Satire and irony by Jonathan Swift

Satire and irony are the main literary tools used by Jonathan Swift in A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels. The author has used irony to create satire in making the audience see the deeper truths within the prevailing social, moral and political circumstances prevailing during the time. While making a comparison between A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels, one can see that the author has used satire, irony and satirical settings in highlighting the problems and contradictions present in society. The author also intends to make comments on such circumstances without intentionally addressing the reader for his response. In both A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift has used irony and satire to achieve certain goals primarily because of the disparity in the structure of each work. There is a strong variance in the use of satire in A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels. A Modest Proposal is certainly a satire which aims at making people of that period to realize the patterns of cold and calculated callousness demonstrated by forthright rationalism in dealing with issues related to poverty and over population. Swift’s works fall under two kinds of satire; the formal and the indirect. Formal satire is narrated in first person while indirect satire is in the form of the character appealing to the audience. A Modest Proposal is an indirect satire since the author speaks on behalf of a character who proposes to provide solutions to an audience that is primarily anonymous while addressing the political economy. The satire used by Swift in A Modest Proposal is aptly demonstrated by the following; I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout† (Swift, 1996). The irony in A Modest Proposal has been presented by the author mainly through characterization whereby the speaker makes the proposals. For example the speaker in A Modest Proposal who is ironic is able to discuss coldly about the social and economic advantages of killing children and then eating them without a tinge or presence of any thought being given to the related moral problems. The irony exhibited by this character does reveal that he can just go on criticizing the moral weak points of mothers who undergo immoral acts such as abortions and committing infanticide. In a dramatic and very ironic statement, one of the characters in A Modest Proposal balks at the prospect of eating teen-agers because it amounts to cruelty, which is in stark contrast to the other suggestions in it. The characters in A Modest Proposal use satire and irony in indirectly telling the readers to ignore the other options and ideas thus giving an example of being represented by the most terrible social planners and politicians. The character can make ironical statements in making them to appear perfectly economical without appearing to comprehend the appalling nature of the same. For example, on one occasion the character talks about selling children as food, which is narrated in A Modest Proposal as â€Å"I grant this food [children] will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children. † Indeed this is a very powerful statement in being disguised as being the meaning that conveys the philosophy of the speaker and in addressing the fact that the rich land owners of England and Ireland had taken away all that the poor inhabitants had. Such ironic narrations in A Modest Proposal convey to the reader in a rather cold manner about how children’s skin can be used in making †¦ â€Å"admirable gloves for ladies and summer boots for fine gentlemen†. It appears quite normal and nothing extraordinary for the narrator to rattle out such ironical words in implying as if it was something very simple and beautiful. The inherent irony in A Modest Proposal does make the reader understand the dangers involved in blindly adhering to a single philosophy especially when the entire population is likely to be adversely influenced. Verbal irony is the main figure of speech in A Modest Proposal, whereby the character says exactly the opposite of what he intends to mean. Swift has tactfully used such a device in making his arguments about the Irish people deserving improved conduct from the English, which is indeed extremely amusing and powerful. In pointing out that the Irish should not be ill treated as animals, Swift has written, â€Å"I rather recommend buying the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife, as we do roasting pigs. In Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift has made the bureaucracy of England as the main target of irony and satire. Gulliver’s Travels is primarily a work of satire. According to Rodino , â€Å"Gulliver is neither a fully developed character nor even an altogether distinguishable persona; rather, he is a satiric device enabling Swift to score satirical points† (Rodino, 1992). Sure the work begins with a lot of satire in attacking the different political machines. Primarily, however, Gulliver's Travels is a work of satire. â€Å"Gulliver is neither a fully developed character nor even an altogether distinguishable persona; rather, he is a satiric device enabling Swift to score satirical points† (Rodino, 1992). Indeed, whereas the work begins with more specific satire, attacking perhaps one political machine or aimed at one particular custom in each instance, it finishes with â€Å"the most savage onslaught on humanity ever written,† satirizing the whole of the human condition. Murry, 1972). During the time of Swift, the monarchy in England had lot of influence in most realms including law despite the increasing power of the bureaucracy. It is this aspect which has been made as the object of satire in Gulliver’s Travels by way of the actions of the Lilliputians who take detailed stock of the possessions of Gulliver and in being prone to making official proclamations about the factors that governed the life of Gulliver along with that of the other citizens. This is evident from what Gulliver remarks in an important quote from Gulliver’s Travels, â€Å"I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals, who durst venture to mount and walk on my body, while one of my hands was at liberty, without trembling at the sight of prodigious creature as I must appear to them† (Swift, 1983). Such overpowering self importance is an example of the satire used by Jonathan Swift in Gulliver’s Travels. It can be seen that a small and unimportant matter can be transformed and made into a bureaucratic and political issue of great importance. The satire is also evident for example when there is a war between Blefuscu and Lilliput because the Emperor cut his finger with an egg shell and there was no consensus about the best way to break the egg. This is evident from the quote from the book, â€Å"Whereupon the Emperor published an edict, commanding all his subjects, under great penalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs. The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us there have been six rebellions raised on this account† (Swift, 1983). The war had specifically broken out between Blefuscu and Lilliput because the debate ended without any conclusion being arrived at in regard to interpreting which end of the egg was smaller. For the author of Gulliver’s Travels, Lilliput represents England while Blefuscu represents France. In narrating this story, Swift has satirized the aimless bickering and power struggle between the two countries. The introduction of Lilliput in Gulliver’s Travels is indicative of an absurd and miniature England instead of a distant Utopia. In conveying the description of the government and the land it is made clear that despite the Lilliputians suffering from the same faults as present in the English society, they possessed several principles that allowed them to have a Utopian existence, particularly when its comparison was made with England. After Gulliver escapes from Lilliput he goes to England and returns back to sea after some time. This time he lands in a strange land where he is the smaller one as compared to Llliput but is alone in this world and when he does encounter the first inhabitants he gets scared, â€Å"for as human creatures are observed to be more savage in proportion to their bulk† (Swift, 1983). This indicates that Swift has used satire in attacking humanity for their ways. The satire in Gulliver’s Travels reaches the pinnacle whereby â€Å"Swift put his most biting, hard lines, that speak against not only the government, but human nature itself† (Paij, 2009). Using a great deal of irony, Swift makes Gulliver to come in contact with the Yahoos when he comments about a Yahoo, â€Å"My horror and astonishment are not to be described, when I observed in this abdominal animal a perfect human figure† (Swift, 1983). Gulliver ponders that the basic difference between him and the yahoo was the absence of clothes and cleanliness; otherwise the animal was no less than a human. In making such narrations Swift achieved his goal in expressing the satire in showing that humans have overpowering flaws which ultimately lead to the degradation of man. He has used a satirical technique in Gulliver’s Travels in order to attack modernity. He is seen as being concerned about the enhanced power of Europeans throughout the world, the nastiness of the privileged and the increasing importance of wealth for achieving happiness in life (Harold, 1986). Swift took Gulliver on four voyages which made him have a larger understanding of the flaws in human nature. Gulliver’s perceptions about humans and the world change and it is the change in his narrations that conveys the author’s social commentary and satire. Gulliver’s image of humans is not much influenced after the first voyage and so is the case for the second one. But his image of humans declines steadily by the end of the fourth voyage when he comes across the Yahoos. It is in this way that Swift has presented his opinion about human conditions.

Criticism of Quitak’s Child observation Essay

Quitak first explains that she is â€Å"working on the assumption that the problematic aspects of our experience contain the maximum potential†. However I think it is important to clarify from the outset, how she reached this assumption, as the reader does not know whether she went into the observation with this belief or whether these assumptions were developed as a result of her observation. There is another important omission relating to who the author actually is. She hasn’t positively stated that she is a Social Work student, although this is implied when she states that her observations had â€Å"implications for social work.† Therefore it is difficult to ascertain her purpose for carrying out the observations. Furthermore Quitak fails to mention how she came to select the child included in her observations, how many observation sessions took place and the length of the sessions. Therefore the reader is unable to assess whether there were any issues of bias involved in her selection process. The fact that she is the product of English middle class parents means she may be going into the study with particular assumptions, as she is observing a child who has a Palestinian parent. A significant area which was lacking in her observations was her inability to â€Å"tune in to Selena’s inner world† (pg 250), although Quitak does acknowledge this omission. She didn’t really try to question and understand Selena’s behaviour or how she might be feeling when she demonstrated behaviour she didn’t like, which meant her observation suffered as a result. King (2010) stresses the importance of â€Å"to access the child’s emotional world†.

