Comfort Zone

Comfort Zone Brian Tracy, one of the top success speakers and authors in the world, has once said, â€Å"Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. † His point is that, when one steps out of her comfort zone it will be strange, difficult, or painful. However, one will only grow or learn from the experience if they accept the embarrassment, difficulties, and the awkwardness that come with trying something new. I agree with Brian Tracy because of my experience becoming a soccer player.It started in middle school when I decided to join my school’s soccer team. I would watch soccer matches with my family and I was comfortable with the idea of watching it, never playing it. Until eighth grade, when I decided to step out of my â€Å"comfort zone. † Growing up, I wasn’t the healthiest child and I knew that I needed to change my habits. Therefore, in middle school, I decided to join my school’s soccer team. I knew a majority of the rules and how to play different positions despite not knowing how to dribble a soccer ball.When I attended the soccer meeting, that’s when it hit me that there’s a huge difference between watching soccer on TV and actually playing. The other players on the team had played soccer since the age of four, and there I was, without soccer experience. After signing up for the team, I felt foolish, scared, and distraught because I didn’t want the other players to judge me. I didn’t want them to make fun of me because I couldn’t dribble or kick a soccer ball, but my inner voice was still telling me, â€Å" Don’t quit! Let the judging motivate you! Who cares if I can’t kick a ball, I will learn! My comfort zone was watching soccer whereas, trying to play soccer was me, stepping out of my comfort zone. During warm-ups in the first practice, I felt as if I was going to die! My legs fe lt horrible, and there were 2 hours left of practice. I wanted to quit, I was uncomfortable and embarrassed because I fell during an easy drill, was the slowest runner, and tired in the first 20 minutes. In the back of my mind I knew that I shouldn’t quit, I did soccer for me, to benefit my health and feed my anxiety and curiosity about the sport. On the other hand, if I were to quit, I knew I would be unhappy and disappointed with myself.Therefore, I stayed with soccer and I’m happy with my decision because I’ve made the greatest friendships and came out of my comfort zone. My middle school soccer experience has changed me in the greatest way, it helped me realize that I will face problems where at times I won’t feel comfortable and that I shouldn’t quit, no matter how difficult, strange, or painful. After playing soccer in the eighth grade, I decided to continue to play in high school; I wanted to continue my new healthy habits and my friendships that I made in middle school.From freshman year to senior year, I have played soccer for my high school team, junior varsity for my freshman year and varsity for my sophomore, junior, and senior year, and during all my embarrassing falls, crazy drills, and â€Å"psycho† coaches, I realized I love playing. Such a shift in my own paradigm was one of the hardest things for me to do however, I learned what it means to play with heart and passion, a team is a family, and new healthy habits. I grew because I was willing to feel awkward and embarrassed and as Kristen Wiig has once said, â€Å"When you go out of your comfort zone and it works there’s nothing more satisfying. †

Controlled assessment: Sainsbury’s transcripts Essay

In the first transcript ‘store standards’ Joseph and Jason communicate with each other on the shop floor using spontaneous speech . However Jason comes with an agenda. In the second transcript, ‘setting up the meeting’ Jason and joseph are arranging a meeting where they argue a bit about joseph having a meeting with someone else. However Jason warns him that he is to have a meeting with him and he ‘holds the floor’. In the third transcript ‘the appraisal meeting’ Jason and joseph have a meeting where Jason again ‘holds the floor’.Jason: is the manager of the largest Sainsbury’s store in the country which means he has a huge responsibility to make sure the workers have everything in place , staff are dressed neatly and provide people with their needs and wanting’s. Joseph: is a trainee who is training to be a manager in Sainsbury’s and has been working there for more than a year. He has also been sup plying people with help and helps set out the food, toys, clothes and much, much more. The first transcript ‘store standards’ begins with an adjacency pair, Jason and Joseph, greeting each other informally with the use of ‘alright’ and as I have mentioned in the introduction, they are standing on the shop floor which also adds to the informality of the situation. This continues with Joseph’s response of ‘yep, yep, yeah’ which possibly shows that he is nervous. Another place where it possibly shows that he is nervous is when he uses some jargon. Here is some evidence: ‘they’re back of the run (?)’. As the conversation continues to move on, Jason expresses a prosodic feature by telling Joseph about the store standards ‘the standards you set are the standards you get’. By saying this he is explaining Joseph about how he has to keep the corporative image of the store standards. However joseph does not seem to be listening and Jason gets annoyed and say’s ‘you’re talking to me now.’ Later on in the transcript Joseph corresponds to a paralinguistic feature by ‘laughing’ .This does relate to the subject they are talking about which shows that Joseph might conceivably be annoyed by the subject and might want to change it. In the second transcript, ‘setting up the meeting’, Jason has come back to the shop floor to arrange a meeting with Joseph. However joseph has to meet another member of staff called Ginger and askes Jason if he has cleared it out with him or not because apparently he has other plans for him; ‘have you spoken to ginger about this? cos he has other plans for me’. This makes Jason bothered and say’s ‘no’ with annoyance and overlaps him and tells him to meet him at halve past twelve. The third transcript ‘The appraisal meeting’, Jason and Joseph are having a meeting but this time not on the shop floor. The meeting is about Joseph being task focused and not paying attention to others. Jason explains the disadvantages about being task focused while Joseph is agreeing with his mistake and apologising. Later on in the conversation, Jason demonstrates and methodizes (to joseph) how he wants him to work. He also uses a form of spontaneous speech (which is also known as abbreviated language) when he says ‘yeah so I’m driving my double decker bus yeah and I’m the driver cos I’m the leader’.

Purchasing Computer

For Instance, If they found a newer and cheaper way to produce computers, then the price of them would go down, making the emend rise even more. Some of this products substitute would be another factor. Substitutes are goods that are usually used In place of one another. Today, people are able to access the World Wide Internet through their cellular devices, Glenn them the opportunity to make the same transactions or do the same research that they would be able to do on their computers; this Is making It almost unnecessary to own a computer.There are also places like the public library that offers use of their computers at no cost to you, which is how I did all my homework and research for school before purchasing a computer. These substitutes could make the demand for computers to decrease, which in turn will cause the quantity to increase. There are some items that are made to complement computers, such as software or routers. Without some of these products, the computer that you p urchased may be of no use to you.In the case of schooling, there are requirements for certain software's that do not come already included in your computer purchase, and you also need to set up your means for internet connection, which would require a wireless router, broadband, dial-up, or Wi-If. Either way, your computer does not come already installed with these applications, they must be purchased separately. The impact that computers have on people's everyday life have made them nearly a necessity which can impact price elasticity. People need computers for home life, work, or communication, but they are an expensive product.So, people will shop around to try and find the best deals on the computer that they prefer. There are many deferent options available for someone looking to purchase a computer. There are desktops or laptops, PC or MAC, different sizes and storage capacities, and deferent suppliers. The choice of buying a computer provides many different options, giving th e price elasticity. Some are more expensive than others. Computers are changing every day, they are becoming smaller, easier to access, more options, and software.They are built Into our phones and GAPS systems, and can be found Just about anywhere. I believe that computers will always be a huge product which will be costly, but there are a few factors that may change that In the future. Because they have been around for so long, most people already own one, the ability to use public computers, and the efferent forms of technology that are being Invented every day, provide many different options for people that could steer them away from a regular desktop or laptop computer.Purchasing Computer By Jennie no need to purchase another one. New discoveries in technology could be a factor in the change of supply and demand. For instance, if they found a newer and cheaper Substitutes are goods that are usually used in place of one another. Today, people are able to access the World Wide in ternet through their cellular devices, giving them would be able to do on their computers; this is making it almost unnecessary to own ND find the best deals on the computer that they prefer.There are many different laptops, PC or MAC, different sizes and storage capacities, and different suppliers. Day; they are becoming smaller, easier to access, more options, and software. They are built into our phones and GAPS systems, and can be found Just about anywhere. I are a few factors that may change that in the future. Because they have been around for so long, most people already own one, the ability to use public computers, and the different forms of technology that are being invented every day, provide many

CIA and Chiles Coup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CIA and Chiles Coup - Essay Example The CIA's covert actions during the two decades of 1970-1989 can be viewed as a coordinated assault on the socialist movement within Chile. The Cold War mentality had made Washington overly sensitive to socialist movements in this hemisphere as evidenced by their reaction to, and covert involvement in, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. In an attempt to thwart any influence of socialism in Chile the US embarked on a multi prong operation over a period of twenty years. The aims of this action were to influence the elections, disseminate propaganda, disrupt the economy, foment an overthrow of Allende in 1973, encourage Allende's assassination, and repress the socialist movement through covert cooperation with the Direccin de Inteligencia Naciona (DINA). Recently declassified documents verify that these actions were taken as a coordinated effort that was financed and sponsored by the US government. The unrealistic fear of the spread of socialism resulted in a series on actions taken by th e CIA in Chile that escalated from political intervention to a clear cut case of state sponsored terrorism. The acts of supplying weapons to the opposition, encouraging violence, and supporting the murder of political adversaries defines the US activity in Chile as an armed intervention and an act of war, which can not be ethically justified. Interference in the democratic process is highly unethical and unacceptable in any situation, though may not rise to the level of a strict definition of terrorism. However, any unilateral armed conflict into the affairs of another nation that is not supported by a regional or international governing body must meet certain moral guidelines, or be labeled as terrorism. The just war theory contends that armed intervention can be justified if certain criteria are met. Coady argues that the ethics of a just war, "insists not only on the justice of the cause for which the war is conducted, but also on certain other restrictive conditions" (p.19). For example, the cost in human suffering resulting from the action must not exceed the amount of suffering that already exists. In addition, alternatives need to be explored, exhausted, and deemed unworkable. If the US had only immorally interfered in the elections, it could be seen as merely as a transgression of international ethics or possibly law. If lying during a campaign, illegal contributions, and voter suppression were acts of terrorism, our own two major parties would be guilty. However, many of the initial unjustifiable actions of the US in Chile did meet the criteria for unilateral state sponsored terrorism. As has been noted, interference in the free elections of a democratic process is immoral and unacceptable, but does not induce the fear and random violence required to be defined as terrorism. However, the extent of the US involvement and the unreasonable intrusion into Chile's democracy need to be examined to put the rest of the US activities into historical context. During the 1964 election, the CIA mounted an extensive anti-Allende propaganda campaign and funneled as much as $20 million dollars to the campaign of his opponent Eduardo Frei (Kim 30). The financing, and some 15 covert action projects, assured Frei an easy victory with 56 percent of the vote (Kim 30). Though Frei may have

