Making Uniforms Mandatory for High Schools Essay -- School Uniforms Dr

Making Uniforms Mandatory for High Schools School uniforms in high schools are becoming increasingly popular across Canada. In fact, most school boards are positive towards making uniforms mandatory. Uniforms at high schools should be mandatory. Can uniforms really make a difference in a student’s academic performance? Of course, they can. First of all, uniforms create an atmosphere of equality at school. When worn by all students, uniforms reduce the gap between the rich and the poor and therefore, promote equality. Moreover, in the absence of uniforms, the wealthier students tend to look down and shun the poorer students as it gives them a chance to flaunt their wealth. For instance, other students mock at a student who does not keep up with the latest fashion, because he/she cannot afford it. However, introduction of uniforms gets rid of this problem because all the students wear the same clothes to school and no one has a reason to mock at the poorer students. Consequently, equality and freedom are established in the schools. Reduction in economic differences, as a result of wearing uniforms, creates an environment of equality at high schools. In addition to promoting equality, uniforms also decrease the violence levels at high schools and improve discipline. School uniforms play a major role in reducing potentially dangerous altercations among students. Many unsuspecting and vulnerable students unknowingly wear gang-coloured or gang-affiliated clothes to school. Ma...

Foreshadowing in To Build a Fire :: London To Build a Fire Essays

Foreshadowing in To Build a Fire In the story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London, foreshadowing is often used. In this story foreshadowing is an effective way to build up a climax. The foreshadowing is both shown by the environment and things the characters say. An example of environmental foreshadowing was when it said, "Fifty degrees below zero stood for a bite of frost that hurt and that must be guarded against.... "Another example was when the man's "fire was blotted out." These examples show that the cold will be the man's doom, but foreshadow only by telling the necessary details. A major point of foreshadowing was what the oldtimer told the man. The oldtimer told the man that "no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below." If the man would have listened, he could have survived. Because he didn't listen; he lost his life. In conclusion, if you read this story carefully you will pick up the small hints and know the outcome of the story. This also shows that foreshadowing can be direct statements or simple statements of fact. Self Confidence Once a man's self confidence is shaken, it becomes increasingly difficult to act rationally. If you are in a life or death situation, every decision you make stacks the odds either for or against you. Once you make a few bad decisions, you realize that your chances for survival are getting slimmer and slimmer. As this fact settles into your conscious mind, it produces panic. Panic is what happens when the brain can't handle the information it is given. Panic takes over rationality, and as a result, you do and say things that are uncharacteristic of you. Panic destroys your self confidence. In Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire" the reader watches a man's mental condition go from high to devastatingly low. At the first of the story, he is very self confident in his own abilities. This is evident by the way he keeps saying the he will be in camp by six. Also, when one suddenly becomes physically handicapped, and abilities that he depends on and previously took for granted are not available to him, he tends to act very insecurely and unstably.

Sweet Choices Essay -- Business, Dairy Queen, Grandpa McCullough

I. The Beginnings of Dairy Queen The founders of Dairy Queen's famous soft serve ice cream, John Fremont 'Grandpa' McCullough and his son Alex McCullough, originally established the Homemade Ice Cream Company in 1927 in Davenport, Iowa. The father and son duo originally sold an assortment of ice cream products in and around places like Moline and Rock Island, Illinois, and Bettendorf and Davenport, Iowa, until the need to expand in the early 1930's caused the McCullough's to decide to relocate their ice cream mix plant to a former cheese factory in Green River, Illinois. The process the McCullough's used to make ice cream was difficult and complex: Butterfat, milk solids, sweetener, and stabilizer were first combined, then mixed, and finally put into a batch freezer where the combination was chilled, given a specific amount of air (technically called 'overrun'), and flavored. The product was denser and richer than most ice creams, with less overrun. When the temperature reached 23 degrees Fahrenheit, a spigot was opened in the freezer and the soft ice cream flowed into three- gallon containers. The containers were covered with lids, frozen at minus-ten degrees Fahrenheit, and delivered to customers. When an ice cream store was ready to serve the product, the ice cream was put into a dipping cabinet and the temperature