History of Early Childhood Education Comenius, Froebel, Montessori Essay Example

History of Early Childhood Education Comenius, Froebel, Montessori Paper Paper History of Early Childhood Education Comenius, Froebel, Montessori 1. John Amos Comenius John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) was a Czech theologian, philosopher, teacher and writer who thought education could improve society. He advocated universal textbooks language and believed children would enjoy learning more if they were methodically taught in early years. Comenius thought instruction should move from general to specific, from easy to difficult and believed to engage children with nature. He taught that education began in the earliest days of childhood, and continued throughout life. Comenius believed in four different schools for different ages: -Nursery School – birth to 6 years of age, where hands-on learning, active experiences and sensory learning are of importance. 2 -Elementary (National) – ages 6 to 12 -Latin School (Gymnasium) – ages 13 -18 -Academy – gifted ages 19-24 From his point of view teachers should present lessons at a reasonable pace, use age-appropriate instruction, keep materials constantly before a child’s eyes and use a single method of instruction at all times. Comenius rejected the conventional wisdom that children were inherently bad and that teachers needed to use corporal punishment to discipline them. 3 He was the first to promote continuing education and the first to advocate equal education for all, including women and the poor. Furthermore he wrote the Great Didactic (a textbook for curriculum and education) and was the first to use pictures in text books for teaching children (Orbis Pictus). â€Å"His philosophy of Pansophism (meaning all knowledge) attempted to incorporate theology, philosophy, and education into one. He believed that learning, spiritual, and emotional growth were all woven together† especially in the teaching of children. â€Å"What Comenius referred to as the Via Lucis, or way of light, was the pursuit of higher learning and spiritual enlightenment bound together. † 4 In 1641/42 he was asked to completely restructure the school system of Sweden. As the Bishop of the Unitas Fratrum, the Moravian Ch urch, Comenius was asked to be the first President of Harvard College, but declined. He died in Amsterdam in 1670. â€Å"Comeniuss theory incorporated spiritual love of human beings with emphasis on Natures goodness. 5 He was a naturalistic educator who believed children were innately good and learned most effectively and efficiently by examining objects in their immediate natural environment. â€Å"Comenius anticipated many practices associated with modern child-centered progressive education. † 6 He believed that teaching should build on childrens interests and actively involve their senses. During his lifetime he published 154 books, mostly dealing with educational philosophy and theology. Known today as the Father of Modern Education, he pioneered modern educational methods. 1Comenius Foundation, 2013, in: http://comeniusfoundation. org/pages/why-comenius/comenius-biography. php 2Essa Young (1994), p. 36 3www. wou. edu/~girodm/foundations/pioneers. pdf, p. 106 4Comenius Foundation, 2013, in: http://comeniusfoundation. org/pages/why-comenius/comenius-biography. php 5www. wou. edu/~girodm/foundations/pioneers. pdf, p. 106 6www. wou. edu/~girodm/foundations/pioneers. pdf, p. 107 2. Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel The German educationalist Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel was born in 1782. We will write a custom essay sample on History of Early Childhood Education Comenius, Froebel, Montessori specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on History of Early Childhood Education Comenius, Froebel, Montessori specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on History of Early Childhood Education Comenius, Froebel, Montessori specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer From 1798 to 1800 he was an apprentice to a forester and surveyor in Neuhaus, and attended the University of Jena from 1800 to 1802. In 1805 Froebel briefly studied architecture in Frankfurt, got hired as a teacher and took a short course with Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi at Yverdon, where he interned from 1808 to 1810. Although he accepted certain aspects of Pestalozzis method – the emphasis on nature, the permissive school atmosphere and the object lesson – he believed that Pestalozzis theory lacked an adequate philosophical foundation. Froebel gave Pestalozzis object lesson a more symbolic meaning by saying that the concrete object was to stimulate recall of a corresponding idea in the childs mind. He accepted Pestalozzis general method that saw schools as emotionally secure places for children, but he elevated the concept to a highly spiritual level. Like Pestalozzi, he wanted to prepare teachers who would be sensitive to childrens readiness and needs. 7 Furthermore Froebel studied languages and science at the University of Gottingen from 1810 to 1812 . He wanted to identify linguistic structures that could be applied to language instruction. From 1812 to 1816 Froebel studied mineralogy at the University of Berlin. He believed the process of crystallization, moving from simple to complex, reflected a universal cosmic law that also governed human growth and development. Froebel was influenced by two trends in the first half of the 19th century: a resurgence of philosophical idealism and the rising nationalism of the post-Napoleonic eras. Idealism emphasizes a spiritually based reality. Idealists saw the nation as embodying the world spirit on earth. During Froebels life, there were efforts to unite the various small German kingdoms into one large nation. He believed that an education that emphasized German traditions and folk tales would advance this cause. Froebels idealism was a reaction against the empiricism of Locke and Rosseau. However, his educational philosophy emphasized the dignity of child nature as recommended by Rousseau and Pestalozzi. In 1816 Froebel established the Universal German Educational Institute at Griesheim. He moved the institute to Keilhau in 1817 where it functioned until 1829. In 1818 Froebel married Henrietta Wilhelmine Hoffmeister (1780–1839), who assisted him until her death. In 1831 Froebel established an institute at Wartensee on Lake Sempach in Switzerland and then relocated the school to Willisau. Froebel next operated an orphanage and boarding school at Burgdorf. He believed that every childs inner self contained a spiritual essence that stimulated self-active learning. He therefore designed the kindergarten system for children under the age of six (1837) that would be a prepared environment to externalize childrens interior spirituality through self-activity using play, songs, stories, and activities. He developed special materials (such as shaped wooden bricks and balls), a series of recommended activities (occupations) and movement activities (fine motor skills). This particular curriculum – now a standard part of early childhood education – stimulated childrens cognitive, social, emotional, creative and physical development. Froebels reputation as an early childhood educator increased and kindergartens were established throughout the German states. In 1852 Froebel passed away. By the end of the nineteenth century, kindergartens had been established throughout Europe and North America. 4 7http://education. stateuniversity. com/pages/1999/Froebel-Friedrich-1782-1852. html 3. Maria Montessori On August 31st, 1870 Maria Montessori was born at Chiaravalle, Italy. Her father, Alessandro Montessori, worked for the civil service, and her mother, Renilde Stoppani, came from an academic family and was well educated. The Montessori family moved to Rome in 1875, and the following year Maria enrolled in the local state school on the Via di San Nicolo da Tolentino. At 12, Montessori expressed her intention to attend what was called a technical school for her secondary education, which was unusual at the time as most girls who pursued secondary education studied the classics. From 1886 to 1890 she continued her studies at the Regio Instituto Tecnico Leonardo da Vinci, which she entered with the intention of becoming an engineer. This decision didnt find favor with her father, who believed that the education of females should be restricted to certain subjects. Upon her graduation, Montessori was determined to enter medical school and become a doctor. Her father opposed this course—medical school was then an all-male preserve—and initially Maria was refused entry by the head of the school. 