Children and Video Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Children and Video Games - Essay Example Therefore, parents should be vigilant on this particular issue since it could be detrimental to the health of their children. It is in the best interests of the parents to ensure the children have limited time in playing video games. This will be a prudent approach in ensuring the children are not adversely affected by the video games. However, neglecting such an approach could be detrimental to both the children and their parents. Video games are practically indoor games. The children have to gather in a room and start to play. This clears out any instance where the children will participate in outdoor games. This reduces the physical contact with other children. As such, their physical muscles are not enhanced. This acts negatively towards a growing child. Apparently, children need to exercise frequently and run during outdoor games. This clears out any chances of fat concentration in the body. According to research, obese children in the United States have increased in numbers. Th is is an issue that has been affecting many families in the United States. When in physical play, children burn out excessive fat in their bodies. This reduces the chances of becoming obese as the children are frequently engaged in activities that burn out excessive fat in their bodies. This goes to greater heights in reducing other conditions that are brought by excessive fat deposits in the body. For instance, the children will have reduced the risks of getting heart diseases. On the other hand, children that engage in video games rarely run and make physical contacts while playing (Vorderer and Bryant 14). This increases the chances of having fat deposits in the body as they are not burned out. Therefore, the children will continue to have fat deposits in... Video games are practically indoor games. The children have to gather in a room and start to play. This clears out any instance where the children will participate in outdoor games. This reduces the physical contact with other children. As such, their physical muscles are not enhanced. This acts negatively towards a growing child. Apparently, children need to exercise frequently and run during outdoor games. This clears out any chances of fat concentration in the body. According to research, obese children in the United States have increased in numbers. This is an issue that has been affecting many families in the United States. When in physical play, children burn out excessive fat in their bodies. This reduces the chances of becoming obese as the children are frequently engaged in activities that burnout excessive fat in their bodies. This goes to greater heights in reducing other conditions that are brought by excessive fat deposits in the body. For instance, the children will hav e reduced the risks of getting heart diseases. On the other hand, children that engage in video games rarely run and make physical contacts while playing (Vorderer and Bryant 14). This increases the chances of having fat deposits in the body as they are not burned out. Therefore, the children will continue to have fat deposits in their body, which is a threat to a healthy living. Therefore, they will have increased chances of developing health conditions, which include obesity and other related issues.

Emergency Planning and Security Preparedness Essay

Emergency Planning and Security Preparedness - Essay Example Importantly, homeland security seeks to reduce the vulnerability or the risk of exposure of United States’ citizens to terrorism and other criminal acts. In addition, homeland security has been instrumental in minimizing the losses or damages that may occur due to terrorism and other criminal acts (Coppola, 2008). This paper explores the impacts of technology and the emphasis of homeland security on security planning. In addition, the paper explores the changes realized in the emergency security protocol in the wake of increased security threats to the U.S. Effects of the Emphasis on Homeland Security on Security Planning The United States Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2003 following the reorganization of about 187 U.S agencies including the United States National Guard, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the United States Secret Service, and the Transportation Security Administration among others (Coppola, 20 08). Homeland security, through the concerted efforts of all the agencies involved, has been quite successful at detecting and preventing terrorist attacks within the national boarders of the U.S. The elaborate security planning that has been occasioned by the interconnectivity and the cooperation among the agencies has further played a crucial role in fostering national security. Security planning has particularly been improved as a result of the enhanced preparedness, response, and recovery, which are the hallmarks of the Department of Homeland Security. In addition, the availability of funds for the Department of Homeland Security’s use in the planning and execution of its strategies and policies has prompted the effective, appropriate and necessary security planning. Homeland security has thus improved planning with regard to emergency preparedness and response planning (medical, emergency management, and police responses) (Sauter & Carafano, 2005). The planning of both i nternational and domestic intelligence and security operations have been done more promptly, more so by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The other aspects of national security planning that have benefitted due to the emphasis laid on Homeland Security include border security, transportation security, bio-defense, research, and detection of radioactive and radiological materials. Unfortunately, a lot of criticism has targeted Homeland Security, particularly about international laws. Thus, there have been conflicts between the United States and international bodies that are signatory to the Geneva Convention, whose provisions some of the status created by the Homeland drive have contravened (Sauter & Carafano, 2005). For instance, certain Homeland Security statuses have been found not to entirely conform to the conditions of the Geneva Convention. The importance of Homeland Security to national security thus emphasizes the need to further integrate domestic, foreign, and mil itary policies touching on national security, an integration that would promote the collaboration of military services, security departments and agencies of the Government in the handling of security matters (Sauter & Carafan

How James Joyce Influenced the Opinion of The Readers Through Essay

How James Joyce Influenced the Opinion of The Readers Through Symbolisms In His Book The Dubliners - Essay Example The Dubliners by James Joyce is probably one of the few books that leave a lasting impression on the readers. Centered on the theme of paralysis and decay, this book leaves a strong impression on the readers with the use of symbolism and colors. The book is structured in such a way to show how the citizens eventually become trapped in the society of Dublin Ireland (Stone 1990). Written at the time when nationalism was at its peak in Ireland, â€Å"The Dubliners† give us a glimpse of how Joyce perceived the events in Ireland at that time. The point this work of Joyce wants to drive in the minds of his audience is that Dublin is the epitome of paralysis (Levin 1993) and the people in this society are suffering from decay (Friedrich 1990). True enough; the stories in the book are filled with disappointments, frustrations, the feeling of helpless and darkness. The book itself is divided into four parts namely, childhood, adolescence, maturity and public life (Levin 1993) which mak e it easier for the readers to focus on the type of character that the book in trying to portray. Technically, one can read through â€Å"The Dubliners† and treat it as a realistic and straightforward tales of every life filled with disappointments and failures or read the story at the symbolic level thereby interpreting the scenes and the characters of the story thereby transcending into another plane of understanding of the life in Dublin at the time the book was written. For the purpose of this paper, let us take the second option and try to understand how the symbolisms and settings in the book influence the perceptions of the readers and how these settings and symbolisms help the reader form a conclusion at the end of the story.

Adebat about can any one be an entrepreneur including with the Essay

Adebat about can any one be an entrepreneur including with the strength about it and proving them also weaknesses and prove it - Essay Example 3) The acceptance of failure or risk. From the economist’s point of view, an entrepreneur is an individual who brings together labor, resources, materials and other valuable assets into a combined form that brings out a value that is greater than before. An entrepreneur can also be defined as person who introduces innovations, changes, and some form of new order. The psychologist says that such individuals are driven certain internal forces of the urge to attain or obtain something, to accomplish, to experiment, or just to escape the authority of other individuals. To a business person, an entrepreneur will be treated as a threat or an aggressive competitor. Again to the same business person, an entrepreneur can be a benefiting factor as one can become a business ally, customer, supplier or creator of wealth to others. An entrepreneur can also be seen as a person who is finding better ways to reduce waste, utilize resources or produce jobs to those who are jobless. Entrepreneurship is also seen as a dynamical process of producing an increment of wealth (Casson, 2008). This wealth is frequently created by the people who take an assumption to some significant risks in terms of time, equity. However, these definitions will tend to view the entrepreneur from different perspectives, but they have similar notions about organizing, newness, wealth, creating, novelty and the risk taking. Each definition is sometimes restrictive because entrepreneurs are found in all professions such as education, law, research, engineering, social work, medicine, distribution and government. Entrepreneurship is a means of creating new things with some added value by devoting the required effort and resources. At the same time assuming psychic, social risks, financial and acceptance of the results of the monetary rewards and the personal independence and satisfaction. The definition of the entrepreneur stresses four