Liberal Government 1905-1914 Essay

The Liberal welfare reforms of 1906-1914 saw a remarkable change in government policy from a largely laissez-faire (a policy of non-intervention) approach to a more interventionist approach. The Liberal government, led by Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman would do more in the way of social reform than any government before it, establishing an obligation to help the more vulnerable members of society who were not in a position to help themselves. Two social surveys were published at the beginning of the twentieth century which shook the people of Britain. They undoubtedly paved the way for a whole range of government led reforms. Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree, two very wealthy businessmen helped sponsor investigations in to the causes of poverty in Britain. Their findings were; up to 30% of the population of the cities were living in or below the poverty levels, conditions were so bad that people could not pull themselves out of poverty by their own actions. Both Rowntree and Booth agreed that the main causes of poverty were – illness, unemployment and age (the very young and very old) In 1908 Herbert Henry Asquith took over the Liberals and soon the wheels were set in motion in regards to the social reforms. Asquith would later promote two significant figures whose partnership was said to be the strength behind the reforms – Winston Churchill the young man in a hurry and David Lloyd George the Welsh wizard. There were many factors and motives for the reforms being passed, such as: National Security Concerns – During the war, one in three potential army recruits were refused on medical grounds. The government would have to do something to ensure basic health levels among working class men. Concerns Over National Efficiency – Britain’s position of being a world power was under threat from emerging powers such as Germany. In order to maintain its position it had to run smoothly with a strong, well educated work force. New Liberalism – The new liberals, Herbert Asquith, Winston Churchill and Lloyd George argued that in certain circumstances it was necessary to intervene in poor people’s lives to help with their social problems. Political Opportunism – The Liberals were scrutinised for their reforms as many historians thought their introduction was to gain a political advantage rather than helping the poor. The Liberals knew they had to gain support from the working class as they were competing with the newly-created Labour Party. Between 1906-1914 the Liberals focused on the following four groups in society – the old, the young, the sick and the unemployed. In 1908 old age pensions were introduced by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lloyd George. It gave a pension of five shillings per week (25 pence) to persons over the age of 70 whose income was less than  £21 a year. Smaller amounts were paid to people with a slightly higher income. People who earned more than  £31.50 a year received no pension, along with individuals who failed to work or who had been in prison. The Act was seen as a step in the right direction; however it did not address all problems. Money received barely paid for basic necessities, financial help was needed long before the elderly reached pension age. More importantly very few working class people reached 70 during this period (life expectancy was just 45) From 1906 the â€Å"Children’s Chapter† allowed local authorities to provide free school meals for poor children. However it wasn’t until 1914 that school meals were made compulsory. In 1907, medical inspections were introduced but it was not until 1912 that free medical treatment was made available that the situation could be better. The reforms included age restrictions being put in place to make it harder for children to buy cigarettes and alcohol. Finally in 1908 juvenile courts and borstals were set up to replace the sending of young offenders to prison. The Liberal government introduced the National Insurance Act in 1911. For the first time, health insurance was provided for those who paid into the scheme. An employee would pay 4p each week, his employer paid 3p and the remaining 2p came from the state. However the workers wife and children did not benefit from the scheme no matter how sick they became. Further restrictions were that employees would only be paid for a maximum of 26 weeks for being off due to ill health or injury. The second part of the National Insurance Act dealt with unemployment. Insured workers were given 35p a week for a maximum of 15 weeks in a year if they became unemployed. Again the act only provided insurance for the employee and not his family. It was meant only for covering temporary unemployment and only applied to a small number of trades. The findings tell us that the Liberals made a remarkable change from a laissez-faire approach to a more interventionist approach. However the reform only made a small indentation into resolving the problems of poverty which faced the people of Britain in 1905-1914. The old age pension scheme paid out inadequate funds that barely paid for basic necessities, very few people ever reached the age of 70. Unemployment benefits were only provided to workers for short periods of time and did not include their family. Free school meals and medical inspections were introduced but very few local authorities were able to provide. Yes the government were willing to intervene to help the poor but the poor had to help themselves also. â€Å"If we see a drowning man we do not drag him to the shore. Instead, we provide help to allow him to swim ashore† – Winston Churchill

International marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International marketing - Assignment Example China’s exchange rate in the stock market is classified into two categories i.e. class A shares and class B shares. The class A type is only meant for Chinese citizens while the class B type is meant for non citizens. At the age group of 20-30 years, the productivity is highly available since ready and cheap labor is in place due to the overpopulation in china. This age group is the main backbone of the Chinese economy. They are the most industrious and active source of labor in the Chinese economy. Due to this, the government of China has been advocating for the end of rural to urban continuous migrations of its citizens. During the economic reforms revolution, this movement was allowed. Its main aim was to increase labor output since the economy was steadily growing fast and industrialization was also taking place. China’s most source of external income has been through foreign investments it undertakes in the developing and 3rd world countries .This investments have become the major source of economic growth in this countries. As a result of the labor china has been able to produce goods of high quality and quantity to enable efficiency thus maximizing the country’s output (Liu, 2007). ... In the last three centuries, China has been globally reinforcing its market. It has ventured in both developed and developing nations to market its commodities. This has been made easily successful through lowering of taxes on its products making them cheaper but wholesomely producing the products (Zhiyong & Zhibiao, n.d.). Diversification into wide variety of production and activities has contributed to its economic growth rating it to be the most economic secure nation. Constant date-to-date innovation and invention has also greatly contributed to China’s economic stability. The age bracket of 20 to 30 is the greatest percentage of Chinese population .This group is the labor in the market driving economy of each province .Due to better infrastructure like roads and electronic train transport services goods are easily transported from one region to another that might have not been widely developed in terms of infrastructure (Zhiyong & Zhibiao, n.d.) . In addition, the use of air transport has also enhanced the growth of Chinese economy globally to landlocked countries and regions where shipping might not take place. Modern invention of technologies such as use of the internet has also led to the speedy and spread of Chinese economy since the age racket of 20 and 30 frequently use the social sites to market their small-scale products (Mullner, 2005). Target market is the situation whereby producers come together as a group with the aim of marketing their products to specific consumers. Over the years, Chinese products have been regarded as among the best products in the world. Its customers have been able to purchase their products at lower costs saving

Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 10

Education - Essay Example nd distracted; such classroom behaviour4 was not an encouraging response, so I discarded the initial lecture I had planned and started showing them pictures of Degas’ paintings, to stimulate their interest in the world of Degas’ art and human figures.5 After listening to the tape, I feel that my soft voice and formal approach at the beginning of the lesson was not helpful in gaining the attention of the students, because they could not connect with me. I should have started off trying to engage their interest and stimulate their curiosity since children learn best within a positive environment where they are actively engaged.6 What I was doing was lecturing instead, talking down to them - so they were switching off rather than engaging. I had to adapt my instruction, because what I was using was not working, so I decided that it would be better to adopt a more informal and interactive approach, since children love to ask questions. I was tense and holding myself too stiffly, perhaps the children sensed it too. So I relaxed and held out my hands to invite them to draw closer to me to look at Degas’ pictures and start painting them. I was pleased to note that my ability to realize when one method was not working, in order to switch to another was one of my strong points in the lesson, because my inviting tone and gesture worked very well; the restless children who felt bound by their desks were able to loosen up and I also relaxed when I didn’t feel like I was on the spot, standing up in front of the class, as the teacher. I didn’t have to shout so loud either. I invited their participation by asking them questions like, â€Å"Do you think this painting is good?† and â€Å"What do you like about it?† I wanted to see what the first impressions of the children would be – what would they notice, what would they wonder about? I was delighted to find that they were astute enough to notice that the painting was a set of lots of dots, because they were viewing

Provider Roles in Spiritual Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Provider Roles in Spiritual Care - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that the spiritual dimension of the client is strongly evident during illness, stress, difficulties, and end-life-care when people strongly needed the direction and comfort derived from their spiritual preferences. Faith and religion are essential components of a client’s spiritual dimension and health provider has the responsibility to have self-awareness of one’s spiritual preferences before integrating a non-biased spiritual care.This paper outlines that spiritual care is the most difficult task of a provider, specially the nurses. Most of the nurses lack adequate training for spiritual care giving and may influence the provision of adequate spiritual care. Healthcare providers such as nurses need to have formal education training or graduate programs in pastoral counseling or ministry in order to provide an excellent and competent spiritual care and to refer clients to other spiritual care providers as needed. Organizational team mem bers such as the Baptist Healing Trust aim to further the work of non-profit agencies in providing health services to vulnerable populations in Middle Tennessee. Members of the Baptist Healing Trust heal with love and compassionate care in accordance with the Christian tradition. In addition, staffs of the Baptist Healing Trust have the role of reiterating the importance of meeting health needs, providing human services, and balancing of excellence in skill and great compassion. The Baptist Healing Trust operates as a funding agency and requires partnership with the staff of non-profits to raise the standard of compassionate care. The Baptist Healing Trust also offers retreats, workshops, and consultation for organizational and culture change to continue the delivery of spiritual and health services to the vulnerable and underserved population of Middle Tennessee. The Baptist Healing Trust is the organizational team member of Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. The organizatio n believed that true healing comes from deep compassionate care and charitable health care expressed through the preservation of humanity and dignity of each human being as a creation of God (Baptist Healing Trust, 2010, n.p.). The emergence of the healing hospital in Baptist Hospital follows the teachings of Jesus and the Good Samaritan. A hospital institution does not only prevent and cure diseases but also enriched the heart and spiritual needs of client. Spiritual health provider must have a servant’s heart that offers compassionate care, goes beyond the box to meet people’s needs, has commitment to organization’s values, mission, and vision, and expressed care in a continuous chain of light from care giver or provider to every patient, fellow caregiver, and one's

