Monday, September 30, 2019

Art is life Essay

Art is life, it is beauty, it is emotion, it is you, it is me, it is everything. Art defines all that we are, and all that we could become. Art is of the past and of the future, of the influences of our daily lives, of our pasts combined with who we are today. Art is an indescribable joy, an expansion of the mind, body and soul. We are art, every last individual of the human race. Art comes in the form of music, dance, theater, painting, drawing, blowing, throwing, and even in the math equations or scientific experiments of the right brained population. Art is feeling, seeing, smelling, tasting and hearing. Art is here to titillate our senses, to create emotional and physical reactions to the viewer. Art is healing. Art is loving. Art is†¦ everything. The Value of Art After a distinctly self-contemplative night, I began to wonder what it is that attracts people to art. Certainly I consider myself an artist of sorts†¦ but what is it that makes me an artist? Why do I practice art? Why does anyone immerse themselves in abstract activities that, for the most part, do not add to financial security or other measurable values? We know that art has been around before written language. Ancient carvings and cave-wall paintings attest to an early drive to participate in artistic endeavors. I would say that our skills as artists have improved since the first cave paintings†¦ but I think there must be the same seed of creativity that connects long forgotten ancestors and modern artists. I think that the most obvious similarity is that dedicated artists tend to create art that reflects important aspects of their lives. When it comes to ancient man, what could have been more important than food and reproduction? Ancient art is ripe with images of hunting and pregnant women. As human society evolved into more stable communities, the art changed. Over time the focus on survival was supplanted with self-emulation. In ancient Egypt, for example, the art turned to worshipping the value of great kings and all-powerful gods. The same happened in most cultures. I doubt that common slaves of Egypt felt that preserving kingly honor for eternity was a motivating factor; slaves probably would have produced an entirely different art than what we  find in tombs had they the resources to create art. What is telling is that the art that survived from ancient times reflects directly the values of the people producing and preserving it: in terms of Egypt†¦ it was of the Pharaohs. European Medieval art reflects a mixture of pagan and Christian ideals. We can deduce that local kings whose roots were largely pagan mixed with the influence of Rome. The artistic work commissioned throughout this time is a constant reminder of those influences. Take this on up to our own time. An important note to take is that as the traditional religious values of historic importance in the west have been challenged in intellectual circles, the focus of art has strayed. Prehistoric art was focused on life and death†¦ ancient art turned to the afterlife and mysticism; modern art has no focus. I am confident that mass media and the internet have a large role in the change†¦ perhaps we are still too early in the new era to be able to define the motivating factor behind the art that will last; but I feel that the reality is that art has no focus in our age because it is not the secluded craft of the gifted and appointed.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Teaching Assistant Level 2

