PTLLS Assignment. The teaching and training cycle Essay

|Using the teaching and training cycle |Identifying needs and planning | |as a model, discuss one responsibility|One role/ responsibility of a teacher is to initially assess the students in order to identify their current skills; their preferred learning styles and any barriers or| |which would come under each part of |challenges to learning. This will enable the teacher to plan lessons according to the needs of the learners and in accordance with organisational policies and | |the cycle. |procedures. | | | | | |Designing | | | One role/ responsibility of a teacher is to prepare teaching and learning resources and activities. This will usually involve designing a scheme of work, session plans | | |and appropriate materials and resources suitable to the level and needs of the learners. | | | | | |Facilitating | | |One role/ responsibility of a teacher is to use a variety of teaching and learning materials and approaches to motivate, engage and encourage learning in an appropriate| | |and professional manner. | | | | | |Assessing | | |It is the role / responsibility of a teacher to assess learners’ progress in accordance with the requirements of the awarding organisation. The teacher does this by | |Â  |preparing realistic assessment materials (both formative and summative) and by giving feedback to the learners on what has been done correctly and what needs to be | | |improved on. | | | | | |Evaluating | | |It is the role/ responsibility of the teacher to reflect on the teaching and learning process. This involves reflecting on the weaknesses and strengths of the lesson | | |plans, the resources and the actual delivery with the aim of improving the teaching and learning process. The reflection is usually done by the teacher after each | | |lesson and sometimes by students/other teachers. | |Discuss 2 professional boundaries you |I would need to remain in control, be fair and ethical with all my students and not demonstrate any favouritism towards particular students. For example, I should not | |would need to maintain. |give one student more support than I give to the others. | | | | | | I would need to remain professional when in contact with other co-workers within the organisation and not to overstep the boundary of my role as a teacher. For example,| | |if something goes wrong with the electrical system while I am teaching, I should not try to fix this myself but rather I should call the electrical crew. | |Give 2 examples of when you might need|Two examples of when I might need to refer a learner for him/her to get needed support are: | |to refer a learner in order for them |The learner is being abused in any form. | |to get needed support. |The learner has depression issue that is affecting his/her learning process. | |List 2 responsibilities you have in |Two responsibilities I have in respect to other professionals I work with are: | |respect to other professionals you |I should ensure that all my administrative work such as class register; students’ assessment records are up to date. | |will work with. |I should ensure that I complete my lessons within the scheduled time so that the next teacher can start his/her lesson on time. |

How does Human Activities have an Effect on Climate Change?

â€Å"Humans are almost entirely the cause† of climate change, according to a scientist who once doubted that global warming even existed. As many scientists and physicists across the world believe that human activities contribute to climate change by causing changes in Earth’s atmosphere in the amounts of greenhouse gases, aerosols (small particles), and cloudiness. A recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that the largest known contribution comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases and aerosols affect climate by altering incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared (thermal) radiation that are part of Earth’s energy balance. Furthermore, changing the atmospheric abundance or properties of these gases and particles can lead to a warming or cooling of the climate system. Since the start of the industrial era (about 1750), the overall effect of human activities on climate has been a warming influence. The human impact on climate during this era greatly exceeds that due to known changes in natural processes, such as solar changes and volcanic eruption. As a result it is clear why climate change has such a big impact on our planet and what it has in store for our future as well. It is caused by many reasons as stated above, with supporting evidence it no doubt that climate change is becoming serious as time passes. Most climate scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of the greenhouse effect. Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases, remaining semi-permanently in the atmosphere, which do not respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature, are described as â€Å"forcing† climate change whereas gases, such as water, which respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as â€Å"feedbacks. Many of these gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons. The role of humans play a very important role in climate change, in its recently released a recent report called, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which states, a group of 1,300 independent scientific experts from countries all over the world under the auspices of the United Nations, concluded there's a more than 90 percent probability that human activities over the past 250 year s have warmed our planet. Furthermore, it concludes that the industrial activities that our modern civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to 379 parts per million in the last 150 years. The panel also concluded there's a better than 90 percent probability that human-produced greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have caused much of the observed increase in Earth's temperatures over the past 50 years. They said the rate of increase in global warming due to these gases is very likely to be unprecedented within the past 10,000 years or more. Scientists have blamed human activities such as causing a negative effect on the planets natural resources such as increasing amount of greenhouse gases releasing into the atmosphere, burning more unnatural sources, and cutting down more forests. As a result, restricting the use of unnecessary resources and contributing to a cleaner process. Many reports state that when humans burn gasoline, coal, natural gas, and other common fuels to make electricity or drive cars, they release a substantial amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. For every gallon (or liter) of gasoline your car burns, 1300 times that volume of CO2 is released (a gallon of gas weighs about 6 pounds or 2. 8 kilograms, but the released CO2 would weigh over 19 pounds or 8. 75 kilograms). Greenhouse gases are emitted from power plants and cars, but also from landfills, from farms and cleared forests, and through other subtle processes. Many contributions and research have proven many of this facts one of them is the use of modeling with the aid of computers. To prove the case that climate change is mostly caused by humans, scientists had to take into account other factors: complicated atmospheric physics, the interactions between air and land and between air and water, changing amounts of ice and of desert and forest, and the natural processes that have changed the climate for 4. 54 billion years. To do all this, scientists recreate the crime scene. Because there’s only one Earth, they do that with computers. Climate scientists use powerful computers to construct models based on physics of the climate system. These models enable scientists to make predictions and test hypotheses about what processes affect the climate. These models are based on the fundamental of science, many of them include thermodynamic principles, orbital dynamics, and the balance of heat entering and leaving the atmosphere. Scientists can do experiments with these models that they can’t do on the planet. They can set the atmosphere to match conditions a century ago, and see whether the model’s predictions match what scientists measured at the time. And they can set the models to match conditions millions of years ago, to better understand how past climate changed. This allows them to verify that the models are accurate and to fine-tune the output. They can also remove the effects of human activities from the models, and see how much of the climate change they observe is still predicted by the models. As a result, there is very little time on what necessary steps must be taken in order to decrease the climate change and stabilize the amount of greenhouse gases omitted into the atmosphere. Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping therefore are resulting in an increase on the rate of global warming throughout the planet Climate scientists use powerful computers to construct models based on physics of the climate system. These models enable scientists to make predictions and test hypotheses about what processes affect the climate. Many hard proved evidence point to only one reason, which is towards human activities, resulting in a negative effect throughout the Earth’s atmosphere causing many disasters, climate change, raise in sea levels, and most importantly a threat to the human race, and other life forms.

Birdwood-fringe 2013 Essay

Birdwood-fringe 2013 consisted of many shows but the one that really caught my eye was â€Å"The Terrible Infants†. The play was cast with previous and current students who attend Birdwood High. Many, if not all have had drama production background, working in school productions and the local theatre group TOTTS (Top of the Torrens) productions. Knowing these students, I expected to be wowed from the start and my expectations were not let down. Right from the start, every character was switched on, working as one, moving as one. They knew where they were meant to be, what they were meant to be doing at every second. Every lights down they knew what props they needed to collect and did it with no noise. Even when one of the props weren’t collected or in their right place each character chipped in without it being noticed by the audience to show/point/grab where the prop was. When the butcher‘s (Courtney Bryant-Leray) apron didn’t go on as planned she still placed it onto her, even though it was on sideways. Ignoring she had it on wrong, she still went on with her lines and actions as though it was meant to be like that only fixing it when the spotlight was on a fellow cast member. The whole play in general was exciting. Using lighting changes e.g. green for the forest (Betrice scene) was very smart. Just changing the lights from amber to green instead of ending the scene, turning the lights off, setting up the scene so it looks like an actual forest would have been time wasting and then at the actual end of the scene having to turn the lights off, put the forest set away then getting the set back to normal would have been an even more waste of time, but instead they changed the set to a tree silhouette whilst the scene was in progress. The atmosphere of the entire play was warming, and enjoyable, making the audience feel welcome, without even saying a word to them. We were always laughing, feeling each and every emotion the cast was portraying, when they had a funny moment, we laughed, we were probably laughing most of the time, except when it came to â€Å"Thingummy Boy† scene. The scene Thingummy Boy was serious, the most intense scene in the whole play. During the play each character was facing the audience, making their moves over exaggerated, they emphasised words that were needed, but in the scene of â€Å"Thingummy Boy† they faced away from the audience, not moving or making a sound. It made the scene, sad, and if it had more of a meaning then the other scenes. When they did turn to speak they had no exaggeration, no emphasis in their words, their faces were blank, no smiles yet no frowns. The scene was the one that impacted the audience the most. Even though the play wasn’t an original that the group wrote themselves, they made it their own, adding lines and taking actions out. They put their own twist in every scene, in every character. It was a unique play, that was shown beautifully.

