SC2C67C Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

SC2C67C - Essay Example , Middle and Far East for new workers, providing them with British citizenship and inviting them to take up jobs within the UK labour market (Kenny; Briner, 2006: 3). The UK workforce has steadily become more multi-ethnic in the past five decades (p.31). Gender: The number of women working away from home has increased several-fold, with the proportion of women in the workforce nearly equal to that of men, and steadily increasing. But, in terms of remuneration, choice projects or promotions, they are discriminated against. Age for retirement around the mid-fifties is considered too early in present times, with men and women perceiving themselves to be capable of several more years of employment. Employers’ preference for younger people is prevalent, with educational qualifications and energy counting more than experience which veterans may have. Ethnic and Racial Discrimination: In a study, among those who reported discrimination at the work place on the basis of ethnicity or race, 28 % reported being passed over for promotion, 21% reported being assigned undesirable tasks, and 16% reported hearing racist comments Dixon, et al, 2002 quoted in (Nelson; Nielsen, 2005: 18). Migration to the United Kingdom, and settlement patterns mean minority ethnic people now make up 8% of the UK population residing mainly in the larger cities like London and Birmingham. UK Government projections show that, because of their younger age profile, minority ethnic people account for 50 per cent of the growth in the UK working population between 1999 and 2009 (Cabinet Office Strategy Unit, 2003 as quoted in Kenny; Briner, 2006: p.3). Ethnic minorities like the Africans also are represented as a significant proportion of the population, many of them having their roots in Britain since several generations earlier. Ogbonna (1998) quoted in Kenny; Briner (2006: 14), states that a â€Å"vicious circle of unequal opportunities† commonly affects the motivation of unemployed minority

Dubrovnik- Pearl of the Adriatic Essay Example for Free

Dubrovnik- Pearl of the Adriatic Essay On the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, perches a city with origins that span nearly two millennia. The joining of two small towns, Dubrava and Laus, birthed the city of Dubrovnik. Dubrava was a community of Slavic immigrants, which was located at the foot of the woody Srd hill. Laus was a town on a little island off the southern Dalmatian coast. This town often gave shelter and protection to the Italian immigrants from the neighboring city of Cavtat. The origin of the city, as a joining of different worlds, was to be the harbinger for everything that would come of it. Beginning with its formation in 7th century, when it was mapped and called Ragusium, Dubrovnik fell under the defense and fortification of the Byzantine Empire. This pledge of loyalty lasted through the Crusades up to year 1205. As soon as crusades subsided, Dubrovnik came to be under the authority and dominance of Venice (Dubrovnik1). During this period Dubrovnik was safeguarded from outside threats as a profitable seaport. There were two harbors constructed on each side of the isthmus. Two importance political papers helped to shape the history of the city from this period. The Dubrovnik Statute, signed in 1272, and the Customs Statute signed in 1277. Title VII of the Statute, Chapter 67 is dedicated to the systematization of maritime customs and law. This covered ship equipment and maintenance, sea routes, crew member ratings, tonnage, general averages, their obligations and rights, sea rescue, general underwriting and averages, arsenals of the ship, and maritime trade agreements. The rise of Dubrovnik to the position of an independent state, and a prosperous and booming maritime city, was due directly to the success of these acts (â€Å"Shipping†). When the city of Dubrovnik governed itself as a free state it adopted the name â€Å"Respublica Ragusina. † This is translated as the Republic of Ragusa, and was sometimes refered to as the Republic of Dubrovnik. During these prosperous times of the Venetian occupancy, a strip of swampland down the middle of the two parts of the town was reclaimed. This combined the two halves of the city around a newly built plaza, which is now called Stradun, or Placa (Dubrovnik1) and became the new center of the town. This plaza was not renovated again until the middle of 14th century, under the reign of the Hungarian-Croatian Kingdom. They came to power through the 1358 Peace Treaty of Zadar. In 1358, the Zadar Peace Treaty Dubrovnik free to return focus to shipbuilding at home. By the year 1525, a national shipyard was constructed in Gruz (â€Å"Shipping†). Ragusa’s Republic attained its historic financial and political peak of power during 15th and 16th centuries. At this time, they were competing with, and in cases surpassing, the prosperity of the renowned republic of Venice, as well as Italian maritime states. The power of the city state was governed by an aristocracy. They developed and maintained two City Councils. These Councils were responsible for enacting, and upholding laws, which were not only profitable on material terms, but also extremely progressive on the humanitarian front. Despite the firm authoritarian system, which was comprised of structured social classes, they valued liberty very highly. The Republic of Ragusa eradicated slave trade within their ports and surrounding lands in the early part of 15th century. This encouraged growth via emigration. Balthasar de Faria to King John reported one example; in the year 1544 a ship arrived packed with Portuguese evacuees (Dubrovnik2). While continuing to prosper, and gaining an international reputation, the city was able to balance its domestic power and authority with the interests of outsiders, such as