William Shakespeare Sonnets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

William Shakespeare Sonnets - Essay Example Sonnet 144, 146, 147 and 152 are a few of his completed works and these sonnets carry with them important themes and messages. The theme of love is evident in these sonnets like all of his works. Sonnet 144 mainly discusses the theme of how women are evil owing to the distraction that they provide to men and hence move men away from their faith. The sonnet explains how men are physically attracted to women and Shakespeare considers this attraction to be of threat to pure love. On the other hand, Sonnet 146 carries a spiritual theme and reflects upon the segregation of the soul from the body upon the death of a person. Sonnet 147 explains the theme of illness and how illness drives a person towards depression. The last sonnet in discussion that is sonnet 152 revolves around the confusion of the poet regarding love and whether the love of the dark lady can be trusted and relied upon. The four sonnets carry with them individually very deep themes and meanings which are to be understood by the reader. Sonnets William Shakespeare is one name that fails to be unknown. From children to elderly, whether associated with Literature or not, everyone knows him as a man, who wrote plays and poetry. As general as that sounds, that is the magnanimity of his reputation and fame. To be more precise, William Shakespeare is a person who has contributed to English Literature more than anyone else. In his life, he was known for his plays, theatres and drama, but after his death, the rest of his published work showed that he was a much more intense and qualified poet. The sixteenth century celebrated him and his talents, nevertheless, any celebration or recognition remains small to the size of his contributions. His poetry remains alive today and his sonnets are a perfect example of it. As deep as his sonnets were, they had a certain mysterious element to it. There is a hidden story in each sonnet, yet they all seem connected and extremely personal at the same time. It’s the typical Shakespeare magic. The sonnets discussed in this paper are Sonnet 144, 146, 147 and 152; their complications, themes, story and their whole Shakespeare affect. Sonnet 144’s main theme is about how a woman is an evil figure when it comes to luring men. In this Sonnet, Shakespeare talks about good and bad people and refers them to as the â€Å"two loves† and the â€Å"two spirits†. He is explaining the human nature of men as to how women attract them physically and damage their faith. It somehow reflects the reality of life that no matter what happens; men will always have a desire for women. Shakespeare writes this sonnet with a feeling of threat that he feels from this evil to his â€Å"pure love.† This sonnet clearly explains the war that rages within a man after he falls in love; a war between his spirit and body. And according to this sonnet, the woman is the evil that supports body over the spirit. In short, the woman is like a wall between he ll and heaven. Moving on, sonnet 146 is said to be the only sonnet which has a grave religious element to it. None of the other sonnets by William Shakespeare have that connection to God. This Sonnet, in particular brings out the feeling of â€Å"impending death.† Even though there is no particular mention of God, there is a spiritual and a meditative feel about this. And once again, we witness a battle between the soul and body but in a completely different way. This battle is the detachment that takes place between the body and soul when a person dies. Sonnet number 147 is a different story in whole. It portrays the poet, that is, William Shakespeare as a sick man who is suffering from a disease that involves an excruciating fever. The expression in the sonnet

Domestic Violence Generalist Social Work

Domestic Violence Generalist Social Work Domestic Violence Generalist Social Work Generalist social work practice is the knowledge, skills, and value ethics to enhance human well-being and promotes social and economic justice. Dealing with domestic violence as a social worker you much network, gathering up all the information you would need to help the victim or the perpetrators. Social workers provide services to victims and perpetrators. Direct services to victims of domestic violence include counseling and support through shelter programs, individual counseling through private setting, and social justice community organizing effort to prevent domestic violence from occurring. Social workers provide services to victims of domestic violence through shelter; the services provided empowerment and advocacy. Victim population Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior which involves violence or abuse by the person against another in a domestic context such as marriage of cohabitation. Domestic violence is use to gain or maintain power or control over their partner. Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of age, education, race, religious, gender, or sexual orientation; the problems of domestic violence is often overlooked, excused, or denied. One of the earliest conceptualizations of domestic violence was based on a cyclical conflict model known as Cycle of Violence, Cycle of Violence is a pattern often experienced in abuse relationship. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women. Studies suggest that Domestic Violence Jones 4 up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence according to (Social Work and Family Violence page 36). Boys who witnessed their parents domestic violence when they grow older are twice as likely to abuse their spouse or significant other as those that did not witness domestic violence. Most domestic violence incident are never reported. According to Albert R. Roberts more than 60% of domestic violence incident happen at home. Types of Domestic Violence The types of domestic violence are physical, emotional, financial, identity, and sexual abuse which can turn into martial rape. Domestic violence often occurs when the culprit believes that abuse is justified and acceptable. Physical abuse is an act of another party involving contact intended to cause feelings of physical pain, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm. Examples are hitting, chocking, and biting, shoveling, arm twisting, slapping, kicking, and burning. Physical abuse also consent of holding your partner down preventing them from leaving, also smashing, damage, stealing, or selling their possession. I think everyone at some point of their relationship has been emotional abuse. Emotional abuse can be verbal or nonverbal. Emotional abuse is undermining an individual sense of self-worth; any use of words, voice, action, or lack action use to control, hurt,or demean another person. Some examples of emotional abuse include name calling, humiliation, screaming, controlling where the victim goes and what they do, and harassing. Another type of abuse is financial abuse. Financial abuse is any type of behavior that maintains power and control over finances. Examples of financial abuse are Domestic Violence Jones 5 controlling financial assets and effectively putting them on an allowance, damaging their partner credit score, preventing the victim from working, and taking credit cards, checks and money. Identity abuse is using personal characteristic to demean, manipulate, and control their partner. Examples are ridiculing partners physical challenges or exploring them, stating that their partner will never have another relationship because they are fat or ugly, and using stereotype and negativity. The last type is sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is any type any forced or coerced sexual act or behavior motivated to acquire power and control but also demeans or embrace your victim. Some example of sexual abuse is unwanted touching, forcing sex or sexual actions on your partner withoutconsent using force or roughness that is not consensual, forced sex which is also rape. Rape with an object, refusing to comply with the partners request for safe sex, treating their partner as a sex object, or withholding sex as a punishment. Victim The victim is a 29 year old black female with no job, her religion is Baptist, she has no handicap conditions, and she is a high school graduate. Her socioeconomic status is poor. The victim is married with four children. The victim stays in a 3 bedroom and 1 bathroom house. She describes her neighborhood as being okay. She is a homemaker and her husband is the financial provider. Her husband makes all final decision. Growing up her father occupation was a preacher and the mother was forces to quit her job. Her father is in jail and her mother is dead. She has two sisters. As a child the victims family stayed in an apartment complex. Before the crisis the victim describe Domestic Violence Jones 6 her family as being normal. She stated â€Å"We had the typical family my family was normal.† The victim revisited the time when they had a Halloween party. They did not go out for candy but her mom dressed up in a costume. They made popcorn balls and ate candy until their dad made it home. After that they watched a family movie then went to bed, that night they all slept in one room. The victims family is considered close knit. Her two sisters stay in apartments in bad neighborhoods. One of her sister has 4 children, she does not work, and she is engaged. The other sister has 3 children and is expecting one; she works at a fast food restaurant, and is engaged. The victim and her sisters were raised by their mom. Later that year in 1996 they moved in with their grandparents. All of the pain started when the victims father started using drugs. The victim father was on drugs very bad. She witnessed her father physical and verbal abusing her mother. He threw glass plates, slapped her in the face, threw her against the wall, and called her bitches and whores. At the age of 10 the victim started getting raped by her father. The first time he did it her mom was not a home they were there alone; she was watching TV. She stated â€Å"He grabbed me from the front room and said youare in big trouble.† She did not know what she did that was wrong. He took her into her mothers bedroom pulled her pants off and her underwear off and raped her. She saidâ€Å"The only thing she remembers is screaming and hollering.† She did not tell her mom. She told her best friend and made her promise not to tell anyone. The victim got pregnant at the age of 11. After her mom gained knowledge about the rape, she left only to find out she was pregnant by her father. The victims mother moved out of the state of Mississippi for two weeks. While she was Domestic ViolenceJones 7 out of the state her mother took her to have an abortion. They moved back to Mississippi and moved in with her parents. Two weeks after movingback her husband was coming to his in laws house begging her to come back making promises that he was not going to do drugs, he was not going to physical abuse her, or ever touch his daughter again. Shortly after that they all moved back in with their father. After a week of moving back in the father came home in a rage. Her parents begin arguing and during the argument he grabbed his shot gun. He left the room they was arguing in and went to the daughter’s bedroom, grabbed his oldest daughter from the bed by her ponytail and begin dragging her to the back room of their apartment. The sister ran out of the apartment once he grabbed the sister and dragged her to the back. Her mother begged and pleaded, crying â€Å"Please let her go, I’ll do anything.† The mother gained access of the daughter and they headed for the window. When the first gunshot went off she was pushing the screen out of the window, the second gunshot went off she push her daughter out of the window, the third gunshot went off when her mom was out of the window. They fell from a two story building. Her mothers last words were â€Å"Is my daughter okay. The victim was unconscious with a broken leg and a broke back. After the tragic accident her father fled the scene and went to his moms house. When the police arrested him he said, â€Å"The drugs made me do it.† The victim says â€Å"Not a day go by that she don’t think about her mom, she also stated that her mom birthdays and Mothers Day is the hardest day of the year for her.† One of the victim sisters did not remember much from that night; she remembers her dad coming in the room with a gun screaming. After she took her sister Domestic Violence Jones 8 out the room, her and the baby sister ran out the apartment andran down stairs and hid behind some bushes. The victim was unable to make her moms funeral because the condition that was inflicted on her; they recorded the funeral for her. Her father got life for the crimes he committed. The victim father committed plenty of the domestic violence crimes. Ethical Issues Ethical issue is a problem or situation that requires a person or organization to choose between alternatives that must evaluated as ethical or unethical. As a social worker many of the people we work with will be victims; most males will have battered their partners. Social workers find themselves being challenge by difficult ethical decision. Ethical perplexity comes about in situations when you have to choose between two or more relevant but contradictory ethical value. Personal ethics is ethics that a person identifies with respect so people and situations that they deal with in everyday life. Professional ethics refers to the ethics that a person must adhere to in respect of the interaction and business dealing in their professional life. Domestic violence perpetration would say if I can’t have you no one will; as a social worker that will be a threat. You will have to break confidentiality and protect a life. You can not influence your views of clients and affect the willingness to take action on the professions value base. When you become a social worker your personal values should be put aside for professional ones. The degree of conflict we experience will vary with the degree of personal commitment Domestic Violence Jones 9 and the deeper the commitment to personal value, the greater the possibility of conflict with professional value. (Grooch and Olsen, 1994 page 6) You have to remember that someone else may believe and something else. Social workers are expected to embrace a diversity of value and people. Policies The FVPSA (Family Violence Prevention and Service Act) is a bill is the only funding source dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence; they funds emergency shelter and related services and programs for domestic violence. The bill creates grant funding for states, tribes, and domestic violence coalitions. The bill support the needs of children exposed to violence it also addressprevention of children from victimization. Laws in Mississippi Mississippi have two domestic violence crimes simple domestic violence and aggravated domestic. A person is guilty of simple domestic violence if he or she commits a simple assault against a current or former spouse, child of a current or formal spouse, person with whom the offender lives or formerly lived as a spouse or as a child of that person, family member who lives or previously lived with the offender, person with whom the offender has a child. A person commies a simple assault if he or she attempts to physically injure another person, intentionally or recklessly cause physical injury to another, negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon, or threatens another person, causing that person to feel afraid that he or she is about to suffer serious physical injury. (Mississippi Code 97-3-7) A reckless act is one that is committed, not Domestic Violence Jones 10 necessarily with intent to harm another, but without regard for the outcome. Pushing someone out of the way in a crowd so that you can get through, without intending to injury the person, could be an assault if the person falls and is injuries. A negligent act is one which is not intentional but which occurs because the actor fails to excise reasonable care. An accidental shooting can be a negligent assault if it results from a person not being careful enough when handling or firing a gun. Aggravated domestic violence is guilty of aggravated of domestic violence if he commits an aggravated assault against a spouse, family member, or romantic partner. A person commits aggravate assault if he or she attempt to cause serious bodily injury to another person. Intention or reckless cause’sserious bodily injury to another while acting with extreme indifferent to human life. Attempts or causes bodily injury to another person with a deadly weapon or by other means likely to cause death or seriously bodily injury, or causes injury to a child who is in the process of boarding or exiting a school bus if the offender has failed to stop for the bus according to traffic laws. (Mississippi Code 97-3-7) To act reckless is to act with extreme indifference to the value of human life, the actor does not need tointend to injure to the victim. He or she may attend to shot a person other than the victim but take no precautions to avoid hurting others. He or she may shoot a gun into a crowd appear menacing but without regard for whether he or she actually injuries someone in the crowd. To be reckless or to act with extreme indifference to human life is to act with extreme carelessness. Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Social work is divided into three practice micro, mezzo, and macro. Micro the smallest Domestic Violence Jones 11 group; the individual the victim. Mezzo deals with the neighborhoods, institution. Macro is the large group, the whole group deals with the communities. Intervention that might alleviate domestic violence should be applied at all three levels micro, mezzo, and macro. The micro level focuses on personal interaction with the victims on individual levels. Micro level could embrace a school social work counseling on an abuse student. As a social worker at the micro level you can help by empowering the person that you are helping with domestic violence. You should also build up their confidence find out what they are really good at. The mezzo level change people by ringing them together who are not as intimate as a couple, but can build and benefit from social network. The best thing to do as a social worker on the mezzo for domestic violence is group therapy. The macro level focuses on the general issues. Macro level is policy changing. Looking at domestic violence from the macro level is recognizing that the issue is recognizing that the issue of males control over women is throughout society. Macro deals with policy changes with law enforcement, protective order, prosecution, the churches, and the oppression of women. Domestic violence may occur at the micro level, but it is also a macro problem. Social workers are involved with violent families, but also must be working at a community level and on policies that will be less tolerate to domestic violence. Assessment is the evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something. Domestic Violence Jones 12 Assessment Assess the immediate safety needs of the victim are you in danger Assess the pattern and history of the abuse How long has the violence been going on Asses the connection between domestic violence and the patents health issue What is the degree of the partners control Asses the victims current access to advocacy and support groups What resource you used or tried Assess victims safety; Is the future risk or death or significant injury or harm due to domestic violence Make sure the victim is safe Intervention Inventions Intervention is the action of process of intervening; interference by a country in anothers affair. Goals for effectively responding to domestic violence victims Increase victim safety Domestic Violence Jones 13 Listen to the patient and provide validating messages You dont deserve this Provide information about domestic violence to the patient Listen and respond the safety issues Show the patient a brochure about safety Make referrals to local resources Explain any advocacy and support systems Follow up steps for health care practitioners Keep contact with the patient Domestic Violence Jones 2 Abstract Domestic violence is one of the most unreported crimes due to fear of retaliation. Fear and promise for changes are what keep the victim in the relationship so long. Most victims think that if they leave their partner will harm them. This paper is about domestic violence and the social worker views of domestic violence. References Dr. Joan McClennan Social work and Family Violence 2010 Roberts R. Albert Handbook of Domestic Violence 2012 Rosenberg Jessica Working in Social Work 2009 Grooch and Olsen 1994

