Book Review on Managing The Dream by Warren Bennis

Introduction Managing the dream is a book written by Warren Bennis, who is one of the most renowned leadership writers. The author explores all aspects of leadership from a theoretical and a practitioner point of view. The book is a perfect representation of leadership, which comprises of numerous essays that represents the author’s thinking towards what leadership entails. Bennis focuses on the core competencies of the aspect of effective leadership, at both the individual and group level in his book. Managing the dream is a tool for team leaders and managers who aspire to be effective in their leadership roles (Bennis, 2000). This paper represents a book review of Managing the Dream by outlining the core premise and concepts from the book, the three big ideas represented in the book. In addition, the paper outlines the way in which the core concepts from the book can be implemented at the workplace and their implications to organizations (Bennis, 2000). The main concept of the book bases on the aspect of how dreams are related to leadership. The book focuses on how effective leadership can be modeled basing the aspect of dream. From the book, it is evident that effective leadership comprises of change embracement, mastering the art of leading and embodying the dream in order to mould the character of leadership in a person or within the group context (Bennis, 2000). Leaders are responsible for establishment and implementation of organizational missions; this can be achieved by use of the three concepts outlined in Managing the Dream. The three phases are negotiating the dream, organizing the dream and embodying the dream. Each phase plays a distinctive role in modeling leadership skills at the individual or group level. Negotiating the dream majorly involves the learning the art of leading, and entails having an in depth understanding of managing the dream and the competencies of leadership. In addition, it imperative that leaders be on the leading edge of change and devise appropriate strategies to cope up with the speed and complexity of the present organizational context. Organizing the dream primarily entails deploying leadership aspects at the group or corporate level by use of the social architecture that is effective in the new aspect of global village (Bennis, 2000). This means that global leaders must think on the global level, and so is the implementation of their leadership strategies. The changes in complexity of the business environment pose a major challenge to the leaders of today. The effective le ader should not have a negative attitude towards these changes but instead should focus on ways of developing strategies to cope up with the changes and view them as positive. The next-generation leaders should deploy a leadership strategy that employs dynamism and flexibility to cope with the current complexity in the organizational or group context. Embodying the dream entails modeling the character of effective leadership, that which distinguishes a leader from his followers. Successful managers have distinctive traits from ordinary managers. One of such traits is that a successful leader is charismatic and transformational. A charismatic leader is able to achieve persuasion from his/her followers; he aims at more than just extrinsic rewards and focuses on transformational benefits. A successful leader uses transformational style; implying that a successful leader appeals to his followers and inspires them towards a given direction. In summary, the three big ideas represented in the book are negotiating the dream, which focuses on learning the art of leading; organizing the dream, which focuses on corporate and global leadership; and embodying the dream, which focuses on modeling the leadership character within an individual (Bennis, 2000). The three big ideas can be applied at the workplace in various dimensions. For instance, shared leadership, developing people, empowering people and demonstrating integrity are areas in which the concepts from the book can be applied at the workplace. Empowering people entails motivation of individuals who have already accepted responsibility towards the realization of some goals and objectives. In a business environment, majority of the workforce want to have an influence on the decision-making processes that relate to their areas of technical competence (Bennis, 2000). Global leaders can achieve this through giving employees an opportunity to be leaders in their various areas of technical expertise. Efficient leaders must be able create an open working environment where there is open sharing of information and communication. It is thus the obligation of the successful leader to give opportunities to his staff a chance to be involved in the actual decision making process (Schermerho rn et al, 2005). It requires putting the business goals and objectives rather than more than just personal interests. Demonstrating integrity is one of the requirements of global effective leaders. Effective leader should not only say right things but also implement thing in a right way without violation of the ethical principles. In order to achieve these high levels of integrity, successful leaders must be plain and specific about their values and principles; whether they are self-directed or other-directed. References Bennis, W. G. (2000). Managing the dream : reflections on leadership and change. Cambridge, Mass: Perseus Pub. Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R. (2005). Organizational behavior. New York: Wiley.

Perception Of Social Based On The Individual s Social...

Introduction Children assume that members of the in-group are more likely to perform good actions. Those actions performed are more likely to be positively recalled. Over time, this personalized biases will create a foundation, which will shift their perception to produce confirmatory suggestions towards groups of categories. Categorization is a mental representation for a class of objects. Stereotypes are categories that link attributes to certain classes of people. The minimal group effect explores the discrimination between two groups. These two groups are set up to have conflicting ideas, practices, and concepts; which creates discrimination towards the two (Wright, 1997). The anticipated stereotypes categorizes favoritism with the†¦show more content†¦Previous research that explains the minimal group phenomenon is the The Robbers Cave experiment. This was done with eleven-year-old boys unknowingly assigned into two teams. There were challenges set up in order to intensify the confli ct between both groups. This experiment lasted one week and consisted of three stages. The first stage consisted of each team gaining a sense of identity and partnership. It was during the end of this stage that the participants were aware of the opposing team; which created the separation between us versus them. The next stage’s purpose was to intensify the competition between the two teams. This included physical competitive games. The last stage goal was to resolve the conflict made by the negative attitudes towards both teams. The results of this study expressed how positive interdependence, and not solely stopping the negative attitudes, was needed to restore the diverse level of negative social perception between groups (Sherif, 1988). Another experiment that investigated the minimal group phenomenon was with males in the Swiss Army. This explored whether organizations had an important benefit to a selfless cooperation and punishment of the norm violation from within a controlled real world sample. The results of this study expressed that the expected

Reflective Journal on Leadership for Emerald Group - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theReflective Journal on Leadership for Emerald Group. Answer: Leadership is one of the main vital functions of management as it helps in maximizing efficiency of the employees in an organization and thereby helps to achieve different organizational goals. I have realized that by effective leadership, an individual in the managerial position can provide direction and at the same time guide and manipulate different behavior and work of the team members of the employees (Renz 2016)These would help them to accomplish specific goals in a given situation. I have also understood that leadership is the ability of a manger to induce the employees under him to work with zeal and with confidence. By proper leadership, the managers can influence the behaviors of the others. It can be defined as the capacity to persuade the employees to recognize and acknowledge the companys goals and objectives and help them to develop future visions so that they remain motivated and achieve the goals (Nahavandi 2016). According to Keith Davis, Leadership is the ability to persuade others to seek defined objectives enthusiastically. It is the human factor which binds a group together and motivates it towards goals. In order to discuss the importance of leadership in a concern, the following actions can be discussed which if conducted properly by the managers will help in overall betterment of the organization. A leader is an individual who should start the work by the means of communicating the policies a well as the plans to the subordinates from the work is initiated. Moreover the best action taken by a managerial leader according to me is to motivate the employees (Grohar-Murray 2016). I have found that motivation of the workers by economic as well as non economic rewards help the leader to get the best work from the subordinates. Moreover the guidance provided by the leaders help the subordinates to achieve their goals effectively and also help them strategically adapt to techniques which help them to accomplish the work faster. Moreover building a proper work environment by the managers by keeping human relationships in mind will help in achieving sound and stable growth of the organizatio n. Moreover he should establish personal contact with the employees and hear their voices and concerns so that they feel respected and cared by the organization. I believe that coordination should be achieved by managers with the help of merging personal interests with organizational aims. This harmonization can be achieved with the help of proper and efficient coordination which should be the key motive of a leader (Finkelman 2015). I should also try to keep these points in my mind so that I get the chance to serve in the position; I can utilize this characteristics to engage my managerial and leadership skills and give the best production to the organization. I have understood the fact that in order to be effective, a managerial leader has to honor certain skills which will help them to master the actions mentioned in the previous paragraph. The important skills that I need to portray to be an effective leader is that I should be inspirational and continuously motivate others. At the same time, I will make sure that I should display high integrity as well as honesty as honesty which are the very important foundations for being a good human being (Goestch and Davis 2014). I will take every initiative to solve any problems or barriers faced by the employees so that they feel that there is someone who is guiding them and do not feel alone in the organization. This will develop their job satisfaction and will prevent development of stress. I will also take an extra initiative to develop proper communication skills to handle the important mediums of communication so that transparency in working procedures are maintained and there remain very l ittle scope of miscommunications and mistrust among each other, one to one conversation, team meetings, email messages, blog post, Skype call should also e mastered by me. Another very important skill is building of relationships between the workers as this is very important for a smooth uninterrupted workplace (Hayton 2015). Developing mutual trust among the employees is extremely important as coordination and collaboration results in high productivity and makes the workplace friendly and harmonious. This will prevent ob stress and increase satisfaction. Other important kills that also need to be mastered by me are developing technical as well as professional practices such as selling or accounting or designing software so that I can become experts in the field and thereby guide employees successfully. I should also master the skill of developing a strategic perspective and help in developing employees with enhancement of their skills and knowledge so that they can become the organ izations next generation leaders. Some of the important theories which have influenced my view and have helped me to develop a strategic approach to prepare myself are the trait theory, Behavioral theory, Likert theory and others. According to trait theory, individuals are born with different characteristics and some of the trait is appropriate to engage in leadership (Avolio and Yanmariono 2013). An efficient leader would be that individual who would have the right combination of traits. Some of the traits according to the skills which I need to develop in myself would be adaptable to situations, show alertness to social environment, being decisive, assertive, dependable, energetic, determined, self confident, understanding to tress and willing to assume responsibility. However the trait mentioned here which is dominant is not accepted by me as I believe that being dominant will have negative impact of the work and mentality of the employees (Fischer et al. 2016). According to the trait theory important skills that need to be developed are being clever, diplomatic and tactful, conceptually skilled, creative, persuasive, socially skilled and many others. It also stated that four important criteria that should be present are emotional stability and composure, intellectual breadth, admitting error and also developing good interpersonal skills. Another theory which opposes the mentioned trait theory is the behavioral their which says that leaders are made but not born. Leadership capability is learned with development of proper behaviors and actions rather than being inherent. This theory says that successful leadership is dependent on definable and learnable behavior. I also believe that no man is born with all good traits but need to develop them with experiences and theoretical knowledge. According to Lewins theory, there are three types of leadership styles like the autocratic, democratic and Laissez Faire. Autocratic leaders take decisions without consulting with others which often leads t high level of discontents, dissatisfaction and turnovers. Employees are not allowed in decision making and their suggestions are not welcomed. Democratic leadership involve the workers in decision making although the process for the final decisions vary on the leaders as he would have the final say (Fernandez et al. 2014). However, such suggestion when taken from workers make them feels happy and content as they feel appreciated and respected in the organization. This increases their zeal to work towards achieving the best outcomes. The next style is the Laissez-Faire style which reduces the leaders contribution in decision making as they allow the workers to take their personal decisions. This is helpful only when workers are capable of making their own; decisions and there is no need for inner coordination. However I have found that it has a negative effect. It may not develop coordination among people working together and many may take decisions which may become harmful for their career or affect the organization as all may not have the capability of effective leadership. This will also delay the working pace. I will be mainly following the democratic leadership styles as evidences show it to be most effective. Likert on the other hand has also proposed a theory called the Likerts leadership styles. This involve exploitive leadership where the leader shows low concern for the people and also uses methods such as intimidation and fear based procedures to achieve conformance. Communication in such style is mainly seen to be downwards and mental distant concerns of the employees are also ignored. I believe that this kind of leadership will make the employees develop negative feelings and they will not be able to out in their best efforts. These would feel disrespected and as a result it would increase turnover and increased job dissatisfaction. A tensed environment can never bring in the best skills of workers (Fernandez et al. 2014). Another leadership style mentioned by him is the benevolent authoritative styles where the leaders shows concerns to people and also utilizes a reward system to encourage appropriate performance. However although communication take place effectively, but the feed back and suggestions are rose tinted that is their communication I limited to the topic or decisions which the leaders wants to hear. Although delegation of decisions may occur, in most cases decisions are ultimately made by leaders centrally (Shattock 2013). I personally do not like this leadership style as the suggestions are sugar coated by the employees to make their boss happy and does not reflect their own concern. This affects the transparency and open mindedness in the workplace. In consultative leadership, upward flow of information occurs but they employees are still cautious and rose tinted to some degree. Leaders make genuine efforts but decisions are largely centrally made. Participants are the best style of leadership as this involves all the members in decision making procedure (Schumann et al. 2014). I thereby like the method as it helps in adopting innovative ideas for achieving goals. Bass' Transformational Leadership Theory praises a transformational leader follow idealized include on the workers with inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualize consideration in the teams (Tourish 2013). They have ethical values which make the workers happy and committed towards organizations vision and mission. Therefore reflecting in my knowledge, I feel that I need to develop proper skills of leadership and develop leadership style like democratic or transformational leadership styles. This would help me as manger to effectively maintain a workforce who will not only be productive but would be happy, satisfied and committed towards organizations goals and objectives. References: Avolio, B.J. and Yammarino, F.J. eds., 2013. Introduction to, and overview of, transformational and charismatic leadership. InTransformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead 10th Anniversary Edition(pp. xxvii-xxxiii). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Fernndez-Muiz, B., Montes-Pen, J.M. and Vzquez-Ords, C.J., 2014. Safety leadership, risk management and safety performance in Spanish firms.Safety science,70, pp.295-307. Finkelman, A., 2015.Leadership and Management in Nursing: Core Competencies for Quality Care. Pearson. Fischer, M.D., Dopson, S., Fitzgerald, L., Bennett, C., Ferlie, E., Ledger, J. and McGivern, G., 2016. Knowledge leadership: mobilizing management research by becoming the knowledge object.human relations,69(7), pp.1563-1585. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Grohar-Murray, M.E., DiCroce, H.R. and Langan, J.C., 2016.Leadership and management in nursing. Pearson. Hayton, J., 2015. Leadership and Management Skills in SMEs.Warwick Business School. Nahavandi, A., 2016.The Art and Science of Leadership -Global Edition. Pearson. Renz, D.O., 2016.The Jossey-Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and management. John Wiley Sons. Schuhmann, R.J., Magarian, J.N. and Huttner-Loan, E., 2014. A method for assessing engineering leadership content in the engineering curriculum: A first look at civil engineering project management courses. In2014 ASEE Conference, June. Shattock, M., 2013. University governance, leadership and management in a decade of diversification and uncertainty.Higher Education Quarterly,67(3), pp.217-233. Tourish, D., 2013. The dark side of transformational leadership: A critical perspective.Development and Learning in Organizations,28(1).