increased to five degrees Fahrenheit. (IDQ 1920-40) At the time, ice cream was frozen solid to accommodate manufacturers and store owners when they transferred the ice cream from one location to another location. However, when ice cream is served at such cold temperatures, it causes consumers taste buds to become numb which, subsequently, meant that consumers could not get the full flavor of the ice... ...65 in Canada, 123 in Japan, and over 30 in eight other foreign countries. (IDQ 1970) While the addition of the Peanut Butter Parfait and the Hot Fudge Brownie Delight in the 1980's proved to be very successful, it was the Blizzard that propelled the company to the number one spot in America's treat chain industry. This unique soft serve medley, mixed with fruit, cookies, and candy, sold over 175 million units in its first year alone. (IDQ 1980-90) The company gradually continued domestic and international growth in the early 1990's. Around the U.S., stores began to open in more non-traditional areas such as airports, railroad stations, shopping malls, and even office complexes. Internationally, the company planned to open stores in Western and Eastern Europe while development was started in Thailand, Cyprus, Kuwait, Oman, Taiwan, and Indonesia. (IDQ 1980-90)

Case

It is obviously that the senior partner that I have made an appointment with already has done her ‘interviews' with different competitors who is trying to selling the similar product to the same person. The senior partner IS already done her homework between the four or five competitors, including the office machine you are trying to sell. When the senior partner asked me about why my machine is better than bran X; I simply reinstated the benefits of why my machine is better than bran X. I gave the best pitch I could to her with all of my true knowledge about the office machine and benefits that would help her.There are some â€Å"What l? ‘ scenarios that could of played out with my appointment with the prospect: 1 . Could of told the senior partner that the machine that am selling to her has this many more features, benefits, and any other small function and exaggerate its description. This would have been an unethical conflict because I am pitching false advertisement to my buyer, whether or not it is true or false. 2. Another way that I could of responded to her is to say that my machine is the best because of this and that, and flat out say a little white lie. It would have been easy to tell her a little white lie about our office machines. Could of thrown out the paper or even crumple up the paper and say that the company's marketing research of the Brand X 2000 is full of crap. That company is trying to make themselves look better than the rest, and put down their competitors, whether or not I know it was an obvious lie. If was to do any one of the three that I have just listed, that would of bee an ethical conflict. If I was to tell her little white lies, that would be another ethical conflict between the company and the prospect. Companies want to build a relationship with their potential buyers, and continue to grow the allegations.By having an employee from the company lie to their buyers would crumble the relationship, potentially ending it. This ethical conflict would not be just any ethical conflict, but a business ethical conflict. However, I believe that there is an business ethical conflict that occurred in this case. The business ethical conflict is how the company, the one company the prospect has in mind, gave her their Market Research Brand X, 2000. It violated the business ethic code. That specific business is targeting their competitors, bring their reputation down, allowing that company to shine above the rest.My response to the chart on the piece of paper was neutral and was the most professional response, despite how angry I was. Would you try to reverse your prospect's decision? Why or Why not? I would not try to reverse my prospect's decision, especially if it seems like she has a) basically made up her mind on which machine to get, but needs ensure that she listened to the different office machines and b) she did her ‘homework' on the competitors office machine. The reason why would not rever se is because if she is almost certain on which type of office machine to SE, it would be a waste of both, the prospect's and mine's time. Case Bed Bath & Beyond (B&B, vim. Featherbedding. Comb the power retailer of domestics and home furnishings, has annual sales of $7 billion and a net Income of $562 million. The firm's profitability can be explained by Its Increasing gross profit margins at the same time It decreases selling, general, and administrative (AS) expenses as a percent of sales.B Is able to Increase Its gross profit margins due o Its excellent atmosphere, wide assortments, and a deep variety within most merchandise lines. Its control over AS expenses is partly due to the outsourcing of its distribution centers to a third party. B has opened hundreds of stores over the last few years, ranging in size from 30,000 to 80,000 square feet. Because it uses a flexible real-estate strategy, B is able to situate in a variety of locations. B is now also being