List of countries for Obscure Country Project Research Paper

List of countries for Obscure Country Project - Research Paper Example It was in this year that the country gained independence from Ethiopia. The independence was the resultant of a referendum in which nearly 100 percent of Eritreans advocated separation from Ethiopia. Long before this in the year 1890 Eritrea fell under the colonial rule of Italy. Becoming a province of Italian East Africa in the year 1936. The Ethiopian forces joined hands with the Britishers to expel the Italians from the country and took over its charge in the year 1941. The British rule over the state under the UN Mandate continued for almost ten years. Eritrea was given solely under the federation of Ethiopia after this. Independence from this rule has given rise to the present day Eritrea. The territory of Eritrea has come under disputes even after its independence. A dispute over Hanish Islands and fishing rights in the Red Sea erupted with the country of Yemen in the year 1995. This conflict was resolved after the intrusion of UN. Both the countries complied with the organizat ion’s verdict. In the year 1998 a territorial conflict erupted with Ethiopia. A ceasefire in the year 2000 was followed by an arbitration decision made by a boundary commission that represented both the countries. This decision has not been implemented upon as yet and thus the conflict has remained unresolved to date. Since the year 2005 3,300 troupes have been deployed at the mutual border of both the countries by the UN over a span of 25km on the Eritrean land. (History of the Nations). GEOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HABITAT The location of Eritrea is 15 °Ã‚  N; 39 °Ã‚  E. The neighboring nations of Eritrea are Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan. The coastline of t state is 1151 km long. The borders that connect the neighboring nations have the following lengths: With Ethiopia the border length is 912 km the border length with Djibouti is 113 km and finally that with Sudan is 605km. The sea limit that comes under the territory of Eritrea is 12 km long. The sea that this country border s is the Red Sea. The Total area of the country is 124,320 square kilometers. The time zone of the nations of 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. The topography of the country can be divided into the broad categories of an arid narrow lowland strip along the red sea, the north-central region (this region is an extension of the Ethiopian Plateau and is dissected by rivers valleys) and the plains on the west that border Sudan. The highest point in the Country’s physical region is at Emba Soira. The lowest point of the terrain is in Denakil Depression which is along the Red Sea. At some places, this depression is 130 km below sea level. (MongaBay 2006). The major rivers of the country include Setit River. This river comes into Eritrea after passing through Ethiopia and then passes onto Sudan later on. There are other rivers as well but they are usually dried and live only in the rainy season. Names of these rivers include Anseba, Barka and Mareb. Its inhabitants are racially, culturally and linguistically Tigrayan. The population of the country reaced 4.3 million in the year 2004. These statistics are in accordance with the studies of the UN. Nearly 120,000 Eritreans are living as refugees in the state of Sudan. About 20 percent of the country’s population lives in the urban areas while the rest of them reside in the rural areas. RESOURCES The natural resources of the nation include  precious elements and minerals like copper, salt, gold, potash, zinc. (Eritrea Economic Statistics and Indicators 2011). Natural

Run Flat Tyres Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Run Flat Tyres - Assignment Example For any car to perfectly work then it entirely depend on; how large the air chamber between the rim and the tire is, the pressure that the tire can support and the strength quality of the tire. In the reflection John & James (2000) thinks that one big technology that has total revolutionized the car industry is the Flat tire technology since this is a type of tire that losses air very slowly that one would not even notice thus enabling the pressure of the tire to be substantially low enough to cope with the new situation. These strong internal construction that is able to withstand the weight of the car in case of a deflation. This type of tire has the capability to take a car even up to a distance of 80km at the speed of 80km/hr. Most of us have probably been faced with most of the that are associated with flat tire; maybe you missed a date, had to change a tire while being rained on because you didn’t want to miss an appoint meant, or your car tire went flat in the middle of nowhere then it’s for the same reasons that made the stake holders to come up with a tire system that could solve most these problems associated flat tire. In their review Anson & Mike (1998) believes that the idea of coming up with a flat tire system dates back to as early as the early 1980s. It was at this time when this idea was applied in a practical situation. This idea then had been applied on Porsches 959 sports cars. The designer of this car built it to be able to cruise to a top speed of 200mph and thus he recommended tire system that would not disintegrate if it lost air pressure at this high speed it was meant to reach. This idea worked for this car and this was what would give the engineers the needed confidenc e to further look into making these tires for all the cars. According to their writing Anson & Mike (1998) they say that the run flat tires were first commercially produced in the year 1935 though quite different from today’s design since it had an

Mechanical Engineering Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Mechanical Engineering - Research Paper Example Bureau of Labor Statistics 1; America Society of Mechanical Engineers 1). He is also required to understand things such as the ability of the product to persevere the thermal environment and the forces they will be subjected to. Mechanical engineering plays a critical role in industries such as automotive (car chassis, transmission, sensors and engines), aerospace (control systems for spacecraft and airplanes, aircraft engines, and airplanes), biotechnology, (prosthetic devices, and implants), and other industries such as computers and electronics (semiconductor tools, cooling systems, disk drives and printers). In other words, mechanical engineering takes care of everything that moves (Columbia University 1). Mechanical engineering is a field that includes a broad collection of research areas. Mechanical engineering entails the design, analysis, control, and manufacture of fluid, thermal, and solid mechanical systems. It also involves system integration, innovation use of technology, and creation and development of new markets and products, and it offers the solution to problems facing products (National Research Council 2). This entails optoelectrical-mechanical materials, machines, structures, and Nano- and micro scale devices. The most important aspects of the field include combustion, heat transfer (and other processes of energy conversion), fluid mechanics, tribology, biomechanics, solid mechanics (fracture mechanics also included), and education and management linked with the above areas (National Research Council 3). Mechanical engineering is central to the success of medicine. It plays an important role in medical instrumentation, medical devices, prostheses, and tissue engineering. It also plays a critical role in accomplishing energy independence. The national response to alternative energy sources involves the science of mechanical engineering, and

Health and Saftey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Health and Saftey - Essay Example 1910 par.65 (5), p.557; par.58, p.552). The rationale behind the law is that in the event of an emergency the operator may immediately shut the system down. 2. The control for the bridge and trolley cannot be placed on any wall or fixed surface. The law prescribes that it must be located in a way that the operator can readily face the direction of travel ([v] p.557). This would require the creation of a control panel placed directly facing or fronting the work area. This will provide the operating personnel safety from any falling hazards while allowing visibility to perform the operation (Lockheed). Several toggle on and off switches will be used if the team decides to use such a switch. The speed of the bridge and trolley will be divided into two. Thus setting a minimum speed and a maximum speed. This is necessary because when operating the bridge and trolley it is advised to always use the minimum speed only. 3. The control for the hoist may be by pendant push-button, rope control or any mechanism ([v]p.556). There is no restriction as long as the safety of the operator will be of prime consideration. I would recommend the use of Radio Control Systems or a Remote Control Box (Telemotive Engineered SLTX Transmitter). The Operator can work at the safest location without having to use a pendant control. There is also no restriction of a fixed-length pendant cable. Its transmitter has a two step push button which allows easy and precise control (R&M Materials Handling). In hoisting, the toggle on and off controls cannot be used because what is required is several break controls that must be calculated and exact. It requires stops for break, lower and hold. Considerations also as to the weight and speed of lifting is also one factor that makes the toggle on and off switch inappropriate for use. 4. For additional safety, the inclusion of an emergency