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Essay Example Without question the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was and continues to be an important public policy which outlawed segregation practices, provided lasting social security and overall became invaluable to many American generations . Segregation as social phenomenon is defined as systematic denial of opportunities for particular population group (Segregation, 2009). According to report on segregation policies, "[f]or many years, the federal government itself was responsible for promoting racial discrimination in housing and residential policies" (Segregation, 2009). Segregation can be examined looking at different perspectives on individual segregation and group segregation (Frey and Myers, 2005). From the critical perspective, the initiative of an individual or population group to segregate is impacted by their social relationships and the spatial character of these relationships (Parsons, 2007). Practically, segregation is not only limited to residential segregation, but to individuals' daily life, and can manifest itself in various social environments, like work and education. This was the case with segregation and racial discrimination in American economic and social environments for many decades. During many decades prior to the year 1964, there were very few Blacks in corporate America. Companies that hired Blacks were known within the community and interested Blacks were encouraged to apply. If, on the other hand, a company was known to support segregation, no Blacks would apply. As a matter of fact, a few employment agencies were known for directing Blacks to the corporate American world. Others found their way into corporate America through advertisements in Black magazines, and from White social pressure to do the right thing. This led a few companies to hire Blacks in positions, such as clerical, personnel and record keeping, which were outside of the company's main business. However, the experience of technically trained Blacks during the 1940's and early 1950's began to be different. Due to the shortage of technically trained employees, Black scientists and engineers were the first to break the color line in major companies. Because of the treatment of many Blacks during this time, a few states enacted anti-discrimination laws. Organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) would often send qualified Blacks in to apply for employment as "test cases" (Loh, 1984, p.48). If an applicant was found to be unfairly treated, the NAACP or Urban League would threaten to initiate or initiate a lawsuit. Federal contracts also banned discrimination based on race, religion and national origin, but there was little pressure to comply. In 1961, President Kennedy established the Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity under Vice-President Lyndon Johnson (EEOC, 1961). This Commission was different from the previous ones, in that it had the enforcement authority to move against those companies discriminating against Blacks . These were the first most known policy steps that eventually led to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent abolishing of segregation practices. THE

Critical Discussion Paper Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical Discussion Paper - Dissertation Example While a wide array of pedagogical techniques and tools are available, this paper discusses the three major ones, viz. Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Mastery Learning, Direct instruction and General case programming. The strengths and weaknesses of each of these strategies are highlighted. ABA is today a vast treasure trove of theory, concepts and models and has evolved through systematic research and refined theories (Graziano, 1971; Maurice, Green & Luce 1996). It is a scientific breaking down of skills and tasks into small, manageable, distinct components which are taught in a hierarchical fashion. This approach establishes a relationship between the antecedent, behavior and consequence. Behavior change and improvement is attempted through reinforcers such as positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, differential reinforcement of other behaviors, non contingent reinforcement and differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors (Cooper et al., 1987; Fischer, Iwata, & Mazaleski, 1997). Rewards are used to reinforce desired behaviors, redirect or discourage inappropriate behaviors. ABA is now recognized as the most effective type of therapy for children with Autism and related disabilities (Lovaas, 1987; McEachin, Smith, & Lovaas, 1993; Maurice, Green, & Luce, 1996). Over the past thirty years, several thousand published research studies have documented the effectiveness of  ABA  across a wide cross section of populations, interventionists, settings and behaviors. The various ABA techniques in use are the ABC method or discrete trial instruction, behavior chains and backward chaining, high probability requests, behavioral contracts etc. The major strengths of this approach are that it facilitates identification, observation and measurement of behavior. ABA is structured and highly sequential. Alternative explanations are ruled out which fosters unambiguous, clear learning. Problem behaviors can be easily and effectively countered through a wi de array of interventions. Measurement on the efficacy of the learning approach is easy and replication is also possible. The downside of ABA is that a behavioral intervention emphasizes control and exclusively utilizes reinforcers such as punishment. Each of the three schools of thought – humanist, behavioral and cognitive, has merits and shortcomings and may not work well in all situations (Tomei, 1998). The humanistic approach of Maslow and Rogers suffer from absence of clear design or direction in the classroom. There are also structural constraints in the information to be delivered. Behaviorism uses rewards for learning and this might discourage the student from learning for its own sake. Individual student attention span may also be impacted. The cognitive perspective featuring the "age stages" propounded by Piaget and Erikson, does not clearly explain the progress and movement from one stage to the next and how the various stages are linked to maturation. Lack of soci al influence is also a clear weakness. Mastery Learning is based on the concept of achieving mastery over one concept or skill before moving on to the other. The major positives of this technique are that it is highly scientific and the tasks are structured and ranked, according to the level of difficulty. It ensures that the student masters a concept before moving on

Compare Ode to a Nightingale and A Draught of Sunshine by John Keats Essay

Compare Ode to a Nightingale and A Draught of Sunshine by John Keats - Essay Example Much of his youth was stigmatized by poverty and poor health. He also got into an understanding with Frances â€Å"Fanny† Brawne but the relationship didn’t last long because of Keats’ failing health, although Fanny was loyal to Keats and tended him very near to his last days. It was during this period of his failing health when he wrote Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems (1820) which included the poem â€Å"Ode To A Nightingale†. Ode To A Nightingale is a poem that was very close to Keats’ personal life. The poem was evocative of all the sufferings that Keats faced in his short-life like the death of his parents; the suffering and pain which he witnessed in people as a surgeon apprentice, the death of his brother and ultimately his own vain life spent in convalescing from the deadly disease of tuberculosis and the pangs of a relationship that couldn’t shape up. The poem speaks of the life of a nightingale in which the poet compares it with that of the life of a human being. Keats says in the poem that the life of a nightingale is blessed because it hasn’t seen the stressed life of humans which is impregnated with worries and sickness. He further says that the life of humans is so sad where beauty is not perpetual and affection is not consistent but the nightingale is above all this and its music is fluid and it is immortal. The writer wishes very hard to flee from the human world to the world of the nightingale. Keats also further wishes to succumb to death painlessly by delightfully listening to the melodious music of the nightingale. The nightingale’s song has been taken to be the ticket to the other world which is free of materialism and physicality. Keats achieved to flee to the world of the nightingale by alcohol and opium but later agreed that the sweet musical chants of the nightingale will help him transport to Utopia. â€Å"A Draught of Sunshine† is another of Keats’ poem which

