Why Is the Crucible so Called Essay - 2321 Words

How is #8216;The Crucible#8217; appropriately titled? The word #8216;crucible#8217; is used by Arthur Miller in his play as a metaphor. The first definition of the word crucible is: a melting pot especially for metals. In the play this is first acknowledged during the first act, as we gradually piece together the information concerning the girls dancing. The #8216;kettle#8217; viewed by Reverend Parris mirrors a crucible. We are told that the girls had made a brew which contained a little frog and blood is therefore viewed by the characters involved as a potent, fearsome mixture and this signifies the beginning of the Salem tragedy. It seems that from this #8216;brew#8217; a more sinister force is released. The dancing and†¦show more content†¦The pressures show in the people many of whom become hysterical. The play examines the permanent conditions of the climate of hysteria and the consequences. The situation escalates and we watch the strange moral alchemy by which t he accused become inviolable; the disrepute which overtakes the testimony of simple intelligence; the insistence on public penance; the willingness to absolve if guilt is confessed. The etymology of the word crucible also has direct connotations with the play. The word is devrived from the Latin Crucibulum, with the first part of the Latin being similar to the Latin word Crux (a cross). This is linked to the play in several ways. Firstly, the play is written around the story of a good hardworking man, John Proctor whom however is a sinner. The play is concerned with the changes taking place in his life leading to his decision to hang, his vicissitude. He does not want to save himself by sullying the good names of others. The events of the play are really the crossroads of his life in the way that he must either between saving his life, with lies or dying for what he really believes in and finding his truth. He finds this very difficult and says to his wife towards the end of the play #8216;Let Rebecca go like a saint, for me it is a fraud#8217;. He feels because he is already a sinner he will goShow MoreRelated Why Is The Crucible So Called Essay2263 Words   |  10 Pages How is The Crucible appropriately titled? The word crucible is used by Arthur Miller in his play as a metaphor. The first definition of the word crucible is: a melting pot especially for metals. In the play this is first acknowledged during the first act, as we gradually piece together the information concerning the girls dancing. The kettle viewed by Reverend Parris mirrors a crucible. We are told that the girls had made a brew which contained a little frog and blood is therefore viewedRead MoreArthur Millers The Crucible And The Second Red Scare1293 Words   |  6 Pages In Arthur Miller’s â€Å"Why I Wrote The Crucible†, Miller connects The Crucible and the Second Red Scare by highlighting his process of writing which in return displays the two different time era’s similarities. He states, â€Å"[W]hen I began to think of writing about the hunt for Reds in America, I was motivated in some great part by the paralysis that had set in among many liberals who, despite their discomfort with the inquisito rs’ violations of civil rights, were fearful†¦of being identified as Communists†Read MoreEssay On The Red Scare Allegory For The Crucible878 Words   |  4 PagesRed scare allegory for the crucible The salem witch hunts and the Red Scare caused big problems and death in the U.S. In 1950 everyone was scared that communism would spread to the united states and McCarthy wanted to get rid of all communist in the united states but instead accused innocent citizens. In salem 1692 multiple girls were out in the woods dancing and were thought to be possessed and working with the devil. Girls accused many citizens in salem claiming they were witches and causingRead More McCarthyism versus The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay example1174 Words   |  5 Pagesschools, and other areas. This was called the Red Scare (Brinkley). One writer that used this era as a basis for his play, The Crucible, was Arthur Miller. He was able to capture the panic and mere insanity of many Americans in an allegorical way. The crusade against subversion played a significant role in the following: the actions and tactics of McCarthy, the reasons why Miller and other artists were targets of McCarthyism, and th e relationship of his play The Crucible to the events of the late 1940sRead MoreThe Crucible Response Essay930 Words   |  4 PagesArthur Miller’s â€Å"The Crucible† was written in response to the United States and Russia Red Scare. Miller used the â€Å"The Crucible† to inform people of how hysteria of the Salem witch trials resembled the communist accusations happening within the American government. At the time, McCarthy’s â€Å"witch hunts† for communist committing sedition. As opposed to the Red Scare, â€Å"The Crucible† started due to an actual witch craft incident. The Red Scare however, began due to real accounts of treason and communismRead MoreEssay Compared To The Crucible736 Words   |  3 PagesIn Arthur Miller book, â€Å"The Crucible† the government accused people of McCarthyism and during the red scare people were accused of communism. During the years of 1692-1693 people accused of witchcraft were hung by the jury with no remorse. The comparison between the two is that Arthur Miller wrote a play to compare to the Salem Witch Trials. Within The Red Scare if people were accused of being a communist then they would be blacklisted. When blacklisted you would lose your job and become pretty muchRead More The Parallels Between Arthur Millers Life and His Play, The Crucible1486 Words   |  6 Pageshappened many years ago—and write about it effectively. Only one has had the courage and intelligence to do both. Arthur Miller was an American author who wrote plays, essays, and stories and has published works dating from to 1936 through 2004. The Crucible, one of his most famous plays, premiered in New York on January 22, 1953 (InfoTrac). It is a historical-fiction story set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The witch hunt described in this play is similar to the Red Scare, an anti-communist movementRead MoreCrucible Vs Mccarthyism Essay1297 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom being questioned or accused. The act of doing so was later called McCarthyism. This relates to the play called the crucible in many ways. The play was written by Arthur Miller and famous play writer. This was a famous play because he published during the time of communism accusations. The play talks about people having a rare sickness that is caused by doing witchcraft. It relates well to McCarthyism because people where telling on each other so that they wouldn t get stoned or punished. ArthurRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesTrust, Honor and Faith is what is questioned in Arthur Miller â€Å"The Crucible†. The Crucible is about the Salem witch trials. Several young girls claim to be afflicted by witchcraft. The afflicted girls accuse people in the town of witchcraft, often choosing victims who they or their families dislike. The main antagonist Abigail Williams with the other girl’s accusations resulted in the arrests and death of many people in the community of Salem. Arthur Miller wrote this play during the time of theRead MoreHysteria And Lies In The Crucible Analysis946 Words   |  4 PagesEvangeline Run Mr. Young English 11CP 22 October 2017 Hysteria and Lies and Deceit The Crucible â€Å"Those who lie, twist life so that it looks tasty to the lazy, brilliant to the ignorant, and powerful to the weak.†-Jose N. Harris. Arthur Miller the author of the play called The Crucible sets in the town of Salem, Massachusetts which was populated by the Puritans who hanged twenty innocent people in 1692. Miller wants to make the point that the theme of Lies and Deceits makes people lie to benefit themselves

Why Is Humanities Important - 3163 Words

There are many reasons that humanities is taught. Humanities play its largest role in culture, and our understanding of it. There are certain things that it s believed people will be better off for knowing. A lot of great works of literature fall into that category. The biggest ones are especially important because they haven t stopped coming up. These works are continuously referenced. Another reason that humanities is taught is because it helps people express themselves better, and have a broader base from which to do so. If most of us have read and memorized the punishments in the Inferno than most people would understand. But the basic idea is that by studying humanities we ll communicate and understand each other better. And while memorizing these infernal punishments may seem tedious, if looked at pragmatically it s really not that difficult. The punishments are poetic, and usually make some degree of sense for the crime.. I have a similar issue with Math and Life Science cours es. It’s complicated when the cell structures won t affect my daily life at all. It has to do with the way we process the world. What s useless to you is very important to me, and maybe the opposite is true as well. And that s reason enough for both of us to at least try to suffer through our tortures with a smile and positive outlook for a better outcome in the day. Because just a little understanding of what s important to each other will make life better for both of us, and will helpShow MoreRelatedThe Humanities And Its Impact On Education Essay1750 Words   |  7 Pagesinstitutions are cutting the humanities from curricula. According to Nussbaum, our nation and those like it are economically hungry and are pushing technical careers instead. She disputes that a decrease in the humanities will cause a loss in free thinking, and therefore a loss of democracy. Her argument is based off of her theory that without the humanities, citizens become soulless, mechanical, and p rofit-making machines. This theory is based off the notion that the humanities are continuing to beRead MoreEssay about The Study of Anthropology and the Humanities1361 Words   |  6 Pages The humanities are a broad multidisciplinary field of study where its disciplines aren’t in just one department. Therefore, studying the humanities correlates to the study of anthropology. Simply put, anthropology is the study of humanity and the origins of human beings. Learning about the humanities can help those studying anthropology because the humanities looks into understanding and exploring the human condition. There is an idea of culture that is used to describe what humans do. AnthropologyRead MoreApplied Anthropology: Domains of Application Essay1502 Words   |  7 Pagesany other specialized field of anthropology. All can have an effect on human culture and relationships, but all have their benefits and harms that can behoove or dismay a human individual in their fie ld of study. The study of humanity is unfortunately as fallible as humanity itself, and to gage what applied anthropology actually is—we must understand the harms and benefits of the many different approaches. To me, applied anthropology is just the analysis of the way humans function as a whole andRead MoreHumanity: A Moral History of the 20th Century by Jonathan Glover1325 Words   |  6 Pagesin history. Why do words such as Hiroshima, Rwanda, The Final Solution, A Great Leap Forward, The Great Purge and so many more spark such vivid images of blood, torture and murder in our minds? And despite those horrific images, what is it that causes us humans time and time again to commit such crimes against humanity? Those are the kinds of questions Jonathan Glover, a critically acclaimed ethics philosopher, tries to answer in the book he had spent over ten years writing, Humanity: A Moral HistoryRead MoreAfrica The Home Of Humanity1253 Words   |  6 PagesAfrica the Home of Humanity Human origins, evolution, and diffusion are important for understanding the history of Africa. African historians take pride in the fact that Africa is most certainly the birthplace of humanity. There is evidence showing that humanity began in Africa by remains left behind by human groups and societies. They have retrieved fossils of living organisms, and even written records, like cave drawings. Dating back millions of years ago Africa provides the best time lineRead MoreWhat Are Ten Ways We Can Build Support For The Humanities?975 Words   |  4 Pagesways we can build support for the humanities? When looking at your television, computer, or any source of information you can also see what celebrities or people that have foundations for people in need. Humanitarians do so much for the world that sometimes they do not get the recognition on what they do. In the article it states ten different ways that people can do to support others in humanitarian work. Early childhood education is a good way to support humanities because as they get older they willRead MoreThe Elements Of Human History In Briar Rose By Jane Yolen1046 Words   |  5 PagesHistory has elements of evil, it reveals the cruelest capabilities of humanity and reaches the limit of imagination. Jane Yolen’s, Briar Rose, retells a part of the tragedies during the Holocaust and captures the evil history possesses. Jane Yolen recreates the Grimm Brothers’, Briar Rose, through metaphor she describes the impact of the Holocaust on family’s decades past. Rebecca, the protagonist, throughout her childh ood is told the fairy-tale Briar Rose by her grandmother, Gemma, at her deathbedRead MoreCriticism Of The Humanities769 Words   |  4 Pagesare many criticisms of the humanities and counter arguments against those criticisms. This response will attempt the explain value of studying the humanities, and the criticisms of humanities. According to the dictionary humanities is learning or literature concerned with human culture, especially literature, history, art, music, and philosophy. Through exploration of these subjects, we have found that humanities has played an important role in the world overall. Humanities gives us the ability to gainRead MoreWhy Evil Exists Essay1172 Words   |  5 PagesWhy Evil Exists After the World War II and the Holocaust, many Jewish and Christian people were left wondering why God would let such a thing happen. Many felt estranged, as if God had somehow abandoned them in their most desperate time of need. The world needed an explanation as to why God would let such a thing happen to his so-called children. This need for an explanation of why evil exists in a world that is supposed to have been created by an all-powerful and all-loving God hasRead MoreThe Writing Of Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince And Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan Essay1656 Words   |  7 PagesPrimarily, I will begin by explaining each of the authors’ approaches to obtaining and maintaining political stability; I will then identify the differences in their approaches. Secondly, I will discuss and compare each of their ideologies concerning humanity and then I will be highlighting their commonalities on the subject. Lastly, a conclusion will be provided consisting of my opinion. Thomas Hobbes notes, â€Å"The Passions that encline men to Peace, are Feare of Death; Desire of such things as are necessary