United States after World War II Essay Example for Free

United States after World War II Essay The influence of the United States over political and economic affairs worldwide sharply decreased after World War II. US officials found this psychologically difficult to accept, given their country’s key role in the war. Jeffery E. Garten further elaborated on this sentiment: â€Å"Part of America’s outdated self-image is still related to the memory of the Pax Americana, the era of omnipotence for the twenty years following World War II†¦These were very special years in the American experience, to be fondly remembered, even cherished. But they were, looking back, a transition period†¦We need to find a way to put these years and what they represent behind us† (Paarlberg, 1995). As far as Garten knew, the US clearly had difficulty in coming to terms with its changing position in the world. As a result, outward-looking internationalism dominated US policymaking after World War II. This trend was most visible in the post-World War II history of US relations with other countries. After World War II, US foreign policy broke away from its historical tradition of avoiding permanent diplomatic alliances. This departure had a strong impact on American politics and economy (Paarlberg, 1995). The US Economy after World War II US foreign policy conventionally espoused inward-looking diplomatic neutrality beyond the Western Hemisphere and parts of the Pacific. In the 1930s, the US Congress passed three separate neutrality acts, which legally prohibited the US from taking sides in the military or diplomatic disputes of Europe or Asia. It was not until the Great Depression that protectionism was discredited through the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. However, this law faced strong opposition from industrialists and political partisans. These parties believed that the domestic market was large enough to accommodate certain amounts of trade protection and corporate parochialism (Paarlberg, 1995). Unusual Economic Supremacy Right after World War II, a period when rival economies in Europe were exhausted and destroyed, the US was enjoying a strong economy and was even strengthening its technological superiority. High production demands during the war increased the country’s Gross National Product (GNP) by 50% in real terms. By 1950, the US economy was 5 times larger than that of the Soviet Union and 10 times than that of Japan. In sharp contrast, World War II reduced Western European economies by 25% (Paarlberg, 1995). The US economic boom continued after the war through unilateral military and economic policy initiatives, such as the Truman Doctrine (March 12, 1947) and the Marshall Plan (July 12, 1947). These strategies allowed the US to dominate political reconstruction in both West Germany and Japan, as well as the establishment of American naval and air forces across the Atlantic and the Pacific. Allies and defeated adversaries alike were offered economic advantages such as grants, technical assistance, credits and market access – without immediate repayment or demands for perfect reciprocity. The US dollar replaced gold as an international key currency, allowing the US to dominate international financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund – World Bank (IMF-WB) (Paarlberg, 1995). The Ideology of the Cold War The US did not carry out these measures without any underlying economic or security motives. Perceived threats of Stalinism (and later Maoism) prompted the American government to secure its political, economic and military influence overseas. The relative power of the US Congress was weakened in order to give the US President unprecedented peacetime authority over the deployment and use of both conventional and nuclear weapons, as well as unsupervised clout over the clandestine operations abroad of the then-newly-established Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Nations who were previously wartime allies suddenly found themselves fighting one another simply because they were at the opposite ends of the Cold War ideological fence (Paarlberg, 1995). Communism versus Capitalism: The Consolidation of Power At the height of the Cold War, both the US and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) scrambled to find foreign allies that will espouse their respective ideologies. Countries that were allied either with the US or the Soviet Union received generous political, economic and military aid. There were even leaders from these nations that rose to power through US or Soviet backing. The Cold War was not just an â€Å"arms race† but an ideological struggle as well. The Soviet Union. Beginning in 1945, governments across Eastern Europe were characterized with â€Å"people’s democracies† or Soviet-type regimes that had a Communist form of domestic administration and whose foreign policies were dictated by the USSR. These â€Å"people’s democracies† isolated and destroyed opposing political factions, expropriated large land holdings, instituted collective farming (except in Poland) and nationalized almost all industries. Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Albania and East Germany were eventually included into the Soviet Union. With the cooperation of these countries, the USSR founded the Communist Information Bureau (Cominform). However, Yugoslavia was expelled from the Cominform in 1948 due to Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito’s resistance against Soviet interference in his country’s affairs (MSN Encarta, 2008). The US The US countered by establishing right-wing monarchial and military dictatorships in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America starting from the 1960s. In Africa, it backed the oppressive regimes of Idi Amin in Uganda (1971), King Hassan II in Morocco (1961) and Mobutu Sese Seko in Zaire (1965). In Asia, US-engineered dictatorships included those of Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam (1955), Park Chung Hee in South Korea (1961) and Pol Pot in Cambodia (1975). In Latin America, Augusto Pinochet of Chile (1973), Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier of Haiti (1957 and 1971, respectively) and Nicaragua’s Anastacio Somoza Garcia (1937) and Anastacio Somoza Debayle (1956). In Europe, the US sponsored the governments of Spain’s Francisco Franco (1939) and Greece’s George Papadopoulos (1967) (Bernstein and Sydell, 1995). American Policies and Practices in International Relations (Late 1940s – Mid-1950s) The US radically increased its defense spending from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s due to the Cold War and the spread of Communism in Korea, Eastern Europe and China during the said period. Companies, particularly those related with the defense industry, saw this as an opportunity for immense profits. However, over-reliance of American enterprises on defense contracts resulted in the emergence of the military-industrial complex (MIC). The MIC, in turn, heavily influenced US foreign policy from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s (Schultz, 1999). The Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) The increase in the federal government’s military spending prompted enterprises to do business with the US Department of Defense. There were at least 40,000 defense contractors working for the federal government by the mid-1950s, providing services such as the manufacturing of uniforms, weapons and ammunition. Universities and technology-related firms were used as research and development departments, wherein new weapons and fighting strategies were created. By the 1970s, the US Department of Defense had surpassed the 75 largest corporations in America in terms of economic assets. This led to criticisms that the US was building a permanent â€Å"war economy† (Schultz, 1999). In order to sustain this â€Å"war economy,† the US government had no choice but keep on waging wars with other countries. When the US economy underwent a recession in 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower responded by boosting the defense budget (Schultz, 1999). He likewise staged a number of armed conflicts with other nations. Hence, Eisenhower’s administration was known for disputes such as clashes with Red China over Taiwan (1955) and the Berlin Crisis (1959) (MSN Encarta, 2008). Conclusion The US is still living under the illusion of Pax Americana – a new world order wherein every nation on earth is subservient to American interests. As a result, it used Pax Americana to get away with imperialism and violating the rights of other nations to self-determination. The US must realize that if it is entitled to liberty and justice, the same holds true for other countries. Real freedom and prosperity can never be attained through political and economic interference, as well as through military aggression. References Bernstein, D. Sydell, L. Third World Traveler. (1995). Friendly Dictators. Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://www. thirdworldtraveler. com/Dictators/Friendly_Dictators. html MSN Encarta. (2008). Dwight D. Eisenhower. Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761554032/Eisenhower. html#s1 MSN Encarta. (2008). Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761553017/ Union_of_Soviet_Socialist_Republics. html Paarlberg, R. (1995). Leadership Abroad Begins at Home: US Foreign Economic Policy After the Cold War. Washington, D. C. : Brooklings Institution Press. Schultz, S. K. University of Wisconsin System. (1999). The 1950s: The Cold War and the Affluent Society. Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://us. history. wisc. edu/hist102/lectures/lecture24. html

Fall of House of Usher Essay Example for Free

Fall of House of Usher Essay The Fall of the House of Usher Psychological Criticism Psychological criticism is the school of literary criticism that focuses on the psychological issues affecting the characters behavior. Throughout this piece Poe uses setting, mood, characterization, conflict, and symbols in order to portray the underlying meaning; Physical disintegration of the House of Usher which parallels the condition of its inhabitants. Poe uses setting and mood in order to foreshadow the ultimate disintegration of the family manor. The narrator notices â€Å"a barely perceptible fissure† running down the front of the building. The detailed description highlights the stories theme and creates a mood of fear. When discussing use of characterization one must consider Roderick Usher, the central character of Poe’s gothic tale. Poe uses direct and indirect characterization techniques in order to effectively convey his point. Usher’s anxiety is revealed through descriptions of his odd, disheveled appearance and mannerisms along with his rapid mood swings. The author describes the tone as â€Å"overdone cordiality† and by â€Å"sullen quality†. Also, when discussing the psychological criticism one must consider how Poe’s approach might lead the readers to see him as a hypochondriac. In addition to the given appearances of characterization there are numerous other descriptions that heighten impression of instability. â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† has a copious amount of metaphors and symbols. The narrator perceives the mansion as human like with its â€Å"vacant and eye-like windows†. This specific metaphor is extended throughout the entire story, becoming more and more sinister in its deep implications. When describing the house, it serves as almost a symbolic prison for Usher and his sister Madeline. Poe uses several descriptive words in his portrayal of the house. The reader’s first impression of the house comes from a direct observation from the narrator. This narrator states, â€Å"†¦ with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit.    As the narrator continues to describe the house he uses several similarly dismal adjectives. The gloom experienced by the narrator is not limited to merely the house itself. The vegetation, which surrounds the area, is described as â€Å"a few rank sedges and †¦ a few white trunks of decayed trees. †Ã‚   He emphasizes these facets of the house and its environs by restating the descriptions reflected in a â€Å"black and lurid tarn. While he claims that the house appears structurally sound, he takes time to comment upon â€Å"the crumbling condition of the individual stones. †Ã‚   He also emphasizes the long history of the house by stating that its features recall an â€Å"excessive antiquity. † It is obvious therefore that Poe means for the building and the family to reflect one another. His use of parallel descriptions of the house and family, the mood that both convey and the intertwined fate of both lead the reader to the inescapable conclusion that the house and the Ushers are one.

Abiotic And Biotic Characteristics Environmental Sciences Essay

Abiotic And Biotic Characteristics Environmental Sciences Essay San Francisco Bay has maintained a magnificent body of water and use to sustain the economy of Western United States and San Francisco Estuary in Bay in is of great importance because through this a large number of water draining becomes possible. Its Estuary from where fresh water meets to sea water. There are many pollutants that we face in our daily life e.g. dirt, sediments, oil, grease, fertilizes pesticides chemicals etc. the water running from the land carrying these pollutants to underground and ultimately this reach to the Estuary of san Francisco. These pollutants when reach in river and sea water can pollute the whole water and prove harmful for aquatic life as it can be cause harm for wetland creatures like fish, and can prove very dangerous for other habitats of water. It can destroy the aquatic system and can be major threats for the living organism living under water. As San Francisco Estuary considered as a very important region and has much economic importance so for prevention of pollution and keep safe this region from other different factors restoration and conservation is used. Abiotic and biotic characteristics of the San Francisco Estuary Many of environmental factors affect the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the San Francisco Estuary these include both abiotic and biotic characteristics. These factors effects the life in Estuary in great extends. Non-living factors are called abiotic factors which include concentration of oxygen and nutrients, salinity of water and amount of sunshine. As these factors have the major impact on the life in estuary. All living factors that affect the estuary are called biotic factors. That includes producers consumers and predators as producers are of basic importance for consumers. Consumers rely on producers and predators rely on consumers. So these are depend on one another to maintain the balance of estuary, Population growth in the San Francisco Bay area affected the estuary Increasing trend of population in San Francisco Bay area affected the estuary as increasing trend of population cause a rush in urban as well as on village areas. More the people are using the recourses more the waste is creating and much use of water and water waste from its use create pollution as much of the polluted water is drained through the underground ways to Estuary that is a great threat for the marine life. More over in recent years 40,000 metric tons of pollutants enter the Bay annually from agriculture and urban runoff. Rivers, atmospheric fallout, municipal sewage treatment plants, industrial facilities, natural and artificial erosion, illegal clearance, dredging and dredged material disposal, marine vessel discharges, accidental spills, and landfill seepage are also causing problems as well. (1) Habitat fracture in the San Francisco Estuary been increased by human behavior Estuaries is of great importance for us as these are used for food, trade and for shelter and in this case Sans Francisco Bay has great importance as it is used as harbor for many ships of this regions. There are large number of plants and animals found in Estuaries and the most of population of San Francisco Bay depend on these marine lives for their food. But due to the pollution spreading by increase in population cause harm to these plants and animals. This pollution can cause damage to the lives of these plants and animals found in estuaries. Heavy load of silt, trash, and sediments by erosion and chemical contamination cause can prove to be harmful for these plants and animals and can create suffocation for them. Due to increase in irrigation or by making more dams by the people can cause problems as more the salty water will move upstream as compare to normal routine that can cause destructive consequence for species living in the water. The most important impact of human population in estuaries habitat in San Francisco is the development of estuaries. People are trying to get expand the area of estuaries for development purpose as they are quite interested to use the land for housing and business purpose as they want to want to utilize the region of estuaries for industrial development. Economically estuaries are very beneficial for these purposes but this can caused the lost of large number of habitat found in these estuaries. So it is harmful for the water species and become the cause of Habitat fracture in the San Francisco Estuary. Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) is transporting the organism across America and around the globe. This phenomena is increasing that cause harm to native fish and wild life in different ways as it disturb the entire food web and cause problems for human life activity as well e.g. disrupting the water delivery and effecting the agriculture as well. Conservation being used to promote and maintain the biodiversity of plants and animals in the San Francisco Estuary Biodiversity of plants and animals means range of organisms including different plants and animals, present in ecological system. It is very important to promote and maintain the biodiversity of plants and animals to get the wide variety of organism that will be beneficial and use to fulfill human needs. San Francisco Estuary is of great importance for the habitat of this region as they get important benefits from them so to save this and to survive from the loss of species found in these estuaries it is very important to properly mange and develop the system to escape from the loss of marine species as well. Estuary of San Francisco Bay is of great importance in all over the world. To secure it from un exceptional phenomena and extend the productive use of it The San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) is playing very important role as they have used different approaches to reduce the impact of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS). They have start to consider species management plan I order to recover the species of Estuary from harmful effects. Fish in the estuary need oxygen to survive so the estuary where there is increased pollution thats causing lost of marine life , Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) produces oxygen for fish breathing and to reduce the pollution. The Sans Francisco Bay conservation and development commission (2) prepared a plan to make and implement the policies for the development of Bay and to utilize the maximum benefits from them. The Sans Francisco Bay plan is created and implemented by this commission in 1968. The important conversation of this plan was related to shore line and coastal areas to utilize it to their maximum potential. Conservation of fish and other aquatic organism is most importantly depend on the oxygen that is provided to these organisms, fresh water, availability of food for these organisms, sufficient area of breeding and quality of water. If these factors are organized in proper way then it became possible to maintain and improve the biodiversity of plants and animals of Sans Francisco estuary. The Sans Francisco Bay conservation and development commission has taken important steps to restore these components in order to ensure the benefits for the future generation of these fish, and other wild life of estuary. This commission also provides recommendations in Bayland Ecosystem habitat Goal Report about the diversity of habitat o enhance the variety of aquatic plants and animal species. The Baylands Ecosystem habitat Goal Report works to provide the important information about the types, amount, and distribution of wetlands and its habitats that are needed to maintain a healthy eco system. Conclusion San Francisco Estuary is of great importance as this is a transition zone between watershed and ocean and economically this system has great importance for that region thats the reason of restoration of this estuary. Many action plans has made for the development, promotion and maintenance of these Estuary and many more action plans are expected in near future for further development of this ecosystem.

