Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Healthcare and Financial Issues Essay Example

Healthcare and Financial Issues Essay Example Healthcare and Financial Issues Essay Healthcare and Financial Issues Essay Healthcare Financial Issues The history of the American healthcare system has experienced some form of distray. Despite the introduction of the managed care (sought to bring the cost of healthcare down), Americans have expressed fear that the costs of healthcare have continued to rise. The 2010s Obamacare was introduced to reform various aspects of the American health insurance industry, and to also improve the quality and access of healthcare services. The research paper aims at exploring Obama healthcare service and how the new requirements have transformed that nature of the health of the U.S. citizenry. The concern of the paper lies in examining how the quality and value of the American health care service has changed since the introduction of the Obama healthcare service. This research uses qualitative research method; qualitative method enables the researcher to dig deeper into getting finer details aboutthe non-quantitative aspects of the topic being studied. Through qualitative research, the paper will unearth how managed care, as an an initiative, addresses the escalating costs of medical care. The research is interested to investigate how managed care can lead to effective funding and offering referals. The researcher will unmask how this healthcare tool covers services that are experimental in nature (Babbie, 2016). The research will narrow down to utilize case study reseach approach, which refers to a research whereby where the researcher is suppopsed to give a comprehensive analaysis and cccount of more than one case. The leading (foundatonal) research in this case study research would thus be put as follows: What are the major characteristics of the Obamacare case? Since the roots of the case study are interdisciplinary, the research shall draw upon various other models can be incorporated to describe and explain the Obamacare case. As classified by Babbie (2016), a caqse study research can be divided into three: e Collective case study-where researchers interest is to study and compare multiple cases in a singular research sudy; e Instrumental case study-where the interest of the researcher is to understand something more general than the obviousness of the case; e Intrisc case study-where the researchers interest lies in understand particulars ofthe case. By setting research questions, the research will be centered on sourcing the answers to these questions. The three questions to be considered include: RQ1: How has Obama healthcare service and the new requirements changed the nature of health of the US citizens? RQ2. How can Healthcare services improve quality and value in the U.S. Health Care System? RQ3. How can adequate healthcare coverage ensure all people have access to quality health services without facing financial hardship? Some of the benefits the research will seek to investigate is the shared benefit with which Obamacare service allows Americans to access it from any part of America. Since this service requires all health insurance plans to cover crucial health benefits and rights. This healthcare plan favors millions of American patients together with the uninsured citizens by ensuring that they canaccess free and low healthcare costs. It consequently allows parents to cover their childrens health up to to the age of 26, a factor that gives more benefits and returns to insurance companies andproviders. Obamacare will detrimentally lead to low costs, since it will outnumber the insurance companies that havebeen having a good number of clients who take all sorts of insurance covers. This is because the service aims at offering high quality healthcare at relatively lower costs. It negatively affect Americans who may be unwilling to buy the insurance through Obamacare tax penalties. By setting research questions, the research will be centered on sourcing the answers to these questions. Some of the considerations involved in carrying out this research include the capability to seal the gaps in knowledge needed to be derived from the research. The research will be carried out ina natural setting and would involve a process of building a holistic and complex picture of the phenomenon of interest. There are many ways through which the researcher can collaborate and enrich their work while conducting a study on a certain topic, like the Obamacare, in this case. The capability to have several iterations of the study in different settings will provide a means of validating findings. Collaboration requires many forms, including crossing discipliness (Babbie, 2016). The practitioner research addresses the investigator, the purpose, and the setting. In this case, the research seeks rightful information from the practitioner who have insight regarding the Obamacare. Reference Babbie, E. R. (2016). The practice of social research. Belmont: Wadsworth Pub. Co.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Middle School and High School Intervention Programs

Middle School and High School Intervention Programs Intervention has become an important tool for servicing students who struggle academically particularly in reading and/or math. School intervention programs are very popular in elementary schools, but what about middle school and high school? The truth is that the older the student is, the more difficult it becomes to get a student who is behind back on grade level. That doesn’t mean that schools shouldn’t have intervention programs in place for their middle school and high school students. However, these programs should embrace the middle school/high school culture where motivating students becomes half the battle. Motivating students will lead to improvement and growth in all areas of academics. It is important to understand that what works for one school may not work in another. Each school has its own culture shaped by many external factors. Principals and teachers need to work together to figure out what aspects of a program are applicable to their school’s unique situation. With that in mind, we explore two different middle school/high school intervention programs. They were designed to motivate students to succeed academically to give those struggling students some much needed extra assistance 8th Hour/Saturday School Premise: Most students do not want to spend extra time at school. This program is aimed at two primary groups of students: Those students are below grade level in reading and/or mathThose students who often fail to complete or turn in work This  intervention program has been designed  with several strategies to help these students. Those include: Requiring students to complete incomplete or missing assignmentsProviding extra assistance on assignmentsProviding extra time to complete assignments when a student has been absentBuilding reading and math skills so as to prepare a student for state testing The intervention program should be run by a reading specialist or certified teacher and could be held during an 8th hour, or an immediate extension of the school day running every day. Students could also participate in this intervention by serving a Saturday School. This is not intended as student discipline but as an academic aid to success. Each of the four components is broken down below: Requiring students to complete incomplete assignments or missing assignments Any student who turns in an incomplete or a zero would be required to serve an 8th hour the day that assignment was due.If they complete the assignment on that day, then they would  receive full credit for that assignment. However, if they do not complete it that day, they should continue to serve 8th hour until the assignment is complete and turned in. The student would only receive 70% credit if they do not turn it in that day. Each additional day it takes to complete an assignment would also add to the count towards a Saturday School as discussed in point four.After three missing/incomplete assignments, then the maximum a student may  score on any missing/incomplete assignment thereafter is 70%. This would penalize students who continuously fail to complete work.If a student turns in a combination of 3 incomplete and/or zeros during a half-term period, then the student would be required to serve a Saturday School. After they have