Pro Gay Marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pro Gay Marriage - Research Paper Example Recognition of gay marriage will pave the way to truly equal and accepting society where all people share the same freedoms and get the opportunity to love, be loved and create a family regardless of their sexual orientation. All arguments against gay marriage are ideological in their nature and they can be easily disapproved. According to Kellard, gay marriage does not threaten the institution of tradition marriage because not all traditional marriages are based on love. Many couples decide to marry in order to get money, social benefits or the access to healthcare. The rate of divorces in the USA tends to climb high and, obviously, it is not an indicator of a solid traditional marriage. Despite common beliefs that gay marriages are harmful for children, they serve as a better alternative to families where children have only one loving parent. Conservative religious beliefs does not apply to those who do not share them so it is not fare to take away freedom of love and religion from those who are granted to have it constitutionally (Kellard). Overall, there is no reason to think about gay marriage is something harmful and threatening; it is just a union of people who want to live together as a family. Objections to same-sex marriages are usually expressed by extremely conservative people who reinterpret information and even lie in order to present the issue in negative light and persuade Americans that they will ruin everything by supporting gay marriage. For instance, Dana Loesch, who is a well-recognized columnist, often writes about lawsuits filed by gay couples against certain organization in different states. In her articles gay couples sue with people who deny taking photos of their wedding, baking a wedding cake or renting a pavilion for their marriage (cited in Lampo). However, according to Lampo, all these cases have nothing to

Commercialization of organ transplants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Commercialization of organ transplants - Essay Example The commercialisation of this medical procedure has been largely promoted through the constant need for organs because in general, the supply of organs is often lower than demand. In most cases, individuals tend to shy away from donating their organs to total strangers and this has influenced those who really need the organs to offer financial incentives to encourage reluctant individuals to donate. The proponents of the commercialisation of transplants state that it makes it possible to satisfy the demand for organs in the healthcare system because individuals are often more than willing to donate their organs if they believe that they or their next of kin will likely gain some financial benefits from the procedure. Moreover, there are individuals who are often reluctant to donate their organs because of the fear of risking their health but with commercialisation; this fear tends to be put in the background because of the benefits that they are likely to receive (Budiani-Saberi and Delmonico 925). Those who are against the commercialisation of organ transplants believe that it cheapens the worth of human beings because individuals come to look upon their organs as commodities which can be used for the sake of gaining money rather than as basic parts of their bodies. Moreover, might make it possible for there to be a rise in organ trafficking because cartels will get involved i n the business which will mean that certain individuals will donate their kidneys whether they like it or not. Therefore, the commercialisation of organ transplants is a new area in the medical field whose consequences have to be carefully studied by governments all over the world so that laws regulating it can be passed to ensure accountability in the procedure. The sale of organs is an inevitable part of the medical procedures of the future and it is because of this inevitability that it should be allowed as early as possible. Allowing the sale of organs at such an early stage

Can a self-serving leader become a servant leader Essay

Can a self-serving leader become a servant leader - Essay Example This perception can change, provided we have the willingness, ability and passion to change ourselves for the good. The book ‘Lead like Jesus’ written by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges serves as an ideal guide for someone who wants to adopt more of a servant leader attitude. In the book, the leadership in not mentioned in just organizational context but personal context as well as the authors have defined leadership as having an ability to influence on other people’s behavior, thinking or development in all or any one dimension of life (personal or professional). They have divided leadership into four parts of which the first two are heart and hand. These are the internal factors of leadership while the other two which are hand and habits refer to the external dimensions of leadership. The component of heart defines where ones focus is and whether an individual pays more attention to Religion, work or relationships. On the other hand, head refers to the fact what ones views, beliefs and ideas are about leadership. Hands refer to how clear a persons goals are and how consistently a person goes for them. In totality, it means how focused a person is towards his principles and values while habits accumulate to the reflection of ones beliefs and how a person puts it into his beliefs and actions (Blanchard and Hodges 2005). In order to be an effective leader all four of these domains have to be aligned towards one common goal. It is clear that a self serving and a servant leader exhibit different characters and hence they have different personality traits. It is all about what kind of personality a person develops and this development can be impacted by counseling, mentoring and reading self motivational books. The most important thing is to have the willingness to change and be flexible about the principals that an individual holds. Furthermore, another very important point mentioned in the book is that leadership transformation is only possible when a

Consumer Behavior and the Marketing Manager Personal Statement

Consumer Behavior and the Marketing Manager - Personal Statement Example This is called marketing mix in which the business focuses on the price, promotion, product and place. This further brings in the concept of market segmentation which is dividing the market into segments according to the preferences of the consumers. Different people have different interests over products; segmentation helps the businesses to focus on the consumers’ wants individually, makes them aware of what kind of products are in demand so that they can stock them and sell more. The internet is one of the most basic tools being used for advertising goods and this is mostly because it is far reaching and does not cost as much. Considering the great amount of people who are using the internet these days, even shopping online, the businesses prefer this means of marketing. Whenever one goes online on any social media site, a new brand name of some company pops up, show casing their line of products and it just so easy and convenient for one to look into it and maybe order it if one likes it. Similarly, there can be other ways of advertising like billboards at places which are most visited or television advertisements between shows which are most

Marketing Course Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Course Evaluation - Essay Example Likewise, I have learnt that firms should emulate appropriate brand names and pricing strategies in order to enhance the perception, motivation and product awareness that play a significant role in the consumer buying process. In its effort to attain a competitive edge, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company has embarked on merging with other companies in its effort to market products such as C-5, C-130 and C-141. In the same way, the company emulates horizontal market system for example at one time it replaced F-117 with F-22 based on the consumers feedback. Actions that I intend to take to stay current in my field includes, post graduate course in Project Management, Six Sigma Black Belt Certification (CSSBB) as well as masters degree. In order to improve the value of this course to the working adults, it is essential for lecturers to allocate adequate time for theory lessons as well as practical sessions. In addition, marketers should be trained on how to use web 2.0 as a major marke ting tool. Introduction In the contemporary world, firms have emulated a number of strategies to remain competitive and retain their customers. Through the guidance of the marketing managers, companies have emulated aspects such as proper branding, effective product positioning and pricing as well as promotional strategies. ... that I have gained Target Markets One of the skills that I have gained from the course is that for a company to be successful, it has to aim at particular customers. Being one of the major marketing strategy, target marketing in collaboration with the marketing mix that include price, product, promotion and price is essential especially when firms are aimed at expanding their customer base. Market positioning and segmentation The course has also exposed me to product positioning. This entails the process through which marketers create an image or the identity of their products on the minds of their consumers. One of the vital objectives of an effective product positioning is that it creates a strong customer awareness thus generating repeated purchases leading to high sales. On the other hand, market segmentation involves classification of the customers based on one or more characteristics (Kotler et al, 2010). In this way, firms are able to identify groups of customers with similar needs. Examples of market segmentation that this course introduced me into include geographic segmentation, demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation, segmentation according to benefits and occasions as well as behavioral segmentation. Connecting with customers Building customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty Through the course, I was able to gain adequate skills on how to build customer value by enhancing a positive relationship especially by ensuring that organisations address the problems faced by the consumers in a timely manner. In addition, to ensure that the consumers are satisfied, it is imperative to provide quality products that meet their needs (Paliwoda et al, 2009). One of the major ways of enhancing customer loyalty is by creating a positive company-customer

Nursing management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nursing management - Essay Example The prevalence of marijuana use peaked in males and females aged 20–29 years (Maxwell, 2003). In young people aged 14 to 17 years, the drug was used at least once by 28% of persons falling in this group whereas in the elderly people, consumption decreased after the age of 40 years and the rate continued to decrease as age increased thereafter. The consumption of marijuana was much higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (50%) when compared to non-indigenous Australians (33%). Also, there was no difference noted in marijuana intake between those living in urban areas and those in remote and rural areas. The drug abuse was more in those with English speaking background than those with non-English speaking background. Women who were either breast feeding or pregnant or both consumed much less than other women. Marijuana is a mixture of dried parts of the plant hemp including leaves, stems, seeds and flowers. It appears green, brown, or grey depending on the composition. It is referred to by many street names such as herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic. It is usually consumed in the form of cigarette (referred to as ‘joint’ or ‘nail’) or pipe. Most often it is consumed with other illicit drugs like cocaine (called ‘blunts’) or tobacco. It is taken in mainly for the mental effects like altered state of consciousness, perceptual changes like hallucinations and heightened sensory experiences. The main active chemical having psycho-activity in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) (Astolfi, 1998). Other than euphoria and hallucinations, marijuana has other effects also. The immediate effects are blood shot eyes, dry mouth and throat, sleepiness, paranoia, decreased ability to concentrate, coordinate and react, along with impaired short- term memory, comprehension, speech and learning. There is decreased ability to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road causing accidents.

The Death penalty versus Life Without Parole Research Proposal

The Death penalty versus Life Without Parole - Research Proposal Example Such people argue that life sentence without parole is far better than death penalty since death penalty is immoral and highly expensive compared to other means of punishment. In my opinion, capital punishment is not suitable for a civilized society like America and I would like to research this topic further in order to help my readers to better understand why life sentencing without parole is better than capital punishment. â€Å"If we execute a person, what is the difference between us and the criminal who has committed the horrifying crime of killing another individual?†(10 Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment). The criminal justice system normally give capital punishment to the criminals for taking the life of innocent people, citing the reasons that nobody has the right to take the life of others. However, by giving capital punishment, the criminal justice system is also repeating the same mistake done by the criminal. â€Å"According to a study by the Indiana Criminal L aw Study Commission released in 2002, executions cost the state 38 percent more than the costs of keeping an inmate incarcerated for life† (Capital Punishment - The Costs of Capital Punishment). Capital punishment is highly expensive because of the complexities in the trial procedures in such cases.

