Studying a case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Studying a - Case Study Example The paper discusses Trune’s accusation with a view of illustrating the dissenting opinion that there was no false imprisonment. The accusations of Trune that the farmer intended to confine him within fixed boundaries do not sufficiently prove the crime of false imprisonment because the farmer did not lock him in the firm house. Because the farmer did not lock the farm house, it can thus be argued that there was no false imprisonment because Trune’s freedom was not limited at all. This case can be compared with the Herbst v. Wuennenberg case in which the plaintiffs were asked by the accused to leave before the occurrence of the events which led to the legal suit. This illustrates that in the Herbst v. Wuennenberg case, the freedoms of the plaintiffs was not violated. The case led to a ruling of the appeal court that favored Wuennenberg because sufficient evidence suggested that there was no false imprisonment of the plaintiff (Supreme Court of Wisconsin 1). The actions of the farmer were motivated by the need to protect his farm from intruders and trespassers and there was no intention of leading to the confinement of the plaintiff otherwise he would have locked him in the firm yard. In the Herbst v. Wuennenberg case, the plaintiffs admitted that they were not intimidated neither threatened by the accused (Supreme Court of Wisconsin 2). On a counter argument, Trune admits that he stayed in the firm house because he feared the possible outcome of the farmer’s actions, which does not adequately substantiate the claims that his life was in immediate danger. The actions of the farmer were inn ordinary sense harmless and the plaintiff has no real evidence to prove that the farmer put him in unbearable danger. Trune’s arguments however differ with the Herbst v. Wuennenberg case on the trespass issue is compared between the two cases. Like in the case of Herbst and the other plaintiffs, Trune does not defend his reason for being on the farmer’s field.

Professionalism Study Essay Example for Free

Professionalism Study Essay People may look down at an individual for being more professional because that individual is not doing what everyone else is doing. An individual doing what is right in the work place is being a professional. If an individual follows the five keys to be a professional, character, attitude, excellence, competency and conduct, he or she will surpass his or her competitors. Character is who a person is, he or she know that what he or she is doing is the right thing. An individual who doesn’t take mediocrity, doesn’t look for the easy way out and doesn’t expect that his or her job will be easy is just the beginning. When an office is looking to higher an individual they look for integrity, and responsibility. These are some question an individual can ask themselves when looking to see if he or she has integrity. â€Å"Do you do what you say you’re going to do? Can you be trusted with confidential information? Are your expense reports truthful and reasonable? Employers want someone who can honestly answer questions like these with a resounding, â€Å"Yes.†Ã¢â‚¬  (http://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/top-10-character-traits-to-look-for-when-hiring-a-senior-professional/). Attitude and conduct would go great together because they have similar meanings, attitude; how an individual look and handles problems, and conduct; how an individual holds himself or herself together in the work place. A professional always has a friendly and welcoming aura about them, making others feel comfortable to come ask for help. Conduct is wrapped into an individual’s attitude because he or she â€Å"acknowledge people right away† (Professionalism is for Everyone, The Goals Institute, page 63). He or she shows everyone the respect that they deserve. A professional doesn’t believe that he or she is better than the individual that they are helping, or with his or her coworker. Attitudes to have in a work place are â€Å"enthusiastic, and efficiency† (http://www.careerealism.com/attitudes-workplace-get-ahead/) Excellency and competency also go together on the grounds that they both are how an individual works. Excellency is how well an individual excels at his or her job/career. Competency is the degree of expertise that an individual puts into his or her career. A professional always â€Å"press for excellence in all aspects of his or her life† (Professionalism is for Everyone, The Goals Institute, page 37). One knows what is expected of them in the work place. He or she does what is asked, when it is asked and does it in a timely manner. A professional strives to be better for themselves, for his or her family and for his or her friends. Never be someone who thinks â€Å"I’m just doing this for the money.† If one thinks that way he or she will never get to his or her dream job. Remember, character, attitude, excellence, competency and conduct will be an individual’s best friend. Works Cited Professionalism is for Everyone, The GOALS Institute, 2013 http://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/top-10-character-traits-to-look-for-when-hiring-a-senior-professional/ http://www.careerealism.com/attitudes-workplace-get-ahead/

