Air Pollution In Africa - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3183 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/04/15 Category Ecology Essay Level High school Tags: Air Pollution Essay Pollution Essay Did you like this example? Pollution is a word that is commonly used around us. We hear it on the way to school, on the news and even while eaves dropping on elderly people just taking a ride on the train. So what exactly does pollution mean? And how did it become a topic that is now widely discussed? What is the solution to this problem we are so accustomed to, but is killing us? It has become increasingly evident that for some that the only way to retain sanity is certainly by polluting their environment and on the long run having to pay for it, or worse still, having someone else pay for it.. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Air Pollution In Africa" essay for you Create order With this, I begin this paper with the basic definition of pollution. Pollution according to the oxford dictionary is defined as the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects.1 The next question you are probably asking is: what are these substances that are considered harmful enough to poison our environment and make it unfit for us to live in? Coming up with ideas of things that might pollute the environment is not a difficult task. Causes of pollution are habits that have been formed over time and done initially to improve our lifestyle. Examples of these are the smoke from chimneys, vehicle emissions, spraying insecticides on plants, disposal of industrial waste, and even accidents involving the handling of radioactive substances.2 How did we get from where we were to where we are today? The history. We talk about this menace to society but how did it really begin? It is impossible to say that people of older generations did not experience, pollution but as civilization came about and the level of industrialization rose, so did pollution. In 1347 people began falling ill due to inappropriate waste disposal from both animals and humans, which led to the spread of diseases.3 This state of uncleanliness caused disease outbreaks, leading to the outbreak of the Bubonic plague (Black Death), whose vectors were rats and fleas inhibited by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. In the nineteenth century industrialization increased, which led to more industries and factories producing more waste, such as alkali works, copper works, sulfuric acid liquid, sulfate of iron from tinplate works, and by slag, cinders and small coal.5 As the twentieth century came rolling in, water and air pollution became serious problems and as more people fell sick. This pollution is not only limited to the past but has rolled into the present. The world has developed and provided solutions to a lot of other real life issues we face. These issues range from transportation to health and even down to getting laundry done. Yet even with all these enhancements, it seems difficult to curb pollution. This difficulty is even brought about when countries are not honest about their emissions. A good example is China that burns more coal than they report. It is reported that they burn 17% more coal than the government initially disclosed, which equates to approximately 600 million tons of consumption. In recent times, we have a come to know various types of pollution, some conventional and some nonconventional, and I think, oh wow, didnt know that even existed. Generally speaking, some of the types of pollution are: air, water, soil, noise and thermal pollution8. Some others also include radioactive, visual, light and personal pollution. Africa is a continent rich in diversity and filled with natural resources. It is fortunate to not have to deal with natural disasters, but amidst all of this opportunity it is still lacking in a lot of areas. This brings me to the main focus of this research paper, which is air pollution in Africa. What exactly is air pollution? Priyavrat Sharma defines air pollution as the contamination of natural air by mixing up of it with many different contaminating particles including chemicals, harmful fumes etc. Mellissa Manytz holds a similar opinion that air pollution is any contamination of the atmosphere that disturbs the natural composition of the air. Sources of air pollution are called air pollutants and are gaseous in nature. These pollutants have two subdivisions, the first being the primary pollutants that consist of gases like sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). The second is the secondary pollutant ozone. Africa has two extremes: on one end there is urban development and a lot of modernization is attempting to take place, while the other extreme is the rural areas where there are a lot of old traditional practices, and many do not want to be bothered with the responsibility of educating the people. Air pollution in Africa is further categorized into two categories: indoor air pollution and outdoor air pollution.14 Indoor pollution refers to pollution that occurs inside an enclosed environment. As stated earlier, this type of pollution is seen mostly in rural areas. As climate conditions differ from season to season in Africa, the levels at which this pollution occurs in different seasons varies15. Indoor cooking and heating practices expose people to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. The burning of wood, use of animal dung, agricultural waste and other primitive practices release these gases into the atmosphere as recent studies in Kenya and Gambia have shown. Apart from kitchen duties of the woman, they also engage in agricultural work that involves fuel carrying and childcare. With the incline of these gases in the atmosphere there is an increased risk of respiratory diseases both in infants and adults. High levels of emissions from factories that have no restrictions cause outdoor air pollution in Africa. Not only does industry cause pollution, but power stations, cars especially trucks and lorries also emit high levels of these gaseous pollutants. Using Nigeria as a model, emission of these gases into the atmosphere is caused by lorries that are clearly worn out and are in desperate need of repair. These trucks have exhaust pipes that release carbon monoxide at high levels and since there is no regulation or restriction they pose as health hazards. Apart from the health implications, they are also death traps because of their bad conditions and the state of the roads. This makes it unsafe for road users as well. A recent study on air pollution in Africa has estimated that by 2030 combustion driven sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides will have increased the worlds emission levels by 20 to 30 per cent. A mind-boggling fact is that there is not enough funding to gather sufficient data for pollution in this part of the world, so the estimates are not certain. West Africas air pollution has begun to gain attention especially in large countries like Nigeria, which has major cities such as Lagos that undergo urbanization at a constant rate. In cities like Lagos, air pollution is a result of the constant running of generators because of the lack of power supply in the nation. People have become so accustomed to living in these conditions that they dont even notice anymore how polluted the atmosphere really is. It is appalling how many deaths it has caused. Take for example some one sleeping near a generator house inhaling all the carbon monoxide emitted, which then mixes with the blood and causes de ath. About 94% of Nigerias population is exposed to levels of pollution that exceed what the World Health Organization considers as safe. Gaborone in Botswana was also the seventh most polluted city in the world in 2013 according to WHOs data. Health Implications. Outdoor air pollution is detrimental to human health. Some of the diseases experienced include: stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma. Particulate matter is a mixture of solid and liquid organic and inorganic matter all suspended in air. It is composed of