Preparing for Old Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Preparing for Old Age - Essay Example James Henry was born in a family who struggled a lot financially. His parents were mere farmers who lost a lot of their earthly possessions during the â€Å"Dust Bowl† phenomenon. Being the fifth child, he only heard about their glory days when life was good and seemed promising. He only saw how difficult it had been for his parents and siblings to make things bearable. Mr. Henry says he also had to make a lot of sacrifices himself for him to help the family in their problem. As a young child, he helped his parents in the fields whenever he can and however he can. He learned to work hard even at a tender age especially during summer vacations. For him, it was quite easy to accept such kind of life then because they had few neighbors and most of them are not his friends anyway. Although there was this particular child whom he envied because they had a nice house and car and he was always dressed well, he never had strong feelings against his circumstances. As a matter of fact, he enjoyed helping his parents and siblings because their work time became their bonding time. They have strong relationships despite their financial struggles. Being the youngest in the family, Mr. Henry supposes he saw more of his parents’ hardships when they grew old. He says that when his brothers and sisters married, he was left alone to attend to his parents who started having problems of being old such as getting sick and weak.

Crimson tide and the aspects of leadership

Crimson tide and the aspects of leadership The film is based on the time period when there was imbalance in Russia. Russian rebel truehearted to their leader had obtained dominance over the installation of some nuclear missile and they are threatening thermonuclear warhead if the Russian government or Americans tried to confront him. In attempt to watch over the delegation, the United States ordered the USS Alabama: a nuclear submarine to be ready to take any action to sustain the strike. Among the Alabama submarine crew was Captain Frank Ramsey, who was the commanding officer and among the very few commanders remaining in the Navy with experience in combat. He chooses Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter, who was highly educated when it comes to military history and maneuver, however had no experience regarding combat as the Executive Officer (Second in Command). During their embark at sea, latent hostility arose between Ramsey and Hunter due to indifferent personalities, Hunter was more analytic and conservative towards his mission and the men and as for Ramsey, he was more hotheaded, fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants go about. A satellite report came through to the Americans that the Russians who got the nuclear installation were fueling the missiles, and the Alabama was ordered to plunge its missiles to those Russians. A second message came through for Alabama to disable their missiles, but unfortunately the message was not received by the crew after the communication unit was badly destroyed by the Russian submarine attack. The Alabama was too deep to restore communication and had just been hit and there was an outstanding order to launch the missiles, thus Captain Ramsey opted to continue with the order they had at the time which was authenticated. Hunter on the other hand was against the missile launch and tried to win over support from Rams ey to confirm the second message before proceeding with the launch, because he had hope that it was possibly an abjuration of the previous command. Hunter argued that even if they launched the missiles later than expected other US submarines in the area would proceed with the mission as per the fleets redundancy protocol measures. As the situation in the command became intense, Ramsey presents Hunter as an upstart graduate from Harvard who does not honor his place in the chain of command. There came a point where Ramsey wanted to excuse Hunter from being a Second in Command, just because Hunter was still against the launch of the missiles. Instead Ramsey was arrested in the attempt to outsmart the protocols regarding the launch of the nuclear. The Chief of the Boat agreed with Hunter and proceeded with the arrest of Ramsey though they were old friends, and he was taken from the Con and locked in his bedroom. Though the Alabama crew was shaken order was retained. The Russian submarine re-emerged just as Hunter was undertaking the effort to corroborate the second message concerning the missile launch. An underwater combat resulted and the Russian submarine was destroyed, and unfortunately the Alabama got damaged badly. The ship lost its communications, deaths of several crew members were encountered, and the boat nearly sank past its crush depth which resulted from the water which had entered into the boat after the hit from the combat with the Russians. As Hunter was waiting for the communications to be reestablished, some officers who were loyal to the Captain left the Con altogether. With the help of the loyal officers, Ramsey managed to get out of the place where he was held in attempt to present Hunter with charges of rebellion, placing the Executive Officer and officers who served with him under arrest. The launching of the missiles was nearly successful hadnt it been for the weapon officer who was persuaded to stall or delay Ramsey, whi le Hunter was in the mission of recapturing the bridge, among him was his main drafted staff officers. In the end, a tie resulted, thus the officers who had disputes agreed to wait until the last potential second to plunge the missiles. At long last the communications were up to speed and it was discovered that the Russian army had stabilized the situation and the Russian rebellions had been subjugated, thus no need to continue with the order of launching Americans missiles. At the end of the movie, a review took place at Pacific Fleet headquarters in Hawaii where various admirals conveyed serious concerns about the collapse of command which took place in the Alabama and during the wartime concerning the launching of the nuclear missiles. Ramsey finally decided to withdraw from the Navy and advocated Hunter for the command. The two men (Hunter and Ramsey) settled their disputes at the end of the film. WHO IS/ARE THE LEADERS IN THE MOVIE There are two main leaders namely: Gene Hackman playing Captain Frank Ramsey: an old white male, navy veteran, probably in his fiftys. Denzel Washington playing Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter: a young African-American male fresh off Harvard University. THE LEADER (S)S ROLE IN THE MOVIE Lieutenant Commander Hunter played a number of roles in the Crimson tide film which included him being in the submarine to make sure that Captain Ramsey made the correct choices, for example, the launching of the nuclear missiles. Looking at the situation, Ramsey was going to go ahead and launch the missiles without confirming the second message which was interrupted by the damage from the Russian rebels. Going