Self Assessment on Child Learning Environment

Self Assessment on Child Learning Environment Part A Reflecting on a childs learning and development as a practitioner is important in order to gauge an understanding of the childs ability to learn and how it can be continually improved. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) developed a curriculum framework, known as Aistear, which supports practitioners in early childhood care and education (ECCE) settings to reflect, identify and assess childrens learning. Assessment of the childs learning allows the practitioner to gather an understanding about how the child thinks, their abilities, and interests. For a practitioner to understand and assess a childs thinking, abilities and interests they must interact with the child. Good assessment practices depend on listening, empathising, watching and talking with the child (Dunphy, 2008). It is through these types of interactions in everyday activities and experiences with the adult and other children that help form a successful learning process for them. In order to plan and develop appropriate experiences which the child will find enjoyable and exciting, it is important that the practitioner has a good assessment process in place in the ECCE setting. Through observation the practitioner can assess the childs progress and develop a plan to continually enhance the childs development further. It is up to the practitioner to interpret the childs learning using the aims and learning goals outlined by Aistear to then form and plan the learning further. The practitioner must observe to note childrens progress in all areas of their development including skills, dispositions, attitudes, knowledge and understanding (NCCA, 2009). Development through planning is done through two assessment approaches defined in Aistear which include the assessment for learning and the assessment of learning. Assessment for learning takes the approach of supporting and planning the childs learning through reflection and assessment whereas assessment of learning is the approach of measuring, comparing, analysing and reporting (Daly and Forster cited in Mhic Mhathà ºna and Taylor, 2012). These approaches use many different methods of assessment. Each method helps to create portraits of the childrens learning and development. Observation is a key method in assessing a childs learning. Observing a child allows the practitioner to physically see the childs capabilities and document their learning. It allows them to see where the child excels or where they may need further support. It can also show a practitioner how a child interacts in social situations and how they play. While many practitioners use this as their main assessment method it is not the only one. Through the use of different assessment methods the practitioner can form a bigger picture of a childs learning and development. Aistear outlines the five assessment methods; self-assessment, conversations, observations, setting tasks and testing (NCCA, 2009). Self-assessment consists of the children themselves assessing their own learning and development. The child can begin to identity their own achievements and progress. It is then up to the practitioner to help guide the child and discuss with them about their experience. Discussing and having conversations with the child allow the practitioner to further assess and gather a better understanding of the childs learning (NCCA, 2009). By using conversation as an assessment method the practitioner can gain a better insight into the childs thinking then they would from just observing, thus allowing the practitioner to offer the appropriate support for the child. These assessment methods so far discussed are very child lead assessment. It is the child who shows the practitioner their learning and development with the practitioner acting as an observer. Observation can also be adult lead assessment as well as setting tasks and testing. If the practitioner needs to collect information on certain aspects of the childs learning they may design certain activities to help them do so (NCCA, 2009). Through observing, the adult can design activities which interest and excite the child to help them further gather information they may have set out to obtain. From setting these tasks the practitioner can help explain and encourage the child to further their learning and development. This is similar to the assessment method of testing. The assessment should focus on strengths and also aspects which may need further improvement (Dunphy, 2008). The practitioner complies all they have learned through observing and discussing with the child to test the child on certain aspects of their learning and development, such as social abilities. This can allow the practitioners to compare the outcomes with other children of similar ages therefore allowing t hem to see which children are meeting their milestones and who may need further assistance. There is a huge necessity for these assessment methods because without them the practitioner would not be able to understand or have the information needed to assist the child appropriately to develop into a well-rounded holistic child. While using Aistear as a framework to help with good assessment practices in ECCE settings the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education developed the quality framework Sà ­olta, which also promotes good assessment practices. Sà ­olta was designed to assess and support ECCE settings to continually improve the environment for which the child learns and develops. Sà ­olta aids the practitioner to reflect upon their own role assessing themselves to ensure they are providing quality experiences for every child (CECDE, 2006). As well as reflecting upon themselves is allows the practitioner to assess the environment, equipment, curriculum and interactions, all areas which assist in childrens learning and development. While assessing the child helps create portraits of their learning and development it is also important to use frameworks, such as Sà ­olta, to assess the learning environment. Without an appropriate educational environment which engages, assists, challenges and offers the child different experiences then a child will not learn and develop to their full potential. Part B Lesson Plan for Spring Month: Febuary/March Weekly Theme: Plants Flowers Type of Setting: Montessori/Aistear Room: Pre-School Age of Children: 3-5 Rationale for topic: A child brought a flower to the setting which prompted the other children to want their own flowers. Lesson Plan 1 Hand Print Flower Date: 27th Febuary Number of Children: 8 Dispostions developed: Persistance, responsibilty, investigative, Curiousity, Fun, independence. Rationale for choice of activity: Allow the children to express themselves creatively through visual arts using paint. Make marks to record their own idea of flowers. Long-term aim: To develop their abilities to express themselves creatively, express their imagination and to refine fine motor skills. Develop a connection between flowers and spring. Aistear Link Codes: WB A3 LG1 COM A4 LG2 ET A3 LG1 Sà ­olta Standard: Standard 6: Play Component 6.5 encourages him/her to explore, be creative and use previous learning to make new meaning. Material and/or equipment needed: White paper, various colour paints, paint brushes. Plan: To begin the practitioner will demonstrate how to create a flower using your handprints. The practitioner will paint their hand using a paint brush, printing it in a circular motion around the page then using their fingers to paint the other parts of the flower. Once the practitioner has demonstrated to the children how to create the flower, the children are invited to explore the materials and create their own concept of a flower. Children will be able to choose their own colours and method to create their flower. Reflection: The activity went well as the children actively engaged with the idea of the activity, each creating and exploring their own idea of a flower. They demonstrated curiosity as they printed their hands on the page at different angles to make marks with the paint. The children each used different methods to paint the flower. Some imitated the practitioner while others just used their fingers or the paintbrush. I then noticed (P) had painted squares at the bottom of the page and asked them what did you make when you did these. (P) told me There flower pots, my mammy has lots of flowers in flower pots. This then got one child particularly curious asking me where do flowers grow and how do you make flowers. I told them how flowers grow from seeds either in the ground or they can be planted in a flower pot. The children then shifted their focus from the painting to the discussion and each child shared their idea on how flowers grow. Critique and Evaluate: As the children all wanted their own flower, I set them a task to design their own. They showed confidence in their ability to independently paint their own hands and design their own flowers with the different methods they those. By setting the children the task they have demonstrated the aim of the activity, to express themselves creatively by making marks to record their ideas. Setting the task enabled the children to choose their own colours acting upon their curiosity to explore different marks and experiment with different colours. During the task the children took the lead during the natural occurring opportunity of one child asking questions about where and how flowers grow. This prompted all the childrens curiosity as they all moved their focus from painting to get involved in the discussion. It is important when using the method of setting tasks outlined in Aistear as an assessment method that going forward I use their questions about the flower to co ntinue their interests in planning the next activity. Lesson Plan 2 Plant Flower Seeds Date: 28th FebuaryNumber of children: 8 Dispostions developed: Responsibilty, Curiousity, independence. Rationale for choice of topic: During painting our own flowers the topic of where and how do flowers grow was asked. Planting the seeds and physically watching the flowers will help give the children a better understanding of where and how they grow. Long-term aim: The children will be able to have a better understanding of working theories of where and how the flowers grow. It will also develop the disposition of responsibility as the children will need to care for their flower to help it grow. Aistear Link Codes: WB A3 LG5 IB A4 LG4 ET A2 LG3 Sà ­olta Standard: Standard 7: Curriculum Component 7.4.1 What strategies do you use in implementing the curriculum/programme? Example being facilitating the childrens interest. Material and/or equipment needed: Flower seeds, flower pots, soil, gloves, hand shovel and water. Plan: The practitioner will demonstrate how to plant the flower seed. The children will then be given the hand shovel taking it in turns to spoon soil into their flower pot. Using their finger they will place a hole in the middle of the soil and place the flower seed into the hole covering it over. Once the seed is planted, the children will then use a jug to water the seed. While planting the practitioner will discuss how we care for our plant and what it needs to grow. Reflection: This activity went really well as the children really engaged and showed interest. They demonstrated great independence and manipulation skills as they spooned the soil into the flower pots with great control. (B) did struggle with spooning to soil into to pot and (S) demonstrated great care Ill help you do it as she assisted (B) to get the soil in his pot. (S) than went on to discuss with the other children what they had to do next assisting each of them. Once the children had planted their seeds I discussed with them what the plant needed in order to grow. I asked I wonder what the seed needs to grow. (B) said you pour water on top of it while (A) contradicted (B) telling them No you just put it in the pot. I then said youre both right the plant needs water and soil to grow but it also needs sun. Where should we put the plants so they can get sun?. The children looked around the room (S) shouted to everyone the sun is at the window look as they decided we would place ou r pots here. (B) then reminded everyone we forgot the water lets put it on top the children took turns watering their plant. I discussed with them that the plant will grow roots and drink the water in the soil but this seemed to confuse them especially (B) who kept telling everyone that you pour the water on top of the plant. Critique and Evaluate: The link with Aistears method of assessment using conversations is evident during this activity as the children took turns in talking, listening and discussing their ideas with each other. It is also evident as I responded to the children agreeing with both (A) and (B) as we discussed and I gave feedback about what the plant needed. I also used conversation to prompt the children to share their ideas using an open ended question about where was best to place the flower to get sun therefore aiding the children in expressing their own views and making their own decisions, which Aistears Identity and belonging learning goals outlines. Through conversing with the children it has given them the opportunity to expand on their own knowledge about how to care for materials in their environment and what they need to survive. Lesson Plan 3 Experiment: How plants drink water using food colouring. Date: 1st March-3rd March (observed the flowers over a few days.) Number of Children: 8 Dispostions developed: Investigative, Curiousity, Fun. Rationale for choice of activity: The children will be able to see the food colouring stain the flowers as it absorbs the water helping them develop thinking skills as they can come to an understanding of plants absorbing water. Long-term aim: To continue their intrests about flowers and give the children a better understanding about how the plants absorb water. Aistear Link Codes: WB A3 LG 1 ET A1 LG4 Sà ­olta Standard: Standard 8: Planning and Evaluation Enriching and informing all aspects of practice within the setting requires cycles of observation, planning, action and evaluation, undertaken on a regular basis- the activity planned is from observing and evaluating the childrens interests and taking action to plan according to their needs and interests. Material needed: Food colouring, flowers, jug, and water. Plan: Under the guidance of the practitioner,the childrenwill fill a jug with water and place some flowers in the jug. They will then add food colouring into the water and place the flowers in an area of sunlight. With this activity the flowers need to be observed over a few days to observe the flower changing colour from absorbing the stained water. Reflection: The initial activity was short and prompted many curious questions from the children such as why is the water green how will they drink that how will it change colour. After discussing and answering their questions the children were eager to move on and conduct the experiment. They demonstrated their independence as once provided with the materials and instructions about what and how we were going to do the experiment, they supported and enabled each other to carry it out. I then observed the children as they continually went back to the flowers that day watching to see if they had changed colours. The following day, upon arrival the children raced to the flowers screaming with excitement to see that one of the leaves had green spots on it. (B) look everybody its gone green (S) the plant drank the green water (P) it drinks it from the bottom. Over the next few days the children still continued to have interest over the experiment as I observed them going over to look shar ing it with the other children and even their parents. Critique and Evaluate: From watching and listening to the children I observed how excited and involved they all got while discussing and carrying out the experiment. Using observation as an assessment method has allowed me to see how the children express their excitement and awe using their language, gestures and facial expressions. From taking a step back and observing the children I could see how the children expressed their feeling and thoughts with each other and their excitement to involve their parents. Using observation as an assessment method has shown me that building on the child interests to help them make sense of the world truly excites them. (See appendices for photographs of the activities.) Part C Using the topic of spring, the assessment of the activities helped to plan further activities based on the childs interests. Aistears outlines the features of good assessment practices which involve collecting, documenting, reflecting and using the information (NCCA, 2009). In each activity, the assessment of the activity benefited the child as it built on the childs past experiences which they shared to support the development of new learning. From collecting and documenting the childs interests, it allowed a portrait of the childs interests, abilities and knowledge to be assessed and used to plan further experiences which would help the child/children develop. From using the different methods of assessment such as setting a task, conversations and observation it allowed for appropriate activities to be planned according to the stage of development and interests the child/children were at. Observing over a period of time during the how plants drink water experiment highlighted how e xcited the children got from watching the plant change colour sharing the information with parents. This allows the parent to gain an insight into what the child is interested in which can be further developed outside the classroom. In each activity the children developed the disposition of curiosity. Their curious nature engaged the children to get involved in the painting, planting and experimenting. The activities also showed evidence of the childrens knowledge developing as while planting the children believed that pouring water on the top of the flower helped it to grow were it then became clear during the experiment that they absorbed water from the bottom. From planning the activities, to observing the children while implementing them and using Aistears different assessment methods to record and reflect on the experience, it gives a portrait of the child/children which helps the practitioner to continually provide and enhance future experiences to help develop a holistic chil d. References Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE). (2006), Sà ­olta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education. Dublin: Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education. Daly, M and Forster, A. (2012). Aistear: the early childhood curriculum framework. In: Mhic Mhathà ºna, M. and Taylor, M., eds., Early childhood education and care: an introduction for students in Ireland. Dublin 12: Gill Macmillan. Dunphy, E. (2008). Supporting early learning and development through formative assessment: a research paper. Dublin 2, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Dunphy, E. (2008). Supporting early learning and development through formative assessment: a research paper: executive Summary. Dublin 2, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). (2009) Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework: supporting learning and development through assessment. Dublin: NCCA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). (2009) Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework: principles and themes. Dublin: NCCA.