The Allegory of Billy Budd free essay sample

This paper analyzes the book Billy Budd by Herman Melville This paper takes a look at the book Billy Bud by Herman Melville. Melville makes many allusions to Christianity and Jesus in his book. The paper examines the main characters Claggart and Captain Vere and how they connect to these analogies. From the paper: In many ways, Melville?s ?Billy Bud? lends itself to a religious or biblical interpretation. For example, the life and death of the main character, Billy Bud, shows striking parallels to the life and death of Jesus Christ. As well, Claggart and Captain Vere further implicate ?Billy Bud? in the story of Christ. But Melville, in interesting ways, moves beyond a strict re-telling of the story or mythology surrounding Christ. Melville sets in motion a certain expectation in the minds of his audience through the obvious parallels between the story of ?Billy Bud? and that of Christ, but then, at key moments, the author turns away from the traditional story, disrupting our expectations, in order to critically comment on Christianity and the legacy of Christ in the minds of humanity. We will write a custom essay sample on The Allegory of Billy Budd or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Harriet Beecher Stowe Quotes

Harriet Beecher Stowe Quotes Quotations from Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Toms Cabin and other novels and books. Learn more: Harriet Beecher Stowe Biography   Selected Harriet Beecher Stowe Quotations The past, the present and the future are really one: they are today. If women want any rights they had better take them, and say nothing about it Women are the real architects of society. So long as the law considers all these human beings, with beating hearts and living affections, only as so many things belonging to the master so long as the failure, or misfortune, or imprudence, or death of the kindest owner, may cause them any day to exchange a life of kind protection and indulgence for one of hopeless misery and toil so long it is impossible to make anything beautiful or desirable in the best regulated administration of slavery. I no more thought of style or literary excellence than the mother who rushes into the street and cries for help to save her children from a burning house thinks of the teachings of the rhetorician or the elocutionist I did not write it. God wrote it. I merely did his dictation. When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you till it seems you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. So much has been said and sung of beautiful young girls, why doesnt somebody wake up to the beauty of old women? Common sense is seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be. The truth is the kindest thing we can give folks in the end. Friendships are discovered rather than made. Most mothers are instinctive philosophers. Although mothers bodily presence disappeared from our circle, I think that her memory and example had more influence in molding her family, in deterring from evil and exciting to good, than the living presence of many mothers. It was a memory that met us everywhere; for every person in the town seemed to have been so impressed by her character and life that they constantly reflected some portion of it back upon us. Human nature is above all things lazy. The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone. Perhaps it is impossible for a person who does no good to do no harm. Whipping and abuse are like laudanum: you have to double the dose as the sensibilities decline. Any mind that is capable of real sorrow is capable of good. Its a matter of taking the side of the weak against the strong, something the best people have always done. To be really great in little things, to be truly noble and heroic in the insipid details of everyday life, is a virtue so rare as to be worthy of canonization. What makes saintliness in my view, as distinguished from ordinary goodness, is a certain quality of magnanimity and greatness of soul that brings life within the circle of the heroic. One would like to be grand and heroic if one could; but if not, why try at all? One wants to be very something, very great, very heroic; or if not that, then at least very stylish and very fashionable. It is this everlasting mediocrity that bores me. I am speaking now of the highest duty we owe our friends, the noblest, the most sacredthat of keeping their own nobleness, goodness, pure and incorrupt. . . . If we let our friend become cold and selfish and exacting without a remonstrance, we are no true lover, no true friend. A little reflection will enable any person to detect in himself that setness in trifles which is the result of the unwatched instinct of self-will and to establish over himself a jealous guardianship. In all ranks of life, the human heart yearns for the beautiful; and the beautiful things that God makes are his gift to all alike. Everyone confesses in the abstract that exertion which brings out all the powers of body and mind is the best thing for us all, but practically most people do all they can to get rid of it, and as a general rule nobody does much more than circumstances drive them to do. A day of grace is yet held out to us. Both North and South have been guilty before God, and the Christian Church has a heavy account to answer. Not by combining together, to protest injustice and cruelty, and making a common capital of sin, is this Union to be saved but by repentance, justice and mercy; for, not surer is the eternal law by which the millstone sinks in the ocean than that stronger law, by which injustice and cruelty shall bring on nations the wrath of Almighty God. Nobody had ever instructed him that a slave-ship, with a procession of expectant sharks in its wake, is a missionary institution, by which closely-packed heathen are brought over to enjoy the light of the Gospel. When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. If it were admitted that the great object is to read and enjoy a language, and the stress of the teaching were placed on the few things absolutely essential to this result, all might in their own way arrive there and rejoice in its flowers. Home is a place not only of strong affections but of entire unreserve; it is lifes undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room, from which we go forth to more careful and guarded intercourse, leaving behind us much debris of cast-off and everyday clothing. A man builds a house in England with the expectation of living in it and leaving it to his children; we shed our houses in America as easily as a snail does his shell. One of the greatest reforms that could be, in these reforming days ... would be to have women architects. The mischief with the houses built to rent is that they are all male contrivances. I would not attack the faith of a heathen without being sure I had a better one to put in its place. No one is so thoroughly superstitious as the godless man. Where painting is weakest, namely, in the expression of the highest moral and spiritual ideas, their music is sublimely strong. The longest day must have its close the gloomiest night will wear on to a morning. An eternal, inexorable lapse of moments is ever hurrying the day of the evil to an eternal night, and the night of the just to an eternal day. From Dorothy Parker:The pure and worthy Mrs. StoweIs one we all are proud to knowAs mother, wife, and authoress Thank God, I am content with less! from the end of Uncle Toms Cabin: On the shores of our free states are emerging the poor, shattered, broken remnants of families,men and women, escaped, by miraculous providences, from the surges of slavery,feeble in knowledge, and, in many cases, infirm in moral constitution, from a system which confounds and confuses every principle of Christianity and morality. They come to seek a refuge among you; they come to seek education, knowledge, Christianity.What do you owe to these poor, unfortunates, O Christians? Does not every American Christian owe to the African race some effort at reparation for the wrongs that the American nation has brought upon them? Shall the doors of churches and school-houses be shut down upon them? Shall states arise and shake them out? Shall the Church of Christ hear in silence the taunt that is thrown at them, and shrink away from the helpless hand that they stretch out, and shrink away from the courage the cruelty that would chase them from our borders? If it must be so, it will be a mour nful spectacle. If it must be so, the country will have reason to tremble, when it remembers that fate of nations is in the hand of the One who is very pitiful, and of tender compassion. More About Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Beecher Stowe ProfileHarriet Beecher Stowe BiographyHarriet Beecher Stowe Links More Womens Quotes: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Explore Womens Voices and Womens History Womens Voices - About Womens QuotesPrimary SourcesBiographiesToday in Womens HistoryWomens History Home About These Quotes Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection  © Jone Johnson Lewis. This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote. Citation information:Jone Johnson Lewis. Harriet Beecher Stowe Quotes. About Womens History. Date accessed: (today). (More on how to cite online sources including this page)

