cause the individual distress? In Specific situations, places, activities, changes, sensory issues (noise, touch, smell?) Proactive strategies – How can staff support the person to cope with these triggers? Early warning signs- How do we know the person is becoming distressed? Are the First signs- body language, facial expression, language, behaviours, and tone of voice? What can help the individual calmer at this time? Medium intensity behaviours – What might the individual do at this stage? Are there Specific behaviours and who might be at risk? What should staff do at this time? Things we can do to prevent the situation from getting worse. What can staff do to ensure everyone is safe? High intensity behaviours – What might the individual do at this stage? Are there specific behaviours? How long they may last and who is at risk What should staff do at this time? What can staff do to ensure everyone is safe? Often the best course of action is to withdraw and leave the customer in a safe area to calm down on their own (But this may not be the case for some individuals) When responding to an incident of challenging behaviour it is important to ensure a customer’s dignity and respect are maintained. Try to speak in a calm and clear voice using language that the individual understands this could be in the form of signs and symbols, makaton, photographs. Speak calmly, quietly and as sertively Avoid threatening body postures such as standing in front or above the individual Avoid what may be classed as threatening gestures such as pointing or waving, arms folded across the body. Avoid threatening facial expressions. Avoid shouting or raising your voice. Avoid giving orders or continually repeating requests. Try to disperse any audience. Ask the individual if they would like to go into a quieter area if possible. Consider adopting a posture which reduces your size (sitting, crouching and moving away) Be aware of gender, cultural difference. Avoid belittling and talking to others negatively about the customer. Avoid forcing compliance. Actively listen to the customer and respect their wishes and feelings. Avoid unnecessary physical contact.  Following an incident of challenging behaviour by an individual it should be recorded in their personal file. A detailed written log must be written which should be dated, timed and signed by the member of staff. An incident report form and star chart must be completed. On the star chart we use the A.B.C approach (Antecedent, Behaviour, and Consequence.) Antecedent – What occurs before the behaviour and what may have triggered it. The antecedents are all the relevant things that happened before the behaviour occurred. They can also be considered as triggers for the behaviour such as, things that other people said, emotional state (depressed, tired, anxious.) The environment (is it too hot or noisy cramped, smell, bright lights?) Behaviour –What happens during the behaviour, what does it look like? Consequences – What are the immediate and delayed reactions from everyone involved? Consequences can be pleasant or unpleasant. A pleasant consequence will reinforce the behaviour. (When I yell, everyone gives me what I want)While a negative consequence will discourage behaviour (When I yell everyone ignores me completely) a consistent response from everyone to challenging behaviour can have a very strong effect. Parents/carers are also informed via a customer’s communication book at the end of each day or telephoned. Staff are involved in a team briefing, daily, to be kept informed of any concerns or incidents. In our centre we also have a traffic light system, using laminated cards, they inform people to be cautious or take action. Green- No concerns Amber-Be aware Red- There has been a Serious Incident. A manager is informed whenever the cards are on amber or red. Be able to support individuals and others following an incident of challenging behaviour. I had an incident of challenging behaviour from a male customer who I support on a one to one basis. B is prescribed P.R.N medication by his GP for when necessary, these being Paracetamol for pain and discomfort and Lorazepam for anxiety. B is known to become very agitated and anxious and will slap others very hard without warning. B has his breakfast at the centre each morning when he arrives, as I was preparing his breakfast B became very agitated and anxious slapping me very hard on my arm. After following B’s behaviour support plan and exploring all of the options listed, I asked B if he was in pain offering him Paracetamol if he needed it but he shook his head as a negative. Cooling him down by removing his sweater I offered sensory consisting of a weighted blanket and calm relaxing music. None of the above options worked so B was given Lorazepam as a last resort resulting in B’s behaviour improving over time. I also used the traffic light system, as stated earlier in this assignment. To Support an individual to return to a calm state: Use Reassurance and Praise. Provide whatever support that is needed; give individual some space if that is what they want. Behave in a non-judgemental way, even if you might not feel like that. Don’t discuss the behaviour with the individual at this point, unless they want to. Support the customer to continue to recover and calm down. I key work a male customer and support him to access his choice of activities. S enjoys going outside in the garden to feed the birds. As part of the activity S and myself make a flask of tea, sit in a poly tunnel looking at bird magazines before we venture out to feed them. I was asked to support another customer (M) at the same time, as we were short staffed and to involve him in the activity. I explained to S that M would be joining us. S was not happy with this and became very distressed, he started to swear, bang on the table using his fist and bite on his own arm. The staff that should have been supporting M had changed the routine for that day and decided to support two other customers in taking them out in a car. I tried  to calm the situation down by speaking calmly and quietly to S reassuring him that it was just for that day. S continued to display the same behaviours and would not join in the activity, beginning to cry and shout† I don’t want to do it with M I want you to do it† I continued to reassure S who by this time was threatening to hit me. Another member of staff came to my assistance, supported M whilst I continued to support S. S stopped the behaviour and became very quiet with his head down. When I felt S was calm enough for us to be able to talk about the situation together he began to cry saying he wanted the activity to be just Himself and I. I reassured S, in future, the activity would be himself and either I or another member of staff. I asked S if he still wanted to do the activity, he replied â€Å"NO† When S becomes agitated and upset he will refuse to take part in one of his activities and will realise later on in the day that he has missed out. After the incident S became very withdrawn, appeared sad, would not engage in conversation, sat with his head down and would cry throughout the day. After the incident not only did S show complex feelings both M and I also felt different emotions. M became withdrawn, would not engage in conversation or activities, eat his lunch or enter a room S was in, and a lso wanted to be on his own, appearing anxious and frightened. I asked M if he wanted to talk to me or another member of staff about his feelings but he declined. I had a release of adrenaline my heart was racing; body was shaking, I felt angry frustrated, fearful, tired upset and wanted to cry. I sought help and advice from my immediate manager and explained how the incident had made the two customers and me feel. My manager actively listened and took action by informing staff that a clear plan needs to be put into place when changing activities and when we are short staffed the activity sheet needs to be followed. I feel the situation could and should have been avoided, other customers’ activities were disrupted, their needs were not met they had unnecessary upset which resulted in an individual displaying challenging behaviour. After an incident of challenging the steps that should be taken to check for injuries are: Everyone involved in the incident should be checked thoroughly for injuries by a member of staff (preferably a first aider) who was not involved in the incident. In case of any injuries being noticed, immediate action sh ould be taken to seek the appropriate medical help. Injuries should be recorded and reported using the  centres procedures. An incident report form, body map and dangerous occurrence form should be completed. Parents/ carers should be informed. Be able to review and revise approaches to promoting positive behaviour. Working with others is important if individuals that we support are to receive good, consistent support. Family carers and close friends are important when we are thinking about partnership working. It shows respect and also values other people’s contributions, different people possess different skills which help good support, it can help with problem solving and creative thinking, and partners have different information about a person they can share with others. Working with others to review and examine information which relates to positive behaviour support should include gathering information about incidents from a variety of sources. Information can be gathered from, A.B.C charts (As mentioned earlier in this assignment, promote positive behaviour) in notes from meetings, and debrie fs incident report forms and logs. It is important to promote proactive positive behaviour support and analyse the risk assessment process; whenever there is a review the risk assessment should be revisited and adjusted where necessary. There must be continuous monitoring and review of the individual’s behaviour as sometimes physical interventions or restrictive practices are used in an emergency. To be able to work with others to review the approaches to promoting positive behaviour it is important for managers to check and update policies and organisation practice against current good practice guidelines. Reflection begins when I pause to think back after something unexpected or out of the ordinary has happened. I replay the happenings, incident or event in my head and think about it more. My thoughts begin to change from a sequence of events into a series of questioning thoughts such as; why did it happen that way? And how could I have behaved or done things differently? If I do something that way, what is likely to happen? Reflection helps me to share my ideas with others who are experiencing similar incidents of challenging behaviour which can help improve the promotion of positive behaviour. It also helps you avoid making the same mistake again, for example, as mentioned earlier in this assignment whilst I was supporting B and preparing his breakfast, he hit me. On reflection I questioned why I had taken him in the kitchen with me and should have asked for assistance from another member of staff to prepare his  breakfast. My manager has updated B’s support plan and informed staff that when B has his breakfast prepared the member of staff supporting him must ask colleagues for assistance keeping B out of the kitchen. In my opinion Individuals with the label of challenging behaviour are one of the most vulnerable groups in society. They are often labelled as complex and are at high risk of abuse, neglect and exclusion. Despite some progress in policies and practice that advocate personalisation, the evidence for successful approaches in challenging behaviour is weak. Challenging behaviour is still too often viewed as located within the individual rather than the wider social and physical environment. The appalling events that led to the closure of Winterbourne View hospital in Bristol in 2011 were the latest in a very long line of similar cases that have occurred over many decades. The aim of the winterbourne review was to look into what happened so that lessons can be learned and look into how people with challenging behaviour are supported all over the united kingdom.

