SIS 5 Essays (322 words) - Music, Electronic Dance Music

Siddarth Luthra SIS 5 Character Count:1,644 As of now I have one and only one goal following high school. I want to combine my passions into something I can make a living off of. I am a fan of music, being a DJ, and I love anything STEM related. I have been "DJing" for two years, I play the piano, trombone, drum set. I also build PC's, 3D printers, code, and I am part of a competition called Technology Student Association (TSA). While building machines and robots, I learned how to troubleshoot and fix problems and improved schematics given to build the machine. In TSA I have been part of a group and showed leadership giving tasks and making sure everyone in my grop is doing what they are supposed to. My role model is a man that goes by the alias DJ Enferno. DJ Enferno does what I want to do, he uses his STEM knowledge to build DJ controllers, mixers, and turntables to use for himself. He makes his own software, and uses others to make music. He programs MIDI controllers and uses it all to DJ and makes a living off of it. My motivation is seeing DJ Enferno perform, touring with celebrities and much more. I want to use my passion of music and technology to make music and technology that produces music. I feel like a STEM school would definitely benefit me because the STEM oriented community of learners will help me reach my goal by teaching me how to do what I want to do with my life. A STEM oriented community will set me on the path that I want to be and will help me learn how to create proficient software, build machines that produce music like DJ mixers and launchpads, and set me on a path that will take me to the places I want to go in this "path called life"

Carl Rogers was born January 8, 1902 in Oak Essay Example

Carl Rogers was born January 8, 1902 in Oak Essay Example Carl Rogers was born January 8, 1902 in Oak Essay Carl Rogers was born January 8, 1902 in Oak Essay Rogers theorized that there were three egos in us: the self-concept, the ideal ego, and the existent ego. The self-concept is the manner a individual sees him or herself ; the ideal ego is who one would wish to be ; the existent ego is who one really is ; and congruity is the sum of understanding between the three ( Bruno, 1977 ) . The more congruity, that is, the greater a person’s thought of who they are in mention to what they want to be, the more self-accepting they are, and therefore healthier. The 4th phase ( unconditioned positive respect ) , merely means that the healer accepts and values the client regardless of any issues they may hold, leting the client to research his or her ain individual without judgement ( Palmer, 2000 ) . This ambiance of psychological safety within the guidance session could merely come about through unconditioned positive respect. Rogers believed that low dignity ( or low congruity ) was the consequence of the client holding been judged in the yesteryear, either by parents, instructors or other authorization figures, who acted as if the kid had no intrinsic value as a individual unless he or she behaved the manner they wanted him or her to ( therefore exhibiting conditional respect ) ( Rogers, 1961, 283 ) . Unconditional positive respect is an counterpoison to the client’s earlier experiences. The 5th phase ( empathy, or empathic apprehension ) entails the healer seeing the client’s universe as if it were their ain. Two processes come into drama here: contemplation and elucidation. Reflection occurs when the healer repeats fragments of what the client has said with small alteration, conveying to the client a nonjudgmental apprehension of his/her statements ; elucidation occurs when the healer abstracts the nucleus or the kernel of a set of comments by the client ( Rogers, 1951 ) . The latter technique non merely acknowledges that the healer is listening, but provides the client with an chance to analyze his or her ain ideas and feelings as they are repeated back to them. In other systems of therapy, empathy with the client may be considered a preliminary measure frontward, but in person-centered therapy, it really makes up a major part of the work itself ( Bozarth, 1998 ) . The 6th and last status is a combination of four ( unconditioned positive respect ) and five ( empathy ) . Rogers’ belief is that the incarnation of this combination by the healer, every bit good as the client’s perceptual experience of such, will engender the actualizing inclination ; i.e. , â€Å"the inclination of the being to turn in a positive and constructive way, and for the individual to go all of his/her potentialities† ( Bozarth, 1998 ) . This ideal human status is embodied in the â€Å"fully functioning person† who is â€Å"open to see, able to populate existentially, is swearing in his/her ain being, expresses feelings freely, acts independently, is originative and lives a richer life† ( Wyatt, 2001 ) . It is besides of import to observe that this life in inquiry is a procedure, non a province of being, and a way, non a finish ( Wyatt, 2001 ) . The fully-functioning individual, as defined by Rogers, involves the undermentioned qualities: 1. Openness to Experience. This is the antonym of defensiveness, intending an accurate perceptual experience of one’s experiences in the universe, and the ability to accept world. Feelingss are of import here because they convey organismal valuing. If one can non be unfastened to one’s feelings, one can non be unfastened to realization. 2. Experiential Life. This is populating in the present minute, and non in the yesteryear or the hereafter. This doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t remember and learn from the past, or that one shouldn’t program or believe about the hereafter. These things merely necessitate to be understood for what they are: memories and ends, which are being experienced in the present. 3. Organismal Trusting. This is leting ourselves to be guided by the organismal valuing procedure, that is, making what experience right and what comes of course. This entails swearing one’s existent ego, which can merely be assessed if one is in contact with the actualizing inclination. 4. Experiential Freedom. This is the thought that it is irrelevant if people have free will or non: people really much feel that they do, and experience free when picks are made available to them. The fully-functioning individual acknowledges their freedom, and takes duty for their picks. 5. Creativity. This is the impression that if one feels free and responsible, one will move consequently, and take part in the universe. A fully-functioning individual, in touch with realization, will experience obliged to lend to the realization of others. This can happen via parts to the humanistic disciplines and scientific disciplines or to society in general ; through parental love ; or merely by making good at work ( all from Boeree, 1998 ) . The chief jobs with Rogers’ theory have to make with the deficiency of preciseness and specificity in respects to some of the constructs and footings. Krebs and Blackman rate the logical consistence as â€Å"fair, † and claim that some connexions are non truly clear, and that it does non decently or to the full address phases of development ( Maddi, 1996 ) . Rogers has besides been criticized for his open attending to witting experience, and deficiency of focal point to the unconscious ( Nietzel, Benstein, Milich, 1994 ) . Others have criticized the theory for being elitist, specifically in footings of fully-functioning persons and human potency. Rogers’ standards for such merely doesn’t apply to some, specifically those who have limited potencies in the first topographic point, and are missing in the capacity for creativeness and free look ( Pescitelli, 1996 ) . The fact is, the theory can merely be applied to those parts of the population whose rational and cultural backgrounds are compatible with the therapy, and the overall constructs are merely non comprehensive plenty to use to all persons ( Nietzel et. Al, 1994 ) . In add-on, some human conditions, such as mental illness, do non do much sense harmonizing to Rogers’ theory. The sociopath seemingly feels no guilt, uncomfortableness or compunction for his or her actions. There is no anxiousness, and so incongruence will non be present ( Pescitelli, 1996 ) . Take even further, how does this use to the belief that fully-functioning individual should make what comes of course to them? Should a sadist be allowed to ache others, or a masochist themselves? Should an alcoholic drink to their fill, or a depressive putting to death themselves? These unfavorable judgments, every bit good as others, have neer truly been resolved, and are partly responsible for Rogerian and person-centered therapy in general being relegated non to the borders needfully, but surely to a minor function in today’s psychotherapeutic clime. However, the chief ground for this slump merely has to make with the altering face of psychological science. Research over the last two decennaries has been specificity-based specifying specific interventions for specific psychological jobs – which goes against much of what Rogers believed. But Roger’s parts can non be undervalued. Some of his nucleus constructs – viz. empathy – have found their manner into infinite countries of pattern, and over the last 10 old ages at that place has been renewed involvement in person-centred therapy, peculiarly in Europe. There has besides been a revival in research by the likes of Tausch, Greenberg, Lietaer, McLeod, Prouty, Warner and Mearns. Rogers himself, who died in 1986 and spent his last decennary using his theories to countries of societal struggle in topographic points such as Ireland, South Africa and Russia, would no uncertainty be pleased. Bibliography Blake, T.Digesting Issues in Psychology. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc. , 1995. Boeree, C. â€Å"Carl Rogers.† Shippensburg University, Department of Psychology, 1998. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/rogers.html Bozarth, J.D.The Person-Centered Approach: A Revolutionary Paradigm. Ross-on-Wye: PCCS Books, 1998. Bruno, Frank J. â€Å"Client-Centered Guidance: Becoming a Person.† InHuman Adjustment and Personal Growth: Seven Nerve pathwaies, John Wiley A ; Sons, 1977. Hall, Kathy. â€Å"Carl Rogers.† Muskingum College, Department of Psychology, 1997. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/rogers.htm Hart, J.T. and Tomlinson, T.M.New Directions in Client-Centered Therapy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1970. Maddi, S.R. Personality theories: A comparative analysis ( 6th ed. ) . Toronto: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co. , 1996. McLeod, Saul. â€Å"Rogers’ Humanist Person-Centered Approach to Counselling.† Simply Psychology, 2006. Nietzel, B.M. , Bernstein, D.A. , Milich, R. Introduction to Clinical Psychology ( 4th ed. ) . N.J. : Prentice Hall Inc. , 1994. Palmer, S.Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy: the Essential Guide. London: Sage Publications ; 2000. Pescitelli, Dagmar. â€Å"An Analysis of Carl Rogers Theory of Personality.† Personality and Consciousness, 1996. hypertext transfer protocol: //pandc.ca/ ? cat=carl_rogers A ; page=rogerian_theory Rogers, Carl. Carl Rogers on Personal Power. New York: Delacorte Press, 1977. Rogers, Carl.Client-Centered Therapy. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1951. Rogers, Carl. â€Å"A Client-Centered/Person-Centered Approach to Therapy.† In Kirschenbaum, H. and Henderson, V. ( Eds. )The Carl Rogers Reader. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1986. Rogers, Carl and Dymond, Rosalind.Psychotherapy and Personality Change. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1954. Rogers, Carl.A Theory of Therapy, Personality and Interpersonal Psychotherapy. New York: McGraw Hill, 1959. Watson, N. ( 1984 ) . â€Å"The Empirical Status of Rogers’ Hypothesis of the Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Effective Psychotherapy.† In R. F. Levant and J. M. Shlien ( Eds. )Client-Centered Therapy and the Person-Centered Approach: New waies in Theory, Research, and Practice. New York: Praeger, 1984. Wyatt, Gill.Rogers’ Curative Conditionss:Development, Theory and Practice. Ross-on-Wye: PCCS Books, 2001.