the Ottoman Empire and Venice, for centuries. It was not the failure of the government that would lead to the inevitable fall from grace. In 1667 a natural disaster, an earthquake, struck the area. It was disastrous for the majority of the Mediterranean shipping ports, and left the Ragusa Republic badly weakened. Two years after, the governing body was compelled to sell two areas of its territory to the Ottomans. The intent was to stabilize the economy and to defend itself from the improving Venetian armed forces. This maneuver worked well, protecting them from the Venetian forces, but as many others, Ragusa met with its conclusive downfall at the hands of Napoleon. The forces of Napoleon occupied and conquered the Venetian regions first, and followed by Dubrovnik state in 1806. At the beginning, Napoleon only asked for a free passage for the troops he led. He promised not to conquer the territory and places great emphasis on a treaty with the joint allies, the French. It was the French armed forces which blocked the harbors of Dubrovnik and compelled the government to concede. French’s troops then entered the city. During this occupation, the people of the city painted every flag and coat of arms above the city walls black, as a symbol of misery and sorrow. Marshal Marmont eradicated the republic and assimilates its region into the Illyrian provinces in 1808 (Dubrovnik2). In 1815 Dubrovnik was freed from the control of the French forces, through the decree of the Congress of Vienna, and places in the hands of the Austrian Empire. During that year the previous Ragusan government was able to meet for the last time. Substantial efforts made to reestablish the Republic failed miserably. Right after the downfall of the republic, the majority of the aristocracy relocated overseas. The Gozze family was the last remaining of the previous ruling class of families. The Croatian Assembly, Sabor, printed and circulated the People’s Requests. In this document, they asked for amongst other things, the elimination of serfdom and the amalgamation of Croatia and Dalmatia. The municipality of Dubrovnik was the major talked of every Dalmatian commune in its support for amalgamation along with Croatia. A message was mailed from Dubrovnik to Zagreb with vows and promises to work for this plan. Through the year 1849, Dubrovnik persisted in its bid to head the Dalmatia cities in an effort for amalgamation. A large-scale movement was inaugurated in the Dubrovnik paper called L’Awenire, which means â€Å"The Future. † The plan of action was based on a program of the Slavic brotherhood and the federal system for the Habsburg areas. These included the lands of Dalmatia into Croatia. The first copy of the Dubrovnik almanac was the â€Å"Flower of the National Literature,† Dubrovnik, Cvijet Narodnog Knjizevstva, in which Petar Preradovic printed and circulated his renowned poem â€Å"To Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik1). † The literary and journalistic texts in this paper influenced awareness of the national consciousness. This was mirrored in hard work to present the language of Croatian in school, business establishments, and government offices as well as the publication of Croatian books. In response, Emperor Franz Joseph ordered the institution of a document called the â€Å"Imposed Constitution† which banned the amalgamation of Dalmatia and Croatia. In 1861 the first Dalmatia Assembly held a meeting which has representatives from Ragusa. Kotor’s representatives arrived in Dubrovnik to support the previously failed efforts for amalgamation with Croatia. Ragusa’s citizenries provided them a merry and cheerful welcome. They hung Croatian flags from the walls and banners displaying the slogan: â€Å"Ragusa with Kotor†. When the Kotorans assembled a commission to go to Vienna, Dubrovnik elected Niko Pucic to stand in for them. Niko Pucic traveled to Vienna to request not only the amalgamation of Dalmatia and Croatia, but also the amalgamation of every Croatian’s areas and regions under a single communal Assembly. They remained subject to the Austrian Empire until 1867 with little significant social or economic change (Dubrovnik2). Niko Pucic made several contributions before he passed away in the year 1883. As a staunch supporter of the Croatian Assembly, he was one of the most vocal advocates of the amalgamation of Dalmatia, specifically Ragusa, with Croatia. Additionally, he was also the founder of the review Slovinac and the editor of the review Ragusa. The year Niko Pucic passed, the region saw the death of another great political leader and writer as well, Ivan August Kaznacic. Ivan August Kaznacic was an advocate and a publicist of the Illyrian cause. He revised the review Zora Dalmatinska, translated as Dalmatian Dawn, and established the Dubrovnik review L’Awenire (Dubrovnik2). The city’s minister, Baron Francesco Ghetaldi-Gondola, had a monument constructed in memory of Ivan Gundulic in Piazza Gundulic. It was the efforts of these men, and others like them, which eventually led towards toward the emancipation of Dubrovnik from the Austria-Hungary Empire in 1918. Throughout the centuries, the citizens refused to recognize Dubrovnik’s ‘official’ name Ragusa. With the downfall of the Austria-Hungary Empire and the unification of the territory into the Kingdom of Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes, which later became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, their name was officially restored. Time marched on and still the changes did not stop coming. At the very start of World War II, Dubrovnik was the initial founding location of the Independent State of Croatia. From April 1941 up to September 1943, Dubrovnik was inhabited by the Italian forces, which were followed by the Germans. In October of 1944, the Partisans removed the land from the hands of the Germans and Dubrovnik was made part