served a Saturday School, it would reset, and t hey would have 3 more incomplete/zeros before they are required to serve another Saturday School. This would reset at the end of each half term. Providing students with  extra assistance on assignments Any student who needs extra help or tutoring on assignments may voluntarily come in during 8th hour to receive that help. Students should take the initiative for this. Providing extra time to complete assignments when a student has been absent If a student is absent, they would  be required to spend the day that they returned in 8th hour. This would allow extra time to get the assignments and to complete them, so there is not as much to do at home.The student would  be required to collect their assignments the morning they return. Building reading and math skills so as to prepare a student for state testing After cross referencing state testing scores and/or other assessment programs, a small group of students could be selected to be pulled in two days a week to help improve either their reading level or math level. These students would be assessed periodically to monitor their progress. Once they reach their grade level, then they would graduate out in that area. This part of the program is intended to give students skills they are missing and needing to be more successful in math and reading. Fast Friday Premise: Students like to get out of school early. This program provides an incentive for students who maintain at least a 70% in all subject areas. The Fast Friday intervention has been designed to motivate students to keep their grades above a 70% and to provide extra assistance for those students who have grades below a 70%. Fast Fridays would occur on a bi-weekly basis. On Fast Friday our daily class schedule would be shortened from the traditional school schedule to accommodate an early dismissal following lunch. This privilege would be extended only to students maintaining grades of 70% or above. Students who have only one class in which they are below a 70% would be required to stay after lunch only for a short time, during which they will receive extra assistance in the class which they are struggling. Students who have two or more classes in which they have below a 70% would be required to stay until the normal dismissal time, during which they will receive extra assistance in each class they are struggling.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Corporate Governance and Compensation Research Paper

Corporate Governance and Compensation - Research Paper Example ance as â€Å"the system by which business corporations are directed and controlled†¦[specifying] the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation such as the Board, managers, shareholders and other stakeholders, and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions on corporate affairs† (OECD, 2004, 11). A third definition is articulated by economists: â€Å"Corporate governance is a field in economics that investigates how to secure/motivate efficient management of corporations by the use of mechanisms such as contracts, organizational designs and legislation† (Fernando, 2006, 13-15). More recent literature has expanded the coverage of corporate governance to include management and financial discipline, corporate social responsibility, business ethics, stakeholder participation in decision-making, and more recently, sustainable economic development in the country in which the business operates (16). Presented in the appendix is a figure showing the comparative descriptions of the OECD and UK’s Good Governance Standards for Public Service, as they measure up to the generic principles of good governance. Executive compensation as a concern of corporate governance Before the financial crisis, there was little reason for doubting the rising pay of chief executives as set by board. The general public perception is that the board acted in a regular and informed manner when they agreed in setting the compensation level of the CEO, and that corporate governance was implemented optimally from the top of the organization. The issues that arose out of the financial crisis, however, led to the belief that the process of determining CEO compensation is not as efficient as the public were led to believe, and that significant... This essay stresses that the case of Disney’s derivative suit involving Ovitz’s morally untenable compensation package highlights the huge discrepancy between what the law requires and what is required by good corporate governance, as far as executive compensation is concerned. Presently, in determining liability and propriety the law measures executive action by the minimum standard of due care and good faith, but this case shows that it is possible for a powerful CEO to meet the minimum and still cause severe pecuniary and organizational risk to the company and its shareholders. This paper makes a conclusion that the courts decided against the derivative suit filed by the shareholders, because the board of directors were deemed to have met the minimum standard of due care, and not to have acted in bad faith as defined by the law. This does not clear Disney executives, particularly its CEO and those directors who evidently connived with him, from meeting their moral and ethical responsibility towards their shareholders and stakeholders, and is an evident display of poor corporate governance. Executive compensation and the hiring of a successor must not be left to the whims and designs of a CEO who manipulates these matters in order to retain power for himself. The terms of executive compensation and succession should be considered as legitimate by social standards and the norms and cognitive impacts on the organization.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Latin American Literature (Marquez) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Latin American Literature (Marquez) - Essay Example When he enters the kitchen on the morning the Bishop is expected, both the cook, Victoria Guzman, and her daughter, Divina Flora, know what Santiago Nasar will not learn for some time--that two men are waiting outside the house to kill him. (Marquez, p.15-19) They, like many others Santiago will cross in the short time before his death, do not warn him. When the narrator's mother hears the news of what is to happen to Santiago, she immediately sets out to warn Placida Linero that her son is in danger, but is stopped in the street and told that "they've already killed him." The twins even reveal their plans to a policeman who passes on the information to the mayor, yet even that does not stop the murder. On her wedding night, Angela furious husband returns Angela to her family. This is seen as violence to her family, especially in the conventions of the time where such an act brings shame to both Angela and her family. As one might expect, she is now put under a lot of pressure to tel l her family who it was that took her virginity.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Employment responsibilities Essay Example for Free

Employment responsibilities Essay Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health, social care or children and young people’s settings. Outcome 1 know the statutory responsibilities and rights of employees and employers within own area of work 1 Health safety, minimum wage, working hours, equality 2 – Health Safety at Work Act 1974: An act put in place to look after the health, safety and welfare of people at work, for protecting others against risks to health or safety in connection with the activities of people at work. Equality Act 2010: This act legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace. Employment Rights Act 1996: This act explains what rights employees have in a place of work. For example, time off work, guaranteed wages, dismissal and redundancy. 3 – To protect employees against circumstances they may face in their working lives. Every person who works for an employer is protected from discrimination in the workplace, has the right to receive the national minimum wage, and to work no more than 48 hours per week unless they wish to. These employee rights apply regardless of whether the employee or worker is temporary, fixed-term or permanent, or how long they have worked for the employer. These laws provide rules and regulations that must be followed. 