Personality psychology Essay Example for Free

Personality psychology Essay Abstract Carl Gustav Jung has influenced many facets of modern psychology and counseling with his unique spiritual approach to personality theory. Herein lies a biographical address of Jungs life, a comprehensive overview of the principle tenets of his personality theories, and a Christian evaluation of his work. Specific attention is given to comparing and contrasting Jungs theory of a collective unconscious with a Christians understanding of the spiritual world. In addition, a guide is provided to Christians looking to mine Jungs work for techniques that might help their clients, while at the same time avoiding others that cannot coincide with orthodox Christian beliefs. EVALUATING JUNG FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE Evaluating Jung From A Christian Perspective Carl Jung lived a very interesting life, and has provided the fields of psychology and counseling with valuable perspective and insight. A modern Christian psychologist or counselor would do well to mine Jungs theories for useful application today. The difficulty is found in moving past Jungs cloud of mysticism and properly applying orthodox Christian beliefs to Jungs work. The Life Story of Jung Boyhood Carl Gustav Jung was born in 1875 in Kessnil, Switzerland (Jung, 1989). It is quite telling that very early in Jungs autobiography he describes how he came to his understanding of Jesus as a boy. Jung (1989) described how the natural dangers around his home led to untimely deaths, how his father presided over these funerals, and how Jung lost trust in Jesus because Jesus allowed or caused these people to die. He admits, â€Å"In later years and until my confirmation, I made every effort to force myself to take the required positive attitude to Christ. But I could never succeed in overcoming my secret distrust† (Jung, 1989, pp. 13-14). Jung wrote his autobiography while he was in his eighties and only a few years before he died. Either Jung was a little boy particularly sensitive to his faith, or as an old man he superimposed some of his mature hostility to Christianity onto his memories of early life. Either way, it seems Jung would admit that he was never a Christian. Another strange phenomenon in Jungs early life was a strange experience he described as occurring while he was around eight or nine years old and playing on a favorite rock he had: Often, when I was along, I saw down on this stone, and then began an imaginary game that went something like this: â€Å"I am sitting on top of this stone and it is underneath. † But the stone also could say â€Å"I† and think: â€Å"I am lying here on this slope and he is sitting on top of me. † The question then arose: â€Å"Am I the one who is sitting on the stone, or am I the stone on which he is sitting? † (Jung, 1989, p. 20) It is possible to dismiss this event as a childs whimsy and miss the significant dissociative quality that affected Jung. As if Jung anticipated this, he follows this memory with another even more emphatic. He carved a two-inch long manikin out of his school ruler, dressed it, made a stone for it, and secretly hid it in his attic (Jung, 1989). His thoughts show how divided and anxious his personality had become. â€Å"No one could discover my secret and destroy it. I felt safe, and the tormenting sense of being at odds with myself was gone† (Jung, 1989, p.21). This introspective dialogue confirms Jung struggled with a personality disorder himself. Young Adulthood and Parents Not surprisingly, these two themes of distrust toward Christianity and an increasingly manifest disorder continued into Jungs formative years. â€Å"As a school boy, Jung began to experience himself and be convinced that he was both the child he objectively seemed to be and also an authoritative wise old man who had lived in the eighteenth century† (Sollod, Wilson, Monte, 2009, p. 157). According to Sollod et al. (2009) while trying to understand himself, Jung also struggled with understanding his parents and his home life. Jungs father was a pastor of the Swiss Reformed Church who struggled with his own faith, and his mother seemed to possess two personalities. Sometimes she was a sweet mother and wife, and at other times she was a â€Å"witch, prophetess, and seeress who communicated with spirits† (Sollod et al. , 2009, p. 157). The two themes most obvious in young Jung are the same two themes that dominated the lives of his parents. EVALUATING JUNG FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE Adulthood. Later, Jung (1989) proved to be a good student and was considering a career as a medical man when he was strongly influenced by paranormal events in his house. Curious, he began to attend seances with his family and included these events in his doctoral thesis. After finishing that, Jung (1989) says, â€Å"On December 10, 1900, I took up my post as assistant at Burgholzi Mental Hospital, Zurich† (p. 111). It was there Jung became interested in the mentally ill and Freuds work. Freud and Jung became close, and Jung learned much from Freud. However, a bitterness developed between them and they began to break apart. Sollod et al. explains: By 1913, the break with Freud and the Freudians had become permanent. As we have seen, this period also signaled Jungs development of the most distinctive aspects of his own theorizing and his own personal voyage into the depths of what he termed the â€Å"collective unconscious. † (2009, p. 159) From this association and then public break with Freud, Jung and his ideas began to gain in popularity. He began to develop many independent theories in addition to the collective unconscious, but the basis of his personality theories remain rooted in Freudian thought. Still, most of Jungs theories were inspired from his own personal, spiritual experiences (Boa, 2004, p. 97). Jungs Theories The Collective Unconscious It is good to begin discussing Jungs theories in relation to his break with Freud. We can draw from our understanding of Freud the concepts of psycho-sexual unconscious drives, repression, and the id, ego, and superego to gain an understanding of where Jung began. Jung looked deeper into the concept of the unconscious and found a collective element there: If we analyze the persona we remove the mask and discover that what appeared to be an individual is at bottom collective. We thus trace â€Å"the Little God of the World† back to his origin, that is, to a personification of the collective psyche. Finally, to our astonishment, we realize that the persona was only the mask of the collective psyche. Whether we follow Freud and reduce the primary impulse to sexuality, or Adler and reduce it to the elementary desire for power, or reduce it to the general principle of the collective psyche which contains the principles of both Freud and Adler, we arrive at the same result: namely, the dissolution of the personal into the collective. (Jung, 2008, p.38) Jung believed this collective unconscious was a natural result of the evolutionary process in humans, and therefore â€Å"is morally and aesthetically neutral and should not be regarded as an enemy to be avoided† (Boa, 2004, p. 97). Christian Response To The Collective Unconscious Jungs collective unconscious might excite the Christian who is thinking of the biblical descriptions of angels, demons, heaven, hell, and the entire spiritual world. Is Jung tapping into a part of all of us that comprehends these spiritual things? Both the Christians understanding of the spiritual world and Jungs collective unconscious are unseen. And both views believe all humanity participates or will participate in their unseen world. However, Jungs view is specifically amoral, whereas Scripture describes Gods revealed morality for humans in the material world and angels and demons in the spirit world (2 Pet 2:410 NASB). For the collective unconscious to encompass all the Christian understands about the spiritual world, it would have to be under Gods authority and therefore moral. A Christian understands God as eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent, and thus God would have sovereignty over the collective unconscious if it did exist. In addition, a Christians understanding of the spirit world is that it exists as a real space even though it cannot be seen. A Christian believes this spirit world cannot be entered by a human voluntarily. These two beliefs are antithetical to Jungs understanding of the collective unconscious. Not only does Jung claim to have voluntarily entered the collective unconscious, but much of his later work is based on his return from this place including a mysterious little red book. His writings in that red book were very different from most of his professional work: Instead, the book was a kind of phantasmagoric morality play, driven by Jungs own wish not just to chart a course out of the mangrove swamp of his inner world but also to take some of its riches with him. It was this last part – the idea that a person might move beneficially between the poles of the rational and irrational, the light and the dark, the conscious and the unconscious – that provided the germ for his later work and for what analytical psychology would become. (Corbett, 2009,  ¶ 16). The orthodox Christian is forced to conclude that Jungs theory of a collective unconscious has no bearing on the reality of the spiritual world. Archetypes Jung, however, believed in the reality of the collective unconscious and devoted much of his life to its experience and study. From this work came his understanding of archetypes. He defined archetypes loosely as primal images and experiences shared in humanitys unconscious world (Sollod et al. , 2009, pp. 161-162). These archetypes include names such as the Mother, the Trickster, the Shadow, the Hero, the Anima, and the Animus. Freud believed archetypes on the unconscious side and instincts on the conscious side combined to drive a human (Boa, 2004, p. 159). Or, put another way, Daryl Sharp (2001) explains an archetype is â€Å" a universal tendency to form certain ideas and images and to behave in certain ways. Instincts are the physiological counterparts of archetypes† (p. 14). The general and inclusive nature of the collective unconscious and archetypes made Jung popular among secular and religious spiritualists. Here was a theory they could united behind and put its tenets to work in a practical psychology. Christian Response To The Archetypes Jung easily used the idea of archetypes to interact with Christianity. All of the major historical figures and many icons associated with Christianity can all be explained through archetypes. However at its core Jungs creation of archetypes is not compatible with Christianity as Boa (2004) explains: Disagreement exists among theologians as to whether Jungs system repudiates or is compatible with Christianity, some arguing that it undermines biblical authority, and others claiming that it illuminates and enhances the Christian message. However, the psychological interpretation of Christianity in works like Symbols of Transformation and Answer to Job denounces the scriptural portrait of Yahweh and Christ and rejects traditional Christianity as inadequate for modern culture. (p. 101) The orthodox Christian must not reduce God to the status of one archetype among many, and is encouraged to view the historical figures mentioned in the Bible as literal. One may also study Jung further to read of his aversion to orthodox Christianity more clearly. Word Association Test. Whereas Freud relied on hypnosis and forcing a subject to concentrate to draw out unconscious tangles in a person, Jung developed a word association test. Jung would provide the subject with a card with a stimulus word written on it, would ask the subject to respond to the word, and would record reaction times. This method was very successful in identifying unconscious problems. Jung would later improve on this technique to measure more physical responses from the subject (Sollod et al. , 2009, p. 148). Christian Response To The Word Association Test. Jungs word association test would be improved on and expanded to the many different versions of psychological tests we see today. This method, and methods like it, are useful in determining where a client might need to focus or might be hurting and not realize it. This test would be particularly useful with children or with clients who are unaware of the nature of their psychological baggage. Unlike the incompatable differences associated with the collective unconscious and archetypes theories, the word association test is a useful tool that any Christian should consider. The Introvert and the Extrovert. Jung also developed a model for understanding personality types by observing the differences between Freud and Adler. Jung believed there was a continuum between introversion and extroversion and that everyone fell on a different place on that continuum. Jung also broke those two general types into more specific types, and used this model to fit personalities into categories (Sollod et al. , 2009, pp. 166-171). Later Hans Eysenck, influenced by behaviorist and cognitive schools of thought regarding personality theory, expanded on Jungs ideas of introversion and extroversion. He performed tests that partially confirmed the basis of Jungs descriptions, and then described how the ideas Jung postulated had been around since the times of ancient Greece. Nevertheless, Eysencks evaluation and expansion of Jungs work has led to an understanding of personality types that is useful today Sollod et al. , 2009, pp. 501-506). In addition, â€Å"Web sites based on the dimensions Jung outlined have proliferated, and one can find a number of well-researched tests of Jungian types. Foremost among these are the Myers-Briggs test and the Kiersey temperament survey† (Sollod et al. , 2009, p. 170). Christian Response To The Introvert and Extrovert Types Similar to the word association test, Jungs formulation and the subsequent development of personalty type theories based on introversion and extroversion are helpful diagnostic tools. While observing the view that a human does not completely fit into a single personality type, and humans personalities change, these tools should be utilized in a modern psychology or counseling setting in addition to usual methods. A Christian can counsel another Christian with scripture in truth and love while better understanding that client in terms of their general personality bent. Summary There is no doubt that Carl Gustav Jung lived a troubled life and regularly interacted with the occult. Were he alive today, its likely the fields of psychology and counseling would treat him more as a patient than a contributor. Nevertheless, his ideas and views help shape each of those fields and influenced many others who also helped shape those fields. A Christian would do well to mine Jungs life and work through a filer of orthodox belief. Even though Jung was a nonbeliever, a troubled man, and was hostile to orthodox Christianity, his unique insights are still useful in doing Gods will in todays world. After studying Jung, a counselor is better equipped to help people. References Boa, K. (2004). Augustine to Freud: What theologians psychologists tell us about human nature and why it matters. Nashville, TN: BH Publishing Group. Corbett, S. (2009, September 16). The Holy Grail of the Unconscious. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com Jung, C. (2008). The Conception of the Unconscious. In M. W. Schustack H. S. Friedman (Eds. ), The Personality Reader, (2nd ed. , pp. 36-40). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Jung, C. (1989). Memories, Dreams, Reflections. New York: Vintage Books. Sharp, D. (2001). Digesting Jung: Food for the journey. Toronto, ON: Inner City Books. Sollod, R. N. , Wilson J. P. , Monte C. F. (2009). Beneath The Mask? : An introduction to theories of personality (8th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons.

