Epekto Ng

————————————————- History of Computer A computer is basically an electronic device which is used to input, output, process, and store data but there are some definitions which will include devices such as digital calculators and digital watches in the category of a computer. Software is also considered when looking at the history of computers, not only the physical hardware and the capabilities of the hardware available at the particular time. Operating systems with the features they carry and videogames with their utilization of the available technology are sometimes also used as markers in computer history.The earlier computers were much larger in comparison to the computers available today, sometimes filling entire rooms or sections of buildings. Some persons may be familiar with the term â€Å"mainframe† which is a large computer which can do many different tasks simultaneously. Modern mainframes and older mainframes were not much different in their function which is to provide a centralized point for all data to be processed and sometimes stored but older mainframes did not have the benefit of the newer technologies available today.As computers evolved and got smaller and smaller, the use of mainframes to handle workloads decreased as standalone computers became more popular. The difference with standalones versus those attached to the mainframe – which were called workstations, is the fact that standalones could run applications by themselves while workstations depended on the mainframe being online in order to function. Much older mainframes would run different programs based on a schedule and persons were assigned to feed or load the scheduled application at the appointed time.When the appointed program was scheduled to be run a person would have to load either punch cards or tape spools into the mainframe in order for it to run the specified application and the workstations would then load the application to the mainframe. In more recent times servers have generally replaced mainframes but in some companies there are still those who use modern mainframes as an alternative to having hundreds of servers in different locations. The size of the computer is the greatest measure of how far technology has come.We have moved from computers filling entire buildings to laptops that have as much functionality as a desktop and portable enough to tote around everyday. A quick timeline of how computers have evolved include the movement from punch card program input to magnetic tape program input, the moving of storage devices to magnetic drum media, moving from vacuum tube electronic components to transistor electronic components and ultimately the reduction in the size of transistors which is the primary reason for computers having reached where they are.An interesting concept to examine in computing would be Mooreâ₠¬â„¢s Law which outlines a trend in computing and the ‘block’, which will be the farthest point that computing will reach. As components keep getting smaller and smaller allowing for more features to be crammed into a single circuit, Moore’s Law dictates that once transistors reach atomic particle sizes the improvement of computers will have to stop.

The Stone Boy

Essay – The stone boy. In this essay, would I like to discuss how the way his family neglects Arnold can affect him in the future. The story is set in the south part of the USA where we meet the following characters, Arnold and Eugene on their way out early in the morning. The two boys are on their way out to the lake, where they are going to pick peas and if they are luckily, to shoot some ducks. Arnold has got a 22-caliber rifle, which he got from his father and on their way to the lake, when passing under some wires the rifle got stuck in it and ended up killing Eugene. When telling his parents about the incident they didn’t believed him. Shortly after the sheriff and the father bring Arnold in to town, they didn’t believe it was an accident but that he had planed everything. In The Stone Boy we meet a little boy by the name Arnold, who’s only 9 years old. He is a young, happy boy who looked up to his brother[1]. But something went awry when his brother got killed. He went into a state of shock that instead of calling for his father to help Eugene so that he could maybe survive, just went on picking peas. Furthermore his state of shock became worse when he was brought to the sheriff’s office for a hearing; In there, the sheriff questions Arnold about things, like why he was carrying a . 22-caliber rifle, if him and his brother where good friends, how it happened ect. But then the sheriff began pinpointing his questions, like why he didn’t call for help and why he kept on picking peas for an hour could Arnold not answer the question. Which made it seem obvous, to the sherrif and the father, that the boy might have killed Eugie for the sake of pleasure that and that accusation made Arnold look as an evil young boy[2]. The way the grownups handled the situation was poorly. The boy at only nine years gets questions thrown at him. â€Å"â€Å"I came down to pick peas,† he said. â€Å"What’s that got to do with it? † â€Å"It’s better to pick peas while they’re cool. † Those where the last words Arnold said at the sheriff’s office, before he was look upon as cruel and didn’t care about his brother. [3] The relationship between Mother and Arnold in The Stone Boy is not how it should be. At page 4 from line 116 and till the end of the page you see how Arnold’s mother is ignoring him. Putting her hands over her face to cover her eyes from meeting her on sons’ and ignoring him when he tries to come in to his mother at night to find closure, you can’t do anything, but feel sad for poor Arnold. If a child breaks something or looses something they should be scolded, but getting angry at a 9 year old child because for an accident no matter size and treating the child as a murderer because of his reaction should not be the answer. Arnold’s mother should have thought about that, because he was in grief and wanted her to be there, and maybe hold him in her arms and tell him that everything is going to be okay. But unfortunately she doesn’t do that and that becomes a consequence. The Stone Boy is written in a subjective 3rd-person. When I say subjective, I mean that the narrator only lets us see what Arnold is thinking while commenting throughout the story. An example could be; â€Å"Then he went out the door and down the back steps legs trembling from the fright his answer gave him. †[4] This is where his mother asked him what it was he wanted from her the night before, when she didn’t let him into her room. You can begin to see how he is affected by everything that has happened. That night she didn’t let him in, changed him because of the way he is emotionally. The themes that are mostly seen in The Stone Boy: †¢ Death: which we have seen throughout the story; the death of Eugene and mostly the death of himself. †¢ Identity/Failure: by the end of the story, Arnold has transformed himself into the â€Å"stone boy† referred to in the title. Yet, he doesn’t do so because he feels himself unable to experience emotions and share feelings; he does so because he realizes that this is how his family looks at him. Violence: the sheriff judges Arnold, defining him as a cold-blooded, merciless monster; everyone present feels the chill of his words. The sheriff's next words tell a grim future for Arnold. The Stone Boy covers most of the story, like I mentioned in the ‘themes’ section, about how the people around him, made him become this cynical ‘stone boy’ no matter what he does from that day on (after Eugeneâ₠¬â„¢s death) won’t change anything, because the environment has become ‘blinded’ by his emotional state. While reading the text, I found besides the misery, sadness and neglect, there was a very important massage and a big question; â€Å"Why was there a weapon at home and at a place where children could easily reach? † It wasn’t the boys fault but the parents. By that said no need to write more than that. ———————– [1] The Stone Boy – page 1. [2] The Stone Boy – page 4, line 106. [3] The Stone Boy – page 4, line 112. [4] The Stone Boy – page 5, line 142-143

Research with children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research with children - Essay Example Further, I shall attempt to gauge the difficulty level in overcoming them for the researchers involved. To evaluate these obstructions; I need to first discuss my own understanding of both cultural and institutional barriers. Cultural barriers are a result of varying (not necessarily one) culture and its reflective beliefs about children. These beliefs form major ideological notions of what being a child constitutes, what behaviors are to be expected, what are to be punished, and consequently in what manner adults should handle children. These impediments arise in researches done amongst all nations, and materialize in different child-identity arrangements. Amongst the most common ones are that children are ‘innocent’ and ‘naive’. This translates to the assumption that children are not reliable sources of knowledge. Their responses are not to be taken seriously since they lack enough knowledge to make meaningful observances. Parents play a major role in these scenarios. A number of social factors shape parents notions and expectations, and these may be challenged if children are given equal opportunities as adults to participate. For this reason, ensuring child participation means ensuring parental satisfaction (Ray, et al., 2010) Institutional barriers are those barriers in which institutions such as schools and governments place limits on child participation and hence hinder the space left for researches to explore in. Unlike cultural barriers, these are harder to overcome. Since they involve a larger number of people and usually governmental policies and laws, they need to be kept in accordance with. One such example of this is the case of ‘informed consent’. Various countries deal with this separately and allot children of certain ages of legal/illegal statuses which allow them to be independent

John Brown the Liberator Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

John Brown the Liberator - Research Paper Example He has been identified to free families from their masters while clothing them against cold and housing them before leading them to Free states in Canada. Together with other supporters of abolitionists and his family involvement, he managed to make the first step towards freedom before meeting his own death. III. POLITICAL LIBERALISM A. Political evolution and stands had emerged during John Brown’s life time and later accelerated after his death, when political parties took their positions based on the slavery issue. Abraham Lincoln who was associated with the Republican Party, was believed to support slave abolitionist John Brown in his brutal slave liberation. Other attorneys like John A Andrew conferred to support Brown during his trial, but they were hindered by fear that judgment would turn towards them. Brown’s death inspired many abolitionists where later, President Abraham saw the need to free the slaves while in power as a republican, despite the secession of other states from the Union. IV. FREEDOM AGAINST WOMEN OPPRESSION A. John Brown liberation involved women who supported him to bring in change, women like Harriet has been mentioned to have worked closely with him. Before his death, he shared his plan with a famous African American woman what he was going to execute to free the slaves. After his death, women and especially the black had woken up to seek for equality within the society. Their inspiration was from the John Brown who had a zeal to liberate slaves and the oppressed; whether women or men. V. CONCLUSION Though brown died before fully executing his plan, his death and ambition was fully admired by many, who later continued with his mission to end society classification, and bring equality to the entire society. He fought for black liberation, against slave economy, social difference, and inspired women movements, and political stands through Lincoln to end slavery in America despite the following union division. Introducti on The beginning of liberation movement can be traced back during the eras of world wars, and after colonization and the voyage movements around the world, in search of fresh and uninhabited lands. There was too much movement from across the borders into foreign lands by people as captives, which led to great inequality in different continents. Most people especially from Africa had to leave their families behind, native lands, and culture, and carried away as slaves across the oceans to work for the whites in the foreign lands. John brown was a great historical man who worked towards liberation and giving freedom back to oppressed civilians (against slavery) in America n their social, economic, and political levels. 1His life and works led an inspired revolution to slavery, freedom in America, and to an extent the entire Globe before his execution in 1859. Class and Black Liberation in America Following the persistent and humiliating slave trade, John Brown in his life had seen the suffering, and discrimination inflicted towards the people of colored skin (Black people). Since the European colonization, and settling in foreign lands, the oppression and exploitation of African people formed a basis for human slavery. The American slavery was by far much complex, cruel, and unjust. The masters and slave bond established a dynamic economic system where the slaves’ commitment to their work determined the mercy of their masters. According to Ciment, 2businessmen were eager and

