lesson plan for race class :: essays research papers

1. Course Description: Study of historical and contemporary race relations. We will Study how racism was created and how it is still present in society today. Examine how modern racism is in a way masked through language and actions. Course Objectives: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Show how racism effects the community as a whole not just certain groups. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Study past problems and show what affects it still has on today’s society. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Identify the different forms of prejudice. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Show how people unconsciously through language seem to justify racism 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Identify how racism began and possible solutions. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recognize the problem with categorizing by race. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Explore explanations for discrimination and inequality Course format: The class will meet once a week for 2 hours. The class will consist of lecture, discussion, group work, movies, and a fieldtrip. Course Outline: Week 1: Introduction to the course. Discuss expectations and fears of the course. Prejudice vs. Discrimination. Talk about how prejudice is learned and perpetuated. Week 2: How is race defined? Is race determined socially or biologically, or both? Talk about good and bad things associated with black and white. Week 3: Show â€Å"Racism 101†. Discuss how people change slower than institutions. Has the concept of â€Å"race† changed over time? Week 4: Talk about language, present clips from TV shows or movies that show how people can unconsciously justify racism through language. Week 5: Talk about prejudices against multiracial people. How do they fit in? What problems do they face? Week 6: Show â€Å" The Autobiography of Malcolm X.† Week 7: Finish watching â€Å"The Autobiography of Malcolm X† and discuss different opinions of his work and what he did to fight racism and discrimination. Agree or disagree with him? Week 8: Show â€Å"Cry Freedom† start to discuss how Steve Biko was different from Malcolm and compare and contrast their fights against oppression. Discuss how it effected the whole country. Week 9: Finish â€Å"Cry Freedom† discuss the hardships that Donald Woods and his family had to go through just to try and educate people about what was going on in South Africa. Week 10: Take fieldtrip to the Underground Railroad Museum, write a reflection paper. How have things changed and what things still remain today? Week 10: Discuss racism in the past. Jim Crow Laws, Different Rulings in the Supreme Court that led to the end of segregation. The â€Å"Little Rock Nine† Week 11: Show â€Å"4 Little Girls† – video about a racially motivated bombing of a black Baptist church in 1963 that takes the lives of four young girls.

Leadership Interview Essay

Leaders-like can be found everywhere but effective leaders are going extinction. Yes, in this world, where people are able to express their own ideas, anyone can be chosen as a leader because he or she possesses a certain characteristics that resembles a leader – outspoken, intelligent, or the ability to express ideas in a single sentence (Ricketts, 2009). However, the leader characteristics are not always an assurance of becoming an effective leader. As according to IAAP (2009), effective leadership is the key to success of organizations. Effective leader are somewhat hard to classify in terms of characteristics – but one thing is for sure, he /she is able to lead the group without imposing authority among members. In simple terms, effective leaders are those people who are seen working just like an ordinary member of the groups but the outcome or output of the group is highly commendable. This is because, he works hand in hand with his people and the atmosphere when e verybody’s working is as cool as ice. Works or jobs are growing freely with the flow, without noticing that they have already solved the problem together. Being able to lead people is leadership – by definition, Leadership is simply being able to influence other people in a positive way, and inspire subordinates to work hard for success of the organization (IAAP, 2009). Having this thought in mind about leaders and leadership, the first person that came into my mind as a potential to be interviewed for this assignment is one of our dear family friend, Mr. Karl Fuentes. Mr. Fuentes is of Filipino-descend but is living in the United States for quite some time. He is the manager of one of the McDonalds Store in Modesto California. McDonalds is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, U.S. It is one of the largest fast food chains in the world and started its operation in 1940, and it is currently present in over 120 countries worldwide serving billions of consumer a day (Yahoo Finance, 2012). He started as a part time service crew for the store and after few years of working since he was already working full time, he got promoted as a manager of the branch. Mr. Fuentes, now 23 is still a student at California State University and he became a manager at the age of 19. According to him, he did not expect to be promoted as a manager because he is only an immigrant. However, since God was on his side and good luck was born with him, he accepted the promotion without having second