of the second Yugoslavia in 1945 (Dubrovnik1). The Yugoslav People’s Army remained though the 1970s. During these later years the occupying forces came to recognize and respect the historical significance of the city’s architecture. In an effort to avoid it from turning to be a casualty of war, the walled interior of the 7th century â€Å"Old Town† was demilitarized. New wars began in the last two decades, and much of the city, old and newer, was damaged by artillery and mortar attacks. The architecture and art were not the only artistic casualties of the war. The celebrated poet Milan Milisic died in the bombing campaign. At the end of the war, a rebuilding project headed by the UNESCO and Croatian authorities began. They reconstructed the city in salute to its original styles in order to both preserve and honor its rich history and beauty. The most damaged structures were still being reconstructed as of in 2005. (â€Å"Battle†) The town of Dubrovnik has much to be proud of. Not only did this city remain intact throughout two thousand years of continuous invasion and war, but they grew more culturally complex, and yet steadfast in their identity, with each new wave. Every invasions brought new markets to the seaport town. During the middle Ages, as the Republic of Ragusa, it was the only eastern Adriatic city-state capable of competing with Venice. They worked with one of the most well known bell and cannon founder named Ian Rabljanin-Magister Johannes Baptista Arbesis de la Tolle, and it was during this reign of maritime trade that Dubrovnik earned the nickname â€Å"Pearl of the Adriatic† (Dubrovnik2). The region now produces and markets leather goods, liquor, refined oil, diary products, and silk. In addition to marketing goods, the people of Dubrovnik have learned to market to a thriving industry of cultural tourism (Dubrovnik 293). Once a year, beginning with a welcome ceremony on the 10th of July, they host a drama, music and dance festival bringing tourists from all over the world. At night, there is a display of fireworks at sea, as well as festivity on the highways and boulevards. For the following seven weeks, there will be entertainers each day. Some of these are historical, such as the Renaissance entertainment on the Square. Others are special displays of art at the many galleries, and concerts in the palace of Rector. The summer festival of Dubrovnik is the biggest, most famous, and most renowned cultural event in current day Croatia. This celebration springs from a 16th century revival of social and artistic culture. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the city was able to attain the attention of Masters. The wealth and proficiency of the regions diplomacy was due in no small part to progress through the spoken Croatian language. Dubrovnik became home to the heart growth and development of Croatian painters, playwrights, physicists, language and literature. In addition, the city became home to several distinguished and remarkable poets, mathematicians and other scholars. There is still a strong and powerful expression of theatre, music and dance in the festivities today. These often include a star-studded line up of worldwide entertainers who flock to perform on the distinctive settings of both the interior and outdoor stages of the old town. In the year 2004, the festival drew 50,000 tourists and 300,000 neighboring guests. There were about 151 journalists, 6 TV crews and 14 photographers were qualified, 1,300 articles printed and circulated, in addition to the innumerable domestic and international radio and TV mentions. The said ceremony has figurative value which the city presents itself to the arts (Rachlin, 28-29). Aside from shopping and cultural events, Dubrovnik is considered as one of the heart of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County for its numerous archeological attractions. The center of the settlement is a walled portion of what is called the â€Å"Old Town. † This section of the city still has a medieval flavor and flare, tucked inside 9th century city walls. There are a pair of standing 14th century convents and an earlier cathedral, on which construction began in 1190. Additionally there is the 15th century palace of the Rector. Truly, Dubrovnik’s struggle for freedom has yielded success financially and socially to its own people and town. Despite the domination by several invaders, over centuries spanning into millennia, the leadership and the people of this town prospered and retained a sense of themselves. They did not lose hope or heart, but continued to press on for the liberty they had mandated for others and deserved themselves. Repeatedly they refused to allow the circumstance hinder their pursuits of both market and social development at home and abroad. The leaders and the people stood together for rights they believed in. Dubrovnik’s success and beauty will continue to attract the attention of a world that values such determination and stand as a testament to the honor and strength of a great people. Works Cited â€Å"Battle of Dubrovnik†. Annex XLA: The battle of Dubrovnik and the law of armed forces. United Nations-Security Council. /1994/674/Add. 2 (Vol. V), December 28, 1994. Dubrovnik. 1 New Standard Encyclopedia. 6th ed. Standard Educational Corporation, Chicago. Dubrovnik. 2 Wikipedia. 2005. Public Domain. 10 Sep 2006 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Dubrovnik. Rachlin, J. , Walken, C. , Dance, C. and et al. â€Å"Dubrovnik’s Summer Festival†. GSReview, GS Magazine, pp. 28-29 July 10 to Aug. 25, 2005. â€Å"Shipping History†. 2004. Dubrovacka Plovidha. 10 Sep 2006 http://www. atlant. hr/dubrovnik_shipping_history. html

puddn head wilson Essay -- essays research papers