Deviation from Genre in Hitchcock’s Movie, Vertigo :: Movie Film Essays

Deviation from Genre in Hitchcock’s Movie, Vertigo When a director achieves great success, as Hitchcock did, he is able to follow a formula, much like a genre does, for future success. Further, a successful director is able to do a genre movie but place his own personal touch on it; in doing so, he ignores the formula that has thus far brought the genre so much success. Knighted as the â€Å"Master of Suspense,† Hitchcock was well known for his witty dialogue and genius plot twists. But Hitchcock’s true mastery came through in his ability to enshroud one story within another. In Vertigo, Hitchcock reveals the twist, that an imposter was hired so that the real Madeleine could be murdered, halfway through the film. The bold tactic breaks the formulaic structure we expect from a murder mystery, in which solutions always come at the end. It risks unsettling the viewer, particularly on an initial viewing of the film. However, by dispensing with formula, Hitchcock shifts the emphasis of the story from murder to character, a potentially deeper subject than the typical whodunit conundrum. It is after this revelation that Hitchcock’s true movie shines through. The mystery is solved for the audience, but James Stewart’s character â€Å"Scotty† is still haunted by the memory of his possessed love. His possession takes him so far that he attempts to remake a woman (Judy) that reminds him of his beloved Madeleine into the actual woman. With the movie now a â€Å"love† story, Hitchcock was able to elude yet another genre. His twisted approach on a relationship based on obsession with a dead woman garners pity for both Judy, who is something of an accomplice to the murder of the real Madeleine, and for Scotty, who actually fell in love with the woman he is trying to make into a woman he never met. And so Hitchcock is able to pose a stunning question: Did Scotty fall in love with Judy or her impression of Madeleine? This answer is impossible to know, with Scotty never having met the real Madeleine or getting the chance to know Judy for who she is b ecause she ironically falls to her death just as Madeleine did. It is the very departure from genre that may warrant the success of a film. Perhaps the formula has been done too many times, leaving the audience unfulfilled, or the very topic no longer holds any interest.

The Concept of Omoiyari (Altruistic Sensitivity) in Japanese Relational Communication

Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 1 2006 Hara The Concept of Omoiyari (Altruistic Sensitivity) in Japanese Relational Communication Kazuya Hara, Meikai University, Japan Abstract It is essential to explore Japanese concepts in Japanese languages as intellectual tools for future studies in Asia. In order to develop Asian theories of communication, therefore, Asian communication scholars ought to engage in this important task.This paper presents such an attempt by conceptualizing the concept of omoiyari for a Japanese theory of relational communication. In social psychology, the Japanese concept of omoiyari has been examined in terms of altruism, sympathy, empathy, and prosocial behavior, and a variety of cognitive models of prosocial behavior arousal have been proposed. In the field of communication studies, however, the concept of omoiyari has not attracted much scholarly attention, although aspects of harmonius Japanese communication are well documented.By synthesizing the rel evant literature on omoiyari across disciplines, then, this paper formulates a definition of omoiyari for Japanese communication research, lays out its basic assumptions, and characterizes it in light of four major semantic areas of omoiyari: (1) prayer, (2) encouragement, (3) help, and (4) support. Introduction â€Å"Cast your bread upon the waters and it will return to you. † –a saying reflecting omoiyari When Japanese people feel another’s kindness toward them and see someone’s warm-hearted feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, they appreciate that person’s omoiyari.The primary meaning of omoiyari is â€Å"an individual’s sensitivity to imagine another’s feelings and personal affairs, including his or her circumstances† (Shinmura, 1991, p. 387, translated by Hara). Omoiyari has attracted non-Japanese scholars’ attention as one of the most important ideas in Japanese cultural value and communication (e. g. , Lebra, 1976; Travis, 1998; Wierzbicka, 1997). The word omoiyari is often seen on signs bearing a school motto and at police stations. In many surveys of public opinion, Japanese people have listed omoiyari as a key concept on which they put high value.Although omoiyari -based behavior and activity are seen across cultures, Japanese people are the ones who put the highest value on omoiyari all over the world (Kikuchi, 1988; Akanuma, 2004). This humane omoiyari concept has been emphasized in moral education at schools in Japan as the guiding principle to communicate with others (Ito, 1998a; 1998b). In educational psychology in Japan, the importance of omoiyari has been emphasized with its developmental views of children (e. g. , Kikuchi, 1988).Recent inhumane crimes such as ill-treatment bullying or indiscriminate murder on the street are caused by the lack of omoiyari, and the importance of omoiyari has undergone a reevaluation in terms of education in the schools (Kanno, 1988). Psychological asp ects of omoiyari such as empathy and sympathy have been studied, 24 Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 1 2006 Hara and its behavior has been studied as prosocial behavior, altruistic behavior, and helping behavior in social psychology (e. . , Harada, 1991; Kikuchi, 1998; Matsui, 1991). Although the term â€Å"omoiyari behavior† is not generally used as a technical term in social psychology (Matsui, 1991), the titles of several studies on these concepts are comprehensively translated into Japanese using the word omoiyari (e. g. , Eisenberg & Mussen, 1989; Hoffman, 2001; Jones, 1993). Additionally, cultural psychologists Uchida and Kitayama (2001) developed a measurement scale of omoiyari from the viewpoint of sympathy.In the field of communication studies, although aspects of harmonious communication have been well-researched, only a few studies have focused on omoiyari as an important factor of Japanese harmonious communication. For example, Donahue (1998) argues that om oiyari is a psychological factor in Japanese indirect communication. In health communication, Kakai (2002) argues that Japanese prefer ambiguity or not disclosing of cancer to their family members. Behind such indirect communication and style is the psychological and cultural background of omoiyari.These studies refer to the study on Japanese empathy by anthropologist Lebra (1976) and her definition and observation of omoiyari. Although previous studies have contributed to pointing out the importance of omoiyari in Japanese mental culture and behavioral culture, there are three points to be further considered. First, many psychological studies based on Western concepts have not proposed clear conceptual definitions of omoiyari, so there is no consensus on its definition.Second, studies on omoiyari in other fields have only argued one aspect of omoiyari with its case contexts; we might be able to explore multi-aspects of omoiyari, taking various communication contexts and levels into consideration. Third, negative aspects of omoiyari have not been referred to adequately in previous studies on omoiyari. For example, there are cases when omoiyari toward others might not be appreciated or accepted by others. In order to develop future studies on omoiyari in Japanese communication, this paper attempts to concisely conceptualize Japanese omoiyari across disciplines.Additionally, the author believes that it is essential to explore Japanese concepts in Japanese languages as intellectual tools for future studies in Asia. In this paper, first, the author will review the relevant concepts in Western psychology which have been argued as omoiyari in Japan. Then, he will articulate Japanese omoiyari with its translation, definition, and major characteristics. Finally, using a diagram, he will propose four semantic areas of omoiyari, taking its communication levels and contexts into consideration.Omoiyari and Its Relevant Concepts The idea of omoiyari has been argued from th e standpoint of the concepts of altruism, sympathy, empathy and prosocial behavior. Although the causal developmental relationship among these concepts is controversial (e. g. , Eisenberg, 1986; Hoffman, 1982; Toi & Baston, 1982), each concept in itself has been regarded as one aspect of omoiyari in Japanese social psychology and communication studies. This means that these concepts are seen as elements of omoiyari, and conversely that omoiyari can be conceptualized with a combination of these concepts.The foundation of omoiyari feelings can be covered with the concept of altruism. Altruism is other-oriented and self-sacrificial (Kerbs, 1975). According to Cohen (1978), altruism refers to an act or desire to offer something gratuitously to others when needed. Cohen indicates that there are three components of altruism: (a) giving, or the desire to do so; (b) empathy; and (c) the absence of any motives of reward from doing the altruistic behavior. 25 Intercultural Communication Studi es XV: 1 2006 Hara Essentially, altruism lies in the motivation to help others and to aid others in their behavior.As this conceptual definition shows, altruism is the source that produces more concrete omoiyari feelings and behavior. Based on altruism, omoiyari seems to comprise both sympathy and empathy (e. g. , Kikuchi, 1991, 1998; Matsui, 1991). Sympathy refers to a concern for another person, agreement with and consideration for the feelings of others, or compassion (DeVito, 1986). It is generally conceived as a reaction to particular contexts such as the sadness or disappointment of others. Another view is that sympathy refers to a feeling for another person, while empathy refers to actually feeling as that person does (DeVito, 1986).Empathy in omoiyari is described in Bruneau’s (1995) definition as â€Å"‘feeling into’ another’s feelings with one’s own, vicariously, and attempting to achieve some I-thou congruence† (p. 87). Empathy imp lies understanding of others through imagining the situation of others (Travis, 1998). Psychological aspects of altruism, empathy, and sympathy are reflected in prosocial behavior. Prosocial behavior generally refers to â€Å"voluntary actions that are intended to help or benefit another individual or group of individuals† (Eisenberg & Mussen, 1989, p. 3).Wispe (1972) suggests that prosocial behavior refers to behaviors that can be described as sympathetic, altruistic, charitable, and so on. Furthermore, prosocial behavior benefits others without anticipating external rewards, and is done under the conditions that it is done either for its own end, or as an act of restitution (Bar-Tal, 1976). Also, as Bar-Tal argues, prosocial behavior should not be carried out as a result of external threat, enforcement, or obligation, but should be due to an individual’s freedom to decide to act in a certain manner or not.Reviewing altruism, empathy, sympathy, and prosocial behavior in human communication, on the basis of altruism, people seem to have feelings of either empathy or sympathy at the stage of intrapersonal communication. Additionally, in the context of communication activities with others, when such feelings are seen in behavior, the behavior is regarded as prosocial behavior. As the findings in Uchida and Kitayama’s (2001) survey indicate, omoiyari as sympathy had a positive relationship with emotional empathy and prosocial behavior. The combination f these concepts seems to help conceptualize aspects of omoiyari. However, since each concept cannot individually cover omoiyari in a comprehensive sense, we need a conceptual definition of omoiyari before applying these concepts to aspects of omoiyari. The Concept of Japanese Omoiyari In Japanese communication, it is often seen that people say â€Å"show omoiyari toward others† when a person does not do so. The word omoiyari is directed toward anybody of the same generation and status, o r toward younger people with regard to both in-group and out-group members.To say â€Å"have omoiyari† to elderly people, on the other hand, sounds arrogant, although the person is thinking â€Å"omoiyari† in his or her mind. In such a situation, it seems appropriate to use the word â€Å"itawari†(caring consideration with respect) instead, even though the person has the word â€Å"omoiyari† in his or her mind. In this section, the author attempts to propose an expedient translation of omoiyari into English which is comprehensible to both Japanese and non-Japanese people. Then, the author will define omoiyari in Japanese communication.Translation of Omoiyari into English It is impossible to translate Japanese omoiyari into English with one word or phrase 26 Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 1 2006 Hara which is comprehensible to both Japanese and non-Japanese people. Even words such as compassion, consideration, thoughtfulness, mercy, and benevolenc e cover only one aspect of Japanese omoiyari. There seem to be two reasons for this difficulty. First, there are different views of omoiyari across cultures.For example, Yamagishi (1995) argues that for Westerners, omoiyari is not â€Å"thoughtfulness† to others, which is occasionally perceived to be unnecessarily imposed by others depriving one’s own right to choose his/her own behavior. Easterners, on the other hand, believe that thoughtfulness-based omoiyari is essential to living a group-oriented life. Secondly, as Travis (1998) points out, English words such as â€Å"considerate† and â€Å"thoughtful,† which are related to omoiyari, do not involve the same kind of â€Å"intuitive† understanding. This intuitive way of communication is also cultivated as intuitive listening and empathic understanding inJapanese ways of communication (Barnland, 1975). As for a neutral and comprehensible translation term, Yamagishi (1995) points out that â€Å"se nsitivity† can represent the feelings of omoiyari that are common to Westerners and Easterners and which do not have the connotation of imposing one’s thought on others. Therefore, in this paper, the author uses his own tentative and expedient translation of omoiyari as â€Å"altruistic sensitivity† taking the definition of altruism, â€Å"concern for the happiness and welfare of other people rather than for your own † (Sinclair, 1987, p. 2) into consideration, regarding altruism as the psychological foundation to produce omoiyari-based feelings such as empathy or sympathy. Defining Omoiyari Omoi in omoiyari means considerate caring for others, while yari is the noun form of the verb yaru, which means sending something to others. Therefore, â€Å"omoiyari † literally means sending one’s altruistic feelings to others. The difference among omoiyari, empathy, and sympathy is that omoiyari implies intuitive understanding and includes behaving in that way (Shinmura, 1991; Travis, 1998; Uchida & Kitayama, 2001).Consideration toward others is not always received, and omoiyari does not expect any reward. If any reward is expected, it is not omoiyari but business-like helping behavior. One of the definitions of omoiyari which is frequently referred to is the one by cultural anthropologist Lebra (1976), which describes omoiyari as â€Å"the ability and willingness to feel what others are feeling, to vicariously experience the pleasure or pain that they are undergoing, and to help them satisfy their wishes†¦without being told verbally†(p. 38).Historical anthropologist Akanuma (2004) states that omoiyari is to guess others’ feelings and pay careful attention to their feelings, accepting what has happened (or will happen) to others as what has happened (or will happen) to myself. Social psychologist Ninomiya (1991) defines omoiyari as voluntary behavior for others’ benefit. The common assumptions underlying all these definitions are that omoiyari is voluntary and that people put high value on sharing feelings with others. As such, intuitive understanding is necessary.In this study, the author will define omoiyari as an intuitive understanding of others’ feelings that will occasionally lead us to conceive what to do or what not to do to others. Taking the conceptual issues of omoiyari into consideration, the author will further argue major characteristics of omoiyari in the following section. Major Characteristics of Omoiyari To have a sense of omoiyari and to behave with omoiyari are regarded as ideal communication in Japanese society. For example, according to a survey by the Ministry of 27 Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 1 2006 HaraEducation in Japan cited in the Yomiuri-shimbun (1994), elementary and junior high school teachers in Japan answered that they put the highest value on omoiyari in moral education. Additionally, in a survey on child-birth in Japan by the Yo miuri-shimbun (2005), 86. 