Big Fat Globalization Essay

ABSTRACT: It has often been observed that obesity follows a socioeconomic gradient which adversely affects the poor. This paper proposes the outline of a sociological theory of obesity as a consequence of ‘globalisation factors, such as labour market deregulation. Forced to work longer hours – and with lower levels of job-security – workers in low paid jobs have fewer opportunities to burn calories, and are more likely to consume fast-food. This combination has led to higher levels of obesity among the poor in countries that have adopted neo-liberal labour market reforms. There are some human phenomena, which seem to be the result of individual actions and personal decisions. Yet, these phenomena are often – on closer inspection – as much a result of social factors as of psychological ones. In 1897, Emile Durkheim (1997) showed that the suicide – perhaps the most personal of all decisions – could be analysed through the conceptual lenses of sociology. Obesity, much like suicide, is often regarded as a personal problem; result of an inability to control ones desires in front of the fridge. Obesity does have a psychological, and, indeed, a medical, dimension, yet like the suicide, this growing phenomenon also has a social dimension. This paper is an attempt to do the same for obesity as Emile Durkheim did to the study of suicide; to analyse it in the light of the theories of sociology. Obesity and Social Science Interest in the social aspects of obesity is nothing new. Jeffrey Sobal has written extensively about the social and psychological consequences of obesity , including the stigmatisation and discrimination of obese and even overweight individuals (Sobal 2004). Scholars with a more anthropological twist have written about the different social perceptions of obesity, e.g. the positive view of fatness among some indigenous peoples (Swinburne et al. 1996). In an article entitled, â€Å"An anthropological Perspective on Obesity â€Å" (Brown and Konner 1987), the authors found that â€Å"cross cultural data about body preferences for women reveal that over 80% of cultures for which shape preference data are available, people prefer a plump shape† (cited in Sobal 2004, 383). That these ideals are embedded in their respective cultures is perhaps best evidenced by the small statuette Venus of Willendorf, by common archaeological consent the oldest known work of art. Stone age man evidently preferred a big girl complete with multiple love-handles, someone who could both carry and nurture his offspring under the harsh conditions of the Palaeolithic world. Other examples of the cultural acceptance of large people obese Buddha statues in the Far East and rituals of prenuptial fattening in many cultures, where fatness is seen as sexually attractive (Brink 1989). That fat has often been a symbol of status is not merely an anthropological observation. In the 19th Century, in Britain, according to Williams and Germov, â€Å"a large, curved, body†¦connoted fertility, wealth and high status. While poor women were occupied with physical work, the voluptuous women of the middle classes were often viewed as objects of art, luxury, status, virtue and beauty† (Williams and Germov 2004, 342). â€Å"Fatness†, they go on, â€Å"was linked to emotional stability, strength (stored energy), good health, and refinement to leisure† (Ibid). These observations are worth bearing in mind when we discuss obesity. Obesity is – to a certain extend – a social construct. But obesity is also more than this. As an increasing medical problem, obesity is not merely a condition that can be – or should be – analysed in the light of perception and aesthetics. Obesity is also a product of biological, psychological, and social conditions. While not ignoring the importance of the former two factors, this paper presents an account of the latter. While correlations between obesity and  social and economic background variables have been reported (Flegal et al. 2000), sociological analyses have thus far not addressed the question of the social aetiology of obesity. This paper seeks to present a first step towards remedying this. The Obesity Debate ‘Why are we so fat?’ asked American magazine The National Geographic in a feature article in the summer of 2004 (National Geographic 2004). The use of the collective noun ‘we’ seemed particularly warranted as recent statistics show that more than 65 percent of us (the British) are overweight. (defined as having a Body-Mass Index of 25 or above). Still more alarming; 20 percent of us are clinically obese (defined as having a Body-Mass Index of 30 or above).(House of Commons Select Committee on Health 2004). Britain is not alone in this. In America the figure is even higher; 30 per cent of the Americans are obese (US Department of Health and Social Services 2000). According to a recent study of obesity in the USA, diet related illnesses are responsible for four out of the ten leading causes of death. (Bush and Williams 1999, 135). These figures matter for more than psychological and aesthetic reasons. It is estimated that more than 30.000 deaths per year in the UK are attributed to obesity or obesity related illnesses (House of Commons Select Committee on Health 2004, 6). In the colourful words of one medical expert: â€Å"this is an epidemic†¦the likes of which we have not had before in chronic disease†¦[obesity is] making HIV look, economically, like a bad case of the flu† (William Dietz quoted in Greitser 2000, 42). Add to this that close to ten percent of the total NHS budget is allocated to obesity and related illnesses, and it is difficult to dispute that obesity is a major health concern as well as a major socio-political problem. Facts1 such as these more than justify the Chief Medical Officer’s conclusion that obesity is â€Å"a health time bomb† that needs diffusion (Chief Medical Officer quoted in HC Select Committee on Health 2004, 8). But public health is not just about diagnosing and treating conditions, it is also about understanding causes, the identification of which will enable us to take the appropriate prophylactic measures to combat the epidemic. Yet, there is far from agreement on what these causes are. The explanations for the obesity epidemic cited in the popular press, e.g. in The National Geographic and in Newsweek (2004) were all biological in origin and medical in consequence. Quoting the work of medical geneticist Rudolph Leibel, The National Geographic concluded that obesity was down to genetics. â€Å"Our overeating†, the magazine quoted Leibel as saying, â€Å"is not the wilful result of deranged upbringing. It is genes talking† (National Geographic 2004, 62). This biochemical reductionism is not new – though the underlying science has changed. As far back as 1924, the editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association editorialised that ‘obesity’ was purely the result of ‘malfunctions in normal metabolic processes’ (Editorial: The Journal of the American Medical Association 1924, 1003). Contrary to the impression left by features such as those in Newsweek, the National Geographic and the octogenarian editorial, the picture is a good deal more complex than that. This is increasingly recognised within medicine. A report from the American Institute of Medicine is an example of a critique of the geneticist view: â€Å"there has been no real change in the gene pool during this period of increasing obesity. The root problem, therefore must lie in the powerful social and cultural forces that promote an energy-rich diet and a sedentary lifestyle† (Institute of Medicine 1995, 152). There is evidence to support the veracity of the hypothesis that social and cultural forces play a role (Flegal et al. 2000, 6). What is striking about the obesity epidemic is the extent to which it reflects social class conditions. To cite but one example; the Health Survey  for England has shown that in 2001, 14 percent of women in professional groups were obese, while 28 percent of women from unskilled manual occupations were categorised as such (House of Commons Select Committee on Health 2004, 16). Similar examples are legion. As a study concluded; â€Å"the largest rates of obesity occur among population groups with the highest poverty rates and the least education† (Drewnowski and Specter 2004, 6). This correlation between poverty and obesity is likely to be the result of underlying social factors. It is not that there is an automatic relationship between poverty and obesity. This relationship is a new phenomenon, which, consequently, needs to be analysed in the light of recent social, political and economic developments. As Ulrich Beck has observed; ‘the struggle for one’s ‘daily bread’ has lost its urgency as the cardinal problem overshadowing everything else†¦for many people the problems of ‘overweight’ take the place of hunger’ (Bech 1997, 21). The interesting question from a sociological point of view – as well as from a medical one – is why. Globalisation and Obesity: Towards a Pattern It is difficult to dispute that obesity is a social condition, which adversely affects those in low paid/short term jobs. Needless to say, obesity does have a significant biomedical component; what happens inside the body after you have munched your Big Mac obviously requires a physiological/biochemical explanation. However, it is (from a sociological and public health point of view) equally important to determine the factors which lead you to eat the Big Mac in the first place. What we endeavour to answer is the social aetiology of obesity; the social causes, which lead to weight gain. The aforementioned research findings strongly indicate that weight problems and poverty are highly statistically correlated. As a oft-cited study said:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"diet affects the health of socially disadvantaged people from cradle to grave† (James, Nelson, Ralph, and Leather 1999, 1545). Of course a quote does not establish a fact, nor does a statistical association. The question is what lies behind these correlations? Some could – with some justification – argue that these class differences merely reflect and reconfirm the existence of serious inequalities in health – as reported in the Black Report in the early 1980s (Working Group on Inequalities in Health 1982). What has hitherto been missing from the literature on obesity – as well as that on health in general – has been more ambitious theoretical explanations linking medical conditions – in this case obesity – to more general sociological discourses and theoretical trends (such as modernisation and globalisation). One obvious – yet overlooked – hypothesis is that societal changes from a traditional industrial society to a globalised (deregulated) economy has created new patterns of life and work, which have had adverse effects on food consumption, exercise, and hence has contributed to the increase in the growth of the obesity epidemic. According to this hypothesis, the advent of a neo-liberal economic regime has had – and continues to have – profound consequences for working patterns – especially for those in low paid/insecure jobs. This hypothesis is, in fact, consistent with observations made by sociologists such as Anthony Giddens who have observed that â€Å"one of the ways globalisation has affected family life in Britain is by increasing the amount of time that people spend each week at work† (Giddens 2004, 62). In addition to working longer hours, individuals are increasingly working in service sector jobs (such as call centres) with provide little opportunity