Essay about Social Issues Presented in Jeannette Walls Memoir, The Glass Castle Essay Example For Students

Essay about Social Issues Presented in Jeannette Walls Memoir, The Glass Castle Essay There are several different social issues presented in Jeannette Wall’s memoir â€Å"The Glass Castle.† These issues included neglect – medical and education, unsanitary living conditions, homelessness, unemployment, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, discrimination, mental health issues, physical and sexual abuse, hunger and poverty. Poverty was one of the major key issues addressed in this memoir. Poverty is referred to as the inability to provide for one basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, medical etc. Walls (2005), stated that at times they would go days without eating and would keep their hunger to themselves, but always thought of ways to get their hands on some food. She further stated that â€Å"At lunchtime, when other kids unwrapped their sandwiches or brought their hot meals, Brian and I would get out a book and read†¦..I told people that I had forgotten my lunch {but} no one believed me, so I started hiding in the bathroom {stall} during lunch hour†¦.When other girls came in and threw away their lunch bags in the garbage pail, I’d retrieved them and return to the stall and polished of my tasty finds † The major thesis addressed by the author, detailed the struggles she faced throughout her childhood with an alcoholic father and a selfish mother who cared more about her art and happiness than that of her children’s. Alcohol misuse can affect all aspects of family functioning: social life, finances, good communication, relationships between family members, parenting capability, employment and health issues , It also has a strong correlation with conflicts, disputes and domestic violence which can leave a damaging effect on children. Alcohol misuse often times change the roles played by family member. .Garbarino (1992), â€Å"Human services encompasses a broad range of activities, programs and agencies designed to meet the physical, intellectual, and social-emotional needs of individuals and families.† . As a Child Protective worker, my responsibilities are to assess safety (immediate),risk (future harm), abuse and maltreatment, make a determination as to whether a child is safe or at risk of future harm and assess the need for services. The child welfare worker assigned to investigate the case failed to ensure the above. Works Cited Downs-Whitelaw, S. , Moore, E., , E. J. (2009). Child welfare and family services: Policies and practice, USA: Parson Education Inc. Garbarino, J. (1992). Children and families in the social environment, New York, NY: Walter De Gruyter Inc. Walls, J. (2005). The glass castle, New York, NY: SCRIBNER.

United States Vrs Gambino Essays - Gambino Crime Family,

United States Vrs Gambino Gambino v. United States Argued Oct 12 and 13th 1927 Decided Dec. 12 1927 SUMMARY On August 1, 1924 Gambino and Lima were both arrested by two New York state troopers . They were driving near the Canadian border when their car was searched with out a warrant and intoxicating liquor was found and was taken. The liquor and other property taken was immediately turned over to a Federal deputy collector of customs for prosecution in the Federal court for Northern New York. Both Gambino and Lima were charged with conspiracy to transport the liquor in violation with the national prohibition act. The defense argued that the search without a warrant and no probable cause was in conflict with the Constitution Amendments four,five, and six. The motion was denied which meant that was no excuse and the liquor was then brought into the trial as evidence. Both Lima and Gambino were found guilty and were sentenced to fine and imprisonment. The case was taken to appeals court where they affirmed the verdict and neither court delivered an opinion. This court was granted a writ of certiorari. The government contended that the New York state troopers at the time were agents of the United States. The defendants contend that their was no probable cause and that the state troopers are to be deemed agents of the United States because section 26 of the prohibition act imposes the duty of arrest and seizure where liquor is being illegally transported. They also argued that state and federal agents were working together which in that case evidence obtained through wrongful search and seizure by state officials CO-operating with federal agents must be excluded. But it was held admissible and the idea was excluded from the case because their wasnt a federal agent present at the search and seizure. Therefor the only way the fourth, fifth, and sixth amendments could be applied to the case was if a federal office had aided the arrest. The only evidence against Gambino and Lima was the liquor which if thrown out they would have been found innocent that being the only evidence that could have prosecuted them for any crime. Gambino didnt have much of a chance even though many unreasonable search and seizure are admitted to lower federal courts but only 3 cases had been found where it had been seriously contended. The verdict was made mostly on the fact that federal officers did not have relation to the state officers who made the search and seizure the only way the liquor would have been thrown out is if federal officers aided the state officers. One of the officers had been stationed on the Canadian border for 18 months previous to the arrest. AFFECT ON SOCIETY The affect on society delt allot with freedom from the government which the constitution is supposed to protect you from unreasonable government acts. I didnt quite understand what their probable cause was but it didnt seem to me unless Gambino or Lima had been intoxicated that they would have had probable cause . It made people more especially crime families that thrived in that time that police could have their was with the fourth amendment as well as the fifth. I didnt see what the sixth played because they were given a fair trial excluding the fact that the alcohol was brought in as evidence but that was the whole case without that their was no crime. Society probable was all for it because it hurt organized crime which ran parts of society in the twenties. Legal Issues