8 In 1890, with her mothers support, Montessori obtained her fathers reluctant permission to attend the University of Rome to study physics, mathematics and natural sciences, receiving her diploma two years later. This and the Pope’s intercession enabled her to enter the College of Medicine, and she became the first woman to enter medical school in Italy. Montessori stood out not just because of her gender, but because she was actually intent on mastering the subject matter. She awarded for her work in pathology by winning a series of scholarships at medical school which, together with the money she earned through private tuition, enabled her to pay for most of her medical education. In 1895 she won a position as assistant in the University hospital. Montessoris time at medical school was a challenge, because her male colleagues showed their disapproval of her presence and she had to work alone on dissections since these were not allowed to be done in mixed classes. But she was a dedicated student and graduated in June 1896 at the top of her class as a specialist in surgery and in the diseases of women and children. She became the first woman to qualify as a doctor in Italy, and with this distinction also became known across the country. She was immediately employed in the San Giovanni Hospital attached to the University. Later that year she was asked to represent Italy at the International Congress for Women’s Rights in Berlin, where she talked about the progress of education for women in Italy. In November 1896 Montessori added the appointment as surgical assistant at Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome to her portfolio of tasks. In 1897 she volunteered to join a research program at the psychiatric clinic of the University of Rome, and it was here that she worked alongside Giusseppe Montesano, with whom she would have a child a few years later. As part of her work at the clinic she would visit Rome’s asylums for the insane, seeking patients for treatment at the clinic. Montessori discovered that many children with mental, physical, or emotional disabilities, who couldnt stay at home or go to school or work, were being kept in asylums alongside adults with major psychiatric disorders. She came to realize that in such a bare, unfurnished environment the children were desperate for sensorial stimulation and activities for their hands, and that this deprivation was contributing to their condition. She began to read what others had published about working with children with various disabilities and in particular she studied the groundbreaking work of two early 19th century Frenchmen, Jean-Marc Itard and Edouard Seguin, his student. 5 8A Biography of Dr Maria Montessori, in: http://montessori. org. au/montessori/biography. htm Itard had developed a technique of education through the senses, which Seguin later tried to adapt to mainstream education. Seguin emphasized respect and understanding for each individual child. He created a practical apparatus and equipment to help develop the child’s sensory perceptions and motor skills, which Montessori was later to use in new ways. From 1897-98 she attended courses in pedagogy, studying the works of Rousseau, Pestalozzi and Froebel. In 1898 Montessori was becoming known for her work with and ideas about education for children with disabilities. In 1899, she began teaching at a college for the training of female teachers, and there she further explored and discussed ideas about education. Then, in 1900, as a result of her work with children in hospitals and asylums, Montessori was asked to become the co-director of the Orthophrenic School for children with various disabilities that prevented them from doing well in regular schools. Montessori spent 2 years working at the Orthophrenic School, experimenting with and refining the materials devised by Itard and Seguin and bringing a scientific, analytical attitude to the work; teaching and observing the children by day and writing up her notes by night. In 1898 Maria gave birth to a child, a boy named Mario, who was given into the care of a family who lived in the countryside near Rome. In 1901 Montessori left the Orthophrenic School and immersed herself in her own studies of educational philosophy and anthropology. In 1904 she took up a post as a lecturer at the Pedagogic School of the University of Rome, which she held until 1908. 9 During this period Rome was experiencing rapid population growth and industrialization. In the fever of speculative development, some construction companies were going bankrupt, leaving unfinished building projects which quickly attracted squatters. One such development, which stood in the San Lorenzo district, was rescued by a group of wealthy bankers who undertook a basic restoration, dividing larger apartments into small units for impoverished working families. Many children not old enough for school or work were being left alone while their parents went to work each day. These unsupervised children were vandalizing the newly renovated buildings and getting into other kinds of trouble. This prompted the developers to approach Dr. Montessori to provide ways of occupying the children during the day to prevent further damage to the premises. Montessori grasped the opportunity and established her first Casa dei Bambini or ‘Children’s House’. What Montessori came to realize was that children who were placed in an environment where activities were designed to support their natural development had the power to educate themselves (autoeducation). By the autumn of 1908 there were five Case dei Bambini operating, four in Rome and one in Milan. Children in a Casa dei Bambini made extraordinary progress, and soon 5-year-olds were writing and reading. In the summer of 1909 Montessori gave the first training course in her approach to around 100 students. He published her first book that same year in Italy, which appeared in translation in the United States in 1912 as The Montessori Method, reaching second place on the U. S. nonfiction bestseller list. Soon afterwards it was translated into 20 different languages and has become a major influence in the field of education. A period of great expansion in the Montessori approach now followed in Europe and America. By 1933 all Montessori schools in Germany had been closed. In the same year, after Montessori refused to cooperate with Mussolini’s plans to incorporate Italian Montessori schools into the fascist youth movement, he closed them all down. 9A Biography of Dr Maria Montessori, in: http://montessori. org. au/montessori/biography. htm 6 The outbreak of civil war in Spain forced the family to abandon their home in Barcelona, and they sailed to England in the summer of 1936. From England the refugees travelled to the Netherlands. In 1939 Montessori and her son Mario traveled to India to give a 3-month training course in Madras followed by a lecture tour; they were not to return for nearly 7 years. With the outbreak of war, as Italian citizens, Mario was interned and Montessori put under house arrest. She was well looked after in India, where she met Gandhi, Nehru and Tagore. Her 70th birthday request to the Indian government, that Mario should be released and restored to her, was granted. Together they trained over a thousand Indian teachers. In 1946 they returned to the Netherlands. A year later Montessori addressed UNESCO on the theme ‘Education and Peace’. In 1949 she received the first of three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. Her last public engagement was in London in 1951 when she attended the 9th International Montessori Congress. On May 6th 1952, at the holiday home of the Pierson family in the Netherlands, she passed away in the company of her son, Mario, to whom she bequeathed the legacy of her work. 10 10A Biography of Dr Maria Montessori, in: http://montessori. org. au/montessori/biography. htm 7 References: A Biography of Dr Maria Montessori, in: http://montessori. rg. au/montessori/biography. htm Comenius Foundation, 2013, in: http://comeniusfoundation. org/pages/why-comenius/comeniusbiography. php E. M. Standing, Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work (New York 1984), p. 38. Essa, E. Young, R. (2003). Introduction to early childhood education (3rd Can. ed. ). Nelson: Canada Friedrich Froebel (1782–1852) Biography, Froebels Kindergarten Philosophy, The Kindergarten Curriculum, Diffusion of the Kindergarten, in: http://education. stateuniversity. com/pages/1999/Froebel-Friedrich-1782-1852. html Julia Maria, â€Å"’Le Feminisme Italien: entrevue avec Mlle. Montessori†,