Child rights based juvenile justice system in Bangladesh

Child rights based juvenile justice system in Bangladesh Juvenile delinquency is a burning issue and relatively a new phenomenon in the criminal and human rights jurisprudence. The juvenile of the world are innocent, vulnerable, and curious, full of hope, and belongs to thrill, aspirations, ambition and what not. In face the future of the juvenile should be shared and cared in the light of equality, dignity and social justice with a view to protecting and promoting the best interest of the child in general. The situation of juvenile delinquency in Bangladesh is very critical in nature. The Convention on the Rights of the Child and other relevant international standards for dealing with juvenile offenders provides a rough but broadly adequate framework for any national system. However, Bangladesh is lagging behind in implementing international juvenile justice standards and the domestic legal initiatives for the protection of juvenile offenders are not adequate somehow and to some extent, these are not consistent with the spirit of the Conv ention of the Rights of Child. Next to non-implementation of laws, the mindset and approach of the people to child offenders are crucial factors that require attention. This essay at the outset, considers the implications of genuine protection of the rights of juvenile offenders. It also discusses some dilemmas for national legislation and the impact of the relevant international instruments on such legislation. Finally the present study has been carried to find out how a child rights-based approach can advance to provide true dignity and justice for child offenders in Bangladesh. Historical background of juvenile delinquency: Delinquency was available throughout all the time. In ancient Britain, even seven years old boys were tried, convicted and punished as adults. There was no special treatment for them, a hanging was a hanging. In Norway, for example, a thirteen century penal code specifies that adult might lose both hands if stealing, children only one (The Council of Europe,2004:13). However, United States of America is one of the pioneer countries on juvenile justice. Social reformers started to create special facilities for troubled juveniles in the late nineteenth century. Though Illinois introduced a separate system of criminal justice in 1899, much had changed by 1909 when Judge Julian Mack famously proposed in a Harvard Law Review article that a juvenile offender should be treated as a wise and merciful father handles his own child (Scott and Laurence, 2008:16). Yet the provision of special court and treatment was soon replicated throughout the country and spread aboard in Britain(1908), France (1912), Spain(1918), The Netherlands(1921)(The Innocenti Digest, 1997:10) Today most of the states of the United Nations have a separate court system for the children accused of an offence. They have the right to treatment that takes full account of their age, circumstance and their needs. The courts generally handle two types of juvenile offender: The delinquent child who has committed an act that is a crime for adult under state law. On the other hand, status offenders are considered unruly and uncontrolled beyond their legal guardian (Siegel and Welsh, 2008). A multitude factors exist that contribute to the understanding of what leads to engage in delinquent behavior. It is also true certainly social factors like poverty, illiteracy, broken homes; lack of employment, peer pressure, lack of parental guidance can be the best root causes to explain juvenile delinquency in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh no separate juvenile justice law exists. The 1974 Children Act is the main law concerning children in Bangladesh, but it deals both with children in need of protection/care as well as children in conflict with the law on one hand, other laws, such as the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Act, on the other hand, also contain provisions regarding children in conflict with the law (UNICEF, n.d.).At present, there are three specialized juvenile courts established in the country and three specialized institutions for the detention of child offenders, which have been renamed as the Child Development Centers among them, two centers for boys are located in Tongi and Jessore and the girls centre is in Konabari (ibid) Definition of a juvenile in Bangladesh: contradictions and dilemmas The definition of child is not uniform in the laws of Bangladesh. Different laws have defined children in different ways. According to the section 2(f) of the Children Act 1974 defines a child as a person under the age of sixteen for the purpose of juvenile justice system administration. Nonetheless, UN Convention on the Rights of Children defines as any person under the age of 18 years. In addition the Bengal Vagrancy Act in section 1(3) explains a child as a person less than 14 years. According to the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Special Provisions) Act, 2000 amended in 2003 furthermore, defines a child as a person under the age of 16 years It is indeed to say that as far as proper functioning of the juvenile justice system is concerned the determination of age is extremely important. However in regard to criminal offence committed by a child, the laws in Bangladesh are to some extent ambiguous. To determine the age of criminal responsibility section 82 of the Penal Code 1860 says that nothing would be an offence, which is done by a child under nine. Surprisingly in the same statute section 83 provides, nothing is an offence which is done by a child above seven years of age and under twelve who has attained sufficient maturity to understand the nature and consequence of the act'(Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh 1860). So it is one of the difficulties of criminal justice policy to provide the legal mechanism to reflect the transition from the age of childhood innocence and through the maturity and the full responsibility under the criminal law. The article 40 CRC asks the states to establish a minimum age below which children shall be presumed not to have the capacity to infringe the penal law (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989). The treaty does not spell out at which precise age the line should be drawn though committee monitoring the implementation of the Convention has expressed the concern about the low age in several countries (Hammarberg 2008:194). Rule 4.1 of the Beijing Rules provides, in those legal systems recognizing the concept of the age of criminal responsibility for juveniles, the beginning of that age shall not be fixed at too low an age level, bearing in mind the facts of emotional, mental and intellectual maturity (United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice, 1985). These international standards unfortunately are not followed in the courts of Bangladesh as there is no uniformity in the definition of a child. In concern with this the Committee on the Rights of the Child in its concluding observations of 2003 expressed over the limited progress achieved in establishing a functioning juvenile justice system throughout the country(UNICEF, n.d.). International legal framework for a child rights oriented juvenile justice: The major international conventions dealing with juvenile justice secures the protection of a child in conflict with law and urges for special action in accordance with the nature and circumstance of the offence. Juvenile justice has become an international issue with the UNCRC coming into force in 1990. Articles 37 clearly states, No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishmentEvery child deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner which takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989). In addition, article 40 connotes, States Parties recognize the right of every child accused of infringing the penal law shall be treated in a manner consistent with the promotion of the childs sense of dignity and worth, which takes into account the childs age and the desirability of promoting the childs reintegration in society (ibid). These special provisions also focus on several rights like, right to be informed, rights to a fair trial, right to legal assistance and so forth. This convention is binding legally on Banglad esh and operates as hard international law. Apart from CRC, there are three other important UN sponsored documents dealing explicitly with the standards and guidelines for the treatment of children coming with the conflict of law. The Beijing Rules conveys the basic procedural safeguards for a juvenile offender, such as the presumption of innocence, the right to be notified of the charges, the right to remain silent, the right to counsel, the right to the presence of a parent or guardian, the right to confront and cross-examine witnesses and the right to appeal to a higher authority (United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice, 1985). Riyadh Guidelines moreover, call for a child centered orientation and child development perspective to prevent delinquency that directly refers to adoption of the preventive policies facilitating the successful socialization and integration of all children and young persons, in particular through the family, the community, peer groups, schools, vocational trai ning and the world of work as well as through voluntary organizations (Krech,1998), whereas the other charter urges for a juvenile justice system that should uphold the rights and safety and promote the physical and mental well-being of juveniles (UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of Liberty, 1990). Besides, there are additional documents which are often referred to in any discussion on Juvenile Justice, for instance, Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners of 1955, UN standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures of 1999 etc. It is important to note that Bangladesh is not a signatory party of these international instruments for juvenile justice, but it is morally bound with the provision of these guidelines and directions for the betterment of the juvenile. . Human rights violation of the juveniles in conflict with law in Bangladesh: In Bangladesh, according to the Children Act 1974 and also the Code of Criminal Procedure, children can only tried by juvenile court and no trial can be held with the adults. The trial shall be held in camera i.e. only people directly involved in the case and officer of the courts can be present during the trial. Even the report of the probation officer or any other report considered by the court shall be treated as confidential and publication of report of the proceedings, photograph of the child leading directly and indirectly the identity of such child is prohibited. But these provisions have been rarely followed in trying a juvenile delinquent. The juvenile justice system in the country remains in a chaotic situation as there are dozens of judgments convicting the youth offenders under the Children Act 1974, although there cannot be any punishment to children under 16(The Daily Star,2007) If it appears to the court the accused is a child, the court shall make an inquiry to determine the age of the child. In the absence of birth registration practice, the judicial officers have to depend on mere speculation or, medical certificates of the child. Section 48 states that if a child arrested is under 16 years old, the police officer may release him on bail (The Children Act 1974). But the reality tells something else. A study by Odhikar it was found that in 2001 in Dhaka Central Jail 7% of the children arrested with adults on suspicion under section 54 of the Code of the Criminal procedure 1898 had been in custody for more than 2 years (Chowdhury, 2006). In 2002, a 14year old boy was released from prison in December after two and half year in custody. The child was arrested in a blanket sweep against criminals and never charged with any offence (US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 2004).In July, 2005 the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court released a nine year s old boy from criminal case after investigators from a local human rights organization noticed him during a regular prison visit (US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 2005). After the arrest of the child, neither the probation officers are informed by the police nor are the guardians found with the help of probation officers. For the protection of best interest no child would be tried, detained with adults and sentenced with life imprisonment. Nonetheless, the issue of joint trial of a child with an adult has been in a number of cases. For example, in Shiplu and another vs. State (1997), Shiplu a boy of 14 years old was tried with his mother for killing a woman under section 302 under the Penal Code 1860. They were convicted with the District Court and sentenced to imprisonment for life. In the appeal preferred by Shiplu, the conviction of the trial court was invoked by