Key Factors to a Supportive Environment

Key factors that support speech, language and communication environment: 1. Your room/setting layout – what does your physical environment look like? The noise level – are there quieter and noisier areas, planned times or activities. Evidence: There are two main rooms that are in use during morning and afternoon sessions, the classroom and larger hall area. The classroom has a book corner with a child's size couch and soft cushions on the floor. This area is ideally for quiet time and reading. The rest of the classroom and large hall allows for noisy and more social activities.Throughout the day there are planned adult lead activities, circle times, outdoor play, snack bar and lunch club. Which work on a rota based system. Quality of light – are play areas well lit for children to see ; communicate well with each other, see mouth movements, resources ; staff. Evidence: The classroom and main hall both allow for a substantial amount of natural light through large windows and also have more then one artificial light in either room. Space to move, expressively, with whole bodies, with and without speedEvidence: The main hall area is a large open space with a substantial amount of room for children to move freely and expressively. This room is used for more active activities and also for when outdoor play is restricted due to poor weather conditions. The children will use this area to build train tracks, stack blocks, act out role plays and imaginary games, as well as group games such as duck duck goose and ring a ring a roses. The outdoor area is also set up in a way that allows for all types of movement. There is an large space for bikes and smalls cars, which is also used for obstacle courses and tents.This is divided from the rest of the playground by log stumps that the children can also walk across. Resources and toys – is there a varied selection available for both indoor ; outdoor play. Evidence: Within the classroom and hall the re is a large variety of resources and toys to cater for all the children. For example; a home corner, roll play area, mark making area, play dough and sand/water trays, block building, music corner, small world toys, ICT area book corner. The outside area has a large storage cupboard which allows us to alternate what goes outside to create interest and excitement.There is an outside book corner with bean bags and blankets, large wooden blocks for building, play house with kitchen and work bench, prams, bikes and large cars, balls, rackets, a table and chairs to encourage mark making, blackboard with chalk and a variety of playing apparatus's. 2. Staff – Involvement/roles – how does everyone interact with children to promote communication. Evidence: Most children attending the pre-school will have an all about me book, which their key person and any other staff member are allowed assess. It contains information and pictures on the child's life including family, pets, f riends, likes and dislikes.The children also receive a settling in performer after two weeks of them attending the setting. Which goes over how they are doing and is sent home to their parents to read and comment on, then sent back in. This is kept in the child's learning journey. The children are also given a chance to have their say on what they would like to do at pre-school, with the children's planing board. Where any ideas that are given from the children are written on and then added to the planing in future sessions. We have a classroom rules board, illustrating the main rules of the setting. Which is positioned down low at the children's eye level.There is also a ‘how are you feeling today' poster with photos and illustrations of different facial expressions, again at the children's eye level. We also try to operate with a positive language approach when reminding children of rules, for example saying ‘walking feet and kind hands' instead of ‘no running an d don't hit each other. ‘ Staff responsibilities – does a key person system operate to support your children? Evidence: A key person system is operational within the setting, each key person has on average 11 children under their care and are also responsible for the overall care of every child.Observations are made on every child and logged in their learning journeys, which are kept in a locked cupboard. Planning daily routines – are there times of the day to support communication eg. greetings and goodbyes, toilet asking times? Small/large group and individual activities? Evidence: Our setting works on an rota based system, in which there are set times for snack bar, lunch club, tidy up times, free play, adult led activities, nappy changes, circle times and outdoor play. This helps the children and staff to get into a routine.Who ever is responsible for nappy changes that day will also be reminding children to go to the toilet, both are logged in a daily folder . The children are welcomed in the mornings/afternoons and self register with name cards. At the end of both morning and afternoon sessions the story of the week is read and the children can give thanks in prayer. The children are then dismissed when their allocated parent/carer arrives. Training opportunities? Child Development, Safeguarding, Impairment, Activity intervention & awareness.Evidence: All staff are given the opportunity to attend relevant training that is beneficial for the setting and themselves. I myself have already attended four training courses since joining in September 2012. Certificates given at the completion of the training days and are displayed on the wall inside the classrooms setting. We also have a weekly policy quiz, with a different quiz selected each week for staff to read through and then be tested on. 4. Parent & carer involvement – Evidence: The Pre-school welcomes parent and carer involvement within and outside of the setting, especially du ring the festive period.We often have parent helpers for the day that provide us with an extra pare of hands. The pre-school also recently held a fundraising event at the local community center, where we saw an overabundance of support from parents/carers. How does the setting engage with parents to share activity ideas, rhymes, resources, books, event dates, news, parent's language needs, knowledge ; expertise Evidence: Each week parents and staff receive the ‘weekly update sheet' via email, which provides information on the up and coming week.This information consists of the theme of the week, number, letter sound and shape, story focus, our star of the week (child), important dates, resources needed for any activities planned, how they can support their child and a photo gallery of what their children have been up to in the previous week. 5. Language itself – Identify the types of language/methods of communication used in the setting; facial, body, creative, expressi ve and behavioral. Evidence: At the entrance to the classroom there is a mood board on the wall with the phase ‘how do you feel today'.The board displays a variety of facial expressions and words for the children to relate to and caters especially to children still developing their speech or children that have English as an additional language. We also have a mark making area with creative resources for the children to express themselves. Throughout the setting there are posters and images reminding the children of the pre-school rules, for example use kind hands, put hands up during circle time, line up in a straight line and two children at the I. T station. Additional Language-Is there support within the setting for children with additional languages. Evidence: All resources accessible to the children are labelled with the relevant wording of the contents and a photo or picture to support visual aid. Around the main classroom we have numerals 1-10 in additional languages an d greetings/farewells in multiple languages. When the children join the setting their parents/careers are asked if they speak any additional languages or if English isn't their first spoken language. During circle times, we will often greet each child in an additional language.