sulfate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust and water. Particulate matter is a major contributor to these diseases and it affects us more than we think it does. So far research has shown that there is a correlation between high levels of particulate matter and morbidity rate. If these levels were reduced then there would be lower morbidity. The WHO estimates that a reduction from PM10 with concentration levels of 70 / 3 to 20 / 3 would reduce air polluted related diseases by approximately 15%.25 We are battling with particulate matter as a potential source of these disease. Sulfur dioxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide gases are also combined wi th these particulate matters. The ozone at the ground level is a large contributor to photochemical smog. It is formed by the reaction of sunlight with pollutants such as Nitrogen oxides, which are released from vehicles and factories. Increased ozone in the air causes lung diseases. Nitrogen dioxide, a rotten smelling gas, is formed from combustion processes such as heating, fossil fuels, coal, power generation, and engines in vehicles and ships and food processing. Short term concentrations of this gas could cause inflammation of the airways, while long term exposure could potentially lead to asthma in children, reduced lung functions and bronchitis. Sulfur dioxide is a highly reactive gas that is emitted from combustion, extraction of metals from ores and burning of high sulfur. The highest concentration of sulfur dioxide is in fossil fuel combustion of power plants and other industrial processes. Research has shown that short-term exposure to sulfur dioxide, which could be between five minutes and twenty-four hours, could cause an individual to experience respiratory diseases such as bronchoconstriction and asthma30. Sulfur dioxide could also react with other compounds in the environment and form small particles. These particles then get into the body and may cause even worse diseases that are by far more life threatening. Indoor air pollution also emits similar gases as a result of smoke from the burning of wood, cook stoves, and open fire stoves, and triggers tuberculosis. Mainly women and children suffer pollutions repercussions, as earlier stated. Approximately 1.6 million deaths have been recorded from women and children breathing high levels of indoor smoke in Africa. Preventive and Curative Measures It is important to cure this disease which we have inflicted upon our planet earth, but even more important that we take preventive measures so that the problem does not get worse. To reduce emission levels, the use of air pollution equipment can be employed. This equipment cleans dirty air just before it goes out into the environment.34 Some common examples of these control equipment are adsorbers, cyclones and vapor condensers to mention a few.35 In general they are cost efficient and also succeed in the job for which they have been employed to. A company called Air Liquide has provided air pollution control and treatment.36 They provide advanced technology using knowledge obtained from combustion, heat transfer and cryogenics.37 These technologies reduce green house gas emissions. Oxy combustion solutions is a technology they have come up with that has the capacity to reduce fume volumes and emission levels. These oxycombustion solutions remove nitrogen oxides and particulate ma tter from the atmosphere38. Another way to control these emissions is by placing permits to regulate the concentration of these gases that enter the atmosphere in levels that are not harmful. These are helpful because they place requirements on how things are done. Measures Taken So far South Africa is the only country in Africa that has enforced air quality legislation. The air quality act (act 39 of 2004) functions include: national air quality framework, listing of pollutants, setting emission standards and a providing a range of criminal offences.39 A workshop held in July called the Better Air Quality was a sub-regional workshop to make policies regarding better environmental practices.40 The BAQ brought together West and Central Africa Sub regions The BAQ initiative is supported by the Air Pollution Information Network for Africa (APINA), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), ARA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Swedish International Development Co- operation Agency (Sida), the Global Atmospheric Pollution Forum (GAPF), UNEP through the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV), and the World Bank.41 The regional framework agreement on air pollution has been able to bring together twenty-one countries in west and ce ntral Africa. These countries are Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo â€Å" and ECOWAS. The framework is aimed at addressing key areas that are affecting air pollution in the continent. Their main areas of focus are transport, mining, household pollution, bush burning and uncontrolled deforestation. This paper includes projection plans for when the organization should implement laws to engender significant change in the various sectors that contribute to air pollution. An example would be to enact regulations to adopt AFRI-2 (3500 ppm max sulphur in diesel and 500ppm in gasoline) or better fuel specifications by the end of 2010 and implement AFRI-4 (50 ppm max sulphur in diesel and 150ppm in gasoline) by 2020. This is an example of the projection made in regards to fuel standards. They also aim at increasing awareness among the people so that there would be less air pollutants emitted and people would make a more conscious effort to regulate or completely stop the use of these materials. The only issue I see about the proposed measures is that to stop air pollution there are so many great ideas that could easily be worked with but it doesnt seem like there is a section describing how to implement those ideas. The framework is also excessively long and although put in organized format, does not show focus. Consider this sentence: create efficient linkages between non-motorized transport, public transport and individual motorized transport to improve efficiency of urban mobility. This proposal does not specify what kind of linkages they intend to create or when this urban mobility will be developed. Another example would be to channel more investments in the development of sustainable urban transport infrastructure including road and rail systems. The framework says that it was going to do something about the railroad system, yet Nigeria is a West African country and has been a part of this framework since 2009 and there has been no transformation in the transportation system. The rails have been out of commission since the 1970s and the sector in charge of transportation still collects revenue for development of that sector of the economy, but so far nothing has been done to change it. I know it takes time for some of these things to be implemented, but fulfilling a few out these hundreds of promises would reduce apathy among the people. Proposed Solutions Air pollution is a major issue and I dont know how much awareness may really bring about change, so the more realistic solution would be to move everyone, divide each continent, and assign each to a new planet. Since Canada is really cold and its inhabitants are used to the cold, it would make sense that they stay farthest away from the sun, so Pluto would suffice. This way everyone would be given a second chance to make right their atrocious acts of polluting the once perfect earth. Vacating earth for a while would give it time to recuperate from all the damage done to it and maybe after a million years we can consider returning back. A potential solution for pollution in Africa would be to try to create awareness especially among people in the rural areas so that they become more conscious of a lot of primitive practices that cost them their lives. I dont think it is enough to simply raise awareness, because for people living in poverty there is not much you can tell them to make them go out of their way and buy fuel efficient stoves for cooking. The