thought. According to him, the responsibilities of a service crew and a manager are can be compared to David and Goliath – little and huge. As a service crew, your responsibilities was only to serve the food to the customer’s table, clean the store such as wiping the table and mop the floor; and sometimes, immediate person to handle customer complaints – simple and linear. However, according to Mr. Fuentes, when he became the manager, responsibilities did overwhelm him and shaken his confidence. You are the one responsible for the whole store, from inventory to management functions, to handling customer complaints and even monitoring and hitting sales quotas. You also need to assure the quality of the food, the cleanliness of the whole store as well as the marketing side of the store. All of that, you need to manage, monitor and maintain. Personally, I already have known the concepts or theories behind the responsibilities of a manager, but seeing the facial and bodily expression of Mr. Fuentes, I came to realize that it really isn’t easy. There are a lot of sacrifices you need to do to cope with the duties and responsibilities of being a manager or as the leader in the store. Well, before going deeper into personal experiences of Mr. Fuentes, I asked his opinion on the word â€Å"Leader†. In the back of my mind, I was thinking actually that he will go into deep explanation like theories from books, or any other materials. I didn’t expect that his answers will be â€Å"A leader should be a good follower and an active listener†. This sentence is extremely a clichà ©, but after he expounds his answer, like a leader should need to follow rules so his subordinate should follow him as well, I came to realize that a clichà © will never be a clichà © if it’s not true, or if it has not worked for many. Another question that pops out my mind after hearing his answer was also a clichà © question – A leader is born or made? As expected, the answer was also a clichà © – â€Å"it can be both† depending on the reference point. It can also be due to some luck, which made both of us laugh. Yes. It is true. I had also t his opportunity to ask him if how would he differentiated a leader from others and if he believes that certain characteristics are needed to become a leader. According to him, a leader is someone who is willing to listen to other’s opinion and but is actively participating on the tasks, discussion or problem solving. From the expert’s point of view, there is no specific characteristic that is required in order to be named as leader – it’s just being true to you and being able to discern what’s good or bad for your people and company. What I enjoyed in the whole part of interview was when he revealed the challenges he had undergone as a leader and the strategy he used to overcome such challenge. As according to him, in every level of the organization, there is always a challenge. It just so happened that the challenges passed on managers or leaders are really big as compared to low level employees. When he told me his toughest challenge so far – which is to maintain the legacy of the store he is managing, and his strategy – engaging everyone in idea generation, planning and implementation ha s inspired me and I have seen his sincere as well as passionate side as a leader. Though it was simple, his effective leadership has made the big difference. When asked regarding his approached on leadership and management of his branch, he just can’t utter an appropriate word to describe his style. According to him, it was actually combination of different styles, but he personally set the goal to become a charismatic-visionary leader while being a leader by objectives. By definition, a charismatic-visionary leader is someone that influences his people though a single vision (Goleman, Daniel, 2000, p-82-83) and the style is basically engaging the people to work with him. Leadership or management by objective is somehow similar to visionary only that the style is more directed to betterment of the people, fulfilling the pre-assigned objectives as well as coaching people in the workplace (Goleman, Daniel, 2000, p-82-83). Having said that, I suddenly remembered a scenario where in we had a dinner together few years back and someone asked him if who was his inspiration as a person, then he said, â€Å"Nelson Mandela†. Indeed, w hen I asked him if who was his inspiration as a leader, he named the same person. According to him, Nelson Mandela is one of the best examples of a charismatic-visionary leader as he was able to move people by one Vision, which is to help the country to move forward, lessening the poverty and eliminating racism. Such attitude and vision like giving your whole self to save the country have inspired a lot of people and has led him to be the first South African leader to be elected via a democratic election (The Nobel Foundation, 1993). By then, there are a lot of things running on my mind just by observing him, listening to his intelligent answers, jokes, and his non-verbal actions. Before the start of the interview, my connotation of a leader is always serious, task oriented with stern appearance and the like, however, while doing the interview, I came to realize that my connotation before was â€Å"very bookish† as they say. Leaders are still human and are able to laugh, joke around and sometimes, act childish. Indeed, I was partly wrong back then. Being inspired by the answers of Mr. Fuentes to my simple