Existing Philosophies in Education Essay Example for Free

Existing Philosophies in Education Essay Introduction – Sex and the education of the children and youth about it is a point of social concern that always creates ethical, moral and professional criticisms, because of reasons ranging from the consideration of the topic of sex and its position in contemporary beliefs as well as the constant tug-of-war between conservative and liberals in education as to what should be done best in sex and its place in the educational system. The article Talking about Sex provided an insightful point in this particular dilemma that modern day societies face today, noting the persistence of ‘sex and sexuality’ in modern day advertising while people at the same time frown on the idea of teaching sex education inside schools and learning institutions. A Family Education. com article puts the issue in a better perspective, saying that teachers as individuals also carry their own particular ‘issues and concerns’ about sex and that it may affect the manner by which the teacher teaches about sex education. Kakuchi (2004) reports about how Japan considers general sex education as something that is considered harmful to some children even when the same report acknowledges the fact that the focus on a more streamlined sex education is very urgent in the country with the knowledge of the educators and academicians of the level of awareness of children about sex and how a large portion of it was not taken from school lessons, classroom discussions and home teaching, simply because the requirements of the effective sex education teaching will go against existing traditional practices and societal beliefs which would not bend and accommodate this particular educational need children continue to face even now that the world is in the 21st century. Many believe that sex should be taught in school, while others believe that it should remain in the confines of private education, in a manner of how-a-person discovers it, so that it retains the sense of privacy that sex should have. For institutions that teaches sex education, there still is a snag every once in a while especially if the manner by which sex education is being taught does not create the proper mindset, attitude and learning experience for the student. As much it is highly necessary that children are provided with the correct information about sex education, most of the time, the process is not as simple as that. What is equally important is that†¦ Some may argue that sex education is something which should be taught by a specific person, but the truth is every teacher is responsible for having sufficient knowledge in sex education because it is something that everyone experiences; it is something that everyone would be wondering and curious about, â€Å"all kids wonder about where babies come from†, says an article about teaching sex education; it is not math that general and complex computations should be memorized and mastered for the teacher to become a competent instructor in this particular topic, since sex is less of a topic and more of an everyday experience and teachers should help the students synthesize the everyday experience with sex curiosity and the information that it provides / generates by the demonstration of the effective use of the inquiry method in teaching. Research statement One of the reasons for the poor synthesis of children of the solicited facts, beliefs and possible fallacies involved in the overall education and formulation of the set of beliefs as well as the foundation for the attitude and behavior towards sex and the human reproductive system is the absence of the key characteristics expected of teachers as explained in the inquiry method or inquiry education espoused by Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner, and that as a result of which, many present day sexual deviants and sex-related criminals are, in part, a section of the group (that which contains individuals with adverse sexual inhibitions and bearers of misguided sex-related information) that fail to be good learners because of the ineffective use of the inquiry method / inquiry education by the teacher, particularly about sex. Supporting Arguments –The research statement will be dissected through the more specific discussions of particular key points that make up the series of supporting arguments that the paper will provide the linchpin for the main point of the research statement, which is significant today now that many educators and academicians are in constant search for the perfect formula in teaching sex education, particularly in countries wherein there are no noticeable effect of sex education and that problems previously attributed to the lack of sex education is still prevalent despite the presence of sex education today. In Japan, these problems are very visible in statistics concerning teen age sex, teen age pregnancy and other sex-related social concern, this despite the fact that Japan is teaching sex education to school children as early as the third grade. First, teachers become failures in the effective use of the characterisitcs for good teachers in the inquiry method every time they provide direct and exact answers to sex-related inquiries by children because of the belief that this is what traditional morals dictate. Postman and Weingartner (1969), in the book ‘Teaching as a Subversive Activity’, noted that in the process of the utilizing the characterisitcs of the inquiry method effectively and using it to effectively teach and address student concerns, teachers should avoid providing direct answers, more so, avoid enforcing sex-related information in a what-you-ought-to-know format. The common pitfalls wherein teachers fall into is the yielding to the instinct of providing answers to questions in a as-a-matte-of-fact way, which is not incorrect but is also not the only way to teach sex education. Teachers should know that there is as much emotional and psychological aspects in the teaching and learning of sex education as there is the physical aspect of teaching sex education that students should be allowed the avenue to feel that individual feelings and the differences in personal life background also matter in the discussion and in the overall learning process involved in sex edu cation. But the problem is that there are many cases that this is not followed, and this is generally because of the fact that sex education in some areas in the US and