Long-Term Effects and Societal Impacts of Alcohol Consumption Essay Example for Free

Long-Term Effects and Societal Impacts of Alcohol Consumption Essay Studies have shown that both long-term and short-term alcohol consumption affect every organ in the body in one way or another (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Some of the most commonly affected organs are the brain, heart, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidneys, and lungs (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Alcohol consumption has also been shown to affect one’s mental health as well as cause damage to the developing fetus (Fergusson, 2009). â€Å"Short-term† alcohol abuse refers alcohol consumption over days, weeks, or a few months; while â€Å"long-term† alcohol abuse is referring to high consumption of alcohol over several months to several years. Alcohol abuse also goes beyond the human body; it touches every part of society, particularly families and the economy, and likely has affected every human being in way or another. Organs Affected by Long-Term Alcohol Consumption Brain The short-term effects of alcohol consumption are more obvious because they are the effects that are seen when someone is intoxicated: slurred speech, lack of balance, poor memory, and blurred vision. The long-term effects of alcohol consumption on the brain are a little more subtle. One of the most common findings amongst long-term alcohol consumers is thiamine deficiency (thiamine is also known as vitamin B1), which is an essential nutrient for all tissues in the body (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). The approximately 80 percent of alcoholics that have a thiamine deficiency are at a great risk of developing Wernike-Korsakoff Syndrome, a disease that consists of two syndromes, Wernike’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). Wernike’s encephalopathy causes mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes, and difficulty with muscle coordination, which 80-90 percent of the time develops into Korsakoff’s psychosis, a chronic syndrome characterized by memory and learning problems (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). Heart While studies have shown in recent years that the antioxidants found in red wine can actually decrease one’s risk of developing heart disease, The American Heart Association states, â€Å"Drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood (triglycerides). It can also lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and an increased calorie intake†¦Excessive drinking and binge drinking can lead to stroke. Other serious problems include fetal alcohol syndrome, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death† (American Heart Association, 2012). Alcohol can also affect the heart indirectly. Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to conditions such as obesity and/or diabetes, which put one at a greater risk of developing coronary artery disease (American Heart Association, 2012). Liver The liver is the organ in your body that filters out toxins, such as alcohol, from the blood. Drinking more alcohol than the liver can process can actually damage liver cells, and over a long period of time can cause alcohol related liver diseases such as fatty liver disease (build up of extra fat in liver cells), alcoholic hepatitis (swelling and damage of the liver), and alcoholic cirrhosis (scarring of the liver where soft healthy tissue is replaced with hard scar tissue) (American Liver Foundation, 2011). The damaged liver cells caused from long-term alcohol abuse can lead to inflammation, increasing the risk of liver cancer (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Liver disease can be fatal, and complications from liver disease may include build up of fluid in the abdomen, bleeding from veins in the esophagus or stomach, an enlarged spleen, high blood pressure in the liver, brain disorders or coma (from hepatic encephalopathy), and/or kidney failure (American Liver Foundation, 2011). Pancreas Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to chronic pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas. Pancreatitis can result from blockages in the pancreatic duct, although in alcoholics it is more commonly caused by damage to the pancreatic tissue due to the by-products of alcohol metabolism (Apte, 1997). Alcohol abuse is the most common cause for patients with chronic pancreatitis, and can usually be treated with diet modifications (avoiding alcohol and low fat diets) and medications for pain relief, without requiring surgical intervention (Freedman, 2012). Some studies even claim that long-term alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, although the studies on these claims have shown only a minor increased risk and have been mostly inconclusive (Ye, 2002). Gastrointestinal Tract The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the first stop that our foods and beverages have in the body. Alcohol usually moves from the stomach to the small intestine rather quickly, however sometimes alcohol is left behind and can actually irritate the inner lining of the stomach (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Unabsorbed alcohol left in the stomach can also increase digestive juices (hydrochloric acid), halt the digestive process and rob the body of necessary nutrients, and react with medications (such as aspirin) causing gastritis, ulcers, or severe bleeding (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Alcohol has even been linked to cancers in the GI tract. Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx (voice box), and esophagus are believed to especially increase the risk of cancers of smokers because of the possibility that alcohol acts as a solvent for the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, allowing these harmful chemicals to penetrate the inner linings of the digestive tract (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Bacteria in the colon and rectum can convert alcohol into large amounts of acetaldehyde, a chemical that has been shown to cause cancer in some lab studies (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Kidneys Long-term alcohol consumption has also been shown to compromise kidney function, particularly in patients with established liver disease (Epstein, 1997). Some studies have even shown that alcohol abuse can altering the form and structure of the kidneys, noting that many alcoholics have increased kidney size and/or swelling compared to non-alcoholics (Epstein, 1997). In Dr. Murray Epstein’s research on kidney function and alcohol abuse he has stated, â€Å"Chronic alcoholic patients may experience low blood concentrations of key electrolytes as well as potentially severe alterations in the body’s acid-base balance. In addition, alcohol can disrupt the hormonal control mechanisms that govern kidney function† (Epstein, 1997). Lungs One of the systems that is not as widely linked to alcohol consumption is the respiratory system, however recent studies have helped establish this link. For example, recent studies have shown that alcoholics are actually more prone to lung infections (such as pneumonia) (Joshi, 2007). More specifically, long-term alcohol consumption can decrease the levels of glutathione (an important antioxidant) in the lungs by as much as 80-90 percent (Joshi, 2007), which in turn leaves the lungs more susceptible to infection. Some pulmonologists have even found that prolonged and heavy exposure to alcohol can complicate asthma management, as well as worsen lung function and increase mortality in patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) (Sisson, 2007). The reason why the effects of long-term alcohol consumption on the lungs is not as widely studied is because most often the lung impairment goes undetected until acutely insulted by trauma or sepsis (system wide infection) (Joshi, 2007). Breasts Recent studies are now showing that even a few alcoholic drinks can increase the risk of breast cancer in women, particularly of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). Alcohol can increase levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). According to breastcancer.org, â€Å"Compared to women who dont drink at all, women who have three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer. Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer goes up another 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day† (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). The Effect of Alcohol Abuse on Society Families Alcoholism affects each member of the family, and can even affect unborn children. The most commonly affected family members are the spouses and children of alcoholics (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Studies have shown that some of the most common symptoms found amongst spouses of alcoholics are feelings of hatred, self-pity, avoidance of social contacts, suffering from exhaustion, and/or becoming physically or mentally ill (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Children of alcoholics commonly express symptoms such as low self-esteem, loneliness, guilt, feelings of helplessness, fears of abandonment, poor performance in school, and/or chronic depression (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Unborn children can be affected by alcohol abuse when a woman drinks a significant amount of alcohol during the pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most common disorder related to alcohol use during pregnancy. A baby that has been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome may have the following symptoms: poor developmental growth in the womb and after birth, decreased muscle tone and poor coordination, delayed development, heart defects such as ventricular septal defect (VSD) or atrial septal defect (ASD), and/or problems with facial features (â€Å"Fetal alcohol syndrome†, 2012). The Economy In 2011 the U.S. Centers for disease Control (the CDC) reported that alcohol abuse costs the United States approximately $223.5 billion a year, with the government paying more than 60% of the health care costs of alcohol abusers (Fox, 2011). This enormous cost includes, but is not limited to, factors such as lost productivity due to alcohol-related illnesses, medical/health consequences of alcohol abuse, lost productivity of criminals/victims from crimes involving alcohol, and motor vehicle accidents (fatal and non-fatal) in which alcohol was involved (â€Å"Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse in the United States†, 2000). Source Article: McCambridge J, McAlaney J, Rowe R (2011) Adult Consequences of Late Adolescent Alcohol Consumption: A Systematic Review of Cohort Studies. PLoS Med 8(2): e1000413. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000413 References: Alcohol Alert. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Oct 2004. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm. Alcohol Use and Cancer. American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society, 27 Jan 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012.http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/DietandPhysicalActivity/alcohol-use-and-cancer. American Heart Association. Alcohol and Heart Disease.www.heart.org. American Heart Association, 04 Apr 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Alcohol-and-Heart-Disease_UCM_305173_Article.jsp. American Liver Foundation, . Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. American Liver Foundation. American Liver Foundation, 04 Oct 2011. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/alcohol/. Apte, M, M Med, J Wilson, and M Korsten. Alcohol-Related Pancreatic Damage. Alcohol Health Research World. 21.1 (1997): 13-20. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh21-1/13.pdf. Berger, G, H Silverstein, and C Wekesser. Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family . AllPsych Journal. AllPsych Journal, 14 2003. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://allpsych.com/journal/alcoholism.html. College Drinking Changing the Culture. Alcohol and You: An Interactive Body. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 13 Aug 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov Drinking Alcohol. Breastcancer.org. Breastcancer.org, 17 Sep 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/alcohol. Epstein, Murray. Alcohol’s Impact on Kidney Function.Alcohol Health Research World. 1.21 (1997): 84-93. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh21-1/84.pdf. Fergusson, DM, JM Boden, and LJ Horwood. Tests of causal links between alcohol abuse or dependence and major depression. PubMed. March (2009): n. page. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19255375. Fetal alcohol syndrome. PubMed Health. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 08 Aug 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. Fox, Maggie. CDC: Alcohol Abuse Costs U.S. $224 Billion a Year. National Journal. National Journal, 17 2011. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://www.nationaljournal.com/healthcare/cdc-alcohol-abuse-costs-u-s-224-billion-a-year-20111017. Freedman, Steven, and J. Thomas LaMont, eds. Patient information: Chronic pancreatitis (Beyond the Basics). Up To Date. Wolters Kluwer Health, 11 Jul 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/chronic-pancreatitis-beyond-the-basics?source=see_link. Joshi, Pratibha, and David Guidot. The alcoholic lung: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and potential therapies. American Journal of Physiology Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 292.4 (2007): L813-L823. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://ajplung.physiology.org/content/292/4/L813.full.pdf html. Sisson, JH. PubMed. PubMed. 41.5 (2007): 293-307. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17764883. United States. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse in the United States. 2000. Web. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/economic-2000/alcoholcost.PDF. Ye, W, J Lagergren, E Weiderpass, O Nyrà ©n, H-O Adami, and A Ekbom. Alcohol abuse and the risk of pancreatic cancer. GUT An Internati onal Journal of

Educational Approaches in the ECCE Sector Ireland