Were in the Pink

Were in the Pink Were in the Pink Were in the Pink By Maeve Maddox Look up the word pink in the Merriam-Webster Online Unabridged Dictionary, and youll find 13 entries for the single word, and 175 two-word entries in which one of the words is pink. An impressive legacy for a word that entered the language in 1573 as the name of a plant and not a color. The plant known as a pink has the Latin name dianthus. About 300 species of dianthus exist. The carnation belongs to this family. No one is quite certain as to how dianthus plants came to be called pinks. Its thought that the name derives from the jagged edges of the flower that look as if theyve been pinked. As a verb, pink has been in English since 1307 with the sense of pierce, stab, make holes in. Its from this verb that pinking shears get their name. pinking shears scissors with a saw-toothed inner edge. Theyre used to cut fabric in order to create a zig zag edge that wont ravel. Although dianthus flowers can be other shades, pink must have been the most familiar to have given us the word we now use to mean pale red. Pink-colored, i.e. colored like a pink, is recorded in 1681. Pink as an adjective of color, meaning pale rose color, is recorded in 1733. NOTE: The practice of adding colored to words that already signifiy a specific color is a solecism that seems to be gaining ground. For example, it makes perfect sense to speak of a Pepto-Bismol-colored house. It is absurd to speak of red-colored area on a map. The area is red. It is a red area. The word pinkie, as in pinkie finger, derives neither from the word for the color, nor from the word meaning to pierce. Apparently it comes from the Dutch diminutive pinkje. Dutch pink means little. Pinkie entered Scots dialect in the early 1800s with the meaning little finger. Scots speakers use pink to mean a small gleam of light, as in the expression the pink of the evening, i.e.,late afternoon, early evening. Another use of pink without the color sense is the term fox hunters use for the red coats some of them wear. These hunting coats, although bright red, are called pinks. One explanation is that the first ones were created by a tailor called Pinque. No evidence exists to support this example of folk etymology. A more believable reason to call the red coats pinks has to do with the expression to be in the pink. Nowadays, to be in the pink, usually means to be in top physical condition, but in Shakespeares time, pink meant something like epitome or pinnacle of perfection. The dianthus was much admired by Queen Elizabeth I and her courtiers. They may have considered it to be the perfect flower, beautiful to look at and delightful to smell. When Mercutio (Romeo and Juliet, 1597), says I am the very pinke of curtesie, he means that he is is not just courteous, but a model of courtesy. Thackeray (1811-1863), uses the expresssion in the very pink of the mode to mean at the very height of fashion. Charles Dickens (1812-1870) called an Italian town hed visited the very pink of hideousness and squalid misery. The appearance of a rider in the signature red hunting coat is very dashing, almost as dazzling as a U.S. Marine in full dress uniform. Its quite possible that such a rider in his scarlet coat was said to be in the pink of fashion and the expression dwindled to the noun pink for such a coat. Here are some other expressions that have evolved from the word pink with its meaning of pale red. pink-eye the common name for an inflammation of the membrane of the inner eyelid. Its extremely contagious. Some animals also suffer from it. The term was first recorded in 1882. pinko a term of political contempt and mistrust applied to persons who hold liberal views regarding government and economics. Red is a color associated with revolution. Presumably pinkos are not quite as extreme as communists, who are often called reds. The term pinko entered the language in 1936, but the the word pink was used as early as 1837 to describe people whose views have a tendency toward red. to see pink elephants to experience delirium tremens (or hallucinate) because of over-consumption of alcohol. Jack London used this expression in a story in 1913. pink slip discharge notice. When the word was coined, employers often informed employees that theyd been terminated by placing a notice written on a pink sheet of paper in their final pay envelope. First recorded use 1915. pink collar blue collar job has long been understood to mean a job requiring work clothes as opposed to a white-collar job performed by office workers. In 1977 someone introduced the expression pink collar to refer to jobs held by women. Understandably and deservedly, it didnt catch on. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:How to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and Tricks1,462 Basic Plot Types