truth is that they do not have money for that and the little they have is invested in food for their immediate family. It would make better sense for the government to provide some of these facilities to the less privileged because at this point what they really is a savior. The popular saying that actions speaks louder than words fits with this scenario because asking them to take positive steps towards the environment would entail you showing that you genuinely care about them. Lots of air pollution is caused by power generators and solving the problem of power supply would be a huge relief. So much money goes into buying diesel and fuel for people to power these plants just so they can have electricity. If electricity issues were resolved by going green then pollution would be significantly less and people would likely be happier. Going green means using sources of electricity that do not have negative effects on the environment43. The sun, air, water and wind can be used to harness electricity without having a negative effect on the environment. As stated earlier, Africa is such a blessed continent with a lot of natural resources, many that have not even been unearthed. So if poverty levels are reduced, then pollution would be reduced as well. Pollution and poverty may not directly correlate, but poverty causes people to resort to using pollutants and appliances that emit them in high concentrations. If some of this basic infrastructure is provided then I reckon there would be less pollution. Industries contribute a great deal to atmospheric pollution and there are no restrictions on pollutant levels. Once those rules are enforced and strictly adhered to, there wouldnt be much of a problem trying to bring down levels of pollution. Education is also a potential solution. The more people go to school, the more people become appreciative of their surrounding environment. The public education system should be reformed back to way the way it used to be way before private schools came into play. If the public education system is reformed then there would be equal opportunity for education both for the poor and the affluent and higher literacy rates. The Bigger Picture Public Health and the Field of Medicine What exactly is public health? Public health refers to all measures taken to prevent diseases and prolong life among populations, not just individuals.44 Public health keeps a constant follow up on the health of communities and promotes practices to ensure that the population remains healthy. A physician on the other hand treats patients individually. So how does this goal play a role in helping to improve the quality of air and the state of health of the people currently experiencing air pollution or enduring its implications? A background in public health would give me a good understanding of how to prevent and control the spread of diseases in a community. It would further help me to understand how to relate with a large group of people and communicate with them in a way that would be of great benefit. As a physician trained in the art of healing, I would be able to offer treatment to people affected. For the state of public health to be improved these solutions to air pollution in Africa in need to be implemented before it becomes an irreversible problem.

Sun God Of Egypt Ra - 1086 Words

Angel Orellana Professor Robin Anth 1102 September 26, 2017 Sun God of Egypt Ra In ancient Egypt people believe that the sun king represented power and strength. The sun God for the ancient Egyptians represented life. The reasons that it represented life are that the sun had power, energy, light and warmth. At that time they worship the sun God Ra. People believe that he made the crops grow every season. A lot of ancient cultures marked the date as significant, since the sun is at its highest point and the concept of sun worship is as old as mankind. The dependence on the sun for life and sustenance in societies were primarily agricultural. That is why people believed in the Sun God. The Sun God started in Ancient Egypt where Ra comes†¦show more content†¦This shows the importance of how the Sun God Ra was important to people. The reason was that he was referred to â€Å"Re† and â€Å"father of gods† which means that every god should have a representation of him since he is the god of creation and the sun. Ra was recogn ized as a religious figure and capture the environment when Ra was related to the Sun Boat of Ra. â€Å"The Sun Boat was a great ship, called the Barque of Ages , in which Ra and his companion gods sailed through the sky giving light to the world and then through the perilous journey of the night, sailing through the underworld. The companion gods of Ra helped defend the sun god against the Serpent god Apep, which represented the victory of right over wrong†¦ There were many prayers and spells to help Ra and the sun boat overcome Apep the evil serpent†. This shows how Ra the sun God was recognized as the chosen to defeat the evilness. People view him as the light to the world and view him as a God since they pray for him. This is where Ra, the god sun is view as a religious figure. Ra was part of the Tree of life. â€Å"The sun temple located in the City of Heliopolis, Egypt, was dedicated to Ra, the Supreme Solar God, and housed the Tree of Life. The fruit of the Tree of Life gave Eternal Life and the Knowledge of the Divine Plan, a map of destiny. The fruit of the Tree of Life was not available to mortals, only in the rituals relatingShow MoreRelatedAncient Egyp Gods and Godesses: From A to Z1331 Words   |  6 PagesAnubis was the Egyptian god of embalming and the keeper of secrets. He was associated with the mummification and protection of the dead and journey to the afterlife. He was portrayed man with a jackal’s head, or in jackal form holding a flail in the crook of his arm and wearing a ribbon. In the Old Kingdom he was the most important God, where he was associated with the burial of the pharaoh. He was very important because the Egyptians worshiped two things: 1. the gods and 2. The dead. The ancientRead MoreHow Did Astronomy Affect Early Egypt?1537 Words   |  7 Pagesient Egypt was an established civilization of Northeastern Africa. Located near the lower half of the Nile River, it was an extremely sophisticated civiliz ation for its time. The Egyptians were especially intelligent in agriculture and infrastructure. They had pyramids and temples, that were places of worship and used for religious matter. Basic buildings that were used for things like banking and irrigations systems used to control flooding. The Egyptians were able to adjust and modify to theirRead MoreAncient Egypt : Religion And Religion1374 Words   |  6 Pages Egypt is country with lots of religious connections. Religion in Egypt helped the communities come together and created understandings and shared values. Aspects of Egyptian life like law and art were connected with religion. Gods were represented with many things in nature like animals. Religion and life were very combined. Many aspects of Egyptian culture and civilization are connected with religion. Nature aspects like the sun and river is answered with what the gods do in mythology. AncientRead MoreThe Mysteries Of Ancient Egypt1572 Words   |  7 PagesMysteries of ancient Egypt attracted the attention of archeologists and ordinary people for many centuries. An enormous impact on the history of Egypt was religion, it shaped the everyday life of all the egyptians. They wanted an afterlife in Aaru, heaven. It was the ultimate goal. People s lives were rotating around religion, and everything that was tangent to it. The peculiarity of religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians developed because of the geographical location of the state. Around 3000Read MoreThe Creation of Gods667 Words   |  3 Pages The Creation of Gods To every mythology, there has to be a beginning. Mythology is stories that can bring that hero look to kids or even adults. The story of the gods, even the leader or the strongest god has a weakness, also every god has a father and a mother that created them. Nobody, knows how