4 – Sources and types of information and advice available can be, speaking directly to managers, reading policies and procedures, looking on the internet (direct.gov.uk) , going to a citizen advice bureau or joining a union. Outcome 2 – understand agreed ways of working that protect own relationship with employer 1 – My contract of employment at Crown House covers the following : job title, probationary period, place of work, pay, deductions, hours of work,  overtime, time recording, short time working and lay off, annual holidays, public holidays, sick pay, alcohol and drug testing, pension, notice and garden leave. 2 – My payslip includes the following information: company name, department, payment method, payment period, payments, hours, rate, amount, deductions (PAYE tax, National Insurance, Pension), totals, week/month, date, department number, tax code, employee number, employee name and net total. 3 – If you have a grievance relating to your employment, you should in the first instance raise this with the manager. If the grievance cannot be settled informally, you must set out the grievance and the basis for it in writing and submit it to the Area Manager. 4- Personal information that must be kept up to date with own employer can include : change of name, marital status, change of address, any medical conditions that may affect work, any medication prescribed that may affect work and any altercations with the police must be admitted. 5 – Agreed ways of working includes policies and procedures, which may cover areas such as: Data protection – how confidential files relating to staff or service users are stored in cupboards where access is only given if needed. Conflict management – if there is any conflict between staff members this should be bought to the attention of the manager and he/she should try to resolve this professionally. Anti-discriminatory practise staff and service users will not be discriminated regardless of their age, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnic background or disability. Health and safety – staff should wear appropriate clothing, for example flat shoes and covered up. It is staffs responsibility to report any health and  safety issues they may come across, whether it be broken equipment or maintenance needed within the building. Equality and diversity – staff and service users must be treated equally but not all the same. Opportunities should not be missed just because somebody may need extra support to do something. For example, if a sensory room is upstairs and somebody cannot manage the stairs for whatever reason, help should be given (lift, stair lift) so that person can access the room. Outcome 3 – Understand how own role fits within the wider context of the sector 1 – My job description is to provide centred focused care to service users. To provide opportunities for service users to increase their knowledge and experience, to encourage them to maintain present skills and learn new ones, and to enable them to gain more control over their lives. To manage and minimise behaviours as best as possible. To ensure the four key principles of the ‘Valuing People’ document are adhered to at all times ‘Rights’ ‘Independence’ ‘Choice’ and ‘Inclusion’. General and administration duties. ** Important: this is not exhaustive and is subject to review in line with the changing needs of the unit and/or the needs of the service users. 2 Positive Negative Accessing community and participating in activities of enjoyment People may be at risk to themselves and others (staff, members of public) Gives the company a good name Service users not motivated, become lazy Improves service users development and remain stimulated Behaviours may be displayed often Keep service users safe Gives the company a bad reputation 3 – Other people in which staff need to communicate with will include, but  are not limited to, the following: Residential homes – to find out how the service user has been at home (behaviours, illness), let them of know of any lunch requirements (picnics, cooked lunch), ensure money is sent in for planned activities, make sure the service user is dressed appropriately for planned activities. Speech and Language Therapists – to assess, monitor and review a service users eating and swallowing if any problems have been noticed and reported, to offer help with communication aids and techniques. Mental health team – attend regular appointments with service users to see how they are, is medication working? Any new problems/obsessions? How mood has been? (agitated, confused, depressed) Any behaviour triggers? 4 – CQC are regulators for all health and social care services in Enlgand. A regulator is an organisation that checks services meet the government’s standards or rules about care. They also look after the rights of people who need extra support to stay safe. This includes people who are kept in care under a law called the Mental Health Act. The government’s standards cover all areas of care. These rules are about things like: respecting people and treating them in the way we all expect to be treated. making sure people receive the food and drink they need. giving people care in clean, safe buildings. managing services and having the right staff. CQC put care services on their register if they meet the standards, or act quickly if they do not. They continue to use different information to find out as much as they can about services. Information from the public about their experiences of care is very important to CQC. They also work with local groups and people who use services to find out what’s working well and what’s working badly in health and social care services in their area. Inspectors check services all over England to make sure they meet the rules for safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care. Care services, and other organisations like the NHS, also give CQC information about certain things that happen. For example, they will check a service if more people are dying there than usual. They act quickly to stop unsafe services or bad ways of working. They say what needs to change and go back to check things are better. CQC can also fine people or companies, give  services a public warning, stop the service caring for any new people, stop a service caring for people while they find out what is happening and even shut services down. Outcome 4 – Understand career pathways available within own related sectors 1 – To be a care home manager you would need the following qualifications * at least two years’ senior management or supervisory experience in a relevant care setting within the past five years * a qualification appropriate to the care you will be providing, such as NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care, a degree in social work or nursing (with live registration) * a management qualification, such as NVQ Level 4 in Leadership and Management for Care Services (which replaces the Registered Managers Award (RMA)) or equivalent like a Diploma in Management Studies, or a Management NVQ Level 4 . To be a nurse you would need the following qualifications – around 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) of Grade C and above including English Literature or Language, Mathematics and a science subject. to take a nursing degree courses you will normally need at least 2 A-Level s or equivalent. all nurse training is done by universities. They offer nursing diplomas or degrees which take three years to complete. The diplomas however are being phased out and most universities are moving to degree only in September 2011 – all universities must move to degree only by September 2013 to work as a nurse in the United Kingdom you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The title Registered Nurse is only given to you when you have that registration. To be a social worker you would need the following qualifications – a three-year undergraduate degree or a two-year postgraduate degree in social work that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Many university courses are full-time, although some work-based routes with part-time study may also be available. You will typically need the following qualifications in order to study for an undergraduate degree in social work: five GCSEs (A-C) including English and maths  at least two A levels, or an equivalent qualification such as a BTEC National  Diploma or NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care. You should check entry requirements, as colleges and universities may accept alternatives like an Access to Higher Education or substantial relevant work experience (paid or voluntary). If you already have a degree, you could do a two-year postgraduate Masters degree in social work. When you apply for social work training, you should ideally already have some paid or voluntary experience in a social work or care setting. You will also need to pass background checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Previous convictions or cautions may not automatically prevent you from this type of work. 2 – In order to become a Deputy Manager of a day service such as Crown House, I would speak to my current manager and find out all the information I needed to know. I could also get in contact with the companies head office and if need be any training providers. 