Generating Curiosity in Mathematics

Generating Curiosity in Mathematics Strategies for Enhancing Curiosity in Mathematics One of strategies for enhancing curiosity in mathematics among students is making use of mathematical manipulatives. Manipulatives are obtained from day-to-day objects used by students. Using this strategy, curiosity is developed through connection of mathematical concepts with sensorimotor understanding coupled with explicit verbal-declarative skills.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Generating Curiosity in Mathematics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another strategy is making students work in groups. The third strategy is to teach all the students together and have one repeat the procedure to the rest. A reward may be given for correct repetition. Lastly, a teacher may use mathematical problems to create games for which every student would like to be part of. In the effort to become champions in a particular game, the students develop curiosity on how to work with n umbers. Purpose of the Strategies For successful performance in the games, when using games to create curiosity among children, a child endeavors to learn the rules of the game. Hence, when games are made such that they feature mathematical analogies, children become curious on how they can be able to learn the rules and the processes of determining the winner (Koch, 2010). The purpose of mathematical manipulative strategy is to make children relate practical scenarios with the concepts taught in mathematics. For strategies of group work and having a single student teach the rest about something that has been taught previously, the purpose is to encourage students to become curious by learning from the mistakes made. How a teacher can apply the strategies in classroom settings To use manipulatives to enhance curiosity in mathematics among students, a teacher can collect colored beads, blocks, or even sticks. He or she has to make the learners sample together blocks of the same color followed by requesting them to count each set of the blocks in an effort to get their answer. Based on color differences, students learn that different objects have different mathematical representations. This strategy would make them become curious about other things, for instance, their number in class based on gender. Using gaming strategy to enhance math curiosity, the teacher needs to let the children engage in plays while keeping the record of scores for each session in the form of blocks with one block representing a score. The blocks for different sessions also need to be different in color. When requested to identify the number of scores in all the games, the main problem would be how to count the total number of blocks. Since the winner will be the team having the largest number of blocks, children are able to have curiosity to understand the precedence of numbers through gaming and the process of determining the winner, which entails addition.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To induce math curiosity by having students work in groups, a teacher may give students a number of sticks to use in the computation of addition problems. Each student in the group is requested to carry out an addition task while explaining to the rest about every step. When one student completes the task, another student in the same group is requested to also carry out the task. Rewards are given for students who achieve outstanding results. Rewarding not only motivates them but also makes the group members more curious about the process of using the sticks to arrive at the correct answers (Reys, Lindquist, Lambdin Smith, 2012). A teacher can also induce curiosity in math by choosing randomly a student to repeat the process of solving a mathematical problem to the rest of the students. This strategy makes students pay attention and or develop curiosity to know how mat hematical problems are solved so that, should one be chosen to solve a similar problem, she or he will get it right and get a reward. Reference List Koch, J. (2010). Science stories: Science methods for elementary and middle schoolteachers. Wadsworth: Cengage Publishing. Reys, R., Lindquist, M., Lambdin, D., Smith, N. (2012). Helping Children Learn Mathematics. Hobokon, NJ: John Wiley Sons.

Impact of Natural Disaster on obesity of the residents of New Orleans Essay

Impact of Natural Disaster on obesity of the residents of New Orleans - Essay Example However, the main focus of the paper shall be obesity in New Orelean, and the impact it is having on it's inhabitants, and lastly the conclusions and recommendations by our study shall be presented. But before discussing about Obesity in Nre Orleans, it is important to know what we mean by obesity. According to Graves, " obesity referes to having a body mass index (BMI) over 30. That ... would be like a 5-foot-8-inch person weighing 197 pounds. The National Institutes of Health defines morbid obesity as a BMI above 40." (Graves, bestofneworleans.com). It is a well known fact that New Orleans is the city that loves to eat. It's no wonder, that this passion is reflected on the appearance and health of dwellers. The estimated quantity of overweight people in the New Orleans is 60% percent. The officials say it is obesity that is the cause for most diseases the New Orleans dwellers suffer from. They also add that the obesity-related diseases account for more than half of Louisiana's health care budget. (Sell, bizneworleans.com) However, obesity has serious, long-term consequences. The incidence of type II diabetes has increased in U.S. children in parallel with the rising prevalence of obesity (Rocchini 854-855). Hypertension, hyper-cholesterolemia, heart disease, asthma, mental health concerns (e.g., depression and low self-esteem), and orthopedic disorders have all been linked to obesity (American Academy of Pediatrics 424-430). However, obesity is the single major health problem in the United States that is rapidly becoming worse (Sturm 2002). Nevertheless, the problem of Adult Obesity is related to children's food habits, the foundation of which lies in the understanding that a juvenile's physical and mental environment is a primary determinant of his or her health and well-being when they grow up(World Health Organization (WHO) 2003). The knowledge that complex interactions exist between the childhood obesity and adult obesity is not new. Indeed, one of Hippocrates' aphorisms was "for, in general, you will find the forms and dispositions of mankind to correspond with the nature of the country." (Sallis et al. 179-185) As the field of community health grows as a specialty, so does the body of research by leading scientists and clinicians who seek to further our understanding of the impact of environmental disasters on the physical growth on the residents, such as obesity. (MacIntyre et al. 213-243) In 2005 Men's Fitness ranked New Orleans the seventh fattest city in the country. In 2004 it was on the twenty second place. The quantity of obese people in New Orleans is growing rapidly with each passing year, and thus the quantity of those, who suffer from the obesity-related diseases, also increases. New Orleans dwellers become less active, and eat more. On the contrary, one of the reasons of this process is that the fast foods are gaining popularity in New Orleans, like in other American cities. The contemporary pace of life often

Criminal and civil litigation; Mental Health Law Coursework

Criminal and civil litigation; Mental Health Law - Coursework Example In every criminal situation, the Mens Rea concept has to be present, which in simply terms is the Latin word for â€Å"a guilty mind.† Consequently, the concept of Mens Rea carries out an in-depth analysis of the mind of the defendant in the moment preceding the crime. This goes to explore the thoughts and intentions of the defendant during the committing of a crime as this plays a great role in determining the culpability of a defendant. As such, the concept of Mens Rea enables the criminal justice system to differentiate between an individual who did not plan or mean to commit a crime, and an individual who planned and set out intentionally to commit a given crime. This concept rules out crimes that were intentional from crimes that were accidental, even if the results of the crime were the same1. For example, in the event of a murder case, the attorneys of law can evaluate the case to determine whether it was pure murder case or manslaughter. The difference in these two legal terms is that the former was an intentional crime whereby the defendant plotted to kill the victim and actually executed his or her plan. On the other hand, the latter is an accidental crime whereby the defendant accidentally killed the victim without prior intentions to end their victim’s life, such as a case of self-defense, a stray bullet, or a riot stampede. The charges for both cases also differs depending on the legal position established by the judge, as well as, the prosecution team on the guilty mind of the defendant in the moments preceding the commitment of a given crime. For instance, the above case has the same charge, which is death of an individual, whether committed intentionally or otherwise. As such, the guilty party has to face the charges of the crime committed, and the extent of the punishment vented against him or her for the crime depends on their guilty conscience

Essays by American Minorities Essay Example for Free

Essays by American Minorities Essay 1. The Age of White Guilt by: Shelby Steele In this essay written by African American Shelby Steele, he tells of the hard times of his people. He leads the reader through his experiences in the civil rights movement and compares the life of an African American in the 1960’s and one in the present day. He writes that African Americans today would have to use ever ounce of their intelligence and imagination to find reasons for them not to succeed in today’s society. He goes on to say that African Americans use the harm done for them in the past and try to use it as guilt for the white Americans. It goes on to explain the importance in fighting for a cause in a group and not breaking off as individuals. 2. I’m Black, your white, who’s innocent? By: Shelby Steele In this essay by Shelby Steele, he tells about the inequality of blacks even in today’s society. I think it also shows the tenderness in the subject of racism and inequality even today. He also writes of how he used to use white liability against white Americans and how it gave him much guilt. He also tells how young African Americans still blame racial problems to be the motivation of many things done by African Americans. He says that an African American that points out white shame is showing power and that when whites respond with silence that that is also a gesture of power. He ends with saying that that whites and blacks truly fear the sacrifices that come with total racial harmony. 3. I hated Tonto by: Sherman Alexie In this essay written by Native American Sherman Alexie, he points out the racial stereotypes that accompany the Native Americans that were given to them by America and the rest of the world. He tells of how he used to accept the racial stereotypes of his people when he was a kid but now he understands how embarrassing the stereotypes were. 4. Why don’t we complain by: William Buckley This essay by William Buckley tells of the difficulties of society and how, instead of taking action when we are mistreated, we just stand by and let the violators have their way. It also tells of how people often wait on others to take action instead on doing so themselves. He says this is because we are afraid to make our voices heard and afraid that someone will get their feelings hurt. He also says that when we do complain, we shouldn’t do so in a calm voice like you are scared but in a bold, demanding voice that lets the person know that you mean business. He says that Americans are not comfortable taking actions in difficult situations because we live in an age of technology where we rely on machines and computers to do things for us, but in earlier times, if we needed something we got up and did it. 5. Just Walk on By by: Brent Staples This essay written by Brent Staples tells of the first time the author experienced a negative reaction from someone just because he was black. He tells of how he noticed signs of fear when people saw him and realized that most of Chicago’s rapists and muggers were black and that his appearance could cause fear. He tells of how society tells us that we should be tough and shouldn’t back down and how some young men take this literally and get into trouble. Essays on the Use and Power of English 1. Politics in the English Language by: George Orwell This essay written by George Orwell tells of the inaccurate and misuse of the English language in today’s society. He says that instead of â€Å"foolish thoughts† coming from language, language comes from foolish thoughts. He also says that metaphors and other types of figurative language used today do not lead to concrete ideas. He says that vagueness is the most common characteristic of the English language. 2. How English is Evolving into a Language we might not understand by: Michael Erard This essay by Michael Erard tells of how the English language is being used in many other countries including China but is not being thoroughly explained which leads to misuse of words and different pronunciations. He tells of how China and other Asian countries are making changes to the languages such as pronunciation of vowels and words. He also says that Asians will introduce tone to the English language which means if a word is pronounced with a different tone it means a different word. He tells the reader that there is nothing wrong with the language and it is just as proper as any other English and that it might even be more efficient. 3. Do Our Writers Abuse the English Language? by: Dr. Rossiter Johnson This essay written by Dr. Rossiter Johnson tells of the criticism from our cousins the English against American writers. It tells of how the British criticism is accompanied by their idea of our ignorance. It tells that the British believe that there is no way that American writers can possibly improve when it comes to proper use of the English language. Johnson then points out some British writers that have misused the language such as Grey and Dean Alford. He tells of the words of Sydney Smith, a British critic that said who reads American books? Who goes to an American play? Who looks at an American picture or statue? Who sleeps in American blankets? What do we owe to American surgeons and physicians? He responds to these words by telling of how Americans have surpassed these accomplishments and have proved Smith wrong. 4. Importance of English in India by: Rajesh Mohan. This essay by Rajesh Mohan is about the role of the English language in India and how it is the language that bonds all the other languages together in the Indian sub continent. The reason English bonds these regions together is because everyone understands it and so that makes it a common language to everyone. It also tells of how English is good for countries who are trying to expand and grow and that Indians recommend other countries to learn English. 5. How English Became a Global Language by: Jennifer Claerr This essay by Jennifer Claerr tells how English has become one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. She says it is mostly because of its effectiveness. She says that the other reason the world is comfortable with English is because it uses a Romanic alphabet which is easier for Easterners to grasp than other alphabets. The English language is used heavily in television, movies, products, ads, and everything else that many non native speakers feel that they should learn it. So in conclusion this is the reason that English has over 1 billion speakers both native and non native.