they were created, but that is why this essay, or story was created. Zeus was born by the titans Cronus and Rhea. Cronus was evilly known for being a very jealous and greedyRead MoreGeography And Climate : Ancient Egypt1443 Words   |  6 Pages Location, Geography and Climate Ancient Egypt is known to have been the world’s longest lasting civilization due to their unique climatic and geographic conditions, a stable hierarchical society of government, and a religion that revolves around death and afterlife. Egypt’s glory went on for over four millennia from around 5500 B.C.E. to its conquest by the Greek in 332 B.C.E. Egypt is located in the northern edge of the Sahara desert, with the river Nile dissecting the land from the south toRead MoreNile River Impact Of Egypt1163 Words   |  5 PagesThe Nile River helped Egypt economically, socially, and religiously, and as a result Egypt was named â€Å"the Gift of the Nile† because of the given history of these great waters. The Nile has continued for centuries to provide whats necessary for the people of Egypt and their daily lives. The Nile River is truly a blessing to these people and Egypt would not be the same without it. Without the Nile, Egypt would have remained a hot desert. The people would have not been able to survive because thereRead MoreThe Temples Of Egypt And Ancient Egypt1423 Words   |  6 PagesThe temples of Egypt were (and still are) associated with a great deal of religious value. The temples were built to be the homes of the gods and goddesses of the land. Ancient Egyptians believed in the importance of pleasing thei r gods. As a result, they ensured that beautiful and magnificent temples were built to be the homes of these gods. In this regard, these temples were also used as places of worship (Redford, 1971). These temples were therefore the places where the Egyptians spent most ofRead MoreThe Temples Of Egypt And Ancient Egypt1397 Words   |  6 PagesThe temples of Egypt were and still are associated with a great deal of religious value. The temples were built to be the homes of the gods and goddesses of the land. Ancient Egyptians believed in the importance of pleasing their gods. As a result, they ensured that beautiful and magnificent temples were built to be the homes of these gods. In this regard, these temples were also used as places of worship. These temples were therefore the places where the Egyptians spent most of their time performingRead MoreThe Hymn Of The Nile857 Words   |  4 Pages Ancient Egypt believed in many gods, making them polytheistic. One of their major gods was Ra, the god of the sun. They believed in a process called mummification. Mummification is a process that an important man in Egypt had to go through before going into the afterlife. The afterlife was very important to the Egyptians because they believed in second chances in life. Osiris and Anubis would judge an individual s heart to the feather of Ma’at. If the heart outweighed the feather, then Ammut

Ruslans Vanags free essay sample

Ive spend five days to move the furniture and materials from the former classroom and AIM storage into my new room. Luckily I wasnt creating classroom environment from the scratch, but with the help of full of wisdom theories and methods of Maria Interiors prepared environment?. I wanted to build a house for the children, taking into consideration their deeds and abilities; the house that will maximize the ability for children to learn and explore, to foster independence and social development in the child. This is why I kept in mind the six principles of the prepared environment (given my Maria Interiors): freedom, structure and order, beauty, nature and reality, social environment, and intellectual environment. Id like to start my research with an introduction of my new classroom first. And for that I think it might be significant to share some of our campus facility details. In 2012-2013 school years Ive been promoted to a lead teacher. Our school ritually expanded into a four floors building, and by the time I had to open my new class I still had an opportunity to choose a room on the Ft;bay-too-far (for that time) third floor.Ive got a space room on the sunny side of the building on the 3rd floor. And that first leading year turned to be a very exciting year in my career. I should mention that our campus building is having a huge prism structure with longest sides (sides that have classroom windows) facing south and north. With a hallway right in between of this prism, our school is divided into two parts: Sunny and Shadow parts. With he time it became crowded. Nowadays all the space has been arranged wisely from the gates to the chimney all the rooms have been taken -?and classes are battling for the place under the sun.This is why the next summer our school leaders came up with a procedure of switching classrooms so that each class that stayed a year in a shadow will have a following year on the sunny side. This was a fair enough idea. Therefore Ive moved my class to shadow side in a year of 2013-2014, having a mutual agreement that Im coming back to my Old room in 2014-2015. One day, during my MATT summer camp training (2014) Ive received a hone call from Ellen, our principle: Hello, Johan, how are you? Ive got news for you, a bad and a good ones.Which one to start with? Whats the bad one? I chose to listen first. Well, you are not moving back to your old classroom this year. But dont worry, you are still moving to the sunny side. Which room would it be? The ex-oak tree class. Became speechless for a minute. Have to say that the room we are talking here now, was abandoned in the middle of the term by the old class teachers and parents community. That room had only two sections of endows so it was dark even with lights on during the lunch time in a brightest summer day.Every time was passing and peeking into this room I was saying to myself life is great Im not staying here longer than a minute. And there you go! I just receive news that had to stay in that room for a year. Still , I tried to defend: Ellen listen, but the ex-school leader gave me a promise that Do you have a written agreement with the ex-school leader? -Principle cut me No, but. .. But we have a written agreement with ex school leader and with Dove class parents that they are going to move to that room which you were hinging to come back into. Eave realized that Im simply receiving a message of the decision that has been made prior this phone call. Yes, Ive been played even a long time before Ellen became a principle, and there is absolutely nothing I could change, especially being away from my campus for another month in AMPS course. Hem, so I have to dedicate myself completely into Interiors training that is the only thing that should matter for now calmed down myself, but.. . Wait a second. Wait a second Ellen, you said there is good news as well? Yes. Your new room is under construction.School is gushing hard to make that class suitable place for study. Okay, Ill see it in a month. I hanged up. Shall I say that I felt down every time was thinking about my future room; about my environment I had none of other teacher would like to have. And then I have received first photos via Weight: The red fence is demonstrating the wall which was removed. Behind this red fence this classroom had a bathroom. But this bathroom was shading so much light, that by the door (opposite window side) it remained permanent darkness. You may ask then -where is the bathroom now?The designers came up with a reliant solution they have shared the bathroom of the neighbor class (Dove, who moved into my Old ideal room) into two separated toilets. Here is the photo: These two classes bathrooms (arched entrance from my room) are separated with a thick 50% transparent, 120 CM high, which provides enough natural light in the toilet and further into the classroom. Removing the old bathroom away didnt just make the whole room brighter, but it also gave more than 20 square meters of working space! That was an unexpected gift! In his book Deck J. A. Aid: the environmental qualities of classrooms-?high/ owe, open/closed, big/little, vertical/horizontal-?do indeed affect the learning process in young children, this is why Id like to mention the main qualities of the room itself: Working space: 60 AMA. Height: 2. Mm (every room on the 3rd floor is 2. 