Global Warming is NOT a Concern :: Environment Climate Change

Global Warming, global concern? I think not. I personally believe that the theory of global warming caused by the infamous carbon dioxide is false. Please, let me explain. First of all, there are more potent, harmful, gases being emitted into the atmosphere. Secondly, the temperature change in the 20th and 21st centuries is extremely slight. Lastly, the earth is currently recovering from a period known as the Little Ice Age. First of all, there are more potent gases being emitted into the atmosphere such as the well known greenhouse gas, methane. Methane is mostly associated with cows. Yes, I said it, cows. When cows fart, they release the greenhouse gas methane. Also, methane heats up the atmosphere more than carbon dioxide. So the point here is that global warming isn't mainly caused by humans. Secondly, the temperature change in the 20th and 21st centuries is very slight. In fact it has stayed within a 3 degree Celsius range. In fact, if the change were to happen in a room, many people in the room would not notice. Right now, you probably aren't persuaded, but, in my next paragraph, I will definitely persuade you. Definitely. Finally, the moment you have all been waiting for, the third paragraph! This is where I will persuade you to believe my ideas. Well, here it goes. My final idea is that the globe is now recovering from a time know as the little ice age. This in turn will make the earth seem warmer. In science class, we conducted an experiment conducting this. We put one hand in warm water and another in cold water. Then we put both hands in room temperature water. The hand that was in warm water felt cold and visa vera for the other.

Outline And Evaluate The Working Memory Model

The working memory model is the part of the short term memory which is governed by the ‘central executive which monitors and coordinates the operation of the store systems; Phonological loop and visuo – spatial sketchpad. The phonological loop allows sounds to be stored for brief periods. The visuo spatial sketchpad allows visual and spatial information to be stored for brief periods. The two slave systems within the WMM are completely separate and can work individually.A piece of evidence which shows support for the slave systems being two separate systems within the WMM is the case of KF. He had a motorcycle accident and damaged his brain and memory, which therefore left him with no new memory, h couldn’t remember anything since the accident. When KF memory was assessed psychologists found out that he could remember things from sight using his visuo spatial sketch pad however he couldn’t remember things from ear using his phonological loop, this suggests that the slave systems must be separate.This research has weak reliability that the slave systems are separate this is because these findings were only found on one person and not a collective of people, therefore you can’t generalise findings from one person on everybody else, so this evidence on supply’s weak support for the WMM. A piece of research which shows support for the slave systems working independently to each other is psychologists carried out an experiment on two groups asking them to do specific tasks. Group one was asked to perform two visual tasks using only there visuo spatial sketch pad.The other group was asked to do a visual and verbal task using both slave systems. The psychologists found out that group 2 performed better this is because they don’t overload ne slave systems like the other group this suggests that both slave systems work independently and can become over capacitated. A criticism of this research method is that it was a lab e xperiment, and is low in ecological validity, which could have affected the results, as participants may feel under pressure with the lab setting.

Comparing Two War Poems By Wilfred Owen and Maurice Hewlett Essay Example

Comparing Two War Poems By Wilfred Owen and Maurice Hewlett Essay Example Comparing Two War Poems By Wilfred Owen and Maurice Hewlett Paper Comparing Two War Poems By Wilfred Owen and Maurice Hewlett Paper Essay Topic: Poetry During the first and second world war many young men were forced into the army and the services many leaving their young families or mothers and sisters. This was a very difficult time for both the men who were leaving to fight and risk their lives and for the women and children they left behind. One of the poems I have picked is in the eyes of a mother and child it is called For Two Voices and is written by Hewlett. The mother speaks the true brutality of war and the child sees the glorious and heroic side of war. My second choice was Dulce Et Decorum Est by Owen. This is a evastating poem written by a man who first wet to war with a heroic vision in his head, just like the one of the child in the other poem by Hewlett, and then after spending a few weeks at war started to write poems of disaster and destruction. For Two voices uses much simpler language than Dulce Et Decorum Est. It is told by a child and a mother. It is like they are looking out of a window at the young soldiers marching off to war. It is a very clever structure for the poem. It is set out in speech marks first the child stating a glorious army marching by from an innocent ind and then the mother answering with a much duller, realistic point. This is very true to real life as most young children see what they want to see and can not understand the real truth. The mother however sounds like she is speaking from experience perhaps she has lost one of her loved ones in a previous war or someone close to her has already experience a death in their family. The poem works very well and although it uses simple language and only has one simile it has a very clever. The layout incorporates both opinions without actually sating who is saying what. The child looks at all the bright xciting things like he sees the general riding on his horse and views him as a brave man who he looks up to and the mother answers by saying I hear the sound of a child crying. Here the writer could of replaced child with Wife or Mother but he use child because it wins peoples sympathy because people view children as vulnerable and innocent, making it sound more devastating. Children are often attracted to bright shiny things especially young infants and the boy in the poem when he says look at the bright spears he does not see them as a weapon for killing innocent people but as a symbol of the oldiers pride and courage. The mother even thinks it as disrespectful that they are seeing the soldiers off and not in church praying for their loved ones lives, she seems to know the true consequences of war. The mother uses the only simile used in the whole poem: The leaves are falling like womens tears Because this is the only simile it makes more of an impact on the reader. Similes are good because they help the reader to understand the true feelings and emotions that the author is trying to put across. The views are so different that the mother even says to the child You are not looking at what I see Emphasising the whole point in the poem. The childs opinion shows the result of propaganda and artificial views on war. The last lines of the poem sums up the mothers realistic view on war. The phrase Sin and shame is repeated three times bringing the poem to an end making the point stick in the readers head. At the beginning of the poem it is not clear what the author wants the reader to think but by the end you know that the author has a cruel view of war and definitely shares the opinion of the mother. Dulce Et Decorum Est is written by Wilfred Owen and is a great contrast to For Two Voices. Owen fort in the First World War and his poems are all from his own experience. This makes them all the more realistic and devastating. Owen writes in more detail than Hewlett, using very vivid descriptions. Owens poems tell the truth about war some of them were letters home to his mother and loved ones. Dulce Et Decorum Est means, It is Sweet and Right to Die For Your Country. This being the title of the poem before reading the actual poem the may think it was a tale of patriotism and a very heroic tale the true poem is quite different. It is in fact the complete opposite. Before going to war Owen was lead to believe that war was glamorous and right, after experiencing it he wrote this poem showing people what life was really like in the trenches. In the lat verse Owen addresses the reader directly using You and in the lat few lines my friend this is very effective and makes the reader feel almost guilty. He then address the title of the poem as An old lie. By doing this he finishes and starts the poem almost sarcastically and then very cleverly puts his strong views of war across. The language in the poem is much more complex than that in For Two Voices and use many similes especially in the first verse. This is a good way to start a poem as it brings the reader to the right level of mind and helps them to realty to the meaning of the poem. The first one Owen uses is: Bent double, like old beggars under sacks. Beggars are the opposite to the title of the poem describing heroic soldiers therefore this changes the whole view of the poem just in the first line. Beggars are very frowned upon and are nearly always stereotyped as old men, so the phrase bent double is very fitting. He then goes on to describe the people around him. Men marched asleep During the war men were expected for miles and the fact that the asleep but still moving says its almost like there bodies were not functioning and they were so used to it that they could march and almost be asleep without falling over. The poor conditions described are all very harrowing. Many had lost their boots but limped on blood shod. Owen then goes on to use the phrase Drunk with fatigue. This is an excellent choice of words. He could have just said they were tired but instead he describes them as drunk. When someone is drunk they become elirious and not really conscious of the things their body is doing and therefore unaware of their surroundings. This brings the verse to a gradual natural ending. The next paragraph starts very abruptly with the phrase Gas, GAS! Quick, boys! This is a climax to the whole poem, showing the terrible result of war. The word gas in capitals and is on the first line to a verse, making it stand out from the rest of the poem letting the reader know how important it is and possibly showing that it has terrible consequences. He says that they fit the helmets just in time and then starting a new line say except at this pin the readers heart almost sinks knowing that this is fatal. It vividly describes the person drowning in the poisonous gas. This is a horrible thing to happen to anyone and it makes the reader consider war in a different light and also pity the poor man who was killed and many other who died for the country in war and also those who watched their fellow soldiers die. Hence bringing out the title because the man who was killed by the gas died fighting for his country. The last verse is designed to put across the strong meaning of the poem showing what war was really like. It addresses the reader aking them feel guilty and sympathetic for all the victims f war. It describes Owens feelings watching the soldier be taken away in a wagon that they flung him in. Using flung in this sentence makes it sound like Owen was disgusted at what happened to the men after they had died and had been finished with they were not even properly buried. It describes in gruesome detail the body in the back of the cart making Owens views on war obvious and showing the devastating results. He then concludes the poem by warning the reader that war is not a glorious heroic game but one of pain and suffering and then says the itle to be a lie and finishes with the same words as he started with. Looking at the two poems I can see two very different views on war. Although there are three peoples point to be taken in. The child has been sucked into the world of propaganda. The mother has not experienced war her self but knows the true brutality and her opinion is backed up by Owens real life account of life in the trenches. I can understand why the child was attracted to propaganda and patriotic side of war this is understanding as most children see and believe what they want to be true often over looking the truth.

