Failure of Communism in Russia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Failure of Communism in Russia - Essay Example The Russian radicals, the Bolsheviks led by Lenin, shoved out the moderate Mensheviks and imposed a totalitarian, socialist political ideology that completely obliterated capitalism and tsarist authoritarianism (Cohen,1980,p.42). Lenin, with Leon Trotsky as his main Communism engineer, adopted and modified the Communism concepts of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as contained in The Communist Manifesto. In 1918, the Communist Party of Russia was formalized and in 1919, the Comintern or the Communist International was established to export the Communist ideology throughout the whole world (Wang,1998,p.71). Afterwards, private ownership was abolished and all private properties and industries came under the control of the state. Collectivisation of agriculture, prohibition of opposition and all basic freedoms including freedom of the press and religion and propaganda were the order of the Bolshevik rule and all facets of life whether political, social, economic or cultural were under tight Communism grip. The Stalin Era worsened the people's conditions as the Great Purge was set into motion immolating millions of Russians who threatened in any way Stalin's power and domination (Daniels,1985,p.173). The Russian economy failed to soar and instead plummeted during Khruschev, Brezhnev and Andropov's totalitarian rules. Gorbachev tried to revive an ailing communist government in Russia with his perestroika or rebuilding or reconstruction and glasnost or "being open to the public" but to no avail. The Russian satellites one by one declared their independence and the Iron Curtain was completely rent. Yeltsin was left with no recourse but declare the demise of the Communist Party and the termination of the USSR on December 8, 1991 (Leonard,2006,p.702). Causes of the Failure of Communism In Russia Communism in Russia was doomed right from the start. It cannot claim any legitimacy and any illegitimate government flirts with being eradicated at the most opportune time. The Bolshevik government can never claim to be legitimate right from the outset because it wrested power from the provisional government set up by the Russian Duma by illegitimate means. The Bolsheviks were just "a small, united band of revolutionary fanatics brilliantly led by Lenin" (Rabinowitch,2007,p.ix) who subverted the will of the majority by illegally imposing their own will by "undemocratic methods .i.e. rigged elections, terror, totalitarian state, harassment and threats" (Kehoe, 1988,pp. 25,32). The peasantry, which comprised 80% of the Russian population at that time were neither communists, socialists or of any political color but were

Culture Clashes in Daisy Miller Essay Example for Free

Culture Clashes in Daisy Miller Essay Throughout the world people have differing ideas on what is good and bad based on whatever culture one visits one is sure to find major differences. In the period that this story takes place the US is trying to find its own identity and establish their own traditions. In the Europeans perspectives the Americans were deviant people because their culture was out of the norm. Winterbourne is stunned and intrigued immediately once he meets Daisy. He growing up with a more European lifestyle finds Daisy’s flirtatious and outgoing attitude very abnormal yet refreshing. Many of the older women in society, especially his mother, find her to be cheap and very unlady like due to her lack of classy behavior compared their idea of a proper high society woman should behave like. The book Daisy Miller, illustrates the American lifestyle, compared to the proper etiquette of European social standards. The novel Daisy Miller is the story of a girl who is on vacation with her mother and little brother. Along the way she meets Winterbourne and whom he immediately notices that she is different than other girls he has met in the past. She gives off an aura of wanting to become independent and a free spirit. Which all of the other women look down upon because they find it very trashy and very improper, especially for someone of such a high status also. Daisy’s family is of high society and normally girls like Daisy are quiet and respectful, never is it heard of to approach a man to which she is not acquainted with. Therefore, the idea that Daisy is flirtatious and so headstrong and direct with Winterbourne is just shocking to everyone who hears of her. She makes a great impact on those around her and unfortunately most do not like her because she is different and American. Henry James was born in New York on April 15, 1843 and died February 28, 1916 of edema following a series of strokes in London( â€Å"Henry James† par 1). He was the son of Henry, a minister, and Mary (â€Å"Henry James† par 1). He immigrated to England in 1910 and was naturalized in 1915(â€Å"Henry James† par 1). Since he was born in the US he had a similar outlook on perhaps what he wrote about. He moved to London for the latter part of his life, which caused him to see the extreme difference in the European perspective. This is what the novel Daisy Miller is all about. The differences and the controversy that occurs when two different cultures clash together. James had a very successful career that always involved writing. He was a well-known literary critic and novelist. He was a writer for Nation and art critic for The Atlantic in 1866-1869(â€Å" Henry James par 2). He was a writer for the New York Tribune while living in Paris for a year. Surprisingly though he was also a volunteer among the displaced and wounded during World War I (â€Å" Henry James par 2). He received many prestigious awards throughout his life including the Order of Merit in 1915 and he was commemorated with the James memorial stone (â€Å" Henry James par 4). Henry James lived from 1843 to 1916, which is around the same time that he set the period in the novel Daisy Miller. James lived the majority of his life in the US and was raised with the American culture. For the latter years of his life he moved to London were most people were still living in an old-fashioned setting as opposed to Americans who were exploring and expanding from the European way. James having experienced life in both areas causes him to not give quite a clear suggestion on which culture he prefers, â€Å" In late Victorian eyes, Daisy was likely to be either wholly innocent or guilty; James, either all for her or against her†( Ohmann par 1). Due to this the reader is never told which culture James ends up supporting, â€Å" James began writing with one attitude towards his heroine and concluded with a second and different attitude toward her(Ohmann par 1). In the novel Daisy is often regarded as an outsider or an unwelcome intruder in society. Her outgoing and free spirit causes people, specifically Europeans, to look down on her because her behavior does not conform with the norms of that particular society. She stands out but at the same time she does not really care that people are talking about her and looking down on her with distaste. She puts it in the back of her mind and just tells her self that she will do whatever she wants and she will not let anybody tell her that she is not able to. She does not let the fact that she is a woman restrain her from achieving what she wants. Yet at the same time she maintains her dignity and pride while still acting like a woman to a certain extent. She balances the fine line through the book of the quiet proper woman and the wild American. She maintains the free spirit of an American girl, but traditionally she is still a woman who has escorts and fine extravagant dinner parties for young high society people. She revolutionizes the idea that it would be alright to loosen up on occasion, â€Å" her conduct is without blemish, according to the rural American standard, and she knows no other†(Howells par 2). However in the perspective of other people they regard her as a nuisance and someone who is a threat to society because she could soil and corrupt the minds of their young daughters: â€Å" Daisy exemplifies those young girls who have fine social gifts to be sure but whose cleverness is too much for them and if allowed any influence their folly runs away with them, like horses with the bits between their teeth†(Montiero par 4). She stands out and people around her do not appreciate her trying to be different because they do not want to accept change or different cultures. They are all used to the regular routine and tradition that the generations before them have set up and carried out for hundreds of years before them. They expected to continue with tradition for hundreds until they saw things were changing and were scared to approach it so they tried to shut it out. The novel Daisy Miller represents a major problem that is still controversial to this day. Still in the world cultures clash and people are sometimes offended at others. However no one can be blamed because its all about the society’s norms and values. Every society is different and what may be important not one may not necessarily be as important to some one else. Many cultures differ but fortunately they find a common ground to agree upon on the basic rules of society. They may not agree completely but they are willing to acknowledge that its true. Works cited Deakin, Motley F. â€Å"Daisy Miller, Tradition, and the European Heroine. † Comparative Literature Studies. 6. 1(Mar. 1969): 45-59 Rpt. in Literature Resource Center. Detroit: Gale. Farragut High School. 26 oct. 2009 http://go. galegroup. com â€Å"Henry James. † Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Farragut High. 22 Oct. 2009 http://go. galegroup. com Howells, William Dean. â€Å" Defense of Daisy Miller. † Discovery of a Genius: William Dean Howells and Henry James. Ed. Albert Mordell Twayne Publishers, 1961. 88-91. Rpt in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Thomas Votteler. Vol. 8. Detroit: gale Research, 1991. 88-91. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Farragut High School. 26 Oct. 2009 James, Henry. Daisy Miller. New York: Penguin Books,1995. Monteiro, George. â€Å"What’s in a Name? James’ Daisy Miller. † American Literary Realism. 39. 3 (Spring 2007): p. 252. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Farragut High School. 25 Oct. 2009 http:// go. galegroup. com Ohmann, Carol. â€Å" Daisy Miller: A study of Changing Intentions. † American Literature. 36. 1 (Mar. 1964):1-11 Rpt in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Anna J. Sheets. Vol. 32. Detroit: gale Group, 1999. 1-11. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Farragut High School. 22 Oct. 2009 http://go. galegroup. com Wardley,Lynn. â€Å"Reassembling Daisy Miller. † American Literary History. 3. 2(Summer 1991):232-254. Rpt in Short Story Criticism. Ed Anna J. Sheets. Vol. 32. Detroit: Gale Group,1999. 232-254. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Farragut High School. 23 Oct. 2009

midsummer nights dream :: essays research papers

As the play opens, the reader is told the setting and basis of the play and this is that the Duke, Theseus, is going to marry the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta, in five days time. Also Shakespeare also tells of most the characters in the play to set up who will be in the play. In the beginning of the play Hermia is brought to the Duke by her father Egeus to be judged, but this brings upon a problem considering that Hermia is already in love with Lysander despite her fathers disapproval. Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius and if she does not she will die unless she wants her whole life to be lived by one of a virgin. From this Hermia decide to run away to the woods outside of Athens where they can be happy. When Hermia and Lysander run off into the woods, where Helena follows for she hopes that she can change Demetrius’ mind upon choosing Hermia as his wife and Demetrius also follows knowing that Hermia and Lysander have run there. In these woods live a group of fairies and a group of men who are practicing for a play they are to perform. In the group of fairies there includes the fairy king Oberon, his queen Titania, and his servant Puck. Oberon and Titania are not on the best of terms over an Indian prince given to Titania by the prince’s mother. With this Oberon sends Puck to go forth and retrieve a flower that is spread over a sleeping persons eyelids, when the person awakes they will fall in love with the first person that is seen upon awakening. When Puck retrieves the flower Oberon tells him to spread the flower over Titania’s eyes, but also to spread it on Demetrius’ eyes after seeing how he treats Helena. Puck spreads the flower on Titania’s e yes, but accidentally spreads the flower on Lysander’s eyes thinking this is the Athenian man that Oberon was referring to.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Lysander awakens, the first person he sees in Helena and he falls madly in love with her despite his love for Hermia and Helena believes that Lysander is merely putting on an act to mock her for her undying love for Demetrius. Puck realizes what he has done and tries do undo his mistake that night, but instead makes both Demetrius and Lysander falling madly in love with Helena.