Level 2 Teaching Assistant Certificate – Assignment Three Unit 3 Supporting the Curriculum TASK 9: Using subject headings together with a brief summary of the subject, describe the range and main provisions of the relevant National curriculum in the school where you are employed. Creative Development: This Area of Learning relates to the development of children’s individual ways of developing and representing their notions and emotions in an imaginative way through assorted mediums and various forms of self-expression.Children explore as wide a range of stimulus as it is possible to provide given the resources available. They take part in art, craft, design, music, dance, theatre and movement activities. They have the opportunity to role play; to compose music or poetry; to develop their creative writing skills. They are encouraged to experiment with artistic mediums and represent their own feelings through their creativity, developing an ability to communicate and expr ess their individual creative ideas while also demonstrating an empathy with others. They are also encouraged to reflect upon their own work.Knowledge and Understanding of the World This subject builds upon children’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them by developing different aspects of play, activities and experimental learning processes that stimulate their senses; encourage investigation into subjects or activities that spark an interest. The children are encouraged to ask questions about their surroundings; explore their environment and undertake studies that will help them to develop an interest in and awareness of the ideals, beliefs, views and opinions of thers. Through the use of experiential learning, starting with a familiar present or past experience (see: ‘spiral curriculum,’ as advocated by American psychologist Jerome Bruner (Smith, Mark k. 2002)), curious and exploratory play techniques are fostered and the children are encouraged to develop reflective skills so that they can revisit and draw upon their own individual experiences. Language, Literacy and Communication Skills Children are encouraged to engage in discussions that develop their thinking understanding and range of vocabulary.They become involved in speaking and listening activities throughout the foundation stage and are encouraged to ask for information with regard to anything that they do not understand. There are activities that involve words, rhymes, songs and stories where children join in. Early literacy is encouraged while consideration is given to the fact that, for all children, ‘learning to read’ is a unique personal experience as such should not be rushed. Ysgol Dolafon believes that reading should also be fun!Children are allowed ample opportunity to freely access books and quiet areas are provided. The following list contains just a few examples of techniques that have been implemented and proven to help with early liter acy: 1. Using children’s own books in class. 2. Using audio tapes in conjunction with books to help children follow a story. 3. Pointing out words and linking them to the relevant items, people or places in the picture. 4. Using role play, or props to act out familiar stories. 5. Reading stories and rhymes out in a fun and imaginative way. 6.Consistently pointing to the top left-hand as your starting point and indication the left to right orientation through-out the reading of a story. Reading is promoted as a pleasurable activity and allowing children to read books that bear a particular relevance to their own interests is often considered to be more useful than strict adherence to a commercial reading scheme. Children at Ysgol Dolafon are continuously provided with the opportunity to make pre-cursor writing marks an early age and and a great deal of effort is put into encouraging the children to develop writing skills and activities.From scribbles and mark making right thro ugh to participating in purposeful writing tasks, children develop and improve their writing skills as they move through the curriculum. At all stages (including very early mark making) the children’s work is positively encouraged, valued and exhibited. Mathematical Development Mathematical activities at Ysgol Dolafon are delivered in accordance with pupil’s individual needs and great deal of emphasis is given to continuity of learning.Ample opportunity is provided for pupils to discuss their understanding of concepts as they progress and teachers are aware of the importance of eliminating any gaps in the children’s mathematical knowledge. The Welsh Assembly Government guideline for Mathematical Development maintains that: ‘It is crucial that gaps in children’s mathematical learning are avoided, so that children do not miss out on essential elements in their understanding of mathematical concepts’ (WAG 2008) and Ysgol Dolafon fully agrees wit h that statement.Children at **** **** frequently engage in experiential activities where they are encouraged to explore indoor and outdoor environments and gain first-hand experience of recognising materials; making comparisons / recognising similarities and differences; estimating and predicting; counting; sequencing; weighing and measuring etc. Engaging in relevant discussions that provide an opportunity for the children to build their skills, increase their knowledge and extend their mathematical vocabulary is an essential part of the learning process.Mathematics is taught throughout the school day and across the entire curriculum. Its relevance to other subjects is frequently pointed out. For example: The need for accurate weighing and measuring of the ingredients used in cookery and the bearing that inaccurate measuring might have on the finished product would be discussed as part of the cookery lesson. Children might also be encouraged to work out half measures or double up o n ingredients in order to vary the portion size of the finished item. Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural DevelopmentThis element of the curriculum builds on the child’s past and present experiences and it provides the opportunities for children to ‘learn about themselves and their relationships with other children and adults both within and beyond the family’ (WAG 2008). Children at **** ***** are encouraged to develop confidence and assertiveness, while taking into account the needs and feelings of others. They are encouraged to challenge prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping and staff lead by positive example.Staff at the school provide pupils with frequent opportunities to share their opinions and emotions and encourage them to pay appropriate attention to the feelings and emotions of others. Children are also provided with the opportunity to look after animals and plants in order to demonstrate that all living things require care an d respect in order to thrive. Children are introduced to concepts that build on their personal experiences and increase their knowledge and understanding of themselves and their surroundings. Once children are able to appreciate and understand the eelings of others the concepts of fairness, justice, rights and responsibilities can be realistically introduced. The aim is to fully prepare and equip children for a positive role in society and the intention is to achieve this ‘through a learning environment that reflects each culture appropriately. **** ***** is a dual stream Welsh/English school which is attentive to the distinctive and rich Welsh culture including all cultures that are part of the diverse society in Wales and it strives to provide activities that are suitably planned and resourced.The children are taught to appreciate and celebrate cultural differences and learn a great deal about the diverse range of cultures through the exploration of art, literature, music, f ashion, architecture and religion. Physical Development This aspect of the curriculum relates to the development, increased skills functioning and performance of the physical body. It also provides an understanding of the results that a healthy lifestyle delivers by exploring the effects of a balanced diet, exercise, fresh air, adequate sleep etc.Children at **** ***** are taught how best to take responsibility for keeping their own bodies healthy; they are taught to identify and understand the dangers of medicines and drugs, smoking, alcohol and other potentially harmful substances. Pupils are taught the importance of food and water in relation to the human body. They are encouraged to recognise healthy foods; develop a good knowledge of the different food groups and to understand how a balanced combination of foods is a requirement for a healthy mind and body.Children’s physical development begins with ‘gross motor skills’ (control of the large body muscles suc h as those found in the arms and legs). This stage is followed by ‘fine manipulative skills’ (the control and coordination of small muscles). Due consideration is given to the fact that children are unique and develop at different rates and staff are aware of the fact that children cannot increase they’re range of skills until the muscles required are sufficiently developed. Consequently the activities and resources used are checked for the suitable developmental needs of each individual child.Physical activities are introduced at the earliest opportunity and they are integrated into other lessons where appropriate. For example: the inclusion of actions performed to rhymes, stories and games is believed to foster a positive attitude to movement and exercise from an early age and as such actions are incorporated into much of the story telling in the three year old setting. For more demanding, physically active movement appropriate space is essential and open areas are available indoors and outdoors so that children can gain greater spatial awareness through experimentation of movement without restrictions.The children are provided with access to appropriate apparatus (for both supervised and unsupervised use) and consideration is given to the fact that enough time for the children to develop their skills is of equal importance to the provision of equipment and space. Pupils are encouraged to recognise that regular exercise makes them feel good and helps their bodies to work well. Welsh Language Development The foundation phase initially introduces Welsh through incidental Welsh.The everyday use of simple Welsh greetings; the repetitious recital of rhymes; the singing of songs and the telling of simple stories in informal play situations are part and parcel of the everyday routine. There are interactive displays designed to support the development of familiar concepts such as discussing colours, numbers, the weather etc. and any themes that w e explore: (e. g. the seaside, the farm, the fire station) have the key words highlighted bilingually. Next we have the introduction of structured sessions where simple phrases and language patterns are explored.The children are exposed to basic question patterns, such as ‘ble mae? ’ (‘where is? ’) and simple phrases are introduced into their play. Children in **** *****’s Foundation Phase learn Welsh through a holistic curriculum, through structured play, and through having a specific structured developmental and progressive programme. The language skills that they learn in Welsh support their development, knowledge and skills in English and vice versa. Examples of activities used to support the development of speaking skills at **** ***** include the following:Joining in with nursery rhymes, action songs and singing: Singing is seen as a good way for children to practise the sounds and pronunciation of a new language. Singing as part of a group pro vides them with security and helps develop confidence. As in all language teaching, the use of rhymes containing a strong rhythm, repetition, alliteration and homophones reinforces language development and pronunciation. Telling stories; sharing and recounting information; observing and respecting celebrations and events that are important to the children Circle time’ designed to provide opportunities for children to discuss; speak and listen to others’ ideas, feelings, emotions and events Relaying messages; sharing greetings in daily routines and giving instructions to others. Footnote: I feel it is important to add that In the opening descriptive paragraph of each of the curriculum subjects as outlined in The Foundation Phase Framework for Children’s Learning for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales, it is stated that, ‘the guidance and Area of Learning should not be viewed or delivered in isolation; it should be planned for across the curriculum’ (swanseagf l. ov. uk) Complete a detailed study of one subject over one key stage. Describe how this would be planned, delivered and monitored and explain the terminology used. NB: The Foundation Phase replaced Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum from the start of the 2011/12 school year. The foundation phase covers four years from ages 3 – 7 (Wales. gov. uk. 2011 – 2012). I have chosen to complete a detailed study of ‘Language, Literacy and Communication Skills’ as delivered to a mixed age class of: ‘Nursery, Reception and Year 1 and 2 pupils’ (foundation phase). Oracy (Skills and Range):The children’s oracy skills are promoted though spontaneous and structured viewing, listening and speaking activities. Children are expected to make progress in their ability to listen, understand, communicate and make themselves understood. The use of movement, gesture and speech as communication tools is explored and developed and the children should become increasing capable of speaking clearly, understanding basic instructions, using appropriate language and conveying accurate meaning. They are expected to attain listening skills and develop the ability respond to the sounds around them.They should develop an understanding of variety in the language that they hear consequently becoming more and more able to respond appropriately to phrases or instructions that increase in complexity. Delivery of these skills should come in a variety of forms and locations and the following list contains some examples of where/how: 1. Children should be provided with the opportunity to experience activities in both indoor and outdoor settings. 2. Provision should be made for the experiencing of different types of play ranging from planned and structured to spontaneous and child initiated. . Talk/communicate for a variety of purposes included but not limited to: a. Presenting simple information b. Asking and answering questions c. Expressing emotions, likes, dislikes, need etc. and expressing personal opinions. d. Involvement in spontaneous learning activities such as dialogue and role play. e. Joining in with rhymes, songs and simple stories. f. Repeated recitation of songs, poems or raps. g. The conveying of personal or imaginative experiences using familiar language patterns. h.Extend their knowledge of language through activities that foster an interest in words and consequently increase their vocabulary. Reading (Skills and Range): The opportunities provided throughout the Foundation Phase should encourage children to show and interest in books and to enjoy reading. The skills taught in the Foundation Phase should enable children to progress in their ability to follow stories that are read out to them and respond to those stories in an appropriate manner. Children should be encouraged to explore books (with or without and adult) and to handle them in the way that a reader would.They should be aware that there are different t ypes of books. Adults should develop an underpinning strategy of demonstrating that text is read from left to right and of explaining how written symbols have sounds and meanings. The objective is for children to build on the knowledge that they already have and to ultimately gain the skills required to read with fluency, accuracy, understanding and independence. These skills provide them with the confidence needed in order to read their own work and other texts aloud; discuss written works in an informed manner (e. g. alk about characters and storylines or predict events and outcomes) and to ‘respond appropriately to books by considering what they have read in terms of content, ideas presentation, organisation and the language used. ’ (WAG 2010) Planning: This covers the three areas of oracy, reading (including phonics) and writing. The teacher’s plans with input from classroom assistants and the planning needs to cover skills development as well as age range. M edium Term Planning: Research books relating to topic. Plan aspects of literacy to be taught through these books: e. g. labelling; listing; captions; story; diary etc.The use of phonics – letters and sounds. Phonics: – three times a week. Weekly Planning: Chose a book for a week or a fortnight and plan on topic activities for oracy reading and writing. Differentiate activities for age groups and ability levels and include specific tasks for more able students or those with SEN. Delivery: **** ***** has a dedicated LLC every morning and but LLC is also delivered across the curriculum. Oracy is developed through Knowledge, Understanding or Creative Development. Writing is developed through Knowledge, Understanding or Role Play. Children are divided into ability groups.The teacher and the teaching assistant work with a focus group while the other children work on enhanced activity or have continuous provision. Groups are rotated to ensure that all children work with the t eacher during the week. Monitoring: Classroom assistants provide feedback to the teacher and the teacher records progress/difficulties in a variety of ways: individual record sheets; post it notes; the annotation of plans are all ways in which the child’s progress is evaluated and this constant evaluation is an essential component of successful planning which adapts to the needs of the child/children.This monitoring is also used to write the child’s end of year report. Terminology explained: CVCC Words: Words which have a consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant pattern. Differentiation: The practice of delivering information to pupils in a way that is appropriate to their individual ability and level of understanding rather than their age. Digraphs: A combination of two letters representing one sound such as: ph; ch; sh; ee; and oo Graphemes: Graphemes are the smallest units in a writing system capable of causing a contrast in meaning.In the English alphabet, the switch fr om cat to bat introduces a meaning change; therefore, c and b represent different graphemes. It is usual to transcribe graphemes within angle brackets, to show their special status: , . The main graphemes of English are the twenty-six units that make up the alphabet. Other graphemes include the various marks of punctuation: , , etc. , and such special symbols as , , and (? ) †¦ LLC: Language, literacy and communication skills. Objective: The end result (as predicted in the planning) the final goal that you would be expecting the children to achieve. Oracy:Fluent, articulate and grammatically correct verbal communication Oral blending and segmenting: To practise oral blending, the teacher could say some sounds, such as /c/-/u/-/p/ and see whether the children can pick out a cup from