for physical exercise. With ‘flexible’ working hours, individuals are likely to eat later and more likely to consume fast-food (Dalton 2004, 95). The  medical consequence of this is that they are unlikely to burn the extra calories they consume. While no evidence of this has been published using UK figures, data from America confirm this trend; â€Å"Americans now spend almost half of their food dollars on food away from home – 47 percent, or $354.4 billion in 1998† (Dalton 2004, 94) .That the hurried life-style brought about by changes in labour market is – in part – responsible for this, is underlined by figures from the fast food chains reporting that ‘drive-thru’ sales now account for more than half of their total sales (Dalton 2004, 95)2. That this has contributed to the obesity epidemic is underlined by the fact that â€Å"away from home† foods contain more total fat and saturated fat on a per-calorie basis than â€Å"at home food† (Dalton 2004, 94). As a further consequence of the changes in working patterns – and the less free time available – individuals are less likely to engage in sport and social leisure activities – factors which have been shown to be negatively correlated with weight gain (Dalton 2004, 95). Again American figures illustrate the trend. In 1991, 46 percent of high school students and 57 percent of middle school students were enrolled in sport activities (Sallis 1993, 403). By 1999, those figures had dropped to 29 percent of high-school students and 35 percent of middle school students. On average there is a 3 percent decrease in the number of kids who take part in sporting activities on a daily basis (CDC 2000). Viewed in this light is perhaps not surprising that the countries in the forefront of ‘globalisation’ (especially labour market deregulation) are also the countries with the highest incidence of obesity (See table One). Conversely, countries with less globalised economies, have had lower – sometimes much lower – levels of obesity. A few examples will suffice. In Sweden – a country that has not followed the neo-liberal reform agenda – the number of overweight people is 39 per cent  (the same figure as France – another country that has resisted neo-liberal reforms). The figure for Norway another affluent society in the same category is even lower; 25 percent (www.iotf.org). That labour market dergeulation goes hand in hand with obesity, seems to be confirmed when we contrast the obesity figures from ‘globalised’ countries with similar figures from less globalised economies (as measured by the Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom). The Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient between this measure of globalisation (admittedly a gross proxy!) and obesity rate is a Pearson’s R of -.71. In other words, the less globalised the economy, the lower the number of obese people. While this correlation is not all conclusive – and only significant at 0.37 (two-tailed), it does suggest the existence of a causal link between obesity and globalisation. Table One: Index of Economic Freedom and Obesity Rates CountryIndex of Economic Freedom %Obese Australia1.8820 France2.63 8 Finland1.9513 Netherlands2.04 8 Norway2.25 7 United Kingdom1.7917 USA1.8525 Sources: The Heritage Foundation and www.iuns.com (accessed 14 August 2004) While governments of the most globalised economies – such as Australia, the UK and the USA – have gone to great lengths in their efforts to deregulate the economies and give ‘the market’ a stronger role, other countries – especially those with strong corporatist traditions (See Lijphart 1999) –have adopted a different approach to globalisation. In the Netherlands the government, trade unions, and employers associations have negotiated responses to globalisation, which have prevented the growing inequalities and levels of job-insecurity associated with globalisation in  Australia (Bessant and Watts 2002, 306)., Britain and the USA (Giddens 2001, 69). Consequently, the Dutch workers are not under the same pressures as their British and American counterparts in having to seek low paid/short term employment, with all the consequent negative implications on food consumption and lack of time for physical exercise (Freedman 2000). The difference between these two ‘pure types’ of welfare capitalism is not merely of importance for the reasons identified above (food intake with little opportunity to burn calories). There is also evidence to suggest that the ‘Dutch model’ is more conducive to the formation of ‘social capital’, which in turn is negatively correlated with levels of obesity (Putnam 2000, 264). Further globalisation is more than just labour market deregulation. Global liberalisation of trade under the WTO and liberalisation of the market for broadcasting are other factors to be taken into account. Globalisation is a mix of contingent factors which – when combined – create social developments. One of the consequences of globalisation is a society, in which consumers both ‘enjoy’ the benefits of cheap food from around the globe, while at the same time, are being subjected to advertisements from multinational food and beverage producers, such as McDonalds, Pepsi, Burger King, Coca Cola, and others. The level of this influence can hardly be exaggerated; in one year McDonald spent in excess of 1 billion US-dollars on advertising for kids (Brownell and Horgen 2003, 60). Globalisation has profoundly affected capitalist democracies, yet not all countries have responded by deregulating labour markets and unleashing market forces. In some cases, countries have (successfully) attempted to regulate the forces of globalisation, e.g. through restrictions on media advertising (especially on TV). In the Netherlands the public broadcasters  are not allowed to interrupt programmes aimed at the Under-12 year olds with advertisements. Similar restrictions have been introduced in Sweden and Norway (www.childrensprogrammes.org). That such restrictions have been introduced in small countries with relatively open economies is an indication – perhaps even a proof – that the effects of globalisation are not inevitable; that political intervention has not been rendered impossible by globalisation Conclusion â€Å"There is no question that the rates of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes †¦follow a socioeconomic gradient, such that the burden of disease falls disproportionally on people with limited resources, racial-ethnic minorities, and the poor†. Thus wrote two dieticians recently (Drewnowski and Specter 2004, 6). Previously, scholarly studies in the social aetiology of obesity have stopped short of developing these statistically based conclusions into a more general theoretical sociological framework. In this paper a case has been made for the view that obesity is – at least in part – a consequence of the recent political and economic developments commonly known as ‘globalisation’. Globalisation has led some governments (e.g. in the USA, Britain and Australia) to enact and implement labour market reforms (flexible job-markets with less job-security). One of the consequences of this development has been pressures on families and individuals in low paid/temporary jobs. Through this ‘globalisation’ has created conditions, which are conducive to over-consumption of high-energy foods. Forced to work longer hours, individuals have less time to prepare meals opting instead for pre-prepared fast food with a high fat content. In addition to this development, the availability of cheap food from around the globe coupled with advertising from multinationals – has resulted in new pressures which have led to a growth in the consumption of energy-rich food  among the poor. Thus a combination of social factors have contributed to the fast growing epidemic of obesity which is eroding our health budgets, lowering self-esteem and creating premature deaths. References: American Medical Association (1924), ‘What Causes Obesity’, Editorial, The Journal of the American Medical Association, 1924, 83, 1003. Ulrich Beck, Risk Society. Towards a New Modernity, London, Sage, 1997, p. 21. Bessant, Judith and Watts, Rob (2002) Sociology Australia. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen&Unwin P.J. Brink (1989) â€Å"The Fattening Room Among the Annang of Nigeria: Anthropological Approaches to Nursing Research†, in Medical Anthropology, Vol. 12, pp. 131-43). Brown, P.J. and Konner, M. (1987) â€Å"An anthropological Perspective on Obesity â€Å", in Annals of the New York Academy of the Sciences, Vol. 499, pp.29-49 Brownell K.D. and Horgen, K.B (2004) Food Fight : The Inside Story of the Food Industry, America’s Obesity Crisis, and What We Can Do About It., McGrew-Hill. Bush, L. and Williams, R. â€Å"Diet and Health: New Problems/New Solutions†, in Food Policy, Vol. 24, pp.135) Campos, Paul (2004)The Obesity Myth. Why our Obsession with Weight is Hazardous to Our Health. London: Penguin. CDC. The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, â€Å"Healthy People 2010†, 2000, www.health.gov/healthypeople/document/HTML (Accessed 13 September 2004). Childrens Programmes (n.d) www.childrensprogrammes.org/regulate.html. Critser, G. (2000), â€Å"Let them Eat Fat†, in Harper’s March 2000. Drewnowski, A and Specter, S.E, ‘Poverty and Obesity: the role of energy density and energy costs’, in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004, 79, 6-16. Durkheim, Emile (1997) Le Suicide. Étude de Sociologie. Paris: PUF Flegal, K.M, et al. ‘Prevalance and Trends in Obesity among US Adults 1999-2000, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2000, 288, 1723-27 Freedman, Richard (2000), ‘Single Peaked versus Diversified Capitalism: The Relationship Between Economic Institutions and Outcomes’ Bureau of Economic Research. Working Paper 7526, Washington, NBER. Giddens, Anthony (2004) Sociology, 4th Edition, Cambridge, Polity Press. Institute of Medicine (1995); Weighing the Options: Criteria for Evaluating Weight Management Problems, Washington DC, American Academic Press. International Obesity Task Force, www.iotf.org James, W.P.T, Nelson, M., Ralph, A. and Leather A. (1999), â€Å"Socioeconomic Determinants of Health: The Contribution of Nutrition to Inequalities in Health†, in British Medical Journal, Vol.314, No.7093, pp.1545-49. Lijphart, Arend (1999). Patterns of Democracies, New Haven, Yale University Press. National Geographic, ‘Why Are We So Fat?’, August 2004-09-16 Newsweek, (2004) â€Å"What do You Know About Fat†, in Newsweek Magazine September 20 Putnam, Robert (2000) Bowling Alone. The Collapse and Revival of American Social Capital, Simon and Schuster, New York. J.F. Sallis (1993) â€Å"Epidemiology of Physical Activity and Fitness in Adolescents†, in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Vol.33. no.4-5, 403-408. Sobal, Jeffery (2004), ‘Sociological Analysis of the Stigmatisation of Obesity†, in John Germov and Lauren Williams (Editors), A Sociology of Food and Nutrition. The Social Appetite, Oxford, Oxford University Press Swinburn, Boyd. et al. ‘Do Polynesians Still Believe that Big is Beautiful?, in New Zealand Medical Journal,1996, 109. 100-103 US Department of Health and Social Services, Healthy People 2010, 2nd Ed., US Gov. Printing Office, 2000. Lauren Williams and John Germov (2004)†The Thin Ideal: Women, Food, and Dieting†, in Lauren Williams and John Germov (Editors) A Sociology of Food and Nutrition. The Social Appetite, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 342 Working Group on Inequalities in Health (1982) Inequalities in Health (The Black Report), London, HMSO, 1982.