Places In To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Maycomb County, an imaginary district in southern Alabama. The time is the early 1930s, the years of the Great Depression when poverty and unemployment were widespread in the United States. For parts of the deep South like Maycomb County, the Depression meant only that the bad times that had been going on for decades got a little bit worse. These rural areas had long been poor and undeveloped. Scout, through whose eyes the story is narrated, presents Depression-era Maycomb as†an old tired town†, describing the slow pace of life (â€Å"There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County†). As the problem of segregation is in the center of the novel it stands to reason if one takes into account that the action takes place in the South, namely in Alabama where segregation battles were especially fierce. In a way the novel is a coming-of-age story about southern culture as it took its steps toward emerging from its racist past. We can also trace the change of describing the setting. During the first half of Mockingbird Harper Lee constructs a sweet and affectionate portrait of growing up in the vanished world of small town Alabama..   Lee, however, proceeds to undermine her portrayal of small town gentility during the second half of the book.   Lee dismantles the sweet faà §ade to reveal a rotten, rural underside filled with social lies, prejudice, and ignorance. In my opinion, Scout, one of the main characters in the novel, is a dynamic one. At the beginning of the novel, Scout is an innocent, good-hearted five-year-old child who has no experience with the evils of the world. As the novel progresses, Scout has her first contact with evil in the form of racial prejudice, and the basic development of her character is governed by the question of whether she will emerge from that contact with her conscience and optimism intact or whether she will be bruised, hurt, or destroyed like Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Thanks to Atticus’s wisdom, Scout learns that though humanity has a great capacity for evil, it also has a great capacity for good, and that the evil can often be mitigated if one approaches others with an outlook of sympathy and understanding. Scout’s development into a person capable of assuming that outlook marks the culmination of the novel and indicates that, whatever evil she encounters, she will retain her conscience without becoming cynical or jaded. Though she is still a child at the end of the book, Scout’s perspective on life develops from that of an innocent child into that of a near grown-up. Six-year-old Jean Louise â€Å"Scout† is a joyful, vigorous and defiant girl. Her appearance and manners are boyish. She works hard not to â€Å"act like a girl† by wearing overalls instead of dresses and beating up other children who antagonize her. Extremely smart and bright for her age, Scout loves to read. For example, Scout manages to keep out of fights until Christmas day, when her least favorite cousin calls Atticus a â€Å"nigger-lover,† and she responds by punching him. Or Though Scout is young and impressionable, she becomes a spokesperson for her entire class, interacting with the adult teacher comfortably; this shows that though a child, she is more grown-up than some of her peers. Scout spends her days playing outside with her older brother, Jem, and her best friend, Dill. Spunky and head strong, Scout often finds herself in trouble with her father, her housekeeper, Calpurnia, her neighbors, her aunt Alexandra, and her teachers.   Despite the rules of etiquette governing life in her small town, Scout voices her opinions and recognizes hypocrisy and injustice in her elders. As the novel progresses, the children’s changing attitude toward Boo Radley is an important measurement of her development from innocence toward a grown-up moral perspective. At the beginning of the book, he is merely a source of childhood superstition. In saving Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell, Boo proves the ultimate symbol of good.

Beethoven’s Life Outline

1. Intro: Composer Ludwig van Beethoven was an innovator, widening the scope of sonata, symphony, concerto, and quartet, and combining vocals and instruments in a new way. His personal life was marked by a struggle against deafness, and some of his most important works were composed during the last 10 years of his life, when he was quite unable to hear. He is an crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, a pianist, a composer who remains one of the most famous and influential of all composers. 2. Body:Family: Composer, pianist, Ludwig Van Beethoven, widely considered the greatest composer of all time, was born on or about December 16, 1770 in the city of Bonn, Germany. Although his exact date of birth is uncertain, Beethoven was baptized on December 17, 1770. Beethoven had two younger brothers who survived into adulthood, Caspar, born in 1774, and Johann, born in 1776. Beethoven's mother, Maria Magdalena van Beethoven, was a slender , genteel, and deeply moralistic woman. His mother was always described as a gentle, retiring woman, with a warm heart.Beethoven referred to her as his â€Å"best friend. † His father, Johann van Beethoven, was a mediocre court singer. Beethoven was born in a family in which his grandfather and father were musicians too. Beethoven's grandfather, Kapellmeister Ludwig van Beethoven, was Bonn's most prosperous and eminent musician, a source of endless pride for young Ludwig. After his mother’s death in 1787, Beethoven’s father lapsed deeper into alcoholism. As a result, Beethoven became responsible for his family. At home, little by little, Ludwig replaced his father.His father Johann, often under the influence of drink, was less and less capable of keeping up his role at the court. The young Beethoven felt responsible for his two younger brothers Carrer: Beethoven’s talent was obvious at young age. His first music teacher was his father. Although tradition has it that Johann van Beethoven was a harsh instructor, and that the child Beethoven, â€Å"made to stand at the keyboard, was often in tears†. He studied the violin and clavier with his father as well as taking additional lessons from organists around town. The musical and teaching talents of Johann were limited.Soon Ludwig learned music, notably the organ and composition by renowned musicians, such as Gottlob Neefe. Neefe recognized how extraordinarily talented Beethoven was, introduced Beethoven to Bach (also a . And at the age of twelve Beethoven published his first composition, a set of piano variations on a theme by an obscure classical composer named Dressler. In 1784, Neefe also recommended 14-year-old Beethoven be the organist of the court of Maximillian Franz. This post enabled him to frequent new circles, other than those of his father and friends of his family.In 1787 the court decided to send Beethoven to Vienna to study with Mozart. Howevever, only few weeks af ter arriving in Vienna, Beethoven learnt that his mother had fallen desperately ill, he rushed home to Bonn. After his mother’s death, Beethoven remained in Bonn and continued to carve out his reputation as the city's most promising young court musician. In 1792, Beethoven backed to Vienna to establish his career. From 1790 to 1792, Beethoven composed a significant number of works that demonstrated his growing range and maturity. By 1793, Beethoven established a reputation as an improviser in the salons of the nobility.In that year, he had also established a reputation in Vienna as a piano virtuoso. Loss of hearing, illness and death Around 1796, by the age of 26, his hearing began to deteriorate, yet he continued to compose, conduct, and perform, even after becoming completely deaf. The cause of Beethoven's deafness is unknown, probably because of even his habit of immersing his head in cold water to stay awake. In 1802, he wrote a famous text which expressed his disgust at the unfairness of life, that he, a musician, could become deaf was something he did not want to live through.Almost miraculously, despite his rapidly progressing deafness, Beethoven continued to compose at a furious pace. The most famous masterpieces in this period of time is symphonies No. 3-8, the â€Å"Moonlight Sonata,† the â€Å"Kreutzer† violin sonata and Fidelio, his only opera. Despite his extraordinary output of beautiful music, Beethoven was lonely and frequently miserable throughout his adult life. Short-tempered, absent-minded, greedy and suspicious to the point of paranoia, Beethoven feuded with his brothers, his publishers, his housekeepers, his pupils and his patrons.By 1814, Beethoven was almost totally deaf. In 1826, Beethoven caught cold, The illness complicated other health problems from which Beethoven had suffered all his life. He passed away encircled by his closest friends on March 26th 1827, just as a storm broke out. Beethoven died on 26 March 1827 at the age of 56 during a thunderstorm. Beethoven's funeral procession on 29 March 1827 was attended by an estimated 20,000 Viennese citizens. Music: Beethoven is acknowledged as one of the giants of classical music. His influence on subsequent generations of composers was profound.His work comprises more than 650 compositions. Beethoven composed in several musical genres. His works for symphony orchestra include nine symphonies, and about a dozen pieces of â€Å"occasional† music, seven concerti and only one for opera. His large body of compositions for piano includes 32 piano sonatas, 10 violin sonatas, 5 cello sonatas. Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late periods. In this scheme, his early period is taken to last until about 1802, the middle period from about 1803 to about 1814, and the late period from about 1815.In his Early period, Beethoven's work was strongly influenced by his predecessors Haydn and Mozart. He also expl ored new directions and gradually expanded the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the set of six string quartets Opus 18, the first two piano concertos, and the first dozen or so piano sonatas, including the famous sonata, Op. 13 His Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis brought on by his recognition of encroaching deafness.It includes large-scale works that express heroism and struggle. Middle-period works include six symphonies (Nos. 3–8), the last three piano concertos, the Triple Concerto and violin concerto, five string quartets (Nos. 7–11), several piano sonatas (including the Moonlight, Waldstein and Appassionata sonatas), the Kreutzer violin sonata and Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio. Beethoven's Late period began around 1815. Works from this period are characterised by their intellectual depth, their formal innovations, and their intense, highly perso nal expression.The Ninth Symphony is his last work. His famous work: Symphony No5 (Fate), Symphony No3, Symphony No9 (written when Beethoven was completely deaf), Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise, †¦. 3. Conclusion Beethoven was one of the most famous and influential of all composers. He is in memory of everybody. The Beethoven Monumeny, Bonn, was umveiled where he was born in August 1845, in honour of his 75th anniversary. A statue to Mozart had been unveiled in Salzburg, Austria in 1842. People all over the world consider him as the giant of classical music.

buy custom Descriptive Statistics essay

buy custom Descriptive Statistics essay The numbers that are used in the summarizing and describing of data constitute what is called descriptive statistics. Data can be any information collected from a survey, experiment or a historical record. For instance if one is analyzing the birth certificates of children from a given State, then the percentage of certificates given out in that state or the average age of mothers, can constitute the descriptive statistic of the data. Any number that is used in the computation is also taken as a descriptive statistics for the data from the computed statistic. A number of descriptive statistics may be used at once for better description of the data (Lane, 2003). There are various ways in which statistical data can be interpreted. This includes measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion. This provides shorthand in the description of the distribution of data. Measures of central tendency include the mean, mode and median. Measures of dispersion are the range, variance and standard deviation (Ryan, 2004). For example in a survey carried out to examine the dominance of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a measurement of systolic blood pressure was done twice on each patient to ascertain the reliability of the measures. A calculation of the difference between the measures was done for each of the 10,000 patients and relative distribution of the same plotted. The mean difference was found to be 0 mmHg and standard deviation was 2 mmHg. Since the distribution was symmetrical, it was estimated that 95% of the difference lay within 4 mmHg of the mean, 0. So from this, if a persons measures differ by 4 mmHg then this will be unusual and therefore has a risk of getting a cardiovascular disease. This will call for the necessary measures to be taken in terms of treatmen. Or in the estimation of birth weight that is symmetrically distributed in a population. The proportion of babies who will weigh less than 2000 grams can be calculated. If the newborns mean weight is 3500 grams and standar d deviation is 750 grams, then if there is no other information, 0.025 or 2.5% of the newborns will weigh less than 2000 grams because this is two standard deviations below the mean (Arsham, 2010). Still in the medical world data collection and interpretation should be done very carefully as it is likely to affect the livelihood of others. This is especially in the case of public health whereby governments need to take measures in advance concerning various issues basing their judgment on the interpretation of the current statistics. There are different types of probabilities that can be used, these are; marginal probability, conditional probability, joint probability and union probability. These can be used in different methods such as the classical method of probability, the relative frequency of occurrence and the subjective probability. The most misused probability is the subjective probabilities. They are based on an individuals intuition, feelings or experience. In this world almost every person has an opinion and would like to share it. They are not unethical to use but can be misleading and disastrous to decision makers. This is especially in the medical field where all the actions need to be justified. Operating on intuitions ca n be very risky and might lead to loss of lives. What a person needs to know is that the rules and laws of probability are for the long run (Arjomand, 1996) For example if a coin is tossed, even though we know that the probability of getting a head is 5, the result will not obviously be a head and one can not get a half head. But on several tosses a head will be got. Take for instance an oil prospecting company , suppose the probability that it will strike oil is 10, this means that in the long run, if enough holes are drilled, the company should strike oil in about 10% of the holes. What if the company has just enough money to drill one hole? This means that it will either get a dry hole or strike oil. If this is not put into consideration, the companys decision to drill oil might be disastrous. Classical statistics on the other hand could be used unethically to lure companies or clients into making short-run investments hoping to get something in return when in actual terms the company or client may win or lose. In the case of the oil company, it will not get back 10% by drilling one hole; it will either win or lose (Black, 2009) Conclusion In descriptive statistics there is always a tendency for people to ignore examining data thoroughly by descriptive means. They tend to rush on applying statistical tests on the given data without confirming whether the data is accurate. People involved in dealing with descriptive statistics should therefore always strive to take time to examine descriptively a set of data using different perspectives to get a clear picture of it. This way they will be able to discriminate against much sense and nonsense. The types of probability that exist are the marginal probability, the conditional probability, the joint probability and the union probability. The classical method of assigning probability relies on events prior or before they take place. The relative frequency of occurrence assigns probability basing on empirically derived data or historical data. Subjective probabilities on the other hand rely on the knowledge, feelings and personal experiences in assigning probability (Statistics , 2006). Buy custom Descriptive Statistics essay