The Transformation of Ishmael in Snow Falling on Cedars :: Snow Falling Cedars Essays

The Transformation of Ishmael in Snow Falling on Cedars What can be said about a novel of such luminance as Snow Falling on Cedars that has not already been said? Certainly it is a work of much vision and insight and speaks volumes about prejudice and race. The wordplay of Guterson creates a world of vivid reality-it surrounds the reader with sights, smells and a clearly defined sense of touch. Perhaps lost amidst the smells of the strawberry fields, the cold of the winter storm, and the deep social statements about the nature and quirkiness of prejudice is the fact that this beautifully crafted story of immense complexity is in reality a very simple story about the identity of one man. Guterson himself says, "Post-modernism is dead because it didn't address human needs. The conventional story endures because it does. I'm interested in themes that endure from generation to generation" (qtd. in Kanner). This book is a conventional story, a simple story about the internal battle of Ishmael Chambers as he struggles with himself. This is made evident in the subtle and not too subtle comparisons made between Ishmael and other characters. Taking all of this into account reveals that the true theme of the book centers on the transformation of Ishmael from weak to strong. First, who is Ishmael Chambers? He is the son of a very well-respected and prominent citizen of San Piedro, Arthur Chambers. When Arthur dies, Ishmael takes over the job as the local news reporter. He is introduced into the story as a journalist in the trial of Kabuo Miyamoto and appears to remain aloof, a passive third person eye that would analyze the information impartially. In addition to being a reporter, Ishmael is also a war veteran with a missing limb as a souvenir to boot. The reader gets the feeling that Ishmael plays a small and minor role in the upcoming plot. This, however, is false. As the book gathers momentum, it becomes increasingly clear that Ishmael ties into the fabric of the outcome of the story-from the childhood and young adult romance between Hatsue and him, to the emotional scene where his arm is amputated, to the final climax where he discovers the evidence that can clear Kabuo's name, Ishmael is the crux on which the storyline hinges.

Earthquake in Pakistan Essay

Earthquake activity in Pakistan is mainly concentrated in the north and western sections of the country, along the boundary of the Indian plate and the Iranian and Afghan micro-plates. The Chaman Fault runs along Pakistan’s western frontier with Afghanistan from Kalat, in the northern Makran range, past Quetta and then on to Kabul, Afghanistan. A fault also runs along the Makran coast and is believed to be of the same nature as the West Coast fault along the coast of Maharashtra, India. An active subduction zone exists off the Makran coast. The great 1945 earthquake was centred in this region. This zone forms the boundary between the Arabian and the Iranian micro-plate, where the former subducts or dives beneath the latter. Thrust zones run along the Kirthar, Sulaiman and Salt ranges. There are four faults in and around Karachi and other parts of deltaic Indus, and Makran coast. The first is the Allah Bund fault that passes through Shahbundar, Jah, Pakistan Steel Mills, and runs through eastern parts of the city and ends near Cape Monz. This fault, in fact, has caused extensive damage in the past many centuries in the deltaic areas. The destruction of Bhanbhor in the 13th century and damage to Shahbundar in 1896 were caused by this fault. The other one emanates from the Rann of Kutchh. The third one is the Pubb fault which ends into Arabian sea near Makran coast and the last one is located in the lower Dadu district near Surajani and falls in the vicinity of Karachi. Tsunamis or tidal waves have also affected the coast of Pakistan. The worst case was in 1945 when an earthquake of magnitude 7. 9 struck the Makran coast, waves as high as 12 meters were reported.

Book Review of Drinking Essay

Caroline Knapp writes eloquently and honestly, yet often starkly, about her life as a â€Å"functioning alcoholic. † Ms. Knapp graduated Magna cum laude from Brown University, was a contributing editor at New Woman magazine as well as the Boston Phoenix. She wrote for many other magazines as well and was the author of Alice K’s Guide to Life. She was born into an upper-class family, one of two twin girls, daughter of a psychoanalyst father and an artist mother. Yet despite all the gifts seemingly bestowed upon her, from her earliest memories Ms. Knapp felt that she was different in some way; that she needed something to sustain her and help her travel through life; her particular crutch became alcohol. Carolyn’s family, though a model of respectability and stability on the outside, had their own particular demons to deal with. Carolyn’s father was described as â€Å"cold, remote, and inaccessible, an alcoholic involved in extramarital affairs. † (Handrup, 1998, p. 1). Her mother seemed to be â€Å"preoccupied with breast cancer throughout much of Knapp’s childhood,† and â€Å"was seemingly unaware of the inner life of her children. † (p. 1). Carolyn relates stories of her father’s previous marriage which produced three children, and the confusion that came along with the ex-wife and the younger son who was born with fetal alcohol syndrome and whose erratic behavior frightened Carolyn. The theory of nature causing alcoholism pretty much goes out the window on this particular case as Carolyn’s twin sister Becca never turned to alcohol or any other addictive behavior to cope with a life that virtually mirrored Carolyn’s own. The disability of any alcoholic seems to be an intense need for protection; an inability to weather the storms of life alone, the absolute craving for a friend, a lover that will carry them through the rough times. In fact, Ms. Knapp felt about alcohol the exact same way she imagined others felt about their lovers. It was something she craved, obsessed over, and thought about constantly. Ms. Knapp’s â€Å"rough times† in life soon translated into absolutely anything at all, good or bad. The sun was shining, or it wasn’t, the cashier at the grocery store was unfriendly, or perhaps too friendly, somebody died, a baby was born. Every nuance of life became too difficult to deal with, the emotions that accompanied normal day-to-day living were too much to process without a drink—or two, or three, or four. Ms. Knapp wryly notes that living without alcohol is like being â€Å"forced to live alone without the armor. The armor, of course, is protection from all the things we might actually feel, if we allowed ourselves to feel at all;† (Knapp, 1996, p. 113) Comfort became an absolute necessity, and Caroline remembers that from the time she was able to sit in her mother’s lap she would rock herself back and forth, and that this bizarre behavior continued for more years than she cared to remember. â€Å"Later I developed a more elaborate system: I’d get on my knees and elbow and curl up in a ball on the bed facedown like a turtle in its shell, and rock away, for hours sometimes†¦I was deeply embarrassed that I did this, ashamed of it, really, but I needed it. I needed it and it worked. The truth? I did this until I was sixteen. The rocking was just like drinking. † (Knapp, 1996, p. 62). So, from the comfort she derived from rocking–for hours sometimes– Caroline â€Å"graduated† to a more sophisticated form of self-comfort—alcohol. She never came to a satisfactory conclusion as to why that comfort was so essential to her. â€Å"I still don’t know, today, if that hunger originated within the family or if it was something I was simply born with. In the end I don’t suppose it matters. You get your comfort where you can. † (p. 61). While Knapp faced few serious medical issues as a result of her alcoholism, she nonetheless suffered through the physical challenges her addiction brought such as the soon-daily hangovers, headaches and nausea. She suffered blackouts on occasion, and another woman one day remarked about all the tiny broken blood vessels on her nose—a classic sign of the habitual drinker. Knapp combined two addictions for a period of time; anorexia and alcoholism. She felt like the anorexia gave her control over her life, and the alcoholism made it possible for her to continue the anorexia. She notes during her anorexic phase that â€Å"I simply couldn’t stand the starving anymore, couldn’t go on without some kind of release from the absolute rigor and vigilance and self-control, and I’d go out and eat like crazy and drink like crazy. These episodes were usually preceded by some glimmer of insight into my own loneliness, some gnawing sense that my hunger was more than merely physical. † (Knapp, 1996, p. 141). The psychological consequences of this intense need for protection in the form of alcohol were many; Knapp notes several times how impossible it was to maintain any type of intimacy in relationships when she had a whole secret life that nobody else knew of. She felt she was one person at work– the responsible, hard-working, intelligent and dedicated writer– another with each of her boyfriends, another with her parents and siblings, and perhaps could only let her true self come through when she was alone with her lover, her glass of bourbon. Caroline felt an emptiness deep inside, that nothing could counteract except alcohol. She also felt an enormous sense of powerlessness in her own life, and described it in this way: â€Å"As a rule, active alcoholics are powerless people, or at least a lot of us tend to feel that way in our hearts. † (Knapp, 1996. p. 178). Perhaps because she was a classic example of the functioning alcoholic, few people in Caroline’s life ever mentioned her drinking to her as being a problem. When her mother told her that perhaps she was drinking a bit too much, Caroline promised she would only drink two drinks a day, no matter what. When she was unable to keep that promise, she found one excuse after another. Her own sister, while realizing the problem, skirted the issue with Caroline. While Becca didn’t come right out and say that she thought her sister was an alcoholic, Caroline felt shame because she knew on some level her sister knew. Friends and boyfriends alike, seemed to accept the fact that Caroline drank, never seeing much below that superficial level of awareness. Although there were moments of clarity when Knapp realized she must stop drinking, (such as the time she was drunkenly swinging her best friend’s two daughters around and fell down, narrowly missing injuring the children), in the end it was no one thing that prompted her to enter rehab. She felt that it would take â€Å"great courage to face life without anesthesia,† (Iaciofano, 2004, p. 13) yet, in the end, she was able to pull that very courage from somewhere deep inside herself. Ms. Knapp’s story, full of bad relationships, years of self doubt and pain, strong addictions and family issues, psychologically goes far beyond the disease of alcoholism itself, and offers tremendous insight into the gut-wrenching need for something to ease the pain that life inflicts. Ms. Knapp notes that â€Å"You take away the drink and you take away the single most important method of coping you have. How to talk to people without a drink†¦.. How to experience a real emotion—pain or anxiety or sadness—without an escape route, a quick way to anesthetize it. How to sleep at night. † (Knapp, 1996, p. 254). References Handrup, Cynthia Taylor. (July-September 1998). Drinking: A Love Story. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care. Retrieved April 20, 2006, from http://www. findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa3804/is_199807/ai_n8791537/print Iaciofano, Carol. (June 16, 2004). Lyrical Essays Trace a Woman’s Short Yet Rich Life. Globe. Retrieved April 21, 2006 from http://www. arlindo-correia. com/061203. html Knapp, Caroline. (1996). Drinking: A Love Story. New York, Bantam Dell, A Division of Random House.