through with the launch of the missiles would have caused a nuclear warhead which was prevented due to Hunters judgment. Also Hunter played a role of being a complementary leader towards Ramsey, that is, he provided certain leadership aspects which Ramsey lacked. Those aspects includes, Hunter being a motivator, in the film we concluded that Ramsey was a strict and arrogant leader who never motivated his crew, but with the influence from Hunter, Ramsey gave a motivational speech after the crew restored all operations after the Russian attack. The other aspect that Ramsey lacke d was compassion towards his crew, but Hunter stepped in and showed compassion to his fellow submarines after a few crew members lost their lives in the lower compartment in the boat. Last but not least, Ramsey was impatient, he could not wait for the communication unit to restore their systems for the second message to come through and insisted on proceeding with the missile launch, whereas Hunter possessed that ability and was willing to put on hold the idea of going ahead with the order at hand (of launching the nuclear missiles). Hunters choice to wait turned out to be the best choice because if it has not been for him, the Alabama attack would have cause the start of a nuclear war. On the other hand, Ramseys roles included testing the loyalty of the boats crew, that is, had he not been there none of the conflicts between him and Hunter would not have arose, and there would not have been a time where the officers in charge had to choose sides over the boats authority. Officers choosing sides made confirmation on who was following the right protocol in the launch of the nuclear missiles, for examples, the crew under Ramsey just followed the protocol to some extent and ignored the one which was to confirm what the second command said before going ahead with the previous order, whereas the ones under Hunter did everything buy the books. Also Ramseys purpose was to make sure that everyone was prepared in case of a combat with the rebels. To support that, he carried down a number of drills in the boat during their journey at sea to ensure that everyone stayed focused no matter what, also before they left the base and while they were on the ship he made a few speeches about the situation at hand, and one of the speech when like this, we are here to preserve democracy, not to practice it. EXPLAIN THE CONTEXT FOR EACH INCIDENT RELATING TO LEADERSHIP ASPECTS IN THE SYNOPSIS INCIDENTS WITHING THE MOVIE INVOLVING THE LEADER(S) There were a number of incidents that took place during the mission to Russia within the USS Alabamas crew that involved either Hunter or Ramsey or both of them, below are some of those incidents: There was a time when two of the crew members got into a fight over comic books, at the time Hunter was only a few feet away from the two men but could see what was happening. When the two were stopped by one of the crew members, Hunter pulled the other one involved in the fight (the supervisor) aside and tried to understand the cause of the fight, and when he fully understood what the quarrel was all about he advised the supervisor that in cases of quarrels he should know how to handle the situation since he was also a leader and should lead by example. The supervisor promised to handle disputes better next time, and was once again calm and proceeded to his assigned post. The other incident involving one of the leaders was when Hunter rushed down to the kitchen during the fire to try and sustain the situation. This is a sign that he does not interact with the crew during times of issuing commands only, he came to an aid of his followers whereas Ramsey was busy launching a drill and not caring about what Hunter had to say about the fire downstairs. INCIDENTS AND THE LEADER(s)S INTERACTION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE MOVIE Ramsey was a blind follower, he did almost everything without questioning whereas Hunter was the opposite of that (he followed orders but he did question the authority where he felt it necessary). One example which comes to mind is where they were discussing about war, Ramsey felt that when it came to war if there was a threat made, the only action or measures to be taken was to attack first, he was more of a shoot first and ask questions later type of person. On the other hand, Hunter thought that attacking the opposition party in war would make the situation worse, as he believed that, in a nuclear world, true enemy cannot be destroyed as the true enemy is war itself. The second incident where the two leaders interacted was when the Alabama was hit and the second message which was to be received aboard from the headquarters was interrupted. When the boat was stable from the hit, Captain Ramsey wanted to proceed with the order at hand which was to continue with the launching of the nuclear missiles. But Hunter being the Executive Officer he refused to concur the order because they were unsure of what the incoming message said and a huge argument arose. The argument led to Ramsey wanting to relieve Hunter of his duty, but due to some regulations, Hunter managed to turn the tables and had Ramsey removed from the Con to his stateroom by the Chief of the Boat. This incident shows that both men are firm in what they each believe in. For example, Ramsey is more concerned about the worst that could happen if they are not able to continue with the missile launch well on time, i.e. before the Russian rebels launch the attack, while Hunter is concerned about the worst that could happen if they actually do proceed with the launching while there is no longer a threat from the Russian rebels. Both men were not about to be deterred from their logic regarding the matter, in which both were respectively right in their own ways. Last but not least, was the incident which took place in the kitchen. There was a fire in the kitchen and while Hunter was busy maintain the situation downstairs, Ramsey decided on carrying out a drill, and Hunter being the second in command had to rush back upstairs to the Con to repeat the order. When he got there he tried to explain to the Captain that is not a good time to be running the drill as the situation in the kitchen was still in the process of being fully contained, but captain being a suborn man, he dismissed Hunters complaint and continued with the drill. He later met with Hunter at his stateroom and told him that the next time he wanted to question him, he should not do it in front of the crew, that he should wait for the right time (when they are alone) to present the matter at hand. But later on Ramsey shouted at Hunter in front of the crew in the Con, which shows that Ramsey only comply by the books where the rules favors him only. Also, this shows that Ramsey show little or no concern over his crew members as he carried out the drill though there was fire downstairs. KNOW YOUR LEADER(S)S BEHAVOUR AND CHARACTERISTICS In this part we will be looking at the different and similar leadership characteristics that Hunter and Ramsey possess either bad or good. Commander