Effective Reasons to Support the Idea of Confucius Classrooms

Effective Reasons to Support the Idea of Confucius Classrooms A number of different schools promote education and Americans’ awareness of different cultures, peculiarities, and backgrounds that aim at improving human lives. This is why if people want to know more about one particular country, they can easily choose the school and get proper education. According to Confucius, knowledge may be defined in the following way: â€Å"when you know something, recognize that you know it, and when you don’t know something, recognize that you don’t know it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Effective Reasons to Support the Idea of Confucius Classrooms specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More That’s knowledge† (Freedman 16). Such definite and clear understanding deserves attention and recognition, and it is not a surprise that people are eager to create schools on such basis and share Confucius’ ideas all over the whole world. So many people are eager to bec ome an integral part of Chinese culture and rely on the ideas offered by Confucius in order to get a chance to enjoy this life, evaluate ethical norms from another perspective, and clear up how to gain complete satisfaction. Confucius Classrooms are characterized by many positive and powerful aspects that help to promote such schools in future: people are eager to learn different cultures and have a chance to study them from original sources that are available in Confucius Classrooms; the development of such networks does not prevent the development of other educational spheres; and finally, these schools represent a really high quality of Chinese language education in the United States of America. Confucius Classrooms are one of the possible examples of how people organize their work and attempts to study Chinese culture, language, traditions, and cognition of this world. Confucius Classrooms turn out to be a good opportunity for different people to learn deeper Chinese basics. The establishment of â€Å"58 Confucius classrooms in 81 countries† (Kavalski 88) seems to be a good proof that such schools are obligatory and interesting for people of different cultures. For a long period of time, Confucius Classrooms have been developed in many states, and one of the most successful examples is the Confucius Institute in Florida that aim â€Å"to develop closer ties with China through Chinese language instruction and cultural exchange† (University of South Florida para. 2). Some people may wonder whether it is so important to develop such close relations with China and to spend so much time, money, and efforts in order to implement Confucius Classrooms. Witness for this development, it is necessary to underline the fact that â€Å"China has always been a very important partner† (Brzezinski para.1) of many states in America and has always been a good example in the financial, economic, and manufacturing spheres. In order to learn and realize wha t makes this country so powerful and able to take leading positions, it is better to provide American students with a chance to gain proper skills and knowledge and to communicate with the representatives of this country at the proper high level.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The results of properly developed relations will be beneficial for both countries, and what is more important, Americans will learn better the ways of how China becomes so powerful and will be able to use the same ways to benefit as well. The main point about all these Confucius Classrooms is that Chinese do not want to impose Americans study Chinese language and culture. What the representatives of these classrooms do is â€Å"developing the field of Chinese language teaching in American schools† (Asia Society para 1). If people want to study, they have such an opportunity; if people do not wa nt to deal with a foreign culture and language, they are welcome to neglect the offers and be interested into those spheres that are necessary for them. The most important argument to support the development of Confucius Classrooms is all about knowledge. When people are aware of something, they certainly know how to use this knowledge and what the outcomes of this awareness may be. China is a powerful country, and Americans have to consider its power and efforts to know its weaknesses and shortages. Only in case American people are aware of Chinese efforts, plans, and abilities, it becomes possible for Americans to take the steps that are more serious and benefit from this knowledge. As a rule, human power is in human knowledge, and if these Confucius Classrooms help to enlarge the level of knowledge, American people should make use of such possibility and define how to become more powerful and better than Chinese people are now. In general, Confucius Classrooms that are connected to Chinese-funded US education have a number of positive feedbacks and supporters. Due to a considerable number of these classrooms, many Americans have already got an opportunity to study Chinese language, culture, and all those historical aspects that make this country as powerful as it is right now. Those people who want to know more about foreign country and the ways of how its success has been achieved should find the proposition to implement more Confucius Classrooms and change the way of how Americans think about Chinese people. Adelman, Hacienda. â€Å"Chinese Gov’t School Grant Divides SoCal Community.† The Seattle Times. 24 Apr. 2010. 8 May, 2010, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011692533_apuschineseclassroomclash.htmlAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Effective Reasons to Support the Idea of Confucius Classrooms specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More â€Å"Asia Society Confucius Classrooms Network.† Asia Society. 2010. 8 May, 2010. asiasociety.org/education-learning/chinese-language-initiatives/asia-society-confucius-classrooms-network Bledsoe, Deb, C. â€Å"UCPS Receives National Grant for Chinese Program.† Union County Public Schools. 10 Feb. 2010. 8 May, 2010. ucps.k12.nc.us/news/jump.php?news_id=1329 Brzezinski, Joan. Interview with Megan Conley. Confucius Classrooms Change the Face of Chinese Education in Minnesota. 08 Feb. 2010. 8 May, 2010. caisinstitute.org/articles/confucius_classrooms_minnesota â€Å"Confucius Institute.† University of South Florida. 2010. 8 May, 2010. http://global.usf.edu/confucius/index.php Freedman, Russell. Confucius: The Golden Rule. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2002. Kavalski, Emilian. China and the Global Politics of Regionalization. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing, 2009.

I Quit How to Resign from Your Job With Professionalism

I Quit How to Resign from Your Job With Professionalism â€Å"I quit.† Seems easy, right? Like everything else in this world, not so much. You could send that very-on-the-nose note to announce your departure, but it’s really poor form. If you’re ready to move on to a new position, or you just can’t deal with your job any longer, there’s a process to sending a good and proper resignation letter. No matter how POed you are on your way out the door, you’ll be thankful later that you took the time to send a well-crafted, anger-neutral letter or email to your (soon to be former) boss.1. Why Send a Letter  2. When to Send the Letter  3. How to Send the Letter  4. What to Write  5. What Not to Write  6. The Sample Letter  Why Send a Letter?  Different  offices have many different ways to reach someone: interoffice chat, phone, email, meetings, coffee machine ambush, etc. So why go the official resignation letter route? It leaves a paper trail, in case there’s any question later abo ut timing, or your intent to leave. You can tell people you’re leaving through any channel, but you should always tell your boss first, and make sure that you follow up with an official letter. That way, he or she can forward it as necessary, and HR will have an official document and be able to start any necessary exit processes.When to Send the Letter  The timing on the letter varies according to a few different factors. First, always check your company’s HR policies. When you started, you may have signed something agreeing to give a particular amount of notice. Two weeks (10 business days) is an informal standard, but definitely double-check to make sure that this is a courtesy and not a legal requirement. If your start date at your new place is in two weeks and your current company requires three weeks’ notice, then things could get sticky. If you kept your onboarding documents at your current job, you can check those. Otherwise, a discreet email to HR shou ld be able to resolve the question for you, without advertising to everyone that you’re on your way out the door.When It’s Okay to LeakIf you have a good relationship with your boss, you should also plan to give him or her an unofficial heads-up before you send the official resignation note. Getting a formal announcement out of nowhere can feel like blindsiding, especially if you have a good working relationship.  Employees in the United States change their job once every three years on averageSo you might want to precede the whole process with a quick face-to-face meeting (as private as you can get it), and let your manager know that you’re leaving for a new job, or just leaving. You’re not obligated to go into great detail, about what your next steps are after you leave, but given that this person will likely be responsible for handling your duties in the interim and for initiating a search for You 2.0, a heads-up will likely be appreciated. Itâ€℠¢s a professional, respectful way to set the tone for your leaving.If you are genuinely worried about your manager having a bad reaction to the news, you can skip this step and go straight to the letter, or go through your HR department. Otherwise, most professional people accept this as a fact of life in the workplace, and will accept your resignation with the same level of graciousness that you put into it. Once you’ve sorted out the amount of notice you’ll be giving and have given your manager the courtesy heads-up, it’s time to hand over the letter.How to Send the Letter  If your company is one that handles everything via email, you can probably get away with emailing your resignation to your boss (after the face-to-face meeting). As a rule, though, it’s best to go the analog route and have a printed, signed version. If possible, have it printed, signed, and ready to go for your meeting with your boss. There’s no need to send it through the m ail, or recruit a singing telegram-ist to deliver the letter. If you don’t have it ready for your face-to-face meeting, make sure to hand it to your boss shortly afterward- you don’t want there to be any conflict over the amount of official notice you’re giving.What to Write  The content of a resignation letter is pretty straightforward. There’s no need to write a novel, with plotlines or long, tear-stained devotional passages about how you haven’t slept since you decided it was time to part ways with the company. The letter should have just the most straightforward information, with a little of your own voice thrown in:Greeting (addressed to your boss)I resign.My last day in the office will be†¦I appreciate the opportunities I’ve had in this role†¦I will be available to help with any transition duties, or training a replacement staff member.Thanks!RELATED:  5 Points to Hit in Your Resignation Letter Pretty simple. It’s not the place to weigh in on your replacement, or ask if you’ll get paid for unused vacation days. The purpose of the resignation letter is just to get it in writing that you are leaving in X amount of time.For a quick overview on how to handle the resignation process, Howdini has a great video:What NOT to Write (Or, Don’t Burn Bridges)  The resignation letter is also definitely not the time for axe-grinding. (That’s more of a venting-to-friends activity, not to be committed to paper.) If your boss is a jerk, or you can’t work for the company for X, Y, Z reasons, it doesn’t matter here. If you can’t quite manage a friendly tone, go for a civil one. And if you can’t find anything good to say about your time there, dig deep and†¦fib a little, if you need to.You may be about to blow this popsicle stand, but keep in mind that you’re probably not quitting to go live in a wifi-less cabin somewhere. You’ll be moving on t o other jobs, possibly even in the same industry. And people talk, especially when there’s good gossip. You want to be known as a consummate professional, especially as you’re gearing up to start somewhere new. The last thing you want is for your new boss to catch wind of a tantrum thrown on your way out of your last job. So even if the circumstances of your leaving are less than ideal, shake off the anger/annoyance/temptation and be gracious in your parting letter. If you really need to get some residual anger out of your system, funnel it all into an â€Å"I quit† movie marathon. Never forget that this letter will be part of the official record in your company. It will be seen by your boss, yes, but also HR and goodness knows who else. Please apply the same policy you should apply to all workplace communications: don’t write anything you wouldn’t want to be posted for the entire company to see.The Sample Letter  Hey Michael,I quit. I have a bet ter job offer, and honestly can’t stand the idiots in this office any longer.Bye,DwightUmm, no. Not only is this the wrong tone and unnecessarily antagonistic, it leaves out important information like an end date, and basic niceties like a â€Å"thank you.† Let’s try that again.Yo Michael, The time has come to say goodbye†¦Ã‚  So yeah, this is an official note to say I quit†¦Ã‚  It is with a heavy heart and a veil of tears that I announce I will be resigning†¦Ã‚  Dear Michael,  Please accept this note as a formal notification that I am resigning my position as Assistant (to the) Regional Manager to pursue other opportunities. My last day will be March 18, 2024.  I really appreciate the opportunities I’ve had here these past 12 years, and hope you know how much I’ve learned and grown in my role. I’ve learned an incredible amount about how to market and sell paper, both from our colleagues here and our clients. Over the next two weeks, I’d like to work with you on any necessary training or transition duties as I wrap up my time here.  I know the company will continue to have great success, and am so thankful to have been a part of it for so long. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions, or if there’s anything you’d like to discuss about my departure.Best wishes,DwightMuch better! Resignation letters are hard because you’re writing an official document, so it may sound a little stiff or formal by default. Definitely err on the side of formality, because again- you never know who will be seeing this once you release it at work. It’s okay to make it sound like your regular voice, but just make sure you’re not going too informal, and that you’re hitting all the necessary elements (gracious tone, end date, availability to help with the transition up until that date).So while it might be tempting to create a stir on your way out (possibly involving Kanye West), you will never go wrong with a thoughtful, clear, and definitive resignation letter. It may be tempting to dismiss your current job as old news, or use this as a chance to burn someone or the company on the way out, but if you resist that urge, you’ll be the better for it later on. Viral social media stardom is fleeting, but your reputation is forever.