Understanding the German Article and Pronoun Ihr

Understanding the German Article and Pronoun Ihr Often at times German learners are confused about „ihrâ€Å" (and friends). No wonder because entering „ihrâ€Å" into google translate provides us with the following list: hertheiryour (Sir/Ma’am)to heryou-all If I have five options to choose from in any other than my native language, I’d be confused too. Luckily I grew up with German. But you probably have not been so fortunate (from a language learning point of view of course) so let me bring some light into your darkness. The problem is the missing awareness regarding the differences between an article and a pronoun.   If I segregate the above list of possible translations into these two categories things will get a bit clearer already:       Article                               Pronoun      her (car)                            to her (can’t put „carâ€Å" here      their (car)                         you all (can’t put „carâ€Å" here)      your (Sir/Ma’am)                   A few examples:   Ã‚     Ihre Mutter kommt am Wochenende zu Besuch.  Ã‚  Ã‚     Her / Their / Your mother comes to visit this weekend.  Ã‚  Ã‚      Notice that there’s no difference in „ihreâ€Å" whether you say „herâ€Å", „theirâ€Å" or „yourâ€Å".   Ã‚     Ich gebe ihr einen Kuss.         Ã‚  Ã‚      I give her a kiss  Ã‚      There is no noun after „ihrâ€Å"   Ã‚     Ihr kà ¶nnt hier nicht bleiben.            Ã‚  Ã‚     You (people) can’t stay here.  Ã‚     Ã‚   There is no noun after „ihrâ€Å" If you are able to distinguish an article from a pronoun, you improve your chances of making the right choice. Do you know what the difference between these two is? An article is never on it’s own. It is always (!) accompanied by a noun (words that can have   Ã‚     a „theâ€Å" in front of them like „the carâ€Å"). Articles come in various forms: der, ein-, mein-, dies-,  welch-, kein-A pronoun stands pro-noun i.e. for a noun which means that it makes any noun redundant.   With „ihrâ€Å" this is a bit tricky but let me take another pronoun to illustrate this.   Ã‚     Ã¢â‚¬Å¾sein Autoâ€Å"  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     vs  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ihn  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   his car                                        him (car?) Testing your understanding Can you identify the pronouns and the articles in the following sentences?   Ã‚     Sie fragte ihren Mann nach seiner Meinung.  Ã‚     Aber ihr Mann antwortete ihr nicht.  Ã‚     She asked her husband for his opinion.                But her husband didn’t answer her.       [Scroll down to the end of this article to find the answer.] Did you find all pronouns and articles? Good. Then let’s move on. Endings Now what’s with the endings? Articles as well as pronouns can have endings and those depend on the noun that they are accompanying or replacing. Two examples:   Ã‚     Kennst du ihren Mann?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do you know her husband?  Ã‚     Nein, ihren kenne ich nicht, aber deinen.      No, hers I don’t know, but yours. You will have noticed that the article „ihren (Mann)â€Å" as well as the pronoun „ihrenâ€Å" do both have the same ending as they both refer to „Mannâ€Å". Grammatically speaking „Mannâ€Å" is masculine and stands in the accusative case. But looking at the English translation you will realize that there is a clear difference between those as a comparison of „herâ€Å" and „hersâ€Å" show. So far it even seems that it doesn’t matter at all whether we have an article in front of us or a pronoun. That calls for one more example:   Ã‚     Magst du ihr Auto?  Ã‚     Do you like her car?   Ã‚     Nein, ihres mag ich nicht, aber deins.      No, hers I don’t like, but yours. And now we finally have a difference. The following table should illustrate the differences in another form:                                 Article                         Pronoun masculine       ihr.x Mann                  ihrer neuter                ihr.x Auto                     ihres feminine          ihre Freundin             ihre plural                  ihre Freundinnen    ihre Another interesting observation is that a pronoun always has an article ending while an article at times doesnt (ihr.x Mann).  This is due to the fact that there are three cases in which there is no ending at the end of an article:                                    masc.  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     neuter  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     feminine  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     plural Nominative  Ã‚     ein                   ein  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚      Accusative                                 ein Dative Genitive In these three cases the following articles do not get an ending:  ein, mein (and all articles of the same family: dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, ihr), kein In all other cases they always have an ending which corresponds with those of the pronouns. Summary To summarize: articles and pronouns often  look alike and can only be distinguished by their companion or a lack of it.article- and pronoun endings only differ in three cases (see last table)pronouns replace a noun and therefore are never found directly next to a noun This video helps you a bit  with the basic (personal) pronouns, er, es and sie. Là ¶sung from above:   Ã‚     Sie (pronoun) fragte ihren Mann (article) nach seiner Meinung (article).   Ã‚  Ã‚     Aber ihr Mann (article) antwortete ihr (pronoun) nicht.

Platos Crito Guide and Synopsis

Plato's 'Crito' Guide and Synopsis Platos dialogue Crito is a composition originating in 360 B.C.E. that depicts a conversation between Socrates and his rich friend Crito in a prison cell in Athens in the year 399 B.C.E. The dialogue covers the topic of justice, injustice and the appropriate response to both. By setting forth an argument appealing to rational reflection rather than emotional response, the character of Socrates explains the ramifications and justifications of a prison escape for the two friends. Plot Synopsis The setting for Platos dialog Crito  is Socrates prison cell in Athens in 399 B.C.E. A few weeks earlier Socrates had been found guilty of corrupting the youth with irreligion and sentenced to death.  He received the sentence with his usual equanimity, but his friends are desperate to save him. Socrates has been spared so far because Athens does not carry out executions while the annual mission it sends to Delos to commemorate Theseus legendary victory over the minotaur is still away. However, the mission is expected back in the next day or so. Knowing this, Crito has come to urge Socrates to escape while there is still time. To Socrates, escape is certainly a viable option. Crito is rich; the guards can be bribed; and if Socrates were to escape and flee to another city, his prosecutors wouldnt mind.  In effect, he would have gone into exile, and that would probably be good enough for them. Crito lays out several reasons for why he should escape including that their enemies would think his friends were too cheap or timid to arrange for him to escape, that he would be giving his enemies what they want by dying and that he has a responsibility to his children to not leave them fatherless. Socrates responds by saying, first of all, that how one acts should be decided by rational reflection, not by appeals to emotion. This has always been his approach, and he is not going to abandon it just because his circumstances have changed. He dismisses out of hand Critos anxiety about what other people will think. Moral questions should not be referred to the opinion of the majority; the only opinions that matter are the opinions of those who possess moral wisdom and really understand the nature of virtue and justice. In the same way, he pushes aside such considerations as how much escaping would cost, or how likely it is that the plan would succeed. Such questions are all utterly irrelevant.  The only question that matters is: would trying to escape be morally right or morally wrong? Argument For Morality Socrates, therefore, constructs an argument for the morality of escaping by saying that first, one is never justified in doing what is morally wrong, even in self-defense or in retaliation for an injury or injustice suffered. Further, it is always wrong to break an agreement one has made. In this, Socrates posits that he has made an implicit agreement with Athens and its laws because he has enjoyed seventy years of all the good things they provide including security, social stability, education, and culture.  Before his arrest, he further posits he never found fault with any of the laws or tried to change them, nor has he left the city to go and live somewhere else. Instead, he has chosen to spend his whole life living in Athens and enjoying the protection of its laws. Escaping would, therefore, be a breach of his agreement to the laws of Athens and it would, in fact, be worse: it would be an act that threatens to destroy the authority of the laws. Therefore, Socrates states that to try to avoid his sentence by escaping from prison would be morally wrong. Respect for the Law The crux of the argument is made memorable by being put into the mouth of the Laws of Athens who Socrates imagines personified and coming to question him about the idea of escaping. Furthermore, subsidiary arguments are embedded in the main arguments outlined above. For instance, the Laws claim that citizens owe them the same sort of obedience and respect that children owe their parents. They also paint a picture of how things would appear if Socrates, the great moral philosopher who has spent his life talking so earnestly about virtue, to don a ridiculous disguise and run away to another city just to secure a few more years of life. The argument that those who benefit from the state and its laws have a duty to respect those laws even when doing so seems against their immediate self-interest is cogent, easy to grasp and is probably still accepted by most people today. The idea that the citizens of a state, by living there, make an implicit covenant with the state, has also been tremendously influential and is a central tenet of social contract theory as well as popular immigration policies with respect to freedom of religion. Running through the whole dialog, though, one hears the same argument that Socrates gave to the jurors at his trial. He is who he is: a philosopher engaged in the pursuit of truth and the cultivation of virtue. He is not going to change, regardless of what other people think of him or threaten to do to him. His whole life exhibits a distinctive integrity, and he is determined that it will stay that way to the very end, even if it means staying in prison until his death

Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Relationship Management - Essay Example The intention of this study is relationship Management. It is about attracting, maintaining and enhancing the relationships between an organization and its customers. This marketing strategy came about as a result of the effects of low growth rate and deregulation which made it necessary for organization to determine how they could maintain their existing customer base instead of developing new ones. Relationship marketing involves using satisfied customers as a way for attracting n0ew customers. This means using the element of customer loyalty to gain strength in a new market, which calls for interaction between an organization and its customers, wherein it is necessary for both parties to share the same philosophy to successfully interact. The power of relationship marketing is seen in its unique feature of trying to establish a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship between an organization and its customer. In order to do this, relationship marketing focuses on gaining as much knowledge as possible on customer preferences and implementing these preferences into product and service design. â€Å"Relationship marketing is a long term orientation, all marketing activities directed toward establishing, developing, and maintaining successful relational exchanges†. In we need to understand how relationship marketing can benefit an organization we need to see how different it is from transactional marketing.  

Crime and Delinquency in America Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crime and Delinquency in America - Term Paper Example Background Information on Crime and Delinquency Defining Crime and Delinquency Crime and delinquency are actions undertaken that are against moral, social and legal laws due to the fact that it can bring harm to a person or a group in the society. This is a general definition since, it is a challenge to limit, measure, explain, and define the true nature of crime and delinquency. The complexity of these terms is due to the involvement of the different social institutions such as the family, the school, the media, the work institutions, the law enforcement agencies, and the political institutions (Regoli, Hewitt and DeLisi, 2009). It is important to consider that crime and delinquency are almost similar terms but there is a minor difference between the two terms. Based on the work of Regoli, Hewitt and DeLisi, the main factor that separates the definition of crime with that of delinquency is the age of the offender. Delinquency is a term used for illegal activities of the youth or juv eniles (2009, p. 27). Crime and delinquent actions are considered to be major concerns in the society on the basis of the negative and harmful effects. There are different types of crimes and delinquencies on the basis of the action and the victimization. These include violent crimes, personal theft, and property crimes. Violent crimes include murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated or simple assault. Property crimes include household burglary, larceny-theft, or motor vehicle theft (Truman and Rand, 2010, p.1; US Census Bureau, 2011). Statistical Information on Crime and Delinquency The prevalence of cases of crime and delinquency in the United States is the main reason for the concern regarding the issue. For that matter, numerous studies related to the causes and patterns of crime are being undertaken to be able to understand the issue well and decrease and eventually stop crimes. Based on the study conducted by the Bureau of Jus tice Statistics of the US Department of Justice, the trend in crime and delinquency in 2009 includes 4.3 million violent crimes, 15.6 million property crimes, and 133,000 personal thefts (Truman and Rand, 2010, p.1). It was observed that there are more black people that fall victims to crimes and delinquent behavior as compared to white people. In terms of gender, there are more male victims of crimes as compared to female but more female cases are reported. There are 53% female cases as compared to 45% males cases reported in 2009. Based on age, younger members of the population are the common victims of crimes specifically age 24 and younger. In 2009, citizens on US age 12 above had been victims of approximately 20 million violent and property crimes (Truman and Rand, 2010, p.1). Trends of crimes in the past few years had been observed to decrease. Thus, continuous efforts are being undertaken to increase the knowledge in the different crimes as well as seek solutions to be able t o resolve issues related to crime and delinquency. Based on the National Crime Victimization Survey, from the year 2000 to 2009, the overall crime rates decreased significantly by 39% (Truman and Rand, 2010, p.1). Notable decline in the crime rate had also been observed in the trends from 1980 to 2008 by the US Census Bureau (2011). Issues Related to Crime and Delinqu