Choose a topic of interest to you that relates to couples or families Essay

Choose a topic of interest to you that relates to couples or families. (I'll attach the instructions) - Essay Example It is true that â€Å"one out of every two marriages ends in divorce† in the current trend (Ambert, 2009). One of the common reasons for divorce to occur in today’s modern day scenario is misunderstanding amid the partners. While discussing the topic of divorce, it can be affirmed that husbands and wives have no time for each other to spend time as they remains quite busy in earning money and saving the same more for future (Bruze et al., 2012). In this process, they forget to enjoy their lives and thus end up divorcing each other. Moreover, there are several other reasons for divorce to happen such as age issue, stress level, cheating and extra marital affair. Divorce imposes huge impact in the lives of the people especially when it occurs in the mid age. It is emotionally distressing and has negative impact on the life of the people, children and the surrounding. It leads to depression, loneliness and gives rise to the feeling of betrayal and failure among oneself (Mo ntenegro, 2004). The Brondenbrenner’s Model, which is also acknowledged as Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory tends to determine the association prevailing between the individuals and their related environment. This particular theory or model is often used to analyse the psychological issues faced by the individuals due to several environmental systems. The model comprises environmental systems that range from â€Å"interpersonal interaction to broad based influence†. The individual level of this model is regarded as a vital aspect as it expresses a relation between the environment and the human behaviour. It relates to psychological dilemma that an individual face after undergoing divorce. It is usually observed that the rate of divorce is usually more amid the adults whose age range falls under the age of 50 and above (Erikson, n.d.). Similar facts can be justified with reference to the article â€Å"The Gray Divorce Revolution: Rising Divorce Among Middle-Aged and Older Adul ts,

Coursework Biology Essay Example for Free

Coursework Biology Essay Biology coursework: Substrate specificity in yeast AIM: To find out which substrate (glucose, starch, maltose, sucrose or lactose), does yeast, the organism containing the enzyme, breaks down the quickest. Introduction: Usually, every enzyme has a specific substrate that is what we call the â€Å"lock and key† theory. We can try the reaction of an enzyme with different substrates and this enzyme will just work well with one of those substrates. One type of reaction catalyzed by enzymes is anaerobic respiration. (fermentation), made by yeast that uses a sugar as a substrate. This reaction will produce CO2 and energy. Measuring how much CO2 the reaction produces we could know how well the enzyme is working with a substrate, checking thus its specificity. Materials: 5 Ignition tubes Pipette Glucose Maltose Sucrose Lactose Yeast Cotton wool Test tubes Stop watch Ruler Variables: Independent variable: substrate (glucose, starch, maltose, lactose, sucrose), enzyme (yeast), volume of substrate, volume of enzyme. Dependent: volume of CO2 released (measured in mm) Controlled variables: Temperature, pressure, time. Method: 1- Fill 5 ignition tubes, half with yeast (2.0 ml) and half with each corresponding substrate (2.0 ml), using a pipette. 2- Quickly after the mixture is done, place the ignition tubes upside down in a test tube, helping yourself with a pen. 3- Start the stop watch once the ignition tube is upside down in the test tube, and measure the space left (this will be time 0) 4- Place some cotton wool on the top of each test tube in order to block oxygen, and therefore, for anaerobic respiration to occur. 5- Prepare one mixture with the yeast (enzyme), and with water, to act as a control. Treat the control in the same way you have done it with the samples. 6- As anaerobic respiration occurs, CO2 is released displacing the mixture of yeast and substrate into the test tube. Measure the amount of CO2 released during 20 minutes, taking a reading of the empty space inside the ignition tube every 5 minutes. 7- Repeat the experiment 3 times for statistical purposes.

Ionising Radiation Treatment for Food Preservation

Ionising Radiation Treatment for Food Preservation Xinhao DAI Introduction (principles how it works) Irradiation (gamma rays, electrons or X-rays) is applied to foods for promoting food safety and eliminating and reducing pests that are harmful to plants and plants products ((EFSA), 2011). The first use of food irradiation occurred in 1957 in Germany, in which a spice manufacturer in Stuttgart started to improve the hygienic quality of its products by irradiating them with electrons, using a van de Graaff generator. After some hesitations whether to grant permissions for marketing irradiated food, the International Project in the Field of Food Irradiation (IFIP) was created in 1970, aiming to carry out a worldwide research program on the health safety of irradiated food (Diehl, 2002). The committee concluded in 1980 that the irradiation of any food commodity up to an overall average dose of 10kGy presented no toxicological hazard and no special nutritional or microbiological problems (WHO, 1981). The International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation (ICGFI) was created in 1983, now supported by 45 member countries, and provides publications on the safety of irradiated food, the effectiveness of food irradiation, commercialization of the process, legislative aspects, control of irradiation facilities, and acceptance of the information on food irradiation(Diehl, 2002). As ionizing radiation passes through food, it creates a trail of chemical transformations by primary and secondary radiolysis effects. The extent of chemical reactions induced by irradiation in food components depends on following variables: irradiation treatment conditions (absorbed dose, dose rate, facility type), presence or absence of oxygen, temperature as well as composition of food. The main reported radiolytic products are certain hydrocarbons and 2-alkylcylobutanones produced from the major fatty acids in food, and some cholesterol oxides and furans ((EFSA), 2011). Application to Food Preservation All irradiated foods are supposed to have a label (G.H. Zhou, 2010). The irradiation technology was promoted by the FAO in the Codex Alimentarius in 2003 and has been well accepted in 50 countries. Irradiation technology is used worldwide to sterilize medical devices and pharmaceuticals, preserve artefacts, process cosmetics, packaging and food, and enable material improvements in consumer and manufactured goods ((EFSA), 2011). The following types of ionizing radiations are covered by international standards of the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission and are therefore internationally recognized for the treatment of foods and permissible under Directive 1992/2/EC concerning foods and food ingredients treated with ionizing radiation: Gamma rays with energies of 1.17 and 1.33 MeV8 as emitted by the radionuclide cobalt-60 (Co-60) or gamma rays of 0.66 MeV as emitted by caesium-137 (Cs-137); Electrons (electron beams, E-beams) generated from machine courses operated at or below an energy level of 10 MeV; or X-rays generated from machine sources operated at or below an energy level of 5 MeV ((EFSA), 2011). The irradiation technology is highly efficient of inactivating bacteria, and the product is essentially chemically unaltered and the appreciable thickness materials, which can be used after packaging. It is non-thermal, thus it wont change the freshness and nutritional quality of the meat and meat products, though color change may occur due to the inherent susceptibility of the myoglobin molecule to energy input and alterations in the chemical environment.(G.H. Zhou, 2010). The radiation treatment results in no loss of thiamine, which is one of the least stable vitamins (Graham, 1998). Disinfestation of papayas and other exotic fruits (rambutan, lychee, star fruit, atemoya) by irradiation process in Hawaii for shipment to US mainland enabled Hawaiian exports to offer products with higher quality, instead of steam heating them for several hours (Diehl, 2002). Degradation products of parathion formed by irradiation seem to protect against a decline of antioxidant capacity and reduce polyphenolic loss. Ionizing radiation was found to be useful in breaking down pesticides residues without inducing significant loss of polyphenols (Issam Ben Salem, 2013). Gamma irradiation was effective in delaying deterioration reactions, improving microbiological, chemical, and color quality of vacuum-packed squid rings stored at 4-5  °C (Yeannes, 2012). Safety World Health Organization encourages the use of food irradiation, which is described as ‘a technique for preserving and improving the safety of food’ (WHO, 1988). However, the high radiation doses up to 25 kGy produced a statistically significant (p While inoising radiation being an effective method to reduce pathogenic E.coli O157: H7 in meat and poultry products (E. Mayer-Miebach and Schuchmann, 2005), Bacillus cereus LSPQ and Salmonella Typhi ATCC 19430 are radiotolerant bacteria (Samia Ayari, 2009). A recent research studied the effect of irradiation by dufferent irradiation types (gamma and electron beam), irradiation doses (1, 3, 7 and 10 kGy) and does rates (5kGy s-1 for electron beam and 0,4 1.85 kGy h-1 for gamma) on fifteen retail packaging materials. The results confirmed that irradiation-induced changes do occur in substances with the potential to migrate and that the safety of the finished packaging material following irradiation showed be assessed (M. Driffielda, 2014). Other study showed gamma-radiation did not affect the kinetics of plasticizer migration. On the contrary, electron-beam radiation produced shorter equilibration times for all food-simulating solvents tested at 40  °C. The values are far below the European Union restriction (1mg Kg-1 body weight) for ATBC and PVC. Thus PVC cling film may be used in food irradiation application in contact with aqueous foodstuffs (P.D. Zygoura, May 2011). Some studies indicate that at least some alkylcyclobutanones can induce DNA damage in vivo. No in vivo genotoxicity studies are available; however, the Panel considers a genotoxic hazard in humans unlikely. The only new contrary evidence was leukoenohalomyelopathy in cats, which have been fed mainly, or exclusively with highly irradiated feed (>25kGy). The finding has only been reported with cats, dogs consumed the same pet food did not show the disease in one report. A clear mechanistic explanation in terms if risk assessment has not been established yet ((EFSA), 2011). Suitability Due to the opposition from some very influential anti-irradiation activist groups an the uncertain about the acceptance of irradiated commodities by consumers, for many years, only spices and seasonings are still being irradiated worldwide on a significant scale. The irradiation of meat and meat products in USA requires prior approval not only by FDA, but also by US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) (Diehl, 2002). Conclusion The ionizing radiation works by passing through food, creating a trail of chemical transformations by primary and secondary radiolysis effects. The irradiation technology can be used on fruits, vegetables, meat products, and spices. It is highly efficient of inactivating bacteria, disinfestation with minimum influence of nutritional factors of food to achieve longer shelf life and better food quality. However, some studies showed migration of some packaging material with aqueous foodstuff after irradiation. The development and permeation of ionizing irradiation become very slow due to vocal anti-irradiation activist groups and uncertain about the acceptance of irradiated commodities by consumers. References (EFSA), E. F. S. A. 2011. Scientific Opinion on the Chemical Safety of Irradiation of Food. EFSA Journal, 9. DIEHL, J. F. 2002. Food irradiationFpast, present and future. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 63, 211-215. E. MAYER-MIEBACH, M. R. S., U. ESCHRIG, L. DENIAUD, D.A.E. EHLERMANN, SCHUCHMANN, H. P. 2005. Inactivation of a non-pathogenic strain of E. coli by ionising radiation. Food Control, 16, 701-705. G.H. ZHOU, X. L. X., Y. LIU 2010. Preservation technologies for fresh meat – A review. Meat Science, 86, 119-128. GRAHAM, W. D., STEVENSON, M. H., STEWART, E. M. 1998. Effect of irradiation dose and irradiation temperature on the thiamin content of raw and cooked chicken breast  meat. Journal of the Science of Food Agriculture, , 78, 559-564. IRENE GALA ÃÅ' N, M. L. G. A. M. D. S. 2011. Effects of ionising irradiation on quality and sensory attributes of ready-to-eat dry fermented sausages enriched with folic acid. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 46, 469-477. ISSAM BEN SALEM, S. F., HAITHAM SGHAIER, MEHREZ BOUSSELMI, MOULDI SAIDI, AHMED LANDOULSI, SAMI FATTOUCH 2013. Effect of ionising radiation on polyphenolic content and antioxidant potential of parathion-treated sage (Salvia officinalis) leaves. Food Chemistry, 141, 1398-1405. M. DRIFFIELDA, E. L. B., I. LEONA, L. LISTER, D.R. SPECK, L. CASTLE AND E.L.J. POTTER 2014. Analytical screening studies on irradiated food packaging. Food Additives Contaminants, 31, 556-565. P.D. ZYGOURA, E. K. P. A. M. G. K. May 2011. Effect of ionising radiation treatment on the specific migration characteristics of packaging–food simulant combinations: effect of type and dose of radiatio. Food Additives and Contaminants, 28, 686-694. PANAGIOTA D. ZYGOURA, E. K. P., MICHAEL G. KONTOMINAS 2011. Migration levels of PVC plasticisers: Effect of ionising radiation treatment. Food Chemistry, 128, 106-113. SAMIA AYARI, D. D., MATHIEU MILLETTE, MOKHTAR HAMDI, MONIQUE LACROIX 2009. Changes in membrane fatty acids and murein composition of Bacillus cereus and Salmonella Typhi induced by gamma irradiation treatment. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 135, 1-6. WHO 1981. WholesomenessofIrradiatedFood. Technical Report Series 659. Geneva: World Health Organization. WHO 1988. FoodI rradiation.A Technique for Preserving and Improving the Safety of Food. Geneva: World Health Organization in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization. YEANNES, A. T. M. A. I. 2012. Gamma radiation effect on quality changes in vacuum-packed squid (Illex argentinus) mantle rings during refrigerated (4–5  °C) storage. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 47, 1550-1557.