Hunter Caution: this can be defined as showing careful forethought. This is illustrated in the film where Hunter gave Rivetti the keys to the officers stateroom and other cabins in case Ramsey and his men were to lock them up, and it did happen. Hunter and his officers were arrested and Rivetti came to their rescue. Optimistic: is expecting or presenting the best possible outcome in a given solution. Hunter displays this characteristic when the second message was interrupted. He refused to agree with Ramsey to continue launching the nuclear missiles because he was expecting the good news from the headquarters, and indeed the results came up positive, that they should abort the previous mission. NaÃÆ'Â ¯ve: Not initiated; deficient in relevant experience. Ramsey and other officers who were loyal to him believed that Hunter was not experienced enough to make the decisions regarding the combat. Well, partly that was true because he had no practical experience in the field; all he knew was what he read in the military books. Nevertheless, he managed to sustain all the possible distractions in the boat. Ambitious: Having a strong desire for success or achievement or requiring full use of your abilities or resources. This is true for Hunter because he wanted to know what the second message was saying, and he made sure that he did. He made it his number one priority to make sure of it, he kept calling Vossler to confirm the progress on the communications. He had hardship in making sure that those communications were working, he was even hit by Ramsey but he did not give up on the communication, at long last Ramsey gave them a time frame to fix the communications. At long last a transmission came true and the message was received and a new order/mission was read which was to stop the missile launch. Captain Ramsey Overconfident: it is a good sign for a leader to be confident (being positive), but as for Ramsey he happen to be very confident which happens to be a bad aspect because overconfident can blind a leaders ability to think twice. This is illustrated in the film, where he did not give a second thought to stopping the missiles, even after Hunter presented him with many reasons not to continue with the order at hand; he ignored then and went ahead with the launch. Hadnt he had been overconfident; he would have took the time to review Hunters suggestions. Impatient: can be defined as full of eagerness, Captain Ramsey was a very impatient man, he was keen to proceeding with order or anything he felt was right at the time. For example, even after the fire in the kitchen he was eager to proceed with the drill even after being told of the situation downstairs, just because he had planned for that drill and did not want to wait until the situation with the fire was fully maintained. The other incident was when he just wanted to continue with the nuclear missile launch, even after the boat had just been hit and the incoming message was interrupted. He wanted to proceed with the launch with confirming the second message. Unpredictable: Not capable of being foretold. With Ramsey no one could actually tell what his next step would be. For example, first time he met with Hunter it was like the two would get along just fine, but when they got to the ship his attitude towards Hunter changed from time to time until the time he made it clear that he was not keen of him because he did not have any experience about the combat, and because unlike him, he had to work hard to obtain that position while Hunter got it because he was a Harvard graduate. The other example is when lost his temper towards Hunter and shouted at him in front of the crew, meanwhile he asked Hunter not to address him in front of the crew. Strict: Incapable of compromise or flexibility. Captain Ramsey was not keen to any suggestions or advises, he wanted to do things his own way only. DESCRIBE AND DISCUSS WHY THE LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR WAS EFFECTIVE OR INEFFECTIVE Effective: Exerting force or influence Ineffective: Lacking the ability or skill to perform effectively; inadequate LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOURS TASK ORIENTED A task-oriented leader is focused on accomplishments and if the leader is able to show the skills and commitment to his followers, obtaining a specific task wont be a difficult matter. That is, if the supervisor was to lead by example in doing a task I believe his followers would not hesitate to do the same, for example, during the fire in the kitchen, Hunter rushed there in an attempt to save the personnel that were inside and others did likewise. If he had not been there no one would have risked his life to go into the fire especially after they were told by others that it was too hot, but nevertheless Hunter just went right inside. Another example is when Lt Paul Hellerman was ordered to close the hatch. There was a time when he was hesitating to follow the order, but Hunter paused and put himself in Hellermans shoes (how he must have felt thinking about leaving his man to die down there) and tried to talk to him bravely that if he did not close the hatch, the whole crew would go down with the submarine rather than if he close the hatch and only a few are lost. After a short period of time Hellerman decided to close the hatch to save others so as for them to continue with the mission. RELATION ORIENTED A relationship oriented leaders focus on the relationships among the teams members. This can be indicated in the film where Ramsey talked to his officer to gather other officers so they could go and restore control over the Con. Another example is when Hunter was lenient toward Rivetti after his encounter with another crew member , just being lenient made Rivetti to have respect towards Hunter and trust him, which was why he came to Hunters rescue (because of the relationship they just built during that short time). In general Commander Hunter had a friendly relationship with almost half of the boats crew, and with those relationships they all helped him to accomplish his mission, hadnt he been friendly and understanding none of them would have come to his rescue. PARTICIPATIVE ORIENTED A participative oriented leader relies mostly in the leader being/ operating as an implementer rather than just issuing order or making assignments. If we look at the Captain we could conclude that he was not a participative leader because there is not even one incident where he actually got involved in any of the tasks carried out in the boat. CHANGE AGENT CAPABILITIES Reflecting back to the movie, I would say both leaders did not have any change capability because both men had strong believes in their actions, they were firm in what they each believed in. neither Ramsey nor Hunter wanted to change his way of operating. One of the examples is when Hunter thought it would be best if the Captain acknowledged the crew for their hard work and commitment in obtained order after the hit, but the captain gave a speech he would give any other day., which shows that he was not willing to change his style just for a