allowed into large shopping centers. In the past, department store anchor tenants blocked B.In 2004, B had about 630 stores with a total of 20. Million square feet o f store space. By the end of 2008, these numbers had expanded to nearly 1,000 stores with 31 million square feet of store space. Its long-term goal is to operate 1,300 stores. In addition, B plans to remodel and expand many existing stores. In 2003, B purchased Christmas Tree Shops (www. Chromatography's. Com), a chain of stores specializing in software and household items. Although the Christmas Tree Shops' name suggests that it concentrates on Christmas merchandise, the chain Is positioned against Pier 1 (win. . Piper . Com). In March 2007, 88&8 acquired buybuyBABY (www. buybuybaby. Com), a retailer specializing in infant and toddler merchandise. In December 2007, B opened Its first foreign 88&8 store In Ontario, Canada. In May 2008, B purchased a 50 percent equity Interest In Home & More, a Mexican home goods retailer that operated two stores In Mexico City. B management (as well as many retail analysts) attributes the chain's strong sales performance to Its superior customer ser vice. B&B Is obsessive about Its consumers receiving a consistently high level of customer service.For example, one cent shopper at a suburban Long Island store reported that a sales clerk was highly attentive: When the shopper asked the clerk where she could find a set of dishes listed on a bridal registry, the clerk immediately dropped what she was doing. The clerk then located the dishes and stood by the shopper as she decided whether to purchase the set and even had the dishes brought to a nearby checkout so that the the checkout to facilitate the transaction. In 2008, B&B was tied for second place in an annual study of the top â€Å"20 Most Competitive Retailers† in the United States.The study, conducted by Capering win. Capering. Com) and W Ratings Corporation (handwritings. Com), measured the ability of retailers to beat consumer expectations and deliver superior profitability. Each firm's rankings were based on its profits over the prior five years and the responses f rom a sample of 6,000 consumers. Questions 1. Explain how Bed Bath & Beyond practices the retailing concept. 2. Evaluate Bed Bath & Beyond growth plans. 3. How can Bed Bath & Beyond further increase the overall quality of its customer service? 4. Explain the concept of value from the perspective oaf Bed Bath & Beyond customer. Case Research on the history of Jet Blue (operational and performance highlights/ lowlights/milestones from 2000 to present) a. Identify the â€Å"strategic service vision† of Jet Blue, I. E. , target market, service concept, operating strategy, and service delivery system. Did their operating strategy and delivery system support the needs of their target market? B. From the research facts, did the owners/management of Jet Blue strictly adhere to their strategic service vision? Cite specific instances in their history to support your answer. C. How did Jet Blue achieve competitive advantage?What nominative service strategy did they use? Explain thoroughly. 2. What are the indicators used to measure quality and satisfaction in the airline industry? How did Jet Blue perform in terms of airline quality and satisfaction ratings through the years relative to Southwest and Air Train Airways? 3. How did Jet Blue perform on important airline metrics such as â€Å"cost per available seat m ile† relative to its competitors? 4. What do you mean by block time or block hours? A. How did Jet Blue and Its pilots perform on this productively metric relative to competitors? B. Given the figures and the facts, what do you think contributed to JetBlue's emotionally of productivity? C. Discuss the technology tool called â€Å"operational recovery system† that Jet Blue uses. How did this tool help Jet Blue achieve aircraft productivity? 5. Identify Jet Blue's service qualifiers, service winners and service losers. 6. Compare the routes flown by Jet Blue and Southwest. How did the choice of routes flown by these two airlines contribute to their success in the industry? Now that Southwest has entered the Boston route, what should Jet Blue's strategy be in order to retain its customers in that area? Lessons: 1. Crawls management preparedness Is a must! Service recovery can be viewed as a means to establish a loyal customer base. Case 4 By Clark Dustin-Young lowlights/mi lestones from 2000 to present) a. Identify the â€Å"strategic service vision† of Jet Blue, I. E. , target market, service concept, operating strategy, and service delivery a. How did Jet Blue and its pilots perform on this productivity metric relative to competitors? B. Given the figures and the facts, what do you think contributed to Jet Blue's minimization of productivity? C. Discuss the technology tool called â€Å"operational 1. Crisis management preparedness is a must! Case Bed Bath & Beyond (B&B, vim. Featherbedding. Comb the power retailer of domestics and home furnishings, has annual sales of $7 billion and a net Income of $562 million. The firm's profitability can be explained by Its Increasing gross profit margins at the same time It decreases