Strategic analysis of global operations of supply chains

Strategic analysis of global operations of supply chains The main objective of this study is to do a strategic analysis of the global operations of supply chain within Mattel Toys Inc. Here its supply chain will be evaluated along with the risks/ security threats it faced and a framework will be presented to manage these risks. With growing product/service complexity, supply networks are also becoming increasingly complex in the wake of outsourcing and globalization. This has affected risk, changing it continuously. Risk can generally be termed as a probability of injury, hazard, damage or any other unwanted outcomes. The Royal Society (1992) defined a more systematic explanation of risk: the probability that a particular adverse event occurs during a stated period of time, or results from a particular challenge. In this study, we will suggest a framework for future supply chain risk management in the view of Mattels recall in 2007. This recall left a trail of media reports, public critique, investigations and huge lessons learnt. Mattel Toys Inc. is a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. It comprises of top-selling brands such as Barbie, Fisher-Price brands etc. Mattel is recognized as the 100 Most Trustworthy U.S. Companies by Forbes Magazine. (Source: Wikipedia) In 2007, it experienced a sequence of continuous alarming product recalls in which around twenty one million toys were pulled out from sale. Whether the toys were defective in design to lose small magnets, which if consumed could harm kids, or they were toys contaminated with lead paint coming from unethical Chinese vendors was irrelevant as the case was subjected to high media critique and got highlighted for quality mismanagement and varied logistic practices in outsourced vendors. (Biggemann 2008) The table (figure 1) below shows the toys recalled from Mattels respective vendors and their sub-vendors: Industry experts suggest that Mattel is locked in a relationship with China having five factories and manufacturing there for nearly 25 years. It outsources its production up to 50 percent to third-party manufacturers and almost 65 percent of its toys are produced in China. In spite of quality control efforts, Mattel has had 36 recalls since 1998 and two formal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) admonishments. Its most controversial recall, up until 2007, involved 10 million Power Wheels toy vehicles. (Biggemann 2008) Below is a timeline depicting the key events that took place during the course of this recall, Figure 2: Mattels product recall timeline The result of this recall was catastrophic for Mattel and it lost more than 45% of shares in market value. Although sales at international markets helped it gain some profit for that interval (Casey, 2008), yet these had very little impact on their annual figures as compared to its loss. The question now raised was How did Mattel end up in such a tricky situation? Is it a case of heavy neglect or something worse? It is argued that this was the result of Mattels flawed sourcing strategy. Literature Review Toy industry is one of the oldest industries for creativity and extremely volatile in nature. In the United States alone there are approximately 3 billion toys sold per year (Elsasser 2007). Toy sales estimate are nearly 22 billion USD (Strickler 2007). Figure 3 estimates the annual toy sales from July 06 June 07 which marked a rise up to 22.5 billion USD. Figure 3: State of Toy Industry Erratic and changing demands in this industry create a layer of volatility due to undersized and customized selling-openings and rapid product lifecycles. Toy demand and toy retailers needs are very volatile and expect toy manufactures to be very market responsive; but most toy manufacturers respond with conventional mass-production strategy which is very minimal in response and very mismatched to their strategy. Supply networks of such industries are growing into complex and dynamic mesh of varying relationships (Harland et al., 1999). Risk is escalating and its focal point is ever changing within the dynamism of supply networks all due to outsourcing of supply operations overseas and also due to growing complexity of product/service life-cycle. Of late research has explored strategies to minimize risk in toy supply chains and networks. One of the main assets of toy manufacturers is their network position and the relationships and policies that come with these (Turnbull et al., 1996). To asses and manage risks, network positioning plays an important role especially in resource sharing, reputation management and terms of contract (Henders, 1992). To begin the research, a literature search was undertaken with the intention of locating articles related to supply chain security and risk. The search included all journals known to publish articles related to security, risk, and/or supply chain management. Examination of the literature reveals four core premises that are consistently mentioned as vital for firms seeking to maintain effective levels of security and in minimizing and/or managing supply chain risk. (1) Preparation and planning initiatives. A central focus of the supply chain security/risk literature is business and supply chain continuity planning. Zsidisin et al. (2005a) offer a four-step business continuity plan, including awareness creation, prevention, remediation, and knowledge management, thought to be salient for firms needing to protect themselves and their supply chains from external risks. The business continuity planning concept is conceptually aligned with the supply chain risk paradigm, i.e. supply continuity planning by Zsidisin et al. (2005b), who suggest that controlling risks at the supplier level is critical for firms wishing to avoid disruptions in supply lines. (2) Security-related partnerships. Another theme found in the security literature addresses the formation and maintenance of security-related supply chain partnerships. Sheffi (2001) posits that leveraging relationships with suppliers and governmental agencies is necessary to ensure against asset and product damage and thereby facilitate supply chain continuity. He proposes that supplier relationships should be built both locally and globally, with higher tolerance for cost and lead-time requirements, in order to diversify supply risk. (3) Organizational adaptation. An additional emergent research focus deals with organizational adaptability as a coping response to potential or realized supply chain risks and crises. The literature broadly suggests that supply chain security-oriented firms take adaptive steps toward both securing supply chain assets and minimizing risk exposure. (4) Security-dedicated communications and technology. A final characteristic at the firm level is the implementation and usage of security/ risk-dedicated communications channels and/or security-facilitating or risk minimizing technology. Zsidisin et al. (2005a, b) state that the ability of the firm to manage information and knowledge, and to build continuously on the knowledge base, are imperative conditions for mitigating supply chain risk. In case of Mattel Toys Inc, risk came from the fact that about half of its toys are made in Mattel plants and about half are outsourced to vendor plants. Some of the problems came in when these vendor plants also outsourced to other vendor plants and again these other vendor plants outsourced, thus, making the supply chain very long or deep. The longer the supply chain, the harder it is for the foreign firms to keep track of who did what, when and the final quality of the parts or product (Lyles, 2008). The next section provides a security framework to deal with the past and unforeseen future risks in the complex supply network of Mattel Toys. They are suggested guidelines for identifying, assessing and managing risk. Theoretical Framework This section of the essay contains the overarching methodology for dealing with Mattels situation. For this purpose, the Supply Network Risk Tool put forward by Harland et al., 2002 has been used. A diagram illustrating the entire methodology has been given below. This is followed by a justification for selection, and identification of shortcomings. (Fig4. Supply Network Risk Tool, Source: Harland et al., 2002) Justification of the Theoretical Framework The framework is built on earlier research and consists of individual frameworks for each section, thus evaluating the problem in detail. It provides a holistic view to assess the situation/incident and follows a definite sequence for mapping and implementing risk strategy. For disruption like that of Mattels recall in 2007 it provides a resilient approach for managing the risks involved in an efficient manner. Testing/ Expansion of the theoretical Framework The Supply network risk framework consists of six sections which evaluate the overall situation of the organization in a comprehensive manner, and suggests solution accordingly. During the course of this expansion, Mattels situation is analyzed and simultaneously the framework is examined and later critiqued. Part 1- Map Supply Network: The diagram provided below is a snapshot of Mattels supply chain from beginning to end that existed before the recall in 2007. (Fig5. Mattels Global Supply Chain, Source: Barad, 2002) Identifying Risks Risks (table 1) within Mattels complex supply network have been identified. Strategic risk (Simons 1999) Definition: Affects business strategy implementation For Mattel: New technologies can render their products obsolete Sudden shifts in customer tastes kids are getting older younger (KGOY) toy retailers are consolidating retail price is falling Supply risk (Meulbrook 2000) Definition: Adversely affects inward flow of any type of resource to enable operations to take place; also termed input risk For Mattel: increasing customization outsourcing of operations disruption to the supplier quality problems, materials and parts shortages etc bankruptcy of supplier Customer risk (Meulbrook 2000) Definition: Affects likelihood of customers placing orders; grouped with factors such as product obsolescence in product/market risk For Mattel: Shift in customer buying pattern Shift in customer preferences More competitive products during demand Operations risk (Meulbrook 2000) Definition: Affects a firms internal ability to produce and supply goods/services For Mattel: Failed/ out-dated technology Labour strike Disasters and Natural Calamities Reputation risk (Schwartz and Gibb 1999) Definition: Erodes value of whole business due to loss of confidence. For Mattel: Recall history Financial risk (Meulbrook 2000) Definition: Exposes a firm to potential loss through changes in financial markets; can also occur when specific debtors default For Mattel: Drop in market share Devaluation of company share price Fall in credit rating Legal Regulatory risk (Meulbrook 2000) Regulatory definition: Exposes the firm with changes in regulations affecting the firms business Legal definition: Exposes the firm