questions, I did not pass the chance to ask for some advice on how to be an effective leader. His advice was, just be you, lead by example, know how to listen to your members and of course, respect other’s opinion. As time goes by, the interview also went on, and I must say that I really learned a lot from him. I came to realize that a leader has this charisma that when he speaks, you are drive to listen to whatever it is. It was like being mesmerized to what he has achieved in life and at the same time, I was inspired to be somehow like him. The overview interview went smoothly as expected and also filled with humour, which did contribute to my learning subconsciously. I truly learned a lot from the leadership interview and I gained knowledge not only on textbook but from the expert himself which is a very overwhelming experience in my part. I must say that learning from the textbook and articles about leadership is re ally not enough. Books, and other printed sources will only help you understand the concept of leadership especially on the theory part, but it leaves you the thinking or imagine what a leader would really be like. Therefore, the formulation of a leader image depends on the use of words written and dependent on the person’s creative imagination. We should keep in mind that there is no perfect person, and since our backgrounds are diverse, we might interpret a single word differently, thus, our connotation of the word leader, leadership and management also varies. Though they mind be the basis for some, readings, textbooks and articles are only a guide in defining the concept of leader, leadership and management, also, since it is based on majority or most leaders really posses this attitude, it may then become a standard qualification for the concept. However, we must keep in mind that each leader or person is exposed to different stimuli and reacts differently under certain circumstances, therefore, in order to know the traits of a leader, it is better to consult a leader itself and witness with your own eyes the qualities that he/she possess as a leader. Thus, this experience of being able to interview a true leader in his field or designation, made me witness the real persona of a leader – the way he act, the coolness when he answers the questions and the substance of every word that came out in his mind. References: * Goleman, Daniel,. (March-April 2000). Leadership that Gets Results. Harvard Business Review, p. 82-83. * IAAP. (April 28, 2009). Leadership Theories and Styles. 2009 Administrative Professionals Week, 1-5. * McDonald’s. (2010-2013). McDonald’s: Our History. Retrieved from mcdonalds.com: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/our_story/our_history.html * The Nobel Foundation. (1993). Nelson Mandela – Biography. Retrieved from Nobelprize.org: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/mandela-bio.html * Ricketts, K. G. (2009). Leadership vs. Management. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. Interview Questions and Answers: 1. Please introduce you, current job and position. I’m Karl Fuentes and I am a manager of one of the McDonalds branch in Modesto California. 2. What are your lines of responsibilities in the company? I started as a service crew at the restaurant, and got promoted as a manager few years ago. My lines of responsibilities from a service crew and as a manager are really different. Working as a service crew, I just need to get the order from the kitchen, and then deliver it to the customer, clean the table and the place. As simple as it sound, isn’t it? However, now being a manager, my responsibilities have become bigger which does not only concerns you but the whole branch as well from employees performance, to sales, to inventories, customer complaints, and a lot more. As a manager, you need to coordinate all the functions which really need a lot of effort. 3. In your own opinion, what is a leader? For me, as a leader, you also need to be a good follower. You need to follow rules and regulations set by the company and act in accordance to that rules. A leader also needs to be a good listener. A leader needs to listen to his subordinates not only to resolve the problems or glitches right away based on fair judgment and also to solicit opinion from them. Through listening to subordinates or people around you, you will learn a lot like from their own experiences and stuffs like that. Thus, in order to understand each and every one, you need to listen to them first. 4. What’s your stand on this issue, â€Å"A leader is Born or Made†? Wow. What a clichà © question. Well, I’ve came across this question often times even when I was in school. My personal opinion for that point is actually, it can be both. There are leaders in our society who were born as leaders – meaning, the leader lineage in their family is very evident. In simple sense, being leaderâ₠¬â„¢s runs in their blood. However, there are also leaders in our society or even in school that were just made as leader. The reason also varies from person to person. It may be influenced by their peers, level of education, innate passion or just luck. Let me give you an example, Mark Zuckerburg is the CEO of Apple right? What is his status before becoming a leader of a multi-billion company? Isn’t it that he was just an a weirdo student at Harvard who often locked in his room, go to classes, drinks beer with his friends and the like? He’s just a typical Harvard Student. Who would