5 m height; and mm ceiling on the 1st and 2nd floors). Here is what Meyers-Levy said in his paper The influence of Ceiling Height: The Effect of Priming on the Type of Processing People Use: When a person is in a space with a 10-foot (mm) ceiling, they will tend to think more freely, more abstractly.They might process more abstract injections between objects in a room, whereas a person in a room with an 8-foot (2. Mm) ceiling will be more likely to focus on specifics. I cant change height of the ceiling so lees just take it (focusing on specifics) as an advantage! Brightness: 1/3 of my class is lighted up by direct sun rays throughout the day. Another 1/3 is considered as Satisfying bright no lamps needed. The farthest part 1/3 of the class is still Above average, lamps needed.To keep high level of brightness Ive removed back walls of the shelves that are arranged parallel windows row, so that the room is see-through and light-through. Thermal comfort: Since Thermal comfort is the condition of mind that expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment and is based on subjective evaluation it might too early to provide a judgment in the end of October, however Im still wearing a T-shirt during morning working time in a sunny day; children averagely are wearing two layers of cloths and staying in a healthy condition.According to my experienced working in the neighbor class two years ago th e temperature, humidity and ventilation are within comfortable level during the winter as well (T>18 C). Comparing to the classes on the opposite shadow side where children used to wear winter coats first couple of hours every morning (T=14 C) in winter. Noise level: Our campus located on the west part of Beijing in a very quiet neighborhood away from main roads. Moreover, my classroom windows facing privet hosing facilities which do not generate any noise whatsoever.Shape: Fat-L: Here is a short summary of Ducky. A. Research of the Fat-L classrooms type, which says that such type of the room affords flexibility, variability, and is an integrated learning setting that provides opportunities for activity settings. Within the classroom, each setting can be organized to support individual, one-to-one, and small group activities. Additionally, this layout enables individuals to work on one side of the classroom without distracting the activities occurring in the other settings.While the fixed base cabinets and shelves divide the classroom physically, they afford students working in the other settings and as they walk through the space the opportunity to participate, though from a peripheral position, in the activity. And if you keep the space free of permanent obstructions it will be easy to reorganize the hole class into various sizes and numbers of the learning groups. In my case, Im going to organizing Interiors class according available activities (PL, Censorial, Math, Art, Language, Library, Dramatic play, Active group exercises, Science, Nature corner, Food center) .Here are the photos of the our Fall-L classroom: In my research Im going to call the area that forms long straight line in the letter L as Area A (from the main door to the windows row) Im going to call the area that forms short base in the letter L as Area B (from the Math shelves to the childrens personal cabinets, including the entrance into the toilet). Classroom plan (Before changes) Based on the environmental qualities that are giving to me with this room I have prepared Interiors classroom for a new 2014-2015 school year for the children mixed age group 2 h -6 years old.Ive spend five days to move the furniture and materials from the former classroom and from the AIM storage. My data (observation logs) Things that were working well: Practical Life area was very popular in general, the row of shelves that is arranged in the middle of the area A has no back wall, which allows to approach PL the materials from both sides. Library and Language materials are placed near the window that is providing enough sun light to have successful visual special activities (matching, writing and reading).Math shelves are placed away from the rest of the materials in the area B, which allows to have an individual or one-to-one mathematic activity, that would require concentration. Censorial is near by the centre open space (later centre rug), this fact help all the children often work with Censorial materials. The social environment supports individual, one-to-one, small group, and large group activities (lots of tea-parties, children are working at tables in rope of four- numbers of the chairs at a table). Here are the main issues of the environment that came up during my observation sessions: A.Area A is too crowded and therefore Often noisy and messy. B. Some children do run through the class (some fall). They run from the toilet in area B and through the long alley of the area A). C. Some materials are seldom used (or not used at all). D. On the contrary of the c some of the art materials are wasted or not used properly (glue, paper, markers, and other rare collage items (shells, pipe cleaners, wiggly eyes, etc. )). E. Children are not using area B, or they are sing it to hide. F. Week and messy food preparation/snack activities.G. Lack of floor mats (only 6 mats). During our team discussion with Sabina and Amy we have added couple Of more problems in the list to solve, such as: H. Art shelf is blocked by one of the tables, causing traffic and difficulty clean up, to pick up and put away materials. I. Not organized snack time procedure and other transitions (lining up, washing hands). J. Lack of plants and other nature objects in the class (not enough to make a big class as mine 27 children to keep care of the plants: watering dusting and simply enjoying its existence.K. A new center rug gift from school (all my team is against that piece of environment). Environmental changes team discussion. Have gathered my team on September 30th (last working day before October national holidays break) for 60 minutes discussion about changes we have to make in our environment. The discussion was started by me, exposing all the issues Ive taken evidence of not only during my nine scheduled observations, but the questions I kept concerns even before observations.Sabina Ghana and Amy added their ideas to the list (written above), and after hat we have stared our discussion of possible solutions. During our next classroom meeting (after national holidays) we have discussed of the changes timing terms and shared responsibilities to have all the necessary preparations if needed. Here is what we came up with. K) The Center rug (it came in the end Of September as a schools gift). My solution. The center rug was the only items that broke our solidarity during the discussion all the teachers in the class were against the rug (and against me, since Ive trying to keep it).Other teachers were septic about benefits of his item: too big, too round, too green, cant roll, cant move they kept protesting (not just during our discussion day, but day after day). And Ive answered Lets wait and see how children will react on such a big surprised addition in our environment! At the begging all the children were super excited to see such a lily pod in our class. They ran, they dropped, they rolled, they jumped. That not what we expect to see in Interiors class, but had some faith in children. Besides, the rug was so attractive that I myself wanted to stretch on its soft surface. A)+B)+H) Tables and seats (consolidated solution). The two lines of three square tables both on the left and right sides of the area A were giving symmetrical and proportional look to that area. Personally like it, but we had to experiment and solve problems that it causes: running alley, crowdedness in the area A, blocking art shelves. Here is the set of changes we have discussed to take: Invent the concept of seats per table by having