Pudd’nhead Wilson   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson juggles three plot lines, which all come together in a murder trial at the novel’s end. Pudd’nhead Wilson is a Northerner who comes to the small Missouri town of Dawson’s Landing to build a career as a lawyer. Immediately upon his arrival he alienates the townspeople, who don’t understand his wit. They give him the nickname â€Å"Pudd’nhead† and refuse to give him their legal work. He scrapes by on odd work and spends most of his time dabbling in scientific hobbies, most notably, fingerprinting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roxana, or Roxy, is a beautiful slave who can pass for white, though she is one- sixteenth black. To save her infant son from ever being sold away from her, she switches him with the child of her white master, who looks just like her son and was born on the same day. Her son Chambers, now called â€Å"Tom† grows up as a white man and heir to an estate. Her master’s child Tom, now called â€Å" Chambers†, grows up a slave. â€Å"Tom† grows into a cruel, cowardly man. His gambling debts lead him, under Roxy’s guidance, to rob houses, sell the now-freed Roxy as a slave, and finally to murder his uncle, Judge Driscoll, in a botched robbery attempt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luigi and Angelo are former sideshow performers. Good-looking and charming, they claim to be Italian twins, heirs of a deposed nobleman. They arrive in Dawson’s Landing to rent a room in Widow Cooper’s house, claiming the...

An Analysis of Early Years Philosophies

Introduction The importance of early years’ education has long been recognised within both academic and professional circles. By establishing strong theories and policies during the early years of education, this then has a knock-on effect on the other aspects of education and makes the overall educational system more effective, in terms of producing capable adults. This paper will look firstly at the contribution of leading theorists when it comes to the provision of key documents in order to guide those in the practical application of these theories in the context of early years’ education (Catron and Allen 2007). The paper will then go on to look at current policies and practices in early years’ education and how these either support or disprove the theoretical perspectives laid out. The final section then goes on to establish a personal philosophy of how the author here has pulled together existing theories and practices to develop their own approach to early years education. Key Theories of Early Education Unsurprisingly, those involved in the theories and philosophy which have emerged, over the years, in relation to early years’ education have gained considerable attention. In order to consider the theories each will be looked at in turn to look at their own contribution and in order to consider any advantages and disadvantages associated with these theories and concepts. This will be broken down within each theory to look at the key issues of: Children’s learning Relationships Learning Environment Meeting Children’s Needs MontessoriChildren’s Learning The educational approach developed by Montessori promotes the notion of freedom and independence in early years’ education, provided of course there are limits put in place with respect to the existing level of education and understanding of the children involved. Although multiple different approaches have been developed and are broadly considered to be based on the educational theories of Montessori, there are certain elements of this educational theory that would be essential, regardless of how it is applied in practice (Montessori, 1994). This includes the use of mixed age classrooms for children between the ages of three and six, with the students themselves having a choice of activities. Once they have been given a range of choices, the work time should be uninterrupted, as far as possible and a discovery model of behaviour being used to encourage the children to explore themselves, rather than being directly instructed on certain patterns of behaviour. In order to facilitate this approach, there needs to be freedom of movement within the classroom. Meeting Children’s Needs Montessori is largely considered to be an educational theory. In reality it is more of a theory of human development and nature, with two key basic principles. Firstly, when children and adults engage in any form of development, they take on board a self construction approach, as they interact with items and the environment around them. This recognises that the learning experience is directly linked to interaction with external factors and it is the stimuli is crucial to this educational theory and places a much heavier emphasis on facilitating, rather than direct teaching (Cadwell and Rinaldi 2003). Learning Environment With this in mind, those looking to apply this educational theory, in practice, will need to consider the environment almost as much of the content of the lesson itself. This is achieved by creating a harmonious and clean environment that is uncluttered and encourages free movement and activity, but also ensures that the availability of material is linked to the area of development being targeted. By restricting the material available, this has the effect of guiding the learning experience, but not to such an extent that the individual feels constrained. This educational theory also breaks down the age groups of those involved, with the recognition that children under the age of six are undergoing an incredibly dramatic development period and therefore developing self-construction during this period will potentially be the most important element of long-term development. Certain key expectations are included within this educational theory to guide expectations, without constraining e ither teacher or student. For example, the acquisition of language is something that is recognised as taking place, continuously, and therefore social behaviours will only