a group of objects. For segmenting practise, the teacher could hold up an object such as a sock and ask the children which sounds they can hear in the word sock. The activities introduced in Phase 1 are intended to continue throughout the following phases, as lots of practice is needed before children will become confident in their phonic knowledge and skills.Phonemes: any of the perceptually distinct units of sound in a specified language that distinguish one word from another, for example p, b, d, and t in the English words pad, pat, bad, and bat. Phonics: A method of teaching reading based on the sounds of letters, groups of letters, and syllables. Range: A variety of planned activities which are specifically relevant to the subject. In this case: The opportunity to engage in spontaneous and structured communicative activities designed to expand the children’s vocabulary and encourage their interest in words.Stimulus would include: Stories (fictional and factual); media and ITC texts; information texts; poems; songs and nursery rhymes. Skills: Refers to the child’s capabilities – In this case their ‘oracy skills’ which should be developed pr imarily through the use of sensory stimuli: Speaking; listening and viewing activities which are ultimately intended to improve the children’s ability to listen and respond appropriately while continuously improving their attention/concentration spans and building on their previous experiences thereby helping them to attain general communicative accomplishment and increased self-confidence.Write dance: A technique developed by Ragnhild Oussoren encourages creativity, self-expression and confidence and by developing the child’s gross motor skills it theoretically helps to develop the prerequisite physical skills and co-ordination required for writing. The programme is described as being ‘of benefit all children,’ but it has been found to be particularly helpful for children with SEN. Briefly outline three recent strategies introduced by the government to raise standards in the curriculum. How would you access up to date information in curriculum development ?Recent strategies to raise standards: Literacy, numeracy and deprivation. The Minister for Education and Skills recently introduced a strategy for raising standards of literacy and numeracy in schools. In June 2011 he announced the intention to introduce a new National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) and a system of national testing for all pupils aged 5 to 14. Deprivation: In brief, the strategy to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds ranges from the introduction of free breakfast clubs to classroom based strategies which include, learning in small groups supported by teaching assistants; customising lessons to individual tudents' learning needs; providing extra-curricular learning and study support; engaging and supporting parents in supporting their children’s learning and promotion of the idea that effort and perseverance pay dividends. In order to receive updated curriculum development information first hand I regularly visit the education and skills webpa ge at Wales. gov. uk – I have also registered for the WAG newsletter. Relevant and up-to-date publications are always available to read in the school staff room. What extra-curricular activities are available in a typical school?Complete a detailed study of one of the activities. A typical school would probably offer the following extra-curricular activities: Sports: Football;/rugby/ netball/ hockey etc. Choir Chess/board games Gardening club An In-depth Study of Chess/Boardgames Club at **** ***** Chess/board games club at **** ***** takes place every Wednesday afternoon during term time. It runs from 3. 30pm until 4. 15pm and is supervised by a member of the school’s board of governors. This gentleman also provides the medieval board games that the children use.Number of children in attendance: 10 (2 new players joined at the beginning of this term, both are from year 2). Gender: 4 girls & 6 Boys. Age range: Year 2 to year 6 (was year 3 upwards but the rules changed in September 2012). Duration of session: 45 minutes Number of games being played on Wednesday 19th Sept 2012: Four Types of games available: Chess and an assortment of hand-made Medieval, Tudor and Viking games; mostly 2 player games but some multi-player games. The games being played while I was in attendance were: Fox and GeeseFox and Geese is a medieval, asymmetrical game. Players have different objectives and different pieces/men. One player leads a fox whose objective is to kill all the geese by jumping over them. The other player leads the gaggle of geese whose objective is to corner the fox and stop him escaping. Nine Men's Morris Nine Men Morris is a two player, strategy board game of Roman origin. Each player has nine pieces which they place upon the board one at a time taking alternating turns. Players then take it in turn to move their own pieces in an attempt to build a line of three.A straight line of three wins the player the right to take any one of his/her opponentâ €™s pieces. The object of the game is to leave the opposing player with fewer than three pieces. It is possible for either player either player to force the game into a draw. Tafl (meaning ‘table’ in old norse) Games Tawl Bwrdd is the Welsh name for an 11Ãâ€"11 Tafl board as described (with the rules of play) by Robert ap Ifan in 1587 in a Welsh document (p. 4 Peniarth ms) now in the Welsh National Library. Thought to be of Viking origin and found in one form or another everywhere the Vikings travelled, includingIceland, Britain, Ireland, and Lapland; the game represents the final stages of a battle where the king, on the losing side, is being attacked on four sides by an army with twice the number of men to his defending army. To win he has to escape to one of the corners. The king loses if he is surrounded on four sides. Chess A medieval style chess set was in use but during play I saw no deviation from the chess rules that most of us are familiar with today. TAS K 10 List and briefly outline the main factors that influence teaching and learning.The quality of the planning and delivery of the lesson. Meeting the needs of all the students. Making the lesson engaging by ensuring that the different learning styles of the students are catered for. Students achieving the learning objective that is: Every student should make adequate progress. Planning Ability to communicate clearly Behaviour management And external factors weather conditions, home life, etc. Using your preferred method of research, study various teaching assistant’s job description and explain the variety of support a teaching assistant ight be expected to give in the classroom whilst supporting, planning and evaluating learning activities. The following is a ‘cut and pasted’ job description taken from Powys County Council’s ‘Vacancies’ webpage. P. C. C. lists all TA posts as ‘Non-teaching staff’ despite the fact that this term is no longer frequently used. Marland (2001; cited in David Fulton in association with The Open University, Primary Teaching Assistants, Learners and Learning) suggests that the title is offensive. P. C. C. Example: Teaching Assistant (Non-teaching Staff)Main Purpose of Post: Working under the overall supervision of the responsible teacher to: -provide support in addressing the needs of pupils within the class; -assist and support teaching and learning; -work with individuals or groups and assist in providing for general care, safety and welfare of pupils. Principal Responsibilities: 1. Contribute to implementation of plans. Assist in the delivery of lessons/sessions and interact with the teacher and pupils as required. Undertake agreed learning activities/teaching programmes, adjusting according to pupil responses. . Promote positive values, attitudes and good pupil behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own behaviour. 3. Encourage good relationships between pupils. Promote inclusion and acceptance of all pupils, encourage them to interact and work co-operatively and engage in activities. Assist with pupil supervision in the playground and on school trips. Monitor pupils’ achievement, safety and welfare. 4. Promote independence and development of self-esteem in all pupils. 5.Support and use ICT in learning activities & develop pupils’ competence and independence in its use. 6. Undertake to promote the ethos of the school and be familiar with school policies 8. Undertake routine tasks: photocopying, collecting and distributing resources. 10. Work with the teacher to establish an appropriate learning environment e. g. helping with displays, tidying and organizing resources. 11. To co-operate with the employer and follow health and safety advice and instructions. 12. To abide by the principles and practice of equality of opportunity as laid down in the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy. The above example gives the typical specifications for a Powys primary school but official titles and job descriptions tend to be subject to a fair amount of regional and local variation. Learning support assistant; teaching assistant; classroom assistant and learning mentor are a few of the titles that I have encountered during my research for this assignment and all appear to be fundamentally the same thing. Ask a cross-section of people who do the job what the associated duties are and the descriptions that you get will be even more varied than the titles.There seems to be no ‘set in stone’ criteria; the responsibilities appear to vary from school to school and tend to be depended upon specific requirements at specific times; this is particularly noticeable in the case of SEN positions which are closely tailored to the individual needs of the child or children concerned. In summary, the general job description is as follows: The teaching assistant’s role is to complement the professional work of teachers and accept responsibility for agreed learning activities under an agreed system of supervision, supported by direction from teaching staff in line with school policies and guidance.The role may involve planning, preparing and delivering learning activities for individuals/groups or short term for whole classes as well as monitoring pupils and assessing, recording and reporting on their achievement, progress and development. Teaching assistants with a level 3 or higher qualification might also be responsible for the management of other teaching assistants including allocation and monitoring of work, appraisal and training. Typical day to day teaching assistant duties appear to involve a variety of tasks which might consist of of any or all of the following: . Assisting the teacher in the planning and execution of classroom activities. 2. Working with small groups of children on exercises that have been set by the class teacher. 3. Setting up lesson resources/equipment before lessons; the packing away or appropriate disposal of resources after the lessons. 4. Setting up audio/visual equipment. 5. Creating displays and mounting children’s work. 6. Photocopying, filing , book sorting, and general admin duties. 7. Working one to one with children who are struggling with some aspect. of numeracy or literacy. 8. Playground duty. 9.Helping the younger children to change before and after sport activities. 10. Helping younger children with toileting and hand washing 11. Stock rotation; general stock taking and ordering of art and craft materials etc. 12. Listening to children read on a one to one basis. 13. Helping children to reach expected targets. 14. Monitoring pupil progress and reporting back to the class teacher. 15. Leading by example with regard to good manners, morals, social interaction, racial and sexual equality etc. 16. Dealing with instances of argumen t, fighting or bullying in the appropriate way. 7. Ensuring health and safety guidelines are followed and routine checking of tools and equipment for any H&S issues. 18. Routine maintenance and repair (where practically possible) of equipment and resources. State why you think it is important to plan and prepare learning activities. How will the experience and qualifications of the teaching assistant affect the support they are able to give? Teachers and teaching assistants need to have clear ideas about the lesson they wish to set up and it is important for them to have made adequate preparation if the lesson is to be a success.Good communication between teachers and teaching assistants is hugely important. There are three main elements that need to be considered when planning lessons. Firstly one must consider the aims and outcomes the lesson is intended to achieve. Next they should choose an effective learning environment, appropriate activities, relevant resources and sequencing of these and finally they would need to monitor and evaluate pupil’s progress in order for the teacher to be able to decide whether or not the lesson has been successful.Teaching assistants undertake a wide range of supportive tasks, the variety and importance of which are dependent upon their level of qualification/experience. Those with the most qualifications/experience are naturally expected to be able to assume more responsibility than those who are just starting out in the job or working at a less qualified level. The LEA and/or individual schools tend to make decisions with regard to the level of experience or qualifications they would expect from someone applying for a teaching assistant position.As a bare minimum you would usually need to be able to demonstrate good reading, writing and numeracy skills and it would usually be preferred that you would have some experience of working with children of the relevant age. What feedback might a teaching assistant be expect ed to provide and in what form and to who might they be required to deliver it? More often than not feedback would be delivered to the class teacher, verbally, at the end of the lesson but in special circumstances such as one to one reading feedback would be written in the pupil’s reading record book where teachers/parents can access it later.When working with a pupil or group where extra support is required feedback might be best delivered ‘as and when required’ throughout the duration of the lesson. TASK 11 When assisting in the delivery of learning activities, describe how a teaching assistant might be expected to; 1. Assist pupils and keep them on track The general consensus is that happy children are more likely to get involved and learn and with that in mind the teaching assistant should try to make lessons as enjoyable as possible, however, it is equally important to set clear and firm boundaries in order to prevent fun from descending into unbridled chaos . . Encourage pupils to work independently Research into independent study has indicated that teachers and teaching assistants who involve learners in lesson planning get good results from the practice. This type of collaboration often helps to make the lesson interesting and relevant for the pupils and involving children in the learning process can also provide them with where-with-all to reflect upon their own needs. It is well known that children learn better if their efforts are appreciated and they feel valued. As they gain in confidence they will automatically become more independent.Teaching Assistants can play an important role in helping raise the self-esteem of children. They can do this not only by demonstrating an interest their school work but also by expressing an interest in activities that they enjoy outside of the school environment. Group working is also proven to be highly beneficial strategy for building confidence; it can provide students with an opportunity to learn from one another and this temporarily switches control from the teacher to the learners resulting in increased confidence and greater independence. 3. Use learning material appropriatelyThe teaching Assistant should possess the knowledge and ability to be able to prepare appropriate equipment and materials for lessons that they are involved in and they should be practiced in the techniques involved for the use of specific tools, equipment and resources. They should possess up to date knowledge of Health & Safety legislation as it relates to the activities or lessons that they are preparing for; this should include COSHH and all other applicable regulations. In addition to these skills the TA also be capable of undertaking routine maintenance and/or general repairs to tools and equipment. . Monitor responses The teaching assistant would usually be expected to monitor and evaluate pupil responses to learning activities using a range of assessment and monitoring strategies. They should have the ability to be able to record the progress and achievement of a child or group or children in lessons/activities and systematically and accurately provide evidence of the range and levels of progress that the child/children achieve. The expectation would be for them to be capable of providing objective feedback and/or accurate reports on pupil achievement as and when they were required.They should be able to ensure the availability of appropriate evidence to back up any reports that they make. Explain how a teaching assistant might recognise problems that might occur whist supporting individuals and how they could be managed? Behaviour management should be implemented In accordance with guidance provided by the class teacher. The Teaching Assistant would usually be expected to provide support to the teacher when dealing with disruptive or potentially disruptive behaviour from pupils.That said, the Teaching Assistant might often find them-selves in a position where the y are able to spot the early signs of disruptive behaviour of potential bullying and in these circumstances they may be able to divert the child/children’s attention to other, more positive things, effectively preventing the potentially negative situation from occurring in the first place. References: Welsh Assembly Government. (2008). WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS. Available: http://www. swanseagfl. gov. uk/learn_agenda/foundation_p/wag_docs. asp Last accessed 29th June 2012.Welsh Assembly Government. (2011 – 2012). National curriculum – Key Stage 1. Available: http://wales. gov. uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/arevisedcurriculumforwales/nationalcurriculum1/? lang=en Last accessed 29th June 2012. Smith, M. K. (2002) ‘Jerome S. Bruner and the process of education', the encyclopedia of informal education http://www. infed. org/thinkers/bruner. htm Last accessed 29th June 2012. Ragnhild Oussoren . (2010). Write Dance. Availab le: http://www. schrijfdans. nl/write-dance. html Last accessed 18th July 2012. Dwr Cymru. 2005). Think Water. Available: http://www. dwrcymru. co. uk/English/community/education/think/index. asp. Last accessed 13 Sept 2012. Hancock, R. , Collins, J (Eds) & Colloby, J. (2005), Primary teaching assistants, Learners and learning, Chapter 1: p7, Eight titles and roles, Published: David Futlon in association with the Open University (2005) Reprinted: Routledge 2009. Gothic Green Oak. ( ). Games. Available: http://www. gothicgreenoak. co. uk/index. html. Last accessed 19th Sept 2012. ———————– PAGE 1 Margaret Lorraine Voss SH34393/NCC Assignment 3