Harriet Tubman- the most respected personalitie of the 19th century Essay

Harriet Tubman- the most respected personalitie of the 19th century - Essay Example Harriet Tubman began working as an underground rail operator around 1850; this was immediately after the death of Edward Brodess in 1849. The death of Brodess left Tubman and the remaining members of her family at risk of being sold so as to settle some of her master’s debts. She ran away to freedom and found her way through the Underground Railroad to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, she began working as a domestic help in saving some of the money she was being paid with the aim of saving her family members from slavery. The Underground Railroad was not a real railroad but a way for slaves to escape to freedom in the north. She was an operator or a conductor (Bradford ). These are the people who helped the slaves run away to freedom. These conductors showed the slaves where to hide so that the slave-hunters could not get them. They also got the food to eat and clothing before they got an alternative source of income.  She worked hard to save money for the intended trip home. Immediately the money was enough she left her job to free her sister.  ... She ran away to freedom and found her way through the Underground Railroad to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia she began working as a domestic help in saving some of the money she was being paid with the aim of saving her family members from slavery. The Underground Railroad was not a real rail road but a way for slaves to escape to freedom in the north. She was an operator or a conductor (Bradfrod ). These are the people who helped the slaves run away to freedom. These conductors showed the slaves where to hide so that the slave hunters could not get them. They also got them food to eat and clothing before they got an alternative source of income. Tubman initial aim was to get her family to liberty after she had freed herself to Philadelphia. She worked hard to save money for the intended trip home. Immediately the money was enough she left her job to free her sister. This is where her work began that later gave her the recognition that she has had until today. Tubman felt bad about th e suffering experienced by her family, friends and relatives in the hands of their masters. In the process of freeing her sister she decided to include others on the first trip (Sernett 20-50). She managed to save her family including her father, mother, brothers and sisters, cousins and nephews. It is estimated that she made between eleven to thirteen trips saving and protecting many slaves from masters and slave hunters. The many trips to free slaves made her famous for her work at the same time risking her life. At one moment the slave hunters grew tired of her activities and in decided to offer an award worth $ 40000 to anyone who would bring them Tubman. This did not deter her in her endeavor to

International Political Economy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Political Economy - Assignment Example ment of patents and copyrights which will strictly intellectual property rights and investor-state-arbitration that will grant investor the right to initiate dispute against a foreign government under the international law. Personally, I do not think it is necessary to have an additional agreement such as TPP to govern MNCs and FDIs because there are already existing frameworks that functions like TPP such as GATT, NAFTA, APEC etch. TPP however strengthens the enforcement of intellectual property rights and provide investors to initiate dispute against foreign government which could instill confidence among MNCs and FDIs. Recently, President Barack Obama visited its allies in Asia the latest of which is the Philippines. Albeit the two countries had different expectation about Obama’s visit, where President Obama is lobbying for the TPP and the Philippines to get the commitment of United States against China’s increasing aggression, the latter expressed openness and willingness to participate in the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). Walmart is good for the US/global welfare because it has dramatically cut the price of products by partnering with China. By offshoring its supply center to China, the cost of goods that will be sold drastically dropped making goods and services more affordable and therefore good for US/global welfare. Walmart changed the center of power in retailing that manufacturers no longer dictates price which made it expensive but rather the retailer such as Walmart which is sensitive to the market and dramatically dropped it. Walmart is not good for women. In its drive to bring the cost of its retailed products down, one of the components it downgraded is the salary and benefits of its employees. In addition, there had been reports also that Walmart discriminate against women in its retail outlets which made the retail giant not good for women. Cutting costs to sell cheap had the implication of not only lowering salaries which is

Human Resource Management in Practice. Explanation of human`s skills Assignment

Human Resource Management in Practice. Explanation of human`s skills - Assignment Example Business competencies involve understanding the needs of the business and proposing logical solution to the issues. It also involves business knowledge, efficiency in planning and execution as well as promotion of strategic thought process. In addition to this a development of practitioners also implies that interpersonal traits like the ability to generate confidence and trust, ability to influence the stakeholders, enhancing workforce diversity and proper networking between the stakeholders. Finally a practitioner must also display personal skills including adaptability and the ability to handle disputes and conflicts emerging in the activities among the individuals as well as grooming of the personality and development of individuals. Finally, sound technical skills and domain knowledge along with excellent intellectual abilities is a key towards developing the best practitioners so as to ensure organizational excellence (Erasmus, Loedolf & Hammann, 2010, p.27). The seminar and th e analysis of the topic helped in understanding the importance of time management and interpersonal skills that must be acquired for being an excellent practitioner. The importance of proper planning and execution was also understood as it is largely an essential trait towards development of the career as a practitioner. Communications and meeting skills Leadership is one of the most essential aspects for a successful organization. A successful business leader must essentially have excellent communication abilities as well as empathy in his/her behaviour. A leader must be able to effectively communicate in a manner so that the messages are effectively communicated and clearly understood by the employees and other individuals. A charismatic approach and a good persuasive power is one of the key aspects of communications that must be present in a good leader leading a business (Cohn & Moran, 2011, pp.1-3). Certain other aspects of good communication and meeting skills also include an ability to use effective language that induces individuals to listen actively to the communication. In a meeting the communication skills of the manager must be such that tends to capture the attention of the audience. Use of poor language should be avoided at all costs as it is totally unethical and improper to hurt any person’s sentiments. It is also necessary for a manager to have good ability to provide concrete feedbacks; in this context effective leaders also do not devote their entire time in a meeting speaking and relaying his/her own views and thoughts. An effective leader or a good manager always tries to be accommodative and also listens to what is being said and spoken from the other end. Patience is one key aspect that must be followed by a leader in a course of a formal meeting or interaction. These traits along with a proper vision and time management are the key drivers that can help generate effective business leaders (Bacal, 2004, p.140-146). The seminar hel ped in the learning process by helping analyse the importance communication in an effective leader. Real life role plays also gave a practical understanding of the aspect. The exercise