truly become a fundamental element of the learning experience from approximately 2 years onwards, according to this educational theory.Waldorf Education (Steiner)Another formative educational philosophy is that referred to as Waldorf education or Steiner, which was established in Austria the early 20th century. As a result of this, several independent Waldorf schools were established, primarily in Germany, although also in neighbouring countries. This theory of education looks at the stages of development as being a crucial underpinning factor as to how education should take place. This theory broadly splits child development into three distinct stages, each of which lasts around seven years. The early years’ education which takes on-board the first seven years focuses primarily on providing hands-on activi ties and creative play opportunities, so that the primary focus is on child development through physical and practical activities, during this phase. Children’s learning For the purposes of this analysis, it is the first stage that is most important. However, so that it can be seen how these early years of education fit into the broader picture, it is worth noting that the second stage focuses more on social development and the third on academic understanding. Although the Waldorf theory can largely be seen as an educational theory that can be attached to independent schools across Central Europe, many of the theories and philosophies have permeated more traditional educational establishments. Relationships The education ideas put forward by Steiner largely follow the concept of common sense and go beyond simply what is taught to children. These theories also look at the environment and broader issues such as health and well-being. Taking this developmental approach is, in many ways, similar to that looked at above, with the Montessori theory; however, it is much more focused on ensuring practical experiences, where the children are not necessarily focusing on maintaining freedom as the primary and key theme (Roopnarine and Johnson. 2005). The emphasis during the early years period is on providing children with practical activities that will allow them to live life experiences either by following the examples of others, or by their own experimentation. Throughout this theory there is also a heavy emphasis placed on nature, where external influences may be seen to be relevant.High ScopeMore recently, developed in Michigan, USA, is the High Scope early childhood educational approach which looks at a variety of different educational establishment, including kindergarten, pre-school and even home-based childcare, in order to look at the ways in which early childhood development should be best established, so as to lay down the foundations for future learning. The development of this educational theory was primarily founded on the concept developed by the psychologist Lev Vygotsky, which takes a scaffolding-style approach, suggesting that adults should form a learning â€Å"scaffolding† around children, to take into account their current level of development and encourage them to build on it (French and Murphy 2005). Relationships Several central concepts have been developed alongside this educational theory and although participation from the student is important, as it is with the other two theories, there is, however, a structure associated with this educational theory which distinguishes it from the previous theories (High/Scope Educational Research Foundation 2001). Learning Environment For example, environment is seen as important, within this educational theory and the classroom is expected to comply with a high scope model would have several well-defined interest areas, e.g., there would be a toy area and an art area, clearly delineated and made available for the children. This supports the basic learning approach that is advocated by the other two theories in that students will gain from interaction with adults and their own construction of the world around them. However, this is done in a much more structured way, where the daily routine requires early years’ children to be following a predictable sequence of events throughout the day and there not being complete freedom, as advocated by Montessori. To a certain extent, this theory can be seen to be a muted version of the earlier theories. Furthermore, although a heavy emphasis is placed on a constructivist and interaction approach, a much more rigid structure is put in place to ensure that there is consistency and comfort offered to the students and that they understand exactly what is likely to happen, on any given day.Forest SchoolsFinally, there is the specialist theory associated with Forest Schools Education which involves outdoor education and suggests that the children are able to develop confidence and knowledge through having a large amount of outdoor activities and engaging at times within a forest environment. These types of schools are seen as a means of building independence within any age category and the theory of Forest Schools has become a pedagogy, in its own right. This recognition of the importance of the environment is itself something that can be utilised, either in its own right or alongside the previous theories of development of early years children, as advocated by the other theories, mentioned above. Government Legislation and Guidance Within the UK, the Department for Education provides guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The aim of this guidance is to produce basic compulsory standards that all entities involved in the early years’ education provide. The statutory framework for the EYFS stage was established in 2012 and is the full document guiding those involved in the provision of years’ education is seen as merely a minimum standard that they are required to meet and any underlying aims and objectives