Caribbean history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Caribbean history - Essay Example Tiones and Arawaks lived a peaceful life with happiness before arrival of Columbus. Agriculture, fishing and hunting were their daily activities for fulfilling basic needs. Arawaks had copper colour with long black hairs (Johnson 1920). Arawaks had a unique lifestyle and a very gentle society. They lived as a society and society was just like a small kingdom. Their leaders were called cacique. Every Arawak and Tiones had 2 or 3 wives as per the culture. The cacique always had more wives than normal people as it was a symbol of pride for the woman to marry a cacique. Marring a cacique used to raise the authority and lifestyle of the woman. Children of the cacique were provided with better lifestyle and future opportunities (Williams 1984). House construction of the Arawaks and Tiones was basically of round shape that a supported with a pole in the centre. Palm leaves were used to cover the house from the top. Caciques had rectangular shaped houses as to create difference between a cacique and a normal man. Mats of banana leaves were the material used for sleeping in absence of any other bedding (Williams 1984). ZEMI were the gods of Arawaks and they used to arrange different religious functions. Religious practice included dancing, religious worship and medical treatment by ZEMI. People also consulted ZEMI for advice on health matters. Agricultural festivals also had certain religious features as thank giving. Specific dress was used on such festivals and drum beating with cacique sitting at a special place. Singing and admiring of cacique are the main events of such festivals (Williams 1984). Different caciques asked for certain help when Columbus landed in the region. Cacique Guacanagarie of Marien (Bainoa) asked Columbus to save him from Caribs. He became the very good friend of Columbus. Canoba was the leader who resisted Spanish movement in the area. Columbus offered Canoba a chain of gold. Conaba mistakenly took

War is Kind - Stephen Crane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

War is Kind - Stephen Crane - Essay Example War is Kind - Stephen Crane Corroborating this, the poet writes: â€Å"Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom-- A field where a thousand corpses lie†. This is the unending story of wars. The tone of the poem is sarcastic but it is not sarcasm alone but mixed with helplessness of the situation created by war. Apart from the material destruction caused by war which can be replenished, what can never be recouped are the loss of precious lives and the soldier leaves the memories of what has been and what never more will be for his immediate family members, acquaintances and the society at large. As such when the poet mentions that â€Å"war is kind† one must understand the hidden meaning of cruel kindness ingrained in the process of war. One death in the family is like the introduction of the muffled drum in the melodious symphony of an orchestra. The poet reveals this situation by introducing an element of sarcasm specifically in the lines fourteen through sixteen: â€Å"Raged at his breast, gulped and died, Do not weep. War is kind†. When two unrelated words or having contradictory connotations are employed together in structure, but they give a dissimilar meaning, it is a case of oxymoron. Some of the examples in this poem are: â€Å"virtue of slaughter†, â€Å"excellence of killing†, â€Å"splendid shroud†, â€Å"drill and die† and â€Å"blazing flag†. In this poem the poet has made the judicious use of oxymoron and the contrast is effective and likeable and the words the poet has placed together generate vivid meanings.

T.S. Eliot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

T.S. Eliot - Essay Example The fourth part, by far the shortest, transitions to the final part and then moves to discuss concepts of a different persuasion. The poem, a challenging discourse which spans Literatures, characters and time creates the notion of disconnect but symbolizes in its entirety the fragmentation of today’s society bought by war despite of, or maybe because of, modernity. Eliot effectively challenges traditional poetry by setting forth the more imminent themes that are taking place in society. Because art is not merely an imitation of life, it is a tool to demonstrate a reflection of our own vanity and pitfalls as human beings. The theme of the war is a principal element of the poem which is clear by the timeframe when it was written, after the World War I which was considered in its time as the first Great War. The atrocities of war are a common knowledge that though people are aware of it, the same is not divulged by the very nature of its brutality. We know war, we understand that it does occur, but we do not recognize what actually happens in the frontlines. This notion is even more apparent in today’s world where wars are fought in distant lands involving foreign faces that are neither acknowledged nor talked about. People live in the comforts of battles fought by strangers through technologies that make it easier to defeat any other less organized or funded army crushed by the more technology-advanced force. â€Å"Unreal City,/ Under the brown fog of a winter dawn,/ A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many,/ I had not thought death had undone so many. /Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled,/ And each man fixed his eyes before his feet.† (Eliot 60-65). This speaks to the author’s disbelief over the indifference of the people as to the extent of death that was upon their feet. Alaeddini and Jeihouni perceptively observe, â€Å"To Eliot inaction provides the desired pretext for the power holders