Research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Research methods - Essay Example Burnout at work can happen for different reasons and in different circumstances. It usually takes place when people are giving too much at their workplace and receiving very little in return. The little return could be the absence of appreciations, rewards, and social interactions (Schaufeli and Enzmann, 1998) Research suggest that negative appraisals at work usually lead to a stage where employees start feeling burnout and suffer from the thought that they can’t give anymore to their jobs. The negative appraisals could be from managers as well as colleagues. Employees feel left out from rest of the workplace colleagues after such appraisal and feel let down.(Kohan and Mazmanian, 2003) One of the researches in human service sector expanding 5 years and including 2,391 employees from all parts of the professions found out some interesting facts about work burn out. The research found that there can be three types of work burnout; they are related to work, customer, and personal life. Some professions had work burnout due to office related workload and stress, others profession in which interaction with customers was direct and daily basis had customer related burnout, last but not the least; personal burnout happens in all professions of human service sector. The study also found some penalties as a result of burnout which included poor physical condition, low job satisfaction and non-attendance at job. These consequences ranged from emotional to physical damage depending on the situation. (Borritz et al., 2006) It is notable that the problems at workplace are not only caused by extra workload but also by less appreciation and low sense of accomplishment. This usually leads to mental problems, in many cases people quit their jobs or take early retirement in order to get their life back. (Keel, 1993) It was made clear in a research the emotional exhaustion is one of the key reasons why people feel burnout at jobs. Organizations fail to realize that

Urban Growth Policy within your Community Research Paper

Urban Growth Policy within your Community - Research Paper Example Development of good policies to govern cities would ensure a strategic and conducive business environment, better infrastructural services to the residence and better standards of living to the residents. The relationship between the policy makers and the residence of different cities fluctuates depending on the policies, government development and behavior. The urban policies in the cities are aimed at ensuring job creation and housing to the residence, this is achieved through an urban based development policy from the federal government. Policies are made in such a way that employers in the urban areas do not suffer (Gottlieb, 2007). This done by ensuring that they benefit from the incentives based on their places of business. The urban policies have ensured that important facilities such as the places for markets, cultural centers and other important facilities are integrated in specific locations so as to maximize the use of space and ensure creativity within the cities. Though development advancement as well as the management of public properties in the cities has proved to be crucial to its economic prosperity, the vulnerable groups in the society face a stiff challenge in copi ng with these policies. This is basically attributed by the urban policies that privatized public properties thus criminating them when these policies are applied. Sprawl growth The urban Sprawl is attracted by the opportunities in the markets, therefore making it difficult it difficult to be controlled by a single city policy. Control of the Sprawl growth is both a responsibility of the local and the federal government. The coordination between the rural and the urban authorities should be enhanced to ensure that pressure on land use meant for development of industries does not encourage development of Sprawls. Los Angeles is one of the cities that have embraced smart growth at the expense of Sprawl growth with the aim of a future sustainability (Gottlieb, 2007). Los Angeles Land Use Policy The strategic position of Los Angeles city makes it one of the most important international trade centers. The market forces and the policies governing land are some of challenges that the indus trial development in the city face. The market trends and policies governing the public properties are regionally and nationally influenced. Some policies and business activities in the port of Los Angeles may not be handled by the city. However continuous conversion of industrial land to residential places has prompted the city’s policy makers to develop policies that would protect industrial Land from being depleted. Citing from the city policy on land use, the city would be able to handle the trend of unemployment and low standards of living by developing industries that would sustain the residents. The policy is aimed at developing criteria of limiting the construction of residential areas at the expense of industrialization. The policy also aims at preserving and increasing the number of jobs in the city by attracting and increasing investments in the industrial sector through the land use policy. From statistics, the city added over a million new residents and in a span of twenty five years, contrary to this over 50, 000 jobs were lost (Estolano, 2008). Development of real estates was the major driving force towards the high population increase with less concern in job creation.