Family Paper Essays

Family Paper Essays Family Paper Paper Family Paper Paper Family Paper NURS 3304 Professional Nursing Practice October 6, 2011 Introduction The movie we chose to review is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The film portrays a large family with strong cultural beliefs. Family relatives include Tula Portokalos, Gus Portokalos, Maria Portokalos, Athena Portokalos, Yiayia, Aunt Voula, Nick Portokalos, Uncle Taki, Athena, Foci, Cousin Nikki, Cousin Angelo, Yianni, Cousin Jennie, Aunt Frieda, Cousin Marianthi, Aunt Lexy, Aunt Nota, and Paris Miller. The cast also includes a priest. Opposite the Portokalos family is Ian Miller and his small traditional family made up of Harriett and Rodney Miller. Also in the plot is Ian’s friend, Mike. My Big Fat Greek Wedding is about a traditional Greek family who wants their 30 year old daughter, Toula Portokalos, to be married. While working in the family restaurant, Dancing Zobra’s, Toula meets Ian Miller with whom she falls in love. Ian Miller is not Greek but in order to marry Toula, he agrees to embrace the Greek culture and Orthodox Greek religion. In turn the Portokalos family must accept Ian and he struggles to embrace the traditions of the Greek family to which he now belongs. Family Cultural Assessment The family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding is large. : Each family function is attended by the entire immediate family. This includes thirteen cousins and assorted aunts and uncles. Despite its size, the family is very tight knit. Members of the Portokalos family are strong believers in the Greek tradition and do everything together. The Greek culture is traditionally centered on the Greek Orthodox Church. These are very religious and cultural people. The tenants of their Greek Orthodox faith permeate all facets of their lives. They value strong family ties and follow the guidelines of a patriarchal family structure. With the father at the top of this family, the mother is the home maker. The father works while the mother stays at home cooking and cleaning to provide for the large family. Mixed marriages are not encouraged in the Greek culture. Greek girls are encouraged to choose equally strong cultured Greek men for their husband. A primary goal of Greek parents is to facilitate the marriage of their daughters to Greek men. According to Nixon (1980), â€Å"The ethnic back ground of one’s friends is an indicator of prospective mates from which one will choose† (p 48). Greek families are very clannish. The extended family is always included along with the immediate family when there are Greek family gatherings. Each family gathering is thought to be an important factor in maintaining strong ties within the larger Greek community. It is also very common for ageing grandparents to live with their children. This is portrayed in My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Gus’ mother comes to live with the family. Ian comes from a small traditional American family. His extended family consists of only two cousins. His relatives are well to do and more sophisticated that those in Toula’s family. It is difficult for Toula to explain her large family unit to Ian when they first meet. Ian understands the importance of Greek culture in Toula’s life and accepts the large task of meeting and trying to assimilate with the large Portokalos family. On the part of Ian’s family, it takes some significant adjustment to accept the fact that Ian is marrying into such a strong willed Greek family. Foutoula â€Å"Toula† Portokalos is 30 years old, her father is Kostas â€Å"Gus† Portokalos and her mother is Maria Portokalos. Her younger brother is Nick Portokalos and her older sister is Athena. Voula is Toula’s aunt. Yiayia is Toula’s grandmother, Gus’ mother. Cousins include Athena Portokalos, Nick Portokalos, Foci, Cousin Nikki, Angelo, Yianni, Cousin Jennie, Cousin Marianthi. Also part of the Portokalos family are Uncle Taki, Aunt Frieda, Aunt Lexy, Aunt Nota. Ian Miller is now part of the Portokalos family along with his mother and father, Harriet and Rodney Miller. Six years after Toula and Ian marry, their daughter Paris is introduced into the movie. They tell her she can marry anyone but they do require her to attend Greek school. Erikson’s Developmental Stages According to Jarvis, â€Å"Growth is continuous and change is perpetual throughout the life cycle (Jarvis, 2008). For Tula Portokalos, the battle between a strict Greek upbringing and the readiness to embark on one’s own path haunts her daily. Like many who are experiencing the developmental tasks of a young adult, Tula is faced with the psychological conflict of intimacy versus isolation (Jarvis, 2008). When growing up, Tula always knew that she was different, but when she reached the age of 30 and was still not yet married, her family began to worry. As a young adult, her task was to find what everyone in her age group was looking for, and that was love. Ian, who is also facing the Early Adulthood stage of development, meets Tula at a restaurant where he sweeps her off her feet (Jarvis, 2008). The developmental task for choosing a mate is an even bigger task for Ian, who is faced with the loud and stubborn Greek family that believes Greeks are only meant to marry other Greeks. Ian, who is concerned with the psychological conflict of intimacy versus isolation, falls in love with Tula, where they begin to learn and cooperate with in-laws and a new martial relationship (Jarvis, 2008). Gus, Tula’s father, who is not too fond of Greeks marrying outside the Greek culture, believes only in two things: that non-Greeks should be taught how to be Greek, and that Windex cures everything. The developmental task and psychological conflict that Mr. Gus faces is the resolution of generativity versus stagnation (Jarvis, 2008). Tula’s father is concerned with the tasks of Middle Adulthood. Gus must accept Tula’s decision of marriage and learn to cope with an empty nest at home or he may risk the negative outcomes of stagnation and sorrow (Jarvis, 2008). Maria, Tula’s mother, is very understanding and explains to Tula that although man is the head of household, the woman is the neck and can turn the head in any direction she wants too. Maria is also in the development stage of Middle Adulthood (Jarvis, 2008). Her tasks include accepting and relating to her spouse and developing leisure activities such as cooking and gasping (Jarvis, 2008). Tula’s sister Athena represents the ideal Greek woman. She married a Greek man, had Greek babies, and fed everyone in the Greek family. Athena’s stage of development is Early Adulthood. At this stage, she was focused to learn the roles of parenting. Athena’s focus as a young adult was primarily based on setting up one’s own household and raising a family (Jarvis 2008). Another young adult in this crazy Greek family is Tula’s brother Nick. Nick’s task as a young adult is focused on forming a meaningful philosophy about life (Jarvis, 2008). He tells Tula not to let the past dictate who she is, but to let it be a part of who she will become. This philosophy is developed in Early Adulthood and governs how people make decisions about life and curtain morals. Coping Resources-Problem Solving and Stressors The Portokalos family seems to cope with stress quite well. When dealing with a new situation or stress in the family, the coping mechanisms that are involved include eating, cooking, and drinking. In an event where stress may play a role, the whole family comes together and works to fix the problem. This family consists of a strong support system that encourages individuals to express their emotions, resulting in loud and over exaggerated behavior. The Greeks hold nothing back, saying and expressing exactly what is on their minds. For Ian, coping with stress is handled quite differently. To adapt to the Greek standards, Ian made the decision to be baptized in the Orthodox Church. His ability to cope to the stressful demands of the Portokalos family eventually pays off when he is finally accepted as one of their own. The scholarly journal, â€Å"Are Greek-Americans Likely to Seek Psychotherapy†, addresses the skepticism that Greek-Americans have in seeking care for stress (Bagourdl, 2010). Although the resources are available to these immigrants, the unwillingness to seek help for this particular issue is uniform though out this culture. Eleni Bagourdl, the author of the journal, explains that although Greek-Americans do not completely reject the idea, the majority feel a uniform disinterest in seeking professional psychological help (Bagourdl, 2010). That when dealing with mental issues such as stress or conflicting problems, the Greek-American community look to family and friends for comfort and relief (Bagourdl, 2010). An individual’s willingness to seek professional help is greatly influenced by one’s culture (Bagourdl, 2010). According to the journal, immigrants rarely seek psychotherapy, but as a result therapists are becoming more interested in minority issues and coping strategies that are culturally orientated (Bagourdl, 2010). Integrity Process The Portokalos are a Greek family who consist of a combination of Greeks who immigrated to America and their children, who were born in America. They practice familism which, according