Legalizing Marijuana

Legalizing Marijuana Introduction Marijuana is also referred to as cannabis, marihuana, or ganja. Herbal form of marijuana is the most common drug, consisting of flowers and leaves which subtend and mature pistillate stalks. Cannabis history dates back to 3rd millennium B.C. In the modern world, the drug has been applied for religious, recreational, medical or spiritual purposes. UNs estimation in fiscal 2004 revealed that 4% of the adults in the world population, which entails 162million people, use marijuana yearly, while 0.6% or 22.5million use it daily (Smith 50). Marijuana illegality Marijuana use is termed to be illegal due to its addictive aspect since its rated to be a  highly abusive drug. When individuals start to abuse marijuana, they eventually become hooked up and the drug ends up dominating their lives. Marijuana has also been declared not to have an approved medical use. Although the drug has been associated with healings from glaucoma to cancer especially among the Americans, the deal has not been accepted widely enough on international grounds (Connoly 55). Such an argument has therefore rendered the medical value of marijuana an actual controversy. Similarly, use of marijuana has been associated with narcotics like heroin believed to have serious health repercussions once abused. Narcotics had been on regulation under the early antidrug laws. Marijuana has been termed to be an abnormal recreational drug, due to its links to narcotics. In addition, marijuana has been associated with hippies or losers hence rendering it unfashionable lifestyles. Impo sition of criminal sanctions to the drug possession acts as type tough love for the community. The drug has been associated with the oppressed ethnic groups. For example, within the Americans, it was associated with Mexican Americans. A ban on marijuana was therefore seen as a way of discouraging the community subcultures from developing. Similarly, court cases presented for marijuana legalisation has never been rendered appealing by the advocates. Advocates normally argue on the basis of its medical benefits, creativity promotion and moral progression among others. Particularly, that does not seem convincing since the public image of a marijuana user is that of a loser at risks of either imprisonment or arrest (Smith 194). Advantages and Disadvantages of Marijuana Marijuana has physical benefits that are widespread, long-term or far reaching. The drug is known to impact on the automatic nervous system. Such an impact expands the breadth and gives the body a relaxation. Similarly, the drug has enormous healing and health potential which have actually not been realised by the Western medicine. Opposing action of the drug is essential in balancing an individual entire system, which can be understood to be a charged equilibrium. Such a state is defined as a physiological expansion or psychological satisfaction which is responsible for our health. For example, a study by Costa Rican revealed that cancer developments are less within the smokers of chronic marijuana, considered to be cigarettes smokers as well (Smith 46). Psychologically, marijuanas balancing of the nervous system has an effect on the mind which is energising and relaxing in a simultaneous trend. This means that an individual thinking is more clear and efficient. Also, Marijuana is a ssociated to poses spiritual benefits. Normally, whatever that enlivens is perceived to be a spirit. Marijuana has been found to facilitate the search for universal core values. Together with its ability to enhance the processes of our mind plus balancing of the body, the drug also assists in the understanding of the abiding reality by enhancing an individual consciousness. However, the drug has its disadvantages. First, the drug facilitates hindrance of shorter memory such that any complex or simple tasks may be quite demanding for the addict to undertake. Similarly, drug abuses result into decayed moral behaviour among users. For example, Marijuana users can be highly involved in risky sexual behaviour such that the HIV spread will be inevitable. For students, marijuana will make learning and study hard and athletes performance maybe brought down since movements, timing or coordination will be affected is affected as well. Safe driving will also be affected since concentration, alertness, reaction time or coordination will interfere (Shohov 98). Thirdly, Combination of marijuana use and tobacco smoking will increase the risks of contracting lung diseases. Among first users, the drug can cause panic, anxiety, paranoia or feelings of Impending doom. Finally, short-term effects can also involve distortion in perception, thinking or problem solving lapses plus increased heart rate. Heart attacks are also evident among the marijuana users due to impact on the blood pressure or heart rate in addition to reduction in oxygen carrying capacity in the blood. Effects on the immune system may also reduce the ability in fighting infectious diseases or cancer. A marijuana addict may also experience anxiety, depression or personality disturbances. On pregnant women, marijuana can cause the babies born to show altered responses in visual stimuli, high pitched cries or increased tremulousness.   Lastly, long term use of marijuana can cause an addictive potential to the users. Problems Associated with marijuana Due to its illegal nature, the drug is associated with jails, courts or prison cases. Scientifically, the drug has been rated to be harmful due to its addictive value. Physiological effects are also problems linked to marijuana use which in addition entails effects on smell, taste or even sound. Distortions on depth perception can result into serious accidents when driving. The drug use has resulted to uncontrolled system in its production to guarantee consumers of a pure product through the use of doctors or pharmacist. Being an illegal product, the prices are very high causing the users to involve in criminal activities in search of good money to acquire the herb. Un-attainability caused by the high prices places the drug in the hands of the mobs, gangs or even drug lords increasing the crime rate. Legalization would mean a widespread access by the general public hence unhealthy babies will be borne due to the perceived increased consumption among mothers (Shohov 118). Health Concerns/problems Marijuana causes increased and rapid heart rate, initiating harmful irritation feelings to the respiratory airways or lungs. Cancer causing chemicals are said to be contained within the drug. Within the endocrine system, the drug triggers short term drop within the hormones responsible for development and growth (Smith 25). Similarly, sperm production is lowered among males and hormone balance is also affected, which is fully responsible in control of menstrual cycles among girls. In addition, marijuana affects the brain behavior and function since it affects the chemical balance in the brain responsible for energy, appetite, attention or normal mood. Similarly, effects are evident on the learning, memory processes concentration or forgetfulness. Lastly, marijuana has been found to cause miscarriage or still births among the pregnant women and also developmental problems to the fetus. Solutions to the problems Solutions to the problems that come by marijuana use can be achieved through legalizing the herb.   Also, public school education should be improved, investment on programs on drug treatment. Some other solutions may involve conducting and investing more time on anti-drug education within schools, encouraging more partnerships between the police and the community. In addition, increased drug interdiction efforts within the borders would also assist plus legalizing all types of drugs. Other solutions would involve revising of our common laws on the marijuana trading in order to regulate the cultivation as well as commercial aspect of the drug (Connoly 33). References Connoly, Sean. Marijuana. South Broad St, Mankato: Black Rabbit Books publishers, 2006. Smith, Sandra. Marijuana: the drug abuse prevention. Princeton, U.S.A: Rosen Pub. Group publishers, 1999. Shohov, Tatiana. Medical use of marijuana: policy, regulatory, and legal issues. London, UK: Nova Publishers, 2003.