3 – The next steps in my career pathway are as follows Any refresher training to update my knowledge and remind me what I learnt last time, this will include NAPPI training. Attend first aid course and SOVA course annually Complete NVQ level 3 by December 2015 Mental health training by June 2016 Outcome 5 – Understand how issues of public concern may affect the image and delivery of services in the sector 1 – The following are cases where the public have raised concerns regarding issues within the care sector: Winterbourne View Baby P Ash Court Fiona Chisholm Orme House 2 – Abuse took place at Winterbourne View, a hospital for patients with learning disabilities and challenging behaviours in Gloucestershire. A Panorama investigation broadcast on television in 2011, exposed the physical and psychological abuse suffered by people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour at the hospital. Local social services and the English national regulator (Care Quality Commission) had received various warnings but the mistreatment continued. One senior nurse reported his concerns to the management at Winterbourne View and to CQC, but his complaint was not taken up. The footage showed staff repeatedly assaulting and harshly restraining patients under chairs. Staff gave patients cold punishment showers, left one outside in near zero temperatures, and poured mouthwash into anothers eyes. They pulled patients hair and forced medication into patients mouths. Victims were shown screaming and shaking, and one patient was seen trying to jump out of a second floor window to escape the torment, and was then mocked by staff members. One patient was repeatedly poked in the eyes. A clinical psychologist who reviewed the footage described the abuse as torture. On 21 June 2011, 86 people and organisations wrote to the Prime Minister, David Cameron about the revelations, We are aware of the various actions currently being taken within and outside government – such as the DH review and CQC internal inquiry. We hope to make submissions to those both individually and collectively. However, on their own these will not be enough and a clear programme is needed to achieve change. The prime minister responded saying he was â€Å"appalled† at the â€Å"catalogue of abuses† Panorama uncovered. In June 2011 the Association of Supported Living issued a press statement, which was followed up in writing to every member of parliament in the United Kingdom, calling for community based supported living services to replace institutional services for people with learning disabilities. The Daily Mail said Without the investigation by the BBCs Panorama, given huge coverage in the Mail, the abuse of patients at Winterbourne View might be continuing to this day. As it is, the secure hospital and two other care  homes have been shut down, 11 guilty staff have been brought to justice – and a devastating report now exposes the serial failings of the local NHS, police and health watchdogs. For the past year, the Leveson Inquiry has focused relentlessly on the failings of the media. Never let it be forgotten how much this country owes, in the fight against cruelty and corruption, to its free Press. The Daily Telegraph said, It is impossible to read the details of what went on at Winterbourne View, a care home for the severely disabled in Gloucestershire, without feeling repelled. In the wake of an exposà © from the BBCs Panorama, 11 members of staff were convicted of almost 40 charges of neglect and ill treatment of those in their care. The national regulator, the CQC did a nationwide check on facilities owned by the same company, Castlebeck Care – as a result three more institutions have been closed. The CQC reported a systemic failure to protect people or to investigate allegations of abuse and said that Castlebeck Care had misled the health watchdog. The CQC also inspected 132 similar institutions and a Serious Case Review was commissioned. The head of the Care Quality Commission resigned ahead of a critical government report, a report in which Winterbourne View was cited. Mencap published a report warning that similar abuse could be going on elsewhere and calling for the closure of all large institutions far from peoples families. Eleven people pleaded guilty to criminal offences of neglect or abuse as a result of evidence from Undercover Care and six of them were jailed. Immediately after the eleventh person pleaded guilty, the Serious Case Review was published, revealing hundreds of previous incidents at the hospital and missed warnings. 3 The public seems to have lost faith in such regulators and companies as this has been reocurring for a number of years. The media have issued a lot of publicity stating how care companies, social services and regulators have let the victims down by simply not taking these cases seriously enough and ensuring the well-being and standards are being met. The public may feel  reluctant to use the care services to look after their family members. These issues also give the care sector a bad reputation. 4 – Recent changes in service delivery which have affected own area of work includes staff being supervised and appraised on a regular basis, changes to medication being administered, NAPPI training to prevent forceful restraining, ensuring incident/accident forms are completed correctly and signed by witnesses if needed and up to date training, policies and procedures.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Berlin Wall :: European History Cold War

The Berlin Wall Throughout the history of the World, there are many great facts, and things to learn. There is an abundance of information out there not only about our country but about the rest of the world also. After researching the Berlin Wall, I was quite interested, and did not realize what I was missing out on about the past history of our world. I am going to share all that I learned about the Berlin Wall, and how it made a difference in our past and future times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Berlin Wall was built on the night between 12th and 13th August 1961. Everyone always asks why the Berlin Wall was built and what did it stand for. In 1945, following World War II, Germany was divided into two countries - East Germany and West Germany. East Germany was controlled by the communist regime of the Soviet Union while West Germany became a democracy supported by the United States. Berlin, the former capital city, although entirely within East German borders, was also split into two. On August 13, 1961, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) decided to block off East Berlin and West Berlin by means of a barbed wire. Streets were torn up, and barricades erected. Rail lines and the subway between East and West Berlin was torn up. People of East Berlin and the GDR were no longer allowed to enter West Berlin disrupting 60,000 commuters who were employed in West Berlin. Within the year, construction work began to build a solid wall separating the two cities. The German Democratic Republic along with 60,000 commuters, under the leadership of Erich Honecker. The Berlin Wall fell down on November 9th, 1989. In my opinion, the Berlin Wall was built simply because; Germany was controlled by Communist Regime, and by the Soviet Union. Those two groups are not going to get along, and that is why I believe they were split up.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since I learned to read music, and play it well, it has been a large part of my life. I learned that just playing the note on the page perfect is not music. To play music well, you have to feel it in your body, spirit, mind, and soul. The music that has been picked out this year, in my opinion, is the best music I have ever played. My favorite is 2nd Dawning, and not just because I have to write about it, but it really is.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Kids should be monitored on the internet Essay

