Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 13

â€Å"I'm really not a serial killer. It just seemed like too good a chance to pass up.† â€Å"Man,† I said. â€Å"If I had a dime for every time I heard that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Liam, the guy who'd bought me at the auction, laughed and opened the car door for me. He drove a shiny black Lotus Elise that he'd had imported from the UK. I found that impressive. It appeared to have just been freshly washed. I found that impressive too – and a little sad since it looked like it was going to rain at any moment. â€Å"It's supposed to be really good, though,† he added, starting up the engine. â€Å"So, I hope you'll like it and not think it's too demented for the holidays.† I hadn't been keen on following up with my charity date, but I'd known it would have to happen sooner or later. When Liam had called earlier to say he'd gotten tickets to a dramatic production of three Edgar Allan Poe stories tonight, I figured it was as good a time as any to get it over with. Besides, I liked Poe. It was kind of a creepy date to have around the happiest time of the year, true, but that would be the theater's fault, not Liam's. It was an early show, so we planned to attend first and catch dinner later. On the drive there, he turned out to be a lot like I'd expected. Intelligent. Nice. Moderately funny. He worked for an investment company downtown and had enough sense not to bore me with the details. We traded light banter, sharing anecdotes and experiences. I still would have rather been with Seth, but Liam was a fine guy for one night, and I figured he should have a fun time after donating so much money. The play was about as twisted as I'd hoped. They started with â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death,† followed by â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† closed the night off because honestly, what sort of Poe festivities would be complete without that crowd pleaser? â€Å"I've never heard of ‘The Masque of the Red Death,'† Liam said afterwards. We'd decided to leave the car and walk the six blocks to the restaurant he had reservations at. â€Å"I read the others in high school. I guess it's some kind of allegory about how you can't escape death, huh? You can lock yourself away, but it doesn't work.† â€Å"More than an allegory, actually,† I mused. â€Å"Historically, that wasn't an uncommon way for people to deal with plague and disease. Lock themselves up. Or else leave town and run away. Sometimes they'd throw the sick people out of town and lock the doors, so to speak.† â€Å"That's horrible,† said Liam. We stepped inside the restaurant, a small Italian one that was almost always booked. I had to admit, he was doing a good job with this date thing. â€Å"People didn't know any better,† I said. â€Å"They didn't know what caused diseases, and aside from good hygiene and luck, there were few treatments for ancient and medieval epidemics.† â€Å"That auctioneer didn't say anything about you being a history buff,† he teased. â€Å"Yeah? Would you not have bid?† â€Å"Are you kidding? A beautiful woman who uses the words ‘ancient and medieval epidemics' on the first date? I would have bid more.† I grinned and let the maitre d' lead us to our table. I was glad Liam appreciated my historical knowledge, but I'd have to be careful not to get too nerdy. I knew more than the average girl should and could get into levels of detail that modern people had no way of knowing about. I shifted to something else. â€Å"Well, I think the auctioneer was kind of distracted by the other contestants.† â€Å"Oh, you mean the feminazi who went before you?† I frowned. â€Å"No, I mean the giant blonde in silver that he bid on.† â€Å"Oh, yeah,† Liam agreed. â€Å"She was crazy. Attractive, but crazy.† â€Å"You actually thought she was pretty?† â€Å"Sure. Not as pretty as you, of course,† he hastily added, mistaking my meaning. â€Å"But the auctioneer apparently thought otherwise. He couldn't keep his hands off of her.† â€Å"Oh, come on. He barely touched her.† â€Å"Well, not during the auction, of course. I mean afterward.† â€Å"What?† I was interrupted when the waiter came by. I had to wait for Liam to order wine before he could finish the story. â€Å"After the auction. I was there helping wrap things up. Deanna's a friend of my ex-wife's. When we all finished, Nick and that blonde were all over each other and left together.† â€Å"That†¦that isn't possible.† Tawny had said they'd left separately. There was no way she and Nick could have been hot and heavy the night of the auction. The following night had been when she showed up for the dance lesson. Even if she was lying about things falling apart with Nick – and really, why would she? – she'd obviously had no recent energy fix. Massive shape-shifting, on the scale of nonhuman shapes, could burn through energy that quickly, but a new succubus wouldn't have that skill yet. None of this made sense. Liam, obviously, didn't catch my confusion. â€Å"Why's it so hard to believe?† he asked. I shook my head. â€Å"It's†¦never mind. I hope they had a great time. Now†¦what kind of wine did you order? I missed it.† Not wanting to ruin dinner, I put the Tawny conundrum into a holding bin in my mind and did my best to give Liam his seventeen-hundred-dollars worth. When dinner ended, we walked back toward his car, enjoying a leisurely pace. The weather, though damp, had warmed to about fifty. Seattle's fickle winters did that sometimes, only to freeze up a day or so later. When Liam slipped his hand into mine, I let him, but it presented me with a dilemma. He was no one I really planned on seeing again. As a courtesy to Seth and an attempt at a normal life, I avoided casual affairs in this body. All of those reasons meant I shouldn't let the night escalate into anything more than a friendly handshake good-bye. But suddenly, I was feeling the loss of my energy. It had felt so good to have Simon's – yet it had been stripped from me before I could even do anything with it. It'd be so nice to have that feeling back, to go home with Liam and get what I needed. When we reached his car, he kept holding my hand and turned me so that I faced him. â€Å"What now?† he asked. â€Å"I don't know.† I was still torn on what to do. â€Å"I'm open to suggestion.† Liam smiled, a cute smile that showed in his blue eyes too. â€Å"Well, how about this?† He leaned down and kissed me, much as Dante had nearly done. Oh, Liam. Liam was a good man. A good, good man. Seth caliber. The moment our lips touched, I felt the sweetness of his life energy trickling into me. My desire woke up, and I pressed myself to him. I might not like to use this body, but these were unusual circumstances. I made my decision. I'd sleep with him and part ways. He was a nice guy, not a psycho stalker. He might be disappointed, but he wouldn't give me grief for wanting to be friends in the morning. He kissed me harder, pushing me against the side of the car. All that energy from just one kiss. The sex was going to be great. Yes, yes. More. Get more. Feed me. I jerked away from Liam. He looked down at me, legitimately concerned. â€Å"What's the matter?† It had been a whisper in my head. Faint but real. It had been paired with a longing, a deep longing for Liam's energy that rivaled my own need – but it hadn't been mine. It had belonged to someone – or something – else. Suddenly, it all came back to me. The conversations with Dante and Erik. Some creature preying on me and stealing my energy. True, it was what I did to men†¦but, well, I couldn't help how I felt. And just then, I felt nauseous at the thought of some parasitic creature coming to me tonight because I was full of energy. It made my skin crawl. Bad enough this thing was using me. It was also using me to use Liam. I looked back at him; he was so cute and so nice. I shook my head. I couldn't do this. I needed the energy, but I was going to put if off as long as possible. I wouldn't give this thing what it wanted. â€Å"Liam†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I said slowly. â€Å"I should tell you something. I, um, just recently got out of a long relationship, and I went to the auction because I thought I could, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed, not appearing angry so much as regretful. â€Å"You aren't ready.† I shook my head. â€Å"I'm really sorry. I wanted to help at the auction, and I thought I could move on.† He squeezed the hand he was still holding and released it. â€Å"Well†¦I'm sad, but I understand. And I like you†¦if we went out, I'd like to work on something serious. That can't happen until you're ready, and I'd never want to force you.† Oh, God. Nice, nice guy. â€Å"I'm so, so sorry,† I said. I meant it. I so wanted his energy. â€Å"Nothing to be sorry about,† he told me, smiling. â€Å"Come on, I'll take you home.† He returned me to Queen Anne, and I kissed him on the cheek before leaving the car. He told me to call him when I was ready to date again, and I told him I would. Once he was gone, I didn't go inside. Instead, I called Dante. â€Å"It's your favorite succubus,† I said when he answered. I heard him yawn. â€Å"Debatable. What do you want? It's late.† â€Å"I need to talk to you. Something weird happened.† â€Å"I'm in bed, succubus. Unless you plan on joining me, I'd rather not receive visitors right now.† â€Å"Please, Dante. It's important.† He sighed. â€Å"Fine, come on over.† â€Å"I don't know where you live.† â€Å"Of course you do. You've been here a gazillion times.† â€Å"You live in your store?† â€Å"Why would I want to pay rent for two different places?† I drove down to the shop. The sign read CLOSED, but there was a faint light inside. Dante opened the door when I knocked. He wore jeans and a plain T-shirt, nothing unusual, but the disheveled hair suggested he had indeed been in bed. â€Å"Sorry,† I told him. â€Å"Maybe I should have waited.† â€Å"Too late for regrets. Come on in.† He led me through the storefront, back to the small door I usually saw closed. On the other side was a large room that appeared to be a combination living space, office, supply closet, and†¦workshop. â€Å"Erik was right,† I said, walking over to a high set of shelves. They were filled with jars and bottles of herbs and unidentifiable liquids. â€Å"You are a magician.† I considered. â€Å"Or at least you're pretending to be.† â€Å"No faith in me. Probably smart.† He pointed to a bean bag chair and a plaid ottoman. â€Å"Take your pick if you don't want the bed.† I chose the ottoman. â€Å"Well, it's not that I don't trust you†¦but everything else you do is a scam. Of course, Erik has to hate you for something legitimate, and he wouldn't have sent me to you in the first place if you didn't have some kind of skill.† â€Å"Interesting logic. Maybe he hates me for my charming personality.† He rubbed his eyes and yawned again. With the motion of his arm, I noticed faint punctures in the middle of his arm that I'd never seen with long sleeves. â€Å"Maybe he hates you for your vices.† Dante looked at where I was staring. He shrugged, unconcerned. â€Å"Nah, Lancaster has better things to worry about than a casual hit now and then.† â€Å"From my experience, there's no such thing as a casual hit.† â€Å"What, are you here to do an intervention now, succubus?† â€Å"No,† I admitted. I had neither time nor interest to reform Dante. â€Å"But I heard a voice tonight.† â€Å"I heard a voice too. It called and woke me up.† â€Å"Dante!† Angrily, I explained the situation. A hint of his sarcastic smile remained, but otherwise, he actually seemed concerned. â€Å"Huh. Interesting. It actually raised its ugly head.† â€Å"What do you think that means?† â€Å"Not a clue until we know what it is. The only thing I can guess is that it was desperate for some reason. Until now, it's done a pretty good job at hiding itself – aside from your energy loss, obviously.† He brightened a little. â€Å"I don't suppose it's here now, urging you to jump me?† â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"Ah, well. I'm probably not as good a catch as Seventeen-hundred-dollar Man. Your predator has standards.† I shuddered, hating the idea that I actually had a predator. I looked up at Dante and must have looked truly pathetic because a startled look crossed his features. â€Å"Dante, you have to help me. I know we don't have the answers yet†¦but, well, I'm scared of this thing. I can't bring myself to take a victim because I'm afraid of this monster coming back. I don't even want to go to sleep.† His gray eyes assessed me, and to my astonishment, he almost looked gentle. It completely transformed him. â€Å"Ah, succubus. You can sleep tonight. No energy, no visit. I doubt the kiss was enough of a lure.† â€Å"But eventually†¦eventually I'll have to get another fix†¦and until I'm able to talk to Jerome about all this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well, I could maybe make you a charm or something. Protection to ward this thing away.† â€Å"You can do that?† I tried to keep the skepticism out of my voice but failed. His face turned wry once more. â€Å"If you don't want the help†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No! I do. I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. I asked for your help, then backed off.† â€Å"Well, as you said, I haven't inspired much faith in you.† â€Å"I'll take whatever help I can get,† I said honestly. He stood up and stretched, then walked over to his shelves, studying their contents. â€Å"You sure about that? You might not like what I have to do to make this. How badly do you want it?† I thought about that voice, that creature's need inside my head. â€Å"Pretty badly. Provided you don't, like, give me a necklace made out of goat entrails, I think we're good.† His eyes were still on his shelves and jars. Several moments passed while he considered. â€Å"I'm going to need some time on this, I'm afraid. It'd be a lot easier if I knew what it was we're dealing with. Without that, I've got to try to make some sort of catch-all charm that may or may not work. The broad spectrum ones are always hard, too.† â€Å"So nothing tonight.† He strolled back over to me. â€Å"You're fine tonight, remember? Of course, you're welcome to stay here, and I'll stay awake and make sure nothing happens to you.† I couldn't help a smile. â€Å"Just like Kayla.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"My boyfriend's niece†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I'd nearly forgotten about our weird conversation. â€Å"She said some funny things. But I don't know if it was just kid imaginings or if she maybe has some kind of psychic ability.† â€Å"Fine line with kids,† he said. â€Å"If she has any powers, I'm sure science and discipline will work them out of her. What'd she say?† â€Å"She said that I was ‘magic.' And that there were monsters in the air who got into people's dreams.† When he didn't respond, I exclaimed, â€Å"Do you think she could help with this?† He shook his head. â€Å"No. If she is psychic or gifted or whatever, she's too young and inexperienced to know what she's perceiving to be of any real use.† â€Å"But she could be sensing what's following me.† â€Å"Sure. If she's a really astute psychic, she'd be sensitive to anomalies in the magical and spiritual worlds.† Interesting. Tiny little Kayla, possibly with the potential for great spiritual powers some day. â€Å"What's your advice?† â€Å"Huh?† he asked. â€Å"For someone like her. To develop her abilities and make sure science and discipline don't beat it out of her.† â€Å"My advice?† He gave a harsh laugh. â€Å"Let them beat it out of her. You'll be doing her a favor.† I sat quietly for a long time, studying my feet. When I finally looked back up at him, I asked, â€Å"Why are you so unhappy?† â€Å"Who says I'm unhappy? I make money by doing nothing.† I gestured around. â€Å"Everything says you're unhappy. Your attitude. Your arm. The pile of beer bottles over there. The fact that even though you claim I annoy you, you keep helping me and always seem glad to have me around.† â€Å"Misery loves company. You aren't exactly all that chipper yourself.† â€Å"I'm very happy with my life,† I argued. â€Å"Well, then, go back to it, and let me sleep.† In a not too subtle signal, he walked over to the door and opened it. â€Å"I'll work on your charm and get back to you.† I started to snap back at the abrupt dismissal, but he looked so weary, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Besides, I knew I'd been right. Dante Moriarty was a very unhappy man who used sarcasm and substances to hide it. I wondered what it was that plagued him so much – what it was that had darkened his soul. â€Å"Are you ever going to tell me why Erik hates you so much?† I asked quietly. Dante pointed at the door. â€Å"Good night, succubus. Sweet dreams.†