Lecturer’s Personality

NATIONAL FORUM OF TEACHER EDUCATION JOURNAL-ELECTRONIC VOLUME 16 NUMBER 3E, 2005-2006 EFFECTIVE TEACHER STUDY Max Malikow Assistant Professor Le Moyne College ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to quantify student evaluated teacher effectiveness in order to ascertain the grade level, subject, and characteristics of exceptionally effective teachers as reported by 361 Le Moyne College students. In this study the students were provide with the following definition of exceptionally effective: showing the ability to go beyond the ordinary in producing desired results. The students were instructed that they could select one of their teachers from any grade level or subject. The distribution of selected teachers is as follows: 315 secondar5y teachers, 34 primary teachers, 11 college professors, and 1 parish priest. Subject areas of frequently selected secondary teachers are: social studies (89), English (89), mathematics (55), foreign language (33), and science (27). Personality characteristics most often cited by the students were: challenging/had reasonably high expectations (82), sense of humor (59), enthusiastic (56), creative (39), caring (39), explains complicated material well (39), and flexible instructional style (33). 1 NATIONAL FORUM OF TEACHER EDUCATION JOURNAL-ELECTRONIC 2___________________________________________________________ _______________________________ Who are exceptionally effective teachers and what are their characteristics? This is a study conducted at Le Moyne College from 1998-2004. I. Introduction A. Statement of the Research Question The purpose of this study is to quantify student evaluated teacher effectiveness in order to ascertain the grade level, subject, and characteristics of exceptionally effective teachers as reported by 361 Le Moyne College students. In this study the students were provided with the following definition of exceptionally effective: showing the ability to go beyond the ordinary in producing desired results. Teacher preparation programs, as part of their accreditation process, are increasingly attentive to any information to assist in making adjustments and modifications to improve the outcome. Formal evaluations of graduates and students are useful. I have attempted to undertake a continual form of information gathering from classes I teach that ultimately may be useful for this purpose. B. Rationale for the Research The value of this study is that the accomplishment of the research question would make a contribution to the Le Moyne College teacher education program. The goal of this department is to prepare effective teachers for tomorrow’s schools† (Le Moyne College Catalog 2004-2005, p. 91). The result of having identified the grade levels, subjects, and common characteristics of over 350 teachers assessed by their students as exceptionally effective serves to better inform the Education Department faculty of the qualities that make teachers memorable as instructors who are effective in their work. Therefore the department members will be better equipped to evaluate their own program in the light of this information. MAX MALIKOW ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________3 II. Methodology A. EDU 215 Writing Assignment EDU 215: Learning in a Sociocultural Context is a required course for Le Moyne College education majors who are preparing to teach at the secondary level (grades 7-12). â€Å"It involves students in examining, analyzing, and developing theories of how students learn within a social, cultural, and political context †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Le Moyne College Catalog 2004-2005, p. 97). One requirement of the EDU 215 classes I teach is a reflective paper. I encourage the students not to begin this writing assignment early in the course. I explain that they would find the paper easier to write if they first experience at least half of the fifteen weeks of the material. The learning outcome associated with this assignment is for students to organize and articulate their thoughts and experiences concerning the characteristics and behaviors of exceptionally effective teachers. The students are required to select one of their own teachers from any grade or subject who could be described as an exceptionally effective teacher. An in-class presentation to the students elucidates an exceptionally effective teacher as one who demonstrates extraordinary ability in the following areas of teaching: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Communication of material Motivation of students Provision of an environment conducive to learning Maintenance of student interest Classroom management (discipline) Appropriate relationships with students The following is the assignment’s specifications as they appeared in the EDU 215 syllabus. An Exceptionally Effective Teacher The instructions provided to the students is fairly standard, with the paper no less than four and no more than six pages in length, typed, double-spaced, and compositionally flawless. It must include all of the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. The teacher’s name and subject/grade level A synecdoche His/her methodologies (repertoire of instructional strategies) His/her means of testing and evaluation NATIONAL FORUM OF TEACHER EDUCATION JOURNAL-ELECTRONIC 4___________________________________________________________ _______________________________ 5. 6. . 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. His/her teaching environment (physical and psychological-emotional) His/her administration of discipline His/her personality (including a sense-of-humor) Scholarship (i. e. evaluate the selected teacher as a scholar) His/her use of relevancy in instruction His/her preparedness for class (i. e. organization) His/her ability to motivate students An interview with this teacher or someone who is familiar with this teacher (optional) I explain to the students that a synecdoche (specification number 2) is a figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole. The example I use is the phrase to break bread in which bread is used but an entire meal is understood. In the context of this assignment, the students are required to describe one incident featuring the selected teacher that would communicate a substantial understanding of the teacher’s style and philosophy of teaching. A colloquial way of expressing the rationale for the synecdoche is: it is one story that communicates what this teacher is all about. B. Description of the Sample The number of the students in the sample is 361 (n = 361). Since the sample consists of students from classes taught by me this is a convenience sample. Specifically, the students are from sixteen EDU 215 sections ranging from the fall semester of 1998 to the spring semester of 2004. As previously stated, EDU 215 students are preparing for careers in secondary teaching. With few exceptions, the students are sophomores. Also, as previously stated, the writing assignment is a course requirement. Consequently, all students who complete EDU 215 for credit accomplish the assigned paper. In the sample, all of the students addressed the assignment’s specifications sufficiently to have earned a grade of C or better. C. Procedure for Analysis of Archival Data From the fall semester of 1998 to the spring semester of 2004 a total of 361 essays were written by the students in the EDU 215 classes taught by me. This archival was organized by first categorizing teachers by grade level (if K-6) or subject (if 7-12). College teachers were grouped in one category. This distinction is made to accommodate for selected secondary and college MAX MALIKOW ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________5 teachers who students had more than once. For example, some science teachers taught the students in both biology and chemistry. The categorization of the teachers in this manner resulted in a total of 21 subcategories of teachers: seven primary grade subcategories, ten secondary subject categories, three subcategories of college professors, and one parish priest. This data answers the following research question: Of the 361 selected teachers, what is their distribution according to grade level or subject? In-class discussions with the students on the day the assignment is turned in includes the following question: From the assignment’s specifications or your own thoughts, what are the two characteristics that most contributed to your selected teacher’s effectiveness? All students are asked the question with their responses recorded by me. Nine characteristics were possibilities from the assignment. Due to 16 student absences on the days of these discussions, 690 responses were recorded rather than the 722 responses that would have resulted from perfect attendance. The record of the student responses provides the answer to the following research question: What are the characteristics of exceptionally effective teachers most frequently cited by the students in this study? III. Presentation of the Findings A. Textual Presentation The teacher category most frequently selected is an equal number of students (89) who selected either a social studies or English teacher. These two categories combined for 49. 3 percent of the exceptionally effective teachers in this study. Other secondary teachers selected are in the disciplines of mathematics (15. percent), foreign language (9. 1 percent), science (7. 5 percent), physical education (2. 4 percent), health (1. 7 percent), technology (1. 1 percent), art (. 5 percent), and music (. 3 percent). In total, elementary teachers represent 9. 4 percent of the selections. The two grade levels with the highest representation are third and fifth (8). The 11 college professors chosen constitute 3 percent of the sele ctions. The college professors are in the disciplines of English (7), history (3), and mathematics (1). One student selected a parish priest who taught a confirmation class. For a tabular presentation of the distribution of the selected teachers see Table 3. 1. The total number of characteristics cited by the sample was 36. The exceptionally effective teacher trait most frequently expressed by the students was challenging with reasonable expectations (11. 9 percent). The percentage of response was computed by dividing the number of citations for this trait (82) by the total citations in the study (690). Sense of humor is the NATIONAL FORUM OF TEACHER EDUCATION JOURNAL-ELECTRONIC 6___________________________________________________________ _______________________________ second most frequently cited characteristic (8. 5 percent). Three characteristics are tied for third place in the frequency standings: explains complicated material well, caring, and creative (each 5. 6 percent). Other frequently cited traits are: flexible instructional style (4. 8 percent), approachable, available, interested in students, and organized (each 4. 2 percent). For a tabular presentation of the selected characteristics data see Table 3. . B. Tabular Presentation Table 3. 1: Distribution of Selected Teachers Kindergarten First Grade Second Grade Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Sixth Grade Grades 7-12 Social Studies English Mathematics Foreign Language Science Physical Education Health Technology Art Music College English History Mathematics Other Priest 5 1 1 8 4 8 7 89 89 55 33 27 9 6 4 2 1 6 3 2 1 MAX MALIKOW __________ __________________________________________________ ______________________________7 Table 3. 2: Cited Characteristics 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Challenging/Had Reasonably High Expectations Sense of Humor Enthusiastic Creative Caring Explains Complicated Material Well Flexible Instructional Style Approachable Available Interested in Students Organized Flexible to Classroom Situations Dedicated Inspiring Practical Made Material Relevant Optimistic About Students Energetic Engaging Exciting Learned/Brilliant/Scholarly Warm Humble Good Listener Patient Authentic/Real/Appropriately Autobiographical Confident Empathic Encouraging Fair Professional Honest Insightful Moral Nonjudgmental Optimistic About Life Protective 82 59 56 39 39 39 33 29 29 29 29 23 21 21 17 13 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 2 2 1 1 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. NATIONAL FORUM OF TEACHER EDUCATION JOURNAL-ELECTRONIC 8___________________________________________________________ _______________________________ IV. Analysis of the Findings A. Limitations of the Study and Implications for Future Research As previously stated, the sample is drawn from a course that consisted entirely of students preparing for a career in secondary teaching. If the sample had been drawn from a comparable course for prospective elementary school teachers the distribution of exceptionally effective teachers might have been different. It would be interesting to see if a sample of students preparing for teaching at the primary level would select more primary teachers as exceptionally effective. The study did not include a reckoning of the intended teaching area of the students and their selected teacher. For example, there may have been a high representation of prospective social studies and English teachers in the sample. It would require an interview with the students to determine if their intended subject influenced their teacher selection. An examination of the cited characteristics demonstrates redundancies. For example, caring is a characteristic cited 39 times and interested in students 29 times. Arguably these two traits constitute a verbal distinction without a meaningful difference. My decision to record the words and phrases actually used by the students’ accounts for perceived redundancies. As with any study that employs a convenience sample, this study’s results cannot be taken as representative of nonparticipating individuals. However, this limitation does not render this study inconsequential. The sample size is substantial and a methodology for future studies has been formulated and tested. Six students in this study stated that their selected teachers are responsible for their decision to pursue a teaching career. These statements were not solicited either as a requirement of the writing assignment or in the class discussions. This implies that there may be more than six students who were so influenced. It would be interesting to know how many students opted for a career in teaching because of a teacher. A future quantitative study could generate the data to address this curiosity. As with many studies, while this study answered questions it gave rise to others: Why were so many social studies and English teachers selected? Is there something about the content of these subjects that accounts for the perceived effectiveness of those who teach social studies and English? Do social studies and English attract individuals with personalities that are conducive to the work of teaching? Is there a gender correlation between the students and selected teachers? MAX MALIKOW ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________9 B. Value and Application of the Study A well known psycho-lexical study reveals that there are 17,953 words in an unabridged English dictionary describing personality characteristics (Allport and Odbert, 1936). Individuals involved in teacher training, hiring, and mentoring are beneficiaries of studies that document the personality traits that correlate with teacher effectiveness. These individuals are engaged in significant work. An awareness of the characteristics that correlate with and contribute to effective teaching should be nurtured in training and mentoring as well as recognized in hiring. Concerning employment, an implication of this study is the use of personality assessment instruments like the M. M. P. I. (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) as part of the employment process. REFERENCES Allport, G. W. & Odbert, H. (1936):Trait-names: A Psycho-lexical Study. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 47, 171-220. (1, whole number 211).

Trusts, Gifts and Estates term paper (ANY TOPIC) Essay

Trusts, Gifts and Estates term paper (ANY TOPIC) - Essay Example This results to the preservation of a harmonious familial relationship and the achievement of several financial benefits such as the creation of cash reserves and the after-tax income available. According to Brown and Myers (2008), it is important to underscore that the primary objective of all family estate planning is to provide psychological and financial security by obtaining â€Å"the maximum benefits of principal and income for the family and to pass on the family property intact (i.e. without losses)† (23). The last will and testament is an excellent example of estate planning and administration. There is also the case the revocable living trust. Both of these are popular choices for people seeking to manage and administer their assets and properties. This paper will explore why the revocable living trust can prove to be more beneficial for everyone than the last will and testament. Background The last will and testament or more generally known as the will is a legal do cument that provides the disposition of assets and properties. Simply put, in case of death, the ownership of a property is transferred according to the terms of the will of the deceased, the terms that document his desires particularly in the distribution of his estate and assets (Wardle and Nolan, 1042). Gau (2004) provided another definition, which states that it is â€Å"an expression of a person’s wishes for the disposition of property and the protection of loved ones at the time of the maker’s death† (7). The US legal framework considers the use of will as a developmental offshoot of basic estate planning, that one with the simple goal of planning for death (Wardle and Nolan, 1039-1043). It was further provided that the impetus for the development of wills was the need for federal estate tax planning for death and lifetime transfers (1039-1040). Baker wrote that the key is to keep it up to date because a clearly defined will could be the best piece of lega l work that one could have that can be used to honor one’s wishes and in defining the family’s futures (52). She also stressed that the will is a reliable backup to a trust in the estate planning process, in addition to several conditions, which she has listed such as: The fact that there are properties that are better left in a will; Money such as lottery winning can be distributed after death through a will and as a component of an estate plan; Parents with minor children. The will can name the guardian and the administrator of assets and properties before the children reach legal age; The appointment of an executor; and Disinheriting a person (Baker, 53-54). There are many other instances where the will is indispensable. It is important for people interested to draft their own wills to consult an estate planning professional or an estate planning team. The process may be simple, but there is a requirement to be thorough, clear and detailed so that the documented wou ld not be invalidated, contested and misinterpreted. It is also important to highlight that if assets are to be transferred through a will, the maker is necessarily deceased. The utility of the will as explained in this section does not mean that there are no other alternatives. There are several others that people prefer because it is more beneficial or that it is aligned with their own estate planning objectives. The Revocable Living Trust