A Typical American Wedding Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

A Typical American Wedding Marriage. Are there any specifications to when someone gets married? When is it the appropriate time to get married? All these questions swarm my mind day after day as I envision my wedding. I don't believe those questions have a correct answer, but can only be answered by that person who is considering marriage. I on the other hand seem to answer those questions every day and develop a new answer everyday. As of right now I have been with my boyfriend, Forrest, for 3 years and two months. According to my stipulations of when to become engaged, I believe it should have already happened. We have each discussed it numerous times. My mom has subscriptions of wedding magazines that seem to arrive just as I walk into the door to visit, and my niece already refers to him as her uncle, yet I do not have a ring! I have thrown out every hint to him, from brochures of ring settings, to bringing up subjects of other friends who are engaged, but still no proposal. As the holidays and my graduati on approach, I anticipate the idea of an engagement. Although it may seem that I am eager to expedite this memorable event, it is also obvious to point out that there are many arrangements and a lot of stress that is tacked on to planning a wedding. First, I will have to acknowledge that I will have to deal with my family who has been sitting on pins and needles waiting for this day, possibly more so than myself, and of course there is the strategic plans. Since I have been waiting for this day, I have talked with my cousin's fiancà ©e, Lyssa, who has gone through this very similar delay of a proposal. I had to listen to her gripes and now she gets to listen to mine. But fortunately her time has come and she has gone from ... ... Two words of advice for brides-to-be. First, Be shacked up for at least a year because living with Kevin makes it so easy to marry him. I know what I am in for and I am marrying him with no doubts! Second, Have a lengthy engagement to make sure your wedding includes every detail you want. You'll have time to save needed money for all the extras and you'll have time to make everything happen. Last, I am adding a word for the grooms. If you are shacked up don't even think about surprising your girl with a ring, just do it within a year or your engagement will be an ultimatum." Personally I believe weddings are beautiful, but after witnessing many conflictions that Lyssa has gone through, I have learned that there are other aspects to planning a wedding. But in the end it is all worth it, and I anticipate watching the actual wedding of Kevin and Lisa on February 2nd.