No Sweat Global Commodity Chains and Labor Rights Essay

No Sweat Global Commodity Chains and Labor Rights - Essay Example According to the recent evident, almost 25 percent of total population of the developing countries are engaged in the paid labor live in several households (Seidman, 2007). These people generally survive on equivalent to 1 US dollar per day, per person. Day-by-day, the estimation of the poor working population is increasing significantly. This essay will take a close look at various debates global commodity chains and labor rights. Discussion Labor standard is the estimated, computed and several values, such as operations per hour, assembly time, and output per unit implemented in the evaluating or forecasting labor performance. The relationship between the system of labor standard and globalized production is effectively understood within the global commodity chain concept. The global commodity chain is referred to the way in which manufacturing, sales and distribution of goods is controlled and organized across the national borders. The labor intensive manufacturing of several cons umer goods is generally characterized by the particular buyer-driven commodity chains. In these commodity chains the brand-name corporations and large retailers develop a decentralize systems of manufacturing and distribution of such goods. However, the market power significantly differs among the various players across the chain. The real production is generally subcontracted out to several small organizations that generally usually face intense market competitive conditions. Therefore, the subcontractors cannot comfortably raise the output price without risking business loss. On the other hand, brand name multinationals and retailers enjoy some significant market power degree that they can adopt to keep low prices for the products they buy or earn rents through the monopolistic brand identity development. The large retailers and brand-name manufacturers could implement their market power to improve labor standards at the production level by compensating the subcontractors to incre ase the cost. There are several limitations of the global labor standards. In spite of the implementation strategy, the limitations of several schemes along with the aspects to promote global labor standards can be recognized explicitly. Only a subset of the workforce of the world could receive any benefit if the standards were aimed to the workers who manufacture goods for export. Labors generally produce non traded services and goods cannot directly affected by several interventions such as a social cause or a standardize code of conduct. In addition to this, adoption of the expansionary macroeconomic policy can referred to be an effective strategy to improve the well being of the labors. It will help to secure the egalitarian outcome comparing to the targeted labor standards’ enforcement. Labor standards are not the appropriate policies for the well being of the workers during the period of low global economic growth rate. The concept of global labor standard is irrelevant within the context of global economic downturn and global business expansion of several firms. The government of the developing countries needs to be cautioned before developing an expansionary macroeconomic policy. It is true that, macroeconomic policies can effectively contribute to the fair improvements in the work condition. But these cannot be sufficient to address the widespread corrosion of the potential employment opportunity that has been

The Religious Elements of Christian Traditions and Catholic Sacraments Research Paper

The Religious Elements of Christian Traditions and Catholic Sacraments in Dracula - Research Paper Example The religious significance of the crucifixes and other Christian elements in Dracula reflects the protective power of Christianity against the intervention of the Muslim religion to Europe. According to Fierobe, Dracula is the representative figure of the Ottoman influence on the European continent and his fleeing from the country marks the new stage in the expansion of the Christian religion across Europe. In Dracula we read: â€Å"When the count saw my face, his eyes blazed with a sort of demoniac fury, and he suddenly made a grab at my throat. I drew away and his hand touched the string of beads which held the crucifix. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardly believe that it was ever there†. The implications of this quotation are two-fold: on the one hand, Stoker once again supports the significance of the Christian symbols against the satanic evil; on the other hand, Dracula reinforces the sense of inevitability in the eternal c onflict between the Islamic and Christian religions. However, whether Dracula really symbolizes the broad fight between the Ottoman Empire and Europe is difficult to define. To a large extent, the claim about the broader religious implications of Dracula’s role in the story is at least ambiguous and doubtful.

Interwar Central Europe (Czech Literature class) Essay

Interwar Central Europe (Czech Literature class) - Essay Example There were two different views of culture in the 19th century. One field of thought used the word to distinguish human adaptive strategies from the instinctive adaptive strategies of animal while the other used it to refer to symbolic representations and expressions of human experience devoid of reference to direct adaptive value. In 1869, Arnold Matthew, belonging to the second school of thought, basically defined culture the way it is viewed today. According to him, "Culture or civilization, taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society"(Matthew, 1869). It was in the 20th century where anthropologists considered culture as an object of scientific analysis. In 2002, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defined culture "as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional fe atures of society or a social group, and that it encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs". (UNESCO, 2002) The first thing that comes to mind when talking about scientific revolution is sweeping changes and discoveries in the Natural Sciences such as Physics, Biology and Chemistry. However, the term also indicates the series of changes in thought itself such as systematic doubt, empirical and sensory verification, the abstraction of human knowledge into separate sciences, and the view that the world functions like a machine. That is, the scientific revolution also encompasses the Social Sciences such as Philosophy and Political Science. The latter part of 19th century and the early portion of the 20th saw huge scientific developments in various fields. This was the period where steel, electricity, internal combustion engine, telegraph and telephone and railroads -all major factors for modernization- came into operation. This was also the period where Wilhelm Wundt applied a physiological approach to the mind, August Comte approached social problems with statistical data, Leopold von Ranke rejected history based on tradition and placed emphasis on documentary evidence, Albert Einstein proved his Relativity theories and Sigmund Freud established Psychoanalysis. (Wikipedia.org, 2006) These developments virtually revolutionize every aspect of life in many aspects of human society and it can be argued that is within this period where our understanding not only of the environment but of ourselves grew by leaps and bounds. However, it should be noted that these developments did not necessarily had positive effects; an example would be the development of chemicals for chemical gas warfare used in WW1. 3. Compare main features of "form" and "content" of Hasek's THE GOOD SOLDIER SVEJK. The novel takes the form of a satire where the contents delve on a discussion of the hypocrisy of the church, the stupidity of the army and the police and the destructiveness of war all seen thru the comic adventure of Svejk- a soldier branded by the Army and the bureaucracy as an imbecile- and the statements of a narrator. The adventures of Svejk' is played out against a backdrop of sharp and often

Graduate Career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Graduate Career - Essay Example Serving in the ministry whether in Nigeria or in their foreign missions is okay with me but I would wish to work abroad. I am a person who likes travelling and meeting new people and this job would offer me the best chance to do that. I believe I am well suited to perform tasks in the ministry basing this on my academic credentials. I am currently pursuing a bachelor degree at Greenwich University, London in Politics and International Relations to end in 2012 and I also have a Diploma in Law acquired in 2005 from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in many occasions deals with political assignments between countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria 2011). This is basically the role that is centred in international relations and the other part of my degree covers this fully. The ministry also acts accordingly through the understanding of international law and that of the land i.e. Nigeria. In this regard my law diploma comes in handy to offer the required background knowledge. It is important to note that this position will require me to have ample experience in international relations of which am short of. My plan in order to eliminate this gap is to apply for internship programs in related areas within the time I will be doing my degree. Hopefully it will be a foreign affairs ministry or other relevant organization. The current employment state has been plagued with institutions and organizations asking for experience from job applicants mostly ranging from 2-5 years. I therefore seem to have quite a mountainous task to clock the minimum experience requirement for the current job market. The other huge requirement lies with the need to acquaint myself with a number of languages that come in handy in the international platform like French and Spanish among others (Vsesoi?uznoe 2006). Language barrier is the biggest obstacle when dealing internationally and one needs to have knowledge of as many languages as possible. Lo oking back at the passion I have for this kind of job, I believe the task ahead is achievable with the required amount of effort and dedication. Applications are sent in their thousands to the ministry and to get an appointment one needs to have skills and experience that offer a considerable level of competitive edge. On the side of skills am planning to enrol in a law class to further my diploma in a college in London particularly to study International Law. World Vision International The world has been dogged by many challenges ranging from poverty, disease and natural disasters (Jones 2006). It is here that World Vision International comes in to alleviate people from such suffering by offering the necessary humanitarian assistance and advocacy (World Vision International 2011). In community development initiatives World Vision concentrates more on poverty and people’s welfare more so that of children. This Non-governmental Organisation is the other that I wish to join aft er my graduation. It is centred on helping the less fortunate in the society and the world at large. I am a charitable person and it is my wish to see the world being a better place through my direct efforts. World Vision in this case offers the best platform for me to exploit my knowledge and expertise in helping these kinds of people. I may wish to concentrate more on the African plight and Nigeria in particular. Helping people who are in need and enabling them to cross to some level of comfort is the

Review Literary Terms, Eng 125 Essay Example for Free

Review Literary Terms, Eng 125 Essay Imagination is the power to create. It is the key component to literature. Without imagination, there wont be an interesting story, I believe. Imagination is not only important to the writer, it helps the reader broaden their interpretation of the story. When you allow reading to unlock your imagination, your connection sets the stage for intellectual engagement. It allows the experience of reading literature to include the pursuit of ideas and knowledge. (Clugston, R. W 2010). With imagination comes genre. Choosing what category or type of literature. It can be a short story, poem, or drama. It can be used to make broad distinctions or to identify specific categories within a broad category. The short story and the novel, for example, are specific literary genres within the broad category of fiction. (Clugston, R. W. 2010). I think another very important component to literature is the tone. Setting the tone will let the reader know what attitude the literary work is going. For example, the final lines in Updikes poem create an initial feeling of sympathy, which is likely to become empathy if the reader reflects on the dogs predicament in not being able to communicate its final struggle. (Clugston, R. W 2010). Tone is followed by image. Image represents the experience that go through your senses, the idea. Writers use specific language to describe the imagery. Again, in Frosts and Updikes poems about the dog, In Frosts image of an old dog theres an initial feeling of sadness, but if the reader reflects on what the poem has to say about the inevitable life cycle that both the dog and the speaker face, sadness is likely to fade somewhat into acceptance. Reference Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into literature. San Diego, California: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