7% of the parents expected their children to be a child with omoiyari. As these data show, to have omoiyari is essential in Japanese relational communication across contexts. In this section, the author will begin to argue major characteristics of omoiyari based on its psychological, behavioral aspects, along with the assumptions of omoiyari in previous studies.Then negative aspects of omoiyari will be briefly mentioned. Finally, four context-based semantic areas of omoiyari in human communication will be proposed. Psychological Aspects of Omoiyari Omoiyari has been considered altruistic feelings or emotional participation in others’ mindds (Eisenberg & Mussen, 1989; Kikuchi, 1988), and there are three characteristics which occasionally lead to actual prosocial behavior. The first is that omoiyari does not include the concept of â€Å"otherness† (Akanuma, 2004). This means that omoiyari means to understand the other’s feelings, not taki ng one’s self-concept into consideration (Otsuka, 1991).In this assumption, there is a Japanese interpersonal view that puts high value on oneness with others. For example, Hamaguchi (1985) argues that Japanese people think that since affectionate mutual aid is essential, people should read mutual true intention, and the relationship once established must be respected as valuable. Oneness with others gets reinforced through mutual omoiyari. The second is that omiyari is neither based on pity from superiority nor on mechanistic give-and-take relations (Otsuka, 1991).The motivation of omoiyari is voluntary, and does not expect gratitude from others (Kikuchi, 1991). If a person expects any reward when they help others, that is not omoiyari. Such a reward-expecting behavior will not be respected but rather despised, and is against the virtue of omoiyari. The third is that the value of omoiyari is evaluated based on purity of consideration of others. It goes without saying that th e purer the consideration is, the more appreciated it is. However, such pure consideration of others occasionally contradicts its behavior.A commonly cited example is that physicians and family members are reluctant to directly disclose terminal diagnoses to patients because of omoiyari (Kakai 2001; Paton & Wicks, 1996). Such communication, which might be regarded as deception, will not be criticized by others because they know the family’s true feelings. Behind this type of communication, there is an unspoken assumption that true and honest feelings will be understood by others even though one’s behavior contradicts his or her psychological feelings. Behavioral Aspects of Omoiyari Omoiyari in behavior has been studied as prosocial behavior in social psychology.Kikuchi (1998) provides four common characteristics of omoiyari based on its psychological assumptions. The first is that omoiyari as prosocial behavior includes the idea of an action which is helpful for others . However, this does not necessarily mean that the prosocial behavior will be willingly accepted by others. The second is that omoiyari as true prosocial behavior is not done with the expectation of a reward from others. This is not a matter of whether a person receives or rejects a reward, but rather the premise that the person had no desire to receive a reward in the first place.The third is that omoiyari-based prosocial behavior is accompanied by a kind of cost or risk of self-sacrifice. The final condition is that omoiyari as prosocial behavior 28 Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 1 2006 Hara should be voluntary. This means that a person is not bound by any sense of duty to others, but is willing to behave prosocially as a choice. Japanese omoiyari behavior is uniquely seen in conflicting situations. For example, it is often stated that Japanese prefer to avoid conflict rather than to try to resolve it. In such a situation, the Japanese are inclined to use mbiguous or euph emistic expressions with their bokashi (ambiguous) logic (Nayayama, 1986), and to use honne (true intentions) and tatemae (public principles) properly (Doi, 1985) so as not to hurt others’ feelings. Such a linguistic feature can be described as â€Å"the language of omoiyari,† and it is listener-oriented (Ando, 1986). Even to enemies, they do not tend to deliver a fatal blow. Such communication styles are represented in proverbs such as teki ni shio wo okuru (to show humanity even to one’s enemy) or bushi no nasake (samurai-like mercy). Omoiyari, however, is not always performed desirably.In the following section, negative aspects of omoiyari will be mentioned with cases that are against its psychological and behavioral assumptions. Negative Aspects of Omoiyari Omoiyari does not always function as we hope. For example, overly imposing omoiyari on others might be a psychological burden or, even worse, an annoyance. This is called osekkai (meddlesome) and is the a ntithesis of empathetic understanding (Lebra, 1976). Especially when the elderly want to meddle in younger people’s affairs, the younger people cannot say â€Å"Please mind on your business. This type of omoiyari could be considered osekkai. In the worst case scenario, when omoiyari is not accepted by the receiver as the source expected, the source might blame the receiver in his or her mind. This is called sakaurami (to think ill of a person who meant to be kind). At the point when the source feels sakaurami, however, his or her kindness to others is no longer regarded as omoiyari. Four Context-Based Semantic Areas of Omoiyari in Human Communication As argued above, omoiyari consists of both affective aspects (altruism, sympathy, empathy) and a behavioral one (prosocial behavior).Using these concepts, the author will attempt to conceptualize four semantic areas of omoiyari. The following figure representing the four areas of omoiyari is based on intrapersonal communication (Areas A and B) and interactive level (Areas C & D). [See next page. ] The fundamental assumption is that Area A and Area B are at the level of intrapersonal communication and cover one’s cognitive and affective aspects. Area C covers the interaction stemming from Area A, and Area D covers the interaction stemming from Area B. Area A and Area C are based on sympathy, while Area B and Area D are based on empathy.Every feeling and behavior by a communicator is based on altruism and with intuition. Area A is the situation where a person is worrying abut someone’s undesirable situation and praying that it will be improved. The feeling is based on altruism and sympathy. In this context, examples such as praying for the recovery of another’s health or sympathizing with the struggle of others are included. In contrast, in Area B, the communicator has a feeling of encouragement in his or her mind, and the feeling is based on altruism and empathy.For example, praying for the success or health of others is included in this area. Area C and Area D cover people’s behavioral aspects in their relational communication and social activities. In these areas, verbal and nonverbal interaction is exchanged, and helping behavior is added when necessary. Area C, which stems from the psychological feelings of Area A, stands for prosocial behavior based on altruism and sympathy. 29 Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 1 2006 Hara Communication activities such as helping behavior or volunteer activities are included in this area.Also, Area D, which stems from the psychological feelings of Area B, is based on altruism and empathy, and includes situations such as supporting other people’s success with one’s own will or participating in activities to share happiness with others. Prosocial Behavior Area C: Help Area D: Support Sympathy – – – – Area A: Prayer Intuition –––– Empathy Area B: Encouragement Altruism Figure 1. Four Context-Based Semantic Areas of Omoiyari in Human Communication Concluding Remarks The primary purpose of this essay was to onceptualize Japanese omoiyari (altruistic sensitivity) with its psychological and behavioral characteristics, and to propose four types of omoiyari (prayer, encouragement, help, and support) from the viewpoint of communication. Although the author was only able to review a portion of the previous literature on omoiyari, he hopes that the essence of omoiyari conceptualized in this paper will contribute to further studies of Japanese relational communication. Based on the conceptualization in this paper, the author expects future studies to be conducted in three areas.First, various communication styles in each of the four semantic areas of omoiyari (prayer, encouragement, help, and support) should be further examined and discussed. Secondly, the possibility of combining these four areas should be further examined using empi rical studies. Third, based on the emic studies on this type of concept all over the world, to seek commonalities of omoiyari views across cultures is strongly suggested. Based on these studies, derived-etic views of altruistic sensitivity are highly anticipated. References Akanuma, K. (2004). Nihonjin wa naze gambaru noka (Why do the Japanese make efforts to anything? . Tokyo: Daisan-shokan. Ando, S. (1986). Nihongo no ronri, eigo no ronri (The logic of Japanese language and the logic of English language). Tokyo: Taishukan. Barnlund, D. C. (1975). Public and private self in Japan and the United States: Communicative Styles of two cultures. Tokyo: Simul Press. Bar-Tal, D. (1976). Prosocial behavior: Thory and research. NY: Halsted Press. Bruneau, T. (1988). Conceptualizing and using empathy in intercultural contexts. Human Communication Studies,16,37-70. 30 Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 1 2006 Hara Bruneau, T. (1995).Empathetic intercultural communication: State of the art and future potential. Intercultural Communication Studies, 8,1-24. Cohen, R. (1978). Altruism: Human, cultural, or what? In L. Wispe (Eds. ), Altruism, sympathy, and helping: Psychological and sociological principles (pp. 79-98). New York, NY. Academic press. DeVito, J. A. (1986). The communication handbook: A dictionary. New York, NY: Harper & Row. Doi, T. (1985). The anatomy of self: The individual versus society (M. A. Harbison. Trans. ). Tokyo: Kodansha International. Donahue, R. T. (1998). Japanese culture and communication: Critical cultural analysis.Lanham, MD. University of Press America. Eisenberg, N. (1986). Altruistic cognition, emotion, and behavior. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Eisenberg, N. & Mussen, P. H. (1989). The roots of prosocial behavior in children. Cambridge CB: Cambridge University Press. Eisenberg, N. & Mussen, P. H. (1989). Omoiyari kodo no hattatsu shinri (The roots of prosocial behavior in children) (A. Kikuchi. & N. Ninomiya Trans. ). Tokyo: Kaneko-shobo. H amaguchi, E. (1985). A contextual model of the Japanese: Toward a methodological innovation in Japanese studies. (S. Kumon & M. R. Creighton Trans. ).Journal of Japanese Studies, 11, (2), 289-321. Harada, J. (1991). Omoiyari no kozo (The anatomy of omoiyari). In Kikuchi, A. (Ed. ) Gendai no esupuri: Omoiyari no shinri, No. 291 (Current espirit: The psychology of omoiyari No. 291. (pp. 48-56). Tokyo: Shibundo. Hoffman, M. L. (1982). Development of prosocial motivation: Empathy and guilt. In N. Eisenberg (Ed. ,) The development of prosocial behavior (pp. 218-231). New York: Academic Press. Hoffman, M. L. (2001). Kyokan to dotokusei no hattatsu shinrigaku: omoiyari toseigi tono kakawariaide (Empathy and moral development: Implications for caring and justice) (Kikuchi, A. Ninomiya, K. Trans. ). Tokyo: Kawashima-shoten. Ito, K. (1998a). Omoiyari no kokoro wo hagukumu dotokujugyo: Shogakkou ni okeru togoteki puroguramu no tenkai (Moral education classes to develop omoiyari mind: The devel opment of programs at elementary schools). Tokyo: Meiji Tosho Shuppan. Ito, K. (1998b). Omoiyari no kokoro wo hagukumu dotokujugyo: Chugakko ni okeru togoteki puroguramu no tenkai ((Moral education classes to develop omoiyari mind: The development of programs at junior high schools). Tokyo: Meiji Tosho Shuppan. Jones, R. N. (1993).Omoiyari no ningenkankei sukiru (Human relationship skills: Training and self-help). (Aikawa, M. Trans. ). Tokyo: Seishin-shobo. Kakai, H. (2002). A double standard in bioethical reasoning for disclosure of advanced cancer diagnoses in Japan. Health Communication, 14, (3), 361-376. Kanno, J. (1988). Ijime to omoiyari: ijimekko no kokoro no yugami (Ill-treatment and omoiyari: The distorted mind of ill-treating children). Jidoshinri (Child Psychology), 42, (6), 25-32. Kerbs, D. (1975). Empathy, and altruism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 1134-1146. Kikuchi, A. 1988). Omoiyari no hattatsu shinri (Developmental psychology of omoiyari). Jido shinri (Child Psychology), 42, (6), 18-22. 31 Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 1 2006 Hara Kikuchi, A. (1991). Omoiyari wo kangaeru: Hito to hito tono kakawarigaku (Consideration of omoiyari: Science on the relationship between person and person). Kyoto: Tanko-sha. Kikuchi, A. (1998). Mata omoiyari wo kagaku suru (Another scientific argument on omoiyari). Tokyo: Kawashima-shoten. Lebra, T. S. (1976). Japanese patterns of behavior. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press. Matsui, Y. (1991).Omoiyari no kozo (The anatomy of omoiyari). In Kikuchi, A. (Ed. ) Gendai no esupuri: Omoiyari no shinri, No. 291 (Current espirit: The psychology of omoiyari No. 291. (pp. 27-37). Tokyo: Shibundo. Nakayama, O. (1986). Nihonjin no bokashi komyunikeshon ni taisuru rinsho shakaigakuteki kenkyu (A study of the Japanese communication from the viewpoint of socio-clinical psychology). Shakaishinrigaku Hyoron (Japanese Review of Social Psychology), 5, 12-25. Ninomiya, K. (1991). Kodomo no omoiyari, otonano omoiyari (Children’s omoiyari and adults’ omoiyari). In Kikuchi, A. (Ed. Gendai no esupuri: Omoiyari no shinri, No. 291. (Current espirit: The psychology of omoiyari No. 291). (pp. 38-47). Tokyo: Shibundo. Otsuka, S. (1991). Nihon no kokoro, Toyo no kokoro: Omoiyari no hikaku shisoshi kenkyu (Japanese mind and Oriental mind: The studies on comparative philosophical history of omoiyari) Tokyo: Keizai-oraisha. Paton, L. & Wicks, M. (1996). The growth of the hospice movement in Japan. The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, 13, (4), 26-31. Shinmura, I. (1991). Kojien (4th ed). Tokyo: Iwanami-shoten. Sinclair, J. (Ed. ). (1987). Collins cobuild English language dictionary.London: HarperCollins. Toi, M. & Batson, C. D (1982). More evidence that empathy is a source of altruistic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43, 281-292. Travis, C. (1998). Omoiyari as a core Japanese value: Japanese-style empathy? In A. Angeliki & T. Elzbieta ( Eds. ), Speaking of emotions: Conceptualization and expression (pp. 55-81). Berlin: Mouton de Gryyter. Uchida, Y. & Kitayama, S. (2001). Omoiyari shakudo no sakusei to datosei no kensho (Development and validation of a sympathy scale). The Journal of Psychology, 72, (4), 275-282. Wierzbicka, A. (1997).Understanding cultures through their key words: English, Russian, Polish, German, and Japanese. New York: Oxford University Press. Wispe, L. G. (1972). Positive forms of social behavior: An overview. Journal of Social Issues, 28, (3), 1-19. Yamagishi, K. (1995). Nichiei gengo bunka ronko (Aspects of Japanese-English languages and cultures). Tokyo: Kobian-shobo. Yomiuri shimbun (1994, May 27). Sofuto ni natta dotoku kyooku (Moral education in Japan became flexible). Tokyo: Yomiuri shinbun-sha. p. 30. Yomiuri shimbun. (2005, July 5). Data: Kazoku (Data: Family). Tokyo: Yomiuri-Shimbun-sha. p. 39. 32