Mattel’s China Experience

In 1945, the Mattel brand was born. Ruth and Elliot Handler and Harold â€Å"Matt† Matson launched Mattel out of a garage workshop in Southern California. The first Mattel products were actually picture frames, but Elliot soon started using those picture frames to create dollhouse furniture. Harold Matson eventually sold out to his partner, Ruth and Elliot Handler. The Handler’s, encouraged by the success of the doll furniture and turned the emphasis of the company to toys. By 1955 Mattel was advertising toys through the popular show â€Å"Mickey Mouse Club†; this revolutionized the way toys were marketed. By 1959 Mattel had introduced Barbie, named after their daughter Barbara’s nickname. Barbie would soon lead Mattel to the forefront of the toy industry and fascinate girls all over the world for decades. In 1960, Mattel became a publicly owned company, stock was listed was listed on the New York and Pacific Coast Stock Exchanges in 1963. By 1965, sales topped $100 million and the company joined the Fortune 500. In the years to come Mattel would enter the ever growing electronics industry, they would also enter several joint ventures and licensing agreements that would earn them more profit (Mattel History, www. Mattel. com). In 2010, Mattel posted profit of $24. 8 million, or 7 cents a share, compared with a loss of $51 million, or 14 cents a share in the previous period. Sales totaled $880. 1 million, an increase of 12% compared with $785. 6 million a year earlier (Chang, 2010). A host of external factors can influence a firm’s decision of direction and action. Influencing Mattel’s decisions are economic factors, social factors, political factors, technological factors and ecological factors. Mattel must lso understand the globalization strategy as it will allow them to pursue opportunities anywhere in the world and enable them to optimize business functions in the countries in which it operates (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Companies such as Mattel, seeking lower prices have benefited from the â€Å"China price† which was 30 to 50 percent cheaper than the cost to make the equivalent product in the U. S. Companies choose China for a variety of reasons including lower business costs, cheaper labor, facilities, plant and equipment and raw materials. There were also differences in regulatory oversight between China and many other countries, including the U. S. The U. S. banned lead toys in 1978; China only signed an agreement to do so in September of 2007 (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Being a global company, Mattel faces multiple political, economic, legal, social and cultural environments as well as various changes within each of them. Other issues arise in geographic separation, cultural and national differences and variations of business practices which all tend to make control and communication efforts between headquarters and the overseas affiliates difficult. Global companies like Mattel also face intense competition due to the differences in industry structures within countries. External factors such as technological change force Mattel to promote innovation to remain competitive. Mattel must be aware of technological changes that might influence its industry. Political factors are also considered external and are designed to benefit and protect firms like Mattel. Political constraints are placed on firms through actions like fair trade decisions, antitrust laws, tax programs, minimum wage legislation, pricing and polluting, many of these aimed at protecting employee’s (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Outsourcing to China also creates concerns in quality control as in the case of the 2007 recall for Mattel. In July of 2007, Mattel announced it would be voluntarily recalling some of its products from a contract manufacturer in China that was utilizing non-approved paint containing lead. Mattel requires that their manufacturing partners use paint from approved and certified suppliers and have procedures in place that test and verify but in this particular instance, procedures were not followed. Of the 19 million plus Mattel toys recalled, 2. 2 million were because of lead paint. Toys were pulled from the shelves of retailers, media frenzy ensued and public pressure was mounting. By the time the dust had settled from the recall, Mattel had recalled over 19 million toys that were produced in China. Their stock price had declined as they took a $40 million charge for the recalls and their cost increased. Customers were threatening to boycott Mattel and all toys that were made in China. When it appeared nothing could get worse for Mattel, congress sent a letter in 2008 charging that Robert was not honoring the commitment he made to the public during the initial recall incident (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Mattel had to determine what next steps they would take to recover from such a crisis and move quickly in order to protect their brand. Mattel had to identify an approach to the recalls that would enable them to protect the Mattel brand and their reputation while not undermining their intent to be the â€Å"World’s Premiere Toy Brand – Today and Tomorrow† (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Moving forward a solution this type of dilemma should include increased quality control efforts in all areas, increased audits and inspections to retain compliance with industry standards. Chinese policy makers would also need to review their policies and change the countries practices to reduce such problems. In the months after the recall China announced high profile inspections and clampdowns on quality. Another solution would be for producers could subject individual shipments of toys to the same box-by-box inspection that is now applied to pet food additives. China could also force exporters to conform to foreign food and product safety standards, even if they exceed China’s own laws (Oneal, Callahan, & Osnos, N. D. ). Current safety checks in place, including independent audits would need to be reviewed as they did not prevent the chain of events leading to the recall (Story, 2007). There are many different solutions mentioned above that could work together to minimize the likelihood of such massive recalls in the future. Mattel should increase its quality controls for the toy industry, especially for product produced in China. The company and its subsidiaries should comply with the suggested standards of the CPSC Toy Safety Standards which can inspect, monitor, prosecute and even fine for defects. Mattel should report a defect or recall within 24 hours of discovery which did not happen in this case and lead to many distraught consumers that had lost faith in the Mattel brand. Instead of shifting blame to producers in China, Mattel needs to realize that it was their choice to produce in China and therefore the producers are not completely at fault. Mattel also needs to determine the root cause of the problem in order to perform corrective action and prevent it from happening again. Increased quality control and testing should be implemented immediately after a recall of this magnitude. Investigations should take place immediately and continue ongoing until it is deemed that all quality control issues have been addressed. Mattel should take appropriate actions with its producers if it finds that their safety procedures were knowingly ignored. In this case Mattel worked to intercept incoming shipments to keep potentially hazardous problems from being placed on store shelves. Mattel should continue to focus on protecting children from lead-tainted imports (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). In conclusion, in preparation for another scenario similar to the toy recall, Mattel could incorporate the following objectives into their action plan. Objective 1: Get all pertinent information about the recall to the public accurately, efficiently and quickly. Objective 2: Reassure consumers, parents especially, that Mattel is committed to making the safest toys, fixing the problem and being honest and open. Objective 3: Take responsibility for the recall, Mattel should solve the problem while maintaining a stable relationship with producers in China (Mattel Toy Recall, 2007).

4 Simple Steps On What To Do When Youre Making Mistakes at Work

4 Simple Steps On What To Do When Youre Making Mistakes at Work We all make mistakes. Chances are, you’ll not be able to get through your career without making at least one- major or minor. The hardest part is first, admitting that you’ve erred, and then knowing what to do about it. Here are four steps to getting yourself back on track if you’re making mistakes at work. 1. Accept responsibility for your mistakesThere’s no getting around this one. You goofed. And everyone is going to know. There’s no point in trying to hide it, especially if other people will be affected by your gaffe. The sooner you take the blame and let people know what’s going on, the sooner the problem can be rectified. Pull the Band-Aid off and get right down to damage control.It may seem like a better idea to quietly fix it yourself, but the odds are you’ll miss something. It could be a more pervasive mess-up than you thought, or you could mess something else up in the process of trying to fix it. Be honest. Own it. And apolo gize. Then put yourself out there in the trenches until you set things right. People will respect you for your honorable behavior.2. Show you’re in control of the problemWhen disclosing the mistakes you’re making at work, have a few suggestions as to how you plan to fix the problem. Offer the best solution first to make the situation seem less dire. Show you’re in control. You’ve already learned from your mistake, and you’re already working to fix things. It doesn’t mean you’re not going to get yelled at, but it might mean your boss will take note of your character throughout the situation. Handle this well, and minimize the damage, and you might maximize your boss’s good opinion.3. Turn your mistakes into a learning experienceSeriously, everybody screws up every now and then. Don’t beat yourself up too hard. For one thing, it’s a waste of time. For another, if you’re too busy gnashing your teeth, you wonâ €™t have time to learn from your mistake. So turn this failure into a life lesson, and use it to help make you better at your job. Use it to help you grow. Debrief yourself, alter your course to avoid similar fudge-ups in the future, and then move forward.4.  Earn Your Boss’ Trust BackEven if you did all of the above, you’ll still have to earn back trust. Start small- get all your smaller projects off your desk, with efficiency and precision. Log these minor victories in quick succession. Then move on to bigger ones. Go the extra mile as often as you can. Little by little, your boss will be so charmed that he’ll forget what happened last month- he’ll be too busy reveling in the quality of your work this month.You’re going to mess up eventually. What matters isn’t when or how, but how you choose to handle yourself in such situations. When in doubt, choose honesty, integrity, and good hard work to pull things back together.