Agrarian societies in history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Agrarian societies in history - Essay Example The Agrarian period witnessed a lot of economic, cultural and political activity among various societies in the ancient societies. The differences in activity were inclined to a number of factors and this largely depended on the geographical habitat of a given society. The three fundamental questions that are tackled in this instance include, if there was any social structure in that society and how it was constructed, what was the diet of that particular society and lastly, what was important for the people of that society’s survival. The Tang dynasty in the Agrarian society was characterized by the caste system just like most of the earlier traditional Agrarian societies. There existed the rulers who were at the apex of the social structure and this caste went down to the laborers who were at the bottom of the social structure. It had a stable government with intellectuals being highly regarded. History of Tang dynasty majorly emphasizes only the mandarins and the nobles, th e clergy and the intellectuals who were at the top of the social system (Benn 56-59). Furthermore, the group of mentioned elite in the Tang society had little or no time for the artisans, merchants, traders and slaves. It is only the elite that left some of the writings that were found in the Chinese library many years later. On the contrary, the lower in the class system did not leave any writings behind. The Tang society was patriarchal in nature as no major recognition was given to women in the Tang society. ... In some instances, tea was taken with traditional Chinese bread which was mainly baked by women in Traditional Tang society. The Tang together with its sister, Chinese dynasty the Ming, gave great reverence to trade in gunpowder which was a very important economic activity. It was during this period that the gun powder was invented. Gun powder was one of the most important activities in the day to day lives of the people in the Tang dynasty. Lastly in regard to the Tang, religion played an essential role in the lives of the people. The Tang societies were very religious with Buddhism being the main religion of the entire dynasty. Buddhism attracted the largest number of adherents and it’s on the basis of Buddhism religion through which court decisions were influenced or made (Benn 94-97). Just like the Tang dynasty, the Aztec society was also a socially stratified society in the sense that there existed several classes among the Aztec people. There were the nobles and also the commoners. The king or ruler the Tlatoani was considered sacred together with his lineage and had great influence among the Aztec people. The Tlatoani was the voice of the Aztec and his word was given preeminence as sacred. He had his royal who served the main purpose of paving his way of the normal people. His words were taken to be the word of the gods and nobody in the Aztec society would go contrary to this. A child born in Aztec society grew up and eventually died on the class or caste that his family belonged to. They believed that the cosmos had its way of classifying people in classes and this was the will of the gods, for this reason they embraced the fit in system where one inherited his social strata by the mere virtue of birth. On their food preferences, animal meat was a

The Ideal Classroom and School Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Ideal Classroom and School - Assignment Example This essay describes the role of education and how it can be assisted by the ideal classroom and school, ultimately concluding that such concepts are tied into present culture and needs and so should remain flexible. Ultimately, the construction of any ideal is dependent upon perspective and the ability to meet the needs of one's learners. It is therefore imperative that ideals are not copied from one place to another, but that each educator seeks their own answers. Many of the more pragmatic suggestions for creating an ideal classroom in research literature relate to secondary education, but interestingly the two projects currently attempting to construct an ideal classroom are focussing on the primary age range. With the practicalities of constructing an ideal classroom at an early stage in academic literature, a more philosophical approach is taken in this essay. From this perspective, practical ideas are discussed in terms of why they are thought to be ideal. As the notion of an ideal classroom is as much a theoretical as a practical concern, I do not judge the existing literature to be lacking as empirical research into an ideal classroom would be heavily dependent upon its culture and context, arguably suffering from a lack of generalisability from its very nature. The broader role of education discussed by Wragg in Moon et al. ... The broader role of education discussed by Wragg in Moon et al. (2002) includes flexibility, that the aim is simply to meet students' needs. While this slightly dodges a question by posing another question (e.g. who determines and limits the needs), the intent suggests that the concept of 'ideal' has to be a fluid one. An ideal classroom now may not be one in 20 years, nor is the ideal classroom for a London school necessarily ideal for a similar school in Hull. The concept of an ideal classroom and school may be culture bound as much as it is resource driven, so it is necessarily to strictly define for what purpose the classroom is 'ideal'. As with Moon et al. (ibid), this poses the question "ideal for what" To argue that education has changed so little over millennia suggests comparison to another field where little has changed, namely philosophy. Philosophy has value to society for its questions rather than its answers, and I would argue that education is very much the same. It is so much a part of our human and social condition that each generation must ask itself the same questions even if the answers are only temporary. If philosophy is the question of who we are, education represents who we want to be. In the thousands of years of human education, classrooms and schools are a relatively recent innovation. They arguably account for a small proportion of what is learnt through a lifetime, for example Moon argues that the challenge for formal teaching is how to transpose the extraordinary human capacity for learning, particularly in the young, to those artificial worlds we have created in schools and classrooms. (Moon et al., 2002 p.3) McIntyre illustrates this point by stressing that the "concept of teaching has no

Cost Life Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cost Life Cycle - Essay Example There are techniques for estimating the cost of choosing the "wrong" project alternative. Deterministic techniques, such as sensitivity analysis or breakeven analysis, are easily done without the need for additional resources or information. They produce a single-point estimate of how uncertain input data affect the analysis outcome. Probabilistic techniques, on the other hand, quantify risk exposure by deriving probabilities of achieving different values of economic worth from probability distributions for input values that are uncertain. However, they have greater informational and technical requirements than deterministic techniques. Whether one or the other technique is chosen depends on factors such as the size of the project, its importance, and the resources available. Since sensitivity analysis and break-even analysis are two approaches that are simple to perform, they should be part of every LCCA. To identify critical parameters, arrive at estimates of upper and lower bounds, or answer "what if" questions, simply change the value of each input up or down, holding all others constant, and recalculate the economic measure to be tested. Decision-makers sometimes want to know the maximum cost of an input that will allow the project to still break even, or conversely, what minimum benefit a project can produce and still cover the cost of the investment. To perform a break-even analysis, benefits and costs are set equal, all variables are specified, and the break-even variable is solved algebraically. Design optimization on cost basis is also carried out under LCCA to hit upon the model, which would lead to higher performance at lower costs and competitiveness in a systematic and efficient manner. Safety, reliability and cost efficiency can be achieved through design optimization in the pre-launch phase itself. References 1. www.nianet.org/salectureseries/pdfs/Unal_041106.pdf 2.

Literature Review ''stress on international students''

''stress on international students'' - Literature review Example A mentally affected individual may become confused, indecisive or negative thinker while an emotionally stressed person can appear frustrated, irritated, panic-stricken, impatient, sadist or depressed (Stress Management, n.d.). It has become a common practise in the UK to take time off from work and apply for stress leave by the acute sufferers of stress (Cunningham, 2000:19). In the Terri Landon case, Terri who was a training in a government office, felt unwanted in her workplace and claimed for stress leave and remained on reduced time at work for more than a year without compromising her full remuneration (Cunningham, 2000:19). The effect of stress is not only faced by an individual but by the entire nation too (Stress: The Effects, 2001). As per the BBC report on 25th June, 2001, almost 270,000 people take time off from their regular work due to illness driven by stress giving way to absenteeism which cost the UK an amount not less than ?10.2bn in the year 2000 (Stress: The Effec ts, 2001). Effects of Stress: A Costly Affair The long term consequences of stress can be overtly expensive. From giving birth to stomach ulcers and rise in high blood pressure to encouraging heart diseases and strokes, the results of stress can be costly (Stress: The Effects, 2001). It has a high potential of developing over-indulgencing habits such as overeating, limitless drinking and smoking, all of which are well known for their evil effects on the body (Stress: The Effects, 2001). Moreover, illness like insomnia or depression, nervous breakdown and reduced work performance are mostly driven by stress (Stress: The Effects, 2001). Further, stress is also considered to be responsible for a woman’s complete stoppage or severe irregularity of stress or even her capacity to conceive (Stress: The Effects, 2001). As per the BBC reports, â€Å"In the NHS, the government has had to introduce a â€Å"zero tolerance† campaign to try to reduce the number of attacks, and amou nt of verbal abuse heaped on staff† (Stress: The Effects, 2001). In the ISMA Conference 2009, Dame Carole Black revealed that workplace stress is as expensive as ?100bn (ISMA). Moreover, as per the Labour Force Survey, â€Å"Estimates indicate that self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for an estimated 13.5 million lost working days in Britain in 2007/08 (ISMA). The three best ways of fighting out stress as suggested by Cunningham include the lessening of stress forces, the increasing of one’s capacity to resist damage and the understanding of the early signs of stress thereby being alert in advance to combat it (Cunningham, 2000:8). Role of Stress on International Students Both local and international students face a lot of complex situations such as examinations, deadlines, poor time management, uncontrollable debts and other cases which lead to undue stress (Stress Management, n.d.). International stude