have thought that he will be a well-known CEO in the future? In my opinion he is one of the examples of people who have become leader by luck. Though he is really an intelligent guy, his intelligence isn’t enough to achieve the stop where he is now. In my opinion, it was actually out of luck that the website he developed became a hit. 5. How would you differentiate a leader from a bystander, a follower, an initiator or an outspoken person? Leader is someone who listens, take part or participate in a forum, discussion and the like. Bystanders are people who always on the side, though they are physically present, they themselves are mentally absent. Followers are those people who always follow someone without complain. Initiators are the ones who initiate the thought but are unable to finish it. Outspoken are those people who are just talking endlessly without considering others opinion. 6. From your own experience, what are the challenges of being a leader? Are there also opportunities of being a leader what are those? Being a leader is no joke. You need to think less of yourself and think more of others. In our store, it’s inevitable that there are always conflicts between subordinates, shortage in inventory, deficit in sales and a lot of customer complaints. As the manager of the store, you are expected to face these challenges and solve it in any means. What I did was, to hear each side of the coin and plan the action. Planning comes first as it directs the implementation to a clear and single line. A leader does not always face negative circumstances, sometimes; it allows you to discover other things that you yourself cannot imagine that you can do it. If you are a leader, you have subordinates, thus, tasks assigned will be done faster because there are a lot of brains working. You can also express yourself well as you do a lot of coordination, talking and mediating. Leaders really offer a lot of opportunities for a person. 7. In your own experience, what was the most difficult obstacle or challenges you have faced as a leader ad how you were able to resolve it? In all McDonalds store, there is actually that competition every year ends on being the â€Å"Most Outstanding Store† in the area. Before my team, our store was always the winner. During my leadership, there are actually lots of hardship that the store had undergone including fiscal crisis, lots of worker lay-offs, and others which have threaten the sale of the store. It was November then when I and my team realized that we might fall short on the qualification criteria since our sales is not peaking up. As a leader, what I did was, after shift, I gathered my team and discussed possible turn-around strategy that we could do for the store to spike up the sales. I solicited opinions from each of my members and they all contributed their own ideas. After hearing each opinion, we have grouped alike opinions into one category and categorized it according to objectives. Then, each of us chose the best idea and the idea that gathered most of the votes were the one implemented. Luckily, the promotion or strategy that we have implemented did really help us to qualify for the award and later on, won the award. So I guess the best strategy that I did as a leader was soli citing ideas from my members and make them feel that they are part of the company, so, we need to go hand in hand to solve the problem. 8. Are there any special traits, abilities or knowledge that a person should possess in order to become a leader? I don’t think there is. Everyone can be a leader in their own ways. 9. Personally, what are your Philosophies towards leadership and management? Basically, I don’t really have those Philosophies when it comes to leadership and management topic. I just do what I think and my members are right as long as it will be beneficial for the store. 10. I’m sure you are aware of the management or leadership styles, of all, what do you think are your leadership style? How? Yes. I am aware of it. Me? I actually don’t know my leadership styles but since then I am trying really hard to become charismatic-visionary leader and a management by objective at the same time. 11. Having experienced being a follower and a leader, which do you think is the most convenient to your lifestyle or attitude? For me, I guess, it is becoming a leader. It’s not because o f the power or authority I have acquired of becoming a leader, but a sense of responsibility that I have acquired. I have always been very independent since and according to people around me – I am very responsible. I am mindful of my actions and can become a perfectionist at the same time. 12. Is there a specific leader that you look up to? Who and Why? When a word â€Å"Leader† is mentioned, there’s this one person that immediately pops out of my mind – Nelson Mandela. He is very charismatic leader and down to earth. He has vision for his country and was able to revive the spirit of his countrymen. I guess, those qualities has made me more curious about him and in the end, I became his fan. 13. Lastly, what would you advise me so that I would become an effective leader as you are? Advise as a leader? Hmmm. I don’t really have any. But I guess, to become an effective leader, you should know how to listen to other people’s opinion, Motivate people to work hard because you yourself are working hard. Generally, live as an example. You should act, look and think like a leader for others to respect and follow your orders.