appellants advocate to be set aside for two reasons, Shiplu was a child at the time of the trial and the trial of him was not taken place in a juvenile court. Therefore the Appellate court accepted the disposition of the appellants lawyer and issued an order that the conviction as given b y the District court would be set aside. In reference with this, a report shows approximately 347 children were imprisoned (some with their mothers) despite laws prohibiting the imprisonment of minors (US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 2009) The governments human rights record remained poor, and the government appeared to be inactive to assist the rights of the child offender. Even other concerned authorities including the judges of the court seem to be very careless to take into account the domestic laws of Bangladesh. In 2004, a 3-year-old child, accused in an attempted murder case, surrendered before Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate and prayed for bail (The Daily Star,2004). A research conducted on ten child offender sentenced under the Penal code in Bangladesh shows that the youthful offenders were kept in the jail custody with the adult prisoners and most of them were detained in the District Jail not in the child development centers, even no probation officer visited them during the pendency of the legal procedures (Malik, 2007:41-42) If a child has been kept in the child development centre, he can exercise his rights to education, leisure; participate in training, cultural activities and so on, unfortunately poor administrative and logistic support lead to a hindrance to protect the best interest of the child in such centers. The probation officers dont submit the report to assess the improvement of children regularly and the inmates are not produced on the scheduled day before the court (Khan and Rahman, 2008:83-84) As Bangladesh is one of the state parties of the CRC, it is obligatory for the state to undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of the rights of the children in conflict with law. The child rights oriented juvenile system does fit to a country like Bangladesh to fulfill, protect and promote the rights of the children. Though there are some challenges still remaining, I would like to argue that child rights based juvenile justice framework would be very reliable to explore youth justice in Bangladesh through transparent use of resources, CRC centered policies and the collaboration of the actors. What is a child rights based juvenile justice system: The initial idea behind a juvenile justice system is that children in trouble with the law should be helped rather than punished. Central to the concept of the juvenile court was the principle of parens patriae. This means that instead of lawyers fighting to decide guilt or innocence the court would act as parent or guardian interested in helping the child (Family law,n.d.). The child rights based juvenile justice is a holistic approach basically prioritizes the principles of non discrimination and equality (article 2, CRC), well being of the child (Article 3, CRC), and participation, voice and volunteerism (article 12, CRC). It implies the progressive realization of the rights of the juvenile offender through the separate judicial mechanism and special treatment with a view to facilitating human dignity and integrity. It hold the powerful accountable to come up with the child centered legislations and policies and allocate budget and more resources for the delinquent. The child rights based juvenile justice seeks to improve the quality, responsiveness and relevance of the institutions and services like child oriented judiciary and probation office, well equipped correctional centers etc. Besides, a child friendly juvenile justice framework intends to change awareness, attitudes, behavior, practices, norms, and values in the society by the sensitization and training of different sections. However a question can come into play whether the offender would go unpunished in this framework. The procedures under a child rights based approach may recognize the damage to the victim and it should make the juvenile offender understand that the deed was not acceptable (Hammarberg 2008:194). But the main difference with the ordinary criminal justice is that child rights juvenile system doesnt advocate for retributive procedure and encourages to establish responsibility of the actors to promote rehabilitation and re-integration (ibid). Tools of structuring rights based juvenile justice system: Child rights juvenile justice needs a wide range of tools to achieve concrete and sustainable results for children wellbeing. It works to get duty bearer to fulfill their obligation and to support children to claim their rights. The State is required to render appropriate assistance additionally to parents and legal guardians in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities, thus ensuring that the capacity of families to act as the first line of protection of children is enhanced (Pais, 1999:13). Initiating legal reforms: Necessary amendments in regard to the national juvenile laws need to be brought into the line with the standard laid down by CRC. For instance, under the Children Act urgent reforms should be made to consider everyone below the age of eighteen years (Khan and Rahman, 2008:103). In Uganda, specialized family and children courts with informal settings and speedy trial procedure have been established for rehabilitating the children in the society (Roy and Wong, 2006:45).In Bangladesh the national legislation doesnt recognize the principle of diversion that needs to be maintained with the provision of community based rehabilitation, NGOs involvement, etc, even it does not urge for the establishment of a child ombudsman office. These legal reforms are in the core of child rights based youth justice. However, Bangladesh government started to concentrate to a new national social policy on models of care and protection for children in conflict with the law has been drafted to address both ch ildren in conflict with the law and children in children of protection (Ahmed and Islam, 2010:281). Providing adequate legal aid: Most of the children who come in conflict with law in Bangladesh come from very poor families who dont have the ability to engage counsel for their defense. Article 40, UNCRC notes that he child is entitled to have legal or other appropriate assistance in the preparation and presentation to defend him. In accordance with the convention the strategy under child rights model accounts the government to provide free legal assistance to the vulnerable children to ensure the fair and prompt trial. Child friendly Court environment: In Bangladesh, in the children development centres there are separate courts for children which are in comparison to other criminal courts more favorable for the children. But very few cases are heard there. Majority of the cases tries in the ordinary criminal court with adverse court environment and the required special procedure specified in the Children Act is not followed. The child is not heard and he is not allowed to participate in the court proceedings as well. The child rights oriented court system identifies the duty of police, judge, and public prosecutor and broadly the governments by allocating resources and providing trained actors(judges, police etc) to compose an informal court environment that secures the participation of the children and secondly promotes the establishment of laws, procedure in favor them in coordination with article 40(3), CRC. Serving facilities in the juvenile development centers: The centers in Bangladesh lack facilities for correctional activities. The curriculum for the vocational training is not up to date, the instructors are not skilled enough and the officials lack skill to deal with the children who need special care and attention. One 10year old boy was found killed in the Juvenile Development Centre with his throat slit and another one reportedly died in a clash between prisoners'(Odhikar,2008:2). In this context, the juvenile rights based youth justice demands to incorporate counseling, modern trade for the correction centres and arrangement of training for the centre employees including the probation officer. Duty of the NGOs, INGOs and Social Welfare Departments: The NGOs with shelter home can secure the protection of a child in conflict with law. They have the duty to provide free legal aid and act on behalf of a juvenile. In Vietnam Save the Children (Sweden) approached by the Ministry of Justice for technical assistance developed the capacity of staff in various relevant agencies like police, prosecutors, judge and the officials of mass organization and initiated programs to ensure familiarity with UNCRC, international standard, divergence between police policy and practice on the ground(Roy and Wong,2006:76).The new child rights concept involves a shift to justice and entitlement of the children and acknowledges immediate survival and development of them by making the duty holder accountable. So, the probation officers under the Social Welfare Department are bound to exercise their power and perform their duties properly to train the offender and rehabilitate them in society. Necessity of training and sensitization: Protection of the best interest of the child by community service: The Beijing Rules specify care, guidance, probation services, and community services as non custodial sentencing options in section 18. In accordance with the international norms, community service asks the child to provide service to the community as means of punishment or restitution and allows juveniles to remain with their families. The rights focused juvenile justice can address the community service in Bangladesh as a meaningful method in which young people can see the benefits of their works Inter-agency collaboration: Children justice plannings in Bangladesh seek the involvement of a wide range of people from various institutions, government department and the society including judiciary, police, probation officer, stakeholders, community leaders, social welfare personnel, staff of UNICEF to promote the integration of a child offender. International guidelines emphasis the importance of inter ministerial and inter departmental coordination to improve the quality of institutional treatment of the children as well (section 26, The Beijing Rule and section 60, Riyadh Guidelines) Challenges to develop a child rights based juvenile justice model in Bangladesh: To me, it is relative early stage to build up a child focused juvenile justice system successfully. Ideologically it is associated with neo-liberal agenda and in Bangladesh context; some encounters may hinder the process of the development of rights based approach to youth justice in Bangladesh. Lack of available resources: This approach binds the government with their effective efforts to promote the rights of a child offender inside and outside the court by the maximum use of resource. Establishing well functioning juvenile courts and national council for children, effective mechanism for birth registration programs and other promotional activities demand a high profile budget which may slow down the process of child development. Absence of coordination among stakeholders: In Bangladesh different stakeholders have been carrying out many activities in the area of pro child manner juvenile justice. Though the enthusiasm is high, these activities have often been proved to be sporadic in nature due to the lack of coordination among them. Deficiency in monitoring role of authorities: In the courts of Bangladesh there is no provision as well as facilities to monitor the progress of the dispositional orders. Thats why when the child is placed out at home, it becomes almost impossible to supervise his condition whether he gets involved with another offence or he is able to enjoy his rights. Lack of political will or commitment of the duty bearers with limited public accountability: I like to conclude that there is a light of hope that during the recent years government and other NGOs have been working hard to improve the human rights condition of the child offender. The juvenile correctional centres, which were, in practical terms, jails for young boys allegedly involved in criminal activities, were transformed into child development centres that tried to promote more humane approaches towards treating the children in the centres and to acknowledge their role as active citizens( Judge,2007:28).. However the government intends to consider those children who are detained in jail, not the children who have been back in their families (Khan and Rahman, 2008:103). However the rights oriented approach does not allow separation among the children and reveals to aid the best interest of child regardless of their birthplace or status Therefore I like to reckon that it is an approach that can be successfully filtered to inspire, persuade and support states in discharging their obligation to juvenile offenders rights in Bangladesh.