Paper 1 Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Paper 1 Biology - Essay Example 1. Components of physical examination The components of physical examination include inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation respectively. However, some physicians may choose a different sequence depending on the training. All these examinations focus on knowing more about the present condition of disease of the patient or even the most probable to occur. Inspection involves the search for signs while palpation involves the feeling for the signs. Percussion is the tapping for signs, mainly in the lung and gut examinations. Auscultation involves using the stethoscope to listen to the heart rate. Anciently, physicians listened directly through the ear. It is not mandatory that all systems will have signs but most will. Physical examination is the general examination of the human body performed by physicians. It covers most of the basic body systems, including the gut, system nerve system, lung system, and heart system. More examinations are not common but it depends on the patient’s clinical condition. Physical examination helps in confirming any persistent issues after a previous diagnosis. It also reveals persistent and hidden pathological entities. Physicians performing this examination always look for signs like the blood pressure, temperature, heart beat rate and respiratory rate. Performing physical examination incurs low costs because the only cost is, the labor cost (Memmlers, 2012). Many medical practitioners have recommended it as a screening test because it is non-invasive and significantly revealing. Doctors are important figures during this process because they make decision with regard to the patient’s clinical history. At times, physical examination requires extensive procedures involving the private body parts. In such situations, the patients must make consent. 2). Blood Pressure The measurement of blood pressure is a quick and painless process that provides the physicians with important information about the condition o f the heart and the body blood vessels. a). Doctors use the sphygmomanometer, also known as the blood pressure cuff, to measure the blood pressure. This instrument contains an inflatable cuff and a small pressure gauge attached to the cuff. The cuff wraps around the upper arm, but some wrap around the wrist or forearm. When taking the blood pressure, the doctor uses a stethoscope to the movement of blood through the arteries. The doctor will then inflate the cuff to a pressure that is higher than the patient’s systolic blood pressure. The first sound heard by the doctor through the stethoscope records as the systolic blood pressure. This occurs when the cuff’s pressure is in the process of reducing to reach stability. A second follows immediately the first whooshing one fades away (Memmlers, 2012). This is the diastolic blood pressure. The doctor measure with reference to the heart beat rate for the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure. b). Mr. Smith’s bloo d pressure was 160/100 The numerator (160) represents the systolic pressure, which is the maximum pressure of blood movement in the artery at that particular when the heart is working to supply blood throughout the body. The denominator represents (100) the diastolic pressure, which is the minimum pressure of blood movement in the artery in the moments between heartbeats and its resting state. c). The significant difference

When I was a Kid.The most important piece of advice in my life Essay

When I was a Kid.The most important piece of advice in my life - Essay Example As a child I acted as if I was in my own little world and did not seem to care about anyone else. However, there is one memory that is so vivid in my mind because I remember it was the day when I received the most important piece of advice in all my life. My father said to me that it did not matter how many times I fell to the ground, but what was really important were the number of times I picked myself back up and continued on with the same determination that I once had as a young child. The first time I remember these words of advice coming in handy was when I joined my first soccer team. I was the smallest kid on the team and it showed through my lack of enthusiasm to tackle some of the other players. It did not matter to me that I was the smallest player because what I lacked in size I sure made up with grit and determination. Because of my stature within the team, both figuratively and literally, I had to work hard to even get noticed, whereas other players seemed to have a muc h easier job getting the attention of the coach. There was one time that I remember just like it was yesterday. I was sent onto the field to play a game during a thunderstorm. My team was trailing and I was expected to change the course of the game for my team. At one stage the ball fell to me right in front of the opposing goal but I slipped during the moment I had a chance to become a hero. I felt so disappointed that I had let the team down, but ultimately I was dismayed with myself. Even though the field was very slippery that day, I could not blame the poor weather conditions for falling to score the goal. I picked myself up and wiped all the dirt and mud off my face. As I was doing that, I could hear my father whisper those words of advice in my ear. I knew then that I had to make a choice, and I chose to forget about what happened and continue like the incident had never occurred. I threw myself at every ball that came near me and I was determined to turn the game around for my team. At the end of the game, we had turned things around. The game was won and I felt vindicated for choosing to forget about what happened and focus on the task at hand. As I was walking off the field, I glanced toward my father and saw him nod in approval. Another time where my father's words of advice proved invaluable was when I was failing some of my courses at school. I admit that I did not put in the effort required in order to do well, but this does not mean that I did not care about my schoolwork. I could have chosen the path of continuing to be toward the lower end of my class academically, but I decided to put in place some steps that would help me to improve my grades. First of all, I asked questions of the teachers whenever I was unsure about something or did not understand it fully. I began to take notes during class and I would go over them in my spare time. There were occasions when I even stayed back after school to study some of the subjects that I was doing po orly in. It took me about a semester to pull up my grades, but I think it was worth it in the end. There was a lot of hard work involved, and I had to change my attitude toward learning. Admitting weakness and seeking out improvement is not an easy thing to accomplish, but the words of my father helped me to see that I had the option of turning things around and that is what I did. Since I was a child, I would say that I am still similar in many ways; however, one thing that has changed has been that I am much more focuser now than I ever was. I have done this by setting achievable goals and then putting plans in motion that will help me to accomplish them. As my father once said, the times you fall are not important, it is only the times you get back up that

Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Poetry - Essay Example It implies the speakers casual attitude towards his father, who had warmed the house and polished his shoes, the child not realizing the extent of the fathers assistance. To best categorize Those Winter Sundays theme, it might be intended for the reader to take notice of the people who care for you and to offer them love and gratefulness for their sacrifices, no matter how small they may be. Robert Hayden uses several literary techniques in this poem; one in particular that is most apparent is imagery. Haydens descriptions of the fathers "cracked hands that ached from labor†¦" and "Id wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking" give the reader a very clear mental view of both the father and the environment. The reader can almost hear the sound of logs being split by an axe (which is hard labor) and a picture of a mans weathered, probably calloused hands that were the result of heavy work. The imagery used in Those Winter Sundays leaves little doubt, for the reader, that the father is of the working class and used to performing difficult labor. It serves to feed the theme of the story, allowing the reader to feel pity for the father because he continues to perform his thankless work. The author also uses personification to make the story more powerful. When the speaker says, "I would rise and dress, fearing the chronic angers of that house", Hayden is essentially granting the house human qualities, suggesting a harsh, angry environment stressed from the winter cold. Possibly, personifying the house as being chronically angry suggests it is an old house that has withstood countless winters and that the early morning environment leaves the house feeling ominous. It is also possible, through personifying the house, that Hayden is attempting to enhance the love that his father brings by comparing love against a gloomy, angry environment. Those Winter Sundays

Goodwill and routine emails Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Goodwill and routine emails - Essay Example For this reason, the audit accounts for the last financial year show good a performance of the branch. This is because there was an increase in profits as a result of a decrease in the expenses. With this being said, the head office has given recommendations us to go to other branches to train our fellow workmates on how to achieve the same goal. To show my appreciation as the team leader, I will be rewarding each one of you during a special dinner that will be held on February 15, 2013 from 8.00pm. I encourage you to invite your friends and families to attend. Regards, (Name) Chief Accountant Summary Analyzing the routine e-mail, it manages to give information on when and where the meeting will take place. The application of this principle is to help the employees prepare well for the meeting. The email has a positive tone and language which help encourage the readers to attend the meeting (Goleman, 2007). This also helps to avoid offending or alienating any individual. The email is clear and direct with short sentences, and the agenda addresses the specific items that will be discussed. This helps the reader understand and interpret the email easily (Campanizzi, 2005). Looking at the goodwill email, it maintains the good will by appreciating the employees for their hard work. This principle is important because it will encourage the account assistants to maintain the excellent performance as they feel that management recognize their effort. This will also help maintain the professional relationship between me, their head and the account assistants. Looking at both e-mails, the writing format is professional and the layout is standard. The language in use avoids slang, idiomatic expressions, and a lot of technical words. This helps the recipients to understand the emails easily. The two emails have appropriate subject lines that describe the content of the mail. This helps the readers have an idea of what is in the e-mail and also helps them know that the emai l is worthwhile. This outcome is significant because in most cases, professionals get many emails in a day and rely on the subject of the e-mail to know important e-mails. The emails have paragraphs that reduce the information that the reader has to look at and makes the e-mail presentable. This principle is important because the use of paragraphs relieves the reader’s eyes and makes the reader kinder to the email. The reader then becomes interested in looking at the e-mail (Jerz, 2000). Bibliography Campanizzi, J. (2005). The Write Stuff for Quality. Retrieved 02 06, 2013, from http://qpc.co.la.ca.us/cms1_035856.pdf. Goleman, D. (2007). Job Market. E-Mail Is Easy to Write (And to Misread) . Jerz, D. (2000). E-Mail: Ten Tips for Writing It Effectively. Retrieved 02 07, 2013, from Jerz's Literacy Weblog:

Bunn-O-Matic Coffee Maker Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bunn-O-Matic Coffee Maker - Research Paper Example Upon discussing the importance of marketing concept over the profitability of Bunn-O-Matic, this essay will focus on identifying the company’s target market for Bunn-O-Matic Coffee Maker by conducting market segmentation. Eventually, the rationale behind the target marketing strategy used by Bunn-O-Matic will be thoroughly explained. Increasing the company’s sales and profitability is the main goal of Bunn-O-Matic. Given that each individual have their own specific needs and wants, the study of marketing should be focused on allowing the company to address these concerns. Some products could satisfy the specific need of consumers. Included in the study of marketing mix or the 4 P’s known as price, product, promotion (marketing communication), and place (distribution); the product preferences of Bunn-O-Matic’s target consumer can be guided by marketing variables such as the product value, cost, customer(s) satisfaction, and market distribution (Kotler & Armstrong, 1997, p. 52; McCarthy & Perreault, 1993, p. 46). The study of marketing is a very broad subject that aims to improve the company’s financial performance not only through selling and advertisements but also in finding ways to develop and establish a good relationship with the target customers. Therefore, it is wrong to believe that the study of marketing is focused only on selling and advertising. It is easier for Bunn-O-Matic to identify its target market by dividing the consumers into subgroups (Roger, 2005, p. 15). For Bunn-O-Matic coffee makers, dividing the consumers into subgroups is possible by developing specific market segment of consumer characteristics related to demographic, psychographic, and geographic factors (Kotler, 2000, p. 8, 263). Demographic segmentation examines a wide-range of variables including age, size of family, family life cycle, gender, income, occupation, educational attainment, religion, race, generation, nationality, and social class of