The internet is known for many miraculous advances in today’s technology. We have an unlimited quantity of knowledge on this so-called information super highway. Plus we can purchase merchandise, and talk to friends and family from around the world without leaving the comfort of our own homes. Seems great right? Sure, but if it’s placed in the wrong hands all of this can be spoiled. Particularly when a child is sitting behind the computer screen. This is why I believe children should be monitored while being on the World Wide Web. There are numerous dangers out there that both parents and children should be aware of. First, there is the subject of the â€Å"new and improved† way of shopping, on-line. If a child wonders onto a website of this sort then the child may be able to by something that cannot be afforded, or something the child is prohibited to own, but this is only the beginning of the problems your youngster will encounter if he or she is unsupervised or uneducated about on-line purchasing sites. They might reveal important information such as name, address, credit card, number etc., and if a website is not secure (make sure the website as a privacy policy of some sort) then a hacker -someone who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system- may use your personal data for things such as identity theft, and they might even want to learn the whereabouts of you and your little one. It ordinarily doesn’t get this extreme, but you should never take any chances when dealing with something this serious. This leads me to my most important issue. Pedophiles and pornographers on-line. This is an utmost danger for kids on the internet. Kids can find themselves on a pornographic website unintentionally while just surfing the web. For instance if they type the wrong characters into the address bar (Examples: typing .com instead of .org) you may be asking yourself â€Å"Why is this allowed to happen, shouldn’t there be guidelines?† Well in 1996 congress passed a provision known as the Communications Decency Act, (CDA) which was designed to protect children from indecent material on-line. In 1997 the Supreme Court ruled the CDA unconstitutional. It was said to be  against the first amendment, freedom of speech. Lastly, we are on the most critical of things. On-line pedophiles or â€Å"Internet Predators† These are people who prey on children and persuade them to do things that the predator desires. Usually without the child knowing or realizing what is happening is wrong. Predators try and find children on-line such as websites, chat rooms and even e-mail. Usually the predator will try and make friends with the unsuspecting child often pretending to like the same things or even to be the same age as the child. After corresponding with the child for a while the predator will usually want to talk on the phone or meet in person. This could lead to unspeakable situations where the child may be sexually assaulted or even killed. In a study done in 2000, it was discovered that nearly one in five youths had received an unwanted sexual solicitation or approach. It is extremely saddening to hear about these dreadful crimes. Although it is chilling to hear about these crimes, there are ways to protect yourself and your young-ones from the dark places on the internet. First, parents must educate themselves about cyberspace. Most parents don’t even know what a chat room or a screen name is. Another way to keep internet safe is to have your computer in a public place in your home such as the living room or kitchen area. You may be saying to your self that you can’t watch your child all day, but in cases like this you can always get some kind of software that allows you to block certain web pages and even sites with key words (example: drugs, sex, violence) Never forget though not to be too over protective, because if something does happen your kids might be afraid to mention it, in fear that you will be angry with them. In case of an emergency or you just have a question about online safety call the CyberTipline (1-800-843-5678)

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Early Years Foundation Stage Essay

1. What are the four stages of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework? The EYFS is a frame work setting standards that cover the care, development, learning of children from birth to the age of five. It was first established under the Childcare Act 2006. The new framework will come into force 1st Sept 1014, until then the current EYFS 2012 is statutory. There are four specific areas of the EYFS which are: A unique child, positive relationships, enabling environments and learning and development. These provide guidance on best practices and procedures and the framework is applicable to for all environments that support children from birth to 5. Some of these would be, maintained schools, non maintained school, independent schools, child minders, pre schools and nurseries. Exceptions to these would be if a child had a nanny, or parent toddler groups (where the parent is expected to stay with the child.) Within these four specific areas there are also 7 areas of learning and development. Children should mostly develop the 3 prime areas first. These are: Communication and language, physical development and personal and social and emotional development. As children grow these prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas which are Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding of the world and expressive arts and design. Each of these stages (or steps) have guidance (goals) as to where the child should be at regarding their age and stage. These stages are fairly flexible allowing staff/parents to be able to monitor the progress of the child whilst maintaining and keeping in with the Childs own unique interests and needs. 1.The Unique Child Babies and children develop at different rates and ages. However all babies must develop skill 1 before they develop skill 2 and so on, an example would be a baby must first learn to crawl (in some form) before it will walk, or learn to make sounds before it talks. Links from body to brain are essential in early child development. Children are vulnerable and without love, care and nurture from parents and carers will not develop the necessary skills, emotions and resilience of a child who had this care and nurture. These early relationships with parents/carers are essential and can strongly influence how children develop socially and emotionally. Children develop communication skills at a very early stage. Babies learn to  cry, and this is the earliest form of communication, babies communicate through facial expression, they learn to smile by watching their parents /carers, learning through having frequent enjoyable contact. Making â€Å"baby,† noises, gurgling through to laughing. Babies and children also learn and develop through play helping to develop their physical, social and emotional, communication and cognitive skills. Recognizing that all people (Adults, babies and children,) have rights and must be treated fairly. This is irrespective of age, sex, ethnicity, race, wealth, disability etc. All children have an equal right to be listened to and valued within any child setting. It is important that all children receive the same amount of care and support within the setting to ensure their overall development. It is important to assess the needs of each individual child to ensure that the individual child can r each their full potential. All babies are vulnerable and rely on adults to keep them safe. To feel safe and secure in a childcare setting is paramount. Younger children can begin to learn about keeping themselves safe through conversations, poems and stories. This help to keep children resilient. It is also important that we teach children boundaries. Children will continue to test these boundaries, but though nurturing children and explaining rules and consequences as a positive constant, children feel safe and secure in their environments. They begin to learn what is acceptable and not acceptable in their various environments and the difference of right and wrong., This