a sticker on the table -a working place sign.That way we can regulate the number Of children at a table during morning and afternoon working time and as a result the working seats in the whole area A. However we have to move unnecessary chairs away after breakfast. (Yellow circle at the side of table). Move the Art Table that was blocking the access to the art area out of the table line onto the path of running alley between two shelves, near by a plant. Provide this table with three yellow circles three working seats (so it would block more space on the running alley). Two solutions with a single move!C) Materials that are seldom used (my solution) Easel stand. It was located next to teachers table for two months. I personally used it during whole class group times to model drawing and writing, and I valuate the effect of using it above average, since children were willing to participate I spy letters game and printing letters activities. But this was it no child choose an easel to work during Interiors working time (nor black board, nor painting). Our decision is to move the easel into an open area, next to art shelves, to bring children habit of using it. Metal Insets.No child had Metal Insets work in a month of September. There were pencils, CACM paper sheets, trays and pencil stands. Our solution is to display Metal Insets samples on the wall next to the Metal Insets work. D) Wasted Art Materials (Sprains solution) Limit the art supplies to a certain number, according to the planned theme activities. Promote Sabina Ghana to control art area. In addition, we may direct the flow of imagination and creativity that develops through the art activities to another sites of the classroom by creating opportunities to use that imagination, which in our case would be Dramatic Play area(s).And here we move to the (E). E) Hide and seek in the area B (consolidated) The whole area B was taken by children as a little COZY vestibule: they change their clothes and may stay for a chat with their mates. Some children who had emotional troubles in separating with their parents were hiding next to their scabies for 30-60 minutes. The area was not small, but still not big enough to attract having a work on the floor. The large table was hidden behind math shelves and mostly ignored by the students.The solution Ive advised was to move Math shelves closer to the center rug (now that rug vividly distinguishes the soft-sitting-lying-playing-group work area, from the rest of the room. So we kept enough space on the side of area A to freely move back and forth and to approach materials on the shelves; t the same time we have visibly enlarged area B space, so that it could be considered as a cozy place to have a small project that may require extra isolation and concentration.Besides we have installed two Dramatic Play sites: building blocks with roads and transportation; and the Restaurant setup with cooking desk, dining table and cashier. In our expectations we wanted to have averagely 5 to 7 children busy in the area B. Working places (area B) Before changes After changes Seats at the table Dramatic Play 5 Total Max F) Food preparation. (Amoys solution) ad concerns of snack/food preparation habits in the class.

Professional Development for Nursing free essay sample

The goal of this paper is to determine goals and set a guideline to follow as I advance in my career, as well as establishing strategies for success. For the past eight years, I have toyed with the thought of furthering my education. Life seemed to envelope me in a crazy, indescribably fast pace of child, full-time job, family, home, and on and on. I always found a reason that my ADN was sufficient enough; I had achieved the initials RN behind my name. Those initials had been my goal since the age of six. My mother is a veterinarian and would often take me to work with her and let me â€Å"assist† in C-sections on heifers, or pinning the broken femur of a dog that had â€Å"zigged† when he should have â€Å"zagged†. It was during the attempted sedation of a rather large dog (who was really against the idea of participating) that my mother asked if I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up. We will write a custom essay sample on Professional Development for Nursing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As I was hanging on to the leg of this dog, and feverishly trying to hold off the vein I knew the answer-absolutely not a vet. My answer was that I was going to be a nurse, because humans didn’t bite†¦or so I thought. I graduated High School at the age of sixteen and set off to college. I married at the age of twenty-one to a career military man, had my only child at the age of twenty-three, and did not return to school until the age of twenty-nine. I had amassed 190 credits due to the constant moving and graduated from an ADN program in 2008-finally. My end goal is to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. I live in a very rural area; the closest large hospital is over 90 miles away. My community has a 12-bed hospital and two doctors, both of whom are in their late 70’s. Our small hospital services all who live in our county, the next point of access to medical care being 50 miles away. Having a provider who is young, invested in the community and aware of the community health needs is vital. I have lives in this area for two years, and it has become my home. The people here are hard working and honest-with a healthy fear of medicine. There are several who still use old folk remedies, and are resistant to anyone they do not trust. It is critical that these people have access to a provider who is young, committed, and understands the culture. I have set a few short-term goals to avoid feeling overwhelmed. One short-term goal is to receive my BSN, with my projected date of graduation being May of 2015. In order to achieve this goal, I chose to attend on-line schooling so that I would be able to continue working full-time, and maintain a direct eye on my sixteen-year-old daughter who is now driving. While on-line learning certainly makes being a full-time student, employee, wife, and mother easier, there still remain barriers to contend with, one of these being the dreaded â€Å"stress†. In order to achieve any goal, one must navigate and deal with the daily stressors of life and school in order to effectively advance, â€Å"Learning to deal effectively with the stressors that create barriers to success is important† (Blais Hayes, 2011, p. 8). I will take time out to relax, continue to raise and train Quarter Horses with my husband. I will spend time with my daughter by continuing to coach her volleyball team and trips to the mall. Managing my time appropriately is a barrier for me due to the simple fact that I get side tracked easily. I always think, â€Å"Oh relax! You’ll get to it Jo†. I have been out of the academic setting for eight years, and I am not quite sure how to fit all of the requirements of my daily life together. According to Blais and Hayes (2011, p. 8), â€Å"Time-management skills are a necessary tool and vital for success†. In order to prevent feeling overwhelmed, I will create a calendar, which contains my work and school schedules, and set it so that my husband and my daughter will be aware of my schedule-decreasing unwanted interruptions. The achievement of my MSN-FNP is my long-term goal. The estimated graduation date is May 2017. Receiving my MSN-FNP will satisfy my want to serve my community and provide healthcare, while being able to remain nurse I always wanted to be. Reaching this goal will not be easy, and while three years may seem short to some, three years currently feels like forever to me. The nurse in me knows that by becoming overwhelmed and stressed, I will inadvertently increase my chance for becoming ill. To overcome this, caring for my self with diet, exercise, and sleep is vital (Blais Hayes, 2011). Included in my daily scheduling with be â€Å"time-outs† for myself in which I will focus solely on me. In making time to ensure my health, I will be able to be the wife, mother, student, and nurse that I expect myself to be. The administrator