Educational Approaches in the ECCE Sector Ireland Marie Grey Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Aistear is the national curriculum framework set in place all around Ireland. It is for early education from birth-6yrs. There is not one specific programme or curriculum to follow. It was put in place to help in schools, pre-schools, crà ¨ches, and within the home. By working closely with parents, teachers and practitioners Aistear provides a safe and enjoyable learning experience. Aistear is all about learning through play. Its four themes are as follows: Well-Being- This is about the overall well-being of the child. Such as physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. I have used this aim as an example of what Well-being is. Aim 3: â€Å"Children will be creative and spiritual.†(National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), 2009). Identity and Belonging- Is to know themselves as a unique individual, to belong as part of a group and part of the world. Not to feel left out, to feel accepted and equal. I found this aim explains Identity and Belonging very well. Aim1: â€Å"Children will have strong self-identities and will feel respected and affirmed as unique individuals with their own life stories.†(NCCA, 2009) Exploring and Thinking- Feeling confident to explore, try new things, be curious, use imagination, have a mind of their own, own opinions, views and thoughts. Learn to solve problems using their own initiative. This aim shows how this particular theme can be used. Aim 4: â€Å"Children will have positive attitudes towards learning and develop dispositions like curiosity, playfulness, perseverance, confidence, resourcefulness, and risk taking.† (NCCA, 2009) Communication- Being able to communicate openly/freely. Language development, listening skills. To socialise as part of a group. By taking a look at the aims you can see how they are used. Aim 2: â€Å"Children will use language† (NCCA, 2009) HighScope The HighScope curriculum was developed for day-cares, play groups, nurseries and crà ¨ches. It involves a lot of free play. Learning through play. It’s not as structured as others. Children have their own choices about the activities they wish to do, adults have to make sure they follow through on their decisions. By using recyclable materials and labelling shelves and areas where everything goes, they learn to tidy up when they’re finished and gain confidence by making their own decisions. Children learn about science, maths, technology, reasoning, language and the world around them. HighScope offers support for parents and lots of involvement from them. Using methods like plan-do-review, HighScope offers the children opportunities to plan their activity, proceed with it and come back to review and reflect with the adult. The child can express what they did, how and why, if they enjoyed it, or if doing art they show the adult what they made and can feel proud of their hard work. â€Å"HighScope teachers arrange and label classroom interest areas and stock diverse materials to give children a broad range of experience and help them begin to understand how the world can be organised.† (Epstein, pg13, 2007) Aistear and HighScope Aims and Goals. Aistear vs. HighScope Similarities. Aistear has four themes- HighScope has fifty eight Key Developmental Indicators. (KDIs). They both have learning goals. For example a learning goal from Aistear’s Well-being- Aim 1: Be confident and self-reliant. Example of HighScope’s five ingredients of active participatory learning or learning goals- Choice: Children are free to use the materials however they choose when doing plan-do-review. They both plan for the same overall outcome to support the child’s holistic development and also the best interest of each child. They both centre their curriculums on learning through play and the environment. Differences. Aistear’s four themes are: Well-being, Communication, Identity and Belonging, Exploring and Thinking. Here are a few of HighScope’s (KDIs): Initiative, Social Relations, Creative Representation, Movement Music, Language Literacy, and Mathematics Science. HighScope is a more structured curriculum than Aistear. There is a lot more Aims and goals in HighScope than Aistear. Aistear is an Irish founded curriculum HighScope is an American founded curriculum. Aistear’s themes can be very easily incorporated into the HighScope curriculum. By using the main four themes and knowing the aims and learning goals the HighScope method can then be reviewed alongside Aistear. That way a new or updated curriculum can be conducted. For instance when using plan-do-review in HighScope, Aistear’s theme of Thinking and Exploring can be used. How I would do this in an Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).By letting the children go and plan their own activities and use their intuitive to explore the world around them. They would be then using both curriculums together. Any or all aspects of Aistear’s four themes can be used or incorporated into HighScope’s method of plan-do-review. Another example would be if the child planned to do art. This would cover Aistear’s identity and belonging, Thinking and exploring and communication. Why I say communication, the child would be communicating their feelings through their cr eativity and individuality. Here are some of the learning goals that Aistear and HighScope use: â€Å"Well-being Children will show good judgement when taking risks. Identity and Belonging Children will appreciate the features that make a person special and unique (name, size, hair, hand and footprint, gender, birthday)†. (ncca.ie 2014). In my opinion these two curriculums work very well together, and support the teachers and practitioners in their understanding of why they need to provide these opportunities for children. â€Å"Basic Principles and Goals of the High/Scope Approach Communicating Children will develop counting skills, and a growing understanding of the meaning and use of numbers and mathematical language in an enjoyable and meaningful way. Exploring and Thinking Children will gather and use information from different sources using their increasing cognitive, physical and social skills. In partnership with the adult, children will demonstrate growing confidence in being able to do things for themselves make decisions and take increasing responsibility for their own learning Act on their curiosity, take risks and be open to new ideas and uncertainty†. (ncca.ie 2014). It is in my opinion very important to support each individuals learning opportunities and experiences at this early stage in their lives. â€Å"The High/Scope program strives to develop in children a broad range of skills, including the problem solving, interpersonal, and communication skills that are essential for successful living in a rapidly changing society. The curriculum encourages student initiative by providing children with materials, equipment, and time to pursue activities they choose. At the same time, it provides teachers with a framework for guiding children’s independent activities toward sequenced learning goals†. (Education.com High Scope: A Constructivist Approach 2009). 3. Theorists views linking with HighScope and Aistear. Margaret McMillan Known for her theories on free-play and outdoors, she links to most of the day to day outdoor activities children experience in an ECCE setting such as exploring the garden, seeing different types of bugs and exploring the outdoor environment. Also playing freely in nature. Which cover Aistear’s themes communication, identity and belonging, well-being, thinking and exploring. It also covers most of HighScope learning goals of exploring the environment and world around them and also risk taking and problem solving. â€Å"McMillan believed that children learn by exploring, first-hand experience and active learning. Also they learn through free-play, especially with craft and water activities.