Effects of Homework in Therapy Sessions

Effects of Homework in Therapy Sessions Activities given to clients to complete in between therapeutic sessions have become a commonly used component of psychological therapies, especially cognitive approaches (Beck et al., 1979). What is sometimes called homework has been used to help address a wide variety of clinical problems including depressive disorders, schizophrenia and social phobia. This essay critically examines the empirical studies on homework and its influence on treatment outcomes. The term homework can include a wide variety of different activities given to clients. Scheel et al. (1999) provide some typical examples of those most often used by cognitive therapists: those involving reframing meanings, validation of internal experiences, social interactions and decision making. It has been hypothesised that homework is effective by encouraging the client to practice new skills learned in therapy outside of those therapeutic sessions (Burns, Adams Anastopoulos, 1985). While the term homework has been criticised for its unpleasant connotations with schoolwork (Coon et al., 2005), the real, practical question is whether the process itself actually improves patient outcomes. Despite its broad use within cognitive therapy, there has been relatively little research into its effectiveness until recently (Kazantzis, Deane Ronan, 2000). Broadly two types of studies have been carried out to examine the effect of homework on treatment outcomes: correlational and those with a control group. Correlational studies have generally found a positive association between adherence to homework and a more positive outcome. For example Burns and Spangler (2000) found that compliance to homework was significantly associated with reduced depression. These authors also report that their effect sizes were large, translating to an average reduction of 16.6 points on the Beck Depression Inventory for those who completed their homework compared with a reduction of only 2.4 points for those who did little (or no) homework. Other studies have also reached similar conclusions (e.g. Burns Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991; Leung Heimberg, 1996). Despite these positive results these types of st udies are always open to the criticism that they are weak evidence because of their correlational design. It may be, for example, that homework compliance is simply a result of improvement rather than a cause. Better designs incorporating a control group which can, therefore, impute causality have not produced such definitive results, are far fewer, and older. Some have shown positive effects for homework (e.g. Kazdin Mascitelli, 1982), while others have failed to show a positive effect (e.g. Blanchard et al., 1991). This uncertainty was underlined by a meta-analysis of both the correlational and control group studies carried out by Kazantzis et al. (2000) which reported a weighted average effect size for 27 such studies as 0.36 only a small to moderate effect far smaller than that reported by Burns and Spangler (2000). This meta-analysis has also been criticised for including studies that were not controlled and some which had poor designs (Lambert, Harmon, Slade, 2007). The majority of studies since Kazantzis et al.s (2000) meta-analysis have also been correlational. Coon and Thompson (2003), for example, examined the use of homework in older adults with mild to moderate depression. Using a regression analysis they found homework was associated with better outcomes but this is still effectively only correlational data. Rees, McEvoy and Nathan (2005) recruited participants with both anxiety and depression and found homework was associated with better outcomes. But, again this study was correlational in design. For anxiety disorders, however, even correlational studies have proved less conclusive than for depression. Some studies of anxiety have found positive correlations (e.g. Wetherell et al., 2005), while others have not (e.g. Woody Adessky, 2002). For more serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia, empirical work is only just emerging and the results of two studies have found no relationship between improved schizophrenia symptoms and home work compliance (Dunn, Morrison Bentall, 2006; Granholm et al., 2006). In conclusion, the picture emerging from the empirical literature is positive for the effect of homework compliance on outcome only when the correlational data is examined. This work suggests mild to moderate depression is responsive to homework, while anxiety disorders and psychosis is less so. Unfortunately these types of studies find it difficult to counter the argument that homework compliance is simply a result of a better outcome, rather than a cause. Controlled experimental designs, which can make this causal distinction, have been few and are generally much less conclusive. Consequently, while the use of homework in cognitive therapy seems likely to do little harm (although the term may have some stigma attached), the extant research is yet to definitively demonstrate it has more than a marginal benefit. References Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy for depression. New York: Guildford Press. Blanchard, E. B., Nicholson, N. L., Radnitz, C., Steffek, B. D., Appelbaum, K. A., Dentinger, M. P. (1991). The role of home practice in thermal biofeedback. Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology, 59, 507-512. Burns, D. D., Adams, R. L. Anastopoulos, A. D. (1985). The role of self-help assignments in the treatment of depression. In: E. E. Beckham W. R. Leber (Eds.), Handbook of depression treatment, assessment, and research (pp. 634-668). Homewood, IL: Dorsey Press. Burns, D. D., Nolenn-Hoeksema, S. (1991). Coping styles, homework compliance, and the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology, 59, 305-311. Burns, D. D., Spangler, D. L. (2000). Does psychotherapy homework lead to improvements in depression in cognitive-behavioral therapy or does improvement lead to increased homework compliance? Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology, 68, 46-56. Coon, D. W., Thompson, L. W. (2003). The relationship between homework compliance and treatment outcomes among older adult outpatients with mild-to-moderate depression. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 11, 53-61. Coon, D. W., Rabinowitz, Y. G., Thompson, L. W., Gallacher-Thompson, D. (2005). Older Adults. In: N. Kazantzis, F. P. Deane, K. R. Ronan L. LAbate (Eds.). Using Homework Assignments in Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (pp. 117-152). New York: Routledge. Dunn, H., Morrison, A. P., Bentall, R. P. (2006). The relationship between patient suitability, therapeutic alliance, homework compliance and outcome in cognitive therapy for psychosis. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 13, 145-152. Granholm, E., Auslander, L. A., Gottlieb, J. D., McQuaid, J. R., McClure, F. S. (2006). Therapeutic factors contributing to change in cognitive-behavioral group therapy for older persons with schizophrenia. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 36, 31-41. Kazantzis, N., Deane, F., Ronan, K. R. (2000). Homework assignments in cognitive behavioral therapy: A Meta-Analysis. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 7, 189-202. Kazdin, A. E., Mascitelli, S. (1982). Covert and overt rehearsal and homework practice in developing assertiveness. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 250-258. Lambert, M. J., Harmon, S. C., Slade, K. (2007). Directions for future research on homework. In: N. Kazantzis L. lAbate (Eds.). Handbook of homework assignments in psychotherapy (pp. 407-423). New York: Springer. Leung, A. W., Heimberg, R. G. (1996). Homework compliance, perceptions of control, and outcome of cognitive-behavioral treatment of social phobia. Behaviour Research Therapy, 34, 423-432. Rees, C. S., McEvoy, P., Nathan, P. R. (2005). Relationship between homework completion and outcome in cognitive behaviour therapy. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 34, 242-247. Scheel, M. J., Seaman, S., Roach, K., Mullin, T., Mahoney, K. B. (1999). Client implementation of therapist recommendations predicted by client perception of fit, difficulty of implementation, and therapist influence. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 46, 308-316. Wetherell, J. L., Hopko, D. R., Diefenbach, G. J., Averill, P. M., Beck, J. G., Craske, M. G., et al. (2005). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for late-life generalized anxiety disorder: Who gets better? Behavior Therapy, 36, 147-156. Woody, S. R., Adessky, R. S. (2002). Therapeutic alliance, group cohesion, and homework compliance during cognitive-behavioral group treatment of social phobia. Behavior Therapy, 3, 5-27.