Compare and Contrast Sir Gawain and Beowulf

Heroes come in many forms, yet traits such as: courage, honor, and loyalty, reappear as themes throughout the personality of a hero. The characters of Beowulf and Sir Gawain each represent a version of a hero, yet each comes across quite differently in their respective story. A hero can be said to truly win if he remains constant to his noble values when put in any situation that crosses his way. When measured by that criteria, Sir Gawain stands out above Beowulf as a true hero, due to his command of both personal and spiritual power through the use of thought, as well as valiant deeds.Gawain embodies many of the characteristics of the chivalric knight and hero, among them, modesty, honesty, commitment, loyalty, and courage. Although he is almost beyond reproach, he does commit a single error, accepting the lady's green girdle. This sets him apart from Beowulf. Distraught with his sin, Sir Gawain, concerned with maintaining his reputation and image as a chivalrous knight, admits he a ccepted the lady's green girdle to the host. This lie, once it is revealed, becomes the means by which the mild hubris that afflicts Gawain is exposed and also the means by which the hubris can be corrected.This flaw completes the character of Sir Gawain, for in his humility he becomes a lasting hero. Beowulf, is quite different in this respect, written in a perfect light in the absence of any flaw. This exemplifies the superior honor of Sir Gawain over Beowulf, because he is able to confront his sin and gain virtue, while Beowulf is portrayed as void of any wrongdoing, unable to denounce any defect in his person for lack of its existence. Beowulf is indeed an epic hero and king.What is especially interesting is that the way in which the tale is structured and narrated permits the reader to observe two different types of heroism: the heroism of youth and the heroism of an older, wiser, and more mature warrior. In his youth, the physical characteristics of heroism are emphasized. Beo wulf is recalled as having performed physical feats that no other man was capable of doing, and such feats required immense reserves of courage, such as his battle with Grendel in the hall, Herot, and his journey to Grendel's mother's lair inthe glimmering pool where he fought and defeated her. In his older age the feats of heroism are more subtle, more abstract, and one might question his decision to battle the dragon, which would ultimately result in his death. However, the code of the hero compelled Beowulf to defend his people one final time; he seemed to trust that a younger hero-warrior would rise to the occasion should death befall him, as it did. In â€Å"Beowulf,† the hero-king is faced with challenges that are both physical and moral, both threatening his life.Like Sir Gawain, Beowulf has all the requisite characteristics of a hero and like Sir Gawain, he is invested in protecting his reputation, yet in this respect, Beowulf chose pride over being humble, which Sir Gawain emanates. Beowulf does not know when to stop fighting; even in old age he is still waging war against evil forces, this is a prime example of his selflessness, sacrificial, yet boastful personality. Sir Gawain, was also selfless when he volunteered to behead the Green Knight, sacrificial when he chose to approach the Green Knight at the end of the tale, yet he never boasted or praised himself for these accomplishments.Sir Gawain was virtuous in his deeds, adhering to the chivalric code of earning the praise of God rather than the praise of fellow peers and subjects. Surely Beowulf and Sir Gawain are heroes. They hold heroic qualities such as bravery, valor and chivalry. But it is interesting to note that there greatest qualities are often their downfall. Beowulf, void of any downfall, was a great king and warrior, dying in his last feat of slaying a dragon.To the contrary, Sir Gawain fell to the sway's of women by accepting the lady's green girdle, yet after he had heroically faced the Green Knight, he continued to wear the girdle to display his shame. However, In considering heroes it is important to remember that for as strong as the values are, if they are to be considered true heroes, they must have their faults. This should not discount from their achievements, but serve to enhance them. For this reason, Sir Gawain is more honorable than Beowulf.

Discuss the key roles of the central bank in an economy. Should Essay

Discuss the key roles of the central bank in an economy. Should central banks be independent - Essay Example The institution, which is the chief regulator, is called the central bank. The 17th century money was dominated by gold and silver, with verbal and written promises also being a form of payment. Paper money and attempts to control money flow were first used in China. European form of central banks came in existence in form of Knights Templar’s promises of payment. The modern precursor of central bank was the bank of Sweden, the Sveriges Riksbank, which acted as the source of funding for government operations and was answerable to the political leadership. Modern central banks operate on the model created by Charles Montagu, which operated in the Bank of England. Montagu’s model operated on the subscription of people to the government’s loan, which would guarantee the subscribers incorporation as attracted certain privileges like banking notes. Central banks evolved with increasing public outlook and monetary functions to be what they are today. Central banks operate on the cumulative process that creates quantity theory. This theory wa s developed by Henry Thornton, to explain the England’s monetary crisis of 1797, with reference to the bank withholding withdrawal of notes from the bank (Rosaveare 34). The Bank Charter of 1844 gave the Bank of England the monopoly over issuance of banknotes and the reserves which any financial institution should have in the bank before issuing a certain value of banknotes (â€Å"The Bank† n.pag).19th century witnessed the spread and growth of central banks spread in many European countries. The Banque de France was established in 1800, the U.S. Federal Reserve in 1923, Australia, Mexico, Chile and Colombia established in 1920, 1925 and 1923 respectively. Prior to the Great Depression, only a few countries like New Zealand, China and Brazil had not established central banks. All central banks are government owned entities. The central banks

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Business Project Management - Essay Example The multibillion-dollar contract for sealing the border is called Secure Border Initiative Net (SBInet). In a nutshell this project will be centered on the Nogales, Texas to monitor and control about 6000 miles stretch of the border with Canada and Mexico. Boeing Company will be awarded this contract. It has a history in military contracts and weapon systems. Boeings Integrated Defense Systems Unit will be the main dealing unit. The reason for choosing Boeing is their experience in listening devices, motion sensors, cameras, monitoring tower and overall security system. The major constraint is the sheer stretch of the border. It is a common idea that the interdependent time related activities must be performed and completed within the given time limits (Gutjahr, Strauss & Wagner, 2000). It is not a small project in terms of cost, time and manpower required to properly seal and monitor the border. The biggest constraint is to get the approval of the Senate and the public to fund a multibillion dollar project. Narrative building is mandatory. The government needs to convince and win the sympathies of the people and the politicians to get the taxpayers’ money to fund such a project. The alternative analysis reveals that the situation on the border can be improved through indirect means. The Mexican border is notorious for providing sneaky passage for illegal immigrants. If the economic and security situation in Mexico improves, people would not be risking their lives to cross into the United States. But from the perspective of the U.S. this is almost impossible to achieve. The United States does not dictate the Mexican Government. The U.S. can only suggest improvements. The only option is to secure the border. Either the U.S. can build up fences and seal it shut or it can deploy so much manpower that they stop any illegal immigrant or drug smuggler that tries to sneak into the US soil. They

Evolution of the Use of Wool and History of the Plow Term Paper

Evolution of the Use of Wool and History of the Plow - Term Paper Example The discovery of the plow also helped man in his activities such as farming. Science and technology has enhanced the improvisation of wool over the years thus keeping wool in the forefront of the rest of the fabrics. Wool has thus adapted to the modern standards in spite maintaining its previous features. It also takes a large part in the history of Britain. During the cradle of humankind around 1900 BC, weaving of wool into cloth became the main activity practiced. Domestication of sheep in the other areas started earlier (Lewis and John 1). Man soon realized that sheep produced milk and during the milking process, sheep shed its fleece, which made its acquisition easy and woven into cloth. Man discovered the several benefits he got from the sheep and thus decided to domesticate and rear it. Soon after domesticating sheep, man devised a way of getting cloth from fleece. He invented weaving and spinning the fleece into clothing. Man continued with the production of wool until it reached time where wool became the major export (Lewis and John 13). With time, the wool industry expanded a great deal. Exporting of wool increased and so did the manufacturing of wool fabrics and thus it became localized and specialized. Countries such as East Anglia and districts of Pennine had soft water, which makes the fabric more firm and compact surface. The Huguenot refugee weavers who sort refuge in France in the sixteenth century brought their weaving techniques with them and thus England surpassed Flanders in the wool manufacturing company and it stimulated the export rate. Introduction of machinery and mechanization in the industry of wool raised the standard of production of wool (Holsaert 105). This resulted into introduction of several other types of wool, which includes shape-Leeds, Bradford, Udders field, Halifax, and Wakefield. The sheep industry has greatly increased in the world. The natural coat of the sheep needed

A Brave New World-perspective analysis Essay Example for Free

A Brave New World-perspective analysis Essay Imagine Brenda, a woman who will not under any circumstances trade her life in order to be conditioned, and then live as a Beta in the Brave New World (BNW), universe. If this is the case, then Brenda could not consistently accept Hedonism. This is due to the definition of Hedonism, the amount and intensity of bodily pleasure in Brave New World (BNW), and the amount and intensity of bodily pleasure here in real life. The definition of Hedonism leads one to maximize the amount of pleasure and minimize the amount of pain: The only thing intrinsically good in life is pleasure, and the only thing intrinsically bad in life is pain. Other things in life have extrinsic value they can lead to either pain or pleasure, but do not produce the sensations by themselves. However, Hedonists are only concerned with pleasure and pain, as these are the only intrinsic values. The distinctive factor that determines a better life from a worse one, is the amount of net pleasure in ones life. The net pleasure is determined by subtracting the amount of pain in ones life from the amount of pleasure. Notice that Hedonism only determines better lives from worse ones, not good from bad. To make the distinction between good and bad is an arbitrary decision and cannot be measured through a comparable medium such as net pleasure. Quantitative Hedonism states that quantity and intensity are the only criteria that determine just how good a certain pleasure is. If all pleasures differ only in quantity and duration, then the world in BNW is a dream for hedonists. Ones life in BNW is conditioned to be content and happy with ones, job, class in life, and the daily schedule of life. This schedule for ones life never changes and so delivers a maximum amount of pleasure due to being happy and content. High pleasure in BNW also comes from the open sexual relations between people. Basically, it is encouraged from childhood to have as many sex partners as possible, therefore maximizing the amount of pleasure from sex. The drug of choice in BNW is called Soma, and it delivers an amazing feeling without any hangover effect like alcohol. This drug is distributed daily at ones work to maximize ones amount of body pleasure. With all of these factors enhancing pleasure, it is also important to state that not much causes pain for ones life in BNW. There are no personal relationships to cause pain, jobs and education are  given specifically for people, and life is very much planned and repetitive. This repetition is what maximizes the amount and duration of pleasure in BNW lives. In real life, there does not exist anything like the above mentioned pleasures, in either quantity or duration. Therefore, when comparing the net pleasure of a life in BNW to a real earthly life, a hedonist finds that BNW lives have a higher net pleasure, and are thus far better. This is because they in BNW have much more intrinsically good pleasure, and much less disappointment and intrinsically bad events. So, if Brenda refuses to trade her life in order to be conditioned and live a BNW life, then she could not consistently accept hedonism because trading her life would give her a higher net pleasure, and by definition, a bett er life. Brenda still could accept hedonism if she accepted qualitative hedonism, based on Mills distinction between higher and lower pleasures. According to Mills, certain pleasures have a distinct higher value than other pleasures. This can be due to a mere preference for one pleasure over another, with the preferred pleasure having more intrinsic value because it is preferred, and thus more net pleasure. This can also be due preferring higher intellectual mind pleasures, as opposed to body pleasures like those in BNW. Mills distinction goes hand in hand with qualitative hedonism, which adds quality to the criteria distinguishing pleasure (intensity and duration). Higher quality pleasure are generally thought to be intellectual and creative pleasures as compared to bestial pleasures. Intimate relationships can also be thought of as being a higher quality pleasure. It is not substantial, however, that these higher pleasures merely exist for a hedonist, these higher pleasure must contribute to a higher net pleasure in life in order to be of value. Since there are absolutely no intellectual or intimate pleasures in BNW, the argument could be made that the intellectual and intimate pleasures in real life give higher net pleasure, and thus a better life. This theory also takes into account the pain that may be caused by relationships or by not attaining certain intellectual milestones. However, the argument can be made that the pleasure derived from these higher pleasures far surpasses any pain caused by them and guarantees a higher net pleasure than any life in BNW. If Brenda adopts this method of thinking, then she could both accept hedonism and still not  want to trade her life for a life in BNW. A qualitative hedonist, in order to consistently believe that actual life is better, must claim that the overall net pleasure one receives in real life is more than the net pleasure one receives in the BNW universe. One must claim that experiences in actual life, including but not limited to intellectual and intimate pleasures, produce more net pleasure than a life of bestial pleasures in BNW. This includes all of the pain and hardships experienced in real life, but not in BNW. The argument is that even with all of this pain, the net pleasure is still higher in real life. This is also what Brenda must adhere to if she wishes to not trade her real life for a conditioned BNW life.

Prepare A Personal Development Plan Nursing Essay

Prepare A Personal Development Plan Nursing Essay This paper seeks to prepare a personal development plan in my objective to become a leader in an organization. I will analyze the requirements of the targeted job in relation to my inventory of skills including my strengths and weaknesses in relation to the requirement of a goal in mind for which I am willing to know my deficiencies in terms of skills. I will therefore have to make an action plan on how to correct my deficiencies and to improve on my weaknesses to take advantage of my strengths in attaining a target job that I want to have and quality of a person that I want to happen as a result. 2. The Goal, Requirements, Deficiencies and the Strategies 2.1 My goal and its requirements The goal of this plan is to be able to attain the position of Pricing analyst which requires the following: having strong analytical skills and ingenuity to provide logical solutions to nonstandard issues, having a strong mathematical aptitude as well as well developed communication skills (written and verbal), being computer literate (including working knowledge of Excel and Word) and possessing the values of resourcefulness, organizational skills and ability to coordinate activities across company function. It further requires having demonstrated ability to work well under pressure to meet critical deadlines, having the ability to adapt to changing priorities and handle multiple tasks and having an exceptional attention to detail and problem solving skills. 2.2 Determined deficiencies and the causes of their perceived causes of having them Using as basis the job requirements and compare the same with my present inventory of skills, I found out that the targeted job requires the need for demonstrated ability to work well under pressure to meet critical deadlines as well as at the ability to adapt to changing priorities and handle multiple tasks. I believe this requires utmost patience on the part of person to be hired for the job. A patient person will not be easily being cowed into giving up for pressure as the person would normally consider pressure as part of the job. A patient person will also find the need to adapt to changing priorities and handling multiple tasks to be part of the challenge. I definitely need to be more patient partly because of my attitude of perfectionism which is rather out of proportions sometimes. Further comparison of my inventory of skills with the requirement of the job revealed that my verbal communication skills are weak as may be proved from past experiences when I have delegated tasks to people that resulted to some misunderstandings. I have diagnosed the in many instances times about the reasons for these misunderstandings and I found them in failure to make my instructions in a way that may be fully and intelligently understood. In wrongly believing that my own understanding results to my teammates understanding, I really have made a short cut of effective communication which is creating inefficiency to my job. I find deficiency also in my organizational skills as evidenced by my having overlooked a lot of times important details in my job because of deficient communication skills, failure to delegate and ineffectiveness if making motivations to my people. 2.3 Strategies to address deficiencies with corresponding time table The way I am going to tackle these leadership deficiencies is to set up a plan where I can draw on personal and others feedback. I have talked to my manager, supervisor, and other coworkers and they have agreed to provide feedback to me on these three subjects. I am going to keep a journal, as well, so that I can track my own thoughts and feelings about how I am handling and improving in these tasks. Also, I plan to do some research on all there subjects so that I may obtain further information on these subjects. The following are the things that I plan to do within my time table. Improving Patience On the basis of the above, I found out that I really lacked patience; I have decided to increase my patience in more systematic manner. My high anxiety level, which causes me to get short with people, could really be bad if I will not improve my patience. I am planning to monitor my progress and evaluate myself weekly on my patience levels. In a year I want to get to a point where I can handle any situation, no matter what that entails. I want to get to the point where I dont let my anxiety interfere with my job duties and interactions with other. Having stated earlier that lack of patience may be caused by my attitude of perfectionism, I feel addressing the latter is crucial to my development as a person for the desired job. Perfectionism makes me feel that I should always be imposing to people the highest requirement for many work activities without may be considering their capacities. My strategies for improvement of correction of said perceived caused of lack of patience are to analyze the importance of having something perfect in relation to realistic goals of every activity. Since every activity may have its deadline, I would devised an improve schedule so that I will not push myself unnecessarily on things. But since I may never know if I am progressing on this activity, I would measure my progress and my criteria for measuring the same would be to have less frustration with progress while ensuring that work is still successfully accomplish. The time table for this is one month intervals Improving communication One of the requirements of the targeted job is having a strong mathematical aptitude as well as well developed communication skills (written and verbal). Finding my skills to be lacking in this respect, I have decided to effectively improve my verbal communications skills continually by relying on feedback from manager and supervisors in my present job as well as peers and family and friends. In my own analysis what is causing my poor communication is the spontaneous and impulsive comments to teammates as I perceived bad comments in return making such irresponsive comments which offend their feelings, hence I would really need to reflect on how my comments would affect others. This is in addition to developing of course and an effective communication plan verbally and in writing. To know whether I would be progressing I would be recording my observance of the absence of negative peer reactions as well as my observation of positive oral feedback from family and friends. I am also giving month intervals ask for feedback from peers and family/friends Improving organization skills Organization will be one of my other big hang-ups and I think this should be evaluated daily by keeping a journal of my tasks as well as a calendar to avoid mistakenly overlooking anything. I believe this will take time to improve, and with the help of my observations, research, and others feedback, I could o be proficient in the skills within the next three years. For the meantime I have short goals as explained below. One way to improve this is to through having the skill to improve delegation. My rather poor delegation is basically rooted in the fear of poor teammate contributions resulting in team failure. I believe this could be corrected by building on trust with my team mates by being first becoming a trust worthy person. Delegation entails trusting people to do it with confidence to their abilities under given circumstances. In the case of team mates, I would have to realize the extent also of my influence so that I would not be ending up delegating everything. In addition I should be developing a system of evaluations of teammates since it is only in giving them the proper feedback that they would have the chance to improve themselves. The time table for this of course, requires that at checkpoints of project, I will have to assess feelings of comfort of myself and my teammates and address any problems immediately as may be necessary. Another way of correcting this perceived weakness is to utilize an equal work policy. Under this arrangement, some my teammates would not necessarily be burdened with having more than expected and this will have a chance of reducing really the fear of poor teammate contributions resulting in team failure. Still another way of accomplishing this strategy is for me to build in checkpoints for making sure that projects are on time. This simply means that making a reliable schedule to monitor and follow through that projects are on in fact accomplished on time. As a way of measuring my progress in this strategy, I would have to be chance to measure my progress, with myself personally performing less work that would result to utilizing more time to proper and maximum functioning of my teammates. This development should also be seen in my new developed ability to trust teammates that would lead more to better relationships with them by having a confidence in the result of their work. Another way to improve organizational skills is to improve my forcefulness in motivating people. As a consequence of poor communication skills, my capacity to motivate or move people is just as limited to a great extent. My strategies for this target is includes attend additional classes on leadership (Erez, M. et. al, 2001), reading pertinent books on motivation (Maddock and Fulton, 1998) and utilizing an effective communication. Motivation on organization is a big deal since organization basically involves people who need to have the internal drive to what they need to do. Given the fact that organization may not provide every thing what workers may need, I can top a great potential from them by knowing each of my team mates and really find out what drives to excel of perform better in their job. I would only be able to verify the attainment of these targets if there are positive responses of others to my improved motivational skills. If small goals get accomplished I would be pretty sure that I making a great motivation job on my teammates more often Another way of measuring the accomplishment of this strategy is the reality of having an accomplished goals and positive team responses. The time table to evaluate others responses and behaviors would be to undertake each monthly. 3. Conclusion Based on the above plans I believe I would be able to attain the target of becoming a price analyst. The requirements of the targeted position are very clear and I was honest enough to use the requirements to gauge whether I could actually satisfy the same. Driven therefore by the realization that I needed some skills, I should have the courage to correct my deficiency by tracing what are the behaviors that are causing me not to have the much desired requirements of the targeted position in terms of skills. I have categorized the some major requirements of the job as requiring the value of patience from the need for demonstrated ability to work well under pressure to meet critical deadlines as well as at the ability to adapt to changing priorities and handle multiple tasks. So important is the value of patience in the job and which I have carefully analyzed could be acquired by training me to consider work pressures as normal consider s part of the job that would also help me to adapt to changing priorities and handle multiple tasks to be part of the challenge. Improving communication between me and the people in the organization was could be by addressing the behavioral cause, that is the spontaneous and impulsive comments to teammates that I commit sometimes based from perceived bad comments. I would just have to stop offending their feelings by my having an honest reflection on how my comments would affect others. This is in addition to developing of course and an effective communication plan (Thorson and Moore, 1996) verbally and in writing which may involved the applicable of basic principles of effective communication that would be read in theory and experience if the actual workplace. Getting the right feedback from peers and friends would accomplish much for this. Improving my communication skill is also closely related with improving organization skills which I will have to develop over time through my observations, research, and others feedback. Having targeted to be proficient in the skills within the next three years, I believe would be realistic enough considering my targeted developed skills for communication. To improve organization skill requires me to improve delegation which I found to having been restricted by my fear of poor teammate contributions resulting in team failure. Being correctible by building on trust with my teammates by being first becoming a trust worthy person, I believe that my decision to delegation put me in the very right path to fully attain an integrated organizational skill (Heller et. al., 1998). I am however cautioned by knowing some limits in my planned delegation by doing still what I need to do best under the circumstances in avoiding to delegating everything. By my honest development of a system of evaluations of teammates, that would give them the proper feedback, I am hoping for the best about the accomplishment of this plan. Appendix: Chart of Personal Development Plan Skill to Improve Causes of Behaviors Strategies Measurement Time table for Assessing Progress Patience Perfectionism Analyzing the bad effects of too much perfectionism Making a working schedule Effective delegation to team mates -reduced frustration -successful accomplishment of work without much stress Will be monitored monthly Delegation Fear of poor teammate performance Make a system of evaluation of teammates Make an à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“equal work policy. Making sure that deadlines are followed Less work to be performed more time for the main requirement of the job Assess feeling of teammates if delegation is received with respect Effective Communication Irresponsible and impulsive comments Reflect on the effect of comments and reduce the same if necessary Design and effective communication plan Absence of negative peer reactions Positive feedback from friends, managers and supervisors Must be confirmed monthly Motivation Poor oral and written communication skills Read good books on communication skills. Attend seminars related to Office communications Willingness of others to have more responsibilities Attained output targets Evaluation should be done monthly or as often as possible

Fact Sheet on Imperial Russia in 1914 :: Russian History

Landforms †¢ the European side is mostly flat plains †¢ the Ural Mountain and several large rivers (Volga, Ob, Yenisey, Lena) run in a south-north direction †¢ much of the Asian side (west of the Ural) is in the tundra zone †¢ high mountain ranges along the Mongolian border and in the far east of the country Climate †¢ the largest country in the world. †¢ extreme temperate conditions: temperatures below freezing for several months, although it can get very hot in the summer †¢ most of the ports freeze in wintertime, living the country with only limited year-round access to important sea routes Resources †¢ rich soil and grazing land in most places in the European side †¢ coal and iron accessible in the European part †¢ huge mineral wealth in the Asian part (gold, diamond, oil, iron and heavy metals, etc.) – hard to access People †¢ population is about 174 million, the second largest in the world after China, with a 50% population rise between 1860 and 1914 †¢ about four fifth of the population lived in the European part, †¢ about 80% of them peasants, had been owning small pieces of land since 1861 †¢ the Tsar, Nicholas the II, was an autocratic ruler †¢ most of the population lived in poverty. †¢ most of the land was owned by the church and a few noble families, the nobility accounting for 1% of the population owned 25% of the land †¢ poor education system, only a selected few could read and write †¢ disease and starvation was common †¢ only 40% of the people are Russian-speaking Comment Russia, the world’s largest country, covered one sixth of the planet’s total landmass (Warnes, 1999), excluding Antarctica. The country had a huge wealth of resources, most located in hardly accessible or completely inaccessible parts of Siberia. The European coal and iron mines supported and increasingly powerful iron industry. The Trans-Siberian Railway completed in 1904 did not make mining of these resources much easier. The roads in Siberia were muddy and impassable for most of the summer season. The flooding rivers made east-west travels and transportation very difficult. Most routes were open only in the winter, when the harsh conditions made movement of people and goods tough. As a result, the country could not enjoy the benefits of the available mineral resources. Although home to the world’s second largest population, the 174 million people were not united. Only 40% belonged to the â€Å"motherland†, the rest was made up almost 20 different other nationalities and several other smaller groups. Most people lived below the standards of other European nations.

Dimmesdales Guilt and Internal Struggle in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Mr. Dimmesdale’s greatest fear is that the townspeople will find out about his sin of adultery with Hester Prynne. Mr. Dimmesdale fears that his soul could not take the shame of such a disclosure, as he is an important moral figure in society. However, in not confessing his sin to the public, he suffers through the guilt of his sin, a pain which is exacerbated by the tortures of Roger Chillingworth. Though he consistently chooses guilt over shame, Mr. Dimmesdale goes through a much more painful experience than Hester, who endured the public shame of the scarlet letter. Mr. Dimmesdale’s guilt is much more damaging to his soul than any shame that he might have endured. When the reader first meets Roger Chillingworth standing watching Hester on the scaffold, he says that he wishes the father could be on the scaffold with her. â€Å"‘It irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not, at least, stand on the scaffold by her side† (46). At this point, Chillingworth wishes that Mr. Dimmesdale was also receiving the sort of shame Hester is being put through. Throughout the first few chapters of the novel, however, Chillingworth’s motives become more and more malicious. By the time Chillingworth meets Hester in her prison cell, he has decided to go after Mr. Dimmesdale’s soul. Chillingworth turns to this goal because Mr. Dimmesdale did not endure Hester’s shame on the scaffold. Had Mr. Dimmesdale chosen to reveal himself at the time of Hester’s shame, he would not have had to endure the pain of Roger Chillingworth’s tortures of his soul. When Mr. Dimmesdale finally confesses to the townspeople in the last hour of his life, he reveals what many saw to be a red A on his chest. Whether the letter was carved by him in an act of self-mutilation, if it was merely a figment of his guilt-ridden imagination, of if it was indeed created by Chillingworth’s torture, it is a symbol of the guilt that Mr. Dimmesdale endured. While it may seem like a poor mockery of Hester’s letter, which was visible to everyone, Mr. Dimmesdale’s caused him much more pain than Hester’s caused her. Over time, Hester’s letter came to be accepted by the townspeople, and once Hester had been accepted there was discussion of allowing her to remove it. In contrast, Mr. Dimmesdale’s letter was not visible to the public, though it caused him much pain. Dimmesdale's Guilt and Internal Struggle in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Mr. Dimmesdale’s greatest fear is that the townspeople will find out about his sin of adultery with Hester Prynne. Mr. Dimmesdale fears that his soul could not take the shame of such a disclosure, as he is an important moral figure in society. However, in not confessing his sin to the public, he suffers through the guilt of his sin, a pain which is exacerbated by the tortures of Roger Chillingworth. Though he consistently chooses guilt over shame, Mr. Dimmesdale goes through a much more painful experience than Hester, who endured the public shame of the scarlet letter. Mr. Dimmesdale’s guilt is much more damaging to his soul than any shame that he might have endured. When the reader first meets Roger Chillingworth standing watching Hester on the scaffold, he says that he wishes the father could be on the scaffold with her. â€Å"‘It irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not, at least, stand on the scaffold by her side† (46). At this point, Chillingworth wishes that Mr. Dimmesdale was also receiving the sort of shame Hester is being put through. Throughout the first few chapters of the novel, however, Chillingworth’s motives become more and more malicious. By the time Chillingworth meets Hester in her prison cell, he has decided to go after Mr. Dimmesdale’s soul. Chillingworth turns to this goal because Mr. Dimmesdale did not endure Hester’s shame on the scaffold. Had Mr. Dimmesdale chosen to reveal himself at the time of Hester’s shame, he would not have had to endure the pain of Roger Chillingworth’s tortures of his soul. When Mr. Dimmesdale finally confesses to the townspeople in the last hour of his life, he reveals what many saw to be a red A on his chest. Whether the letter was carved by him in an act of self-mutilation, if it was merely a figment of his guilt-ridden imagination, of if it was indeed created by Chillingworth’s torture, it is a symbol of the guilt that Mr. Dimmesdale endured. While it may seem like a poor mockery of Hester’s letter, which was visible to everyone, Mr. Dimmesdale’s caused him much more pain than Hester’s caused her. Over time, Hester’s letter came to be accepted by the townspeople, and once Hester had been accepted there was discussion of allowing her to remove it. In contrast, Mr. Dimmesdale’s letter was not visible to the public, though it caused him much pain.

alcohol Essay -- essays research papers

Alcoholism, chronic and usually progressive illness involving the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol, whether in the form of familiar alcoholic beverages or as a constituent of other substances. Alcoholism is thought to arise from a combination of a wide range of physiological, psychological, social, and genetic factors. It is characterized by an emotional and often physical dependence on alcohol, and it frequently leads to brain damage or early death. Some 10 percent of the adult drinkers in the United States are considered alcoholics or at least they experience drinking problems to some degree. More males than females are affected, but drinking among the young and among women is increasing. Consumption of alcohol is apparently on the rise in the United States, countries of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and many European nations. This is paralleled by growing evidence of increasing numbers of alcohol-related problems in other nations, including the Third World. Development Alcoholism, as opposed to merely excessive or irresponsible drinking, has been variously thought of as a symptom of psychological or social stress or as a learned, maladaptive coping behavior. More recently, and probably more accurately, it has come to be viewed as a complex disease entity in its own right. Alcoholism usually develops over a period of years. Early and subtle symptoms include placing excessive importance on the availability of alcohol. Ensuring this avai...

Leadership and Ethics Paper

The movie entitled Coach Carter have shown more than just the simple approach on presenting leadership as a way by which the situations are treated by someone who is expert in a certain field of leading the people. As for this movie, the focus was on the way a coach was able to face the challenges of helping his team see more than just winning the games. Coach Carter, an alumni and an MVP player of the basketball team of the Richmond High School, was able to recreate the motivation of his team players through giving a different approach to his young players. His lengthened thought of the future for his team players have particularly helped him in taking greater steps in making a change in his procedures of the assistance that he is giving them towards   a certain future that would lead them to lives beyond what they have in the basketball courts. From this particular movie, it could be observed that â€Å"leadership† is certainly a factor that brings definite change to groups and organizations. The lessons that are presented through this film certainly awakens the corporate leaders in becoming more aware of the fact that their responsibilities does not simply involve them commanding and directing their people. The corporate world is certainly involving a number of great changes that are involving motivational procedures for the sake of the organizational future as well as individual development goals of the organization. Through the pattern that has been shown through the movie Coach Carter, this particular paper shall be completed in an aim of presenting the possibility of creating effective changes within the organization through the effective use of leadership procedures to be able to meet the challenges of future needs for the corporation that the said leaders are working for. The Role of Communication in Leadership As primarily shown in the movie â€Å"Coach Carter†, it could be observed that communication has been the key factor that has mainly assisted the coach in making it possible for the whole team to understand the aspect that he is making them see. This is indeed also an important factor that needs consideration in application for the sake of organizational growth. The act of constantly communicating with the people around the environment that an individual deals with certainly places an impact on the ways by which the organizational members are able to relate to each other with regards the plans, the procedures of the progressive advancements for the organization. Hence, from this point, it could be observed that there are at least five major points behind the importance of communication within organizational operations. The said points of communication are as follows: (a)Communicating for the sake of passing information There is a need for constant passing of information especially for organizational members. The idea is that the regular way of people communicating with each other would indeed keep the organization unified and intact for the sake of continuous business progress. (b)Communicating for organizational update on progress Whatever the company deals with, the members should know of all of them. This is for the sake of the establishment of trust among the employees as well as the organization’s administration section. It is through the application of regular communication that the progress reports could be utilized to motivate the other members of the organization. (c) Communication for motivational purposes As mentioned earlier, there is a specific need for the people of the organization to take specific steps in being able to perform well for the sake of organization’s progress. To be able to come to a meeting point between the administrators and the employees, it is then necessary to take advantage of communication. Through the open line of communication that exists between the two said parties, it is then obvious that the changes could be given chances of being fulfilled as both sides of opinions are already able to relate to each other’s needs and expectations form the organization as well as form each other. (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Communication for the sake of advancement as an organization It is necessary that there exists an open line of communication between all the people making up the organization because of the fact that much of the progress procedures would rely on the ways that govern the ways by which the said people are able to connect with each other through speaking with each other. Their unity, their connection with each other towards progressive efforts relies on their capabilities to talk to each other and support each other through the use of communication. (e)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Communication for the sake of implying law To be able to keep the whole organization at the right track, there is a necessity for the administration to imply the laws of business within the operational engagements of the employees as this would particularly identify the limitations and the capabilities as well as the benefits that the company has further provided for the employees. Communicating to the employees on why the said set rules are necessary to be followed by the people working within the organization shall then make it easier for them to cope up with the organization’s rules and thus keep a clear track of the changes that they need to face as they are staying with the said organization. From the discussion of the five-point reasons of why communication in the continuing process of a particular organization’s growth, it could be noted that the price that keeping the communication lines open pays is much essential for any organizational progress procedures. Constant attention given to the procedures of communication shall indeed bring forth fine results for the whole team or group that works their way on towards advancements. The five importance of communication certainly identifies one of the key roles of leaders then. In the movie Coach Carter, the coach never failed in helping his team understand why he’s doing to them what they actually do.   Hence, although they were not able to understand the reasoning that he presented to them as to why he aims to make them more motivated in learning their lessons as they are completely serious about their plays, they were able to take the gist of the methodologies he used to motivate them later on. The Constant Need for Change It is necessary that every organization take changes every now and then. The fact is that change is the primary reason why several organizations are able to spot the different aspects of possible progress that the organization could be undergoing in the near future. However, to be able to make change, a fine leader should be ready to face the challenges of the new venture that the organization tries to engage into. As based from the movie Coach Carter, it is indeed obvious that the change that he intended to make among his teams created problems with regards the reaction of the people. This particular situation in the movie actually presents the change that goes beyond the norms. Normally, people are not that open to change. However, through the use of transformational leadership, a person who aims to implicate the changes within the organization certainly is given a fine chance of showing that he can face the impending challenges that may hinder him from keeping up with the needed changes. It could be observed then that the leaders are indeed expected to have the capabilities of transforming the opinions of people to be able to coincide with the thoughts and the practices that they ought to imply within the organization. To be able to understand the situation better, it could be noted that the leaders are to have the necessary characteristics that they need to apply in dealing with the situations that they are usually faced with in their position as group motivators. There are necessary points that need to be considered in this particular situation. The said points are as follows: (A)People-focused leadership It is necessary that leaders are able to take into consideration several strategies that are able to meet the needs of the people that they serve. Certainly, it could be noted that the responsibilities of the leaders are primarily people-centered. The profit and everything else comes in a secondary state as leadership is primarily created to be able to direct people towards the progressive state of the organization. (B)Ethical Based policing It is always essential to carry into consideration the ethical measures of the procedures that are being adapted by organizational leaders. It is only through the ways by which the people are able to get the satisfaction that they need that the leadership of one particular person could be considered successful. Hence, the ethical standards that are set for business policing should constantly be observed by the business leaders as they are expected to have a closer observation of the intensity of the application of ethics within the system of business operations. (C)Giving personal assistance to people who are concerned in the change â€Å"Empathy† is one of the primary characteristics that fine leaders should posses. It is then necessary that the leaders of any organization have this particular attitude towards others especially when dealing with critical and complicated issues within the relational aspects of employees and the administration as well. (D)Personal Concern for the employee’s needs and expectations The individual’s that make up an organization are people who have their own needs and expectations from the company. If one particular leader is able to know and thus provide that particular need, it is then possible to have a more personal-focused system within the organization that could lead to a more progressive future for the entire business. Conclusion The movie of Coach Carter certainly redefines the responsibility and the normal approach of leadership within several organizations in the society. The constant implication of the fact that leadership is a profession, a career that requires strength and courage in implementing necessary rules within certain organizational settings, has been actually presented within the plot of the said movie. Hence, this particularly means that the changes that organizations are required to meet every now and then requires an amply amount of patience and courage from the leaders. Aside from that, it also requires sturdiness when it comes to decision making on the part of the leaders. The policy of â€Å"what must be implemented must be implemented† should always be carried on through by the leaders with an ample scaling of the ethical values that are involved within the situation. Yes, the fact that leadership is not an easy challenge that needs to be conscientiously met identifies the qualities and the attitudes that leaders or aspiring organizational head personnel should posses. Hence, a leader is then supposed to face the said challenges in full courage and knowledge of the strategies that need to be applied in particular situations that they are to meet. References: Maxwell, John C. (2001). Developing the leader within you. Thomas Nelson Publishers. Quinn, Robert E. (1996). Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within (Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series). Jossey-Bass Stephen R. Covey. (2006). The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness: Miniature Edition. Running Press Book Publishers; Miniature edition. The Coach Carter Movie. (2005). http://www.coachcarter.com/movie.htm. (June 9, 2

Early Childhood And Why Parents Choose Certain Schools

I merely want my kid to hold merriment! is a remark I hear on a regular basis from parents touring my preschool. But the thaumaturgy of merriment someway disappears as kids reach the age of three or four, and when they start to fix for â€Å" existent school. † Standards, standardised trials, awards, classs etc. , shortly become parents ‘ greatest concerns. Somewhere along the line, the fun remark is replaced with inquiries refering to kindergarten preparedness and petitions for worksheets, prep and some kind of â€Å" class † . As a preschool owner/educator, I remember so vividly the twenty-four hours I decided to go forth an unbelievable 13-year calling as a public school instructor in one of Ohio ‘s wealthiest school territories to have and run my ain preschool. This was non an easy determination, because I love learning ; go forthing the schoolroom was one of the hardest professional determinations I have of all time made. However, the criterions and standardised testing that were ordering our course of study patterns were in complete struggle with my beliefs. Fortunately, I had options and decided to remain in instruction by traveling to younger ages, which at the clip, seemed exempt from the open force per unit area of standardised testing. I envisioned a installation that embraced drama as the primary acquisition doctrine – 1 that valued child involvements and focal point groups, one that integrated multicultural aspects. I could non be more pleased with my determination to walk off from an astonishing retirement, nice wage, and summers off with my ain kids to offer my ideals to other immature scholars. Small did I realize that the same incubuss that plagued me antecedently would go on to stalk me at my preschool. Although research on drama and cognitive development provide a batch of support for the play-based course of study for our immature kids, the recent province and national accent on proficiency trial public presentation has reinforced the construct of minimum drama clip, even in the primary scene. Many preschools and simple schools have reduced or even eliminated drama from their agendas ( Bodrova & A ; Leong, 2003 ; Brandon, 2002 ; Johnson, 1998 ; Murline, 2000 ; Vail 2003 ) . Play, even the little sections, are being replaced with academic preparedness patterns, peculiarly literacy and reading to fit the content of standardised testing ( Brandon, 2002 ; Fromberg, 1990 ; Johnson, 1998 ; Stei nhauer, 2005 ; Vail, 2003 ) . The changeless battle for answerability, every bit good as â€Å" top-down criterions and coercive force per unit area to raise tonss on an eternal series of standardised trial † – ( Kohn, 2004, p.572 ) , in add-on to the conflict of bettering instruction, all seem to be ordering current educational tendencies. Even if a plan embraces the importance of drama, the outer forces that continue to press for faculty members is invariably endangering the foundation from which our immature kids build their educational hereafter. â€Å" We strip them of their best innate assurance in directing their ain acquisition, travel rapidly them along, and frequently wear them out. † ( Almon, 2003, p.20 ) . This push for a more academic foundation in the early old ages may happen us losing sight of the existent intent of larning. If we continue down this way of making a test-prep course of study in which our accent is on how the kid scores on a reading trial instead than on leting kids to read for pleasance and information after go forthing school, we might bring forth rather the opposite consequence and negatively impact cognitive development. However, the planetary challenge that the Information Age has imposed on us has similarly prompted instruction functionaries to redefine school accomplishment. The authorities ‘s move to set up educational criterions through the ( No Child Left Behind Act ) NCLB was based on the diminution of instruction criterions since the start of the 70s ( Peterson, 2003 ) . At present, most schools implement standard-based course of study, formal rating methods, and numerical scaling system in response to the call for a wider educational transmutation. Suffice to advert, the U.S. ranks merely 19th in the Literacy Index established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) ( 2007 ) . Such informations support the current tendency in instruction, and connote the demand of preschool pedagogues to react consequently. In this consideration, it is worthwhile to weigh what we know about the significance of play-based course of study as it contradicts with what functionaries in Higher Education promote, the standard-based course of study. With the aid of parents who themselves have witnessed the relevancy of play-based course of study to the current instruction system and to the broader facets of their kids ‘s lives, this survey shall derive fresh findings on how parents understand the play-based course of study. Knowing how parents understand play-based course of study is of import, it will supply insight into what information parents draw upon in doing early educational determinations for their kids. . Since parents are the 1s who decide where to inscribe their kids, it would be best to larn how they feel towards play-based course of study. To procure a intelligent research determination, during this survey I will concentrate on interviews, observations and documents/documentation, with parents whose kids are presently enrolled in a play-based course of study. I plan to interview five parents ; carry oning three interviews: a Life History interview, a Current Context interview that includes a sum-up of their present state of affairs, and a Follow up interview. In add-on to the three interviews, observations will be conducted and artefacts will be collected to heighten the informations aggregation. I presently own and operate a preschool situated in a Northeastern Ohio suburb. The demographics environing my school consist of upper in-between category, educated, two-parent families. In the recent yesteryear, we were runing with 248 Caucasic households but have noticed a cultural tendency altering our school ‘s population: we now house six native Asiatic households, eight native Indian households, three Afro-american households, and two biracial households out of a sum of 257 households. This tendency, I believe, is due to a new 30-acre infirmary installation opening across the street. This survey will take topographic point in a similar preschool. The commercial trade name preschool ( anonym ) has similar demographics and utilizes a play-based course of study. As I tour households, I am ever assured that parents want the best for their kids. The determination to go forth a immature kid to a non-family member is hard but common, and it is what brought me to this point in my life: a 43 year-old female parent of two girls, ages 10 and 13, prosecuting a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with an early childhood focal point. A really attractive, well-groomed adult female in her thirtiess, entered my school anteroom keeping an expensive pocketbook, and armed with a list of inquiries, began her pursuit for the perfect child care supplier. This well-spoken ma has a two-year-old boy and an infant girl. She, an lawyer and her hubby, a occupant physician, merely moved to our community from Washington, DC. My tour involves a short debut of myself and my background, every bit good as the school ‘s. I ever include a short description of our doctrine, which includes drama, a circuit of the installation, an debut to all instructors, and, eventually, a meeting in my office where we address all inquiries on their list. Such a list typically includes: safety and security, ratios, ill policy, subject policy, sanitation processs, tiffin and bite, tuition, etc. In this case, course of study was ne'er mentioned, even after I spoke of our play-based doctrine, our Flex Learning Program, etc. Such things did non look o f import to this ma. She asked about instructor turnover, how many babies were presently enrolled, how many instructors were in the schoolroom, and if her babe would be rocked to kip. She asked if her immature yearling would see the gym, which is located in the older edifice ; if he would travel outside every twenty-four hours ; and if he could take part in karate and association football. Literature back uping everything discussed during the circuit, including course of study issues, was handed to her, every bit good as a concern card with the web reference for any extra information. This is really much a typical circuit. The female parent called subsequently to denote that her determination was complete and her kids would be get downing the following Monday. That was two old ages ago. Her kids still attend my school full clip, now ages three and five. Both childs are in the West installation that houses older kids: older Preschool, Pre K, Jr-K, K, and after school classrooms/program. Her kids are booming academically and socially. Yet, two old ages subsequently, her concern shifted to academic preparedness. She made an assignment with me to reexamine the Ohio Pre K criterions which she received from her neighbour. Our hour-and-half hr meeting consisted of illustrations of merely how these criterions are being implemented, met, and mastered without the usage of paper/pencil, bore, skill worksheets, and appraisal tools. Although our doctrine has non changed, nor has her desire for her kids to hold merriment, the fright of success in school has crept into this ma à ¢â‚¬Ëœs thought. Walking through her boy ‘s and girl ‘s schoolrooms daily and detecting childs edifice blocks, making dramatic drama, utilizing sand and H2O, and working at art Stationss, reassures her that the childs are so holding merriment, but what are they larning? How can she be certain they will be prepared for â€Å" school? † This has me presenting several opposing inquiries. What are parents ‘ beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based course of study, and has their beliefs and attitudes changed since come ining the play-based plan? What grounds can I offer parents that play-based course of study is an appropriate course of study for primary school preparedness? How do I recommend for kindergartners as a clip in life to care for drama as a footing for holistic development and acquisition? It is my desire, as a strong advocator of drama for little kids, to better understand where parents are coming from, how they are informed, and what they draw upon to do their concluding decisions. Therefore, in my survey, I will ask from parents their beliefs and attitude about play-based course of study in the hope of better apprehension where parents are coming from. This information will better inform instructors in their parent instruction patterns every bit good as parents in their hunt for a preschool. Approximately Early on Childhood Education Programs Early on childhood instruction plans provide foundational acquisition experiences to really immature kids in readying for formal schooling. Early childhood instruction plans strive to supply kids with the basic accomplishments in literacy and numeracy, which are important for all degrees of instruction, while, at the same clip, supplying the societal, emotional, and cultural interaction that kids need for adulthood and societal development. There is a broad fluctuation in kid attention plans in the United States runing from basic care-based, and sometimes merely custodial-based attention to nationally accredited early childhood plans such as those promoted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children ( NAEYC ) . A figure of early childhood instruction theoretical accounts are in topographic point: Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, Waldorf, Play-Based, and Academics-Based, each holding a different doctrine and educational aim, but all nisus to lend to the preparedness of k ids for formal direction ( Singer, Singer, Plaskon, & A ; Schweder, 2003 ) .Theoretical ModelsEarlier theories on kid development do non straight stipulate drama as an indispensable facet of cognitive development yet constructivist theories recognize it as an of import factor impacting kids ‘s involvement and societal development. In add-on, neuroscience contributes to the position that physical and age-related drama enhances encephalon, physical, and overall development ( Frost 1998 ) . The societal constructivist theory is the force that determines this survey. It claims that persons ‘ perceptual experiences of the â€Å" world † around them shape their ideas and behaviour ( Berger & A ; Luckman, 1966 ) and that the building of significance is a procedure â€Å" forged in the melting pot of mundane interactionaˆÂ ¦meanings are negotiated, exchanged, and modified through mundane interactions with others † ( Rosenholtz, 1989, p. 3 ) . It besides says that people construct their ain apprehension and cognition of the universe through sing and reflecting upon those experiences. Constructivism posits that kids develop their ain constructs of things based on anterior cognition and experience. Guided by people, anterior cognition or experience, they perceive, analyze, and finally do up their ain thoughts sing the universe. Therefore, anterior accomplishments used at drama may be applied relevantly to other state of affairss, such as job resolution, analysis, or decision-making. This makes play an of import portion of kids ‘s life, as it serves as the debut to higher accomplishments and more hard challenges of life. In peculiar, Lev Vygotsky ( cited in Palmer, 2004 ) , a well-known constructivist supports the importance of drama in the kid ‘s development. In his last talk, â€Å" Play and the Psychological Development of the Child, Vygotsky emphasized the importance of drama during the kid ‘s early old ages. Harmonizing to him, drama is portion of a kid ‘s Zone of Proximal Development ( ZPD ) . ZPD is the difference between what a kid can make and what s/he can non. During drama, the kid behaves beyond his age, and discovers new ways of making things such as different forms and highs of blocks. As the kid does this, s/he explores the deepnesss of ZPD, which consequences to a better acquisition ability. In the same manner, neuroscience provides support for kid ‘s drama. Frost ( 1998 ) paperss that encephalon development is farther improved as kids engage in age-appropriate drama. Conversely, he illustrates that want of drama could ensue in â€Å" deviant behaviour † ( 8 ) . It can be gathered that in Vgotsky ‘s societal constructivist theory, parents form an apprehension when it comes to placing the â€Å" fit † academic environment for their kid based on their outlooks Research Methodology Focus and Questions Based on the ends of this survey, the employment of methodological analysis through the acquisition of narrative enquiry and the instance survey design are appropriate. Narrative instance survey will be used for this research undertaking as it will let me, the research worker, to witness and describe a descriptive scene in order to portion experiencesCase StudyThis survey adopts the instance survey design with the position that single instances provide more in-depth information. Case surveies focus on the person, his/her experiences, and immediate world, which is needed to deduce significance and apprehension of the issue or concept under scrutiny. Furthermore, it provides existent illustrations from existent people who are unencumbered by the usage of preset steps or studies, and whose responses will merely ensue in Numberss and statistics ( Bogdan & A ; Biklen, 2007 ) . In this survey, persons, the parents ( either female parent or male parent in one household ) should hold a kid o r kids who are enrolled in a school that implements play-based course of study. These persons will be interviewed and asked to portion their narratives based on open-ended inquiries that correspond to the over-arching research inquiries. In making so, the persons ‘ experiences and beliefs will be discussed in order to get at a better apprehension of the research subject, which regards parents beliefs and attitudes of a play-based course of study. It is expected that other factors such as race, faith, and socioeconomic position would act upon the experiences and ideas of parents. Therefore, the parents selected for the survey will come from different backgrounds. In add-on to the three planned interviews, observations including parent/ instructor conferences, PTO meetings, assorted parent jubilations such as â€Å" A Day in the Life of PreSchooler † , â€Å" Muffins With Mom † , â€Å" ( Root ) Beer and Pretzels with Dad † , Parents Night Out, Parents †˜ Information Evening etc will be observed. Artifacts such as Parent Handbook, School ‘s literature including the school ‘s mission statement, pupil rights, pupil portfolio information will be submitted to supplement Narrative Inquiry For the intent of this survey I will besides be pulling on narrative enquiry ( Clandinin & A ; Connelly, 2000 ) to look into five parents beliefs and attitudes towards a drama -based early childhood course of study within a in private owned early childhood installation. Coming from the societal constructivist position, I believe that experiences are important. Clandinin & A ; Connelly besides suggest experience is important in their three dimensional model for analyzing how the participants past, present and future contexts act upon their beliefs and attitudes towards a drama -based early childhood course of study. Concentrating on narrative enquiry will assist me to underdtand how parents beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood course of study have been established. This alone attack is attractive because it provides the chance for the parents ‘ voices to be heard. In understanding their beliefs and attitudes of a play-based early childhood course of study, narrative enquiry will let me to research how their beliefs and attitudes affect their decsion to inscribe or non in enroll in a installation that promotes a play-based curriuculum and how these beliefs and attitudes have evolved, through the narratives that they portion. This survey will utilize the narrative in-depth interview as a qualitative information aggregation method, which can arouse far richer information than a study. Further, interviews offer the research worker a means to clear up responses and validate participant responses. Cohen et Al. ( 2000 ) posited that single behaviours can merely be understood by understanding persons ‘ readings of the universe around them. Therefore, meaningful societal action demands to be interpreted from the point of position of the histrions or the people who are in that peculiar state of affairs. It can be said that parents who have already enrolled their kid in a play-based preschool would of course experience more strongly about it than parents who have non sent their kid to a play-based preschool ( Bryman, 2004 ) . This qualitative instance survey will analyze preschool parents ‘ beliefs and attitudes utilizing a narrative enquiry data-collection scheme in order to showcase the experiences and perceptual experiences of parents towards play-based course of study in early childhood plans. Case survey and narrative enquiry seek to understand the peculiar inside informations in a historically and socially bounded context ( Clandinin & A ; Connelly, 2000 ) .Main Research QuestionsThe chief research inquiry for this survey is â€Å" what are parents beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based course of study? † Supporting Research Questions I have identified several back uping research inquiries to reflect upon throughout Clandinin and Connelly ( 2000 ) 3-dimensional interviewing procedure. In looking forward/backward I am interested in understanding how persons ‘ life histories inform their current beliefs and attitudes towards play-based course of studies. In looking inward/outward I am interested in understanding what outside factors influence their current beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculums.. What are their beliefs on drama? What are parents ‘ beliefs sing developmentally appropriate patterns? What are parents ‘ perceptual experiences of early acquisition? What grounds can I offer parents that play-based course of study is an appropriate course of study for primary school preparedness? How do I recommend for kindergartners as a clip in life to care for drama as a footing for holistic development and acquisition? . Childs have different demands and the preschool plan should be able to turn to those demands. From my experience, I have found that parents frequently choose preschools that are child-friendly ; that is, they have passed safety criterions, provide plenty learning stuffs, employ qualified and caring instructors, and maintain an attractive installation. Rarely do parents inquire about the school ‘s course of study or its academic offerings. In my experience, parents expect preschools to learn kids rudimentss like forms, colourss, alphabet, Numberss, and reading. Most preschools integrate these basic accomplishments into their acquisition plans, but each preschool differs in how the said accomplishments are presented to the kids for learning intents. Researching parents ‘ beliefs and attitudes would assist place the relevancy of play-based course of study, whether it has helped ease their kids ‘s preparedness and ability to larn and develop accomplishments needed for the â€Å" existent school † or for mundane life. Furthermore, their responses will function as valuable penetrations to pedagogues in general, including those who are non implementing drama. Sing its focal point, play-based course of study may be mostly misperceived as non supplying adequate attending to accomplishments and acquisition. Besides, the current standard-based instruction being implemented, may see drama unimportant, therefore curtail clip for it or wholly disregard it. Such would be deterrent to kids whose basic needs include drama and merriment. In this position, the inquiries that I would wish to elaborate on include: What are parents ‘ beliefs and attitudes towards play-based course of study? What factors led to the development of these beliefs and attitudes? How do/did play-based course of study affect their kids ‘s acquisition and development? and How do parents ‘ beliefs and attitudes sing drama impact the execution of play-based course of study and standard-based curriculum/formal direction?Purpose of the StudyI believe it is of import for all parents to hold a thorough apprehension of the course of study that their kid will be sing, whether in preschool or in any other educational scene. Preschools enjoy a certain sum of flexibleness in how they teach immature kids. Different learning theoretical accounts are available, and some schools integrate two theoretical accounts ( i.e, Montessori and Reggio Emilia ) . When parents know