† Early learning (2014) she cared for children from 18 months to 7yrs old. â€Å"The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky†. â€Å"Inspirational Posters† Early learning (2014) Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Theory of Play: Play is in a relaxed environment where learning can occur easily. Play is not the same as learning, cognitive development requires both assimilation and adaption, and play is assimilation without accommodation. Piaget is mostly known for this four stage theory: Sensory-Motor Stage birth – 2yrs. Pre-operational Stage 2yrs-7yrs. Stage of Concrete Operations 7yrs -11yrs. Stage of Formal Operations 11yrs -16yrs. Both curriculums support the development of this theory in HighScope children have the choice to choose their own learning. Thus giving them independence and free thinking at a young age. By using Jean Piaget’s theory of Cognitive play each child will have great benefits in their learning combined with the support and independence HighScope is providing and the freedom and support of their identity and well-being Aistear is providing. Overall the three used together would give great support and work well to help the child holistically within their development. While also giving them a better understanding of themselves and the world. Although Piaget suggests in his theory play is not the same as learning I disagree, children learn through play. Piaget suggests Children have real understanding only of that which they invent themselves, and each time that we try to teach them something too quickly, we keep them from reinventing it themselves. (The Century’s Greatest Minds, Time, 1999) Jean Piaget Quotes Piaget’s other theories are: Play and Imagination, Play and Reason, Piaget suggests there are four types of play: For example symbolic play and doing puzzles which promotes thinking and exploring and communication which are two of Aistear’s themes. As for HighScope problem solving is one of their learning goals so as you will see in the quote below children use their imaginations to replay something they may have witnessed or experienced, maybe even seen on a T.V show through their play or role play. At this time they may be resolving the conflict or situation in a way that they would have liked it to be resolved. Which again is using both curriculums and the theories of Piaget. Sensory- Motor or physical, play When the child repeats an action like swinging their legs/arms just for the fun of it. Symbolic Play Imagination â€Å"It is primarily affective conflicts that appear in symbolic play. If there is a scene at lunch, for example, one can be sure that an hour or two afterward it will be recreated with dolls and will be brought to a happier solution. If the child has been frightened by a dog, in a symbolic game things will be arranged so that dogs will no longer be mean or children will become brave†. Jean Piaget quotes (2014) 4. Learning Opportunities and Holistic Development. In my opinion Aistear offers each child the opportunity to fulfil their potential as an individual learning about themselves, where they belong within their family, community and the world. What I mean by this, by exploring their environment and having fun, safe and fulfilling learning experiences in a fun, child orientated with support from adults but not over powering or controlled by adults and a friendly, stimulating environment. They will learn how to socialise, make decisions, solve problems, and build strong bonds or relationships. They will also benefit holistically in their development by doing fun and age appropriate, challenging and inspiring activities which will support them in their physical, intellectual, language, emotional and social development. (P.I.L.E.S).Aistear’s approach is one that allows the child to lead their own activities with support of adults only when the child needs or requests it. The adults are mostly there to ensure the materials provided are appropriate to support each child’s needs. Also to provide a warm, safe, hygienic, stimulating and challenging environment for each child to reach their potential and their own natural learning pace. Nothing is forced or a child does not have to be able to do a certain thing, they learn at their own pace. Saying that the adult is there to observe and ensure the child is meeting or reaching their developmental milestones. If a delay is identified the adult will observe further and suggest but not the child to do different activities to suit their learning needs. HighScope on the other hand give children the opportunity to learn symbols or letters as everything is labelled, children begin to recognise letters or markings and understand these symbols are the names of the materials or items. As the HighScope method gives more opportunities for children to learn with natural or realistic materials such as within the home area real kettles or pots and utensils are provided for learning. This offers the children the learning opportunity of life skills. Which I feel is beneficial for children especially this day and age as many parents are always working children need to learn skills such as pouring themselves a drink. This can be used at home as well children can use mathematic skills in the shopping centre with parents or at home packing the shopping away or the washing counting stockings or pegs. HighScope also recommends parental involvement and although Aistear does require observations HighScope is stricter on observations and record keeping as daily observations are required in some cases. I do however feel both curriculums offer lots of different learning aspects, goals and opportunities. Both together can work extremely well and cover the child’s holistic environment and also support them in other factors of their environment such as culture and social also family and community. In my opinion either Aistear or HighScope would benefit a child’s holistic development if used properly, correctly and to its full potential. Using them combined would in my opinion offer more learning opportunities for each child and offer a lot more freedom and exploration learning opportunities for the children. As Aistear will support HighScope in the areas of the children’s overall well-being. HighScope will support Aistear offering the children with more choice and independence which will also support the child’s thinking and exploring and their identity and belonging, alongside their holistic development by doing activities and exploration. As both curriculums link to each other and are similar in many ways most of the learning goals are the same Aistear does however encourage lots more involvement from parents. HighScope offers lots of opportunities for independence, growth for confidence, self-esteem and decision making. Using the KDI’s as guidelines for learning opportunities as Aistear uses its four themes, aims and learning goals or outcomes. â€Å"Both sets of KDIs are arranged to correspond to the National Goals for Education in the USA. They equally relate to Aistear, the early childhood curriculum framework in Ireland†. ‘The High Scope Approach to Early Learning’. Geraldine French. (2012) (arrow.DIT.ie) References and Bibliography National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). (2009). ‘Principles and Themes’. NCCA: Epstein, Ann