Instrument of oppression Essay Example for Free

Instrument of oppression Essay To what extent is any state an instrument of oppression. (50 marks) Anarchism holds the primary view that the state oppresses its citizens. They believe that we are all capable of living together peacefully in a society without authority. According to anarchists, the state is oppressive because humans are naturally free and equal but the state takes this away from them and therefore oppresses them. The belief is that true freedom can only be obtained with the abolishment of the state and the rejection of power. Furthermore, the fact that we did not consent to the state (we were simply born into it) then we have no political obligation to obey the laws and uphold their society. Two other main views that the state can be an instrument of oppression are held by Marxists and Liberalists. The Marxist view is that the superstructural features of the state (e.g. legal and political institutions, social consciousness, morality, religion etc.) only serve the interest of the dominant class and reinforce the oppressive power structures. Furthermore, Liberalism states that the role of the state should be limited to protecting the life, liberty and property of the individuals (Locke’s Law of Nature) and this can only be achieved when the state is a neutral umpire in affairs. If the state ever goes beyond this then its power becomes oppressive. The anarchists criticise the state by saying that it is, by its nature, authoritarian, it employs centralised power structures and claims a monopoly on legitimate violence (this means that if anyone else apart from the state were to use violence to, for example, protect themselves then this is classed as illegitimate and they can be punished for this). Anarchism outlines the following reasons as to why the state should be abolished and replaced by social organisations: the state is sovereign and claims complete authority to define the rights and obligations of the citizens, the state is compulsory and all citizens are forced to oblige and the state is a distinct body (which means that its roles and functions are separated from others) and those who make up the government tend to form a distinct class. This forms the most fundamental reason why the state should be abolished with is that the state violates and undermines liberty. One could argue that the state is useful because they provide protection from individuals against  others and co-ordinate productive work. Furthermore, Hobbes puts forward the view that because human nature is naturally egotistic, anarchy would give free reign to exploit each other and that without laws human society would descend into a war of all against all with everyone serving their own interests and not co-operating. However, anarchists argue that for both of these essential functions, we do not need the state. We need some form of collective body or bodies, but these need not claim sovereignty and need no more power than what is required for their specific function. They can be voluntary, with people allowed to join or leave as they choose. There need not be just one body providing these functions as these could be competition between associations and they could be run by everybody together. Overall, the anarchist view is not entirely convincing. They seem to have misunderst ood human nature and think too highly of how humans would behave and co-operate with a governing body to direct them. Marxism holds a similar view of the state as an instrument of oppression but proposes another way around this. It states that the state and its superstructural features only serve the interests of the dominant class and it reinforces oppressive power structures. They believe that liberal and conservative ideological justifications of the state only reflect the dominant class’s interests. Marxists believe that oppression stems from exploitation. They say that the state exploits its subjects in two main ways: it extracts profit from workers by paying them less wages than what their labour is worth and they alienate individuals from the means of production, products of their labour and any sense of community or private ownership. They believe that this stops genuine freedom and therefore the state becomes oppressive. Furthermore, the exercise of political power is against our natural rights. We all have natural right to freedom which the state removes. Nobody can justly subordinate to another’s authority without their consent and since we were either born into the state and therefore did not ask to be involved and do not have to obey the laws or because no state can obtain the consent of all the citizens then its use of power must therefore be illegitimate and oppressive. The solution proposed by Marxists is that of communism. Pure communism states that there will be no state, no money, no private property and no crime. They believe that humans are  malleable and can grow, develop and realise their potential through their relationships with each other. The view is that humans will live co-operatively in a society without the state. However, Marxism seems to have an idealistic view of human nature and misunderstands that people would not work together and live peacefully. Furthermore, history has shown us that communism simply doesn’t work as a leader will always be needed to start a revolution and from then on they will become the state which we would have consented to and therefore would not be oppressive. Overall, the Marxist view makes good points on how the state is oppressive but the alternative of communism would simply bring us around to a state that we have consented to through our support of the revolution and therefore this state would not be oppressive. Liberalism believes that the state should be limited to protecting the life, liberty and property of individuals (Locke’s Law of Nature). They propose that the state should become a neutral umpire which is only there to stop you causing harm to others. Anything beyond this and the state becomes oppressive. The state becomes oppressive when it legislates within the private sphere (e.g. when it becomes concerned with our moral improvement, when it adopts a paternalistic concern for the welfare of the citizens, when it over-regulates the economy or when it outlaws freely chosen economic transactions. They believe that the use of coercion by the state goes beyond what is needed to ensure good order as their laws are excessive and punitive. Furthermore, the way that the state intervenes in the private life of its citizens (by, for example, criminalising private affairs such as drug use) means that it does not act as a neutral umpire and is oppressive because it restricts the individuals freedom to do what they want with their private life. In conclusion, the state is naturally oppressive to the individual’s freedom and the fact that we haven’t consented to it yet still have to follow its laws further restricts this. However, the alternatives to the state would not work (as history has shown us with Marxism, for example). Furthermore, Hobbes seems to have an accurate view on human nature (that we are all self-interested) and therefore, regardless of whether the state is  oppressive, we need it to protect us from harming each other. In this sense, the state is not oppressive because it actually protects our life, liberty and property (even if we haven’t consented to it and do not want to live by its rules it is still there to help us).

Crime Control versus Due Process in Canada :: Criminal Justice Papers

Crime control and due process are two different ideal types of criminal justice. One could say they are extremes on a continuum. The role of crime control is to get the criminal off the street and to protect the innocent. The due process model of criminal justice is like an obstacle course, you have to keep going through legal obstacles to ensure in the end you convict the right person. In Canada the police lean toward crime control and the courts lean toward due process. This causes tension between the police and the courts. I will argue for both crime control and due process, putting more weight on due process If we did not have due process in Canada, people in positions of power, could manipulate the system for their own personal or political gain and railroad the innocent off to prison. One of the benefits of due process is demonstrated in the Belshaw case. The inquisitorial system of justice is based on crime control; the Swiss police had a hard time in Canada with Mr. Belshaw, because of his right to due process, under Canadian law. Both systems of justice share common beliefs, for example, they both look for proof beyond a reasonable doubt. In Canada we fight about facts and laws, where-as the inquisitorial system searches for the facts. The adversarial system has a separation of powers with the police, crown, defense, and the judge. It is quite different for the inquisitorial system of justice, the police do the arrest, then they present the facts to crown, which then decide if they have a case and turn over the evidence to the judge. The only problem is that the judge decides what will lead them to the truth. How any evidence was collected is irrelevant. In due process if the police obtain evidence and violate the law or a persons charter of rights and freedo ms the judge will exclude the evidence from the hearing, even if it would help or prove that the person is guilty. These two systems of justice are generated in democratic traditions. In the case of Alois Dolejs the crime control model, was swift and took the criminal off the streets. The police had a lot of circumstantial evidence, for example, bloody cloths and two different types of blood. On the advise of his attorney, he was instructed not to disclose the location of the bodies, until after the trial.