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

TOMB OF THE UNKNOW SOLDIER November 7, 2011 1. The Unknown Soldier fought in World War I. The burial place of the unknown soldier was in France, near the battle at Vimy Ridge, marked by a tombstone that read â€Å"Known unto God†. The remains of an unidentified soldier were returned to Canada to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a specially designed sarcophagus directly in front of the National War Memorial in Ottawa, the National Capital. 2. The remains of soldiers that fought in WWI and who were not identified were buried near Vimy Ridge which was the site of Canada’s biggest victory in 1917 and where many Canadian troops died. After the remains of the unknown soldier were returned from France, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was placed directly in front of the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is to honor our service men and women and to remind the Nation of the cost and sacrifice Canadians have made for peace and freedom in the past, in the present and in the future. The Tomb honors the 28,000 Canadian service people who have died in wars in this century . TOMB OF THE UNKNOW SOLDIER Alex Donovan 9A November 7, 2011 3. I think the Unknown Soldier was a man because women did not fight in combat in World War I. I think the Soldier was very young in his twenties, tall and strong. He pretended to be fearless but was very scared in battle. He fought for what he believed in. 4. We know that the Unknown Soldier was a young Canadian man, fought in World War I and fought at Vimy Ridge. 5. No I do not think that the Soldier should be identified. †¢ The Unknown Soldier is meant to be symbolic. It represents all Canadian Soldiers who fought for this Country. †¢ Once identified it becomes specific and does not represent everybody, †¢ There would be no immediate family members alive who would benefit from this information. 6. The Unknown Soldier symbolizes the Canadian service people who sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace and freedom whether they be navy, army, air force or merchant marine and who died or may die for their country in all conflicts – past, present, and future.

Cellphones At School essays

Cellphones At School essays Cell phones should be banned from rural schools. There is no reason for them in rural schools, they are a distraction, and finally they could aid in violent First, there is no reason for them. There are ways of getting ahold of whoever you need(parents). If you need to call your parents; the office will be more than glad to let you use there phone. Also, there are Next, they are a distraction. You wouldn't like it in class if you were taking your finals phone rang in the middle of class. You wouldn't pay a bit of attention to what your were doing you attention on them. You would probably loss your Last, cell phones can aid into violent acts. People can call out alarm; it's time to come not think that can happen in your school but it really Finally, cell phone should be banned from rural schools. There is no reason for them; they are a distraction; and finally they can result into violent last minute book reports keep me surviving ...

Vitamin B12 essays

Vitamin B12 essays Vitamins are essential to keep you healthy, maintain a good metabolism and to stimulate growth especially in children. They aid in the formation of hormones, blood cells, and genetic material. The vitamin B complex, composed of eight forms of vitamin B, works together to absorb and burn energy. It helps convert proteins, carbohydrates and fats into fuel and in the brain it helps synthesize mood controlling chemicals. Vitamin B is also good for the body because it helps fight cancer, cardiovascular diseases and mental deterioration. When there is deficiency of this vitamin there is extreme weakness and it may develop into a psychiatric problem. The vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is one of the members of the B complex and although needed in very small amounts it plays a key role in the production of new cells and preservation of a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin found only in animal originated products. The recommended amount of vitamin B12 is 3 micrograms per day , and it can be found in liver, eggs, meat, fish, yeast, poultry and dairy products. This vitamin is bound to proteins, and during digestion hydrochloric acid in the stomach separates it and binds it to a special substance called intrinsic factor that increases absorption in the small intestine. Vitamin B12 works best with folic acid, another type of vitamin B, to produce red blood cells in the bone marrow, form and replicate DNA, and build and maintain myelin to protect nerve cells and speed up the conduction of nerve signals. Other functions carried out by this vitamin are digestion of fats, carbohydrates, proteins and production of some neurotransmitters in the brain that influence mood, sleep and hunger. Vitamin B12 deficiency may be caused by inability of the stomach to produce the intrinsic factor which helps in the absorption of this vitamin, or simply because of a poor diet with little consumption in animal ...