In-Flight Smoking Ban Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

In-Flight Smoking Ban - Essay Example Many companies have recently adapted to the in-flight smoking rule thus causing controversies between the newly introduced smoking law and the human rights laws. The In-flight smoke rule was introduced in the United States in 1989 which has ever since continued to grow worldwide with the adaption of big airline companies such as Virgin Atlantic, British Air and Air France. The adaption of the in-flight smoking law has led to numerous positive results in the flight services. Non-smokers benefit immensely from the in-flight smoking ban as they can travel without the fear of being exposed to tobacco and its effects. In this case, smoking is a condoned in public environments as it affects both the smokers and the non-smokers. Health researchers indicate that non-smokers who are regularly exposed to cigarette smoke in public places carry a much higher chance of developing lung cancer and other smoking diseases compared to the firsthand smokers. Non-smokers are prone to sore eyes, colds an d sore through due to inadequate of fresh air circulation through the aeroplane cabins. An in-flight smoke law has helped in the reduction of these cases thus providing comfort in the air travelling. Flight crews have also benefited from the implementation of the in-flight smoke ban law. a research study commissioned by Aviation Safety Institute in March 1988 proved that smoke from cigarette reduces the level of blood oxygen in flight attendants and pilots which in turn leads to the adverse effect on their judgment. The in-flight smoke law has therefore helped in the reduction of air travel accidents thus making flight travelling to be one of the safest means of transport. Passengers travelling in the aeroplane cabin have benefited from the in-flight smoke law as it helps in the reduction of carbon IV oxide and carbon monoxide accumulation in the chamber that result from poor ventilation, maintenance of the air condition systems as well as filters, poor cleaners and less utility of these devices during flight travels.     

Torture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Torture - Essay Example It is as follows: †¦Ã¢â‚¬Ëœtorture’ means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. (UNCAT cited in IRCT). Such forms of torture as threats of murder, rape, kidnapping or even humiliating do no less harm to the psychological peace and stability of an individual as physical pain does. At times, there may be no physical harm at all to the victim in torture. â€Å"Psychological pain is suffering caused by psychological stress and by psychological traum a rather than stimuli that activate physical pain† (Mefor). A lot of debate has occurred in the past regarding the ban of torture because of its physiological vs psychological impacts.

Proposal to build a nuclear power plant Research Paper

Proposal to build a nuclear power plant - Research Paper Example Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2014). Nuclear power confers several benefits over electricity that is generated from fossil fuels. In spite of these benefits, no new nuclear power plants have been built in the U.S. since 1996. This paper proposes the development of a nuclear power plant by the Eaton Corporation. While there are a number of environmental and safety concerns over nuclear power plants, their benefits far outweigh the costs. Nuclear power has several clear advantages over fossil fuel that currently accounts for the bulk of the nation’s energy. Nuclear energy produces an insignificant amount of carbon dioxide and no sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (Comby, 2001). These gases are produced in large quantities when fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity or other forms of energy. Carbon dioxide plays a part in global warming while nitrogen oxides form acid rain that is responsible for corroding man-made structures such as buildings. Besides the gases, compared to fossil fuels, nuclear reactors produce very small quantities of waste. For instance, about a ton of coal is required to generate the same amount of energy as a gram of uranium. Correspondingly, nuclear waste is a millionth of the waste generated from fossil fuel. In addition, if the nuclear reactor is well-designed, the nuclear waste is confined throughout the power generation process. Nuclear power has been produced commercially for half a century now. It has proven to be safe (Comby, 2001). To date, there have occurred only three major nuclear plant accidents: Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, USA in 1979, Chernobyl in 1986 in present-day Ukraine and Fukushima Daiichi in Japan in 2011. Of the three, the TMI was the worst: the entire core of the reactor melted completely. Fortunately, almost all the radioactivity that was released was confined within the reinforced concrete structure that contained the reactor. The amount that escaped into the surrounding was

Comparing the Great Depression to the Great Recession Essay

Comparing the Great Depression to the Great Recession - Essay Example Economists have often compared the two economic bad that have affected people throughout the world. This paper shall provide a comparative discussion on the two economic phenomena and draw parallels and differences on the two. To achieve this, the essay shall provide an outline understanding of the events that lead to the 1930s great depression, and the economic policy responses that were executed to handle the situation, and thereafter provide an understanding of the events that precipitated the 2008-2009 recession and the policy responses. Finally this paper shall provide a discussion of the major points raised by analysis of both phenomena. The exact cause of the market crash that lead to the great depression in the 1930s has been a subject of great debate, in as much as most economists contend that the 1929 New York market crash was just the smokescreen of the great depression; however, the crises are more complicated and multifaceted (Eichengreen et al., 53). The great depression affected every bit of the world economy: manufacturing, agricultural, financial, political and social, and it is deemed the longest crisis with grave consequences. Much like the global financial crisis that occurred in the late 2000s, the United States led the way, and soon spread to the rest of the world. After the First World War, the period in the 1920s was synonymous with a economic boom, and the world economy was enjoying a period of improved growths, and in a similar manner the United States experiencing high growths was being referred to as the roaring twenties. The economic boom created a situation in which stock prices rose in every sector of the United States, and was not only confined to real estate; in fact, Galbraith (16) insists that between May 1924 and December 1925, there was an average of eighty percent rise in stock prices. To maximize their income on investment that were escalating, investors borrowed heavily, but economic theory always predicts

MegaCorp Surf Shoppe Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MegaCorp Surf Shoppe - Assignment Example Organizational unit is a part of active directory that is used for its organizing and management. Under Microsoft’s documentation,the term â€Å"organizational unit† is interchangeably used with the term â€Å"container†.It is a further subdivision of an active directory into which can be placed users, different systems (computers) and other organizational units that are operational in megacorp. These organizational units can be used for mirroring the organization’s structuring i.e., megacorp forest’s working and its operational maintenance. In fact, every domain can independently organize, implement and maintain its own organizational unit hierarchy. If megacorporation incorporates several domains, it can conveneiently create organizational unit structures in each domain that stands idependent and self operational against the structures in other domains. (Wei Wei, Bing wang & Chun Zhang, 2004) 2. If Megacorp services intend to connect and yet stay separate from the Megacorp forest structure, this can be done through offline domain join, which is progressively used in Windows Server 2007 and Windows Server 2008. It can be used to join a domain without actually engaging or contacting the domain controller. This way, megacorp Forest structure would connect and yet emain separate (karen Coyle & diane Hillman, 2007). Megacorp might intend to deploy many virtual machines in the data centre. Offline domain join would make it possible for the virtual machines to be joinesd to the domain name when they nitially start after the installation of windows 2008. This would additionally save a huge amount of time that could be required for wide scale virtual machine deployments. This scenario of domain join creates an aunthenticity relationship and a trust between the active directory domain and the system running the windows 2008 operating system. Windows 2008 server also offers a mechanism that can be used by negacorp services to connect a nd yet maintain their separate identity. Under this mechanism, domain join operations are performed undera read only domain controller (RODC). The following muktiple steps have to performed by read only domain controller (RODC) to process the domain join operation: 1. The computer account has to be created in advance in the directory and further settle certain attributes through the scripts. 2. Alongside, the Password Replication Policy (PRP) of the Read Only Domain Controller (RODC) has to be modified so as to permit the system that you want to join to be cached by RODC. 3. Duplication and replication of the system has to ensured so as to further facilitate the system through joining the domain. 4. Inform the computer that is about to join the domain through offline sources. 5. Finally, test through running a custom script that targets the Read Only Domain Control to facilitate the join. (University of Exeter, 2012) 3. Access networks are dramatically of different types as they con sist of links between connecting the end user systems and the edge routers. The three most pervasive and widespread types are:Dial up, Assymetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) and Hybrid Fiber Coaxical Cable (HFC). Ethernet and switched Ethernet are the commonly classified Local Area Network (LAN) technologies that can be incorporated by megacorp since most of the businesses use it. Mgacorp can additionally focus on the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) using the IEEE 802.11d standard that is most frequently