Attention Seeking Behavior

ATTENTION-SEEKING BEHAVIOR I. PERSONAL DATA NAME: NICKNAME: Hans SEX:male AGE:9 y/o ADDRESS: FATHER: MOTHER: SCHOOL: II. CHILD BEHAVIOR: Many parents and teachers after experienced that inward sigh when the children or the students seem to seek more attention beyond of the normal level. Attention seeking behavior may appear as a child being goofy to make others laugh or constantly requesting someone to play with them. It can also be in the form of  self injury  or aggressive behavior in children. Even though the attention may be considered negative (ie. colding from caregiver), it can still be very reinforcing for a child wanting to get attention no matter what that requires. The child (Hans) catches the attention of his parents or peers to gain attention. He will do something annoying that will catches the attention of those people surrounds him like licking his nose, banging his head on the wall, aggravating others around him by pulling their hats off at home time, poking them or leaning on them during quiet times. He enjoys showing adults and peers his â€Å"sore knees† or â€Å"spots† or â€Å"bleeding nose† to gain sympathy from them. Similar essay: Identify Circumstances When Children or Young People May Need Urgent Medical AttentionThis child constantly does things to get your attention and it can become quite annoying. They will blurt out and tell you what they did etc. Their desire for attention is almost insatiable. Much of what they do is done to get attention. It doesn't seem to matter that you provide lots of attention as they continually seek more. III. SYMPTOMS OF BEHAVIOR: ? Aggravating others (children, friends, classmates, schoolmates even family members) ? Blurts out answers before questions have been completed ? Difficulty awaiting turn Interrupts or intrudes on others (butts into conversations or games) ? Doing something annoying that will catches the attention of people surrounds him/her. ? Hyperactivity ? Attention seeking behavior ? Lacks empathy ? Illusions ? Disregard for others IV. ASSESSMENTS: Schedule special time together: One way to ensure your child is getting the attention he or she des ires is to make sure to schedule a specific time that you spend  one on one with your child for at least 15-30 minutes a day, but preferably longer.Some days may be longer and others only 15 minutes, but what’s important is that your he/she knows this is your special time together. Let your child (him/her) know this is his or her special time and allow your child to choose what activity  you will do or what you will talk about. Avoid any negative conversation  or â€Å"You should do this or that† types of conversation. Remind him of your special time together  when he engages in his typical seeking types of behavior.Then, state that you need to finish what you are doing, but you promise to be able to do what they are asking during your special designated time. Always follow through on this or your child will learn that you are not good on your word. Approach your child every 10-15 minutes: If he is really demanding, try your best to  approach your child every 10-15 minutes  along with  scheduling  a special time during the day. Give frequent words of encouragement and physical affection  (Ex. â€Å"Wow, that is an wesome picture you are drawing! † with a pat on the back). If you have something you need to get done, help him/her to start an activity by also engaging in the activity for at least 5-10 minutes. Once he/she begins to play well, state you will be back in a few minutes. Come back in 5 minutes and give the words of encouragement with some physical affection. Then leave again for 5-10 minutes depending on what he/she will tolerate before attempting to engage in attention seeking behavior.Continue doing this back and forth gradually increasing the time between visits while doing as much as you can to get things done. It may help to have him/her near you, such as at the kitchen table doing an activity while you are trying to make dinner. Involve your child in what you are doing: In addition to the above techniques, if your child just seems to be seeking you all the time and requires your attention so much that you are unable to get things done within the 10 minutes, involve him/her in  the job  you are working on.If this involves dinner, allow them to help in any way possible. For laundry, let them load the washer, switch the loads, pour in soap, etc. Usually, he/she will either be excited to be involved or start seeking other activities that can be done alone without needing your attention as an alternative to helping with the chore. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule depending on your specific situation and if he or she engages in  attention seeking behavior and has a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD NOS)What is most important is that you provide so much attention on a regular basis that he or she will not need to engage in attention seeking behavior as a method to get your attention. V. RISK FACTORS AND MAINTANING VARIABLES: A factor analysis of some attention- seeking behaviors of young children Though knowledge of the process underlying young children’s behavior their general social interaction with both adults and peers, very little is known either about the dimensionality of their attention-seeking or about its antecedents. In the study herein reported an attempt is made to gain some everage on the dimensionality of the behavior classes employed for attention by young children through a factor analysis of the correlations among nine items of behavior judged to be consonant with the characteristics generally attributed to attention-seeking and age. Behavior for the reinforcer provided by the attention of people (attention-seeking) has usually been defined as falling under the more broadly defined concept â€Å"emotional dependence† along with such behaviors as those employed for approval, praise, physical contact and caresses, reassurance and nearness.While the clinical literature is replete with case histories, mostly based on in formal observation in children and adults with adjustment problems, which are described and interpreted in terms of such behavior concepts, the research literature reveals that few systematic attempts have been to study the dimensionality of either emotional dependence or attention-seeking or to determine their antecedents.Typically, relationships involving emotional dependence and attention-seeking in children have been found as by-products of general studies which addressed themselves to the consequences in children’s behavior of broadly defined family attitudes or conditions of socialization, such as overprotection, deprivation, or rejection. In order to further a systematic experimental investigation of the behaviors employed for attention and the antecedents of those behaviors, an experiment was conducted on young children, which employed situation easel paint as long as he wished in the presence of an adult.VI. DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS VII. TREATMENT Here are some ways to prevent child’s attention-seeking behavior: ? Promote  self-esteem and confidence every chance you can. Catch your child doing something great and praise him/her. ? Provide opportunities for the child to become responsible. When they take responsibility well, let him/her know. ? Always be objective and understanding – do not lose your patience even though you are tempted to. ? Use your best judgment at all times, remain objective and seek to understand. Patience, patience, patience! Even though you may be very frustrated. Communicate your expectations with a minimal number of rules and routines to be followed. Think big, start small. ? Involve the child when you are establishing  rules and routines. Ask for his/her assistance. Make sure they repeat them – this will help them remember. ? Emphasize the child's strengths  and minimize the weaknesses. ? Set your child up to be successful when the opportunity presents itself. ? Provide opportunities for the chi ld to reiterate expectations.For example: â€Å"What always needs to be done before bed? † ? Encourage the child to participate and monitor their own behavior. For example: â€Å"What is terrific about what you're doing right now? † ? AVOID  power struggles  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ nobody wins! ? Take time to discuss appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. This should be done when a  chilling out period  has occurred. ? Routines – children with behavior difficulties benefit from clearly established routines/structure, I can't say enough about this. Role-play some situations based on unacceptable behaviors and discuss them. ? Set up practice situations and role play those. For example: Tommy just came and stepped on your toe, you even thought he did it intentionally. How will you handle this situation? ? Teach the skills necessary for appropriate behaviors. Following the â€Å"crying baby† model for filling the need as soon as it arises, all Attention Seeking Be havior Disorders can be entirely avoided as well as cured by giving focused attention immediately and as soon as the request has been received.This does not mean one has to put one’s entire life on hold or â€Å"run rings around the creature† – it is literally a simple little flash of attention at the right time and when first asked for it; the classic â€Å"a stitch in time saves nine† principle. Rather than â€Å"rewarding† attention seeking behavior, it never gets to escalate, the creature’s energy system remains balanced and the disturbed behavior never need take place at all.As the babies who are fed when they are hungry cry markedly less or not at all, creatures who receive attention energy (or love or recognition energy) when they ask for it, their attention seeking behaviors become markedly less frequent, markedly less dramatic and may cease altogether once the system has been in operation for a while and the creature has understood that not only can it get what it needs just the for the asking, but also its energy system has become more robust, more healthy, more resilient and won’t collapse when there is a time when attention is in short supply.Let us now look at how to apply this theory in practice when treating severely disturbed forms of animal behaviour, and including trance and repetitive behaviour problems. VIII. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. How will the parents do to avoid tress from their children that is/are having an attention- seeking problem? 2. What are the causes of attention-seeking behavior in children? 3. How to assess attention-seeking child/children?