minutes. Another example involves Hunter, as mentioned above, he was keen to questioning authority where he felt necessary but there were a few occasions when Ramsey wanted him to just perform orders at hand without questioning, but due to the fact that he was not used to that, he refused to accommodate that thought. With this kind of attitude we could conclude that the leaders were ineffective because they could not agree in one aspect, they alw ays wanted things to be done their ways, they never compromised. IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN ATLEAST TWO DIFFERENT INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE SAME LEADER(S). IF THE INCIDENTS INVOLVE TWO INDIVIDUALS/ A GROUP MAKING A DECISION, LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR BY THE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL CAN BE IDENTIFIED EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE TWO DIFFERENT SELECTED INCIDENTS The two incidents that have been chosen are when a group of officers met outside the weapon unit on how they were going to rescue the captain from his hold-up place, and the one where Hunter and his officers were locked up in the officers cabinet. INVOLVEMENT OF THE SELECTED LEADER(s) WITHIN THE INCIDENT AND MAKING DECISION WITHIN THE TEAM, GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL Regarding the case where Hunter and other officers were locked up, Hunter was involved in the decision making that took place in the cabinet which was how to get full control over the Con. He planned for Rivetti to come and rescue them, and after that he asked him to gather a number of trusted crew members who would help in their mission. After the gathering and acquiring of the weapons and uniforms, he drew up a strategic way of how they could access the Captain Key and stop the launch of the missiles without being disrupted. In the second incident, Captain Ramsey had a conversation with one of his trusted officer to help him escape from his stateroom and obtain back his post from Hunter. They concluded that the best option was to recruit a few officers involving Webs who was a friend to the Commander. The officer carried out the order and the 4 officers helped the captain escape and selected the few that were loyal to Hunter and put all of them under arrest. CHARISMATIC AND TRANSFORMATIONAL ROLES Hunter had a way of attracting and making crew members change their minds on certain aspects, and this was all because he had good interpersonal skills which helped him deal with others well despite their authority level. For example, he was able to convinced Webs to stall the captain from launching the missiles even though Webs had helped in his arrest, as he himself went after the captain key. Another example is when he got the captain arrested, even though Cob was Ramseys old friend, after Hunter had explained the outcomes of launching the missiles without confirming the second message and the stating the regulations Chief of the Boat agreed with him to relieve Ramsey of his duty. CRITICALLY ANALYZE EACH OF THE TWO/ MORE INCIDENTS AND CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS THE LEADER(s) COULD HAVE CONSIDERED AND MADE MANAGERIAL TRAITS AND SKILLS This topic deals with the responsibilities and abilities of a leader. One of the leaders (Ramsey) was impatient, and he being impatient could have led to a start of a nuclear warhead, he could have just given the communication unit some time to restore the boats systems before he could engage in the launching of the missile, which could have prevented an outbreak between him and Hunter. Secondly, a leader should learn to minimize his confidence level as overconfidence could enable them to think twice before handling a situation. If Ramsey was able to lower his confidence he could have listened to Hunters concerns and thought through the idea of launching the missile. SUMMARY In conclusion, there are two main types of management styles in Crimson Tide film: one leader who did things his own way (Ramsey) and the other one did things but the book (Hunter). And the two leaders had to make serious decisions and neither made it easy for the other one, despite the many disputes that arose when they were aboard in the USS Alabama they reconciled at the end. The reconcilement shows that they were good leaders because a good leader should be able to admit to his mistakes owning to them.

Troublesome Behavior Essay -- Psychology, Children Behavioral Disorder

Children often act out in inappropriate ways, however these irritations do not connote â€Å"troublesome† behavior (Wright, Tibbetts, and Daigle, 2008). Troublesome behavior describes age-inappropriate behaviors that continue into future years and inhibit healthy growth of the child. For example, a temper tantrum might be normal behavior for a young child, however it would be deemed inappropriate when the child reaches school age. When unseemly behaviors multiply to a certain level the child is considered behaviorally disordered. The criteria for such a diagnosis includes patterned symptoms that show at least short-term stability, symptoms that are present when around other adults besides their parents, severe symptoms, and symptoms that harm the child’s ability to handle developmental problems. These behaviors do not affect a large proportion of the population. One study showed about ten to fifteen percent of preschoolers demonstrates mild or moderate behavioral disorders (Campbell, 1995 as cited in Wright et al., 2008). Another study of three-year-olds found that severe behavior disorder afflicted 11 percent of the sample (Cornely and Bromet, 1986 as cited in Wright et al., 2008). Furthermore, in a study of parental reports of their 17-month-old children it was found that only 7.6 percent thought of their children as bullies and only 3.3 percent considered their children as cruel (Tremblay, 1999 as cited in Wright et al., 2008). In fact, only 1.5 to 3.4 percent of children are diagnosed with conduct disorder (Steiner and Dunne, 1997 as cited in Wright et al., 2008). However, other studies show that conduct disorder is found in five percent of ten-year-olds and ten percent of 12-year-olds (Wright et al., 2008). Also, ... ...criminality. It is associated with deviant behaviors and clinical disorders such as suicide, schizophrenia, and alcoholism. Moreover, most serotonin studies’ overall theme is that low levels of serotonin will prevent people from inhibiting their behavior. Furthermore, environmental conditions also affect serotonin levels. For example, serotonin levels fall during the winter and then rise again in spring. Dopamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter connected to the reward and punishment networks of the brain (Wright et al., 2008). A person’s state of excitement is increased with dopamine activity, which has a positive effect on problem solving, directed thinking, and attention span. Over production of dopamine has been associated with aggression and violence (Fishbein, 2001; Babel, Stadler, Bjorn, and Shindledecker, 1995 as cited in Wright et al, 2008).