S. (2007). ‘Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool Getting to know the HighScope Curriculum’. HighScope Press: Michigan, USA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). (2009). ‘Principles and Themes’. NCCA: Epstein, Ann S. (2007). ‘Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool Getting to know the HighScope Curriculum’. HighScope Press: Michigan, USA. ‘Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework’ cited on: http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Early_Childhood_and_Primary_Education/Early_Childhood_Education/Aistear_Toolkit/Activity_Exploring_Aistears_learning_goals_.pdf Accessed online [7th of June 2014] ‘High Scope: A Constructivist Approach’ Excerpt from Early Childhood Education Today, by G.S. Morrison, 2009 edition, p. 149-155. Cited on: http://www.education.com/reference/article/high-scope-constructivist-approach/ Accessed online [7th of June 2014] Melanie Klein project (2014) â€Å"Play Therapy† [Online], available at: https://sites.google.com/site/melaniekleinproject/work/play-therapy accessed online [17th January 2014] Early learning HQ (2014) â€Å"Inspirational Quotation Poster† [Online], available at: http://www.earlylearninghq.org.uk/latest-resources/inspirational-quotation-poster-margaret-mcmillan/ accessed [17th January 2014] About psychology (2014) â€Å"Jean Piaget Quotes† [Online], available at: http://psychology.about.com/od/early-child-development/a/jean-piaget-quotes.htm accessed [20th January 2014] ‘The High Scope Approach to Early Learning’ Geraldine French (2012) http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010context=aaschsslbk Accessed online [7th of June 2014] Marie GreyPage 1

Robert Frosts Poems Essays -- essays research papers

Robert Frost's Poems Robert frost has many themes in his poetry. One of the main themes that is always repeated, is nature. He always discusses how beautiful nature is or how distructive it can be. Frost always discusses nature in his poems. First, in the poem "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" there is a lot of nature expresses. Frost's very first sentence already talks about the woods. whose woods these are I think I know (Ln 1, 1105). Also, in the poem he states that the narrator likes to sit and watch the snow. He is also a nature lover. In the second stanza Frost refers back to the woods. He must also like ice, because he brings ice and cold up a lot in his poems. Once again Frost brings ice up when he mentions flake and cold wind. Then in the last stanza F...

Grapes of Wrath Essay: Prejudice Against Immigrants Exposed :: Grapes Wrath essays

The Grapes of Wrath: The Californians Prejudice Against Immigrants Prejudice is a strong word. It is the kind of word that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. One of Steinbeck's themes in the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is the prejudice against the migrant workers by the financially established Californians. Steinbeck provides four clear examples of prejudice; the man whose children died of starvation, the fishing story, the California police officer and the history of the Californians. On the way to California, the Joad's encountered other people that had already been to California and were now returning. One of these encounters, with the ragged man with the sunburned face, is described on page 242. The ragged man had children that died because wages were too low and work was too scarce to afford food for his children and wife. His story was one of pain and despair and was evidence of the cruel and inhumane treatment which resulted from the California farmers prejudice towards the migrant workers. Later, the Joads stop by a river where Tom and his Father find a spot to go swimming. Two men, a man and his son, who asked if they might also join them in swimming, promptly join them. The men start talking and it turns out that the other two men have just come from California. They tell a story describing the conditions as very unsafe and uncomfortable and mention the prejudice against the workers. Subsequently the Joads paid no head to this warning either. Hence, they traveled on, only to meet up with a very dispassionate police officer. The police officer gave the Joads a first hand experience of the prejudice that Californians had against the migrant workers. The policeman treated the migrants with no respect. This officer, who undoubtedly had taken an oath to uphold the law and promote the public good, would have been more happy see the Joads drop off the face of the earth than see them in California. The Corollary chapter Nineteen deals with the history of California. How it was settled by the feverish Americans. Through these descriptions we can start to understand the Californians prejudice against the migrant workers. The chapter describes the initial owners of the land, the Mexicans, as being "weak and fed". This description would suggest that the Mexican's were like well fed livestock. Grapes of Wrath Essay: Prejudice Against Immigrants Exposed :: Grapes Wrath essays The Grapes of Wrath: The Californians Prejudice Against Immigrants Prejudice is a strong word. It is the kind of word that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. One of Steinbeck's themes in the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is the prejudice against the migrant workers by the financially established Californians. Steinbeck provides four clear examples of prejudice; the man whose children died of starvation, the fishing story, the California police officer and the history of the Californians. On the way to California, the Joad's encountered other people that had already been to California and were now returning. One of these encounters, with the ragged man with the sunburned face, is described on page 242. The ragged man had children that died because wages were too low and work was too scarce to afford food for his children and wife. His story was one of pain and despair and was evidence of the cruel and inhumane treatment which resulted from the California farmers prejudice towards the migrant workers. Later, the Joads stop by a river where Tom and his Father find a spot to go swimming. Two men, a man and his son, who asked if they might also join them in swimming, promptly join them. The men start talking and it turns out that the other two men have just come from California. They tell a story describing the conditions as very unsafe and uncomfortable and mention the prejudice against the workers. Subsequently the Joads paid no head to this warning either. Hence, they traveled on, only to meet up with a very dispassionate police officer. The police officer gave the Joads a first hand experience of the prejudice that Californians had against the migrant workers. The policeman treated the migrants with no respect. This officer, who undoubtedly had taken an oath to uphold the law and promote the public good, would have been more happy see the Joads drop off the face of the earth than see them in California. The Corollary chapter Nineteen deals with the history of California. How it was settled by the feverish Americans. Through these descriptions we can start to understand the Californians prejudice against the migrant workers. The chapter describes the initial owners of the land, the Mexicans, as being "weak and fed". This description would suggest that the Mexican's were like well fed livestock.