predominantly in other traditional and religious countries are still taboo – classroom teachers and academicians continue to avoid the fact that the exposure of today’s children to more and more forms of mass media and popular media coming from different culture other than theirs are all factors in the increased development of a child’s inquiry towards sex and other topics that may pertain to physical intimacy, the sense of sexual pleasure and sex. Teachers should anticipate the fact that while the inquiry of the children about sex are most probably homogenous and focused on the same area, the teacher should still avoid providing exact, boxed in answers and instead allow students to ventilate their queries and throw questions at each other so that the sense of ‘taboo’ in the topic is diminished, allowing for the collapsing of the walls that it built inside the cognition of the child and allowing the entry of teacher-mediated ideas that do not stop, as sex education is a process of continuous learning. Secondly, some teachers misinterpret the idea that Postman and Weingartner proposed in their collaborative work about how teachers should use questioning and the use of divergent questions as a form of facilitating the influx of ideas between students by instead questioning the sense of right and wrong and personal morals of the students (which puts the morality wall up and closes the avenue for the entry of information and education) and by providing questions that divert the discussion / topic entirely to another different topic so that the teacher removes herself / himself from the position of being morally and ethically responsible for the sex education of the students, generally because of the acknowledgment of the teacher’s own incompetence in both the use of inquiry method as well as the absence of the mastery in the subject. What Postman and Weingartner had in mind when they explained this particular characteristic of the inquiry method is that the teacher should provide some questions himself/herself to students so that they can allow the students to explore more into the topic, thus allowing education and learning traffic to move consistently in and around the classroom and inside the minds of the students. Another proof to the high possibility of the presence of problems in teaching sex education with regards to the misuse and lack of adherence to the inquiry method is that sex education is usually in a uniform structure that hinders spontaneity and limits discussion in a specific area, resulting to some students suppressing questions or having questions which were left unanswered while the teachers themselves are not aware on how to facilitate the discussion once questions start pouring in and may seem to lead farther and farther from the original point of discussion. Again, it should be reiterated that since it is an experience which may carry different emotional and psychological baggage for every individual, teachers should not deliver lessons about sex like it is as simple as addition in a math class or the use of correct subject-verb agreement in an English writing and grammar class. The Family Education website’s article on teaching children sex education points out that adults who teach it cannot ‘plan when and where children choose to ask difficult questions’ about sex and as indicated in the inquiry method in teaching, teachers should allow the flow of questions and mediate through the discussion sufficiently. It does not end there, literally and figuratively, for teachers, since lessons, according to Postman and Weingartner should be allowed to develop on its own through the active participation of the student in the question-making and answer-searching. Family Education. com considers sex education, whether at home or in school, as ‘an ongoing conversation’ and that if the blanket of openness and support that the inquiry method allows to develop take form in the course of the learning of the child, then teachers should expect more questions and continue with the task required in setting and defining the answers to questions as dictated by the inquiry method.

Processes and Applications of Fermentation

Processes and Applications of Fermentation Hort-312 (1+1) Topic: Fermented Food Dr. Ananta Saikia Sir, Murchana Malakar Introduction Fermentation is the process of producing a fermented product by the mass culture of micro organisms involved in it [14]. It is derived from the Latin word fevere meaning â€Å"to boil†. Biochemically, fermentation is a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances; especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol. It is the oldest most which is the most economical method of preserving food [2]. The local people have been using the microbes without knowing their effects to produce the fermented products [10]. For household purpose, fermentation is followed with simple processing methods. Due to the lack of sterility, the end products often contain mixed microbial population [8]. Fermentation promotes digestibility and improve the health of human beings [6]. It promotes the shelf-life reducing volume, less cooking time and higher nutritive value. It helps in the detoxification of undesirable compounds such as phytates, polyphenols and tannins[11]. It also enhances the aroma and flavour of the fermented food. For industrial purpose, it is carried out on a large scale for manufacturing of the product. But in the second phase Microbiology evolved as a science for the first time in the history of fermentation [3]. Processes involved in fermentation:[7,13] Acetic Acid Fermentation: Acetobacter spp. is the main microorganism involved in this process. It aerobically converts the alcohol to acetic acid. Examples: Wine, Cider and melt honey. Lactic Acid Fermentation: It is carried out by lactic acid bacteria. Examples: Pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi Alcoholic fermentation: Yeast is the main micro organism involved in this process which yields ethanol. Example: Brandy, Beer, Whiskey Alkali fermentation: It occurs in case of fish and seeds which are used as condiment.Example: Fish sauce, bagoong. Types of fermented food: Cereal based fermented food: Cereal grains are considered to be on one of the most important source of carbohydrate, protein, vitamin and mineral. It improves the texture, aroma of the end product. Most common type of cereals (such as wheat, rice, sorghum or corn) is used for the preparation of fermented foods. The