A Recipe for Revolution :: miscellaneous

A Recipe for Revolution Today’s world subjects an individual to many different socio-religious-political influences. Out of those individuals come idealized leaders reinforcing their influences. In the increasing complexity of such memes and their interactions clarity and an understanding of evolutionary paths that is favored by nature-one that results in better survival- has become paramount. An assumption can boldly be made that violent or non violent constituents in the practice of such ideals eventually determine the desirable outcome namely the survival and success in the pursuit. As such one begins to wonder what has happened to non-violence of Gandhian heritage. It seems a dead and irrevocable concept in the turbulent waters of today. If one said its no longer applicable, its not without ground. Let us see how an opposition to Gandhian nonviolence can be mounted. It could have only worked against British A finer point is the fact that any means of non-violence protest is sustainable provided the opposition has a moral value not to cross a certain line. Has it been the case where British practiced shoot or execute anybody who may protest by any means, then Gandhi would have been shot lot earlier, perhaps in the train in South Africa, and there would have been no mahatma or success of non violence. Take Hitler for example. Let alone resisting, even if you try to cooperate with German for the demise of Jews, as a Jew you can be sure you will be shot. Where do you put non-violence against such a tyranny? There is no current conflict scenario where non-violence can be applied It won’t be exaggeration to state that â€Å"almost all the current conflict in the world has an armed oppression against unarmed public.† The statement can be substantiated by following two different points. In the most direct sense it means an authority’s aggression towards specific category of people using the unitary powers they hold which eventually fuel and give birth to an armed opposition or say a revolution. Most importantly on the second sense in any such conflicts, revolution or terrorism, just or unjust, it is the innocent people who are victimized the most. It is in this context we must identify the current conflict scenarios as a new era-new era of violence. What is clear is the fact that the nature of the conflicts in the world has significantly shifted. Not long ago, it used to be fighting a foreigner-imperialist for the independence of native land.

symbolaw Use of Symbols and Symbolism in The Awakening Essay -- Chopi

Use of Symbolism in Chopin's The Awakening The Awakening is a novel full of symbolism; within each narrative segment there is often a central and powerful symbol that serves to add meaning to the text and to underline some subtle point Chopin is making. Understanding the meaning of these symbols is vital to a full appreciation of the story. This essay lists some of the major symbols with explanations of their importance. Art becomes a symbol of both freedom and failure. It is through the process of trying to become an artist that Edna reaches the highest point of her awakening. Edna sees art as a way of self-expression an... ...urely caged when she first appears. . . she is confined in what is not only literally a "woman's sphere" but, symbolically speaking, the Woman's House. . . every object and figure [here] has not only a literal domestic function and a dreamlike symbolic radiance but a distinctively female symbolic significance" (47).

Essay on the Characters in The Awakening -- Chopin Awakening Essays

Importance of the Characters in The Awakening  Ã‚   The Awakening was a very exciting and motivating story. It contains some of the key motivational themes that launched the women’s movement. It was incredible to see how women were not only oppressed, but how they had become so accustomed to it, that they were nearly oblivious to the oppression. The one woman, Edna Pontellier, who dared to have her own feelings was looked upon as being mentally ill. The pressure was so great, that in the end, the only way that she felt she could be truly free was to take her own life.   In this paper I am going to concentrate on the characters central in Edna’s life and her relationships with them. Leonce Pontellier, the character portraying Edna’s husband was a man very traditional in his thinking. He was self-absorbed and honestly did not see the fault in his own ways. He sincerely believed that Edna was the most important person in his life. However we notice throughout the story that his behavior was in direct contrast with that statement. Edna is only important to him, as in how she effects him and the effect her actions has on his life. If we look at chapter three, Leonce comes home in the middle of the night, awakening his wife whom is fast asleep. He immediately beings to give her the details of his day. When she is unable to fully reply, because she is half asleep, he becomes upset. He states that she is the sole object of his existence and he is upset that she takes so little interest in his concerns. If she was indeed the sole object of his existence, he would have been more considerate than to awaken her in the middle of the night, because he wanted to talk. Also look at chapter 32, when Leonce, learns that Edna is mov... ...e will never have a taste of life’s delirium. Could this mean that as long as you do not take risks, float on the edge and cease being content, you do not truly live or enjoy the â€Å"craziness† of life? More similar to Edna is Mademoiselle Reisz. Like Edna, Mademoiselle. Reisz was a free spirit who did not agree with oppression of women at that time. She was looked upon as being weird and mentally disturbed. Something was definitely wrong with a woman who did not care what others thought and whom chose her own path in life. Mademoiselle Reisz inspired Edna to be true to herself and defy the norms. It was very appropriate that the ending scene took place at the sea, for it was ion the sea when Edna experienced her first taste of freedom (see Chapter ten). Edna finally empowered herself by deciding her own fate, instead of allowing others to choose it for her.