Message to teachers on world teachers day Essay

Each year on World Teachers’ Day, we take special timeout to recognize the priceless contribution our teachers continue to make in transforming our country. The educationists captured it aptly when they stated that teachers are â€Å"†¦ attractive models who advertise, by their very being- that learning does produce wondrous results†. Everytime I move around everyday, I see the efforts of our teachers at work, playing a vital role in our communities. No matter what the situation or circumstances, whether working in sophisticated surrounds with state of the art facilities or in basic classrooms with modest equipment, I encounter in everyone the most extraordinary enthusiasm among all of the teachers here, as well as a deep commitment to their students and a determination to use their knowledge and skills to reach every students in their classroom. Teaching has always been a demanding profession, but in an increasingly complex, highly technical and fast changing world, our classrooms are ever more challenging, with many of our young people struggling with difficult social and personal issues. That so many students in these circumstances nonetheless go on to acquire the essential skills they need to participate fully in our society is a tribute to the persistence, dedication and professionalism of their teachers. For all these reasons, World Teachers Day is a wonderful opportunity for the whole community to acknowledge the critical role that teachers play and recognise and thank them for the invaluable contribution they make to shaping and helping to secure the future of our society. On the occasion of World Teachers Day 2013, I am delighted to express my sincere appreciation, on behalf of the parents and students of Marcelo MH Del Pilar NHS for the untiring dedication and commitment to delivering a quality education to all our students. I wish all teachers today an enjoyable World Teachers Day Celebration and hope that whatever the challenges, you will continue to find many rewards and much satisfaction in what you do – educating, nurturing and protecting our most precious resource – our young people. To all Students: Teachers are one of the greatest people whom you can across in your life. They are not only the selfless givers but also the mentors of your life. At every step of your life, you come cross teachers who devote their entire life in the enlightenment of students like you. For sure, teachers’ definition can’t be limited to a subject teacher because anyone who guides you in your life is a teacher. Many a times in life, you feel like thanking your teacher but you do not find a proper occasion. So this teachers’ day commemorate your teachers’ efforts and thank him for being the guiding light in your life. You can express your gratitude for your teacher with many simple ways- flowers, greeting cards, tokens, etcetera†¦but most of all, show your gratitude by just being good boy or girl in class†¦That’s all! To all our Stakeholders: Our education system has been blessed with scores of committed, competent and caring teachers who embody those traits. We must continue to support their efforts since we all ultimately stand to benefit in numerous tangible ways. I would like to use this opportunity to appeal to all education stakeholders to join the Department of Education in supporting our hardworking teachers of Marcelo H. Del Pilar NHS. I must restate my call for parents to invest more time in ensuring the academic success of their children by working more closely with our teachers. In turn, our teachers have committed to ensuring that parents are constantly updated regarding their children’s progress through consistent parent-teacher conferences which have now been institutionalized. We are highly encouraged by the recent improvements noted in the education system- the K to 12; Senior HS Implementation; and many more! (Share programs in school level pls! ) We must continue these trends, and the ones who have the greatest role to play in this regard are our teachers. I urge all of you to continue to make us proud as you strive for excellence in education. We fully support Our Dear Teachers! †¦ and I urge all our education stakeholders to join me in ensuring that our teachers receive their due recognition today on the grand celebration of World Teachers’ Day 2013 here at Marcelo DP NHS. MABUHAY!!!