Reading response on Communication Essay Example for Free

Reading response on Communication Essay For any effective communication, there must be understanding between the parties involved. This will therefore depend on the medium used and consideration of the barriers to effective communication. Students depend on communication to learn and when it is effective and inclusive, they get opportunities to grow and learn. In education, parents who are magnetic involve themselves in finding opportunities for their children. This is by involving the community at large and the administration to get opportunities for their children(Henderson, 297). Other parents are not concerned, which leads to inequality between the different children. Other families plan a teacher visit to the family, which increases unity and communication. When a teacher, parent and a student have a close relationship, they facilitate ample communication that leads to growth and opportunities. Accordind to (Mediratta, 32), for one to create opportunities that leads to growth among children, there should be a link between the outside of the school and the culture in the school. This is because the teachers do not understand the base the children are coming from especially in boarding schools. The power issue of the teachers goes down when the parents and their children mingles freely with the children which increases communication avenues. Poor families lack even the basic needs which make their students lack concentration due to the stress of their homes. This leads to inequality in the opportunities to children from richer families. Creating a link between the families and the general community leads to expansion of the communication network which leads to opportunities and growth. This addresses structural inequality and enables student from poor families learn and have good health. According to WARREN, (15), translation of important information to languages that learners understands leads to effective communication. Those who understands the foreign language have added advantage to those who can not. A barrier to translation is money to pay the translators and some parents lack the time to opportunity talk. In opportunity talks, the issue of freedom when talking is an issue due to distrust among members in the society(Zehr, 8). Relationships that can be trusted spread opportunities and this is true with parents who create friendship with their children’s teachers as they create trust between them. This is different from the parents who can not create this relationshipthat lead to disadvantage on their students’ opportunities. Organizing and planning for events for the school with older people with children improves their skills and confidence. This boosts their opportunities and improves their communication prowess unlike those who do not involve themselves in such programs. References Henderson, T Anne, Johnson Vivian, Mapp Karen, and Davies Don. Selection from Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships. New York: The New Press, (2007): 296-301 Mediratta, Kavitha, Shah Seema, and McAlister Sara.Building Partnerships to Reinvent School Culture: Austin Interfaith. Providence, RI: Annenberg Institute for School Reform. Mark Warren, â€Å"Communities and Schools.†(2009):1-49. Print. WARREN, MARK. Communities And Schools: A New View Of Urban Education Reform. Harvard Educational Review 2.75 (2005): 1-40. Print. Zehr, M. A. Civil Rights Deal Signals Federal Push for Translation Services. Education Week, (2011): 30(3), 8-9. Source document