The Major Stages of A hero’s Journey in Hawthorne’s My Kinsman, Major Molineux

The story is about a young man’s search for a man that he and his father thought could help him to have a good fortune – Major Molineux, cousin of the boy’s father. However, in the end, after all that he went through, he was dismayed, yet another friend encouraged him to stay in the city and see if he could earn a fortune without the help of his kinsman. The story opens with a description of the time when the story took place. This is perhaps important as in epics which seek the reference of the events in the narrative. Here, the introduction gives the readers a clue regarding the time and place, thereby creating a good background for the readers to understand the story even if the reader is from a distant time or place (Hawthorne and Harding 37). It is in the second paragraph where Hawthorne starts the narration of Robin’s quest. Hawthorne describes the scene thus, â€Å"It was near nine o'clock of a moonlight evening, when a boat crossed the ferry with a single passenger (Hawthorne and Harding 37). † This is already the initiation stage of the journey. Together with the description of his clothes that were made to last (coarse shirt, leather boots, etc. , it was obvious that he was in for long journey. He looked the place, clueless of the place where his kinsman could be. So he is left to the last resort of asking for directions from people he would meet on the way (Hawthorne and Harding 38). It can be noted that he asked for help several times, but he found none, except in the later part of the story when he forced an old man and another person volunteered to stay with him to wait for his kinsman. The separation is described in later paragraphs as a flashback through a narrative from the hero – Robin. The separation stage tells us that he and his family had high hopes (Hawthorne and Harding 56). His brother took his placer in plowing the fields and his mother sew for him his clothes, hoping for the best that he could have. This is a very timely part in the story to narrate, because it brings the reason of the journey closer to the dismay that was about to take place, which was to evoke the hero’s return as a failure. It could have been a failure. In fact, he asked his friend twice to lead him back to the ferry, but the return was delayed by an optimistic invitation to stay longer (Hawthorne and Harding 56). The story ends there, but from the hints that he was a â€Å"shrewd youth (Hawthorne and Harding 56)†, we can guess that with guidance from his new friend, he could have a good life in the city and return to his home with success to talk about. Why one should Read Thoreau’s Walden Walden is not a novel or an epic. It was not considered a masterpiece during his time. In fact, his mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson was disappointed with it (Alsen 242). Indeed, few of his contemporaries would have presumed that Walden would be treated with as much importance as it is being treated now in Literature. But what is it in Walden that makes it a must to read for anyone studying Literature, Philosophy and American culture? First, we can note that it is a product of a man’s solitude. Thoreau wrote it in deep solitude, that his ideas must have flowed with enthusiasm. As he was a literary genius, a work he wrote in such a state is worth reading. Take for example, the narratives he wrote in Walden about the battle of ants. In the recount, he extensively described what happens in a combat between red and black ants (Thoreau 162). This recount is worth a student’s time because the scenes depicted are not everyday scenes one can see in the city or even in the gardens or woods. He made apostrophes in reference to Homer’s Iliad, which now shows a style that is worth emulating. The learning one can get from this short part of the book is difficult to find, unless one would spend his time patiently in the woods like Thoreau did. To consider things more, many of the things Thoreau wrote, he learned serendipitously. Hence, even if one would spend time like he did, there is no assurance he could come across the same encounters. In all these, his work teaches the younger generations to have respect for life, for nature. The Battle of the Ants is a classic example of primitive life lived by other creatures that co-exist with us in the woods, in gardens and in ponds (Thoreau 162). Like us, they struggle for life and power, so we ought to co-exist with them rather than kill them. Romanticism in Hawthorne and Thoreau Hawthorne’s My Kinsman, Major Molineux and Thoreau’s Walden are two very different genres of literature, but they share elements of romanticism. First, I will define romanticism based on what experts say. Romanticism, according to Peckham in Adams is to have the goal of originating from something that has never existed before (Adams 2). It is therefore not the adherence to existing standards, but the creation of beautiful things based on one’s own standards of beauty and wisdom. So, starting with Walden, we can see the presence of romanticism. It was written not in the form any literary piece has been written before. He wrote based on a keen observation with no conscious consideration of any standards in writing during his time, thus many of his contemporaries did not like his work primarily because it was odd. Hawthorne’s story, on the other hand presents a different kind of plot. In most stories that we know, a hero leaves his home and promises to come home with victory. Usually, the hero fulfils his mission. Not Hawthorne’s Robin. Robin went through the stages of a hero’s journey, but he did not get what he initially wanted. He did not get help from the people he expected would help him and when he found the person he was looking for, he decided to go home in dismay. But life had to go on for him, so instead of going home, he would surely stay awhile and see what the city had in store for a boy as shrewd as he. This makes the story more useful than those with happy endings, for it teaches a reality about life – one does not get all that he wants right away. The romantic element that the two works shared was the novelty of their ideas and concepts. The authors did not adhere to conventions, but created their masterpieces based on what they thought would be beautiful or useful. Transcendentalism in Walden and Self-Reliance Both authors, Thoreau and Emerson, being mentor and student to one another must have had similar philosophies. And indeed, Thoreau is a believer of Emerson’s concept on self-reliance. The term self-reliance itself points out to another philosophical doctrine during their time – transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is a reaction against scientific rationalism, thereby teaching that intuition is the only way to understand reality in a world where â€Å"every natural fact embodies a spiritual truth† (Emerson 205). Hence, Transcendentalists discount external authority and tradition and depend on firsthand experience. So, the motto is â€Å"Trust Thyself† (Emerson and Carlyle 47). So how Walden and Self-Reliance live up to Transcendentalism? First, it should be noted that Thoreau’s work was written largely based on his experience in Walden Pond. Next, the ideas put forward by Thoreau in Chapter 1, â€Å"Nature is as well adapted to our weakness as to our strength (Thoreau 6). This definitely reflects two things – one, learning based on his experience at the pond; second, the doctrine of trusting oneself, because one is provided with what he needs to survive if he will just work to get it. Walden actually echoes the teachings of Emerson Self-Reliance, where his mentor attacked those who believed in luck or fortune (Emerson and Carlyle 54)) Emerson points out that what we see as luck is actually a result one’s persistence, so when the opportune moment comes, the one wh o did not waste time would be ready to seize the moment. This leads to an extension of Transcendentalist ideas. Trusting oneself does not mean being arrogant, but using one’s time efficiently. It does not mean disregarding religion, for there is one Great Soul above everyone. But as that Great Soul is just, He will give success to those that deserve it, because they worked for it.

The Renaissance Man

In the film there was a group named the double ad's. They are called double ad's meaning, dumbest dog salt. The people from that group are chosen to be In that group because those students are the ones that do not comprehend the army duty. Mr.. Raga, the teacher from the group double ad's, was not as responsible. Facing some of his own consequences like, getting fired from his previous job, losing his relationship slowly with his only daughter, and not taking his new job as a teacher seriously. But during the film he went through some times where he changed.From he students touching him in an emotional level and being in an army base facility he changed. Three things that Mr.. Raga changed was his character attitude, and got some discipline. His character changed by not being mean and rude to people he found from his students that there is more to a person that what meets the eye. His attitude changed from how he acts with people to how he looked at his teaching Job. At first he TLD want the job but after time he found out how important changing and helping the kids life really ;s.He became more disciplined by the Army, getting to mime early or In time and getting himself straight with his priorities. I believe the most important change from the three, is his attitude. Because I think attitude says a lot about a person. How you are with people and it shows how your real character really is. By changing his own attitude he turned from being selfish and only caring about his own life to wanting to make somebody else's life better. At first Mr.. Raga was thinking of teaching comprehensive material to the students so they could be able to do and pass the requirements to graduate from the U.S. Army. However he thought hem something else from somewhere he never thought would capture they're attention. Mr.. Raga introduced hamlet by William Shakespeare to the double ad's. The students could relate the play to their lives; the play gave the students motivation, giving them something to look at in order to keep on going and pursuing their goals In life. Each of the double ad's had their own struggles and life, and their own destiny of making It to the Army, but there was this one specific double d. His name was Nathaniel Hobbs, he was a very smart student and the one that connected to Mr..Raga the most; he saw potential for the student and wanted to help him. There were consequences in that though, Mr.. Raga went to talk to the sergeant, they found out Nathaniel Joined the army to escape from hid felony of selling drugs, so he went to jail. I think it was Nathaniel own fault because it was his decision of selling drugs and even though it's in the past you have to deal with the consequences of your actions. Before Mr.. Raga changed his ways he faced an enemy on the way through his change. Mr.. Raga did not get along with sergeant Lou.Sergeant Lou thought Mr.. Raga was not disciplined enough and was not strict enough with his class. You would think It would end up In a feud but surprisingly Mr.. Raga got his own discipline from sergeant Lou, and changed of character. Even though things might not look as good as a situation something good always happens. Even though sergeant Lou thought Mr.. Raga was not as strict or as disciplined, the classmates got an effect on the class. I en class gave ten students motivation to change Ana It Improved tenet connecter.They were able to complete the tasks of their army duties and obstacles they had to overcome in order to graduate from the army. There was an original renaissance man that was mentioned in the movie. The Renaissance man was Alberta Leon Battista. He accomplished a lot of things, his mindset was there is not a limit of the goals you want to reach or what you want to become. That's something Mr.. Raga taught his class. Like I said before, Mr.. Raga was originally going to teach comprehensive but he taught something more important. He ended up teaching the student to reach for t he stars.That success starts from your mind, your way of hinging, you can become whatever you decide to be and what you pursue; however it's not Just pursuing it, but also completing it even though there might be obstacles in the way. The central lesson that can be learned from this movie is that the choices you make dictate the life we live. Any choice you make or action you take make you become the person you are. You can become whatever you want to become if you put your mind and heart into it. Or Just have to look within and take your determination to its fullest capability and reaching your goals.

Observation of Elementary School Room

I did my observation at Bullskin Township Elementary School on Mrs. Coles 2nd grade classroom. When I first entered the classroom, I felt very welcomed, she had all the students stand up and introduce themselves. It was a very colorful classroom covered with the children’s art work. The children seemed to feel very comfortable around each other; they all appeared to be communicating well. The goals of the children in the class room are to actively participate and understand the information taught. As I observed part of her math class, they were learning money.She gave them a worksheet to work on after she taught the lesson. As they were completing the worksheet she walked around to answer any questions and to make sure they were on task. I asked Mrs. Coles how she went about communicating with her students families and she said she uses phone calls, email, and parents will sometimes send a note if he/she has any concerns. She gave me advice to always call from work and to neve r call from home. She said last year she had a bad experience where she used her house phone to call a parent, and after that the parent was constantly calling her house.Her curriculum was based on the Pennsylvania Standards. She showed me a PA Scott Foresman Reading Street Grade 2 Unit 3 book, which was made from the PA Standards it gives you a weekly plan, and different activities to do Monday-Friday. A few of the activities included target skills of the week, like phonics, comprehension skills, and comprehension strategies. She had one autistic boy, whom required one on one time, so she had an aide in her classroom helping him, so he wasn’t isolated from the rest of the second grade students.I also asked her how she went about assessing her students, and she said she couldn’t assess them on the oral skills, but she did test them of comprehension, hand writing, and she used the company book test for each student. I thought the class room was set up nicely. The studen ts’ desks were facing the chalkboard, Mrs. Coles desk was placed behind the students, their cubby’s’ were as soon as you walked into the classroom to the left, and they had a restroom and computer area toward the back of the room.All of the materials were placed where the children could reach them, they had more than enough books and materials for each student, and the class room was well organized. The ultimate goal of the students is to be prepared for the 3rd grade, because in the 3rd grade they are now required to take the PSSA’s. So four times a week they have what’s called â€Å"intervention† where they divide the entire 2nd grade into groups high, middle, high-low, and low-low. From there the teachers help them get the children ready for the PSSA’s.They are required to do a bullying lesson every other Friday; it’s a whole school district wide program. It was called â€Å"Olweus Bullying Prevention Program† Mrs. Co les put the class in a big circle on the floor and she sat on the floor also and read them a story. The class became a little wild, so she said if they calmed down they could each bring in a healthy snack on Wednesday. The autistic student caused some distractions, refused to listen to the story and covered his ears, the aide removed him from the room.