A Report On Leadership Principles Education Essay

Leadership in organizational groups or work squads has become one of the most popular and quickly turning countries of leading theory and research. Research on the effectivity of organizational squads has suggested that the usage of squads has led to greater productiveness, more effectual usage of resources, better determinations and job resolution, better-quality merchandises and services, and greater invention and creativeness ( Parker, 1990 ) . Surveies besides suggest that it is indispensable to understand the function of leading within squads to guarantee squad success and to avoid squad failure. To guarantee squad success, squad leaders need to develop an effectual squad leading scheme. Therefore, the study will explicate, discuss and critically measure the statement made by Burke and Cooper ( 2006 ) , that ‘without sing the cardinal eventualities of administration context, team support systems, and squad type, squad leaders will non hold the information they need to develop an effectual squad leading scheme ‘ . The study support Burke and Cooper ‘s ( 2006 ) position by concentrating on assisting squad leaders to better their effectivity by placing specific squad leading schemes that are contingent upon administration context factors, support systems, and type of squad being led. The three maps most critical to team public presentation include attempt, scheme and KSAs ( Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities ) ( Hackman and Wageman, 2005 ) . They suggested that squad leaders must concentrate on behavioral attacks that will hold the greatest impact on each of these three maps and so based on organizational context, squad support, and squad type, squad leaders decide on which map to concentrate. If this procedure is executed successfully, it will assist team leader to develop an effectual squad leading scheme. However, the strategic eventuality theoretical account of squad leading developed in this study focuses on leader behavior guided by squad map and undertaking public presentation and therefore fails to recognize the person, squad personality or interpersonal issues. â€Å"Indeed, we would reason that effectual leading processes represent possibly the most critical factor in the success of organizational teams† ( Zaccaro, Rittman, & A ; Marks, 2001, p. 452 ) . Conversely, uneffective leading frequently is seen as the primary ground squads fail ( Stewart & A ; Manz, 1995, p. 748 ) . Therefore, effectual leading processes such as, a squad leader ‘s mental theoretical accounts and leading attack to reap the lessons of experience to spread out and intensify his or her cognition base and accomplishment set are besides of import to develop effectual leading scheme ( Salas, Kosarzycki, Tannenbaum & A ; Carnegie, 2004 ) .Effective Team Leadership StrategyKatzenbach and Smith ( 19 93 ) , have argued for separating work groups and work squads, and have come to a definition that work squads is â€Å"a little figure of people with complementary accomplishments who are committed to a common intent, public presentation ends, and attack for which they hold themselves reciprocally accountable† . To back up Burke and Cooper ‘s statement, we have focussed on a functional attack to leading, stated by Hackman and Wageman ( 2005 ) : â€Å"if a leader manages, by whatever agencies, to guarantee that all maps critical to group public presentation are taken attention of, the leader has done his or her occupation well† ( p. 273 ) .A Strategic Contingency Model of Team LeadershipThe strategic eventuality theoretical account of team leading helps in placing the appropriate squad maps on which to concentrate should be contingent on administration context, team support systems, and squad type. These cardinal eventualities will besides assist in developing an effectual squad leading scheme. Besides, the theoretical account provides a mental route map to assist the squad leader diagnose squad jobs and take appropriate strategic class of action to rectify these jobs and conveying out squad effectivity.Team EffectivenessTeam effectivity can associate to the coveted result of squ ad work. There are two critical maps of squad effectivity: Performance which entails the successful bringing of an end product ( that is merchandises, determinations, public presentation events, services, or information ) and Viability which means the hereafter oriented and includes continuity, committedness, coherence and capableness to carry through shared intent ( Halfhill and Huff, 2004 ) .Team FunctionsHarmonizing to Hackman and Morris ( 1975 ) , the maps that are most critical to team effectiveness autumn into three classs: Therefore, Team leaders must concentrate on behavioral attacks that will hold the greatest impact on each of these three maps. Teams who are able to set forth the appropriate sum of attempt, formulate schemes in line with cardinal undertaking demands, and whose squad members possess sufficient KSAs will probably to execute more efficaciously compared to those who are non. However, the theoretical account shows that there are organizational context factors, squad support system and squad type that may impact the relevancy and impact of attempt, scheme and KSAs. We will therefore explain and discourse the three key eventualities which help the squad leader to take appropriate strategic determinations on which squad maps to concentrate in order to accomplish squad effectivity.Administration ContextOrganisation context factors include elements such as civilization, undertaking design and engineering, liberty, public presentation feedback, wagess, preparation and physical environment ( Sandstorm et.al, 1990 ) . The theoretical account has concentrated on merely three factors: Task design which involves the grade to which squad undertakings are complex, unpredictable, and dynamic versus simple, predictable and stable. Autonomy is defined as the grade to which squad leaders ‘ control how their squads approach work. Input control refers to the control over work inputs utilised by squads to execute undertakings. Each of these three contextual elements may restrain or better the impact of the squad maps on effectivity. The benefit of squad leader concentrating on:Effort is reasonable merely if squad leaders have a important degree of control over work inputs ( for illustration, supply, stuff, resources etc, )Scheme is reasonable merely if they have some grade of liberty in how they do their work. Empowerment, following a theory Y attack and a flexible or organic organizational construction are indispensable to accomplish squad effectivity.KSAs make sense merely if the squad ‘s undertaking is complex and unpredictable.The peculiar mix of contextual factors present in an administration indicates the importance of squad leaders concentrating on one, some, or all of the critical squad maps. For illustration, see a shop stock list squad ( SIT ) working in retail merchant such as Wal-Mart, Best-Buy and so on. This squad ‘s primary duties include unloading bringing trucks, cataloguing st ock list as it is unloaded, and forming, hive awaying and puting stock list. SITs do non command what is delivered or when it is delivered ( no control over work input ) , as it is determined by stock list handiness, client demand, and bringing logistics. Therefore, SIT leaders would derive small advantage by concentrating on work inputs. On the other manus, most SITs have flexibleness ( that is autonomy ) sing the scheme they employ in carry throughing their occupation one time inventory arrives at the shops. Therefore, SITs leaders would lend more to increasing squad effectivity by concentrating on scheme. Therefore, squad leaders must take duty for naming their administration ‘s contextual matrix to assist them place the appropriate leading scheme to prosecute. Regardless of whether administration context factors facilitate or restrain specific squad maps, current squad support systems will play an of import function in squad effectivity ( Sundstorm, 1999 ) .Team Support SystemsIn order to maximize effectivity, squads need organizational support from several cardinal systems. Sundstorm et Al, ( 1999 ) , place these systems as a â€Å"structure compatible with squad work ; leaders ‘ functions that surrogate cooperation ; complementary systems for choice, measuring, information, preparation and compensation ; and installations with communicating engineering that facilitates needed interaction within and among teams† p.4. Sundstorm and co-workers ( 1999 ) besides argue that support systems must be implemented and besides run into the demands of specific types of squads . Therefore, the direction challenge is to plan, implement, and maintain organizational support systems to run into the demands of the type of squad, with flexibleness to suit each team‘s alone characteristics. There are four indispensable support systems necessary for advancing squad effectivity.1. Team StaffingTeam staffing is an of import facet to lend to effectiveness because it ensures that squad members have an appropriate blend of experience, cognition, accomplishments, and abilities. In add-on, it besides entails if the administration ‘s human resource section is executing their maps, such as enlisting and choice efficaciously. A squad leader may be recognised for his or her relationship-oriented and tactful leading manner, but if his or her squad members lack of experience, or KSAs in working with squads to execute the undertaking, the squad will decidedly non be successful. For illustration, some new merchandise development undertaking squads require squad members with expertness in selling, gross revenues, technology, fabrication and merchandise development ( Sarin and Mahajan, 2001 ) . Those responsible for staffing must concentrate on making a squad with complementary accomplishments in each of those countries, as opposed to merely staffing the squad with five intelligent, separately effectual people. During the choice procedure, administrations should execute a teamwork accomplishment appraisal and Belbin squad roles trial to do certain that squad members have the KSAs to work in squads. However, if squad staffing is non possible due to the type of squad or any other factors, other support systems such as preparation can make full KSA spreads among team members.2. TrainingTeam members who require extra cognition and accomplishments are frequently exposed to developing. In fact, squad preparation is widely used ( Bassi, Cheney, and Van Buren, 1997 ) and has benefited administrations following team-based constructions such as Motorola AND Xerox ( Gronstedt, 1996 ; Henkoff, 1993, severally ) . Stevens and Yarish ( 1999 ) analysed the usage of squad preparation during the execution of squads at a Cu refinery and they have found that the preparation support system at the refinery has created multiple preparation faculties around different aspects of teamwork which are chiefly: Therefore, developing support system is besides really of import in advancing squad effectivity. For case, cross-training provides squad members a greater apprehension of how their undertakings are inter-reliant, lifting the squad ‘s flexibleness and bettering response clip.3. Measurement and FeedbackTeam leaders must cognize how their squads are making in order to supply the support they need for betterment or continued success. Furthermore, Pritchard and Watson ( 1991 ) have demonstrated in their research that squad effectivity additions when squad members are given feedback on nonsubjective steps of their public presentation. Measurement systems non merely supply information for squad to better public presentation, they besides provide touchable illustrations of success in which squads can take pride. This motivational facet of feedback is really of import and should be considered when measuring and feedback are designed. Team leaders must besides make up one's mind what feedback is most relevant to their squad based on concern scheme and squad motive. Seasonably and proper delivered feedback can explicate the differentiation between a squad that conceals errors and a squad that observes errors as chances. Besides, squad leaders will increase their impact on overall effectivity when they link team public presentation to wagess.4. WagessAdministrations with team-based wages systems are far more prepared to back up squad effectivity. Depending on their place within the administration, squad leaders may or may non hold influence sing the wages construction used by their administration. However, squad leaders may hold discretion sing fillips and other inducements. Wagess system should dwell of inducements that the squad value ( expectancy theory ) in order to accomplish squad public presentation and effectivity. Similar to staffing, preparation, and measuring and feedback, honor support system should be tailored to specific types of squads ( Sundstorm, 1999 ) .Team TypeThe 3rd eventuality that squad leaders must see when developing their leading scheme is recognizing the kineticss of the type of squad they led. Different squads, based on their primary undertakings and duties, interact otherwise with the three administration context variables ( undertaking