Enterprise system Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Enterprise system - Assignment Example Peet’s coffee and tea had challenges managing their customer needs, finances and raw materials but all that changed with the implementation of the Enterprise Resource Planning system. The company is in a better position to guarantee quality Coffee and Tea products, managing finances better and having a competitive edge over its competitors. Businesses have been availed the Enterprise Resource Planning systems that make their work very easy in managing their customer needs, while maintaining the quality of products and services customers look for, as they grow and expand their customer base leading to high sales and profitability which is the dream of every business. Peet’s Coffee and Tea History Peet’s Coffee and Tea was founded in 1966 by Arthur Peet in Berkley California. Peet was a Dutch Immigrant who believed in absolute quality compared to quantity. In that case, he always insisted on maintaining good quality for the coffee and Tea he roasted in this company . Arthur Pete insisted on getting the best coffee there is in the world, import it and control its production to end up with a high quality product. Tasting for the coffee was done with absolute precision to maintain the quality established in the initial days. Peet believed in direct delivery to maintain the quality of the coffee. ... His coffee received mixed views from the first customers when he introduced it. While some claimed that the coffee smelt burnt, others appreciated the dark well blend quality coffee Peet introduced. Within no time, Peet’s coffee became popular among students, musicians, writers, artists and practically everyone in within the region. His coffee became so popular that some experts related the group of Peet’s coffee lovers to a cult. It was not well understood what was with his coffee and more and more people joined the club of taking and loving his coffee. This necessitated the opening of the second coffee shop which opened at Menlo Park. He opened the third outlet at Domingo Avenue in 1980. Three years later, Arthur Peet sold Peet’s Coffee and Tea for unknown reasons to Jerry Baldwin, who had founded Starbucks the same year with two other partners (International Directory of Company Histories, 2001). Baldwin also insisted on quality and went ahead to spread Peetâ €™s business principle of quality and not quantity. Baldwin continued with Starbucks and the performance of the venture surprised them. Within no time, they were opening their third store due to popularity of their coffee. Three years later in 1987, Baldwin sold Starbucks interestingly, to a former employee of Peet, Howard Schultz. The reasons for Baldwin selling Starbucks are not well known but is claimed that he stated that Starbucks was not as good as Peet’s Coffee and Tea. Peet’s Coffee and Tea was conservative in some ways and was not looking for expansion like Starbucks, which went on an expansion campaign from the 1980s. Rather, Peet’s coffee and Tea was looking for reputation among customers and the only way that would be

Literature Review ''stress on international students''

''stress on international students'' - Literature review Example A mentally affected individual may become confused, indecisive or negative thinker while an emotionally stressed person can appear frustrated, irritated, panic-stricken, impatient, sadist or depressed (Stress Management, n.d.). It has become a common practise in the UK to take time off from work and apply for stress leave by the acute sufferers of stress (Cunningham, 2000:19). In the Terri Landon case, Terri who was a training in a government office, felt unwanted in her workplace and claimed for stress leave and remained on reduced time at work for more than a year without compromising her full remuneration (Cunningham, 2000:19). The effect of stress is not only faced by an individual but by the entire nation too (Stress: The Effects, 2001). As per the BBC report on 25th June, 2001, almost 270,000 people take time off from their regular work due to illness driven by stress giving way to absenteeism which cost the UK an amount not less than ?10.2bn in the year 2000 (Stress: The Effec ts, 2001). Effects of Stress: A Costly Affair The long term consequences of stress can be overtly expensive. From giving birth to stomach ulcers and rise in high blood pressure to encouraging heart diseases and strokes, the results of stress can be costly (Stress: The Effects, 2001). It has a high potential of developing over-indulgencing habits such as overeating, limitless drinking and smoking, all of which are well known for their evil effects on the body (Stress: The Effects, 2001). Moreover, illness like insomnia or depression, nervous breakdown and reduced work performance are mostly driven by stress (Stress: The Effects, 2001). Further, stress is also considered to be responsible for a woman’s complete stoppage or severe irregularity of stress or even her capacity to conceive (Stress: The Effects, 2001). As per the BBC reports, â€Å"In the NHS, the government has had to introduce a â€Å"zero tolerance† campaign to try to reduce the number of attacks, and amou nt of verbal abuse heaped on staff† (Stress: The Effects, 2001). In the ISMA Conference 2009, Dame Carole Black revealed that workplace stress is as expensive as ?100bn (ISMA). Moreover, as per the Labour Force Survey, â€Å"Estimates indicate that self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for an estimated 13.5 million lost working days in Britain in 2007/08 (ISMA). The three best ways of fighting out stress as suggested by Cunningham include the lessening of stress forces, the increasing of one’s capacity to resist damage and the understanding of the early signs of stress thereby being alert in advance to combat it (Cunningham, 2000:8). Role of Stress on International Students Both local and international students face a lot of complex situations such as examinations, deadlines, poor time management, uncontrollable debts and other cases which lead to undue stress (Stress Management, n.d.). International stude

PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PROMOTION Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PROMOTION - Assignment Example The outcome of which has been observed from a declining trend in CHD mortality rate since the period of 1970s. Contextually, premature mortality rate i.e. mortality rate among people younger than the age of 75, has reduced by nearly 45% in the past 10 years. However, this reduction is largely socially patterned or follows a particular social pattern. However, despite the evidences of improvements, it can be said that there is a significant variation in CHD mortality rate across diverse socioeconomic groups, thus enlarging the social inequalities in the long run (McCartney & et. al., 2012). In order to reduce the social inequalities and minimise the prevailing death ratio, various healthcare professionals and doctors have provided significant measures through which the coronary heart disease can be prevented by a large extent. Different healthcare professionals have determined certain beneficial interventions that include prescription of low doses of medicines, identification of tolerance to certain drugs along with cardiac rehabilitation among others. Healthcare professionals have provided a variety of suggestive measures such as prohibition of smoking practices, incorporation of nutritional foods in diets and performance of physical activities for at least half an hour each day which are essential for patients to keep them fit and healthy. With efficient primary care provided to patients, coronary heart diseases (CHD) can be reduced by a considerable extent (Rowlands & et. al., 2012). Health literacy is one of the important determinants, which is considered while determining the preventive measures of CHD. It has been observed that patients having coronary heart disease possess low level of health literacy. According to the findings of Rowlands & et. al., (2012), it is viewed that out of 803 patients who were studied, around 106 had low level of health literacy.

Big Five Personality Traits Essay Example for Free

Big Five Personality Traits Essay The Big Five personality traits are extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability (or neuroticism), and openness to experience (Scholte, Van Lieshout, DeWit, Aken, 2005). The factors that are considered most important or least important would depend on who was making the evaluation and the priorities of the individual. For example, a person who valued learning or someone who needed an employee who could adapt to new circumstances quickly might say that openness to new experience was the most important factor. Another person who placed a greater emphasis on relationships, for example, might believe that emotional stability is more important. While everyone likes an agreeable person, people who are too agreeable can create problems if they simply go along with anything and do not at least occasionally think for themselves and challenge something. Trying to select the most important of these traits is like trying to choose the most important among equals. It is also interesting that Scholte, Van Lieshout, DeWit, and Aken (2005) found that the Big Five traits and their effects on adolescents are consistent across cultures. The trait that is the most applicable to me is openness to new experience. I enjoy trying new things and meeting new people. I do not enjoy doing the same thing all the time. I believe that the openness trait is closely related to the trait of extraversion. Extraverted people tend to be focused on external things, while introverts have a more internal focus. Since new things are almost always found in other people and places, then it seems that the extravert would be more likely to pursue and be open to new experiences, while the introverted person would be less likely to seek out new things in the outside world but more likely to look for new revelations within or about himself or herself. I consider myself an extraverted person who is open to new experiences. I am usually agreeable, relatively conscientiousness, and fairly stable emotionally. References Scholte, R. , Van Lieshout, C. DeWit, C. and Aken, M. (2005). Adolescent personality types and subtypes and their psychosocial adjustment. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 51 (3), p. .258-286. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from www. Questia. com database. http://www. questia. com/read/5011758638