is also imperative when it comes to children making choices and assessing their own risk, helping to develop their physical and physiological well being. Children’s health and well being are effected by their genes and the environment in which they are brought up in. Children who have their emotional and physical needs and wants met in an accepting, loving and understanding environment are children whom develop confidence, are resilient and self assured. Children gain a sense of well being, it helps with social skills – they are able to make friends, communicate themselves in a self assured way, share and enjoy life. Teaching healthy eating habits, maintaining the children’s interest in the health of their own bodies, role modeling this and showing posters of healthy food and fruit are ways of promoting this to children giving them choices, encouraging them to be part of a group as they start to become more in control of their bodies. Giving children a safe, clean healthy  environment aids with their physical development ensuring adequate clothing and footwear, a stimulating environment and access to the outdoors and the stimulus that this provides. For babies and young children, sleep and rest is also an important factor to aid heath and well being, as development is rapid in the first 3 years of life. Positive Relationships Every interaction is based on a positive relationship. Children are able to function better and feel safe when they are in a positive, loving relationship with their family. This flows when they make their transition to the child care environment. By involving and accepting the child’s family and working as a team with the child and their family creates a positive environment in which the child can best adapt and develop. Through mutual support of family and practitioner, shows the child we are interested in their feelings, interests and abilities. Whilst still having a professional distance from families, being friendly towards family but not being in a friendship. A parent/practitioner partnership helps to develop systems which can help scaffold children’s individual efforts and independence. Positive communication with parents enable practice that creates stimulating relationships with both the child and the people involved in their family, creating the goal to which the child feels safe, valued and included, where differences are embraced. Enabling Environments ensure that all babies and children in an Early Years Setting have the correct resources to enable the need to develop and learn. Showing parents and carers that the environment meets their child’s individual needs helps to create a positive partnership between parents and professionals. We can do this be ensuring children have stimulating resources available to them, equipment that helps to develop both physical and cognitive development. Providing resources related to the children’s cultures, religions, communities, experiences and achievements. This also helps with practice relating to inclusion, whilst providing other children with learning opportunities they may not experience in their normal everyday life. All learning development outlines that children’s development and learning rate are different. This is especially true when supporting children with disabilities or special educational needs. This is when guidelines need to be followed and care plans are put into place. Children’s learning development needs to be planned for in an EYFS setting. Children must be given the opportunity to explore different subjects made to engage them in their age and stage of understanding, these should be enjoyable but at the same time challenging encouraging children to think critically when involved in their play. This is where Planning, Observation and Assessment cycles come into play. â€Å"Observation involves practitioners observing children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles, and then to shape learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations.† Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage – 2012 With children in an EYFS setting early observations are vital to determine how far a child is with their development. It is important to observe a child within the three prime areas. Through these primary observations assessments developed and individual educational plans can be put i nto place to ensure the childs specific needs are met. In order to gain a level of children’s development, we use development statements. These are a list of statements that outline the four stages ok the EYFS framework Including 7 areas of where a child should be in regards to their learning development. They are either working towards or have achieved the early learning goals. This is all age and stage related and helps determine any gaps in observations, as well as the child’s strengths and weaknesses. These EYFS assessments are continuously reviewed by the practitioner who discusses findings with the parent during the prime areas of development which are between the ages of 2 & 3 years. This is then reviewed at the end of the EYFS period which Government deem to be at age 5. During the observations and assessments of the prime areas there are also 4 specific areas that will develop as the child grows. These are literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design, which are also age and stage related. 2 Summarise the psychological development theories outlined in this course. Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget were all theorists who gave ideas regarding children’s development through their years, from developmental stages, cognitive/intellectual stages and milestones. Jean Piaget’s theory is that children develop through 4 stages. The Sensorimotor (0-2 yrs) This is where the child understands the world  through their primary reflexes, looking, sucking, feeling, then as the child develops so do the schemas, Piaget states that this is first found accidently by the child then done purposefully for enjoyment. As the child progresses they do things by trial and error as the child realizes actions have a reaction, for example picking up a rattle then moving it creates noise. Creating a noise may get attention from a care giver. This knowledge is moving from the actual action of movement and reaction to the actual cognitive thought process. Milestone Object Permanence The second stage Preoperational (2-7years) This is the stage where children develop language, and become adept at using symbols which may have many meanings. An example would be a cardboard box becomes a car, a television, a bed anything that the childs imagines it to be through ro le play. A child had not yet developed logic and has an outlook of self-importance. Milestone Egocentrism Stage Three is Concrete Operational (7-11 years) Children now begin to develop a greater understanding of concrete events, they are logical in their thinking but have difficulty when relating to hypothetical events or situations. They realize that their own thoughts and feelings may be different from others thoughts. Children become less egocentric and begin to understand that something may stay in the same quantity even though the appearance has changed. If two pieces of paper are the same length and one length has been scrunched up, children will assume the scrunched is shorter if the Milestone conservation has not been reached. Formal Operational (11+Years) Children begin the ability to think in an abstract manor. They are able to reason things in their heads and conclude possible outcomes. Children are able to think about thinks they may not have experienced and still be able to determine possible endings to scenarios. Milestone, manipulation of ideas. Sigmund Freud’s theories of psychosexual development, describes how personality develops during childhood through the â€Å"id†. This is the source of all psychic energy, making it the primary component of personality. The â€Å"id† is driven by the pleasure principle. Freud’s theory is based on five stages. Oral – (O-1 year) The primary source of a baby’s pleasure is through feeding, the interaction occurs through the mouth and the baby gains pleasure from the carers who is feeding the baby and develops a relationship of trust and comfort with the feeder. Milestone Feeding Anal Stage (1-3years) Freud believed the primary source of libido  was on controlling the bladder and bowel. When a child has developed this control over their body it