Is managing people the most important job of a manager Coursework

Is managing people the most important job of a manager - Coursework Example The systematically structured and managed to meet a need parts come later. Without the social unit an organization would not exist and it would not be able to pursue collective goals. Managers therefore need to realize that organizations are made of people and nothing else. These people get together for a set time during the day and attempt to solve problems and achieve the collective goals that the definition of an organization talks about. To put it in simpler words, organizations cannot exist independently of the people that constitute them; they are simply patterns of human interaction. Managers should recognize that managing people is in fact the most important task that they have to perform. All of the four components of a manager’s job: Planning, organizing, leading and controlling cannot be performed efficiently and effectively till a manager effectively manages all the human resources of the organization properly. Let us consider all the functions separately. The first function is planning. This function refers to determining the goals of the organization and figuring out how to achieve them. Latest organizational practices theories dictate that in order to be successful managers should involve their subordinates right from the planning phase. They must sit with them and determine the goals and ways to achieve them through mutual consultation. A shrewd manager would recognize the fact that unless the employees are managed tactfully by him this whole practice would be a waste of time. The second function is organizing. This function refers to assigning responsibility to subordinates for task accomplishment. (Daft, 2006) If a manager does not manage his subordinates well then he might end up creating problems for himself as far as organizing is concerned. He might have to do all or most of the work himself because of lack of delegation which, in turn, takes place due to lack of trust between manager and subordinates etc (Morden, 2004) (Reh, n.d.) The third function is leading. This function refers to using influence to motivate subordinates to achieve the organizations goals. (Daft, 2006) To put things simply, without effective management of employees there would be no motivation and as a result no â€Å"leading†. The fourth and final function is controlling. This function refers to monitoring employee activities and keeping the organization on track towards its goals. (Daft, 2006) If employees are not managed effectively they have been known to come up with reasons to steal from the organization , to slack off from work and indulge in other such counter productive activities. (Walsh, 2000) Therefore, we can conclude that managing people is in fact the most important part of a manager’s job. Discussion Question 2: The design of organization structure is a critical factor in the success or failure of a firm and should be taken very seriously by managers. The major methods of division of work are as follow s: 1. Vertical Functional: This approach is characterized by the grouping

Secularisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Secularisation - Essay Example It was Weber1 who first gave the sociology of religion the seminal concept of secularisation, later to be developed in greater detail by his colleague Troeltsch2 to describe what could be characterised as the decline in the influence of religion on society. The Latin root of the word - saeculum - provides a hint of its ecclesiastical origin, but its ambiguous meanings (era, age, the world, forever, etc.) act somewhat as a warning that every human effort to define it, much less pin it down into a neatly classified field of social scientific study, would either be an impossible task or a challenge that would take forever. Sociologist Larry Shiner3 tried to arrive at a universally accepted modern definition of the word "secularisation" for purposes of both empirical research and interpretation. He argued that there was a total lack of agreement as to what the term signified and how it could be measured. His paper attempted to bring the secularisation concept into focus by considering its history, types of usage and application, a critique of various forms of the concept as analytical tools, and a critique of the secular-religious polarity. However, due to the term's polemical past, its extremely varied definitions, and its frequent use as a blanket term to cover several disparate processes, he concluded that the term "secularisation" should either be abandoned or be explicitly recognised as a comprehensive term covering three complementary but distinct processes: desacralisation, differentiation, and transposition. After him, Martin argued that "the word 'secular', like the word 'religious', is amongst the richest of all words in its range of meaningfull of internal contradictions of which the conventional dictionary scarcely gives a hint". 4 Such a warning, however, should not be a source of discouragement but rather the prelude to an interesting discussion that is full of promise and insight that can help social scientists to better understand past, present, and future events. Martin identified four groups of meanings of the word "secularisation" 5: (1) Decline in the power, wealth, influence, range of control, and prestige of ecclesiastical (church) institutions. As a result, there is considerably less importance of the church's role in society, in the State, and in the professions. (2) Diminution in the frequency, number, intensity, importance, and efficacy of religious customs, practices, and rituals. These are treated as of marginal importance in life, leading to lower over-all attendance to religious worship, a decline in vocations, lower level or religious knowledge and more liberality in personal conduct. (3) Demystification and translation of religious concepts and symbols within a human and temporal reference. This includes rejection of mysterious and non-observable truths and turning to naturalistic, scientific, and objective facts. (4) Decrease in the sense of the supernatural depth and meaning, marked by rejection, indifference, lack of seriousness, dedication, and concern. However, whilst Martin associated secularisation with the decline of what could be characterised as religiosity or religious practices according to the norms of organised (Christian) institutions, he also pointed out a series of paradoxes existing within each of these definition classes that hint at

Importance of Learning Asian Languages Essay Example for Free

Importance of Learning Asian Languages Essay If I asked an English speaker, â€Å"Hello, how are you?†, the answer almost invariably will be â€Å"I’m fine, thank you†. This brief dialogue itself establishes a relationship between the two people. It not only stands proof of the two individuals’ ability to speak English but also their collective ability to converse in a common language. From the very beginning a certain level of trust is created as both persons can comprehend what the other is saying and thus, within the limitation of his or her expression, know what the person is thinking. With this also comes fluency in the conversation and in the vocalization of ones thoughts. Not only does this make the interaction faster, it also allows both persons to speak their mind freely and without much hesitation. Now instead, think of a French speaker asking â€Å"Commo à §ava?†, his translator translating, â€Å" How are you?†, the English speaker answering, â€Å"I’m fine, thank you† and the translator translating back, â€Å"Je suis bien, merci†. Quite evidently, the conversation becomes longer and quite tedious. But beyond that, the two individuals also feel a disconnect, as neither of them know for sure what the other is saying. The existence of the middleman disrupts the trust that would otherwise be established in the relationship. Also, both individuals hesitate and think twice before saying anything, pondering its interpretation in the other’s language. The purpose of the above examples is to show the benefit of conversing in a common language. If there is such a radical difference in communicating so briefly, the differences in longer and more complex conversations will be drastic. A common language gives the individual more access, establishes trust and therefore gives the individuals power. Throughout history we have witnessed expansion of various empires and in the process interaction of societies speaking different languages. Examples can be taken from the invasions of Indian kingdoms by the British Empire, British colonization of Australia or from the forceful inhabitation of Native American lands by the European immigrants while USA was being founded. The pattern in all these has been the same. The invaders start from trade. Through this they learn about the native people’s society and culture. Language is an inevitable need of trade and so the foreign traders learn the local language and the natives learn the tradersà ¢â‚¬â„¢. Slowly this gives the invaders access to the local community and gradually colonization takes place. Thus, we see how language gives power. Even in the current scenario, things have not changed a lot. Although the purpose of knowing a foreign language may not be to take over another country, language still gives the individual who speaks it an immense amount of power. It is so in all aspects of the word, the more people you can communicate with, the more are your chances to succeed. This power is exactly what the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard wants the citizens of Australia to have. Asia is progressing rapidly, but why would Australians knowing Asian languages â€Å"power Australia into the world’s top 10 wealthiest nations by 2025†? This is because as Asian countries progress and become global leaders, due to their economic and populous advantage, a large part of the world’s business will be conducted with or through them. India and China consist of 5/14th of the world’s population and this population spreads around the globe, knowing Mandarin or Hindi will give the speaker a great tactical advantage in an increasingly competitive world. But you may ask that if a common language is the only thing attracting Australia to have its citizens learn languages like Hindi and Mandarin, what’s wrong with their native English itself? The answer to this has two sides. The first is that English is becoming an increasingly global language and in the coming days, everyone who will do business with the Asians will almost definitely know English. In such cases, having a common language will not be enough. Knowing their native language and establishing an intimate relationship is what will give the language speakers an edge over the others. The other side is that as evidently seen today, a large percent of the Indian population speaks English and in terms of the people who do business, all of them speak English. But in the case of the rest of eastern Asia, few people, even in the corporate world speak fluent English. These aren’t baseless claims. There are various reasons behind this phenomenon such as the British rule over India for over 200 years, the mostly secondary sector development of countries like China and Japan and India’s global dependence for its services export. Since the beginning of British rule in India, many Indians have been learning English to facilitate themselves to get better jobs in the British government. Even after independence, English remained deeply incorporated in the Indian education system. Thus, English was never introduced to Indians as a global language learnt to facilitate communication as is being done now in various countries. It was imposed on on Indians as a necessity to survive in the British common wealth. This is why even the Indian lower middle class knows a moderately good level of English. Also, as India has developed, its tertiary sector has developed tremendously, specifically in the field of Information and Technology. The blooming IT industry far outmatches the demand for IT services in India and therefore there is a need to outsource these services. Thus, interaction of the average Indian with the outside world has increased and so has his need to speak English. As opposed to this, countries like China and Japan have seen the most development in the secondary sector. With the highest population and cheap labour, China has become the manufacturing hub of the world. But this surge in the manufacturing sector has resulted in only the entrepreneurs of these countries being in communication with the rest of the world. Their laborers, with no need to communicate with people outside the country, have found no need to learn English. As these Asian superpowers rise, the existing world leaders relatively decline in their economic and political status. With this in mind and considering that the whole of Europe barely amounts to half the population of China, learning learning Asian languages will be much more advantageous that learning European languages except for specific purposes. One could argue that some European languages like Spanish and French could be used in communication in earlier Spanish and French territories like South America and Quebec but this wouldn’t provide any advantage considering the economic and populous strength of Asian countries. Although all the pros favor learning Asian languages, it isn’t such an easy task, especially for a country that has been under British rule and speaks English that has a completely different script than any of the Asian languages. In this aspect it would be easier for students in Australia to learn European languages, as the script is the same as English. Another factor affecting the foreign language Australians would prefer to learn is their ancestry. Most of the Australian population consists of European immigrants who moved to Australia during the British rule. Many of these immigrants now in the 4th or 5th generation after the migration see a loss of culture in the generation following them and therefore would prefer that their children learn their mother tongue and be well rooted in their origins. Although a valid argument, people need to make a conscious choice between the past and the future. Learning their original European languages may give them a better taste of their own culture but by doing that, they are possibly depriving themselves the chance of a better future. Even the aspect of education is quite debatable. It is a well-known scientific fact that as you grow older, your ability to learn different languages decreases. The language learning agility during childhood allows children to master various languages irrespective of the differences between them. I myself have learnt English, French and Spanish, all having the same script while also knowing Hindi and Gujarati, both of which follow a different script than that of European languages. There are people out there who know various languages from many scripts and you don’t need to be a linguist to learn them, you just need to be a kid! This unconventional tactic to teach Australian citizens Asian languages could prove to be a great advantage to learners in this Asian century and could facilitate Australia to make it one of the ‘top 10 most wealthiest countries by 2025’ which, as stated by Julia Gillard, the Australian Prime Minister, is the primary goal of this initiative. To materialize this goal will take a lot of effort and will put a great toll on Australia’s education budget. If achieved though, Australia won’t be far behind the Asian giants in the coming global race.