that should be in mind when establishing their own methods and philosophies. This was given its statutory status by virtue of the Childcare Act 2006. There are underlying aims associated with the guide, including the desire to provide consistency and equality of opportunity for all young children, which will ultimately then provide a secure foundation upon which every child can develop in an appropriate manner and according to their abilities and desires and become well adjusted young adults, in the future. Basic safeguarding welfare requirements are also fundamental to this guidance and, although the focus here is on educational theories, it should be noted that early years’ education theories should, at all times, consider welfare issues and how these may interact within the educational environment (Helm, and Katz 2001). Overarching principles recognise that each child is unique and will be in a constant state of learning and development, and will therefore need to be adaptable and taking the lead from the child in question. Furthermore, the establishment of positive relationships, both with their peers and adult groups is crucial and educational environments should be enabling and positive, regardless of precisely how they are set up or managed. Depending on the nature of the early years provider there may be more specific requirements when it comes to learning and development. For example a childcare provider for wrap-round services, e.g. outside of school hours, would have a lesser requirement to support learning and development, as it would be presumed that the learning and development has been covered within the educational environment. In order to ensure sufficient flexibility, while also ensuring equality and consistency with policies produced in the area of learning and development down into three key subjects: communication and language; physical development; and personal, social, emotional development. All providers of early years’ education need to provide basic supporting literacy, mathematics, general understanding of the world and expressive arts and design. To a certain extent, the rigidity of the current requirements would prevent total freedom within the educational environment and this would disallow a pure theory, such as that of Montessori, to be used although many of the elements of this educational theory can still be present, despite the constraints of the statutory guidance. When establishing methods of learning and development the guidance requires the use of a mixture of directed and free play within any education establishment and this prevents the approach from begun being entirely focussed one way or the other. The binding agreement to deliver the statutory framework requires that there are three characteristics which must be applied to all the activities that are undertaken by those involved in early years’ education. Firstly, there is the need to encourage playing and exploring which is supportive and congruent with the earlier theories of Steiner and Montessori and which encourage every child to explore and develop during their early years. Secondly, there is the need for active learning which encourages children to concentrate and to continue to strive to achieve the results that they are after (Anning et al 2004). Thirdly, there is the need to encourage the creativity and critical thinking of the children, in order to develop their own thoughts and ideas, as well as making links between ideas which they can then use in the future. Although the statutory guidance has a relatively large level of structure attached to it, on the whole, it follows the educational theories on early years’ education advocated by Steiner and Montessori. Certain requirements are also placed on early years’ education providers; for example, a pupil must have an allocated key person with whom they interact and who has responsibility for ensuring that they are developing and learning in an appropriate manner; this is also seen as a welfare and safeguarding issue, where this is a non- negotiable requirement. Certain standards are expected of children at any stage of early years’ education, such as the requirement that, by a specific age, sentences should be constructed and the children will be regularly reviewed and tested, in order to ascertain whether they are meeting the requirements, exceeding the requirements, or falling short. Although it is not expected that every child will develop at the same place, regular monitoring in many areas which are deemed to be weak is critical and a fundamental part of the current framework, so that the child in question can then be supported to develop in these weak areas. The main assessment is undertaken in the final term of the academic year in which the child becomes five years old is provided to the child’s carers / parent and other professional that are relevant during the early years. This assessment has several purposes other than to simply ascertain the current stage of learning for the child in question and provides information for the teacher who will be dealing with the child, as soon as they enter into compulsory education. This indicates that the early years’ agenda does in fact have the underlying aim of placing children in the best possible position to enter Year One (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment 2004). Another important aspect of the statutory guidance which is relevant to this discussion is the heavy emphasis placed on partnership arrangements, with the requirement for early years’ education providers to engage with the local authority, where appropriate, particularly for welfare and safeguarding issues. The essence of the policies here, therefore, is to fulfil certain requirements for having the statutory, basic standards in place, while also offering freedom to the early years’ educational establishment, in order to allow