The Issue of Female Identity in the Novel The Trick Essay Example for Free

The Issue of Female Identity in the Novel The Trick Essay This paper examines the issues of gender within Janice Galloway’s novel, The Trick is to Keep Breathing. The paper considers the identity crisis that the character of Joy Stone in the novel faces and discloses how this crisis is triggered as a result of social oppression. The Trick is to Keep Breathing is primarily a story about the mental health of an individual and tells of how she has suffered to such an extent that she has been plummeted into depression, self-loathing and anorexia. One of the key themes in the book is that of alienation. The main character, Joy, is suffering from a loss, a loss that is not recognized in the eyes of society; she is the mistress of a dead man. Whilst the family of the man are able to openly grieve and be acknowledged for their position in her lover’s life, she is forced to hide her feelings away, together with her knowledge of her lover’s feelings for her, in her own secret prison. Her position as a mistress leaves her with no place to grieve and the social constraints of society entail she is restrained from mourning. Social institutions mean that she has no justifiable relationship with Michael and therefore is without purpose, she has no existence. She is thus socially oppressed and such oppression acts as means by which Joy’s identity and place in the world is stripped from her. Joy has no real control over her life. . She is thus trying to grief alone and quietly but her inability to publicly release her feelings and gain recognition for how significant she was in her lover life mean that loses all self respect and she subsequently endures a lifestyle that is devoid of any significance. She completes her daily chores with very little feeling and her future stretches before her in a daunting and formidable fashion. Even time is meaningless to her. Joy’s depressed and emptiness plays out on both a psychological and a physical level. She is obsessed with her own image and allows her self perception to be negatively impacted by the magazines she reads and the inferior way in which they make her feel. The only way in which she seems capable of having some control over her feelings is through denying herself food. She attempts to rid herself of her sense of loss and her frustration with the way in which society treats her by starving herself and thus intertwines her identity crisis with her physical body. But the physical manifestations of her oppression only serve to enhance her feelings of loss, â€Å"Empty space. I had nothing inside me† (147). She is increasingly becoming separated from the world in which she lives, the people who surround her and even her own body. Gender is of extremely relevance within the novel and her relationships with various male figures such as the doctors, an ex boyfriend and her boss form an important element of the story. All of the men she encounters are dominant, overpowering characters who, in their own ways, wish Joy to submit to their wishes. Her memories of her ex-lover control her, the doctors think they know what is best for her and wish for her to do as she is told and other characters simply want to seduce her. However, Joy has lost all ability to adhere to the men’s wishes and she suffers a form of breakdown; one which rebels against what is socially expected of her and strives for freedom from the entrapment of the male gaze and their endless orders. She learns to create meaning for herself, not by adhering to what society deems meaningful but by defining this for herself. By stripping things of the meaning attributed to them by society she is able to rid herself of her oppression and see life in a new light. She learns that she is happier if she doesn’t live by society’s rules and, whilst this may her appear chaotic to an outside audience, it frees her from her personal prison.

AirAsia Customer Relationship Management

AirAsia Customer Relationship Management In todays world economy, information technology (IT) has driven fundamental changes in the nature and also the application of technologies in a business. The use of IT in its value chain provides the company a very strong strategically and tactical tools. If these tool are properly applied and used could bring great advantages in promoting and strengthening the competitive advantages. In order to gain more market share and sustain its competitive advantages to be very low cost carrier in these days high demanding environment, Air Asia tries to develop new ways of make the customers, suppliers loyal. Focus on supplier and alliances and the customer will drive positive values to Air Asia can achieve. Customer relationship management application will be one of the areas of strategic implementation that company can focus to achieve high values to both Shareholders and Customers. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) In order to long term, customer relationship should be fostered for company to maintain competitive advantage and profitability. When planning and implementing CRM application, management is recommended the following approaches: Customer segmentation-mileage- based segmentation is inadequate, rather should focused on value-based and needs-based approaches can be guide investment decision and drive greater insight into needs of high-value customer. CRM initiative development-to different from the other competitors approach e.g. installing kiosks for the fast check in. Air Asia should implement CRM program in favour of investing in initiatives with a high return, which respond to the needs and desires of their own customers. Organizational design and management-Air Asia needs to train the employees empowerment them with a complete view of the customer and clearly fluent the employees role in the CRM strategy. Advanced and classy CRM information system should include the key functions that are; Travelling Planning: Site personalization for on line customer to create travel plan, bundled services information, flights notification systems, and gate information displays etc. Reservation and Ticketing: ITA search engines, roving agent check-in, kiosks, internet check-in, and phone check in systems etc. Frequently Flyer Program: Membership based or point based rewarding scheme offering to the applicable customer. Campaign Management: Email campaigns and promotion system are used for marketing. Customer Care: Web based self services such as e-ticket booking and reservation, online baggage tracing. RFID baggage tags, internet lounge, and in air internet services. Business intelligence: Dynamic update and multidimensional reports that helps management to do analytics in various areas, such as customer profile. To justify the investment and implementation scope of the CRM program, Air Asia is recommended to look into the ROI and financial impact to the shareholder value driven by each of the CRM initiatives. By taking the steps to implement a truly consumer-centric approach to relationship management, Air Asia will be in better position to attain , develop, and hold on to high value of the clients Company wants to be the lowest short-haul airline in every market it goes, that why they are using some strategies such as Lean cost structure, different ways of promotion, keeping safety, satisfying guests and developing human resource very strongly these days. Air Asia always tries to keep their operations as simple as they can. SWOT Analysis: To figure out the internal factors such as Strengths and Weakness, and external Opportunities and Threats to business objective, a SWOT analysis of Air Asia can be conducted; Strengths: Low cost operation Fewer management level, effective, focused and aggressive management Simple proven business model that consistently distribute that the lower fares Penetrate and motivate to the potential markets And multi skilled staff means efficient and incentive workforce Single type of Air buses minimize the maintenance cost and easy for pilot dispatch Streamline Operation: making sure that the processes are as simple as possible, that customer can approach and use it with no difficulty Lean Distribution System: offering a wide and innovative rang of distribution channels to make a booking and take a step toward a travelling easy Point to point network: applying the point to point network keeps operation simple and low cost, that it connect the booking offices with call centres Partnering with the worlds most renowned maintenance provider company and complying with the airline operation in the world. Implementing the regions fastest turnaround at 25 minutes only, assuring lower cost and higher productivity Weaknesses: Due to lower costs the services possessions are limited, so someone can think that Air Asia cannot serve as well as they advertise During irregular situations the company could not handle them well with limited number of personals Government interference and regulation on airport deals and passenger compensation Non central location for secondary airports Its low cost strategy makes the brand critical for market position and development is always a challenge for Air Asias management One of the weak point is that the company trust heavily on outsourcing, it shows the Air Asia depends on other for some of their tasks and seems not good for companys repute in the customers mind New entrance to provide the price sensitive services Providing guests with the choice of modify services without compromising on quality and services. Opportunities: Long haul flights an experiment to get underdeveloped market share, which is better for the companys growth. The Air Asia can differentiate from traditional Low Cost Carrier model by adding customer services or operating as a full services airline with low fare for the haul flights. Ongoing industry consideration has opened up projection for new routes and airports deals, by making such kind of deals the company expand his business High inflation rate and also fuel prices will pinch out unprofitable competitors Threats: Keeping in view the current economic situations the full services airline cut their cost to compete. Other companies like Virgin etc may think towards Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) In the coming time the high rates of fuel decrease the yield of the company is a big threat for them Accident, terrorist attack and disaster affect customer confidence. For example on 28 July 2010 a plane crash in Pakistan and almost one month later on 24 of august 2010 there is a another plane crash in China, these kind of accident creates a doubt in the mind of customers. Due to their (Air Asia) low cost model the people may think about that there is risk involve like services and safe journey. I think this is a major threat in these days that Air Asia can face. Aviation regulation and government policy, Air Asias ongoing business in long haul flights have always threat for the changing policies of the those countries and day to day changes in the regulations of the international airport authorities Increase in operation cost in producing value added services, as Air Asia X using value added services by long haul flights so it results in increase their operation and value added cost. As Air Asia policy from the January 2002, company belief online seat reservation and also online flight schedule but a threat is always there that the system disorder can arise big problem for Air Asias online system Economical factor of Air Asia According to the profit and loss account of company it was good in 2009, weather it receive loss in 2008 due to fuel hedging and the crisis situation in Bangkok. The company bear a heavy loss upon their short and long contracts when fuel price shot through to the roof before collapsing around the end of year. On November 2008 the company abolish fuel surcharges. It is the first air line in the world to abolish fuel surcharge. As other air lines are downsize with decreasing in travel, because of global economic circumstances. In 2009 and in 2010 Air Asia expands its operations. The companies target to get around one Million customers in 2008, adding new plans and also introducing new destinations like India etc. At the end of 2009 and start of 2010 Air Asia targets get 5.1 million in 2009 that is 4.2 million up that was in 2008. The new plans were operate usefully towards new destinations like India, China etc. Current Activities: The Air Asia invited the customer to come and take part in photography competition in a sense of making journey Happy with Them(AIR ASIA), the winner of this competition will be awarded a ticket to Bangkok with accommodation and other offers such like that to get market penetration. From 2009 the company starts scholarship for students related to pilot courses this is another try to get more market penetration in term of Air Asias sales and make the customer interested in their new routes and keep the existing and as well as new customers. These Air Asia using Social security checks for buying ticket on special prices. Red Megastore. They start red megastore for online services for the purpose of make more ease for the new and little educated customers to buy Air Asias offered facilities. As we know the target customer of Air Asia is less educated, Middle class and small business mens, so this plan works very fruitful for the company. Customer Satisfaction of Air Asia: The customer satisfaction on company depends on four variables that are Safety, Service Quality, Price and Promotion; Safety: The safety factor is related to the Engine and other parts operate during flight Take a good care of the hand caries and make sure that there is better place for them without any disturbance The company have much focus on the insurance of passengers while they travel Service Quality: Good manners of attendance during flight The flight attendants are very skilled , knowledgeable and charming The Attendants must offer their services with keeping in mind of serving Price: Equality of ticket price Offer the low comparative price Promotion: Air Asia was very care while lunching promotions they should be Interesting, After a reasonable time and also good frequency of lunching promotions