The Imporance of Parental Authority

The nature and purpose of parental authority is to direct and instruct towards achieving a good, as many philosophers will agree on. However, there are certain philosophers that differ on the rational use of parental authority. Some will adhere to the notion that parental authority must be bounded to moral law, whereas others believe in the divine nature of parental authority. Nevertheless, most philosophers will agree that the correct use of parental authority for any family will dictate the success or failure in achieving the truest good for themselves. Both Allan Bloom’s â€Å"The Clean Slate† and Rabbi Normal Lamm’s â€Å"Traditional Jewish Family Values† offer insight to the use, nature, and purpose of parental authority in the family’s achievement of goodness. Rabbi Norman Lamm presents a model for parental authority in the traditional Jewish family. The father of a Jewish family is typically the source of authority for the family, but is not considered the absolute authority. The use of the father’s authority is exercised as the absolute source, meaning there is no democratic debate between each member of the family to come to a decision. As Lamm notes, the degeneration of the contemporary Jewish family stems from authority figures not exercising proper discipline, letting the family slip into this â€Å"liberal posture† (726). The nature and purpose of parental authority is ultimately meant to direct the child to his or her truest good. However, it is false to believe that the father of this idealized family is acting alone in instructing children. The father, as Lamm writes, is â€Å"not only the visible and present focus of authority†¦but he is also a symbol, the representative and refractor of a Higher Authority† (728). There is, in this statement, a direct implication that the father is only the focus to an authority that is greater than himself, and in working with that divine authority will direct the child to his or her good. In order for the family to achieve its fundamental goodness, the father must express his authority in relation with that which is greater than the family itself. The family, therefore, must be grounded and mutually committed to the authority bestowed upon them by parents and divine power. Lamm paints a picture that parental authority is given to parents through the transcendent, and parents must bestow this awareness of authority upon their children as a way to develop them towards achieving good, thus starting a cycle in which these children will pass the same traditions of authority to their children. In conclusion, Lamm explains that achieving fundamental happiness for the family only comes through an awareness of the transcendent and adhering to that in the exercise of parental authority. Allan Bloom, in â€Å"The Clean Slate†, comments on the state of moral education in the past and how it has evolved in the modern day. The use of parental authority is essential to the moral development of adolescents and young adults, according to Bloom. The family is meant to provide, above all else, a deep and enriching moral education, one that promotes and cultivates rational thinking in the service of a moral education. However, the achievement of this moral education draws similarities to the argument of Lamm, in that it is dependent upon a spiritual commitment to ritual and tradition, while upholding and communicating the knowledge of great literary writings. An important distinction here is to note the importance Bloom places upon great books. He notes that the family must read these as they are a pathway to a timeless truth. These great books bestow upon the family something that modern media and culture cannot, a true vision of the order of the whole of things as well as a sense of wisdom of the true nature of things. He writes, â€Å"The family requires a certain authority and wisdom about the ways of the heavens and of men† (57). Every member of the family, as a way to achieve a fundamental goodness, must be well versed in timeless teachings, rituals, and ceremonies. Bloom does point to several issues in our history as a nation that are having a direct impact on the nature and use of parental authority. If parental authority is meant to give children a deepening moral education and bring about goodness, how is it supposed to be that we can still achieve this with many technological distractions and a shift away from writings of revelation and truth? He comments that many parents in modern American families are moving away from the higher and more independent family life of their ancestors that provided a true moral education. Bloom believes that in order to restore what the family has lost, it must start with providing a firm exercise of parental authority through the use of great literature, ritual and traditional, to achieve a sacred unity. The fundamental goodness of a family exists when it is cultivating an environment that presents to the young â€Å"†¦a vision of a moral cosmos and of the rewards and punishment of good and evil†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , otherwise the world remains disenchanted with no fundamental truths. A disenchanted life awaits all that do not participate in the great revelations and epics that point us to the true natural vision of life, according to Bloom.

Dental Amalgam and the Risks Essay

What is amalgam? Amalgam is a combination of metals that has been used in dentistry for more than 100 years. It is still commonly used today. Although it sometimes is called â€Å"silver amalgam,† amalgam actually consists of a combination of metals. These include silver, mercury, tin and copper. Small amounts of zinc, indium or palladium also may be used. How safe is amalgam? Many studies on the safety of amalgam fillings have been done. In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluated this research. It found no reason to limit the use of amalgam. The FDA concluded that amalgam fillings are safe for adults and children ages 6 and above. Why is mercury used in amalgam? Mercury is used in amalgam because it helps make the filling material pliable. When it is mixed with an alloy powder, it creates a compound that is soft enough to mix and press into the tooth. But it also hardens quickly and can withstand the forces of biting and chewing. Why the concern about mercury in amalgam? Everyone is exposed to mercury through air, drinking water, soil and food. Concerns have been raised, for instance, about the amount of mercury building up in fish as a result of pollution. Mercury enters the air from industries that burn mercury-containing fuels. Mercury from all sources can build up in body organs. As with most substances, the degree of harm caused by mercury in the body is related to the amount. Very low levels don’t cause any ill effects. At higher levels — for instance, when workers are exposed to mercury through their jobs — mercury can cause several symptoms. These include anxiety, irritability, memory loss, headaches and fatigue. Studies have shown that the amount of mercury you are exposed to from your fillings is less than the amount that most people are exposed to in their daily environment or in the food they eat. Do some people have reactions to amalgam? In rare cases, people have allergic reactions to the mercury in amalgam. The American Dental Association says that fewer than 100 cases of this type of allergy have ever been reported. People allergic to amalgam can receive other filling materials. Should pregnant women be concerned about amalgam feelings? Research has not shown any health effects from amalgam fillings in pregnant women. However, mercury can cross the placenta. In general, dentists advise pregnant women to avoid unnecessary dental care. Women should not get amalgam fillings during pregnancy. Dentists can suggest other materials for any pregnant woman who needs a cavity filled. If amalgam is safe, why does my dentist take precautions when handling it? Because dentists work with mercury almost every day, they must take safety precautions. Without protection, dentists can inhale mercury vapors. Over time, this exposure can produce symptoms of mercury toxicity. How is dental amalgam made? To make dental amalgam, dentists mix liquid mercury with a powder containing silver, tin and other metals. Dentists buy special capsules that contain the powder and the liquid mercury, separated by a membrane. They use special machinery to puncture the membrane and mix the amalgam while it is still in the capsule. Once mixing is complete, the capsule is opened. By the time the amalgam is placed in your tooth, the mercury has formed a compound with the other metals. It is no longer toxic.

Essay reviewing and outlining major points included in the study How Families Still Matter by USC Prof. Verne Bengtson

Essay reviewing and outlining major points included in the study How Families Still Matter by USC Prof. Verne Bengtson SOCI 150Midterm #2Review of How Families still MatterEvery Time I turn on the news it seems as though the media is trying to assert that today's youth are lazy products of the apparently struggling institution that is the Family. As a person who grew up in a family that could have been the model for a 1950's sitcom I find this interesting. Even though I grew up in a traditional family setting, I often find it difficult to believe that I am at all similar to what my parents were like at my age because it seems as though the structure of the family has changed so much. Furthermore, how have the many changes in structure of family living arrangements over the last few decades affected the family's ability to function properly? More importantly, what is the job of the family? Is this job being fulfilled? The important new release How Families Still Matter, by Vern L.Roald Amundsen og Robert Peary under overrekkelsen...Bengtson, Timothy J. Biblarz, and Robert E.L. Roberts which was publis hed by Cambridge University Press in Fall 2002, addresses these questions and more based on the results of their definitive, ground breaking research in the area over the last thirty years.How Families Still Matter is an important publication for a number of reasons. The study this book is based on is truly unique and ground breaking. It is a "longitudinal" study of multiple families over multiple generations. This means over thirty years ago, the researchers began studying a number of families and have followed those families for up to four generations. This is important because we can compare the social attitudes and values, physical and mental health, and the educational and occupational aspirations and goals of each generation and compare them to the generations before and after them and...

Chapter 10 Essay Example

Chapter 10 Essay Example Chapter 10 Paper Chapter 10 Paper Essay Topic: Literature In Nancy Walkers fifth-grade classroom, some students are reading above grade-level and some students have not yet become fluent readers. This teachers classroom library should contain: books written at a range of reading levels. In reading workshop, students get critical feedback from their teacher to help them develop as readers during: Conferencing The primary difference between reading workshop and Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) is that only during reading workshop do: teachers provide instruction. In writing workshop, students move through the writing process: At their own pace The benefits of sharing time during writing workshop include all of the following except: it is an appropriate use of time when students have writers block. Which of the following allotments of time is the least appropriate for these components of writing workshop? Independent writing: 10-15 minutes Which of the following statements is not true about establishing a workshop environment? Reading and writing workshops should be part of daily language arts learning. Of the following, the most important feature of literature circles is that students: Select their own reading material The primary purpose of specific roles for literature circles (e.g., word wizard, discussion director, etc.) is to: focus students on aspects of the text that facilitate comprehension and can guide student discussions. In reading logs related to literature circles, it is appropriate for students to write about all of the following except: Personal narratives Which of the following statements is not true with respect to choosing books for literature circles? The teacher does not need to be familiar with all of the book choices When implementing literature circles, effective teachers address strategies and skills by: Teaching mini-lessons The most