them to adjust, depending on the nature of their establishment and the types of facilities available to them. This would seemingly be a combination of theories, as discussed above, and goes largely along with the early focus on freedom and independence, but with slight constraints put in place. Based on this it can therefore be argued that the closest educational theories discussed above to the current situation are that of High Scope, where the adult operates as a form of scaffolding around the independent and free learning of the children. There does however need to be clarity, on a day-to-day basis, but the children themselves are given the freedom to develop at their own pace. A Personal Philosophy By looking at the educational theories explored in the first part of this report and also looking at the way in which the government has established guidelines, both compulsory and optional for educational establishments, the author here has been able to develop their own personal philosophy for early years’ education. This personal philosophy also draws, to a certain extent, on reflective learning from the author’s own experience within the early years teaching environment. As a result, and in the opinion of the author, it was found that the educational theories that support the notion of entirely free play are not as effective as the current educational agenda. However, whilst there are merits in the notion of entirely free experiences for very young children, as advocated by Montessori, it is suggested here that there needs to be a degree of structure, as this is more reflective of the educational experience which the children are likely to receive in the future. Moreover, there is an underlying aim within early years’ education to present children with the best possible foundation before branching into compulsory education and this would seem to be the main focus. The author also believes that the most appropriate philosophy is a combination of Waldorf and High Scope, stating that there needs to be at least some degree of structure and expectation, in order to ensure that there is sufficient consistency. Each child leaving early years’ education needs to be in position to undertake compulsory education; therefore, without having at least some boundaries and expectations laid out for all involved in education, this would result in some children not being able to achieve basic standards. This could ultimately impact, not only on their educational knowledge, but also on their self-esteem, if they were to enter compulsory education considerably behind others, in terms of attainment (Hohmann, 2002). Applying the statutory rules which are in place within the UK also supports this philosophy and recognises the fact that the ability of children to learn and develop will be different, particularly within the early years, and there needs to be at least some freedom for the children to explore and make up their own minds. This does, however, need to be structured and facilitated by the educational professionals, so that any individual weaknesses can be identified and supported in such a way that would not be possible, if total freedom were given to the students. Educational theories provide a strong background to the way in which education should be delivered, both from a physical environment perspective, through to how the adults responsible for delivering education interact with the children in their care. Despite the need for structure, it is noted here that a strong emphasis should also be placed on freedom of choice for the children when building social and self-esteem factors, which are arguably going to be the foundations for future learning, far beyond technical skills such as the ability to read and write (Penn, 2005). By looking at the broader developmental issues, such as those set out in the statutory guidance, those involved in delivering educational standards can adapt to deal with any issues that arise, rather than being constrained to delivering a specific curriculum. Based on this, my own personal philosophy of education is a hybrid between High Scope and Waldorf, with a bias towards increasing structure, so that basic standards are achieved, regardless of the underlying skills and personalities of the children involved. References Anning, A., Cullen, J. and Fleer, M. (eds.) (2004). Early childhood education: society and culture. Delhi, New York and London: Sage Publications Cadwell, L. B., and C. Rinaldi. (2003) Bringing Learning to Life: A Reggio Approach to Early Childhood Education. New York: Teachers College Press. Catron, C. E., and J. Allen. (2007) Early Childhood Curriculum: A Creative Play Model, 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Department of Education (2012) Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/2716/eyfs_statutory_framework_march_2012.pdf French, G. and Murphy, P. (2005). Once in a lifetime: Early childhood care and education for children from birth to three. Dublin: Barnardos. Helm, H and Katz, L (2001) Young Investigators: The Project Approach in the Early Years, New York: Teachers College Press. High/Scope Educational Research Foundation. (2001). The physical learning environment: Participants guide. Michigan: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation Hohmann, M., et al. Educating (2002) Young Children: Active Learning Practices for Preschool and Child Care Programs. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press. Montessori, M (1994). From Childhood to Adolescence. Oxford, England: ABC-Clio. pp. 7–16 National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2004). Towards a Framework for Early Learning. Dublin: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Penn, H. (2005). Understanding early childhood. Glasgow: Open University Press. Roopnarine, J., and J. Johnson. (2005) Approaches to Early Childhood Education, 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Organic vs. non organic Essay