is believed this sense of achievement and accomplishment leads to independence. Parents who praise positive outcomes lead children to feel capable and productive. Milestone Control over body Phallic Stage (3-6 years) Children develop feeling of jealousy. Freud suggested that boys become jealous of fathers affections towards their mothers. Children as a result of these feelings were also able to understand the fears of punishment. Milestone Jealousy Differences Latent (6 years-puberty) The early part of Latent is where children become interested in their peers, lasting meaningful relationships are formed, they become interested in hobbies and other interests, the later part of Latent is when children develop further relationships, social and communication skills and self confidence. Children tend to more actively pursue activities they are interested in. Milestone Interest in hobbies and others. Genital Stage (puberty-death)Freud suggests that in this last stage, the person develops a sexual interest in the opposite sex. This stage begins at puberty but remains with a person throughout life. Interests in the welfare others should now be established, Freud determined that once all stages have been met the individual should now be an all rounded well balanced individual. Milestone Sexual interests and a well balanced lifestyle. Erik Erikson also theorized upon personality, however, whereas Freud took a sexual approach, physcosexual, Erikson took the â€Å"ego† approach, psychosocial which was all about the â€Å"ego† of the human, rather than the â€Å"id† that Freud discussed. The â€Å"ego† was more about the role of society, culture and conflicts that took place within itself – the devil and angel on your shoulder. Stage 1 Trust vs Mistrust (0-18mth) Babies/young children begin to develop a sense of trust from their primary care givers, if the care is constant, then trust develops. If not then Erikson claimed the child will develop a mistrust even fear and will not have confidence in the world around them. Milestone Feeding Stage 2 Ear ly Childhood (2-3years)Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt. By this stage, children are walking, able to chose (toys, directions to walk in) becoming more independent and developing autonomy. The aim Erikson suggested, was to let the child attempt and try at risk, even though failure may be possible, Erikson said it was better to praise the child for its attempts. â€Å"They must not criticize the child for failures and accidents  (particularly when toilet raining.) The aim has to be â€Å"self control without a loss of self esteem.† (Gross 1993) Milestone toilet training. Stage 3 Preschool (3-5years) Initiative vs Guilt. Children become more social and are interested in developing games, interacting with one another, becoming more assertive. Children become more confident as they become involved more in play and lead others through this. During this time, other children may want to take control, or adults may â€Å"intervene† in some way, children then begin to feel inadequate which leads to a lacking in self initiative and feeling of guilt. Milestone Exploration Stage 4 School Age (6-11years)Industry vs Inferiority This is the most important time for anyone in the teaching profession. Children begin to develop coping skills, they are developing relationships with peers and begin to feel the need to win approval by developing specific competencies that are interesting and noted by society. Children take pride in their accomplishments and are keen to show all in their world their achievements. Erikson suggests at this point, if children are not commended, or no interest is taken by their peers, family or care givers, and criticism is offered instead of praise, then the child may begin to feel inferior and have doubt in their abilities. Some children may just stop being interested in a certain activity. Milestone – School Stage 5 (!2-18years) Identity vs Role Confusion. Erikson suggests this is the age where children/young adults begin to gain t two identities a greater sense of self identity/awareness. They begin to look forward, to plan their futures Erikson â€Å"suggests that two identities are involved: the sexual and the occupational.† McLeod, S.A. (2008.) Children who experience constant negativity and rebuke from peers, trusted professionals (teachers) and family members can lead to a lack in confidence, low self esteem, and failure. 3.. Analyse the factors which affect child development. The factors which play a central role in children’s learning support the transitional process from EYFS into Year 1. â€Å"The characteristics of effective learning run through and underpin all seven areas of learning and development, representing process rather than outcomes.† EYFS Profile Handbook. There are three key characteristics of effective learning. Playing and Exploring, Active Learning and Critical Thinking. These  descriptions need to have a brief description through means of ongoing observations, relevant photographs, discussions with parents and relevant adults and should take into account all relevant information from the setting. The HLTA should encourage children by supporting and encouraging a child’s natural curiosity (Playing and Exploring.) This can be achieved through role play sought from the children’s own interests. By having – creating an excited and well resourced role play area encourages children to engage in play they may not normally choose, and to mix with other children they wouldn’t normally play with. Through providing varied materials children can use imagination and construct their own equipment for use in their play. The HLTA encourages to play through using encouraging praise and being aware of all children engaged in the â€Å"game.† And by giving children a language to think about by maybe first initiating language/vocabulary relevant to the role play. An example would be a shop area HLTA would use vocab. such as cost, money, buy, shop, etc. introduce mathematics through numeracy words. To then reflect with children about their play encouraging them to â€Å"chat,† about what they did, ask questions how, why, where, encourage children to think about what else they could do, improve on, get rid of – what’s good and what’s not, all helps the HLTA support children by trying different strategies, practice problem solving skills, through encouraging praise. We are then able to revisit the role play area, giving children time to explore the area, thinking about what they’ve discussed, encouraging other children to contribute. To encourage children to think critically is to support children in the development of their own ideas, develop their problem solving skills and develop their methodical approach to achieve an outcome. A HLTA could introduce a maths activity to support this. I would set up conversa tions regarding the resources such as weighing scales, and various sized and shaped parcels, some the same size but have a noticeable change in weight. We would have discussions firstly introducing language, heavier ,lighter, large, small, equal, balance. By asking children to chose a parcel they â€Å"think† is heavy (most will pick the largest) and compare that to another parcel introduces different ideas that biggest isn’t always heaviest. Children will enjoy investigating and figuring out. Asking children to compare weight in their hands and through use of the scales will encourage children to think through  the issue, through conversation and discussing mistakes children will able to see visual when using the weiing scales which parcel was actually heavier, asking other children to comment feedback and to â€Å"have a go.† And by supporting and respecting a childs efforts and thinking of new ideas i.e. how can we make it heavier on this side?†¦ I think that be introducing activities encourages children in active learning. It involves being calm at all times and to be able to calm children who may become over excited. Through constructive praise of their progress, achievements and failures. Helping children set new and different goals, encouraging children to watch and learn from other children through praise and encouragement. Teaching children to reflect upon their play, encouraging children to return to games, areas, activities that they may not have accessed for a while. Give children time to explore the activities and allow them to contribute. Through taking photographs of children engaged in an activity, and by returning to discuss the pictures at a later date, reminds the child and encourages them to think and recollect their experiences. Displaying these photos and giving them the child’s voice on either setting walls, or learning journals encourages children to contribute to their environment.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Three Best Places to Start Your Journalism Career