Essay on World War I and Load Bearing Work

Essay on World War I and Load Bearing Work Essay on World War I and Load Bearing Work Flamethrower: Early in the war, German introduced a new kind of flamethrower that consisted of a gas canister strapped in the back of a soldier. Attached to the canister was a nozzle that was lit on fire and that sprayed burning fuel on its victims. It was undeniably useful when used at short-range, but were of limited under effectieness. The Germans used this weapons to clear the area of enemy soldiers before the main army advanced. It was put initial wartime use against the French in the south-eastern sector of the Western Front. Poison Gas: It was first used by the German army at the Battle of Ypres in 1995. The gas caused a burning sensation in throat and chest pains. There were many different kind of poison gases that both sides experienced by the end of the war. To use the gas, the weather must be right, especially the wind. Both sides used this weapon to weaken the other side's army without using violence or violent explosion. It was easy to fire into trenches in shells and took a period of time to cause the effect. Tank: It was used by firs time at the Battle of the Somme. Its maximum speed was 3mph but could not vross the trenches but by the end of the war, it could cross and carry 10 men, reaching the speed of 4mph. The British's adavantages from using the weapon first was the tank's protective metal kept the men inside from falling victim to the onslaught of enemy machine guns. The heavy tank crushed everything in sight, including the dangerous barbed wire guarding the trenches. Grenades: The Germans were the first ones to use this weapon but both sides eventually used it. It has numerous models, easy to carry into the war. It was a small bomb that can be thrown by hand. The grenadiers raced down the trenches and threw grenades into each dugout they passed. Even though it did not create a big explosion but it was enough to injure many soldiers within areas or caused deaths. Both sides saw the advantages of this weapon, they designed explosive grenades to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time. Mortars: It was an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as (mortar) bombs at low velocities, short ranges and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It was portable and could fire unexposed from the bottom of a trench, droppping their shells into the enemy trenches. It was essentially hollow tubes angled greater than 45 degrees. It was used by the British to help transmit the forces/loads through the bricks evenly so is a great advantage in load bearing work. Mortar is relatively stable in all weathers providing wind and weather protection to the wall. During the trench warfare, many weapons were introduced from both sides Allie and Central Powers. The effectiveness increased faster when many deaths were caused, over 8.5 million

Axolotl Facts (Ambystoma mexicanum)

Axolotl Facts (Ambystoma mexicanum) According to Aztec legend, the first axolotl (pronounced axo-LO-tuhl)  was a god who changed his form in order to escape being sacrificed. The sneaky transformation from terrestrial salamander to a fully aquatic form did not save later generations from death. The Aztecs ate axolotls. Back when the animals  were common, you could buy them as food in Mexican markets. While the axolotl may not be a god, its an amazing animal. Learn how to recognize an axolotl, why scientists are fascinated by them, and how to care for one as a pet. Fast Facts: Axolotl Scientific Name: Ambystoma mexicanumCommon Names: Axolotl, Mexican salamander, Mexican walking fishBasic Animal Group: AmphibianSize: 6-18 inchesWeight: 2.1-8.0 ouncesLifespan: 10 to 15 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Xochimilco Lake near Mexico CityPopulation: Less than a hundredConservation Status: Critically Endangered Description Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. andrewburgess / Getty Images An axolotl is a type of salamander, which is an amphibian. Frogs, newts, and most salamanders undergo a metamorphosis to transition from life in the water to life on land. The axolotl is unusual in that it doesnt undergo a metamorphosis and develop lungs. Instead, axolotls hatch from eggs into a juvenile form that grows to become its adult form. Axolotls keep their gills and permanently reside in the water. A mature axolotl (18 to 24 months in the wild) ranges in length from 15 to 45 centimeters (6 to 18 inches). An adult specimen weighs anywhere between 2 and 8 ounces. An axolotl  resembles other salamander larvae, with lidless eyes, a wide head, frilled gills, long digits, and a long tail. A male has a swollen, papillae-lined cloaca, while a female has a wider body that is full of eggs. The salamanders have vestigial teeth. Gills are used for respiration, although the animals sometimes gulp surface air for supplemental oxygen. Axolotls have four pigmentation genes, giving rise to a wide range of colors. The wild-type coloration is olive brown with gold speckles. Mutant colors include pale pink with black eyes, gold with gold eyes, gray with black eyes, and black. Axolotls can alter their melanophores to camouflage themselves, but only to a limited extent. Scientists believe axolotls descended from salamanders that could live on land, but reverted to water because it offered a survival advantage. Animals Confused With Axolotls This is not an axolotl: Necturus maculosus (common mudpuppy). Paul Starosta / Getty Images People confuse axolotls with other animals partly because the same common names may be applied to different species and partly because axolotls do resemble other animals. Animals confused with axolotls include: Waterdog: A waterdog is the name of the larval stage of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum and A. mavotium). The tiger salamander and axolotl are related, but the axolotl never metamorphosizes into a terrestrial salamander. However, its possible to force an axolotl to undergo metamorphosis. This animal looks like a tiger salamander, but the metamorphosis is unnatural and shortens the animals lifespan. Mudpuppy: Like the axolotl, the mudpuppy (Necturus spp.) is a fully aquatic salamander. However, the two species are not closely related. Unlike the axolotl, the common mudpuppy (N. maculosus) is not endangered. Habitat and Distribution The lake Lago Acitlalin in the Ecological Park (Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco) is a vast nature reserve in the wetlands of Xochimilco in the south of Mexico City, Mexico. stockcam / Getty Images In the wild, axolotls only live in the Xochimilco lake complex, which is located near Mexico City. The salamanders may be found on the bottom of the lake and its canals. Neoteny The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) exhibits neoteny, meaning it remains in its larval form throughout life. Quentin Martinez / Getty Images The axolotl is a neotenic salamander, which means it doesnt mature into an air-breathing adult form. Neoteny is favored in cool, high-altitude environments because metamorphosis requires a huge energy expenditure. Axolotls can be induced to metamorphose by injection of iodine or thyroxine or by ingesting iodine-rich food. Diet This captive axolotl is eating a piece of meat. Argument / Getty Images Axolotls are carnivores. In the wild, they eat worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks. The salamanders hunt by smell, snapping at prey and sucking it in like a vacuum cleaner. Within the lake, axolotls  had no real predators. Predatory birds were the biggest threat. Large fish were introduced into Lake Xochimilco, which ate the young salamanders. Reproduction and Offspring This is a newt in its egg sac. Like newts, salamander larvae are recognizable within their eggs. Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images Much of what we know about axolotl reproduction comes from observing them in captivity. Captive axolotls become mature in their larval stage between 6 and 12 months of age. Females typically mature later than males. The increasing temperature and light of spring signal  the start of the axolotl breeding season. Males expel spermatophores into the water and try to lure a female over them. The female picks up the sperm packet with her cloaca, leading to internal fertilization. Females release between 400 and 1000 eggs during spawning. She lays each egg individually, attaching it to a plant or rock. A female may breed several times during a season. The tail and gills of the larvae are visible within the egg. Hatching occurs after 2 to 3 weeks. Larger, earlier-hatching larvae eat smaller, younger ones. Regeneration Starfish regenerate lost arms, but they are invertebrates. Salamanders regenerate, plus they are vertebrates (like humans). Jeff Rotman / Getty Images The axolotl is a model genetic organism for regeneration. Salamanders and newts have the highest regenerative ability of any tetrapod (4-legged) vertebrates. The incredible healing ability extends well beyond replacing a lost tail or limbs. Axolotls can even replace some parts of their brains. In addition, they freely accept transplants (including eyes and brain portions) from other axolotls. Conservation Status Tilapia added to the lake near Mexico City are one of the main threats to axolotl survival. darkside26 / Getty Images Wild axolotls are headed to extinction. They are listed as critically endangered by IUCN. In 2013, no surviving axolotls were found in the Lake Xochimilco habitat, but then two individuals were found in the canals leading from the lake. The decline of axolotls is due to multiple factors. Water pollution, urbanization (loss of habitat), and introduction of invasive species (tilapia and perch) may be more than the species can withstand. Keeping an Axolotl in Captivity An axolotl will eat anything small enough to fit into its mouth. Argument / Getty Images However, the axolotl wont vanish! Axolotls are important research animals and fairly common exotic pets. They are uncommon at pet stores because they require a cool temperature, but may be obtained from hobbyists and scientific supply houses. A single axolotl needs at least a 10-gallon aquarium, filled (no exposed land, like for a frog), and supplied with a lid (because axolotls jump). Axolotls cannot tolerate chlorine or chloramine, so tap water must be treated prior to use. A water filter is a necessity, but the salamanders cannot tolerate flowing water. They do not require light, so in an aquarium with plants, its important to have large rocks or other hiding places. Pebbles, sand, or gravel (anything smaller than the axolotls head) pose a risk because axolotls will ingest them and may die from gastrointestinal blockage. Axolotls need a year-round temperature in the low to mid-60s (Fahrenheit) and will die if exposed to prolonged temperature about 74  °F. They need an aquarium chiller to maintain the proper temperature range. Feeding is the easy part of axolotl care. They will eat bloodworm cubes, earthworms, shrimp, and lean chicken or beef. While they will eat feeder fish, experts recommend avoiding them because salamanders are susceptible to parasites and diseases carried by fish. Sources   Luis Zambrano; Paola Mosig Reidl; Jeanne McKay; Richard Griffiths; Brad Shaffer; Oscar Flores-Villela; Gabriela Parra-Olea; David Wake. Ambystoma mexicanum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2010. IUCN. 2010: e.T1095A3229615. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T1095A3229615.enMalacinski, George M. The Mexican Axolotl,  Ambystoma mexicanum: Its Biology and Developmental Genetics, and Its Autonomous Cell-Lethal Genes.  American Zoologist. Oxford University Press.  18: 195–206, Spring 1978.Pough, F. H. Recommendations for the Care of Amphibians and Reptiles in Academic Institutions. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1992.