selling, general, and administrative (AS) expenses as a percent of sales.B Is able to Increase Its gross profit margins due o Its excellent atmosphere, wide assortments, and a deep variety within most merchandise lines. Its control over AS expenses is partly due to the outsourcing of its distribution centers to a third party. B has opened hundreds of stores over the last few years, ranging in size from 30,000 to 80,000 square feet. Because it uses a flexible real-estate strategy, B is able to situate in a variety of locations. B is now also being allowed into large shopping centers. In the past, department store anchor tenants blocked B.In 2004, B had about 630 stores with a total of 20. Million square feet o f store space. By the end of 2008, these numbers had expanded to nearly 1,000 stores with 31 million square feet of store space. Its long-term goal is to operate 1,300 stores. In addition, B plans to remodel and expand many existing stores. In 2003, B purchased Christmas Tree Shops (www. Chromatography's. Com), a chain of stores specializing in software and household items. Although the Christmas Tree Shops' name suggests that it concentrates on Christmas merchandise, the chain Is positioned against Pier 1 (win. . Piper . Com). In March 2007, 88&8 acquired buybuyBABY (www. buybuybaby. Com), a retailer specializing in infant and toddler merchandise. In December 2007, B opened Its first foreign 88&8 store In Ontario, Canada. In May 2008, B purchased a 50 percent equity Interest In Home & More, a Mexican home goods retailer that operated two stores In Mexico City. B management (as well as many retail analysts) attributes the chain's strong sales performance to Its superior customer ser vice. B&B Is obsessive about Its consumers receiving a consistently high level of customer service.For example, one cent shopper at a suburban Long Island store reported that a sales clerk was highly attentive: When the shopper asked the clerk where she could find a set of dishes listed on a bridal registry, the clerk immediately dropped what she was doing. The clerk then located the dishes and stood by the shopper as she decided whether to purchase the set and even had the dishes brought to a nearby checkout so that the the checkout to facilitate the transaction. In 2008, B&B was tied for second place in an annual study of the top â€Å"20 Most Competitive Retailers† in the United States.The study, conducted by Capering win. Capering. Com) and W Ratings Corporation (handwritings. Com), measured the ability of retailers to beat consumer expectations and deliver superior profitability. Each firm's rankings were based on its profits over the prior five years and the responses f rom a sample of 6,000 consumers. Questions 1. Explain how Bed Bath & Beyond practices the retailing concept. 2. Evaluate Bed Bath & Beyond growth plans. 3. How can Bed Bath & Beyond further increase the overall quality of its customer service? 4. Explain the concept of value from the perspective oaf Bed Bath & Beyond customer.

Man’s True Nature Essay

In Hsun Tzu’s, â€Å"Man’s Nature is Evil† the author explains why the human characteristics are wicked. The author uses basic illustrations of people’s jealousy and envy to prove that human nature is truly evil. Tzu’s essay proves through many examples that man’s nature is evil, and that everything that is considered good comes from people that go against their â€Å"evil nature† to make the concept of morality. Hsun Tzu’s â€Å"Man’s Nature is Evil† is a great analysis of human nature to suppose that in fact, man’s nature is truly evil. The writer uses metaphors and history of human kind to support his reasoning. This paper will analyze Tzu’s essay and propose with supporting facts that man’s nature is justifiably evil. Hsun Tzu enlightens the reader with evidence to establish that man’s nature is evil. Tzu explains how human kind is full of jealousy and rooted with sin. Hsun says man, â€Å"†¦is born with a fondness for profit.† He also says man is born with feelings of jealousy and hate. If man indulges in these, it will lead up to violence and crime. This is a prime example that man is born evil because signs of jealously and envy are stained in the most raw form of human kind. A prime example of this is how man is competitive. He struggles to do better than his fellow human. People try to get better jobs, nicer houses, bigger cars, and the scariest thing now is that they perform surgery to enhance their physical appeal. People of all ages are always jealous of someone else, regardless if they have money, good looks, or fame. These feelings are the root to evil and sin. Tzu continues his influence by speaking on how one must be taught the â€Å"rules† society sets forth so that they don’t become a criminal. If man were truly a good creature, would he even need rules to follow? Or would we need some form of society to place these rules? It is obvious by Tzu’s terms that if we have to ask these questions then man’s roots are questionable as well. He also implies that the only reason we have these â€Å"set of laws† is because a person was thinking outside of their nature. Tzu refers to these â€Å"conscious thinkers† as the Sages of society. Tzu