bacteria species involved includes Leuconostoc, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Pediococcus, Lactobacillus, and Micrococcus. Fungi genera include Fusarium, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Trichothecium. The yeasts include Saccharomyces[10] (Steinkraus, 1998). Table 1: Commonly used cereal based fermented food and beverages [1,4,5,9, 12]. Anarshe Rice India Ang-kak Rice South East Asia Bagni Millet Caucasus Banku Maize Ghana Bogobe Sorghum Botswana Brem Rice Indonesia Busa Rice Egypt Chee-fan Wheat China Chicha Maize Peru Chonju Rice Korea Dalaki Millet Nigeria Dhokla Rice/Wheat India Dosa Rice India Darassum Millet Mongolia Hamanatto Wheat Japan Idli Rice India/Srilanka Injera Wheat/Sorghum Ethiopia Jalebies Wheat flour India/ Nepal/ Pakistan Kanji Rice India Kaffir beer Kaffir corn South Africa Kisra Sorghum Sudan Lao-chao Rice China/ Indonesia Me Rice Vietnam Miso Rice and soybeans Japan/ China Nan Unbleached wheat flour India/ Pakistan Nasha Sorghum Sudan Ogi Maize/Sorghum Nigeria Puto Rice Philippines Pozol Maize Mexico Rabdi Maize India Sorghum Beer Sorghum/Maize South Africa Sake Rice Japan Takju Rice/Wheat Korea Torani Rice India Tape ketan Rice/ Cassava Indonesia Uji Maize/Sorghum Kenya Vada Ceral India Legume Based Fermented Foods: Pulses are the chief sources of proteins. The micro organisms involved in it are: Mucor sp., Aspergillus spp., Lactobacillus sp. , Saccharomyces sp. Table 2: Fermented foods of legumes [6]. Aagya Soybean India Chee-fan Soybean China Dawadawa African locust bean Nigeria Kecap Soybean Indonesia Khaman Bengal gram India Meju Soybean Korea Natto Soybean Japan Soybean Milk Soybean China Tempeh Soybean Indonesia Waries Black gram India Fermented Milk Products: The fermented milk products have higher nutritive value, better keeping quality and it has a strong therapeutic potential. Micro organisms involved are: Lactobacillus sp, Saccharomyces sp, Acetobacter aceti, Yeast. Table 3: List of Fermented milk products [6] Buttermilk Bovine USA/ Australia Chhurpi Yak India Curd Bovine, Buffalo India Cultured cream Bovine USA Koumiss Horse, Mare, Camel Russia, Asia Kefir Bovine, Goat Russia Laktofil Bovine Sweden Lassi Bovine India Leben Ewe, Goat, Sheep Labenon, Iraq Quark Bovine Germany, Europe Viili Bovine Finland Yoghurt Bovine/ Goat Turkey Fermented Fish Meat Products: Meat and fish are the rich source of proteins. Fermentation helps in increasing the shelf life and also gives unique flavour and texture to the final product. It involves the micro organisms such as Actinomycetes, Pseudomonas, Yeast, Penicillium, Lactobacillus, and Micrococcus. Table 4: List of Meat and fish products [6] Bacon Cured Meat Europe Bagoong Fish Philippines Fish sauce Fish South East Asia Ham Meat Europe Katsuobushi Fish Japan Fermented Fruits Vegetables: Fermentation is the oldest method of extending the shelf life of perishable products. Table 5: List of fermented fruits and vegetables [6] Gundruk Radish India Kimchi Radish Korea Olive Olive Spain Pickle Vegetable India Yan-taozih Peach China Sauerkraut Cabbage Internatinal Soidon Bamboo shoot India Yan-tsai-shin Broccoli Taiwan Benefits of Fermented Foods: Variation in the types of fermented products Important ingredients can be prepared from it Quality is increased to a great extent. Preservation increases the shelf life. It helps in the recovery of a disease free life. Raw materials can be digested to a great extent. Conclusion: Fermented products which are associated with several cultural and social aspects contain a wide range of probiotics. The tactics which are practised by the ethnic groups reveal the correlation of nature with the people including the micro flora. Value added methods are practised by genetic improvement, strains of micro organisms, using of immobilised systems which will lead to industrialization of the food products. Hence, the fermented products can be maximised and commercializing the technological development in terms of financial support by the governing agencies. References: [1] ] Adams, M. R. (1998). Fermented weaning foods. In J. B. Wood (Ed.),  Microbiology of fermented foods (pp. 790–811). London: Blackie  Academic. [2] Billings, T. (1998). On fermented foods. Available: http://www.living-foods.com. [3] Caplice, E., Fitzgerald, G. F. (1999). Food fermentations: role of  microorganisms in food production and preservation. International  Journal of Food Microbiology, 50, 131–149. [4] Chavan, J. K., Kadam, S. S. (1989). Critical reviews in food science  and nutrition. Food Science, 28, 348–400. [5] Harlander, S. (1992). Food biotechnology. In J. Lederberg (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of microbiology (pp. 191–207). New York: Academic Press [6] Jeyaram, K., Singh A., Romi, W., Devi, A.R., Singh, W.M., Dayanithi, H., Singh, N.R. and Tamang, J.P. 2009. Traditional fermented foods of Manipur. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 8(1): 115-121. [7] Modi, H.A.(2012). Aavishkar Publishers, Distributors, Jaipur, pp-1-203. [8] Nout, M.J.R. and Sarkar, P.K. 1999. Lactic acid food fermentation in tropical climates. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 76: 395-401. [9] Sankaran, R. (1998). Fermented food of the Indian subcontinent. In  J. B. Wood (Ed.), Microbiology of fermented foods (pp. 753–789).  London: Blackie Academic and Professional. [10] Sekar, S. and Mariappan, S. 2007. Usage of traditional fermented products by Indian rural folks and IPR. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 6 (1): 111120. [11] Sharma, A. and Kapoor, A.C. 1996. Level of antinutritional factors in pearl millet as affected by processing treatments and various types of fermentation. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 49: 241-252. [12] Soni, S. K., Sandhu, D. K. (1990). Indian fermented foods: microbiological  and biochemical aspects. Indian Journal of Microbiology,  30, 135–157. [13] Srivastava, R.P. Kumar, S(2002). Fruit and Vegetable Preservation.CBS Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, pp-81-82. [14] Stanbury, P.F. 1999. Fermentation Technology. In Stanbury, P. F., A. Whitaker, and S. J. Hal (Eds), Principles of Fermentation Technology, 2nd Edition, p 1-24. UK: Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford. [15] Steinkraus, K. H. (1998). Bio-enrichment: production of vitamins in  fermented foods. In J. B. Wood (Ed.), Microbiology of fermented  foods (pp. 603–619). London: Blackie Academic and Professional.