for my facility, Monica Kidd, RN, MSN has agreed to mentor me through this process. Mrs. Kidd was one of the main influences for my return to school. She has four children, and a career, and managed all of this while earning her MSN. She has agreed to any time off that may be needed in order to study for exams, to help with any assignments, as well as be my â€Å"sounding board†. In order to transition from â€Å"Floor Nurse to â€Å"Provider† I will need to increase my flexibility, knowledge, and interpersonal skills. The FNP requires a Master’s degree. The responsibility changes from taking orders and providing bedside care to giving orders and assessing bedside care. Sitting for the NCLEX scared the daylights out of me. As for how I feel about sitting the FNP boards, well I’m not sure that there are words for how that at this time. With the passing of â€Å"Obamacare†, the need for Nurse Practitioners will increase â€Å"To make the ACO’s work, hospitals and health systems are hiring dozens of new nurse practitioners† (Japsen, 2013; 2013). The fact that the Act provides incentives for nurses to advance their education is helpful, and will ease the price of the MSN degree. The mean salary for a FNP in Texas is roughly $91,000. 00 as of 2013 according to indeed. com (2013). There is a certain amount of freedom not having the responsibilities that a provider does during patient care. When my twelve-hour shift is over, I clock out and go home to my family, I do not take call, I am not expected to return to the hospital in the middle of the night for an ER visit. I do not have to carry the malpractice insurance that is required by a provider. Once completing the MSN-FNP program, this will change. I will have all the responsibilities of a provider and no longer have the amount of free time I am currently allowed. I have accepted this change partly because of my need to be successful, and partly because of the devotion I feel to my community. I will be able to be an asset to my community, to help them maintain their health while preventing the 90-mile drive to see the young doctor. I currently work six shifts per two-week period. I have four days off during the week. My days off will be used for studying and completing assignments during the eight hours that my husband and daughter are at work and school. This will leave me evening free for family time, which is important to me. Time Management must be a priority for me and so I have set up a schedule. The schedule is similar to a seminar schedule: 0700-0800 exercises, 0900-1100 NURS352SI, 1100-1230 lunch and so on. I felt the need to set a schedule that included breaks and eating in order to fulfill a stress reliever requirement. Reduction of stress is the only way that I will be able to contend with the increased demands of furthering my education. I have several activities that I currently use. I currently have a home on twenty acres, three large dogs, and several Quarter Horses. My husband and I are involved in breeding and training horses, as well as team roping and sorting. Animals are a very large part of my life, with riding and working with my horses being my main stress reliever. I love to take walks, watching my horses run in the fields without a care in the world. I spend many evenings after a stressful day just quietly watching my animals from the porch. Time with my daughter is relaxing for me†¦most of the time. Coaching her volleyball team is a source of pride and relaxation for me. I am able to watch she and her team improve their skills, maintain the bond that my daughter and I share, and focus solely on the moment. In closing, I evaluated every aspect of returning to school before making the final choice decision to choose a school. Furthering my education is setting an example for my daughter, a source of pride for my husband, and a relief for me. Education is not something to be taken lightly, it requires diligence and respect, and school is demanding in itself. The path to any end goal is going to be bumpy, and at times incredibly trying. Any set goal is worth achieving, and I have no intention of failing at this long ago set goal, to become a FNP for my small, rural community.

Organizational Objectives and Total Compensation Essay Example

Organizational Objectives and Total Compensation Essay Intrinsic compensation is the quality of life at work such as job variety or management feedback. Companies can use their compensation packages to attract certain types of employees and also retain them for an extended period of time. However, the reward of total compensation to attack and retain employees has not always been the manner in which companies treated their staff. For more years in history than not, companies would work their employees incredibly hard resulting in employees putting forth much of their lifes to work and receiving very little in return. Laws and Regulations The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1 938 (FALLS) had a significant impact in the manner in which employees are to be rewarded for their work. FL-AS set a minimum wage for employees to be paid, it established an overtime premium of time and a half for hours beyond 40 in a seven day period, and it set guidelines for how much minors were able to be worked (DOLL, 2015). Equal Pay act Of 1963 said that employers were not allowed to segregate their wages based on employees gender. This act created an historic definition of equal work; requiring both sexes are to receive equal opportunity for imposition. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Objectives and Total Compensation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Objectives and Total Compensation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Objectives and Total Compensation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Women have generally always been paid less than men for doing the same jobs and the Equal Pay Act has been enforced to remedy the issue. Furthermore, the Civil Rights Act of 1 964 went on to make sure that no person was discriminated against for race, color, sex, national origin, or religion. This would include areas such as the hiring process; employee reviews, working conditions, promotion opportunities (National Archives). This act was the forefront of dissimulating discrimination not only in the work place but also in all business and educational establishments whether an employee, customer, student, or teacher. Taking the HER Consultant Role There are many things to consider within each company when it comes to creating a total compensation plan. Hiring a federally contracted employee in the government technology requires a different approach than hiring cashier at a locally owned shop. While work related laws are pertain to all working individuals not all business are required to function in the same manner. For example, all working individuals are protected from discrimination. They muss also earn overtime when deemed necessary according to FALLS. However, not al employers are required to provide medical leave to their employees. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1 993, only employers with 50 or more employees within a 75 mile radius must provide this to employees (SHRIMP, 2010). The Davis-Bacon Act requires that federally contracted employees be paid a fair salary based on the current salary in the area. There are several varieties in total compensation available for employers to present a favorable plan to a perspective employee. These rules and regulations maintain some type of standardization from a governmental perspective. The laws and regulations mentioned about were implemented to provide a standard level fairness between employers and employees. They prevent individuals having to be put through high levels of extreme conditions from doing so without being properly rewarded for that tedious work. Without these laws and regulations companies would have complete control over their company and have the availability to to abuse their power. The establishment of such laws also created a competitive edge for companies when it comes to hiring and retaining employees.