continues by saying that good only comes from conscious activity, therefore asserting man’s nature as sinful and evil. Another way to think of this is using children as an example of human nature. Kids are taught how to behave and act by their parents. If nobody taught these children how to act, they would just act off of their instinct and nature. When kids are with their parents at grocery stores, they just grab what they want without knowing the consequences of stealing. Parents teach morals and instill ethics in the adolescent youth. Children don’t know any better about stealing and sharing until they are taught that. This proves that humans in their juvenile state (children) are selfish and only think for themselves. The only way that they â€Å"learn† how to be good is to be taught. This is the point Tzu was trying to reach. Mothers and fathers discipline their children and tell them to be â€Å"good†. Kids act off of impulse and natural feelings. If their natural feelings aren’t to be good, they must be the latter. This clearly suggests that man’s evil nature. In â€Å"Man’s Nature is Evil†, Hsun Tzu effectively criticizes his detractor, Mencius, who believes man’s nature is good. Arguing Tzu’s point, Mencius states â€Å"man is capable of learning because his nature is good.† Tzu criticizes Mencius for not knowing the difference between basic nature and conscious activity. Basic nature is how someone would react without having been taught how to approach a situation. Hsun’s main argument against Mencius is that he doesn’t understand the concept of basic nature and consciousness. Conscious activity is applying what you have been taught. This is the theme of Tzu’s belief that man is taught to be good and originally evil in nature. Continuing this theme, Tzu explains conscious activity by explaining the work of a carpenter is not his nature; it is in fact conscious activity. This is an effective analogy because it suggests that a carpenter must be taught his trade, it is not his basic nature. Man doesn’t know specific rules without being taught them. The Sages who think consciously are the basis of our rules. A basketball player wouldn’t know how to dribble a ball unless he was taught how. A man who knows nothing about the game, wouldn’t even know were to start from. Tzu applies this to humans’ nature in general. Suggesting that man is not good in nature, and that good is the product of conscious activity is the authors’ main point. Tzu states that, â€Å"Every man that desires to do good does so precisely because his nature is evil.† The authors’ evidence for this is the idea how a poor man strives to be rich or an ugly man longs to be beautiful. People want things that they don’t already have. This is incorporated in our society. This is the idea of popularity and stature. If subject A has something subject B doesn’t, it is in subject B’s nature to strive to acquire it. Tzu states this thought of striving to be good as an evil nature. Man isn’t born with â€Å"ritual principles†. Tzu explains life without â€Å"ritual principles† as â€Å"†¦chaotic and full of irresponsibility†. Therefore it proves Tzu’s theory of not being good in nature and we acquire it from conscious activity. The author compares warped wood to the core roots of mans evil and twisted nature. As with a warped board, it must be straightened by a straightening board and steamed and forced into shape. The writer uses this as a metaphor to compare an evil man to the warped board, and the sage kings were the straightening mechanism to conform the individual. This goes back to the idea that man is bad or evil in nature. Man is taught or forced to conform to societies rules. If these rules were not in place, man would go back to his origin of evilness. Tzu ends his argument with an appropriate analogy: â€Å"A person with two feet is theoretically capable of walking to every corner of the earth, although in fact no one has ever found it possible to do so.† Walking the earth suggests that we are all capable of acting good due to our conscious activity, but not every man will attempt to change their basic instincts. This is due to man acting only on nature. Tzu implies that if one was to think consciously, they would be acting righteously and not evil. This is the only basic problem in his arguments. But it is easily countered by looking at the foundation of humans in general. If mans nature was good, wouldn’t there be more sages compared to the rest of the population? Throughout Tzu’s essay â€Å"Man’s Nature is Evil†, the writer gives details why  the human is rooted to evil. The author, Tzu, employs fundamental instances of people’s jealousy and envy to confirm that human nature is beyond doubt evil. Tzu’s paper proves through many examples that man’s nature is evil, and that everything that is measured good comes from the small group of conscious thinkers that go against their â€Å"evil nature† to make the idea of morality. Hsun Tzu’s, â€Å"Man’s Nature is Evil†, is a excellent investigation of human nature to prove that in fact, man’s nature is justly evil. The author uses metaphors and facts of the human class to hold up his way of thinking. So ultimately man’s nature is indeed evil.