Book Review of R.J. Palacios Wonder

Book Review of R.J. Palacio's 'Wonder' Wonder, R.J. Palacios debut novel, was written for children 8 to 12 years old, but its message defies genres. Published in 2012, its anti-bullying, pro-acceptance message will resonate with teenagers and even adults as well. Style Some books are action-packed, compelling the reader to turn the page to find out what happens next. Other books are compelling because they invite readers to engage with characters who are real, who come alive off the page, and who pull the reader into their story. Wonder is the latter kind of book. In fact, very little action happens within its pages, and yet readers will find themselves deeply affected by the story. Summary August Pullman (Auggie to his friends) is not an ordinary 10-year-old boy. He feels like one  and has the interests of one, but his face is not ordinary at all. In fact, its the type of face that scares kids and makes people stare. Auggie is pretty good natured about it all. This is the way he is, after all, and while he doesn’t like that people stare, there’s not much he can do about it. Because his face has required many reconstructive surgeries, Auggie has been homeschooled. But there are no more surgeries to be done for a while, and now August’s parents think it’s time that he goes to mainstream school, beginning with fifth grade in the fall. The idea of this terrifies Auggie; he knows how people react to seeing him, and he wonders if he will be able to fit in at school at all. He bravely gives it a go, but finds that it’s much like he expected. Many of the children laugh at him behind his back, and someone has started a game called the Plague, in which people â€Å"catch† a â€Å"disease† if they touch Auggie. One boy, Julian, leads the bullying attacks. He’s the sort of kid whom adults find charming, but in reality, he is quite mean to anyone not in his circle of friends. Auggie does make two close friends: Summer, a girl who actually likes Auggie for who he is, and Jack. Jack started out as Auggie’s â€Å"assigned† friend, and when Auggie finds this out, he and Jack have a falling out. However, they patch things up at Christmas, after Jack gets suspended for hitting Julian for badmouthing Auggie. This leads to a â€Å"war, with the popular boys against Auggie and Jack. While nothing more than mean words, in the form of notes in the lockers, fly between the two camps, the tension between them lasts until the spring. Then theres a confrontation between a group of older boys from a different school and Auggie and Jack at a sleep-away camp. They are hopelessly outnumbered until a group of boys who were formerly against Auggie and Jack help defend them from the bullies. In the end, Auggie has a successful year at school, and even makes the Honor Roll. In addition, the school gives him an award for courage, which he doesnt understand, musing, â€Å"If they want to give me a medal for being me, I’ll take it.† (p. 306) He sees himself as ordinary, and in the face of everything else, he really is just that: an ordinary kid. Review It‘s the straightforward, non-sentimental manner in which Palacio approaches her topic that makes this such an excellent book. Auggie might have an extraordinary face, but hes a regular kid, and that makes him relatable, in spite of his challenges. Palacio also shifts her point of view, telling the story through the eyes of characters other than Auggie. This allows the reader to get to know characters like Auggies sister, Via, who talks about the way her brother takes over the family’s life. However, some of the other viewpoints- especially of Via’s friends- feel somewhat unnecessary and bog down the middle of the book. The power of the book likes in how Palacio creates such a normal, relatable character from a boy living with such an extraordinary physical affliction. Even though Wonder is recommended for children ages 8 through 12, the books themes of identity, bullying, and acceptance make it interesting reading for a wide audience as well. About R.J. Palacio An art director by profession, R. J. Palacio first thought of the idea for Wonder when she and her children were on vacation. While there, they saw a young girl who had a condition similar to Auggie’s. Her children reacted badly, which got Palacio thinking about the girl and what she goes through on a daily basis. Palacio also thought about how she could have better taught her children to respond to situations like this. The book inspired Random House to start an anti-bullying campaign, called Choose Kind, with a site where people can share their experiences and sign a pledge to stamp out bullying. There you can also download an excellent Educator Guide for Wonder to use at home, or with a community grouop. Companion Book Auggie Me: Three Wonder Stories, also by R. J. Palacio, is a 320-page collection of three stories, each told from the point of view of one of three characters from Wonder: the bully Julian, Auggie’s oldest friend, Christopher, and his new friend, Charlotte. The stories take place prior to Auggie’s attending school and during his first year there. This book is neither a prequel nor a sequel to Wonder- in fact, Palacio has made it clear that she does not plan to ever write either. Instead, this book is meant as a companion for those who have already read Wonder and want to extend the experience by learning more about Auggies impact on the people around him.

MP3s, and the Music of Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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The Developing Manager (Tourism Management) - Essay Example Travel & Tourism business is known for its potential and peculiarities. This industry is very much dependent on a range of factors like economic, socio-cultural and environmental. The behavioural aspect holds key to the overall character of the organisation. Clouds Tours and Travel is a group of companies having six tour agencies, serving customers in different segments. In this type of business, customer loyalty is very important as the existing customers serve as the brand ambassadors for the company and its services. The role of leadership therefore becomes very crucial in devising strategies for the achievement of developmental goals of the company. Leadership is something which allows an individual or an organization to lead. Leadership qualities are not just an asset for the individual, but it also helps other members of the organisation or the team. If the manager is found to adopt an aggressive and autocratic approach, as in case of the Clouds Tours and Travel, the company is bound to suffer in terms of a congenial working environment. Underlining the key differences in these two components Hodgson (1987) states that ‘Management is about doing things right, whereas leadership is about doing the right things’. Three main styles of management are defined as1; Autocratic: Managers with this style prefer to have their way and they are least bothered about the suggestions of others around. Managers in Clouds Tours and Travel seem to believe in this type of management only, which is resulting in lot disgruntlement amongst the subordinates. Democratic: Managers with such style of management prefer to take the final decision after due consultation with others around. Their main line of action is to create some sort of unanimity in the final decision. It needs to be emphasised here that an effective manager is the one who holds a balanced mix of these three types of qualities. A number of

Analyze the Stage 3-4 transition from the perspective of Kohlberg's Essay

Analyze the Stage 3-4 transition from the perspective of Kohlberg's and Gilligan's alternative perspectives - Essay Example When one is in this stage of moral development one learns to make deals, such as when one breaks the rules, one makes a deal with the rule keeper. This stage is a more important step in moral development than the previous stage. During this stage one learns about lying, and the affects of lying, and rule breaking. One learns that just because something seems wrong, does not necessarily make it wrong. During the third stage of moral development one will learn how to be considerate, and how to assist someone when someone is in need. During this stage of moral development one should not necessarily assist someone for gratification. More that someone should receive gratification in the mere act of assisting someone else who was in need. During this stage of moral development one learns how to be considerate of someone else’s feelings, and how to respect each other, and how to live, and work with one another. This stage of moral development is important, because if one does not lea rn to respect each other, and how to work, and live near one another, one cannot possibly have accomplished the first two stages of moral development. ... When one develops social cohesion, one develops more of a sense of being. This person is much better off than someone who has only developed the first three stages of moral development. Kohlberg thinks that if one does not develop social cohesion then one is only mindful, respectful, and considerate of only those in one’s clique. During the fifth stage of moral development on develops a sense of one’s social obligations, and individual rights. During this stage of moral development one learns what one need to do, what one’s place in society is. Everyone has a place in society, and everyone has obligations to make of society. Society expects certain things of certain people, and if one does not oblige by what society expects of them, one is considered to be abnormal. Abnormal citizens are considered to be amoral-citizen. Someone who acts only the way one expects one should act, and does not do as society expects one is considered amoral, to do only what one wants to do, not what is best to do. This may be the best for the person making this decision, however, it is not necessarily right for society. Gilligan challenged Kohlberg’s philosophies that stage four of moral development was not the most imperative stage of moral development. Gilligan used an all female sample, and conducted qualitative research on what women’s views were on abortion. Gilligan analyzed the qualitative research on abortion, and applied it to the four stages of moral development, developed by Kohlberg. In applying the five stages of Kohlberg’s moral development, Gilligan decided that stage four was not better than stage three in Kohlberg’s moral development stages. Gilligan’s research could not develop a clearer understanding of

Managing and Leading Strategic Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing and Leading Strategic Change - Essay Example to the company (and later taking on the post of COO and President whereas Bethune would remain the CEO and Chairman), introduced a â€Å"Go Forward Plan† which had four parts, aimed at putting the company back on track in 1995. The four pats were the market plan: â€Å"Fly to Win, The Financial Plan: Fund the Future, The Product Plan: Make Reliability a Reality, The People Plan: Working Together.† The plan was to implement all these changes simultaneously, since they would create a multiplier effect (Hartley, pp. 78-84, 2010). Implementation and Leading this Strategic Change (Go Forward Plan) Bethune knew that despite this plan was approved by board of directors with all the trust, confidence and enthusiasm, employees would view this plan with all possible suspicion and mistrust. Therefore, the first thing, which Bethune did, was to open the doors of the executive lounge of Continental, which had been protected from any visitors since many years like some castle. Employ ees now need only to show their IDs and gain entrance into Bethune’s office. After opening the doors for employees, Bethune initiated a new ritual of arranging open houses at the end of each month at the Houston headquarters. Just to ensure that employees feel comfortable around executive, the concept of causal Fridays came into being, except for the employees who had direct dealings with customers (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, pp. 284-285, 2008). One of the previous managements of Continental had tried to repaint all the planes but failed to complete the same due to limited financing and immense pressure for cost cutting. As of late 1994, the planes were in the same condition, not painted uniformly. Bethune felt that repainting the planes would send a message of revival, newness, and better operations to the... Managing and Leading Strategic Change Since 1983, nine different CEOs who came in with the slogan of change, tried their luck and as the figures show, they were not very successful. Not only the company was in trouble from the financial side but as it has been mentioned above, that the company was surrounded by trouble from all directions. High turnover, infighting between employees and departments, employee absences, use of sick time, customer complaints, and highest number of mishandled baggage reports, ranking last in terms of on time arrival and others would just be a glance at the terrible conditions in which â€Å"Continental Airlines† was still somehow surviving. It was in February 1994, when Gordon Bethune took the charge of the company as the Chief Operating Officer and President and later in that year as the CEO as well, he knew that the company needed a hardcore strategic change and strong implementation of that change as well. Quite understandably, it was his responsibility to do the same. Important here to note is that the whole change process that Bethune implemented at Continental was in line with eight steps of change presented by John Kotter, professor of leadership at Harvard Business Review in Boston. This is one those strategic change implementation models, which has been praised and acclaimed by many different authors in their writings and analysis. Let us a have a brief analysis of the same. Kotter’s first step is about creating urgency for change.