to litigation with action arising from customers, suppliers, shareholders or employees For Mattel: Changes in regulation and government policies Lawsuits Supplier country legalities Then these have been categorized into various types which have been used as a guideline to examine the risk (table 2) and consequences faced during their great product recall in 2007. Type of Risk Identified Risks Consequences Causes Supply Risk Quality related: Lead Paint Contamination Loosely fitted components Supplier related: Fraud Contract Default Recall of products and associated costs Lawsuits Re-evaluation of suppliers Suppliers pulled out of market Increased retailer control Defective raw materials moving downstream Trust deterioration Deviation from quality standards Outsourcing of quality control Low transparency in Contract Terms Poor tractability of source of supplier Falsification of documents by suppliers Use of uncertified led paint Deviation from quality standards Improper sub-vendor tracking Falsification of documents by suppliers Improper regulation Operations Risk Design related: Unfeasible magnet design Recall of products and associated costs Costs of redesign and RD Failed testing both in design and production stage Flawed RD Customer Reputation Risk Market related: Brand Image Loss in sales Loss in customer loyalty Uncertainty Bad consumer experience and accidents Health hazards Falling consumer confidence Decreased Brand Loyalty Adverse impact on other products Loss in revenue Increased uncertainty in buyers Harmful products Betrayal of customer trust Delicate target market Legal Regulatory Risk Policy lawsuit related: Legislative Regulatory Lawsuits Fine by CPSC Led to new and tighter regulations Did not track their own standards Political influence by stakeholders Financial Risk Economic related: Drop in share price Drop in sales Drop in sales and revenue Implementation of 3-fold plan by Mattel Retail pullout Recall of products Media critique and bad publicity Customer fallout Strategy Risk Outsourcing related: Vendor subcontracting Sub-vendor quality control Drop in product standard Harmed consumer base Affected brand name Dropped market share Vendor subcontracting and then sub-vendor again subcontracting Flawed track of sub-vendor and sub-sub-vendor activities Assessing Risk In this section a probability-impact matrix has been created to assess the impact of risk (mentioned in figure 3) on the supply network of Mattel Toys based on its probability of occurrence. High 2,3,5,6,7,8,11,12, 13, 18-23* Impact *Refer Appendix ab for description of number 1,4,10,14,15* Probability Low High The matrix clearly shows that most of the major risks associated with its supply network lies in High Impact Low Probability and High Impact High Probability region. This matrix has been used as a reference to create another matrix (below) for a specific risk that Mattel suffered i.e., the great recall of 2007. High Fraud, Contract Default, Quality- Lead contamination, Design- Magnet component, Impact *Refer Appendix ab for description of number Brand Image, Loss in sale, Loss in customer loyalty, Legal Regulatory, Drop in share price Low Probability High During this period, all risks had very high impact on Mattels supply network and caused setbacks and disruption which were hard to recover from. Managing Risk There are a few ways in which Mattel can increase their capabilities of supply chain risk management; Visibility   In order to properly assess supply chain risk and respond to events, visibility across the supply chain is required. This means that the supply chain risk management tool must be capable of integrating with, and modeling ERP analytics from, multiple disparate ERP systems, including systems supporting the supply and distribution nodes. Event detection and alerting   The sooner a supply chain disruption is recognized, the faster the response. An alert that shows up in e-mail or a portable e-mail device will ensure that the appropriate people are made aware of the event when it happens. Too many times, event detection is based on the event itself. To be truly valuable, alert should be triggered based on the anticipated impact of the event. For example, if a supplier goes out of business, but the loss of this supplier doesnt impact key metrics, an alert may not be necessary. Analytics   The full suite of supply chain analytics needs to be modeled in the supply chain risk management tool to ensure the impact of a potential supply chain event is understood. When an event happens, analytics are used to model the event and determine the impact. Above all, these analytics need to be performed in real time, especially when responding to an unanticipated supply chain disruption. When an event happens, every second counts and a company cant wait days or weeks to understand the impact or to determine resolution alternatives. Simulation   Simulation is critical to both sides of supply chain risk management. When assessing the risks, simulation helps to model different risk scenarios. Further, simulation is used to model alternative mitigation strategies to ensure that they are sound. When responding to an unanticipated supply chain event, simulation is used to model and compare the various response alternatives. Collaboration   The risk management team will need to evaluate several possible mitigation alternatives. Members of the team will likely not have the detailed knowledge necessary to explore all alternatives in the detail needed to develop a robust mitigation strategy. The ability to bring other people into the evaluation process is critical both to validate the proposed strategy and to propose key improvements to the strategy. Similarly when responding to an unanticipated supply chain event, collaborating with those with the detailed knowledge ensures that the response alternatives are reasonable. Scenario comparison   in the process of developing mitigation strategies or responses, the team may develop multiple approaches that potentially resolve the problem, but in differing ways. The team needs to make a decision on which resolution or mitigation alternative best meets the goals of the organization. One approach may extend lead times by 30 days, while the other may increase the cost of goods sold by 10%. The decision on which approach is best needs to be evaluated in light of corporate goals. Form collaborative supply network risk strategy To be successful in todays aggressive toy market, retailers and manufacturers should drive lean and closely controlled supply chains. As the rate of promotional marketing and innovative product launch continues to grow, companies are mostly caught between dynamic customer demands and comparatively fixed manufacturing and logistics parameters and limitations. Collaborative planning helps in dealing with supply chain issues. To improve supply chain responsiveness in Mattel, it requires shared visibility with suppliers and retailers into events happening now and in the future, while working jointly to resolve issues and problems surrounding delivery constraints. Implementation To keep up with dynamism of market demand and unseen risks, Mattel needs to implement its strategies for risk management in clear structured, and/or procedural way. According to Freedman (2003), strategy implementation should encompass order, commitment, ingenuity, management control and advanced execution skills. In Mattel, the Corporate Responsibility division should use this as a guideline for their advisory and research. Freedman (2003) also observed that moderating complexity is one of the core steps in strategy implementation. This is in regard to Mattels supply chain network which was complex and vendor mismanagement lead to one of their biggest recalls. It is recommended for Mattel, to train and educated their workforce to handle unanticipated risks in supply networks (Harland et al, 2002). Their workforce needs to be made more aware of the total inherent risks faced after the great recall and learn to identify such risks in early stages. They need to focus on current practices of risk management and evaluate if these are apt after the recall. Mattel needs to handle complexities within their supply chain network by increasing visibility in it. This can be achieved by examining risk at the level of the network rather than restricted view to just immediate vendors (Harland et al, 2002).. They need to increase access to and control of sub-vendors throughout the supply network. This in turn will help them to expose risks throughout their supply chain. Also they need to develop/upgrade their existing supply network risk strategy and bring it in-line with their organizational practices and the framework suggested here. The key to successful risk management implementation is by identifying two situations to respond to supply chain events (Source: Kinaxis); An unanticipated supply disruption1 And, an anticipated supply disruption by executing a mitigation strategy In both cases, the main task is to alert on time that an event has occurred. Its difficult to respond to an event if you lack information on it. The supply chain needs to be monitored continuously. The practice of risk management from spotting risks, through choosing suitable risk management strategies, and then altering the structure of the supply chain is an information-demanding procedure (Source: Husdal). This means it is very dependent on information sharing. The key activity then is to identify vital information signalling risk while filtering data. Critique The model is critiqued to identify the shortcoming of the framework: The model is build upon existing model and does not provide any new technique to provide a total security solution . The model is subjective in nature as the author Harland et al, 2002, themselves pointed out that on categorization and identification of risk, the view of assessors assessing may be different. It may not always be possible for organizations to continuously examine risks and have strategic frameworks in position The setting up of collaborative arrangements in supply network and identification of risks and implementation of this in existing system may prove costly As the model is subjective in nature, there might be difference in opinion of the assessors on the rating of particular risk in the organization. Conclusion In the wake of Mattels great recall in 2007, it is seen that their strategy for outsourcing brought about one of their biggest losses and led to brand tarnishing and major fall in their market value. Their response to this crisis was well-handled but this raised questions on how they foresee their risks and avert them? The suggested security framework draws a birds eye view of their supply network and asses risk at every level of their supply chain. It provides 6 key tools to asses risk and some effective steps to implement them. Later this framework is also subjected to self-critique but from a broader picture it can provide some key modification to the shortcomings in Mattels current strategy. Recommendation