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Death Epitomizes American Dream, Society and Time (The Great Gatsby) Essay

Death Epitomizes American Dream, Society and Time (The Great Gatsby) - Essay Example This paper will discuss the significance of Gatsby’s death based on the three points: death of American dream, death defines the decayed or rotten society, and death conveys the limitation of time. Hard work, success, and prosperity symbolize the American dreams, which are grounded on their aim for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Gatz is presented as a man filled with spirit: aspiration, commitment, braveness, and faith. This is evident in his longing for Daisy when Gatsby stated that he seemed closer to Daisy similar with the distance of the star to the moon. He further exclaims his proximity to his dreams -- the green light on a dock (Fitzgerald). Gatsby once believed that his dream is impossible to achieve because of his distance to Daisy, but he realizes that his hope and faith never vanish. The commitment of Gatsby to Daisy is apparent in the years that have passed. For five years, they were separated, which inspired Gatsby to accumulate wealth that could mak e her proud of. Fitzgerald wants to emphasize the authentic American dream, which is not adulterated by wealth. The only visible value in the life of Gatsby is the American spirit embedded on his heart through representing his love and commitment for Daisy. Nick ascertains in his observation that Gatsby possesses an exceptional quality that is hope in which he will never find in others (Fitzgerald). This represents the death of American dream, which Fitzgerald aims to restore. He sees it as the authentic American dream that has a substance, which is far from what the 1920’s projection that wealth is an answer in order to belong in the upper strata or to buy love and happiness. It is proven by Fitzgerald that wealth accomplishes nothing. Furthermore, Fitzgerald wants to retrieve the lost American dreams through the death of Gatsby. Its ending serves as a warning to Americans that when the 1920’s perspective continues, the American’s vitality or spirit is lost. We must stop deceiving ourselves that green will lead us to a valuable and significant future in order to restore the American spirit. The unhappy ending of The Great Gatsby symbolizes the decayed society. We all know that society comprises of individuals or group of people; hence, the rotten society is represented by the characters of Tom Buchanan and Daisy Buchanan, Myrtle and George Wilson, Jordan Baker, and Jay Gatz. Nick concludes the story represents west because they are Americans that have common flaws that are not compatible with the Eastern life (Fitzgerald). This line indicates the commonality in Westerners, which depicts lies, carelessness, inhuman, self-centered, hypocrite, and pretentious. Jay Gatsby erases his past, and he is driven by his dream to accrue wealth through the easy money or illegal activities. Furthermore, Gatsby deceives people in his family and educational background by telling that he comes from an affluent family in the middle-west and obtain his educa tion in Oxford because of a family tradition (Fitzgerald). Fitzgerald points out the desire of Gatsby to be accepted in the higher strata, so he devises story. Tom and Daisy Buchanan are an epitome of selfish, inhuman, and careless human beings. Fitzgerald identified them as careless people -- they break things and individuals, then easily escape with their money, and allowed other people to resolve their problem. Tom and Daisy symbolize the new American dream, w

Friday, September 27, 2019

Campaign Staffers and Political Consultants Essay

Campaign Staffers and Political Consultants - Essay Example The manager would be responsible for any aspect not covered by the candidate and would often be the lead strategist. In larger campaigns, for example, a Presidential campaign, there are a lot of workers in the campaign staff to help with the required tasks. They hire consultants to devise a strategy and the manager simply has to co-ordinate all of the workers and the consultants together. Below the Campaign manager are the departmental directors who look over specific areas of the campaign. Below the departmental level, the campaign staff tends to vary in structure in accordance with the nature of the campaign. Various coordinators might work under a single department sometimes. For example, within the fundraising department, there might be a staff member who focuses only on direct mail fundraising (Political Campaign Staff, par. 5). The very bottom of the campaign staff structure consists of interns and volunteers who look over the less publicized yet important tasks like data entry, responding to various queries and speaking on behalf of the campaign to a large number of voters. Political consultants do not work for a campaign full-time, but provide help in the shape of advice and creative expertise (Political Campaign Staff, par. ... President William McKinley's closest political advisor Mark Hanna is sometimes described as the first political consultant (Wikipedia; Political Consulting, par. 2). The idea of political consulting grew from 1930's onwards as Political Consulting firms emerged and the increased use of television advertising for campaigns gave a big boost to political consulting. This business has grown rapidly over the years in its importance and influential powers, and has extended itself to campaigns at all government levels. Except for working for political campaigns they also work for political organizations, public relations and research work for companies and governments. These consultants are often criticized for putting their own interests before the clients, have been involved in scandals and some have gone on to become media celebrities after acclaiming wide approval. The successful political consultant, James Carville comes to mind who took advantage of his fame to become an expert appearing on televisions shows and writing books (Political Consultant, par. 3). Its critics have a point when they claim that financial interests are put ahead of the client when firms take on too many clients to build a reputation. Firms are often accused of transferring campaigns themes and plans to different campaigns, even if the actual context of the political campaign is different from the theme that is transferred! The American Association of Political Consultants regulates this business and has published code of ethics and gives awards as well. In spite of the criticism, consulting is always an integral part of a successful modern election campaign. Without a consulting firm to advise and strategize a campaign, and a campaign staff to effectively

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Rehabilitation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rehabilitation - Assignment Example After the patient leaves the hospital, care continues to be provided at home. Rehabilitation care is also provided to people who do not require hospitalization and cannot be able to move to the outpatient rehabilitation facility. Rehabilitation requires the expertise of various professionals working in concert. Both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams are the hallmarks of rehabilitation. The physician is considered to be the team leader assisted by other professionals. The multidisciplinary team conducts patients’ evaluation in their specific disciplines. However, the commonly used approach is the one that involves the interdisciplinary teams. Interdisciplinary members work together to solve specific problems for the patient (Peden, 2010). The team members include physiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation nurses, psychologists and speech pathologists, in addition to social workers. Other members may include recreational therapists, vocational rehabilitation counselors, music therapists, audiologist, and kinesiotherapists. According to Peden (2010), some of the major categories of disabling conditions include disorders and injuries in pediatric, neurology, orthopedic, acute and chronic pain, medical, and sensory impairment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has various definitions that are commonly used to discuss the rehabilitation population. According to Peden (2010), WHO has established an international standard of definitions for discussing individuals with functional limitations outlined above The definitions are: Durable medical equipment that are commonly used in rehabilitation fall into five categories namely: prosthetics, orthotics, wheelchairs, ambulation aids, and high-tech devices, for example, computers. Illustrations of orthotics involves neck, spine, or back braces; prosthetics includes equipment such as artificial organs and mechanical organs;