to Rodriguez Mira, Paez, and Mira (2007), has â€Å"three dimensions: importance of family, family support, and family conflict with acculturation† (p 61). Familism places the family’s needs above the individuals. In this system, the patriarch of the family, Kostas Gus Portokalos, is in charge. He migrated to America when he was a young boy, yet he did not acculturate to the American way of life and has strict adherence to his heritage consistency and is very â€Å"Old Country†. He holds an ethnocentrism view about Greek culture that is recurrent throughout the film. An example used multiple times throughout the film is his belief that every word has its root in the Greek language. Toula is at a crossroads in her life because she is thirty years old and single. She was born and raised in America, and has been acculturated to the American way of life, but is still expected to live by her father’s Greek way of life. She plays a subservient role in her family due to familism, but she also yearns to be able to do what she wants to do, and doesn’t want to live a prearranged life. The most glaring example of her heritage inconsistency is when she begins to date a man who is not Greek. This is heartbreaking to her father because he believes nice Greek girls are supposed to do three things in life. According to Toula, they are â€Å"marry Greek boys, make Greek babies, and feed everyone until the day we die† (Zwick, 2002). This is a direct conflict of acculturation between the two. Toula’s mother, Maria, is more understanding of her situation than her father. She also wants Toula to marry a Greek man, but she understands that things are different in America and that love knows no bounds. She uses her wisdom to comfort both Toula, who is having a hard time dealing with breaking her father’s heart, and Gus, whose heart is broken because her daughter is breaking away from tradition by marrying a non-Greek. She practices both heritage consistency and inconsistency throughout the story. The Portokalos are practicing Greek Orthodox. They are very religious, as this was evidenced a few times in the movie. The first time was when Toula introduced the family to Ian at the Greek Orthodox Easter celebration. The other major time this was evidenced when Ian had to convert to Greek Orthodox in order to marry Toula. This was very important to Gus because it showed that Ian was attempting to assimilate into their family, and the Greek culture. Health Processes The Portokalos family interacts with each other on a daily basis. Because of this, they would be able to notice if one of them were to be in bad health, and could persuade them to go see their medical provider. According to Arends-Toth and Van de Vijver (2008), â€Å"the family can promote health-protective behaviors as family networks aid people in recognizing symptoms and seeking medical care in case of a suspected illness† (p 470). When the Portokalos extended family gets together, it centers around food. This is most evidenced when Toula is bringing Ian and his parents over to meet her parent. When they show up, the entire family is out in the front yard, with Gus roasting a lamb. When they go inside the house, food is sitting on every table. They do not eat in moderation, and every meal that the Portokalos are shown eating appears to be a feast. Their eating habits are a risk factor that could lead to obesity and health problems associated with obesity. The Portokalos also like to drink Ouzo, a popular liquor from Greece. Whenever there is a celebration, they breakout bottles of it and drink it throughout the celebration. They often drink this liquor in excess during the celebration. This abuse of alcohol could have very serious consequences to their health. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD)- and particularly cirrhosis- has long been one of the most prevalent and devastating conditions caused by alcohol consumption and is one of the leading causes of alcohol-related death (Mandrekar and Szabo 2010 p. 270). The Portokalos do not appear to be daily abusers of alcohol, however their reckless attitude towards drinking at celebrations, which appear to be often, could cause significant harm to their bodies. Family System Strengths The Greek family at the center of My Big Fat Greek Wedding is very influenced by their traditional heritage and values. While assessing the characteristics of their family system that promote health and stability, it is apparent that the family is grounded in tradition. The effect that this has is that there is no question what the family members’ roles and expectations are. This lack of confusion about what is expected offers a stable foundation for growth and discovery. Another quality that is displayed in this family’s system that is notable is the direct communication between family members. This quality comes across as a bit abrasive at first glance; however, upon considering the net effect of this quality, it is obviously better than lack of communication. The way that the Portakalos family is structured, each family member knows where they stand in relation to the other family members. Having such a firm grasp on your place in the world and where you come from can be quite an asset in forming one’s own identity. The consistent set of values combined with knowing your place in the family fosters a well rounded outlook that allows Toula to be aware of the impact of breaking tradition while having the courage to stand by her decision to marry outside of her Greek culture. The healthy dynamic that this family practices comes full circle when in the end when Toula’s family changes their tone, and become more supportive of Toula’s marriage to Ian. Toula’s family, even her headstrong father, is flexible enough to reassess their values and become open to, and even supportive of changes in tradition. Another aspect of this families practices that could be described as healthy is the way that the family listens to Gus rant and rave about all things Greek, even bending the truth a bit to convey his deep seeded pride in his native culture. They display tolerance by allowing Gus to explain how everything has Greek origin, while maintaining a more realistic sense of things that actually do have Greek origins, show that there is a balance that this family displays between things that warrant a confrontation and allowing a family member to be who they are. This shows that the Portakalos’ style of communication is healthy and stable. Toula’s family has a healthy family system in place in order to promote a healthy family structure. As stated by Barnhill (2001), â€Å"The themes of a healthy family include positive management of identity processes, change, information processing and role structure†(p 33). Toula’s family has a system in place that guides the family to an overall healthy environment. In conclusion, the family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding illustrates many of the components that make up a healthy and stable family. Their family structure is traditional to their culture. As with most families we see developmental stages matching their age perfectly as well as some late bloomers. Coping resources, as well as integrity fall into a wide range, from appropriate to less than appropriate. Health values seem to get trampled by tradition, and their family system seems to bring all of these components together to make up a typical happy family. References Arends-Toth, J. , Van de Vijver, F. (2008). Family relationships among immigrants and majority members in the Netherlands: the role of acculturation. Applied Psychlogy: An International Review, 57(3), 466-487. doi:10. 1111/j. 1464-0597. 2008. 00331. x Bagourdl, E. , Valsman-Tzachor, R. (2010). Are Greek-Americans Likely to Seek Psychotherapy?. Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, 13(1), 36-41. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Greena, A. and Vryonides, M. (2005). Ideological Tensions in the Educational Choice Practices of Modern Greek Cypriot Parents: The Role of Social Capital. British Journal of Sociology of Education, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Jul. , 2005), pp. 27-342. Jarvis, Carolyn. (2008). Eriksons Developmental Stages. (2008). Physical Examination and Health Assessment. St . Louis, Missouri: Saunders Elsevier. Likeridou, K. , Hyrkas, K. , Paunonen, M. , ; Lehti, K. (2001). Family dynamics of child-bearing families in Athens, Greece: A pilot study. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 7(1), 30-37. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Nixon, R. (1982). Understanding the Greek Orthodox Church vol 107 issue 12, p 1230. Rodriquez, N, Mi ra, C, Paez, N, ; Myers, H. (2007). Exploring the complexities of familism and acculturation: central constructs for people of Mexican origin 3(1/2) 61-77. doi: 10. 1007/s10464-007-9090-7 Scourby, A. (1980). The Generations of Greek Americans: A study in Ethnicity. International Greek Interview p 43-52. Szabo, G, ; Mandrekar, P. (2010). Focus on:alcohol and the liver. Alcohol Research and Health, 33(1;2), Retrieved from http://pubs. niaaa. nih. gov/publications/arh40/toc33-1_2. htm Hanks, T. (Producer) ; Zwick, J. (Director). (2002). My Big Fat Greek Wedding [Motion Picture]. United States of America: Gold Circle Films.