Coming of Age-Portrait of an Artist

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a complete work of art, complete in the sense that it gives such great insight to human nature and the people of the world. The title is essentially what this novel represents. The â€Å"coming of age† is represented like a portrait because it takes a long time, with many different attempts, to reach the final work of art. In even greater context, the protagonist experiences a series of epiphanies in which he gains insight into his own nature and into the people of the world. In the main characters â€Å"coming of age† there are crucial components that are lost and gained, which can be derived from his love of family, religion, and art. Stephen Dedalus, the main character, is what many would consider a typical boy with a normal childhood. His family loves him and they support him with essentially anything he would need. Stephen is taught well as a young boy whose parents grapple with many problems for themselves, yet always seem to show the difference between right and wrong. As Stephen grows older his family’s struggles become his own problem whenever finances force them to move, therefore making Stephen the new kid at school. †No life or youth stirred in him as it had stirred in [his father and his friends]. He had known neither the pleasure of companionship with others nor the vigour of rude male health nor filial piety. Nothing stirred within his soul but a cold and cruel and loveless lust. His childhood was dead or lost and with it his soul capable of simple joys and he was drifting amid life like the barren shell of the moon. (76) School shows to be a challenge in itself as he has problems fitting in, but eventually he finds his place in the â€Å"social circle†. As Stephen grows even older and moving now into his teenage years family is becoming one of his lesser problems. Although his family may not always physically be there, Stephen has roots for his mind and soul which his family created for him. In a way these ideals can be looked at as good or bad, the good being that he is from Ireland and it is tradition, the bad being that his family may be the source of the rest of his problems later in life. Religion to Stephen is a very important matter. From the time he was a little boy, the Catholic religion and the fear of God had been instilled in him. For this, Stephens traditional Irish upbringing is to blame. As for religion becoming a problem for him, it arose after his first sexual experience with a prostitute. †His soul had arisen from the grave of boyhood, spurning her grave-clothes. Yes! Yes! Yes! He would create proudly out of the freedom and power of his soul, as the great artificer whose name he bore, a living thing, new and soaring and beautiful, impalpable, imperishable. (133) Stephen had been introduced to the world of sin and was now indulging in gluttony and greed. †He turned to appease the fierce longings of his heart before which everything else was idle and alien. He cared little that he was in mortal sin, that his life had grown to be a tissue of subterfuge and falsehood. Beside the savage desire within him to realize the enormities which he brooded on nothing was sacred. †(79)Stephen is happy at first by the man he has become, but after he has a religious retreat, things quickly change. This is where his first epiphany comes in and he decides that he must seek god’s forgiveness and straighten his life out. It seems as if this small streak of sin was a minor setback for Stephen, and he is now disgusted with himself knowing what awaits him after death if he continues. As time goes by Stephen becomes more religious and manages to block out his temptations. The fact that the temptations are still there though worries him, and he wonders if he has really corrected himself. Stephen then faces many problems, from home to school, where he begins to question faith and religion once again. This is where the second epiphany comes in. After some thought Stephen decides that he must pursue his ambitions and live his life freely without inhibitions. Throughout Stephen’s early life the idea of art is almost lost for him. Stephen always has the idea of art in his mind and can be considered his one true love. The ambition of art did not always influence his thinking and ideals until later in his teenage years. The challenges and mental boundaries he experiences can contribute to the artist he wants to become, therefore making him very open minded artist with traditional Irish roots. Stephen was a confused boy who was on his own personal pursuit of happiness. Stephen was fortunate enough to realize that the choices he made before adulthood would effect the rest of his life. With that in mind, Stephen’s â€Å"coming of age† causes him to lose some things, while at the same time gaining others. The main part of Stephens â€Å"coming of age† was his transformation between one of religious conformity and one free of inhibitions as an artist. â€Å"I mean, said Stephen, that I was not myself as I am now, as I had to become. †(193)

Theories On Criminals

Although there are several theorists that have tried to discover the reasoning as to why people become criminals. Each theorist has different theories explaining criminal behavior. There is the anomie theory or innovative adaptation. This explains that those with criminal behavior have a condition when behavioral expectations are unknown, undefined, or in conflict (Champion, 2008). This theory is accredited to Robert King Morton, however was originally proposed by the French sociologist Mile Druthers (1858-1917) (Champion, 2008).Morton implies that people either accept or reject goals of society, and they accept or reject means to accomplish those goals (Champion, 2008). Psychological theories address the individual's behavior through trying to explain the inner workings of the mind (Champion, 2008). One theory that tries to explain the how the mind of a criminal works is the social learning theory. Social learning theorists such as Albert Bandeau, Walter Michel, and Richard Walters suggest that criminals are formed by modeling criminal behavior after other criminals (Siegel & Welsh, 2012).Biological theories explain criminal behavior through abnormal physical structure, hereditary criminal behaviors, and biochemical disturbances (Champion, 2008). In 1957, David Matzo and Gresham Sykes set out to teach others about their theory of naturalization among Juvenile delinquents (David Matzo, 2009). Naturalization theory is actually a technique that allows an offender to rationalize their criminal act (David Matzo, 2009). Youths that fall under this theory will consider them responsible for the crime, deny there were any injuries or victims, and blame the victim(s) for the offender's actions.