Temporal Variation in Water Column Structure in Estuary

Temporal Variation in Water Column Structure in Estuary Panourgias Siderakos Temporal variation in water column structure, transmissometry, and fluorometry in a macrotidal estuary Abstract The temporal variation in water column structure, transmissometry and fluorometry was observed and monitored on the 10th of November 2016 in Southampton Water, over a half tidal cycle (approximately from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). That specific day a neap tide behaviour occurred. Variable measurements were performed on the Callista vessel and also with the CTD device. Additionally, nutrient and zooplankton measurements took place in order to acquire more data. The chlorophyll concentrations that were measured showed low values with an average value of 0.7 to 0.8 ÃŽÂ ¼g/l. The maximum values were observed during the transition from the high-tide time to the low-tide time (almost 1.1 ÃŽÂ ¼g/l). Temperature, light and salinity measurements performed a small change during the day, in relation to depth. The data that were collected and processed imply that the main factor that influences the temporal variation in water column structure is the tidal cycle of the specific area concerned. This cycle, and its currents, is responsible for the general behaviour of the water column (how much stratified or mixed is).          1. Introduction Estuaries are very diverse systems. This is due to the existence of very shallow waters, which in relation to other various factors, can potentially affect the temporal variation in water column structure, transmissometry and fluorometry. Perhaps, the most essential factor that must be taken into consideration in Southampton estuarine environment, on a daily basis, is the Spring Neap tidal cycle. Southampton Water forms the north-westerly extension of the Solent System on the south coast of England, and forms the estuary of three chalk-derived rivers: Test, Itchen and Hamble. The area has an unusual tidal pattern, where the interaction of the M4 and M6 tidal constituents (usually during a Spring tide) creates a double high water. This high water stand can last up to 3h, reducing the time for the ebb phase. This tidal asymmetry leads to 6h of moderate flood currents and 4h of rapid ebb velocities (1.5 m/sec). The flood phase has also a slack period (young flood stand), where the tidal currents become temporarily weaker. The foregoing factors generate stronger mixing during the ebb phase showing also an increase from a Neap to a Spring tide (Lauria et al., 1999). The present survey aims to identify and clarify at the same time the patterns influencing physical and biological parameters and the processes linking these patterns in a macrotidal estuary, more specifically the Southampton Water estuary. Furthermore, these patterns must also be examined if they differ, during other tidal states and at different times of year. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Survey area The survey area was Southampton Water. A shallow, partially mixed coastal plain estuary. It is located on the south coast of England. Its length is 10 km and has a width of 2 km with a dredged central shipping channel of 15m below mean tide. It is essentially marine in character, with little variation in salinity number (~30) in the mouth. Stratification occurs mostly at the head of the estuary. Water temperature within Southampton Water varies according to the season, with minimum winter temperatures below 7 ° C and maximum summer temperature above 17 ° C. (Williams et al., 2006) 2.2. Materials and Methods Sampling took place over an approximate 7 hour time period on the 10th of November 2016. The area was in a small radius of 0.5 nautical miles from the position 50 ° 52.259 ´ N and 001 ° 22.348 ´ E (data-buoy coordinates). During the day, a neap tide was occurring. The tide cycle involved two high-tides and one low-tide. First high tide took place at 07:57 local time (4.17 m) and the second one at 20:07 local time (4.08m). The low tide between them was at 12:37 (1.85m) (Southampton Tide Times internet site). Samples were collected using the research vessel Callista of the National Oceanographic Centre. The winds had a Northeast direction and varied from 10 to 20 knots speed. However, the sea state was around 3 (~0.5 m wave height) and the cloud coverage varied from 3 to 6 octal. The survey plan that had to be followed was a continuous measurement (every half hour) from approximately 09:00 to 16:00 (local time), averaged in every meter of depth for later processing. Vertical profiles of conductivity (salinity), temperature, density, transmissometry and fluorescence were obtained using a CTD. On the CTD, a transmissometer and a fluorometer were mounted, along with the Niskin bottles for water sampling. Although there is not going to be an analytical description of their abilities and their ranges of measurement, a list of the devices that were used both on Callista and on the CTD is shown below: CTD SeaBird SBE 19+V2 RDI Workhorse Mariner 600kHz ADCP Biospherical Instruments Inc. QCP2300 Irradiance Sensor C-Star 25cm Transmissometer FL-NTU(RT) Fluorometer The Aanderaa SOOGUARD system Enviro-T In-Line Fluorometer Oxygen Optode 4330/4330F Conductivity Sensor 4319 Temperature Sensor 4060 Samples of water were collected with the Niskin bottles at two depths every one hour. The first one at 1m below sea surface and the second one around 2m above sea bed. These samples were obtained for further chlorophyll, phosphate and silica analysis. Chlorophyll-a was measured with the method of acetone extraction. Silica and phosphate concentrations were measured in the chemistry lab at the National Oceanographic Center, from the samples that were collected by the groups on the RIB. Current speed and direction could not be measured because the sensor was out of order. Zooplankton measurements were made and samples were also collected. The first occurred at the beginning of the boat trip (from 09:37 to 09:43 local time) and the second one at the end of it (from 15:45 to 15:50 local time). Special zooplankton nets were used and the samples were kept in special chemical liquid (formaldehyde) for preserving, until it was processed. Essential data were also collected from the Xylem Analytics UK EMM700 Data Buoy in Southampton Water. The buoys coordinates are 50 ° 52.259 ´ N and 001 ° 22.348 ´ E and the data involved air temperature, water temperature, wind direction, wind speed, PH, Chlorophyll, O‚‚ etc. The collected data concerned the time periods between February 2016 to October 2016 and also the week from 7th to 11th of November 2016 (Boat Week). 3. Results 3.1. Tide In the morning, when the sampling begun, the tide height was decreasing until 12:37 (local time) to the height of 1.85m (ebb phase). After that, the tide height increased again until the end of the survey (flood phase) and headed to its second high tide for the day at 4.08m (20:07 local time). Despite the fact that there were no data obtained for the tide currents speed and their direction because of the non-functioning sensor, taking into consideration the Nautical Charts from the British Hydrographic Service for the specific area, we observe that tide currents have different directions during the day (tide cycle) and their velocity varies from 0.5 to 2 m/sec, approximately. In figure 1, the half-tide cycle of the day is demonstrated and also the Potential Energy Anomaly, derived from the different densities and energies at each depth, showing a value of average stratification for each station. 3.2. Temperature-Salinity The water column demonstrated a temperature variation between +11.1 and +11.5  °C (fig. 2(a)). In the meantime, salinity values were measured between 33.0 and 34.0 units (fig. 2(b)). Temperature decreased with depth while salinity increased. The small range variation of the vertical temperature and salinity profiles, imply that the water column was partially mixed throughout the whole sampling time period. A small water mass with high salinity is observed at the depth of 6.5 m at 13:00 (local time) which is obviously a more saline, sea-water mass below the fresher river-water masses. The temperature distribution seems more homogeneous with depth. The two figures show a relative resemblance, as more saline water goes deeper. As a result, during the day hours, when the sun light still exists, the deeper we go in the water column, the colder it gets. 3.3. Chlorophyll fluorescence Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were very low during the survey, demonstrating values between 0.55 and 1.15 approximately (fig. 3 (a)). A water mass of higher chlorophyll fluorescence was observed near the water surface around 13:30 (local time). However, chlorophyll did not demonstrate any essential changes, being almost homogeneous in relation to depth, which implies a well-mixed water column as well. 3.4. Light Transmission Light transmission measurements also showed a very well mixed water column. The measured values had a small range and demonstrated from 2.7 % to 3.15% maximum (fig. 3 (b)). In this figure, the vertical profile of the percentage of light that is transmitted is shown. The light transmission plot also agrees with the chlorophyll fluorescence plot. A small area of 2 meters depth (from 5 to 7 meters depth) was observed between 10:00 and 11:00 with the highest values of transmission (3,15%), but this was, possibly, a random phenomenon. 4. Discussion 4.1. Temperature and Salinity According to the measurements that were made and the width of change, no significant pattern of temperature change was observed in relation to depth. Southampton Water temperatures vary from a winter minimum of 17 ° C (June-August) (Muxagata et al., 2004). Temperature homogeneity in relation to depth signifies that temperature is not playing any essential role in the estuary dynamics, nor the estuary water stratification. General speaking, temperature indeed enhances the growth of phytoplankton while in most temperate marine systems seasonal thermal stratification is the main factor that triggers the start of spring bloom. In the marine environment of Southampton, it seems that temperature is not the most important factor. (Iriarte et al., 2004). Salinity did not play any significant role either. The range of values that were measured was really small. However, the contour of salinity in relation to depth implies a more stratified water column than that of the temperature. As a result, salinity is more important than temperature in affecting the estuarine stratification. 4.2. Chlorophyll Chlorophyll concentrations did not demonstrate a big change either. The general measured values were very small (~0.5 to 1.1 ÃŽÂ ¼g/l), which phenomenon agrees with the general rate of chlorophyll growth in Southampton Water during autumn. This fact can also be observed in figure (4), where the buoy data from February 2016 to October 2016 are shown. It can be clearly stated that the largest chlorophyll growth occurs in August, simply related to temperature and weather conditions (low winds-low seas states). However, chlorophyll blooms which happen in spring and summer, coincide with the period of relatively low Spring tide, followed by a Neap tide. The higher degree of stability in the water column allows growth to occur without the greater flushing that is experienced at Spring tide. The reestablishment of high Spring tides caused chlorophyll levels to fall as the estuary was flushed (Wright et al., 1997). Moreover, phytoplankton populations can show changes from seasonal and inter-annual variations, but more extended variations occur during periods of low mixing on Neap tides (Lauria et al., 1999). The tide cycle in Spring and Neap tides is probably one of the most important factors in the phytoplankton growth. As long as the pattern in Southampton Water is concerned, the seasonal distribution of chlorophyll-a showed low winter values followed by a spring peak during the last week of April and intermediate concentrations during summer, dropping to pre-spring bloom levels by October (Purdie et al., 2004). 4.3. Light The measurements with the Secchi disk and the transmissometer in the water implied the fact. That light did not play a key-role in the general growth of phytoplankton in the Southampton Water. Furthermore, figure 5 shows the turbidity (%) of the water during the day. Although the changes are very small, it can be observed that after 12:00 (local time), when the ebb phase of the tide cycle approaches and the mean water depth decreases, the values slightly increase. This also draws a conclusion that the light influence on the water column is mainly affected by the tidal cycle. 4.4 Nutrients-Zooplankton Although not shown in figures in this report, nutrient concentrations in the Southampton Water were mainly affected by the tidal cycle. All the measurements that were made during this survey supported the fact mentioned above. Silica and phosphate measurements showed that their behaviors were affected mainly by the tide cycle. In addition, special measurements also revealed that during the ebb phase, zooplankton was moved, probably with the water masses that the tide currents moved. This fact also resulted in a significant decrease in zooplankton numbers. The most abundant species were copepods (while all the other species had an almost null value), whose numbers indicated a decrease of around 30% after the ebb phase (zooplankton measurement No 2). Words: 2156 References Iriarte, A., Purdie, D.A., 2004. Factors controlling the timing of major spring bloom events in an UK south coast estuary. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 61, 679-690. Lauria, M.L., Purdie, D.A., 1999. Contrasting phytoplankton distributions controlled by tidal turbulence in an estuary. Journal of Marine Systems 21, 189-197. Williams, J.A., Muxagata, E., 2006. The seasonal abundance and production of Oithona nana (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) in Southampton Water. Journal of Plankton Research 28, 1055-1065. Wright, P.N., Hydes, D.J., Waddington, I., Rawlinson, M., 1997. Real time chlorophyll and nutrient data from a new marine data buoy in Southampton Water, UK. Electronic Engineering in Oceanography, 73 78. Figure 1: The Neap Tidal Pattern during the sampling period (10:00-16:00 local time-GMT) and the Potential Energy Anomaly (a) (b) Figure 2 (a): Water temperature contour in relation to depth, during the sampling period (b): Water salinity contour in relation to depth, during the sampling period (b) Figure (3) (a): Plot of Chlorophyll fluorescence in relation to depth, during the day (b): Plot of Light Transmission in relation to depth, during the day Figure (4): Chlorophyll concentration and water temperature in relation to time (from February 2016 to October 2016) Figure 5: Turbidity in relation to depth, during the day   Ã‚  