Shareholders Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shareholders Value - Essay Example The entries are counterbalanced so that the assets always equal the liabilities and owner's equity. The balance sheets of the company are examined by shareholders. The fundamental principles of economics are optimization and market equilibrium. The optimization principle says that people choose the best consumption patterns that they can afford. The market equilibrium principle states that prices adjust till demand equals supply. A supply curve measures how much of a good will be supplied at a given price. Suppose we reach a price p for the supply of a quantity x. The producer would be willing to supply a smaller amount at a lower price. However the entire quantity is sold at the price p. The producer's surplus measures the gains to the firm by selling all the goods at the higher price p. The concept of surplus enables us to determine the gains and losses for the firm. The consumer's surplus is the difference between the gross benefit of consuming the good and the price paid for that good. This perspective lets us understand the firm from economics theory. The concept of producer's surplus is closely linked to the concept of profit. 9. The accounting approach does not measure the large gaps between the true value of the firm and the observed market value. The economics perspective considers all the variables that influence the market till we find a match between the actual and the calculated market values of a firm. 10. Shareholders in a firm rely on accounting practices more that economic calculations because accounting numbers are easily available for analysis. 11. Every accounting decision has an economic consequence while the changes in the economic picture are not necessarily reflected in accounting. 12. While accounting is a simple process based on conventions and numbers available with the firm, economic considerations are very complex and involve many variables. The values of economic variables are not readily available and are many times external to the firm. 13. While accounting is by nature a short term activity, economic analysis is a long term activity. 14. Accounting has methods in place for auditing the firm. Economic methods do not have established audit procedures in place. 15. While accounting

Cloud Computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cloud Computing - Research Paper Example This paper presents a detailed overview of cloud computing. This paper also discusses the benefits offered by this modern technology. Cloud Computing The trend of cloud computing is rapidly growing. Cloud computing methodology is vastly ubiquitous in this technological period. However we can define cloud computing technology as an idea or a trend. In this scenario, cloud computing is a useful technique for accessing various applications with storage capacity from a distant location via internet link. Thus it is not an advance standard approach. On the other hand, the cloud computing is an ideal solution for the management and provision of applications, information and data as a service. Additionally, these services are provided over the internet, often on a consumption-based model. In this way we can say that cloud computing  is a technological aspect that is used in main servers and internet to sustain information as well as programs. Usually it is known as a  grid of computersà ‚  that are useful for serves like a service oriented structural design. Hence this design is used for delivering software along with information. Moreover cloud computing facilitates its users and business related modules to make use of applications without paying any cost. Therefore users may access their private data and information through computers, which have internet connection. Cloud computing technological aspects facilitate us through well-organized and resourceful computing with centralizing memory allocation, storage space, bandwidth and processing (Cleveland, S, & Lewis, 2011; TechTarget, 2007; Hartig, 2009). Cloud computing brings a lot of opportunities and solutions for business related problems in organizational matters and for individuals. In this scenario, a straightforward example that fits best to cloud computing is of email servers such as Gmail, Yahoo mail and Hotmail etc. We use these applications without installing any additional hardware, software or any ser ver on our personal computer. Hence the concept of installing any hardware or software (that might be of any sort) is eliminated. In this scenario, users only need to have an internet link and they can start sending or receiving e-mails. The approach behind the central server and email management application is on the internet (cloud). The user makes use of it alone or in community and benefit from its aspects. However cloud computing is broken down into 3 important components. These are following: 1. Infrastructure 2. Applications 3. Platforms In this scenario, each component/segment carries out a different job furthermore offers versatile application for individuals and business purpose round the globe (Cleveland, S, & Lewis, 2011; TechTarget, 2007; Hartig, 2009). Information and storage recovery are important features offered by the computers. In addition, we can simply accumulate our private information like that most wanted songs and children photographs or download movies on t hem. Thus these utilities are widely adopted and used in broader terms. In this scenario, Flicker is a well known name, which is a major example of cloud computing. Flicker allows us to access our videos, important data or images. It does not rely on our location (location is not a matter) and kind of tool we are using. Thus while uploading the essential material we can easily access them from our laptop, personal machine or from I-phone handset (Nations, 2011). Second aspect that is

International Marketing of Marks & Spencer (M&S) in Vietnam Essay

International Marketing of Marks & Spencer (M&S) in Vietnam - Essay Example The focus in this paper is on Marks & Spencer (M&S), a UK-based company that was established by Michael Marks and Time Spencer many years ago, and it is now one of the largest clothing, food, and home product retailers in the world. The company has an ambitious goal, which is to become the â€Å"world’s most sustainable major retailer† by 2015. The company has a group revenue of  £8,733.0 million in the UK and  £1,0073 million in the international market. Providing needs and satisfying customers with the best product experiences across the world are the top priorities of M&S; in fact, they have continued to meet expectations of their 21 million weekly customers by expanding in many international markets. M&S has about 700 domestic retail stores in the UK and â€Å"361 wholly-owned, partly-owned, and franchised stores in 43 territories across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.† Macro-environment is one of the environmental issues that influenced the retail indu stry in Vietnam, as well as the industry’s growth prospect. This analysis will focus on major trends that have an impact on the organizational growth of foreign-invested companies including socio-cultural and demographics, technology, economic condition, ecology and physical environment, and political-legal. In every investment, understanding customs and behaviors of a certain country is one of the important factors to be successful in foreign markets. Vietnam is a socially stable country because of its economic renovation policies; however, social discrimination or divisions have been part of its local customs, particularly the treatment of men and women in the society, as well as the working and middle class Vietnamese. International businesses are placing a significant value on customs and cultures of their host countries because these are substantial in gaining a market share. Vietnamese customers are hard to please because they are price sensitive and value or quality co nscious, and doing business in the country needs patience because Vietnamese prefer to have lengthy negotiations. Furthermore, the family is the basic unit of the society in Vietnam; however, inequalities in terms of gender issues and classes can still be observed. For instance, men are considered superior or better than women in such a way that they have the power to make decisions for the family and do outside activities while women are left in the house to do household chores. This attitude is also practiced in the workplace wherein lower-level employees are not empowered to make decision, initiate change, and keep information without the approval of those in managerial positions. On the other hand, there is an unequal distribution of income and a biased tax system between rural and urban communities wherein taxes imposed to rural residents are higher compared to urban constituents; this event shows that government policies are concentrated to the growth of urban areas (Cao & Aki ta, 2008, p.12). Other urban biases are observed in terms of trade liberalization or industrialization, tax distribution among industries, credit admission, foreign direct investment (FDI) programs, employment opportunities, service access, and many more. In terms of demographics, Vietnam has a total population of 91,519,289 wherein 25.2%, 69.3%, and 5.5% of the population are 0-14, 15-64, and 65+ years old, respectively (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.). This age structure implied that Vietnam is equipped with a high and substantial workforce, which is favorable to international businesses because the population is young. For instance, half of Vietnam’s total population is the young generation or â€Å"