Crisis and Emergency Intervention Treatment Options

Crisis and Emergency Intervention Treatment Options John C. Hemby Crisis and Emergency Intervention Tragedy in this day and age is commonplace. The same can be said of school violence and shootings in those schools. As a crisis worker, I need to become familiar with this issue and learn on how to help those who survive this ordeal. First, I will need to look at an incident and study it. I chose the incident at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. This is the deadliest shooting in U.S. History. There were 32 students and teachers to die by the hands of this killer. They were gunned down on the campus Virginia’s Polytechnic Institute and State University. The killer was a student that happened to go to that school. His name was Seung Hui Cho. He would be victim number 33, as he ended his life as police were closing in on him. (Worst U.S. Shooting Ever, n.d.). It started on the morning of April 16, 2007. Mr. Cho was 23 and majoring in English while at the school. He started his killing spree by murdering a female freshman and a male RA (resident assistant) in a dormitory before lea ving the building (Worst U.S. Shooting Ever, n.d.). The police soon came on the scene, however, were unaware of the shooter’s identity. Then at around 10 o’clock, Cho struck again; he was armed with a 9- millimeter and a 22- caliber pistol with an overwhelming amount of ammunition. He entered the classroom building and locked several of the doors behind him, preventing escape. Afterwards, he went into each classroom and began firing (Worst U.S. Shooting Ever, n.d.). After 10 minutes of continuous carnage, he took his own life. The incident’s death toll was 32 and 17 wounded. But that wasn’t the end of it; around two days later, NBC News received a package that Cho had sent. The package contained photos of him posing with his weapons and a video dialogue on which he ranted about killing those â€Å"wealthy brats† (Worst U.S. Shooting Ever, n.d.). The police were baffled by this incident. They could find no evidence that he targeted specifically anyone of his victims. Cho was born in South Korean and had moved to the United States with his family back in the 1990’s. The public also found out that his classmates described him as a loner, and had a long dated history with mental health issues. It was also later revealed that Cho had written a plethora of assignments that exhibited his aggressive and violent nature; to the point that his professors had some concern for his well-being, but nothing was done (Worst U.S. Shooting Ever, n.d.). Now that I have studied the material and summarized the incident, I can now give my assessment and courses of action. My assessment would have to be that the most people that would be traumatized by this are the wounded. They not only suffered physical trauma but mental anguish as well; those individuals should be treated mentally as soon as possible (Littleton, H. 2011). The secondary victims are the friends and family of those victims along with people that were on campus that day. They should be given an opportunity for counseling and or group therapy as well. The tertiary victims or third concern would be the personnel who were on the ground during that incident, whether they were police, ems or faculty (Littleton, H. 2011). These people already have access to mental health providers and I would touch base with their respective provider to see if there was any additional counseling assistance that they may need in order for their personnel to be back to normal. My courses of action are fairly simple. For the first concern, I would outline one on one counseling sessions with the 17 wounded. After my initial assessment of them, I would then see if they needed additional crisis counseling or if they didn’t, I would still give them my contact information just in case. For those that wanted additional assistance or that I felt that needed more counseling, I would go ahead and outline a treatment plan with them. The second group I would try and utilize group therapy. All of them have a connection to the first group, so that commonality would be a great place to start. Then, I would listen to their concerns or issues they might have. While listening to all of them, I would write down those that seem to have an issue coping with what they just experienced (Littleton, H. 2011). Those individuals would be then given my contact information so I may give them a proper assessment to see if they need one on one crisis counseling. The third group I wouldn’t be too concerned about as I had stated earlier, they have their own professional mental health providers. However, I would avail myself to them to see if they needed additional assistance and we would go from there if that were the case. I would like to do a one on one crisis intervention session with a survivor of the incident. These individuals seem like they would need the most help. According to the text, during any single-session intervention, the crisis worker must accomplish three pivotal or essential goals (Collins Collins, 2005). Those three goals are the victim or survivor’s personal safety, manage short-term master of the incident in order to keep moving on in life and lastly, the crisis worker must be able to show the individual there is help out there; whether its physical, mental or spiritual assets. However, this is difficult because a survivor usually has the hardest time to cope with what happened at the incident. The crisis intervention mod el seems appropriate to use in this situation. The first step is to empathize with the client’s ordeal, how they are feeling and support their decision in getting assistance or help. This could be done by letting them tell their story and listening intently (Collins Collins, 2005). Then, I would also ask how they felt during the incident and right at that moment. The second step involves safety in all aspects of the crisis. This is done by showing them that the crisis is over and that steps have been taken to ensure that the crisis wouldn’t happen again i.e. increased law enforcement on campus and training that involves resident assistants and college professors. I could also show the survivor that if they wanted to feel safer, they should take a self-defense class or carry a weapon of some kind. This produces a kind of empowerment and usefulness to the survivor, thus promoting their safety. The third step would be the most difficult, due to the fact that the survivor would have to recall certain situations. They would have to relive the moments leading up to the event and afterwards. This would take a while and it would be pivotal for me as a crisis worker to listen and be empathetic the whole time. When the survivor finally starts to open up, I would try my best to point out any feelings of paranoia or fears while trying to still listen (Collins Collins, 2005). If the survivor had divulged that they felt these issues, I would then ask them to take a step back and look at the event, if they could Then, I would ask if they could see if what they’re feeling is because of the shooter or if it’s just from the trauma and show them that they can deal with it. Afterwards, I would ask if there was anything else that happened if they felt comfortable enough to continuing on reliving the event. If the survivor chose to continue, they may learn something new that th ey hadn’t seen or realized before when retelling their story. The fourth step is to for this survivor is to start a discussion on making new plans. It would be at this point that I would ask the survivor on how they felt about going to another school in order to finish their degree, or just getting away from that university in general in order to get a new start. If the survivor liked that idea, I would ask how you would go about doing that and what resources do you have to make that a reality. I would also ask the survivor if they had any relatives or support systems that could help them move away and to start asking them for assistance. Afterwards, I would ask them to write down a pros and cons list of what would be better, to stay or leave (Collins Collins, 2005). Then, I’d have them tally it up and tell me what they really feel when that possibility could be made into a reality, that would it really help them move on from the crisis. The fifth step is for the survivor to implement any plans they have for the future in order for them to move on. This would also include any additional counseling sessions they may need or if they just wanted to check-in from time to time, that would be great as well. Throughout this last step, I would be empathetic and continue to tell the survivor whatever decision that they had made was a good choice in the right direction. Then, I would give the survivor my contact information so that the survivor could contact me when everything is settled. Lastly, if the survivor did want a follow-up meeting, I would then ask how they felt, how they were doing and if they were obtaining any of their goals that we had set out. Now that the one on one crisis intervention had passed, I would then focus on possible long term treatment goals for this survivor. A long term goal for this survivor is to ensure that they completed their education. This would be important to the survivor due to the fact that it would mean that the shooter did not deter them from their future plans in life. A second long term goal is to make sure that the survivor felt safe going anywhere at any time. This would prove that even though the world is a scary and eventful place, the survivor would be able to function in an open environment and not have any anxiety. A third goal is be able to forgive the shooter. The survivor must be able to forgive the shooter for his actions due to his mental instability. Unfortunately, the survivor cannot face the shooter but they can let them go and move on with their life. The plan’s outline would be something akin to the ongoing treatment plan in a crisis intervention model. The purpose of t he ongoing plan is to provide a guideline or process of rebuilding one’s life (Collins Collins, 2005). The first time I would meet with the survivor again after the crisis counseling is that I would try to get them to open up about what happened and observe to see if they were less apprehensive or emotionally distraught. They must be able to express themselves about what happened without too much emotional instability (Collins Collins, 2005). Then, it would be a confirmation that they had indeed moved on to the next chapter of their life. If the survivor was able to recall the event without too much emotional imbalance, I would move to the next part of the plan. The next step would be to see if the survivor had control of their life again. They must be able to enjoy life and do things that they want to do rather than be possessed by fear or anxiety. The following step is for the survivor to be able to recall what happened to them and they did in that event. The survivor must be able to see that it wasn’t their fault for being there at the wrong place at the wrong time; that it just happened (Collins Collins, 2005). They must be able to realize that the incident was tragic but random, not planned. The fourth step in the ongoing treatment plan is developmental. The survivor was unexpectedly dealt a serious blow when the event occurred. At the time that the shooting occurred, the survivor may have been idle and not moved forward with their life. The survivor must be able to show that they are moving forward with their life goals, i.e. completing their degree (Collins Collins, 2005). Lastly, this step is to see how the survivor’s support systems are doing. I would ask them how their family is and if they were seeing anyone in particular if they weren’t married. I would then ask about any external support syste m groups such as church or a specific group. According to the text, being able to fully reintegrate with your new surroundings is a great indicator of moving on after the crisis (Collins Collins, 2005). The expected outcome for the survivor looks good. I think they will be able to move on from this tragedy and be a stronger person because of it. Sometime after I had assisted the survivor, I would then debrief my coworkers and develop a self-plan and self-treatment plan so that I could mitigate the trauma exposure. According to the text, after a crisis or event subsides, a team member may need assistance in processing the experience and not be completely affected by it (Collins Collins, 2005). Essentially, the debriefing I would say would include all of the events prior to the intervention and during the intervention with the survivor. I would then divulge any emotional issues I was having and ask my coworkers for feedback on how I handled the situation and what could I do better the next time. The self-care plan entails having six steps or guidelines. As mental health specialists, we sometime think we know what’s best for us when it comes to certain issues. This would be what experts call â€Å"burden of knowledge†. We should look to our fellow crisis workers in order to assist us rather than trying to treat ourselves. After a crisis or traumatic event, sleep is the best ally. Studies show that people are more resilient to their trauma with a good night’s rest (Collins Collins, 2005). The third item is that nobody is perfect. There will be some issues that can cause stress and may also trigger that traumatic event’s memories to come flooding back. However, if you remember to use your own coping strategies, i.e. go for a run, you should be able to mitigate that issue. The next item in the plan entails being able to â€Å"ritualize† the work that you accomplished for that event. A suggestion for myself would be to start a journal, detailin g what happened prior to the crisis, during and afterwards, in order to keep perspective. The fifth detail in the plan is to being able to distance yourself from the work (Collins Collins, 2005). I find it refreshing if not spiritual, to go mountain climbing and look upon the horizon once you reach the summit. It helps put things in a certain order and allows me to be away from work, which was the cause of my distress. Lastly, I have to realize I’m not alone in this endeavor. There were other crisis workers present during that event. I’m sure if we got together and did a group therapy session, many of us would be relieved that we aren’t the only ones that experienced a side effect to those that we assisted during that time frame. In conclusion, I hope that my time with the survivor assisted them in moving on from the traumatic event; I’ll be fine due to my extensive training and the ability to distance myself from the person I’m trying to assist while maintaining professionalism and the ability to empathize. Unfortunately, these tragedies are now being more and more commonplace. Therefore, it is up to us as the mental health providers to step up to the challenge and assist those that need it most. References Collins, B. G., Collins T. M. (2005). Crisis and Trauma; Developmental-Ecological Intervention. Houghton Mifflin Publishing. Craig-Henderson, K. (2013). Youths who kill others in schools: What we know from the emerging field of research on school shootings. PsycCRITIQUES, 58(24) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1366574193?accountid=8289 Infoplease. (2008). Time line of recent worldwide school shootings. Retrieved May 17, 2008 from, http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html Littleton, H., PhD., Kumpula, M., M.A., Orcutt, H., PhD. (2011). Posttraumatic symptoms following a campus shooting: The role of psychosocial resource loss. Violence and Victims, 26(4), 461-76. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/878895988?accountid=8289 Worst U.S. Shooting Ever- kills 33 on Va. campus. (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2014, from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/18134671/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/worst-us shooting-ever-kills-va-campus/#.VBXHkhbDXmE