The Three Best Places to Start Your Journalism Career When I was in grad school I had a part-time gopher job at the New York Daily News. But my dream was to be a reporter in a big-city newsroom, so one day I put together my best clips and walked into the office of one of the papers top editors. Id toiled at several student papers and had an internship under my belt. Id also worked part-time at a local daily paper when I was an undergrad in journalism school. So I asked her if I had what it took to get a reporting job there. No, she said. Not yet. This is the big-time, she told me. You cant afford to make mistakes here. Go and make your mistakes at a smaller paper, then come back when youre ready. She was right. Four years later I did return to the Daily News, where I worked as a reporter, Long Island bureau chief and eventually deputy national news editor. But I did so after getting solid newsroom experience at The Associated Press, experience that prepared me for the big leagues. Too many journalism school grads today want to start their careers at places like The New York Times, Politico and CNN. Its fine to aspire to work at such lofty news organizations, but at places like that, there wont be much on-the-job-training. Youll be expected to hit the ground running. Thats fine if youre a prodigy, the Mozart of journalism, but most college grads need a training ground where they can be mentored, where they can learn - and make mistakes - before they hit the big time. So heres my list of the best places to start your career in the news business. Weekly Community Papers Probably not a sexy choice, but short-staffed weeklies offer new hires the opportunity to do a little bit of everything - write and edit stories, take pictures, do layout, and so on. This gives young journalists the kind of broad newsroom experience that can be valuable later on.​ Small to Midsized Local Papers Local papers are great incubators for young reporters. They offer you the chance to cover all the things youll cover at bigger papers - cops, courts, local politics and the like - but in an environment where you can hone your skills. Also, good local papers will have mentors, older reporters, and editors who can help you learn the tricks of the trade. There are plenty of very good local papers out there. One example: The Anniston Star. A small-town paper in southwest Alabama may not sound like the most exciting place to start out, but The Star has long been known for solid journalism and a crusading spirit. Indeed, during the civil rights movement in the 1960s, The Star was one of few southern papers to support school integration. The states racist governor, George Wallace, nicknamed it The Red Star for its liberal stance. The Associated Press The AP is the boot camp of journalism. People in the AP will tell you that two years at the wire service is like four or five years anywhere else, and its true. Youll work harder and write more stories at the AP than in any other job. Thats because while the AP is the worlds largest news organization, individual AP bureaus tend to be small. For instance, when I worked at the Boston AP bureau we had maybe a dozen or so staffers in the newsroom on a typical weekday shift. On the other hand, The Boston Globe, the citys largest newspaper, has dozens if not hundreds of reporters and editors. Since AP bureaus are so small, AP staffers have to produce a lot of copy. While a newspaper reporter might write a story or two a day, an AP staffer might write four or five articles - or more. The result is that AP staffers are known for being able to produce clean copy on very tight deadlines. In an age when the 24/7 news cycle of the Internet has forced reporters everywhere to write fast, the kind of experience you get at the AP is highly prized. In fact, my four years at the AP got me the job at the New York Daily News.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Purpose of a Resume - Resume Tips for Recent Graduates

The Purpose of a Resume - Resume Tips for Recent Graduates This article was originally posted at New Grad Life. A common misconception about resumes is that they are meant to describe what you did in your past jobs. In actuality, the most effective resumes are written from a FUTURE perspective. In other words, your resume will work if you think about what a potential employer would want to know about how you WILL perform. What experience do you have that will make you a contribution to their firm or organization? Photo by Ed Brambley, CC-BY-SA 2.0 If you are writing a resume from the perspective of the FUTURE, here’s what will happen: 1. Measurable Results. You will write detailed bullets that demonstrate your capability to achieve measurable results. That means: include numbers as often as possible. Don’t just say you tutored students; say how many and by how much their grades improved. Don’t say you were successful; tell us exactly what results you achieved. Don’t just say â€Å"increased;† tell us by what percentage. Your readers will imply that you can produce similar results for them. 2. Finding Relevance. You will think about the purpose and priority of each item on your resume. Does it matter that you worked as a bartender if you are now applying for marketing positions? Maybe, if you you were a student working 20 hours/week and still maintained a 3.8 GPA, or if you were the highest-tipped bartender at the establishment. Additionally, bartending demonstrates your ability to multitask and interact with a wide variety of people. But it does not need to take up three lines on your resume, just because it’s what you did; you can make it a short bullet under your â€Å"Education† section to show you were doing it while in school full time. 3. Deleting Irrelevant Items. You will delete anything that is irrelevant or of minimal importance to your future. These things include stuff you did in high school. High school activities are no longer relevant – you had 4 years of college to become who you are now, and if you did less in college than you did in high school, looking into the future, the logical conclusion is that you will do less and less as time goes on. Let us help you look your best on your resume and in all your writing. The Essay Expert provides writing help with LinkedIn profiles, resumes, cover letters, and other writing projects.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Information System Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information System Development - Essay Example   Ã‚  The third stage is system design, which specifies the functions and operations of the new system. The fourth stage is system acquisition, where an organization purchases the necessary components of the system. The fifth stage is system implementation, where the responsible personnel installs and tests the new system to make it operational (Papadopoulos, 2008). The final stage is system maintenance, where there are regular adjustments to maintain its operational status until the system’s life elapses.   The approaches to system development have their differences. The System Development Life Cycle uses stages of system development, and therefore requires a lot of time to implement. The other approach is prototyping, which involves the creation of an experimental model in a quicker and cheaper manner. The other approach is use of packages, where an organization purchases fully developed programs. The other approach is the End-user development, where an organization buil ds a system with less technical assistance, using the end-users. Finally, outsourcing is the other approach, where an organization uses external vendors for the development and operation of its information system (Davies, 2011).   In the conception activities of system development, there is the creation of a feasibility report and formulation of recommendations regarding a system. System analysis involves data collection, analysis, and documentation. For instance, the data collection occurs through interviews or observations, for the determination and documentation.