Developing Conceptual Framework in Accounting

Developing Conceptual Framework in Accounting Accounting is playing an important role in nowadays society. It provides financial information to the user to make business decision. However, accountants have to follow accounting standards when they are providing the information. We may question what the principle of those standards is. Financial accounting theory was created as the principle in making standards, and conceptual framework for accounting built up. This essay is going to talk about whether developing a conceptual framework is an impossible possibility. In order to talk about this, I am going through some history of accounting, the definition and compare the conceptual framework under different standards. Accounting was created for thousands years ago. It dates back more than 7,000 years which is the time of ancient Babylon, Assyris and Sumeria. (Friedlob, G. Thomas Plewa, Franklin James, 1996) At that time, people did accounting for their personal need. With the change of the times, accounting no longer work for personal need. People need common standards for stakeholders to use when making decisions. Countries built up Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to set up rules for accountants to do accounting. When the business is becoming bigger, people find out that it is hard to understand other countries accounting report. People need international standards, so some international standards come out, Such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Financial Reporting Standards (FRS). They are built by International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and Accounting Standards Board (ASB). When standard-setters were making standards, they considered about accounting theories. Geoffrey (2007) stated out that three main approaches which are used to create current accounting theories: The empirical inductive approach. This consists of distillation of theoretical principles from accounting practice. The deductive approach. This is the logical derivation of theoretical principles by deduction from assumptions. The new empiricism based on positivism, derived from the Chicago school of economics. This regards theories as worthwhile only if they are testable against empirical evidence. à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ 2007à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Financial accounting theories were made in these three steps in present day. In 1976, FASB defined financial accounting theories as A coherent system of interrelated objectives and fundamentals that can lead to consistent standards. According to Elliot (2004), accounting is a mean which used to recording, classifying and summarizing financial activities which include cash flow, transactions and events. It means accounting is really important for users to analyse a company, such as shareholders, investors and employee. For example, investors want to invest a company. They need to know whether a company is good to invest, so they come to accountants and get the financial report. Without accounting standards, they may feel difficult in reading those reports. For this reason, accounting standards are necessary. To make accounting standards, the conceptual framework of accounting will be need. Carsberg (1984) described that conceptual framework of accounting is used to provide general support and improve the consistency of financial standards. It can reduce the cost of making the standards by helping the standard-setters on what information should be included and how the information should be displayed. It shows conceptual framework of accounting is necessary in making accounting standards. Conceptual framework set up the principle of accounting, so it improved the consistency of financial report and is beneficial to users in analysing the report. Furthermore, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦conceptual framework should be viewed as a kind of gyrocompass to help us in navigating our way through the self-interest and contending ideologies that always surrounded debate about regulation. (Edwards, 1981, p. 439) Based on this, Conceptual framework should work as guidance in making accounting standards. In 1975, The Corporate Report was the one of the reports which is about conceptual framework in the early stage. Our subject is, in essence, the fundamental aims of published financial reports and the means by which these aims can be achieved. (ASSC, 1975) The report shows the way how financial report should display the financial information. It provided structure for the following standards. In 2004, IASB/FASB started a project in developing a common conceptual framework for financial report. (Murphy, 2012, p.1) In 2006, it comes out some information about the framework. For example, it listed some user groups, such as entity investors, creditors, suppliers. In 2008, more information came out. In 2010, a recent version- Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting Chapter 1: The Objective of General Purpose Financial Reporting (IASB/FASB, 2010) was released. In this chapter, the efficiency and effectiveness of the entitys management and governing board in discharging their responsibilities to use the entitys resources is included. (IASB/FASB, 2010, para. OB4) In 2012, the IASB discussed how to restart the project on the conceptual framework. This time they believe the framework should focus on elements of financial statements, measurement, reporting entity, presentation and disclosure. (Peter Alan, 2012) The project of developing a common conceptual framework is so comp licated that IASB/FASB took lots of time to do it. Though it is still not complete, we know that it is becoming deeper from identify the users group to the elements of financial report. Statements of Standard Accounting Practice (SSAP) 2 (1971) gave out a conceptual framework of accounting before others. It was replaced by FRS 18 in year 2000. It showed that: Accounting policies assist in this process by providing a framework within which elements of financial statements, such as assets and liabilities, are recognized, measured and presented. They enhance the comparability of financial statements by helping to ensure that similar transactions are reflected in similar way.(ASB, 2000) It provided a way for how the financial standards should be defined and gives out a way for conceptual framework in how it should develop. From the recent standard in FRS, we see that the framework is completing. For example, FRS 30 is setting out the definition of Heritage Assets. A tangible asset with historical, artistic, scientific, technological, geophysical or environmental qualities that is held and maintained principally for its contribution to knowledge and culture. (ASB, 2009) From above, IASB and FASB which are from United States focus more on the methods on how to disclose the financial information. On the other hand, FRS which is used in United Kingdom put more time in building up the definition of building blocks of financial statements. The aspects they concern about are a part of the conceptual framework of accounting. To evaluate the statement, we need to look into the statement. Developing a conceptual framework is an impossible possibility We can go through the process of induction which is Observations-Laws/theories-Prediction. This is similar to the work of Geoffrey (2007) which I have mentioned. From observed IFRS and FRS, we may say that developing a conceptual framework is possible. It is the theory we get from the work have done. Then we come to prediction. We need to find out a fact that against our theory. If there are no such of fact, we may say that it is possible to build up a conceptual framework. We can also analyse it from the sources of knowledge. It includes perception, introspection, memory, intuition, testimony and so on. Through perception, the statement is not right. From above, we know that conceptual framework is made by IASB, FASB and other else. Although they are not perfect, they are rudiment and developing. When reading this statement with introspection, it cannot be an impossible job. Conceptual framework works as a guidance of accounting. It cannot be impossible to create guidance. In memory, since I learn about accounting standards, I consider the standards are made with invisible rules which I recently think it is the framework of accounting. From intuition, developing a conceptual framework may cost lots of time and difficult to complete, for it need to be agreed by different accounting facilities. Once it complete, it will benefit a lot in making accounting standards. Come to testimony, the people who agree with the statement may argue that some definitions of conceptual framework are still fuzzy, such as true and fair view. As I have said above, nowadays conceptual frameworks are rudiment. It is too early to assert that it is impossible to develop a conceptual framework. However, there are some evidences for the statement. Some parts of conceptual framework are based on fallacy. For example, Rayman (2007) has talked about IASB and FASB built their conceptual framework on the present value fallacy. In the IASB/FASB project, the income was showed: That definition of income is grounded in a theory prevalent in economics: that an entitys income can be objectively determined from the change in its wealth plus what it consumed during a period.(Hicks, 1946, pp. 178-179) (Bullen and Crook, 2005, p. 7; cf. Joint Working Group of Standard Setters, 2000, p. 233) This is similar to the work of Sterling (1970) which was provided as fallacy. There is general agreement on the definition of income among the various schools of thought: Income is the difference between wealth at two points in time plus consumption during the period. The problem centers around the method of determining the wealth or well-offness. (Sterling, 1970, p. 19) It looks like there are some mistakes in building the conceptual framework of accounting, but it is also one of the reasons for IASB/FASB to keep improving IFRS. Another evidence for the statement is True and Fair view. It does not have a clear rule or law for this. It works more like an invisible rule. When accountants making financial report, they should make those report bases on true and fair view. There is nothing specific when we look into the view. It depends on accountants culture and faith. Back to the statement I talked about, I think it is still too early to say that developing a conceptual framework is an impossible job. Though it used fallacy in the process of building the framework, it still in the middle of completing. We should give hope to it, for it is so important in making financial standards. In conclusion, the conceptual framework of accounting is vital. From the definition, we can see that the framework will help a lot in building financial standards which will benefit the users in making financial decision. Comparing different standards which are used in present day, we find out that they are still not perfect. At the meantime, there are some problems in the standards. Even though, it is still not good to conclude that it is impossible to come out a conceptual framework of accounting. I believe the conceptual framework of accounting will finally come out in the future.

Should Australia Become A Republic? :: essays research papers

I believe that Australia should not become a republic. I think that there would be no point in becoming a republic, because we live without the intervention of the Queen at the moment, so becoming a republic would achieve nothing. If we were to become a republic, we would lose the support of England in times of war, famine or other disaster. I think that becoming a republic would achieve nothing, lose our links with England and waste the parliament's time when they should be concerned with more important issues.If we were to become a republic, the governor general would be replaced by a president who would have the same powers and responsibilities as our Governor General, so only the name and the person holding the position would change, wasting important parliament time and achieving absolutely nothing. At the present time, there is nothing wrong with the constitution, and if there was anything wrong with it, it could be changed by referendum, once again proving that becoming a republic is pointless. Currently, we are not tied down at all by the monarchy, and although the Queen does have the power to intervene in the running of our country, she doesn't out of tradition, and therefore, probably never will, bound by the tradition. If we become a republic, we would lose valuable ties with England and perhaps part of our heritage that goes with it. England can support us through many unfortunate events that we may face and England, being on the other side of the world may not, putting them in a position to offer us financial, military or other support. If we were to become a republic would we forget that the English were the first people to colonise our country, and instead of learning about the colonisation of our country, learn about the way in which we broke free from England and the monarchy? We owe our existence in Australia to the English and we are treated very well by them - they let us manage our own affairs and don't interrupt in the running of the country, while still offering their support if we should ever need it, and if we were to break free from this "tight rein" by the monarchy, would they still offer their support when we needed it?Becoming a republic would achieve nothing and we would lose our valuable ties with England and the monarchy.