Customer Relationship Management Essay -- Software Technology CRM Essa

Customer Relationship Management A relative of mine works for a corporate firm on CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. He told me that their company is doing well with their CRM initiative while most of the other companies, using different software, are not achieving their goal of customer satisfaction. That gave me a big click of interest towards my research topic and I came up with a research questions as â€Å"How to avoid CRM failure?† and how to choose a best CRM software vendor? Customer Relationship Management is an interactive process for achieving the optimum balance between corporate investments and the satisfaction of customer needs to generate the maximum profit. CRM refers to management of all interactions with customers in which the enterprise indulges. Its main focus is on managing and optimizing entire customer lifecycle. The customer lifecycle revolves around marketing, sales and customer service. According to Jill Dyche (2002), CRM promises to help companies get to know their customers well enough to understand which ones to keep and which ones they should be willing to lose and why -and how not to overspend in the meantime. CRM also means automating many of the business processes and accompanying analysis and saving precious time in the bargain. Today’s companies are interacting with consumers at unprecedented levels and across different channels, such as E-mail, text chat, and multi-functional call centers. Marketing, sales and customer service are commonplace for CRM, so it is essential to acquire new customers and retain those who have high value, since customers have real value to the company’s success. And companies are pouring millions of dollars into customer relationship management, but most initiatives fail to deliver customer needs, so it is essential to have a proper analysis of CRM before choosing a particular vendor. The objective of good CRM is to increase the customer base by acquiring new customers and effectively serving the needs of existing customers. â€Å"The U.S. business-to-consumer e-commerce market is forecast to grow from $41.7 billion this year to $163 billion in 2004, and companies are realizing that customer relationship management will be a key driver of this growth, says Robert DeSisto, a VP with corporate consultant Gartner Group† (Jusko, 2001, p.12). Gartne... ...World Wide Web http://www.selltis.com/newssalesandmarketing20020103.htm . Sullivan, Tom (2001, February). Software selection process. InfoWorld magazine. . Robert, M., Deanne, M., John, A. W. (2001). Emerging Technologies for Enhancing Supplier–Reseller Partnerships. Retrieved December 11, 2002 from World Wide Web http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg&_imagekey=B6V69-42BTKST- 23&_cdi=5809&_orig=browse&_coverDate=02%2F28 2F2001&_sk=999699997&wchp=dGLbVzblSzBS& _acct=C000043018&_version=1&_userid=776986&md5=dc3b050988e40666b4698d136219cf4f&ie=f. pdf . Siebel systems (2002).Implementation best practices: Ensuring Customer success Retrieved December 11, 2002 from World Wide Web http://www.siebel.com/bestpractices/implementation.shtm# . Perkins, Bob. (2001). The Truth about CRM Software Satisfaction: Leveraging the Economy of Trust. Retrieved November 11, 2002 from http://www.crmguru.com/crminsight/2001c/0927.htm#2 . Hubley, Jen. (2002). Personalization tops privacy as key concern for e-mail marketers Retrieved December 12, 2002 from http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid11_gci790282,00.html

Unhealthy Diet

â€Å"Discuss the social and individual factors leading to unhealthy diet, its effects and some possible solutions for this problem† There are more and more people having unhealthy diet while there are also more and more issues about our body appearance. In this essay, I want to discuss these phenomena, its influences in our lives and give some suggestions as well. Regarding the reason why unhealthy diet has become popular, there are several to consider.First of all, a lot of girls want to be hinder because they think that thin is beautiful so they eat a bit at any time. For this reason, these people can't get enough nutrition and vitamins even reduce resistance of their bodies to illness. Another reason for unhealthy diet is pressure in our society becoming higher; therefore people are becoming busier so they don't have enough time to have normal meals. They must have meals as fast as possible thus they choose to eat fast food. Both of personal and society factors lead this p henomenon.As is well-known that unhealthy diet leads to a lot of problems in people's life. As I stated above, people who have unhealthy diets can't get enough nutrition, vitamin even reduce resistance of our bodies. ‘In addition, unhealthy diets also often contain too many calories so unhealthy diets have negative influences. Firstly, obesity is one of the most immediate results of an unhealthy diet. ‘(Holly C 2010) Secondly, an unhealthy diet will not include the necessary vitamins and minerals required for the maintenance of your immune system.For this reason, people will get illness easily. Even if there are more and more problems about unhealthy diet, we can change this status in the future. For example, newspapers should show people what healthy diet is and how dangerous this diet is. Government appeal healthy fast food to replace the traditional one. We must have balanced diet so that we can have healthy body in our lives In conclusion, we should remove unhealthy diet in our life and prevent something similar as it in the future. BAL Anthony

What advantages or disadvantages are there of having a telephone mast at your school?

I deliberated in finding you a result, never the less I will give you an unbiased view point and give you a pragmatic answer†¦ Consequently I have prepared a list of bullet points for and against for the answer†¦ For * Good phone signals are in place so a teacher can easily contact others (via mobile phone) if the conditions are stormy. * If a phone mass was put into place, company's across the country would manufacture there businesses nearby so all employees could conveniently access strong phone signals meaning Clayton would be popular village meaning a boost in local economy†¦ * People would see Clayton as a more business friendly town, meaning more leisure prospects because companies might set up major offices and buildings†¦ * Small towns may be transformed into a thriving city because a brilliant signals†¦ * May bring protesters although they would need transport and accommodation therefore it puts money into the economy again†¦ * If major company's construct big offices near by other people may be persuaded to create other things nearby to cater for the business men's every need for example coffee shops and luxury outlet stores for rich people who work in the offices†¦ * If thriving company's start up in the town other buildings will come as well, for example the company may want a building nearby were they can host there website (lots of servers) so they don't have to travel far to maintain equipment, meaning that they will buy more land leading to estate agents and nearby people gaining lots of money, which will further more be pumped back into the economy†¦ * If major company's set up in the nearby town, big companies such as BT etc will feel pressured not to have a office in the town because the town will be popular full of people†¦ * More shops would appear because the town would be so popular meaning lots of people would buy products from there shop†¦ * There is no real evidence to suggest that the EM radiation used in cellular communications is harmful. Against * There are fears that mobile phone masts present a threat to health, these fears begin with the warming of the brain direct from mobile phones, this leads onto the possible causes of cancer that come from phone masts e.g. brain tumours, this is the cause of microwave radiation. * You might have trouble sleeping as time goes on and you could be at risk from catching a brain tumour. Also if someone was to stand near a phone mast they might be at risk of catching the flu. * Seven different studies had concluded that mobile phones could increase the chances of both malignant and benign brain tumours'. * Can be seen as unattractive for example, if there is elegant view around the town the mast would instantly destroy it†¦ Meaning that if the town is seen as a rural, it is no instantly transformed as an urban town†¦ * Newcastle is aimed at older people (London is aimed at younger people) Therefore they will be against the change†¦ How it works Mobile phones work using radio signals in a similar way to radio and television. The system is based on geographic areas known as cells. When you make a call, your mobile phone sends a signal to the nearest base station that controls a cell. The base station then transmits the signal through mobile and fixed line networks to connect you. Cells vary in size depending on location and demand. A large base station may be able to carry 100 to 150 calls simultaneously while a smaller one may only be able to carry around 30 calls. More base stations will be needed in areas where lots of people want to use their mobile phones. There are around 51,000 base stations in the UK, two-thirds of which are integrated into the design of existing buildings or structures. Conclusion This is a very debateable subject, however I hope the bullet points I have willingly provided have made it easier for me to make a strong decision†¦ If I was put in charge of making this decision I would be for the telephone mast because it would bring major companies to Newcastle-under-Lyme which would be excellent for the economy, There are about 70 million mobile phones in use in the UK which of whom need to base stations, this is why one should be made in Newcastle because they have to be made! People may protest and rebel about this although this wouldn't matter too much because after a while people will forget†¦If we did put a telephone mast in Newcastle there is a chance that Newcastle under Lyme could be completely transformed for the best! Some major disadvantages would be that it could cause harm towards the civilians and that the change could anger the more older public because they might not like thriving city's and prefer the quite villages†¦