significant focus of literature circle assessment is on: comprehension demonstrated through reading response. Literature focus units are built around: narrative texts, informational texts, or poetry. Students often create projects at the culmination of literature focus units. A primary goal of these projects is: for students to apply their learning. When a teacher planned a three-month unit based on the novel Because of Winn-Dixie, the principal correctly advised her that: a literature focus unit should be completed in less time. Which of the following is the least significant when constructing the instructional focus of a literature focus unit? The focus used in years past with the text Designing checklists and rubrics is a part of which step in developing a literature focus unit? Assessing students Of the following, the most appropriate way for a teacher using literature focus units to monitor students learning and assign grades would be to: use folders and an assignment checklist. The most distinguishing characteristic of basal reading programs is that they usually have A strong skills component A third-grade student appears to be constantly frustrated by the reading in his anthology. The first thing the teacher should evaluate is the: match of the reading level of the text to the students instructional reading level. When using basal reading programs, effective teachers determine the order in which to introduce various strategies by: using the scope-and-sequence chart included with the reading program. Which of the following is not true regarding the support offered by basal reading programs for struggling readers and English learners (ELs)? Struggling readers and English learners are able to access the lower-level texts provided for independent reading. Which of the following is a characteristic specific to anthologies designed for the primary grades? Features pictures of children and animals Related Papers Approaches to Teaching Reading Rhetorical Reading Strategies and the Construction of Meaning Summary Seven laws of teaching Sex Education The future is in the hands of a teacher. I Want to Be a Teacher Kay hat Schools Should Ask Students to Evaluate Their Teachers Classroom Assessment How to Teach Language Through Poetry Research Proposal on the Topic Internal Assessment System Critical Thinking Deductive Method Versus Inductive Method Education Philosophy Outline How to cite this page Choose cite format: Chapter 10. (2018, Jan 23). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/paper-on-chapter-10/'>APA "Chapter 10." PaperAp.com, 23 Jan 2018, https://paperap.com/paper-on-chapter-10/'>MLA PaperAp.com. (2018). Chapter 10. [Online]. Available at: https://paperap.com/paper-on-chapter-10/[Accessed: 21 Sep. 2019]'>Harvard "Chapter 10." 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Get custom paper sample written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteed Order now Chapter 10 Paper Declarative knowledge enables you to interpret what you see and hear around you, recognize important people and places in your life, and recall past events. Episodic memory one’s memory of personal life experiences and are remembered events that we’ve personally experienced. Semantic memory one’s general knowledge of the world, independent of those experiences; semantic memories typically stay with us longer than episodic memories. Conditional knowledge includes information about how to respond under different circumstances. Conceptual knowledge declarative and procedural knowledge merge together into conceptual knowledge which reflects our understanding of why certain events happened, why certain things are the way they are, and why certain procedures are effective but others are not. the integration of numerous concepts plus other declarative knowledge into general understandings of certain situations or phenomena. Explicit knowledge vs. Implicit knowledge Explicit knowledge > knowledge that we can EASILY recall and explain. Implicit knowledge > knowledge that we can’t consciously recall. How is knowledge encoded into long-term memory? Knowledge is encoded in long-term memory in ways that reflect something’s physical characteristics or as physical actions or encoding symbols represented by words. What does encoding in physical terms mean? Perception-based forms of encoding are often referred to as imagery. Photographic memory > eidetic imagery. Visual imagery involves envisioning motion and sometimes has a spatial component, in that an individual can imagine how objects might be manipulated arranged, or rearranged in space > Visuospatial memory. Gestures often seem to represent aspects of visual or spatial encoding and may communicate implicit knowledge. What does encoding in terms of actions mean? Action-based encoding is important in procedural knowledge, when that knowledge involves psychomotor skills. Productions When procedural knowledge involves conditional knowledge, when it involves knowing what to do under varying circumstances. Productions can best be described as a set of IF-THEN rules and are presumably involved in procedures that have significant cognitive component.o IF: specifies the condition under which a particular action will occur.o THEN: specifies what the action will actually be. What does encoding through symbols mean? A symbol is something that represents an object or event, often without bearing much resemblance of the thing it stands for. Propositions Meanings are stored as propositions > small units of knowledge concerning relationships among objects or events.1. can stand as a separate statement or assertion.2. can be judged as being either true or false. Arguments objects or events that are the topics of the proposition. Relation a description of an argument or a relationship among two or more arguments. Can one piece of information be encoded in multiple ways? Yes, we sometimes encode the same information simultaneously in two or more different ways. Long-term memory also includes innumerable interconnects among bits of knowledge about different things. Associationistic various pieces of information stored in long-term memory are either directly or indirectly associated with one another. learners relate and organize their long-term memories somewhat uniquely because their past experiences have been different. What are some long-term organizational systems? 