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Analysis project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analysis project - Essay Example The second source that I picked is â€Å"Decline in Snow Cover Spells Trouble for Many Plants, Animals† and is written by Terry Devitt. This source is a news article that was published on May 7, 2013. Terry Devitt is a research scientist and the Science Research Communications Director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This article details the results gathered from his personal and academic research. This source is credible due to Devitt’s extensive background in both researching the causes and effects of global warming and his contribution to the efforts in understanding and preventing global warming. The third source that I picked is â€Å"We Need Some Symptomatic Relief† and is written by Ken Caldeira. This source is a journal article that was found in the GreenFile database via Academic Search Premier, and was published in the Spring of 2013. Ken Caldeira is an atmospheric scientist with the Carnegie Institution for Science's Department of Global Ecolog y at Stanford University. Caldeira’s background and position as a scientist that focuses on changes in the atmosphere is what gives this source credibility. The fourth source that I picked is â€Å"National Institutes of Health Explore Impact of Climate Change on Human Health† and is written by Christine Jessup and John Balbus. This source is a short article found on the Global Change government website and was published on April 22, 2013. This source is credible as the website where it was found is moderated solely by the United States government’s Global Change Research Program. The information on this website is published based on authenticity, authority of its writers, and its relevance to the website’s purpose. In â€Å"Rain Will Get More Extreme Thanks to Global Warming, Says NASA Study,† Carl Franzen reveals how the steadily increasing temperature of the globe is leading to wetter locations receiving more rain and dryer locations experiencin g lengthier droughts. While most studies have focused on the effects of global warming on specific regions, the study detailed in this article looks at the globe as a whole. Regardless of the location, â€Å"for every single degree Fahrenheit the global average temperature climbs, heavy rainfall will increase in wet areas by 3.9 percent, while dry areas will experience a 2.6 percent increase in time periods without any rainfall† (Franzen par. 3). This increase in rain and periods of drought are believed to be caused by the warming globe enabling the atmosphere to retain more water vapor as moisture, which causes the moisture to be withheld from the dry areas, denying these locations of moisture that would otherwise end their droughts (par. 4). The specific evidence in this source that I find convincing are the details of how much rain is released or withheld from certain locations, depending on its temperature. This information is convincing since the facts were presented by atmospheric scientists directly involved in the study. There is no bias present in this source. In â€Å"Decline in Snow Cover Spells Trouble for Many Plants, Animals,† Terry Devitt discusses how global warming is causing the snow to melt more quickly in the Northern Hemisphere, which is proving to be damaging to the animals and plants that rely on the thick cover of snow to protect them from the chill of winter. â€Å"

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Cultural Relativism and Ethical Subjectivism Essay

Cultural Relativism and Ethical Subjectivism - Essay Example This research tells that Cultural relativism is the belief about defining human actions on the basis of cultural values of an individual. Different cultures may have different ideas of right or wrong and no idea can be considered as absolute. Ethical or moral subjectivism can be defined as the absence of definite or absolute moral right or wrong. It argues that individuals may have their own versions of moral values and no standard can be set by the society. The idea that reality cannot be absolute and relative is an attempt by the society to accept or sanction the differences between the people. Cultural relativism and ethical subjectivism both argue that there cannot be one correct solution to all problems and different people may perform differently in similar situations and they can still be right. Beliefs or attitudes of people are different and so they act differently in similar situations, and society cannot set a standard for what is right or wrong. An ethical subjectivist wi ll not believe in accepting absolute moral standards simply because of the fact that absolute moral standards cannot be known objectively. The absence of surety in the context of morality is the reason why subjectivism is supported by an ethical subjectivist. The idea is to allow an individual to think or act according to his belief simply because the ‘true reality’ is not known. Everyone is therefore entitled to believe in his or her version of morality. Cultural relativism also vouches for differences among people on the account of differences between cultural values. Culture can be regarded as one of the strongest influence on a person because it shapes an individual’s personality and thought patterns from childhood. This allows a cultural relativist to argue that different culture may have different interpretations of truth and therefore differences between cultures should be accounted for without arguing for a perfect realist view of truth. The similarity be tween these two viewpoints is that they both argue in favor of societal and individual versions of moral truths. Subjectivity and relativism are preached because we can only be relatively sure about anything. Individuals are allowed to behave differently on account of their culture or personal opinions because of this absence of surety when it comes to moral reality. The main criticism on both of these theories is that the society will be in a chaos if every person in the society starts to practice his or her own version of morality. Any idea about right or wrong cannot be left to the individual (ethical subjectivism) or a group of individuals (cultural relativism) simply because of the lack of rational thought that is embedded in all societies. This criticism of subjectivity and relativism springs from the idea that people cannot be trusted for they may, and do, err in their social judgments and society cannot be exposed to the madness of one or many. The reply to this argument by ethical subjectivist will base in a belief that human beings have an inherent sense of morality.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Salman Rushdies The Jaguar Smile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Salman Rushdies The Jaguar Smile - Essay Example The historical narrative also highlighted several political behaviors. The most important of this is that its political culture is constantly being remade and is largely induced or influenced by external forces. This was demonstrated in the way the United has directed the Nicaraguan politics through the Somozas and how it caused the economic collapse of the country by imposing a trade embargo afterwards as a way to pressure and impact policy. This kind of intervention has already happened previously. Neighboring countries such as Mexico and even Britain have intervened in differing periods in the past. This has led to a kind of political culture in the country today that is characterized by an inherent desire to repel foreign enemies. The political success of the Sandinistas is the most glaring example of this phenomenon. Two-thirds of the electorate voted the Sandinistas to power in 1984, demonstrating the public displeasure for the US-armed Somoza, putting an end to years of Americ an intervention (Kenworthy 66). This behavior is also depicted in the strong desire to prevail or, at least, survive in the chaotic Central American politics. By Rushdie’s accounts and criticisms of the different Nicaraguan regimes, it became clear that the leader who held power tend to become autocratic and totalitarian. Even the Sandinistas themselves who wanted to be free from the previous repressive government eventually started muzzling the press. Censorship became such an important issue that Rushdie, himself, could not turn a blind eye although he still refused to call it despotic or comparable to the previous dictatorial government. This variable appears to highlight the distinctive... In order to understand the themes of the essays in the Jaguar Smile, it is important to reflect on the background of the Nicaraguan history during the Sandinistas' rise to power. The Jaguar Smile was published in 1987 after Salman Rushdie was invited by the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. It chronicled a period of the country's political history at the height of the Sandinista political movement. The narrative is the result of Rushdie's three-week long sojourn in Nicaragua. It provided enough materials for the author to document the Sandinistas' path to power. Essentially, the book used this subject as the landscape for his themes. In the process, he was able to provide a valuable account on a period in Central American history that has been characterized by a nation-building that typifies most of the Latin American experiences in addition to the American neo-colonialism. Fundamentally, it is a story of the underdog, rising to defeat stronger foes: the Anastazio Somoza Debayle dictatorship and, later, the US, through the Honduran Contra forces. In addition, the discourse of resistance in The Jaguar Smile has revealed several important insights about the political behavior of the players in the narrative. The implication of this point is that The Jaguar Smile is influential as a political text. It formed part of the long list of work concerning colonialism and nationalism. It revealed to the world how neocolonialism could stunt nation-building and breed a political culture that can eventually work against the hegemon.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Found Dog Flyer Essay Example for Free

Found Dog Flyer Essay According 2013 IPCC Status Report on Climate Change, climate change is occurring due to global warming. Observational evidence is coming back from all continents and most oceans, And it shows that many natural systems are being affected by regional climate changes particularly temperature increases. There is much scientific data backing the (intergovernmental panel on climate change) with conclusions and facts, based on changes in weather patterns (increasing temperatures, changes in snow and ice including, permafrost) also according to findings there is a high confidence that natural water systems, are also affected including, enlargement and increased numbers of glacial lakes, settlements in mountain regions are at high risk of outburst floods caused by melting glaciers. Governmental institutions in some areas are responding to the problems caused by global climate changes by building drainage networks and dams. The climate changes also lead to increasing volatility in storms and wild fires, droughts, and reduced energy demand’s and increasing sea levels. The aspects of climate change we are certain of are as follows, increased water availability in moist tropics and high latitudes, and decreasing water availability and increasing drought in mid-latitudes and semi-arid low latitudes, hundreds of millions of people exposed to increased water stress causing localized negative impacts on small business and coastal areas, and increased damage from floods and storms, and leading to erosion in coastal areas in addition based on satellite observations since the early 1980s there is high confidence that there has been a trend in many regions towards earlier â€Å"greening† ( measured by the normalized difference vegetation index) Of vegetation in the spring linked to longer thermal growing seasons due to recent warming. About which we are uncertain is many of the long term effects of climate change. The main factors determining climate change are carbon dioxide and pH levels in the environment, and are mainly a result of human activity with factors  such as carbon emissions. The report states phenomenon and directions of trends and, passes assumptions based on past trends are believed to wide spread effects on water systems but not limited to in addition to food and water shortages, increased death food and water borne diseases and wide spread erosion. Many assumptions are made based solely on passed trends I feel some of are inconclusive due to the lack of data in the report to support. And in conclusion This is my first time in a college class like this and everything is new to me and I need a lot more research to draw any more conclusions, and I am uncertain of information that is missing to support more of the causes.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Medical Assisting Essay Example for Free