Dinner Table Conversations

Dinner table conversations had been considered as contributor to the learning of the child particularly to the language skills and reading skills. A number of randomly-selected parents were asked to participate in the study by allowing their dinner table conversations to be audio-taped. Their conversations were analyzed and it was found that the dinner table conversations the child has with his parents can be a basis for the learning output of the child. It has improved vocabulary and reading skills of the child. It can also be an avenue for the development of the social-well being of the child.DISCUSSIONIt is most probably that the family is complete in gathering during dinner. Because of that, of the three important meals of the day, dinner was viewed to be of importance not in terms of nutritional benefits but of learning. Dinner table conversations have been viewed as an important factor that affects a child’s learning positively. There could be a lot of ways that it could improve language and cognitive learning of the child. First thing that a dinner conversation can do would be to improve the faculty of language of the child. Learning and broadening the knowledge about the language starts early.It has been said that children speak the language even before they could understand it (Snow and Beals). During dinner, the parents of the child can help the child improve his vocabulary with the parent’s guidance. At dinner, many stories both by the children and the parents are told. In that case, explanatory and narrative talk is what being utilized. Results show that the degree of their explanation and narration depends on the level of vocabulary of the child. It was also found that narrative talks during a young age allow for an easy definition of terms when they get six years older.Results also showed that narrative talks at a very young age of two can help improve reading skills when the child gets into grade 2. It also showed that explanatory t alks are related to the scores the child can get in school. These findings only show that dinner table conversations with both the children and the parents participating on it can improve the language skills of the child by improving his vocabulary and the reading skills. And why wouldn’t it? The parent’s assistance helps them to recognize what they could have said wrong are what exactly are the words they are using.The parents also guide them to use the appropriate words. The child may use words that he has only heard of from other people of from watching the television and may not understand what it really means. The child would use those words and when the parents could hear of it, the parents could correct improper use of the words and if it is inappropriate to use. The parents also have the option to â€Å"filter† the words that the child may use by commanding the child not to use such words or by not introducing such words. Introducing new words is also a good way of improving vocabulary.Reading skills are improved because the child had already learned of the words and clearly understand what a certain statement conveys. When a child doesn’t understand what the word means, it is more likely that the child wouldn’t understand what he read or heard. These findings also tells that it is good that both the parents and the child are present during the meal especially while the child is very young since the child’s learning at that very young age is critical for the learning output a few years from now.If the child could start early with his improved language skills, he can do a lot better when he gets older. In some cases though, the contribution of the mother to the child is greater than that of the father probably because the mother is at the primary level of care giving to the child (Ely et. al,). But dinner table conversations not only affect cognitive learning of the child. It could also contribute to the social- well being of the child. The child can see many things from his parents and may look at it as examples.Parents may consciously shape up to be the best example for the child (Pontecorvo, et al. , 2001). The parents mold their kids through teaching appropriate use of the language. The parent may teach the child how to use words to convey a message that sounds polite and not being rude. Also, by having conversations, the child gets to have a wider perspective of a lot of things and can use those to analyze and critically think over certain things. During conversations, the child is also encouraged to participate by telling what goes through his mind and is encouraged to clarify his thoughts.That is a very important behavior especially in class. If the social-well being of the child can be molded while they are still young, then, they should be molded while still young. And if this can happen during conversations during dinner, then let it be. This only tells that parents have the respo nsibility to look forward to the future of their children and prepare them for what they could be. The study was conducted based on random sampling of the family. The study is more focused on the descriptive analysis of the data.It would be difficult, though, to quantify the results because words or language is involved. The method used to correlate the trend with practical implications was statistical analysis. Their correlation determined what it could contribute towards the conclusion, but, dinner table conversation can really be a basis for the learning output of the child. It is difficult to say, though, that there is an absolute relation between dinner table conversations with both the parents and the child participating on it and the child’s future learning output.One problem may have risen during the data gathering. It is possible that the parents were being conscious with the way they held their conversations with their children and was aware that they are being tape d. In that way, they may have deviated from their natural way of having a conversation within the family. The way they have behaved during the data gathering may be a bit different from how they behave when they are in that unsuspecting mood. They may have tried to be more polite and avoided making rude comments because they want to make an impression.The age of the children participating in this study was from two to five and a half. The learning output was taken into account several years after the dinner table conversations. The learning output cannot be attributed solely to the dinner table conversations the child had during his earlier years. There are a few questions that are yet to be answered by conducting further researches, like, how long a conversation should be to make it effective?Does the improvement in language skills due to dinner table conversations encompasses all types of people and all races? ; and would it matter if the parents are not the one present during the dinner and having conversation with the child? This study is very good basis for child development. Because of the findings, perhaps, even the government may promote complete gathering of the family during dinner time. Parents with very young children would surely be interested to start conversations with their child.