Effects Of Deprivation on Child Development

Effects Of Deprivation on Child Development Deprivation, including neglect, is damaging to children largely through the absence of an optimal environment and a lack of opportunities for development, rather than through the active perpetration of abuse by caregivers. Nevertheless, the effects can be long lasting and have important implications for the opportunities that these children have in later life, and the lives of their children. It is therefore of utmost importance that social work involves an understanding of what is meant by deprivation and what the possible effects might be, in order that professionals may seek to counteract negative possible outcomes with positive actions. While deprivation can take many different forms, this essay will attempt to focus on three broad areas of deprivation in order to illustrate how childhood development may be adversely affected. The first area focuses mainly on how an impoverished and under-stimulating environment, including poor opportunities for play, can lead to a lack of cognit ive and intellectual development in children and babies. The second area will look at how a paucity of social interactions with others can lead to less developed social skills, including the development of empathy and Theory of Mind (ToM). The final section will deal with the effect on childrens emotional development of poor or inconsistent caregiving, including emotional neglect, and especially with a focus on attachment styles and behaviours. It is however very important to note that while these different sections make distinctions between various types of childhood development, in fact all these areas are interconnected, and the distinctions here are made for the purposes of the essay alone. Finally, the essay will look at how social work practices can be adjusted to more effectively serve clients at risk of the adverse effects of deprivation. This section will focus on the effects of environmental under stimulation on childhood development. Deprivation can refer to lack of time (and their own skills) given by caregivers to expand children cognitively or lack of resources, such as books, play blocks etc for children to use, Or both. Children go through stages of intellectual development, as well as the development of skills. Without opportunities to practice and to succeed, children cant do this. They struggle to master skills, and they also find it more difficult to develop satisfactorily through the stages of social development. In order to illustrate this, this essay will start by looking at the cognitive developmental theory of Piaget. Piaget is often the first call of response in any debate surrounding educational development, which is perhaps surprising as he was not (in the traditional sense) a psychologist, but rather a genetic epistemologist (someone with an interest in the biological explanation of knowledge.) (Bancroftcarr 1995). Despite this, Piagets comprehensive studies have become part of the basis of developmental psychology, and are particularly relevant to discussions on the implications of cognitive deprivation. Piagets theory states that there are four main stages to development; the sensorimotor stage, the preoperational stage, the concrete operational stage, and the formal operational stage. These four stages cover not only intellectual development, but also the development of skills. If one or more of these stages are missed, the skills may never develop. Genie for example, the girl who was kept in a room with no contact or interaction until she was fourteen, missed out on every single stage of development. Although she was eventually taught to walk, she was, for example, never was able to speak grammatically and although her fine motor coordination was close to normal, she had extremely weak gross motor skills. She was also unable to focus on anything more than 13 feet away there was suggestion of an inability to unite touch and sight. (Curtiss, Susan (1977) Of course Genie is an extreme example; for most cases of cognitive deprivation it is a simple case of care-givers not having the resources or the inclination to stimulate their children cognitively, leading to gaps in their childs development. For example, a child who is under stimulated, left in a cot or a familiar environment without new experiences and toys are more likely to try and create their own stimulation, eg by misbehaving, being destructive, and even harming themselves through actions such as hair pulling. A stimulating babyhood is also perceived as being integral for the creation of the parent-child relationship, and the development of self-soothing and self-regulatory abilities later in childhood (Thompson, 2001) The stilted development of children who are exposed to sensory deprivation during infancy, eg in an orphanage or deprived home, have indicated that stimulating experience are integral for not only development but also survival (Robinson, M, (2011)) Erikson also conducted extensive research on the effects of cognitive deprivation, but focused on the development of the ego. This theory is typically referred to as mastery; the basic idea is that if a child masters a skill, this will create a sense of self confidence. If a child does not master a skill, eg learning to read or to communicate socially, they will have a low confidence in their ability to develop and learn and therefore they will do so at a slowed pace. Erikson believed a healthy ego propels the child in to the next stage of development. (R.Green 1999) As stipulated, deprivation does not only refer to a lack of cognitive stimulation, but can also refer to the lack of social input into a child, where caregivers do not interact sufficiently, nor explore personal and social aspects of living effectively. This is often done through play, but also through modeling behaviour of caregivers encouraging children to care for teddies and dolls may help children develop an empathic response to others. Children who do not have many opportunities for play with other children can also struggle. They find it difficult to understand the point of view of others and do not learn to modify their behaviour to fit in with others. Also important is the concept of containment and good enough parenting. Without this, children find it hard to cope with their own distress, or perhaps their frustration that everything is not done just the way they want it done. There are many possible effects of this deprivation which include a temporary or permanent delay in cognitive development, heightened aggression, emotional or social detachment, and an increase in the likelihood of depression in adulthood. (Myers, D. (2008) Exploring psycology) The other key thing to explore here is Theory of mind. Theory of mind is the ability to attribute mental states beliefs, intents, desires, pretending, knowledge, etc.