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Fame and Celebrity - Snoop Dogg - Essay Example The process of producing a celebrity undergoes a different kind of ‘commodification’. Celebrityhood, as it is specifically called, is a process in which people are transformed into ‘commodities’, that is, to be manufactured and consumed. The production of celebrities is facilitated by various forms of media, such as television, film, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and others (Couldry 2003). The objective of this study is to analyze the mechanism of celebrityhood through an inclusive examination of one contemporary celebrity; for this case, the gangsta rapper Snoop Dogg. The study will attempt to discuss how Snoop Dogg was ‘celebritized’ across a range of media by applying the fundamental theories and concepts covered in the discussion on the sociology of celebrity. Primarily, the paper will examine the systems of celebrity production relevant to Snoop Dogg’s rise to fame. Then, the concepts of cultural industries and cultural intermediaries will be taken into account so as to thoroughly analyze the various components that facilitated the production and consumption of Snoop Dogg as a celebrity. The next section will discuss the production of fame mechanism, involving the rise of celebrity journalism, tabloidization, and celebrity scandal. Finally, the paper will wrap up the discussion by providing sociological analyses of the ‘celebritization’ of Snoop Dogg, using the relevant theories of sociological imagination by C. Wright Mills and the ‘powerless elite’ by Alberoni. The production of Snoop Dogg as a celebrity was facilitated by a variety of medium, namely, stardom and the movies, magazines, newspapers and tabloids, reality television and most importantly, the popular music’s star system. Snoop was introduced to stardom through the assistance of other famous rappers, such as Dr. Dre, who gave Snoop’s biggest musical break (Haggins 2007). However, stardom presented Snoop differently as a rising celebrity to the public.

Natural Resources, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution Research Paper

Natural Resources, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution - Research Paper Example This theoretical argument is very clear and appropriate for this paper. It specifies important aspects of the issue which render explanations and foundations for discussion. This theoretical argument help sets the tone for the rest of the discussion as it bears to mind the direction of the politics as it unfolds in the Chad. In order to tentatively answer the issue raised in this paper, the author raised different possible mechanisms which apply to the paper. In applying such possibilities to the study, the author considered the possibility that econometric work can only create correlations and that qualitative work is needed in order to identify the mechanisms which are underneath these correlations (Humphrey, 2005). It is difficult to evaluate whether the author meant this statement as a hypothesis or a tentative consideration for the problem/issue which was raised. Nevertheless, the statement presents a possible direction for the discussion to take in terms of answering the issues raised by the research study. The study also mentions six possible mechanisms which explain the relationship between war or conflict and resources. These mechanisms include: greedy rebels mechanism, greedy outsiders mechanism, grievance mechanism, feasibility mechanism, weak states mechanism, sparse networks mechanism (Humph rey, 2005). These mechanisms have been laid out as tentative considerations for this research. They help lay out possible directions for research in terms of impact on war/conflict as impacted by resources. For purposes of this study, the researcher chose the rebel greed mechanism as a means of explaining the issue topic of this discussion (Humphrey, 2005). This mechanism was chosen based on its applicability to the points raised during the analysis of Chad. In this mechanism, domestic groups are seen to engage in quasi-criminal activities in order to benefit from resources independent from the state. To some extent, these rebels seek power through these resources; and they want to further their ends by seeking

Providing Safety Measures within Schools Essay Example for Free

Providing Safety Measures within Schools Essay School violence is not just a recent tragedy. In fact, the earliest known United States (U. S. ) school shooting called â€Å"Pontiac’s Rebellion School Massacre† took place on July 26, 1764 in Pennsylvania (Wikipedia). These ill-fated events are products of many different factors such as bullying, revenge, and even mental issues. Unfortunately, school violence has become a more prevalent occurrence in society today. However, because of the unknown and rather unexpected motives of the perpetrators, an end to school violence cannot, in all actuality, happen. Certainly, there are procedures available to prevent occurring violence. Through the use of increased screening and safety measures, school violence can be greatly diminished, improve the quality of the nation’s education, and restore faith in administrators. School violence has plagued many areas of not only the U. S. , but also other parts of the world. However, a number of the worst attacks have occurred right here in the U. S. , Columbine High School, for example. April 20, 1999 marked the date of fifteen deaths at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Two teenage shooters took the lives of fourteen students and one teacher (Listverse). This school tragedy led to an increased emphasis on security at schools across the U. S. (SFGate). The April 16, 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech claimed the lives of thirty-three victims and was named the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in U. S. history. Bath School in Michigan fell victim to forty-five deaths and was given the title of the deadliest mass school murder in U. S. history (Listverse). In recent history, Connecticut unfortunately experienced a shooting of its own at Sandy Hook Elementary where twenty-eight young children and adults were victim to a deranged gunman on December 14, 2012 (The Inquisitr). But certainly, we cannot forget the February 27, 2012 shooting at Chardon High School that rocked Ohio (SFGate). More and more schools around the nation are stepping up school safety measures to ensure the security of students. Undoubtedly, the most commonly selected safety measure is limited or controlled access to the school in such ways as to lock and monitor school doors. Metal detectors, security cameras, and limited social networking access are more commonly being used to monitor and restrict student and visitor behaviors (U. S. Department of Education). Monitoring and supervising common areas such as the cafeteria, gym, hallways, and parking lot is a significant safety measure usually practiced by schools (NASPonline). School resource officers, guards, and unarmed law enforcement officers may not always need to be present, but should always be available. Staff members should monitor all guests by greeting each and every person who comes to the door. Counselors and psychologists should always be available to students so that they know they have someone to trust and be able to anonymously report suspicious activity (Gumbrecht; NASPonline). Crisis plans and preparedness training should be accessible for all staff members along with threat assessment procedures. The promotion of obedience of school rules and a safe school environment should be present at all times for the safety of the students (NASPonline). Schools should conduct regular drills such as intruder, weather, and fire for student awareness (Gumbrecht). A responsible and safe school always includes school-community partnerships and school safety incident data to keep the public informed about new procedures (NASPonline). There are a number of structural prevention suggestions available. The most frequently used structural methods are locked doors and security systems. However, more advanced structural preventions exist: single, prominent entryways for guests and students to enter; reduced landscaping to eliminate hiding spots; shifted restrooms away from entryways; moved major mechanical and electrical systems; keyless entry systems for staff and faculty; and elaborate announcement systems for drills and instructions (Gumbrecht). Panic buttons are available for $5,000 and operate on single police dispatch lines that send all available units to the school in case of an emergency. The buttons can be located in each individual classroom or in different regions of the schools. These structural suggestions come at a price but are well worth the investments (Scott). Because of the seemingly reoccurring school violence trend, many school districts have contemplated active shooter training and arming teachers. Even though this might seem like a good idea, there may very well be negative consequences. Instead, most school administrators opt for the more common school entry policies and emergency manuals for all staff. Newer safety ideas are being introduced into school districts such as Mohawk, Ellwood, and Shenango in Pennsylvania. These districts installed computerized systems that scan the driver’s licenses of all visitors to identify anyone convicted of crimes against children (New Castle News). Administrators have many accessible guidelines for communicating with students, their parents, and the public. Conversations with students should be developmentally appropriate and include guidelines for violence. Administrators should keep in mind the cultures, traditions, religion, and family values of students and keep the focus on normal routines and activities. Parents should be made aware of all violence conversations with students. The children must know that schools are safe places and there is a difference between reporting and tattling, they must be observant and report what they see. Students must also realize that every so often, people commit wrong acts, but violence is never a solution. Open communication between parents and their children is key; the students should know to stay away from weapons. Also, the school staff must stress the understanding of possibility versus probability; students should always know that they are safe in school. These guidelines are important for administrators to convey to their student body and public (NASPonline). Without a doubt, school violence has made national headlines. In December, the NRA announced the National School Shield Program. They have issued â€Å"a report on how they believe schools can prevent further gun violence† (Gumbrecht). The NRA will present policy proposals and resources to law enforcement, lawmakers, school officials, and the public. Because there is declining support for strict gun regulations, law enforcement officials will prepare armed guards that state and local officials will alter (Sperry and Wallace). A higher percent of high schools and middle schools require drug testing for athletes and extracurricular activities; badges and picture identifications for students and teachers; random dog sniffs and contraband sweeps; and security cameras for monitoring the school building and surrounding premises. 84 percent of high schools, 73 percent of middle schools, and 51 percent of elementary schools use security cameras for surveillance. A higher percent of high schools and middle schools have electronic emergency notification systems and structured, anonymous threat reporting systems. A lower percent of high schools control access to buildings during school hours, prohibit cell phone usage and text messaging, and require uniforms (U. S. Department of Education). Unfortunately, school violence is on the rise. Children should not have to be afraid to go to school in fear of experiencing a fateful attack. By no means can there ever be assumptions made that attacks cannot happen just anywhere; no area is completely immune to violence. The public cannot be naive. As much as the thought of an attack is hard to comprehend, the possibility must always be in the back of the mind. There are countless ways to be prepared; school administrators just need to take action. Through the use of increased screening and safety measures, school violence can be greatly diminished, improve the quality of the nation’s education, and restore faith in administrators