Effects of Free Primary Education Essay

The research will investigate the effects of free primary education on learners with diverse needs in the main stream primary schools. (A case of Lilongwe Urban Schools) Identification of a sample of teachers, parents, pupils, schools. Distribution of questionnaires, conduct interviews, and observations. The Data will be conducted from four mainstream primary schools in Lilongwe district. 3. 0. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1. A statement of search method. Many learners with special educational needs experience a number of challenges in the mainstream primary schools in which in some way or the other prevent them from receiving quality education. (Ministry of Education PIF Document on special needs, 2000) At a conference held at Salamanca in Spain 1994, it was declared that learners with special educational needs acquire education in their home schools. (World Declaration on Education For All, 1990). This meant that they were to be included in the mainstream schools and the schools were supposed to accommodate these learners by providing them with specialized resources so that the children acquire quality education. The introduction of free primary education in Malawi in 1994 posed a threat towards the education of learners with special educational needs in their home schools, because much as it increased access to educational opportunities for all Malawians, it brought many challenges towards the education of learners with special educational needs in mainstream schools and to the ordinary learners as well. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). One of the challenges emanating from the implementation of free primary education policy towards the education of learners with special educational needs is overcrowding in schools which lead to poor performance due to poor methods of teaching. Statistics indicates that in 1993, there were about 1. 6 million primary school students in Malawi. However, when free primary education was introduced in 1994, the number of students jumped to over three million (World Bank report 2004). This created a lot of problems, overcrowding in classes made teachers not to consider the needs of learners with special educational needs because there was too much work load. Teachers use poor methods of teaching as a result of overcrowding in classes and lack of resources. Teachers are failing to practice the individualized education plan meant for learners with special educational needs due to increased enrollment rates. (Ministry of Education PIF Document). This results in poor performance, high repetition rates for both learners with special educational needs and the ordinary pupils. It is thus of great importance to asses on how poor methods of teaching is a challenge to the education of learners with special educational needs. Some indications suggest that overcrowding in classrooms is pushing out pupils with special educational needs; an issue which the World Bank (2004) recommends that needs further research. Furthermore, due to overcrowding, survival rates for all learners (ordinary and those with special educational needs) have also been affected. The double/triple shifts are also making it hard for schools to plan for remedial programmes for learners with special educational needs and teachers complain of increased pupil teacher ratios. (Ministry of Education, PIF Document, 2004). Thus, it is the interest of the researcher to further assess the effects of overcrowding in classrooms towards the education of learners with special educational needs. The shortage of teaching resources is also another problem that is making the education of learners with special educational needs difficult. The shortages of teaching and learning aids worsened as a result of the implementation of free primary education. The number of pupils per text book was 2. 9 prior to Free Primary Education, declining to 7. 1 in 1994/5. Even more worrying is the fact that repetition rates are over 20%. (Riddel R. , 2003) What should be noted is that, learners with special educational needs require specialized resources for them to receive quality education. This is expensive and need expertise to use specialized materials. In this case, if the government is failing to provide learning materials for ordinary learners, what more to the provision of teaching and learning materials to learners with special educational needs. The shortage of teachers and recruitment of unqualified and untrained teachers who did not have any knowledge on special needs education was also another recipe for disaster because the needs of learners with special educational needs were not given a priority. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). Thus, it is reported by 1997, more than half the teachers were untrained, compared with 13% before the introduction of Free Primary Education. The World Bank Report on effects of free primary education (2004) states that this left learners with special educational needs to struggle to meet the needs of the school and not the schools meeting the needs of learners with special educational needs. As such it is to the interest of the researcher to assess on how this has led to low academic achievement to both learners with special educational needs and ordinary learners. Poor infrastructure is also another area of concern, according to an article by Ligomeka. B. (2000), it is stated that the ambitious plan by the Malawi government to boost its education levels by offering free primary education backfired, largely because of the terrible poor conditions of the country’s primary schools. Ligomeka adds to say that conditions at schools remain terrible; there has been a shortage of classrooms for the pupils, resource centers, teacher’s houses, and toilets for over a decade. The inaccessible physical environment makes it difficult for children with disabilities to survive. ( e. g. poor hygiene in toilets) Additionally, many of the preliminary surveys seem to show that the existing facilities make a mockery of the free education program. As a result, the situation of the teaching force in most of the districts is generally bad. On quality issues, the World Bank Report (2004) states that, the free primary education has produced unintended and unforeseen negative consequences. The reforms that Malawi has come up with have produced some consequences including quality issues which are of concern in Malawi. Whilst the enrolment expansion has been remarkable, the quality of education – and many would say, even the ‘value’ of education – has deteriorated. The question might be; if ordinary pupils are complaining of quality issues, what about the quality of education being offered to learners with special needs? This puts in question for the quality of education being delivered and if the needs of learners with special needs are being met. It is for this reason that the researcher would want to assess the quality of education being offered to learners with special educational needs in the mainstream primary schools with regards to the challenges emanating from the implementation of free primary education. Kadzamira and Rose (as cited at http//www. Introduction of free primary education in sub-Saharan Africa) point to the continued lack of access of some sub-groups (street children, out-of-school youth, those with special needs, orphans. ) who still face problems to meet some of their needs ( such as learning materials, food, accommodation, wheelchairs, hearing aids, and clothes) despite the education being free. As such, this has resulted in a lot of absenteeism, poor performance, a very high repetition rate and dropouts for learners with special educational needs, street children and orphans, because despite the education being free, they still have to meet other expenses such as stationary, uniforms, food, wheel chairs, and other specialized materials. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). The researcher therefore, would like to investigate if the needs of the above mentioned subgroups are taken into consideration by the schools. Through the reports, articles and journals, it has been discovered that the effects of free primary education worsened the problems learners with special educational needs were facing in mainstream primary schools. These problems do not only affect learners with special needs but also those without, and this has made/created a lot of learners to fall under special educational needs because their needs are not being met by the education system. In conclusion, there is evidence that free primary education brought challenges towards the education of learners with special educational needs, as such, it will be necessary to find out the extent to which the challenges are making the education of learners with special needs difficult in the mainstream primary schools, so that the feedback can be used to correct deficiencies in the schools. This research will be beneficial to teachers, schools even the researcher herself to diagnose barriers to inclusion hence coming up with strategies to reduce or eradicate the barriers. Definition of Key terms. Mainstream refers to the integration of learners with special educational needs in general education settings (Heward, 2000) Special educational needs refer to learners who require specialized instruction and different levels of support if they are to realize their full human potential, or to facilitate their academic, social, and emotional development. It also includes those coming from poor socio-economic backgrounds. (Heward 2000) Inclusion is the process of accommodating learners with special needs in the general education settings, with support services provided by the school. (Index for inclusion, 2002) Sub-questions What challenges do learners with special educational need face in the mainstream primary schools as a result of free primary education in Malawi? How do the challenges affect education provisions for learners with special educational needs? What support services are provided by parents towards the education of learners with special educational needs? 3. 2. RESEARCH METHODS The research shall be conducted using the survey strategy. 3. 3. Survey Studies Survey studies as pointed out by Cohen (2003) Is another way to get unique material. It is regarded as one of the best tool for collection of data by many scholars. Cohen added that surveys take one or two forms, questionnaires or interviews. During a survey, a researcher can ask people questions in person or draw a written questionnaire, but in either case, it is advised that questions must be phrased carefully so that people can respond easily and clearly. A Gay L. R. etal (2009) state that surveys requires the collection of standardized, quantifiable information from all members of a population or of a sample. It is from the above understanding that the researcher has seen it necessary to use this design, in the collection of data to examine on how the introduction of free primary education has affected the education of learners with special educational needs in terms of human resource, teaching and learning materials, and the quality of education being provided. 3. 4. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE The following instruments will be used for data collection: Questionnaires, interviews, and observations. 3. 4. 1Questionnaire. A questionnaire is a written collection of survey questions to be answered by a selected group of research participants. (Gay L. R. etal). And it is a widely used and useful instrument for collecting survey information. However, Bell (1993) warns that one needs to ensure that the questionnaire is well designed in order to give the researcher the information needed, acceptable to subjects and that will not give problems at the analysis and interpretation stage. The questionnaire will contain both open ended questions and closed questions. Among the advantages of a questionnaire is that it is cheap compared to interviews, and can be used to collect data from a large sample without the researchers presence, and one of the disadvantages is that respondents can delay information and could be difficult to make follow ups. (Cohen, 2003). To minimize errors, the researcher will make sure that questionnaires be taken for supervision before distribution to ensure that they are clear. The researcher shall follow guidelines for writing effective questions, such as avoiding complex questions, avoid irritating questions or instructions, just to mention a few. Cohen (2003). And in this study, a sample of ten teachers and Primary School Education Advisor (PEA) will be given questionnaires. See appendix,( item number 2 a,2b). 3. 4. 2Focused Interviews Interviews are an oral, in person question and answer session between a researcher and an individual respondent. (Gay L. R. etal 2009) Here, the researcher will use focused interviews. Ary D. etal (2002), describes focused interviews as those where the researcher ask questions designed to draw out subjects’ responses on a topic of interest. Subjects are free to answer in their own words rather than having to choose from pre-determined, open ended format, this permits greater flexibility and responsiveness to emerging issues for the participants. Among the advantages of interviews as pointed out by Donald etal (2002) is that, a researcher gets instant feedback, participants are able to ask for clarity, and the researcher probes participants where ever necessary. Donald adds to say that interviews enable an interviewer to get information concerning opinions, beliefs, attitudes and feelings in relation to certain questions. Hence making a researcher acquire rich information from respondents which will make the research to be standard. Nevertheless, the disadvantage of interviews is that it could be time consuming to both the researcher and the participant; it is expensive in terms of travel costs and materials, besides it is also difficult for individuals to articulate their feelings in a one to one interview. As such focused interviews will be conducted with head teachers, experienced teachers (those with over 16 years experience), parents, ordinary learners, and learners with special educational needs. The researcher shall prepare a list of standardized questions ahead of time and shall be taken for supervision to minimize errors. Furthermore, the researcher will make herself available at a time that is convenient for the respondents. The researcher shall begin by sending a letter of Identification, requesting an interview with the Primary School Education Advisor (PEA), head teachers, teachers, parents and pupils and specify the sort of information needed. See appendix ( item no. 1. a,1. b, 1. c, 1. d) 3. 4. 3Observations. Cohen (2003), states that observation data are attractive as they afford the researcher the opportunity to gather â€Å"live† data from â€Å"live† situation. The researcher will observe, teaching methods, attitude of teachers and peers, classroom organization, and availability of resources. Cohen continues to say that observation makes data to be reliable and generalization can be made. Stringer (2004) also points out that observations principle purpose is to familiarize researchers with the context in which issues and events are played out, however, Gay R.L. (2009) warns that researchers that when obtaining observations there should be objectives, unbiased and accurate in the sense that the observer has avoided influencing the behavior of respondents. The disadvantage of observation according to Alkins Encyclopedia of Education Research (1992) is that it more naturalistic and researchers are not constrained by what is in a checklist or rating scale. If an observation is well planned and carried out, it can give both qualitative and quantitative data. Observation has limitations on bias to an extent that the individual perceptions and interpretations of the observer, influenced by previous experience, affect the recording of the behavior, (ibid p. 271). However, the researcher will be aware of this problem so that learners with special educational needs be observed thoroughly in order to detect their difficulties which they face in mainstream primary schools. Observations shall be carried out in all the primary schools. See appendix (item no. 3). 3. 5. Population Sample This involves identification of a sample of schools, teachers, parents, and pupils, from the schools. Three mainstream primary schools in Lilongwe urban will be selected for the collection of data. Schools will be selected based on their experience in the education of learners with special educational needs. Teachers shall be selected according experience (those with more than 16 years experience prior to the introduction of free primary education). Pupils will be selected based on their age and class. (Will start from standard 3 up to 8 and within the age range of 9-15) the Primary School Education Advisor will also be contacted to answer a few questions and parents will be selected based on proximity (those living around the school and available). A total of six Learners with special educational needs and six ordinary learners will be interviewed from each school, will al so be interviewed, a total of eight teachers will be given questionnaires and two teachers will be interviewed, all the head teachers will be interviewed, and Observations by the researcher will also be carried out in all schools. The reason behind this sample is: To find out teacher perceptions on how free primary education has undermined the quality of education being offered to learners with special educational needs. To know how involved parents are in the education of their children. To find out from learners on the challenges they face in the classroom and how this is affecting their academic achievement. To find out from Primary school Education Advisor if the government is aware of such problems and necessary measures are taken to minimize the effects. 4. 5DATA ANALYSIS Data analysis is one of the things the prepared researcher needs to consider. It involves filing and organizing data collected (Cohen 2003). Gay etal (2009) add to say that the planning of data analysis will need to consider the organization, accounting for and explaining the data; It indicates what needs to be done with the data when they have been collected and how will the data be processed and analyzed, additionally, it shows how the results of the analysis will be verified, cross-checked and validated. (Bell 1993). In analyzing data, the researcher will re- write notes as soon as possible after making a set of observation. Full notes shall be typed and two copies of the notes shall be produced so that the other copy should act as a backup. The files shall be created in chronological order of events including notations of the dates and times they were made. Ultimately, observations shall be analyzed and interpreted to find the underlying meaning in the things observed. And the organization and filing of notes is the first step in discovering that meaning. (Donald A, etal 2002) All the results from different participants shall be analyzed and interpreted cordially, and data will be presented in the form of tables, type written text and charts. 3. 6Reliability and Validity According Kubiszyn T. etal (1996), reliability refers to an extent where similar results are obtained from different samples and after using different methods of data collection. Cohen (2003), states that validity is an important key to effective research, because if a piece of research is invalid then it is worthless. He further points out that that validity of research results refers to the extent where the research measures what it was intended to measure. The extent of triangulation is also another form of validity. To ensure reliability, the researcher, will use different tools of data collection, use standardized questions in both questionnaires and interviews and will make sure that the questions should be in line with the research question to ensure validity. 3. 7 LIMITATIONS Ethical issues, travel cost and time will be taken as some of the barriers to this study, nevertheless, ways will be found to deal with these problems. To overcome the problem of travel costs, the researcher started saving money meant for this purpose, where there will be a shortage, it will be required to ask for funds from guardians. To deal with ethical issues, the researcher will try by all means to be careful in the use of language so as not to harm participants psychologically because this might affect the outcome. The researcher will also take the interview and questionnaire questions for supervision to make sure that language used does not offend the participants. In the case of time, where the researcher will be on a short holiday and at the same time collecting data, appointments for interviews, observations and distribution of questionnaires. The researcher shall make herself available at a time convenient to the participants. Prompts/follow up shall be made in the case of questionnaires so that all the data should be ready before the holiday ends. To avoid doubts from participants, a letter of identification shall be obtained from the Special Needs Department of the Catholic University of Malawi. People will be assured of privacy and the research shall seek parental/teacher consent before interviewing learners below the age of fifteen. REFERENCE Ary Donald. Lucy Cheser Jacobs. Asghar Razaviah. (2002), Introduction to Research in Education, Thomson Learning, Belmet. Bell J (1993), Doing your Research Project. A guide for first research in Education and social science. Suffolk, st Edmunds bury press. Cohen L. etal (2003). Research Methods in Education. Prentice-hall Inc, New York. EFA Global Monitoring Report @ http:// www. EFA report @ unesco. org. Gay L. R. , Geoffrey E. Mills, Peter Airasian. (2009), Educational Research Competencies for Analysis and Applications. Pearson Education, Inc; New Jersey. Heward W. L. (2000). Exceptional Children: an introduction to special education. Prentice-hall, New York. (http://www. aft. org/research/rel-site. htm) (http: //www. World Bank report on effects of free primary education. org. ) Riddell R. (2003) The introduction of Free Primary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa Report. Ministry of Education (PIF document on Special Needs Education in Malawi, 2000) IRINA MANJOMO CALENDAR FOR DESSERTATION MONTH & YEAR DATE ACTIVITY JUNE-2010 15-20 25-30 Writing letters to institutions where data will be corrected. Distribution of questionnaires for data collection and making appointments for interviews JULY -2010 Data collection, Data analysis and data entry. AUGUST- 2010 1-17 Data analysis and entry. 18-23 Editing analysed data, & submission. 24-25 Meeting the supervisor 25-31 Literature Review SEPTEMBER-2010 3-13 Writing of chapter two (Lit. Review) begins & ends 14-15 Meeting the supervisor 16-19 corrections 22-29 Writing of chapter III & submission 29-30 Meeting the supervisor OCTOBER-2010 1-4 Corrections 7-14 Writing chapter IV & submission 15 Meeting the supervisor 15-17 Corrections 19-25 Writing Chapter V and VI & submission 26-27 Meeting the supervisor 28-30 Corrections NOVEMBER-2010 2-9 Writing Ch. 1 & submission 11-14 Meeting supervisor & corrections 16-21 22-23 Writing first Draft of Dissertation submission & corrections DECEMBER-2010 24-30 1-3 Writing 2nd Draft of Dissertation submission 5-7 Meeting supervisor JANUARY-2011 Making Corrections on the Dissertation draft FEBRUARY-2011 13-18 Defending the Dissertation 21-23 Making corrections & submission MARCH-2011 1-3 Meeting the supervisor 3-20 Making final corrections on the Dissertation Draft. APRIL- 2011 Writing the final copy of the Dissertation begins and ends. MAY-2011 16-23 submission to the supervisor