Organic vs. non organic There is a vast majority of food in our world today, when we consume this food we must stop to think about what exactly it is made of. In today’s society we are always looking for the best healthy foods that are available to us. We want good, nutritious, healthy foods so that we can live a long and healthy life. We live in a world where we have fast, cheap and processed foods all around us. Have you ever considered going a different route? Organic is a different way to eat, a way that could change the way you live your life. While all types of foods are beneficial to the body, organic and non organic foods differ in the way that they are farmed, grown, and packaged. This information can hopefully give you an insight to a better way of life. America is slowly becoming a nation of a population of obese sick people. What we are eating everyday affects our health. Foods are full of preservatives and unhealthy that people eat more junk than food. Did you know that foods are packed with preservatives, sugars and fats that make people addicted to the foods? We are always seeking the quickest cheapest foods even though they are not healthy for us just to save some time. People become overweight do so because of poor eating habits not knowing that there are consequences in doing so. There are diseases that come along with making these poor eating choices. Some of the diseases related to overweight are heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes; breathing problems and trouble sleeping. Some people seem that we are stuck eating foods that make us overweight and obese. There are however ways to eat healthier. There are foods that are all natural, they are called organic foods. Organic foods are farmed in natural ways than non organic foods. Non organic food has to be grown very quickly to meet the consumer demand and there for is grown with chemicals that make it grow faster. Non organic farmers are allowed by the FDA to use steroids, pesticides and fertilizers in their food products. Even the soil gets contaminated with these harmful products. Non organic farmers contaminate the soil with the over use of fertilizers and pesticides and have polluted our waterways. On the other had organic farmers can use a farming method that does not harm the environment. Organic famers use the natural way in their farming systems. Organic farmers use the land that has not had any pesticides or fertilizers in the soil in the past three years. Crops are rotated from field to field instead of growing the same crop over again. There are alternative ways to eat food. There are foods that are grown all natural, they are called organic foods. When you think of organic, do you think it has to be held to a certain standard? Certain requirements have to be met for a food product to be certified organic. When a farmer grown their crop their crop differs from the way non organic foods are grown. Organic food tends to have more insect damage that non organic food because since no pesticides are being used on their crop it is harder to keep the insects from damaging the crop. Non organic food can grow at a much faster rate and have less damage done to the food because it is grown with pesticides. One of the standards to be certified organic is to be cage free. Cage free is when the animal is not confined to a cage; it is allowed to roam freely. Non organic animals are mostly in cages so they can be able to produce more food faster. Many people do not like the fact that animals are caged up and are sometimes treated badly in order to produce the food they need. When you go to the grocery store and buy a food product you should stop to see what the packaging material is made of. Most producers use recycled products to package their food products. Organic foods and non organic foods differ in the way that they do their packaging. One bad thing that comes to mind about organic food is that it can travel hundreds of miles to get to the grocery store. Non organic food can have the convenience of coming from local farmers that may not grow organic but are grown locally. Non organic food on the other hand may travel to get to the store because there are really not that many locally organic farmers. When we think about our planet we try to think of ways to be less wasteful. Organic foods try to use less wasteful materials concerning packaging their foods. Organic producers try to use recycle material and try to use eco friendly material. Non organic producers can sometimes use recycle materials but are not considerate of the waste they produce in the making of the packaging material. As where organic producers they consider every last detail to make sure they do not affect the environment as little as they can. This is a good thing because we want to make sure we do not affect our planet with all our trash we accumulate in our life time. We must eliminate the trash we leave behind in order to leave our planet clean for our children and their children. If we do not do something about the wasteful material we leave behind we might leave a big mess for our children and grand children to clean up long after we are gone. There has been much controversy about whether organic food is better than non organic food. Honestly one has to make their own personal decisions about what they choose to eat. No one can make that decision for you. Organic is less harmful to the environment and non organic has to produce such large amounts that it can be hard to do that without having some effects on the environment. Remember what we put in our body is important because we want to do whatever it takes to be as healthy as we can be in order to live longer. So if organic food is the right choice for you then you should do it in order to live a long and healthy life.