Assess Sociological Explanations of Changes in the Status of Childhood

Childhood is socially construted, this means it is only a human concept and the only reason that ‘childhood' exists is because society makes it that way. Over time childhood has changed as different norms and values over each century of life have been different and is still changing at present. Also in different places of the world there are different cultures and ethics so therefore their veiw of childhood will also be different. As Wagg (1992) states ‘Childhood is socially constructed.It is, in other words, what members of particular societies, at particular times, and in particular places, say it is. There is no single universal childhood, experienced by all. So, childhood isnt â€Å"natural† and should be distinguished from mere biological immaturity. ’ However childhood has not always been controlled like this as in pre-industrial times Aries (1960) argues that ‘the idea of childhood did not exist’ Soon after being weaned, the child entered wider society on much the same terms as an adult.However childhood has changed over time and as it says in Item A ‘The development of industrial society meant that children’s life’s were increasingly confined, disciplined, and regulated by adults’. In historical times law often made no distinction between children and adults and as Shorter (1975) argues that high death rates encouraged indifference and neglect, especially towards infants. Childhood is much different now as although neglect is still present, there are laws imposed to protect children, such as the 1989 Child Protection Act.The March Of Progress view would agree that childhood is better now than it was due to laws like this. According to sociologist Aries childhood gradually began to emerge from the 13th century onwards, as schools specialized more in teaching the young since the Compulsory Schooling Act 1880 was imposed leading children to become more educated as adults. This was thought to be the influence of the church as they started to see children as fragile ‘creatures of god’ in need of protection. Children’s clothing also began to change, as before there was no distinction between adults and children.However some sociologists have criticized Aries for arguing childhood did not exist in the past. Pollock (1983) for example argues that society in the middle ages simply had a different notion of childhood from todays. The ‘March Of Progress’ view argues that today children in western societies has been steadily improving and today it is better than it has ever been. Aries and Shorter both hold this view as they argue today’s children are more valued, better cared for, protected, educated, enjoy better health, and have more rights than those of previous generations.Due to this more ‘child centered’ society there are higher living standards and smaller family sizes which gives governments more money to offer free health care. However ‘The Conflict View’ with sociologists such as the Marxists and Feminists dispute this. They argue that society is based on a conflict between different social groups, such as social classes or genders. This view would see inequalities among children, as they still remain unprotected and badly cared for.Gender and ethnic differences may also occur as for example boys are generally allowed more freedom than girls, and also from Brannen’s (1994) study of 16-16 year olds found that Asian parents were more likely than other parents to be strict towards their daughters. There are also many class inequalities between children as according to Woodroffe (1993) children of unskilled manual workers are over three times more likely to suffer from hyperactivity and four times more likely to experience conduct disorders than the children of professionals.There are also major inequalities of power between children and adults. March of Progress writers argue that adults use this power for the benefit and protection of children, for example by passing laws against child labor. However, critics such as Firestone (1979) and Holt (1974) argue that this is an excuse for new forms of oppression and control. Neglect and abuse towards children still occurs in society today as it did in pre-industrial times. Adult control over children can take the extreme form of physical neglect, or physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.Some may say due to figures from charities such as Child Line rising there is a ‘dark side’ to family life, where children are victims. This shows in some cases the status of children hasn’t changed over time. Childhood has changed more in other ways such as parents have more control over children’s space as there is increasingly close surveillance over children in public spaces such as shopping centre’s, especially in times when they should be in school.However in contrast to this Katz (1993) describes how rural Sudanese children roam freely both within the village and several kilometers outside it. This shows that changes can still occur but not in some places of the world. Adults in today’s society also can control children’s daily routines, for example when they get up, go to bed, have breakfast, etc. Whereas in historical times this wouldn’t have been an issue. Adults exercise enormous control over children’s bodies including how they sit, walk, and run, what they wear, hairstyles etc. hereas in some non-industrial cultures this may not be an issue, and therefore giving children more freedom. Some sociologists such as Postman (1994) argue that childhood is ‘disappearing at a dazzling