Remembering the Holocaust essays

Remembering the Holocaust essays Six million Jews and millions of others, including Gypsies, Slavs, homosexuals, the mentally ill and the infirm were murdered by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945. The magnitude of brutality, the remorseless cruelty, and the mass murder during the Holocaust are unique. However the root causes of the Holocaust continue. Racial hatred, economic crises, human psychological and moral flaws are still ominously common. Saying this, we must have the courage to remember the Holocaust, no matter how disturbing the memories may be. For only informed, understanding, and morally committed people can prevent such persecution from happening again. There will never be enough remembrance of the Holocaust. To forget about the holocaust is to ignore the tragedies many millions suffered, to bring about a possibility it could be repeated, and to agree with Adolf Hitlers philosophy. "Never think there is an easy way to make an end to such bitter memories...Never think there is a way to forgive the hate in the human heart...or an easy way to believe that the worst has occurred and is past. Only know that hope lives when people remember." (Simon Wiesenthal) The persecution of people is always and everywhere intolerable and to act against it is a beginning for hope. Jewish communities existed continuously in Europe for over 2,000 years. Many of these communities were older than the countries in which they existed. Nevertheless, as the countries of Europe developed, Jews were rarely given complete citizenship status. At best they were tolerated as guests. Their social and religious distinctiveness made them persistent targets for persecution; and such persecution, in turn, intensified the cohesiveness of Jewish communities. Jews were starved, beaten, experimented on, tortured, and killed. They were forced to face an almost certain death. The Jewish people were persecuted for their religion. Although the Jewish p ...

Americans were reluctant to get involved in World War II (the war Essay

Americans were reluctant to get involved in World War II (the war started in 1939; the U.S. did not join until 1941). Why do you think this is - Essay Example Americans aided many of the European countries throughout the war to recover from the great depression. However, they finally were forced to enter into the war when Hitler declared a war against them and when Japan attacked the Pearl Harbour. Americans had suffered much from the World War I and had been hit by the great depression which left thousands of citizens unemployed and homeless. At the time of the World War II, the Americans were still recovering from the great depression and had adopted isolation. Many Americans, called isolationists, believed that they were not ready to enter another long and costly war. Congress passed the Neutrality Act in 1935 which referred to outlawing the provision of supplies and funds to the warring countries. However in 1939, Germany’s aggression towards England caused President Roosevelt to be an interventionist and take permission from the Congress to supply aid to European countries. Many of the Americans still opposed this intervention criticising that German military was really tough to defeat since American military was not ready for a war. U.S. intervention in the war would thus not be a good move. Hence, the U.S. did not initially enter the war. The second reason, which is the most important one, is the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941. On the morning of 7th December, the Japanese Navy conducted a surprise attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. After two hours of the attacks, more than 21 ships were damaged or sunk, 2400 citizens were killed, and about 188 aircrafts were destroyed. This attack outraged the Americans and the next day they abandoned their isolationism policy and declared war against Japan. This was the time when U.S. was officially a part of the WWII. The Japanese attacked the U.S. because they did not want to make any more negotiations with them. The Japanese wanted their expansion in Asia which was hindered because of the restricted embargo on Japan by the U.S. The

Marketing Communication Tools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing Communication Tools - Essay Example Marketers and researchers in the field of marketing communication has observed that marketing communication has stayed in the core functional area of businesses and proved to be as vital asset for the organization as its financial resources are (Khosla, 2010). Schultz et al. (2004) identified the importance of marketing communication and the need to diversify use of marketing communication tools and stated that: â€Å"An approach concerns the integration of a wide range of activities and functions that influence and impact upon dynamic information flows between an organization and its stakeholders.   Because in reality consumers integrate all messages received from an organization. Thus, even if the organization has transmitted uncoordinated messages to the same consumer, that consumer will aggregate and integrate those messages according to some pattern. Unfortunately, in some cases, the criteria chosen by the consumer to make such integration can harm the organization and associ ated brand value. Hence the company must be able to manage the process according to its own interests and strategic purposes† (Schultz et al., 2004). Considering the importance of marketing communication tools and the diversified use of these tools, highlighted by Schultz, it can be asserted that the modern business environment might bring a number of challenges to the business. Due to the increased competition in the market place and the requirement of extensive marketing research to promote brands and services, organizations are compelled to adopt an alternative approach which focuses on using multiple sources of marketing and promotion and ensures healthy... The report stresses that marketers and researchers evaluate the benefits a business might achieve by selecting a communication medium. For this purpose, extensive market research is required which helps the market researchers to determine consumers’ preferences and their accessibility to different communication mediums. Once the medium is decided, the researcher then move on to weigh the benefits that an organization perceive it would achieve by selecting the said medium. This reportmakes a conclusion that the criteria to select an efficient marketing communication tool is to carry out a need analysis. The outcome of the need analysis would communicate to the marketers of a business about the expectations and perceptions of the consumers in the market place. Moreover, the organization can also select marketing communication tools on the basis of its targeting strategy. Suppose, if an organization is targeting youth for its energy drink offerings, it would select social network medium to interact with the target market and influence their behavior. While basing their decisions on the target markets and its dynamics for selecting marketing communication tools, organizations must asses its ability to be creative in the marketing campaign and be distinctive in creating compelling marketing pitch. The author of the paper talks that As the business environment and marketing challenges are new with every passing day, it becomes essential for organizations to integrate marketing communication in the core organization functions. Businesses would ensure that that each and every activity of the organization is carried out in a manner, that it markets the organizational values, norms, culture, products and services to the target audience.