Semantic Web :: Technology, The Green Guide

To establish the extent to which semantic web has been applied in the sustainable building technology domain, an extensive literature search was undertaken. One of the key findings of the review was that there was no real significant application of the semantic web to sustainable building technologies. The few studies with at least some sustainability issues in the built environment are in Macris and Georgakellos (2006) and Edum-Fotwe and Price (2009). Macris and Georgakellos (2006) explored the use of ontologies to help students to understand the contemporary global environmental issues, how they are linked and interrelated and to consider the different views of these issues, before reaching a decision or judgment. Edum-Fotwe and Price (2009), on the other hand, explored the use of ontologies in appraising sustainability of construction projects and development from the social component of sustainable development. The ontologies developed by Macris and Georgakellos (2006) and Edum-F otwe and Price (2009) are nothing more than academic papers and have never gone beyond prototypical system levels. However, it emerged that there is abundance of green/sustainability specifications/standards/ratings/metrics in the literature dealing with various aspects of sustainable constructions. Some examples of these specifications are the Market Transformation Programme database that contains the different building household appliances in the UK houses arranged in a well-defined taxonomy (Market Transformation Programme 2010; Firth et al. 2008; Wood and Newborough 2007), the Green Guide to Specifications (Anderson et al. 2009), the Uniclass (Smith et al. 1997) and the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED 2010). The Green Guide aims to provide a simple green guide to the environmental impacts of building materials which is easy-to-use and soundly based on numerical data. Uniclass is a new recent classification scheme for the construction industryindustry (Smith et al. 1997). It is intended for organising library materials and for structuring product literature and project information. It incorporates both CAWS (Common Arrangement of Work Sections for building works) and EPIC (Electronic Product Information Co-operation), a new system for structuring product data and product literature. The Green Guide is part of BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) an accredited environmental rating scheme for buildings. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the US Green Building Council, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Semantic Web :: Technology, The Green Guide To establish the extent to which semantic web has been applied in the sustainable building technology domain, an extensive literature search was undertaken. One of the key findings of the review was that there was no real significant application of the semantic web to sustainable building technologies. The few studies with at least some sustainability issues in the built environment are in Macris and Georgakellos (2006) and Edum-Fotwe and Price (2009). Macris and Georgakellos (2006) explored the use of ontologies to help students to understand the contemporary global environmental issues, how they are linked and interrelated and to consider the different views of these issues, before reaching a decision or judgment. Edum-Fotwe and Price (2009), on the other hand, explored the use of ontologies in appraising sustainability of construction projects and development from the social component of sustainable development. The ontologies developed by Macris and Georgakellos (2006) and Edum-F otwe and Price (2009) are nothing more than academic papers and have never gone beyond prototypical system levels. However, it emerged that there is abundance of green/sustainability specifications/standards/ratings/metrics in the literature dealing with various aspects of sustainable constructions. Some examples of these specifications are the Market Transformation Programme database that contains the different building household appliances in the UK houses arranged in a well-defined taxonomy (Market Transformation Programme 2010; Firth et al. 2008; Wood and Newborough 2007), the Green Guide to Specifications (Anderson et al. 2009), the Uniclass (Smith et al. 1997) and the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED 2010). The Green Guide aims to provide a simple green guide to the environmental impacts of building materials which is easy-to-use and soundly based on numerical data. Uniclass is a new recent classification scheme for the construction industryindustry (Smith et al. 1997). It is intended for organising library materials and for structuring product literature and project information. It incorporates both CAWS (Common Arrangement of Work Sections for building works) and EPIC (Electronic Product Information Co-operation), a new system for structuring product data and product literature. The Green Guide is part of BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) an accredited environmental rating scheme for buildings. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the US Green Building Council, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

College halls Essay

College halls are being flooded with adults who are returning to school in their mid-life years. Online colleges have also made it easier for adults to further their educations in the midst of their busy lives. They choose to further their educations for various reasons. Perhaps, moms and dads need more education in order to move forward in their career or maybe the kids are older and mom wants to branch out and start a career. These nontraditional college students face different and more complex challenges than the younger student body. Some other areas of difficulty might include juggling multiple responsibilities or feeling academically out-ranked or inferior. Many colleges offer special services catering to the needs of adult students in order to help them achieve their educational goals. Another more recent issue is the state of the economy. Starting college during an economic slump presents it’s out set of challenges. The Economy The sudden nosedive of the economy has actually caused a surge of adults returning to college. The unemployment rate is on the rise and adults lacking a college degree are being left in the white collar dust of the more employable college graduates. Adults are finding that they have no alternative, but to roll with the changing tide of our economy and technology. This includes returning to college and earning a degree in order to find gainful employment. Some choose traditional colleges and many more choose online colleges. A few employers are wary of online colleges. They believe the student is paying for a degree rather than paying for an education. Slowly, the doubt is dwindling and in many cases employers will contribute financially to employees who are choosing to further their education. Employers are beginning to realize the dedication and worth of employees who are willing to go that extra mile. (Armour, 2008) Adults who return to college are faced with many concerns that their younger counterparts are oblivious to. Two major issues are finances and family responsibilities. In many cases, adults have financial obligations such as mortgage payments, care payments, and providing for their families. They must continue to earn a living and allotting time for family commitments while attending college. Sometimes these are single parents and sometimes they aren’t, but either way, if they have families then their lives become a juggling act. There are also other concerns. (Benahoff, 1993) Women with families often experience feelings of guilt in regards to their children. They feel like their shirking their parental responsibilities. They also worry about the cost of childcare and the quality of care that their children are receiving. Women are also concerned about maintaining their roles as wives and mothers while attending college. (Benahoff, 1993) Men tend to be fearful of failing and they doubt their ability to reach their goals. Since men who return to college in order to change careers they experience a great deal of anxiety. They have responsibilities to their family and there is no room for failure since men usually view themselves as the providers. Men also experience frustration in dealing with the loss of time and the increased expense of attending college. (Benahoff, 1993) Attending School with Children It’s common for adult college students to feel uncomfortable in an environment geared towards younger students. Many adult students have children nearing college age or already in college which can increase their feelings of awkwardness. As parents they are used to being in charge rather than on equal ground with young people. College kids usually have active social lives on and off campus while adult’s social lives revolve around their families and coworkers. Adults have limited time for socializing as well because of their responsibilities. These factors can intensify feelings of being out of their comfort zone. (Benahoff, 1993) Adult college students often lack confidence in their learning and study skills. They find that methods of teaching and learning have changed a great deal since they’ve been out of school. That can be an intimidating experience for adults. On a more positive note, adults take their studies seriously. Their choice to attend college mid-life was a huge step. They perceive college as an investment and as such, there is a certain amount of risk involved. As a result they are focused and extremely motivated. (Benahoff, 1993) College students of the younger generation are very social and it’s no different when it comes to their study habits. They often study regularly and work on assignments with their peers. Adults, however, often prefer to work and study independently because of their multiple responsibilities, busy schedules and time restraints. They don’t have time to linger on campus. (Benahoff, 1993) College Access and their Contribution to Success Admissions counselors should be readily available to advise adult students on courses and degrees that might be appropriate for them based on their current careers, areas of interest, or goals for the future. Providing this service would give adult students the reassurance they need that they are making the best choice by returning to college. Colleges that provide financial aid advisors trained specifically to work with adult students provide an enormous service for what can seem like an overwhelming process. Financial concerns are generally a key issue with adult students and they need the guidance and advice of someone knowledgeable about their specific areas of financial concern. Student advisors to offer suggestions regarding such topics as time management, study techniques or any other areas of concern would help to give adult students the confidence they need. Just knowing that there is someone they can turn to for advice when the going gets tough can provide much needed encouragement. Several traditional colleges offer online courses and access to resources such as online libraries. There are also a growing number of online colleges. Online availability provides easier access to adult students who are unable to attend classes on campus. In addition, many traditional colleges offer evening classes or classes in various locations off campus. This makes it easier for adults who may not be able to attend classes during the day and for those who need a closer location. Colleges who work with communities and employers to stress the importance and the benefits of higher education for adults can provide that extra push for those who are considering advancement, but haven’t yet made the commitment. When they join forces with communities and employers, colleges can also learn how to better accommodate adult students. (Lumina, 2008) Academic and Personal Keys to Success There are steps adults can take to ensure that their college experience will be successful and that they will reach the goals they have set for themselves. These keys to success encompass both the academic and personal lives of students. Academically, there are some specific things adults can do to aid them in adjusting to a college environment. It would be wise to take on a light course load for the first semester. This will enable a gradual transition for students. It will allow time for them to settle in to a routine and to find effective ways of managing their time, so they are able to keep up with coursework. Students who balance their course load by limiting the number of difficult courses in each semester and by allowing flexibility in class times find adjusting to college much easier. Students shouldn’t hesitate to seek support or advice from their student advisor if problems arise. Enlist the support of one or two classmates who will give you the assignments if you miss a class and offer to do the same for them. Students should be sure to keep up with their reading and assignments. They should develop good study habits early on. If there’s a problem with a specific class or assignment then ask to meet with the professor in order to clarify things. These steps are no guarantee of success, but they are steps in the right direction. (Office of Student Development and Counseling Center, 2005) On a personal level there are also some steps to success. First and foremost, adult students should have confidence in themselves and their abilities. While they may be lacking in academic experience, adults are ahead of the younger students in life experience. It’s essential that adult students get their priorities in order. They should gather support on the home-front, so they can concentrate on their studies while they’re in school. If need be enlist the help of friends or family to run errands or help with child care. Make sure time is set aside for family. Adult students can even involve their family members in their study time. Younger children can work on a quiet activity like coloring or drawing whiles the parent studies. A spouse or teenage child can quiz mom or dad if they’re studying for a test. Most importantly, adult students should take time out for themselves. Taking time to relax and reflect on the days events is essential. Everyone needs time to unwind and rest mentally as well as physically. (Office of Student Development and Counseling Center, 2006) Returning to college can be an enormous and seemingly impossible undertaking for adults who are in the middle of living their lives. It may not be the right choice for everyone, but for those who do choose to further their education there are wonderful benefits. A college degree may lead to career advancement that could result in a higher standard of living or it could provide a college education for their children. Adult students are role models for their own children as well as younger college students. Achieving one’s goals, regardless of age, is something to be proud of. Works Cited Armour, S. (2008). Classrooms filled with returning adults. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from USA Today: http://www. usatoday. com/money/economy/employment/2003-06-12-backtoschool_x. htm Benahoff, J. M. (1993, November 11). Educational Opportunities, Developmental Challenges, Understanding Nontraditional College Students. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from ERIC Education Resource Information Center: http://eric. ed. gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/13/2e/33. pdf Lumina. (2008). What We Know About Adult Learners. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from Lumina: http://www. luminafoundation. org/research/what_we_know_about_adult_learners. html#dimension1sub3 Office of Student Development and Counseling Center. (2006, January 13). Making the Adjustment School. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from Office of Student Development and Counseling Center: http://www. lsus. edu/sdcc/adults/making. asp Office of Student Development and Counseling Center. (2005, July 21). So, I’m a student again after all these years. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from Office of Student Development and Counseling Center: http://www. lsus. edu/sdcc/adults/so. asp