Early Childhood Education Essay

Abstract There has been a great deal of research conducted in the subject matter of early childhood education. During the preschool years, the human brain is growing rapidly and extremely sensitive to new information. Researchers have conducted studies in an effort to show a correlation between enrollment in early education and cognitive and social development. This paper will provide a brief overview of the results from the following: the Head Start program studies, the High/Scope Perry Preschool study, and the Child Parent Center in Chicago. This paper will also discuss the impact of childcare facilities on child development. The vast amount of research provided by these studies effectively shows an increase in cognitive development in the preschoolers that were enrolled and found that negative social behaviors were reduced as a result of early education intervention. The research indicates that all children exhibited signs of cognitive and social growth, but that underprivileged children w ere impacted the most. Child- care facilities were not as productive furthering childhood development. This paper will conclude by addressing the need of well-developed preschool programs and the need for well-educated teachers in the preschool environment. Keywords: early childhood education, preschool, cognitive and social development Early Childhood Education: Impact on Cognitive and Social Development Preschool is a term that defines early childhood education for children ranging from ages two through four years old. Preschool programs normally consist of federally funded programs, state and local preschools, and child care facilities. Preschool enrollment has increased dramatically over the last few decades. Approximately 75% of four year olds and 50% of three year olds are enrolled in a preschool center, which is a statistically significant contrast from 10% in the 1960’s (Barnett, 2008). Not only has there been an increase of children enrolled in public preschools, but also in private preschools (Barnett, 2008). This increase may be attributed to the need for childcare as the work force shifted from a single income to dual income household or the desire to equip children with the necessary skills to help them in their educational career (Barnett & Yarosz, 2007). Winter and Kelley (2008) reported that many early childhood teachers found that nearly one-third of their students were deficient in certain areas that were sure to hinder their educational success (p. 260). There have been many studies conducted to try and define the impact of preschool on a child’s development. Researchers have studied Head Start programs across the country, the High/Scope Perry Preschool, the Child Parent Center in Chicago among others, and child care facilities. Early Childhood Education research has shown that preschool has an impact on a child’s cognitive and social development, with the greatest impact on minority and disadvantaged children. Developing Brain Most parents and educators know that a child’s brain, from birth to approximately five years of age, is exceptionally vulnerable to the learning of new skills and concepts. Winter and Kelley (2008) state that the â€Å"neural connections or ‘synapses’ develop at a phenomenal rate during this time† which aids in developing a â€Å"foundation for later skill acquisition† (p. 263). Due to the brains extreme susceptibility during the preschool years, not only do preschoolers develop cognitive skills they need, but also socio-emotional skills. Mai, Tardif, Doan, Liu, Gehring, and Luo (2011) conducted a study of positive and negative feedback in preschoolers, which showed that preschoolers are â€Å"more responsive to positive feedback than to negative feedback† (p. 5). They concluded that the importance of the amount of positive feedback was significant enough that it may stimulate preschoolers desire to learn (Mai, et al, 2011). Researchers have found that during this early period of childhood development, children are able to boost gross motor skills and acquire language (Winter & Kelley, 2008, p. 262). Due to the unique nature of the brain during preschool years, experiences or lack of can impede child development (Winter & Kelley, 2008, p. 263). In a study conducted by Burger (2012), a toddler’s working memory can positively impact a child’s behavior and has a positive influence over a child’s math and reading ability (p. 210). A young child’s brain, if stimulated inappropriately, can have an adverse impact on cognitive and social development. A child’s cognitive development is connected to their social development. Willis and Schiller (2011) propose that â€Å"positive early experiences promote optimum brain development, which impacts all areas of development (para. 1). Impact of Government Preschool Programs In 1965, the Head Start program was created in an effort to provide â€Å"an array of social, health, and educational services for young children and their families† (Winter & Kelley, 2008, p. 261). This program is federally funded and targets underprivileged children. Underprivileged children are more susceptible to fall behind or to not complete their education due to lack of early education intervention. There is documentation that shows that minorities and poor children struggle with â€Å"language, literacy, social, and other skills needed† (Child Trends & Center for Child Health Research, 2004; Early et al, 2007), than children who are not underprivileged (Winter & Kelley, 2008, p. 260). Burger (2009) reports that a majority of children from low socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to: experience grade repetition, to require additional educational assistance throughout their school career, or ultimately become high school dropouts (p. 142). Ludwig and Phillips (2007) reported the findings of an evaluation completed by Garces, Thomas, and Currie (2002) that compared siblings, either attending or not attending the Head Start Program (p.4). They wrote that the sibling that attended Head Start were 22% more likely to graduate and 19% more likely to seek higher education (p. 4). The National Impact Study (NIS) is one of the most in depth study on the Head Start program, and involves a random compilation of children enrolled in Head Start throughout the country between the ages of three and four years old (Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & Thornburg, 2009, p. 59). This study showed that there was minor cognitive and social growth over a nine month period. Barnett (2008) reported an increase of 0.20 standard deviations on cognitive development and a decrease of 0.05 standard deviations in negative social behavior, such as hyperactivity for three year olds (p. 6). However, upon completing a follow up on the study, the cognitive benefits gained by the children were no longer observed at the end of their kindergarten school year (Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & Thornburg, 2009, p. 59). Parents reported positive changes in their child’s dental and physical health and the research indicates an increase of 0.12 standard deviations (Barnett, 2008, p. 6). There was a case of four year olds that experienced greater cognitive development. This was illustrated by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, which had an increase of 0.20-0.27 standard deviations (Barnett, 2008, p.7). The Tulsa Head Start program was designed with a vision to help children develop skills for school readiness. This preschool program is funded by the state and is a part of the Tulsa Public School system; therefore, teachers must possess a Bachelor of Art degree and have a certification in early childhood education (Gormley, Phillips, & Gayer, 2008). The Tulsa Head Start program study compared the Tulsa Public School (TSP) pre-kindergarten against the Tulsa Head Start program. The study showed that the TSP pre-kindergarteners showed vast improvement in letter-word identification, spelling, and applied problems, whereas the Tulsa Head Start preschoolers’ results were deemed notable (Gormley, Phillips, & Gayer, 2008). While Head Start programs are supposed to adhere to a â€Å"national standard† (Pianta, et al, 2009), many do not have the same requirements (p. 55). Pianta and his colleagues (2009) explain that most teachers working for Head Start programs make less than $26,000 per year, with the exception of Tulsa Head Start whose teachers earn a regular teacher salary (p. 55). This may explain why the results of the Tulsa Head Start studies are not typical compared to other Head Start studies (Barnett, 2008, p. 7). Teacher qualifications of the Head Start employees may have an impact on the low levels of development observed of children in the program. Before 2011 Head Start teachers (excluding the Tulsa Head Start teachers) were not required to obtain an associate degree and directors did not have to possess a bachelor degree (Pianta, et al, 2009). However, Pianta and his colleagues (2009) report that by the year 2013, at least half of all Head Start teachers will be required to obtain a bachelor’s degree (p. 55). Because the Head Start studies were conducted in varying locations and on a variety of children, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact impact of cognitive and social development for each child. The rate of attendance also varies on location. Some Head Start programs have fewer than five days of scheduled class per week, while others attend the program five days a week during an entire school year (Pianta, et al, 2009, p. 54). Major successes of the Head Start programs appear to be achieving higher educational levels and improved health for children. The Head Start program reduced the mortality rate of children between the ages of five and nine years old (Barnett, 2008, p. 8) and provided a cognitive advantage in school achievement (Reynolds & Ou, 2011, p. 556). There were no extraordinary impacts on children’s social development throughout the Head Start studies. The program, however, has received conflicting reviews. Williams (2010) explains that because there is no orderly way to measure the effects of this program, there have been reports of positive â€Å"short-term gains in cognitive functioning† (p. 4) and the program has received criticism for only producing short term benefits (Williams, 2010, p. 4). Impact of Public Preschool Another option for children is a public preschool program. There are public preschools that function similar to the Head Start program, in which they target children from low income families. The teaching credentials of preschool teachers differ from other educators in the public school system and vary throughout different states. The requirements for public preschool teachers range from possessing a Child Development Associate (CDA) to a bachelor’s degree (Pianta, et al, 2009, p. 55). Public preschool programs tend to be successful in the area of cognitive and social development due to the increase of attention from the teacher (Barnett, 2008, p. 8). The topic of teacher quality in preschools is of a major concern and can have a direct impact on childhood development. Winter and Kelley (2008) explain that the development of a child’s social behavior correlates with the quality of the teacher (p. 263). The most significant research on public preschools stems from the High/Scope Perry Preschool study. In this study that lasted for two years, approximately 130 children, minority and underprivileged, were either enrolled in a half-day preschool or assigned to a control group (Barnett, 2008, p. 9). These participants were chosen by the following criteria: â€Å"low levels of parent education, socioeconomic status, and low intellectual performance† (Williams, 2010, p.4). The results were astounding. Barnett (2008) reported that language and basic cognitive skills increased by approximately 0.90 standard deviations (p. 9). The cognitive advantage was short-lived as children from the control group were caught up during kindergarten (Barnett, 2008, p. 9); however, Reynolds and Ou (2011) determined that there was an advantage on educational attainment (p.556). The Perry study also showed evidence of social development in later years. The students demonstrated appropriate classroom