Medical Assisting Essay Medical Assistants are crucial people in the medical field. â€Å"Medical Assistants are multi-skilled members of the health care team who perform administrative and clinical procedures under the supervision of a licensed health care provider such as a nurse or doctor.†(American Association of Medical Assistants, Library) Medical Assistants do have a variety of different duties that they have to perform on a day to day basis. As a medical assistant, a person will have administrative and clinical duties; work with nurses and doctors, and comply with OSHA and HIPAA guidelines. Some of the administrative duties a person might have to perform as a medical assistant include: â€Å"greeting patients, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, answering telephones, creating and maintaining patient medical records, handling billing and insurance processing, and performing medical transcriptions.† (K. Booth, L. Whicker, T. Wyman, S.M. Wright 2008-2011) All of these administrative duties that a medical assistant does, they must remember to follow HIPAA guidelines and privacy of the patient. (HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.) If a medical assistant fails to follow these guidelines they could possibly face legal charges such as: fines, imprisonment, and/or loss of job. There was a case in Kansas were a man was suspended for unknown causes but, did have to go to court to see if an immediate danger to the public health, safety, or welfare requiring immediate state agency action. said presiding officer Dr. Nancy Welsh. Some of the clinical duties a medical assistant might have to perform include: â€Å"assisting the doctor during the examination of a patient, infection control, performing tests (urinalysis, blood work, ECGS(Electrocardiogram)) , preparing and giving injections and medications, phlebotomy (blood work), disposing of contaminated supplies, preparing patient for examination, vital signs and medical histories, preparing the exam room before and after examination of a patient, removing of sutures or changing dressings on wounds, and sterilizing equipment.†(K. Booth, L. Whicker, T. Wyman, S.M. Wright, 2008-2011) With all of the clinical duties, as well as the administrative duties, a medical assistant must remember to follow the HIPAA guidelines. Depending on the office a medical assistant works in will depend on the clinical duties they will be preforming. For example, if a medical assistant is assisting a surgeon or a surgical technician they might have duties like: sterilizing equipment, making sure the operating room is stocked properly with supplies(gauze, medical tape, suture kits), and talking with the patient about the procedure. As a medical assistant there are certain values or qualifications that you need to have. These qualifications might include: critical thinking skills, time management, empathy, attention to detail, flexibility, professionalism, neat appearance, positive attitude, remaining calm in a crisis, team work, proper judgment, and good communication skills. (K. Booth, L. Whicker, T. Wyman, S.M. Wright, 2008-2011) Such things as time management, empathy, attention to detail, neat appearance, and positive attitude are extremely important in the medical field. No patient wants to be taken care of by someone who is rude, has a negative attitude, does not exhibit proper hygiene, or who just plainly doesn’t care about the patient. In the medical profession, professionalism is something that a person must have! The difference between a CMA and an RMA is: a CMA is a certified medical assistant and an RMA is a registered medical assistant (www.aama-ntl.org). A certified medical assistant has only a state wide certification. In order to practice in another state a person would have to transfer their certification to that state. It is different for a registered medical assistant. For a registered medical assistant it is nationwide, which means a person does not have to transfer anything. A person with a RMA can practice anywhere in the U.S., but a person with a CMA would have to transfer their certification first before they could practice in that state. The current issues that medical assisting face is that they are a â€Å"new breed† into the medical field. Which means that a person with a degree in medical assisting; might find it hard to find a job right now. The job field for medical assisting is growing and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the field is to grow 31% in the years to come. (Bureau of Labor Statistics; Publications; Job Outlook 2010-20). So, in the next few years, medical assisting should be as common as certified nursing assistants are today. The median average pay for medical assistant right now is around $28,860 a year or around $13.87 per hour. For more information about Medical Assistants you can visit the following websites: www.aama-ntl.org ( American Association of Medical Assistants), www.caahep.org (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education), www.amt1.com (American Medical Technologists), www.jcahpo.org (Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthmology), and www.aspma.org (American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants). These websites have helped me a great deal with not only research but, questions that I have had about my degree as a Medical Assistant. I know that they have helped me and I hope that they will help others with either questions they have or concerns that they might have about the medical assistant degree or duties. Becoming a Medical Assistant takes hard work and dedication. Working as a Medical Assistant takes even more hard work. Medical Assistants do a lot to help doctors and nurses every day. Some of the things they do for them are: answering the phone so that patients can make or cancel appointments or to answer a question they might have, preparing the patient and the room for the patient, doing blood work for the doctor or nurse, handling insurance paperwork, giving medication or getting it ready for the nurse, and cleaning up after the doctor is done with the patient’s examination. Medical Assistants are a very important part of the everyday duties in the medical field. REFERENCES Bureau of Labor Statistics; summary; job outlook. American Association of Medical Assistants website (www.aama-ntl.org); become a CMA. Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical Procedures with Anatomy and Physiology, 4e; Kathryn A. Booth, Leesa G. Whicker, Terri D. Wyman and Sandra Moaney Wright; Pages 9,26-38 License of medical assistant suspended Hutchinson News, The (KS), Apr 07, 2012 Newspaper Source; Kaplan Library

Friday, September 20, 2019

Child Cognitive Development

Child Cognitive Development INTRODUCTION Jean Piaget looked at the concept of cognitive development from a biological angle. To him, adaptation and organization are the key principles in the human’s intellect and growth. He argued that human beings always strive to have a state of balance in their mind. Adaptation comes about when the child experiences cognitive disability, that is, the situation what the child sees the world as expected and what she or he is undergoing. The child therefore buys new information and integrates with the already existing one. Piaget calls this accommodation. This comes about when the acquired new information doesn’t fit well into the already existing structures. For instance, a child coming across a squirrel for the first time and discovers that it differs with the rabbit. He/she therefore come up with another representation of a squirrel. The mind has to have some form of information organization hence scheme is the basic structure. In a child’s development, play is an important aspect to consider. This is because ideas and concepts are learned and also, there is an enhancement of language, motor skills and social life through play. To Piaget, there are four major stages that are involved in cognitive development. Firstly, we have sensorimotor period that occurs between Zero to two years. At this stage, the child as he interacts with the environment creates sets of concepts and the operations of the reality. There is an engagement in motor movements starting with early reflexes and proceeding towards intentional actions. In most cases, these actions are trial and error. It’s through their actions that children learn that their behaviors have effects on the environment. Their actions become sophisticated as they develop hence becoming deliberate. For example, a child grasps a rattle paper in place in his hand, this can be compared to the older child who picks up and shakes a rattle to make noise. The pretend stage in most cases starts at the age of eight months. At this level, the child can act out actions and roles of an adult and some familiar events. At three or four, the skills become symbolic; the child can substitute objects for instance, a child’ feeds ‘a doll using a toy bottle. On the other hand, the older child feeds the baby using a wooden block in pretence that the block acts as the baby bottle. This level provides a good foundation for the child play as the child gets his/her own experience. Preoperational period is the second stage and it occurs between the ages of two to seven years. The child can not still abstractly conceptualize. He needs touchable situations. At the age of around three or four, constructive play interests the child. Here he or she can manipulate materials and objects in their different worlds and come up with an end product such as sand houses, clay cows sand mountains and so on. As he develops skills in manipulation of materials and objects, they sharpen his skills in thought expressions, ideas and concepts. At the mastery play level, there is the demonstration of the skilled Moto movements and there is full engagement in forms of imagination or pretend play at the same time. Children easily move about with their environment and are more confident in their actions. There is running and jumping over obstacles on a playground as they pretend to be the cartoon superhero’s. This occurs at around four to five years as encounter new play challenges and experiences. At the age of five, they develop interest in games that have two or more sides and have rules; this is because the thinking is becoming more logical. At this level, they begin to realize activities like Red Rover, Peter Says, and rule games won’t not work unless it is followed by everyone. This level involves competition and definition of criteria that establish winners. The third stage is the concrete operation that which occurs between the ages of seven years to eleven years. As the physical experience goes up, he starts conceptualizing, logically creating structures that explain the physical experience around him. At this point, he can now solve abstract problems for instance; equations on arithmetic can be solved not only with objects but with numbers. The last stage is the formal operations that occur between the ages of eleven to fifteen years. The cognitive structure at this point has developed and is like that of an adult. He is able to conceptualize and reason. At all developmental stages, there is an interaction of the child with his environment using the so far constructed mental maps. The experience fits easily if it’s the repeated one into the cognitive structure so that the state of equilibrium is maintained. He looses equilibrium if the experience is new or different. He therefore adjusts his cognitive structure in a way to accommodate the new conditions. However, different scholars also have done researches on role of play in child development. This was perhaps the development of Piaget, s theory of learning. Mc Cune Zanes, 2001argued that infants and toddlers do involve themselves in activities that in most cases stimulate their senses and lead to the development of the motor skills. These children actively explore their capabilities by using simple non directional and repetetitios plays. To them, as infants play on their own and alone, the toddlers play with or besides other children. Sometimes, they are within speaking distance but make minimal or not communicate at all. Given a situation of two or three children playing with similar toys might pursue totally different activities. Each concentrates on his or her own needs, a reflection of egocentric behaviors with no concept of rules. Such play therefore contributes the Childs growing ability to be able to pay attention and to the total development of physical, social and intellec tual growth.(Piaget,1962) At primary grades, they play formal and informal games together for example hide and seek, computer games, jump rope amongst others. In this kind of plays, there is development of physical prowess, refinement of social skills, building of concepts such as completion and there is also the enhancement of coordination. Moreover, these games also enable children to do demonstrations of their skills, abilities and talents to themselves and to others. They do these through coded messages, riddles and game numbers.(Eifermann,1971) Children’s play becomes more organized and more structured at childhood and early adolescent. At this stage, their passion for orderly thinking is seen in the games with rules and the organization of the sporting events. Winning to them is paramount as they begin to conceptualize and internalize that winning is as a result of following rules. At this age, sports are important. As social awareness grows in the child, the attention shifts from the family to the peer group. At this point, their energies are channeled to youth groups, team sports and clubs. As they do role taking and playing in those organizations, they get to understand how they can best fit in the societal systems. (Hughes, 1999) Fromberg (2002) argues that new information among children can be owned by playing with the same information. When there is interactive balance of facts gaining and acquisition of skills by the culture and information making owned by someone, then there in learning. This cycle enables children their environment better. (Fromberg, 2002, Mc Williams, 1998).Personal meaning comes about when there is active play. When there is perception of events by children as personally relevant, their neural connectivity of situations, skills and ideas is taken to their long-term memory.(Jensen,1999) adds that intrinsic motivation is by play and play contexts that is brought about by positive motivations . For instance, curiosity improves motivation which in turn facilitates learning and performance simply by focusing on the attention of the learner. Threats, panic, stress as negative emotions detract from motivation. According to Pieget, learning is effective when there are positive motivators. There children are free to participate and play when they are relaxed and free from any kind of stress. A toddler who is threatened will shy off and therefore will not participate in any kind of information flow. Pieget’s psychological approach to the to the study therefore lays a lot of emphasis to the full understanding of the children as we attempt to bring them up. This calls for understanding the stage at which the child is at, the environment and the emotional CONCLUSION Jean Pieget holds that, development precedes learning that is, it is activated by cognitive problems. All in all, Jean Piaget’s contribution was a milestone in the fields of both the natural and social sciences. People through his theories have been able to understand intrinsically both development of their children in all stages and shaping them to be good and responsible adults. By understanding the development of the child at every stage, it becomes easy for the parent to provide the necessary support to the child and be able to monitor his or her development. Moreover, it’s through Jean’s contribution that educators have adopted different modes of communication. Having looked at the development of the child at every stage, it becomes easy for the communicator to package his or her information that is relevant to the receiver. For example, a five year old child will lean better if he or she is involved in the kind of game plays. A communicator to achieve this will employ the same communicative tool. Curriculum development in different institutions has also been a Piegets contribution. A primary school for instance has got a wider range of pupils. Their programs definitely will not be the same right from intra and extracurricular activities. There are those best for the lower classes where the juniors enjoy playing and the senior one with their own special program. Ways of communicating to different audiences for instance the idea of play in the cognitive development. His idea has also been used to develop both the intra and extra curriculum activities for the different institutions. REFERENCES Bredekamp, Sue, and Carol Copple. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1997. Ensen, E. (1999). Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Deve Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society. The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.lopment. Fromberg, D. P. (2002). Play and meaning in early childhood education. Boston: Allyn Bac Hughes, F. (1999). Children, play, and development (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn Bacon McCune, L., Zanes, M. (2001). Learning, attention, and play. In S. Golbeck (Ed.), Psychological perspectives on early childhood education (pp. 92-106). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Rain At Auvers by Vincent Van Gogh Essay -- Art Analysis Art Interpret