Government Guidelines for Nutrition

Government Guidelines for Nutrition Sarah Slack Unit Four Health Promotion and Development References 1 Department of Health. 1991. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. Report on Health and Social Subjects No. 41. London: HMSO. 2 Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. 2003. Salt and Health. London: TSO. It is important that the under-5s get enough energy (calories) for growth and development. Childcare workers should therefore be sensitive to the needs of children who are fussy eaters or small eaters and ensure that these children are offered a good variety of food that they will accept. Age Average energy requirements in kcals (calories) per day: 1 year 935kcals 2 years 1,160kcals 3 years 1,430kcals 4 years 1,530kcals (Gregory JR, Collins DL, Davies PSW, Hughes JM, Clarke PC. 1995. National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Children Aged 11/2 to 41/2 Years. Volume 1. Report of the Diet) Children in a childcare setting should always be encouraged to eat a varied diet. They should eat foods from each of the four main food groups every day. The four main food groups are: Bread, cereals and potatoes Fruit and vegetables Milk and dairy foods, Meat, fish and alternatives such as eggs, pulses (peas, beans and lentils) and soya. Vitamin C is important in maintaining good health and may have a role in helping the body to absorb iron if both nutrients are present in the same meal. Children should be encouraged to eat foods containing vitamin C at meals like fruit and fruit juices. Children who do not eat meat should have a varied diet containing foods such as cereals, pulses (peas, beans and lentils), vegetables and fruits. Children need nutritious snacks between meals. The best snacks are those which are low in sugar. A variety of snacks should be offered including fruit, vegetables, milk, yoghurt, any type of bread, and sandwiches with savoury fillings. When planning menus in a childcare setting you must consider children who have special needs. Some children may have particular dietary requirements or may need specific help with eating. Sarah Slack Food unsuitable for young children and babies There are many different foods which are unsuitable for young children and babies, such as: Salt Salt can be dangerous for babies as it can damage their kidneys. Salt should never be added to babies food. Stock cubes or gravy are high in salt so they should be avoided when making homemade food for babies. Pre-packaged food can contain high amounts of salt so the packaging should always be checked to ensure the salt intake isn’t too high. The table below shows the guidelines provided by the Food Standards Agency for salt consumption: Sugar Sugar is the leading cause of tooth decay in young children. Milk teeth which start to ‘come through’ when a child reaches the age of around 6 months are very susceptible to acid erosion from sugars. Research suggests that children are more sugar sensitive than adults, and the effects are more pronounced in younger children, according to Dr. Keith Conners, author of Feeding the Brain. This could be related to the fact that the brain grows rapidly in the preschool years, exaggerating the effects of sugar on behavior and learning. Honey Honey can contain a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum which can produce toxins in a baby’s intestines, leading to infant botulism, which is a very serious illness. The symptoms include: Constipation The child not wanting to feed or eat Suffering from lethargy These symptoms can take several months to appear after the spores have been consumed as the spores grow in the infant’s gastro-intestinal tract and as they grow the toxins are released into the blood stream. Once an infant reaches the age of one the intestines begin to develop ‘good’ bacteria which are able to fight off the bacteria. Nuts Whole nuts, including peanuts, should never be given to children under five as they can choke on them. As long as theres no history of food allergies or other allergies in a family a baby can be given peanuts once theyre six months old as long as they are crushed or ground into peanut butter. 1% of the population are affected by a peanut allergy and children that have a sibling which is affected have a greater risk of being affected themselves. Low fat foods Fat is an important source of calories and some vitamins for babies and young children. Until the age of two years children should be given whole fat milk, cheese, oily fish, yogurt and fromage frais. After the age of two the amount of fat in a child’s diet can gradually be decreased. Eggs Eggs should never be given to babies under 6 months old. Babies have a delicate intestinal system and they can react to the protein found in eggs. They can be given to babies over six months old, but they must be cooked until both the white and yolk are solid to prevent salmonella which can be very dangerous for young children. Saturated fat A child should never be given too many foods that are high in saturated fat such as crisps, chips, cheap burgers and cakes. Raw shellfish Raw shellfish can increase the risk of food poisoning so it’s should never be given to young babies and young children. They can contain salmonella bacteria which causes food poisoning. Swordfish, shark and marlin The amount of mercury in these fish can affect a baby’s growing nervous system so they should never be given to babies and children. Regular consumption above the recommended limits of fish containing high amounts of mercury can lead to a toxic build up and it can have a devastating effect on the central nervous system of babies and children, causing impairments with movements and cognitive brain function by displacement of essential neurons. Sarah Slack Record form for Dietary Requirements Child’s full name: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Start date :†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Address :†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Home telephone number:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Mobile:.. D.O.B†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Male/Female Age†¦ Please give any details of your child’s dietary requirements including any food allergies: Please give a detailed list of any food or drink which your child CAN NOT have: In the unlikely case that your child consumes any of these items please give details of any treatment that should be given: I confirm that I will keep the nursery staff informed if any of the needs or allergies detailed on this form change or are no longer applicable. Signed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.ParentPrint Name†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Signed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Child care providerPrint Name†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Sarah Slack Coeliac Disease Coeliac disease is intolerance to gluten and it is thought to affect around 1 in 100 people in the United Kingdom. It can affect people of all ages. Eating foods containing gluten can cause symptoms such as: Diarrhoea Bloating Feelingtired all the time, this is due to notgetting enough nutrients from food. Gluten can damage the lining of the intestines which prevents the absorption of nutrients from food. If this happens, a child can become malnourished and grow at a poor rate Flatulence Abdominal pain Weight loss Gluten is found in any food that contains wheat, rye and barley cereals, including: Pasta Cakes Breakfast cereals Most types of bread Certain types of sauces Some types of ready meals Any children with this condition should never be given these foods and the food they do eat should be well documented and checked for any gluten products. Potential long-term complications include: Osteoporosis(weakening of the bones) Iron deficiency (anaemia) Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anaemia Sarah Slack Chronic Childhood Diseases There are various chronic diseases suffered by children which can have an effect on their mental and physical development. Some chronic childhood diseases that can effect development are: Diabetes Asthma Cerebral palsy Cystic Fibrosis Diabetes Diabetes is a condition that prevents the body from properly using energy from food. It affects around 3.2 Million people in the UK. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce insulin, or when the pancreas produces insulin, but it is resisted by the body. It is a lifelong condition that causes a persons blood sugar level to become too high. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. In type 1 diabetes, the bodys immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. As no insulin is produced, glucose levels increase, which canseriously damage the bodys organs. Type 1 diabetes is often knownas insulin-dependent diabetes. Its also sometimesknown asjuvenile diabetes because it usually develops before during theteenage years. If you are diagnosed withtype 1 diabetes, you will needinsulin injections for the rest of your life. Type 2 diabetes is where the body doesnt produce enough insulin, or the bodys cells dont react to insulin. This is known asinsulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 diabetes. If youre diagnosed withtype 2 diabetes, you may be able to control your symptoms by simply eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly,and monitoring your blood glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity. Obesity related diabetes is more common in older people. Diabetes can have various complications that can hamper development in children. These include diabetic retinopathy and diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. Its caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It can impair a child’s vision which can have a knock-on effect with their development, both physically and intellectually. Diabetic neuropathy can affect nerves in many different parts of the body. The most common early symptoms of the condition are numbness, tingling, or sharp pains in the feet or lower legs. Because nerve damage can happen anywhere in the body, problems can occur in almost any organ system, including the digestive tract, urinary system, eyes, and heart. Asthma Asthma is a common long-term condition that can cause coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and breathlessness. Asthma typically appears in childhood and around 1 in 10 children are affected. Asthma symptoms can get gradually or suddenly worse. This is known as an asthma attack. During an attack the airways become inflammed and narrow which constricts the child’s breathing. Some allergies such as pet hair and pollen cause trigger an attack. Asthma can hamper emotional and intellectual development depending on the severity of the disease. If a child has to miss time off school due to frequent asthma attacks this could cause the child to fall behind on school work and also important socialising. The attacks may also be frightening for the child which can affect them emotionally. This could lead to anxiety and stress which in turn could impact on a child’s life when growing up. Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy is caused by a problem in the parts of the brain responsible for controlling muscles. The conditioncan occur if the brain develops abnormally or is damaged before, during or shortly after birth. Causes of cerebral palsy include: An infection caught by the mother during pregnancy Bleeding in the baby’s brain Changes in the genes that affect the brains development A difficult or premature birth Many can children suffer visually and may have hearing impairment. It may also affect learning and delay growth. A child with cerebral palsy may be slower in achieving important developmental goals, such as learning to crawl, walk or speak. Cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disorder affecting the exocrine glands. It causes the production of abnormally thick mucus, leading to the blockage of the pancreatic ducts, intestines, and bronchi and often resulting in respiratory infection. It can lead to inadequate growth due to poor digestion which is a result of malnutrition. Symptoms usually begin in early childhood and include persistent cough, wheeze, repeated chest infections, malabsorption of food and general ill health. Treatments include antibiotics, physiotherapy, and mucus thinning medicines, pancreatic enzyme replacements and other therapies. It is a life threatening condition. Bibliography References Department of Health. 1991. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. Report on Health and Social Subjects No. 41. London: HMSO. Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. 2003. Salt and Health. London: TSO. Gregory JR, Collins DL, Davies PSW, Hughes JM, Clarke PC. 1995. National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Children Aged 11/2 to 41/2 Years. Volume 1. Report of the Diet www.gdalabel.co.uk www.diabetes.co.uk Practical and Nutritional guidelines, Dr Helen Crawley www.kon.org.uk www.asthma.org.uk www.patient.co.uk