Free Essays on Educational Leadership

To begin with, teachers, like all individuals, should be treated with dignity, respect, and confidence ¡Xthe same way students should be treated. All teachers, whether young or old, extraordinarily competent or staggeringly inept, deserve systematic support and assistance to change, grow, improve, and share. This can only be accomplished through effective leadership. A process known as the supervisory behavioral continuum, is an effective model for displaying behaviors used in a decision-making process. Skillful and effective use of this model and knowledge of human behavior can ultimately save time, money, and prevent unneeded friction between administration and staff. The continuum gives the supervisor a method to deal effectively with everyday issues that occur at the workplace, and to come up with a workable solution that makes everyone happy. Consider the four approaches to working with and supervising teachers: non-directive, collaborative, directive-informational, and directive-control. In a situation where the teachers are self-starters, who are resourceful and curious, and who work well professionally, a non-directive approach letting the teacher take the lead in their development would be the appropriate approach. In a situation where a lack of common learning goals across departments or grade levels and teachers working mostly in private, a directive informational approach would be appropriate. In a situation where a school with a common history of fragmented efforts to improve but little open and visible collaboration among teachers to see each other at work or to review the work of each other's students, a collaborative approach would be appropriate. Finally, in a school marked by isolation, routine, privacy, stagnation or decline in the achievement of students, and resistance to individual or collective change, directive-control is necessary. The direction of leadership and development of instructional change sho... Free Essays on Educational Leadership Free Essays on Educational Leadership To begin with, teachers, like all individuals, should be treated with dignity, respect, and confidence ¡Xthe same way students should be treated. All teachers, whether young or old, extraordinarily competent or staggeringly inept, deserve systematic support and assistance to change, grow, improve, and share. This can only be accomplished through effective leadership. A process known as the supervisory behavioral continuum, is an effective model for displaying behaviors used in a decision-making process. Skillful and effective use of this model and knowledge of human behavior can ultimately save time, money, and prevent unneeded friction between administration and staff. The continuum gives the supervisor a method to deal effectively with everyday issues that occur at the workplace, and to come up with a workable solution that makes everyone happy. Consider the four approaches to working with and supervising teachers: non-directive, collaborative, directive-informational, and directive-control. In a situation where the teachers are self-starters, who are resourceful and curious, and who work well professionally, a non-directive approach letting the teacher take the lead in their development would be the appropriate approach. In a situation where a lack of common learning goals across departments or grade levels and teachers working mostly in private, a directive informational approach would be appropriate. In a situation where a school with a common history of fragmented efforts to improve but little open and visible collaboration among teachers to see each other at work or to review the work of each other's students, a collaborative approach would be appropriate. Finally, in a school marked by isolation, routine, privacy, stagnation or decline in the achievement of students, and resistance to individual or collective change, directive-control is necessary. The direction of leadership and development of instructional change sho... Free Essays on Educational Leadership â€Å"The three core tasks of expert school leaders are the standard fare of apologist for cultural realignment: articulating a vision, devising strategies to attain that vision and empowering followers† (Gronn 1996) A cursory understanding of the concept of any single leadership theory may lead to the belief that a shift to only one type of leadership style is a panacea for struggling schools. A more thorough analysis of the history and theory behind the different concepts of leadership in general and educational leadership in particular, the moral, ethical and intellectual capacity of the leader may be more significant than the leadership theory he/she practices. In trying to evaluate the efficacy of leadership styles as a practical possibility, four have been identified: transactional, instructional, transformational, and invitational and discussed with a current middle school principal. Transactional Leadership Theory Transactional Leadership as noted by Gronn, â€Å"comprises a technology of control that facilitates an exchange relationship with followers entailing reliance on the management by exception and contingent reward or inducement typical of supervisory management levels† (Gronn, 1996: 15). (See also Leithwood, 1992: 9) According to Leithwood, Transactional practices are considered to be essential to maintaining the organization while transformational practices provide the incentives for people to attempt improvement in their practices. (Leithwood, 1992: 9). This leadership style is primarily a situation where individuals and groups go their own way in an organization and pursue their own objectives, having transacted their legitimacy form the leader, either by obtaining resources to complete tasks or others forms of legitimization. Such organizations are task rather than process oriented, and less successful at managing innovation and change, where the focus is on one person, the leader. Interview response ...

Religious Expression in Humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Religious Expression in Humanities - Essay Example Due to this, religion is an integral part of the society that fosters humanness and social progress. Rome is an ancient city that plays a pivotal role in world religion. The Romans believed in a strong connection between the gods and the people. Most Romans held the central view regarding the value and importance of religion (Dillon and Garland 54). The religious convictions of the Roman culture were evident in their manner of worship and lifestyle. In fact, religion became central to their culture. The Romans used several ways to express their religion. Rome is an ancient city where the citizens found it necessary to offer sacrifices to their gods. Ceremonies found their meaning in terms of the religious expressions. For example, families would conduct prayers to the household god, Janus. In addition, the Roman government had various religious offices to cater for the religious needs of the society. For instance, the priests held senior positions in the society (Dillon and Garland 67). Due to this, the role of religion played a critical role when it came to the dissemination of duties. In the Roman case, there were 16 Pontifices who would preside over religious events. The ruler of the Roman Empire found it necessary to consult these priests before making a decision. The period 770-220 BCE was the â€Å"Spring and Autumn Period† that covers part of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty and Hans Dynasty. Even though the Chinese had a high regard for religion, the Zhou Dynasty did not have any regard for religion (Lagerwey and Kalinowski 22). It was a period characterized by elitism and religion. Scholars believe that during this period, no prophet spoke. The priests did not take any part in explaining the will of the heavens. In addition, there were no books that could explain the religious expectations of man. During this time, heaven’s role took a back seat. On the contrary, when Hans took over, religion took a critical position. The Chinese concept