Synthesis and Characterization of a New Aromatic Diamine

Synthesis and Characterization of a New Aromatic Diamine The synthesis and characterization of a new aromatic diamine, 2,5-bis-(aminopyridine-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (BAPO), containing pyridine and 1,3,4-oxadiazole moieties has been reported. An organophilic clay has been obtained via cation exchange reaction between the hydrochloride salt of BAPO and sodium montmorillonite (Na+-Mt‎). Basal space and thermal stability of this new modified organoclay were studied by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. High thermal stability of BAPO-Mt in compared with conventional montmorillonite modified with aliphatic long chain surfactants is shown. A series of organoclay/polyimide nanocomposites (CPN) consisting of BAPO and benzophenone-3,3,4,4-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) were also obtained by an in situ polymerization reaction followed by thermal imidization. Structural properties and thermal stability of the obtained CPNs were studied by XRD, TGA, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The glass transition temperature (Tg) is increased with respect to pristine PI for CPNs 1-3 wt.%. At high clay concentrations, the coagulation of organoclay particles results in a decrease in Tg. Based on the obtained results, CPN 1 wt.% showed the most improved thermal properties. 1. Introduction Polyimides (PI) have gained interests in both academia and industries due to their excellent thermal stability, good resistance toward organic solvents, and improved mechanical properties [1]. They have been have been applied widely in the areas of modern industries [2]. These super engineering plastics have found their way into aerospace, electrical/electronic applications [3], gas separation [4], cell processing, biochip design [5], coating, and composites [6-7]. However, some difficulties come from rigidity and poor solubility in processing of most PIs. Introduction of flexible ether and ester linkages between the aromatic rings of the main chain is an effective way to make these polymers more pliable [8]. In this regard, preparation of poly(ester-amide-imide)s [9], poly(ether amide imide)s [10], poly(amine–amide–imide)s [11] and poly(amide-imide)s [12] have been reported. It was shown that, the incorporation of rigid heterocyclic rings in the main chain of a synthetic polymer could provide excellent thermal and thermo-oxidative stability, which should be useful to decrease negative effects resulting from the introduction of flexible linkages mentioned above. Pyridine nucleolus, as a rigid symmetric aromatic ring, would contribute to the thermal stability, chemical stability, and retention of mechanical property of the resulting polymer at elevated temperature. Furthermore, the polarizability, resulting from the nitrogen atom i n the pyridine ring, could be suitable to improve their solubility in organic solvents [13]. Fujigaya et al. reported among the variety of polybenzimidazole derivatives, the pyridine-containing polymer is known to possess a better mechanical properties and significantly higher proton conductivity due to its higher acid doping ability [14]. On the other hand, it was known that, the thermal stability of polymers can be raised by the incorporation of 1,3,4-oxadiazole moieties into the polymer structure [15]. The outstanding thermal stability is ascribed to the electronic equivalency of the oxadiazole ring to the phenylene ring structure, which has high thermal-resistance [16]. Combination of inorganic materials with organic polymers is one the exciting topics that has been receiving increasing research attention during recent decades. Nanostructured hybrid materials showed wide potential applications in various areas such as in coatings [17], catalysis [18] and biotechnology [19], shape memory polymers [20], and fuel cells [21]. Organically modified sodium clay (Na+-Mt) has improved compatibility, hence higher efficiency of reinforcement, with the polymer matrix. It has been known that, the dispersion of small amounts reinforcing organoclay mineral with high-aspect ratios, such as layered silicate clays, can significantly enhance the properties of PI and its precursor poly(amic acid) (PAA). These improvements can include solvent resistance [22], ionic conductivity [23], enhanced fire retardance [24], increased corrosion protection [25], increased strength and heat resistance [26], decreased gas permeability [27], high moduli [28], and dielectric properties [29]. The enhancements in thermal and mechanical properties of polymer/clay nanocomposites (CPNs) are due to the lamellar structure of montmorillonite those results in high in-plane strength and stiffness, and a high aspect ratio [30-31]. The chemical structure of Na+-Mt consists of two fused silica tetrahedral sheets sandwich an edge-shared octahedral sheet of either aluminum or magnesium hydroxide [32]. The Ca2+ and Na+ ions adsorbed in the interlayer region are exchangeable with organic cations such as long chain alkyl ammonium [33-34]. These organoclays as compatibilizer may be suitable for polymer blends prepared with a low processing temperature. They have low thermal stability and start to decompose around 200 °C, whereas the melt-processing temperatures of most polymers are typically above 200 °C [35]. Furthermore, the preparation and processing of PI/organoclaynanocomposites is carried out at high temperatures, and the thermal decomposition of the long carbon chain of quaternary ammonium salts is inevitable. Thermal decomposition during processing can initiate/catalyze polymer degradation, in addition to a variety of undesirable effects during processing and in the final product [36-37]. To avoid the detrimental effects, modification of clay minerals with imidazolium [38] and phosphonium [39] salts have been noted. As another approach, using of aromatic amines and/or diamines, as swelling agents, has also been considered in the preparation of polyamide and polyimide (PI) nanocomposites [31, 36, 40-41]. Recently, we reported the synthesis of a new aromatic diamine, 2-(5-(3,5-diaminophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl)pyridine (POBD). Thermally stable poly(amide-imide)s [12], polyamides [42], polyimides [43], and PI/Clay nanocomposites [44] have been prepared using POBD. We noticed to the metal coordination ability of the 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring adjacent to 2-pyridyl group in designing POBD, Scheme 1. The ability of prepared hybrid materials for removal of the Co(II) ion have also been investigated [41, 45]. Thus, as part of our continuing efforts on the synthesis of polyimides with high thermal stability and metal ions coordination ability, in this work, we wish to report the synthesis and characterization of another designed aromatic monomer containing pyridine and 1,3,4-oxadiazole moieties. In this work, BAPO has been synthesized in four steps starting from 2-amino-6-methyl pyridine (1). The dihydrochloride salt of BAPO was used as a swelling agent for the modification of Na+-Mt. The novel modified organoclay (BAPO-Mt) was used in the preparation of PI/organoclay hybrids of BAPO/BTDA. Thermal stability of BAPO is higher than those for commonly used quaternary alkyl ammonium salts. Therefore, thermal degradation will be prevented during heat treatment needed for curing of poly(amic acid)s. The obtained films were studied by FT-IR spectroscopy, XRD, and SEM. The thermal properties were examined by TGA-DTA and DSC. 3. Results and discussion 3.1. Preparation of BAPO-modified organoclay The new diamine, BAPO 5, was synthesized in four steps. 2-Amino-6-methtypyridine 1 was acetylated with acetic anhydride, oxidized with potassium permanganate, and then alkaline hydrolyzed to give 6-amino-picolinic acid 4 [47]. Cyclo-dehydration to 4 with hydrazine sulfate in the presence of P2O5 in the mixture of POCl3 and concentrated phosphoric acid gave BAPO 5 in overall 20.0% yield (Scheme 2). The chemical structure of BAPO 5 was confirmed by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass spectrometry techniques. In the FT-IR spectrum, amino stretching vibrations observed at 3332 and 3202 cm-1. Vibration of C=N bonds of pyridine and oxadiazole rings appeared at 1575 and 1653 cm-1, respectively. The absorption band with medium intensity observed at 1273 cm-1 is related to vibration of C-N bond on the pyridine nucleolus. The amino protons also merged to appear as a broad singlet centered at 6.32 ppm in the 1H NMR spectrum. This peak was disappeared upon addition of D2O and a new peak related to HOD was appeared at 3.90 ppm. In the 13C NMR spectrum of BAPO (5) totally 6 signals observe that it is compatible with the desired structure, Figure 1. Molecular ion peak was observed as base peak in the mass spectra of BAPO, Figure 2. The ‎fragmentation pattern is shown in Scheme 3.