Allied Health Professionals and Occupational Therapists

Allied Health Professionals and Occupational Therapists Annabelle Butterick INTRODUCTION The following essay discusses occupational therapists as Allied Health Professionals and who they work with. Occupational therapists work with many Allied Health Professionals. Two of these Allied Health Professionals will be discussed further in this essay to understand the interdisciplinary team and the importance of communication between these Allied Health Professionals. Occupational therapists work with many allied health professionals such as psychologists and physiotherapists to provide support and treatment for patients such as those who have suffered from a stroke (Willis, Reynolds, Keleher, 2016). This essay also discusses crucial communication skills and the impact this has on patient outcome. UNDERSTANDING YOUR PROFESSION The aim of occupational therapy is to allow clients to participate in everyday activities (occupations) which are relevant to them. Each client has different needs and activities which they like to do each day, therefore, the aims and goals for the client is individualized and specific for them. To help the client engage in these different occupations independently the occupational therapist adjusts their environment or even the activity to allow the client to maintain their level of independence. Clients have different views for certain activities such as shopping, some find it like a chore but others may find it enjoyable (What is occupational therapy?, 2017). Occupational therapists can work in a variety of areas such as with children, rehabilitation and aged care, acute care, injury management and mental health. Children may require help to achieve milestones which are important to their development such as hand-eye coordination. Occupational therapists help aged care clients and in rehab to improve daily life after a surgery or after a health event such as a stroke. In acute care, occupational therapists assess the clients function and needs and then monitor their development. Through changing the work environment and creating a work program this allows injured people to return to work safely. Occupational therapists are also able to create strategies to help the client cope with their mental health issues and also help to improve their confidence and self-esteem (What do occupational therapists do?, 2017). Occupational Therapist work in a client-centred framework. This is where the occupational therapist works with the client to set aims and identify issues which affects their occupational performance. Occupational therapists work with clients from a variety ages from newborn children to people in their very elderly years (Willis, Reynolds, Keleher, 2016). BEGINNINGS OF UNDERSTANDING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM Physiotherapist Physiotherapists aim to help their patients develop, maintain and restore their maximum movement and functional ability of the body. They use their problem-solving skills to assess the situation, interpret the findings and then analyze the findings to plan an individualized treatment for the patient. Physiotherapists help anyone from premature babies to the elderly in palliative care environments. Physiotherapists mostly work in hospital environments in a variety of clinical fields. Examples of these clinical fields include musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, womens health, neurological and many other clinical fields (Willis, Reynolds, Keleher, 2016). Physiotherapist help their patient with goal-setting, however, patients may feel they cannot achieve the goal and therefore, not participate in the process or the physiotherapist may not be as active in the process with their patient as they may feel their patient has communication issues which may hold them back. Goal-setting is a major aspect of physiotherapy; therefore, physiotherapists need to be able to achieve success goals with their patient. Physiotherapists may use approaches such as SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed) to help their patient achieve the goal. Goal-setting in physiotherapy is much more than a physiotherapist asking questions and the patient answering, therefore, physiotherapists may use open questions to help gather information on the patient to help formulate a goal (Schoeb, Staffoni, Parry, Pilnick, 2014). Psychologist Psychologists aim to help people achieve a meaningful and happier life through assessing and diagnosing a variety of issues. Psychologists then develop many approaches and treatments for their patient whilst also providing support and direction. Psychologist are often seen as only working in mental health however, they also work in many other areas like disability, family services, community, schools, education, health, sport, performing art and even corporate and business. Majority of the population at one point in their life may require to see a psychologist (What is a psychologist?, 2016). There are many areas of psychology like general practicing psychologists, clinical neuropsychology, clinical psychology, community psychology, counseling psychology, educational and developmental psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, organizational psychology and sport and exercise psychology (Areas of Psychology, 2016). Psychologists have a significant impact in general health care as they are able to engage in a variety of settings (examples of these are inpatient and outpatient in mental and traditional health care settings). Psychologists were able to engage in areas such as the assessment such as telling someone they have cancer or another terminal illness, intervention such as cardiovascular and liaison where they are able to provide care during death and when a patient is dying (Puente, 2011). THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM This interdisciplinary team is able to work together to provide different skills and support for the patient. An example of this is a person who has had a stroke. For someone who has had a stroke, occupational therapists assist the patient to improve daily activities. A physiotherapist is able to help the patient with their function such as balance, gait, and movement of the body. Psychologists are able to support the patient with any cognitive impairments. Stroke can be a cause of adult disability therefore, a psychologist who works in a disability area can a patient overcome the cognitive thoughts which occur with reduced function and movement. Through working together these health professionals are able to provide an interdisciplinary team who will aim for the best patient outcome (Langhorne, Bernhardt, Kwakkel, 2011). Two crucial skills that will be required as an Occupational Therapist part of an Interdisciplinary team such as the one provided will be mutual understanding and communication. Allied Health professionals such as Occupational Therapists need to interact and communicate uniquely with the individual such as the patient or another health professional which may be part of the interdisciplinary team. Health professionals part of an interdisciplinary team need to develop mutual understanding where each person is able to connect and understand one another. Mutual understanding between health professionals allows for effective communication where the interdisciplinary team are able to negotiate and discuss in detail the patients treatment plan (OToole, 2012). Health professionals of an interdisciplinary team need to adjust their communication according to the receiver. Each health professional needs to adjust their language to suit their target audience as different words have different meanings to each health profession. The choice of communication is able to provide respect to the other individuals which further enhances mutual understanding and provides effective communication. Health professionals also needs to recognize other health professionals strengths and skills within an interdisciplinary team to collaborate and provide success patient-centred care. (Suter, week 1 readings) Together this communication skills are crucial to create effective communication which is linked with positive and successful patient outcomes (Suter et al., 2009). CONCLUSION Communication is a vital importance in an interdisciplinary team, which if effective can lead to successful patient outcome. An example of an interdisciplinary team composed of an occupational therapist, physiotherapist and psychologist explores these health professionals collaboration to provide support and treatment for a stroke patient. This scenario is able to show the significance of communication in health professions and the collaboration of a variety of allied health professionals to provide successful patient outcome. Occupational therapists, physiotherapist, and psychologist use different methods and strategies, therefore, effective communication in this interdisciplinary team to increase positive patient outcome. Reference List Areas of Psychology. (2016). Australian Psychological Society. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from http://www.believeinchange.com/Home/About-Us/Areas-of-Psychology Langhorne, P., Bernhardt, J., Kwakkel, G. (2011). Stroke rehabilitation (1st ed., pp. 1693-1702). Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673611603255 OToole, G. (2012). Communication: core interpersonal skills for health professionals (2nd ed., pp. 1-9). Chatswood: Elsevier. Puente, A. (2011). Psychology as a Health Care Profession (1st ed., pp. 781 792). Retrieved from http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com/sp-3.24.1b/ovidweb.cgi?QS2=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 Schoeb, V., Staffoni, L., Parry, R., Pilnick, A. (2014). What do you expect from physiotherapy?: a detailed analysis of goal setting in physiotherapy (1st ed., pp. 1679 1686). Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09638288.2013.867369 Suter, E., Arndt, J., Arthur, N., Pardbossingh, J., Taylor, E., Deutschlander, S. (2009). Role understanding and effective communication as core competencies for collaborative practice (1st ed.). Retrieved from http://flex.flinders.edu.au/file/c85f8697-7556-4b81-90de-31a342a8583f/1/Role%20understanding%20and%20effective%20communication%20as%20core%20competencies%20for%20collaborative%20practice.pdf What do occupational therapists do?. (2017). Occupational Therapy Australia. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from https://www.otaus.com.au/about/what-do-occupational-therapists-do What is a psychologist?. (2016). Australian Psychological Society. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from http://www.believeinchange.com/Home/About-Us/What-is-a-psychologist What is occupational therapy?. (2017). Occupational Therapy Australia. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from https://www.otaus.com.au/about/what-is-occupational-therapy Willis, E., Reynolds, L., Keleher, H. (2016). Understanding the Australian health care system (3rd ed., pp. 301 328). Elsevier.