Artist: Vincent Van Gogh Name of Piece: Rain At Auvers Description - Verbal From the piece of artwork â€Å"Rain at the Auvers†. I can see roofs of houses that are tucked into a valley, trees hiding the town, black birds, clouds upon the horizon, hills, vegetation, a dark stormy sky and rain. The artistic style is brush stroke? Aesthetic is the function or purpose of the work. The subject genre is still life. The image is impressionism. Oil and Crayon Watercolour paint was used with a variety of different style brushes. It is a natural piece The Rain of Auvers can be found at the National Museum of Wales Analysis The colours used in the artwork are earthy tones with various browns, greens, yellows, blues and some violet. These colours create a sense of harmony on the...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Religion and Spirituality Essay -- Religious Christianity Essays

Religion and Spirituality Since the dawn of human life, people have eternally been searching for the purpose of existence. Humans are innately curious beings, and are blessed to have the capabilities of higher thought processes. Humans use these thought processes to ponder the question of existence. Unfortunately, the evolution of man has not brought the human race any closer to actualizing its purpose on earth. In fact, this issue is such that the more one feels he or she understands it, the more questions concerning it arise. This problem perpetuates itself by the confusion of religion and spirituality, and the roles they hold in society. As the human race evolves, it feels the need to designate structure to its world. As a means to provide structure, man creates both systems of social order, as well as systems of belief. The purpose of the two systems is to explain unknown phenomenon while creating an environment where societies can grow. Humans do this because they have an innate drive to bo th explain the unknown in addition to perpetuating a society that holds common beliefs and values. One can define these two systems as religion and spirituality. The problem lies in the fact that these two systems are so closely intertwined that oftentimes they are confused as being synonymous. However, this is most definitely not the case. On the contrary, religion’s purpose is to create social structure and congruency. Religion is driven by social purpose, and can be exploited. In fact, a small part of every religion serves a selfish purpose rather than an honorable one. Religion’s purpose is completely different from the purpose of spirituality. Spirituality, on the other hand, deals with personal beliefs about ... .... Vol. 7. 230-282. 1971. â€Å"Crusade.† Encyclopedia Britannica. Howerth, Ira. â€Å"What is Religion?† International Journal of Ethics. 1983. â€Å"Jihad.† Encyclopedia Britannica. Mathur, D.C. â€Å"The Concept of Action in the Bhagvad-Gita.† Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. 1974. McClenon, James. â€Å"Human Evolution and the Origin of Religion.† Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 345-357. Sept. 1997 Radcliffe-Brown, A.R. â€Å"Religion and Society.† Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 1972. Rosengren, Karl. â€Å"The Riddle of the Empty Cell.† Current Anthropology. Vol. 17. 1996. Stewart, Gutherie. â€Å"Religion: What is it?† Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 412-419. Dec. 1998.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Effect of Communication Barriers and Overcoming These Barriers

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman for letting me speak. Let me introduce myself before we go to the topic. My name Mrs. Aida as a Public Speaking Trainer. Firstly, I want to explain to all of you what is communication? Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the message and passes it through some channel to the receiver who decodes the message. Communication is fruitful if and only if the messages sent by the sender is interpreted with same meaning by the receiver. If any kind of disturbance blocks any step of communication, the message will be destroyed.Due to such disturbances, managers in an organization face severe problems. Thus the managers must locate such barriers and take steps to get rid of them. There are several barriers that affects the flow of communication in an organization. These barriers interrupt the flow of communication from the sender to the reciever, thus making communication ineffective. It is essential for ma nagers to overcome these barriers. The main barriers of communication are summarized below. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen,† Firstly let me explain one of communication barriers is Perceptual and Language Differences.Perception is generally how each individual interprets the world around him. All generally want to receive messages which are significant to them. But any message which is against their values is not accepted. A same event may be taken differently by different individuals. For example : A person is on leave for a month due to personal reasons (family member being critical). The HR Manager might be in confusion whether to retain that employee or not, the immediate manager might think of replacement because his teams productivity is being hampered, the family members might take him as an emotional support.Secondly is Information Overload. Managers are surrounded with a pool of information. It is essential to control this information flow else the information is likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked. As a result communication is less effective. The next barriers was Time Pressures:  Often in organization the targets have to be achieved within a specified time period, the failure of which has adverse consequences. In a haste to meet deadlines, the formal channels of communication are shortened, or messages are partially given, i. e. , not completely transferred.Thus sufficient time should be given for effective communication. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen,† Distraction/Noise:  Communication is also affected a lot by noise to distractions. Physical distractions are also there such as, poor lightning, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also affects communication in a meeting. Similarly use of loud speakers interferes with communication. Emotions:  Emotional state at a particular point of time also affects communication. If the receiver feels that communicator is angry he interprets that the information being sent is ver y bad.While he takes it differently if the communicator is happy and jovial (in that case the message is interpreted to be good and interesting). Complexity in Organizational Structure:  Greater the hierarchy in an organization (i. e. more the number of managerial levels), more is the chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the people at the top level can see the overall picture while the people at low level just have knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge about other areas. Poor retention:  Human memory cannot function beyond a limit.One cant always retain what is being told specially if he is not interested or not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown. So, how we as a manager to overcome these barriers of communicate? There are a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all. The message intended by the sender is not understood by the receiver in the same terms and sense and thus communication breakdown occurs. It is essential to deal and cope up with these communication barriers so as to ensure smooth and effective communication. As, in the previous section we have discussed the major barriers of communication.Let’s talk about  how to overcome these barriers of communication. Eliminating differences in perception:  The organization should ensure that it is recruiting right individuals on the job. It’s the responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has command over the written and spoken language. There should be proper Induction program so that the policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There should be proper trainings conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent training). Use of Simple Language:  Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized.Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided. Reduction and elimination of noise levels:  Noise is the main communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis. It is essent ial to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source. Active Listening:  Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between â€Å"listening† and â€Å"hearing†. Active listening means hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker.Emotional State:  During communication one should make effective use of body language. He/she should not show their emotions while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good. Simple Organizational Structure:  The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the communication. Avoid Information Overload:  The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They should not overload themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively. Give Constructive Feedback:  Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the feedback might be negative, but it should be delivered constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective communication between the superior and subordinate.Proper Media Selection:  The managers should properly select the medium of communication. Simple messages should be conveyed orally, like: face to face interaction or meetings. Use of written means of communication should be encouraged for delivering complex messages. For significant messages reminders can be given by using written means of communication such as : Memos, Notices etc. Flexibility in meeting the targets:  For effective communication in an organization the managers should ensure that the individuals are meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of communication.There should not be much pressure on employees to meet their targets. Conclusion Communication is a process of exchange of information between two or more people. Barriers that affect the process of communication can be reduced if the presenter and receiver of information to understand the role and duties of each in securing an effective communication process. By ensuring that the principles of communication clear, concise, accurate, complete and politely complied with, will allow this communication to achieve the desired goals.Hence all obstacles and weaknesses in achieving effective communication should be addressed and improved to enhance the importance of communication in everyday life. Overcome barriers to communication within the organization to ensure the free flow of information betw een sender and receiver and for effective communication among employees. Effective communication reduce error rates, reduce conflict and an understanding of and increase the profits of the organization. And we as managers must try their best to avoid communication barriers within the organization for effective business communication.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Importance of distinctive qualities of texts