Sustained Silent Reading Essay -- Education

Sustained Silent Reading Most administrators and educators, if asked what is the area that needs the most improvement in schools today, would answer reading. Children seem to battle with reading at almost every grade level. As reported by Trelease (2006) students do not read very much. In one reported study, 90% of the students studied devoted only 1 percent of their free time to reading and 30% to watching television. Fifty percent of the students read for an average of four minutes or less per day, 30% read two minutes per day, and 10% read nothing at all (p. 1). These statistics only serve to worsen the fear of students low reading abilities. Educators have developed a myriad of programs to improve students’ comprehension, retention, and higher level thinking skills. These skills are especially important in the improvement of scores on the state mandated assessments. Among these programs is Sustained Silent Reading (SSR), which promises that students can improve comprehension, enjoy reading for pleasure, and become life-long readers in fifteen to twenty minutes a day. Sustained Silent Reading is a program where students read any type of printed material for an uninterrupted, specific amount of time. Gardiner (2001) states there are many different names for SSR, such as Drop Everything and Read (DEAR), Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading (USSR), and Providing Opportunities with Everyday Reading (POWER) to name a few (p. 32). Each program varies a little from the others, but they share the same guidelines. Students read silently every day, choose their own materials, read for an uninterrupted amount of time, do not have to finish a book or other material, notice the teacher reading as well, and do not have to tak... ...his article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19388070309558400 DEAR me: What does it take to get children reading? By: Lee-Daniels, Sonya L., Murray, Bruce A., Reading Teacher, 00340561, Oct2000, Vol. 54, Issue 2 Teaching of English Language and Literature (TELL) Journal Volume 15, Number 2, November 1999 Anthony Seow The Read aloud Handbook Jim Trelease's 2006 Penguin Books http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr038.shtml "Sustained Silent Reading" Helps Develop Independent Readers (and Writers) Article by Gary Hopkins Education World ® Copyright  © 1997 Education World Originally published 11/19/1997 Updated 10/15/2007 Why Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) Doesn’t Work June 25th, 2011 | Mark Pennington, MA Reading Specialist Pennington Publishing Blog http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/reading/why-sustained-silent-reading-ssr-doesn%E2%80%99t-work

The Theme of Masculinity in Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth :: GCSE Coursework Macbeth

The Theme of Masculinity in Macbeth  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth‚ the theme of masculinity is explored. As Macbeth matures‚ there are times when his masculinity is put to the test, mostly after the murder of Duncan. There are four main themes in which masculinity is presented in the play. It was once considered that the more bloodthirsty and violent you were, the more manly you would be considered. Patriotism was regarded as a very masculine pathway and to die in battle for your cause, or better, for your country was in some ways a great act of heroism and a honourable way to die‚. This is one of the main themes of masculinity explored in Macbeth and can be illustrated by the simple quote of the man who will soon cold-bloodedly kill Banquo. The question put forth by Macbeth is whether the murderer will try and be a good Christian. He believes that to kill another man will make him more of a man and replies, We are men, my liege.‚ We can see patriotism active in the play when Siward seems unmoved by the news of the death of his son brought to him by Ross. Pleased in the knowledge that his son died an honourable man, fighting for his cause, he is happy because, knowing that his sons wounds were on his chest, he knows his son was not killed running away. If that was the case, Siward would not of though of his own son so highly. But like a man he died‚ There is a point where one cannot do anything that will make one more of a man‚ is a concept that Macbeth argues, indirectly, in the play. He thinks that after the murder of Duncan, which is wife thought made him a great man, there is nothing that he could do to be more of a man‚, Macbeth believes that he has done the ultimate deed, and that to do anything else to try to prove yourself would just be wrong because it would overshadow the deed that was done before it. I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none.‚ In Lady Macbeth‚s eyes if Macbeth did not kill Duncan than he would not be a man to her anymore, she believes that he would be denying all urges for greater wealth and prosperity that man should have. She is wondering why he is not taking the opportunity to be king when he can easily do so, in reality, we know why Macbeth is contemplating the murder of Macbeth, because he has morals, qualities that we consider manly today.

The Importance of Good Teacher-Student Relationships :: Education Teaching

The Importance of Good Teacher-Student Relationships What kind of relationship should a teacher and a student have in the classroom? The answer to this question may seem like an obvious one to many because a teacher and a student should always strive to have a good relationship in order to fare well in the classroom. In fact a good relationship creates many advantages between both teacher and student. For instance, a good relationship produces a good environment within the classroom, which can be a vital point to the success of both teacher and student. On the other hand, there is a flip side to the coin and that is a bad relationship. A bad relationship is where most of the problems come about in the classroom for both teacher and student. In the studies made by Cheney, she discovers that many students are no longer able to express and expand their minds because of the barriers placed upon them by their teachers and peers. Cheney wrote that one must conform to the teachers way of thinking because if you do not, you are taking a chance in receiving a bad grade. Even though one must compromise one's own opinion to satisfy a teacher, it is worth it because you only need to take that course once if you follow the style and beliefs of your teacher. Then again, if you donUt follow the pattern of your teacher, you may end up taking that same course many times until you finally surrender to the beliefs of your instructors. The teacherUs opinion in the classroom can be overpowering in many cases and it can make you forfeit your own opinion even if you feel that you are right. Such intimidating methods of the teacher can repress the creativity of the student. Therefore, making the student into a uniform thinker, which is not the best way in acquiring knowledge. As Socrates would say, one must ask questions and challenge them to find the truth (the truth being knowledge) and that is the best way to acquire knowledge. I have gone through a similar experience in courses that I have taken in college. For example, When I did assignments for a feminist class I only wrote what the teacher wanted to see and kept my own opinions to my self. Even though I felt that my explanation would be a better one, all I was thinking about was getting a decent grade and moving on, which was something I really regret because I felt that I did not learn anything. The Importance of Good Teacher-Student Relationships :: Education Teaching The Importance of Good Teacher-Student Relationships What kind of relationship should a teacher and a student have in the classroom? The answer to this question may seem like an obvious one to many because a teacher and a student should always strive to have a good relationship in order to fare well in the classroom. In fact a good relationship creates many advantages between both teacher and student. For instance, a good relationship produces a good environment within the classroom, which can be a vital point to the success of both teacher and student. On the other hand, there is a flip side to the coin and that is a bad relationship. A bad relationship is where most of the problems come about in the classroom for both teacher and student. In the studies made by Cheney, she discovers that many students are no longer able to express and expand their minds because of the barriers placed upon them by their teachers and peers. Cheney wrote that one must conform to the teachers way of thinking because if you do not, you are taking a chance in receiving a bad grade. Even though one must compromise one's own opinion to satisfy a teacher, it is worth it because you only need to take that course once if you follow the style and beliefs of your teacher. Then again, if you donUt follow the pattern of your teacher, you may end up taking that same course many times until you finally surrender to the beliefs of your instructors. The teacherUs opinion in the classroom can be overpowering in many cases and it can make you forfeit your own opinion even if you feel that you are right. Such intimidating methods of the teacher can repress the creativity of the student. Therefore, making the student into a uniform thinker, which is not the best way in acquiring knowledge. As Socrates would say, one must ask questions and challenge them to find the truth (the truth being knowledge) and that is the best way to acquire knowledge. I have gone through a similar experience in courses that I have taken in college. For example, When I did assignments for a feminist class I only wrote what the teacher wanted to see and kept my own opinions to my self. Even though I felt that my explanation would be a better one, all I was thinking about was getting a decent grade and moving on, which was something I really regret because I felt that I did not learn anything.