-to oneself and others and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions that are different from ones own . (Premack, D.G; Woordruff, G. (1978).)Children who are deprived in this area may well develop Theory of Mind and other social skills later in life, but the damage is done because their early lack of skills means that they lack friends, they lack confidence, and this can have a snowball effect, with lack of opportunities continuing in life because they are lacking in social skills and are often aggressive and detached. The effect on childhood development of emotional deprivation can be dramatic. Spitz and Wolf, in the 1940s studies of US orphanages, found that children who had no significant personal interaction at all could suffer from anaclitic depression, and that morbidity was extremely high, even where nutrition and medical guidelines were adhered to.( L. Cytryn, D.McKnew; 1996) This is deprivation at its extreme. However, less extreme levels of deprivation can also result in poor developmental prospects for children. An obvious area to discuss here is attachment. Children who are not securely attached find it difficult to have the confidence to explore their environments they are spending too much time in protective measures fearful children do not explore and do not therefore learn or develop . Mary Ainsworth developed a way to test childrens attachment to their caregivers called the strange situation, whereby children were left by, and then re-united with their caregiver. Children who were distressed upon parting but easily comforted at the reunion are described as having secure attatchment (B. Inge 1992). Children with insecure attachment, who would be unable to be comforted or entirely unphased by the whole situation, often find it difficult later to make attachments to others, or are sometimes indiscriminate about attaching themselves to adults, and so are more at risk, for instance by being more vulnerable to abuse. The effect of emotional deprivation on development seems thoroughly studied, especially among institutionalized children who have had their emotional needs severly neglected through a lack of resources, time and inclination. All psychologists are well aware of the sometimes tempestuous desires and attitudes of those who felt neglected and rejected in childhood. However, recently, psychologically unavailable mothering has been identified as a real form of abuse. Another area to explore, connected to attachment, is the effect of relationship breakdown, lack of parenting through death or divorce. This is obviously to do with loss and bereavement as well, but can also be linked to deprivation and neglect, as Rutter in the Isle of Wight study has shown that acrimonious separations between par ents are much worse for children than when it is not acrimonious (E.Mash, R.A.Berkley) therefore it is more than just the loss itself which is the issue. When parents are not focusing on the wellbeing of children, they suffer: academically they do less well in school, they are more likely to have early pregnancies, they are more likely to be unemployed and to get divorced themselves so the effect of deprivation really lasts into the next generations. All the effects of the deprivation this essay have discussed are likely to be perpetuated into the next generations. Parents who do not know how to play or empathise or communicate effectively without aggression or contain their emotions effectively, because of a deprivation in these areas when they were children, are less likely to enable their own children to have these skills as well. All of these forms of deprivation have massive implications for Social Work practice, and there are many places that social workers can intervene with this intergenerational transmission of deprivation. One example of this is Sure Start, which is currently under threat of being cut by the government. Sure Start is a multi disciplinary approach, including social workers, which is designed to help parents and babies/young children in deprived areas overcome the effects of early deprivation. Considering the devastating effects of deprivation, Social workers and other professionals need to have a heightened awareness of its existence and implications; There have been studies showing that children who suffer from deprivation have more long term problems developmentally than children who suffer from physical abuse. There has also been a heightened Involvement of social workers in CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health teams) another multi disciplinary team, which deals with the mental health of young people and the reasons for their conditions. It has long been apparent that psychological health is directly linked to childhood deprivation, but only recently have social workers been seen to be working with other professionals to try and integrate more preventative measures against the psychological effects of deprivation, rather than simply working to address the effects. Working alongside mental health professionals in order to pinpoint and prevent the causes and effects of deprivation is a new phenomenon, and one which has seriously changed the direction of modern social work practice. Links with community midwives, G.Ps, nurseries and primary schools, in order to identify those at risk early on, have become more and more important in Social work. Community midwives and GPs have to check on childrens weight and development and their relationship with their care-givers. More involvement and communication between the professionals around infants and children are integral tools in identifying the early signs of deprivation and its effect on development. Greater focus on and help for children leaving care is another step that the social work sector should be taking. These people will be the ones having children early, and the ones who are likely to continue the cycle of neglect and deprivation. They are also typically poorer, and economic deprivation can be a massive contributor to neglect and deprivation in all its forms. In conclusion, there are many different strains of deprivation, all of them with devastating effects on childhood development, and all with relevant implications for social work. It would be prudent to point out at this point that all of the strains of deprivation are interrelated and to an extent interdependent, and often children who are exposed to one are almost undoubtedly exposed to another. For Social workers, the main focus should be on the importance of stopping the intergenerational transmission of the effects of deprivation. Early intervention is paramount in preventing these transmissions, and today more and more of the focus has been directed into prevention and rehabilitation, so Social workers are involved in more of a rehabilitating role, which will work to change the face of social work practice.