Genetic Engineering and the Law Essay

To understand the ethical implications of genetic engineering, we must first understand what genetic engineering is. Genes are units that code for specific characteristics. Such characteristics are hair and eye colour and we inherit these from our parents. It is chromosomes in the cell nuclei than enable your body to inherit features or, more specifically, it is the DNA that makes up the chromosomes that forms a unique genetic code for every human being (apart from identical twins). It is estimated that the human body has around 50,000 to 100,000 different genes contained inside, some of which have been linked to certain diseases. Scientists claim to have identified 4,000 conditions that are linked to just one fault or defect in a persons genetic makeup, which is where genetic engineering comes in. At present a project is taking place to identify the function of every gene in the human body. ‘The Human Genome Project’ aims to uncover the cause for many diseases and find a cure for them. One such way, is genetic engineering. Genetic engineering, as a cure for disease, is the removal of a defective gene sequence and the remodelling of it. But this isn’t the only definition given for genetic engineering. Compassion in World Farming describes it as ‘the taking of genes from one species of plant or animal and inserting them into a completely different species’. It is obvious, therefore, that genetic engineering is used for different things, in different situations. In this essay I will look at some of the varying uses genetic engineering has in today’s world and the ethical implications of such uses. Genetic Engineering and the Law At present human cloning is illegal in the UK, although there are many countries were such a law does not exist. And although, technically, it may be possible to clone humans in the way animals have been, the Act of Parliament strictly forbids ‘ever doing with human eggs what we have done with sheep eggs’ Dr Ron James Head of PPL Therapeutics. Nor are scientists allowed to mass produce human eggs for in-vitro fertilisation- something that many scientists have been pushing for for years. Genetically modified crops are also strictly controlled by the law. Such UK laws include: The Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 1992 and The Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992. These laws are in addition to the standard For Safety Act which specifies that food ‘must be fit for consumption’. Several government bodies have been set up to assess and regulate GM foods including ACNFP, COT, FAC and, the most important, The Department of Environment. The DOE requires tat anyone proposing a release must apply to them for consent first. It is then advised by the Advisory Committee on Release to the Environment on the granting of consents. At a European level, the Regulation on Novel Foods and Food Ingredients was introduced in May 1997 and covers labelling of foods ‘no longer equivalent’ to it’s conventional counterparts. But despite the introduction of laws, many people are still unhappy, and are pushing for further action. For example the CIWF believe GM meat should be clearly labelled, although they also say it should not be sold in the first place. They see the genetic engineering of farm animals for food as cruel and unnecessary. But the question remains: are they right? Few people know the implications of genetic engineering and what it really involves and many are ignorant of what to expect from GM. Genetic Engineering and Animals/ Humans Everyone knows the story of the first cloned animal. The Finn Dorset sheep, known as Dolly, was the first new-born mammal to be cloned from adult cells and is a miracle for scientists the world over. She had opened many new windows of opportunity for scientists who hope to soon be able to clone humans using the same technology. The possibilities really are endless. A single cell from an elite racehorse could be used to create hundreds of identical copies, each with the same elite genetic makeup. However pleasing this heady new discovery is, there is a widespread argument over whether or not cloning is right. Is it simply a wonderful new way to develop a generation of disease-free animals and humans or is it tampering with nature and playing God? Many people see it as the answer to all problems, that screening can reveal vital information about a person’s life span and health future. Genetic engineering could, in theory, identify genetic defects early on, giving time to replace the faulty gene and cure the sufferer. Predicting disease is a major use for genetic engineering and one that could change the way we live forever. At present scientist are working on a genetic test known as the GeneChip. They claim in a few years doctors will be able to take a simple mouth swab and, using the GeneChip, look through your DNA for disease prospects. Although they have come under fire from their critics, geneticists argue that anyone is entitled to know what their future holds for the health-wise. Indeed they say the information can be vital for planning out the rest of your life