The Language Gap Essay -- Language Development, Mastering Language

Mastering language is an important milestone in human development. When language is developed, the world opens up and a person is able to communicate their needs and interact in a meaningful way. Psychologist Lev Vygotsky even believes language is the most important tool we have in learning. Our basic learning skills are taught to us through an "informal education system consisting of parents, other grown-ups, peers and even the media" (Sigelman, C. & Rider, E., 2009, pg. 277). Formal education then takes over, teaching the language skills necessary to read, write and problem solve. Both formal and informal education play a large part in development and when one of these is compromised language development can suffer. Infancy and early childhood are an important time in language development. Infants are unable to say meaningful words in the first 10 to 13 months of their lives, however this does not mean they are doing nothing these months. Infants are using this time to listen to the speech that is going on around them, absorbing these words and sounds for use at a later point in their development. According to research infants are able to distinguish between phonemes, or the building blocks of words. These are sounds like b, p, and t. Infants also display evidence that they understand word segmentation, and understand a sentence is not one long word, but a string of several words put together. They are also sensitive to the intonation of language as well. This is the variations in pitch, speed and loudness used when we talk, so "before they ever speak a word, infants are†¦sensitive to the fact that speech falls between clauses, phrases, and words rather than in the middle of these i mportant language units" (Sigel... ...o find time to interact with their children if they are having to work all day to support their family. A solution to this problem might be to provide financial support to these parents so one of them would be able to work a part-time job. This would give these parents more time to interact with their children, with out devastating their finances. When the children are able to enter pre-school programs then the assistance could end and the parent could return to full time employment. Informal and formal education, are important parts of a child's language development. Often, the children of underprivileged families experience deficiencies in their informal education, putting them behind their privileged peers when they enter kindergarten. This is why support programs and programs to educate underprivileged mothers and their children are so important.

Free Admissions Essay - Care for an Ethnically Diverse Population :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

Admissions Essay - Care for an Ethnically Diverse Population Crayfish tails in tarragon butter, galantine of rabbit with foie gras, oxtail in red wine, and apple tartelletes. The patient had this rich meal and complained of "liver upset" (crise de foie). Why a liver ache? I always associate indigestion with a stomach ache. In studying French culture in my Evolutionary Psychology class, I learned that when experiencing discomfort after a rich meal, the French assume their liver is the culprit. Understanding and dealing with the minor - sometimes major - cultural differences is a necessity in our shrinking world and diverse American society. Anthropology has prepared me to effectively communicate with an ethnically diverse population. My science classes, research, and clinical experience have prepared me to meet the demands of medical school. I first became aware of the valuable service that physicians provide when I observed my father, a surgeon, working in his office. I gained practical experience assisting him and his staff perform various procedures in his out-patient center. This exposure increased my admiration for the restorative, technological, and artistic aspects of surgery. I also saw that the application of medical knowledge was most effective when combined with compassion and empathy from the health care provider. While admiring my father's role as a head and neck surgeon helping people after severe accidents, I also found a way to help those suffering from debilitating ailments. Working as a certified physical trainer, I became aware of the powerful recuperative effects of exercise. I was able to apply this knowledge in the case of Sharon, a forty-three-year-old client suffering from lupus. she reported a 200% increase in her strength tests after I trained her. This meant she could once again perform simple tasks like carrying groceries into her house. Unfortunately, this glimpse of improvement was followed by a further deterioration in her condition. On one occasion, she broke down and cried about her declining health and growing fears. It was then that I learned no physical prowess or application of kinesiology would alleviate her pain. I helped reduce her anxiety with a comforting embrace. Compassion and understanding were the only remedies available, temporary though they were. To confirm that medicine is the best way for me to help others, I assisted a research team in the Emergency Room at University Medical Center (UMC).

Colonial Synthesis in-Class Essay

Colonial Synthesis In-Class Essay The literature of the Colonial Period has left a positive mark upon American culture. The connotations of the literature are sometimes hypocritical, and are often contradictory to other works at the time. As a result, the messages conveyed through writing have not been overlooked. Source A’s narrative of an enslaved African American arriving in America would just be one of many that would take place over the course of 200 years.I remember in the vessel in which I was brought over, in the men's apartment, there were several brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots; and it was very moving on this occasion to see and hear their cries at parting. â€Å"O, ye nominal Christians! might not an African ask you, learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you? † (Source A). The excerpt bluntly criticizes more prominent works at that time, from the staunch Puritan literature of Taylor. Make me O Lord, Thy spinning wheel complete. † (Source E) Taylor preached goodwill to men and stressed religious freedom, but he owned slaves at the same time. Jonathan Edwards, whom preached â€Å"So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men's earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction. (Source F) Many slave owners throughout the 18th and 19th century believed this, fueling conflicts like the Civil War and in some respect, the Civil Rights Movement. Racial persecution in the south can be attributed to blacks not necessarily being deemed by the Bible, as Puritans such as Edwards had preached. As a result, much of the negative bigotry had been sparked by Puritan work.On the other hand, Eqiuano influenced a much more positive as pect of American culture, as his autobiography can be deemed one of the earliest Abolitionist works. It depicted the cruel and bitter environment of a slave ship, and the often futile fate of being a slave. By being one of the first AfricanAmerican authors, many more African Americans after him would be inspired to write themselves.For better or for worse, early Abolitionist writings like Eqiuano’s and religious works like Taylor’s both have a significant impact for centuries after they have been written. They model conflicting sides of a society condoning secularism and one that promotes it. Whatever the case may be, these writings have given us a glimpse of early society in America, and better our understanding about the ways people responded to controversial subjects like slavery.

Power of a Woman (the Colour Purple)