Analysis of Red Sorghum Essay -- Red Sorghum Zhang Yimou China Movies

Analysis of Red Sorghum WHEN Zhang Yimou made his directorial debut, Zhang Yimou made his directorial debut, Red Sorghum, in 1987, he was better known as a cinematographer whose talent had been crucial to the success of critically acclaimed films like Zhang Junzhao's One and Eight (1984, released 1987) and Chen Kaige's Yellow Earth (1984). Not only did Red Sorghum become a seminal film of the Fifth Generation, it also won the Golden Bear at Berlin in 1988, becoming the first mainland Chinese film ever to be awarded the highest honour at a major international film competition. Set in the 1920s and '30s in northern China, Red Sorghum's narrative centres on the fate of a young woman who is forced to marry a rich old leper but who eventually falls in love with a younger man. The motif of female oppression in feudal China is repeated in Zhang's next two films, Ju Dou (1990) and Raise the Red Lantern (1991). The films form a loose triptych, linked not only by similar thematic concerns but also stylistic elements. The latter include the luscious use of colour, lighting and bold composition to create the sensuous images and metaphors which have distinguished Zhang as an original auteur. Equally prominent are the silences and spare dialogue; music and sound are used with precision -- nothing extraneous is added. This article focuses on how visual and aural components in Red Sorghum are employed to enhance the dramatic aspect of the narrative as well as to convey philosophical and metaphoric meaning. RED SORGHUM is narrated as much through its storyline as by its splendid images and aural qualities. The film is photographed by Gu Changwei (who also shot Chen Kaige's (Farewell, My Concubine) in Cinemascope; the music is composed by Zhao Jiping, who has since composed the rest of the music scores for Zhang's films. The opening sequence establishes the vibrant mood and mythical atmosphere of the film and introduces the themes of passion and freedom through powerful imagery and music. It also establishes Zhang Yimou as a visual sensualist. In a deserted setting comprising mainly sand and stone, a strain of wedding music grows progressively louder. A traditional red sedan chair carried by a group of shirtless men, followed closely by a retinue of trumpeters and drummers, enliven the harsh landscape. Inside the covered sedan chair, the pretty face of a young br... ...vineyard. The workers revolt against the Japanese, and after their uprising is crushed, the Japanese order two of the local people skinned alive in front of the others. This sequence, shocking in its detail, is a dramatic change from the fable that went before. "Red Sorghum" perhaps can be read as a parable of China's development, or as a hymn in praise of the way the workers resisted the Japanese invaders. Western audiences probably are going to be more interested in the melodrama and the overwhelming visual quality of the film. It is some kind of irony that when Hollywood switched over to cheaper and faster forms of making color films, classic Technicolor equipment was dismantled and sold to China - which now makes some of the best-looking color films in the world. The cinematography in "Red Sorghum" has no desire to be subtle, or muted; it wants to splash its passionate colors all over the screen with abandon, and the sheer visual impact of the film is voluptuous. If the story is first naive and then didactic, that is one of the film's charms; Hollywood doesn't make films like this anymore, because we have forgotten how to be impressionable enough to believe them.