Red Badge of Courage :: essays papers

Red Badge of Courage Stephen Crane has written many remarkable poems, short stories, and novels throughout his short life (He lived only to the age of 29). The Red Badge of Courage is a tale of war, life, responsibility, and duty. It has been considered the first ^great modern novel of war^(Alfred Kazin). It traces the effects of war on Henry Fleming, a Union soldier, through his dreams of battle, his enlistment, and his experience through serveral battles of the Civil War. Henry, ^the youth^, was a young man who lived on a farm with his mother. He dreamed about what fighting in a war would be like, and dreamed of being a hero. He dreamed of the battles of war, and of what it would be like to fight in those glorious battles. His mother was a wise, caring woman who had strong convictions about not wanting Henry to goto war. She is a very hardworking woman, and loves her son a great deal. She gave him hundreds of reasons why he was needed on the farm and not in the war. Henry knew his mother would not want him to enlist, but it was his decision to make. He dreamed of the battles of war, and of what it would be like to fight in those glorious battles. He didn^t want to stay on the farm with nothing to do, so he made his final decision to enlist. After enlisting he finds himself in a similar situation, with nothing to do. While there he becomes friends with two other soldiers, John Wilson, ^the loud soldier / ^the friend^ and Jim Conklin, ^the tall soldier^. Wilson was a loud spoken and obnoxious soldier who becomes one of Henry^s best friends. Jim was a tall soldier and was a childhood friend of Henry^s. He was always calm and matter-of-fact like. He also loves pork sandwiches as that is all he eats. Wilson was as excited about going to war as Henry, while Jim was confident about the success of the new regiment. Wilson is acts very confident, and boasts of how well he will fight. After a few days of marching, Henry realizes that they have been wandering about aimlessly in circles. They continue to march wothout purpose, direction, and fighting. During this time Henry starts to think diffrently about war, amore close experienced way. He starts to lose some of his ideals of war, and starts to become scared of running away from a batlle.

Discuss and describe a moral panic from a social science perspective Essay

Society is frequently subjected to moral panics when any crime is committed. Humanity repeatedly blows crimes and incidents out of proportion until the entire society is somewhat controlled. Stuart Hall, in his book, ‘Policing the Crisis’ explained that â€Å"the media, in conjunction with the bourgeoisie, create moral panics in order to perpetrate fear and maintain control over society, as a whole.† (Hall, 2013, s. 1) Moral panics are created as a hazard and rising threat to shock both society and culture into changing the way it thinks and acts about problems in the real world. In this essay, moral panics will be looked at in detail with a specific interest in the case of James Bulger. There will too, be a focus on the influence the media, police and politicians have on moral panics and public opinions. Stanley Cohen derived a moral panic as â€Å"a sporadic episode which subjects society to worry about the values and principles which society upholds which may be in jeopardy. The moral panics are a means of characterising the reactions of the media, the public and agents of social control to youthful disturbances.† (Cohen, 1987: 9) The abduction and subsequent murder of the toddler James Bulger, from a shopping centre in Liverpool, was a crime which brought about a huge moral panic in Britain in the 1990’s. A murder of any sort brings about a moral panic, but when the victim, and in this case the defendants, are both children, it attracts overwhelming media attention and a vast moral panic is quickly spread. It has been previously said that it is the most monstrous of crime when a child elects to kill another child. Theories of moral panics are sparked when they are spread; the ‘Grassroots Model’ (Critcher, 2008) theory occurs when the public and media col laborate, consequently leading to fears becoming exaggerated; in the case of James Bulger; ephebiphobia, which is the fear of children and youth. The murder of Bulger made parents realise how defenceless their own children really are, and how they should fear others’ children. The theory suggests â€Å"panics are initiated and generated from the bottom up and are spread about particularly large numbers of people.† This is subsequently shown in the murder of Bulger; the moral panic was initiated from the crime but then soon spread to the media, thus advertising the story which then became public knowledge and the fear of children and youth becomes established and inflated. Marx established the ‘Elite Engineered Model’ which encompasses the ruling elite  manufacturing certain panics to instil fear in society and divert it away from the real problems they are having. In the scenario of the James Bulger murder, those with high ranking in society involved in the case, for example, police, detectives, press and politicians, created the moral panic of the murder in an attempt to divert the public’s opinion away from the shocking crime of two young boys, just 10 years old, not just abducting a toddler from a busy shopping centre in Liverpool, but also killing him in the most vicious way and dumping his body on train tracks in an attempt to cover up what had happened. This is not the behaviour of children; it is the behaviour of evil. Particularly due to the age of the killers, the ferociousness of the crime and the age of the victim, the mass media reports allowed the public to get personally and emotionally involved in the case and have severe anger and resentment towards the children who murdered James Bulger. The public outcry was huge and, the decision by the politicians and press combined to release the names of the killers publicly as Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, allowed the public to finally vent their abuse against the killers. ‘Amid the hysteria in 1993, both Thompson and Venables lost the right to be seen as children, or even as human. The kids who had killed the kid had to be killed, or indeed locked up for life. The word used about them stopped all arguments; they were pure evil.’ (Morrison, 2003) These scandals make any type of child harm seem dramatic and heinous; these crimes force the attention onto those in society who are high ranked, in an attempt to aim for a change to prevent this crime being repeated. The path of any moral panic can sway in two opposing directions; either the panic dies down relatively quickly and is totally forgotten, or it has lasting repercussions for all those involved, whether press, politicians, the police or the public. (Butler, n.d.) In the case of the murder of little James Bulger, there were lasting implications; which included the introduction of the National Sex Offenders Register (Paedophile Register) in the late 1990’s as a response to the growing concern and panic over the recent child sex offences (Cohen 1972:9). The Interest Group Theory involves panic about a given behaviour, in this instance, a child killing another child, and hence due the massive public outcry, the case is more likely to be distorted by the media and the outcome  changed. The Bulger story was iconic and a rare, uncommon case; but lessons should be learnt. A similar crime had previously been committed in the form of the 1861 murder of baby George burgess in Stockport by two eight year olds. Burgess was forced to suffer a horrific attack and the two young boys inflicted shocking injuries upon his body. This crime severely angered the local community and again created a moral panic. In today’s society, thankfully due to the role that the media now plays in the viewing and promoting of crimes, we, as a whole in society, are able to successfully campaign for justice and see those who participated in the crime jailed for as long as they deserve. The concept of moral panics does have some disadvantages; they do tend to be deterministic and can be twisted by the media to blow the event out of proportion. In the case of James Bulger, the amount of media attention thrown onto the case means that this moral panic is ever lasting, and will always be remembered, preventing events like this from being repeated. Bibliography: Butler, I (2013) Moral Panic and Child Protection Available form: http://www.moralpanicseminars.files.wordpress.com.2013/05/sem2-butler.pdf [Accessed 15th November 2013] Cohen, S (2011) Folk Devils and Moral Panics: Key Ideas. London: Routledge Critcher, C (2006) Moral Panics and the Media. OU Press Critcher, C (2008) Moral Panic Analysis: Past, Present and Future Swansea University: Blackwell Publishing. Available from: http://www.penelopeironstone.com/Critcher.pdf [Accessed 28th October 2013] Eldridge, J & Kitzinger, J & Williams, K (1997) The Mass Media and Power in Modern Britain (Chapter 5 – Moral Panics, Media Scares and Real Problems) Oxford University Press Goode, E & Ben-Yehuda, N (1994) Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Deviance. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell Hall, S (2013) Policing the Crisis: Mugging, the State and Law and Order. 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Jewkes, Y (2011) Media and Crime. Sage Kirsh, S (2010) Media and Youth. Wiley Blackwell Marsh, I & Melville, G (2011) Moral Panics and the British Media: A look at some contemporary ‘Folk Devils’

Theories and Principles Unit 4 Dtlls

In psychology and education, learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, behaviour and Humanists elements. This assignment shows the concept of the relevant theories and principles of learning and communication; select and critically analysed of how I plan to deliver these strategies in my own teaching; and reflect on the impact that these insights have had on my own practice and professional development. What is the definition of theory?To me theory is something which is explained to you, a system of ideas intended to explain something, one based on general overview. A definition of principles, to me is to be opinionated on how I feel towards chosen topic. Geoff Petty (2009) states that, `every teacher and every learner has a theory about learning. ’ To able to conclude my own theories and principles on planning and enabling learning I need to learn what is accepted to others. Research I understand there are many different theories relating to te aching and learning.Those that I have looked at are Behaviourist, Cognitive and Humanists elements. These are not new concepts. Although that some of these theorists are descended their work is still use into practices. Behaviourism is primarily associated with Pavlov (classical conditioning) in Russia; and with Thorndike, Watson and particularly Skinner in the United States (operant conditioning). In educational surroundings, behaviourism implies the dominance of the teacher, as in behaviour modification programmes. It can, however, be applied to an understanding of unintended learning.Classical conditioning in its simplest form is a type of conditioning associates by an external stimulus; in Pavlov original experiment this was a bell, with the arrival of a second stimulus which was the food, this resulted in a response to the bell which would have been achieved previously by the food. Frederic Skinner’s work was influenced by Pavlov’s experiment and the ideas of John Watson, father of behaviourism. His interest in stimulus-response of how humans reacted to various situations became fascinating. Skinner developed teaching machines, so students could learn, uncovering answers for an immediate â€Å"reward†.Humanistic, humanism and humanist are terms in psychology relating to an approach which studies the whole person and the uniqueness of each individual by emphasizing the study of the person overall. This behaviour clarifies the ability of learners to respond to the lesson. John Holt, How Children Fail (1964) states that â€Å"the school system could destroy the minds and emotions of young children. His blistering attack accused schools of inducing fear in pupils, and humiliating, ridiculing and devaluing them† This is a very generalised point of view due, to the fact that Holt is tarnishing all schools with the same reputation.However, it is important not to completely dismiss his views, as the point he makes about fear of failure is something we must be aware of in our teaching. In another humanistic approach which also fits within the humanistic spectrum is that proposed by Malcolm Knowles (1913-1977) his studies focus on adult education which was formed in 1946. Formal programs were for those sponsored by educational institutions, such as universities, high and trade schools in America. He implemented that adult education was pointed to the friendly and informal surroundings.This enhanced adult learners to take more responsibility for their destiny as they mature through the learning process. Cognitive learning theory is about how to learn rather than what to learn i. e. how to write a report, how to recall specific facts, how to use learning to solve problems or be creative. Cognitivism is â€Å"the psychology of learning which emphasizes on how we think and gain knowledge. Theorists are intrigued and want to understand how problem solving changes throughout childhood, how cultural differences affect th e way we view our own achievements, language development.Theories such as Jerome Bruner (1915) and Lev Vygostsky (1896) expressed the view that `expository teaching’ deprived learners of the chance to think for them, however Vygostsky approach `Zone of proximal development’ focused on the concept that what a learner could do today with they could do alone tomorrow. The behaviourist approach