1. Hierarchy2. Network3. Parallel distributed processing Long-Term as a Hierarchy Long-term memory organization can be information stored in hierarchies; superordinate information at the top and more specific, subordinate information below. The farther apart the two components were in the hierarchy, the longer it would take to verify a statement. Creating categories > facilitates meaningful learning.Drawbacks: Much of the information we learn does not have a hierarchical quality to it. Long-Term as a Network A network model portrays memory as consisting of many pieces of information interconnected through a variety of associations. Different individuals have networks with somewhat different associations. The propositional network is one in which propositions and their interrelationships are stored in a network-like fashion. We can characterize meaningful learning as a process of storing new propositions with related propositions in the network. Long-Term as Parallel distributed process Information is stored in the form of an integrated collection of entities called nodes. Any single node may be associated with many different pieces of information as a unique network of interconnected nodes. Parallel Distributed Processing Parallel distributed processing (PDP) or connectionism: pieces of information are stored in a distributed fashion throughout long-term memory, with numerous nodes being processed simultaneously. the multidimensional nature of even the simplest of ideas. fill in missing information when a stimulus is incomplete. the PDP model tends to portray learning as a gradual process of strengthening and weakening associations. Concept is a mental grouping of objects or events that are similar in some way. Concrete concept are easily identified by physical appearance. Abstract concepts have underlying similarities that aren’t readily observable on the surface. Positive instances vs. Negative instances A positive instance is a particular example of a concept vs. a negative instance is a nonexample of the concept. Undergeneralization vs. Overgeneralization Undergeneralization reflects an inability to recognize all positive instances. Overgeneralization reflects an inability to reject all negative instances. What do people learn about concepts? Concepts includes knowing that certain features are important for positive instances. Defining features are characteristics that must be present in ALL positive instances. Correlational features are frequently found in positive instances but aren’t essential for concept membership. A prototype, or typical example of the concept. Numerous examples, or exemplars. How do people learn concepts? Behaviorists: a concept not as a mental entity but rather as a common response to a variety of stimuli. Contemporary psychologists: a relatively passive buildup of associations may form the basis of some concepts. In some instances learners may form various hypotheses about a concept’s meaning and then use positive and negative instances to confirm or reject each hypothesis. Someone provides a definition. When are concepts easier to learn? The more obvious the features of a concept are, the easier the concept is to master. What facilitates concept learning? A good definition describes the concept in terms of other concepts with which students are already familiar with. What can help illustrate a concept? Numerous and varied positive instances help to illustrate a concept. Negative instances are helpful in defining the concept’s limits and preventing overgeneralization. Sequential presentation a series of positive and negative instances one at a time over a period of weeks, months, or years. Learners must store what they’ve learned from each instance in long-term memory, where it is likely to be forgotten. Simultaneous presentation in which people can see a number of positive and negative instances all at once. What role do classroom assessments have in concept learning? Classroom assessment tasks can enhance as well as monitor concept learning. Schema usually refers to a closely connected set of ideas related to a specific object or event. Schemas and scripts provide a means for reducing this information overload. Focus their attention on things that are likely to be important and to ignore what’s probably unimportant. They enable people to make sense of incomplete information. Personal theory People form general theories – coherent beliefs systems that encompass cause-and-effect relationships – about many aspects of the world around them. Personal theories about the world seem to guide people as they identify potential defining features of concepts they’re learning. Personal theories help people organize and make sense of personal experiences and information. Theory theory a theoretical perspective about people’s everyday theories. Theory theory is quite useful in helping us understand why people sometimes misconstrue the world around them. Personal theories vs. Reality People’s erroneous notions about the world probably have a variety of sources and sometimes misconceptions result from how things appear to be. fostered by common expressions in language. may cause an individual to infer incorrect cause-and-effect relationships. are mistaking correlation for causation. well-engrained misconceptions about the topic. acquire scientifically acceptable understandings is more difficult. What can help learners tie ideas together and enhance their understanding of concepts? Physical models can help learners tie ideas together. Mental modes > representations of how particular concepts and principles interrelateo Group interaction can enhance learners’ theoretical understanding. Worldview A worldview is a general set of beliefs and assumptions about reality > about how things are and should be, which influence understandings of a wide variety of phenomena. Worldviews encompass implicit rather than explicit knowledge. Conceptual change The process of replacing one personal theory or belief system with another, presumably more adaptive one; tightly interconnected sets of ideas. Conceptual change occurs gradually over a lengthy time period. Confirmation bias o Learners existing beliefs affect their interpretations of new information.o Most learners have confirmation bias, which is when learners tend to look for information that confirms their existing beliefs and to ignore/discredit any contradictory evidence. Is it possible to change a learners misconception of a concept? Yes, but changing misconceptions involves changing an entire organized body of knowledge. People learn new info without letting go of their prior beliefs, so that long-term memory simultaneously holds inconsistent ideas. Sometimes this happens because people learn the new info at a rote level, What can cause a learner to keep a tight hold of a misconception? Learners may have personal or emotional investment in their existing beliefs. Their beliefs may be an integral part of their religion, life style, or culture. Learners may interpret challenges to their belief systems as threats to their self-efficacy When are learners more likely to replace misconceptions? Students are more likely to replace a misconception with a more accurate understanding, if they’re thinking about both ideas at the same time. Refutational text possible objections to a particular explanation are presented and then discredited. Experts Their knowledge tends to be tightly organized, with many interrelationships among the things they know and with many abstract generalizations unifying more concrete details. What are the stages in the acquisition of knowledge? 1. Acclimation: learners familiarize themselves with a new content domain > fragmented learning2. Competence: learners acquire considerably more info about the subject matter, and they also acquire some general principles that help tie the info together and they correct many of the specific misconceptions they’ve previously developed.3. Expertise: learners have truly mastered their field and they know a great deal about the subject matter. What affect do concepts have on general knowledge? Concepts reduce the world’s complexity. Concepts allow abstraction of the environment. Concepts enhance the power of thought. Concepts facilitate inferences and generalization to new situations. Concepts make it easier for us to make connections.