The Power of Women Every country on earth is affected by a common issue – discrimination. Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially in regards to race, age, or sex. Such an issue began to affect the world in the seventeenth century, and has continued till this day. African Americans were first targeted by the Caucasian race due to the significant difference within their skin tone. In the Colour Purple by Alice Walker, people are faced with several types of discrimination: sexism, domestic abuse and racism. Discrimination is one of the most devastating events that mankind may have to potentially face. In the seventeenth century, sexism was leading this era. Women were not thought of very highly and were often taken advantage of. Till this day there are still sexist comments being targeted towards women. This social issue in society plays a large role, which dictates the opinions and views of when perceiving a gender . In the novel, The Colour Purple there is a very sexist setting, causing frequent beatings, the stereotypes based on African American women, and the thoughts and feelings towards them. Throughout this novel many different strong women are mistreated, the strongest of them all being – Cellie. Sexism played a large part in women’s lives, as they were judged upon a woman’s beauty, clothing and children. When young Cellie was sold and married to an older man, she did not know the devastating events that her life would bring. Cellies husband makes her cook, clean, take care of his kids, shave him and have sexual intercourse with him. Cellie accepted the stereotypes that were presented to her and she was obligated to think that the way she was treated was acceptable â€Å"When a women marry she spose to keep a decent house and family† p47. When Cellie says this she is sharing her thoughts on how a married woman should act and her place in the home. This forces Cellie to be prejudice and think that all men are horrible and sexist. There comes a time in every strong woman’s life, that hurtful words are said about appearance, imagine and behaviour. This young woman was told every single day by all the men in her life how ugly she was. She was reminded every single day about her flaws, this lead to the down fall in her self- esteem issues. Her husband never showed her love because he thought she was â€Å"too black† to actually love or even respect. The reason why Cellie’s father sold her and not her younger sister was because she was too pretty for any man, and young Cellie was not. She was reminded every day of her flaws. â€Å"He black as tar, nappy-headed, got legs like baseball bats, and I hear she got that nasty women's disease†. This quote is said to Cellie by her father in law while they are having a family dinner. Cellie begins to feel embarrassed because her whole family begins to laugh and agree. Sexism is a type of discrimination, and is still an issue in today’s society. Thousands of homes have been affected by domestic violence. The conformational battle between spouses, ex spouses and children has been affecting society for a long time. Each year thousands of females are beaten by their husbands, fathers, or even their brothers. Before Cellie married, she was harassed by her own father. He would rape her and give her cruel and unusual punishments. She thought she had no options and had to endure the pain that her father had infused upon her. Cellie did not know that the pain she was enduring from her father was against the law, because she had been surrounded in this environment her entire life and it was all she knew. Cellie did not understand that being raped by her father and getting her daughter taken away from her was against the law. â€Å"He [Pa] never had a kine word to say to me. Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn’t. First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it. I don’t never get used to it. And now I feels sick every time I be the one to cook† p1. Cellie’s father was physically violent and he caused extensive emotional damage by not showing respect for his daughter, he treated her like she was his personal slave and he never said a kind word to her. She was under her father’s influence as she was not able to tell anyone about the events that were taking place in her home and the way she was being treated. Cellie struggled her whole entire life in search for happiness. When Cellie was sold and married to a man, she was glad because she was unconfined from her father and his cruelty. Her husband had no intension of loving her, he not only physically abused her but he was verbally abusive as well. He ordered her to take care of all the housework- because she is a female and he insisted that she look after his kids. If Cellie refused and defied her husband she was severally punished. It is common for any human being that is put forth in these traumatizing events to lose respect for themselves, forget how to live life as well as love. Cellie’s life has always been full of sorrow and darkness, until a miracle occurred. Cellie met a powerful women who changed her perspective in life, and reminded her how to laugh, have fun and stand up for herself. She found the courage to stand up for herself and get a divorce from her husband. â€Å"I curse you, he say what you mean? I say until you do right by me everything you touch will crumble† p122. Cellie realized that a woman does not need a man to survive and that woman can live their lives the way they want to. She managed to establish self respect and obtain higher self esteem. Racism is the discrimination of different races and is the thought of one race or color of skin has more physical and mental abilities than another. Why do we think such things of other people? Is it really right to think of people differently because of the color of their skin? In the seventeenth century it was considered tolerable to be divided by the colour of your skin. Caucasian’s were known to be successful store owners and filthy rich. Whereas people from the African American decent were slaves or small store owners and were considered poor. The Caucasian decent at the time were the wealthiest and always wanted the cleanest African Americans to be their slaves and take care of all their household chores. If an African American refused to become a slave then they were forced to become on and had to endure cruel and unusual punishments. In the novel, another powerful women Sofia is taken away from her family and friends to become a slave. She was a slave for the most powerful woman, Sofia had chosen to stand up for herself and say that she did not want to be the mayors wife’s slave, she had even slapped her for asking, Sofia was then put into jail. Once she was released from jail, she was sent to the mayor’s house to become their slave, once again and now became their property. â€Å"Miss Millie finger the children some more, finally look at Sofia and the prizefighter. She look at the prizefighter car. She eye Sofia wristwatch. She say to Sofia, All your children so clean, she say, would you like to work for me, be my maid? Sofia say, Hell no. She say, What you say? Sofia say, Hell no. Mayor look at Sofia, push his wife out the way. Stick out his chest. Girl, what you say to Miss Millie? Sofia say, I say, Hell no† p137. Any African American woman would be honoured to work for a wealthy Caucasian family but Sofia was unwilling and had enough self respect not to degrade herself. Sofia is standing up for herself, her children and her beliefs, but she is thrown into jail to be beaten and come out a scared black women. Sofia’s children do not become slaves or â€Å"maids†, but one of Sofia’s punishments was that she was not allowed to see or even speak to her family. One Thanksgiving Day, Sofia was rewarded for being a good slave and was allowed to go visit her family with one condition, Miss. Mille would have to drive her there and back to make sure she would not run away. When they got there Miss. Mille was not able to turn off her car, so Sofia’s brother had tried to help, but Miss. Mille got scared and thought she was being sexually abused. Miss. Mille had forced Sofia to drive her home and she was never to come back to see her family again. â€Å"Come on Cellie, let’s go these people are going to hurt me and your the only one I trust† p150. Even though Sofia’s brothers were only trying to help Miss. Millie, she was scared because they were â€Å"black† she was being racist and stereotyped that all â€Å"black† people were not decent individuals. Racism played a very important role in African American families; it broke them apart and/or made them stronger. It had broken bonds and made African Americans live through memories they have of each other. Discrimination is a social issue that still influences people all around the world. This issue has many different aspects and people are affected and treated by it differently. The novel The Colour Purple is a historical novel that involves many different forms of discrimination: sexism, racism and domestic abuse. Discrimination is affecting many people around the world and we need to put an end to it, putting an end to it is the only way we will be able to change the world!

Wealthy and Lower Socioeconomic Communities Differences

There exists an achievement gap among wealthy and lower socio economic communities. Students who come from schools within lower socioeconomic communities do not often receive the same education or services from wealthier districts. New Jersey has responded to this inequitable situation with the Abbot funding process. Recently two local communities, Long Branch and Neptune, have been threatened with the loss of their Abbott status; as a result of additional mandates from the federal No Child Left Behind Act, many such schools are being threatened with the loss of their funding if they fail to meet minimum academic achievement standards. To determine the impact of this potential loss, this paper will provide insights into local concerns in Long Branch to identify how this loss would affect the academic achievement gap. This discussion will be followed by a report on two areas where it is believed equity will be lost to the district. In their Abbott vs. Burke decision, the New Jersey Supreme Court mandated additional assistance for the state's 30 poorest districts, including Long Branch and Neptune (Quinn, 2003). According to an Asbury Park Press survey of enrollment data for Monmouth County found that minorities comprise the majority of the school population in Asbury Park, Red Bank, Neptune, Freehold, Long Branch and Lakewood; of these, the survey found that only Red Bank's poverty rate does not exceed the state's rate (Quinn, 2003). Furthermore, fully 20 percent of the Hispanic students in Monmouth County attend the Long Branch school system (Quinn, 2003). If the additional funding promised by the Abbott decision is halted or reduced, all of the low-income communities will undoubtedly experience further declines in the academic performance levels that are already precipitously low in many cases, with the thrust of this reduction in funding creating two fundamental problems: 1) adversely affect literary rates; and 2) further exacerbate the segregation of low-income and minority citizens into pockets of poverty. As to the first issue, Strickland and Alvermann (2004) reviewed the issues concerning the achievement gap in the U. S. and found that literacy demands of the middle grades are exacerbated when the students come from low income and minority homes; in particular, these issues assumed critical levels when the students are members of low-income and minority families. These students are already likely to attend schools characterized by high mobility rates, inadequate resources and facilities, and large numbers of young students with challenging learning needs (Strickland & Alvermann, 2004). Comparable trends are also apparent in the State of New Jersey as well. According to Lattimer and Strickland (2004), the results from the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA) from 2000-2002 identified consistent differences in partially proficient, proficient, and advanced proficient between District Factor Groups (DFG's) and race/ethnicity. In addition, the differences in academic achievement between special needs districts such as Long Branch and non-special needs districts found similar trends to the 2002 GEPA (Lattimer & Strickland, 2004). In fact, a 35-percentage point difference existed in the total number of students scoring proficient and advanced proficient in Language Arts Literacy in 2002; the authors point out that the District Factor Group is an indicator of the socioeconomic status of citizens in each district and has been useful for the comparative reporting of test results from New Jersey's statewide testing programs in the past (Lattimer & Strickland, 2004). Concerning the second issue of further segregating low-income and minority citizens into â€Å"pockets of poverty,† the school superintendent for Long Branch reported that although minorities tend to live in segregated communities, this was the result of a â€Å"social trend† rather than segregation; notwithstanding these assertions, though, these high concentration of low-income minority members in their own communities has created â€Å"have† and â€Å"have-not† districts, with the Long Branch district representing one of the hardest-hit in the state (Quinn, 2003). Clearly, if the Abbott funding is halted, parents will be faced with a dual-edged dilemma of being unable to provide their children with an adequate education by virtue of substandard schools while being forced to remain in these low-income districts out of sheer necessity. The people of New Jersey in general and the citizens of these low-income regions deserve the quality education that is their American birthright; unfortunately, the promise has not lived up to its legacy in many of these cities, and Long Branch continues to be threatened with even more academic and social miseries if its Abbott funding is stopped.

Book Response Burned by Ellen Hopkins Essay

Burned written by Ellen Hopkins Is a great novel, and worth the time to read. Burned is about a teen girl who was born and raised a Mormon; Pattyn Von Stratten she is like most teenagers growing up. Her family is extremely religious but in the same prospective her father is a drunk and very abusive. Pattyn is tired of living the fairytale of a Mormon lifestyle and ready to be energized with her own free spirit and way of life. Pattyn slowly starts to rebel against her family, school, church. While her father spends most of his time drunk; its left up to her mother to take care of the house hold and make sure everything is all in perfect running order to not upset Pattyn’s father. Pattyn begins rebelling even more so than she thought it would go. She gets suspended from school and gets sent to live with her aunt who she doesn’t even know. This is the beginning of it all the worst mistake her father could have made and where Pattyn makes decisions that are about to change her life completely. Pattyn soon falls in love with a boy names Ethan who she is bound to be attached to. Pattyn doesn’t see it but she is headed down the complete wrong path and when all she wanted is attention she’s going to get much more attention that she has intended to get. Ellen Hopkins is showing the themes of abuse and dysfunctional relationship, Pattyn’s father is an abusive drunk. I also think Hopkins is showing the theme of growing up and finding your destiny and who you are, when Pattyn is sent to live with her aunt in Nevada and basically create a whole new agenda for herself. Along with dysfunctional relationship, she’s displaying what love is like, too, when the character falls in love. I think she’s trying to prove that life doesn’t always go as planned and you have to work yourself around the problems that you find in life, and bad decision could change your life forever. I believe the main purpose of the novel is to reach out to teens. Ellen Hopkins expresses many different themes in her novel but one main theme I believe is im portant is physiological. Pattyn goes through many different stages of growing up and expressing her true self. She becomes more social with guys and becomes more of a social butterfly then the Mormon nerd she used to be. Pattyn lashes out and rebels against her family and church in many different ways. When Pattyn is set to live with her aunt she meets a boy and which she ends up in a relationship. Pattyn starts growing up and learning more about her sexual self and starts dreaming about all the what if’s. Pattyn starts to experiment with her new boyfriend Ethan and when she goes back home she shares the secret to her family that she is pregnant. Attempting to escape her father’s wrath, Pattyn and Ethan take off for California, unaware that Trevor, a â€Å"perfect Mormon child† who loved Pattyn, has written down the car’s license plate number. When her father finds out, he calls his â€Å"Highway patrolman friend† to track them down, to find them on an icy road. Ethan speeds up in attempt to lose the patrolman, but loses control of his car and crashes. Pattyn wakes up in the hospital, to find out that both Ethan and their baby are dead. Her father disowns her, unable to bear the recent events. Pattyn is left with a life changing decision in the end; shoot and kill all those who caused her pain and Ethan and their baby’s deaths, or move on? Pattyn states that if her father would just say he loved her she would spare him. Ellen Hopkins is an amazing author and has a unbelievable way of relating to teens. Burned is just one of her fabulous novels all having a great meaning to the lives of teens. If I was asked if I would recommend Ellen Hopkins novels I would say she has a great way of reach out to teens in her books and educating them in a non-boring way and I enjoy reading and looking forward to any novel she creates.