if, for example, you are a woman with a likelihood to develop breast cancer. Pre-natal diagnosis is also another option that could soon be open to the public. Parents could be made aware of any flaws there may be in their child’s DNA and could decide whether or not to carry on with the pregnancy. Genetic engineering could also be used to grow substances like human insulin and growth hormone on a huge level. Currently scientists are looking at introducing blood-clotting genes for haemophiliacs and purifying milk from GM sheep for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. They are also hoping to study presently incurable diseases in the hope they might be able to introduce a cure using genetic engineering. There are also high hopes for animals in genetic engineering. Transgenic animals (or those that have been given a gene from another animal) have many uses. They can produce more meat and milk, feeding the starving, and they can grow faster, with the possibility of less fatty meat. They can be bred to resist disease, but also develop disease so they might be tested on for further research. A biotechnology firm in Cambridge is working on a transgensic pig that could be bred to grow desperately needed organs for transplant into human beings. The technique can also be used to ‘knock out genes’, deleting proteins so that they might prevent BSE in cows. But it isn’t all good news for genetic engineering, in fact there is a lengthy and strong argument as to why it is dangerous to go to take it to these levels. Many have disagreed with the predicting of disease, saying that many people may not be able to cope with the knowledge that they may contract a terminal disease- it could ruin lives. Also there has been widespread outcry over the Association of Insurance Brokers’ announcement that it will not offer life insurance over i 100,100 to anyone who had taken a genetic test that had predicted fatal disease and since 1995 there has been pressure form MP’s to develop a code of practise concerning genetic screening. There are also fears of employers discriminating against potential employees who have the potential for life threatening illness in later life. Although scientists hope genetic engineering will provide many choices for parents, the BMA has voiced it’s concerns that the industry will cause ‘selective breeding’ or the choice to abort a baby because of undesirable characteristics such as physical traits. The BMA have also said people have been mislead about the power to screen for later abnormalities. It says ‘The number of abnormalities which can be detected in this way is limited and few of the tests are conclusive’. The problem many people have with genetic engineering is the risk of error that is involved. Screening is complex and it is difficult to be precise every time. Faulty diagnosis could put an end to job prospects or insurance benefits, not to mention the psychological problems arising from finding out you have the potential to contract a fatal disease.

Chinese Architecture The Forbidden City and Spatial Hierarchies Essay

Chinese Architecture The Forbidden City and Spatial Hierarchies - Essay Example x† was put up with enormous spacing with various sections as described by the purpose for which it was supposed to serve (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 17). MacFarquhar explains that the city took up to fifteen years to construct (33). It is made of 800 buildings with 9000 rooms, which serve various purposes. Generally it is known to be the world’s largest palace with fine architectural knowledge applied. The Qing and Ming dynasties did exist along with the Chinese civilization as evident in the palace. Urban planning in the Chinese construction is highly evident by the manner in which the buildings are spatially distributed. Various ethnic cultures were represented inside the palace, including the religions that existed in China. Hence, it was entirely an integration of diversities in building techniques and designs. The commencement of the construction followed an order from the Ming dynasty. There are 114 buildings in the palace of the Qing Dynasty which is a typical indicator of the last ruling dynasty in China just prior to the expansion of power to the middle of China. The middle axis architectural design was made so as to support the emperor’s political issues (Knapp 44). The architectural techniques used in the Forbidden City gives a reflection of the global view of the Chinese architects. This is made clear by the manner in which the buildings are arranged and carried to other parts of China and beyond. Knapp explores the composition of the city including the southern inner city and the outer city situated in the south (23). There are gates which usher in the next step of progression as one gets into the city. There is a central axis and a symmetrical design having the inner court at the rear while the outer court in the front. There is an additional landscape courtyard that originates from the layout of Yuan He City. This is purely a distinctly classified construction technique that dictated the manner of constructing of the subsequent