Assault on the Courts :: essays research papers

Assault on the Courts Fighting has become a habitual event seen in professional basketball. There has been a consistent decline in professionalism and morals predominately in young athletes. Before the Ron Artest event, most players were idolized as gods and portrayed as today’s heroes. However, a shocking phenomenon has risen as newer and younger athletes have entered the â€Å"new† NBA. Professionalism, morals, and integrity have taken a back seat to greed and selfishness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On November 1st, 2004, during the Pacers vs. Pistons game, the game of basketball changed forever. A drunken fan in the stands launched a beer at Indiana Pacer, Ron Artest. 6’7† Ron Artest rushed the stands, brutally beating an innocent bystander.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Around the same time as the Ron Artest ordeal, there began a slew of unacceptable occurrences of fighting and foul play amongst basketball players. The reasons for these changes in behavior seem to have intricate and distinct underlying reasons. These behaviors compromise the attitude our country is built on. The behavior of today’s athlete is a direct reflection on the attitude of today’s youth. The total disregard for authority is becoming the norm. Respect for teachers in all levels of education is at an all-time low. One of the most significant reasons for this occurrence is due to the fact that players are â€Å"celebrities† and feel invincible; they assume that they will be able to escape punishment proposed by courts and coaches. How have players attitudes changed so drastically? The basketball players, who make it into the NBA, have been pampered for the majority of their career going all the way back to high school. Coaches have given them special treatment, because they have more talent and enable the coaches to win games. College coaches often provide these favored players with just about anything that they wish. Egos are constantly stroked at the college level to try and convince these players to stay in school. Why? Because money is the bottom line and these players bring in the mighty dollar. There is extreme pressure from the alumni who donate millions of dollars a year to big time universities to win. Presidents of these universities then apply pressure to athletic directors to hire coaches that win. The compensation for these college coaches has risen substantially in the past few years. This increases the pressure on coaches to win and win now, thus more coaches are sacrificing morals and education to accommodate the player that helps them succeed, at any cost necessary.

Philippine History :: Asian Asia History

Philippine History Spanish Colony 1565 - 1898 Ferdinand Magellan set out from Spain in 1519 on the first voyage to circumnavigate the globe with five ships and a complement of 264 crew. Three years later in 1522, only the one ship, the Victoria, returned to Spain with 18 men. The Philippines were the death of Magellan. The expedition sighted the island of Samar on March 16, 1521. Magellan was welcomed by two Rajas, Kolambu and Siagu. He named the islands the Archipelago of San Lazaro, erected a cross and claimed the lands for Spain. The friendly Rajas took Magellan to Cebu to meet Raja Humabon. Humabon and 800 Cebuanos were baptized as Christians. Magellan agreed to help Raja Humabon put down Lapu-Lapu, a rebellious datu on the nearby island of Mactan. In a battle between Spanish soldiers and Lapu-Lapu's warriors, Magellan was killed on April 27, 1521. Disputes over women caused relations between Raja Humabon and the remaining Spaniards to deteriorate. The Cebuanos killed 27 Spaniards in a skirmish and the Spaniards, deciding to resume their explorations, departed Cebu. For all its losses, the voyage was a huge financial success. The Victoria's 26 ton cargo of cloves sold for 41,000 ducats. This returned the 20,000 ducats the venture had cost plus a 105 percent profit. Four more expeditions followed between 1525 and 1542. The commander of the fourth expedition, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, named the islands after Philip, heir to the Spanish throne (r. Philip II 1556-1598). The Philippines was not formally organized as a Spanish colony until 1565 when Philip II appointed Miguel Lopez de Legazpi the first Governor-General. Legazpi selected Manila for the capital of the colony in 1571 because of its fine natural harbour and the rich lands surrounding the city that could supply it with produce. The Spanish did not develop the trade potential of the Philippine's agricultural or mineral resources. The colony was administered from Mexico and its commerce centered on the galleon trade between Canton and Acapulco in which Manila functioned secondarily as an entrepot. Smaller Chinese junks brought silk and porcelain from Canton to Manila where the cargoes were re-loaded on galleons bound for Acapulco and the Spanish colonies in the Americas. The Chinese goods were paid for in Mexican silver. Spanish rule had two lasting effects on Philippine society; the near universal conversion of the population to Roman Catholicism and the creation of a landed elite.

Market segmentation Essay -- essays research papers

Market Segmentation This document prepared and presented by Business Resource Software, Inc. Market Segmentation The purpose for segmenting a market is to allow your marketing/sales program to focus on the subset of prospects that are "most likely" to purchase your offering. If done properly this will help to insure the highest return for your marketing/sales expenditures. Depending on whether you are selling your offering to individual consumers or a business, there are definite differences in what you will consider when defining market segments. Category of Need The first thing you can establish is a category of need that your offering satisfies. The following classifications may help. For businesses: Strategic - your offering is in some way important to the enterprise mission, objectives and operational oversight. For example, a service that helped evaluate capital investment opportunities would fall into this domain of influence. The purchase decision for this category of offering will be made by the prospect's top level executive management. Operations - your offering affects the general operating policies and procedures. Examples might be, an employee insurance plan or a corporate wide communications system. This purchase decision will be made by the prospect's top level operations management. Functional - your offering deals with a specific function within the enterprise such as data processing, accounting, human resources, plant maintenance, engineering design, manufacturing, inventory control, etc. This is the most likely domain for a product or service, but you must recognize that the other domains may also get involved if the purchase of the product or service becomes a high profile decision. This purchase decision will be made by the prospect's functional management. For the individual consumer: Social Esteem or Pleasure - your offering satisfies a purely emotional need in the consumer. Examples are a mink coat or a diamond ring. There are some products that are on the boundary between this category and the Functional category such as a Rolex watch (a Timex would satisfy the functional requirement and probably keep time just as well). Functional - your offering meets a functional requirement of the consumer such as a broom, breakfast cereal or lawnmower. Segmentation of Needs Then you should establis... ...ularly concerned with keeping employees informed and educated, so educational offerings are not of great interest. Strongly influenced by offerings that most closely deliver the 'end results' desired, even if they are not the most cost effective. Self Helpers - consistently defines/designs solutions to their problems, likes to acquire tools that help in the innovation process. Will usually consider new products/services, but the related concept must have been proven to be effective. Often consider just because they use a certain technology that is relevant to the development program they have underway. Will always want to review competitive offerings, but will usually choose the one offering the most effective 'do it yourself' features. Usually consider themselves technically competent and will expect very effective use of proven technology. Not especially inclined toward technically complex offerings, would rather have user friendly, but thought provoking, offerings. Conversion costs usually not a major concern if offering promises potential for innovation. Usually concerned with keeping employees informed and educated, so educational offerings are of interest.

LGBTQ Youth Homelessness

Cristina Oliveira Mark Barnes DATE   3 May 2018 LGBTQ youth homelessness The largest and de most powerful nation in the world the United States fell in taking care of their youth. Four million and two hundred thousand children and young adults don't have home in the United States. Youth Homelessness is a national crisis in urban, suburban and rural communities. Lesbian, gay , bisexual, transgender (LGBTQ) make up to only five to seven percent of the general youth population. Forty percent of homeless in the United states are LGBTQ. The statistics is not accurate because lots of them are living with friends they are called â€Å"couch surfing† frequently jumping from one house to another. Others are living with people trading sex for food and shelter. They are kids between 11-24 years old. How this situation starts? Surprisingly LGBTQ are bullied at home, rejected because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, physically, emotional or sexual abuse; aging out of foster care system, and financial and emotional neglect. The problems didn't stop there they are reject and are bullied also at school, in the workplace and social settings. They are kicked out of a family and society for being who they are and this trauma is a part of the lives of these young people. Kids need acceptance, they need experience an environment that supports them for being themselves.Family rejection leads to a host additional risk factors for LGBTQ youth, regardless of their housing status. For example, according to the Family Acceptance Project, LGBTQ youth who come from highly rejecting families are more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGBTQ peers with no family rejection.While homeless, LGBTQ youth are also at greater risk for traumatic experiences including: engaging in survival sex that often results in sexual assault, victimization, substance abuse, mental health problems, promiscuity, HIV, STDs, social violence, stigma and discrimination.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 19