The Cause and Effect of the Subprime Mortgage Crisis :: Financial Crisis Mortgage Sub-Prime

The subprime mortgage crisis is an ongoing event that is affecting buyers who purchased homes in the early 2000s. The term subprime mortgage refers to the many home loans taken out during a housing bubble occurring on the US coast, from 2000-2005. The home loans were given at a subprime rate, and have now lead to extensive foreclosures on home loans, and people having to leave their homes because they can not afford the payments. (Chote) The cause and effect of this crisis can be broken down into five major reasons. When subprime mortgages began to flourish, the term housing bubble came into existence. The term relates to the time in which houses sharply increased in value, and consumers often borrowed at less than the lowest rates. People believed that the price of their homes would rise and they could then refinance for lower payments. The problem with that mentality is many people didn’t just refinance for lower payments, they also refinanced for personal spending. Inflation of home prices meant homeowners suddenly had more equity and were able to spend the money as they chose. All good things must come to and end. In late 2005, the housing bubble burst, and housing began to decline in price. People who refinanced, particularly those who financed with variable interest rates suddenly found their homes were valued at much less. The housing market became flooded with homes for sale, because the homeowners with variable rates and interest only loans could not continue to make their payments. (Greenspan) The rise in the number of homes for sale caused further lowering of home values. Keeping in mind that the main reason for the mortgage crisis is the high number of defaulted home loans, which triggered foreclosures and sell offs. The other four contributing factors include high-risk loans, the bust in the housing market, mortgage fraud, and speculation. High-risk loans are loans that are over leveraged, where the financing is done more than the suggested values to be given. (Greenspan) This can result in immediate sell off when the property falls below that loan amount and to avoid further loss the banks start raising the installment. The housing market has seen pressure as a result of the over pressure on most homeowners by increasing rates. This affects people ability to make the payments, resulting in defaults. This is the problem with the burst in the housing market. The third major factor that is causing the mortgage crisis is, mortgage fraud.

How to Protect Yourself from Chikan :: Essays Papers

How to Protect Yourself from Chikan All trains and subways in Tokyo and other cities around Tokyo are terribly crowded during rush hour. In addition to the crowds on trains, young female passengers have to go through one more trial on a train. They must protect themselves from Chikans, men who touch women on the train. Women who are working or studying in Tokyo have to keep three things in mind when they are on a train: how to avoid meeting Chikans, how to protect themselves, and how to protect their friends. First, young women should try not to choose lines or trains which have a high possibility of meeting Chikans. Needless to say, Chikans seldom appear on trains which are not crowded. Accordingly, the best way to avoid Chikans is to avoid taking crowded trains. However, women have to take crowded trains during rush hour to arrive at their offices or schools on time. Though they cannot choose the time of the trains, they can choose which line they should take. In general, women meet Chikans more frequently when they take private lines, the subways, or JR lines. They especially have to be aware of some lines which have a bad reputation among young women. For example, the Odakyu line is one of the most crowded trains. We have all kinds of schools, including high-level, low-level, and public schools along the Odakyu line, and many women, especially female students, tend to meet Chikans on this line. I met ones who were male students of a certain school when I was a high school student. In contrast, many schools along the subways in the center part of Tokyo are high-level or expensive private schools, and women do not meet Chikans very much on these lines. The Inogashira line is also famous among women for Chikans. Many young people use this line to go to Shibuya, which is the most popular place in Tokyo. Some of my friends told me that some men use this line only to touch women. Because of these reasons, I often use other lines to go to Tokyo. Next, many young women tend to put up with Chikans silently when they are on a train alone. However, they should protect themselves from Chikans by following three steps. First, if you think that someone is touching you, turn your head slowly and look at his hand to make sure that he is really a Chikan.

Private Tuition Essay

It is now fashionable for many Malaysian students to go for private tuition. In fact, most students feel insecure if they do not have extra tuition after school. Isn’t that correct? Extra tuition may be necessary for some of you. For example, some of you are weak in mathematics. Without help, you may be left behind. Many of you are in classes which are large. Your teacher cannot give special attention to weak students but your private tutors can. Some teachers may seem unapproachable. Timid students feel afraid to ask questions. They do not want to look stupid. In a small tuition group such students may feel confident. Tutors can also afford to be more patient and allow students to take their time. They do not have to worry about completing the syllabus. Not all teachers are experts in their subjects. Unfortunately, you cannot choose your teachers. On the other hand, you can shop around for good tutors recommended by friends. You can also change tutors whom you find unsatisfactory. However, not all tutors either. Nowadays new graduates join tuition centres while waiting for other jobs. They are not trained teachers. They leave when they find something better to do. They are not bothered about completing the syllabus before the resign, so be careful. In addition, tuition centre exist to make a profit. Classes are often large; there may be as many as 20 to a class. This means you pay for individual attention but do not get it. They have also been cases of tuition centres closing after having collected fees in advance. Finally, extra tuition takes up too much of a student’s time. A lot of time is wasted on travelling to and from the tuition centre. Some of you treat tuition classes as social gatherings. You can actually use your time more profitably on hobbies or personal revision. After attending tuition classes, you may be too tired to do your homework or your school work. If you pay attention in class and do your revision regularly there is no need for extra tuition. The money you would save could be used to buy revision books or put a side for furthering your education in the future. Personally I feel private tuition is a waste of hard-earned money.

Kolb Model

Tata Motors’ Singur Case (Nano Controversy) Introduction I have taken the case on Tata Motors Ltd. The case was all about on the Tata Nano Singur Controversy. This controversy refers to the Tata’s Nano Factory at Singur in Hooghly district in West Bengal, India. Since Tata Motors Started constructing the factory over there in Singur, the small place comes into the media worldwide. Tata Motors started this factory to manufacture 25000 cars firstly. The plans of Tata Motors were that Nano will come out from the factory by 2008 for rolling out the roads. Tata Motors Ltd. s the largest Indian automobile company having the revenues of USD 20 billion in 2009-10. Tata Motors is the leader in the manufacturing of commercial vehicles. It is among the top three in the passenger car and also in mid car segment. The organization stands at number four in truck manufacturing worldwide and stands at number two in bus manufacturing. The total workforce of Tata Motors worldwide is near about 24000 employees. Tata Motors established in 1945, Tata Motors is present across the India and even world wide as they have acquired the two brands of Ford Motors.The total quantity of the vehicles which rolling out on Indian roads by Tata Motors are near about 6 million. The company has its manufacturing units all across the India i. e. Jamshedpur, Pune, Lucknow, Pantnagar and Karnataka. In 2005, Tata Motors set the alliance with Fiat Motors at Ranjangaon, Maharashtra to produce bith Fiat and Tata cars. The company is also establishing the new manufacturing unit at Sanand( Gujrat). The company has a good dealership network in India. Abstract The controversy of Tata Motors was due to Land Acquisition at Singur for its Nano Project 4 years back. The Tata Motors have the dream to run a Rs. lakh car on Indian roads. In 2006, the CM of West Bengal Mr. Bhuddadeb Bhattacharjee’s vision was to make the West Bengal an industrialized state so that it can compare to other states i n India in industrialization. As the land in Singur was not so fruitful, so the government had decided to give it to Tata Motors for the Nano Project, so that the state will get benefit out of it. But the opposition had the continuously eye on this issue, they do not want that the poor farmers’ land will be taken from them under the government pressure. The political factors come into the picture against this project at Singur.The opposition was playing with the emotions of the farmers. The opposition put the arguments that the land is scarce resource in the West Bengal. The opposition does not want that the project will start here and it will end up at its scheduled time. The opposition got successful in its operations for the Tata Motors and finally Supreme Court asked the Ratan Tata to chuck out their plant from the Singur. The main person behind all this was Ms. Mamta Benerjee, she was adding fuel to the fire always at the time of issue. So, at the end Tata Motors have st opped its operations and went ahead to the place in Gujrat. Comparative AnalysisThe comparative analysis can be defined in terms of issues of the case and their depth analysis from the point of view of stakeholders. It can be explain in terms of some external forces which play important role in this issue as given below: First of all in this case, legal aspects in the land acquisition by Tata at Singur come into the play. Due to globalization, most of the developing countries want to have the shift from import substitution based strategy for the land acquisition. SEZ i. e. special economic zones are the geographical regions which have the economic laws more liberal than the economic laws in the whole country.By offering the all these privileged terms from the SEZ to the company, it will attract the investment from the investors, foreign exchange, boost the employment and improving the infrastructure facilities which will help in the growth of the particular location. The same reason was here in the case also. Tata want to improve the industrialization in the West Bengal though their Nano Project. As the Nano project will be beneficial for the both parties, Tata will get the desired place for the manufacturing of the Nano and West Bengal will also benefited.In this case, the main issue was that Industry, government and agriculture comes at the crossroads. There are so many implications for the external factors which come into this picture. As CPI had won the election for the seventh consecutive time in West Bengal, CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has the vision to make the West Bengal an industrialized state which will help the people to upgrade their standards. CM was very happy that government has recommended the Singur for the Nano Plant. As Ratan Tata was looking for the place where he would able to control the cost and place would be cheap so that he can provide the people the car of worth Rs. lakh. So, Ratan Tata accepts the proposal from the West Bengal gover nment because at Singur the cost of its operation would be less and Tata will get benefited out of it. The statistical data of Hooghly district on Singur block is that 83% of the land is irrigated and crop density is 220%. The landholders in the Singur were very small. All have the land in the small proportions. There are a large number of migrant workers over there; it implies that Tata would get the cheap and easy labor over there in the Singur.On May 18, 2006, there was the announcement by the West Bengal government for the beginning of the project at Singur. Ratan Tata promise to complete the project in 2 years. The whole project was spread into 2 parts, one part having the land of 700 acres and another part of 300 acres which was kept for the ancillary production for the project. The project has created the 10,000 direct and indirect jobs over there in Singur. On Jun 19th2006, Tata got a notification from the government under the section 9(1) of land Acquisition Act of 1894 to the affected farmers due to this project.The Act mentioned that the land acquired by Tata needed to be taken by the government/ government authorities for the public purposes, employment generation and socio economic development of the state. After some time on Jul 27, 2006 the state government sets the 6 months deadline for acquiring the land. After that this land acquisition got challenged by the Kolkata High Court. Some people in the Singur got their cheques for the compensation from the government as they protest against the government for the cheques. After that there is state wide violence in the Singur began.The monitoring protesting starts in the Singur. Ms. Mamta Banerjee took the lead for the opposition of the project. On 22th Jan, 2007 there were near about the 1000 guards arranged for Tata Motors’ plant to save it from the protesting people on the day of Bhoomi Pujan. There are the people from the all parts of the society come in the Singur to protest this movemen t. On 4th Feb’07, HC issued a prohibitory order under the section 144 Cr at Singur and announce that it was the only use of power and unreasonable restricted practices by the government authorities.After some days, the government asked for the file an affidavit which will show all the details for the legality of the land acquisition by the Tata Motors at Singur. Here comes the issue whether land acquire though under the two different section of land acquisition act 1894, it got directed towards the farmers who receive the compensation from the government. After messing with government, finally Tata got the approval for the plant on March, 07. The government signed an agreement to lease the 949. 5 acres to the Tata Motors for 90 years.After some time, government felt that an advocate made some mistakes and the same case got filed again, government found that only 30% of the farmers signed willingly and yet other people do not want. The state government admitted that Till April 25, 07 only Rs. 90. 35 crores have distributed and rest the people are left undistributed the money where as their land had already acquired. In the meanwhile the Nano got unveiled in Delhi’s pragati Maidan on Jan10, 08. On Jan 18, 10, Calcutta High Court sealed the land acquisition in Singur and asked the Tata to roll out the Nano without completing the project.The Chief Justice dismiss the all the 11petitions filed by the Tata. Tata has not paid the people which are CPI(M) supported. Now there are cpnditions got critical and Ratan Tata decide to roll out the project from the Singur on Oct 3, 08 due to worried about the safety concern of the Mangers and their families over there. Implications on Stakeholders The stakeholder impacts the case a lot from the point of view of their different place in the organization. The implications of all the stakeholders are given below: Tatas Prospective Investors Ancillary Units Competitor to Nano Farmers Stakeholders WB Government Employ eesMamta Banarjee Different Stakeholder Values The primary stakeholders for the Tata project were Tatas, government of west Bengal and farmers. The government plays a critical role in pulling out the project by Tatas. Mamta Banerjee played with the emotions of the Farmers by making them ignited for the opposition of this project. Every stakeholder thinks from its prospective of getting the benefit out of this problem. Talking about the farmers, as they firstly persuaded for the land acquisition but they were opposing it because due to increase in the land prices as they are demanding now the high prices for their land.As the West Bengal is a agriculture state, there is a lack of industrialization in the West Bengal. The issue was taken up by the opposition due to this factor also. The main role played by the Mamata Banerjee by taking the help of political and government issues which are totally external, could not able to handle by Tatas. The formulation of Tata-Singur case is very much uncertain. There are too many speculations over there for unsatisfied farmers as they demanded more money now. Returning 400 acres to the farmers which was unwillingly for the Tatas or the main reason was the political factors.Theory of Socialism Socialism is a theory related to the political and economic factors of the public or for the mutual ownership of the people in particular regions. It has a lot of importance in the means of the production and makes the resources allocated among all the departments. The theory of socialism plays an important part in Singur Case. As the socialism theory will have the care for the people in the society, it will help the people to co operate the each other. The Tatas can carry out the production by the free association of the workers to use the maximum optimal resources.The co-ordination planning is the major part of this theory and I think in co-ordination or in the planning of the co-ordination Tata is the best in the industry. The decis ions about the investment, distribution of the surplus money or invest in the production methods give the advantage over the others. Socialism is the theory which is based on the arrangements for labour time, all the units of power and other factors of the production. In the case of Singur, there are a lot of political factors or forces Tata faced by the government. The socialism theory originated from the intellectual and the working class of the society.So it impacts a lot of the political movement of the Tata Motors which arises from the fact of industrialization in the state. The main issue which comes into the picture was the private properties of the farmers in the Singur. As the West Bengal is an agriculture state, the Singur is totally depending upon the agriculture. But due to government rule, the land which is about irrigated from a long time it could be comes under the SEZs. Under SEZs the land will be used under the various government laws to start with some industries o ver there.The theory also emphasis on the fact about the issue at the Singur case is that due to socialism, the modern values to rationalize economic activities by the eliminating the capitalist production at the plant. It would also allow the workers for the economic output and the power to be distributed on the base of extended work in the manufacturing of the Nano Project. Theory of Pluralism Final Outcome All Organizations face a business environment in which international and macroeconomic phenomena Matter, The same with happened to TATA in Singur They faced a huge protest by the farmers in the land acquisition matter.The problem in Singur is essentially just that: the irresistible coming up against the immovable. While the government wants to develop industry in the state, farmers are worried about losing their land and procuring the next meal for themselves and their families. The trinomial congress, with its honorable leader Mamta Banerjee had a right intention of protecting the interests of the local farmers, started off well and managed to get a lot of political support from rural Bengal. As Nano factory was nearing completion, The CM of Bengal Mr.Bhattacharya stepped back and soon to come up with support and not putting up the factory in Singur. The Tata's mistake was to put too much faith in west Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and to depend only on him to provide them with easy possession of land on favorable terms, and to sort out all political problems. After that TATA had offered many compensation package in exchange of the acquired land to the farmers but their leader Mamta was not interested whatsoever in any package that endangers the survival of the problem.Taking a drastic site-selection turn, Tata Motors has abandoned the site in eastern India where its 2,000-employee plant was going to manufacture the new Nano mini-car. Prompted by months of often violent opposition from uprooted farmers, the pullout from the city of Singu r came only after Tata had reportedly spent almost US$350 million, working for two years to ready the operation in West Bengal state to make the low-cost â€Å"People's Car. Instead, the automaker is relocating to Sanand, Gujrat, where it will construct a $417 million facility to make the Nano mini car. Critical Recommendations The TATA motors should have entered into direct negotiations with the farmers, tried to understand their problems with empathy and offered them a higher price and employment for at least one member of each affected family. Tata motors should not have gone so far ahead in construction before critical land acquisition issues were settled

American Literature and Research

Society affects the lives of people who live in it. It dictates how they should behave and establishes norms that are expected to be obeyed otherwise people who do not fulfill the expectations are considered as deviant, rebellious and society’s outcasts. Society, however, is susceptible to change, as it is highly shaped by the events and its resulting pervasive ideas, occurring in certain periods of time.The three stories, â€Å"The Vanishing American Hobo† by Jack Kerouac, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut and â€Å"Soldier’s Home â€Å"by Ernest Hemingway clearly illustrates how society changes and how it affects the people in it and how people attempts to suppress deviance. The story â€Å"Soldier’s Home† is a story of a young man who returns as a changed man to Oklahoma in 1919 after the First World War. This story was first published in 1925. The young soldier Harold â€Å"Krebs† enlisted in the Marines and goes to war f or two years.When he returns home it is very obvious that he is not the same hopeful, slick, religious young man in the picture who goes to a Methodist College and enjoys college lives with fraternity brothers anymore. Now he is passive and refers to himself as not part of the â€Å"Kingdom†. Moreover, it seems he does not want to be involved with life in general, the reason is that,† He did not want consequences †¦. he wanted to live along without consequences,† therefore he withdrew (Hemingway 2007).Around him there is an air and sense of loss, he even has to lose his own war stories as he had to tell lies about his experiences since people in his town decided they have had enough of the stories of atrocities related by the soldiers who came home earlier than him. Moreover, there are so many things that he does not want to take part anymore even courting as it states, â€Å"He did not want to have to do any courting† (Hemingway 2007). It is pretty ob vious that the war had changed Krebs, and the line â€Å"he couldn’t make her see it†, when he comforts his mother after telling her that he does not love her, hinted to the reason (Hemingway 2007).The war had taught him a lot of things including stifling his emotions. And most importantly, he could not explain to his mother what he had gone through in the war, he could not make her understand and see the horror the war has exposed him. But his family, especially his parents, could not see why he has to act that way while the other soldiers in the neighborhood had clearly moved on, having good jobs and getting married, and so they pressured him to go back to the normal society. The First World War brought many countries into a global armed conflict that was considered the first devastating and horrible event in all of human history.People died by the thousands and many suddenly find themselves losing their family and friends. The soldiers, especially, are daily exposed not only to the hardships of war but the terror and anxiety that accompanies it. Trench warfare specifically exposed the soldiers to a very harsh, stagnant and extremely dangerous environment. Right before their eyes skulls and brains were blown away. An example of a horrible incident is when a man who had the top of his head blown away was groaning like an animal for three hours before he died (Hemingway Lecture Notes).Soldiers surrounding him cannot avoid being affected by such painful human torture, as they were helpless to ease his pain. No wonder that an incident like this made many soldiers who return home after the war broken, without hope and suffer emotional numbness and disbelief like Krebs did. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs it is normal that soldiers experiences a kind of trauma (shellshock and post traumatic stress disorder) after the war since it is indeed a very shocking human experience.Soldiers feel somehow dissociated from what they know is  "normal life†. It is possible that the other soldiers like Charley Simmons who easily adjusted to normal life in Oklahoma did not suffer as much as Krebs did. Studies revealed that soldiers do not experience the same kind of trauma as not all of them are exposed to more â€Å"prolonged, extensive, and horrifying† situation as Krebs probably was. However, society put pressure on them by expecting them to move on, to forget the war (â€Å"National Center† 2007).The short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† reflects the 1950’s conformity lifestyle and the rebellious protestation of a young boy against it. It was published in 1961. The story describes the hopeful and desperate attempts of that society to eliminate differences and to achieve equality especially in terms of intellect and physical appearance. If any man has above normal average intelligence, they put a metal handicap radio in his ear which in every 20 seconds, a noise from the government transm itter will interrupt his thinking, so that he cannot use his intelligence for his advantage.If a woman is beautiful, a hideous mask covers her face to conceal her beauty. Moreover, people are burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot to keep them from being graceful in their movements or to reduce their strength. The point is, anything that can make them look as superior from every body else are made into a handicap. They do not want â€Å"to go back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else† (Vonnegut 2005).Moreover, the idea of disobeying the law, when Hazel suggested that they made a hole to take out some lead balls from the birdshot canvas bag, was an unthinkable thing for according to George, â€Å" The minute people start cheating on laws, what do you think happens to society†( Vonnegut 2005)? They believe that cheating on laws brings social upheavals that they do not like. The strange thing is that Hazel and George and the peop le around them seem to get used to the idea of conformity, as George states,† I don't notice it any more. It just a part of me† (Vonnegut 2005).However, their son, Harrison, is put into jail and eventually killed for rebelling against it. As the Handicapper General attacked their son on TV, parents of Harrison were not able to help him. Two are several forces that led into the conformity of the 1950†s: the Korean conflict and the threat of communism. But the underlying root cause of it all is the fear of the terrors of war that they previously experienced in the Second World War. Therefore to avoid any conflict, social conformity is encouraged since they believed that conformity is unity.The place of men and women in society were clearly defined: women stay home while the men go out to work and achieve the American dream. This is being depicted by Hazel and George Bergeron: Hazel stays at home while George works. Men are especially drawn to the collective idea of à ¢â‚¬Å"organization man†; they were expected to work in corporations, to put on flannel suits and pursue the American dream. The American dream is like the Handicapper General that dictates the ideas and dreams of the people. Every one is encouraged to think and act alike and was preoccupied with the lure of consumerism and materialism.Conformity are also seen in the sameness of house designs , like the one in Levittown and the sameness of appetite, as Americans began to be obsessed with fast foods. Conformity was especially achieved with the aid of Television. As in the story, all of the action occurred in front of the Television (Costello 2007). However, the young generations are beginning to rebel, as symbolized by Harrison, but the force of conformity was so strong that parents are in bondage to it, unable to extend the necessary psychological and emotional help that their children desperately needed.The â€Å"Vanishing American Hobo† was published in 1960. It tells of the experiences of the hobos as they travels like vagabonds from place to place across America usually with back packs on their backs. They are a people who choose to live as exiles of society, who sleep just anywhere, to experience the freedom that they desire, â€Å"There's nothing nobler than to put up with a few inconveniences like snakes and dust for the sake of absolute freedom† (Kerouac 2008). But freedom from what?Obviously from their restrictive society who dictates what they should do or have. According to Kerouac, the hobo â€Å"is born of pride, having nothing to do with a community but with himself and other hobos and maybe a dog† (Kerouac 2008). This means that they are proud of their lifestyle or subculture, that they deliberately do not want to associate with society and maintain little intimate interest with other people, aside from the hobos like them. The author laments that they are quickly becoming a vanishing lot because of the police and the m edia.The police, riding in their tax-paid police, cars searches for them everywhere suspecting them as possible spies against the government while the media, on the other hand, portray them as â€Å"the rapist, the strangler, and child-eater† so that adults and children stay away from them and no longer provides them with the food that they need (Kerouac 2008). This shows clearly the attempts of the government to suppress the subculture that they symbolizes and to force them back to what is â€Å"normal†.In the wake of the conformity of the 1950’s arises the Beat generation. â€Å"Beat generation† is attributed to Jack Kerouac. Though it could mean being defeated or weary of life â€Å"like being pushed up against the wall† or implying a sense of being used or raw Jack would also like it to refer to what is beatific (The Beat Generation Lecture). Jack and his friends, in ushering in the beat generation, encourages the protest of the 60’s aga inst the established society of materialism, where everyone are encouraged to own cars and decent homes.The generation, having experienced uncertainties of the Depression and the terror of war in childhood, is a disillusioned lot who desperately wants to hold on to something that they can believe in(Beat Generation Lecture Notes; Abieva [no date]). They do not find such meaning in the collective conformity of the 1950’s, the generation of their fathers. In fact, they do not trust this collective society who was responsible for the bad circumstances of depression and global wars.The hobos, particularly, are glorified as people who defy the restrictive and demanding norms of society in pursuit of freedom. They symbolize the solitary desire of that generation, to be left alone, to figure things out for themselves, to search for meaning. As the period was compounded by hysteria of the rise of communism, it seems that the right thing to do in that generation, to preserve ones indi vidual identity, is to quit that society.Attempts were made to discourage this deviance (subculture) as what McCarthy did in his pursuit against communism. The media and police were effective tools for suppression (Abieva, [no date]). The three stories therefore clearly give an insight into the societies in the periods of American history following just after turbulent struggles. The horrors and uncertainties of the Wars and Depression molded the consciousness of the people, and as they try to cope with the challenge of their era, it therefore changed their way of thinking and lifestyle.People become united for certain causes and also united in their sufferings. However, some people do try to get out of its safe mold, to carve a life according to the dictates of their own minds. To be different is what scares most people so that society always attempts to suppress this deviance back to conformity by exerting force or pressure. Works Cited Abieva, Natalia. Protest and Experiment in t he Literature of the Beat Generation. Fairfield University. [no date]. Accessed November 4, 2008 Costello, Mr. Conformity Notes: 1950s Lecture On Society. Canfield Foundation Website. March 2007. Accessed November 4, 2008 < http://servtlc. access-k12. org/ achievement/Fifties_Conformity. htm> Hemingway, Ernest. â€Å"Soldier’s Home†. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. 2007. Accessed November 4, 2008 Kerouac , Jack. â€Å"The Vanishing American Hobo†.Cloud Bird Trail Home. 2008. Accessed November 4, 2008 â€Å"National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder â€Å". United States Department of Veterans Affairs. May 2007. Accessed November 4, 2008 Vonnegut, Kurt. â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†. West Valley College. September 2005. Accessed November 4, 2008

Contex and Principles for Early Year Learning Essay

Question: An explanation of the legal status and principle of the relevant Early Years Framework and why the early year frameworks emphasise a personal and individual approach to learning and development 1. 1 The statutory framework for the EYFS sets out the legal requirements relating to learning and development and the legal requirements relating to welfare. The EYFS framework has statutory force by virtue of Section 44 of the Childcare Act 2006. The EYFS is a central part of the ten year childcare strategy Choice for parents, the best start for children and the landmark Childcare Act 2006. This Act, which regulates the childcare in England, formalise the important strategic role local authorities play, through a set of duties. These duties require authorities to †¢ work with their NHS and Jobcentre Plus partners to improve the outcomes of all children up to five years of age and reduce inequalities between them †¢ secure sufficient childcare for working parents †¢ provide a parental information service †¢ provide information, advice and training for childcare providers. The act also lays out registration and inspection arrangements, providing for an integrated education and care framework for the Early Years and general childcare registers. The sufficiency, information and outcomes duties came into effect on 1 April 2008 and the remaining provisions came into effect from September 2008. The revised, simpler framework for the EYFS was published on 27 March 2012, for implementation from 1 September 2012. This is an integral part of the Government’s wider vision for families in the foundation years. It demonstrates our commitment to freeing professionals from bureaucracy to focus on supporting children. Together with a more flexible, free early education entitlement and new streamlined inspection arrangements, this is a step towards a lighter touch regulatory regime. The Government will continue to seek to reduce burdens and remove unnecessary regulation and paperwork, which undermine professionals’ ability to protect children and promote their development. The new EYFS framework makes a number of improvements: †¢ Reducing bureaucracy for professionals, simplifying the statutory assessment of children’s development at age five. †¢ Simplifying the learning and development requirements by reducing the number of early learning goals from 69 to 17. †¢ Stronger emphasis on the three prime areas which are most essential for children’s healthy development. These three areas are: communication and language; physical; and personal, social and emotional development. †¢ For parents, a new progress check at age two on their child’s development. This links with the Healthy Child review carried out by health visitors, so that children get any additional support they need before they start school. †¢ Strengthening partnerships between professionals and parents, ensuring that the new framework uses clear language. The Early Years Register (EYR) and the General Childcare Register (GCR) provide a regulatory framework for childcare under the act. Ofsted regulates the two registers – the EYR for people caring for children aged from birth to 31 August after their fifth birthday and the GCR for childcare over this age. The GCR has two parts: the compulsory part (for providers of childcare for children aged five to seven) and a voluntary part (for providers of childcare for children aged eight and over or childcare that is exempt from registering on a compulsory basis). The EYFS has replaced three precedent frameworks: Curriculum Guidance for Foundation Stage, the Birth to Three Matters frameworks, and the National Standards for Under 8s Day-care and Childminding. The EYFS is given legal force through an Order and Regulations made under the Act. From September 2008 it will be mandatory for all schools and early years providers in Ofsted registered settings attended by young children – that is children from birth to the end of the academic year in which a child has their fifth birthday. All early years providers are required to meet the EYFS requirements. From September 2008 it is the legal responsibility of these providers to ensure that their provision meets the learning and development requirements, and complies with the welfare regulations. The Early Years Foundation Stage 2012 (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s ‘school readiness’ and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life. Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. The EYFS seeks to provide: †¢ quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress and no child gets left behind; †¢ a secure foundation through learning and development opportunities which are planned around the needs and interests of each individual child and are assessed and reviewed regularly; †¢ partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers; †¢ equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported. The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. The learning and development requirements cover: †¢ the areas of learning and development which must shape activities and experiences (educational programmes) for children in all early years settings; †¢ the early learning goals that providers must help children work towards (the knowledge, skills and understanding children should have at the end of the academic year in which they turn five); and †¢ assessment arrangements for measuring progress (and requirements for reporting to parents and/or carers). The safeguarding and welfare requirements cover the steps that providers must take to keep children safe and promote their welfare. Four guiding principles should shape practice in early years settings. These are: †¢ every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured; †¢ children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships; †¢ children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers; and †¢ children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities. The aim of the EYFS is to help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes of staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution, and achieving economic well-being by: 1. setting the standards for the learning, development and care, ensuring that every child makes progress and that no child gets left behind. Parents, providers should deliver individualised learning, development and care that enhances the development of the children in their care and gives those children the best possible start in life. Every child should be supported individually to make progress at their own pace and children who need extra support to fulfil their potential should receive special consideration. All providers have an equally important role to play in children’s early years experiences and they have to ensure that the provision they deliver is both appropriate to children’ needs and complementary to the education and care provided in child’s other settings. 2. providing for equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice and ensuring that every child is included and not disadvantaged because of ethnicity, culture or religion, home language, family background, learning difficulties or disabilities, gender or ability. Practitioners should focus on each child’s individual learning, development and care needs by: removing or helping to overcome barriers for children, being alert to the early signs of needs that could lead to later difficulties and responding quickly and appropriately, stretching and challenging children because all of them should have the opportunity to experience an enjoyable programme of learning and development. 3. creating the framework for partnership working between parents and professionals, and between all the settings that the child attends. Working with children means working in partnership with a lot of people, for this reason is important that practitioners ensure continuity and coherence by sharing relevant information with each other and with parents. Parents and families are central to a child’s well-being and learning’s needs. For this reason practitioners should support this important relationship by sharing information and offering support for extending learning in the home. 4. improving quality and consistency in the early years sector through a universal set of standards which apply to all settings and providing the basis for the inspection and regulation regime. 5. laying a secure foundation for future learning through learning and development that is planned around the individual needs and interests of the child, and informed by the use of ongoing observational assessment. It is important to their future success that children’ earliest experience help to build a secure foundation for learning throughout their school years and beyond. Practitioners must sensitive to the individual development of each child to ensure that activities they undertake are suitable for the stage that they have reached. Children need to be stretched, but not pushed beyond their capabilities, so that they can continue enjoy learning. Practitioners must observe assessment planning for each child’s continuing development through play-based activities, and respond quickly to children’s learning and development needs. There are a lot of important aspects on the early years’ provision in the EYFS framework. These principles are: 1. There should be a variety of provision for children under five in any locality. 2. All groups should operate in safe, healthy premises and should register with the local social services department. 3. Groups should be of manageable size and have a high adult to child ratio. 4. Groups should comply with al employment legislation and pay adequate salaries and expenses to volunteers. 5. Staff should be trained and experienced, and with volunteers and parents, should be given the opportunity to further their learning. 6. Groups should have opening times that reflect the needs of parents and children. 7. Groups should have clear policies and procedures for admission and attendance of children 8. Groups should consider children’s dietary needs to ensure that any food or drink provided is appropriate, acceptable and nutritious. In the provision of any refreshment, groups should respect individual, cultural, religious and medical requirements. 9. Groups should have appropriate and adequate insurance cover. 10. Parents are the main educators of their children and should be involved in all aspects of the group including management. 11. Groups should have sound management procedures. 12. Groups should be recognised by, and have contact with, other local providers of education and care for young children. 13. Groups should provide for children and adults with disabilities and learning difficulties including â€Å"children in need† as defined by the Children Act 1989. 14. Groups should be well organised, with carefully planned activities. 15. Groups should provide good quality educational equipment and play activities appropriate ages and stages of development. 16. The quality in any group is ultimately dependent upon the skills, attitudes and commitment of adults, and groups should build upon these. 17. There should be equal opportunities, in all aspects of the group’s work, for adults and children. All children in England between ages 5 and 16 must receive a full-time education. For children under age 5, publicly-funded nurseries and pre-schools are available for a limited number of hours each week. After the age of 16, students can attend sixth form colleges or other further education institutions. There are different types of child settings but all of them should follow The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 that sets out two main duties for childcare providers: †¢ not to treat a disabled child ‘less favourably’ †¢ to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for disabled children Registered day nurseries Children are normally admitted from age 18 months to 3? years. They usually have fixed opening times and are usually open all day and during the school holidays to meet the needs of working parents. They may also offer before and after school childcare and holiday care for school aged children. Local authority nursery schools and nursery classes They are funded by the local authority. Children can start a nursery school or nursery class attached to a primary school from the age of three. Some nursery places are for a half-day (either a morning or an afternoon), others are for the whole school day. Pre-schools and Playgroups Pre-schools and playgroups provide care, play and learning opportunities for children aged two to five years. They usually offer half day sessions, term time only, although some may offer extended hours. Primary school Primary schools are for children aged from four or five until the age of 11. Secondary school Secondary schools are for children aged 11, until the age of 16 but often also include sixth form centres or colleges which have pupils until the age of 18. Special schools Special schools educate children or young people aged 5 and upwards almost always with statements of special educational need. Childminders Provide care, play and learning opportunities within the childminders own home. They may be able to work flexible hours and periods. Will often take or collect children from playgroup or school. Can care for a maximum of six children under 8 years of age, depending on the play space available, but no more than three under 5 years of age and not normally more than one under 12 months Question: An explanation of how national and local guidance materials are used in setting 1. 2 UK’s current provision to work with early years children has been influenced by many different theories. FRIEDRICH FROEBEL (1782-1852) Froebel founded his first kindergarten in 1840. He believed in outdoor and indoor play and invented finger play, songs and rhymes. He valued symbolic behaviour through play: this is where children understand that they can make one thing stand for – or symbolise – something else – for example, a yoghurt pot can symbolise a cup of tea. He felt that children were able to learn at their highest level through imaginative play. He was also well known for encouraging block play which he called gift – encouraging children to understand a variety of mathematical concepts and relationship through play with various wooden blocks. His theory start with the concept that humans are creative beings, for this reason true education must help children to understand their true nature as creative beings. Froebel believed that play is the engine that drives true learning. Play is not idle behaviour. It is a biological imperative to discover how things work. It is happy work, but definitely purposeful. Froebel sought to harness this impulse and focus the child’s play energy on specific activities designed to lead them to create meaning from this experience. In his opinion children can only learn what they are ready to learn. Each child is unique and develops according to their own schedule. Nothing can be more wasteful or frustrating than to try to force a child to march to a different beat. Froebel works with each child’s own rhythm but makes it purposeful and guides the child toward the group. Froebel recognized that you cannot control the child so he controlled everything else. A prepared environment provides the teacher with the proper tools and gives children the experiences that the teacher feels are most beneficial, leading the child’s mind to the subject at hand. It feels less structured or forced, but it is actually extremely efficient. After his death the idea of his child-centred kindergarten became popular in both Germany and the rest of Europe. MARIA MONTESSORI (1870-1952) Maria Montessori was a doctor in poor areas of Rome in the early twentieth century. During this time she observed children’s development and saw them as active learners. She did not believe in imaginative play but she felt that children needed to experience concepts such as shape, size and order through structured play. She also felt that, at different stages of their development, children are particularly receptive to certain area of learning and that the adult must guide them through these. Montessori believed that children would become independent learners if they worked on their own. She did not encourage sequence of exercises often using specifically designed didactic (instructional) materials. (Penny Tassoni, 368)These are materials that involve sensory experiences and are self-correcting. Montessori materials are designed to be aesthetically pleasing, yet sturdy and were developed by Maria Montessori to help children develop organization. Montessori believed that the environment should be prepared by matching the child to the corresponding didactic material. The environment should be comfortable for children (e. g. , child-sized chairs that are lightweight). The environment should be homelike, so child can learn practical life issues. For example, there should be a place for children to practice proper self-help skills, such as hand washing. Since Montessori believed beauty helped with concentration, the setting is aesthetically pleasing. The â€Å"Montessori method† consists in a carefully developed set of materials which create the proper environment for children at each stage of their development. In this environment and with the guidance of trained teachers, they can develop their intellects and acquire all the skills and content of human civilization. Over sixty years of experience with children around the world proved Dr. Montessori’s theory that children can learn to read, write and calculate as easily and naturally as they learn to walk and talk. Her methods are still popular in Montessori schools around the world. The High/Scope approach The High/Scope Approach has roots in constructivist theory. Constructivists believe that we learn by mentally and physically interacting with the environment and with others. Although errors may be made during these interactions, they are considered just another part of the learning process. Although both Constructivism and the Montessori Method involve learning by doing, there are significant differences. In Montessori, for instance, the didactic, self-correcting materials are specifically designed to help prevent errors. Children learn by repetition, instead of by trial and error. The role of pretend play is also different in the two methods. In High/Scope, children’s creative exploration is encouraged, and this sometimes leads to pretend play, while in Montessori, â€Å"practical life work† that relates to the real world is stressed. Although Constructivism is a theory of learning, as opposed to a theory of teaching, High/Scope has exemplified an approach of teaching that supports Constructivist beliefs. Thus, children learn through active involvement with people, materials, events, and ideas. What Are High/Scope’s Main Components? Social †¢ One of the fundamental points in the High/Scope approach is that children are encouraged to be active in their learning through supportive adult interactions. †¢ The High/Scope approach includes times for various grouping experiences in the classroom. There are specific periods in each day for small group times, large group times, and for children to play independently in learning centres throughout the classroom. †¢ Children are encouraged to share their thinking with teachers and peers. †¢ Social interactions in the classroom community are encouraged. Teachers facilitate work on problem resolution with children as conflicts arise. †¢ When a child talks, the teachers listen and ask open-ended questions; they seek to ask questions that encourage children to express their thoughts and be creative rather than a â€Å"closed† question that would elicit more of a yes/no or simplistic answer. †¢ Each day the High/Scope teacher observes and records what the children are doing. During the year, teachers complete a High/Scope Child Observation Record from the daily observations they have collected. Curriculum †¢ â€Å"Key experiences† were designed specifically for this approach. The following is a brief summary of key experiences taken from Kostelnik, Soderman, & Whiren (1999, p. 32). The key experiences for preschool children are: -Creative representation -Classification -Language and literacy -Seriation -Initiative and social relation -Number -Movement -Space -Music -Time †¢ â€Å"Plan-do-review† is another major component of the High/Scope framework. Children are encouraged to: 1) plan the area, materials, and methods they are going to work with; 2) do, actually carry out their plan; and 3) review, articulate with the class-room community what they actually did during work time. The review time helps children bring closure to their work and link their actual work to their plan. †¢ Cleanup time is a natural part of plan-do-review. Children are given a sense of control by cleaning up. Representative labels help children return materials to appropriate places (Roopnarine & Johnson, 1993). †¢ The High/Scope classroom has a consistent routine. The purpose of the resulting predictability is to help children understand what will happen next and encourage them to have more control in their classroom. Environmental Set-Up †¢ The High/Scope ® classroom is a materials-rich learning environment. Usually, the locations for classroom materials are labelled to help children learn organizational skills. †¢ Materials are set-up so that they are easily accessible at a child’s level. This helps facilitate children’s active exploration. †¢ Teachers set up the classroom areas purposefully for children to explore and build social relationships, often with well-defined areas for different activities. Reggio Emilia Approach Reggio Emilia is a small town of northern Italy. The approach has become so popular in the early childhood field because it offers many unique curriculum ideas, because of the strong infrastructure for the Reggio schools, and because of the attention to co-construction. What Are the Reggio Emilia Approach’s Main Components? Social †¢ Cooperation and collaboration are terms that stress the value of revisiting social learning. First, children must become members of a community that is working together (cooperation). Once there is a foundation of trust between the children and adults, constructive conflict may be helpful in gaining new insights (collaboration). †¢ Co-construction refers to the fact that the meaning of an experience often is built in a social context. †¢ An atelierista is a teacher who has a special training that supports the curriculum development of the children and other faculty members. There is an atelierista in each of the Reggio Emilia pre-primary schools. †¢ Pedagogistas are built in as part of the carefully planned support system of the Reggio Emilia schools. The word pedagogista is difficult to translate into English. They are educational consultants that strive to implement the philosophy of the system and advocate for seeing children as the competent and capable people they are. They also make critical connections between families, schools, and community. Curriculum †¢ One of the special features of the Reggio Emilia approach is called â€Å"documentation. † Documentation is a sophisticated approach to purposefully using the environment to explain the history of projects and the school community. It does not simply refer to the beautiful classroom artwork commonly found throughout schools following Reggio Emilia Approach. And, even though it often incorporates concrete examples of both the processes and products that are part of a child’s education, it is more than just that. It is a fundamental way of building connections. Documentation is discussed in more detail in the next section that describes the uniqueness of the Reggio Emilia Approach. †¢ Co-construction increases the level of knowledge being developed. This occurs when active learning happens in conjunction with working with others (e. g.having opportunities for work to be discussed, questioned, and explored). Having to explain ideas to someone else clarifies these ideas. In addition, conflicts and questions facilitate more connections and extensions. There is an opportunity to bring in different expertise. Thus, to facilitate co-construction, teachers need to â€Å"aggressively listen† and foster collaboration between all the members of the community whenever possible. Real learning takes place when they check, evaluate, and then possibly add to each other’s work. †¢ Long-term projects are studies that encompass the explorations of teachers and children. †¢ Flowcharts are an organized system of recording curriculum planning and assessment based on ongoing collaboration and careful review. †¢ Portfolios are a collection of a child’s work that demonstrates the child’s efforts, progress, and achievements over time. Environmental Set-Up †¢ In Reggio Emilia, the environment is similar to that found in Montessori schools. However, the environmental set-up as a â€Å"third teacher† has been enhanced and extended in the Reggio Emilia approach. †¢ Like Montessori, it is believed beauty helps with concentration; the setting is aesthetically pleasing. †¢ Reggio Emilia schools create homelike environments. In Reggio, the homelike atmosphere is designed to help make children feel comfortable and learn practical life issues. †¢ Each child is provided a place to keep her own belongings. †¢ Documentation is a major part of the environmental set-up. Documentation illustrates both the process and the product. In documentation, the child is seen as an individual but also in relation to a group, with various possibilities for the individual. Question: An explanation of how different approaches to work with children in early years have affected current provision. 1. 3 Early years frameworks emphasize a personal and individual approach to learning and development because every child is unique and they develop and learn in different ways and at different rates, for this reason all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected. Another reason is that experiences during the early years strongly influence a child’s future development. This means that the care and education that babies and young children receive to support their growth, development and learning must be of high quality and appropriate to their individual needs. Therefore, all practitioners should look carefully at the children in their care, consider their needs, their interests, and their stage of development and use all this information to help plan a challenging and enjoyable experience across all the areas of learning and development. In fact EYFS’s aim is to reflect the rich and personalised experience that many parents give their children at home. Like parents, providers should deliver individualised learning, development and care that enhances the development of the children in their care and gives those children the best possible start in life. Every child should be supported individually to make progress at their own pace and children who need extra support to fulfil their potential should receive special consideration. All providers have an equally important role to play in children’s early years experiences and they have to ensure that the provision they deliver is both appropriate to children’ needs. Question: An explanation of the Partnership model of working with carers 3. 1 Working with children means have a lot of responsibilities and one of the main ones is to have a positive partnership within the child setting’s staff and parents/carers. For this reason every child setting has its own policy to regulate relations between carers and carers and families. Positive partnership calls for: †¢ mutual respect and trust †¢ a recognition of equality between parents and professionals †¢ awareness of cultural and ethnic diversity †¢ partners to share information and skills. This means that good communication is essential to working with children, young people, families and carers. It helps build trust, and encourages them to seek advice and use services. It is key to establishing and maintaining relationships, and is an active process that involves listening, questioning, understanding and responding. †¢ an acknowledgement and sharing of feelings †¢ all parties to play a role in the decision making process. Question: A review of the Potential barriers to participation for carers, and an explanations of how these barriers may be overcome 3. 2 Barriers to partnership working There are many potential barriers to establishing a working partnership with parents, which can apply to both parties. Here are some of them: Time and availability. †¢ Finding a mutually convenient time and venue to meet †¢ Other demands from family and work †¢ Access and transport for some parents Language, culture and religion Cultural and/or religious attitudes towards disability †¢ Language barriers (there are no words for Down’s syndrome in Punjabi or Urdu) †¢ What is culturally acceptable Parents own education †¢ Negative feelings towards school and authority †¢ Feelings of inadequacy †¢ Fear of being judged Communication †¢ Poor communication channels (e. g. through the child only) †¢ Poor information sharing (what does go on in school? ) †¢ Automatic use of jargon. †¢ Shyness †¢ Lack of confidence School and staff †¢ Personal relationships between teacher and parent †¢ Limited facilities for meeting with parents †¢ Lack of empathy with the role of parent †¢ Lack of staff skills and confidence †¢ Access to relevant information †¢ An unwelcoming environment Parent and school †¢ Who to talk to? †¢ Lack of acceptance or awareness of child’s difficulties †¢ The value placed on education †¢ Young people not wanting parents involved †¢ Lack of information around transition periods (from one school to the next) †¢ Disinterest/lack of clear responsibility. †¢ Lack of consensus between parents Previous experience †¢ Negative previous experience †¢ Feelings of being judged †¢ Lack of action or follow up †¢ Being patronised Some ideas for overcoming barriers Communication †¢ Use regular newsletters to improve information flow †¢ Have a central information point e. g. regularly updated notice board †¢ Have a central contact point †¢ Exploit technology – web sites, email, blogs, text messaging †¢ Provide up to date information and a jargon buster †¢ Create regular meeting slots †¢ Create opportunities for informal as well as formal contact e.g. parents assemblies, social events. †¢ Collect parents views e. g. suggestion box, parent forum, parents’ spokesperson †¢ Involve parents in school activities †¢ Use home/school books and diaries †¢ Use email or phone if there is sensitivity about keeping a written record School and staff †¢ Develop staff skills in communication and listening †¢ Increase availability of staff and head teacher e. g. regular meeting slots, surgery times for 1-1 meetings †¢ Improve the range of activities in which parents can participate †¢ Make direct personal contact with parents †¢ Provide creche.