can encourage me to understand what motivates my learners and to challenge them on what goals they wish to achieve through their learning.These techniques can influence and can allow me to shape and enhance my learners into behaving in an acceptable way through Skinner’s theory of `Positive or Negative Reinforcement’. As a research a bi product of this will develop my learner way of analysing. This encourages a comfortable learning environment for all learners. Negative reinforces are ones that increase the chance that a behaviour will occur when it is removed. Punishm ents are events that decrease the frequency of behaviour that it follows (Skinner, 2003) Take the learner in the classroom that ontinually talk s to his neighbour; it reinforces his behaviour to continue, but if the teacher punishes him by having him stand up in front of the whole class and apologies, he will be more likely to refrain on talking again. Skinner believes that behaviour could be altered by using positive and negative types of reinforcement. Remember negative reinforcement is not punishment. If I have not covered everything on the original lesson plan, learning can however be measured making assessment and planning for next session easier.By constantly revisiting certain topics and using Question and Answers learners have an understanding on what they are learning and why. This would not be the case for all, based on behaviour modification there are also disadvantages to this approach. Repetitive learning may encourage some learners to remember information but it doesnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t necessary mean they have understood the concept. Some learners will not be confident to admit this and just produced the required answers without knowing how they got to the answers. How do we include rewards and why the reason for them?As a teacher I tried to implement these when suitable for all learners. If this is not done then the whole process will become confusing and motivation will be lost. This theory can tend to lead myself towards the `pedagogical approach to learning’. As covering that the Humanistic approach is relied for individuals to explore their own interest and curiosities this will assure them to grow into fully functioning, self-trusting, and independent people. All individuals are unique and have an inborn drive to achieve their maximum potential.This I can relate too with the learners that I teach, once they have discovered their own personality this will generally relate to their chosen career options this will give learners to have free will in the learning experience and can effect on the change of their knowledge. I use the Humanistic approach to learning within my classroom as practical is a massive contribute to my teaching. Carl Rogers, in freedom to learn (1969) states that self-directed learning delivers the considerable educational advantages of independent learning.Advantages which I find to this are that by meeting learners needs, each learner will feel valued and respected. This will help build up a level of trust between the learner and teacher resulting to excellent communication. When planning and delivering lessons, I include various activities to allow this to happen. At the end of each lesson I find that group discussions give the learners freedom to induce new ideas and to listen to their peers opinions. This gives them the tools to feel empowered and have control over how they learn.This sounds like a perfect andragogical approach but could have some disadvantages. We know that Bruner’s cognit ivists approach to learning is basis on emphasizing active restructuring of knowledge through own experience of life. With this theory the learner draws on his/her own past experience and acknowledges new facts, relationships and truths. Students interact with the world by exploring; asking questions and interpretation what is relevant to the subject. I. e. when tackling new ideas the learner relies on the teacher to give them the correct answer, assuming the teacher is in their comfort zone.To allow learners to achieve this transformation is by working in groups which encourages them to socially interact with one another which will then lead to process of learning, As a result this method students may be more likely to remember the concept and knowledge discovered on their own. Another strategy often used in my classroom involves embedding questions, which allows the learners to find out the answers to the problem before setting their task. This may again relate to their personal e xperience. Often organising school trips (exhibition, real life theatre) can allow the learners to interact with real life situations.I allow for discussion/debates around specific questions relating to that topic that I have structured to initiate points that are relevant to their learning. These theories have made me think differently to my own practise in the way I plan my lessons, which methods of delivery I use as well as how I assess what types of learning has taken place. I teach in a secondary school environment, where the learners go thought a transition from KS3, KS4 & KS5. The course is practical, but there are some elements of theoretical methods which gives learners the chance to demonstrate skills in a performance environment.I agree that planning for lesson is a strong area for me and my learners. As a result, I will always construct the delivery of my own teaching including the three learning domains. I found that the Bruner strategy had the most impact on my teachin g from both a practical and professional point of view. This has enabled me to encourage my learner’s involvement by utilising these methods. It has now become a natural part of my lessons, which involves incorporating Q&A as well as discussions to assess that learning has taken place in the Affective domain.My confidence has developed as a result, as well as my learner’s needs and communication is now at an all time high in the classroom. These areas are now a massive part as to how I deliver a lesson, as well as ensuring that communication flows both ways. After conducting research into the theories of learning, I have realised there are some improvements that need be made. One of these involves giving my learners more freedom and responsibility with the answers, rather than prompting them. I believe this simple change can breed confidence and progress for both me and the learners.Bibliography Skinner, B. F (Reprint 2003). The Technology of Teaching. Cambridge, MA: B . F. Skinner Foundation Petty, G (Reprint 2009). A Practice Guide Teaching Today. N. Thornes Forth Edition Holt, J C 1923- 1985 (revised edition) Classics in child development Knowles, M. and Swanson R. A, The Adult Learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resources Harkin, J. , Turner, G. and Dawn, T. (2001). Teaching Young Adults. London, Routledge. Rogers. C and J. H Freiberg (Third Edition) Freedom to learn