‎ To prepare the organophilic clay (BAPO-Mt) via a cation exchange reaction, the Na+-Mt was initially mixed with a hydrochloride solution of the intercalating agent, BAPO 5. Scheme 4 presents a schematic drawing of the modification step. 3.2. Characterization of BAPO-Mt organoclay Figure 3 shows FT-IR spectra of BAPO, sodium montmorillonite, and BAPO-Mt. The spectrum of organoclay exhibits the characteristic bands of Mt and BAPO: N–H stretching at 3330 and 3206 cm-1, –C=N– stretching of the pyridine nucleolus at 1652 cm-1, –C=N– stretching of the oxadiazole ring at 1546 cm-1, stretching vibrations of the double bonds of the aromatic rings in BAPO at 1627 cm-1, and typical bands of montmorillonite at 1033 and 525 cm-1. Figure 4 presents wide XRD of BAPO-Mt and pristine clay. A strong peak is observed at 2à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ±Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  = 8.95 ° for Na+-Mt, corresponding to the (001) plane, indicating that the interlayer spacing (d001-spacing) of Na+-Mt is about 1.0 nm. The interlayer  ­d001spacing can be calculated from peak positions using Bragg’s law: nÃŽ » = 2d sin ÃŽ ¸, where ÃŽ » is the X-ray wavelength (1.5418 Ã…). The reà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ection peak of (001) in BAPO-Mt shifted to a lower diffraction angle at 6.90 °, corresponding to the larger d001-spacing (1.28 nm) than Na+-Mt. The replacement of sodium ions with the ammonium ions of BAPO seems to increase the d001-spacing of layered silicate. In general, a larger d001-spacing should assist the intercalation of the polymer chains and should also lead to better clay dispersion within the polymer matrix. Table 1 summarizes the diffraction peaks and the calculated d001-spacings of Na+-Mt and organophilic clays. The thermal treatment of pristine clay under nitrogen consists of two main stages. The first stage occurs from ambient temperature to 200 °C. In this step, free water molecules physically adsorbed on the external surfaces of crystals along with the hydrating water molecules around the exchangeable cation located inside the interlayer space are removed. The second stage is attributed to the dehydroxylation of the structural silanol units of the montmorillonite in the range of 200-700 °C. The temperature intervals of dehydration corresponding to these processes as well as the amount of water released depends on the nature of adsorbed cations and the hydration of the surface [50]. On the other hand, organically modified montmorillonite shows a four-step decomposition process. The vaporization of free water takes place at temperatures below 200 °C, while the surfactant’s decomposition occurs in the temperature range of 200–500 °C. Dehydroxylation of the structural s ilanol groups related to aluminosilicates occurs between 500–800 °C. The last step is the decomposition associated with the combustion reaction between organic carbon and inorganic oxygen [51]. The amount of loaded diamine can be estimated by TGA measurement. Figure 5 shows the TGA curves of the Na+-Mt, the BAPO-Mt, and BAOP. Pristine Na+-Mt contains a large quantity of water due to the intercalation of hydrated sodium (Na+) and hydrated calcium (Ca2+) cations inside the clay layers. These physically adsorbed water molecules are removed in the range from ambient temperature to 230 °C (ca. 3.81% weight loss). The virgin clay also undergoes a 6.36% weight loss within 230-598 °C related to dehydroxylation of the structural silanol units. Whereas, under the same condition BAPO-Mt shows a weight loss of about 10.6% within 230-598 °C related to surface dehydroxylation and thermal decomposition of the surfactant molecules within the organoclay galleries. The difference betwe en weight losses of Na+-Mt and BAOP-Mt within 230-598 °C (Δm = 4.24%) can be attributed to the weight of the loaded diamine. Therefore, the amount of loaded diamines (42.4 mg/g of clay) can be calculated from Eq. (1). Surface energy of Na+-Mt is lowered by the presence of the aromatic ammonium ions within the interlayer spacing. Therefore, the hydrophilic silicate surface transforms to an organophilic one. As seen in Figure 5, the thermal decomposition of the surfactant molecules occurs in two stags at 260 °C and 370 °C. These temperatures are higher than those of decomposition temperature of aliphatic long chain surfactants commonly used for modification of Na+-Mt, which occurs below 200 °C [52]. This study suggests that the BAPO-Mt can be used in the preparation of PI nanocomposites that need to be cured at elevated temperatures. The images obtained by SEM demonstrate significant changes on the surface of the BAPO-Mt. The Na+-Mt particles seem to be stuck together due to moisture (Figure 6a-b), but the organoclay particles are clearly separated in organically modified clay (Figure 6c,d). It seems that the hydrophilicity of the clay is reduced after modification reaction. This study is in accordance with TGA results. 3.4. Polymer Synthesis The present work reports the preparation and characterization of new polyimide CPNs. BAPO-Mt is used as the surfactant at different concentrations. Scheme 5 depicts the synthesis of the PI from the reaction of BAPO and BTDA through thermal dehydration of the poly(amic acid) intermediate. The FT-IR absorptions appearing at approximately 1786, 1727, 1366, 1094 and 722 cm-1 (Figure 7) indicate the presence of imide functional groups in the polyimide film [53]. The polyimide is also characterized by elemental analysis. The observed and calculated values for CHN analyses are in good agreement. Solubility test results (Table 2) show that the obtained PI is soluble in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and concentrated sulfuric acid at room temperature and in other polar aprotic solvents such as, dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) at boiling temperature of the solvents. For this experiment, about 0.01 g of the polymer sample was examined in 1 ml of solvent at room and at boiling temperature of the solvents. The inherent viscosity of the 0.125 and 0.25 g/dL solutions of the polyimide were 0.36 and 0.39 dL/g, respectively (measured at 25 ± 0.5 °C in DMSO). 3.5. Preparation and characterization of PI/BAPO-Mt CPNs The preparation and characterization of polyimide CPNs with different concentrations of organoclay are also investigated. Scheme 6 shows a procedure for the preparation of PI/BAPO-Mt CPNs by thermal imidization according to method described earlier [44-45]. Figure 8 presents XRD curves of BAPO-Mt, and PI films with various organoclay contents. The lack of any diffraction peak in the XRD patterns of CPNs 1 and 3 wt.%, at 2à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ± = 2-10 °, can be attributed to the possible formation of nanocomposites of exfoliated structure. A wide and week diffraction peak at 2à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ± = 6.62 ° was displayed by CPN 5%, equaling a d00-spacing of 1.33 nm for the layered silicates in the CPN. The shift to higher interlayer d00spacing with respect to BAPO-Mt (2à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ±Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  = 6.90 °, d001 = 1.28 nm) is due to the intercalation of the polymer within the organoclay galleries and the formation of an intercalated nanocomposite. Pure polyimide does not show any diffraction peak at 2à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ± = 2-10 °. The XRD data are summarized in Table 3. The glass transition temperature of the pure PI is observed at about 271.3 °C (measured by DSC), and the polymer does not show any melting endotherm. The decomposition of the polymer begins at 435.5 °C, and no thermal decomposition occurs below this temperature. To remove any adsorbed water, the polymer samples were heated to 150 °C and then cooled to room temperature prior DSC measurements. Figure 9 shows DSC curves of the PI and CPNs. The results are summarized in Table 4. As seen, the glass transition temperature increases dramatically from 271.3 °C for pure PI to 297.0 °C for CPN 1%. The restriction of the intercalated polymer chains within the clay galleries can be responsible for preventing segmental motions of the polymer chains [46]. However, further addition of organoclay up to 5 wt.% leads to a decrease in Tg. This decrease might be due to the aggregation of BAPO-Mt particles that reduces the interfacial interaction between organoclay and the PI matrix [47]. Both DSC and DTA methods show similar trends of changing in the Tg values upon increasing the organoclay content. Figure 10 shows TGA curves of the pure PI and CPNs. The results are given in Table 4. As seen thermo-gravimetery parameters such as temperature for %10 mass loss and initial thermal decomposition (TD) are increased for CPN 1%, remained almost unchanged in CPN 3%, and then decreased. Char yields are less influenced by the BAPO-Mt content. The drop in the thermal properties at high organoclay loading may be attributed to the better miscibility of polymer and organoclay phases at low organoclay concentrations. Like a superior insulator, the obtained multilayered carbonaceous silicate structure increase the total path of evaporation for small molecules produced during pyrolysis [24]. Based on DSC, DTA and TGA studies, it can conclude that CPN 1% has the most improved thermal properties. The morphology of the PI and CPN film surfaces was also studied be SEM. Some significant and interesting changes have been observed in the surface of CPN 1% with respect to virgin PI film, Figures 11a-d. As seen in the pictures, too many micro-cracks are observed in the background of both films, however, homogeneity of the film surface is increased in the CPN 1wt.%. Conclusion A new thermally stable organoclay has been prepared through the modification of Na+-Mt with BAPO. An X-ray diffraction study confirmed the intercalation of organic surfactant within the silicate layers. SEM images showed that some significant changes occurred on the surface of BAPO-Mt with respect to Na+-Mt, including a decrease in hydrophilicity. Furthermore, the high thermal stability of BAPO avoids pyrolysis during thermal imidization of poly(amic acid) intermediate. The preparation and characterization of new PI/BAPO-Mt CPNs with different contents of organoclay have also been investigated. CPNs 1-5% were prepared from the thermal imidization of a BAPO-Mt dispersion in a poly(amic acid) solution obtained from BAPO and BTDA. XRD patterns showed that exfoliated CPNs may be obtained with the organoclay content of 1-3 wt.%, but at higher clay loadings intercalated structure is significant. TGA-DTA and DSC measurements showed that Tg increases with increasing organoclay content loadin g to 1 wt.%, and then decrease thereafter. SEM images showed that CPNs 1% produces smoother film than that of the virgin polyimide.