design, liberty, input control ) , and four squad support systems ( staffing, preparation, measurement/feedback, and wagess ) . Sundstorm et Al. ( 2000 ) have identified six types of work squads: For illustration, in a scenario where a direction squad ‘s undertaking are extremely complex and it has a strong staffing support map, concentrating on squad member KSAs would probably lend significantly to team effectivity. Therefore, the cardinal leading challenge is the uninterrupted procedure of measuring the administration context, team support systems and squad type in order to find the effectual squad maps.Discussion and Critical AnalysisLarson and LaFasto ( 1989 ) studied real-life successful squads and found that regardless of the type of squad, eight features were systematically associated with squad excellence, therefore, harmonizing to them, effectual squad leading scheme does non depend on types of squad as all squads have those eight features in common. Furthermore, the information receive from administration context, squad support system and squad type are extremely complex, that they do non supply easy replies to hard determinations for the leader. Again due to its high complexness, the waies for leading preparation are obscure, complex, and slightly overpowering. The long list of squad leading accomplishments makes it hard to cognize where to get down ( Peter G. Northouse, 2007 ) . The strategic eventuality theoretical account of squad leading focuses on leading behavior guided by squad maps and undertaking public presentation. However, the theoretical account fails to see the person and squad personality or interpersonal issues every bit good as the leading manner and accomplishments as these besides of import to develop effectual leading scheme.Individual and Team Personality or Interpersonal issuesEffective squad leading is based on leading manner and the ability of the leader to turn to the multiple interpersonal demands that exist in squad scenes ( Burke Cooper 2006 ) . Therefore, to develop effectual squad leading scheme, a squad leader must guarantee that single squad members are comfy with themselves. Merely after accomplishing that phase, a squad leader can travel to the following degree interpersonal. At the interpersonal degree, a squad leader needs to understand and work out interpersonal issues within the squad. Interpersonal issues may include for illustration, squad personality and self-importance ; squad members are alone persons with different demands and personalities. Therefore, the squad leader needs to develop effectual schemes, for illustration, strong leading manner, and good communicating system to work out those interpersonal jobs so as to accomplish squad effectivity. John Adair ( 2003 ) in his three interconnected circle theoretical account indicates that the wide maps of strategic leading are Task, Team and Individual. Nevertheless, the strategic eventuality theoretical account of squad leading has concentrated on three squad maps related to task public presentation, non including the person. Besides, it is merely after accomplishing the two phases ( single and interpersonal degree ) that squad leaders will achieve synergism and develop effectual squad leading scheme.Leadership Approach: Style, Preferences and SkillsTeam leading can be accomplished in many different ways, depending in portion on the leader ‘s ain manner, penchants, and accomplishments. The fact that single differences among squad leaders are irrelevant to their leading effectivity ( Salas, Kosarzycki, Tannenbaum & A ; Carnegie, 2004 ) is misdirecting. To the contrary, the quality of the squad leading provided depends to a great extent on: ( a ) the truth and completeness of the leader ‘s mental theoretical account of what it takes to assist a squad win ; ( B ) the leader ‘s accomplishment in put to deathing the behavior required by his or her mental theoretical account ; and ( degree Celsius ) the leader ‘s ability to garner the lessons of experience to spread out and intensify his or her cognition base and accomplishment set.Leaderships Mental ModelEffective squad public presentation begins with the leader ‘s mental theoretical account of the state of affairs that guides actions. That is, what factors most strongly impact how squads behave and what intercessions are most likely to assist them win ( Stockton, Morran & A ; Clark, 2004 ) . Leaders ‘ mental theoretical accounts about ever are of the input-process-output assortment, in that they specify the factors that causally shape the group interactions that so drive public presentation results ( Hackman, 1987, pp. 319-322 ) . An illustration would be a theoretical account that identifies homogeneousness of rank as causal of harmonious group interaction which, in bend, Fosters group productiveness.Leadership SkillsIt is non sufficient for those who lead work squads simply to hold a moderately complete and accurate leading theoretical account ; they besides need ample accomplishments in acting in c onformity with the dictates of their theoretical account ( Gist & A ; McDonald-Mann, 2000 ) . Two sorts of accomplishments are critical to effectual squad leading: diagnostic accomplishments and behavioral accomplishments.Diagnostic SkillsDiagnostic accomplishments means when the leader is in a place to craft intercessions that have a sensible opportunity of contracting the spread between the existent state of affairss to the ideal state of affairss ( McGrath, 1962, pp. 13-14 ) . Team leaders should hold the accomplishments to summarize the factors ‘what is go oning ‘ in the squad compared it to what the leader believes ‘should be go oning ‘ in the squad ( leaders mental theoretical account ) .Behavioural SkillsBehavioural accomplishments include: monitoring and control, feedback, preparation, training etc. Behavioural accomplishments are similar to Hackman and Walton ( 1986 ) , executing accomplishments, which means taking appropriate action to contract the spread between a squad ‘s present world and what could it be. The instruction of diagnostic and behavioral accomplishments is besides needfully personalized and for that ground, it is labour intensive, clip consuming, and expensive. But it is a critical ingredient in the mix that makes for effectual squad leading.Learning by ExperienceTo develop an effectual leading scheme, a squad leader should besides hold a good path record, experience and a solid attack to team leading. Leaderships learn from experience working from different squads, every bit good as learn from their failure and mistake ; the bigger the error, the greater the chances for the squad leaders to larn. Leading a squad good besides requires a considerable grade of emotional adulthood in covering with one ‘s ain and others ‘ anxiousnesss. Emotionally mature leaders are willing and able to travel toward anxiety-arousing provinces of personal businesss in the involvement of larning about them instead than traveling off to acquire anxiousnesss reduced every bit rapidly as possible. Emotional adulthood may be better viewed as a long-run developmental undertaking for a leader ‘s life than something that can be consistently taught. Such learning involves working on existent jobs in safe environments with the expressed encouragement and support of others who themselves besides are larning how to cover with emotions efficaciously.Leadership Style and PowerAppropriate leading manner and power are besides of import to develop an effectual squad scheme. Apart from the functional attack, eventuality theories, underscoring that a leader should be in a place to accommodate his/her behavior and take actions harmonizing to different state of affairs, and a transformational attack to leading, underscoring that squad leaders will animate and actuate their squad members by selling their vision and moving as a adept manager are besides really of import to develop team leading scheme. In add-on, doing usage of useful power is besides of import to develop an effectual squad leading scheme.Decision and RecommendationThe study has provided a balance position on the statement that Burke and Cooper ( 2006 ) made. It has supported the statement by explicating a strategic eventuality theoretical account of team leading. The theoretical account of leading allows squad leaders to recognize the kineticss of the type of squad they lead, organizational context factors, and support systems impacting their squad. Then, sing these eventualities, they must place the most appropriate strategic class of actions by concentrating on one, two or all the critical squad maps. However, the theoretical account focuses on leader behavior guided by squad map and undertaking public presentation. It fails to recognize the importance of the person, considered by John Adair to be one of the interconnected factors of strategic leading map. In add-on, squad leader demand to understand the interpersonal issues of squad members foremost in order to accomplish squad effectivity. The theoretical account besides focuses on functional attack and has ignored how eventuality theories and transformational theories are besides of import in developing effectual squad leading scheme. The theoretical account in add-on besides fails to recognize that the squad leaders ‘ behavior can besides be guided by their leading manner, using a mix ingredient of diagnostic and behavioral accomplishments, their coaching ability, good path record and experience. The theoretical accounts have besides emphasize on undertaking public presentation and did non demo the leaders ‘ mental theoretical account and emotional adulthood guide their behavior and actions every bit good as contribute to the viability component in accomplishing squad effectivity. Therefore, to develop an effectual squad leading scheme, the cardinal eventualities ; administration context, team support systems and squad type are of import. However, a squad leader should besides take into history the person, squad personality, leading accomplishments, manner, experience and mental theoretical accounts.Bibliography1. Adair J ( 1983 ) Effective Leadership, Pan Books 2. Burke R J and Cooper C L ( 2006 ) Inspiring leaders Routledge 3. Cohen, S. G. , Ledford, G. E. , Jr. , & A ; Spreitzer, G.M. ( 1996 ) . A prognostic theoretical account of self-managing work squad effectivity, Human Relations, 49, 643-676. 4. Davis-Sacks, M. L. ( 1990a ) . Credit analysis squad, in: J. R. Hackman ( Ed. ) , Groups That Work ( and Those That Do n't ) ( pp. 126-145 ) . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 5. Davis-Sacks, M. L. ( 1990b ) , the trailing squad. In: J. R. Hackman ( Ed. ) , Groups That Work ( and Those That Do n't ) ( pp. 157-170 ) . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 6. Decker, P. J. ( 1986 ) . Social larning theory and leading, Journal of Management Development, 5, 46-58. 7. Farris, G. F. , & A ; Lim, F. G. , Jr. ( 1969 ) . Effectss of public presentation on leading, coherence, influence, satisfaction, and subsequent public presentation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 53, 490-497. 8. Feldman, D. C. ( 1984 ) The development and enforcement of group norms, Academy of Management Review, 9 ( 1 ) : 47-53 9. Gersick, C. J. G. ( 1988 ) . Time and passage in work squads: Toward a new theoretical account of group development. Academy of Management Journal, 31, 9-41. 10. Gersick, C. J. G. , & A ; Hackman, J. R. ( 1990 ) . Accustomed modus operandis in task-performing squads. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 47, 65-97. 11. Gronstedt, A ( 1996 ) Integrated communications at America ‘s Leading entire quality direction corporations, Public Relation Review, 22 ( 1 ) :25-42 12. Hackman and Morris C G ( 1975 ) Group undertakings, group interaction processes, and group public presentation effectivity: A reappraisal and proposed integrating. In L.Berkowitz ( ed. ) Advances in experimental societal psychological science, vol 8, New York: Academy Press, pp.45-99 13. Hackman and Wageman, R. ( 2005 ) A theory of squad coaching, Academy Management reappraisal, 30 ( 2 ) : 296-87 14. Hackman, J. R. , & A ; Morris, C. G. ( 1975 ) . Group undertakings, group interaction procedure, and group public presentation effectivity: Are position and proposed integrating. In: L. Berkowitz ( Ed. ) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology ( Vol. 8, pp. 45-99 ) . New York: Academic Imperativeness 15. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.inc.com/resources/leadership/articles/20070101/musselwhite.html [ accessed day of the month: 7/04/2010 ] 16. J. Richard Hackman and Ruth Wageman ( 2005 ) , when and how Team Leaders affair, Research in Organizational Behaviour, Volume 26, 37-74 by Elsevier Ltd. 17. Northouse P G ( 2006 ) Leadership ; Theory and Practice, 4th ED. Sage Publications, Inc 18. Sundstorm, E. ( 1998 ) Challenges of back uping work effectivity, in E.Sundstorm ( ed. ) Supporting work squad effectiveness San Francicso, CA: Jossey- Bass 19. Wageman, R. ( 2001 ) how leaders foster self-managing squad effectivity. Organisation Science, 12 ( 5 ) :559-77 20. Yukl, G. ( 1989 ) Managerial Leadership: A reappraisal of theory and research, diary of direction, 15 ( 2 ) :251-89 Page 2 of 17 Pamela Pandoo ( 28001685 )