Emily: A Case Study in Adolescent Development Essay

Abstract This case study details the developmental milestones of an adolescent girl named Emily. Emily is 12 years old and lives with her mother who is a single parent. According to many theorists and researches, because she is being raised by a single mother, Emily is an at-risk adolescent who may have trouble properly hitting developmental milestones along with her peers. After observing Emily in her natural environment, then spending time interacting with Emily and interviewing her mother Elizabeth, I found that Emily is a typically developing adolescent. Emily has developed before or along with her peers physically, cognitively, and psychosocially. Emily appears to be developing a healthy sense of independence and self concept. Finally, Emily is healthy and appears to be progressing through puberty at a normal rate. Emily: A Case Study In Adolescent Development Emily is a 12-year-old girl. Since birth she has lived with her mother Elizabeth in a small South Carolina town – population 60,000. She was an only child until three years ago when her brother Wade was born. Emily’s mother Elizabeth is a single mother. Emily has never met her own father but had grown close to Wade’s father, her step dad, when he died nine months ago from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Emily’s mother According to Milstead and Perkins (2010), a child’s family is central to their successful development. Their research suggests that children who are raised in non-traditional families are at a disadvantage is all areas of development as well as socioeconomically. This case study will examine typical physical, cognitive, and psychosocial milestone of adolescent children and if 12-year-old Emily has been negatively affected in these areas as a result of her living in a single parent home. LITERATURE REVIEW At 12 years old Emily is entering adolescence. It is during adolescence that puberty begins. The time of adolescence is a time of rapid changes and physical growth in children. Rapid growth occurs in the bones and muscles, changes in body shape and size occur, and sexual maturation begins, essentially ending childhood. Beginning with hormonal changes, including an increase in estrogen and progesterone, girls typically begin experiencing pubescent changes at the approximate age of eight. Soon after, the uterus and vagina begin to grow larger and girls begin to develop breast buds. Around the age of eleven, girls begin to develop pubic hair. Girls can expect their weight and height to increase during this time as well. As girls a girl’s body begins to prepare for menarche, their hips will become wider. The first menstrual period typically occurs around the age of twelve; however, this can happen earlier for some girls and much later for others. Puberty continues through the age of 18 as girls breasts fully develop and their first ovulation occurs (Berger, 2011). In addition to sexual development during puberty, adolescents develop physically as well. A growth spurt occurs during adolescence where nearly every body part grows, most notably at different and uneven rates. According to Berger (2011), the fingers and toes of an adolescent grow longer before the hands and feet. The hands and feet grow longer before the arms and legs, and the arms and legs grow longer before the torso. It is not uncommon for an adolescent’s body to appear unsymmetrical. â€Å"One foot, one breast, or even one ear may grow later than the other,† (Berger, 2011, p. 393). The hormones responsible for puberty and growth spurts in adolescent girls are also responsible for emotional changes. It is not uncommon for girls experiencing these hormone changes to have sudden outbursts of anger, sadness, or even lust. Neurological changes occur as the â€Å"limbic system, responsible for intense fear and excitement from the amygdale, matures before the prefrontal cortex, where planning ahead, emotional regulation, and impulse control occur,† (Berger, 2011, p 400). These neurological changes often lead adolescents to throw caution to the wind, especially in social situations. Adolescents are more likely to act impulsively. Their impulsive behaviors coupled with their increase in hormones and interest in  sexual activities puts adolescents at risk for sexual abuse and early pregnancy (Berger, 2011). During adolescence, physical and hormonal changes aren’t the only changes occurring. Brain maturation also occurs and cognitive growth increases. Adolescent children will experience increased independence, a heightened sense of self-consciousness, the ability to think more abstractly. According to Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher, Jean Piaget, adolescents develop the ability to use abstract logic, in contrast to children in early and middle childhood who primarily only have the ability to think in concrete terms (Goncu, & Abel, 2011). In addition, during adolescence, identity struggles often begin. Developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst, Erik Erickson, described this stage of development as identity versus role confusion. According to Erickson, an adolescent’s mission during this state is to unearth who they are as individuals, apart from their families and as members of society at large. Futile navigation of this stage, according to Erickson, results in role confusion and upheaval. Adolescents develop a sense of personal identity through many avenues including religion, politics, natural abilities, and gender. Merging childhood events, social ideals, and their distinctive ambitions, identity is developed. However, according to Erickson, adolescents seldom reach identity and role confusion is more probable (Boddington, 2009). OBSERVATION AND INTERACTION Emily is attending a birthday party for one of her peers at school. The party is being held at a local church, in the church’s social hall. According to Emily’s mother this is not the first birthday party that Emily had attended where both boys and girls are present; however, it is the first co-ed party that she has attended since she began showing an interest in boys. Most of the girls are wearing dresses and shoes with modest heels; their hair perfectly tended to with hints of gloss on their lips and blush on their cheeks. Emily wears blue jeans, a blue and white stripped long sleeved shirt and boat shoes. Her normal blond curls have been flattened with a straightening iron, according to her mother. Emily likes her hair better  straight and she hates dresses. Emily is tall, standing at 5 feet 6 inches tall. She weighs 150 pounds. Her body is well proportioned and she does not appear to be overweight. Emily has developed breasts and she has the appearance of some acne on her chin and forehead. The overhead fluorescent lights are dimmed in the social hall but the area is lit well with blue, red, and green lights which flash in sync with the music playing over a pair of large speakers. A DJ encourages the 28 eleven and twelve year olds to join the only two boys on the dance floor. The room is divided. Girls stand near a row of metal folding chairs lining a wall. The boys gather near a stage on the far end of the room. Emily’s mother Elizabeth is also attending the party as a chaperone. Elizabeth motions for Emily to come to her three times during a thirty minute period in an effort to encourage Emily to join the others on the dance floor. Each time Emily ignores her mother’s encouragements. The third time Emily’s eyes grow wide and from across the room she mouths the word â€Å"stop† to Elizabeth. Nearly an hour into the party, the girls scream with delight when a popular song begins to play and several rush to the dance floor. Emily rushes to the dance floor with a number of other girls and they begin to dance to the music. Song after song, Emily and her group of friends stay on the dance floor. They stop occasionally to chat with one another but never leave the dance floor. Emily dances and laughs with her female friends for nearly an hour before the group is called to have birthday cake and watch as the birthday girl opens presents. While the children are eating Emily socializes with both her female and male friends. She is particularly friendly with a male named Dawson. The two stand beside one another and talk while their friend opens her birthday presents. She playfully hits him on the arm six times during their exchange. She blushes as he playfully hit her back. Soon the group of adolescents is back on the dance floor for another half hour of dancing before the party is over. This time both the boys and girls are on  the dance floor together. Emily dances alongside both her female and male friends for the remainder of the party. As the party comes to close, Emily hugs each one of her female friends’ goodbye as they leave. When Elizabeth summons Emily to leave the party, Emily shouts out to Dawson, telling him goodbye. On Sunday afternoon, Elizabeth welcomes me to spend time with Emily in the family’s home. Emily’s family lives in a modest three bedroom, two bath house in a popular neighborhood on the North side of town. Their large fenced in back yard is filled with bright colored, plastic play-things belonging to Emily’s younger brother Wade. Emily’s purple Next bicycle leans against a wall in the home’s garage. The bicycle is much too small for her growing stature and Emily readily admits that she hasn’t ridden the bike in at least a year. Nothing else in the yard or garage suggests that a young girl live there but inside the home tells a different story. On the kitchen counter lays a knotted green ribbon with long blonde hairs tangled within the knot. Emily explains that she wore the ribbon on St. Patrick’s Day this year because she had no other green in her wardrobe. Lying on the family couch is a blue and purple fleece blanket and a fuzzy heart -shaped fuchsia pillow donning the words â€Å"Drama Queen.† It’s Emily’s favorite pillow. The floor in the living area is scattered with green toy tractors and an incomplete train set. Leaving the living area and entering the long narrow hallway, Emily’s bedroom is the first room on the left. Her doorway stands open but a handmade foam door hanger hangs from the door knob reading â€Å"Do Not Enter.† Emily’s room is pink and while with accents of black and grey. Her hot pink sheets peek out from under the wrinkled black and white polka dot comforter on her bed. Her bedroom walls are adorned with pictures of her favorite singers, Cody Simpson and Selena Gomez. A large bean bag chair takes up much of the floor space in her bedroom. A large bookcase runs nearly the length of one wall while a keyboard and microphone stand sit against the opposite wall. Emily loves to sing and often spends a great deal of her time singing along with her favorite musicians on her karaoke machine. A framed piece of child-drawn art hangs to the right of her bed. Emily says she completed the work in third grade. It depicts a boy who is seemingly stuck inside of a glass bottom room. Emily explains the technique  she used is called foreshadowing. When asked if it has an underlying leans, Emily whips her hair and nonchalantly replies that it does not. Emily is welcoming and excited to show off her space and her things, including her three dance trophies and her second place youth photography ribbon she won at last year’s South Carolina Festival of Flowers. Emily is creative and has an artistic side through her love of music, photography, drawing and painting, and dance. I inquire more about Emily’s art work and she pulls from her closet several pieces of art work sandwiched between two pieces of cardboard. She carefully pulls out several pieces of art and tells me how old she was when she completed it. Before we can finish, Emily’s phone alerts her that she has a text message. For the next 15 minutes Emily sends and receives text messages from her cell phone. She tells me that she is discussing an upcoming school trip to Philadelphia with her friend Jenny. They are discussing room arrangements. After texting with Jenny, Emily shows me information she has printed from the internet pertaining to her trip to Philadelphia. Emily says she is excited about the trip as she has never been away from home for more than two or three days at a time. She will be in Philadelphia for six days. Emily says she cannot wait to go and excitedly explains how she will be staying in a hotel room with three of her female friends, without an adult. Emily explains that the girls will stay on the third floor of the hotel while the boys will stay on the second floor. Emily receives another text message just as I am leaving. She says goodbye without looking up from her cell phone. INTERVIEW Elizabeth is a thirty-two year old mother of two. She gave birth to Emily at the age of nineteen. Emily was born December 10, 1999 by cesarean section after a full term pregnancy. Emily’s mother Elizabeth reports no prenatal problems and no complications during labor. At birth Emily weighed seven pounds and eleven ounces. She was twenty one inches long. According to the Centers for Disease Control (2000) Emily’s weight put her in the thirty sixth percentile for newborns and her height put her in the ninety third percentile for newborns. As an infant, Emily was breast fed for seven months, according to Elizabeth. Elizabeth explains that as an infant, a  toddler, and a young child, Emily hit all of her developmental milestones early, including puberty which began for Emily around age nine. Emily’s father is not active in Elizabeth and Emily’s lives. Emily has never met her father. Elizabeth explains that Emily’s father attended college with her. They were casually dating when Elizabeth became pregnant. Emily’s father did not want anything to do with Elizabeth after she told him she was pregnant. After finding out that she was pregnant, Elizabeth quit school until she gave birth to Emily then quickly returned to finish her degree. Elizabeth obtained a four year degree in marketing from a local college when Emily was three. She now works for a major hotel chain as their director of communications. Elizabeth earns $43,000 annually. She has no other income. Elizabeth grew up in the Catholic Church but left the church as a teen. Today she is a member of a local Presbyterian church. Elizabeth considers herself an authoritative parent. She says that while she has great deal of expectations for her children, she also has a close and warm relationship with each of them. She says her relationship with Emily has become closer since Emily has begun middle school. Elizabeth believes that it is most important that her children trust her. She explains that she wants her children to feel as if they can talk to her about anything. Elizabeth expects Emily to perform well in school and says Emily has not ever been in trouble at school because Elizabeth does not tolerate disobedience, especially in school. Elizabeth believes she holds the three traits that she says make a great parent: she commands respect; she works constantly to ensure good communication with her children so that they trust her, and she has clear expectations of her children. Elizabeth says that if she were to give new parents three pieces of advice she would impress upon them how quickly time passes. â€Å"Enjoy every minute, and don’t take one second for granted,† she says. Elizabeth says she would also tell new parents to make sure they make time for themselves. Finally, Elizabeth says she would tell them to be honest with their children. â€Å"Share your life experiences with them. Tell them the things you did right and the things you did wrong. Tell them about the lessons you’ve learned. Children learn to respect you and trust you in that sense.† FINDINGS Emily is nine months shy of her thirteenth birthday. Emily is five feet, six inches tall. She weighs one hundred and fifty pounds. According to the Centers for Disease Control (2000), Emily’s height is greater than the ninety seventh percentile for height. Emily is at the ninety seventh percentile for weight. Although Emily is taller and heavier than more than ninety five percent of her peers, according to her mother, Emily has hit developmental milestones earlier than her peers since she was an infant. Furthermore, Emily is currently experiencing puberty, an expected occurrence at her age. She has developed breasts and she has had her first menstrual period. Emily is not sexually active, according to her mother and therefore she is currently not at risk for early pregnancy. Cognitively, Emily is progressing as a typical 12 year old girl. She displays eagerness to establish a sense of independence from her mother with her upcoming school trip to Philadelphia. She looks forward to being away from her mother, and proving to both her mother and herself that she is maturing in the ability to make her own choices. Emily’s cognitive development is also apparent in the choices she made when dressing and styling her hair for the birthday party she attended. Emily’s mother explained that Emily used a straightening iron on her hair because she was not fond of her naturally curly hair. This demonstrates that Emily has developed a sense of self-consciousness. Lastly, Emily’s psychosocial development is apparent in that Emily is working to develop her own identity. Although Emily’s friends wore dresses to the birthday party, Emily opted for blue jeans and boat shoes. Emily chose to wear what she was comfortable wearing instead of what social norms would have her wear. In addition, Emily knows what she loves. She immerses herself in her art, her music, and her photography. While her friends are participating in sports and trying out for cheerleading, Emily is comfortable in her own vocation and does not seem eager to change. SUMMARY Emily is a typically developing 12 year old girl. It does not appear that her physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development has been negatively affected by her growing up in a single parent home. While Emily’s development is far from over, for now she appears to be progressing well, and developing into a healthy, secure and socially responsible young woman. REFERENCES Berger, K. (2011). The Developing Person Through the Life Span, eighth ed. New York, NY: Worth Publishers. Boddington, E. N. (2009). _Cognitive Process of Development in Children_. Online Submission. Goncu, A., & Abel, B. (2011). The child’s conception of the world: A 20th-century classic of child psychology, Second Edition. Edited by Jean Piaget, Forward by Jacques Voneche. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, Lanham, MD, 2007. pp. 432. Price:  £19.99, â‚ ¬31.48†¦ Infant & Child Development, 20(2), 246-248. doi:10.1002/icd.719 Milstead, K., & Perkins, G. (2010). Family Structure Characteristics and Academic Success: Supporting the Work of School Counselors. Academic Leadership (15337812), 8(4), 19. National Center for Desease Control and Prevention (May 30, 2000). CDC growth charts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41c022.pdf.