Dr. John Mcloughlin Essays - Oregon Country, Fur Trade, Oregon Trail

Dr. John Mcloughlin Essays - Oregon Country, Fur Trade, Oregon Trail Dr. John Mcloughlin John McLoughlin was one of the most influential figures of the fur trade and settlement periods of Pacific Northwest history. Chief Factor of the Columbia District of the British Hudson's Bay Company, he reigned as a benevolent autocrat, befriended Americans, and eventually became an American citizen at Oregon City. He was born in Quebec in 1784 and trained as a physician near Montreal. He became a physician and traveled to the Northwest region in 1824 as a representative of the Hudson Bay Company. Here he occupied the position of Chief Factor from 1825, when the regional headquarters of the company was moved from old Fort Astoria to Fort Vancouver, until his retirement in 1845. During his reign as Chief Factor, Dr. John McLoughlin directed the operations of the fur trade in all the country west of the Rocky Mountains and north of the California line, as well as the more localized activities of agriculture, livestock raising, sawmilling, flour milling, dairying, and salmon fishing. From 1825 to 1843, when the provisional government was first established by the settlers in the Willamette Valley, he was the undisputed governor of the vast area bounded by the Rocky Mountains on the east, Mexican territory (California) on the south, the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Russian settlements on the north. Dr. John McLoughlin exercised control over the Indians of the region, welcomed and provisioned missionaries and settlers, encouraged schools and church instruction and for a number of years was the only medical practitioner in the region. His contributions to the development of the Northwest region in general and the Oregon country in particular make him truly deserving of the title by which he is often referred to, Father of the Oregon In 1857, the man who had ruled an empire two and a half times the size of Texas, died broken and bitter. He was 75 at the time. Five years later, in an act of penitence, the legislature of the new State of Oregon restored his land to his heirs. Time Line 1784 - John McLoughlin was born in Riviere du Loup, St. Lawrence, Canada. 1798 - Begins medical apprenticeship. 1803 - Begins the practice of medicine in Montreal. After a few months attaches himself to the North West Company as resident physician at Fort William, on Lake Superior. 1812 - McLoughlin marries Marguerite Waden McKay, by whom he had four children. 1821 - North West Company merges with Hudson's Bay Company. McLoughlin is put in charge of Hudson's Bay Company's Fort William on Lake Superior. 1824 - The Hudson's Bay Company sends McLoughlin west to become Chief Factor of the Columbia District with headquarters then at Fort George, at the mouth of the Columbia River. 1825 - The headquarters are transferred to Ft. Vancouver. 1827 - McLoughlin oversees the building of the first lumber mill in the Pacific Northwest. 1829 - The Hudson's Bay Company, under Dr. McLoughlin, takes a land claim at The Falls and encourages former trappers to settle nearby in French Prairie. 1834 - Jason Lee is welcomed and aided by Dr. McLoughlin. 1836 - Marcus and Narcissa Whitman are welcomed to Fort Vancouver by Dr. McLoughlin. 1842 - McLoughlin surveys and lays out the town site of Oregon City, replacing the commonly used name of Willamette Falls. 1842 - John McLoughlin, Jr. (the doctor's second son) is shot and killed. 1842 - Doctor McLoughlin becomes a Roman Catholic. 1842 - The first four American migrations (1842 - 1845) are protected, aided and supplied by Dr. McLoughlin. 1843 - Hudson's Bay Company opens a store in Oregon City. 1844 - Oregon City is incorporated by the Provisional Government. 1846 - McLoughlin leaves service of Hudson's Bay Company and takes up residence at Oregon City. 1848 - Joseph McLoughlin (oldest child of Dr. McLoughlin) dies near Champoeg, Oregon. 1849 - John McLoughlin and Robert Moore make application to the county court to keep a ferry across the Willamette River to and from Oregon and Linn counties. 1849 - McLoughlin makes Declaration of Intention to become an American citizen. 1850 - A clause is inserted into the Oregon donation land law which strips McLoughlin of his land claim near Willamette Falls. 1851 - McLoughlin becomes an American citizen. 1851- Doctor McLoughlin is elected mayor of Oregon City. 1857 - Doctor John McLoughlin dies. 1889 - A portrait of John McLoughlin is accepted by Governor Pennoyer and placed in the Oregon Senate chamber. 1941 - The McLoughlin house is designated as a National Historic Site by the United States Department of the