Soil Erosion in Africa

Soil Erosion in Africa Soil erosion in Africa threatens food and fuel supplies and can contribute to climate change. For over a century, governments and aid organizations have tried to combat soil erosion in Africa, often with limited effect. The Problem Today Currently, 40% of soil in Africa is degraded. Degraded soil diminishes food production and leads to soil erosion, which in turn contributes to desertification. This is particularly worrisome since, according to the UNs  Food and Agriculture Organization, some 83% of sub-Saharan African people depend on the land for their livelihood, and food production in Africa will have to increase almost 100% by 2050 to keep up with population demands. All of this makes soil erosion a pressing social, economic, and environmental issue for many African countries. Causes for Erosion Erosion happens when wind or rain carry topsoil away. How much soil is carried away depends on how strong the rain or wind is as well as the soil quality, topography (for example, sloped versus terraced land), and the amount of ground vegetation. Healthy topsoil (like soil covered with plants) is less erodible. Put simply, it sticks together better and can absorb more water. Increased population and development put greater stress on soils. More land is cleared and less left fallow, which can deplete the soil and increase water run-off. Overgrazing and poor farming techniques can also lead to soil erosion, but it is important to remember that not all causes are human; climate and natural soil quality are also important factors to consider in tropical and mountainous regions. Failed Conservation Efforts During the colonial era, state governments tried to force peasants and farmers to adopt scientifically approved farming techniques. Many of these efforts were aimed at controlling African populations and did not take into account significant cultural norms. For instance, colonial officers invariably worked with men, even in areas where women were responsible for farming. They also provided few incentives - only punishments. Soil erosion and depletion continued, and rural frustration over colonial land schemes helped fuel nationalist movements in many countries. Not surprisingly, most nationalist governments in the post-independence era tried to work with rural populations rather than force change. They favored education and outreach programs, but soil erosion and poor output continued, in part because no one looked carefully at what farmers and herders were actually doing. In many countries, elite policymakers had urban backgrounds, and they still tended to presume that rural peoples existing methods were ignorant and destructive. International NGOs and scientists also worked off of assumptions about peasant land use that are now being called into question. Recent Research Recently, more research has gone into both the causes of soil erosion and into what are termed indigenous farming methods and knowledge about sustainable use. This research has exploded the myth that peasant techniques were inherently unchanging, traditional, wasteful methods. Some farming patterns are destructive, and research can identify to better ways, but increasingly scholars and policymakers are emphasizing the need to draw the best from scientific research and peasant knowledge of the land. Current Efforts to Control Current efforts, still include outreach and education projects, but are also focusing on greater research and employing peasants or providing other incentives for participating in sustainability projects. Such projects are tailored to local environmental conditions and can include forming water catchments, terracing, planting trees, and subsidizing fertilizers. There have also been a number of transnational and international efforts to protect soil and water supplies. Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize for establishing the Green Belt Movement, and in 2007, the leaders of several African states across the Sahel created the Great Green Wall Initiative, which has already increased forestation in targeted areas. Africa is also part of the Action against Desertification, a $45 million program that includes the Caribbean and Pacific. In Africa, the program is funding projects that will protect forests and topsoil while generating incomes for rural communities. Numerous other national and international projects are underway as soil erosion in Africa gains greater attention from policymakers and social as well as environmental organizations. Sources Chris Reij, Ian Scoones, Calmilla Toulmin (eds). : Indigenous Soil and Water Conservation in AfricaSustaining the Soil (Earthscan, 1996) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Soil is a non-renewable resource. infographic, (2015). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Soil is a non-renewable resource. pamphlet, (2015). Global Environmental Facility, Great Green Wall Initiative (accessed 23 July 2015) Kiage, Lawrence,  Perspectives on the assumed causes of land degradation in the rangelands of Sub-Saharan Africa.  Progress in Physical Geography Mulwafu, Wapulumuka. : A History of Peasant-State Relations and the Environment in Malawi, 1860-2000.Conservation Song (White Horse Press, 2011).