Reasons behind the Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reasons behind the Financial Crisis - Essay Example Still on torts, directors can be held liable due to their subordinates both beneficial and non-beneficial. The financial crisis is fostered by inept decision making poor planning and general laxity in troubleshooting. These problems accrue from middle management personnel, but a director is liable (Berlatsky 3). Directors can be held liable for breaching fiduciary duty to the corporations they run. This situation arises when a director tries to avoid conflict of interest such that, through their actions or omissions, they are doing an injustice to the corporation. An example is when directors knowingly enter into contracts that are financially inappropriate for their companies. The directors view their personal interests in the contract to be of greater value. Most directors have a tendency to act outside their authority in regard to letters patent and other corporate governing documents. Such decisions result in misappropriation of company resources, poor investment decisions and an inevitable financial crisis (Berlatsky 34). Directors are also liable for Risk Management in regard to the investments made by the company. However, this liability extends even more to the Gate keepers. Gatekeepers include lawyers, accountants and investment bankers. This group of professionals plays a significant role in advising the directors on what ventures they should and should not undertake. The first group is the accountants. An accountant’s failure to comprehensively account for the acquisition and use of financial assets, therefore, is equal to the failure of the company. Investment bankers should transparently render their advice on which ventures are more profitable than the others. Most investment bankers lack transparency owing to their self serving motives this led to increased debt burden or over-leveraging. Another crucial batch of professionals is the lawyers. Their work should be to ascertain the legal financial implications made by a director and in exten t the company they represent. These professions collectively failed to render their services effectively and with efficiency. They also did not uphold integrity especially in regard to safeguarding company assets. Finally, they did not comply with the law especially in light of contract procurement (Hamdani & Olin 56). The most eminent failure of internal and external auditors is fraud. Auditors are the main whistle blowers in regards to a corporation’s failure and success despite how minimal. In the event that they turn a blind eye to illegal, inappropriate activities of a company in managing and investing finances the result will be a financial crisis (Hamdani & Olin 78). Notable failures of credit rating agencies are apparent in the following three areas: Ratings methodologies: in this case, most of the credit rating agencies did not follow the recommended rating methodologies. There are also reports of the ratings leaking to interested parties before publish which is surm ountable to fraud. This unfair rating systems contributed to the great number of poor financial decisions made that led to the financial crisis. Fiduciary legislation: managing conflicts of interest: the agencies do not have clear cut policies to manage cases of conflict of interest. This is especially notable in instances where the issuer holds large shares in the firm. Timely, accurate disclosures: credit rating agencies are slow to disclose errors and fix them especially in reg

Enviromental issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Enviromental issue - Research Paper Example The severity of air pollution in China and the extent it creates serious health hazards are evident from alarm that its people are warned are warned to stay indoor in order save their breath from contaminated air. This piece of paper considers three articles that talk about air pollution and its effects on human environment and sums up major emphasizes from those articles. This paper is to analyze how media, based on these articles, played its role in spreading about this severe environmental issue and what solutions have been recommended by them to make people aware of its severity. Air Pollution: a superpower in to a ‘worst-land’? (defining the issue) BBC in August 2006 reported, in an article titled ‘China hit by raising air pollution’ that China has become world’s largest sulphur dioxide polluter, due to that it has emitted 26 million tons of the gas in 2005, showing a 27% increase from the figure of 2000. This excesses emissions of sulfur dioxide has been causing acid rains in different part of China and other parts of the world. As Kahn and Yardley noted in their article- ‘As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes’, published in New York Times (2007), China’s air pollution itself is a cancer leading to a large number of deaths. Costs yield benefits. Its economically true and naturally very evident, especially from China’s case. This fact has been highlighted in their article. China, being unparalleled in the history, emerged as a major industrial power, but created a legacy of environmental issue, air pollution that may negate all the credits its economic growth has conferred. The article has defined and described the issue in detail. Pubic health is extremely affected by air pollution as it alone causes hundreds of thousands deaths every year. One of the most critical and perhaps more dangerous effects of this pollution is that around 500 million people lack access to safe drinking water . Both cities and rural areas have been turned to be toxic areas where only around one percent of air is considered quite safe. In industrial cities, people more often are not able to see sun, not due to raining or sky being cloudy, but due to the pollution that made the air and sky dry. The atmosphere has largely been contaminated. On one side, the economy gains ever-recorded growth and large multinationals still attempting to grab the slice of this international marketing pie, whereas on the other side, people die for bad breath due to air pollution. As this article emphasized, China’s pollution is not only China’s problem. It is adverse effects have widened to other countries. Dangerous chemical elements like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that are spewed from China’s coal plants caused acid rains in Seoul, South Korea, Tokyo etc. Tatchell in 2008 wrote in their article titled ‘The Pollution Marathon’, published in the Guardian, about the iss ue of China’s air pollution and its drastic impacts on every one’s life in the Guardian newspaper. This article starts with Ethiopian long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie’s decision not to participate in 2008 Olympics held in China. He was highly concerned about the extremely hazardous air pollution in China and its impacts on his health if he stays few days

Reasons behind the Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reasons behind the Financial Crisis - Essay Example Still on torts, directors can be held liable due to their subordinates both beneficial and non-beneficial. The financial crisis is fostered by inept decision making poor planning and general laxity in troubleshooting. These problems accrue from middle management personnel, but a director is liable (Berlatsky 3). Directors can be held liable for breaching fiduciary duty to the corporations they run. This situation arises when a director tries to avoid conflict of interest such that, through their actions or omissions, they are doing an injustice to the corporation. An example is when directors knowingly enter into contracts that are financially inappropriate for their companies. The directors view their personal interests in the contract to be of greater value. Most directors have a tendency to act outside their authority in regard to letters patent and other corporate governing documents. Such decisions result in misappropriation of company resources, poor investment decisions and an inevitable financial crisis (Berlatsky 34). Directors are also liable for Risk Management in regard to the investments made by the company. However, this liability extends even more to the Gate keepers. Gatekeepers include lawyers, accountants and investment bankers. This group of professionals plays a significant role in advising the directors on what ventures they should and should not undertake. The first group is the accountants. An accountant’s failure to comprehensively account for the acquisition and use of financial assets, therefore, is equal to the failure of the company. Investment bankers should transparently render their advice on which ventures are more profitable than the others. Most investment bankers lack transparency owing to their self serving motives this led to increased debt burden or over-leveraging. Another crucial batch of professionals is the lawyers. Their work should be to ascertain the legal financial implications made by a director and in exten t the company they represent. These professions collectively failed to render their services effectively and with efficiency. They also did not uphold integrity especially in regard to safeguarding company assets. Finally, they did not comply with the law especially in light of contract procurement (Hamdani & Olin 56). The most eminent failure of internal and external auditors is fraud. Auditors are the main whistle blowers in regards to a corporation’s failure and success despite how minimal. In the event that they turn a blind eye to illegal, inappropriate activities of a company in managing and investing finances the result will be a financial crisis (Hamdani & Olin 78). Notable failures of credit rating agencies are apparent in the following three areas: Ratings methodologies: in this case, most of the credit rating agencies did not follow the recommended rating methodologies. There are also reports of the ratings leaking to interested parties before publish which is surm ountable to fraud. This unfair rating systems contributed to the great number of poor financial decisions made that led to the financial crisis. Fiduciary legislation: managing conflicts of interest: the agencies do not have clear cut policies to manage cases of conflict of interest. This is especially notable in instances where the issuer holds large shares in the firm. Timely, accurate disclosures: credit rating agencies are slow to disclose errors and fix them especially in reg

Seagull play by anton chekhov Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Seagull play by anton chekhov - Research Paper Example He helped his father who ran a small business of provisions that was quite unsuccessful. However, it was during these hard days at his father’s shop that he observed and listened to some interesting stories from those who visited. During the summers he went to stay with his grandfather who had become the manager of an estate near Taganrog. He loved spending his time with the peasants who worked on the estate and enjoyed fishing and roaming about in the countryside. When Chekhov was around fourteen years old, his father moved the family to Moscow and he was relieved from working in his father’s shop. It was then that he began to make good progress in his studies and finally became a student of medicine. In his attempt to help his family, he led the dual life of student and author and it is with these experiences he emerged as a blazing genius of both wit and compassion. The characters in Chekhov’s story are most endearing as some of them long for love but do not g et it and some of them experience love but do not fulfill it. The main characters in the play are Treplev, a playwright who is anxiously getting things ready to stage his first play that is both abstract and symbolic in meaning. He loves and adores Nina, an actress who does not reciprocate his love till the end of the story. Nina on the other hand, is shown to pursue Trigorin, a creator, because she becomes in awe of him, but is left bereft of his love in the end. She goes to the extent of having an affair with him, becoming pregnant and even suffering the loss of her baby, but she does not win his love till the end. One of the other main characters in the story is Treplev’s mother Arkadina, who is a quite a celebrated actress and loves Trigorin. On the other hand, Trigorin seems to be playing double shuffle between Arkadina and Nina, professing his love to each of them at different times. Arkadina is selfish and self-centered and shows her dislike for her son Treplev’ s play. She rudely interrupts the play several times until Treplev is forced to bring the curtains down on the play. Though her son longs for her love and acceptance, she is too conceited to realize and reciprocate his love, neither does she show him any sympathy or encouragement. Medvedenko, who is a poor school teacher, is madly in love with Masha who is the daughter of Shamraye, the manager of an estate. Masha tells Medvedenko in clear terms that though she knows that he loves her, she cannot love him in return. But finally we find that both of them come to terms with their feelings for each other and get married and settle down. The Seagull depicts a poignant love story that focuses its attention on the playwright’s tragic love quest for Nina, the beautiful actress who rejects his sincere love. He craves to be loved and admired by Nina, who does not reciprocate his love in the least. When his play does not turn out successful he is ridiculed and scoffed at by his mother a nd all those around her. He yearns for solace from Nina but receives nothing from her. In quite a symbolic manner he brings a dead seagull and places it at her feet and tells her that she does not love him because his play was not a success. Chekhov uses the dying seagull to symbolize the pain of defeat and suffering and its acceptance through death. All the other characters in the play support the theme of unrequited love by reflecting the pain and suffering of their own lives. While