Comparison of Cousin Kate and The Seduction Essay Example for Free

Comparison of Cousin Kate and The Seduction Essay After she has taken the decision about what to do about the lord, she hints that she regrets her relationship with the lord by asking questions. The girl in The Seduction also admits that she regrets her fling with the boy by asking questions, the tenth, eleventh and twelfth stanzas are all asking questions for example how did she feel betrayed? . Both of the poems make the reader feel sorry for the girls featured in them. The Seduction makes you feel sorry for the girl by using phrases such as and he muttered little slag and she sobbed in the cool locked, darkness of her room. From these phrases you learn that the girl is unaware of what the boy is really thinking about her. She also seems to be unaware that she could get pregnant. Cousin Kate makes you feel sorry for the maid by using phrases such as Not mindful I was fair and now I moan an unclean thing that might have been a dove. These phrases tell the reader that she was innocent and unaware of the consequences when she met the lord. I feel more sorry for the maid in Cousin Kate than the girl in The Seduction. This is because I feel that although the girl in The Seduction knew what she was doing was wrong, she did it anyway. She didnt have to have sex with him and although she liked him and it appeared that he liked her she should have known better. I feel more sorry for the maid because she says O cousin Kate my love was true, your love was writ in sand. She truly loved the lord, more than she believes Kate does. The maid also seems innocent. Another reason I feel sorry for the maid is even when she was with the lord, they didnt have a proper relationship, he didnt treat her very well. She felt like his plaything. She didnt mean anything to him. In The Seduction the atmosphere is conveyed well. In the beginning of the poem there is a sense that something will go wrong. Descriptive phrases such as the quiet bricks, far past the silver stream of traffic and far from the blind windows are a sign that things do not all go well. The adjectives are used to show that no one will be around to see whats going on. Another sign that something is going to go wrong is that the poem keeps reminding the reader that the girl is very drunk. We are twice reminded about the number of drinks shes had, these are he handed her the vodka and she knocked it back like water and as he bought her more drinks. The poem says she sat her head rolling forward. This shows that the girl is not in control of what she is doing. The imagery used in the poem is not very positive. The girl is said to be facing the frightening scum on the water. The use of frightening scum gives a very unpleasant image of the water. In the beginning of the poem the scum she faces is only on the top of that water, in the later stages of the poem, she feels the scum facing her is the rest of her life. The Mersey, green as a septic wound is also a negative simile. It gives a bad image of the setting, which gives an image of bad things to come. After the girl has discovered she is pregnant, the atmosphere is very powerful. Using strong verbs such as ripped and flung, cheated, creates this. At the end of the poem the girl is very depressed. She says: Better to starve yourself like a sick precocious child- Than to walk through town with a belly huge and ripe. We anticipate what will happen in the future. The atmosphere also changed in Cousin Kate. In the beginning of the poem the atmosphere is good. The maids says contented with my cottage mates which tells me that she is happy with her life before she met the lord. After this point she becomes angry and depressed. This is because the lord has left her for Kate. She becomes enraged and jealous. I believe that The Seduction is aimed at a younger audience than Cousin Kate. The Seduction uses much simpler language, although this could be because The Seduction was written much later. Both poems warn about pregnancy but The Seduction is easier to understand for people my age. I found The Seduction easier to understand and relate to because the language is more modern. In Cousin Kate the maid says the neighbours call you good and pure, call me an outcast thing. In The Seduction it says: And better now, to turn away, move away, fade away, Than to have the neighbours whisper that you always looked the type. In both examples the girls are worried about what other people (the neighbours) think of them. The mood of both poems is quite angry. In Cousin Kate, the mood changes from excitement to anger and jealousy. The maid is excited because about her future with the lord and their relationship. She is then angry about the lord leaving her to be with Kate. She is jealous of Kate because she took the lord away from her. However, the maid also feels quite proud because she has a son and Kate does not, she is smug. In The Seduction the mood also changes from excitement to anger. She too is excited about her relationship with the man. She is angry because the man left her, instead of feeling proud or smug at the end of the poem, she is depressed. The tones of the two poems are very different. In Cousin Kate, the writer (Rosetti) seems to be very sympathetic to the maid. She says that the maid has sex with the lord because she loves him and does not criticize her behaviour or suggest that she has done anything wrong by doing this. The tone of The Seduction however, does seem to criticize the girl. The writer (McAuley) seems to criticise the girls behaviour, she makes out that the girl deserves what happens. The phrase and he muttered little slag suggests this. I have found The Seduction easier to understand, mainly because the language is simpler and the images described are more modern. However I prefer the imagery used in Cousin Kate because I feel it is more original and interesting. I prefer phrases such as his plaything and his love and he wore me like a silken knot to his eyes as blue as iodine and green as a septic wound. On the other hand, I think the symbolism used in The Seduction is very effective, i. e. the confetti and the high white shoes. I feel that the main reason I prefer The Seduction is its easier to relate to for my age group. It is very hard to imagine what it would be like to be singled out by a great lord and then to be left for her cousin and having the lords baby on the way. I find it much easier to relate to The Seduction as I can understand how it must feel to have a one night stand and then become pregnant. 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE JRR Tolkien section.

A Midsummer Nights Dream: Book Report :: A Midsummer Nights Dream, William Shakespeare

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is a Athenian comedy. Some of the characters are fairies, kings, queens, and even lower class people. It is apparent what time period this story is from, because of some of the things that Theseus, the duke of Athens, and Oberon, the king of the fairies, say in it. One of these such quotes from Theseus is, â€Å" Go, Master of Revels. Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments, awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth, and all of Athens shall celebrate.† Yet another quote talking about the Athenians is spoken by Oberon, â€Å"A sweet Athenian lady is in love with a disdainful youth. You will know him by the Athenian garments that he wears.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this story the lower class people are called mechanics. Before this story many people may have thought a mechanic could only be some who worked on cars for a living. Boy, were they ever wrong. The mechanics in this story are far to dumb to ever work on anything. They even manage to turn a Greek tragedy into a comedy, because of their lack of acting skills. One such character is Bottom, a line that he has to say is suppose to be serious and sad, but he turns it into something funny because of the way he says and acts it. â€Å" Thus die I, thus, thus, thus. Now I am dead. I die, die, die, die, die,† and yet he does not die for quite some time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some changes that the characters made through out the play were quite interesting. Puck, a kind of evil fairy, plays a trick on his queen Tatania. He changes Bottom, a mechanical, into a donkey and makes Tatania fall in madly in love with him. After a little while he decides to let her see what she was actually in love with and she starts to scream. It’s quite amusing that a fairy could be so evil. In all the other stories that are ever read make fairies out to be nice things that grant wishes and such. Who would ever think that they would play crewel tricks on people like that. Puck also puts a type of love potion in the eyes of Lysander and Demetreuis to make them fall in love with Helena instead of Hermia. Which also a evil plan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book was very interesting to read. There are some very interesting things to be learned from this book.