Finding them wasn't so easy. No one was at my apartment, and Vincent didn't answer his phone. I drove down to the Cellar, hoping maybe they'd all decided to start drinking mid-day. Nope. The pub was barren, with only a couple bored patrons sitting at the bar. Frustrated, I called Hugh, deciding it was time to get help from my own resources. â€Å"Is Jerome back yet?† â€Å"No,† the imp said. â€Å"Do you need him?† â€Å"Kind of.† â€Å"Kind of?† â€Å"It's a long story.† â€Å"I'm in the city for a meeting. You want to have lunch and explain? I'm practically down the street from your place. I'll meet you there, and we'll go eat.† It was the first time I'd talked to Hugh since the blowup at Peter's over Seth and me. I was still reeling from all that, but I did kind of want to get feedback from another immortal source. Besides, I was rapidly running out of options. It only took ten minutes for him to show up, but it felt like an hour. â€Å"Holy shit,† said Hugh, spotting the Christmas trees when he walked in. â€Å"Your apartment's a national park.† â€Å"Be quiet.† â€Å"I'm serious. You need a ranger working in here.† â€Å"Come on. Let's go.† We walked to a deli down the street. Once we were seated with our food, I began explaining to him why I needed Jerome. By the time I finished the Nyx story, Hugh's mirth had faded. â€Å"Fuck,† he said, biting into an enormous Reuben. â€Å"That might be worth bugging Jerome after all.† â€Å"Where is he?† I asked. â€Å"Another training?† Hugh shrugged. â€Å"Not entirely sure. He was vague about it. Grace and Hiroko insinuated he's having ‘a personality conflict' with another demon and went to settle it.† â€Å"Oh, God,† I said. â€Å"Not a duel?† â€Å"I don't know. I hope not. Those crazy bitches seemed pretty smug, so they're probably hoping for some opportunity to pull a power play out of all this. You know how they are. Still†¦you could probably go to them for help with all this.† I could†¦but if Jerome had something weird going on, I didn't want to get enmeshed with his lieutenants and possibly be used in some way. The two demonesses worked for him but would seize any chance for promotion, and when political tremors shook our world, everyone was quick to exploit everyone else. â€Å"I'll hold out for the angels,† I said. â€Å"As long as I can space out my energy fixes, there shouldn't be a problem. If I can't find Carter and friends in another day or so, I'll think about talking to Grace and Hiroko.† â€Å"I can get a hold of him if you really need it,† said Hugh. I smiled at the uneasy tone in his voice. â€Å"Yeah, but your instructions were to avoid bothering him at all costs, right?† The imp nodded. â€Å"It's okay. I'll wait on the angels. If I have to go to Grace and Hiroko, they can be the ones to decide if it's worth interrupting Jerome for. I mean, the evidence is pretty solid†¦but, well, if we're wrong, and it turns out to be nothing†¦ Jerome's going to be pissed that I bothered him based on the word of two humans.† â€Å"Pissed at all of us.† â€Å"Yeah.† I idly picked holes in my sandwich with the toothpick that held it together. â€Å"Are you scared?† asked Hugh. â€Å"Of Nyx?† â€Å"Yeah. I am. I don't like the idea of anything invading my sleep. Certainly not something that powerful. That guy I mentioned – Dante – is going to try to make me a charm or something to ward her away.† Hugh snorted. â€Å"No human can make a charm like that.† â€Å"He's a magician. He said he could.† â€Å"Sweetie. Nyx is a fucking deity – no, more than that. An uber-deity. A force of the universe that was instrumental in creation. She's been weakened over time, yeah, but some strung-out, psychic sham can't make a charm powerful enough to scare her off. There are probably only a handful of humans in the world who could, and to get that kind of power†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hugh shook his head. â€Å"I don't know. Based on what you've told me, I'm just not seeing it.† I'd had my own doubts about Dante, but I'd thus far managed to push them aside and keep hoping for the best. Hearing Hugh, I felt all of my misgivings return. â€Å"Fuck,† I said. Silence fell as we munched on our sandwiches a bit. Rain fell outside, and hungry customers ducked in to avoid it. Hugh watched a cute brunette order at the counter, then he turned his attention back to me. â€Å"Any idea when Niphon's leaving?† I frowned. â€Å"Whenever Tawny gets a victim.† Now Hugh frowned. â€Å"But she did, didn't she?† â€Å"Did she?† â€Å"I don't know. That's what Simon said. Or at least, he thought she did. He said she was up there dancing with a glow a couple nights ago. Made up for the shitty job she was doing.† A couple nights ago†¦ â€Å"No†¦that's impossible. I saw her right around then, and she still hadn't taken anybody. She was so low, I had to kiss her again. He's wrong.† â€Å"Maybe she got a glow from the kiss.† Hugh sounded kind of hopeful. â€Å"You use a lot of tongue?† â€Å"It wasn't that big of a kiss. No glow. Just enough to get by.† â€Å"Huh.† He swirled the ice around in his Diet Coke. â€Å"I guess Simon was wrong. Figured he'd be good at spotting that stuff.† I would have thought so too. â€Å"Hugh†¦this is going to sound weird, but I think Tawny may be faking how inept she is.† He looked rightfully startled. â€Å"Why the fuck would she do that?† â€Å"I don't know. I think it's to help Niphon. But none of this makes sense. This is the second time I've heard of her possibly getting a fix, but then I've seen her shortly thereafter, and she was way too low to have burned through so much so quickly.† â€Å"Maybe she's got your problem.† â€Å"I have a lot of problems.† â€Å"Your Nyx problem. Maybe Tawny's losing her energy too.† Whoa. Interesting idea. And why not? If Nyx was preying on one succubus, why not two? And it would explain how Tawny was losing energy so quickly. Except†¦ â€Å"If Nyx is taking her energy, that means she's actually getting it to begin with. But Tawny keeps telling me she isn't having sex.† â€Å"Huh. A servant of Hell lying. Go figure.† â€Å"Yeah, but why? Niphon's risking getting both of them in a shitload of trouble if Jerome or anyone else finds out. He's gambling a lot just to stick around and annoy me. And if Hell thinks Tawny isn't doing her job, they'll recall her.† Hugh gave me a funny look. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"What's that for?† â€Å"You didn't read the book, did you?† â€Å"What book?† â€Å"The succubus manual.† â€Å"You know I didn't.† â€Å"And I even got you the abridged one,† he said, sounding wounded. â€Å"Hugh,† I growled. â€Å"What's your point?† â€Å"The point is that as her mentor, you're accountable for her actions. If she can't bag a victim, you're the one they'll call in.† â€Å"What? That's ridiculous.† â€Å"Those are the rules now.† â€Å"So, what, I get slapped on the wrist for her screwing up?† â€Å"Slap on the wrist? For being a succubus who can't teach another one to have sex? It's so ludicrous, it's probably never happened before. I don't know what they'd do. Censure you at the very least. Transfer you to work under a senior succubus.† â€Å"I am a senior succubus.† He shrugged. â€Å"But if she's lying†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Then prove it.† I rubbed my eyes. â€Å"This is utterly insane. Why does Niphon hate me so much? He already bought my soul, for God's sake. What more is there?† I expected some smartass remark. Instead, I received silence. I looked at Hugh. â€Å"What? What is it now?† He pointedly glanced away. â€Å"Hugh!† â€Å"I don't know, Georgina.† Hugh rarely called me by my first name. I was usually honey or sweetie. â€Å"Sometimes we make deals, and they seem airtight, but something goes wrong.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"I worked with another imp when I lived in Dallas. Raquel. She brokered this one deal with a guy who was pissed off when his wife left him because he found out he was sterile. Couldn't have kids.† Hugh helpfully illustrated the meaning by pointing down toward his lower torso. â€Å"I know what sterile means, Mr. Wizard. Get on with it.† â€Å"So, he sold his soul under the conditions that his ex-wife couldn't have kids either. He was bitter and into the poetic justice thing, apparently. Wanted to punish her with what she'd punished him over. So, he gave up his soul, and our side gave her some kind of inflammation thing that totally destroyed her fallopian tubes and scarred up her uterus. I don't know. Girl stuff.† I had to hold back an eye roll. Hugh might feign ignorance about ‘girl stuff,' but he'd found time in his years of corruption to go to medical school. He knew more about this than I did. â€Å"Harsh,† I said. â€Å"But fitting from the guy's point of view, I guess.† â€Å"Yeah. Should have been a done deal, but something went wrong. Or, well, right. Her ovaries still worked – she was making eggs, even if she couldn't carry a baby. She and her new husband found a surrogate mother. The wife donated eggs, they mixed up a Petri dish cocktail, and the surrogate carried the baby. Bam!† â€Å"The wife had a child after all,† I mused. â€Å"Wow. Hell gets defeated by science. All those philosophers from the Enlightenment were right.† Hugh scoffed at my joke. â€Å"It was stupid. Someone – by which I mean, Raquel – should have thought of that when they picked the infection as a way to make that lady infertile. Raquel fucked up. The guy was able to take his case back to Hell and won his soul back for breach of contract.† â€Å"Oh, wow,† I said. â€Å"I bet that went over well. What's Raquel doing nowadays?† He grimaced. â€Å"I think we're all happier not knowing.† I agreed. â€Å"But what's this have to do with me? That's kind of a rare case.† â€Å"Eh, it happens more than you'd think. Most of the time, the seller doesn't even notice something got messed up. But if the imp or someone else in authority catches it, I've seen them move Heaven and Earth – no pun intended – to fix it.† â€Å"So, you're implying that Niphon's here, finagling all this stuff with Tawny, because he did something wrong in my purchase?† Hugh spread his hands out. â€Å"I don't know. All I know is that when an imp shows up and is going to this much trouble over something, the evidence suggests it's big. Maybe not a situation like Raquel's, maybe not a breach of contract, but something.† â€Å"My contract's long since done,† I murmured. â€Å"Everyone it involved is dead now. If there was a problem, I would have had to bring it up back then.† â€Å"Like I said, I don't know. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions.† â€Å"Could you look? Could you get a hold of the contract?† â€Å"No.† Hugh's answer came almost before I finished speaking. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"But if there's some wording I didn't know about – â€Å" â€Å"You think I can just go walk into Hell's records and pull a contract I'm not involved with?† he exclaimed. â€Å"Fuck. If I got caught, it'd make what happened to Raquel look like a promotion.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"No,† he said again, voice like stone. â€Å"No debate. I love you, sweetie. You know I do. You're like my sister, and I'd do almost anything for you, but not this. I'm sorry.† I glared. He glared back. â€Å"Look, you want my advice? Get rid of Niphon. And Tawny, if you can. Expose them if they really are pulling something here, and Jerome will take it from there.† â€Å"Jerome's not even around! Damn it. Why can't you help me with this? You were so quick to help with my love life when you were talking to Seth the other night.† Hugh narrowed his eyes. â€Å"It was probably the best thing I've ever done for you.† â€Å"Are you insane? He's walking around talking about that now – all worried about how he's going to hurt me and make me miserable!† â€Å"Good,† snapped Hugh. â€Å"He should be.† I shoved my trash onto my tray and stood up. â€Å"See you later. Thanks for†¦well, nothing.† Hugh followed me over to the garbage bins. â€Å"You're behaving irrationally. On all of this.† â€Å"I'd never treat you the way you're treating me,† I said, dumping my tray. â€Å"I'm your friend.† â€Å"Friendship has nothing to do with this.† â€Å"It has everything to do with this!† He stacked his tray on the others and looked at his watch. â€Å"Look, I have to go. I'm sorry I can't give you the answers you want. Am I going to see you at Peter's?† Peter, unable to pass up party-giving opportunities, was hosting a Christmas dinner, weird as that seemed. â€Å"No. I'm going to be with Seth. Unless he breaks up with me because of your great advice.† Hugh bit his lip on some remark that probably would have been uncomplimentary. Shaking his head, he turned around and left.