Communication Strategies in Nursery Settings

Communication Strategies in Nursery Settings This essay will be exploring the importance of effective communication strategies within nursery settings; also highlighting potential barriers which could be faced by practitioners and managers. It will also be discussing the benefits of staff appraisals, along with implementation strategies for appraisals, grievance and disciplinary procedures. Employment processes will also be discussed within this essay, with particular reference to policies which must be in place within nurseries; in compliance with national standards. Effective management within a setting is important as â€Å"the quality of management is one of the most important factors in the success of any organisation† (Mullins, 2010, P.786). In order to become an effective manager background knowledge and understanding of certain areas is required. Communication takes place within the daily running of a nursery through many different forms, including; verbal and non-verbal communication. However communication may be misread by the receiver if the communicator’s facial expressions, body language or lack of eye contact is misleading; a good connection between the communicator and receiver is essential as it ensure the message is received correctly. Effective communication ensures good working practice and a welcoming atmosphere within settings for practitioners, children and parents. â€Å"Communication is therefore a central component of effective business operations† (Hargle, et al, 2004). Although managers must practice good communication skills with their staff team, it is a two-way process requiring all participants to effectively practice these skills; ensuring positive outcomes. However this is not always possible, as some participants are not always willing to listen to or accept others ideas or opinions. By becoming active listeners’ individuals are consciously practising effective listening skills and promoting good practice; however this may not always happen in daily practice, as the environment plays an important role in effective communication. If the setting is busy or not all members of staff are in the same area, communication would therefore be more difficult; resulting in some messages not being passed on or forgotten. There are three general categories for communication; aggressive, assertive and passive. Good managers and leaders aim to be assertive communicators, to ensure the goal is reached but also ensuring all parties feel valued. Whereas passive and aggressive communication are not effective forms of communication for leaders and managers; as passive communicators do not like to put their ideas forward and go along with others to avoid conflict. Aggressive communicators are â€Å"generally perceived as selfish and unwilling to compromise† (About.com, 2012). These will form barriers to effective communication as some recipients will not be willing to listen to aggressive communications, as they may feel they are being dictated to. The ability to guide practitioners through situations which may arise ensures effective leadership and positive outcomes for children. Although managers are required to implement new requirements, such as the reformed EYFS, many members of staff may not be comfortable with the change. â€Å"Effective leaders understand that any organisational change can have a major impact on the lives of those involved or affected by it† (Rood, 2006, P.186). The leadership continuum, developed by Tannenbaum and Schmidt, shows â€Å"a range of action related to the degree of authority used by the manager and to the area of freedom available to non-managers in arriving at decisions† (Mullins, 2007, P.372). Effective leadership empowers staff members to work towards a shared goal, achieving positive outcomes for children, practitioners and the setting. To achieve this, leaders must inspire others through positive role modelling, collaboration, open-ended conversation and encouragement. Isabelle Albanese’s 4 Cs of communication are comprehension, credibility, connection and contagiousness. â€Å"The 4Cs quickly provide a pocket tool to evaluate the effectiveness of every kind of communication† (PMP, 2014); ensuring communication is precise, understood, captivating and progressing in achieving goals. Therefore by using the 4 Cs managers and practitioners alike are able to focus on essential information within their communication, ensuring the effective running of the nursery. Appraisals are usually carried out within nursery settings on an annual basis, in order to discuss evaluate and track individual practitioner’s performance, progress and future ambitions; with particular reference to training needs and future professional targets. The appraisal form provides a documented account of what has been discussed by management and staff members, with a signed copy of individual action targets agreed by all parties involved in the process. It must also comply with the UK Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, which states that â€Å"It is unlawful to discriminate, harass or victimise job applicants, employees or trainees on the grounds of age† (Compact law, 1996-2014); all correspondence recorded in the appraisal process should not discriminate against the individual due to their age, race, religion or disability. Management training on how to deliver effective appraisal is beneficial as it ensures management are motivating their staff to reach their full potential; whereas ineffective appraisals will make practitioners feel demotivated in their job role. Effective appraisal systems must measure, debate and plan individual development and targets, generating useful feedback in both directions (Hay, 2008). Appraisals also offer practitioners the chance to voice their opinions and ideas on the running of the nursery; therefore managers must be open to ideas and opinions of their staff in order to maintain positive working relationships and improve their setting in the best interests of staff and children. Appraisals are a chance for both managers and practitioners to raise any concerns they may have over working practice, whilst also reflecting on their own performance within their role; both positive and negative. However some practitioners may see appraisals as a chance for management to be ne gative and list issues they may have; therefore it is essential for managers to take into account the views and opinions of practitioners, and offer constructive targets for improvements. â€Å"New staff should be given copies of policies and procedures as part of the induction process and given the opportunity to discuss them with their line manager† (Daly, et al, 2009, P.287).This should include the nursery’s appraisal policy, and should be easily accessible for practitioners to access when they require. The policy should clearly state what is expected from both practitioners and management during the appraisal process. Employees are often required to fill out an appraisal form prior to meeting with management, where they are able to reflect upon their own job performance. It is important for managers to provide practitioners with the last year’s appraisal, to allow them to reflect on whether they have achieved their own personal development targets; also giving them the chance to complete targets they may feel they haven’t achieved. However it could be argued that self-appraisal should be continuous practice throughout the year, in order to maintain high standards of care and learning for the children. â€Å"Self-appraisal should not only be seen as part of the appraisal process. It is also, in a more or less informal way, a regular feature of nursery work† (Sadek and Sadek, 2004, P.140). Performance appraisals are a good tool in identifying particular individuals who are progressing well in their job role, and who may be eligible to progress to the next pay and job level; within some bigger nurseries. They also prove worthwhile in motivating individuals within their role, through personalised discussion and development targets. â€Å"Managers of effective settings provide intellectual stimulation for their staff, along with respectful individualised support† (Miller, et al, 2012, P.288). Although the appraisal process provides a private personalised time where individuals are able to discuss their concerns with managers, it is important for managers to address any pertinent issues with staff as they arise. This therefore ensures that issues are resolves quickly and effectively, rather than being left to escalate. However this is not always possible within larger nurseries whether staff members do not always come into contact with management. Like the appraisal policy the disciplinary and grievances procedures must be clearly set out within a policy, and kept in an easily accessible place for employees to refer to as required. These procedures ensure the safety and protection of all staff in the setting; in accordance with the ACAS code of practice and current legislation, including the Employment Act 2008. They provide â€Å"clear and transparent structures for dealing with difficulties which may arise as part of the working relationships from either the employers or employees perspective† (CIPD, 2014). The policies should also set out what is expected from staff members, in relation to their conduct; therefore trying to avoid such issues; however this is not always possible. Issues which may arise include lateness, capability, bullying and performance of individual practitioners. Disciplinary and grievance procedures aim to deal with these issues in house, without the involvement of a tribunal. The three stages of the disciplinary procedure are as follows; issuing a letter to the employee, a meeting between management and the employee and then finally a chance for an appeal. The ACAS code of practice states that â€Å"employers would be well advised to keep a written record of and disciplinary or grievances cases they deal with† (ACAS, 2009, P.2). This is an important aspect of the procedure, as the records provide evidence in case the issue goes to an employment tribunal. Training is essential in order for management to conduct an effective disciplinary interview; â€Å"Having the appropriate training and knowledge enables you to be in control and manage any situations that arise† (Niched, 2012). Employees should be given advanced notice of the meeting in the form of a letter, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. All facts surrounding the case should be examined and investigated prior to the meeting, ensuring management are aware of all the facts. It is essential that another member of management records notes during the meeting, to guarantee that evidence is collected in case a tribunal is called. All parties involved must be able to put their side across, with plenty of time; this may include relevant witnesses to the case. In order for the manager to make an informed decision they must remain impartial during the meeting, then deliver the verdict to the employee in writing; along with information in case they wish to appeal the verdict. In conclusion to the interview the outcome may involve no action being taken, a warning being issued or the dismissal of the employee. The manager with decide which of these outcomes is appropriate due to the nature of the case; however they must be able to prove their decision is appropriate and reasonable. Instead of filing a formal procedure employees should be able to approach their managers on a daily basis to discuss any issues; however they may not always feel comfortable doing this. The employment of new staff within nursery settings follows three stages; advertisement, selection and recruitment and induction. Nurseries are required to have policies in place to reflect these stages, stating how they aim to employ high quality staff whilst maintaining equal opportunities for all applicants. The wide deployment of advertisements at the same time allows a wider range of applicants to apply for the job, with equal time to apply. The vacancy should be advertised to all areas of the community, which is essential to maintain equal opportunities. To select potential candidates from all the applications managers must review their curriculum vitae against the job description. This is an effective way to avoid discrimination, as they are not being deterred by race, gender or age; it is focussing on their individual skills and attributes, which are appropriate to the role. Having two members of management involved in selecting new members of staff promotes equal opportunities and avoids discrimination; all decisions should be recorded and delivered in writing. Settings must have an induction policy which clearly sets out how new staff will be introduced to the setting; effectively informing them of the daily running of the nursery and settling them into the environment. This should also include the new member of staff being given the nursery policies to look at, making them aware of the policies and procedures; also identifying children with particular needs or allergies. This is an effective tool during the induction as it avoids mistakes being made, for example a child with a dairy intolerance being given milk to drink by accident. In an ideal world the shadowing of a current member of staff would provide the new employee with a mentor and a chance to familiarise themselves with the daily running of the setting. However this is not always the case or possible within settings, as due to the busy nature of the environment existing staff members may not have the time to show them certain things; resulting in the new employee not gaining the relevant knowledge needed. The staff development policy must take into account the ever changing needs of the children in the setting, as well as the changes in legal requirements; such as the reformed Early Years Foundation stage. The key elements of effective practice (KEEP) states that effective practitioners must have, â€Å"knowledge and understanding in order to actively support and extend children’s learning in and across all areas and aspects of learning† (Surestart, 2005, P.3). Individual staff personal development plans identify the training needs of individuals, ensuring they receive this training is essential as high quality care and education is important in ensuring positive outcomes for all children. â€Å"Effective practice in the early years requires committed, enthusiastic and reflective practitioners with a breadth and depth of knowledge, skills and understanding† (Wilcock, 2012, P.50). The settings promotion policy should clearly set out how promotions will be identifie d and given at appropriate times, in accordance with the recruitment policy and equal opportunities; staff appraisals also help to identify potential candidates for promotion. In conclusion effective communication is essential within nursery settings to ensure the smooth daily running of the setting, whilst also achieving the highest outcomes for children. There are many potential barriers to effective communication, which must be overcome by all practitioners to maintain effective practice, and positive working environments. Appraisals are an important factor within staff development as they identify positive aspects of practice, whilst also identifying improvement targets; improving the environment and care of the children. Disciplinary and grievance procedures must be carried out effectively in order to resolve issues quickly and appropriately, within the best interests of all involved. The employment of new staff should reflect equal opportunities, whilst retaining high quality staff appropriate to the role.