The Purpose and Nature of Architecture Essay -- Design Architecture

The Purpose and Nature of Architecture What is it that we mean when we say ‘the architecture of the city’? What are cities planned to be? Why should we plan anything? When we plan ahead, we perhaps have a goal in mind. What is this goal, for an architect or an urban designer? Simply putting it, their goal is to make environments in which man can live in ways better than he could before. Right from the early times, when shelter meant only a roof over ones head, or when taking shelter meant seeking protection inside a cave or getting under the tree cover, man sought to improve his living conditions. He sought shelter that was more comfortable than the one he had before. From caves and trees, man moved to mud huts and animal skin tents. Constantly striving towards improvisation to suit his changing needs, he has today, shelter in the form of buildings in brick and concrete, that he has termed architecture; gardens and malls where he spends his leisure time, these along with the buildings and the spaces between, he calls urban fabric. There are road networks, that link buildings to each other, buildings to public plazas, that link living areas to work areas, or living areas to educational areas, or living areas to shopping areas. Man has first fragmented his lifestyle and living spaces, then attempted to join it with roads. What he fragments, often stays fragmented forever. Life for him is still a series of experiences which he sometimes can see as a whole but often not. What was once upon a time harmonious living, is divided up into neat compartments with supposedly greater efficiency. Today, we have intelligent buildings that have automated functions. But, what is the sequence of experiences one can have within these buildings? Does that matter or not at all? Are they experiences that satisfy human nature or is it a contrived environment that is far removed from the real world? Do experiences generated by this new architecture, by this new urban design, by this new city planning still inspire man to think and to feel? Does it make him grow, or does it strangulate his sense of being? As an architect or urban designer, must one know all about space and form and structure and nothing about life's experiences, about feeling, about nature? How does an architect or urban designer know about all of life's experiences? Is it... ... parts. I believe that research into the phenomenon of architectural experience and its possible objectification is the spring board towards a more vibrant and humane built environment. We must know if the design processes we employ are the same as the thought processes we undergo whilst experiencing these urban spaces that we design. We must know, which experiences we enjoy the most, how these experiences come about and if the designer must play a role in making these happen, where must he begin? . For example, in our country ,India, there is a lot that is fragmented and that comes together randomly to form a whole which is so much more rich in nature than a putting together in an orderly fashion, of uniform, standardized parts. The study of the experience of architecture I think is the spring board to the creation of more vibrant and humane environments. We must know if the design processes we employ are the same as the thought processes we undergo whilst experiencing these urban spaces that we design. We must know, which experiences we enjoy the most, and how these experiences come about and if the designer must play a role in making these happen, where must he begin?

A Violent Act-Taking Place at Work

As difficult as it may be to imagine a violent act-taking place at work, in these times it is an eventuality that cannot be ignored. Too frequently, these days, the evening news leads off with a report about a disgruntled employee committing some horrifying act of violence in the workplace. Something like that could never happen here, is what most assumes. Unfortunately, the statistics show that violence can and does happen in the workplace. In fact, the chances of violence occurring in the workplace are shockingly high and increasing. An important question that should be asked is, what causes violence in the workplace? The answer to this question is very complex. There are numerous contributing factors that can push an employee to the point that may seem unbearable. To an employee, being perceived unfair is one of the significant factors. Many times the organization is looked upon as not treating their employees properly. Other contributing factors are, but not limited to, an unstable economy, downsizing, layoffs–each causes fear, depression, and paranoia, evaluations, lack of promotion or advancement, authoritarian management, relationships brought to the workplace, and stress (Liabig 33). Stress is one of the more common causes of violence at any place of employment. The body†s response to any demand on it for adaptation is called stress. A stressor may be acute or chronic. Stress can also be both good and bad. Examples of good stress are reasonable deadlines and competition. This type of stress if needed to function, without stress people become stagnates. The level of anxiety caused by a good stressor is usually in the low moderate range. Levels of high anxiety are okay for short periods of time. If levels of high anxiety last for an extreme period then the stressor is bad, and the person functioning becomes impaired and overwhelmed (NIOSH 1). The failure to adapt to stress can cause clinical depression. Clinical depression is a depression that is organic in nature whose origin is usually a chemical imbalance or caused by outside factors. It is obvious that these circumstances may result in subsequent aggression. In turn, such feelings may produce intense emotions of anger and resentment, which may lead to the feeling of needing to harm the people that is responsible in some manner. Other contributing factors that may trigger workplace aggression and violence frequently are related to three types of workplace changes. 1) The increased use of part-time and temporary workers. This causes aggressions for two reasons. First, the increased use of contingent workers makes existing employees feel threatened. Secondly, a revolving door of temps can make employees uncomfortable. 2) Management turnover and change. When bosses start changing, the workplace aggression level increases. This is because employees may not like the new boss style, they may feel uncertain about their own job security or they may view the new managers as an opportunity to act out. 3) Major schedule changes. Employees who suddenly find themselves working a new shift after getting comfortable with a certain set of hours can become uneasy. Detecting the characteristics of an employee that may display some of the above attributes should certainly be continuously in effect (Caudron 51). It is important that data that is collected be as specific as possible and focus on job performance or any unusual behavior on the job. Recurring patterns should be noted. Everyone has an off day once in a while so observation or documentation should go on over a period of time. Collection of data helps the supervisor make a fair and impartial assessment of job performance. It also guards against remembering only the peaks of performance, the good days and not the bad days. There are several characteristics that should alert an employer of possible signs of workplace aggression. Individuals who commit violence tend to fit a pattern. Often, they are loners, and the main focus of their lives is their job. Absenteeism, which consist of frequent absences or days off with vague or unlikely excuses. Also included would be excessive use of sick leave, tardiness and early departures are some things to look for. There is also the factor of on-the-job absenteeism. This may entail an employee being regularly absent from post, long lunches and always preoccupied. Then there is the issue of personal appearance, attitude and behavior. An employer should take notice when the personal appearance becomes untidy and when distinct mood swings occur during the day for no apparent reason. If the smell of alcohol and or excessive use of breath deodorizers are used and repeated unusual accidents on or off the job occur, yes the employer should take notice. Another issue that may create workplace aggression would be interpersonal relations. If there are complaints from co-workers and from clients on a regular basis, and if the employee has a tendency to avoid associates. Direct threats of violence, verbal abuse or intimidation toward employees. An intense anger that does not defuse over time or a fascination with the killing power of weapons that go far beyond a hobbyist gun collection. These behaviors are observable warning signs of violent behaviors. Having the ability to recognize is one thing but what counts the most is being able to prevent workplace violence. If it is not understood what triggers violence then it is difficult to prevent it. Although many acts of workplace violence appear completely random, there are actually many things companies can do to prevent violent outbreaks from occurring. The initial step would include the screening of potential employees thoroughly. If the resources are not there, an outside service should be hired to conduct criminal background checks for a nominal cost. The implementation of a zero-tolerance policy with harsh repercussions for violent or threatening behavior at the workplace should be established. All threats of violence should be reported to the police immediately. Certain circumstances may even warrant the temporary use of a security firm. It is significant for an employer to create a workplace culture that encourages mutual respect and open communication. It would be essential to conduct training for employees and supervisors that covers conflict resolution, how to report and handle complaints of unfair treatment and how to recognize signs of a potentially violent employee. The use of the Employee Assistance Program, which is a plan that provide employees with assistance for various problems, as a means to prevent workplace violence due to stress. All employees should be trained in methods to handle stress. When firing or disciplining a potentially violent employee, the employer should be sensitive. To sound as if the employee is being accused, is not a good approach. An example is to simply state that other employees have begun to feel fearful and that according to the company policy, it is required to take action. This approach will avoid blame. Also when firing or disciplining a potentially violent employee, the manager should make sure that they find something good to say about the employee (Liabig 33). By building up the persons dignity, it decreases the likelihood that the employee will see the manager as part of the larger corporate conspiracy that is out to get him or her. Last but not least, it is very relevant for the employer to provide job counseling for terminated employees. Termination is a traumatic change and counseling can help these individuals cope. It is a fact that an individual can exhibit one or more warning signs and never resort to violence. It is important to remember that people have different levels of sensitivity. What is a violence-triggering event to one person may not be to another. Each case must be examined on an individual basis and, to the extent possible, viewed from that person's perspective.

Christmas Vacation a Boon

Christmas!! It is pleasing to hear when we know that it’s near. Specially to those students like me because we knew that it’s going be a long time of rest in our studies and we can do other things that we can’t during school days and also to the kids and small children because the first thing that comes to their mind when they hear Christmas are gifts and new toys. It is not new to us Filipinos already the yearly preparation and celebration of this very special day for Christians because it is already in our tradition and culture as Filipino. This is one of the traditions inherited to us by our ancestors that until now we still give significance. Every Christmas, one of the traditions of our friend Christians is they prepare a lot of food for their visitors, friends and family, giving of gifts and of course having a fireworks display to show their joy. That is why many people consider Christmas as the time for joy, sharing and love. I would like to argue and to prove that the two-week Christmas vacation really is a boon or shall we say a blessings to us Filipinos because of these following reasons: 1. Since majority of people here in our country are Christians, and Christian people always take Christmas as a blessing to them because it is when Christ was born and save them from their sins, they were able and have an enough time to rejoice and give thanks and express gratitude to their savior. According to the Pew Research Center, the 2000 Philippine census found that 5.1% of the population is Muslim. While the majority of the population are Roman Catholic, some ethnic groups are Protestant, non-religious, Buddhist, Animist and Hindus. 2. Christmas vacation also gives us time to be reunited with our love ones. It is much pleased to celebrate Christmas with our friends, relatives and especially our family. As we observe, there are so many people travelling during Christmas season compared to other seasons of the year. Bus terminal, airports, pier and other transportation establishments are overcrowded with people. And these people have the same destination, to go back home to spend their Christmas vacation with their family and friends. 3. Employees receives bonus from their employment. Christmas bonus is a benefit that is not government mandated, but is usually given to employees. This is given in December, on top of the 13th month pay. This is considered as the company’s Christmas gift to their employees. 4. Small and big establishments are tend to have a higher rate of income during Yuletide season, especially when Christmas Eve is approaching. The rate of demand of goods is higher and also prices of goods are getting higher and higher as Christmas day becomes nearer and nearer. As we all know, according to the law of demand, when the rate of demand is high, the prices also become high and consecutively income also gets higher. 5. There is also an increase of rate of tourist in our country and that means more jobs to our people. As we notice during Christmas, we can see a lot of foreigners compared to ordinary days of the year. It is because many foreigners prefer to spend Christmas here in our country because of our nature and our tourist destinations. These tourists can be an investor here in our country and it only means that more jobs will be accessible. 6. People can have an another source of income during these days. People can sell products that are in demand all through this season such as fireworks and food that we usually prepare like ham keso de bola. We can see throughout this season a lot of vendor selling products that are we usually use and prepare for Christmas. Based on my arguments I strongly believe that the two-week Christmas vacation really is a boon to Filipinos like me.