speed’ as he says by giving children the same rights as adults, the disappearance of children’s traditional unsupervised games, the growing similarity of adults and children’s clothing and even committing adult crimes lies in the ris e and fall of print culture and its replacement by television culture.This is evident as unlike the printed word, television does not require special skills to access it, and therefore make it available to everyone, including children and this also shows in Item A as it says ‘childhood and adulthood is once again becoming blurred’. Unlike Postman, Opie (1993) argues that childhood is not disappearing, based on a lifetime of research she argues there is strong evidence of the continued existence of a separate children’s culture over many years.Child liberationists argue that modern western childhood is oppressive and children today are subject to adult authority. Western notions are also being globalised, as international humanitarianism and welfare agencies have exported and imposed on the rest of the world. In this view childhood is not disappearing, but spreading throughout the world. Overall, there has been many changes in childhood and children’s statu s over the years, and is different in all parts of the world due to ethics and culture. Many sociologists have different viewpoints about childhood as a life stage.

Education-Benchmark Assessment Essay

Several theories explain the concept of Early Childhood Education (ECE). Deiner (2013) describes that all of them share the same opinion that an early childhood educator is extremely essential in the development of a child’s intellectual and educational abilities. It is also commonly agreeable among the theories that the early childhood education can have a great impact in the life of an individual since education is progressive, and each stage leads to a higher one. However, there are some contradictions in the theories, which regard to some aspects of ECE. For instance, some studies feel that the intellectual development depends on the genes of the child as acquired from the parents. Other studies hold a different opinion, that the environment plays a great role in ECE. Some assert that both the environment and the biological play a great role in early childhood development. This study is based on the fact that the educator is part of the environment in which the child is subjected to, and all children can learn. The educator has several roles that make them have a great impact on a child. An early childhood educator has the responsibility to ensure that a child gains as much knowledge as possible depending on the level of the child, where the level is to a large extent determined by the age of the child. A child spends most of the waking time with the educator. There are differences presented by the various personalities of children. As a result, each child should be treated differently from the other by the educator. As a result, the educator needs to have sufficient knowledge on how to  understand each child, so that each child gains maximally. The educator defines the environment in which a child lives in school. It is agreeable that children have some common interests. For instance, most studies point out that using objects in educating children in grade three or lower can have on enhancing their knowledge by having them relate to things they frequently use. This means that the environment needs to have various objects and pictorial presentations for more effective learning. There are other considerations that the educator needs to be aware of, such as ensuring that the relationship among students themselves and between the educator and children is supportive to the education to be acquired. An early childhood educator deals with children who might not be much exposed, and they are open to what they are learn. It is clear from this essential role of educators that they should be having some personal characteristics. Grotewell & Burton (2008) explains that one of them is that the educator should be role model to the children. In addition, the educator should maintain a healthy lifestyle since children are much vulnerable to communicable illnesses. The use of clear communication is also relevant, not only to convey information to the children, but also because it can affect the children’s communication skills as well. Moreover, the educator needs to work closely with the children, their parents and the fellow educators so that they can learn more about each child. This means that sometimes they are involved in settling conflicts between the children and families. The role as the professional in the teaching and learning of children is achieved through several ways. One of them is by the educators developing and implementing programs that are designed to meet the children’s physical, intellectual, social, emotional, developmental and cultural needs and interests. The programs are basically considerate on a play environment. The programs also consider the age of the children. The educator can improvise some of the equipment that can be needed by the children. Secondly, the role can be attained by building the children’s interpersonal and social skills. Positive self-concept can also be achieved by having the educator  establishing positive guidelines that let the children to feel comfortable, safe and secure. Third, as aforementioned, constant communication with the other stakeholders in ECE, mostly the parents, should be considered. Forth, activities that actively involve the children ensure that the children gain maximally. Such