Antigone – Essay 9

Aristotle defines a tragic hero as â€Å"having high estate, nobility of soul, ability to have free will, having tragic flaw, also somebody we are able to empathize with, a person who suffers from reversal of fortune, achieving enlightenment, accepting responsibility for his/her fall and being able to die bravely. † I am going to use Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero to support evidence to the character Antigone, in the play Antigone. To me, the tragic hero in the play is Antigone. Antigone, who is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, becomes infuriated with Creon, who is the king of Thebes and her uncle. Creon will not allow Antigone's brother, Polynices, to be buried. Antigone tells her sister, Ismene, that she will defy Creon’s ruling even though she knows the consequences, which is death. The first on Aristotle’s tragic hero list is that the character â€Å"should be of high estate/class. † Antigone comes from high estate; she was considered a princess and was to be married to Creon’s son, Haemon. Though Antigone came from high estate/class, she still did not carry out the power to make changes; therefore, Antigone’s character of having high estate, yet no power, complies a little with Aristotle’s tragic hero. Second on Aristotle’s tragic hero list, was that the character â€Å"should have nobility of soul or tragic greatness. † Antigone showed nobility of soul because she stood-up for what she believed in knowing the outcomes would cost her life. An example of her nobility was when she first told her sister, Ismene, of what she was going to do. Antigone said, â€Å"I’ll bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory. † I think that this quote shows nobility of soul, as well as, a tragic greatness. She saw it as glory to die for doing the right thing. (Line 85) Third on Aristotle’s tragic hero list, was that the character â€Å"should have free will and make important choices. † From the beginning of the play, until Antigone’s death, she kept her free will, as well as, making important choices for herself. When Antigone had gotten caught by the guards while burying her brother, she was taken to Creon to announce what she had done. There is a quote in there that shows how free willed of a person she was, Antigone says to Creon â€Å"Of course I did it. It wasn’t Zeus, not in the least, who made this proclamation—not to me†¦These laws—I was not about to break them, not out of fear of some man’s wounded pride, and face the retribution of the gods. † This quote by Antigone shows that she was capable of making her own choices, whether she would follow man’s law or the gods. She also showed that she was not afraid of the choices she made for herself. (Line 500) Aristotle’s fourth tragic hero listing is that the character â€Å"should have a tragic flaw or hamartia. Antigone made plenty of mistakes, her first one was defying Creon’s ruling. Though it was understandable why she made that choice, it probably would have spared her from going through all this trouble if she would have just asked Creon for a proper burial. Unfortunately, Antigone's stubbornness gets in the way of her thinking and results in her acting off of her emotions. Also, when it comes to Antigone’s dea th, if she would have not taken the matters into her own hand again, Creon had made the decision to free her and give her brother the proper burial. Yet, it is understandable that she does not want Creon to get satisfaction off of her death, as well as, not knowing that Creon would change his mind and actually side with her. Aristotle’s fifth tragic hero listing is that the character â€Å"should be someone with whom we can empathize. † Antigone had this down packed with the audience. The whole city empathized with Antigone and felt that â€Å"No woman ever deserved death less, and such a brutal death for such a glorious action. She, with her own dear brother lying in his blood she couldn’t bear to leave him dead, unburied, food for the wild dogs or wheeling vultures. Death? She deserves a glowing crown of gold! † I feel that quote right there sums it up. (Line 775) The sixth tragic hero listing that Aristotle feels is necessary, is that the character â€Å"should suffer a reversal of fortune (peripeteia), falling from a pinnacle to the depths. † Antigone was considered a princess and to be married to the king’s son, Haemon. After being caught by the guards, she was sentenced to death by the king, Creon. Now she is looked upon as a slave, not as a princess. She is treated like trash and looked down upon. She went from being of royalty to quickly being nothing. Antigone definitely serves the sixth tragic hero listing. The seventh tragic hero listing that Aristotle has is that the character â€Å"should achieve anagnorisis or enlightenment; should accept responsibility for his/her fall. † Antigone takes responsibility when she is first brought to Creon and asked if she was the one to give Polynices a proper burial, Antigone responded with â€Å"I did it. I don’t deny a thing. † Then Antigone shows her commonality with humanity when she is arguing with Creon about the citizens feeling like she did about his ruling. For example, Creon says â€Å"You alone, of all the people in Thebes, see things that way. † Antigone replies with â€Å"They see it that way but defer to you and keep their tongues in leash. † (Lines 492, 570) The last trait that Aristotle has listed that the tragic hero should carry is that the character â€Å"should die bravely. † Antigone died for love, for respect and for doing what she and many others believed what was right. She did not bravely give her life to defy one man’s wants; it just unfortunately came down to her having to do that. Antigone gave up â€Å"†¦bridal-song, the bridal-bed, denied all joy of marriage, raising children—deserted by loved ones, struck by fate†¦Ã¢â‚¬  just to give her brother, Polynices a proper burial. I think she clearly defines dying bravely. (Line 1009) In conclusion, the tragic hero in the play Antigone is herself, Antigone. Antigone shows how her character meets the requirements of Aristotle’s tragic hero, as well as, many other aspects that we find in a common hero. Antigone, from the beginning to the end of the play, lived and died for what she believed in.

Using attachment theory in assisting parents and infants engaged in Term Paper

Using attachment theory in assisting parents and infants engaged in stressful interactions - Term Paper Example Tony is a healthy nine-month-old male child, the product of an uneventful pregnancy followed by an uncomplicated full-term vaginal delivery. Ellen and Roger, Tony's parents, are both overweight, but have otherwise no significant health issues.They are in their early thirties, and have been involved in a relationship continuously for the past sixteen years. Tony was actively planned and eagerly welcomed by Ellen and Roger, as well as extended family. (*Names have been changed for privacy.) When Tony was six months old, Ellen and Roger decided to train Tony to sleep through the night independently according to the method outlined by Ferber in â€Å"Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems† (Ferber, 2006).This method involves allowing the child to cry himself to sleep; As such, it is frequently referred to colloquially as the â€Å"cry-it-out method† or â€Å"CIO.† In literature, it is called â€Å"graduated extinction† (Dewar, 2008).Ellen and Roger agreed that this was the most appropriate decision for their family based primarily on their desire to ensure both their own sleep and private time to engage in leisure activities, jointly and separately. Both committed to complete the first three weeks of sleep training, and to re-evaluate the program if it was not having the desired effect on Tony. The Ferber Method has received a great deal of criticism from parents and scholars, and while it is one of the best known sleep training regimens it is also one of the most controversial for several reasons (Dewar, 2008). Ferber acknowledges in his book that this process does not teach children how to sleep independently, it merely deprives them of access to their parents as sources of comfort (Ferber, 2006). Ellen and Roger successfully employed Ferber's techniques over a two week period, during which Tony would initially cry himself to sleep. When he awoke during the night a parent would stand near the door of Tony's bedroom, outside of his visual ra nge, and attempt to ascertain his physical state of being. In the event of specific concerns relevant to physical health or comfort, those concerns were addressed quickly by the attendant parent, and without fanfare. There was minimal parent-infant interaction during these addresses. Diaper changes accounted for the overwhelming majority of these concerns. If there was no specific physical concern to address, Tony was allowed to continue crying in his crib. Though Tony's cries were extremely distressing for both Ellen and Roger to endure, the two of them persisted in their efforts to teach Tony to sleep on his own. Over the first two week period of sleep training, Tony began crying less, fell asleep more quickly, and stayed asleep for longer periods of time. By the end of the first two weeks Tony was sleeping from 19:00 local time through 0:800. Caregivers who sleep train their children believe that they are teaching the children to self-soothe and encouraging independent behavior. In reality, infants who are left to cry alone are at high risk for developing ambivalent relationships with their caregivers. Tony internalized the lesson that after the lights have been turned off, his needs will not be met, and as a result his behavior, particularly in the evenings as bedtime approaches, Tony's behavior is that of a child who is ambivalently attached to his primary caregivers. Tony's behavior has become more subdued in general; He spends less time in both active alert and crying phases. Tony hardly seems to notice when he is separated from his parents, but he does actively prefer them to strangers. Ellen, Tony's mother, truly believes that sleep training was an appropriate choice, and defends her decision vociferously. She points to the ease with which Tony sleeps and his cooperation in the evenings as proof that she and her husband made the correct decision. Ellen feels that this process has been beneficial not only to Tony but to her, and that while it was