Texts are written in a way for it to appeal to the responders. The Author uses many different techniques, themes and chooses a writing style so that it can appeal to the audience. This is evident In the novel We All Fall Down' In which the author, Robert Cornier, tries to appeal to the audience. This can be achieved also by making the text relatable for responders and certain concepts wealth the book. Crosier's use of themes In the book Is one of the things which appeals to readers. He focuses on relationships and especially family relationships.It is obvious that Cornier believes hat family and family values are very important and this theme is frequent throughout the novel. The theme of family defines the book as Cornier shows that holds together can withstand anything such as with the Jerome family, however with the Walker family, the members have fallen apart and have deteriorated. This is meant to appeal to responders as they can relate to the sense of family within the book, wh ether theirs has fallen apart or clung together as there are examples of both within the novel.The theme of relationships also can help the novel appeal to spenders as they can associate it with the relationships they share with others. The novel explores many examples of both barnacles and relationships between people and this appeals to responders and they can associate the novel with their own lives. The opening of a book Is an Important part of making a text appeal to responders. The first scene hooks the reader with suspense as we read of the trashing and makes them aware of the violence of the text. Violent verbs are used to reinforce this theme and begin the idea of trashing and violence.This theme reoccurs throughout the evolve. The theme is brought up again when the details of the trashing come up again and again and the trashing becomes a large part of the text and the actions of the characters as it is not only the house that has been trashed but the characters themselves . The way the text hooks the readers from the start is one of the ways it appeals to the readers and what keeps them reading on. The appearance of certain characters can help texts appear to more people. Without the addition of ‘The Avenger' or Mackey ‘Loony' as he Is later known, the novel would be more of a mantic novel than the thriller It became.The Avenger adds a sense of mystery and thrills to the book as we learn of his murderous way. This transition caused the book to not only appeal to those seeking a book with romance, but one with action too. Without the addition of several minor characters the story would be completely different and wouldn't appeal to as many responders or to such a variety of responders as it does. The use of language can change how a text appeals to readers or responders. Cornier does an excellent Job of using the right kind of language wrought the text We All Fall Down. The use of colloquial language as well as having the occasional use of vulgar language helps his novels appeal to responders, especially youths as they can relate the language used throughout the text. The text doesn't specify separate chapters, keeping text flowing between characters as It changes the first person. Narration and the use of the right language helps the book to be better understood by responders and the different points of view provide enough variety to keep the book interesting which in turn helps the text to be moreWe All Fall Down' Imagery is used to assist the reader in being able to picture everything in the book, proving to be a delightful experience for the responder. Rhetorical questions such as ‘but I didn't help the girl did l? Are used to make the reader think about situations and similes help further describe concepts and feelings in the text for example, when the way Buddy feels is ‘like a giant mallet hitting a gong inside him' and repetition provides emphasis, e. G. ‘l don't want you in the house, don't want you in my life'.And so in conclusion, qualities such as themes of family and relationships, addition of characters, techniques and language as well as a relatable text helps the text to appeal to responders. Cornier acknowledges this fact and integrates these into his works and so his works appeal to responders of many types. This is what makes the text We All Fall Down' appealing to responders as they feel a connection with the text and understand it and the motives behind the actions of the characters. These distinctive qualities of this text are what make it so appealing to responders.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Nursing Education and Competency Essay

Nursing Education and Competency The purpose of this paper is to explore the different paths of education to become a registered nurse. Specially, to examine the educational tracks of the Associate Degree nurse and the Baccalaureate Degree nurse. The question at hand is how do these educational paths differ in the level of competency? First, I will show the difference in educational structure and then examine how these relate to the competency of the nurse following completion of each program. The Associate Degree in nursing came about during the 1950s in an effort to combat a nursing shortage in the Unites States following World War II. An Associate Degree nursing program is a two-year program that is typically affordable and offered at a junior or community college. The focus of this program is â€Å"on the basic sciences and theoretical and clinical courses related to the practice of nursing† (Potter & Perry, 2005, p. 16). It prepares the student for â€Å"competent technical bedside† nursing in â⠂¬Å"secondary care settings† (Cresia & Friberg, 2011, p. 33). Following completion of the two-year program, the student is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination) and can achieve a license as a registered nurse. The first Baccalaureate Degree in nursing was â€Å"established in the United States at the University of Minnesota in 1909† (Cresia & Friberg, 2011, p. 25). It consists of a four-year program on a university or college campus with a larger financial attachment. There are typically two years of general education requirements followed by two years of upper-level nursing education courses. In addition to the basic science, theory and clinical education the program â€Å"include courses in community and public health, beginning research, management and leadership (Cherry & Jacob, 2005, p. 81). It prepares the student to become a â€Å"professional nurse generalists for acute care settings, community-based practice, and beginning leadership/management positions† (Cresia & Friberg, 2011, p. 33). Following the completion of the program, the student is also eligible to take the NCLEX-RN to receive licensure. Do these two years of additional education make a more competent nur se? â€Å"Over the past several years, policy makers, researchers, and practice leaders have identified that education does make a difference in how nurses practice† (Johnston, 2009). The University of Pennsylvania in an issue of Medical Care released one such  study that supports this in October, 2012 (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). It states that: surgical patients in Magnet hospitals had 14% lower odds of inpatient death within 30 days and 12% lower odds of failure-to-rescue compared with patients cared for in non-Magnet hospitals. The study authors conclude that these better outcomes were attributed in large part to investments in highly qualified and educated nurses, including a higher proportion of baccalaureate prepared nurses. (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012) The current healthcare environment is changing through federal policy, technological advancements, and a growing global multicultural population. These additional years of education are believed to â€Å"enhance the students professional development, prepares the new nurse for a broader scope of practice, and provides the nurse with a better understanding of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that affect patients and influence† (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). The four-year baccalaureate program offers more education to develop these skills giving the nurse the ability to adapt and contribute to these continual changes. Let us now use the following patient care situation of a newly diagnosed patient with Diabetes Mellitus Type II to explore the differences of an Associate Degree nurse (ADN) and Baccalaureate Degree nurse (BNS). A newly diagnosed diabetic needs teaching, the focus of this example will be on how the AND verses a BSN would approach teaching. As stated previously the ADN is prepared at a more technical level, although they share the same basic science and theory as a BSN. After explaining the basics of disease process to the patient, the ADN primary focus may be on the methods of testing blood glucose levels, the correct techniques for drawing up insulin and administration. This is due to the fact that the bulk of their educational training encompassed technical nursing. They would consider proper aseptic techniques for finger stick testing while teaching. Interrupting the results and applying it to a sliding scale of insulin related to food intake and activity. Then teaching the method of drawing up insulin, administration, and sharps disposal. A BSN nurse would teach the basics of the disease process taking the patient’s learning modality into consideration before starting. What is the patient’s ability to learn? Is the patient ready to learn? What is the best method for teaching (audio, visual, written material, or discussion)? What is the  family dynamic and should the family be involved in the teaching? Are there any cultural considerations? The BSN nurse might be inclined to research the topic of teaching new diabetics and find some current evidence based literature to assist in providing the best possible care for this patient. All of these items would have to be taken into consideration before moving onto the task of blood glucose testing, interpreting results and administering insulin. The example above is just a brief look into the thought process that comes with the different tracks of nursing education. A BNS nurse has a larger knowledge base to work from applying critical thinking, evidence based research and cultural consideration into their daily practice. They also possess some of the qualifications to move toward nursing positions in leadership and management. Research is leaning toward the idea that a nurse that has received a Baccalaureate Degree makes for a more competent nurse. National nursing associations support this thought. Policy makers are privy to this information as well. What seems to be a topic of debate now could soon become a reality and change how we educate future nurses. References American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2012, October 24). The impact of education on nursing practice. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education. Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. R. (2005). Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, and Management (3 rd ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier, Inc. Cresia, J. L., & Friberg, E. (2011). Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice, (5 th ed.). http://dx.doi.org/. Johnston, K. A. (2009). The Importance of Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Education. Retrieved October 2, 2013, from http://www.peoriamagazines.com/ibi/2009/apr/importance-baccalaureate-degree-nursing-education Potter, P. A., & Perry, A. G. (2005). Fundementals of Nursing (6 th ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby, Inc.