activities could include outdoor play, various play experiences, snacks and meals as well as field trips (Deiner, 2013). The child educator also plays a role as an advocate on behalf of children. The educator is expected to understand children in general. Sometimes, children can be presented by challenges that they cannot easily express verbally to the relevant authorities. This means that they can suffer silently over issues such as domestic violence, bullying and lack of basic commodities. The educator has sufficient knowledge to realize a child who is having some pressing issues. Some children can gain the confidence and trust to open up to the educator, virtues that the educator should possess. The educator could as a result gain information that could not be realized by the parents and other people close to the children. Bhavya (2007) feels that children might not be sure on how to approach these issues. Some may be living in fear of exposing how they feel. However, the educator is in a better position to assist. For instance, the educator can ensure that the bullies in the educational institution are warned against it in the best way possible. The educator can be aware on how they can assist when cases of violence where a child is a direct or indirect victim are presented, such as involving lawful measures as well as talking with the parents and guardians of the children. Children whose parents cannot sufficiently offer basic needs can have their needs sought from other sources. Therefore, the educator represents the children in cases where the child might be unable to express themselves. Educators should work with the mentality that all children can learn. Learning involves various aspects of gaining knowledge, and not exclusive to study of books. It involves interpersonal and communication skills. Children are also expected to learn values that are generally acceptable in the society. Each child consequently needs to learn. In addition, each child has  the capability to learn. Although there can be variances in the capabilities, children are able to continually gain knowledge on the aspects noted. The educator should understand how much each child can contain. Moreover, it is relevant to know exactly what a child needs in order to learn. For instance, some children could require frequent reminders and assignments so that they can understand some concepts (Grotewell & Burton, 2008). As the different aspects of learning are concerned, there needs to be various assessments to test the success of each. Apart from the writing and reading skills, tests such as etiquette, posture and arts can be conducted regularly. Although the tests might not be recordable, an educator who clearly understands each of the students can clearly tell whether there is progress in the development of a child. The assessment practices should ensure that the children gain from the basics to the complex contents so that all children can learn (Bhavya, 2007). Technology currently plays a role in the education to young children. Educators are increasingly using technology due to the several benefits it has in enhancing gaining of knowledge among them. There are equipments that have been developed with an aim to create fun as children learn. For instance, counting machines are attractive to the children, and they can enjoy using it. The technologically developed equipments are also safe and easy to use. This means that the children can learn some things on their own after being guided by the educator. Some technology can be used in displaying information that could not be better displayed in any other means. Photos that are presented in screens can be relevant in showing children objects that can help them to learn. Technology also reduces costs in teaching children. For instance, a trip to view some objects in far places can be avoided by having the objects displayed. Therefore, technology is significant in teaching children (Morgan, 2011). The environment is crucial in the teaching and learning among children  between birth and grade three. It affects the emotional, intellectual, psychological and physical aspects of a child. The environment concerns several things, but most importantly the people who interact with the children. The environment should support learning, and it could contain learning inhibiting factors, or can contain motivating ones. If the environment does not support learning, the child cannot concentrate. Children are much likely to put more focus on issues that constantly happen to them. For instance, if they are being physically or emotionally abused, they cannot gain much in the learning process (Morgan, 2011). Children are much motivated by some aspects in the environment. One of them is the availability of ample playing space. Since the children gain a lot when playing, space and equipment provided by the environment can enhance their learning greatly. The environment can also be motivating by just being safe for the children. Therefore, the environment is crucial in the learning of children. References Bhavya, M. S. (2007). _Early childhood education_. Delhi [India: Kalpaz Publications. Deiner, P. L. (2013). _Inclusive early childhood education: Development, resources, practice_. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Grotewell, P. G., & Burton, Y. R. (2008). _Early childhood education: Issues and developments_. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Morgan, H. (2011). _Early childhood education: History, theory, and practice_. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield.