The Strategic Plan for Ninestiles School

Development planning is the mechanism for a school to specify its strategic and operational betterment activities. Strategy, as a long-run purpose, sets the way for school and the nucleus moral intent. However a good scheme is non sufficient by itself but requires a sound short-run operational program. Davies, B. J, & A ; Ellison, L. ( 2005 ) emphasise that the strategic â€Å" program provides a consistent manner of interpreting the nucleus moral intent of the school and its values into action, influenced by a hereafters position and vision. † With the coming of local direction of schools, parental pick, and the publication of school scrutiny conference tabular arraies, it is apparent that a school needs to advance and market itself to avoid a autumn in axial rotations. One of the challenges which the school sets itself, hence, is to develop a system which recognizes and wagess pupil accomplishment in order to better the school. This model scheme is produced for Ninestiles as a school betterment program. In this program I will roll up and analyze the information and information from Ofsted, public presentation tabular arraies, and the school web site and school profile to sketch the strategic program. In add-on, I will urge operational actions and planning procedures. More significantly, through doing the appropriate links between the literature reappraisal and the instance survey of school effectivity and betterment, I will bring forth an appropriate program to back up and advance whole-school and student success for farther instruction and life outside of school. Literature reappraisal Schools, as educational Centres, ne'er fail to pull attending from people, society and authoritiess since the eighteenth century. Consequently, every school has to alter to face challenges. However, school effectivity and school betterment have become the focal point of instruction systems in the modern universe. With development of economic system and society, schools can non shut their Gatess and leave the issues of outside universe in order to last and turn in turn toing the complicated alteration challenges in to the twenty-first century, which makes establishments more porous and permeable ( Elkind, 1993 ) . Schools hence need to do witting to face with alterations come from inside and outside of school. Fullan, Cuttress, and Kilcher ( 2005 ) outlined eight key alterations forces that all leaders would hold to understand, overcome and undertake in schools. They are: â€Å" ( 1 ) prosecuting peoples moral intents, ( 2 ) edifice capacity, ( 3 ) understanding the alteration procedure, ( 4 ) development civilizations for acquisition, ( 5 ) developing civilizations of rating, ( 6 ) concentrating on leading for alteration, ( 7 ) furthering coherency devising, and ( 8 ) cultivating tri-level development. † The eight alterations forces are non isolated and incorporate on an purpose of instruction in school. As an purpose of instruction, the moral intent is the greatest driver of alteration. â€Å" moral intent in educational alteration is an orientation of school ‘s spirit, that means to better society through to develop educational systems and so to raise quality of all citizen. Fullan ( 2005 ) stated that concentrating on leading is the most powerful lesson of alteration. It is non controversial, Collins ( 2001 ) and Mintzberg ( 2004 ) agreed with Fullan ( 2005 ) and pointed out that successful school need a effectual leading. â€Å" Secondary scheme for school betterment † ( The pilot school and pilot local governments, Defs and primary and secondary scheme, 2006 ) provides an overview of the indispensable elements of the secondary intensifying support programme, it as a counsel, makes sense for schools development. The cardinal subjects: Constructing leading capacity Bettering the conditions for larning Bettering the quality of instruction and acquisition Using informations intelligently Supplying an engaging and appropriate course of study Establishing a acquisition community ( The pilot school and pilot local governments, Defs and primary and secondary scheme, 2006, p? ) However, if Ninestiles School will turn to each of the subjects, the primary status is that there must be an equal leading and direction and acquisition conditions within the school. A good suggestion made by â€Å" Secondary scheme for school betterment 2006 † that is that a successful leaders should cognize as followed: how to get the better of opposition to anything new, grab chances and avoid jeopardy That large springs are associated with large wagess and that incrental chage will take them nowhere That the cardinal challenge is to alter people ‘s behaviors and that they can merely make that by act uponing their feeling every bit good as their thought How to take alteration every bit good as manage it Leadership in school should â€Å" turn to the position quo through set uping a sense of urgency, making a guiding group, developing a vision and scheme and pass oning both of them efficaciously † . In short, leading should be able to happen out new ways and attacks of working through warrant of short-run wins and consolidating advancement in order to ease more alteration. Rationale is that leading must guarantee that the nucleus activities of instruction and acquisition are cardinal to duty and answerability of the school ( The pilot school and pilot local governments, Defs and primary and secondary scheme, 2006 ) As a general driver, developing civilization of larning supply a set of schemes for people larning from each other. Change cognition requires furthering coherency devising in order to increase peoples corporate power to drive the system running frontward swimmingly. Dufour, Eaker, and Dufour ( 2005 ) stressed the necessity and power of professional acquisition communities while Fullan ( 2005 ) identified beyond one school and Pfeffer and Sutton ( 2000 ) commend that turning information in to actionable cognition is a societal procedure Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall, and Wiliam 2003 and Fullam ( 2005 ) emphasised one of the highest-yield schemes for educational alteration late developed is assessment for larning. Fullan ( 2005 ) claim that schools need to alter persons, every bit good as demand to alter contexts, cultivating tri-level development provide more learning in context ( at school degree, territory degree and province level,2006 ) . Barber ( 2005 ) provinces same point of view that eight drivers are keys to make effectual and permanent alteration. These drivers are widely accepted and have become theoretic counsel for school ‘s scheme. The first serious treatments and analyses of School effectivity emerged in the 1960s out of concern for equality of educational chance. In the beginning, surveies stressed societal background and heredity as the strongest influences. However, Wrigley ( 2004 ) and MacGilchrist et Al ( 2005 ) have listed failings of the school effectiveness tradition: â€Å" ( 1 ) excessively narrow a position of accomplishment ; ( 2 ) over trust on quantifiable results ; ( 3 ) force per unit area of answerability through testing, conference tabular arraies and review and can falsify the course of study, instruction and acquisition ; ( 4 ) identified characteristics of effectual schools may non be easy movable. In fact, these issues are non particular phenomenon, how to avoid these disadvantages has become more and more educationalists ‘ consideration. In contrast to school effectivity, during the past 30 old ages at that place has been a parallel thrust for school betterment used to accomplish organizational alteration through ab initio unsystematic attempts. Hopkins and Reynolds ( 2001 ) suggested that three elements should be taken into history when sing the development of school betterment: a ‘bottom-up ‘ attack to self-evaluation and betterment planning with teacher ownership ; greater focal point on student results through links with school effectivity community and going progressively ‘top-down ‘ through strategic authorities intercession. In short, betterment demands change. Expediently, bottom-up self-evaluation is a fast and direct feedback for monitoring and following up betterment program, top-down authorities intercession is a drive force to oversee and press that schools must concentrate on instruction and acquisition. Hargreaves and Shirley ( 2009.p5 ) analysed that three ways of alteration have gone earlier as followed: First manner of province support and professional freedom, of invention but besides incompatibility. Second manner of market competition and educational standardization in which professional liberty is lost. Third manner that tries to voyage between and beyond the market and the province and balance professional liberty with answerability. Entering the fast, flexible and vulnerable new universe of the twenty-first century, we have to face dramatically new jobs and challenges. It is realized that the old three ways of educational alteration have non matched the new alterations and development, A â€Å" 4th manner † of educational alteration has been identified, based on the best of the old ways of the yesteryear without withdrawing to or reinventing the worst of them ( Hargreaves and Shirley,2009 ) . They asserted that â€Å" it is non a manner to retain bossy control over narrowly defined ends and marks. The 4th manner, instead, is a democratic and professional way to betterment that builds from the underside, tips from the top and provides support and force per unit area from the sides. † Sing context of Ninestiles School, the 4th manner provide some inspiration: Leadership is the cardinal function for development of a school Every instructor should set duty before answerability. Michael Fullan ( 2009 ) points out that school alteration depends on what instructors do and believe. As a moral intent, instructors should set duty before answerability – it is every bit simple and every bit complex as this. Parents should be more to the full engaged. Students as active spouses in their ain development are most of import. Back land Ninestiles school is a 6th foundation school and it is a larger than most secondary schools in Birmingham. It serves 1471 pupils ( 11-18 old ages old ) in the Acocks Green country of Birmingham but besides attracts pupils from other countries of the metropolis. Just over a half pupils are White British ; somewhat over 10 % are from Asiatic Pakistani backgrounds and similar proportions are of Asiatic Indian heritage. A particular unit attached to the school has 45 pupils with address and linguistic communication of community troubles. ( Ninestiles website 2011 ) Ninestiles has been a specialist school for engineering for 15 old ages and has had applied larning position since 2007. Ninelstiles school is committed to a course of study which aims to supply a acquisition environment in which all pupils irrespective of gender, ability, societal or cultural background, are encouraged to accomplish to their full potency, all the pupils have been exposed to a assortment if instruction and learning manners experience of cardinal accomplishments. School ‘s mission is to fix all-around citizens who are able to play a full portion in the life in the community. By prosecuting aims with vision, Ninestiles seeks to prosecute the head, elevate the spirit, and excite the best attempt of all who are associated with the school. What does Ofsted state? Ninestiles School was to the full praised by Ofsted in 2009 and was judged as outstanding overall. Inspectors reported that Ninestiles â€Å" has made many alterations in order to to the full run into the demands of all pupils and get the better of any barriers to larning † ( Ofsted 2009 p.4 ) . Outstanding facets of the school include: Students ‘ accomplishment, as the school is extremely effectual at actuating pupils who have made limited advancement in the yesteryear. It is barely surprising that the huge bulk of parents are satisfied to the school. Teaching and acquisition, because of consistent manner in which instructors plan lessons in the visible radiation of pupil ‘s mark. Leadership and direction, as the cardinal precedences are to the point and based on the sound rating and school has been originative in developing high quality leaders at all degrees in the school. Student ‘s personal development and wellbeing as they appreciate in mature manner about their school and class as brilliant function theoretical accounts for younger pupils. Other effectual facets of the school were noted by Ofsted as follows: The course of study is effectual in run intoing the demands of all pupils. The course of study is a major factor in guaranting first-class behavior and high degrees of motive amongst all groups of pupils. Work-based accomplishments, including teamwork and endeavor, work-related acquisition chances prepare pupils outstandingly good for employment or the following phase in the instruction. In add-on, pupils have chances to try a broad scope of classs. These classs is strong work-related dimension. Consequently, the Information and communicating engineering is used really good and extensively. The attention, support, aid and counsel are highly effectual to lend to the pupils ‘ outstanding personal development. Students are safe in the school and parents and pupils value a really good relationship with grownups. The rapid passage to an all-age tutorial system was handled really good. Governors are really effectual because they play a cardinal function in guaranting that many new developments are carefully considered prior to execution. Governors insist that best value rules are applied to all that the school does. Ninestiles in the Performance tabular arraies? Harmonizing the Ofsted study in the last four old ages, there has been a fluctuation in GCSE consequences. Fortunately, there was a important rise in 2010 from 51 % to 64 % 5+A*-C including English and Maths. However, the public presentation of pupils at GCSE needs to be kept stable and if possible farther improved. More significantly ; from the tabular array as follows, it can be seen that compared with national and metropolis figures its GCSE public presentation is now higher. Here we should pay attending to CVA, in 2009, CVA suggested advancement in line with outlook at 997.1, but in 2010, the CVA raised dramatically to 1031. This suggests that in 2010 students made advancement well beyond outlook. Comparison with national and metropolis figures Year school National criterion Birmingham norm Ninestiles school 2009 50 % GCSE 1000CVA 48 % GCSE 1000CVA 51 % GCSE 997.1CVA 2010 53 % GCSE 1000CVA 55 % GCSE 1000CVA 64 % GCSE 1031CVA Beginning informations: DfE School and college public presentation tabular arraies. Ninestiles ‘ ain position of its effectivity Ninestiles is efficaciously structured to react to the demands of twenty-first Century instruction. The school twenty-four hours has been carefully designed with modern larning demands in head. The wide and balanced course of study is antiphonal to single demands and the altering national context. All squads have a structured remit and an consciousness of the portion they play in making the vision. About Curriculum statement Ninestiles School is committed to supplying a learning environment in which all pupils are encouraged to accomplish to their full potency. Students are assessed on twenty-first century accomplishments like teamwork and communicating. The pupils, their parents and instructor are all involved to take the degree or class in which pupils would wish to take. Ninestiles takes great pride in supplying chances for their pupils either at the academic or vocational development as it is believed that doing the appropriate links to the existent universe will non merely enrich their apprehension of the curriculum country but will besides get down to fix them for farther instruction and life outside of school. The school twenty-four hours has been carefully designed with modern larning demands in head. Reality Baste Leaning ( RBL ) is mandatory for all pupils. This type of larning focal points on existent universe scenarios and pupils learn by replying jobs About work-related acquisition Ninestiles school has taking border position of work-related acquisition. It has been a specialist school for engineering for 13 old ages and has had applied larning position since 2007. Work-related acquisition is defined by school as any planned activity that uses work as a context for larning ( OFSTED 2009 ) . By supplying pupils with the chances and context in order to develop their work-related accomplishments, cognition and understanding. Such construct is based on logic of specialisation and it involves work-related acquisition within the classs for all students at cardinal phase 4. It occurs across the course of study when different topics and classs are offered to pupils. ninestile ‘s mission is to fix all-around citizens who are able to play a full portion in the life in the community. As a typical engineering school school ‘s schemes reflect our aspirations and we seek an appreciate the counsel and encouragement in transporting out these aspirations aims. Every pupil in the school has been exposed to a assortment of learning and larning manners, experience and work out existent universe jobs and leaves school with extended experience of cardinal accomplishments. Our aspirations are targeted non towards rankings but instead towards accomplishing a topographic point where take great pride in supplying chances for their pupils either at the academic or vocational development as it is believed that doing the appropriate links to the existent universe will non merely enrich their apprehension of the curriculum country but will besides get down to fix them for farther instruction and life outside of school. Key precedences for betterment Fortunately, Ninestiles School has made many alterations positively, but we can non shy away from confronting its failings. Harmonizing to the review judgement reported by Ofsted in 2009, there are six facets that should be improved and strengthened: For the group ( 16-19 ) whose public presentation reached comparatively lower class than others group, most facets review concerned with were at grade 2 or 3. The in-between director working in ( 16-19 ) group should be adjusted and consolidated to to better tutoring and mentoring systems and heighten top-down bureaucratism, prescription and counsel. Finical support. Headteacher, with regulating organic structure and all staffs, analyses budget to guarantee school development program precedences with appropriate budget allotment. The school budget needs to be flexibly used to back up a push for betterment. ( Fullan, M. , Barber, ( 2009 ) Use the award system. The award strategy provide encouragement and acknowledgment for attempt and accomplishment. A survey conducted by Harris.L ( 1996 ) showed that the better the kids performed in all these old countries ( classwork, prep, attending, promptness, behaviour ) the more successful would both learning and larning become. Another must be emphasized is in footings of personal development and wellbeing for school overall, pupils had truly bad attending ( at class 3 ) and healthy life style ( at class 2 ) . Comparison with other similar school ( table 2 ) School Attendance Ninestiles In 2009 Ninestiles In 2010 Birmingham In 2010 England In 2010 % of half yearss missed 8.2 % 8.5 % 6.8 % 6.9 % Unauthorised absence 2.3 % 1.6 % 1.4 % Persistent absence 9.1 % 8.5 % 4.4 % 4.6 % Figure from OFSTED From table 2, it can be shown that pressing job of Ninestiles school is hapless attending, there are two steps that should be suggested, one is parent meeting and calling.The 4th manner recommend parents should be more to the full engaged. The school should present first twenty-four hours of absence naming place for all absentees and consult students and parents over wagess and countenance. Parents meetings should be held with all parents monthly and there should be hebdomadal updates by phone. In this instance, each pupils received monthly advancement cheque. Others is to set up award system. The 4th manner stressed the pupil as active spouse in their ain development is of all time the most of import. Award system efficaciously build pupils assurance for their farther survey. It is traditional and really effectual for pupil public presentation including category work, prep, attending, promptness, behavior and public presentation at GCSE. The 3rd facet should be highlighted is for leading, review pointed the school ‘s self-evaluation and community coherence did non exercise every bit good as outlook â€Å" leading should acquire the vision right to increase urgency and construct the guiding squad. The schools white paper ( 2010 ) emphasized school should better top-down bureaucratism and â€Å" bottom-up † support. It is good circle for self-evaluation † . The policy has non been to the full updated to run into all current demands. The school policy and patterns should be shared and public in the school web site. There is a statement in the school prospectus which linked to development program marks. Policy and pattern are reviewed and updated every term in visible radiation of altering profile. This is besides a good manner for all ( pupils, instructors, parents and society ) to measure our school. The monitoring and rating of instruction and acquisition has non ever identified rapidly enough the advancement made by different groups of pupils All the grounds from different instruction system around the universe shows that the most of import factor in finding how good kids do is the quality of instructor and instruction. High quality instructor is cardinal fact of successful school. The school alteration depends on what instructors do and believe ( Fullan ( 2000 ) . As a moral intent, instructors should set the duty before answerability. Raising entry demands and more preparation in or out-school is suggested by white paper. The school should guarantee all staffs must be in topographic point in order to better pupils ‘ public presentation. Specifically, the school needs to set up a particular group for the monitoring and rating of instruction and acquisition in order to react quickly to any fluctuations in advancement and proctor more efficaciously the advancement that different groups of pupils make in lessons. This group is to supervise more efficaciously the advancement that different groups of pupils make in lessons, peculiarly in Years 7 and 8 ( Ofsted 2009 ) . pupils public presentation at GCSE need to maintain stable and promote and school ‘s CVA should be Consolidated. Teachers are clear about their instruction ends that attempt on the school ‘s highest-priority ends in ways most likely to better pupils ‘ public presentation of academic. In the instance, instructors create a strategic program for bettering the quality of instruction and do adept usage of bing learning stuffs in order to give more clip to patterns that enrich and clear up the content. To develop instructors harmonizing to program and do certain their cognition and learning stills maintaining updated to fit the demands of societal and single ‘s development. Precisely, School betterment group need run intoing with instructors to place and research the issue that are involved in placing students in old ages 9 and 10. this conference should be based on informations gathered earlier in the school from logbooks and treatment with pupil deputies. Furthermore, there should be voluntary after-school or lunchtime lesson provided by staff and an excess session, affecting strong links with external bureaus is based on test techniques, is organized What issues/weaknesses have been identified? Precedences for Improvement Proposed Actions Success Criteria For the age group ( 16-19 ) whose public presentation reached comparatively lower Ofsted class than other groups in this school. For this group, most appraisals reached merely grades 2 or 3 Improve quality of instruction and acquisition Adjust in-between leading working in this group. Raise pupil aspirations through links with concern and higher instruction For this group, mark of most appraisals should make above classs 2 Students had truly hapless attending ( at class 3 with 8.5 % absence ) , Improve attainment Work with parents to advance good attending, recognizing links to attainment the attending to make 95 % relentless absence to be reduced to 5 % at grade 2. The school ‘s self-evaluation and community coherence were non effectual every bit good as outlook. the policy has non been to the full updated to run into all current demands. Monitoring and rating of instruction and larning have non been ever identified rapidly plenty Strengthen leading Build betterment group Monitor and track advancement more strictly school betterment groups become progressively influential in driving up criterion Student ‘s public presentation at GCSE needs to be kept stable and promoted. Provide encouragement and acknowledgment for attempt and accomplishment. Establish â€Å" good acquisition â€Å" civilization in school. It will be anticipate to 70 % 5+A*- including English and Mathematicss by 2012DecisionIn recent old ages criterions have risen steadily in our school, the most of import thing is that a school is able to prolong this advancement or non when it confront with disputing circumstance sometime. It is shown above that Ninestiles School has won a well-deserved repute for its current effectivity and betterment from society and Ofsted while Ninestiles school has taking border position of work-related acquisition. the school assets, direction and societal supports all have been ready for Ninestiles to take obstructions for acquisition and made many alterations In order to run into all pupils ‘ demands. However, there are still many challenges that school has to face with. Ninestiles school can provides thoughtful and far-sighted strategic leading that create the environments that makes good learning pay off and larning efficaciously to back up and track our all aim. There has been an highly clear vision that reaches into every corner of this school. However, the most common position of scheme is to put the way of school ( Davies, B. Davies, J. & A ; Ellison, L. 2005 ) . It consists of some short-time purpose, that is: First, school should beef up leading that should acquire the vision right to increase urgency and construct the guiding squad. Second, The school should set up evidence-based attack to bettering instruction and acquisition and better consistence in feedback and marker. Third, school should set in topographic point enhanced tutoring and mentoring systems to guarantee that all pupils are supported harmonizing to their demands. Finally, the school demands to put our appraisal system to guarantee that our enterprise on path and supervise our school as a whole is accomplishing the short term ends and long term aspirations. Pursuit of excellence, as counsel, sets an ambitious docket of aspirations by specific schemes and programs, which call for us to settle down to work in much land for one ‘s ain responsibility and concentrate on coordination, steadiness, clearcutness, pertinence and existent consequence. Our school needs to guarantee that all pupils and instructors can be to the full equipped to do a difference in the planning period. In another words, the school should be already to be after the following stage of its development because of â€Å" no best, but better â€Å"

Blood pressure Essay

Blood pressure (BP), sometimes referred to as arterial blood pressure, is the pressureexerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, â€Å"blood pressure† usually refers to thearterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, blood pressure varies between a maximum (systolic) and a minimum (diastolic) pressure.[1] The blood pressure in the circulation is principally due to the pumping action of the heart.[2] Differences in mean blood pressure are responsible for blood flow from one location to another in the circulation. The rate of mean blood flow depends on the resistance to flow presented by the blood vessels. Mean blood pressure decreases as the circulating blood moves away from the heart through arteries and capillaries due to viscous losses of energy. Mean blood pressure drops over the whole circulation, although most of the fall occurs along the small arteries and arterioles.[3] Gravity affects blood pressure via hydrostatic forces (e.g., during standing) and valves in veins, breathing, and pumping from contraction of skeletal muscles also influence blood pressure in veins.[2] The measurement blood pressure without further specification usually refers to the systemic arterial pressure measured at a person’s upper arm and is a measure of the pressure in the brachial artery, major artery in the upper arm. A person’s blood pressure is usually expressed in terms of the systolic pressure over diastolic pressure and is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg), for example 120/80. The table on the right shows the classification of blood pressure adopted by the American Heart Association for adults who are 18 years and older.[4] It assumes the values are a result of averaging blood pressure readings measured at two or more visits to the doctor.[6][7] In the UK, blood pressures are usually categorised into three groups: low (90/60 or lower), high (140/90 or higher), and normal (values above 90/60 and below 130/80).[8][9] Normal range of blood pressure While average values for arterial pressure could be computed for any given population, there is often a large variation from person to person; arterial pressure also varies in individuals from moment to moment. Additionally, the average of any given population may have a questionable correlation with its general health; thus the relevance of such average values is equally questionable. However, in a study of 100 human subjects with no known history of hypertension, an average blood pressure of 112/64 mmHg was found,[10] which are currently classified as desirable or â€Å"normal† values. Normal values fluctuate through the 24-hour cycle, with highest readings in the afternoons and lowest readings at night.[11][12] Various factors, such as age and sex influence average values, influence a person’s average blood pressure and variations. In children, the normal ranges are lower than for adults and depend on height.[13] As adults age, systolic pressure tends to rise and diastolic tends to fall.[14] In the elderly, blood pressure tends to be above the normal adult range,[15] largely because of reduced flexibility of the arteries. Also, an individual’s blood pressure varies with exercise, emotional reactions, sleep, digestion and time of day. Differences between left and right arm blood pressure measurements tend to be random and average to nearly zero if enough measurements are taken. However, in a small percentage of cases there is a consistent difference greater than 10 mmHg which may need further investigation, e.g. for obstructive arterial disease.[16][17] The risk of cardiovascular disease increases progressively above 115/75 mmHg.[18] In the past, hypertension was only diagnosed if secondary signs of high arterial pressure were present, along with a prolonged high systolic pressure reading over several visits. Regarding hypotension, in practice blood pressure is considered too low only if noticeable symptoms are present.[5] Clinical trials demonstrate that people who maintain arterial pressures at the low end of these pressure ranges have much better long term cardiovascular health. The principal medical debate concerns the aggressiveness and relative value of methods used to lower pressures into this range for those who do not maintain such pressure on their own. Elevations, more commonly seen in older people, though often considered normal, are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Physiology There are many physical factors that influence arterial pressure. Each of these may in turn be influenced by physiological factors, such as diet, exercise, disease, drugs or alcohol, stress, obesity, and so-forth.[20] Some physical factors are: †¢ Volume of fluid or blood volume, the amount of blood that is present in the body. The more blood present in the body, the higher the rate of blood return to the heart and the resulting cardiac output. There is some relationship between dietary salt intake and increased blood volume, potentially resulting in higher arterial pressure, though this varies with the individual and is highly dependent on autonomic nervous system response and the renin-angiotensin system.[21][22][23] †¢ Resistance. In the circulatory system, this is the resistance of the blood vessels. The higher the resistance, the higher the arterial pressure upstream from the resistance to blood flow. Resistance is related to vessel radius (the larger the radius, the lower the resistance), vessel length (the longer the vessel, the higher the resistance), blood viscosity, as well as the smoothness of the blood vessel walls. Smoothness is reduced by the build up of fatty deposits on the arterial walls. Substances called vasoconstrictors can reduce the size of blood vessels, thereby increasing blood pressure. Vasodilators (such as nitroglycerin) increase the size of blood vessels, thereby decreasing arterial pressure. Resistance, and its relation to volumetric flow rate (Q) and pressure difference between the two ends of a vessel are described by Poiseuille’s Law. †¢ Viscosity, or thickness of the fluid. If the blood gets thicker, the result is an increase in arterial pressure. Certain medical conditionscan change the viscosity of the blood. For instance, anemia (low red blood cell concentration), reduces viscosity, whereas increased red blood cell concentration increases viscosity. It had been thought that aspirin and related â€Å"blood thinner† drugs decreased the viscosity of blood, but instead studies found[24] that they act by reducing the tendency of the blood to clot. In practice, each individual’s autonomic nervous system responds to and regulates all these interacting factors so that, although the above issues are important, the actual arterial pressure response of a given individual varies widely because of both split-second and slow-moving responses of the nervous system and end organs. These responses are very effective in changing the variables and resulting blood pressure from moment to moment. Moreover, blood pressure is the result of cardiac output increased by peripheral resistance: blood pressure = cardiac output Xperipheral resistance. As a result, an abnormal change in blood pressure is often an indication of a problem affecting the heart’s output, the blood vessels’ resistance, or both. Thus, knowing the patient’s blood pressure is critical to assess any pathology related to output and resistance. Mean arterial pressure The mean arterial pressure (MAP) is the average over a cardiac cycle and is determined by the cardiac output (CO), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), and central venous pressure (CVP),[25] Curve of the arterial pressure during one cardiac cycle The up and down fluctuation of the arterial pressure results from the pulsatile nature of thecardiac output, i.e. the heartbeat. The pulse pressure is determined by the interaction of thestroke volume of the heart, compliance (ability to expand) of the aorta, and the resistance to flow in the arterial tree. By expanding under pressure, the aorta absorbs some of the force of the blood surge from the heart during a heartbeat. In this way, the pulse pressure is reduced from what it would be if the aorta wasn’t compliant.[26] The loss of arterial compliance that occurs with aging explains the elevated pulse pressures found in elderly patients. The pulse pressure can be simply calculated from the difference of the measured systolic and diastolic pressures,[26] Arm–leg gradient The arm–leg (blood pressure) gradient is the difference between the blood pressure measured in the arms and that measured in the legs. It is normally less than 10 mmHg,[27] but may be increased in e.g. coarctation of the aorta.[27] Vascular resistance The larger arteries, including all large enough to see without magnification, are conduits with low vascular resistance (assuming no advanced atherosclerotic changes) with high flow rates that generate only small drops in pressure. The smaller arteries and arterioles have higher resistance, and confer the main drop in blood pressure along the circulatory system. Vascular pressure wave Modern physiology developed the concept of the vascular pressure wave (VPW). This wave is created by the heart during the systoleand originates in the ascending aorta. Much faster than the stream of blood itself, it is then transported through the vessel walls to the peripheral arteries. There the pressure wave can be palpated as the peripheral pulse. As the wave is reflected at the peripheral veins, it runs back in a centripetal fashion. When the reflected wave meets the next outbound pressure wave, the pressure inside the vessel rises higher than the pressure in the aorta. This concept explains why the arterial pressure inside the peripheral arteries of the legs and arms is higher than the arterial pressure in the aorta,[28][29][30] and in turn for the higher pressures seen at the ankle compared to the arm with normal ankle brachial pressure index values. Regulation The endogenous regulation of arterial pressure is not completely understood, but the following mechanisms of regulating arterial pressure have been well-characterized: †¢ Baroreceptor reflex: Baroreceptors in the high pressure receptor zones detect changes in arterial pressure. These baroreceptors send signals ultimately to the medulla of the brain stem, specifically to the Rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). The medulla, by way of the autonomic nervous system, adjusts the mean arterial pressure by altering both the force and speed of the heart’s contractions, as well as the total peripheral resistance. The most important arterial baroreceptors are located in the left and rightcarotid sinuses and in the aortic arch.[31] †¢ Renin-angiotensin system (RAS): This system is generally known for its long-term adjustment of arterial pressure. This system allows the kidney to compensate for loss in blood volume or drops in arterial pressure by activating an endogenous vasoconstrictorknown as angiotensin II. †¢ Aldosterone release: This steroid hormone is released from the adrenal cortex in response to angiotensin II or high serum potassiumlevels. Aldosterone stimulates sodium retention and potassium excretion by the kidneys. Since sodium is the main ion that determines the amount of fluid in the blood vessels by osmosis, aldosterone will increase fluid retention, and indirectly, arterial pressure. †¢ Baroreceptors in low pressure receptor zones (mainly in the venae cavae and the pulmonary veins, and in the atria) result in feedback by regulating the secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH/Vasopressin), renin and aldosterone. The resultant increase inblood volume results an increased cardiac output by the Frank–Starling law of the heart, in turn increasing arterial blood pressure. These different mechanisms are not necessarily independent of each other, as indicated by the link between the RAS and aldosterone release. Currently, the RAS is targeted pharmacologically by ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists. The aldosterone system is directly targeted by spironolactone, an aldosterone antagonist. The fluid retention may be targeted by diuretics; the antihypertensive effect of diuretics is due to its effect on blood volume. Generally, the baroreceptor reflex is not targeted in hypertensionbecause if blocked, individuals may suffer from orthostatic hypotension and fainting. Measurement A medical student checking blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. Arterial pressure is most commonly measured via a sphygmomanometer, which historically used the height of a column of mercury to reflect the circulating pressure.[32] Blood pressure values are generally reported in millimetres of mercury (mmHg), though aneroid and electronic devices do not use mercury. For each heartbeat, blood pressure varies between systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic pressure is peak pressure in the arteries, which occurs near the end of the cardiac cyclewhen the ventricles are contracting. Diastolic pressure is minimum pressure in the arteries, which occurs near the beginning of the cardiac cycle when the ventricles are filled with blood. An example of normal measured values for a resting, healthy adult human is 120 mmHgsystolic and 80 mmHg diastolic (written as 120/80 mmHg, and spoken [in the US and UK] as â€Å"one-twenty over eighty†). Systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressures are not static but undergo natural variations from one heartbeat to another and throughout the day (in a circadian rhythm). They also change in response to stress, nutritional factors, drugs, disease, exercise, and momentarily from standing up. Sometimes the variations are large. Hypertension refers to arterial pressure being abnormally high, as opposed to hypotension, when it is abnormally low. Along with body temperature, respiratory rate, and pulse rate, blood pressure is one of the four main vital signs routinely monitored by medical professionals and healthcare providers.[33] Measuring pressure invasively, by penetrating the arterial wall to take the measurement, is much less common and usually restricted to a hospital setting. Noninvasive The noninvasive auscultatory and oscillometric measurements are simpler and quicker than invasive measurements, require less expertise, have virtually no complications, are less unpleasant and less painful for the patient. However, noninvasive methods may yield somewhat lower accuracy and small systematic differences in numerical results. Noninvasive measurement methods are more commonly used for routine examinations and monitoring. [edit]Palpation A minimum systolic value can be roughly estimated by palpation, most often used in emergency situations, but should be used with caution.[34] It has been estimated that, using 50% percentiles, carotid, femoral and radial pulses are present in patients with a systolic blood pressure > 70 mmHg, carotid and femoral pulses alone in patients with systolic blood pressure of > 50 mmHg, and only a carotid pulse in patients with a systolic blood pressure of > 40 mmHg.[34] A more accurate value of systolic blood pressure can be obtained with a sphygmomanometer and palpating the radial pulse.[35] The diastolic blood pressure cannot be estimated by this method.[36] The American Heart Association recommends that palpation be used to get an estimate before using the auscultatory method. Auscultatory Auscultatory method aneroid sphygmomanometer with stethoscope Mercury manometer The auscultatory method (from the Latin word for â€Å"listening†) uses a stethoscope and asphygmomanometer. This comprises an inflatable (Riva-Rocci) cuff placed around the upperarm at roughly the same vertical height as the heart, attached to a mercury or aneroidmanometer. The mercury manometer, considered the gold standard, measures the height of a column of mercury, giving an absolute result without need for calibration and, consequently, not subject to the errors and drift of calibration which affect other methods. The use of mercury manometers is often required in clinical trials and for the clinical measurement of hypertension in high-risk patients, such as pregnant women. A cuff of appropriate size is fitted smoothly and snugly, then inflated manually by repeatedly squeezing a rubber bulb until the artery is completely occluded. Listening with the stethoscope to the brachial artery at the elbow, the examiner slowly releases the pressure in the cuff. When blood just starts to flow in the artery, the turbulent flow creates a â€Å"whooshing† or pounding (first Korotkoff sound). The pressure at which this sound is first heard is the systolic blood pressure. The cuff pressure is further released until no sound can be heard (fifth Korotkoff sound), at the diastolic arterial pressure. The auscultatory method is the predominant method of clinical measurement.[37] Oscillometric The oscillometric method was first demonstrated in 1876 and involves the observation of oscillations in the sphygmomanometer cuff pressure[38] which are caused by the oscillations of blood flow, i.e., the pulse.[39] The electronic version of this method is sometimes used in long-term measurements and general practice. It uses a sphygmomanometer cuff, like the auscultatory method, but with an electronic pressure sensor (transducer) to observe cuff pressure oscillations, electronics to automatically interpret them, and automatic inflation and deflation of the cuff. The pressure sensor should be calibrated periodically to maintain accuracy. Oscillometric measurement requires less skill than the auscultatory technique and may be suitable for use by untrained staff and for automated patient home monitoring. The cuff is inflated to a pressure initially in excess of the systolic arterial pressure and then reduced to below diastolic pressure over a period of about 30 seconds. When blood flow is nil (cuff pressure exceeding systolic pressure) or unimpeded (cuff pressure below diastolic pressure), cuff pressure will be essentially constant. It is essential that the cuff size is correct: undersized cuffs may yield too high a pressure; oversized cuffs yield too low a pressure. When blood flow is present, but restricted, the cuff pressure, which is monitored by the pressure sensor, will vary periodically in synchrony with the cyclic expansion and contraction of the brachial artery, i.e., it will oscillate. The values of systolic and diastolic pressure are computed, not actually measured from the raw data, using an algorithm; the computed results are displayed. Oscillometric monitors may produce inaccurate readings in patients with heart and circulation problems, which include arterial sclerosis, arrhythmia, preeclampsia, pulsus alternans, and pulsus paradoxus. In practice the different methods do not give identical results; an algorithm and experimentally obtained coefficients are used to adjust the oscillometric results to give readings which match the auscultatory results as well as possible. Some equipment uses computer-aided analysis of the instantaneous arterial pressure waveform to determine the systolic, mean, and diastolic points. Since many oscillometric devices have not been validated, caution must be given as most are not suitable in clinical and acute care settings. The term NIBP, for non-invasive blood pressure, is often used to describe oscillometric monitoring equipment. Continuous noninvasive techniques (CNAP) Continuous Noninvasive Arterial Pressure (CNAP) is the method of measuring arterial blood pressure in real-time without any interruptions and without cannulating the human body. CNAP combines the advantages of the following two clinical â€Å"gold standards†: it measures blood pressure continuously in real-time like the invasive arterial catheter system and it is noninvasive like the standard upper arm sphygmomanometer. Latest developments in this field show promising results in terms of accuracy, ease of use and clinical acceptance. Non-occlusive techniques: the Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) principle Since the 90s a novel family of techniques based on the so-called Pulse wave velocity (PWV) principle have been developed. These techniques rely on the fact that the velocity at which an arterial pressure pulse travels along the arterial tree depends, among others, on the underlying blood pressure.[40] Accordingly, after a calibration maneuver, these techniques provide indirect estimates of blood pressure by translating PWV values into blood pressure values.[41] The main advantage of these techniques is that it is possible to measure PWV values of a subject continuously (beat-by-beat), without medical supervision, and without the need of inflating brachial cuffs. PWV-based techniques are still in the research domain and are not adapted to clinical settings. White-coat hypertension For some patients, blood pressure measurements taken in a doctor’s office may not correctly characterize their typical blood pressure.[42] In up to 25% of patients, the office measurement is higher than their typical blood pressure. This type of error is calledwhite-coat hypertension (WCH) and can result from anxiety related to an examination by a health care professional.[43] The misdiagnosis of hypertension for these patients can result in needless and possibly harmful medication. WCH can be reduced (but not eliminated) with automated blood pressure measurements over 15 to 20 minutes in a quiet part of the office or clinic.[44] Debate continues regarding the significance of this effect.[citation needed] Some reactive patients will react to many other stimuli throughout their daily lives and require treatment. In some cases a lower blood pressure reading occurs at the doctor’s office.[45] Home monitoring Ambulatory blood pressure devices that take readings every half hour throughout the day and night have been used for identifying and mitigating measurement problems like white-coat hypertension. Except for sleep, home monitoring could be used for these purposes instead of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.[46] Home monitoring may be used to improve hypertension management and to monitor the effects of lifestyle changes and medication related to blood pressure.[6] Compared to ambulatory blood pressure measurements, home monitoring has been found to be an effective and lower cost alternative,[46][47][48] but ambulatory monitoring is more accurate than both clinic and home monitoring in diagnosing hypertension. Ambulatory monitoring is recommended for most patients before the start of antihypertensive drugs.[49] Aside from the white-coat effect, blood pressure readings outside of a clinical setting are usually slightly lower in the majority of people. The studies that looked into the risks from hypertension and the benefits of lowering blood pressure in affected patients were based on readings in a clinical environment. When measuring blood pressure, an accurate reading requires that one not drink coffee, smoke cigarettes, or engage in strenuous exercise for 30 minutes before taking the reading. A full bladder may have a small effect on blood pressure readings; if the urge to urinate arises, one should do so before the reading. For 5 minutes before the reading, one should sit upright in a chair with one’s feet flat on the floor and with limbs uncrossed. The blood pressure cuff should always be against bare skin, as readings taken over a shirt sleeve are less accurate. During the reading, the arm that is used should be relaxed and kept at heart level, for example by resting it on a table.[50] Since blood pressure varies throughout the day, measurements intended to monitor changes over longer time frames should be taken at the same time of day to ensure that the readings are comparable. Suitable times are: †¢ immediately after awakening (before washing/dressing and taking breakfast/drink), while the body is still resting, †¢ immediately after finishing work. Automatic self-contained blood pressure monitors are available at reasonable prices, some of which are capable of Korotkoff’s measurement in addition to oscillometric methods, enabling irregular heartbeat patients to accurately measure their blood pressure at home. Invasive Arterial blood pressure (BP) is most accurately measured invasively through an arterial line. Invasive arterial pressure measurement with intravascular cannulae involves direct measurement of arterial pressure by placing a cannula needle in an artery (usually radial, femoral,dorsalis pedis or brachial). The cannula must be connected to a sterile, fluid-filled system, which is connected to an electronic pressure transducer. The advantage of this system is that pressure is constantly monitored beat-by-beat, and a waveform (a graph of pressure against time) can be displayed. This invasive technique is regularly employed in human and veterinary intensive care medicine, anesthesiology, and for research purposes. Cannulation for invasive vascular pressure monitoring is infrequently associated with complications such as thrombosis, infection, andbleeding. Patients with invasive arterial monitoring require very close supervision, as there is a danger of severe bleeding if the line becomes disconnected. It is generally reserved for patients where rapid variations in arterial pressure are anticipated. Invasive vascular pressure monitors are pressure monitoring systems designed to acquire pressure information for display and processing. There are a variety of invasive vascular pressure monitors for trauma, critical care, and operating room applications. These include single pressure, dual pressure, and multi-parameter (i.e. pressure / temperature). The monitors can be used for measurement and follow-up of arterial, central venous, pulmonary arterial, left atrial, right atrial, femoral arterial, umbilical venous, umbilical arterial, and intracranial pressures. Fetal blood pressure Further information: Fetal circulation#Blood pressure In pregnancy, it is the fetal heart and not the mother’s heart that builds up the fetal blood pressure to drive its blood through the fetal circulation. The blood pressure in the fetal aorta is approximately 30 mmHg at 20 weeks of gestation, and increases to approximately 45 mmHg at 40 weeks of gestation.[51] The average blood pressure for full-term infants: Systolic 65–95 mm Hg Diastolic 30–60 mm Hg[52] Blood pressure is the measurement of force that is applied to the walls of the blood vessels as the heart pumps blood throughout the body.[53] The human circulatory system is 400,000 miles long, and the magnitude of blood pressure is not uniform in all the blood vessels in the human body. The blood pressure is determined by the diameter, flexibility and the amount of blood being pumped through the blood vessel.[53] Blood pressure is also affected by other factors including exercise, stress level, diet and sleep. The average normal blood pressure in the brachial artery, which is the next direct artery from the aorta after the subclavian artery, is 120mmHg/80mmHg. Blood pressure readings are measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) using sphygmomanometer. Two pressures are measured and recorded namely as systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic pressure reading is the first reading, which represents the maximum exerted pressure on the vessels when the heart contracts, while the diastolic pressure, the second reading, represents the minimum pressure in the vessels when the heart relaxes.[54] Other major arteries have similar levels of blood pressure recordings indicating very low disparities among major arteries. The innominate artery, the average reading is 110/70mmHg, the right subclavian artery averages 120/80 and the abdominal aorta is 110/70mmHg.[55] The relatively uniform pressure in the arteries indicate that these blood vessels act as a pressure reservoir for fluids that are transported within them. Pressure drops gradually as blood flows from the major arteries, through the arterioles, the capillaries until blood is pushed up back into the heart via the venules, the veins through the vena cava with the help of the muscles. At any given pressure drop, the flow rate is determined by the resistance to the blood flow. In the arteries, with the absence of diseases, there is very little or no resistance to blood. The vessel diameter is the most principal determinant to control resistance. Compared to other smaller vessels in the body, the artery has a much bigger diameter (4mm), therefore the resistance is low.[55] In addition, flow rate (Q) is also the product of the cross-sectional area of the vessel and the average velocity (Q = AV). Flow rate is directly proportional to the pressure drop in a tube or in this case a vessel. ∆P ÃŽ ± Q. The relationship is further described by Poisseulle’s equation ∆P = 8 µlQ/Ï€r4.[56] As evident in the Poisseulle’s equation, although flow rate is proportional to the pressure drop, there are other factors of blood vessels that contribute towards the difference in pressure drop in bifurcations of blood vessels. These include viscosity, length of the vessel, and radius of the vessel. Factors that determine the flow’s resistance as described by Poiseuille’s relationship: †¢ ∆P: pressure drop/gradient †¢  µ: viscosity †¢ l: length of tube. In the case of vessels with infinitely long lengths, l is replaced with diameter of the vessel. †¢ Q: flow rate of the blood in the vessel †¢ r: radius of the vessel Assuming steady, laminar flow in the vessel, the blood vessels behavior is similar to that of a pipe. For instance if p1 and p2 are pressures are at the ends of the tube, the pressure drop/gradient is:[57] In the arterioles blood pressure is lower than in the major arteries. This is due to bifurcations, which cause a drop in pressure. The more bifurcations, the higher the total cross-sectional area, therefore the pressure across the surface drops. This is why the arterioles have the highest pressure-drop. The pressure drop of the arterioles is the product of flow rate and resistance: ∆P=Q xresistance. The high resistance observed in the arterioles, which factor largely in the ∆P is a result of a smaller radius of about 30  µm.[58] The smaller the radius of a tube, the larger the resistance to fluid flow. Immediately following the arterioles are the capillaries. Following the logic obvserved in the arterioles, we expect the blood pressure to be lower in the capillaries compared to the arterioles. Since pressure is a function of force per unit area, (P = F/A), the larger the surface area, the lesser the pressure when an external force acts on it. Though the radii of the capillaries are very small, the network of capillaries have the largest surface area in the vascular network. They are known to have the largest surface area (485mm) in the human vascular network. The larger the total cross-sectional area, the lower the mean velocity as well as the pressure.[55] Reynold’s number also affects the blood flow in capillaries. Due to its smaller radius and lowest velocity compared to other vessels, the Reynold’s number at the capillaries is very low, resulting in laminar instead of turbulent flow.[59] The Reynold’s number (denoted NR or Re) is a relationship that helps determine the behavior of a fluid in a tube, in this case blood in the vessel. The equation for this dimensionless relationship is written as:[56] †¢ Ï : density of the blood †¢ v: mean velocity of the blood †¢ L: characteristic dimension of the vessel, in this case diameter †¢ ÃŽ ¼: viscosity of blood The Reynold’s number is directly proportional to the velocity and diameter of the tube. Note that NR is directly proportional to the mean velocity as well as the diameter. A Reynold’s number of less than 2300 is laminar fluid flow, which is characterized by constant flow motion, whereas a value of over 4000, is represented as turbulent flow. Turbulent flow is characterized as chaotic and irregular flow.[56] Disorders Disregulation disorders of blood pressure control include high blood pressure, blood pressure that is too low, and blood pressure that shows excessive or maladaptive fluctuation. High Main article: Hypertension Overview of main complications of persistent high blood pressure. Arterial hypertension can be an indicator of other problems and may have long-term adverse effects. Sometimes it can be an acute problem, for examplehypertensive emergency. All levels of arterial pressure put mechanical stress on the arterial walls. Higher pressures increase heart workload and progression of unhealthy tissue growth (atheroma) that develops within the walls of arteries. The higher the pressure, the more stress that is present and the more atheroma tend to progress and the heart muscle tends to thicken, enlarge and become weaker over time. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks,heart failure and arterial aneurysms, and is the leading cause of chronic renal failure. Even moderate elevation of arterial pressure leads to shortened life expectancy. At severely high pressures, mean arterial pressures 50% or more above average, a person can expect to live no more than a few years unless appropriately treated.[60] In the past, most attention was paid to diastolic pressure; but nowadays it is recognised that both high systolic pressure and high pulse pressure (the numerical difference between systolic and diastolic pressures) are also risk factors. In some cases, it appears that a decrease in excessive diastolic pressure can actually increase risk, due probably to the increased difference between systolic and diastolic pressures (see the article on pulse pressure). If systolic blood pressure is elevated (>140) with a normal diastolic blood pressure (

World Religions Report Scientology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

World Religions Report Scientology - Essay Example According to scientology, it is believed that human beings are immortal beings who exist in spiritual forms usually called ‘thetan,’ meaning that they are only trapped on Earth in their physical body. According to scientologists believes, individuals discover are supposed to discover for themselves, the works of scientology by putting into practice all the principles and observing the results. Through scientology methods; individuals are believed to be able to achieve great spiritual awareness, through a method referred to as; ‘Auditing’ or ‘Training’. From these people are able to scale up from level to level a process called ‘the bridge to total freedom’. The progress typically involves three basic stages that is; ‘preclear,’ ‘clear’ and finally ‘operating Theatan’ (Ron Hubbard, 2007). Name Location and Review of the Site The Mormon Church was formally known as the ‘Church of Jesus Chri st of Latter day Saints’ the church has many temples across the globe with the majority concentrated in the United States. I visited the Bountiful Utah Temple which is located in North America in a place called Utah. The church is built high among the famous Bountiful East bench foothills. It offers a skeptical view which extends to far to the ‘Great salt Lake’. It was the eighth temple in Utah, the first having been built in Davis Country. The Bountiful Utah Temple represents one of the two temples which are normally dedicated by President Howard W, at the time he was the president of the church (The other temple is the Orlando Florida Temple). The people living around this region are political conservatives compared to the other people in the outskirts of this region. This was the major drawback in information gathering. Interview Summary I have always had an unexplored passion in scientology due to the fact that it is comparatively new religion with a lot of u nknown secrets. When I met a guy called Brian, he was open and willing to talk to me about many aspects of this religion and below is some of the major issues we tackled at length as we communicated. A summary of conversation interview with Brian-a Scientologist Mike: have you ever been interviewed by someone like me before? Brian Wenger: yes indeed, but the topic was not precisely on scientology as you would wish to do, I have had friends and strangers questioning me on various topics but not one had hit the same thing as you did, and I believe this is what gave me some interest to talk to you as I will be sharing one of the things I hold so dear at heart with a stranger. Mike: I have always wondered and had passion in knowing more about scientology, I am always keen and eager to learn new things that are different from the normal societal values and teachings that I belong. When I met you the first question that rung into my mind was, how you heard and became a member of scientolo gist religion. Brian Wenger: I was introduced to scientology by my dad Mike: Ah so you grew up knowing it? Brian Wenger: Well, kind of. He and my mum had been in transcendental meditation. At fist I saw that it was weird, but as time went by I became curious and began looking at some stuff they were bringing home like some articles about scientology. They were committed Mennonite and as such, this religious thing was always around me. Mike: How long have you practiced this faith? Brian Wenger: I can say over 24 years now Mike: What religion or faith did you practice before scientology? Brian Wenger: just as I said, I learned about scientology when I was still young, and my parents

Victim Precipitation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Victim Precipitation - Essay Example In his writings, Von Hentig pointed out that victim is also an influencing factor in a crime and the study of the victim's participation on the crime would beneficial as it will result in future crime prevention (van Dijk, 1997). Just like Von Hentig, Mendelsohn also pointed out the role played by the victims in crimes. One example of this is by aggravation. "For Mendelsohn, a defense counsel, victim precipitation was a mitigating circumstance in meting out punishment for the offender" (van Dijk, 1997). In modern times however, the term "victim" has many connotations. "It is not unusual to hear the word "victim" paired with a wide range of human experiences: cancer victims, holocaust victims, accident victims, victims of injustice, hurricane victims, crime victims, and others." These connotations sometimes brought up the "visual images of suffering, devastation and often individual heroism or endurance in the face of powerful destructive forces" (Karmen, 1990; Theoretical Perspectives of Victimology and Critical Research, 2004). "One commonality has come to apply to virtually all usages of the term victim: That an individual has suffered injury and harm by forces beyond his or her control, and not of his or her personal responsibility" (Theoretical Perspectives of Victimology and Critical Research, 2004). The concept of victim precipitation has become so controversial because it lessens the responsibility of the offender of a crime. Many victims don't like the idea that they are partly to be blame for the crime that somebody did to them. One essential criticism of victim precipitation concept in victimology is that blaming the victims as well as the offenders for the crime that occurred. Historically, Mendelsohn also believe in victim's participation in a crime in his early writings. With regards to women victims, this issue is particularly controversial. "This criticism against victimology was voiced most clearly by feminist researchers, for example in reviews of Amir's study of victim precipitation in rapes". "The notion that victims by their provoking behavior triggered their victimization by male victimizers - and in fact deserved to be victimized- is part of the patriarchal mindset which is at the root of many of such crimes. By focusing on the victim's involvement attention is diverted from the structural causes of violence against women" (van Dijk, 1997). Furthermore, the concept of victim precipitation also "emerged in cases of parricide and homicide of batterers by abused spouses" which further blur the clear distinction between the term "victims" and "offenders". Defenders of battered women realize the issue firsthand and help propagate the "battered woman syndrome defense to defend women who killed or seriously injured a spouse or partner after enduring years of physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse" (Theoretical Perspectives of Victimology and Critical Research, 2004). Furthermore, several lawyers, in defending adolescent offenders who murdered their parent, have also use the theories of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder to give a clear evidence of the underlying reasons for the crime. Criminal cases like these are

Young Men & Fire by Norman Maclean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Young Men & Fire by Norman Maclean - Essay Example Many years later, Norman Maclean tried to re-enact the race up the hill and piece together the events of the Mann Gulch fire. In Young Men and Fire, he recounted his visits to fire research centers, discussions with the fire's survivors, and exploration of the canyon itself. His poetically written investigation into the events of Mann Gulch sought lessons from the fire while presenting pieces of beautiful writing on every page. The book is extremely compelling and use of language is both touching and elegant. Young Men and Fire combines a captivating primer on fires and firefighting, a powerful, amazingly real reconstruction of a tragedy, grief and human character. It is a magnificent drama of writing that pays tribute to the dead and offers rescue to the living. Maclean's quest for the truth that becomes an exploration of his own mortality, is more inspiring even than his journey into the heart of the fire. His description of the conflagration frightens, but it is his efforts to turn the story of the 13 men into tragedy that makes this book a classic. The Mann Gulch fire occurred when a wildfire in the Helena National Forest, Montana, United States, spread out of control. The fire was first spotted by a forest ranger around noon on August 5, 1949. James O. Harrison, the recreation and fire prevention guard for Meriwether Canyon Campground had quit his former job as a smokejumper to find a less dangerous profession. On this day however, he fought the fire on his own for four hours before he met the crew of smokejumpers who had been dispatched from Missoula, Montana, in a C-47. Foreman Wagner Dodge led the team towards the Missouri River. The fire however, spread faster than anticipated and had already cut off the path to safety. The men had to turn around. When Dodge realized that they would not be able to outrun the fire, he started an escape fire and ordered everyone to lie down in the area he had burnt down. The other team members hesitated and hurried towards the ridge of Mann Gulch instead. It was a mistake. Only two of them managed to escape through a crevice and found a safe location, a rock slide with little vegetation to fuel the fire. Two other members survived with heavy injuries but died within a day. Unburnt patches beneath the bodies indicated that the rest of the team, including Jim Harrison, suffocated before the fire caught up with them. Later 450 men fought for five more days to get the fire, which had spread to 18 km (4500 acres), under control. Wagner Dodge survived unharmed and died five years later of Hodgkin's disease. Lessons learn ed from the Mann Gulch fire had a great impact on firefighter training and over the years the science behind fire rampage continued to develop further. Numerous factors shape fire growth. In the case of Mann Gulch certain aspects led to one of the most violent of fire hazards, a blowup. This is a sudden increase in fire intensity or rate of spread strong enough to prevent or upset fire control measures. Blow-ups are often accompanied by violent convection and may have other characteristics of a fire storm. Sometimes flare-ups can occur where there is a sudden acceleration of fire spread or intensification. Unlike a blow-up, a flare-up lasts a relatively short time and does not radically change fire control measures. The most violent fire hazard is a fire storm, a violent convection

Appraise the Lean Canvas as a model for start-up businesses. Provide Assignment

Appraise the Lean Canvas as a model for start-up businesses. Provide judgments and interpretations for each element of the model - Assignment Example Here the idea is not to make a perfect business plan, because a perfect plan is a myth. Most of the companies’ make an initial business plan which changes as one grows. Perfection is not the goal. The idea is to prepare a business plan and start a business with the available resources at hand. In this study we will take a start-up of a manufacturing company like a car manufacturing company named Drizzler which will cater to Indian market. Drizzler will import most of its part from outside India and assemble in India. Discussion Customer Segment Possible Customer List of this start-up is anyone who wants to buy a car to use it. But being a start-up business will cater to middle income level families. In India the middle Income population is rising and their income level is also rising (Osterwalder and Pigneur, 2013, p. 123). India being a developing country, its GDP is growing at a healthy rate as compared to the western developed economies. Hence the needs of the middle income families are also rising day by day. They demand products which were previously used by Upper level people. Drizzler will cater to such customers (Ramaswamy and Namakumari, 2009, p. 234). Value Proposition For a middle income family those who want to buy a car, they are driven mainly by desire to own a car. Drizzler will create a value for the segment by manufacturing car which will not be priced too high and having features which will meet the expectation of regular people. Hence if it can satisfy the need for safety, and the esteem needs, then it will cater to the need of average household (Nielsen and Lund, 2012, p. 52). The most important customer segment is the middle income households who wants a bike but can afford a car. It should cater to such families who want to drive car and have a feeling to owning a car and make it their first family car. This car will give them durability and safety which they seek (Kaplan, 2012, p. 42). It is another factor considered important to m iddle income families. Hence they should give a mileage of about 20-25 km/litre. The seating capacity should be for 5 persons with maximum speed of 200 km/hour. Channels The car will be sold through independent sales channel all over India. Such sales channel includes retail dealers present throughout India. Nowadays in India there has been a trend of increasing sales of car in the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. It indicates that they must have their presence of distribution channel in those cities. They will sell their products through retail dealers. They must use the advertisement which shows the value proposition it will deliver to the customers (Dent, 2011, p. 141). Through mediums like TV, newspaper, auto magazines and shows on car, it will help them drive their value proposition to the clients. They must also maintain a website which will clearly state the features and the local dealer present. Customer relationships The key to any business is the ability to know what the customer s want. Drizzler will maintain a strong and fast customer relationship programs. Drizzler will run a customer loyalty program. Drizzler will use a magnetic card for anyone who buys the product. When a customer buys a car, he gets points. When the magnetic card is swiped, then the representatives of

Relationship between North Korea Citizen and Government Essay

Relationship between North Korea Citizen and Government - Essay Example It also avoided dissent and unrest from its citizenry by blocking â€Å"corrupt ideas† coming from the outside world particularly the West and promotes the idea that they â€Å"have nothing to envy in this world†. The Kim regime’s methodology for a time worked well because even if North Korea plunged into desperation with the famine of 1990s, with hunger that turned â€Å"vagabond children stealing fruit and hunting frogs; middle-aged women haggling over cheap Chinese-made goods in black markets; college-educated women wading half-naked across the Tumen River to sell themselves into arranged marriages with Chinese farmers; family patriarchs wasting away as the food rations ran out, often going raving mad before a quiet, hideous death from starvation† (Demick, 2009), North Koreans still believed that their government is serving them well. II. Example One of Regime’s Methods The first method employed by the North Korean government to control its peopl e is to physically isolate the country from the rest of the world. It is a deliberate scheme to create a vacuum in the minds of the North Korean people so that it would become receptive to whatever the government will say. ... In plain language, the Kim regime kept its citizenry ignorant about the world so that it will be easier to brain wash them. To illustrate the magnitude of how bent the ruling regime of North Korea in insulating its population from the influences of the outside world, it went as far as refusing humanitarian foreign aid when a great famine struck the country in the 1990s. As a result, many starved and died from hunger. Food rations became short and there was not even enough electricity that the country looks like a black hole at night when viewed from a satellite above because it was the only unlit region in Asia. This famine caused deaths by hundreds of thousands yet the people continued to believe that their government and Kim Jong Il is doing something good to them. The isolation that the North Korean government perpetuated was not only limited to the physical disconnection of its population from the outside world but also reinforced it with fear that anything outside its borders is evil. The West, â€Å"particularly United States† is being portrayed both as evil and enemy to ensure the psychological disconnect of its population from the west (particularly USA) and the rest of the world. Mi-Ran, one of the interviewed deserters narrated that during her youth â€Å"the radio and television played many times that South Koreans were miserable under the thumb of the pro- American puppet leader Park Chung- hee and, later, his successor, Chun Doohwan†; that their version of communism is â€Å"better than that of China because there are a lot of people going hungry in China†. Hearing this over and over again, Mi-Ran even believed that she was lucky to have been born in North Korea under the benevolence of their Great Leader.    III. Example

Crimonology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crimonology - Essay Example Biological influences on white collar crime are evident in sex differences between males and females. Sex of a person makes it possible to experience various life consequences. The belief that females, who are supposedly physically more weak, are mistreated more often is also inaccurate. Aside from rape, the only individual crime for which women are victimized more than men is robbery with contact. Men are twice as likely to be the victim of an assault or a robbery and 50 percent more likely to experience some crime of theft. Men are also the victims of strangers more than females (Friedrichs, 2006). Therefore, the idea that physically weaker people constantly fall prey to the criminal has no foundation in fact. Neither females nor older people are particularly prone to white collar crime. But, the lifestyles of these community groups may explain this fact better than their actual vulnerability to criminals. The advantage of this theory is that it explains roots of white collar crime , thus it does not take into account motivational factors and personal intentions of a criminal. Human biology and genetics are the two personal attributes most closely tied to antisocial behavior. Heredity and race are also related. ... ore frequently victims of white collar crime than others, while whites experience property crimes at higher rates than other ethnic and racial groups. For white collar crime, robbery accounts for the higher rate experienced by blacks (Friedrichs, 2006). It is still difficult to define the motivations of women when they commit their white-collar crimes at the workplace. But I am personally apt to think that if women have obtained such top positions at their companies - white-collar positions, they can hardly commit their crimes being motivated by poverty (according to economic marginalization thesis). Women rather try to cash in, in different ways, on their top-level positions. Thus, here opportunity thesis and sometimes, masculinity thesis can be more applicable in order to explain the motivation. As well, criminological theory states that opportunity is a more intense motivation for committing white-collar crimes. According to this theory, people who have achieved a lot on their liv es and have satisfied their needs as a result will need more goods to exchange with others, but not to use. Thus, this need for more possessions (or greed) can make people break the law and perpetrate crimes to receive what they want. Psychological predisposition may lead to antisocial inclinations and increase a possibility of criminal behavior patterns. The cultural ties associated with family income, race, and ethnicity also affect with whom one associates and the places of those associations. Housing, transportation, privacy, and leisure-time factors are related to income as well as to racial and ethnic segregation (Sutherland and Cressey 2001). To the extent that white collar crime varies according to place and event, individuals from different income levels and racial and ethnic

Digital Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Digital Economy - Essay Example An obvious reflection of the use of EFT is in the world of ecommerce. It has helped the companies outsource employment to other nations and transfer the compensation via wire transfer method and thus EFT has brought about a payment revolution as well. While some insecurity issues have been associated with such transfers, it depends on the individual to use this technology to the optimum advantage. It is important to know whom we are making the payment and why. With fraudulent activities on the rise EFT has given exposure to criminal activities especially when it is carried out through Visa or Master Cards online. Fraudulent agents make fake promises on the internet and hence tempt the users to make payments. Making the equal monthly installment payments for loans and insurance have become easier through electronic clearing system (ECS) and this has induced people to opt for insurance policies and credit. Above all wise decision-making is important to make proper use of EFT and hence optimize the digital economy. Introduction The popularity of Electronic Fund Transfer in the present days has become unimaginable and its importance is clearly undeniable with the fact that the process of fund transfer taking place through online internet media with cheap network and improved cryptography making it faster, quicker and accessible to a large mass thus saving a lot of time and making the process very much transparent. The following literature review will help in identifying the usefulness of this application in the modern context and various aspects associated with this particular component of the digital economy. Person-to- person Electronic Funds transfer According to Oz Shy (2010) there is a clear domination of the person-to-person Electronic Fund transfer system in the European countries in schools and in other service sectors, which has made the system vastly popular and noteworthy. For example in schools the parents transfer the money electronically to the bank a ccount number provided by the teacher adding a note stating the basic information checking the requirement for the fund transfer. Moreover the basic day-to-day household payments are also made electronically in virtual mode thus saving a lot of paper checks and time. Thus this electronic process of fund transfer is considered economically most viable and practical process in Germany although in United States this process of electronic fund transfer is not in much use where traditional methods of cash based transfers take place against writing suitable paper checks drawn in the name of the account holder. As per the research by the author in US the adoption of P2P online system is slow due to the fact that P2P transactions require the personal information of the payer to be revealed to the payee which cause concerns and fear for the US households. Using some theoretical framework and using analysis of costs required in delivering online payments and finally leveraging on the concept of critical mass of users the author finds out that the mass adoption of P2P system in Europe is basically of the natural extension of the earlier used ‘old Giro payment’ networks and due to the huge involvement of banks and financial institutions of Europe whereas as per strong prevalence of the Cheque 21 Act of 2003 the strong involvement of the US Fed has

Will Genderless Fashion Change Retail Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Will Genderless Fashion Change Retail - Essay Example Additionally, gender fashion is becoming the norm in many fashion centres. Many people in the fashion industry are wondering whether the genderless mode of fashion will apply in the retail industry. Some, however, are quite confident that people will do away with gender codes that have been considered for many years. For example, some women go for Givenchy men’s collection. On the other hand, men have been found eyeing and buying brands for women such as the Celine. Traditional demographic segments such as location, age and gender no longer applies in the fashion industry. The fact is that many people are creating their brands that are not dictated by traditional demographics noted earlier. For example, it has been noted that close to 30% of menswear are genderless. However, research shows that women, many of them, go for men’s clothes. Despite the move by both sexes to any store regardless of their gender, there is a problem of size. For example, with both sexes going for the same product, it is quite complicated to tell their sizes based on specifications such as medium size. The future is, however, bright for a genderless fashion. This can be noted from a few things that women and men share such as makeup (Mellery-Pratt). Picture A and B shows men dressed on women fashion. Those are some of the strategies called by Franà §ois-Henri Pinault, the chief executive who noted that there should be a change in the industry. Women have, for many decades dominated the fashion industry. The solution to Michele’s ailing industry is having both sexes on the runway. They should also have fashions with some similarities. As noted from the two pictures, the two men are dressed in women’s fashion. This is a change that has to go beyond the fashion industry to retail centres. Some fashion centres have tried the strategy of having women and men models. Saint Laurent is one that

Business Analysis Project Essay Example for Free

Business Analysis Project Essay Notwithstanding the bleak global economic climate with the Eurozone crisis, the Singapore operators are constantly introducing value-added services. The introduction of premium next-generation mobile services, namely LTE-based, should give ARPU a boost even though the take-up rate might be weak. [pic] Source: BMI Figure 1. 6 shows that the operating revenue has decreased for consecutive years since 2008. This could be attributed largely due to the global economic crisis. Summary of Singapore Telecommunication Industry Singapore government’s strong commitment to deregulation of the industry has assisted the growth of the telecommunication | |sector and built a competitive telecoms market, aided by its geographical location and excellent infrastructure. Singapore | |is one of the first countries in the world to have a fully digital telephone network and continues to maintain a strong | |positive outlook in this sector. In 1997, MobileOne Ltd forayed into Singapore’s telecommunications industry and demolished the previous monopoly held by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. It was subsequently listed on the Singapore Exchange on 4 December 2002. Since its establishment, M1 has gained repute as an integrated communications service provider in Singapore. Rightly emphasizing on the importance of customers, M1 carries on business with the mission of being â€Å"an efficient and totally customer-focused company, achieving the highest satisfaction for our [their] customers, people and shareholders†. M1 has 2 wholly owned subsidiaries, M1 Net Ltd. and M1 Connect Pte. Ltd. M1 and its subsidiaries carry out its main operations in Singapore. In light of the interdependence of devices, networks, application services and content, M1 recognizes that it needs to diversify from being a pure mobile operator and hence transformed itself in 2007 to a dynamic full-service operator . Operating as a full-service operator ever since, M1 offers a full suite of broadband products, services and managed solutions. With its high-speed fiber network solutions, businesses benefit from faster speeds to improve productivity and reduce costs. This could have invariably contributed to the price reduction of handsets and increase in promotional activities to attract customers. Investors prefer a firm with a higher GPM, which indicates stronger efficiency. Noteworthy is M1’s NPM being consistently higher than StarHub. SingTel maintained its position at 23%. The ability to sustain the highest profit margin and also maintain a consistent revenue growth clearly places SingTel as the market leader in the telecommunications industry. However, it maintaind its stead state despite the Euro crisis. Therefore it is expected that M1 would increase its debt-to-equity ratio, with the economic recovery. Risk declines as the ratio increases as the company’s ability to cover its interest increases. On the other hand, Singtel is the lowest with 8. 8, and it is unclear if it can still afford to leverage upwards without affecting its credit rating. EPS is net profit per share. It reflects the company’s ability to add value to shares and is the most important metric in determining profitability. It is also a major component of another important metric, price per earnings ratio (P/E). The higher the ratio, the more money the company is making.

Explanation of theme

Explanation of theme Explanation of Theme The theme of this spring Carnegie Hall program is painful love. Whether unrequited, long distance, untimely ended, or secret, the types of love represented by the songs on this recital are painful to each of the narrators in a profound way. Program Notes Henry Purcell, an English Baroque composer, began his studies at a young age as a chorister in Westminster Abbey, later attending the Westminster School and receiving the position of organist at Westminster Abbey in 1676. He began composing at nine years old and in all, composed 65 strophic songs, 148 theatrical songs, and four main operas, including the famous Dido and Aeneas. By 1690 he was considered a full time composer for the theatrical stage. â€Å"Not all my torments,† the first song of the program, comes from Purcells Gresham Manuscript and is said to have been written around 1693. It is one of the early composers most melismatic pieces and only utilizes four lines of text from an anonymous source, describing a lovers despair at his unrequited love. The second song â€Å"What shall I do?† is derived from Purcells opera, Dioclesian, a tragicomedy in five acts written in 1622. The opera is based on the play The Prophetess by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger. Th e librettist, Thomas Betterton, an English actor born around 1635, had an extensive acting career and collaborated efficiently with Purcell on Dioclesian. â€Å"What shall I do?† appears in Act III of the opera, at which point the character asks what he can to do show Aurelia, his love, the way he feels about her without pushing her away. The final Purcell song is â€Å"Draw near, you lovers,† poetry by Thomas Stanley. Stanley, English author and translator, wrote â€Å"The Exquies† in 1647, from which the text of the song is derived. The narrator describes the pure sadness he feels about his experiences with love and that even in death he feels the turmoil of his misery. The next set of songs is by Italian bel canto composer Vincenzo Bellini. He was a child prodigy and began composing at six years old, later continuing his studies at the conservatory in Naples under Nicolo Zingarelli. Considered the â€Å"quintessential composer of bel canto opera,† he wrote 12 operas, of which La Sonnambula and Norma are considered his greatest. The four songs on this program are all considered composizioni/romanze da camera, which are songs written for the amateur singer and comparable to miniature arias, with little thought to the fusion of poetry and music. Dedicated to Countess Sofia Voina, â€Å"Il fervido desiderio† describes the narrators longing to see his lover. â€Å"Il fervido desiderio† is no. 1 of Bellinis Tre Ariette. â€Å"Vanne, o rosa fortunata,† number 2 of Sei Ariette, tells the story of someone who envies a rose because, unlike him, it can rest on the bosom of Nice, his true love. In â€Å"Vaga luna,† an arietta also from Bellinis Tre Ariette – number 3 – the speaker sings to the moon of the longing he feels for his far away lover and asks it to relay those feelings to her. The final song of the set is â€Å"Per pieta, bellidol mio,† number 5 from Sei Ariette, in which the speaker begs for his lover to not say he is ungrateful and acknowledges the pain he feels because of his love. The piece that begins the second half of the recital, â€Å"Ah! Mio cor† from Handels Alcina, is sung by the character Alcina. Although the character is a soprano role, the aria can be sung by mezzo sopranos as well. Alcina is a sorceress who seduces every knight that arrives on her island and casts a spell on the knight Ruggiero, who then falls in love with her. The aria appears in Act II, Scene 1, at which point Alcina finds out that Ruggiero has escaped from her and describes her pain and unhappiness. Alcina is based on Ludovic Ariostos Orlando furioso, an epic poem set around the time of Charlemagnes rule and is an opera seria consisting of a prologue and four acts. The composer, G.F. Handel, was German-born and at a young age, was already proficient on the pipe organ and harpsichord; he studied composition and the keyboard with Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow. Later moving to Italy and working for the Medici family in Florence, the prolific composer is best known for his numerou s operas, oratorios, and concerti. The â€Å"La Maja dolorosa† songs are derived from Enrique Granados Coleccion de tonadillas, written in 1910, poetry by Periquet. Granados was a Catalan born Spanish composer influenced strongly by the painter Francesco Goya and is well known for his tonadillas, which are short songs and scenes about everyday life that are written in the vernacular and not danced. These three â€Å"La Maja dolorosa† songs trace the terrible feelings a woman experiences after her lover has passed away.

Benefits of Learning Through Play

Benefits of Learning Through Play Play is a very important part of a childs development, and can affect their development in a number of ways, there is a collection of principles that were formed to look at the value of play in nurturing a childs development, this is called the play Cycle. It consists of the following stages . Metalude-This is when a child chooses the activity or toy that the want to play with. Play Cue-This is an expression or a physical action which a child might do to show other children that they would like them to come over and be involved. For example, a child may have a toy car and pretend to mimic a crash sound to the other child which would then tempt them to involve themselves in the car game. Play return This is when a child or adult has accepted the request to play and then makes the decision to whether they want to involve themselves or not. Play Flow-this is when a child gets very involved in a task or activity, this usually starts from the play cue. Annihilation-This Is where a child makes the decision to stop what activity or play they are doing, reasons being boredom from repetition or if the game has ended. Play can affect all aspects of a child s development, below I have listed the different areas. Physical development Physical development through play for young children involves play which enhance gross and fine motor skills, for example threading string through small holes requires concentration and fine motor skills. Activities involving running, jumping, riding a bike requires gross motor skills. These are really beneficial for a child and need to be encouraged from a young age as they will be needed for them to take part in activities such as sports day. Children should also be encouraged to realise the importance of healthy eating alongside physical exercise. Emotional development-Play which involves emotional development is extremely important for young children and needs to be incorporated during school activities. This type of play is beneficial to all children of all ages but also helps encourage children who find it hard to express there emotions, a way in which this can be used for example children can use dolls or teddies to play out a situation, dress up and role play can be used also. This is good to build self esteem and self confidence to then assist in other incidents in school. Intellectual development- This type of play doesnt necessarily mean that a child has to put pen to paper, many play activities can be creative and fun that will benefit a child intellectually, for example a group of children could be doing junk modelling and they would then discuss which materials would suit each part of the model and what colour paints to use to then match up to the rest of the groups designs. Social development-Play is vital to make sure that children develop good social skills with there class friends, teachers and other adults. This is a life skill that needs to be encouraged from an early age to then get them ready for life in a school environment. Activities that can help build up childs social skills can involve for example a group of year 2 children having a classroom discussion about who is in there family, the other children can then discuss differences and similaritys, for example child A may say â€Å"I have a brother† child B may respond â€Å"I dont have a brother I have two sisters† obviously this type of discussion needs to be approached in a sensitive manner as some children have different family set-ups for example child a may not have a dad like child b which could then spark off a different conversation. Creating play spaces is paramount to a childs education and development. These play spaces will let children explore all sides of there development. Research was made in 2008 by OFSTED to look into learning inside and outside the classroom. This investigation found that when planned and implemented well, learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and improving pupils personal, social and emotional development.Taken from http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/learning-outside-classroom When creating a play space within a school setting it is important to first launch a small discussion with the children to find out what they would and wouldnt like in a play space, letting the children get involved in planning and creating a play space will emphasise there interest, and also develop self confidence, this can be done by getting the children to draw simple plans on how they would like it too look, what items they would like to include and colours. Also getting the children to make a visual model of how they would like it look by using junk materials, shoe boxes,plastic bottles, cereal boxes etc. After the children have constructed there plans the teaching staff could let each child vote for which one they like and then the winning child(ren) could be taken to some other play spaces in different schools. its important to involve children in the group discussion of creating a play space to encourage self confidence and self esteem, it also teaches them that by taking charge of a project that there is hard work involved which will then show them that they need to respect all the play equipment. It is important to assure that all children are involved in the consultation process, irrespective of age,gender, ethnicity and impairment. Also making sure the play equipment is suitable for any children with physical disabilities. Its important that being a teaching assistant you support all play sessions, there are two main forms which are Structure Process Structural support is to make sure that the classroom is set up appropriately for children to carry out play safely. To assure this, messy, noisy and quiet play needs to be separate. Each child needs to know that help is available in each play area. Play spaces need to be set up to be appealing to the eye to encourage children to take part, some children need this encouragement for something to stand out as they find it hard to choose between different play activities. Good organisation is also key to assure a steady flow to each play activity, the teaching assistant will need to make the room layout is set out appropriately for the children involved at the time and any specific needs, Process support is what the teaching assistant may have to give to pupils when they are involved in a play activity. Teaching assistants need to ensure all play activities consist of the correct materials as this will enable the pupils to engage in the tasks in hand and learn to become proactive in there approach when learning. There may be children in the class that need extra support with activities due to certain disabilities or conditions, for example there may be a child with adhd who needs one to one interaction with certain activities and encouragement to get involved in the play space. It is important to make sure as a teaching assistant you do not take over the play activity and just assist, for example if a child is struggling to use a ruler to do a straight line the teaching assistant shouldnt do it for them instead get a ruler yourself and show the child on a separate piece of paper how to hold it etc, this will then build the childs confidence and they will feel like they have achieved something new that they couldnt do before and learnt a new skill. Various legislations need to be followed when creating a play space. This is to make sure all children are safe and protected when using play equipment, it is paramount that these are always adhered too as the childrens safety is vital. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is put in to place to ensure all children have admittance to the same equipment, services etc as to those children without a disability When designing play space for children it is important to plan for children with disabilities, there advisability shouldnt be made obvious, facilities should be included that can stimulate children in more ways than one for example if a child has a physical disability other activities should be arranged so they are able to use there other senses, such as a texture table where they can touch items and guess what they are. If a play space is already arranged, it is important that these are equipped suitably for a child with a disability, for example if a child is wheel chair user t here needs to be adequate space for them to manoeuvre around but also to think of the needs of the other children without a disability. Its important to make every child feel valued and equal within the setting. This also goes for outdoor play spaces. According to wicksteed playscapes: RoSPAs publication â€Å"playgrounds for children with special needs† states:Like or similar play experiences should be available to all site users;i.e. If there are slides,rockers and roundabouts in a play area, then all users should be able to have sliding, rocking and rotating experiences, even if some users cannot access all play items or features. Author-wicksteed playscapes http://www.wicksteed.co.uk/legislation.html page 2 Risk assessments are vital when a play space has been created. Risk is hard to foresee but Play England have described it by stating: Providers need to decide for themselves what level of risk is appropriate in their provision, because the type and style of provision must be responsive to local circumstances. This is one reason why industry standards,which dont necessarily have a one size fits all format,need to be interpreted within the local context. This enables providers to include equipment or play opportunities that some more anxious parents might object to. However, simply reflecting the concerns of the most anxious parents, and altering playground design in an attempt to remove as much risk and challenge as possible, prevents providers from offering important benefits to the vast majority of children and young people. It may also lead more adventurous children to seek physical challenges in other, less well-managed environments, which others settle for sedentary activities Authors-S.Lester,Dr O.Jones,W.Russell url-www.wiltshire.gov.uk/supporting-school-improvement-through-play.pdf Another two legislations that needs to be adhered too is stated below Occupiers liability Act 1957 and 1984 An occupier of premises owes the same duty, the â€Å"common duty of care†, to all his visitors,except in so far as he is free to and does extend,restrict,modify or exclude his duty to any visitor or visitors by agreement or otherwise Url-www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/5-6/31/section/2 EN1176 Playground Equipment Standard The royal Society for the prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) shows information on safety for play ground equipment, there are seven different areas covered in the legislation which are stated below Safety in general Different test and safety requirements for swings Slide safety requirements Runaway safety and test methods Roundabout safety and test methods Rocking equipment safety and test methods Installation,maintenance,inspection and operation Everything described in this unit concentrates on how play can affect a childs development, physically, emotionally,intellectually and socially and that it is vital for children to have the creation of play spaces. This unit also describes how sometimes a teaching assistant needs to intervene during a play session to establish smooth flow of play and to be aware.