The Catcher in the Rye Themes, Symbols, and Literary Devices

'The Catcher in the Rye' Themes, Symbols, and Literary Devices J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is a classic coming-of-age story. Narrated by sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield, the novel paints a portrait of a struggling teenage boy as he attempts to hide his emotional pain behind cynicism and false worldliness. Through the use of symbolism, slang, and an unreliable narrator, Salinger explores themes of innocence vs. phoniness, alienation, and death. Innocence vs. Phoniness If you had to choose one word to represent The Catcher in the Rye, it would be phony, Holden Caufield’s insult of choice and a word he uses to describe most of the people he meets and much of the world he encounters. For Holden, the word implies artifice, a lack of authenticity- pretension. He views phoniness as a sign of growing up, as if adulthood were a disease and phoniness its most obvious symptom. He has moments of faith in younger people, but invariably condemns all the adults as phonies. The flip side of this is the value Holden puts on innocence, on being unspoiled. Innocence is typically assigned to children, and Holden is no exception, regarding his younger siblings as worthy of his affection and respect. His younger sister Phoebe is his ideal- she is intelligent and perceptive, talented and willful, but innocent of the terrible knowledge that Holden himself has gained with his extra six years (most notably concerning sex, which Holden wishes to protect Phoebe from). Holden’s dead brother, Allie, haunts him precisely because Allie will always be this innocent, being deceased. Part of Holden’s torment is his own phoniness. While he does not consciously indict himself, he engages in many phony behaviors that he would abhor if he were to observe them in himself. Ironically, this prevents him from being innocent himself, which explains to some degree Holden’s self-loathing and mental instability. Alienation Holden is isolated and alienated throughout the entire novel. There are hints that he is telling his story from a hospital where he is recovering from his breakdown, and throughout the story his adventures are consistently focused on making some sort of human connection. Holden self-sabotages constantly. He feels lonely and isolated at school, but one of the first things he tells us is that he’s not going to the football game everyone else is attending. He makes arrangements to see people, and then insults them and drives them away. Holden uses alienation to protect himself from mockery and rejection, but his loneliness drives him to keep trying to connect. As a result, Holden’s sense of confusion and alarm grows because he has no true anchor to the world around him. Since the reader is tied to Holden’s point-of-view, that terrifying sense of being completely cut off from everything, of everything in the world not making sense, becomes a visceral part of reading the book. Death Death is the thread that runs through the story. For Holden, death is abstract; he’s not primarily afraid of the physical facts of the end of life, because at 16 he can’t truly understand it. What Holden fears about death is the change that it brings. Holden continuously wishes for things to remain unchanged, and to be able to go back to better times- a time when Allie was alive. For Holden, Allie’s death was a shocking, unwanted change in his life, and he is terrified of more change- more death- especially when it comes to Phoebe. Symbols The Catcher in the Rye. There’s a reason this is the title of the book. The song Holden hears contains the lyric if a body meet a body, coming through the rye that Holden mishears as if a body catch a body. He later tells Phoebe that this is what he wishes to be in life, someone who catches the innocent if they slip and fall. The ultimate irony is that the song is about two people meeting for a sexual encounter, and Holden himself is too innocent to understand that. The Red Hunting Hat. Holden wears a hunting cap that he frankly admits is kind of ridiculous. For Holden it is a sign of his otherness and his uniqueness- his isolation from others. Notably, he removes the hat whenever he is meeting someone he wants to connect with; Holden knows full well the hat is part of his protective coloring. The Carousel. The carousel is the moment in the story when Holden lets go of his sadness and decides he will stop running and grow up. Watching Phoebe ride it, he is happy for the first time in the book, and part of his happiness is imagining Phoebe grabbing for the gold ring- a risky maneuver that could get a kid a prize. Holden’s admission that sometimes you have to let kids take risks like that is his surrender to the inevitability of becoming an adult- and leaving childhood behind. Literary Devices Unreliable Narrator. Holden tells you he is the most terrific liar you ever saw. Holden lies constantly throughout the story, making up identities and masking the fact that he’s been kicked out of school. As a result, the reader can’t necessarily trust Holden’s descriptions. Are the people he calls phonies really bad, or is it just how Holden wants you to see them? Slang. The story’s slang and teenage vernacular are out of date today, but the tone and style were remarkable when it was published for the way Salinger captured the way a teenager sees and thinks about things. The result is a novel that still feels authentic and confessional despite the passage of time. Holden’s style of telling the story also underscores his character- he uses profanities and slang words very self-consciously to shock and to demonstrate his jaded and worldly ways. Salinger also employs the use of filler phrases in Holden’s story, which gives the narrative the feeling of being spoken, as if Holden were actually telling you this story in person.

Music and social consciousness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music and social consciousness - Essay Example ntain a balance, these conflicting traditional achievements and the negotiation between the dual pull of past historical significance and present political meaning several new voices from outside the United States has entered in the past and even today one can see their attribute in the contested public sphere, trying to do new justice to African-American expressive culture. They address themselves to the conflict-ridden discursive traditions in the push and pull of ascription and achievement. Individually, these new studies cover much new ground, but when placed in conversation with each other and with past debates, they help us in mapping the territory in which black music acquires its political place and its cultural meaning. Among his impressive achievements of six solo rap albums, over 30 singles, significant roles in six movies and a body of poems anthologized, is his Hit song â€Å"Changes†. Tupac was clearly a performer with multi-dimensional abilities whose contributions to his art deserved to be the best for studying from a variety of disciplinary perceptions. â€Å"The music, sounds, and lyrics from some of Hip Hop’s most talented writers and performers have resulted in what has undeniably become the one cultural institution that urban youth rely on for representation, honesty keeping it real and leadership.† (Walter Edwards) Tupac Shakur’s song â€Å"Changes† presents a reflection of the today’s darker music influence on a life which is suffering in the rough battleground of urban poverty, coupled with the social and political ideas of Black Americans. However his main emphasis is upon the central behaviors which is focused on Blacks, including its rich vernacular language, its hooligan subculture and the crime, violence and nihilism which result from poverty and social neglect. All he has talked about in his song â€Å"Changes† is the humiliating attitude of Americans towards blacks. He focused on two main things, â€Å"Poverty† and â€Å"the fate of

Hume Of the Standard of Taste Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hume Of the Standard of Taste - Essay Example In this essay, I first of all, purpose to discuss what Hume proposes to be the condition for beauty. Secondly, I will demonstrate how an object can be termed as either beautiful or not, based on the proposal. In addition, I will analyze the factors that motivated this proposal by Hume, and lastly, examine whether there is sufficient reason to support Hume’s proposal. What is the condition for being beautiful? Hume is of the opinion that for something to be beautiful, then it must be able to have durability, uniformity, and generality in admiration (I.XXIII.12-13). For example, an object that has been around for many generations and withstood the criticisms leveled against it can be said to be truly beautiful. However, an object that was once considered beautiful but has since faded into history cannot be termed as beautiful since it lacks durability. In as far as general admiration is concerned; a beautiful thing tends to gain appreciation from people of multiple cultures all over the world. From Hume’s point of view, the observer’s mind must be at an ideal state of serenity and free of external hindrances and prejudice, while judging the beauty of an object (I.XXIII.11). In addition, Hume states that the observer must also pay very close attention to the object by focusing all thought on the object in order to study its finer details (I.XXIII.11). How does a beautiful object differ from one that is not beautiful? At the outset, Hume seems to agree to the fact that the beauty of an object only lies in the eyes of the observer. For example, Hume writes that a man of sense in as far as arts are concerned is more likely to differ with a man who has no sense of art, concerning the beauty of an object (I.XXIII.23). Similarly, according to Hume, a young man is more likely to consider tender and affectionate images as more beautiful (I.XXIII.30). On the other hand, Hume writes that an old man may find beauty in philosophical and wise teachings tha t teach on the value of life (I.XXIII.30). In Hume’s opinion, beauty can only be achieved if the human mind is free of all internal obstructions and external hindrances. Drawing form these expressions, it is clear that Hume perceives beauty as not stemming from the qualities of an object, but by the capacity of the object to stir up certain sentiments in the observer. Hume gives the example of how two of Sancho’s kinsmen were asked to give their opinion regarding the excellence of a hogshead (I.XXIII.16). Everyone knew that the wine was of superior quality, yet, when the two men tasted it, although both agreed that it was good, one noted that there was a bit of leather taste in it, while the other one noted that there was a silver taste in the wine. Hume goes on to narrate that the two men were ridiculed for their judgment, yet when the hogshead was emptied, therein lay an old key tied ton a leather thong (I.XXIII.16). In reference to this example, it is clear that alt hough people may unanimously decide that something is beautiful; there are critics who may find flaws by carefully studying the object under observation. What is Hume’s motivation for his proposal on beauty? Firstly, Hume tends to draw his motivation for proposing that beauty is an effect on the mind from the fact that beauty is valued by everyone, while ugliness or deformity is usually a repulsive characteristic. Nonetheless, different people have different opinions regarding which objects are beautiful and which ones are not. Secondly, from Hume’