Mother- Tongue based Multilingual Education Essay

Transfer to the other languages once Filipino or English has been acquired to use these skills in thinking and articulating thought and Be used in the process of acquiring English and Filipino more effectively Social Development Maintains local language and culture while providing national/ international language acquisition and instruction Promotes learners’ integration into the national society without forcing them to sacrifice their linguistic and cultural heritage. Using the culture the child knows enabling immediate comprehension from which new concepts can be built- going form the known to the unknown. Academic Development Meaning based education that enables students to learn well with the understanding of what the teacher is saying. Be well prepared to enter and achieve well in the mainstream education system. Source: Gazette of the Philippines The WHY’s In an article by Cruz (2011) under grading P-Noy the country’s president Pres. â€Å"Noy Noy† Aquino said, â€Å"My view on this is larger than just the classroom. We should become tri- lingual as a country; Learn English well and connect to the world; Learn Filipino well and connect to our country; retain your mother tongue and connect to your heritage†. In light to the Legal basis in the 1987 Constitution (Article XIV Sec 7), For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English. The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein, and as supported by the  1987 Philippine Constitution (Article XXVII Sec 30) which states that the child has the right to an education and to learn and use the language of his family, and as strengthened by RA 8780 EECD Law (Sec 5a) which states that schools a nd institutions shall use the child’s first language as the medium of instruction and Education for all should enable everyone to speak in the vernacular, Filipino and English, RA 9155 or EFA/MDG. Under BESRA KRT 3, all persons beyond school- age regardless of their level of schooling should acquire the essential competence to be considered functionally literate in their mother tongue in Filipino or in English. Theories of Language and Cognition This new approach in education in the Philippines under the Mother- Tongue based education in the newly implemented K-12 program has so much promise when it comes to having a solid foundation in literacy with children and thus this would create a ripple effect as they progress in their succeeding years not only academically but also in life itself. There had been several studies and researches done showing the efficacy of using the majority’s mother tongue language in learning a minority language, and in the case of the Philippines it is a country that embraces several mother tongue languages according to Lewis, Simons, Fenig (2013) the country includes around 120- 170 identified mother tongues spoken in different parts of the country; the Department of Education in the Philippines has somehow introduced and currently approved 12 mother tongues to be used in each respective areas that use such mother tongue languages, the 12 identified major language or lingua are as follow: a ) Tagalog b) Kapampangan c) Pangasinense d) Iloko e) Bikol f) Cebuano g) Hiligaynon h) Waray i) Tausug j) Maguindanaoan k) Maranao; l) Chabacano. Even with the studies and researches done to prove that having a good foundation of the understanding of the mother- tongue language of the child, there is still a whole lot of questions that rose with regards to parents’ aspirations for their children to learn English as early as Kindergarten since most have the mentality that learning the English language and being able to use the language in daily basis not only in school but also in social gatherings, homes and play area would make their children more appealing and would excel academically. To answer those questions, enlighten peoples’ mentalities and  to clearly understand the underlying effect of the benefits mother tongue based education offers; let us first see the theories that would explain the scientific workings of language in several context. Under the theories of Language and Cognition as described by Cummin (1981) he clearly illustrated under the Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP) that the basis for st udents to further learn a new language or L2 is the cognition and language fundamentals that student’s learned from their primary language or L1. In other words, if a student has a strong foundation and is competent in their L1, they are most likely to be competent in the acquisition of a second language, the L2. The Common Underlying Proficiency or CUP serves as the central operation system of both languages L1 and L2, Cummin (1981). In short, if there is comprehension on the water cycle in their L1, that formulated knowledge transfers to the comprehension of water cycle in another language or L2. In the Philippines’ case let us say that the water cycle as discussed in Bisaya (mother tongue used in Cebu) is learned it is of close certainty that learning the same context discussed in English (students’ L2) would also be learned by the students. Linguistic knowledge, as well as skills such as summarizing chapters, can also transfer between languages, Freeman & Freeman (2004). The results of many recent studies suggest that bilingualism can positively affect both intellectual and linguistic progress. These studies have reported that bilingual children exhibit a greater sensitivity to linguistic meanings and may be more flexible in their thinking than are monolingual children (Cumm ins and Swain, 1986; Diaz, 1986; Hakuta and Diaz, 1985; Ricciardelli, 1989). Most of these studies have investigated aspects of children’s metalinguistic development; in other words, children’s explicit knowledge about the structure and functions of language itself. Another concept under Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and consisting of the language skills that enables students to communicate in everyday social contexts at home or in group, Diaz- Rico & Weed (2006) and consists of more social cues, such as wave or a smile when a friend or acquaintance is seen, or a nod from a teacher or parent to affirm that the child is doing a good job. Since it is context embedded, L2 learners tend to develop it within 2 years; much more quickly than Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). CALP can be seen of as academic, or school language and requires more complex thought  process such as categorizing and analyzing. It focuses more on â€Å"abstract and decontextualized† Diaz- Rico & Weed (2010), higher- order thinking skills are required from students in this aspect, since the lack of context clues that CALP provides, it can take up to five years for English Language Learners or L2 to develop. An important characteristic of the bilingual children in the more recent studies (conducted since the early 1960’s) is that, for the most part, they were developing what has been termed an additive form of bilingualism (Lambert, 1975); in other words, they were adding another language which is English as their second language to their repertory skills at no cost or disadvantage of their first language but instead these children were in the process of attaining high level of fluency and literacy in both of their two languages. To further develop such skills what teachers could do is to encourage students to keep reading stories, articles or animations in their native language for fun, or even talk about their day in school with their parents, guardians, friends and/ or social circle in their native language, and in order to allow for the development of BICS, teachers need to give students time to socialize throughout the school day. This time could be during a work time or even just at lunch and on the playground. Without many opportunities to communicate socially, English Language Learners will struggle with basic language development. In the aspect of the development of CALP in an English Language Learner is one that will take more time and thought on the part of the teacher. When introducing content-specific language in the classroom, it is helpful to provide student with visuals and realia as much as possible. Giving students the opportunity to visually picture the concept will aid their understanding. When the concept is more abstract, as is the case with more upper-leveled grades, resources such as charts, graphs and graphic organizers may be particularly helpful in the development of CALP. Cummins himself says that â€Å"not only does maintenance of L1 helps students to communicate with parents and grandparents in their families, and increase the collective linguistic competence of the entire society, it enhances the intellectual and academic resources of individual bilingual students†Ã‚  Cummins (2000). Children use language in social context, especially in building relationships, exchanging information, thinking and with the play of words and in communicating while learning. We know today that the ability to communicate is prior to linguistic development: before producing words to communicate, babies start to babble or show signs in order to communicate to their caregivers or family; then they start to name people and things around them to exchange information and make sense and meaning of the world they are in. As they continue to develop, their language develops and they become more sophisticated communicators; from then on their personality develops and when they go to school they start playing with other children and cooperating and use their language(s) to interact with peers and adults and to learn. Therefore, children need language to socialize, to communicate, to understand the world and to learn. As Harding and Riley (1986) write: â€Å"A child learning a language is learning about the world, about how it is organised and how it works. This is very different from the adult learning a second language who tends to work the other way round: he brings his world with him and uses the language to try to express it.† When placed in a bilingual or multilingual setting, children are going to learn in that context through their first language or L1 and that it is important to acknowledge several facts around L1: that is the language acquired from home and from birth to their social cir cle and it does not stop by the time children enter school. And that the additional language would not develop and progress similarly with L1 since L1 is already pre- existing. As a teacher, one should always remember that just because a student speaks English well on the playground, does not mean their CALP language is fluent. A teacher should encourage students to continue to read regularly in their native language, so that they can transfer these skills into English. As Cummins (2000) states: â€Å"Conceptual knowledge developed in one language helps to make input in the other language comprehensible. If a child already understands the concepts of â€Å"justice† or â€Å"honesty† in her own language, all she has to do is acquire the label for these terms in English. She has a far more difficult task, however, if she has to acquire both the label and the concept in her second language† Shoebottom (1996- 2012). Another tactic teachers can use is to allow students to work in groups with other who speak the same native language. Teachers could allow students to talk among  themselves, use pictures or dictionaries if they don’t understand something. Teach all students the vocabulary before starting an new unit, this can benefit the entire class. Never judge a student for not unde rstanding something taught to them in their L2. It had been noticeable that almost anywhere the minorities are taken for granted. They are expected, if not required to assimilate to the socio- political edifices, social practices, and the social standards which are mostly built by the majority. Even then the majority still treats them less than equal, if not less than human. And with regards to the minority in the aspect of language in the Philippines, this particular learning initiative is ideal to the schools who caters to disabled students and also to students who have special needs. And with this new program which is the MTB- MLE it is most likely to enhance and help them make meaning to the concepts and topics that are being introduced, it would eliminate one aspect of understanding the word, their only concern by then is understanding the concept since they already understand the language use in the introduction of the content, thus making it easier for them and making it personal and relatable. Since the aim of mainstreaming is to let students with special needs learn at par with regular students, this learning initiative would enhance that aim and would fully immerse students with special needs in the â€Å"regular world† it would also put them at par with the reality that regular students are in. This learning initiative would help these marginalized minorities through supporting the use of their mother tongue and helping them make sense of the words and the world they are in. In line with the salient features of this MTB- MLE learning initiative, this would be powerful in the development of their language literacy, thus providing them with a strong educational foundation on their first language and bridging it in learning another language either the Filipino language or the English language and also, enabling them to use both or all languages in their own discretion, and given that students with special needs find it challenging in transferring concepts and instantly making meaning on concepts compared to regular students, this learning initiative would put their mother tongue as their solid foundation in figuring out the meaning of  each topic and the concept introduced, making it less stressful and difficult. Another feature that was presented focused on Cognitive development of students and learners, and with MTB- MLE learning initiative it is based on the child or students’ own known environment and bridges their world to the wider world so as the concept of â€Å"Known to Unknown† and the build- up of higher order thinking skills as to where they are capable of doing, may it be figuring out money change, or deciding as to where the safest part of the road to cross; and the understanding concepts learned through their mother tongue would then be transferred in another language, and making it less confusing since there is already prior knowledge and familiarity o the concept. In the aspect of social development, since these minorities have difficulty with regards to their social skills, this learning initiative would enable them to make it less threatening and intimidating for them to engage themselves in social circles, practices and activities, may it be joining a person or two in the playground and engaging in a simple play or social gathering. MTB- MLE enables these students to use their known culture and enabling them to immediately comprehend social practices, activities and realities based on their known world outside those in school—their known world at home, encouraging them to interact and share what they usually do at home since the language used at home, is the same language used in school, activities and social practices in their learning environment. And the last salient feature discussed in this learning initiative is academic development, through MTB- MLE learning initiative, students with special needs are able to make meaning of what the teacher is saying since the language used is their mother tongue, the language most likely they use at home and are familiar to them. And also, it would allow this minority to be well prepared to achieve well in the mainstream education system as what most parents aspire their children to achieve. The learning experience of students with special needs would most likely be enhanced with this learning initiative since it is basing the acquisition of concepts, topics, context and ideas in their known language and allowing immediate acceptance to these concepts since the language used is already an experienced everyday activity. It would limit special needs students’ intimidation, threat and hesitation in engaging themselves socially, academically and emotionally, since they could clearly see that their fellow  students, as well as teachers are using the same known language with regards to teaching and learning, and putting them on the same standard as of the other regular students, also allowing the minimal feel on the difference of regular students and special needs students. This learning initiative would most likely encourage students to achieve more are would not make big concepts in different subjects intimidating since the language used are non- threatening to them, this would allow them to relate their everyday reality to the reality nationally, internationally and globally. Upon having a solid foundation on their mother tongue, students are also able to retain their local identity and national identity at the same time being able to find their global identity thus giving them a key to fully experience the world outside their known world through the help of worldwide web, media, and global activities. Though this learning initiative is very ideal to the marginalized minority which is towards students with special needs under mainstream program; this learning initiative poses a challenge to its proponents, especially the teachers, since being the product of the old education system which uses English as the medium of instruction and mother tongue was not in the picture in the whole education process, teachers would find it a constant challenge to cultivate their known mother tongue and use it in their teaching practices, learning once again how to write in their mother tongue at the same time being critical with the syntax and technicalities when it comes to the grammar in their mother tongue, since one could not directly translate English sentences to one’s mother tongue due to its arrangement and syntax. Teachers have to shift to what they have known, used and practiced in their education as well as their profession, it is a shift to learning and entertaining their mother tongue and incorporating it to their instruction; it would mean relearning terminologies and changes in outlines, instructional materials, resources, references, educational strategies and practices; these challenges are to be faced head on and demands consistency and result from stakeholders such as schools, parents, students and the government. This learning initiative is properly introduced and practiced, it would make a difference not only to the marginalized minority but also to the other students especially those who are struggling academically, and since theories involving L2 acquisition shows that having a solid foundation on L1 does not hinder any academic  performance rather than it supports and enhances the students understanding of concepts since the language used is their home language, the language that they have been familiar since birth, the language that they have learned to make meaning on this outside their academic world. The successful practice of this learning initiative would bring about better comprehending students, better learners, enhancement of higher order thinking skills, life skills and whole rounded learners. It would also promote unity in different localities in the same region, unity in schools and not having that glaring difference on status basing on the language spoken, unity in public a nd private school sectors, unity and uniformity in concepts taught. And as a teacher, I am moved to respond to this learning initiative by furthering and widening my skills and knowledge on my mother tongue since I personally am not confident to teach my mother tongue, since I grew up in an English speaking environment and in a family that used English in almost always at home. I am challenged to relearn my mother tongue and to have full command of my local language, and since the country is already adapting to MTB- MLE it is my responsibility as a future teacher to make into reality the aims and features of this learning initiative, making the learning experience personal to my future students and learners even if there are more than 30 students in a class, it is my responsibility to make sure that my future students would confidently be able to make sense and meaning to what I am conveying and saying with regards to teaching concepts, and also carry with it the encouragement for unity, uniformity and decrease the fear of being different in terms of understanding the language. Since this learning initiative is fairly a new concept to some, it is also my responsibility to share the beauty and its advantages, in the whole educational experience of a learner, it is my responsibility to make it known to others of the weight of such learning initiative in the enhancement and development of whole rounded learners and life- long learners. References Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA), 2010. BESRA Key Reform Thrust 3: Influential social institutions and key social processes are engaged by DepED to support national scale attainment of desired learning outcomes. Retrieved from http://www.fnf.org.ph/downloadables/Basic%20Education%20Sector%20Reform%20Agenda.pdf Cruz, Isagani 2011. Grading P- Noy. PhilSTAR.com the Filipino Global Community. Retrieved from http://www.philstar.com/education-and-home/708011/grading-p-noy Cummins, J. & Swain, M. (1986). Bilingualism in education: Aspects of theory, research and practice. London: Longman. Cummins, J. (1981) Bilingualism and minority language children. Ontario; Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Cummins, J. (2000) Language, Power and Pedgogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Diaz, R. M. (1986). Bilingual cognitive development: Addressing three gaps in current research. Child Development, 56, 1376-1388. Dà ­az-Rico, L. T. & Weed, K. Z. (2006). The cross-cultural, language, and academic development handbook, fourth edition. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Diaz-Rico, L. T. & Weed, K. Z. (2010). The crosscultural language, and academic development handbook: A complete K-12 reference guide(4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Freeman, D. E. & Freeman, Y. S. (2004). Essential linguistics: What you need to know to teach reading, ESL, spelling, phonics, and grammar. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Hakuta, K. & Diaz, R. M. (1985). The relationship between degree of bilingualism and cognitive ability: A critical discussion and some new longitudinal data. In K. E. Nelson (Ed.), Children’s language, Vol. 5. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Erlbaum. Harding, E. & Ri ley, P. 1986. The bilingual family: a handbook for parents. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lambert, W. E. (1975). Culture and language as factors in learning and education. In A. Wolfgang (Ed.), Education of immigrant students. Toronto: O.I.S.E. Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.) 2013. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Seventeenth edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Retrieved from http://www.ethnologue.com Official Gazette of the Philippines (n.d). K-12 Basic Education Program: Salient Features. Retrieved from http://www.gov.ph/k-12/#Features Philippine Constitution 1987, Article XIV Sec 7: Education, Science and Technology, Arts , Culture and Sports. Retrieved from http://www.lawphil.net/consti/cons1987.html Ricciardelli, L. (1989). Childhood bilingualism: Metalinguistic awareness