and understand the course of study of their kid ‘s preschool, they are more likely to go involved in the school ‘s activities. They so cognize how to reenforce their kid ‘s acquisition at place, and tend to join forces more with instructors ( Sission, 2009 ) . My quest to understand the beliefs and attitudes of five parents towards a play-based course of study has multiple intents. First, is to supply readers and the early childhood instruction sector with information refering parental beliefs and attitudes towards play-based course of study ; 2nd, to larn how, harmonizing to parents ‘ positions has play-based course of study affected their kids ‘s acquisition and development ; and 3rd, to spot whether they believe it serves as an effectual tool for early childhood instruction.Statement of the ProblemEarly on childhood research workers have reported that immature kids learn best through activities that support the development of the whole kid ( Elkind 2001 ) . David Elkind ( 2001 ) , in a piece reminiscent of Piaget ‘s constructivist positions, entitled â€Å" Young Einstein: Much Too Early, † argued that immature kids learn best through direct interaction with their environment. Before a certain age, they merely a re non capable of the degree of concluding necessary for formal direction. However, national concern with answerability, competition, proving and â€Å" back-to-basics, † puts an over-emphasis on faculty members and single-subject instruction ( Elkind, 2007 ; Ornstein, 2002 ; Perrone, 2000 ) . In response to these concerns, early childhood plans may concentrate the course of study on the instruction of academic accomplishments ( Morrison, 2004 ) . These factors have led to narrowly-defined course of study, which deny immature kids valuable life experiences found in drama. Although a turning concern on math and linguistic communication ability in the higher twelvemonth degrees has prompted the execution of standard-based course of study, it is non plenty to enforce such sort of system in the preschool degree. In the first topographic point, kids are a batch different from grownups in their ways to larn. Unlike grownups, kids, particularly little 1s, need drama ( Ginsburg, 2007 ) ; they need to be interested in what they do in order to go on with it. Therefore, the demand for drama in the preschool should non be disregarded. However, the significance of drama in direction should be supported by research and by parents ‘ belief in the course of study. Therefore, a survey of the parents ‘ beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood course of study may supply information utile to instructors and decision makers when be aftering schemes for implementing a successful preschool plan.RationaleWith the demand for effectivity, trial accomplishment tonss, and answerability, many preschool plans have adopted and reinforced formal direction, and have used drama as a recreational period instead than a learning medium. In an Oregon state-wide study sent to all kindergarten instructors and principals with first-grade instructors, Hitz and Wright ( 1998 ) found that 64 per centum of kindergarten instructors, 61 per centum of principals, and 72 per centum of first-grade instructors reported that formal academic direction was more prevailing in kindergarten than it was 10 to 20 old ages ago. In this scenario, originative look may be considered non every bit of import as cognitive development. Creativity may be viewed as irrelevant to the development of thought and job resolution. Conversely, it is possible that instructors and decision makers have adopted academic direction and other formal patterns, even though most of them considered such developmentally inappropriate. This last scenario implies the loss or deficiency of academic freedom among pedagogues, therefore beliing democratic rules. Early on childhood pedagogues have shown concern with the type of direction used in their instruction plans. Practices used in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten categories reflected an environmentalist-behaviorist position, even though instructors reported holding other positions. From a survey of instructor pattern, Hatch and Freeman ( 1988 ) found that two-thirds of early childhood instructors were implementing plans in struggle with their doctrines refering kids ‘s acquisition. Early childhood experts have long asserted that plans for immature kids should supply for the development of societal, emotional, physical, cognitive, and originative accomplishments, but the abovementioned findings do non reflect this anymore. In short, there is a spread between research workers ‘ recommendations and instructors ‘ patterns ( Bredekamp, 1997 ; Logue, Eheart, & A ; Leavitt, 1996 ) . Parents are the make up one's minding authorization when it comes to the type of instruction that their kids should have. Their beliefs and attitudes towards a course of study and later their determinations are typically influenced by their ain beliefs, experiences, and attitudes. As a effect, their positions affect the execution of plans for immature kids. This survey does non corroborate that parents ‘ positions sing course of study execution are sufficient to implement a favourable plan. However, it considers their positions because they form portion of kids ‘s acquisition environment. It is of import to derive their positions about play-based instruction because aside from the instructor, they are the 1s who have entree to information sing their kids ‘s development and ability whether in school or outside it. Motivation As an experient primary pedagogue, and a current preschool proprietor and pedagogue, I am interested in parents ‘ beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based course of study and whether their determination to inscribe their kid in a play-based course of study is borne out of their apprehension of the plan or other factors. I personally believe in the play-based course of study and would wish to find if this attitude is shared by the parents. If they do non, I would wish to cognize the footing for their disfavor of the course of study. Parents of my pupils are informed of our play-based course of study at registration. Despite this, nevertheless, some still face me with incredulity about the course of study. As an pedagogue and concern proprietor, this survey would take me to a better apprehension of parents ‘ beliefs and attitudes approximately play as a vehicle for larning Understanding how parents understand play-based course of study is important and wi ll add to the literature in many ways. In researching how parents understand play-based course of study this survey will lend to current literature available offering new thoughts Contributions to the Research Children ‘s drama has come under renewed onslaught. Inspired by my ain experiences as a preschool proprietor I hope to lend through this narrative instance survey assorted lived narratives of parents and how their beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood course of study have evolved. Since parents are the â€Å" clients † of early childhood plans, is it of import to understand their beliefs and attitudes. While there is plentifulness of research back uping play-based course of studies in the early childhood schoolroom, it is largely from the pedagogues ‘ and child ‘s position point, literature is missing in this country as it pertains to the parents, their ain beliefs and attitudes. While non meant to portray generalised information the rich descriptive narratives of these five parents will stand for the larger community. Mentality In chapter two of this research proposal, Literature Review, I describe the context in which preschool plans, play-based course of study, and parental picks have been studied in the yesteryear, and the deductions of research findings to current pattern. . The literature reappraisal is organized from the general to the particular, which means that a general overview of preschool plans is provided, followed by a treatment of the play-based course of study, and reasoning with parents pick. . In chapter three, Methodology, I further depict the usage of instance survey and the narrative enquiry attack to warrant the usage of such methods and design as proposed for this survey. The chapter besides provides the description of the research scene, the research sample, the informations assemblage process, information analysis, the timeline, and cogency and dependability concerns, every bit good as the awaited restrictions of the survey. The chief research inquiry every bit good as the back uping inquiries will be outlined in item as good within the chapter three. Chapter four, Findings, will pull on common subjects that exist within the participants narratives that describe their beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based course of study. The deductions this research has on informing the preschool community will be found within chapter five, the concluding chapter, Discussions and Implications.KeywordsPreschool Plans: refers to the pre-kindergarten plans that are geared towards fixing kids ages 2-5 old ages old for kindergarten. The plans offer assorted services for different age groups and follow different course of study theoretical accounts. In this survey, preschool plans refer to the scene and object of the research work. Curriculum Models: refers to an educational system that combines theory with pattern. A course of study theoretical account has a theory and cognition base that reflects a philosophical orientation and is supported, in changing grades, by kid development research and educational rating. The practical application of a course of study theoretical account includes guidelines on how to put up the physical environment, construction the activities, interact with kids and their households, and support staff members in their initial preparation and on-going execution of the plan. In this survey, the theoretical account used by the preschool plan is a play-based course of study. Play-based course of study: refers to the larning theoretical account based on developmentally appropriate drama. This theoretical account is child-centered ; it is based on kids ‘s involvement to guarantee maximized engagement, focal point, and acquisition. Developmentally appropriate patterns: patterns that are â€Å" designed for the age group served and implemented with attending to the demand and differences of the single kids enrolled † ( Bredekamp, 1998 p. 53 ) . In this survey, developmentally appropriate patterns refer to the instruction patterns of kindergarten instructors as manifested in their categories. Beliefs: refer to a set of thoughts or ideas that a individual finds of import or that influences his or her feelings, attitudes, and behaviour. Beliefs are subjective and can be measured by inquiring participants to clarify their ideas on a certain subject or issue. Attitudes: refer to a societal concept that is predetermined by a individual ‘s beliefs. If the belief is negative, so the attitude toward the issue or job is besides negative. Attitudes are associated with stereotypes of what is socially acceptable. Feelingss: refer to the affectional constituent of an person ‘s belief and attitude towards a certain issue or subject. Feelingss are associated with the personal experience and rating of the said issue. Understanding/Perception: refers to the entirety of the person ‘s beliefs, attitudes, and feelings towards a certain issue or subject.