Reaction Essay on Global Warming

Reaction Essay on Global Warming Reaction Essay on Global Warming The major purpose of a reaction essay is to allow the writer to carefully assess his or her feelings or thoughts concerning a given topic. With this purpose in mind, the tips on writing a good reaction paper are very simple. The obvious need is to obtain a clear understanding of the phenomenon to which one is required to react. In the process, one must evaluate his or her feelings concerning that phenomenon. This involves identifying the arguments with which one concurs, and those that he/she opposes. It is also helpful for the writer to consider whether he or she agrees with related allegations. It is a fact that the world is experiencing a significant climate change, as is evident in unpredictable weather patterns. This has led to an international discussion of global warming and its threat to future existence of life on earth. For example, it is difficult to predict each year what geographic locations will experience rainfall and to what extent. Additionally, ice caps are melting, resulting in the rise of the sea level in some low-laying land areas, many of these highly populated with people. Furthermore, for the past couple of years, world media has aired news of huge wildfires in a number of locations world-wide. Moreover, deadly heat waves are occurring more frequently. Severe storms have also been witnessed in various parts of the world, causing loss of human lives and destruction of property. In addition, severe droughts that had hitherto never been experienced are becoming commonplace in many countries. These are concrete examples that global warming is a real threat . With these concerns in mind, scientists have warned that mankind is to experience more serious consequences if immediate action is not taken to address the issue of global warming. One  incontestable fact is that global warming is presently occurring. How else can one explain the alarming rise in the earth’s temperature, if it is not because of global warming? The trend of rising temperatures is clear, at least by observing the standard surface temperature all over the world. Before the start of the millennium, the situation was relatively better than it presently is. Rainfall was pretty predictable, and surface temperature was generally lower than has been witnessed since 2000. This observation is sufficient to validate the hypothesis that global warming is bound to continue if the present patterns of human activity do not change in such a manner has to alleviate the problem. The implication is that human beings are the major cause of global warming. While governments in every nation have imposed environmental safety standards on manufactures and industries, it is regrettable that very few companies strictly observe such legislation. Industrial emissions are known to overload the atmosphere with too much carbon dioxide, which in turns traps heat, thereby driving the earth’s temperature up. Apart from industrial activities, human activities such as deforestation generate huge carbon dioxide emissions, particularly in tropical countries. Since evidence strongly indicates human beings are the cause of global warming, the inference is that human beings can slow down global warming and its damaging effects. Through collaborative efforts, the world’s nations can take immediate action to lower carbon an emission, consequently decelerating the pace at which global warming occurs. This action is of utmost urgency and importance since it determines the viability of future generations. Success in minimizing global warming can only be achieved by involving everyone. For instance, elected leaders must be put under pressure to pass necessary legislation. At the individual level, proper waste disposal must be practiced. Tips on reaction essay writing: To compose a good reaction essay on any topic, the writer needs to conduct some research on that topic. For example, if you are not fully aware of the causes and effects of global warming and how it impacts mankind, you would need to read some studies before writing a reaction essay on global warming. Otherwise, how do you know what your thoughts are on the topic? Do not forget to take notes as you read and to develop an outline for your paper. This will make the writing process go smoother and easier for you. To finalize your essay, you might read the reaction essay aloud, listening for correctness in grammar and word choice, as well as organization of ideas. Visit our essay writing service to order a custom essay on any global warming topics. will provide you with professional essay help at affordable rates.

Reflection in Gynaecology Emergency Care Case Study

Reflection in Gynaecology Emergency Care - Case Study Example Reflection in nursing is within the context of practice (Burns and Bulman, 2000). Burton (2000) states reflective practice is designed to raise more questions as threads that may extend into future but on lived experiences (Burton, 2000). Cotton (2001) called it a process of dynamic evolution to examine appropriateness of action (Cotton, 2001). Johns (2007: 8) states reflection to be an intellectual effort on the part of the professionals that incorporates thinking, feeling, and action that essentially arise from practice (Johns, 2007: 8). Therefore exploration of self through reflection on experiences would develop self-awareness and ability to evaluate actions. McKenna (1999) stated that philosophical assumptions serve as contexts in reflection (McKenna, 1999). Teekman (2000) wrote reflection to be a system intended for actions based on philosophy in nursing (Teekman, 2000). Valuable learning can take place within clinical nursing practice, often using reflection as the key strategy. Reflection offers an opportunity for practitioners to enlighten the essential nature of the care (Fejes, 2008). This reflective account is about an incident on my placement in the gynaecology unit in an NHS Hospital. ... This reflective practice would also help me to identify my strength areas and weaknesses in competence, so I can understand better the importance of maintaining and developing professional competence. Description Molly is a 23-year-old married lady admitted to the Gynaecology ward from the Emergency Unit with the diagnosis of severe left sided lower abdominal pain, nausea, and weakness and fainting suspected to be left sided tubal ectopic pregnancy. Molly had a past history of pelvic inflammatory disease following an induced abortion 6 months ago. She had missed a period which is 2 weeks overdue, and two days back, she had just a slight spotting. Her problems of abdominal discomfort started yesterday which she terms as vague soreness on the left lower abdomen. Today this vague discomfort was replaced by sharp, colicky pain in the left lower abdomen accompanied by vaginal spotting. In the Emergency Room, a vital sign record revealed tachycardia and a low blood pressure. She had demonstrated some air hunger, and the emergency department physician detected cyanosis and started her on mask ventilation on 100% oxygen (Edwards, 1997). An intravenous fluid infusion was started, and a FBC drawn revea led severe anaemia in the range of 7 g percent (Adam and Osbourne, 2005). When the patient stabilized in the emergency room, an ultrasonography revealed an ectopic pregnancy in the left utero-ovarian tube with imminent rupture. She was immediately admitted to the inpatient Gynecology ward where emergency management was started and a considerable extent of care was delivered by me under guidance of my mentor. While the patient was decided to be prepared for an emergency surgery, I had to monitor her vital signs,

My Dilemma (acquisition, merger and initial public offer) Research Paper

My Dilemma (acquisition, merger and initial public offer) - Research Paper Example How the Dilemma came about One Monday morning when I got to the office, something strange and out of protocol happened. Hitherto, I rarely had any say on proposals for growth and expansion. I was more or less a passive observer who was around to learn from his superiors. This time round I was not even asked to give contributions towards a proposal to be sent to management but to select one of three choices management had taken on a long term growth and expansion move. Most of the time, proposals from my department to management were discarded but when proposals came from management to my department, it meant that the proposal was certainly going to be implemented. This means that the choice I made was going to be implemented. For a student on internship to decide the long term growth and expansion program for the multi million advertising company was indeed a herculean task. The dilemma was also with the fact that I had to choose among options given by management. The options were acquisition, merger and initial public offer. The company was considering either purchasing an events organization company or merging with the events organization company or putting its shares on public offer as a means of expanding the existing company. This was a dilemma because all three options had their own advantages and disadvantages. It was indeed difficult pointing out which of the options was going to be better than the either. Meaning of the three options Merger has been explained by Farlex (2011) to be â€Å"a combination of two or more companies in which the assets and liabilities of the selling firm(s) are absorbed by the buying firm.† It continues to posit that in the event of merger, there is a â€Å"decision by two companies to combine all operations, officers, structure, and other functions of business† (Farlex (2011). To this effect, it meant th at if I chose the option of merger, my company would have been tagged as the buying firm. It also meant that by merger, our company was going to combine all its operation, staff, structure and organizational culture with the selling firm. The new company that was going to be formed out of the merger was not going to be under the outright ownership of our firm but then ownership shared by the two companies in question. The Investopedia (2011) on the other hand explains that â€Å"when one company takes over another and clearly established itself as the new owner, the purchase is called an acquisition.† The implication of this definition is that if this choice was chosen by me, our company was

Individual Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Individual Report - Assignment Example These findings have shown that the process of building and managing small group in a learning environment is very important. Small groups are a critical way of observing and developing various skills necessary in learners’ life thus giving group work a new status. It’s only within group work that self confidence, team work and interpersonal skills can be nurtured and assessed. The development of communal activities is reported by students to create environments where by they can observe their own learning, adjust the learning to suit different situation thus get more engaged in their subjects. These attributes are part of a deep approach to learning and ensures higher retention levels buy the learners (Hogan 45). Cognitive research has revealed that even with what is considered to be good instruction, many learners, including academically gifted students have an inferior level of understanding than perceived by most. With commitment, students taking an examination are normally capable of identifying what they have learnt or what they have read; cautious probing, however, often reveals that their understanding is imperfect or distorted, if not altogether mistaken. People have to build their own understanding regardless of how evidently teachers or books tell them things. Mostly, a learner does this by relating new information and ideas to what he or she already believes. Concepts—the basic units of human thought—that do not have numerous links with how a student reasons about the world are not likely to be memorized or useful. Or, if they do remain in theory rather than practical, they will be tucked away in some corner of the brain and may not be available to influence thoughts about any other facet of the world. Concepts are best retained when they are met in a variety of contexts and articulated in a variety of ways, since that ensures that there are more occasions for them to become embedded in a