etiquette, had lower levels of delinquency, and a higher rate of commencement (Barnett, 2008, p. 9). Burger (2009) explained that the Perry study is unique in nature due to the environment of the classroom (para. 5.2). He added that preschools similar to the Perry preschool have â€Å"low child-to-staff ratios† (Burger, 2009, para. 5.2), so teachers are able to be readily available to their students. Another influential study on preschool impact is the Child Parent Center (CPC) study on a preschool in Chicago. This program was directed more for children from the ages of three to nine years old (Williams, 2010, p. 5). This preschool is tailored to low-income families that includes â€Å"a half-day preschool, kindergarten, and a follow-on elementary school component† (Barnett, 2008, p. 11). The results of all CPC studies were positive for impact on children’s cognitive development (Barnett, 2008, p. 12). The CPC study showed that participating preschoolers had higher test scores up until eighth grade, a reduction of delinquency, and observed an increase in the percentage of high school graduates (Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & Thornburg, 2009,p. 62). Reynolds and Ou (2011) also evaluated the CPC study and found that former students tend to have less risk of experiencing depression and generally have higher occupational stature (p. 558). The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) reports that the Abbott Preschool Program has had a tremendous effect on child development as measured in 2005 and 2006 with the Abbot Preschool Program Longitudinal Study (APPLES) (Study of Abbott, 2007). The Abbott Preschool was opened in 1999 and was put in place to serve the â€Å"highest-poverty school districts† (Study of Abbott, 2007) in the state of New Jersey (Study of Abbott, 2007). This preschool program showed positive cognitive growth in their students through their kindergarten year. The students enrolled showed significant achievements in English, reading, and mathematics (Study of Abbott, 2007). This program not only measured student progress, but also took into account the quality of the classroom. The study found a significant increase in â€Å"child learning, language and reasoning, activities and interactions, and program structure† (Study of Abbott, 2007). Other studies of public preschools provided results depicting social development and school preparedness (Barnett, 2008, p. 10). Pickens (2009) explains that public preschool programs â€Å"show a positive impact on children’s behavior outcomes, especially for children living in poverty† (Barnett, 1995; Peterson & Zill, 1986). In the preschool setting, children are exposed to other children from different backgrounds, different personalities and different ethnicities. During this time in childhood development, children begin to learn social behavior. Pickens (2009) explains that these social behaviors are influenced by their teachers and classmates (p.263). Participation in the preschool setting allows children to learn how to interact with classmates and encounter situations that can mold their cognitive development (Willis & Schiller, 2011). Attending a preschool class helps to enable a child to learn to regulate their emotions, communicate effectively with others, cooperate with others, and to follow directions (Pickens, 2009, p. 263). Children model what they see. Pickens (2009) urges educators and parents to assist children in developing healthy behaviors in an effort to avoid a negative path of behavioral and academic issues (p.264). Impact of Child Care Facilities Child care facilities can consist of home-based child care or child development centers (with some centers offering half-day preschool programs). These facilities are normally center-based and care for infants from six weeks old to three year olds (Pickens, 2009, p. 262). Child care facilities were â€Å"found to have the smallest initial effects on children’s learning and development† (Barnett, 2008), while home-based daycare had no effect on building cognitive skills (p. 5). This is not to say that all home-based daycares are not able to provide some cognitive benefit to children. If a home-based child care program is well-developed and provides a â€Å"high-quality† (Winter & Kelley, 2008), then children are more likely to benefit cognitively (p. 263). This high-quality can also make a difference in child care centers. The National Institute of Child Health (NICHD) and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) showed that †Å"higher quality care†(Belsky, Burchinal, McCartney, Vandell, Clarke-Stewart, & Tresch Owen, 2007) had a positive impact on children’s vocabulary skills (p.681). The NICHD SECCYD conducted future evaluations and found that some effects wore off at four and a half years old, while when evaluated in third grade the children had â€Å"higher scores on standardized tests of math, memory, and vocabulary skills† (Belsky, et al, 2007). The cognitive long-term benefits of attending child care may result in an increase in household income caused by working mothers; however, working mothers tend to spend less time with their children (Barnett, 2008). Just like preschool, child care can benefit underprivileged children. Belsky et al (2007) stated that â€Å"child care can serve as an effective intervention for low-income children† (Hart & Risley, 1995) that live in a household lacking in literary skills (p.697). Barnett (2008) mentioned that some studies show an actual regression of social development as children were more prone to be aggressive (p.6). Winter and Kelley (2008) also report that the amount of time a child spends in child care has an impact of negative behaviors when they reach elementary school (p.263). Others believe that a child’s negative behavior is may correlate with the amount of time spent in day care. Pianta and his colleagues (2009) found that children who spent the least amount of hours in day care had less troublesome behavior (p. 58). Just as the quality of the Head Start and preschool teacher had an impact on the child, so does the caregiver at a child care center. The lack of academic qualifications of child care workers or lack of academically challenging curriculum can attribute to the small cognitive development observed in children who attend child care versus a more academically centered program. Meyers (2007) reports that the approximately two and a half million child care teachers are some of the lowest paid, only earning approximately $18,000 annually (para. 1). This is significantly lower than other early education teachers. The cognitive and social impacts on children are strongly related to child-to-teacher ratio, total number of children in a room, and the teacher’s qualifications (Clothier & Poppe, 2007). However, it has been noted that the amount of attention the caregiver offers to the child can have an impact on their social and cognitive development (Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & Thornbur g, 2009, p. 58). Conclusion There are noticeable short-term and long-term impacts on a child’s development, cognitively and socially, with the aid of early childhood education programs. Because the brain is vulnerable at this age it is in these years that children experience â€Å"dramatic improvements† (Mai, et al, 2011) in their cognitive and social abilities. The government funded program, Head Start, has indicated that while children do show immediate, moderate growth in cognitive development, social benefits were not as prominent. This program has proven to be beneficial to children from low- income families, as it has resulted in improved literacy, language skills and an increased rate of commencement. Preschool studies have also shown an increase in reading and mathematics ability and in some cases extending into elementary school years. The social benefits of a preschool education have had an even longer impact on a child’s future behavioral issues. There is a vast amount of research that shows that â€Å"the early years of a child’s development can influence future success† (Winter & Kelley, 2008), so federal and state â€Å"policy makers should not depart from preschool education models that have proven highly effective† (Barnett, 2008). It is important that in order for preschool programs, government-funded and public, to continue to be effective in child development, the need for well-designed programs is a must (Barnett, 2008). These well-designed programs must demand a high caliber of teachers that have formal post-secondary education in the area of early childhood development. Preschools should be prepared meet the needs of the variety of students from different backgrounds and be able to give children in need more of a priority (Barnett, 2008). More research on the impact of early childhood education is needed, due to the varying types of programs that are currently in place. References Barnett, W. S. (2008). Preschool education and its lasting effects: Research and policy implications. Boulder and Tempe: Education and the Public Interest Center & Education Policy Research Unit. Retrieved September 12, 2012 from http://epicpolicy.org/publication/preschooleducation Barnett, W. S., & Yarosz, D. J. (2007). Who goes to preschool and why does it matter? Preschool Policy Brief, 15, p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2012 from http://nieer.org/resources/policybriefs/15.pdf Belsky, J., Vandell, D.L., Burchinal, M., Clarke-Stewart, K.A., McCartney, K., Owen, M.T., & the NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2007). Are there long-term effects of early child care? Child Development, 78, p. 681–701. Burger, K. (2010). How does early childhood care and education affect cognitive development? An international review of the effects of early interventions for children from different social backgrounds. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 25, 140-165. doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2009.11.001 Gormley, W. T., Phillips, D., & Gayer, T. (2008). The early years: Preschool programs can boost school readiness. Science. 320(5884), p. 1723-1724. doi:10.1126/science. 1156019 Ludwig, J., & Phillips, D. (2007). The benefits and cost of head start. Society for Research on Child Development, Social Policy Report. 21(3), p. 3-19 Mai, X., Tardif, T., Doan, S. N., Lui, C., Gehring, W. J., & Luo, Y. (2011). Brain activity elicited by positive and negative feedback in preschool-aged children. PLoS ONE. 6(4), e18774. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018774 Meyers, M. K. (2007). Child-care pay, child-care quality: Decent early childhood education requires well-trained and compensated educators. The American Prospect 18(12), A18. Pianta, R. C., Barnett, S. W., Burchinal, M., Thornburg, K. R. (2009). The effects of preschool education: What we know, how public policy is or is not aligned with the evidence base, and what we need to know. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 10(2), p. 49-88. doi: 10.1177/1529100610381908 Pickens, J. (2009). Socio-emotional programme promotes positive behaviour in preschoolers. Child Care in Practice. 15(4), p. 261-278. doi: 10.1080/13575270903149323 Reynolds, A. J., & Ou, S. (2011). Paths of effects from preschool to adult well-being: A confirmatory analysis of the child-parent center program. Child Development. 82(2). p. 555-582. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01562.x Study of abbott preschool program finds positive effects. (2007, August/September). Preschool Matters. Retrieved September 28, 2010 from http://nieer.org/publications/preschool-matters-newsletters/volume-5-number-4 Williams, J. (2010). Assessment of quality preschool programming (Doctoral Dissertation). Retrieved September 28, 2012 from ProQuest. (UMI:3413253) Willis, C. A., & Schiller, P. (2011). Preschoolers’ social skills steer life success. YC Young Children, 66(1), 42-49. Retrieved September 24, 2012 from http://search.proquest.com/docview/874155104?accountid=12085 Winter, S. M., & Kelley, M. F. (2008). Forty years of school readiness research. Childhood Education, 84(5), 260-260. Retrieved September 12, 2012 from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/210412708/fulltextPDF?accountid=12085